Exposition of 2 Thessalonians, Exposition · Chapter 3 · Verse 6
VERS. 6.
Now we command you, brethren, in the Name of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, that ye which draw your ſelues, from eueryevery brother that walketh diſorderly, and not after the tradition which he receiued of vsus.
THe maine materiall of the chapter followes. Spent it is in an implicite reproofe of errour in manners; direct preſcript of reformation. The faults to bee reformed are firſt the ſleeping of Church diſcipline towards the inordinate, ad verſe 11. Secondly, inordinate walking in neglect of manuell labour, notwithſtanding, the canon ſtabliſhed amongſt them: ad verſe 16.
De primo: For what concernes the Churches carriage towards the diſorderly, particulars obſeruable in the preſcript. Are 1 the matter, or the office & duty, withdrawing or ſeparation. 2 The forme or maner of preſcribing, with peremptorie command, and greateſt grauitie. We command in the Name, &c. 3 The enforcement, v. 7. & ſequentibus.
Modus 1 Now wee command you brethren in the Name of the Lord Ieſus Chriſt. Reflect, if you pleaſe vponupon 1 Theſ. 5.14. Ye ſhall obſerue the Apoſtles cooler carriage towards the delinquents; we exhort, or beſeech you to admoniſh. Here peremptorily, we command to withdraw. Reaſons of difference probable, conceiue theſe: 1 To a friendy admonition, the propenſion is eaſie; puniſhment ſo hard, as to ſeparate from brethren, ſeemes harſh. See 1 Cor. 5.
To that, the ſafteſt exhortation inclines; to this, except vehemency, nothing perſwades a friendly cenſure.
As to the difference of cenſures, in reſpect of the delinquents. Thus thinke reaſons might be: 1 Our Sauiours order in leuioribus delictis, iscMat. 18.15, 16. firſt admoniſh; till contumacie be euident, proceed not to extremitie. 2 And perhaps tofore they were preſumed to ſinne, but of ſupine neglect; after admonition, rather of refractary contempt.
But in ſuch order its ſeemely for Eccleſiaſtique cenſures to proceed. Incongruous it ſeemes to Bernard, vt antè Iudea faciat, quam minetur; nedum admoneat: ſpecially in faults of lighter nature. Yet contumacie iuſtly exaſperates, and prouokes to wholeſome ſeueritie: It argues not violation onelyonly, but contempt of authoritie, and comely order.
Wee command you in the name of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt; that is, by d1 Cor. 5.4.authoritie of the Lord Chriſt, committed to vsus by him; as if Chriſt himſelfe commanded by vsus.
Clearely we hauehave hence, that to Apoſtles, and other primitiue Miniſters of the Church, was committed power of iuriſdiction ouer the Church and people of God. The power of the keyes is committed eMat 16.19. Iohn 20.23.to Peter, and his fellow Apoſtles; authoritie to bind and looſe, to remit and puniſh, not onelyonly in the inner court, or the forum conſcientiae; but in foro externo, by a iudiciall kinde of proceeding. Hence obedience preſcribed to people towards Miniſters. Hebr. 13.17, &c.
Remaines it ſtill in the Church? Reſp. Who doubts? When 1 commiſſion is, for ſubſtance, the ſame to ſucceeding Miniſters. 2 And vſefulneſſe and neceſſitie, the ſame to all ages.
Trow you, where the ciuill Magiſtrate is Chriſtian? Reſp. Quieti…? as vnderunder Conſtantine, Theodoſius, &c. See Zanchius in Iſaium, as he is extant in Miſcellan part. 2.
Church power, they thus diſtinguiſh: 1 there is poteſtas Miniſterij; their authorityfMat. 28.19. to teach publiquely, and adminiſter Sacraments. 2 Poteſtas ordinis; g1 Tim. 5.22. Tit. 1.5.to ordaine Miniſters, and make Lawes for externall gouernement. 3 Poteſtas foreign, or cenſura, toh1 Tim. 5.10…. adminiſter cenſures leſſe or greater, according to the qualitie of offences.
