Exposition of 1 Thessalonians, Chapter 5 · Verse 27
VERS. 27.
I charge you by the Lord, that this Epistle be read to all the holy brethren.
THe fift part of the concluſion: conteyning charge for publiſhing this Epiſtle to the notice of that whole Church. Wherein conſiderable are, firſt the manner of propounding; with adiuration. Secondly, the matter or ſubſtance of the charge, that this Epiſtle bee read. Thirdly, and that to all the holy Brethren.
The forme or manner is with adiuration; I adiure you. The word in common vſe ſignifies one of the two. Firſt, either to impoſe an oath; as when Abraham adiured his ſeruant to obey his directions in chuſing a wife for his ſonne Iſaac. Secondly, or elſe to charge with denuntiation of Gods vengeance, except what is ſo impoſed be performed. As when the high Prieſt adiures our Sauiour to tell whether he were that Chriſt. In which kind, adiurations we finde none in vſe of Gods ſeruants, ſaue when ſome duety of weight is charged vponupon the adiured. Thus it is here vſed: and occaſions vsus to notice; of how great neceſſitie and vſe to Gods people is, the reading of Scriptures in the Congregation. Such, that Paul adiures to performance of it. If any would limit it to this Epiſtle onelyonly, becauſe ſo run the termes; Let him know; Firſt, that all Scriptures hauehave the ſame Author; are of ſame vſe to the Church of God. Secondly, that like charge is giuen elſewherecCol. 4.16. for other Scriptures. Thirdly, It is probably thought, this was the firſt Scripture of the New Teſtament, excepting onelyonly that briefe Epiſtle ſent from dAct. 15.32.the Councill at Ieruſalem. It may be, for this the charge is ſpecially giuen, that the Churches might know, they were to receiue with like faith and reuerence the Scriptures of the New, as of the Old Teſtament.
The concluſion we ſhal eaſily make good for the generall; Cōſidering, Firſt, the vſe of the Church in al ages.eNehe. 8.8. To Iewiſh Church NEHEMIAH giues teſtimony for his time; we make no queſtiō, but after-times cōtinued it. Ioſephus againſt APPION. In vnaqua que Septimanâ ad legē audiēdā cōueniunt vniuerſi: EueryEvery weeke they all come together to heare the Law. The fruit of it, he addes; that they could as eaſily render it as their names. Noſtrorū quilibet de legibus interrogatus, faciliùs quàm nomen ſuum recitat. Compare Act. 15.21. To after-times, Stories giuegive witnes; Socrates of the Church at Alexandria. Once or twice a weeke the Scriptures are read in the aſſembly, & interpreted by the teachers. So neceſſary they thought it, that at length they ordained an order of Readers, who had to that function their ſolemne Conſecration; So was Iulian, after the Apoſtata, ordained a reader in the Church at Nicomedia.
Secondly, no maruell, the firſt vſe, and ſecondly power of it being ſo great, and behoofefull to the Church of God. Firſt,fPhil. 1.10. For diſcerning things that differ, and triall of Doctrines, taught by the Teachers; to which end Eſay calls to the Law and Teſtimony. Beraeans practiſed it not without commendation. Secondly, the peoples better acquaintance with the letter of Scripture, & language of the holy Ghoſt. Which how much auaile brings it to vnderſtanding of what is deliuered by their Teachers? Wheras by their careleſſe attendance to publike and priuate reading, the moſt vſuall termes of Scripture, wherein the myſtery of ſaluation is deliuered, are vntounto them, as the termes of ſome ſtrange and forraigne language.
