Exposition of 1 Thessalonians, Chapter 1 · Verse 5
VERS. 5.
For our Goſpell came not vntounto you in Word onelyonly, but alſo in Power, and in the holy Ghost, and in much aſſurance, as yee know what manner of men wee were amongst you for your ſakes.
THree of Pauls euidences ſwaying charitie to iudge them Elect, are here ſet downe: Firſt, the power of his Miniſterie. Secondly, the gift of the Holy Ghoſt connexed with it. Thirdly, the fruit of the Spirit; full aſſurance of the Truth of the Gospell: witneſſes whereof, he makes their owne hearts, whereto he appeales for record.
Obſer. The prudence of PAVLS charitie is here worth our notice; beleeuing nothing, but by euidence. Inſtructing our charitie to like wiſedome in iudgement; to be guided by reaſonable euidences: inioyning vsus to beleeue no more of others then probable euidence may induce vsus: compare Heb. 6. verſ. 9. 2. Ioh. 1. verſ. 4. Philip. 1. verſ. 6, 7.
It is ſaid indeed of charitie,y1. Cor. 13.7. It beleeueth all things; is eaſie of beliefe, and readie to be perſwaded any good thing of another; yet is it not fooliſhly credulous, without reaſon, and againſt euidence, to thinke the profane holy.
When Peter ſaw in Simon Magus the ſignes of hypocriſie, all his charitie would not affoord him commendation of ſinceritie. I perceiue, ſaith hee, for all this flouriſh thou haſt made of Faith,zAct. 8.23. thou art in the gall of bitterneſſe, and in the bond of iniquitie. And Paul himſelfe, that by precept and practice ſo much commends charitie, and in charitie credulitie, yet ſticks not to ſay of Hymenaeus and Alexander, theya1. Tim. 1.19, 20. had made ſhipwracke of Faith; for hee had no reaſon to beleeue Faith could bee there, where was no conſcience nor care of holineſſe.
It is a ſtrange kinde of charitie I hauehave heard of in Ʋſe 1 ſome men; perſwaded, that though Pagans and Infidels ſhall be damned, yet not any Child of the viſible Church ſhall periſh: a ſtrange rule for charitie to walke by, in iudgement of Election; to bee borne in the Church is now become a marke infallible of Election to life: what is then become of that of IOHN BAPTIST? there is not onelyonly Wheate, butbMatt. 3.12. chaffe in the floore, whoſe portion is vnquenchable fire. It is not to be doubted, but the Children of the Church hauehave, ſome of them,cMatt. 11.23, 24. greater damnation, then many Aliens that know not God.
Secondly, not much vnlike is their errour and imprudence, Ʋſe 2 that for outward conformitie ſake to workes of Religion, in like blindneſſe of louelove, allow to thoſe they fancie, opinion of ſoundneſſe; yea, of zeale alſo for God.
A religious zealous Gentleman, for a frequent hearer of Sermons, though in the meane time the tongue be taynted with common ſwearing, the body with fouleſt vncleanneſſe, the hands with violence and oppreſſion: I ſay not much of other things, but thus I thinke I may iudge: A common outragious ſwearer hath no ſoundneſſe in him of the feare of God.dIam. 5.12. Sweare not at all, ſaid the Apoſtle, leſt yee fall into hypocriſie: as if the cuſtome of ſwearing did caſt out all ſinceritie; and the ouer-much familiaritie with the Name of GOD in that kind, emptie the heart of all feare of his dreadfull Name, and made vsus meere Formaliſts in Religion.
