Lectures Upon the Epistles to the Thessalonians, Part 1 · Lecture 1
MAISTER ROLLOCKS LECTVRES VPONUPON THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE THESSALONIANS.
THE FIRST LECTVRE.
THESSA. CHAP. 1. Verſ. 1. 2. 3.
1. Paul and Siluanus, and Timotheus, vntounto the Church of the Theſſalonians, which is in God the Father, and in the Lord Ieſus Christ: Grace be vvith you, and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Ieſus Christ.
VVe giuegive God thanks alvvayes for you all, making mention of you in our prayers,
3. Without ceaſing, remembring your effectuall faith, and diligent louelove, and the patience of your hope in our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, in the ſight of God, euen our Father.
WE purpoſe (welbeloued in the Lord Ieſus Chriſt) by the grace of God, as his Spirite ſhall aſſiſt vsus, to expone this Epiſtle, which is the firſt Paul doth write to the Theſſalonians: Which furniſhes to vsus doctrine ſeruing for vnderſtanding, inſtruction, admonition, conſolation, &c. Then to come to the purpoſe ſhortlie: We ſhall ſpeak ſomething of theſe Theſſalonians to whom he wrytes; of the Argument of this Epiſtle, and the purpoſe of the Apoſtle in it. The Theſſalonians were thoſe, who inhabited a towne called Theſſalonica, which (as the Hiſtorie …eares) was a chiefe towne in the Countrie of Macedonia, ſounded and builded by Philip King of Macedonia, after the victorie he had gotten ouer Theſſalia; for returning home victorious he builded at towne, and named it Theſſalonica, to be a perpetuall memorie of that excellent victorie he had obtayned. But to leaue this: Paul (as ye may read, in the 17. Chap. of the Acts of the Apoſt.) in his peregrination together with Sylas, who is heere named Siluanus, comes to this towne in Macedonia, called Theſſalonica, and entring into the Synagogue of the Iewes, three Saboth dayes preached vntounto them, and all his preaching tended to this, to proue that it behoued the Meſſias when he ſhould come in the World, firſt to ſuffer, then to ryſe againe in glorie: VponUpon this he ſubſumes that that Ieſus whom he preached, had ſuffered, had riſen vp in glorie; And therfore he concludes, that Ieſus, and no other, to be the Meſſias and Redeemer of the World. At Paules preaching, ſundrie of the Iewes who dwelt in Theſſalonica were conuerted: a great multitude alſo of the Grecians who abode there, and of the chiefe women of the towne, not a few: Yet, notwithſtanding of all this, ſedition is moued againſt the Apoſtle, and that by certaine obſtinate Iewes, who would not be conuerted: ſo he is compelled to flee out of Theſſalonica, fleeing he comes to Beroea, where he gets better entertainment, and conuertes ſundrie:Occaſion of the Epiſtle. Yet perſecution ryſes, and he is led to Athens, where he abiding, word comes to him, that the Brethren who were conuerted at Theſſalonica, were heauilie troubled, and perſecuted by the obſtinate Iewes there. VponUpon this the Apoſtle ſendeth Timothie to them, to confirme them, and comfort them in their trouble. Timothie returning, and reporting the grace of God he ſaw there, Paul would hauehave gone to Theſſalonica, but as he ſayeth, Sathan withſtoode him, and therefore he takes purpoſe to write this Epiſtle vntounto them, which ſhould be in ſteede of his preſence. This is the occaſion of the writing of this Epiſtle.
Then to come to the Epiſtle it ſelfe,Partes of the Epiſtle. and to ſpeak of the parts thereof. Firſt, there is a ſalutation: after the ſalutation, he hath a congratulation, and rejoyſing with them, for the graces he vnderſtoode to be in them, by the report of Timothie. He continewes his congratulation a long tyme, almoſt to the end of the ſecond chapter. Then he comes to his exhortation, and exhorts them (notwithſtanding of al trouble) to preſeuere conſtantlie to the end. This he doth in the third chapter: In the fourth and fift chapters he comes to the matter; and as before he had exhorted them to perſeuerance: ſo he exhorts them to godlineſſe and holineſſe of life, ſuch as becomes them, who hauehave receyued the Lord Ieſus. This is the ſubſtance of the Epiſtle.
