the better keepe them in their dutie he promiseth that he will send Timotheus vnto them shortly yea he putteth them also in hope of his owne comming afterward he excuseth the tarying of Epaphroditus In the third chapter he inueigheth against the false prophets and refuteth as well their vaine boastings as the doctrine of circumcision which they vrged against all their inuentions he opposeth onely Christ against their arrogancie he opposeth as well his owne former life as his present purpose wherein did shine the image of Christian godlines And this he aduertiseth vs to be the scope of our perfection whether thorough out all our life we must striue to come to communicate with Christ in his death and in his resurrection and he proueth it by his owne example The fourth chapter he beginneth with particular admonitions and forthwith descendeth into generall And he concludeth the epistle with a testimonie of his thankefulnes toward the Philippians lest they should thinke that ill bestowed which they had employed to the releeuing of his necessitie A COMMENTARIE OF IOHN CALVINE VPON THE EPISTLE OF PAVLE vnto the Philippians 1 PAule and Timotheus seruants of Iesus Christ to all the Sainctes in Christ Iesus which are at Philippos with Bishops and Deacons 2 Grace be with you and peace from God our father and from our Lord Iesus Christ. 3 I thanke my God in all remembrance of you 4 Alwaies in all my prayers praying for you all with ioy 5 For your fellowship in the Gospell from the first day vntill nowe 6 Being thus perswaded that he that hath begunne a good worke in you will finish it vnto the day of Iesus Christ Cap. 1. PAule c. Séeing that it was Paule his custome to write his title to procure more credite vnto him selfe and his ministerie he néeded no farther words of commendation vnto the Philippians who had tried him to be the true Apostle of Christ and did yet acknowledge it without controuersie for constantly and in an euen course they had gone forward in the calling of God Bishops He nameth the Pastors seuerally for honors sake Moreouer hereof we may gather that the name of a Bishop is common to all the ministers of the word since that he doth attribute mo Bishops vnto one Church A Bishop and a Pastor therefore signifie one thing And this place among the rest is one which Hierom doth cite to proue the same thing in his epistle to Euagrius and in his exposition vpon the epistle to Titus Afterward it grewe to a custome that whome the Elders in their seuerall Churches had set ouer their congregation he alone should be called a Bishop notwithstanding that procéeded from the custome of men and dependeth not vpon the authoritie of the Scripture Yet I confesse as the wittes and manners of men are nowe there can no order stand among the ministers of the worde except one be sette ouer the rest I speake of the seuerall bodies of the Church not of whole prouinces much lesse of the whole world notwithstanding although we must not contend about wordes yet it were farre better in speaking to follow the Holie Ghost being the Author of tongues than to change the formes of speaking set downe by him for worse For of the corrupt signification of the worde this euill haue ensued that as though all Elders were not fellowes called to the same office one vnder the colour of this newe name haue challenged vnto him selfe a dominion ouer the rest Deacons This name may be taken two manner of waies either for the collectors and prouiders for the poore or for the Elders that were appointed Censors of their manners but because it is more vsed by Paule in the former sence I rather vnderstande housholders who were chiefe in receiuing and distributing of the almes 2 Grace be with you and peace Nothing is more to be wished for than that God should be fauourable vnto vs which is signified by Grace then that from him prosperitie and good successe in all things should procéede which is signified vnder the word Peace For howbeit all things séeme to please vs if God be angry euen the very blessing is turned into a curse Therefore the good will of God is the onely foundation of our happines whereby it commeth to passe that we enioy true and perfect prosperitie and euen by aduersitie also our saluation groweth forward Moreouer whereas he praieth Peace from God we vnderstand that whatsoeuer goodnes happen vnto vs it is the fruite of God his liberalitie Neither must we omit that he also praieth for these good things from our Lord Iesus Christ For worthily is this honor giuen vnto him who is not onely the minister and disposer of his fathers bountie toward vs but also worketh all things iointly together with him Yet the Apostle would note properly that all the benefits of God doe come vnto vs thorough him There are some that by the word Peace had rather vnderstand the peace of conscience in the which signification I deny not but it is sometimes vsed But since it is certaine that the Apostle would here knit vp the summe of all good things the former interpretation which is giuen by Bucere