vp their hand the fathers slay the Prophets the children slay the Lord then the Apostles Ere I goe forvvard marke this iniquitie inâ—â—ietie vngodlines when once it enters in anie familie or clan in any race of men in the vvorld howe hard a thing it is to get it out againe Oft times when the fathers begin with it it followes on so vpon the whole race of them that it makes an end of them and their race both Beginnest thou that art a father thy sonne and thy vvhole posteritie vvill follow while in end the judgement of God light and destroy all together Is the father a murtherer and slew he one the sonne will double it and so forth of other vices and then the Lord throwes dovvne the house and cuttes off all the generation And the Lord did so vvith these Ievves It is said in the second command that the Lord visites the thâ—â—d fourth generation of them that hate him What is the groâ—nde of this because the iniquitie of the fathers is driuen to the children to the thrid and fourth generation Therefore the vengeance of God lights on all Ye fathers therefore take head to your selues and purge you froÌ„ iniquitie for if ye be carelesse of your selues the vengeance of God shall be on you and your children both The example of the Iewes might be a spectacle to al the world the verie iniquitie proceeding from the fathers to the sonnes till all were cutted off might nowe suffice to exhort all fathers to leaue sinne as they woulde not be destroyed and their vvhole race after them Marke an other thing heere There is nothing that can not content this people there is no kinde of message that can please them First the Lord sends Prophets to them then he sâ—ids his Sonne as it is said in the parable that they might reuerence him Matt. 21. 37. Last he sends the Apostles his seruants and they are as rigorous against them as they could so no sort of message could content them 〈◊〉 Act. 7. 51. layes downe the ground of this Persecuters malice euer against the light of the spirite 〈…〉 So there is the ground because all come with the light of the holie Spirite therefore they persecuted all The malice of a persecuter is euer against the light of the Spirite of God So let euerie man be sure so long as the Spirite of light is there must euer be persecution Had I an other man will the prophaine man say I would heare him No if thou hast this hatred of the light of the spirite in thy heart if Paul should come and preach thou vvouldst persecute him yea if Christ him selfe should come in proper person thou wouldst persecute him take therefore head not so much to the preacher as to thine owne heart if thou hast the loue of the light the preacher can not be disliked by thee and by the contrair if thou hast not the loue of the light thou wilt persecute all that come to thee This for the thrid point of their dittay Now comes on the fourth part of their dittay God â—hey please 〈◊〉 This followes the other three The slaying of the Lord the slaying of his Prophets and the persecuting of his Apostles They that slew the Lord and his Prophetes and persecuted the Apostles How could they please God that was the sender of them And so in these wordes he takes off the couer of their faces For these malicious Iewes when they were doing all this euill they boasted of themselues they pleased God they wer his people saying We are the Church and all these are enemies to God Paul pulles off this couer and he showes that they in doing of this were nothing but enemies to God Ye knowe in these dayes men will come in and say It is we that are the true Church it is we who are seruing God aright and in the meane tyme they will be persecuting burning â—ormenting the children of God But what are they will ye haue them deciphered they are enemies to God the Pope is the Antichrist and this shall be ratified in that great day But to let them alone there are many amongst our selues who will ay be doing euill and are enemies to God for thou that art an enemie to his seruants thou pleases not God for heere is a ground There is no glorifying of the Lord but in his ministrie Contemne thou this ministrie by little and little in end thou shalt be an enemie to God if thou hadst sworne the contrair If thou seuere the glorie of God and this ministrie and be a contemner of it thou shalt neuer be glorified of God Ye haue heard foure pointes of their dittay Now to come to the fift They are contraiâ— to all men Iew and Gentile This is a consequent of the first three slayers of the Lord and of his Prophets persecuters of the Apostles pastors they are enemies to the saluation of all mankinde 〈◊〉 what they wil enemies to the seruants of God to the ministrie 〈…〉 which saluation is wrought and without it thou shalt neuer obtaine saluation nor see the face of God they are enemies to all mankindes saluation Come to the last point of their dittay They forbid vs to speak to the Gentiles they are enemies to the saluation of the Gentiles that by our ministrie shoulde be wonne to God and to his Church the porple-wall is broken down that did hold out the Gentiles before yet they wil hold theÌ„ out of the fold There are sundrie sortes of Iewes that hindered the saluation of men there is one sort of them that vvould not suffer Christ to be preached to the Gentiles at all but euer raised vp sedition to impead that vvorke Of these ye may read in the 13. of the Acts. There was another sort of the Iewes that suffered the Gospel to be preached to the Gentiles but added to it circumcision and the law of Moses of whom read Act. 15. The first sort is worst Now the Apostle heere meanes chieflie of this first sort who as the Lord himselfe sayes vvould neither enter them selues into the kingdome of heaueÌ„ nor suffer others to enter For this is a sure thing euen as a man that hes gotten his own heart enlightned by the loue of the trueth would haue that light to be imparted to all the world and wishes from his heart that all were partakers of it as Paul wished to Agrippa and the rest that heard him that they were lyke vnto him sauing his bondes Acts 26. 29. Well had they bene thogh they had bene chainde to haue had the light of Iesus yet he puts to these wordes for reuerence cause sauing these bandes Euen so a man who hes the hatred of the trueth and light he would haue all the world blinded as he is he woulde haue all mouthes closed as his mouth is closed that neuer man should name Christ to the world He would haue all eyes put out that neuer
shame suddenly as it were with euerie light winde to be caried away Thefore the Apostle marueiles that the Galathians was so suddenlie caried away to another Gospell Galat. chap. 1. verse 6. Now to come to the lesson Who is the man that is in his right minde Who is he that is in his witte Is euery man in his wit No. Onely that man is in his wit whose mynde is inlightned by the supernaturall light of the faith of Iesus Christ Onely the beleuer is in his right wit Who is the man that is by his mynde and is mad Tharman albeit otherwaies he had all the wit of the world in his head that wants this light of faith in Christ is madde and the end shall kythe and declare it and the vviser in worldlie thinges if he be without this supernaturall wit he it 〈◊〉 the madder 〈…〉 This then must followe By nature we are all borne mad and by our myndes mad foolishe witlesse no otherwaies borne Therefore the Apostle to Titus chap. 3. vers 3. saies We also lewes aswell as the Gentiles vvere vnvvyse madde and by our myndes meaning that without Christ we are all mad fooles Brethren there are two sorts of this spirituall madnesse one naturall common to all the sonnes of Adam all are euer madde till they know Christ euer continuing in madnesse till they beeleue in Christ The other sort of madnesse is that is acquyred by the defection and falling away from the knowledge of Christ euery Apostate is mad euery one that hes known the trueth and falles therefrom becommes mad Of this madnesse Paul speaks Gal. 3 chap. 1. verse O foolish Galathians c. Now if ye will compare these two madnes the one naturall the other by defection The second is more dangerous nor the first Madnes that commes by Apostasie of all other is the most dangerous madnes and therefore Peter 2. Epistle chap. 2. verse 20. sayes The latter condition is vverse nor the former Madnes that commes of the defection from the knowne trueth is worse nor the madnesse we had before we knew Christ And so he subjoynes It had bene better neuer to haue knovvne the vvay of Christ nor after knovvledge to haue fallen back againe It is better to a man euer to haue bidden in the naturall madnes nor once to haue bene wise and inlightned and then to haue made defection There is a recouerie after the first madnes but after the second it is verie hard to get recouerie An apostate hardly recouers but oft the Apostate will fall to blasphemie against the holy Spirit Therefore let euery one striue by al means to keepe the trueth Now the next thing he requestes is that they be not troubled The vvord is borrovved and in the ovvne language it signifies that horror that ryses in the hart of man through the clamor or noyse of any tumult Ye see men will be afrayed when they heare any tumulte So vvere the Thessalonians afrayed vvhen they heard that Christes comming vvas at hand Novv vvill ye compare this terrour vvith the mouing out of the mynde it follovves verie vvell For the man vvho hes his mynde euill informed and not inlightned by the faith of Christ can haue no rest and peace in hart For ye see a madde man hes neuer quyetnesse in his hart but his affections are euer in trouble So a man spiritually madde without the light of Christ and saluation is neuer setled in his hart An Idolater is neuer setled in hart an Herotike hes neuer a setled hart euer his affectiones on feare Therefore he who would haue that peace and joy that passes all vnderstanding let him seeke light to knowe Christ and to know the trueth concerning him otherwaies shall he neuer get peace and joy Then in one word I aske the question Who is he that is happie Who is he that hes a stable and setled hart Who is he that hes peace in his affectiones and hes them set in order so that he may take rest both day and night I answere The faithfull who beleeues the trueth in Christ This man is blessed being iustified by faith vve haue peace tovvards God sayes the Apostle Rom. chap. 5. verse 1. If thou be not justified by faith in Christ no peace but euer trouble and vnquyetnesse both with thy selfe and vvith God God shall make one affection to fight with another and to harle thee before his fearefull tribunall Then who is he that hes not a stable and setled hart Who is he that hes not his affections setled He that beleeues not in Christ he that beleeues not in the trueth of God in Christ he that knowes not the way of saluation he hes not a setled hart It is truely said Es 7 cha 57 verse 21. No true peace for the vvicked for they haue vnstable harts and when thou seest the jawing and mouing of the raging sea thou may say this is nothing in respect of the trouble that the vvicked hes in conscience for the trouble of the hart and vnquyetnesse in the affectiones of all troubles is the greatest and surelie he vvho hes not the peace of God but is troubled in hart vvould gladlie be turned in any thing When it pleases the Lord to make one affection rise against another ô vvhat paine trovvest thou that person sustaines And againe ô hovv prerious a thing is faith in Iesus Hast thou it nothing shall trouble thee So prease euer to haue faith in Christ Hast thou faith thou shalt in joy peace and a quyet minde What euer be thy estate in the world be thou rich both on poore hast thou faith in Iesus Christ thou rests by day and night nothing troubles thee yea euen in these things that appears to bring some greefe to thy body outwardly as siknes c. Yet in thy soule in some measure thou shalt injoy peace and joy in Iesus Christ that shall make the patiently beare the outward crosse Now in the second part of the verse we haue the meanes set downe which the deceiuers vsed to deceiue the Thessalonians with concerning Christs comming 〈◊〉 of deceyuing men They are thre first Neither by spirit that is to say by dreames which men pretended to be reuelations of the Spirit The next is neither by vvord that is by any tradition that they said they had of Paul The third is neither by forged wryting or Epistle as if they had any which Paul had written to them concerning Christs comming Now what are the thinges that cheefly euer from the beginnig hes made men madde and hes troubled the harts of the people and the Church of God Euen these same three things In all ages men hes risen vp that hes said We haue receiued reuelation extraordinar from the Spirit of God Such as of olde were the Valentinians and Montanists such are the Anabaptists this day such are many Papists and Monkes in their closters When they dreame they pretend the reuelation
to wit their eternal election to saluation their sanctification their faith in the trueth of Iesus their effectuall calling to lyfe euer lasting and the glorie of Christ vpon these grounds he inferres this I herefore brethren stand fast as if he did say seeing ye are so sure grounded therefore stand fast on your ground Then thelesson is when a man findes in his owne hart that God hes chosen him to saluation from all eternitie when he findes he hes faith and the Spirite of sanctification and finds the Lord from Heauen to call on him and to put out his hand as it were and to take him by the hand againe and to leade him forwarde to that saluation to the which he hes appoynted him from all eternitie Then though Heauen should fall and all the world goe to ruine though thousands of men should fall away from the trueth at this tyme yet it becommes him not once to shudder or to suffer himselfe once to be shaken in the middes of all confusion and that not throgh any confidence or strength in himselfe for then he will be beguilde but onely through the power of the grace of his God which he hes found in experieÌ„ce ground himself on that ground which we haue Rom. 11. 29. The gifts and calling of God is vvithout repentance if once the Lord begin to bestow these spirituall blessings and to call a person to the glory of Christ effectually Heauen and earth shall goe together ere that person perish Now ere I goe further to the words I would solue a question that may fal out here Hes not the Apostle euen now before certified these Thessalonians of their election from al eternitie out of the which it followes necessarly that they are placed out of al danger of finall defection for it is impossible that they that are elected from all eternity can fall away finallie and perish how is it then that he exhortes them to stand considering this their sure election is vnchangeable I answere shortly It is true the chosen of God are placed outwith all danger of this defection vnto the which the reprobate is subject and it is impossible that they can fall away finallie indeed they may haue their owne stumblinges and stoppings but as concerning their finall defection it is a thing vnpossible that they can be subject to it by vertue of their election for brethren so many as are ordeined to life of necessity they are ordeined to finall perseuerance if thou be ordeined to life of necessitie thou must stand fast to the end in some measure but it is as true on the other part that they that are ordeined to perseuerance they are ordeined to stand by such and such meanes and of these meanes this is one exhortation another is admonition another is teaching another rebuking for if need be we should rebuke euen the chosen of God and threatten them yea the prayers also of the Saints and Pastors are meanes to make the chosen to stand fast And failing these meanes by the which the Lord hes ordeined that they shall perseuere and especiallie if thou contemne these meanes exhortation admonition rebukes doctrine and prayers of the faithfull thou shalt faile of perseuerance and failing of perseuerance thou shalt fall finally away And if thou fall finallie away thou shalt finde that thou wert neuer one of these that were chosen to life euerlasting And therefore brethren seeing these are the means of God to hold thee vp to the end till he glorifie thee thou should be glad when thou art admonished exhorted and taught for they are the tokens to thee of thy election if thou take them in a good part Beware then that ye contemne not any of these meanes Now to goe forward When he hes exhorted them to stand fast then immediatly he subjoines as it were the definition of this standing what it is Standfast sayes he What is that Hold a fast and a sure grip Whereof of the doctrine I haue taught you either by vvord or vvrit stand fast by it Marke then Ye see the perseuerance he craues is the perseuerance in the faith and in the â—ight of the word the doctrine of Iesus Christ is the light of the world and perseuerance in knowledge of this word is to hold it fast To make this plaine There are two sorts of perseuerance One is the perseuerance in the trueth in the Gospell in the faith of Iesus and in the light tvvo sorts of perseuerance and all these are one There is another perseuerance and that is an holy life well doing and in a godly conuersation Marke them both if ye will compare them together the first which is perseuerance in faith or in trueth must be the cause of the other and the other is the necessar effect of it where perseuerance is in the light of necessitie there is a perseuerance in godlinesse for a man that perseueres in the light of necessity that man walketh in the hie way to Heauen in his action and maner of liuing and must goe the direct way to saluation but once take away the light and let him reject and contemne the light and veritie of Christs Gospell he shall not goe one stop rightlie but he shall decline from the hie way Take the Gospell and the light of Christ out of his eyes and hart he shall neuer do one right action he may seeme to be good and haue a faire outward showe and his words may seeme glistring so that he shall not seeme to be a murtherer a theefe or an harlot but if the Gospel be out of his hart all is but hypocrisie and there is nothing in his hand that pleases God all is abomination and his rewarde for all his faire doing shall be with the hypocrites in Hell So let not man pleasure himselfe in his doing if his eye be not set on Iesus Christ shining in the Gospel If he walke not in the light of Iesus Christ he is in the wrong way when he thinkes he is in the rightest way Lord giue men this grace that when they think they stand they may grip to this light of te Gospell Yet to marke more narrowly these wordes Keepe sayes he hold a grip and stand fast How shall I stand By keeping of a grip no standing for man but by a gripping if thou let thy grip go fall shalt thou Now what shall they grip Doctrine keepe light the best thing in the world is to keepe knowledge There is no standing for men except by keeping light and knowledge Yet what doctrine is this he willes them to keepe He sayes vvhich I haue deliuered and teached you There is no standing but by gripping of doctrine And what a doctrine Euen the doctrin of the Apostles grip to it onely For grip as fast as thou wilt to the traditions and vanities of men they will not all make thee stand for there is no standing but by gripping of the doctrine of the Apostles Paul
LECTVRES VPON THE FIRST AND SECOND EPISTLES OF PAVL TO THE THESSALONIANS Preached by that faithfull seruant of God M. ROBERT ROLLOCK some-tyme Minister of the Euangell of Iesus Christ and Rector of the Colledge in EDINBVRGH EDINBVRGH PRINTED BY ROBERT CHARTERIS Printer to the Kings most Excellent Majestie An. Dom. M. D. C. VI. Cum Priuilegio Regiae Majestatis TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVL THEIR MOST LOVING FRIEND IN THE LORD MAISTER VVILLIAM SCOT OF ELY grace in this life and euerlasting glorie in the lyfe to come ALL knowledge and all sciences inuented by the wise men of this world without the knowledge of IESVS CHRIST by whom remission of sinnes is obtained to the miserable soule are but vaine and vnprofitable The Apostle reckoning out his prerogatiues Philip. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. which were many counts them all in respect of the excellency and knovvledge of Christ Iesus to be but losse and dung Euen so it is with all sciences if they be seuered from the knowledge of Iesus Christ in the Gospell For what auailes it a man to knowe the height of the Heauens the courses of the Starres the breadth of the earth if in the mean-tyme his conscience accuse him for his sinnes to be vnworthie both of Heauen and earth What auailes it a man to seeke by Physick to prolong afraile temporall life to the bodie if his conscience tell him in the mean-tyme that his soule shall perish for euer What auailes it a man to brag of the knowledge of the Lawe if his conscience accuse him to be most vnjust and worthie of eternal damnation In these and such like things the wise men of this world doe glorie and yet they make not the soule the better The knowledge of Iesus Christ in the Gospell is the onely knowledge that preserues the soule and makes it to liue for euer Ioh. 5. 39 as our Sauiour sayes Search the Scriptures for in them ye thinke to haue eternall lyfe Ioh. 17. 3 and they are they vvhich testifie of me And againe This is life eternall that they knovv thee to be the onely verie God and vvhom thou hast sent Iesus Christ Then this science is to be sought praised and preferred to all others in all respects Look how highly PAVL commends it 1. Cor. 2. 6. 7. 8. 9. Wespeake sayes he vvisdome among them that are perfite Not the vvisdome of this vvorld neither of the Princes of this vvorld vvhich come to nought But vve speake the vvisdome of God in a misterie euen the hid vvisdome vvhich God had determined before the vvorld vnto our glory Which none of the Princes of this World hath knovvne for had they knovvne it they vvould not haue crucified the Lord of glory But as it is vvritten the things vvhich eye hath not seene neither eare hath heard neither came into mans hart are vvhich God hath prepared for them that loue him But God hath reueiled thē vnto vs by his Spirit Other sciences were inuented by men but God himselfe is the Author of this science he reueiled it Other sciences are all inuented in tyme but this science is before all tyme from all eternitie other sciences handles things corruptible and changeable the knoweledge whereof albeit it be pleasant and profitable for this present life yet it cannot reforme the soule to eternall life for all their vertue is but the couerture of vyce but this science settes out and reueiles to a broken harted sinner a fauorable and reconciled God in Iesus who is aduantage both in life and death and in whom the heigh and wonderfull things of God and all things that the soule of man can require for grace or glory pertaining either to this or to that other life Col. 2. 3. 9 10. is contained For in him are hid all the treasures of vvisdome and knovvledge in him dvvelleth all the fulnesse of the god-head bodily Now this pretious treasure the Lord hes committed to earthen vessels he hes set in his seruice base and contemptible persons to carie the message of reconciliation and to proclame to weary and loaden sinners the glade tydings of saluation he sendes out simple men to manure his husbandrie he sends them out as souldiers to that spirituall warfare vvith vveapons that are not carnall 2. Cor. 10 4. 5. but mightie through God to cast dovvne holdes to cast dovvne imaginations and euery high thing that is exalted against the knovvledge of God and to bring into captiuitie euery thought to the obedience of Christ. Whom for the message they carie the Gospel they preach the word of life they offer that hid treasure that is committed to them the Lord craues we should haue in singulare account honour and loue And indeed if we had the sight of the fearcenesse of that eternall wrath of God for sinne it could not be possible but we would say O hovv bevvtifull are the feete of them vvhich bring glade tydinges of peace Rom. 18. 15. and bring glade tydinges of good things We cannot honour loue and highly esteeme of the Maister and respect the Gospell if we hate and contemne the seruant and messenger And if we loue our parents of whom we haue nothing but misery who hes conceiued vs in sinne nurirished and trained vs vp in sin and who by nature makes vs aires of wrath and hell for that vvhich is borne of the flesh is flesh Ioh. 3. 6. O how excedinglie should we loue these whom God makes instruments of our regeneration to beget vs to God to make vs his sonnes and to translate vs from darknesse to light from miserie to felicitie from death to life from hell to heauen And yet this vnworthie world neuer duely accounts of them but of all men they hate most malitiouslie the true seruants of Iesus Christ And to passe by other ages and Countries the Lord of the haruest stryuing against our ingratitude hes sent out from tyme to tyme into this Land sundry painfull laborers and faithfull preachers of the Gospell who preased in all respectes to approue themselues to God to a good conscience and to the consciences of so many as beleeued of whom the world was not worthie Among the rest whom God did bewtifie with singulare graces the Lord in the person of M. ROBERT ROLLOCK that faithfull and reuerent seruant of Iesus Christ gaue vs no sober token of his loue For we cannot tell if vpon any almest in this Land the Lord bestowed greater aboundance and varietie of graces of his Spirite if in any there was a more spirituall and heauenly soule if any spared themselues lesse and vndertooke greater paines that they might be found faithfull and finishe their course with joye if any preased more to approue themselues to God and a good conscience then he O what and how many giftes and graces were in the person of that man in conceiuing he was quick in judgement solide he vttered the Word with great libertie he preached with euidence
and demonstration of the Spirit and power in opening vp of the text and raising groundes of doctrine he had a speciall grace in teaching he was cleare and sententious in conuincing powerfull in exhorting earnest and pithie in correcting vehement who for graces being in account and honoured was more humble rara virtw humilitas honorata who being prouoked was lesse vindictine who preased more to keepe the chaire of Veritie cleane from corrupt passions that the word of God might haue free passage and be glorified Who sought the world lesse Who estemed lesse of these earthly thinges For he behaued himselfe as a faithfull seruant of God not seeking himselfe but Iesus Christ as a pilgrime heere yea and crucified to the world for knowing that here he had no continuing cittie he sought for one to come he had his conuersation in heauen from whence he looked for Iesus Christ his Sauiour to come And hauing liued such an holy life to the glorie of God there followed a most sweete and comfortable death in Iesus whom he counted alwayes to be his aduantage Reuel â—word 13. And blessed are they that dies in Iesus for they rest from their labours and their vvorkes follovv them O how great a wound did the church receiue by the losing of such a meÌ„ber Experience teaches vs this day when there is such distraction of harts in the Church what inlack we haue of this man whose labours in the like dayes and cases the Lord while he liued blessed wonderfully His life preached his death preached to the world Many one who heard him found in experience that he ranne not vnsent For he laboured not in vaine 1. Tim. 3. 2. c. but the grace of God was powerfull in him and by him to many Finally he as a viue exemplar represented to vs such qualities and conditions as the Spirite of God requires to be in a Bishop of Iesus Christ Tuâ— 7. 8 Put why insist we to speake to you Sir of this man who was wel knowne almost to all but most interely to you Neither was he steadable to the faithfull that heard him by his vine voice onely in his life preaching but also his workes yet teaches the posteritie For his learned and judicious writtings left behind him in latine hes acquired to him a famous name and reuerend account among the learned in sundry nations who professe that therby no smal edification redounds to the Church of God And therefore seeing that God did accompany his forme of teaching so powerfully with his spirit and made it so profitable we haue thoght meet to set out these his Lectures vpon the two Epistles to the Thessalonians that not only the simple may be instructed thereby but also the teachers may know and imitate his gratious forme of teaching as likewise because the other Sermons that were before imprinted hes bene receiued with great lyking by the humble and such as desire to be edified Now Sir whereas others in such cases vses to say that they were aduising as doubtsome to whose patronage they should recommend their worke we heerein are releeued of this care we need no deliberation for to whom in all respects can it belong but to you First in respect of that inteere and exceeding loue and familiaritie that was betweene you and the Author heereof For from once by his preaching the Lord wroght in your hart all who knew M. ROLLOCK knew also how ye loued him delyted in his companie and conference set your selfe in all thinges to pleasure him what testimonies of true loue and vnfained kindnesse ye would haue vttered to him how freely for the loue of Iesus ye would haue communicate to him temporall thinges if that man who was so well content with that he had could haue suffered you and had not stayed the course of your liberalitie Also when that last messenger and fore-runner of death did sease vpon his fraile and weakned bodie few are ignorant how carefull ye were for his greater ease to haue him transported to your owne house How liberallie ye and your bed-fellow whose praise ought not nor shall not be buried in obliuion bestowed on him all thinges necessare and commodious how chearefully ye receiued and intertained for his cause all them that came to visite him and what great benefite ye counted the Lord bestowed on you in that he offered the occasion which long ye wished to showe your liberalitie in temporall thinges towardes such a rate vessell of mercie and faithfull seruant of Iesus from whom he had receiued so many spirituall thinges Againe who is ignorant what affection and kyndnesse ye haue vttered and daily vtters towardes his relict and posthume for his cause yea and towardes all these who loued him in Christ Next to passe by that M. ROLLOCK in testimonie of his loue dedicate to you his commentare in Latine on the second of these Epistles as also that in his Testament he ordeined that all his bookes which he left to be printed after his decease should be dedicate to you and come out vnder your name and patrocinie that whosoeuer gote commoditie thereof next after God might giue the honour and thankes vnto you after a speciall sort this worke requyres your patronage For throgh your care moyen and expenses these Lectnres were collected and gathered from the handes of these who wraite them from his mouth by your moyen and procurement they were reuised corrected and made apt for the printing by your meanes they now see the light which they had neuer seene but had bene buried in darknesse if the Lord had not made you an instrument to publishe them Last if that the paines which hath bene taine in reuising correcting and making them apt for the printing might yeelde any right to make choise of a patrone to this work we would not nor could not offer it to any but to you Sir not onely because of the vndeserued loue and kyndnesse ye vtter daily towardes vs yea and towardes all the seruants of Christ both publikly and priuily as they themselues doe testifie but also in respect ye were the Author to mooue vs to vndertake such traueiles Indeeed such a propine is farre inferior either to your desertes or our desire and therefore we present it not so much thinking thereby to discharge and satisfie the debt as to acknowledge our obligation to you and to be a testimonie of our thankfulnesse For these causes Sir we desire you to receiue this work in your patronage and protection to defend it from the speaches of such as hes not learned yet to speake well of any person or their workes For we are not ignorant how much and oft they who set forth other mens works vse to be subject to the sharpe censure of men and how little thankes commonly either they get or may looke for of many so that few would be found to take trauaile in them except they were rather moued through the loue of the glorie
aboue measure for the departure of their friendes by the way falles out in a discourse of the estate of the faithfull departed this life of the comming of the Lord of the rysing againe of the dead of the tyme of the Lords comming from the 13. verse of the fourth chapter to the 6 verse of the fifth chapter The fourth part of the Epistle is the Conclusion containing a prayer for them a promise of sanctification made to them with some other purposes from the 23. verse of the fifth chapter to the end of the Epistle MAISTER ROLLOCKS LECTVRES VPON THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE THESSALONIANS THE FIRST LECTVRE THESSA CHAP. 1. Vers 1. 2. 3. 1. Paul and Siluanus and Timotheus vnto the Church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Iesus Christ Grace be vvith you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Iesus Christ. VVe giue God thanks alvvayes for you all making mention of you in our prayers 3. Without ceasing remembring your effectuall faith and diligent loue and the patience of your hope in our Lord Iesus Christ in the sight of God euen our Father WE purpose welbeloued in the Lord Iesus Christ by the grace of God as his Spirite shall assist vs to expone this Epistle which is the first Paul doth write to the Thessalonians Which furnishes to vs doctrine seruing for vnderstanding instruction admonition consolation c. Then to come to the purpose shortlie We shall speak something of these Thessalonians to whom he wrytes of the Argument of this Epistle and the purpose of the Apostle in it The Thessalonians were those who inhabited a towne called Thessalonica which as the Historie â—eares was a chiefe towne in the Countrie of Macedonia sounded and builded by Philip King of Macedonia after the victorie he had gotten ouer Thessalia for returning home victorious he builded at towne and named it Thessalonica to be a perpetuall memorie of that excellent victorie he had obtayned But to leaue this Paul as ye may read in the 17. Chap. of the Acts of the Apost in his peregrination together with Sylas who is heere named Siluanus comes to this towne in Macedonia called Thessalonica and entring into the Synagogue of the Iewes three Saboth dayes preached vnto them and all his preaching tended to this to proue that it behoued the Messias when he should come in the World first to suffer then to ryse againe in glorie Vpon this he subsumes that that Iesus whom he preached had suffered had risen vp in glorie And therfore he concludes that Iesus and no other to be the Messias and Redeemer of the World At Paules preaching sundrie of the Iewes who dwelt in Thessalonica were conuerted a great multitude also of the Grecians who abode there and of the chiefe women of the towne not a few Yet notwithstanding of all this sedition is moued against the Apostle and that by certaine obstinate Iewes who would not be conuerted so he is compelled to flee out of Thessalonica fleeing he comes to Beroea where he gets better entertainment and conuertes sundrie Occasion of the Epistle Yet persecution ryses and he is led to Athens where he abiding word comes to him that the Brethren who were conuerted at Thessalonica were heauilie troubled and persecuted by the obstinate Iewes there Vpon this the Apostle sendeth Timothie to them to confirme them and comfort them in their trouble Timothie returning and reporting the grace of God he saw there Paul would haue gone to Thessalonica but as he sayeth Sathan withstoode him and therefore he takes purpose to write this Epistle vnto them which should be in steede of his presence This is the occasion of the writing of this Epistle Then to come to the Epistle it selfe Partes of the Epistle and to speak of the parts thereof First there is a salutation after the salutation he hath a congratulation and rejoysing with them for the graces he vnderstoode to be in them by the report of Timothie He continewes his congratulation a long tyme almost to the end of the second chapter Then he comes to his exhortation and exhorts them notwithstanding of al trouble to preseuere constantlie to the end This he doth in the third chapter In the fourth and fift chapters he comes to the matter and as before he had exhorted them to perseuerance so he exhorts them to godlinesse and holinesse of life such as becomes them who haue receyued the Lord Iesus This is the substance of the Epistle Now in this chapter First we haue the salutation then the congratulation and rejoysing for the graces of God in them which continewes all this chapter and the most part of the next chapter Now to come to the salutation wherein the Apostle salutes the Thessalonians I will speake shortlie of it because it is a common forme vsed by the Apostle in his Epistles and hath beene oft exponed The persons from whom this salutation comes are Paul an Apostle Siluanus Timotheus two Euangelists They who are saluted are the Thessalonians that is the Church of God that was made vp of the Thessalonians who were inhabitants of this towne of Thessalonica The blessings or good things that are wished from Paul and the rest to the Church at Thessalonica are grace and peace the Author of this grace and peace from whom as from the fountaine Paul with the rest of his associates wisheth these things to the Thessalonians is the Father first the Sonne our Lord Iesus next The cause wherefore grace and peace is wished from the Father and the Sonne to the Thessalonians is because the Thessalonians stoode in that blessed conjunction with the Father and the Sonne and therefore it is said in the text To the Church of Thessalonica which is in God the Father and in the Lord Iesus Christ that is to say which is in that holie societie and conjunction with the Father and the Sonne Now to marke something of the salutation Note This forme of salutation that is vsed in this place and in other places by this other Apostles al these general salutations vsed by godlie men vnto godlie men what are they they are testimonies of that good minde and good-will that the godlie beares to the godly They are more too they are meanes and powerful instruments ordained by God wherby the grace of God the mercie of God in Christ is conuoyed from God Christ to them to whom the salutation is directed There are many meanes whereby grace is conuoyed from God to man amongst all the rest these salutations are meanes ordained by God to that end Brethren it is no small matter to wishe well to a man or woman if thou haue a godlie heart when thou wishes well to a godlie person of necessitie the affection of thy heart and mouth must bee effectuall The to goe fordward Grace and Peace is wished But from whome From God the Father and from the Sonne Iesus Christ
