Exposition of 1 Thessalonians, Chapter 5 · Verse 7,8
VERS. 7.8.
For they that ſleepe, ſleepe in the Night; and they that are drunken, are drunken in the Night.
But let vsus who are of the Day, be ſober, putting on the Breſt-plate of Faith and LoueLove; and for an Helmet, the hope of Saluation.
THe ſeuenth Verſe containes Reaſon, to preſſe the dueties of Watchfulneſſe and Sobrietie; in forme this: They that ſleepe, and are drunken, are ſo in the Night: We are not of the Night, but of the Day: Ergo may not be drunken, but ſober. The Allegorie (for ſo I conceiue it) vnfolded is this; As thoſe that giuegive themſelues to ſleepe and drunkenneſſe, make choiſe of the Night to ſecret their ſinnes from the notice of men; and are few ſo impudent, as to doe deeds of darkneſſe at Noone-day; ſo, ſeeing we liue in times of ſo cleare knowledge & reuelation, and are deliuered from the darkneſſe and Night of Ignorance; it ſhall behooue vsus to walke ſoberly and honeſtly, vnleſſe wee will be too too impudent in ſecuritie and prophaneneſſe.
Obſer. The point we will here take notice of, is the modeſtie of the times wherein the Apoſtle liued, chuſing, darkneſſe and ſecrecie to couer their enormities. The things they do, are ſuch as a Saint would lEph. 5.12.bluſh to name; themſelues, that do them, are not ſo ſhameleſſe, but they chuſe ſecrecie to commit them: EueryEvery one that euill doth, mIoh. 3.21.hates the light; he meanes principally of Grace and Knowledge; withall, that of Senſe, which is the ground of the Metaphor. Truth is, GodnRom. 2.15. in Nature hath imprinted ſome principles of common honeſtie, to reſtraine the headſtrong inclination of corrupt nature vntounto euill: till they be vtterly extinct, ſome remanents there are, as of conſcience, ſo of modeſtie, in doing euill.
Vſe. The more deſperate is the ſtate of our times and people; and no doubt thoſe modeſt miſcreants amongſt Gentiles ſhal riſe in iudgement, and condemne this ſhameleſſe generation of enormious ſinners amongſt Chriſtians, thatoIſai. 3.9. declare their ſinnes as Sodome, and hide them not; bluſh not to doe deeds of darkneſe in the ſight of the Sunne. Saith the Lord of Iſrael, when he would expreſſe a hopeleſſe eſtate of that people, Were they pIer. 8.12.aſhamed when they committed abomination? They were not aſhamed, neither could they hauehave any ſhame: therefore they ſhall fall among them that fall in the time of their viſitation. Thinke it ſpoken of theſe times.
The third dutie followes; Arming our ſelues, as for a Conflict. Of Spirituall Warfare I meane not to treat at large; who ſo would ſee the condition of it, hath at hand the learned Labours of expert Captaines in the Lords Hoaſt. The parts of the Armour here commended to vsus,M. Downham. are Faith, Hope, and LoueLove, the three Theologicall vertues, ſet out by reſemblance; Faith and LoueLove, in the ſimilitude of a Breſt-plate; Hope, of an Helmet. The vnfolding of the Metaphor is thus: As Souldiers are wont eſpecially to fence their Breſt for the Hearts ſake, the ſeat of life; and the Head, the fountaine and originall of the ſenſes, as vponupon whoſe ſafetie depends the ſafetie of the whole Bodie principally: ſo our care ſhould be, againſt the euill day to arme our ſelues with graces beſt ſeruing to ſafegard the ſoule; amongſt which, eminent are Faith, Hope, and LoueLove, Touching them, two things ſhalbe handled: firſt, their nature briefly; ſecondly, their vſe in the ſpirituall combat.
For Faith, thus in groſſe conceiue the nature of it; It is an aſſent to the truth of the Word of God, for the Truths ſake of him that ſpake, and inſpired it. Some principall reſpect thinke it to hauehave to the Doctrine of the Goſpel. It is of two ſorts; firſt, generall, whereby we beleeue the Doctrine of the Goſpel in generall; ſecondly, particular, whereby we beleeue it, as true to vsus. Of the firſt ſort, yee may conceiue the faith of the Eunuch, being yet a Nouice:qAct 8.37. I beleeue that Ieſus Chriſt is the Sonne of God. Of the ſecond, that of Paul: Chriſt loued rGal. 2.20.me, and gaue himſelfe for me.
Both theſe hauehave their vſe in Chriſtian Warfare; one laying the ground of Comfort; the other applying it to our ſelues. Temptations yee ſhall ſee aſſaulting in both kinds; the Deuill labouring to make vsus Infidels in the generall, that he may make vsus incredulous in the particular.
Example.In Cyprians dayes, he ſtirred vp Nouatus to broach this Hereſie, That pardon of ſinnes purchaſed by Chriſt, belonged not to any denying Chriſt through feare of perſecution, though afterwards repenting: a dangerous and diſcomfortable Ground; the Mind giuing credence to that error, and perſiſting therein; the Conſcience guiltie of that ſinne, apprehends nothing but horror and aſtoniſhment. Not much vnlike are thoſe we hauehave experience of at this day. Thoughts of Atheiſme and Blaſphemie cannot ſtand with grace; no, not though abhorred, mourned for, ſtriuen againſt. A falſe concluſion; giuegive way in that generall, all comfort in thy particular failes thee. Al. Omiſſions of knowne duties cannot ſtand with ſanctification. A falſe concluſion, except it be mollified. Of Aſa it is ſaid, He remoued not the high places, f2. Chron. 15.7.yet was his heart vpright with the Lord all his dayes. There be other infirmities, beſides that of ignorance, out of which ſuch omiſſions may proceed. Thus in the generalitie, wee ſee how Faith is oppugned; withall, how neceſſarie Faith, and the right information thereof in the generall, is for comfort. Like thinke we of the particular: for let generall grounds be neuer ſo firmely beleeued, except with like firmeneſſe Faith can aſſume, the Conſcience is all-out as comfortleſſe.
