in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy The Apostl's scope being to excite those Philippians unto constancy and further progresse in faith and piety doth for this end wisely make known the good esteem which he had of them in so far that whensoever they came to his remembrance which was very frequently and especially in prayer he was constrained not only to pray but to blesse the Lord for them Doct. 1. It should be the frequent subject of a Ministers thoughts to observe how the work of God doth thrive among his Flock So was it with Paul for saying upon every remembrance of you it is certain he had many remembrances of them 2. When a faithful Minister seeth the people of his charge thriving by Gods blessing upon his labours amongst them it must needs be to him the matter of much joy and thanksgiving how sad soever his case be otherwise So the Philippians profiting maketh Paul though a prisoner glad making request with joy 3. Then is our joy for things comfortable and pleasant unto us rightly expressed when it runs out in praises and thanksgiving unto God for so doth Paul expresse his joy I thank my God 4. Then will a man the more chearfully blesse the Lord for favours bestowed upon others when he looketh upon God as reconciled to himself for hereby Paul is helped not a little to give thanks when he looketh upon God as his God I thank my God 5. As a Minister should rejoyce for spiritual favours already bestowed upon his Flock So also he should pray for what is inlacking for Paul doth both making request with joy Vers. 5. For your fellowship in the Gospel from the first day until now He giveth reasons for his joy on their behalf whereof the first is Their embracing the Gospel whereby they were brought unto fellowship with Christ and his Church and that so readily after the first preaching thereof amongst them together with their constancy therein unto that very time Doct. 1. There is a real fellowship and communion which those who embrace the Gospel have one with another 1 Joh. 1. 7. and all of them with Christ 1 Joh. 1. 3. which consisteth in those nigh relations and the exercise of mutual duties founded upon these relations under which one of them standeth toward another 1 Cor. 12. 25. and all of them towards Christ and Christ towards them Revel 3. 20. Hence he calleth their embracing of the Gospel their fellowship in the Gospel 2. That a people or person doth readily assent to the call of the Gospel and remaineth constant in the profession of and obedience unto it is matter of thanksgiving and praise unto God for this was Paul's joy for those Philippians even their fellowship in the Gospel from the first day until now 3. It is not fit that any man especially a Minister should boast much of the reality of grace in any upon a profession newly taken up until after a times trial it be seen how the person holdeth up in his profession by walking equally in the latitude of duties and constantly in variety of cases and conditions lest haply he be afterwards ashamed of his confidence Therefore Paul doth not boast much of those Philippians untill he take some proof of them from the first day until now Vers. 6. Being confident of this very thing that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. A second reason of his joy was The confidence which he had of their perseverance in grace unto the end and of their being carried on by the same power which did begin the work of grace in them This he speaketh unto the whole Church not as if every one in it to his certain knowledge in the judgment of infallible verity had been truly gracious But because in the judgment of charity which supposeth the best where it hath any probable appearance and no evidence to think otherwaies he found it equitable to think so of all especially being perswaded that there were many such among them in whom only this and the like expressions were verified which were spoken generally unto all See 1 Cor. 6. 11. compared with Chap. 11. 21. Doct. 1. They who have received grace shall never totally lose it but undoubtedly persevere therein to the end for Paul is confident of this very thing to wit Of their perseverance 2. The certainty of the Saints perseverance is not grounded upon the stability of their resolutions Psulm 73. 2. nor yet upon the stability of gracious habits in themselves Rev. 3. 2. But upon the power of God which is engaged for their preservation against all opposition for the ground of his confidence is that God is engaged for the thing He who hath begun a good work in you will perform it 3. The work of grace is not perfected at the first but hath its own beginings progresse and accomplishment at death He that hath begun will perform it until the day of Christ. 4. The whole progresse of this work from the first step unto the last is all from God and from no power of our own free-will He who hath begun will perform 5. Albeit grace in Believers will be perfected at the time of their death Heb. 12. 