perſons, which relates to the prayer deſired before, with reſpe& to the word, For the Apoftle and his :ellow Labourers met with ſuch men that did oppoſe them, and by that means were hindred in that work of the Miniſtry, and the free courſe of the word obſtrued : What were theſe men ? were they the perſecuting Genres ? They met with ſuch , or the envious, malicious Fews ? They met with ſuchalſo ; and here at Theſſalonica in particular, and which followed Paul to Berea, Af. 17. Or were they falſe Brethren crept into the Church ? as he complains 0! his perils by them, 2 Cor, 11. 26. which ſome think moſt probable, by what he adds, for all mex bave not faith, even of thoſe that make pro- *feſſhon, Why may not we take in all theſe ? but whoever they were, he ftiles them, firſt, unreaſonable men, men out of place, as the word imports ; taken either /zrerally for vagrants, wanderers, not keep- ers at home : Or ſuch as follow the Apoſtle from place to place, to hinder his Miniſtry ; Or Logzcally, for men that argued abſurdly, and kept to no ſound Topics in reaſoning, Either falſe Teachers among the Fews, or the Heathen Philoſophers, ſuch as he met with at Athens, whom he diſputed with, As 27, Or Morally, for men that had corrupt Principles, and Practices,that kept not to the duty of their placeand fta- tion, Deſordonnez, French Tranſlation, and wandred out of the path of Righteouſneſs, We render it unreaſonable Men ; men tranſported with fury and paſhon againſt all reaſon, as we read of the Fews, Afs 17. 5 Or ſuch as acted contrary to reaſon, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks of ſuch Jews in the former Epiſtle,who were contrary to all men, forbidding them 0 preach to the Geniiles, that they might be ſaved, 1 Theſ. 2. 16. Or men of ſenſual lives, living more like brutes than reafonable Creatures. Se- condly, wicked men, ſo that whoeyer they were, whether Fews or Gen- z71es; teachers or the common people, learned or unlearned, they were wicked,and whatever was meant by the former word, yet this is plain; and the word imports either men that are laborious in wickedneſs, or that by their wickedneſs create labour and trouble to others. And ſuch the Apoſtle met with at Theſalonica, Fews who took to them certain lewd fellows of the baſe ſort, and drew Faſon and others before the rulers, aſſaulting his bouje, is 17, 5, And indeed wherever they came, they met with ſuch kind of men : Through the lufts of mens hearts,and the enmity and malice of the Devil,faithful Miniſters will meet with oppo- ſition,and ſuch as will hinder what they can the free courſe of the word: And therefore the Apottle defires prayer to be delivered from them, we puSpey, the word fignifies a ee by ſtrength from ſome impen- ding or incumbent evil, oft uſed, Luke 1, 74. C9l, 1, 13, chap, 1. ult. And he detires deliverance rather for the Goſpels ſake than his own, And though it is honourable to ſuffer for the Goſpel, yet it is deſirable to be kepr out of the hands of ſuch men as theſe, 7x The Apoſtle ſub- joyns the reaſon why men are thus, for all mex have not faith, He needed not ſay this of Infidels, which all men know to be without it, and therefore it's thought the Apoſtle here means Profeſſors. There may be true Faith wanting where Faith is profeſſed. Faith is ſometimes taken for infidelity, a moral vertue, and ſome think is meant here, be- coule it follows in the next verſe by way of Antitheſis, bur God is faith. Ful : But rather, I takeit for a Theological Grace. For that true E- vangelical Faith which purifies the heart, and worketh by love, and brings forth the As of Obedience to all God's Commandments. Had they this faith they would not be unreaſonable and wicked 2 But can we ſuppoſe ſuch to be in the Church ? as well as thoſe 2 7im. 3. 5. whom the Apoſtle deſcribes to have a form of Godlineſs under all that wick- edneſs he there mentions, But let men have Civility, Sobriety, Ex- ternal Devotion and Profeſſion, yet if they Oppole the Goſpel in the power, purity, and progrels of it, they may be ftiled unreajonable and wicked men ; and from ſuch men we may pray, as the Apoſtle deſired nere, Good Lord deliver us, And it is the duty of people with reſpet to their faithful Miniſters, and the work of the Goſpel in their hands, to pray that they may be delivered from ſuch men,
IT. THESSALONIANS.
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hap. 3 But * the Lord is faithful, who fa! eſtabliſh you ;
and * keep you from evil b. Ly
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a Theſe words are added by way of conſolation 3 1. With reſp*A +, * Jun
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