gracious and mercifull vnto vs we should not for all that be glorified in CHRIST And thus much of the third part of this Epistle THE SECOND CHAPTER Vers. 1. We beseech you brethren by the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ and by our assembling vnto him 2. That yee be not suddainly moued from your minde nor troubled neither by spirit nor word nor by letter as from vs as though the day of the Lord were at hand 3. Let no man deceiue you by any meanes THE fourth part of this Epistle followeth which is a brotherly Admonition wherein we are to consider 1. The Forme 2. The Matter In the Forme the Apostle expresseth with what heart and affection he admonisheth them and therein is a worthy president vnto all Christians what louing hearts and feeling affections they ought to bring with them in admonishing one of another And first he stileth them as in the sense and feeling of that spirit by which he writ he esteemed them Brethren wherein he declareth not onely a speciall loue and affection to the cause but also to the persons of them he admonisheth For the persons of brethren where there is any nature or grace amongst them are deere one vnto another in regard of that naturall bond whereby they are mutually knit one to another So that in this very name of Brother which he giueth them there shineth a great loue and affection in the Apostle towards the persons of all in this Church And from this loue doth this Admonition flow And from the like Loue and Affection ought all Christian admonition to flow Wouldst thou effectually admonish an other thou canst neuer doe it vntill thou shew thy selfe a brother vnto him Thou must let him see that thine admonition streameth a brotherly affection and that that is the very ground and cause thereof so that if thou didst not esteeme and loue him as a brother thou wouldst not admonish him On the contrary side those admonitions that flow from gall and choler or from malice and hatred of the person admonished are no Christian admonitions neither can we expect any blessing on them but rather that the parties admonished should be the worse for them It is brotherly Admonition that Christ will blesse Neither is it possible for vs to admonish them brotherly whom we do no not esteeme and affect as brethren 2. In this Admonition he louingly entreateth and beseecheth them to take heede vnto themselues As he calleth them Brethren so he behaueth himselfe towards them as a Brother in the whole tenor of his Admonition For in meeke sweet and brotherly manner he prayeth and beseecheth them to beware and to take heede and doth not in an imperious and controlling manner require the same though he were their superiour wherein he sheweth a tender and compassionate heart esteeming their danger to erre as it were his owne hurt and their freedome from error as his owne good For when men of their owne meere motion do become suiters and suppliants vnto others though it be for others yet they declare therein that they themselues haue an interest in that good which they sue for The Apostle carieth not himselfe as wee often vse to do in our admonitions and warnings of others he biddeth them not in an insulting manner looke to themselues and take heed of such and such matters say they haue a faire warning thanke themselues if they do otherwise then they ought to do and looke not to be pitied of them but he beseecheth and intreateth them and therein professeth that it should do him much good if they would take warning and that it would be no small greife and sorrow of heart to him if they did not This spirit should all Christians bring vnto the admonishing of their Brethren especially the Ministers of Christ. And this is one reason why there is so litle fruit oft in our admonitions because we shew so litle loue and compassion in them Our admonitions for the most part are but purgations and euacuations of our spleane and malice and not any manifestation of our loue and compassion to the parties admonished as though their well-doing were an aduantage vnto vs and their ill-doing a damage vnto vs. Now further the Apostle doth not nakedly beseech them but he adjoyneth thereunto a double adiuration or obtestation wherein he declareth with what zeale and ardor of spirit he beseecheth them The Apostle then in this his Admonition heateth his Loue with zeale and moderateth his zeale with Loue he mingleth tempereth them both togither In the one he sheweth his desire of their good in the other his feare of their euill And therein he teacheth vs what affections we should bring with vs to the admonishing of our brethren a zealous Loue and a louing Zeale Loue without zeale is but folly Zeale without Loue is but furie and madnes But how do most of vs swarue in our passions when we come to admonish our brethren Sometime in our admonitions we shew neither loue nor zeale but admonish them in that manner as though we cared not whither they hearkned to vs or no. Sometime we shew loue but no