Lectures Upon the Epistles to the Thessalonians, Title page – To the reader
LECTVRES VPONUPON THE FIRST AND SECOND EPISTLES OF PAVL TO THE THESSALONIANS:
Preached by that faithfull ſeruant of God M. ROBERT ROLLOCK, ſome-tyme Miniſter of the Euangell of Ieſus Chriſt, and Rector of the Colledge in EDINBVRGH.
EDINBVRGH PRINTED BY ROBERT CHARTERIS Printer to the Kings moſt Excellent Majeſtie. An. Dom. M. D. C. VI. Cum Priuilegio Regiae Majeſtatis.
TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVL THEIR MOST LOVING FRIEND IN THE LORD, MAISTER VVILLIAM SCOT OF ELY, grace in this life and euerlaſting glorie in the lyfe to come.
ALL knowledge, and all ſciences inuented by the wiſe men of this world without the knowledge of IESVS CHRIST, by whom remiſſion of ſinnes is obtained to the miſerable ſoule, are but vaine and vnprofitable. The Apoſtle reckoning, out his prerogatiues,Philip. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. which were many, counts them all in reſpect of the excellency and knovvledge of Chriſt Ieſus to be but loſſe and dung: Euen ſo it is with all ſciences, if they be ſeuered from the knowledge of Ieſus Chriſt in the Goſpell. For, what auailes it a man to knowe the height of the Heauens, the courſes of the Starres, the breadth of the earth, if in the mean-tyme his conſcience accuſe him for his ſinnes to be vnworthie both of Heauen and earth? What auailes it a man to ſeeke by Phyſick to prolong afraile temporall life to the bodie, if his conſcience tell him in the mean-tyme that his ſoule ſhall periſh for euer? What auailes it a man to brag of the knowledge of the Lawe, if his conſcience accuſe him to be moſt vnjuſt and worthie of eternal damnation. In theſe and ſuch like things the wiſe men of this world doe glorie, and yet they make not the ſoule the better. The knowledge of Ieſus Chriſt in the Goſpell is the onelyonly knowledge that preſerues the ſoule, and makes it to liue for euer,Ioh. 5. 39 as our Sauiour ſayes, Search the Scriptures, for in them ye thinke to hauehave eternall lyfe, Ioh. 17. 3and they are they vvhichwhich teſtifie of me. And againe, This is life eternall that they knovv thee to be the onelyonly verie God, and vvhom thou hast ſent Ieſus Chriſt. Then this ſcience is to be ſought, praiſed, and preferred to all others in all reſpects Look how highly PAVL commends it:1. Cor. 2. 6. 7. 8. 9. Weſpeake, ſayes he, vviſdome, among them that are perfite: Not the vviſdome of this vvorld, neither of the Princes of this vvorld, vvhichwhich come to nought: But vve ſpeake the vviſdome of God in a misterie, euen the hid vviſdome, vvhichwhich God had determined before the vvorld vntounto our glory: Which none of the Princes of this World hath knovvne: for had they knovvne it, they vvould not hauehave crucified the Lord of glory: But as it is vvritten, the things vvhichwhich eye hath not ſeene, neither eare hath heard, neither came into mans hart, are vvhichwhich God hath prepared for them that louelove him: But God hath reueiled thē vntounto vsus by his Spirit. Other ſciences were inuented by men: but God himſelfe is the Author of this ſcience, he reueiled it. Other ſciences are all inuented in tyme, but this ſcience is before all tyme, from all eternitie: other ſciences handles things corruptible and changeable the knoweledge whereof albeit it be pleaſant and profitable for this preſent life, yet it cannot reforme the ſoule to eternall life: for all their vertue is but the couerture of vyce, but this ſcience ſettes out and reueiles to a broken harted ſinner a fauorable and reconciled God in Ieſus, who is aduantage both in life and death, and in whom the heigh and wonderfull things of God, and all things that the ſoule of man can require for grace or glory, pertaining either to this or to that other life,Col. 2. 3. 9 10. is contained: For in him are hid all the treaſures of vviſdome and knovvledge, in him dvvelleth all the fulneſſe of the god-head bodily. Now this pretious treaſure the Lord hes committed to earthen veſſels, he hes ſet in his ſeruice baſe and contemptible perſons to carie the meſſage of reconciliation, and to proclame to weary and loaden ſinners the glade tydings of ſaluation, he ſendes out ſimple men to manure his husbandrie: he ſends them out as ſouldiers to that ſpirituall warfare vvith vveapons that are not carnall, 2. Cor. 10 4. 