Secondly, the power of it is exceeding great. Firſt, to worke knowledge; a comfortable meaſure whereof may be by reading attained; ſo hath God in things neceſſary, demitted himſelfe to thegProu. 18.9. capacity of the meaneſt. Secondly, To confirme faith, when thereby we ſee the Doctrine of the TeacherhAct. 17.11. approued by Scripture. Thirdly, yea, often hath it prooued a ſtrong preparatiue to ſauing faith and conuerſion; as to Austine was the obeying of that voyce from heauen, Tolle; lege. To Iunius the reading of S. Iohns Goſpell. Fourthly, A maruellous power it hath to excite & quicken Grace, quelled in the heart; as in Ioſiah, the reading of the Law, i2. King. 22.20what remorce and compunction wrought it? And of his Epiſtle Paul teſtifies, it thus wrought in Corinthians,k2. Cor. 7.8, 9. Godly ſorrow to repentance. Of ſuch neceſſity, and auaile to Gods people, is the naked reading of Scriptures in the Congregation.
And it inſtructs vsus to beware, how in our Iudgement or practice we vilifie this ſo holy and wholſome an Ordinance of God. It is as much Gods Ordniance that Scriptures bee read, as that they be interpreted and applyed to the people.
The policie of Satan would here be noticed. Gladly hee would make vsus all prophane Anabaptiſts, to contemne all Gods Ordinances. Thereof when hee ſees vsus ſcrupulous, ſome one he permits to admire, that the reſt may be deſpicable in our eyes. Prayer, amongſt Romaniſts wee ſee halfe idolized; Preaching too prophanely ſcoffed at. In our people, reuerence of the Sacrament no leſſe then ſuperſtitious; of other Ordinances, prophaneſt contempt. Reading, there are that moſt magnifie. There are of another ſtraine, deſirous to turne our whole Lyturgie, after the French Scomme, into a meere preach.
Know we not, theſe all are holy Ordinances of God, neceſſarie, vſefull, powerfull to their ends aſſigned? of them all may wee not ſay, as Paul of ſuperiour Powers, They mRom. 13.1, 2.are ordayned of God? and they that contemne, ſhall receiue their condemnation? who except preiudice or vnpreparedneſſe hauehave fore-ſtalled his profit, hath not felt Gods Spirit by reading, to enlighten, admoniſh, excite, mortifie, &c? or can thinke God hath in vaine, with ſuch adiuration, inioyned it to thoſe that are Guides of the Congregations? I ſay as our Sauiour of the Commandements;nMat. 5.19. Who ſo contemnes the leaſt of theſe Ordinances, and teacheth men ſo, he ſhall bee called leaſt in the Kingdome of Heauen.
The perſons to whom by reading it muſt bee imparted; are all the Brethren: that whole Church of God. The inference, mee thinkes, is current. That to knowledge of Laickes God wil hauehave Scriptures communicated; Firſt, So, for the Law, is the charge, to reade and oDeut. 6.6, 7, 8.9.rehearſe the words thereof in the audience of Iewiſh children; TopDeut. 17.18, 19. the King muſt bee tranſcribed a Copie of the Law, that by daily reading and meditation therein, hee may learne to feare the Lord. Secondly, To Saints of the New Teſtament, commendation is in that behalfe giuen; Peter, to them that attended to Propheticall Scriptures;q2. Pet. 1.19. Yee doe well. PAVL records two Timothies prayſe, That of r2. Tim. 3.15.a childe little, he had knowne the Scriptures.
CHRYSOSTOME ad Coloſ. 3.16. Audite Seculares, Comparate vobis Biblia, Animae Pharmaca.
Auguſtine to Voluſian vrgeth ſtudie of Scriptures vponupon learned and vnlearned: aſſuring them, that therein the Lord ſpeakes, Ad cor indoctorum pariter ac doctorum. Sparing infinite teſtimonies, conſider Reaſons.
Firſt, Duties required of the people, ſuch as without Scripture-knowledge, they cannot performe. Firſt, ſ1. Iohn 4.1.Tryall of Spirits. Secondly,t1. Pet. 3.15. Making Apologie for the Faith. Thirdly,uRom. 12.2. Proouing in all things, what that good and acceptable will of the Lord is.
Secondly, Ends of writing belong to the people: ſuch are, Firſt,xRom. 15.4. Inſtruction. Secondly, Conſolation.
