their good in the former is signified his great desire to remoue out of the bodie and to dwell with the Lord in the latter is signified his great desire to abide in the bodie for their furtherance and ioy of their faith vnto the former his loue toward Christ constrained him vnto the latter his loue toward them constrained him for the former it was best for him for the latter it was most needfull for them and thus betweene the former and the latter he was so perplexed that he knew not what to chuse life or death death for his owne present good or life for their further good Now the thing which in the former reason I note is that the Apostle desired euen with a great desire to be loosed from the prison of his bodie or to depart out of the bodie and to be with Christ where he sitteth at the right hand of the throne of God and that he counted this better for him in respect of himselfe then to liue in the bodie Whence I obserue that a Christian in respect of himselfe is rather to desire to die then to liue to depart out of the bodie then to abide in the bodie Vnto the proofe of this point out of this place adde also that other of our Apostle where to the same purpose and in the same words almost he saith thus We loue rather to remoue out of the bodie 2 cor 5.8 and to dwell with the Lord. And that good olde Simeon ye know when once he had seene the Messias which was promised then hee desired with all his heart to die saying Luc 2.29 Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace for mine eyes haue seene thy saluation as if he should haue said now that I haue seene the promised Messias the sweet Sauiour of the world now indeed I desire rather to die then to liue Yea but was it not a great fault in Iob that he desired rather to die then to liue when in the bitternesse of his soule he cried and faid Why died I not in my birth Iob. 3.11.6 9 7.15 or why died I not when I came out of the wombe O that God would destroy me that he would let his hand goe and cut me off my soule chuseth rather to be strangled and to die then to be in my bones Yes indeede this was a great fault in Iob thus in impatiency to breake out and to search for death more then for treasures Neither is any man be his crosses or troubles neuer so great neuer so many through impatiencie and because he is weary of his life to wish rather to die then to liue much lesse is he with cursed Achitophel or traiterous Iudas to become his owne butcher and to cut off his owne daies for this were to repine against the highest and to take our owne matters out of Gods into our owne hands A Christian therefore in respect of himselfe is to desire rather to die then to liue but in no sort through impatiencie or because he is weary of his life Yea but is not death terrible euen vnto the godly and doe they not oftentimes so shrinke thereat that they are afraid of it Yes surely death in it selfe and in it owne nature is so terrible that Dauid being in great heauinesse and distresse by reason of Sauls cruelty expressed it thus saying Psal 55.5 The terrors of death are fallen vpon me Whereby he meaneth that he was so afraid of his enemies as if death had beene ready to seaze vpon him And surely but for Christ Iesus that hee hath seasoned it and that through him it is but a passage vnto a better life wee might all of vs euen the best of vs well feare death as the fruit of sinne and as the reward or wages of sinne How then doe we say that a Christian in respect of himselfe is to desire rather to die then to liue We must vnderstand that a Christian is to desire rather to die then to liue but how not simply rather to die then to liue but so as Paul did rather to die and to be with Christ then to liue He doth not say to die and to be ridd out of the miseries of this life for so many desire whose desire is not good and for whom it were better rather to liue in the bodie then to die but he saith to die and to be with Christ Are we not then while we liue here in the bodie with Christ and Christ with vs If wee will speake as the scripture vsually doth we are not While we liue here in the bodie we are in Christ by his spirit and Christ in vs by faith as appeareth by many places of holy scripture but in the vsuall phrase of the scripture then principally wee are faid to bee with Christ when after the separation of the soule from the bodie we doe in soule enioy the continuall presence of Christ in heauen where he sitteth at the right hand of the throne of God euen as the Apostle witnesseth where hee saith Whiles we are at home in the bodie we are absent from the Lord 2 Cor. 5.6 not from being in the Lord but from dwelling with the Lord in the heauenly places So that first our earthly house of this tabernacle must be destroyed before we can be with Christ where he is as he is man When then we say that a Christian in respect of himselfe is to desire rather to die then to liue the meaning is that he is rather to desire the separation of his soule from his bodie and in soule to bee with Christ where he is as man till he may both in soule and bodie bee there with him for euer then to liue in the bodie And the reasons are plaine and cleare as first because Christ is the husband and we the spouse if we belong vnto Christ As then it is better for the spouse to liue with her husband then to liue apart from her husband Eph. 5.32 so is it better for vs to be loosed and to be with Christ then to liue in the bodie secondly because heauen is our home and here we are but pilgrims and strangers As then it is better to be at home then where we are but pilgrims and strangers Heb. 11.13 so is it better for vs to be loosed and to be with Christ then to liue in the bodie thirdly because it is better for the soule to be ioyned vnto Christ then vnto a sinnefull bodie for as Dauid saith of Mesech and of the tents of Kedar Woe is me that I am constreined to dwell in Mesech Psal 120. â— and to haue mine habitation among the tents of Kedar so may the soule say of the bodie woe is mee that I am constrained to dwell in this sinfull bodie better it were for mee to be ioyned vnto Christ 4. Because the body is as a prison of the soule wherein it wanteth free libertie to doe what
because they are things not principally intended The Apostle desireth to be loosed and to be with Christ to bee loosed why that he might be with Christ Whence I obserue that the death of Gods Saints is nothing else but a departure of the soule out of the body vnto heauen where Christ sitteth at the right hand of the Throne of God Hee which at the first coupled soule and body together in death parteth them asunder and taketh the soule vnto himselfe to bee where he is till in the resurrection hee couple them againe â—ogether neuer after to be parted asunder Whereof all the godly in Christ Iesus at all times haue beene so thorowly perswaded that alwayes in death they haue done and doe after the example of Christ Iesus commend their soules â—nto the hands of him that gaue them saying as he did Faâ—her into thine hands I commend my spirit Luk. 23.46 So wee reade that that holy Martyr Steuen when hee was stoned called on God and said Lord Iesus receiue my spirit Act. 7.59 And in death it is the very ordinary praier of all Gods Saints Wherein they plainly shew their thorow-perswasion that in death their soules are receiued by the Father of spirits into the heauenly habitations there to be ioyned vnto Christ Iesus Contraâ—riwise the death of the wicked and vngodly of the earth is nothing else but a departure of the soule out of the body vnto hell there to be with the Deuill and his Angels Examples of both we haue in the begger and the rich man Luk. 16.22 whose deaths vnto the one was the departure of his soule out of his body into heauen but vnto the other the departure of his soule out of his body into hell Or if the persons of these proue not strongly enough take for example the death of the two theeues which were hanged with our blessed Sauiour on the Crosse vnto the one of which Iesus said that that day hee should be with him in Paradise Luk. 23.43 but vnto the other that railed on him his death doubtlesse was a downfall into hell Is then the dissolution of Gods Saints a passage of the soule out of the body vnto heauen there to be with Christ Farre be it then from vs to thinke that the condition of the children of men and the condition of beasts is euen as one condition vnto them that when man dieth hee returneth wholly vnto the dust and hath no more fruit of all the trauels that hee hath taken vnder the Sunne Thus indeede sensuall man following onely the iudgement of his weake sense and of his owne blinde reason thinketh and saith As the one dieth so dieth the other man and beast haue all one breath and in death there is no excellencie of man aboue the beast all goe to one place all to the earth as all came from the earth But the spirit of God hath otherwise taught vs in his holy word for doth not the Lord say that he is the God of Abraham Matt. 22.32 of Isaac and of Iacob And doth he not say that he is not the God of the dead but of the liuing Abraham Isaac and Iacob then are not dead but liuing Liuing How In their soules with God Dead they are in respect of the separation of their soules from their bodies But forasmuch as the earthly house of their Tabernacle being destroyed they haue a building giuen of God that is an house not made with hands but eternall in the heauens 2 Cor. 5.1 as the Apostle witnesseth euen of all the Saints of God therefore they are still liuing in their soules with God in the heauenly habitations Howsoeuer then the bodies of men be mortall and in death goe downe vnto the dust whence first they came yet their soules are immortall and in death returne vnto the Father of spirits whence they came But what needs more to this purpose then that which here our Apostle saith In death the sonnes of men are loosed that is their soules are separated from their bodies Now if the soule were mortall as the body what needed any loosing of the one from the other Surely both should fall together and not the one bee loosed from the other if the condition of both were one Euen this then that the soules in death are loosed from the bodies of men sheweth that the soules are immortall Againe in death the Saints of God are loosed that they may be with Christ After death then they are with Christ not in body for that descendeth vnto the graue there to rest vntill the resurrection In soule then In death then the soules of Gods Saints passe out of the body vnto heauen there to be with Christ And therefore farre be it from vs to thinke that in death as of beast so of man there is vtterly an end and an entire returne vnto the dust And yet so we liue a great many of vs as if we made no other reckning for do we not a great many of vs passe our dwelling here without feare in chambering and wantonnes in gluttony and drunkenesse in striefe and enuying Doe we not euen glut ourselues with sporting and pleasure and sundry delights of the flesh and say let vs be merry and take our fils of pleasure while we are here for when we are gone then all the world is gone with vs. Surely if a man may coniecture by our dissolutenesse of life a great many of vs either thinke that in death there is vtterly an end of vs or too little thinke what remaineth after death Beloued wee are bought with a price let vs therefore glorifie God both in our bodies and in our spirits We may not liue vnto our selues nor giue our members weapons of vnrighteousnes vnto sinne but we must liue vnto him that died for vs and rose againe and giue our members seruants vnto righteousnesse in holinesse Let vs so liue that in our liues wee thinke of death and let vs know that if we die the death of the Saints we shall die to liue for euer with Christ but if otherwise our part shall be in that lake that euer burneth Againe this may serue for the confutation of that foolish dreame of purgatorie The soules of Gods Saints they are loosed in death from the body and being loosed are with Christ The soules of the wicked they likewise in death are loosed from the body and being loosed do as it is said of Iudas Act. 5.25 go to their owne place euen the place of the damned Where then is Purgatorie They that trouble the Church with this fancie tell vs that of them that die some are perfect and iust men and they go streight vnto heauen others are desperately wicked and they goe streight downe into hell and others are neither perfitly good nor thoroughly badde and for these are Purgatorie But I demaund them touching this third sort of men haue they faith or no They grant they haue but a weake
high hand and as they haue begunne so continue to persecute the Church of God this is an infallible token of their perdition yea it is a cleare cause of their destruction as wee see heauie plagues and iudgements to haue ouertaken Hananiah Shemaiah Amaziah Ier. 28.16.29 25. Amos 7.17 and others because they were malicious enemies against his Prophets Ieremiah Amos and others The vse which our Apostle here teacheth vs to make hereof is this not to feare the aduersaries that oppose themselues against vs for when they persecute vs from one Citie to another beat vs imprison vs and euery way afflict vs whom hurt they Euen themselues they runne themselues vpon the rockes and bring vpon themselues swift damnation They thinke they haue great masteries ouer vs but indeed themselues smart for it Let them therefore looke vnto it how they hold on to wrecke their malice vpon vs and let vs not feare all that euer they doe or can doe against vs. Yea but though they hurt themselues yet they hurt vs also how should wee then but feare them Nay that is the next reason wherefore wee are not to feare them because their persecution and rage against vs is no harme vnto vs but a token vnto vs of saluation And to you of saluation that is The furie and rage of the aduersaries against you if yee stand fast and fight together with one minde through the faith of the Gospell is a plaine token vnto you of your saluation Whence I obserue that persecution by the aduersaries is vnto Gods children a token of their saluation Wee reioyce saith the Apostle of you in the Churches of God 2 Th. 1.4.5 because of your patience and faith c. Againe Gal. 6.17 I beare in my body saith the Apostle the markes of the Lord Iesus Whereby he signifieth that his afflictions were the very markes of his saluation through Christ Iesus as whereby hee was made like vnto him Againe If wee suffer with him 2 Tim. 2.12 wee shall also raigne with him And againe Blessed are they that suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake Matt. 5.10 for theirs is the kingdome of heauen The Scriptures are very plentifull to this purpose cleerely shewing that persecution by the aduersaries is vnto Gods children a token of their saluation A token I say but not a cause for that of the Apostle is euer true that the afflictions of this present time are not worthy of the glory which shall be shewed vnto vs. Rom. 8.15 Vnto the aduersaries indeed their persecution and rage against vs is so a token that it is also a cause of their destruction for sinne being a iust cause oâ— death Rom. 6.23 according to that of the Apostle The wages of sinne is death surely this great and grieuous sinne of persecuting the truth and the professors thereof must needs bee a iust cause of their endlesse destruction But vnto vs their persecution and their rage against vs is onely a token not a cause of our saluation for both to suffer for Christ is the gift of God as it is in the next verse and saluation also through sufferings is his gift by grace through faith So that it is no cause but it is vnto vs a token of saluation as both this and many other places shew Howbeit here yee must also vnderstand that so their persecution and rage against vs is a token vnto vs of saluation if wee continue in one spirit and in one minde fighting together against them through the faith of the Gospell and in nothing fearing the aduersaries It is not standing 〈◊〉 while and not continuing or fighting for a blow or â—wo and then giuing the bucklers or taking courage for a spirt and afterwards for feare falling away that betokens our saluation But he that continueth vnto the end he shall bee saued Mat. 10.22 he that fighteth lawfully and as hee should hee shall be crowned 2 Tim. 2.5 Hab. 6.6 and he that for feare flatly falleth away purchaseth vnto himselfe a fearfull iudgement The vse which our Apostle teacheth vs to make hereof is this as of the former not to feare the aduersaries which oppose themselues against vs for what if wee be tried by mockings and scourgings yea moreouer by bonds and imprisonments What if wee be stoned hewen asunder slaine with the sword afflicted and tormented many wayes This is vnto vs a token of our saluation They thinke that tâ—â—s they hurt vs and haue their willes ouer vs but indeed thus they further our reckoning in the day of Christ Iesus Let vs therefore not feare what they doe or can doe against vs but let vs be of good courage and hold fast the profession of our hope vnto the end LECTVRE XXIII PHILIP 1. Verse 29. For vnto you it is giuen for Christ that not onely yee should beleeue in him but also suffer for his sake 30. Hauing the same fight which yee saw in mee and now heare to be in mee YEa but how and whence is it that persecution betokeneth perdition to the aduersaries and saluation vnto vs It is of God as our Apostle in the next words saith And this is the third motiue or reason which the Apostle vseth to perswade the Philippians not to feare the aduersaries because it is of God that persecution is perdition to the aduersaries and saluation vnto them Whence I obserue that it is of God that tribulation is recompenced vnto them that trouble vs and saluation vnto vs which are troubled This also our Apostle plainly witnesseth in another place where he saith 2 Thess 1.6.7 It is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them â—hat trouble you and to you which are troubled rest with vs c. Where not only this is manifestly set downe that God recompenceth tribulation to the troublers and rest to the â—roubled but withall that it is a righteous thing wiâ—h God so to doe A righteous thing indeed with God in respect of his iustice to the one and a righteous thing in respect of his promise vnto the other for in respect of his iustice it is a righteous thing with him to recompence tribulation to them that trouble his Saints because they deserue to haue vengeance rendred vnto them in flaming fire according to that of the Apostle Rom. 6.23 The wages of sinne that which is due in iustice vnto sinne is death and damnation and iudgement mercilesse Iam. 2.13 due in iustice vnto him that sheweth no mercy and therefore doubtlesse vnto him that without all mercy rageth and persecuteth And in respect of his promise it is a righteous thing with him to recompence rest vnto them that are troubled because he hath promised the kingdome of heauen to them that suffer persecution for righteousnes sake Mat. 5.10 saying Blessed are they which suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake for theirs is the kingdome of heauen and againe If wee suffer 2 Tim. 2.12 wee
