Lectures Upon the Epistles to the Thessalonians, Part 1 · Lecture 6
THE SIXT LECTVRE VPONUPON THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE THESSALONIANS.
1. THESSA. CHAP. 2. verſ. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12.
8 Thus being affectioned tovvard you, our good vvill vvas to hauehave dealt vntounto you not the Goſpell of God onelie, but alſo our ovvne ſoules, becauſe ye vvere deare vntounto vsus.
9 For ye remember, brethren, our labour and trauaile: for vve laboured day and night, becauſe vve vvould not be chargeable vntounto any of you, and preached vntounto you the Goſpell of God.
10 Ye are vvitneſſes and God alſo, hovv bolilie and iuſtlie and vnblameablie vve behaued our ſelues among you that beleeue.
11 As ye knovve hovv that vve exhorted you, and comforted, and beſoght euerie one of you (as a father his children)
12 That ye vvoulde vvalke vvorthie of God, vvho hath called you vntounto his kingdome and glorie.
THE Apoſtle (ye remember brethren) leauing off for a tyme the purpoſe that was in hand, to witte, that rejoyſing he had with them, for the graces of God was in them. In the ſecond chapter he falles out to a diſcourſe concerning himſelfe, making mention of his manner of entrie among them, how it was not in vaine. For when he entred among them, he entred with libertie, although that hee had ſuffered immediatlie before at Philippi, notwithſtanding of the battaile he had in the meane tyme while he preached to them. Thereafter ye heard the laſt day, he remoued from him ſelfe all ſuſpition of vnſincere dealing in preaching the Goſpell, chalenging to him ſelf ſincerity in preaching. Seing in preaching and ſpeaking he had not man before his eyes, but God; not content onlie to remoue from him vnſinceritie in …, he diſcends to the fountaines of vnſinceritie and vncleane dealing; which are three: namelie, flatterie, auarice, …, and theſe three rootes of vnſincere and vncleane dealing in the …, he remoues from him: he flattered them not he was not greedie of their goods, he was not greedie of honour. Albert, ſaieth he, I might hauehave beene chargeable to you, as the Apoſtle of Chriſt ye were addebted to me both of your goods and honour, yet I would hauehave none of them, but I liued in the midſt of you, vnburdenſome, ſubmit…ing my ſelfe to all faſh…ie and paines for your ſakes, as a mother nouriſhing her childe, will vndertake all paines for the childe: ſo did I for you.
Now in the firſt vvords of this text we hauehave red, that vvhichwhich he ſpoke of the nource cheriſhing her childe, he applyes to him ſelfe. Th… ſayes he, … tovvard… you. The vvord is in the firſt language, I was deſirous of you, I had a longing deſire of you; ſuch deſire as a mother hes to her infant: ſhe can not ſuffer her infant to be out of her ſight, to be abſent from her, incontinent ſhe grie…es for it, ſhe is not well vvhile thee hauehave it in her ſight. The ſame affection, (ſayes the Apoſtle) I beare tovvards you, I louelove you, I can ſearcelie vvant your preſence: for being abſent from you, I hauehave a continual care of you. There is the meaning of the wordes in the which ye ſee that louelove, that motherlie affection to call it ſo the Apoſtle bare to this Church of Theſſalonica. The firſt grace in the Paſtor, is to louelove his flock: this is the ground of all the reſt, if he want it all the reſt is deare of the hauing, if he had all the learning and eloquence and vt…ance of men and Angels, all is nothing if there be not louelove and affection in his heart to his flock Paul 2 Cor. 6. recounting our many marks of the Apoſtle which he bare, amongſt the reſt in the 6. verſe of that chapter, he account… vnfamed louelove to be one: for nombring thoſe marks, he declares what ſpirituall louelove he bare to the Corinthians, ſaying in the 11. verſe. O …, my mouth is open to you, our heart is made large, ſo that if it were poſſible, I vvould take you in my heart, ye dvvell not narrovvlie in me, but ye dvve…l … in your ovvne bovvelles. I louelove you, but ye louelove not me ſo intirelie as I doe you. In the 11. chapter of that Epiſtle verſe 28. ſtryuing vvith the …alſe Apoſtles, he ſhovves vvhat carefulneſſe he had of the Church. Beſide, ſayeth he, …, I hauehave the care for … of the vvorlde. … but I am afflicted, I vnderſtand there are none afflicted, but I am afflicted vvith him. … It is vvonderfull to knovve vvhat affection hee bare to the Church of Chriſt. Ye vvho reades his vvorkes will vvonder that there coulde be ſuch an affection in his heart to the Church of God. Well brethren, all grace … louelove: all the bleſſinges of God in Chriſt … of God. … Iohn 3. 16. The giuing and death of Chriſt and all the bleſſinges in Chriſt came or the louelove of God to vsus … Chriſt. All … and duetie of men, that man can doe to … of the louelove of the heart, otherwiſe it…, all a van…hing …, not a thing in deed, but a vaine ſ…o…e, albeit it be ne…er ſo gliſtring in the eyes of men: if thou would giuegive all that thou haſt to the poore, i… it come not of louelove and affection of the heart, all is loſt all i… for noght.
