glory so the saving graces of God's Spirit are things above as coming from above James 3. 17. and elevating the heart of him who hath them above things earthly to entertain communion with God here that he may live above with God for ever Phil. 3. 20 21. Thus they are said to be above seek the things which are above 4. Heaven and saving graces which lead to it are to be sought and diligently sought seek the things which are above The word signifieth a diligent search and is applyed to those who are vehemently desirous to have that which they seek 1. Pet. 5. -8. Mark 12. 12. 5. That Heaven and things heavenly may be thus sought diligently we must know somewhat of the worth which is in them and from knowledge put a price upon them Set your affection on things above The word rendered affection here in the Originall comprehendeth the operations of the understanding will and affections So it is to know them from knowledge to affect them and so to seek them 6. Things earthly and things heavenly are in two contrary ballances so that the more of the heart is given to the one the other getteth the lesse for he opposeth those two Set your affection on things above not on things on earth 7. Though we may use the world and things worldly yea and seek them moderatly that so we may have the use of them 1 Tim. 5. 8. yet they are to be sought in subordination and not in opposition to things heavenly They must not be sought as our last end and furthest shot Psal. 49. 11. not by unlawfull means Eph. 4. 28. or with neglect of God's worship Matth. 6. 33. not so but to reverence and submit to God when he crosseth and disappointeth us in them Job 1. 21. for in this sense he commands Set your affection on things above not on things on earth 8. Not onely are reall Believers risen with Christ First judicially Christ's resurrection as all his other actions wherein he sustained our person being imputed to us so as to obtain what was purchased by them See chap. 2. v. 20. doct 1. And secondly in their own persons all Believers being really and personally quickened and raised from the death of sin to newnesse of life by vertue of Christ's resurrection Rom. 6. 4. as that whereby he evidenced his purchasing of holiness for them by his death which he doth afterward bestow upon them But besides all the Members of the visible Church are in some sense risen with him in so far as they are actually tyed by their professing and interest in him 1 Joh. 2. 6. and by the Covenant sealed in their Baptism Rom. 6. 2 3. to make use of the vertue purchased by his resurrection for raising of them up from the death of sin to the life of grace for he supponeth they are risen with Christ If ye be therefore risen with Christ. 9. From this it followeth that all within the visible Church whether regenerate or unregenerate are to make use of this consideration of their being raised with Christ as a strong argument to make them seek after Heaven and endeavor holinesse of life the latter sort being ingaged to make use of the power of his resurrection for this end having Heaven and holinesse purchased for them if they will but by faith slee unto him the former sort having an actual right unto those things already as being judicially risen with him and the begun life of holinesse bestowed upon them by vertue of his resurrection and more of that vertue for compleating of what remaineth in readinesse to be communicated unto them if they will but imploy it by faith for from this ground he inforceth holinesse If ye be therefore risen with Christ seek those things c. 10. Jesus Christ in his Humane Nature is now in Heaven and not upon earth else the Apostle's argument would not hold to seek things which are above because he is there 11. The love which Christians do bear unto Christ ought to be such that the very place where he is ought to be lovely for his sake their affections being wholly set upon it and upon those things which are in it and slow from it or tend towards it for so he reasoneth Set your affection on things above where Christ is I 2. The great glory which Christ our Head injoyeth in Heaven together with the power and authority put upon him for the Churches good especially for bestowing of grace and glory Acts 5. 3 is a strong incouragement to make the Members of the Church and chiefly reall Believers set about the study of holinesse for this glory and power of his is signified by his sitting at the right hand of God Eph. 1. 20 21 22 23. and from this he reasoneth that they should seek those things which are above whereby he compriseth all those duties wherein holinesse consists even from this that Christ is sitting there at the right hand of God Vers. 3. For ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God 4. When Christ who is our life shall appear then shall ye also appear with him in glory He giveth further reasons to inforce the exhortation First they were spiritually dead to sin and by consequence to those earthly things so as not to place their happiness in them or to be sinfully eager in seeking after them 2. Though their spirituall life whereof they were partakers by their rising with Christ was for the time hid under crosses and infirmities yet it was surely kept for them by God in Christ v. 3. and should hereafter gloriously appear in Christ's second coming v. 4. Doct. 1. Reall Believers are spiritually dead not in sin Eph. 2. 1. but to sin Rom. 6. 11. the dominion and reign of sin being shaken off Rom. 6. 14. and its strength much weakened by the power of grace Gal. 5. 17. though not totally subdued Rom. 7. 18. and Christ having undertaken to subdue it wholly in them Eph. 5. 27. And all the members of the Church though not as yet real Believers have ingaged themselves to imploy the strength of Jesus Christ for the subduing of sin whence in some sense to wit judicially by obligation they may also be said to be dead for the Apostle supponeth of all of them every one in his own way that they were thus dead for ye are dead saith he 2. The consideration of this that we are thus dead to sin is a strong argument for the not-inslaving of our affections to things earthly for that would argue sin to be yet reigning and were an adding of fuell to sin for keeping of it alive after we have under-taken to be its death It 's used as an argument here to that purpose for ye are dead 3. The spirituall life of grace here and of glory hereafter is a life desirable and onely worthy of the name of life our naturall life being but short uncertain and common to us with devils
spirituall life and motion Joh. 15. 4. for which causes Christ and onely Christ is the Head of the Church 2. Jesus Christ is the first beginning root and fountain-cause of the Church as being that second Adam from whom all that new spirituall birth doth flow 1 Cor. 15. 45. and whose vertue purchased and applyed by him reneweth the heart and maketh the graces of the Spirit bud up in it Cant. 4. 16. so in relation to the Church he is called the active beginning or first principle and author thereof who is the beginning 3. As Jesus Christ was once among the dead so he arose by his own power from death to immortality and life whereby he hath so vanquished death that it must render up all his followers 1 Cor. 15. 54. each of whom shall rise again from death by that same vertue whereby Christ did raise up himself for in this respect he is the first-begotten from the dead 1 Cor. 15. 20. He maketh them partake of his Resurrection as the first-born did give the rest a share of his Fathers goods whereof he was Heir 4. There is nothing of Christ no not his very cross and death whereby his dignity and worth is not made famous he having by death destroyed him who had the power of death Heb. 2. 14 and thereby made death it self a passage unto life for he is the firstborn from the dead that in all things even death it self not being excepted he might have the pre-eminence 5. A holy soul zealous for the glory of Christ will make this his study to gather matter for extolling Christ even from these things which would seem to obscure his honour most thus Paul is not content to have him advanced in his works of Creation and Providence and in his Headship over his Church except he shew that even his death did bring honour to him in relation to which he saith that in all things he might have the pre-eminence Vers. 19. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulnesse dwell 20. And having made peace through the bloud of his crosse by him to reconcile all things unto himself by him I say whether they be things in earth or things in heaven The Apostle giveth a reason why the Redeemer Christ was to be such a Person as is before described taken from the Father's will and pleasure that he should be one filled with all fulnesse both of the Godhead dwelling in him chap. 2. 9. and of the graces of the Spirit without measure Joh. 3 34. that so he might be throughly furnished to discharge that great work of Mediation in reconciling the universality of the Elect. whether already glorified or yet upon earth to a provoked God having removed the enmity which was betwixt God and them by the merite of his sufferings Doct. 1. The restoring of broken man to friendship with God and all things tending to it especially that Jesus Christ the second Person of the Trinity should under-go the work of Mediation for that end was a thing well-pleasing unto and appointed by the Father upon which is grounded the Father's acceptation of what he did for us as if we had done it our selves which otherwayes he might have rejected It pleased the Father It 's an emphaticall word in the Originall implying no lesse than an unexpressible affection to and liking of a thing 2. That any be the Churches Head it is necessary that he be full of God and of all created graces even both God and Man and therefore it is no lesse than blasphemie for sinfull man Pope or any other to assume this Title unto himself for giving a reason of this among other things why Christ is the Churches Head he saith for it pleased the Father that in him all fulnesse should dwell importing that none destitute of this fulnesse is fit to be the Head of the Church 3. God calleth none to any Office but such as he fitteth for it for being to imploy Christ for reconciling all things to himself it pleased the Father that in him all fulness should dwell 4. Christ the Mediatour is indued with all fulnesse of the Godhead and created graces In him did all fulnesse dwell 5. No lesse furniture nor this fulnesse was required for the through discharging of the Mediatory-Office and making up of friendship betwixt a provoked God and rebellious Man for in order to that in him all fulnesse did dwell 6. Man now fallen was once in a state of friendship with God for reconciliation is the making up of old friendship and by him to reconcile 7. All mankinde did fall from the state of favour and friendship with God through Adam's transgression Rom. 5. 