Theſe ſtirring queſtions was haply calmed, whither the people, either plebs, or optimates, hauehave to intermedle in the power of cenſure, or order, &c. I willingly forbeare. This onelyonly, ſo farre as my little vnderſtanding in Scripture was euer able to guide mee, I could neuer finde any whit more committed to people in them, then in that other, of miniſtring Word and Sacraments. Nor finde I vſe of it in the Primitiue Church, ſaue onelyonly by way of Indulgence.
Ʋſe Oh the inſolencies, and indignities, poore Paſtors ſuffer from the dij minorum gentium; more by much, then from the now ſupreme Maieſtie on earth, or ancient Emperors. The enuy, ſuperiours inueſted in power of iuriſdiction, are ſubiect vntounto, from men but of meane ranke amongſt the people; how gladly would they deriue all power from them, to themſelues? and vtterly baniſh, what they would ſeeme to aduance, Church cenſures out of the Church? Yet heares it amongſt many of them, a part of the Goſpel, the Kingdome of Chriſt, &c.
Its ſo belike, when its managed by the people; not when miniſtred by clearkes; to whom yet alone our Sauiour committed power of the keyes. Theſe few concluſions meditate: 1 Iuriſdiction Eccleſiaſticall is by our Sauiour conferred vponuponlMat. 16.19. 1 Cor. 5. 2 Theſ. 3. his Miniſters; the managing thereof, made ſeuerall to them. Ergo.
2 Contempt of it, when its regularly vſed, is no other then contempt of Chriſt.
3kMat. 18.18. Ratification it hath in the Court of Heauen, and woe to him that deſpiſeth.
Withdraw your ſelues from eueryevery brother, &c. The duetie inioyned, ſeparatiua, or ſequeſtring themſelues from ſocietie. 2 Of whom if you aske? Of eueryevery brother walking diſorderly. 3 Where is ſubioyned definition, or explication of inordinate walking; not walking after the tradition, or ordinance by Apoſtle, and his aſſociates ſtabliſhed in that Church.
De primo: What this ſeparation, or withdrawing inioyned, is, is in a ſort amongſt interpreters queſtioned. Amongſt our Donations and Anabaptiſts, as other things, bayard like, reſolued to be from ſocietie in ſumis.
Interpreters thus; would Paul bee vnderſtood of excommunion?
Reſp. Probably not, whither by Excommunication we meane, excluſion a ſacris, or giuing vp to Satan. 1 The phraſe ſorts not thereto; withdraw your ſelues; in Excommunication its thus, put away from among you that wicked perſon, 1 Corinth. 5.13. 2 And what then is that foreign verſe 14. which hee preſcribes to their diſobedience, after new monition by this Epiſtle? Rather a priuato conſortio, which, though in large ſenſe it may be ſtiled Excommunication, for that ſocietie with Gods children in priuate life, is part of the communion of Saints; yet, in propertie of ſpeach, is not ſo. See Caietane, Chriſoſtome, and Theophylact ad locum.
Meanes hee as donations thought, corporall ſeparation from all ſocietie with men aptly, euill ſuppoſing them tolerated in the Church of God? So our Browniſt brethren, as they would be ſtiled, of the ſeparation.
Reſp. Sweetly, and to purpoſe Saint Cyprian de lapſis. Etſi videntur in Eccleſiae eſſe zizania, non tamen impediri debet aut fides aut charitas noſtra, vt quoniam zizania eſſe in Eccleſia ſemper cernimus, ipſi de Eccleſia recedamus. Nobis tantummodo laborandum eſt, vt frumentum eſſe poſſimus, vt cum caeperit frumentum dominicis horreis condi, fructum pro opere noſtro & labore capiamus. See Saint Auguſtine eſpecially againſt Parmenian, lib. 3. cap. 18. & 3. cap. 3. Item contra creſconium. lib. 3. cap. 50. & 81. Item againſt Parmenian. lib. 2. cap. 1. eſpecially de verbis Domini ſermon. 18.
Thus briefely conceiue. 1 Societie in euill thou mayſt not hold, no, not with beſt men; Epheſ. 5.7, 11. rather reproue them. This to Saint Auguſtine is,lIſai 52.11. comming out from amongſt them, touching no vncleane thing. See him de verb. Dom. ſer. 18. in fine.