in sanctifying of the heart by faith of the hand by charitie that refuses suffering in hope let him not thinke he hes these graces of God Thou that hast no work no faith no laboring no charitie thou that can not beare patientlie and who at euerie thing comming to thee art readie to dispare thou that can not ly vnder the crosse thou hes no hope And therefore as thou would finde grace in the life to come looke that thou be exercised in this life for if thou be not exercised heere thou shalt enter in that damnation where there shall be no end of thy labour thou that wil be exercised in faith charitie and hope assure thee in the life to come thou shall not be pyned with worke thou shalt cease from thy labour and the teares shall be wyped from thy eyes all paine and anguish shall be put away Looke then how ye will spend a moment to eschew an eternitie if thou passe thy tyme idle and do no good heere neither to thy selfe nor to thy neighbor thy labour shall endure euerlastinglie Thou who wilt not spend a moment in labour looke not to obtaine rest for euer In the end of the verse he places and groundes this patient hope on Iesus Christ there is her ground foundation Looke the words And the patience of your hope in our Lord Iesus Christ in the sight of God the Father The faith and hope being begunne on Iesus Hope gruÌ„ded on Christ a ground immoueable all the worlde can not shake it He setteth to her witnesse God the Father He must be witnesse and must stand looking into the heart to see what sinceritie is in the heart So beside the patience wherewith hope must be indewed she must be enarmed to dree out this destinie she can not sustaine trouble except she be grounded The ground is the Lord Iesus immoueable for euer who is able to shake him If my hope be set on Iesus I defye all the worlde shake me as thou wilt no more nor thou is able to moue him out of his place no more art thou able to moue my hope out of my hart There is the foundation she must haue Yet more she must haue a witnesse he who hopes must hope before the Father for the Father seeth all and there is no sinceritie but in the Spirit of God and thou who wilt hope consider God is before thee looking into thine heart and haue him euer before thy eyes otherwayes thou shalt do nothing in thy life-tyme sincerelie but all thy cogitations motions and actions of thy hand are all in hypocrisie Therefore when thou doest any thing do it sincerelie and say My God is looking on me and therefore Lord prepare my heart to doe it sincerely let me not seeke no approbation of men but let me seek the approbation of thee my God It is a miserie to se men in the world they wil steale from God as it were to a backside because they can not abide his eye euery man taketh counsaile at it were to hate God and he flyes from God because his pleasure is in hypocrisie and thou vaine man likes neuer to do any thing in sincerity but would as it wer â—yle thy own eyes and Gods eyes and the eyes of all the world with thy counterfaite falshood therfore as thou would be approued in conscience flee not from the sight of God but craue his presence that light may come from him lighten thee that in that light thou may walke and studie to be acceptable to God with whom thou must be bid all this world farewell Wo to them that studies not to be approued of God gettes not that approbation in their consciences To this God the Father with the Son and the holy Spirite be all praise for euer AMEN THE SECOND LECTVRE VPON THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE THESSALONIANS THESSA CHAP. 1. vers 4. 5. 6. 4. Knovving beloued brethren that ye are the elect of God 5. For our Gospell vvas not vnto you in vvord onely but also in povver and in the holie Ghost and in much assurance as ye knovv after vvhat maner vve vvere among you for your sakes 6. And ye became follovvers of vs and of the Lord and receyued the vvord in much affliction vvith ioy of the holie Ghost THE last day Brethren we spake of the first part of this Epistle written to the Thessalonians to witte the salutation that the Apostle with Siluanus and Timotheus directs to them We entered in the second part which continewes the congratulation wherein he rejoyses together with them for the graces of God bestowed on them geuing God the glorie of all making him the chiefe Author of all grace Namelie for their faith which is imployed in clensing and purifying their hearts for their loue and charitie which was imployed in laboring with painefulnesse for their brethren and nighbours to their profite and well and last for their hope which was imployed in suffering and taking things patientlie grounded on the Lorde Iesus Christ hauing God the Father for an witnesse of her sinceritie This far for the matter going before Now followes in the fourth verse an other cause of this thankes-geuing to God and of this rejoysing a more effectuall cause nor any that was named yet their eternall election before all worlds All the graces told before were in tyme but as for this election it is before all tyme from all eterniâ—e Vpon this as vpon a foundation all grace that is receyued by vs in tyme is grounded as ye would ground an house vpon an fondation None getteth faith but those that are chosen of God from all eternitie None true loue but those whom God loueth from all eternitie None hope of lyfe but those who are chosen of God from all eternitie So all grace geuen in tyme is grounded on this ground of election that was before all tyme. But to come to the words Knovving saith the Apost brethren beloued of God your election He styles them brethren first then he calleth them beloued of God for I lyke that reading best The second is the cause of the first Because they are beloued of God therefore they are Brethren to him to Timothie and to Siluanus Marke this Note Whom God loueth and vpon whom he powreth forth his grace as he did on these Thessalonians we are bound to loue them to powre out our affections vpon them to call them Brethren in Iesus Christ to speake kindlie and louinglie to them for the graces of God we see in men hes force to conciliate the loue of men so that men when they see them in others are bound of dewtie to loue them If thou see the grace of God in any man thou art bound to loue the man for the grace as thou would vtter thou louest God the geuer of the grace The loue thou carries to a man for the graces of God thou sees in him vtters the loue thou carries to
in them was a faire meeting receiuing the word that with affliction as he deliuered the word with affliction so they wer followers of him and receiued the word with great affliction but yet with joy also for as affliction accompanies the word so the joy of the holie Ghost accompanies the affliction This shortlie for that which ye haue heard alreadie Now to come to the text we haue red In the first verse therof the Apostle amplifies the grace that God had geuen to them in receyuing the word with great affliction yea saith he yee haue receiued the word with such affliction that ye vvere examples to all that beleeued in Macedonia that is in the countrie round about you for Thessalonica where they dwelt it was chiefe Cittie in Macedonia and not onelie were ye examples to them in Macedonia but to them in Achaia that is in the countrie next adjacent to Macedonia so that euen as the Thessalonians in patience and grace followed Paul who was the teacher of grace to them so the Thessalonians wants not their ovvne followers all those that beleued in Macedonia and Achaia followes them as examples of faith patience al graces Marke it Paul goeth before them in good example they againe go before al the Macedonians those of Achaia in their good exāple Then ye see examples of life hes great force Exāples are forcible either to well doing or euil doing for wel doing euil doing in this world come for the most part by example imitation following others a good man wil follow a good man a wel doer wil follow a wel doer a thefe wil follow a theefe a murtherer wil folow a murtherer they that are inclinde to harlotrie and filthines will follow them that exercise harlotrie and filthines so they that intend to haue grace will followe them that are gratious they who doe long and thirst for heauen wil follow them whome they thinke to be going to heauen they that will run to vvickednes will run to hell after them that runne before them thereto so that our vvell and woe stands greatlie in imitation of others and therefore he who walks let him take head to euerie foote-step especiallie he that is in any high rowme in the sight of the people let him take good head to his walking and to euerie foote he sets down how he goes where he goes what he is doing for certainlie he shall not goe alone walks he well he shall haue followers walks he euill he shall haue followers falles he in the myre moe shall fall with him breaks he his neck some shall follow him who shall break their necks with him stands he vpright moe shall follow him and stand vpright Therefore the Apostle doubles ouer the precept Walke vviselie vvalke circumspectlie Eph. 5. 15. 17. Colloss 4. 5. Each foote thou sets to the earth looke where thou sets it and looke who followes thee And Christ sayes Matth. 18. 7. Woe be to that man by vvhom offence commeth that is that walks not warelie but runnes himself to destruction and drawes men and wemen thereto This is a world wherein men had need to take head to their walking God graunt that they who are in high rowmes may take head to their walking for they that goes before others may saue many if they walke well and may lose many by their walking and going in wickednesse if they walke euill Farther marke Who are these that followes the Thessalonians or to whom are they patterns of grace patience in suffering The Macedonians the Contrie about them beside that the Achaians they of the nighbour Countrie for Achaia is next to Macedonia And vvho vvere these They that beleeued in Christ before the Thessalonians were called they who were called first followed them who were called to grace last Marke then the Thessalonians who were called last outranne in the course of grace the rest of the Macedonians and Achaians and left them behinde them albeit they broke off before them It is to be noted We are all running in one course and we are all in one rinke running towards the marke for in the tyme of our lyfe there is none sitting thou deceaues thy selfe that sayes thou hast a stablisht mansion heere all must be on foote and all must be running and we must runne to the place where our mansion is to the But of our glorious resurrection and life euerlasting if thou sit still thou shalt stinke rotte and perishe but if thou run and runne on while thou come to the But thou shalt be safe in the end and shalt receyue the Crowne and pryce of immortall glorie Now in this course and rinke of christianitie it falles out so that they that start last shall out-runne them that start and break off a good space of tyme before them and ouercome them in faith patience affliction and joy Ye se this plainlie in this example of the Thessalonians with the rest the Macedonians and them of Achaia So that is most true which Iesus said The last is first and the first is last Math. 20. 16. There is a great alteration the last outrunning them who brake off firste they that broke off first are made last and ly behinde and is ouercomde in grace The Iewes entred in this rinke long before yea many hundreth yeeres ere the Gentiles thought of any rink or to come to heauen but so soone as the Gentiles come in and breakes off in the rinke they did outrun the Iewes left them behind them as far as they might look to them they were speedie in the beginning After Iesus came in the world and the Apostles were teaching it is wonder to thinke hovv speedie they were So this hath beene oft times seene that in the Church of God they who were called last hes ouercomde them who were called first And I thinke that nation of France hath ouercomde all the Churches in Europe in suffering a continuall frequent affliction thinke not they are behinde vs in our course no they are farre before vs. And as to our nation in this part of affliction that Paul speakes of I thinke it is behinde all nations Alas what haue we suffered our tyme is yet abyding vs. The Lord prepare vs thereto and I thinke it is comming on yea it is a wonder we should haue heard the word so long without affliction Yet to the words he calles them examples patterns going before others He sayes not ye were a patterne singularlie the words hes a great force but ye were patterns meaning that so many heads of men and wemen as there were of the Thessalonians they were as many patterns euerie person was a pattern a patterne in grace in faith in patience and suffering Manye alled 〈…〉 So that ye may marke when Iesus come in the world when the Apostles went out to the Nations to draw the Nations to Christ to conuert them the Haruest was great the world was full of
chosen vessels when Iesus came the world was full of men and wemen to be safe ther was neuer so many before his cōming I wote not if euer there was so manie since and that was it that Christ meaned when he said The haruest is great but the laborer are fevv Therefore pray ye the Lord of the haruest to send out laborer◠to his Wyne-yarde Matth. 9. 37. It is a wounder to heare howe hastilie at one preaching so manie thovvsandes were conuerted Reade the Acts of the Apostles the second and third chapters ye vvill vvonder at the zeale loue patience and joye of them Brethren this vvas the beginning and infancy of the Church but since that number hes begun to be drawne in narrow bounds in processe of time these Thessalonians who are now so praised by the Apostle they are so drawne in that vve heare it not told that Christ is professed among them So it was in the beginning heere amongst vs after the reformation when papistrie was put avvay it vvas a vvonder to see how men and vvemen did thring in and vvere glad to indure great labour and suffer afflictions for the Religion So no question but that reformation fell when the Lord had manie rype to be called in this land But I vvill speake my opinion I thinke in these dayes the number of the faithfull be dravvne in and except the Lord say it they shall grow fewer and peece peece they shall go away Now when all the elect shal be gathered in to the last person then the Lord Iesus shall come and put an end to this vvorld and I trow it shal not be long to it To returne So manie Thessalonians as manie patternes of grace to Macedonia Achaia I aske a question ere I leaue this Receiued the Macedonians Achaians anye hurt by this superioritie and prefement the Thessalonians had ouer them they vvere casten behind the Thessalonians before were the Macedonians hurt therby No the grace that God giues to a man if he vse it rightly neuer hurts another man but furthers him ouer comes he me in this grace I am nothing impared in that because he is a patterne to me whom I should follovv in that grace runnes he before me he should vvalken mee vp to follow and runne after for this is one meane among all the rest of the meanes the Lord vses to dravv vs forvvard in the course of grace for we are slovv in running euerie one of vs by nature is inclyned to sluggishnes ay looking ouer our shoulder to stay our course as Lots vvife did Therefore the Lord hes appointed this meane to draw thee forward he wil set out one behinde thee long after thee and vvill cause him to come by thy eare vvith all speedines and runne out before hee to prouoke thee to emulatiō so thou sholdest say This man began after me I was in faith before him he hes outrunne me it is shame to me so thou should take thee to thy foote run otherwise thou hast no part with the runners in this rinke So did he with the Iewes they were all lingring at the comming of Christ the Gētiles comes out after them and runnes by them that they might be prouoked to follow so that both Iew and Gentile might run on together to that But which is Christ Rom. 11. Now to the next verse The words are plaine He makes this more cleare to wit That they were examples to them of Macedonia Achaia And he sayes For from you sounded out the vvord of the Lord not in Macedonia and Achaia onelie Euen as at the beginning this blessed Gospell sounded out from Zion for they that preached it came from Zion which is Ierusalem and spread it abroad through the vvhole world So from the Thessalonians the word sounded out spread to Macedonia Achaia Who wer these that sounded the vvord to Macedonia Novv certainlie it appeares vvell euen trauelling men so journers passingers marchants traffiquers that had trauelling in Macedonia as men that vvould go out of Edinburgh to other parts of this Realme so from Macedonia to Achaia These men as they so journed they so journed not vvith close mouthes but they euer sounded as Heraulds and Trumpettars sounding and vvhere euer they found occasion they spake of Christ and of that grace vvhich vvas in him to them that knevv him not So that they had conference euer of spiritual things Then ye who trauels frō toun to town from Country to Country ye haue your lesson here ye should not trauell with a close mouth all your speach should not be of marchandice and traffique but of some grace ye haue gotten at home disperse and speake of it Ye thinke of duetie ye shold seek your aduantage marchandice the Lord hes bound your consciences as it wer with bondes to speake oppen the grace of god going to places wher there is fredome to speak the Lord bids you speak he bids you be lamps lights to blind people where euer ye resort for besides all other meanes the Lord hes appointed this as a mean to win soules to Christ that ye who trauailes and haue heard of grace should communicate that grace and haue conference thereof to all persones where ye come that you may vvinne your poore brother sister that haue not heard of it Alas our consciences may accuse vs verie sore for the neglect of our duetie herein And I trow because vvhen men are abroad trauailing they trauaile with close mouthes neuer speaking of the grace they got at home the Lorde hes begun to close the mouthes of the preachers of grace in this Towne heere He goes forward in the next part of the verse and he amplifies this grace of the Thessalonians Not onelie hes the vvorde soūded to Macedonia but he sayes your faith also vvhich is tovvards God is spread abroad in all quarters So that the Apostle trauailed to no part but the brute of their faith met him The brute of a man will go farther nor his voice vvil be heard Thou then shouldst take heade to thy name and fame and trauaile to get a a good fame for I tell thee as thy presence is either good or bad to them that see thee and vvith vvhom thou art conuersant so is thy fame to them that see thee not If thou die bearing the name of a good man thy name doth good to the posteritie but if thou die an euill man thy euill name destroyes manie Woe to them therefore that leaues an euill name behinde them especiallie if they be in high places and amongst all the rest of the meanes God vses to enlarge Christs Kingdome with and to bring men to Heauen as the presence of a man and his voice is one mean so the name and fame of the grace of God in a man is an other meane Take head to thy name and fame for either it shall turne to thy
fall down before a stock or stone Slauery of Idolaters of all slaueries this is the greatest it is true it is a slauerie to be subject to a tyrannous man in this worlde to his foull affections to abyde all things he will injoine thee but in the meane tyme while as thou serues the liuing and true God thou art a free man and thou hast a singulare comfort and consolation in thy heart and if anie will call the a slaue care not for that for thou art a free man to God 1 Cor. 7. 21. but albeit he were a King and had all the vvorld vnder his dominion if he be a slaue to a false fained God an Idole of all slaues he is the greatest slaue for not to knovve the true God is the greatest slauerie that is for there is no consolation but in God if thou had all the libertie in the vvorld thy soule is in slauerie if thou serue not the liuing and true God I will not call a Nation a free Nation a King a free King if they serue not that liuing God Will I call a Kingdome a free Kingdome that is subject to a miserable slauerie of Idolatrie Woe to that slauerie and thou Scotland if thou lose the seruice of the liuing God of all slaues thou shalt be the greatest because so shamefullie thou hast lost it Dauid in the 16. Psal vers 4. telles of the miserie of the Idolaters and of the libertie of them who serues Iehouah As for the Idolaters saieth he They multiple sorrovv vpon sorrovv to themselues then he rejoyses in his owne felicitie who serues the liuing God Iehouah the Lord saieth he is the portion of my inheritance Therefore ere thou lose the seruice of this true God and Christ his Sonne lose thy life and all that thou hast in this world This is the onelie liberty to serue the liuing and true God Now followes the second end of their conuersion which is to looke for the Sonne and his comming the first was to serue the Father of this life the second is to awaite for the comming of the Son Marke euerie word It is not eneugh brethren to serue the Father the liuing and true God in faith in loue in all seruice that pertaines to him in this lyfe except thy eye throgh hope reach out beyonde this lyfe in the meane tyme of thy seruice Hope of life to cōe Thou art heere novv seruing him looke that thy eye reach out beyonde this life to see and to hope for an other life There are many in wealth in honour in ease in healthe of bodie in this worlde that vvould make a Couenant with God and say Lorde Let mee dwell still to serue thee heere and it were for euer and I oblishe me neuer to looke for more at thy hand giue me this lyfe and wealthe and pleasure thereof I shall serue thee to let me liue heere for euer and I shall binde my selfe neuer to craue more of thee alas I trovv there be many of this sort Fy on it this can not be rooted out of the hearts of the most godlie euen as if either God had gotten glorie sufficientlie or we could get perfite happinesse in this life Alas if our hope were onelie in this lyfe and our blessednesse reached not out beyonde this life of all men the christian man wer most miserable I had rather chuse to be a Turke nor a Christian except my hope reache out beyond this life all the pleasure and seruice I can do to God in it If thou prease to be a true christian think not with thy self I shall driue ouer this life quietly shal stand fast in al trouble but thou must bide tossing toyling otherwise thou can not be a christian for throgh many tribulations thou must enter into the kingdom of heauen Act. 14. 22. Thē ye who wold serue God serue him as pilgrimes in a strange country far frō him what euer thou be doing here in his seruice walking in thy godly exercise in the mean time let thy hart be with Christ let thy hart be wher thy life is hid vp with Christ Paul giues an example of this in his own person saying I liue here as a Citizen of Heauen Philip. 3. 20. A Citizen in the heauen is a pilgrime on the earth And therfore he subjoynes liuing as a pilgrime heere and a Citizen of Heauen I hope for my saluation in Christ A pilgrime hes euer his eye out of this world The second Epistle to the Corinthians Chap. 5. vers 7. 8. he shovves that in this lyfe he walked in faith and confidence but saieth he I chuse rather to flit and remoue out of the bodie and to dvvell vvith my Lord Iesus Fy on thee that is so nailde throgh head and heart to this world that thou hes euer thy heart and sight heere Certainelie I am of this minde that the thing that euerie one of vs should most care for should be to steale away peece peece from this earth Lowse thy heart peece and peece and free thee from this wofull life Now this hope and looking is for the Sonne something pertaines to the Father thou must serue the liuing and true God something pertaines to the Son thou must looke for him from Heauen Thinke not to honour the Father without the Sonne The Iew is vaine that thinks to honour the Father without the Sonne No it will not be serue the Father but honour the Son also or else the Father shall accept no honour at thy hand Ioh. 5. 23. For all the honour of the Fathers is in the Sonne But marke the speciall honour that is geuen to the Sonne in this life The Sonne is honoured in faith in this life in beleeuing that he is alreadie come in the world that he is come in our nature and suffered the death for our sins that he died was buried rose againe from the death thou honoures him in beleeuing this But this is the speciall pointe of this honour to hope that he shall come againe as he come once so looke that he shall come againe But brethren neither hes his glorie yet appeared as it is in deed and shall appeare neither yet your grace appeares as it shall when he shall come againe And therefore the speciall seruice we can doe is to await for his comming ad to glorie vnder that hope No beleeue thou in the Father as thou wilt if thou hope not for that glorious returning of the Sonne thou honours him not This is all to stirre vs vp by hope to looke for an other life for all these things King and Kingdome vvill avvay and they who hoped for him in this lyfe shall shine in glorie with him in that life eternall Fromwhence shal we hope that he comes where shal we cast our eye if we looke for a man to come from one part our eye will euer be on that part where from he should come whither it be
East or West South or North Where then should we cast our eye Neither to the East West South nor North nor to any part of this earth but cast thy eye vpward to Heauen Iesus is in Heauen and he shall come from Heauen he is not in the earth and therefore ye see in him that hopes as the hart breakes vpward so will the eye looke vpward the hand the head will be raised vpward as Christ sayeth lift vp your heads Luke 21. 28. so his behauiour will tell thee from whence Christ shall come And againe thy behauiour wil tell that thou hast no hope when thou tends altogether downewards thy face euer towards the earth thy hart moyling in the earth when any man sees al thy care and minde onelie vpon the earth he may say this bodie hes no hope he lookes not for the returning of the sonne of God Then followes Whom he raised from the death meaning the sonne of God the Father raised him I will not insist but so farre onelie as the text will beare me Beleeue that Iesus is raised from the dead and that he is in heauen beleue the thing done past and then hope that he shall come againe first be a beleeuer and then hope he that hopes for a thing to come must be a beleeuer of the thing by gone Fasten thy beleef on the things bygone that Christ died was buried and rose vp by the power of God and ascended to the heauen beleeuing all these things by gone hope shall take hold on things to come but if thou beleeue not these things bygone thou shalt neuer hope that Christ shal come againe to thy deliuerie All these things bygone goe before the thing to come he hes told all the articles of the beleefe ere he come to this cōming of Christ againe therfore thou must beleue these things bygone ere thou hope for Christs cōming Then he brings in a descriptiō of the son of God from his name a Sauior from his office a deliuerer a sauior must be a deliuerer his name bears his office for Iesus must be a sauior of men There are two things joined together Christs comming and our eternall deliuerie when he came first in the world he began with deliuerie and by his death redeemed vs when hee shall come againe he wil make an end of our deliuery there shal be no more sin death Our deliuerie dependes on Christs comming trouble or sorow So al our deliuerie depends so on christs cōming that if he return not we shal neuer be fully deliuered by the contrair Iesus returning of necessitie thou must get a full deliuerance They that looke for deliuerie there is the order of hope their hope is euer first in the comming of Christ vpon the which their deliuerance dependes then in the seconde rowme they looke for their deliuerance They are fooles that look first to be deliuered that is a backward order therefore say I hope Iesus shall come againe and then say I hope to be deliuered ye see in the Reuelation the cry of him who lookes for saluation is Come Lord Iesus Reuel 22. 20. The meaning is When vve desire Christ to come we desire the performance of our deliuerance when we desire Doomes-day vve desire the perfection of our eternall deliuerie and it will not be vntill that day if thou be founde in Iesus thy deliuerance shall then come in the full accomplishment thereof Now from what should he deliuer vs From the vvraith to come Christ deliueres vs from the vvrath to come That is from all paine and vexation All the terrors hell that shall follow on the wrath of that great God that shal be reuealed in that great day for that effectuall wrath of God shall strike in that great day are called the vvrath to come No doubt the Apostle by this word would stirre vp our mindes to looke for a greater wrath then euer was seene in this world there was neuer since the first day to the last such a wrath of God seene in the world as shall be seene in that last day The Lordes vvrath hes bene vttered oft times in great measure since the beginning as in that great deludge in the burning of Sodome and Gomorrha with fire and brimstone in the particulare destruction of manie people and sundrie nations but all is nothing to that great wrath all is but play in respect of that last wrath And therefore they are fooles who measures the greatnesse of the wrath of God by the selie momentaneall afflictions that is laid on men and wemen in this earth Some thinkes God can not powre a greater wrathe nor when he casts a man in great sicknesse when he causes one to be rugged in sunder one part from an other when he causes one to be burnt with fire and foolishe wretches will say What can God doe more to me Knowest thou not that there is an euerlasting wrath in God or euer it light on thee it shal make each member shake in sunder when thou sees it comming down on thee thou shalt cry Mountaines and Hilles fall downe on me and couer me from the wrathe of the Lambe Reuel 6. 16. Againe mercie is not to be measured by the mercie we get heere it is a blasphemie to thinke that God hes no greater mercie to shovv on thee nor he shows here So the greatest affliction that can fall on vs heere is nothing in respect of that last wrath Therefore that last day is called 2. Rom. vers 5. the day of vvrathe There was no day before called the day of wrathe Now brethren as the greatest wrath shall be powred out that day so the greatest mercie shall be showne to the godlie that day And they who shal be founde vnder the couert of the wings of this Iesus the Sauiour wrath shall passe by them but they who shall not be found vnder his winges the wrath shall tumble on them Alas if we could consider this Learne to seek Iesus in tyme. The way to find Iesus a couerture in that day it must not be to beginne then thou wilt not get him then if thou got him not before thinke not to cry then Iesus couer mee but the waye to make Christ a couertour to thee must be in this lyfe beleeue in him heere beleeue that he came into the worlde to releeue thee from this great wrathe that day beleeue that he died for thee rose againe for thee and hope that he shall come againe to that eternall deliuerance Misse not this hope Paul to Timothie 2. Epist 4. 8. speaking of that crown of righteousnesse he shall receyue he communicates that crown with others but who are they they that hopes for his comming If thou in some measure hunger not and thirst not for his comming in this life looke not to be couered by him hereafter grone therefore and thirst for Iesus in some measure that he may keepe thee in that great
due time to learne to be prepared for suffering for Christs cause The Lord giue vs grace that we may suffer patientlie that he may be glorified in our suffering To this God be glorie and praise for euer AMEN THE EIGHT LECTVRE VPON THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE THESSALONIANS 1. THESSA CHAP. 2. vers 15. 16. 15 Who both killed the Lord Iesus and their ovvne Prophets and haue persecuted vs and God they please not and are contrary to all meÌ„ 16 And forbid vs to preach vnto the Gentiles that they might be saued to fulfil their sinnes alvvaies for the vvrath of God is come on them to the vtmost IN this rejoysing of the Apostle Paull together with the Thessalonians for the graces of God that were bestowed vpon them ye haue heard brethren the Apost thanked God instantlie for that meeting he founde in them when he preached to to them exhorted comforted besought them to walke as worthie of that God that had called them to his kingdome and glorie Their meeting was they heard him and not onelie they heard him but they receiued the thing they heard and not onelie receiued it but in heart embraced it and laide it vp as a treasure and the seede of life and immortalitie they imbraced it not as the word of man but as the word of God as it is indeede and not onelie imbraced they it as the word of God but in life and conuersation vttered it it was effectual in their life He proued this because they were followers of the Church in Iudea conuerted to Iesus Christ The speciall thing wherein they followed them was that euen as these Churches were troubled by their owne Countrie the Iewes euen so they that were conuerted at Thessalonica were troubled not by forrainers but by their oâ—ne Citizens Not to repeat any thing we spak the last day but to go to the text red In this text the Apostle hauing spoken of these Iewes malicious and obstinate doing wherby they euer impeaded the progresse of the Gospell of Christ and hindered mans saluation scattring themselues among the Gentiles throgh al the â—â—â—mane Prouinces and when anie of the Apostles came stirring vp insurrection and not suffring the Gospell to haue place so farre as they might stop it Therefore he digresses heere and aggâ—eages the sinne of these malicious Iewes making vp a dittay against them and therafter he giues out the doome and pronounces the sentence of wraith and condemnation against them And therefore to returne and to oppen vp euerie sentence They haue slaine sayes he the Lord Iesus There is the first point of their dittay These men the Iewes that trouble the Church of Christ in Iudea are they that haue slaine the Lord Iesus himself They haue in their extreame persecution slaine and crucified to the death the Lord of glory 1. Cor. 2. 8. That is they haue dispatched him not after a common manner but after a most cruell and shamefull manner by a cruell sore and shamefull death Whom haue they slaine the Lord of glorie and honourable personage all the glorie of God is dwels in him as it wer Who is this by name It is Iesus the Sauior of the world euerie word aggreages their fault There is the first point of their dittay The first crime laid to their charge is the crucifying of the Lord Iesus Christ this is the thing he begins at there are mo pointes of dittay laid against them but he beginnes at this the persecution of the Lord himself Persecution beginnes not at the bodie nor at the members of the bodie Persecution begins at the head of the Church nor at the seruants but it beginnes at the head the Lord Iesus him selfe if not in action in deede yet in intention in the malice and hatred of the heart The Prophetes in deede were slaine and persecuted in action and died before the Lorde Iesus came in the world but these same men that slew the Prophets with their hand ere they slew the Prophets they slew the Lord of the Prophets the Lord Iesus in their hearts because that all the Prophets that were slaine were his seruants sent before him that was to come Now to come forward The second thing is They slevv the Lord Iesus they slew the Lord of glorie that in his slaughter so farre as in them lyes the worlde should be slaine for they that vvoulde slay Iesus vvould slay all men so farre as lyes in them and they slay him after a most cruell and shamefull manner The greater grace the greater the persecution Brethren this is the ingyne and nature of persecutors the worthier the personage be who is persecuted the greater grace of God be in him the greater glorie and innocencie be in him the greater will be the extremitie of their persecution None of the Prophets of olde were so extremelie persecuted as the Lord Iesus was neither yet the Apostles that followed him were so persecuted as he was and all because of the greatnesse of the glorie of his personage If ye will search the grounde of this it must no question come of great blindnes for if men savv vvell the grace and the glorie of God that is in the persones of them that are persecuted for all the vvorlde they durst not persecute them And therefore he sayes in the 1. Corinth 2. chap. 8. verse If they had knovvne they had not crucified the Lord of glorie No if the glorie of the Church were seene vvicked men durst not stirre her There is yet a greater and an higher ground The malice of the heart comes in and blindes and putteth out the eye of the minde Eph. 4. 18. Throgh ignorance sayes Paul that comes through the hardnes of the heart for this is the nature of the hardnes of the heart to hate the light and to delite in darknes which is enemie to the light of God All our pleasure is in darknes by nature and so it is caried against the light and the first thing it does it puts out the light of the minde yea euen the very natural light and so when the heart is blinded it caries him against all light and chieflie against the light of God and the Lorde of light him selfe And this is the vvorke of this faâ—e nature of man so highlie accounted of by the Philosophers Seeke therefore to shutte out of thy heart this maliciousnes that blindes it or else thou shalt be blind folde throvvne down to hell The thride thing to be marked heere is When he is laying out this persecution before the Thessalonians he is comforting theÌ„ that wer afflicted Haue they not slain your Lord c. what vvounder is it hovvbeit they persecute you Brethren all the affliction is not layde vpon one man hovvbeit he get his burdene heauie enough Comfort through Christes persecutioÌ„ The Lord hes measured to euerie one his owne part and he vvho is afflicted should looke ouer his shulder and see who
of this countrie They thinke it eneugh here if they put in any man to be a show in their offices ô if thou knew what count thou must giue to the Lord for thy doing thou wouldest doe the worke of the Lord more carefullie Yet to insist on this commendation of Timothie It is an high commendation and all tends to this that he shoulde be well accepted of the Thessalonians to whom he was directed that so he might doe them the more good Therefore the Apostle sent him adorned with this faire testimone Good meÌ„ deserue good commendatioÌ„ Brethren When we see good men in Church or common-weal we should giue them their own commendation why should not the Prince haue his ovvne commendation in sight of the people vvithout flattrie why should not the Pastor haue his honour but to this end Paul looked to that they might be well accepted among the people the next end that being honoured among them they may get obedience So euerie good man should haue his owne authoritie among the people to doe his goode turnes The Lord grant that euerie man who hes office may haue matter of recommendation within himselfe that when he is praised he be not flattered The Lord grant that the Prince may haue matter of his commendation and the Pastor matter of his commendation to this end that their labours be not in vaine Now to go forward with the words Wherefore is this good man Timothie sent to the Thessalonians not to play him not to looke about him but to confirme the Thessalonians in that faith in the which they were grounded by the Apostle The office of the Euangelist vvas to confirme men in that faith which was had down by the Apostles to watter that which the Apostles had planted Paul planted Apollo vvattred 1. Cor. 3. 6. So Timothie was sent to do his ovvne office his owne office was to confirme them vvho were grounded Brethren ye haue heard heere before a great deale spoken of that singulare faith which the Thessalonians had and read in the whole Epistles of Paul ye shall not finde such a commendation giuen to anie Church as to these Thessalonians they were examples to the whole Churches about them as to Macedonia Achaia c. the word of them went abroad to all people and yet Timothie must be sent to them to establishe them Marke it There is none in this life so vvell grounded on the faith of Iesus ConfirmatioÌ„ of faith necessarie to all men on this life but night and day they haue neede of confirmation yea euen at the last breathe when thou art going out of this world thou must craue a confirmation for there is no perfection in this lyfe nothing in this lyfe but beginning of grace Let none thinke he standes if he thinks so he deceyues himselfe and the man who thinkes he stands he is readiest to fall There is nothing heere but either to grow or decay no standing So we haue neede continuallie of a confirmation faith in Christ is set downe to vs as a ground wherevpon we are established Continuallie euerie houre and moment we craue a setling on that ground for why the sea of the ovvne nature is not so subject to commotion and slovving as the heart of a man When it is set dovvne once in that faith vvhich is the foundation leaue it there it shall returne to the ovvn nature againe Then ye see the sea vvhen it flowes on a rock immediatlie the jaw returnes backe againe in the sea So our heart set on Christ except by grace it be daylie hourlie momentlie setled it vvill returne backe againe to the ovvne nature of it There vvas neuer moe vvindes nor stormes on the sea to cause it rage nor is daylie and hourelie brangling our faith if it were possible to beate thy faith off the grouÌ„d-stone Thou neuer seest thing with thy eye but it is a blast of wind to beat thee off thy ground thou neuer hearst thing but it is a blast to beate thee off thy ground Prosperitie a blast of wind to thee aduersitie a blast off winde to beate thee off thy rocke Christ Iesus the scorning vvorld is a winde to beate thee from Christ all â—â—nâ—ations are as manie windes to tosse thee heere and there that thou settle not Looke then if we haue neede to be confirmed more and more in the faith of Christ The next words telles the maner of the establishing of our faith And to comfort The first word was borrowed the next vvorde makes it plaine The maner is seeing the heart of man is ay fleeting Therefore we haue sent to comfort you touching your faith The verie same ministrie which Paul had for the tyme Timothie for his tyme the Pastors and Doctors hes this day That same ministrie which consistes in instructing exhorting comforting admonishing and rebuking them for their misdeedes for all are included within this word exhorting and all these serues to confirme men in the faith of Christ Paul to the Ephesians 4. 11. sayes When the Lord Iesus ascended to heauen after that glorious resurrection leauing this earth he left behinde him some to be Apostles some Euangelists some Pastours and Doctours to the end vve should not be ay children fleeting flovving and caried avvay vvith euerie light vvinde of doctrine What meanes all this That the vse of the ministrie is to establishe the heart of man to holde the heart that the winde of affliction and tentation blovve it not avvay and to settle it on Christ vvho is the ground-stone Then turne it ouer take avvay the ministrie that men vvoulde haue so faine avvay giue men their teyndes they vvould be content neuer to heare a Minister no stablitie shall be in the heartes of the people thy heart shall be blovvne avvay from Christ and thou shalt perishe Alas vve haue ouer great experience of this and especiallie in this Cittie of Edinburgh the Lord amende it Count all thinges vanitie but to be established in Christ Alas that vvee are so senslesse of this A vaine heart vvaites not vvhat this word meanes but a solide heart mournes for the vvant of the meanes of the vvorde Now to come to the next verse The end of this establishing confirming and exhorting of these people by the ministrie of Timothie is this that none of them should be commoued for the affliction vvherevvith they vvere exercised for the present For the Thessalonians at that tyme were afflicted by the Iewes enemies to God and man Then the end is that they should not be commoued with the afflictions that laye on them It is easie to a man to stand in a calme but when winde blowes it is hard to stand sure It is easie to professe Christ in calmnesse but when the blast of tentation strikes on thee then it is much to stand and hold Christ In tentations vve must staÌ„d on Christ by faith We are not yet wel acquainted with this So all tends to this Albeit
