Exposition of 2 Thessalonians, Exposition · Chapter 3 · Verse 5
VERS. 5.
And the Lord direct your hearts into the louelove of God, and into the patient waiting for Chriſt.
THe third teſtimonie of Pauls louelove, his prayer to God for them: yet conceit not here diſſolatus ſcopus. Reference is of this prayer, as of former teſtimonies, to the maine of their comfort. And as I conceiue, points them to the meanes of their eſtabliſhment, and preſeruation, meanes then which none are more potent: 1 LoueLove of God. 2 Patience of Chriſt: which becauſe they are out of the compaſſe of natures power, Paul prayes to bee giuen them.
In the prayer it ſelfe two things obſeruable: 1 The generall matter direction, or ſetting ſtreight their auerſe and crooked hearts. 2 Whereto, if you aske; to the 1 louelove of God, and 2 patience of Chriſt, meanes moſt auaileable to their eſtabliſhment, and preſeruation.
The Lord direct your hearts to the louelove of God; 1 as if the heart of man in nature, were auerſe from the louelove of God; 2 and as if in the regenerate remained ſome part of naturall auerſeneſſe from it.
De primo: oRom. 1.30.Haters of God, we read more then once in Scripture; perhaps conceiting it the ſtile of ſome extrauagants in nature. That may well bee, in the meaſures and notorious expreſſions; howbeit, preſents vsus with what eueryevery mans nature inclines vntounto.
It hath beene queſtioned, whither hatred of God the chiefe good, be poſſibly incident into mans nature.
Resp. Nothing preſented and apprehended vnderunder the notion, and reaſon of goodneſſe, can be hated; foreign the name of drawing all things to it, the definition, to be what all men, all things deſire. Howbeit, the chiefe good apprehended as euill, may, vnderunder the fancied notion of euill, be hated; as the greateſt euill is loued, preſenting it ſelfe vnderunder the notion of good.
The greater queſtion is, whither nature afford not ſome louelove of God, nature, I meane, fallen, vneleuated aboue it ſelfe, and vnaltered by grace.
Reſp. A queſtion harder then at firſt ſight it ſeemes, and which hath, as much as many, vexed Schoolemen. For my part, I eaſily ſide with them, which hold, that God is not, nor can bee loued aboue all, neither intenſiuè, nor appretiatiuè, neither as Author of nature, nor as giuer of ſupernaturall beatitude, without grace ſupernaturall.
The reaſon is pregnant, becauſe ſuch meaſure of louelove to God, endures no inordinate motion, or action againſt the Law of God. Which rectitude, if wee place in nature, wee fruſtrate grace, and directly contradict the Apoſtle. Rom. 8.7.
But whither there may not be in nature ſome motion, or affection of louelove to God, a little other then concupiſcentiall, is not ſo eaſily reſolued.
Bernard thus ſpecifies degrees of louing God by their ſeuerall motiues, or, as they terme them, formall reaſons. 1 When we louelove God vt bonus ſit nobis, that hee may doe vsus good; this louelove is meerely concupiſcentiall, or as you may ſtile it, mercenary; the ſo louer intends his owne benefit only, and more loues himſelfe then God. 2 When wee louelove God quia bonus fuit, becauſe hee hath done vsus good, and heaped his benefits vponupon vsus, this iſſues from gratitude. 3 When we louelove God quia bonus in ſe, contemplating the amiable excellences which dwell in the Deitie. May not ſome of theſe fall into nature?
1 There is a merit of louelovepAct. 17.27 28. & 14.17, 18. palpable by nature. 2 Nature may eaſily bee wrought to confeſſe debitum, a debt, and obligation of louing.
3 There is, or may bee wrought vponupon nature, knowledge of Gods not onelyonly exiſtence, but louely attributes; qRom. 1.20.Power, Wiſedome, iuſtice, Mercy, Goodneſſe, &c. Can a morall naturaliſt feriouſly contemplating them, chooſe but be enamoured of them, and deſire to enioy him whoſe eſſence, at leaſt endowments, he apprehends ſo excellent? querae. Or may not a man ſo louing God, bee acknowledged to louelove him a little more then concupiſcentially?
