Exposition of 1 Thessalonians, Chapter 5 · Verse 23
VERS. 23.
And the very God of Peace ſanctifie you wholly: and I pray God, your whole ſpirit, and ſoule and bodie bee preſerued blameleſſe vntounto the Comming of our Lord Ieſus Christ.
THE Concluſion of the Epiſtle remaynes. Wherein wee hauehave firſt a Petition put vp vntounto GOD on behalfe of this people; wherein ſummarily, the Apoſtle prayes God to worke in them what hee had exhorted vntounto; progreſſe and perſeuerance in Sanctitie.
The points obſeruable are, Firſt, That hee prayes. Secondly, What hee prayes. His fact, and the matter of it.
From his fact praying God to effect what hee had exhorted vntounto, we learne, That the vertue and power of all exhortation, of the whole Miniſterie, depends on the bleſſing of God. PAVL planteth, APOLLO watereth: It is a1. Cor. 3.6.God that giues the increaſe.
Firſt, what elſe ſhuld be the reaſon, why the ſame word, preached by the ſame Miniſter, in the ſame euidence of the Spirit and power, becomes vertuous in ſome to their amendment? and eyther hardens others, or at leaſt amends them not? WhybActs 16.14. Lydia alone, amongſt that multitude, beleeues the preaching of Paul? WhycEſay 6.13. a tenth only returnes at Eſay his preaching, the reſt are hardened? Is it mans will only that puts this difference? or rather the grant or denyall of the Grace of God? In Lydiaes caſe, Luke giues the reaſon of her attention; God opened her heart. In the Diſciples, our Sauiour;dMat. 11.25. God hid thoſe things from the wiſe and prudent, and reuealed them vntounto Babes.
Secondly, If nothing elſe, this yet is ſufficient euidence: meanes weakeſt in the eye of Reaſon, are often mightieſt in operation. In playneſt obſeruation, the greateſt Clerkes hauehave not alwayes beene the moſt fruitfull Miniſters. Men comparatiuely of weakeſt parts for Learning, and other indowments, GOD hath made his chiefe inſtruments to inlarge his Church: that it might euer bee true that Paul hath, God chooſeth the e1. Cor. 1.27.weake and fooliſh things of the World, to confound the wiſer and more mighty.
Thirdly, And the weakeſt kinde of preaching, moſt voyde of that, which men call learning, and oſtentation,fCor. 1.21. the fooliſhneſſe of preaching, hath had greateſt vertue in the hearts of the people. In all experience, the preaching moſt admired for depth and profoundneſſe, hath beene reſpectiuely moſt barren; for this end I thinke, That the g2. Cor. 4.7.power might bee knowne to bee of God. The weaker the inſtrument, the more euident is the power of the principall worker. More euidently appeared God Authour of victory to Gideon, in that with ahIudg. 7.20, 21 few Pitchers and Lampes, hee diſcomfited the Hoſt of Midian, then if the Armies of Iſrael had accompanied him to the Battell. A man might eaſily ſee it was another breath, theniIoſh. 6.20. that of Rammes Hornes, which ouerthrew the wals of Iericho, by the ſillineſſe of the meanes vſed to that purpoſe.
Firſt, The meditation admoniſheth, to aſcribe glorie of our Conuerſion or whatſoeuer benefit we hauehave receiued by the Miniſterie, to that God of all grace whoſe ſole worke it is. What is Paul, what Apollos, what the beſt gifted Miniſter, butk1. Cor. 3.5. A Miniſter by whom we hauehave beleeued? and that, as the Lord gaue to eueryevery man. The fault of Corinthians is noted in this kinde; neglecting prayſe of the Grace of God, they fell to admire the gifts of their Teachers; I would it were theirs onelyonly, and that our people had not perſons of men in too much admiration; ſo that the ſame Word of GOD, vttered in like power and ſinceritie of affection, through preiudice, ſeemes not the ſame, in diuers mens mouthes. But whiles wee ſtay thus on view and admiration of our Teachers gifts, we detayne from God the glory of his rich Grace. I ſay then as Peter to the men of Iſrael; Why lActs 3.12.locke yee ſo earneſtly on vsus, as though by our owne power and holineſſe wee hauehave made you whole? the weapons of our warfare are mightie, butm2. Cor. 10.5. through God: And this bleſſing it is only, that makes the Goſpell in our mouthes, Gods power to our Saluation.
