Exposition of 1 Thessalonians, Chapter 2 · Verse 11
VERS. 11.
As yee know how wee exhorted and teſtified, &c.
WHat he proteſted of his holy and blameleſſe life, hee here makes euident by a ſigne: it was the carefull performance of eueryevery branch of his office, exhorting, comforting, teſtifying, which acts of his office, hee ſets out: Firſt, by the manner, in ſimilitude: Secondly, by the matter, that they would walke worthy of God.
The inference of holineſſe out of care to diſcharge his calling, occaſions vsus this obſeruation:
Obſer. Holineſſe beſt ſhewes it ſelfe in carefull diſcharge of our perſonall functions. Hee is holy indeed, that is ſuch in his place. Thus thinke, there is by Gods ordinance a double calling of eueryevery Chriſtian: Firſt, generall, as he is a Chriſtian. Secondly, particular, as ſuch a Chriſtian: ſuppoſe a Magiſtrate, Miniſter, Maſter of a Familie, &c. he is not holy, that liues vnblameably, in the common dueties of Chriſtianitie, neglecting faithfulneſſe in his ſpeciall ſtation. It goes currant with Politiques; hee may be bonus Ciuis, that is not bonus vir; that Maxime is no principle. In Chriſtianitie, I dare ſay, he is no good man, that is not ſuch in his place. Eli is thought to hauehave beene a good man for his owne priuate behauiour; his goodneſſe was fouly blemiſhed, by beingt1. Sam. 2.22, 29. ſo ill a Magiſtrate, and though from particular omiſſions we may not inferre a nullitie of his honeſtie, yet may wee without feare ſay, hee was a defectiue good man, ſo farre no good man, as hee fayled in the dueties of his office.
Vſe. A point deſeruing ſerious notice in theſe times, wherein, I know not by what ignorance, or error, men are generally miſſe-carryed with opinion of holineſſe, as much as is meet; for their crimeleſſe carriage in common dueties of Chriſtianitie, though faulting too fouly in dueties of perſonall Calling: the Miniſter, whoſe life is ſpotleſſe, thinks highly of himſelfe, and is readie to ſay, euen to another Paul amongſt the Apoſtles for paynes, as they in the Prophet,uIſai. 65.5. Stand aloofe, I am more holy then thou; becauſe no Drunkard, nor Adulterer, &c. in life a type to his flocke; though neuer ſo ignorant, or negligent in the Word and Doctrine. This is, I confeſſe, ſomething a rare vertue among that Crue: to be types to their flocke in conuerſation. But they ſhould remember, this duetie concernes them as Chriſtians: Chriſtianitie binds them to ſuch holineſſe in life. The Miniſtrie requiresx2. Tim. 4.2. inſtant preaching, and ſo requires it; that it cries,y1. Cor. 9.16. Wo to vsus if we preach not the Gospell, though otherwiſe our liues were no leſſe then Angelicall: like thinke of other particulars; the Graces of Gods Spirit muſt all be exerciſed in the particular Vocation.
Follow the ſpecialties of Pauls office ſo carefully performed by him. Exhorting, Comforting, Teſtifying: where againe occurres the obſeruation made ad verſ. 3, though in more particulars. Inſtruction, is not the whole of preaching: Thereto muſt bee added Exhortation, Comfort; if need bee, Obteſtation. See what is there largely ſaid.
Here only reuiew the neceſſitie of all theſe in the courſe of our Miniſtery.
Firſt, Of Exhortation. That mayme we receiued in the fall, and hauehave increaſed by long cuſtome of euill, remaines in the beſt and moſt regenerate; as in nature, we are ſtrongly inclined to euill ſtrangely auerſe from eueryevery good dutie; So in ſtate of Grace, there are remnants of that propenſion to euill, no ſmall relikes of drowſineſſe and dulneſſe to good duties. In Prayer, Hearing, eueryevery religious Office, who, that obſerues himſelfe, finds it not? thoſezEccle. 12.11. words of the wiſe, the Lord hath giuen vsus, as goades to quicken our dulneſſe, when wee are exhorted by the Maſters of the Aſſemblies.
Secondly, Of Comfort: There is no calling, no dutie but hath his croſſes attending: Without vsus, the World; whiles ſcoffing at Pietie, and laughing it out of countenance; whiles threatning; whiles vexing; alwayes labouring to diſcourage; few to accompany, many to oppoſe vsus. Within vsus, Conſcience of infirmitie and imperfection; ſo preualent with many, that they become weary of wel-doing, becauſe they are weake in doing. How needfull for the people were a Barnabas, aActs 4.36.a ſonne of conſolation, to ſupport the weake, and comfort the feebleminded?
