Exposition of 1 Thessalonians, Chapter 1 · Verse 8
VERS. 8.
For from you ſounded out the Word of God, &c.
THe ſecond branch of their commendation, is the propagation of the Truth, and ſpreading the Word to others: whether by publiſhing it to thoſe with whom they had commerce in other Countries, as ſome conceiue, or by their obedience occaſioning the world to take notice of the power and holineſſe of that Word, that had wrought ſo mightily to their reformation?
Obſer. If wee take the firſt ſenſe, it offers to our notice the propertie and duetie of all Saints, partakers of the heauenly vocation; deſirouſly inuiting others to fellowſhip of that comfort themſelues hauehave taſted in the Goſpell: paſſionately ſpeakes DAVID,iPſal. 34.8. Oh, taſte and ſee how gracious the Lord is: with like affection ſee the Saints in new Ieruſalem,kZach. 8.21. prouoking one another to ſeeke the Lord. The woman of Samaria no ſooner hath glimpſe of Chriſts Meſſiahſhip, but ſhe is dealing with thelIoh. 4.29. men of her Citie to ſee and receiue him: Like inſtances ſee Ioh. 1.42, 45. Act. 11.19, 20.
Ʋſe. Like practice thinke by their examples commended vntounto vsus, enforced by how many reaſons? Firſt, Compaſſion ſhould teach vsus tomJude 23. reſcue them out of the fire. Secondly, the glorie comming to the grace of God by their ſaluation. Thirdly, the benefit thence accrewing to our ſelues, firſt, by increaſe nMatt. 25.29.of our owne gifts: betwixt ſpirituall and earthly bleſſings this is one difference: in theſe, the more we impart, the leſſe we reſerue: in thoſe, wee loſe not by communicating, rather by encloſing and concealement to our owne priuate.
Secondly, our gloriousoDan. 12.3. reward in Gods Kingdome becomes the greater. And it is the priuiledge of that heauenly inheritance; it is not ſtraightned to any by multitude of enioyers. If wee follow the other ſenſe, this is the note: There is ſcarce a better meane to propagate the Gospell, and to faſten it on the affection of Aliens, then the obedience and ſanctitie of thoſe that profeſſe it. It is as thepCant. 1.3. Odours of Chriſts oyntment, with the fragrancie thereof drawing affections. Iohn Baptiſts auſteritie and reuerend qMatt. 3.5.ſanctitie, drawes out Ieruſalem and the Region of Iordan to heare him: euen Herod hearing his fame, deſires to heare him; and inrMark. 6.20. reuerence of his ſanctitie obeyes in many things. S. PETER attributes ſo much vntounto it, that by ſ1. Pet. 3.1, 2.it, without the Word, Aliens, he thinks, may be wonne; preparatiuely at leaſt, to thinke well of that doctrine, the fruits whereof they ſee to be ſo holy. And as nothing more obdurates Aliens in their infidelitie, then thet1. Sam. 2.17. profane liues of carnall Goſpellers; ſo ſcarce any thing preuailes more to worke liking of the Truth, then the holineſſe of thoſe that giuegive it entertaynment.
Our duetie is to walke worthy of our vocation, that we mayuTit. 2.10. adorne and winne credit to the Gospell that we hauehave vndertaken to profeſſe, at leaſt ſo prouide that the Word of x1. Tim. 6.1.God be not blaſphemed by occaſion of our diſobedience. It is hard to ſay, whether Chriſtians vnreformed doe more good by profeſſion, or harme by their ſcandalous life.
To Aliens, I dare ſay, they bring more preiudice by their profaneneſſe, in hindering their conuerſion, then they can procure good to Gods Church, by their naked profeſſion. At the building of the Temple vnderunder Zerubbabel, their Aduerſaries make ſemblance of yEzr. 4.2.helping forward the building, pretending that they alſo ſought the Lord. Greater enemies Gods people had none to hinder the proceedings of the Temple, then theſe coloured friends, that offered to put hands to their holy worke. Neither know I any, whoſe courſes are more preiudiciall to the enlargement of the Church, then thoſe hypocrites amongſt vsus, that carrying ſhew of godlineſſe, z2. Tim. 3.5.deny the power of it in their conuerſation.
The laſt particular enlarging their praiſe, is the famouſneſſe of their Faith. In eueryevery place their Faith to Godward was ſpred abroad.
Papiſts lighting on like aRom. 1.8.commendation giuen to the quondam Church of Rome, deſire vsus to take notice of it, and thence would fayne inferre a neceſſitie of communicating with their now Synagogue of Satan, for their Faith was renowmed thorow the world: ſaith Paul any whit leſſe of this at Theſſalonica? yet how is the faithfull City become bIſai. 1.21.an Harlot? miſerum & fuiſſe foelicem: as miſerable, fuiſſe fidelem.
Obiect. That they once had Faith, the Apoſtle giues teſtimonie, and we may not thinke them Reuolts from that Faith, except wee ſhew Authours, Times, other circumſtances of their defection.
Anſw. And that they mightcRom. 11.22. fall from Faith, and loſe the very faſhion of a true Church viſible, the Apoſtle as plainly intimates: and to this Church giues as ample commendation of Faith, as to that of Rome, which yet is now long ſince become a cage of vncleane birds; though it is hard for them to ſhew the time, and firſt Authour of their defection. Secondly, me thinks it ſhould ſuffice, to manifeſt that there is a defection, by that wide diſcrepance, betwixt their Faith now, and that commended by the Apoſtle, though circumſtances of reuolt could not be euidenced. Is any ſo mad, as to queſtion whether his houſe burne, when he ſees it on a flame, becauſe he knowes not the incendiarie?