Thirdly, Neceſſity of their knowledge cōcernes them. Firſt, They are the foreign of that Couenant which God made with man. Secondly, People alſo are called to theyEph. 6.13, 17 ſpirituall warfare, and hauehave need of this Armour.
The more accurſed is that practice of Rome, ſeizing Scriptures to the Clergie, as their priuiledge and prerogatiue, interdicting the people acquaintance with them. The queſtions betweene vsus are two; Firſt, Whether Scriptures muſt bee permitted to Laickes in a knowne Tongue. Secondly, Whether their publike reading muſt be in a Language vnderſtood of the people.
To the firſt they anſwere; Their Prohibition is not abſolute to all Laickes; To men that can ſoberly vſe them, faculty being obtayned of the Ordinarie, Scriptures are permitted in a knowne Tongue. Whether they ſhould promiſcuouſly lye open to all the Laity is the queſtion? But at no hand may they be publikely read in a vulgar Tongue.
Contra. Firſt, Mee thinkes, the ſtate of the Church Chriſtian ſhould not ſeeme any whit inferiour to that of Iewes; if to Iewes their reading was promiſcuouſly, not permitted only, but inioyned, why not rather to people Chriſtian? Secondly, To people is that Iniunction vniuerſall, That the zCol. 3.16, 17.Word of God dwell in them plenteouſly. Will they ſay, perhaps, in a ſtrange Tongue? What meanes the Precept ſubioyned, of teaching and admoniſhing one another? Thirdly, What elſe was Gods ayme in that gift of Tongues, what time he meant to ſet open to Gentiles the doore of Faith, but thataAct. 2.8, 11. eueryevery one might heare in that Tongue wherein he was borne, the wonderfull workes of God? Fourthly, And to what purpoſe was that paines of Ancients, tranſlating Scriptures into vulgar Languages? as Hieromes, into the Dalmatian; Chryſoſtome into the Armenian Tongue. Vulphilas into the Language of Gothes. In Bedes time, were extant Tranſlations into ſixe ſeuerall Languages for the vſe of the people of this Iland. Vainly, except to people alſo their vſe was freely intended.
And that eſpecially their publike reading in the Aſſemblies ſhould bee in a Language vnderſtood of the people, euinceth; Firſt, the charge giuen for reading this Epiſtle in the Tongue wherein it was written, the Natiue Language of Theſſalonians. Secondly, The cuſtome of the Iewiſh Church. Thirdly, The ground of the Apoſtle, That all be done b1. Cor. 14.26.to edifying. Fourthly, The end of reading, that the people may learne to feare the Lord. Fifthly, Practice of ancient Church Chriſtian, recorded by their owne Lyra and Caietane.
Let all Gods people be exhorted, ſith God hath pleaſed ſo eueryevery way graciouſly to tender vsus the knowledge of himſelfe, to make vſe of his bountie; Count we it our ſhame, to be ſtrangers in the Doctrines, and Language of the Scripture. Reaſons perſwading their daily ſtudie. Firſt, Here onelyonly is reuealed the ſauing knowledge of God in Ieſus Chriſt; there is no other Learning thatc2. Tim. 3.15. can make vsus wiſe to ſaluation. God hath indeed by the Creatures made knowne himſelfe to the World; ſo that, whoſo runnes may reade in them, the Maieſtie, Power, Wiſedome, Goodneſſe, of the Creatour. Howbeit by all d1. Cor. 1.21.the Wiſedome that ſhines in the Creatures, the wiſeſt Heathens could not know God aright; but periſhed euerlaſtingly in ignorance of the Mediatour. All they could thence learne, was but what mighteRom. 1.20. make them inexcuſable. But here hauehave wee reuealed, and made knowne vntounto vsus, the way to life,fRom. 1.17. The righteouſneſſe of God from Faith to Faith.
