Exposition of 2 Thessalonians, Exposition · Chapter 3 · Verse 2
VERS. 2.
And that we may be deliuered from vnreaſonable, and euill men, &c.
THe ſecond materiall part of the preſcript concerning our perſons: wherein is 1 the bleſſing to be praied for; deliuerance from, &c. 2 The reaſon of preſcribing. For all men hauehave not Faith.
And that we, &c. To our perſons then, and not to our calling onelyonly, belong the louing & reuerent regards of our people. So is the cha…ge eueryevery where;l1 Theſ. 5.13. HaueHave them in ſingular louelove: ſee alſo 1 Cor. 16.10. The ground of ſuch reuerence and louelove, are our gifts and calling: howbeit the function intereſſeth the perſon, and entituleth it to all due reſpects from the people: ſee 1 Cor. 4.1. & 2 Cor. 5.20.
Ʋſe How acute is this age growne in coining diſtinctions aboue the rate of Thomas or Scot; more then metaphyſicall in abſtractions. Our gifts and calling men contemplate as Platoei Ideas; them forſooth they reuerence; our perſons yet ſo contemptible, as ſcarce worthy to be ſet with the dogges of their flocke. 1 Not ſo Cornelius, nor Lydia, nor Gaoler, nor Aquila and Priſcilla, nor any that hauehave felt want, or taſted power and comfort of our miniſtery. In ſuch mens eyes,mRom. 10.15. our feet are beautifull. 2 As to the want of that experience, ſo to the infirmity of our perſons, may ſuch contempt be imputed: wherein yet Gods wiſedome is obſeruable; therefore putting then2 Cor. 4.7. treaſures in earthen veſſels, that the power might be knowne to be of God. Not many mighty, nor many Noble, according to the fleſh, are vouchſafed this high calling, to be Gods Inſtruments and coworkmen to the ſaluation of his people: 1 God would ſo proue the obedience of his people: 2 bring downe the high lookes of the proud: 3 ſolace and recompence our outward abaſures.
And yet they ſay, Daniel was ſonne of Nobles, Iſaias of the bloud royall, Melchiſedecke King of Salem, the ſon of God, high Prieſt of our Profeſſion. And amongſt vsus ſome of generous, of noble deſcent, who hauehave learned of Dauid, to count it more honour to be doore-keepers in Gods houſe, then to reigne in the Tents of vngodlineſſe; and highlier eſteeme the reproach of Prieſthood, then all the treaſures of Aegypt. Amongſt earthwormes only holds the rule, Dat cenſus honores.
The bleſſing to be praied for; deliuerance from vnreaſonable and euill men. Thoſe, ſome interpret the vnbeleeuing among Iewes, as they are in like caſe ſpecified by the Apoſtle, Rom. 15.31. foreign, thoſe are to them after the Grammer Etymon, men of no ſetled abode; vagring or vagabund Iewes: ſtorie accords, how eueryevery where they purſued the Apoſtle, and wrought him no ſmall danger. But what lets to extend it alſo to falſe brethren, profeſſing Chriſtianity? Cer…es the Apoſtle mentions his perils created by them, as well as from his owne Countrimen, 2 Cor. 11.26. Enemies no doubt, as abſurd, and troubleſome as any Iudaea afforded: ſo much the more dangerous, by how much the more domeſtique, & intimous to the houſhold of faith.
Deliuerance he meanes, from their malice and trechery: But, if this were the lot of Apoſtles and Euangeliſts to be peſtered, and perilled from ſuch, what ſtrange thing is it if betide vsus. Our Sauiour foretold it as the common lot of all Miniſters. Prophets and men of God in all times, experimented it. Ieremie ſomewhereoIac. 15.10. bewailes it; ſomewherep& 18.20 21. plaints of it, not without imprecation vponupon the Authors. Ezechiel dwels among qEzech. 2.6.bryars and thornes amids Lyons and Scorpions: ſee 2 Tim. 2.
Reaſons are ſome, common to vsus with other Chriſtians: 1 therGen. 3.15. enemitie vnreconcileable betwixt the two ſeedes; exaſperated by the Se…pent to rage, againſt Miniſters. 2 Weſ1 Pet. 4. Ier. 15.19. run not with them to the ſame exceſſe of Riot.
3 There is in our Miniſtery ſomething that exaſperates: 1tMat. 6.17, 18. open and plaine rebuke: 2 denunciation of iudgement againſt exorbitants. But holds it in Eccleſiâ conſtitutâ, where orthodox faith is profeſſed: where Magiſtrates are nurſing fathers of the Church? Reſp. 1. Not there as legitimated or countenanced. Yet 2 there alſo, as in Abrahams family, which Paul makesuGal. 4.29. meaſure of our ſtate to the end of the world. 1*Rom. 9.6. All are not Iſrael, that are of Iſrael. 2 And in Churches moſt reformed are found of this ranke of abſurd and lewd men; ſome almoſt of Elimas his pitch,xActs 13.10 Enemies to all goodneſſe.