Thirdly, this alſo affoords vsus iuſt Apologie, and anſwere Ʋſe 3 to that vſuall imputation of cenſoriouſneſſe and raſh iudgement charged on vsus by profaneſt men, when wee pronounce onelyonly the ſentence paſſed by GODS Word vponupon their actions: forſooth, we muſt, as Abraham, beleeue aboue hope: and iudge quite contrary to our euidence. We muſt beleeue the heart is chaſte, when the mouth fomes out nothing but filthineſſe, and ſpeech not to be named; we muſt thinke they hauehave faith of the firmeſt, that hauehave no knowledge, nay, deſpiſe inſtruction, that they are ſorry for their ſinnes, if they ſay ſo, though we ſee in them practice ſuch as Salomon ſpeakes of, making ſports of ſins, and triumphing that they can do miſchiefe. But hath not our Sauiour taught vsus to iudge of the fountaine by the ſtreames? of the affections by ſpeeches and actions?eMat. 12.33, 34, 35. Can a good tree bring forth bad fruit? affords a purified heart, nothing but filthy and vncleane actions? Let good be good; euill, euill: And thus thinke, though Charitie be not cauſleſly ſuſpicious, yet neither is it fooliſhly blind.
The euidences themſelues now follow. Firſt, is the power of Pauls Miniſterie; Our Goſpell was not in word only, but in power. Their Goſpell they call metonymically their preaching of the Goſpell, as Rom. 2.16. It is ſaid to bee in word only; when the ſound thereof rings in the eare, or at moſt reacheth to the vnderſtanding; working therein ſome literall notices and apprehenſion of the things taught: In power, when it pierceth into the heart, and preuailes with the affections, ſo farre, as to worke a change of the whole man; and tof2. Cor. 3.18. transforme him into the Image of God.
This vertue and power of the Goſpell goes with PAVL as a marke of Election, is ſo queſtionleſſe, where it preuayles to Conuerſion. In the power and preuayling of GODS Word may ſeuen degrees bee diſtinguiſhed. Firſt, Conuincing. Secondly, Terrifying. Thirdly, Thorowly humbling. Fourthly, Delighting. Fiftly, Reſtrayning. Sixtly, Partially reforming. Seuenthly, Thorowly renewing.
Firſt, It is powerfull to conuince when it ſo farre preuailes with the Iudgement and Vnderſtanding, that the Hearers cannot but confeſſe, it is true that is taught; and dare not open their mouthes to contradict it. Thus farre preuailed Stephen with Libertines and Cyrenians, by cleere euidence of Truth; that they were not able to gActs 6.10.reſiſt the Wiſdome and Spirit by which he ſpake. And APOLLOS mightily hActs 18.28.conuinced the Iewes, ſhewing by Scriptures that Ieſus was that Chriſt.
Secondly, To terrifie: when paſſing from the vnderſtanding to the Conſcience, it ſtrikes it with horrour and feare of wrath due for ſinne. So vertuall was the ſpeech of Paul a Priſoner, in the heart of his Iudge, that hee iActs 24.25.trembles to heare him treate of Temperance, Iuſtice, and the Iudgement to come.
Thirdly, Thorowly to humble; when allk2. Cor. 10.5. high thoughts of ſelfe-righteouſneſſe are caſt downe: and the guiltineſſe of ſinne feelingly acknowledged; men yeelding themſelues culpable of eternall condemnation; the iſſues whereof arelActs 2.37. perplexities, and remedileſſe feares in ſome vtter and final deſperation, as we hauehave inſtance inmGen. 4.13. Cain.
Fourthly, To delight; when the heart is affected with ſome kind of ſweete taſte and relliſh in the good Word of God, and is taken with ſome kind of reioycing and delight therein as we read of thoſenMat. 13.20. temporary beleeuers; to whom may be added thoſe the Apoſtle ſaith,oHeb. 6.5. taſte the good Word of God. Hence followes deſire ſomewhat eager to be farther acquainted therewith, till ſuch time as perſecution ariſeth for the Goſpell.
Fiftly, To reſtraine, when it becomes a bridle to withhold and curbe the head-ſtrong inclination to euill; ſo that corruption breakes not forth into ancient outrage; whether through feare of wrath conſcience is ſtriken withall; orpHeb. 6.5. hope to partake the glorious recompence of Gods Children: or ſhame, in the Church of God to bee noted of impietie.
