Exposition of 1 Thessalonians, Chapter 4 · Verse 9,10 – Verse 10
VERS. 9.10.
But as touching brotherly louelove, yee need not that I write vntounto you: For yee your ſelues are taught of God to louelove one another.
And indeed yee doe it towards all the Brethren, which are in all Macedonia: But we beſeech you, Brethren, that yee encreaſe more and more.
HItherto of thoſe two branches of Sanctitie, Chaſtitie, and Iuſtice. A third is here ſpecified, Brotherly louelove: wherein are conſiderable, firſt, the dutie it ſelfe, ſecondly, the manner of propounding, thirdly, the reaſon why the Exhortation is ſo carried.
Touching this maine part of Holineſſe, louelove of Brethren, the ſureſt euidence of ourc1. Iob. 3.14. tranſlation from death to life, the dIoh. 13.35.Cogniſance of a Diſciple; if it be enquired what it is; thus conceiue it, to be that fauourable and well-wiſhing affection that is in Gods children, one towards another, for Grace ſake. It implieth three things; firſt, louelove of brethren, ſecondly, as brethren, thirdly, in brotherly manner.
Firſt, The ſpeciall obiect of this louelove, are the brethren; vnderunder that name come all that aree2. Pet. 1.1. partakers of like precious faith and Spirit of adoption with our ſelues. Not, but that ſome degrees and offices of louelove are due to enemies and aliens; but the ſpecialtie of affection is carried to ſuch as are actually Gods children.
Secondly, The Load-ſtone of this louelove, is their Brotherhood; Diſciples are loued fMat. 10.42.eo nomine, becauſe they are Diſciples; Gods children, becauſe they are his children, ſtamped with his Image, ſealed with his Spirit.
Thirdly, The Modus is, Brotherly; that is, firſt, It is naturall and kindly, flowing from inward propenſion and ſelfe-inclination; needs no outward allurements or prouocations to procure it: The very name of a Brother is potent enough to draw affections. Secondly, Impartiall, whether poore or rich, &c. except where naturall affections are quite extinct, the bowels yearne after brethren. Thirdly, Intire and feruent; nothing breakes the bond of brotherly louelove. Proportionally thinke of Chriſtian amitie, in men partakers of the Spirit of adoption.
The euidences and fruits of it are, firſt, tendereſt compaſſion and fellow-feeling of miſeries; ſecondly, ſuccouring their diſtreſſes, and chearefullgRom. 12.13. diſtributing to their neceſſities; thirdly, ſociall conuerſing together for mutuall comfort and edification. So was the cuſtome of ancient Saints; and thoſe were the times when Grace thriued in Gods children. Now, I know not how, Brethren hauehave almoſt forgotten that they are Brethren; and eueryevery man ſtands aloofe, when neceſſitie requires their ſuccour. My brethren, theſe things ought not ſo to be. We are all children of one Father, partaking the ſame Spirit of adoption, hauehave one hope of the ſame heauenly inheritance; and that ſhared for the meaſures of it, according hMat. 25.34, 35, 40.as our louelove, and the workes thereof are more or leſſe abundant.
The nature of the dutie is thus; the exhortation to it, we ſee carried Rhetorically; the Apoſtle, Orator-like, inſinuating himſelfe, and entering their boſomes, as it were, in tranſcurſu. With like artificium wee ſee him almoſti2. Cor. 9.1. wreſting from Corinthians their contribution; when Rhetorically he ſeemes to paſſe by that which his deſire is to preſſe with greateſt inſtance. And how perſwaſiue withkAct. 26.27, 28 Agrippa, was that acknowledgement of his preſent faith?
Truth is, the good opinion of him that perſwades, is more then many Arguments, alluring and perſwaſiue with eueryevery ingenuous diſpoſition. Withall, wee muſt heed the differences betwixt flatterie, and this holy Rhetorique. Firſt, Flatterie aſcribes good things where they are not. This pious Rhetorique will ſee ground for commendation. Secondly, the flatterers aime in commendation, is his owne commoditie. Theſe heauenly Orators therefore inſinuate, that they may lead on the people to conſtancie in good duties.
Like prudence is requiſite in vsus, to prouoke to holy duties: take notice of, and commend the good that is in any; thou knoweſt not what heartening prudent commendation may be vntounto him. The Lord himſelfe lets paſſe no good thing in any, though clouded with infirmities, without laudatorie notice of it. See Apoc. 2. & 3.
