some believers alive and remaining until the coming of the Lord. 4. The Lord Christ who is now absent in his humane nature and bodily presence in Heaven from us Act. â— 21. shall again return and at the last day be present with us and this not only in his power and vertue as he is present with believers always Matth. 28. 20. but as God and man in both his natures His very humane nature shall be brought down from Heaven with him and every eye shall see him Rev. 1. 7. for the word rendred coming doth signifie a presence in his being and essence and not his power only unto the coming of the Lord. 5. The great advantage which our godly friends who dye in the Lord shall receive themselves by death should allay our excessive sorrow for their removal notwithstanding any loss which doth thereby redound unto us otherwise our grief is but selfish and carryeth in it but a small regard to their happiness for Paul in this and the following verse doth labour to allay their immoderate grief because their deceased friends received no prejudice but great advantage by their death we which are alive shall not prevent them which are asleep Ver. 16. For the Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout with the voice of the Arch-Angel and with the Trumpet of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first This verse doth first hold forth the glorious and terrible manner wherein Christ himself in his bodily presence see v. 15. doct 4. shall descend from Heaven to Judge the world He shall come with great Majesty as Kings do enter their Royal Cities with such solemnitie as great Judges do set themselves upon the Bench or with such terrour as Generals of Armies do joyn Battle with the Enemy for the several things attributed to his coming in this verse have in them allusions to all those But more particularly he shall come with a shout The most probable meaning is that he himself shall give the word of Command both to dead and quick to compear at his Bar which command of his shall be proclaimed by an Arch-Angel that is some one or other chief Angel whose proclamation shall be confirmed by sound of Trumpet or with some formidable martial-like voice as of a Trumpet called the last Trumpet 1 Cor. 15. 52. because none shall sound after it and the Trumpet of God here because it shall ratifie the command come forth from God and shall sound so loud as it will be heard far and near even by those who are in the graves Joh. 5. 28. and depths of the Seas Rev. 20. 13. for the excellency of a thing useth to be set forth by this epithete as the trees of God Psal. 104. 16. Next the order wherein the dead in Christ that is in the faith of Christ shall rise is set down positively they shall rise first that is before those who are alive shall partake of that glorious change mentioned 1 Cor. 15. 51. which shall be to them in place of the Resurrection Doct. 1. The will of God is the supream cause of every thing which falleth out wherein being once known we ought to acquiesce without farther enquiry for Paul giving a reason as it appears by the causal particle for why the living shall not prevent them which sleep he rests on Gods will voice and command enjoyning the dead to rise first for the Lord himself saith he shall descend c. 2. The Lord Christ in his bodily presence is now contained in Heaven and not upon earth for if he were already upon earth as the ubiquitaries and maintainers of Christs bodily presence in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper do affirm he could not be said properly to descend to it when he cometh to judgement but so saith the Apostle here The Lord himself shall descend from Heaven 3. Christs second coming at the last day to judge the quick and dead 2 Tim. 4. 1. shall be attended with so great state and Royal Majesty for the terrour of reprobates 2 Thes. 1. 7 8. and comfort and glory of the Elect 2 Thes. 1. 10. that all the terrour majesty and dreadful reverence which hath been ever seen upon earth are but poor empty shadows of it and come far short of the thing it self He shall come accompanied with a thousand times ten thousand of his glorious Angels Jude 14. by his mighty power shaking Heaven and earth Matth. 24. 29. and by the power of his Trumpet raising the dead out of their graves Matth. 24. 31. and presenting them all at his seat of Judgement Rev. 20. 12. for though it be safest to decline all such high-flown scholastick speculations and peremptory determinations about the nature of this shout voice and trumpet here spoken of as are usually tossed among the School-men yet this much may be safely affirmed that those expressions do shadow forth the dreadfulness terrour and majesty of Christs second coming by allusions to the most dreadful and majestick spectacles that ever were are or shall be seen upon earth He shall descend with a shout with the voice of the Arch-Angel and with the Trumpet of God 4. As there is probable ground from Scripture to affirm that there are some orders and degrees of dignity among the blessed Angels some being superiour and some being inferiour So all of them even the chiefest not excepted are not thought too good neither by the Lord Christ nor yet themselves to be employed one way or other for the honour of Christ God-man Mediator in helping forward the salvation of believers for he mentioneth here an Arch-Angel or chief Angel distinct from Christ and sheweth that he with many thousands of others Jude 14. Matth. 24. 