were with both hands against all opposition as the word signifieth therefore bâ—ethren stand fast and hold 4. The apostasie of many from the truth and the prevalency of errour is so far from being in reason a motive to make us think the less of truth and to follow the drove that it ought to make us love truth the better cleave to it more firmly and become more rooted in the faith of it that so the storm which bloweth others up by the roots may not unsettle us for from what he spoke of a general apostasie to come he exhorts them that therefore they would stand fast and hold the traditions 5. There is no ground here to establish the authority of Popish unwritten traditions as a partial rule of faith and manners of equal authority with the written Word of God for though some of those traditions here mentioned were not written by Paul in any of these two Epistles yet they as all other truths necessary to salvation were committed either before or after this to sacred writ 2 Tim. 3. 15 17. traditions which ye have been taught whether by word or our Epistle Ver. 16. Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God even our Father which hath loved us and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace He confirms them thirdly by praying to God for them that he would work those things in them which he was pressing upon them to wit comfort and constancy In which prayer he first layeth down some arguments for strengthning both his own and their confidence in expectation of an answer The first is taken from that near relation wherein Christ and God to whom he prayeth did stand towards them Christ himself being their Lord Jesus Christ and God their Father The second from Gods special love to them The third from the fruits of his love already enjoyed 1. Consolation that is ease of mind from and encouragement of spirit against all causes of sorrow which is actually attained by real believers at some times Psal. 27. 1 2. and all such have sufficient grounds and reason for it alwayes Heb. 3. 17 18. and the meanest measure of it enjoyed by any here is an earnest of that full and perfect freedom and ease from all sorrows and weights of sin and misery which they shall enjoy in Heaven for ever Job 4. 14. and therefore is it called everlasting consolation 2. Good hope that is both solid grounds of hope and the grace of hope it self whereby we make use of those grounds by expecting all the good things which God hath promised Rom. 8. 25. which two fruits of love are described from their common fountain Gods grace and favour not only without but contrary to our deserving Isa. 64. 6. Doct. 1. That precepts and exhortations to duty do not inferr a power in mans free-will to obey fee upon 1 Thes. 5. 23. doct 2. for he here prayeth that God would work that in them which he hath presently pressed upon them Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself c. 2. As it is the Lords blessing and powerful working of his spirit which maketh the word Preached gain ground on hearts 1 Cor. 3. 7. So it is the duty of Ministers and of people also to deal with God in earnest by Prayer for his promised spirit to accompany the Word Preached and make it lively seeing the Lord hath undertaken to give his holy spirit unto those who ask him Luk. 11. 13. for Paul having pressed comfort and constancy doth pray to God that he would comfort and establish them and thereby teacheth them to do the like Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself c. 3. That a man may stand fast especially in trying times there is more required than conviction of duty or a fixed resolution to stand to his duty Matth. 26. 33 35. There must be also a continued influence from the Lord of cheerfulness comfort and courage otherwise all will be to little purpose for Paul seeth this necessary and therefore prayeth for it Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself c. 4. That Jesus Christ is true God equal with the Father appeareth from this that not only he is one who heareth prayer the author and bestower of all spiritual blessings which are here sought from him and said to be already bestowed by him but also he is named before the Father which certainly had been blaspheamous if he were not also true God Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God even our Father c. 5. That Christ is a distinct person from the Father though one in substance with him appears from this that they are here distinguished by Paul Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God even our Father 6. That God the Father is usually named before the Son doth not inferr any inequality betwixt them but only the order of subsistence and working which is among the persons of the blessed Trinity for here Christ the second person is named first to shew there is not any such inequality Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God even our Father 7. That our prayers should be directed unto God only see upon Eph. 1. 17. doct 3. for so doth Paul alwayes direct his Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself c. 8. Our prayers to God should not consist of multiplyed petitions only but ought to be fraughted with such arguments and motives for obtaining what we ask as may strengthen our confidence in expectation of an answer for such are the Apostles prayers Now our Lord which hath loved us and given us c. 9. In seeking things needful from God we should look upon him not as standing disaffected to us and at a distance with us but according to the nearest relations which we can reckon our selves to have unto him for Paul eyeth Christ and God as his and their Christ and Father Now our Lord and God even 〈◊〉 Father 10. The Faith of Gods special love doth strongly underprop the heart with confidence of a gracious answer in prayer as knowing that love in God is communicative of any thing in God that is good and needful for the party loved Psal. 84. 11. and that seeing his love hath given Christ which is more he will not withhold that which is less Rom. 8. 32. for Paul doth strengthen his confidence from this ground while he saith which hath loved us 11. Our former receipts from God should be improved as helps and props for strengthning confidence in expectation of obtaining yet further from him even whatever our necessities call for and his glory shall require at our hand This being the Lords usual way to do good because he hath done good and therefore prayer should not be wholly stuffed with heartless complaints of what we want there should be a mixture of humble and thankful acknowledgement also of what we already have and an argument drawn from thence to plead for more for so doth Paul here Who hath given us everlasting
their graces produceth this effect in him We give thanks â— remembring without â—â—asing 3. A real believer may look upon the gracious receipts of others as matter of his thanksgiving unto God in so far as their receipts do not only commend the giver Eph. 1. 3. but are profitable unto us as a Copy to imitate see vers 7. as a ground of incouragement to expect the like from God to our selves 1 Tim. 1. 16. and several other waies For Paul gives thanks to God for their receipts Remembring without ceasing 4. The life of a Christian is not a liâ—e of idleness not a life of ease nor yet a life outwardly prospâ—râ—us and free from the cross his Faith must have work his Love must have labour and his Hope must â—e attended with patience under the Cross See more in the Exposition 5. As inward grace in the heart where it is lively cannot be hid but must of necessity kyth in its effects and fruits without so it is not grace in the naked habit but grace in exercise which can yield comfort or incouragement unto the man himself or matter of thankfulness unto God from others For it was the work of Faith the labour of Love and patience of Hope for which Paul giveth thanks to God and from which he doth both incourage and incite them to constancy 6. Though only God and a mans own conscience can pass a certain and infallible judgement upon his inward sincerity of heart in the exercise of Christian vertues Rom. 14. 4. yet so much of a mans sincerity may kyth to gracious discerners in his outward conversation and carriage as will afford sufficient ground to pass a charitable judgement upon him as one who dischargeth his duty sincerely and in the sight of God For though Paul knew not their hearts yet he doth charitably judge they were sincere in what they did while he saith your work of Faith labour of Love in the sight of God 7. Then may we charitably judge that a mans external actions are done in sincerity and flow from an inward root of grace in the heart when for any thing appeareth he doth labour to make conscience of all those external duties wherein the exercise of any Christian grace doth consist and neglecteth none when God doth call him to it For Paul from their performing not only the work of Faith but also the labour of Love and the patience of Hâ—pe doth judge in charity they had the inward habits of those graces and did what they did sincerely and in the sight of God 8. The Believers laying claim unto and maintaining of an interest in God as his by Covenant gives much enlargement of heart unto him to exercise his graces and to carry himself sincerely and as in Gods sight in all his actions It is our distance from God our way-giving unto misbelief first to question and then to deny an interest in God as ours which marr the exercise of grace the word of Faith c. and in progress of time doth make us not only do less but also more unsound and less straight in what we do For he maketh their work of Faith in the sight of God to be accompanied with and carried on by this that God was looked upon as their Father In the sight of God and our Father Ver. 4. Knowing brethren beloved your election of God Here is a second reason of their thanksgiving to God which he doth usher in by two sweet stiles he giveth unto them to wit of Brethren to him and beloved of God as the words may well be read see 2 Thes. 2. 13. And the reason is the knowledge which Paul with his Associates had of their Election to grace and glory from all eternity by God as Election is taken Eph. 1. 4. where see in the Exposition and Doct. 1 2 3. and it seemeth Election must be taken in that sense here as appears from a parallel place 2 Thes. 2. 13. and not for their effectual calling though the word be so taken elsewhere Joh. 15. 19. Now Paul is said to know their Election if we mean the Election of this or that man in particular not according to an infallible judgement of certainty for so none without special revelation can know the Election of others no more than he can infallibly know the secret motions of their heart which alone do infallibly discriminate the hypocrite from the man who is truly regenerate 1 Joh. 3. 14. and consequently are the only infallible evidences of a mans Election and therefore he knew their Election according to that judgement which is over-ruled with charity and grounded upon such evidences as are most probable though not infallible such are the external acts of Piety further than which no man can infallibly see into another seeing only God searcheth the heart Rev. 2. 23. Although if we conceive as it safely may be conceived that the Apostle doth mean here of the election not of this or that man in particular but of the whole Church indefinitely and in common then the knowledge he had of their Election was most infallible and certain to wit that not only he knew nothing as it seemeth in the contrary to the Election of any of them in particular and had positive probable evidences that many of them were elected but also though he could not take upon him infallibly to condescend upon particular persons yet he did know assuredly that some among them were elected seeing God sendeth his Word in power as he had sent it to those Thessalonians ver 5. unto no people no not to the worst but where some do appertain to his Election of grace Isa. 6. 13. with 9. and from those some being the better part Paul as usually elsewhere Rom. 1. 7. doth denominate the whole Doct. 1. The work of saving grace in the heart manifesting it self in a mans external actions is an undoubted mark of his eternal Election so that according to the evidence whether infallible or conjectural only that we have of the former we may and ought to be the more or less perswaded of the latter Thus Paul because he had promising evidence that those saving graces of Faith Love and Hope were in them Ver. 3. he doth in this Verse from charity judge that they were elected Knowing your Election 2. Then is the Faith and knowledg of our Election solid and of the right stamp when it doth not make us secure lazie or to loose the reins to profanity and vice but stirs us â—p to greater diligence in keeping the ground we have already gained and in advancing forward for gaining more For the Apostle's scope in the telling them of their Election is thereby to excite them unto constancy in the doctrine received 3. The Faith and knowledge of our Election and that God hath singled us out from others to bestow upon us Eternal Life may sweeten the saddest of outward dispensations and make us raise a song of praise to God
