or predestination to life redemption remission of sins justification acceptation vocation revelation of the mystery of the Gospel and giving of knowledge and wisdom spiritual vivification and consequently sanctification regeneration comfort and hope after their calling ability for the faithful discharge of the duties of their callings deliverance from evil confirmation and persevetance glorification Reason proveth the same First it s a sure principle in Divinity Reason 1 the most free will of God which is all one with his goodness is the first and supreme cause of all things If God be not every way the first cause he hath either an equal or a superior and consequently sequently is not God Nothing therefore doth induce and more him to do good to his creature but his own goodness If something without him should move his will that thing must needs be in nature before him and more worthy than he he must depend upon it and suffer from it but these things cannot agree to the nature of the first cause Wherefore either we must confess there is no grace and holiness in man which springeth not from the sole goodness of God or else deny a most certain Canon of Religion and spoil God of his nature and prerogative royal Secondly Reason 2 man cannot by any desert provoke God to be good and bountiful to him For 1. while he is unregenerate there is no goodness in him nothing truly good can come from him he is dead in sins wholly corrupt and abominable his reason is blind his heart rebellious his wisdom enmity to God 2. The good gifts which are in man justified and renewed and the exercise of them cannot if we will speak properly be an impulsive provoking cause of Gods augmenting these gifts Because 1. God purposed in his eternal Councel before the world to bestow or work that increase and therefore it being an effect of Gods will cannot be a cause of the same 2. Nothing temporary in man can be a cause of that which is eternal in God therefore God was not moved by any thing fore seen in time to decree this increase If nothing besides his own goodness moved him to decree to work it nothing else moves him actually to work it else the decree and the execution of it do not agree Thirdly God is not bound to man Reason 3 owes him nothing being an absolute Monarch who hath most full and free power to do with his own what he list If he give his bounty is thereby manifested if he withhold he wrongeth none Now if we cannot possibly by any means make God our debtor it followeth that whatsoever good we have or receive it proceeds from his only kindness First then here are confuted Vse 1 first some false Doctrines of the Papists As 1. That a sinner not reconciled to God may by preparatory works of repentance deserve in some sort justification which they call the merit of congruity I am not ignorant how one of the Master-dawbers of Mystical Babylon goes about to salve this point by a favourable interpretation but if there were no snake in this grass I marvel why some of great name and note among them who doubtless understood well enough the tenets of their own times vvished the abolishing and abandoning of it 2. That Man is able by a power naturally inherent in his will if it be but helped and vvakened by grace to believe and convert Indeed they disavovv this Opinion as whoremasters are sometimes ashamed of their bastards but they must be content will they nill they to father it For the vvritings of the Jesuits who in this point are hotly opposed by their own pue-fellows the Dominicans witness that besides the outward means they acknowledge nothing necessary to conversion but inspiration illumination excitation they require not any super-natural habit or principle infused into the will by which it may be disposed and elevated to produce the act of faith they make effectual grace to be nothing else but Gods perswading and calling Men in such a time place manner as he foresees most agreeable to their disposition inspiring such motions as he seeth by their free-will they will embrace yea some of them ingenuously confess that the first radical cause of the efficacy of grace is the co-operation of mans will 3. That men may merit yea others for them increase of grace perseverance and restauration by repentance when they have fallen How these Romish Opinions are repugnant to the doctrine in hand grounded upon the plain words of the Apostle he is blind that seeth not Secondly the doctrine of the Arminians who maintain that the ground and cause of Gods election is foresight of saith and perseverance in persons to be elected that God sends the means of salvation and offers his grace to this or that people because he did see and know they would with humble readiness embrace and rightly use that grace and come when he called 1. These are right builders of Babel Is not this most horrible most wicked coufusion to thrust the first cause out of his rank and seat the second in his room to subject the Creator or make him inferiour to his creature to fetch the first rise or spring of mans salvation from man It is no less absurd and blasphemous for ought I can see to say Gods will had or needed an external moving cause in ordaining things than to say his power had or needed an outward help in creating things The Papists shall rise up in judgement and condemn them some of whom do affirm roundly and confirm as soundly that there is no cause in us of Gods predestination that election is altogether free without prevision of good works 2. What faith could God fore-see in man not half but wholly dead in trespasses and sins what power of willing their own conversion in Men of stony hearts altogether impotent to spiritual good mancipated to Satan 3. Lastly where they say God bestows means of salvation upon some rather than others because he seeth they will profit better by them a pur-blind Papist will tell them its manifestly false For if that were the reason then the Lord should always send his Gospel and Ministers to those that are most towardly and capable deny them to those who are most hard-hearted and rebellious but we see in Scripture and experience he often sends them to those that are worse than others as to Israel a gain-saying people a people of stiff and steely necks adamantine hearts brazen fore-heads Ezek. 3.6.7 Matt. 11.21 more stubborn and inflexible than the Gentils than the Tirians and Sidonians Secondly This must teach us humility Vse 2 We have no cause to be lifted up in pride for any good thing we have or can do For it s neither from our selves nor procured and purchased from God by any worthiness or work of ours Nothing is our own but evil let us take nothing to our selves but shame and confusion Hast thou honour riches