zeale sometime hot zeale but no loue if that may be called zeale that is without loue But let vs neuer take vpon vs this office vntill we can temper these affections togither Besides in this feruencie of his Spirit he sheweth that they were in great danger to be seduced and that it was a dangerous matter for them to be seduced and led away with that error which he admonisheth them of And in them he sheweth the condition of all true Churches and Christians especially in the time of persecution and tryall that they are then in great danger through the powerfull and malicious worke of Satan to runne into error and it is then most dangerous for them to erre as by meanes whereof they giue speciall aduantage to Satan and to the enemies of the Gospell He adiureth them by the comming of Christ and by their assembling vnto him as if he should say you heard before what I said concerning Christs second comming and the wonderfull glory of all the faithfull that shall be in that day assembled vnto him As therefore you will looke and expect to be amongst the number of those and to haue your portion in that great glory and as you tender the saluation of your soules looke to your selues and take heede of that dangerous error that here I admonish you of Whence we obserue 1. That Christians must learne to place their speciall hope and comfort in the expectation of Christs comming otherwise this adiuration should haue litle force in it 2. That all Christians Ministers especially must be most carefull to warne and admonish their Christian brethren of such errors as may hazard or endanger any wayes their hope and expectation in that day 3. That Christians euen the best and those which haue giuen greatest testimonie and proofe of their faith shall bee in danger
himselfe except he by the mouth of his Spirit speake peace vnto their Soules they will still feare that they are out of grace and fauour with God Any fancie or conceit is sufficient to perswade wicked men that they are in grace and at peace with God yea those ordinarily are most conceited of it that are furthest from it But the Apostles wish here is the wish of euery true Christian that they may haue it from God the Father and from Iesus Christ as it were vnder their hand and seale But when may a Christian be said to receiue grace and peace from God c When the Spirit of God in the due vse of Gods holy ordinances doth seale and confirme the same to the soule and conscience of an humbled sinner that groneth vnder the burthen of his sinnes Then doth the Grace and Peace of God come vnto thee from God when the Spirit of God testifies vnto thy spirit in the word in the Sacraments in the Church in the Ministerie c that thou art in grace and fauour with him VERS 3. We ought to thanke God alwaies for you brethren as it is meet THe third part of this Epistle beginning here reaching to the end of the Chapter is spent in Consolation wherein the Apostle labours to hearten and incourage them against the troubles and persecutions which they suffered for their profession thereby the more to strengthen and confirme them in the faith of Iesus Christ. This method is vsually obserued in all letters when men write to them that are in any trouble or affliction after they haue saluted them and before they write of other matters vnto them to comfort them By the way before we come to particulars we may obserue one speciall reason why he wisheth vnto this Church Grace and Peace from God the Father and from Iesus Christ because for God the Father and for Iesus Christs sake they had lost all grace and fauour and peace with men so that the more disgrace and the lesse peace that Christians haue with men for the profession of Iesus Christ the more grace and peace they may expect from God For that which vpon this ground the Spirit of God doth wish vnto a man it will effect The more then that men for Gods cause doe disgrace vs and warre with vs the more God shewes his grace and fauour vnto vs. The first meanes he vseth to comfort them by is by praising and commending them for those graces which in these their trouhles and persecutions they did manifest to be in them vers 3 4. wherein in his owne name and in the name of Timothie and Silvanus he first vnfainedly acknowledgeth that for their sakes they were bound to giue thanks vnto God as long as they liue What a glory was this vnto this Church that these three Worthies should professe and acknowledge thus much vnto them Our lessons hence are these 1. That if we behaue our selues in the house and Church of God as we ought to doe we shall binde all Christians yea the Prophets and Apostles and all the Saints of heauen vnto vs. They shall be indebted vnto God for vs and shall esteeme themselues bound for euer to praise and magnifie his name for vs. And let vs neuer thinke we haue demeaned our selues as we ought to doe in Gods Church vntill we haue giuen iust cause to all the godly that knowes vs especially to our Pastors and Ministers