Now in the word… following, to the end of the tenth verſe, the Apoſtle bring… in … arguments, teſtifying his in…re affection he had to them: LoueLove muſt not ſtand in words, but it muſt be v…tered in teſtimonies ſo that the world may ſee it in very deed. The worke wil… let men ſee the hart, albeit it be God who is the … ſear…her of the heart. Men will not be ſo blinde, but in the hand they … hand be cloſed thy ha… is cloſed … teſtifying his louelove & affection is a good-wil… he hauehave to them: ſuch a good-will that he was … to imparte and de…ie to them, … precio…s … and all becauſe of the louelove he bare to them … … heere the firſt argument of the … … and liberall … …. A … vvho louelove … …, he vvill giuegive them … compariſion. A mother who loues her childe, ſhe will not be ſparing to him, but liberall: ſo a Paſtor that hath anie tender affection to his flocke, will not be ſparing, but liberall and free to them. When the heart of man is open with the affection of louelove, it will open the hand alſo, and if he be niggard-handed ſparing on his flocke thoſe graces God hes geuen him, it is a ſure argument there is no louelove in his heart.
But come to the good things whereof the Apoſtle was liberall. The firſt thing was the Goſpell of God, a pretious thing, the glorious Goſpell of the bleſſed Lord. That is the thing that is concredite to him, and it is the foode of the ſoule of man: ſo that his liberalitie beginnes at the foode of the ſoule, he muſt be liberall of the foode of the ſoule of men, which is concredite to him, to giuegive it to his flock. The mother beginnes to nouriſh her childe with the milke of her owne breaſt, her own ſubſtance. So the Paſtor muſt beginne at the foode of the ſoule, he muſt begin at the ſincere milke of the word, without the which there is no growing, and if they be not fed with this milk of the word firſt, they ſhal neuer come to the grouth & ſtature of man, but ſhall be like dwarſſes: and we ſo long as we dwell heere are onelie infants in heauenlie things; and all our thinking of heauen is but infancie; all our ſpeaking thereof, the blabling of infancie. So we muſt be fed with that milk or elſe we ſhal neuer come to the ſtature of men, and perfection of heauenlie things. The Apoſtle counts this but a ſmal thing, to deale the goſpel of God (albeit it be pretious) in reſpect of the other thing, his ſoule he had to deale to them. 1. Cor. 9. 16. He ſaieth, if I preach not the Goſpell, I hauehave not vvherin to reicice, and vvoe is to me if I preach not the Goſpell, He who will not be liberall in preaching of the Goſpell, which coaſt him not a penny, it will be long ere he geue his life for his flock▪ if they were in Hell he would neuer redeeme them with his … Then the next thing whereof he is liberall, it is his … the liberalitie of a louing Paſtor will end in … It will begiane at the preaching of the … his life which is more: if it be … This is the affection of … to her childe, ſhe … for … affection, he … for his flock. This is counted a greater thing not the other, to die for the flocke, greater not to deale the Goſpell. Not that Pauls ſoule was more pretious then the Goſpel of God: no, the Goſpel of God was more precious then the ſoules of Paul, Peter, and of all the Apoſtles, and of all the men in the world: but he counts it greater, becauſe it was an harder thing to him to do: it was an eaſier thing to him to preache the Goſpell, nor to giuegive his lyfe for them. Yet brethren, albeit it was an eaſier thing to a man to preache the Goſpell, nor to giuegive his life, thinges will fall out ſo, that all the bygone preaching ſhall be in vaine, except in the end thou ſeale vp thy bygone preaching with thy bloude, if God call thee therevnto, the Goſpell ſhall not hauehave that ſweet ſmell except it hauehave the perfume or thy bloude. The Apoſtle to the Philipp. 2. 17. ſayes that the vvould rejoyce If he vvere offered vp vponupon the perfume of their faith. When the Lord thinks it expedient, he muſt lay dovvne his ſoule, and vvith his bloud he muſt perfume the Goſpell he hes preached, otherwiſe he hes loſt all his trauell and his life to; and it is better to ſuffer then to loſe all his trauaile, and in the end his life. This tyme is yet to come to vsus, the Lorde knovves hovv neare it is. The Lorde giuegive vsus grace that vvee loſe not our tyme bygone, but that vve may laye dovvne our lyfe for the Goſpell, if that neede requyre.
In the end of the verſe he turnes againe to the ground of his liberall dealling. This my liberalitie is not for any liberalitie of yours toward me, nor for any reſpect of commoditie I will get at your hands. This my liberalitie is ſet onelie vponupon louing affection. So that hee declareth the cauſe thereof to be louelove. It is neceſſare to the people to be perſwaded of the louelove of the Paſtor, otherwiſe except they be aſſured of his louelove, albeit he ſhould vtter the faireſt doctrine that is, there will be no edifying. And ſo I ſee Paul ay ſeekes to ſhow them of his louelove, that they might be edified. Particular gaine will make a man preach: There are ſundrie Miniſters who wil be diligent to preache for game; but whē it comes to lyfe geuing they faile there. Worldlie gaine will neuer cauſe him be liberall of his lyfe, onelie louelove makes a man liberall of his lyfe. And therefore Paul ſayeth, It was onelie for louelove, and not for gaine, becauſe ye vvere deare vntounto vsus. He vvho hes not this louelove, he may vvell flatter men a vvhile, but the end that …rye he had no true louelove. The Lord giuegive men, eſpeciallie the Miniſtrie this affection, that in the end they may proue to bee true Paſtors: for if they hauehave not this louelove, the end ſhall try they hauehave bene hyrelings. The Lord giuegive euerie man grace to trye-vvell, vvhat reaca…eſle and reſolution he hes to ſuffer, for there is no day that the Miniſter ryſes but he is bound to take this reſolution in his heart, to render his blonde vp for Chriſt: And therefore albeit he die not, yet let him be dead in the reſolution of his heart, and ſay, Lord … I am readie to die for thy vvorde, if it pleaſe thee ſo to call me. This is the firſt argument whereby he ſhowes his louelove towards the Theſſalonians.