also abased not as it is considered in it selfe for so it is immutable but in respect of the vaile of the flesh vnder which it was so couered that it lay hid from the first moment of Christ his incarnation to the time of his resurrection without any great manifestation of his power and maiestie therein Did he then who was both God and man thus voluntarily humble himselfe in his Godhead and in his manhood did he so abase himselfe that he would be borne in a cratch conuerse with poore fishermen eat and drinke with Publicans and sinners be baptized of Iohn be tempted of the Deuil wash his Disciples feete and as a Lambe before the shearer so not open his mouth What should this teach vs my brethren Euen willingly to submit our selues one vnto another and all of vs to decke our selues inwardly with lowlinesse or minde If abundance of wisdome and knowledge if greatnes in honor and dignitie if soueraigne power and authoritie had beene sufficient motiues and inducements for our Sauiour Christ to stay himselfe from thus humbling himselfe his name was wonderful counseller the mighty God the euerlasting father the prince of peace to him did belong all honor and glory in him were hid all the treasures of wisdome knowledge of his fulnesse haue all we receiued grace for grace yet for all this he thus humbled himselfe willingly as yee haue heard Let not therefore the conceit of wisdome and knowledge in our selues let not the conceit of our wealth and riches of our preferments and honors of our birth and friends cause vs to swell with pride of our owne gifts or to lift vp our selues aboue our brethren to disdaine our inferiors let not these be any staies why â—ere should not be in vs the same mindes that was in that â—hrist Iesus Let euery man make himselfe equall vnto them of the â—est degree and let euery man esteeme other better then himselfe â—e God resisteth the proud and giueth grace vnto the humble â—nd let this be noted touching Christ his humiliation It â—â—â—loweth And he became obedient or he was made obedient Whence I â—â—te the second point which I proposed to be spoken of to â—t Christ his obedience in his life vnto the law to fulfill the â—v For if the question be asked when and how long was â—rist obedient The Apostle answereth vsque ad mortem vnâ—â— the death not as if his death were no part of his obediâ—ce but the Apostle plainely implieth thereby that as in the 〈◊〉 of his life he was obedient vnto his Fathers will to fulfill â—e law for vs so was he obedient in his death to redeeme vs â—m death hell and the Deuill Touching his obedience vnâ—â— the law to fulfill the law the Apostle saith that when the â—nesse of time was come Gal. 4.4 God sent forth his Sonne made of a man and made vnder the law that is subiect vnto the law to fill the law And of himselfe thus our Sauiour himselfe â—aketh Mat. 5.17 thinke not that I am come to destroy the Law or the â—ophets I am not come to destroy them but to fulfill them Christ â—n was made subiect to the law and came into the world to â—â—fill the law And therefore he was circumcised the eight â—y he was represented to the Lord after the daies of Maries â—â—rification and as the text saith Luc. 2.39 all things were done for him â—â—ording to the law of the Lord. He gaue sight to the blinde â—â—de the deafe to heare the dumme to speake the lame to goe c. Es 35.5 6. â—it was so written of him He preached the Gospell to the â—re bound vp the broken hearted 61.1 2. preached deliuerance to the â—tiues set at libertie them that were bruised preached the accepâ—le yeare of the Lord c as it was so written of him He was â—uted with the transgressors though he had done no wickednesse 53.12 â—ther any deceit was in his mouth he bare the sinnes of many and â—yed for the trespassers as it was so written of him In a word â—atsoeuer was written of him in the law of Moses and in the Prophets and in the Psalmes all that he fulfilled And therefore when Iohn would haue put him backe from his baptisme he said vnto him Mat. 3.15 Let be now for thus it becommeth vs to first all righteousnesse as if he had said stay not this act of my baptizing for we must render perfect obedience vnto the Father in all things which he hath ordained Now will yee know the reason why Christ thus fulfilled the law as it was written 〈◊〉 him Gal. 4.5 The Apostle giueth it where he saith for this cause 〈◊〉 was made subiect vnto the law that he might redeeme them when were vnder the law Rom. 8.4 or as the same Apostle saith that the rightâ—ousnesse of the law might be fulfilled in vs which walke not after the flesh but after the spirit .i. that his fulfilling of the law in oâ— flesh might be imputed for righteousnes vnto the children oâ— his kingdome as well as if they had fulfilled the law in the owne persons For when as the same Apostle there speakeâ—â— by reason of our sinnefull flesh we were not able to fulfill the law and therefore must needs perish by the law then God sâ—â—ding his owne Sonne in the similitude of sinnefull flesh maâ—â— him obedient vnto the law that his fulfilling of the law mighâ— be imputed for righteousnes vnto vs which beleeue in Christ Iesus whom he hath sent and walke not after the flesh but are the spirit Againe the worke of our redemption consisted not onely in Christ his sufferings and death but in his fulâ—â—ling of the law also For the sufferings and death of Chriâ—â— considered apart from his legall obedience onely takes aâ— the guilt and punishment frees man from death and make him of a sinner to be no sinner but that he may be fully reconciled to God and accepted as righteous to life euerlasting this legall obedience of Christ must bee imputed vnto vâ— Witnes the Apostle Rom. 3.19 where he saith As by the disobedience of 〈◊〉 man many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall 〈◊〉 be made righteous where speaking generally of obedience bâ— meaneth Christ his whole obedience which in all his life time he performed For as in the disobedience of Adam there 〈◊〉 transgressio legis vnde facti sumus peccatores sic in obedience Christi fuit impletio legis vnde sumus iusti the transgressneâ— the law whereby we are made sinners so in the obedience of Châ—â— there was the fulfilling of the law whereby we are made iust And therefore that he might be made of God vnto vs perfect iustication and redemption besides that he suffered and died for â—s that he might free vs from sinne and death he also fulfilled â—he law for vs that so we might be made the righteousnesse
Sauiour in such like paine crie in the bitternes of his soule my God my God why hast thou forsaken me Nay my brethren that which made Christ to be heauie would haue crusht his Apostles in pieces that which made him sweat bloud in the garden would haue sunke them into hell that which made him crie would haue held both men Angels vnder euerlasting woe and lamentation Besides his bodily death therefore and the paines that followed thereupon hee felt in his soule most grieuous paines through the wrath of God which was vpon him for our sins And thus ye see what death he suffered for our sakes when he was made obedient to the death The fruites and benefits which wee receiue by Christ his death are these 1. By his death we are freed from that death which is both of body and soule haue the victory ouer that death which is the reward of sinne as witnesseth the Apostle For our Sauiour by his death hath pulled out the sting of death Heb. 2.14 Rom. 8.1 and on the crosse hath triumphantly said O death where is thy sting ô graue where is thy victorie and therefore when we feele the pangs of death approach wee should not feare but be full of hope considering that our death is now changed by the vertue of Christ his death and is the entrance into an euerlasting â—ife 2. By Christ his death we haue remission and forgiuenesse of our sinnes as saith our Sauiour himselfe where in the institution of his supper Math. 16.28 this my bloud which is shed for many for the remission of sinnes For the remembrance of which his blessed death and fruits of his passion he hath ordained this holy Sacrament of his supper to be continued in his Church for euer In which holy supper the death and passion of our Sauiour is so liuely represented vnto vs a if we had seene it with our eies the bread betokening the body the wine the bloud of our Sauiour Christ the breaking likewise of the bread signifying the breaking of his body with those vnspeakable torments which he suffered and the pouring out of the wine the shedding of his most precious bloud when his blessed side was gored with the speare of a souldier our eating of the bread and drinking of the wine assuring vs of our incorporation into Christ to be made partakers of all the benefits of his passion When ye come therefore to this holy Supper remember that ye are called hither to continue the remembrance of his blessed death and passion vntill his blessed comming againe Repent you earnestly of your manifold sinnes for the remission whereof Christ shed his owne hearts bloud Loue one an other euen as he hath loued vs who laid downe his life for vs. And haue faith in Christ Iesus whom God hath set foorth to be a reconciliation through faith in his bloud By faith in Christ Iesus we receiue remission of our sinnes and all other benefits of his death and passion By loue of our brethren we testifie our loue of God who sent his sonne to be a reconciliation for our sinnes And with the contrition and sorrow of our hearts for our sinnes the Lord is better pleased then with all burnt offerings and sacrifices These are the things which the Lord requireth of vs euen faith repentance and loue and as at all times so at this time especially when we come to the receiuing of these holy mysteries let vs thinke of these things He that eateth and drinketh vnworthily eateth and drinketh his owne damnation crucifying againe vnto himselfe the Lord of glory and King of our peace But hee that examineth himselfe and so eateth of this bread and drinketh of this cuppe is made one with Christ and Christ with him and Christ shall raise him vp at the last day so that he shall neuer see death because he belieueth in him who died for our sinnes and rose againe for our iustification It followeth Euen the death of the crosse The most shamefull death that they could put him vnto Here then is the fourth and last point which I noted in these words which is the kinde of his death whereunto he submitted himselfe The kinde of his death was he was crucified betweene two Theeues where he was mocked of all sorts of men where in feeling of the whole wrath of God vpon him he cried out my God my God why hast thou fâ—â—saken mee where hauing performed all things that were written he said it is finished and so commended his spirit into the hands of his Father Whence 1. we may learne with bitternesse to bewaile our sinnes for which Christ was thus cruelly nailed on the crosse and there suffered the whole wrath of God 2. To crucifie our flesh and the corruption of our nature and the wickednesse of our hearts Gal. 3.24 For they that are Christs crucifie the flesh with the affections and the lusts 3. It may teach vs that when wee suffer any iudgement crosse or calamity in body or in minde wee doe not suffer them as any curses of God but as the chasticements of a louing father For Christ Iesus in his crosse being accursed for vs hath deliuered vs from all curse Beloued let vs thinke of these things mourning for our sinnes mortifying the deedes of the flesh and comforting our selues in the crosse of Christ Iesus who abased himselfe for vs fulfilled the whole law for vs died for our sinnes and was nailed to the crosse for our iniquities O Lord teach vs to humble our selues both before thee and one vnto another teach vs to doe thy will teach vs to die vnto sinne that we may liue vnto thee and daily more and more crucifie the old man in vs that being renued in the spirit of our mindes we may henceforth serue thee in holines and righteousnes all the daies of our life LECTVRE XXIX PHILIP 2. Verse 9.10 Wherefore God hath also highly exalted him and giuen him a name aboue euery name that at the name of Iesus c. IT remaineth now that we proceed from the description of Christ his humility vnto the description of his exaltation into glorie after his humiliation here on earth set downe in these words Wherefore God hath also c. In which words the Apostle 1. in generall setteth downe Christ his exaltation into glory as a consequent or effect following his humiliation and obedience vnto the death when he saith Wherefore â—od hath also c. Him euen Iesus who was crucified him â—ath God raised vnto life set him at his right hand and made â—im both Lord and Christ 2. The Apostle setteth downe a â—ore particular specification and explication of Christ his exâ—â—tation into glorie 1. when he saith and giuen him a name c. Whereby is meant that God hauing raised him from the â—ead hath giuen him such maiestie and glorie in the heauenly â—aces that he hath appointed him Lord ouer all things and â—ade him head vnto the Church
minde of Christ his resurrection so to awaken them â—rom the dead sleepe of sinne vnto holinesse of life More â—laine to this purpose is that of the same Apostle where he thus saith Rom. 6.4 We are buried with Christ by baptisme into his death that like as Christ was raised vp from the dead by the glory of the Father so we also should walke in newnesse of life In which words most plainely ye may see how the Apostle presseth the similitude of Christ his resurrection to proue that we ought to walke in newnesse of life But in this place most worthy our consideration it is how the Apostle maketh Baptisme a resemblance of Christ his death and resurrection and so by an argument from our Baptisme proueth that we ought to walke in newnesse of life By baptisme saith the Apostle we are buried with Christ into his death that at he died for sinne so we by the power of his death should die vnto sinne againe in baptisme we are baptized into Christ his resurrection that as he was raised againe from death vnto life so we should rise from sinne wherein we are dead vnto newnesse and holinesse of life Want yee then motiues to perswade you vnto newnesse of life Behold Christ is risen againe behold we are baptized into Christ his death and resurrection therefore we ought to walke in newnesse of life Art thou then a Christian and yâ—â— wantest thou proofe that thou oughtest to walke in newnesse of life Looke backe into thy Baptisme Wast thou not there visibly receiued into the Church of Christ and communion of Gods saints Wast thou not there sacramentally adopted into the number of the sonnes of God Was not there thy name registred amongst the children of the most high Diddest thou not there receiue presse money to fight vnder the banner of Christ Iesus Diddest thou not there promise vnto the Lord thy God in the congregation of his Saints to forsake the world the flesh the Deuill Did not thy God there make a couenant with thee that he would be thy God and thou againe with him that thou wouldest be his childe Wast thou not there sacramentally borne againe of water and of the spirit as at the first thou wast naturally borne of flesh and of bloud In a word wast thou not baptized into Christ Iesus euen into Christ Iesus dead and risen againe from the dead Wast thou not baptized into Christ his death that thou mightest die vnto sinne Wast thou not baptizeâ— into his resurrection that thou mightest liue vnto God Yeâ— men and brethren if you looke backe into your baptisme yee â—hall finde euery of these things true in euery one of you And â—herefore we bring litle children to be baptized that here they may receiue the seale of that great couenant whereby God is â—heir God and they his people that here they may be visibly â—eceiued into the Church adopted into the sonnes of God â—egistred amongst his children and receiue as it were presse-money to fight vnder the banner of Christ Iesus against the world the flesh and the Deuill that here they may be baptiâ—ed into Christ Iesus euen into the death and resurrection of Christ Iesus And want we yet a sufficient reason to perswade â—s vnto newnesse and holinesse of life Surely we want no â—ufficient reason to perswade vs but yet this reason is not suffiâ—ient to perswade vs and preuaile with vs. The Ministers of God may lift vp their voices and cry daily Eph. 5.14 Awake thou that â—eepest and stand vp from the dead and Christ shall giue thee life They may cry till their hearts bleede within their bodies nay â—hey may cry till the breath goe out of their bodies Know yee â—ot that all yee that are baptized are baptized into Christ his death and into Christ his resurrection that yee might die vnto sinne â—nd liue vnto God But who doth heare Whose hearts are â—o pricked that they cry Men and brethren what shall we doe Sound a trumpet in a dead mans eares he moues not he â—eares not And surely so dead are we in our sinnes that how â—owde and often soeuer the trumpet of Gods voice sound vnto vs a retrait from sinne and wickednes vnto newnesse and â—olinesse of life yet we heare it not we are not at all moued â—herewith O my brethren the very meditation of our bapâ—isme with our selues and the seeing of the same administred vnto others should sufficiently preach vnto vs mortification â—rom dead workes and sanctification in holinesse of life â—specially baptisme being so notable a resemblance of Christ â—is death and resurrection as that it doth most liuely repreâ—ent vnto vs 1. our remission of sins by the death of Christ â—n that our soules are so clensed by the spirit from the filthines â—f sinne euen as the filth of the bodie is washed with water â— our regeneration and new birth by the power of his resurâ—ection in that after the washing by the spirit wee rise againe cleansed by the same spirit Let these things men and brethren sinke deepe into your soules Let the meditation of your baptisme call to your remembrance the death and resurrection of Christ and let all these stirre you vp vnto neâ—nesse and holinesse of life that as he was exalted rising from death vnto life so yee may be exalted rising out of your sâ—â—â— to liue in righteousnes and true holinesse The second thing which Christ his resurrection may teach vs is that our bodies also howsoeuer they be turned into duâ—â— torne of beasts or deuoured of fishes yet shall rise againe at that day For his resurrection is a most certaine and sure pledge of our resurrection and therefore is he called the first fruits of them that sleepe because as in the first fruits which were offered by the law 1 Co. 15.20 all the rest of the corne was sanctified so in Christ his resurrection we haue a most sure pledge of our resurrection But yet this withall thou must note that vnlesse thou haue part in the first resurrection thou shalt neuer haue part in the second .i. vnlesse thou first in this life rise from sinne in newnesse of life thou shalt neuer rise againe after this life into glory but onely vnto euerlasting condemnation which is called the second death Vnto you therefore I say as Paul spake to the Romanes If the spirit of Christ that raised vp Iesus from the dead dwell in you Rom. 8.11 then he that raised Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortall bodies And by this yet know that the spirit of Christ dwelleth in you if yee mortifie the deeds of the flesh by the spirit and walke after the spirit iâ— newnesse and holinesse of life O striue to haue your second resurrection into glory assured vnto you by your first resurrection in newnesse of life Blessed and holy is he that hath pâ—â— in the first resurrection Apec 20.6 for on such the second death hath no
