Lecture 13 · 2 Thessalonians 3:11–15

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

THE Apostle, ye heard (brethren) her found great fault with such among the Thessalonians as liued inordinatly without a lawfull calling, idle in the world. Now to come to the purpose shortly, in the beginning of this text he layes down the ground of that rebuke, and finding fault with such men: he spok not begesse, but vpon a sure information and reporte that he had concerning these men: albeit he was absent, yet the report came to him, that some among the Thessalonians liued inordinatly, not working and not exercised lawfully, but in vain speachs and curious and supersluous exercises. The text is plain, and the first thing I marke heere, is; Nothing should be spoken, no rebuke, no reproofe shold be directed to any, but vpon a certaine assurance and good ground, knowledge and notorietie of it: either vpon that knowledge we haue our selues, as when we see the fault our selues, either vpon the certaintie of a true and sure report of others that are of credite, and whom we know, to speake, not of affection, or malice, or of purpose to slander the person of whom it is spoken, least we speaking vpon an vncertaintie, and being ouer soone credulous, without a full information, in the end such speaking bring a disgrace to our ministrie. Then againe the Pastor when once he hes scattred the seede of the word in the harts of the hearers, his next care should be to see how it buddes out and fructifies in their lyues and conuersations. Euen as the Husband-man after he hes casten the seede in the ground, his eye is on the ground to see how the corne brierdes; so, the Pastor should haue his eye on his ground vpon the which he sowes the seede of the word, that is, his flock, and see how it fructifies in them: If he be present, his eye should not be off them; He should not onely looke on them in the Church, but his eye should at all tymes, and in euerie place be very instant on them. Alas, for pittie that this care is neglected in all almost, we thinke it eneugh to studie the preaching, and lets the maners of men passe ouer, as if they appertained not to vs: If the Pastor be absent, his eares should be opened to heare sure reportes concerning their maners, that, as he heares and sees he may doe thereafter, that if the word fructifie hee may encourage them to goe forwarde, otherwise he may admonishe, rebuke, and stirre vp the dead soule: for, a Pastour should neuer be idle, but either speaking or doing, comforting or exhorting, instructing or admonishing, or rebuking. No, there is no idlenesse for him, as he woulde giue vp a faire count in that great day.

What heard he by report? That there wer some that liued inordinatly. Who are these? He defines them in the words following, They that vvrought not at all, and yet, vvere busied, and none so busie as they, appearandly. Here, ye see are two contrares, doing nothing and yet, exercised, they were not busie in well doing, and in a lawfull calling, but they were exercised and busie in curiositie, and so, euill exercised. The lesson is. There is a common Prouerb, An idle man must ay be doing some-thing, and he that is not profitable and wel exercised, of necessitie must be vnprofitably exercised: for, the Spirit of a man cannot rest: for, we see by daily experience idle men and wemen (and Paul marked that in some young widowes, 1. Tim. 5. 13.) of all people they wearie and fash themselues most; ye see them here and there talking and pratling, and where euer they come they are in such a busines as is wonderfull, they gather al the newes and tydings of the countrey greedily, and then running here and there they scatter them. In one word, they will be in as great a businesse, as if the care of a kingdome were laid on them. Let euery one apply this to himselfe. Amongst all the faults of Edinburgh this is not one of the least that would be amended. The maners and behauiour of many people which I see in this Citty forces me to speak of it.

In the next verse, vvhen he hes laid dovvne the ground, he turnes him to them, and charges and warnes them very weightilie, That they worke. Marke the weight of the charge. He charges and exhorts, so, that, ye see, he mingles lenity with sharpnesse. There is a sharpnesse, in charging; and lenitie, in exhorting. In whose Name charges he them? Not in his owne name, but, in the Name and authoritie of Iesus, the highest authoritie, that euer was, which learnes vs this, how hard a thing it is, to make an idle man to put his hand to worke, they must be straited with the highest authoritie that is. Euen, of the great God of Heauen: yea, when they are charged in his Name scarcely will they put their hand to worke: Once a begger and vnthriftie, neuer a thriftie man againe. It is a very hard thing to bring thee from thy vaiging. Take heed to this ye that hes yong ones, that they be not brought vp idlie: for, if thou so doe, it will be hard to bring them to worke againe. It is Gods just judgement, that, ye see many of them begging, because ye put them not to labour in their youth. Now, this for the forme. What charges he them to doe? Worke, sayes he, and so doe I, in the Name and authoritie of the great God, I say, to you vagabounds, worke, ye that make a shift, by pratling and talking, I say, to you, worke, let the tongue be quyet, and the hand be doing. And how should they worke? quyetly. An idle bodie and a bodie well exercised workes both, but, differently; the idle bodie workes with a noyse, so, that, he troubles himselfe and others also, all the world is troubled by his working: but, a man in a lawfull calling, how workes he? quyetly, without troubling either of himselfe, or, others, and he is the man, that, hes rest, both in himselfe and vvith his neighbours about him. Paul 1. Thessa. 4. 11. sayes, Stryue to be quyet, then, he subjoynes the way, to doe your ovvne affaires; for, if ye be busie bodies, vnquyet will your lyfe be. This, for the first.

