Lecture 11 · 1 Thessalonians 3:5–8

THE ELEVENTH LECTVRE VPON THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE THESSALONIANS.

IN the beginning of this chapter (Brethren) the Apostle Paul telles of the purpose he did take to send Timothie to the Thessalonians, to establishe them in the faith and to exhort them; and of the accomplishment of that purpose: that as he tooke purpose to send Timothie to them, so he sent him. And this was one of the Arguments whereby he excuses him selfe for that hee did not come to them himselfe, being impeaded by Sathan. The next he could do was to send that brother Timothie, who was a faithfull man in the ministrie of the Lord: and therfore they should haue him excused. Then thereafter ye heard he fell out in a short exhortation, exhorting them to beare patientlie those afflictions and crosses that they suffer in this life. The first argument vvas from the appointment of God: God had so appointed from all eternitie that they should suffer: therefore seeing that necessitie was imposed on them, why shold they not bear the burden pauentlie? The second argument was from his fore warning of them of the troubles for the Gospels sake. There is nothing come but that I did forewarne you of; therefore when they are come what rests but that ye should beare them patientlie?

Now, leauing that which we spok the last day vpon the text preceeding, I come to this present text. The Apostle in the fift verse of this chapter returnes again to that which he spoke concerning Timothie and the sending of him to the Thessalonians. In the next verse he hes a narratiue of Timothie his returning againe, and of that good report he made in his returning of the Thessalonians, of their faith, loue and remembrance they had of Paul. After that in the verse following he showes what effect that report of Timothie wrought in him: it brought to him joye and consolation, notwithstanding of all his affliction he was in for the present. The reasone is giuen: because we liue when ye stand in the faith: your perseuerance is our life; and therefore what maruell if vve rejoice in your faith? And thereafter he vtters that he can not thanke God eneugh for that grace they had gotten of God.

Now to come back againe. The text containes a plaine narratiue. Wherefore saies he, vvhen I could no longer forbeare, I sent Timothie to you. Of this vve spoke the last day in the beginning of the chapter: and therfore vve goe forward. The end is set down wherefore he sent Timothie, to vnderstand of your faith. That is, of your perseueeing, of your abiding and of your standing in that faith yee haue receyued. This is an other end from that which vvas before. Before he sent Timothie to establish and to comfort them: nowe he sends Timothie to vnderstand of their faith and perseuerance. No matter albeit there be sundrie ends wherefore he sent Timothie; one for their cause, to establishe them: an other for his owne cause, that hee him selfe might vnderstand of their perseuerance in faith, and might haue joye in the report of their perseuerance therein. So ye see, the Apostle, brethren, is euer carefull of this Church at Thessalonica planted and begun by him there. So that in the beginning he vvas carefull to lowe the seede of the vvorde amongst them, to conuert them and turne them to the faith of Christ. When he hes done this he leaues not off his care; but that vvorke he had begunne he is carefull that it bee brought to some perfection in Christe: So that he leaues behinde him this lesson vnto all pastors and vnto all that trauaile in that calling: The care of the Pastor tovvardes his stock shold be instant. to haue a continuall care ouer the people that are committed to them; to haue a care of their perseuerance and continuance in faith to the end. It is not enengh to raise them vp once, and to set them on their feete and thereafter to plucke away his hand from them, and to let them stand as it were them allone: but hee must striue to holde them vp; as he hes laide the foundation of faith, so he must build vpon that foundation continuallie, so far as lies in him, while the building be ended. He is an euil workman that wil lay the foundation of an house & then leape away: he is an euill teacher that will found any people on faith, and then goes away and leaues them Brethren, the beginning of faith is by the ministrie: take away way this ministrie there shall be no foundation on faith: the persseuerance in saith is by this ministry; take it avvay, they vvho are once founded shall fall dovvne againe from faith; take away instant preaching of the Gospel ; take away the sound of the word of God from the Congregations, and leaue you to your selues & your owne reaching & meditation, thogh ye be [fast grounded, ye fall] shall ye: all your reading and meditation shall not holde you vp for that is the onelie meane whereby perseuerance in faith is effectuate, & without the which thou shalt not perseuere in faith, but shalt fall, and the last fall shall be worsle then the first.

