obstruct the Gospel by an envious opposition to those who are more distinguished than himself, he esteems himself " less than the least of all saints," and rejoices in all the good that is done by God's most-favoured servants. Whether, therefore, we view the unbeliever as he is in himself, or as contrasted with a believing soul, the truth of the Apostle's assertion will be placed beyond a doubt.]
Application —
1. " Examine carefully, whether ye be in the faith"
2. Be careful, also, to shew " forth your faith by vour works"
st. Paul's benevolence.
2 Thess. iii. 5. The Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.
IT might well be expected that the fundamental doctrines of our religion should be found, not only in passages where the truths were expressly insisted on, but in others where they were casually introduced. Accordingly we find this to be the case respecting every important doctrine of the Gospel ; but in none more than that which relates to a Trinity of persons in the Godhead. If we wished to convince an un- believer, we should doubtless select such passages as most plainly contain the doctrine in question3: but to confirm the mind of a believer, we should rather refer to places where it was only incidentally men- tioned : because, if once we see that the idea was familiar to the minds of the inspired writers, and to the minds of those to whom they wrote, we have the strongest proof of which any doctrine is capable. Thus, in the passage before us, the Apostle meant only to express a benevolent wish on behalf of the Church at Thessalonica : but he expressed it in such terms as a person habituated to the doctrine of the
a e. g. Matt, xxviii. 19. 2 Cor. xiii. 14.
2218.] st. Paul's benevolence. 405
Trinity would naturally use : he prayed that " the Lord (the Spirit) would direct their hearts into the love of God (the Father), and into the patient wait- ing for Christ"
The point however to which we would direct your attention, is not so much the terms in which the Apostle's wish is conveyed, as the objects and reaso?is of that wish.
I. The objects of that wish —
A very little observation of the world is sufficient to convince us, that "the love of God" is not the predominant passion of mankind ; nor a preparation for Christ's second coming their chief employment.
[Men in general are not so impressed with a view of God's excellency, as to feel any love to him : much less have they obtained such an acquaintance with him, as to enjoy in their souls any sense of his love to them. Nor is there much of " the patience of Christ15" to be found amongst them. To " deny themselves, and take up their cross, and follow him," is a lesson which they have never learned. As for looking for- ward with comfort to the second coming of their Lord, and waiting patiently for it as the completion of their hopes and the consummation of their joys, they know it not. " Their affections are set on things below, rather than on things above ;" and the acquisition of some earthly good is that which alone engages their attention ]
But to possess the state of mind described in the text, is essential to the Christian character —
[How can a man be a Christian, and not love his God ? or how can he belong to Christ, and not resemble him, " who, for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God?" ]
Yet of ourselves we never shall, or can, attain to it—
[The heart is altogether averse to spiritual exercises ; and turns away in disgust from the contemplation of those things which make for our everlasting peace. If we try to fix our minds on the love of God to man, or on the nature and extent of that obedience which we owe to him, or on the solemn account which we must give of ourselves before him, we cannot