Secondly, It inſtructs vsus to the right courſe of profitable teaching and hearing; To ioyne to our hearing and exhortation, Prayer for Gods bleſſing.
Firſt, The complaint of Miniſters is as was that of ESAY; They nEſay 49.4.hauehave laboured in vaine and ſpent their ſtrength. See now ſucceſſe or fruit of their labours, in longeſt inſtance of preaching. It may bee, the reaſon ſtickes in the people. God ſometimes ſends vsus, not ſo much to conuert, as to harden. In that caſe wee hauehave no cauſe of diſcouragement. Firſt, God is glorified as well in the Iuſt hardening of Reprobates, as in the Saluation of his Choſen. Secondly, And we are in both, ao2. Cor. 2.15. ſweet ſauour to God. But take heed, the fault ſticke not in our ſelues; that though perhaps wee hauehave beene inſtant in preaching; yet our diſſoluteneſſe hath beene too palpable, in praying GODS bleſſing vponupon our indeuours.
Secondly, Amongſt people alſo the courſe is vſuall, to deriue the blame of their Non-proficiency from themſelues to their Teacher. Eyther hee is too profound, or too plaine; too cold, or too hote; too diſſolute, or too exact; one way or other, the fault muſt be the Miniſters, that the people are not bettered: When as all this while the blame reſts in themſelues; that they hauehave beene negligent in preparation; forgetting to pray Gods bleſſing vponupon their attention. God will euer bee knowne to bee giuer of all Grace: And hath therefore ordayned the vſe of Prayer in his Church, not as a meanes to informe him of our wants; but as an acknowledgement, and teſtification of that Principle of Saint IAMES;pIames 1.17. That eueryevery good giuing and eueryevery perfect gift comes downe from aboue, deſcending from the Father of Lights. To excite to this dutie, let that be conſidered, Gods Word hath euer his Worke. If it mollifie not, it hardens; if it conuert not, it will one day confound.
The matter of Pauls Petition is, Firſt, their Sanctification. Secondly, Their preſeruation. Both amplyfied by their extent, both in the ſubiect, and in time.
I pray God ſanctifie you throughout. The worke of Sanctification, the Lord had graciouſly begunne in this people, ſo much euinceth Pauls plentifull commendation giuen them for moſt parts of Sanctitie; ſo that apparantly he beggeth of God, what hee had exhorted vntounto: Their progreſſe and preſeruation in the ſtate of Grace. Whence is the note:
Not beginnings only, but increaſe and continuance in Sanctitie is the Worke of God. He that beginnes the good worke, the qPhilip. 1.6.ſame perfects. God is the Authour of all Grace; it is he that calleth, r1. Pet. 5.10.makes perfect, ſtabliſheth, ſtrengthneth, ſettleth vsus.
Whether meerely, or mixtly is the queſtion. Pelagians anciently, ſaw no neceſſitie of GODS gracious worke in vsus. Sufficient they eſteemed it for GOD, to command and ſhew what is to be done; that vouchſafed, it reſted in the power of mans Nature to doe what God preſcribes. To meere Nature, they thought poſſible duties ſupernaturall: as to vsus, in this ſtate, ſeeme, Faith and Repentance. Contra. ſIohn 6.44.No man can come to mee, ſaith our Sauiour, except my Father which ſent mee draw him. Chriſt chargeth on Nature, not vnwillingneſſe onelyonly, but impotencie to beleeue in him; Paul not want only of knowledge, butt1. Cor. 2.14. diſabilitie to know things of the Spirit of God. In a word. Is Nature ſtrong enough? Why then pray Saints ayde of Gods Grace? Pray they neceſſarily aſſiſtance of Grace? Nature then is inſufficient.