convinced it was his duty to visit this Church and being long impeded from it doth look upon his disappointment as an unsupportable weight when we could not longer forbear or endure and bear this weight 3. Holy submission and patience under cross dispensations by which the Child of God is retarded in the way of duty do no way abolish but are well consistent with a fervent desire and earnest endeavour by all lawful means to prosecute that duty wherein he is crossed Submission indeed removeth fretting impatience Act. 21. 14. but it quickneth holy desires and diligence for Paul who as he reverenced God in all cross dispensations Phil. 4. 11. and so doubtless also in this doth yet use his utmost diligence to compass the duty wherein he was crossed and for that end he thought good to be left at Athens alone by sending Timotheus to supply his absence 4. Where there is love unfeigned and a sincere desire after the Churches good it will make the man indued with it postpone his own good and comfort unto theirs to wit his own temporal good to their spiritual 1 Cor. 8. 18. yea his own conveniency to their necessity both in things temporal and spiritual as here Pauls sincere and ardent affection to their good made him spoile himself of all good company and willing to be left at Athens alone 5. As in all duties so especially in duties of kindness to Christs afflicted members it is not so much to be attended what we do as from what inward principle we are acted And particularly the more of cheerfulness and hearty affection goeth along with our duty it is the more praise-worthy and accepted both by God and man and where there is sincere love what will it make a man not do endure or cheerfully suffer for the good of the party loved for Pauls love to them made him cheerfully and willingly deprive himself of all good company for their sake and the worth and acceptableness of what he did for them lyeth in this that he did it willingly we thought good saith he or had an eager affection and good will to be left at Athens alone Ver. 2. And sent Timotheus our brother and minister of God and our fellow labourer in the Gospel of Christ to establish you and to comfort you concerning your faith He doth next shew what his fervent affection had moved him to do for them and for what end he did it He had sent Timotheus unto them and that he might shew his respect to them in the worth of him whom he had sent he doth commend Timotheus from three Epithetes as being first a brother the usual epithete of Christians Act. 11. 29. because they are born of God John 13. their one Father in Christ Eph. 4. 6. 2. A minister of God because of his office to Preach the Gospel 2 Tim. 4. 2. 3. Pauls fellow-labourer because he was his joynt-collegue in the Gospel that is in Preaching the Gospel And the end why he did then send him was first to confirm or underprop them as the word signifieth to wit lest they had been either drawn from the truth by deceitful reasonings Col. 2. 8. or driven from it by force of persecution Matth. 10. 22. Secondly to comfort them the word signifieth both to exhort and comfort and he was sent for both not only to comfort them under their sad sufferings but also to exhort them unto constancy notwithstanding of them Now the thing which he was mainly to confirm them in and by exhortation to press upon them is their faith that is their firm assent and adhering to the truths of the Gospel Doct. 1. Holy desire and fervent love to duty is most ingenious and witty to find out wayes for discharging the duty even when all ordinary access to it doth seem to be obstructed for love and desire in Paul to confirm and comfort these Thessalonians in their need makes him find out a way to do that by another which he could no wayes do himself And sent Timotheus to establish you 2. Church-guides or judicatories who are charged with the oversight of several Congregations where they cannot in person officiate themselves are not exonered by sending forth unto the Lords Vineyard any who may be had except they employ the fittest and such of whom there are grounds of hope that through the Lords help he may carry on the work for which he is sent for Paul not being able to go himself sends not every one but a man every way fitted for the work even Timotheus a brother c. 3. As Ministers especially they who are of elder standing and best known in the Church are bound to give their deserved testimony unto others of the Lords servants for gaining them respect and credit among the people of their charge So then is a Minister sufficiently qualified and worthy to be commended as a compleat Minister when first he is a man in all appearance truly pious for Paul commendeth Timothy from this he was a brother 2. When he is painful and laborious about his masters work Timotheus was a labourer 3. When he is a lover of unity and entertaineth peace with others of his masters servants striving to work with them Phil. 1. 27. and not against them in a way of his own separate from them Timotheus was a fellow-labourer And 4. When he is a lover of truth as well as of peace and studyeth unity but in so far as it thwareth not with vertue for he is commended as a fellow-labourer in the Gospel of Christ. Doct. 4. The office of an Evangelist among other things see upon Eph. 4. 11. was to confirm and establish in the faith those Churches which the Apostles had already planted for Timotheus an Evangelist 2 Tim. 4. 5. was sent by Paul to comfirm and establish this Church in the faith 5. Such is Satans enmity against the grace of faith and so many are his onsets what by one means what by another to brangle it Luk. 22. 31 32. as knowing therein the believers great strength doth lye 1 Joh. 5. 4. that even the strongest faith hath need of confirmation and establishment And it is the Godly mans wisdom and duty in trying times to have a special care to guard his faith as that grace which not only Satan striveth to shake most but also upon the stability whereof the safety strength and vigour of his other graces depend much for though Paul had praised their faith much chap. 1. 8. yet he sends here to confirm it and it especially more than any other of their graces to establish you concerning your faith saith he 6. A singular means for strengthning faith under sad afflictions and tryals is for Ministers to hold out and people to embrace those excellent comforts which the word of truth holds forth to the Lords people in suffering times Our standing at a distance from and questioning our interest in those do breed discouragement and terrour and thereby make
been with them and Satan could not hinder that 3. That the work of Gods grace doth thrive among a people is good tydings from them and such good tydings may be had even from persecuted Christians for those were the tydings which Timotheus did report from this persecuted Church and they are called good tydings he brought us good tydings of your faith c. 4. The Lords way with his work and people doth often soare so high above all probable means that it disappoints and abundantly refutes our anxious and sometimes misbelieving fears So was it here v. 5. he feared they had yielded to the tempter in his absence from them at a time of so great need but now he finds it was otherwise the Lord having supplyed the want of Paul by some other way He brought us good tydings of your faith and charity 5. The best tydings which can be reported of any is that he is a believer in Jesus Christ a maintainer of charity and good works in his own practice and one that accounteth highly of the faithful servants of Jesus Christ And as all those three are alwayes conjoyned so nothing almost worth the hearing can be reported of any in whom all or any of those are wanting for the good tydings which he reported were of your faith and charity and that ye have good remembrance of us saith Paul 6. Though none who are truly Godly ought to be excluded from our special love yet some may justly challenge a choice room in our affections above others according to our special interest in them and stricter tye unto them by nature 1 Tim. 5. 4. by cohabitation 1 Tim. 5. 8. by favours received from them 1 Sam. 18. 1. by their greater usefulness in the work of God 2 Sam. 18. 3. and because of a greater measure of Gods grace shining in them for they made evident their special love unto Paul beyond others by their good remembrance of him and desire to see him 7. Among all those who may justly claim and do most easily obtain a choise room in the child of God his affections above others a gracious Minister whom the Lord hath made instrumental for his conversion is with the first for Paul had been an instrument of their conversion and therefore he shareth most deeply in their love and that ye have good remembrance of us saith he 8. As Christian love doth vent it self in speaking the best of the party loved so it differeth much as to this effect from popular applause Christian love is a constant friend but popular applause is most uncertain Matth. 21. 9. with 27. 22 23. for herein did they evidence their Christian affection to Paul that they had good remembrance of him always 9. Christian love and especially that which is betwixt a faithful Pastor and a gracious people of his charge doth earnestly long to evidence it self in Christian fellowship for the mutual comfort and spiritual advantage of both the parties Rom. 1. 11 12. for so did their love to Paul and his to them desiring greatly to see us as we also to see you saith he Ver. 7. Therefore brethren we are comforted over you in all our affliction and distress by your faith The Apostle in prosecution of the former scope doth next shew what effects these good tidings had wrought in him they are in number four The first whereof is comfort expressed here to this purpose That whereas his mind was otherwise oppressed and perplexed with fear v. 5. he was now comforted or recreated over them or by what he heard of them and especially by their faith or by the testimony which he heard of it Which effect of comfort is heightned from this that hereby the bitterness of all the affliction and distress of any sort for therefore is it expressed in two words whether by-past or present which he had endured either with them or after his removal from them was wonderfully sweetned Doct. 1. Christian love doth make it self evident in a fellow feeling sympathie with the case of those to whom it is extended and the more there is of love there will be the more Christian sympathie for to evidence his ardent affection towards them he sheweth how he sympathized with them their affliction and apparent hazard of defection did perplex him v. 5. and good tydings from them did comfort him Therefore brethren we were comforted saith he 2. The Lord doth usually reward a tender frame of spirit in bearing burthen with the Church and people of God in their hazard and afflicted case by giving the person so disposed the more of comfort and soul-ravishing joy arising from the Churches better case Those only who mourn with Zion are priviledged to rejoice with her Isa. 66. 10. for Paul was much afflicted with their hazard v. 5. and now he is much comforted having heard of Gods goodness to them under it we were comforted and v. 8. now we live 3. The Lord doth usually exercise his dearest children with vicissitude of contrary affections such as sorrow and joy fear and freedom of mind weeping may endure for a night but joy cometh in the morning Psal. 30. 6. and this because so impotent are we that we cannot well carry a full measure of any one of those for any length of time without miscarrying one way or other Psal. 30. 6 7. for Paul was so exercised before he was perplexed v. 5. but now he was comforted before he was as dead but now we live saith he v. 8. Doct. 4. The believers joy and comfort do not depend upon his freedom and actual deliverance from outward or inward trouble but upon the Lords comforting presence who often takes occasion from his kind dealing with others to pour in upon the believers spirit so full a measure of spiritual joy and comfort that in a manner the bitterness of all his own trouble is forgot and swallowed up in the sweetness of it for thus was it with Paul We were comforted over you in all your affliction and distress 5. From this that he expresseth only their faith as the rise of his comfort though Timotheus had reported of their other graces see upon v. 2. doct 5. by your faith saith he Ver. 8. For now we live if ye stand fast in the Lord. He doth here illustrate and confirm what he spoke of his comfort as appeareth by the causal particle for and withall express the second effect of those glad tydings to this purpose That if or seeing as the word may read they stood fast or were couragiously constant as the word implyeth in the faith whereby they were united to the Lord Christ he was thereby made to live that is of a cheerful spirit all things went with him according to his wish for men are said in a sense to live when their concernments succeed according to their mind and somewhat beyond their expectation to the disappointment of their fear Gen. 45. 27. Doct. 1. To rob a man of his
exercise of watchfulness and sobriety with the right use-making of the Christian armour in this spiritual combate let us be sober putting on the breast-plate of faith saith he 3. As the malice of Satan our great adversary in this spiritual conflict Ephes. 6. 12. doth bend it self most to strike at and destroy those things wherein the life and being of a Christian as a Christian doth most consist such as his interest in Christ right to Heaven his knowledge of those plyable inclination to duty his spiritual sense and motion So the care of a Christian should run most to provide a sufficient guard for those even the constant exercise of those three graces mentioned in the text for he alludes to souldiers whose great care is to guard their breast where the heart the first fountain of life is with a breast-plate and their head the original â—f sense and motion with an helmet putting on the breast-plate of faith and love and for an helmet the hope of salvation 4. The grace of â—aith is a most necessary piece of the spiritual armour and almost of universal use to defend the Christian souldier in this spiritual conflict for therefore doth Paul make it answer to two parts of the bodily armour the shield Eph. 6. 16. and the breast-plate here putting on the breast-plate of faith 5. The exercise of love to God and our neighbour must needs be joyned with faith otherwise faith doth prove but an useless breast-plate and of no force to secure the vital parts of a Christian in this spiritual conflict for Paul conjoynes them to make up the breast-plate putting on the breast-plate of faith and love saith he 6. The believing souldier will not alwayes meet with present performance of the good things promised upon his closing with the promise by faith but often the Lord for wise reasons doth exercise him with long delayes Heb. 11. 13. and sometimes with contrary appearances to sense Gen. 15. 4 5. with 18. 1. which Satan doth improve as subtle Engines to batter down and pierce his breast-plate of faith as a thing irrational groundless contrary to sense and which will never attain the promised blessings Gen. 18. 11 12. for if it were not thus there should be no need of the helmet of hope as an additional part of this spiritual armour to strengthen the breast-plate of faith under delayed performance And for an helmet the hope of salvation saith he Ver. 9. For God hath not appointed us to wrath but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ. He doth here both more genâ—rally inforce the preceeding exhortation to the exercise of watchfulness and sobriety and to arme themselves with the forementioned graces for a spiritual combat from Gods decree of bringing the elect to eternal life not without but in the practice of holy duties 2 Thes. 2. 