Exposition of 1 Thessalonians, Chapter 4 · Verse 4
VERS. 4.
That eueryevery of you ſhould knew, &c.
WHether in theſe words Paul would preſcribe remedie againſt luſt, and meanes of abſtayning from the ſinne; or intends only to explicate the Commandement in the poſitiue part, is no matter of curious inquirie. In the words are; Firſt, the perſons to whom he preſcribes. Secondly, the duetie preſcribed.
EueryEvery one of you. In morall dueties no man hath exemption. qReuel. 20.12.Great and ſmall ſtand to be iudged; eueryevery man is countable for his ſinnes:r2. Cor. 5.10. rewarded according to his deeds, whether they be good or euill. For the particular in the Text. TheſDeut. 17.17. King may not multiply wiues, no not to continue ſucceſſion; much leſſe Strumpets to glut vnſatiable luſt.tEpheſ. 5.5. No Whoremonger or vncleane perſon hath any inheritance in the Kingdome of Chriſt and of God.
Obiect. Yet Patriarchs, they ſay, without checke multiplyed Wiues and Concubines.
Anſw. Auguſt.Firſt, Some are of opinion, they had their ſpeciall diſpenſation, to this end, that they might multiply the holy Seed.
Secondly, The rule of*Ber. de praecep. & diſpenſat. Bernard muſt in ſuch caſes be remembred: where wee finde in Scripture any practice of Saints, ſwaruing from the general rule; Aut eos peceaſſe fatendum eſt, ſicut homines; aut certe ſicut Prophetas, familiare Dei conſilium accepiſſe. For vsus, wee are ſure the rule holds generall, eueryevery man is bound by this precept of Chaſtity.
There were in Auſtins dayes, men that pleaded immunity by their ſexe; thinking women onelyonly bound by the precept of Chaſtity: and a great diſparagement they thought it to the dignity of their ſexe, if their adulteries muſt receiue like puniſhment with thoſe of women: An verè ſexus noſtri dignitas hanc ſuſtinebit iniuriam, vt cum alijs ſocminis praeter vxores ſiquid admittimus, in luendis poenis mulieribus comparemur! Why not, ſaith Auſtine? Yea, why not rather? ſith by ſtrength of their ſexe, they ſeeme more able to maſter their luſts; and of dutie ſhould guide their Wiues by example? That ſaying ofuIam. 4.4. IAMES, Yee Adulterers and Adultereſſes, ſtops the mouthes of all ſuch idle and impious Diſtinguiſhers.
Our times hauehave alſo forged Diſpenſations. What mens iudgement is, I know not; but ſeldome hauehave I ſeene it penanced in the Greater; as if it were ſinne only in the meaner people.
Generally the ſentence of the prophane Poet is applauded by the multitude: Non eſt ſcelus ſcortari Adoleſcentem: It is no ſuch haynous matter, for yong men to bee giuen to whoring. But ifxPſal. 119.9. yong men bee bound to reforme their wayes by the Law of God: if theyyLament. 3.27. muſt beare the yoke in youth; if the iollity of that Age ſhall bee zEccl. 11.9.brought to Iudgement; let ſuch tremble to hearten themſelues in ſuch ſinnes as exclude from Heauen, and giuegive aReuel. 21.8.portion with Hypocrites, in the Lake that burnes for euer. Should know: that is, hauehave skill. The Apoſtle ſeemes to imply, that there is a kinde of art of Chaſtity, and great skill required to poſſeſſe our veſſell in holineſſe, &c. Truth is, Chriſtianitie is an Art or Science; and no ſmall skill is required to Regular exerciſe of Chriſtian vertues. GREGORY NAZIANZENE ſaid once, the cure of Soules was the Science of Sciences; generally it is true of Chriſtianity; It is the Art of Arts: the art of liuing well. To this end, Saint Peter aduiſeth, to ioyne to our vertue, b2. Pet. 1.5.knowledge; as I conceiue him, skill in the exerciſe of Chriſtian Vertues. Paul in a particular, makes it a point ofcPhil. 4.12. myſticall knowledge; to carry himſelfe equally, and with euen hand in all Eſtates.
In Prayer, hee would intimate wonderfull skill required; and not learnt but of andRom. 8.26. heauenly Schoolemaſter. That knew the Diſciples well, and therefore it is their Petition,eLuke 11.1. Lord, teach vsus to pray. To ſay in a word, what one Chriſtian Vertue or Dutie is it, that askes not skill to the right vſe and performance of it? take inſtance in that of Faith. How to vphold it when it wauers: to reſtraine it when it degenerates towardes preſumption: how to turne the eye of it, from the Law to the Goſpell, from Gods Iuſtice to his MercieMercy; Here ſure is the wiſdome of beleeuing. How many ſee wee for lacke of this skill, if not vtterly miſ-carry, yet dangerouſly hazarding their ſoules to ſhip-wracke? the Preſumer thinkes of the rich mercy of God; the Deſperate, of his ſtrict Iuſtice. Wiſdome would teach to fit our meditation to our preſent ſtate. See it in a duty, that may ſeeme moſt eaſie; ſuppoſe, hearing the Word of God. It is not, as is thought, a worke of eueryevery Ideot and idle Foole, to be a hearer; to heare as wee ought, requires skill more then ordinary; to tye our minds to attention, that they may bee free from wandering: to apply our affections to the quality of what is taught; that when we heare matter of feare, our hearts may fIſai. 66.2.tremble at the Word of God; when matter of griefe, they gNeh. 8.9may mourne; when matter of comfort, reioyce, &c. Such skill requires eueryevery Chriſtian Dutie to the Regular performance of it: that wee may well conclude of Chriſtianity, It is the Science of Sciences; euen an Art of liuing well.
