Exposition of 1 Thessalonians, Chapter 4 · Verse 13,14
VERS. 13.14.
But I would not hauehave you to be ignorant, Brethren, concerning them which are aſleepe; that yee ſorrow not euen as others that hauehave no hope.
For if we beleeue that Ieſus died and roſe againe: euen ſo, them alſo which ſleepe in Ieſus, will God bring with him.
SVcceedeth the laſt Branch of Sanctitie, in this Chapter commended to Gods people; moderation of ſorrow and lamentation for the dead in Chriſt. Wherein conſiderable are firſt, the dutie to keep meane in mourning: ſecondly, Reaſons preſſing the dutie: firſt, leaſt we bewray ignorance of the bleſſed ſtate of Gods children after this life: ſecondly, becauſe immoderate ſorrow is rather for hopeleſſe Heathen: thirdly, their death is no aboliſhing of Nature, but a ſleepe for a time: fourthly, and reſurrection is certaine. Firſt of the dutie; ſorrow not as men without hope. It ſhould ſeeme, the Apoſtle interdicts not ſorrowing, but deſires to moderate it. Auguſtin. de verb. Apoſtoli. Ser. 32.Contriſtamur & nos in noſtrorum mortibus neceſſitate amittendi, ſed cum ſpe recipiendi.
Obſer. Religion aboliſheth not affections, but only moderates them. Paul prohibites not to mourne, but to mourne without meaſure;kEph. 4.26. permits to be angrie, ſo the cauſe be iuſt, and due meaſure and moderation obſerued.
Grace deſtroyes not Nature, but rectifieth it; it doth not aboliſh Reaſon, but rectifie it; depriues not of Senſe, but teacheth right vſe of Senſes; proportionally kills not Affections, but only orders them. And the lGal. 5.24.mortifying of affections preſſed in Scripture, muſt ſo be vnderſtood, that the Carnalitie of them only is ſtrucken at, not the Affections themſelues.
Ʋſe. The opinion of Stoickes, not allowing to their Wiſe man any vſe of Affections, not to ſigh or change countenance at any croſſe accident, ſorts neither with Religion nor Reaſon; yet ſuch Stoickes, or ſtockes rather, deſire Worldlings to make Saints. They, forſooth, muſt be ſo mortified, as they terme it, that no occaſion may prouoke wrath, or ſorrow, or ioy; no, not when Gods owne cauſe requires it. Yet firſt, God himſelfe hath imprinted ſuch Affections in mans Nature with his owne finger; and they blame Gods workmanſhip, that condemne them: ſecondly, Chriſt, of whom it is ſaid, He mHeb. 7.26.was holy, harmeleſſe, ſeparate from ſinners; that knew no ſinne, per experimentum, yet had vſe of Affections;nIoh. 35. wept ouer LAZARVS, ouer theoLuc. 19.41. Citie; and not without Indignation, beheld the hard-heartedneſſe of incredulous Iewes.
Another ſort of men wee hauehave, in practice more then Stoicall; whom no croſſe from God or men can affect to ſorrow; Loſſe of Goods, of Children, Wiues, Parents, things deareſt, toucheth not ſo farre, as to worke the leaſt relenting. Their patience they thinke it, and inſuperable fortitude, not to be moued with theſe things; their patience is it, or rather their blockiſh ſenſeleſneſſe?pIer. 5.3. Thou haſt ſmitten them, O Lord, but they hauehave not ſorrowed. It was not patience, but ſtupiditie which the Lord complained of in his people.
Obſer. Howbeit, that muſt be confeſſed which Paul would here intimate; Moderation of Affections is no ſmall part of Sanctification. The Corruption that hath by the Fall growne vponupon the affections, ſtands chiefly in two things: firſt, their miſapplying to vnmeet Obiects: ſecondly, their exceeding, or comming ſhort of their due meaſure. And this is that Gods Spirit doth in ſanctifying them; firſt, directs them to their right Obiects; ſecondly, keepes them to their iuſt proportion.
