Exposition of 1 Thessalonians, Chapter 2 · Verse 2
VERS. 2.
But euen after that we had ſuffered before, and were ſhamefully entreated, as yee know, at Philippi, wee were bold in our God to ſpeake vntounto you the Gospell of God with much contention.
FOllow now the helping cauſes or meanes to the efficacie of Pauls Miniſterie: where firſt occurres his boldneſſe in deliuering Gods Truth to the people; amplifyed, Firſt, by the meaſure of it, intimated in mentioning the hindering cauſes thereof, his afflictions. Secondly, by the Fountayne whence it iſſued: We were bold through our Lord.
Obſer. Hence then let vsus note it as one neceſſarie propertie of a Miniſter deſiring to hauehave his Miniſterie fruitfull, that is, boldneſſe in deliuering Gods Truth to his people: the nature of it thus conceiue out of the Etymon of the Word. Firſt, when a man ſpeaks al the Lord commands him to ſpeake: As PAVL kept backe oAct. 20.27.nothing of Gods counſell. Secondly, when with libertie and freedome of ſpeech hee vtters his meſſage, without feare of mens faces: ſee it enioyned and after a ſort explayned,pJer. 5.7, 8. Goe to all that I ſend thee vntounto; ſpeake all that I command thee; be not afraid of their faces.
Prayed for with inſtance by Apoſtles, Act. 4.29. enioyned to be remembred by the people, in their prayer for the Apoſtle; and a reaſon there giuen, that hee might ſpeake, qEpheſ. 6.19.as he ought to ſpeake: as if hee had thought the timorous deliuerie of the Word of God, beſeemed neither the Meſſenger, nor the Maieſtie of the meſſage. Examples ſee in Elias, and him that came after him, in the Spirit and power of ELIAS.
Hereto, wee all, whom God hath put in truſt with the Ʋſe 1 Miniſterie, are to be encouraged; that no feare, or other by-reſpect, make vsus ſuppreſſe any part of Gods Truth, expedient for the people to know. Reaſons are many: Firſt, it is that, that procures vsus authoritie in the conſciences of the people. I know not how, things timorouſly deliuered, though neuer ſo truely, lacke their life in the Hearers hearts, whiles they beginne to thinke, our ſelues ſuſpect the Truth, of what we deliuer. Secondly, it is no ſmall encouragement, to meditate, that the Lord is with vsus, to defend vsus: and that preuayled ſo farre with Ieremie, that though his reſolution was, torIer. 20.9, 11. ſpeake no more in the Name of the Lord; yet when hee conſidered the Lords preſence with him, he could not but prophecie. Thirdly, that Argument me thinks is piercing,ſIer. 1.17. leſt the Lord deſtroy vsus.
Helps to procure it: Firſt, aſſurance of our Calling from God. It brings with it how many Arguments of Confidence? Firſt, aſſurance of protection. Secondly, Conſcience it ſelfe ſuggeſts neceſſitie of boldneſſe. Thirdly, puts to ſilence all thoſe idle debates, and conſultations with fleſh and bloud.
Secondly, aſſured warrantie of what we teach, whether to enforme iudgement, or to rectifie affections: therefore Paul wills to build all exhortations, reproofs, &c.t2. Tim. 4.2. vponupon doctrine, that wee may be able to demonſtrate, what we reprooue, to be a ſinne; what we perſwade vntounto, to be a duetie.
Thirdly, a cleere Conſcience before God and men: This makes uPro. 28.1.bold as Lyons; and nothing more deiects the ſpirits then guilt of ſinne.
Fourthly,xAct. 4.29. prayer to God, to abate that timorouſneſſe naturall, that in beſt duties ſhewes it ſelfe.
Secondly, The people hence learne, as not to forget their Miniſters in Prayer to GOD for this grace to bee doubled vponupon them; ſo to bleſſe God that ſtirres vp the Spirits of their Paſtors, to deale thus freely in their Miniſtery. Wee heare, how in great places ſinnes abound, to the infection of the meaner people; queſtionleſſe, from this as one mayne Reaſon.yAmos 7.10 13. AMOS his wordes too rough for Court eares; and Bethel is no place for ſuch people, &c. Amongſt our people, if any be in wealth or authoritie ſuperiour to his Miniſter, plaine dealing with their ſinnes, ſcarce ſutes with good manners; as to the Gallants in Iſrael, ſo to ours, they ſeemez2. Reg. 9.11. madde Fellowes that deale reſolutely in reproofe of their ſins: And therefore ſee, if the iudgement threatned to Iſrael, bee not come vponupon our people, the Lord hath made the Prophets tongue aEzech. 3.16.cleaue to the roofe of their mouthes, that they are not as reproouers vntounto them; euen becauſe they are rebellious, and God purpoſeth to deſtroy them.
The meaſure of Pauls boldneſſe followes: Though he had ſuffred afflictions and reproches at Philippi, yet was hee bold to ſpake the Goſpell vntounto them, &c. So then
Afflictions in Gods Children ought not to quench grace; neyther doe they quench, but rather inflame it. PETERS boldneſſe bAct. 4.13, 20.admired by the Rulers; it was rather increaſed then abaſed by their threatnings; like inſtances ſee Elias, Ieremie, Iohn Baptiſt, &c. Why, they ought not, theſe are Reaſons:
Firſt, They are pledges to vsus of ſinceritie: next, to the warrantableneſſe of our actions, for the matter, and the teſtimonie Conſcience giues of our regular intentions; Perſecutions are beſt euidences of our walking with a right foot to the Goſpell: that except wee will therefore faint, becauſe the Lordc1. Pet. 4.14. ſeales vp to vsus our faithfulneſſe, why ſhould they daunt vsus?
