Lectures Upon the Epistles to the Thessalonians, Part 1 · Lecture 4
THE FOVRTH LEC. TVRE VPONUPON THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE THESSALONIANS.
1. THESSA. CHAP. 1. verſ. 9. 10.
To ſerue the liuing and true God. 10 And to looke for his Sonne from Heauen, vvhome hee raiſed from the dead, euen Ieſus, vvhichwhich delyuereth vsus from the vvrath to come.
1. THESSA. CHAP. 2. verſ. 1. 2.
1. For ye your ſelues knovve, brethren, that our enterance in vntounto you vvas not in vaine.
2. But euen after vvee had ſuffered before, and vvere ſhamefullie entreated at Philippi (as ye knovve) vvee vvere bolde in our God, to ſpeake vntounto you the Goſpell of God vvith much ſtryuing.
THE purpoſe we hauehave in hand, brethren, is that rejoyſing of the Apoſtle Paul, together with the Theſſalonians, whom he had conuerted to Chriſt, for theſe graces of God which Paul vnderſtood to be in them: namelie, their faith, their louelove, their hope, their election eternal, of the which he was aſſured, and that by ſundry arguments and tokens. Now the laſt day we entred into a narration, which the Apoſtle ſhowes was made to him in the Countries in the which he trauailed, both far & neere concerning the Theſſalonians and firſt of all concerning himſelfe, what manner of entrie he had vntounto them, with what libertie, with vvhat affliction, and as concerning them, how they were conuerted and turned by his preaching from the Idoles, falſe Gods which they vvorſhipped before, vntounto God. This much alreadie.
Now in this text we hauehave the vſes and ends of their conuerſion and turning to the true and liuing God: There are tvvo of them: the firſt is, that they ſhould ſerue the liuing and true God: The ſecond is, that they ſhoulde looke for his ſonne, vvhom he, meaning the father, had raiſed from the death, euen Ieſus, vvho delyuereth vsus from the vvraith to come. The ends of conuerſion.Nowe to come to the firſt end, and to marke euerie worde: Ye are conuerted, ſaves he, from idoles to God: and to what end? to ſerue the liuing and true God, whereas before ye ſerued but dead and falſe Gods, beeing miſerable ſlaues: ye are turned and conuerted from theſe falſe Gods to imploy that ſeruice on the liuing and true God.
Then brethren, to marke ſhortlie the leſſons, for the Text is plaine. Our conuerſion & turning to God, is not that we ſhould ſtand vp idle before him or play the vvanton in his eyes: but it is to be humbled before him, to honour him, and to conſecrate our whole life, (if we did liue ten thouſand yeeres) to his ſeruice. Manie men, vvhen for the faſhion they hauehave turned from Idolatrie to God and to the Goſpell, where he is preſent, employ their vvhole life (as ye ſee by experience) to diſpleaſe and diſhonour God in his face. In the light of the Goſpell hee vvill come out and playe the murtherer: in the face of Chriſt in the Goſpell ſhe vvill playe the harlote, the thirde will oppreſſe, the fourth will ſteale, the fifth will ſpew out blaſphemie. Now why wouldſt thou not do this when thou didſt ſerue idoles? the leſſe judgement ſhoulde hauehave falne vponupon thee to hauehave done theſe things in the face of an Idole that ſavve thee not, nor in the face of God vvho ſees thee. O hypocrite, it had beene better for thee thou hadſt neuer beene conuerted to the Goſpell, nor hadſt neuer heard the ſound of the Goſpell, nor when thou heareſt it to contemne God by thy life therein. Fy on thee, go backe againe to idolatrie, except thou behaue thy ſelfe comelie ſtanding before the face of that Majeſtie of God. Brethren, it is the thinge I hauehave beene thinking on: This Goſpell ſhall ſerue to the greater condemnation of the multitude of people in this world, & that for the contempt thereof: fy that ſuch villanie ſhould be daylie and hourelie committed in the ſight of God, in ſo great a light of the Goſpell.