Ʋſe So that no man ſhould bey1 Theſ. 3.3. moued with afflictions of Miniſters, ſo as to queſtion either truth of their doctrine, or warrantableneſſe of calling, or ſincerity of their hearts, nor ſo much as imprudence or indiſcretion in their carriage, as from this ground: you know or may know 1 We are thereunto ordained. 2 That it hath bin lot of moſt faithfull and wiſeſt of Prophets and Apoſtles: 3 Cauſes alſo you ſee euident, corrupt hearts of hearers.
VsUs it doth not a little ſolace, to meditate; we are herebyzMat. 5.12. ſorted to Apoſtles and Prophets, conformed to the Image of our Sauiour, the Great Shepheard of the Sheepe.
Yet ſhould teach vsusaMat. 10.16. 2 Tim. 4.15. prudence and circumſpection in all our deportments. Prudence, I meane not ſurceaſing ſeaſonable performance of dutie, which coſt Ieremie ſobIer. 20.9. much vnreſt: but 1 cautionateneſſe, of laying open our ſelues to iuſt quarrels of the contentions: 2 ofcMat. 7.6. caſting our pearles to ſwine: 3 ofdIohn 2.24. committing our ſelues to ouerinward familiarity of ſuch as hauehave not approued themſelues faithfull.
The qualitie of men thus maliciouſly bent againſt Miniſters, eſpecially deſerues our notice: foreign.
foreign: Abſurd fellowes, compact of meere incongruities; ſoleciſing continually in opinion, ſpeech, action, whole life. Our Engliſh renders vnreaſonable; whither they meane them, men whom no reaſon will ſatisfie; or as Peter and Iude deſcribes them, meere ſenſualiſts, bruits, led with humour or ſenſe againſt all reaſon;e2 Pet 2.12. ſpeaking euill, ſaith Peter, of things they vnderstand not: as Iude, what they fIud ver. 10.know naturally, therein corrupting themſelues. Saint Paul ſomewhere ſaith of them they areg2 Tim 3.8, 9. foreign; and imputes to them no leſſe then franticke demency: Such vſually are the oppoſites of ſoundeſt Ministers. Ieremie heauily bemones himſelfe of ſuch Aduerſaries; himſelfe a man that had no dealings with any hIer. 15.10.yet curſed of eueryevery one. The ſiluer-Smith at Epheſus made a head of ſuch good fellowes; voicing it as ſtrongly as their Captaine againſt the Apoſtle, yet, for the more part, iActs 19.32.not knowing why they were come together. A great Politician was he amongſt this abſurd Crue, who could ſay, thiskActs 28.22. way is eueryevery where ſpoken againſt. Wiſer Reaſons of oppoſing can few giuegive, that make inſurrection againſt their Miniſters.
Their ſecond ſtile is foreign; we may interpret after the Grammer Etymon; men deſirous of trouble, procuring it to others, of iangling diſpoſition; whoſe life is, as of Salamanders, in the fire of contention; perhaps led with that rule, Neuters are worſt men in contentions, they louelove to be in the brawle; but by their good will alwaies ſiding to the worſer part.
Or whither, after common vſe of the word, we vnderſtand them men of vicious life, notorious lewdneſſe, ſuch you ſhall finde vſually aduerſaries to the miniſterie. In long obſeruation, I hauehave fearce noted any, if but of ciuill deportment, that willingly would be ſeene in ſuch quar…els. Indeed we read of certaine lAct. 13.50.deuout women ſtirred vp againſt Paul; but, who doubts? that deuotion was meere ſuperſtition.
Ʋſe 1 Saint Pauls Canon was, Let no accuſation be receiued againſt a Presbyter, vnderunderm1 Tim. 5.19. two or three witneſſes; and thoſe he meanes Legates. Another runs thus; Schiſmatici non ſunt audiendi contra Epiſcopos. And why, I wonder, foreign and foreign, eueryevery abſurd and lewd companion againſt a graue Miniſter? Diſpoream, if vponupon examination, they be found other, that quarrell at Claſicall Preachers. Lord, that the Sages of our Church would ſeriouſly thinke of it; our ſteereſmen pittie their poore brethren, who climbe the Maſts, and draw the poope; beare burthen and heat of the day: how ſhould they doe their duetie with ioy, and the people be framed to conforme in Religion?
Might reaſon preuaile with lewdneſſe and abſurdity, I would adde my aduiſe to theſe oppoſites. And yet the moſt hare-braind amongſt theſe abſurd fooles, would be thought wiſe: The lewdeſt miſcreant, is affected with repute of honeſty. If Paul, if Gods Spirit can iudge, you are but abſurd fooles, lewd miſcreants, whoſoeuer maliciouſly oppoſe to your Miniſters, or ſeeke to entangle them in the ſnare.
For all men hauehave not faith. The Reaſon of preſcribing this petition on behalfe of their perſons, q.d. And maruell not we deſire your prayer for deliuerance; for all hauehave not faith, to reſtraine them from maligning the Doctrine, and Teachers of faith.