In the next verſe he ſayes, For ye remember, brethren, our labour …. I will not onelie talke to you of my goodvvill, but I will call to remembrance, what labour and trauaile, with what anguiſhe and gi…ſe I hauehave ſuffered for your cauſe. The vvordes are verie weightie in their owne language, and ſpeciallie the ſecond, the words ſignifies ſuch trauaile as a man takes on him,Labor … the relefe of the flocke an argumēt of louelove. after he is vvearied vvith trauaile, vvhen he takes on him trauaile againe. This is great labour. He labours while he was wearied and then he laboures againe to get reſt. He vſes this vvord in ſundrie places. Alvvayes marke. To teſtifie the inward affection of the heart, the Paſtor beares to the flock: it is not eneugh to profeſſe a good-will, that he had a purpoſe to hauehave vſed liberall dealing with them, and to ſay, I vvill deale liberallie vvith you: that is onelie vvordes: but vvith the words, the flock muſt hauehave an experience thereof, an experience of bygone louelove and of a good deed, and there is nothing better to teſtifie the affection, then the labour and trauaile the Paſtor ſuffers for the flock. Charitie is laborious and painefull chap. 1. verſ. 2. a man who loues an other he will vndertake paines for him: His louelove will not be in word, but in action, he will runne for him, he will ryde for him night and day. If a Paſtor louelove his flock, he vvith trauaile day and night for it: and it is a vvonder to ſee vvhat paines louelove vvill endure. Ye knowe this all well eneugh. Farther the word is to be marked. Ye remember. He charges them with a remembrance, and if they will forget it, he will not let them forget it. The people ſhould remember of the paines of the paſtor, thou art bound to remember vponupon the care and prouidence of God for thee, thou ſhould remember the Paſtors paines: for if the Lord had not taken care on thee, he would neuer hauehave raiſed vp the Paſtor, to take ſuch a care on thee: and this is one of the ordinare meanes God vſes to prouide for his people, by raiſing of Paſtors to take paines on them, and if thou remembers not on the mans paines, thou remembers not on the Lords prouidence. The remembrance of the Lordes prouidence, and paines of the Paſtor for thee goe together, and thou who lightlies the paines of the man, thou lightlies Gods prouidence: contemning the one, thou contemnes the other; remembring the one, thou remembers the other. Men …ill ſay, they remember on the Lords prouidence, and yet they ſpeake nothing of the inſtrument God hes ſent to winne them. No, he can not be thankfull to God that forgets his Miniſter.
Now in the wordes following, he makes plaine the labour & pain that he beſtowed on them. Firſt, ſayes he, I preached vntounto you the Goſpell of God. There is a part of my labour: Preaching is a ſpeciall labour: what matter were it if there had bene no more but preaching. I vvroght and laboured vvith my ovvn hands, not in the day onele, but in the night alſo: day and night I laboured. Paul was a craftsman, and had a handie-craft: he was a weuer of Tents and Pauilions: and vponupon that came familiaritie betweene him and A…utla, and P…ſtill…, who were of that ſame trade, and he did dwell with them. Act. 18. 