Lectures Upon the Epistles to the Thessalonians, Part 1 · Lecture 7
THE SEVENTH LECTVRE VPONUPON THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE THESSALONIANS.
1. THESSA. CHAP. 2. verſ. 13. 14.
13 For this cauſe alſo thanke vve God vvithout ceaſing, that vvhē ye receyued of vsus the vvord of the preaching of God, ye receyued it not as the vvord of men, but as it is in deede the vvord of God, vvhichwhich alſo vvorketh you that beleeue.
14 For brethren, ye are become follovvers of the Churches of God, vvhichwhich in Iudea are in Christ Ieſus, becauſe ye hauehave alſo ſuffered the ſame thinges of your countrymen, euen as they hauehave of the Ievves.
THE Apoſtle (ye remember brethren) in the beginning of the ſecond chapter, he digreſſes and he falles out in a diſcourſe concerning himſelfe, his entering among them, what it was, his ſinceritie and vprightneſſe in his whole dealing. This he does in the ſecond chapter vntounto the 13. verſe. In which verſe he returnes to his principall purpoſe, that he had rejoyſing together with them, for the graces of God beſtowed on them through his miniſtrie. This rejoyſing, as he ſhew you in the beginning, it ſtands in a thankſ-geuing to God, who is the geuer of all grace: for without him no matter of rejoyſing, all matter of rejoyſing is in him, who is the geuer of all grace and merciemercy to vsus. The occaſion of his returning to the principall purpoſe is this: In the verſe immediatlie going before he hes ſpoken of his evvne carefulneſſe in teaching them all manner of waye, …, and teaching them that they walk worthie of God, that had called them to his kingdome and glorie.
Nowe in this xiij. verſe he thankes God for that meeting againe he found in them. He teached, he inſtructed exhorted, …nd comforted: the effect; They beleeued, they …, they heard and receiued the thing he ſpoke, they embraced it▪ not as the vvord of man, but as the vvorde of God, as it vvas in very deede. It was not ineffectuall in them, but as they embraced it, ſo it vvrought in ſo manie as beleeued: it was powerfull and made in them a wonderfull alteration; and … the operation thereof it ſhewe the ſelfe to be the word of God. The meaning of the text is plaine. And therfore let vsus come to ſome obſeruations. Ye ſee heere firſt of all great matter of thankſgiuing to God,Grace in … & people d…uble mater of thanks…guing. when this ſweete harmonie is betweene the paſtor and the people, when as he teaches and inſtructs them louingly and faithfullie, they receiue that worde he deliuers to them and therto they conforme their life & conuerſation. There is a ſweet meetting: and if euer there was matter of thankſgiuing in this world heere is matter; in the faithfulnes of the paſtor and in the faith of the people meetting that faithfull diſcharge of the Paſtor in his office. It is true, when the paſtor findeth the grace of God in him ſelfe allone, albeit he finde no meeting in the people, he hes matter of thankſ-giuing to God: for hovve ſo euer it be, if that he doe playe the part of a faithfull paſtor, he is a ſweet ſmell to God, as vvell in them that periſhe as in them that ſhall be ſaued by the vvord. 2. Cor. 2. 15. If ye meete him not he will be ſafe, if that hee diſcharge a faithfull dewtie; but your bloude ſhall be vponupon you owne heades: So he hath matte through the grace he hath receiued, to rejoyce in God. But (brethren) when grace meetes grace, when the faith of the people doth meete the faithfulnes of the paſtor, when hee is not onelie a ſvveete ſmell to God, but he is the ſauour of life to life to the people; there is the double matter of reioyſing and thankeſgiuing to God: double grace and meetinge of grace craue double rejoyſinge and thankeſ-giuing to God for the merciemercy double beſtovved vppon them. If anie man had euer anie grace, Paule had it; yet the man is neuer ſatiſfied in his owne perſone, except he finde grace in thoſe to whom he vttered grace meeting his grace, & except he finde his miniſtrie povverfull to them whom he teaches: for otherwiſe he counts all his labour and running to be in vaine. Therefore all teachers ſhould ſtriue to finde the povver of the worde in the people; for wherefore are Miniſters ſent in the worlde? but to ſee that that word be effectuall in the people to vvinne them to God: and in verie deede he may rejoice when he ſees the ſaluation of the people wrought by his teachinge. This in generall.
