Lectures Upon the Epistles to the Thessalonians, Part 1 · Lecture 13
THE XIII. LECTVRE VPONUPON THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE THESSALONIANS.
1. THESSA. CHAP. 3. verſ. 13.
13 To make your hearts stable and vnblameable in holineſſe before God, euen our Father, at the comming of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt vvith all his Saints.
1. THESSA. CHAP. 4. verſ. 1. 2. 3.
1 And furthermore vve beſeech you brethren, and exhort you in the Lord Ieſus, that ye increaſe more and more, as ye hauehave receiued of vsus, hovv ye ought to vvalke and to pleaſe God.
2 For ye knovv vvhat commaundements vve gaue vntounto you by the Lord Ieſus.
3 For this is the vvill of God, euen your ſanctification, and that ye ſhould abſteine from for…ication.
IN the wordes going before, ye heard (brethren) the Apoſtle makes mention to the Theſſalonians, of that earneſt prayer he vſed to God for them: that once it would pleaſe God to graunt him a proſperous journey to them. He fell out immediatly in a prayer. The prayer containes thre parts: the firſt part is, that God the Father and the Lord Ieſus vvould direct his vvay tovvardes them. The ſecond part is, that how euer it ſhould fall out, vvhether he ſhould come to them or not, at Gods pleaſure: yet that they ſhoulde abound in louelove, eueryevery one tovvardes another, and not that onelie, but in louelove to all men: yea, tovvarde their ver…e enemies.
Now ſhortly to come to our text. In the laſt verſe of this chapter, ye hauehave the third head of his prayer: he beſeeches God to giuegive them holineſſe; holineſſe in generall, all kinde of holineſſe. As he prayed before that they might abound in louelove and charitie, vvhichwhich is a part of holineſſe: So novv he prayes they ſhould hauehave all ſort of holineſſe. Thereafter in the chapter following, he falles out in precepts of good maners, and holie lyfe and conuerſation, and this he follovves out to the end of the Epiſtle: ſauing onelyonly by the vvay he caſts in one or tvvo informations reſoluing them of certaine doubtes: the firſt concerning the mourning for the dead: the ſecond concerning the day of Iudgement and the comming of the Lord Ieſus. Novv to returne. He prayes for holineſſe to them. And vvhat ſhould this holineſſe doe? To make your hearts (ſayes he) stable and vnblameable before God. And at vvhat tyme? eſpeciallie at the comming of the Lord Ieſus Chriſt. In vvhat companie ſhould they be eſtabliſhed with holineſſe? They alone? No, but vvith all his Saints: in that happie ſocietie of the Church of God and the Saintes. There is the effect ſhortlie of this thirtienth verſe. Then brethren marke. It is holineſſe, not a faſhion of holineſſe in outvvard behauiour;Holines ſtabliſhes our harts before God. but vvithin the heart of a man or vvoman, that makes them ſtand vp in the preſence of God, that eſtabliſhes them without feare, terrour, or trembling when they ſtand before the. Tribunall of a terrible Iudge. Where there is no holineſſe, no ſinceritie of heart in man, but an heart filled vvith foull affections; full of vncleanneſſe and filthineſſe, there the heart dare not preſent the ſelfe before the face of God, for feare that wrath come out from his angrie face, and burne it vp. The Apoſtle Heb. 12. 14. ſayes, Without holineſſe, no man ſhall ſee God; for if they ſee him, at ſhall be to their deſtruction. When he looks … the heart, and findes not holineſſe and cleanneſſe there; his looke ſhall deſtroy the heart, and he ſhall make it tremble and ſhake at his preſence. Brethren, many hes experience of an euill conſcience: vncleanneſſe makes euer an euill conſcience: and a man with an euill conſcience is not able to ſtand in the ſight of God. There is not an vncleane body but he findes this in experience. They runne euer to ſome hole and cannot abide the holie ſight of God: he is holie, thou vnholie: he looks throgh thee, thou canſt not abide his ſight. Now it is true our compearance before God and his Tribunal, ſhall ſtand in the righteous merits of Chriſt Ieſus, & except we be cled with that perfit righteouſneſſe of Chriſt, imputed to vsus by faith, ther is no ſlanding for vsus. Rom. 5. 1. But it is as true, if thou findſt not again in ſome meaſure ſome holineſſe and cleanneſſe inherent in thy ſelf; thou ſhalt neuer ſtand before God: for where the righteouſneſſe of Ieſus is, wher remiſſion of ſins is in any man, there of neceſſitie muſt be ſome meaſure of holineſſe & pureneſſe of life in him alſo. If thou be juſtified by the fre mercy of God in Chriſt, of neceſſitie thou muſt be ſanctified & muſt hauehave ſome ſpark of godlineſſe in thy ſelfe: for thoſe whom he hes juſtified, he alſo hes ſanctified. So when euer a man hes the juſtice of Chriſt imputed vntounto him, of neceſſitie he muſt hauehave a ſhare of this juſtice inherent in himſelf: wants he a part of this holineſſe, brag as he will, he hes no cleanneſſe throgh the blood of Chriſt. Iames ſayes, If thou haſt faith, let me ſe it thy vvorks. 2. 18. If any by grace be ſanctified in Chriſt, let them vtter it in ſome meaſure in works: otherwaies they lie. So this holds ſure. No ſtanding to vsus before God, except there be holineſſe in vsus.