Now in this chapter: Firſt, we hauehave the ſalutation, then the congratulation, and rejoyſing for the graces of God in them; which continewes all this chapter, and the moſt part of the next chapter. Now to come to the ſalutation, wherein the Apoſtle ſalutes the Theſſalonians: I will ſpeake ſhortlie of it, becauſe it is a common forme vſed by the Apoſtle in his Epiſtles, and hath beene oft exponed. The perſons from whom this ſalutation comes, are Paul an Apoſtle, Siluanus & Timotheus, two Euangeliſts: They who are ſaluted, are the Theſſalonians, that is, the Church of God, that was made vp of the Theſſalonians, who were inhabitants of this towne of Theſſalonica▪ The bleſſings, or good things that are wiſhed from Paul and the reſt, to the Church at Theſſalonica, are grace, and peace: the Author of this grace and peace, from whom, as from the fountaine, Paul with the reſt of his aſſociates, wiſheth theſe things to the Theſſalonians, is the Father firſt: the Sonne our Lord Ieſus next. The cauſe wherefore grace and peace is wiſhed from the Father and the Sonne to the Theſſalonians, is, becauſe the Theſſalonians ſtoode in that bleſſed conjunction with the Father, and the Sonne, and therefore it is ſaid in the text, To the Church of Theſſalonica, which is in God the Father, and in the Lord Ieſus Chriſt, that is to ſay, which is in that holie ſocietie, and conjunction with the Father and the Sonne.
Now to marke ſomething of the ſalutation.Note. This forme of ſalutation that is vſed in this place, and in other places, by this & other Apoſtles: al theſe general ſalutations vſed by godlie men, vntounto godlie men; what are they? they are teſtimonies of that good minde, and good-will, that the godlie beares to the godly: They are more too; they are meanes and powerful inſtruments ordained by God, wherby the grace of God, the merciemercy of God in Chriſt, is conuoyed from God, & Chriſt to them, to whom the ſalutation is directed. There are many meanes, whereby grace is conuoyed from God to man, amongſt all the reſt, theſe ſalutations are meanes ordained by God, to that end. Brethren, it is no ſmall matter to wiſhe well to a man or woman, if thou hauehave a godlie heart when thou wiſhes well to a godlie perſon, of neceſſitie the affection of thy heart and mouth muſt bee effectuall.
The to goe fordward. Grace and Peace, is wiſhed. But from whome? From God the Father, and from the Sonne Ieſus Chriſt. The Sonne muſt not bee forgote heere, becauſe all grace is geuen in him by the Father; in ſuch ſorte, that if any man will ſeeke grace without Chriſt, hee ſhall neuer get it. Therefore he who would hauehave grace, let him ſeeke it at God, through Chriſt: that he may receyue it of that fulneſſe that is in the Sonne. The Iew that will ſeeke to the Father without the Sonne, ſhall neuer ſee grace.
Whom to is this grace and peace wiſhed? to the Church at Theſſalonica. Wherefore? Marke this ground. Becauſe this Church is ingraft in the Father and in the Sonne by faith. Then firſt I ſee here: there is no grace, but from the Father and the ſonne: and therefore there no wiſhing of grace to man or woman, but from the Father and the ſonne, who are the fontaine of all grace. Againe I ſee grace, merciemercy and peace pertaines to none, but to ſo many as are in this happie conjunction with the Father and the Son. Art thou in the Father? Art thou in the ſon, ingraft in him by a liuelie faith? Then grace pertaines to thee: merciemercy and peace pertaines to thee. Art thou out of him, and not ingraft in him by faith? Let men wiſh welfare and peace to thee as they will, no grace, merciemercy nor peace pertaines to thee. By grace & peace is vnderſtood whatſoeuer bleſſings of God that followes on that conjunction and vnion that is with God the Father, and the Son Ieſus Chriſt; As for exemple: Remiſſion of ſins, Iuſtification before the Tribunall of God, Regeneration & clenſing of this foull nature, peace, joy in the holie Ghoſt, & life euerlaſting: all flowes from this conjunction: and therfore it muſt follow, that to him who is out of this conjunction with the Father and the Sonne, there is no remiſſion of ſinnes: if thou be not vnited to the Father and the Sonne by faith; no ſaluation, no regeneration, no life euerlaſting, no peace for thee: all thy peace is falſe peace, and thou ſhalt curſe the tyme that euer thou had that peace. Then it muſt follow that this forme of ſalutation, pertaines not to the Iew this day, who is out of this conjunction, neither I, nor no man can ſay to the Iew this day, Peace and grace to thee from God the Father and from Chriſt Ieſus his Sonne: neither pertaines it to the Turke or Pagane, who are out of this vnion with God and Chriſt by faith. More then this, it will not be the name of any thing that will do the turne: there are many that taks vponupon them the name of a chriſtian, & ſo will ſeeme to be in the vnion with the Father and the Sonne, that in heart hauehave no conjunction with them: But I ſay to thee, it will not be the outwarde conjunction with them, in the name of a Chriſtian, it will not be the wiſhing of good dayes and good euenings that wil do thee good, except thou find thy hart bound vp in that bleſſed vnion with the Father and the Sonne Ieſus Chriſt.
