1 Thessalonians 1

Christ is called the Horn of Salvation (Luke 1:69). He saves from sin (Matthew 1:21), from wrath (1 Thessalonians 1:10). To save is a flower that belongs only to his crown (Acts 4:12).

9. We glorify God by walking cheerfully: it is a glory to God when the world sees a Christian has that within him that can make him cheerful in the worst times: he can with the nightingale sing with a thorn at his breast. The people of God have ground of cheerfulness, they are j…

And where should we flee, but to Jesus Christ? There is none else to shield off the wrath of God from us (1 Thessalonians 1:10): Jesus has delivered us from wrath to come. 3. Subject to all outward miseries: All the troubles incident to man's life are the bitter fruits of origin…

Strong consolation. They are strong indeed, that can bear up a Christian's heart in trials and afflictions (1 Thessalonians 1:6). Having received the word in much affliction — [illegible Greek text] — with joy.

We must love God quoad posse, as much as we are able: Christians should be like Seraphim burning in holy love: We can never love God so much as he deserves: The angels in heaven cannot love God so much as he deserves. 4. Love to God must be active in its sphere: love is an indus…

Now then, if hell be such a house of bondage, what infinite cause have they to bless God, who are delivered from it? (1 Thessalonians 1:10) Jesus delivered us from the wrath to come. Jesus Christ suffered the torments of hell in his soul, that believers should not suffer them.

God will never want ways of saving his people: Rather than fail the very enemies shall do his work (2 Chronicles 20:23). He set Ammon and Mount-Seir one against another: And as God will deliver his people from temporal danger, so from spiritual, from sin, and from hell, Jesus ha…

He did feel God's wrath, that they who believe in him should never feel it. (1 Thessalonians 1:10). Jesus has delivered us from wrath to come. Nebuchadnezzar's fiery furnace was a type of God's wrath, and that furnace did not singe the garments of the three children, nor was the…

Count it all joy when you fall into diverse temptations; that is, afflictions. Count it joy, be as birds that sing in winter: (1 Thessalonians 1:6). You received the word in affliction with joy.

We can never love God as he deserves: As God's punishing us is less than we deserve, Ezra 9.13. so our loving him is less than he deserves. 4. Love to God must be active; it is like fire, which is the most active element; it is called, The Labour of Love, 1 Thessalonians 1.3. Lo…

Oecolampadius on his sick-bed, when they asked him, if he wanted any light, putting his hand to his heart, said, Hic sat lucis, Here I have light enough. The saints' joy being inward sweetens affliction, it turns their water into wine (1 Thessalonians 1:6): Having received the w…

And 3. The end of your faith, that is, as being that for which the great God (who keeps us by his power through faith to salvation, verse 5) has wrought this faith in you. Accordingly we find it termed the work of faith (1 Thessalonians 1:3). Which when God has fully wrought, an…

5. The earth is but the believer's sentinel, or at best, his watch-tower; but our hope is in heaven. (1 Thessalonians 1:10) We wait for the Son of God from heaven. Our life and treasure is there.

How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? (Romans 10:14). It is true, the word, the works of God, are not the principal object of faith, nor objectum quod; faith rests only on God, and the Lord Jesus (John 14:1; 1 Thessalonians 1:8). Your faith toward God (1 Pet…

So run, that you may obtain (Revelation 2:2). I know your works and your labor (1 Thessalonians 1:3). Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labor of love, and patience of hope: 1. We are not dead in supernatural works, and mere blocks (Romans 6:11).