4 Hope of God, and deſire to enioy him ſome report of ſome Heathens. Ens entium miſerere mei; If it were the ſpeach of Ariſtotle dying, and his ſpeach directed, not to the creature, but to him, whom elſe where he confeſſeth ſuperiour to all tranſcendents, was much; and no ſmall euidence of ſuch louelove as we enquire of.
Marry, if the queſtion bee of that dilation, or louelove of God, which they call charitatiuam, whereby God is loued for himſelfe aboue all, and our neighbour for God, thats doubtleſſe fructus ſpiritus, non naturae: therGal 5.22. 2 Tim. 3.4. fruit of the ſpirit, not of nature; its louer of pleaſures more then of God. And of charitie ſo ſtrictly taken, would the Apoſtle be vnderſtood.
Ʋſe Why queſtion wee it, or endeauour to prooue natures auerſeneſſe from it, ſo in all things euident? And not rather deplore the horrible deprauation of our nature, by meanes of the fall. Thereto ſet thy ſelfe apart in ſerious meditation, and thinke it begins to vaniſh, where its ſeelingly bewailed.
2 But are remaines of it in the regenerate? Reſp. 1 Elſe Paul had neuer prayed God, to continue more and more to rectifie the hearts of this people thereto, whom hee ſo eueryevery where acknowledgeth eximious in grace.2 Theſ. 1. 2 And, witneſſe the manyt2 Cor. 10.5. extrauagant thoughts deſires, purpoſes, exorbitants attempts, and actions ſo contrariant to the Law of God; ſome of theuRom. 8.7. wiſedome of fleſh remaines in the moſt ſanctified. 3 Beſides our doubtings of Gods louelove,*1 Iohn 4.18. feares to approach him; preferring our profits and pleaſure; to his ſeruice lothneſſe to partxMat. 9.43. with our right hands, and right eyes, our things leſſe deere then then they, though they cauſe vsus to offend; all theſe proclaime vsus fuller of ſelfe louelove, then of louelove to our God.
4 And why ſhould we fancy perfection of louelove, where is ſuchy1 Cor. 13.9. imperfection of knowledge and obedience? 5 Or thinke our hearts more perfectly rectified in louelove, then in feare, hope, faith, or other vertue and holy affection? Whoſe mixtures with their contraries, and fightings againſt them, we daily experiment.
Ʋſe 1 I eaſily giuegive Papiſts leaue to thinke charitie is, or may bee profit in this life: they meane to periſh in their pride. For my part I am of Bernards minde; charitatis affectualis initium quidam progreſſumque, &c. Beginnings, and proceedings of affections charitie, we receiue in this life; perfection and conſummation therein, we maintaine to be the priuiledge of the life to come.
Tis poore comfort which corruption affords; and that almoſt as poore, which affliction. Yet commonneſſe of affliction, not the Poet onelyonly, butz1 Pet. 5.9. the Apoſtle makes ground of comfort. The ſame afflictions are accompliſht in your brethren, which are in the world. And why not, this ſame kinde of ſolace? The ſame imperfections are in your brethren, that are in the world; in all Saints that euer hauehave beene, are, or ſhall bee to the end of the world.aPro. 20.9. Who can ſay I hauehave made my heart cleane, I am cleane from my ſinne? From my ſinne in all meaſures? Behold, we conflict all with doubtings, with diſtruſt, with diſpaire, with ſecutitie: and, not, trow you, with ſelfe louelove? Its well that we conflict, and maintaine the combate, though with ſome foiles; its ſigne we fight on Gods ſide, there is hope certaine, wee ſhall at laſt bee conquerours. I ſay as the Apoſtle, comfort your ſelues one another, euen with theſe things.
Yet pray, as the Apoſtle here directs, and ſtriue by all meanes to grow in this grace, to beebEpheſ. 3.17. rooted and grounded in louelove, the rather for that its ſo auaileable to perſeuerance. Much water cCant. 8.7.cannot quench louelove, Obſer.neither can the flouds drowne it: if a man would giuegive all the ſubſtance of his houſe for louelove, it would vtterly be contemned. See Apoc. 12.11. Heb. 11.35.