Vſe. They erre, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of Godlineſſe, that thinke it a skill moſt obuious to bee a Chriſtian: a worke of one houre or two in the laſt ſickneſſe, to furniſh themſelues for Heauen. Though in manuall Sciences he is not thought his Crafts-maſter, that hath not ſerued a ſeuen yeeres Apprentiſhip; yet to the exacteſt skill of Chriſtianity, ſeuen houres, yea, moments are thought ſufficient.
Surely, if any where, here that hath place that the great Phiſician once ſpake, Ars longa; vita breuis.
Compendiums they hauehave framed to themſelues here, as in other Sciences: To louelove God aboue all, our Neighbour as our ſelues; This is hMat. 7.12.the Law and the Prophets. To feare God and keep his Cōmandements, iEccl. 12.13.this is the whole of man. But fooliſh men, that conſider not the infinite particulars which theſe comprize! And that it is the leaſt halfe of a ChriſtiankIohn 13.17. to know, though exactly, the heads of Dutie.
To louelove God, comprizeth his worſhip, outward, inward;l1. Iohn 5.3. keeping of all and eueryevery his Cōmandements. To louelove our Neighbour, exerciſe ofm1. Cor. 13.4, 5 Patience, Kindneſſe, Mercy, eueryevery good grace and office wherein we may do good to Brethren.
Willingly would I perſwade our people, if it might be, of the skill no leſſe then artificiall, requiſite to Chriſtianity; not to deterre them by the difficulty, but to reforme their negligence, and to excite their induſtry. And if they would but ſeriouſly conſider that part of this Art, that ſtands in ſpeculation, they would eaſily acknowledge it to be no idle mans occupation, to bee a Chriſtian. To know neceſſaries of Gods Nature and Will, can wee thinke it obuious? when as Dauid hauing long trauelled in the Word of God, with an extraordinarie Spirit, yet prayes illumination, that hee nPſal. 119.18.might ſee the wondrous things of the Law. Who euer ſounded the depth of any one Commandement, to know all particulars of duetie therein comprized? Who ſo quick-ſighted, as to vnderſtand thorowly particular circumſtances of knowne dueties? Dare any arrogate prudence ſo exact, as to obſerue them regularly in all his practice? Thou knoweſt thou muſt pray: but knoweſt thou how thou muſt pray? To pray, is not to vtter a Petition, which a Parrat may doe; but thou muſt pray with o1. Cor. 14.15.vnderſtanding, withp2. Chron. 6.29. feeling of wants, withqIam. 1.6. faith to be heard, with feruencie of affections: the practice of all theſe how full of difficultie? to guide affections of wrath, feare, ioy, griefe, &c. Heathens obſerued to require much prudence; may not Chriſtians more, to their Chriſtian moderation? That I be not infinite; It will be ſufficient if I may but conuince our people, that Chriſtianitie is an Art; that the practices thereof require skill more then ordinarie; that once euinced, I hope thoſe out-cryes againſt ouer-much teaching, will ceaſe: for ſuppoſe, you know all we are able to teach you, for ſubſtance of faith and practice; yet to learne skilfull practice of them, the wiſeſt amongſt vsus may not bluſh to goe to ſchoole.
To poſſeſſe his Ʋeſſell in holineſſe and honour. The particular, wherein Paul requires this skill, is the preſeruing of Chaſtitie; in his phraſe the poſſeſſing of our Veſſell in holineſſe.
What is the Veſſell? ſaith AVGVSTINE,*Auguſt. cont. Iulian. Pelagian. lib. 4. cap. 10. & lib. 5. cap. 7. the Wife; the Woman or wife is the r1. Pet. 3.7.weaker veſſell. Al: the body, the veſſell or inſtrument of the ſoule. Al: the inſtruments of generation: 1. Sam. 21.5. The veſſells of the yong men are cleane, that is, their bodies, or inſtruments of generation.
