Lectures Upon the Epistles to the Thessalonians, Part 1 · Argument
THE ARGVMENT OF THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE THESSALONIANS.
THESSALONICA was a cheefe City of Macedonia, rich, populous, and puiſſant, builded by Philip the father of Alexander the great, King of Macedonia, after the victory he had gotten ouer Theſſalia inuaded by him at vnawares. For returning home victorious he builded a Citty and named it Theſſalonica, that it might be a perpetuall memoriall of that great and excellent victory he had obtained. Paul (as ye may read Act. 16. and 17. chapters) in his peregrination together with Sylas (who in this Epiſtle is named Syl…a…) the ſixteenth yeere after his conuerſion, being called by a viſion to preach the Goſpell in Macedonia came firſt to Philippi, and next paſſing through Amphipolis and Apollonia came to this Cittie Theſſalonica, and entering in the Synagogue of the Iewes three Sabboth dayes diſputed with them, prouing by the Scriptures that it behoued the Meſſias to ſuffer and riſe againe from the dead, and therefore that Chriſt whom he preached was the true Meſſias and Redeemer of the world. At the which preaching of Paul, ſundrie of the Iewes that dwelt at Theſſalonica beleeued and joyned company with Paul and Sylas together with a great multitude of the Grecians, and many of the cheefe wemen of the Cittie. But the Iewes that beleeued not, moued with inuy, raiſed a great perſecution againſt Paul, whereby he was forced to flee to Berea: where he preached the Goſpell with better ſucceſſe: For the Iewes of that Synagogue receiued the word with al readines, and tryed his doctrine by the Scriptures, ſo that many of them, & likewiſe many men and wemen among the Grecians were conuerted. Yet the obſtinate Iewes there alſo mouing perſecution againſt him, he is brought to the brethren to Athens, where he waited for Sylas and Timotheus, who returned vntounto him when he was in Corinth in Achaia Act. 18. 5. Therefore it was reported to him that the brethren that beleued at Theſſalonica wer heauily perſecuted by the obſtinate Iewes: where-vponupon the Apoſtle was moued with an earneſt deſire to come to them, but he was hundred by Satan. 1. Theſſa. 2. 18. Therefore tarying himſelfe at Athens he ſent Timothie to them (1. Theſſa. 3. 2.) to comforte them in their trouble, and confirme them in the trueth. Timothie returning and bringing good tydinges to him of the great grace of God that he found with them, becauſe he could not come himſelfe; the more to comfort, confirme and encouradge them to continue in the trueth, he writes vntounto them this Epiſtle, which by the judgement of learned men is thought to be the firſt this Apoſtle wrote.
There are foure parts of this Epiſtle: The firſt part is the Salutation. chapter. 1. verſe 1. The ſecond is a Congratulation and rejoycing with them for the graces that by Timothies reporte he vnderſtood to be in them, wherein he inſiſles very largely, euen from the 2. verſe of the firſt chapter vntounto the fourth chapter. Yet oft-tymes he breakes o… this Congratulation by occaſion caſting in ſund…y purpoſes needful to be entreated. Firſt, he falles out in a diſcourſe of himſelf, and the ſucceſſe the Lord gaue him in his … towards them, and his ſinceritie in his miniſtrie, he remooues from himſelfe all ſuſpicion of vnſinceritie, eyther by deceaſe, by vncleanneſſen or by guyle, together with the fountaines from whence it proceedes, as flatterie, auarice, ambition, and … his in…eere affection towardes them, from the beginning of the ſecond chapter to the 12. verſe. Next he excuſes himſelfe that he came not to them, from the 17. verſe of the ſecond chapter, to the laſt part of the verſe of the third chapter, where he falles out in an exhortation to them to ſuffer afflictions patiently vntounto the 5. verſe of the third chapters, there be brings a new reaſon to excuſe his not comming to them vntounto the 9 verſe of the third chapter: then returning to the congratulation in the end of the third chapter he concludes it with a pr… er for the Theſſalonians. The third part of the Epiſtle is anexhortation to holineſſe of life▪ He exhorts firſt generally to ſanctification, in the firſt three verſ. of the 4. chap. Then he commes more particularly to the parts of ſanctification, and inſiſtes … them to the 23 verſe of the laſt chapter. In this part of the Epiſtle the Apoſtle to comfort the Theſſalonians who ſorrowed aboue meaſure for the departure of their friendes, by the way falles out in a diſcourſe of the eſtate of the faithfull departed this life, of the comming of the Lord of the ryſing againe of the dead, of the tyme of the Lords comming, from the 13. verſe of the fourth chapter to the 6 verſe of the fifth chapter. The fourth part of the Epiſtle is the Concluſion, containing a prayer for them, a promiſe of ſanctification made to them, with ſome other purpoſes, from the 23. verſe of the fifth chapter to the end of the Epiſtle.