12. for reconciliation supponeth breaking off of friendship and by him to reconcile 8. As friendship with God may be again recovered so the first motion of it cometh from God who received the wrong and not from us who gave it It pleased the Father by him to reconcile 9. Nothing ingaged God to make or prosecute such a motion but his goodwill and pleasure no need he stood of our friendship nor any losse which could come to him by our enmity and hatred Joh 22. 2 3 4. It pleased the Father to reconâ—ile all things unto himself 10. Though Christ and grace be intended for and accordingly doth light onely upon few Matth. 7. 14. yet the Gospel and Promise by which Christ and free grace is revealed and offered is drawn up in the most comprehensive expressions and this that none may hereby be excluded from laying hold on Christ and free grace but such as do exclude themselves Hos. 13. 9. To reconcile all things whether things in heaven or things in earth by which broad expressions is meant onely the Elect for there is an universality and world even of those 2 Cor. 5. 19. and not all the Creatures not Devils or Reprobates Joh. 17. 9. Yea to speak properly nor yet the Elect Angels who having never sinned was never reconciled though improperly they may be said to be so in so far as through Christ they were confirmed in grace being put beyond all reach and possibility of sinning 11. As the making up of friendship betwixt God and fallen Man could not be without a Mediatour so none in Heaven or Earth could be in all things fitted to mediate in this matter but Jesus Christ God and man by him to reconcile 12. The making up of this friendship did stand the Mediator no lesse than his blood he did bear the chastisement of our peace and laid down his life by a most shameful painfull and cursed death that so the justice of God being compleatly satisfied for our wrong we might injoy Gods peace and favour with life for he showeth the way how he reconciled all having made peace which is all one with reconciliation through the blood of the crosse that is his blood shed upon the crosse Vers. 21. And you that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind
reprobates yea and with beasts and so unworthy to be called life being compared with this 1 Tim. 5. 6. Our life is hid saith he speaking of this spirituall life as if there had been no other life but it 4. This spirituall life though really injoyed by Believers as having grace in possession 2 Pet. 1. 4. and a right to future glory Joh. 3. 16. yet it is hid the crosse which accompanieth godlinesse Act. 14. -22. together with the many out-breakings and infirmities of the godly Gal. 6. 1. and the nature of this life which consisteth in things spirituall as adoption justification c. Gal. 2. 20. those things make this life not at all discernable by the wicked 1 Cor. 2. 14. yea and hardly by the regenerate man himself who is carryed much to judge of things according to sense Ps. 73. 13 14. So our life is hid 5. Though this life be hid yet it is surely kept being hid with Christ in God as out of the knowledge so out of the hazard of the world God the fountain of all grace and glory having given all the fulnesse thereof unto Christ the Mediator Joh. 3. 35. from which fulnesse he is to bestow so much as is fitting for our condition here Act. 5. 31. reserving the rest to be forth-coming for us in glory hereafter 1 Joh. 3. 2. It is hid with Christ in God 6. So near is that union which is betwixt Christ and Believers that he is their life His life and theirs are in a kind one Gal. 2. 20. he having purchased this life for us 1 Joh. 4. 9. and possessing the fulnesse of it in himself Joh. 14. 6. that he may communicate it unto them Joh. 5. 40. and having communicated the first principles and seeds of it already Rom. 6. 11. besides that he is the object of this life their happinesse and life consisting in their knowing and injoying of him Joh. 17. 3. for when Christ who is our life saith he 7. As Christ now in his bodily presence is removed from us so he is again to appear when he shall come the second time unexpectedly 1 Thess. 5. 2. and with great glory accompanied with Angels and flames of fire 2 Thess. 1. 8. to judge the quick and the dead 2 Tim. 4. 1. when Christ shall appear 8. There is a state of glory both in soul 1 Cor. 13. 12. and body Phil. 3. 21. waiting for the people of God then shall ye also appear with him in glory 9. This glory of theirs is to be suspended untill Christ's second coming There will be alwayes somewhat in-lacking till then but then their glory shall be compleat which should make us long for it Phil. 3. -20. Then shall ye also appear with him in glory 10. The faith of approaching glory at Christs second coming is a strong argument to make us wean our affections from things earthly and endeavor earnestly the study of a holy life an Heir of a Kingdom will not be much taken with petty pleasures his minde is so carryed up to higher things for Paul presseth them to set their affections on things which are above because saith he ye shall also appear with him in glory Vers. 5. Mortisie therefore your members which are upon the earth fornication uncleannesse inordinate affection evill concupiscence and covetousnesse which is idolatry He proponeth the former exhortation more particularly by branching out the Christian mans task in two First mortification of sin and presseth them to mortifie or put to death their members not of their naturall body for that were a sin against the sixt Command but of the masse of corruption or body of death which was in them to wit their corrupt lusts and affections which are said to be upon the earth because they draw the soul down towards earth whereof he mentioneth some which are carnall and fleshly as tending to fulfill our unlawfull pleasures fornication uncleannesse c. Doct. 1. The work of mortification whereby a sinner sensible of the evill of sin Act. 2. 37 38. doth honestly resolve Job 34. v. -31. and accordingly endeavor 2 Cor. 7. 11. to subdue sin throughly root and branch or to put it to death and this not onely one sin but all known sins Hos. 14. 2. eschewing carefully the occasions of sin Job 31. 1. and using all means which may tend to the subduing of it such as prayer 2 Cor. 12. 8. hearing of the Word 1 Pet. 2. 1 2. yea and in some cases fasting Mark 9. 29. But chiefly acting faith in Christ for strength Phil. 4. 13. This is a work so necessary that the life of glory to be manifested at Christ's second comming cannot be attained without it for from what he said v. 4. of their appearing with Christ in glory he inferreth Mortifie therefore c. 2. This work of mortification is not perfected at an instant So much of this body of death remaineth still in life that the best of Christians must make it their daily task to mortifie their members though they be already mortified in part for v. 2. they were dead and yet he commands here Mortifie your members 3. Scripture-commands for mortifying of sin do not evince a power in men unrenewed to obey what is commanded if we consider that such commands are given even to those who are already renewed and are hereby injoyned to carry on the begun work of Mortification towards some perfection from a principle of habituall grace already infused in them They are indeed directed also to the unrenewed who are hereby taught what they ought but not what they are able to do Jer. 13. 23. and are also inabled to do what they ought the Lord making use of those exhortations as means for conveying of strength to do that which he commandeth to be done So speaking unto them who were dead v. 2. he prescribeth Mortifie your members 4. There is a body of sin and corrupt nature in us to which our particular vices sinfull lusts motions and affections are as members Our corrupt nature and will making use of them and working by them as the naturall body doth imploy its members besides that sin doth spread it self through all the members of our body making each of them servants unto iniquity Rom. 6. 19. Hence he saith Mortifie your members meaning those sinfull lusts and affections 5. Not onely are the outward acts of fornication or filthinesse betwixt parties both free from the yoke of marriage to be eschewed and of uncleannesse whereby are usually signified all other sorts of filthy lusts Rom. 1. 24. but also that impotencie of minde whereby temptations to lust do easily take impression and are not much resisted set forth here by inordinate affection or as it may be turned softness of minde which yeeldeth easily to the temptation fornication uncleannesse inordinate affection 6. Yea the first inordinate motions of lust in the heart which are not followed forth after deliberation and advice and are set down under the
over-shadow me yet Christ is preached and I rejoyce 3. The man whose heart is inflamed with love to Christ's honour and the salvation of lost sinners so as not to value his own particular hazard being put in the ballance with those may expect to find much joy and comfort under his saddest sufferings for Paul being thus disposed rejoyceth though in bonds I therein do rejoyce Vers. 18. yea and will rejoyce 19. For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. That he may yet further prevent their stumbling at his sufferings he sheweth That as the Gospel had gained much thereby already it should gain yet more and that his joy in that respect should not be taken from him and that because he knew partly from Scripture and partly also as it appeareth from special revelation that this to wit all the machinations of his adversaries against him should be so ordered of God as that by the renewed supply of furniture from the Spirit of Christ obtained by their prayers his salvation should be advanced by them where by salvation we understand not only his eternal well-being but his constancy also in avowing Truth and the preservation of his temporal life for the time as he cleareth afterwards the contrary of both which was aimed at by his envious brethren their design being as it seemeth either to drive him through his own fear unto apostasie from Christ or otherwise to incite Nero to put him to death Doct. 1. A suffering Christian especially a Preacher may attain not only to present sweetnesse and joy under a bitter crosse but also to a sweet strong perswasion of the continuance of that joy in the time to come for Paul not only rejoyceth in the mean time but also confidently resolveth I will rejoyce 2. The joy of a Christian under a crosse is grounded not only upon good presently enjoyed and felt but also upon that which by faith is apprehended as yet to come so Paul rejoyceth and promiseth to rejoyce because he knew by faith that this should turn to his salvation 3. So powerfull and wise is God in working that out of the eater he can bring meat by ordering our sad afflictions so that our salvation both temporal and eternal shall be advanced thereby thus was it with Paul I know that this shall turn to my salvation 4. That Christians are kept constant under sad sufferings and made to advance in the way towards salvation thereby proceedeth neither from the nature of the crosse nor yet meerly from the power of inherent grace but chiefly from the actual influence and renewed supply of furniture from the Spirit of Christ for that this did turn to his salvation was through the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. 