Exposition of 2 Thessalonians, Exposition · Chapter 1 · Verse 4
VERS. 4.
So that we our ſelues glory in you in the Churches of God for your patience and faith, in all your perſecutions and tribulations that yee endure.
TH'iſſue or effect of their gracious growth; that is, Pauls glorying or boaſting of them: where is th'Act, we glory. 2. Perſons agent with an Emphaſis here applied to the Act; we our ſelues. 3. Patient or receiuing, in prudence choſen to be Auditors; the Churches of God. 4. The Matter of boaſting, their patience and faith in all their tribulations.
Of the firſt, We glorie. The terme ſometime ſignifies exulting ioy; ſometimes publiſhing praiſe with a kinde of vaunting, whether of our ſelues, or others; if of others, yet not without ſome reflection vponupon our ſelues: ſo Paul glories in this people, holily prides himſelfe in them, as being his workmanſhip in Chriſt Ieſus.
Its a little Paradox, to ſay, there is a good pride; But me thinkes, I could giuegive a Miniſter leaue to vaunt, to halfe pride himſelfe in the gratious endowments of his people, conferred by his Miniſterie.
1. It ſeales to him his ſending, 1 Cor. 9.2. 2 Cor. 3.1, 2, 3. 2. ſhall be augmentation of his glorie, Dan. 12.3. All this is little. They are his p1 Cor. 9.1.workmanſhip in Chriſt Ieſus, ſo farre as they are gracious. Angels honour is great, in that God chooſeth them to be inſtruments of good to his Church, Heb. 1. vlt. Miniſters is more, in that they are ſelected as meanes to ſaue the ſoules of Gods people: Gabriel, Michael the Archangel hauehave not ſuch honour, to ſaue themſelues, and thoſe that heare them, 1 Tim. 4.16. to be foreign,q1 Cor. 3.9. Gods coworkers to the ſaluation of his people. Sauiours of the Saints, What men, what creatures were euer ſtiled, but Miniſters of the Goſpell? Obad. ver. 21.
Ʋſe Churchmens pride and ambition is now the maine eyeſore of prowder Laicks. They neuer learnt it of the Archpaſtour, and Biſhop of our ſoules. Howbeit, wee read of Pauls holy ambition, Rom. 15.10. here of his holy boaſting. Be ambitious of winning ſoules: I bleſſe that ambition. Proud, if you can, of your peoples gracious endowments and demeanor; glorie in the Lord, of the ſoules you hauehave ſaued, God ſhall make you yet more glorious.
Of the ſecond, We our ſelues. Its ſomething, at leaſt a not-nothing to promerit the commendation of men eminent in Grace: moſt of Miniſters renowned in the Church.
1. Their Iudgement is moſt ſolid: they, if any, hauehave the Spirit of diſcerning, 1 Cor. 12.9.
2. Are of all men fartheſt from flatterie,r2 Cor. 5.12. knowing no man according to the fleſh, nor daring to giuegive titles, Iob 32.22.
The maine of a Chriſtians aime in this kinde is to procure the teſtimonie and approbation of God, and his owne conſcience: next to it, to promerit the commendation of Saints, ſpecially of Saint Miniſters.
Ʋſe Its neuer good to be prodigall of fame. 1. Its preciousaPro. 22.1. aboue gold or Pearle. 2. The charge is to prouide things honeſt before God andbRom. 12.17. men: rather before good men, ratheſt amongſt Miniſters. 3. Its comfortable tocPſal. 15.4. honour Saints. Not to be deſpiſed, that wee ared2 Cor. 8.18. honoured of Saints, eſpecially of Miniſters, whoſe labours God hath bleſſed to behooſe of his people.
Of the third. In the Churches of God. Of that choiſe of the Apoſtle theſe Reaſons may be giuen. 1. Theyſ1 Cor. 2.14. onelyonly ſee the beautie of Grace. To a carnall vnderſtanding, how ſeemes the ſimplicitie of faith? fooliſhneſſe: to beleeue vponupon bare teſtimonie, without demonſtration, or probable argument? Meekeneſſe: ſuch as our Sauiour preſcribes, totMat 5.39. turne the other cheeke, more then ſheepiſhneſſe, touRom. 12.20.21. doe good for euill; to finde the enemie at aduantage, *1 Sam. 24.20.and let him goe free, how croſſe is it to carnall policie?
