John Trapp on 1 Thessalonians 5

CHAP. V. Verſe 1. But of the times and the ſeaſons]

VVHen Chriſt ſhall come to judgement, this is to be reckoned inter arcana imperij. See the Note on Mat. 24 36. The times and the ſeaſons God hath put in his own power, Act. 1.7 This is a key that he keepeth under his own girdle.

Verſe 2. The day of the Lord] That day, by a ſpeciality, Luk. 21.34. that great day, Revel. 6.17. that day of the declaration of Gods juſt judgement. Rom. 2.5, 16. that day of Chriſt, 2 Theſſ. 2.2. of God, 2 Pet. 3.13. where in he will ſhew himſelf to be God of Gods, and Lord of Lords.

As a thief in the night] Who giveth no warning, Mat. 24.43. See the Note there.

Verſe 3. For when they ſhall ſay] Security is the certain uſher of deſtruction, as in Benhadads army, and Pompeys, before the Pharſalian field. Some of them contended for the Prieſthood, which was Caeſars office, others diſpoſed of the Conſulſhips and offices in Rome, as if all were already their own: Pompey [illegible: 2 letters]mſelf being ſo wretchedly wre[illegible: 1 letter]chleſſe, that he never conſidered into what place he were beſt to retire, if he loſt the day.

Then ſhall ſudden deſtruction] As Philoſophers ſay, that before a ſnow the weather will be warmiſh: when the winde lies, the great rain fals; and the air is moſt quiet, when ſuddenly there will be an earthquake.

Verſe 4. Should overtake you as a thief] Though it come upon you as a thief in a time uncertain. Free you are from the deſtruction of that day, though not altogether free from the diſtraction of it, till ſomewhat recollected you remember that now your redemption draweth nigh. Hence the Saints love Chriſts appearing, 2 Tim. 4 8. Look for it with ſtretcht-out necks, and long after it, Rev. 22.20.

Verſe 5. We are not of the night, &c.]Qu. Curtius. Alexander willed that the Grecians and Barbarians ſhould no longer be diſtinguiſhed by their garments, but by their manners: ſo ſhould the children of light, and of darkneſſe.

Verſe 6. As doe others] What wonder that the Grecians live looſly, faith Chryſoſtome, but that Chriſtians do ſo, this is worſe, yea intolerable.

But let us watch and be ſober] We muſt not be like Agrippa's dormouſe that would not awake till caſt into boiling lead,Comment. i[illegible: 1 letter] Di[illegible: 2 letters]cor. or Matthiolus his aſſes fed with hemlock, that lie for dead, and are half hileded, ere they can be arrouſed. But rather we ſhould reſemble Ariſtotle and others, who were wont to ſleep with brazen balls in their hands, which falling on veſſels, purpoſely ſet on their beds ſides, the noiſe did diſſwade immoderate ſleep.

Verſe 7. Are drunk in the night] But now, alas, drunkenneſſe is become a noon-day devil. Drunk. [illegible: 1 letter]up by M. Harris. Once Peters argument (ſaith a reverend Divine) was more then probable, Theſe men are not drunk, for it is but the third hour of the day. Now men are grown ſuch husbands as that, by that time, they will return their ſtocks, and have their brains crowing before day.

Verſe 8. Be ſober] Drunkenneſſe misbeſeemeth any man, but eſpecially a Saint: for it robs him of himſelf, and laies a beaſt in his room.

Putting on the breſt-plate of faith and love] Faith is the fore-part of this breſt-plate, whereby we imbrace Chriſt, and love the hinder part thereof, whereby we imboſome the Saints.

Verſe 9. God hath not appointed us] As the hath all drunken beaſts, 1 Cor. 6.10. Yea all thoſe dry drunkards, Iſa. 28.1. that will not a wake (though never ſo much warned) out of the ſnare of the devil, &c. 2 Tim. 2.25.

Verſe 10. Whether we wake or ſleep] That is, live or die, our ſouls cannot miſcarry: becauſe Chriſt will have out the full price of his ſons death. See Rom. 14.8. with the Note there.

Verſe 11. Comfort your ſelves together] This he ſubjoyns as a ſingular help to the practiſe of the former points of duty. Socialt charity whets on to love and good works, as iron whets iron, as one billet kindleth another, &c.