13. and also he seemeth more particularly to give them some incouragements to exercise their hope of salvation mentioned v. 8. from the certainty of salvation hoped for whereof he giveth two grounds first Gods eternal decree whereby he had appointed or ordained and predestinated them as the word is rendred Act. 13. 47. 1 Pet. 2. 8. not to eternal wrath and destruction but to obtain salvation The word rendred obtain signifieth to purchase or to do much about a thing to obtain it which purchasing is here ascribed not to themselves Tit. 3. 5. but to Jesus Christ Act. 20. 28. and this is here given as the second prop of a Christians hope upon which the certainty of the elects salvation depends even that salvation which was ordained for them in the decree is purchased and obtained by Christ. Doct. 1. The certainty of salvation either in it self or to us is so far from being in its own nature a pillow to foster security or carnal ease that it 's a strong incitement to duty and to charge through all difficulties with courage which we may be assaulted with in our Christian course yea nothing weakeneth the hands of a Christian Souldier more than diffidence and distrust of success for he holds forth the certainty of their salvation as an incitement to the forementioned duties and more especially to kyth themselves valorous souldiers in this spiritual conflict for God hath not appointed us to wrath saith he 2. As the elect may attain to know assuredly that they are elected see upon Eph. 1. 4. doct 2. So neither the decree of election nor their most certain perswasion of the same do of their own nature render them secure or remiss in duty but rather doth strongly incline and incite them to the exercise of sobriety and watchfulness and of all other graces seeing this is the way resolved upon by God for bringing the eternal decree of election to an accomplishment 2 Thes. 2. 13. for he mentions the decree of his and their election as both certain in it self and also known to him and some among them as a strong incitement to the exercise of all the forementioned vertues for God hath not appointed us to wrath 3. So great and insuperable are those difficulties which stand in the way of the salvation even of believers Act. 14. 22. so strong so numerous and so terrible are their spiritual adversaries Eph. 6. 12. so little is there of strength in themselves to oppose the meanest of them 2 Cor. 3. 5. and so improbable is it by reason of all those that ever such as they shall be saved That they must look above themselves and draw the ground of their hope for salvation from God and from Christ otherwise there can be no sure foundation for their hope to rest on for the Apostle here while he intends to give grounds for their hope of salvation mentioned v. 8. doth mention only Gods decree and the mediators purchase for God hath appointed us to obtain salvation by Jesus Christ. 4. As God hath not slightly proposed but peremptorily decreed fore-ordained and appointed from all eternity Eph. 1. 4. the salvation of the elect and condescended in that his eternal decree upon the very particular persons whom he intended to save Phil. 4 3. So there are others whom he intended not to save but to condemn and adjudge to undergo his everlasting wrath See this latter decree further cleared upon Eph. 1. 4. doct 4. for he saith God hath appointed them to salvation and not to wrath implying that he had appointed others to wrath though not them 5. Though the decree of election to salvation be peremptory and absolute so as to exclude all possibility of its not obtaining the end proposed Matth. 24. 24. yet not so as to exclude all means on Christs part for obtaining or on our part for attaining Heb. 12. 14. that salvation to which the elect are ordained seeing he hath in that same decree appointed to bring about their salvation by such and such means 2 Thes. 2. 13. for God hath appointed us to obtain salvation saith he not without means but by
they had grown exceedingly and gone far beyond what themselves then were as appears from 1 Thes. 1. 3. where he only mentioneth their graces simply without any commendation to them for their growth but now he shews their faith had grown exceedingly And therefore is it that he gives thanks to God for them here and glorieth of them before the Churches v. 4. even because saith he your faith groweth exceedingly and your charity aboundeth 9. As the saving graces of faith and love admit of degrees and do not come to their height and perfection at the first So they increase and decrease grow and fade together in so far as faith being the cause of love Gal. 5 6. and love an evidence of faith 1 Joh. 3. 14. the vigor and decay of the one cannot choose but have some answerable influence upon the other for Paul sheweth they both did grow proportionably and together your faith saith he groweth exceedingly and your charity aboundeth 10. It is a sweet ingredient for comfort and encouragement to an afflicted suffering Church when Satan prevaileth not to make a wedge of their afflicted case or of any other thing to rent them asunder neither in opinion affection or practice but the more they are heated and persecuted by men the more do they cleave in love and affection flowing from faith one to another And it must of necessity prove a most uncomfortable addition to all their sufferings when it is otherwayes for Paul doth mention their abounding in love towards each other flowing from faith as that which might and doubtless did sweeten all their sufferings and yield them matter of comfort under them because saith he your faith and charity towards each other aboundeth 11. Our Judgement of the inward gracious estate of others ought to be swayed and ruled with charity which though it be not blind in passing judgement contrary to seen and pregnant evidences Titus 3. 16. yet it is not too suspicious where there is not clear ground 1 Cor. 13 5. and hopeth the best in things which are uncertain 1 Cor. 13 .7 for so did Paul being now at a distance from them and being informed of their estate by the favourable reports of those who came from them he doth without any further anxious enquiry judge of them all and every one of them without exception of any as truly gracious and abounding in charity towards all which he could not have done except he had in charity construed some known escapes among them to the better The charity of every one of you all towards each other aboundeth saith he Ver. 4. So that we our selves glory in you in the Churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure Here is the second thing whereby his high esteem of them was testified which followed upon their forementioned abundant growth It weighed so with him that he himself a man of a sober discerning spirit far from flattery was constrained to glory of them that is to speak with a kind of holy boasting as the word taken in a good sense doth signifie to the recommendation of the grace of God wrought in them by Gods blessing upon his Ministry and to propound them to those other Churches of God among whom he gloried of them for a pattern to be imitated by them So that his gloriation and boasting was not in the flesh or in men which is forbidden Phil. 3. 3. 1 Cor. 3. 21. but in the Lord for it was not for things carnal but spiritual to wit their faith and patience the praise whereof he hath first ascribed unto God v. 3. and though some commendation did hereby accrease unto himself as to the Lords instrument for good to them 1 Cor. 9. 1. yet his great design herein is not to hunt after applause unto himself Gal. 1. 10. but to commend the Lord who had wrought by him 1 Cor. 15. 10. and to excite others to the imitation of those praise-worthy graces which were eminent in this Church 2 Cor. 8. v. 1 2 3. with 8. Now the matter of his boasting was as he himself doth next express first their patience or praise-worthy perseverance under the yoak of duty with the endurance of the cross for the word in the original implyeth both perseverance and endurance Next their faith or the exercise of that grace in all its branches under greatest difficulties both which graces are commended from the great opposition by which they were assaulted in their exercise what from multiplyed persecutions that is afflictions from men for righteousness sake Matth. 5. 10. and what from multiplyed tribulations that is any affliction whatsoever whether immediately or mediately from God all which they did with patience and confidence endure the word signifieth willingly to endure and suffer Matth. 17. 17. 1 Cor. 4. 12. Doct. 1. Though Christians should not be proud of any applause or esteem they have nor seek to have their graces made known for gaining esteem to themselves except it be in subserviency to the praise of God see upon Gal. 6. v. 4. doct 5. yet they ought to look upon it as an encouraging mercy when their name is savoury for good and their graces made known among the Lords people in so far as they themselves are thereby ingaged to walk answerably to their name 2 Cor. 9. 2. with 4. and are in better capacity to do good in their station unto those with whom their name is pretious 2 Cor. 8. 18 19. and God doth thereby get the more of praise for his goodness to them from many 2 Cor. 1. 11. and others also are incited to glorifie God by their example Matth. 5. 16. For in order to their encouragement and comfort he shews that their graces were made known by him to other Churches and they esteemed of for them accordingly while he saith So that we our selves glory in you in the Churches of God 2. Though we ought to endeavour so far as is possible to have our names savoury for good unto all 1 Pet. 2. 12. yet those among men unto whom we should study to approve our selves most and to carry a deserved commendation from are the sober and judicious Godly who hate dissimulation and flattery And whatever be our esteem with or commendation from fawning flatterers or the weak unsolid though otherwise pious discerners it can afford but small encouragement and comfort if those others have bad thoughts of us or stand by as neutrals for the encouragement propounded to them doth stand in this that Paul and his associates who were more eminently gracious did think so well of them So that we our selves glory in you saith he 3. A Ministers boasting and gloriation as to his flock and charge should not be in their multitude riches greatness or civilities towards himself nor yet simply in their high esteem of him for his abilities and graces but in the success of his pains among them and in the saving
A BRIEF EXPOSITION OF THE FIRST and SECOND EPISTLES OF PAUL TO THE THESSALONIANS By the Reverend and Learned M r. James Fergusson Late Minister of the Gospel at Kilwinning Joh. 5. 33. Search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have Eternal Life and they are they which testifie of me London Printed by R. W. for Ralph Smith at the Sign of the Bible in the Piazza of the Royal Exchange in Cornhil 1674. To the Reader Christian Reader VVHen the design of giving the Sense and Use of the Scriptures so briefly as might be was set on foot by some who looked upon it as very useful for the present and succeeding Generations the Reverend Author of this piece was prevailed with to take a share in that undertaking from whom much service of that kind considering his abilities and indefatigableness in his studies might have been expected if as himself elsewhere intimateth his papers upon some Books of Scripture had not been destroyed by a sad accident in the times of our calamity and trouble Notwithstanding which discouragement he fell to work again and did go through the Epistles to the Galatians Ephesians Philippians and Colossians his Expositions upon which were published in his own life-time and left this Exposition upon both the Epistles to the Thessalonians ready to be transcribed for the Press some time before his Death I shall not here insist to give any full character of this Reverend person who having served his own Generation by the Will of God is now fallen asleep and doth rest from his labours and who being dead yet speaketh by the savory effects of his Faith Love and Patience expressed in his personal walk and Ministerial administrations besides what his publick writings do declare concerning him His Piety Learning Prudence and moderation and that in very contentious and distracting times were not only well known and much esteemed an the Congregation where he served and the Province wherein he lived but did render him very famous throughout this national Church Such as conversed with him in ordinary and were acquainted with his studies did discern more of his spirit and abilities than himself was willing to make shew of and were convinced that beside his abilities for explicating and applying of the Scriptures in this more plain and compendious way and for enlarging and pressing of Scripture truths with solidity and seriousness in his ordinary Preaching he was a man of a deep reach and well fitted for giving of advice in perplexed and intricate cases whereof not a few did occur in his time and withall well furnished for discussing of Controversies and stopping of the mouths of gainsayers whereof he gave an ample proof when in publick Preaching he did solidly and perspicuously examine and refute those errors which of late did infest this Church and Island But forbearing to write Elogies of him whose true worth did set him far above the commendation of such a one as I am all that I need to say at this time is That as I doubt not thy acquaintance with what of his is already published will sufficiently commend unto thee what further of that kind hath flowed from his Pen So I dare assure thee upon unquestionable evidence that this piece is genuine and the work of Mr. Fergusson The Copy made use of at the Press being transcribed from the Original written with his own hand and revised by two of his Brethren in these parts from one of whom I received it that I might also read it over before it went to the Press And though I be otherwise crouded with abundance of work in my present service yet I have taken some time to peruse it to my own very great satisfaction It remains therefore Christian Reader that thou study how to improve this advantage which among others is by the good providence of God put into thy hand lest in a time wherein many means of knowledge do abound the increase of ignorance Atheism and Popery prove a sad plague and snare and the abuse of Light provoke God to send darkness wherein no man can walk From which that thou may be delivered is the Prayer of Thy Servant in the Work of the Gospel George Hutcheson A BRIEF EXPOSITION OF THE FIRST EPISTLE of PAUL TO THE THESSALONIANS The ARGUMENT PAul having planted a Church at Thessalonica the chief City of all Macedonia Acts 17. 