Exposition of 1 Thessalonians, Chapter 1 · Verse 9,10
VERS. 9.10.
For they themſelues ſhew of vsus, what manner of entring in we had vntounto you, and how yee turned to God from Idols, to ſerue the liuing and true God,
And to wait for his Sonne from heauen, whom he rayſed from the dead, euen Ieſus which deliuered vsus from the wrath to come.
THE words hauehave this ſumme: they ſpecifie the euidences which the Churches followed, in giuing to Theſſalonians commendation of faith, they were two ſpeciall fruits and effects of faith: Firſt, conuerſion. Secondly, expectation and patient wayting for Chriſt to come from Heauen. Their connexion is plaine with the laſt clauſe of the Verſe foregoing: we need ſay nothing in your prayſe; for they preuent our commendation. Their entrance into this Church, vnderſtand their firſt preaching of the Goſpell, and the ſucceſſe thereof.
Obſer. The points of notice are theſe. Firſt, Conuerſion is an inſeparable attendant and fruit of ſauing faith.
No fruit of Faith, (ſayth a new-fangled Teacher) but an antecedent and preparatiue thereto. Repentance goes before Faith. What meane you by Repentance? what by Faith? what prioritie or precedence vnderſtand you? in Nature or Time? The mans louelove to play with ambiguities; laughes at the rule. Qui bene diſtinguit, bene docet. Thus conceiue. Firſt, all Repentance preſuppoſeth ſome Faith. Secondly, ſome Repentance goes before ſome Faith. Thirdly, ſauing Faith is in Nature before ſauing Repentance.
Of the firſt, Euen legall contrition, which is this mans Repentance, though abſurdly he define it, a ſight of our miſery, preſuppoſeth ſome faith; who mournes or is caſt down with the terrors of the Almightie, that beleeues not the ſentence true pronounced in the Law, and applyed to him? The people of Niniue beleeued God, xIon. 3.5.then humbled themſelues in ſacke-cloth and aſhes.
Of the ſecond, This Repentance goes before faith iuſtifying; that is before perſwaſion of Gods louelove in the pardon of our perſonall ſinnes. Yea, hath place in many, that periſh in euerlaſting deſpayre, as wee hauehave inſtance in Cain, andyMat. 27.3. Iudas, &c.
But if you ſpeake of ſauing Repentance, Repentance, as Paul cals it,z2. Cor. 7.10. to ſaluation neuer to be repented of; you muſt then vnderſtand, that the gifts of Faith and Repentance are ſimul tempore; neyther afore or after other: the acts and exerciſe of the gifts, may you diſtinguiſh a prioritie of Nature, which belongs to Faith: though the truth is, the exerciſe of both is ſo coniunct, that it is hard for the Chriſtian in whome they are, to diſtinguiſh which hath the precedencie in time; that it may hauehave place here that our Sauiour hath, the aLuk. 17.20.Kingdome of God commeth not with obſeruation, but as the Corne, bMar. 4.26, 27growes vp, man knowes not how.
Firſt, And weigh but theſe reaſons; Godly ſorrow for ſin,c2. Cor. 7.17. the cauſe of Repentance preſuppoſeth Faith; perſwaſion of Gods louelove, and readineſſe at leaſt to pardon our ſinnes. For can a man …eue for the offence of God, as it his offence, without perſwaſion of Gods louelove to him in Chriſt? ſome ofdHeb. 12.17. ESAV his teares may drop from his eyes, that apprehends God onelyonly as a terrible Iudge. Ingenuous ſorrow and hearts griefe is peculiar to them, whom God hath beſtowed his Spirit ePſal. 51.12.of ingenuitie, and Adoption, to ſeale them to the Day of Redemption.
Secondly, And ſee, whether all the f2 Cor. 7.11.fruits of Repentance reckoned vp by the Apoſtle, preſuppoſe not Faith, and perſwaſion of Gods louelove.
Thirdly, Why am I long to waſh an Aethiopian? whether is our vnion with CHRIST, or our Renouation firſt in Nature? HaueHave wee His Spirit to renew vsus, before we are made members of his body? or is this vnion wrought without Faith? For ſhame, gull not Gods people with thoſe Crudities of your addle braine; teach them the practice of Faith and Repentance; buſie not their heads with theſe Niceties, that breed g1. Tim. 1.4.endleſſe queſtions, rather then edifying in the faith.