That firſt interpretation, S. Auſtine fell into by this occaſion. Dealing againſt Pelagians in the queſtion of Originall ſinne, and the manner how it is conueyed to poſteritie, he was thus vrged by Iulian: The ſoule is created pure, the body propagated by a lawfull act of generation in the marriage bed: for that bed ſHeb. 15.4.is vndefiled: by what chinks creeps in this infection of Nature? Saint Auſtine anſweres, that howſoeuer the vſe of the marriage bed be, for the ſubſtance of the act, vndefiled, yet may impuritie inſinuate it ſelfe, through intemperance and ouer-much feruor of delight. Truth is, there is as well Coniugall, as Virginall chaſtitie; which ſtands, not only in keeping our faith inuiolate to the wife of our Couenant; but alſo in the temperate and moderate vſe of the marriage bed. And I am halfe of his mind in this; whatſoeuer in that act is not either for procreation, or preuention of Fornication, comes of euill.
Rather by the veſſell vnderſtand the body. Not that the heart hath libertie to luſt, ſo the body be kept from the act of vncleanneſſe;t1. Cor. 7.9. burning luſts are commanded to be remedied; but ſo ſpeaks he fittingly to reforme opinions corrupt and monſtrous; that to the u1. Cor. 6.13.body was permitted a kind of libertie, ſo the heart were kept pure from that vncleanneſſe.
Poſſeſſe; that is, keepe and rule the body in holineſſe: vnderſtand it chaſtitie and freedome from pollution by vncleane luſt. Honour of the body, ſtands in two things: Firſt,xCol. 2.23. Health and chearfulneſſe. Secondly, dedication of it to the holy Ghoſt, asy1. Cor. 6.19. a Temple for him to dwell in; and an zRom. 6.13.inſtrument to be vſed to the glorie of God.
The ſumme is this; that not the heart only, but the body alſo muſt be preſerued in chaſtitie. a1. Cor. 6.20.Glorifie God in your bodies and ſoules: they are both the Lords; his Creatures, his purchaſe: both bought with the price of his bloud. It ſeemes the Corinthians were carried away with that errour, to thinke pollution of the body almoſt indifferent: The bodies, they thought, ſhould not riſe againe; therefore it was not much materiall, to what vncleanneſſe they were abuſed: yet, ſaith the Apoſtle; Firſt, the body is for the Lord, dedicated in creation to the glorie of the Maker; and by Redemption, to Chriſt. Secondly, the Lord for the body, to redeeme it. Thirdly, our bodies are members of Chriſt. Fourthly, Temples of the holy Ghoſt. Fiftly, parts of Chriſts purchaſe. How can we thinke it free to abuſe them to his diſhonour?
Our dutie is to purge from all filthineſſe as well of fleſh as ſpirit, of body as of ſoule: Vſe. Not thinking it enough, after the profane prouerbe, to keepe our hearts to God; but knowing that in our bodies God requires to be glorified. The people of Corinth, as in the point of fleſhly Fornication, ſo in that of Idolatrie, ſeemed to hold a kinde of indifferencie for the outward man. They might be preſent at Idoll-feaſts and ſacrifices; ſo they reſerued their hearts and conſciences vntounto God. Our people, in like caſes are alike indifferent. Talke they may merrily, that is filthily; ſo they thinke no harme: though euen of Idle words, our Sauiour ſaid, we are countable. Bernard. Epiſt. 1Quod ſi de ot ioſo, quantò diſtrictiùs de verbo mendaci, mordaci & iniurioſo, de elato vel laſciuo, de adulatorio aut detractorio iudicabuntur?
It remaynes to point at the rules of A…te in this kinde auayleable. Firſt, diligent guard of ſenſes, eſpeciallybIob 31.1. Ambroſ. de Ioſeph. Patriarch. cap. 5. the eyes; the firſt darts of luſt are of the eyes: The ſecond of words.cPro. 2….33. Gen 19.6, 7. Thine eye ſhall looke vponupon ſtrange women, and thy heart ſhall vtter lewd things.
Secondly, flie ſocietie of adulterous wantons.dPro. 5.8. Come not neere the doore of her houſe. eGen. 39.10.IOSEPH hearkens not to his Miſtris, to be in her companie.
Thirdly, ſober vſe of meats and drinks;fEzech. 16.49. fulneſſe of bread occaſioned that height of vncleanneſſe in Sodomites.
Fourthly, faithfull and induſtrious imployment of our honeſt vocations. Dauids g1. Sam. 11.2.idleneſſe ſeemes the firſt occaſion of his luſt. And in Sodome was abundance of vncleanneſſe, by meanes ofhEzech. 16.49 abundance of idleneſſe.
Fiftly, Prayer to God, whoſe gift it is; his i1. Cor. 7.7.ſpeciall gift, eſpecially in ſingle life.
Sixtly, diligent heed-taking to occaſions, that in experience we hauehave obſerued to be the bellowes of Concupiſcence.
Seuenthly, if none of theſe ſerue to preſerue virginall Chaſtitie, a comfortable remedie God hath prouided. Tok1. Cor. 7.2. auoid Fornication, let eueryevery man hauehave his owne wife. He is a Monſter in luſt, whom that remedie reformes not.