Lecture 1 · 2 Thessalonians 1:1–5

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

HAVING ended (Brethren) as God gaue the grace, the first Epistle of Paul to the Thessalonians, I thought it meetest to goe forward in the second Epistle: for otherwayes the worke would seeme not to be perfyted, and the matter conteined in the second Epistle, is very worthie to be insisted vpon And it appeares very well among all the Epistles that Paul vvrote, that, these two directed to the Thessalonians were the first: This second Epistle which we presently haue in hand appearantly hes beene written soone after the first. The occasion of the wryting of it appeares well of the purpose and argument it selfe. The Apostle in this Epistle comfortes the Church of the Thessalonians, vvhich vvas persecuted and heauily troubled for the faith of Christ. Another occasion we take vp in the second chapter: There entered in this Church (for the deuill can neuer be idle) false teachers and deceiuers, who went about to perswade the Thessalonians, that the comming of Christ was instantlie at hand. The Apostle therefore taking occasion hereof, admonishes them not to giue eare to these men; and he telles them that before Christ come the Antichrist should come, and that there should be an vniuersall defection in the world. I take these to be the two occasions of his wryting.

There are three chapters of this Epistle. In the first after he hes saluated them, and giuen thanks to God for them, he enters in to comfort them against all the troubles they were in for the present. In the second chapter he admonishes them not to giue eare to these false teachers, that said that Christes comming was at hand. And therefore he prophecyes of the comming of the Antichrist, and of the vniuersall defection of men in the world And in the third and last chapter he enters in (as his maner is) to exhortations, and Christian admonitions to the end of the Epistle. Now to come to the first chapter, first he salutes them, next he commes to a congratulation for the graces of God receiued by them, last he commes to the consolation.

As to the salutation, it is the common forme he vses in all his Epistles, and there is not one word altered from the salutation he vsed in the first Epistle. And therefore because I handled euery word in the first Epistle, I mynde not to insist in it here againe, onely this far, There are three persons that salutes, Paul, Siluanus and Timotheus: Paul an Apostle, Siluanus. and Timotheus two Euangelists. These three persones salutes the Church of God at Thessalonica: That Church, he sayes, that is in God the Father, founded and grounded first on him. Then in the Lord Iesus Christ the Sonne, builded on the Father and the Sonne: All Churches must stand on the Father and the Son. The graces he wishes to the Church are these common graces he vses in all his Epistles. The grace of God, the peace of God, that is from the Father, and from the Lord Iesus his Sonne. Now onely this far: by the example of the Apostle we learne of the salutation that he permits before his Epistle. When we enter in to speake of any Church, to wryte to any people concerning faith, concerning Iesus Christ, to make a declaration in the entresse of that loue, that beneuolence, that hartlinesse, that we beare to that people, to the end that they may be prepared againe to heare with alike loue, beneuolence and hartlinesse, and so the Pastor vttering his lyking to the people, and the people againe their lyking of the Pastour: the Pastour may haue courage and libertie to goe forward in doctrine: the people may giue audience and receyue the better instruction. There is the end of all the salutation.