The next, that followes this charge is, Eare your ovvne bread. Who is he, that does this? The man, or, woman, that labours in his calling with a quyetnesse, this person liues on his owne winning. As for a busie bodie, looke his vauntage, when he hes wearied himselfe in vanitie, he gets not so much vauntage, as a morsell of breade, no, not an inche of breade, he may well eate, and drinke, and sleepe, yet, all is accursed, and his eating is by violence and reafe; he hes not an allowance in the Lords count-booke, and in that day he shall be challenged for reafe and violent opression. Prouerb 5. 15. Drinke, sayes he, of the vvater •f thy ovvne cisterne, and of the riuers out of the midst of thy ovvne fountaine. Brethren, there is the first law of equitie. If a man would liue justlie towards his neighbor, let him be as little burdensome to him, as he may and let him eate and drinke of his owne labour.

Now, I go forward to the next verse. Hauing in the verse going before, spoken to idle bodies, here, he turnes him to them, that liued ordinatly in their owne calling, and requyres an higher duetie of them. Ye, brethren that labours quyetly, vvearie not in vvell doing. I requyre more of you, that ye eate, not onely your owne bread, but also that ye giue peeces about you: yea, as some expones, giue some-thing to the bodies before they perishe. support their necessitie, and in the meane-tyme, exhorte, and stirre them vp to worke. In that place of the Prouerbes, when he hes said, Drinke of thy ovvne cisterne, he subjoynes, let thy fountaines runne out to others, that is, help others, let thy liberality be extended to others. I shew, the first Law of equitie was, that men should be as little burdensome to anie as they might. The next is, when he eates his owne breade, and sees the want of others, to giue peeces of his owne about him, and to helpe the necessitie of others I thinke that man happy that can doe these two thinges, that is an happie man that deuoures not all himselfe, but vouchafes a part of his winning vpon others. The last day I shew to you Ephes. 4. 28. He that stole, let him steale no more, but let him vvorke vvith his ovvne hand, that he may haue to imparte vnto others, not to liue himselfe onely, thereon; that is not eneugh, there is more requyred: for, he is the true Christian man who labours to feede both himselfe and others also that are in necessitie. Now, brethren, to insist heere, vvearie not, sayes he, be not sluggishe, relent not, grow not colde in wel-doing. The Apostle would meane, that howbeit matter and occasion be offered to vs that would doe well through the ingratitude and vnworthinesse of men not to doe a good turne to them, not to giue them so much as a morsell of meate, yet, we should striue against the sluggishnesse, coldnesse, ingratitude and indignitie of men, and ay be doing good. It is hard to do well, the dayes are euil; yea, they were neuer worse, and he who would do wel must buy it with the preciousest and best thing that he hes in this world; there are so many thinges to hinder and coole him to doe well. The ingratitude and vnworthinesse of men to whom he hes done well, will meete him, so that, if he will looke to these he needes not to prease to doe well any farther. But this should be the rule of our doinges, Let vs not looke so much to the deserning of men at our hands, to their vnworthinesse, as to the wil of God, remember what it becommes thee to doe, being the sonne of such a father, who willes thee to wearie and paine thy selfe in beneficency and well doing towarde ingrate men, awaiting on his will: for the Lord shal reward thee sufficiently in the end, albeit for all thy well doing thou get not somuch as a good word. Rest then on God, and in thy well doing lift thy eyes to him, and await for that rich rewarde when that glory shall be reueiled in that great day.