Marke an other thing. Learne heere a forme of an effectuall and pithie ſalutation that the godlie ſhould vſe: firſt, when the godlie ſalutes, as Paul, Siluanus and Timothie, when they wiſhe any thing to thee, what wiſh they? Not any thing thou deſerues, if thou were neuer ſo holie, but free grace, without any merite, as Paul heere doth: then againe, they wiſh it from them that hes this grace in their handes, from the Father and the Sonne. And laſt, they wiſhe it to them who ſtands in the vnion and conjunction with the Father and the Sonne: for this vnion will draw down the droppes of grace from the Heauen, from Ieſus that is full of all grace. Therefore Brethren, theſe ſalutations of the Heathen & Gentiles, and of prophaine men now, are nothing worth; they were neuer of valure: I will not giuegive a pennie for Cicero his ſalutem dicit; nor Plato his foreign, becauſe in wiſhing well, they knew not what they wiſhed, they called it welfare, well doing: they knew not grace, nor the free merciemercy of God: they knew not God, the fountaine of all grace, nor Chriſt his Son, from whom all grace flowes: they knew not a Church, nor the conjunction of the bodie, or the members with the head: ſo their ſalutations were of no value. Euen ſo it is this day with prophaine men, who knowes not God, nor Chriſt nor the Church, nor knowes not his conjunction, their ſalutations are not worthie a ſtray; all their good dayes and good euenings are deare of right noght, for their ſalutations are only prophaine words, and when they are bleſſing with their mouthes, they are curſing in their hearts.
Now, brethren, to goe fordward to the next part, which containes this congratulation & rejoyſing together with the Theſſalonians, for thoſe graces of God which were beſtowed on them Ye ſe the words: We giuegive God alvvayes thanks for you, making mention of you in our prayers. In this congratulation he rejoyſes together with them, for the graces the Lord hath ſhowne on them: in rejoyſing for the graces ſhowne on them he forgets not God the geuer of all grace, but in rejoyſing with them, he glorifies God & thanks him for them, and ſo acknowledges al the graces that were in the Theſſalonians, to flow out of this fountaine, he acknowledges their faith, their charitie, their hope, not to come of themſelues, but to be of God: and therefore in rejoyſing with them, hee geues God the glorie of all the graces that was in them. Why ſhould wee not congratulate and rejoiſe for the graces of God we ſe in others? we are bound to doe it. Thou art obliſht to rejoiſe with him that rejoyſes for the graces of God geuen him, as if they were geuen to thy ſelfe. Paul ſayes, Reioyce vvith them that reioyſes: mourne vvith them that mournes. Rom. 12. 15. Wee are bounde when wee ſee the grace of God in anie people or nation, to commend it in them: for it is ſaid trewlie, vvhen grace or vertew is commended, it growes. But looke that thy rejoyſing, thy commendation of men for the grace thou ſees in them, be to the end that thou may glorifie God, who is the Author and fountaine of all the grace, looke that in commending of men, if it were all the Monarchs in the earth, on paine of thy lyfe thou forget not God. Looke firſt vp to the geuer, and then to him who hath receyued: ſay not, Sir, or my Lord, I commend you for your good witte, and gouernance, I commend you for your man-hood and wiſdome. The flattering Gentiles that knew not God ſayes ſo: but thou who art a Chriſtian ſpeake not ſo to any man: but ſay, I giuegive thanks to God who is the fountaine of all grace, for the grace he hes geuen to thee: thou haſt no good grace no wiſdom, no manhood, &c. but that which God the Author of grace hes geuen thee: as euer thou would ſee the glorie of that God, who euer thou be hauehave thy eye