Exposition of 1 Thessalonians, Chapter 2 · Verse 10,11,12
VERS. 10.11.12.
Yee are witneſſes, and GOD alſo, how holily, and iuſtly, and vnblameably we behaued our ſelues, among you that beleeue.
As yee know how wee exhorted, and comforted and charged eueryevery of you (as a Father doth his Children)
That yee would walke worthy of God, who hath called you vntounto his Kingdome and glory.
PRaeciſio eſt, as Rhetoricians call it, q.d. to ſay in a word, yee know how vnblameably we behaued our ſelues amongſt you. Withall conceiue, the Apoſtle intimates another furtherance of the preuayling of his Miniſterie; his vnblameable life; ſet out firſt, by the parts, ſecondly, ſignes thereof; approoued by appeale to the LORDS, and the peoples teſtimonie.
Obſer. His practice ſhould be our patterne, whomſoeuer God hath honoured ſo farre as to aſſume him to miniſter before him; yea, of all thoſe, ouer whom Gods Name is called, the dutie is to depart from iniquitie. Teſtimonies are infinite;Mat. 5.14, 15, 16. 2. Pet. 1.10. Philip. 3.15. 1. Pet. 2. & 3. tot. view theſe few cited in the Margine. Reaſons whereby it is preſſed manifold.
Firſt, it brings glory to God.
Secondly, Comfort to our Soules.
Thirdly, Benefit euen to Aliens. As the neglect drawes,
Firſt, Blaſphemie on the Name of God.
Secondly, Fearefull expectation of vengeance on our ſelues.
Thirdly, Farther eſtranging of Aliens from the life of God.
Ʋſe. Our care let bee, on this occaſion, doubted to adorne the Goſpell which we preach or profeſſe, that howſoeuer humane frailtie permits vsus not to liue without ſinne; yet by our gracious endeuours, wee may liue without crime.
Two ſpeciall Branches of this blameleſſe life, the Apoſtle points vsus vntounto.
Firſt, Holineſſe;
Secondly, Iuſtice.
Holineſſe conceiue to contayne whatſoeuer dutie concernes our perſonall carriage, without relation or direct reſpect vntounto men: deduced by the Apoſtle to Titus, into Firſt,nTit. 2.12. Pietie, Secondly, and Sobrietie. Iuſtice, an euen carriage in all commerce, or dealings wee hauehave with men.
And here two ſorts of men fall vnderunder iuſt reproofe.
Firſt, They, whoſe priuate conuerſation, in reſpect of Pietie and Temperance, is free from ſtaine, and blemiſh of enormious tranſgreſſion; who yet, in occaſionall dealing with men, forget all rules, I ſay not, of Charitie and Compaſſion, but of common Equitie: yea, almoſt of rigorous Iuſtice: Proſecuting the ſmalleſt wrongs, with extremitie of reuenge; exacting ſmalleſt rights, after rigour of Law; not abſtayning from Fraude, Rapine, Violence, or if there bee any other harſh dealing, that wee may cenſure iniuſtice: of whom we may wayling ſay, as PETER,o2. Pet. 2.13. Spots they are, and blots in our Aſſemblies: by whoſe occaſion the way of God is blaſphemed.
A ſecond ſort there are, whoſe glory is that their liues are harmeleſſe; Iuſtice they obſerue exactly, & plaine dealing in their paſſages of traffique one with another; perhaps alſo neighbourly offices of kindneſſe, and mercy ſometimes paſſe from them; whoſe perſonall carriage yet viewed, no Leopard is found fuller of ſpots, then their liues of foule blemiſhes. Curſed ſwearers, ſcoffers at Religion, inſatiable drunkards, &c. And in this kind what not? worſt friends they ſay to themſelues. But the Prouerbe is, Qui ſibi nequam, cui bonus? neither hurt they themſelues only; how many bane they by their pernicious example? What God would hauehave ioyned together, let no man put aſunder. Iuſtice and Sanctitie are ſiſter-Graces. There is neither in ſoundneſſe, where either is wanting.
Obſer. For teſtimonie of truth in this proteſtation he appeales to God, and the people, Yee are witneſſes, and God alſo. Yee, ſay ſome, of our iuſtice, God, of our holineſſe.
This twofold teſtimonie of our blameleſſe life, wee ſhould all labour to promerit. Whence was the Apoſtles endeuour,pAct 24.16. to hauehave cleare conſcience before God, and before all men. And his charge, toqRom. 12.17. procure things honeſt not only in the ſight of God, but alſo in the ſight of men. The one for our comfort, the other for our brethrens commoditie. That is knowne of Bernard: there are two things neceſſarie, Conſcientia propter te, fama propter proximum. What comfort hath our conſcience, when men applaud vsus, and God condemnes vsus? and what profit comes to men by our priuate holineſſe; when our outward life wants, if blemiſh, yet not ſuſpicion of iniquitie?
Ʋſe. There is to this day a brood of Phariſes, paynted Sepulchres, amongſt Chriſtians, their outſide glorious, and full of beautie, their inwards fraught with rottenneſſe, and deadly corruption. Their whole care is to appeare, and be applauded holy amongſt men, yet is it rEpheſ. 5.12.ſhame to name the things that are done of them in ſecret. Alas, what auayles it to be applauded of men the mirrour of honeſtie; when God, and thy conſcience accuſe thee of hypocriſie?
A ſecond ſort there are almoſt foreign: Their profeſſion is, while God and their conſcience acquit them, not to care what men ſay of them; and in that reſolution, ruſh, if not into euils, yet into fouleſt ſhewes and appearances of euill. Paul belike ſaid in vaine,ſPhilip. 4.8. Follow things of good report, and labour to hauehavet1. Tim. 3.7. good teſtimonie from them without, and giuegive none u1. Tim. 5.14.occaſion to the Aduerſarie of ſpeaking euill.
Saith Bernard, paraphraſing that of SALOMON, a Lilly amongst Thornes: The manners of men, as Lillies, hauehave their colours and odours; that which comes from a pure heart and good conſcience, hath the colour of a Lilly, if good name follow, it is more truly a Lilly, when neither candor nor odor of the Lilly is wanting.