There be that part ſtakes betwixt Grace and Nature; Nature is weake, and muſt bee aſſiſted: wounded, but not to death. As Chriſt of the Damoſell, ſo theſe of Nature,uMat. 9.24. Shee is not dead, but ſleepeth. Excite Nature, it workes with Grace, to the firſt Conuerſion; perhaps without it, to the increaſe of Sanctitie: yet Firſt, ſaw the Lord in mans heart naturall, no propenſion xGen. 6.5.ſaue onelyonly to euill. Secondly, Paul nothing butyGal. 5.17. reluctation againſt Grace, in men ſanctified. Thirdly, Leaue holieſt men to themſelues, as the Lord didzChron. 32.31. Hezekiah, &c. What ſhew they but prophaneneſſe and vanitie? Fourthly, And ſaid not Paul of himſelfe now ſanctified, that aRom. 7.18.in his fleſh, that is, in that which remayned Naturall in him, dwelt no good thing? how then abilitie to cooperate with Grace?
It is true, wee are Operis quodammodo ſocij per conſenſum, audacti agimus; but as inſtruments only in vertue of the principall Agent. It is mans will that proſecutes; his minde that vnderſtands the things of the Spirit of God; but the principle moouing both, is ſupernaturall; the abilitie to mooue to any thing pleaſing God, meerely from his Grace.
Pauls inference is,bPhilip. 2.12, 13. With feare and trembling to Ʋſe. 1 worke out our Saluation, ſith will and worke, beginnings, increaſe, continuance in Sanctitie, are wholly and alone of God. Preſumptuous aboue meaſure is mans confidence in abilities receiued; Firſt, aduenturing vponupon the moſt dangerous occaſions, if not of Apoſtaſie, yet of declinings in holy practice; the moſt leprous company is not feared for infection. ThecDeut. 7.3, 4. neereſt ſocietie with Idolaters, againſt which God eſpecially giues vsus caueat, leſt they withdraw vsus from God, how many dare venter vponupon?
Firſt, Said Salomon in vaine, Walke not in the way with Sinners? Their attempt is to dPro. 4.14, 16.cauſe vsus to fall. Secondly, Wee hauehave ſeene foule faultings of great Saints by that occaſion. That of eNehem. 13.26SALOMON, whom may it not make tremble? Thirdly, And though wee hauehave promiſe to be preſerued from euill; yet is that protectionfPſal. 91.11. in vijs only, not in praecipitijs. Fourthly, And if Nature of it ſelfe bee prone to euill, how dare wee by occaſion helpe forward that propenſion?
Secondly, No leſſe is their pride and tempting of God, that after ſome ſmattering knowledge and ſeedes of Grace receiued, deſpiſe meanes ſanctified, of their growth and eſtabliſhment; and will needes bee their owne keepers. Paul ſpeakes not, but thunders againſt ſuchgHeb. 10.25. as forſake the Aſſemblies of Saints.
Secondly, How ſhould this reſtrayne contemptuous Ʋſe. 2 inſultings ouer others weakeneſſe? behinde vsus, as they ſeeme, in the meaſure of Grace? Firſt, For alas,h1. Cor. 4.7. Who is it that diſcernes vsus? or what hauehave wee that wee hauehave not receiued? And if receiued, why boaſt wee? In Gods diſcriminating vsus from others in the meaſure of gifts, cauſe wee hauehave of thankefulneſſe; none of pride; when beginnings, increaſe, continuance of Sanctitie are meerly of God. Secondly, Our merits of Grace, no more then theirs; of vsus it is true, as of any, Wee were in times iTitus 3.3.paſt diſobedient, ſerued luſts and diuers pleaſures. Thirdly, In Nature, as vncapable of all holy inſtincts, as any. Fourthly, Our infirmities in firſt enterance as great, as others. Fiftly, And our hinderlings haply may ouertake, and out-ſtrip vsus in holy practice.
There remaynes the extent of Sanctification, which is prayed to the whole of man, and whatſoeuer faculty or part God hath allotted to the entyreneſſe of his Nature. Thus ſorted by the Apoſtle; The Spirit, Soule, and Body. The Spirit, vnderſtand the intellectuall part of the Soule; Paul cals it elſewhere, The ſpirit of our minde: the Soule, the appetite and ſenſuall faculties common to vsus with brutes; the Body, the outward man, the inſtrument and organ of the Soule: To theſe all, and the whole of them, Paul prayes increaſe and preſeruation in Sanctity.