Now to come to the words. Their faith is ſet downe in ſundrie degrees; and marke them: the firſt degree is hearing; they heare the word of the Apoſtle;4. degries of ſaith there is the firſt grace in the people meetting the paſtor, when they giuegive their preſence & heare him patientlie. It is of the grace of God that a man or woman can ſit and heare the vvord of God: and it appeares that it is the grace of God; ye ſee manie in Scotland that gets neuer the grace to heare, no preaching,1. Hearing of the vvord. no hearing in many parts of the land: miſerable are they without preaching, without hearing No queſtion what euer other cauſes be of the lacke of preaching & hearing, it is a juſt judgement of God on the people: and woe be to them that drawes away the moyen of preaching and hearing from the people: miſerable ſhall their end be. For, I ſee not, how ſaluation ſhall be, without preaching and hearing. There are many againe, that albeit occaſion of hearing bee offred to them, and the teacher be at hand, yet they will not come to heare, they may heare and will not heare. Some will come to ſit down, but if any thing touch their affection, they will heare with impatience: all this ſhowes you, hearing is of grace. Firſt, to get the occaſion of hearing, is, grace: next, to heare patientlie, to heare ſin and vice rebuked in all eſtates of men and vvomen it is a grace; for, ſome, in hearing their ſinne rebuked, they heare impatiently with grudging, and as ſoone as they remoue and go out, that impatience breakes out in bitter vvords, As, when Steue… in the 7. chap. Acts ver. 57. 58. is ſpeaking to that Councell of the Iewes that vvere conueened; as ſoone as he ſpeakes againſt them, they put their fingers in their eares, and ruſ…ing on him ſtone him to death. The 19. chapt. Acts verſe 33. when Alexander ſtands vp among the Epheſians, certaine people beeing conueened together, when he begins to ſpeake to them of the way of God againſt Demetrius, they cry out all vvith one ſhoute immediatlie, Great is Diana of the Epheſians. The 22. chapter Acts verſe 23. when Paul makes a diſcourſe of his ovvne life and comes to this, that, he vvas called to be a teacher to the Gentiles, they rent their clothes and caſt duſt vp in the aire. All this telles vsus the fury and rage of the heart, againſt God, againſt Chriſt & his word. And by the contrair; it is a ſpeciall grace of God, that men and vvemen gets, when they can ſit ſtill and heare the word of God patiently. There is the firſt degree.
The ſecond degre of their faith and meeting of the Apoſtle, is receyuing of the vvord. That is to ſay, a receyuing and approuing of the word of God,2. generall allowance. to be true and good, euen, a generall allowance therof. When this man will ſay vvithin himſelfe, this is true that is ſpoken. Many gets not this grace: for, many when they heare, ſuppoſe they lend their eare to the vvorde, in their minde they diſalovv that which is ſpoken: and albeit thy mouth be cloſe, yet the minde vvill be making contradiction The naturall man ſaies the Apoſtle. 1. Cor. 2. 14. vvhen he heares of heauenlie things, he vnderstands them not: yea, more, he thinks them all but fooliſhneſſe. Set vp a naturall man, he will ſcorne all that is ſpoken of Chriſt and of ſpirituall things, and will laugh at them in his owne heart. When Paul came to Athens Act. 17. verſ. 18. and entered among thoſe high headed Philoſophers, and begouth to ſpeake of the way of God. They met him againe with ſcorning, and they ſaid, What meanes this bablor? they thought all that he ſpoke babling. There are many of them in Scotland, who thinks, vvhen a man ſpeaks of Chriſt, that, all is but babling. Then, it is a grace of God, to geue an allowance to that vvhichwhich is ſpoken.
