terrour, or persecution, they were but too success, ful. This gave the apostle Paul continual uneasiness. It was the principal occasion of his writing several of his epistles to guard the first converts against the artifices of his countrymen; and there are frequent allusions to the subject in them all. What those doctrines or practices were, which these zealots endeavoured to introduce into the Christian church, the apostle informs us. Thus we learn, that they taught Christians to observe a distinction of meats, when the liberal spirit of Christianity allowed men to eat all food alike; to observe weekly, monthly, and annual festivals, with pharisaic rigour, when the Gospel had abolished all distinction of days; to worship angels as mediators between God and man out of an affected humility, as if it were presumption in them to address the divine Being themselves; to practise also bodily austerities in a variety of penances and mortifications. These things the apostle prohibits and condemns, as imposing an unnecessary yoke upon heathen converts, and as inconsistent with the genuine spirit of the Gospel. That Gospel exalted those, who embraced it, to a free and happy condition, which he calls Heaven; but those, who were disposed to encourage such practices, he charges with cherishing a low, carnal, and worldly mind. Some of the converted heathen were disposed to introduce into Christianity the notions, which they had derived from heathen philosophers. This proved a fresh source of corruption. Thus there were some, who, being ashamed of a crucified master, maintained, that Christ was not come in the flesh, that is, that he was not a man in reality, but in appearance only, and that he did not really suffer upon the cross. This the apostle John calls Antichrist. They were also probably the same persons whom Paul condemns for teaching endless genealogies, and for denying the resurrection of the dead, saying, that it was past already. But there was another corruption of Christianity, in early times, to which both Jews and Gentiles scem to have been equally disposed. A spirit of ambition and domination had already manifested itself. The Christian priesthood had already begun to assume some of that power and authority, which they afterwards carried to such height, as to advance it above the highest civil authority, or, in the language of prophecy, above all that is called God. This is the man of sin, and the mystery of iniquity, of which the apostle thought proper particularly to warn the Thessalonian Christians, to whom this epistle is addressed. In reference to all these errours and corruptions the apostle prays for his friends, that the grace of Christ may continue to be with them, that they may retain the Christian religion in it's purity, undebased by Jewish ceremonies, by human traditions, by heathen philosophy, or a domineering spirit, well knowing, that all these ad ditions would tarnish it's lustre. and be attended with a correspondent corruption of morals. And those persons must be ignorant of the state of Christianity in the world at this time, or indifferent to the moral improvement and confort of their brethren, who feel not the necessity of offering the same prayer at the present day; for men are still inclined to corrupt their Christian faith. To say nothing of the errours of the church of Rome, which cover so great a proportion of the Christian world, there are other churches, which retain much of the usurped power, many of the distinguishing rites and external forms of that corrupt church. The spirit of Popery exists and flourishes, where the name is renounced; or, if these practices and this spirit be discarded as antichristian, men are inclined to fall into other errours of no small. magnitude. The Unity of the deity-that grand article of the Jewish and Christian revelations—is virtually denied, and that homage and reverence offered to a servant and messenger of the most High, which are only due to himself. Many are inclined to think and firmly believe, that virtue and piety are of no value in the divine estimation, and that nothing is necessary to recommend men to his favour, but relying upon the virtues and righteousness of another. Every one, who sees the pernicious tendency of such doctrines and practices, must earnestly wish, that all, whom he loves and values, may be pre served from their influence, and will heartily adopt the apostolic benediction for this purpose. I have now explained to you the several objects, to which I conceive the apostle refers in the short, but comprehensive prayer in the text. I shall now conclude with bringing them again to your recollection, and with reminding you of the objects, to which they may still be applied. Remember, then, when you hear these words pronounced, that they are intended to remind you, thất the Gospel of Christ is an inestimable blessing, more valuable than any temporal gift, than health, riches, or honour, than any religious dispensation, with which mankind have been favoured, than the cove nant with Abraham or with Moses, than the instructions of the prophets;-that it is, in a word, the best gift of God to man since the foundation of the world that as such it becomes you to prize it, to rejoice in the blessing, and to be thankful to him, who bestowed it. . Remember also, that it is intended to remind you, that this blessing, however valuable, is not secure, but that you are in danger of losing it, by abandoning your Christian faith through the artifices of unbelievers, by the love of distinction, and still more through the influence of vicious inclinations; and that it becomes you to be careful, that you do not yield to any of these motives. Fail not to remember also, that this blessing will be infallibly lost, if you imbibe not the spirit, which it recommends, if you observe not the precepts, which it enjoins, and do not employ that constant care and diligence, which are necessary for this pur pose. Lastly; Let it not be forgotten, that by this prayer you are reminded of the danger, to which you are exposed of having your faith corrupted by mistaken interpretations of Scripture, by rites, ceremonies, and practices of human invention. Printed by E. Hemsted, Great New: Street, |