Exposition of 1 Thessalonians, Chapter 1 · Verse 2,3
VERS. 2.3.
We giuegive thanks to God alwayes for you all, making mention of you in our prayers,
Remembring, without ceaſing your worke of faith, and labour of louelove, and patience of hope in our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, in the ſight of God euen our Father.
THe matter of the Epiſtle now followes. It is ſpent partly in commendation of this people; chiefly in exhortation: firſt, to perſeuerance in the faith and grace receyued: Secondly, to progreſſe and going forward to perfection.
The three firſt Chapters perſwade continuance; the two latter progreſſe in Grace; ſome other particulars are incidentally touched, but theſe are the chiefe bent of the Apoſtle.
The mayne incentiue to perſeuerance inſinuated in this Chapter, is, the conſideration of the rich Grace of God, beſtowed on them by the Apoſtles miniſterie, and the generall fame thereof in the Churches of God; from both which forcibly is inferred the neceſſitie of their care to maintayne their ſtation; ſith they could not be ignorant, how much more deſperate the caſe is,d2 Pet. 2.21. to reuolt from Grace, then neuer to receyue it. And out of Naturall principles accorded by Scripture, know the price of aeEccl. 7.1. good Name, how much it exceeds the moſt precious oyntment. And how much more inglorious and ſhamefull it is, to ceaſe to be, then neuer to hauehave beene religious.
To this Argument, the Apoſtle prefaceth with thankſgiuing to God, the ſole Authour of all Graces that they had receyued; profeſſing alſo his inſtance in prayer for their eſtabliſhment and profection in grace; to this end, that they might neither be puffed vp with ſelfe-conceit, by his ample commendation; nor forget, that their confirmation & perfiting in grace, was to be expected from thatf1. Pet. 5.10. God of all grace,gPhil. 1.6. who had begunne the good worke in them.
In the words we hauehave two things; firſt, Pauls offices and acts of louelove performed on their behalfe: thankſgiuing and prayer to God. Secondly, his motiue or incitement thereto, Remembrance of the graces of God beſtowed on them; three whereof are mentioned Verſ. 3. the three Theologicall vertues, each of them amplified by their effects, all by their ſoundneſſe and truth, in the ſight of God, &c.
Obſer. From Pauls act in giuing thanks to God for graces beſtowed on this people, is obſerued, how not for our owne gracious eſtate only but for others bleſſings in ſpirituall things, we ought to be affected vntounto thankefulneſſe. Firſt, Practice ofhLuk. 15.10. Angels andiGal. 1.24. holy Men. Secondly, cōmunion of Saints. Thirdly, glorie thence accrewing to our God and Sauiour. Fourthly, our owne benefit ariſing from vſe thereof in their communication, by exhortation,kRom. 1.12. comfort, example, perſwade it.
Larger handling and application of this point, ſee in Annotations ad Rom. cap. 1. whither I remit the Reader.
The graces for which he giues thanks, are Faith, Hope, and LoueLove: Their nature may, on ſome fitter occaſion, be hereafter handled; their Deſcription by effects here only take notice of; their Faith working; their LoueLove laborious; their Hope attended with patience: The worke of Faith, there be that interpret all good offices and fruits, growing from this radicall vertue of Faith, towards God, our Neighbour, our ſelues: ſome that worke foreign perſeuerance: what if we take it, for that firſt euident fruit thereof, thelAct. 15.9. purifying of the heart: as the Apoſtle aſſociates conuerſion vntounto it, Verſ. 9. And ſecondly, after this ſenſe, their holineſſe is more fully and diſtinctly, according to all parts thereof, expreſſed.
To LoueLove he giues labour, mHeb. 6.10.as elſewhere: thereby intimating their vnwearied induſtrie, and diligence in procuring, and furthering the good of Gods Church.
To Hope, patience, n2. Cor. 4.18.the expectation of eternall life, being that that mitigates, and ſweetens the bittereſt afflictions incident into this life.
Obſer. How actuous and full of liuelihood, and operation, all ſauing graces are, is the note. Saith Peter, hauing reckoned vp the gifts of Sanctification, whence wee gather aſſurance of calling and election: If theſe things be in you and abound, they make you, that you ſhall neither o2. Pet. 1.8.be idle nor vnfruitfull in the knowledge of Chriſt, particulars viewed euidence it plentifully.pIam. 3.17. The wiſedome that is from aboue, is pure, peaceable, gentle, eaſie to be intreated; in a word, full of mercy, and good fruits. q1. Cor. 13.4, 5, 6, 7.LoueLove, truely Chriſtian, how fruitfull and full of operation: like thinke of all Graces accompanying ſaluation; herein they hauehave all a relliſh of their Fountayne; that they are actions operatiue, full of liuelihood and efficacie.
Vſe. A meditation moſt needfull for theſe idle, and therefore diſſembling times: whereto, on this ground, that of Salomon may not vnfitly be applyed:rPro. 20.6. EueryEvery man will boaſt of his owne righteouſneſſe, but where may wee find a faithfull man? thou ſayeſt thou haſt faith, whereby thou hopeſt to be ſaued: But wilt thou know, O vaine man, ſIam. 2.20.that faith without works is dead? equiuocally faith, that is, in truth, no faith, at leaſt ineffectuall to ſaluation? wee may by no meanes thinke he hath faith towards God, that hath nottHeb. 6.1. repentance alſo from dead works; and care tou1. Ioh. 3.3. purge himſelfe as God is pure. LoueLove, I confeſſe, is much talked of, & much cōmended; but the prouerbiall complaint touching Lot, of all vertue, beſt fits this of louelove: it is prayſed indeed, butxMatt. 24.12. waxen cold: as Iſſachar, ſo generally Chriſtians, ſee ayGen. 49.15. goodneſſe in eaſe. It is louelove enough, they thinke, to wiſh well to the Church; tozPſal. 122.6. pray for the peace, and building vp of Ieruſalem, though they moue not one ſtone to rayſe the walls thereof. It were well, this idle louelove were found amongſt people only, and had not ſpred to ſome part of the Miniſterie alſo. We muſt remember that the deſcription of our calling, by the toyle ofa1. Cor. 3.9. husbandmen, and ofb1. Tim. 5.18. Oxen treading out the corne, and ſuch like, were not reſemblances peculiar to Apoſtolicall function, but ought to bee anſwered in our induſtrie.dIob. 21.15, 16, 17. Simon, ſaith our Sauiour, Loueſt thou me? feed my ſheepe: they louelove not Chriſt, who being Miniſters, feed more themſelues then their ſheepe.
What ſhould I ſpeake of the tenderneſſe and delicacie of the times, in reſpect of the Croſſe? They are Flea-bitings, in compariſon to the ſtings of Scorpions, that wee are called to ſuffer for righteouſneſſe; if wee caſt backe our eyes to former times of perſecution. The hope of our ePhilip. 3.14.calling is high; the glorie hyperbolicallyf2. Cor. 4.17. waightie, and euerlaſting; the afflictions light and momentany. Hope wee profeſſe to raigne with Chriſt; yetgRom. 8.17. 2. Tim. 2.12. refuſe to ſuffer with him. Non ſtabit, non erit iſtud: hee hath no promiſe for hope to reſt on, that for the hope ſake of heauen, is not patient in tribulation.