The points intended to our notice are two.
Firſt, There is no part or faculty of mans Body or Soule, not that which may ſeeme moſt pure and excellent, but needs to be ſanctified. Therefore is Pauls exhortation, To be renewed in the kEpheſ. 4.23.Spirit of our minde; in the moſt pure and ſpirituall part of the Soule. And if it alſo hauehave beene depraued by the Fall of Adam, how needes it not reſtoring by the Grace of Chriſt? Defects in the vnderſtanding are noted foure principall.lEpheſ. 4.17, 18 Firſt, Ignorance, groſſeſt ignorance in things that concerne Gods Kingdome. Secondly, Vanitie, and no leſſe then dotage about things that cannot profit.m1. Cor. 12.14. Thirdly, Impotencie, to know the things of the Spirit of God. Fourthly,nRom. 8.7. Enmitie againſt the Law of God; profeſſed quarrelling againſt the Goſpell; and prophane befooling of Gods Wiſedome in choice of meanes for mans Saluation. And if the minde hauehave ſo farre degenerated, how may the will be thought to keepe her firſt integritie? ſo that Grace ſhall not need to alter, but onelyonly to excite or aſſiſt it? That Cordurum in the Prophet, which he cals not plumbeum, or ferreum, oEzech. 36.26.but lapideum: it is nothing elſe to Auſtine, but mans will obſtinate in euill, obdurate againſt all goodneſſe.
There were that taught, the corruption deriued from Adam to ſtay only in the inferiour parts of the ſoule; the appetite and ſenſualitie. Mentior, if I thinke not Papiſts moſt of that minde; ſo Philoſophically conceit they the Combate betwixt fleſh and Spirit, to import little more, then that conflict Heathens obſerued betwixt Reaſon and Appetite. Generally it goes current, that the higher faculties are infeebled only; Grace alters not their qualitie, but aſſiſts their infirmitie. Contra. Firſt, Why then prayes Paul, Sanctification to the ſpirit of man? Secondly, How perſwades hee indeuour of Renouation in the ſpirit of our minde? Thirdly, Notes Enmitie in Natures Wiſedome againſt Gods Law? Fourthly, And placeth ſomething pGal. 5.20.fleſhly in the vnderstanding? The pureſt part muſt be ſanctified; is therefore depraued in the quality and conſtitution of it.
The ſecond point offered to our obſeruation is; that where truth of Sanctification is vouchſafed, the whole of man partakes it: no part or power of Body or Soule, but feeles vertue of Gods Spirit purging corruption, faſtening impreſſions of holy Qualities. Old things are paſſed away; q2. Cor. 5.17.Behold, all things in the new Creature, are become new. And ſure it is, The Grace of Chriſt is eueryevery whit as large, as the ſinne of Adam; what it hath wounded, Chriſts Grace hath ſalued; that his power may appeare as great to ſaue, as Adams was to deſtroy.
It may be, this power of Gods ſanctifying Spirit appeares not alike euidently in eueryevery part, yet hath eueryevery particle his ſeaſoning with Sanctitie.
Whereby true Sanctitie is diſcerned, Firſt, from that Mocke-grace-Ciuilitie: harbouring in the minde groſſeſt Ignorance and Vanitie; toleratingrMat. 5.21, 27. laſciuious, wrathfull, prophane affections; Carefull of nothing, ſaue of plauſible outward carriage and demeanour in the eies of men.
Secondly, From halting Hypocriſie; rigorouſly handling ſinnes it cares not for;ſMark. 6.11, 20. tendering their dearling, and with wantonneſt indulgence cockering it.
Thirdly, From pretended purity of heart; while the tongue runs ryot in filthineſſe, rayling, blaſphemy; the eyes are full of adultery; the hands of rapine and violence, &c. May wee thinke the fountaine cleane that ſtreames out ſuch filthineſſe? or any theſe party-Deuils, to bee perfect Saints? By Pauls rule, he is no Saint, that is not wholly ſanctified; he hath ſanctity in no part, that is not ſanctified in eueryevery part.