1 Thessalonians 1

Ver. 12. Paul, together with Silas and Timothy his assistants in preaching the gospel—to you Christians at Thessalonica, who believe in God as the only true God, and in Jesus Christ, as the only true Messiah—wish all the rich manifestations and fruits of divine favour, and the most abundant peace and prosperity, temporal, and especially spiritual and eternal, from these divine persons, according to their different stations in the work of our redemption

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And, in our stated and occasional addresses to God, we daily, and in the most express manner, offer up our most solemn thanks-givings to God for his mercy bestowed upon you, and our most fervent supplications that ye would perfect his work of grace which he has begun in you

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Being animated hereunto by the affecting and constant remembrance which we have of that lively and operative faith, manifesting itself in all holy obedience, and of that ardent love to Jesus Christ, his oracles, ordinances, and people, and the manifold exertions thereof towards us and towards one another, and of that patient continuance in well-doing under all your tribulations, and waiting for God to crown your lively hopes of eternal life through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ with full enjoyment,—which he has wrought in you, and which, as his children, by regenerating and adopting grace, ye exercise with all uprightness and sincerity as in his sight: 4. By which manifest fruits of holiness ye and we justly conclude that ye have been graciously chosen of God to eternal salvation

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For the gospel, preached by me and my assistants, did not merely reach your ears; but, while it was attested by miracles, the almighty influence of the Holy Ghost brought it home to your hearts, and produced in your souls an unshaken assurance of the truth and importance of it, and of your personal interest in the blessings thereby conveyed.—God thus owning our plain, patient, and faithful, preaching of the gospel among you, in order to promote your eternal salvation: 6. And, by this powerful influence of the gospel on your hearts, ye immediately became imitators of us preachers, and of Christ our glorious Master, in faith, obedience, and patience,—having, amidst all your severe persecutions, firmly believed the truths of the gospel, and thereby received such inward consolations of the Holy Ghost as sweetly supported you under your sufferings

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So that ye became eminent, encouraging, and exemplary, patterns of faith, patience, and holiness, to all those who in Greece were afterwards turned to the Lord

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For the gospel of Jesus Christ, having had such glorious success among you, was thenceforward published far and near with great reputation and advantage;—the fame of your faith in God through Jesus Christ, manifested by remarkable fruits of holiness, having so spread abroad that we have no occasion to speak of it

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For wherever we travel we meet with persons who are disposed, with wonder and joy, to mention to us what happy effects our ministrations had among you; with what sincerity ye embraced the gospel which we preached; and how, by its powerful influence, ye voluntarily and quickly renounced your Heathen idols, and with indignation turned from them, to believe in, adore, and obey, that God, who alone has all life, glory, and blessedness, in himself, and is the fountain of all created life, natural, temporal, spiritual, or eternal

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And to wait with faith, preparation, patience, desire, and hope, under all your present sufferings, for the glorious appearance of his eternal Son, whom he hath raised from the dead to judge the world,—even Jesus Christ, who by his obedience and suffering purchased, and his almighty power effects, our deliverance from his dreadful wrath, which will be for ever coming, like a perpetual torrent of flaming vengeance, upon the wicked. ~~~~~

REFLECTIONS UPON CHAP. I.—Thrice happy is it when the gospel is effectually applied to the hearers’ hearts; and when they, by their conversion from idols to God, and an holy imitation of Christ and his servants in love, patience. 4 and purity, prove their eternal election to life! They are a credit to their religion who receive the gospel with full assurance of its divine truth, excellence, and importance, and with joy in the Holy Ghost, amidst manifold tribulations. With great pleasure should faithful ministers assist one another, and reflect on the success of their labours, regard their spiritual children, pray for them, and labour to promote their edification. And nothing is more endearing, comforting, or animating to holiness, than saving views of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and his everlasting salvation