by the righteousnesse of Christ Iesus whose whole obedience in suffering death and fulfilling of the Law shall bee the couering of our sinnes and the cloke of our righteousnesse And let it teach vs to iudge all our workes in respect of that righteousnes whereby we are made righteous before God to be but losse and dung that we may be found in Christ not hauing our owne c. O Lord our God as thou hast vouchsafed to instruct vs in our true righteousnesse so vouchsafe by a true and liuely faith in thy sonne Christ Iesus to make vs partakers of that righteousnes Iudge not O Lord in that day by our own righteousnesse which is full of vnrighteousnes and vncleannesse but passing by our sinnes and our iniquities accept the righteousnes of thy sonne Christ Iesus for our vnrighteousnes that we being clothed with his righteousnes may be of the number of those vnto whom it shall be said Come yee blessed of my Father c. LECTVRE LVII PHILIP 3. Vers 10. That I may know him and the vertue of his resurrection c NOw the Apostle goeth forward and sheweth other reasons why he renounced all his owne merits as losse and dung and reioyced only in Christ Iesus 1. as we haue heard he did so that hee might gaine the righteousnesse of Christ by faith that was the first and principall gaine that he reckoned vpon by doing so 2. He did so for other aduantages that he reckoned vpon by doing so as â— he did so that he might know Christ 3. That he might know the vertue of his resurrection 4. That hee might know the fellowshippe of his afflictions and be made conformable vnto his death 5. That he might attaine vnto the resurrection of the dead What is the reason then why the Apostle hauing cause of confidence and reioycing in the flesh and in things without Christ doth renounce all things without Christ and reioyce only in Christ Iesus The reason is because reioicing in the flesh and in things without Christ is vnprofitable and hurtfull and contrariwise the renouncing of all things without Christ and reioycing onely in Christ Iesus is most profitable Why what profit comes thereby 1. Christs righteousnesse which is by faith 2. The knowledge of Christ 3. The knowledge of the vertue of his resurrection 4. The knowledge of the fellowshippe of his afflictions c. 5. The attaining vnto the resurrection of the dead All these vantages the Apostle reckoned vpon to follow his renouncing of all things without Christ and his reioycing onely in Christ Iesuâ— For so he saith that he iudgeth all things losse and dung that he may winne Christ and may be found in him c. as if these things could not be vnlesse he should do so All which vantages doe so follow the renouncing of all confidence in the flesh and reioycing onely in Christ Iesus as that these foure last doe issue and spring out of the first For being iustified by faith in Christ Iesus wee know Christ we know the vertue of his resurrection c. These being fruits issuing and growing out of that righteousnesse which is through the faith of Christ Thus much for the generall drift and meaning of these words Now for the more particular opening of these words wee must know that by the knowledge of Christ is here meant not such a knowledge as wherby we are able to talke of Christ of his birth of his life of his doctrine of his death and passion c. but such a knowledge as whereby we feele and proue in our selues and in our owne soules that hee is indeed our redemption our reconciliation our saluation and whatsoeuer else we haue heard or read or belieued of him in the Scriptures not a contemplatiue knowing knowledge of Christ but a liuely and experimentall knowledge of Christ in our owne soules Againe by the vertue of Christ his resurrection the Apostle meaneth that regeneration i. that dying vnto sinne and liuing vnto righteousnesse which is wrought in vs by the power of his resurrection 3. By the fellowshippe of Christ his afflictions the Apostle meaneth that partaking which Gods Saints haue with Christ of his afflictions for the glorie of Christ and the good of the Church and their owne conformitie vnto the death of Christ Lastly by attaining vnto the resurrection of the dead the Apostle meaneth that eternall weight of glory in the heauens which onely they obtaine that in this life know Christ by experience in their owne soules and by the power of his death and resurrection die vnto sinne and liue vnto righteousnesse and constantly endure such afflictions as the Saints of God are partakers of that so they may be conformable vnto the death of Christ who was consecrated through afflictions The summe of all is this the Apostle tells the Philippians that he hath no confidence in his merits or workes but onely reioyceth in Christ Iesus that so he may be iustified before God by Châ—ist his righteousnesse and that being iustified by his righteousnesse through faith in his name he may know Christ by a liuely feeling of him in his owne soule and may by the power of his resurrection die vnto sinne and liue vnto righteousnesse and may constantly with Gods Saints suffer such afflictions as Christ hath suffered and may be made conformable vnto Christ his death and at length may be receiued into that glory which is prepared to be shewed in the resurrection of the iust Thus then yee see that both these are the fruits of the righteousnesse of faith and that both the righteousnesse of faith and these fruits issuing out of it are all vantages which the Apostle counteth he hath hy renouncing all confidence in the flesh and reioycing onely in Christ Iesus Now let vs see what obseruations we may gather hence for our vse That I may know him This is one end wherefore the Apostle would bee found in Christ hauing his righteousnesse through faith and consequently wherefore he renounced all his owne merits and works and onely reioyced in Christ Iesus euen that he might know Christ For why iudged he his owne righteousnes to be but losse and dunge That he might winne Christ and be found in him not hauing his owne righteousnesse but the righteousnes of Christ through faith And why would he be found in Christ his righteousnesse through faith that he might know Christ This is the fruit of the righteousnes of faith and both of them are vantages which follow the renouncing of all confidence in the flesh and the reioycing in Christ Iesus But what Did not Paul know Christ Had he preached Christ so many yeares yet knew not Christ Had he planted so many Churches in the faith of Christ and yet knew he not Christ For answer herevnto to omit that knowledge which is by vision in heauen when we shall see him face to face we must vnderstand that there are two sorts of knowledge of Christ here on earth
which we haue by this holy sacrament of the Lords Supper for the strengthning and increasing of our faith Many things yee see here are fully to assure our faith that we should not doubt but as surely as we receiue the bread and wine into our bodies to become wholly ours so withall our soule receiueth Christ together with his passion and righteousnesse to be wholly ours as surely as if we had wrought them in our owne persons Yea such assurance our faith groweth vnto by the vse of this holy Supper as that now we know by the powerfull operation of Gods holy spirit within vs that God is in vs indeed and that now Christ is ours and we Christs and that together with Christ we haue all things euen all the benefits of our saluation And the more that our faith is strengthned hereby the more also is this feeling knowledge of Christ increased in vs so that together with the growth of our faith there is a growth of this knowledge Seeing therefore this knowledge of Christ groweth as our faith in Christ groweth and seeing our faith is so strengthned and increased by the holy vse of this holy Supper let vs so often as we are called vnto this holy table prepare our selues with all holy reuerence and feare to the celebration of these holy mysteries Great is the benefit that here we doe receiue if we eat of this bread and drinke of this cup worthily for then we eat spiritually the flesh of Christ and drinke his bloud then we dwell in Christ and Christ in vs we are one with Christ and Christ with vs and these things are so sensibly represented vnto our eyes and taste as that our faith is fully assured thereof so that henceforth we know by the working of the spirit that Christ is ours together with whatsoeuer is his But if we present our selues at these holy mysteries without due preparation and examination of our selues we haue no such benefit but rather we are guilty of the bodie and bloud of our Lord and Sauiour Proue therefore your selues whether you are in the faith whether yee feele your hearts assured by the spirit of God that the punishment of your sinnes is fully discharged in Christ and that whatsoeuer Christ hath done pertaineth not onely to others but euen to you also If you beleeue these things and know these things though it be not without some doubts and without some imperfections behold by the vse of this Supper your weake faith and imperfect knowledge shall be strengthned and increased But if as yet yee haue no such faith in Christ no such knowledge of Christ then may yee not presume to present your selues at this holy table The vse of this Supper is for the confirmation and strengthning of our faith it is not for the begetting of faith in vs but that being begotten by the word is by the word and the vse of the Sacrament thus confirmed The last thing which hence I obserue is that if we will haue this experimentall knowledge of Christ in our owne soules by faith in Christ Iesus then must wee renounce all confidence in our owne merits and in our owne righteousnesse whatsoeuer For wherefore is it that men trust in their owne merits and in their owne righteousnesse Wherefore is it that men make reckoning to be iustified and saued by the worth of their owne workes Wherefore is it that men grow to a pharisaicall pride and conceit of themselues as if they had somewhat in themselues that might abide the tryall Surely it is because of the want of this feeling knowledge of Christ They neuer felt in their owne soules the sweetnesse of Christ the comforts of Christ the treasures of Christ They know not by experience in their owne soules that Christ is all in all vnto them they know not what Christ is made of God vnto his children They haue a knowledge of Christ but the knowledge of Christ hath not seazed vpon their soules and therefore they doe not know the full sweetnesse of Christ and the full worth of Christ For if they knew in their owne soules that Christ were made of God vnto them wisdome and righteousnesse sanctification and redemption they would onely reioyce in Christ Iesus and haue no confidence in the flesh But therefore they reioyce in the flesh and haue confidence in their owne workes and in their owne righteousnesse because they know not Christ If therefore we will know Christ with a sauing knowledge and a feeling knowledge of him in our selues we must vtterly renounce all confidence in our owne merits and all trust in our owne righteousnesse whatsoeuer What shall we say then vnto them that stand vpon the merit and worth of their owne workes and of their owne righteousnes Surely euen thereby they shew that howsoeuer they say they know Christ yet they haue not this experimentall knowledge of him in their owne soules for if they had they would know such infinite treasures of all spirituall graces to be hid in him as that they would minde nothing without him To conclude this point therefore let these trust in their merits let those follow their vaine delights and pleasures let these seeke after riches let those spend their whole time in the studie of humane knowledge but let vs studie to know Christ If we haue this feeling knowledge of him in our owne soules then come pouertie come sicknes come famine come sword come persecution come affliction come aduersitie come what crosse can come our soule notwithstanding all these is at quiet rest and in him we haue comfort enough against all these In him because we know him we know that treasures enow and comforts enow are hid for vs whatsoeuer trouble or aduersitie we finde in the world Let vs therefore studie to know him and because faith is the roote of this knowledge let vs vse with all religious reuerence those meanes whereby faith is either wrought or confirmed And because confidence in our owne merits and righteousnes is an enemie to this knowledge let vs renounce all such confidence and reioyce onely in Christ Iesus that we may know him c. LECTVRE LVIII PHILIP 3. Verse 10. And the vertue of his resurrection and the fellowship of his afflictions c. THat I may know him and the vertue That is and that I may know the vertue of his resurrection .i. that I may daily more and more feele in my selfe the vertue of Christ his death resurrection .i. that I may daily more more die vnto sinne and liue vnto righteousnesse by the power of the spirit which raised vp Christ Iesus from the dead For by resurrection in this place I vnderstand both Christ his death and resurrection and by the vertue of Christ his death and resurrection I vnderstand not that power whereby Christ ouercame death and rose againe from the dead but that regeneration that dying vnto sinne and liuing vnto righteousnesse which the Holy Ghost worketh in
vs by the power of Christ his death and resurrection The third vantage then which the Apostle reckons vpon by disclaiming al righteousnes by his own works and reioycing onely in Christ Iesus is that hereby he shall know the vertue of Christ his resurrection in himselfe whereby he shall daily more and more die vnto sinne and liue vnto righteousnesse which vertue of his resurrection he greatly desired to know and which otherwise he could not know So that it is as if the Apostle had thus said I doe iudge all my owne workes whatsoeuer to be but dung and quite renounce all confidence in my owne righteousnesse to the end that being iustified by the righteousnesse of Christ through faith in him I may know and daily more and more feele in my seâ—â—e by the powerfull operation of the Holy Ghost the vertue of Christ his death and resurrection whereby I may die vnto sinne and liue vnto God in righteousnes and true holinesse Thus much for the sense Now for the obseruations And that I may know the vertue Here first I note the Apostles great desire to know and to feele in himselfe by the worke of the holy Ghost the vertue of Christ his death and resurrection He reckoned this knowledge amongst the chiefe vantages which he had in Christ Iesus and for this vantage sake he made no reckoning at all of his owne righteousnesse by any workes that hee had wrought Such a longing and thirsting desire hee had to know the vertue of Christ his death and resurrection He knew Christ his death and resurrection that he died and was buried and that hee rose againe the third day but hee desired to know the vertue of his death and resurrection He knew likewise this vertue of Christ his death that thereby he had vanquished sinne death and the deuill and this vertue of his resurrection that thereby hee had purchased for him righteousnesse life and euerlasting saluation but he desired to know and to feele in himselfe the death of sinne by the vertue of his death and the life of righteousnesse and holinesse by the vertue of his resurrection This vertue also of Christ his death and resurrection he knew in that hee felt in himselfe by the power of the spirit a dying vnto sinne and a liuing vnto righteousnesse but hee desired to feele this vertue of his death and resurrection in himselfe daily more and more that hee might daily more and more die in the old man and be quickened in the new man that in euery combat betweene the flesh and the spirit the flesh might daily more and more be subdued to the spirit Whence I obserue what a vehement and earnest desire there should be in vs all to know and to feele in our selues the vertue of Christ his death and resurrection and in whom there is some feeling thereof to know and to feele it in themselues daily more and more Wee all of vs know that Christ died for our sinnes and that he rose againe for the full accomplishment of our iustification wee know that by the power of his death wee are deliuered from the first and from the second