31. shall be employed at the last day about the work of gathering the elect out of their graves to meet with the Lord Christ He shall descend with the voice of the Arch-Angel saith he 5. It is the Lords ordinary way of dealing with his Children to recompence their disadvantages wherein they seem to be cast behind others with some one or other advantage or priviledge wherein they outstrip those who in other things did seem to have the advantage of them that so there may be an equality in his way even where it seemeth most unequal 2 Cor. 8. 14. for it might seem some prerogative unto those who will be found alive at Christs coming that they shall not taste of death 1 Cor. 15. 51. above the lot of others who must dye and their bodies be turned in ashes ere then But behold those others shall be recompensed in this their seeming disadvantage by being first glorified in their bodies before the then living shall be changed though it be most probable there shall be no considerable difference of time 1 Cor. 15. 52. The dead in Christ shall rise first saith he Ver. 17. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet
the wit of man when not sanctified and better imployed as to dare to pry into the most profound of Gods secrets and more particularly to search out and determine the peremptory time longer or shorter of Christs second coming the knowledge whereof God only wise hath reserved to himself alone Matth. 24. 36. for Paul supponeth there would be such curious enquiries both in that and in the following ages and therefore laboureth to divert the Godly from them while he saith of the times and seasons ye have no need that I write 4. The servants of Christ are wisely to divert the Lords people from all such curious enquiries as being a result of Satans policy thereby to withdraw them from the knowledge and study of necessary and revealed truths 1 Tim. 6. 4. and more especially they ought to divert from those enquiries which are about the peremptory time of Christs second coming seeing the knowledge thereof not only is impossible but also would prove unprofitable and hurtful as tending to make the world in all ages preceding that wherein he should come more secure and careless for so doth Paul here suppress all such curious enquiries while he saith But of the times and seasons ye need not that I write unto you Ver. 2. For your selves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night He gives a reason to prove the impossibility of knowing when Christ shall come whereof v. 1. Because they themselves know perfectly and exactly as having it plainly revealed by Christ himself while here on earth Matth. 24. 42. that the day of the Lord that is the day of Christs second coming so called because he shall then come as Lord to judge the quick and the dead 2 Tim. 4. 1. they knew I say that this day cometh in the present time that is hasteneth to come Rev. 22. 20. and shall come as a thief in the night that is suddainly and unexpectedly whether by night or by day as the thief who gives not warning before he come to steal See the same similitude used to shew that Christ shall come unawares and unexpectedly Matth. 24. 43 44. Rev. 3. 3. 2 Pet. 3. 10. whence he leaves unto them to gather that it is not possible to know the time and season of his coming Doct. 1. However in points of truth not clearly revealed and those which are not of such absolute necessity to salvation the Lords people may live in suspence without determining themselves peremptorily either to the one hand or the other Act. 1. 7. yet it is their duty and will be in some measure aimed at by them to have the exact knowledge of necessary truths and of such as are most clearly revealed for this truth about the unexpectedness of Christs second coming was necessary and clearly revealed and therefore they knew it perfectly or exactly 2. So ready are we to forget even those truths which we perfectly know under a violent fit of some tentation and when we need to remember them most Heb. 12. 5. that the Lords Ministers must not think it wholly unnecessary but sometimes profitable to inculate of new upon the Lords people and put them in remembrance of those truths which they already know for though they knew perfectly that the day of the Lord cometh as a thief in the night yet he doth here tell them of it and inculcates it v. 3. Doct. 3. It is but a groundless dream and anti-scriptural opinion maintained by some of the ancients and now by the Papists that the Antichrist mentioned in Scripture shall be an individual person who shall have his rise in the world precisely three years and an half before Christs second coming for if so then at that time the very month and day of Christs coming to Judgement should be exactly known the contrary whereof is here affirmed to wit that the day of the Lord cometh unexpectedly and as a thief in the night 4. So great should be our desire to profit in knowledge and sanctified practice and our skill and dexterity to improve all occurrences for that end should be such as to bring meat out of the eater and from the worst of sinful examples to learn somewhat tending either by way of resemblance or otherwayes to clear or confirm spiritual truths to the understanding and to enforce the practice of some spiritual duty upon the will and affections Luke 18. 