1 Thessalonians 5

Resp. This peace has the whole Trinity for its author. 1. God the Father is the God of peace (1 Thessalonians 5:23). 2. God the Son is the Prince of peace (Isaiah 9:6).

This is the partaking of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4). God's Spirit is a Spirit of consecration; though it sanctifies us but in part, yet in every part (1 Thessalonians 5:23). This is such a mercy that God cannot give in anger; if we are sanctified, then we are elected (2 The…

God's Spirit is a spirit of bondage before it be a spirit of adoption. This blessed work of regeneration spreads over the whole soul; it irradiates the mind, it consecrates the heart, and reforms the life: though regeneration be but in part, it is in every part (1 Thessalonians…

The dew wets the leaf, the sap is hid in the root; the religion of some consists only in externals, but Sanctification is deeply rooted in the soul (Psalm 51:6): In the hidden part you will make me to know wisdom. 3. Sanctification is an extensive thing; it spreads into the whol…

These spiritual fathers are to be honored for their work's sake, and this honor is to be shown three ways. 1. By giving them respect (1 Thessalonians 5:12): Know them which labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake.…

Quest. How shall we know our souls are pure? Resp. 1. If our souls are pure, then we fly from the appearance of evil (1 Thessalonians 5:22). We will not do that which looks like sin.

Let us cry to God for help against the Tempter, as Samson cried to Heaven for help (Judges 16:28), O Lord God, remember me, and strengthen me I pray you, that I may be avenged of the Philistines: and, verse 30, The house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people. Prayer is st…

Do you need peace of conscience being filled with terrors? He is 'the God of peace' (1 Thessalonians 5:23). 'Yes, but I have a heart empty of grace and holiness and full of corruptions.'

No better helps of our faith can there be, than often and seriously to consider of the mercy and power of him that made them: if he be willing, and able, what can let the performance of them? Let us therefore often say with holy Paul, Faithful is he who has promised, who will al…

How incomparably useful are the Graces! Faith and Fear go hand in hand; Faith keeps the heart cheerful, Fear keeps the heart serious; Faith keeps the heart from sinking in despair, Fear keeps it from floating in presumption; all the Graces display themselves in their beauty: Hop…

And the reason why the Lord would have him stand on these two parts is this: Some creatures made before him were only bodily; as beasts, fishes, fowls: some spiritual, as Angels: now man is both; spiritual in regard of his soul, corporeal and sensible in regard of his body; that…

Question 4: What is the time appointed for prayer? Answer: Pray continually (1 Thessalonians 5:17), that is, upon all occasions: or when a man begins any business, whether it be in word or deed (Colossians 3:17): or as Daniel, who prayed three times every day (Daniel 6:11): or a…

The faculties are not new, but the qualities; as the strings of a viol are the same, but the tune is altered. Righteousness is extensive in the subject, it has a spreading virtue (1 Thessalonians 5:23). The God of peace sanctify you wholly.

We use to say (when we speak of our conversion) since my soul was wrought on. And though the body is said to be sanctified (1 Thessalonians 5:23), yet the immediate subject is the soul; and that primitively, originally: the body by derivation from the soul. And hence it is, the…

And Peter had in his eye Christ's example, and pointed them thereunto, who at his death committed his separate soul or spirit into the hands of God (Luke 23:46) and the word commit is one and the same in both these places: only there is this difference, that whereas Christ says,…

1. You would not take up our meaning in it so, as if we made every common work that lively means may have on the hearers of the Gospel, to be conversion; the preaching of the Word will sometimes make folks tremble, as we see in Felix, and will waken convictions and terrors in th…

But as peace is opposed to pain, and sense of wrath and punishment, for the guilt of our sins, so he wanted physical peace, and was now under penal disturbance and disquietness of soul. So we see some have peace, but not pardon; as the secure sinners (1 Thessalonians 5:3). Secon…

So as Christ died not, but on a poor hopeless venture, and a forlorn contingency, that might as soon fill Hell, with the damned souls of all the world, as grace Paradise with redeemed ones. 6. His coming in the world has no such Arminian end, that we read of, as a possible savin…

When the Prophet had lain upon the child, and had done so seven times, at length the breath of the child began to wax warm, a sign that life was a restoring, and thereby the Prophet discerned that life began to return into the body of the child, because warmth returned; and so i…

Just as Paul complains of the Jews (Acts 13:46), since you have put it away from you, lo, we turn to the Gentiles, we purge and cast out the motions of God's spirit, and cannot endure that any Ordinance should bring us nearer to Christ. (Acts 7:51) You have always resisted the H…

2. Civil worship is when we give men and angels due reverence, and 1. With respect to their stations and relations, whatever their qualifications be, as to magistrates, ministers, parents, great men; we are to reverence and honor them according to their degree and quality; accor…

3. What are the graces, that enable us in this resistance? I answer, the three fundamental graces, faith, hope, and love, so the spiritual armor is represented (1 Thessalonians 5:8): But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a…

When the Israelites had sinned, Moses stands in the breach, as it were in the face of the cannon, between the wrath of God and them, by his prayer to stay the judgment of God (Psalm 106:23). Again, the people must show their love to their teachers; first, by praying for them, as…

For it contains in it the seed of all virtues, and all necessary graces of God: because it comes in the place of original sin, which contains in it, the seeds of all vices or sins. The second is the largeness of it, for this spirit is in all the powers of them that are regenerat…

Further, in that spiritual men must restore their brethren, we learn that we have not the gifts of God bestowed upon us, for ourselves alone, but for the good of others: the possession of them belongs to us, the use of them to others. Lastly, in that spiritual men, especially th…

Moreover, to the end the faithful might not be discouraged, he descends from threatenings to mercy; assuring them that after they shall have showed their obedience of faith in bearing the cross, which for a time was to be imposed upon them, they should behold a sudden change to…

He therefore denounces against them, that which the Scriptures affirm to hang over the heads of all contemners of God. When they shall say, Peace and safety, then shall sudden destruction come upon them: (1 Thessalonians 5:3). So as they shall not know in the morning, what shall…

Thus also Paul connects prophecy with the Spirit. "Quench not the Spirit: despise not prophesyings," (1 Thessalonians 5:19, 20.) which teaches us that to despise instruction is to "quench" the light of "the Spirit."