death from the death of sinne in this life and from the death of damnation for sinne after this life and that by the power of his resurrection wee haue our part both in the first and in the second resurrection in the first resurrection from sinne vnto righteousnesse and in the second resurrection from the power of the graue vnto life euerlasting Wee know that wee are buried with Christ by baptisme into his death that like as he was raised vp from the dead by the glory of the Father so wee also should walke in newnesse of life We know that if we be grafted with Christ to the similitude of his death dying vnto sinne by the power of his death euen so wee shall be to the similitude of his resurrection liuing vnto God by the power of his resurrection These things I say wee know at least we should know and I wish that they were farre better and more knowne then they are But there is a further knowledge of the vertue of Christ his death and resurrection which in our soules wee must long and thirst after This is the vertue of Christ his death and resurrection that we must long and thirst after to know and to feele in our selues the death of sinne and the life of God to know and to feele in our selues that the strength of sinne is abated in our flesh and that the life of God is renewed in the spirit of our minde to know and to feele in our selues a loathing of sinne and a loue of righteousnesse to know and to feele in our selues a mortification of the flesh with the affections and the lusts and a quickening in our spirit by the fruits of the spirit to know and to feele in our selues that delight which sometimes wee tooke in vnrighteousnesse in vncleannesse in couetousnesse in pride in crueltie in contention or the like sinnes to be cooled and a desire to liue righteously and soberly and godly in this present world to bee kindled in vs. For hereby we know in our selues the vertue of Christ his death and resurrection if we feele in our selues this mortification of the old man and this quickening in our inner man when his death workes the death of sinne in vs when his resurrection workes the life of God in vs then wee know in our selues the vertue of his death and resurrection The sacrament hereof is the sacrament of baptisme for when wee are baptized wee are baptized into the similitude of his death that like as he died once for sinne so we should euer die vnto sinne and into the similitude of his resurrection that like as he rose from the dead so wee which were dead in sinne should not henceforth serue sinne but liue vnto God in righteousnesse and true holinesse Euen our baptisme doth witnesse vnto vs that so many of vs as are baptized into Christ Iesus wee should die vnto sinne and liue vnto God in righteousnesse and true holinesse Which death vnto sinne and life vnto God seeing the holy spirit of God doth worke in vs by the power of Christ his death and resurrection how should we not most earnestly desire to know and to feele in our selues the vertue of Christ his death and resurrection But doe wee desire to know and to feele in our selues the vertue of Christ his death and resurrection Doe we with our Apostle in this place reckon this knowledge amongst our chiefest vantages Nay alas we know it not neither care we to know it for what dying vnto sinne and liuing vnto God is there amongst vs In whom is the strength of sinne abated and the life of God renewed in the spirit of his minde Doth the Atheist leaue his Atheisme and embrace godlinesse Doth the couetous person leaue off to set his affection on the things which are on the earth
and set his affection on the things which are aboue Doth the cruell oppressor leaue off to grinde the faces of the poore and beginne to be mercifull Doth the vsurer leaue off to lend his money vpon vsurie and beginne to lend freely Doth the swearer leaue off to sweare and beginne to feare an oath Doth the filthy whore-monger and adulterer leaue off his vncleannesse and beginne to liue chastly Doth the contentious person leaue off to brawle and contend with his neighbour and beginne to loue quietnesse Doth the drunkard leaue his drunkennesse and beginne to liue soberly c. Doth any prophane and wicked person leaue off his prophanenesse and wickednesse and beginne to liue righteously and godly in this present world Nay so farre are wee from dying vnto sinne and liuing vnto God that contrariwise wee liue vnto sinne in sinne and wee are dead in respect of the life of God If wee would denie it yet doe the iudgements of God testifie it vnto our faces Hath not the sword beene shaken against vs by the hand of a cruell and mercilesse enemie now a long time Hath there not beene cleannesse of teeth in all our cities scarcenesse of bread in all our places euen a great dearth and famine throughout this whole land now a long time Hath not grieuous sicknesse and mortalitie great plagues and strange diseases taken away many thousands of our people And is not the hand of the Lord still stretched out against vs Doe not dearth and famine on one hand and sicknesse and mortalitie on another hand still deuoure our people And are not these the messengers of Gods fierce wrath against vs for our sinnes Yes certainly euen for our sinnes and iniquities are all these things come vpon vs. And because he hath smitten vs and wee are not healed because hee hath laid his punishing hand vpon vs and wee haue not turned from the wickednesse of our wayes vnto him therefore his wrath is not turned away but his hand is stretched out still No man knoweth the vertue of Christ his death or careth to know it but euery man walketh after the wayes of his owne heart and drinketh iniquitie like water No man knoweth the vertue of Christ his resurrection or careth to know it but euery man in stead of rising vp vnto holinesse of life riseth vp to eat drinke and play and therefore doth the hand of God lie still so heauie vpon vs. O my brethren at length let vs follow the counsell of the Apostle let vs mortiâ—â—e our earthly members fornication vncleannesse the inordinate affection euill concupiscence and couetousnesse which is idolatrie and let vs bring forth the fruits of the spirit Let vs crucifie the flesh with the affections and the lusts and walke in the spirit Let vs put off the old man which is corrupt through the deceiueable lusts and let vs put on the new man which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holines For this let vs all know that whosoeuer in this life dieth not this death which is vnto sinne no man shall deliuer his soule from the hand of the second death after this life and whosoeuer hath not his part in the first resurrection which is from sinne vnto righteousnesse he shall haue no part in the second resurrection which is vnto glory and life euerlasting And such as doe know and feele in themselues the vertue of Christ his death and resurrection them I exhort in the bowels of Christ Iesus that with the Apostle they desire and labour to know and to feele this vertue in themselues daily more and more Stand fast against all the assaults of the deuill and quit your selues like men embrace holinesse and follow after righteousnesse While yee liue the flesh will rebell against the spirit but striue daily more and more to subdue the flesh vnto the spirit Consider with your selues with all godly care what sinne it is that most doth haunt you couetousnesse or licentiousnesse or pride or hatred or swearing or lying or the like and fight against that labour daily more and more against that seeke daily more and more to crush that in the head Againe consider with your selues what good thing yee are too dull and slacke vnto hearing of the word or liberalitie to the poore or patience in aduersitie or the like and labour daily more and more vnto that follow daily more and more after that seeke daily more and more after that In a word stirre vp euery good grace of God in you and refraine your feet from euery euill path that ye may know and feele in your selues the vertue of Christ his death and resurrection and doe this daily more and more that ye may feele in your selues this vertue daily more and more The second thing which here I note is from what root this knowledge of the vertue of Christ his death and resurrection issueth and springeth and that is from the righteousnes of faith for still wee must remember that these foure last vantages whereof the Apostle speaketh doe so follow the renouncing of all our owne workes and the reioicing only in Christ Iesus as that they all issue from the first vantage that we haue thereby namely from the righteousnesse of Christ through faith Whence I obserue that only they that are iustified by the righteousnesse of Christ through faith doe feele in themselues by the powerfull operation of the holy Ghost the vertue of Christ his death and resurrection whereby they die vnto sinne and liue vnto God in righteousnesse and true holinesse And to this the Apostle seemeth to giue witnesse where hee saith that our hearts are purified by faith Act. 15.9 for it is as if hee should haue said wee are purified and purged from dead workes to serue the liuing God but how is it It is by faith in Christ Iesus So that the Apostles meaning is that only they that are iustified by faith in Christ Iesus are purged from dead workes to serue the liuing God For if this purification bee by faith then only they that haue faith are thus purged So our Sauiour also saith Ioh. 15.4 As the branch cannot beare fruit of it selfe except it abide in the vine no more can yee except yee abide in mee Whence it is most plaine that they onely that are ingrafted into Christ Iesus by a true and liuely faith in him whereby they take hold of his righteousnesse bring forth the fruits of the spirit dying vnto sinne and liuing vnto God in newnesse and holinesse Why is it then that there is so little knowledge amongst vs of the vertue of Christ his death and resurrection The reason is only the faithfull children of God know it The rest they haue no root in themselues they want that true and liuely faith whence such knowledge should spring Let this then serue to rowse vs out of the dead sleepe of sinne and to awake vs vnto righteousnesse That the death and resurrection of Christ worke no
better vpon vs that wee subdue not the flesh vnto the spirit that we serue sinne and giue not our members seruants vnto righteousnesse in holinesse it is a plaine argument of the want of faith in vs. And therefore our Sauiour made it an argument against Iudas that hee beleeued not because he would betray him Ioh. 6.64 But there are some of you saith our Sauiour that beleeue not For saith the Euangelist Iesus knew from the beginning who they were that beleeued not and who should betray him Where the argument is that Iudas had a traiterous heart therefore he beleeued not In like manner let vs make the argument against our selues Our hearts are sett on mischiefe we drinke iniquitie like water wee die not vnto sinne but wee suffer sinne to raigne in our mortall bodies wee liue not vnto God in righteousnesse but wee giue our members seruants vnto vnrighteousnesse wee feele no vertue at all of Christ his death or resurrection in our selues therefore we beleeue not The conclusion is hard but if it bee altered the premisses must be altered Let vs cease to doe euill and learne to doe well let vs die vnto sinne and liue vnto God let vs mortifie our earthly members and be filled with the fruits of righteousnesse and then shall wee haue a good testimonie vnto our selues of our righteousnesse by faith In a word iustification which is by faith and regeneration which is by the spirit killing our old man and quickening our new man are so linked the one with the other as that they are affirmed and denied both together For if we be iustified by faith then are we regenerate by the spirit and if wee be regenerate by the spirit then are we iustified by faith And againe vnlesse wee be iustified by faith wee are not regenerate by the spirit and vnlesse we be regenerated by the spirit we are not iustified by faith As therefore we desire to haue our iustification by faith sealed vnto our soules so let vs desire to know and to feele in our selues the vertue of Christ his death and resurrection by dying vnto sinne and liuing vnto God in righteousnesse and true holines It followeth And the fellowshippe of his afflictions c. This is the next vantage which the Apostle reckons vpon by renouncing all his owne workes as losse and dung and reioycing onely in Christ Iesus the knowledge in himselfe of Christ his afflictions euen such as he did suffer in the daies of his flesh and such as he doth daily suffer in his members And the reason he addeth why he would know in himselfe the fellowship of Christ his afflictions namely so to be made conformable vnto Christ his death It is then as if the Apostle should haue said I make no reckoning of mine owne righteousnesse by workes but my desire is that being iustified by the righteousnesse of Christ through faith in such afflictions as Christ suffered in his owne person for the glory of God and the good of his Church and such as still hee suffereth in his members for his owne glory the good of his Church I may haue fellowship and bee partakers with them because I desire to be made comformable vnto Christ his death i. like vnto Christ who is dead and through many afflictions is entred into his kingdome What then did the Apostle desire outward afflictions in his body yea hee counted it a great vantage to suffer afflictions such as Christ had suffred in his own person and such as hee did suffer in his members for the glory of Christ and the good of his Church Hence then I obserue that affliction and trouble for Christ his sake and the good of his Church should not seeme grieuous vnto God his children but rather they should count it a vantage vnto them to be afflicted for his sake Thus the holy Ghost almost euery where teacheth vs. Mat. 5.12 Reioyce saith our Sauiour and be glad when men reuile you and persecute you and speake all manner of euill sayings against you for my sake falsly And the Apostle Iames Iam. 1.2 Count it exceeding ioy when ye fall into tentations i. afflictions and tribulations whereby ye are tempted And the Apostle Peter Thinke it not strange concerning the fiery triall 1 Pet. 4.13 which is among you to proue you but reioyce inasmuch as you are partakers of Christ his sufferings c. And lest the holy Ghost should seeme without all reason to will vs to reioyce in afflictions and to count them vantage vnto vs hee hath set doâ—ne many reasons why afflictions should not daunt vs or seeme grieuous but rather ioyous vnto vs. As 1. affliction hath been alwaies the lot of Gods children It beganne we see euen with Abell Gen. 4 8. whom his brother Caine slew Iacob and Ioseph the children of Israell Dauid Iob the Prophets the Apostles of Christ what afflictions suffered they Reioyce saith our Sauiour when they persecute you for so persecuted they the Prophets which were before you yea such persecutions and afflictionâ— both Patriarches and Prophets and Apostles and all the holy men of God haue suffered 2. Afflictions are profitable instruments which God vseth thereby to draw vs to the obedience of his will Hos 5.15 For so saith the Lord by his Prophet In their affliction they will seeke mee diligently Ier. 31.18 So saith Ieremy that before the Lord corrected and chastised him by afflictions he was aâ— vntamed calfe Ps 119.67 71. And Dauid before I was afflicted I went wrong but now I keepe thy word And againe it is good for mee that I haue beene afflicted that I may learne thy statutes 3. Afflictions are a token of Gods loue and fauour towards vs. For as the Apostle saith Heb. 12.6 Whom the Lord loueth he chasteneth and he scourgeth euery sonne that he receiueth Sometimes we wander astray out of the right way wherein we should walke and then as a good shepheard he sends his dog after vs to pinch vs and to ranke vs in our right order againe 4. Afflictions make wâ— like vnto Christ as both the Apostle sheweth here and in the Epistle to the Romanes Rom. 8.29 for as Esay had prophecied of him so he was full of sorowes he wanted no sorowes but he was full of sorowes 5. The afflictions of Gods children they are Christ his afflictions whereinsoeuer they suffer hee suffereth â—th them And therefore when Saul persecuted them that â—lled vpon his name he called vnto him from heauen sayâ—ng Saul Saul why persecutest thou me because he persecuted â—is children he counted that he persecuted him 6. It pleaseth â—he Lord through afflictions to bring his children vnto the â—ingdome For it is ordained that through many afflictions â—e should enter the kingdome No chastising Heb. 12.11 saith the Apoâ—tle for the present seemeth to be ioyous but grieuous but afterward 〈◊〉 bringeth the quiet fruite of righteousnesse vnto them which are â—ereby
