first part of their consolation wherein the Apostle taketh notice of their persecutions and troubles praising them for the Graces of God manifested therein The second part followeth taken from the happy issue and consequent which these patient sufferings of theirs did portend These sufferings saith he of yours are an infallible signe or demonstration of the great day of Iudgment wherein the more patiently you haue suffred for the kingdome of God the more you shall be reputed and declared worthy of that kingdome for which you haue suffred What an vnspeakable consolation would the due consideration of this be vnto all that shall suffer for righteousnes sake that the more they suffer the more they may assure themselues of a day of publique hearing before the Lord who will thorowly debate all those iniuries and wrongs that haue bin offred vnto them and that not in a corner but in the face of the world that this iudgement wherein this cause of theirs shall be heard shall be a righteous iudgement not corrupted by bribes and ouer-swaid by partiall affection but proceeding according to the equitie of the cause without respect to the qualitie of Persons that in this iudgment shall be called into question especially their suffrings for the kingdom of God and that which they haue indured for righteousnes sake in obedience to the Gospell that in this iudgement the more it shall appeare that with Patience and Faith they haue suffred for the kingdome of God the more they shall be accounted and reputed worthy thereof in Iesus Christ insomuch as they shall with that praise and glory before the face of their enemies be put into the eternall possession thereof as if they had merited and deserued the same by their suffrings though the greatest suffrings that euer any Christian hath or can indure are in deed and truth in themselues no wayes worthy that glory which shall be bestowed vpon them Rom. 8.18 and it being giuen is an inheritance Matth. 24.3.4 and therefore not of desert What an vnspeakable comfort must this needs be in the midst of all persecutions whatsoeuer when euery particular wrong and iniurie which here a man shall indure for the kingdome of God are so many infallible signes and demonstrations of this iudgment so that the more they suffer and indure at the hands of men and the more the Consistories and Iudgement Seats are shut against them the more cause they haue to be certaine and assured of this iudgement and the more to reioyce in it It would be great consolation vnto a Christian heart and a meanes of much patience and constancie in suffering if he might be assured that his cause should come to indifferent hearing but before men yet there is far more cause of comfort in the certaine assurance of this iudgement and so much the more certaine assurance there is of this by how much the more vncertaintie doubt and despaire there is of the other But this is no matter of Consolation to them that suffer though with neuer such patience and confidence for the fancies and inventions of their owne braines or the superstitious inventions and traditions of men which appertaine to the kingdome of Sathan and Antichrist They which will reap this consolation in their sufferings must look to this that they suffer for the kingdom of God i. for their obedience and subiection vnto the lawes of Christ their Head and King manifested in his word vnto their soules and consciences VERS 6. For it is iust with God to render in like manner affliction to those which afflict you 7. And to you which are afflicted rest with vs FOr the further confirmation of them in the aforesaid comfort he here rendreth a reason why this Patience and Faith of theirs must needs be a manifest signe of the iust iudgement of God aforesaid because saith he it stands with the iustice of God to afflict them that afflict his seruants and to giue rest vnto them which are afflicted for his sake and therefore the more that any do suffer for the kingdome of God and the more that the wicked preuaile ouer them the more certaine and infallible signe it is of that great day So that in this reason he comprehendeth two grounds of the former assertion The first is this That it stands with the equitie and iustice of God to afflict and punish them which molest and trouble his children for righteousnes sake God hath stampt in man who is his owne Image the print of this iustice Can a Prince indure that his Seruant should be abused for doing his will and commandement Will he not take himselfe bound in equitie so far as his authoritie and lawes will stretch to call them into question that shall abuse him If he should carelesly suffer the same would it not be iudged an vniust thing Hath not the righteous God that care of his Seruants that an earthly man hath Is it possible that he that hath written this point of iustice in the brest of man should neglect it in his owne Person and suffer his owne Seruants for obeying his will to be persecuted and wronged and that before his owne face and put it vp Yet we see that for the most part in this life he doth so None more free from iudgement and vengeance then they that persecute Gods Seruants none liue more merily none dye with more ease Why then we must of necessitie conclude that therefore there must come a day of doome wherein they must answer it God must needs be a iust Iudge and therefore the fewer iudgements ouertake the enemies of the Gospell in this life and the more they triumph ouer Gods Seruants the more we must learne to comfort our selues in being so much the more assured and perswaded of this day of iudgement If there were no other cause to be heard but this it stands with Gods iustice to heare the same It would affect and comfort Gods children in their affliction to behold some present iudgement of God