2. Amongſt ſuch onelyonly, may we expect good iſſues of ſuch commendation; to be led on by commended examples to imitation. I like Pauls zeale for his Nation, deſirous to worke in themxRom. 11.14. emulation of Gentiles. But thinke his hope of preuailing ſmall, till towards the end of the world, till the fulneſſe of Gentiles be come in: more praiſe his prudence in this choiſe, that he chooſeth to commend them to the Churches of God.
Ʋſe There is a kinde of talkatiue zeale and deuotion rife amongſt vsus; whether it ſort with prudence iudge yee: diſcourſes there paſſe frequent in all companies of abſtruſeſt points in Theologie: Monitions are caſt away vponupon ſwine, praiſes of gracious perſons, and practiſe, who is not prodigall of?
I like apologie for the faith; iuſtification of Chriſtian courſes, to any that ſhall aſke vsus a Reaſon of our hope; allow offering of better information to them that are willing to vnderſtand; of reproofe and correction, where is hope to reforme. Yet bewaile the iſſues of imprudence in this kinde. 1. Expoſing truth, and Spirit of God to ſcoffe, andy1 Pet. 4.14. blaſpemie of Aliens. 2. Weaklings to wauering, thorough ſtrength of cauils and diſabilitie in ſuch tatling Religions, toz1 Pet. 2.15. ſilence the ignorance of fooliſh men, whoſe tongues they hauehave ſet on wheeles, to cauill and raile at our Chriſtian faith and holy practiſe.
Of the fourth. The matter of boaſting: your patience and faith; amplified by the maine oppoſites of both; multiplicitie of tribulations and perſecutions which they endured.
Patience, vnderſtand contented endurance of painfull euils. Faith, either generall beliefe of the promiſes: or perſwaſion of Gods louelove, or confidence in his merciemercy.
Tribulations and perſecutions ſome thus diſtinguiſh. Perſecutions they conceiue, Troubles, which the body of the Church endured. Tribulations, the perſonall grieuances of particulars amongſt them.
Thus rather I conceiue: Perſecutions, to beaI…. ….10. troubles or afflictions for righteouſneſſe ſake. Tribulations, any croſſes whatſoeuer, whether mediately or immediately inflicted of God; as chaſtiſements, trials, preuentions, &c. Abſolons inſurrection, Shimei his railing, were Dauids tribulations, not his perſecutions: that, iſſuing out of Abſolons ambition of the Kingdome; this, from Shimei his zeale for the houſe of Saul: other differences you may conceiue in meditation, guided by the Apoſtle, Rom. 8.35.
The vertues commended, are their Patience, and Faith; two of the moſt comfortable ſupporters vnderunder the Croſſe: and no where more commendably exerciſed, then in multiplicitie of afflictions.bIob 1.22. In all this did not Iob ſin with his mouth, nor charge God fooliſhly: the encomium of his patience. Though he kill mee, cIob 13.15.yet I will truſt in him: the practiſe of his faith.dPſal 39.2. I was dumbe and opened not my mouth, becauſe thou Lord didſt it: The profeſſion of patience. I will yet truſt to ſee the goodneſſe of the Lord in the land of the liuing: the practiſe of vnconquerable faith.
Its commendable and comfortable, when Grace beares vp it ſelfe againſt oppoſition, that argues it ſubſtantiall and vigorous. Doeſt thou, yet continue in thine vprightneſſe? the ſpeech in the vtterers intention ſeemingly of exprobration: the thing to me ſeemes matter of admiration.
1. I …rue, Afflictions are the matter, the cauſa ſine qua non of …; wherefore they are ſaid to cRom. 5.3.worke. Yet conſidering … eaſefull nature, tend they not to exaſperate againſt prou… weighing intention of inſtruments inflicting, are they …bent eIob 1.11.to ouerthrow it? eſpecially when, as billowes in the Sea, they come one in the necke of another; what patience, except ſupernaturall, can beare vp vnderunder them?
2. Beliefe of promiſes, how is it ſhaken by them? Sundry precious promiſes God hath giuen vsus of comfort, ioy, and peace in beleeuing.f1 Tim. 4.10. Godlineſſe hath promiſe of this life and of that to come. Yet oft, our portion of … … ties is of the ſcanteſt: peace, we rather deſire, … God himſelfe writes bitter things againſt vsus. I … to ſee Dauids faith falter: wonder rather, conſidering his tentation, that faith at laſt recouers it ſelfe, and holds faſt the Concluſion; yet God is good to Iſrael, Pſal. 73.1.