saâ—ene returnes back to Paul with good newes that all was well Paul rejoyses greatlie in the report of Timothie and in the meane time Paul remaning at Athens does his turne and brings some to the faith of Christ there Now brethren I aske hes Sathan gotten any vantage heere by staying Paul to goe to Thessalonica Hes he hindered the Gospell God ouer turns the enterprise of SathaÌ„ No the Gospell is furthered thereby Paul abydes and does his turne at Athens Timothie goes and does his turne at Thessalonica and filles Paul with good tidings that he brought from Thessalonica Learne Sathan when he thinkes to hinder the progresse of the Gospell most he furthers it most When he thinkes he is most against the Church he is most vvith the Church yea if he should haue set himselfe of purpose to further the Gospell if he had taken counsell thereto vvhen he impeaded Paul to goe to Thessalonica he could not haue deuysed a better vvay This is vvonderfull the Lord hes euer disappointed him and shall to the end he vvho vvorkes light out of darknesse ouerturnes and vvhirles about so all his interprâ—ses that in despyte of the Diuell he makes all the thinges the Diuell thought to doe to the dishonour of God and hurt or the Church to serue to his glorie and the vvell of his Church I tell you in one vvord Sathan neuer yet gotte the aduauntage of the Church nor of no godlie man no not in the slâ—ughter of Abel he neuer got it nor shall get it but that vvhereby the vvicked men thinkes they get victorie ouer the Church the Lord turnes about so that one day ye shal see it shal be the profite and honour of the Church To goe to the wordes he saies after Timothies returning he broght him good newes Of whom wer they of yoâ— Thessalonians What wer they that ye wer in a good estate floorishing full of wealthe full of honour all things going well and prospering with you all things succeeding to your hearts desyre were these the newes that Timothie tolde to Paul no no neuer one word or syllabe of this what were they then He telles me good tydings of your faith that ye perseuere in faith in Christ that is the first He telles me of your loue and that bond whereby ye are bound together in loue there is an other he telles me of that speciall affection ye beare to me The best nevves of any people These are all his nevves Why then I asâ—â— vvhat are the best nevves that can be reported of any people Common vveale and Cittie It is not of their flourishing estate in this vvorld nor of their vvealth and riches nor of their honour in this world al these things are transicprious all the honour of this vvorld vvill avvay the riches of this vvorld vvill avvay The best nevves of any people are vvhen those thinges are reported of them that abydes for euer When faith and loue is reported vvhich they will take to Heauen with them 〈◊〉 in Iesus gripped in thy heart vvil goe to Heauen vvith thee loue vvill goe to Heauen vvith thee The best nevves that euer vvas tolde is the Gospell of peace to the worlde in God the Father through Christ Fyon thee that receyues not these newes As this Gospell and Euangell is nothing but these glad tydings of Gods mercie through Christ So lykewise the best newes that can come of any people is that the people hes receyued the Gospell and that faith in Christ There is great matter of joye vvhen vve heare that grace mercie and peace is preached to any people There was neuer such joy if we knew what is true joy but alas we are lying on the earth we haue no sense of heauenlie things our eye is ay on the earth as thogh there were no grace nor glorie but in this lyfe But brethren to goe to euerie word and to speake of these things Timothie reportes to Paul The first pointe of these tydinges is faith he beginnes at faith Timothie sayes Paul the Thessalonians continewes still in that faith of Christ and embraces that Gospell of Christ which thou taught them There is the first part of the newes Then ye see plainlie heere the first part of the good tydinges that can be reported of any people is that they holde fast the faith of Christ and embrace the Gospell of Christ There is the first and best â—ydinges that can be reported of any people And learne He that hes not and keepes not this faith I say in a vvorde there can be no good tale tolde of him If he had all the vvorlde vvithout this Gospell it is all in vaine because he hes no goode propertie and there is no blessing of God in him That vvhich seemes to be a blessing is a verie curssing to him The more honour and riches he hes in this world the mo are the maledictions of God and all his actiones all his speakinges or vvhat euer he does or thinkes all is sinne What euer flovves not from faith in Christ is sinne if it vvere neuer so glistering Rom. 14. 13. So then I holde this ground Thou canst not tell a goode taile of anie man that embraces not Christ and his Gospell They will say he is a stoutman he is a riche man the vvorlde goes vvell vvith him but all is curssing to him except hee haue faith in Christ faith blesses all and therefore no lyfe to thee except that thou haue faith What is the next pointe of the tydings Loue. Faith beginnes and she goes forvvard as the Queene of all grace Next to her comes in loue she is next in honour and among all the rest of the graces that accompanies with faith loue is the chiefest Then in one vvord The next pointe of good tydinges of any people is to be a louing people a people that intertaines loue and charitie no oppression among them but euere one is readie bent to helpe an other such kyndnesse lenitie and loue that the tongue of man can not expresse it I tell you as I haue said before vvhere these tydings can not be tolde that a people intertaines loue and charitie it is impossible thou canst tell a good taile of them Tell me he is not charitable I will conclude there is no grace in that persone O but ye will say yet he beleeues and vvho hes bene so instant an hearer of the Gospell as he but all is vanitie thy lyfe shovves the contrare for vvho loues not their nighbour and saies that they loue God they lye sayes Ioha in his first Epistle 4. 20. For certainlie loue is an vnseparable companion of faith as the shadovve is of the bodie so that if loue be seuered from it thy faith is of no value Where charitie is not there is no true faith and therefore bee charitable and loue thy neighbour othervvvise thou hast no good propertie The thrid pointe of the nevves is concerning Paul in speciall
God it is a quickning grace to him it is a viuifying of him if he be in dolour and distiesse it is a walkning of him Therefore looke what aduantage thou gettest through loue Art thou a pastor thou shalt get life Art thou one of the people if thou loue thou shalt get life to and thy loue shall euer report to thee a joye in thy greatest dolour If thou be departing off this life and hast beene a faithfull pastor the report of the standing of thy flocke shall comfort thee if thou be one of the people thou shalt euer haue comfort for the grace of any member of the Church reported to thee shall bring joy to thee But the man who hes nothinge but inuie can haue no joye hee knowes not what this spirituall joye meanes Therefore as thou wouldst liue in joye and consolation striue to be louing charitable and tender hearted to euerie one in whome thou â—eest the graces of God and so thou shalt get infinite matter of joy thou shalt get peace heere and life euerlasting hereafter The Lorde for his great mercies sake bring vs to this life through Christ To whom be all praise and honour for euer Amen THE TWELFTH LECTVRE VPON THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE THESSALONIANS 1. THESSA CHAP. 3. vers 9. 10. 11. 12. 9 For vvhat thanks can vve recompense to God againe for you for all the ioy vvherevvith vve reioyce for your sakes before our God 10 Night day praying exceedinglie that vve might see your face and might accomplish that vvhich is lacking iâ— your faith 11 Novv God himselfe euen our Father and our Lord Iesus Christ guide our iourney vnto you 12 And the Lord increase you and make you abound in loue one tovvard an other and tovvard all men as vve doe tovvard you IN the Text immediatlie going before welbeloued in Christ wee heard of the sending forth of Timothie to the Thessalonians we heard of his returning and what tidings he brought hee reported to Paul of the Thessalonians concerning their faith and perseuerance in faith concerning their loue and particularlie of that remembrance they had of Paul who had founded them in the faith of Christ in his absence desiring most earnestly to haue his presence againe Last ye heard what effect these tidings reported by Timothie vvrought in Paul they wrought consolation and joy notwithstanding all the afflictions and miserie he lay in in Athens for the present Now brethren to come to the text vve haue in hand In this text he does two things first he showes vvhat thanksgiuing he gaue to God for them and for all that joye he had conceiued of the glad newes he heard of them he showes how earnest instant he was in prayer for them crauing day and night that hee might see them face to face notwithstaÌ„ding that report he heard of them by Timothie Then in the secound part of the text he falles out in a prayer continewing to the end of the chapter first beseeching God the Father and the Lord Iesus Christ to direct his journey toward them next desiring God to increase them and make them to abound in loue euerie one toward an other and toward all men in the worlde thridlie beseeching God that he would establish their hearts before him in all holinesse at the comming of Iesus Christ with his Sancts There is the effect of the text shortlie Novv to returne and to speake of the first part he shovves his thanks-giuing and prayer to God for them He sayes For vvhat thanks can vve recompense to God againe for you for all the ioy vvherevvith vve reioyce for your sakes before our God I can not get a heart would he say to thanke my God for it Ioy in the hart burstes out in thanksgiuing as I shoulde doe The text is verie plaine So the doctrine is easie First heere vve see vvhen the heart of any man conceaues a spirituall joy for the grace of God eyther bestowed on him selfe or vpon others it is not able to conteine that joy but it must breake out and it must open the mouth to giue thankes and praise to the Lord for of the abâ—ndance of the heart the mouth must speake If the heart 〈…〉 be it good or euill the harâ— must opened mouth and 〈…〉 must speake either good or euill Then the second thing â— be marked in this text is wâ—eÌ„ the joy of the hart opens the mouth to vtter thankes what euer be the 〈◊〉 and meane of joy the first thanks that are giuen will not be giuen to it especially Paul heere giues not the glorie of this joy to the Thessalonians but the mouth will be opened to glorifie the author of all grace and joy which is God for without him there is no grace neither haue we our selues any grace neither hes any other any grace in him selfe Thankesgiuing to God only and without God there is no joy except he worke the joy there can be no joy in the heart Yea albeit the grace be giuen yet if he giue not a new grace to worke joy in the heart for the grace there can be no joy And therefore the mouth when it is opened to praise glorifie first of al it shold be opened to glorifie him who is the giuer of all honour the instrument as the instrument honour the Minister as the Minister but let the author worker of al haue the glory thanks Then thridlie mark In a maner he complaines that he can not get a mouth to thanke God sufficientlie for all that grace they had receiued and joy he had receiued and gotten through their graces Marke then our thanking and glorifying of God for the grace receiued and joy conceiued in heart it is not answerable in greatnes to the grace nor to the joy receiued For will ye coÌ„pare these two together the grace of God and thy thankfulnes for it the grace of God passes thy thankfulnes yea the verie joy that we haue in heart for the grace bestowed on vs or others will be greater nor the thankfulnesse can be and the tongue of man is not able to vtter all that joy conceiued nor to thank God sufficientlie for it Peter 1. Epist 1. 8. he calles it a joy vnspeakable The joy the faithfull heart will conceiue is an vnspeakable joy So Paul of the sighs of the godly Rom. 8. 28. The mouth of man is not so wyde nor so capable of grace as the heart is I meane of the regenerate man If the spirit of Iesus dwel in the heart all the tongues of men and Angels can not be able to tell nor expresse the thousand part of that joy the hart wil haue in Gods grace for all that ioy saies he vvhat thanks shall â— giue to God As he wold say my mouth can not get words to vtter thanks to God the author for the graces receiued and joy that is conceiued there throgh Now farther we haue to learne in the wordes
God for feare that wrath come out from his angrie face and burne it vp The Apostle Heb. 12. 14. sayes Without holinesse no man shall see God for if they see him at shall be to their destruction When he looks 〈◊〉 the heart and findes not holinesse and cleannesse there his looke shall destroy the heart and he shall make it tremble and shake at his presence Brethren many hes experience of an euill conscience vncleannesse makes euer an euill conscience and a man with an euill conscience is not able to stand in the sight of God There is not an vncleane body but he findes this in experience They runne euer to some hole and cannot abide the holie sight of God he is holie thou vnholie he looks throgh thee thou canst not abide his sight Now it is true our compearance before God and his Tribunal shall stand in the righteous merits of Christ Iesus except we be cled with that perfit righteousnesse of Christ imputed to vs by faith ther is no slanding for vs. Rom. 5. 1. But it is as true if thou findst not again in some measure some holinesse and cleannesse inherent in thy self thou shalt neuer stand before God for where the righteousnesse of Iesus is wher remission of sins is in any man there of necessitie must be some measure of holinesse purenesse of life in him also If thou be justified by the fre mercy of God in Christ of necessitie thou must be sanctified must haue some spark of godlinesse in thy selfe for those whom he hes justified he also hes sanctified So when euer a man hes the justice of Christ imputed vnto him of necessitie he must haue a share of this justice inherent in himself wants he a part of this holinesse brag as he will he hes no cleannesse throgh the blood of Christ Iames sayes If thou hast faith let me se it thy vvorks 2. 18. If any by grace be sanctified in Christ let them vtter it in some measure in works otherwaies they lie So this holds sure No standing to vs before God except there be holinesse in vs. Now the stiles are to be marked in the text which are giuen to God First he is called God then our Father The name of God a name of Majestie and of great glorie The name of Father a name of homelinesse and louingnesse Marke it If God vvere nothing else to vs but God that is to say but an high Maiestie full of all glorie if that Majestie dimmitted not himselfe to be a louing Father to vs through Iesus there were no standing for vs before him our heart durst neuer present the selfe before him A sinne is not able to looke vpon God as he is God onelie in Majestie Honour Glorie and Iustice No the whole Majesties of the world dare not face him as he is God onely All our compearing before him is because as he is God in Majestie and glorie so in Christ he is become a louing Father to vs and if vve receiue not the Spirite that is called the Spirite of adoption testifying to our spirite that he is become our Father in Iesus Christ and we are adopted in Christ and therefore opens our mouthes to cry Abba Father vve would neuer haue a face to looke to him nor a mouth to speake to him And so as he is become a Father to vs in Christ so craue that thou mayst get that Spirite of adoption that thy mouth may be opened wide with sweetnesse to cry Abba Father Moreouer these very stiles learns vs how our harts should be disposed when we come and stand before him euen heer in his congregation church where his presence is We are now in his sight and presence He is a God in Majestie A Majestie would haue feare and reuerence So ther is the first thing stand before this Majesty of God in feare and reuerence Then there must be more then this he is a Father and therefore thou shouldst loue him so thou shouldst both reuerence and loue him together If these two be together they shall mak thee to be in good temper to stand before God Now come to the time when the hart shal be established It is at the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ It is true brethren euen in this life before that glorious appearing of Christ we stand before God in holinesse and our hearts are established before him without rebuke in a manner and euen now at this present time who euer they be who hes holinesse in their hearts they finde in effect their harts standing in his presence when they looke to that face of his Majestie shining in the Gospell with the eye of faith the heart is established before the face of God and God is pacified and beholds them in quietnesse Let all men discend in their hearts and if they haue holinesse I assure them they will haue peace and quyetnesse in the hart when they think on him Then this is true Euen in this life before the great day we stand before him established in holinesse but it is as true so long as we liue in this life ther is euer a peece of vnquyetnes in the harts of the most godlie and there are none of vs who can find so peaceable an heart before God as we should haue There is euer so long as we liue heere a peece of euill conscience for sinne The cause is because so long as we liue heâ—r we are but holy in a part and that in a verie sober part sinne leaues vs neuer and therfore the prick in the conscience for sinne leaues vs neuer And where this euill conscience is there must euer be a peece of feare and terrour to stand before that heauenlie presence But vvhen the Lord shall come in that latter day which is called the day of judgement when Christ shall appeare in that great day the heart of the godlie shall be established before him without any feare or terrour If thou be one of the chosen of God thou shalt stand before the face of God vvith an heart in peace vvithout any terrour But ô how great shall the feare of the heart of the wicked men be the cause is because thou shalt not so soone see the face of the Lord Iesus that faire glorious face but as soone in the moment of thy resurrection thou shalt be transformed in a perfite holinesse both in body and soule And therefore the Apostle sayes Philip. 3. 21. When we shall see him We shall be transformed and this vyle body of ours shall be made conformable to his glorious body and vvhen vve shall see him vve shall be made like him in glorie and holinesse vvithout any spot or vvrinckle or any part of deformitie in bodie or soule What then is it that puts this terrour in our heart to stand before God Onely sinne So when all sinne shall be taken away all feare shall be taken away Then seeing there is no perfite quyetnesse vntill vve
see him why should not our desire be to see him wherefore should all this feare be of this latter day seeing thou wilt neuer be established in heart nor get thy full glorie vntil his comming at that day thy blessednesse shall be perfite there I finde in the Scripture the perfection of all graces differred vntill that time Ye shall finde no grace PerfectioÌ„ of al graces differred til the â—utter day but the perfection thereof is remitted vntill that day Paul in the same Epistle 2. chap. 19. vers My joy is in the sight of God and of Iesus Christ at his comming He gets not perfection of joy vntill he come And therefore he will not promise to the Thessalonians their joy vntill that day no perfection of grace mercie and peace vntill God put an end to sinne to death and wickednesse Looke then if we should long for that latter day we looke heere and there for this thing and that thing but who lookes for that comming of the Lord Alas if we knevv vvhat grace and joy Christs comming brought to vs vve vvould looke for nothing so much as for his comming We are earthlie and therefore all our lookes are for earthlie thinges we are not spirituall and so we cannot looke for that spirituall grace The Lord prepare vs to looke for and desire that glorious comming All these earthlie thinges goes away Heauen onelie abydes What foolishnesse is this seeing we are subject to mortality that we should set our hearts on this world our dwelling must not be here but in Heauen in endliesse joy Seeke it earnestly therefore Novv in the end of this verse he telles vs in vvhat company and with whom we shal be established in holinesse before God thou shalt not be holy thy selfe alone thou shalt not be an a per se in holinesse doe as thou wilt either shalt thou be in a societie in a companie vvith many more nor thou All graces in the societie of the sants or else thou shalt neuer be holie nor see the face of God This is plaine Either thou shalt be in the Church which is the communion of the Saintes of God or else thou shalt neuer see Gods presence He will leape out of it at this side and he at that side but if thou come not in again in that same societie yea and to the number of this church and of the Saintes that professes Christ this day in Scotland thou shalt neuer see Gods face All blessinges grace mercie and peace euerlasting before God is in the companie of the Church that professe the truth and puritie of the Gospell of Christ not in the company of them who will take the name of a Church or that false Church the Romane Church So let him vvho vvill stand vvith holinesse in the number of the Saintes seuere from Babylon or else he shall be partaker of the judgement So brethren to come againe ye shall not read in the Scripture of any grace giuen to any man but ye shall finde that it is giuen to him as a member of that bodie as one of the Saintes in the societie of the Saintes In the first to the Ephesians verse 18. speaking of the riches of the glorie of the inheritance of Heauen he sayes thou shalt neuer get it but among the Saintes Then againe he sayes chap. 3. vers 18. Who shall vnderstand the loue and charitie of God None but they that are in the societie of the Saintes No light mercie nor knowledge of God but to them that stands knit vp as members in the bodye of Christ ye see cut off a member of the body and cast it away no sap can follow from the body to it So if thou be cut off from the number of the Saintes vvho are the Church of God thou shalt neuer get any grace of Christ Now to the next chapter In the fourth and fift chapters followes the last part of this Epistle containing the doctrine of maners exhorting to holinesse of lyfe and godlinesse But to the wordes He sayes And furthermore As he would say all is not tolde I will tell that which rests which is the doctrine of maners precepts of godlie lyfe and conuersation When we haue teached all the yeere ouer when we haue tolde you the doctrine of justification sanctification c. so long as there is no speaking of a godly lyfe and conuersation and so long as we haue not tolde you how ye should lead your lyfe there is euer something behinde vnspoken of Neuer a full and perfite preaching wher there is nothing spoken of a good or of an euill lyfe and conuersation For there is such a necessitie laid on men and wemen in this world that all serues for nothing except they liue a good holy life Thy profession of loue righteousnesse mercie all the rest is but vanitie and winde if thy conuersation toward thy neighbour be not aunswerable to thy profession it is a shame to thee to speake of Christ of holinesse of righteousnesse of life euerlasting except thou liue conforme thereto And therefore ye shall neuer read any Epistle of Paul but euer vvhen he hes spoken of faith justification c. then in the end he subjoynes precepts charging vs to liue a godlie lyfe And more then this Trow ye in the end at Christs comming to judgement that the pretence of faith or righteousnes will be sufficient to thy eternal saluation No but we must liue holie for al the blessinges of God in Christ tends to this end that we may liue holie yea this is the end of election it selfe Ephes 1. 4. Paul sayes We are chosen from all eternitie that we should be holie Then we should liue soberlie and justlie with our neighbour Tit. 2. 12. And therefore either cast avvay profession of Christianitie and heare neuer a word of faith righteousnesse c. or else striue to liue conforme thereto This in generall Now to the wordes I beseech and exhort you and that in the Lord Iesus Christ What exhorts he that they increase more and more in godlie lyfe and conuersation As for the forme of your going forward I haue tolde you the forme hovv ye should vvalke in this world walke conformable thereto The words would be well marked I beseech and exhort you sayes he in the Lord Iesus He might haue well said I command you as wrytting to Philemon vers 8. 9. he sayes When I might command thee in the name of Iesus yet rather for loues sake I pray thee Loue turnes the command in a prayer All doctrin that comes from any person must come of loue or else it is deare of the hearing Now he showes his loue in speaking for the wordes comes from the heart and so among al the rest of the wayes whereby he vtters the loue he had in his heart this is one when precept and commaund is turned ouer to requeesting When he may commaund he will not but he turnes it ouer and
workes shall be the tokens of the true cause which is the onely justice of Christ imputed vnto vs by faith I dare say albeit the reprobate wortheâ—â—e shall be damned according to their workes yet they shall be speciallie condemned that they beleeued not in Iesus Christ but contemned his Gospell without faith Then to come to the sentence The Lord will beginne at the elect as best and worthiest and he shall giue them their sentence Come ye blessed of my Father and vvherâ—â—â— the Kingdome prepared for you before 〈…〉 of the vvorlde Matt. chap. 25 verse 32. From once this sentence is past out on them when this absolution from death and damnation is pronounced looke what estate they 〈◊〉 be in They shall stand with the Angles as assessours to judge the reprobate So Paul 1. Cor chap. 6. verse 3. saies knovv 〈…〉 iudge the Angels that is to say we shall allow that most just sentence of Iesus And among all the rest of the 〈◊〉 the twelf Apostles speciallie shall haue place For they shall sit on twelfe Thrones to justifie that just sentence that shall passe on the reprobate Then shall the sentence passe out on the reprobate the voice shall goe downe throgh the aire to the earth a terrible voice 〈◊〉 accursed of my Father to the fire prepared for the Deuill and all his Angels Brethren thinke not this a fable manie will not beleeue this vntil they feele it in them selues Now to be short To speake of the lyfe of the reprobate after this sentence they shall noâ— remaine on the earth In the verie moment of the doome that is certaine they shall passe to dâ—mnation 〈…〉 At that same verie moment thou receiuest the sentence of lyfe thou shalt goe to Heauen The moment the reprobate receiues sentence of damnation they shall go to Hell Now to speake of this death and lyfe I will not be curious there is much spoken in the Scripture thereof both to let vs see the glorie of the elect and the torments of the reprobate But I tell you in one word it was neuer all tolde Neuer Prophet nor Apostle expressed the greatnesse of the joy that shall come to the godlie nor of the paine that shall come to the vngodlie There shall bee another paine nor fyre and brimstone to bee tormented in Neyther can any expresse the joye in Heauen There shall be such glorie and joye as the eare of man neuer heard of the eye hes not seene nor yet hes it entered in the heart of man Novv looke hovv Paul speakes of this joye heere He sayes 〈◊〉 shall be 〈◊〉 vvith the Lord. He contentes him with these wordes To be with the Lord imports not a dwelling only vvith him but a lyfe and glorious lyfe joye that is vvith him vnspeakable I cannot tell it all the tongues in the vvorlde cannot tell it For all the joye in Heauen it is in the Sonne of God and shall shine through him that is through the naturall 〈◊〉 of man couered ouer vvith a Majestie and so all Heauens joye and glorie shall be vvith him and they vvho shall bee vvith him shall be in that glorie and joye vvith him I dare say more These thinges shall not be outvvith vs onely but vvithin our bovvels The joye and glorie shall not be outvvith the godlie as it is novv Commonlie the glorie the pleasure are ouâ—vvith vs the matter of joye outvvith vs and vve 〈◊〉 to it But then all matter of joye shall be in vs Christ first be in vs and God shall be all in all and God in 〈◊〉 be dvveling in vs and then vvhen thou hast all vvithin thee vvhat shall thou vvant And therefore in the Reuelation chap 21. verse 2 it is said We shall not neede thinges outvvith vs. neyther a Temple nor Sunne nor Moone for God being in thee shall be vnto thee a Temple hee is all in all and hee being in thee 〈…〉 all 〈…〉 thee In one vvord He shall be vvithin the◠〈…〉 because God in Christ shall dvvell vvithin thee and 〈…〉 part of that glorie and felicitie of that lyfe Novv is there no more nor this What matter if it vverfor a tyme vve vvere to be with him What matter of Heauen if Heauen lasted not What matter of a Kingdome that vanishes away A man set vp on a pompe to day casten down to morrow what matter of heauenlie glory let be the earthly glory if it lasted not but the Apostle saies we shall be with him for euer Take vp then our blessednesse It stands in two pointes first a passing and exceeding joy and glorie and secondlie in an eternity and euerlastingnesse of joy and glorie Paul plainly and pithilie settes these two together 2. Cor. chap. 4. verse 17. He calles it a weight of glorie that is excellent Then he calles it an euerlasting glorie There are two a weight of glorie and an euerlasting vveight of glorie and more excessiuelie excessiue He cannot get wordes to vtter it It is a weight that will vveigh dovvne all the vvorlde and then a weight of glorie excessiuelie excessiue and then eternall and euerlasting So our felicities in glorie and passing great glorie and an euerlasting glorie As for the paines of the reprobate I will not insist to speake of them because the Apostle is speaking heere to comfort the elect Now when the Apostle hes made a discourse of the comming of Christ He makes his exhortation and sayes and so I say also Comfort one another vvith these vvordes Brethren many hes sought comfort death is dolorous and wearisome in the owne nature and therefore many of the Heathen hes busied themselues to get comfort and matter of consolation in the houre of death What matter of death if there be a comfort therein but then is death dolorous when it is without comfort But vvas there euer any that got comfort that knew not Christ and the resurrection and a life after this life no neuer man neither king nor Emperor As for all the comforts they had all was but vanitie and dreames of comfort Againe I say Was there euer anie that gaue comfort to a bodie in death or that gaue comfort to them that vvas heauie for the death of their freinde but that man that hes a sense of that glorious resurrection of Christ and of his comming And therefore as thou wouldst haue comfort in death giue comfort for death know that the Lord is to come in the world knovv that there shall be a glorious resurrection and after the resurrection there shall be an eternall joy and glorie in Heauen And looke that this be not onely wordes in the mouth There are many vaine bablers of Christ and of that glorious resurrection A knaue an adulterer a murtherer will flatter himselfe and clatter of that glorie and joy but all is vanity Wilt thou be a knaue and then speake of these thinges The Lord shall punish thee Looke therefore that thy speaking of the latter
day be not in vaine wordes Heauen and lyfe euerlasting is not in wordes but looke that it be fectfull in the heart and that of the aboundance of the heart the mouth speake Before thou speake feele it in thy heart and then speake So sayes Paul 2. Cor. chap. 4. verse 13. I beleeue I shall ryse and therefore I speake to you And Dauid sayes I beleeue and therefore I spake Psal 116. 10. And say I pray God that I beleeue all these thinges that I speake to you The Lord giue euerie one of vs grace that we may beleeue all these thinges of Christes comming and of the glorious resurrection For vvithout Faith and Hope of these thinges no comfort no lyfe The Lord giue vs Faith and Hope vntill he bring vs to the full sight and fruition of these thinges throgh Christ To whom with the Father and the holie Spirite be all honour and praise for euer and euer AMEN THE XIX LECTVRE VPON THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE THESSALONIANS 1. THESSA CHAP. 5. vers 1. 2. 3. 1 But of the tymes and seasons brethren ye haue no neede that I vvrite vnto you 2 For ye your selues knovve perfectly that the day of the Lord shall come euen as a thiefe in the night 3 For vvhen they shall say Peace and safetie then shall come vpon them sudden destruction as the trauaile vpon a vvoman vvith childe and they shall not escape IN the text immediatlie going before ye haue heard brethren of the comming of the Lord Iesus the Iudge of the world in that day appointed to judge the quicke and the dead Of the resurrection of the dead especially of the chosen that shal be dead before that day of the changing of them that shall be found liuing that day by vertue of the resurrection of Christ and of the lyfe glorie and joy that they shall enjoy after they are rest vp in the clouds They shall be with him for euer Now to come to this text we haue in hand The Thessalonians hearing and vnderstanding that the Lord will come from heauen Iesus will come and judge the world might haue moued the question to the Apostle about the tyme of his comming when he will come what yeer what day what houre what time generally shall we looke for him The Apostle meetes this and answers It is not needfull brethrer that I vvrit vnto you of the times and seasons for ye yourselues knovv perfectly that the comming of the Lord shall be as a thâ—efe in the night And therefore why should I goe calculat dayes and yeeres to you seeing that the Lord shall come at vnwares and on a suddainty the world shal not wit vntil he come And he proues this in the next verse from the effect of his comming They who shall be found in a deadlie securitie sleeping they shall be striken sodainly For vvhen they shall say Peace and safetie then shall come vpon them sodaine destruction as the trauaile vpon a vvoman vvith chylde and they shall not escape And vpon that followes an exhortation to vigilance Now to come to the words of the text I need not vvrit to you saies the Apostle concerning times and seasons It is not needfull would he say it is not expedient it is not profitable to you yea more it pertaines not to you to know it As the Lord saies Act. 1. 7. when the Disciples a litle before his ascension was curious to know the times he saies It is not expedient to you to knovv the tymes and the seasons the Lord hes in his 〈◊〉 By times is meant all times lesse or more whether it be the time of an houre a day a weeke yeere or any greater tyme. It pertaines not to you to knowe anie tyme of Christes comming yea to knowe in what age of the worlde let be the moneth weeke yeere or day it shall be It pertaines not to you to knowe any definite or certaine tyme. The next word is 〈…〉 It meanes a more strait and particular tyme when things commes to passe according to the Lords preseryued tyme in his counsell the artickle of tyme God hes appointed to it There is nothing the Lord hes appointed but it shall fâ—ll out in that same moment and artickle of tyme. Now would ye know what meanes these seasons I vnderstand by them the morning noon-tide euening In the 1. chap. Act. It is not for you saies Christ to knovv tymes and seasons vvhich the Lord â—es put in his ovvn povvers Ye should not know the time of his comming whether he come in the morning euen tyde midnight or cock-â—â—â—w So the answere the Apostle makes is ye should not be curious about the time of Christs comming asking for daies weeks months yeers it is not for you to know this Now to marke something for I vvill not goe deeplie in this matter We learne of the text immediatly going before There is nothing vnder the Sunne more sure not this that Christ vvill come Certainty of Christs comming This is a thing that euerie one of vs is bound to knowe that Christ will come and sit in judgement and put an end to all thinges in this worlde And this is an artickle of our Creed From thence he vvill come to iudge the quick and the dead If thou beleeue not that Artickle howbeit thou beleeue all the rest of the Artickles thy faith is nothing Then the second thing I marke of this is the curiositie of the Thessalonians This curiositie hes beene in all ages that when any man heard tell that the Lord Iesus is to come againe and to judge the world and to put an end to all thinges in all ages there hes risen vp men curious to vnderstand the tyme and to searche when he shall come The Apostles begouth this Curiositie in searching the tyme of Christes comming repressed for immediatlie before the ascension of our Lord they vttered this curiositie asking the tymes and seasons of his comming againe But incontinent their curiositie is snibbed and repressed by the Lord Act. 1. 7. From that tyme men hes neuer left off to be curious of these tymes and seasons Men hes beene curious to lay an account if Christes comming shall be in this yeere in this age yea men in our age hes done this but all is vanitie Now thirdly I note on Pauls part and his answere to them Men should not search in curiouslie anent the tyme of Christes comming Men should not seeke the moneth day yeere nor age that perteines not to them There is great difference betweene the first comming of Christ and his second comming As to the first comming it was the will of the Lord that the tyme of his comming should be knowne to the world And therefore he reuealed the yeere of his comming to the olde Prophetes As ye may see 9 Daniell And as Peter telles 1. Epist chap. 1. verse 10. They searched in to the very tyme of this comming and they did nothing