He joynes ſome properties to this God, and calles him the liuing and trew God, and that to put a difference betweene him and Idoles: an Idole is dead, the Papiſts idole is dead and the Papiſt turnes the liuing God in an idole. An idole is dead, without life, breath, feeling, motion or ſ…irring, without, all kind of quicknes:God true & liuing. our God is liuing, an idole is but a falſe and ſordged thing, a thing that a vaine head vvill inuent: fy on the … of an idole: but our God is the true God, God in verie deede, and in the end vvill be found the onelie true God. There are …vvo properties that are geuen to him: Marke the vſe of them: They are reaſones mouing the Theſſalonians to ſerue him: He is liuing, why ſhould they not ſerue him? he is the true God, why ſhould they not ſerue him? The life that is in God, the veritie that is in him is more then matter to moue all mankinde to honour him. Man cannot be honoured, but by others nor himſelfe: take men away from a man, no honour to that man. It is not ſo with God, for, if all the creatures of the earth were turned to nothing, the honour and glorie of that God ſtands ſure and abſolutelie perfite. Then, if notwithſtanding of the honour in him, of the life in him, of the trueth in him, which all are matter of all ſeruice to be geuen to him, thou wilt not be moued to honour God, he is but an Idole to thee, an idole without life to thee, without ſenſe or feeling, without hearing ſeeing, without all prouidence & care in gouerning theſe things in heauen and earth: thou that ſerues and honour him not in this life thou makes him an idole. If you thought he had an eye to ſee the inward of thy heart, an eare to heare what thou art ſpeaking in thy ſecrete chamber, if thou thought he had a prouidence ouer this world, for all the world thou wouldſt not do as thou doeſt. The adulterer the oppreſſor if they had a conſcience that God ſawe them and marked their doings, for al the world they would not do ſo as they do: but becauſe thou makes an idole of him, thinking him neyther to ſee nor know anie thing: therefore thou playeſt the wanton: thinke not but this ſhal be layde to thy charge, Thou was an adulterer, a murtherer, an oppreſſor: thinke not that this ſhall be the chiefe cryme thou ſhalt be accuſed for, that thou art an adulte…er, murtherer, an oppreſſour: no, no, but the Lord ſhall ſay, catiffe, thou made an Idole of me in thy adulterie, and cloſed me in Heauen, without life, ſenſe or vnderſtanding, or prouidence to take care of the things of the world, catiffe, thy damnation is for this, thou diſhonoured me in the profeſſion of my name.
Yet there is more in theſe wordes. He lets them ſe that greater advauntage they had in ſeruing God, nor euer they had before: before they ſerued dead and falſe things, now ſaieth he, ye ſerue not a dead & falſe thing, but a liuing and true God. There is great vauntage heere: Brethren, there are many ſortes of ſlaueries in this world: but to be addicted to an Idole, or a falſe God, to fall down before a ſtock or ſtone,Slauery of Idolaters. of all ſlaueries this is the greateſt: it is true, it is a ſlauerie to be ſubject to a tyrannous man in this worlde, to his foull affections, to abyde all things he will injoine thee, but in the meane tyme, while as thou ſerues the liuing and true God, thou art a free man, and thou haſt a ſingulare comfort and conſolation in thy heart: and if anie will call the a ſlaue, care not for that, for thou art a free man to God. 1 Cor. 7. 21. but, albeit he were a King, and had all the vvorld vnderunder his dominion, if he be a ſlaue to a falſe fained God, an Idole, of all ſlaues he is the greateſt ſlaue: for not to knovve the true God is the greateſt ſlauerie that is: for there is no conſolation but in God: if thou had all the libertie in the vvorld, thy ſoule is in ſlauerie, if thou ſerue not the liuing and true God. I will not call a Nation a free Nation, a King a free King, if they ſerue not that liuing God. Will I call a Kingdome a free Kingdome that is ſubject to a miſerable ſlauerie of Idolatrie? Woe to that ſlauerie: and thou Scotland, if thou loſe the ſeruice of the liuing God, of all ſlaues thou ſhalt be the greateſt, becauſe ſo ſhamefullie thou haſt loſt it. Dauid in the 16. Pſal. verſ. 4. telles of the miſerie of the Idolaters, and of the libertie of them who ſerues Iehouah. As for the Idolaters ſaieth he, They multiple ſorrovv vponupon ſorrovv to themſelues: then he rejoyſes in his owne felicitie: who ſerues the liuing God Iehouah? the Lord, ſaieth he, is the portion of my inheritance. Therefore ere thou loſe the ſeruice of this true God, and Chriſt his Sonne, loſe thy life, and all that thou haſt in this world. This is the onelie liberty to ſerue the liuing and true God.
