Lecture 4 · 1 Thessalonians 1:9–2:2

THE FOVRTH LEC. TVRE VPON THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE THESSALONIANS.

THE purpose we haue in hand, brethren, is that rejoysing of the Apostle Paul, together with the Thessalonians, whom he had conuerted to Christ, for these graces of God which Paul vnderstood to be in them: namelie, their faith, their loue, their hope, their election eternal, of the which he was assured, and that by sundry arguments and tokens. Now the last day we entred into a narration, which the Apostle showes was made to him in the Countries in the which he trauailed, both far & neere concerning the Thessalonians and first of all concerning himselfe, what manner of entrie he had vnto them, with what libertie, with vvhat affliction, and as concerning them, how they were conuerted and turned by his preaching from the Idoles, false Gods which they vvorshipped before, vnto God. This much alreadie.

Now in this text we haue the vses and ends of their conuersion and turning to the true and liuing God: There are tvvo of them: the first is, that they should serue the liuing and true God: The second is, that they shoulde looke for his sonne, vvhom he, meaning the father, had raised from the death, euen Iesus, vvho delyuereth vs from the vvraith to come. The ends of conuersion. Nowe to come to the first end, and to marke euerie worde: Ye are conuerted, saves he, from idoles to God: and to what end? to serue the liuing and true God, whereas before ye serued but dead and false Gods, beeing miserable slaues: ye are turned and conuerted from these false Gods to imploy that seruice on the liuing and true God.

Then brethren, to marke shortlie the lessons, for the Text is plaine. Our conuersion & turning to God, is not that we should stand vp idle before him or play the vvanton in his eyes: but it is to be humbled before him, to honour him, and to consecrate our whole life, (if we did liue ten thousand yeeres) to his seruice. Manie men, vvhen for the fashion they haue turned from Idolatrie to God and to the Gospell, where he is present, employ their vvhole life (as ye see by experience) to displease and dishonour God in his face. In the light of the Gospell hee vvill come out and playe the murtherer: in the face of Christ in the Gospell she vvill playe the harlote, the thirde will oppresse, the fourth will steale, the fifth will spew out blasphemie. Now why wouldst thou not do this when thou didst serue idoles? the lesse judgement shoulde haue falne vpon thee to haue done these things in the face of an Idole that savve thee not, nor in the face of God vvho sees thee. O hypocrite, it had beene better for thee thou hadst neuer beene conuerted to the Gospell, nor hadst neuer heard the sound of the Gospell, nor when thou hearest it to contemne God by thy life therein. Fy on thee, go backe againe to idolatrie, except thou behaue thy selfe comelie standing before the face of that Majestie of God. Brethren, it is the thinge I haue beene thinking on: This Gospell shall serue to the greater condemnation of the multitude of people in this world, & that for the contempt thereof: fy that such villanie should be daylie and hourelie committed in the sight of God, in so great a light of the Gospell.

He joynes some properties to this God, and calles him the liuing and trew God, and that to put a difference betweene him and Idoles: an Idole is dead, the Papists idole is dead and the Papist turnes the liuing God in an idole. An idole is dead, without life, breath, feeling, motion or stirring, without, all kind of quicknes: God true & liuing. our God is liuing, an idole is but a false and sordged thing, a thing that a vaine head vvill inuent: fy on the vanitie of an idole: but our God is the true God, God in verie deede, and in the end vvill be found the onelie true God. There are tvvo properties that are geuen to him: Marke the vse of them: They are reasones mouing the Thessalonians to serue him: He is liuing, why should they not serue him? he is the true God, why should they not serue him? The life that is in God, the veritie that is in him is more then matter to moue all mankinde to honour him. Man cannot be honoured, but by others nor himselfe: take men away from a man, no honour to that man. It is not so with God, for, if all the creatures of the earth were turned to nothing, the honour and glorie of that God stands sure and absolutelie perfite. Then, if notwithstanding of the honour in him, of the life in him, of the trueth in him, which all are matter of all seruice to be geuen to him, thou wilt not be moued to honour God, he is but an Idole to thee, an idole without life to thee, without sense or feeling, without hearing seeing, without all prouidence & care in gouerning these things in heauen and earth: thou that serues and honour him not in this life thou makes him an idole. If you thought he had an eye to see the inward of thy heart, an eare to heare what thou art speaking in thy secrete chamber, if thou thought he had a prouidence ouer this world, for all the world thou wouldst not do as thou doest. The adulterer the oppressor if they had a conscience that God sawe them and marked their doings, for al the world they would not do so as they do: but because thou makes an idole of him, thinking him neyther to see nor know anie thing: therefore thou playest the wanton: thinke not but this shal be layde to thy charge, Thou was an adulterer, a murtherer, an oppressor: thinke not that this shall be the chiefe cryme thou shalt be accused for, that thou art an adulterer, murtherer, an oppressour: no, no, but the Lord shall say, catiffe, thou made an Idole of me in thy adulterie, and closed me in Heauen, without life, sense or vnderstanding, or prouidence to take care of the things of the world, catiffe, thy damnation is for this, thou dishonoured me in the profession of my name.

Yet there is more in these wordes. He lets them se that greater advauntage they had in seruing God, nor euer they had before: before they serued dead and false things, now saieth he, ye serue not a dead & false thing, but a liuing and true God. There is great vauntage heere: Brethren, there are many sortes of slaueries in this world: but to be addicted to an Idole, or a false God, to 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 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 verses of this chapter. Parts of the secōd 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 thē, & 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 head 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 depriued 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 they may see what danger they incurre by controlling the libertie of the worde in the Church. There is his moderation in teaching.

Now one thing more. Al this power is in the beginning in his enterance to them. The Apostle is now afflicted in Macedonia, when he comes to Theslalonica, all his preaching is but a battaile: & last shamefully is he put away, and goes to Beroea. What shall I say of this? If Paul had had no more but the spirite of a man, he would not haue immediatlie gone to Thessalonica, and there teached: and being in Thessalonica he would not haue vttered any thing that would haue displeased them: No, but he does otherwise: the power of God neuer so well appears in men as vnder affliction, for when man is weakest God is strongest in them. My strength, sayes the Lord, is shovven in infirmitie. 2. Cor. 12. 9. And in the fourth chapter of the same Epistle vers. 7. he showes, the Lord hes put a treasure in earthen veshels, that the excellencie of his povver may be knovven. Then he falles out in a probation of this power: My bodie is daylie slaine where euer I go, there is nothing but afflictiō. But saith he: by this I know, the lyfe of Iesus is manifest in me. He hes not a better token to knowe the life of Iesus, nor by affliction: and none can know the life of Iesus so well as in the last agonie of death. Other countries hes experimented this power of God that appeares in affliction better then we haue done. Scotland hes no manifestation thereof in respect of other Churches. Well brethren, our tyme is comming fast on. The Lord of Heauen that is strongest when man weakest, giue vs strength and courage to abyde that tyme and holde vs vp in our infirmities, that he may be glorifyed in our affliction. To this God, the Father, Son and the holie Spirite, be honour and praise for euer.

AMEN.