We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth;
Ver. 3. We are bound to thank God] Duty is a debt, and a good heart is not well till it have discharged it. As he that hath somewhat lying on his stomach cannot be at ease till he hath got it up, so neither must we, till disburdened in sounding forth God's praises for the good he hath bestowed on us, or on others for our use. This, saith Luther, is sancta crapula; and it can be no hurt to have our hearts thus overcharged.
Because that your faith groweth exceedingly] As corn or plants do after a binding drought. They were under persecution, 2 Thessalonians 1:4, and gat by it. Storms of persecution beat God's people into their harbour; make them look to their tackling, patience; to their anchor, hope; to their helm, faith; to their card, the word of God; to their captain, Christ; whereas security, like a calm, maketh us forget both our danger and deliverer; Adversity hath whipped many a soul to heaven, saith one, which otherwise prosperity had coached to hell. We are like to children's tops, saith another, that will go but little longer than they are whipped. How often are we sitting down on earth, as if we were loth to go any further, till affliction call to us, as the angel to Elijah, "Up, thou hast a great way to go," and then we trigg.