Sixtly, To reforme in part; when in ſome particulars it preuayles to worke obedience in poſitiue duties; asqMar. 6.20. HEROD in many things heard IOHN Baptiſt.
Seuenthly, In none of theſe degrees finde wee the pledge of Election; euen Caſt-awayes hauehave thus farre felt the power of the Word. But when a man can ſay, his conſcience bearing him witneſſe through the Holy Ghoſt, the diſpoſition of his heart is thorowly altered and changed, from Prophaneſſe to Holineſſe; and that he hath ſo ſeene the face of God, that r2. Cor. 3.18.he is transformed into the ſame Image from glory to glory; that man hath, if Paul could iudge, a pledge infallible of his election to life.Bernard. in Cantic. Serm. 57. Ad locum. Sinon ſolùm compungeris in ſermone illo, ſed & conuerteris totus ad Dominum, iurans & ſtatuens cuſtodire iudicia iuſtitiae eius; etiam adeſſe ipſum iam noueris, praeſertim ſi te inardeſcere ſentias amore eius.
It ſhall behooue vsus, as many as deſire to make our Calling and Election ſure to our ſelues, to inquire whether in this degree we hauehave felt the Word of God powerfull in our ſoules. It is ſomething, when we can ſay, wee hauehave felt the terrors of the Lord in the Conſcience; ſomething, that we hauehave beene humbled and preſſed with the burthen of our ſinnes; ſomething, that wee feele corruption reſtrayned, our liues though but in part reformed; If there Grace make a period, thus farre yet it aduantageth men, vt mitiûs ardeant: But of thy Saluation, and Election to life, thou haſt no full euidence, till thou haſt felt Gods Word powerfull to change and renew thee, after the Image of him that created thee.
And that is the thing intimated in the next particular. And in the Holy Ghoſt. There be that conceit the Apoſtle to vnderſtand the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghoſt, in Primitiue Church giuen by laying on of the Apoſtles hands, as thoſe of tongues prophecie, &c. Chryſoſtome and Theodoret better expound it, that gift of God, that worke of his Spirit, whereby they were borne anew and ſanctified: For as touching thoſe other gifts, though excellent & extraordinary, yet were they no euidences of Election, ſith manyſMat. 7.22.23. Luke 10.20. Caſt-awayes hauehave beene partakers thereof: And as many of Gods Choſen hauehave beene without them. The Holy Ghoſt therefore vnderſtand, renewing and ſanctifying them.
Obſer. This then let be obſerued as an vndoubtfull euidence of Election, from whence a man may conclude infallibly his owne choice to life, and charitably entertaine like perſwaſion of others: in whom he ſees probable euidences thereof. When God is pleaſed ſo farre to magnifie the power of his Word in our hearts, as tIohn 17.17.thereby to ſanctifie vsus: implyeth not our Sauiour ſo much, when praying for it to his Father, he limits it to them onelyonly, that according to Election of Grace hee had giuen him out of the World? and excludes the World? And what elſe meanes Paul, when he makes Regeneration as it were an actuall putting vsus in poſſeſſion of Saluation? He hath uTit. 3.5.ſaued vsus by the waſhing of the new birth, x2. Tim. 1.9.ſaued vsus and called vsus with a holy Calling; by this Calling whereby wee are made holy, giuen vsus poſſeſſion of Saluation in the beginnings thereof.
Ʋſe 1 The more ſtrange is that concluſion maintayned by Papiſts and others, that Sanctification is incident into very Reprobates; that Caſt-awayes as well as GODS Choſen are partakers of the renewing of the Holy Ghoſt.
