The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Thessalonians — Section 14

is more precio111 than that of gold which perisbeth. Gold is tried by fire; God's people are tried in the furn11.ce of affliction. Affliction, meekly bome, bath a refining power; it elevates and refines the whole character; "it yieldetb the peaceable fruit of righteous- ness to them that are exercised tbereby.n Faith is strengthened by trials; patience is acquired by the habit of enduring affliction. Without endurance, without suffering, there is no opportunity of developing the grace of patience. II. 'l'BE ULTIMATE ISSUE OF PERSECUTION. 1. To lhe persecuted. Rest--rest with all saints.; with St. Paul who bad been the means of their conversion, who was then writinii; to comfort them. 'l'be weary and heavy laden who come to Christ, as be birls them, find in him rest for their souls even in this present life. There is an inner rest of the spirit, amid outward unrest and trouble, which is the pleclged possession of the soul that bath found Christ and restetb in faith on him. " Thou shalt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee : because be trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength;" or rather, as in the margin, "the Lord Jehovah is the Rock of ages." The only rest for the penitent, for the sorrowful, i11 on the breast of Jesus. We find rest there now; but the truest, deepest rest is yet to come in the kingdom of God. "Requiescat in pace," we say of the departed. They are found worthy of that rest in the kingdom of God who have endured affliction in faith and patience. God is pleased, in his gracious condescension, to call them worthy. "They shall walk with me in white, for they are worthy." That worthiness is of God; it is his gift; he makes them worthy by bis grace. He called them not because they were worthy, says St. Augustine; rather by his choice he makes them worthy. It is not their merit but his election, not their goodness but his grace, that makes them what they are. 'l'hey have not chosen him, but be bath chosen them that they should bring forth much fruit. They are not wise, or strong, or holy; but Christ their Lord is all. He is present with them, abiding in them by his Spirit, purging away their sins, communicating to them more and more of bis own holiness and love. As be is, so are they in this world ; and they know that, when he shall appear, they shall be like him, for they shall see him as he is. For his sake they are counted worthy of the kingdom of God, and in the hope of that kingdom they are willing now to suffer. But these present sufferings are not worthy to be compared with the coming glory. They know it, and they ,uffer patiently, for they recognize that great truth that only by the way of the cross ~an we enter into the kingdom of heaven. 2. To lhe persecut01"1. God will recompense affliction to those who afflict his saints. They who persecute the Lord's disciples persecute the Lord himself. It pertains to his justice that such must receive the due reward of their deeds. It is right; and because it is right, it must be so. Christi:1ns must pray for their persecutors; they must do what lieth in them to soften their hearts, to save their souls, to avert th1:1 coming judgment. But when the judgment comes they can but stand by, and recognize in solemn awe the justice of the most holy God. LESSONS. 1. Chastisements are sent in mercy ; be patient, be thankful. 2. Chastise- ment is only grievous if we do not understand its meaning; accept it as sent from God; take it as a cross; be careful not to lose its blessed fruits. 3. Think of the great joy of those who are counted worthy of the kingdom of God; let that high hope be your comfort in trouble. 4. Envy not the oppressor, and choose none of bis ways.-B. C. C. Vers. 7-10.-The great day. I. THE JUDGMENT OF THE WICKED. 1. The revelation of the Judge. It is the Lord Jesus, who once was despised and rejected of men; he is ordained of God to be the Jndge of quick and dead. He shall come as God once came down on Mount Sinai, in the like awful glory. (1) With the angels. They shall gather the wicked from among the just, and shall cast them iuto the furnace of fire. The angels will be the ministers of bis justice-the blessed angels who are now the messengers of his love and grace. Now they rejoice over each sinner that repenteth; then they will cast the impenitent into the everlasting fire. We think of the angels as gentle, loving, holy, as our friends and guardians; they are so, BO far 88 we are Christ's. They desire to look into the mysteries of redemption ; they announced the Saviour's birth; they ministered to him in bis temptation, his agony; they celebrated  11 THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE THESSALONIANS. [ou. 1. 1-12.