or man vpon them which persecute them and it much dismayeth them when they see no hope of helpe either from God or man in this life But this ought to strengthen and comfort them so much the more for this is so much the greater euidence and demonstration that in this great day of iudgement the Lord will render affliction to those which trouble his Seruants This then is the best reuenge that Christians can execute vpon their persecutors euen with faith and patience to suffer persecution and affliction at their hands for the more they suffer the more they binde the Lord in his iustice in this day to iudge and reuenge their cause so that if Christians by dint of sword could subdue all their enemies they haue not therein such iust matter of comfort as in their patient faithfull sufferings The lesse we reuenge the more hath God in iustice bound himselfe to be auenged of them and it is great folly to thinke
that we can do our enemies more hurt then God can and will if we leaue the reuenge vnto him vnto whom indeed it appertaineth The second ground of the former Assertion is this that as it stands with the iustice of God to punish them that afflict persecute his seruants So it stands no lesse with his iustice to giue vnto his seruants which are troubled and molested rest and quiet of which the lesse hope and assurance there is in this life the more cause there is to assure themselues of it in another life and therefore to expect that day wherein they shall be put into a full and eternall possession thereof It is no such comfort to the soule of an afflicted Christistian to be perswaded that God will render vnto the wicked enemies affliction for affliction more comfort it would bee vnto them to see some signes and tokens of their repentance and forgiuenesse But this is the strength and life of Christian consolation that the more sorrow and trouble that they sustaine for Christs sake and his kingdome the more pledges and demonstrations they haue therein of their owne eternall rest and happinesse for howbeit our sufferings as is formerly declared are farre from meriting any such matter yet it is iust with God to giue them rest and quiet which haue beene content patiently to suffer for his sake no man shall suffer in vaine for Christ but the more he suffereth if hee suffer for the kingdome of Christ the more securitie and assurance hee hath of eternall rest in heauen which all those want which want that grace neuer looke thou to enter into this rest except thou canst with patience and faith indure trouble and disquiet for the kingdome of heauen He sheweth what manner of rest this shal be by way of comparison in these words with vs .i. It shall be such a rest and quiet as is prepared for vs that are Apostles and Euangelists and such as together with vs you shall certainely enioy This must needes increase their consolation exceedingly there are no true Christians but are perswaded the Apostles and Euangelists shall in this great day be in most happy condition neither can they desire to be in better estate wouldst thou then be sure to rest with Paul Siluanus Timothie and the rest of the Apostles and Euangelists thou must learne with patience and in Faith to suffer persecution and tribulation when the Lord shall call thee thereunto for that Faith and Religion which thou hast learned of them for the Lord hath not prepared a higher heauen for them and a lower for vs but we shall rest together with them in the same heauen if together with them we shall suffer in this life for that kingdome which they in the Gospell haue called vs vnto When the Lord Iesus shall bee manifest from heauen with his mightie Angels 8. In flaming fire That the consideration of the day of doome the manifest signes whereof they were to behold in their patient induring of persecution might the more comfort them and strengthen them in their troubles The Apostle concludeth this second part of their consolation with a digression into a description of that day of iudgement euery part whereof containeth great matter of comfort to all the afflicted and persecuted seruants of God and no lesse matter of feare and horror to all their enemies if they had grace to apprehend the same The first part of the description declareth who shall be the Iudge euen our Lord Iesus himselfe in his owne Person euen he who loued his Seruants so dearely that he gaue his life for them yea did vndergo his Fathers wrath for them which was for the time a Hell of Hells vnto him and therefore the more gracious and louing and mercifull he hath shewed himselfe vnto them the more mercilesse and cruell will he in this iudgement shew himselfe vnto their aduersaries Whom could the afflicted Seruants of Christ more desire to sit in iudgement then their owne deare Sauiour for whose sake they haue suffered so many indignities Whom can the enemies of the Gospell more feare then him whom in his Seruants they haue most dishonoured and despighted No doubt but in this day they would rather choose any to be their Iudge then Christ yea they would hope for more fauour and mercy from the Diuels themselues then from him Let vs then if euer the Lord shall exercise vs in the same manner comfort our selues in this That Christ himselfe will in his owne Person in this day come to iudge the cause betwixt vs and our enemies It were great matter of consolation if we were assured but of this That Christ would raise vp some iust man vpon earth to doe it or send a Saint or an Angell from heauen for that purpose but this must needs be an exceeding comfort That Christ in his owne Person will come to sit in iudgement vpon our aduersaries and will not put the matter ouer to Vnder-Commissioners Let vs then take heede lest in our sufferings for Christs sake we breake not out through impatiencie or