II. The grounds of audience and success are intimated, which are two : — (1.) God's love : ivliich hath loved us. (2.) The pledges of his love ; which are also two : — First, Without us ; Secondly, Within us.
1. He hath given us everlasting consolcUion.
2. Good hope through, grace.
III. The blessings proyed for.
1. Increase of comfort: comfort your hearts.
2. Perseverance or establishment : and. stablish you in every good word and. tcorh ; where, by ' every good word ' is meant the sound doctrine of the gospel ; by ' every good work,' holiness of life.
So that here is a great harvest of matter, but we must gather it in by degrees, for all cannot be spoken of at once.
First, We begin with the persons to whom the prayer is addressed : 'Now our Loril Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father;' that is, I beseech the Lord our Saviom-, and God our Father, to
136 THE FOURTEENTH SERMON. [2 ThES. II. IG, 17.
comfort and stablish you. The observations for tliis branch shall be brief and sliort, because the proper seat of them lieth elsewhere.
I. That exhortations prevail little wit]iout])rayer. He had exhorted them to hold fast the traditions, and ])resenlly addeth, ' Our Lord Jesus Christ and God the Father stablish you in every good word and woik.' It is good to observe how all tlie jmrts of the apostle's discouise cohere and agree together. He first blesseth God for their election, and then showeth how it is accomplished by vocation or etiectual calling. Yet the effectually called need quickening and exhortation, that we may concur to our salvation in that way which is pntper to us. But lest the business should seem wholly to rest upon our will, he carrietli up the matter to God again by prayer. Election doth not exclude God's means, wliich is vocation, nor man's means, which is exhortation ; but that availeth little unless the matter be brought before God again by prayer.
Now this method is necessary : —
1. Because all from first to last come from God ; he is Alpha and Omega, first and last ; all things are from him, through him, and to liim. The business began with God in his election, and is still carried on through God, not only by eftectual calling, but actual assistance, which giveth success and l)lessing; and tlien the glory of all redoundelli to him.
2. Because what cometh from God must be sought of God : Ezek. xxxvi. 37, ' I will yet for this be inquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them ;' compared Avith the 2Gth verse, ' A new lieart will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you.' We must express our desires to God for things agreeable to his will, for God will not force spiritual blessings upon us, nor give them to us, unless we desire them. Some things he gave us unasked, and without our desire, consent, or knowledge, as a Mediator, a new covenant, or offers of grace, yea, the first gift of the S[)irit ; but in other things we are obliged to ask,
3. A great part of man's duty dependeth on prayer seriously per- foi*med. There is nothing so conducible to the maintaining of com- nuHiion between us and God as a daily sense of our emptiness, and God's both fulness and readiness to supply all our wants.
[1.] That it is so, that we are empty, and (iod is all-sufficient, otherwi.><e there would not be a foundation for practical godliness. That we are empty : Jolm xv. o, ' Without me ye can do nothing.' IS't^t only nihil inafjnum, but nihil. So 2 Cor. iii. 5, ' Not that we are suf- ficient of ourselves, to think anything as of our.selves, for our sufficiency is of God ;' that is, we are not able to think anything in order to the conversion of other men or ourselves; we cannot imagine to enter upon this design with any hope of success without God. That there is a fulness in G(->d to supply all our wants : E[)h. iii. 20, ' Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above what we can ask or think ;' that is, above what we can inuigine and ])ray for. \i any man seriously address himself to any serious business, lie is full of imaginations — may it be effected, yea, or no ? Alas ! (tO(1 outworkelli their thoughts and prayers, and doth things which never entered into our hearts to conceive. That there is a readiness in God to sup[)ly
2 ThES. II. IG, 17. J THE FOURTEENTH SERMON. 137
Jill our wants, otherwise onr prayers would be little encouraged, and be (lead in the mouth. Now James i. 5, ' It' any man lack wisdom, let him ask it of God, who giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not.' You need not make scruple, or be ashamed to consult witli God upon every occasion, for he is ready, and liatii not a confined bounty like ours, who waste by giving, and give from ourselves what we im])art to others.
['2.] That without this, communion with God would be interrupted, and all religion would die and languish ; for if we had the stock in our hands, we would forget and forsake our Father. But when still we must be enabled by God to every good work, and we cannot have it unless we acknowledge him, and seek it of him by prayer, this keepeth up a sensible dependence of the creature upon God ; this depenilence begets observance, Phil, ii, 12 ; and they that continually receive their dole and portion from him are obliged to please him in all things.