Lecture 21 · 1 Thessalonians 5:8–10

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

THE last exhortation of the Apostle (brethren) vnto the Thessalonians, was that they should not sleepe nor be drunken: but by the contrare, they shold wake and be sober. Two things are forbidden, sleeping and drunkennesse: Two things recommended, waking and sobrietie; the sleeping which he meanes is properlie a spirituall sleepe, when the soule sleepes in a deadlie securitie. Drunkennesse is not so much this bodily drunkennesse (which is also forbidden) as the drunkennes of the soule, when the soule takes a surfet of these earthlie thinges, so that it hes not the care not sense of that life, but is set altogether on vain pleasures. The waking he recommends is a spirituall waking, wakrifenesse in soule when the senses of the soule are opened, the eie of the soul to looke to the face of Christ, to the glorie and life to come, the care of the soule likewise opened to heare and receiue inwardly the Gospell, which is the word of God vttered by the Minister. The sobriety that is recommended is properly that tēperance of the soule when the soule is content with a moderation of the things of this world, and vses this world as thogh it vsed it not, not passing the bounds of rejoicing in this life, but setting the joy and pleasure on the life to come, that is the inwarde sobriety of the spirituall man. Now when he hes set down his exhortation he subjoines reasons thereto, and the first reason to moue them not to sleepe, not to be drunken, is in respect of the time wherin they are and for the inconuenience of the time: It is no time to be drunkē, he that sleeps, sleeps in the night; they that are drunken are drunkē in the night, No night now, since Christ is come in the world there is a continuall daylight. And therfore since it is not night, it sets not you to sleep and to be drunken as if it were night. For in all the actiones in this lyfe we ought to haue a speciall regarde of the tyme wherein we doe any thing, and specially of these two tymes, the day and the night. The actiones that becommes the day, settes not the night; and by the contrare the actions of the night sets not to be done in the day. The Lord so distributes the doings of men that he hes giuen the night his actiones and the day his actiones, and in a maner it is a confusion of nature and of the ordinance of God, to doe the actiones of the day in the night, and the actiones of the night in the day, and a kinde of beastlinesse.

But to come to this text. In the first verse we haue red the Apostle giues the reason wherefore they should wake, as he gaue the reason wherefore they should not be drunken. It is in respect of the estate vvherein they stand presentlie. But ye are the children of the day: Therefore ye should be vigilant and sober. Euen as in all our doinges, the tyme of doing is to be respected, if we should doe euerie thing in the owne tyme that God hes appointed thereto. So the condition of men and women who does any thing should be regarded in their doinges, euerie one should doe as becommes their estate, condition and calling; thou that art of a calling, should not do that which pertaines to another of another calling, thy actions should be in that calling God hes placed thee in. Now there are two sortes of estates and conditions of men in this world especiallie to be considered. The first the estate of the children of light: The second, the estate of the children of darknes, there are none but of necessity they are of one of these conditions. Either they are the childrē of the night, or else, the children of the day. Chuse thee, if thou be not the childe of the night thou art the childe of the day: if thou be not the childe of the day, thou art the childe of the night; if thou be not Gods, thou art the Deuils. In all the doings and actions of this life, men does according to one of these two estates If thou be the childe of darknes, be drunken on, for, in spite of thy teeth if thou be the childe of darknes, thou shalt be drunkē both in soule and body: if thou be the childe of God doe as besets thy estate, sleep not but wake; wake in the spirit and soule and haue the inward senses of thy soule open. If thou be the childe of the light and day, be not drunken either in soule or body, for none of them becommes the childe of the day. If thou take vpon thee to be the childe of the day and light, and giue thy self our to be a Christian, and yet will sleepe and be drunken in thy soule, and haue thy senses closed, and haue no more of the childe of light but the bare name it is better to be without it, for, the very name will aggreadge thy sin before the Iudge, and in the latter day, it will stand vp and testify in thy face against thee, & as it will aggreadge thy sin, so it will make thy damnation the greater. Wheras the judgmēt of a Gentile who took on him the name of dark-and not of light, shal be tolerable in a maner, thy judgment shal be intolerable and double. A murtherer who bears the name of a christian commits double murther, and therfore his judgement is double: an harlot who takes the name a christian his sin shall be double, and double shall be his damnation and he shall wish that he had neuer beene called in the world a christian man. Let none therefore thinke they are well eneugh if they be called christians, and come and sit in the Congregation of the Lord, for if then they commit villanie and knauerie, the greater shal be their damnation. If thou be the childe of the day do the workes of the day; if thou be the childe of the night doe the workes of the night. Thou must doe one.