2 Societie in goodneſſe, ſpecially in Sauris, in the ſeruice of God hold with the worſt men; thou haſt Chriſts warrant, Mat. 23.1, 2. His, and his Saints example; frequenting Sacrifices and other ſeruices of the Temple, when teachers and people, were moſtly ouer growne with Libertineiſme, and ſuperſtition. 1 With what comfort ſlight I Gods precept, Heb. 10.25. 1 Theſ. 5.20. for the preſence of wicked? 2 Why rob I my ſoule of the comfort of his ordinances, for that profane men vſurpe their vſe? 3 Is this to defile my ſelfe, to be partner with the adulterer in his adulteries, to do the dutie which God hathinioyned me?
3 Ciuill commerce thou mayſt hauehave with them without See 1 Cor. 5.10. As Abraham with the children of Heth. Gen. 23.
4 Neceſſary offices of humanitie, withhold not from a brother,mGal. 6.10. or ſtranger; feed their hunger, cloath their nakedneſſe; they ceaſe not to bee men, or neighbours, by being euill men.
5 Yet if any, that is called a n1 Coi. 5.11.brother, be ſcandalouſly, and contumaciouſly exorbitant, with ſuch hold no familiaritie, to ſuch ſhow not a friendly countenance: from their friendly familiaritie, withdraw thy ſelfe; this the Apoſtle he enioynes thee. Yea, though perhaps Church diſcipline ſleepe towards them. See precept 1 Cor. 5.11. 2 Ioh. 10.
Theſe reaſons are of it: 1 Thou partakeſt in guilt of his offence, ſo farre as thou but ſhoweſt approbation. 2 Iohn 10. 2 Hazardeſt thy ſelfe too1 Cor. 5.6. infection. 3 TopApoc. 18.4. wrath. 4 The delinquent to obſtinate impenitencie. 5 Blemiſheſt thy owne fame. 6 Quantum in te, encourageſt others to like exorbitancy. 7 See Saints regularly ſcruplous, and abſtenious in this kinde. Pſal. 26.4. Ier. 15.17.
Ʋſe Outcries are frequent, and bitter amongſt vsus, perhaps not altogether vniuſt, againſt neglect of Paſtors, and Church gouernours, tolerating impunely in our congregations men of notorious lewdneſſe.
Confeſſedly there is fault amongſt vsus, but it would bee conſidered; 1 Whither in gouernours, to whom cenſures belong, or not rather in them, whoſe duetie is to informe. 2 Whither in the conſtitution of the Church, or meerely in the execution. Why are perſonall faults made faults of the Church? And may wee not obſerue like conniuence, partialitie, and corruption in ciuill Maieſtrates?
But in this, which toucheth neereſt clamorous plaintiues, how may the people bee excuſed? Who to their inwardeſt familiaritie, little leſſe then amitie, promiſcuouſly admit the vile as the pretious, the profane as the holy. Lacke we Church cenſures to inhibit vsus their familiaritie? Herein wee are noſtri iuris; none forceth vsus their priuate ſocietie; whereby 1 we harden them in their lewdneſſe; and doubtleſſe, 2 bring on our ſelues partnerſhip in their guilt, by this degree of approbation. 3 Take heede leaſt not alſo ſome infection, and taint of their vices. Hereof ſee more ad ver. 14.
2 Perſons liable to this puniſhment, are thus circumſcribed: 1 Brethren. 2 Walking inordinately.
From eueryevery brother; hee meanes eueryevery man profeſſing, Chriſtian and member of the Church; from eueryevery ſuch man, of what ranke, or qualitie ſoeuer, withdraw, if hee walke diſorderly.
From ſuch rather then from Pagans: Saint Paul permits to goe with anq1 Cor. 10.27. vnbelieuer, inuiting to a banquet; at no hand allowesr1 Cor. 5.11. to eate with a ſcandalous brother.
1 The kindneſſe that*2 Tim. 2. Tim. 3. melts an ignorant alien, and allures him to goodneſſe, makes moreſ1 Cor. 5. obſtinate a ſeeing brother. 2 Scandalous infirmities of brethren, bring blemiſh, andtRom. 2.24. blaſphemy vponupon the Goſpel, more then enormities of Pagans, or profeſſed Idolaters. 3 Chiefely Pauls reaſon ſwayes. Church cenſures ſtretch not in any degree to them that are without;u1 Cor. 5.12. doe we not iudge them that are within?