There is farther heere.3. … heart. The third degree of grace, is, embracing the word in the heart. There are many that can heare, that is a grace: when they hauehave heard will giuegive a generall allowance, that, all is good, all is true; there is the ſecond grace, but, in the meane tyme, they will ſhoote it all out of their heart: they will ſay, it is true and good, but, what is that to me? they neuer emembrace it in their owne heart. Simon Magus (as it is tolde, Acts 8. 21. allowed of that which was ſpoken, & it is ſaid, he had faith; in the meane time, no application in his ovvne heart, for, ſhortlie after he vttered that gall of bitterneſſe which was in his heart & he wold hauehave bought the graces of the holie ſpirit: and therfore, Peter meetes him, and wiſhes, that, he ſhould periſh and his money to. There are manie of this ſort, who vvill be content to heare & allovve it to, & ſay. The Miniſter hes ſaid vvel this day, all is true: yea but what haſt thou reported, and what haſt thou applyed to thy heart? Thou heard to thy condemnation, except thou apply ſome thing to thy ſelf of that grace thou didſt heare.
Yet ther is a fourth degree; to receiue it as God vvord, Not onlie to heare, allow, embrace; but to receiue it as the word of God. Albeit, Paul ſpoke it,4. Receiuing of the vvord, as the vvord of God. yet, they looked vp, aboue Paul, and tooke it out of his hand, not as his vvord, but as the vvord of God: that is a greater grace. There are manie that reſt to much vponupon the man that teaches, and ſet their hearts on the mouth of him that ſpeakes more nor on God that giues the ſpeaker the grace. Manie will heare this vvritten vvorde, allow it, embrace it, but they make it to them the vvord of man, rather nor the word of God; becauſe they count the Scripture to be authentick, not becauſe God did ſpeake it, but becauſe the Church ſayes it, as the Papiſts do ſay, this day. So they make the New and old Teſtament to be the vvord of men. The Lord keepe vsus from ſuch an error: for it is not poſsible to builde faith vponupon that ground. I appeale thy conſcience that ſayeſt this, if euer thou didſt finde that conſtant faith in thy heart: faith can not reſt, except it hauehave an aſſurance, that, the word is from God and not from men: how manie in this countrie faile in this? There are manie that receiue and embrace it, not with that reuerence they ſhould: when they hear it ſpoken they giuegive no reuerence nor obedience thereto, more nor it were the word of man, for when they goe out, they are as wanton in wickedneſſe as euer they were before. This teſtifies their want of due reuerence, If this were ſetled in the hearts of men, that, the word that is ſpoken were the word of God, and that it is not the man that ſpeaks it, but Gods Spirite in the man… they would receiue it, embrace it, and obey it with greater reuerence. O, the obedience he would giuegive to that word. There is naturallie ſuch a reuerence of God in the heart, that when they are aſſured it is of God, they will reuerence it.
Now brethren, ye ſee in all theſe degrees nothing but faith. All is expreſſed in faith: ye ſee the beginning of it, the progreſſe of it, the ending where it reſts. It begins at the outward ſenſes: It begins at the eare. Faith is by hearing. Rom. 10. 17. Then it goes next, to the minde, which allowes and approues it. It ſticks not there, but it goes downe to the heart; and there in very deed is the right ſait of faith: there is the proper loding of faith. Look, that, thy faith be not in thy head and eare onelie (there are many hes it ſo, and it goes away with the winde) Looke, that it goe to the minde, and be not content with that, but ſee, that, it goe down to thy hart. This faith, ye, ſee, then, it exerciſes the whole ſoule of man: it exerciſes both the reaſonable powers & the affections. Take head to it. The thing whereinto this faith is exerciſed, is the word of God. Faith in the eare is exerciſed about the word, faith in the minde is exerciſed about the word, faith in the heart is exerciſed about the word of God. The word of God ſhould fill the whole head, mynde and heart. This is it that the Apoſtle to the Coloſſ. ſayes. chap. 3, 16. Let the vvord of God dvvell in you plenteouſlie: not ſparinglie, but powerfullie. And certainelie thinke on, I tell you, if thou ſtryue not, ſo long as thou art heere, to be filled with the word of God, looke not after this lyfe for his preſence: if thou preaſſe not, in ſome meaſure, in this lyfe, to hauehave thy ſoule filled with him: looke not, that, God ſhall be a father to thee in the life to come. Alas, we can not get that fulneſſe and our ſoules ſo wel exerciſed as we ſhould hauehave by the word: but if we ſtriue to this, our willingneſſe is acceptable to God. Where there is a deſire to thinke and meditate of it, and to repent that thou canſt not hauehave that deſire therof as thou wouldſt, it repares that want we hauehave of that fulneſſe.