Now followes the ſecond end of their conuerſion, which is to looke for the Sonne and his comming; the firſt was, to ſerue the Father of this life; the ſecond is to awaite for the comming of the Son. Marke euerie word. It is not eneugh, brethren, to ſerue the Father, the liuing and true God, in faith, in louelove, in all ſeruice that pertaines to him in this lyfe, except thy eye throgh hope reach out beyonde this lyfe in the meane tyme of thy ſeruice.Hope of life to cōe. Thou art heere novv ſeruing him, looke that thy eye reach out beyonde this life, to ſee and to hope for an other life. There are many in wealth, in honour, in eaſe, in healthe of bodie in this worlde, that vvould make a Couenant with God, and ſay, Lorde, Let mee dwell ſtill to ſerue thee heere, and it were for euer, and I obliſhe me neuer to looke for more at thy hand: giuegive me this lyfe, and wealthe and pleaſure thereof, I ſhall ſerue thee to let me liue heere for euer, and I ſhall binde my ſelfe neuer to craue more of thee: alas, I trovv there be many of this ſort. Fy on it, this can not be rooted out of the hearts of the moſt godlie, euen as if either God had gotten glorie ſufficientlie, or we could get perfite happineſſe in this life. Alas, if our hope were onelie in this lyfe, and our bleſſedneſſe reached not out beyonde this life, of all men the chriſtian man wer moſt miſerable. I had rather chuſe to be a Turke nor a Chriſtian, except my hope reache out beyond this life, & all the pleaſure and ſeruice I can do to God in it. If thou preaſe to be a true chriſtian, think not with thy ſelf, I ſhall driue ouer this life quietly, & ſhal ſtand faſt in al trouble, but thou muſt bide toſſing & toyling, otherwiſe thou can not be a chriſtian: for throgh many tribulations thou muſt enter into the kingdom of heauen. Act. 14. 22. Thē ye who wold ſerue God, ſerue him as pilgrimes in a ſtrange country far frō him: what euer thou be doing here in his ſeruice walking in thy godly exerciſe, in the mean time let thy hart be with Chriſt: let thy hart be wher thy life is hid vp with Chriſt. Paul giues an example of this in his own perſon ſaying, I liue here as a Citizen of Heauen. Philip. 3. 20. A Citizen in the heauen is a pilgrime on the earth. And therfore he ſubjoynes, liuing as a pilgrime heere, and a Citizen of Heauen, I hope for my ſaluation in Chriſt. A pilgrime hes euer his eye out of this world. The ſecond Epiſtle to the Corinthians. Chap. 5. verſ. 7. 8. he ſhovves that in this lyfe he walked in faith and confidence, but ſaieth he, I chuſe rather to flit and remoue out of the bodie, and to dvvell vvith my Lord Ieſus. Fy on thee, that is ſo nailde throgh head and heart to this world, that thou hes euer thy heart and ſight heere. Certainelie I am of this minde, that the thing that euerie one of vsus ſhould moſt care for, ſhould be to ſteale away peece & peece from this earth. Lowſe thy heart peece and peece, and free thee from this wofull life.
