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
Minister should and may please man without sin and in what respects not upon Gal. 1. 10. doct 6. for he gives that as an instance of his sincerity and study to please the Lord he spoke not as pleasing men but God 2. It is one of Satans great designs to possess the minds of people against the most faithful of Christs servants with strong suspicions that though there be nothing blame-worthy in their external walk they may yet be guilty of inward abominations as of pride hypocrisie covetousness unstreightness and such like because he knows that as nothing marreth the edification of people more than rooted prejudices of that kind against their Ministers So that though honest Ministers may justly deny the charge yet they cannot so easily demonstrate to the prejudged party their own freedom from the guilt charged there being alwayes somewhat in the best actions of most innocent men that may by an uncharitable and prejudged on-looker be constructed to spring from some of those bitter roots and therefore the servant of Christ should labour not only to keep himself free of those evils but also from doing any thing which may savour of them or give unto people any just occasion to conceive that he is tainted with them for Pauls clearing himself of those inward abominations here and in the preceding and following verses implyeth that some did suspect him guilty and that he walked so as he might justly clear himself that he was free of them even so we speak not as pleasing men 3. Then do we walk sincerely when as in every other thing so especially in the duties of our particular calling we labour to please and to approve our selves unto the Lord to wit by doing not only what he commands Rom. 12. 2. but also in the manner which he prescribes 1 Cor. 10. 31. and especially by seeking after and resting satisfied with his approbation of what we do for matter and manner without stepping one hair breadth off the road way of duty for catching applause or approbation of man for Paul gives this as an instance of his sincerity that in the duties of his particular calling as a Minister he did labour to please God or approve himself unto him even so we speak not as pleasing men but God 4. As the ministerial calling is of any other the greatest trust there being no less concredited to the person imployed in it than the Gospel of Christ and the souls of his people Heb. 13. 17. so none should be intrusted with that weighty charge but such as after tryal are found in some tolerable measure fitted for it for Paul sheweth he was when made a Minister put in trust with the Gospel and this after he was allowed of God the word signifieth proved and judged fit which implyeth not that he had any fitness of himself but the Lord of unfit did make him fit Gal. 1. 18. and did then intrust him with the Gospel 5. There is not any thing prevails more strongly with an ingenuous and gracious heart to make him in all things please the Lord than the serious remembrance of his rich receipts from him and how much he stands a debtor to Gods free grace and favour on that account for Paul makes the mercy manifested by God in making him a Minister a reason why he studied in all things to please him But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the Gospel even so we speak 6. It is a speaking evidence of a Ministers call from God when the conscience of his calling prevaileth with him to order himself in all the pieces of his imployment both for matter and manner as that he may approve himself to God who hath called him for the conscience of Pauls calling prevailed so with him as we were allowed to be put in trust even so we speak not as pleasing men but God 7. As God who knoweth the heart doth chiefly judge of mans actions according to that frame of heart wherewith he doth discharge them So then do we know and believe that it is so when our faith and knowledge of it doth make us in all our actions take such inspection of the heart as that for our inward sincerity we may approve our selves unto him who tryeth our hearts for the knowledge of this truth did so work upon Paul while he saith we speak as pleasing God who tryeth the hearts Ver. 5. For neither at anytime used we flattering words as ye know nor a cloak of covetousness God is witness The Apostle doth here remove from himself and his Ministry two other vices which are inconsistent with that single hearted sincerity that ought to be in a Minister and hereby doth also meet with the false Apostles who were tainted with the vices following first he used not flattering words that is speeches fitted to please the carnal corrupt humours of men for gaining of favour or some reward from them The word in the original is taken from another which signifieth meat implying that flattery is a base belli-god vice whereby the flatterer becomes a slave to every bodies humour for a piece of bread And for his freedom from this vice he appealeth to their own knowledge who might easily judge of his words whether they were flattering or not 2. He used not a cloak or pretext of covetousness that is neither was he avowedly covetous or inordinately desirous of worldly gain neither did he make a scug pretext or cloak of piety or of any laudable vertue to cover any such covetous desire as the false Apostles did Rom. 16. 18. And because men could not so well judge of his freedom from this sin as from the former seeing it is usually hid under some specious pretext therefore he appealeth unto God to judge and bear witness whether he spoke truth or not Doct. 1. The sin of flattery at least when given way to and allowed cannot consist with the Grace of sincerity as in no man so much less in a Minister where a man inslaveth himself to please the sinful humours of people and upon any terms not to irritate them he will not spare to wrest the truth of God to make it subservient to his base design by strengthning the hands of the wicked and promising him life Ezek. 13. 22. for Paul denyeth that he used flattering words as inconsistent with that sincerity formerly spoken of which appears by the causal particle for for neither at any time used we flattering words 2. Though flatterers be deep dissemblers and bend their wit to make all men believe they respect and love them when they but seek to prey upon them Prov. 29. 5. yet a man of understanding will easily discern them And it argues â—â—ther great stupidity or blind self-love in the man who when he is flattered to his face knoweth iâ— not but taketh foulest flatteries for real praises for while he appealeth to themselves to judge if he used flattering words he implyeth they might