5. Prayer conscientiously gone about is an excellent mean for drawing from God through Christ the choicest of his mercies not only to our selves but also to others for whom we pray So through the prayer of those Philippians supply from Christ was to be communicated to Paul 6. They who pray best and most spiritually are not most taken up with the conceit of their own prayers for Paul imputeth his receipts more to their prayers than to his own though none will question but he prayed as much and as well as any of them through your prayers saith he Vers. 20. According to my earnest expectation and my hope that in nothing I shall he ashamed but that with all boldnesse as alwayes so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body whether it be by life or by death Paul's envious adversaries aimed at two things either to drive him to apostacie or to incite Nero to take his life and in the preceding Verse it is showen that Paul knew they should be disappointed in both these Now he explaineth his knowledg and perswasion of their disappointment in the first and sheweth the ground of that perswasion His perswasion had two parts the Negative part is No terrour of flesh should ever make him deny the truth as a man ashamed of it The Positive is That he should continue in the stout avowing of truth and magnifying of Christ whether he died or lived The grounds of this his perswasion were hope in Gods Word his earnest expectation flowing from his hope and by-past experience Doct. 1. To turn our back upon truth for eschewing of suffering saith as much as that we are ashamed of Christ and his truth and there fore they who do so may expect that Christ will be ashamed of them See Luke 9. ver 26. hence in place of saying he will not deny truth in any thing he saith in nothing I will be ashamed 2. Christians in the case of tryall especially would be very strict and precise so as not to recede from the least point of truth or dutie Thus the Apostle resolveth I will be ashamed in nothing 3. The first step towards defection is a declining of and relenting in the professing and bold avowing of truth when God calleth us to it and to avow truth boldly as occasion offereth is a soveraigne mean to keep us from being ashamed of it For Paul opposeth those two his being ashamed of truth and his bold avowing of it the latter as preventive of the former in nothing I will be ashamed but that with all boldnesse 4. The avowing of truth boldly under persecution tendeth much to the magnifying of Christ his truth for which we suffer and his strength which beareth us up under sufferings being thereby much commended Hence he calleth his boldnesse for truth under his bodily sufferings a magnifying of Christ so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body 5. A Christian is not to hesitate much in the matter of his death or life if so he may get Christ magnified by either of them for Paul standeth not much if so Christ be magnified whether it be by death or life 6. The hope of a Christian having a word of promise for its ground Psal. 130. ver 5. shall never be disappointed for Paul concludeth all this should turn to his salvation and that he should be carried through under sufferings because there being a generall word of Promise for it Rom. 8. ver 28. he hoped in that word according to my hope saith he 7. Then is our hope of the right stamp and truly Christian when being founded upon the Word it exciteth the heart earnestly and by all lawfull means to puâ—sue after the thing hoped for so the Apostl's hope is joyned with earnest expectation the word signifieth the expectation of a thing with head and neck stretched out as pressing to be at it 8. The frequent experience of Gods being nigh unto us and honouring of himself by us in former tryals is a ground for hope to rest upon that he will not leave us in the present strait so Paul gathereth present confidence from former experience that as alwayes so
now also c. Vers. 21. For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain He giveth a reason of his indifferencie whether to die or to live of which he spake ver 20. to wit if his life be prolonged unto him to live is Christ that is Christ was to be the scope of his life he having destinated it wholly to his service but if he die death should be gain and advantage to him Doct. 1. Then and in no other case is poor silly life worth the having when the extolling of Christ is the main scope at which we aim in our life For this maketh Paul indifferent to live or not to weary of life for unto me to live is Christ saith he 2. Who ever hath dedicated his life to get Christ exalted by it will find death it self to be great gain and advantage as being thereby freed from sin and misery Rev. 14. ver 13. and admitted unto the full injoying of Christ 1. Cor. 13. ver 12. unto all eternitie 1. Thess. 4. ver 17. for unto Paul to die is gain because unto him to live was Christ. Vers. 22. But if I live in the flesh this is the fruit of my labour yet what I shall choose I wot not He explaineth the first member of the preceding verse shewing if he should live any longer in tâ—is corruptible flesh this or that life should be the fruit of his labour that is the gaining of souls to God by his labour should be the scope of his life and then declareth his former indifferencie to be such that he knew not whether to choose death or life though it were given him to his option Doct. 1. The manifold infirmities accompanying this mortall fading life do not impede the labour of Gods faithfull servants from being fruitfull in order to the honour of Christ and good of the Church the wisdom of God judging it most convenient to commit this heavenly treasure to earthly vessels and to bring about the great work of saving of souls not by sinlesse holy and uncorruptible Angels but by poor weak men who carry about fading flesh as our selves 2. Cor. 4. ver 7. So if Paul had lived in the flesh his labours should have had fruit that way if I live in the flesh this is the fruit of my labour 2. Who ever knoweth ought of a life to come and of a right unto it cannot but speak contemptibly of the life which now is while he compareth the one with the other so Paul as contemning this life being compared with that calleth it a living in the flesh 3. A man may be so perswaded of a life of glory after death upon the one hand and so convinced of the great advantage which may come to the Church by the prolonging of his life upon the other hand that if to die or live were given to his wish he could not easily determine himself which of them to choose So is it with Paul what I shall choose I wot not saith he Vers. 23. For I am in a strait betwixt two having a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better 24. Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you He professeth his strait shewing there were weighty reasons on both sides When he looked on death therein he saw his own particular advantage even to be still with Christ when he looked upon life therein he saw advantage to the Church and hence ariseth his strait what to choose or refuse Doct. 1. Death is not a destruction of the godly but a separating of the soul from the body a flitting from one place to another a releasing of the soul from the captivity of the body wherein it was inclosed and a setting of it at liberty for Paul maketh use of a word to expresse death rendred here to depart which signifieth to dissolve things before conjoyned to change our abode or our dwelling to set sail for another Country and to be released from prison 2. It is lawfull yea and in some respects a duty for Christians not only frequently to think upon death but also to long after it for Paul hath a desire to depart 3. Then is our longing after death commendable when it proceedeth not from desperation or wearying of the crosse which God hath laid on Ionah 4. 3 4. but from a desire to be with Christ for here those are conjoyned I desire to depart and to he with Christ. 4. The souls of men and women are not annihilated after death neither do they sleep until the Resurrection nor are they detained by the way from immediate passing into glory if they have been Believers as the souls of others do enter into everlasting condemnation for Paul knew nothing of a Purgatory after death but he expected presently to be with Christ. 5. There is no proportion betwixt the choicest contentments even those that are spiritual which can be attained here and that exceeding weight of glory which the Saints shall enjoy hereafter the latter doth so far exceed the former for to be with Christ saith Paul is far better 6. Though Christ be present with and dwell in the hearts of Believers by faith even while they are here Eph. 3. 17. yet all that presence and nearnesse is but a distance and kind of absence being compared with that measure of nearnesse to and presence with him which shall be enjoyed hereafter the former being but mediate through the glasse of Ordinances 1 Cor. 13. 12. frequently interrupted Psal. 30. 7. and no waies full 1 Cor. 13. 12. But the latter shall be immediate 1 Cor. 13. 12. constant 1 Thess. 4. 17. and so full that they who shall enjoy the meanest degree will finde no inlack Psal. 17. 15. for he saith after his departure he will be with Christ as if he had never enjoyed his presence until then 7. The Church of Christ hath much advantage by injoying of faithful Ministers and suffereth much by their removal for my abiding in the flesh is needful for you saith Paul 8. It is only the publick good of the Church and others of whom we have charge and not particular contentment which can be enjoyed here that ought to cast the ballance of our affections towards a desire of having our life prolonged for only this hath weight with Paul while he saith to abide is more needful for you Vers. 25. And having this confidence I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith 26. That your rejoycing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again Having showen ver 20 c. that his adversaries should be disappointed of what they aimed at in the first place which was to drive him unto apostasie he sheweth here they should be also disappointed of what they designed in the next place which was the inciting of Nero to take away his life for from what he hath presently said how