is more conuenient Therefore willing to wishe the summe of all happines vnto the godly he commeth vnto the fountaine it selfe namely vnto the grace of God which alone doth not onely bring vs eternall blessednes but is the cause of all good things in this life 3 I thanke God He beginneth with a gratulation for two causes that by this reason he might proue his loue to the Philippians and by praising those thinges that are past might exhort them hereafter to goe forward The other argument of his loue he setteth downe to be the carefulnes which he expressed in his praiers Here we must note that as oft as he maketh mention of ioyfull things forthwith he bursteth forth into a thankesgiuing which custome should also be familiar vnto vs. It is also to be noted for what cause he giueth thanks vnto God namely for the fellowship of the Philippians in the Gospel of Christ for thereof followeth that it must be acknowledged to haue bene receiued of the grace of God Where he saith In al remembrance of you that signifie as oft as I remember you Alwaies in all my praiers Ioyne the words thus Praying alwaies for you all in all my praiers For as before he sayd the remembrance of them was the cause of his ioy so now he addeth that they are in his mind when he praieth After he addeth that he maketh his prayer for them with ioy Ioy is referred to the time past prayer to the time future for he did reioyce in their happy beginnings but wished their perfection So it behoueth vs alwaies to reioice for the benefits of God which we haue receiued that we might remember to desire of him those things which as yet we want 5 For your fellowship Nowe omitting the other clause he sheweth
A Commentarie of M. Iohn Caluine vppon the Epistle to the Philippians wherein is set out the necessitie and profite of affliction vnto the faithfull the benefite of God his word the fruits of vnitie and humilitie free iustification by faith in Iesus Christ without our owne merites the assurance ioy and contented mindes of the godlie and their perseueraunce in godlinesse vnto the end With many other comfortable and profitable pointes of Religion Translated out of Latine by W. B. Imprinted at London for Nicolas Lyng and are to be sold at the West dore of S. Paules Church Anno. 1584. To the Right honourable Sir Frances VValsingham Knight chiefe secretary vnto hir Maiesty chancelor of the order and one of hir Maiesties moste honorable priuie counsell William Becket wisheth encrease of honor and all heauenly happines DIomedes a prince of the Grecians Right honorable as Homer in his Iliades recordeth emboldened by Pallas feared no whit at all the force of the Troianes nor the strength multitude of their confederates but valiantly for his Countries safety hazarded his life amids his enimies And my selfe hoping of your honors fauourable protection not regarding the curious carping of a great sort in these daies for the benefite of many haue yeelded my selfe to be censured of all For as to encourage animate a Captaine there can be none fitter thā Pallas to whom the ancient writers haue ascribed both wisdome in giuing counsel couragiousnes in fight so for your great loue of godlines singular zeale in furthering of religiō there is none more fit than your honor to whom this godly commentary of maister Caluine discoursing of many excellent points of our religion might be presented For here is set out the condition of the godly how the Lord in this life hūbleth them by afflictions and after receiueth them to eternall glory Here is set out their assurance of Gods fauour their ioy in greatest dangers and their contented minds in all estates Here is set out the benefite that commeth by preaching of the gospell and the malice practises and confusion of false teachers Here is set out the fruite of humility the necessity of vnity and agrement among the faithfull free iustification by Iesus Christ the heauenly conuersation of Christians and how they must continue stedfast in godlines vnto the ende And although I offer these being another mans laboures vnder my owne name yet neither enuiously to derogate any thing from the due cōmendation of so worthy a person as Homeromastix did nor presumptuously by another mans trauels to seeke my own praise as that vaine-glorious Poet who presented Virgils verses as if they had beene his owne vnto Augustus the Emperor But considering that a good thing the more common it is the more commēdable better it is especially being requested therevnto for the comfort and profit of all true English christians I haue made that common to all which afore was priuate but to a fewe We say in our common prouerbe that good wine neede no Iuie bush a naked truth barely vttered without any filed phrases of fine eloquēce is of it self sufficiently cōmendable And this worke how simplie soeuer I haue translated it yet notwithstanding faithfully being written by the holy Apostle inspired with Gods spirit expounded by so notable a father of the Church cannot but carry with it amongst all good men