speaks not of the wicked expresly but only describes them from their height of security which long continuance in sin should at length drive them to as from an infallible evidence of a wicked man for when they shall say peace and safety 2. There is not any one more speaking evidence of approaching judgement of one kind or other than carnal security in sin and wickedness arrived to such an height as to make men wholly fearless of Gods judgement and atheistical mockers at all threatnings which forewarn them of it for saith he when they shall say peace and safety then sudden destruction cometh 3. What ever grounds of confidence or undoubted perswasion flowing from those grounds a wicked man may have to escape a threatned judgement yet all shall serve tâ— little purpose when God beginneth in earnest to reckon with him his strongest fancy with all its grounds will prove but a weak bulwark to bear off the overflowing waves of Divine wrath when the haile shall sweep away the refuge of lies and the waters shall overflow the hiding place Isa. 28. 17. for the word rendred safety implyes they should have a certain perswasion of safety as if they were above all doubt and this doubtless upon some grounds satisfactory to themselves and yet for all that even then sudden destruction shall come upon them and at unawares surprize them 4. As a lingring death hath in it much of mercy even to wicked men who have thereby time and leisure given them to repent and to plead with God for mercy Rev. 2. 21. So of all deaths or wayes of calling sinners to an account those which are sudden and make quick dispatch are to a wicked liver most dangerous as hardly leaving any place either for Gods patience or mans repentance but making an end of the person stricken before he can solidly think upon his end for he placeth a great part of the terrour of the destruction threatned in that it should be sudden and unexpected Then sudden destruction cometh upon them 5. Though none can know the peremptory day month or year of Christs second coming see v. 1. doct 2. yet there are certain signs from which when they shall fall out a man may certainly know that the day of the Lord is near approaching such as these a general height of carnal security Matth. 24. 38 39. the conversion of the Jews Rom. 11. 15. and total destruction of the Antichrist 2 Thes. 2. 8. for besides other things so much may be implyed in this similitude whereby Christs second coming and the destruction of the wicked which doth accompany it are compared to travail upon a woman with child who though she know not the very day and hour when her pains shall take her yet she hath certain signs whereby to know that her time approacheth 6. The pain and horrour which the day of the Lord shall bring on Godless reprobates is such that no tongue can utter nor can it be expressed in proper terms so as we might conceive it yea and such as the greatest of all earthly torments are but weak shadows and slender representations of it and too little to express it for therefore doth the spirit of God alwayes while speaking of this destruction make use of borrowed similitudes from the most terrible of earthly and bodily torments as of those occasioned by fire Mark 9 45. by fire of brimstone Rev. 21. 8. by an eating worm never dying Mark 9. 46. and here the pains and torment of a woman in travail all which doubtless come far short of expressing to the full that pain and torment which is incomparable incomprehensible and cannot be expressed but by such shadows and representations 7. Even damned souls and the most profane and lawless of Godless reprobates are not only overruled by and under the dominion of a divine providence but shall also know so much by sad experience when in the great day nill they will they they shall appear before their dreadful Judge and receive their sad and woful sentence from his blessed mouth and be presently made without all delay or shifting to undergoe it for saith Paul they shall not escape Ver. 4. But ye brethren are not in darkness that that day should overtake you as a thief Lest the Godly should be terrified and shaken with the apprehension and fear of that suddain destruction presently mentioned he doth here cast in a seasonable word of comfort for all such against the terrour of it as appeareth from his entrance made to the present purpose with an adversative particle But. And first he propoundeth the ground of the following comfort namely that they to wit as many of them to whom he writeth as were sincere believers in Jesus Christ for so must this indefinite compellation and that note of universality also v. 5. be understood according to the use of Scripture elsewhere 1 Cor. 15. 22. none such I say were in darkness that is they were not living in their gross and natural ignorance of God nor yet in carnal security or Godless profanity for the word darkness doth point at both those here as elsewhere in Scripture Rom. 2. 19. 1 Joh. 1 6 Next he expresseth the comfort it self flowing from this ground to this purpose that however the precise day and time of Christs second coming could not be known by them no more than by the wicked Matth. 24. 36. yet it should not overtake them or as the word implyeth violently apprehend them to their hurt and prejudice as a thief and robber doth apprehend the person and goods of those whom he spoiles and destroyeth Now the force of the inference whereby he draweth the present consolation from the forementioned ground doth lye in the similitude take it thus that as a thief can only do hurt to those who are sleeping securely in the dark night and not to others So this terrible day could do no hurt to them because it should not find them lying secure in the dark night of ignorance or impiety Doct. 1. The truly Godly and they to whom the terrible threatnings of eternal judgement do least belong are of such a tender frame and temper of heart Isa. 66. 2. that usually they are most affected sadded and discouraged by them when Godless livers to whom they properly appertain are so little moved with them that they rather mock them 2 Pet. 3. 4. for Paul did foresee so much while presently after he had denounced sudden destruction to come upon secure reprobates he seeth a necessity to guard the Godly against the terrour of it But ye brethren are not in darkness saith he 2. It concerneth therefore the wise and faithful servant of Christ so to denounce the terrible threatnings of everlasting wrath against the wicked as that he presently caution them for the comfort of the Godly lest otherwise they for whom they are not intended be dejected shaken and discouraged by them for so doth Paul here guard the former threatning with