useful the continuance of his life should be to the Church of Christ and withall having probably a special revelation of the thing he expresseth at least his confidence if not his certain perswasion that not only his life for this time should be preserved but also that being set at liberty he should come and remain with them and all this that they might be further promoved in the way to Heaven especially in the grace of believing ver 25. and have more abundant matter of gloriation in Christ having received a new proof of his power and good will in delivering of Paul from death and sending him unto them ver 26. Doct. 1. The Lord in mercy often prolongeth the life of useful instruments and keepeth them from Heaven the longer that the Church may reap advantage by their labours So Paul was to abide and continue with them all 2. A faithful Minister though he be not tied to submit to the losse of Heaven and salvation yet he ought contentedly to spare the enjoyment of it for a time if so be his life may do good to the Church of God for Paul is content upon this accompt that his life be prolonged having this confidence I know I shall abide 3. God alwaies can and sometimes doth so calm the rage of persecutors that they do not execute the evil by them intended against his Servants whom he still preserveth and doth deliver from death and bonds so long as he hath work for them for saith Paul having this confidence I know c. His confidence that he should be delivered doth import that God may deliver when he pleaseth and that at least considering the present posture of affairs it was very probable that he should be delivered If it do not also import a certainty of faith grounded upon some particular revelation that it should be so for the word most frequently signifieth an assured confidence See 2 Tim. 4. ver 16 17 18. Where Paul doth seem to insinuate that after his first captivity and compearance before Nero he was set at liberty and did preach the Gospel among the Gentiles though he was afterward apprehended and put to death 4. They who have received a great measure of gifts and graces and have the opportunity of enjoying the fellowship of others should improve their time and parts in their place and station for the spiritual advantage of those with whom they converse for so doth Paul look on his continuance with them that it should be for their furtherance 5. As there is no grace wherein Christians ought not to aim at progresse and growth 2 Pet. 3. 18. So especially they would labour to grow in faith as being that grace which by it's growth is cause of growth in all other graces it is the mouth which sucketh the milk of the Promises and therefore Satan obstructeth our growth in that grace most Luk. 22. 31 32. Hence the Apostle would aim at their growing in this grace especially for your furtherance and joy of faith saith he 6. As there is a joy of sense Job 16 24. So there is a joy arising from the solid satisfaction which the heart doth receive from laying hold on Christ and the Promise Psal. 60. 6. which is here called the joy of faith 7. The several instances of Christs kything his power and good will in the delivery of his Church or of any particular member thereof from a desperate strait should be improved for strengthening of our faith and increase of holy boasting and gloriation in God for Paul sheweth the fruit of his deliverance should be the furtherance of their faith and that their rejoycing might be more abundantly in Jesus Christ for him that is because of Christs power and good will to them manifested in his delivery 8. Where there is sympathy with Christian sufferers under their crosse there will be a sharing with them also in all the choice advantages which are to be obtained by their delivery for the Philippians did partake with Paul in his bonds v. 7. and as a fruit hereof they are to reap much spiritual advantage by his delivery from them that your rejoycing may be more abundantly c. saith he 9. The more unexpected mercies are before they come the more of God will be seen in them and the more of joy in God will be because of them when they come for Paul was a gone man in humane appearance being prisoner at Rome and his delivery almost hopelesse and therefore their rejoycing was to be the more abundant in Jesus Christ by his coming to them again Vers. 27. Only let your conversation be as it becometh the Gospel of Christ that whether I come and see you or else be absent I may hear of your affairs that ye stand fast in one spirit with one mind striving together for the faith of the Gospel In the third part of the Chapter he exhorteth them That whatsoever should befall him they would minde their duty by living like the Gospel which general exhortation he brancheth forth in two Branches first That they would maintain Truth with perfect Unity among themselves in the joynt defence of it which should be great matter of joy unto him whether he should come and see it or only hear of it being absent Doct. 1. There is nothing concerneth Christians wherewith they should be taken up so much as how to beautifie the Gospel which they professe by a holy conversation suitable unto it for this is the only thing he would have them minding and that more than any thing which concerned him Only let your conversation be as it becometh the Gospel 2. As there is nothing which gladdeth a faithful Minister more than the holy life of those that are committed unto his charge So the joy and contentment of an honest Minister should be conscientiously sought after by the people for he useth this as an argument to incite them to walk as becometh the Gospel that his hearing or seeing of it would make him glad that whether I come and see you or else be absent I may hear of your affairs which words do not necessarily import his doubtfulnesse of his coming contrary to what he seemeth to speak ver 25. he onely hereby sheweth 1. that they were not so much to be taken up with that whether he came or not as with their own duty Secondly how much their living like the Gospel would refresh him so that although he should be deprived of that comfort which he was confident to injoy in their fellowship yet to hear of their Christian conversation would refresh his spirit under that want Doct. 3. This is one part of a conversation becoming the Gospel to be zealous for truth standing to and striving for the defence thereof against errour and unstability in truth which reflect as much on the Gospel as profanity of life for Paul explaineth this conversation which becometh the Gospel by a standing fast and striving for the faith of the
an act of Gods mercy but God had mercy on him 3. That God preserveth the life of faithful Pastors is an act of no small mercy especially unto those who enjoy the benefit of their labours and the removal of such by death should be looked upon as no small stroak but God had mercie and his removal by death would have been sorrow upon sorrow even to Paul 4. Seeing death considered in it self is terrible Psal. 55. 4. the reward of sin Rom. 6. 23. and a privation of present life Jam. 2. 26. Deliverie from it though but for a time is a mercy even to believers who by death lose nothing but gain much Chap. 1. v. 23. especially if their delivery from death be a mercy unto others hence it is that Epaphroditus his delivery from death was a mercy even unto himself but God had mercy on him 5. A work of mercy ordinarily goeth not alone but carryeth many mercies along with it some to the person himself upon whom the work is wrought and some to others who are concerned in him Thus the mercy that was manifested to Epaphroditus in his recovery was a mercy also to Paul and not on him only but on me also 6. Then do mercies weigh with us as they ought when we look upon the sad effects which would have followed upon the not bestowing of such a mercy Thus Paul taketh a view of the extremity of sorrow which the death of Epaphroditus would have caused unto him which maketh him look upon his recovery as a mercy but on me also lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow 7. So merciful is God that though sometimes he causeth grief unto his dearest servants yet he considereth their weakness and doth not overcharge them with sorrow so he spared the life of Epaphroditus lest Paul should have bad sorrow upon sorrow 8. Courage under sufferings for Christ and rejoycing in God may well consist with moderate sorrow and heavinesse because of crosse dispensations for though Paul hath professed often his great joy under his bonds aâ— chap. 1. v. 4 18. yet he was not free of sorrow lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow which supposeth he had some sorrow already Vers. 28. I sent him therefore the more carefully that when ye see him again ye may rejoyce and that I may be the lesse sorrowful Having given and enlarged one reason for his sending Epaphroditus he addeth other two First That the Philippians having seen their faithful Minister whom they once took for dead might rejoyce Secondly That Paul's own grief might he somwhat eased their Minister being once restored to them of whom they were deprived for his cause Doct. 1. True love and christian friendship protracteth not favours but doth timeously what should and may be done for those unto whom it pretendeth so Paul sendeth him timeously and carefully that is presently after his recovery I sent him therefore the more carefully 2. The weights and griefs of the godly do prove an occasion of rejoycing afterwards their evening of sorrow endeth in a morning of joy So the grief which these Philippians had because of their Pastours sicknesse and apprehended death endeth in joy when they see him in health again that when ye see him again ye may rejoyce 3. It will be somewhat burdensome to an ingenuous spirit whatever otherwayes be his straits that others should suffer prejudice and be at any losse by reason of their kindnesse unto him So it was matter of sorrow unto Paul that those Philippians because of their respect unto him were so long deprived of their own Minister this was the sorrow which he was to be eased of by his return that I may be the lesse sorrowfull 4. It is sufficient for modest submissive and exercised Christians to meet with some mitigation of their sorrow though it be not removed from them wholly So Paul looks on this as satisfactory to him that of the great weight of sorrow and affliction wherewith he was pressed a part was to be removed that I might be the lesse sorrowfull saith he Vers. 29. Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness and hold such in reputation From what he hath said of Epaphroditus he exhorteth them to receive him with all joy and to give all due honour and respect unto him and to such Ministers as he was Doct. 1. The carriage or deportment of people towards faithful Ministers should not be as unto private friends but as to publick persons representing Christ as sent from Christ and as Ambassadours in Christ's stead for this is to receive them in the Lord which Paul here commandeth 2. There cannot a richer blessing be bestowed upon a People than that of a faithfull painfull and loving Minister therefore Paul bids them receive him with all gladnesse as if he had been all the friends they had in the world restored unto them from death to life 3. When the Lord doth blesse a People with such a Minister they ought to esteem highly of him as of a precious Jewell and pearl of price as they would not by their ingratitude and loathing contempt provoke the Lord to plague them with his removall Matth. 