1 Macc. i. Dan. vi. Euseb. Lib. iv. cap. xv. Rom. xiv. 1 Cor. viii. 1 John iv. 1 John iii. John xvii. When king Antiochus sent unto Hierusalem, and to the cities of Juda, that they should follow the strange laws of the country, many chose rather to die than to be defiled with unclean things, and to break the holy covenant which God had given them. Darius made a decree, whosoever should ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, save of the king, he should be cast into the den of lions. Daniel would not be kept so long from the service of God. He would not dissemble: he would not hide his zeal, nor shew any appearance of ill'. He prayed and praised God as he did before, and opened his chamber windows that it might be seen. Polycarpus might have saved his life, if he would have dissembled. He would not, he could not. He saw it would have been an appearance of evil, and a discourage unto the brethren; therefore spake boldly: Christianus sum, “I am a Christian ;" and, being required to speak ill2 of Christ, said: Octoginta et sex annos servio ei; et nihil me læsit unquam : quomodo possum maledicere ei, et blasphemare Regem meum, qui salutem mihi dedit3? "I have served Christ these fourscore and six years; and he did never any thing hurt me: how may I speak ill and blaspheme my King, which hath given me salvation?" This is my faith: Christ is my God: this is my religion: I am not ashamed to suffer death rather than I will deny him who suffered death in his own body to save me. "It is good," saith St Paul, "neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak." Again he saith: "Now, when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience1, ye offend against Christ. Wherefore if meat offend my brother, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I should offend my brother." He that hath once made a shipwreck standeth watchful ever after, not only to escape that rock or sand whereat he had loss before, but all other the like rocks and sands whatsoever. Therefore, abstain from all appearance of evil: be not like the wicked of this world. You are the salt of the earth: you should not be partners of their corruption, but powder and season them. You are the light of the world: you may not be partners of their darkness, but lighten and guide them. Dissemble not: serve God in the simplicity of your heart, and in the sight of all the world. Let it be written in your forehead what you think in your heart. Why should any man be ashamed of God's truth? Ver. 23. Now the very God of peace sanctify you throughout; and I pray God that your whole spirit and soul and body may be kept blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Our God is the God of peace. He giveth peace and quiet to his church. He doth muzzle the lion, amaze the tyrant, make blunt the sword, and quench the fire prepared against his servants. He giveth his sons peace and quietness "God among themselves. He abhorreth discord and malice between brethren. is love," saith St John; "and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him." "He that loveth not his brother abideth in death." God hath made us all members of one body. There is no respect of persons with him, no difference of learned and unlearned, wise or foolish, rich or poor. His will is that we all should be as one, of one mind; and that we should all think one thing and speak one thing; that we should be one fold under one Shepherd, and with one mouth glorify the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. For this peace Christ prayed: Sanctify them through thy truth." Bless them, take away all bitterness and swelling from amongst them. Make them citizens of thy heavenly Hierusalem, that they may live in peace, and love one another, and delight one in other9. "That they all may be one, as thou, O Father, art one in me, and I in thee." 66 [ It, 1584, 1594.] [ Evil, 1594.] [3 Euseb. in Hist. Eccles. Script. Amst. 1695— 1700. Lib. IV. cap. xv. p. 107.] [ Consciences, 1584, 1594.] [5 Meat do offend, 1594.] [ Lost, 1584, 1594.] [ A, 1594.] [8 Among, 1584, 1594.] [ In an other, 1594.] God is the God and giver of peace. Whence then cometh division and dissension of minds? What is the cause that the whole world is so shaken with sects and troubles? All are not the children of peace. Christ himself, the Lamb of God, in whose mouth there was no guile, came unto 10 his own; and his own received him not. Cain is always against Abel. Esau will never love Jacob. The darkness and the light can never agree. This is the cause of all unquietness and trouble. "These things," saith Christ to his disciples, John xvi. "have I spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace: in the world you shall have affliction." The wicked shall not only hate, but betray and cause them to die which profess the name of Christ. "Whosoever killeth you will Ibid. think he doth11 God service. And these things will they do unto you, because they 12 have not known the Father, nor me." The setting forth of the gospel of Christ is that which the world cannot abide. It revealeth things that were hidden: it discloseth the covetousness of those who kept the people in ignorance to make gain and merchandise of their souls: it overthroweth mighty buildings and holds of merits, of pardons, of masses, of purgatory, which by the policy and wisdom and power of this world were exalted against God. This is the only cause of all this strife and trouble. We have need of peace; of the peace of conscience within ourselves; of peace from the rage and fury of the world; and of peace and love among those that are of God's household. Let us seek peace at the hands of God; and he will stablish us in the peace of his gospel, and so give us the rest and peace of our souls. "Sanctify you throughout." The God of peace bless you, and keep you under the shadow of his wings, "that your whole spirit and soul and body may be kept blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." Here mark that the apostle divideth man into three parts, "the spirit, the soul, and the body:" so that he seemeth to make the spirit one thing, and the soul another. How is it then that we divide man