As if our apostle had said, "Although. have told you that there will be. general resurrection and future judgment, when Christ will certainly come in the clouds, and every eye shall see him, yet. suppose you do not expect that. should write to you of the particular time of his coming; for you have b... [ Continue Reading ]
Note here, the wisdom and holy caution of our apostle in his application to the Thessalonians; he had in the foregoing verses asserted the certainty and suddenness of Christ's coming, namely, to destroy Jerusalem, and to judge the world. Now, lest these Christians should be terrified in their minds,... [ Continue Reading ]
The apostle having acquainted the Thessalonians with the privilege of their converted state, that they were the children of the light, having received. light of knowlege,. light of grace and holiness, and. light of joy and comfort from the gospel, he comes next to infer the duties proper and suitabl... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe here, 1. reason enforcing the apostle's exhortation to holiness of life, FOR, or because GOD HAS NOT APPOINTED US TO WRATH, BUT TO OBTAIN SALVATION BY JESUS CHRIST. Note here, 1. What. Christian is not appointed to; he is not appointed to wrath. 2. What he is appointed to, namely, to obtai... [ Continue Reading ]
In these words have we declared both the minister's office and the people's duty; the minister's office, with respect unto his people, and the people's duty both towards their ministers, and one towards another. The ministerial office and function is here described, and consists of three parts, publ... [ Continue Reading ]
Here our apostle directs the ministers of Christ how to carry themselves towards their people, namely, that they should admonish those that are unruly and walk disorderly; that they should COMFORT THE FEEBLE-MINDED, such as are dispirited by, and rejected under their afflictions, that they should be... [ Continue Reading ]
Our apostle from this verse closes his epistle with. general exhortation to all Christians to be found in the practice of several necessary and important duties; the first of which is to abstain from all revenge, RENDER TO NO MAN EVIL FOR EVIL;. malicious desire of revenge is so far beneath. Christi... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe here, 1. Three very extensive and comprehensive duties, which our apostle exhorts unto, all which have. kind of universality annexed unto them: now the more comprehensive any duty is, the greater its obligation is; the first duty is to REJOICE EVERMORE, that is, to carry ourselves so holily... [ Continue Reading ]
Note from the connection, that he that would rejoice evermore, must pray evermore; seldom praying and constant rejoicing will never stand together; according to our constancy in prayer, such will be the constancy of our joy. Note, 2. That frequent and constant prayer to God, is. duty required of all... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe here, 1. The duty required, and that is, thanksgiving. 2. The extent of the duty, IN EVERY THING GIVE THANKS, that is be thankful in every condition, and for every providential dispensation, both prosperous and adverse. QUEST. "Should Christians be thankful for afflictions?" Yes, because... [ Continue Reading ]
Still observe, 1. The coherence and connection: he that would REJOICE EVERMORE, must PRAY WITHOUT CEASING; and he that would rejoice in every thing, must be thankful in every thing; and he that would rejoice, pray, and give thanks continually, must evermore keep the Spirit unquenched; the way to kee... [ Continue Reading ]
Note here, 1. How close this duty is coupled with the former. QUENCH NOT THE SPIRIT; DESPISE NOT PROPHESYINGS; plainly intimating to us, that the Spirit is then dangerously quenched, when prophesying, or the preaching of the word, is sinfully neglected. Note, 2. That by prophesying here, is not mea... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe here, 1. The persons to whom this advice is given: to the church of the Thessalonians, not to the ministers, but to the people, KNOW THEM THAT LABOUR AMONG YOU, &C. 1 Thessalonians 5:12 Observe, 2. The advice itself, PROVE ALL THINGS; examine, try, and approve them, with. judgment of privat... [ Continue Reading ]
This advice genuinely follows upon the former; after we have tried all things, we must HOLD FAST THAT WHICH IS GOOD, and ABSTAIN FROM EVIL. Where note, the gradation used by our apostle, we must ABSTAIN FROM EVIL, FROM ALL EVIL, FROM ALL APPEARANCE OF EVIL. Yet observe, it is not the apostle's mea... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe here, 1, that our apostle having exhorted the Thessalonians to labour after the highest measures of sanctification, breathes out his soul here in. most affectionate prayer to God, to sanctify them thoroughly and throughout; teaching us that instruction and supplication should go together; af... [ Continue Reading ]
Here our apostle comforts the Thessalonians with the assurance that God, who had called them to the knowledge of Christianity, would do what he had prayed for, namely, sanctify them wholly, and preserve them blameless, and this because GOD IS FAITHFUL, that is, always the same, true to his word. God... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe, who it is that begs prayer,. great apostle, St. Paul himself; and who it is he begs prayer from, the brethren, Christians, and fellow members of the church at Thessalonica. Those that are most eminent for gifts and graces, are greatly desirous of the saints' prayers; particularly the minist... [ Continue Reading ]
Our apostle concludes his epistle with salutations to all the brethren and members of the church, without exception, poor and rich, advising them to manifest and testify their affection one to another, by. kiss given to each other,. ceremony of civility much in use in those eastern countries; yet re... [ Continue Reading ]
Our apostle having now finished his epistle, gives. strict charge for the perusal of it. In which, observe, 1. The duty enjoined, with the matter of it, namely, the reading of this epistle, and for the same reason all the rest, which had the like stamp of divine authority upon them. Observe, 2. Th... [ Continue Reading ]
Thus concludes our apostle his excellent epistle, with his usual valediction or farewell wish, desiring, that though the Thessalonians had been large partakers of the grace andd Spirit of Christ, that yet they might receive fresh, farther and fuller supplies from himself, the fountain of all grace a... [ Continue Reading ]