Now the ſtiles are to be marked in the text which are giuen to God; Firſt he is called God: then our Father. The name of God, a name of Majeſtie and of great glorie. The name of Father, a name of homelineſſe and louingneſſe. Marke it. If God vvere nothing elſe to vsus but God, that is to ſay, but an high Maieſtie, full of all glorie: if that Majeſtie dimmitted not himſelfe to be a louing Father to vsus through Ieſus, there were no ſtanding for vsus before him, our heart durſt neuer preſent the ſelfe before him. A ſinne is not able to looke vponupon God, as he is God onelie, in Majeſtie, Honour, Glorie and Iuſtice. No, the whole Majeſties of the world dare not face him as he is God onelyonly. All our compearing before him is, becauſe, as he is God in Majeſtie and glorie: ſo in Chriſt he is become a louing Father to vsus: and if vve receiue not the Spirite (that is called the Spirite of adoption, teſtifying to our ſpirite, that he is become our Father in Ieſus Chriſt, and we are adopted in Chriſt; and therefore opens our mouthes to cry Abba, Father) vve would neuer hauehave a face to looke to him, nor a mouth to ſpeake to him. And ſo as he is become a Father to vsus in Chriſt, ſo craue that thou mayſt get that Spirite of adoption, that thy mouth may be opened wide, with ſweetneſſe, to cry, Abba, Father Moreouer, theſe very ſtiles learns vsus, how our harts ſhould be diſpoſed when we come and ſtand before him, euen heer in his congregation, & church, where his preſence is. (We are now in his ſight and preſence.) He is a God in Majeſtie; A Majeſtie would hauehave feare and reuerence. So ther is the firſt thing, ſtand before this Majeſty of God in feare and reuerence. Then there muſt be more then this: he is a Father, and therefore, thou ſhouldſt louelove him: ſo thou ſhouldſt both reuerence and louelove him together: If theſe two be together, they ſhall mak thee to be in good temper to ſtand before God.
Now come to the time when the hart ſhal be eſtabliſhed. It is, at the comming of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt. It is true brethren, euen in this life, before that glorious appearing of Chriſt, we ſtand before God in holineſſe, and our hearts are eſtabliſhed before him without rebuke in a manner: and euen now at this preſent time, who euer they be who hes holineſſe in their hearts, they finde, in effect, their harts ſtanding in his preſence; when they looke to that face of his Majeſtie ſhining in the Goſpell, with the eye of faith, the heart is eſtabliſhed before the face of God, and God is pacified, and beholds them in quietneſſe. Let all men diſcend in their hearts, and if they hauehave holineſſe, I aſſure them they will hauehave peace and quyetneſſe in the hart, when they think on him, Then this is true. Euen in this life before the great day, we ſtand before him eſtabliſhed in holineſſe: but it is as true, ſo long as we liue in this life, ther is euer a peece of vnquyetnes in the harts of the moſt godlie: and there are none of vsus who can find ſo peaceable an heart before God, as we ſhould hauehave. There is euer ſo long as we liue heere a peece of euill conſcience for ſinne. The cauſe is, becauſe ſo long as we liue he…r, we are but holy in a part and that in a verie ſober part: ſinne leaues vsus neuer, and therfore the prick in the conſcience for ſinne leaues vsus neuer, And where this euill conſcience is, there muſt euer be a peece of feare and terrour to ſtand before that heauenlie preſence. But vvhen the Lord ſhall come in that latter day, which is called the day of judgement, when Chriſt ſhall appeare in that great day, the heart of the godlie ſhall be eſtabliſhed before him, without any feare or terrour. If thou be one of the choſen of God, thou ſhalt ſtand before the face of God, vvith an heart in peace, vvithout any terrour. (But ô how great ſhall the feare of the heart of the wicked men be?) the cauſe is, becauſe thou ſhalt not ſo ſoone ſee the face of the Lord Ieſus, that faire glorious face, but as ſoone in the moment of thy reſurrection, thou ſhalt be tranſformed in a perfite holineſſe, both in body and ſoule. And therefore the Apoſtle ſayes. Philip. 