Exposition of 1 Thessalonians, Chapter 5 · Verse 25
VERS. 25.
Brethren, Pray for vsus.
THe third particle of the concluſion: wherin the Apoſtle prayes the helpe and comfort of the peoples Prayers. In it obſerue, firſt, Pauls modeſtie, ſecondly, the peoples duetie.
Pauls modeſty, in that being ſo worthy an Apoſtle, ſo excellently gifted aboue the ordinary, yet requires the aſſiſtance of the peoples Prayers. Where we may notice, How men of greateſt gifts, may yet reape comfort by the Prayers of meaneſt Saints. For which cauſe, is Pauls ſo often intreaty of that fauour from Gods people. See Ephe. 6.19.
And if we conſider, Firſt, how impartiall the Lords reſpect is to all his Saints. Secondly, how he delights, to oblige vsus each to other in the body of Chriſt. Thirdly, How much hee reioyceth to hauehave thankes for his bleſſings, returned from many. Fourthly, what coldneſſe may ouertake the greateſt, when there is feruour in the meaneſt; this will eaſily appeare.
Firſt,tPſal. 145.18 God is rich in mercy to all that call vponupon him, in ſinceritie and truth; giues as ſoone to the meaneſt, as to the greateſt,uIam. 1.5. without exprobration. It is an opinion arguing too much ignorance of GODS Nature and LoueLove; to thinke Prayers receiue their value, from the excellencie of our Gifts. The cauſe of audience is no gift in vsus; but Firſt, the MercieMercy and Promiſe of God. Secondly, The merit and interceſſion of Chriſt; which equally belong to all the Lords people. Neyther may wee thinke the Lord takes pleaſure in fluent ſpeech, or Rhetoricall ornaments of Prayers. Firmeneſſe of beleeuing, feruencie of affection, much more pleaſe God, then all other adiuments and helpes whatſoeuer: which may be as great, in men otherwiſe meanly gifted, as in thoſe, whom, in other indowments, the Lord hath preferred before many.
Secondly, Beſides, the Lord delights by all meanes to make vsus each beholden to other. What Paul ſpeakes of the body Naturall, is as true of the Myſticall. The head cannot ſay to the foote, x1. Cor. 12.21, 22.I hauehave no neede of thee; Nor the principall members in Chriſts Body, that are as Hands or Eyes to the Church, to thoſe that are as low as the feete, I hauehave no need of you. So hath God diſpenſed his gifts in all kindes, that eueryevery one hath in ſome reſpects his preeminence aboue another. Which made Paul ſay, We ſhould eueryevery man thinke another yPhilip. 2.3.better then himſelfe, Non minùs verè quàm humiliter as Bernard gloſſeth; becauſe in ſome gift or other, at leaſt in the meaſure or vſe, another may be a better to vsus. One perhaps prayeth in better termes; another, with more faith to bee heard; a third, with more ſenſe of wants, and ardencie of deſire. If none of theſe, yet may the Lord of purpoſe denie that to the Superiour, which he grants to the Prayer of the Meaner; that by all meanes, hee may cheriſh a louing reſpect in the greateſt, towards the meaneſt of his Saints.
Thirdly, Moreouer; It is that the Lord much reioyceth, to hauehave the prayſe of his merciemercy celebrated by the mouthes of many Saints. Bleſſings intended to ſingulars, he will hauehave begged by many, that for the beſtowing he may reape thankes from many. That made Paul deſirous to hauehave his deliuerance obtained by the Prayers of many, That as it is procured by many z2. Cor. 1.11.ſo thankes may be returned from many to God, the Author of the bleſſing; whileſt euen in ſingle bleſſings beſtowed on ſingular perſons, many yet may ſee the louing kindneſſe of the Lord, in attending to their Prayers.
