Exposition of 1 Thessalonians, Chapter 2 · Verse 1
VERS. 1.
For your ſelues, Brethren, know our entrance in vntounto you that it was not vaine.
THis Chapter propounds new Arguments of perſeuerance; in number two. Firſt, from the graciouſneſſe of the inſtrument, by which they were brought to the Faith, ad Ʋerſ. 13. Secondly, from the experience themſelues had had of the power and efficacie of the Doctrine of Faith; inde ad finem.
The Context ſtands thus; he had ſaid Chap. 1.9. that the Churches of God euerywhere tooke notice of, and declared the iſſue, and fruit of Pauls firſt Miniſterie, amongſt this people, q. d. and not without cauſe; for you know that our entrance to you was not vaine.
The chiefe Concluſion is: PAVLS entrance was not vaine. And it is amplified by certayne helping cauſes, auayling to make his Miniſterie effectuall.
Firſt, in Paul, firſt, his boldneſſe: Secondly, his ſinceritie: Thirdly, his meekneſſe, and amiable demeanour towards them.
Secondly, in the People; their reuerent and reſpectfull behauiour in hearing, Ʋerſ. 13.
Senſe; our entrance: that is, firſt, Preaching: was not vaine; ſay ſome, in the matter, not vaine, but ſubſtantiall and ſound. Rather, in the fruit not vaine; GOD ſo bleſſing his paynes, that thereby they were conuerted, and brought to the Faith, Chap. 19.
Obſer. And what Paul ſpeaks of himſelfe, is generally true of all others, dealing ſincerely in the worke of the Miniſterie: Their preaching ſeldome or neuer wants fruit; ſeldome this fruit, conuerſion of Gods people. aIoh. 15.16.I hauehave ſent you and ordayned you, that you ſhould goe and bring forth fruit. bIer. 23.22.If they had ſtood in my counſell, they ſhould hauehave turned the people from their euill way. Though, Eſay his Miniſterie wrought nothing in the multitude, but blindneſſe and obſtinacie;cIſai. 6.13. yet was there a Tenth, that ſhould returne.
Maruell not at it: the proper end of the ordinance is, that thereby ſinners ſhould be conuerted vntounto God, and hereto we are ſent, Ioh. 15.16. What Chriſt ſpeaks to Peter, and Andrew, is true of all in their meaſure; they dMatt. 4.19.are made Fiſhers of men.
Beſides, the promiſe is made of his preſence, and Spirits aſſiſtance to worke with vsus, in the faithfull diſcharge of our Miniſterie:eMatt. 28.20. he is with vsus to the end of the world, not onelyonly by his power and prouidence to protect vsus, but by his Spirit and Grace, to giuegive life to our Miniſterie.
Vſe. It ſerues to animate and encourage all Gods Miniſters that hauehave any comfortable aſſurance of Gods ſending them to the worke, without doubt of ſucceſſe to giuegive themſelues, with inſtance, to their Vocation and Calling: As for many other reaſons, enough to encourage the moſt negligent, and timerous; ſo eſpecially for this, that they are aſſured their labour ſhall not be altogether vaine in the Lord. What may incite vsus if this will not? that GOD hath aſſured vsus, we ſhall ſaue the ſoules of his people:fPro. 11.30. he that winneth ſoules, is wiſe, yea glorious in the ſight of God.
What if it be our lot, to preach the Goſpell, euen where the Name of Ieſus was neuer heard of? what if it be a people neuer ſo deeply drowned in Idolatrie, and profaneneſſe? our Miniſterie ſhall not be in vaine. And ſee how many Arguments of encouragement the LORD hath giuen vsus. Firſt, that our ſeruice ſhall be accepted whatſoeuer the g2. Cor. 2.15.iſſues be; though perhaps it be true of vsus as of our Sauiour, We hLuk. 2.34.are ſent as well for the fall, as for the riſing of many in Iſrael. Secondly, not accepted onelyonly, but plentifullyiIſai. 49.4. Bernard. rewarded: Leſt any ſay, if the iſſues be anſwerable, Bernard ſaith well, wee hauehave our recompence ſecundum laborem, not ſecundum prouentum.
Secondly, it ſhewes to what cauſe we may impute the deadneſſe of many mens Miniſterie in the Church of God; though I may not be peremptorie, yet this I thinke is true, out of the grounds forelaid: barrenneſſe of our Miniſterie is a probable ſigne at leaſt, either of our not ſending to the worke, or of our not walking with a right foote to the Goſpell.
Queſt. Condemne we then all of bad entrance, or vnfaithfulneſſe, whoſe paynes are fruitleſſe?
Anſw. Firſt, the fruit of our Miniſterie is not all of one ſort: there are ſome that lay the foundation: k1. Cor. 3.6.10others that build thereupon: ſome that plant: others that water. I thinke I may boldly ſay, they are either not ſent, or elſe vnfaithful in their Calling, whoſe Miniſterie is not in one of theſe kinds, effectuall. Secondly, the fruit of our Miniſterie is not alwayes manifeſt, there may be fruit that is not preſently diſcerned: ſaith ELIAS,l1. Kin. 19.10, 18. I only am left; yet was there a greater remnant, 7000. Ioh. 12. It is noted that amongſt the mIoh. 12.42.Rulers there were ſome that beleeued in Chriſt, who yet being but Nouices, durſt not confeſſe him. In Iezabels houſhold was a faithfulln2. King. 1.14. Obadiah; thinke you he had ſcaped with his life, had hee beene ſo knowne to Iezabel? Laſtly, if yet no fruit, yet ſooner or later it ſhewes it ſelfe; God will not alwayes be wanting to the labours of his ſeruants, faithfully and ſincerely performed.