And such as do believe, may be carried on in believing; such as are faithful, had need be yet more faithful; you read also (Philippians 1:25), I shall abide with you, for your furtherance and joy of faith, such a furtherance as is for the increasing and augmentation of your fait…

Most men's faith is so weak and slight, because it is taken hand over head, there is no deepness of earth (Mark 13:6) You have some light sense of religion, but slight impressions are soon defaced, and truths easily taken up are as soon quitted, the more we search into the groun…

has the same meaning as with us. Apud nos. He appears to make faith rest on a weak foundation, its relation to men, while it ought to rest on the Word of God only; and certainly the full assurance (πληροφορία) of faith is ascribed to the sealing of the Spirit, (1 Thessalonians 1…

The Spirit of Christ, which is the immediate Spring of Grace in the Heart, is all Life, all Power, all Act; 2 Corinthians 2:4.—In Demonstration of the Spirit, and of Power. 1 Thessalonians 1:5. Our Gospel came not unto you in Word only, but also in Power, and in the holy Ghost.…

(5.) The Lord Christ being proposed to Sinners in the Gospel, and their acceptance or receiving of him being urged on them, it is withal declared for what end he is so proposed. And this is in general to save them from their Sins, Mat. 1. 21. or the Wrath to come whereof they ar…

He that believes on me as the Scripture has said, out of his belly shall slow rivers of living water; But this he spoke of the Spirit which they that believe on him should receive. And it is with respect principally to this Work of Sanctification that he is compared to flowing a…

(2.) This is a spiritual mercy, excelling in dignity of nature all others, more than gold excels the dirt under your feet, Revelation 3:18 One such gift, is worth thousands of other mercies. (3.) This is a mercy immediately slowing out of the fountain of Gods electing love, a me…

And therefore if the consideration of a temporal deliverance were so powerful a motive to engage the Israelites to obedience; how much more effectually should we be obliged to it, whose deliverance is far greater than theirs was; for God has delivered us from the power of darkne…

Frosts and snows conduce very much to the well rooting of the seed, and makes it spread and take root much the better. So do sanctified afflictions, which usually the people of God meet with after their calling, and often in their very seed-time (1 Thessalonians 1:6). And you be…

There never yet was a Time of remarkable pouring out of the Spirit, and great Revival of Religion, but that Example had a main Hand; so it was in the Time of the Reformation, and so it evidently was in that great Out-pouring of the Spirit that was in the Apostles Days, in Jerusa…

1. In general it is a deliverance: Hence Christ is called the deliverer (Romans 11:26), giving himself to deliver us (Galatians 1:4). He is Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come (1 Thessalonians 1:10). 2. It is the delivery of one from bondage or captivity; we are without…

The kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost (Romans 14:17). (1 Thessalonians 1:6) Received the gospel with joy in the Holy Ghost. With joy, as Peter tells believers, unspeakable and full of glory (1 Peter 1:8).

He tells us, verse 5: it is from the shedding abroad of the love of God in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. And therefore believers are said to receive the word in much affliction with joy of the Holy Spirit, 1 Thessalonians 1:6, and to take joyfully the spoiling of their goods. T…

1 Corinthians 2:5. That is, effectually working, in and by the Word; it works, [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉]; in the demonstration of the spirit and of power. [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉]: its spiritual Power gives a demonstration of it. Thus it comes not as a naked Word, 1 Thessal…

as well as delivers from the Wrath to come. 1 Thessalonians 1 last verse. These several Blessings included in Salvation, though they are all bestowed freely by Grace, yet have a Connection one with another, and Dependence on each other; therefore some of them are represented as…

He saves or delivers us from Sin, and from all the painful or criminal Effects and Consequences thereof: He delivers us from the Wrath to come, 1 Thessalonians 1 last verse he saves us by withholding the divine Anger from us, and taking away every thing that provoked it, or migh…

For our Love to the Law of God and a hearty Inclination to keep it, is a great Part of the very Salvation which the Gospel provides for sinful Men. Jesus Christ the Son of God is become our Saviour, not only to save us from God's Wrath, 1 Thessalonians 1:10. but also to save us…

But now the saints, who are absolved, and washed in the blood of Christ, it does them good to the heart to think of it, that one day Christ will appear in all his glory. And then they wait for it; (1 Thessalonians 1:10) They wait for his Son from Heaven, even Jesus, who has deli…

He must needs be wise who is acquainted with the Arcana coeli, the secrets of Heaven. A fearer of God is acquainted with the secret of Election, 1 Thess. 1:4. of Gods love, Revelation 1:5. of the holy unction, 1 John 2:20. He knows Gods mind, 1 Corinthians 2:16.

