Exposition of 1 Thessalonians, Chapter 2 · Verse 3
VERS. 3.4.
Our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of vncleanneſſe, nor in guile:
But as wee were allowed of God to bee put in truſt with the Goſpell, ſo we ſpeake not as pleaſing men, but God which tryeth our hearts.
THE wordes contayne two ſpeciall euidences of Pauls ſinceritie, ſet out in an Antitheſis; wherein hee firſt remooues from him certaine oppoſites of ſinceritie; impoſture, impuritie, guile. Secondly, aſſumes the propertie of a Miniſter dealing ſincerely in his Calling: he ſought to pleaſe God; and thereof giues:
Reaſons.Firſt, Gods fauour towards him in approouing him ſo farre, as to entruſt him with the Goſpell.
Secondly: the meditation of Gods omni-ſcience, and power to diſcerne ſecrets.
The Connexion thus conceiue; he had ſaid, that at Philippi hee had met with many afflictions; and becauſe it might be demanded what the reaſon might bee, his preaching ſhould bee thus attended with troubles; it is aſſigned here: the matter of his Doctrine, and manner of his carriage in it: his exhortation, or preaching was not, as that of falſe apoſtles, fitted to the corrupt opinions, and vncleane manners of men. No maruell therefore if attended with tribulations.
Obſer. It is then no new thing that a Miniſter dealing faithfully in his Calling, ſhould be attended with perſecutions, carry hee himſelfe neuer ſo meekely and peaceably amongſt men. Ieremies complaint is knowne; a man that had no dealings with any in matters of the World; yet ſtriuing with all the earth, bIer. 15.10.and the common execration of the World.
No maruell. Firſt, Such is the qualitie & matter of their doctrine, ſo oppoſite to mans corrupt nature, that lighting vponupon it, it exaſperates it tocRom. 8.7. enmitie againſt it ſelfe, and the publiſhers thereof.
Secondly, There goes with ſuch a mans Miniſterie, a kind of Gall and Wormewood to men vnreformed; ſo pierceth it into the Conſcience, ſo vnbowelleth it corruption. That two-edged ſword in his mouth,dHeb. 4.12. ſearcheth to the diſcouery, and arraignement of the moſt hidden, and beſt beloued corruptions, as our Sauiour giuing reaſon of that inhumane inſulting ouer the corpſes of the two witneſſes, aſſignes this: becauſe they eApoc. 11.10.vexed thoſe that dwelt on the earth. I am perſwaded its true, what face ſoeuer ſuch men ſet on the matter, couering the ſting of their ſoules, in the beſt manner they can; if they be hearers, its true of them that Iſay hath,fIſai. 75.21. There is no peace to the wicked.
It teacheth you, as Paul aduiſeth,g1. Theſſ. 33. not to be moued with our afflictions; ſo as thereby to grow iealous, either of the ſoundneſſe of our Doctrine, or vprightneſſe of our hearts. You know, or may know wee are thereto appointed; and yee cannot be ignorant, it hath euer beene the lot of Gods faithfull Seruants in their times; who wonders athMat. 14.4, 8. HERODIAS thirſting after IOHN BAPTISTS bloud? when hee beats ſo continually vponupon the vnlawfulneſſe of Inceſt; or at IEZABELSi1. Reg. 19.2. ſwearing the death of ELIAS, reproouing her Witchcrafts and abominable Fornications? the more I wonder at thoſe men, Miniſters eſpecially, that thinke it ſo ſtrange a thing, that to prophane perſons, a Miniſters perſon ſhould bee ſo odious. This once I dare ſay, eyther the Lord muſt alter the nature of his Word; or Miniſters palpably flatter, and giuegive way to their peoples ſinnes: or elſe, dealing faithfully, ſuffer perſecutions. Let vsus now take view of the words.