Fourthly, Finally; The greateſt of Gods Seruants oft feele remiſſeneſſe of their feruour, as in other Offices religious, ſo in this of Prayer. The Lord withdrawing the liuely vigour of his Grace; whether to preuent or chaſten Pride; or to correct Ingratitude and Licentiouſneſſe: for what cauſe ſoeuer, The greateſt may obſerue, their deuotions keepe not alwayes the ſame pitch of feruour; ſometimes proſperitie diſtracteth: ſometimes extremitie of anguiſh ouer-chargeth affection; perhaps, as befell Dauid, in particulars of groſſe ſinne we are ouertaken, to the grieuance of Gods Spirit of Grace, and deprecation in the greateſt; whereas in the meaner, where is more feare and humilitie, through conſcience of infirmitie, they abide in their ancient vigour. In which caſe, who ſees not how helpfull to the greateſt, the Prayers of the meaneſt may be?
And it giues iuſt occaſion to notice that curſed policy Ʋſe 1 of the Church of Rome, whereby, as one meanes, they grew firſt to ingroſſe the Reuenewes of Kingdomes, where they once gate footing. It was, pretence of daily Prayers to be made in behalfe of their Benefactors; And that, as they bare people in hand, by men in extraordinary grace and fauour with GOD; ſuch as their Monkes, &c. men ſequeſtred from all ſecular imployments; and, as was pretended, mortified and euen dead to the World: By which colour of long Prayers, as Chriſt ſpake of Phariſes,aMat. 23.14. they deuoured Widdowes houſes.
Now ſuppoſe them men ſo eminently gifted, aboue the ordinary ranke of Gods people; muſt therefore their Prayers finde more acceptance with God? or might not Prayers of the people, be all out as helpfull to them? The greateſt of Gods Saints may reape comfort by Prayers of the meaneſt; perhaps as much, as they by men of moſt eminent gifts and calling.
Let vsus bee admoniſhed what-euer our gifts be, not to deſpiſe the meaneſt amongſt Gods Saints: There is none ſo meane in the Church of GOD, but may in ſpirituall things bee helpfull vntounto vsus; eyther by their example; or holy monitions; or experienced conſolations; at leaſt, by their Prayers to God for vsus.
Too ordinary is our baſe eſteeme and contemptuous carriage towards the meaner ranke of Brethren; occaſioned often by Pride, and ouer-weening conceit of our eminent gifts; ſometimes by diſparitie of their outward eſtate; though otherwiſe in ſpirituall indowments, they bee no-whit our inferiours. Saint Iames obſerued ſuch partialitie, as a fault in his time; and by reaſons, mee thinkes, weightie, labours to reforme it; ſending vsus to conſider, Firſt, How theſe poore of the World God bIam. 2.5.hath choſen, and in his louelove preferred them before many, perhaps Kings and Monarches, in his election to life. Secondly, Many of them he hath made rich in faith; recompenſed with abundance of ſpirituall bleſſings, as it were to make amends for their outward pouertie. Thirdly, Euen theſe he hath made co-heires with the greateſt of the Kingdome which he hath promiſed. Fourthly, If no other reaſon, yet this may ſway vsus to louing reſpect of them; that by their Prayers they may bee helpfull vntounto vsus.
Pray for vsus. Inferences of Papiſts hence are theſe: Firſt, that if without impeachment of Chriſts mediation, wee may craue Prayers of the liuing, why not alſo of Saints departed? Secondly, If the Prayers of Saints liuing compaſſed with infirmities, bee ſo accepted with God, much more they of Saints glorified. By all meanes, this muſt affoord them one argument, for inuocation of Saints departed.
