Ministers duty not only to labour upon the affections of people for making them choose and embrace that which is good though he ought to do that mainly 2 Tim. 4. 2. but also to inform their judgement by clearing their dangerous mistakes that they may be able to discern truth from errour and that as for other reasons so because of the great influence which a darkened judgement hath in misguiding the affections for it 's like they were not totally ignorant of the resurrection yet of some comfortable circumstances of it or at least did not seriously perpend them which occasioned their excessive grief and therefore Paul doth set himself to inform them I would not have you ignorant that ye sorrow not 3. It is not granted to the most near of Christian friends to enjoy the comfortable society of one another alwayes but however they may eschew all those other sad accidents which either do locally separate chief friends before their death Psal. 88. 18. or make their society one way or other useless Job 13. 4 5. yet death will inevitably make a separation at last and therefore Christians in wisdom ought to improve to the best advantage their mutual society while they enjoy it for Paul supponeth that death had removed some eminent Christians at Thessalonica which was cause of immoderate sorrow to such as were left behind while he saith concerning them that are asleep tâ—at ye sorrow not 4. Though believers in Jesus Christ be freed from the curse of the Law Gal. 3. 13. and consequently from death it self as it is a piece of that curse Gen. 2. 17. yet death doth seize even upon them and die they must the Lord having so appointed Heb. 9. 27. that through the strait and terrible passage of death they may have an entry unto life Rev. 14. 13. So that death hath changed its nature and use as to them and of a prison to detain them as Malefactors it is made a passage for them to walk safely through to the possession of their Kingdom as victorious Conquerours In which respect among others Christ by his death hath removed the sting of death unto all his followers 1 Cor. 15. 55 c. for Paul sheweth that even believers among them did dye concerning them that are asleep saith he 5. There is a moderate sorrow and grief which the Lord alloweth for the death of Christian friends though not because of any hurt or damage of theirs who are thereby freed from all sin and misery and rendred eternally happy Rev. 14. 13. yet for the loss which either we or the Church of God sustain in their removal 2 King 2. 12. and because the death of such is often a forerunner of sad dayes to come Isa. 57. 1. for Paul by forbidding only immoderate grief doth tacitely allow that which is moderate That ye sorrow not saith he even as others who have no hope But 6. there is an immoderate and excessive sorrow either for time or measure which as even the Godly through infirmity are apt to entertain so the Lord doth disallow and from which he willeth Christians to refrain as savouring much either of want of charity to our deceased friends contrary to Isa. 57. 2. or of Atheistical doubtings concerning the immortality of the soul and a blessed Resurrection of the body contrary to 1 Cor. 15. or at least of too great diffidence of Gods care and providence to supply what loss we our selves or the Church of God do sustain by their removal contrary to Matth. 9. last for Paul dischargeth this immoderate sorrow and upon those grounds while he saith sorrow not even as others who have no hope 7. The serious consideration of death and how its nature and use is changed to believers might be of it self sufficient to stop the current of immoderate and excessive grief for their removal for his expressing their death by a sleep doth serve for an argument to allay their immoderate grief the force whereof is expressed in the exposition concerning them that are asleep that ye sorrow not 8. As Heathens who live and die without the knowledge of Christ are as to salvation in a case wholly hopeless and desperate So that our bodies being turned to ashes in the grave and after that worms have consumed our flesh Job 19. 26. shall again be raised the same for substance and united to our souls is a truth which natures light not being inlightened by the written word could never comprehend Act. 17. 32. for the Gentiles are said here to have been without hope to wit both of salvation and chiefly of the Resurrection as he afterwards explains Now if they could have known a Resurrection they might hâ—ve had hope of it even as others saith he who have no hope Ver. 14. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him Here is a second head of the forementioned doctrine and a second ground of consolation to wit that in Gods due time there shall be a Resurrection unto a glorious life after death I say unto a glorious life for the whole strain of the text doth shew that he speaks only of the Resurrection of the Godly and not of the wicked unto condemnation mentioned Joh. 5. 29. Because that would have served nothing to his present scope which is not to terrifie but to comfort them against the death of their beloved friends See v. 18. and he proves that there shall be such a glorious Resurrection first by laying down an undoubted truth which he supponeth all did believe and take for granted to wit that Jesus Christ the head had dyed and after death arose again 2. By inferring from this ground that therefore the power of God shall raise and bring from the grave to life and immortality 1 Cor. 15. those which sleep in Jesus that is who are dead in Christ and shall continue in the faith whereby they are ingrafted in Christ Eph. 3. 17. to the last gasp And he shall bring them with Christ that is through vertue of their union with him as members with their head where he shortly hints at the force of the inference from Christs Resurrection to ours to wit because we are so nearly united to him to which add that Christs death and resurrection are an infallible forerunner and necessary cause of our resurrection seeing by his death he destroyed death 2 Tim. 1. 10. and arose that he might quicken us from death 1 Cor. 15. 20 21. Doct. 1. As there shall be a blessed resurrection of believers unto life after death So the faith of this truth is a singular cordial for comfort against the terrour of death in so far as though death get us once at under yet we shall not be detained by it and dearest friends who at death do part with grief shall then meet with joy for the Apostles scope is to comfort them against death from the faith of the resurrection
for if we believe c. 2. Concerning Christs death and resurrection see upon Gal. 1. 1. doct 7. Jesus dyed and rose again 3. Though thus saith the Lord and divine revelation be a ground sufficient in it self whereupon to build our faith Psal. 60. 6. yet such is our unwillingness to believe especially when the thing spoken hath no ground in reason Gen. 18. 12. and so great is Gods condescendence to help and supply our weakness Joh. 20. 27. that he alloweth us to make use of any other lawful mean whereby we may strengthen our faith and as it were reason our selves up to a belief of that which the Lord saith for so the Apostle doth teach us to take help from Christs death and resurrection to strengthen us in the faith of our own resurrection for if we believe saith he that Jesus dyed and rose again even so c. 4. Among other things helpful to bring us to the solid and fixed belief of revealed truths this is one to single out some truths which are more easily believed than others as having besides the authority of God interposing for the truth of them some further confirmation from humane testimony or their powerful effects upon our own hearts or the hearts of others that so being once fixed and setled in the faith of those we may be thereby in some measure helped to give credit unto all such other truths as have dependence upon them for Paul to bring them to the faith of their own resurrection would have them improving the faith they had of Christs death and resurrection which was confirmed by so many witnesses Luke 1. 1 2. and accompanied with wonderful effects upon the hearts of many If we believe that Jesus dyed and rose again even so c. 5. As those and those only shall attain to the blessed resurrection of the just unto life who continue in the faith whereby they are ingrafted in Christ to their last breath Heb. 3. 14. So the union betwixt Christ and believers once made by faith is so sure and firm that death it self cannot dissolve it yea not only their souls but also their bodies being separate from their souls and in a manner from it self when dissolved in the grave to ashes do yet remain united to Christ For those whom God shall raise to a glorious life are designed to be such as sleep in Jesus and living dying and dead are still in him yea and their bodies which only do properly sleep are also in him Even so also them which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him 6. The great prop for our faith to rest upon as to the truth of the resurrection is the power of God whereby he is able to do what he will Psal. 135. 6. and to make us of new out of our own ashes as once at the first he made all things of nothing Heb. 11. 3. for he leads them to Gods power for grounding of their confidence while he saith Them will God bring with him 7. Through vertue of that union betwixt believers and Christ it cometh to pass that whatever hath befallen Christ as he is the head of believers shall in Gods due time be verified in believers themselves that due proportion and distance being always kept which is betwixt head and members for he inferreth that we shall be raised because he arose because of our union with him them will God bring with him Ver. 15. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are aâ—leep Followeth a third head of the forementioned doctrine expressing the order wherein the dead shall arise which serveth also for a third ground of consolation against immoderate sorrow And first in this verse that he may conciliate authority to the following doctrine which transcends the reach of humane reason to know and understand without special revelation he doth after the manner of the Prophets Zech. 4. 6. premit a preface asserting that what he was to say was by or in the word of the Lord that is in his name and by vertue of express commission from him 2. He sets down the order wherein the dead were to rise first negatively to this purpose They which shall be then alive and remain on earth until Christs second coming as a small remnant of all that numerous company of believers who had formerly lived but ere then will be removed by death that small remnant I say shall not prevent or have the start of those who are asleep or dead to wit neither as to their meeting with Christ in the air nor their actual possession of glory spoken of v. 17. and Paul puts himself among those who shall be then alive while he speaketh in the first person we not as if he had been to continue until then but because he divides all believers at Christs coming in two ranks the living and the dead he doth as it were for an example of the purpose in hand place himself among the living as he then was when he wrote or that he may thereby teach believers in all times to make ready for that day as if it were to come in their own time because the peremptory time when it shall come is uncertain Matth. 24. 42. Doct. 1. So violent is the current of impetuous affections when once given way to Psal. 77. 3. so hardly are we convinced of the evil that is in the excess of any thing in it self lawful and in particular in the excess of immoderate grief Joh. 4. 4 9. that a word in the by will not allay it there must be word upon word and reason upon reason to demonstrate not only the sinfulness of it but also that there is no reason for it for Paul having given two reasons already to allay their immoderate sorrow he doth here give a third taken from the order wherein the dead shall rise for this we say unto you c. 2. As Ministers should bring forth nothing for truth but that to which they may premit Thus saith the Lord So whatever truths they deliver though never so far above the reach of natures light if once it be made known that the mouth of the Lord hath spoken them we ought without further enquiry to stop our ears unto all that carnal or corrupt reason can suggest against the truth of them for being to deliver some mysterious truths above the reach of natural understanding he premitteth this that they had divine authority for them and therefore should have credit for this we say unto you by the word of the Lord saith he 3. The Lord Christ shall never want a Church of believers upon earth which in despight of Satans malice to the contrary shall still have a being either more conspicuously Isa. 2. 2. or more hidly Rev. 12. 6. in some one place or other until Christs second coming for Paul sheweth there will be