1 c. for the Apostle takes occasion to clear this necessary truth and to inforce the duty of watchfulness following upon it v. 6. from the sinful practice of a thief who cometh unexpectedly in the night to his prey Ver. 3. For when they shall say peace and safety then sudden destruction cometh upon them as travail upon a woman with child and they shall not escape He doth here first both clear what was meant by the former similitude to wit the unexpectedness of Christs second coming and also prove that it shall be unexpected from the terrible effects thereof to wit sudden and unexpected destruction and that both of soul and body as the word is usually taken see 2 Thes. 1. 9. 1 Tim. 6. 9. which destruction shall come or as the word signifieth at unawares surprize the wicked for of those only he meaneth as v. 4. doth clear who at that time shall be arrived at such an height of carnal security as to say that is not only secretly promise unto themselves in their heart Psal. 14. 1. but also openly declare if not by their mouth yet by their deeds for men do speak also by these Tit. 1. 16. that they have no fear of approaching judgement and do look for nothing but continued peace and safety that is full immunity as his using two words to one sense doth imply from any trouble of that sort in their sinful course Next he gives some properties of this destruction first in a similitude of the pains and travel of a woman with child which besides the unexpectedness and suddenty of it as to the hour and moment of time wherein it shall come whereof already holds forth the horrible pain and torment of it the pains of a woman in child-birth being most sharp exquisite and for the time almost not supportable Secondly in plain and proper terms he shews it shall be inevitable They shall not escape In the Original the negation is doubled which according to the property of that language denyeth most strongly as if he had said there shall be no imaginary possiblity to get it shifted so that their destruction shall be 1. sudden 2. painful and 3. inevitable Doct. 1. As sin continued in begeteth carnal security and draweth the sinner at length to misbelieve and despise whatever the word of the Lord doth threaten against him for it Deut. 29. 19. So an height of security and atheistical contempt of divine threatnings is an infallible mark of a wicked godless and unrenewed heart for so much doth he teach while he
25. 3 5. is wholly fearless of threatned judgements Deut. 29. 19. and besorteth himself with such contentments and pleasures as he can find in this preâ—ent life Luke 12. 16 17 18. In which sense this word is used Mark 13. 36. Eph. 5. 14. And he presseth them next by enjoyning the exercise of the vertues themselves and first that they should watch whereby he doth not so much mean watchfulness of the body though that be also sometimes very necessary and therefore required by Christ Matth. 26. 4. as spiritual watchfulnâ—ss and of the mind whereby the man endued with it hath all his inward and spiritual senses free and exercised Matth. 13. 16. so that he doâ—h not only know and discern the voice of God in his word and dispensations calling him to every duty Hab. 2. 1. but also is intent upon it Psal. 119. 32. careful to take up 2 Cor. 11. 2 3. and guard against such tentations as would divert him from it Matth. 16. 23. or ensnare him in the contrary sin Mat. 26. 41. and is alwayes making ready how to meet comfortably with God in any future dispensation of mercy or terrour Job 3. 25 26. Secondly that they should be sober whereby he enjoyneth not only sobriety and temperance strictly taken in the moderate and sober use of meat and drink Eccles. 10. 17. but more largely also as it moderates and boundeth our affections in the pursuit and use of all things earthly 1 Cor. 7. 29 30 31. for not only excess of wine but the cares of this world and the prevalency of any other lust have an inebriating vertue disturbing the reason and oppressing the senses see Luk. 21. 34. Doct. 1. Ministers should so press the faith of priviledges and use-making of allowed comforts upon the Lords people and people should so improve their priviledges and comforts as that neither of them be abused for a sleeping pillow to foster negligence but both of them improved as incitements to duty and comforts should be so mindâ—d as duty be not neglected otherwisâ— the most comfortable promises will prove but dry breasts seeing the Lords ordinary way is to enliven comforts unto his people when they are most diligent in the way of their duty Dan. 9. â—0 21. For Paul having asserted their priviledge of being freed from darkness and inferred thence their comfort that the terrour of that day should not overtake them v. 4 5. he draweth an argument from both to incite them to their duty Therefore saith he let us not sleep 2. The undoubted certainty of divine promises made to believers for their preservation from judgement and wrath do no wayes of themselves tend to cherish neglect of duty but rather to excite them to greater diligence as that which is a mean appointed of God for furthering the promise to an accomplishment Ezek. 36. 