Now to goe forwarde in this verse. As he recommendes to them these tvvo thinges, vvakrifenesse and sobriety. So he recommendes to them in the thirde place armour, wherewith he will haue them inarmed. Putting on, sayes he, the brest plate of faith and loue. There is the first peece of the armor, and the hope of saluation for an helmet. There the next peece of the armor. In al this place what is he doing? Instructing a warriour, a souldiour what he should doe, teaching him to wake and not to sleepe, to be sober and not drunken, to be marmed and not to be naked. Ye know in the worldly warriour there are three things requyred: first wakrifenesse, a sleeping souldiours is nothing worth. Then with wakrifenesse sobrietie, temperatnesse in his mouth and bellie, othervvayes vvhen he is lying drunken, the enemie vvill come on him in the night and cut his throate. Novv the thirde thing that is requyred, is that he haue his armour on him. It is not eneugh to be vvakrife and sober, but he must haue his armour on him. Armour of a spiritual vvarrior, faith, loue and hope. For, if he vvant armour the armed enemies will come on him and slay him Euen so it is in a Christian vvarriour. There is no Christian man nor vvoman but they are vvarriours, and they must make them to fight vnder the banner of the Lord Iesus Christ their captaine. And as it is requyred in the earthlie souldioures that they be vvakeryse. Euen so it is requyred in the Christian souldiours. The next thing that is requyred in the Christian souldiour is temperance, haue not a drunken soule, thou who wilt be a souldior vnder Christes banner, thou must not be drunken with the pleasures of this vvorld. Novv these tvvo thinges are not eneugh, vvith vvakrifenesse and sobriety therfore thou must haue an armed soule: as the bodie of the vvordly vvarriour must put on armour, so thy soule must put on armour. othervvaies, vvhen the enemie makes the assault he vvill preuaile against thee; if sinne make an assaulte, if thou be vvithout thy armour, sinne vvill preuaile. Brethren, (ye knovve and it is heere meant by the Apostle) The worldly vvarriour vvhen he armes himselfe, he hes respect in speciall to these two partes of his bodie, the first his brest where his heart lyes, where the naturall life hes her chief residence: therefore he puttes on his brestplate. The next parte of the which he hes a speciall regarde is of the head, where all the senses lyes. The head is the fountain of all the senses and mouing of the body, and so he will put on an Helmet to saue his head. If these two parts be well preserued from wounds he will regard the lesse of the rest of the body. If a wound be receyued in the heart, no life: A wound in the head and branes, no lyfe, but a wound in the leg, &c. may be mended againe. So the Christian hes a chiefe regarde to two parts as it were, to the heart vvhere his spirituall lyfe lyes, vvhich is begunne in this lyfe, and to the head vvhere all the spirituall senses hes their ground, and where his spirituall mouing is, to defend by armor the lyfe spirituall. What euer other part of him be wounded, he hes a speciall regarde to these two. Now the Apostle bringes in this by a comparison taine from the worldlie armour vsed by earthlie souldiours. The peece of armour that should be put on on the heart of the vvorldlie vvarriour, is the brestplate. The peece that couers the head is called the helmet. The Christian vvarriour hes his owne brestplate and helmet. Yet more ye see. There are two parts of the vvarriours brestplate, the brestparte and backparte, and peece before, another peece behinde, that the heart receyue not a wound, neyther at back nor brest. So the brestplate of a Christian vvarriour is builded vp of tvvo partes, the fore parte, Faith that embraces Iesus, the other parte vvhich vve may call the hinder and backparte, Loue, and it flowes from the other parte, loue to our neighbour it hanges on Faith to our God. As to the Helmet it is but a peece, and it couers the vvhole head and senses round about. So the Helmet of the Christian vvarriour is of one peece called the hope of saluation. Hope, that he shall be saued and liue vvith Iesus Christ. And this is his head peece. So long as he keepes this hope he shall saue his head and all his spirituall senses, feeling and mouing. &c. keepe me hope, nothing shall destroy thy spirituall seeing, hearing and feeling, and all the rest of thy senses. And if thy head be bare of hope, thy spirituall senses shall soone be ouerthrowne by the assaults of the enemie. So the summe shortly, the chiefe things whereby the spirituall life, the spirituall feeling and mouing is keept within a man, are, these three thinges, which is chiefly tolde of in the Scripture, Faith, Loue and Hope. Faith in God and Christ. Loue to thy nighbor. Hope to be safe in the grace of Christ. Keepe these three, thou shalt stand inarmed to resist the Deuill and all his works, keepe one of these, thou keepest all; lose one of these, thou losest all. Lose Faith, thou losest Loue; lose Faith and Loue, thou losest Hope. col. It is otherwaies with the Christian warriour, then with a worldly warriour, he may haue his Helmet on and want his brestplait, but, I assure thee, if thou want a peece of this christian armour, thou hast no part of it; hast thou a peece of this armour thou hast all: hast thou Faith, thou hast Hope and Loue: The spirituall graces that are wrought by the Spirit of God, wherein stands our regeneration, are so linked together, either must they be altogether in thee, in some measure, or, else, thou hast none of them. Either must all the powers of thy soule and al thy affections be renewed, or, else, none of them is renewed And therefore, if thou would try if thou hast these graces, looke if thou hast any one of them, for, then, thou hast all. Looke if thou hast Faith, looke if thou hast a loue to thy nighbor. For, I assure thee, if thou hast no loue to thy neighbor, thou hast no Faith, speak asmuch thereof as thou wilt.