Faith; meanes he the morall vertue, fidelitie: ThatnMat. 23.23. acception of the word is not infrequent in Scripture; and thither bends the Antitheſis, But God is faithfull. Rather, ſith the ſtreame runs that way, the vertue Theologicall; yet withall, ſuppoſe the other implied, q. d. All are not faithfully or indeed that which they pretend, and ſhow for in faith. For that he would be vnderſtood of men in the Church profeſſing faith, I make no queſtion. 1 Idle had it bin in the Apoſtle to minde this people of Pagans and ſuch like, that they wanted faith; ſelfely they knew it: 2 Nor could their feare and diſcomfort, which in the Anti…heſis he anticipates, ariſe from any other, then children of the Church profeſſing to belieue,
Infidelitie is not all amongſt Pagans: faithleſneſſe is as much in the children of the Church: in many profeſſing to beleeue; many oIohn 2.23.24, 25.beleeued in the name of Chriſt when they ſaw his Miracles; yet did not our Sauiour commit himſelfe vntounto them. Durſt not our Sauiour betruſt himſelfe with beleeuers? A thouſand liues he might hauehave put into their hands, had they indeede beleeued in him. But he, who ſaw what was in them, diſcouered infidelity lurking vnderunder the vizar of profeſſed faith.
Want of imperate Acts of faith euidence it: thus number them: 1pAct. 15.9. puritie of heart and life: 2qGal 5.6. louelove of God, his ordinances and children: 3 Deuotion. 4r2 Cor. 4.13. Confeſſion. 5ſIam. 2.14, 15, &c. Workes of Charitie and MercieMercy▪ &c. where theſe are not, be bold to ſay there is no truth of faith, be vaunts neuer ſo confident of Abrahams foreign. Saint Auguſtine wrote comfortably de perſeuerantia ſanctorum; Ʋſe 1 there is a Script bearing title de Apoſtaſia ſanctorum. Stuffed with Examples, of many ſuppoſed to hauehave reuolted from faith. But it would be enquired, whither theſe who t1 Iohn 2.29.went out from vsus, were euer truely of vsus. whither theſe, who reuolted from faith, had euer any more then the ſhow of faith: in Scripture men beare names of what they ſhow, and are not. Queſt. Then what looſe they? Reſp. That which they ſeemed to hauehave: the ſhow of faith, pietie,uLuke 8.18. ſanctity, they carried in the Church. I ſay not all Scriptures, or inſtances may thus bee explaned: yet doubtleſſe many.
But the more ought we to bleſſe God for ſpecialty of his grace to whom he hath giuen truely to beleeue in him. For*Acts 17.28. & being, liuing, mouing, for ſenſe and reaſon, forx14.17. food and raiment, for raine and fruitfull ſeaſons, I cannot but bleſſe God, and admire his goodneſſe. Lord yPſal. 8.4.what is man that thou art ſo mindfull of him? yet theſe are common to me with heathen, many with Bruits. For meanes of ſaluation, andz1 Iohn 5.20. minde to know him, my heart is more enlarged to praiſe his mercy; yet theſe are common to me with hypocrites in the Church. But that he hath bleſſed the meanes to my ſoule, to worke true faith, and repentance vnfained, now thankes be to God for his vnſpeakable gift: who can expreſſe the noble acts of the Lord, or ſhew forth all his doings? once I know 1 my merits no more then others; my demerits, haply, as great as others. 2 The ſame meanes of faith vouchſafed to the faithfull, but bleſſed vntounto me to make me faithfull. 3 Impediments in me and oppoſites to faith, as ſtrong as in another: 1 bleſſedneſſe of minde, to conceiue the myſteries of his kingdome: 2 pride of reaſon, ſcorning to ſubſcribe to anies Ipſe dixit, to reſt on naked authority, bare teſtimony of God himſelfe; expecting argument and demonſtration to euidence concluſions Theologicall, yea articles of faith. But bleſſed be God, who hath ſubdued theſe high thoughts to the obedience of Chriſt; when thouſands of others are ſhut vp vnderunder vnbeliefe.
For all men hauehave not faith. Perhaps Paul meant to point them to the fountaine of this lewdneſſe and abſurdity, in procuring the vniuſt vexation of himſelfe and his Aſſociates; that is, want of faith; The ſource as of moſt ſinnes, ſo chiefely, of perſecuting the Ministerie: had they faith, but as the graine of Muſtard-ſeed, they could neuer grow ſo lewd or abſurd to moleſt the inſtruments of their belieuing. Had they knowne, they would not hauehave crucified the Lord of glorie. Did men belieue? had they euera1 Pet. 2.3. tasted how gracious the Lord is, they would neuer vexe the Miniſters of Godb1 Cor. 3.5. by whom they belieue. RathercRom. 6.4. lay downe their owne necks for their ſafety and preſeruation.
Faithleſſe, Infidels, and no better they ſhall euer be to me, whom I ſee maliciouſly bent againſt the perſons of their faithfull Paſtors.