1 c. he was driven from thence as far as Athens by the violence of the unbelieving Jews Acts 17. ver 5 to 15. And having heard what sad things this Church did suffer from those unbelieving Jews and also from Pagans Chap. 2. vers 15. he sent Timotheus to them to establish and comfort them Chap. 3. 2. upon whose return together with the glad tidings brought by him of their constancy in the doctrine of Christ Paul doth write this Epistle unto them Chap. 3. 6 7. His scope wherein is partly by a relation of their Conversion to and constancy in the Faith of his own ministerial carriage when he was among them and of the solicitous care he yet had of them notwithstanding of his absence from them to engage them yet further to constancy and perseverance in the doctrine received for the time to come Which he laboureth to effectuate in the first principal part of this Epistle Chap. 1. 2 3. And partly to incite them unto several duties of an holy life which he doth endeavour in the second part of this Epistle Chap. 4. and to vers 23. of Chap. 5. having at the close of Chap. 4. from Vers. 14. occasionally intermixed a doctrinal truth concerning the state of believers after Death and Christs coming to Judgement And lastly he concludes the Epistle by praying for them and commending some things unto their care from Vers. 23. of Chap. 5. to the end CHAP. I. THE first part of this Chapter contains the inscription of the Epistle Ver. 1. In the second part he propounds and prosecutes a strong motive to perseverance and constancy to wit the esteem he had of their gracious receits from God to Ver. 8. and the general fame thereof in all the Churches to the end And more particularly he doth first make entry to this purpose by giving thanks to God for them Ver. 2. And next he prosecutes it by giving reasons for his thanksgiving 1. The cardinal graces of Faith Love and Hope which he observed in them Ver. 3. 2. The knowledge he had of their Election Ver. 4. 3. That the Gospel was Preached by him and his associates in Life and power among them Ver. 5. 4. The excellent fruits of the Gospel Preached in malling them conform to Christ and his servants Ver. 6. which he amplifieth first from this that they became ensamples for imitation unto their nearest neighbours Ver. 7 8 Next from the general report and fame of their graces which had spread it self far and near Ver. 8. which he maketh appear from this that forraign Churches did give him
graces of Gods Spirit after mentioned which they in charity and from some speaking evidences as it seems did judge for what they knew were bestowed upon them all 2. Of praying to God on their behalf to wit for constancy and growth in the knowledge of the Gospel and practice of true piety So Chap. 3. 12 13. Hence learn 1. A begun work of grace in us is then improved aright when we do not draw an argument for fostering laziness and sloth from it but are thereby incited to hold fast what is already received and to seek after more For Paul's scope is to incite them unto constancy and further progress by making them know what thoughts he had of Gods grace already in them in this and the following Verses We give thanks c. 2. We would endeavour so to speak unto others of these saving graces which are in them as thereby they be not puffed up with conceit but made in all their richest receits to see matter of humiliation in themselves and of thanksgiving unto God For therefore Paul being to let them know how much he esteemed of their graces maketh entrie to his purpose not by setting forth their praises but by giving thanks to God on their behalf teaching them to do the like 3. It is the duty of the Lords people in their immediate addresses to God to present the case one of another before the Lord and to be suitably affected with it both with their enjoyments to thank the Lord for them and with their wants to pray to God that he would supply them and especially a Minister ought to be affected thus to the people of his charge for so was Paul and his associates We give thanks making mention of you in our Prayers 4. Then do we discharge this duty which we owe one to another faithfully when we do it constantly and alwaies when occasion is offered to approach unto God for our selves otherwaies our seldom discharging of this duty doth speak it is not minded seriously or affectionately For Paul gives thanks to God alwaies for them 5. Concerning the extent of Paul's charity towards them all so as to take matter of thanksgiving to God from all and every one of them see upon Phil. 1. 7. doct 3. doct 6. As the duties of Prayer and Praise go well together and do mutually contribute for the help one of another So we would make such a discovery unto others of the good that is in them to make them thankful and set them upon the duty of Praise as to make them also know there is much good yet wanting to keep them humble and to set them upon the duty of Prayer For Paul doth both these while he sheweth them he not only giveth thanks for the good they already had but also prayeth for that which was yet lacking Making mention of you in our Prayers Ver. 3. Remembring without ceasing your work of Faith and labour of Love and patience of Hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of God and our Father The Apostle prosecutes the forementioned scope by giving reasons of his often thanksgiving to God for them And first in this Verse he sheweth that those graces which he with his associates saw kything in them had left such an impression upon them that they could not but without ceasing or when ever occasion offered make mention of them both to God and men Of which graces he reckoneth three in the exercise whereof all Religion doth consist 1 Cor. 13. 13. First Faith whereby we assent in our understandings to the truth of all Gods Word Act. 24. 14. because of his authority who hath revealed it Joh. 4. 42. and are acted in our will and affections suitable to what whose truths do hold out Heb. 11. 13. But do especially rest on Christ for Salvation that good thing offered in the Promise Act. 16. 31. 2. Love whereby we wish well to Ps. 40. 16. Matth. 5. 44. and desire to be one with 2 Cor. 5. 8. Gal. 5. 12 with 15. and do acquiesce and rest satisfied with what goodness and perfection we find in Ps. 18. 1 2. Prov. 16. 13. both God and man especially his Saints each in their own order Matth. 22. 37 38 39. 3. Hope whereby we do firmly expect Rom. 8. 25. Phil. 1. 20. those good things which God hath promised and are not yet performed Rom. 8. 24. Next he amplifies first each of those graces from their effects To Faith he ascribeth a work not only because it is the work of Gods Spirit in us Col. 2. 12. but also because it actually worketh by Love Gal. 5. 16. purifieth the Heart Act. 15. 9. and is an active principle of all good offices which we perform towards God or man Rom. 14. 23. Heb. 11. 6. To Love he ascribeth Labour The Word signifieth such labour as wasteth and wearieth the Spirit 2 Cor. 11. 27. whereby he intimateth their unwearied industry wrestling through much discouragement and difficulty for the furthering the good of Gods Church and distressed members thereof And to Hope he ascribeth Patience it being Hope in the Lord Jesus Christ or a well grounded expectation of Eternal Life wrought by Christ and relying on Christ which makes the person who hath it Christianly patient and courageously resolute to endure all hardships he can meet with until the good thing promised be at last perfomed 2. Cor. 4. 16. with 18. Secondly he doth amplifie them all joyntly by their sincerity and soundness implyed in this that they were studious of those vertues as in the sight of God see Gen. 17. 1. And by the great incouragement they had to that study from their common and joynt-interest in God as their Father Doct. 1. It is a Christian duty incumbent to all and especially to Ministers through vertue of their office to be much taken and affected with the good we perceive in others so as length of time distance of place or multiplicity of other business make us not forget it and that while we remember it we do not suppress it or the deserved commendation of those in whom it is that so we may thereby prevail both with our selves and others to follow and imitate it Rom. 11. 14. and especially to bless the Lord for it For Paul though now at a distance and much involved in other affairs both of his own and of publick concernment doth yet a long time after alwaies when occasion offered call to mind and commemorate the graces of God bestowed upon these Thessalonians as a ground of thanksgiving to God both by himself and others Remembring without ceasing 2. Then do we rightly remember the graces of God parts and abilities of others when the remembrance of them doth not produce discouragement carnal emulation and envy in our selves Numb 11. 29. or flattering applause unto those who hate them Prov. 24. 5. but matter of thankfulness to God who gave them For as appears from the connexion Paul's remembrance of
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
I sent to know your faith lest by some means the tempter have tempted you and our labour be in vain The Apostle repeateth what he spoke v. 1. and 2. of his sending Timotheus and expresseth a third end why he had sent him for other two were mentioned v. 2. and it was that he might know their faith or their constancy in the faith and he closeth the verse by giving a reason why he desired so much to know their faith to wit a twofold fear 1. Lest Satan who is here called the tempter as being that eminent tempter had taken occasion from their present affliction for truth to tempt them one way or other to make defection from it and 2. Lest they had yielded to the tempter which is not expressed but implyed in that which would have followed upon their defection to wit the loss of Paul's labour in Preaching the Gospel among them which in that case would have been in vain and useless as to them though not to himself 2 Cor. 2. 15 16. Doct. 1. The care of an honest Minister towards the people of his charge doth extend it self not only to their first conversion and the drawing them out of nature to a state of grace but also to their perseverance in that state for Paul after he had been instrumental in converting the Thessalonians doth yet remain solicitous about their perseverance And therefore I sent saith he to know your faith 2. A faithful Minister doth not think himself exonered when he hath discharged his duty before the people but will remain in a Christian manner solicitous of the success of his pains among the flock when an hireling and time-server doth not much trouble himself about any such thing Joh. 10. 12. for Paul from this solicitous care doth send to know their faith and the fruit of his labours among them 3. There is an holy jealousie in Christian love whereby though it believe the best 1 Cor. 13. 7. yet it feareth the worst that all lawful means may be made use of to prevent it for Paul from love doth fear lest the tempter had tempted them and his labour be in vain 4. As it is Satans trade to tempt and to tempt all men good and bad Luk. 22. 31. Eph. 2 2. by all means 2 Cor. 11. 3. at all times 1 Pet. 5. 8. and to all evil 2 Thes. 2. 10. So he omitteth no occasion of exercising this his woful trade with advantage 2 Cor. 2. 11. and more particularly he takes advantage of those cross dispensations by which the Lord doth exercise his people to make them cast at truth and piety for Paul's fear lest Satan had taken occasion from their trouble to tempt them implyeth his usual way is to tempt on such an occasion Lest by some means the tempter have tempted you 5. So much do the best of Saints lye open to Satans temptations and so ready are they if left to themselves to yield when tempted that a faithful Minister will have reason to fear to watch to take heed to himself and the flock so long as there is a tempter to tempt for Paul doth fear lest the best among them hâ—d been tempted and succumbed lest by some means the tempter have tempted you 6. Though the pains and labour of a faithful Minister cannot be in vain as to God who doth alwayes gain his intent Isa. 55. 10 11. nor yet as to the Minister himself whose reward is with the Lord Isa. 49. 4. yet as to the people who make not use of his pains or make apostasie from that seeming good which once they attained by them they are alwayes in vain and to no good purpose yea a snare Isa. 28. 13. and shall be for a testimony against them Mark 6. 11. for Paul implyeth so much as that if they had yielded to the tempter and made apostasie from the faith his labour would have been in vain among them Ver. 6. But now when Timotheus came from you unto us and brought us good tydings of your faith and charity and that ye have good remembrance of us alwayes desiring greatly to see us as we also to see you In the second part of the Chapter the Apostle being in order to their further establishment in the truth to express yet more of his fervent affection towards them which was drawn out by Timotheus his return from them he doth first in this verse shew what Timotheus did report of them when he had returned to Paul being now at Corinth as it appears from Act. 18. 1. with 5. though he was at Athens when he sent him v. 1. and the summ of this report in general is called good tydings he brought us good tydings It is the same word in the original which signifieth to Preach the Gospel because the thing reported was the fruit and effect of the Gospel Preached among them the hearing whereof was as the Preaching of it over again unto Paul 2. Those good tydings in particular were the report he made 1. Of their faith or of their stedfastness in the faith 2. Of their love or sanctified practice according to both tables of the law flowing from faith for love is the fulfilling of the Law Gal. 6. 2. 3. Of their special love and respect to Paul made evident 1. By their good remembrance of him or that respective mention which they made of his labour diligence and his whole Ministerial carriage among them and that alwayes when they had occasion to speak of him 2. By their earnest desire to see him The word in the Original signifieth such a desire as is in a kind impatient of delays And lest he had seemed hereby to have reflected upon himself who had so long delayed to satisfie their longing desire he adds in the close that his desire was no less ardent to see them though he was hindred without any default of his chap. 2. 18. Doct. 1. An Evangelist one of the extraordinary officers in the new Testament did herein among other things differ from an ordinary Minister he was not tyed unto any charge but being sent out by the Apostles to water such Churches as they had planted see v. 2. he did there remain not constantly but for a certain time until the Apostles should have further work for him elsewhere for Timotheus being sent to Thessalonica by Paul did not reside there but returned within a little to be disposed of by Paul as he thought good But now when Timotheus came from you unto us 2. The Lord doth powerfully overrule and turn about the deepest designs of Satan against his work to the furtherance of it as if they had been purposely contrived for that end for Satan by hindering Paul to go to Thessalonica chap. 2. 18. got no advantage but detriment in so far as when Paul was converting souls to God first at Athens next at Corinth Timotheus was confirming the Church at Thessalonica when Timotheus came from you unto us which supponeth he had