There is yet one thing heere to be marked. The ſpeciall ground of his thankſ-giuing, is, for the imbracing of this word, not as the worde of men, but as the worde of God. Wherein ye ſee, it is a rare thing and a ſpeciall bleſſing of God, vvhen a man is not offended vvith that goode vvorde of God. What care I for him, ſome vvill ſay oft-tymes, I vvill heare the vvord of God, and receyue it, but this companion vvho teaches, hes offended me, I vvill not heare him. Againe, he is of ſo meane graces, he can not ſpeake two words right, he is babling. Well thou art ſtumbling: and thou wilt breake thy neck if thou doeſt ſo: for thou muſt not thank that the word of God hangs on the mouth of man, but the mouth of man doth hang on the word of God. This is the fault, we meaſure euer the word of God by the inſtrument, and counts ay of the word of God, as of the word of man that ſpeakes it and preaches it. 2. Cor. 10. 7. Enter in compariſon,The … God and the … of man are contrarie. and I will let you ſee, Gods doing is far from mans doing, and mans doing is contrair to Gods doing. There is the wiſdome of God. It hes pleaſed him from the beginning to put his power in the weakeſt creature, in the ſillieſt and baſeſt to looke to the hes not choſen the wiſe in the world, the potent and noble, to put his power in them, when it pleaſed him to vtter his omnipotent power. When he vttered his power againſt Pharao, he puts his power in frogs, in lyce, in flees, and he is auenged on proude Pharac, by thoſe vylde things. All this is, and was, that his power ſhoulde be ſeene, that men ſhould not thinke, this is the power of a frogge, louce or flee: but is the power of the great God that made all thinges. And when he meanes to deſtroy Goliath, he will not hauehave the armie of the Iſraelites, nor Saul… ſlaying him, but he will hauehave ſillie Dauid ſlaying him, without armour, with a ſling onelie. All this was that the world might ſee, it was not Dauids power, but Gods that ſlew Goliath. So, the richeſt treaſure that God hes in Heauen, vvhichwhich is Chriſt Ieſus in the word, he puts it in vylde veſhelles, the Miniſters thereof. The vnſearchable riches of Chriſt, the power and juſtice of God in Chriſt, and all the glorie of God in Chriſt, he takes it and puts it not in veſhelles of ſiluer, and golde: no, but in a veſhell of earth. 2. Corinth. 4. 7. and all this is, that, the vvorlde ſhoulde not eſteeme the treaſure according to the veſhell. Therefore, the Lorde will put in a veſhell of claye the treaſure that is Heauen in Chriſt. Now will ye ſee mans famous wiſdome. When he heares the vvord comming out of this baſe and infirme man, he ſayes, the veſhell is nothing worth, it is made of clay, it ſerues for no purpoſe; a ſillie fellow, from whence came he? therefore this word that is in his mouth, it can not be the word of God: would euer he hauehave put ſo pretious a thing in ſo vylde a veſhell? O rebellious man, that is euer contrarie to God in all thinges, and ſpeciallie in the Goſpell! Experience teaches vsus of the enimitie, that the wicked men in this Realme caries in their heart againſt God and his Miniſters: they will not let God be wiſe in his wiſdome he hes in his Miniſterie, but they will be wiſer. Well, fight on, his wiſdome will winne the fielde, and thou wilt loſe it to thy euerlaſting deſtruction.