Our Exhortation: that is our preaching. Synecdoche: becauſe exhortation is a chiefe part of preaching. And let that bee our note: Exhortation is an eſſentiall part of preaching; ſo that though a man interpret, and deliuer Doctrines neuer ſo ſoundly; yet is hee a defectiue Preacher, except hee ioyne thereto exhortation. Hence ſometimes in Scripture, the Sermon is ſtiled akAct. 13.15. word of exhortation. If any hauehave a Word of exhortation, let him ſay on; hee that prophecieth, ſaith PAVL, ſpeaketh to l1. Cor. 14.3.edification, comfort, exhortation. To preach, ſaith the Apoſtle, is tom2. Tim. 4.2. improoue, rebuke, exhort, &c. practice of Saints is eueryevery where occurrent, of Peter; with many other words did hee teſtifie and nAct. 2.40.exhort: ſo Prophets, after Doctrines laid, deſcend ſometimes to comfort, ſometimes to reproofe, ſometimes to exhortation.
This, that ſtiled, by the Apoſtle,o2. Tim. 2.15. diuiding or cutting of the Word aright. The Scriptures deliuer things, as it were in a groſſe ſumme: Miniſters are appointed, to ſhare out of the groſſe, to eueryevery one his portion; to the ignorant, inſtruction; to the erring, confutation; to the diſtreſſed, comfort; to the obſtinate, terrour; to the backward, exhortation.
The reaſon is plaine, to eueryevery defect of the people muſt the Paſtor apply himſelfe according to the rule, 1. Theſſ. 5.14. and like as the Lord hath ſo tempered the Scripture, that it ſerues for eueryevery neceſſitie of his people; ſo muſt wee to whom the diſpenſation thereof is committed; apply and digeſt it. In eueryevery part of man, wee ſhall find defects. In the minde, either ignorance that muſt bee inſtructed; or errour, that muſt bee confuted; the conſcience is eyther benumbed, and muſt be terrified; or diſtreſſed, and muſt be comforted; the will and affections, eyther diſordered, and muſt bee rectified by correction; or drowzie, and muſt bee quickened by exhortation, &c.
Queſt. If any ſay, What part leaue we then for our people?
Anſw. Obedience and Submiſſion.
Secondly, And alas, how defectiue generally ſhall we find them? that not one of many is able or carefull, in making vſe of the Word, to goe farther then the Miniſter directs and leads him?
Wee are all here admoniſhed, to whom the diſpenſation of the Word is committed, as the Scripturep2. Tim. 3.17. compleatly furniſheth vsus to eueryevery good worke of our calling, ſo carefully to exerciſe our ſelues in eueryevery particular of duetie, in the worke of the Miniſterie. The Paſtors in Iſrael, for defects this way, wee find ſharply reproued, heauily threatned by Ezechiel.
It is a liueleſſe and vnprofitable kind of teaching in vſe amongſt many, contenting themſelues with bare expoſitions of the Text, almoſt paraphraſticall, or with naked propounding of Doctrines, to informe the iudgement, leauing the conſcience and affections wholly vntouched. I ſhall neuer wonder, if ſuch mens miniſterie be vnprofitable, fayling in thoſe things wherein eſpecially ſtands the life of Preaching.
Be you of the people admoniſhedqHeb. 13.22. to ſuffer the Word, not of Doctrine onelyonly, but of exhortation: yea, if need be, of reproofe. Brethren, wee are falne into a ſtrange Age for curious pride in our people. Though they would laugh to heare a Miniſter reade them a Lecture of good husbandrie, or teach them the vſe of their manuall inſtruments; yet none amongſt them ſo rude, but vndertakes to preſcribe to a Miniſter a forme of Preaching. Let him expound to vsus the Scriptures, deliuer vsus inſtructions; but what hath hee to doe to be dealing with our ſinnes? as who ſay, the whole office of a Paſtor ſtood in this: the informing of the Iudgement, or as if the defects in conſcience and affections, were not as great, as thoſe in the vnderſtanding? Paul, I trow, knew well what preaching meant; hee branching that whole into his parts, commands, though to lay Doctrine as ground of all, yet withall tor2. Tim. 4.2. improue, rebuke, exhort. And this let me ſay; he that feeles not as much neede to hauehave his conſcience dealt withall, by terrour and comfort, his affections by reproofe, or exhortation, as his iudgement by information, hath profited little in knowledge of his originall ſinne, or in ſenſible acquaintance with that breach it hath made in the whole man. Yea more, hee that endures not as well our reproofes and exhortations, as our Doctrines and bare Narrations, bewrayes either open profaneneſſe, or elſeſAct. 7.51, 54 Hypocriſie.