The harſhneſſe of many in their cenſures, readier to vilifie the beſt things, then to couer their imperfections; how many hath it kept from entertaining holy courſes! If any be for the preſent alien, though not without apparent hope of reclaiming, he is ſtraightwaies cenſured, as another Elymas, lAct. 13.10.enemie to all goodneſſe, and child of the Deuill. Yea, where Charitie cannot but diſcerne Seeds and beginnings of Grace, except they hauehave preſently attained the perfection of others, all is as nothing. But, if by infirmitie any hauehave fallen, though but in a particular, all his former righteouſneſſe muſt be forgotten, and in the ſinne he hath done, or not done, but is fancied to hauehave committed, he muſt die to our good opinion.
Learne wee, to acknowledge and cheriſh by commendation, the ſmalleſt good things in any; wee know not how we may preuaile to lead on to perfection; it is naturall to all men to be led with prayſe: And Gods Spirit tempering himſelfe to our naturall inclination, forgets notmPhilip. 4.8. by that argument to perſwade to holineſſe.
For ye are taught of God to louelove. The reaſon why he is ſo ſparing in preſſing this maine part of Sanctitie, is here ſubioyned; Becauſe they were taught of God to louelove one another; which alſo he euidenceth by their fact; they did it to the brethren in Macedonia.
The inference of Enthuſiaſts, and ſuch like Phanaticall ſpirits hence, is this; that there is no neceſſarie vſe of the externall Miniſterie to Gods children; becauſe, as the Apoſtle here affirmes, they are all taught of God by his Spirit.
Yet if we conſult with the ſame Apoſtle, firſt, he teacheth, the Miniſterie neceſſarie, till ſuch time as we are made nEph. 4.12, 13.perfect in Ieſus Chriſt, ſecondly, chargeth not to o1. Theſſ. 5.20.despiſe Prophecie, nor to forſake the Aſſemblies of Saints. Becauſe firſt, decayes of Grace are incident into the moſt ſanctified; ſecondly, dulneſſe of Spirit growes vponupon the moſt feruent; thirdly, forgetfulneſſe of things beſt known creepes vponupon the moſt mindfull; fourthly, and who can ſay, he hath attained perfection? Sith then, to helpe all theſe defects, the Miniſterie is ordained, and by it, the Spirit is effectuall, who ſhall dare ſeparate what God will hauehave ioyned together?
Anſwers to the Argument are thus framed: firſt, the Apoſtle muſt be vnderſtood cōparatiuely; not as meaning they had no need of his commonefaction, but not ſuch need, as men auerſe from charitie. Examples we want not of Sentences, many in ſhew ſimple, and vniuerſall, yet to be vnderſtood ex parte, and in compariſon. If yee were blind, yee ſhould hauehave pIoh. 9.41.no ſinne; that is, none in compariſon, not ſimply none. Chriſt ſent me q1. Cor. 1.17.not to baptize, but to preach the Goſpell; not ſo much to baptize, as to preach. Secondly, though to inſtruct them as ignorants, was needleſſe, yet to admoniſh and excite them as deficient in the meaſures of louelove, was not vnneceſſarie; and thereto tends the correction ſubioyned.
Obſer. Leauing them, we take the Obſeruation affoorded vsus by the Apoſtle, thus; Gods teaching is alwayes effectuall, and perſwaſiue; it workes what it preſcribes. God teacheth two wayes; firſt, outwardly by his Miniſters, that is not alwayes thus effectuall; ſecondly, inwardly by his Spirit: the degrees are two; firſt, enlightening the mind to know, what by his Miniſters he propounds; ſecondly, effectuall inclining the will and affectons to embrace, and proſecute the duties knowne. EueryEvery one that hath heard, and rIoh. 6 45.hath learned of the Father, commeth vntounto Chriſt; that is, beleeueth in him. Haec gratia à nullo duro corde reſpuitur. Auguſt. de praedeſtinat. Sanct. cap. 8.God putteth his Law in their hearts, and writeth it in their inward parts; and ſo cauſeth them to walke in his Statutes, Ezech. 36.
How the Lord preuailes thus with the will of man, is queſtioned betwixt vsus and …al…e Pelagians. It pleaſeth them, that the Lord propounds to vsus only pleaſing obiects, Auguſt. in Ioan. traectat. 26.fit to allure the will: as when a ſhepheard ſhewes a greene bough to a ſheepe; or a father nuts and ſuch like pleaſances to his child, fit to allure them. As if there were ſome fitneſſe in nature to be allured with ſpirituall things; and the propenſion to bee affected with them, were not of Gods meere inſpi…ement and infuſion. Firſt then, ſaid Paul amiſſe; It is God that ſPhil. ….13.workes in vsus to will and doe? Secondly, and vainely prayeth God to tHeb. 13.21.worke in vsus what is wel-pleaſing in his ſight. Thirdly, as vnfittingly hath Moſes taught, the naturall uGen. 6.5.inclination of the heart to be onelyonly euill: Fourthly, and Paul putxRom. 8.7. enmitie betwixt wiſdome of the fleſh and the Law of God. Fiftly, the heart, ſaith Ezekiel, muſt beyEzech. 36.26, 27. changed by the Spirit of God, before we can walke in the Lords Statutes. Sixtly, and by old Schoole-Diuinitie, the habits of Faith, Hope, and Charitie are infuſed, rather then drawne out of the power of the ſoule.