the thirde verse the Apostle giues the reason of the sodaintie of the comming of that day as a thief in the night For vvhen they shall cry Peace Peace c. As he woulde say The effect shall shovve it byde vntill he come The sodaine destruction at his comming shall shovve his sodaine comming When they shall say peace c. and say all is well shut the doores and be merie then on a sodaintie the destruction shall ouertake them Then I see that the death that men shall die at Christes comming shall bee a sodaine death Who euer shall die at Christes comming shall die sodainlie A great difference betweene this death which vve die novv and that death which shall be at Christs comming When men now dies they get leasure to die There is patience in God there is leuitie and long suffering for when we see we are on death-bed neuer to liue againe then he drawes vs to repentance and he wil not sodainlie strike vs to death but giues vs tyme to amend and turne to him A murtherer he will take him and cast him in prison and vvill let him aâ—yde there to see if hee vvill repent So there is patience now But in the day of judgement there shall be no lenitie nor patience And if thou be a reprobate thou shalt not haue grace nor tyme to say Lord be mercifull to me for er thou end the word when thou beginst to speak thou shalt be striken And what means this Euen that this is the acceptable day the day of Gods patience and long suffering Repent therefore Sit not the tyme for certanilie wilt thou sit the tyme vntill that comming no patience no grace no repentance but a change shall be in the twinckling of an eye The Lord when he giues vs tyme to repent giues vs grace also to repent Thinke it a great blessing when the Lord layes thee in paine that he giues thee that tyme to repent and make vauntage of it Now the wordes woulde be marked For vvhen they shall say peace then shall come on them sodaine destruction In the chapter going before the first death was called a sleepe yea the reprobate when he is striken it is called a sleepe and where sleeping is there is a waking againe But the second death is commonlie called destruction an vtter wreak and destruction and no death In the 2. Epist Thessal chap. 1. verse 9. Paul speaking of Christes comming to judgement and paine of the reprobate he castes to a propertie to this worde and calles it an euerlasting destruction Heere he calles it a sodaine hastie destruction How can these two stand Well eneugh for in the comming of Christ it shall be sodaine and yet albeit the comming be sodaine the destruction shall be endlesse and not sodaine Well were them if they were beastes for so soone as the branes of a beast are beaten out then the wreak of it is done But the reprobate shall ay be deing and neuer be dead ay wreaked and neuer an end of their wreaking What matter if at the end of ten thousand yeeres there could be an end of their destruction Paul in that place giues a reason of that endlesse destruction There is none of vs but we should vnderstand this Seeke the cause from the judge and striker The cause is not so much in the man striken as in him who strikes who is infinite And therefore the paine is infinite As for exemple Let a King or Monarch take a man torment him and yet holde his lyfe in Burne him and boyle him with â—yle yet that paine shall end Let him pull the skin off him doe what torment he can to him yet that paine shall end For neuer a Monarch yet could keepe a man in endlesse paine they may well pyne folke but that paine shall haue an end all the judges power is bounded and limited and therefore he must haue an end in his tormenting But the Lord is infâ—â—t And therefore he may torment in pain euerlastingly Al torment here is but childs play in respect of the heauy judgements of God what matter to fall in mans hands their wraith and power is nothing in respect of that infinite wraith of God who punishes without an end of paine Hell is not so light a thing as men trowes That terrible day is not as men beleeues Therefore in vvhose handes that euer thou cast thy selfe cast not thy selfe in the handes of an angrie God No rather chuse to die ten thousand tymes ere thou fall in the handes of an angrie God If thou knew the torments of Hell tho would be afrayed So the thing especiallie we should care for in this lyfe is euer to seeke to stand in friendship with him to be war of his wraith and rather take on thee the wraith of the whole world Now he notes the tyme when this sodaine destruction shall fall When they shall be saying Peace and safetie at this tyme scarcely shal he haue ended the word when the strok shal light We reade of Belshazzar Daniell 5. 5. who was prophaning the veshels of the Lords house and crying peace but he had not spoken the word when all his joints seuered and the hand writting on the wall afrayed him In the wordes marke tvvo things First on whom shall this sodain destruction fall secondly what tyme should this destruction be Then vvho is it on vvhom this sodaine destruction falles The vvord beares men and wemen making mirth in this earth without the care of God or man The thiefe when he breakes in in a house in the night vvho is it in the house he oppresses If there be a bodie that is founde sleeping he vvill cutte his throte but if there be anie waking and on his guarde that man vvill escape the thiefe So the Lord when he shall come and will compasse the whole vvorlde as it were in a spanne whom vvill he oppresse sodainelie Him vvhom he findes sleeping in the senslesse bed of securitie vvithout thought eyther of God or of the Deuill such a man the throate of him shall be cutted and hee vvill be casten in Hell incontinent But vvho shall be safe They who are watching and praying lying also in a securitie but in a spiritual securitie hauing an assurance of Gods grace and mercie to them Their throate shall not be cutted But when is it that the bodie sleeping in a deadlie securitie shall be destroyed Euen when they are in the highest degree of securitie Degrees of security Of this sleeping and securitie there are degrees The best that liues is not altogether fred from this sinne but there is some that glories in their sinne The murtherer glories in his murther and he will say He hes slaine one to me but I haue slaine three to him for it The whore glories in whoredome Then in the meane-tyme when he is on the hight of his sleepe eating and drinking then he is in the entresse to hell and when he is tumbling
in sinne the shall the Lord come and strike him with a sodaine stroke and light on his head with an heauy bloody yron rod when thou art in the midst of thy sinne in drinking in murther then shall this â—odde light on thy head to destroy thee Now this word 〈◊〉 or speaking which the Apostle vses â—â—ere would be marked there are sundrie kindes of speakinges There is a speaking in the mouth there is a speaking in the hart there is a speaking also in deeds and actions The Psalmist sayes Psal 14. 1. The foolish man hes said in his heart there is not a God They confesse him in mouth but in heart they deny him Paul speakes of some wicked men who professes they knovv God but in vvordes they deny hi◠〈…〉 Tit. 1. 16. Now the wordes of the Apostle are not to be taken so strait of them that spoke with the mouth only but of those also that speakes the fairest with their mouth but with a false heart and a wicked deed in the hand If thou be found speaking peace and all sure whether it be in mouth hart or hand this sodaintie in vengence shall ouertak thee Among al the tokens of a judgement comming securitie is one of the chief Woulde ye knowe if a judgement be comming on a creature I will tell you If I finde the 〈◊〉 sleeping and sâ—oâ—ting in murther 〈◊〉 and wickednesse I will say Thou art able to get a black wakning And therefore among other 〈◊〉 that shall goe before the latter day a dead 〈◊〉 shall be one For when they are sleeping in their high sleepe the◠〈◊〉 the Iudge come 〈…〉 When was it that the destruction lighted on the first world when they were sleeping eating and drinking without thought of Heauen or Hell When was Sodome destroyed when all the inhabitants thereof wer eating and drinking then fire and brimstone came downe from Heauen and destroyed them Againe in your owne memories what euer judgement lighted on any Cittie or person in Scotland but ye might see a sensible and dead securitie on them It is most sure Ye shall see the experience of it in a childe broght to the sâ—affold among other lamentations of his miserie he will say alas I was sleeping in sinne vntill now I was sleeping in securitie I was playing the harlote I was murthering c. the verie month of him will tell his securitie These plagues of Pest and 〈◊〉 began among these borderers what was their exercise sleeping in sin reauing from others So most justly the plague hes seased on them Trow ye to be free of it No truely the Pest had neuer so soone come on Edinburgh except ye had beene sleeping And I pronunce in Gods name if there be not a wakning in tyme and arysing vp out of this senslesse securitie there shall be another kynde of death Now brethren Then comparison would be marked whereby he settes out the sodaine judgement Euen as a dolour takes a vvoman vvith chylde So shall that paine ouertake them The dolour of a woman trauelling and the dolour in Hell is lyke other in sundrie points And therefore the Scripture takes oft the exemple of it to descryue the paine of Hell as in this part Ye see the woman beares the matter of her paine in her owne bosome the childe and where shall be the matter of pains of Hell which is sinne but in the catiues owne bosome lykewise as a woman with childe will be full of childe So the heart of a knaue will be filled with wickednesse and be heauie albeit he leape and skip on the earth They are lyke in sodaintie For as the sicknesse commes on the woman sodainlie So the strok of hel shall be sodaine and striken sodainlie Compair these two paines in sharpnesse As the woman hes a sharp dolour which if it lasted were vntolerable if the Lord gaue not leysure to draw their breath betweene showre and showre as they call it it were vntolerable So the paines of Hell are exceeding sharp and vntolerable But heere they differ The womans paine is but for a tyme but the paine of Hell indures for euer Againe when the paine will come on a woman she may be at the table eating or drinking or she may be sleeping and it will sodainelie take her So the paine of Hell will come sodainly when the wicked are eating and drinking and making merie But alas when the Apostle hes compared it to the paine of a woman trauailing with chylde he hes not â—aulde all no not the thousand part of that paine The paine of Hell passes all measure The Scripture for our capacitie settes downe a comprehensible paine to signifie an incomprehensible paine O the incomprehensible paine of Hell Alwayes when thou seest a paine intolerable thinke on Hell And say O Lord this paine on me albeit it be in the fleshe it is exceeding sore therfore Lord saue me from that exceeding paine in Hell Now when he hes spoken of the tyme and paine of it He sayes they shall not escape Some will say May not men and wemen flee He therefore seales and stampes the worde vvhich none can open Thou shalt not escape Art thou one who hes bene playing and liuing in dead securitie thou shalt not escape The bullet came neuer so sodainlie out of the gun as the judgement shall come on the knaue and murtherer Men will flee these earthlie judgements when the sword commes a knaue wil flee from it When the Pest commes it may be that a knaue will escape better nor one that is worthie twentie of him O the patience of God! Knowe ye what God will be doing in the mean-tyme It may be he is reseruing the knaue and oppressour to a sorer judgement nor the Pest he may be keeping him to the day of Judgement when hee shall be striken with the sodaine paine of Hell And this is true The longer he is reserued and repentes not the heauier shall the judgement be when it lightes For the keeping of him is an occasion to heape sinne on him Keepe a murtherer who hes slaine one to day if he repent not he shall slay another to morrow and ay increase in sinne One sinne is the punishment of another and a wicked man will run from one sinne to another vntill he come to the head of the ladder and haue filled the cuppe full and holde it vp in his hand saying It is full What is the Lord doing Hes he done one sin The Lord heapes vp an heape of wraith for him Hes he committed another sinne He addes to another heape of wraith and so vntill the cuppe be full the wraith of God is daily augmented vntill it be powred out on his head Alas will not the visible experience of Gods judgementes moue vs But how euer it be that men escape now vntill Christ shall come to the judgement yet there shall be no escaping at that later day O the hand of the Lord will ouer-spanne
all the Lords hand will draw thee out be where thou wilt be It is true at that latter day before Christes comming some will runne to one hole some to another hole some will cry Hilles couer vs from the vvraith of the Lambe Shall the hilles couer them No no the Hilles shall present them to the judge all the creatures shall serue that God and search them out The watter shall spew them out the verie fyre shall present them to that Iudge No escaping from the sight of that Iudge Then ye haue the suddentie of this judgement the eternitie of it and paine of it Let all these holde vs in awe Paul sayes Knovving the terrour of the Lord I trauell to be faithfull in my calling I exhort men 1. Corint chap. 5. verse 11. So let vs thinke on all these thinges and set our selues to serue God in this lyfe that we may be fred of paine for euer The Lord graunt vs grace to doe so for Christes sake To whom with the Father and the holy Spirite be all honour and praise for euer Amen THE XX. LECTVRE VPON THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE THESSALONIANS 1. THESSA CHAP. 5. vers 4. 5. 6. 7. 4 But ye brethren are not in darknesse that that day should come on you as it were a thiefe 5 Ye are all the children of light and the children of the day vve are not of the night neither of darknesse 9 Therfore let vs not sleep as do other but let vs vvatch be sober 7 For they that sleepe sleepe in the night and they that be drunkē are drunken in the night BRETHREN ye heard that it was a thing most sure and certaine that the Lord Iesus will come againe to judge the quicke and the dead ye heard againe in the beginning of this chapter the vncertaintie of the day and houre of his comming vvhat age he shall come in vvhat yeere he shall come vvhat month what day vvhat houre vvhether in the morning noone-tyde midnight cockcrow c. No man knowes neither is it reuealed neither is it a thing to be knowne it is not for our well to knowe it but for our wel to be ignorant of it for if we knew it it would ingender a securitie in vs the ignorance of it is or at the least shold be an occasion to vs of waking and preparation of vs for it makes vs ready at what time soeuer he shall come to meete him Alwaies when he shall come to the vngodly there shall be a destruction Iudgement shall suddenly ouertake a great nomber of men and wemen that shall be found alyue at his comming especiallie these who shall be glorying in the face of the world saying all is well shall be suddenly striken as the dolor commes on a woman with chylde and they shall not escape Now to leaue all thinges taught before and to come to this present matter I haue read The Thessalonians to whom the Apostle writes hearing that at Christes comming there shall be a sudden destruction might haue consaued a feare as no doubt some of them did they might haue thought that that sudden destruction should haue ouertaken them at the comming of Christ The Apostle meetes this feare with a comfort and he sayes to them who were turned who were translated from darknesse to light Brethren vsing an homely style Ye are not in darknesse the sudden destruction shall ouertake them onely who at the comming of Christ shall be found in darknesse lying in blindnesse not knowing Christ but as for you brethren that day shal not come on you as a thief that sudden destruction shall not light on you Indeede it is true it shall come on you at vnawares but it is as true albeit it be vnawares yet it shall not destroy you The reason is because ye are not in darknesse ye are translated out of that darknesse ye were before into to light to the light of Heauen and so ye shall be found waking when the Lord shall come and so ye ye shall escape that destruction that shall ouertake them who shall be found sleeping in grosse ignorance at that day This is the meaning shortlie of the Apostle in this place Now to marke something Learne heere first when the judgementes of God are threatned when mention is made of that latter judgement and of that sudden destruction that shall be at Christes comming Who are they that feares and trimbles vvho are they that are striken vvith feare and terrour It is not the wicked of the world that is lying in darknesse in the ignorance of God and of Christ that is feared for any threatning of a judgement Threaten on a yeere the wicked who is indured in heart will neuer be striken with feare The vvicked mocks the iudgment of God tell him of judgement the judgement shall neuer moue him a whit◠albeit it pertaine to him Speake to him of the sudden destruction that shall be at Christs comming in the world tell him there shall be a day of count and albeit he seeme in the mouth to acknowledge it yet he shall scorne it in his heart Reade the second Epistle of Peter chap. 3. verse 4. There the mocker is brought in saying Where is the promise of his comming for since the Fathers died all thinges continue alyke from the beginning of of the creation Christ indeede shall come to judge the quicke and the dead there shall be a generall judgement and a count and reckoning for all our actiones and vvorkes done in this world good and euill and a sudden destruction of the world yet tell the mocker of these thinges he shall scorne them all and he will thinke all are but vaine fectlesse threatninges Yea not onely will the wicked contenine all the threatning of judgment but also the verie judgement it selfe that is lighted on him except it be all the heauier he will contemne it Read Fsay 9. 10. They say sayes he in the pryde of their heart it is but bricke and clay houses that are casten dovvn to vs when the judgement commes on them but vve shall build vp again houses of stone Se the contēpt of the judgement of God So except the judgement be the heauier they shall contemne it and scorne God in his face Experience telles this The Earle the Lord c. wil say when his house is casten down in the just judgement of God What matter that this house be casten down I shall builde vp one farre better but the Lord may make that new house fall about thy eares So the world will neuer know the judgements of God vntil the judgement light on them to their destruction Well then if the wicked fear not the judgments of God then who feares the godly they whom to the judgment of God pertains not The godly feare gods iudgmēts And I dar say in Edinburgh the godliest is euer most feared for Gods judgments The Lord is terrible when he commes in judgment Paul
be sounde sleeping When the murtherer is busiest at his murther albeit he be ryding and running the quickell man in bodie that euer was the soule in the meane-tyme is lying in a deadlie sleepe So I doubt not but if the Lord Iesus would come in this houre alas the vengence that would ouertake many of them So they who are in harlotrie and their senses exercised most in harlotrie then they are most sleeping in soule Trow ye if the eye of the soule saw God that for all the world they would be exercised in such a filthie exercise So he meanes chieflie of the watching of the soule Indeede it is true as I haue said before it is good to be walkrife in bodie for if thou be sanctified thy bodie waking shall be exercised in some good exercise And therefore Christ in the garden immediatlie before his passion Matthevv chap. 26. verse 4. woulde haue his Apostles waking in bodie aswell as in soule least they should enter into tentation for they sleeped vntill his enemies came Sobrietie and so for feare they left him Then the second thing commaunded is sobernesse There are two sortes of it The one of the body the other of the soule The bodie when it is not surfetted with any excesse The soule when it is not drunken with the world and pleasurs therof is sober for as the bodie hes her sobrietie so the soule hes the owne sobrietie and heere I specially vnderstand the sobriety of the soule but indeed the sobriety of the body is to be joined to it For the sobriety of the body helps much to the sobriety of the soule As I said before when the body passes measure in drunkennes the soule is commonly drunken to so when the body is in sobriety the soule is in sobriety and applied to godlinesse So both the drunkennes of soule and body is forbidden In the 21. of Luke 34. He saies Be vvare least your harts be prest dovvn vvith surfetting and drunkennesse that is of the body and vvith the carefulnes of the vvorld that is of the soule Therfore keep sobriety in body and soule Then brethren there are two thinges forbidden and two thinges commaunded viz. sleeping excessiue and drunkennesse in soule and body forbidden watching and sobrietie in soule and bodie commanded Now in the next wordes he giues the reason wherefore they should not sleepe and be drunken but watch and be sober They that sleepe sleepe in the night and they vvho are drunken are drunken in the night Now he would subsume ye are not of the night therefore be ye not drunken but be sober So this argument is taine from the inconnenientnesse of the tyme it is no tyme to you to be drunken now ye are not in the night Men vses to sleepe and be drunken in the night men who does euill seekes darknesse Ye are not in the night but ye are the children of the day Therefore it settes not you to be sleeping or drunken but ye should watch and be sober I take vp the lesson shortly In all our actions and doings we should haue a speciall respect to the tyme for there is great moment and weight in the tyme when we should doe this thing or that thing and speciallie in the two tymes the day and the night All actions must be done in these two tymes The day hes the actions of the day The night hes the actions of the night The actions of the day shold not be done in the night The actions of the night should not be done in the day This should be commonly keeped albeit necessitie sometyme compels otherwaies There are some actions that are seemelie to be done in the day that is not seemelie to be done in the night As for exemple It settes a man to be wakng in the day it is not seemely to wake in the night except necessitie compell Againe there are some actions that are setting to be done in the night and not in the day as to sleep in the night and it settes a man better to drunken in the night if he would be drunken nor in the day It is a shame to be drunken before the Sun and day light Paul in the Rom. chap. 12. verse 11. 12. 13. sayes Men and wemen should vvalke in comelinesse all maner of way So soone as thou goest out to the sight of the Sun albeit none saw thee but the Sun it becomes thee to be comely So thou who would be drunken drinke in the night Fy oâ—â—t that a drunken bodie should come to the Sun if there were no more but the light of the Sun it cryes to God for vengence on drunkennesse albeit no man saw it Now brethren there are some vnnaturall men and wemen who will turne the action of the day to the night and the night to the day Fy on thee that preuents nature When this faire Sunne ryses in the morning to comfort them to let them see the face of it and to doe their duetie in that function the Lord hes called them to What will they then doe off their cloathes and goe to their beddes Nothing the most part of the day tyme but dead sleeping except they be constraint otherwaies Then when the Sun goes down they are glad and ryses to their villany And so they testifie that they detest the glorious light of the Sun which should rejoyse vs. Alwaies when others goe to their beds then they begin to rise to eat and drinke c. and to take their pleasure this is not comely and I tell thee the vengence of God will light on thee if it were onely for the preuenting of the order of nature Let the day be day and the night be night No question this peruerting of nature procures the heauy vengence of God to fall on them and their houses Trow ye that God of Heauen who ordained nature can suffer nature to be so abused without auengement No I dare say thou that doest slaye before the Sunne the Sun shall beare witnesse against thee and say Lord this villan so abhominably committed murther in my eye thou sette me in the Heauen that none should worke villany in my eye but he set me to litle auaile The Sun no doubt is wearied and groanes to see the wickednesse of men and wemen and the creatures groanes to see their vyle sins and faine would be releued thereof This earth they goe on groanes vnder the burdene and would as faine be releued of them as a woman with childe would be releued of her birth Well then if the Lord will reuenge so a sinne that is done before the light of this Sun that shynes and if the light of this same verie Sunne aggreadges their sinne before the Lord and maks their judgement the greater O what greatnesse must be in sin and how fearefull must the judgement be when sin is committed with an vplifted hand in the face of Christ that Sun of righteousnesse shyning to vs in his
where-vpon it standes so fast and firmely to the end they should haue the certaintie of the hope of saluation and look certainly to be safe The grounds are two The first Gods eternall ordinance and his appointing of them to saluation The second the death of Iesus Christ So we shall goe through these two groundes As to the first For saies he The first ground of the hope of our saluatioÌ„ gods decree God hes not appointed vs to vvraith that is to punishment But to obtaine saluation through the me â—es of the Lord Iesus Christ Then I marke the first foundation of our lyfe and saluation is in Gods eternall election and it is decreed from all eternity Our saluation standes vpon the ordinance and appointment decreeâ— and purpose of God before the foundation of the world the foundation of thy saluation was laid ere euer the foundation of the world was laid Vpon this ground of Gods ordinance ryses vp the building of thy saluation So as saluation it selfe is grounded on this eternall decree so hope of saluation is grounded vpon the sight of this eternall decree So that if thou get not a fight in some measure of the eternall ordinance and decreet of God appointing thee to saluation thou cannot haue a sure hope of saluation For what certaintie canst thou haue without a ground So of necessitie thou must haue some knowledge of Gods decree to ground hope on I speak this for them who faies it is a thing ouer curious to search in in predestination No no For if thou get not some sight that thou art in the decree of saluation before the world was made and say in thy self God hes decreed that I should be saued therefore I will hope for it thou shalt neuer haue a sure hope Now the decree of God is far of it hes no beginning and therefore it hes a farre sight for the sight of it is not gotten immediatly Neither I nor any man will be able to look in to Gods ordinance concerning saluation immediatly God will not take thee by the hand and lead thee in to his secreet counsell and let thee see it How then is it gotten Mediatly I knowe it by the effects and by them one by one I clim and ascend vp vntill I come to that decree of God Paul Rom. chap. 18. verse 30. These vvhom God hes predestinate he hes called them effectually and hes giuen them faith For in faith standes our effectuall calling and them vvhom he hes called he iustifies and vvhom he iustifies at last he glorifies Then vvoulde thou knovve that thou art appointed to lyfe before all eternity looke if thou hast a beginning of sanctification looke if thou be sanctified by the death of Christ and then go to thy calling And finde thou these in thee assure thee God hes appoynted thee to saluation before the worlde was made If I feele within my selfe my effectuall calling by God out of this vvorlde to God I assure my selfe God hes decreed from all eternitie I shall liue with him in glorie So to touch this againe It is foolishnesse to say that it is curiositie for men to seeke a vvarrand of their saluation And neuer shalt thou haue an assurance of thy saluation if thou get not this hope grounded on this decree The errour of the Papistes is heere rebooked that sayes there shoulde not be a certaintie of hope of saluation Folie folie For if I knowe the ground of my saluation that it is grounded vpon the ordinaunce of my God I assure me of that lyfe euerlasting because I knovve the certaintie of Gods ordinaunce therefore I may justlie assure my selfe that I shall liue vvith Christ heere and in the end I shall be glorified with him for euer Yet to stick on the vvordes He sayes God hes not appointed you to vvraith Learne by the way From all eternitie there hes beene two ordinaunces of God concerning men and wemen 2. decrees of God one to saluation another to damnation There hes beene from all eternitie and before the creation of the worlde and of men and vvemen an ordinaunce to lyfe Agane there hes beene another ordinaunce that some shoulde goe to Hell as there past an ordinaunce of lyfe in the counsell of God so there past an ordinaunce of death And these two decrees must stand The decree of lyfe cannot be rescinded The decree of damnation cannot be rescinded And in this place the Apostle speakes of them both Now brethren to enter deeplie in this matter it is not meete But this vnderstand It is not a naked permission of God that men should goe to Hell No the Lord hes decreed it to be done by himselfe and not to suffer it be done by another As for exemple As ye see a potter makes a vessell to honour so of purpose he makes another to dishonour and for vyle purposes Rom. chap. 9. verse 20. So the Lord hes appointed one sorte to saluation and another sorte to damnation Take head This appointing of God of the creatures to destruction as destruction is a just penaltie comming from the judgement of God for sinne so it commes of God and he is the executer thereof But if ye will take the destruction not as a punishment but as an vtter vvreake of the creatures I vvill not say it commes of God As it is a penaltie of sinne I thinke it commes of God and he is the doer thereof himselfe othervvayes not Alvvayes all these groundes standes sure there is a solide foundation of life and a solide foundation of damnation So this should teach euerie one of vs to striue to get a sight of that solide foundation of lyfe and Gods appointment of vs to life It is sure some are appointed to damnation yea and not a few nomber Some will say God sorbid any should goe to Hell hes not Christ died for all sinners Alas except thou see thy warrand of Gods ordinance to thy saluation thou shalt goe to Hell God is just as he is mercifull And as he will be glorified in mercy toward the godlie so will he be glorified in justice toward the wicked He sayes He â—es appointed you to saluation by the meanes of Iesus Christ. Then I see ere euer Gods appointment to lyfe and saluation take effect there must of necessitie interueene a purchasing of that lyfe that God hes appointed to thee that lyfe he hes appointed to thee before all eternity it must be boght But by whom must it be boght by thee by thy moyen No I giue thee this doome If thou thinke that any peece or least tytle of the deseruing of lyfe standes in thy hand thou shalt neuer get it Then who shall purchase it He sayes to be obtained by the meanes of our Lord Iesus Christ If the Apostle had said by thy merites then I would haue run on with the Papistes and haue cryed merites merites as fast as they do But the Apostle speaks plainelie it is
is a labourer but a honourable labourer Euen so euerie one that labours and hes offices in the Church are laborers but yet they are honorable laborers So the Ministers are laborers but honorable laborers for he is ouer thee and is thy superior And he hes a burdeene but a honorable burdeene and at the appearance of Iesus Christ in spyte of thee that contemnes him thou shalt see his honor and glory and thou shalt wonder at that day that euer he shold be promoued to that honor for he shall shine in the Heauen as a star this shall stand in despyte of the world Well come on now to the duetie of the people to their Pastor A Kings Master-houshold will be accounted of the Master-housholde of Christes Church what maner of honour shold ye haue him in Dueties of the people to the Pastor The first words that expresses the duety of the flock are knovve them misknowe them not The people would misknow them very faine yet what knowing is this It is the knowledge of the mind when in mind we take vp know that calling of the Ministry to be the Pastor by Iesus Christ the great Pastor to the Church to be a dispenser of the misteries of God and the in searchable riches of Christ such a dispenser as neuer was in the world not of bread and drinke as these world lie stewards No but of the insearchable riches of Christ and that to saluation and feeding of the soule to that life euerlasting wherin soule and body shal liue for euer This is the knowing be speaks of heere What more It is not a simple knowledge to know that he is a Minister but with knowing to joine reuerence giue him his own honor Paul 1. Cor. 4. 1. saies Let a man count of him not as thou couâ—â—s of Christ but count of him as a Minister and dispenser of the misteries of Christ giue him no more and cursed be that beast of Rome that wold take the place and honor of Christ on him Now this part of duety of the flock in reuerencing of the Pastor is answerable to that part of the calling of the Pastor he is a superior a superiority craues reuerence who euer he be that is a superior whether in families citties or common-wels or in Church if he be set ouer you honor him this is the ordinance of the Lord if the Lord haue set him ouer you honor him look not to the man but to the Lords ordinance And this I continuallie persaue there is a naturall hatred and contempt in the hearts of the people euer toward any superior whether in Church or Policy a naturall ioâ—y we are bred with it and we entertaine it and incresse it Thou hast a naturall hatred against thy superiour if thou wert neuer so good if thou wouldst faine haue him away if thou wouldst cast of all yock but this is a thing the Lord is offended with For I affirme this all superiour powers that are set ouer vs whether in Church or Policie reuerence and honor is craued to them God ordaines it and God will auenge the contempt thereof Now to speake generallie There are tvvo sortes of superiours One in the Policie ouer the bodies of men in the world another superiour in the Church of God which is nothing else but a stewartrie Now say I reuerence should be euer giuen to both reuerence the Magistrat whisper not against him but reuerence him if it be possible holde out euill thoughts out of thy heart let be euill wordes in thy mouth honour all beginne at the King and come to the lowest honour euery one in their owne ranke Againe in the Church honour the Ministrie as stewartes in a great familie the familie of the Lord of Lordes honour him as a faithfull stewart in the house of the Lord. If yee compare these two together euery one of them are bound to reuerence other the Politick Magistrate to reuerence the superiours in the Church Againe the superiours in the Church to reuerence the ciuile Magistrate I tell you my minde mutuallie they are superiours to others The Church man is inferiour to the Magistrate in things ciuile and therefore as a common man is bound to reuerence him and should teach all reuerence to them in that estate And by the contrare the Magistrate if it were the King shoulde be ruled by the Minister in thinges spirituall and he who is a stewart in the Church of God the King is bound to take out of his hand the thing wherevpon his soule feedes and so he and all other Magistrates are bound to reuerence him as Gods stewart If this mutuall reuerence were keeped well were it to Church and Commonwel but where it is not keeped no well in Church nor Policie and I shall craue euer to get this mutuall reuerence keeped and my trauell and exercise hes been this yeere bygone to get it keeped God is my witnesse Now this is for the first part of the duetie of the people The second thing he sayes haue them in singulare loue for their vvorker sake Not in a common loue but in a singulare loue it includes all the whole affectiones of the heart and yet there is more to be vnderstood heere the consequentes of this loue and the effects that followe therevpon If loue be in the heart it will break out in the hand So there are two thinges heere The one the singular loue in the heart the other the outward good deed in the hand If the Ministers giue to you thinges spirituall to enterteine the heauenly lyfe is it a great matter to you to giue them thinges temporall thinges to enterteine this fraile lyfe Now brethren this point of the duetie of the people answeres to that parte of the duetie of the Pastour which standes in labour A labourer would haue loue of them he labours for if it were but the seruant that labours in your kitching ye ought to loue him loue them who loues you Now he who labours not in a vyle office but in an honourable labour to your saluation how much more should ye esteeme of him honourablie and reuerence him An honourable labour woulde be honourablie handled Ye see the meeting that the Apostle craues The Pastour lyes vnder a burdeene and an honourable burdeene On the peoples parte he craues a meeting because the burdeene is honourable and the Pastour should haue preferment therefore he craues reuerence And because the Pastour labours therefore he cranes loue and entertaining of the people It is a common saying Friendship wil not stand long on the one side If this meeting be not of the people to the Pastor the Ministry cannot staÌ„d and the men cannot be able to beare the burdeene Brethren what shal I say alas experience telles vs for fault of this meeting on the part of the people and specially of these in Policie to whom this matter appertaines this Ministry is not like for to stand And I