into two parts, the soul and the body, and say that he doth stand but of two parts? There is no difference: the matter is all one. For Paul divideth the soul into two parts. The first is reason and understanding, which he calleth the spirit; the other is will and affection, which he calleth the soul. For, as God hath given us reason to see what is good, so hath he given us will to seek after that which is good. Reason hath eyes will is blind, and cannot see the way: therefore will must be led and guided by reason. Reason must go before: will must follow after. Therefore reason is compared to the husband, and will to the wife. If will take in hand to rule reason, it is no less disorder than if the wife will adventure or take upon her to rule her husband. Therefore in this place reason, which 13 is the principal part of our soul, is called the spirit; and will, which is the other part, is called the soul. So the spirit is not a several substance; but the soul and the spirit are one soul; even as the body and the flesh are one body. Thus therefore Paul prayeth for the church: The God of peace sanctify you throughout, that your spirit, your reason and understanding, your soul, your will and affection, your body and your flesh, may altogether be pure and holy; that they may be found innocent and upright in the day of the Lord. Ver. 24. Faithful is he which calleth you, which will also do it. He hath begun a good work in you, he will finish it. He will lead you from virtue to virtue, from strength to strength, from glory to glory. He hath called you, he will also keep you faithful until the day of the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ. You are Christ's sheep. No man shall take you out of his hands. He hath not lost one of all them whom his Father had given him. He knoweth his sheep. None shall be confounded that put their trust in him. "There is no condemnation to them that be in Christ Jesus." He [10 Into, 1583, 1584, 1594.] 1 [12 Ye, 1583, 1584, 1594.] Rom. xv. John xvii. 886 UPON THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE THESSALONIANS. [CHAP. V. is faithful, he will perform this unto you; not for your merits, but for his own name, and for his mercy sake. Because he is faithful, he will not despise the work of his own hands. ness. I wrestle not with flesh and blood, but with the prince and power of darkMy enemies are strong, they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: I am weak and of no resistance. Our sufficiency is of him. Without him we can do nothing. Pray for me, that he will put his word into my mouth, that I may be a vessel of his glory to preach forth the glad tidings of his gospel; that I may be a faithful minister of the new testament; that I may disclose the mystery of our redemption; that his holy Spirit will assist me, and make my travails fruitful. Ver. 26. Greet all the brethren with an holy kiss. 27. I charge you in the Lord, that this epistle be read unto all the brethren the saints. Salute one another in token of true and unfeigned love. And withhold not this epistle from any of the brethren. It is written for their sakes. Let them hear it, that they may take comfort by it. How agreeth Paul in this charge with them that in no case would have the people read the scriptures? that say, ignorance is the mother of devotion? It is the word of God the Father; why should not the people of God understand it? It is the water that springeth out to everlasting life; why should the people of God be driven away and not suffered to drink thereof? It is the light of the world; why should the people be hood-winked, and kept that they should not look up and see it? why should they sit and perish in the darkness of death? It is the will of God that all the people should know him, from the least to the greatest among them. St Paul saith: "Whatsoever things are written aforetime, are written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope." Christ saith: "This is life eternal, to know thee to be the only very God, and, whom thou hast sent, Jesus Christ." Let us not forget these words of Paul. "I charge you in the Lord," by his death, by his cross, by his blood, by the day of his appearance, that this epistle be read to the learned and unlearned, to the wise and simple, to the masters and to the servants, to all our brethren, to all the sons of God. Ver. 28. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen. God open your eyes, that you may behold the way of righteousness, and direct you, that you may walk in it. Through his grace you have received the word; and it hath been fruitful in you; and by the same grace you shall continue in it for ever. His grace and blessing and mercy be with you all. Amen. THE SECOND EPISTLE OF THE APOSTLE ST PAUL TO THE THESSALONIANS. CHAPTER I. Ver. 1. Paul, and Sylvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians which is in God our Father and in our Lord Jesus Christ. In the former epistle he wrote somewhat touching the latter day, and the coming of our Lord to judgment, and said that that day shall come as a thief in the night; and therefore exhorted them to watch and pray, and to prepare themselves to be in a readiness. The false apostles did fondly and maliciously mistake his words, and devised means thereby to disquiet the minds of the faithful, and to trouble the church of God. Thus could the prince of darkness, the old serpent and deceiving spirit, turn the truth of God into occasion of slander. In the mean while the apostle was far off from them at Athens. But when he heard of their case, he sent unto them this other epistle, wherein he declareth more plainly that matter which before seemed doubtful, and seeketh to satisfy their hearts, and to remove them from all1 that error which they had conceived. In discourse hereof he taketh occasion to speak of antichrist, of whom we hear much, and have had warning often. He telleth us that he shall come in working of signs and wonders; that he is the man of sin, which shall thrust himself into the place of Christ. He sheweth who is antichrist, and how we may know him; what things he shall do; what credit he shall have in the world; and by