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
holding forth the beauty of holiness and pressing by the strongest of reasons the practice of it upon peoples Consciences there will be alwayes some so far from yielding obedience that the more they are pressed to duty they will be the more averse from it and in the end prove profane mockers and despisers of all which can be said to that purpose for Paul after all his exhortations and reasons supponeth there would be some such despisers while he sets himself against them he therefore that despiseth 2. Though such prophane despisers of exhortations to duty and of threatnings denounced in case of neglect of duty do please themselves with vain thoughts that the Minister a despicable man is only their party whose pleasure they do not regard whose displeasure they do not fear Jer. 18. 18. yet herein they are hugely mistaken the great God is their party he it is whom they despise and who will reckon with them as setters at nought of him for so saith Paul he therefore that despiseth despiseth not man but God 3. So much are faithful Ministers owned of God in the discharge of their trust that what respect or disrespect is put upon them or the message which they carry it is reckoned by him as put upon himself and that because they are Ambassadours in his stead 2 Cor. 5. 20. he that despiseth despiseth not man but God saith he 4. The great reason for which a peoples carriage towards the message and person of their faithful Ministers reflecteth upon God himself is that they in discharge of their trust do represent him and all their regular actings are owned by him as his own for from what he spoke v. 7. that the act of sent Ministers in calling sinners by the Ministry of the Gospel 2 Cor. 11. 2. is owned by God himself as his deed he inferreth here that therefore he that despiseth despiseth not man but God 5. Though faithful Ministers are men and therefore both may and must be affected with injuries and affronts put upon them by profane Atheists while they set at nought their person and reject their message Jer. 20. 2. 18. yet the dishonour done thereby to God doth bear so much bulk in their minds as if any disgrace put upon themselves being compared with that were not to be regarded and not so much as once to be named for though profane mockers despise the Ministers yet so little is that comparatively valued by Paul that he saith he that despiseth despiseth not man but God 6. Though the contempt and disgrace cast even upon ordinary Ministers by slighting their message redoundeth to God for the reasons given doct 3 4. yet this did hold chiefly in the Apostles and other penmen of holy Scripture who were infallibly assisted in what they wrote 2 Pet. 1. 21. and in ordinary Ministers but in so far as they follow their steps and deliver nothing to the Lords people for truth but what they have warrant for in the written Word of God for the reason here given is peculiar to the Apostles and other extraordinary office-bearerâ— who only had the holy Spirit to guide them infallibly who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit saith he Ver. 9. But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you for ye your selves are taught of God to love one another 10 And indeed ye do it towards all the brethren which are in all Macedonia but we beseech you brethren that ye increase more and more He doth here press a third branch of sanctification called brotherly love which is that singular and as it were native and therefore called brotherly love and affection testified by action which ought to be and in some measure is 1 Joh. 5. 1. in Gods Children mutually and one to another for the reality or appearance of Gods grace in them Psal. 119. 63. And he presseth the exercise of this grace first by commending them for their progress herein already which was such that they had not so great need to have it pressed upon them as others for that the words must be understood not simply and absolutely as they sound but comparatively as other Scriptural expressions of the like kind Joh. 9. 41. 1 Cor. 1. 17. appears from his pressing this same duty on them v. 10. which he would not have done if there had been no need at all for it Secondly By giving a reason why it was not needful for him to write much to this purpose because they were taught of God to love one another that is their hearts were powerfully inclined to the actual exercise of this grace by the efficacious working of Gods Spirit not without but accompanying the outward Ministry of the word Act. 16. 14. for so is Gods teaching explained in opposition to mans Jer. 31. 33. This is contained v. 9. Thirdly by further commending them while he proveth they were so taught of God from the effect of his teaching their real practice and exercise of this grace towards all the Christians here called brethren in the Region of Macedonia wherein Thessalonica was the chief City And fourthly by exhorting them expresly notwithstanding their former progress not only to persevere but also to abound more and more in the exercise of that grace From v. 9. Learn 1. where sanctifying grace is wrought in the heart by God there will not only be an abstaining from wrong hurt and injury to our Neighbour but there must and will be also an inward propension seconded with real endeavours to do him good and help him forward both in his bodily Lev. 35. 25. and spiritual estate 1 Thes. 5. 11. for the Apostle having pressed abstinence from doing wrong to our neighbour v. 6. as one branch of that sanctification mentioned v. 3. he doth here enjoyn the exercise of brotherly love as another branch of the same grace But as touching brotherly love c. 2. It is a singular piece of Ministerial prudence seasonably to commend what good they observe in the Lords people and so to commend it as that thereby they be not rendred proud or secure but strongly incited to make further progress in that good which they already have and people ought to improve what countenance or commendation they receive from their faithful Pastors for the same end otherwise it becomes their snare Matth. 16. 17. compared with 22. for Paul doth here commend the progress they had already made in the exercise of brotherly love of purpose to incite them to further progress As touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you saith he 3. So apt are the best to be discouraged in good Heb. 12. 12. and so much doth the known good opinion concerning some in the minds of others especially of their faithful Pastors 2 Cor. 8. 24. prevail with them for their incitement to do better Act. 26. 27 28. that as Ministers ought not to flatter any in an evil 1 Thes. 2. 5. so they should not rashly
pass an hard sentence upon any 2 Tim. 2. 24. or reject the meanest appearance of good in them as counterfeit and naught Zech. 4. 10. but should cherish the day of small things in the people of their charge not only in charity believing 1 Cor. 13. 7. but also alleadging the best upon them that hereby they may be incited and in aâ—manner constrained to do better for so doth Paul here As touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you 4. The Lords Ministers must not expect that all within their charge shall be alike docile tractable and easie to be wrought upon by powerful exhortations to holy duties or all alike backward dull and unteachable There are usually some of both kinds So that though some must have word upon word and line upon line and all to little purpose Isa. 28. 13. yet there are others with whom less than that will prevail for such were those Thessalonians so tractable that Paul needed not take so much pains upon them as upon others ye need not that I write unto you saith he 5. That any are thus more docile and easie to be wrought upon than others doth not proceed from any natural difference of a better or worse disposition for all are by nature alike averse and indisposed unto any thing which is spiritually good Rom. 8. 7. but from the Lords effectual blessing upon the means of instruction towards some more than others for Paul gives this as a reason of their proficiency beyond others for ye your selves are taught of God saith he 6. Though the Spirit of God the inward teacher of his people doth not teach immediately by enthusiasmes dreams or raptures without and much less contrary to the word Isa. 8. 20. but in and by the use of second means and especially by a sent Ministry Rom. 10. 15. whose labours he doth effectually bless to the elect and so doth inwardly teach them 1 Cor. 15. 10. yet where the Spirit of God doth thus effectually and inwardly teach there is the less need of outward means though there be alwayes some even to the best until their graces be made perfect in Heaven Eph. 4. 13. only a little of outward means will do more good to such than ten times more can do to others In a word those are easily taught whom God doth teach and therefore though eminent abilities are much to be wished for in Ministers Tit. 1. 9. yet we ought not to be so anxious about the weakness or eminency of gifts in them as fervently desirous to have Gods teaching to come along with theirs for Paul shews that God by his teaching those Thessalonians had made them stand the less in need of being taught by him while he saith ye need not that I write unto you for ye your selves are taught of God From v. 10. Learn 1. All those whom God doth teach do profit under his hand he doth so teach as the wills of those who are taught by him are powerfully bowed and actually inclined to practise and obey what he teacheth and herein his teaching doth differ from mans who can only inform the judgement by clearing up things to the understanding but cannot effectually determine the will to obey 1 Cor. 3. 6. for Paul sheweth that the effect of Gods teaching them was their real practice And indeed ye do it saith he 2. As Christian brotherly-brotherly-love excludeth none but is extended unto all who have real grace or promising evidences thereof So the great and main motive which draweth out this brotherly love to the party loved is the reality or appearance of a gracious work in him and not other by respects only or mainly as of kindred friendship or favours bestowed by them Matth. 5. 46. for he sheweth that they exercised their love to others under the notion of or because they were brethren and did extend it to all of that sort which were in all Macedonia 3. Though the exercise of brotherly-love be a duty incumbent unto all equally as to that which is inward of it in the heart and affection 1 Pet. 1. 22. yet as to what is external and especially as to its fruit or beneficence in supplying the outward straits of the people of God there is more or less required from several persons according to the capacity in which the Lord hath put them to discharge it for Thessalonica being the chief City in that whole Region and so most able to exercise beneficence did extend their brotherly love even as to this act of it doubtless to all the brethren in all Macedonia 4. It is a duty in a special manner incumbent unto those who are any way eminent in riches power or credit whether they be Cities Societies or particular persons to imploy their eminency as a shelter help and encouragement to piety and those who are pious in those places especially where they are and as far as their power may reach for so did those of this eminent City Thessalonica extend their brotherly love in the fruits of in towards all the brethren in all Macedonia 5. Even the most praise-worthy graces of most eminent Saints have their own defects and fall exceedingly short of that perfection which is required and should be aimed at 1 Cor. 13. 9. for though he had commended them much for their brotherly love yet he implyeth there was some lack in it while he beseecheth them to increase more and more But 6. and more particularly This grace of brotherly love can never be at such an height in any but it is capable of increase either by intending it more while it groweth more fervent and consequently farther out of hazard of being quenched by those provocations which might otherwayes cool it 2 Cor. 12. 15. or by extending it more especially in its fruits of beneficence towards more and more objects Eccles. 11. 1 2. or by spiâ—â—tualizing it more while there is a greater abstractedness in its exercise from self-ends and motives Rom 12. 9. for Paul insinuates their brotherly love so much commended was capable of increase while he bids them increase more and more 7. See a further note v. 1. doct 8. grounded upon this injunction increase more and more Ver. 11. And that ye study to be quiet and to do your own business and to work with your own hands as we commanded you He doth here press a fourth branch of sanctification to wit that they would study or as the word signifieth contend with such eagerness as ambitious men do for honour to be of a quiet spirit without creating trouble either to themselves or others by their imporunate intruding upon other mens business with neglect of their own concernments and by seeking to live upon the labours of others And that this is intended by the quietness here enjoyned appeareth in part by the means prescribed for attaining to it which are first that every man do his own business that is meddle with those things and those only which come