Secondly, No other knowledge was euer able, Firſt, to conuert the Soule, or Secondly, comfort the Conſcience diſtreſſed. LACTANTIVS comparing the Word of God with Philoſophie, and the beſt Morall Precepts tending to reforme the life; ſhewes excellently by confeſſions of the chiefe Maſters of manners amongſt the Heathen, how vnable their Morall Wiſedome was to kill and ſubdue corruption: inſomuch that after all their ſtricteſt Diſcipline, and hardeſt labour, they are forced to confeſſe, plus valere Naturam. And that after ſtrength waſted in ſtudie of Philoſophie, neyther themſelues, nor others are made better, if Naturall Propenſions oppoſe their Precepts. All their wiſedome, where it moſt preuayles, Non exſcindit vitia, ſed abſcondit. But the few Precepts of the Word of God, ſo alter and change the whole man, and that in a moment, that wee can ſcarce know him to be the ſame. Da mihi virum qui ſit iracundus, maledicus, effraenatus, &c. pauciſſimis Dei verbis tam placidum quàm ouem reddam, &c. So ſtill is it the priuiledge of the Word of God gPſal. 19.7.to conuert the Soule. Secondly, To ſettle the Minde and Conſcience in a ſtate of tranquillity and peace, the trauell of wiſeſt Heathen was great; yet all in vaine: whiles they were ignorant of him, whom Scripture alone reueales to *1. Tim. 2.5.bee the Mediatour betwixt God and man, the man Chriſt Ieſus, the hIſai. 9.6.Prince of our pease, Author of reconciling ſinners to the Maieſtie of God.
To draw towards concluſion; marueilous hath beene Gods mercy to vsus in this behalfe, aboue that he vouchſafed to former ages. Amongſt Iewes vnderunder Antiochus, it was made Capitall to hauehave the Booke of the Law. No leſſe dangerous to our forefathers in dayes of Poperie, to be familiar with the Scripture: more mercifully hath the Lord dealt with vsus, graunting meanes of all ſorts, to know, and be acquainted with his Word; liberty to read, heare, know, profeſſe it. How ſweet is the comfort of it, to them that take benefit of this fauour of God? How iuſt and intolerable ſhall bee the condemnation of this generation, at the day of Iudgement; for willing or rather wilfull ignorance of the Scriptures?
Beloued Brethren, conſider ſeriouſly this fauour of God; deſpiſe not ſo great ſaluation; know it for certaine,i2. Theſ. 1.8. They periſh euerlastingly that know not God, and diſobey the Gospel; and they know him not aright, that know him not by his Word. The Gentiles that knew ſo much of Gods nature and properties, are ſaid for all that not to know him; becauſe they knew him not aright. Truely ſaid Dauid, kPſal. 76.1.In Iewry was God knowne; there only aright, becauſe to Iewes onelyonly werelRom. 3.2. commited the Oracles of God. To vsus it is giuen in the meanes, to know him: The price is put into our hands to get knowledge; But, fooles as we are, wee hauehave no heart. Scripture knowledge wee thinke is for Church-men, & thoſe that hauehave little elſe to doe. As in Chryſoſtomes time the excuſe was riſe; Non ſum Monachus. I am no Church-man. Yea, but thou art a Chriſtian; elſe in worſe caſe then a Pagan, or Ethnicke. And as that father obſerued, if for any men, Scripture-ſtudie and knowledge bee neceſſary; in ſome reſpect, moſt for ſeculars: whoſe imployments are moſt in things of this life. Vulnus ſuper vulnus quotidiè accipiunt; and therefore potiùs indigent medicamine; wound they take vponupon wound in dealing with the world; the more is their need of Medicine from the Word.
I beſeech you be exhorted, ſith the Lord deſires thus by all meanes to impart the knowledge of himſelfe vntounto you, Deſpiſe not ſo great ſaluation. Know that a day will come, when one dramme of Diuine knowledge learnt from the Scriptures, ſhal doe thee more ſtead, then all the gold of Ophir, or the deepe learning and wiſedome of the Aegyptians. The Grace of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt bee with you all. Amen.
FINIS.