3. Beſides this he was a gentleman, and for other ſciences he was wel broght vp, broght vp in the lawes at the feet of Gamahell, who was a chiefe lawyer, (and yet for all this he was a craftſman,) an Hebrew of the trybe of Beniaemin, of a good eſtimation, he that got that benefite to be a citizen of Rome, he was a gentleman. Wel, a gen…lemā nowadayes thinks it ſhame to put his ſonne to any craft: but perchance the next day he will be hanged for theft, or murther, if he hauehave not a craft to ſuſtaine him. Fy on this idle nation, and thou Scotland bears the gree of idleneſſe and loytering. Wherefore was all this labouring? Becauſe, ſaieth he, I ſhould not be chargeable vntounto you. Brethren, an end of his working was for his ſuſtentation: an other end was, that the Goſpell ſhoulde not be ſ…ndered. We ſee he was ſparing of theſe Theſſalonians, and yet he preached carefully to them, and al to this end, that the Goſpel ſhould not be ſlandered, he wroght with his own hands, albeit they wer debt-bound to him. Marke here, the thing in the world all men ſhould chieflie ſeeke, is that the Goſpell of Chriſt ſhould hauehave the own progreſſe, without any ſtop or ſtay. And aboue al things a Paſtor who is the inſtrument of this progreſſe, is bound that by no meane hee be the ſtay of the Goſpell given to win ſoules to the kingdome of Ieſus: left that which he is building vp with the one hand, be not caſle downe with the other, as many doe: they build on Sonday by their teach…ng, & all the week they caſt down by their euill life: they deſtroy more by their life & maner of liuing, nor they builde by their preaching. The leaſt offence in the world wil hinder the courſe of the Goſpel; becauſe of the infirmitie of men & wemen, for they will ſtart at a ſtray. There was neuer a ſtumbling horſe comparable in ſtumbling to the heart of man: conſidering that ſo little a thing will cauſe men take offence at the Goſpell, and leape farther back nor they came forward. (We clim vp to Heauen verie ſoftlie and ſlowlie: but if vve runne to Hell, vve ſhall fall dovvn in an houre more then vve did climme in a yeare.) Therefore we are all bound to flee all kinde of offence and ſlander. Looke that thou offend not, offend not the infirme to cauſe them goe aback, neither in the word of thy mouth, nor in any action vvith hand or foote, or by the vvinke of thy eye to ſay the progreſſe of the Goſpell And of al men the Paſtor is bound to walke moſt warelie. Paul renounces his own right to flee this occaſion of offence. The Theſſalonians wer bound to giuegive him temporall thinges, who miniſtered to them ſpirituall things: but giuing ouer his right, he laboured night and day with his hands for his ſuſtentation. Euerie man in their owne degree is bound to ſuffer all extremitie, ere they be a ſtay to the Goſpell; but cheeflie the Miniſter. For Paul in the firſt Epiſtle to the Corinthians chap. 9. verſ. 23. ſayeth, If for the Goſpell they abſteene not from their ovvne right, they ſhall not be partakers of the Goſpell.