so meerly doctrinal but it may be improved for some good practical use So then do Ministers preach and people learn aright those doctrinal truths about the nature of God his attributes about Christ his person natures and offices about the resurrection Christs second coming and life eternal when their great and furthest design is not to inform the judgement only in the knowledge of those truths but also to rectifie the affections by pressing some practical use and the performance of some one duty or other upon them for Paul doth handle some of these truths which are as doctrinal and fall as little under our practice as any other by pressing upon them thence a practical duty even to draw comfort from these truths for allaying excessive sorrow wherefore comfort one another saith he with these words 2. As we are not to look upon the afflictions of others as of no concernment to us seeing we are yet in the body Heb. 13. 3. and may suffer what others now feel but as upon a call from God to several duties and to more work than we formerly had So this is one special piece of work to which we are hereby called even to prove comfortable unto those whom the Lord hath wounded that being one end why the Lord doth Minister comfort unto our selves 2 Cor. 1. 4. for Paul shews that the afflictions of others did call them to this duty and therefore he enjoyns them comfort one another 3. As this duty of ministring comfort unto those whom the Lord hath wounded is incumbent not only unto publick Ministers but also unto private Christians in a private way So it ought to be mutual and therefore as a man would have matter of comfort and not affliction added unto his grief from others he should labour to be comfortable unto others himself for he enjoyneth this duty to be gone about by all and mutually Wherefore comfort one another saith he 4. The best and choicest of comforts for supporting the spirits of men under afflictions of any sort are those which are laid up in Scripture and pertinently drawn from thence with a prudent application of them to the case in hand there being no afflicted case to which a comfortable full and through Gods blessing an effectual cure is not to be found in Scripture 2 Tim. 3. 15 16 17. and all other comforts not drawn from thence being either vain and naught Isa. 55. 2. or a salve much narrower than the sore Prov. 18. 14. for he bids comfort one another with these words to wit those Scriptural comforts which he had presently written CHAP. V. THe Apostle in the first part of this Chapter doth persist in the former digression about Christs second coming shewing the time appointed for it could not be known v. 1. which he confirmeth first from their own knowledge of its unexpectedness v. 2. and secondly from the terrible and unexpected judgement which shall then come upon secure reprobates v. 3. against the terrours whereof he doth confirm the Godly v. 4 5. In the second part of the Chapter he presseth the exercise of several vertues As 1. Of Watchfulness and sobriety v. 6. because the contrary vices are works of darkness and ignorance v. 7. from which they were mercifully delivered v. 8. Secondly of faith love and hope v. 8. to the last whereof especially he doth encourage them from the certainty of salvation hoped for because of Gods decree v. 9. and the Mediators purchase v. 10. Thirdly he exhorteth all to the duties of mutual edification v. 11. and fourthly the people to acknowledge and respect their Ministers v. 12 13 and all to live peaceably v. 13. and sixthly to administer with patience a suitable remedy to three several sorts of spiritual diseases v. 14. seventhly to abstain from private revenge v. 15. eighthly to entertain a cheerful frame of sprit under all dispensations v. 16. ninthly to be much in the duty of prayer v. 17. and tenthly of thanksgiving as being well pleasing to God v. 18. eleventhly not to quench but to cherish the gifts and motions of Gods spirit v. 19. and twelfâ—hly in order hereto not to despise but highly esteem the publick Preaching of Gods Word v. 20. and thirteenthly to try what doctrines they hear and after tryal to hold what is sound v. 21. and lastly to eschew whatsoever hath any rational appearance of sin v. 22. In the last part of the Chapter he concludes the Epistle first by a prayer for their growth and perseverance in sanctification v. 23. secondly by a promise assuring them that God would answer his prayer v. 24. Thirdly by recommending unto them 1. To pray for him v. 25. 2. To salute all their Church-members in his name v. 26. 3. To communicate this Epistle unto them all v. 27. And fourthly he concludeth with his ordinary farewel-wish v. 28. Ver. 1. BVt of the times and the seasons brethren ye have no need that I write unto you The Apostle foreseeing that some curious heads might haply from what he had presently written of the Resurrection and Christs coming to Judgement take occasion to enquire when should those things be he doth divert them from all such enquiries by shewing that as to the times that is the year month or day of Christs coming or as to the determinate seasons of those times whether he should come in Summer or Winter by day or by night at morning evening or midnight see Mark 13. 32 35. it was not needful for him to write unto them any thing to that purpose where more is understood than expressed to wit that it was impossible to know either the time or season of his coming as the reason used v. 2. doth prove and therefore it was but vain curiosity for any to enquire concerning it Hence Learn 1. The written word of God is so contrived that as nothing necessary to be known for our incitement to duty and direction in the way to salvation is therein omitted 2 Tim. 3. 15. So our vain curiosity to know other things the knowledge whereof is not so necessary but would rather prove unprofitable and hurtful is not in the least measure thereby satisfied for it is written chap. 4. 16. That Christ shall come and the manner and effects of his coming the knowledge of all which is necessary but as to the peremptory time when he should come the Apostle declineth to write of it and that because the knowledge of it was not needful But saith he of the times and seasons ye have no need that I write 2. It hath pleased the Lord in his deep wisdom and mercy to conceal and keep secret the definite time of Christs second coming to Judgement that hereby the Lords people may be taught to watch and to keep their hearts alwayes ready and prepared for it Matth. 24. 42. for the expression ye have no need that I write of the times implyeth they could not be known or written of 3. So presumptuously bold is
in very common honesty they behoved to shun those works of darkness and live in the exercise of Christian sobriety and consequently of watchfulness also the one of which graces cannot be separate in exercise from the other see v. 6. doct 7. This is v. 8. Doct. 1. Things lawful and allowed should be gone about in their convenient season which God and nature hath allotted for them and the wrong timeing of a thing in it self allowed may make it be imputed unto us for sin for taking the words in their proper sense he shews that the time in which men do usually take their sleep as most convenient for it is the night and not the day for they that sleep sleep in the night 2. As the Lord hath left some common principles of conscience modesty and common honesty imprinted by nature upon the hearts of men to serve for a restraint unto them from arriving at the utmost height of sin and wickedness at the first and while through custome of sinning they be either weakened or extinguished So when men do openly avow their sin and profanity and transgress all bounds of modesty and common honesty it speaks them arrived at a greater height of sin and wickedness than was usual to be found among the grossest of Pagans for they were not so shameless as to avow their drunkenness but being restrained somewhat by modesty and respect to common honesty were only drunken in the night 3. As an unrenewed man is a very prey to the most shameless of tentations which Satan is pleased to assault him with or to enslave him by So the sin of gross ignorance of God and the way to Heaven is that which exposeth the unrenewed man most to be preyed upon without resistance by any other sin for taking the words improperly he makes the man unrenewed who is in the night to be enslaved to carnal security intemperance and a kind of spiritual besottedness with things of a present life and doth not obscurely hint at his dark ignorance for which mainly his unrenewed state is compared to the night as the great cause of all his slavery they that sleep sleep in the night they that are drunken are drunken in the night 4. A gracious state must and will be attended with gracious actions and an holy conversation suitable unto that state and therefore a man ought not so much to look to what others do as to what the state of grace unto which he pretends doth call upon himself to do for he enforces the exercise of sobriety upon them from this that they were of the day in a gracious state of saving knowledge without regarding what others who were not in that state did But let us saith he who are of the day be sober 5. Though there be such a necessary connexion betwixt a gracious state and an holy conversation yet such is our natural averseness from holiness Rom. 8. 7. so strong an interest hath sin in the best Rom. 7. 23. and so many are the tentations and difficulties we have to wrestle through in the way of our duty Eph. 6. 11 12. that even the renewed man hath need of reiterated and serious exhortations enforced by most cogent reasons to press him to it for though he shews that their present gracious state did engage them to the exercise of sobriety yet he exhorts them to it and backs his exhortation by a strong reason But let us saith he who are of the day be sober Ver. 8. putting on the breastplate of faith and love and for an helmet the hope of salvation He doth here press another branch of sanctification to wit that they would arm themselves for a spiritual battel which hath also an argument implyed in it to force the exercise of watchfulness and sobriety because it was now a time of fighting and therefore not of sleeping or immoderate drinking and the pieces of armour which he bids put on are two first the breast-plate what this piece did serve for in the bodily armour see upon Eph. 6. 14. and answerable to it in the Christian armour he maketh the graces of fait and love what those are see upon chap. 1. v. 3. only the ground of the present similitude is this That as the breast-plate did secure the breast and vital parts of the body therein contained so these two graces do secure the vital parts of the soul and that wherein the life of a Christian doth most consist to wit our justification and interest in God Rom. 5. 1. together with our knowledge of it 1 Joh. 5. 4. and a plyableness of spirit to all the duties of an holy life flowing from our interest 2 Cor. 5. 14. Secondly the helmet answerable to which in the Christian armour he maketh the hope of salvation See what this helmet the grace of hope is and the grounds of resemblance betwixt the two upon Eph. 6. 17. Now although he do only reckon two pieces of the spiritual armour here and not so many as he doth Eph. 6. 14. yet he omits nothing requisite to defend the Christian souldier in this spiritual conflict for where faith love and hope are there is no grace wanting Neither doth he any thing superfluous Eph. 6. 14. in shewing the necessity distinctly and the right way of improving of several other graces of Gods Spirit in this spiritual warfare seeing he doth there speak of it at greater length and holds forth the terrour of our spiritual adversaries and the several distinct tentations either more expresly or implicitely whereby they assault us in this battel Besides what is already observed from Eph. 6. 14 c. upon the several pieces of the spiritual armour and those of them in particular which are here mentioned and the nature of that spiritual conflict and battel which they do suppone Learn further 1. The great cause why men pretending for Heaven and happiness do so much besot themselves with things earthly and are so little intent upon their duty and watchful against tentations is their great mistake and ignorance as if the way to Heaven were easie beset with no difficulties and men might go to Heaven with ease and sleeping and therefore a chief incitement to sobriety and watchfulness and to shake off security and laziness is to set before us often all those insuperable difficulties and terrible opposition which we are of necessiâ—y to meet with in our way to Heaven and happiness for to make them watch and be sober he minds them of the spiritual battel which they behoved to fight Putting on the breast-plate of faith c. 2. As in bodily wars drunkards and sleepy sluggards can never be good souldiers so secure souls that cannot watch and unsober spirits oppressed and entangled with an excessive weight of worldly cares or love to any other lust will prove but cowards and never strike a fair stroke so long as they are such in this spiritual conflict for so much is implyed while he joyneth the