23. when their soul shall be presented before Christ their Judge and carried up to be with him yet the compleat consummation of their blessed estate in soul and body is reserved till Christs second coming wherein he shall raise up their bodies in an incorruptible estate unite them to their souls and carry up the whole man with him to put on the capestone on that work of grace begun here for this cause saith he He will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ not only of their particular judgment but specially of his second coming Vers. 7. Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all because I have you in my heart in as much as both in my bonds and in the defence and confirmation of the Gospel ye all are partakers of my grace A third reason of his blessing God for them cleari 〈…〉 and confirming the former is He conceived himself bound to judge of them all as truly gracious and such as should persevere unto the end by reason of his hearty affection towards them which together with his judgement of them flowing from it was grounded upon the evident signs of grace in them the same grace for kind which he himself had in so far as they had in a special mannerowned him and in their own sphear joyned with him both in his sufferings actings for the defence and confirmation of the Gospel Doct. 1. Where sincere love is among Christians there will be a communion of prayers praises and of good hopes for from this that he had them in his heart he inferreth it was meet or just for him to do all the foresaid duties for them 2. That which
of which grace he perceived in â—â—em ver 7. which made him sincerely love them ver 8. And partly by his seeking growth in grace from God to them ver 9 10 11 In the second part of the Chapter lest his present affliction might prove a stumbling-block in their way he sheweâ—â— that the Gospel had gained much by his sufferings already to ver 19. That it should have no losse but advantage thereby in time coming to ver 25. And that he was very confident that his trouble should have an happy issue in his deliverance from imprisonment for their future benefit to ver 27. In the third part of the Chapter he exhorteth them to constancy and unity ver 27. And to courage under sufferings by several arguments unto the end of the Chap. Vers. 1. Paul and Timotheus the servants of Jesus Christ to all the Saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi with the Bishops and Deacons IN this verse is the Inscription declaring who was the Author of this Epistle together with the joynt asserter of the Truths contained in it and to whom it was written Doct. 1. Christian sobriety doth teach us to speak sparingly of our own credit and authority except when weighty reasons do urge thereto for although Paul doth design himself often from his office of Apostleship when he writeth to these Churches where his Apostolical authority was questioned 1 Cor. 1. 1. compared with 1 Cor. 9. 1 2. yet here he doth it not because these Philippians did not call his Apostleship in question 2. Unity and concord among Ministers in giving joynt testimony to the same Truths doth adde a weight unto what they preach in the esteem of their hearers for Paul joyneth Timothy with himself in the Inscription of the Epistle that the Truths contained in it appearing to be attested by them both might have the more weight with the Philippians Paul and Timotheus 3. Preachers of the Gospel are in a special manner the Servants of Christ as being wholly dedicate 2 Tim. 2. 4. and perpetually Luke 9. 62. astricted to his more immediate service As servants were of old to their masters so were Paul and Timotheus the servants of Jesus Christ. 4. It is abundant credit and doth commend a man sufficiently unto those who really are Christs that he is known to be a servant of Jesus Christ for Paul seeketh and expecteth to be had in due regard for this That he and Timotheus were servants of Jesus Christ. 5. The whole bulk of those visible Churches unto whom the Apostles did write is designed by the name of Saints partly because some among them and those the better though usually not the greater part were really Saints and inherently holy Rev. 3. 4. for whose cause the whole Community are called Saints partly because it is the duty of every one within the Church and the end of their calling to be holy Levit. 11. 44. and partly because all and every one within the visible Church are federally and externally holy in so far as God by entering Covenant with them hath separated them from other people as dedicated unto him for his worship and service So whole Israel is said to be sanctified Exod. 31. 13. and the child procreate of parents whereof one is a Believer is called holy to wit by this external and federal holiness 1 Cor. 7. 14. And thus Paul writing here to the visible Church calleth them Saints at Philippi 6. As to make a man internally and spiritually holy it is necessary he be in Jesus Christ united to him and drawing influence from him by faith Job 15. 