3.

St. Paul commands them to withdraw themselves verfe Oppofition may be over-ruled to moft contrary Purposes, fo that the Wrath of Man fhall praise him, and the Remainder of that Wrath be restrained. (Pfal. lxxvi. 10.)

Sect. 4.

2 Thef. III.
6.

SECT. IV.

The Apoftle concludes his Epiftle with giving fome Directions as to the ftrenuous Exercife of Difcipline, with Refpect to fome diforderly Perfons, and with renewed Prayers for the Profperity of the Church at Theffalonica. 2 Thef. III. 6,---to the End.

A

2 THE S. III. 6.

Zealous Regard for the Honour of
our divine Mafter, requires me to
inculcate on the Churches under my In-
fpection, a strict Care in the Exercife of
Difcipline; and I heartily with there were
nothing in your Circumftances, which par.
ticularly demanded my farther Admonitions.
on that Head. But as many good Men.
are ready to be too remifs here, from a Fear
of difpleafing others, and making themselves
Enemies, we folemnly charge you, Brethren,
in the awful and beloved Name of our Lord.
Jefus Chrift, the Credit and Progrefs of
whofe Religion is fo nearly concerned in
the Matter, that ye withdraw yourselves from
any
Brother, whatever his Rank, Circum-
ftances, or Profeffion may be, who in the
Conduct of his Life walks irregularly, and
not agreeably to the Inftruction which he bath
received from us, with Regard to the grand
7 Rules of Chriftian Morality. I fpeak
freely on this Head, for ye yourselves know,
bow it becomes you in this Refpect to imitate
us; for we were not in any Inftance irregu-
among you, but endeavoured to behave

lar

Man's Bread for nought; but wrought with Labour, and Travel Night and Day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you.

9 Not because we have not Power, but to make

ourselves an Enfample unto

you to follow us.

419

Sect. 4.

Thef. III.

from thofe that walked diforderly; fo, as to recommend and enforce our Doc8 Neither did we eat any trine by our Example. Neither did we eat any Man's Bread at Free-Coft, when we 2 had an Opportunity of fubfifting gratis, at the Expence of any particular Perfons or Families, but with diligent Labour, and frequently with very tedious and wearifome Toil, we wrought with our own Hands, in that Profeffion which we had learned, and this, Night and Day (a), that we might not be burthenfome to any of you, and give you the least Room to fufpect that we had any fecular Views, in the Doctrine we brought you, or that Indolence led us to engage in preaching it. Not that we are deftitute of 9 Authority, from the Reason of Things, and the exprefs Commiffion of Chrift himself, to take a moderate Subfiftence from the Perfons in whose Inftruction we employ our Time and Strength; for the Lord himself hath ordained, that they who preach the Gospel should live of the Gofpel: But we declined using that Liberty, that we might exhibit ourselves to you [as] an Example, that ye might imitate us in a frugal and induftrious Life. And ye know, that, even 10 when we were yet with you, we were so fearful of any Irregularity in this Respect, that we expressly gave in Charge, that if any one would not work, neither should be eat; that no idle Drones fhould confume the common Stock, and quarter himself freely on the diligent and laborious, but rather be brought under a Neceffity of working, to relieve his own Want, if he would not do it from a Sense of social Duty and good Order.

10 For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if would not work, neither

should he eat.

any

We

(a) Night and Day.] This Expreffion feems to intimate, that the Apoftle was fome. times obliged to fit up a Part of the Night, at his Bufinefs, as a Tent-maker, that he might have the Day at Leifure, to preach to thofe that came to him for religious Inftruction.

8.

420

Sect. 4.

II.

12

And exhorts fuch to work quietly and eat their own Bread.

We now infift

upon

this the more largely, for we hear that there are fome among you, 2 Thef. III. who walk irregularly, not prudently working at all for their own honeft Subfiftence, but impertinently bufy in attending to the Concerns of others. They who are of fuch a Character therefore, we folemnly charge and tenderly entreat, by the dear and venerable Name of our Lord Jefus Chrift, that, working with Quietness, and filently purfuing their proper Bulinefs, they eat, what may with Juftice be called, their own Bread, not fupporting themfelves with what has been purchafed by the Labours of others, while they continue unprofitable to Society.

13
And as for ye, my Brethren, the wifer
and founder Part of the Church, I would-
fain animate and exhort you, that ye faint
not, nor be difcouraged, [while] you are en-
gaged in a Courfe of well-doing (b); profe-
cuting thofe Actions, which are fair, beau-
tiful and honourable, however Men may
cenfure you, or whatever Difficulties may lie
in your Way, yea, though fome fhould un-,
14 gratefully abufe your Goodness. But if
any one is not obedient to our Word, whether
fpoken to you during our fhort Abode, or
fignified by this, or my former Epiftle, fet a
Mark upon that Man whoever he be, and
have no familiar Converfe with him, that fo,
seeing himself fhunned. by his Brethren,
whofe Efteem it is natural for every one
to with, he may be ashamed, and by that
Shame may be recovered (c) from thofe Ir-
regularities,

11 For we hear that there are fome which walk among

you diforderly, working not at all, but are Bufy-bodies.