firſt of al, in al thy ſpeaking and doing on the glorie of that God. I confeſſe there are many impediments caſten in betwixt thy eyes and the glorie of God, but ſtriue to get a ſight of that glorie, or elſe thou ſhall neuer be partaker of that glorie. Thou may hauehave a ſhadow of glorie in the world for a while, but as the muſt before the Sunne vaniſhes away, ſo ſhall thou and thy glorie vaniſh away, to thy euerlaſting confuſion, if thou ſtriue not to hauehave the glorie of God before thy eyes. Then hes thou anie good graces in thy ſelfe? giuegive God the glory: What haſt thou, that thou haſt not receyued?. 1. Cor. 4. 7. GiueGive him the glorie and praiſe of all: if it were eating and drinking at thy dinner: looke that thou eat to his glorie, and drinke to his glorie 1. Cor. 10. 31. And ſay in the meane-tyme, I doe not this ſo much to feede this mortall bodie, as I doe it to glorifie thy Majeſtie. When thou liues, liue to him: deying, die to him; conſecrate thy life and death to him. Fye on vsus that can not learne to giuegive the glorie of all to our Redeemer. As for mee, brethren, I craue nothing more, nor that the glorie of God may ſhine before my eyes in my vocation, that when I ſpeake or thinke, all maye be to his glorie, that in the end I may hauehave this aſſurance that I ſhall bee glorified vvith him for euer. But yet to ſticke to the wordes: He ſayes not; I giuegive thanks, but vve giuegive thankes, I, and Siluanus and Timotheus giuegive thanks: Hee ſayes not for an handfull or a certaine nomber of you, but for you all. He ſayes not for a tyme, but alvvayes. Marke all theſe wordes: He ſayes, vve all, and that for all, vve thanke euer. It is a large thanking, and it teſtifies that the graces ſhovvne on the Theſſalonians vvere large. When the graces of God are ſhovvne on me, on thee, or on anie people, thy heart muſt not bee narrovv, but it muſt bee enlarged, and thy mouth muſt be oppenned vvyde to praiſe and magnifie God the geuer of all. Or elſe I aſſure thee, vvhen his grace is large, if thy heart be narrovv, and thy mouth be oppenned but a little, the Lord ſhal draw in his hand & diminiſh his grace to thee. So is ſene of it in Edinburgh this day, the graces of god on thee ô Edinburgh were large, but thy heart was narrow, and thy mouh was not oppened wide. Therefore the Lord is pinching his graces; if it ſo continew, woe will be to thee. Go this grace of the Miniſtrie away, and the Lord cloſe mens mouthes and let them not ſpeak to thee, all thy grace is gone; and I thinke the Lord is beginning to pinche his graces on vsus, for that glorious Goſpell which was preached with great libertie, and was ſo powerfull in the land, hes loſt the power: and the nomber of the godlie of the land is contracted, for the one depends vponupon the other: therefore cry, that the Lord may make his grace abound, and that he would continew with vsus the light of his Euangell.
Now to the next words. He joynes with thankeſ-geuing, prayer:Praier ioyned vvith thāks-geuing. Making mention of you in our prayers: It is not aneugh to thank God for the grace that eyther we, or others hauehave receyued, but alſo thou muſt pray: Cry for grace and continuance of grace; for I aſſure thee, if vvith thankeſ-geuing there be not prayer for continuance, the grace receyued ſhall decay. Amongſt all the reſt of the meanes the Lord hes appoynted for continuance of grace, earneſt prayer to God is an eſpeciall meane. So as thou vvouldſt hauehave thy ſelfe ſtanding in grace, pray euer for grace, for there is no moment, but vve are readie to fall away, except the Lord hold vsus vp. The meane to entertaine grace, is, earneſt prayer. The Lord holde vsus vp and let vsus not fall: but if the meane be not vſed, fall ſhall vve, thogh all the vvorld had ſaid the contrair.