3. 21. When we ſhall ſee him, We ſhall be tranſformed, and this vyle body of ours, ſhall be made conformable to his glorious body, and vvhen vve ſhall ſee him, vve ſhall be made like him in glorie and holineſſe, vvithout any ſpot or vvrinckle, or any part of deformitie in bodie or ſoule. What then is it, that puts this terrour in our heart to ſtand before God? OnelyOnly ſinne. So when all ſinne ſhall be taken away, all feare ſhall be taken away. Then, ſeeing there is no perfite quyetneſſe vntill vve ſee him; why ſhould not our deſire be to ſee him? wherefore ſhould all this feare be of this latter day, ſeeing thou wilt neuer be eſtabliſhed in heart, nor get thy full glorie vntil his comming at that day? thy bleſſedneſſe ſhall be perfite there. I finde in the Scripture the perfection of all graces differred vntill that time. Ye ſhall finde no grace,Perfectiō of al graces differred til the …utter day. but the perfection thereof is remitted vntill that day. Paul in the ſame Epiſtle. 2. chap. 19. verſ. My joy is in the ſight of God, and of Ieſus Chriſt, at his comming: He gets not perfection of joy, vntill he come. And therefore he will not promiſe to the Theſſalonians their joy vntill that day; no perfection of grace, merciemercy and peace, vntill God put an end to ſinne, to death, and wickedneſſe. Looke then if we ſhould long for that latter day; we looke heere and there for this thing and that thing; but who lookes for that comming of the Lord? Alas, if we knevv vvhat grace and joy Chriſts comming brought to vsus, vve vvould looke for nothing ſo much, as for his comming. We are earthlie, and therefore all our lookes are for earthlie thinges: we are not ſpirituall, and ſo we cannot looke for that ſpirituall grace. The Lord prepare vsus to looke for, and deſire that glorious comming. All theſe earthlie thinges goes away; Heauen onelie abydes. What fooliſhneſſe is this, ſeeing we are ſubject to mortality, that we ſhould ſet our hearts on this world: our dwelling muſt not be here; but in Heauen in endlieſſe joy. Seeke it earneſtly therefore.
Novv in the end of this verſe he telles vsus in vvhat company, and with whom we ſhal be eſtabliſhed in holineſſe before God: thou ſhalt not be holy thy ſelfe alone: thou ſhalt not be an a per ſe in holineſſe, doe as thou wilt, either ſhalt thou be in a ſocietie, in a companie vvith many more nor thou;All graces in the ſocietie of the ſants or elſe thou ſhalt neuer be holie, nor ſee the face of God. This is plaine. Either thou ſhalt be in the Church, which is the communion of the Saintes of God, or elſe thou ſhalt neuer ſee Gods preſence. He will leape out of it at this ſide, and he at that ſide; but if thou come not in again in that ſame ſocietie (yea, and to the number of this church and of the Saintes that profeſſes Chriſt this day in Scotland) thou ſhalt neuer ſee Gods face. All bleſſinges, grace, merciemercy, and peace euerlaſting before God is in the companie of the Church, that profeſſe the truth and puritie of the Goſpell of Chriſt: not in the company of them, who will take the name of a Church, or that falſe Church, the Romane Church. So let him vvho vvill ſtand vvith holineſſe in the number of the Saintes▪ ſeuere from Babylon, or elſe he ſhall be partaker of the judgement. So (brethren) to come againe, ye ſhall not read in the Scripture of any grace giuen to any man, but ye ſhall finde that it is giuen to him as a member of that bodie, as one of the Saintes, in the ſocietie of the Saintes. In the firſt to the Epheſians verſe 18. ſpeaking of the riches of the glorie of the inheritance of Heauen; he ſayes, thou ſhalt neuer get it but among the Saintes. Then againe he ſayes, chap. 3. verſ. 18. Who ſhall vnderſtand the louelove and charitie of God? None but they that are in the ſocietie of the Saintes. No light, merciemercy nor knowledge of God, but to them that ſtands knit vp as members in the bodye of Chriſt: ye ſee, cut off a member of the body and caſt it away; no ſap can follow from the body to it: So, if thou be cut off from the number of the Saintes, vvho are the Church of God, thou ſhalt neuer get any grace of Chriſt.