Very Heathen ſaw ſomewhat in this kind: wherefore ſome of them herein placed the top of Wiſdome; and he was with them reputed wiſeſt, that had beſt ſtay & guide of his Affections. Their vertues Morall are exerciſed all about moderating the appetite and affectuous part of the Soule.
Vſe. Our Chriſtian endeuour ſhould be hither bended, that rectified Reaſon, or rather Grace and Religion, may bridle our turbulent and head-ſtrong Affections. Wherefore Gods Spirit is pleaſed ſo highly to commend this temper. He that ruleth his ſpirit, ſaith Salomon, is better qPro. 16.34.then he that winneth a Citie; and Contra, Whoſo hath no rPro. 25.28.gouernment of his ſpirit, is like a Citie broken downe, that hath no walls.
A Meditation, if any other, meet for vsus: this part of Sanctitie being ſo generally neglected; inſomuch, that we ſee many hungring and thirſting after knowledge of God, in other parts of their life walking holy and blameleſſe; yet, I know not how, pleaſing themſelues, and almoſt iuſtifying the inordinate motions of their tumultuous Affections. In Wrath eſpecially it is obſeruable: how ſmall occaſions kindle it? and when it is growne to a flame, no place left for Right, Reaſon, or Religion, to ſway it; nor is the gentleſt remembrance admitted, though it be as that of the Lord to Ionah, ſIon. 4.4.Doeſt thou well to be angrie? Remember wee whoſe prayer it was, that our t1. Theſſ. 5.23.whole ſpirit, and ſoule and bodie might be kept holy and blameleſſe. And of theſe generalls thus farre.
Obſer. The particular wherein this prudent moderation is required, is ſorrow for the dead in Chriſt: and it is ſo carried in the Apoſtles Exhortation, as if he would teach, Immoderate mourning for the dead in Chriſt, to be for Chriſtians moſt vnſeemely. The Saints before vsus laboured herein, to ſet bounds to Affection, and to cut off occaſions of exceſſe in that kind. Abraham mournes for Sarah, euen vntounto weeping; yet fearing leſt hee ſhould forget his meaſures, deſires to burie uGen. 23.4.her out of his ſight: Aegyptians mourne for IACOB ſeuentie dayes; Ioſeph, his naturall ſonne,xGen. 50.3, 10 onelyonly ſeuen dayes. Not that hee was leſſe kind, but more Chriſtian-like prudent.
The Lord interdicts his Iſrael thoſe Heatheniſh Rites ofyDeut. 14.1. Balding and Cutting themſelues for the dead: And our Sauiour intimates diſlike of Iewiſh zMat. 9.23.Minſtrelſie, for increaſe of Sorrow; Affection, he thought, in that caſe, needed not the ſpurre, but the bridle rather.
Indeed we read of ſome Saints exceſſiue in this kind; Dauid weeping for his Abſolon, as Rachel for her children, and would not be comforted. But firſt, both it is noted as his infirmitie; and ſecondly, in Auſtines iudgement,Auguſt. de doct. Chriſt. lib. 3. c. 21. & contr. Fauſt. Manich. lib. 22. cap. 66. he bewayled not ſo much his ſonnes death, or his owne Orbitie, as the puniſhments whereinto his ſoule, ſo inceſtuouſly adulterous, ſo vnnaturally murtherous, ſhould in likelyhood be plunged. Non orbitatem doluit in eius interitu, ſed quia nouerat in quas poenas tam impiè adultera & parricidalis anima raperetur. And Bernard: Bernard.Planxit meritò Dauid ſuper parricidâ filio, cui perpetuo ſciret obſtructum exitum de ventre mortis mole criminis. Thirdly, And what if Dauid thus mourned for Abſolons damnation? Better hopes hauehave Chriſtians, of Chriſtians that ſleepe in the Lord. Such as make exceſſe of ſorrowing, for them moſt vnſeemely. For firſt, how argues it ignorance in that point, wherein a Chriſtians ignorance is moſt ſhamefull; the bleſſed ſtate of Gods children after death? And how giues it occaſion to Gentiles to traduce vsus, when we bewayle, as vtterly loſt and extinct, thoſe whom we profeſſe to liue with God?Cyprian. de Mortalitate. Sp… noſtra ac fidei praeuaricatores ſumus, ſaith Cyprian: Simulata, ficta, fucata videntur eſſe quae dicimus. Secondly, And what ods, in this behalfe, betwixt hopefull Chriſtians, and hopeleſſe Heathens; while wee equally giuegive reines to ſorrow, and macerate our ſelues with like comfortleſſe griefe?