5.but mightie through God, to caſt dovvne holdes, to cast dovvne imaginations, and eueryevery high thing that is exalted against the knovvledge of God, and to bring into captiuitie eueryevery thought to the obedience of Christ. Whom for the meſſage they carie, the Goſpel they preach, the word of life they offer, that hid treaſure that is committed to them, the Lord craues we ſhould hauehave in ſingulare account, honour and louelove. And indeed if we had the ſight of the fearceneſſe of that eternall wrath of God for ſinne, it could not be poſſible but we would ſay, O hovv bevvtifull are the feete of them vvhichwhich bring glade tydinges of peace, Rom. 18. 15.and bring glade tydinges of good things! We cannot honour, louelove and highly eſteeme of the Maiſter, and reſpect the Goſpell, if we hate and contemne the ſeruant and meſſenger. And if we louelove our parents, of whom we hauehave nothing but miſery, who hes conceiued vsus in ſinne, nuririſhed and trained vsus vp in ſin, and who by nature makes vsus aires of wrath and hell (for that vvhichwhich is borne of the fleſh is fleſh.) Ioh. 3. 6.O how excedinglie ſhould we louelove theſe whom God makes inſtruments of our regeneration to beget vsus to God, to make vsus his ſonnes, and to tranſlate vsus from darkneſſe to light from miſerie to felicitie, from death to life, from hell to heauen. And yet this vnworthie world neuer duely accounts of them, but of all men they hate moſt malitiouſlie the true ſeruants of Ieſus Chriſt. And to paſſe by other ages and Countries, the Lord of the harueſt ſtryuing againſt our ingratitude hes ſent out from tyme to tyme into this Land ſundry painfull laborers and faithfull preachers of the Goſpell, who preaſed in all reſpectes to approue themſelues to God, to a good conſcience, and to the conſciences of ſo many as beleeued, of whom the world was not worthie.
Among the reſt whom God did bewtifie with ſingulare graces, the Lord in the perſon of M. ROBERT ROLLOCK, that faithfull and reuerent ſeruant of Ieſus Chriſt, gaue vsus no ſober token of his louelove. For we cannot tell if vponupon any almeſt in this Land the Lord beſtowed greater aboundance and varietie of graces of his Spirite, if in any there was a more ſpirituall and heauenly ſoule, if any ſpared themſelues leſſe and vndertooke greater paines that they might be found faithfull and finiſhe their courſe with joye, if any preaſed more to approue themſelues to God and a good conſcience then he. O what and how many giftes and graces were in the perſon of that man! in conceiuing he was quick, in judgement ſolide, he vttered the Word with great libertie, he preached with euidence and demonſtration of the Spirit and power: in opening vp of the text and raiſing groundes of doctrine he had a ſpeciall grace, in teaching he was cleare and ſententious, in conuincing, powerfull: in exhorting earneſt and pithie: in correcting vehement: who for graces being in account and honoured was more humble? (& rara virtw humilitas honorata) who being prouoked was leſſe vindictine? who preaſed more to keepe the chaire of Veritie cleane from corrupt paſſions, that the word of God might hauehave free paſſage and be glorified? Who ſought the world leſſe? Who eſtemed leſſe of theſe earthly thinges: For he behaued himſelfe as a faithfull ſeruant of God, not ſeeking himſelfe, but Ieſus Chriſt, as a pilgrime heere, yea and crucified to the world: for knowing that here he had no continuing cittie, he ſought for one to come he had his conuerſation in heauen, from whence he looked for Ieſus Chriſt his Sauiour to come. And hauing liued ſuch an holy life to the glorie of God, there followed a moſt ſweete and comfortable death in Ieſus, whom he counted alwayes to be his aduantage.Reuel. …word 13. And bleſſed are they that dies in Ieſus, for they reſt from their labours, and their vvorkes follovv them. O how great a wound did the church receiue by the loſing of ſuch a mēber! Experience teaches vsus this day when there is ſuch diſtraction of harts in the Church what inlack we hauehave of this man, whoſe labours in the like dayes and caſes the Lord while he liued bleſſed wonderfully. His life preached his death preached to the world: Many one who heard him found in experience that he ranne not vnſent: For he laboured not in vaine,1. Tim. 3. 2. &c. but the grace of God was powerfull in him, and by him to many. Finally, he as a viue exemplar repreſented to vsus ſuch qualities and conditions as the Spirite of God requires to be in a Biſhop of Ieſus Chriſt.Tu…. 7. 