is an hard doctrine and impossiose What we cannot be perfect here such thoughts are prompted by Satan to make you lazie and rob you of your crown The Apostle Paul was not ignorant of this yet He forgat the things that were behind and stretched himself unto the things before yea laboured if it were possible to attain to the resurrection of the dead So that though we cannot reach an entire and compleat perfection yet we may and must grow still more and more perfect and though our attainments shall never in this life overtake and equal our desires yet as he that shoots at the noon-Sun though he be sure he shall never hit the mark is sure to shoot higher than he that aims at a bush so if we desire and aim at the highest pitch of grace vve shall be sure to outstrip our fellows and attain such a measure as shall make our profession both comfortable to our own souls exemplary to our brethren and glorious in the eyes of strangers And thus much touching this branch of Pauls prayer for though I perceive there is one point more couched in it which have not been handled yet for brevity I will refer and reserve it to be wrapt up as well it may in the conclusion of the next member which now remaineth to be opened wherein a second thing is craved by the Apostle as a necessary and more special means of making them worthy their calling The words are and the work of faith with power where confider 1. The blessing asked which is fulfilling the work of faith By work of faith may either be meant the exercise operations fruits of faith faith stirring acting labouring producing such works as are proper to her or faith as it is Gods work in man the grace or habit of faith wrought by God in our hearts I take this latter sense the difference is not great and this includes the other 2. The efficient cause of it Gods power For so I understand those last words with power that is by his own Almighty power joyning them to the word fulfil rather than to faith which worketh powerfully in believers The meaning then is as if the Apostle had said But above all other graces we make suit unto God for the perfecting of that blessed and singular work of faith which his grace hath begun in you and that by the strength of his own right hand who is omnipotent and all-sufficient The instructions to be gathered from these words follow whereof the first is this The best faith hath wants Doct. 1 Understand it of faith in the sons of men in this world It s plain in our text The Apostle witnesseth in his former Epistle that this people received the word with much assurance that their faith to Godward was spread abroad in other places In this very Chapter he hath given thanks to God that their faith grew exceedingly yet here he tels us they have need to be prayed for that God would perfect their faith A cloud of witnesses doth further confirm it Abrahams faith did limp and halt a little when he hearkned to the counsel of Sarah in going in to Hagar for he consented to the use of unlawful means for bringing about Gods purpose likewise when through fear he sained Sarah to be his fister weakness appeared in Sarahs saith when she laughed at the promise of a son in Jacobs vvhen tidings of Esaus coming did so affright and distress him though he had a promise of Gods presence and protection in that journey in Davids when in his haste and fear he said I am cast out of thy sight all men are liars when he fained himself mad in Peters when being afraid of his skin in the high Priests hall he denied his Master And no marvel for first if knowledge be imperfect in all Christians confidence cannot be perfect in any How can the heart desire or cleave unto this or that further than the mind apprehends it as true and good I can not rest upon a man believing he will do this or that for me further than I know him The measure of faith in the will depends upon and sollows the measure of light in the understanding I mean in respect of latitude not intension or in intrinsecal vigour for otherwise I know there may be great faith where there is but small knowledge as in many Martyrs A man may know more than he believes so do many wicked men in the Church but he cannot believe more than he knows Now its certain that we know but in part for neither do we apprehend the whole object of knowledge that is the whole body of divine truth my meaning is vve know not all things to be known vve are still ignorant of many things neither do we see those things which now we know so fully clearly distinctly as vve should and shall in the life to come If therefore we know but imperfectly we must needs trust imperfectly Experience in our selves and other Christians may partly teach us the necessity of this consequence Do we not perceive this to be or have been one special cause of the failing of our faith that either vve know not this or that promise or were not sufficiently acquainted with the saithfulness and goodness of the promiser or did not so evidently behold the good things God had begun in us as from them we could conclude our selves to be heirs of the promise Secondly there are many enemies which oppugn a Christians faith from without Satan by his temptations sometimes more subtil sometimes more violent in his own bosom carnal vvisdom and reason natural slowness or untowardness of heart to that which is good inordinate affections and passions for grace doth not wholly expel and root out these Canaanites though it brings and keeps them under the yoke of the spirit Novv these sometimes dim the light of faith by raising mists and fogs of objections and doubts sometimes cast her into a slumber sometimes as it vvere by a sudden vehement blow astonish her and in a vvord by many means hinder the efficacy and working of faith No marvel therefore if sometimes the best faith stagger and waver This doctrine confuteth 1. The Papists vvho to the end they may vvith more probability maintain and perswade the possibility of fulfilling the Law in this life teach that faith and charity are perfect in this life 2. Some in our Church at home vvho hold that a man never doubts after he is a true believer It seems these men think faith to be like certain little bones in mans head of vvhich the Doctors of nature vvrite that they are of the same bigness in an old man and in a child 3. Our common people and silly ignorants vvho brag their belief is so strong as nothing can shake it no company can hurt no Devil prevail against them they never sound in themselves any want or vveakness of faith they never distrusted God in all their lives they can
God and men flourishing in the Courts of our God as those that are planted in the house of the Lord and bringeth forth more fruit in old age to the glory of his blessed name Amen and Amen from his heart saith To your Honour most addicted SAMUEL WALES Apr 30. 1627. 2 Thess 1. v. 11 12. 11. Wherefore we also pray always for you that our God would make you worthy of this calling and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness and the work of faith with power 12. That the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you and ye in him according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. THE scope of the Apostle in this Chapter is to refresh with the cool water of consolation the faithful Thessalonians now in the fiery Tryal of Tribulation and with Cordials of lively Comforts to confirm their spirits macerated and steeped in afflictions His chief Argument is taken from that righteous recompence of reward which the just Judge of all the world will give in the day of his appearing endless trouble and torment to them that have here troubled and tormented the godly eternal ease and refreshment to them who are now hated and vexed for Christs sake And to the end this comfort might sink more deeply and stick more firmly he digresseth a little into a description of Christs coming to Judgement opening as it were the very Heavens and representing him to their eyes with all his glory These two Verses now contain the conclusion of this consolation the sum whereof is a commemoration of the Apostles Christian care and religious practise of carrying the names of these Thessalonians continually before the Lord in holy petition and making suit for them that they might hold out