Verſe 12. And we beſeech you, brethren] Doe not ſo exhort and edifie one another, as to think that now the publike Miniſtery is no further uſefull or needfull. Let your Paſtours have all due reſpect, be your gifts never ſo eminent.

Verſe 13. [non-Latin text not transcribed] Apud Grae[illegible: 1 letter]os majori in honre habebantur Philoſophi quam ortores. [illegible: 1 letter]llienim recte vi[illegible: 1 letter] endi, &c. Lact[illegible: 1 letter]ntiu[illegible: 1 letter]. Very highly] Gr. More then exceedingly: Turks and Papiſts ſhall elſe condemn us, who honour every hedge-prieſt of theirs, and have them in ſingular eſteem, above their merits. The Grecians gave great reſpect to their Philoſophers above their Oratours, becauſe theſe taught them how to ſpeak, but thoſe how to live well.

For their works ſake] Which is high and honourable, divine and heavenly, a worthy work, 1 Tim. 3.1. Such as both in the preparation to it. and execution of it draweth them to God, keepeth them with God, and to be ever mindefull of God, and no leſſe active for God, Epheſ 4 12. by gathering together the Saints, and building up the body of Chriſt.

And be at peace among your ſelves] So ſhall your Paſtour have the better life, and follow his work with more content & comfort.

Verſe 14. Warn them that are unruly] Cry Cave miſer, ſtop them in their curſed carier, tell them that hell gapes for them, and is but a little afore them: ſnatch them out of the fire, ſaving them with fear, Iude v.: 3.

Comfort the f[illegible: 2 letters]ble-minded] The d[illegible: 1 letter]ſpiriced, faint-hearted, ſick and ſinking under the ſenſe of ſin and fear of wrath. A Chriſtian ſhould have feeding lips, and a healing tongue. The contrary whereunto is deeply deteſted, Ezek. 34 4.

Support the weak] [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Set to your ſhoulder and ſhore them up. Deal not as the herd of Deer do with the wounded Deer, forſake and puſh it away from them.

Verſe 15. See that none render] Nothing is ſo naturall to us; and Ariſtotle commends revenge as a piece of manhood, when indeed it is doghood rather. Excellently Lactantius, Non eſt minus malireferre injuriam, quam inferre. It is as bad to recompence Wrong as to do wrong. See the Notes on Mat. 5.44. & Rom. 12.17.

But ever follow that which is good] Not to doe good, is to do evil, not to ſave a man, when we can, is to deſtroy him, Mar. 3.4. See the Note there.

Verſe 16. Rejoyce evermore] A duty much preſſed in both teſtaments, but little practiſed by many of Gods Whinnels, who are ever puling and putting ſinger in the eye, through one diſcontent or another. The wicked may not rejoyce. Hoſ. 9.1. the Saints muſt, Pſal. 32.11. and 33.1. and that continually, ſtriving to an habituall chearfulneſſe, which is when faith heals the conſcience, and grace huſheth the affections, and compoſeth all within; what ſhould ail ſuch a man, not to be perpetually merry?

Verſe 17. Pray without ceaſing] While praier ſtandeth ſtill, the trade of godlineſſe ſtandeth ſtill. All good comes into the ſoul by this door, all true treaſure by this merchants-ſhip. Paul beginneth, continueth and concludeth his Epiſtle[illegible: 1 letter] with praier. Nehemiah ſends up ejaculations ever and anon. Of Carolus Magnus it was ſpoken, Carolus plus cum Deo quam cum hominibus loquitur, that he ſpake more with God then with men. Our hearts ſhould be evermore in a praying temper: and our ſet times of praier ſhould not be neglected, though we be not alwaies alike prepared or diſpoſed thereunto. Diſuſe breeds lothneſſe to doe it another time.

Verſe 18. In every thing give thanks] If God give proſperity, praiſe him, and it ſhall be encreaſed, faith Augustine. If adverſity, praiſe him, and it ſhall be removed, or at leaſt ſanct[illegible: 1 letter]fied. Iob bleſſed God as well for taking as giving, Iob 1. He knew that God afflicted him, Non ad exitium, ſed ad exercitium, to refine him, not to ruine him. But this is Christianorum propria virtus. ſaith Hierome, a practice proper to Chriſtians, to be heartily thankfull for croſſes. Baſil ſpends all his Sermon upon this Text, in this theme. Every bird can ſing in a Summers-day, and it is eaſie to ſwim in a warm bath: but in deep affliction to cover Gods altar not with our tears, as Mal, 2.13. but with the calves of out lips, Hoſ. 14.2. this none can doe but the truly religious.