instruction Not as though c. Here you see that the Apostle acknowledgeth that as yet hee had not attained to the full knowledge of Christ to a thorow-feeling of the vertue of Christ his death and resurrection in himselfe to a perfect fellowship of Christ his afflictions He laboured to attaine to the resurrection of the dead in glory by communicating with Christ in his afflictions by dying vnto sinne and liuing vnto God through the power of Christ his death and resurrection by knowing Christ with a feeling knowledge of him in his owne soule But hee saith that he hath not yet perfectly attained vnto these thing◠whereby he might attaine vnto the resurrection of the dead And he amplifieth it by this particle Now saying that now be had not attained vnto these things now that hee had shaken off all impediments and hinderances vnto perfection in these things now that he had renounced all confidence in his owne workes and in all things without Christ now that he laboured to attaine to the knowledge of Christ in his owne soule to the knowledge of the vertue of Christ his resurrection to the knowledge of the fellowship of Christ his afflictions in himselfe if by any meanes he might attaine to the resurrection of the dead yet not as yet he had attained to the full knowledge of Christ in himselfe to a thorow-feeling of the vertue of Christ his resurrection in himselfe to a perfect fellowship of Christ his afflictions My obseruation hence is that all the faithfull children of God how plentifully soeuer endowed with the knowledge of Christ the hatred of sinne the loue of righteousnesse the fellowship of Christ his afflictions yet only know Christ in this life in part onely die vnto sinne and liue vnto God and are partakers of Christ his afflictions in part not one that perfectly knoweth Christ that perfectly feeleth the vertue of Christ his death and resurrection in himselfe that is perfectly partaker of Christ his afflictions For is it not a good reason Paul that holy Apostle of Christ Iesus that chosen vessell of God to beare Christ his name before the Gentiles and Kings and the children of Israel aged Paul that had begotten many in the faith and knowledge of Christ Iesus that had now long borne in his body the dying of Christ Iesus that had his conuersation in heauen that had suffered more then all the rest he I say knew Christ and the vertue of his resurrection and the fellowship of his afflictions onely in part not perfectly therefore none of all the faithfull children of God in this life either knowes Christ or dies to sinne or liues to God or is conformed by afflictions and sufferings vnto Christ his death perfectly but only in part Yes surely the reason holds most strongly Pauls prerogatiues being not any way inferiour to any of the best and most faithfull children of God Now the reason why in this life our knowledge our loue our faith our death vnto sinne our life vnto God our whole obedience all our righteousnesse all our holinesse is in part only why these things in this life are not perfect in any of the children of God the reason I say is because our regeneration and sanctification in this life are not perfect wee are not perfectly renewed in the spirit of our mindes God giueth vnto vs the spirit by measure Joh. 3 34. Rom. 12.3 for vnto Christ alone hath God giuen the spirit without measure but vnto euery one of vs hee hath giuen the spirit by measure Hee is made of God vnto vs wisdome and righteousnesse and sanctification in him dwelleth all the fulnesse of these things plentifully and of his fulnesse we all receiue not fulnesse of his fulnesse but of his fulnesse of the spirit and all spirituall graces wee receiue as it were the first fruits of the spirit and of all spirituall graces wherewith then only wee shall be filled when mortalitie shall put on immortalitie and when corruption shall put on incorruption Which the Apostle also witnesseth where hee saith 1 Cor. 13.12 that now wee see through a glasse darkly but then shall wee see face to face now wee know in part but then shall wee know euen as wee are knowne no◠in this life in part and imperfectly and then onely when wee shall see Christ face to face shall we know him perfectly For when that which is perfect is come then shall that which is in part be abolished but not before Neither is it only so in our knowledge but in our faith in our loue euen in our whole obedience Paul himselfe while he liues shall haue messenger of Satan to buffet him hee shall haue prickes in the flesh and hee shall feele a law in his members rebelling against the law of his minde and leading him captiue vnto the law of sinne which is in his members Here then first is notably confuted that imaginarie perfection which some dreame that the children of God may haue in this life This holy Apostle attained not vnto the perfection either of the knowledge of Christ or of obedience vnto his will what perfection then can there be in any of Gods children in this life They say that no man indeede can attaine to that absolute perfection either of that knowledge or of that righteousnesse which shall be in heauen but that they may attaine vnto such perfection as is required in this life As if either God might not require of vs in this life such perfection as he gaue vnto vs in our creation or as if where such remnants of sinne and ignorance are as sticke fast vnto vs there could be such perfection Gal. 3.22 For I demand hath God concluded all vnder sinne The Apostle Paul saith so and Iohn likewise saith 1 Ioh. 1.8 that if wee say wee haue no sinne wee deceiue our selues and the truth is not in vs. What perfection then where there is such transgression Againe did not God create vs after his owne image in righteousnesse and true holinesse without sinne or ignorance or any such thing It is cleere and cannot be denied And what was our perfection then Now that ignorance hath blinded vs and sinne hath defiled vs haue we such perfection now Or may not God require such perfection of vs now in this life How did wee lose it Was it 〈◊〉 by our owne default And may not then God require it of v◠True it is he cannot haue it of vs because we haue lost it B◠because wee haue lost it should wee not haue it Yes surely wee haue lost it but wee should haue it and therefore he may require it of vs wee should haue it but wee haue lost it therefore is the punishment due vnto vs for it True it is wee are often exhorted to be perfect but those exhortations onely shew vnto vs what perfection should be in vs not what perfection is in vs. Yea the whole Law is a perfect rule not of
Christ and that so much strife is among them 〈◊〉 as the chiefe man and maintainer of that way may either be forced to desist from preaching of Christ and so bring a shame on my selfe or else may be put to death But I know that this which they practise against me shall through your prayer and by the helpe of Gods spirit and according to my certaine expectation hope turne to my saluation euen to the saluation of my soule because of my confident constancie in the defence of the Gospell whether it bee by life or by death and to the saluation and deliuerance of my bodie out of prison so that neither shall I bee put to shame for leauing the defence of the Gospell nor put to death for standing in the defence of the Gospell This I take to be the order and meaning of these words in generall Now it wiâ—â— be needfull that yet a little more perticularly we sift and examine the meaning of them For I know c. These words ye see containe in them a reason of something that went before Before the Apostle had said 〈◊〉 Christ be preached whether it be vnder a pretence or sincerely I therein ioy yea and will ioy Will ioy why Fâ—â— I know that this c. I know how euen by the reuelatioÌ„ of the spirit and by warrant out of the word What did he know I know saith he that this this what euen that this chaine wherewith I am bound and this practise of some brethreâ— in the Lord to bring me to shame by leauing the defence oâ— the gospell or to bring me to death if I stand in the defence of the Gospell I know saith he that this shall turne to my saluation Now what is meant by saluation all doe not agree Some thinke hee meaneth thereby his bodily deliuerance out of prison as the word is often vsed for a bodily deliuerance Act. 7.25 as where it is said of Moses That he supposed that be brethren would haue vnderstood that God by his hand would haue giuen theÌ„ deliuerance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as here it is said and ofteâ— elsewhere Others thinke hee meaneth the saluation of hâ—â— soule in the day of Christ as the word is most of all vsed â—â—t I thinke the Apostle may be vnderstoode to speake of â—â—th whether we consider the opposition betweene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—â—d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the matter of the Philippians prayer For â—â—at was the affliction which they supposed to adde vnto 〈◊〉 bands Euen this that he as the chiefe by the threats 〈◊〉 Nero should be forced to leaue the defence of the gospel â—his shame and the hazard of his soule or if hee should â—â—nd in the defence of the Gospell should be deliuered vnâ—â— death Now in opposition to this he saith that whatsoeâ—â—r they supposed hee knoweth that this euen this their â—â—actise against his constancie or his life should turne to his â—â—luation euen the saluation of his soule through his conâ—â—ncie in the defence of the Gospell so that in nothing hee â—ould be ashamed c. And likewise to the saluation and â—eliuerance of his body out of prison quite otherwise then â—â—ey had intended And againe the Philippians prayer no â—oubt was for both these euen that hee might abide conâ—â—ant so that in nothing he might be ashamed and that hee â—ight be deliuered from the mouth of the Lyon And for â—hese causes I vnderstand saluation in this place both of â—oule and bodie in such sort as hath beene said I know that â—his shall turne to my saluation How by what meanes first â—hrough their prayer praying for his constancie and deliâ—arance Secondly By the helpe of the spirit of Iesus Christ which should be giuen vnto his seruant to helpe him euery way against all practises And thirdly Rom. 8.19 according to his ferâ—ent desire for so the word is translated or according to his â—arnest expectation and hope whereof he should surely not â—e deceaued I know saith hee that by these meanes this â—hall turne to my saluation How to his saluation by these meanes that is in that thus it should come to passe that in nothing pertaining to the defence of the Gospell he should bee ashamed but that with all confidence and liberty to speake in the defence thereof as alwaies so now where hee strengtheneth his hope by his experience Christ should be magnified and honoured in his body whether hee should liue by preaching the gospell or should die by sealing it with his bloud Wherevpon he signifieth his owne indifferency to either life or death and the conueniencie of his life in respect of them and then he tells them how this shall turne to his saluation in the deliuerance of his bodie out of prison And thus much for the opening of the meaning of these words in particular which as yee see is somewhat intricate and obscure Now let vs see what notes we may gather hence for our farther vse and instruction The first thing which I note is in the maine proposition in that the Apostle saith that he knoweth that this casting of him into prison and this practising against him being in prison shall turne to his saluation not onely of his bodie by deliuerance out of prison but of his soule because of his constancie in the defence of the Gospell Whence I obserue what fruit the godly may assure themselues shall follow vpon their sufferings and wrongs euen their saluation in the day of Christ Iesus For though the Apostle might know this some other way then now the godly can euen by the reuelation of the spirit as no doubt he did know of his deliuerance out of prison yet may the godly thus farre goe with the Apostle and say I know that my sufferings and wrongs shall turne to my saluation in the day of Christ Iesus But how shall they know this or assure themselues of this Euen because the Holy Ghost hath said Rom. 8.28 that all things worke together for the best vnto them that loue God In which place amongst many other arguments for the comfort of the godly against afflictions and troubles he vseth this drawne from the prouidence of God who so wisely ordereth and disposeth all things that eueâ— the crosses and afflictions of his children worke for the good of his children euen their best good their saluation Be it then tribulation persecution famine nakednes sword imprisonment or what crosse soeuer that doe presse vs we know that all things euen all crosses and calamities worke together for the best vnto them that loue God so that if we loue God we neede not shrinke at all these or any such like but certainely know that they shall turne to our saluaâ—ion More plaine it may be to this purpose will be thought â—hat of the Apostle where he saith Rom. 8.7 2 Tim 2.12 that if we suffer with Christ we shall also be glorified with Christ and againe if
life or death â—f he should chuse the one vers 22. and secondly answeâ—eth that he knoweth not what to chuse but in this choise â—s in a strait betwixt two and thirdly setteth downe the reasons why the choise is so hard as 1. in respect of himselfe it were better for him to chuse death vers 23. and 2. in respect of them it were better that he chose life vers 14. Here is then the strait whether for his owne greater good he were now to chuse death or for their greater good hâ— were to chuse longer life This I take to be the order and meaning of these words generally thus farre Now let vâ— see what obseruations we may gather hence for our fartheâ— vse and instruction The first thing then which here I note is the reason wherefore the Apostle was so indifferent either vnto life or death which so euer God might be glorified by and it was because whether he liued or died if by either death or life he might gaine glory vnto Christ vnto him did accrew vantage enough Whence I obserue how a Christian becommeth indifferent vnto either life or death and that is thus if Christ be vnto him both in life and in death aduantage if he seeke no other gaine but this that Christ may be glorified in his body then he is indifferent vnto whatsoeuer it is whereby Christ may be glorified be it life or death This was it that made those three children mentioned in Daniel so indifferent either vnto life or death For when Nebuchadnezzar had called them and thundred out cruell threatnings against them if they should not worship the golden image that he had set vp Dan. 3.16.17.18 they said vnto him O Nebuchadnezzar we are not carefull to answer thee in this matter Behold our God whom we serue is able to deliuer vs from the hote fiery fornace c. In which their answer they plainely shew that it was not life or death that they stood vpon but it was the glory of their God If God should deliuer them from death to his farther glory by their life they were willing to liue and againe if he should deliuer them vp vnto death to his further glory by their death they were also willing to die Life and death was indifferent to them by whether soeuer God would be glorified in them because the glory of God was all that they sought in life or in death The same is to be said of all those godly Martyrs that are dead in the Lord for the testimonie of a good conscience and for the defence of the truth of Christ Iesus to the shedding of their bloud They were willing no doubt to haue liued and they â—re willing also to die euen very indifferent vnto either 〈◊〉 or death And how so that they were indifferent vnto â—â—her Because if God were glorified in them whether it â—â—re by life or by death that was comfort enough ioy â—â—ough and gaine enough vnto them If they might gaine â—rie vnto God thereby came death or came life either â—â—s welcome vnto them And in so many of gods children â—here is this indifferencie vnto either life or death thus â—commeth to passe because of the aduantage which they â—â—ckon vpon by Gods glorie because as either life or death â—akes for Gods glory so they embrace either life if therâ—â— God may be more glorified and death if thereby God â—ay be more glorified Let this then teach vs euen so many of vs as feele not in â—â—r selues this indifferencie vnto either life or death to â—â—oke into the cause why it is that we are not indifferent vnâ—â— either And surely if we be not too partially affected toâ—ards our selues we shall finde that it is because this is the â—ast reckoning with vs that Christ be glorified in our boâ—â—es The pleasures and sorrowes of life and the terrors of â—eath these be the things that so affect vs that wee are not â—â—different vnto either but so heart set on the one that wee â—â—nnot brooke to heare of the other If as Iob speaketh Iob 21.8.9.10 â—ur seede bee stablished in our sight with vs and our generation â—â—fore our eyes if our houses be peaceable without feare and the â—â—od of God bee not vpon vs if our bullockes gender and faile not â—nd our Cowe calue and cast not her calfe If wee spend our â—ayes in wealth and haue all things at our desire then doe â—e so dote vpon these things that wee say with the foole in â—he Gospell Soule Luc. 12.19 thou hast much goods layd vp in store for â—any yeares liue at ease eate drinke and take thy pastime And â—uch a reckoning we make vpon the honors and pleasures commodities of this life that we could be content to liue with them euer but cannot abide to depart froÌ„ them Again â—f the rod of the Lord bee vpon vs and his countenance â—eeme to be turned away from vs if we be troubled on euery side with fightings without and terrors within if wee bâ— crossed in our substance and goods in our wife and chiâ—dren or in our owne bodies if wee bee in trouble sorroâ— neede sicknesse or other aduersitie if we be tryed by mockings and scornings by bonds and imprisonment then oâ—â— the other side we are so daunted with those things that wâ—â— are wearie of our liues and with Iob in his extremitie we câ—â— out Iob 3.11.12 and say Why dyed I not in the birth or why dyed I not whâ—â— I came out of the wombe 6.9.7.15 Why did the knees preuent me 〈◊〉 why did I sucke the breast O that God would destroy mee thâ— he would let his hand go and cut me off my soule chooseth rathâ—â— to be strangled and to dye then to be in my bones Yea and many times like vnto Achitophell and Iudas wee become our owne butchers One sort can heare of nothing but life and another sort wish nothing but death very fewe of vs that are indifferently affected to either life or death and all because we minde earthly things The preferments and pleasures and commodities of this life they are our aduantage and gaine If our desires bee filled with them then wee are nothing indifferent vnto death but all our delight is set oâ—â— life But if wee lacke them and instead thereof haue our drinke mingled with weeping then are we nothing indifferent vnto life but all our desire is of death and would God we were dead would God we were dead As for the glorie of God it neuer comes into our thoughts neither doe wee euer make account of life or of death as they doe make for the glory of the Lord for if we did then would we be indifferent vnto either as either should make for the glory of the Lord and not run vpon the one as carnall respects or terrors of death should moue vs. Well now that wee know these things let vs thinke or these things Let vs not set our hearts