Polycarpe vrged by the Proconfull to ſpare his age, by blaſpheming Chriſt; theſe foureſcore and ſixe yeeres hauehave I ſerued him, and he neuer hurt me in any thing, how can I curſe, or ſpeake euill of my King, who hath ſaued me.
1 Thus thou mayſt kindle it; is there any eximious vertue that can draw thy affection? Wiſedome, Power, Iuſtice, Mercy, Goodneſſe, &c. Behold them all eminently, or rather eſſentially in God.
2 Thus inflame it: labour tocEpheſ. 3.18, 19 comprehend with all Saints, the height, depth, breadth, and length of Gods louelove in Chriſt. Circumſtances of amplification, ſee at large. Rom. 5.6, 7. Iugatur Bernardus de diligendo deo.
3 Eſpecially diſcerne thine owne ſharing in Gods fatherly affection; there is not nor can be any motion of louelove to God, till wee feele his louelove ſhed abroad in our hearts, by the holy Ghoſt giuen vntounto vsus. See 1 Ioh. 4.19. Gal. 2.20. 2 Cor. 5.14.
The ſecond vertue prayed for, as auaileable to perſeuerance, is patience of Chriſt. Our Engliſh renders, patient waiting for Chriſt: whereof ſee Annotata ad 1 Theſ 1. vlt. Yet why not patience of Chriſt? as Apoc. 1.9. Either obiectiue, becauſe for Chriſts ſake: or exemplariter; or per excellentiam.
1 The nature of the vertue in generall, thus conceiue. Patience is the contented endurance of penall, or painefull euils.
1 The generall, is tolerance, or endurance, the vertue being a branch of fortitude.
2 The obiect rather painefull,Hierome. then ſinfull euils. Neminem volo patiemem eſſe in cauſa laeſae fidei. Moſes thedNum. 12.3. mirrour of meekeneſſe, knowes eExod. 32.19, 26, 27.no patience in Iſraels idolatrie.
3 Contentedneſſe makes vp to the full, the difference ſpecificall. See Mic. 7.9.
Degrees of Chriſtian patience, you may thus number. 1. Its ſomething, when the heart is ſilent, not ſuffering thoughts of murmuring, or repining at Gods hand to ariſe, or harbour there. Pſal. 39.2. Iob 1.
2 More, to diſcerne, and acknowledge a goodneſſe in our afflictions. Pſalme 119.71.
3 Yet more, willingly to beare the puniſhment of our ſinne, or tryall of our grace. Mic. 7.9.
4 The higheſt degree, which Saint Iames ſeemes to call the perfect worke of patience, is, to reioyce in tribulation. See Iam. 1.2, 4. Act. 5.41.
The vaile it hath to perſeuerance in goodneſſe; Paul and our Sauiour points vsus vntounto. Hebr. 10.36. & 12.1. Luke 8.15. & 21.19. And in all experience it hath beene found true, moſt hauehave ſtumbled at the croſſe, thorough defect of this branch of fortitude.
1 What thorough louelove of eaſe; moſtly we are of Iſſachars tribe. 2 What thorough giuing raines to fleſhly reaſon, to preſcribe vntounto prouidence, courſes of equitie, Mal. 3.16. Pſal. 73.3 To which may be added, that wee vſually meaſure goodneſſe by ſenſe; know no good, but what is good to nature. Pſal 4.6. 4 And that in afflictions, wee tranſcend not ſtate of this life, nor hauehave wiſedome to conſider, the goodneſſe laid vp in ſtore for vsus againſt the world to come. Pſal. 31.19. 2 Cor. 4.18. That, not without cauſe, Paul prayes encreaſe of patience, as neceſſarie to eſtabliſhment.
Meanes to worke and encreaſe it. 1 What euer our croſſes are, or may bee. Iuſtly wee are in them: how followes not the reſolution? Willingly to beare Gods chaſtiſement, ſith we hauehave ſo ſinned againſt him. Mic. 7.9.