8 Put why inſiſt we to ſpeake to you, Sir, of this man who was wel knowne almoſt to all, but moſt interely to you: Neither was he ſteadable to the faithfull that heard him by his vine voice onelyonly in his life preaching, but alſo his workes yet teaches the poſteritie. For his learned and judicious writtings left behind him in latine hes acquired to him a famous name and reuerend account among the learned in ſundry nations, who profeſſe that therby no ſmal edification redounds to the Church of God. And therefore, ſeeing that God did accompany his forme of teaching ſo powerfully with his ſpirit and made it ſo profitable, we hauehave thoght meet to ſet out theſe his Lectures vponupon the two Epiſtles to the Theſſalonians, that not only the ſimple may be inſtructed thereby but alſo the teachers may know and imitate his gratious forme of teaching: as likewiſe, becauſe the other Sermons that were before imprinted hes bene receiued with great lyking by the humble and ſuch as deſire to be edified,
Now, Sir, whereas others in ſuch caſes vſes to ſay that they were aduiſing as doubtſome to whoſe patronage they ſhould recommend their worke, we heerein are releeued of this care: we need no deliberation: for to whom in all reſpects can it belong but to you? Firſt in reſpect of that inteere and exceeding louelove and familiaritie that was betweene you and the Author heereof. For from once by his preaching the Lord wroght in your hart, all who knew M. ROLLOCK knew alſo how ye loued him, delyted in his companie and conference, ſet your ſelfe in all thinges to pleaſure him, what teſtimonies of true louelove and vnfained kindneſſe ye would hauehave vttered to him, how freely for the louelove of Ieſus ye would hauehave communicate to him temporall thinges, (if that man, who was ſo well content with that he had, could hauehave ſuffered you, and had not ſtayed the courſe of your liberalitie.) Alſo when that laſt meſſenger and fore-runner of death did ſeaſe vponupon his fraile and weakned bodie, few are ignorant how carefull ye were for his greater eaſe to hauehave him tranſported to your owne houſe: How liberallie ye and your bed-fellow (whoſe praiſe ought not nor ſhall not be buried in obliuion) beſtowed on him all thinges neceſſare and commodious, how chearefully ye receiued and intertained for his cauſe all them that came to viſite him, and what great benefite ye counted the Lord beſtowed on you in that he offered the occaſion, which long ye wiſhed to ſhowe your liberalitie in temporall thinges towardes ſuch a rate veſſell of merciemercy and faithfull ſeruant of Ieſus from whom he had receiued ſo many ſpirituall thinges. Againe who is ignorant, what affection and kyndneſſe ye hauehave vttered and daily vtters towardes his relict and poſthume for his cauſe yea and towardes all theſe who loued him in Chriſt. Next, to paſſe by that M. ROLLOCK in teſtimonie of his louelove dedicate to you his commentare in Latine on the ſecond of theſe Epiſtles, as alſo that in his Teſtament he ordeined that all his bookes which he left to be printed after his deceaſe ſhould be dedicate to you, and come out vnderunder your name and patrocinie, that whoſoeuer gote commoditie thereof, next after God, might giuegive the honour and thankes vntounto you, after a ſpeciall ſort this worke requyres your patronage. For throgh your care, moyen and expenſes theſe Lectnres were collected and gathered from the handes of theſe who wraite them from his mouth, by your moyen and procurement they were reuiſed, corrected, and made apt for the printing by your meanes they now ſee the light, which they had neuer ſeene, but had bene buried in darkneſſe, if the Lord had not made you an inſtrument to publiſhe them. Laſt, if that the paines which hath bene taine in reuiſing, correcting and making them apt for the printing might yeelde any right to make choiſe of a patrone to this work, we would not, nor could not offer it to any, but to you, Sir, not onelyonly becauſe of the vndeſerued louelove and kyndneſſe ye vtter daily towardes vsus, yea and towardes all the ſeruants of Chriſt, both publikly and priuily as they themſelues doe teſtifie, but alſo in reſpect ye were the Author to mooue vsus to vndertake ſuch traueiles. Indeeed ſuch a propine is farre inferior either to your deſertes or our deſire: and therefore we preſent it, not ſo much thinking thereby to diſcharge and ſatiſfie the debt, as to acknowledge our obligation to you, and to be a teſtimonie of our thankfulneſſe.