unto all who heard them for he sheweth that even in that time when the Apostles were Preachers all men had not faith and this must be understood of men in the visible Church for they knew sufficiently that all others who were without the Church had it not 5. As the grace of saving faith doth powerfully restrain a mans turbulent sensual and irrational affections So any other restraint where this is wanting will prove but weak to keep them at under if a suitable tentation be once presented for he makes their want of faith the cause of their unreasonable turbulent and wicked carriage for all men have not faith saith he 6. As the grace of faith is not bestowed by God upon all who hear the Gospel but upon some only even the elect Act. 13. 48. so it is a speaking evidence that such have no faith who prove shameless absurd and turbulent in their opposition to faithful Ministers and to the work of God in their hands for he maketh their opposition flow from their want of faith for all men have not faith saith he Ver. 3. But the Lord is faithful who shall stablish you and keep you from evil The Apostle doth here encourage them against their fear of falling from truth which he foresaw would readily arise from what he presently spoke of the many open and secret enemies to truth and to the sincere Preachers and professors thereof as appeareth from the adversative particle But and he encourageth them by assuring them that God would first stablish or confirm them in good so as they should not totally nor finally fall from it 1 Joh. 3. 9. 2. Most carefully keep them as a prison is kept as the word implyeth from evil that is from Satan that evil one together with all his evil and mischievous devices even every evil work 2 Tim. 4. 18. to wit so as sin should not have dominion over them Rom. 6. 14. The truâ—h of all which is confirmed from this that God is faithful one who may be trusted and will perform whatever he hath promised where he supponeth that God hath promised never to leave them who have once sincerely closed with him according to Joh. 10. 28. and therefore his faithfulness must be engaged to establish and keep them Doct. 1. As the truly Godly upon the apprehension of any pinching hazard are of all men aptest to be discouraged with thoughts of their own weakness 1 Sam. 27. 1. So it is the duty of every faithful Minister carefully to foresee what may prove discouraging to any such and tenderly guard against it yea such should be his tenderness in this that their hazard should make him in a manner forget his own for though the rage of enemies was mainly bent against Pauls own person yet he is more taken up how to guard against the discouragement of the Lords people which he foresaw would arise from it than to provide for his own safety But the Lord is faithful saith he wâ—o will stablish you 2. Then doth a Minister wisely guard and underprop the Lords people against discouragements arising from their own apprehended weakness when he doth not labour to possess them with the contrary thoughts of their own strength which indeed is none 2 Cor. 3. 5. but rather confirming whatever thoughts they have of that kind he doth fasten them upon the power and faithfulness of God for their support for so doth Paul here But the Lord is faithful saith he who will stablish you 3. That Gods fidelity is impledged for the performance of his promises See upon 1 Thes. 5. v. 24. doct 5. for God is faithful 4. The final perseverance of believers in good and their preservation from evil in the extent mentioned in the exposition is absolutely promised and most undoubtedly shall be performed for the impledging of Gods faithfulness for it implyeth that it is a thing promised But God is faithful who shall stablish you c. 5. The infallible perseverance of the Saints in good and their preservation from evil doth not flow from the nature of grace in it self which is but a created quality and may be crushed if there were not some external help to underprop it Rev. 3. 2. nor yet from any fixedness of their own resolutions which are in themselves but changeable Jer. 20. 9. but from the power of God who standeth engaged to bear them through against all opposition in the contrary But God is faithful saith he who will stablish you Ver. 4. And we have confidence in the Lord touching you that ye both do and will do the things which we command you Here is his second exhortation wherein he doth most effectually though indirectly incite them to obey the doctrine delivered by him in general as the rule of their life and conversation while he professeth his charitable confidence ground upon the Lord and his grace of their present and future obedience to what he had commanded them in the name and authority of Jesus Christ as the word in the orignal doth imply See upon 1 Thes. 4. v. 2. Understand him here to speak 1. Of the present obedience of the most part as to the main of his injunctions though in some things they were defective as appeareth from v. 6 c. and 2. Of the fewer though better part as to all his injunctions in general And 3. Of them all as to their future obedience whereof he was charitably confident though for the present as said is they were in some things blame-worthy Doct. 1. It is the duty of Ministers towards the Lords people of their charge and of all Christians mutually towards one another charitably to believe and hope the best of their inward good condition and perseverance in it where there are any probable though not infallible evidence for charity thinks no evil 1 Cor. 13 5. Thus Paul had confidence that they both did and would do c. 2. We ought to ground our charitable confidence of peoples perseverance in well-doing not in themselves whatever be their present goodness for all men are weak Mat. 26. 41. and lyars Rom. 3. 4. but in the Lord who alone can powerfully encline their hearts to good and preserve them in it for Paul had confidence not in them but in the Lord concerning them 3. It is a singular piece of ministerial prudence for a Minister in some cases and when he hath to do with some people especially those in whom he seeth any appearance of good yet an aptness not to be discouraged with the bad thoughts which discerning gracious men may have concerning them to point out to such their duty and to incite them to it rather by shewing his charitable thoughts of their present and future obedience than by a rigid pressing of their duty on them joined with an upbraiding of them for some present neglects and his professed diffidence of their amendment in time coming for Paul incites them to obedience by professing the confidence he
for that at least what ever be his dealing with us otherwaies For though this people did labour under sad afflictions Chap. 2. 14. yet Paul doth look upon their Election as a ground of thanksgiving to God from him and much more from themselves We give thanks ver 3. Knowing your Election 4. A gracious heart doth judge it a piece of his highest credit to reckon spiritual kindred unto all who are born of God and will love them dearly and carry himself affectionately and affably towards such as are beloved by him For because they were beloved by God they were brethren to him the latter compellation containing in it the cause of the former Ver. 5. For our Gospel came not unto you in word only but also in power and in the Holy Ghost and in much assurance as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake Followeth a third reason of their thanksgiving to God which serveth also for an evidence that there was an Elect people among them which reason is first propounded to wit the lively manner after which he and his associates had Preached the Gospel among them called their Gospel because they were intrusted to Preach it 2 Cor. 5 19. and the manner of their Preaching is set down 1. Negatively it was not in words only that is as he explains himself 1 Cor. 2. 4. not with the inticing words of mens wisdom or varnished over with some fair sophistical flourishes of eloquent language tending more to amuse the hearers tickle the ears and commend the Preacher than to edifie the judgement to work upon the affection and to commend Christ to peoples hearts Next positively it was 1. in power that is accompanied with such boldness liberty Gospel simplicity plainness of language seriousness and fervent edge of affection in the Preachers as did render the word so spoken in some measure apt to work powerfully upon the hearers For so doth Paul himself seem to explain what is meaned by Preaching in power 1 Cor. 2. 4 13. and 4. 19 20. Secondly Their Preaching was in the Holy Ghost that is it was confirmed by Signs and Miracles wrought among them by the Apostle and his Associates as they were extraordinarily assisted thereunto by the Holy Ghost See the Holy Ghost so taken Acts 19. 2. 3. It was in much assurance whereby is meaned that full perswasion above all doubt which was in Paul and the other Preachers of the truth of what they Preached so that they spoke not of these truths doubtingly but confidently and as of things which they had heard and seen 1 Joh. 1. 1. Now that all these three expressions do set forth somewhat in the Preachers according to the sense given rather than the effect of their Preaching upon the hearers spoken of ver 6. appears from the last clause of this Verse where he appeals to the consciences of the Thessalonians if they the Preachers had not in all things carried themselves among them answerable to what he presently spoke and withal sheweth that all that they did of that sort and that God did by them was for their sake and good which doth make the present purpose subservient to the Apostles scope to wit that therefore even upon the account presently mentioned there was ground of thanksgiving to God for them and that they were bound to persevere in that doctrine which God had made to be Preached among them in such a lively manner for their good Hence learn 1. That God hath sent the Gospel in life and power unto a people and given them a lively and powerful Ministry though but for a season to sow the seeds of grace and saving knowledge among them It is no small matter of thanksgiving unto God both from themselves and others on their behalf even though their faithful Pastors afterwards should by force of persecution be for a time removed from them The good and fruit of such a Ministry is not alwaies removed with them but lasteth after they are gone Joh. 4. 37 38. For Paul doth thank the Lord upon behalf of this Church that he and his Associates had Preached the Gospel in life and power among them though they were for the present driven from them We give thanks c. Ver. 2. For our Gospel came unto you in power 2. The Lords usual way is not to send a lively and powerful Ministry unto a place but where he hath some of his Elect to be converted and saved by that means For Paul having affirmed ver 4. that he knew there was an Elect people among them he giveth this as one evidence upon which that knowledge was grounded even because God had sent such a Ministry unto them For our Gospel came unto you in power 3. That a people or person may prove constant in Faith and Piety they would often remember the Love of their first espousals to Christ with what fervency and seriousness he did bear himself in upon them how sweet how lively how ravishing the glad tidings and report of him in the mouth of his servants were once unto them and how much they were then convinced of a beauty in truth and in the feet and carriage of those who did carry the message of truth and peace unto them The remembrance whereof may stir up some longing desires to find that in Christ in Truth and in a sent Ministry which once they found at least may render them ashamed to make defection from them For the Apostles remote scope as we shew in calling them to mind of the lively manner wherein the Word was first Preached among them and how they themselves were witnesses to it and convinced of it is hereby to excite them unto constancy and perseverance For our Gospel came unto you in power 4. As there doth usually but little fruit accompany a Ministry when Ministers do study words more than purpose and to busle their purpose in such a dress of words as may set out themselves rather than commend Christ and tickle the ear rather than edifie the hearer So where a Minister doth make it his study to get Christ formed in and ground gained upon the hearts of hearers and to fall upon such purpose such words and such strains of utterance and delivery of his purpose from affection plainness and holy boldness as may conduce most for that end the pains of such a Ministry are usually seconded most by the Holy Ghost and does afford much matter of thanksgiving to the Lord for by the former the Gospel cometh in word only and by the latter it cometh in power also and Paul sheweth that not the former but the latter was accompanyed with the Holy Ghost and looks upon it as a reason of his thanksgiving to God For our Gospel came not unto you in word only but in powâ—â— also and in the Holy Ghost 5. That the truths of the Gospel were once confirmed by such signs and wonders as none could work but they who were
extraordinarily gifted by the Holy Ghost for that end may abundantly fix us in the Faith of those truths it being impossible that the God of truth should ever have set his Seal unto a Lye Rom. 3. 4. For Paul would have them confirmed and constant in the Faith of these truths Preached by him because they were confirmed with such signs and wonders and in the Holy Ghost 6. The more a Minister be perswaded and above all doubt of the truth of what he Preaches the more he believes and doth therefore speak and the more he speaks as one who believes and hath ventured his soul upon the truth which he Preaches his Preaching will prove the more powerfull and apt to work effectually upon the hearts of hearers and the more he doubts the less he believes and is perswaded of these truths which he Preacheth his Preaching will prove the more warsh lifeless and coldryf For we may look on the third expression as one ground and cause of what is held forth in the first their Gospel came in power because it came in much assurance or the Preachers did assuredly believe the truths which they Preached see 1 Cor. 3. 12. Psal. 16. 10. 7. The Lord hath indued his Church and eespecially believers in his Church with a gift of discerning whereby they may be enabled in some measure to put difference betwixt a lively powerful Ministry and that which is coldryf dead and lifeless betwixt the man who speaks because he believes and him who though he speak yet believeth not In the exercise of which gift they would not be rash in passing an immediate sentence upon the hearts of Ministers Col. 2. 23. except in so far as their inward temper doth kyth in their external actions Matth. 7. 16. They would not be peremptory in passing certain judgement especially to the worst upon a doubtful evidence 1 Cor. 13. 7. Nor yet too open minded to vent what they judge Jam. 1. 