The cause is subjoined in the next vvords wherfore he wold vnderstand of their faith & their perseuerance in faith, Lest saith he, in anie sort the tempter had tempted you. As he wold say, I know well eneugh the craft of the diuell, and if there be not a wattring after the planting, I knowe his temptation, hovve busie he is to roote out that which is planted: and therefore fearing he had tempted you and drawne you from faith, I vvas verie carefull to vnderstand of your faith and perseuerance therein. Then vvhat should haue falne to me through your falling by the temptation of the Enimie? I Paul who had grounded you in the faith should haue lost trauaile, and all my labour in planting you in that faith should haue beene lost. This is the meaning of all. Then vvhat made Paul so carefull of the standing and perseuerance of the Thessalonians? the tempter, the diuell, Sathan that neuer ceasses from tempting the faithfull made Paul so carefull to vnderstand of their perseuerance in faith. Temptats on of Sathan shold make the Pastour vvalkrife. What should make a pastor carefull and vvalkeryfe, to vvalke when others sleepe? There is a tempter in the vvorlde, and there is not a Church in the vvorlde but there is a tempter in it, and there is no person in it but he hes a tempter. Goe where thou vvilt go thy tempter followes thee: sit, ly, rise, doe what thou wilt doe thou shalt not vvant thy tempter. So long as the diuell is in the world, so long there is necessity requyred of walkryfenesse: pastors must be walkryfe, people must be walkeryfe, and euerie man and woman must be on their guaird. VValke saith the Lord in the Gospell of sanct Matth. 26. 41. lest ye enter into temptation. Ther is a tempter at your eare that vvill tempt you: be walkeryfe therefore, be sober and vvatch saith Peter in his first Epist. 5. 8. Wherefore? For the enemie the diuell is going about like a roaring lyon seeking vvhome be may denoure. Goe thou where thou wilt, he is about thee: thy eye beginnes not so soone to vvinke and lose the presence of the Lord, but as soone his mouth is oppin to deuoure. A slipperie bodie, be he pastor, be he anie of the people, he knowes not that there is a Diuell, a tempter. Would all this slumbring and fleshlie securitie be trow ye, if men were perswaded that ther is a diuell readie to deuoure? So when men sleepe in sinne, in murther, in harlotrie, in theft, in blasphemie, in all the rest of those sinnes, they testifie that they know not there is a diuell in the world. Alas, manie neuer knovv that there is a tempter vvhile they be swallovved vp and be in his grip pes: manie neuer know that there is an hell. Of all sorts of men in the vvorld a slipprie pastor, a carelesse man in the ministrie is the vvorst, he loses both him selfe and manie others: a carelesse man in the ministrie is vnmeete for that calling, avvay with him. And therefore the Lord woulde haue vs learne that there is not one man he sends out, but besides all other properties giuen him, he giues him this walkryfenes, this vigilancie for one propertie: and more then this, the Lord vvill acquaint him with tentation, and let him see a tempter going vp and downe: & will assure him in his hart that there is a Diuell going about with euerie man. Paul therefore speaking of the incestuous man saies, Comfort him, lest the tempter deuoure him. 2. Corinth. 2. 10. and in his ovvne person 2. Cor. 12. 7. that the messinger of Sathan vvas sent to buffet him. The Lord vvill let the minister see in his ovvne person there is a tempter, that he may be the more careful of the people: as Christ himselfe was subject to all tentations that he should pittie them that are tempted.

Then to returne. By your defection and falling away, what should I haue lost? He sayes, and that our labour had bene in vaine. Therefore labours he, that he should not lose them. It is a paine to a man to take trauell, to labour night and day, and then in the end to lose all, and not to receiue frute of his trauell. It is a paine to a man to suffer for the Gospell, and then in the end to lose all. Alwayes I marke of this place. When any people makes defection from the faith of Christ, not onelie the people them selues who makes defection, but also the Pastor who trauels among them, makes lose in their defection. Paul professes in the Epistle to the Galathians, 4. 11. that he feared his labour had bene in vaine, saying, I haue feared concerning you, that I haue vvearied my selfe in vaine. I feare my paines and trauell toward you be in vaine: yea brethren, the carefullest and walkryfest man in the ministrie loses his paine and labour, when he attaines not to that end that he sets before him, to wit, saluation of the people. Well then if a faithfull Pastor lose by the falling away or the people: what lose makes an vncarefull Pastor, when through his default any people falles away to defection? Iudge ye then, vvhat is his lose and damage: he loses not onelie the people, but himselfe: the people perishes, and the bloude of the people is craued at his hand, and so he loses himselfe too. A faithfull man in whose default the people falles not away shall triumphe, their fall shall not take away his triumphe, and he shall be a sweete smell in the sight of God: fall who will fall if it be not in his default, he shall not lose his laboures, his labours and paines shall euer stand before God, as acceptable to him: but as so a carelesse bodie, by whose defaulte any people or persone is lost in the Church of God, there is no triumphe for him; neither in this lyfe, nor in the lyfe to come, if he repent not; he shall be no sweete smell in Christ to God, he is a stincking creature. Therfore let euery man that is in that charge studie to walkrifenesse, that no man perish through his default, and so he shall be a sweete smell to God, both in them that are safe, and in them who perishe. 2. Cor. 2. 14.

