The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Thessalonians — Section 74

little duties of work and everyday life. But the ipostle commands, and that with t~e grea~es~ earnestness. It is just in those Ii ttle dt.ties that our responsibility chiefly hes. It 1s ID the smal! matters of daily life that tl..e battle between good and evil is fought out for each individual soul. "The daily round, the common task," is the field in ~hich we are trained for heaven; or, if not for heaven, it must be for hell. Ordinary hves are commonplace; they do not present opr1ortunities for showy action; there are few emergencies, little excitement in them. The lives of most of us are, by God's appointment, ordinary and commonplace; it is the discipline for eternity which he has provided for us. The quiet, faithful performance of those common duties is the best preparation for the coming of the Lord. He cannot find us better employed than in the work, whatever it may be, which his providence has given us to do. And, in truth, those commonplace lives affor.d ample opportunities for self-denial, if only we will use them; a road fur drawing daily nearer to God, if only we will take the path pointed out by his providence, not some self-chosen way of our own. A commonplace life may be in the eyes of the holy angels full of beauty and heroism. To do each little duty, as it comes, faithfully and thoroughly; to keep the thought of God's presence constantly before us, and to try in all things, great and small alike, to please him ; to persevere all the day, and every day, in the quiet life of duty ;-this involves a sustained effort, a lofty faith, a holy love, which are in the sight of God of great price. The life of duty, however humble and quiet that duty may be, is the life of holiness. Religious fervour, religious excitement, if it ends in excitement and does not issue in obedience, is but a counterfeit in the sight of God ; it will not abide the day of his coming. In the First Epistle St. Paul had bidden the Thessalonians to study to be quiet, to do their own business, to work with their own hands. He speaks more strongly now. Probably the excitement had increased; it had led to the disorder which he condemns. He com- mands them now, and that in virtue of his apostolic authority, in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, whose ambassador he was. Sometimes God's ministers must speak with authority. They must be instant in season, out of season; they must reprove, rebuke, exhort; but such rebukes will avail little, unless they are administered with much long- suffering, with humility and godly fear, and enforced by that authority of character which only holiness of life can give. To possess such authority, a man must have that reality tl:ie absence of which is so soon detected; he must have that ready sympathy which ia such a source of power and success in ministerial work. 2. They must with- draw themselves from every brother that wal,keth duiorderly. St. Paul is not issuing a. sentence of excommunication, as in 1 Cor. v. and 1 Tim. i. 20. The conduct of these Theasalonians was not so utterly wicked as that of the incestuous person at Corinth; their errors were not so dangerous as those of Hymenmus and Alexander. But they were neglecting the duties of their station; they were living in disobedience. It was not right for Christians to recognize such men as brethren; their lives were a scandal; they were bringing discredit upon the Christian name. True Christians must be jealous for their Master's honour; they must sometimes show openly their disapprobation of inconsistency. It is a difficult and painful duty. It is necessary, in performing it, to keep a very careful watch over our own motives; to speak and act in deep humility and real charity; to cast first the beam out of our own eye; to remember the Saviour's rule, "Judge not." But though a difficult duty, it is sometimes a duty. A true Christian must not live on terms of intimacy with men who disgrace their Christian profession. He will not walk in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stand in the way of sinners. All his delight will be in the saints who are on tho earth. Especially he must a.void the companionship of those who make a great show of religion and live ungodly lives. No sin is more dangerous than hypocrisy; none ill more strongly condemned by our Lord. II. BY ms EXAMPLE, 1. He did not behave himself disorderly. He illustrated in his life the power of true religion. He was a man of war~ affections, ?f entl!usiastic character, full of high hopes; but he never allowed any exc1teme!lt of feeling to mterfere with the quiet performance of daily duties, His life and preaching supplemented one another. His preaching disclosed the motives w~ich pr~mpte~ his actions and re_gulated his life; his life was his preaching translated mto act1ou-1t s~ow~ the reality, the livin" force of the truths which he preached. 2. Be workw. with his own hands. He always ass;rted the right of the apostles and their companions to maintenance from the  74' THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE THESSALONIANS. [on. 111. 1-18,