distrust into any sinne against Christ for this is the greatest aduantage that we can giue to our aduersaries and a signe that we doe not so much suffer how iust soeuer the cause be for Christs sake as for our owne fancie for how can that man say that he suffereth for Christs sake when in his suffring for his sake he will not for his sake forbeare such and such sinnes which Christ forbids Can he in his suffrings comfort himselfe in the consideration of this iudgement when in and by occasion of those sufferings he rebels against the Iudge The second part of the description of the latter day followeth wherein is set forth the glorious manner of Christs comming to iudgement consisting of three parts First he shall manifest himselfe from heauen i. shall appeare to the eyes and senses not onely of the godly but the wicked and they with these eyes of theirs shall behold him comming from the highest heauens in that maiestie and glory wherein he now sitteth at the right hand of his Father and not in that base and contemptible estate wherein he first shewed himselfe when he tooke our nature vpon him So that Christ will sit visibly in iudgement in this day and that in all the sensible glory that may be he shall then shew himselfe in all his maiestie to euery mortall eye then shall the godly behold and see that their trust and confidence in him in the midst of all their greatest afflictions was not in vaine they shall then haue cause to triumph and glory that they haue though through many reproches and contempts serued so honorable and glorious a Lord. How then shall the wicked enemies of Christ hang downe their heads that haue scorned and disdained his Seruants as if they had serued some base and contemptible Master Verily so vile and base is the seruice of Christ in the eyes of some yea and
are possessed with a furious and reuenging Spirit euen with all rigor and extremitie to seeke their mischiefe and vtter ruine For it is the nature of reuenging mindes to seeke onely the hurt and euill of those which haue prouoked them and the greater and more powerfull they are the more fearefull will the vengeance be which they shall inflict The wrath of a King saith Solomon is as messengers of death and like the roaring of a Lyon what then is the wrath of the King of Kings the Lyon of the Tribe of Iudah Verily if a man were naked in the wildernesse and all the Lyons Lyonesses and their whelps roaring about him ready to teare him in thousands of peeces it were not so fearefull nor so much euillnes to be expected as when this lyon shall roare vpon him and come in such a fierce and furious manner to be auenged of him and the more terrible the auenger shewes himselfe to be the greater vengeance is feared and the lesse hope of mercy If we see one come gnashing his teeth at one and with a furious rage running at him with a naked sword we presume that the vengeance that this man intends to execute is no lesse then death and that the blood of the partie can only quench the flame of his wrath what then will quench the wrath of this Person who comes in flaming fire from heauen with all the powerfull armies of glorious Angels to be auenged of all his enemies If the least offendor had 10000 hearts it were not the blood of them all could quench the fire of this auengers rage against him If it were possible for him then to weepe a Sea of teares yet there would be no hope thereby to mitigate the wrath of this auenger or to moue him to relent when he shall come in such a manner as this to render vengeance then shall the chamber dore be shut and it will be too late for the foolish Virgins to cry Lord Lord open to vs. Mat. 25.11 12. Hence then we are to note That howsoeuer in this life the Lord shewes himselfe a miracle of patience suffering infinite and innumerable indignities and dishonors to be offred both to himselfe and his seruants and howsoeuer the wicked enemies of his Church and Gospell do no more feare his threats in the word then the arrow that a scarcrow threatens to shoot yet when this day shall come they shall finde it verified in him That patience wounded becomes furie so that the more he hath indured and suffred at their hands in this life the more wrath and furie shall breake forth against them in this day This then is the day of the Lords wrath and vengeance and this is it that Gods children are to expect and to rest in hope of They are not to hope expect that God will in this world be auenged of their enemies seeme they neuer so desperate and incurable but thus ought euery good Christian to stand affected towards their persecutors and wickedst enemies to desire their repentance in this life and to rest satisfied with that vengeance that this Iudge will be sure if they repent not in that day to render vnto them And surely they doe not beleeue the truth of this Gospel as they ought to do that are their owne auengers and will not waite this day of the Lord for if they did not either thinke that Christ will not at all reuenge their wrongs or that he will not do it so thorowly and effectually as their enemies deserue or that themselues were more wise and able to auenge their cause then Christ they would not be so hastie and headie as they are in reuenging their owne wrongs But such must know that the lesse patience and faith they haue shewed in those persecutions and wrongs which haue bin offred vnto them and the more they haue broken forth into reuenge of their owne quarrels the more they haue cut off from themselues the comfort of this doctrine for in so doing they haue done so much as lies in them to preuent the Lords vengeance vpon their enimies and to pull it vpon their owne heads in this day insomuch as they haue more cause to feare that the Lord will come in flaming fire to be auenged of them rather then