My concluſion I reſume; Conuerſion is an inſeparable attendant and fruit of ſauing Faith. Conuerſion vnderſtand the turning of the whole man from all ſinne to all Righteouſneſſe. The whole man, Paul diſtinguiſheth into theſe three members; the h1. Theſſ. 5.23.Spirit, Soule and Body; in all and eueryevery of theſe is this Change wrought; to ſpeake foreign, it brings man from hatred of GOD to louelove of God, from contempt of God to feare of God, from ignorance of God, to knowledge of him. So, from louelove of ſinne, to hatred of ſinne, from hatred of Righteouſneſſe, to louelove of Righteouſneſſe; from delighting in ſinne, to grieuing for ſinne: from practice of iniquitie, to practice of Pietie, &c. Not only from ſinne to Righteouſneſſe; but from counterfeit righteouſneſſe to vnfained Righteouſneſſe. There is malum opus, and malum operis; Euill workes; and iIſai. 1.16.euill in good workes. The Conuert puts away not only his euill workes, but the euill that is in his workes; the groſſe faultineſſe that, before Conuerſion, claue to his beſt workes. Thus conceiue, it brings a man from meere ſinnes, to contrary kDan. 4.27.vertuous practice: from an euill manner of doing good duties, to a forme more holy. Suppoſe, Firſt, from Seruilitie, to Ingenuitie; Secondly, from Formalitie, to Sinceritie; Thirdly, from Ciuilitie, to true inward Sanctitie.
Firſt, In meere Naturaliſts, is obſerued a ſeruile kinde of abſtayning from euill only for feare of wrath, a mercenary kind of performing good duties; only for hope of reward. The ſame men conuerted, are ſwayed by louelove of God to depart from euill; fearing to ſinne not only for wrath, but in reſpect lHoſ. 3.5.of Gods goodneſſe. Inclined to well doing, not only for reward, but for Conſcience of dutie, glory mMat. 6.16.of the Commander, andn2. Cor. 5.14. thankefulneſſe to his mercy.
Secondly, In fleſhly Hypocrites, is eaſily obſerued a forme of godlines; none more formally frequēt in Prayers and Sacrifices; nor ſeemingly ſtricter obſeruers ofoIſai. 1.14.15. New-moones and Sabbaths. Conuerſion ſo alters theſe Formalliſts, that they now more ſtudy to bee, then to ſeeme religious.
Thirdly, Politicall righteouſneſſe was in ſome Heathens; is in ſome Chriſtians vnrenewed; wrought partly by naturall Conſcience, partly by ciuill Education. Sobrietie and Iuſtice they are obſeruers of in a ſort, for prayſe of men; that ſcoffe at Pietie, and ſtudie of true Puritie in GODS Children. The heart once turned to God, feelingly accounts Ciuilitie dung pPhil. 3.7, 8, 10.and droſſe; and longs after experience of the vertue of Chriſts death, to mortifie the ſinnes were formally reſtrayned only; the power of his Reſurrection, to quicken their hearts to newneſſe of life.
Whether this Conuerſion preſuppoſeth not Faith, etiam inimici ſint Iudices.
Ʋſe. Our wiſdome it ſhall bee, by this fruit of faith to try the Truth of it, and in this tryall, let eye bee had eſpecially to theſe two things: Firſt, to the Captaine or Darling ſinne; neuer thinke thy ſelfe a Conuert indeed, till the corruption that moſt ſwayed in thee before calling, grow ſpecially lothſome and deteſtable vntounto thee. Secondly, next to thy grounds of departing from euill, thy manner of performing holy duties; By that ſaid in the explanation, thou mayſt direct thy ſelfe; whether thy feare of God be ſeruile, or ingenuous; thy ſeruice mercenary, or ſon-like; thy Pietie formall, or ſincere, &c.
And of their act in generall thus farre; they turned: the Text further intimates, Firſt, the termes of their turning; from what, to what they turned: from Idols to God. Secondly, the end or conſequent of their turning; to ſerue God; where is ſubioyned a deſcription of GOD, by two attributes, in oppoſition to Idols; the liuing and true God.
Of the firſt, It is required what an Idoll is.
Anſw. The moſt generall and compendious deſcription of an Idoll ſtrictly taken, is this. An Idoll is a falſe god: The Antitheſis in the Text applaudes the deſcription; God to whom they turned is the true God. Idols from which they turned, are thereby intimated to bee falſe gods. So Paul elſewhere in ſtead of Idols puts their Periphrafis; they are ſuch as by qGal. 4.8.Nature are not Gods.
Idols are of two ſorts: Firſt, Creatures whether imaginary or reall inueſted in Gods properties, actions, or worſhip. Secondly, the true God falſly conceiued.