diligent Masons from whom the word is borrowed endeavour to advance the work of grace in others not only by exhortation and consolation but by all other lawful means of admonition instruction rebuke reproof or good example And that he may excite them to further progress in the practice of those duties and not seem by his present exhortation to tax them of former negligence he doth commend their present diligence in them Doct. 1. As all Christians of all ranks do stand in need of exhortation consolation and to be edified and furthered in the way of grace by all lawful means So both Pâ—stors and people ought to make conscience of discharging all those duties to wit Pastors not only privately but also publickly in the Congregation 1 Tim. 5. 20. and by vertue of their particular calling office and authority so to do Tit. â— 15. private Christians again in private in their families Eph. 6. 4. among their friends and neighbours Act. 18. 26. and by vertue of a tye of Christian charity towards all the members of the same body 1 Cor. 12. 25. For he sheweth that every one stands in need to be exhorted comforted c. and that it is the duty of all to do so while he saith comfort or exhort and edifie one another 2. As the conscience-making of the forementioned duties among Christians is a singular mean to keep people in a lively watchful frame and temper of spirit So negligence in them doth of necessity bring along with it great deadness security and decay of life and vigour in the exercise of any saving grace and performance of commanded duties for the illative particle therefore sheweth that this duty is enjoyned as a subservient help to the exercise of sobriety watchfulness faith love and hope formerly pressed wherefore comfort your selves together saith he 3. So many are the discouragements which people must encounter in the way of duty what from their small progress in it the averseness of their own spirit from it Rom. 7. 18. the great opposition from outward and inward tentations to it 1 Joh. 2. 16. that they often need as much of consolation and encouragement as exhortation and admonition for making them advance in it for he bids them in order to this comfort themselves together 4. There is none so far advanced or so diligent in the exercise of any grace but they need the spur of exhortation at least to make them persevere seeing the best are ready to faint Jonah 2. 7. Gal. 6. 9. if not also to make them do better seeing the best come far short of what they ought Phil. 3 13. For he exhorts them to the present duty though he doth commend their present diligence in it edifie one another saith he as also ye do 5. A prudent Minister should so excite the Lords people unto their duties as not to neglect their good beginning or progress already made but let them know he taketh notice of them as such which may prove a forcible encouragement to some to quicken their pace and a soveraign remedy against discouragement in others than which nothing doth prove a greater enemy to diligence in duty for so doth Paul here edifie one another as also ye do saith he Ver. 12. And we beseech you brethren to know them which labour among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you Lest by binding the duty of mutual edification upon all Christians v. 11. he had seemed to make a publick Ministry useless therefore he doth lovingly and affectionately as the compellation brethren and the word rendred beseech imply press a fourth branch of sanctification containing a short summ of peoples duty towards their Ministers and Church guides who are here described to be first those who laboured among them even to weariness as the word signifieth which seemeth to relate chiefly unto Ministers or Preaching Presbyters the specialty of whose office is to labour in the word and doctrine 1 Tim. 5 17. next they were over them the word signifies to excel and bear rule 1 Tim. 3. 4 12. and thus it expresseth that part of their office whether they be preaching or ruling Presbyters which consists in ruling and governing the flock 1 Tim. 5. 17. only he addeth in the Lord to distinguish Church Government from the Civil It is spiritual in things relating immediately to God and to be exercised not in their own name but in the name and authority of the Lord Christ Matth. 18. 20. They are over the flock not as Lords 1 Pet. 5. 3. but as stewards 1 Cor. 4. 1. 3. They did admonish them whereby he expresseth one main thing wherein they were to labour and to exercise their authority and rule to wit their endeavouring by all competent means and particularly both by doctrine and more gentle censures to put a right impression of duty upon the minds of the Lords people The word in the Original signifieth to put a right mind in one Next he presseth the duties of people towards their Ministers which are first to acknowledge them as the word may be rendred here for the naked knowledge of their persons and gifts may be in such as otherwayes contemn them but the knowledge of them here required is an acknowledging them for such as they are by reason of their calling and ought to be accounted See 1 Cor. 16 18. Doct. 1. So great an enemy is Satan to the Ordinance of a publick Ministry 1 Thes. 2. 18. so necessary is it that people do countenance that ordinance and encourage those who are entrusted with it even for their own good Heb. 13. 17. so ignorant unmindful and neglective are they of those duties which they ought to perform for that end 2 Cor. 12. 11. that the servants of Christ should with much seriousness and affectionate insinuation press upon the Lords people all such duties of respect reverence love obedience submission Heb. 13. 17. and gratitude Gal. 6. 6. as they owe unto their Ministers and those who are over them in the Lord So far should they be from a total neglect of pressing any such duties under a pretence of self-denyal or from preposterous modesty for Paul doth here most seriously and affectionately press duties of that kind And we beseech you brethren to know c. 2. The duties of private edification should be so gone about and entertained by private Christians as the office of a publick Ministry be not hereby rendred useless and despicable or the proper duties thereof incroached upon by those who are not called to that function Heb. 5. 4. for therefore he subjoynes this precept which presseth upon people respect to the publick Ministry to that other about mutual edification immediately preceding And we beseech you brethren to know c. 3. The duties which people discharge to their Ministers should flow from their knowledge and inward conviction that the place and station wherein their Ministers are set doth call for such duties at their hands and
betwixt him and the people as that no expressions of his love nor insinuations of his for that end do tend much less be intended to divide the Lords people among themselves of purpose to make both or any of the dissentient parties more devoted and strictly tyed unto him but must endeavour that the same spirit of love which breatheth in him may breath in all the Lords people toward one another for he doth so express his affection unto them that he willeth them to express as it were the same affection towards one another while he saith Greet all the brethren with an holy kiss 4. As it is not sufficient for Christians to carry inward good will and affection one to another but necessary sometimes that inward love be made evident by some outward expressions and testimonies of the same So the Lords people ought not to scruple at or upon groundless scruples to abstain from any decent and innocent expression of love and affection which is ordinarily used in the times and places where they live Singularity in such things is not Religion neither is scrupulosity about them any point of tenderness for he bids them express their affection by that which was the usual sign and testimony thereof at those times Greet all the brethren with an holy kiss But 5. Even those external testimonies of love and respect may not be complemental or used only as a piece of a mans good breeding or civility much less as an engine to ensnare the party towards whom they are used unto a false belief that he is affected and loved where he is not Luke 22. 48. but they ought to be sincere and free from any base and sinful ingredient of that kind So that even in external duties of common civility we are bound to exercise some one or other Christian and holy vertue for therefore doth he require that their affection be made evident by an holy kiss or a kiss sanctified and made holy by the grace of sincere affection which is expressed by it and from which it doth flow Greet all the brethren with an holy kiss Ver. 27. I charge you by the Lord that this Epistle be read unto all the holy brethren The third recommendation is chiefly pressed upon their Ministers and Church-guides to whom it seemeth this Epistle was sent immediately to be communicate unto the rest Those he chargeth by the Lord or as the word implyeth and signifieth see 1 Sam. 14. 24. Matth. 26. 63. he adjureth them as they would eschew the wrath and vengeance of the Lord Christ so they would not keep up this Epistle unto themselves but cause it to come to and be plainly read in the hearing of all the brethren or Church-members whom he calleth holy See upon Phil. 1. v. 1. doct 5. Hence Learn 1. To debar and exclude the Lords people from acquainting themselves with Scripture either by reading it themselves or hearing it read by others is a most grievous sin obliging the person or persons guilty to undergo the stroke of Gods eternal wrath vengeance And therefore not only should Scripture be translated unto the native language of every Nation where Christ hath a Church that people may read it and hear it and be acquainted with it But also the Lords people themselves ought diligently to improve what helps of that kind are afforded for bringing them to intimate acquaintance with the mind of God revealed in Scripture and look upon their so doing as a duty of greatest importance and weight for Paul doth charge or adjure them with denunciation of Gods heavy vengeance in case they should not cause read this Epistle to all the holy brethren adjurations of which sort are not to be used but when duties of weight are charged Now what Paul doth charge here about this Epistle was doubtless his mind in relation to other Scriptures seeing there is nothing peculiar to this Epistle for which the Lords people should be made acquainted with it that may not be said of other Scriptures also Besides that the Apostle doth elsewhere express himself much to the same purpose of some others of his Epistles Col. 4. 16. and of all Scripture indefinitely Col. 3. 16. Doct. 2. It concerneth Ministers and Church-guides especially to see to it carefully that the Lords people of their charge be acquainted with Scripture and in order to this end to incite them to read it in secret Col. 3. 16. to have it read in their families Deut. 6. 9. as also to labour upon those who have power and whom it concerneth that Children and young ones of both Sexes be trained up at Schools at least so far as they may be able to read the Lords word distinctly in their own native language for this charge is given to the Church-guides I charge you by the Lord that this Epistle be read unto all the holy brethren saith he 3. That Scripture be publickly read to the Lords people assembled together for his worship even though it be not presently exponed and applyed by the Minister is so far from being a part of wil-worship that it should seem from this place to have some stamp of divine authority put upon it as upon an ordinance useful in its own place as for several other ends so especially for acquainting the Lords people with the language of the Holy Ghost speaking in Scripture and with the History of the Bible a great part whereof otherwise some may possibly never so much as once hear with their ears though they live to many years for he chargeth them not only to incite the Lords people to read this Epistle themselves and apart but that it be read unto all the holy brethren to wit as it seemeth being assembled together Ver. 28. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you Amen He concludeth the Epistle lastly by his usual and confident farewel-wish for our Lord Jesus Christ his grace or favour as the fountain and all good things as streams flowing from it to be conveyed to them and continued with them Besides what is already observed upon the like farewel-wish in the close of the four former Epistles Hence Learn So inexhaustible is the fountain of Gods free grace and favour and so copious are the streams of all spiritual blessings flowing from it that no such measure either of the one or the other can be attained by any but more may be had more is allowed and more and more is daily to be sought and thirsted after for though real believers among them had received already a great measure of Gods grace and favour in its sense and in its effects yet he wishes unto them not only the continuance of what they had but some further degree to be added as more of it while he saith The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all Amen POSTSCRIPT The first Epistle unto the Thessalonians was written from Athens Seeing this Epistle is written in the name also of Timotheus and
far as 1. Some of them are but meer Juglings and found to be such as when they affirm their Images to have spoken issued drops of blood and sweat that poor souls have come creeping and crying out of Purgatory bemoaning their case which have either been effectuated immediately by Satan or by subtle conveyance and sleight of hand which hath sometimes been discovered and the spirit taken whipt and laid in the stocks for his imposture 2. Some of them have been truly done but not true Miracles as not exceeding the power of all natural causes as when they affirm that some diseases have been cured by the touch of their superstitious Relicts now how easie is it for Satan to take off and cure a disease which through Gods permission he hath laid on especially seeing many such like seemingly miraculous cures have been effectuated by devilish art among the Heathens And 3. All of them are made use of to confirm their erroneous doctrines 〈◊〉 superstitious practices as their worshipping of Relicts prayer for the dead invocation of Saints Purgatory c. and consequently all of them but false and seeming Miracles even as it is here foretold of Antichrist that his coming should be with signs and lying wonders Fourthly The Popish doctrine wherein it differs from the doctrine of the Reformed Churches is nothing but an heap of untruths driving the maintainers of it to impiety against God in Idolatry superstition breach of vows and perjuries and to unrighteousness against man in unnaturality disobedience to Parents and lawful superiours under religious pretexts in preferring Fornication and Uncleanness to the bed undefiled in Marriage in justifying Jesuitical equivocations and speaking yea and swearing untruths and such like which hath been abundantly made out by the Reformed Divines in their writings to that purpose even as the doctrine of the Antichrist is here called unrighteousness or a doctrine of untruths tending to unrighteousness and sin of all sorts Fifthly The Pope doth not avow or profess himself an enemy to truth and Christian Religion but rather the prime pillar of it even Christs Vicar on earth the servant of the servants of Christ by which and such like specious pretexts he hath undermined truth and established errour in its place even as it is here foretold of the Antichrist that he should not openly avow his doctrine to be contrary to Gospel truth but labour by deceitful tricks and fair pretexts to make the world believe his doctrine to be truth even by all deâ—â—â—veableness of unrighteousness Sixthly Innumerable almost are those subtle devices and deceiving juglings which are made use of under Papacy to perswade the world to embrace their erroneous and unrighteous doctrine such as strong and false alledgances of their unity among themselves under one head of the antiquity of their doctrine the consent of Fathers to it the universality of it which is no more in effect but that all the world did once wonder after the Beast Rev. 13. 