in this noble but painful race and warfare which was indeed the scope of his consolation In them we may consider 1. The act or duty simply propounded 2. The amplification of it 1. From the adjunct circumstance of time when or how often he did exercise it 2. From the moving cause included in the first word Wherefore 3. From the subject or persons for whom the afflicted Thessalonians 4. From the object or person to whom our God 5. From the matter of the prayer that he would make you worthy c. Let us begin with the first The act or duty performed by Paul and two other holy men of God Sylvanus and Timotheus is prayer we also pray that is we do not only give thanks to God for you comfort and teach you the way of salvation both by preaching and writing but moreover we make earnest requests to God in yoor behalf Our lesson hence is Ministers must pray for their People Teachers of the Church must add prayers for the Church to all their other labours prayers I mean both private and publick The sons of Aaron are commanded to bless the Children of Israel Num. 6.23 Deut. 33.10 1 Sam. 12.23 Jer. 18.20 to put incense before the Lord a type of holy prayers Samuel calls the neglect of this duty a sin against God The Prophet Jeremy professeth he had stood before the Lord to speak good for his hearers and to turn away his wrath from them Nothing is more plain or frequent in all the Epistles almost of all the Apostles And good reason For First They are spiritual Fathers of their Congregations and therefore should have paternal affections in them which cannot but send forth Prayers for their Children Will not natural Parents earnestly wish and desire the good of their sons and daughters Secondly Their Prayers may greatly help and advantage the People 1. By diverting threatned and imminent or removing already inflicted and incumbent Plagues Moses standing in the breach turned away the Lords wrath from rebellious Israel and saved them from deserved destruction Psal 106.23 The withered hand of that wicked Jeroboam at the Prayer of the Prophet is restored Two heavy Judgements shewed in Vision to the Prophet Amos prepared for Israel at his intercession were stayed at least for a season Read Amos 7.1.2 3 c. 2. By procuring or pulling down from Heaven many blessings upon them spiritual and corporal Elias prayed saith the Apostle James and the Heaven gave rain and the Earth brought forth her fruit If the prayers of private Christians may prevail with God for healing those that are sick in soul or body shall we think the requests of his faithful Messengers who come nearer unto him will do nothing But especially their Prayers may obtain of God that blessed success and fruit of their Ministerial travels in the conversion and sanctification of their hearers than which nothing can be more profitable for the People and which is the Crown of the Ministers rejoycing First then many are worthy to be reproved Some are so full of Satan that if any of their hearers do but cross or displease them they break out into black and bitter cursing instead of blessing wishing Gods Plagues and vengeance may fall upon them Some are so ignorant they cannot pray some so profane they care not for praying either for themselves or others they have more skill of swearing and swaggering than powring out spiritual prayers Many utter words of prayer in publick who are dumb at home all the week long and trouble not the Lord with one fervent and savoury request for the spiritual welfare of the souls of their people I fear when the great Shepherd the Prince of Pastors shall appear these will appear and be found unfaithful Shepherds For as that Christian who never prays for himself but in the Church is convinced to pray only for fashion so that Preacher who never prays for his sheep but in the Pulpit may justly be thought to pray of custom rather than from conscience and zealous desire of their salvation and he that prays of custom only will I warrant him by cold and careless teaching except the wind of praise drive his Mill testifie to the world that he cares not much who carry away their souls so he have their fleeces Secondly therefore let all that are set over Congregations in the Lord provoke themselves to this duty I mean to be as well instant suiters for them to the Lord as constant instructers of them from the mouth of the Lord. Let every faithful Steward of Christ say with Samuel God forbid I should cease praying for the people of God committed to my charge For 1. If we bear them in our hearts 2 Cor. 7.3 as Paul did his Corinthians Philippians if we earnestly long after and love them in the bowels of Christ Jesus as the same Paul did the same Philippians Phil. 1.7 8. and what are we but hirelings if we do not we cannot but remember and mention them to God in our daily prayers as Paul did all the Churches 2. Can we see our Auditors rotting and stinking in the Graves of their ungracious courses stumbling or poasting
renewed our souls repaired than our decaying bodies bodily strength by daily food Now Prayer is that which gets these vvants supplied fetcheth from Heaven that blessing by vvhich spiritual strength and stature is augmented yea by exercising and stirring up Gods graces in the heart increaseth them Fifthly We are commanded every day to lead holy lives to walk as becometh Saints to have our conversation in Heaven to pass the time of our dwelling here in fear to spend that which remaineth of our life not according to the lusts of the flesh but according to the will of God Novv Prayer is a necessary help and prop of a godly life a good means of quickening seasoning well-ordering the heart of vvinding it up from Earth to Heaven and of passing thorough all the parts and businesses of the day christianly and purely Lastly vve are every day yea every hour subject to many dangers outward in our bodies families estates inward in our Souls Satan incessantly vvatcheth all opportunities to do us a displeasure to strike us to the heart vvith some fiery dart to overthrovv our goings lays snares for us in the most lawful things provocations to sin abound every vvhere hovv soon are vve distempered dissetled hovv hardly brought into good frame again Novv Prayer is our Hedge fencing us an excellent Weapon by vvhich vve drive back Satan and overcome the evils vvithin or vvithout vvhich encounter us Have vve not need to be daily armed vvith such a notable help that so vve may stand fast against temptations vvalk safely and hold fast peace vvith God This Doctrine if vve descend to application vvill first reprove Three sorts 1. Those that Pray not at all except in the publick Assembly that rise up and lie dovvn daily vvithout request-making to God urge upon them praying at home their reply is ready that 's too much purity they have other things to mind and vvill leave that burden to the Minister The Scripture hath long since branded these for Atheists Not Papists only but even Gentiles shall condemn them one of which counselleth his Brother every Morning and Evening to offer to God pure incense and oblation that Gods favour may be towards him and he may have success in his affairs If amongst us after so long teaching any continue in this sin let them know that as Gods fear is not in their hearts so God is not in their houses for he dwels where he is worshipped by prayers and praises the Devil rules all and unless they repent the curse of God as a canker shall consume them and theirs 2. Those that pray by fits only as