19. especially when they can gain nothing by so doing but the raising of prejudices against a Minister in the minds of others and consequently the marring of that good which they were reaping by him However that they are indued with this gift is clear from this that Paul appeals to the Thessalonians as witnesses of that power and much assurance in which he Preached while he saith As ye know what manner of men we were among you 8. It is a Ministers wisdom and a piece of Christian modesty in speaking to his own commendation to hold himself most by that for the truth whereof he may appeal to the ears eyes and chiefly to the consciences of his hearers For so doth Paul appeal to their consciences for the truth of what he spoke As ye know what manner of men we were among you 9. These excellent gifts and graces and other ministerial qualifications which Christ bestoweth upon godly and able Ministers are not bestowed upon them for their own sake or particular satisfaction and advantage only or so much as for the behoof of the Church and especially of the Elect in it he dealeth the more liberally with Ministers for the sake of those and therefore they should improve and make use of all their receipts for the good of â—uch For Paul sheweth that he was inabled to Preach in power in the Holy Ghost and in much assurance for their sake Ver. 6. And ye became followers of us and of the Lord having received the Word in much affliction with â—â—y of the Holy Ghost Here is a fourth reason of their thanksgiving to God which serveth also as an evidence moving Paul in Charity to judge all these to be elected of God unto Eternal Life in whom he had ground to conceive that this here spoken of was verified And this reason of thanksgiving or evidence of election is taken from the saving effects of the Gospel Preached upon them which are first generally proponed to wit that in their life and practice they had been followers of or conformed themselves to that excellent pattern and example held forth unto them by their Preachers and the Lord Christ. 2. Illustrated 1. from the necessary antecedent or moving cause of their so doing which was their receiving the Word Preached to wit in their judgements by understanding the sense Act. 8. 30. and assenting to the truth of it Heb. 4. 2. and in their heart and affections by embracing the good things offered by it 1 Tim. 1. 15. and subjecting themselves in all things to be ruled by the prescript of it Matth. 7. 24. 2. From an instance of some things wherein they did imitate such excellent patterns to wit that as Christ and his Servants had readily Preached the Gospel with much spiritual joy Joh. 4. 34. notwithstanding many hard pressures and afflictions both from men and Devils Acts 5. 41 42. So they had chearfully embraced the Gospel and adhered to it in the midst of much affliction and persecution unto which they were so far from a base ceding that they did couragiously sustain the dint of it with joy and a joy not carnal and natural but spiritual and such whereof the Holy Ghost is Author Doct. 1. Though charity believeth all things 1 Cor. 13. 7. and maketh a man easie to be perswaded of any good thing in another yet a Christian ought not to be foolishly credulous so as to believe things without far less against evidence But his charity in judging ought to be ruled by prudence so as he believe nothing but upon some probability and appearance For Paul did not judge them Elect but upon some evidence even this that they were followers of him and of the Lord. 2. The way approved of God for attaining the Faith of our own Election or a charitable perswasion of the Election of others is not to dive in immediately and at the first step upon the secrets of Gods decree as if we had stood in his counsel Jer. 23. 18. But by way of discourse and reasoning to collect and conclude that God hath elected us or others from the work of saving grace and the effects of that work kything in us or them For the Apostles scope here as I shew is not only to give an additional reason of his thanksgiving but also an evidence from which he did conclude their Election from the fruits and effects of saving grace in them Ye became followers of us and of the Lord saith he 3. It is the duty of Christians and such as being made conscience of doth strongly savour of a gracious change in them to propound unto themselves for imitation not the example of a multitude to do evil Exod. 23. 2. but of those in whom they observe the most eminent evidences of a work of saving grace For the Apostle doth mention this as a matter of their commendation a reason of thanksgiving to God on their behalf and as an evidence of their Election that they did imitate him and his Associates And ye became
to shrink from his duty for Paul did forecast it might cost him his life and resolveth to quit it we were willing to have imparted to you not the Gospel of God only but also our own souls 5. He should be so disposed as to be in a readiness to seal the truth preached by him with his blood and thereby to confirm and strengthen the Lords people in the faith of it Phil. 2. 17. if God shall call him to it for so was Paul to have imparted unto you our own souls 6. He should labour to have the Lords people so much indeared to him and beloved by him that whatever he do unto them or suffer for them may flow from affection and love to them for so was it with Paul We were willing to have imparted to you because ye were dear unto us Ver. 9. For ye remember brethren our labour and travel for labouring night and day because we would not be chargeable unto any of you we preached unto you the Gospel of God Here is a fourth ground of the similitude to wit that as the mother who is poor and destitute of her husbands help doth labour night and day that she may have wherewith to sustain her self and thereby enable her for sustaining of her children So doth the Apostle speak of his own diligence here and thereby confirmeth what he spoke of his affection to them v. 8. as appears by the causal particle for while he saith they did remember or at least might remember first more generally his labour and travel The first word in the original expresseth labour unto weariness and the second labour after weariness so that when his body was wearied he did not give over but made to work again And next more particularly 1. His uncessant diligence in his labour he laboured night and day to wit so much of that time as might be spared from his necessary refreshments by meat and sleep 2. The matter of his labour partly expressed in Preaching the Gospel partly implyed in his handly-labour by making tents to maintain himself Act. 18. 3. 3. The end why he did so labour that he might not be chargeable nor burthensome neither to the whole community nor yet to the private estates of any particular person among them and this as it seems because for some reasons not mentioned the success of the Gospel would have been otherwise retarded among them as it would have been at Corinth if Paul had exacted stipend from them 1 Cor. 9. 12. though it was not so in other Churches where Paul exacted his right 2 Cor. 11. 8. Phil. 4. 14. Doct. 1. Where there is entire and ardent love in the heart either to God or man it maketh any piece of service done unto them or for them though otherwise never so burthensome to be but light and easie for because they were dear to him v. 8. therefore doth he willingly undergo no small labour and travel for them for ye remember brethren our labour and travel 2. It is the duty of people to call to mind and not to forget the great pains and labour that Ministers have been at for bringing about their spiritual good that so they may not only be thankful to God who hath stirred up any to lay their otherwise perishing condition so near to theâ—r heart and acknowledge their obligation to instruments who have willingly spent themselves for their sake but also may thereby learn to value the worth of any spiritual good which they have received labour to maintain and improve it seeing their enjoying of it hath been the fruit of so much diligence and pains for Paul implyeth it was their duty to remember while he saith ye remember brethren our labour and travel 3. It is the Lords allowance and command that men of most eminent parts and greatest esteem should dimit themselves to the meanest and most toilesome of imployments for purchasing a mean of livelyhood and subsistence rather than that they should close with any sinful course or use unlawful means for that end for here Paul a great Apostle being straitned for a livelihood doth labour night and day in that mean employment of making â—ents Act. 18. 3. 4. Though Ministers are not to be entangled with the affairs of this life 2 Tim. 2. 4. and ought to give themselves wholly to the duties of their calling so as they be not turned aside from them by unnecessary diversions 1 Tim. 4. 15. yet in case of necessity and want of maintenance otherwise occasioned either by the extream poverty or profane unthankfulness of the people he may use some handie labour to maintain himself and his family 1 Tim. 5. 8. and yet not cease from preaching the Gospel for Paul a Minister of the Gospel in this case of necessity did labour night and day and preached unto them the Gospel of God 5. There is no ground here from Pauls practice to establish Popish works of supererogation or good works which as they say are not commanded but done over and above duty for Pauls abstaining from taking maintenance was no such work It was his duty in the present case however he had sufficient right to it otherwise v. 8. seeing by taking of maintenance he would have retarded the Gospel and therewith the glory of God and spiritual good of his neighbour 1 Cor. 9. 12. for promoving whereof he was bound by both tables of the Law Matth. 22. 37 39. to do whatever was in his power and therefore in this case it was not a work over and above duty Ver. 10. Ye are witnesses and God also how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved our selves among you that believe This verse may be taken as a fifth ground of the similitude to this purpose That as the godly nursing mother doth not only nourish her children with milk and other meat but also endeavours to live among them Christianly that their tender age be not corrupted but rather edified by her good example So Paul did not only feed the Thessalonians spiritually by preaching the Gospel but also made his Christian life and holy practice shine before them while he behaved himself holily as to God in the duties of his worship and justly as to men and in all his dealing with men and which followeth upon the former unblameably or without complaint so as though God might justly tax him 1 Joh. 1. 8. yet man could shew no reason for which to blame him And he saith he behaved himself thus among those that believe the word may be rendred to those that believe implying that in his leading an holy life next to Gods glory he had respect to their good that they might be edified by his good example And for the truth of all this he appealeth both unto themselves and God as witnesses To them as witnesses of his outward conversation and to God as witness of his inward sincerity Doct. 1. As it is the duty of all and especially of Ministers unto
their flocks to walk before them in the good example of an holy life otherwise they cannot choose but destroy more by their unministerial walking than they can build up and edifie by their most excellent and Orthodox Preaching So it is a singular mercy unto a people when God gives them such a Minister as even his very life and carriage doth Preach unto them for Pauls life was thus exemplary for piety before the Thessalonians and he doth speak of it as a mercy from God unto believers among them ye are witnesses saith he how holily we behaved our selves among you or to you that believe implying that his living so was much for their behoof and he saith how holily to shew his carriage was singularly and eminently holy and not according to the ordinary strain only 2. Then is the life of a Christian and especially of a Christian Minister such as it ought when he hath respect to all the Commandments as well to those of the first Table by living holily to God as of the second by living justly towards men for so did Paul how holily and justly we behaved our selves 3. It concerneth all men and chiefly Ministers to carry themselves unblameably and so as neither men have just reason to complain of them nor they be too querulous and much in complaining of their own lot measured out unto them by God or of every unkindness they may receive from the people of their charge There being no rank of people which hath the eyes of more upon them and whose escapes do more incapacitate them to do good in their station and whom the Lord doth more earnestly call to the exercise of patience without all seeming to repine than those of the Ministry for the word in the original rendred unblameable doth signifie without complaint and that both in an active and passive sense that is so that we do not much complain of others and that others have not reason to complain of us how unblameably we behaved our selves 4. No man may need to expect he can so walk as that none complain of him or be displeased with him It is sufficient for a good man in order to his peace that he do so behave himself as he give no occasion of complaint unto any and that those who are really gracious do approve of him But as for those who are yet in their unrenewed state a man may expect that the more Christianly he doth walk he shall be reproached the more and spoken evil of by such 1 Pet. 3. 16. for taking â—he words as they are here rendred among you that believe Paul doth thereby imply he was not free of blame from all but only from believers among them 5. That a man do live a truly pious and Christian life it is not sufficient that he discharge all the external duties of the first and second table with such exactness that the sharpest sighted of men cannot justly tax him but he must also make Conscience of inward and spiritual duties and that he do what he doth in single-hearted sincerity from such motives and for such ends as God approveth and whereof only God himself is witness otherwise the more that a man do in the external duty he is the more refined and self-deceiving hypocrite for Paul made conscience both of external and internal duties as it appeareth from his taking men to witness of the former and God to witness of the latter ye are witnesses and God also c. Ver. 11. As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you as a father doth his children He doth here prove that his life was such among them as he presently spoke of and thereby shews somewhat further of that laudable and praise-worthy ministerial carriage which he had among them for the truth whereof he appealeth also to their own knowledge and conscience how that as a father whose office is to instruct his children being come to age Gen. 18. 