contemne our Superiours and sometimes euen make rebellion against them Doe wee not often murther the innocent without a cause if not in his life yet in his credite and name and in a cruell spight against him Doe we not often steale from our brethen by false weights and measures by selling naughty wares by bribes and extortion by symonie and vsurie by deceitfull and wrongfull dealing Doe we not often lye one vnto another and so smother the truth that it can neuer come to light Doe wee not abound with sinnefull lusts inordinate affections vngodly desires and vnruly motions True it is which the Prophet saith that by lying Hos 4.2 and swearing and killing and stealing and whoring we breake out and bloud toucheth bloud Shall I say all in a word Christ is not to vs in life aduantage but rather Christ is vnto vs in life a losse His glorie we count not our glorie but rather we count all the time lost that is not spent in the things which tend nothing to his glorie I wish my words might iustly be reproued Beloued it is enough that we haue spent the time past of our life in vngodlines vnrighteousnes it is enough that hitherto we haue not glorified God in our mortall bodies as we ought Let vs hereafter make streight steps vnto the Lord and let vs liue vnto his glorie in whose glorie is our life Let vs so make account that wee liue if wee liue to his glorie and whatsoeuer others count their gaine let vs count his glorie our greatest gaine The third thing which here I note is that the Apostle saith that Christ is vnto him in death aduantage Whereby he meaneth that if he dye and by his constancie in his death bring glorie vnto Christ this glorifying of Christ by his death is vnto him in his death an aduantage Whence I obserue what vnto a Christian should be the thing wherof he should make reckoning in his death and that is that God be glorified by his death and then if he dye so that in his death God haue his glorie welcome death whensoeuer and whatsoeuer violent or naturall What saith our blessed Sauiour Luc. 22.50 I must saith he be baptized with a baptisme and how am I grieued till it be ended In which words hee shewed his great and earnest desire to die for vs that the Gospell might the sooner be preached throughout the world For hauing before signified that his comming was to preach the gospell which should kindle a fire throughout the world and this fire was alreadie kindled by the preaching of the gospell he signified likewise that before his passion the gospell should not be published throughout the world And therefore that he desired to die was that the Gospell might the sooner bee preached throughout the world Heere then ye see what it was that the sonne of God reckoned vpon his death namely the glorie of God by the publishing of the gospell throughout the world Phil. 2.17 And because he longed after this hee longed after death What also saith our holy Apostle Though saith he I be offered vp vpon the sacrifice and seruice of your faith I am glad and reioyce with you all Where yee see the Apostle saith that hee would reioyce in death as a vantage vnto him if by his death God might haue this glorie that their faith thereby might bee confirmed The thing then that hee made reckoning of in his death was that God might be glorified thereby and so hee would reioyce in death Semblably wee in death should principally looke at this that our death be to the glorie of the Lord that our death bee as the death of his Saints Ps 116.13 that our death be in the Lord and then we may reioyce and bee glad in it For as the Prophet saith Apoc. 14.13 Right deare and precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of the Saints And as our Sauiour saith Blessed are the dead that dye in the Lord. Hence then we may learne why it is that we are many of vs so vnwilling to dye If persecution arise because of the word and fire and faggot be the portion for vs to drinke it is no need to bid vs to flie but we runne and we turne and turne and turne againe rather then wee will burne If any sicknes seaze vpon vs by and by we so shrinke and are so affraid of death that whatsoeuer physicke by the Physition whatsoeuer cōfort by the Minister be ministred vnto vs yet stil nothing but death death with vs. Euery summō of death is so fearefull vnto vs that if any way wee could wee would shift it off And why is all this but because we count of no vantage in death because Christ is not vnto vs aduantage in death we neuer bethinke our selues shall God be glorified by my death shall the Saints hearts be strengthened by my constancie my patience in my death shall the Christian and quiet repose of my soule in the Lord at my death cause them that behold me to glorifie the Lord But what do we thinke and say I shall die I shall die I shall go downe to the graue and be no more seene the terrors of death are vpon me and who shall deliuer me And thus death triumpheth ouer vs whereas vpon the other cogitations we should triumph ouer death 1 Sam. 25.37 Ye know the storie of Naball of whom it is said that when his wife told him Dauids words his heart died within him and he was like a stone So is it with many of vs when any summons of death come forth for vs our hearts faile and die within vs and we are euen as stones And no meruaile that feare of death should so worke vpon vs when in our death there is nothing to comfort vs. If our hearts were so set on the glorie of the Lord that wee counted that gaine enough vnto vs if any way wee might gaine glory vnto the Lord by life or by death then would wee willingly die whensoeuer our death might be to Gods glorie But setting apart all care of Gods glorie by life or by death we mind onely the pleasures and profites of this life which haue an end in death and therefore are vnwilling to die In the terrors of death then will we not feare death Let mee die the death of the righteous and I will not feare what death can doe vnto me Let Christ Iesus bee glorified by my death and then let death come in fire in sword in famine in pestilence in what terrible sort it can come and I will triumph ouer death Let this mind be in euerie one of vs and so that by our death God bee glorified in vs at what time so euer and in what sort so euer it come let it bee welcome to vs. And let this suffice to bee obserued from these words whence ye see first how we become indifferent vnto either death or life
namely if Christ be vnto vs both in life and in death aduantage Secondly that the vantage whereof we are to make reckoning in our life is that Christ Iesus may bee glorified by our life And thirdly that the vantage whereof we are to make reckoning in our death is that Christ Iesus may be glorified by our death Now vpon this occasion that hee had said that hee was very indifferent vnto either life or death because Christ was vnto him both in life and in death aduantage the Apostle maketh a little digression and disputeth the poynt whether were better for him to choose life or death And first in this verse hee mooueth the doubt and answereth it in these words And whether c. Which words I know are diuersly read but the words bearing well this reading I follow it as both best opening the Apostles meaning and best sorting with that which followeth Now when hee saith Whether to liue in the flesh ye must vnderstand that to liue in the flesh and to liue after the flesh are much different For to liue after the flesh is to follow the filthie lusts of the flesh and to liue in the flesh is onely to liue in this fraile bodie The doubt then is whether to liue in the bodie were profitable for him and what to choose life or death were best for him And the answere is that he knoweth not what to choose life or death Being in his case in prison a man would haue thought this choise would not haue been hard Yet he being in prison saw such comfort in death and such ioy in life that hee knew not which rather to choose And such loue did hee beare towards the Philippians that weighing the great comfort which hee should haue by his death with the great profite which they should haue by his life he knew not what to choose Whence I obserue first the great loue which ought to bee in the Pastor towards his people and the great desire which he ought to haue of their profite and comfort Euen in case of his greatest comfort ioyned with their losse and heauines it should much perplexe him what to choose his or their present comfort Yee know that of Moses Exo. 32.32 where he prayed the Lord either to pardon his people their sinne or to raze him out of the booke of life And that of Paul Rom. 9.3 where hee wished himselfe to bee separated from Christ for his brethren which were his kinsmen according to the flesh They both knew the one that hee could not be razed out of the Booke of life and the other that hee could not bee seperated from Christ onely therein they shewed how greatly Gods glorie in the peoples good And true is that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 13.5 that Loue seekes not her owne things but the things of others Whence yet I doe not inferre that the Pastor for loue of his people should in case of his saluation wish his own vtter rection rather then that his people should not be gained vnto Christ But this I say that euen in case of his and their saluation for the loue of his people hee is to be perplexed how soone to wish his saluation by his dissolution because howsoeuer his present comfort should bee gained by his present dissolution yet their saluation should be furthered by his longer continuance in the bodie A poynt which doth not much perplexe many Pastors For too many such there are as neither caring for their own saluation nor their peoples looke onely to fleece them but neuer care what become of them A point which might be much enlarged but not so fitly in this place If the vrging of it might concerne any here I beseech them in the feare of God to thinke further of it with themselues The second thing which here I obserue is this that if we bee at peace with God and keepe faith and a good conscience whatsoeuer our outward state be we haue such comfort and ioy on euery hand that neither we desire to die in respect of the griefes of this life nor to liue in respect of any feare of death The example of our Apostle is proofe enough to this purpose He lay in prison and of the brethren none assisted him but all forsooke him and many practised much against his constancie and against his life so that his outward state was very hard and such that in respect of the griefes of his life he might haue desired death and againe in respect of the feare of death hee might haue desired life Yet euen then such ioy and comfort he found on euery side which way so euer hee lookt to life or death that hee knew not whether of them to choose And where was the reason Though his case were hard yet hee was at peace with God and had faith and a good conscience Farre otherwise it is with many in our daie who see nothing but matter of discontentment and discomfort both in life and in death If either promotion fall not vpon them according to their desire or if crosses fall vpon them otherwise then they desire then they grow male-contented they care not to liue and yet they ioy not in death Such are they that minde earthly things but minde not the things of God Let vs seeke to be at peace with God let vs trust perfectly in Christ Iesus let vs keepe a good conscience in all things and this shall make both life and death comfortable vnto vs. LECTVRE XVIII PHILIP I. Verse 21. And whether to liue in the flesh were profitable for me and what to choose I know not NOw vpon this occasion that hee had said that he was verie indifferent vnto either life or death because Christ was vnto him both in life and in death aduantage The Apostle maketh a little digression and disputeth the poynt whether were better for him to choose life or death And first in this verse hee mooueth the doubt and also answereth it in these words And whether c. And secondly hee bringeth reasons for either part first that in respect of himselfe it were better for him to choose death verse 23. Secondly that in respect of the Philippians it were better that hee chose life verse 24. So that the strait was hard whether for his owne greater good he were now to chuse death or for their greater good he were to chuse longer life The words where the doubt is moued are diuersly read but they bearing well this reading I follow it as both best opening the Apostles meaning and best sorting with that which folâ—oweth The doubt is whether to liue in the flesh or in the bodie were profitable for him and what to chuse life or death but was in a wonderfull strait betweene the two Being in his case in prison a man would haue thought this choise would not haue beene hard Yet he being in prison saw such comfort in death and such ioy in life that he knew
not which rather to chuse And againe such a loue he did beare towards the Philip. that weighing the great comfort which hee should haue by his death with the great profite which they should haue by his life he knew not what to chuse that which should be to his greater comfort or that which should bee to their greater profite Whence first I obserue the great loue which ought to be in the Pastor towards his people and the great desire which he ought to haue of their profite and comfort Euen in case of his greatest comfort ioyned with their losse and heauinesse it should much perplexe him what to chuse his or their present comfort and good Exo. 32.32 Ye know that of Moses where he prayed the Lord either to pardon the people that had sinned or to raze him out of the booke of life and that of Paul Rom 9.3 where hee wished himselfe to be separated from Christ for his brethren which were his kinsmen according to the flesh They both knew the one that he could not bee razed out of ahe booke of life and the other that hee could not be separated from Christ but therein they shewed abundantly how greatly they loued their people and desired their saluation Neither yet doe I here teach that the Pastor for loue of his people should in case of his saluation wish his owne vtter reiection rather then that his people should not be gained vnto Christ But this I say that euen in case of his saluation and theirs for the loue of his people hee should oftentimes bee perplexed how soone to wish his saluation by his dissolution because howsoeuer his present comfort might be gained by his present dissolution yet their saluation may bee furthered by his longer continuance in the bodie A point which doth not ouermuch perplexe many Pastors in our day for too many such there are as neither caring for their owne saluation nor for their peoples looke onely to fleece them but neuer care else what become of them Which point might be much enlarged if the place were conuenient If the pressing of it might concerne any here I beseech them in the feare of the Lord to thinke farther of it with themselues The second thing which hence I obserue is this that if we be at peace with God and keepe faith and a good conscience whatsoeuer our outward state be we haue such comfort and ioy on euery side that neither we desire to die in respect of the griefes of this life nor yet to liue in respect of any feare of death The example of our Apostle is proofe enough to this purpose He lay in prison for the defence of the gospell wherein none of the brethren assisted him but all forsooke him and many practised much against his constancie and against his life so that his outward state was very hard and such that in respect of the griefes of his life hee might haue desired death and againe in respect of the feare of death hee might haue desired life Yet euen then which way so euer he lookt to life or death such ioy and comfort hee saw in both as that neither the griefes of life made him to wish death nor the feare of death made him to wish life And where was the reason Though his case many waies were hard yet was hee at peace with God through Iesus Christ his Lord he was strong in the faith of Christ Iesus whom God set forth to be a reconciliation through faith in his bloud and he had the testimonie of a good conscience that in all simplicitie and godly purenesse he had his conuersation in the world And therefore neâ—ther for the griefe of life nor for the feare of death wished he the one or the other but as either might make more for Gods glory he was indifferent vnto either Farre otherwise it is with many in our day who see no thing but matter of discontentment and discomfort both in life and in death for so it is with many of vs that if either promotion fall not vpon vs according to our desire or if crosses fall vpon vs otherwise then we desire then we grow male contented we take no ioy in our life and sometimes we hasten our owne death And againe many of vs if any way we be summoned vnto death by sicknes by the sword by the pestilence or any other way we so shrugg and shrinke for feare of death that like vnto Nabal if we surmise any danger of death by and by our hearts faint and die within vs 1 Sam. 25.37 and we become like stones No comfort or contentment a great many of vs finde either in death or in life but what through griefe of the one and feare of the other wee are often out of loue with the one and with the other And the reason is plaine for it is because we are not at peace with God nor haue the mysterie of faith in a good conscience We feele no comfort in our God through our reconciliation by Iesus Christ wee want a sound and a liuely faith whereby we should take hold of the promises of God made in Christ Iesus and a bad conscience so troubles vs that all is disquieted within vs. And therefore we finde no comfort or contentment in life or in death but discomfort and discontentment in both Will we then finde comfort and contentment in both whatsoeuer our state outwardly be Let vs labour to be at peace with God let vs trust perfectly in Christ Iesus let vs keep a good conscience in all things and this shall make both life and death comfortable vnto vs whatsoeuer our outward estate be both life and death shall be comfortable vnto vs if we haue peace with God and faith and a good conscience And let this suffice to be obserued from the doubt which the Apostle moueth where he professeth that he knowes not what to chuse life or death And why knew he not what to chuse life or death The reason hereof in the words following is said to be because on both sides there were such reasons on the one side to chuse life and on the other side to chuse death that he was in a wonderfull strait on both sides For saith hee I am greatly in doubt or I am in a wonderfull strait on both sides on the one side desiring to be loosed from the prison of this bodie or to depart out of the earthly house of this tabernacle for so the word may be taken actiuely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or passiuely and to be with Christ where he sitteth at the right hand of God which saith he is best of all viz for me neuerthelesse on the other side knowing that for me to abide in the flesh and to liue longer in the bodie is more needfull for you that yee may enioy the fruit of my ministerie The former reason concerneth himselfe and his owne good the latter concerneth the Philippians and
