Exposition of 1 Thessalonians, Chapter 2 · Verse 13
VERS. 13.
For this cauſe alſo thanke wee God, without ceaſing, becauſe when yee receiued the Word of God, which yee heard of vsus, yee receiued it not as the Word of man, but as it is in truth, the Word of God, which effectually worketh alſo in you that beleeue.
HItherto of the helping of cauſes in the Apoſtles ſelfe, to the preuayling of his Miniſterie; followes another in the people; their reuerent and reſpectfull behauiour in hearing; explayned in this Verſe; wherein are conſiderable, Firſt, Their demeanour towards the Word. Secondly, Pauls manner of mentioning it, with thankeſgiuing. Thirdly, The fruit of their ſo holy receiuing the Word: it wrought effectually, &c.
For this cauſe we thanke God.
Obſer. A great bleſſing of God it is to a Miniſter, when hee fals on a people reuerently affected to the Word in his Miniſterie.
A comfort worth all other comforts that can betyde a Miniſter from his people; and therefore mentioned by the Apoſtle, not without thankeſgiuing: a fauour, that the Lord hath denyed to many his choice ſeruants. Ieremie heauily complaines him of this, that when aIer. 20.8.hee ſpake to the people in the Name of the Lord, Gods Word was turned to him to matter of reproch. And how vnwelcome, thinke yee, was that tydings to EZECHIEL, that bEzech. 2.3.hee ſhould goe to a rebellious houſe; a people that ſhould reſiſt againſt the Word and Spirit of God. Hence it is, that the Lord, when he would comfort his Seruants, and animate them in their Miniſterie, nouriſheth them with hope of ſuch a bleſſing: As to Iſay, for his comfort againſt the multitude of dull eares, and groſſe hearts, it is promiſed; There ſhould cIſai. 6.13.be a tenth that ſhould return. And howſoeuer it be true, we hauehave our reward, ſecundum laborem, not ſecundum prouentum: as Bernard comfortably obſerues: yet what matter of diſmaying is it to a Miniſter? to labour without apparent hope ofd1. Cor. 9.2. this ſeale to his ſending; the conuerſion of the people to the obedience of faith.
Vſe. Me thinks then, where the operation is giuen vsus, it is that ſhould moſt be laboured for, and enquired after; ſo that neyther large reuenue, nor pleaſant ſituation, nor any thing ſhould ſo much bee reioyced in, as this qualitie of the people; Enquities are vſuall and carefully made, what is the value? how ſituate for Ayre, and other conueniences? They are bleſſings of God not to bee deſpiſed; enquiries not to bee condemned; but this more to be attended; what is the condition of the people? what attention and regard ſhew they in hearing, to that meſſage we bring them from the Lord of Hoſts? The lot befals that Miniſter in a faire place, he hath a goodly Heritage; to whom God giues a people reuerently demeaned toward, and the Word in his Miniſterie.
Their commended behauiour followes; they receiued the Word as the Word of God; that is, Firſt, with perſwaſion that the Word was GODS. Secondly, accordingly fitting their behauiour, ſo as was ſeemely for the Word of God.
Obſer. A man deſiring to profit by the Miniſterie, muſt ſettle himſelfe in this perſwaſion, that the Doctrines deliuered from the Scriptures, hauehave God for their Authour. With ſuch minde came Cornelius and his Company to heare, what eAct. 10.33, 44the Lord ſhould command them by PETER; accordingly they demeane themſelues in all reuerence and feare; and reape the fruit of ſuch reuerent attention. While PETER yet ſpake, the Holy Ghoſt fell on all thoſe that heard him. Thisf2. Pet. 1.20, 21. know firſt, ſaid Peter, and hold for a ground, in your attention to the Writings of Prophets, whether priuately meditated, or publikely interpreted: That no Prophecie came of any priuate motion, but holy men of God ſpake as they were inſpired by the Holy Ghoſt. This to ſay truth, is the key to all profitable hearing. Firſt, binding the eare to attention. Secondly, the minde to faith. Thirdly, the heart to reuerence. Fourthly, the will and conſcience to obedience.
When the Lyon roares, all the Beaſts of the Forreſts tremble; when GOD is knowne to ſpeake, what Atheiſt dares but yeeld attention? Who ſtops not curious Quaeres of his incredulous minde, that knowes, It is the God of Truth, whoſe Word hee heares? what heart ſo obſtinate, that trembleth not in ſuch perſwaſion? Euen diſſembling Iſraelites on that ground reſolue;gDeut. 5.27. Exod. 19.8. All that the Lord commands vsus, we will doe.
Vſe. In this perſwaſion let vsus build our ſelues, as many as deſire to profit by hearing: and to feele the ſauing efficacie of the Word in our Soules.
To this end conſider wee, Firſt, The maieſtie of the Scripture; that hauing ſo little helpe from humane eloquence; carryed, for the moſt part, in plaineſt and loweſt ſtile: yet preuayles to draw the minde,h2. Cor. 10.5. to ſubiect the very thoughts and Conſcience to obedience and reuerence.