affirme if there be not a better meeting and greater care to reuerence this calling and to loue and honour it and to prouyde sustentation for them that laboures the eyes of our posteriue shall see this Ministry decay It is going away Men beleeues it is well if they get the teyndes If the Lord and Laird get the teyndes Teinds he will indent and subscryue all with you But either must these things be redressed or else certainly there shall be a decay and then farewell all grace Shame and confusion to Scotland Trowes Scotland that the common-well shall floorishe or that the estate shall be good if this Ministrie goe away No there shall be nothing but desolation If they were heere to whom this matter and this admonition pertaines I woulde charge them in the name of God that they would show a better meeting to entertaine this Gospell or else shame shall ouertake them Now this farre as the wordes of the text furnishes to me I haue spoken of the duety of the people Nowe there is another precept added to this exhorting to peace Peace cōmanded Be at peace sayes he among your selues This is agenerall precept giuen to Ministers to people and to all men commaunding peace loue vnitie and concord of mynde This is the fountaine of other graces She goes before vs as a mother other graces as children followe her If she goe not before no following of graces Where peace is there is grace where peace is not there is no grace And therefore Paul first to Tim. chap. 2. verse 1 sayes Pray for Kings for what end that vve may lead a quyet and a peaceable lyfe in all godlinesse and honestie Where he meanes where peace is these two followes godlinesse which is the ground of the first table and honestie which is the ground of the second table Where peace goes avvay farevvell these tvvo Will ye looke to your ovvne families if there be not peace betvveen the Husband and the Wyfe tell me what grace can be in the familie tell me can godlinesse can grace be in the familie vvhere there is nothing but stryfe and enuy can common honestie be there No no grace Go to a Cittie where there is nothing but dissention can therebe grace godlines or honesty there Goe to a Kingdom or common-well where a Kingdom is rent in peeces can there be grace holinesse or honestie there So it is the peace in Iesus Christ vvhich is the mother and conquerour of all graces where the hearts of men and wemen are bound vp in peace there is floorishing either in Citty or houshold But yet vvhat peace should this be Wherein standes it It stands not in a faire vvord in a faire goode morrow nor in an outvvard behauiour or false fained smiling vvith thy mouth vvhen thou hast no loue in thy heart but this peace standes chieflie in the lenitie and conjunction of myndes and heartes Paul to the Eph. chap. 4. vers 3. sayes Studie to keepe the vnitie of the Spirit in the bond of peace where he earnestly recommends an vnion of myndes Paul to the Philippians in the 2. chap. vers 1. sayes If there be any consolation in Christ if any solace if any communion of the spirite if any bovvels of pittie fill vp my ioy and wherein standes it Be sayes he of lyke minde and affection There my joy let your affection be one haue one loue haue one minde dwell with all your soules together Ioyne so your hearts together as if they were one heart joyne your soules together and make vp one soule of all And as concerning your judgements he sayes be not of contrare opinions and judgementes There are some that euer delytes in contradiction When one will say one thing they will make a contradiction to it Now ye see wherein this peace stands and this is the peace that makes vp the Kingdom of God Paul sayes to the Romanes 14. 17. The Kingdom of God standes not in meate and drinke but in peace and righteousnesse tovvards God Indeed the Kingdom of men will be made vp of an outward counterfaite peace The Grecian Kingdom the Roman Impire stoode of an earthly peace but all vanitie the Kingdom of Christ is made vp of an vnitie of our soules knit together in Christ When our conscience is peaceable then our souls is knit to him Reade the 4. chapter to the Ephesians ye shall not finde so many arguments in no place as there to exhort men to vnitie There is sayes he but one bodie one spirite one hope of your vocation one Lord Iesus one faith one baptisme one God one Father of all Then if there be so many one thinges why should ye not be one Now the whole blessing of men standes in vnion Yea the blessednesse of God standes in an vnion the Father the Sonne and the holie Spirite vnited together in one God-hood The blessednesse of our nature standes in the vnion with our head Christ and in the vnion of the members among our selues Where this vnion is not there is nothing but miserie In the Kingdom of Heauen there is nothing but vnity by the contrare there is no peace in Hell If the father and the sonne goe to Hell together trow ye there shall be any loue betweene them No nothing but inuy all inuy and hatred is among the Deuils all peace and vnity is in God who drawes the soules of men and wemen together and makes one soule as it were in that glorious bodie of Christ The Lord giue vs this bond of vnitie and loue that we may be joyned with the rest of the members in one bodie to our head Iesus Christ To whom with the Father and the Spirite be immortall praise honour and glore world without end AMEN THE XXIII LECTVRE VPON THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE THESSALONIANS 1. THESSA CHAP. 5. vers 14. 15. 14 We desire you brethren admonish them that are vnruely comfort the feeble mynded beare vvith the vveake be patient tovvarde all men 15 See that none recompense euill for euill vnto any man but euer follovv that vvhich is good both tovvard your selues and tovvard all men WE goe forward brethren in these exhortations and preceptes concerning goode maners and godly conuersation vvhich the Apostle settes downe heere to the Thessalonians As for these whereof we haue alreadie spoken as that wakrifnesse that should be in them that sobernesse that spirituall armour vvherevvith they shold be armed concerning that mutuall exhortation euery one of them ought to other concerning that duetie that the flocke and the people ought to their Pastour concerning that mutuall peace that should be among them we speake nothing now recommending all to your memories who heard vs. Now in this text we haue reade presently first we haue three particulare directions concerning three estates of persones first concerning vnruely men secondly concerning feeble minded men and last concerning them that are infirme and vveake in saith vveake in the knovvledge
of Iesus Christ and of the thinges that concernes him not firmely persvvaded of them as vve shall heare 3. diseases vvith their remedies in the ovvne rovvme So there are heere three diseases or speciall sicknesses The first is vnrulinesse that is louse liuing the next feeblenesse of hart the thirde is vveakenesse and infirmitie in faith and in that persvvasion that vve should haue tovvardes Iesus Christ and the Gospell And as there are three diseases So the Apostle prescryues three seuerall remedies against these three diseases Marke it For euery disease he prescryues the ovvne proper remedie and cure for in ordinate liuing and vnrulie lyfe Admonition for feeblenesse of mynde and casting dovvne of the Spirite Comfort for weaknesse in faith and infirmitie bearing vvith to beare vvith the vveake and infirme in faith Now to goe throgh these and first to the diseases and next to the remedies thereof The first disease is vnrulinesse 1. Vnruelinesse inordinatnesse The Apostle 2. Thessa 3. chap. verse 6. telles vvho are these he calles vnrulie they that liue not according to that doctrine and instruction he gaue them The vvord of God is the rule of lyfe The man that liues not according to the vvord of God is vnruly Yet more plainely in that same place he descryues the vnruely He calles them 11. verse they vvho labours not for their liuing they vvho haue not a trade of lyfe Then he addes that are busie bodies busie in other mens turnes doing nothing in their ovvne and therefore they must be exercised in euill exercises in thinges that pertaines not to them pratling and babling here and there puting their hand to this mans and that mans offices There are tvvo properties idle and exercised idle in their ovvne tume exercised in other mens turnes An euill sort of men these men are vnruly Now to come to the remedie shortlie The remedie is admonishing reprouing This vnrulinesse it is an euill maladie and eneugh to cause a man die What medicine should vve vse to such men shall we foster and entertaine them in their folie No he sayes admonishe them vse them sharply and seuerely in admonishing tell them they are out of rule The 2. Thessa chap. 3. verse 10. he telles hovv hee vsed them hee denounced against them that if they vvrought not they should not eate but their mouth should be bound vp so that they should die for hunger Also in that same place he giues a charge to all men of seuere themselues from these men that they may be ashamed of that life it is a good and an honest thing to see a man well exercised and that in his owne calling Novve to come to the second disease and remedie for it The next disease is feeblenesse of mynde 2. Feeblenesse of mynde vvhen the heart of man is casten dovvne troubled assaulted heauie so that there is no spirite nor courage but ay going in the vvay of dispaire What is the medicine and remedie of this man Deale not roughlie vvith one vvho is diseased after this maner adde not affliction to affliction afflict not him vvho is afflicted trouble not the troubled the proper medicine to such is comfort Comfort them that are dejected in spirit Dauid in the 41. Psalme 1. verse he pronounces a speciall blessing to him that vvill comfort the afflicted Blessed is the man that iudges vvysoly of the poore that is that can haue compassion on a troubled conscience Now the arguments of consolation he vses in that Psalme are tvvo The first from the promises of God to be bestowed on them in Christ The other is prayer Promise then grace to the troubled heart in Iesus Christ and then pray for it If the hart be dejected no comfort for it but from God Al the world all the powers in Heauen and earth are not able to comfort and raise vp the soule but onely the power of God through Christ and his blessed Spirite Novv to the third disease and remedie thereof It is vveakenesse in faith 3. Weakenesse in faith vveakenesse in the knovveledge of Christ and the Gospell vvhen a man hes not a through sight and perswasion of these thinges that concernes Iesus and the Gospell when he knowes them not vvell neither is confirmed in them Such as concerning diuersitie of meates all meates are sanctified in Christ many knew not that and therefore made conscience in obseruing diuersitie of meates and likewise as concerning daies that put difference in daies and keeped them these he cals weak ones The remedy is beare with them breake not the brused reede quench not the smooking slax no enterteine the least beginning of grace in the weakest body A fire that hes smook in the beginning if thou enterteine it it will in end grow a faire fire What knowest thou but these that hes a little sparke of faith if they be enterteinde by processe of tyme will grow to an high measure of knowledge and will be as strong as thou Paul 15. chap. Rom. 1. verse speaking of these same weake ones sayes We vvho are strong in faith that is knowes the libertie in Christ Iesus let vs beare the infirmities of the vveake take their burdene off their back and lay it on our shoulders heape not on them burdene vpon burdene but releue them and that vve please not our selues and make off-casts of others Therefore he addes let euery one please their neighbour Please their neighbour and beare with him that is the word and he commes on with Christs exemple Christ he bare not vvith himselfe selfe-loue caried him not as it does vs but as it is written the reproches of them that rebuked thee fell on me He spared himselfe so little that these igneminies and reproaches that should haue lighted on vs sinners he tooke them on him He tooke our burdeene on him There are the wordes shortly Marke our lessons This world is all diseased men and wemen in this world are full of diseases yea and they that thinks themselues wholest are sickest I will not speake of the diseases of the bodie There are few without their owne diseases and that is the rewarde of sinne yea and death followes on the end of them but I speake of the sicknesse of the soules of men and wemen neuer one but they haue their owne diseases in their soule He hes this sicknesse in his soule she hes that sicknesse in her soule he is miserable in his soule another feeble in minde the third weake without a sure knowledge of Christ euery one of these sicknesses are deadlie euerie one of them eneugh to cause a creature die Art tho vnruely if it continue with thee and be not cured in tyme it shall cause thee die not such a death as the death of the bodie it is a sicknesse in the soule thy soule shall die The sicknesse of the bodie will cause the bodie die if it be not cured the sicknesse of the soule will cause the soule die if
part of the text The Apostle Paul not onely in this place joines these three together but also in the 4. chap. to the Philipp ye shall finde the same three precepts joined together howbeit not in this order he beginnes there Patience ioye and praier ioined together at joy and he sayes reioice in the Lord alvvaies againe I say reioice then he commes to patience in suffering wrong let your patient minde let your moderation be knovvne 〈◊〉 all men for the Lord is at hand And last he commes to prayer and saies be not carefull for any thing but in all things let your requests be shovvne to God in prayer and thankes-giuing Then he commes to peace of conscience again and the peace of God vvhich passes all vnderstanding shall preserue your harts c. These three are joined together The precept of patience joy and prayer because these three graces of God patience joy and prayer are vnseparable euerie one of them joined vnseparably with another tak one away thou shalt not get the other tak praier away thou shalt not haue joy take joy away thou shalt not get patience in suffering So these three are so vnseparably lined together that if they be not altogether in the hart of a man none of them can be in the hart and if one be in the hart all shall be in it Howbeit patience be set down first here yet it is not the first grace praier is first joy next and then patience for praier first bringes joy then this heauenlie joy being broght forth and entertainde by praier it bringes patience in suffering troubles Now brethren what shal we mak of this ere we come to the words Only this the graces of God which are parts of our new-birth called Regeneration are so inseparably locked together that they cannot be seuered and therefore he that would haue any one of them let him seeke them al he that would haue patience let him seeke joy and he that would haue joy let him seeke praier let him seeke them altogether either seeke them all and get them all in some measure or it shall passe thy power to keepe any one of them either keepe all or want all this is their nature ye saw neuer a chaine so linked together as these graces of regeneration are linked It may be that a man haue the outward showe of a grace but indeed it shall passe his power to haue a true grace except he haue the whole graces of this new-birth in some measure Many will seeme to suffer wrong and yet they will not haue the joy of the holy Spirit but they that wants the joy of the Spirit albeit they seeme to suffer many wrongs yet they are but hypocrites Therefore seeke one seeke all want one want all either haue all or want all But to come to the text and speake of this joy Reioice sayes the Apostle euermore True rejoicing or joy is that joy that entertaines patience in suffering Goe to experience and try it There is none of vs that hes tasted of this heauenlie joy but we will finde by experience it raise vp the hart of man and woman aboue all these thinges earthlie in some measure It raises vp the hart to an higher kingdome nor all the kingdomes in this earth this heauenly joy raises vs vp to the kingdome of God This kingdome of God saies the Apostle Rom. chap 14. vers 17. Is peace and ioy in the holie Ghost So that they who hes this joy are in another kingdome as far aboue these earthly kingdomes as the heauen is aboue the earth and by this joy they are lifted vp to heauen and being vp there they look downe to all these things on the earth the troubles afflictions and persecutions as thogh they were nothing and thinkes them nothing joy being in the hart it swallowes vp the heauiest displeasure that can be looke this by experience A little measure of it in the hart will swalow vp sadnesse suffering of wrongs and injuries in this world This world is but a world of suffering In the 5. chapter of the Acts verse 41. ye see the Disciples of Christ after his ascension are drawen in before the Councell there they are scourged manassed and threatned that they should not speake in the name of Christ But what doe they when they are dimitted They go away with joy is there matter of joy heere they are beatten scourged and boasted yet they goe away with joy reioicing that they vvere counted vvorthiâ— to suffer for Christs sake Brethren if joy had not swallowed vp sadnesse the Apostles had not rejoyced Reade the Psalmes of Dauid He beginnes with such a sadnesse in many of them all that he would appeare to be in Hell and ere the Psalme be ended ye will see that he burstes out with exceeding great thankfulnes This meanes that there was a joy and an exceeding great heauines in the hart and there was a battell betwixt them and in the end joy got the victorie and swallowed vp sadnesse But now what is this joy that he meanes of when he saies Reioyce euermoâ— It is no other thing but that which he calles in the fourth chapter to the Philippians Description of â—oy The peace of God that passes all vnderstanding standing about the hart as a guard And to speake the trueth of this it is the end and crowne of all the graces of God in Iesus Christ it is that end whereto all the graces of God tends and when they come there they go no further Wherfore came Christ in the world but that we should haue peace and joy in conscience Wherefore died he that we should haue joy Wherefore rose he that we should haue joy in his resurrection Wherfore are we all called to be Christians that we shold rejoice Wherefore are our sins remitted onely to rejoyce This is the end of all joy What is Heauen but joy What is life euerlasting but joy vnspeakable What is glorie but joy Paul joynes these two together joy and the crowne of glorie 1. Thess chap. 2. vers 19. Therefore in one word what is true happines nothing but joy joy in God throgh Iesus Christ What is any thing vnder Heauen without joy in the hart If a man haue all the world and all the honour and riches of the world except he haue joy in them what auaill they So joy is the blessednesse of men and women And therefore when the Apostle bids vs rejoice euermore what craues he but that we should prease euer forward to our blessednes and Heauen begin thy blessednes here or thou shalt neuer get blessednes hereafter Life euerlasting begins here in a measure of joy that is not persite and ends in the next life in glory which shall be perfited Yet brethren the nature of joy would be better seene and knowen that men be not deceiued with it The joy that is craued of what kinde is it There are sundrie kindes of joy Is it a
follow on and keep it in our hart There are two needs of praier One need of grace another need to keep the grace we haue receiued So there is two sorts of begging the first is for grace the next is for keeping of the grace Neuer wearie to aske The Lord wold haue thee euer begging Ay say Lord giue me Then say Lord keepe this grace thou hast giuen me otherwaies I will lose it For I assure thee if the Lords hand be not euerie moment holding grace in thy hart thou art ay ready to lose it Therefore the Apostle sayes Pray continually Alas if we knew what thing we are bound to we would discharge a better duety to our God we should not passe the time in playing but we should pray continually Ye vvill thinke it an hard thing to be euer praying ye vvill say should we do no other thing but ay pray should this be our exercise continually Take heed By praying is vnderstood not preceesly this outward forme of prayer the falling down on our knees the lifting vp of our hands and eyes so that we do not another turne No I meane not so Thou hast a lawfull vocation go win thy liuing according to thy calling He that said Pray continually The same said Go labour and win thy liuing otherwaies thou shalt not eat Avvay vvith Munkries and Nunries Then when continuall prayer is craued no other thing is craued but that thy hart and minde be euer exercised on God Let thy hart and contemplation of thy mynde be euer on him be neuer so distracted with any exercise of the world but keep God euer in some measure before thy eyes seeking his grace and blessing to thy exercise When thou art busiest in thy exercise let thy hart be seeking blessing thereto Paul saies 1. Cor. 10. chap. 31. verse Whether ye eat or drinke or what euer ye do all to the glory of God If I eat to the glory of God my hart must be blessing thanking him for the benefit receiued seeking a blessing of him that it may doe me good desyring also that heauenly foode I tell thee this earthly foode should be nothing else to thee but a remembrance of heauenly things and of Christ that is onely the foode of the soule Then in all thy exercises euer hold thy hart on God let thy hart be praying when thy tongue is speaking of these thinges that concernes thy exercise so thy exercise shall be in the Lord. The Apostle vses to say do this and do that in the Lord. What means he but only in that doing thy hart shold be set on the Lord Ay enterteine Gods Spirit Thinke not that the exercising of the hart on Christ shal hinder thee in any thing in thy exercise No but by the contrare the face of God looking on thee it brings blessing keep him in thy eie and think on him and so thy exercise shall be sweete keepe God in thy eye and thou shalt finde a wonderfull joy and an helpe in thy exercise Now I end with this prayer Lord seeing there is no blessing but when we keep Iesus Christ in our eyes Lord grant that the face of Christ go neuer out of our eyes let neuer the remembrance of Iesus depart from vs. To this Christ be honour and glorie for euer AMEN THE XXV LECTVRE VPON THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE THESSALONIANS 1. THESSA CHAP. 5. vers 18. 19. 18 In all thinges giue thankes for this is the vvill of God in Christ Iesus tovvard you 19 Quench not the Spirit THE last part of this Epistle Brethren which we haue in hand presently stands in an exhortation to an holie lyfe and conuersation vvorthie of the Lord Iesus Christ The last day we shew you there are three preceptes joyned together the precepte of patience to beare vvrong and injuries in this vvorlde patientlie and not to rander euill for euill as we are bent by nature but to do good for euill Then next the precept of joy the inward joy and peace of soule and conscience that passes all vnderstanding that euermore we shold rejoyce And last the precept of prayer which standes in two partes the one in seeking at the hands of God the other in thanking him for the grace receiued at his handes We shew you that conjunction that is among these graces patience joy and prayer patience is the effect of joy and the inward joy that is heauenly and spirituall is the meane to enterteine patience and to make a man beare patiently the wrongs he suffers in this present world for in a maner it rauishes him vp aboue the world and all thinges in the world and makes him to looke ouer all these earthly thinges and injuries that falles out in the world as though they were not and in some measure he hes his contemplation with God in Heauen So that the joy he hes will swallow vp all these earthly troubles and the life of God in him will swallow vp mortalitie and death Againe praier is the meane to enterteine that joy we haue with God for it keeps Gods presence and the face of Iesus in our sight and the face of Iesus is so joyfull as no tongue can tell For all the light and joy we haue in our harts proceedes from the face of Iesus and from the face of God in Christ and then it shynes on vs. And this face of Iesus it shines in the Gospell And therefore blessed were we if we could looke euer in the mirrour of the Gospell where we shall get this light and the face of Christ that makes vs rejoyce it appeares in a mirrour now but we shall see him face to face when the body of Iesus shall be perfect all is but a beginning now that we haue here he is far from vs and al the sight we haue of him is but a blenke let euery one looke to experience there are so many thinges goes in betweene vs and him that we can skarcely keepe his face in the which standes our joy Alwaies it is prayer that enterteines this presence of God looke to it by experience take away prayer that men pray not to God take away mediatation and thanking of God take away this communing with God it shall passe thy power to haue any presence of him and without his presence no joy in him Then shortly to come to the matter in hand This prayer consistes in two parter In asking and seeking at him according to the needs and misters we haue we are ful of wants and misters There is none of vs all from the greatest to the lowest from the King to the begger but great is the need we haue so euery one of vs hes need to be begging neuer was there a begger at our doore that hes so great neede to beg as we haue neede to beg at Gods hand beg things spirituall and things temporall things for this life things for the life to come for if we beg not we
praise for euer AMEN THE XXVI LECTVRE VPON THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE THESSALONIANS 1. THESSA CHAP. 5. vers 20. 21. 22. 23. 20 Despise not prophecying 21 Try all things and keepe that vvhich is good 22 Abstaine from all appearance of euill 23 Novv the very God of peace sanctifie you throughout and I pray God that your vvhole spirit and soule and body may be keept blamelesse vnto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ. IN this parte of this Epistle brethren there are certaine exhortations and precepts so linked together that the next is ay the cause and meane of the former He beganne at Patience in suffering and not randering euill for euill but recompencing good for euill Then he came to joy Rejoyce euermore Ioy is the meane and cause of Patience from joy he came to Prayer in asking that which we neede at the hands of God and in thanking him for the grace and benefite receyned Prayer is the meane that interteines joy in the hart from Prayer he came to the Spirit the holy Spirit of God who is the worker of all these graces in our hart The Spirit workes Patience the Spirit it workes Ioy the same Spirit 〈◊〉 vp the hart to Prayer and to thankfulnesse This Spirite the worker of all grace in the hart should not be quenched by leauing off of well doing or by doing euill for both these two quenches the Spirit Now â—hortly to come to ouâ— purpose In the first verse vve we haue read presentlie He commes to the meane whereby the Spirit of Christ the worker of all graces with vs especiallie is interâ—ind in the soule and hart of a man and woman And he saies Despise not Prophecying The thing he recommends is Prophecying To make the words plaine to you By Prophecying here I vnderstand not the foretelling of things to come as there was raised vp from tyme to tyme Prophetes in the Church of God that fortold either wel or wâ— that was to fal on the church in the own time this prophecying was not such foretelling of things to come it is no other thing in this place but the opening vp of the Scripture and so this word Prophecying is taine in the 1. Cor. 14. chap. throghout all that chap. But he that Prophecyes sayes he he speakes to men to edifing to exhortation and consolation That is he applyes the word of God to the present vse for the tyme So that if a man needes to be edified he edifies to be comforted he comfortes to be exhorted the exhortes So then to make the words plaine ` Despise not Prophecying It is asmuch as he would say despise not the preaching of the word despise not this ministrie whose calling is to preach this word Now brethren ye see heere among all the meanes whereby the Spirit of Christ is enterteinde in the hart of a man the Apostle makes a choise in this place of preaching hearing the word of God set downe in the Scripture opened vp and applyed to the right vse Certainelie this is to the great commendation of this same visible ministrie and of this teaching of the word in the presence of the congregation and people of God Shall I tell you There is such a necessity of the preaching of this word for as base as it semes to men that if it be not holden vp farewell the Spirit of Iesus Christ If it be not there shall not be in the earth a visible Church for the word preached is the slandart that is holden vp on high to the world that men and women that would be safe may goe in vnder it and make vp a Church Take me away this slandart where shall men goe to who shall knowe the Church So take me away this outward preaching of the word vnto the which men should resort to seeke saluation no Church Will men goe to experience I shall but touch it there is but ouer great experience of this in this Countrey this day Abstaine 〈◊〉 hearing of the word let it be of negligence or of malice yet thou shalt in proces of time feele thy hart voyde of all sense and feeling of God thou shalt lose thy eyes thy light and sight of God thou shalt lose the sight of lyfe and Heauen if that thou doe it in contempt and malice thou shalt grow as prophane as a prophaine dog and wallow in all kinde of wickednesse and euill deed after euill deed shall fal out in thy hand Looke to the great men of this land What is the cause he is such a murtherer Onely the contempt of this word preached What is the cause he is such an adulterer only the contempt of the word I cannot tell if there be any great mens houses at least there is verie few but thou may see the contempt of this word hes heaped judgement on judgement on them Ye who wold read of Prophecying which is the opening vp of the word in the face of the Church of God and who would read of the powerfull working of it in the hart of men read 1. Cor. chap. 14. verse 1. Seeke after spirituall things but specially after Prophecying And in that same chapter 24. verse by supposition he lets vs see by comparison betweene Prophecying and strange language what prophecying works When a man is teaching the word then commes in at the doore an infidle that hes no vnderstanding he layes to his eare and heares and he hears himself rebuked incontinent his conscience wakens and lets him see the filth that is within him So the poore man hauing his conscience wakned he falles down on his face and seeks mercy and then he will be mooued to make a confession and say It cannot be but this man hes the Spirit of God that maks my sin so manifest to me it cannot be the spirit of man but it must be the power of God whereby he speakes I will not insist Brethren I shall summe vp to you in few words the diuersitie of the disposition of men coÌ„cerning this word of God Al is not alike disposed Diuersity of mens disposition concerning the vvord toward the Spirit and the word which two things onely saues men There are some that cares neyther for the Spirit nor the word such 〈…〉 dogges atheists men liuing without God in the world speake of a Spirit to them they will scorne it a prophane bodie that hes not the Spirit the name of a spirit is but a scorne vnto him tell him of spirituall lyfe he will laugh an heedfull laughter Lykevvise speake to him of the vvord and tell that saluation must be by the word the prophaine dog vvill laugh and scorne at it These are the vvorst men in the world There is another sort that clames to a Spirit They will acknovvledge the Spirite of God but vvhen it commes to the vvord of God they vvil feuere so the vvord from the Spirit as though the vvord had nothing adoe vvith the Spirit nor the Spirit vvith the
his povver IN the first part of this chapter ye haue heard brethren next after the saluatation a preface wherein he rejoyces together with them for that increase and grouth of the graces of God in them namelie of their Faith Loue and Charitie In rejoycing with them he giues God the thankes and all the glorie of whatsoeuer grace they had receyued We entered the last day in the second parte which containes a consolation For these Thessalonians sustained affliction and trouble for the faith of Christ therefore the Apostle confortes them We heard the first argument of comfort he ministred to them was from the just judgment of God Your troubles and afflictions ye suffer are all sure tokens that Iesus Christ will come one day and judge this world justlie Among all the assurances of the latter judgement ths is one The trouble that the godlie suffers in this world In the affliction and trouble of the godly ye may see as it were in a mirror the Lord comming to judge the world when we see an innocent man troubled we may gather our conclusion there must follow of necessity a day of count and reckning it cannot be that the just Lord will suffer vnjust dealing to passe away vnpunished Then in the second argument he drawes nearer to them and sets downe the end of this just judgment that shall be the end shall be for their well For when the Lord shall come to judge the world they shall be counted worthy of that kingdom the kingdome of Heauen for the which they suffered Worthie not in themselues for all the affliction vnder Heauen will not make a man worthy of Heauen but worthy in the righteous merites of Christ where-with one day we shall be clad and for his worthinesse and merite shall be adjudged to life euerlasting Now in the beginning of this text he proues that the day of judgment they shall be adjudged to lyfe euerlasiting and glory He takes his argument from the nature of that Iudge It is a iust thing sayes he to God to recompence tribulation to them vvho troubles you As if he had said the Iudge is just yea by nature he is justice it selfe and therefore the judgement must be just and in his just judgement he must adjudge you to life and he must render to euery man his due being just he must render to them who hes afflicted you affliction againe And to you vvho are afflicted he must tender rest euen as he renders to vs For I in my owne person haue beene afflicted aswell as ye haue beene and I am assured he will render rest to me and so also will he to you there is the meaning of the words Then ye see brethren here he grounds their deliuerance in that latter judgment vpon the just nature of God ye may see our life euerlasting vnto the which we shall be adjudged in the day of judgment leanes on a solide foundation euen the most just nature of the Iudge all the world is not able to shake it if thou can shake God then thou may shake our life euerlasting Seuer justice from him and seuer life from his owne both are alyke do the one if thou may do the other And so brethren ye see where-vpon the assurance of your faith and hope of life euerlasting is grounded it is grounded vpon an insight of the nature of God vpon a knowledge of him what he is in his owne nature that he is just he is righteousnesse it selfe knowing then that he is just seeing as it were at the least in some measure in God and in his nature that he is just I take assurance that that just God shall adjudge me to life I make this more generall all assurance all hope of any grace we haue to receiue at the hands of God what euer it be must proceede from an insight and knowledge of the nature of God how can I or any man looke for any good at the handes of him vvho is not knovvne to me hovv shall I assure my selfe I shall get any good from him I know not Therefore the man or woman who would haue faith in God or hope of lyfe or any good at his hands must seeke to pearce in to the deepnesse of the infinite nature of God so farre as can be to knowe him in his justice wisdome power mercy and in all these infinite properties in his nature then knowing him in these infinite thinges he must assure himselfe of such and such graces at his hands I know him to be powerfull therefore with his power he will deliuer me I know him to be mercifull in his mercy I am assured he wil show mercy on me I know him to be wise therefore I am assured he will deale wisely with me he that is skilfull and the God of order will deale skilfully with me Then ye see that faith will neuer be builded vpon a scroofe and superficiall thing The world thinks it ynough to know there is a God to know his name and no more No thy hart cannot be builded on a sâ—roofe It is impossible to any to haue that solide and assured faith in God and that hope of lyfe except they haue a solide knowledge in some measure of his nature and of his properties And that bodie that preases not to pearce in to the deepnesse of God cannot haue that Spirit of God for in the first Epistle to the Corinth chap. 2. vers 10. it is said The spirit of God searches and what in to the infinit deepnesse of God and there he lets thee see Gods minde towardes thee So that if any be indewed with that searching Spirit of God of necessitie that Spirit must conuoy their eyes in some measure in to the secreetes of God to the deepnesse of that infinite nature It is a wonderfull sight that a true and solide faith hes in God It will peace in to the infinite nature of God and builde on that infinite nature the solide ground of faith I speake this that ye may seeke to knowe the nature of God Yet to the wordes It is a righteous thing vvith God not to men but to God The meaning of the Apostle is What euer seemes right in the eye of man this is righteous in the eye of God to render to euery man his due Now the Lord forbid that our life or death euerlasting hang vpon that that seemes just and vnjust to man Lord forbid that Heauen or Hell hang at mans girdle or depended on his judgement I assure you many would goe to Hell from hand As God in nature is a just Iudge euen so man by nature a wrangous and vnjust judge Let him be giuen ouer to himselfe hee shall neuer judges one whit of that which is just DiffereÌ„ce betvvene the iudgment of God and of men at the least he shall neuer judge sincerelie of that worke I shall tell you the differences between the judgement of God and man shortlie Man when he
other according to the just nature of God Now in the end he addes to this word vvith vs. He shall render relaxation to you and to me also I am troubled as you are And therefore I hope for the same deliuerance and relaxation that I promise to you Promise nothing to the people but the thing thou thinkest to get a parte of thy selfe Promise no resurrection except thou thinkest to get a parte thereof But the thing I marke is this I see all grace and glorie is in a societie vvith the Saintes resurrection lyfe euerlasting is vvith the godlie For as there is a communion vvith the Saintes in afflictiones 1. Peter chap. 5. verse 9. so there is a communion with the Saintes in rest in grace and glorie Ephes chap. 3. verse 14. 1. Thessa chap. 3. verse 13. And this thing we may take vp euer in this Apostle he speakes of no grace but euer together vvith the Saintes all is in one conjunction Let none therefore prease to come to Heauen but in this conjunction Thou wilt leape from the Church but I assure thee leape as thou wilt and think to come to Heauen without that societie thou shalt neuer come to Heauen thou shalt neuer get relaxation but in this society Thinke it no small matter to be of the number of the godly thou shalt neuer be glorified in that latter day if thou be not one of that nomber Then marke another thing He sayes they shall get relaxation with him Then it followes that he was afflicted with them Who gettes rest but they who are troubled Who will come to Heauen None but they who for Christs sake on the earth hes suffered some affliction either within or without No look not that a man will come sleeping to Heauen Heauen is a relaxation out of bondes who can be lowsed but they who haue â—ene bound This may learne vs to take in patience to be bound to be euill spoken of and to suffer either one thing or other for the hope of that lyfe euerlasting Novv to goe forvvarde in the text follovving ye haue a short but a pithie description of the Lord Iesus comming to judgement to render and repay When shall this rendring be When shall affliction be rendered to the afflicters and relaxation to the bound and troubled When our Lord Iesus Christ shall come to iudge the vvorld Not till then There is the dyet nothing but patience vntill then Thou art ouer sudden Thou would haue the Lord rendering to thee rest and to thy enemie trouble at the first moment Thou would haue him to put thee in Heauen at the first hand and thy enemies in Hell at an instant No byde till the tyme of the manifestation come Tyme of rendring Then the tyme of rendering is the tyme of manifestation of light it is the day of light of such a light as was neuer in the world for while Christ come all is hid Heauen is hid Hell is hid Right is hid wrong is hid damnation is hid saluation is hid lyfe hid death hid godlie men is hid reprobate men hid all hid till Christ come to judgment 1. Iohn chap 3. verse 2. When Christ shall come he shall be first reuealed from Heauen an infinite light shall come from Heauen accompanying that glorious Majestie Then Hell shall be seene Heauen shall be seene faire and broad lyfe shall be seene death shall be seene all shall appeare then as they are So byde still a whyle and byde in patience thou who would haue relaxation and thy bondes shall be loused in patience byde till that tyme. Thou that would see afflicters afflictedâ—ly still in patience for in that moment when thou shal see the Lord comming from Heauen thou shalt see an end of all these thinges such rendring as euer thou would haue desyred So nothing but patience Now marke the style the Lord gettes in this reuelation and comming He is called The Lord A style of glorie a name of power So the Lord in his comming and manifestation shall be manifested lyke a Lord and in a surpassing power ouer quick and dead Rom. chap. 14. verse 9. He died and rose againe that he might be Lord both of the quick and the dead Then againe he is called Iesus that is a Sauiour as he shall be manifested at that day as a Lord so shall he be manifested as a sweete Sauior Iesus to the just and godly of this world So then his appearance shall be as a Lord and Sauior to the comfort of his elect and as a Lord in power to the destruction of the wicked Now to goe forward I shall not be â—urâ—ous but shall open onely the wordes The Lords comming and reuealing himselfe as Lord and as Iesus the Sauior is descriued and set out in an high glorie Christ shal come froÌ„ heauen His reuelation shall first be from the Heauen That word Heauen is not put in lightly He is reuealled not from the earth or from any low part No Monarchs that euer reuealled themselues in the world came downe yet from Heauen The Lords reuelation when he shall show himselfe to the world shal be from the Heauen The Heauen now is a vaile casten in betweene our eyes and the Lord. So that we cannot see him but at that day the Lord of glorie shall break downe throâ—gh the vaile and come down to the aire to be seene by vs. Now if ye wil aske what an Heauen this is Paul 4. chap. to the Ephes vers 9. 10. saies he was caried to an heauen aboue aâ— theâ—e heauens which we see And therefore these Heauens from the which the Lord shal appeare is a place aboue He shall break throgh all these Heauens while he offer himself to be seene in the clouds Then this comming from Heauen lets vs see he shall come to his in glory The greater glorie the greater comfort to vs the greater discomfort to the wicked the greater feare and trembling to the reprobate Take heed to this ye who takes pleasure in sin what feare and terror shall ouertake you in that day So this is the first part Now in the next wordes he is desâ—ryued from his companie that shall conuoy him Angelles shal accoÌ„pany Iesus in his coÌ„ming The Lord in his second comming he shal not come his alone in the first comming he came in the world basely like a poore man accompanied with no glorious traine The Lord was made poore that thou should be made rich the Lord took vpon him igâ—â—miny that thou shold get glory Now in the second comming he shall be gloriously aâ—companied No neuer Monarch was so accompanied when they came to their kingdom as the Lord Iesus shal They shal woÌ„der that he going in his first comming in the world so poorely should haue such glory The first company he shal come with shall be Angels the gloriousest creatures that euer was not one or two but millions of Angels principalities and powers Iude
