1 Thessalonians 2

1 Thessalonians 2:1

IN vain] The meaning is, either that he preached not vain things unto them, as Poeticall fictions, or curious speculations but true and necessary doctrins: or that his preaching among them was not without fruit, but through the operation of the Spirit, fruitfull and effectuall: in which sense the sacred symbols or elements are truly affirmed by Protestants not to be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the word here used, that is, bare, vain, or emptie figns, because the Spirit worketh by them, and they really exhibit to the soul that which is signified by them.

1 Thessalonians 2:2

shamefully entreated] Cruelly beaten with rods, and after cast into prison, and his feet set fast in the stocks, Acts 16. 23, 24. as if he had been a vagabond, or rogue: but the more disgrace the enemies of the Gospel put upon him, the more God honoured him by miraculously shaking the foundation of the prison, and loosening his and all his fellow-prisoners bands, and converting the Gaoler himself to the Christian faith.

at] Gr. in.

Philippi] See Acts 18:22.

bold in our God] That is, trusting in Gods help, who powerfully assisted us, and as it were owned us. The possessive our here, as my elsewhere, Psalms 18:2. Esa. 25. 1. Daniel 9:18-19. Luke 1:47. Philippians 3:8. Revelation 3:12. shew the speciall affiance, which the faithful have in God, which because the Romanists disclaim, they shew they understand not the nature of true justifying faith.

with much contention] Gr. in much strife. With much fervencie of zeal, and strong contestation with all gain-sayers of the truth. For it is not sufficient to hold the right faith, or preach it, but we must strive and earnestly contend for it, Jude 1:3.

1 Thessalonians 2:3

not of deceit] The heretikes and false apostles, proposed to themselves chiefly three ends, applause, gain, and voluptuousnesse: the first they sought to attain by soothing their hearers, and colloging with them; the second by craftie fetches, and cloakes of covetousnesse; the third by sowing pillows under mens elbows, and preaching doctrins tending to carnall libertie; from all which the Apostle cals God himself to be his compurgatour, from the first vers. 6. from the second vers. 5. from the third vers. 3.

1 Thessalonians 2:4

allowed of God] As God hath thought us fit to be trusted with the preaching of the Gospel, and given his approbation to our ministery: so we seeke to approve our selves to him in all things, and not to men, as the false apostles do, who are time servers and men pleasers.

trieth] Or, proveth.

our hearts] Jeremiah 17:10. Acts 1:24. Romans 8:27.

1 Thessalonians 2:5

nor a cloak of covetousnesse] For the sinceritie of his teaching and actions he calleth them, but for the sinceritie of his intentions, he calleth God to witnesse. The word in the Originall 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, signifieth a faire and specious pretext, which they commonly use to beguile their hearers with, who go about under hand to make a gain and a prey of them.

1 Thessalonians 2:6

been burdendome] Or, used authoritie. When we might have taken upon us, and exercised our Apostolicall authoritie, and required of you such maintenance and chargeable entertainment, as might befit the Ambassadours of Christ: yet we tooke a contrary course, we put you to no cost at all, nor came unto you with a rod, but with the spirit of meeknesse, 1 Corinthians 4:21.

1 Thessalonians 2:7

gentle among you] Tenderly affected, as a nurse which beareth with a froward child, and patiently taketh all pains with it, as if she were the mother.

1 Thessalonians 2:8

our own souls] Either to have imparted and communicated unto you all our secretest intentions, and the very bottome of our hearts: or we would have been contented even to have laid down our lives for you, so farre were we from going about to make any gain or advantage of you.

1 Thessalonians 2:9

labouring night and day] See Acts 20:34. 2 Thess. 3. 8.

be chargeable] See 1 Corinthians 4:12.

1 Thessalonians 2:10

how holily] Holily in respect of God, justly in respect of men, unblamably in respect of our selves: or holily in our ministeriall function, justly in our civill affaires, and commerce, and unblamably in respect of our private carriage with our familiar and most intimate friends. This Text seemeth to be parallel to Titus 2. 12. for holy answereth to godly there, justly to righteously, and unblamably to soberly.

1 Thessalonians 2:11

charged] Gr. testifying.

as a father doth his children] Before he compared himself to a nurse which tenderly affecteth, and carefully attendeth and cherisheth the infant committed to her: but because a nurse cannot be of the like naturall affction as the parent, nor hath the like power to do it good, nor authoritie over it, he improveth the former metaphor, and withall amplifieth his love unto them, by resembling his care over them and affection towards them to that of a father: and truly Pastours are as ghostly fathers, both in respect of their fatherly affection, and fatherly power, and especially, because in Christ Jesus they beget us through the Gospel, 1 Corinthians 4:15.

1 Thessalonians 2:12

That ye would walk worthy of God] See Ephesians 4:1. Phil. 1. 27. Colossians 1:10.

1 Thessalonians 2:13

word of men] Who are subject to errour, and as themselves, so their words are impotent and weake, but as the word of God, which is mightie in operation, and sharper then a two-edged sword, Hebrews 4:12. Or ye received it as the word of God with reverence, and religious attention, and full assurance of the truth thereof, yeelding both your assent and obedience thereunto.

1 Thessalonians 2:14

as they have of Jews] What in particular the beleevers among the Jews suffered of their countreymen is set down, Heb. 10. 32, 33, 34. not only reproaches, but also spoyling of their goods, with other grievous persecutions.

1 Thessalonians 2:15

killed the Lord Jesus] He preventeth an offence which might be taken, for that the Jews especially, above all others, persecuted the Gospel, that is no new thing saith he, seeing they slew Christ himself, and stoned his Prophet, and have banished me also.

persecuted us] Or, chased us out.

contrary to all men] Who are of a froward and perverse disposition, opposing themselves against all men, in resisting the course and successe of the Gospel among the Gentiles, and as much as in them lyeth, hindering the salvation of all men: just of the temper of those Lawyers, against whom our Saviour pronounced a dreadfull woe, Luke 11:52. who neither entred themselves into the kingdom of God, nor suffered any others to enter.

1 Thessalonians 2:16

fill up their sinnes] The Jews intended not by persecuting the Church of Christ, to fill up the measure of their sinnes, and so to draw vengeance from heaven upon themselves: but the Apostles meaning is, that God in his just judgement permitted them thus to make up the full measure of their own, and their forefathers sinnes, because he intended to sweep them away with the besome of destruction, in the hand of the Romans. In the phrase and manner of expression he alludeth to, Genesis 15:16. & Matthew 23:32.

come upon them to the uttermost] Or, suddenly fallen upon.

1 Thessalonians 2:18

Satan hundered us] By his agents and instruments, raising up new stirres and troubles in other Churches, where our presence was required to compose them, and thereby we were hindered from coming to you. Or by laying blocks in our way through manifold persecutions stirred up against us, stopping up all passage to you.

1 Thessalonians 2:19

our hope] In these words he passionately expresseth his love to them, saying, you are my hope, that is, they from whose growth in the knowledge of Christ through my ministery, I hope I shall receive praise of God; and ye are my joy, that is, they who bring me much joy and comfort; and my crown, that is, ye are they for whom by my faithfulnesse in the exercise of my ministery among you, I shall receive a crown at the last day, 2 Tim. 4. 8. 1 Pet. 5. 4. Or ye are the crown of my rejoycing or glorying, that is, I more rejoyce and glory in you then in a crown.

rejoycing] Or, glorying.