Now this hope and looking is for the Sonne: ſomething pertaines to the Father, thou muſt ſerue the liuing and true God: ſomething pertaines to the Son, thou muſt looke for him from Heauen. Thinke not to honour the Father without the Sonne. The Iew is vaine that thinks to honour the Father without the Sonne, No, it will not be: ſerue the Father, but honour the Son alſo, or elſe the Father ſhall accept no honour at thy hand. Ioh. 5. 23. For all the honour of the Fathers is in the Sonne. But marke the ſpeciall honour that is geuen to the Sonne in this life. The Sonne is honoured in faith in this life, in beleeuing that he is alreadie come in the world, that he is come in our nature and ſuffered the death for our ſins: that he died▪ was buried, roſe againe from the death, thou honoures him in beleeuing this. But this is the ſpeciall pointe of this honour, to hope that he ſhall come againe: as he come once, ſo looke that he ſhall come againe. But brethren, neither hes his glorie yet appeared, as it is in deed, and ſhall appeare: neither yet your grace appeares as it ſhall when he ſhall come againe. And therefore the ſpeciall ſeruice we can doe, is to await for his comming, ad to glorie vnderunder that hope. No, beleeue thou in the Father as thou wilt, if thou hope not for that glorious returning of the Sonne, thou honours him not. This is all to ſtirre vsus vp by hope, to looke for an other life: for all theſe things; King and Kingdome vvill avvay, and they who hoped for him in this lyfe, ſhall ſhine in glorie with him in that life eternall.
Fromwhence ſhal we hope that he comes? where ſhal we caſt our eye (if we looke for a man to come from one part, our eye will euer be on that part where from he ſhould come, whither it be Eaſt or Weſt, South or North) Where then ſhould we caſt our eye? Neither to the Eaſt, Weſt, South nor North, nor to any part of this earth, but caſt thy eye vpward to Heauen, Ieſus is in Heauen, and he ſhall come from Heauen, he is not in the earth: and therefore ye ſee in him that hopes, as the hart breakes vpward, ſo will the eye looke vpward, the hand, the head will be raiſed vpward: as Chriſt ſayeth, lift vp your heads. Luke 21. 28. ſo his behauiour will tell thee from whence Chriſt ſhall come. And againe thy behauiour wil tell that thou haſt no hope when thou tends altogether downewards, thy face euer towards the earth, & thy hart moyling in the earth: when any man ſees al thy care and minde onelie vponupon the earth he may ſay, this bodie hes no hope, he lookes not for the returning of the ſonne of God.
Then followes Whom he raiſed from the death, meaning the ſonne of God: the Father raiſed him. I will not inſiſt, but ſo farre onelie as the text will beare me. Beleeue that Ieſus is raiſed from the dead, and that he is in heauen; beleue the thing done & paſt, and then hope that he ſhall come againe: firſt be a beleeuer, and then hope: he that hopes for a thing to come muſt be a beleeuer of the thing by gone. Faſten thy beleef on the things bygone, that Chriſt died, was buried, and roſe vp by the power of God, and aſcended to the heauen; beleeuing all theſe things by gone, hope ſhall take hold on things to come; but if thou beleeue not theſe things bygone, thou ſhalt neuer hope that Chriſt ſhal come againe to thy deliuerie. All theſe things bygone goe before the thing to come: he hes told all the articles of the beleefe, ere he come to this cōming of Chriſt againe; therfore thou muſt beleue theſe things bygone ere thou hope for Chriſts cōming. Then he brings in a deſcriptiō of the ſon of God; from his name, a Sauior▪ from his office, a deliuerer: a ſauior muſt be a deliuerer, his name bears his office, for Ieſus muſt be a ſauior of men. There are two things joined together, Chriſts comming and our eternall deliuerie: when he came firſt in the world, he began with deliuerie, and by his death redeemed vsus; when hee ſhall come againe he wil make an end of our deliuery & there ſhal be no more ſin, death,Our deliuerie dependes on Chriſts comming. trouble or ſorow. So al our deliuerie depends ſo on chriſts cōming, that if he return not we ſhal neuer be fully deliuered: & by the contrair, Ieſus returning, of neceſſitie thou muſt get a full deliuerance. They that looke for deliuerie (there is the order of hope) their hope is euer firſt in the comming of Chriſt, vponupon the which their deliuerance dependes, then in the ſeconde rowme, they looke for their deliuerance. They are fooles that look firſt to be deliuered, that is a backward order: therefore ſay, I hope Ieſus ſhall come againe, and then ſay, I hope to be deliuered: & ye ſee in the Reuelation the cry of him who lookes for ſaluation, is Come Lord Ieſus. Reuel. 22. 20. The meaning is, When vve deſire Chriſt to come, we deſire the performance of our deliuerance: when we deſire Doomeſ-day, vve deſire the perfection of our eternall deliuerie, and it will not be vntill that day: if thou be founde in Ieſus thy deliuerance ſhall then come in the full accompliſhment thereof.