Of the firſt, Thus vnderſtand, whatſoeuer it is beſides the true God, whereto men aſcribe Diuine properties, actions, or worſhip, that is to them an Idoll, or falſe god; there be that to Chriſts humane Nature attribute power to be eueryevery where preſent; to fill Heauen and Earth: his humane Nature is, by this meanes, made an Idoll; becauſe, being a Creature, it is clad with that Diuine Propertie, Immenſitie. Scotus to Angels giues this power; without outward euidence or reuelation, to know the ſecrets of mens hearts. Angels are by this meanes made Idols; becauſe, being but creatures, they hauehave aſſigned them a Diuine propertie; to ſee in rMat. 6.4.ſecret, to diſcerne ſIer. 17.10.thoughts, and to try the reynes.
Like thinke, when Diuine worſhip inward or outward, is giuen to any thing beſides Iehouah. What euer that is, it is made an Idoll. Images adored with Diuine Worſhip; Saints inuocated, by this meanes are made Idols: becauſe Gods Worſhip is giuen them. And theſe yee may call Idols in Religion.
In reſpect of other Diuine Honour giuen to Creatures, there are Idols ſecular, as, Wealth truſted vntounto, hauing ſupremacie of our louelove & confidence, by this meanes becomes an Idoll; which made Paul ſay, Couetouſneſſe is tCol. 3.5.Idolatry. No man was euer ſeene praying to his Pence: yet hauehave wee ſeene many putting u1. Tim. 6.17.confidence in their wealth more then in God. The rich mans goods are xProu. 10.15.his ſtrong Citie, therefore his Idoll.
Of the ſecond, The true God falſly conceiued or worſhipped, by that meanes becomes an Idoll. Auguſtine enquiring the ſenſe of Ioſuah his charge to the people, Put away the ſtrange gods that are amōgſt you, thus diſcourſeth. Can we thinke they had at this time amongſt them, ſimulachra Gentium? In no caſe, for they are ſaid to hauehaveyIoſh 23.8. cleaned vntounto God.
And if they had had amongſt them ſuch groſſe Idols, after ſo many threatnings of the Law, ſo many Iudgements executed vponupon their fathers; is it likely the Lord would ſo hauehave proſpered them in their Warres againſt Canaanites? when hee ſo forſooke them for one ACHANS theft in the accurſed thing? what then is his meaning?Auguſt. in Iohn: quaeſt. 29. Propheta ſanctus, ſaith AVSTINE, in cordibus eorum cernebat cogitationes de Deo alienas, à Deo, & ipſas admonebat auferri. Quiſquis enim talem cogitat Deum, qualis non eſt Deus, alienum Deum vtique & falſum in cogitatione portar: Strange conceits of God, too too abhorrent from the nature of God, they carryed in their minds; theſe were the ſtrange gods, the Prophet commands to be put away. For whoſoeuer conceits God otherwiſe then he is, carryes in his thought an Idoll, a ſtrange and falſe god. Thus ſay wee truely, the Heathens worſhipping an abſolute God out of the Trinitie, worſhip not God, but an Idoll of their owne braine.
We hauehave ſeene what Idols are: The commendation of this people is, that they turned from them, and thereby euidenced the truth of their Faith. Our duetie is from their commended practice, as Iohn preſcribes it, toz1. Ioh. 5.21. keepe our ſelues from Idols, a point confeſſed: yet thinke not, it is for nothing, the charge is ſo often renued, and enforced on Gods people. No doubt the Lord ſaw our propenſion is ſtrong to Idolatrie, that hee ſo ſtrictly and often vrgeth the charge. They muſtaDeut. 12.2, 3. ouerthrow their Altars, burne their Groues, hew downe their Images, aboliſh their very names out of their places. bDeut. 7.2, 3.Make no league of amitie with Idolaters, nor reſerue the inſtruments orcIſai. 30.22. ornaments of Idols, but cast them away with extremeſt deteſtation.
Their ſtile in Scripture is abomination, ſtercorei Dij; a terme ſo baſe and ſtinking, to teach vsus ſo to lothe them, as thoſe excrements that caſt out moſt lothſome and noyſome ſtench into our noſtrils.
Hence alſo hath GODS Spirit ſo carefully recorded Hiſtories of Gods vengeance vponupon Idolaters, that wee might trembled1. Cor. 10.6, 7 to fall by like diſobedience, leſt wee incurre like heauie wrath and vengeance of God.
What remaynes for vsus, but to be exhorted, more and more to flie from Idols and all communion with them? If thou hauehave left their worſhip, thinke it not ſufficient; abandon their names, their inſtruments, their ornaments, thinke thy faith and louelove towards God encreaſeth, as thy hatred of Idols, his riuals, encreaſeth in thee.