it would and should As then it is better to be out of prison and to liue at libertie so is it better to die and to be with Christ than to liue in the body 5. Because in the body wee only know in part beleeue in part loue in part liue in part ioy in part and are blessed in part with all such graces of the spirit but when wee remoue out of the body then that which is in part shall be abolished As then it is better to know to loue to liue to ioy c. perfectly than only but in part so is it better to be loosed and to be with Christ where all these shall be perfected than to liue in the body where they are neuer but in part Lastly to passe ouer the rest in silence because it is better to be with God than with men in heauen than in earth in a state freed from sorrow sinne and temptation than in a state subiect to them all Job 14.1 for man that is borne of a woman is but of short continuance and full of trouble as Iob speaketh yea his life is as a warfare 7.1 Matt. 6.34 as the same Iob speaketh and as our Sauiour speaketh euery day of his life bringeth griefe enough with it neither hath his griefe an end till his life haue an end But blessed are the dead that die in the Lord Ap. 14.13 euen so saith the spirit for they rest from their labours and their workes follow them They rest from their labours inasmuch as all teares are wiped from their eyes no more death nor sorrow nor crying nor paine doth take hold of them and their workes follow them inasmuch as they are had in remembrance before God when all other things of our life leaue vs and forsake vs. I spare to enlarge this point further at this time Ye may easily conceiue what might be added Let this serue for a iust reproofe of them that are vnwilling to die For come now and let vs reason the case together What man is there among you that if hee were clothed only with ragged and torne and patched and worne and bad cloathes would not be willing to be vncloathed of them and to be cloathed with better And what else is this mortall and corruptible body but as ragged and rotten cloathes wherewith wee are cloathed Why should wee not then be willing to be shifted of those cloathes of this mortall and corruptible body and to bee cloathed with our house which is from heauen euen with incorruption and immortalitie Againe what man is there among you that if hee were in prison would not be willing to be set at libertie or being in a place where he is but a stranger would not be willing to be at home And what else is this sinfull bodie but as a prison of the soule wherein it is so shut that it hath no libertie till it returne vnto him that gaue it Or what else is this world but as a place wherein wee wander as pilgrims and haue no abiding Citie Why should wee not then be willing to remoue out of this prison of the bodie and to bee receiued into the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God or to loose anchor from this land wherein wee are but strangers and by death to saile towards heauen where is our home and our abiding Citie Where should the members ioy to be but with their head Where should the spouse desire to bee but with her husband Where should man whose breath is in his nostrils delight to bee but with him that is his life to see him as hee is and to liue in his continuall presence Surely whosoeuer thou art that art vnwilling to die thou doest not yet conceiue nor beleeue the blessed estate of them that die in the Lord thou hast not yet throughly learned this lesson that Christ is the husband of the Church that Christ is the life of his body that in the presence of Christ there is fulnesse of ioy and life for euermore for then wouldest thou willingly desire with the Apostle to bee loosed and to bee with Christ which is farre the best If the condition of the children of men and the condition of beasts were euen as one condition vnto them so that in their death there were indeed no difference or if after death there remained nothing but a fearefull expectation of iudgement then indeed thou haddest some reason to be vnwilling to die But now that Christ by death hath triumphed ouer death and made death vnto thee if thou belong vnto him a passage vnto life without death vnto ioy without sorrow vnto all blessednesse without any miserie why shouldest thou bee vnwilling to die Nay now a chip for death nay now most welcome death And so beloued let it be to euery one of vs. If wee belong vnto Christ there is no cause why wee should feare death and great cause there is why wee should embrace death Let vs therefore neuer feare death nor be vnwilling to die but whensoeuer the Lord his will is let vs be willing to be loosed and to be with Christ which is best of all LECTVRE XIX PHILIP 1. Verse 23. Desiring to be loosed and to be with Christ which is best of all NOw to proceed Against this which hath beene said it may be obiected that as no man is to put asunder the things which God hath coupled together as the soule and the body so no man is to desire that the things which God hath coupled bee sundred and therefore no Christian is to desire to die Whereunto I answer that it is true that no Christian is to desire simply to die nor to die to this end only that he may be rid of the miseries of this life nor to die otherwise than when the Lord his will is but yet he may desire to die and to be with Christ to die to this end that hee may bee with Christ to die when the Lord his will is and when his death may be for his glory 1 Reg. 19.4 So it is to be vnderstood of Elias that he desired to die when he praied and said It is enough O Lord take my soule for I am no better than my fathers And so wee say that a Christian may desire to die when the Lord his will is not for that death in it selfe is to be desired but because he desireth to be with Christ So that the thing which a Christian desireth simply and in it selfe is to bee with Christ neither doth he otherwise desire to be loosed but that he may be with Christ and so wee say he may desire to be loosed when the Lord his will is And thus much for this which is the chiefe point in these words whence ye see that a Christian in respect of himselfe may desire rather to die than to liue Other things there are which may not vnfruitfully bee noted in these words which I will only briefly touch
through contention or vaine-glory but let euery man in meeknes of mind esteem other better then himselfe 〈◊〉 the same mind be in you that was in Christ Iesus this know for a surety that as here in Christ he was first humbled ther exalted 18.12 so before glory goeth lowlinesse humilitie And le this suffice to be obserued out of the originall scope and drâ—â— of the Apostle in these words Now let vs a little more neerly look into them and see what further vse we may make of them and first of these where the Apostle setteth downe in generaâ— Christ his exaltation into glory saying Wherefore God hath c. In which words I obserue 1. The cause of his exaltation or rather the sequell of his crosse 2. Who exalted him 3. In what sense he is said to haue hâ—â— exalted Touching the first the word wherefore here vsed may either signifie a cause or a consequence so that we may vnderstand the Apostle either thus that because Christ thâ—â— humbled himselfe and became obedient vnto the death euen the death of the crosse therefore God highly exalted him or thus that Christ first humbled himselfe and tasted of the sorrowes of death for vs and afterwards God highly exalted him After this latter sort doth the Apostle speake where he saith Heb. 2.9 that Christ was made a little inferiour to the Angells to the end that he might suffer death and so was crowned with glory and honour After this sort also doth Christ himselfe speak vnto the two Disciples which were going toward Emmaâ—â— saying Luc. 24.26 ought not Christ to haue suffered these things and to enter into his glory In both which places the Apostle and our Sauiour himselfe speaketh of his crowne of glory and honour as a consequent of his crosse not as caused by the crosse as following his crosse but not as merited by his crosse And if we follow this sense hence wee may gather this very profitable â—sson that if wee desire to raigne with Christ in glory then â—ust wee be content to beare his crosse in this life and with â—m to suffer affliction in this vale of miserie Psal 110.7 He first drunke the brooke in the way as the Prophet speaketh and then hee â—t vp his head first hee had his crosse and then his crowne â—st hee did weare a crowne of thornes and then a crowne of â—ory So wee if wee will be made like vnto his image wee â—ust suffer with him that wee may bee glorified with him â—ee must through our sufferings and crosses be driuen euen shed teares if wee will haue all teares wiped from our eyes â—e disciple is not aboue his master nor the seruant aboue his Lord. â— hee hath chalked the way so must we walke euen through â—flictions and troubles through sorrowes and crosses vnto â—at inheritance immortall and vndefiled reserued in heauen â—r vs. Let not then thy soule be troubled or cast downe at whateuer trouble sorrow need sicknesse crosse or persecution â—et not losse of goods losse of friends the reproaches of the â—cked the contempt of the world the miserie of thy life or the maner of euill things which can be said or done against â—ee for Christ his sake trouble or dismay thee Nay in the â—iddest of all thy crosses and afflictions comfort thy selfe â—th these things First afflictions and troubles are that strait â—d narrow way which leadeth vnto life Act. 14.22 for we must through â—any afflictions enter into the kingdoms of God Secondly by â—r sufferings and afflictions we are made like vnto the image Christ who being the Prince of our saluation was conseâ—ated through afflictions Thirdly by crosses and aduersiâ—s we are brought to acknowledge our sinnes vnto the Lord â—d to reforme the wickednesse of our wayes And therefore â—auid said It is good for mee that I haue beene in trouble Ps 119.67.71 that I â—ght learne thy statutes and againe he saith Before I was trouâ—ed I went wrong but now I keepe thy word And the Lord by â—sea saith In their afflictions they will seeke mee diligently â—urthly in all our afflictions Christ suffereth with vs and â—erefore Paul calleth his afflictions which he suffered by sea land of friends or enemies in body or in spirit the afflictions of Christ In euery crosse he suffereth with vs and euery crosse sealeth his loue vnto vs. Lastly our afflictions are bâ—â— for a little while and after them is glory for euer as it is wrâ—ten Heauinesse may endure for a night but ioy commeth in the morning Why art thou then so sad O thou distressed soule and why doe thoughts arise in thine heart Comfort thy selfe in this that thine afflictions conforme thee vnto Christ his image and set thee in the plaine and right way to saluation and glory Thou art chastised of the Lord but because thâ—â— shouldest not be condemned with the world thou lamenteâ— and weepest but that Christ may wipe all teares from thiâ—e eyes thou diest with Christ but it is that thou maist liue for euer thou here eatest the bread of teares and drinkest the water of affliction but the Lord hath reserued for thee liâ—â— and ioy for euermore 2 Tim. 2.11.12 for it is a true saying If wee bee deâ—â— with Christ we shall also liue with him and if we suffer with Christ wee shall also raigne with him And let this suffice to be notâ— from this sense Now if wee follow the other sense and vnderstand the Apostle thus that because Christ humbled himselfe and becâ—â—â— obedient vnto the death euen the death of the Crosse therefore God hath highly exalted him then wee are further hence 〈◊〉 note that Christ his exaltation into glory for vs was not only a consequent of his death and passion but his death and pâ—â—sion was a cause of his exaltation into glory for vs so that by his death and passion he deserued exaltation into glory I doâ— not here dispute the question which commonly hence is moued whether Christ by his death and passion deserued this exaltation into glory for himselfe or onely for vs. The wholâ— tenor of the Scripture running thus that Christ became mâ—â— for vs fulfilled the Law for vs was tempted for vs was clotheâ— with infirmities for vs tasted of sorrowes for vs made hiâ— soule an offering for vs died for vs rose againe for vs anâ— whatsoeuer he did did all for vs I vnderstand the Apostlâ— thus that by his death and passion hee merited and deserâ—eâ— exaltation into glory for vs. My obseruation then hence iâ— that by the merits of Christ his death and passion is purchased saluation and glory to all them that obey him for by 〈◊〉 bloud hath hee obtained eternall redemption for vs Heb. 9.12 and entred in â—ce into the holy place that is into heauen for vs. Yea euen by â—he merits of his death doe wee pleade and sue for that inheriâ—â—nce immortall and vndefiled reserued in heauen for
But we see he vsed no such speech but as it pleased the Lord to vse these meanes in restoring him to health so he with all thankfulnes vsed the meanes and was restored vnto health Let vs therefore know that it is the Lord onely that deliuereth from death and restoreth vnto life and health and that this he doth sometimes without meanes and most commonly by meanes Let vs therefore in the bed of our sicknesse call vpon the Lord and let vs not neglect the meanes which he hath ordeined for the recouerie of our health Let vs onely trust in the Lord and let vs know that if the meanes be helpfull vnto vs it is because of the Lord his blessing vpon them He blesseth the meanes and therefore we are healed by the meanes so that he healeth and therefore we are healed Now what is the cause wherefore the Lord hauing visited vs with sicknesse doth againe raise vs from the bed of our sicknesse and restore vs vnto health This is not for any thing in our selues but for his owne mercies sake as the Apostle plainely sheweth when he saith but God had mercy on him for it is as if he had said but God for his mercies sake restored him vnto health Whence I gather this note that restoring vnto health is a mercy of the Lord. Which is farther proued vnto vs by that song or psalme of thanksgiuing which Ezechias made after his restoring vnto health where he saith Esay 38.17 Behold for felicitie I had bitter griefe but it was thy pleasure to deliuer my soule from the pit of corruption It was thy pleasure or it was thy loue to deliuer my soule c where that is ascribed to Gods loue whence his mercy floweth which in our Apostle is ascribed vnto Gods mercy So that restoring vnto health is a louing mercy of the Lord. What shall we say then When wicked and vngodly men are restored vnto health is this a louing mercy of the Lord towards them Yes surely â—or albeit so their sinne and consequently their iudgement be increased yet this not comming from this mercy of lengthning their daies but from their owne corrupt nature we are to account that health and life and wealth and whatsoeuer else they haue are temporall mercies of the Lord vpon them Howbeit the mercies of the Lord in restoring his children vnto health and in restoring the wicked vnto health are much different His mercy wherein he restoreth the wicked vnto health is a generall mercy whereby he taketh pitie vpon all men proceeding from such a loue as whereby he maketh his sunne to arise on the euill and the good and sendeth raine on the iust and vniust But his mercy wherein he restoreth his children vnto health is a speciall mercy whereby he taketh pitie vpon his children proceeding from that loue wherewithall he loueth vs in Christ Iesus by that the wicked are only restored vnto bodily health by this the children of God are so restored vnto bodily health that farther in soule they are more quickned then before by that the iudgement of the wicked is increased for that they abuse their health whereunto in mercy they are restored vnto the dishonor of God by this Gods name is more glorified in his children for that they vse their health whereunto in mercy they are restored to the praise of the glory of Gods grace In a word by that the wicked are made more inexcusable by this the children of God are made more fruitfull in good works and more assured of Gods loue Albeit then it be a mercy of the Lord both to the godly and likewise to the vngodly that they are restored vnto health for that the Lord might in iustice haue suffered his rod to lie longer vpon them if he had dealt with them in weight and measure yet is it such a speciall mercy proceeding from such a speciall loue which hee vouchsafeth vnto his children in restoring them to health as that the wicked and vngodly haue no part or portion at all therein Is it then such a speciall mercy vnto Gods children that they are restored vnto health Were not death rather a speciall mercy of the Lord vnto them or had not death then beene a speciall mercy unto Epaphroditus Surely it cannot be denied but that it is a speciall mercy of the Lord vnto his children if when he hath exercised them with his rod and prepared them by sicknesse vnto himselfe he take them by death out of the miseries of this life and translate them into the kingdome of his Sonne Ap. 14.13 For so saith the Spirit Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord and why for they rest from their labours and their works follow them They rest from their labors What is that that is by death they are deliuered and freed from such griefes and sorowes and labours and troubles and reuilings and persecutions and hatreds and other manifold calamities wherevnto this life is subiect yea from that grieuious yoke and heauie bondage of sinne which made the Apostle to crie Rom. 7.24 O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer mee from the bodie of this death Againe their works followe them What is that That is their good deeds which they did in the the loue of God and in the loue of his truth after death acompanie them and they receiue that crowne of glory which the Lord in mercie hath promised to all them that loue and feare him walke in his waies So that whether we respect the end of wretched miseries or the perfect fruition of euerlasting happinesse which the children of God haue by death it cannot be denied but death is an especiall mercy of the Lord vnto them And in these respects death then had been a speciall mercy of the Lord vnto Epaphroditus and in these respects I doubt not it was that Paul desired in the former chapter to be dissolued and to be with Christ Phil. 1.23 euen that hee might bee freed from the miseries of this life and that hee might bee ioyned with his head Christ Iesus to raigne with him in his kingdome for euer in the time appointed of the Lord. But as death so likewise life and restoring vnto health is a speciall mercy of the Lord vnto his children because so they are made farther instruments of his glory who hath restored them vnto health For being restored vnto health both they consider the mercifull goodnes towards them and so breake out into his praises who hath done great things for them Esay 38.18 whereas the graue cannot confesse the Lord neither death can praise him but the liuing the liuing as saith Ezechias they confesse him and sing praises vnto his name againe being restored vnto health they consider that the Lord hath reserued them for his farther glory to be manifested in them or by them and therefore their studie and care is so to lead their liues as that Gods name may be glorified in