Now, from what ſhould he deliuer vsus? From the vvraith to come. Chriſt deliueres vsus from the vvrath to come.That is, from all paine and vexation. All the terrors, & hell that ſhall follow on the wrath of that great God that ſhal be reuealed in that great day (for, that effectuall wrath of God ſhall ſtrike in that great day) are called the vvrath to come. No doubt the Apoſtle by this word would ſtirre vp our mindes to looke for a greater wrath, then euer was ſeene in this world: there was neuer ſince the firſt day to the laſt, ſuch a wrath of God ſeene in the world, as ſhall be ſeene in that laſt day. The Lordes vvrath hes bene vttered oft times in great meaſure ſince the beginning, as in that great deludge, in the burning of Sodome and Gomorrha with fire and brimſtone, in the particulare deſtruction of manie people and ſundrie nations: but all is nothing to that great wrath, all is but play, in reſpect of that laſt wrath. And therefore, they are fooles, who meaſures the greatneſſe of the wrath of God, by the ſelie momentaneall afflictions, that is laid on men and wemen in this earth. Some thinkes, God can not powre a greater wrathe, nor when he caſts a man in great ſickneſſe, when he cauſes one to be rugged in ſunder one part from an other, when he cauſes one to be burnt with fire: and fooliſhe wretches will ſay, What can God doe more to me? Knoweſt thou not, that, there is an euerlaſting wrath in God? or euer it light on thee, it ſhal make each member ſhake in ſunder, & when thou ſees it comming down on thee, thou ſhalt cry, Mountaines and Hilles fall downe on me, and couer me from the wrathe of the Lambe Reuel. 6. 16. Againe, merciemercy is not, to be meaſured, by the merciemercy we get heere: it is a blaſphemie, to thinke, that God hes no greater merciemercy to ſhovv on thee, nor he ſhows here. So the greateſt affliction that can fall on vsus heere, is nothing in reſpect of that laſt wrath. Therefore, that laſt day is called 2. Rom. verſ. 5. the day of vvrathe. There was no day before called the day of wrathe. Now, brethren, as the greateſt wrath ſhall be powred out that day: ſo, the greateſt merciemercy ſhall be ſhowne to the godlie that day. And they, who ſhal be founde vnderunder the couert of the wings of this Ieſus the Sauiour, wrath ſhall paſſe by them: but, they, who ſhall not be found vnderunder his winges, the wrath ſhall tumble on them. Alas, if we could conſider this. Learne to ſeek Ieſus in tyme. The way to find Ieſus a couerture in that day, it muſt not be to beginne then, thou wilt not get him then, if thou got him not before: thinke not to cry, then, Ieſus couer mee: but, the waye to make Chriſt a couertour to thee muſt be in this lyfe: beleeue in him heere, beleeue, that, he came into the worlde to releeue thee from this great wrathe that day: beleeue, that, he died for thee, roſe againe for thee and hope, that, he ſhall come againe to that eternall deliuerance. Miſſe not this hope. Paul to Timothie 2. Epiſt. 4. 8. ſpeaking of that crown of righteouſneſſe he ſhall receyue, he communicates that crown with others: but, who are they? they, that hopes for his comming. If thou, in ſome meaſure, hunger not and thirſt not for his comming in this life, looke not to be couered by him hereafter: grone therefore, and thirſt for Ieſus, in ſome meaſure, that he may keepe thee in that great day from the fearce wrath of God. Conſider this, the world bindes vp mens eyes, that, they ſhould not ſee Chriſtes comming, and it makes vsus, neuer to deſire, to heare, nor, know of an other life, or, of Chriſts comming. Therefore, take vp this neceſſitie, and let all this lyfe be a preparation to a better life, & in al thy exerciſe in this life, ſay, Lord, I am exerciſde heere, in this vocation, or, that vocation at thy command: but, Lord, for all this buſſines, I am a pilgrime here, my life is not in this world, and my heart and eye is beyond this worlde vvith thee. The Lord giuegive vsus grace, to hauehave this hope: woe to that ſoule, that muſt departe, and hes no hope of a better life.