Perſwaſion of Gods louelove, how hardly retained? when … feele him, as Dauid: 1. vexing vsus with all his ſtor… 2. giuing little or nog… ſenſible comfort to ſupport. 3. no… tillh…eb. 12.11. after, fruit of our croſſes. I can eaſely beleeue, our Sauiour had the Spirit of Faith not by meaſure, who being in his ſenſe forſaken of God, yet by faith held the concluſion, God was iM…. 27.46.his God, gracious and louing vntounto him.
Confidence in his merciemercy, who almoſt retaines in multiplicitie of continued preſſures? mirror of faith, more then of patience Iob ſeemes to me, when, in his deepeſt miſerie, he proteſts to hold faſt his confidence: Though he kill me, yet I will truſt in him: that not without cauſe Paul glories in this people ſo patient, ſo faithfull in all their tribulations, and perſecutions.
Ʋſe 1 I wiſh they may be our ſamples in our afflictions. Maruellous is the delicacie of our fleſh, through long continuance of eaſe: ready almoſt to blaſpheme God to his face, if he lay, I ſay not, his hand, but his little ſinger vponupon vsus. And in our practiſe,k2 Cor. 5.7. contrarie to that of the Apoſtle, we walke by ſight, not by faith; ſcarce euer truſting the Lord without his pawne; beleeuing no more of his promiſe or louelove, then our fleſhly ſenſe apprehends.
It ſhall be our wiſedome to fortifie … in vsus, that we may be able to ſtand faſt in … day: we cannot be ignorant of thelActs 14.22. commo… … Gods children, nor of themRom. 8.17. condition of our … And …hough there may be diſparitie in the meaſur…, as God is pleaſed to reſpect our infirmitie; yet is that of the Apoſtle vniuerſally true.n2 Tim. 3.12. All that will liue godly in Christ Ieſus ſhall ſuffer perſecutions. I ſay as Paul, oHeb. 10.35,ye hauehave neede of patience: andp36. caſt not away your confidence: they are principals in the Chriſtian proofe Armour, meanes of patience. 1. Meditation of ourqMic. 7.9. merit. 2. ofr2 Sam. 16.11. Gods hand in affliction. 3. of the fruit of afflictions. 1. theyſ2 Sam. 16.12. make way for bleſſings. 2. bringtHeb. 12 11. fruit of righteouſneſſe. 3.u2 Cor. 4.17. worke our glory.
Helpes to faith vnderunder the Croſſe. 1. Perſwaſion of Gods louelove. 1. God proteſteth his*Apoc 3.19. louelove to them he rebukes. 2. vſually proportionsx2 Cor. 1.5. comforts to our tribulations. 3. if we wait, we ſhall ſee the fruit. 1. Affections weaned from the world. 2. Grace languiſhingyHoſ. 5.15. excited. 3. Sinnez2 Cor. 12.7. preuented or mortified.
2. Beliefe of his promiſes. 1. Rightly vnderſtand how the bleſſings are conueied in the Couenant. Temporals. 1. with limitation to expediencie. 2. diſiunctiuely, either the particulars, or theaMar. 10.30. equiualent. 3. with exception of the croſſe, and reſeruation of power to the promiſer, tobPſal. 89.31, 32. chaſten our miſdemeanour. Spirituals. 1. quoad eſſentiam, non quoad Gradum eminentiorem. 2. with power reſerued to withdraw the exerciſe;c2 Chro. 32.31. leaue to our ſelues: abate the feruour, &c. Nothing makes faith more doubtfull or wauering, then miſunderſtanding of the promiſes.
2. Conſider, how God oft brings his purpoſes to paſſe, by meanes moſt vnlikely, in the eye of fleſh: ſometimes moſt oppoſite to their accompliſhment. 3. Meditate ends of permitting to extremities. 1d1 Pet. 4.12. to trie. 2 to manifeſt Grace of his children. 3 to magnifie hise2 Cor. 12.9. power in their ſupport or reſcue.
Confidence in his merciemercy. 1. Thou haſt his promiſe, his oath;fHeb. 6.18. two immutable things wherein its impoſſible that God ſhould lie. 2. Who euer periſhed being innocent, and where hath the righteous bin forſaken? Experiments God hath giuen vsus in others; experience of his merciemercy in our ſelues.gPſal. 77.5. Remember the dayes of old. 3. God would by this meanes looſe our hold-faſts on fleſh, and teach vsus toh2 Cor. 1.9. rely wholly vponupon himſelfe. And of Pauls proeme hitherto: the Conſolation followes.