5. So to make a man externally holy to be called and esteemed federally holy as every member of the visible Church is said to be holy and in Christ requireth a visible and externall union with Christ consisting in external covenanting and serious professing of Truths relating to him the effect of which union is the communication of common gifts unto every one according to his measure 1 Cor. 12. 6 c. for this cause the Apostle here calleth all the professed Christians in Philippi Saints in Christ Jesus See John 15. 2. which supposeth some to be in Christ to wit in the way presently mentioned who yet may be found fruitlesse and consequently unregenerate 7. The dignity and parts of a Minister or of any Church-Officer do not exempt him from a necessity of being taught exhorted reproved and comforted for Paul directeth this Epistle wherein he teacheth exhorteth c. as to the people so to the Church-officers to Bishops and Deacons 8. The Bishops mentioned in Scripture are nothing else but ordinary Pastors and Overseers of particular Flocks of whom many might be and were in one City such as Philippi which could not have been if they had been trusted with the actual oversight of many Congregations and of whole Provinces as is now alleaged by those who distinguish betwixt Bishops and Pastors and make them Office-bearers of a higher degree in the Church for the Epistle is directed to the Bishops at Philippi 9. As the Lord Christ hath appointed some Office-bearers in his House for the oversight of the souls of his people as Ministers and Elders here designed by the name of Bishops or Overseers see Act. 20. 17. compared with ver 28. So he hath appointed others to take inspection of their bodily necessities that those who are indigent may be supplied by their care and the charity of the Flock who are here called Deacons See Act. 6. 1 c. Vers. 2. Grace be unto you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. He saluteth them most Christianly by wishing unto them Grace that is Gods favour as the fountain and Peace that is peace with God peace with their own conscience peace one with another and all sort of prosperity as streams flowing from that fountain and all this he seeketh from God through vertue of the merit and intercession of Jesus Christ. Doct. 1. Gods grace and favour is the root and fountain from which peace with God with our own conscience and all sanctified prosperity and peace among our selves do flow for all those are understood here by peace which Paul wisheth unto them as the fruits of Gods grace joyning Grace and Peace 2. In seeking things needful from God we would look unto him not as standing disaffected to us and at a distance from us but according to the nearest relations which we can reckon our selves to have unto him So Paul eyeth God as his and their father reconciled through Christ from God our Father 3. Whatsoever cometh from God to Believers is conveyed unto them by vertue of Christs merit whereby he hath purchased all things for them Isa. 53. 5. and of his intercestion whereby he applieth his purchase unto them Heb. 7. â—5 Whence it is that he asketh from God the Father but through Jesus Christ. Vers. 3. I thank my God upon every remembrance of you 4. Alwayes
Patriarchs and at his incarnation unto all the holy Spirit did also appear in the form of a Dove Matth. 3. 16. and of fiery tongues Acts 2. 3 4. for the Father is here meant while he saith the image of the invisible God 3. As the Son is of the same essence and one God with the Father so he is a distinct person from him for he is the substantial image of the Father and an image must be somewhat distinct from that whereof it is an image 4. We cannot take up God aright savingly or to our comfort but when we look upon him as he is represented in the Man-Christ wiâ—hout whom God is a consuming fire to sinners and in whom he is well pleased So the man Christ is the image of the invisible God a glasse wherein we may behold him 5. Jesus Christ is true God having an eternal being he is not as he is God in the rank of Creatures but hath a Lordship and Dominion over them all so much is in these words the first-born of every creature he is first-born who was Lord over his brethren Gen. 27. 