Verſe 19. Quench not the spirit] In his motions or graces. See he Canon for the fire on the altar, and obſerve it, Lev. 6.12,13. Confeſſe here as Hezekiah did. 2 Chron. 29.6, 7. And take the Apoſtles counſel, 2 Tim. 1.6. Stir up this fire on the hearth of our hearts: let the Prieſts lips blow it up into a flame, deſpiſe not prophecying, &c. It may be quenched either by the with-drawing of fuell (neglect of ordinances) or by caſting on water (falling into foul courſes.)

Verſe 20. Deſpiſe not] i.e. Highly honour, and preciouſly eſteem, as an honourary given by Chriſt to his church at his wonderfull derfull aſcenſion. Pſ. 51.17. Eph. 4.8, 11.

Prophecying] That is preaching, 1 Cor. 14.3. ſo called, becauſe they took their texts out of ſome of the Prophets.

Verſe 21. [non-Latin text not transcribed] Epicbarm. Prove all things] Tak[illegible: 1 letter] nothing that you hear upon truſt, but bring all to the Teſt, Iſa. 8.20. To the law, i.e. the old Teſtament, and to the testimony, i.e. the new, which is by S. Iohn often called the Teſtimony.

Hold faſt that which is good] Orthodox, currant, agreeable to, and approvable by the Scriptures: eſpecially that which God hath made good and ſweet to your own fouls. Hold faſt that thou haſt, &c. Haſt thou found honey? eat it, Prov. 25.16. Go on to heaven eating of it, as Samſon did of his honey comb.

Verſe 22. Abſtain from all, &c.] Whatſoever is heterodox, unſound and unſavoury, ſhun it as you would do a ſerpent in your way, or poiſon in your meats. Theodoſius tare the Arrians arguments preſented to him in writing, becauſe he found them repugnant to the Scriptures. And Auguſtine retracteth even ironies only, becauſe they had the appearance of lying. God commanded the Jews to abſtain from ſwines fleſh; they would not ſo much as name it,Etias Tibisbit. but in their common talk would call a ſow, dabhar, Achar, another thing.

Verſe 23. That your whole ſpirit, ſoul, body.] The Temple conſiſted of three parts, ſo doth man; the body is as the outer court, the ſoul as the holy place, the Spirit as the moſt holy. So the world is three ſtories high, the earth, the viſible heaven, and the third heaven.

Verſe 24. Faithfull is be, &c.] Praier muſt be founded upon the faithfulnes of God in fulfilling his promiſes. Hereby faith will be ſtrengthened, and affection excited. Praier is a putting the promiſes in ſuit.

Verſe 25. Brethren, pray for us] The beſt may need the praiers of the meaneſt. God will have us beholden herein one to another, 1 Cor. 12.21, 22. How earneſt is that great Apoſtle in begging praiers,Act. and Mon. ſol 1565. Rom 15.30. Pray for me, I ſay, Pray for me, I ſay (quoth father Latimer) for I am ſometimes ſo fearfull that I could creep into a mouſe-hole, ſometimes God doth viſit me again with his comfort, &c.

Verſe 26. With an holy kiſſe] Our very civilities ſhould ſavour of ſactity, and our common converſation reliſh of religion, Zech. 14.20, 21.

Verſe 27. That this Epiſtle be read] It is a mattes of greateſt neceſſity, and importance that the holy Scriptures be daily and duly read by all. A ſad complaint it is, which reverend Moulin makes of his Countrey-men the Prench Proteſtants; Moulins Theophilus, p. 27 8. Whiles they burned us, ſaith he, for reading the Scriptures, we burnt with zeal to be reading of them [illegible: 1 letter] now with our liberty is bred[illegible: 1 letter]lſ[illegible: 1 letter] negligence and diſeste[illegible: 1 letter]m of Gods word. And is it not ſo with us at this day? Our Anceſtours in Hen. 8 cline would ſit-up all night in reading and hearing, and were at great charges. Some gave five marks for a Bible, that we may have for five ſhillings, &c. Act. and Mon. fol. 750.

Verſe 28. Amen] Amen is, 1. Aſſenting. 2. Aſſevering. 3. Aſſuring.