Now to goe forward. He caſteth in a parentheſis, ſaying, As it is in deed, the vvord of God. Ye eſteemed it not as the word of men, but of God, as it is in deed: Receyue it as ye pleaſe, account it Gods vvorde, or mans, as ye pleaſe, it is and ſhall abyde Gods vvord; and thy mouth in the end ſhall be ſhutte vp, ſo, that thou ſhalt not vtter one vvord if thou account anie otherwiſe of it. So vvhat euer be the opinion of men in the vvorlde, and their ſpeaches, their ſaying, or gaineſaying alters nothing:Th' inſtrument neither adds, nor diminiſhes the glorie of the vvord The vvord of Ieſus abydes, and ſhall abyde the true vvord, and ſhall retaine the ovvne authoritie and glorie: thy vvordes vvill neuer be able to make any change. No, brethren, the mouth of man for as infirme and graceleſſe as it is, will not be able to impare a jot of the glorie of that God: and by the contrair, put it in the mouth of neuer ſo glorious a creature, if it wer in the mouth of an Angell, nothing will be added to the glorie of it: it is powerfull in the ſelfe, the creature will not be able to make any alteration. In deed, it will honour the mouth, when it is put in the mouth of a man it will make him honourable, but he can not honour it, if he were neuer ſo noble or eloquent. Set vp a king to preache, trow ye he will honour the Goſpell? no, but he ſhall get honour by the preaching of it. No, if it were all the Angels of Heauen that would preache this glorious Goſpell they can not giuegive it honour, but they are honoured by it. And when the Angels came and cryed to men this word of God, they got a ſingulare honour. Paul to the Galat. chap. 4. verſ. 14. ſayes, ye receiued me as an Angell of God, yea, as Chriſt Ieſus. Wherefore was this? for Pauls ovvne preſence? no, but for the word of God in his mouth, which made him to be accounted as an Angell of God. Neuer man ſhall be able to ad any honour to the word, or diminiſhe the honour thereof. Now bleſſed is he who gets this grace to deliuer this word with an earneſt zeale, to glorifie God and Chriſt by preaching thereof.
Now in the end of the verſe. He thinkes it not eneugh to call it the word of God, but he giues a proofe of it. The vvord of God vvher euer it be,P…er of the vvord. will euer prooue it ſelfe to be the vvord of God: it can not be idle, it muſt be quicke and effectuall in the hearer, it muſt vvorke liuelie, it vvill pearce lyke a tvvo edged ſvvord, and therefore, it is ſaid: vvhichwhich alſo vvorketh in you that beleeue. Hovvbeit it vvas vttered by an infirme man, yet, the vveakeneſſe of the perſone hinderes not the povverfull operation of the vvorde. It vvill not be the mouth of the ſpeaker that vvill holde back povver from the vvord of God. But vvhen the Lord puts his vvord in his mouth, and ſayes, I will put my vvord in thy mouth, go thy vvay, if all the world had ſaid the contrare, that vvord ſhal be powerfull. Well is that man in whoſe mouth this word is put: and vvell is that people that hes a man in vvhoſe mouth the Lord hes put his word, the baſneſſe and infirmitie of the man, will not be able to hinder the povver thereof. If the Lorde once put his vvorde in his mouth (it is ſo vvonderfull a thing.) Set vp eloquent Dememosthenes, diuine Plato, facunde Cicero, &c. vvho vvere like as manie vvonders in the vvorld: let them come in vvith their eloquence, they ſhal not hauehave ſuch operation in the harts of men, as a ſillie fellow, and ſimple of ſpeache ſhall hauehave, vvhen he ſpeakes the vvord in the name of the Lord. And if there vvas euer a vvorke in the vvorlde maruellous, that vvorke vvhichwhich the Miniſter by the Spirite, and vvorde of God workes, is moſt maruelous. For, to regenerate a man, vvho vvas once dead, it is not a mans tongue, his eloquence, his inſtancie that can doe it, but onelie that powerfull, and bleſſed vvord of God: that all glorie and praiſe of his povverfull operation may be giuen to his Majeſtie.