Anſw. But how followes it, that if wee may craue the Prayers of the liuing, then alſo of the dead? For the firſt wee hauehave Gods Precept, and Promiſe to aſſure vsus; Saints practice to warrant that acceptable vntounto God; can they ſhew vsus the like for inuocation of Saints deceaſed? Secondly, Wee hauehave meanes to ſignifie, and make knowne to them our deſires; not ſo to Saints departed. They tell vsus indeed of a Glaſſe of the Trinitie, wherein, by I know not what reflexion, they ſee, belike, whatſoeuer God himſelfe knowes. But, Firſt, no mention find wee in Scripture of ſuch a ſpeculum Trinitatis. Secondly, Angels, thatcMat. 18.10. continually behold the face of our Father in Heauen, yetdMat. 24.36. are ignorant of the Day of Iudgement; And the wiſedome of God in the worke of Redemption, and gathering the Church of the Gentiles, Angels know, not by beholding Gods eſſence, but by eEpheſ. 3.10.obſeruing his dispenſations in the Church.
If perhaps they ſay, It is not ſpeculum naturale, but voluntarium; and ſo exhibits no more then God ſees expedient for them to know: yet muſt they bee able to proue, that theſe are amongſt thoſe expediencies, which the Lord hath reuealed himſelfe willing to make known to his Saints and Angels.
Beſides, what infinite oddes? betwixt requeſting the Sociall helpe of our Brethrens Prayers; and the proſtrating of bodies and ſoules to Saints departed, out of a ſuppoſed power they hauehave, to know our hearts; and a conceit of more merciemercy in them, then in our GOD thef2. Cor. 1.3. Father of tender Mercies; or in his Chriſt our mercifull Mediatour and High Prieſt; that by gHeb. 4.15.experience of ſorrowes, learnt commiſeration. I ſay as that Ancient, Tut…ùs loquor ad meum Ieſum; quàm ad quemuis Sanctorum Spirituum.
Pray for vsus. The peoples dutie is withall here intimated; To pray for their Miniſters. So ishEpheſ. 6.19. PAVLS frequent exhortation; ſo was SaintsiAct. 12.5. practice.
Gods Spirit wee hauehave, directing what are the ſpecialties to bee prayed for vntounto them; thus yee may range them: Firſt, Some reſpect our Office. Secondly, Some our Perſons.
As touching our Office, Three things eſpecially are pointed at to bee remembred in the peoples Prayers. Firſt, Our abilities. Secondly, Right vſe of abilities. Thirdly, Fruit and ſucceſſe of labours.
Firſt, To the firſt, I thinke muſt bee referred that of MOSES.kDeut. 33.8. Let thine Ʋrim and thy Thummim bee with thy Holy one; ſaid Moſes, praying for the Tribe of Leui. They are vſually rendered light and perfection; that, referred to our knowledge; this, to our life, as is the common coniecture; q. d. Foraſmuch as thou haſt ſeparated Leuites to miniſter before thee in behalfe of the people, and haſt made them their Guides in the way to life, Lord giuegive them Knowledge and Conſcience; that they may bee Guides to the Blinde, Lights to them that ſit in Darkneſſe: Inſtructors of the Ignorant, Types and Patternes to the Flocke, ouer which thou haſt made them Ouer-ſeers.
How neceſſary Prayers for this bleſſing vponupon Miniſters is, appeares eaſily, if wee conſider, eyther the miſchiefes flowing into Gods Church by the Ignorance, Errour or Prophaneneſſe of the Miniſter; or that Ordinance of God, in chooſing them to be his Inſtruments, and as it were hands, whereby to reach vntounto you all ſauing Grace and Knowledge.
Firſt, to fill you with complaints of Prophets, bewayling the miſery of the people occaſioned by the ignorance, ſeducement, or lewd liues of Paſtors, were endleſſe; Take view of Congregations, where the miſery complayned of by the Prophet, may bee obſerued, Like Prieſt, like people; How lamentable is the Ignorance, Superſtition, Prophaneneſſe of the people? ſuch, that there is ſcarce to bee found amongſt them knowledge of God, ſo much as Heathens gathered by light of Nature; and the little that is, ſo depraued with Superſtition, or corrupted by Prophaneneſſe and Diſobedience; that in them is to bee found, of Chriſtians ſcarce any thing, beſides the Name: nor almoſt of men, beſide the ſhape; ſo ſottiſh are they in their vnderſtanding, ſo neuer a whit leſſe then brutiſh in their liues. No maruell; in want of able Paſtors to feed them with knowledge and vnderſtanding.