to praise and blesse God for vs and to esteeme themselues eternally indebted vnto God for our sakes But alas most of vs doe so behaue our selues in Gods Church that we giue our Ministers and all religious people cause rather to mourne before the Lord and to complaine vnto him of vs. 2. Let vs from Pauls example of how great note and worth so euer we be in Gods Church learne to esteeme Gods graces in others as blessings vpon our selues and to haue such interest in the fruit of them as to thinke our selues bound and indebted vnto God in all thankfulnes for them as if we our selues had a title to and an interest in them There was not the poorest Christian in Thessalonica but Paul himselfe did thinke himselfe the better for that Grace that was in him We are all members of one mysticall bodie the grace of one member is the honor of another and it is a signe that that man doth not esteeme his brother a fellow-member of the same bodie with him that counts his brothers Graces disgraces vnto him as though his owne graces were eclipsed and lost their lustre through the brightnes of anothers We know that the comelinesse of the hand or foote doth not eclipse but rather adde beauty to the beauty of the face If therefore we iudge our brethren members of the same mysticall bodie of Christ with vs we cannot but esteeme their graces a grace vnto vs and that our selues how bright soeuer do shine so much the more by the beames of their graces and therefore we are bound in a bond of debt vnto God for them as Paul here acknowledgeth But we are most of vs so far from this that we hardly thinke our selues bound to giue God thanks for those gifts and graces that are in our selues we so seldome so coldly so slightly and negligently performe this dutie And as for the graces of others we are the Lord be mercifull vnto vs for the same of this disposition rather to murmure grudge and repine against God for them as though the more he bestowed his graces vpon them the more he did wrong and disgrace vs. Because that your faith groweth exceedingly and the loue of euery one of you one towards another aboundeth This is the reason why Paul Silvanus c acknowledge themselues bound to be thankfull vnto God as is aforesaid wherein is expressed the speciall matter and argument of their praise Their exceeding growth and increase in faith and loue whereby he meanes all religious duties to God and man required either in the Law or Gospell They shewed euery day more and more zeale to Gods glory in making more and more conscience of the Ordinances of God they shewed greater and greater delight in the word the Sacraments the Sabboth the Ministerie Prayer they daily more and more grew in knowledge and manifested more and more the signes and tokens of Repentance and ouer and besides this they were euery day more and more kinde louing and free-hearted one to another one striuing to goe before another not in the duties of Pietie and Religion only but also in louing kindnesse humilitie liberalitie fidelitie curtesie iustice c from such fruits as these doth the Apostle gather the increase and growth of their Faith and Loue. For as Faith and Loue are seene vnto men onely by the works that proceed therefrom so the growth and increase of them is seene by the growth and increase of works Neuer tell me that any groweth in Faith and Loue but he that groweth and
increaseth in the aforesaid duties towards God and his Neighbour The words whereby the Apostle noteth this growth signifie to ouer-increase and super-abound not that their Faith and Loue did swell and flow ouer those banks which God in the Law and Gospell prescribed vnto them for that neither was possible nor praise-worthy as we shall haue more occasion to speake afterward but his meaning was that it exceeded the expectation of man and they went further then man could require at their hands though they came short of that which God requireth From the Persons thus praised and the matter of their praise considered togither we are to learne 1. That the praise and glory of a Church or Christian doth not lie onely in this in being alwaies the same but in growing and proceeding from grace to grace Those sciences are not commendable that grow not in the stocke wherein they are graffed but stand at a stay The Graces of God are not dead but liuing plants if they take roote in thy heart they will grow and increase if thy faith and loue doe not grow and increase in thee they are dead they neuer tooke any root in thee though for a time thou maist haue some respect in Gods Church for the same yet the end will be shame and dishonor and thou discouered to be an hypocrite when thy Faith and Loue appeare to be more and more withered as it will if it doe not more and more grow and flourish I would to God beloued we had our portion in this praise I would to God your Minister could thanke the Lord for you in this respect but the Lord knowes and all our Consciences tell vs we are far from this praise