Now I goe forward to the thanks-giuing, and I will speake something of it as God will giue me the grace. We should thanke God alvvaies for you: He sayes not we thanke God simply, but vve should thanke, we are addebted, bound and oblist of duetie to thanke him Then the lesson is cleare. Thanks-giuing to God is a debt that we are bound and oblist to pay to God; Gods benefites matter of thanksgiuing. for we giue him not thankes for nothing: Ye will not beare the Apostle say, we thanke him simply, but ye will finde a matter wherefore he thanks him, euen for his graces and his benefites. There are two sortes of his benefites and graces, there are some bestowed on our selues, some on others. As for them that are bestowed on our selues, out of question, there is none but he vvill confesse he is debt-bound to thanke God for them, at lest he must confesse this in word, thinke as he will. As for the benefites bestowed on others, we are bound likewayes to thanke God for them. As concerning the Pastor that hes adoe with any people, if euer man was bound to thanke God for any benefite, he is bound to thanke him for the benefite showen on the people he hes adoe with; because their blessing is the frute of his labours and trauels: and therefore he is bound to be thankfull for it. I say more. There is no member in the Church of Christ but he hes cause to thanke God for euerie blessing he bestowes on another. I am bound to thanke God for the blessing he bestowes on thee, thou art bound to thank God for the blessing he showes on me. And euery one should thanke God for others blessinges. All is for the well of the bodie, the grace I get is for the well of the bodie. The grace thou gettest is for the well of the bodie. We are al members of the body, and therfore we are al bound to thank God for the benefites bestowed on the bodie: I shall giue you a familiar similitude. Should not the hand of a man thanke the man that hes cured the foote, if the foote hes bene sore. The eie likewise in a maner wil it not be thankfull to him that hes cured the hand; and so of all the rest of the members. Now would to God we were as sensible members of the spirituall bodie of Christ, as the members of the naturall bodie of man are sensible among themselues, and could vnderstand that euerie one is a member of that bodie. But let our sense be as it will, if thou be a member of the bodie of Iesus Christ, thou art as much bound to be thankfull to God for any benefite bestowed on another, as the hand is bound to be thankfull for the graces bestowed on the foote; otherwayes thou shalt be challenged at that day of judgement for vnthankfulnesse. Paul 12. chap. to the Romans 15. vers. sayes, Reioyce vvith him that reioyces, and mourne vvith him that mournes.

Now to go forward. We should thanke God alvvaies. Then (brethren) thanks-giuing is an euerlasting debt, a continuall debt we ought to God, there is no end of it, there is no intermission or leauing of it day nor night. As Paul speakes of charitie to the Romans chap. 13. vers. 8. Ovve nothing to any man, but loue euery one another. Charitie is a debt that should neuer be payed out at the ground, but ay continuing in paying. Euen so thanks-giuing to God is a debt we should euer be paying but neuer put an end to paying of it, for it can haue no end: in earth euer thanking: in Heauen when we are with him euer thanking, and our glory shal be in an euerlasting thanking of him: for why, if he could leaue off to show grace and could draw his hand frō vs, as men does, then we had cause to ceas from thanking. But the graces of God in Christ are endlesse grace for grace. And therefore seeing his grace hes neuer an end, why should thou make an end of thanking him: when his hand is opened liberally to thee, why should thou close thy mouth, and not render thanks to him.

Yet further. We thank him alvvayes for you, sayes he, as it is meete. Marke the words, as it is meete, as it is worthie. The word sounds so in the proper language, as if he had said. He is worthy of all thanks, and therefore we should thanke him. There is a worthinesse in God for the blessinges he bestovves on vs, there is a deseruing in him, there is a merite in him; it is be onely that deserues and merites. There are two thinges, debt and merite, (I but touch them) euerie one respectes other, where there is a debt, there is a merite; and where there is a merite there must be a debt. God onely merits & man is debtor. These two wordes answeres to other. There is no merite vnder the Sunne but Gods merite when God hes to doe with man. As for vs there is nothing but debt, no deseruing in vs, all that we can doe to our God is meere debt; as euer a man was addebted to another. All the thanks-giuing vve can giue him is debt, all vvorkes vve can worke are debt, what euer he gettes of vs, he merites and deserues it. This is the trueth, and yet the enemies of the trueth will turne this euer againe, and will ascryue the merite to stinking fleshe, and the debt to God. The debt that appertaines to vs they ascryue to God; and the merite that appeartaines to God they ascryue to vs. They sette vs aboue God: for he who merites is aboue the debtor: Lord what a change is this? Paul to the Romans chap. 11. verse 35. sayes, Who gaue him first, that hes bound him to giue them againe? Wilt thou be before him? gaue thou him first any good? if thou can doe it, then thou merites; if not, then it is a blasphemie to thinke that thou can merite: Fy on thee, there is nothing in the part of the creature but debt, yea, meere debt, nothing on the part of God but merite.