what power he shall be overthrown and confounded. After this he speaketh of idleness and of bodily labour, and requireth2 every man to live in the sweat of their brows, and in painful travail, as God hath ordained. Other comfortable and necessary doctrine is delivered in this epistle, as will appear. The whole matter of the epistle is so fit for these days in which we live, as if it were purposely written for us. For we live in the latter3 age of the world; and it cannot be but the end of all things is at hand, and that the glorious appearing of our Lord shall be shortly. "Paul, and Sylvanus, and Timotheus." This epistle was sent, not only from Paul, but also from Timothy and Sylvanus. These three were all guided by one Spirit, and had all one like care for the church of God. Therefore he writeth thus: Paul, and Sylvanus, and Timotheus, the servants of God, chosen from our mothers' womb, and appointed to publish the gospel of Jesus Christ, and to carry his name before kings and princes; and especially I Paul, which am your father, and have begotten you in Christ; which was sometimes a blasphemer, and did persecute the faithful; whom it pleased God to make a chosen vessel for himself; which am also hated of my brethren and kinsmen after the flesh for the gospel's sake; and which am ready to give my life for your behalf. "Unto the church of the Thessalonians which is in God our Father," &c. You are (saith he) the beloved of God, you are his people; and he hath assured his mercy unto you: you have the promise and the earnest of the life to come. Here let us mark the state of that country as it was then, and compare it with itself as it is now. Then it was the church of God; for otherwise St Paul would not so have called it: according to the grace of God given unto him he laid the foundation, he planted and watered their hearts; and God gave the increase: so that they received the word in much affliction; and the word of the gospel Jer. vii. Matt. xxi.6 sounded from them, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but their faith towards! God was spread also abroad in all quarters. In such sort were they a vessel sanctified unto honour, full of blessing and full of the mercy and grace of God. But what is become of that country? In what case standeth the church of Thessalonica at this day? It is now the synagogue of Satan, under the tyranny of the Turk, and such as are enemies of the cross of Christ. Such a change hath the right hand of the Lord wrought in that place, which hath sometimes been his holy tabernacle. I thought good to mark this, that we might understand how vain a thing it is to put confidence in cities or churches, or in the names of our fathers. The church of Thessalonica, whose foundation was surely built by St Paul himself, for which he was so careful, unto2 which he wrote3 special letters to commend their increase in godliness and their stedfastness in the gospel, is forsaken and laid waste. If the work which the Spirit of God wrought by the apostle be decayed, whose work may we think shall stand? Jeremy spake unto the people of the Jews, saying: "Trust not in lying words, saying, The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, this is the temple of the Lord." That temple God himself commanded to be built; the form and fashion thereof God himself devised and appointed; therein he placed his tabernacle, and set up his mercy-seat; therein he shewed forth his majesty and the glory of his countenance. Yet, all this notwithstanding, God said by the prophet: Trust not in these words: they be lying words, and will deceive you. As the prophet spake of the temple at Jerusalem, so may it be said of any other church throughout the world. So may it be said of the church of Rome. We may say: Trust not in lying words, saying, The church of Rome, the church of Rome. Say not thus with yourselves: The church of Rome is built upon a rock, so surely that it cannot be moved, or that no wind can shake it: say not, the faith of that church can never fail. These be lying words: trust not in them; for Christ never spake any such thing of the church of Rome. It never had promise of more special privilege than was given to the church at Thessalonica. Read the scriptures, behold the words of our Saviour, and consider them; you shall find no speech made of the church of Rome, nor any promise or piece of promise, wherein he bindeth himself more to the church of Rome than he hath done to other churches, or to this of Thessalonica. Thessalonica was beautiful in the sight of God: the Lord of hosts had pitched his tents round about her, the name of the Most Holy was placed in the midst of her she enjoyed like spiritual peace and prosperity as did the Jerusalem of the Almighty; she was as a city fenced within itself: but the Lord hath taken away the light of his countenance from her: she hath forsaken the ways of righteousness, she hath left off to serve the Lord, and is become the place which the Lord hath forsaken there is scarce any remnant left there of those which call upon the name of our salvation, and love the Lord Jesus with an unfeigned heart. "This is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes." And is his hand shortened that he cannot, or is his zeal abated that he will not, in like severity deal with such as forsake him? If he spared not the natural branches, if Jerusalem were overthrown because of her iniquities, it cannot be that he will spare other places that do the like, but that they shall also be cut off. This is it that our Saviour hath said in the gospel by St Matthew: "Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and shall be given to a nation which shall bring forth the fruits thereof." Such terrible and dreadful examples hath God laid before our eyes, to keep us in his fear, and in awe of his judgments. Ver. 2. Grace be with you, and peace, from God our Father and from the Lord This is the salutation of Paul in all his epistles, to say: I wish that the blessing and favour and love of God may light upon you. But for the better [ Toward, 1594.] [ To, 1594.] [3 Wrate, 1583, 1584.] [* Unto, 1594.] [ Nor, 1584.] [ 1584 omits this reference.] |