when Conscience gnawes fickness binds them to their beds death threatens business calls not or suffer any worldly any trivial occasion to break off or justle out this duty Shall I fear to say this seeking Gods help only in extraordinary straits argueth that men think they can do well enough ordinarily without his help and by their own wit strength industry compass their own ends and desires which a Papist will tell them is Gentilism Had some of these Men a Neighbour who would never visit them but when some urgent necessity did press him would they not suspect his affections towards them to be cold and that he cared little for their company I dare assure them the Lord judgeth of them as they of this Neighbour It may justly be doubted vvhether ever they knew the necessity or selt the sweetness of true Prayer Let us fear least if we send for and entertain Prayer but now and then as a stranger God be strange to us when we vvould most gladly be acquainted with him 3. Those that are fallen from their former Conscience and care of practising private prayer whoseharts can tell them they are particularly touched if I do but say there are some amongst us vvho in former times were as forward and servent this way as the best and are now become as careless of praying as the prophane It s easie to shevv the reason why they are weary of Prayer They have banished the holy Ghost and entertained the unclean Spirit again which carries them to swearing drinking delighting in bad company and those abominations from vvhich they were washed vvhence it is that they have lost both skill and will to call upon God they are condemned by their own Mouths by their own Consciences when they do pray and therefore dare not call upon God but flie from his presence The Lord be merciful unto you that you sleep not the sleep of death but may remember whence you are fallen and come out of the snare of the Devil I say unto you in the name of the Lord take heed you become not very Cains spiritual vagabonds straying and running further and further from God till you arrive in the land of eternal horrour Secondly let all the Servants of God continue their holy care of daily offering the Sacrifice of invocation Observe the seasons and occasions of prayer as thou dost thy Meal-times Persevere in Prayer and faint not Resolve with thy self rather to strive to perform this duty in a better manner and more abundantly than to break it off and take liberty to neglect it Brethren why are we so backward to come unto him to whom the oftner vve come the more we are vvelcome the more importunate the more acceptable Whence is it that every Year we see or hear of strange punishments heavy accidents befalling men whereby they are brought to misery or untimely death Is it not hence that true Prayer is out of request with the most Whence is it that many ahve no better success in their Earthly Callings and Affairs They pray not Whence that we hear Men complain their Houses are insested with Spirits all such things are not fables and illusions though many be There is no Prayer in their Houses Whence is it that we find not help or more comfort and strength in our troubles We pray not Whence that many of us are ensnared and overturned by every temptation We Pray not Pray and thou canst not want any good thing which God can give unless the want be better for thee than the possession In few words think seriously of thine own need and the great gain of Prayer the danger and hurt of careless and willing neglect of it how highly it honours God and I shall not need to use many reasons for perswading thee to assiduity and constancy in the performance of it Far be it from any truly fearing God to think a Christian may be as strong and well armed against temptations as heavenly minded as able to walk holily and faithfully in his calling to preserve peace and purity of heart without Prayer as with it They that are thus minded shall I hope acknowledge before they die if they belong to God that this is not the perswasion of him that called them Thus much of the circumstance of time The second point is the motive or cause which induced
applaud and settle themselves with more confidence on the dregs or dunghil of their own cursed condition as giving sufficient hope of salvation they think our doctrine touching the necessity of holiness and universal obedience in them that shall be saved to be vanity and falshood they resolve they need no more repentance than they have which indeed is none at all and so come not to Christ that they might have life vvhereas a good lise is a good oratour perswading and calling others to goodness wooing and winning the minds even of rude aliens to an approbation of it and so preparing them to be further wrought upon by the word of grace Whence the Apostle Peter exhorteth Wives to subjection from this reason that such Husbands as obey not the word may be won by the conversation of the Wives Were we such Christians as we ought to be saith an Ancient such as blessed Paul there would be no Gentiles no prophane men left among us We might draw many worlds to the faith 2. A bad life in Christians makes way for corruption in judgement renouncing of Christ and the height of wickedness For 1. God being provoked by mens impounding or imprisoning his truth in unrighteousness and partial walking in his Commandements in judgement gives them over to delusions leaves them to fall into errors and damnable opinions 2. When men are not what they profess and know they ought to be it cannot be but they feel themselves often stung lashed judged by the word of God and their own Consciences Wherefore to be rid of this trouble and torment and get liberty from Gods yoke the strictness whereof they cannot endure First they begin to desire and then labour to perswade themselves that some things which they have learned may be false or at least doubtful not very certain they invent or fetch from the Devils forge colours excused defences of that they mean not to amend wicked and Atheistical conclusions encouraging to continue in their course till at length the spirit being wearied and departing they fall to open prophaneness grow extremely impudent and obdurate in sin and so their latter end be worse than their beginning Wouldst thou have me speak more plainly Art thou a Christian in name but livest not like a Christian Take heed thou art in danger to be given over to heresie to believe Doctrines of Devils or wholly to forsake the way of righteousness to return to thy vomit and wallowing in the mire to become a stinking snuff or vapour in the nostrils of all men yea seven-fold more the child of hell than when thou didst first begin to profess Christ 3. As God expects more duty from his own than others so their unholy lives disagreeing from their holy calling kindle his anger more than the sins of others He will be sanctified in them that draw near him You only have I known of all the families of the earth therefore I will visit you for all your iniquities He takes it most unkindly to be dishonoured by his own people He will wink at the wickedness of strangers when those of his family shall be sure to smart for their disobedience and worthily For as one saith if Gentiles live filthily it s not a thing to be wondred at nor worthy of so deep censure but for Christians who enjoy so many glorious favours of God to live wickedly is a thing intolerable 4. Christians not Ministers only should be lights or candles shining and shewing to