Marke a word farther. He ſayes, not that workes in euerie one of you: but he ſayes, in you vvho beleeues. In the 1. chap. Rom. verſ. 16. The Goſpell is called the povver of God to ſaluation, to them that beleeues. In the firſt to the Corinthians chap. 1 verſ. 24. It is the povver and vviſdome of God to them that hes that effectuall calling, and hes gotten the heart oppinned to take head, and drinke in the worde, onelie in theſe is the worde of God effectuall to ſaluation. Brethren, it is true, it is offered with power to the vnbeleeuers, as well as to the beleeuers, but this is the difference. If thou haſt not an heart & hand to take it when it is offred to thee with power, thou ſhalt neuer receiue its thou wantſt power to receiue it, but there is power in the word very ſufficient vntounto ſaluation. Alas, how manie heare the vvord with their heart ſo hardened, that the word ſtrikes on their hart as an hammer on the ſtuddie. The hardnes of thy heart beats it backe againe, ſo, that it is not powerfull to thee. My counſell is, except thou preaſſe to hauehave thy heart mollified, and craueſt at God to mollifie it, hear not the word, or Ile aſſure thee, the more thou heareſt, the more thou vvilt be hardened. Manie make a ſhowe of hearing: the Lord and the Laird will come and ſit in their daskes and heare the worde, and will come forth without anie profite, becauſe their hearts were not attentiue to heare. Ieaſt not with the word, it ſhall eyther ſaue thee or ſlay thee, and in the day of damnation thou ſhalt curſſe the time, that thou euer didſt heare the word of Chriſt, if thou finde it not powerfull in thee. Come, in a minde to renew thy ſinfull life, or, elſe, bide away: come to be humbled vnderunder this word and reuerence it, if that thou were a King, or elſe bide away, vnleſſe thou vvouldſt heap on thy ſelfe an intolerable damnation.
Now brethren, I ſhall end ſhortlie in the next verſe. He thinkes it not eneugh to ſet downe this in generall, what the vvord of God wroght in them that beleeued, but he comes to the particulare. It will not be the generall word will do thee good but a particulare. The ſpeciall effect is, It made them to be follovvers. It is good to followe them that goe the right way: they vvere followers of the Church that was in Iudea, followers of the Ievves that were conuerted and beleeued in Chriſt. The word conformed the Theſſalonians to the chriſtian Church of the Iewes. Al this was by the povver of the vvord of God in the mouthes of men. Looke not for an Angell from heauen to ſpeake to thee, nor for a ſound from heauen: but looke for it out of the mouth of men. We wearie faſt of this miniſtrie; what miniſtrie vvill vve hauehave next? will ye hauehave Papiſt…e againe? will ye hauehave Angels? No, if ye contemne this miniſtrie, if this miniſtrie be put out of the land, thou ſhalt neuer finde anie miniſtrie powerfull to ſaluation. Then I marke: this is the power of the word of God, a conformitie & like affection in ſundry perſons: to make me like thee,the vvord povverful to make cōformity and thee like me, the godlie like other: this is the power of Gods word, to cauſe a church follow one an other, to joine man with man, to draw in a bloodie wolfe to the ſheep-fold of the Lord Ieſus and to make him a ſillie lambe: He that now was raging to draw him to Chriſt & to cauſe him ſit down, and joine himſelf to Gods people in holineſſe and godlines. This is a maruelous effect that the word hes. It is not the proper effect of the word, to cut men from good men, but to make a conformitie to joine good mē with good mē, & draw al together to the church. The Lord, the great Paſtor, he joynes all the members of the bodie together, and all to make a whole body to the head chriſt. In a word, it is the force of Gods word, to worke our felicitie & bleſſedneſſe, and I aſſure thee, thou who art a contemner of the word of Ieſus, thou ſhalt neuer be happie, neither in this life, nor in the life come. All ſtands firſt in a conjunction with Chriſt the head, and then, with the members. Step out of the ſocietie of the church as you wil (what is the church to thee) I denounce the terrible judgement of