John Trapp on 1 Thessalonians 1

CHAP. I. Verſe 1. Paul and Silvanus]

OTherwiſe called Silas, Act. 15.40. as Iehoſhuah the high-Prieſt is called Ieſhua, Ezra 3.2. and 5.2. it is not therefore unlawfull to abbreviate names.

Unto the Church of the Theſſalonians] Theſsalonica, the chief City of Macedonia, is now known by the name of Saloniks, and is under the Turk. For the plantation of a Church here, ſee Act. 17.1, 2, 3, &c. Breer. Enquir. P 68. together with the Notes there. There are 30 Churches of Chriſtians in it at this day, and but three of Mahometans.

Verſe 2. We give thanks to God] Thus he beginneth moſt of his Epiſtles with thankſgiving: This being held to be the firſt that ever he wrote to any of the Churches, The beginning of his ſtrength (as Reuben Jacobs firſt-borne) and the excellency of dignity, Geneſis 49.3.

Verſe 3. Remembring without ceaſing] A good memory is required to aſſiduity in praier. All the faculties are exerciſed, and the whole man hard wrought.

Your work of faith] We believe not without much conflict, When faith goes about to lay hold on Chriſt, the devil raps her on the ſingers, and would beat her oft. Hence the believer hath ſuch ado to believe.

And labour of love] Every mans love is as his labour is, Heb. 6.10. Therefore alſo love and labour are of one root in latin, becauſe love is diligent and laborious,

And patience of hope] To wait the accompliſhment of Gods promiſes. Thus every Chriſtian vertue hath it's proper diſtinctive character, to difference it from that which is counterfeit.

In the ſight of God] True grace will ſtand to Gods triall, which falſe grace cannot abide: as Alchy my gold cannot paſſe the ſeventh ſire: nor doth it comfort the heart, as true gold doth.

Verſe 4. Knowing, brethren, beloved of God] Knowing it by the judgement of charity, not of infallibility. He that believeth hath the witneſſe in himſelf, 1 Job. 5.10. But the white ſtone, the new name, and the hid man of the heart are not certainly known to any, but to ſuch as have them. Howbeit, holy men in ſome degree are known one to another, to make the communion of Saints the ſweeter. Strong confidence one may have of anothers ſalvation: but no certainty either of ſenſe or of ſcience, much leſſe of faith, or immediate revelation.

Verſe 5. For our Gospel came not] Hence he collects their election according to Act. 13.48. The Miniſtery ſent to a place is an argument of ſome elect there. A husbandman would not ſend his ſervant with his ſickle to reap thiſtles and nettles only.

As ye know what manner] The Church is endued with the ſpirit of diſcerning: and Miniſters ſhould approve themſelves ſpirituall in word and converſation.1 Cor. 2[illegible: 1 letter], 10.

Verſe 6. Followers of us, and of the Lord] The Apoſtles walked in Chriſt, Col. 2.6. as Chriſt, 1 Job. 2.6. their lives were a Commentary upon his life, 1 Pet. 2.9.

Received the word in much affliction] Oppoſition is (as Calvin wrote to the French King) Evangely genius, the black Angel that dogs the Goſpel at the heels. To preach (ſaith Luther) is nothing elſe, but to get the ill will of the world.

With joy of the boly Ghost] Which bore them up above all perſecutions, as blowne bladders beare a man up aloft all waters.

Verſe 7. So that ye were enſamples] Gr. Types, moulds, paterns of piety to thoſe that were in Chriſt long before them. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. A brave commendation, and not every mans happineſſe. Affliction to ſome is like a growing ague, or as a warm rain to garden-herbs, that maketh them ſhoot up ſenſibly in one night.

Verſe 8. For from you ſounded out] A vobis diſſ[illegible: 1 letter]matus eſt ſermo. Remigius commenting upon this place, telleth us that the Apoſtle here ſpeaketh ſome what improperly, by ſaying Diffamatus for Divulgatus. This man knew not (belike) that S. Paul wrote in Greek, and not in Latine: So great was the ignorance of that ninth age, The Greek word importeth that from the Theſſalonians the word of the Lord ſounded out as a trumpet, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. and reſounded as an Eccho. A vobis ebuccinatus eſt ſer[illegible: 2 letters] Domini: So Vatablus rendereth it.

So that we need not to ſpeak] A good people may eaſe their Paſtour of a great deal of pains.

Verſe 9. What manner of entring in, &c.] The Paſtour hath his part and ſhare in the peoples commendation. If they grow famous, he cannot lie obſcured.

Ye turned to God from idols] They gave not the half turn only from Eaſt to South, but the whole turn from the Eaſt to Weſt, from idols to God. Ephraim ſhall ſay,Hoſ. 6.4. What have I to do any more with idols, Hoſ. 148? Thoſe Balaam blocks, thoſe mawmets and monuments of idolatry, thoſe images of jealouſie? Ephraim is now no longer as a cake half baked, as a ſpeckled bird, Jet. 12.9. &c. Better be a Papiſt then an Atheiſt, a groſſe idolater then a profligate profeſſour, a carnall Goſpeller.

Verſe 10. And to wait for his Son] This is pinned as a badge to the ſleeve of every true believer, that he looketh and longeth for Chriſt his coming to judgement. The old character of Gods people was, they waited for the conſolation of Iſrael, Chriſts firſt coming: So is it now, the earneſt expectation of his ſecond coming.

Which delivered us from the wrath to come] This is the [illegible: 3 letters] mon, the notation of his name Jeſus, a Saviour. Salvation properly betokeneth the privative part of mans happineſſe, but includeth the poſitive too. King Alphonſus, when he ſaw a poor man pulling of his beaſt out of a ditch, he put to his hand to help him. Is it not more that Chriſt ſhould ſtoop ſo low as to help us (who were in worſe condition then the beaſts that periſh) out of the ditch of deſtruction? The devil is ſaid to be [non-Latin text not transcribed], a roaring Lion: but our comfort is, That the Lion of the Tribe of Judah is [non-Latin text not transcribed], h[illegible: 1 letter] that delivereth us from the wrath to come.

The wrath to come] There is a preſent wrath that men ſuffer; and who knoweth the power of this wrath? Even according to a mans ſear, ſo is Gods wrath, Pſal 90.11. Let a man fear never ſo much, he ſhall be ſure to feel more, when Gods wrath fals upon him. A timorous man can fancy vaſt and terrible fears; fire, ſword, racks, ſcalding lead, boiling pitch, running b[illegible: 1 letter]ll-mettle. Yet all this is but as a painted fire to the wrath to come, that eternity of extremity, which graceleſſe perſons ſhall never be able to avoid, or to abide.