others the way to salvation If then by the dark and foggy cloud of carnal conversation we lead them into the pit how shall we answer our Judge Dread we not that sentence Cursed is he that causeth the blind to err in the way Indeed the wicked who take occasion from our unworthy walking to speak evil of the way of God or to wander in the way of death shall perish in their iniquity but we who give the occasion shall not escape Truly when I hear a man thus taxed Oh such an one is one of these forward fellows who love Scripture Prayer Exercises and yet he will swagger in some company as well as others or he hath so deceived me that I will take heed how henceforth I trust or entertain under my roof any of that feather I cannot but say within my self It were better a milstone were hanged about his neck and be cast into the depth of the Sea than he should by such un-Gospel-like carriage and discoloured manners lay such a stumbling block in the world 5. Think with your selves what comfort can any man have in that life which fighteth with his profession in that profession which is controlled by his life to which his life daily gives the lie which will certainly be an inditement and witness against him in the great day If it be a shame for one pretending himself a Grammarian to speak incongruously a Musitian to play or sing unskilfully howgreat a shame is it in the sight of God and his holy Angels for one to profess and make shew of Christianity and yet so grosly to fail in observing and obeying the rules of it that his own works condemn him in the gate What a shame is it lastly that those who by their lives ought to condemn the unclean world as Noah did by his obedience and all ought who hope to be assessors or benchers with Christ in judging the world should give the world just cause to condemn their lives I would gladly take off mine hand and make an end but the point holdeth me as if it were loth to leave you till you were perswaded I beseech you set your hearts to all these words which I testifie unto you this day and let them sink down into your ears yea into your souls Let your conversation be such as becometh the Gospel of Christ walk worthy of God who hath called you to his Kingdom and glory that you may by a real demonstration of the power of Religion stop the mouths of foolish and ignorant men who would be barking against Religion by practise and expressions of holiness muzzle or make ashamed the slanderous brood of Antichrist who charge us to deny or contemn inherent holiness Solomon said once Goe to the Pismire so say I Go the little Bees consider their ways and be ashamed of irregular lives of ill composed manners when you see their little cels or hony-combs so artificially and accuratly framed Consider remember often that your Christian calling calls for requires great circumspection watchfulness great purity and uprightness See you not how careful some Men are when they walk or ride in a fair new fuit to keep it from spotting So must you your heavenly vocation Speak do nothing but that which beseems your calling and you shall not easily offend in word or work What shall I say no more but this let 's either be such indeed as our names import and report to others or else cast away the names
and call our selves from the masters we serve and the Lord grant that whosoever heareth or readeth may be perswaded or this doctriue may put a sting into his conscience never giving him rest till he resolve to lead the life of a Christian And so I pass on to The third instruction A Christians walking worthy of his calling is from God All ability in believers to grace and adorn their profession is Gods gift Therefore doth the Apostle beg this grace at the hands of God for the Thessalonians And there is good reason for it First no man is of himself sufficient to think much Iess to accomplish that which is good This that great Apostle who was taken up into the third heaven confesseth and confirmeth in himself therefore all the sufficiency of the faithful must needs be from that Father of lights from whom descendeth every good and perfect gift Secondly God gives the first grace whereby they begin both to deny ungodliness to renounce all that spiritual uncleanness of sin which is contrary to their calling and to do those good works to which they are called to bring forth new fruits of holiness and righteousness a greeable to their new calling Thirdly he continues and confirms this grace or gracious work by a subsequent upholds them in their integrity stablisheth their hearts in holiness gives wisdom to espie and shun the snares of the tempter Delivers from every evil work and consequently preserves from shameful fals disgracing their calling waters them as a garden that they may be fruitful in good works which are a comely ornament to their profession Lastly he limiteth or restraineth their adversaries spiritual corporal whether solliciting to defection from the faith or tempting to sin in conversation suffers them not to affault his children when where with what weapons with what force and fury they would or else ministreth strength to withstand and overcome them Now he that curbs or puts to flight the enemies which would draw us to dishonourable acts must needs be the cause of our honourable standing in the day of battel and consequently of our winning credit to our calling First then hast thou escaped many dangerous pit-falls and quick-sands in which others have been overthrown many foul sins of youth of age which have foiled others and defiled both them and their profession Hast thou as a brave Souldier of Jesus Christ warded or repelled those blows of temptation which have brought others on their on knees or driven them from their station Hast thou purchased the name and repute of a worthy Christian by a godly harmless meek sober peaceable conversation gained honour not only to thy self but to the general calling of Christianity and so sent abroad the smell of the ointment of thy graces that others have been thereby induced to speak honourably of Religion for thy sake Be not proud of it its Gods work in thee ascribe the glory of it wholly to him who keeps back his children from evil and confirms them in good without whom we have no stedfastness no power to live well or hold out in good courses but should certainly after we have begun in the spirit end in the flesh It s truly said of an Enemy the least temptation if God forsake us and suffer the Devil to work as powerfully as he can will be intolerable invincible Secondly Vse 2 Dost thou desire to honour thy Christian calling by walking as beseems the Gospel Do for thy self what Paul did for his Thessalonians send every day post to the Court of heaven none other but thine own heart on the winged horse of Prayer Spread thy petition as Hezek his letter before the Lord say unto him Lord as thou hast made me partaker make me also worthy of the heavenly calling give grace that whiles I live I may shew such behaviour as is fitting the honourable condition to which thou hast brought me Let me die rather than I should admit or commit any thing which might impair the reputation of Religion and cause Christianity to find worse entertainment in the world Guide me therefore by thy counsel till thou receive me to glory hold me by thy right hand strengthen me with thine own might turn from me shame and contempt order my steps in thy word and let no iniquity have dominion over thy servant keep my spirit ever waking and watchful