19. he made application of the doctrine delivered by him unto every one of them in particular by exhorting some to duty duty to wit seriously and with much intreaty as the word doth signifie by comforting others under their outward crosses or inward sad exercises and in order hereto by peaking lovingly and affectionately unto them as the word doth signifie and by charging or obtesting others and that with most severe commination of terrible judgements as the word doth usually imply Doct. 1. The most exact touchstone whereby to try the real soundness of any mans holiness is to judge him by what he is in the duties of his particular station If so he not only discharge the common duties which are incumbent to every Christian of whatsoever calling but also make conscience of those particular duties unto which he is in a peculiar manner obliged as a man set in such a station whether as a Magistrate or Minister or Master or servant c. for Paul doth mention his diligence in the several duties of his particular calling as a Minister for an evidence that his life was holy just and unblameable while he saith immediately after the former purpose as you know how we exhorted c. 2. As a Christian and especially a Minister may sometimes speak to the commendation of his own carriage and thereby do God good service 2 Cor. 6. 3 4 c. So Christian prudence should teach him to single out those things especially for the matter of his own commendation for which he knoweth he is already approved and commended unto peoples own consciences for Paul doth commend his own Ministerial carriage from such things most as appeareth by his reiterated appeals to their own consciences for bearing witness to the truth of what he saith and here he appealeth again As you know saith he 3. As the chief piece of a Ministers work is to make pertinent application of general truths unto the particular cases of the Lords people So because the case of all is not one and the same but diverse therefore he must chiefly in the applicatory part of his work cut and divide the word aright 2 Tim. 2. 15. not by speaking unto all the same things and alike but assigning unto every man his own convenient portion by exhorting the more tractable comforting the afflicted and by obtesting and charging under all highest pain such as are more refractory and obstinate for so doth Paul ye know saith he how we exhorted and comforted and charged 4. It is not sufficient exoneration of a Minister that he Preach in publick and there make as particular application of general truths as in prudence he may But because there are some things which it is not expedient to mention in publick Eph. 5. 12. and some who cannot be so well gained by taxing their sin in publick and others who shuffle by themselves the closest application that a Minister in prudence can make in the publick therefore he is also obliged to make application
of and to dispense the word to every one in private severally and apart so far as he may without appearance of evil chap. 5. 22. or wasting the time which should of necessity be spent in fitting him for and discharging of the publick duties of his Ministry which he oweth unto all for Paul exhorted comforted and charged every one of them 5. The Minister of Christ should so behave himself with meekness and gentleness as that he do not by an excess of those weaken his Ministerial gravity authority and respect A mixture of both is an excellent composition which if any other doth most beseem a Minister for Paul having shewn that for gentleness he was a nursing mother v. 7. c. he declareth here that for authority and gravity he was as a father As a father doth his Children c. Ver. 12. That ye would walk worthy of God who hath called you unto his Kingdom and Glory Here is first what he exhorted them to even to walk worthy of the Lord not as if they could have demerited his favour which is free Rom. 11. 6. but that they might so walk as to resemble him in what concerned their duty 1 Pet. 1. 14 15. As a child is said to be worthy of such a father when he imitateth him and so as their life might be accounted worthy to be taken notice of by him when they with all their actions should come to stand and be judged in his sight Next there is a reason to inforce this walk in a description of God from his gracious act of calling them to partake not only of his Kingdom of grace here but also of glory hereafter Doct. 1. As Christians are not called to Idleness or to stand still doing nothing but to walk and make progress So the rule by which they ought to walk is not their own corrupt wit nor yet the approbation or example of men but that excellent pattern of divine properties and vertues which Scripture ascribeth to God and are held forth to be imitated by us in so far as our duty is expressed by them for Paul says they were called to walk worthy of the Lord. 2. Though there is no walk attended with such real profit credit or comfort as our walking worthy of the Lord and labouring to resemble him yet so backward are we to the way so apt to be discouraged in it so resolute are men by nature never to own it that there must be no small work before we condescend to enter it yea the Godly themselves do need a sharp spur to pouse them forward to keep them from fainting in it or turning away from it for Paul saw it needful to exhort comfort and charge even those whom God had already called that they would walk worthy of God 3. As none can walk worthy of God but those who are effectually called all others being dead and destitute of any principle of spiritual life and motion So then do we improve those excellent priviledges which follow upon effectual calling aright when we do not turn grace unto wantonness but look on all our gracious receipts as so many ingagements and incitements unto duty for he supposeth they were called and draweth an argument from their calling and those gracious priviledges which follow on it to make them walk worthy of God walk worthy of God who hath called you saith he to his Kingdom and glory 4. As there is an inseparable connexion betwixt a mans being a kindly subject of Gods Kingdom of Grace here and his partaking of glory hereafter So there is not any thing of greater force to make a man walk worthy of God by leading an holy life than his well grounded faith and hope of glory to be injoyed in Heaven The man who looketh to be in Heaven for ever cannot choose but have his conversation in Heaven and iâ—â—ure himself somewhat to the custome and manners of that Country where he intends to live eternally for Paul makes the partaking of Gods glory to follow necessarily upon reception to his Kingdom and both an argument to make them walk worthy of God who hath called you unto his Kingdom and glory Ver. 13. For this cause also thank we God without ceasing because when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us ye received it not as the word of men but as it is in truth the word of God which effectually worketh also in you that believe The Apostle having already set forth his own ministerial carriage doth now in further prosecution of his main scope which is to incite them unto constancy put them in mind of the success of his Ministry among them and thereby confirmeth that his entrance unto them was not in vain as to the third thing which I shewed on v. 1. was pointed at by that expression And first he expresseth his success among them briefly while he sheweth that uncessantly or at all times when occasion offered and God required he made conscience of thanksgiving to God for the work of their effectual calling by his Ministry implyed in the expression for this cause which relates to the close of v. 12. even because God had called them to his Kingdom and glory And next he proves they were effectually called and thereby doth more fully express the success of his Ministry by shewing 1. They had heard the word of God preached by him attentively 2. They received it being heard or did take it to their second consideration whether it was the word of God or not for so the word rendered received in the former part of the verse doth imply even to receive what is spoken in order to the tryal of what truth is in it 3. After tryal they found and were perswaded that it was no humane invention but the truth of God and here Paul inserts in a parenthesis that it is so indeed and consequently that they were not mistaken in their perswasion 4. They did receive and embrace it as such for the word rendered received in the second place differs in the original from the former and signifieth so to receive as with the heart and by faith to embrace what after tryal hath been found to be truth 5. The word being thus received did work effectually in believers among them a gracious and real change from sin to holiness of life as the fruit of the word is set forth 2 Cor. 10. 4 5. The word in the original signifieth to work with a kind of irresistable efficacy Doct. 1. The Lord doth usually bless with success the pains of those Ministers whose life and conversation doth prove exemplary for piety unto the flock and an ornament unto the Gospel which they Preach for Pauls pains whose life and conversation was such as is formerly held forth were blessed with that measure of success among the Thessalonians as he seeth reason to thank the Lord for it for this cause also thank we God 2. As a Minister may sometimes reflect with joy
comfort and thereby to dead his spâ—â—its and make his life bitter is a kind of murther in Gods esteem for it takes away that which here the Apostle doth call life to wit the cheerfulness of his spirit through the want whereof he did formerly look upon himself as dead as is implyed while he saith for now we live 2. As the good of an honest Minister his pains amongst the Lords people redounds to himself in some respect and is not wholly reserved for him until afterwards but is in part bestowed upon him even in this life in so far as not only his inward but also his outward man is thereby bettered his very natural spirits are thereby cheered and consequently his strength preserved and in an ordinary way his life prolonged So his want of success and growth of wickedness among the people of his charge in despite of all his endeavours to the contrary is sufficient to dead his spirits to eat up his cheerfulness and consequently cut his dayes for the one of those doth follow upon the other and the former is evidently implyed while Paul affirms that his life or a cheerful frame of spirit did flow from their constancy in the faith now we live if ye stand fast in the Lord. Ver. 9. For what thanks can we render to God again for you for all the joy wherewith we joy for your sakes before our God He doth confirm and illustrate what he spoke of his cheerful frame of spirit and withall expresseth the third effect of those good tydings to this purpose he did for their sake or by their means reap so much spiritual and sincere joy called here joy before God as he could never in way of thankfulness to God express to the full and as the cause required his present sense of Gods love which had bestowed upon him so rich a mercy for such questions as this what thanks can we render c. do usually imply somewhat above expression and cannot well be answered Psal. 84. 1. and 119. 97 Doct. 1. Gods ordinary way of dealing with exercised Christians is The lower they are brought under sad and weighty exercise to make their comfort and joy accompanying their outgate so much the more to abound See 2 Cor. 1. 5. for Paul who was pressed down and brought so low with a twofold weight of desire and fear that he could not longer forbear v. 5. is now as much exalted that he cannot find words sufficient to express the sweetness of his case he was comforted v. 7. he did live v. 8. and here he had joy and all joy for all the joy wherewith we joy saith he 2. As the Lord doth sometimes furnish his people with more than ordinary matter of joy and such as they cannot contain but must express their sense thereof with cheerfulness and good will So they ought and in some measure will have a watchful eye that in all such expressions of joy they vent nothing that is carnal sinful or unseemly but what beseemeth such as are alwayes in Gods sight and are especially then most narrowly marked and taken notice of by his all-seeing eye for Paul having such matter of joy while he is about to express it doth set himself in Gods sight for all the joy saith he wherewith we joy before our God 3. Whatever matter of joy a man may have he cannot improve it nor attain to the actual exercise of solid and spiritual joy except his interest in God be in some measure cleared whose reconciled face doth put such a ravishing lustre upon all our other mercies as they draw out the heart actually to rejoice in them or rather in God for them See Psal. 4. 6. for though Paul had matter of joy from the former good tydings yet he doth not actually rejoice until he close with God as his through Christ as is implyed while he saith for all the joy wherewith we joy before our God 4. Christian love to those who are Gods doth give the person who loveth an interest in all the good things bestowed by God upon those whom he loveth and a large share of all the joy and comfort which are occasioned by them for Paul to make evident his ardent affection to these Thessalonians doth shew that their merciful receipts did give him matter of all joy for all the joy saith he wherewith we joyed for your sakes that is for Gods mercies towards them mentioned v. 6. Doct. 5. Whoever are or may be the occasion of joy by furnishing matter for it yet a Godly heart will not rest upon them but look to the Lord above all ascribing praise and thanksgiving to him who not only giveth the cause and occasion of joy by making instruments to be that which they are matter of joy and not of grief Psal. 20. 