sayes 14. vers the Lord 〈◊〉 come vvith thoulands of his Sâ—ints And I say as I think there shall not be an Angell in Heauen but all shall come with Iesus And what shall be then habite They shall come like an armie al as it were in aâ—mes Men who are in their armour in their harnes they appeare most glorious to the world So all the Angels shall come as an army armed with power and therefore it is said Angels of his povver terrible to the wicked because they shall be enarmed against them comfortable to the godly for they come for their defence The Angels in their owne nature are strong by their creation potent they are principalities powers by vertue of their own nature But the word would import more They shall not onely be strong with their owne power but they shall come enarmed with the power of Christ with an exceeding and extraordinary kinde of power such a power that they were neuer sene in before in such a majesty as neuer was seene of before and al to the glory of that glorious Lord Iesus who is Lord and judge blessed for euer An earthly king when he is in his greatest glory is but accompanied with selie infirme creatures who hes little strength But the Lord Iesus who is King of kings shall be accompanied at his comming with Angels of such an infinite strength that the deuill and all the world shall not be able to withstand any one of them Now to goe forward the next companie that shall be with him shall be creatures something inferior Not so glorious as the Angels Flaming fyre shall accoÌ„pany Christ. but very glorious a flamming fire a fire with a great flame and therefore fire that shall cast downe from it exceeding great heat and light to the world Ye will aske what fire will this be I will not be curious heerein but I think that that fyre that shall be at that day shall be that same naturall element that the Lord created when he made the rest of the creatures This appeares very vvell of Peter in his second Epistle chap. 3. vers 6. 7. When he sayes the first world was destroyed by vvater and the second vvorld shall be destroyed vvith fyre Certainely as the first vvorld vvas destroyed by a naturall vvater so shall the second vvorld be destroyed by a naturall fyre This fyre shall then appeare in such a glorie quantitie and light as it vvas neuer of before because it is imployed in the seruice of a most glorious Lord. Would ye knovve vvhat shall be the vse of this glorious fyre Read 2. Epist of Peter chap. 3. This fire going before him shall burne first the heauens then it shall come to the elements and melt them all vvith heat It shal next come to the earth and shall burne vp the earth and all the works Would ye know what shall come after There shall be a new heauen and a new earth And so this fire shall serue for the purifying and burning of the drosse of the creatures for all the creatures the Heauen the Earth the Sunne the Moone heâ— drawen on a corruption through our sinnes But is there no other vse of this fire This fire shall also in the Lords justice be a fire to deuoure the aduersaries Heb. chap 10. verse 27 to burne the reprobate for eeuer And therefore vaine man who takes pleasure in thy sinnes let â—he memorie of this flamming fire terrifâ—e thee that in tyme thou may repent Now this much for that glorious companie where-with the Lord Iesus shall be accompanied in that glorious comming Now come to the effects in the next words When he is come from the Heauen accompanied with the glorious Angels and flamming fire certainely he will not come for nothing Kings in the earth may fliâ— their campes for nothing but the King of glorie will not doe so Now the effect in one word is rendering repaying recompencing the judgement is in rendering to euery one his owne due In rendering first he beginnes at the godles and wicked after his comming in such a glorie He shall render the wicked that which is due to them that is vengeance To whom To them that knovv God on this earth 〈◊〉 them that obeyed not the Gospell of the Lord Iesus Marke it The Lord keepe vs from the causes of this rendering There shall be none that knew not God Faith accoÌ„panied vvith a troup of graces and obeyed not the voyce of Christ in the Gospell but vengence shall ouertake them in that glorious appearing of that judge in the world These are the two great â—aultes and sinnes that shall procure in the day of judgement vengence from Iesus Christ Now as there are two thinges that procures this vengence so there are two things that brings life at that great appearance of the Lord Iesus Christ The first is the knowledge of God The next is the knowledge of his Sonne the Lord Iesuâ— Christ Iohâ— chap. 17. verse 3. This is lyfe euerlasting to know thee to be the onely God and whom thou hast 〈◊〉 Iesus Christ knowe these two knowe God knowe Christ in his Gospell 〈◊〉 vengence shall not ouertake thee Then by the plaine contrare There are two grounds and causes of death and damnation The misknowing of God and the 〈…〉 of Iesus heere 〈◊〉 in his Gospell and these two are 〈…〉 gether Then brethren in one word Let not the Iew be bold to say he knowes God when he knowes not his Son all the knowledge a man can haue of God when he knowes not his Sonne is nothing for God the Father cannot be knowne but in his Son Iesus Christ and without the knowledge of God in his Son there is no saluation from judgement The Son is the Image of God and God will be knowne in him Heb. chap. 1. verse 3. He is the brightnesse of his glory and the ingraued forme of his person So that there can be no sight of God but in the face of Christ the man Ioyne these two together know God know the Son know the Son that thou may know the Father for no sight of the Father but in the Son This further wold be marked When he speaks of obedience to Christ He sayes not they that obeyed not the Lord Iesus but he sayes They vvho obeyed not the Gospell of the Lord Iesus This is spoken to the commendation of the Gospell and of the preaching of it and this base ministry which men esteemes so litle of Looke how he rankes this Gospell and the preaching of it with Christ himselfe He counts them that obey the Gospell to obey Christ and he counts them who are rebellious to the Gospell to be rebels to Christ And therefore say I boast as thou wilt of Christ and of the knowledge of him if thou despise this Gospel and this base ministry vengence shall light on thee Thou wilt say thou knowest Christ and in the meane time there wil be nothing in
the purpose of the Apostle in this place was to comforte the Thessalonians against the afflictionâ—s vvhere-vvith for the tyme they vvere exercised The first and the cheefest argument of consolation vvas taine from that just jugdement of God when he commes for the afflictions that the godly and innocent suffers in this lyfe for the name of Iesus Christ are as a mirror vvherein we may see the Lord Iesus comming to judgment to take vengence on the afflicters and to render and to giue rest 〈◊〉 his own The Apostle taking occasion of this argument points out the Lord Iesus comming to judge the world He notes the place from which he shall come an Heauen aboue all these visible Heauens he notes the companie where-with in his comming he shall he accompanied First the Angels of his power enarmed with the power of the Iudge the Lord Iesus to execute his just judgement The next company is a flamming fire This fire at the comming of the Lord Iesus shall burne vp the Heauen shall melt the elements shall burne vp this earth and all the workes that is in it as Peter declares in his 2. Epistle chap. 3. and at last shall consume and deuore the wicked and that euerlastingly euer burning without end When he hes painted out the Lords comming to judge the world he subjoynes the effects that shall follow vpon his comming and judgement The first effect is he shall inflict vengence to them who in this world knew not God and would not obey the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ And after this he descryues this vengence more particularlie it shall be an vtter destruction so that they shall neuer get vp their head againe and this destruction shall be endlesse a death without a death the sorest death that euer man died the cause of the perdition shall be the face and angry countenance of the Iudge his face shall be as fire and they shal be as waxe the heate of his face shall melt them as the fire melts the waxe the cause of the eternitie of their perdition shall be the glorie of his power his power shall neuer haue an end and therefore their paine anguishe and perdition shall neuer haue an end The power shall euer holde them still in a torment and so this vvraith euerlasting shall sease and feede vpon them for euermore And so they shall euer be doing and neuer be dead Now in this text we haue the second effect that shall follow on the comming of the Lord to his judgement The first effect concerned the wicked This effect concernes the godly To come to the wordes shortlie He sayes When he shall come to be glorified in his Saintes The meaning is this vengence of perdition euerlasting shall be inflicted on the rebels of God and Christ at that tyme when he shall come to glorifie his owne the Saintes that in their glory and lyfe euerlasting he may be glorified himselfe Chief end of Christs coÌ„ming is to glorifie the soules This is the meaning shortly Now if ye will marke the first wordes When he shall come Ye may see that the first and cheefe end of the comming of the Lord Iesus to judgement is not the wrack of the reprobate but his cheefe end in his comming to judgement shall be the glorifying of his owne that in their glorie he may be glorified for euer The order of the giuing out of their doome and sentence of lyfe and death at that day makes this master plaâ—ne Read the order of the giuing foorth of this sentence in the 25. chap. of Matthevv vers 34. c. Iohâ— 5. cha 29. vers The sentence shall be giuen first to the godly and the Lord shall say first to them ere he open his mouth to the other Come ye blessed of my Father and 〈◊〉 that kingdome that is prepared for 〈◊〉 Then when that sentence is past he shall draw the godly to be assessours to him and with their consent and approbation in a maner he shal come to the doome of the reprobat and shal say Depâ—â— from me to the deuill and his Aâ—gels Iohn 5. chap. vers 28 29 The houre shall come vvhen all that are in the graues shall heare his voice and they shall come forth that haue doâ—e good to the resurrecâ—â—â—â— of life but they that haue done euill to the resurrection of condemnation This his order of proceeding showes that the cheefe end of Christs comming is the glorifying of his owne The cause is because in the glorifying of his elect cheefly shall God be glorified And seeing the Lord cheefly respects his owne glory therefore the first respect he shall haue in judging shall not be to punish the wicked for â—e shall cast them by his hand as dogges but to glorifie his owne To goe forward in the words When he shall come to be glorified in his Saintes That is to say when he shall come first to glorifie his Saints and so consequently to glorify himself For he cannot be glorifyed in his Saintes except he glorifie them first And therefore it must be vnderstood that he must glorifie them that in their glorie he may be glorified Now marke As the first and cheefe end of the comming of the Lord to judgement shall be the glorifying of his Saintes So the cheefe meane whereby the Lord shall be glorified shall not be the damnation of the reprobate but it shall be the lyfe and saluation of the godlie because in the godly at that day shall be manifested to the whole world the goodnesse of the Lord Iesus his mercy his omnipotent power in one word his Majestie and his glory cheefly shal be manifested in them So that the whole world when they see them stand vp as it were in a shout shall cry Glorie glorie glorie be to the Lambe that sits on the Throne when they shall see the elect so shining in glorie they shall brust forth in crying glorie glorie glorie and nothing shall be heard but glorie euer more These are the thinges we shall once see and heare either to our euerlasting glorie or to our euerlasting destruction It is true the Lord Iesus that day shall be glorified also in the damnation of the reprobat and that in his justice Ye read in the 14. of Exod. I shal be glorified in Pharao and his armie in powring out a vengence on them I shall drowne them But yet the justice God the justice of Christ serues not so much to his glorie as his mercie does And it is a greater matter yea and more glorie shall come to him by the sauing of one soule at that day nor by the condemning of an hundreth Came Christ Iesus in the world for this end cheeflie that God should be glorified in his justice No. Christ came and the Gospell of mercy is giuen vs that men and Angels in that day should glorifie God cheeflie in his mercie Now to goe forward And to be made marueilous in all them that beleeue
This is in effect that same which he spok of before euen the glorifying of God for it is one thing the Lord to be glorified and to wonder at him The meaning is shortly When he shall come First he shal make the faithful wonderful in the sight of the world and then in their wonderfulnes all the world shall wonder at him who hes made them wonderfull Now marke The Lord Iesus in Esay 9. chap. 6. vers among all the names he gets there he is called the vvonderfull and the maruellous one Now this name in effect shal show the selfcheefly in that day of judgement for cheefly in that day Christ shall be wonderful and all the world shall wonder at him It is but a litle wondring we haue here Christ at his comming vvoÌ„derfull Ye know wondring presuppones nouelties things of exceeding great importance Then it must followe that the Lord Iesus at that day shall be reueiled to the world in such a wonderful glory at neuer man nor Angel saw yetâ— it shal be such a glory as neuer eye saw ear heard or once entered into the hart of man as the Apostle â—aies 1. Cor. 2. chap. 9. vers They who saw him â—â—aniâ—ed in a vyle habite judged condemned scourged and crucified vnder Pontius Pilat they shall wonder when they shall see that Lord whom they thoght once so vile raised vp and exalted to such a sublimity and hight of glory Pilat then shal wonder the Priests shall wonder they that with their wicked handâ— crucified him shall wonder at that day And in one word there shall be nothing in that day in Heauen and earth but a wondering at the Lord Iesus Christ and his Saintes glorified Ye see here next the cheefe mean that shall make the Lord wonderful to be the wonderfulnesse of the glorie of his Saintes and elect whom in that day he shall make wonderfull The world shall looke in and wonder at them and then they shall looke to the Iudge and wonder at him Then in that day they who hes beleued in Iesus in this life looke what faith brings with it shall be blessed and made glorious For first these faithfull shall be made so maruelous in glory that they shall astonish the whole world I tell thee more when thou shalt be so translated when thy vyle bodie shall be so changed thou shalt wonder at thy selfe for the eare hath not heard the eye hath not seene c. that wonderfull glorie which then thou shalt enjoy As for the wicked of the world the troublers and afflicters of the godly when they shall looke to any one of the glorious elect they shall weepe and wonder This is set downe in the 5. chapter of the booke of wisdome albeit Apocrypha First they shall mourne and weepe when they shall see the glorie of the godly and say O we fooles and sensles bodies esteemed we not the life of these godly in the world a miserable lyfe Then they shall come on with wondering How is this that this vyle bodie so shynes and that he is so exalted So they shall both mourne at this sight and wonder and vveeping and vvondering they shall count themselues to haue bene fooles and sensles bodies The Lord giue vs grace to seeke that true wisdome in tyme. For certainly that true wisdome is esteemed foolishnesse in this world and he that would be wise let him be a foole first he shall neuer be counted wise that day except he haue bene a foole first and humbled vnder this foolish preaching of the Gospell It is true the condemnation of the reprobate shall be a meane to make the world wonder and to make the Iudge wonderfull O the paines that shall be inflicted on the reprobate shall be wonderfull and they shall be set vp as spectacles of shame at that day and the godly shall wonder at their shame and confusion O wonderfull shall that weightinesse of judgement be they shall wonder that euer there should be such a wraith in God they shall wonder that euer the arme of God should be so heauy vpon them O Hell is lighted now will they say the wraith of God is lighted now O what a masse and weight of wraith is this that we see now Men will now leape here and there and make litle count of the weightinesse of the Lords hand and securely contemne threatnings and judgement but in that day to their euerlasting woe they shall finde it the heauiest thing that euer was for by the weight of it they shall be so pressed downe that they shall neuer be able to prease vp againe Alas what a dead senslesnesse is this of men in this world that they regarde neither Heauen noâ— Hell liuing like beastes and not as men Lord waken vs in tyme to acknowledge these thinges Now to goe forward Who are these that shall be made wonderfull that in them the Lord Iesus may be made wonderfull In one word He calles them beleeuers a base and simple style among vs. He called them before Saintes holy ones and now he commes to the ground of their holinesse and calles it faith It will not be a faire honest ciuile dealing with our neighbour that will doe the turne albeit many men thinks so No but faith in Christ must be the ground any man that in any measure hes had a sense and feeling of that lyfe he will finde in his experience he can not haue hope or assurance of lyfe in the fairest outwarde dealing that euer men did except he finde his hart setled on God and his anchor casten on Christ This is the onely cause of thy saluation faith in Christ As for all thy good workes they are onely effects and tokens that thou hast that faith in Christ which will doe the turne and is the onely cause of thy saluation O blessed for euer is that hart that hes faith keeped let neuer thy remembrance be off it What euer thou thinke or speake keepe it hast thou it be assured of thy saluation lackest thou it doe all thou can thou shalt die Seeke euer to haue Christ in thy hart And seeing we who are now liuing may die in one moment Lord if we should not seeke earnestly to haue Christ dwelling in our harts It is onely his merites that saues vs. In the next wordes he defines them that he calles beleeuers and pointing them out he sayes not they that beleeues in Iesus Christ but they vvho in this lyfe hes beleeued my testimony the Gospell teached by me by my fellowâ—seruants by the rest of the Apostles and Pastors So take vp the nature of this faith and be not â—egyled with it It is not faith in Christ barely but faith in Christ preached By whom by a selie bodie What was Paul a selie bodie So looke neuer for lyfe nor saluation in that great day except thou humble thy selfe vnder the foolishe preaching as men thinkes it and beleeue the foolishe teaching of the Gospell Thou shalt
Constantinople Constantine 〈◊〉 being Pope of Rome at that tyme. Iohn in his first Epistle chapter 2. verse 18. sayes that the Antichrist is to come Then he subjoynes euen novv there are many Antichrists By the many Antichrists Iohn meanes these forerunners little Antichrists false Prophets and little Heretikes vvho vvere forerunners to prepare the vvay to this great Antichrist the monstrous beast of Rome against his comming By the Antichrist that vvas to come he vnderstandes the great Antichrist the head of the Apostasie the mid-man betvveene the Dragon and the Antichristian kingdome and the Church Reuelation chap. 13. verse 16. Novv to goe forvvard to the description of the Antichrist 〈◊〉 it follovves He is first descryued from his nature Secondlie from his properties Description of the antichrist And thirdly from his actions and effectes he bringes in the vvorld vvhen he commes Marke it This is a Prophecie not of the little false Prophets but of the great Anchrist and false Prophet that 〈◊〉 at Rome What is he of nature His nature A man like vnto other men of nature not a deuill nor substance of a deuill but he is of an humane and manlie substance Some thought that the Antichrist should be the deuill or a beast it is but solie He is not a beast of nature but he is called in the Reuelation a beast for his beastlinesse and for his filthinesse O how capable is the nature of man of euill if God giue it ouer to be guyded by the deuill Then what maner of man is he His properties The first propertie the Antichrist hes he is a man of sin He calles himselfe the seruant of the seruants of God No but he is a slaue to sinne his meate and drinke is sinne The second propertie he is the Sonne of perdition destinate from all eternitie to Hell and euerlasting damnation Peter in his second Epistle chap. 2. verse 3. sayes Long agoe his damnation is not idle or his destruction sleepes not but wakes He gettes this style that Iudas gettes in the 17. chapter of Iohn 12. verse the sonne of perdition adjudged to perdition from all eternitie in the secreete counsell of God These two properties standes well together the man of sinne addicted to sinne destinate to perdition The second is the ground cause of the firste For hee whom God from all eternitie destinates to perdition that man will neuer doe a good turne Nothing will come from his mouth hart or hand c. but all sinne Alas when we looke and see men who can doe nothing but sinne sinne in the house sitting eating drinking and in the field euer sinning what shall we speake of them who does so if they take not vp another course ere this lyfe be ended but they are men from all eternitie destinate for Helles fire Let euery man try himselfe Alas if thou looked to thy bloudie hart and hand thou would thinke thou had little warrand of thy salâ—ation Now this for his nature and properties Now to his actions and doinges What doing shall he haue The first action His actions He shall oppone himselfe against all that shall be called God and shall be vvorshipped This is the first action a plaine opposition to all thinges that keepes the name of God His first action and is worshipped in Heauen and earth He shall oppone him against all powers and magistrats and against all thinges that caries the name of a magistrat whether they be Princes or Emperors on the earth or in Heauen God and his Christ and from this opposition he is called an aduersary as the deuill is As the deuil is called Satan that is an aduersar so shall he get the name of an aduersar And he is called Antichrist that is an aduersar to Christ Now let vs see who must be this man I make my reason He that oppones himselfe to euery thing that hes the name of God or is worshipped either in Heuen or earth that man of necessity must be this Antichrist this is the action that properly is competent to that person Who is this man then look about al nations if ye can take vp such a man Who is it in Europ or out of Europ that oppones himselfe to Iesus Christ the Lord in doctrin first in life and conuersation next I tell you if ye finde such a man he is the Antichrist Now I shall tell you some points of Christs doctrine wher-vnto this aduersar oppones himselfe that by them ye may find out Pope the antichrist who is this Antichrist The Lord Iesus saies and teaches Thou shalt adore the Lord thy God onely and him onely shalt thou serue What man of this world is it that commes in and saies No thou shalt not worship him onely worship Angels worship men the soules of men departed this life worship Images dead mens bones called relicts do reuerence to graues and aboue all thou shalt giue that worship that is due to God only to that breadie God in the Masse Who does this and teaches it Is there any so ignorant that knows him not Againe Christ forbids to worship God with such worship as men hes inuented to worship him with men traditions inuentions Who is he that saies he must be worshipped by infinit traditions which are out with the book of the Scripture and many against the booke of the Scripture and bids serue him according to a rable of vyle traditions inuented by the brane of man Yet more Christ sayes this Scripture the olde and new Testament is perfite it is sufficient to make the man of God perfite it conteines all thinges necessarie to our saluation Who is he that sayes it is confused difficle mutilate manked the mother of all Heresies Who sayes this Looke ouer to Rome who but the Pope Woe to him and all his adherents Yet further Christ sayes I am the onely Mediatour betweene God and man Who is he that sayes No there must be many moe intercessours and mediatours Is it not the Pope Christ sayes Iustification is onely by true faith in me Who sayes No no thy merite and goode workes must be a parte of thy saluation and thou must deserue it Is it not the Pope Christ requyres of vs a sure confidence that in his bloude our sinnes are for giuen and that thereby we shall be safe and get lyfe euerlasting Who sayes it is an high presumption to beleeue so firmely and biddes thee doubt whether thou shalt get lyfe or not Is it not the Pope Christ sayes it is impossible to fulfill the Law of God Who sayes it is possible to fulfill iâ— is it not the Pope A plaine contradiction Christ sayes the onely price of remission of sinne is my bloud Who sayes I shall giue thee Indulgences and pardones for thy sinnes is it not the Pope Christ commanded to minister the Sacrament or the Supper vnder both the kindes Who sayes the bread may suffice the laikes let the
they were so obliuious as to forget a thing so needfull for their saluation Now to take vp some lessons shortlie on these wordes Then Apostle then beganne verie soone to foretell the Thessalonians of the comming of the Antichrist and of that vniuersall defection that was to fall out so long after that for this prophecie is especiallie of that great Antichrist who came not a long tyme after this The estate of the Church of Thessalonica was floorishing at this tyme he castes in a matter of discouragement heere There shall be an vniuersall defection Defection of the Church euer to be feared Well brethren it iâ— good euer to foresee the euil that is to come on the Church of God on the earth yea eueâ— when she is most floorishing to feare a decay and that her state will alter For this is the nature of the visible Church of God heere on the earth she is not so stabled nor setled but she is subject to alteration and trouble to defection to falling away from God from Christ and the trueth and that both particularlie and vniuersallie our setlednesse is not in this world there are none so well stablished but they may fall and therefore we should be euer in a dread and feare of destruction and alteration And it is the parte of the Pastour aboue all other euen in the floorishing of it to be forwarning and foretelling of an alteration and defection to insew For he as a watch-man should haue a sharpe eye to foresee and he should craue a foresight of God to knovve thinges to insew that he may giue aduertismentes to the people and they may be prepared for all dangers to come Another lesson Ye see the Thessalonians hes bene forgetfull of that which the Apostle tolde them when he was with them and therfore that which he spoke then he wrytes now to them Naturaly vvee are forgetfull of spiritual things So obliuious we are especiallie of thinges concerning our saluation that we will receyue them in at the one eare and let them goe out at the other we heare to day we forget to morrowe The seede is not so soone sowne but the deuill as a rauenous foull is readie to pull it out of the very eares that it be to vs nothing but a vanishing sound and therefore it is the Pastors part euer to be calling to their remembrance the things that are heard Ye see in a schoole the master considering the weaknesse of the memory of the youth is euer repeating the thing they haue heard as needfull it is to the Pastour to be euer repeating the thing he hes teached for all are as infantes in thee schoole of Christ 1. Cor. 13. 11. and it is the peoples part to be as diligent to heare ouer againe these things that pertaines to saluation and to craue that the Lord wold blesse their memories there in that they may be the more able to gainstand all assaultes of the deuill and his suppostes how canst thou gainestand if thou be not furnished with the armour of the word of God Therefore the Lord grant me grace to forwarne you and sanctify your memories to receyue and keepe the things that concernes your saluation for it may be the day of tentation is neerer nor we beleue But mark the forme how he cals it to remembrance He does it with a rebuke and reproofe Remember ye not They who are forgetfull of thinges heauenly should not goe away without reproofe calling to remembrance should be with rebuke But marke againe the leâ—itie of the Apostle in rebuking Remembeâ— ye not sayes he I told you before Therefore all this rebuke should be with lenity and loue sharpnesse should euer be mingled with leâ—â—tie This is the thing I euer find this Apostle doing Now to goe forward to the next verse Because he said before the Antichrist was not as yet reueiled The Thessalonians might haue asked the Apostle What withholdes What stayes What impediment is there Why is he not reueiled The Apostle answers shortly Ye know what withholds it is not needfull I tell you I told you it else when I was with you call it to remembrance it is not needfull that I should lose tyme by oft repeating of it Yet brethren albeit he knew it and the Thessalonians knewe it because he had told them of it before yet we knowe it not for any thing he showes heere Therefore we must see what was the impediment that stayed the reuiling of the Antichrist till his hight and pryde The Romane Empyre and publishing of the Gospel are impedimeÌ„tes staying the reueiling of the Antichrist What was it Both the olde and late wryters agrees in this It was the Romane Empyre that floorished for the tyme. The euent and issue of thinges declared this to be true For so long as the Romane Empyre stoode and the Emperour keept his owne seat at Rome which now is vsurped by the Pope so long neither Mahomet in the East preuailed for he was one of the destroyers of the Romane Empyre neither the Pope in the West got vp his head for the Empyre suffered him not to come to his hight But when once the Romane Empyre decayed the Emperour changed his seat left Rome and remained at Constantinople Then vp gets the Mahomet his seate in the East the Pope in the West and he sits downe in the Emperours seate This is one impediment Latter writers joines to this another impediment that staied the reueiling of the beast and his comming to his hight to wit the decree of God concerning the publishing of the Gospell of Iesus Christ in the world Ere he should come to his perfection it behoued that the Gospel should be preached throghout the world Ere there be any falling there must be a standing ere there be any Apostasie there must be a receiuing of the word It behoued that before apostasie the word should be vniuersally teached Therefore the Romane Empyre decaying the course of the Gospell comming to an end the Euangell being vniuersally teached the Antichrist breakes in and takes vpon him both the jurisdictiones takes on him the earthly power and then the jurisdiction ouer the soules of men he killes the bodie with the temporall sword he killes the soule with the poyson of falle doctrine His kingdome is euer slaying either of the soules of men with false doctrine and poyson of Heresies or else if men will not obey he slayes their bodies with the sword These are the impediments helde him back vnreueiled Then learne heere it is the Lord vvho stayes and holdes back euill from the world and his manerâ—â— he castes in impediments before the deuill and before wicked men ere they rise The deuill and his suppostes is comming out rushing on the people the Lord casts in impediments to them and then they must stand vntill these impedimentes be some way remoued For brethren the power of the deuill and of darknes and wickednes is so great on the
beatting dovvne of the beast onely Iesus Christ ought to haue the glorie of the victorie Whether ye looke to him who strikes the battell the armour or them who are souldiers in the battell all lettes you see the glorie should be giuen to Christ alone What is more vyle nor the vvord of the crosse and this vyle ministrie and yet he vvill haue him vvreaked and consumed with the word and ministrie He chuses not great and mightie things not kings and Emperours to this worke wonder not nor be not moued that ye see so many kings stand by the beast to see the Emperour the kings of France and Spaine stand for him but the Lord will vse base meanes to destroy the beast that the glorie may be giuen to him allone Now to come to the other pointe his abolishing He is abolished at the last When shall this be When Christ shall come againe How shall it be The face and presence of Iesus shall deuoure him As soone as the Lord shall come downe as soone shall he vanish and be burnt vp as caffe with the fire The word of the Gospell consumes him and burnes him but not quyte vp But the face of Iesus in that day shall burne him quite vp and then that prophecie of Iohn Reuel chap. 20. verse 10. shall be accomplished He shall be casten in a lack of fire and brimstone which shall neuer haue an end Then brethren beware of this word for if it worke not to lyfe but be a sauour of death to death if it doe thee no good in this lyfe be assured that most glorious face of the Lord in the world to come shall destroye thee Therefore looke that the word be an instrument to thy consolation and the power of God to thy saluation Looke how the word is effectuall to thee in this life for so shall the presence of Iesus be to thee in the life to come either to thy saluation or damnation The face of the Lord shal consume thee if the word hes wroght no renewing of thee in this life It is said in the chapter preceeding verse 9. They which did not obey the Gospell shall be punished vvith euerlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the gloree of his povver one blenke of that face shall consume in an instant all the reprobate Craue then that the word may be powerfull that ye may escape this fire of that presence of Iesus in his comming Then heere ye may perceiue that the kingdome of the Antichrist is not altogether abolished it takes a long tyme ere it be taken away Wonder not that he hes such a power in this earth for certainly this prophecie telles vs that there shall be some face of the Antichristes kingdome vntill Christ come Looke not that Papistry end ere Christ come look not that euery reformed Church shall be quite of them but they shall be as thornes in their sides till Christ come and let no man ouer soone triumph but let euery one make him for the battell There are none of the professours of Christs trueth but they should prepare them for battell Therefore let euery one seeke this armour that being enarmed with that spirituall armour so far as God will giue the grace echone may breath on the beast to his consumption that so God may be glorified and then shalt thou triumph for euer with him To whom be praise and glore for euer AMEN THE SEVENTH LECTVRE VPON THE SECOND EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE THESSALONIANS 2. THESSA CHAP. 2. vers 9. 10. 9 Euen him vvhose comming is by the vvorking of Satan vvith all povver and signes and lying vvonders 10 And in all deceiuablenes of vnrighteousnesse among them that perish because they receiued not the loue of the trueth that they might be saued WE returne again in this text to the description of the Antichrist to be reueiled the Apostle before had casten in some things in the way pertaining to the present purpose Ye heard the Antichrist to be reueiled was descriued from his nature First of nature he should be a man like other men then hee is descryued from his properties first a sinfull man addicted to sinne a slaue of sin and iniquitie next the sonne of perdition a man from all eternitie ordeined to perdition Then he came to his actions that he shall doe when he shall be reueiled first in malice of his hart he shall oppone him to euery thing called God in Heauen and earth to the powers and majesties here on earth to the Majestie of God and Christ in Heauen Another action when he shall be reueiled in pride he shall exalt himself aboue all thing that is called God and is worshipped in the world Yet more in pride he shall sit in the Temple of God not like a common man but as God in Gods seate on the consciences of men and wemen in the Church of God And last he shall showe himselfe to be God in all things in all his titles and styles and al his dignities and shall bereaue God so far as lyes in his power of all dignities and honors that pertaines to him allone Novv to speake nothing of that hes beene spoken before In this 9. verse the Apostle returnes againe to the description of the Antichrist and in this place he descriues him from the effectualnes or effectuall power he shall haue in men ordeined for perdition when he shall come and be reueiled in the world Then to come to the words Satan effectual by and in the antichrist Whose comming sayes the Apostle shall be according to the effectuall povver of Satan As he would say when he shall come and be reueiled in the world Satan that sent him shall be effectuall and powerfull by him powerfull in men and weâ—en that perishes that are ordeined from al eternity to perdition Heerein shortly learne then Euen as God by Iesus Christ in his ministrie whom he sends out will be effectuall in these who are his if all the world had sworne the contrare So Satan the enemy of God and â—atan in this pointe will prease to be like God and in his maner will be effectuall and powerfull in them that are ordeined for death by the Antichrist As God in his church for saluation will be powerful by his ministry so the Antichrist wil be powerfull to them that are ordeined to perdition Yet brethren the words imports more to wit that Satan shall not onely be effectual by the Antichrist outwardly but he shal be effectuall inwardly in the hart of him and when he shal work by him he shal not work by the mouth or hand outwardly but by the effectual working in his hart and will inspire in his hart to do the turne In this pointe likewise Satan preases to be like God When God by his minister as effectuall he not onely workes by his mouth or his hand or any outward member but he workes by his soule and inward affections cheefly 1.