Obiect. In other Hereſies the originals and ſuch like circumſtances may be ſhewne.
Anſw. Firſt, that is not vniuerſall. Secondly, a difference there is betwixt other Hereſies, and thoſe which Antichriſtianiſme drawes with it in this reſpect. That isd2. Theſſ. 2.7. a myſterie of Iniquitie, ſecretly inſinuating it ſelfe into the Church, vnderunder colour of the myſterie of godlineſſe. Thirdly, the Authours and Times of their defection in moſt particulars, hauehave beene ſhewne by our Diuines; ſee Philip Mornay his myſterium iniquitatis. PERKINS his Probleme. Centurie-writers euerywhere. Wee leaue them, and proceed to our inſtruction by this Text.
Your Faith is ſpred abroad, that is, the fame of their faith, ſo gloriouſly manifeſting it ſelfe by the fruits in their life: That though the gift of Faith be not immediately ſeene, yet makes it ſelfe euident by the fruits of it. Elſe Iames had neuer ſaid,eIam. 2.18. Shew me thy Faith by thy works: Suppoſe then theſe; Firſt,fAct. 15.9. Conuerſion. Secondly,gRom. 10.10. Confeſſion. Thirdly,hGal. 5.6. Compaſſion, &c. Conceiue it thus vnderſtood: Firſt, of Faith confirmed. Secondly, out of temptation. Thirdly, in ſome fruit or other. Of Ioſeph yet a Nouice we find fayling in the point of confeſſion: but hauehave reaſons to thinke, his heart was in gracious meaſure purified, his life reformed: while temptation was vponupon him, of feare to be iIoh. 12.42.caſt out of the Synagogue, much weakneſſe hee bewrayes. Temptation once ouerblowne, and Faith confirmed, hee ſhewes kIoh. 19.39.more courage for Chriſt, then the chiefe of his Apoſtles.
How then may we preſume they hauehave Faith, in whom appeare fruits of nothing, but groſſeſt Infidelitie? Timorouſneſſe, ſhall I ſay, to profeſſe his Name, whom they boaſt to beleeue in? that might be imputed to the weakeneſſe, and infirmitie of Faith, but crueltie towards Gods children; yea, to the children of their owne bowels; ſo inſatiable addicted to intemperate Bowzing, Luxurious wantonneſſe, all Vncleanneſſe, that amongſt Infidell Pagans is to be ſeene more carel1. Tim. 5.8. to prouide for Families, more conſcience to depart from euill. Faith, PAVL tells vsus,mGal. 5.6. works by louelove. The Councell at Ieruſalem,nAct. 15.9. purifieth the heart. Behold in theſe Boaſters, ſuch a faith, as neither feares God, nor reuerenceth Man, nor goes ſo farre as ciuilitie, or light of Nature, to purge the outward life from groſſe and notorious ſinnes. Shew vsus thy Faith by thy works, or neuer make vaunt of Faith in thy heart, that by no outward euidence thou canſt approue to the Church of God.
So that we need not to ſpeake any thing. It ſeemes then, Pauls courſe was, where he came, to commend the faith and ſanctitie of the people, amongſt whom his Miniſterie had beene effectuall.
Teaching vsus that, there is place in our Miniſtery for commendation, as well as for reproofe, or exhortation. PAVLS Epiſtles abound with Prayſes of the Churches to whom hee writes; and amplifications of their commendation by all circumſtances. See 2. Cor. 8.2, 3, 4, 5. The great Shepheard of the ſheepe, the Arch Doctor of the Church, omits not the oApoc. 2. & 3.due prayſe of the Churches, whom he ſharplyeſt reprooues.
Firſt, It is an allurement tempered to the inclination of Nature; led with nothing more kindly then with cōmendation; how did Paul wind himſelfe into the heart of Agrippa by this meanes? and drew himpAct. 26, 27, 28 almoſt to bee a Chriſtian. See alſo Philip. 4.8.
Secondly, It drawes on others q2. Cor. 9.2.to emulation of like practice, through holy ambitiō of like praiſe in Gods Church.
Thirdly, There is ſomthing herein that redounds to the glory and prayſe of God. Commend Faith, in Charitie, Obedience; what commendeſt thou, but Gods Workes in his Children?
In this kind ye may obſerue men faulting both wayes.
Firſt, by flattery and vndue prayſe, where is nothing prayſe-worthy, as alſo by forbearing reproofe of palpableſt ſinnes.Hieronym. aduerſ. Pelagian. lib. 1. Pelagians, by Hieromes report, directing a Miniſter his carriage to the people, propound him this rule: Seruus Dei nihil amarum de ſuo debet ore proferre, ſed ſemper quod dulce, & ſuaue eſt. A practice, ſaith Hierome, fitter for Heretikes then for the Lords Prophets; by ſuch ſuauiloquentia, and rRom. 16.18.faire ſpeeches, Heretikes are went to deceiue the hearts of the ſimple. There is a time, ſaith Paul inſtructing Titus, toſTit. 1.13. reprooue ſharply; and ſot1. Tim. 5.20. that others alſo may feare.
Secondly, There is another fault on the other hand, in like ſort to be auoyded; it is too much querulouſneſſe, for want of nothing, many times, but what in this life cannot be attayned: exact perfection. In ſo much that eueryevery little blemiſh in the people, ouer-cloudes their many vertuous parts, that no notice is taken of them to commend them. The great God of Heauen, that God of pure eyes, more readily takes notice of the leaſt good thing to commend and reward it; then of ſmaller ſinnes to reprooue and puniſh them. The u1. Reg. 14.13.little goodneſſe found in ABIIAH, amongſt all the ſonnes of Ieroboam, the Lord paſſeth not without mention, and recompenſe.