The first epistle unto the Thessalonians was written from Athens.
CHAPTER 5
27. I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren.
27. Adiuro vos per Dominum, ut legatur epistola omnibus sanctis fratribus. 28. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen. 28. Gratia Domini nostri Iesu Christi vobiscum. Amen. The first epistle unto the Thessalonians was written from Athens. Ad Thessalonicenses prima scripta fuit ex Athenis. 23 Now the God of peace himself. Having given various injunctions, he now proceeds to prayer. And unquestionably doctrine is disseminated in vain, 791 unless God implant it in our minds. From this we see how preposterously those act who measure the strength of men by the precepts of God. Paul, accordingly, knowing that all doctrine is useless until God engraves it, as it were, with his own finger upon our hearts, beseeches God that he would sanctify the Thessalonians. Why he calls him here the God of peace, I do not altogether apprehend, unless you choose to refer it to what goes before, where he makes mention of brotherly agreement, and patience, and equanimity. 792
We know, however, that under the term sanctification is included the entire renovation of the man. The Thessalonians, it is true, had been in part renewed, but Paul desires that God would perfect what is remaining. From this we infer, that we must, during our whole life, make progress in the pursuit of holiness. 793 But if it is the part of God to renew the whole man, there is nothing left for free will. For if it had been our part to co-operate with God, Paul would have spoken thus --- ``May God aid or promote your sanctification.'' But when he says, sanctify you wholly, he makes him the sole Author of the entire work.
And your entire spirit. This is added by way of exposition, that we may know what the sanctification of the whole man is, when he is kept entire, or pure, and unpolluted, in spirit, soul, and body, until the day of Christ. As, however, so complete an entireness is never to be met with in this life, it is befitting that some progress be daily made in purity, and something be cleansed away from our pollutions, so long as we live in the world.
We must notice, however, this division of the constituent parts of a man; for in some instances a man is said to consist simply of body and soul, and in that case the term soul denotes the immortal spirit, which resides in the body as in a dwelling. As the soul, however, has two principal faculties --- the understanding and the will --- the Scripture is accustomed in some cases to mention these two things separately, when designing to express the power and nature of the soul; but in that case the term soul is employed to mean the seat of the affections, so that it is the part that is opposed to the spirit. Hence, when we find mention made here of the term spirit, let us understand it as denoting reason or intelligence, as on the other hand by the term soul, is meant the will and all the affections.
791"Que proufitera-on de prescher la doctrine?" — "What profit will be derived from preaching doctrine?"
792"Repos d'esprit;" — "Repose of mind." 793"En l'estude et exercice de sainctete;" — "In the study and exercise of holiness."