An expositio[n] upon the two epistles of the apostle S. Paul to the Thessalonians…An expositio[n] vpon the two epistles of the apostle S. Paul to the Thessalonians…

He giveth increase, and placeth children in freed of their fathers. The more are slain by the enemies, the more spring up by the working of his spirit. The more are hewne down, the more multiply. We may not be strangers in this case. It behoveth us to consider the afflictions of our brethren. They belong unto us: We must pray to God for them, that he will put an end to their miseries: otherwise, we have not the spirit of God, we bear no love, nor care for his bause.

He giueth increase, and placeth children in fréede of their fathers. The more are slaine by the enemies, the more spring up by the working of his spirite. The more are hewne downe, the more multiplie. We may not be strangers in this case. It beboueth vs to consider the afflictions of our brethren. They belong vnto vs: We must pray to God for them, that he wil put an ende to their misenies: otherwise, wee haue not the spirite of God, we beare no loue, nor care for his bause.

Of your country men. This was the greatest, and beaviest part of their troubles. ⟨p. 78⟩For what a hearts grief is it to the father, if his son rise up against him? or to the son to see his father ready to betray him, and to seek his blood? Where this is done, he will say, O father I am thy son, alas what have I done to have thy displeasure? death is bitter, but thy displeasure is more bitter than death. It were a cruel thing, that any man should kill an other: what is it then, if thou shouldest kill thine own child? yet if thou be so bent, take my life and spare my conscience: spare my soul, that I may deliver it up into his hands that hath given it me. I would be obedient unto thee, thou art my father, but I may not disobey God. He is the father of fathers. He hath said. He that loveth father or mother more than me, ¹he is not worthy of me. It is a miserable case when persecution groweth so hot, y• the child is driven to forsake his father, or the father his child: yet so doth the world blind many, & Satan so possesseth their harts, y he turneth their love into hatred, and shutteth their senses, and thoaketh and dammeth up the springs of nature. They become so blind, and so unsensible, that they neither feel their own flesh, nor know their own blood. They think in so doing they do God good service. They are enemies to the truth. They are the enemies of the cross of Christ: their end is destruction.