Secondly, Them hath God madelMat. 5.14. The Lights of the World, by whom to ſcatter the bright beames of his Truth; and to conuey all ſauing Grace into the hearts of his people. That though perhaps ſpeculatiue Knowledge and Moralitie may bee obtayned by priuate contemplation; yet ſauing Knowledge, and Faith, and Conuerſion is not ordinarily beſtowed on any but by the Miniſterie.
Pray therefore with Moſes, that God will put his Vrim and Thummim vponupon his holy ones; If mMat. 6.23.the light that is in you be darkneſſe, how great is that darkneſſe?
A ſecond particular to bee prayed reſpecting our office, is the exerciſe of gifts of Knowledge and Sanctity. In that ſort, that may bee moſt behoouefull for the glory of the beſtower, and benefit of his people. As Paul; nEpheſ. 6.19.That a doore of vtterance may bee opened, to ſpeake the Word boldly as wee ought to ſpeake. Wee cannot bee ignorant, what falles out in the euent to many; what may befall vsus in the Miniſters God ſets ouer vsus.
How many hauehave wee ſeene of worthy gifts in the Church of God? men, as a man would thinke, faſhioned for the worke of the Miniſtery; eyther through lacke of Conſcience, or louelove of eaſe, or ouer-taken with louelove of the World, or diſmayed with ſenſe or feare of afflictions, or diſ-heartened with lacke of ſucceſſe, become vtterly vnprofitable to the Church of GOD; ſuffering their worthy gifts to iuſt, without any profit to the people of God. And amongſt them that tremble ſo to bury their Talent, yet coldneſſe, and feare, or imprudence, diſaduantaging, (Lord, how much?) the preuayling of their Miniſtery. Thus thinke; we are as Iames ſaid of ELIAS, Men of like mould, oIam. 5.17.ſubiect to like infirmitie and paſſions; Pray therefore, oh pray God, to excite vsus, to vſe; to direct vsus, aright to vſe our gifts to his Names Glory, and his Churches Saluation.
The third ſpecialtie reſpects ſucceſſe of our labours; That the p2. Theſſ. 3.1.Word of God may hauehave free paſſage, and bee glorified. Need I preſſe it by Reaſons; theſe are, mee thinkes, preualent. Firſt, The great diſcouragement may come to Miniſters, through lacke of ſucceſſe and bleſſing vponupon their indeuours; when they ſhall bee forced to cry out as ESAY,qEſay 49.4. Wee hauehave laboured in vaine and ſpent our ſtrength. With Ieremie, it preuayled ſo farre, that hee reſolues to rIer. 20.9.ſpeake no more in the Name of the Lord; with Paul, ſo that heeſActs 13.51. ſhakes off the dust of his feet for teſtimonie against the people. Secondly, To this adde, that hereupon depends in part the haſtening of our perfect and conſummate felicitie; deferred for no other cauſe, but that t2. Pet. 3.9.the number of the Elect is not yet accompliſhed.
Thus many reſpects there are, preſſing on the people as Dutie, Prayer for their Miniſters in regard of their Office. And is this a Dutie?
How curſed a generation then are wee fallen into? wherein, what ſhould bee prayed as a principall bleſſing of God, is ſo repined at, as if it were ſome heauy plague, or Iudgement God hath ſent vponupon the World; in giuing vsus Paſtors after his owne heart to feed vsus with Knowledge and Vnderſtanding? Firſt, How frequent is that out-cry of the people? Neuer was merry World, ſince preaching came vp in ſuch plenty.