It were well in comparison with vs if we did retaine our first Faith and Loue but it is to be feared that with the Ephesians we haue lost that so far are we from growing from faith to faith and from loue to loue with these Thessalonians 2. This is the singular praise of this and all other Churches that their Loue one towards another groweth with their Faith the more faiâ—h in God the more loue towards our Neighbour Shew me the growth of thy faith by the growth of thy loue It is as possible for a fire to increase without the increase of heat as for faith to increase without the increase of loue The faith and profession of those men therefore is but Pharesaisme and hypocrisie which manifests it selfe in the disdaine and contempt of their brethren There are therefore no greater enimies in the world to loue and vnitie amongst brethren then those that are enimies to the growth of Faith and Religion and all the powerfull and effectuall meanes thereof For such as a mans Faith and Religion is such is his Loue for quantitie for qualitie no true faith no true loue an vnsound faith an vnsound loue a ceremoniall faith a ceremoniall loue a sincere faith a sincere loue much faith much loue an hypocriticall faith a dissembling loue 3. In faith and loue we should not thinke it inough to stint and moderate them according to that measure and rule onely that man may expect and exact at our hands but we must striue to exceed that and according to the patterne of this Church labour therein to go beyond the expectation and imagination of men But where are such Churches and Christians now to be found It were well for vs in comparison of that we are that we were but answerable to the expectations of men or that we were proceeded but so farre in faith and loue as man might iustly require and exact at our hands but the Lord knowes we are far wanting euen of that From the Persons praising we may learne To giue God the praise and thanks not onely for Faith and Loue but also for the growth and increase of them whether in our selues or others It s he that deserues the thanks for it more then any else Though God tie vs to be thankfull to men when we reap the fruits of their faith loue yet in comparison it s no thanks to them it is Gods worke in them Otherwise the most religious and louing men that euer were if God should leaue them to their owne natures would quickly shew themselues monsters of impietie and malice and the Wolues and Beares of the Forrest would as soone merit thanks at our hands as they in such cases therefore to be thankfull to men for the fruits that we reape of their faith and loue and to forget God is to make them the authors of their owne grace and so to giue that honour to them which is due to God an Idolatry too vsuall in these times And yet we are not to whisper this thanks in Gods eare onely but we are to professe and acknowledge it as much as conueniently we may euen to them that it concernes to the end we might the more hearten and incourage them therein And this no doubt is one cause why so many faint and languish in faith and loue especially in time of persecution for that there is so litle incouragement of this kinde amongst Christians we passe by the Graces of our brethren as though they were not worthy to be regarded or any notice to be taken of them And if it be our dutie to â—cknowledge our thankfulnes to God for the Graces of our brethren the immediate fruits whereof doe not so directly concerne vs as others for Paul speaks not of their loue to him but one towards another how much more is it our dutie to doe it when we our selues in our owne persons shall immediately reap the fruits of our brothers faith and loue when his loue shall directly and manifestly in a speciall manner grow and increase towards vs. VERS 4. So that we our selues glory of you in the Churches of God HE amplifies their former praise That such was the growth and increase of their Faith and Loue that he moreouer boasted and gloried of them in the Churches of God How could this but wonderfully incourage them to be constant to the end to consider that their praises were not onely talked of but gloried in and that in no base and profane Conventicles but in the holy Churches and Assemblies of God not by any ordinarie or common Persons in Gods Church but by Paul Silvanus and Timothie themselues the great and most famous trumpets of Iesus Christ. Who would make the boastings of such Persons in vaine Who would not by all possible meanes vphold and maintaine such an honour Who would not in the midst of any troubles and miseries whatsoeuer reioyce and glory in such a fame sounded vpon such siluer Trumpets in such famous Assemblies Let vs then Beloued learne to emulate the glory of this Church let vs striue after such a profession of Faith and practise of Loue that the worthiest in the Churches of Christ may be prouoked to boast and glory of vs in all the Assemblies of the faithfull