9. but also doth give us to improve that matter of joy unto actual rejoycing which otherwise we could not Eccles. 2. 24. for Paul though he had the matter of his joy furnished from the Thessalonians yet he looks over them to God and returns him thanksgiving for it what thanks can we render unto God for all our joy saith he 6. As giving of thanks is all the rent which either the Lord doth crave or we can return unto him for favours received So no thanksgiving of ours can be lookt upon as an answerable return to the meanest of mercies and especially a Godly heart can never satisfie himself in the matter of his thankfulness to the Lord he prizeth the mercy received so high and seeth his thanks to be so feckless that he judgeth all he can do of no value and no wayes answerable to what so rich mercy in God doth call for for Paul seeth that thanksgiving was his due but cannot satisfie himself in any thing he could do of that kind as is implyed while he saith what thanks can we render to God for all the joy c. Ver. 10. Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face and might perfect that which iâ— lacking in your faith Here is the fourth effect of those glad tidings upon Paul he was thereby put to his prayers which were 1. Assiduous the phrase night and day implyeth such an assiduity as admits of no other but necessary intermissions Luk. 2. 37. next it was fervent and serious so much is implyed in his praying exceedingly or as it is in the original excessively intimating fervency of affection 3. The thing prayed for was 1. To see them or to be present with them 2. That being with them he might have occasion by his Preaching to them and conversing with them to perfect supply and make up as an instrument under God 1 Cor. 3. 5. what was lacking and wanting in their faith whether in their understanding as to their knowledge of or assent unto truths revealed or in their will and affections as to their imbracing of and adherence unto that good thing held forth by those truths Doct. 1. There can
a But ye brethren 3. A prudent Minister should labour so to guard against the terrour and dejection of the Godly by denounced threatnings as the contrary comfort be not proposed absolutely unto any but suspended upon such conditions as are required in the promise that so the party who would have comfort may not be deceived but put himself to a fair tryal by those marks if he be one of those to whom the intended comfort doth belong for Paul being to comfort the Godly against that terrible destruction threatned v. 3. he mentions the condition upon which they might escape it to wit if they were not in darkness which he affirmeth of them all or of a great many of them at least in the judgement of charity and thereby leaveth it unto themselves to search if they were so in reality But ye brethren are not in darkness that that day should overtake you 4. As the truly Godly and real believers in Jesus Christ are freed at least from the gross darkness of their natural ignorance and Godless profanity and as to be lying under either of those doth argue a man to be yet in his unrenewed state So the best security which a man can promise to himself against the terrour of sudden and unexpected stroaks doth lye in his saving knowledge of God in Christ and in the testimony of a good conscience arising from the shining light of an honest and holy life for Paul affirms it universally of all real believers they are not in darkness either of gross ignorance or Godless profanity and maketh that their ground of comfort to secure them that the day of the Lord should not overtake them as a thief Ver. 5. Ye are all the children of light and the children of the day we are not of the night nor of darkness He insists upon the former ground of comfort first by proving the truth of it that they were not in darkness because they were children of light that is according to an usual Hebraism Matth. 11. 19. they were not only indued with saving knowledge and holiness both which in Scripture go under the name of light Joh. 3. 19. Matth. 5. 16. but also were regenerate and born of God 1 Joh. 2. 29. who is that light inaccessible 1 Tim. 6. 16. by the Preaching of the Word Jam. 1. 18. which also hath the name of light Psal. 119. 105. And they are called children of the light and of the day to shew that the light of knowledge and holiness wherewith they were indued was not a dark glimmering light as of a candle or twilight but most clear as the light of the full and perfect day and this as it seems in opposition to that lesser measure of light which was enjoyed under the old Testament See upon Gal. 4. 3. doct 2. and v. 5. doct 3. Secondly by illustration of the proof while he removeth from them the contrary not only gross ignorance and profanity under the name of night but also a comparative measure of those under the name of darkness Doct. 1. As souls affrighted with the terrour of God are often most averse from receiving the comforts allowed to them of God So the Lords Ministers may not grow weary of taking pains to clear their doubts and work them up to the embracing of them for Paul supponing the Godly might possibly not have closed with the propounded comfort at the first hearing doth here insist upon it ye are all the children of light 2. As the doubts of discouraged and afflicted Christians are not so much about the reâ—lity of the comfort it self held forth by the word for a suitable cure to their disconsolate case as about their own interest in that comfort and right to lay hold upon it So a Minister in dealing with such would not so much or only insist in propounding and urging a suitable comfort as in clearing up unto them and pressing upon them to make sure work of their interest in it and right to lay hold upon it for Paul supponing that their doubt would lye about their not being in darkness which he held forth as the ground and evidence of their interest in the comfort doth insist mainly in the clearing of that while he saith ye are all the children of light c. 3. The Kingdoms of light and darkness of saving knowledge and dark ignorance of grace and profanity of Christ and Belial of God and the Devil are so much inconsistent that they cannot co-incide in one and the same person neither can any man be a subject of both Kingdoms at one and the same time for the Apostle maketh the denyal of the one to follow upon the affirmation of the other we are all the children of light saith he we are not of the night or of darkness 4. The Minister of Christ ought so to deliver suitable truths unto the Lords people for their incitement to duty for their comfort against discouragements for their reproof or conviction as that he takes his own allowed share and portion of those truths unto himself as if he were an ordinary hearer otherwise he cannot both save himself and them who hear him according to the promise 1 Tim. 4. 16. for Paul doth change the person in the close of the verse and takes a share of what he distributes to others unto himself both here and in the following verses we are not of the night and of darkness saith he Ver. 6. Therefore let us not sleep as do others but let us watch and be sober The Apostle having now put a close to his digression about the state of believers after death and Christs second coming which he entred upon chap. 4. v. 15. doth again return to press upon them some other branches of that sanctification required by God and spoken of chap. 4. v. 3 And first from what he hath presently said of the unexpectedness of Christs second coming he exhorteth to the exercise of two vertues tending much to keep them in a readiness for that day to wit watchfulness and sobriety And he presseth them first by forbidding them the contrary vices under the name of sleeping as others to wit as ungodly men children of darkness where by sleeping is not meant sleep properly taken and of the body binding the outward senses so that for the time they cease to do their office for this sleep being moderately taken is allowed by God and given by him as a blessing Psal. 127. 2. and some who it 's like will be found sleeping thus at the last day shall be saved Luke 17. 34. although excess even of bodily sleep be a sin Prov. 24. 33. and may be here in the second place look'd at either as a cause concomitant or effect of that spiritual sleep here forbidden which is no other than that deep sleep of carnal security whereby all the spiritual senses of a man who is taken with it are bound up Matth. 13. 15. so that he regards not his duty Matth.
because of our propenseness to the sin forbidden he premits the word see or take heed and beware The duty injoyned belongeth unto all without exception to wit that first they would abstain from recompensing evil for evil or wrong for wrong unto any he meaneth private revenge for the publick execution of justice by the Magistrate in punishing those who do evil is not here forbidden Rom. 13. 4. And next that they follow or as the word implyeth with a sort of eagerness as the hunter doth the prey pursue that which is good where by good must be meant the exercise of pitty and the good of beneficence towards even their enemies as being here opposed to the act of private revenge see Gal. 6. 10. and this he will have to be pursued ever that is constantly without any interruption by multiplication or heightning of injuries and both among themselves who were Christians and to all men even to the Heathens among whom they lived Doct. 1. The duty of abstaining from private revenge and of recompensing good to those who wrong us is a duty from which of any other our corrupt nature is most averse as being most contrary to those woâ—ul principles of pride self-love impatience and malice which are imprinted upon the hearts of all by nature and therefore a lesson which neither ancient Philosophers yea nor Scribes or Pharisees Matth. 5. 43 c. but only Christ himself hath taught for our natural averseness to this duty is implyed in the word see take heed or beware which is prefixed to it See that none render evil for evil But 2. It is a duty which the Lord Christ hath most strictly injoyned not by way of counsel only as the Papists affirm of this and other duties to wit that they are so commanded as that they may be omitted without sin or hazard of punishment but by way of most peremptory precept binding all and that under the hazard of Divine displeasure Prov. 24. 17 18. for he injoyns it here with a peremptory see and will have all obliged to it See that none render evil for evil 3. A Christian mans care to resist sin should be exercised about those sins most to which he finds himself by nature most inclined as those to the committing whereof Satan who knoweth our natural propension well will set himself to tempt us most Joh. 12. 6. with Matth. 14. 11. for therefore doth he injoyn them to watch against and in a special manner resist this sin of private revenge See that none render evil for evil 4. This duty of abstaining from private revenge is incumbent unto all toward all so that the gallantry greatness or power of none doth give him exemption and liberty to usurp upon Gods place by avenging himself for real or apprehended injuries and affronts upon any even though he were but his equal or underling the Lord having in this case provided his ordinance of publick Magistracy for repairing of wrongs Rom. 13. 4. and having injoyned unto all the exercise of faith and patience under those injuries whereof they can have no redress by that mean Psal. 37. 7. for he saith see that none render evil for evil unto any 5. So devilish are some men that having done the injury themselves they cannot hear of reconciliation with or readmission unto the favour of him whom they have injured though he not only make an offer of it unto them but also press them and follow on upon them with the offer and yet even in this case the patient man must not turn vindictive and impatient but should lengthen his patience and strengthen his resistance against all tentations and motions to private revenge so long as the malicious temper of his adversary remaineth though it were for ever for he bids them ever follow and pursue that which is good The word signifieth to pursue a thing that flyeth away from us 6. Though there be some degrees and duties of love which ought to be astricted to some persons more than to others 1 Tim. 5. 8. yet there are others due unto all even to our enemies as mainly this act of love specified in the text the requital of good for evil there being somewhat in all men even in the worst of men to draw forth the exercise of our love and affection in some of its acts and effects towards him as that he hath some remainder of Gods image in him Rom. 1. 20. is of the same flesh Isa. 58 7. and blood with our selves Act. 17. 26. possibly endued with some special gifts of valour love to his country 2 Sam. 10. 12. which ought to be loved and cherished by us for he bids follow good both among your selves and to all men Ver. 16. Rejoice evermore 17. Pray without ceasing 18. In every thing give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you Three further branches or duties of sanctification are pressed in these three verses As first that they would rejoice that is labour not only to keep their hearts free from anxiety and discouragement arising from their manifold causes of sorrow and grief but also with some measure of spiritual delight to follow upon and be taken up with the sense and sweetness which floweth either from the consideration of the excellency of Christ himself Cant. 5. 10 c. and of his usefulness unto them Psal. 118. 1. together with their interest in him Cant. 2. 16. or from the observation of his care and providence toward them 1 Sam. 17. 32. from the testimony of a good conscience 2 Cor. 1. 12. and from things worldly in so far only as they are pledges of Gods favour and furtherances of a better life Levit. 23. 40. This is the duty of rejoycing here pressed which he willeth to be gone about evermore under all cases and at all times Not as if the case of the Lords people did not sometimes call them to mourning Eccles. 3. 4. but that even their sorrow and mourning for things grievous should be so much conform to that the Lord calleth for in such cases as it do not mar but rather further their rejoycing in the Lord and in the testimony of a good conscience 2 Cor. 6. 10. This is contained v. 16. Secondly because they did stand in continual need of Gods help either for attaining of good things necessary and wanting Matth. 6. 11. Phil. 3. 13. or for removing of things evil and present Job 14. 1. 1 Joh. 1. 8 10. therefore he excites them to the exercise of prayer joyned with attention and fervent seriousness of mind as having vows and undertaking joyned with it for so much doth the word in the original imply and this without ceasing not as if they were to do nothing else 2 Thes. 3. 10. but they were not to cease upon their not obtaining a present grant Luke 18. 1 c. they were to be frequent in prayer Psal. 57. 17. and alwayes when they had opportunity to lift up