37. For Paul having given to believers among them a most undoubted promise that the terrour of that day should not apprehend them to their hurt v. 5. he inferreth thence therefore let not us sleep 3. A possibility to meet with a sudden stroke and unexpected tryal hath in it a call and voice unto the Lords people to shake off security and laziness and be upon their guard lest they be suddenly taken and surprized by it for from what he spoke also v. 23. of that sudden unexpected coming of the day of the Lord he inferreth here Therefore let not us sleep 4. Then do we make a good use of bad examples when we so look on them as not to imitate them but to scare us from the like while we hate abhor and detest them for he propones the example of other secure sinners as a reason to disswade them from the like Let not us sleep as do others 5. The wise Lord doth sometimes exercise his people by propounding to them a possible hazard of meeting with an unexpected tryal with which he doth not intend ever to assay them and this in mercy to them that the apprehension of an uncertain hazard may put them upon the exercise of some piece of necessary duty which otherwise would possibly have been neglected for Christs unexpected coming mentioned v. 2 3. was not to fall out in their time and yet it is held out unto them as a thing possible the good whereof is here expressed even that thereby they might be excited to the exercise of sobriety and watchfulness Therefore let us watch and be sober 6. As a man who would make conscience to exercise any grace and vertue must set himself to abandon the contrary vice So the work of through and full mortification of any sin is then carryed on to purpose when we do not rest upon a bare surceasing from it but set about the practice of the contrary duty for in pressing the exercise of those vertues he forbids the contrary vices and while he forbiddeth security he exhorts them to exercise the contrary vertues let us not sleep but let us watch and be sober 7. The exercise of these two graces watchfulness and sobriety do best together and hardly can be separate the one from the other in so far as an unsober heart overcharged with surfetting drunkenness and the cares of this life cannot discharge the duties of watchfulness mentioned in the exposition and an unwatchful heart that is not intent upon duty and guarding against tentations contrary to it cannot choose but be ensnared by the subtle and alluring tentations of worldly pleasures and advantage Mal. 2. 15 16. and to exceed the bounds of moderation in the pursuit and use of things earthly Luk. 21. 34. and consequently prove unsober for therefore doth the spirit of God not only here but elsewhere enjoyn the exercise of those two vertues Let us watch and be sober Ver. 7. For they that sleep sleep in the night and they that be drunken are drunken in the night 8. But let us who are of the day be sober Here is a reason to enforce the former exhortation to wit because sleep and drunkenness are the works of darkness for going about whereof men do usually if they be not all the more sluggish and enslaved to their lusts Jer. 6. 15. choose the night season The truth of which reason doth hold whether we take the words to mean of sleep drunkenness and night properly so called or if we take them improperly as they were formerly exponed v. 4. 5 6. for hardly will any other than they who are in the night of their natural darkness and unrenewed state give themselves to the deep sleep of carnal security and to spiritual drunkenness or an over-burthening and besotting themselves with the cares and pleasures of this present life 1 Thes. 4. 5. This is v. 7. Whence he inferrs that seeing they were of the day that is delivered from the dark night of their natural ignorance born of God and endued with the most clear light of saving knowledge and holiness as was affirmed v. 5. that therefore
thence for pressing this duty upon themselves for ye your selves know how ye ought to follow us 2. As all who know their duty do not walk according to it but too too many do live in the practice of those evils for which their heart their light and conscience doth condemn them So sins done against knowledge have in them a singular weight and aggravation beyond sins of ignorance They make the sinner more inexcusable Rom. 2. 1. and his punishment the greater Luk 12. 47. for he aggravateth their sin from this that they knew they should have followed his example and yet did it not for your selves know how ye ought to follow us saith he 3. It aggravateth also our neglect of duty not a little that we not only know our duty but also have a cloud of witnesses and shining examples going before us in the way of our duty whereby all pretence of impossibility to perform our duty is removed seeing men subject to the like infirmities have already practised it for he aggravateth their sin from this that he and his associates had given them an example in the contrary we behaved not our selves disorderly among you 4. It concerneth much the Lords servants who are sent to press the practice of duty upon others so to walk as their life and carriage may hold out a copy of that obedience which they require from the Lords people Hereby their doctrine hath the greater weight Matth. 5. 15 16. and otherwise they are a reproach to the Gospel 1 Sam. 2. 17. and they themselves at least do reap no profiâ— by it 1 Cor. 9. 23. for Paul practised himself what he pressed upon others We behaved not our selves disorderly among you Ver. 8. Neither did we eat any mans bread for nought but wrought with labour and travel night and day that we might not be chargeable to any of you He applyeth what he spoke of his own example in general to the particular wherein they were guilty by shewing he did not eat bread or take his ordinary food in meat and drink as Gen. 3. 19. from any man for nought or without money and price payed for it Where he speaks according to the common opinion of earthly minded men who think whatever maintenance is given to Ministers for their Ministerial labours is bestowed upon them for nought though it be not so Mat. 10. 