2 Compariſon to this end is maruellous auaileable.
1 Of our ſufferings for Chriſt, withfHeb. 12.2. his ſuffering for vsus.
2 Of our momentany afflictions in this life, with the endleſſe torments of Hell deſerued by our ſinnes; from which by g1 Cor. 11.32.theſe, as meanes, we are freed. 3 Of our ſuffering with ourhRom. 8.18. glory that ſhall bee reuealed. 4 Of our ſelues vnderunder the Croffe, with men left to periſh in their ſinnes, thorough lacke of afflictions. See 2 Tim. 3.13. Hoſ. 4.14. Pro. 1.32. 5 Of our ſelues, with our ſelues; our ſelues afflicted, with our ſelues at eaſe; how languiſhing in deuotion? How ventrouſly exorbitant? How ſecure, and forgetfull of our God, doeth proſperitie make vsus? See Pſame 30.6. and 119.67. 2 Samuel 11.2, 3, &c.
3 Conſideration of what they euidence patiently borne.
1 GodsiHeb. 12.6.7. fatherly louelove and care of vsus. 2 His gloriousk1 Pet 4.14. ſpirits reſting vponupon vsus. 3 OurlIohn 15.19. taking out of the world.
4 Meditation of their ſingular effects. 1m2 Cor 12.7. Peruerting ſinnes. 2 Reducing from ſinne. 3nPſal 119 67. Mortifying it in our members. 4 Making knowne grace ſecret. 5oHoſ. 5 15. Quickning grace languiſhing. 6pIob 1. tot. Iuſtifying our ſinceritie. 7q2 Cor. 4.17. Working our glory.
If that other rendring better pleaſe, the patient waiting for Christ, with whoſe comming is coniunct the recompenſe of our labours, it alſo hath its auaile to our eſtabliſhment. See Iam. 5.7, 8. Hebr. 10, 36, 37.
Meanes to further it: meditate 1 the reward is gratuitous;rRom. 11 35. who hath giuen him firſt? 2 Great and glorious, farre aboue theſRom. 8.18. proportion of all our ſeruice or ſufferings. 3 In meaſure,1 Cor. 4. ſuch as maytRom. 8.23. 2 Cor. 1.22. Rom 14.17. ſupport, and ſolace vsus in our bittereſt paſſions, in this life vouchſafed, in our ſanctification, peace of conſcience, and ioy of the holy Ghoſt. 4 And theuIam. 5.7. Lord is at hand;*Apoc. 22.12. behold hee comes quickely, and his reward is with him. The fulneſſe indeed is referued till the finall conſummation; howbeit, the ſoule of eueryevery Saint, this ſhort life ended, enters into the ioy of their Maſter. Apoc. 14.13. 5 Ends alſo of differring would be weighed: whereof ſee Heb. 11. vlt, Apoc. 6.11. 2 Pet. 3.9. And of Pauls preface to his tart and peremptō rie proceeding thus farre.
Like holy Oratorie, I would faine commend to my brethren of the Miniſtery; prudently to inſinuate, and winde themſelues into the good opinion of the people, howſoeuer extrauagant: that, where the x1 Cor. 4.21.rod muſt be vſed, rather then the ſpirit of meekeneſſe, yet they may perceiue our louing affection. Better, to the very relliſh of prudent delinquents, are theyPro. 27.6. ſtripes of a friend, then the kiſſes of an enemie. Dauid prayes for reproofe, yet would hauehave itzPſal. 141.5. friendly; then its pretious oyle, ſoueraigne balſome in the fruit, and in his wiſe eſteeme.
Ʋſe What wiſe man approues the temper of Eſau, his body, in a Miniſters minde? All rough riged, eſpecially to brethren. Its ſaid indeed, aLeuit. 19.17.plaine and open rebuke is an office of louelove: Yet wiſe men know, actes of louelove may be ſo carried, as to become actes of hatred and extreameſt deſpight; as in b2 Sam. 16.7, 8.Shimei to Dauid. 1 There is a modus, as well as a matter, and that principally formes the action. 2 Nor ſufficeth it to pretend, or to exerciſe workes of louelove, except there bee expreſſions of kinde affection, in the manner of carriage. Thus hath beene Pauls preface.