Now to the next chapter. In the fourth and fift chapters followes the laſt part of this Epiſtle, containing the doctrine of maners, exhorting to holineſſe of lyfe, and godlineſſe. But to the wordes. He ſayes, And furthermore, As he would ſay, all is not tolde: I will tell that which reſts, which is the doctrine of maners, precepts of godlie lyfe and conuerſation. When we hauehave teached all the yeere ouer; when we hauehave tolde you the doctrine of juſtification, ſanctification, &c. ſo long as there is no ſpeaking of a godly lyfe and conuerſation; and ſo long as we hauehave not tolde you, how ye ſhould lead your lyfe; there is euer ſomething behinde vnſpoken of. Neuer a full and perfite preaching, wher there is nothing ſpoken of a good or of an euill lyfe and conuerſation. For▪ there is ſuch a neceſſitie laid on men and wemen in this world, that all ſerues for nothing, except they liue a good & holy life: Thy profeſſion of louelove, righteouſneſſe, merciemercy, & all the reſt is but vanitie and winde, if thy conuerſation toward thy neighbour be not aunſwerable to thy profeſſion: it is a ſhame to thee to ſpeake of Chriſt, of holineſſe, of righteouſneſſe, of life euerlaſting, except thou liue conforme thereto. And therefore, ye ſhall neuer read any Epiſtle of Paul, but euer vvhen he hes ſpoken of faith, juſtification, &c. then in the end he ſubjoynes precepts charging vsus to liue a godlie lyfe. And more then this; Trow ye, in the end, at Chriſts comming to judgement, that the pretence of faith or righteouſnes will be ſufficient to thy eternal ſaluation. No, but we muſt liue holie: for, al the bleſſinges of God in Chriſt tends to this end that we may liue holie: yea, this is the end of election it ſelfe. Epheſ. 1. 4. Paul ſayes. We are choſen from all eternitie that we ſhould be holie. Then we ſhould liue ſoberlie and juſtlie with our neighbour. Tit. 2. 12. And therefore either caſt avvay profeſſion of Chriſtianitie, and heare neuer a word of faith, righteouſneſſe, &c. or elſe ſtriue to liue conforme thereto. This in generall.
Now to the wordes. I beſeech and exhort you, and that in the Lord Ieſus Chriſt. What exhorts he? that they increaſe more and more in godlie lyfe and conuerſation. As for the forme of your going forward, I hauehave tolde you the forme. hovv ye ſhould vvalke in this world; walke conformable thereto. The words would be well marked, I beſeech and exhort you, ſayes he, in the Lord Ieſus. He might hauehave well ſaid, I command you; as wrytting to Philemon verſ. 8. 9. he ſayes, When I might command thee, in the name of Ieſus: yet, rather, for loues ſake, I pray thee. LoueLove turnes the command in a prayer. All doctrin that comes from any perſon muſt come of louelove, or elſe it is deare of the hearing. Now he ſhowes his louelove, in ſpeaking; for the wordes comes from the heart, and ſo among al the reſt of the wayes, whereby he vtters the louelove he had in his heart, this is one, when precept and commaund is turned ouer to requeeſting. When he may commaund he will not, but he turnes it ouer and exhortes. Ye may marke this verie oft in the Epiſtles of Paul. Now the wordes are dowbled: He is not content to ſay, I beſeech you: but he ſayes alſo, I exhort you. There is no vvord loſt heere. This doubling of the vvordes teſtifies of the earneſtneſſe that vvas in his heart to hauehave this people going forvvard in this godlie life: and conſequentlie of the neceſſitie that lyes on euerie one of vsus, to liue holie in this life. For, vvhere there is no neceſſitie, why