In the next verse we haue the narratiue of Timothie. returning backe againe from the Thessalonians to Paul who abode at Athens: he reported againe to Paul good nevves of the Thessalomans and their perseuerance, to his great joy and consolation. But novv latelie, sayes he, vvhen Timothie came from you vnto vs, and brought vs good tidings of your faith and loue, and that ye haue good remembrance of vs alvvaies desiring to see vs, as vve desire to see you. Paul vvas impeaded in his owne person from going vnto Thessalonica, but he sent Timothies who is not impeaded, but goes forward, and does his turne among them: he watters that which Paul had planted in Thessalonica. Timothie in safetie 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 Sathā. 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 interpryses, 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 slaughter 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 you 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 aske) 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: faith 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 tydinges 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, that remembrance they had of him in his absence, and of this rememberance a desyre to see him: and that because he had grounded them in that faith in Iesus Christ, and that loue to their neighbour. Brethren, as the first pointe of goode tydinges that can bee reported of anie, is the imbracing of this Gospell of Christ and Christ in the Gospell: So the last thing that can bee reported, is the imbracing of the Ministers of this Gospell, the imbracing of them in their presence, the remembring of them, and the desyring of them in their absence. These are Paules ovvne vvordes. And I affirme if anie people haue no lyking of the Minister of the Gospell, no man can tell one good vvord of good tydinges of them. If Timothie could not haue reported this farre of the Thessalonians concerning Paul that they had remembrance of him: but had said that they remembred not of Paul; Trovvye that Paul vvould haue counted of the report of their faith and charitie? No he vvould haue said, they had no faith nor charitie: for where there is not a loue to the Minister of the Gospell, no faith nor loue there. Many vvill say, I loue the Gospell. I loue my nighbour: but vvhen it comes to the ministrie; then if there be any vyle and contemptible speaking it will be of them. My Lord or the laird will sit vp and speak of that calling with such disdaine and despite that the verse Ethnick can not go beyond him; and in scoffing will say, away with these fellowes, wherefore serue they? they holde the countrie in ado. Fyon thee, that euer thou sholdst take the name of Christ in thy mouth, when thou so heatst his seruants For it is impossible where the loue of Christ and the Gospell is to seuere thee from the loue of the seruants of Christ. Thou deceiuest thy self, thou neuer louest the master when thou heatst his seruants: thou neuer louest God, when thou heatst the faithfull Minister he sends to thee. Alas, among all the curses that procures heauie judgement at Gods hand. this is one. the contempt of this ministrie: God is (as it were) wrestling with vs in this great contempt to hold in this light but if we continue, we shall lose this light, to our vtter ruyne: for God will not wrestle ay vvith vs. Take heed to this, and learne this lesson vvith Paule. As ye would haue a report of well doing, looke that this report may be tolde of you, that ye haue a remembrance and desyre of your faithfull ministrie, otherwise all other reports is nothing worth. For where there can not be a report of your lyking of the good Ministers, it can not be possible that a goode tale can be tolde of you.

The wordes in the end of the verse is to be marked. Desyring to see vs as vve also doe you. There is a meeting. Marke the vvord. There is a mutuall duetie craued betvveene the Pastor and the stock, a mutuall desyre and remembrance euerie one of other, a mutuall lyking euerie one of others. Kyndneste vvill not stand on the one part onelie. Now who should beginne? one must beginne Paul beginnes he remembers of them before they remember of him, he desyres their presence, ere they desyre his presence, he lykes of them ere they lyke of him. Speaking to the Corinthians: Epist. 6. 11. he sayes, Our mouth hes bene opened vnto you, our heart hes bene made large, ye haue not dvvelt narrovvlie in our bovvels. Then he sayes. I speake to you lyke be children, desiring a lyke recompence. And teiles them as he was the beginner to loue them, he desyred a rendring of the lyke loue to him. Gal. 4. 12. Be ye as I am, for I am as ye are. I craue not first of you, but I shal beginne with loue to you: render ye me the lyke. And certainelie when the Pastor beginnes not loue to the flock, the people is not to be accused for not louing of their Pastor. So the Pastor must beginne; and when they follow him not, be it betweene them and their God: and without question it will not goe away without judgement.