man is leaning on the deuill and on vanitie he hes a kinde of pleasure and delite in his reposing on them but it is a false and deceitfull pleasure a fained rest and joy and heere I take vp the plague of the hart as I did before of the mynde when he makes the hart with a pleasure to rest on Satan and vanitie vvhen the hart is beatten with a senslesnesse that it cannot grippe a solide thing but grippes vanitie and leanes on it as if it vvere a solide thing vvhen it thinkes fleeting vanitie to be solide vvhen it is fleeting in the Aire it beleues it be on the ground So that the plague of the hart is when it is made senslesse that it cannot grippe a solide thing but vanitie and lies and this plague is of Gods just judgement Marke then here the order Wickednes and malice begins at the hart first so that when the truth is offred to the minde the malice of the hart oppugnes and will nor let it enter in the minde Rom. 1. 28. Ephes 4. 18. vpon this God beattes first the minde and casts the man away in a reprobate sense But lets he the hart alone No the hart that beganne the mischeefe escapes not but he beattes the hart that would noâ—let the trueth enter with a senslesnesse to liue vpon lyes and vanities and ere she knovve of her selfe she and her leaning-stock shall be both beatten downe to Hell So beware of this malitiousnesse to the trueth for if thou haue a malitious hart against this trueth oâ— God assure they selfe thou hast a blinde ignorant mynde plagued of God and thou thy hart and mynde and all thou leanest to shall be plagued with Gods euerlasting destruction Lord saue vs from a malitious hart for all standes in the disposition of the hart if it be plyable to embrace the trueth thou shalt get true knowledge and solide joy otherwayes woe to thee for euermore Now in the next verse the Apostle leauing off this doctrine and prophecy concerning the Antichrist and this 〈◊〉 Apostasie turnes him to the Thessalonians and beginnes to comfort them thinking well that the Thessalonians vnderstanding 〈…〉 these that the 〈…〉 Apostasie from Iesus Christ and that the Antichrist shall come with effectualnesse to deceiue the world should be discouraged with such doctrine Therefore he beginnes to comfort them And certainely if we knew what Apostasie were and 〈◊〉 danger is 〈◊〉 it 〈◊〉 what is the 〈…〉 Antichrist what a deceiues he were and what false doctrine were when it is sowne among people and what domage it imported the verie name of Apostasie and of the Antichrist and false doctrine would terifie vs and discourage vs altogether For I trow therebe none of vs but if a canker enter in a joint of our finger we would 〈…〉 for it Brethren false doctrine is a canker and there is as neuer a canker that wil consume so as the canker of false doctrine and so when it enters in the Church there is not a member of the Church but it should be fearde for it and astonished to see it but alas there is not feeling of the spirituall canker we 〈◊〉 so groâ—â—e in our 〈…〉 that we cannot â—eele the 〈◊〉 spirituall things But to come to the words 〈◊〉 sayes he should thank God 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 Wherefore Because that God 〈…〉 from the beginning 〈…〉 As he would say be not feared with these thinges 〈…〉 and on a 〈…〉 He sayes Brethren Our eternalelectioÌ„ proceds of Gods loue 〈…〉 The cause of this style is in the word following 〈…〉 for this eternall election commes of a speciall loue of God for if he had not loued thee he had 〈…〉 came of an vnspeakable loue of God towards thee as the reprobation came of 〈◊〉 hatred to the reprobate Therefore Rom. 9. 13. It is said Iocob I haâ—e loued but as for Esau I haue hated him from all eternitie and therefore I cast him away Well since election commes of loue it is not without cause when we speake to the elect that we call them the beloued of God This is a token of loue when God hes elected a man from all eternitie and there is not a man looke to your experience there is not one I say when they â—eele their election for thou should feele it and finde in thy hart that thou art chosen of God but they will feele it with such a joy and sense of loue of him that hes chosen them as is vnspeakable for there is noâ—one gift of God but when we feele it and consider it it brings with it a sense of the loue of him that gaue thee the gift and it wakens vp the joy of the hart exceedingly What matter of the benefite it with the benefit bestowed on vs the sense of loue be not communicated for the least and smallest benefit giuen with a sense of loue is 〈…〉 not a great benefit and gift without the sense of loue When God castes a kingdome to a man in hatred there is no joy nor sweetnesse in it because there is no sense of loue no if it were but a morsell of meate giuen of loue that loue will make it so sweete to â—ee that thy hart shall be vnable to 〈◊〉 the sweetnesse of it Therefore whateuer God giues thee be it little or much labour to feele that it is giuen of loue to thee otherwayes there is no true pleasure or joy in it for all true joy is when the loue of God is shed abroad in the harts of men by the holy Spirit Rom. chap. 5. verse 5. Now what sayes he We to wit I and they who writes with me thank God and not that onely but vve should thank God Mark it All offices of thankfulnesse that we can doe are debt and no merite if thou lost thy lyfe for Gods cause there is no merite in thy part all merite and desert is on the part of God as for thy part it is but debt and thankes-giuing is a debt we ought to God not for our selues onely but we are debt-bound to thâ—nke God for the graces bestowed on another and a Pastour is cheeflie bound to thanke God for the graces bestowed on the people He saies more alvvayes not for one time or two but euer and euer Thanks-giuing is a debt that should be euer in paying euer counting and telling downe as Paul sayes to the Rom. 13. 8. Pay loue euer for thanks-giuing is a debt will neuer be paâ—de neither in this world nor in the world to come Now he subjoynes the cause wherefore he thankes God that is the argument of consolation he ministers to them Because sayes he the Lord hes chosen you from all eternitie Blessed is that bodie that the Lord hes made a choise of Paul in the 2. Tim. 2. chap. 18. 19. vers when he hes spoken of the defection of some and that there were some Heretikes namely Humineus and Philetus thereafter he subjoines a comfort but sayes
he the foundation of God standes sure hauing this seate the Lord knovves vvho are his ovvne Whereby he strengthens the godly that they shold not be discouraged when they heard of that defection and his argument is from that solid foundation of their election euen so here when he hes spoken of this vniuersall defection and effectualnesse of Satan he ministers this argument of consolation to them their eternall eternall election Then the lesson is The chosen of God they stand fast The elect are not subiect to finall defectione they are placed without all danger of defection and falling away at least finallie and are not subject to Heresies and errors as are the reprobate and therefore well is that soule that is ordeined to saluation for the deuill will neuer haue power to seduce that soule by Heresies Indeed the soule may be deceiued for a tyme for this effectualnesse of Satan by the Antichrist is hardlie escaped euen by the elect yet they â—tand sure For a man hauing his saluation standing on this solide foundation euen the election of God that man shall not altogether fall away but when he hes beene wandering to and fro for a while and hes slidden then the hand of the Lord shall pluck him vp againe and why not Who is able to shake the foundation of the Lord Is Satan able to shake that decree of the Lord concerning thy saluation Men will change and alter mens decrees but how vvilâ— thou get that decree of the Lord altered No thou canst not But as God himselfe is vnchangeable so is the decree of thy saluation Indeed thou may make the elect of God shudder and shake while he is heere but as for his saluation it is keept vp in Heauen where the decree is and therefore it is impossible to shake it It shall be impossible to shake the man ofâ— this solide foundation of his election Againe learne If it be so as it is indeede The Apostle when he would comfâ—rtmen when he seeâ— one assault on this side another on that side one behinde another before he telleâ— them thou art setled on a solidâ— foundation looke to it lift vp thy eyes to that decree of God Now if the Apostle 〈◊〉 this kinde of argument Certainâ—y of election requisite what men are these that teaches that men should not haue a certaintie oâ— their election while they stand in the midst of Apostasie Men will say this is curiositie and presumption but alas what comfort canst thou haue except thou bear the decree of thy election in thy bosome Alas what joy canst thou haue in thy soule or how dare thou presume to seeke for mercy or life eternall if thou hast not this certaintie that thoâ— art one chosen of God if thou knew what this matter meant as I speake it to thee thou would neuer rest til thou got some assurance of thy election Now in the end of the verse the Apostle showes by what middes the Lord chusâ—s a man to saluation 〈…〉 Lookâ— the middes 〈…〉 and the faith of the trueth Marke it The decree of God to saluation is not without middes but as he hes ordeinâ—e thee to saluation so hes he ordeinde thee to passe by such a wayâ— He sayes not simplie My will is that this 〈◊〉 shall be 〈◊〉 but he sayes Sanctification faith meanes requisite It is my will that this person get lyfe 〈…〉 by such a middes that is by sanctification and by faith in Ieâ—us Christ and therefore as there is a decree of the end so there is a decree of the middes Thou art appointed by the decree of God to lyfe and thoâ— art likewise appointed to come to that lyfe by middes There are two middes to come by this life The first is sanctification which is nothing but our regeneration â—rought in vs by the Spirit of God The second is saith holden in the truth which is the ground of holinesâ—e that springs out of the hart of him that beleeues in Iesus Christ Sâ—â— sayes the Apostles Act. â—5 9. Hauing their harts â—urged by faith so that without faith there can be no holinesse in a man And all this ciuile fashion of dâ—ng is doing without faith Men trowes they doe well enough if they keepe ciuile honestie I say to thee it is but a counterfaite doing for where there is no sanctification in the hart 〈…〉 hypocrisie If the loue of this Gospell and â—aith in it bâ— not in the haâ—â— all thy doings are but counterfaite and they shall not be a meane to saluation for it is true holinesse comming of a true faith in this Gospell that is a middes of thy saluation And therefore all other outward showes how honest and ciuile that euer they appeare to be I say to thee they are no middes to thy saluation and thou shalt neuer be 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 by them for all is hypocrisie therefore that thy life and forme of actione may dâ—â—â—hee good to thy saluation thou must haue this faith in the Gospeâ—l and trueth of Iesus If ye will joyne these two together 〈…〉 and faith in the trueth of Iesus Christ thou shalt be saued and thou shalt goe on in the way of thy saluation to the which thou wert appointed from all eternitie Ye see then heere further brethren before that euer that eternall decree concerning saluation take effect and be put in execution in the world to come what must be done in this world This decree must be put to execution in faith and holinesse in this life first in faith and then in sanctification Then would thou know how thou shal know the decree of thy saluation for there is no decree extant in the counsell of God concerning thy saluation I will not bid thee runne vp to Heauen rashly but take vp the assurance of that decree in the execution of these mids ere thou come to the end I send you to easie meanes hast thou faith and holinesse and perseueres in them conclude and say with thy self Lord I thank thee I am of the number of thy chosen thou hast giuen me the arlespenny of my election I haue gotten that blessed Spirit of Iesus that seales vp my saluation I haue gotten faith and holinesse blessed be â—e that hes giuen me these thinges And so it is not curiositie to be sure of thy saluation nor it is no temeritie to seeke the certainty of thy election Brethren there is no doctrine so true and so good and profitable but wicked men abuses it and turnes the grace of God into wantonnesse lipiturians and Libertines whose pleasure is in vncleannesse when once they heare of election they will start vp and say If I be chosen what matter what I doe doe what I will and play the wanton as I please my election stands sure I must be safe Vaine man fye on thee looke what the Apostle sayes God hes chosen thee to saluation But how by these middes they must haue sanctification that is
the persons to whom it is directed The second is the arguments whereby he will assure the Thessalonians that the praier shal be granted to them And the last is the things that he prayes for to them To come to the persons I pray sayes he the Lord Iesus Christ. He names him first for the sweetnesse of grace he had found in him euer since first he knew him his soule was so filled with the swetnes of Christ that in nothing he could forget him neither in his praier nor exhortations to others as euery one that is touched with such a feeling of Christ will doe Know ye not this ye that make a glorious profession of Christ 〈◊〉 is thee that euer took the profession of Christ in thy mouth if thou find not a sweetnes of his grace towards thee in thy hart if thou finde it thou wilt neuer speake of any matter concerning grace and saluation but Iesus Christ shall be first in thy mouth Next he commes to the Father and he sayes and God our Father There then the two persons which are the two fountaines of all grace that comes to mā in the world Mark here a double honor giuen to Christ First he is joined with the Father as a fontaine of all grace and next he is first named for he sayes I pray the Lord Iesus and then he sayes and God our Father He puts the Father in the second rowme Iesus Christ god equal vvith the Father albeit in other places he puts God the father in the first rowme as ye may finde in all his salutations Now what must followe on this Euen this that Iesus Christ is very God as he is very man coessential of the same nature with God coequall of the same dignity and majestie with the Father and coeternall with him if this were not he could not haue giuen him such a style without blasphemy against God The olde Heretikes thought they got a great aduantage of such places of the Scripture that placed the Father in the first rowme to conclude that Iesus Christ was not onely inferior but far vnequall to God the Father and especially they gather it out of these wordes I baptise thee in the name of the Father and of the Son c. Ergo say they the Sonne is inferiour But looke here and ye will finde that Christ is named in the first rowme That olde doctor Chrysostome when he hes reasoned against this fond opinion at last he concludes They are equall in eternitie dignitie and in euerie thing that is or may be called truely God Indeed the Father is the first person but that makes not that the Father is aboue the Sonne for there is equalitie in dignity and essence and therefore he whiles puts the one before the other and that not in respect of any supremacy but to testifie that Iesus Christ our Sauior and the Father is one and equall in euery respect Now to come to the argumentes which are not set downe so much to mooue God as to assure the Thessalonians that the thinges shall be granted that he craues for them The arguments are from the effects of God First Who hes loued vs. Secondly vvho hes giuen vs euerlasting consolation And the last who hes giuen vs good hope and all throgh grace and mercy contrare vnto our deseruing Marke bethren a generall He bringes these Thessalonians to remembrance of these graces of God bestowed on them before Argumentes to assure vs that God vvill grāt vs benefits craued in prayer to assure them the Lord wil grant them these benefits he praies for to them When God begins to show his mercy on men or wemen and in Iesus Christ to powre out his blessings vpon them he giues as it were an obligation subscriued with his own hand I shall be with you for euer neuer man bond himself as the Lord binds himselfe from once he begin to deale mercifully with vs if he begin once to giue vs faith in Iesus christ and to minister that inward consolation and to giue vs hope of life euerlasting in so doing he giues vs an obligation that that mercy shall continue with vs for euer Therefore mark the graces of God giuen to thee and neuer forget them for they vvill hold thee vp That God that hes comforted thee once shal comfort thee for euer He is not like man I am sayes he Iehoua not changeable and therefore ground thy hart on that vnchangablenes of God For he who hes once begunne with thee to giue thee mercy assure thy self he shal not leaue thee How was Dauid and the godly of olde holden vp but by this same obligation Would euer any of the olde fathers haue stood without this No. There only prop vp-hold was the experience of the mercy of God once showne on them and diligently remembred by them Now to come to the particulare Who hes loued vs not as a Creator does a creature The first Gods loue but as the father does the son that is an higher degree of loue for he called him Father immediatly before then he subjoines he loued vs. Brethren would ye come to the thinges we haue of God throgh Christ The first is grace mercy and free fauour He is bound to no creature but what euer he giues he giues it freely The first blessing that God bestowes on man on earth and the first effect of grace and of his free fauor is loue this loue is giuen to make the creature to powr out as it wer the hart on his Creator againe He hes loued vs ere euer we wer of this loue proceeds eternal election as ye may read in sundry places of the new Testament This loue stayes not here but after he bringes vs in the world at his owne appointed tyme he makes the loue that was in his hart before all tyme towardes vs to break out and he sheds it abroad in our harts And the first effect of it is our effectuall calling He will say Come hither out of the foule pollution of the world and I wil exceme thee from the damnable end of the world and so from thence forth mercy hes no end but from calling he proceeds to justification from justification to regeneration and last to glorification So the first thing God giues thee is his hart and harty loue He will not giue thee any of these blessinges that are in Iesus Christ vntill with them he giue thee his hart He is not like man who will giue thee a faire countenance alone and will take no further thought what become of thee but God will giue thee his hart as the first gift and giuing thee his hart what can he deny thee When he hes giuen thee his hart can he deny thee life And therefore Rom. 5. 5. it is said that the loue of God is shed abroad in vs by his holy Spirit Now as he embraces vs with loue Lord if we could meete him with halfe loue againe We
cannot loue him except he loue vs first 1. Iohn 4. 19. There is none that loues him but he that hes the sense of Gods loue in his hart furnished by the Spirit of God O the joy and consolation in the hart when it findes the Lords hart powred out on it And without this sense of Gods loue towardes thee fy on thee if thou wert a king for all thy kingdomes if thou wert ruler ouer all fy on thy glorie and pleasure for all the things vnder Heauen may well minister to thee a false joy and peace in thy hart but they shall neuer giue thee the true joy for there is no true joy but through the sense of the loue of God in thy hart So there is the first gift and argument whereby he assure these Thessalonians that the thinges he askes for them shall be graunted to them without all doubt The next argument is And hes giuen vs consolation eternall In this word he summes vp all the blessinges giuen to man in Iesus Christ in tyme The secoÌ„d is eternall coÌ„solatioÌ„ our effectuall calling our justification through his righteousnesse forgiuenesse of sinnes and an acceptation in his fauor our sanctification by his Spirit the resurrection of the bodie and life eternal in glorie al these we haue in him to whom Paul maks this prayer So all the blessinges of God commes and meetes in the hart of man as in a centre they end all in consolation our effectual calling ends in consolation our justifying ends in consolation Therefore sayes Paul Rom 5. 1. Being iustified by faith vve haue peace tovvard God Then in one word As all blessing beginnes at the hart of God and at that loue he powres our on vs so al blessing ends in our hart The beginning is Gods the end is ours and our end is this that peace that passes all vnderstanding This loue of God is as a floode through the which slowes downe all these blessinges bestowed on vs which are as as many springs and conduits comming from that great and vnspeakable loue of God and entering once in vpon our harts wakens vp an infinite and vnspeakable joy in vs For from once that waâ—eâ— of the loue of God touch the hart there flowes such a consolation as is vnspeakable The Lord of Heauen giue euery one earnestnesse to seeke this consolation for it is the arlespenny of these euerlasting joyes which once we shall haue in Heauen throgh Iesus Christ He calles it eternall because it is a fontaine that neuer is stopped it neuer goes dry but euer runnes when the fountaine euer â—â—mes the riuer that runnes from it will neuer goe dry And therefore when that fountaine of loue in the hart of God commes in thy hart thy consolation must laste for euer his loue running down in thy hart makes thy joy euerlasting The thinges of this world when thou gettest them will waken vp some joy in thy hart but that joy which thou hast the day thou wilt want to morrow for it is not permanent but as for that joy which proceeds of the loue of God it hes no end it is eternall and therefore they that will seeke consolation in Iesus shal neuer haue an end of joy Indeed sometymes this our joy seemes to be troubled heere because it is compassed with many crosses and afflictions but the Lord from tyme to tyme makes our joy sensible and wakens it vp in vs and when thou shalt be in Heauen thou shalt haue an endles consolation without any vicissitude or alteration for euer Seek then I pray you for this loue of God as ye wold be euerlastinglie blessed with this joy vnalterable Now the third benefite is good hope He calles it good because it is of the best thing The third good hope that euer was that is it is of that cheefe felicitie for vvhat is it vve hope for Euen that consummation of our cheefe and euerlasting felicitie vvith our God vve hope for that possession of the glorie of our Lord Iesus and therefore it is not vvithout reason that it is called good hope Wherefrom flowes it Euen as consolation flowes from loue so hope flowes from consolation Rom. 15. 4. and consolation is as an arlespenny that God puttes in thy hand that thou shalt get theÌ„ full payment of the whole summe And therefore it wakens vp thy hart to hope so that when I get a peece of consolation I am induced to hope certainely that that Lord that hes giuen me that arlespenny shal not leaue me till he fil my hart with the fulnesse of consolation for the saciety and full contentment is not till we see Christ face to face and vntill this tyme we must liue by hope In end he sayes all these thinges are by grace Loue is by grace consolation is by grace hope is by grace that is of the free fauour of God without any desert or merite on mans part And it is vvell vvith vs that it is noâ— so that all is of free grace vvithout out merite for if any blessing of God hang vpon a mans merite vpon his doing and deseruing alas vveak vvould this ground be and there vvould not be one day but vve should fall from the grace If it 〈◊〉 depended on me I vvould lose it euerie moment of the day So the ground of thiâ— suretie and stabilitie of Gods blessinges is onely in God euen his free grace and loue When the Lord regardes thee not for ought that is in thee but lookes to himselfe then thou hast stedfastnesse by the grace of God as ye may collect of the 4. chap. to the Rom. verse 16. Therefore it is by faith that it might come by grace and the promise might be sure to all the seede If the inheritance hang vpon thy stinking vvorkes for thou fylest the vvorkes of the holy Spirit in thee thou shouldst neuer see Heauen And thou that vvilt stick by such a ground and say Heauen and saluation depends on thy vvorks thou shalt find thy selfe frustrate in that day and shall not attaine to that inheritance that thou looked for for there is no blessing of God in Christ but that that hangs vpon the free fauor and mercy of God to vs in Iesus Christ All the vvorld shall not louse this ground In the last verse vve haue the thinges he prayes for to these Thessalonians I pray the Lord Iesus Christ and God euen our Father that they would comfort your harts The next establishe you in euerie vvord of the trueth and euerie good vvorke Praier for consolation These are the tvvo thinges he prayes for consolation and perseuerance in well doing Hes he not said before that God the father had giuen them eternall consolation what is the crause then he praies for it as though they had not gotten it He sayes he hes giuen vs eternall consolation and now he sayes I pray the Lord Iesus that he would comfort you How can these two stand Mark brethren
This he sayes to tell vs that consolation is gotten by praier look the necessity of prayer If there be no prayer at no tyme there is no consolation that man that cannot pray to God and beg comfort at his hand that manifest neuer spirituall consolation in his hart Goe to experience I pose thee in thy conscience felt thou euer comfort without prayer No if there be not prayer to God thou shalt haue no comfort and more if there be not continuance in prayer thou shalt get no continuance in consolation Leauest thou off prayer looke whether consolation will leaue thy hart or not Leauest thou off in prayer to meditate on Iesus Christ I pose the whether the consolation in the hart leaues thee or not Againe striuest thou to keepe that presence of Iesus Christ by prayer and in all thy exercises castes a blenke to Iesus Christ be not so exercised that thou forget Iesus Christ hast thou thy eyes euer on Iesus by prayer and meditation wilt thou not finde a joy and swetnes in thy hart such as thou cannot be able to expres Againe when thou art so fixt on the things in this world yea euen in thy lawfull exercise for in thy lownry thou cannot haue an eye to God that thou cannot get a peece of thy hart to God it may be that thou haue a carnall and false joy but true joy and comfort hast thou not Well then brethren that peace and consolation flowes of prayer and earnest meditation in Iesus Therefore as the Apostle sayes Philip. 4. 6. 7. Be not solist for any thing but in euerything let thy requests be shovven forth to God and that by all maner of prayer and supplication and supponing thou get not the wordly releefe I shall tell thee what thou shalt finde the peace of God that passes all vnderstanding shall stand about thee as a guard and what lakest thou if thou hast that peace and tranquillity of thy soule And what hast thou if thou lakest this peace Now fy on al if thou lake this guarde of Gods peace if thou wert a king or Monarch abounding in riches pleasure and honour what shall all auaile thee So he drawes consolation from God by prayer And as it is sure that euery thing that liues hes the being and continuance of God So it is as sure that that person that is disposed to pray keepes and shall keepe the comfortable presence and peace of God that passes all vnderstanding Therefore the Lord dispose our harts to pray that by praier we may keepe some meditation and presence of Iesus Christ in our harts Kings will leaue their kingdomes Lords their lordshippes and euerie man will leaue this world and all that is vvithin it but vvoe to that man vvhom God leaues when the world leaues him The next thing he prayes for is that the Lord would establish them Praier for perseuerance as we say settle them and make them firme and stable not changing and wagging as the busse wagges and so inconstant in their religion but that they be settled Ye heard wherein stood our perseuerance It stood in holding a fast grippe of the Apostles doctrine the trueth of God Now here I finde more He prayes to God and Iesus Christ that they would establishe them that is hold a grippe of them So that in our perseuering there must be two things of necessitie The one is thy hand must be festned or else thou wilt fall for there was neuer one that had not his hart festned vpon the trueth of Iesus Christ by holding a grip of it but he fell downe to Hell The other thing The Lord must hold a grippe of thee or else thou cannot be able to keepe thy grip so thou must grippe and God must grip thee thou must stand on a fundation which is Iesus Christ and the Lord God himself must hold thee on thy fundation for otherwise thy feet will slip off the ground So euer say Lord hold me on this ground and fundation or else I wil not be able to stand one moment Now then to come to the fundations whereon we must stand and whereon the Lord must establish vs they are these first euerie vvord of this trueth and next euerie good vvorke Ye may see there are two fundations heere whereon thou must stand for he that would stand to the end must haue his feete set a spar-waies he must not stand on a slippery place nor on one foote onely but he must haue a sure ground and must stand on both his feete and euery foot must haue the own ground-stone to stand on and the first ground is the Gospell of Iesus Christ Therefore first lift thy right foot and set it on the trueth of God the Gospell of Iesus The next ground is holinesse of life and good works flowing from the former then take thy left foote and set it on holinesse of lyfe and euery good worke and then both thy feete stands sure I shal make this plaine There are two things in man the hart and the hand The man that would stand must haue hart and hand both fastned The hart must be first fastned and locked on the Gospell of Christ Iesus and that by the lock and bond of faith and next the hand must be fastned too and it must grip first to euerie good turne thinke it not eneugh to haue thy hart exercised If thy hand be idle or doing euill for if thy hand be not well exercised it shall be doing euil keepe these two fast then thy hart on the word of God and thy hand on euery good worke and then firmely shalt thou stand These two are so joyned together that they cannot be seuered for if thou six thy hart on the Gospell of Iesus Christ of necessity thy hand shall be exercised in well doing keepst thou one of them thou keepst both losest thou one of these two thou losest both for it shall passe thy power to haue a good turne in thy hand if thou want the Gospell of Christ Iesus in thy hart As by the contrare hant euill doing and then come to heare the Gospell in despyte of thy hart thou shalt not get the Gospell within thy hart but thou shalt want Christ Therefore as thou would keepe one keepe both and striue to fasten thy hart and hand on both and I shall assure thee in the name of Iesus Christ that he wil hold his hand to thee and stand shalt thou fast to the end vntill thou be put out of all danger For when once thou art brought to the mark and comes to the rinkes end then thou shalt be out of all feare and danger For there is no defection in Heauen no falling nor stumbling there but an euerlasting stabilitie when this mirrour is away and we shal see our Sauiour Iesus face to face Therefore as the Apostle praies for stabilities to these Thessalonians Euen so I beseech Iesus Christ and God the father to keepe vs on
and speaking of it There is another sort when it runnes through the harts of men that is when in her course she is powerfull in the harts to worke a true faith in them working sanctification an altering and changing of the soule and reforming the harts of men and conforming them to the Image of God As concerning the first she gets no glorie nor honor but she is rather stayned by it As to the other she runnes with glory and majestie and she is caried throgh the world like a glorious Queene and is magnified by men and Angels Now among whom is she glorified and among whom is she defamed When she is powerfull in men to sanctification there she is glorified who euer liues holily glorifies the Gospel and when men hes nothing but a bare word of it and liues licentiously and wickedly then the Gospell is defamed and shamed by these men as the Apostle witnesses Rom. 2. 24. out of the 52. of Esay For your sakes sayes he my name is blasphemed among the nations all the day long Then they who liues a life contrare to the Gospell of Iesus they shame the Gospell and therefore in the world to come they shall receiue shame for shaming of the Gospell In the end of the verse he sayes as it is vvith you To moue them to this purpose to pray for him or rather for the Gospell he brings in their own example and experience Thessalonians I wish you not to pray for another thing but that ye haue experimented your selues see whether or not the Gospell be glorified among you yea it is glorified Ye are not bare professors of it then are ye not bound to pray the Lord to communicate to other that grace that is bestowed on you So they who findes the Gospell glorified in themselues and findes her powerfull in their harts to a sanctified lyfe are bound to wish and craue this blessing to euery soule if it were possible Wherefore shall I haue a grace if I pray not to God to communicate that grace to another Wherefore should I enter in Heauen and not put out my hand to helpe others to that kingdome if it be possible Wherefore should I not pray thy kingdome come which is nothing in effect but Lord open Heauen to thy people and let many enter in that thou may be glorified And it is most certaine that col if a man haue entered himselfe in Heauen he will not inuy to haue others with him but he will stryue to make rowme if it were to all the world that they may enter in He will not be like the Pharisies that will not enter in Heauen themselues neither yet will let others enter in it A man that is once in the light he would haue all in the light As a man that is in darknesse would haue all in darknesse with him Now in the next verse he desires them to pray for his owne person and for the rest of his fellow-laborers that they may be deliuered from vnreasonable and euill men Marke something before we enter in the words Ye see the next care is of himselfe that he may be fred from his enemies The thing that man shold care for next after the Gospell that worthy thing should be the person of the men that caries this Gospell before the world for when she runnes she is borne vp in the harts and mouthes of men so next her selfe there should be a special care had of them that beares that glorious Queene that they that sees her may be safe Next that Heauenly treasure the Gospell that is the vnsearchable riches of Iesus Christ care I say should be had of the laime vessell wherein it is contained 2. Cor. 4. 7. A man is but a laime vessell wherein the Lord puts so rich a treasure But wherefore should there be a care of him Euen for the treasures sake for that pretious things sake The person himselfe or the Minister is bound to care for his owne person in respect of the treasure And the people to whom he distributes so pretious a treasure is bound as euer any man was bound to any thing to haue a speciall care of the person of the Pastor for the treasures sake for if he haue this treasure they will get more good of him nor he will get by any benefite in this world that they can bestow on him God himselfe for his treasures sake ere he suffer the vessell to be broken Mark the great care God hes of his pastors he will mingle Heauen and earth together and stupifie the world with wonders and by wonders he will worke the deliuery of the man in whom he hes put his treasure so long as he hes adoe with him for the dispersing and distributing of his treasure for the saluation of men Heauen and earth shall goe together ere that man perish Was not Peter casten in a strate prison were there not watches within and watches without was not the doore locked was he not in irons Act. 12. and yet in the night an Angell is sent from Heauen and he commes in the house with an exceeding light and calles vpon Peter and bids him rise he shakes off his fetters the doores are made open and all without doing of any man the watches perceiues not Peter escapes Wherefore does he this Peter vvas a vessell in the which the Lord had his treasure This vessell was not yet emptied of the treasure The Lords worke was yet in Peters hand but as soone as Peter had finished his worke he suffered him to die without much adoe so did he with Paul for albeit oft-tymes before wonderfully he deliuered him yet when he hes done his worke with him the Lord let him goe his way and suffer without any miracle So long as the Lord hes ought adoe with any man all the world shall not be able to to beat him off his seete he hes such a care of him Now to end this I dare say and affirme they that hes no care of the persons of men whom the Lord vses to be his mouth to preach this his Gospell that they had neuer care of the Gospell it selfe If thou hast no care of the preacher praise the Gospell as thou wilt thou art an enemy to the Gospell He that would breake the vessell he would scatter all the riches of Iesus Christ that is in that vessell that is he would make a lose of the glorious riches of the Gospell Therefore vvhen ye haue adoe vvith this base ministrie it is not vvith men that ye haue to doe but vvith the treasures of Heauen and vnsearchable riches of God Lord if men novv vvould once consider this Now to the words Pray for me sayes he and my fellow-laborers And wherefore that we may be deliuered in our owne person was he in any danger at this tyme wherefore he craues their prayer Appearandly he was in his journey towards Ierusalem and so he was to go among as