Apostles to the olde Church of Rome and other Churches Her Masses her Dirges her Trentalls her Prayers for the dead her Pilgrimages Processions Adoration of Images Angels and Saints departed her Vowes of Virginitie and Pouertie her Seruice in a strange tongue c. In these doth her principall worship of God consist And yet not one of these hath any colour or shadow from the doctrine and worship prescribed in the Epistle to the Romans or in any other Booke of Scriptures 2. That this Apostasie of the Church of Rome is a Catholicke Apostasie needs no proofe seeing themselues glory and boast of the Catholicknes of their Religion especially before Luther and how generally and vniuersally their Worship and Faith aforesaid haue bin receiued and professed neither hath there bin since the Apostles any profession so generall and vniuersall as the Papacie when it was at his height In this they glory But except they could iustifie the truth of their Faith and Religion this their glory is their shame For by this meanes they rather argue that they are not of the true Religion but of this Apostasie because there was to be an vniuersall departure from the true Faith in which case not the true Church but the Apostaticall must be vniuersall 3. The Church of Rome hath a Catholicke Head who in that manner rules ouer the members thereof as Christ doth ouer his Church For the Pope claimes to be the Uniuersall Head of the Church making Lawes according to his owne pleasure euen to binde the Consciences of all them that are vnder him of no lesse authoritie then the Lawes of God 4. The Religion of Popery came not in all at one time but by degrees beginning in the Apostles times and increasing more and more after the decease of the Apostles as the sinceritie of the true Religion decreased It is euidently to be seene in Historie when and by what meanes the grosse and maine points of the Popish Religion came in 5. It preuaileth against whom most Surely such as euidently shew that they beare no loue to the word but are despisers of it and the ministerie thereof Such in our experience are they that vse to be seduced men that are glad to haue any colour to be of any Religion saue that which is the true and which crosseth their corruptions 6. The whole world knoweth with what efficacie and power of Satan it hath bin vpheld how busie Satan was how oft he appeared in Goblins Fayries walking Spirts c. for the strengthning and supporting of it 7. It cannot endure the brightnes of Gods word but melteth before it as Snow before the Sunne Hitherto we haue shewed that the Religion of the Church of Rome is that Antichristian Apostasie that here is prophecied of because all the notes and marks thereof doe most liuely agree thereunto more then to any Religion and Profession in the world besides In the next place we are to shew that the Bishop of Rome is the Head of that Apostasie and that great Antichrist here prophecied of Which appeareth partly by that which hath bin said before concerning the Apostasie of that Church shall more fully appeare by those Notes whereby in this Prophecie he is described The first is this The Antichrist is a Man of Sinne. i. not onely a notorious sinner in his owne person but as Satan is a notable instrument of Satan to draw men from the obedience of Christ to sinne and rebellion against God This agrees to all the Bishops of that Sea in a manner since they became Uniuersall Bishops It is almost incredible what monstrous villaines most of them haue bin and that by the report of their owne Historians You shall not read of any Sect or Order of men whatsoeuer amongst whom so many such monsters haue bin found as amongst them Murtherers Poysoners of their Predecessors Simoniacks Negromancers Sodomites Adulterers Atheists Church-robbers c. Yea such lewd persons ordinarily their Popes haue bin that the time was in those parts where the Pope most abode that when they would note a man for a notorious extraordinarie Villaine or Knaue they would say He is a Knaue or Villaine enough to be Pope Non est opus instare Againe they are not onely such Men of sinne in their owne persons but the grand Patrons of sinne in others and fruitfull parents of lewdnesse So that it is as it were their trade to deuise how they may either by lawes force men to sinne or protect such as are wicked He is the great Patron of Ignorance vsing all the power and authoritie he hath to keep the people from the knowledge of God so that they might not know the right way to serue him He forbiddeth Mariage to all his Clergie which are innumerable the hundreth part whereof are idle bellies not forced to any paines but liuing like Epicures and Swine put vp to feeding By meanes whereof innumerable Adulteries Fornications Rapes Sodomitries Murthers of Infants and other abominable acts are committed He vpholdeth and maintaineth Stewes as it were Colledges and Societies of whores wherevnto men may freely without punishment repaire And counteth it better for some sort of persons to