their enimies seeing they in reuenging themselues vpon their enimies contrary to Gods will haue themselues as much prouoked God as their enimies haue in wronging them so that thou canst not doe thine enimie a greater pleasure then to auenge thy selfe vpon him for though thou maist in this day see the Lord auenged of him for the wrongs he hath done thee yet what comfort will that be to thee when thou hast cause to feare that thine enimie also shall see the Lord auenged vpon thee for reuenging thy selfe vpon him If Christians in their hot and vnchristian blood would but meditate of this it could not but be a strong bridle and curbe vnto many violent and outragious distempers that they vse to breake forth into in the wrongs and iniuries that are offred vnto them wherein commonly through the iust iudgement of God they often discouer the very same corruption and wickednes which they reuenge in their enimie to be in a greater measure in themselues and in the same kinde in a higher degree do sinne both against God and their enimie Is any thing more common then for men and women yea Christians yea speciall professors of the Gospell in reuenging the pride the malice the disdaine the contumelious speeches furious acts and deeds of others to discouer greater pride malice disdaine contumelie and furie in their owne words and deeds What Can such comfort themselues in the consideration of this comming of Christ to render vengeance to them that haue wronged them when themselues by this occasion haue shewed themselues as deep offenders against God and their enimie in the same sin Such onely then can reap comfort to themselues in Christs comming to render vengeance vnto whom that praise is due which the Apostle here giues to these Thessalonians i. Such as manifest patience and faith in all their persecutions and afflictions And if those can haue no comfort herein which shall through impatiencie and infidelitie reuenge euident wrongs and iniuries what comfort can they haue that reuenge themselues vpon their neighbours for imaginarie and conceited wrongs for doing no more then they may do yea many times for doing that which they ought to do and which they should haue answered to God if they had not done This vengeance is set forth and declared more specially 1. By the Subiect 2. By the Matter 3. By the Place The Subiect of this vengeance are the Persons vpon whom the Lord will execute the same in that day and they are such as know not God or such as obey not the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Concerning the first God is in himselfe of an infinite and incomprehensible maiestie and therefore cannot perfectly be
doth offer vs the least wrong but Christ our Lord doth thereupon binde him by stronger bonds then if he were in fetters or stocks to be forth comming at the great day of Doome and then purposeth to be reuenged on him in the extremest manner euen with eternall destruction from the presence of his face except he truly and vnfainedly repent And is not this inough to content vs Are our hearts so full of rancor and spite that notwithstanding that we know and beleeue thus much yet we cannot be quiet in our mindes except we our selues also flie vpon him that hath wronged vs euilly intreating him in words and deeds Should it not rather pitie vs to consider that for our sake and for that he hath done to vs he should be in danger to be eternally damned in Hell Let this malice be far from all Christian hearts and that it may be far from ours let vs often meditate vpon this first end of Christs comming to iudgement VERS 10. When he shall come to be glorified in his Saints and to be made wonderfull in all them that beleeue IN these words are contained the second end of Christs comming to iudgement which is the glorifying of his Saints The violence of his rage and furie against the wicked doth not make him forget his grace loue to the godly but the more he shall in that day manifest his wrath and furie against the one the more shall his wonderfull grace and loue breake forth towards the other To be glorified in his Saints and to be made wonderfull in them that beleeue is in such a manner to glorifie them that all the world shall wonder and be astonished at that vnspeakable glory wherewith he will glorifie them and in their glory glorifie himselfe But what Will not Christ also be glorified and made wonderfull in the damnation of the wicked Yes out of all question the Lord shall reap wonderfull glory in the vengeance that he shall execute vpon them The wrath of Christ shall be a wonderfull wrath the torments and iudgements inflicted vpon them shall be wonderfull men will then wonder and be astonished with wondering that that God who in this life hath shewed himselfe so patient and gentle vnto sinners should be so exceedingly wroth with them the wicked themselues will wonder at his furie and happily at their owne gracelesse folly in despising the meanes of their owne Saluation the godly shall wonder at the most glorious iustice of God and magnifie him for the same yea the confusion of the wicked in this day shall be one part of that glory whereby the Lord will be made wonderfull in his owne Saints For for their sake the wrongs that they haue offered vnto them shall their iudgement be the heauier but there will be incomparable more cause of glorifying God and of wondring at the glory of his Maiestie in the Saluation of beleeuers for alas the wicked in that day shall haue but their deserts but this is the wonder of wonders that the Lord should bestow such infinite and exceeding glory vpon those that beleeue without the least merit on their part yea when on their owne part they haue deserued the same vengeance that is inflicted vpon the reprobate What a glory must this needs be vnto Christ How shall