Whate2. Cor. 6.14, 16 communion hath light with darkneſſe, Chriſt with Belial, the Temple of God with Idols?
What need, may ſome ſay, this exhortation? wee hauehave long ſince renounced Idols, and ioyned our ſelues to the true God. Vtinam. But, to ſay little of our people, which as the Iewes in IEREMIE, meaſure Religion by their fIer. 44.17, 18belly, and becauſe in times of Idolatrie, things as they thinke for this life, went better with them, hang Rome-ward ſtill in their affections; who ſees not how fauourably men beginne to thinke of the Church of Rome? Images with Doctrine may well enough bee retayned, that is, ſtumbling blocks laid before the eyes of the blinde, ſo we crie, Take heed. And Politicians many are of opinion, there may be a reconcilement of the two Religions: ſo may there, I dare ſay, of light and darkneſſe, of Chriſt and Belial, of God and the Deuill, as well as of Chriſt, and Antichriſt, Chriſtian Religion, with Antichriſtian ſuperſtition.
But let vsus remember what wee heard in the explanation: there are ſecular Idols, as well as Idols in vſe of Religion; as much to be fled from, as Heatheniſh or Popiſh Images.
There are ſome, ſaith Paul, that make their gPhilip. 3.19.belly their god. What are Drunkards, but groſſe Idolaters? ſacrificing their Patrimonies, their Health, their ſoule to Bacchus?
There be that ſerue Mammon, make wealth their god, offering bodies and ſoules to the Deuill to get wealth; Religion, Faith, Obedience, all muſt be ſorted ſo, as may ſuite with our intentions for riches: GOD ſhall bee forſaken, Body waſted, Conſcience wounded, Soule damned; and all to get treaſure. Beloued, thus thinke: Hee is as much an Idolater that prefers his wealth, before obedience; his pleaſures, before Gods ſeruice; as he thathIſai. 44.17. falls downe to a ſtocke, and ſaith, Deliuer me, for thou art my god.
Followes the terminus ad quam, to God. It is not enough to forſake Idols and their worſhip, except wee cleaue to the true God, and zealouſly addict our ſelues to his ſeruice. Therefore ſaid IOSVAH, Put away your ſtrange gods; iIoſh. 24.14.and ſeeke the Lord; feare the Lord, and ſerue him in ſinceritie and truth. As in other particulars of Repentance, it ſufficeth not to flie from euill, exceptkIſai. 1.16, 17. we cleaue to the good: ſo thinke in this.
Amongſt the Heathen were ſome that ſcoffed at Idols, but were ſtarke Atheiſts: as that Dionyſius dealt with Eſculapius golden beard, plucking it off with this ſcomme, No reaſon the ſonne ſhould be bearded, and the father beardleſſe; and ſtripping Apollo of his golden coate, hee clothes him in wooll: It was lighter for Summer, warmer for the cold of Winter: what oddes I wonder, betwixt this Atheiſme, and that Idolatrie?
A like ſinne is notorious in many of our people, profeſſing they are no Papiſts, being farre worſe, flat Atheiſts in life, practiſing no Religion at all. Great men they thinke themſelues, that they inueigh againſt Poperie, though meane while they liue in groſſe ignorance of God, and contempt of his pure worſhip.
How much better were it to continue Papiſts, then to loſe all ſenſe of a Deitie? to liue without all dread of God, and feare of his holy Name? Though it bee true, there is no hope of the ſaluation of an obſtinate Idolater: yet this, I thinke, as true, that as Chriſt ſpeakes of Sodome and Gomorrhe, their ſtate in iudgement is more tolerable then the ſtate of vnthankfull Cities; ſo the damnation of Idolaters is much more eaſie, then that of Atheiſts. Thou that abhorreſt Idols, lRom. 2.22.committeſt thou ſacrilege? Thou that ſcoffeſt at Poperie, falleſt thou into Atheiſme?
To ſay in a word, In turning from Idols, two extremities are obſerued.
Firſt, flying Idols, and falling to ſuperſtition: that furious Iehu, deſtroyes Baals Altar and Prieſts, yetm2. King. 10.28, 29. departs not from the cleanlier Idolatrie of IEROBOAM. Our people hauehave left Image-worſhip, yet retayne their fathers Traditions.
The ſecond is, turning from Idolatrie, but degenerating to meere Atheiſme, if not in opinion, yet ſure in practice. How many know we ſcoffers at Poperie? as great deriders of pure Religion? laughing at Traditions, yet ignorant of Gods rule of worſhip?