keepe a whore or to defile an other mans wife then to haue a wife of their owne He counteth some sinnes small and veniall not deseruing Hell fire and no sinne so grosse but that for money he can pardon it and he can dispence with Incest diuorce at his pleasure discharg men of their oaths and absolue subiects from their Oath of Allegiance c. By meanes whereof he hath bin the procurer and author of infinite treasons rebellions assassinates poysonings bloudshed of many thousands murther of Princes and Potentates and other the like villanies in all parts of Christendome The second Note followeth He is the Childe of perdition Wherein is signified that the Man of sinne shall be such an other as Iudas was And surely Iudas may well be an Emblem to represent the nature disposition and condition of the Popes of Rome for the most part Iudas was a couetous wretch and grudged that any thing should go beside his bag so is the Pope Iudas sought all meanes to betray Christ so doth the Pope in his members Iudas though Christ convinced his Conscience of the vilenes of the fact and denounced such a wo against him as might iustly haue terrified him yet for all that held on his wicked purpose so doth the Pope Iudas in words and ceremoniall complement most honoured Christ when he betrayed him so doth the Pope Iudas came to an euill end so haue the most if not all of them Iudas was the instrument of Christs death and of his owne perdition so is the Pope None liue more like men ordained to destruction then they 3. The Antichrist here spoken of is one that opposeth himselfe against and lifteth himselfe vp aboue all that is called God The Scriptures giue this Title not to God himselfe onely but to Angels also Psal
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
and further mercies from God ariseth from the consideration of his former fauour and loue toward vs. And that therefore we must labour to get assurance of the one if we desire to haue our faith confirmed and strengthned in the hopefull expectation of the other And thus much of the fourth part of this Epistle THE THIRD CHAPTER Vers. 1. Furthermore Brethren pray for vs that the word of the Lord may haue free passage and be glorified as it is with you THE fift part of this Epistle followeth which is a petition wherin the Apostle becōmeth an earnest suter vnto the Church that he writes vnto And what doth he sue for For their prayers He entreateth them that they would pray for him for Syluanus and Timothy his fellow-labourers And to the end that he might obtaine his desire he calleth vpon them by the name of Brethren as he hath done twise or thrise in this Epistle already Wherein we must not thinke that the Apostle according to the common vsage of this age doth it onely for courtly complement a thing far from the disposition of that Spirit by which he writ this Epistle but he doth vnfainedly desire this office at their hands as a principall fruit of their brotherly loue and affection towards him and as a matter whereby he expecteth a speciall blessing from God Whence we may learne these lessons 1. That it is the dutie of Christian brethren mutually to pray one for an other vnto God their Father Paul he prayes for the Thessalonians and he prayes them to pray for him The brethren in Christ doe mutually merit one an others prayers when they pray one for an other Doe I pray vnto God for thee I haue therein deserued that thou shouldst pray for me The wages of an hired labourer are no more due to him then thy prayers are due vnto me And thou shalt answer at Gods tribunall vpon an action of debt and default of payment if thou answer not the same Though I should not pray for thee yet art thou bound to pray for me the Lord hath laid this law vpon vs to pray euen for them that persecute vs and to blesse them that curse vs How much more are we then to pray for them that pray for vs and to blesse them that blesse vs And as this is a mutuall dutie and debt that one Christian owes to an other so ought all Christians to make that reckoning of this debt as that they should vpon all occasions demand and require it and not remit or forgiue it We can demand our temporall debts and will thinke much to remit a penny in the payment of a great summe But for this spirituall debt we can be content to let it goe and neuer demand it Or if we do at any time demaund it it is but for ceremonie and fashion we care not whither men pay it or no. This shewes beloued that we make no reckoning or account of an others prayers For if we did we would oftner demand them then we do And the rather because the debt is of that nature that the more we vrge the payment thereof the more we fauour the person indebted the more we neglect to vrge the same the more wrong we doe vnto him For there is no prayer that he makes for vs but he obtaines thereby as great a blessing for himselfe as for vs. 2. If we desire that others should pray effectually vnto God for vs let them see that we esteem them as