Now to goe forward in the matter of this thanks-giuing that neuer hes an end, that should be without intermission, and that God deserues at our handes. The matter and cause of thanks-giuing is grace: The first grace is Faith; not a simple faith, but an exceeding grouth in faith; Because, sayes he, your faith grovves exceedinglie. The next grace is loue; not simple loue, but aboundance of loue, and abounding in mutuall loue, so that the hearts of them ranne ouer in loue, as a veshell will doe when it is ouer full. Well then, there is the matter and cause of this thankes-giuing, an exceeding grouth of sure faith, al aboundant mutuall loue that euery one bare to other. Then compare this place with that which is in the first Epistle, chap. 1. verse 3. He thanked God for their faith and loue, not for their grouth, now his style is higher: and he thankes God, not for faith simply, but for grouth; not for loue simply, but for abounding in mutuall loue. Then ye see since the first tyme the Apostle wrote the first Epistle to them, the Thessalonians hes growen in faith and loue. There is the lesson. Grouth in faith in loue. There must be a grouth in grace, grace must grow in vs, and we must grow in grace. If thou grow not in grace, faith and loue, if thou goe not forvvard, of necessity thou must goe backward. Thinke not that a man will stand still in one estate of faith and loue, so that he will say, I wil fix my stalfe here, and I will goe no further nor this pointe. If thou fix down thy stalfe in faith and loue, thou shalt fall faster backward nor euer thou came forward, and thou shalt neuer come to the end nor mark. If thou fix thy stalf and neuer prease to go forward, thou shalt neuer come to that glorious resurrection; in plaine talke, thou wilt neuer come to Heauen. To be homely with you; We should haue a care euer to grow in this lyfe; for so long as we liue, we are either children, or at the farthest we are springels (to vse that word) Then I aske, will a childe come to the stature of a man or woman, if there be not grouth? No: Euen so if is impossible to one to come to the stature of that spirituall man without growing: we are men when we come to Heauen, and are joyned to our head, and no sooner, and there our grouth ends. Can thou come to a spirituall mans stature, if thou grow not in faith and loue in this earth? And therefore, as euer ye vvould come to Heauen and obtaine that glory; prease to grow in grace, to spring in faith and loue in this world in some measure; marke your grouth in grace as euer ye did in stature. He will be busie to see it he be higher this yeere nor he was the last yeere: but whom marks if he be growne higher in spirituall things this yeere nor he was the last yeere. This stature will away, these earthly things will away, but this grouth in Christ abydes for euer. Of this grouth read Ephes 4. chap. vers. 13 14. 15. where he exhorts vs to grovven faith to the ful age of Christ, and to grow in loue, vntill we be joyned with our head.

Yet marke more. As in the first Epistle 1. chap. verse 3. he thanked the Lord for faith simplie, and loue simplie, so here he giues him all thankes for the grouth therein. Marke it. He thankes not them for the grouth, he giues them not one part of the thankes, and God the other, but he thankes God for all. And good reason, for who is able to put one inche to his stature? Art thou able to make thy selfe growe in this bodily grouth? No, it is impossible. Then far lesse is there any grouth in the spirituall man, but that allanerly which God giues. No standing nor perseuerance in grace but that which God giues. Al is giuen by God. Fy on that stinking doctrine of the Papists. When God, say they, hes giuen man a grace, he permits a man to his free will to goe forward, as it were in mans owne option whether to goe forward or not. I only touch this. As the graces commes of God, so of necessity the increase & grouth of graces commes of God and not of any grace left in vs. In one word, Giue him the praise of the beginning of grace, giue him the praise of thy progresse in grace, giue him the end, giue him the praise of all: For he it is that giues the grace, the progresse and grouth therein, it is he that crownes his worke in thee, it is he that works all, that all the glory of grace may be giuen to him.