Secondly, The ſearching power of this Word of God; diuing iHeb. 4.12.into the bowels of the Soule and Conſcience.
Thirdly, The great malice of Satan againſt it: ſhewed in all times, by ſtirring vp Heretikes to adulterate; Tyrants (had it beene poſſible) to deſtroy it.
Fourthly, The wonderfull efficacy, ſhewed in altering the diſpoſition of mans heart: ſo farre, that howſoeuer, it is as contrary to the corrupt nature of man, as light is to darkneſſe; yet, where it preuayles, things deareſt to nature, are not eſteemed halfe ſo precious, as the Word of GOD.
Obſer. To this perſwaſion of the diuine Authour is their behauiour in receiuing fitted, ſet out in Antitheſis; they receiued it, not as the word of man, but as the Word of God. A precedent worthie our imitation, inſtructing vsus to a meete manner of receiuing the Word of God. As Peter preſcribes to Miniſters,k1. Pet. 4.11. to ſpeake as the words of God; ſo ſuppoſe the Preſcript for hearing, from this patterne, to heare it as the Word of God ought to be heard; euer putting difference twixt it, and the word of man; the ſpecialties thus conceiue: Firſt, with the beſt and chieftie of our reuerence and attention. The Prophet Iſay preſcribing it, expreſſeth ſuch a degree of reuerence, as can ſcarcely without Idolatrie be allowed to the word of a man; he would hauehave vsus euenlIſai. 66.2. tremble at the words of God; the very ſound of it ſhould be as the noyſe of Thunder, at which we naturally tremble and quake.
Reaſons we hauehave many, preſſing ſuch a meaſure of reuerent attention. Firſt, the Wiſedome, Power, and Maieſtie of the Authour, ſhewing it ſelfe ſo wonderfull in eueryevery line almoſt of the Scripture, that it breedes admiration in the attentiue and conſiderate Reader; ſo hath eueryevery word his weight, eueryevery ſentence repleniſhed with diuine Wiſedome, that it is allm2. Tim. 3.16. profitable to inſtruct, comfort, exhort, correct. Secondly, to which adde, meditation of the Maieſtie and Power of the Authour, how able he is to auenge himſelfe on the leaſt vnreuerence. Thirdly, of the high myſteries it contaynes, ſo plainly deliuered, with ſuch varietie, as may ſway the eare of the moſt curious Sciolus, to reuerent attention. Fourthly, weigh alſo, how neerely the knowledge and obedience of it, and eueryevery parcell in it concernes vsus, inſomuch that thereon depends the ſaluation of our ſoules; ſo many cauſes, commanding the beſt of our attention, and reuerence, we muſt acknowledge.
Vſe. Three dangerous diſeaſes of the eare are here diſcouered. Firſt, Deafneſſe complayned of by the Prophet anciently,nPſal. 58.4, 5. as the deafe Adder, ſo ſtop they their eares, refuſing to heare the voyce of the Charmer, charme hee neuer ſo wiſely: noted alſo by Salomon, in his time, and threatned with a iudgement to be trembled at; which is growne to ſuch height, that it becomes matter of reproch, to be a common frequenter of Sermons.
To open this deafe care: Firſt, let that of Salomon bee remembred:oPro. 28.9. Whoſo turneth his eare from hearing the Law, euen his prayer ſhall be abominable: that whereas in their prayers, they ſeeme to place their ſole contentment, and confidence; in caſe of contempt towards hearing, their other deuotions become abominable. Secondly, if this moue not, let that terrour of the Lord preuaile, a day will come, when anguiſh of ſoule ſhall force theſe miſcreants, to importune the Lord with their importunate outcryes, for audience and merciemercy; Lord heare, Lord, Lord, open vntounto vsus. But heare what GODS wiſedome proteſteth, When they crie, pPro. 1.24, 26, 28.he will not heare, but will laugh at their deſtruction, and mocke when their feare commeth.
Secondly, drowzineſſe and dulneſſe of hearing, complayned of by the Apoſtle; when they heare, and heare not; hearing without attention and regard, tendring their preſence in the Congregation to fill vp the number, but with ſuch Oſcitaurie, and gaping drowzineſſe, that they regard not what is ſpoken vntounto them. That, if a man ſhould aske them account of their hearing, as Dauid did Ahimaaz of his meſſage; no better anſwere ſhould hee receiue:q2. Sam. 18.29 I ſaw a tumult, ſaid AHIMAAZ, but I know not what. Theſe heard a noyſe; good words they ſay, All of God; but what of God, or his Will, they know not.
For remedie, conſider, firſt, this Word of God, that you ſo ſleightly regard, is that, that one dayrJob. 12.48. ſhall iudge you. Secondly, and it is not amongſt the leaſt of Gods ſpirituall plagues, to be giuen vp ſIſai. 6.10.to drowzie and dull eares. Thirdly, the laſt is thet2. Tim. 4.3, 4. itch of the heare, liſtning rather to fables then to the wholeſome words, which are according to godlineſſe, inſomuch that whoſo will be ſo friuolous, as to peſter his Sermons with idle and impertinent ſtories, neuer ſo fabulous, finds attention in our people, much more ſerious, then hee that with greateſt euidence of the Spirit and power deliuers the deepe myſteries of ſaluation.