Now to the next verse. When he hes spoken of the hope of saluation, he groundes this saluation vpon the owne fundation, that they might see the fundation of it 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 saluatiō, gods decree. God hes not appointed vs to vvraith: that is to punishment. But to obtaine saluation through the me anes 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, decreet, 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 hes 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 obtained by Christ. And therefore fy on him that thinkes that he is safe by merite. It is a wonderfull thing, God of free mercie appointes to saluation, and yet ere we come to it, be will haue it boght. What free mercy is this? No, neuer thing was so deare boght as thy saluation. For it was not boght with gold nor siluer, but with the bloude of the immaculate Lambe Iesus Christ: And therefore he sayes in the first Epistle to the Corint. chap. 6. verse 20. ye are boght vvith a pryce, he calles it a price, by reason of the high excellencie thereof. As thogh there were no pryce but onely the bloud of Iesus to be esteemed of, and yet it is a free grace of God. How can it be afree grace and boght to? If I buy it, and that with a deare price, how can it be free? Indeed it is true, if thou hadst payed the price thy selfe, it had not beene a free gift; but seeing it is not boght with a price that cōmes out of thy hand, but with the precious bloud of Iesus, who is Gods Son, it is a free gift to thee. For who gaue the Son but the Father? Who gaue the price but he that receiued it? God gaue as it were out of his owne purse the price for thee. The mercy and loue of God to his seruants is wonderfull. Wilt thou looke to thy saluation, nothing but mercy in God: if thou hast nothing to glory in but free grace and mercie without any deseruing; otherwaies if thou joine any part of merite with mercie, and say, the mercy of God and my merite did it, shame shall come to thee. And therefore the Apostle sayes we are onely saued by Christ, and speaks not of merite.

Now to goe forwarde to the next ground where-vpon he buildes the hope of saluation (As thou would haue an assurance of life euerlasting it is needfull for thee to spy out the grounds) The next ground of thy saluation, is the thing that fell out in tyme. The sec. ground of the hope of saluation, christs death. He sayes, Christ died for vs, that vvhether vve vvalke or sleep, vve should liue together vvith him. As our saluation is builded vpon God ordinance, so it is builded vpon the bloude of Iesus Christ, not liuing but crucified and slaine: And as the bloude of Iesus is the ground of thy saluation, so the ground of the certainty of thy hope, is the sight of Iesus crucified. Except I see Christ bleeding for my sin I can neuer assure me that I am safe, except I see that sacrifice offred vp for my sin (as it is a sacrifice offered vp for my sin, so it is a merite to obtaine lyfe to me) I will neuer thinke I am safe. How necessare therefore is it to me neuer to let the bloude of Iesus goe out of my minde: Men will say, I wait well I am safe, and neuer will haue an eye to Christ crucified and his bloude. But I say to thee, except thy eye be fixt on the bloud of Iesus Christ, when thou fairest, thou art safe, thou liest falslie. Therefore looke euer to Christ deying, and sheding his bloud for thy sin. Another thing I see. There is no lyfe but through death, he hes died for vs that we should liue throgh him, to learne men and wemen not to count so much of death and to scare at it, for I tell thee this generall will stand, No lyfe but through death, it springes out thereof, as thou seest the stalk of the corne ryse out of the dead pickle. So except thy lyfe spring through death, it is not possible to thee to liue. For first death is the price of it, not thy death, but the death of Christ: for he hes gotten lyfe by his death. Then after Christ hes purchased lyfe to vs, yet the way whereby we must enter to lyfe, is by the way of death. Through many troubles behoues it vs to enter into the Kingdom of Heauen: Act. 14. verse 20. for straite is the way to Heauen, thou must be drawen as it were through Hell ere thou come to Heauen, and yet thy suffering and death shall not merite. The onely merite standes in Iesus. Brethren, this lets vs see how hard a thing it is to a sinner falling from lyfe (as Adam fell and we all in him) to come to lyfe againe. Thinke it not an easie matter. There must be a death, yea, two deaths ere euer thou come there. O the great suffering Christ hes suffered for vs land againe thou must suffer and die thy selfe ere thou gette lyfe. Therefore learne how hard a matter it is to get lyfe. Many difficulties interueenes, death must enter ere lyfe come: which lets vs see what it is to offend God; be loath therefore to offend God. The godly knowes this how hard a thing it is when they haue offended to get againe the Spirite which they haue extinguished, the Lord will not looke on them for a tyme as it were. Looke in Dauid after his fall. But ô the sweetnesse of mercie after the restorance! They who hes tasted in any measure of the sweetnesse of Christ, giue them all the pleasures of the worlde, they will neuer get contentation, vntill they get a sight of Gods face againe lost by their sin. Dauid would haue giuen his kingdome for it againe when he made the 51. Psalme.

