Exposition of 1 Thessalonians, Chapter 4 · Verse 5
VERS. 5.
Not in the luſt of Concupiſcence, as the Gentiles which know not God.
NOt in the luſt of Concupiſcence. Rather thus: Not in the p…ſſi…no, luſt. Luſt is luſt, be it neuer ſo moderate; when once it growes to violence, and notable diſturbance of Reaſon, then it becomes Paſſion. In the breach of this Precept, degrees are diſtinguiſhed. Firſt, the foming out of laſciuious thoughts and wanton deſires, delighting the ſenſuall appetite. Secondly, the ardencie and burning heat of ſuch deſires; which Paul elſewhere callslRom. 1.27. burnings; and here paſsions. Thirdly, eager ſeeking occaſions to vent our paſſionate luſts. Fourthly, the breaking of them out into execution. The Apoſtle ſeemes not to tolerate, ſo much as ardencie of luſt; and almoſt to intimate, they cannot vnremedied ſtand with good conſcience.
Obſer. We may here obſerue a difference of corrupt affections in Gods children, and in men vnregenerate; ſome ſtirring they hauehave in the moſt ſanctified; ordinarily they are not paſſionate, ſaue in the vnregenerate. Vnlawfull and raſh anger may ariſe in Gods children; paſsionate wrath, furie and rage is not ordinarie with them. Motions of enuie hauehave beene found in Gods children; as in Ioſuah, for Moſes; inmNum. 12.1. Aaron and Miriam, againſt him: but paſsionate ſpitefulneſſe, ſuch as in Cain; in Haman, nHeſt. 5.13.that grew ſicke of enuie, is not common in Saints. Laſciuious and wanton luſts hauehave their ſtirrings perhaps in the moſt holy: but paſsionate luſts, ſuch as we reade ofo2. Sam. 13.2. Ammon, are not ordinarie with them. When we were in the fleſh, pRom. 7.5.the paſſions of Concupiſcence wrought in our members. Now we are in Chriſt,qGal. 5.14. We hauehave mortified the fleſh with the paſſions, and luſts thereof.
Queſt. How may we know them to be paſsions?
Anſw. Firſt, by their violence, when they grow ſo headſtrong that they, admit no moderation: nor permit ſo much as to conſult and deliberate about their ſuppreſsing. Secondly, when their violence is increaſed by oppoſition. It was luſt outragiouſly paſsionate in Sodomites, that wasrGen. 19.9. more inraged by Lot his meekeſt admonitions. Thirdly, Paſsions are reſtleſſe, and fill with diſcontentment till they breake out into executions; as in Achab, Haman, Ammon, Cain, &c.
We hauehave men profeſsing the feare of God, in ſome affections ſo intemperate, and full of paſsion, that they giuegive iuſt cauſe to be iealous of their mortification. In their wrath, they muſt needs giuegive vent; and by bitter ſpeeches diſgorge the venome of their ſpite. Such affections are paſsions, I like them not in Chriſtians. TheyſGal. 5.24. that are Chriſts, hauehave mortified the fleſh, at leaſt in the paſſions thereof. The Stoicks ſaid, Paſsions are not incident into a wiſe man. Nor are ſuch paſsions ordinarie in a true Chriſtian.
As the Gentiles, &c. Gentiles in common phraſe of Scripture, ſignifie all people, not of the ſeed of Abraham. Of Gentiles there are two ſorts: Firſt, Gentiles by nature. Secondly, Gentiles in ſtate. Gentiles by nature, we are all, that come not from the loynes of Abraham. Gentiles in ſtate, are ſuch as continue in the ſtate of Gentiliſme, not yet admitted into the Couenant of Abraham, nor called into the Church: of this latter ſort Paul would be vnderſtood. It is the reaſon of the Apoſtle to diſſwade laſciuiouſneſſe; therein liued Gentiles, that knew not God; the more deteſtable ſhould the ſinne be amongſt Chriſtians.
Obſer. Vngodly examples are permitted to increaſe deteſtation of euill, not to incourage to imitation: Impious courſes of impious men, ſhould make impietie more abominable. Imitation we are ſure makes vsus culpable before God, not only of like ſinnes perſonally committed, but in a degree of all ſinnes of like nature by others committed. ThetMatth. 23.35 bloud of all Saints from ABEL to ZACHARIE, comes vponupon that generation of Iewes; with what iuſtice may ſome ſay? I thinke, becauſe their crueltie argued approbation of like ſinne in their bloudie Progenitors. To walke in the wayes of wicked men, what is it but to approue them? the fact proclaimes, we thinke, like actions of others good and warrantable.
Ʋſe. It were to be wiſhed, our people had learnt to make this vſe vngodly examples; to deteſt lewd practices, becauſe in vre amongſt wicked men. But alas, how are they miſcarryed to thinke the better of euill? becauſe practiſed by the moſt and greateſt, though they cannot but acknowledge, the men are euill.