against sin stablish my heart in thy fear my feet in the way of thy precepts enable me to continue holy and faithful unto death and lead me in the way everlasting to the land of righteousness This is the way to obtain this excellent grace and he that perseveres earnestly begging it adding thereunto holy endeavours making the matter of his prayer the matter of his practise shall be preserved from opprobrious evils The second petition of Paul followeth wherein such things are begged as mainly and necessarily conduce to the honouring of a Christians calling especially by undaunted constancy and perseverance in the time of tribulation The means are two 1. General 2 Special The general is fulfilling all the good pleasure of his goodness By good pleasure I understand Gods decree and promise of bestowing on his children all spiritual blessings needful for the attainment of eternal glory or his love and favour now begun to be executed and manifested to the Thessalonians by effects and real gifts accompanying salvation this is amplified by the cause What is the root fountain and foundation of this good pleasure the goodness of God that is the kind and gracious nature of God whereby he is ready to deal bountifully with his creature The meaning then is we pray that the Lord would accomplish and finish all those good things he hath intended to work in you and for you that he would give the fulness and perfection of all those graces wherewith of his meer grace and goodness he hath purposed promised and already begun to enrich you The words may admit two other readings and interpretations for they may be turned all the well-pleasing of goodness that is all that goodness and holiness which is acceptable and well-pleasing to God And again All the desire of goodness that is all the good and godly desires of your hearts But this latter sense is barren and not so suitable to the Apostles words and scope the former is included in that which we gave in the first place which I judge to be fullest most proper and therefore most worthy to be preferred and followed The instructions to be drawn out of this clause are three First That all good in man is from the meer goodness of God Whatsoever grace God willeth to and worketh in his children it flows only from his free grace God saith the Apostle God worketh in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure You shall find the Scripture exemplifying this point in particulars ascribing all the saving benefits of God bestowed on his people to his grace and good will election
1 how few will be able to stand if they be judged by this doctrine How many who call themselves Christians will be found lighter than vanity liars against the truth First many propound to themselves no other end of living here but hoording up riches building their nests on high serving their bellies wallowing in pleasures enjoying honours The glory of Christ their consciences being witnesses is no more thought on or remembred than if Christ had never bin of all other things this hath never troubled their heads Wel if Christ had ever visited these men with the light of life and by his spirit sent joyful tidings of salvation to their spirits it would be otherwise with them Never did man truly know Christ and what Christ hath done for his soul but was much taken up and transported in musing devising defiring to glorifie him Be not deceived if the Lords honour be a stranger in your minds memories intentions endeavours you are in darkness till this present and cannot be assured to your comfort that you have part in the redemption which is in Christ Jesus Secondly do not many live as if they had been made or born to the dishonour of Christ As 1. our idolaters who more stupid than the old Egyptians give the glory of Christ to creatures to their own works to the works of the Painter Carver Baker I fear these grand thieves are long since past shame and grace too Therefore the Lord Jesus requires at their hands the restitution of that honour which most sacrilegiously contrary to his crown and dignity they have robb'd him of 2. Our prophane swearers who tear the glorious name of Christ or toss his Titles unreverently in their Mouths these honour him as the Jews did when they spitted on him 3. All contemners of Christs ordinances and servants who shall one day find that whatsoever is done to things or persons bearing his Name Jesus Christ will take it and revenge it as done to himself 4. All wicked livers whose ungodly works cause that worthy Name by which we are called Jam. 2.7 to be blasphemed in the world We shall sometimes hear them detest and curse both Turk and Pope for persecuting it with the sword when themselves like arrant hypocrites in whom the love of Christ dwelleth not tread it under foot by their cursed and most abominable licentiousness Secondly Vse 2 Let all the Lords people study in all things and by all means to glorifie Christ Jesus Let his honour be dearer to us than all things For this cause were we redeemed †Is 43.21 called quickened that we should shew forth his praise live to his glory Do not masters look their servants should be a credit to them The Angels of Heaven have no more noble imployment than to serve and honour the Son of God The Father hath committed to the Son the government of all things That all men might honour the Son Joh. 5.23 as they honour the Father If any desire direction for the practice of this most necessary lesson know that we must glorifie the Name of Christ both inwardly and outwarly Inwardly in spirit and affection 1. By stirring up and cherishing in our minds honourable thoughts of Christ an high esteem of him and his excellency of that incomparable goodness and power which he sheweth in leading us to salvation 2. By believing against hope and reason trusting on his grace and casting our selves wholly upon him in want of feeling and when all things seem to be against us 3. By intending his honour in every thing making it the mark at which we shoot and if we cannot be so happy as at all times to find that this is the end which before every action first comes to our minds and sensibly moves our wills yet must we strive to find in our selves after the action an high prizing and earnest thirsting after his glory far above all our own good temporal and eternal 4 By grieving heartily to see or hear him dishonoured by false worshippers false teachers carnal Christians 5. By often calling upon our hearts to admire and rejoyce in him more than all other things Outwardly both in word and work In word 1. By ascribing the whole glory of our salvation to him only 2. Speaking of him and using all his Names and Titles with such reverence as beseems so great a Lord. 3. Continual praising him for his mercy and truth towards us for the things be hath wrought daily worketh and will hereafter work for us speaking much good of him before others telling them what a wise powerful bountiful Lord we serve 4. Confessing him boldly before the sons of Men vindicating and maintaining by our Apologies his cause and truth when they are opposed and spoken against In work and conversation 1. By submitting our selves to the direction of his word in all things enterprizing nothing without leave or warrant from him 2. By a godly life and fruitfulness in a Christian course 3. By upholding and setting forward his Gospel to the utmost of his power For the Gospel is Christs chariot wherein he rideth through the world to conquer his enemies and