Ʋſe. Our wiſdome it ſhall be, to ſet ſome reaſonable limits to our ſorrow, for thoſe, of whom we hauehave reaſon to be perſwaded, that they ſleepe in the Lord. Let not the Monition ſeeme vnneceſſarie. Affections are violent, eſpecially hauing ſhew of lawfulneſſe to ſet them forward. More frequent are the ſlips of Saints, in things for their matter lawfull, then in thoſe that are ſimply vnlawfull. Conſcience, euen of good men, ſets it ſelfe looſe, hauing plea of lawfulneſſe for the action. Herein, Affection growes no leſſe then tumultuous, being able to warrant it ſelfe by inſtinct of Nature, practice of Chriſt and his Saints.
Truth is, the cuſtome of Mourning, but Stoickes, none condemned: howbeit, ſaith Bernard, the ſpirituall man that iudgeth all things,Bernard. de conſiderat. lib. 3. and is iudged of no man, preuents all his attempts with this three-fold conſideration; firſt, whether it be lawfull; ſecondly, whether decent; thirdly, whether alſo expedient. Secondly, And we are not ignorant, things lawfull in their kind, may through neglect of due circumſtances, proue ſinfull in the doer. Eating and drinking are lawfull and neceſſarie; yet exceſſe therein, is cenſured of Gluttonie. No wiſe man euer condemned Recreations as euill in their whole kind; yet immoderate vſe of Sports, is little leſſe then Epicuriſme. And ſorrow for the dead, hath example of Saints, yea of our Sauiour, to warrant it. Pauls Mandate is more,aRom. 12.15. Flere cum flentibus; howbeit, exceſſe in lamentation makes it ſinfull in Chriſtians. And here alſo hath place that Caueat of the Apoſtle,b2. Cor. 2.7. leſt any be ſwallowed vp of ouer-much ſorrow.
Meditations auaileable this way, are theſe: Firſt, of the bleſſed ſtate of Gods children, deliuered from the burthen of the bodie;Cyprian. de Mortalitate. who thinks it not his gaine? Saeculi laqueis non teneri, nullis peccatis & vitijs Carnis obnoxium fieri; exemptum preſſuris augentibus, & venenatis Diaboli faucibus liberatum, ad laetitiam ſalutis aeternae, Christo vocante, proficiſci. Who is not of Pauls mind? To be diſſolued, and to be with Chriſt, is cPhil. 1.23.beſt of all; ſuchdReuel. 14.13. reſt from their labours, and their workes follow them. Thus thinke, as S. Cyprian aduiſed, Deſiderari eos debere, non plangi; nec accipiendas eſſe hîc atras veſtes, quando illi ibi inſtrumenta alba iam ſumpſerunt.
Secondly, That argument which with Epheſians in like caſe preuailed, why ſhould it not ſway with vsus?cAct. 21.14. The will of the Lord be fulfilled. Let vsus not make ſuch Idols of our ſelues, or ours, as for their deaths, ſo comfortable, to grow diſcontented at the Lords appointments.
Thirdly, And if that Heathen could ſay, Praemittimus non amittimus? Why thinke not Chriſtians much more,Seneca. They loſe not their friends, but ſend them before? Thus of the maine matter in the Text.