My Brethren, what auayles it to leaue Idols, if you cleaue not to the true God? to abhorre ſtrange gods, and to worſhip none? to deteſt ſuperſtition, and to practiſe profaneneſſe? I dare ſay, there is more hope of ſaluation for the groſſeſt Idolater, then for the Atheiſt, though ſuch but in life; the one hath ſome conſcience to be wrought vponupon, ſome ſenſe of a Deitie to affright; the other is without God in this world, therefore without hope of a better ſtate in the life to come.
Obſer. The end and iſſue of their conuerſion, To ſerue the liuing and true God. Be like then God cannot be ſerued, till Idols be forſaken: nMatt. 6.24.Yee cannot ſerue God and Mammon. When the people profeſſed to Ioſhuah their purpoſe to ſerue God, IOSHVAH replyes:oIoſ. 24.16, 19 They could not ſerue him. What is his meaning?Auguſtin. quâ ſuprâ. ſaith Auguſtine: not with that perfection, that beſeemed Gods Maieſtie: or, ſecondly, not without Gods grace aſſiſting, and enabling them, as if his purpoſe were to checke their preſumption. Better thus, as later Interpreters expound; ſuppoſing they retayned their Idols, they could not acceptably ſerue God: therefore preſently ſubioynes IOSHVAH: If yee will indeed ſerue the Lord, pIoſ. 24.23.put away the ſtrange gods, that are among you, and incline your hearts to the Lord God of Iſrael. To like purpoſe ſaid the Apoſtle:q1. Cor. 10.21. Yee cannot drinke the cup of the Lord, and the cup of Deuils; nor be partakers of the Table of the Lord, and of the table of Deuils. Intimating as great Antitheſis, betwixt God and an Idoll, as betwixt God and the Deuill; betwixt honouring of an Idoll, and of God; as betwixt worſhipping God, and worſhipping the Deuill.
Vſe. Two ſorts of people are here reproued: Firſt, they whoſe hearts are diuided betwixt God and Idols, as Iſraelites vnderunder ELIAS,r1. King. 18.21. betwixt God and Baal: as the Samaritan Colonies, who wouldſ2. King. 17.33. feare the Lord, and withall ſerue their owne gods; as Iewes in Zephanies time, were wont to ſweare by Iehouah, tZeph. 1.5.and by Melcom: as they amongſt vsus, that ſowre our pure Religion, with the Leauen of Popiſh ſuperſtition.
The ſecond are they, that halfe ſhare themſelues betwixt God and Idols; their Conſcience they reſerue to God, their knee they bend to Baal: anu1. Cor. 8.4. Idol they know is nothing; yet to this nothing, they proſtrate their bodies; Gracing idolatrous Maſſes with their preſence, and holding all ſemblances of outward reuerence with the moſt deuout Maſſe-mongers: As our curious, or couetous Trauellers. Let them reade Pauls cenſure of ſuch practice, 1. Cor. 10.20. and tremble to continue it.
There remaynes in this clauſe the deſcription of that God, who alone is to be ſerued, in oppoſition to Idols. The Antitheſis is remarkable, ſhewing the wide differences betwixt our God and Idols.
Obſer. Firſt, Idols are liueleſſe,xPſal. 115.5, 6, 7. they hauehave eyes and ſee not, eares and heare not, feet and walke not, hands and handle not: as Ioaſh ſcoffes at Baal, to calme the tumult and turbulencie of his zealous worſhippers; If he be a god, yIudg. 6.31.let him plead for himſelfe: they are not able to auenge their contempt vponupon thoſe that wrong them. As for ourzPſal. 33.13. God he is in heauen, his eyes ſee, his eye-lids trie the children of men: he hath life in himſelfe; giues life to the creatures; auengeth himſelfe on them that prouoke him; ſaues ſuch as trust in him.
Secondly, hee is the true God. Truth vnderſtand, not that he ſhewes in his Aſſertions or Promiſes, but truth of his Nature: hee is very God, that hath in him truth and ſubſtance of Deitie. Whereas Idols are a1. Cor. 8.4.nothing in the world, nothing of that Idolaters conceit they are, hauing nothing of the diuine Nature, which their worſhippers aſcribe vntounto them: ſee 2. Reg. 19.18.
Me thinks then wee ſhould not chooſe but ioyne with Ioſhuah in his choice betwixt God and Idols; If others will needs ſerue wood and ſtone, the worke of mens hands, yetbIoſh. 24.15. we and our houſes will ſerue the Lord, the liuing and true God, that is cIam 4.12.able to ſaue and to deſtroy.
The ſecond fruit and euidence of their faith followes. It is, their patient wayting for the comming of Chriſt.