Ʋſe Peruerſe, quite croſſing to the Apoſtles direction, is the wiſdome of moſt mens charitie growne. Couering, cloaking, colouring, halfe iuſtifying, I am ſure, too fondly excuſing, the ſcandalous delinquencies of brethren. When faultings of others, perhaps, but of ignorance, are aggrauated by all circumſtances, our Oratorie can imagine to enlarge them withall. Yet the God we ſerue, is moſt terribble *Pſal. 89.7.in the aſſembly of his Saint; ſo carries himſelfe in his gouernement, as to procure himſelfe moſt aw, and dread from thoſe thatxLeuit. 10.3. come neereſt vntounto him; beares with more patience, the outrages of veſſels of wrath, then the infirme faultings of veſſels of mercy. Not becauſe hee leſſe loues his owne; but becauſe he more deerely afects them, and hath more tender care of their ſoules. By Pauls rule we ſhould herein reſemble.
Walking diſorderly: If any would know what that is, he thus explicates; diſorderly, not according to the tradition, or morall Canon which he receiued of vsus. Specification of the matter is made ver. 10.
So hainous in Pauls eſteeme is violation of holeſome Church ordinances, as that contumacy therein deſerues cenſure little leſſe then Excommunication. Will he not be ordred by the Church?yMat. 18.17. Let him bee to thee, as a Heathen, or Publican. Who zMat 10.ſo deſpiſeth you, whither teaching, or commanding according to God, deſpiſeth me. Confeſſed it is, where the Church commands, what Chriſt in ſo many termes commands. But Saint Paul ſtretcheth farther; and calles them commandements of the Lord, which are by iuſt conſequence deriued from principles of Scripture. See him 1 Cor. 14.37. As ſome Interpreters open the canon of manuall labour here preſcribed, to hauehave deduction. ex Gen. 3.19. Where yet perhaps, the Lord doth not ſo much preſcribe, as puniſh.
Theſe cautions are vſuall in attending ſuch preſcript: 1 If not impious. Hoſ. 5.11. Matth. 15.5. 2 HaueHave not annexed opinion, or intention of worſhip. Col. 2.22, 23. 3 Bee of things neceſſarie, and vſefull at leaſt for the time. Actes 15.28, 29. Such binde contemptuous carriage towards ſuch Church ordinances, is no ſmall violation of conſcience.
Ʋſe Chriſtian libertie is a pretious gift of God. Saint Paul commandsaGal. 5.1.13. to ſtand faſt therein; yet withall aduiſeth wee turne it not into licenſe, abuſing it as occaſion to the fleſh. Saint Peter confeſſeth wee are free, and would hauehave vsus ſo beare our ſelues; yet mindes vsus, not to vſe our libertie as b1 Pet. 2.16.cloake of naughtineſſe. Wee are ſtill ſeruants of God, and owe him obedience according to eueryevery his morall commands; wherefore his aduiſe is,cVerſe 13. to ſubmit to eueryevery humane ordinance, for the Lords ſake; certainely, its true, very precepts of men, our ſuperiours in things lawfull, binde conſcience, though not virtute propria, yet aliena, id eſt Dei.
I ſpare to particularize; perſwade rather ſubmiſſion to ciuill, and Eccleſiaſtique ordinances; I meane, where Maieſtrate and Church are knowne Orthodoxe. 1 Why thinke we they meane Popiſhly, who profeſſe and teach to deteſt Poperie, and acknowledge it the myſterie of iniquitie? 2 How doe wee ſillily call all Idolatrous, that is in vſe amongſt Idolaters? When Paul warrants tod1 Cor. 10.25, 26, 27, 28. eate Idolothites, ſo bee, nor wee eate them as Idolothites, nore1 Cor. 8.7. know any weake, thorough ſcrupulous ſurmiſe, offended.
I beſeech you conſider: 1 How peremptorie, and frequent the charge is,fRom. 13.1, &c. 1 Pet. 2.13, &c. to ſubmit. 2 How ill it heares, no leſſegIude ver. 8. 2 Pet. 2.10. then hereticall, to deſpiſe dominion. 3 How vaine ianglings about indifferents, hath opened mouthes of enemies to traduce our Goſpel. 4 Hazarded to loſſe of better ordinances.