it fill the mouthes of all the Saints and Angels in heauen with the praises of this God How shall the Saints seeing their owne glory and the glory one of another wonder at their owne glory wonder at the glory one of another and wonder at the incomprehensible loue of God towards them therein How shall the Potentates and great Princes of the earth that haue despised and trampled vnder their feet in this world the poore seruants of Christ now wonder at their glory How shall all the Deuils and damned reprobates to their greater torment wonder and be amased thereat Oh how wonderfull shall the Lord be in this day to all the world in that glory which then he will bestow vpon his despised and contemned Seruants Howsoeuer then the Lord in this world doth glorifie himselfe by many meanes howsoeuer he is glorious and wonderfull not onely in the creation of the world but also in the generall particular gouernment thereof yet in this day he will exceed in glorifying himselfe in by that speciall glorie that he will then bestow vpon his seruants All his glory shal be their glory he will be made glorious wōderful by the reflectiō of that wonderful glory which in that day he wil bestow vpon them But what Persons are they that Christ will bee glorified and made wonderfull in Saints and beleeuers Saints and beleeuers are all one A man cannot be a Saint that is not a true beleeuer and he doth not truely beleeue who doth not so beleeue as that vpon the same he become a Saint A Saint then is he who euen in this life forsaketh his sins and endeuoureth to serue and please God according to his owne will reuealed in the Gospell To beleeue is in that effectuall manner to know and giue credit vnto the doctrine of the Gospell and the promises thereof as that we are willing to yeeld all obedience therein required to God for Christs sake To beleeue is it that makes a Saint To be a Saint manifesteth that a man beleeueth That beliefe is no beliefe that makes not a Saint That Saint is a Deuill that doth not beleeue Will any of vs then beloued be assured whether in that great day we shall be amongst the number of them that Christ will bee glorified in wee must examine our selues whether we be Saints and beleeuers whether we be beleeuing Saints and holy beleeuers doe we giue no credit to the Gospell Doe we wilfully disobey the same Doe we delight in prophanenesse and such like sinnes contrary to the doctrine of the Gospell Cannot the voice of Christ in the Gospel either by threatnings or promises restraine vs from vnholy and vn-saintlike courses from our prophanations of the Sabboth our blaspheming drunkennesse scurrilitie maliciousnesse c. Are we scorners and deriders of them that refraine from our ouer prophane courses Doe we despise and hate and persecute as much as lieth in vs the most effectuall meanes whereby men become Saints and beleeuers If we be such as it is to be feared that some of vs are little better then such the Deuils and damned wretches in hell haue asmuch cause as we to hope that Christ will be glorified and made wonderfull in them Neither can we so long as we remaine such expect that the Lord in this day should any otherwise be glorified and made wonderfull in vs then in the Deuill and all reprobate persons This doctrine being beleeued will be a meanes of much comfort to the afflicted and persecuted Saints of God It is a matter of great humiliation vnto them in such times of persecution to consider how the name of God is dishonoured and
there what need we care They must pull out the Lords owne bowels that pull vs out thence The Apostle amplifieth this loue of God towards them by the effect thereof as if he had said My Brethren you are so beloued of the Lord that I Syluanus and Timothie thinke we can neuer sufficiently giue God thanks for you in that regard Wonderfull great must that loue of God needs be towards this Church that bindeth the Apostle and these Euangelists in so great a bond of thankfulnes vnto God for them 1. The Apostle did not though he might say You ought but We ought whereby he sheweth that Gods loue towards this Church did binde these worthy Ministers in an euerlasting bond vnto God So that the more loue and grace God sheweth vnto a people the more bound vnto God are the Pastors and Ministers of that people Doth God manifest by any signes that our people are beloued of him As though therein we were beloued of the Lord we are bound to be thankfull vnto God yea not Pastors and Ministers onely but euery brother is bound in a bond vnto God for the loue and grace that God sheweth vnto a brother For Paul speaketh this as a Brother and not as a spirituall Father and Minister Else he would not haue called them brethren but children rather if Gods loue towards this Church had wrought this effect in them as they were Ministers onely It is the dutie then of euery Christian to be so affected with the grace loue and fauour that God shewes vnto any man as if himselfe therein were specially bound vnto God and he had therein himself receiued a speciall grace and fauour from God Let vs learne to esteeme our Brothers holinesse his redemption his ioy his glory his eternall happinesse and all other signes and tokens of Gods loue in Christ towards him as so many parts and parcels of and additions vnto our owne Far be from vs that malignant spirit of Cain vs especially that are Ministers the more to hate and to despise and to disdaine and murmur and grudge and repine at and persecute our brethren the more signes and tokens of Gods loue and grace we see in them Further would any of vs know how to binde our true Christian neighbours and brethren in the strongest bonds vnto vs Let vs vse all the meanes that we may shew our selues beloued of God This is sufficient to binde them for euer to be thankfull vnto