3. Besides that their doctrine and worship is so framed as to comply with mens corrupt Lusts and to fit every humour If men be lazy idlers they place them in Monasteries if ambitious or covetous there are places of preferment and profit to catch them if voluptuous and licentious they may for a little money have pardons and dispensations if quiet and cannot endure the worlds trouble there is a solitary life in some Hermitage prepared for them If a man dislike his wife let him enter Religious Orders and he is delivered from her If of a pragmatick stirring disposition there are employments of compassing Sea and Land to gain a proselyte waiting for him There are flatteries and taking allurements for men of spirit who will not be boasted and boasts and threats of curses and excommunications for men of a more folding temper In a word whatever a mans humour can fancy there is somewhat in Popery to satisfie it and make men believe of themselves that they are singularly devout when they do but feed their carnal humours Even as it is here foretold of the Antichrist that he should come not with some but all deceiveableness of unrighteousness Seventhly Though the power of the Pope for many ages was most dreadful and absolute through all Europe yet it was not unlimited there being alwayes some in every age as Papists themselves do sometimes confess and History maketh clear who never yielded to take on his yoke but one way or other testified against his Tyrannical Usurpation and damnable soul-destroying doctrine even as it is here foretold that some should be exempted from the Antichrists defection for he was only to prevail in those who perish Eighthly The members of the Popish Church had in all ages the truth of the Gospel tendred to them at the first beginning of the Popes apostasie and open tyranny more clearly in following ages more darkly what by somewhat they heard of Christs Nativity Passion Resurrection c. expounded to them according to the custome at their great Festivals and what by the testimony or report of that testimony which dying Martyrs or other Confessours gave to truth whereof there were some almost in every age and yet they did not receive or believe the truth especially those truths relating to the authority sufficiency and perfection of Scripture to the fulness of Christs satisfaction and merit and the compleat discharging of all his offices the justification of sinners by the righteousness of Christ imputed to them and received by faith alone and such other truths controverted betwixt them and us yea neither believe they any truth because of the authority of God revealing it in Scripture but because of the Popes Authority which only makes Scripture to be Scripture and worthy of credit unto them and therefore cannot be said to believe any truth at all seeing their faith is only humane grounded upon the authority of man even as it is here foretold of Antichrists followers that they received not the truth in love when it was offerâ—d to them and that they believed not the truth Ninthly Hugely gross errours and superstitious fooleries are maintained by the Pope and his followers for necessary truths and acceptable pieces of Divine Worship as may be seen in their Apish toyes foolish gestures used at Mass in their doctrine of Transubstantiation and indulgences and such is their incorrigible obstinacy in these against clear evidence of Scripture yea and of common sense and reason that it cannot be conceived rational men would be so infatuated and stupid except they were judicially plagued of God by giving them over to the power and prevalency of errour and delusion even as it is here affirmed of Antichrists followers that God shall send them strong delusion that they should believe a lye Tenthly As Popish doctrine wherein it differeth from us is but a bundle of lies which is abundantly proved by the Reformed Divines So this doctrine of lies is believed by the generality of the Popish Church
had of them And we have confidence that ye both do and will do 4. It is the duty of people to improve what place they have in the charity of faithful Ministers or discerning Christians as a spur to incite them to further diligence and to walk answerable to that esteem which others have of them and not to rest upon it as if having it they had enough for Paul doth express his charitable confidence of them that they may be thereby incited to their duty We have confidence that ye both do and will do 5. As the life of a Christian is more in practice and in doing than in profession and word-speaking So the rule of their practice is not the example of others Exod. 23. 2. nor yet the dictates of their mother-wit or natural reason Rom. 1. 21 22. and much less the sway and inclination of their corrupt affections Isa. 57. 17. but the word of God and those injunctions of his sent Ministers which they as his Lyon-heraulds do press upon them from him for he expresseth the Christian mans exercise by doing what he commanded them in the name and authority of Jesus Christ. Ye both do and will do the things which we command you saith he 6. The practice and obedience of Christians according to the forementioned rule must be both universal extending it self to all that is commanded and constant so as not only they begin well but also continue unto their Journeys end for so was their obedience We are confident ye both do and will do the things which we command Ver. 5. And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patient waiting for Christ. Followeth his third exhortation whereby while he prayeth the Lord to direct their hearts or make them straight he doth also indirectly incite them to the exercise of two graces which are chief parts of and have special influence upon the obedience formerly pressed First the love of God understand that whereby we love God under which is contained love to our Neighbour as a stream flowing from that fountain Matth. 22. 37 39. Although the sense and feeling of Gods love to us spoken of Rom. 5. 5. needeth not to be excluded Secondly Patient waiting for Christ or as the word is in the original patience of Christ. It implyeth patience with expectation even such a patient enduring of hardships in the way of our duty for Christs sake as is joined with and floweth from a well-grounded expectation of good things to be received from Christ especially at his second coming Doct. 1. As the hearts of men are in the hand of the Lord who alone can powerfully encline direct and turn them where-ever he will Prov. 21. 1. So it concerneth us highly to see to the heart that it be rightly inclined seeing wheresoever it goeth it doth powerfully draw the whole man with it for Paul doth pray the Lord to direct their hearts 2. That Christians do continue constant in the course of begun obedience there is of necessity required a continual supply of influence from God together with some fervour of love to him and patient expectation of good things to be received from him which may serve as cords to draw us forward in the way of duty against all tentations and discouragements which will be otherwise prevalent to retard and draw us backward 2 Cor. 5. 14. Psal. 27. 13. for as a mean of their continuing to do what he commanded them he prayeth the Lord to direct their hearts into the love of God and patient waiting for Christ. 3. As the heart of man is by nature crooked and perverse So it is in a special manner averse from the love of God whom though he be the chief good yet every man by nature doth hate though not as he is Creator and preserver of the world yet as he is a just Judge armed with vengeance against evil doers yea and there are dregs of this averseness even in the truly Godly who have a law in their members rebelling against the Law of God written in their mind and renewed part Rom. 7. 23. for this crookedness and averseness from love to God is implyed while he prayeth the Lord to direct or make straight their hearts into the love of God 4. The hearts of men by nature are also averse from undergoing a suffering lot for Christ and from taking that comfort under the cross which ariseth from the hope of a promised out-gate and reward as being unwilling to give any further trust to the precious promises than they see of present performance 2 Pet. 3. 4. yea and there are dregs of this averseness also in the truly regenerate though not allowed of by themselves Psal. 42. 9. as appeareth from their desire to shift a cleanly cross Matth. 16. 22. and therefore small courage oft-times under it Heb. 12. 13. or hopes of an out-gate from it 1 Sam. 27. 1 for averseness is also implyed while he prayeth the Lord to direct their hearts into the patient waiting for Christ. 5. How averse soever the hearts of men in nature or of men renewed are from the exercise of those or other graces yet there is omnipotency in God to make them straight when he will and to encline them powerfully to love where they hate to take up a cross for Christ contentedly and to hope for what they see not confidently for while the Apostle prayeth that the Lord would direct them to love and patience he doth suppone that God hath power so to direct them 6. The graces of love to God of patience under a suffering lot and of well-grounded hope do well together in so far as where love to God is rooted in the heart together with a firm expectation of all those good things contained in the promise to be received from him there can be nothing too hard to be undergone and suffered for him Rom. 8. 35. 2 Cor. 4. 16. with 5. for Paul doth pray for all those jointly even the love of God and patient waiting for Christ see the Exposition Ver. 6. Now we command you brethren in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye withdraw your selves from every brother that walketh disorderly and not after the tradition which he received of us Here beginneth his fourth exhortation upon which he insisteth most and dealeth more peremptorily in it than in any of the former as that which is his great work in the first part of this Chapter and to which all the rest have been preparatory insinuations And first being to handle this purpose more generally to v. 11. he straitly commands them in the name and authority of Jesus Christ to withdraw from or have no familiar intimate fellowship with any brother or Christian in external profession who walketh disorderly or that as a disorderly souldier from which the word in the original is borrowed did any wayes transgress the order bounds and limits of his particular calling and station assigned him by
of every Epistle which did serve as a token or certain mark whereby his own Epistles might be distinguished from all others forged and feigned in his name and he hints at the reason why it was such a differing mark to wit because his way of writing was alwayes uniform and hardly could be undiscernably counterfeited by any other which is implyed while he saith So I write Doct. 1. The sending of salutations by word or writ that we may thereby testifie our continuing affection to absent friends is not a matter of common courtesie and good manners only but a duty to be performed for conscience sake as tending to entertain love and good will among Christians for while Paul doth never omit to send his salutation it evidently appeareth he did not look upon it as a matter of complement but of conscience The salutation of Paul 2. Our salutation whether of present or absent friends should express our wishes to God for things spiritual and the choicest mercies to be bestowed on them wherein we ought to be real hearty and affectionate and not formal or acted from the force of custom only for he calleth his farewell-wish v. 18. to which he annexeth an hearty Amen his salutation The salutation of Paul 3. It hath been an ancient slight of Satan and of his instruments to thrust upon the Church so far as in them did lye false and forged writings and give them out for Canonick Scripture thereby to make the truth and authority of all Scripture questionable for to prevent such impostures Paul did write his salutation with his own hand which is the token in every Epistle saith he 4. That God hath sufficiently provided in his Word against the forementioned evil see upon Col. 4. v. 18. which is the token in every Epistle so I write Ver. 18. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all Amen Resteth the very thing which he did so write with which he shuts up the Epistle to wit his hearty with that the free and undeserved favour of God in Christ with all the fruits and tokens of it might be conveyed unto them all without exception to which he affixeth his Amen signifying Let it be so and it shall be so in testimony both of his fervent desire and confidence Doct. 1. Whatever be the eminence of a person or persons for their inherent graces and gracious qualifications yet it is only God free-grace and undeserved favour and not their own merit which must be relyed on for closing their accounts or for obtaining any spiritual or temporal mercy at the hands of God for though he commended them highly for their patience faith love and other graces chap. 1. 3 4. yet he closeth all by wishing Gods free grace and favour to them as the fountain-cause of all things they stood in need of or could expect The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you 2. As there is an inexhaustible fountain of free grace in God which can water all without exception of any and will extend it self to as many as he seeth fit Rom. 9. 18. So the more of it we wish unto or is according to our wish bestowed upon others there doth not the less remain behind unto our selves for Paul who wisheth grace and favour to them all had received a very large measure of it himself and knew that how large a measure soever was bestowed upon them there would not be the less for him Therefore doth he thus close The grace c. The Postscript The second Epistle to the Thessalonians was written from Athens The truth of this Postscript is no less suspected than the former and this Epistle judged more probably to have been written also from Corinth where Paul continued a year and an half after he came from Athens Act. 18. 1. with 11. See upon the Postscript of the first Epistle FINIS