It is to be marked farther. He ſayes, in our prayers. As hee would ſay, in our daylie prayers we are accuſtomed to pray to God; in our daylie prayers we forget you not, but we remember you. Marke this, Brethren. He is not meete to pray for others, that can not pray for himſelfe, nor hes no acquaintance nor acceſſe to God. Who can ſoliſt for any man, when he hes no acceſſe to him vvhom hee foliſts? Canſt thou pray for me to my God, and thou hauehave no acceſſe to him? He vvho vvill pray for others, muſt be vvell acquainted vvith God, and hauehave a daylie acceſſe to him. And hovv ſvveete a thing is it to hauehave familiar acceſſe to him? for all the joy of the world is not comparable to that joy, which the ſoule findes when it is exerciſed with the Lorde familiarlie: for when thy heart is with him, no doubt he is with thee. Alaſſe, beaſtlie man, fy on thee that euer thou was borne, and thou hauehave not that ſvveete ſenſe of joy that flowes from the meditation on the Lord: wilt thou let thy ſoule be euer ſtupide and ſenſleſſe? vvilt thou neuer be a Citizen of Heauen, expecting for the glorious comming of Chriſt, but ay ly as a ſowe, muzling and grountling vponupon the earth? vvilt thou neuer look vp with thy eyes to Heauen? vvilt thou ay be looking dovvn? If thou doe ſo thou ſhalt fall dovvn at laſt to that euerlaſting damnation. The Lord raiſe vsus vp, for heauy are we: we are dead lumps ay tending downward & can get no riſing vp: the Lord raiſe vp our ſoules therfore to heuen.
Now followes the cauſe wherefore he rejoyſes with them, in the next verſe. Without ceaſing, remembring your effectuall faith. That is one, and diligent louelove; that is tvvo: the third is, and the patience of your hope in the Lord Ieſus Christ, in the ſight of God, euen, our Father. Heere, brethren, not to eſcape the wordes, I ſee, firſt, an vnceſſant and perfite remembrance of the graces, God hes geuen his people, as Faith, Charitie and Patience. I ſee, then, in the example of Paul, Siluanus and Timotheus, that, in the memorie and heart of the godlie, the graces of God ſhowen, eyther on themſelues, or others, makes a deepe impreſſion; when they ſee the graces of God, they take a deepe apprehenſion of them. In the wicked it is otherwiſe: let God raine down graces from Heauen on them ſelues and others alſo, as they come, ſo they goe, they remember neuer a good turne doen to them. Now, on this remembrance followes prayer, they remember with joy, euer praying, remembring by night, euer praying, remēbring by day, euer praying, at leſt, in the hart, if not outwardly in words. Marke it: a man that would pray wel to God, muſt be of a good remembrance: vvould thou pray well? remember well: Prepare thee to pray, by remembrance of the bleſſings of God and pray then. What matter haſt thou of prayer, when thou remembers not his bleſſings? So, all tends to this; that, thou be carefull to remember the bleſſings of God: and as thou remembers, ſay, Lord, I thanke thee for that bleſſing. I tell thee, the loſing of remembrance of the grace of God, ſhowne to thee and others, hes loſt many graces to thee: if thou remember not the graces bygone, and be not thankfull for them, the grace of God will grow narrow, and become barren and turne away from thee.