10. 23. hold such in reputation or esteem of such as precious 4. As it is Satans great design to bring a faithfull painfull Minister to disgrace and contempt Zech. 3. 1. So it is the duty of all who wish the thriving of piety and the Church to be secured from profanity and errour by all means to uphold the credite of that calling together with the lawfull authority and due respect of these who carry themselves faithfully in it so Paul commandeth that such he held in reputation Vers. 30. Because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death not regarding his life to supply your lack of service toward me He giveth a reason why they ought to receive him gladly because he had in a sort mis-regarded his life and brought himself to the door of death for the work of Christ that is by his watching travell and pains taking to minister unto Paul in his necessities doing his utmost that Paul should want no necessary duty no more thaâ— if all the Philippians had been present attending him at whose direction he did what he did and which they would have done themselves if they had been present Doct. 1. Not only the preaching of the Word but also the performance of the duties of humanity civility and charity unto those who suffer for truth is the work of Christ and that not only because such works are particularly injoyned by Christ Heb. 13. 3. but what is done unto any such is accompted done to him See Matth. 25. 36. 40. So Epaphroditus his attending upon Paul in prison is called the work of Christ. 2. Then may a man have a good conscience under his sicknesse and bodily infirmities yea and death it self when his well-ordered zeal for Christ hath brought them on for Epaphroditus is here commended that for
the work of Christ he was near unto death he had no evill conscience therefore in bringing sicknesse upon himself 3. However God loveth mercy better than sacrifice and willeth no man foolishly and rashly to be prodigall of his own life and health no not under pretence of doing service unto him 1 Tim. 5. 23. Yet there are some cases wherein he calleth men to the performance of some duties and which they should be willing to go about although they should evidently perceive most certain hazard of life and health to ensue thereby such are the duties of owning those who suffer for Christ contributing to the supply of their outward necessities when they cannot be supplied otherwayes the faithfull discharging of any publick imployment wherein we are intrusted those were the duties for performance whereof Epaphroditus regarded not his life wherein he is here commended for the work of Christ he regarded not his life to supply your lack of service 4. As it sometimes falleth out that through distance of place or other insuperable difficulties the children of God cannot manifest that cordiall affection by their own presence and personall attendance which they carry unto those who suffer for truth so they ought to supply that in-lack so far as is possible by others who representing them may go about these duties of humanity and charity in their name Thus there was no want of affection in these Philippians toward Paul onely there was a lack of service they not being able though otherwayes willing to attend him because of distance of place and they direct their Pastour to supply this lack of their service towards himâ— CHAP. III. IN the first part of this Chapter having premitted an exhortation to rejoyce in the Lord Christ v. 1. he exhorteth them to beware of false teachers who gloried in circumcision v. 2. shewing that not they but he and other true believers had right to that title v. 3. In the second part being to oppose his own practice to their dangerous opinions in the matter of Justification he sheweth he had as much to boast of as they v 4. which he instanceth in eight privileges v. 5 6. In none whereof he did now place any confidence v. 7. nor yet upon any thing imaginary without Christ confirming this his resolution practice by shewing the advantages to be hereby gained namely 1. access to Christ v. 8. Secondly his being judged not according to his own righteosnesse but Christ's v. 9. Thirdly experimentall knowledge of the worth and power which is in Christ v. 10. And fourthly his attaining to the glorious resurrection of the just v. 11. And obviateth a mistake shewing he had not yet attained unto perfection in the knowledge of and conformity with Christ but that it was his aim v. 12. which he inlargeth and cleareth by a similitude taken from runners v. 13 and 14. In the third part he exhorteth them to follow his example leaving place for God to give a more full manifestation of any thing which was doubtsome v. 15. providing they did walk peaceably and tenderly v 16. and so having repeated the exhortation v. 17. he inforceth it because 1. there were many whose example was not to be followed to wit the false Apostles whom he setteth forth in their blackest colours v 18 19 Secondly his own example was worth the following v. 20. and he with such as he was to be rewarded gloriously v. 21. Vers. 1. Finally my Brethren rejoyce in the Lord. To write the same things to you to me indeed is not grievous but for you it is safe THat he may guard those Philippians against the Errors of the false Teachers in the doctrine of justification he premits an exhortation to rejoyce in the Lord Christ as the author purchaser and worker out of their salvation and all their other happinesse excusing himself for his often inculcating of the following admonition because it was not wearisome unto him nor yet unprofitable for them Doct. 1. Unity in judgment and affection would be so pressed upon us by others and endeavoured by our selves as not to prejudge the purity of doctrine for having pressed unity chap. 2. he presseth purity of doctrine as much in this 2. According as people are tainted with or tempted unto Error so should Ministers be more or lesse in the publick refutation of it Thus the Apostle writing to the Galatians entereth a just dispute with the false Apostles urging reasons and answering objections because many in that Church were already seduced by them Gal. 3. 1. But here because the Philippians were only tempted unto and not much overtaken with Error he doth not so much dispute as admonish and exhort 3. To rejoyce in Christ that is to keep our hearts affected towards him and the doctrine which speaketh of him to be constantly and with delight making our recourse unto him and imploying him as the author procurer and worker out of all our happinesse here and hereafter is a choice guard against any Error which is contrary unto those Truths relating to him for the Apostle being to guard against Errors in the doctrine of justification premitteth this as a foundation to the whole work rejoyce in the Lord. 4. It is not sufficient to know what Jesus Christ is what he hath done for us or what use may and should be made of him except that the knowledge which we have of him do produce suitable affections in the heart towards him for having made Christ known chap. 2 v. 6 c. he inferreth from thence with a finally that their hearts should rejoyce in him the word saith as much as there remaining one thing yet necessary 5. The often repeating and frequent inculcating of such points of Truth as are most for edification of the hearers ought neither to be burdensome to a Minister nor yet wearied of by the people so to inculcate often the following admonition was not grievous unto Paul neither were they to weary of it because unto them it was safe 6. Temptations unto Error for the most part are covered over with such pious pretences Col. 2. 23. and lovely baits Gal. 6. 12. that there is need of many guards and frequent warnings to keep them off so the Apostle thinketh it necessary to reiterat again and again both by preaching while he was present and now by Letter while he is absent this following exhortation To beware of false-Teachers But for you it is safe Vers. 2. Beware of dogs beware of evil workers beware of the concision He exhorteth them particularly to beware of false-teachers who did labour to conjoyn in the matter of justification the righteousnesse of works with that righteousnesse which is of Christ by faith whom he calleth first Dogs because of their barking against the sincere Doctrine of the Gospel and their railing against the orthodox Preachers thereof and this all to get wherewith to satisfie their unsatiable greed Secondly Evil workers because under pretence of working well to
unrighteous sinners being found out by the onely wise God Matth. 11. 25. The righteousnesse which is of God 7. There is no gain to be had from this righteousnesse by a lost sinner except he lay hold on it by saith therefore it 's called the righteousnesse which is of God by faith 8. The grace of faith doth justifie and make a sinner righteous not as it is our work for so it is a part of our righteousnesse which is by the Law seeing the Law commandeth faith 1 Joh. 3. 23. but as it apprehendeth Jesus Christ and his righteousnesse not having mine own righteousness by the Law but that which is of God by faith saith he Vers. 10. That I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable unto his death A third advantage to be reaped by renouncing confidence in all things without Christ is That hereby he should and in part did experimentally know the worth that is in Christ and find the power of his resurrection raising him from the death of sin to the life of grace as also somwhat of that comfort and joy which is in suffering for him and with him in his mystical body and so should be made conform to Christs death as holding forth a resemblance of it Doct. 1. Besides that knowledge of faith which Believers have of Christ whereby credit is given to the Word because of the authority of him whose Word it is Job 20. 29. there is an experimental knowledge whereby Believers from his effectual working in them do find and tast him to be that which the Word affirmeth of him Psal. 34. 8. It is the knowledge the Apostle here aspireth unto that I may know him and the power of his resurrection 2. The more a man attaineth to see the losse and vanity of all things without and in comparison with Christ and to rely wholly upon Christ He will attain to the more experimental knowledge and lively sense of the worth and power which is in Christ for this is one advantage which he reapeth by counting all things losse for Christ that I may know him to wit experimentally 3. To rely wholly upon the righteousnesse of Christ for justification and nothing at all upon our own conduceth much to the increase of holinesse and in no wayes doth prejudge it Rom. 3. 