ſhould a man be earneſt? but ſeeing there is a neceſſitie lying on all people, that either they muſt liue a godlie life in this worlde, or elſe be damned, woe to that Paſtor that is no buſie to ſtirre vp the people to liue godlie and holilie. As there is a neceſſitie in them to liue holie; ſo, there is a neceſſitie in him to charge them to liue holie. And therefore, blame not the Paſtor to be buſie, eyther to pray, admoniſhe, or othervvayes to correct, and to reproue ſinne. For, he hes a neceſſitie laid on him, vnderunder the paine of damnation, to puſhe you forvvard to Heauen. For the Lord Ieſus ſake, that is, as euer they vvoulde looke for merciemercy and grace at Ieſus hand; as he would ſay, if ye liue wel, ye ſhall finde him to be a merciful God: otherwaies, if ye liue euill, to be a terrible judge to you. This is ſome ſeueritie againſt them. Sweetneſſe and ſharpneſſe muſt be joined together, thou muſt be moued to thy duetie, partlie by ſweetneſſe, & partly by ſharpneſſe: therfore, with his requeſt he joines this ſo weghty an obteſtation; & this is a common cuſtome to this Apoſtle. 2. Cor. 10. 1. More, this telles that howbeit a man vſe prayer and faire wordes where he might command, yet, we ſhould not abuſe his lenitie and patience; for, if thou meete lenitie and patience with diſobedience, it ſhall bring on a greater judgement: nor if he had vſed threatning and ſeueritie. The greater lenitie that a man vſes to thee to winne thee; if thou wilt not be winne, the greater ſhall be thy condemnation, and thou heapſt on coales on thy owne head.
Now what is this he exhorts them to? That they euer eaſe more and more. That they goe forward ſtill on with inſtantneſſe, vntill they come to the mark: for, this courſe of holineſſe hes a faire end. Brethren, there is no ſtanding for vsus in this courſe of Chriſtianitie and holineſſe of life. When thou enterſt once in the way, ſtand not there. A man will begin and runne on till euening, and then ſet down his ſtaff and reſt him: but we muſt ay runne, ſleeping, waking, eating, drinking, &c. ay forward: there is not an halfe houre granted thee, no, not ſo much tyme as to looke ouer thy ſhoulder to reſt thee, but ay thou ought to hauehave thy eie on the marke. And when thou runneſt, ſtriue, not onelyonly to ouerrunne them that runnes with thee: but more, the words meanes, that thou ſhouldſt ouerrunne thy owne ſelfe; if thou runneſt faſt this day, runne faſter to morrow, and ay preaſe to run forward, and when thou art lying on dead-bed, runne faſteſt then, and ſo ſhalt thou finde exceeding great comfort in thy running. The Lord hes bidden thee run, and cryes out of Heauen, Run as thou wouldſt ſaue thy ſelfe. What is the Paſtors office? Paul when the Theſſalonians are running out before him, he cryes, Runne: ye are in the rinke, runne forward, excell your ſelfe, runne out before your ſelfe vntill ye come to the end of the rinke. This is the office of the Paſtor, to cry behinde you when ye are running: and this ſhout of the Paſtor behinde the people, when they are in the rinke, is ſo needfull, that except he cry continuallie, Run out and excell, they ſhall linger and ly down. That all the world may ſee the great neceſſitie we hauehave, to hauehave this miniſtrie continuallie crying in our …are, runne, runne. Would to God we could let the neceſſitie of this cry (to runne) to ſinke in our harts that we might obey it. If ye would be ſafe, hauehave pleaſure in this cry, and runne on identlie, vntill ye come to the high preaſe of our calling.