Now I will go forward in the Chapter following. Wherein firſt the Apoſtle ſets out a diſcourſe of himſelfe, and of his own Miniſtrie, and the ſucceſſe the Lord gaue him in his Miniſtrie towards the Theſſalonians. This he telles in the two firſt verſe… of this chapter.Parts of the ſecōd Chap. Then he comes to the recounting of the graces of God wrought in them by his miniſtrie, to the 17. verſe. Then vntill the end of the chapter he telles the great ſorrow he had that he could not win to thē, & ſhewes the impediments, Sathan vvithſtoode him. Theſe are the three parts of the chapter. To come to the firſt part, he ſayes For ye your ſelues knovve, brethren, that our entrance in vntounto you vvas not in vaine. When I came to Macedonia to vvin a number of ſoules that God had there my entrie was not in vaine, without effect or power: the reaſone is in the next verſe followinge. For ſaieth hee, vvee vvere boulde in our GOD, to ſpeake vntounto you the Goſpell of God, vvith great ſtryuing. The power of God vvas perceyued in my preaching, and all my libertie in preaching of the goſpell was of God. He aggreadges this his libertie by telling of the ſtayes and impediments he got ere he came to them: he ſuffered manie afflictions, and was euill entertained at Philippi, and comming to them he was not free of affliction, but all his preaching was with fighting and daylie battell: there is the meaning of theſe verſes.
To come then ſhortlie to the leſſons. Firſt Iſe the people that hes beene grounded and edified in faith by the miniſtrie of the Paſtor, and by the grace and power of God, they ſhould not forget the graces of God they got by him; and ere they ſhould forget, the Paſtor him ſelfe is bound by the example of Paule, for to ſtand vp and to bring them in remembrance of the grace: not for his owne praiſe, but for the glorie of God, who hes geuen thee grace, that the grace of God be not obſcured, but that his glorie may ſhine. I will lay you a ground in the firſt Epiſtle Corinth. 2. 4. 5. Your faith is builded vponupon the power of God, that is geuen to the Miniſtrie: To the Miniſtrie? yea to the Miniſtrie, to the Miniſtrie man, or elſe thou ſhalt neuer hauehave a ground of faith. The Apoſtle ſayes, that your faith ſtands not in the vviſdome of men, but vponupon the povver of God. And therefore, brethren Faith ſtands vponupon that ſame verie ground the power of God geuen to the Miniſtrie. Thy eye ſhould be drawn back to ſee the ground where-vponupon thy faith hath beene grounded: if thou forget to looke of it, Paſtors ſhould draw thy … about, and let thee ſee that thy faith was grounded on the power of the word in the Miniſtrie, I challenge your experience how oft ye remember the power of God in the miniſtrie, whither ye rejoice or not: ſaying, well is me, I hauehave not my faith grounded vponupon the wiſdom of man, but vponupon the power of God; ſeeke it for the fondation of your faith, that it be firme and ſure: for if thou hauehave not a ſure foundation to ground thy faith on, it ſhall fall. And that thou may find it. I counſell thee that thou neglect not the Paſtor: for if thou forget the Paſtor & his miniſtrie, thou ſhalt not come to the fondation of thy faith. I put it out of queſtion, the power of Gods word by his miniſtry is a ground wher vppon your faith is grounded. If this miniſtrie go awaye, faith, ſaluation, and all graces in this land will decay.