sufficient credite I haue therefore presumed not only to present it vnto your honorable view but also vnder your name as a sufficient shielde against al iniuries to publish it vnto al. Most humbly beseeching your honor with your accustomed fauour to accept these first fruites of my trauels not to measure the simplenes of the gift with the worthines of your owne person but rather to respect the good will and willing desire I had in most humble maner by al dutie possible to gratifie your honor So shall I not only be encouraged to the vttermost of my simple skill to employ my selfe to the profit of others but also as afore by generall dutie so now by particular benefite I shall be bound to pray for the preseruation of your honor in health and increase of dignitie godlines vertue and all heauenly happines The Almighty mulply his graces vpon you and grant you as many prosperous yeares as vertuous godly properties and both infinite that here you may liue long to his glory hereafter liue for euer to your owne euerlasting comfort Your Honors in all humble dutie WILLLIAM BECKET THE ARGVMENT OF the epistle of S Paule written vnto the Philippians IT is manifest that Philippos is a citie of Macedonia situate in the borders of Thracia in whose fieldes Pompeius was vanquished by Caesar afterward Brutus and Cassius ouercome by Antonius and Octauius Thus the dissention of the Romanes by two notable battells made the place famous When Paule by a vision was come into Macedonia he layd the foundation of the Church first in that citie as Luke recordeth in the 16. of the Acts and 12. verse the which how it did not onely continue constantly in the faith but also by continuance of time numbers of men and going forward in vertue it was encreased this epistle doth testifie Furthermore this was the cause why Paule did write vnto the Philippians when they by Epaphroditus their Pastor had sent vnto him those thinges that were needefull for him in bonds to preserue life and for other extraordinary charges it is no doubt but Epaphroditus as well opened vnto him the estate of the Church as was a perswader to supply those things whereof they were to be admonished For it appeareth that they were tempted of false prophets which at that time wandered all abroad to corrupt sound doctrine but because they persisted in the truth Paule commendeth their constancie yet being mindfull of the frailtie that is in men and admonished perhaps by Epaphroditus that they were speedily to be confirmed lest they should againe fall he ioyneth such admonitions as he knew were conuenient for them And first of all hauing testified the kinde affection of his mind toward them whereby he might procure credite he speaketh of him selfe and of his owne bondes that they should not faint because they sawe him taken prisoner and in daunger of his life Therefore he sheweth that it is so far of that thereby the glorie of the Gospell should be diminished that it was rather an argument to confirme it and together with his owne example he exhorteth them to be readye to endure all things at length with an exhortation vnto vnitie and patience he concludeth the first chapter But because ambition is for the most part a continuall mother of dissention whereof it commeth to passe that there is a doore open to newe and strange doctrines in the beginning of the second chapter he earnestly beseecheth them that they would preferre nothing before humilitie and modestie and vnto that he vseth many arguments And that he might
blind yea a furious beast therefore it is no maruell if false brethren doe take occasion cut of the Gospell to disquiet the good and faithfull Pastors And truly Paule hath sayd nothing here which my selfe haue not tried for as yet there liue some at this day who haue preached the Gospell with none other intent than that by persecuting godly Pastors they might yéeld to the furie of the wicked Touching Paule his enimies it is not amisse to marke if they were Iewes how mad their hatred was that euen they forgat for what cause they hated him for whilest they were carried away by hatred to destroy him they laboured in promoting the Gospell for whose cause they were angry with him but they thought verily that the cause of Christ should either stand or fall in the life of one man But if they that were so seduced by ambition were emulous among them selues we must acknowledge the maruellous goodnes of God who notwithstanding gaue such successe to their peruerse endeuors 17 That I am set for the defence They that loued Christ truly thought it a shame for them selues if they did not ioyne with Paule as companions pleading his cause and so we must doe we must succor the seruants of Christ being in distresse as much as we may Marke againe this manner of speach of the defence of the Gospell for since Christ vouchsafeth vs such honor what excuse can we haue if we be faint harted in his cause or what must we looke for if we betray it by our silence but that in like manner he should forsake our cause who alone is our