EueryEvery temptation ſuppoſe to bee a ſecret Syllogiſme. Wherein ſometimes we hauehave the Propoſition corrupted; after, the Aſſumption aſſaulted; that the Concluſion follow not to the comfort of Conſcience.
In the queſtion of Adoption,Example. whether we bee the ſons of God; thus reaſons the mind for comfort of Conſcience: Whoſoeuer are tRom. 8.14.led by the Spirit of God, are the Sons of God. I am led by the Spirit of God. Ergo, I am the child of God. Sometimes the Propoſition is aſſaulted by Satan; it muſt thus be vnderſtood; whoſoeuer in eueryevery particular action is led by the Spirit of God, he onelyonly is the child of God; yeeld him but this to corrupt the principle; thy conſcience muſt aſſume the negatiue, (Sith uIames 3.2.in many things wee ſinne all) and inferre the concluſion diſcomfortably. Or ſuppoſe thou hauehave wiſedome to vphold the Propoſition, as Paul hath directed; that it is meant of thoſe that inxRom. 8.1. courſe of their life follow the Spirits guidance, though in particulars the fleſh preuaile: then aſſaults he thee in the Aſſumption, & permits by no meanes to bee aſſured of our guidance by the Spirit of God. So that we ſee, how neceſſary againſt the euill Day it is, to fortifie our ſelues with faith generall and particular.
By the way obſerue, how profeſſedly the Church of Rome ſets her ſelfe, to hinder all ſolid comfort of the ſoule in temptation. Firſt, Allowing vsus no ſound ground for generall ſaith; the m…ters whereof wee muſt take on truſt from them, without daring toyAct. 17.11. ſearch the Scriptures, whether the thing, be ſo; out of which, what faith can ariſe more then meerely humane? Secondly, accuſing, yea, accurſing the very endeuour of ſpeciall faith, as preſumptuous; allowing vsus onelyonly a coniecturall opinion, and probable hope, that it may be, we are ſuch, and ſo qualified, as they that ſhall bee heires of ſaluation. What a paper breſt-plate frame they vsus of ſuch faith, to keepe outzEphe. 6.16. the fierie Dartes of the Deuill? Leaue them.
The ſecond part of the Breſt-plate, is LoueLove of God and of our Neighbour. The nature of this gracious affection is beſt knowne by ſenſe. Thus yet conceiue a deſcription of it by effects; firſt, wel-wiſhing; ſecondly, adhering; thirdly, deſire of vnion with the perſon loued. The kinds of it they make two: firſt, Concupiſcentiae; whoſe maine ſcope in louing, is the good of the louer: ſecondly, Amicitiae; when wee louelove, whom wee louelove, for his owne ſake, without reſpect to our owne priuate. Of this ſort is that we owe to God and men.
It ſteads vsus in the Spirituall Conflict; firſt, as an Euidence; ſecondly, by its Operation. As an Euidence; the very preſence of it is a marke of our adoption, and a1. Ioh. 3.14.tranſlation from death to life: ſo, that if euer the Conſcience be fifted about the maine, whether wee be in ſtate of grace, or not; this gracious affection preſents it ſelfe to the eye of Conſcience, to ſtay it from doubting.
Secondly, by the Operation; which ye may thus conceiue: it cauſeth vsus to cleaue cloſe to what we louelove, and ſets ſuch a price thereon,bCant. 8.7. that nothing will cauſe vsus to part with it. Suppoſe the temptation be, to forſake the Truth of Religion; perhaps vponupon ſuch allurements, as Domas was miſſe-led withall; thus LoueLove teacheth to reaſon. The truth of Gods Word I hauehave found to be Gods cAmos 1.16.power to my conuerſion; the ſame hath been dPſal. 119.50.my comfort in trouble; ſweetneſſe I hauehave found in it, ſuch as the Honey-combe cannot afford. How ſhall I forſake this Truth? &c.
The Helmet is Hope; that is, the firme expectation of the good things God hath promiſed, and not yet exhibited: the maine whereof, is the end of our Faith, the ſaluation of our Soules. It is of two ſorts; firſt, the hope of the Hypocrite, which is, as Iob ſayth, as the Spiders web, with eueryevery blaſt of temptation beaten downe, inaſmuch as it hath no ſure foundation nor euidence to reſt on; ſecondly, the hope of the Righteous, that eRom. 5.5.neuer makes aſhamed.
The ſtead it doth vsus in temptation, is ſuch, that Paul calls it the fHeb. 6.19.Anchor of the Soulo. Thus conceiue how. There are certaine bleſſings which God hath promiſed, Chriſt purchaſed, yet we poſſeſſe not, ſaue onelyonly in title: gPhil. 1.6.as, To perfect the good worke begun, to the Day of the Lord Ieſus; h1. Cor. 1.8.To confirme vsus blameleſſe to the end; To iRom. 16.20.tread downe Satan vnderunder our feet, &c. The caſes oft fall out, that we feele nothing leſſe then what is promiſed; perhaps declining, in ſtead of growing in grace; weakening, rather then eſtabliſhing of faith, &c. the cunning Deuill working vponupon aduantage of our ſenſe, labours thereby to ouerthrow our faith. Here now is the vſe of Hope; expecting aboue reaſon and ſenſe, the bleſſings promiſed; conſidering the faithfulneſſe and power of the Promiſer.kIoh. 13.15. Though he kill me, yet will I truſt in him; lRom. 4.18.Againſt hope, ABRAHAM beleeues in hope.