God for vs. We cannot better deserue one of an other then by striuing one to goe before an other in grace and fauour with God 2. This band of thanksgiuing though it be for them yet it is not to them It s no thanke to any Christian that he is beloued of God but all the thanke is due to God himselfe The cause that we are beloued of God is not in our selues but in God onely and therefore is all the thanke due to him 3. It is an euerlasting thanks that is due to God it is a debt that can neuer be paid either in this life or in the life to come but that which must euer be paying euen in heauen and more in heauen then on earth because there it shall appeare indeed how beloued we are It shall there be so many heauens vnto vs to behold the heau'ns one of an other So that to be admitted as spectators of that glory and ioy that is in others will be vnspeakable joy and glory to vs tho we had no other cause of either Such comfort vnspeakable shall we haue in the ioy and glory and happinesse one of an other streaming from the loue of God that I shall neuer cease magnifying God for thee nor thou for me Such mutuall beames and rayes of glory will reflect frō one vpon an other that we shall not be able to tell whether we haue more cause to thanke God for our selues or for one an other the ioy shall be so vnspeakable that the one shall reape by the other 4. Note here a speciall meanes sanctified of God to support our brethren against the assaults of Antichrist Let them see that we take notice of the graces of God that are in them and that we are so affected with them that we vnfainedly acknowledge our selues bound to be thankfull vnto God for them Litle knowest thou what power there is in this meanes to support a weake brother when he shall see that the eyes of Gods seruants are fixed vpon him that they esteeme his standing as a blessing of God vpon them The generall neglect of this dutie hath no doubt bin the occasion that Antichrist hath preuailed against many a one that haue fallen from the sinceritie of religion because professors make so litle one of an other the Minister of his people and people of their Minister and one of an other that God hath from the beginning chosen you vnto saluation through the sanctification of the Spirit and faith in the truth Here followeth the speciall matter or Argument of their Comfort to wit the certaintie of their Saluation wherein specially consisteth Gods loue towards them and from whence doth arise that euerlasting bond of thanksgiuing aforesaid As if he should say This prophecie concerning the dangerous times to come vnder Antichrist neede not dismay you For your saluation lyeth vpon a solide and firme foundation against which all the gates of Hell shall neuer be able to preuaile So that though Antichrist should come with the greatest efficacie of Satan and with all the strength of Hell against you yet he should not be able to preuaile against you to your condemnation and destruction Let vs consider then what that firme and solide foundation is in regard whereof he comforteth them thus It is expressed in certaine degrees of Gods speciall loue towards them enwrapped togither in these words The first degree is this that God himselfe had chosen and elected them vnto saluation i. had voluntarily and freely of his owne meere loue and good pleasure singled and seuered them out of the number of them which shall be condemned and had written their names in the Booke of Life amongst the number of them that were to be saued and therefore they should not need to feare the power of Antichrist Quest. How knew Paul this Ans. Either by the euidence and demonstration of that very Spirit which stirred him vp to write this Epistle or by some euident effects that he saw thereof in them But I incline more to the former or rather hold both Hence we learne 1. That though the world be neuer so ouerwhelmed with Antichristian confusion though by his tyrannie and poysoned inchantments he neuer so much preuaile ouer the Christian world though by his power he should mingle heauen and earth togither and all the powers of hell were in his power yet the Elect of the Lord shall notwithstanding be preserued The Lord will haue such an eye vpon them that he shall neuer doe any mortall hurt
vnto them But in the middest of all his furie they shall be safe and hold on their way to heauen though they be oft foyled and ouerthrowne in the way 2. The certainty and assurance of our election is a mighty and powerfull preseruatiue against Antichrists Apostasie It is that that makes the Apostle vrge the certainty thereof vpon this occasion And this is no doubt the maine cause that makes Antichrist and all his wicked limmes such enemies thereunto There is none that comes once to be perswaded of this that he can haue any hope to seduce And mens carelesnes herein to make their election sure is a great cause that many become such Apostataes Let vs therefore labour by all meanes to come to the assurance thereof and then though Antichrist should bring with him Bishopricks Arch-bishopricks Cardinalships Popedomes with him to allure vs from Christ prisons racks gibbets and fires to terrifie and affright vs yet shall he neuer be able to withdraw vs from him The second degree is that God had done this from the beginning This may be taken either for from all eternitie or for from the fall of Adam In the one sense it is taken for the decree it selfe of Election which is eternall in the other for the first act in the execution thereof out of the corrupt masse of all mankinde in Adam It is needles to contend whether sense is truer or more fitteth this place seeing either sufficiently argueth the vnremoueable loue of God towards them and the one cannot bee vnderstood without the other Now the consideration of this also