31. for the fruit of not having his own righteousnesse but Christs is his knowing by experience the vertue of Christs resurrection in raising him from the death of sin to the life of grace and the power of his resurrection 4. The sufferings which Believers do undergo for Christ and for his Church are a partaking with Christ in those his sufferings which he still endureth in his mystical body the Church for so much is taught by those words the fellowship of his sufferings to wit which he endureth in his mystical body the Church see Col. 1. 24. 5. As justified persons are not exempted from sad sufferings such as others of Christs mystical body the Church are exercised with so they enjoy a desirable sweetnesse in them when they meet with them Paul expecteth this else he would not have desired to know the fellowship of his sufferings 6. The experience and tast of this desirable sweetnesse is only felt by him who by denying his own righteousnesse and laying hold upon the imputed righteousnesse of Christ hath made his peace with God for the fruit of Paul's counting all things losse to gain Christ is his knowing by experience that sweetnesse which is in the communion of his sufferings 7. An holy man patiently undergoing a crosse for Christ is an evident resemblance of Christs death who notwithstanding that he was sorely assualted by men Luk. 4. 29. and Devils Matth. 4. 3. Yet remained holy harmlesse undefiled and separate from sinners Isa. 53. 9. preferring his Fathers glory and good of Believers to his own ease and immunity from sufferings Matth. 26. 39. So Paul by partaking of his sufferings should be made conform to his death 8. This may make the most bitter crosse lovely and in a sort desirable unto an unholy man that hereby he is made the more like unto his Lord and Master for this maketh Paul aim at the fellowship of his sufferings even that thereby he was to be made conformable unto his death Vers. 11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead Here is a fourth advantage to be reaped by renouncing confidence in all things but Christ to wit hereby and by exercising himself in holinesse and patient suffering for Christ whereof ver 10. he should though with much difficulty attain unto the glorious resurrection of the Just and have his portion in it for he meaneth here the resurrection proper to Believers only as 1 Thess. 4. 14 c. Doct. 1. The gain of closing with Christ and his righteousnesse reacheth further than to any thing within time it accompanieth a man in death preserveth his dust in the grave until the last day at the which time it shall raise him up and make him partaker of the glorious resurrection of the Just for Paul propoundeth all this unto himself as the fruit of his closing with Christ while he saith I may attain unto the resurrestion of the dead 2. However our closing with Christs righteousnesse by faith giveth a right to and an interest in that blessed resurrection and all the glory which is then to be imparted unto Believers Job 3. 36. Yet there is a way of holinesse and patient enduring of the crosse by which Believers must walk unto it for he propoundeth the knowledge of Christs resurrection and fellowship of his sufferings ver 10. as the way leading to it If by any means c. 3. As there is no small difficulty for any of the lost sons of Adam to attain unto this blessed resurrection so where the reality of it is believed difficulties will but kindle desire and quicken our diligence to be at it for the Apostle If by any means importeth not his doubt of the thing or of his partaking of it only hereby he would set out the great difficulty of attaining unto it together with his ardent desire and unwearied diligence to be at it If by any means saith he Vers. 12. Not as though I had already attained either were already perfect but I follow after if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus Having shown the advantage flowing from closing with Christ he holdeth forth more of his own practice and thereby sheweth the duty of a man already ingrafted in Christ which is from the sense of his own short-coming in the knowledge of Christ his imperfection in grace and conformity with Christ to endeavour constant progresse and to aim at no lesse than perfection in all those that being the scope which the Believer is called to aim at when he is first laid hold upon by Christ in
by wicked works yet now hath he reconciled 22. In the body of his flesh through death to present you holy and unblamable and unreprovable in his sight What he spoke of reconciliation in general he applieth to the Collossians in particular hereby to make way for the following exhortation and having shown the miserable state wherein they were by nature as being not only strangers but enemies to God and that because of sin in them He declareth the gracious change wrought in them they being put in a state of friendship with God which Christ had purchased for them by taking on a true body subject to fleshly infirmities though without sin Heb. 4. 15. and by suffering death in it and all this that they might be presented free from all sin and perfect in holinesse before God in the last day Doct. 1. That general Truths may not be without fruit being looked upon as remote from us Ministers would labour prudently to apply them to the particular state and severall cases of hearers so doth Paul here You hath he reconciled 2. As those who are at peace with God were once in as desperate an estate as others so it concerneth them who are delivered from that state and would have the sense of that mercy kept still lively and fresh and not be puffed up with their present good condition despising others to be frequently minding that woful case wherein they were when first free-grace did lay hold upon them so Paul to commend this peace-making mercy in God doth mind them they were sometimes alienated and enemies in their mind 3. The state of man by nature is most miserable as being first estranged from God having no spiritual communion with him Gen. 3. 8 9. 24. nor any right or claim to that happinesse which floweth from the the enjoyment of him Psa. 58. 3. So they were sometimes alienated to wit by Adams fall as the fountain-cause Secondly they are enemies to God as fighting against Gods revealed will Rom. 6. 19. and hating God Rom. 8. 7. though not as creator and preserver of the world yet as he is a just Judge armed with vengeance against those who do wickedly and God is an enemy to them Isa. 63. 10. who though he love his Elect even in their unregenerate state with an everlasting love Eph. 1. 4. yet so long as they are unrenewed and have not fled to Christ by faith he cannot adjudge them to eternal life or look upon them any other way than as men under an actuall obligation to lie under the curse of the Law which is eternal wrath so they are enemies Thirdly As the cause of this enmity betwixt God and man is no wrong done on Gods part Mic. 6. 3. but mans own sin and wrong done by him to God so the great part of man's misery by nature consisteth in this his sin whereby the chiefest part of him even his soul and all the faculties of it to wit his reason Eph. 4. 18. will and affections Gen. 6. 5. all of which are here signified by the mind are wholly corrupted from whence doth flow all his actuall wickednesse and so much of it that every action of his is polluted as proceeding from such a silthy fountain Enemies in your mind by wicked works Doct. 4. As there is nothing in us to bud or buy free-grace with so by-past misery though arrived at the height of enmity against God will not impede Jesus Christ to work a miracle of mercy where he intendeth to be gracious so you who were enemies yet now hath he reconciled 5. The reconciliation of the Elect unto God is not from eternity nor the time of Christs death nor at any time before the sinner doth beleeve in Jesus Christ Election indeed is from eternity Eph. 1. 4. and satisfaction for sin was given to the Father's justice by Christ upon the crosse Joh. 19. 30. but justification is not until the self-condemned sinner assent to the bargain and enter himself heir unto Christ's purchase by faith for he speaks of them as now being reconciled having imbraced the Gospel when before they were enemies 6. The second person of the blessed Trinity in order to our reconciliation with God behoved to be incarnate taking on a true fleshly body not in appearance only and subject to all the common and sinlesse infirmities of flesh reconciled in the body of his flesh 7. It was necessary also in order to our reconciliation for Jesus Christ to suffer death in his body that thus Christ our surety and one of the same nature with us being seized upon we the principal debters might be absolved and set free Joh. 18. 8. yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death 8. As reconciliation with God hath holinesse of life following on it so the sanctifying of those who are reconciled is a work undertaken by Christ which he is to carry on from one degree unto another until he compleat it at death and so present the justified person holy unblamable and unreprovable in his sight that is Perfectly sanctified as the multiplying of words to one purpose doth import which is not to be accomplished untill death no nor fully in both soul and body joyned together until the day of his second coming Vers. 23. If ye continue in the faith grounded and setled and be not moved away from the hope of the Gospel which ye have heard and which was preached to every creature which is under Heaven whereof I Paul am made a Minister In the third part of the chapter he exhorts them to persevere in the faith of the former doctrine not questioning the truth thereof nor quitting those hopes of good things to come which was begotten in them by it and that because what he had spoken of their reconciliation did depend upon their perseverance and the doctrine was the same with that which at Christ's command was taught through the world by Apostles and which he himself was called by God to preach among the Gentiles Doct. 1. Though a Minister may speak to a mixed multitude indefinitly sometimes as to regenerate persons 1 Cor. 6. 11. because the better part are so Mal. 3. 16 17. And sometimes as to unregenerate Deut. 29. 4 because the greater part ordinarily are such Matth. 22. 14. yet it is safest for him alwayes to guard what he so speaketh by propounding some marks and qualifications of those to whom the thing spoken doth belong lâ—st people stumble by conceiving their state to be either better or worse than really it is Rev. 3. 17. So Paul having spoken vers 22 indefinitly of them all as being reconciled he doth now restrict his speech only to those who had saving faith and would persevere in it If ye continue in the faith 2. All those who are reconciled to God having fled to Christ by faith shall undoubtedly persevere unto the end as being kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation 1 Pet. 1.