Now followes the forme and manner of this running forward vntill they come to the end of their rinke. No other forme but the forme ſet downe before, ye hauehave receiued of vsus hovv ye ought to vvalke, and pleaſe your God. Brethren, as there is a running and an inſtant courſe craued of vsus, ſo we muſt run, not in euerie ſort▪ nor after euerie manner, but we muſt runne with an ordor. There are rules preſcryued to vsus how we ſhould runne.Order in running. The Apoſtle 1. Cor. chap. 9. verſe 24. ſayes, Runne ſo that thou mayeſt get a grip of the crovvne. To Timothie he ſaies, ye who ſtriues, and wraſtles, and runnes, if ye ſtriue not lavvfullie according to a good ordor, ye ſhall not winne. 2 Tim. 2. 5. So when we runne, we muſt runne according to good ordor, not raſhlie, according to our owne fantaſie, but according to the good lawes of God. There is no well ruled life on earth, but that life that is ruled by the rule of God. So we all running in this rinke, muſt be ruled by good lawes. As Paul beſoght them to runne and cries, grow more and more: euen ſo he giues them the Lawes to runne by. So as the Miniſter is bound to cry to men to runne; ſo the word of God is giuen to him to tell thee thou ſhouldeſt runne by this rule, or that rule: the King by his rules, the counſeller in his own calling by his rules: what man that euer he be, except he run in his owne calling according to his rules he ſhall neuer attaine to the marke. And if the Lord take away this word that telles vsus the rule, whereby we ſhould runne, miſerable ſhall we be. This is plaine. Take this word out of the land, all ſhall runne wrong. Yet there is one word heere to be marked. He calles their going forward walking: Borrowing the language from a man who is going a iourney. Ye will ſee in the worde, many lawes, many commands, many admonitions to put men forward in the way, to go and run: but ye heere no precept in the Scripture, to ſit ſtill, eat, drink, and take thy pleaſure, ſeeing thy life is ſhort. So we learne, the Lord bids vsus walke. The Lord hes not ordained vsus to reſt heere. Whatſoeuer calling he hes giuen thee, he hes giuen thee a continuall walking and trauelling therein, vntill thou come to the end of thy journey and then thou ſhalt reſt: he is a fooliſhe bodie, who will promiſe to himſelfe reſt heere: if thou reſt before thy journey be complete, it ſhall be to thy vtter deſtruction. And therefore doe as he hes bidden thee; albeit it be painefull heere, yet in the end thou ſhalt find reſt.
Now in the next words he defines this (vvalking) and calles it to pleaſe God. It is a paine to a man to walke all day, from morning to euening, and then to finde no reſt, nor fruite of his labor at night: but, I ſay to thee, if thy walking be not to pleaſe God, thou ſhalt neuer get any frute of thy walking: if thy walking be not euer to pleaſe thy God, thou ſhalt neuer get the right way, thou ſhalt goe like a doting bodie, and be the farther from that glorious butt, and in the end thou ſhalt effectuat nothing, but in that great day thou ſhalt curſe all thy labors and exerciſes; and thou ſhalt ſay, Alas my labours are all loſt: I hauehave wearied my ſelfe, and now I am no better. But if thy walking be to pleaſe God, thou ſhalt finde a ſweetneſſe in thy labor, and joy in the end thereof: And when that bleſſed day of reſurrection ſhall come, thou ſhalt ſay, Bleſſed am I in my labours, that I wrought to pleaſe my God, for now I hauehave gotten the butt: I finde the frute of my laboures. Paul ſayes, 1. Cor. 9. 26. I runne, but not to an vncertaintie. Learne neuer to runne to an vncertaintie, but euer runne to a butt; effectuat ſomething by your doing. The onelyonly way to make you runne well, is to pleaſe God. A Miniſter, or any other in the world, who woulde runne right, muſt run to pleaſure their God, and then they ſhall finde ſweetneſſe in their running. Now well is the ſoule that can endeuore the ſelfe to pleaſure God: for, ther is no joy in the creature, but when it is ſet to glorify God night and day in this world: for, to this end are we ſet in the world. 1. Cor. 10. 31. and if we doe this, he ſhal ſet vsus in the heauens to glorifie him.
Now in the next verſe, he takes themſelues to be witneſſes that he had ſet before them the preceptes and lawes, whereby they ſhould walke in the journey. Ye knovve vvhat commandement vve gaue you by the Lord Ieſus. It is an happie thing to a Miniſter in his calling, when with a good conſcience, he appeals the conſciences of the people, that he cried to them and ſaide, ô people I bade you goe, I preſcriued you rules to goe into, your blood be on your owne head; I hauehave diſcharged a faithfull duetie to you. Brethren, what auailes it vsus if we ſhould euer preache the Goſpell, if we be not ſaued thereby? And when we teache you the Goſpell, we alſo ſtir our ſelues forward to come to that butt Chriſt; our owne teaching is the meane whereby we are ſaued, as it is the meane whereby ye are ſaued. Therefore, let all goe forward together in the rinke.