serueth notably to strengthen this Church against the feare of Apostasie For this election of God was not sudden or since their profession of the Faith but it was a matter decreed of God from all eternitie and began to be executed while they were in the loynes of Adam before they had any personall being So that the loue that God beares to his elect and chosen ones is not a sudden and a rash loue like fire in straw and dry thornes that makes vpon the sudden a great crackling and blazeth but is as soone almost out as in But it is an ancient loue an old affection yea a loue and affection as old as himselfe As soone as euer he was and he euer hath bin he loued them And therefore there is no cause to feare that he will suffer Satan or Antichrist so far to preuaile against them that are so aunciently beloued of him Seeing there can be no cause in them or vs now to make the Lord to cease to loue vs but what hath bin present before the Lord when he began to set his loue on vs and would as well haue moued him then to refuse vs as now to reject vs. Note withall by the way 1. That this may serue as a speciall signe of one elect from eternitie that Antichrist is not able to preuaile against him to withdraw him from the sinceritie of his Christian profession 2. That so long as Antichrist preuaileth against any so long litle hope thereof can be had The third degree followeth which consisteth in the meanes that God hath ordained for the attaining of that saluation which from the beginning he hath elected them vnto The Meanes are Inward Outward The first inward meanes of Saluation is Sanctification which is the puritie of the soule from such filth and pollution as it is capable of or a conformitie of our wills vnto Gods reuealed will whereby the image of God is renued againe in vs. He is an holy and sanctified man that is afraid to do any thing that God would not haue him to do yea that he doth but suspect that God will not approue and whose whole studie is how in all things he may please God Whence we may learne 1. That these two Sanctification and Saluation are not seuered in Gods Election but go togither Those whom God in his Election hath decreed to saue he hath also decreed to sanctifie and his Election is not grounded vpon our holinesse but our holinesse vpon his election So that this Sanctification is the very first act and entrance into our Saluation So long as we are in sinne and vnsanctified so long are we in the gates of Hell yea in Hell though in Heauen But when once we begin to be sanctified then are we within heauen-gate we haue one foote as it were ouer the threshold yea though we were locally amongst the damned and amidst all the Diuels in Hell In regard whereof one once said well in my minde though a Papist that he had rather be in hell without sinne then with sinne euen in heauen Now this Sanctification is described by the Author thereof the Spirit of God By the power of that Spirit whereby they were elected to saluation they are also sanctified And this Sanctification is a worke of God as well as Election and not an act of humane power or will Otherwise there were small comfort in this if we were elected to saluation through such a sanctification as were of mans owne will onely For what hope could we then haue to stand forth against all the temptations and assaults of Satan and Antichrist This sanctification therefore is of Gods owne Spirit He is the first mouer in the same Which argueth that there is in this sanctification a diuine efficacie and power indeed such as against which all the gates of Hell are not able to preuaile For it is not a dead or senseles qualitie of the soule but a qualitie that hath a Spirit in it that turnes and moues about all the motions that are in a mans soule And where Gods owne Spirit turnes the wheele one way it passeth the strength of all the Spirits in Hell to turne it an other way So that whosoeuer feeles these motions in him for they are not dead and senseles motions may thereby assure himselfe that he is one of Gods elect and one that though Antichrist should mingle heauen and earth togither yet shall he not be able to preuaile against him to his ruine and confusion Note withall that it being the sanctification of the Spirit man cannot merit thereby For what can man merit with God by that which he hath from the Spirit of God and for which therefore he standeth bound and endebted vnto God The second inward meanes is Faith in the Truth Whether this be first or second in nature I will not stand here to discusse according to the diuers acceptions or degrees of sanctification it may be in nature before or after but in time they are togither There can be no true sanctification of the heart till faith be in the heart nor can there be faith in the heart before there be sanctification there Now this is then when the sanctifying Spirit of God doth in that manner reueale vnto the elect childe of God so much of Gods will as is needfull for him to know and practise for his owne saluation that he assenteth