For theſe cauſes, Sir, we deſire you to receiue this work in your patronage and protection, to defend it from the ſpeaches of ſuch as hes not learned yet to ſpeake well of any perſon or their workes. For we are not ignorant how much and oft they who ſet forth other mens works vſe to be ſubject to the ſharpe cenſure of men, and how little thankes commonly, either they get, or may looke for of many, ſo that few would be found to take trauaile in them, except they were rather moued through the louelove of the glorie of God, and edification of his Church, then throgh any thankfulneſſe they may expect at mens hands. Laſt, Sir, wearie not in wel-doing, goe forward to doe good vntounto the Saintes for Chriſts ſake, and experience ſhall giuegive you a proofe of the Lords louelove and bleſſing vponupon your bodie, ſoule, and actions in this life, his Saints ſhall louelove you, his ſeruantes ſhall pray for you that ye may finde mercy in that great day, and when ye hauehave run out your courſe, when your journay ſhall be ended, when ye hauehave foughten out the battaile, the Lord ſhall then gather you to his Saints and crowne you with glorie. Now the God of al conſolation, Lord of Lords, and King of kings, bleſſe you with al benefits ſpiritual and temporal, direct you by his ſprit, and preſerue you long to the glorie of his Name, and to he well of his Church, that your pilgrimage being ended ye may with joy reſt from your labours in Ieſus, in whoſe countenance is ſacietie of joyes, and at whoſe right hand are pleaſures for euer more, AMEN. Edinburgh the 16. of Iune. 1606.
Yours in the Lord H. C. W. A.
TO THE CHRISTIAN READER.
WE offer vntounto thee, Christian Reader, theſe Lectures of that moſt reuerent and faithfull ſeruant of Ieſus Chriſt M. ROBERT ROLLOCK, vponupon the tvvo Epiſtles of the Apoſtle Paul to the Theſſalonians. We hauehave taine painos and traueile that thou mighteſt finde profite and edification. For not onelyonly hauehave vve conferred ſundry coppies gotten from the hands of them vvho vvrote them from his mouth, but alſo vve hauehave conferred them vvith the Latine Commentarie vvritten by the Author himſelfe, that thou mighteſt hauehave fullie, ſo farre as vvas poſſible, both his ovvne phraſe and matter. In conferring of the Copies vve omitted repetitions, cleered thinges obſcure, and filled out imperfite ſentences, that in nothing thou mightest finde inlack. If thou doubt, either of the ſtyle or matter, or if any vvould moue thee to conceiue any eye-liſt or miſliking of this vvorke (as vve are not ignorant hovv readie many are oft-tymes, vponupon ſmall or rather no ground, before they hauehave either ſeene or read, in ſuch caſes to giuegive out ſentence) vve pray thee ſhovve vsus this fauour to ſuperceede thy iudgement vntill thou haſt red and conſidered, then mayeſt thou pronounce vvith the better vvarrand. If thou read vvith an hart indifferent and deſirous to be edified, vve truſt thou ſhalt finde thou haſt not loſt thy labours. And if thou returne glorie to God, and get grace to thy ovvne ſoule, vvhichwhich vvere the cheefe ends of our traueiles, vve vvill thinke vve hauehave gotten a ſufficient recompence and obtained our deſires.
Farewell.