:0 wait without anger when men delay us, and to ſuffer without un- vac anger when they deal injurioufly with us, whether they -be goed mon or evil, believers or intidels, the ftrong or the weak, Minifters or 2copl?. | . 15; * See that -none - render ev1l, for evil unto any '24-man Þþ - but ever * follow that which is good z, both a- *mong your ſelves, and to all men &, hþ Theſe wordsſeem directed to the Guides of the Church, who are = alled Overlieers, Ads 20. 28. and therefore the Apoſtle requires them 4 to ſze that none render evil, Ge, Or if to the whole Church as before, then it is a ſolemn charge which they ought to be all circumſpect in And the charge is, firſt, negative, not to render evil tur to revenge themlelves ; and that is forbidden by the A-
TITRE 1\ . ſj
f o
wfS: , [1 » a> ,
OCT) N=.
* 11ch
. IQ
vil 1 3D : poſtle, Aom. 12.17, 19. 1 Pet. 3.9. Ant is the reſiſting of Evil, for- bidden by our Saviour, Mar. 5, 39. But is to be underftood of private
revenge rifing out of malice, not of publick cenſures, either Civil or Eccletiaftical ; Or of {ecking reparations for injuries received in Courts of Juſtice according to Law an! Equity, 1 his private revenge can- not contliſt with that patience that he required towards all men in the foregoing verle, nor is it conformable to the Example of Chrif, 1Per, 2, 25, nor to the Chriſtian calling and Profeſſion, 1 Pet. 2, 21. 2. Po- ſive, good in it {e1t, or that which is good to others, as the word 1s often taken, Mat. 7. 11, Lale 1.3, Gal. 6. 5, and fo ftands oppotite here to the rendring of Evil. And the word foll-w, ſignifies an earneſt following, which is ſometimes taken in a bad ſenſe, for perſecution, Mar, 5. 11, and ſometimes in a good Senſe, as 1 Heb, 12. 14. Pet. 3. 11. and to follow good imports more than only to do good, 1 Per. 3,11, whicn the inward bent of the Soul, and the ontward Endeavours are to- wards doing good, And this ought to be ever, or always, that 15 in all places, times, occafions,company, Mans courſe of Life ought in this to be uniform, though his outward condition vary. Sometimes to do £00d to tt.c Souls, fometimes to the Bodies of men, and that either in a privative or potitive Good ; preventing Evil,or beftowing that which is ood, & Do g99d 19 all, and eſpecially to the Houſhold of Faith, Gal, 6. 10, As they ſay of good, the commoner the better, but the contrary of evil, Chriftians ſtand in a ſyecial relation to one another, but in a com- mon Relation to all,and every Relation ought to be filled up with good. As Love is a common debt to all men, fo the Fruit of it which is doing good, Our doing, good ſhould not be confined among, Chriſtians only
of one Way, Opinion,Lor Congregation, nor to men only under !0me
limitins circumftances, but it ſhould reach all men as we have ability,
opportunity, and call z even Enemies themſelves, as our Saviour Fe-
quires, Mar. 5.44. This is to act like God, and may commend Relt-
£10110 all men, and is not to be lookt upon as commended by way of
cul, as the Fapiſts ſay, but commanded by Precept, And it is not
enough not todo Evil, but we muſt do good ; not to ſave a Mans lite
when we have power to do it, is to kill him, as Chrift Argues, Mark. *. 4, lonot to ſave a man's eltate, when we may, is to ſteal from him.
is Rejoyce evermore /. . { Here the Apoffle ackls more Chriſtian duties, briefly expreft, and ict clv!e One to another, ani they ſeem to have a mutual connexion,but nt fo relative to others as thoſe before mentioned, but perſonal to tremiclves, He begins with the duty of Rejoycing, ; joy is an affe&tion 011 Soul tpringing from the hope or poſlethon of ſome fuitable good,
Ant it is either natural, which is common to blen with Beaſts, arifing Irom that good that is ſuitable to their ſeveral Natures. Or {piritual, WIC) i5 Joy Wrought by the Spirit, end exercited upon ſpiritual Ob- Fas, An this the Apoſtle here means, and js called rejoycing in the
Or, 071], 4.4. and the joy of the Hoiy Ghoſt, kom. 14. 17. arifing
"er from what ipirituai good wealready potſeſs, or hope to poflels,
10414 © promijja, Berner, which is thereupon called a reJoyctng in x ; boy, » 46m 5, 2, and 12.12, Ihe Apolile ipeaks here of the duty inde-
| Tnite | p F 4 4* + + > y* 4.2 # ib; E " % gall, Cty on!y Fey uircy !t 10 D& Cverimot TC, 10 4 El, 4, 4» I hovgh Go
IL THESSALONTANS.
$3? T7? its vS
IOMCttmes calls to mourning, vet it's no where ſaid rn eVermore,
hecaule re jovcing ought to be in a more conſtant practice, and all ip! -
ritual mourning tenas to it, and will cal in it ; and he commend;
as ſeatonable to thele Theſſalynians to ſupport them under thei Pretcnt
ſufterings. The grounds of a Chriſtians Joy always abide, and he is
not only to retain it in the habit, but co mix it with all his (Orrows,an.l
fufferings, as 1 Pet, 1, 6, Te preazly rejoy:r, thigh for 2 ſeaſon in bo
vines, Whereas carnal mirth is mixt with fadnets, Prov. 14. 12. So
that a Chriitian ought to rejyce in every condition, not only in pro"
perity, but advertity, and elpecially when called to ſuffer for righte- |
ouineſs ſake, as Mar. 5.12, 1 Pct 4, 13. it is not only allowed but .
commanded, his joy is one great part of God's Kingdom even in |
this Worid, Rom. 14. 17. much morc iq the Work! to come. Anal
therefore the Apoſtle ſpeaks of rejoycing, evermorc, whereas mourn
ing is but for a time, and ends to the Saints in this Lite, 17 Pray 2 without cealing 7.
m This is a means to maintain our r2joycing, and therefore n<:!
mentioned, Prayer is a making known our requeſts to God, Phil, 4. ;
5, And it is cither mental in the heart only, as Hannbs was z or vG-
-4/, expreſt with the Voice: or as ſome add, vi:al; { good works
have a voice to bring down bleſſings, as mens fins cry for vengeance,
2» Not as the Euchires and Meſſalians, of old, who hence thouzht no 0+
ther duties were required, but always Praying ; but by the word in the
Text, is either meant a praying without fainting, as in the Paraile,
Litz 18, 1, and which the Apoſtle calls a, perteverance in Prayer,
Epi, 6.15, Col. 4.2. megozae]:rart, Or Praying with ftrength,
the greek word there imports, and fo not to faint, ſo Km, 12. i2, 2:
a praying inevery thing,as Pk), 4. 6, In every thing let 91:0 requie!t
madz known, &c. Or, inevery ſeaſon, as Eph. 6. 18. to take {ol vi 0
ſeaſons of Prayer. Or,in all ſeaſons and times, whether fo0.l or ha!
yet ftill to Pray. Andall this is meant by the word in the 4 cx which