Thirdly, Of Conteſtation. The word ſignifies, after phraſe of Scripture, a ſerious and graue admonition ioyned with authoritie and commination.bExod. 19.21. Conteſt the people, ſaith the Lord to Moſes, that is, charge them with commination. Compare Nehem. 13. Gen. 43.3. Pauls teſtifying then was, his graue and ſerious admonition ioyned with threatning.
How neceſſary this courſe of proceeding in our Miniſterie is; iudge by that ſecuritie, and remiſſe careleſneſſe, wherewith euen gracious diſpoſitions are eftſoones ouertaken; deſiring to enlarge Conſcience, and to ſlake thoſe ſtrait bonds, wherein it ſtands bound by the Word of God, in ſo much that they begin to bee of the Politikes opinion; there may bee a nimium of Iuſtice; an ouerplus of holineſſe and care to depart from euill. All which conſidred, ſhew neceſſary vſe of all theſe is in our Miniſterie; and ſhould ſway the people to admit them.
As a Father doth his Children. The manner of Pauls performing theſe Offices wee hauehave here expreſſed; it was with fatherly authoritie. Before, hee puts on him the indulgence of a Mother; here, he aſſumes the affection of a Father: expreſſeth he the ſame or ſome other thing? There bee that conceiue him to intimate ſome difference of his carriage towards them, according as hee obſerued their growth in Grace, and longer ſtanding in Chriſtianitie. Whiles they were Nouices, and Babes in Chriſt, he vſed them with all motherlike indulgence; when growne to more ſtrength, he interpoſeth ſomething of fatherly authoritie, perhaps he would ſignifie, that in midſt of his mother-like meekneſſe, he forgat not occaſionally to vſe the grauitie and authoritie of a father.
Obſer. The firſt coniecture ſtanding, occaſions vsus this note, In our Miniſtery one courſe is to be holden with Nouices, and Babes in Chriſt: another, with men of more ſtanding, and ſtrength in Chriſtianitie: towards Nouices, motherlike indulgence: to others, fatherly grauitie and ſeueritie.
Firſt, Impoſitions on Nouices may not bee ouer-ſtrict, or auſtere; ſo much teacheth that AllegorycMat. 9.17. of Wine and Veſſels, vſed by our Sauiour, in way of Apologie for his more mildneſſe in Iniunctions, then Iohn vſed to his Diſciples.
Secondly, Inſtructions, for matter and manner, tempered to capacitie: ſtrong meate is for ſtrong men: dHeb. 5.12, 14Milke for Babes; ſo our Sauiour inſtructeth his Diſciples,eMark. 4.33. as they were able to beare.
Thirdly, Admonitions and reproofes ouer-rigorous, daunt and diſmay Nouices; no man with that ſharpeneſſe corrects an infant, as a man of more yeeres.
Fourthly, Conuerſation in things indifferent, during weakneſſe, muſt be other; then is neceſſarie, when once they vnderſtand doctrine of Chriſtian libertie.
Vſe. So that they are ill preſcribers to vsus Miniſters, that allow vsus no proceedings with any, but what taſte of auſteritie and rigour; though our Sauiour would not quench the ſmoking flax, and our power to vſe ſharpneſſe, is limited f2. Cor. 13.10.to edification. As ill they that in matter of Iniunction and manner of Admonition, limit vsus to mildneſſe, and tender reſpect to pretended weakneſſe: though in inſtruction nothing pleaſeth the palate, but ſtrongeſt meate; why ſo much ſtrictneſſe required of them? their ſins reproued with ſuch ſharpneſſe? others with ſo much mildneſſe? you ſhould aske alſo, why you are inſtructed otherwiſe, then Infants and Babes in Chriſt? And the Apoſtle will anſwere you: It is your ſhame to ſticke ſtill in gHeb. 5.12.principles: and ſhould be thought as ſhamefull, not to out-ſtrip Nouices in meaſure of Sanctitie.
Obſer. Following the other ſenſe, wee hauehave this direction; to temper our indulgence with grauitie and authoritie; that we impart not the Maieſtie of our Miniſtery. Teach & exhort, foreign:hTit. 2.15. withall peremptorineſſe of commanding. i1. Tim. 4.12.Let no man deſpiſe thy youth; ſome thus interpret: Though yong, yet ſo carry thy ſelfe in thy Miniſtery, that they may reuerence and feare thee, for thy Grauitie and Maieſtie therein.
Ʋſe. They are idle preſcripts of the people to Miniſters, preſcribing vsus popularitie, permitting mee ſeueritie towards their moſt ſcandalous courſes; as Corah to Moſes, ſo our people to vsus in grauer proceedings;kNumb. 16.3. Wee take too much vponupon vsus, and forget our ſelues; It is our pride, with ſuch authoritie to warne the vnruly.