them that this day of general judgement would come that from the faith of it they might draw their comfort which is a manifest token of the righteous judgement of God saith he 2. The most grown and praise-worthy faith and patience are not so perfect but they are in hazard to be shaken and brangled by continued trouble and tryal and stand in need to be supported by God and underpropped by such consolations as the Lord hath stored up in his word that they faint not for notwithstanding he hath presently shewn how much he had gloried in their faith and patience yet he seeth it necessary for their further support and comfort to shew them that their patient suffering was a manifest token of the righteous judgement of God 3. As that excellent truth concerning the day of Gods most righteous judgement doth hardly and with great difficulty get credit some being wholly unwilling 2 Pet. 3. 3 4. and others not able to believe it as they gladly would Mark 9. 24. So there is no truth or article of our faith whereof more convincing proofs and infallible demonstrations may be had than of this for not only hath the spirit of God frequently and plainly asserted it Joh. 5. 28 29. but also every particular injury which the Lords people do suffer from men and is not righted in this life is an infallible argument and cogent proof that this day shall most undoubtedly come So that there are infinite proofs because there are infinite wrongs of that sort which saith he is a manifest token of the righteous judgement of God 4. The comforts of the Lords people under their saddest sufferings from men are near at hand if their eyes were not sometimes shut that they cannot see them yea so nigh that every cross of that kind hath an excellent cordial of sweetest comfort in its bosome and the greater their cross is the sweeter is the comfort which is brought along with it and in it for he affirmeth that their unjust sufferings and their patience under them are so many tokens of the righteous judgement of God 5. The day of general judgement and the remembrance of it can prove comfortable only to such as may upon solid grounds expect a favourable sentence on that day from Christ the Judge for the comfort propounded doth not lye wholly in this that the righteous judgement of God shall come but also that the event of it shall be good as to them even that ye may be counted worthy of the Kingdom of God saith he 6. As none shall enjoy the Kingdom of Heaven but those whom God maketh fit and meet for it though not by making them to merit Heaven for it is the gift of God Rom. 6. 23. yet by working in them all those gracious qualifications which are required in those upon whom he hath bound himself by gracious covenant and promise to bestow eternal happiness Col. 1. 12. with 13. 14. So the main business of the day of Gods righteous judgement at least that piece of it wherein the comfort of believers doth chiefly lye shall be in the Lords judicial accepting and publick declaring that the persecuted Godly whom wicked men did judge the scum and off-scouring of the world 1 Cor. 4. 13. are worthy fit and meet to reign with him for ever Which gracious acceptation of his though it be really past Eph. 1. 6. and intimated to their own consciences here on earth 1 Joh. 3. 19. yet the publick manifestation of it in the view of Angels devils and reprobates is reserved until that day and shall be then performed for he sheweth that the end and event of the righteous judgement of God is that they may be counted judicially accepted and declared worthy and meet for the Kingdom of God Now he accounteth and declareth none meet for it but those who are made meet 7. As the Kingdom of Heaven and glory is worthy to be suffered for and will be so esteemed of by all them who shall one day be counted worthy of it and meet for it So such ill will hath Satan that any should enjoy that Kingdom which he himself hath irrecoverably lost 2 Pet. 2. 4. and such is the hatred of wicked men though not to Heaven it self yet to the way of faith and obedience which leadeth to it that there is none who entreth that way who may not expect the utmost of Satans and wicked mens malice to pursue them in it and that mainly because they walk in that way whatever be those other pretexts which their persecutors may hold out 2 Tim. 2. 9. For he affirms they did suffer for the Kingdom of God and makes that an evidence that they shall be accounted meet for it for which ye also suffer saith he Ver. 6. Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you 7. And to you who are troubled rest with us He doth here prove that their patient suffering of injuries from men was an infallible proof of the righteous judgement of God and that the event thereof shall be such to Christian sufferers as he hath presently affirmed and that because it is a righteous thing with God or a thing that his most righteous nature did oblige him to even to recompence and repay trouble unto all such as did unjustly persecute and trouble them for righteousness sake v. 6. and to recompence and bestow rest from all trouble and labour to those who are put to trouble and hardship by men for love to their duty and that with us to wit with the Apostles and others whereby he doth not only commend this excellent rest unto them as being a rest with such but doth also shew them that he did not now speak of a thing uncertain but what he had the faith of as to his own particular And whereas he saith that Gods righteous nature doth no less bind him to this than to the former The meaning is not as if this blessed rest had been merited by them as trouble and torment was by their persecutors Rom. 6. 23. but because Christ had merited this rest for them Rom. 3. 26. and God of free grace had obliged himself to bestow this rest upon them Matth. 5. 11 12. and therefore it is a righteous thing with God to recompence it to them as righteousness is taken elsewhere for his faithfulness in keeping promise see Psal. 143. 1. 1 John 1. 9. From all which he doth leave it unto them to gather that seeing this recompence was not given now but all things were almost contrary there could be no surer demonstration of a day coming wherein the Lord in righteousness shall give it to the full which he doth here intend to prove Doct. 1. Whatever is righteous with God and judged so by him shall undoubtedly come to pass and therefore though for the time truth may fall in the streets and equity cannot enter Isa. 59. 14. yet either now or afterwards judgement
seemeth to precede the last day Rev. 19. 20. therefore we must look on this last step of his destruction as containing divers particular strokes in it as first a stroke upon Rome the seat of the beast Rev. 18. 2. next upon the person of the beast or Antichrist himself Rev. 19. 20. after which it is like the Antichristian Kingdom will want an head Thirdly upon all the relicts of Antichristianism and all who shall after that adhere to their errours and superstitions of which sort it is probable there will be some even until the last day And accordingly it is safest to conceive of Christs second coming with some latitude so as it may mean not only the very last day but also the foregoing signs and evidences of its approaching of which those glorious dispensations of his power in overturning the beast himself and his seat shall not be the least Doct. 1. So tender is God of his believing people that though he see it sometimes necessary to acquaint them with such things as will put them to grief yet he postponeth no time in hasting to them with a timeous and seasonable comfort when he seeth their hazard of fainting through excessive fear and discouragement calleth for it for he breaks in upon the midst of this dreadful prophesie with the comfortable tydings of Antichrists future destruction whom the Lord shall consume saith he 2. Our Lords most glorious conquests and victories in which most of himself is seen are those which are obtained not so much by outward force by might or by power Zech. 4. 6. as by the plain and powerful preaching of his mighty word which being the rod of his strength Psal. 110. 2. he doth thereby bruiâ—e his enemies and break them asunder while he discovereth to open view their doings errours and deceits wherein their great strength doth lye Heb. 4. 12. while he subdueth some of their followers unto himself Act. 9. 1 c. and doth vex and gall others as seeing their power and reputation daily weakned by such a contemptible mean Rev. 16. 10 11. which nevertheless they cannot hinder for our Lord shall consume Antichrist by the spirit of his mouth 3. Whatever power or efficacy the word Preached hath for bringing about the forementioned effects it proceedeth not from any power or vertue in the word it self Heb. 4. 2. or in them who do dispense it 1 Cor. 3. 6 7. but from the powerful influence of the Lord Christ through whom alone the Word preached is mighty to overthrow all strong holds and cast down vain imaginations 2 Cor. 10. 4 5. for he sheweth it is the Lord Christ who shall consume Antichrist by the spirit of his mouth 4. The Antichrist spoken of in Scripture cannot be he which Papists present us with to wit one individual person by Nation a Jew c. who shall be killed at an instant either immediately by Christ himself or by an Angel at his direction for the Antichrist shall not be destroyed at once but by little and little and first cast as it were into a bed of languishing his total overthrow being to follow after whom the Lord shall consume and destroy See the exposition 5. Though the Lord might destroy his strongest enemies at an instant Isa. 37. 36. and when he begins also make an end 1 Sam. 3. 12. yet his usual way is to advance toward their total ruine by certain degrees and steps that somewhat of his glory may be seen in every step Psal. 59. 11. that such of them as are appointed for mercy may in the mean time be drawn to repentance Rom. 2. 4. and others rendred inexcusable Rom. 2. 5. and that his people may be kept in exercise betwixt hopes and fears thanksgiving for what is already done Psal. 56. 12 13. earnest prayer and dependence upon God for compleating of what doth yet remain Psal. 56. 13. for it is here foretold that this shall be his way with the Antichrist whom the Lord shall consume by little and little as the word signifies 6. As there are but small grounds of hope from Scripture that the word preached shall convert the Antichrist or work a reformation among his devoted followers it shall consume him but not convert him So where the word preached in life and power doth not prevail to the conversion of those who hear it now it is an undoubted fore-runner of eternal destruction to be inflicted upon them by Christ the Lord when he shall come in glory to judge the world hereafter for because the spirit of Christs mouth doth only consume and not convert the Antichrist Therefore shall Christ destroy him with the brightness of his coming 7. As the seeds of Antichristianism were early sown in the Church see v. 7. doct 1. so they are to continue long even until Christs second coming to judge the world and therefore the Church is not to dream of having any time fully free from trouble of all sorts until then neither is that perpetuity and long continuance of doctrine publickly professed through many succeeding ages whereof the Papists boast an infallible mark of a true Church for somewhat of Antichrist and Antichristianism will be in the world so long as it last Whom the Lord shall destroy with the brightness of his coming Ver. 9. Even him whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders The Apostle in the first branch of this Prophesie returns to speak more fully of Antichrists coming whereby is meant not only his first advancement and raising to his power but the tract of his government in defending ruling and enlarging of his Kingdom which is described from his auxiliary forces helps or means by the assistance whereof he should procure to himself a general respect and esteem in the Christian world and those are three whereof two are in this verse first the working or as the word signifieth the utmost efficacy and most powerful operation of Satan who should employ the height of his great power piercing knowledge malicious wit indefatigable diligence and marvellous activity for supporting and enlarging of Antichrists Kingdom The second help is all power and signs c. or power of signs by an usual flowre of speech expressing one thing by two words and the meaning is that Satan should assist him and his officers under him with a power and faâ—ulty of working signs and wonders for confirmation of his tyranny and false doctrine Rev. 13. 13 14. and first he calls this power all power not as if either Satan or Antichrist were omnipotent or had power to do what they please Job 1. 12. Act. 4. 28. but it's all created power or the utmost of what created skill and understanding can reach 2. He calls them lying wonders or as it is in the Original wonders of lies or falshood which agreeth both to signs and wonders as indeed they are usually taken for one and the same thing in different respects Rom. 15.