brethren and let vs so demeane our selues towards them as they may esteeme of vs as brethren For howsoeuer the prayers of the faithfull may do good to them that as yet are not brethren in Christ yet is there a more liuely feeling of the efficacie and power of prayer and of the sweet influences of Gods graces obtained by them when professed brethren pray one for an other And onely by their prayers can we looke to get good that are our brethren For otherwise their prayers are an abomination to God and their blessings in themselues but so many curses 3. The prayers of the faithfull are the common goods of the Church And there are none so high and great in fauour with God but they stand in neede of the prayers of others euen of their inferiours Behold here Paul a great Apostle of Iesus Christ that had bin rapt vp into the third heauen and there heard things vnutterable he that had the Spirit of Prophecie and the gift of working miracles and who was in a singular manner illuminate in the mysterie of the Gospell and inspired to be a pen-man of holy Scripture desires the prayers of this poore Church Would that Spirit by which he writ this Epistle haue suffred him so to haue done but that through the same Spirit he had a liuely sense of his owne neede and a confidence that he should be the better blessed by meanes of them and that God would for their sakes shew the more fauour vnto him There are none therefore so low meane in Gods Church but the highest may be beholden to them for their prayers Paul here desires the Thessalonians to speake to and entreat God for him and his fellowes This should teach vs to stir vp this gift in our selues and highly to esteeme the prayers euen of the meanest of Gods seruants For if the Spirit of God taught Paul to make that reckoning of them much more ought we euen the Ministers who as we are many degrees inferiour to Paul so doe we by so many degrees more need the helpe of the prayers of the meanest of Gods people euen we I say that are Ministers do need the prayers of our people and the people need to pray for their Minister yea the meanest of them must learne to be Orators vnto God for him if they looke to reap fruit by his labours And this no doubt is one maine cause that the Lord doth no more blesse our labours vnto you because you neuer pray for vs nay because many of you cannot pray for vs. The Apostle doth not onely in generall require this Churches prayers but he giues them speciall directions concerning the matter of those prayers which he would haue them to make for him Wherein in generall and by the way he teacheth that if Ministers will looke to reap fruit from the prayers of their Churches they must teach and direct them how to pray and informe them in the speciall matter of their prayers We must not onely call vpon men to pray but we must teach them how to pray as both CHRIST and IOHN taught their Disciples It is very fitting and necessarie that Christians should haue directions for prayer yea and for the further helpe of their weaknes set formes of prayer also though they are not to be tied onely vnto them and stinted streitned so as they may not vse any other prayers but according to the practise of our Churches that prescribe and vse set formes
those things which from the Lord I haue giuen you in charge euen as now also you do Which petition of his hath some dependance vpon the former consolation For vpon that condition might they hope that God would stablish them and defend them from that euill one if they were carefull to do those things that the Apostles enioyned them Now what was it that the Apostle and his fellow labourers Syluanus and Timothy enioyned them but to obey the Gospell which contayneth precepts of Faith and Repentance from dead works 1. Therefore it is the dutie of Christian men if they will be sure of Gods protection assistance against Satan to do those things and to do them constantly that are taught them by the Apostles Euangelists in the Gospell yea that are taught them by their owne Ministers out of Gods word God as he is faithfull in himselfe so he stablisheth those that be such No other can hope for protection from him but are exposed vnarmed to the power of Satan To do the things enioyned by the Apostles of Christ is the onely meanes wherby we may blesse our selues from the power of the Deuill other courses are but mockeries of the Diuels owne deuising 2. It is the office of Ministers to hope the best of the piety and perseuerance of their people where they discerne any good thing in them That which also it is fit for them to make knowne to their flocke For by this meanes will the soules of the godly be the more incouraged to goe on in that good course that they are entred into And on the other side the peoples faith oft groweth faint when they perceiue that their Pastors hope waxeth faint of them 3. The confidence which they vse and ought to haue of the perseuerance in well-doing of others though neuer so godly hath