Yet to insist. What is this Faith? Faith is nothing but a joining of vs with God in Christ. What is Loue? this mutuall loue? Nothing but a joyning of vs with the Church here on earth. What is grouth of Faith? Nothing but a growing nearer and nearer to God, to dravv him nearer and nearer to vs. What is the growing in Loue? Nothing but a drawing nearer and nearer to the Church, which is the bodie of Christ. Then draw neare to the head, draw neare to the bodie seuere not thy selfe from it. Then what is the matter of thanks-giuing? Euen this, that they were drawen nearer nor they were before to Christ, and to his Church. Then, brethren, when haue we matter of thanking God for any man for any people? Euen when we see any man or people drawing nearer to Christ, and the body of Christ nor they wer. If a man had al the kingdomes of the earth, there is no matter to rejoice for in him; if we see him ly aback from Christ, and from his Church; if he draw not nearer and nearer to Christ and his church in this life, I will neuer rejoyce for all his kingdomes. Vnhappie is that man that sunders from Christ what euer he be; is he a Lord, an Earle, a King, and in the meane-tyme hes he nothing adoe with God, vnhappie is he: For the greater blessinges worldly, if he be not joyned with God and the Church, the greater shall be his damnation.

Then last here, looke what he speakes of loue, and of the aboundance of loue; it is not single loue, but loue that is double and mutuall; Mutuall loue. that is to say, the loue that commes from my hart to thy hart; and againe, the loue that commes from thy hart to my hart that is mutuall and double; this is the loue that he praises, the double bond of loue: and it must not be a double bond onely betweene two: there are sundry thinkes they loue wel-eneugh if they loue one, and that one loue them again. No, the Apostle sayes here, Euery member of the body must loue all from the highest to the lowest: The hand of a man in the owne sort loues the whole members of the body, from the head to the foot, honorable or vnhonorable, high or low, be what it wil, no member in the body but it loues all. So the loue the Apostle craues, is that loue that one hes to all; and againe, that loue that all hes to one. So that there should be no member in the body of Christ but it should be linked in with loue to Christ, and euery member of his body. There is no member of the body of man but it hes a certaine linke whereby it is linked to the rest. The finger of the hand hes a link with the toe of the foot, albeit they be far distant. So there should be no member of the body of Christ, but it shold be linked with euery one of the rest of the members, albeit they lay ten thousand myles sundrie. It lyes not in our power to cause all men loue vs: it lyes not in my power to cause al men loue me, nor in thy power to cause all men loue thee; but I tell thee what thou should doe, looke thou loue all for thy part, and if they loue not thee againe, they haue to answere to God. For he cranes this mutuall loue of vs. This is the mutuall loue that holdes the brethren together, if it be not, the members cannot be joyned together in the bodie. It is true, we will neuer get it perfite in this earth: for so long as the deuill, the flesh and our lulles abydes, there wil be euer distraction; yet we should striue against the deuill and our owne cankerd nature to be linked and joyned with the members of the bodie, vntill we be perfitely joyned with Christ, where there shall be no seuering. If we were once perfitly joyned with him, we shal neuer be seuered hereafter. There shall neither be deuil nor canker in nature to leuer vs then. Therefore this should be our prayer, Lord joyne vs to thee, that we may no more be seuered from thee and thy Church, by the deuill, by sin, nor our owne corruption.

Now in the next verse he amplifies this their faith and great loue. Their faith and loue was so great that he was forced to preach their praises in all the Churches wherein he resorted: he came to no Church but remembring their great faith and loue, he was compelled to preach their praises, and to set them forth as an example to be followed. Before he thanked God for them, and for their faith and loue; now he glories in the graces they had receiued, before the world, men and the churches wher he came in his journey. When he thanked God concerning them he vtters neuer one word of their praise; but comming among men, and speaking to men and to the Church, there he praises them. Mark this difference. Then brethren, there is a great difference in speaking of the graces of men, when we speake to God and before him, when we speak to men and before men. When thou speakst to God of man, let no praise of man be heard before him: be ware of that, but let God haue al praise and glory if thou be speaking to God, if it were of all the kings of the earth, vtter no praise of any king there; for, in comparison with God, kings are but dust, and worse nor the dust that is trode vnder foote. So, let God haue al the praise of any grace he hes giuen to any man; and say not, Lord I praise thee for this parte, of the grace, and I giue man praise for that parte of the grace. No, but say, Lord, I giue thee the vvhole praise of the grace, because all the grace he hes gotten is of thee. But when we speak to men and tels them of the graces of God men hes gotten, then we may glory in men, but with this prouision, that it be in God. We may commend men before men, for their faith, loue, patience, but looke that all this commendation be in God first, and then to this end, to make men whom thou commendst as examples in wel doing. See that thou look to the well of them thou speakst to, that they should follow them whom thou praisest for wel-doing. If thy minde be puft vp without reuerence of God, & without respect to the wel of him thou speakst to, thou derogatst Gods glory; we should be ware when we speak to the praise of any man, that we derogate nothing from the glory of God.