I go to the next verse. The next precept concernes stubborne men, obstinate and disobedient men that will not obey the word of God. The thing commanded concerning them, is Note thē, abstain from their company, excommunicate them, put them from the society of the godlie, exclude them out of the Church of God. First in this verse we haue their disobedience; next the punishment that should be enjoined to them. I wil not speak largely of excommunication, but onely so much as serues for the meaning of the text. As to their disobedience, we haue first against what thing it is. What is it they disobey? They that obeyes not our saying. This disobedience is against the doctrin of the Apostle Paul, & so, consequently, against God himself and his word; the word of the Apostles is the word of God. Let not men extenuate their disobedience, because (as they say) it is against a man, a minister: I say to thee, if that man be sent of God with his word in his mouth that disobedience done against him is done against God, and he who is a rebel to the word is a rebell to God. Now where is this saying contained? He sayes, in this letter. This saying is contained-in this same Epistle, written to you Thessalonians, by me Paul, Syluanus and Timotheus. It is alike to be disobedient to the writ as to the word of the Apostle, as great disobedience it is that is against the writ of the Apostle, as if ye disobeyed the same Apostle, supponing he were aliue: and disobedience against the writ and speaking of the Apostle, is disobedience against Gods owne voice. Therefore, count of the Scripture highly. They haue, sayes Abraham to the rich-glutton in torment, Luke 16. 29. 30. 31. Moses and the Prophets, and if they vvill not heare Moses, thogh one shold be raised againe from dead, they vvould not beleue him. Some wil say, If the Lord would speake to me by Angels out of Heauen as he did oft-tymes of olde, then I would beleeue. But that is but foly, if thou beleeue not this same word left in writ by the Prophets and Apostles, if all the Angels would come out of Heauen and speake to thee, thou would not beleeue them. Now marke the nature of this disobedience. It is not a single disobedience against any precept or pointe of doctrine: No, but it is a disobedience with an obstinatnesse and rebellion: as a man is admonished to do his duety once, or ofter, yet he will not do it, but rebelles and refuses obstinatly. Therefore take vp the lesson. We see, Excomcation proceeds of contumacy, of obstinatnesse after admonition, not of a simple sinne, when men are admonished to doe their duety and then vvill not doe it, but obstinatlie vvill rebell, if he vvill not heare the Church, then follovves the sentence of Excommunication. Matt. 18. 17. Let him be to thee as an heathen man, and as a publican.

Now I come to the punishment of this disobedience. It is Excommunication. 2. Parts of excōmucation. It consists of tvvo parts. The first in this vvord, note him. The second is the vvord follovving, haue no companie vvith him. Note him, that is, marke him vvith the note of ignominie and shame, Giue him ouer into the hands of Satan. 1. Cor. 5. 5. Put him out of the Church, 1. Noting of the disobedient. and then he falles in the handes of Satan; and that is the note of shame to be in his handes. Brethren, a man should not be stamped and marked lightly thus way, for it is a sore marke. But, againe, when a man cannot be win but by a shamefull marke, then this marke should not be spared: for, that is preposterous pittie; if necessitie driues the Church to note him, then shame him to his ovvne face: for, better it is, to suffer shame here in this world for a tyme, then to suffer shame and paine without hope euerlastingly. Shame him, that he may turne and repent and that in that great day he may be saued. Now wel is the man that is shamed to his owne grace that he may repent him of his sin and so liue for euer. 2 Forbearing of his company. The second part of punishmēt is haue no comapny vvith him, when once he is stamped with that ignominious mark, leaue him, haue not ado with him, 1. Cor. 5. 9. for, bearing of company with him taks away the force & fear of the mark which should be to his repentance: for, if men forbeare his company, he wold be ashamed, when company is keeped, he hes no shame, and al power of Excommunication is taken away, so, his repentance is stayed, and so, he is hardned in his sin. But, gettest thou any good of his company that scarres not at the marke? None I assure thee: for, thou inuoluest thy selfe in his judgement: for, ipso facto thou excommunicatst thy self. But, brethren, ye must not take this so generally, as thogh he shold haue no company at al; no, let him haue company, but such as he cannot want; the excommunicate person must haue some company, otherwise he cannot be in the world, if it were but this company that can exhort him and admonish him; necessitie craues that he haue this company, that he byde not still in the bonds of Satan; onely heere is to be vnderstoode, company that is not needfull, company to passe his time with, that is slanderous and wil foster him in his foly. There are the two partes of this excommunication, first marking him with a note of ignominy; then second, forbearing company with him, as this text markes them.