Thinke theſe beſt vſes of lewd examples. Firſt, grieue at the diſhonour of God, and the vngracious courſes of men made after Gods Image. Secondly, bleſſe God that hath not giuen thee ouer to like ſinnes. Thirdly, pray to be preſerued from contagion of euill. Fourthly, deteſt euill the more, becauſe practiſed by ſuch men.
As Gentiles. At leaſt thus much we are here taught, That Heatheniſh practices are vnſeemely for Chriſtians, the people of God. Therefore are thoſe cautions ſo frequent to Iſrael Gods people:uDeut. 12.30. Not to doe to the Lord their God ſo as Heathens to their gods. xIere. 10.2, 3.Not to learne the way of the Heathen, to be afraid of the ſignes of heauen: to Chriſtians, not to bee diſtruſtfully yMat. 6.31, 32carefull for things of this life, becauſe it is Heatheniſh; in a word,zEphe. 4.17. not to walke as Gentiles walke, in vanitie of their mindes, &c.
Is there nothing wherin Chriſtians may hold ſemblance with Heathēs? Excellent things are written of Heathens, Temperance, Iuſtice, Honour of Parents, Conſcience of othes, &c. May not theſe be exerciſed by Chriſtians, becauſe in practice againſt Heathens? No queſtion yes; and the rather, becauſe in vſe of Gentiles. Therefore may bee obſerued in Scripture arguments both wayes: good practices of Heathens brought to ſhame Chriſtians; as their ſinnes to increaſe deteſtation.
Their actions conceiue to admit this diſtinction: Firſt, ſome were materially good. Secondly, ſome materially euill. Thirdly, ſome euill by circumſtance. Of the firſt, ſaith the Apoſtle.aRom. 4.2, 14. Gentiles doe by nature the things of the Law. bAct. 28.2.Barbarians were kind to Strangers deſtreſſed. They made conſcience of othes, as there are plentifull inſtances in ſtorie. Though ſimple fornication they thought was no ſinne; yet of Inceſt in ſome degree, Paul beares them witneſſe, they were ſo farre from practice, that c1. Cor. 5.1.they would not name it. Of theſe let vsus thinke; Their practice ſhould bee our prouocation to good duties; It ſhould ſhame a Chriſtian, that in any thing commendable an Heathen ſhould goe before him.
A ſecond ſort of actions in them, were euill by circumſtance. They mourned for their dead; that is not vnlawfull: but their mourning was without moderation; that was euill in them. Here our rule is: The faultie circumſtances muſt be auoyded: the things themſelues may be practiſed. To mourne for the dead, no pietie forbids.dGen. 23.2. Abraham mourned for Sarah, Iſaac for Abraham, eIoh. 11.35.Chriſt for Lazarus. But to mourne immoderately, as men without hope, is Heatheniſh; in no ſort beſeeming Chriſtians.
Whether to this head may be referred other their actions, is queſtionable.*Example. Sundry things are noted in their practiſe, wherewith the Lord vpbraides his people, that Heathens exceeded.fIere. 2.11. No nation hath forſaken their gods. Iſrael hath forſaken me. gMal. 3.8.No nation hath ſpoiled their gods. Iſraelites robbed their IEHOVAH of tythes & offerings: of theſe thus thinke: There is a kind of oblique imitation preſcribed, not much vnlike what our Sauiour inioynes touching the vniuſt Steward; whoſe wiſedome he commends to vsus to imitate, not in the particular. The rule is this: the ſame things may be done, but applied to other obeicts. Gentiles held conſtant to their ancient Idols. Shall Chriſtians doe ſo to Idols? No. But let it ſhame Chriſtians, not to cleaue as cloſe to the liuing God, as Gentiles did to dumbe Idols. Gentiles made conſcience of ſacriledge; would not withdraw maintenance conſecrated to ſeruice of Idols. Are Chriſtians bound to contribute to Idolatrie? God forbid. But it is the ſhame of Chriſtians, to rob God of his portion, when Heathens made conſcience of ſacriledge.
Laſtly, there were of their actions toto genere malae; and, as they are ſtyled, abominations. Of theſe the rule holds vniuerſall. Gods people in them may hold no correſpondence: their euils muſt be ſo much the more deteſted, becauſe in vſe amongſt Heathens. See Deut. 18.9. Theſe abominations cauſed the Lord to abhorre the Heathen; and for theſe things ſo lothſome, the land ſpued out her Inhabitants.
