II. In what light the Apostle viewed it —
He knew not to give flattering words to any man : yet he could not but declare that he regarded their state as a fit subject,
1. Of thanksgiving to God —
[God was the author of the grace they first received : and he was the giver also of all the improvement they had made of it. " Of him, and him alone, was all their fruit found." To him therefore the Apostle gave the glory, " as it was fit" he should, and as he found himself " bound" to do. The creation of the material world was his : nor was the new creation of their souls at all less the work of his hands. True, he made use of the will of men: but he first of all implanted that will in them, and then made use of it for the accomplishment of his own most gracious purposes. From first to last " he gave them both to will and to do of his good pleasure," being alike " the author and the finisher" of all.
Thus then should we also do for all that is good, whether in
b 1 Thess. i. 6. c 1 Thess. ii. 14, 15.
ourselves, or others. We should acknowledge him in it, and glorify him for it, and confess, in relation to it all, that " by the grace of God we are what we are."]
2. Of commendation in the Church —
[" He gloried of them" in the different Churches where he ministered : for he not only found pleasure in speaking well of them, but he thought it of great utility to the Church of God to hear of the proficiency which others had made ; inas- much as it would stimulate them also to greater exertions, and encourage them to expect greater measures of divine grace, in order to their own more exalted proficiency. This was the case with respect to the Corinthian Church. St. Paul boasted of them to the Churches in Macedonia, that Achaia had shewn extraordinary readiness in providing for the poor saints in Judea ; and, in speaking of this to the Corinthians, he says, "Your zeal hath provoked very manyd." And so should it be with us. When we look at Prophets and Apostles, we are apt to think that it would be presumptuous to hope for such grace as they possessed : but when we see common individuals, or whole churches, far exalted above us in every thing that is good, we should be ashamed, and never cease to emulate and rival their attainments.]
3. Of congratulation to themselves —
[These graces, exercised under such peculiar circum- stances, were sufficient to demonstrate, that there must be a future state of retribution, where the present inequalities of the Divine procedure should be rectified : they were an evidence too that in that day " they should be counted worthy of that kingdom for which they suffered such things." It could not fail, but that in that day a suitable recompence should be given both to themselves and their oppressors : to those " who caused their tribulation, trouble," proportioned to the trouble they had occasioned : but " to those who had endured the trouble, rest," even everlasting rest in the bosom of their God, " with all the Prophets and Apostles" who had endured the same things before them.
Now to know this, must be an exceeding great consolation to them under their multiplied afflictions : and therefore he could not but declare to them, that, if they had, on the one hand, so much reason to complain, they had, on the other hand, abundantly more reason to rejoice; since they had, even in these very afflictions, an evidence of their meetness for glory, and a pledge that in due season it should be conferred upon them.]
To us also will this account of them be profitable, if we duly consider,
d 2 Cor. ix. 2.