Now to goe to the effect of these things. Therefore brethren, sayes he, vve had consolation (and to aggreadge this consolation he sayes) when he tolde me these good tydings, my miserie was great. I was lying at Athens miserable: but when Timothie reported these good newes to me, I vvas quickned in hearing of your faith, perseuerance, loue among your selues, and towards vs. So brethren, these tydings are not without great joy, they minister comfort. Neuer one of these things are tolde, but joy and comfort breaks vp in the heart. Trow ye that it was the good report that raised this consolation in the heart? No, there was an higher ground. If Paul had not had an greater loue to the Thessalonians, all the good tydings that was reported by Timothie of them to him, should not haue wakned joy in his heart. It is true in deed, when we heare of the grace of God to be in any other, there is matter of joy to vs, we should not heare so soone that the grace of God is in any man or woman, but we should rejoyce therein, euen as it were in our selues. When thou hearest of faith or loue in any man or woman, thou shouldst rejoice: when thou hearest of any sinner that is penitent, & turnes to God, rejoyce when thou hearest of any loue in any person, there is matter of joy, all is true. But brethren: Who rejoyces when it is reported that any grace is in any person? I answere. None but the louer; he that loues that people or person will rejoice. As for others that haue no loue to the persone the more is tolde to them of the grace of God in him, either spirituall or temporall, the more they inuy it. This is all our nature. What is it that inuyes not? Paul sayes, Charitie inuyes not 1. Cor. 13. 4. And vnderstand this, he who loues, rejoyes when he heares of any others well. Take me away loue and charitie no rejoysing in the heart of any man for an others well. Alas, this inuy that is among men of the prosperitie of an other testifies there is no loue. When thou hearest the report of the graces of thy nighbour, and inuyes it, and speakes euill of thy nighbour, thou vttest thou hast no loue to God and thou depryuest day selfe of a great grace: for thou depriuest thy self of that joy thou shouldst haue of the grace of God: thou rejoysing, thou getst part of that grace, he that hes the grace gets not all that grace his alone, but when thou rejoycest, thougetst a part of that grace. By the contrare, if thou inuy, thou spoiles thy selfe of that joy: the joy thou shalt haue in Heauen shall not be of the grace thou shalt haue in thy self onlie (and assure thee as thou shalt haue joy in Heauen thou must haue joy in earth) but it shall rise of the graces of god bestowed on others on the earth: and thou shalt not see a glorious member beside thee, but of sight of it thou shalt haue such joy as no tongue can tell. So I beseech you as ye would rejoice in Heauen, beginne to joy, and learne in tyme to rejoyce for the graces of God bestowed on others here, and learne in time to loue thy nighbour; ô thou licentious bodie learne to loue, ô contemner, learne to loue, thou back byter, learne to loue, thou who wouldst rejoice with a true joy, learne to loue, or thou shalt neuer rejoyce in Heauen. What trow ye `Paul is doing now when Timothie is turned back to him, and makes this good report of this charitie and is rejoysing? I tell you, he is gathering vp the frutes of his trauell, taking vp his rent and stipend from the Thessalonians. Pastors stipend. What is the rewarde of a faithfull Pastor and his proper stipend? Is it this little thing on the earth, his gleab and manse, two or three chalders of victuall? no. What then is the proper rewarde of the Pastor? It filles not the hand, but the heart; not the mouth of this world, but the mouth of the soule with joy. Fill out my ioy (sayes Paul Philipp. 2. 2.) fill it out, I haue not gotten it all. What is that that fils the hart of the Pastor with joy? The grace of God fils the heart vvith ioy. ye heare not that Timothie bringes any substance from the Thessalonians. But the thing that filles Pauls heart, is the grace of God in the Thessalonians the saith of the Thessalonians, the loue and good affection the Thessalonians bare to him. That is the matter of his joy. Men standes on this earth, and is loath to giue one penny to an other, but to draw al in to them selues: but I say to thee, if thou be one of Gods, and of his people, he shall get more of thee, nor al thy heritage, nor all thy lands and riches in the world, if he be a faithfull Pastor he shall get more of thee: For thou shalt haue no grace, nor faith, nor charitie, but he shall get the glorie of it: thou shalt haue no glorie in Heauen, but that glorie shall redound to his glorie: for that chiefe Pastor of al Pastors hes communicate this to his Pastors, that all the graces bestowed by him on the people shal redound to their glorie. So he will haue all the trauels bestowed on the people by his Pastour to redound the glorie of his Pastor. Paul sayes. 1. Thessa. 2. 19. What is our ioy, or crovvne of reioycing? are not ye (Thessalonians) my glorie and my joy? The Lord shall take you by the hand, giue you to me, and say: haue there the man thou hast win, take the glorie thereof to thee, and giue me the whole glorie of him, and of all: ô the shinning glorie that Paul shall haue in Heauen! ô the shinning glorie of these men, who hes trauelled on earth to get soules to God! they haue a glorious preferment, but it is not seene heere, in that day ye shall see it clearlie.