eneugh put me from his gun and pistolet sayes he I am sure eneugh and in the mean-tyme there is neuer suspition of the deuill stronger and subtiller then al the men in the world He wil get on a croslet and plateglufe ô miserable catiue what armour hast thou for the enemy of thy soule It is not with men we haue to do but with powers we haue not to do with flesh and bloud but with Empyres and Principalities Gouernours Princes of the world rulers in the Air. If thou hast adoe with Princes and Kings earthly they wil sute the field with thee but if thou hast adoe with the deuill as euery vnbeleeuer hes he will not sute the field with thee but he will be aboue thy head where thou shalt not get one stroke of him but he vvith great fetches and force will beate thee downe and vse thee at his pleasure Therfore it is not eneugh to pray to giue thee grace to stand and to keepe thee from such as are enemies bodily to thee but thou should say Lord keepe me from that euill one Satan from spirituall powers from that deuill thou art neuer free of him night nor day for he is going about like a roaring lyon seeking vvhom he may deuore 1. Pet. 5. 8. and when thou hast thus praied to be saued from the deuil then say Lord keep me from these bodily enemies Alas men liues carelesse of Satan as thogh there wer not a spiritual enemie while as there are millions of them to deuore thee for euer Ye see then this that is spoken to the Thessalonians is applyed to the whole Church of God in the world for this that he speaks of the Church of Thessalonica he meanes of the Church of God euery where that the Church hes many enemies the Church of Christ hes and euer had and shall haue many enemies The 〈◊〉 â—es many enemies the Church it selfe is but an handful in respect of the multitude both of spirituall and bodily enemies multitudes of deuils multitudes of wicked men and wemen in the world and therfore she cannot be without some noy and hurt no think it not But there is a consolation The Church of Iesus Christ shal neuer be tread vnder foote the deuill and all his supposis shall neuer tread on her nor ouercome the Church of God Hold that fast for a sure ground The Church of God shal neuer be vtterly ouerthrowne and this is a wonderfull thing And yet brethren as the might and omnipotency of God appeares in other things so especially his might appears in holding vp a poore handful of the poorest and vilest bodies in the world in appearance against such multitudes of strong and mighty both spiritual and bodily enemies and the Lord will be glorified in this few number and in end he shall make that handfull to tread on the necks of the multitude of the wicked vpon Princes necks and on Powers and Principalities and on the deuill himselfe The cause of her standing is because she is grounded on Iesus Christ who is immutable and vnchangeable she reposing and leaning on Iesus shall stand still and be vnalterable as long as he is vnalterable which is euerlastingly all the power of the world and Hell shal neuer ouerthrow her and bring her at vnder This is her joy that she shall neuer finally fall but shall stand notwithstanding of all assaults for euer And at last be victorious ouer oer enemies through the strength of him on whom she reposes Now to this God the Father Sonne and holy Spirit be praise and honor AMEN THE ELEVENTH LECTVRE VPON THE SECOND EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE THESSALONIANS 2. THESSA CHAP. 3. vers 4. 5. 6. 4 And vve are persvvaded of you through the Lord that ye both doe and vvill doe the things vvhich vve command you 5 And the Lord guide your harts to the loue of God and the vvaiting for of Christ. 6 We command you brethren in the Name of our Lord Iesus Christ that ye vvithdravv your selues from euery brother that vvalleth inordinatly and not after the instruction vvhich he receiued of vs. THIS last part brethren of the Epistle of Paul written to the Thessalonians containes precepts and admonitions to liue an holy and christian lyfe The last day wel ad in hands the first precept which concerneth prayer to God which is the cheefest exercise that a christian man can haue in this world there is none before it Therefore he began to pray and as he had prayed for them immediatlie before so he craues of them a recompence which is pray for me againe and good reason that when I pray for thee thou pray for me againe When the Pastor prayes for the flock the flock should interceede againe with God by prayer for him So the Apostle sayes Pray for vs for me and my fellow-laborers from whom in common this Epistle was directed But for what things should they pray to him The first thing is the Gospel and what of it Pray that it may runne and haue a free course through the world And what more That the Gospel of Christ running throgh shold not run through the mouthes and eares of men onely that is a small matter if there be no more but that in running it may haue the course with power and effectualnesse in the hearts of the hearers working lyfe and saluation in them and so consequently she may be glorified that is that men and wemen feeling the great force may be inforced to glorifie her in this world for none will glorifie the Gospell but he that feeles the power of it in his hart and to whom the Gospell is the power of God to saluation The next thing that he craues they should pray for is for his person the persons of his fellow-laborers that we sayes he may be deliuered from vnreasonable and euill men He giues the reason of this desire All men hes not â—aith When we goe abroad preaching the Gospell we will haue great opposition of many wicked men euil inclined in hart euil disposde in hand so that our persons must be oft in great danger Therefore pray for vs And the ground is all men hes not faith Howbeit some will professe God and religion yet in very deed God is not in their hart Christ dwelleth not in them by faith they are not elect and therefore they beleeue not It is dangerous to be amongst them yea euen for the persons of men for without Christ the hart of a man is as cruell as is the hart of a Tyger and Lyon or any wylde beast before it be drawen away from that cruelty and tamed by faith in Iesus Christ this is the nature of all men Then in that third verse lest that matter concerning faith and the scarcitie of it should haue offended them and moued them to doubt and to thinke it might be that they should fall away from the faith He sayes the Lord is faithfull and he shall
giue me grace to loue thee as thou bidst me hope so worke thou hope in me otherwise I will neuer be answerable to thy command Now to the words I pray God to direct your harts to the loue of God Ye see here wherfore he praies not for their mouth or tonge nor for their eies nor for none of these outward members but his prayer is for their harts that the Lord would direct their harts What meanes this To wit that the directer the guider and ruler of all these outward members of the eyes tongue and mouth of the hand and foote is the hart she sittes in the midst and guides all so that if she her selfe be first well guyded ruled and disposed it shall be well with all the members of thy bodie she shall guide thy tongue and brydle thy mouth in speaking and guide thy hand in doing it shall be well with thy eyes and eares she shall not suffer thee to looke or heare wrong and so well is the person that hes a well guyded hart and well disposed mynde For then as for the outward members they shal be all made wapons of righteousnesse to serue God but if the hart be euill disposed but if it be backward and peruerse as it is of nature there shal not be so much as the least member of the bodie but al shal goe the wrong way thy foote shall goe to mischieefe a murtherers hart stirres his foote to murther thy hand shall be a wapon of vnrighteousnesse to fight against God thy eye shall be looking to euill and likewise all the rest all shall be set to do wickednesse And therefore as the hart craues heere prayer for guiding of it so euery part of the bodie craues prayer for it As the Apostle prayes so let vs pray Lord guide my hart my hand my foote No the least member craues prayer but begin at the first stirrer the hart and say Lord guide my hart that all the rest of my members may followe her Alas the neglect of this prayer to God that he would guide the hart makes the hart a foule stinking puddle There is no stinking flewer to the stinke of a foule hart ô if thou felt it that thou might detest it If it be not purged thou shalt neuer see the face of God if thou ly still in the filth of thy hart and euery day in thy hart contract some further filth remember I forewarne thee the intolerable judgement of God shall be heaped on thy head as thou heapest filth vpon filth Now what craues he to their harts I pray the Lord sayes he to direct your harts The word in the owne language signifies a straightning as it wer an euen lyne for brethren consider the hart of man as it is disposed by nature and by this foule birth of ours all within vs is foule without that renuing Spirit of Iesus Christ it comes in this world crooked manshart crooked by nature and bowed in as a crooked tree bowed away from God to the deuill from al good things to all euil and mischiefe It is backward that is the terme that the Scripture giues it euery man is borne vvith a backvvard hart bowed downward from God And therefore what thing should thou craue to the hart what should thou aske for it It is not euen eneugh no so long as thou liuest there shall be ay a crooke in it What should thou pray for it then Euen this Lord make it euen put this peruersnesse out of it for so long as it bydes in this backvvardnesse it is not possible but thy vvraith must be on it Then pray for two things to thy hart First to mak straight thy crooked hart and say Lord I finde my hart crooked vvithin me bovving avvay from thee Lord put in day holy Spirit in it and straighten it And againe because it is impossible so long as I liue that I can attaine vnto an hart altogether straight Lord hyde the crookes of my hart with that mantle of the righteousnesse of Christ Trovvest thou that thou could stand one moment before that Majestie that cannot looke on a crooke except thy crook were couered with that mantle of the righteousnesse of Iesus Christ Therefore our prayer should be Lord let Christ my Mediator euer stand betweene me and thee to hold off thy wraith and fire of thy countenance Now folovves in the end of the verse tvvo pointes vnto the vvhich the hart should be directed manshart should be directed to tvvo things 1. the loue of God The thing that is made straight must be directed to a pointe The first pointe whereinto the hart must be directed is the loue of God the next is the patient avvaiting for of Christ. To speake of the first The hart as it is bowed and alienated from euerie good thing so first it is bowed from God and his loue be assured as thou art borne thou louest not God No thy nature inclines to hate him so deadlie that thou hast no vvill nor pleasure once to thinke of him the hart abhortes by nature the verie cogitation of him and faine vvould thou haue that conscience that aduerises thee of him to be pulled avvay Many vvould be quyte of their conscience that is euer sounding to them of God thou would giue a kingdome if thou had it to be quite of it And as thou wold not think of him by nature so thou vvould neuer heare of him there is such a naturall hatred against God in the hart of man for all are borne as it were with their face away from God and their backs turned to God and the longer thou liuest the farther thou runnest from him except by his Spirit he turne thee and say to thee turne thee and looke on my face And therefore the first thing we should pray for should be Lord turne my hart to thee to loue thee and set it on thee This is the praier of the Apostle and it should be our prayer night and day What thing canst thou loue with any joy or delectation if thou first loue not God Will the Husband loue the wife if he loue not God first fy on thee and thy loue both for thy loue vvill be turned in hatred and thou vvilt cursse thy vvyfe and thy children if thou louest not God first and then them in God for this cause This is the first pointe vnto the which the hart should be directed Now the next pointe he calles Patience that is a patient hope Of vvhom Of Iesus Christ that is of his comming and consequently of thy euerlasting saluation that shall be reueiled at his comming 2. Patient avvaiting for Christ Brethren it is craued that the hart of man be set beyond any thing in this lyfe I tell thee thy hart must be directed farther nor any grace thou can get in this lyfe farther nor faith nor the loue of God vvhich is the preciousest thing thou can haue thy hart must be set on things
that are not reueiled as yet on Iesus Christ to come vpon that glorious reuelation of him and full redemption that he shall bring with him to thee Novv fy on me and thee if our harts be bounded within the things or graces of this lyfe if we hold our harts onely on the thinges of this lyfe then as Paul sayes of all men vve vvere the most miserable 1. Cor. 15. 19. And therefore the hart should put out the head of it beyond this lyfe and lift it aboue this earth aboue all the Heauens vp to that place vvhere Iesus Christ is vvho shall once be manifested Brethren as concerning hope and that life to come I think ye finde how ye are disposed concerning it vvill nature teach you that euer Christ shall come againe to this world I shal tell thee thy nature will answere all foly and men will say doe well to me in this life I shal take my venture of the lyfe to come This lets thee see what is in nature for nature will neuer tell thee that there is a lyfe to come nature is far from all expectation of glorie after this lyfe Therefore this is the second thing vve should craue to the bovved hart that he vvould set it straight vpon the hope of life and as he prayes so should we pray and say Lord my hart is declyned from the hope of lyfe and lookes neuer Christ will come Lord righten it that I may waite vpon the comming of my Redemer for I shall not attaine to that life except I hope for it and persist in it till he come Well ye see then what is the good disposition of the hart of man and woman be not be beguyled with it When may thou haue a vvell disposed hart an euen hart When things falles out that pleates thee store of honors of riches of pleasure then thy hart is aloft and glad but I say if this disposition be not in thy hart that i◠loue God first and next that thy hart hopes for saluation woe to that hart if it be not otherwise disposed before thou die vvoe to that hart for euer So if thou vvould vnderstand vvhen thy hart is well disposed go downe to it and say my hart louest thou God if it answere I loue him then thou art well And againe say my hart hopest thou for a lyfe after this lyfe and to see the Lord Iesus to thy euerlasting saluation if it say I hope so then in joyfulnesse rest there I beseech you for Iesus Christs sake thinke not ye haue a well disposed hart except sensibly ye feele in it the loue of God and an hope for a better lyfe Stryue to this sense of the loue of God that thou may be persvvaded that he hes loued thee first and if thou feele that sweet loue of this then it will lowse thy hart to loue God with a joy vnspeakable fy on all carnal and fleshly joyes in respect of this solide joy Yet one word He calles it Patience by the which he meanes a patient on waiting and hope for brethren this vnderstand that there cannot be an hope of lyfe except patience concur vvith hope in the hart If thou hast not patience to byde look not for that finall redemption Therefore this patience is the necessary companion of hope for hope is nothing else but a faire looke yea a verie far looke to a thing that is far from vs. Well except thou hast patience trowest thou that thou wilt hold vp thy head from morning till night to await on Iesus Christ his comming No such thing thou may call a blenke and away at an instant but thou shalt not stand without patience no hope And againe ere thou attaine to that lyfe trowest thou that thou shalt goe euen forward a sound course so that neuer a crossing shall come in thy way no affliction touch thee till thou be set in Heauen Is that thy opinion that thou may liue in quyetnesse haue goods honor and store and none say to thee ill goes thou on the way Any man may take ease in patience No no if thou hast hope of glorie assure thee an hundreth stayes shall be casten in the way and thou shalt be beatten and tosted here and there And ofttymes there shall appeare such darke cloudes that the fight of glorie shall be plucked out of thy eyes Therefore if thou hast no patience to abide til that cloude be remoued thou shalt haue no hope and without hope looke not for glorie And therefore it is not without cause that Hope and Patience are joyned together He that would hope for lyfe let him cast him for troubles and crosses for if lyfe be ordeined for thee the Lord will cast in stumbling blocks euer to exercise thy hope vntill thou get that that thou hopest for for the Lord hes appointed here continual suffring The Lord grant that we may be enarmed with Patience euer till hope be turned into sight The next verse conteines another speciall precept As the former precept concerned the hart and the direction of it so this precept concernes the outward societie and familiarity we haue with men in this world for so long as we liue we must be in a societie but beware with whom So the effect of this precept is this vvithdravv your selues from euery brother that vvalketh inordinatly in his lyfe that goes out of order and keepes not his owne station that liues inordinatly There are two things to be considered in this precept First the forme Next the effect of it The forme is We denounce and charge you not in our name but in the Name and authoritie of our Lord Iesus for neither Apostle nor Pastor hes any power to denounce any thing in his owne name for there is no authority in the Church ouer the consciences of men but the Authoritie of God and of Iesus Christ And therefore no man can say to the conscience I charge thee in my name It is onely proper to God to charge the conscience Now gather the lessson This forme he vses lets vs see how hard it is Men naturally inclyned to eull company to be seuered from euill company albeit many will cursse it in the end It wil not be a light word that wil make thee to leaue euill company but ere thou come from it there must a charge interueene and that in the name of the highest authoritie euen the great God and that by the mouth of his seruant The Lord must say I charge thee in the Name of the great God seuere thee from euill company Brethren knowe ye not your nature neuer thing stak faster to another thē this nature of ours cleaues to euill and euill men so that by a great force they must be pulled asunder Now to come to the matter he sayes vvithdravv your selues He sayes not shoote them from you but drawe your selues from them so it importes not a publick excommunication but a quyet separation of a
them the presence of the Lord himselfe to be with them all Last he salutes them and the effect of the saluatation is a prayer for them The grace of our Lord Iesus be with you all Amen So all consistes in prayer Then learne He beganne this Epistle with prayer and salutation throughout the whole Epistle prayer is mingled Now in the end he multiplies prayer What meanes this Euen this that in vaine is all doctrine exhortation admonition and precept whatsomouer all preaching is nothing except the Lord by his Spirit worke inwardlie in the harts of the hearers all is nothing but vvinde except he moue their affections Now the way to obtaine this inward and secreete operation of the holy Spirite is oft-tymes to turne to God by prayer beseeching him to be povverfull and to joyne his Spirite vvith the vvord and to joyne vvorking vvith speaking And therefore hovv oft so euer we teach and ye hear the hart and eye should be lifted vp and set vpon him who hes keeped Spirit and power in his owne hand to giue as he pleases No man can giue you it neither the Preachour nor no Angell can giue you it It is onely in the hand of God and Iesus Christ to giue thee Spirite and povver and to joyne vvorking vvith speaking And therefore the eye in preaching should euer be set on Christ The Pastour should pray and haue his hart aboue to dravve dovvne grace to himselfe and the people that the vvord spoken may be effectuall in the hart othervvise preaching and all hearing is in vaine Now to come to the words The first thing he prayes for and wishes is peace The Lord of peace sayes he giue you peace for euer and euery vvay The thing then he wishes is peace that is quyetnes rest and tranquillity concord agreement all these words expresses the meaning of the word Peace The contrare is vnquyetnes What peace is dissention c. This Peace is the blessednes felicity happy estate of Christs kingdome which is his Church both in earth and Heauen And all the graces we haue in Iesus Christ tends to this end that his subjects may liue in peace quyetnesse and joy for euer and that shall be the end when we are in Heauen peace and joy for euer Ye see the happy estate of a worldly kingdome what is it When men liues in rest and enjoyes peace and quyetnes that is the happines of a worldly knigdom therefore in the 1. Timot. 2. 2. he commaundes prayer to be made for all men For Kings and superiour povvers To what end Euen to this same end that vve may liue a peaceable and quyet lyfe Euen so the blessed and happie estate of Christs kingdome is an heauenlie peace concord and quyetnesse And therefore Rom. 14. 17. he makes this peace to be essentiall to the kingdome of God that he defines it by this peace saying The kingdom of God is righteousnes peace and ioy in the holy Ghost This Heauenly peace is onely in Christs kingdome in his Church in Heauen and earth And the subjects of the kingdome of Iesus Christ are onely they that enjoyes this peace here and after this life for euer for without the Church of Christ there is no true peace If thou be no subject in his kingdome thou hast no rest no true peace for there is no true peace for the vvicked sayes the Prophet Esay 57. 21. If thou be of that number that is without the kingdome of Christ no peace for thee and the end shall proue thou hadst neuer true peace in this world Now to go forward He craues that it may be giuen to them Then Peace the gift of god it is a gift Heauenly peace is the gift of God thou hast it not by nature None is borne with peace but with warre and inimitie by nature all are borne with dissention strife and debate there is no heauenly peace by nature And the whole lyfe naturall what is it but a continuance in war debate and strife first against God next with thy selfe and thy owne conscience And againe a strife against the Angels in Heauen and men on earth and all the creatures of God thou art an enemie to them and they vnto thee vntill the tyme thou attaine to that new birth in Iesus Christ and then by vertue of that birth thou getst this heauenly and spirituall peace for then thou beginst to liue at peace first with God himselfe and next with the Angels in Heauen and men in earth and with all his creatures So looke how needfull it is for thee to haue regeneration for if thou want it thou shalt be at war for euer thou shalt haue no peace But how getst thou it It is a gift And who shold giue it The Lord of peace The giuer of it must be the Lord with dominion and power with command And as vnder his Lordship other things must be so peace must be at his command either to giue it or hold it Now who is this Lord that hes this power of peace and war Who is he that sayes All povver is giuen to me in heauen and earth Matt. 2â— 18. This Lord is Iesus Christ And therefore ere euer he came in this world and tooke on him our nature Esay 9. 6. he styles him the Prince of peace And Paul Ephes 2. 14 styles him peace it â—elfe he is our peace-maker And in Iohn 14. 27. Christ speaking to his Apostles takes on him to be the giuer of peace and sayes My peace I leaue to you and giues you So this Lord of peace is the Lord Iesus Christ who hes in his handes all grace and glorie in Heauen and in earth Yet to goe forward The lords style ansvver able to the grace 〈◊〉 praier Why is it that he makes a choise of this style rather then of any other Certainely this style he receiues here agrees with the petition and thing asked at his hands peace is craued he is styled the Lord of peace what euer we aske of Christ it should be in faith that he hes power to giue it aske iâ— thou peace aske it not but in an assurance that it is in his hand and that he is able to giue it Now this assurance that all is in his hand it cannot be better vttered then by the Name and style we giue him askest thou wisdome say Lord of wisdome giue wisdome askest thou peace say Lord of peace giue me peace askest thou mercie say Lord of mercy giue me mercy So the name and style we giue to the Lord when we craue ought at his hands should be answerable to the grace and mercy we aske for then we vtter our faith and assurance that he hes such a grace and power to giue vs. This hes bene the forme of Pauls prayer and of godly men of old and should be imitate by vs. The Lord hes many styles he is called the Lord of peace mercy and justice the Lord
be vvith them in his grace and vertevv but also that he may be vvith them in his ovvne presence and person vvhich is more then the first Then thou must not be content to pray for the benefites of Christ but the cheefe ihing vve ought to pray for to Christ is Lord giue me thy selfe giue me thy presence in thy ovvne person for if vve get any good of him it must be by himselfe he must giue himselfe to vs. In one vvord the first conjunction vve must haue vvith him must be vvith his ovvne person he must be our head and vve the members of his bodie My hand vvill not be the better of any povver or vertue in my head if my hand be not joined with my head the first thing then my hand must haue must be a conjunction with the head and so of the rest of the members of the body and then the conjunction being made vvith the head the vertue goes down from the head and is scatred throgh al the mēbers of the body It is euen so with Christ Iesus before we get grace or lyfe out of him motion spirituall out of hi peace out of him he is full of grace first that sweet conjunction must be made betvveene him and vs he must be conjoined vvith vs in a more strate conjunction then the mēbers vvith the head And therefore he goes to the ground of all peace the Lord Iesus that he may stand vvith them and they may be conjoined with him their head Now he prayes for this presence to them all not to one member to tvvo or three but to all and euerie one of them Then marke The Lord Iesus is a sufficient head and Sauiour for all the vvorld none being excepted all sufficiencie is in him he may serue to be the head to all the vvorld yea to a thousand vvorldes his presence is so ample that he may suffice to be a Sauiour to a thousand vvorldes yea to an infinite number of vvorldes Paul knevv this that he is not like an earthlie king vvhose presence serues but for so many and is contained vvithin narrow bounds and therefore he prayes for peace to all Now if thy head and Sauiour be so ample thy hart should not be narrovve nor thy mouth narrovve but as Iesus is a sufficient head for all so let thy hart desire his presence to all the vvorld if so it should be possible And as for my selfe I vvishe there vvere none but that they vvere partakers of this presence of Iesus Christ For vvhy should vve seeke the vvreak of any creature yet the Lord hes his ovvne and none vvill get his presence but they that are his O vvell is that bodie vvho is predestinate to lyfe for that bodie must haue his presence he vvill be an head and Sauiour to him But that body that is predestinat to destruction cannot haue his presence yet vve are bound to vvish his presence to euery one Novv he commes to the salutation and sayes The salutation of me Paul vvith my ovvne hand Then he subjoines the forme of it The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ c. He began vvith a salutation after his common forme and novv he ends vvith a salutation His first meeting vvith them vvas by a salutation the end of his conference is by a salutation Then looke vvhat example of his doing should learne vs for as vve are bound to obey the doctrine of the Prophets so we are bound to follow their fashion of doing Paul saluted salute thou The thing then I note here is this In all the meetinges and conferences of the faithfull either by vvord presence or vvritte there should be a mutuall beneuolence and an intere loue and affection that as ye see the bodies of men meete together so the harts may meete together joyned in kyndnesse and beneuolence Wilt thou meet in bodie and hold thy hart aback that is vvilt thou haue the half man meeting and not the whole man That is no meeting for the meeting should be of the vvhole man bodie and hart and this should be vttered all maner of vvay in thy gesture in thy doing salutatiōs of christians would be testimonies of their loue in thy speaking and all the vvordes of thy conference should smell of loue Among all other thinges that testifies of loue this salutation is one when thou bidst him good morrowe good night it is a testification of thy well willingnes and of thy loue towards the man and this hes bene the forme of the godly their meeting hes bene with a salutation and their sending with a salutation that if they could not haue a byding together here by their mutuall saluation they might abyde together for all the members that are true members in Iesus Christ are joyned together in their spirits harts and affections this exemple we should followe This maner of doing nowadayes is counterfaite Men will seeme to salute other gladly and yet the harts will be wishing the worst in harts they are enemies to other and so commonly al their doings becking and off-cap and good dayes both all their words and deeds are fained Looke therefore what euer thou doe doe it in sinceritie for the Lord heares and sees all and if thou doe fainedly the Lord shall judge thee for it in that day He sayes he wrote this saluation vvith his ovvne hand The whole Epistle before Paul hes dyted and appearantly another hes written it Now when it commes to the subscription Paul subscryues it with his owne hand Now wherefore was this The cause appeares to be that before this tyme there raise vp deceiuers that stole in wrytings vnder the name of Paul as appeares in the 2. chap. 2. verse be not deceiued sayes he c. And therefore to let them know what was his and what was not his he subscryues with his own hand This hes bene an old practick of Satan euer to corrupt Christs Church both by word and counterfaiting of writte and all maner of way and this same day we see the experience of it in the Romane Church Satan by 〈◊〉 instrumēts coūterfaits holy vvrits Now to the end that false writtes may be trowed the better looke the craft of the deuill he hes in his instruments stollen in bookes written vnder the name of Prophets and Apostles to the intent that the people reading the name of a Prophete or Apostle should giue credite to the writ Papistrie is full of deceite and the cheefe grounds of their doctrine is Apocryphe-books which hes bene stollen in vnder the names of holy men Now looke what hes beene the mercy of God he sees this well eneugh Therefore it pleased him to imprint a marke in his holy writte whereby it should be knowne to be authentike Scripture as in this place he subscryues with his owne hand which was not without the prouidence of God for there is not a part of Scripture but the Lord hes stamped it with such a sure
stampe that is with such a Majestie in speaking with such gratiousnesse and spiritualnesse both in words and matter that they that hes a spirituall eye to discerne betweene light and darknesse will take it vp to be of God I pray you tell me how was the olde Scripture tane vp to be of God The Papist will say because the Church said it they were of God Is that all the warrand And who told the Church If the olde and new Scripture bare not the markes of the Spirit in themselues the Church had neuer tane them vp to be of God So the marke of the Scripture is that stampe of the Spirit that Majestie in such a simplicitie of wordes that gratiousnesse and power which shows both in the wordes and matter these things telles vs they are not mans writs for mens writtes hes not the gratiousnesse and power that is in the Scripture Brethren this marke of Pauls subscription is away albeit we haue the Epistle but a better marke bydes the stampe of the Lord bydes and this telles that it is the Scripture of God and Pauls writing Now followes the saluation The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be vvith you all I see the affection of the man in the end of his writ is powred out on this Church of Thessalonica and when he takes his leaue he burstes out in frequent prayer and al his praier is for heauenly and spirituall thinges Then first we learne we must not euer bide al together and we cannot haue euer conference either by word or writ But how is our sundring recompensed To wit with greatnesse of affection let thy loue grow And how shalt thou vtter it In prayer to God for them with whom thou may not dwell affection is nothing worth without praier And what should we pray for Especially for heauenlie things Pray for heauenly peace for the presence of Iesus Christ and that the grace of Christ may be with him Pray also for things earthly but so that they may further him to heauenlie thinges And I say the man that cannot pray for heauenly things cannot pray truely for earthly thinges Dare thou pray if thou seeke not first the kingdome of Heauen no thou cannot pray if it were for thy dinner except thou pray first for the kingdome of God Now the next word is grace that is free fauour of God I reade not of such a commendation of any people as of these Thessalonians He commended them in both these Epistles from their faith hope loue and all the dueties of loue Yet he sayes not The Lord render you a rewarde for your merite but he sayes grace be vvith you This is contrare to all merite Read the 2. Timo. 1 16. there ye will finde a very notable exemple to this purpose There he sayes Onesiphorus vvas very beneficiall to me he oft refreshed me he thought no shame of my bondes he sought 〈◊〉 Rome very diligently How should he be requyted for this He sayes The Lord grant that Onesiphorus may finde mercy vvith the Lord at that day He is but a miserable man when he hes done all this And therefore this shall be my prayer for him for it will not be his merite that will do him good but it is the free grace and fauour of God O foole all thy merites shall stinke in that great day and then thou shalt see what free grace shall do for in that day none shall stand but such as stands by free grace Now whose grace is it he prayes for It is Iesus Christs No there is no grace but Christs grace How is it the Lord Iesus Christs He hes boght of the hand of the Father all grace al gifts of the holy Spirit all glorie in Heauen and earth with a pryce euen the pryce of his precious bloude And therefore the Father hes giuen him all So there is no sparke of grace giuen to any creature but it must come through Christ his hand euen the hand of the man Iesus All righteousnesse sanctification and glorie must come from him he must be the giuer thereof Therefore it is said he gaue gifts to men Ephes 4. 8. The Father giues no graces immediatly but all are giuen through the hand of Iesus Christ Therefore let vs haue recourse to this Lord of grace and seeke not to the Father without him but seek all from the Father in him Now how far should this grace extend Euen as Iesus Christ is an head that extends himselfe to al so the grace that commes from him is sufficient for all it is sufficient if it were for a thousand yea infinite worlds Rom. 5. 15. The Heauens are not capable of the greatnes of the grace of Iesus Christ Greatnes of the grace of Christ so that if there were a thousand worlds there is sufficiency of grace in him for them all There is no inlack in him but the inlack is in thy narrow hart it is capable but of a very small portion Learne here then by the exemple of Paul that we should not haue narrow harts to wish this grace to a few but we should wish it to be giuen to all Looke what he sayes of himselfe 2. Cor. 6. 11. My meuth sayes he hes bene vvyde open vnto you my hart is dilated ye dvvell not narrovvly in my hart So all men should haue an open and a dilated hart in wishing grace spare not to be liberall in wishing fill thy hart and mouth with his grace and 〈…〉 with liberalnesse to others seeke that grace of Iesus to all that if it were possible all the world might be saued For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Sauiour vvho vvill that all men shall be saued and come vnto the acknovvledging of the trueth 1. Tim. 2. chap. 3. 4. vers Yet the Lord hes his owne and so many as he hes written in his booke shall be saued Therefore thou should seeke all the warrands thou can to assure thee that thou art Iesus Christs fore-ordeinde to lyfe euerlasting for if thou be of the number of the elect the grace of Christ shall extend to thee and thou shalt haue glorie with him for euer To this Iesus be all praise honour and dominion for euer and euer AMEN FINIS
day from the fearce wrath of God Consider this the world bindes vp mens eyes that they should not see Christes comming and it makes vs neuer to desire to heare nor know of an other life or of Christs comming Therefore take vp this necessitie and let all this lyfe be a preparation to a better life in al thy exercise in this life say Lord I am exercisde heere in this vocation or that vocation at thy command but Lord for all this bussines I am a pilgrime here my life is not in this world and my heart and eye is beyond this worlde vvith thee The Lord giue vs grace to haue this hope woe to that soule that must departe and hes no hope of a better life Now I will go forward in the Chapter following Wherein first the Apostle sets out a discourse of himselfe and of his own Ministrie and the successe the Lord gaue him in his Ministrie towards the Thessalonians This he telles in the two first verseâ— of this chapter Parts of the secoÌ„d Chap. Then he comes to the recounting of the graces of God wrought in them by his ministrie to the 17. verse Then vntill the end of the chapter he telles the great sorrow he had that he could not win to theÌ„ shewes the impediments Sathan vvithstoode him These are the three parts of the chapter To come to the first part he sayes For ye your selues knovve brethren that our entrance in vnto you vvas not in vaine When I came to Macedonia to vvin a number of soules that God had there my entrie was not in vaine without effect or power the reasone is in the next verse followinge For saieth hee vvee vvere boulde in our GOD to speake vnto you the Gospell of God vvith great stryuing The power of God vvas perceyued in my preaching and all my libertie in preaching of the gospell was of God He aggreadges this his libertie by telling of the stayes and impediments he got ere he came to them he suffered manie afflictions and was euill entertained at Philippi and comming to them he was not free of affliction but all his preaching was with fighting and daylie battell there is the meaning of these verses To come then shortlie to the lessons First Ise the people that hes beene grounded and edified in faith by the ministrie of the Pastor and by the grace and power of God they should not forget the graces of God they got by him and ere they should forget the Pastor him selfe is bound by the example of Paule for to stand vp and to bring them in remembrance of the grace not for his owne praise but for the glorie of God who hes geuen thee grace that the grace of God be not obscured but that his glorie may shine I will lay you a ground in the first Epistle Corinth 2. 4. 5. Your faith is builded vpon the power of God that is geuen to the Ministrie To the Ministrie yea to the Ministrie to the Ministrie man or else thou shalt neuer haue a ground of faith The Apostle sayes that your faith stands not in the vvisdome of men but vpon the povver of God And therefore brethren Faith stands vpon that same verie ground the power of God geuen to the Ministrie Thy eye should be drawn back to see the ground where-vpon thy faith hath beene grounded if thou forget to looke of it Pastors should draw thy 〈◊〉 about and let thee see that thy faith was grounded on the power of the word in the Ministrie I challenge your experience how oft ye remember the power of God in the ministrie whither ye rejoice or not saying well is me I haue not my faith grounded vpon the wisdom of man but vpon the power of God seeke it for the fondation of your faith that it be firme and sure for if thou haue not a sure foundation to ground thy faith on it shall fall And that thou may find it I counsell thee that thou neglect not the Pastor for if thou forget the Pastor his ministrie thou shalt not come to the fondation of thy faith I put it out of question the power of Gods word by his ministry is a ground wher vppon your faith is grounded If this ministrie go awaye faith saluation and all graces in this land will decay The second thing wheron stands this power is in the second verse It stands in a libertie boldnesse freedome in vttring the Gospell and speaking of Christ So brethren wher liberty wher boldnes in preaching the Gospell is there is effectualnes in it the man who hes this boldnes is a fectfull man his entry shall neuer be in vaine If the Lord giue thee libertie if all the worlde had said the contrair the effect shall not be in vaine and where the Lord geues not this libertie all the preaching is fectlesse and without frute I shall say nothing but that which Paul saieth where there is no liberty in the speaking of Iesus of his mercie and grace no freedome of mouth c. there is nothing but a dead Gospell Where there is no libertie in vsing all the parts of the ministrie in rebuking admonishing and comforting there is nothing but a dead Gospell I meane euer of a libertie grounded on God not on mans vaine affections where this liberte is not there is nothing but a dead ministrie I beleue this nation be come alreadie to the hight of this liberty not of the mouth only but of the heart And I think the Lord is binding vp the harts of men that they are not loused with that liberty if it were but in preaching the Gospel as they wer Lord be mercifull to vs. I beleue this worke be drawing to an end ye haue keped it long blessed shall they be that dies in the light And so when I looke a far off I pittie the posterity which appearantly shal be depâ—iued of that liberty al for our ingratitude we had a grace libertie which we contemned So God in justice is drawing it away Next marke againe In God sayes he not in man That is we vsed that libertie which God gaue vs. The libertie of the affection of man is nothing worth Looke then what euer be spoken by the Minister it be warranded by the word of God And looke againe that it ryse of the inward motions of the Spirite in the hart If a man speake of his owne priuate affection ô Lord if he should not haue a well sanctified affection that speaks in the name of the Lord it is better to him not to speake he indangers himselfe hes much to make account of But if thou hast warrands in the word break out with it with liberty for it is as great danger to thee to conceale it when thou hast a warrand as it is to speake it of thy owne affection And without question the Lord will controll them that will controll thy libertie here The Lord giue eyes to men that