grant he claimed not the title of universal Bishop nor power of both swords and supream authority over general counsels until some centuries of years were past Even as the Antichrist of whom it is here foretold he had not then revealed himself by exercising open tyranny over the Church of Christ And that man of sin be revealed saith he 3. The Pope is a man though not an individual person without succession yet de jure alwayes but one at one and the same time and a continued series and succession of men in one and the same Chair driving forward one and the same design even in that sense wherein I proved in the Exposition that the Antichrist is here called a man in the singular number 4. The Pope is a man of sin first in his own person It is almost incredible what monsters of men for horrible crimes of murder adultery simony sorcery incest sodomy even Popish Historians do relate many of their own Popes to have been 2. In causing others to sin in so far as he not only perswadeth and forceth men to Idolatry and superstition under the name of commanded worship as Jeroboam did but also for money dispenseth in some cases with murder fornication incest and selleth pardons for any sin unto those who have sufficient money wherewith to buy them This is not denyed by themselves even as the Antichrist who is here called the man of sin Fifthly The Pope is the Son of perdition First one who is destinate to destruction himself as the Godless life and monstrous sins of many Popes have declared them to be whatever the Lord may do in mercy to some and those but very few particular Popes whose lives have not been so grosly vicious as the rest if so he have given them repentance for their abominable errours 2. One who destroyeth others both in their souls by damnable doctrines idolatries and superstitions and in their bodies in so far as his cruel persecutions upon men and women for conscience have for length of time multitudes of those who have suffered by him and the cruel manner of his persecuting by exquisite tortures bloody massacres surpassed far all other persecutions that ever were Even as the Antichrist who is here called in those same respects the son of perdition Secondly whatever is affirmed of the Antichrist v. 4. is verified in the Pope For first under pretence and colour of friendship he is an eminent opposite and adversary to Christ as in many other things so chiefly in his threefold office 1. In his Kingly office while he destroyeth his subjects dispenseth with his Laws maketh them of none effect by his traditions enacteth Laws of his own to bind the conscience of equal authority with yea and some of them point-blank opposite unto the laws of Christ as in his forbidding marriage to Church-men discharging the use of the Cup at the Lords Supper 2. In his Priestly office while he maketh himself an high Priest under the new Testament denyeth the fulness of Christs satisfaction and intercession alledging that they must be supplyed by the merits and intercession of the Virgin Mary Saints and Angels and teaching people to give them Religious worship for that end 3. In his prophetical office while he teacheth that the Scriptures are imperfect and as a false Prophet doth teach contrary to what was taught by Christ in the doctrine of merit purgatory indulgences work of supererogation c. so that he opposeth Christ in all his offices and this for a greater length of time with more universal success and more formidable force than ever any heretick did before him even as the Antichrist who is here said to oppose himself Secondly The Pope exalts himself above all Kings and Emperours while he teacheth he hath absolute power to dispose of Kingdoms and Empires to whom he will at least in order to the Churches good and actually hath dethroned Kings and other Magistrates absolving their Subjects from their oath of allegiance doth make the Emperour to hold his stirrup when he is to ride and will have him to count it a favour to have access to kiss his feet yea and sometimes hath trampled upon the Emperours neck being humbly prostrate before him to beg his favour and reconciliation with him all which are avowed and granted Even as the Antichrist of whom it is here said he exalteth himself above all that is called God or is worshipped See the Exposition Thirdly The Pope in managing his rule and government over the Church of God pretendeth to no less than divine authority even the same with God and Christ whose great Vice-gerent and Vicar-general on earth he giveth out himself to be Besides it is expresly affirmed by Popish writers that the Pope sitting in and teaching from his Chair cannot err and his determinations are of equal certainty with the doctrine of Christ himself Even as the Antichrist of whom it is here said that he shall carry himself as God Fourthly The Pope doth sit and exercise an absolute fixed and illimited power of Government over a society of men which once were Gods spiritual Temple and Church and do yet bear that name and are so in effect if we speak of that small remnant which in all ages the Lord made to keep their garments clean from soul-ruining Antichristian errours or if we speak of the whole bulk and body of them not absolutely but as being compared with Turks Jews and Heathens in so far as they still retain some relicts of a Church as the written word Sacraments Ordination c. though miserably corrupted by false glosses a number of Superstitious Idolatrous and Antichristian additions In which respects the Church and See of Rome may be called the Temple and Church of God wherein the Pope doth sit and rule even as it is here foretold of Antichrist that he should sit in the Temple of God Fifthly The Pope attempts to shew that he is in nothing less to be esteemed of than God by taking and suffering to be ascribed unto himself 1. Divine titles as our Lord God the Pope universal Pastor chief High-Priest Head of the Catholick Church 2. Divine worship as Prostration to him Adoration of him upon opinion of some transcendent sanctity in him and that he hath fulness of power to forgive sins bestow Heaven and damn to Hell 3. Divine properties as that he cannot err is the Judge of all men and himself can be judged by no man hath power as Christs Vicar to dispence with all Law can forgive not only sins past but for a lease of years yet to come even as the Antichrist of whom it is here foretold he should shew himself that he is God Thirdly Whatever is affirmed of the Antichrist v. 6 7. is verified also in the Pope for first It was the Popes power the growth whereof in Rome and Christendome was hindred by the Roman Empire and which advanced by little and little towards its full height as the credit
as the very truth of God with a firm assent and without all contrary doubt so that some of them being given over to the power of delusion will choose to dye for it at least to suffer loss of goods before they recede from it Even as it is here foretold of Antichrists followers that God shall send them strong delusion that they should believe a lye Eleventhly Many of the Popes deluded followers have their consciences so seared that they rest their souls upon the faith of Popish errours draw a kind of comfort and satisfaction from them and have an infinite delight in the most â—ond and foolish of all their superstitious performances as thinking they thereby do God good service Even as it is here foretold of Antichrists followers that they should have pleasure in unrighteousness or erroneous and unrighteous doctrine And now to shut up this second part of the Chapter I may confidently resume the former assertion as a clear conclusion from what is already said that seeing all the characters of the man of sin here described are verified in the Pope of Rome ever since he usurped the fulness of power in all causes both humane and Divine which he hath now for a longâ—time exercised therefore he hath been and yet is that man of sin that child of perdition and the very Antichrist who is here described Ver. 13. But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you brethren beloved of the Lord because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth The Apostle in the third part of the Chapter doth comfort and confirm those believing Thessalonians and in them all sincere believers through all Ages against the terrour of the forementioned dreadful Prophecy and this three wayes The first which is propounded by way of thanksgiving to God see chap. 1. 3. is the certainty of their salvation grounded upon Gods decree of their election whereby he had chosen them passing by others as the word implyeth to the enjoying of salvation or perfect blessedness in Heaven 1 Pet. 1. 2 4. which decree of election is described from several things which do all of them conduce to their confirmation and establishment 1. From the cause moving God to it implyed in the word beloved It was nothing without himself see upon Eph. 1. 4. doct 7. but his love to them which made him choose them 2. From its antiquity It was from the beginning or from eternity as he explains himself Eph. 1. 4. 3. From the means through which it is brought to execution first sanctification wrought in them by the spirit of God mentioned before faith though it be a fruit of faith Act. 15. 9. because it doth first appear to us James 2 18. See what this sanctification is upon 1 Thes. 4. 3 2. Belief and faith see what this grace is 1 Thes. 1. v. 3. called belief of the truth because it hath respect unto and relyeth upon the truth chiefly of the Gospel Mark 1. 15. in which Christ is offered 1 Tim. 3. 16. Doct. 1. As the truly Godly beloved of God do most suspect their own strength and are most afraid of their own weakness upon hearing of approaching tryals when the unrenewed fool rageth and is confident Prov. 14. 16. So it is the duty of Christs Ministers to provide the Lords people with suitable and seasonable grounds of consolation from the word of truth to underprop them lest their suspicions and fears do end in heartless fainting and discouragement for Paul foreseeing that the Godly would be most afraid at the terrour of the former Prophecy doth set himself to comfort and confirm them But we are bound c. 2. It is the duty of those who have obtained mercy from the Lord so to look upon the dreadful Judgements Spiritual or Temporal which are inflicted by God upon others as that they may therein read and thankfully acknowledge their own obligation unto the Lord who dealeth otherwayes with them for Paul being to mention the preservation of those believing Thessalonians from the dreadful judgements formerly spoken of will not do it but by way of thanksgiving to God that therein they may see their own duty But we are bound to give thanks to God alway for you 3. The more of sanctifying grace and of other testimonies of Gods special love is bestowed upon a people the greater obligation is thereby laid upon their faithful Pastors to bless the Lord on their behalf for Paul seeth himself bound to give thanks to God because God had chosen them c. See more upon this ground chap. 1. 3. But 4. The more a man is beloved of God he will be the more afraid of Antichrists apostasie and may the more confidently expect that he shall be preserved from it for they were beloved whom Paul suppones here to be most afraid and whom he here confirms and partly from this that they were beloved of the Lord. 5. As the elect are above the peril of total and final apostasie So the ground and reason of their preservation from it is not in themselves in the strength or firmness of their resolutions but in the Lords unchangeable decree whereby he hath chosen them to eternal life This is that foundation of the Lord which standeth sure 2 Tim. 2. 19. and therefore they cannot so fall as to perish for he confirms them against the fears of falling away from their election Because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation 6. It is the Lords allowance that the Godly elect should study to make their election sure and attain to the assurance of it as that which proveth a powerful preservative as against other sins 2 Pet. 1. 10. so chiefly against Antichristian errours for if they do not attain to the knowledge of their election how can they draw comfort and matter of confirmation from it as the Lord alloweth them to do here because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation 7. As Gods decree of election before time is accompanied with the fruits of saving grace in the elect begotten in them by the spirit of God in time So it is neither possible nor yet needful for attaining the knowledge of our election to dive into the depth of Gods eternal decree about us at the first step but we are to search and try if those fruits and effects of Gods electing love be yet wrought in us and from these conclude that we are elected for the Apostle speaks of faith and sanctification as the fruits of election by which and by effectual calling mentioned v. 14. a man may gather he is elected he hath chosen us through sanctification and belief 8. As the Lord will infallibly bestow salvation upon the elect because he hath chosen them to it and the counsel of the Lord must stand Prov. 19. 21. So he bestoweth salvation upon none who are destitute of faith and sanctification the means
thence for pressing this duty upon themselves for ye your selves know how ye ought to follow us 2. As all who know their duty do not walk according to it but too too many do live in the practice of those evils for which their heart their light and conscience doth condemn them So sins done against knowledge have in them a singular weight and aggravation beyond sins of ignorance They make the sinner more inexcusable Rom. 2. 1. and his punishment the greater Luk 12. 47. for he aggravateth their sin from this that they knew they should have followed his example and yet did it not for your selves know how ye ought to follow us saith he 3. It aggravateth also our neglect of duty not a little that we not only know our duty but also have a cloud of witnesses and shining examples going before us in the way of our duty whereby all pretence of impossibility to perform our duty is removed seeing men subject to the like infirmities have already practised it for he aggravateth their sin from this that he and his associates had given them an example in the contrary we behaved not our selves disorderly among you 4. It concerneth much the Lords servants who are sent to press the practice of duty upon others so to walk as their life and carriage may hold out a copy of that obedience which they require from the Lords people Hereby their doctrine hath the greater weight Matth. 5. 15 16. and otherwise they are a reproach to the Gospel 1 Sam. 2. 17. and they themselves at least do reap no profiâ— by it 1 Cor. 9. 23. for Paul practised himself what he pressed upon others We behaved not our selves disorderly among you Ver. 8. Neither did we eat any mans bread for nought but wrought with labour and travel night and day that we might not be chargeable to any of you He applyeth what he spoke of his own example in general to the particular wherein they were guilty by shewing he did not eat bread or take his ordinary food in meat and drink as Gen. 3. 19. from any man for nought or without money and price payed for it Where he speaks according to the common opinion of earthly minded men who think whatever maintenance is given to Ministers for their Ministerial labours is bestowed upon them for nought though it be not so Mat. 10. 10. Now the Apostle sheweth that even in their sense he took nothing for nought but that he might be able to sustain himself besides his publick preaching which was his proper employment 1 Cor. 1. 17. he wrought in tent-making Act. 18. 3. even to weariness and after he was wearied as the words labour and travel do imply and that both night and day See upon 1 Thes. 2. 9. and he mentioneth a twofold end proposed to himself why he did so work The first is in this verse That he might not be chargeable or burthensome to any of them He meaneth not as if the maintenance of a Minister should be accounted a burthen by the flock but that some miserable wretches among them would have thought it so Besides it is not improbable that a great part though not all Act. 17. 4. of those who had first received the Gospel in that City were of the poorer sort whom he had no will indeed to burthen Besides what is marked upon a parallel place 1 Thes. 2. 