Theſe diſtinctions I thought not impertinent to propound, as limitations to the Apoſtles ground; the rather, for that I ſee ſundry men ouercarried in their zeale againſt Gentiliſme, & Idolatrie; ſo far as to thinke they may doe nothing in the worſhip of God, which is in practice of Idolaters: which ground vniuerſally holden true, ſee how many abſurdities follow. The Prieſts of Baal offered ſacrifice to Baal; might not Elias therefore offer ſacrifice to the God of Iſrael? The Idolatrous Iſraelites prayed to their Idols; may not Gods people therefore pray to their God? They worſhip their Idols in Temples: may not we in Temples do ſeruice to our God? This rule held of ſuch indifferents: Their actions Idolatrous, as they are Idolatrous, we may not doe. Idem may doe in infinite particulars, though not ita. Heatheniſh practices, quâ heatheniſh, are vnbeſeeming Chriſtians.
Vſe. The more damnable is their cōtinuance amongſt Chriſtians, after ſo many publiſhings of the Lords prohibitions. Starre-gazing, & ſuch like obſeruations of the ſigns of heauen, God charged his people to beware of: how frequent are they amongſt Chriſtians? Inſomuch that to Stars is aſcribed diſpoſing of all their attempts, actions, accidents. If any accurſed death betide their children, if any vngracious courſes taken by them, they were borne, they ſay, in an ill houre, vnderunder an ill Planet: almoſt all their miſaduentures, imputed to Starres and Planets ruling, as they thinke, in the Natiuitie. What Starres ruled, I wonder, in the birth of Eſau and Iacob? both borne almoſt in the ſame inſtant of time; yet how different in their manners, courſes of life, euents? Truth is, Parents vſually are the euill Planets, either neglecting their holy education, or baning their youth with vngracious examples.
A charge God gaue, none ſhould obſerue flying of birds, or any ſuch like ſuperſtitious contingencies. How frequent are ſuch ſuperſtitious notices amongſt our people! A Hare may not croſſe them, but it bodes ill fortune; nor the ſalt fall towards them, but ſome miſ-hap is conceited neere them: What ſhould I ſpeake of Charmes and Sorceries, and ſuch like deuilliſh ſuperſtition? For theſe did Canaan vomit out her inhabitants; we heare, but feare not, nor tremble to doe alike preſumptuouſly. I would wee were onelyonly like heathens, and did not farre exceede them in ſundry abominations. Truely may bee ſayd of many, that the Lord ſpeakes of Iſrael; wee hauehavehEzech. 16.51 iuſtified the heathen; and they may ſeeme righteous in compariſon of vsus. What Paul ſpeakes in one caſe, may bee applied to many; ſuch fornication amongſt Chriſtians, as was not named amongſt heathen; ſuch drunkenneſſe, I am ſure, as heathens deteſted: ſuch periurie, as they held abominable; ſuch oppreſſion and fraud, as ſome of the Nations ſeuerely puniſhed. Vſurie, which they matched with robberie, with murther; Chriſtians not onelyonly practiſe, but defend. Whence it is come to paſſe, that theiRom. 2.24. Name of God is blaſpehemed amongſt heathens and Idolaters.
Remember we are Chriſtians, not Gentiles. And if the Lord for ſuch abominations plagued heathen that knew him not; how much ſorer vengeance hath he in ſtore for Chriſtians, to whom he hath ſo clearely reueiled himſelfe by his Word.
Their Periphraſis followes. Which knew not God. The vſuall circumſcription of Gentiles, as Ier. 10. vlt. Pſal. 79.6. Gal. 4.8. &c.
And yet Paul tels vsus, that to very heathens God had made himſelfe knowne:kRom. 1.20. The inuiſible things of God, his power and Godhead, Gentiles were not ignorant of. Neuer was Nation ſo barbarous, but had ſome notices of a Deitie. In ſome of their writings, excellent ſentences are found expreſſing the nature and attributes of the Godhead. Plato thus deſcribes: Deus & viuens immortale, ſibi ſufficiens ad foelicitatem, aeterna ſubſtantia, Cauſa omnis boni in Naturâ. Of his prouidence, they hauehave learned diſcourſes: extending it to all particular euents, euen to permiſſion and ordering of euils; notable diſputes, ſending to vphold the iuſtice of God, in that, which to many ſeemes confuſion, that there be righteous to whom it comes after the worke of the wicked: and wicked, to whom it falles after the worke of the righteous.
How reconcile we? Diſtinctions are many. Firſt, after the meanes. Knowledge of God is twofold. Firſt, by his workes; which all Gentiles had. Secondly, by his word: that the prerogatiue of the Church.
Secondly, God is knowne, Firſt, as Creator; ſo Gentiles knew him: Secondly, as Redeemer, in Chriſt; ſo they knew him not: they werelEphe. 2.12. without Chriſt; themRom. 15.20. Name of Ieſus not heard amongſt them.
Thirdly, knowledge is of two ſorts. Firſt, one effectuall, n2. Cor. 3.18.that transformes vsus into Gods image. Secondly, the other ineffectuall, ſtanding onelyonly in ſpeculation, without efficacie and power in the ſoule and Conſcience. The ſumme is: By the workes of God they knew him; ſo far as the creatures could reueale him: by his Word, they knew him not; that was the priuiledge of the Church.