God againſt thee, if thou ſeek not to hauehave that conjunction & ſocietie of the church of God, thou ſhalt neuer get a portion in Ieſus: there is thy doome, if thou repent not. This conformitie is not al wroght at once: but, the word of God, by the power thereof, will bring one firſt in, then, an other man, then, the thrid man: then, one Church; ſecondly, an other church; thridlie, the thrid church; and ſo, draw them al together. So, that they who comes laſt, hauehave no diſaduantage, they both hauehave that ſame word to draw them in that the firſt had and then alſo they hauehave examples before them, drawing them in. It is good to hauehave an aduantage beſide the word, to draw thee in. Brethren, we that are now in the world we hauehave this laſt vauntage, we hauehave theſe patternes: looke how many hauehave bene called, they are as many vauntages and patternes to draw vsus to God. And looke that thou heare not of a godlie man, but preaſſe to follovv him, and ſay, God make me lyke him: for, among the reſt of the meanes God hes ordained to winne ſoules, the ſetting vp of patternes before men is one meane. This nature of ours is backward, (For, vve are all borne naturallie Woolfes and Tigers) ſo, that, it makes vsus that vve break avvay ſo faſt from the ſheepe-…old of Chriſt, that we hauehave great neede of many meanes to draw vsus in: And therefore, the Lorde ſome-tymes vſes, by the word, and ſome-tymes by the examples of others to draw vsus in to Chriſt Ieſus.
Yet againe this conformitie that is ſet down wold be marked. The conformity is in ſuffering, ye are followers of the church in Iudea: in what? in ſuffering alike with them: the ſame perſecution they ſuffered, ye ſuffer: yea, more; he amplifies their ſufferinges, in that they did ſuffer of ſuch like perſecutores as the Church of Iudea did: euen of their own countrie-men: the Iewes it was that perſecuted the Iewes who were conuerted: it is the Theſſalonians that perſecutes you that are in Theſſalonica. This is the perſecution.Conformitie in ſuffring. Then, learne. The conformitie that ought to be among men and vvemen in the world, ſtands not in doing onelie, to make others doe vvell, as he doeth well: As one Church liues holilie, ſo, to cauſe one an other liue holily: but, it muſt be a conformitie in ſuffering alſo, that, as one man ſuffred, ſo, an other ſhoulde ſuffer: as one Church ſuffered, ſo an other Church ſhould ſuffer: it wil not only be actiue, in doing, but, paſſiue, in ſuffering. There is a faire effect, conformitie in ſuffering. Brethren, men oft tymes are readie eneugh to follow others in doing, but, they are loath to ſuffer: all godlie men would be like other godlie men in doing: I ſee not a godlie perſon, but, I would be lyke him: and one Church would be like an other godlie Church, in doing. But, if I ſee a godlie man ſuffer before me, I wil hold aback and ſhrink to follow him. If thou ſee one martyred before thee, thou wilt leaue him and not take part of his burden. There is not a flouriſhing Church in Europe, but this would be like it: but it hes no deſire to be like that Church in France, that hes bene ſo long vnderunder affliction, and can not get vp the head of it. It is in deed an hard matter to the word of God, to worke doing good in the heart of man: but, a harder matter, to worke patience and ſuffering of affliction: but, if the word be not effectual, as well to work ſuffering, as doing; I can not ſay, it hes that force and power in vsus that it ſhould hauehave. And therefore, albeit thou be not as yet at ſuffering; yet, prepare thee for ſuffring: reſolue not thy ſelf for doing alone eueryevery day, but, for ſuffring alſo whatſoeuer croſſe the Lord will lay on thy back. And let this be part of thy prayer: Lord ſtrengthen me in ſuffering. For, as thou wouldſt raigne with him, ſo thou muſt take a reſolution to ſuffer with him. Who will not ſuffer, let him neuer looke to be an heyre of Heauen. It is now due time to learne to be prepared for ſuffering for Chriſts cauſe. The Lord giuegive vsus grace that we may ſuffer patientlie, that he may be glorified in our ſuffering. To this God be glorie and praiſe for euer.
AMEN.