Mee thinkes then it muſt bee, they are truely and really vnited vntounto Chriſt; for how elſe partake they his Spirit to ſanctifie them? Are they ſanctified that hauehave not his Spirit? or hauehave they his Spirit that are not members of him? or elſe is it true that Sanctification is a priuiledge peculiar to the Elect? Thus thinke; other Graces as illumination, &c. they may partake that are not knit vntounto Chriſt,yHeb. 6. a diſpoſition to Sanctification may be vouchſafed vntounto them: they may hauehave it in fieri, not in facto eſſe. The truth or rooted ſoundnes thereof, how can they partake? ſith they partake not thezPſal. 133.2. Oyntment of our AARON, that are ſcarce his excrements; nor ſo neere him as the skirts of his clothing. And if any paſſages of Scriptures ſeeme to ſound another way, and to terme themaHeb. 10.29. Heb. 6.4, 5. ſanctified; they meane, Firſt, ſacramentally. Secondly, or putatiuely. Thirdly, or at moſt by way of diſpoſition.
Ʋſe 2 This Ground therefore let vsus hold firme, that truth of Sanctification fals into no Reprobate; is the peculiar priuiledge of Gods Choſen. Can wee thereout aſſume; that we are ſanctified? the concluſion will follow firmely, therefore we are elected. The maine difficultie ſtands in diſcerning our Sanctification; And is made ſo much the greater, by things ſo like and ſo neere of kinne vntounto it, that without exact skill it is hard to cut a difference. Two things there are eſpecially, Cognatae ſanctitati. Firſt, is Ciuilitie, or as we commonly terme it, ciuill honeſtie: The ſecond, Grace reſtrayning. It may bee they differ only as the cauſe and the effect; Ciuilitie, as ſome thinke, being the fruit of reſtrayning Grace: let vsus yet diſtinctly inquire of them, and their difference from true Sanctitie.
Betwixt Ciuilitie and Sanctification obſerue theſe differences.
Firſt, Ciuilitie is oft wrought by meere morall education according to naturall principles, without any knowledge or ſo much as deſire to bee acquainted with the Word of God. So ſee wee many, following that rule of the Law of Nature; What thou wouldſt not hauehave done to thee, doe not thou to others, carefull of common honeſtie in matters of contract and traffique with men, liuing in obedience to Ciuill Lawes, reſtrayned from Drunkenneſſe, Whoredome, and the like Enormities; though vtterly vnacquainted with the Word of God.
Sanctification, though it incline to carefull obſeruance of the ſame duties, yet not by Ariſtotles Morall Precepts, but bybIohn 17.17. the Word of God. And this wee may boldly ſay, A ciuill Chriſtian obſeruing theſe duties without knowledge of their Iniunction in the Word of God; is as farre from Sanctification as were Heathen Moraliſts; ſith they alſo out of ſome grounds performed like duties.
Secondly, If vſually it is obſeruable: Ciuilitie ſtayes, if not onelyonly, yet principally in duties of the ſecond Table: where the light of Nature is cleereſt. For matters of Pietie, if any bee obſerued, it is but ceremoniouſly, and ſo farre as they tend to preſerue credit and eſteeme of moderate men, in thoſe ſocieties whereof they are members.
True Sanctity as conſcionably obſerues duties ofcTit. 2.12. Pietie, as of Iuſtice, and Charitie, and is as carefull to giuegivedMat. 22.21. vntounto God the things that are Gods, as vntounto CaeSAR, and Neighbour what belongs vntounto them.
Thirdly, Ciuilitie ſtayeth for moſt part in Negatiues, in abſtinence from euill, thinkes it Charitie enough, not to impaire the wealth of the Neighbour; though his eſtate be not ſupported by any worke of Liberalitie and MercieMercy.
In Religion, ſufficient it ſeemes to profeſſe diſlike of Poperie, though they bee vtterly ignorant in Rudiments of Orthodoxe Faith, & grounds of pure worſhip of God.