Now the end of it is, that he may be ashamed. The word in the owne language signifies, The end of excommunication. the turning of a man within himselfe. There are many that hes their eies vpon others outwith themselues to mark their sins, but what man looks within himself to see what is ther, to ripe vp their vilenesse and filthinesse, their rebellion and disobedience, and hatred of God in their harts? wilt thou that art so quick in other mens doinges, forgette vvhat thou art thy selfe? goe downe to thy owne hart and affections, for thou wilt not beare the burdeene of other mens sinnes, but of thy own sinnes, that seeing thy own filthinesse and vyldnesse thou may thinke shame of thy selfe. The turning of a man, is to looke downe to his owne hart. If men saw themselues (ô, fy on the sight: for all the vylde and filthie thinges in this world that euer man saw or felt, the hart of man is the vyldest, if thou saw it as it is) I say, if thou saw thy self, that sight of thy self would make thee forget all the world, and remember thy selfe: then, seeing thy selfe thou would be ashamed of thy self. O thou who now art so lusty in thy own conceit, if thou saw thy selfe thou would hang downe thy head for shame! and then, shame brings forth some frute, albeit it be bitter, it bringes out repentance, and repentance brings with it saluation. 2. Cor. 7. 11. So then, the end of excommunication is repentance, that a man may get lyfe and saluation. 1. Cor. 5 5. Deliuer him to Satan, that the Spirite may be saued in the day of the Lord Iesus. Now how is this repentance gotten? by what meanes? by thinking shame of himselfe, shame is the meane. No, if an excommunicate man thinke not shame of himselfe, I cannot say that he repents thought he neuer shame of his sin? he neuer repented from his hart, and no repentance, no saluation. Paul 2. Corint. 2. 11. speaking of that incestuous man, he settes downe another meane, sadnesse or sorrovve, that is according to God. Ioyne shame and sadnesse in an excommunicate person, they vvill bring out repentance, he vvill beginne to forthinke that euer he should haue done as he hes done: vvell vvorth that shame and sadnesse that bringes out true repentance and saluation. Alas, vvhat matter of shame and sadnesse for a short tyme here that vve may rejoyce thereafter in the Heauens with our head Iesus Christ for euer. I read 1. Cor. 5. 5. 6. of tvvo ends and vses of Excommunication. The one is, the saluation of the person excommunicate: for he is cutted off not to be lost, but to be saued. The other is, the vvelfaire of the bodie, that is, the Church, that that peece of leauen sovvre not the vvhole lumpe. Indeed it is true in Excommunication regarde should be had to the vvell and saluation of the person that is excommunicate, but the cheefe regarde should be to the vvell of the Church and vvhole bodie, in such sort, that, if the Church cannot be safe, but by the cutting off of the rotten member, rather ere the bodie be infected, let the member perish. Paul Rom. 9. 3. wished to be Anathema, that is to be cutted off the bodie for euer, that it might be vvell vvith the bodie, for his brethren the Ievves, to haue them saued he vvished to be condemned. There should be such a loue and such a care of the Church of Christ, that it should be farre aboue and should surmount the care of any particulare man or woman. Our cheefe care should be of the glorie of God in Iesus Christ, and he is cheeflie glorified in the bodie, and therefore, a cheefe care should be had of the bodie.