Aduocate and Patrone with God his father 18 What then yet all maner of waies whether vnder pretence or truly Christ is preached and in this I reioyce and will reioyce 19 For I know that this shall turne to my saluation thorough your praier and by the helpe of the spirite of Iesus Christ 20 According to my expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed but with all confidence as alwaies so now Christ shall be magnified in my body whether it be by life or death 21 For Christ is to me both in life and in death aduantages 18 Yet all maner of waies Because the wicked minde of them of whome he spake might slaunder the grace of the doctrine he saith that this is greatly to be estéemed because that they promoted the Gospell notwithstanding whatsoeuer their intent was for God by euill and wicked instruments sometime bringeth to passe an excellent worke Therefore he saith he reioyceth for such successe because he was contented with this only to sée the kingdome of Christ encrease As when we did heare that the vncleane dogge Charles at Auenion and in other places did sowe the séedes of pure doctrine in manie mens hearts we gaue thankes vnto God who vsed this naughtie and desperate varlet vnto his owne glorie And at this day we reioice that the course of the Gospell is promoted by manie who haue a far other purpose But although Paule did reioice for the encrease of the Gospell yet would he neuer haue ordained such ministers if it had béene in hys power We must therfore reioice if by the vngodly God worketh any good yet we must neither place such in the ministerie nor accompt them for the lawfull ministers of Christ 19 For I knowe Because some did publish the Gospell to procure enuie vnto Paule that they might the more incense the crueltie of hys enemies against him he answereth by a Praeocupation that their wicked purposes shall not hurt him because God will turne them to a contrary end as if he should say Although they imagine my destruction yet I trust that all their practises shall doo nothing else but that Christ in me may bée glorified which turneth vnto my saluation For that hée speaketh not of the safetie of his bodie it is euident by that which follow But from whence had Paule this confidence truely from that which he teacheth Rom. 8 28. Vnto the true worshippers of God all things helpe to their good although the whole world with their Prince the Diuell conspire their destruction By your prayer That he might the more earnestly prouoke them to pray he affirmeth that hée trusteth the Lord will graunt it by their praiers Neyther doth he dissemble for he that reposeth succour in the prayers of the Sainctes stayeth vpon the promise of God and yet nothing is derogated from the free goodnes of God wherby our prayers and supplications are made And by the helpe of the Spirite Lest we shoulde thinke that because he ioyneth these two thinges in the text therefore they are equal the sentence must therefore thus be resolued I knowe that all this shall turne to my saluation by the furtherance of the spirite you helping by your prayers so that the furtherance of the spirite is the efficient cause and prayer an inferior helper The propertie also of the Gréeke worde is to be noted for it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is when that is supplyed which is wanting according to which signification the spirite of God powreth vpon vs all thinges whereof we are destitute He nameth The spirite of Iesus Christ to signifie that he is common vnto vs all if we be Christians because the spirite was powred vpon him in all fulnes that he might distribute to euery one of his members according to the measure of his grace so much as is expedient 20 According to my expectation If anie shoulde obiect whence haue you this knowledge he aunswereth from hope for since it is certaine that God will not suffer our hope to be frustrate our hope must in no case be doubtfull Therfore let the godly reader marke diligently this aduerb According that he may so certainly be resolued with him selfe that it can not be but the Lorde must aunswere our expectation which is grounded in his worde for he promiseth that he will neuer forsake vs no not in the middest of all torments if at anye tyme we be called to the confession of his name therefore let all the godly hope by the example of Paule and they shall not be ashamed With all confidence We sée that by hoping he doth not yéeld to the desires of the fleshe but submitteth his hope to the promise of God Christ he sayth shall be magnified in my bodye whether it be by life or death Although expressing his bodye namely he signifieth that among the combates of this present life he is not doubtfull of the successe for of this thing God hath assured vs therefore if we be framed to the will of God and haue the same purpose in our life that Paule had we hope for an happie ende howsoeuer we néede no more to feare lest anye euill should happen vnto vs for if we liue and dye to him in life and death we are his Rom. 14.8 He sheweth a manner howe to magnifie Christ namely in a perfect confidence whereof it