True holineſſe teacheth not onelyonly to eſchew euill, but e1. Pet. 3.11.to doe good. And though it know Abſtinence from euill a neceſſary branch of Chriſtianitie, yet hath learned withall, that the life of true Vertue ſtands in action.
Fourthly, Ciuilitie reacheth not beyond the outward man, the Phariſes principle is knowne,fMat. 5. Adultery in the fact is onelyonly forbidden: that in the thought and affection free.
Sanctification goes ouer the whole of the whole man, theg1. Theſſ. 5.23. whole Spirit, and Soule, and Body is thorowout ſanctified. And theſe are ſome differences twixt Sanctitie and Ciuilitie.
See if from the other Couſin, reſtrayning Grace wee may be able to diſcerne it.
Firſt, Reſtrayning Grace, if it bee onelyonly reſtrayning, hath in it painefulneſſe; inward diſcontentment at the bridle, God puts into their mouthes. GODS Word is Bands; his Law hPſal. 2.3.as Cords; as ſtomakefull Horſes are kept in with the bridle, yet ſome at the Bit, that reſtraines them: So
The heart truly ſanctified, is deſirous to be reſtrayned; yea, if it were poſſible, to hauehave inclinations to euill vtterly aboliſhed. This they count their miſery, not that fleſh is bridled, but that it hath ſo much libertieiRom. 7.23. to rebell againſt the Law of the minde.
Secondly, Men reſtrayned only, not ſanctified, deſire to extend their libertie as farre as poſſibly may bee, with any colour or ſhew of lawfulneſſe, the thing once yeelded lawfull, they ſeeme niceties not to be ſtood vponupon, to enquire after expediencie, or with what limits and bounds they are lawfull in action. Thoſe Scriptures and Preachers pleaſe beſt, that ſeeme moſt to promiſe and permit Libertie.
A man truely ſanctified, chooſeth ratherk1. Cor. 6.12. to ſubſiſt within his bounds, then in any degree to exceede limits of lawfull Libertie: And is of his minde that ſaid, It is better to liue where nothing, then where all things are lawfull.
Thirdly, No ſmall difference ariſeth out of the Grounds of their abſtayning from euill, which in the reſtrayned, are feare or ſenſe of Gods wrath; of Magiſtrates Sword, Infamie and the like. Sometimes, ſome one Maſter-luſt which they deſire to feed; are loth to croſſe, for whoſe ſake they curbe their other inordinate affections, that they breake not out into outrage, as Auguſtine ſaith, the ancient Romans were reſtrayned from Intemperance, Iniuſtice, Couetouſneſſe, by that infinite Luſt they had after glory and large Dominions;Aug. de Ciuit. Dei. lib. 5. cap. 12. Caeteras cupiditates huius vnius ingenti cupiditate preſſerunt.
The ſanctified man eſchewes euill, becauſe it is euill, and diſpleaſing vntounto God, whoſe louelove hee hath had ſo plentifull experience of: he feares the Lord and his lHoſ. 3.5.goodneſſe: trembles at his offence becauſe mPſal. 130.4.of his mercy: The louelove of Chriſt, as it after a ſort conſtraynes to duetie, ſo reſtraynes from euill.
Fourthly, the reſtrayned, when meanes of reſtraint are once remoued, grow licentious, none more, as longing to quench their long thirſt after euill: whennIud. 17.6.18, & 19. there was no King in Iſrael, and the people left to doe, eueryevery man what ſeemed good in his owne eyes, then fall theſe bridled hypocrites, to vnbridled luſts, Sodomie, Idolatrie, what not?
The ſanctified are a law vntounto themſelues, as ſome expound the place. The Law is not giuen o1. Tim. 1.9.to the righteous; he needs it not as a bridle by the terrours of it, though as a Directer by the Doctrine. Theſe are ſome helps to diſcerne truth of ſanctification, from the counterfaits of it in Ciuilians, and men reſtrayned.