9. doct 3 4 5. concerning 1. A necessity lying upon men of dimitting themselves to the meanest of employments before they want a mean of livelyhood 2. The lawfulness of a Ministers using some handy labour in some cases 3. The groundlesness of the Popish tenet about works of supererrogation observe further hence 1. Circumstances of time place company and such like may make an action become exceeding sinful and abstinence from it a necessary duty at some times the practice whereof is in it self indifferent lawful yea and in some cases necessary for all things being considered it was a necessary duty for Paul not to take bread of those Thessalâ—nians without price though the thing in it self be not simply unlawful Otherwise hospitality and giving of meat for nought could not be commanded Titus 1. 8. nor those ancient love-feasts among Christian friends could be commended as we find they are Jude 12. Neither did we eat any mans bread for nought 2. The Lord doth sometimes call his servants to spend and be spent among a people from whom they do receive or can expect but litâ—le of worldly encouragement that thereby they may have an occasion to make their sincerity in the work of the Lord appear both to their own heart and â—he consciences of others who may evidently see their Ministers are not seeking theirs but them 2 Cor. 12. 14. for Paul did not receive so much encouragement worldly as bread to eat among those Thessalonians Neither did we eat any mans bread for nought 3. It pleases the Lord in deepest wisdom sometimes to measure out a very hard lot in things worldly to his dearest servants and to give but little of earth to those who glorifie him most upon earth and upon whom he intends to bestow a more than ordinary measure of glory in Heaven that none may know by those things whether he be worthy of love or hatred Eccles. 9. 1. for even Paul that elect vessel of the Lord is made to work for a livelyhood with labour and travel night and day 4. Though Ministers are not tyed to follow this example of Pauls here recorded in all particulars because of the great inequality betwixt him and them by reason of his super-eminent gifts and his extraordinay assistance which made it less necessary for him to spend so much of his time in reading and preparation for publick duties as ordinary Ministers must do Besides that some reasons peculiar to this Church and to that of Corinth did oblige him so to walk towards them though he did not find himself so obliged towards others who had not the like reasons However I say that therefore other ordinary Ministers are not tyed to follow his example in all particulars yet they are so far to follow it as to endeavour that the Gospel which they Preach may be as little burthensome and chargeable to people as in them lyeth for this was the thing Paul aimed at that we might not be chargeable unto any of you saith he 5. It is a duty incumbent unto the Lords people to maintain their Ministers in a way creditable to the Gospel even when through reason of poverty their so doing would prove burthensome unto them for he saith not that they ought not to have sustained him because of their poverty only he would not eat their bread for nought that he might not be burthensome unto them and v. 9. he asserts his own power and right to have exacted maintenance from them and consequently they were bound to give it Ver. 9. Not because we have not power but to
the day of Gods righteous judgement in so far as their bodies shall lye dissolved in the grave until then Job 19. 26 27. and then being raised in glory they shall be united unto their souls Joh. 5. 28 29. and the whole man perfectly and unchangeably blessed 1 Thes. 4. 17 18. The Lord having so provided that neither our forerunners without us nor we without our after-comers shall be compleatly glorified but the head-stone of glory being put upon all at once the glorifying of Christ in them and of them in Christ may be the more solemn and glorious for he sheweth that the recompence of rest will be when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed c. and not until them 2. It may contribute not a little to the comfort and encouragement of Christian sufferers and the terrour of their Godless Persecutors to know not only that a day of general Judgement shall be but also that in that day the Lord Jesus shall be Judge even he for whom the Godly suffered Act. 5. 41. who gave himself to death that he might save them Ephes. 5. 25 26 27. who is their head Ephes. 1. 22. their husband 2 Cor. 11. 2. their dearest friend Cant. 5. 16. and therefore he cannot choose but pass a favourable sentence on them and it is he whom wicked men despised Isa. 53. 3. whose gracious offers they rejected Matth. 23. 37. whose servants friends and followers they set at nought and persecuted Gal. 4. 29. and therefore there can be none whose terrible sentence they have more reason to fear than his for in order to the main scope which is to comfort the persecuted Godly and as a mean subservient thereto to terrifie their Godless Persecutors he sheweth that Christ shall be the Judge When the Lord Jesus shall be revealed c. saith he 3. Though there be much revealed preached and mâ—de known of Christ 2 Tim. 4. 17. yet he remaineth obscure and hid The wicked do not know him at all as not believing the truth of what they hear concerning him Isa. 53. 1. until they see it to their own unspeakable sorrow and grief Rev. 1. 7. yea and even the Godly do but know in part 1 Cor. 13. 9. and cannot comprehend by faith and at a distance the hundredth part of that excellency and beautiful glory which they shall find him adorned with when they shall see him face to face 1 Cor. 13. 12. Besides that his bodily presence is for the time kept up from their eyes the curtain of the highest Heavens being interposed betwixt them and that glorious sight For while he saith the Lord Jesus shall be then revealed it is implyed that until then he is in a manner hid 4. It may also contribute much to the comfort of the Godly and terrour of the wicked that Jesus Christ the Judge shall come not in a state of humiliation as he did at the first when his divine glory was so much covered over with the vail of humane though sinless Heb. 4. 15. infirmities that a natural eye could see no beauty in him for which it should either desire him or fear him Isa. 53. 2. But he shall come as an exalted King accompanyed with a glorious train of mighty Angels to execute what sentence shall be passed from whom as the Godly can expect nothing but favourable dealing as from their dearest friends their fellow servants Rev. 22. 9. and those who are employed by Christ the Judge to bring about the good of the Elect and in a manner to serve them while they are here on earth Heb. 1. 14. So the wicked can expect nothing but the certain and summary execution of their dreadful sentence from those blessed creatures designed executioners for that very thing whom the damned reprobates cannot resist they are so mighty and strong Psal. 103. 20. nor flee from they are so swift Isa. 6. 2. nor move with flattery and requests they are so true unto their trust Psal. 103. 21. For in order to the comfort of the one and terrour of the other he sheweth how Christ shall come accompanied with a glorious train of mighty Angels 5. Even those things which are in themselves most terrible and shall be so to Godless reprobates at Christs second coming have in them matter of comfort and encouragement unto the Godly and in particular those very flames which shall put those Heavens and Earth which now are all in a blaze and consequently shall prove a most terrible and sadning sight unto the wicked when all their delightsome Idols are burnt up and destroyed before their eyes and that flame of fiery wrath then kindled shall devour themselves unto all eternity even those terrible flames shall be a comfortable sight unto the Godly yea and the fore-thoughts of them may and should yield comfort to them under their present trouble as knowing that the more terrible that judgement is which doth remain for their adversaries the more are they both in their persons and cause owned by the Lord for clearing whereof he will give such evident proofs of his wrath against all who will not favour them as he doth for in order to their comfort he sheweth that Jesus the Lord shall be revealed in flaming fire Ver. 8. Taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. He describeth the day of Judgement secondly from a twofold end of Christs coming on it and joyntly cleareth that two-fold retribution spoken of v. 6 7 The first end relateth to the wicked he shall come to take vengeance on them that is to proceed against them as a wrathful judge with all extremity and without any mixture of mercy for vengeance signifieth a wrathful retribution of evil and those upon whom he shall take vengeance are of two sorts 1. All those whether Pagans or profest Christians who know not God and are ignorant of what may and is necessary in order to salvation to be known of him 2. All those among Christians who though they have some knowledge of Gospel-truths yet do not yield that subjection and obedience thereunto which is enjoyned by it The greatness of which sin of disobedience to the Gospel is hinted at in this that the Gospel is here called the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ that is a doctrine which he hath revealed and which treateth of him and the way of acquiring a right unto him and to life eternal through him So that to slight and disobey the Gospel is to slight Jesus Christ with all the good things purchased by him Doct. 1. Men by living in their ignorance of God and disobedience to the Gospel do not only wrong themselves and are indeed greatest enemies to their own mercies but do also injure the Lord and what in them lyeth do put an affront upon him as if the knowledge of God were not worth the pains and as if Christ had put himself to unnecessary travel for purchasing life and salvation
to sinners the offer whereof they refused to accept and embrace for while he saith the Lord Christ will take vengeance on them that know not God and obey not the Gospel it is implyed that there is a wrong and injury offered to God in their ignorance and disobedience for which he will avenge himself upon them 2. As Gods vindictive justice shall seize upon others besides bloody persecutors in the great day even upon all who know not God and obey not the Gospel So it shall prove no comfort at all unto damned reprobates that an innumerable multitude shall be damned with them but rather augment their torment and horrour for he sheweth that the Lord will take vengeance not only upon avowed persecutors of whom he spoke before v. 6. but also upon all that know not God and obey not the Gospel and this to increase terrour to those cruel persecutors who shall much less escape 3. Though there be a great difference betwixt Law and Gospel the former only commanding the latter also holding forth promised furniture and strength for enabling us to obey the former admitting of no less than perfect obedience Gal. 3. 10. and personal satisfaction for our disobedience Gen. 2. 17. the latter accepting sincerity instead of perfection Mat. 25. 21. and satisfaction by a cautioner instead of our own 2 Cor. 5. 21. Yet there is no such difference betwixt them as if the Law only did command and the Gospel only promise No The Gospel hath its own commands as well as the Law yea commandeth the same things which the Law commandeth with respect had to the forementioned differences and others of that kind for while he speaketh of them that obey not the Gospel it is implyed that the Gospel doth command and enjoyn 4. The Lords will is not the only cause of the reprobates condemnation he condemneth none but for their sin and those whose ignorance and disobedience have first procured their condemnation so that the very consciences of most Godless reprobates shall be made to subscribe to their own condemnation as most equitable and just for he pointeth at their ignorance and disobedience as cause of their condemnation while he saith the Lord Christ will take vengeance on them who know not God and obey not the Gospel 5. Suppose a man might know very much yea and obey the Law unto the utmost of what his abilities can reach yet if he do not obey the Gospel and more especially that great command of the Gospel to believe and accept an offered Saviour 1 Job 3. 23. he cannot be saved The least sin which ever he committed will be in that case of it self sufficient to condemn him for so much is clear while it is said Christ will take vengeance on them who obey not the Gospel whatever be their knowledge obedience or disobedience otherwayes Ver. 9. Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power He doth here set forth the terrour of that vengeance which shall be then inflicted upon the ignorant and disobedient first from the kind of it it shall not be an ordinary loss but a destruction both of soul and body from which there shall be no escaping 1 Tâ—es 5. 3. and yet not an utter abolishing of their nature and being as the destruction of beasts is but of their well-being and joy as the destruction of the fallen Angels was Jude v. 6 7. and therefore it is set forth next from the continuance of it It sâ—all be eternal The word signifieth properly a thing alwayes existing and never ending They shall still be dying an immortal death and yet never dead 3. From the great loss which they shall sustain by this destruction They shall never behold the Lords gracious presence but be banished from it unto all eternity or rather the efficient cause or mean of this destruction is hereby pointed at The very presence of Christ the Judge shall torment them and his infinite glorious power drive them away as unworthy to stand in his sight to the place of torment prepared for them and shall perpetuate their torment by upholding them in their being under it Doct. 1. Though there be degrees of torment among the damned in Hell Matth. 11. 22. yet the pain and torment of all shall agree in those The total destruction of their well-being and joy the eternity of that destruction and an utter estrangement from any mixture of comfort and from Gods presence the fountain from whence comfort doth flow for he saith that not only avowed persecutors but all the ignorant and disobedient shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord. 2. When the ransom for sin payed by Christ is not embraced there is no remedy but the sinner himself must undergoe the stroke of divine justice for those sins which he hath committed for those who obey not the Gospel by accepting an offered ransome shall be punished with everlasting destruction 3. As divine justice will never cease to pursue the damned sinner until compleat satisfaction be given for all his sins So the wrong done against an infinite God by sin is such that damned sinners notwithstanding all the torture and torment both in soul and body that they can endure shall never be able unto all eternity to satisfie for it for saith he they shall be punished with everlasting destruction Their debt will never be payed and they shall not come out of prison until they pay the uttermost farthing Matth. 5. 26. Doct. 4. Though the consciences of Godless reprobates are now for the most part dead and seared Eph. 4. 19. yet when Christ the Judge shall come to reckon with them their consciences shall be so vigorous quick and lively that being convicted and condemned by their own consciences already they shall not endure to behold the presence of Christ the Judge for the very presence of Christ the Judge shall torment them which could not be if their own consciences did not convince them and powerfully check them for their many by-past injuries done to him They shall be punished from the presence of the Lord saith he 5. Though the sentence pronounced against wicked men by their own consciences now is not presently executed and so the less feared by them Eccles. 8. 11. yet no sooner shall they pass sentence in the great day or rather second the sentence which will be passed against them by Christ the Judge but presently and without delay the glorious power of their Judge by the Ministry of his mighty Angels will cause the sentence quickly and without the least reprive be put in execution so that in all probability there shall be no long process but a quick and suddain dispatch for no sooner shall Christs presence meeting with their self-condemning consciences begin to torment them but as soon his glorious power shall be employed to accomplish and continue their torment They shall be punished