place of Circumcision now abolished the fruits of which seal are mortification of sin and vivification in grace by vertue of the death resurrection of Jesus Christ being laid hold on by faith which is wrought in us by the mighty power of God so that there was no place left for Circumcision Doct. 1. The Sacrament of Baptism under the new Testament succeedeth to Circumcision under the old and is to be administred to Children born within the visible Church as Circumcision was to Infants of eight dayes age then Gen. 17. 12. for not only both do seal the same Covenant of grace and are initiatory seals of it but also Paul sheweth that the Christian Church is as compleat now in Christ as the Jewish Church was though we want Circumcision because we have an Ordinance as good as it was to wit Baptism Now if Baptism did not belong to Infants we should not yet be so compleat as they were seeing the Covenant was sealed by Circumcision both to themselves and their little ones Buried with him in Baptism 2. Regeneration consists of two parts to wit first Mortification of sin which ought to be a through and constant work here set forth by our being buried which speaketh more than death And secondly Vivification or quickning in grace set forth by our rising again Doct. 3. Both those parts of Regeneration are sealed in Baptism not as if we were of necessity to suppone that those are already in the person to be baptized but because Baptism obligeth the baptized person to set about these and sealeth up the whole Promises on Gods part even those which are for sanctification and grace so that whenever the party baptized shall lay hold by faith upon the Promise he hath God engaged by word and seal to make it out thus Circumcision was a seal of the righteousness of faith Rom. 4. 11. and yet it was not to be supponed that every Child of eight dayes age had actual faith Buried with him in Baptism wherein ye are also risen 4. Though the Sacraments do seal up grace to us in the way presently mentioned yet they do not confer grace upon us by any proper vertue of their own nor yet is there any principle of power in us which can reach the effectuating of such a work Eph. 2. 1. although the Sacraments do strongly tie us to the working of it as said is It is only the death burial and resurrection of Christ which is the fountain-cause of our dying to sin and living to God in so far as by the merit efficacy and example of the former we attain unto the latter in which respect we are said to be buried with him and risen with him 5. It is no lesse than the infinit power of God which worketh faith in us and neither Sacraments nor the Death or Life of Christ will avail to the subduing of sin and quickning of grace except Jesus Christ be laid hold upon by faith We are buried with him by faith and faith is the operation of God 6. In our acting of faith in God we are not to lay hold upon him in a general confused notion but should eye that in God most which is most conducing unto that purpose for which we do imploy him Thus speaking of faith as it imployeth God for quickning in grace he casteth an eye to that work of God whereupon our quickning in grace dependeth most even his raising of Christ from the dead Vers. 13. And you being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh hath he quickened together with him having forgiven you all trespasses He giveth a further reason against the necessity of circumcision to wit when they were dead in sin and without circumcision as being Gentiles see Eph. 2. 11. God had quickened them with Christ making them partake of the life of grace purchased by him here and giving them right to the life of glory hereafter having pardoned all their sins freely for his sake So there was no necessity but rather it would be impiety to return unto Circumcision now especially seeing it was urged by the false Apostles as a necessary mean to get their natures purified and their sins pardoned Doct. 1. Every man by nature through sin is in a state of death he is thereby spiritually dead as being deprived of all grace union and communion with God chap. 1. 21. he is also judicially dead as lying under the sentence of death pronounced by the Covenant of Works Gen. 2. 17. And you being dead in your sins 2. As this state of death doth totally disable us from quickening our selves it is onely God who quickeneth so no misery of the creature though never so comprehensive as extending it self both to our outward and inward state though never so desperate as being past all remedie by humane help will impede God from doing good and bestowing of the choicest good Thus though they were miserable for their inward state as being dead and so incurable by humane Art and for their outward state as being in the uncircumcision of their flesh or uncircumcised Gentiles yet God doth quicken them 3. Whenever a man believeth in Christ he is in the same moment of time united to Christ and so that all which he did or suffered as sustaining our person or which he procured for our behoof as being our Head whether in his death buriall or resurrection is imputed to us by God and a right unto them derived to us as if we had been personally present with him all those times and given our consent to his doing of all those things in our name and for our behalf hence is it that He is said to have quickened these Colossians together with him though Christ had risen from the dead some years before their coversion 4. There is no spirituall life attainable except our obligation to wrath by the pardon of sin be removed you hath he quickened having forgiven you all your trespasses 5. This pardon though dearly purchased by Christ Matth. 26. 28. yet it is freely bestowed upon us having forgiven you the word signifies freely forgiven as coming from a root which signifies grace 6. Pardon of sin is also universall as leaving no sin unpardoned to him who doth believe and repent Psal. 32. 5. having forgiven you all trespasses Vers. 14. Blotting out the hand-writing of ordinances that was against us which was contrary to us and took it out of the way nailing it to his crosse The Apostle illustrates the benefit of pardon and bringeth an argument against the Ceremoniall Law in generall by shewing God had not onely forgiven the debt of sin but Christ also by his death had destroyed their obligation to wrath because of sin making it altogether uselesse ever to give faith in Law against them which obligation he calleth the hand-writing of ordinances which was contrary to us alluding to written obligations among men for sums of money or such like wherein there is the body of
with pain upon the crosse he is yet rejoycing and triumphing and that because this work was thriving he triumphed over them in it the crosse was as a chariot of triumph to him Vers. 16. Let no man therefore judge you in meat or in drink or in respect of an holy day or of the new moon or of the sabbath dayes He draweth a conclusion from the former arguments That seeing the Ceremoniall Law was now abolished therefore none should take upon them to judge or condemn others for the not observing any of these Ceremonies or if any would be so presumptuous the people of God should not regard their injunctions or censures and of those ceremoniall observances he giveth two instances the one relating to that difference to be kept among Meats according to Numb 6. 3. the other relating to that difference observed in Dayes Dayes observed among the Jews were chiefly of three sorts First anniversary that returned every year here designed by the generall name of an holy day Secondly Lunary or monethly which returned every moneth as the first day of every new moon Thirdly weekly which returned every week and on the seventh day of the week all which are now abrogated even the Jewish seventh day Sabbath and the Lord's day or the Christian first-dayes Sabbath substitute in its place 1 Cor. 16. 2. Doct. 1. What ever Christ hath purchased by his death ought to be stood to and made use of for upon the abolition of the ceremoniall Law by Christ's death he inferreth Let no man therefore judge you 2. Christ the Lord hath given no such power unto any to make that a part of worship binding the conscience which he hath not commanded Let no man judge you It relateth to the false Apostles that they should not injoyn 3. When men presume to prescribe laws binding mens conscience we are not to obey what they injoyn or regard much what they judge of or inflict upon us for disobedience let no man judge you It relateth also to the people that they should not obey such injunctions 4. There is an abstinence from meats politick which the Magistrate injoyneth for civill ends there is an abstinence medicinal which Physicians prescribe for preservation or recovery of health and an abstinence Ecclesiasticall when God by his providence and voice of his Church calleth his people to fasting and mourning all those sorts of abstinence are lawfull but to abstain from meat upon pretence of holinesse and conscience as if some meats were unclean or lesse holy in their own nature than others 1 Tim 4. 4. or as if simple abstinence at any time were a thing acceptable to God in it self without respect had to the end for which it is injoyned Isa. 58. 5. This is sinfull and unlawfull Let no man therefore judge you in meat or drink 5. Though the first day of the week is constantly to be sanctified by all the Christian Churches and that by vertue of a divine command 1 Cor. 16. 2. Christ's example Joh. 20. 19. and Apostolick practice Acts 20. 7. and other dayes also or parts of dayes are to be sanctified when God by his more than ordinary judgements or mercies doth occasionally call to humiliation or thanksgiving Mark 2. 