Yet marke further the order he vses. He glories not first before men, and then begins to thank God; but first he turnes to God and giues God the glory of the grace he hes giuen to them. We ought to thank God, sayes he, alvvaies for you, as it is meete. Then he commes to men and glories of their graces in the presence of men. Then, brethren, it is dew tyme to praise men and to giue them their owne commendation for the graces God hes giuen them: when first thou hast glorified God, giuing him the first praise and commendation. This is the order. When thou giuest God the first praise, and then commes to men and praises the graces in them before men, that praise is in God and he allowes of it. But vvhen thou beginnes in praising men to men, and remembers not God the giuer of all, thou spoilest God of his glorie. So vve should take verie good heed hovv vve praise godlie men: for verie narrovvlie shall vve escape derogation to Gods glorie, except the Spirite connoy the vvhole hart and mouth. And therefore in praysing men vve should be vvart vve derogate nothing to the glorie of God, vvho is the cheefe giuer of all. All the kings of the earth should stoup and giue all honour and glorie to God.

Now in the end of this verse he sets dovvne the matter of this his glorying, Faith namely, and with Faith he joynes Patience. because of your patience and faith in all your persecutions that ye suffer. In the verse going before he made mention of faith without patience, but in this verse he maks mention of faith and patience, & ther eason is, Because faith in effect is nothing but the anchor of the soule: As the Apostle to the Heb. chap. 6. vers. 19. calles hope the anchor of the soule: and as an anchor is casten on sure ground to stick; so is Faith casten on Christ and fastned on him. Now there is nothing in this world that the deuill, the world, sin, which are the enemies of Faith in this world enuyes more nor when they see the soule of a man anchored on Christ, as on a sure ground. And therefore they seeke euer to seuere thy soule from Christ, and to breake the anchor. He will spew out floods of persecution and tentation, javv after javv, to raise, if it were possible, the anchor of Faith in Christ, that the anchor being away, the man may flow and fleete, and at the last perish. Then what is the remedie? It is needfull, that, faith be sure grounded: if faith be not grounded on Christ she shall perishe; and further she must haue a troup of graces about her, she must be hedged on all sides with a varietie of graces. Ignorāce of God & of Christ are the causes of vengence. And so it is, where euer true faith is in Christ, there is a troup of graces about it. Now all these graces that compasses her are as many branches that commes from her selfe as from the roote. There stands about her, Hope, Loue, Patience, &c. a number of graces of all sortes, all commes from her, for she is mother of all. All serues her, for she is Queene of all; Hope, Loue, Patience, and the rest, are as many maids standing about her to serue her. Now among all these graces Patience is one; the duetie and seruice of Patience is to stand betweene faith and the jawes of tentations and persecutions, and to receiue all the jawes of tentations on her shoulders, that the anker of the soule which is Faith may stand sure. So, Patience standes vp and holds the jaw off Faith, otherwaies, thy faith will be broken: and it is impossible to him that hes no Patience to abyde the speaches, let be to sustaine the persecutions of men; if Patience be not, Faith will not abyde sure. And by the contrare looke how needfull it is that Patience be joyned with Faith, it is as needfull that Faith be joyned with Patience: and therefore he joynes these, your Patience and your Faith in all persecutions. And as I told you, Faith is the mother of Patience, and where the mother is not, the daughter cannot be: and if this anchor of Faith be not anchored on Christ, Patience will not hold off the jaw: for the solide ground to rest on is Christ. Where faith is not, Christ is not; and take him away no standing. So the cheefe ground of all standing, is faith grounded on Christ Iesus, all the rest are but branches to Faith: faith is the cheefe ground. The standing of all is through Christ when the anchor of the soule is grounded on him.