gather his Church if the Gospel run and prevail his glory is inlarged if the Gospel be stopped his glory is hindred 4. By willing undergoing any thing for his sake These are the things which we must remember and do that Christ may be glorified in us in the doing of which we shall not be a little helped by accustoming our selves every day yea often in the day to call our own hearts to account and enquire what glory hath redounded to Christ this day this hour from my thoughts my speeches my actions that so far as we find our selves barren and defective this way we may take shame to our selves and turning our feet into the way of Gods testimonies with renewed care and redoubled resolution set upon this greatest and most honourable Work of honouring the Lord. Secondly Doct. 2 observe that a good Christian desires the Lord may be glorified by others A good man is not content to honour God in his own person but he heartily wisheth and prayeth that others may do it as well as himself So did David Psa 67.3 4. and Paul Eph 3.21 For First Reas 1 The zeal of God burns in his breast the love of Christ constraines him he knows that God most highly esteemes and loves his own glory that this being the last end of all his counsels and works must needs be more worthy and excellent than all creatures in regeneration he puts on the image of God by which he is inclined and enabled to will what God willeth to love what the Lord loveth and in the same manner according to his measure therefore he cannot but desire the inlargement of his glory in the world and the communication of that grace to many by which they may be effectually taught and moved to glorifie him Secondly He loves the souls of men Reas 2 and
is a bountiful rewarder of all diligent and faithful servants of his most beloved Son Secondly the members must follow and be conformed to the head Now Christ the head of believers first glorified his father upon earth and was afterward glorified with that glory which he had with the father before the world Therefore the faithful shall go the same way that is after they have finished their course of obedience in doing and suffering to the glory of Christ they shall be received into the glory of Christ and the Father Thirdly in glorifying the godly Christ glorifieth himself Relatives mutually give and receive honour The nobility beauty bravery discretion of a wife is an honour to the husband and the glory of the spouse of Christ shall fet forth and illustrate the glory of Christ If any ask Quest what is this glory which the Lord bestows upon his Saints that honour him I answer Answ It s either present or future Present in this world a preamble to that which shall follow in the next is either more open and manifest or more hidden and secret More manifest is when God gives them some great and famous deliverance or lifts them from a base and mean condition to places of dignity or makes them to be highly reverenced and had in precious esteem even amongst those who are of a different religion and contrary disposition Joseph had great glory in the Egyptian Court Ge. 45.13 Moses was very great in the sight of Pharoahs servants and the people of Egypt David honourable in Sauls house 1 Sa. 22.14 Mordecai in the Court of Ahasuerus Est 8.15 More secret is when the wicked who openly despise vilifie condemn the godly are forced inwardly to justify them and to feel their own consciences telling them that they or no people in the world are in an happy estate and in the way of life Whence it is that sometimes we have known Mockers and professed Enemies of Gods Servants Puritans Men call them now adays in cold bloud or in the evil day desire their prayer wish to dy their death and commit to their trust most important businesses For the spirit of glory rests upon them which causeth the face to shine and imprints that Majesty in the countenance or conversation which makes their persons no less venerable and terrible to those that hate them than amiable to those that love them Future is that wherewith they shall be crowned in the life to come when every faithful person shall be cloathed in soul and body from top to toe with such glory as shall cause admiration in men and Angels and dwell for ever with most glorious company in a most glorious Mansion of which particulars I think it not fit to treat largely in this place it shall suffice briefly to have named them because I hasten to an end First Then it follows hence Vse 1 by the rule of contraries that the end of all such as either oppugne the glory of Christ or wholly neglecting it hunt and hawk after the glory of the World shall be shame and confusion Think on this ye proud vain-glorious men who leave no stone unmoved that you may magnifie your selves whose only study and strife is to climb to the height of earthly greatness but if the name of Christ lie inglorious in the dust will not wag a tongue stir a hand or foot to lift it up Think on this ye persecutors of Christs truth ways sincere servants ponder it betimes and believe before you feel Though your excellency mount up to Heaven and your fame reach unto the ends of the Earth though all mouths should bless you all tongues extol you to the skies and all knees bow unto you yet shall you perish like your own dung leave your names as a curse which religious posterity shall abhor and detest as the smoke of a dunghil or stink of a carcase and in the day of the Lord if not in this life be brought to a shameful ruine and clothed with ignominy never to be removed Secondly Vse 2 This must comfort us against the shame of the world and encourage us patiently to bear the reproach of Christ Are we scoffed at reviled slandered by wicked tongues overwhelmed with calumnies and indignities because we are zealous for the Lord Jesus and do the things are pleasing in his sight remember the time will come when Christ shall abolish our shame and deck us with his own glory when both our persons names shall shine as the Sun in his brightness Do the children of this world disgrace us Christ will honour us Do we lose our credit with men for submitting to Christs Laws We shall recover it with advantage when Christ shall admit us to society in his own happiness to eat to drink and reign with him in his kingdom Lastly Vse 3 this should admonish and provoke us if we desire never-fading glory to be studious and zealous of Christs glory He that will neglect himself and all things for honouring Christ shall neuer want true honour tho the world think this the high way to shame and dishonour Here is a lesson for all ambitious spirits thirsting after renown Lo this is the path leading to the temple of honour O ye sons of the mighty the way to be famous and glorious is doing homage to the Son of God Exalt him in your hearts houses dominions and he shall promote you to greatest dignity Advance him by your Councils swords Authority and he shall advance you yea make you an eternal excellency Honour him in his ordinances ministers members and he shall make you high in name in grace and in honour 1 Sam. 7.9 The zeal of Gods house consumed David and God made him a great name like unto the name of the greatest men of the earth Do not think that pomp and Bravery Wit and Policy Worldly wealth preferment and power of commanding many sumptuous buildings stately tombes and monuments much less cruelty and tyranny shall immortalize your names no no its blessed conformity to Christ in true spiritual purity hearty subjection to his government and down-right resolution for his cause which shall embalm and emblemish your memorials that children unborn may admire the fragrancy and splendor of them and at last set upon your head an immarescible crown of glory Be strong therefore and do it for if you despise and pollute the Name of the Lord Jesus know for a certain that he will expose your names to contempt and make your memory not Deâ— 9.20 If you transgress against the Lord it shall not be for your honour the seed of evil doers shall never be renowned the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it The cause of this glory remaineth in the last words according to the grace of our God and of the Lord Jesus Christ the meaning is the which glory cometh and shall be bestowed upon you O Thessalonians and all other believers from the free favour and