Now, in the verſe following, he beginnes to ſet down to them the rules of walking and going forward. That which he had ſpoken by tongue, being at Theſſalonica, the ſame thing he puts in writ, by his pen. It is a fooliſh thing to a man, to ſay, The Apoſtle ſpoke one thing, and wrote another. No, brethren, Paul neuer ſpake one ſentence to confirme any people, but it is regiſtrate to vsus. It is blaſphemie, to thinke, that, Paul and Peter, &c. wrote not that, which they ſpoke: it is follie; for, there was no ſentence they ſpoke pertaining to our ſaluation, but it is written. Then, the rule is, The vvill of God, vvhichwhich is your ſanctification. That is, that ye be holie in your ſoules, and the whole affections thereof; in your bodie, and all the members of your bodie, and all the actions of your members. So, he drawes the whole rules, which are to be obſerued in this courſe and rinke, we hauehave to Heauen and life euerlaſting, to holineſſe and ſanctification. Then, in one word, there is the manner, how thou ſhalt goe forward to this butt. Be holie, be holie, thou muſt be holie, holie in heart, hand, mouth, foot, in all the members of thy body: ſeparate thee from the worlde, which is full of ſinne, full of foull affections, diſpleaſing the eye of thy God, and put on holineſſe. Who euer they be, that goe forward in holineſſe, aſſuredlie they ſhall come to the marke. Liue thou an holie life, what vocation that euer it be in, aſſure thee▪ thou ſhalt come to the priſe of the high calling of God in Chriſt Ieſus. Philipp. 3. 14. To turne it ouer againe. Buſie thy ſelf as thou wilt, if that thy buſineſſe be not in holineſſe, thou art fooliſhe, the faſter thou runneſt, thou art the farther behinde. Alas, how many are there, who buſies them ſelues in wickedneſſe, and the more they wearie themſelues, the farther are they from Heauen: Bleſſed are they, who can goe forward to Heauen. Stryue to holineſſe, and ſay. Lord, I am on my journey, I cannot goe forward, except I finde an holie heart, to thinke; an holie mouth, to ſpeake; an holy hand, to touch: Lord, ſanctifie them, that I runne not in vaine. The way to runne holilie, is to keepe euer before thy eies, God, that holie one, in the face of Ieſus; and to cry, O Lord, guide me in holineſſe: And I aſſure thee, if thou wilt ſtriue to liue holilie, and cry to God, to guide thee in holineſſe, thou ſhalt come to that endleſſe joy: But, if thou let God out of thy eye, thou ſhalt periſhe. Brethren, this life will away, and therefore, ſet your harts to run to that euerlaſting life.
Nowe, hauing ſet downe the generall, he deduces it in parts, and the firſt part, he takes vp, is cleanneſſe of the bodie: as he would ſay, fyle not the bodie with fornication; fyle thou thy bodie with fornication, thou ſhalt not thinke a cleane thought, ſpeake a cleane word, or, doe any cleane deed. Surelie, all ſinnes pollutes, and fyles: The ſinne, that comes from the heart, if it were but an euill motion, it goes back againe and leaues a foull blot behinde it: a rotten deed, leaues a blot behinde it▪ a foull worde in the mouth, goes back, and leaues a foull blot in the hart: when thou haſt ſpoken a word, thou art not quite thereof, but, it comes back againe and fyles the ſoule. It goes not from thee ſo lightlie as thou troweſt, no, it leaues ay a foull blot behinde it. So, this corruption growes daily. Brethren, I tell you, all ſinnes fylles the bodie: yet, of all ſinnes, harlotrie eſpeciallie fyles the bodie. Looke the compariſon, the Apoſtle vſes 1. Cor. 6. 18. The bodie of an harlote, of all bodies is the foulleſt. Alas, ſuch a fyling of the bodie and ſoule, followes vponupon adulterie, that it is wonderfull to tell. Seeing, therefore, ſpeciall pollution of the bodie, followes on fornication. I beſeech you, (as ye would preſent your ſelfe before God in cleanneſſe) abſtaine from harlotrie: An harlot will trauell long, ere he come to heauen, thy heart and bodie muſt be ſanctified, before thou come to Heauen. And ſo as thou would come forward to Heauen, ſtryue to keepe a cleane bodie and ſoule to God; and ſpeciallie, abſtaine from this vyce of fornication. Lord keepe vsus from it, vntill we come to the end of our journey, that we may be preſented clean before chriſt. To whom with the Father, and holie Spirit, be honour and praiſe for euer.
AMEN.