Now one word in the end of this verse. He speakes heere of a Faith in tribulation and persecution, not of Faith in case, rest, and quyetnesse, but of a Faith in trouble. The Faith of the Thessalonians was not a Faith in ease and quyetnesse, but a Earth that lay vnder a continuall exercise, lay vnder persecution: for, the Church of Thessaloniea was exceedingly troubled, as appeares in this Epistle. Many will be content to beleeue, faith in Christ is a wondrous faire thing: He would beleeue and she would beleue, but looke what kinde of faith men would haue, a faith with quyetnesse in the world, with honor eneugh, with riches, and all this worlds wealth. This is the faith that all men would haue. But (brethren) the faith of Christ (which is the true faith) must be casten in the fornace, otherwayes it will be full of drosse: Will ye get fine golde that is not casten in the fornace and fyned in it? Trow ye to get a fyne and true faith that is not fyned in the fornace of trouble and persecution, at the lest, one vexation or other? all troubles are not alike, but of necessity faith must be casten in some fornace; Faith fined by troubles. thou must be in some tribulation, either within thee, or without thee, in goods, riches or some thing: and this is the faith that hes the commendation here, a fyned faith as gold hes the fynesse throgh the fire. Peter 1. Epist. 1. chap 7. vers. tels the excellency of this faith compared with gold: gold when it is casten in the fire and the drosse of it burnt vp will be far better nor it was, and yet there was neuer gold so fine, but it wil perrish; fine it oft-times ouer it may be ever the finer, but it shal perrish in the end; but he sayes, faith that is fined and tryed, shall be found to your praise, glory and honor, vvhen Christ shall be manifested. As he wold say, it shal not perish, but at that great day of Christ, it shal tend to thy euerlasting glory Let vs not prease to feed our selues in our fantasies, thinking that we shall haue a faith in ease, quyetnes & honor. No, lay this ground down, if thou wold haue a faith to abide till Christ come, assure thee thou must suffer, and thou must abide the jawes of tentations till all thy faith be tryed, and the whole dros washen away, and the fine gold stand vp. At these are but dreames, to think that thou would hold Heauen in the one arme and the world in the other arme. No, thou must let the world go, and take Heauen in thy whole armes with affliction, or else thou shalt lose Heauen and get the world in thy armes with damnation. Now this for the thanks-giuing and congratulation for their increase of faith and aboundance in loue.

Now come to the second part, Consolation: Making mention of their persecutions, he takes occasion to comfort them, and I thinke that be the principall purpose he hes to doe with them: and the first argument he vses heere, is that just and latter judgement, that generall judgement. He sayes, the persecution that ye suffer for Christes sake, for the kingdome of Heauen, they are sure arguments that there shall be a just judgement, and that Christ shall come to judge the world, and render to euerie one according to his works. And therefore vpon the remembring of this just judgement that shall be; ye Thessalonians comfort your selues, Persecutiones of the godlie, a sure argumēt of the day of iudgment to come. for it shall try who did right and who did wrong. Then take vp this, The persecutions the godly suffers in this life, what are they? they are very ocular demonstrations (that is the force of the word) of the generall judgement to come, wherein Christ shall judge the world. And in the persecution of the godly (as it were in a mirror) I may see or thou may see Christ comming to judge the world, & to render to euery one according to their deserts: for looke how I or thou may reason: When I see a person troubled for righteousnes sake, I will conclude, here is an innocent man, here are godly people troubled wrongously, therefore, of necessitie there must be a judgement wherein all ods must be made euen; I looke certainly for a judgement to come: God cannot be God, if there be not a judgement, wherein he shall be anenged for the wrong done to this man: I will not conclude a particulare and an earthly judgement; I will not say, when I see a godly man troubled, therefore, the troublers of him shall be plagued ere they go off the world: it is ouer high. Indeede the Prophetes of olde had this reuelation, but it is ouer high for vs: because experience in all ages hes proued that some of the greatest persecutors hes died in peace, and no visible judgement hes ouertaine them heere. But, this I am sure of; when I see godly men opprest, I may say, there shall be a day of generall judgement, vvherein God shall be anenged of the persecutours, if repentance interceede not. Novv vvold ye knovv any token that Christ shall come againe and put an end to the vvorld, and that there shall be a generall judgement? Looke if ye see or heare tel that the godly and innocent are troubled in the world, take that for as sure an argument as can be that a generall judgment shal be. And as surely as the master is comming after the forerunner, as surely shall the general judgment come after the suffring of the godly, they must dravv on a judgment, and at the last they must draw Christ out of Heauen to take vpon him the place of a Iudge to rander to euery man according to his doing.