Farther ye may perceiue in the perſon of Paul and his example, who was in ſuch neede as he? Albeit he was the Apoſtle of Chriſt, he was pinched in his bellie. 2. Corinth. chap. 11. verſe 27. I hauehave, ſayes he, beene oft in hunger, oft in thirſt▪ oft in nakedneſſe, oft in faſting, and Philippians chapter 4. verſ. 12. I hauehave learned to be hungrie. Then vve ſee by the example of Paul, God vvill let them vvhome he loues beſt oft tymes want their neceſſities. Meaſure not the grace of God by his outvvarde dealing vvith his, he vvill let his ovvne be as hungrie, as naked as anie other. And againe learne in the example of Paul, the remedie hovv a man that vvants ſhall ſupplie his vvant. Paul vvanted, vvhat refuge had he? He biddes thee not goe ſteale, nor reaue from them that hauehave.Labour remedie of vvant. Thou vvho art able to vvorke, he biddes thee not goe begge: haſt thou hands? canſt thou delue man? canſt thou keepe …heepe: haſt thou learned any craft? labour with thy hands as Paul did. Rather ere thou begge goe to the vyldeſt labor in the world. Idle raskals in this countrie, their labour all the day is crying, and begging. Alas, it is a ſhame vvhen a ſtranger ſets his foot in Scotland to ſee this great miſorder, and that ſhameleſſe begging. Then there is the remedie, labour. O but thou wilt ſay, I am a gentle man, a Lords ſon, a gentle-mans ſon; it is ſhame to me to put my hand to vvorke: fyle thy hands, or perchance thou wilt be hanged if thou wer a lords ſon, go to the vyldeſt exerciſe that is, ere thou be idle, thou glorifies God in thy doing & labouring: but in idlenes, thou glorifies not God: if thou be going at the pleugh, thou glorifies God. Eate thy bread vvith the ſweat of thy browes, otherwiſe it ſhall not do thee good: thou who lyes on other mens labors, thou eats and drinkes their bloude. Woulde to God this matter could be mended, aſwel as it is lamented: alas that there is no remedie for idleneſſe. Now when he labours, wherefore labours he? for himſelfe onelie' no brethren: euen to releeue the Theſſalonians, that he ſhould not be burden ſome to them Paul ſaies, Eph. 4. 28. He that ſteales let him ſteale no more. (Alas, it is ouer long to liue one day in theft,) but goe and vvork vvith his hands, not to himſelfe onelie, but alſo to helpe others. There are none that are bound to labour, but they are bound for the ſuſtenance of others Thy labor is nothing worth if thou keepe all to thy ſelfe, & put it all in thy owne bellie. Now ye hauehave heard two of the arguments whereby he teſtifies his louelove he bare to them.