In our paſſage, let vsus notice the Epithete giuen to the death of Gods Saints; they die not, but ſleepe; their death is a ſleepe. Vſuall in Scriptures. See Ioh. 11. Act. 7.
What is it of Man that ſleepeth? Some Heretiques made queſtion, and at length reſolued, the ſeparate ſoules caſt into a dead ſleepe, to remaine without action till the generall Reſurrection; which if they would limit to the organicall actions of the Soule, that without commerce with the bodie, cannot be exerciſed; the ſtrife were ended. But Experience hath taught vsus, the Soule hath her immateriall acts, which without bodily organs ſhee is enabled to exerciſe. Firſt, wee ſee it in the ſtreighteſt tie of the Sences, by Sleepe, Thinking, Meditating, Diſcourſing. Secondly, yea the moſt perfect actions of the mind are, what time it hath leaſt commerce with the bodie. Inf2. Cor. 12.3, 4. Extaſies, Paul had his greateſt Reuelations; and Iohn in hisgReuel. 11.10. rauiſhment ſaw his moſt heauenly Viſions. Thirdly, perhaps alſo thathReuel. 5.12. place of Iohn implyes, that ſeparate Soules hauehave their imployment in lauding and prayſing God and the Lambe.
Limit therefore this ſleepe to the Bodie; whence I thinke it is, that our Graues are callediIſai. 57.2. our Beds; wherein our Bodies, not our Soules, reſt from their labours.
Reaſons of the reſemblance are thus conceiued: firſt, for that it reſts from all toyle and trauell, and ſenſe of euils: ſecondly, becauſe it riſeth againe by the power of God: thirdly, and is as eaſily reuiued by the voice of God, as the liuing man is awaked out of his ſhalloweſt ſlumber.
So that they erre, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God, that teach, the Bodie to be reſolued by death into its firſt principles, without hope of reſtoring to life. What then, trow we, is the Reſurrection promiſed? They ſay,Tertull. de Reſurrect. Carnis. of the Soules. But Tertullian well obſerued, They fall not, being immortall; therefore hauehave no need, nor are capable of Reſurrection. And that the Bodies alſo ſhall riſe againe, that ſame ſocietas operarum, as hee termes it, is abundant conuiction. Partners they were with Soules in doing good or euill, muſt therefore participate in the reward or puniſhment.
Secondly, And how fitly hence flowes Pauls exhortation, To keepe meane in mourning?
As men without hope. He meanes of Reſurrection to glorious life, and a better condition after death. The Periphraſis of Gentiles, and all aliens from the Church of God, accorded by the like, Eph. 2.12. how fittingly applyed to their ſtate, iudge by theſe Reaſons: firſt, they were without Chriſt, the ground of hope: ſecondly, out of the Church, the place of hope: thirdly, without the Couenant, the reaſon of all our hope and beleeuing.
Ʋſe. So that the Opinion ſauours of more pitie then iudgement, that giues Gentiles out of the Church hope of ſaluation; whether by light of Nature, as ſome; or by ſecret and extraordinarie Inſpirations, as others hauehave dreamed.
Firſt, I wonder then the Prophets, Dauid and Moſes, ſo much magnifie Gods grace to Iewes before Chriſts comming, inkPſal. 147.19, 20. giuing to them his Statutes, and entring with them Couenant of Peace and Saluation. Secondly, And why is that Bleſſing ſo much amplified to vsus Gentiles ſince Chriſt,lAct. 14.27. that to vsus alſo God hath opened the doore of Faith, and made vsusmEphe. 2.13. neere by the bloud of his Sonne?
I ſay rather as the Apoſtle,nRom. 15.9. Let vsus Gentiles, of theſe times, prayſe God for his merciemercy, whom he hath regenerated to a o1. Pet. 1.3.liuely hope in Chriſt Ieſus, hauing left deſperate ſo many Generations of our Fore-fathers.