Now another thing: He comfortes them taking his reason from the generall judgement, he telles them there shall be a terrible judgement, when a terrible judge shall come and sit downe in a judgement seat. What comfort is this? Ye see many vvill shake and shudder when they heare of it, and faine would desire neuer to heare of it. It is true the promise of the generall judgement will neuer comfort the wicked, and they that troubles others; the more that they heare of it, the more will they trimble and shiuer. But it is as true that the most comfortable voice they that suffers wrong can heare, is the hearing of the comming of Christ in that latter day, and it is the matter of patience, it vvill make them ly vnder affliction with exceeding joy; the thought of the comming of Christ giues patience in all troubles, and this may be found in experience: the cheefe joy of the godly is the remembring of Christs comming: It is not mens judgement, their absolution and condemnation that we should stand vpon. What cares me, if all the world would absolue me, if I be condemned by God? And againe, vvhat cares me if all the vvorld condemne me, if God absolue me? It is not mens absoluing or condemning, that bringes the true joy or heauinesse to the hart: but it is Gods absolution and condemnation that will doe this. And therefore as thou would haue comfort in that terrible judgment, doe well, and suffer wrong, and byde patiently, for surely it will not be long; there is such a crying of bloude, and such vvronges in this vvorld, that, truelie, in this decrepite age, Christ must come shortlie. Then, this is the first argument of consolation.

The other is more effectuall. I shall touch it. Ye that suffers shall be thought vvorthie of the kingdome of God, for the vvhich ye suffer. He commes nearer, as he would say, ye haue no cause to trimble and feare, ye shall be absoluted from that terrible judgement, and ye shall be counted worthie of the kingdome of God. The enemies of the trueth gathers of these words, that, there is a merite and worthinesse for suffering. But Paul Rom. chap. 8. verse 18. sayes, All this suffering is not vvorthie this vveight of glorie. So I answere. This worthinesse is not our owne, but that which is Christs worthines and properly pertaines to him, heere is improperly ascryued to vs: for, throgh that strate conjunction we haue with Christ, he and we are made one, and therefore his graces, after a sort, are ascriued to vs. I hauing Christ may challenge his merite and worthines, his graces that he hes conquised, as life euerlasting, &c. to me as euer man might challenge any land or heritage. Therefore gather not here any worthines simplie without Christ. Alwayes, I see the cheefe cause of consolation to the godly that suffers here, is not so much that the wicked shall be punished for euer, as that the godly shal be adjudged to glory. There is the cheefe ground of my consolation, Let a man doe all the euill he can to me, my comfort is not that he shal be punished at that latter day, but that then God shall glorifie me at that latter day. Desire not so much the latter judgement that then the wicked may be punished, as that thou may be glorified. Look Gods purpose, he hes appointed this latter day, onely to this end, that, the godly may be glorified. The other end of the punishment of the offenders is not the cheefe end, for the cheefe end that God looks to, is, that, he may be glorified in mercy. It is true, he will be glorified in justice, but he delytes most to be glorified in mercy. He seeks to be glorified in all his properperties, in his wisdome, power, &c. But the mercy of the Lord passes all, and he seekes aboue all, that, his glory should shyne in his mercy toward sinners. And certainely Christ was sent in the world that his glory should shine in mercy. His preaching was to mercy. God hes greater glory in sauing one sinfull soule in Christ, nor he hes in condemning of millions of the wicked. So, brethren, wonder not that many goes to Hell, but, wonder, that, euer a sinner should be safe, and maruell more at the mercy of God, in sauing of one sinner, nor at his justice in the perdition of ten thousands. So the mercy of God is wonderfull, his power and all is wonderfull, but, his mercy passes all his properties. To him be glory for euer.

AMEN.