followeth that he is cast downe by our fault and extenuated as much as is in vs when we faint thorough feare Are not they therefore ashamed who thinke it a light fault to be afraide in the confession of the truth but howe shoulde they be ashamed when they are so impudent that they dare also excuse the deniall of Christ He addeth As alwayes that by the experiments of the grace of God already past they might confirme their faith So in the Rom. 5.4 Triall bringeth hope 21 For in life Hitherto in my iudgement the Interpreters haue ill translated and expounded this place for thus they distinguish that Christ was vnto Paule life and death was to him aduantage But I make Christ the subiect in both the members of the sentence that as well in life as in death he is sayde to be aduantage for it is common with the Grecians to vnderstand this preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifie to But beside that this sence is not strained it agréeth also better with the next sentence and containeth more plentifull doctrine He affirmeth that he is indifferent whether he liue or dye because that hauing Christ he accompteth gaine in both and truely it is onely Christ that in death and life maketh vs blessed otherwise if the death be miserable the life is no whit the happier So that it is harde to define whether it be better for a man to lyue or to dye without Christ Agayne let Christ be present and he will blesse both our lyfe and our death that both of them shall bée happye and good for vs. 22 But if to liue in the flesh were more profitable for me euen what to choose I knowe not 23 For I am distressed betweene both desiring to be loosed and to be with Christ which is farre better 34 But to abide in the flesh is more needefull for you 25 And this am I sure of that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and ioy of your faith 26 That your reioycing may be abundant in Christ Iesus for me by my comming vnto you agayne 22 But if to liue Euen as desperate men are in a perplexitie whether they should still prolong their life in miserie or finish their sorrowes by death so contrarywise Paule with an equall mind saith that he is prepared as well for death as for life because the estate of both is blessed vnto the faithfull so that he is doubtfull whether to choose If it be profitable that is to saie if I knowe that the profite of my life is greater than the profite of my death I sée not whether I shoulde rather desire He putteth To liue in the fleshe by a contempt in comparison of a better life 23 For I am distressed Paule did not desire to lyue for anie other rewarde then to serue to the glorie of Christe and to profite hys brethren Therefore hée estéemeth no other profite in thys lyfe than the saluation of hys brethren but for hymselfe priuately hée acknowledgeth that it is better to dye quicklie because hée shoulde bée wyth Christ In hys desire hée sheweth with how great loue hée is enflamed Hée doth not speake héere of earthlie commodities but of the spirituall good which especiallie of the godlie is carefullie to be wished for Notwithstanding Paule as it were forgetting hymselfe doth not onely contayne himselfe in the middest least he should more decline to his owne benefite than the benefite of the Philippians but at length concludeth that he weigheth theyr estate in his heart And this is truely to liue and dye vnto Christ when neglecting our selues we are carried whether Christ calleth vs. Desiring to be losed and to be with Christ These two things are iointly to be read together for death of it selfe will neuer be wished for because the desire thereof fighteth with the sence of nature but it is desired for some cause or for some other ende Desperate men flie vnto it thorough wearines of their life but the faithfull hasten vnto it willingly because it deliuereth them from the bondage of sinne and is a passage vnto the kingdome of heauen This is it that Paule now sayth I desire to dye because by this meanes I shall come to be ioyned with Christ yet the faithfull cease not to be afraide of death but when they turne their eyes vnto that life that followeth after death by this consolation they easily ouercome that feare Truely whosoeuer beléeueth in Christ should be so couragious that at the mention of death he should lift vp his head being ioyfull for the tidings of his redemption whereby it appeareth how many are Christians onely in name when the greater part hearing the mention of death as if they neuer had heard any word of Christ they doe not onely waxe fearefull but become almost deade O a good conscience how much dost thou excell and how much doest thou preuaile but faith is the foundation of a good conscience yea 〈…〉 of the conscience To be dissolued This manner of speaking is to 〈…〉 men call death the destruction of man as though the whole man perished Paule here warneth vs that death is dissolution of the soule from the bodie and this straight after he