The third argument whereby he teſtifies that louelove and affection he bare to them, is not from this or that particulare, but from his whole life & conuerſation:… an argument of …. ye are vvitneſſes hovv I liued among gou. ſholilie to my God, iuſtlie to my neighbour) and then hovv vnblameable, which followes on the other tvvo: he who is holie to God and juſt to his neighbour, there is no blame in him. A man that loues, be he paſtor, or be what he will, he will ſhowe his louelove in going before others in a godlie life and conuerſation. In his life and conuerſation he wil be an example to others, and he liues not without vvitnes in the worlde: when thou goeſt out the way, the eyes of manie are vponupon thee; goeſt thou out like a murtherer? many followe thee, goeſt thou out like a thiefe, an harlote… a number followes thee, and ſhall breake their necks on thee. Againe, a louing paſtor will manifeſt his louelove eſpeciallie in going out before his flocke in an holie life: and theſe that hauehave not an holie life I will not ſay they hauehave louelove: I will not ſay that the murtherer hath louelove, no not to his owne wife and children▪ and he is but a ſtumbling blocke to all them that looke on him. An harlote hes no louelove, ſhe is but a ſtumbling blocke, & would hauehave al the world to follow her: theſe are deſtroyers of the building that ſhoulde be builded on Chriſt: woe to the deſtroyer of the Church of Chriſt. This is to be marked: thou wilt not liue without vvitneſſes in the world, liue as well as thou wilt. Paul had vvitneſſes of his life and manner of conuerſation, God was vvitnes and men were witneſſes: ye are vvitneſſes and God … vvitnes. There are two things in a mans conuerſation; the one within, the inward ſinceritie of the heart; an other without, the outward behauior and doing. Therefore he muſt hauehave two witneſſes The heart none can ſee but God, and therefore he is witneſſe to it: the outward actions men may be witneſſes to them. The whole actions of man are ſeene by God and man: God ſees within, men ſees without: both theſe witneſſes are requiſit… for if you hauehave not the approbation of God al thy approbatiō of men ſerues for nothing: who can allow when God diſlikes? So thou who can not nor dare not ſay, Lord be witneſſe to my ſincere heart, thou haſt no witneſſe of God. Againe it is needfull that the conſciences of men among whom we liue in this worlde, ſhould geue vsus a teſtimonie of a goode life: & if thou laikes the teſtimonie of men, thou laikes an approbation thou ſhouldeſt hauehave: and Paul euer ſeeks the approbation of men and appeales their conſciences. The worde in the end of the verſe is to be marked. Among you that beleeue. That is, you that are faithful: he takes the approbation of the faithfull. It is faith that decernes, it is the eye of faith that ſees good and euill, and not the eye of the bodie. The faithleſſe man, if he were neuer ſo quick, can not take vp holineſſe, if he be faithleſſe, he can not decerne betweene the holie and vnholie. This will be his diſcretion: the beſt man he will judge him worſt, and the worſt man he will judge him beſt. And therefore with Paul let no man take him to the approbation of wicked men: but let him rejoice when wicked men ſpeake euill of him: but take him to the approbat on of good men. The approbation of an vnſanctified bodie is of no valour. The true approbation is onelie of God, and of theſe who hes faith to take vp the trueth of good and euill.
Now the laſt argument that teſtifies of this louelove, it is in ſuch things as concernes his calling; namelie, in exhorting, comforting,Faithful. … beſeeching. There are thre named, vnderunder the which thre are cōprehended the whole dueties of the Paſtor, as the other duety was in doing, ſo, this is in ſpeaking: and not onelie muſt the Paſtor ſpeak priuatlie, but openlie; and not onlie openlie, but priuatlie. Wel then a louing Paſtor wil not be dumbe: a dumbe Paſtor is nothing worth: but as Paul makes the compariſon, he muſt be as a father teaching his ſonnes ſtanding in the midſt of them, exhorting, comforting, rebuking them; ſo muſt a Paſtor ſtand in the midſt of his flock, to exhort, comfort and rebuke them: louelove muſt be in dealing with diſcretion, and all men muſt not be delt with alike, all men muſt not be exhorted, becauſe all lyes not back in the way: they who are ſluggiſh muſt be exhorted: all muſt not be comforted, there is ſome ouer proude and hauehave need of a reprofe, they onlie who mou…nes are to be comforted. In a word (that which is ſpoken to Tim thie 2. Epiſt …. …5) there muſt be a right cutting of the word, a Paſtor muſt be a cutter and caruer, and according to his diſcretion, he muſt giuegive to eueryevery man. Now I finde this, and ye ſee it, he takes God to be witnes, and the people among whom he dwelt, ſaying, ye know, ye are witneſſes to me: Learne it. The flock amongſt whom the Paſtor hes bene, ſhall be witneſſes to him in that great day, either to allow of him and his doing▪ or to diſalow: to abſolue or to condemne. If he hes diſcharged a faithfull duetie in his life, his flock will ſtand vp before God and Chriſt and juſtifie him in their preſence in that day: if he hes bene vnfaithfull, they ſhall make a complaint of him, that he was an vnfaithfull Paſtor who hes not done his duetie in his vocation. Therefore let eueryevery man take head hovv he behaueth himſelf vvith any people, for either they ſhall be condemners. or abſoluers of him.
