Ver& 8, 8.-SteadfrtRlnes8 in faith and ajftidion. "Tb11t no man lhould be moved 1,y theee affllotione." We are certainly not now exposed to pereecution11, but etill there l\re afflictions peculiar to the Chrietian life. We are forewarned of them, anrl therefore ,re not to regard them RB strange or unexpected calamities. 1. This stead/aRt11U11 ii the worl~ of Garl. God is able to make us stand, and will cause us to be mrire than conquerors. He can even, while we continue in this state of warfare, eatahlieh onr hearts unblBmnble in holiness. 2. Thi8 8teadfa8tness is the work ,if 11Vtn. We must co-opemte with God. We must beware of being either terrified by threats or allured by blandishments. We must exercise prayer, watchfulness, and the active performance of Christian duties. Vere. 6-8.-The dutia of ,mnialer and pwplt. In the reciprocal feelings of the apostle and his Thessalonian converts, we gain instruction regarding the mutual conduct of minister and people. 1. Duties of the minister. The affection and anxiety which be should have for bis people; the earnestness with which he should pray for them; the gratitude with which be should thank God for their spiritual welfare; the joy which he experiences in the stea<lfa.stness of their faith and the warmth of their charity; the care and diligence with which he should supply what is lacking in their faith. 2. Duties of the people. The reciprocal affection which they shonhl have for their minister; the good remembrance which they should entertain of him; the obedience which they should render unto him in spiritual matters; the constant prayers which they should offer up for him. Ver. 9.-Joy in the spirit'U,(1,l welfare of other&. We rejoice in the temporal prosperity of our friends; much more ought we to rejoice in their spiritual prosperity. "Now we live," BRYS the apostle," if ye stand fast in the Lord." And similarly the Apostle John says, "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in the truth." \Ve must imitate the angels in heaven, who rejoice at the repentance of a sinner. We must imbibe the spirit of the Lord Jesus himself, who is represented as rejoicing when 1,e had found the sheep that was lost. We should rejoice (1) because souls i\re rescued from hell and Satan; (2) because Christ is glorified in the BRlvation of men; (3) because new members are born into the family of God; (4) becaUBe boundless happiness is secured. Ver. 10.-Defectivefaith. Our raith may be defective in variollS ways. L Jn its ,,uality. lt may be mingled with unbelief or with doubts; we may only partially believe. If so, let our prayer be," Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief." 2. ln it.s objects.. It may not embrace all the revealed truths of religion; we may be ignorant of some of them, or have adopted erroneous notions concerning others. If so, we must "add to our faith knowledge." 3. ln its efficacy. It may be too much of a dead faith; it may not exercise itself outwardly; it may not sufficiently influence our practice. If so, we must remember that "faith, if it bath not works, is dead.'' 4. In its steadfastnelUI. Our faith may be wavering, unstable, liable to fail; it may be variable; sometimes we may be strong in the faith, and at other times weak. If so, let our prayer be, " Lord, increase our faith.''
Ver. 12.-Prayeraddressed lo Ohrist. We have here an instance of prayer addressed to Christ. The apostle prays that Christ may direct his way to the Thessalonians, and make them abound in love. The martyr Stephen breathed out his spirit in a prayer to Christ. And Christians in general are represented as those who in every place call on the Lord Jesus. "'!'here is no foundation," as Bishop Alexander remarks, " for ~ny such statement as that • truly primitive and apostolic prayer is invariably to God through Christ.'" Christ himself is often in Scripture the direct Object of wor- ship. Now, if Christ be not God, the apostle and early Christians were idolaters. The divinity of Christ is .the only ground on which the worship of Christ can be defended.
Vel'I. 12, 18.-Religious progress. L The nature of nligto11s proyre.<-•. 1' • au. 1ucreue in love to our fellow-Christians and to all men. 2. The ultimate md al-. 58 THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE THESSALONIANS. [ou. UL 1-18.
m;g;ou. progre111. The establishment of our hearts in holineaa. and our being presented blRmeless before the Lord Jesus Christ at his coming.
Ver. 13.-Th~ ultimate end of the <Jhristian dispensation. The establishment of believer;; in holiness before God at the advent of Christ is the ultimate desian of Christianity. Or, as Paul elsewhere expresses the same truth, "Christ loved the Church, and g&'l'e himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the waHhing ofWBter by the word, that he mightpresent it to himself a glorious Church,not having ~pot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish" (Eph. v. 26, 27). And aga.in, "That ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ" (I Cor. i. 8). What a glorious consummation I What a perfection of l1<•liuess ! \\"hen faith and love will both be perfect; when all that is lacking in our faith will be supplied; and all that is defective in our love will be remedied; and when the whole Church will be presented faultless and blameless before God; when sin and moral imperfection will be for ever excluded I