10. Now the Apostle sheweth that even in their sense he took nothing for nought but that he might be able to sustain himself besides his publick preaching which was his proper employment 1 Cor. 1. 17. he wrought in tent-making Act. 18. 3. even to weariness and after he was wearied as the words labour and travel do imply and that both night and day See upon 1 Thes. 2. 9. and he mentioneth a twofold end proposed to himself why he did so work The first is in this verse That he might not be chargeable or burthensome to any of them He meaneth not as if the maintenance of a Minister should be accounted a burthen by the flock but that some miserable wretches among them would have thought it so Besides it is not improbable that a great part though not all Act. 17. 4. of those who had first received the Gospel in that City were of the poorer sort whom he had no will indeed to burthen Besides what is marked upon a parallel place 1 Thes. 2. 9. doct 3 4 5. concerning 1. A necessity lying upon men of dimitting themselves to the meanest of employments before they want a mean of livelyhood 2. The lawfulness of a Ministers using some handy labour in some cases 3. The groundlesness of the Popish tenet about works of supererrogation observe further hence 1. Circumstances of time place company and such like may make an action become exceeding sinful and abstinence from it a necessary duty at some times the practice whereof is in it self indifferent lawful yea and in some cases necessary for all things being considered it was a necessary duty for Paul not to take bread of those Thessalâ—nians without price though the thing in it self be not simply unlawful Otherwise hospitality and giving of meat for nought could not be commanded Titus 1. 8. nor those ancient love-feasts among Christian friends could be commended as we find they are Jude 12. Neither did we eat any mans bread for nought 2. The Lord doth sometimes call his servants to spend and be spent among a people from whom they do receive or can expect but litâ—le of worldly encouragement that thereby they may have an occasion to make their sincerity in the work of the Lord appear both to their own heart and â—he consciences of others who may evidently see their Ministers are not seeking theirs but them 2 Cor. 12. 14. for Paul did not receive so much encouragement worldly as bread to eat among those Thessalonians Neither did we eat any mans bread for nought 3. It pleases the Lord in deepest wisdom sometimes to measure out a very hard lot in things worldly to his dearest servants and to give but little of earth to those who glorifie him most upon earth and upon whom he intends to bestow a more than ordinary measure of glory in Heaven that none may know by those things whether he be worthy of love or hatred Eccles. 9. 1. for even Paul that elect vessel of the Lord is made to work for a livelyhood with labour and travel night and day 4. Though Ministers are not tyed to follow this example of Pauls here recorded in all particulars because of the great inequality betwixt him and them by reason of his super-eminent gifts and his extraordinay assistance which made it less necessary for him to spend so much of his time in reading and preparation for publick duties as ordinary Ministers must do Besides that some reasons peculiar to this Church and to that of Corinth did oblige him so to walk towards them though he did not find himself so obliged towards others who had not the like reasons However I say that therefore other ordinary Ministers are not tyed to follow his example in all particulars yet they are so far to follow it as to endeavour that the Gospel which they Preach may be as little burthensome and chargeable to people as in them lyeth for this was the thing Paul aimed at that we might not be chargeable unto any of you saith he 5. It is a duty incumbent unto the Lords people to maintain their Ministers in a way creditable to the Gospel even when through reason of poverty their so doing would prove burthensome unto them for he saith not that they ought not to have sustained him because of their poverty only he would not eat their bread for nought that he might not be burthensome unto them and v. 9. he asserts his own power and right to have exacted maintenance from them and consequently they were bound to give it Ver. 9. Not because we have not power but to
exercise of watchfulness and sobriety with the right use-making of the Christian armour in this spiritual combate let us be sober putting on the breast-plate of faith saith he 3. As the malice of Satan our great adversary in this spiritual conflict Ephes. 6. 12. doth bend it self most to strike at and destroy those things wherein the life and being of a Christian as a Christian doth most consist such as his interest in Christ right to Heaven his knowledge of those plyable inclination to duty his spiritual sense and motion So the care of a Christian should run most to provide a sufficient guard for those even the constant exercise of those three graces mentioned in the text for he alludes to souldiers whose great care is to guard their breast where the heart the first fountain of life is with a breast-plate and their head the original â—f sense and motion with an helmet putting on the breast-plate of faith and love and for an helmet the hope of salvation 4. The grace of â—aith is a most necessary piece of the spiritual armour and almost of universal use to defend the Christian souldier in this spiritual conflict for therefore doth Paul make it answer to two parts of the bodily armour the shield Eph. 6. 