Now he exhorts them. To vvhat thing? To vvalke. Not to ly down, and ſleep, but to get vp on foote and vvalke in this world, becauſe this life is but a pilgrimage, and a ſleeping pilgrime is nothing worth. If thou goe not on, thou ſhalt neuer come to thy journeyes end. How ſhould they vvalke? Not euerie vvay: for, it were better for men to be ſitting or ſleeping then to be walking wrong. Walke vvorthie of God. There is a kinde of comelineſſe in going on the vvay: a man may goe on the vvay in a comelie manner, or elſe he may goe on the vvay in an vncomelie maner.Rule of vvalking. What is the rule of this comelineſſe? Walke vvorthie of God vvho hes called you to his Kingdome. In a vvorde, the rule is, this glorious calling of God to be a Chriſtian man and to be partaker of his kingdome. He vvho is called to be a chriſtian man or vvoman, is alſo called to the Kingdome of God and Chriſt. Brethren, euerie mans life ſhould be meaſured according to his calling, and as his calling is, ſo ſhould he walke, and that calling ſhould be a meaſure of his life. The king ſhould vvalke in Majeſtie, to command: the people in louelove and humilitie, to obey: the Miniſter in vprightneſſe, to teache: the people in holineſſe to vvalke before him: a marchant, a man of law, each one of them is bound in their manner of liuing, according to the rule of their calling. So, they that hauehave their calling to be chriſtians, ſhould hauehave their walking according to their calling. Is thy calling to be a chriſtian? Liue not as a Pagane then, but as a chriſtian. Thou wilt ſay, thou art called to be a chriſtian, and then thou wilt be in the meane tyme a murtherer, an harlote, a thiefe: Is that thy walking in thy calling? No, this chriſtian calling is to a Kingdome and glorie. There are none who are called to be a chriſtian, but they are called to a glorie and Kingdome: they are trāſlated from the power of darkneſſe, to the ſocietie of Chriſt. Therefore, ſeeing, their calling is to a kingdome, they ſhould walke like Kings ſonnes: we are all made by our calling the ſonnes and daughters of God, adopted in Chriſt and heires of that glorie that God dwels in. Then, walke worthie of God and glorie. As our kingdome is aboue, flee and mount aboue this earth, in ſome meaſure, ſo far, as the heauineſſe of this corruption will fuffer: lift vp thy ſelfe, ſinne holds thee down, caſt off ſin and preaſſe vpward: that life that is in God muſt be gotten aboue, in Chriſt: otherwiſe, if our harts be not lifted vp to that kingdome & glorie, if our conuerſation in ſome meaſure be not anſwerable to our calling, we are vnworthie of that calling, and we hauehave neuer bene effectuallie called: thou was called by the eare onelie, thou heard the Goſpell, thy heart neuer receyued the Goſpell, nor ſaw this Kingdome and glorie that thou was called to. Theſe wicked lyues of men ſhowes vsus, that, they were neuer effectuallie called. So as thou wouldſt be a citizen of that heauenlie kingdome, and partaker of that glorious calling, liue an holie lyfe, that, after this lyfe, thou mayeſt be a king, & raigne with God for euer in Heauen. To this God the Father, Son and the holie Ghoſt, be all praiſe for euer.
AMEN.