Now he aggreadges that joy he receiued of that report, from the great trouble he had in Athens: and sayes, vve had consolation in all our affliction and necessitie. In Athens he was troubled by the Epicurian and Stoick Philosophers (Alas, worldlie-wise men are not meete for the kingdome of God. he that would be wise in God let him be a foole) So he is in trouble: Heauēlie ioy svvalovves vp vvorldlie payne. yet this consolation through the report of Timothie, swalowes vp the trouble: ô that heauenlie consolation and joy, how it will swalow vp the displeasure and heauines of the soule! Albeit the soule wer filled with sorrow, when this heauenlie joy comes in, it swalowes vp that heauinesse: it is true that this is not without a battell, and a hard battell but in the end the spirituall joye vvill get the victorie. Therfore thou vvho art in heauines, prease to get some spark of that heauenlie joy, prease to rejoice in Christ, grow in rejoycing in God. Thou who wouldst haue any paine mitigate that is laid on thy bodie, if it were sicknesse or death it selfe, if thou wouldst haue it made light, seeke that spirituall joy, for as it swalowes the dolor and displeasure of the hart, so it swalowes vp the paine of the bodie: trow ye that the Martyres could haue suffred so great paine as they did, if that the joy of the heart had not swalowed vp the half of the paine? No, if the joy had not impared the paine, they vvould haue curssed God and man, So let a man or vvoman vvho would haue their paine mitigate seeke to get this joy. We see how sweetlie they vvill depart out of this life vvho hes that joy in Christ, and therefore differre not till the last houre, thinking to get joy then, but in tyme vvhen thou art neither sicke nor sore, in soule nor bodie, prepare thee to get a sense of that joye that may be steadable in trouble: acquaint thee vvith heauen, as euer thou vvouldst goe to heauen. Avvaye with the securitie of men who playe the vvanton, and will promise to them selues heauen, if they get but leaue to aske mercie in their last breath. Fy on them, they shall be deceyued. It is true, Delay of repentāce dāgerous. the theefe that hung at Christs right hand got mercie; but the other theefe got none. Therefore repent & amend your liues in time: for vvhere one gets repentance at the last houre of their death, a thousand wants it.

Now ere I leaue this marke. Certainelie it appeares that Paul loued the Thessalonians well: for vvhen he heares the report of these good newes, he who was in trouble is reuiued: and if he had not loued the Thessalonians exceeding well hee had not receiued such exceeding joye. Loue is the occasion of ioy. Ye see, who loues a man vvell, when anie good report is made of him he will rejoice for it. O the great loue of Paul in all parts! it may be a mirror to all pastors. Woulde to God that such loue or halfe loue were in our hearts: wee are bounde to a Congregation, and yet we can not loue them as he did hauing manie Congregations: for he vvas minister as well at Corinthus, Galatia, Ephesus &c. as Thessalonica. Neuer did any man loue a sonne begotten of himself more intirelie nor Paul did all his Churches. Surelie a Pastor should loue his flock so well, that he should giue his life for them.

In the end of the verse he giues the reason wherefore he rejoyced, vve liue (sayes he) if ye stand in the Lord. Ioy comes of life; and naturall life brings naturall joy: that heauenlie lyfe begun in this life brings joye vnspeakable. He reasones; Ye are my life: what wounder then that hearing of your standing in the Lord, which is my life, I rejoice? Then if he be a louing Pastor, who loues the soule of the people well. as Paul did, the grace that the people gets of 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 seest 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.