Now, to come to the last verse. Yet, sayes he, count him not as an enemie, but, admonishe him, as a brother. In this verse, we haue a kinde of mitigation and tempering of the rigour and seueritie of Excommunication: for, brethren, if Excommunication had the ovvne force in any man, the stroke of Excommunication would be the sorest stroke, that euer one felt. Read 2. Cor. 2. 7. Excommunication threw the incestuous person in such an heauy displesure, that his soule vvas almost svvallovved vp vvith in him: for, when once the soule is casten in an heigh displeasure, which is the effect of Excommunication, then, the deuill is readie to bring that man to dispare. Therefore, he sayes here, verse 7. Forgiue him and comfort him: for, vve are not ignorant of the enterprises of Satan. It is marueilous, that sin blinds men so, that many cares no more to be excommunicate, then if excommunication wer the lightest thing in the world. There is such a deadnes and senslesnes in the harts of men, that there is no displeasure now for sin, but, rather, a delite and rejoycing in it. Certainely, the lesse sense of the sharpnesse of that sword of Excommunication, the greater miserie. If there were any displeasure for sinne in thee, it were an argument that, there were helpe for thee; but if thou byde senslesse at that ordinance of God, if thou be hardned against the word and discipline both shall turne to thy destruction. But, when God is powerfull with in thee with it (for, as God is powerfull with the Word, so is he powerfull by the Discipline) then, it shall turne to thy well and saluation. Therefore, seeing there is such a force in it, mitigation is verie meete for it. Now here the way how it is mitigate, Count him not as an enemie: The next, admonish him as a brother. The first of these touches the inward thought, the second concernes thy outward speaking to him. The first is, lose not a good opinion of him, hate him not, lightly him not, as thogh he wer a conjurde enemie against Christ and his Church, but loue him, lose not the loue in thy hart towards him, but, loue him, as a brother. Now, louing him in thy hart, speak to him also, think him not vnworthie of any speaking, but, flatter him not in his folie and humor, for, that will hurt him: for, if thou loue him, thou wilt not, nor thou ought not to flatter him: But, I tell thee what thou shalt doe, admonishe him both sharply and louingly, true admonition commes from the loue of the hart, and whom we loue, we admonish: but, yet admonition must be so louing, that it must be sharpe also, and so it is effectuall in the hart of the sinner. Now louing him first, and admonishing him next, is the way to win him, and to bring him home againe, who hes gone astray. And if he be curable, certainely admonition will doe the turne; if admonition will not doe the turne, nor, will not mooue him, alas, brethren, it is ouer sure an argument, that, that man is vncurable, and that the Lord hes not ordeinde him for saluation: If the Gospell be hid, it is hid to them, that perishes, sayes the Apostle 2. Cor. 4. 3. If our Gospell will not worke, it is ouer sure an argument of perdition, vvherevnto, long before they vvere ordeined, as Iude sayes, 4. vers. Therefore, let a man suspect himselfe when he is admonished and obeyes not; and let him say, shall I be for damnation? The Lord saue me and mollifie my stony hart, that I may giue obedience to the word well: giue obedience to wholesome admonition, that by man is giuen thee out of the word of God, as thou would haue a sure warrand, thou art of the number of those, that are appointed to saluation.

Marke againe. Nature and vse of Excōmunication. He will not haue him called an enemie, but a brother. This lets vs see the nature and vse of Excommunication: of a brother it makes not an enemie; he is now a brother ere he be Excommunicate, and being Excommunicate he remaines a brother. That which was a member of Iesus Christ before Excommunication makes it not altogether to perishe, neither cuts it so the rotten member from the bodie, that it shall haue no more adoe with the bodie, of a sheepe it makes not a goate, that is not the vse of it; of a christian it makes not an vnchristian, he keeps his name. It shoots him not out of the Couenant of grace, God forbid, but he standes in the bonde, being Excommunicate. What does it then? I shall tell you. A man that hes fallen from Christ, by sinne (which seueres thee from Christ) it bindes him againe, it bringes him in repentance, and calles him home againe being wandring from God, it holdes him within the Couenant: A man going to be an enemie to Christ and his Church, it straits him to byde still a brother. So it does him no euill, it is not ordeined for his perdition, but, for his well and saluation. This whole ministrie of Iesus Christ and all the parts of it. Preaching and Discipline, promises and consolation, and threatning of judgement, & al the parts of Discipline, yea this Excommunication it selfe, are al ordeined to saue soules, that is the proper vse of the ministrie, to saue all and neuer to lose one man. Therefore, in the 2. Cor. 10. 8. Paul sayes, that, he got povver to edification and not to destruction. Neuer Minister got power to destroy one bodie, but, to edifie; and if any perishe, if the Word, or, Discipline be the sauor of death to death, as, to many, it is, let him not blame the word, but, let him blame himself: For, men by their obstinacy and malice turnes the word maliciously in an vnproper vse, to their destruction, and of the Spirit of life they make it the letter of death. Therefore the Lord keepe vs from al slubbornnes and all repying against this Word and Discipline: for I assure thee, repine thou against the Gospel and Discipline, which should be the power of life to thee, it shall kill thee, thou shalt not need another to kill thee euerlastingly? And therefore the Lord grant euerie soule submission vnder the word of God, which is the meane that he hes ordeind to saluation in Iesus Christ. To whom with the Father and holy Spirit be al praise for euer.

AMEN.