Exposition of 1 Thessalonians, Chapter 2 · Verse 12
VERS. 12.
That yee would walke worthy of God, who hath called you vntounto his Kingdome and glorie.
THe matter thus preſſed by the Apoſtle remaynes, that they would walke worthy of God: where we hauehave, firſt, the Duetie: ſecondly, the Reaſon, whereby it is enforced.
The duetie, to walke worthy of God. The ſenſe thus conceiue; that at no hand thou imagine it poſſible for vsus to demeane our ſelues, ſo as to demerit God, and to be worthy, by way of deſert, of thoſe endleſſe fauours beſtowed on vsus in Chriſt: It ſhall euer be true, that Iacob ſaid,lGen. 32.10. Wee are leſſe then the leaſt of Gods mercies, and his goodneſſe hee hath ſhewne vsus. PAVL ſpeaking of our ſufferings for CHRIST, ſaith, They are not mRom. 8.18.worthy of the glorie that ſhall be reueiled: No, ſaith BERNARD,*Bernard. de Annunciatione, ſerm. 1. Though all the paſſions of all Saints ſhould fall vponupon one man.
But to walke worthy of God, is to walke fittingly to his nature, and ſo as may beſeeme a people whoſe God the Lord is. The Apoſtle Peter, me thinks, well expreſſeth it, when he exhorts,n1. Pet. 2.9. to ſhew forth the vertues of him that called vsus out of darkneſſe. So that to walke worthy of God, is ſo to demeane our ſelues, that the Image of God may, as much as is poſſible, ſhew forth it ſelfe in vsus, and that wee may expreſſe the nature of God, whoſe people wee profeſſe our ſelues.
Obſer. Such ſhould bee the meaſure of a Chriſtian mans life, to come as neere, as may bee, to the nature of God; ſo runnes the exhortation; to be o1. Pet. 1.15, 16holy, as he is holy: pLuk. 6.36.mercifull, as our heauenly Father is mercifull: for, Firſt, wee profeſſe our ſelues his children. Secondly, herein ſtands no ſmall part of our happineſſe, to reſemble his Maieſtie.
That nature of GOD hee hath acquainted vsus withall. Firſt, by thoſe attributes hee aſſumes to acquaint vsus therewith. Secondly, by their liuely reſemblance in the perſon of our SAVIOVR, called therefore, as ſome thinke, the expreſſe qHeb. 1.3.Image and Character of his Fathers perſon.
Vſe. How ill they ſute with this line of life, that profeſſe themſelues Gods people, and yet liue in vncleane luſt; let them iudge, that know how pure a Spirit the Lord is. Thoſe alſo, that exerciſe crueltie, iniuſtice, liue in maliciouſneſſe and enuie, turbulent, vnquiet, and reſtleſſe ſpirits.
How anſwere they to the nature of God, that ſtiles himſelfer2. Cor. 1.3. the Father of mercies, and GOD of pittie? that is iuſtice, and louelove it ſelfe, and delights in no ſtile oftner, then to be called the God of Peace.
The reaſon annexed, becauſe, hee hath called vsus to his Kingdome and Glorie, wherein, were it not I hauehave ſtinted my ſelfe to that was publike deliuered, theſe particulars might, not without profit, be inſiſted on: Firſt, the Agent: Secondly, Action: Thirdly, Terme.
Now it ſufficeth to obſerue, the high dignitie of eueryevery one effectually called, hee is by calling intitled to the Kingdome and Glorie of God. Therefore Paul calls this calling,ſPhilip. 3.14. the high or ſupernall calling, not becauſe the Caller is heauenly, but becauſe the honour, to which wee are thereby aduanced, is indeed ſublime. Hence alſo it is termed,tHeb. 3.1. the heauenly Vocation, not ſo much for that the Authour, meanes, and manner are heauenly; but becauſe the ſtate, whereto wee are brought, is heauenly and glorious.
This is that the Apoſtle, in ſuch an heape of wordes amplifies, when hee ſaith: Wee are come to the Mount uHeb 12.22, 23.Sion, the Citie of the liuing God, the celeſtiall Ieruſalem, the company of innumerable Angels, and to the Congregation of the first-borne, and to God the Iudge of all, and to the ſpirits of iuſt men. Not that wee hauehave now full fruition of the glorious Deitie: but, Firſt, the vſe of Scripture is, ſayth Auſtine, to enunciate things that ſhall bee, in the preſent or preter time, to ſignifie certaintie of accompliſhment in time prefixed. Secondly, withall wee hauehave preſent title thereto:xGal. 4.1, 2. As the Heire in his nonage is Lord of all in title, though vſe is not permitted till time appointed by his Father. Thirdly, And we are now vnited with God in CHRIST, and made one body with the whole Church Triumphant and Militant.
Firſt, This glorious aduancement of the Children of Ʋſe 1 God, ſhould, me thinkes, ſolace all outward abaſures, they ſuffer from the malignant World. What though wee be counted the skumme and off-ſcouring of the World amongſt men, that know not the worth of our high Calling in Chriſt Ieſus? Could wee, as Paul, turne our eyes from things Temporall, to things Eternall, wee ſhould ſee glory, ſuch as no Kingdome of the Earth is able to afford vsus; and ſay, SALOMON in all his Royaltie, was not dignified as the meaneſt amongſt Saints.
Secondly, Our wiſedome it ſhall be to examine our title to this glorious Kingdome. Gods Kingdome is vſually diſtinguiſhed into the Kingdome of Grace, and the Kingdome of Glory: they differ not ſo much in realties, as in the manner of adminiſtration. The Kingdome of Glory is ſwayed immediately by God himſelfe; that of Grace, by meanes, the Scepter of his Word: yet ſo, as that whoſo is here admitted into the Kingdome of Grace, hath title to the Kingdome of Glory.
Our being in Kingdome of Grace, wee beſt diſcerne: Firſt, By the Guide that rules vsus. Secondly, The Law or Rule we walke by; The Guide, is Gods Spirit. The Rule, the Word of God. Theſe two are ſo inſeparably linked together, that neyther without other, comforts any thing. As yRom. 8.14.many as are Gods ſonnes, are led by his Spirit; and as many as are guided by GODS Spirit, are ruled by his Word. Whereto adde, Thirdly, The contempt of earthly things, in compariſon of the gracious eſtate of Gods people, howſoeuer afflicted: as thou ſeeſt inſtance inzHeb. 11.25. Moſes.