Secondly,d2. Cor. 1.5. Comforts are vſually giuen to Gods Children proportionable to their afflictions; and if euer we hauehave experience of Gods louelove, it is vnderunder the Croſſe.
Thirdly, The end of afflictions is, toeHoſh. 5.15. quicken grace.
Why they doe not in the euent; ordinarily meane; ſometimes it is true, we bewray humane frailtie, but ordinarily ſo it is, that as corruption in men vnregenerate, the more it is oppoſed, the more it ſtormes, and growes outragious; ſo Grace, the more it is oppoſed, the more inflamed like newfIob 32.18, 19. Wine without vent; ſo is the Spirit: like gIer. 20.9.fire in the bones, ſo Gods Word ſuppreſſed in a gracious heart.
Firſt,Reaſons. In ſuch times wee beſt ſee our frailty naturall; are moſt lowly in our owne eyes; cleaue cloſer vntounto God; ſeeke him more diligently; pray more feruently. In the dayes of eaſe, how ſeeme wee to our ſelues pettie gods, as Peter? and ſuch mountaines, as Dauid ſpeakes, as if we were vnmooueable? What maruell if God leaue vsus to our ſelues? to humble vsus, to make vsus leſſe confident in our ſelues; more dependent vponupon our God.
Secondly, Afflictions ſanctified to Gods Children, abate corruption, the only clogge vntounto grace in our hearts. As the outward man periſheth, ſo h2. Cor. 4.16.the inner is daily renewed.
Thirdly, With the affliction the i1. Cor. 10.13.iſſue is giuen; the iſſue vertually; grace ſuſtayning that the iſſue may be comfortable.
Ʋſe. Herein labour to reſemble the Saints: if former reaſons bee not preualent enough, remember what Paul hath; the afflictions are k2. Cor. 4.17.light and momentanie, the glorie weightie, incomparably glorious, euerlaſting. If that perſwade not, let that terrour of the LORD ſway with vsus; If any lHeb. 10.38.withdraw himſelfe, my ſoule (ſaith the Lord) ſhall hauehave no pleaſure in him. Wonderfull is the delicacie and tenderneſſe of our nature, much giuen to eaſe. But thus thinke: better here to hauehave paine, and there mLuk. 16.25.comfort; then to liue at eaſe, and after death to bee plunged into Hell torments.
Secondly, Try hereby the truth of all Graces receiued, it is not for nothing, afflictions are ſo often called tryals. A man neuer knowes ſo well what Grace hee hath or wants, as in afflictions. In dayes of proſperitie prophanenHeſt 8.17. Perſians became Iewes; HypocritesoMat. 13.20. ioy in the word, &c. the comfort is this, You are they that hauehave continued with me in my pLuk. 22.28.temptations, therefore, I diſpoſe vntounto you a Kingdome. The fountaine of Pauls boldneſſe remaynes; Bold in our God; that is, ſay ſome, truſting and relying vponupon our God for ſupport: all according to God, led by his Spirit, rather then by petulant humour. Beſt thus, Thorough God, and encouragement miniſtred to vsus by his Spirit.
Obſer. The Apoſtles humil…tie and thankefulneſſe is here remarkable; tranſcribing glory of all grace to God; not mentioning any good thing of himſelfe, but with acknowledgement of God for the Authour; ſo alibi. Of his labouring: not I, but q1. Cor. 15.10.Gods grace which is with me; of his gracious abilities Chriſtian; they are of Chriſt rPhil. 4.13.ſtrengthning; miniſteriall; they are of ſ2. Cor. 3.5, 6.God, the only enabler to ſo great performances.
His example let vsus imitate in all our mentions and meditations of the good things God hath wrought in vsus, forget not the Author,t1. Cor. 4.7. what hauehave we that we hauehave not receiued? In this grace ſpecially of conſtancie vnderunder the croſſe. Can we ſay, as PAVL? Though we be afflicted, yet we faint not? magnifie the power of God ſupporting our weakeneſſe. Nothing is more changeable then the nature of man, from good to worſe; eſpecially preſſed with afflictions. The Lord, the better to prouoke to this dutie, lets vsus ſee in others, the picture of our owne nature; how many great Seruants of GOD hauehave ſtumbled at the Croſſe? ſay thou with thy ſelfe, if thy ſtrength be more; It is God that ſupports me; God only perfecting his power in weakneſſe.
In our God, in ſuch appropriating God to himſelfe, the propertie of ſauing faith deſerues our notice: diſcerning a particular intereſt to the Couenant of Grace. So Iob, uIob 19.25.My Redeemer liueth. THOMAS,xIoh. 20.28. My Lord and my God, what elſe, but this, puts difference in the point of beleeuing, betwixt faith of Gods Children, and that of Deuils? Papiſts ſay; Charitie. But Charitie is not Faith, nor part of it; nay, a grace diſparale from Faith: in the point of beleeuing, wee muſt ſee a difference; which is little, or none without particularitie.
Queſt. They aske vsus where is our word for ſuch faith?
Anſw. TheyyMarke 1.15 Commandement to beleeue, we hauehave eueryevery where, and what is ſpoken to all, is intended to eueryevery particular. Secondly,zMarke. 16.16 promiſe alſo propounded to all to bee beleeued for their parts. Thirdly, Sacraments particularizeth promiſe. Fourthly,aRom. 8.16. teſtimonie of Spirit giuen in eueryevery Elects heart. Euidences out of which it ariſeth to bee laboured for of all Gods Children.
Firſt, Confidence in God through Chriſt; and dependance on him, for all bleſſings of this life, and that which is to come.
Secondly, Propenſion of the heart to new obedience. Of Pauls boldneſſe, the firſt helping cauſe to the efficacy of his Miniſterie thus farre.
The next in order is his ſincerity.