The ſecond thing wheron ſtands this power, is in the ſecond verſe. It ſtands in a libertie, boldneſſe & freedome, in vttring the Goſpell, and ſpeaking of Chriſt. So, brethren, wher liberty, wher boldnes in preaching the Goſpell is, there is effectualnes in it, & the man who hes this boldnes, is a fectfull man, & his entry ſhall neuer be in vaine. If the Lord giuegive thee libertie, if all the worlde had ſaid the contrair, the effect ſhall not be in vaine, and where the Lord geues not this libertie, all the preaching is fectleſſe and without frute. I ſhall ſay nothing but that which Paul ſaieth: where there is no liberty in the ſpeaking of Ieſus, of his merciemercy and grace, no freedome of mouth &c. there is nothing but a dead Goſpell Where there is no libertie in vſing all the parts of the miniſtrie, in rebuking, admoniſhing and comforting, there is nothing but a dead Goſpell. (I meane euer of a libertie grounded on God, not on mans vaine affections) where this liberte is not there is nothing but a dead miniſtrie. I beleue this nation be come alreadie to the hight of this liberty, not of the mouth only, but of the heart. And I think the Lord is binding vp the harts of men that they are not louſed with that liberty, if it were but in preaching the Goſpel, as they wer. Lord be mercifull to vsus. I beleue this worke be drawing to an end: ye hauehave keped it long: & bleſſed ſhall they be that dies in the light. And ſo when I looke a far off, I pittie the poſterity, which appearantly ſhal be dep…iued of that liberty; al for our ingratitude, we had a grace, & libertie which we contemned. So God in juſtice is drawing it away.
Next marke againe. In God, ſayes he, not in man. That is we vſed that libertie which God gaue vsus. The libertie of the affection of man is nothing worth. Looke then what euer be ſpoken by the Miniſter, it be warranded by the word of God. And looke againe, that it ryſe of the inward motions of the Spirite in the hart. If a man ſpeake of his owne priuate affection (ô Lord if he ſhould not hauehave a well ſanctified affection that ſpeaks in the name of the Lord) it is better to him not to ſpeake, he indangers himſelfe & hes much to make account of. But if thou haſt warrands in the word, break out with it with liberty: for it is as great danger to thee to conceale it when thou haſt a warrand, as it is to ſpeake it of thy owne affection. And without queſtion the Lord will controll them that will controll thy libertie here. The Lord giuegive eyes to men that they may ſee what danger they incurre by controlling the libertie of the worde in the Church. There is his moderation in teaching.
Now one thing more. Al this power is in the beginning in his enterance to them. The Apoſtle is now afflicted in Macedonia, when he comes to Theſlalonica, all his preaching is but a battaile: & laſt ſhamefully is he put away, and goes to Ber…a. What ſhall I ſay of this? If Paul had had no more but the ſpirite of a man, he would not hauehave immediatlie gone to Theſſalonica, and there teached: and being in Theſſalonica he would not hauehave vttered any thing that would hauehave diſpleaſed them: No, but he does otherwiſe: the power of God neuer ſo well appears in men as vnderunder affliction, for when man is weakeſt God is ſtrongeſt in them. My ſtrength, ſayes the Lord, … ſhovven in infirmitie. 2. Cor. 12. 9. And in the fourth chapter of the ſame Epiſtle verſ. 7. he ſhowes, the Lord hes put a treaſure in earthen veſhels, that the excellencie of his povver may be knovven. Then he falles out in a probation of this power: My bodie is daylie ſlaine where euer I go, there is nothing but afflictiō. But ſaith he: by this I know, the lyfe of Ieſus is manifest in me. He hes not a better token to knowe the life of Ieſus, nor by affliction: and none can know the life of Ieſus ſo well as in the laſt agonie of death. Other countries hes experimented this power of God that appeares in affliction better then we hauehave done. Scotland hes no manifeſtation thereof in reſpect of other Churches. Well brethren, our tyme is comming faſt on. The Lord of Heauen that is ſtrongeſt when man weakeſt, giuegive vsus ſtrength and courage to abyde that tyme and holde vsus vp in our infirmities, that he may be glorifyed in our affliction. To this God, the Father, Son and the holie Spirite, be honour and praiſe for euer.
AMEN.