expresseth better shewing what the estate of the faithfull is after death namely that they abide and dwell with Christ We are also with Christ in this life so farre as his kingdome is within vs and Christ dwelleth in vs by faith and he hath promised that he will be with vs euen vnto the ende of the world but that presence we onely perceiue by hope therefore according to our féeling we are sayd to be strangers from him 2. Cor. 5.6 This place is of force to refute the dotage of them who dreame that the soules diuided from the bodies are asléepe for Paule witnesseth openly that we enioy the presence of Christ when we are dissolued 25 And this am I sure of Some because it séemed absurd that the Apostle should confesse him selfe to be frustrate of his expectation thinke that he was afterward deliuered out of bands and that he passed thorough many regions of the world but in vaine doe they feare that For the Saincts are woont to moderate their hope by the worde of God that in their mindes they presume no more than the Lorde hath promised So where they haue a sure testimonie of God his will there they stay them selues with a certaine persuasion which admitteth no doubt Such is the persuasion of the continuall remission of sinnes of the helpe of the Spirite vnto the grace of finall perseuerance as they call it of the resurrection of the fleshe Such also was the certaintie of the Prophets touching their prophesies in other things they hope nothing but with a condition and therefore they submit all the successe vnto the prouidence of God to whom they graunt to haue a sharper sight in things than them selues To abide signifie here for a litle while To
without a cause Psal 35.19 Although if any woulde extende it further I am not againste him for thence come murmurings disputings whilest euery man beyond measure caring for himselfe giueth vnto others occasion to complaine yea this word may be taken actiuely that it may signifie not troublesome men nor complainers And this signification agreeth not ill with the text because the séede of all brawlings and backbitings for the most part is complaining He ioyneth Sinoere because such filthines will neuer come forth from purged minds The sonnes of God without reprehension It must thus be resolued without reprehension because yée are the sonnes of God for the adoption of GOD muste bée the cause of a blamelesse life that by some similitude we may resemble our father Although there was neuer such perfection in the world that nothing shoulde be found worthy reprehension yet they are called irreprehensible who with al their care striue to come thither as it is saide in another place In the mids of a peruerse generation The faithfull liue in the earth mingled with the vngodly they drawe togither the common ayer they enioy the common lande And at that tyme also they were more dispersed because there could scarce be found one godly house which was not euery way compassed wyth vnbeléeuers So much the more Paule pricketh forwarde the Philippians that they shoulde carefully take héede to themselues from all corruptions The sense is therefore you are inclosed among the wicked but in the meane while remember that by the adoption of God you are separated from them Therfore let there be euident signes in your life which may make you differ Moreouer this reason must more prouoke you vnto a care of a godly and holy life least being entangled by theyr vyces and contagion you bée parte also of a crooked generation Whereas he calleth the vnbeléeuers A peruerse and crooked generation That belongeth vnto the circumstance of the place for he warneth them that they shoulde so muche the more diligentlye take héede because many offences woulde be thruste in by the vnfaithful which myghte hinder theyr right course and the whole lyfe of the vnfaithfull woulde bée as a Laborinthe of diuerse turnings which woulde leade vs out of the waye yet neuerthelesse they are Epithetes which agrée with the vnbeléeuers of all nations and of all tymes For if the harte of man be peruerse and vnsearcheable what shall bée the fruites of suche a roote We are taughte therefore in these wordes that there is nothyng pure in the life of man vntill he be reformed by the Spirite of GOD. Among whome shine yee The termination of the Gréeke verbe is doubtfull for it might bée reade in the Indicatiue moode Yee shine But the Imperatiue moode better agreeth with the the exhortation He wil haue the faithful like lampes which doe shine in the darkenes of the worlde As if he shoulde saye the vnfaithfull are the children of the nyghte and in the worlde there is nothing but darkenes but GOD hath illuminated you vnto this ende that the purenes of your life might shine in thys darknes whereby his grace might appeare moste euident So it is also saide by the prophet The Lorde shall arise vppon thee and his glory shall bee seene in thee Esaie 60.2 By and by it followeth The gentiles shall walke in the light and Kinges in the brightnes of thy countenance Although Esaie there preacheth