To men ſo eſteeming this bleſſing, I dare ſay, it is, as they eſteeme it; a Curſe, a Plague, a Iudgement; ſent to them only as a testimony, to make their diſobedience more inexcuſable; their damnation, more intolerable in the Day of Iudgement. And a day may come, when they may wiſh and wander to heare a Sermon, to eaſe the agonies they are perplexed withall; but ſhall finde no oportunitie.
Secondly, Another ſort there is of Helliſh people; to whom, in our Miniſterie nothing is ſo great a Corraſiue, as the bleſſing and ſucceſſe GOD in merciemercy giues it amongſt his people. That which Saints anduLuke 15.10. Angels reioyce in; none but Deuils and damned Hel-hounds are tormented with; Theſe men count their torture; as the Phariſes; See xIohn 12.19.yee not that we preuayle nothing, but all the World runnes after him?
I… this thy griefe, that God is pleaſed to glorifie his Word; to make it powerfull to reſcue his people out of the ſnare of the Deuill? Of all markes of a graceleſſe heart, I know none more certaine; then to grieue at the ſucceſſe of the Gospell; to enuie at the inlargement of Gods Church. Thus of the things to bee prayed regarding our Office.
To our perſons, muſt bee prayed protection and deliuerance; y2. Theſſ. 3.2.That wee may bee deliuered from vnreaſonable and euill men that hauehave not faith. Neceſſitie of it appeares to any man, conſidering either the enmity of the World, or the infirmity of our perſons.
Firſt, As God hath zGen. 3.15.put enmity betwixt the two ſeedes neuer to bee reconciled; ſo againſt none is the malice of Satan, or his ſeed with more eagerneſſe carryed, then againſt Miniſters; whom, hee knowes GOD hath made his chiefe inſtruments of ruining his Kingdome. Thence hauehave hoteſt Perſecutions, violenteſt temptations beene directed to them; and ſtill the more profitable the Miniſter, the more felt he Satans malice: PAVLSa1. Cor. 15.10. labours were more then all: ſo b2. Cor. 11.23.were his perſecutions. The Saints are all tempted.cLuke 22.31. Apoſtles ſifted and winnowed with temptation.
Secondly, To this adde conſideration of humane infirmitie; from which who may exempt himſelfe? Elias a great Seruant of God, yet growes weary of Miniſtery and life alſo, through his continuall vexations by Iezebel; And vnderunder Iulian, how many great Lights of the Church were eclipſed? drawne downe from Heauen with the baytes of preferments, layd for them by that curſed Apoſtata. Inſomuch that it is thought, the hotteſt Perſecution preuayled not ſo much to worke reuolt to Paganiſh Idolatry; as that policie of Iulian, in promiſing aduancements to honour.
Beloued Chriſtians, wee alſo are men ſubiect to like infirmitie; through infirmitie they fell; by Grace we ſtand: as it inſtructs vsus, not to be high-minded, but to feare; ſo admoniſheth you to begge with inſtance at Gods hand, deliuerance from like temptations; or more ſtrength of Grace to reſist them. The rather, becauſe yee cannot bee ignorant, how perillous for infection, are the falles of Miniſters eminent in the Church of God. Their falles are as that of the great Dragon,dReuel. 12.4. drawing after him to the Earth the third part of the Starres of Heauen.
Wherefore bee exhorted, amongſt other Offices of LoueLove and Thankefulneſſe, not to forget this of Prayer to God for our deliuerance and preſeruation. Thinke it not enough that yee yeeld vsus audience, or reuerence, or maintenance; except this Office of LoueLove bee added, to pray for our ſtanding amids the many aſſaults of Satan; and vexations from abſurd and faithleſſe men. Remember who ſaid, I eMat. 26.31.will ſmite the Shepheard, and the ſheepe ſhall be ſcattered. The diſtractions of many Churches by that occaſion, if wee ſee not, we are blind; if we lament not, we want bowels of compaſſion.