Now to come to the end ſhortlie, let vsus touch the cauſe of this joy; firſt here are thre graces of god that comes to the Theſſalonians,Cauſes of thanks giuing faith, hope & charity wherfore Paul thankes God in their behalfe, to witte faith, charitie and hope. I ſee theſe thre graces recounted by the Apoſtle in other places: in the 1. to the Cor. cha. 13. 13. And novv ſayes he, abyds thre things, faith, hope and charitie, but the cheefeſt of of thoſe is charitie, becauſe when the reſt go away, it abides in the life to come: in theſe thre ſtands the perfection of the life of a chriſtian man, in faith towards God and the Lord Ieſus: begin at them in this life, begin at God & Chriſt his Son, & be joyned to him by faith: then come on to louelove towards thy neighbour, louelove thy neighbour: woe to thee that loues not thy neighbour: thou loues not God if thou louelove not thy neighbour. And becauſe our life is not here, but it is hid vp with God in Chriſt, thou muſt await for thy life in him, and ſo comes in hope, hope for thy life in him: theſe thre muſt conuoy & accompany thee heer, till thou poſſeſſe that life. So faith is the beginning of grace, faith joynes thee with God throgh Chriſt, with a ſweet conjunction, whereby all flowes out of him to thee, for as we ſaid in the beginning, no bleſſing but in that conjunction with him. Faith brings forth charitie, the bud of faith is charitie; and there is ſuch a ſure bond betwene faith and charitie, that the one can not be without the other. If thou ſay, thou haſt faith to God, and hauehave not louelove to the Church, & the reſt of the members of the body, thou art a lyar. Now the end of all grace in this life, is hope; hope of ſaluation and glorie, grace in this life ends in hope: it begins at faith, grows in louelove, and ends in hope; & that is the laſt degre, it goes no farther: for as to ſaluation, thou can not get it heere; the fartheſt thou can reach to, is to hope, reaching vp to heauen, expecting that glorie that is appointed to thee there. The Apoſtle recounting the armor of a chriſtian man. 1. Theſ. 5. 8. ends in hope, he begins at faith, & thē to louelove, & ends at hope: & ſpeaking of the graces we hauehave in the Goſpell, as temperance, righteouſnes and godlines; Tit. 2. 13. He ſubjoines: Avvaiting for that hope and appearing of that glorie of that great God, and of our Sauior Ieſus Christ. Where ye ſee he puts on hope as it were a crowne on the reſt of the graces: hope, I ſay, is the laſt of all the graces in this earth, and we can go no farther, but in that life to come farewell hope: for we ſhall get the full ſight and fruition of all the graces that now we looke for: my eyes ſhall ſe my Sa…iour the Lord Ieſus Chriſt. So there the grace of graces in the other life, ſight: for we liue heerby faith, and not by ſight, but then we ſhall get that full ſight of glorie, for vve ſhall ſe him as he is. 1. Ioh. 3. 2.
Yet to ſtick to the words: he ſets out theſe vertues & graces, not ſimplie, but, he deſcriues ſome one vvay, ſome another way: and ſo, he cals it not faith, but, effectuall faith, or, vvorking faith: he ſayes not, louelove ſimplie; but, a diligent and labouring louelove: and he cals it not hope ſimplie, but, the patience of your hope: a patient hope,Faith vvorking a vvorking faith, a laborious louelove. Novv, let vsus conſider the exerciſes of euerie one of them. Faith hes her exceriſe, in vvorking: what vvorks ſhe? working out the filth of nature: (fy on the foull nature of men & wemen): ſo, that, the exerciſe of faith in Ieſus, is in cleanſing the foull heart and euerie corner of it. And therefore, in the chap. 15. verſ. 9. of the Acts, faith is ſaid to purge the heart: for, by faith, Ieſus dwelles in the heart, and Chriſt can not be idle, hee will be exerciſed, and he purges out the foull ſtinke of nature that lyes hid in euerie corner of the heart. Hee that is not exerciſed in cleanſing of his heart vtters euidentlie, that, he neuer had faith, ſay vvhat he vvill. This is the vvorke of faith.
Novv,Charitie is laborious. to come to Charitie. Faith is exerciſed inwardlie, in the hart, Charitie is exerciſed outwardlie, in the hand, and can not be idle: labouring, not for her ſelfe, but, for me and thee, and thoſe, that are about her, and he who hes charitie, or, he ſhould not doe good to his neighbour, he will rather want his hand: fy on them, who will not worke with their hands, to helpe others. This land is full of idle men, & ſo, it can not be without judgement, thowſands going idle, in all parts, and how can charitie be keeped, without labour? if thou were a Lord, put to thy hand, and call to God, for to ſanctifie thy labour, it is vanitie to ſit idle, put to thy hand and doe good to thy ſelfe, or, ſome others, or, elſe, ſore ſhall that count be, that thou ſhall make.