invited There is no doubt but that many in this Church would right willingly and gladly haue spared as we say out of their owne bellies for Paul to haue eaten and yet would not Paul take ought of free cost Yea though it were an vnworthy and an vncourteous behauiour in some cases to offer money for the meate and drinke that we take of others yet ought we to take it with a purpose and desire at least of gratifying them againe and of deseruing it and by how much the lesse we may satisfie them for it in the like kind by so much the more in some spirituall manner be carefull to recompence their gift againe But far are they from Pauls disposition in this case that daily deuour of free cost and for nought other mens bread without any purpose or desire to deserue it they much more who though they receiue it of free cost and without any kind of desert yet receiue it grudgingly and vnthankfully with an euill will And surely this may be a great glory either to a Minister or to any Christian if he can say that he hath not eaten any mans bread for nought And it ought to be a crosse to a godly minde to be driuen by necessitie to take stipend or allowance freely and without desert of any man In regard whereof an ingenuous disposition will choose rather to rest content with slender fare gotten by his owne labour and desert then to liue liberally and plentifully at other mens cost But we wrought with labour and trauell night and day HE proueth hereby that they took not bread of any man for nought because they wrought with labour and trauell night and day that is they earned their liuing by some manuary and mechanicall worke as by tent-making or the like But here it may not without good cause be demaunded if the Apostle had taken allowance for his paines and labour in preaching the Gospell whither he had taken it for nought or no. I answere No in no wise The Apostle Paul himselfe both affirmeth and confirmeth the contrary in the places before alledged But he addeth this ouer and aboue that which before he had said As if he should say we not onely preached the Gospell diligently to you which was enough to merite meate and drinke of you but besides that with our owne hands we earned our liuing and that with toile and trauell Where first obserue we the condition of these holy Apostles how poore and bare and needie they were and destitute euen of the necessaries of this life Gold and siluer I haue none saith Peter to the lame criple He had not so much it seemeth at that time as might serue to giue for an almes to a begger And yet begged he not neither no not so much as in shew for then would not the criple haue asked almes of Iohn and him or hoped of ought from them Though therefore they were not amongst the beadroll of beggers yet they hardly kept out of it At some time they had not so much as a pennie to bestow vpon the poore Yea sometime for pouertie and want were they compelled to put their hands to seruile workes and thereby to maintaine themselues and supplie their owne wants Whom would it not strangely affect and work no small commiseration in to see such great and so famous Doctors and Teachers of the Church toiling and moiling digging and deluing following the plough or the cart or it may be sowing of garments and that with much paine and trauell night and day not for couetise and base desire of gaine but constrained to doe it for meere want and necessitie The condition of the poorest parson or vicar among vs is hardly so hard as theirs was that were iustly esteemed principall Apostles Which may teach vs to be content with our estate and not to murmure against God though we be neuer so worthie and haue beene neuer so liberally brought vp yet if he shal see good to bring vs to that pouertie and penury that we shall bee compelled to worke night and day for our liuing And let vs learne to thanke God if it bee better then so with vs. But far be it from the Ministers of God when they may liue well and maintaine their charge without such labour and trauaile yea when they haue sufficient to keepe themselues and their families not in meane and bare manner but in liberall and plentifull sort to be yet ambitiously minded and ayming at greater matters chopping and changing of Churches a great benefice for a greater and adding benefice to benefice and affecting and aspiring to temporal honors and high places as if they were worthier then Peter and Paul and their gifts greater matters then theirs 2. That it is not a thing vnlawfull for the Minister of the word not contrary to his calling in case of necessitie to labour hard euen night and day in worldly employments They ought indeed so much as in them lies to forbeare and not to entangle themselues in worldly affaires but giue attendance to reading as Paul else where aduiseth But yet if they be oppressed with want it becommeth them to labour as wel as others and it is part of the entaxie or good order that they are tyed vnto 3. We see what other Christians then in want and necessitie much more ought to doe that desire to liue religiously rather labour night and day if they can for their liuing then to eate other mens bread of free cost They must not beg or require to be fed freely by others but labour night and day rather with paine and trauaile as wood cleauers or the like That which seemeth to condemne to hell the life and course of begging fryers whose manner is not to labour but to begge other mens bread 4. The Apostle did not onely for his liuing so labour but that he might liue to preach the Gosspell So 1. Thess. 2.9 Let not therefore pouerty compell vs to leaue our ministrie but when otherwise we cannot conueniently and honestly maintaine our selues let vs euen be content to worke with our hands that we may with the Apostle preach the more Labour then about earthly things is not a sufficient reason to excuse and free vs from the worke and exercise of our ministrie but we must so labour that we may preach And albeit it were easier for the Apostle endowed with such gifts as he was to preach profitably to the people after such distractions as these yet euery Minister that is in any measure fit for this function ought so to be instructed in the mysterie of the Gospell that euen on the sodaine and as the present occasion shall require when necessitie shall require it he may be able in wholesome manner to speake vnto his people Diuines ought not to be worse furnished then Physitians or Lawyers that are able to speake somewhat on a point of their Art propounded if neede be vpon the sodaine because we would not be