See wee now the particulars oppoſite to ſinceritie, which Paul remooues from him: they are, Firſt, Impoſture. Secondly, Impuritie. Thirdly, Guile. The Interpretations are many: this I thinke beſt, that the two firſt be referred to the matter of his teaching: the third, to his manner of dealing and affection: for the matter of his preaching, it was neither erroneous, nor yet vncleane, it tended to breed, neither errour in iudgement, nor impuritie in the conuerſation.
Obſer. Like caution and care becomes vsus in our Miniſterie, that what wee teach, tend neither to errour, nor vncleanneſſe: our Doctrine, ſaith the Apoſtle, muſt bet1. Tim. 6.3. wholſome, and according to godlineſſe.
Firſt, hee that breakes the leaſt of the Commandements, and uMatt. 5.19.teacheth men ſo, he ſhall be minimus, that is, nullus, in the Kingdome of heauen.
Secondly, and the blinde guide whether wilfully, or otherwiſe blind,xMatt. 15.14. falls, with him he miſſe-leades, into the ditch.
And if ſuch an heauie wo bee due to them,yEzech. 34.4. which ſeeke not that which goes aſtray; what thinke we ſhall be the portion of ſuch as leade them out of the way?
Doctrine erroneous is of two ſorts. Firſt, groſſely ſuch, that is directly and openly oppoſite to Gods truth, taught in Scriptures.
Secondly, couertly erroneous, which one, fitly to the vſe of the word, calls Impoſture. It is when by cunning, men ſet ſo faire gloſe vponupon errour, that, vnderunder a ſhew of truth, and pretence of holineſſe, it is conueyed into the Church.
Paul tells of ſome, thatz1. Tim. 4.2. ſpake lyes through hypocriſie: ſuch as forbade marriage, not, forſooth, as ſimply vnlawfull, but as leſſe excellent in it ſelfe, then ſingle life; and a ſtate nothing ſo expedite in any, for the Kingdome of God: enioyned abſtinence from meates, vnderunder faire pretences of mortifying the fleſh; but ſo intangling conſciences in a ſnare.
The falſe apoſtles in Galatia, mingled Moſes with Chriſt, in the article of Iuſtification, to ſay Faith iuſtified not at all; or Chriſt conferred nothing to iuſtification; had beene an errour too palpable in the Church of God: mixe works with faith, the care of good works will be ſo much the greater.
Vſe. As it ſerues for our warning, to take heed to our Doctrine, that it neither infect the iudgement with errour, nor taynt the life with vncleanneſſe: ſo you that are the people, are ſomeway helped to diſcerne of Miniſters, whether faithfull, yea or not, in their function. There may be, I confeſſe, inſinceritie in the affection, where is truth and puritie in the Doctrine, but yet more palpably vnfaithfull, are ſuch as miſſe-lead into errours of iudgement, or manners.
Not to ſay much of errours in matter of Faith, take this one note to diſcerne an Impoſtor by: if his doctrine tend to vncleane and carnall libertie, he is ſent toaDeut. 13.3. prooue thee, not to guide thee.
Peter notes it a propertie of falſe teachers,b2. Pet. 2.19. to promiſe libertie, and ſet looſe the conſcience, where God hath bound it; if any mans doctrine tend that way, this thinke of him, he is an Impoſtor.