39. but not first created and so there is no ground from this Scripture to reckon him among the Creatures Vers. 16. For by him were all things created that are in heaven and that are in earth visible and invisible whether they be thrones or dominions or principalities or powers all things were created by him and for him 17. And he is before all things and by him all things consist He prosecutes the relation which Christ hath to things created holding him forth First as their Creator illustrated from a three-fold division of things created First from their place things in heaven and things in earth Secondly from their natures visible or invisible Thirdly he divideth the Angels one kind of the invisible creatures in thrones dominions principalities and powers whereby probably is meant the severall degrees and dignities of Angels but what those are in particular is wholly unknown to us Secondly he sets him forth as the last end of all the Creatures v. 16. Thirdly as being before them all in time and so explaineth how he is the first-born of every creature and Fourthly as the upholder of all the creatures by his power and providence v. 17. Doct. 1. How bent men are to have but low thoughts of Christ and of the ransome payed by him for the redemption of sinners appeareth from the Apostle's multiplying of conceptions to set forth his excellencie and worth 2. Jesus Christ is eternall God and so his blood of infinite worth all things being created by him as is twice affirmed in this verse which can be said of none but God Gen. 1. 1 3. As the Father hath created all things Gen. 1. 1. and upholdeth all things being made by the word of his power Acts 17. 28. so doth also the Son all those externall works are common to the whole three Persons who are onely distinguished by their inward Personall properties and order of working for by him to wit the Son were all things created and by him all things consist 4. There is varietie of Creatures of different kindes and different excellencies that man may see somwhat of God in every kind Ps. 104. through the whole and have somwhat whereupon to exercise every one of his externall senses and every one of his inward faculties for that end there being things visible and so subject to sense and things invisible which cannot be taken up but by the understanding things that are in heaven that are in earth visible invisible 5. All things created even the most excellent not excluding the glorious Angels and those who most transcend others in power and glory are created by Christ the work of his hands and so not onely are in the rank of Creatures but of his Creatures and would be so looked upon by us that he may have his own room in hearts all other things being contained in theirs for Paul that they might not detract any thing of the honour due to Christ by giving it to Angels extolls him as the Creator of Angels and of all things thereby depressing them as poor weak dependent Creatures by him all things were created that are in heaven that are in earth visible invisible whether they be thrones c. 6. All things are created for Christ the manifestation of his glory as God being the chief end of all so that he is the Alpha and Omega of them all Rev. 1. 8. all things being as from him so for him The setting forth of his glory is a rent due by all Creatures and is accordingly performed by them some give it in an active way as Saints and Angels Rev. 19. 1. some in a passive way as damned men and Devils Rom. 9. 17. and all in an objective way as having God's glorious attributes exerced about them and shining forth in them in some one in some another in the Elect mercy in the Reprobate justice Rom. 9 22. and in all the Creatures wisedome power and goodnesse Psal. 19. 1. for saith he all things were for him 7. All things created whether in Heaven or Earth visible or invisible as they have their first being from Christ by creation so they are continued and preserved in that their being by his providence if he should but with-draw his upholding hand they would quickly return unto their first nothing Ps. 90. 3. for by him all things consist Vers. 18. And he is the head of the body the Church who is the beginning the first-born from the dead that in all things he might have the pre-eminence He describeth Christ thirdly with relation to his Church shewing first he is her Head Secondly the beginning root and fountain cause of the Church and of all the spirituall graces thereof Thirdly the first who rose from the dead never to taste again of death the onely one that ever rose by his own power and who shall raise again all his members whereby his glory is made famous in all things death it self not being excepted Doct. 1. There is the same relation betwixt Christ and his Church which is in the naturall body betwixt the head and the members Christ as man being of the same nature with the Church Heb. 2. 14. the same holy Spirit which poured out grace on him Ps. 45. 2. without measure Joh. 3. 34. acting and residing in his members Rom. 8. 9. 11. all spirituall life and motion Col. 2. 19. yea the common influences of the Spirit flowing from Christ to the Church Eph. 4. 7. there being an indissoluble tye betwixt Christ and every Believer Joh. 10. 28. Christ being of much more worth than the Church is and sufficiently instructed with power and right to prescribe Laws unto and to govern and save the Church Eph. 5. 23 24. the Church again being subject to Christ's rule and Government Eph. 5. 24. and if separated from him would be wholly dead as deprived of all