not its ground in themselues but in God For it is of God not of our selues and our owne meere will that we do that that is acceptable vnto God The Apostle therefore trusteth in the Lord of them he trusteth not in them themselues Those then that the Lord hath decreed to stablish and defend from Satan those doth he enable by the power of his grace and the instinct of his Spirit to perseuere in such good works as by his Ministers they are enjoyned 4. Out of this certaine faith and assurance that God will thus stablish and defend them the godly ought not to grow retchles but to be the more diligent and carefull to yeeld obedience to the Ministerie of the Gospell Vers. 5. And the Lord guide your hearts to the loue of God and the waiting for of Christ. NOw that through Gods helpe they may constantly perseuer in the practise and performance of those things that by the Apostles were enjoyned them the Apostle wisheth vnto them the principall meanes whereby they may perseuer in Euangelicall obedience to the Ministerie to wit that their hearts may be directed by God to the loue of God and the patient expectation of Christ. By the LORD here seemeth to be vnderstood the Holy Ghost as by GOD God the Father And so haue we the three persons here distinctly set downe The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth by a right line to direct one to somewhat Now the Lord is said to direct the heart when he turneth it to some thing causing it to affect it and delight in it which before it was estranged from and abhorred The patient expectation of Christ is such an expectation of him as whereby expecting all benefit by him we are incouraged patiently to endure any thing for him Hence we gather 1. That these two things are principally necessarie vnto godly perseuerance such as was spoken of before the loue of God and the patient expectation of Christ. For the loue of some good thing past or present and the expectation of some future good are wont to make vs more cheerefull in the doing of our duties Vnlesse therefore a mans heart be inflamed with the loue of God whom in the Gospell he yeeldeth obedience vnto as also vnlesse he be possessed with an earnest expectation of Christ and a longing for him that so he may worke with much patience in hope of reward our Euangelicall obedience will soone wax faint But a heart inspired with these graces will stir vp the whole man to do euery thing commanded in the Gospell with all constancie And contrariwise where this constancie of obedience is not it is a signe that this loue of God and this expectation of Christ is wholy wanting in the hearts of such 2. That euen the hearts of the faithfull are in their owne nature estranged from the loue of God and the expectation of Christ insomuch that they would wholy swerue and wander from either were they caried by their owne proper motion which would rather cary them to an hatred of God and a despaire of Christ. 3. The heart is directed disposed and moued by God alone who directeth it as by a streight line to the loue of himselfe and to the expectation of Christ i. of eternall saluation in and by Christ. Would a Pastor therefore haue his people perseuere in well-doing according to the precepts of the Gospell Let him by earnest prayer intreat of God that he will be pleased to direct their hearts to the loue of himselfe and the expectation of his Christ. Vers. 6. We charge you brethren in the name of the Lord Iesus Christ. HEre beginneth the sixt part of this Epistle which containeth a Christian reprehension laid downe in forme of a denunciation And it is Generall vers 6 -11 Speciall vers 11 -16 In the generall denunciation come to bee considered 1. The manner 2. The matter In the manner he sheweth 1. With what affection 2. With what authoritie he vseth this denunciation 1. His affection appeares in the title of brethren which he oft repeateth in this short Epistle thereby teaching how necessarie it is for the edification of others that our brotherly loue towards them do oft appeare to them Neither can we hope that either our exhortations or admonitions much lesse our reprehensions should preuaile ought with others vnlesse they be heated with brotherly loue and appeare euidently to streame from a heart fraught with it Euill therfore performe they these offices whose admonitions and reprehensions are dipped in gall and vineger And yet alas such are the reproofes of most Christians nothing for the most part but purgations of their owne rancor and choler 2. His authoritie followeth He chargeth them in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ that is by that authoritie which he had from Christ. He giueth no charge in his owne name but in the name of Christ his and their Soueraigne Lord. Wherein we are taught that our denunciations and reprehensions if they be truly Christian ones must be grounded vpon the authoritie of Christ And Ministers ought to take heede that they presume not to reproue ought but what