Libertines taught, that in the Church Chriſtian there lay no band on the conſcience, to ſubmit to Magiſtrates, for wee hauehave Chriſtian libertie. True, ſaith Peter, but yetc1. Pet. 2.16, 17 wee are ſeruants of God, according to eueryevery morall Precept, and may not vſe libertie, as a cloke for lewdneſſe; that Precept is morall, and binds euer, Honour the King.
The Phariſes taught, as Papiſts now doe; that if a man beſtowed all he had vponupon the Church, and furtherance of Religion; though he neglected ſuſtenance of Parents, dMat. 15.5, 6, 7he was free: in reſpect of a greater good hee furthered. Hypocrites, ſaith our Sauiour, that by your Traditions diſanull the Commandements of God. There were little commandements, ſaid the ſame Phariſes, ſleight duties as it were, wherein a man need not be ſo ſtrict, or preciſe: he might giuegive his eye leaue to looke wantonly, his heart to thinke laſciuiouſly; ſo the body were kept from the groſſeſt act of vncleanneſſe; vaine othes were no great matters, to be ſtood vponupon; ſo they ſware truly the Law, they taught, was ſufficiently obſerued. And a number ſuch like licentious doctrines, ſutable to the humour of many, too many in the Church at this day. If thou heare a man in that humor, that he will ſet thee looſe, where God hath bound thee, and giuegive libertie to runne to vncleanneſſe, or breach of any Gods Commandements, of him be iealous; what euer his gifts be, hee walkes not with a right foot to the Goſpell. The Law of God is ePſal. 19.8.vndefiled; as it proceeded from a pure God, ſo it ſelfe is pure, teacheth puritie, condemnes vncleanneſſe: kils it in the hearts of all GODS Children. And theſe are the things Paul remooues from the matter of his Doctrine, from his affection and intention he diſclaimes deccit.
As the matter of his Doctrine was true, plaine, and pure; ſo his affection free from guile; I thinke, he meanes that ſpirituall guile, which the Scripture cals, Hypocriſie: thus briefly conceiue the nature of it; it hides the euill that is; counterfeits the good, that is not. Hypocrites, ſaith Bernard, Bernard. in Cant. Serm. 66.deſire to ſeeme, not to bee good; not to ſeeme, but to be euill; their ſtudie is not, Colore virtutes, but vitia colorare, quodam quaſi virtutum nimio: they care not to follow or practiſe vertue, but to colour vice by putting vponupon it the painted complexion of vertue: as SIMON of Cyrene, Serm. de ſancto Benedicto.ſaith the ſame Authour, they beare a Croſſe, that is not their owne; lacking a religious intention, angariantur: and the good things they louelove not, they are forced to doe, through louelove of vaine glorie, which they long after.
A vice, aboue many, hatefull vntounto God: moſt to bee auoyded of Miniſters and people: marring the beſt actions, and making them lothſome vntounto God: there were that preached Chriſt, butfPhilip. 1.16, 18. not ſincerely: in their preaching, Paul profeſſeth reioycing, for ſome aduantage hee ſaw might thereby come to Gods glory: themſelues had no comfort, for that no ſutableneſſe of their affections and inuentions, with the matter of their doctrine and pretences they made of honeſtie.
Truly ſaid Saint AVGVSTINE, Non virtus, Aug. de Tempor. Serm. 59.ſed cauſa virtutis apud Deum mercedem habet: And it is the eſſentiall difference twixt an Hypocrite and a true Nathaniel: his actions only are glorious, his affections no leſſe then ſordid; a true Iſraelite to good actions, ſutes as good intentions.
To roote out hypocriſie, to plant ſinceritie, theſe are helpes auaileable.
Firſt, continuall meditation of Gods All-ſeeing, and All-ſearching Eye.gHeb. 4.13. The God with whom we hauehave to deale, to his eyes all things are naked, and vncouered.
Secondly, conſider the iſſue of hypocriſie: Good workes are manifeſt beforehand, h1. Tim. 5.25.and they that are otherwiſe, cannot alwayes be hid.