And this is Gods teaching, whereof the Apoſtle here ſpeakes; the giuing of Gracious abilities to doe that which is pleaſing in his ſight; and not onelyonly the exciting of the naturall power of the will, and alluring it by pleaſing obiects, as Semipelagians dreame. What euer the maner is, the effect and fruit is, ableneſſe to doe, and actuall doing what the Lord thus teacheth.
So that if any would know whether hee bee taught of God, the ſureſt euidence of election and our being within the couenant of Grace; his Gracious abilities to holy dueties muſt be examined: It is true of all ſuch, that Paul ſpeakes of himſelfe, theyzPhil. 4.13. can doe all things through Chriſt that ſtrengtheneth them; and in comfortable meaſure practiſe whatſoeuer the Lord preſcribes; knowing, beleeuing, louing, obeying the truth. So that it is meere hypocriſie that pretends abſolute diſability.
Abilitie is of two ſorts. Firſt, complete, which is not incident into this life. Secondly, Competent for acceptation, whereof all taught of God are made partakers. Firſt,aHeb. 13.18. deſiring in al things to liue honeſtly. Secondly,bAct. 24.16. endeuouring to keepe good conſcience before God and man. Thirdly,cIob 1.1. eſchewing euill, and working righteouſneſſe. Fourthly, anddMar. 9.24. mourning for defects in obedience.
VERS. 10.
But wee beſeech you, Brethren, that yee increaſe more and more.
THe exerciſe of louelove in this people, hath beene commended; leſt the commonefaction might ſeeme vnneceſſary, the Apoſtle corrects himſelfe, that they might not ſeeme to hauehave attained perfection; or in no reſpect to want admonition. There is in this verſe ſomething tending to their prayſe, as that to the Brethren of Macedonia, their louelove was extended; ſomething alſo, wherein their defect is noted; that to Macedonians onelyonly, their countrimen, their louelove was limited; wherefore they are exhorted to increaſe more and more.
Obſer. The increaſe of charitie may be doubly conceiued; It growes, firſt, extenſiuely, ſecondly, intenſiuely. Extenſiuely, when it enlargeth it ſelfe to more perſons then at firſt imbraced. Truth is, charitie the larger and wider it is, the better. Therefore yee may obſerue, reſtrained charitie alwayes to heare ill in Scripture: as in Phariſes limiting their loueloveeMat. 5.43. to friends, and ſuch as were able, and willing tofLuk. 6.34. retaliate kindneſſe. As on the contrary, Abrahams beneficence is hereby amplified, that it was almoſtgHeb. 13.2. promiſcuous. Not but that in ſome offices and meaſures of louelove, ſome may hauehave preeminence; but vtterly it is a fault amongſt vsus, if any, eſpecially of Gods people, be excluded.
Reaſons, Firſt, the neerer wee come to ourhMat. 5.45. paterne in louing, the more commendable is our charitie. Secondly, and to be impartiall in louelove, is no ſmall euidence, that our louelove is without diſſimulation.
Ʋſe. Be iealous of louelove limited to men eminent in Grace, or dignitie; or linked vntounto thee in amitie or cohabitation. Some preferment let them hauehave in meaſures of louelove. Yet thinke firſt, the meaneſt in Chriſts body are fellow-members, i1. Cor. 12.22.and neceſſarie. Secondly, and no beleeuer is nowkEphe. 2.13. an alien; Thirdly, and Religion makes vsuslRom. 12.16. Pſal. 119.63. equall, if it findes vsus not ſo.
Intenſiuely Charitie is conceiued to grow, when the feruour of it is increaſed. Such adding to the degrees of Grace receiued, is neceſſary in all gifts, moſt in charitie. As being, firſt,m1. Cor. 13. tot. moſt fertile of all good fruits. Secondly, ſtrongeſt bridle to corruption. Thirdly, that which ſeaſoneth all other gifts and dueties.
Meanes to increaſe it; firſt, Labour tonEphe. 3.18. comprehend with all Saints, what is the height and depth; and breadth and length of the LoueLove of God. The more plentifull our apprehenſion of Gods louelove to vsus is, the more are our hearts enlarged to louelove God, and his Saints. Secondly, Emptie thy heart of ſelfe-louelove, the bane and breakenecke of Chriſtian Charitie. Thirdly, Be not curious to prie into the infirmities of Brethren.o1. Pet 4 8. LoueLove muſt couer a multitude of ſinnes; ſeldome is a charitable man curious, or a curious man charitable.