20. Yet not onely is the keeping of the Jewish set Feasts and Fasts sinfull but by more than paritie of reason the setting apart of dayes to the honour of Saints and Angels the keeping holy of any day not appointed by God for some supposed sanctitie in that day more than in another or as if simple abstinence from work were in it self acceptable to God is also unlawfull Yea the dedicating of fixed anniversary dayes whether for humiliation or thanksgiving so as not to take that day again for worldly imployments if God by his providence did call us to it or if by change of dispensation he call us unto an exercise contrary unto that for which the day is set apart such dedication of dayes is also unwarrantable as having no example in the Church of the Old Testament not yet from the practice of Christ and his Apostles and hath in it some kind of limiting of the Almighty to make the course of his providence to answer our appointed times 〈◊〉 none judge you in respect of a holy day 6. Christians in the point of obedience to God and of not subjecting their consciences to the will of men ought to be very precise In respect of a holy day in the Originall it is in the part of a holy day the false Apostles it seemeth urged to sanctifie a part of those dayes at least if not the whole but Paul will not have them yeelding no not to a part Vers. 17. Which are a shadow of things to come but the body is of Christ. He strengtheneth the conclusion by an additionall argument the meaning whereof is those Legall Ceremonies were but dark shadows of things to come to remain onely untill Christ who is the truth body and substance of them should come so that to observe them under the Gospel were in effect to say that Christ the Body is not yet come Doct. 1. Though some of those Legall Ceremonies were commemorative of things past Exod. 13. 8. yet the main use of them all was to lead the Church which then was to the consideration of things to come to wit Christ grace and the doctrine of the Gospel so by the difference of meats was signified that the Jews were a distinct people from all other Nations Acts 10. 11. 23. which distinction was to be taken away by Christ their Festivall dayes as the Passeover did shadow forth our spirituall delivery by Christ 1 Cor. 5. 7. and the Sabbath our eternall rest c. which are shadows of things to come 2. The knowledge which the ancient Church had of Christ was but very dark and confused being compared with ours such as the designation of a Body by its shadow they had but shadows of things to come 3. How much vertue must there be in Christ whose very shadow some obscure and confused notions of him did afford abundant life and comfort unto all such as were then saved for all that they injoyed was but shadows of things to come 4. Whatever good was hid under those Legall shadows we have it all fulfilled and made manifest in Christ and the Gospel some of them shadowed forth moral sanctity and this Christ hath clearly taught and in his own person fulfilled some pointed at the expiation of sin and this Christ by his life and death hath merited some did presignifie eternal life and the participation of it by real Believers and this Christ in the Gospel hath clearly unfolded so the Body is of Christ. Vers. 18. Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of Angels intruding into those things which he hath not seen vainly puft up by his fleshly mind He reasoneth now against the first sort of Impostors mentioned ver 8. to
be disposed of in relation to his present imprisonment and bonds ver 23. and withall giveth them hopes that he himself being set at liberty should give them a visit shortly ver 24. Doct. 1. Those who have power of sending forth Ministers to Flocks should send such as other things being equall are most willing to spend and be spent for the Peoples good and are best known unto and approved of by the Flock for their modesty diligence zeal to the gaining of souls and for their other parts for Paul having shewen Timothie to be such concludeth him therefore will I send 2. A Minister may then postpone the publick good and comfort of the Church to his own particular when his particular comfort may carry alongs with it a sufficient future recompence of larger comfort to the Church for her present losse and delay so Paul keepeth back Timothie for a time to attend himself expecting that probably he should be liberate himself shortly that by the certain knowledge of his being set at liberty they might be the more comforted so soon as I shall see how it will go with me 3. The running upon hazard and drawing on of a crosse by our former zeal for Christ and diligence in his work should not make us repent of what we have done nor yet draw back from doing the like when ever any new opportunity is offered so Paul resolveth to go from the prison to his work again I my self shall come shortly 4. Whatever may be said from Chap. 1. v. 25. concerning Paul's perswasion grounded upon speciall revelation of his delivery from prison yet it appeareth nothing was revealed to him of the time when his delivery should be and therefore in this place when he would limit it to a short time he speaketh not with so full perswasion I trust in the Lord to see you shortly saith he Vers. 25 Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus my brother and companion in labour and fellow-souldier but your messenger and he that ministred to my wants The Apostle in the mean time sendeth back their own Pastour Epaphroditus who had been sent to Paul with some supply and to minister unto him in the prison And lest the Philippians should have thought that either he had deserted Paul or that Paul had not thought him worth the keeping he sheweth that he had expressely sent him back and commendeth him as a worthy man from five honourable epithets Doct. 1. There is a relation of fraternitie among Christians as all being born over again through the vertue of the same spirit Eph. 4. 4. within the bosom of one common mother the Church Gal. 4. 26. having all interest in God as their Father Rom. 8. 15. and in Jesus Christ who is the first-born among many brethren Rom. 8. 29. for Paul calleth Epaphroditus a brother as he was a Christian. 2. As the Ministerial imployment is a painfull laborious work so these who are imployed in it should be fellow-labourers working to the hands each of other for in respect of the Ministeriall calling common to both he calleth him his companion in labour or co-worker 3. Though every Christian will have a battel Eph. 6. 12. yet faithful Ministers who are as Standard-bearers or Centinels Ezek. 3. 17. and march in the front before the Lord's People 1 Tim. 4. 12. have a peculiar battell of their own for truth and pietie against profanity and errour with respect to which battell he calleth him fellow-souldier 4. To be imployed by the Church and sent upon her affairs if it were but for conveying of their charity unto those for whom it is appointed is an honourable imployment even to an Apostle's companion for Paul commendeth him from this that he was the Churches messenger to wit for carrying of their charity to Paul Chap. 4. 18. 5. To be in any measure useful for and serviceable unto an honest sufferer for Christ is matter of no small commendation for Epaphroditus is commended from this that he ministred unto Paul in his wants Vers. 26. For he longed after you all and was full of heaviness because that ye had heard that he had been sick The reasons why Paul thought it necessary to send Epaphroditus unto them are subjoyned in this and the two following verses whereof the first is taken from Epaphroditus his great desire to be at his Charge together with his great grief and heavinesse for them as knowing they would be exceedingly weighted for him having heard that he was sick Dost 1. A faithful Minister's affection unto and longing after his absent Flock will go beyond his desire after family friends and other relations for his longing after them all his whole Flock and not his natural friends only was that which necessitated Paul to send him home he longed after you all 2. The affection of a Minister unto his Flock and to their advancing in the way of grace ought to be such that even when through necessity of sicknesse or of other lawful employments he is withdrawn from them he may yet still long to be among them so Epaphroditus though detained by sickness and his necessary attendance upon Paul yet longed after them all 3. There ought to be that love and sympathy betwixt Minister and People as to make each of them grieve for the affliction and grief of another so the Philippians hearing their Minister was sick are weighted with it and he knowing they would be grieved for him becometh full of heavinesse for them he was full of heaviness because ye had heard he was sick 4. Grief or heavinesse of mind because of the hand of God upon our selves or others is not inconsistent with christian patience and submission to providence Patience moderateth those passions but doth not destroy them so Epaphroditus is commended from this that he was full of heaviness because of their grief Vers. 27. For indeed he was sick nigh unto death but God had mercy on him and not on him only but on me also lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow He sheweth the report of Epaphroditus his deadly disease was true and commendeth the especial mercy of God both to Epaphroditus and himself whereby the one was restored to health and the other thereby delivered from further occasion of great grief Doct. 1. The Lord doth sometimes suffer his preclous servants to fall in dangerous diseases not exempting his most faithful Ministers who by reason of their labours in the work of the Lord and the many discouragements whereby their spirits are assaulted in it Isa. 49. 4. are as much liable to diseases and infirmities of body as any other for indeed he was sick 2. The Lord doth sometimes suffer his servants to fall into desperate dangers for which there is no humane remedy that his mercy may be the more seen in their delivery so he was sick near unto death his disease was deadly and incurable by humane art hence his restoration to health is looked on as