Secondly, as with our beſt reuerence, the Word of God muſt be receiued; ſo with abſolute faith and credence, that herein wee may put difference twixt the Word of God, and the word of man: ſuppoſe thus; whereas the words of the wiſeſt, and moſt iudicious amongſt the ſons of men, iuſtly admit not only diſquiſition, but contradiction, becauſe uRom. 3.4.all men are lyers; this honour wee owe to the Word of God, with abſolute credence, without any ſuſpence of iudgement, or contradiction to entertayne it; veryx2. Cor. 10.5. thoughts muſt be ſubiected to Faith, when once wee know the mouth of the Lord hath ſpoken it; for the witneſſe of God is greater then mans. I, what the Lord auoucheth, who dare denie him credit? And howſoeuer ſomething brought to vsus for the Word of God, may iuſtly be examined, becauſe there be that ſay, Thus ſaith the Lord, when the Lord hath not ſpoken by them; yet when once it ſhall appeare to be the Word of the Lord, to queſtion the Truth thereof, beſeemes rather Atheiſts, then profeſſed Chriſtians.
Where comes to be reproued, not onelyonly that generall infidelitie of profeſſed Atheiſts, queſtioning the Truth of Scripture; but all the particular vnbeliefe of our people, that hearing any thing, euen with …yneſt demonſtrance, taught, aboue power of nature, or their ſhallow conceit; not only enquire, as NICHODEMVS, How can theſe things be? but reſolue of the negatiue, Theſe things cannot be:yAct. 26.8. Why ſhould it ſeeme a thing incredible, that the Lord ſhould rayſe the dead? reedifie the body out of the ruines made by death, that could at firſt build it out of nothing? To this day ſeemes it more then a probleme, a meere paradoxe amongſt our people.
The very Commandements, where they are croſsing to corrupt humours, are cancelled, at leaſt ſleighted, and ſhifts ſtudied by defiled conſciences, to diuert that ſtroke, that pierceth from the conſideration of their diuine Authour.
Thirdly, the laſt thing in this manner of receiuing the Word of God, is the abſolute ſubiection of the conſcience to obedience: that whereas all the commands of men are limitted to their rule; and abſolute obedience is due to no meere creature, how authorized ſoeuer: This Word of God muſt ſo be receiued, thatzExod. 19.8. whatſoeuer the Lord ſhall command, we muſt reſolue to doe.
Where the taxe lyes heauie vponupon our licentious Hearers, comming to heare, with reſeruation of purpoſe to continue their ſinnes, and deſire to hauehave conſcience at libertie, to obey, or diſobey, as themſelues ſee fitting. They muſt giuegive Preachers leaue to talke, they will giuegive them the hearing. Obedience ſhal ſtill be at their libertie, and choice, wherein and how far to yeeld it; let theſe conſider, who ſaid, God is a Law-giuer, aIam. 4.12.able to ſaue and to deſtroy; that ſuffersbHeb. 2.2. no tranſgreſſion, or diſobedience, to paſſe without iuſt recompence of reward.
Which alſo works, &c. The fruit of ſuch receiuing the Word followes. It works mightily in them that beleeue. So liuely and mightie in operation is the Word of God in due manner receiued, transforming the Hearers into the Image of it ſelfe; in ſuch ſort that what it preſcribes, it workes: preſcribing Faith, it …rks Faith; vrging Obedience, it works Obedience; commanding Knowledge, it enlightens to know: ſtrange and wonderfull is the vertue of it, receiued as it ought. It makes the Churle liberall; the Profane, holy; the Drunkard, ſober; the Adulterer, chaſte, &c. There is no dutie ſo harſh to fleſh and bloud, ſo croſsing to profit, pleaſure, any thing; but it preuailes with conſcience of ſuch Receiuers, to practiſe.
Vſe. I ſpare touch of Euthuſiaſts blaſphemie, in whoſe language it heares nothing but a dead Letter; aduiſing our Hearers, to notice the true cauſe of ſo little efficacie, of this mightie Word in their hearts; commonly it is imputed to the Miniſter, either his gifts are weake, or his affections cold, or his heart not vpright. The fault muſt needs be the Miniſters, if the Word be not effectuall in the Hearers. Truth is, theſe all or ſome may be impediments; yet who hath not ſeene mightie effects of weake gifts in the Miniſter? &c.
Rather ſticks the cauſe in the people, not hearing with what reuerence, faith, conſcience, that this Word of God ſhould be receiued withall.
They come to heare, as Athenians, for noueltie; or as the Iewes, in Ezechiel, for paſtime and recreation; or as Criticks, to cenſure the gifts of the Miniſter: who maruels if they depart without profit, or experience of the power of this mightie Word of God, whoſe actuall efficacie requires due diſpoſition of the Receiuer?