To excite them to greater alacrity, he mentions that earthly masters are so delighted with such promptitude on the part of their servants, that they even serve them; not that all masters are accustomed to act in this manner, but because it does sometimes happen that a master, wh…

A man when he dies, lies buried in the earth, and his body is consumed into dust, neither does he know anything: but when he shall arise again in the last day, he shall think he has slept as it were scarcely an hour — then shall he see and behold a great multitude that lived aft…

And this is spoken of as the Helmet of the Christian Soldier. 1 Thessalonians 5. 8. And for an Helmet, the Hope of Salvation; and the sure and steadfast Anchor of the Soul, which preserves it from being cast away by the Storms of the evil World, Hebrews 6. 19.

He will cut off the Spirit of Princes; that is, their Pride, Insolency, and Contempt of others. [[original in non-Latin script]] in the New Testament frequently intends the Intellectual Part of the Mind or Soul, and that as it is Active, or in Action, Luke 1 47. Rom. 1. 9. 1 The…

For as to that kind of Life which is properly called a moral course of Life, in opposition to open Debaucheries and Unrighteousness, which does not proceed from an internal Principle of Saving Grace; It is so far from being Regeneration or Grace, as that it is a thing of no acce…

Therefore does it follow from there unavoidably that the whole Person is the Subject of this Work, and that Holiness has its residence in the whole Soul entirely. (4) We need goe no further for the proof hereof than to that Prayer of the Apostle for the Thessalonians which we in…

There are two sorts of Comforts, Natural and Sensitive, Divine and Spiritual. There is a time when it becomes Christians to exercise both; so Hest. 9:22 And there is a time when the former is to be suspended and laid by, Psalm 137:2 But there is no season, wherein spiritual joy…

It is true, that here is a just distinction to be made, between the government of souls, in several congregations, and the government of the Church, consisting of many congregations; that task is yours, this is the Bishops', wherein their rule yet, is not lordly, but brotherly,…

It is contrary to the signification of the word ([in non-Latin alphabet]), for ([in non-Latin alphabet]) or ecclesiastical rule or government is an honor with which only ministers of God's word are invested in the New Testament, and not any lay persons. We beseech you brethren,…

Then there is a perfection of holiness or of sanctification; and that is called so, either in regard of the beginnings of, or in regard of desires after and aims at perfection. The saints even in this life have a perfect beginning of holiness, because they are begun to be sancti…

So does this madness of sin, according unto its degrees, and prevalency. Hence some cry peace, peace, when suddain destruction is at hand, 1 Thessalonians 5:3. It is that madness, under whose power they are, which gives them such groundless Imaginations of themselves and their o…

From verse 2 to the ninth (which is the second part of the chapter) the Bride speaks, and sets down a very complex piece of her condition, which we take up in these three. 1. Her condition is shortly set down. 2. The mutual carriage of the Bridegroom and Bride are recorded; wher…

2. Hope is a grace, which has its rise from faith, and is supported by it, as the head is by the neck; though hope be some way above faith, yet does faith sustain it, and give it a being; the believer hopes, because he believes. 3. It has much influence on all spiritual duties,…

Or, 2. It may look to that which is called for from a people to their ministers, even here, they are to acknowledge them that are over them for their works sake, to obey and submit to them, indeed, to give themselves to them by the will of God, having given themselves first to C…

We ought to honor and esteem them for their office and their work's sake. So expressly, (1 Thessalonians 5:12-13): We beseech you, brethren, to know them which labor among you: and to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. And again, (Philippians 2:29): Receive h…

I suppose they may not now expect it, nor fear it, no more than the old world did their drowning, or Sodom and Gomorrah did their burning, because deceitful sin has hardened their hearts; long custom in sin, with impunity has seared their consciences, as with a hot iron: but the…

One Christian helps forward another. In other races that are run, many times one hinders another; but in this race to Heaven, one Christian helps forward another (1 Thessalonians 5:11). Edify one another, even as also you do.

And this is what he exhorts to, Hebrews 13:1. Let BROTHERLY-LOVE Continue. 1 Thessalonians 5:26. Greet all the Brethren with an holy Kiss. Compare 1 Corinthians 16:20. 2 Corinthians 13:12. and 1 Peter 5:14.

And lastly, their agreement as seed appears in this, the seed-corn is scattered into all parts of the field, as proportionably and equally as may be. So is grace diffused into all the faculties, judgment, will, and all the affections are sowed with these new principles, The God…

There are two evils abroad: easy credulity and stubborn prejudice, and both of them increase the differences, while some men's judgments are forestalled by a tradition, others seduced by an invention. Therefore it is good to take the mean between both, which is the course the Ap…

Drunkenness indeed may be found among Heathens, that are lost in the darkness of Ignorance; but it may not be once named among the Children of the Day. They that be drunken are drunken in the night; but let us that are of the day be sober, 1 Thessalonians 5:7, 8. And the Apostle…

So have we in general, fellowship with him. The second rule is that of 1 Thessalonians 5:19: quench not the Spirit. Various thoughts have been offered about the sense of these words.