rather of doctrine And Paule here of the example of life In respecte also of doctrine Christe calleth his Apostles peculiarlye in another place the light of the worlde Math. 5.14.16 Holding forth the worde of life The reason why they shoulde bée lightes is because they beare the word of life whereby they are lightned that they also may shine vnto others He alludeth vnto candels wherein are set wéekes to burne and he maketh vs like vnto the candels He compareth the word of God vnto the wéeke of the candle whence the light is If you had rather haue another similitude we are the candlesticks the doctrine of Christ is the candle which being set in vs gyueth light round about And it signifie that we offer iniurie vnto the word of God except it shine in vs by the purenes of our life Hither appertaineth the saying of Christe No man lighteth a candle and putteth it vnder a bushell c. Mat. 5.15 So we are saide to beare the worde that in the meane whyle we are borne by it because we are founded in it But the maner of bearing which Paule here handleth is this that god vpon this condition hath committed his doctrine vnto vs not that we shoulde kéepe the lighte thereof suppressed and idle but that we shoulde bring it forth vnto others The summe is this whosoeuer are illuminated by the heauenly doctrine do beare about that doctrine which may bewray and vncouer their shame except they walke holily purely but this light is therfore kindled that they themselues shoulde not only bee directed in the right way but that they shoulde also shewe it forth vnto others Vnto my glory To increase their courage he witnesseth that which shal be glorious vnto him if he haue not labored in vaine among them not because they doe lose the price and the rewarde of their trauell who haue labored faithfully yet without effect but since the successe of our ministery is the singular blessing of God let vs not maruell if God also crowne that among his other gifts As therefore so many churches gotten by Paule vnto Christ doo now make his Apostleship honorable so it is no doubte but these victories shall haue place in the kingdome of Christe as he saith a little after you are my crowne And it is no doubte but the triumph shal be so much the more excellent as the déeds shal be more glorious If any mā would aske how Paule doo now reioyce in his labors who in the 2. Cor. 11.11 forbiddeth to reioyce in any thing but in the Lord the answere is easy when as we haue caste downe our selues al thinges that are ours before the Lord and haue reposed our whole glory in Christ It is lawful also through Christ to reioice in the benefites of god as it appeareth in the first epistle to the Corinthians this parte Vntill the day of the Lord is a prick vnto the Philippians for to perseuer since that the tribunall seat of Christe is set before them from whence they must looke for the rewarde of theyr faith 17 And though I be offered vp vpon the sacrifice and seruice of your faith I reioyce and reioyce with you all 18 For the same cause also reioyce yee and reioyce togyther with me 19 And I hope in the Lorde that I shall also sende Timotheus vnto you shortly that I also may be quiet when I knowe your estate 20 For I haue no man like minded who will faithfully care for your matters 21 For all seeke theyr owne and not the things whiche
before he testified that he rather desired death And what is better for vs than being deliuered out of so many miseries of the world to passe into the kingdome of god especially being deliuered from the bondage of sinne in the which he cryeth out Rom. 7.24 that he was miserable to enioy more fully the liberty of the spirit whereby we may cleaue fast vnto the son of God It were a long thing to recken vp all things which cause that death is better thā life vnto the faithfull and more to be wished for Therefore what mercy is that of god when it doth nothing but prolong our miseries I answere that al things make not but these that this life estéemed in it self is an excellent benefit of God especially they that liue vnto Christ are here happily exercised vnto the hope of heauenly glorye and therefore we sawe a little before that life was to them aduantage Furthermore there is another thing to be considered that GOD vouchsafeth vs no smal thing when he glorifieth him selfe in vs for we must not so muche respect our life as the ende wherefore we doe liue And of me also that I shoulde not haue sorrowe vpon sorrowe Paule confesseth that the death of Epaphroditus would haue bene bitter vnto him and herein he acknowledgeth that God spared him in that he was againe restored vnto his health Therfore he bosteth not of the senselessenes of the Stoickes as though he were made of iron and frée from the affection of men What therefore some will say where is the vnconquered courage of his minde where is hys vnwearyed constancie I answere that Christian patience doe dyffer farre from the peruersenes of Philosophers muche more from that crooked and cruell hardenes of the Stoickes for what vertue