& They having thus proceeded againſt the diſorderly and diſobedient, the Apoſtle directs them about their after carriage,which either reſpetts their inward opinion of the mind, or outward a&tion. They ſhould not count him an enemy,putting a great difference betwixt an offending Bro: ther, and a profeſſed Enemy. They ought not to hate him as an Enemy, nor look upon himas upon ſuch who out ofenmity to theGolpel perſecute Chriſtianity,nor to have an unreconcileable mind towards him, þ And as to outward aftion, ſhould admoniſh as a Brother. It is either private or publick, Minifterial or Fraternal, gentle or ſevere, joyn'd with come mination. The Greeks expreſs it in the degrees of it by three words, vsYtoie. 6Hrmpia, 6rmantis, The word in the Text ſignifies a putting in mind, T hey were to put the offender in mind of his fin, and in mind of his duty. Though they were to have no cornpany with him, in a way of familiarity,yet to be in his company,ſo as to admoniſh him ; and the admonition here meant is either publick, in the Church, or private,or firſt private then publick, as our Saviour gives the rule, Mar.18.17. 59 that hisRepentance js to be endeavoured,not only by abſtaining 115 com pany, but by admonition, And it is to be performed to him «5 4 670- ther, which either reſpetts the ſtate of the perſon admoniſht z Ne.15 0! an Enemy,or Pagan, or one out of the viſible Church, but a Brother ; whereby ſome conceive that the Apoſtle had not before ſpoken of 115 Excommunication, Or it reſpe&ts the way of admonition ; it is to be performed with love,tenderneſs and compaſhon,as to a Brother, not to upbraid him, but to gain him, as Mat. x8. 15. If he bear thee rhou bat gained thy brother, And for that end great prudence is to be uſed. 11® temper of the offenders,their quality of the fin,their outward condition in the world, their age,yea,the circumſtances of time and place are 9 be conſidered, |
Chap, II
Col.1.,27
*Affts 16, 1,1 Theſ, % 2
x Gal.z +2. I Per,1.2,
16 Now * the Lord of peace himſelf give you peace *v
; || always by all means k. The Lord be with you all. 4
. iT)
i The Apoftle is now taking his leave,and cloſing his Epiſtle; and th1s ,,j,, he doth with prayer, and what he prays for is prace, and though tie o,, word peace hath various acceptations, and is of comprehenſive ſign! "we cation, yet here it is to be underſtood of brotherly peace and unity : Whether it was occafion'd by any diſſentions that were attually amons them, or his fears of ſuch to ariſe upon the practice of their duties, *9 the diſorderly among them that he thus prays, is uncertain 3 and it 15 that which he much preſſeth and prays for in his ſeveral Epiſtles 10 the Churches, as being that wherein the honour 'of the Goſpel, and their own comfort and edification, were ſo much concerned : And the perſon he prays to, he tiles the Zord of Peace, whereby I ſuppoiC he means Jeſus Chriſt, who is ſometimes called the £rince of Peace, i Le 9.6.As God's called the God of Peace,x Theſ.5.23.1t is he that hath — peace betwixt God and us,betwixt Jew and Gentile,and It 15 one ”_ wh fruits of his Spirit in the hearts of Chriſtians, Gal.5.22, True CArvn2n peace is the gift of Chriſt, and therefore the Apoftie prays the emepeb : give it, and faith, the Lord kimſelf, as intimating none bub he can Sie itand that it is a ſingular bleſſing to enjoy it,9s we mull {0 juter Pn raſh
ins 1 Or, fiz- 14 And if any man obey not our word || by this epi- nifie war ſtlec, notethat man d, * and have no company with him
man by an e_ that he may be aſhamed f. Epiſtle, c Here we have further Commandments given concerning the diſor- * 1 C0745. derly. In caſe of obſtinacy to proceed further againſt them. The A- 9, L1. VET. poſtle had given Commandments about their walking in his firſt preach- , ing to them, -after that he repeats them in his firſt Epiftle, and again in this ſecond, And now if any man obey not our word by this Epiſtle, faith he,»ore that man,and he would have none excepted;either throhgh fear or favour, and nothing done by partiality, 1 Tim. 5. 21. d What Is meant by zozeing is diſputed among expoſitors, more ſeems to be meant than marking them, Kom. 16.17. Some take it for what we call Ex- communication, ſo Aug. lib, 3. Cont. Epift. Parmen. op. 4, Theophyl, in locum, either the caſting him out of the Church, which is the greater, or ſuſpenſion from the Lords Supper, which is the leſſer, As there were degrees of Church cenſure among the Fews, ſo as alſo we read praQtiſed In the Goſpel Church, as is evident in the Councils, Others think it is no more than a withdrawing from him, as was mentioned before, verſe 6, but then the Apoſtle ſaith the ſame thing over again, which |
vp. 11”
*Gal.z,
Pp. on
Phraſe when at any other time we find it, a; 1 Theſſ. 5. 23. k He ſhews hoth the defirableneſs and dithculty of Peace. - It is worth the uſing all endeavours for it, and without luch we ſhall hardly attain it, as Rom. 12. 13, If it be paſſevle, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men, Quite contrary to the temper and practice of ſome Men, who will live \-aceably with no man 3 and elſewhere we read of following Peace, {Jeb 12. 14. and ſeeking Peace and enſuing it, 1 Pet, 3. 1. and endea- wnuring #9 keep the unity of rhe Spirit in the bond of Peace, Eph. 4.3. And the Apoſtle prays for it in the Text with much earneftnels, and that they might enjay it without interruption, always, 'T hat there might be no Schiſm riſe up among them at any time, and if we read the next words in every thing, he prays that their peace might be univerſal with refed to Opinions, Words and Attions, and as a final farewel addeth,
ViTHESSALONIANS.