As Creatour and Gouernour of the world, they knew him: as Redeemer, in Chriſt, they knew him not.
Laſtly, ſome imperfect and ineffectuall notices they had of the Godhead, ſuch as depriued of excuſe, knowledge effectuall and powerfull to reforme, they had not. And hereof would the Apoſtle be chiefly vnderſtood.
The deſcription conceiue to bee propounded cauſally. The Gentiles liued in the paſſion of luſt: no maruell: the cauſe is euident: they knew not God.
Ignorance then is a maſter, a mother-ſinne. Pull it, thou pulleſt all ſin. There is no ſinne, into which an ignorant man, in the point where his ignorance lies, is not ready to fall. See if the Apoſtle ſay not is much.oEphe. 4.18. Aliens from the life of God, through the ignorance that is in them,p1. Cor. 12.2. they were carried to dumbe Idols, as they were led. Throughq1. Tim. 1.13. ignorance it was, that PAVL blaſphemed, perſecuted, oppreſſed the Church of God. That Iewes crucified the Lord of glory: A ſinne ſo fertile of ſinnes, is this of ignorance, that the wonder is more to ſee an ignorant man reſtrained from any ſinne, then running into fouleſt abominations.
Our indeuour ſhould be the more to come out of this ſo dangerous a ſnare of the deuill; and as Paul prayes,rColoſ. 1.9. to be filled with all knowledge and ſpirituall vnderſtanding. Reaſons many hauehave bene often preſſed. This of the Apoſtle let not be forgotten; that it is the mother, not of deuotion, but of abomination. That ignorants are kept from groſſeſt ſinnes, is of Gods prouidence withholding temptations: were they tempted, no queſtion, to them they would run with as great greedineſſe, as they doe to thoſe wherin they now wallow.
They knew not God. Some knowledge they had of God, but ineffectuall to reforme them; that knowledge is eſteemed ignorance.
Erroneous and vnfruitfull knowledge is in eſteeme as no knowledge, in truth no better then ignorance. If any man ſeeme to know, neglecting vertues, heeſ2. Pet. 1.3. is blind and cannot ſee farre off: his knowledge is as no knowledge. Firſt, in reſpect of any honour that comes to God, all is as one. Diſobedience whether in ignorance or knowledge, diſhonours God.
Secondly, in regard of their comfort, all is as one: no more comfort hath ſuch a man in histIoh. 13.17. idle knowledge; then the verrieſt Idiot in his ignorance.
Learne we that hauehave receiued to know God, to ſhew the power of our knowledge in holy practice. If any ſay he knowes God, and keepes not his Commandements, hee is a lyar, and there is no truth in him. Gods grace hath bene marueilous to vsus, in the meanes of knowledge: happie were we, if wee were not defectiue in that that neerelieſt concernes our comfort. But how iuſtly may wee complaine, as Seneca, on like occaſion? Poſtquam docti prodierunt, boni deſierunt, and we hauehave learnd to diſpute, not to liue. Diſputants we hauehave many amongſt Chriſtians, moe then practicke Moraliſts. Curious foules labouring for knowledge, onelyonly that they may know, and in company of learned, be able to mainetaine diſcourſe. Oh brethren, what auailes it to hauehave all knowledge, though it were Angelicall, and not to hauehave obedience? to know as Angels, and liue as diuels? Can ſuch knowledge ſaue vsus? ſhall it not rather aggrauate condemnation? If yee know, uIoh. 13.17.happie are yee if yee doe; if ye know and doe not, wo worth the time that euer yee knew.
Gentiles which knew not God. So ſhould ignorance bee a ſinne peculiar to Gentiles. Therefore Gods Spirit ſo eueryevery where makes it their peculiar deſcription,xIere. 10.25. Pſal. 79.6. Not to know God. As if it were almoſt the difference ſpecificall diſcerning Heathens from Chriſtians.
I could wiſh it were now with Chriſtians, as it ſeemes to hauehave beene generally in Pauls time; that ignorance were a ſinne peculiar to Heathens: And that this deſcription did not as well befit our people, as euer it did the Heathen. But who ſees not, that it agreeth as well to our multitude, as euer to Gentiles; yea, that many Heathen know more of the Godhead, then men that hauehave long liued in the Church of God, bearing themſelues as Chriſtians? Heatheniſh Chriſtians, or worſe then Heathens; that hauehave not learnt of God ſo much by his Word, as Gentiles knew by view of the creatures! Of ſuch I dare be bold to ſay; When Heathens and Pagans, Turkes and Infidels goe to heauen, then ſhall ſuch Chriſtians,y2. Theſ. 1.8. as know not God, and diſobey the Goſpel.