were it patiently to beare the crosse if there were no féeling of griefe and of bitternes in it but whilest the comfort of God doth ouercome this féeling that we resist not but rather willingly giue our backes to be beaten then wée offer a sacrifice of our obedience acceptable vnto GOD. So Paule confesseth that he did feele some sorrowe and griefe in his bandes notwythstandyng he dyd ioyfullye suffer those bands for Christ He confesseth that he should grieuously haue taken the death of Epaphroditus yet at lengthe he would haue framed his affectiō vnto the wil of god although al the hardenes of the matter is not yet wholly answered for then we proue our obedience when we bridle our naughtye affections and giue not place to the infirmitie of the fleshe Two things therfore are to be considered first that the affectiōs which god at the beginning put into our nature are not euil of themselues because they procéed not from the viciousnes of our corrupted nature but flow from god who is the author of them of which sort is sorrow which is taken for the death of our friends Againe there were many other causes why Paule should lament the death of Epaphroditus those not only blamelesse but altogither necessary This first of al is a continuall thing with the faithfull that in the death of any they are admonished of the wrath of God againste sinne but Paule was more moued with the losse of the church which he sawe shoulde be destitute of an excellent pastor in so great a scarsitie of good men They that would haue such affections altogither taken away and extinguished doe not only feigne men as sencelesse as stones but cruell and hardharted But in this corruption of nature all things are so peruerse in vs that whatsoeuer our minds be moued to they alwaies excéed measure Hereof it commeth that nothing of it selfe is so pure and right which draweth not vnto it some contagion Moreouer that Paule as he was a man suffered somwhat in his grief beséeming the nature of man I deny not for both he labored vnder his infirmitie and also it was necessary that he should be tempted that by striuing and resisting he might haue matter to ouercome 28. I haue sent him more diligently The presence of Epaphroditus was no small comfort vnto him yet he so much preferred the saluation of the Philippians before his owne commodity that he saith he reioiceth for his departure because he was sorrowfull by his owne occasion to bée drawne from the flocke committed vnto him and from the duties of him though pleasāt which he inioyed with the losse of them Therefore he sayth that he shal be more glad for the ioy of the Philippians 29. Receiue him with all ioy He taketh all ioy for sincere and surpassing ioy And againe he commendeth him to the Philippians he laboreth altogether in this point that they should be much estéemed that prooue themselues good and faithful pastors Neither doth he speake only of one but he commaundeth all such to be had in estimation for they are precious stones taken out of the treasure of God and the rarer they are the more worthier they are of greater value And it is without doubt that God oftentimes doth punish our ingratitude and our disdainefull lothing of his word by depriuing vs of good pastors whilest he seeth all good men for the most part which he giueth vs to be despised He therefore that desireth to haue the Church defended against the lying in waite and the assaults of wolues let him by the example of Paule haue care that the authority of good pastors may be established as contrarywise the instrumēts of the diuell labour in nothing more than to ouerthrowe it by all meanes possible Because for the worke of Christ I refer it vnto that infirmitie which he had gotten by his continuall diligence therefore he reckoneth the disease of Epaphroditus among his vertues as truely it was an euident signe of his feruent zeale It is no vertue to be sicke but this is a vertue that thou serue Christ not to spare thy selfe Epaphroditus did perceiue that it would be dangerous for his health if beyond measure he were instant vpon him yet he had rather neglect his health than to be behind in his dutie And that he might the more commend this déede vnto the Philippians he sayth it was a supplying of their wants because they béeing farre asunder could not bestowe their trauell vppon Paule béeing at Rome Therefore Epaphroditus being sent for this purpose did fulfill their dutie He calleth the obedience vnto himselfe the worke of the Lorde as truely there is nothing wherein we can better bestowe our trauell vpon God than whilest we succour his seruaunts béeing distressed for the truth of the Gospell Chapter 3. MOreouer my brethren reioyce in the Lord. It greeueth me not to write the same things vnto you and for you it is a sure thing 2 Beware of dogs beware of euill laborers beware of concision 3 For we are the circumcision which worship God in spirit and reioyce in Christ Iesus and haue no confidence in the flesh 4 Although I also haue confidence in the flesh if any other