Now, come to hope. What is ſho doing? She is bound vnderunder the Croſſe, lying in patience, looking for that glorious reuelation of God:Hope patient. I tell thee, either be exerciſed in ſuffering for the glorious appearance of Ieſus chriſt or elſe thou ſhalt loſe hope: for as concerning hope ſhe muſt be a ſufferer; for it is ſaid, It behoued vsus throgh many tribulations to enter in the kingdome of God. Act. 14. 22. So thy hope that awaits for the kingdome of God, muſt be endewed with patience, otherwayes, if it be not joyned with patience, to endure tribulation, that the Lord ſhall lay on thee thou and thy hope ſhall both …all. And therfore when thou thinkeſt on hope, joyne euer the companion thereof, pati…nce to it. … Rom. 8. 25. with hope joynes patience. Heb. 6. 15. Abraham avvaited patientlie: and therafter enioyed the promiſe: hope on, indure all, with the power of God, thou ſhall enjoy all, and preuail: for hope neuer made man to be aſhamed, hope in God for ſaluation, for he hath promiſed. and is able to performe: and hope makes not aſhamed. Rom. 5. 5. Then to take vp this matter, I ſee all the graces of God are quick; a dead grace is naught, all are liuelie, either exerciſed in one exerciſe or other: Faith is working, Charitie is laborious, Hope is ſuffering, each one hes their owne exerciſe and therefore let not an ydle bodie that is not exerciſed in ſanctifying of the heart by faith, of the hand by charitie, that refuſes ſuffering in hope, let him not thinke he hes theſe graces of God. Thou that haſt no work, no faith, no laboring, no charitie, thou that can not beare patientlie, and who at euerie thing comming to thee art readie to diſpare, thou that can not ly vnderunder the croſſe, thou hes no hope. And therefore as thou would finde grace in the life to come, looke that thou be exerciſed in this life, for if thou be not exerciſed heere, thou ſhalt enter in that damnation, where there ſhall be no end of thy labour: & thou that wil be exerciſed in faith, charitie, and hope, aſſure thee in the life to come, thou ſhall not be pyned with worke, thou ſhalt ceaſe from thy labour, and the teares ſhall be wyped from thy eyes, all paine and anguiſh ſhall be put away. Looke then how ye will ſpend a moment, to eſchew an eternitie, if thou paſſe thy tyme idle, and do no good heere, neither to thy ſelfe, nor to thy neighbor, thy labour ſhall endure euerlaſtinglie. Thou who wilt not ſpend a moment in labour, looke not to obtaine reſt for euer.
In the end of the verſe he places, and groundes this patient hope on Ieſus Chriſt; there is her ground & foundation. Looke the words. And the patience of your hope, in our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, in the ſight of God the Father. The faith and hope being begunne on Ieſus,Hope grū ded on Chriſt. a ground immoueable, all the worlde can not ſhake it. He ſetteth to her witneſſe God the Father: He muſt be witneſſe, and muſt ſtand looking into the heart, to ſee what ſinceritie is in the heart. So beſide the patience wherewith hope muſt be indewed, ſhe muſt be enarmed to dree out this deſtinie, ſhe can not ſuſtaine trouble, except ſhe be grounded. The ground is the Lord Ieſus, immoueable for euer: who is able to ſhake him? If my hope be ſet on Ieſus, I defye all the worlde: ſhake me as thou wilt, no more nor thou is able to moue him out of his place, no more art thou able to moue my hope out of my hart. There is the foundation ſhe muſt hauehave. Yet more, ſhe muſt hauehave a witneſſe, & he who hopes muſt hope before the Father: for the Father ſeeth all, and there is no ſinceritie but in the Spirit of God; and thou who wilt hope, conſider God is before thee looking into thine heart, and hauehave him euer before thy eyes: otherwayes, thou ſhalt do nothing in thy life-tyme ſincerelie, but all thy cogitations, motions, and actions of thy hand are all in hypocriſie. Therefore when thou doeſt any thing do it ſincerelie, and ſay, My God is looking on me: and therefore Lord prepare my heart to doe it ſincerely: let me not ſeeke no approbation of men, but let me ſeek the approbation of thee my God. It is a miſerie to ſe men in the world, they wil ſteale from God as it were to a backſide, becauſe they can not abide his eye: eueryevery man taketh counſaile, at it were, to hate God, and he flyes from God, becauſe his pleaſure is in hypocriſie: and thou vaine man likes neuer to do any thing in ſincerity, but would, as it wer, …yle thy own eyes and Gods eyes, and the eyes of all the world with thy counterfaite falſhood: therfore as thou would be approued in conſcience, flee not from the ſight of God, but craue his preſence, that light may come from him & lighten thee, that in that light thou may walke and ſtudie to be acceptable to God, with whom thou muſt be & bid all this world farewell. Wo to them that ſtudies not to be approued of God, & gettes not that approbation in their conſciences. To this God the Father, with the Son and the holy Spirite, be all praiſe for euer.
AMEN.