There is annexed hereto a ſecond effect of their Miniſterie and power thereof; their full aſſurance, their much full aſſurance: Whereof? of the diuine Truth of the Goſpell taught them, by Paul and his Aſſociates. They make it of two ſorts, firſt, generall: ſecondly, particular, of whether the Text muſt be vnderſtood, is a queſtion. I thinke of both.
Where the queſtion is, whether this vndoubtfull and full aſſurance of the Truth of the Goſpell be peculiar to Gods choſen: Thus I thinke wee may reſolue, by diſtinguiſhing the degrees of the minds aſſent in this kind, thus they are; the firſt is called commonly Suſpicion, more fitly coniecture: a lighter inclination and propenſion of the mind to the Goſpell, as poſſibly or probably true: the ſecond, Opinion, …herein the mind is ſtrongly ſwayed to thinke it true, but not without ſome feare of the contrarie. Thirdly, the third they call Faith; a firme and vndoubtfull perſwaſion of the Truth of the Goſpell: which alſo hath its latitude: not only in the point of adherence, but in this of aſſent. Here we reade of foreign, much fulneſſe of aſſurance; in other places of an foreign, little faith. Thus I thinke: Though the minds of Caſtawayes and vnſanctified men, may be poſſeſſed with ſettled opinion of the Goſpels Truth, and ſo conuinced thereof that they are not able reaſonably to contradict it; yet thatpCol. 2.2. riches of aſſurance of the vnderſtanding to the acknowledgement of the myſterie of Chriſt, is peculiar to Gods choſen. I may erre, but theſe reaſons ſway me: firſt, It is wrought byqPhil. 1.9. experience and ſenſe of the truth thereof. Secondly, imparted by the Spirit of God:r1. Ioh. 5.6. It is the Spirit which teſtifieth, that the Spirit is Truth. Thirdly, the fruit of it, me thinks, euidenceth it, to wit, firme adherence and cleauing to the goodneſſe apprehended in that Truth, ſuch as that no violence of perſecutions is able to remoue.
As touching that other, which they call particular, it is ſo peculiar to Gods choſen, that no Reprobate partakes in it: to riches and much fulneſſe of aſſurance, few euen of Gods children aſcend.
To further vsus to that generall full aſſurance, theſe are helps affoorded to Gods children: firſt, the ſolidſRom. 15.13. comfort and conſolation this Gospell affoords the conſcience, preſſed with ſenſe of Gods wrath due for ſinne. Secondly, that rauiſhing of the affections to louelove of this Truth, ſo ſtrange and ſupernaturall, that whereas there is ſcarce any antipathie in nature greater, then that betwixttRom. 8.7. mans heart in nature, and the Word of God; now a man is ſo affected with it, that the deareſt bloud is parted withall, rather then the leaſt jot of the Truth of the Goſpell. Thirdly, that change ſo admirable it works in the whole man, from ſinne to righteouſneſſe. Theſe few Precepts of God, ſaith Lactantius, Lactant de falsâ Sapient. lib. 3. cap. 27.ſo change the whole man, and make him new, that you can hardly know him to be the ſame. A thing which Philoſophie hath much laboured in, but could neuer atchieue. The vtmoſt their morall wiſedome reacheth vntounto, is this, it hides ſinnes rather then remoues them; Sapientia eorum vt plurimùm efficiat, non exſcindit vitia ſed abſcondit. Theſe effects of the Word of God, are more auayleable to worke this fulneſſe of aſſurance, then any teſtimonie of the Church, howeuer magnified by Papiſts; and to ſay truth, a great argument: but can an humane teſtimonie, being, firſt, variable: ſecondly, poſſibly erroneous, giuegive full ſatisfaction to the mind that doubteth? Iudicent docti. And of theſe euidences of election thus farre, out of Pauls appeale to his hearers hearts, for record of this Truth, occurres nothing, that I dare doctrinally deliuer to the Church of God.