The Spirit, Water, and Blood, in the heart of a believer; these give testimony to the Gospel. The Spirit bears witness to the Gospel when it illuminates the heart, enabling us to discern the doctrine to be of God, to discern those signatures and characters of majesty, goodness,…

It establishes the heart, notwithstanding all the floods and storms of temptations that light upon it. 1 Thessalonians 1:6. it is said of them, that they received the word with much affliction and joy in the Holy Spirit. Secondly, how do we find it in the word?

Now when we can wait for future things, the soul is stayed and kept from apostasy. We read of the patience of hope (1 Thessalonians 1:3). And the Apostle says (Romans 8:15), If we [reconstructed: also] hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it — he who belie…

The disciples esteem the grace of the gospel such a great treasure that though they suffer persecution for it they are filled with joy (Acts 8:8): "And there was great joy in that city." (1 Thessalonians 1:6): "Having received the Word with much affliction and joy in the Holy Gh…

Such vessels into which God will pour in of his vengeance, and fill brim full with his wrath and fury for ever. The Apostle speaking of wicked men, tells us, They shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power (1 The…

A prodigal comes to nothing, and so does the sluggard. Love is a laborious thing, we read of the labor of love (1 Thessalonians 1:3), and love never grieves to be obedient (1 John 5). Now idleness argues a defect and want of love; for when the Angel of Ephesus left his first lov…

A gracious heart will part with all for Christ, and you will part with Christ and his mercy rather than part with a little profit or pleasure, or rather, with a beggarly lust that your heart takes delight in. The Apostle calls it the labor of love (1 Thessalonians 1:3). Love is…

Second, divine comfort supports under affliction. 1 Thessalonians 1:6: Having received the word in much affliction, with joy. The wine of the Spirit can sweeten the waters of Marah.

Christ shed his blood to wash off our filth; the cross was both an altar and a fountain. Jesus Christ died not only to save us from wrath (1 Thessalonians 1:10) but to save us from sin (Matthew 1:21). Out of his side came water, which signifies our cleansing, as well as blood, w…

What an honor was it to godliness when the apostle could say the faith of the Romans was trumpeted abroad in every place (Romans 1:8): I thank my God that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world — that is, faith flourishing into obedience. 1 Thessalonians 1:2-3: we gi…

When you love your friend, you are with him as much as you can, you love to speake with him, and to speake of him: So it is with the Lord, if you love him, certainly you will love his company, you will love his presence. Besides, if you love the Lord, you know love is a diligent…

But to goe on. The next is that property you shall finde in the 1 Thess 1:3. Diligent love: that is the last which I will name to you, I say, it must be a diligent love wherewith you love the Lord, and not an idle and negligent love, not a love that is in show onely, but a love…

Why, what is to come? The Apostle answers (1 Thessalonians 1:10): wrath to come. And here I shall briefly show you the wicked man's Charter: which consists in five things.

As (2.) by faith as from a saving principle, Abraham sojourned in the Land, by faith Noah built an Ark, Jacob blessed the sons of Joseph, Moses would not be called the Son of Pharaoh's daughter, yet to build an Ark is not to believe in God; we pray in faith, hear in faith, yet t…

So Peter in 1 Peter 1:2 calls all the strangers to whom he wrote, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 'elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father' — and yet that we have any warrant to conclude with certainty that all were such, none…

Christ then by his death merited and purchased for all those for whom he died all those things which scripture assigns as the fruits and effects of his death. These may be referred to two heads: first, privative — deliverance from the hands of our enemies (Luke 1:74), from the w…