12 Now them that are

fuch, we command, and exhort by our Lord Jefus Chrift, that with Quietness they work, and eat their own Bread.

14 And if any Man obey not our Word by this Epiftle, note that Man, and have no Company with him, that he may be ashamed.

(b) Faint not while well-doing.] Diodate gives it this excellent Turn; though fome may abufe your Liberality, be not deterred thereby from Works of Charity.

(c) By that Shame be recovered.] Some would render pan, that he may be reclaimed by Shame; but I thought it better to infert the additional Words in the Paraphrafe, than the Verfion.

He clofes with the Salutation written with his own Hand.

15 Yet count him not as an Enemy, but admonish

him as a Brother.

16 Now the Lord of Peace himself give you Peace always, by all Means. The Lord be with you all.

17 The Salutation of

Paul with mine own Hand,

which is the Token in every Epiftle: fo I write ;

421

And now to conclude, may Jefus, the 16
great Lord of Peace, who hath established
Concord between Heaven and Earth, and
fo effectually provided for uniting the Hearts
of Men in the moft pacifick and friendly
Bonds, himself give you Peace at all Times by
every Means. May all the Difpenfations
of his Providence, in every Place and Cir-
cumstance of Life, concur to advance the
Serenity and Happiness of your Minds:
And for this Purpose, may the Lord continu-
ally [be] with you all.

Thus far I have dictated to the Perfon, 17
whofe Affistance I use in writing this; but
now I will take the Pen myself, and add the
Salutation by the Hand of me Paul, which is the
Token in every Epiftle (d); for so, to prevent
Counterfeits, I write, that the feveral Churches
may
be fecure that what is thus figned is
genuine.

(d) The Token in every Epistle.] I think it very evident from this and feveral other Paffages, that Paul, not being very familiarly used to Greek Characters, and perhaps to fave Time, every Moment of which he knew how to estimate, used to dictate to fome ready Scribe, perhaps fometimes while his Hands were employed in the Labours of his Trade. And this may account for fome fmall Inaccuracies of Style, at which little Minds have been offended, and which fome, who feem to carry the Scrupulofity to an Excefs, have been over-folicitous to vindicate, but which they, who read with any Thing of the Temper of the Writer, will eafily know how to, excufe.—What was hinted before in this Epiftle, (Chap. ii. 2.) may be an Intimation, that fome fictitious Letters were early written in his Name, by which St. Paul might be induced to add this Token with his own Hand.

3

1

422

Reflections on the Nature of Chriftian Difcipline,

Sect 4. genuine. May the Grace of our Lord
Jefus Chrift [be] with you all, and may you

18.

flow

18 The Grace of our Lord Jefus Chrift be with

2 Thef. III. enjoy all the happy Confequences, that How you all. Amen.
from the most plentiful Communication
of it! To which I am fure you will put
your hearty Amen, as I do mine.

Ver. 18.

Ver. 11.

Ver. 6.

Ver. 14.

Ver. 15.

Ver. 11:

Ver. 8, 9.

Ver. 12.

IMPROVEMENT.

AY the Grace of our Lord Jefus Chrift, given in a richer Abundance to his Churches, animate and engage them to maintain that Difcipline, which is fo neceffary to his Honour, and to their own Comfort and Edification. Scarcely can we fay, which is more to be lamented, the Neglect of the Thing, or the Abuse of the Name. It never could be the Defign of the wife Legiflator of the Church, that fecular Terrors fhould be preffed into his Service, that Fines, Imprisonments, and Civil Incapacities fhould be the Refult of Cenfures paffed in his peaceful and benevolent Name. Irregularities, in thofe that call themfelves his Followers, are indeed to be obferved, and discountenanced. Offenders are to be admonished, and, if lighter Admonitions fucceed not, they are to be avoided: But ftill in a View of recovering them by an ingenuous Shame, (if any Remainder of it be left in their Hearts) from those Practices, which, if connived at, would foon become the Shame of the Society. Thus far therefore let us refolutely carry our Cenfures, feparating fcandalous Perfons from our Sacramental Communion, and declining that familiar Converfe with those who are fo feparated, which might lead them to think, we privately difregarded thefe Cenfures, which had in publick fo awful a Form, yet at the fame Time, let us not treat them as Enemies, or as thofe, of whofe Recovery we have no Hope, but remember the Tendernefs of Brotherly Love, amidft all the fevereft Acts of Brotherly Reproof, and the common Tye of Humanity, to thofe whom we are commanded to regard, only as Heathens, or Publicans.

May there be, in the profeffed Difciples of Jefus, a Care to avoid and difcourage that Sloth and Petulance, which would make Men bufy in other People's Matters, while they are quite negligent of their own. Let us remember the Example of the Apostle, and be folicitous to eat our own Bread. So fhall we be most likely to enjoy inward

Peace