16. and the breast-plate here putting on the breast-plate of faith 5. The exercise of love to God and our neighbour must needs be joyned with faith otherwise faith doth prove but an useless breast-plate and of no force to secure the vital parts of a Christian in this spiritual conflict for Paul conjoynes them to make up the breast-plate putting on the breast-plate of faith and love saith he 6. The believing souldier will not alwayes meet with present performance of the good things promised upon his closing with the promise by faith but often the Lord for wise reasons doth exercise him with long delayes Heb. 11. 13. and sometimes with contrary appearances to sense Gen. 15. 4 5. with 18. 1. which Satan doth improve as subtle Engines to batter down and pierce his breast-plate of faith as a thing irrational groundless contrary to sense and which will never attain the promised blessings Gen. 18. 11 12. for if it were not thus there should be no need of the helmet of hope as an additional part of this spiritual armour to strengthen the breast-plate of faith under delayed performance And for an helmet the hope of salvation saith he Ver. 9. For God hath not appointed us to wrath but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ. He doth here both more genâ—rally inforce the preceeding exhortation to the exercise of watchfulness and sobriety and to arme themselves with the forementioned graces for a spiritual combat from Gods decree of bringing the elect to eternal life not without but in the practice of holy duties 2 Thes. 2. 13. and also he seemeth more particularly to give them some incouragements to exercise their hope of salvation mentioned v. 8. from the certainty of salvation hoped for whereof he giveth two grounds first Gods eternal decree whereby he had appointed or ordained and predestinated them as the word is rendred Act. 13. 47. 1 Pet. 2. 8. not to eternal wrath and destruction but to obtain salvation The word rendred obtain signifieth to purchase or to do much about a thing to obtain it which purchasing is here ascribed not to themselves Tit. 3. 5. but to Jesus Christ Act. 20. 28. and this is here given as the second prop of a Christians hope upon which the certainty of the elects salvation depends even that salvation which was ordained for them in the decree is purchased and obtained by Christ. Doct. 1. The certainty of salvation either in it self or to us is so far from being in its own nature a pillow to foster security or carnal ease that it 's a strong incitement to duty and to charge through all difficulties with courage which we may be assaulted with in our Christian course yea nothing weakeneth the hands of a Christian Souldier more than diffidence and distrust of success for he holds forth the certainty of their salvation as an incitement to the forementioned duties and more especially to kyth themselves valorous souldiers in this spiritual conflict for God hath not appointed us to wrath saith he 2. As the elect may attain to know assuredly that they are elected see upon Eph. 1. 4. doct 2. So neither the decree of election nor their most certain perswasion of the same do of their own nature render them secure or remiss in duty but rather doth strongly incline and incite them to the exercise of sobriety and watchfulness and of all other graces seeing this is the way resolved upon by God for bringing the eternal decree of election to an accomplishment 2 Thes. 2. 13. for he mentions the decree of his and their election as both certain in it self and also known to him and some among them as a strong incitement to the exercise of all the forementioned vertues for God hath not appointed us to wrath 3. So great and insuperable are those difficulties which stand in the way of the salvation even of believers Act. 14. 22. so strong so numerous and so terrible are their spiritual adversaries Eph. 6. 12. so little is there of strength in themselves to oppose the meanest of them 2 Cor. 3. 5. and so improbable is it by reason of all those that ever such as they shall be saved That they must look above themselves and draw the ground of their hope for salvation from God and from Christ otherwise there can be no sure foundation for their hope to rest on for the Apostle here while he intends to give grounds for their hope of salvation mentioned v. 8. doth mention only Gods decree and the mediators purchase for God hath appointed us to obtain salvation by Jesus Christ. 4. As God hath not slightly proposed but peremptorily decreed fore-ordained and appointed from all eternity Eph. 1. 4. the salvation of the elect and condescended in that his eternal decree upon the very particular persons whom he intended to save Phil. 4 3. So there are others whom he intended not to save but to condemn and adjudge to undergo his everlasting wrath See this latter decree further cleared upon Eph. 1. 4. doct 4. for he saith God hath appointed them to salvation and not to wrath implying that he had appointed others to wrath though not them 5. Though the decree of election to salvation be peremptory and absolute so as to exclude all possibility of its not obtaining the end proposed Matth. 24. 24. yet not so as to exclude all means on Christs part for obtaining or on our part for attaining Heb. 12. 14. that salvation to which the elect are ordained seeing he hath in that same decree appointed to bring about their salvation by such and such means 2 Thes. 2. 13. for God hath appointed us to obtain salvation saith he not without means but by