The Apostle heere saies, vvhether ye sleepe or vvake ye shall liue vvith Christ. Then ye see if Christ hes once died for our lyfe we shall liue: That is the certainty and ground of our hope, that Christ hes died for vs. Then when I feele this, nothing can stay lyfe, nothing can hinder me to liue with him. There is nothing in this world that will hinder thee to liue with him, but liue must thou. Sleepest thou in thy bed, thy sleepe hinders nothing, thou liuest in him: wakest thou? thou art liuing with him; liuest thou this lyfe? thou art liuing in him: art thou dying and drawing thy last breath? yet thou art liuing with him; what euer thou art doing in the worlde thou art ay liuing, eating, drinking, if thou be one of the godly for whom he hes died, thou art liuing with him. Yea, I dare say more if he haue once died for thee, thy sin shall not hinder thee from that lyfe to come. Dauids sin his murther and adulterie hindered him not from that life, but the Lord turned it so about, that he made them worke all to his well. All thinges turnes to the best to them who loues the Lord. Albeit thou finde thy sinnes many, yet stay not on them, nothing shall hinder thee from Christ. Yet this should not make thee to take pleasure in sin: For if thou loue Christ well, thou wilt be loath to offend him. Then if we in so many troubles in this life liue with Christ, shall we not much more liue with him in that lyfe to come, where there shall be no trouble, no impediments, and in the midst of all these troubles let vs comforte our selues vvith thinking on the joy that we shall haue when we shall be in the Heauens with our Lord and Sauiour. Now to marke the words. He saies, that vve should liue vvith him. Looke the nature of the life that we get in the death of Iesus. It is a life that we liue with Christ, not a lyfe that we liue from him, there cannot be a spirituall lyfe from him. Death will not serue to lyfe, if thou be from him, but thou must be with him. Thou must not onely liue with him as a man will liue with an house and family, but thou must liue in him. As by comparison, the arme liues with the head, so thou must liue with Christ. Ye see the conjunction naturall that is between the head and the members, that same conjunction must be betweene thee and the Lord Iesus. If thou liue with him, thou must liue as a member, he must be thy head, and thou must be a leg, an arme, or some part of the bodie. Well is that soule that is any parte of the bodie of Christ. Therefore draw euer nearer and nearer vnto him, vntill thou be fully conjoyned with him; we haue no lyfe except we be ingraft in him, as the imp is ingraft in the tree, and so prease euer to grow in that conjunction. Look how thou was joined in him yesterday, say, Lord make a nearer conjunction this day: and to morrowe say, worke yet a nearer conjunction that I may draw nearer my head. But, brethren, this full conjunction cannot be vntill we see him face to face, we are far of now, but we shall be with him, we are from him now for a lytle space, but then we shall be with him for euer; and then in that great day thy blessednesse both in bodie and soule shall be perfited, we shall be with him and stand for euer in that full conjunction with out head Christ in whom is all blessednesse. To whom with the Father and the holie Spirite be all honour and praise for now and euer.

AMEN.