and stirred up the Apostle thus to pray and that was his thirst after the salvation of the Thessalonians or his earnest desire that they might be glorified among other Believers in the day of Judgment This is implied in the word Wherefore as if he should say And now to the end you may obtain without fail this rich prize of Heavenly happiness which I have set before you and towards which you are already marching that you may be sharers with the rest of the Saints in that admirable glory mentioned in the former verse I pray c. Here let it be observed that though the Apostle knew these Thessalonians were entred into that good way which would certainly lead to life eternal and assured of their full and future glorification yet he thinks it behoveful and needful to help them forward by Prayers Out of the which we may collect two instructions First that the best need helps towards Heaven And no marvel For First as Mans final happiness so the means leading to it are included in Gods predestination He that hath ordained certain Men to salvation hath ordained that by certain means they shall be brought to the knowledge of it strengthened in the saith and hope of it upholden in the way to it For whomsoever God hath prepared glory I speak of those that are of ripe age in the Church to them he hath left and commended his sacred Word Pastors and Doctors Sacraments Prayer Watchfulness Fasting and the like with express charge to exercise and attend upon these means while they abide in this Tabernacle Now if we did not need these things God would never have appointed them he that is most wise doth nothing in vain nor cloggeth his Children with unnecessary burdens Secondly not every one that beginneth well but he that continueth to the end shall be saved No Crown without perseverance back sliding is the way to perdition Now the best are prone to turn back from following the Lord or to faint in the way For the best 1. have weakness in them 2. meet with many lets incumbring them 3. The trade of godliness is difficult irksome and grievous to the flesh True it is Isa 45.24 the strength by which they stand is in and from Christ but conveyed and ministred unto them by the pipes of holy means and ordinances which himself hath sanctified to that end In vain do they look to be kept and strengthened by Christ who wittingly cast away the means by which his strength should be applied to them These things being so who seeth not how necessary it is that they who run well be helped and undershored by spiritual means Thirdly Satan hath great wrath against those that are taken out of his hands and translated toward the Kingdom of Christ he labours busily to intangle them in the old servitude and bring them back into the former bondage In regard of this wicked one therefore they have need to be supported lest the Dragon cast them down from their good beginnings and so their latter end be worse than their beginning of which the Devil would be most glad First then we see the folly of them discovered and checked who cry down all means as being of little or no use to them that are in Christ I know the Mans Name who compared one commed to Christ unto a Man that having finished his House lays aside his Tools How I pray you judge in your selves can those Men who deny that Scriptures are either guide or rule to a true Christian who maintains that Ministers ought not to urge call for repentance mortification holy walking who dislike repetition of Sermons judge Family-prayer a thing indifferent dare travel on the Lords day without scruple rest contented with a reading Minister cast away all Books but the Bible and say plainly Commentaries do but mislead Men that Treatises directing to lead a godly life will mar Christians How I say can these think that means and duties are needful And doth any Man now expect that by Arguments drawn out of the Word I should oppose this new Divinity shall I spend time in shewing how this Opinion fights with the experience and practice of David and Daniel both of them though Prophets most precise observers of holy duties and exercises and one of them bitterly lamenting the want of publick means How it voideth and breaketh many Scriptures as Quench not the Spirit Despise not Prophecying Stir up the gift of God in thee Attend at the posts of wisdom Keep thy Heart above all keeping Ponder the path of thy feet Build your selves on your most holy faith Search the Scriptures Whet these things ou thy Children Hold fast what you have heard Watch and Pray Examine your ways and almost six hundaed such like places unless they will give us new senses of these plain Texts never before heard of or lastly that it carrieth a too too rank favour of Anabaptism and Familism No no the bitter fruits of such loose conceits in the lives of these new Evangelists cry aloud that the good Spirit is not the Father of them Behold here a marvellous policy and stratagem of that many-headed Serpent The greatest part of the world he holds in a secure and dead condition wherein they came neither for Christ nor means When he cannot keep Men from means he perswades and cunningly prevails with many to rest contented in the naked and powerless use of them abstracted from Christ and his quickening Spirit the Life of means When this plot succeeds not he will push Men into the contrary extream perswading so to hang upon Christ as they neglect all means wherein it seems some of the Corinthians faulted Oh that these Men would consider that which the Devil knows full well that they who dare abandon and relinquish the means of maintaining Godliness and a good Conscience will in time cast off all care of godliness and keeping a good Conscience and he who dare bid farewell to the means of executing Gods predestination is in danger to fulfil his own reprobation Secondly therefore let us take heed of setting at naught the gracious helps which God offers and affords for bringing us on in our spiritual Journey Let us lay hold upon them and apply them with diligence publick private ordinary extraordinary God could save us without them but will not We shall never be so strong as not to need these staves till we appear perfect before him in his holy Mountain It s as vile presumption and madness to think our Souls can be in good plight and our spiritual life continued without them as to hope for a crop vvhere vve never sowed or strength and life without meat and drink Do vve not see that such Christians as use them most have most grace Take heed say not in thy heart I am sure I shall never fall I cannot be taken out of the hands of Christ therefore these outvvard duties are not needful for me the Spirit of