people of Iudah in that so he kept them for fifteene yeeres space from such manifold miseries and corruptions in religion as afterwards followed in the raigne of Manasses 21.2 Thus the Lord rich in mercy so shewes his mercies vnto his children as that therein there is a blessing not to them alone but to others also This should teach vs thus much that we should not be too much puffed vp for whatsoeuer mercies the Lord vouchsafeth vnto vs as if for our owne sakes alone they were bestowed vpon vs but seeing therein the Lord also purposeth a blessing vnto others our care should be to vse them to the benefit of others our health to profit others our wealth to doe good vnto others our knowledge to instruct others and whatsoeuer mercies we haue vnto the good of others Which lesson also our Sauiour Christ taught vnto Peter when he said vnto him Luk. 22.32 Thou when thou art conuerted strengthen thy brethren But how haue they learned this lesson that like vnto that vnprofitable seruant in the Gospell Matt. 25. hide their talent in the ground and neuer doe good with that knowledge wherewithall God hath blessed them or they that like vnto that rich man in the Gospell Luk. 16.19 only feed and cloath themselues and neuer regard to refresh poore Lazarus no not with the crummes that fall from their tables or they that like vnto Nimrod that mightie hunter before the Lâ—â—d by their power and might cruelly oppresse and wickedly tyrannize ouer their poore brethren How haue those parents learned this lesson that neuer regard the godly education of their children or those children that despise their fathers instruction and forsake their mothers teaching or those Pastors that seldome or neuer looke vnto their sheepe or those sheepe that will not heare the voice of their Pastors Certainly in men of all sorts there is either great ignorance or great forgetfulnesse or great contempt of this instruction for generally wee doe not vse the mercies of God vpon vs vnto the benefit of others but either we know not or wee forget or wee neglect so to vse them or wee doe abuse them vnto the hurt of others Well let vs know that as this mercy was shewed on Epaphroditus not for his sake onely but for Pauls lest hee should haue sorrow vpon sorrow so whatsoeuer such mercy is shewed on vs it is not for our owne sakes only but for others also that they may haue comfort and profit thereby or otherwise lest they should some way be grieued and troubled And therefore as the Lod hath bestowed this or that mercy vpon vs of health or of wealth or of wisdome or of knowledge or the like let vs vse the same to the good and benefit of others as our state or place or calling doth require and in any case let vs beware that wee abuse them not vnto the hurt of others Now let vs see wherein it was a mercy of God vpon Paul that Epaphroditus was restored vnto health The Apostle sheweth it when he saith lest I should haue c. Herein then was it a mercy of God on Paul that Epaphroditus died not vpon that sicknesse because so he should haue had sorrow vpon sorrow vnto his sorrow by his own bands and imprisonment should haue beene added another sorrow for his death God therefore had mercy on Epaphroditus and restored him vnto health not for his owne sake only but for Pauls lest he should haue sorrow vpon sorrow What then Was Paul sorrowfull for any thing that befell him or that was likely to befall him Did he not with patience beaâ—e whatsoeuer did or could befall him Or could he be said to beare that with patience for which he was sorrowful That Paul was sorrowfull for many things may and doth appeare euen by this one place He was sorrowfull for his owne bands and imprisonment he was sorrowfull to see Epaphroditus and to heare the Philippians to be so full of heauinesse and if Epaphroditus had now died his death would haue made him very sorrowfull All which notwithstanding he did with patience beare both his owne bands and the heauinesse of Epaphroditus and the Philippians and so would haue borne Epaphroditus his death if he had died For heâ—ein was his patience seene that he did with such constancie and courage for Christs sake suffer those things which caused his sorrowes as that he was not ouercome of sorrow but so moderated it as that he mildly bore whatsoeuer caused sorrow And how is patience seene but in moderating sorrowes and quietly suffering them and whatsoeuer may cause them The note then is that sorrow and the like affections and passions of mindes are nothings vnbeseeming Christians as some haue foolishly thought but rather such things as very well beseeme them Esa 53.3 It was prophecied of our Sauiour that he should be a man full of sorrowes and that he was so may appeare by his weeping ouer Ierusalem by his trouble in spirit at the death of Lazarus and by many other things Nay how shall wee call him a Christian that hath shut vp all bowels of compassion and is not touched with a fellow-feeling of his brethrens infirmities Herein is a good point of true Christianitie that wee reioyce with them that reioyce and weepe with them that weepe and that wee beare with patience our owne sorrowes and whatsoeuer losse or crosse which may cause sorrow Yea but was it not a fault for Paul to be sorry for Epaphroditus his sicknesse or should it not haue beene a fault in him if he had beene sorry for his death seeing these things came and should haue come by the will of God No surely both in him it was and in all Christians it is a Christian thing to visit the sicke and to be sorry for their infirmities and for their death So was Christ so were the Apostles and so are all Christians and ought to be For what other thing is this for them that be strong and in health then for the rich to giue vnto the poore for the learned to instruct the ignorant for the strong to helpe the weake c. 1 Th. 4.13 Yea but wee are forbidden to sorrow for the dead How then should it not haue beene a fault in Paul to haue sorrowed for Epaphroditus his death Sorrow for the dead is not there simply forbid but such sorrow as they haue which haue no hope of the resurrection of the dead and of life euerlasting after this life They sorrow immoderately because they thinke that when death comes there is an end Such immoderate sorrow for the dead is there forbid lest we should seeme by our too much sorrowing so to thinke of the dead as the Gentiles did But a moderate sorrow is neither there nor elsewhere forbid but rather commended vnto vs by this example of our holy Apostle So that wee may sorrow for the dead if wee doe it moderately and with submission vnto the
thy heart vnto thy God and how soule-rauisht thou art with the loue of thy Christ by meditation in the word consider I say and see these things and hereby thou shalt see whether thou dost truly reioyce in the Lord. Ioh. 15.11 These things saith our Sauiour Christ I haue spoken vnto you that my ioy might remaine in you and that your ioy might be full If then thus we be affected toward the word of Christ that we long and thirst thereafter euen as the chased heart after the water brookes if wee finde in it such peace and comfort and contentation of soule if through it we belieue in Christ though we see him not and in his promises if we loue him reioyce in him with ioy vnspeakable and glorious this is a certaine effect and so a sure proofe of our reioycing in the Lord. Nay if wee haue a good measure of this reioycing in and through the word though not such complement as we haue spoken of yet euen this is a sure argument of our reioycing in the Lord for then alone shall this reioycing be fully perfect when wee shall see him face to face and when wee shall know euen as wee are knowne not in part onely Another effect of this reioycing in the Lord is that it causeth vs to reioyce in tribulations in afflictions in tentations euen in death and in the panges and paines thereof Consider then and see how thou art affected in the day of thy trouble what comfort thou findest in thy soule when in the world thou dost suffer afflictions what ioy thou findest in thine inner man when thine outward man is compassed about with sorowes consider I say and see these things and therby thou shalt also see whether indeed truly thou dost reioyce in the Lord for as the Apostle saith by Christ wee reioyce in tribulations knowing that tribulation bringeth forth patience Rom. 5 3. and patience experience and experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed If then when wee suffer afflictions in the world we can be of good comfort because our Christ hath ouercome the world if when wee are reuiled and persecuâ—ed and all manneâ— of euill words are spoken against vs falsly for Christ his sake wee can reioyce and be glad for that reward that is laid vp for vs in heauen if in the sorrowes of death wee can patiently wait for the Lord and gladly desire to be loosed and to bee with Christ this is a certaine effect and so a sure proofe of our reioycing in the Lord for therefore are wee not ouer come of sorrowes in the middest of troubles because of that our reioycing in the Lord which is within vs and which no man can take from vs. A third effect of thiâ— reioycing in the Lord is that it causeth vs to count all things losse and dung in comparison of Christ so that wee seaze him and possesse him not of a part alone of our reioycing but of our whole reioycing which is the effect spoken of in this chapter as hereafter wee shall perceiue Consider then and see whether thy reioycing be entire in thy Christ whether thou canst finde any sound ioy but in thy Christ whether thou stand so fast as that nothing shall take away any part of thy reioycing in thy Christ and giue it to any other consider I say and see these things and thereby also thou shalt see whether thou reioycest truly in the Lord. When many of Christ his Disciples went backe he said vnto the twelue Will yee also goe away Iâ—hn 6.67 68. Then Simon Peter answered him Master to whom shall wee goe Thou hast the words of eternall life If then we whosoeuer reioyce in other things yet wee reioyce in Christ Iesus if wee cleaue stedfastly vnto him knowing that there is no sound ioy without him if wee make him both the deskant and the dittie of our song and the whole matter of our reioycing this is also a certaine effect and sure proofe of our reioycing in the Lord for by our reioycing in him wee die vnto all other ioyes knowing that there is no sound ioy but in him Let vs remember what great things hee hath done for vs and what cause we haue to reioyce in his holy name He that gaue him to vs and him to death for vs he hath together with him giuen vs all things also Let vs therefore reioyce in him and let our reioycing in him shew it selfe by our reioycing in and through the word by our reioycing in all our tribulaâ—ions and afflictions and by dying vnto all other ioyes which are without him In him is sound ioy and in him is all ioy if we beleeue in him wee will reioyce in him if we reioyce ioyce in him wee shall not feare death but when death comes we shall desire to be loosed and to be with Christ LECTVRE XLIX PHILIP 3. Vers 1.2 It grieueth me not to write the same things vnto you and for you it is a safe thing Beware of dogs beware c. IT grieueth me not c. The Apostle thought that thus the Philippians might conceiue and thinke with themselues when you were with vs and taught vs and preached vnto vs Christ Iesus you ceased not to warne vs of fâ—lse teachers such as would seeke to seduce vs from that truth which you taught vs and we haue beene diligent so to doe neither haue we giuen place to any of their doctrinea And therefore you needed not to haue troubled your selfe this admonition needed not to vs. In these words therefore the Apostle meeteth with this and excuseth the matter and telleth them that for him it was no griefe or trouble at all to him to write the same things vnto them which before he had taught them by word of mouth and for them he telleth them that it was a sure and safe thing for them to be often admonished of false teachers thâ—t so they might be the more warie of them Now before wee proceede any farther let vs see what obseruations we may gather hence for our vse and instruction 1. In that the Apostle beats so often vpon that which he thought was so good and so profitable for them to heare vrging and pressing euen the selfe same things both by word and also by writing Hence we that are Ministers of the Gospell may learne this lesson not to be grieued to teach them that heare vs often the same things but as we perceiue the things whereof we speake to be good and profitable to them that heare vs so to goe ouer them and ouer them and not to leaue them till they may make some good impression in them There must be precept vpon precept as the Prophet speaketh Esay 28.10 precept vpon precept line vnto line line vnto line there a litle and there a litle we must tell them one thing oftentimes and beat vpon the same thing so long till at length they may catch some hold of it For
shall I speake of those manifold titles giuen herevnto in the new Testament as that it is called the mysterie of God the mysterie of the kingdome of God the mysterie of Christ the mysterie of God the Father of Christ the mysterie kept secret from the beginning of the world c. All which doe wonderfully commend the excellencie of this knowledg being made knowne vnto none but vnto whom the Father doth reueale it by his spirit For no man knoweth the Sonne but the Father and he to whom the Father doth reueale him by his spirit Mat. 11.27 I will not farther stand to amplifie the excellencie of this knowledge either by speaking of that ignorance which is opposite vnto this knowledge or by comparing of this knowledge with any other knowledge whatsoeuer Through the ignorance of this knowledge of Christ Iesus are the Gentiles strangers from the life of God Eph. 4.18 Excellent then is this knowledge whereby we liue in God and God in vs. Againe the knowledge of God in the old Testament in comparison of this knowledge by the Gospell in the new Testament is but as darknesse in comparison of the light For as Moses shewed the law the Iewes eyes were not lightned but blinded but by the light of the Gospell all darknes is driuen from our eyes as the Apostle sheweth 2 Cor. 3. What then is any knowledge that it should be compared with the excellent knowledge of Christ Iesus Not therefore to compare it with any as being incomparably beyond all euen in it selfe yee see it is most excellent desired of the Prophets and holy Patriarchs desired of the holy Angels and reuealed vnto none but vnto whom the Father doth reueale it by his holy spirit But most excellent it is to bee iudged by vs in respect of that vantage which it is vnto vs. What is then the vantage of the knowledge of Christ Iesus vnto vs Surely euen as much as our life and saluation is worth For this is eternall life saith our Sauiour in his prayer vnto his Father to know thee to be the onely very God Ioh. 17.5 and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ Where the meaning is that the knowledge of Christ Iesus entreth vs into the possession of eternall life For this we must know that howsoeuer we haue a name that we liue yet indeed in respect of the life of God we are dead vntill such time as God that commanded the light to shine out of darknes shine in our hearts and bring vs by the light of the glorious Gospell vnto the knowledge of Christ Iesus and then when we come vnto the knowledge of Christ Iesus by the illumination of Gods spirit then we take entrance of the possession of eternall life Which I take it our Sauiour Christ also signifieth where he saith Verily verily I say vnto you the houre shall come and now is Joh. 5.25 when the dead shall heare the voice of the sonne of God and they that heare it shall liue For when he saith the dead shall heare the voice of the sonne of God he meaneth that before such time as we heare the voice of the sonne of God whereby we come vnto the true knowledge of him we are dead spiritually we liue not the life of God And againe when he saith that they that heare it shall liue his meaning is that then onely we begin to liue the life of God and to take possession of eternall life when we heare his voice and thereby come to the true knowledge of him A notable vantage that this knowledge of Christ Iesus brings vnto vs. But what knowledge of Christ Iesus is it that is this aduantage vnto vs Not the knowledge of his person onely but what he is made of God vnto vs which I called before the second knowledge of Christ To know that he was borne liued and died for vs to know that he is our wisdome and righteousnesse our sanctification and redemption to knoâ— the virtue of his death and resurrection to know that he is the reconciliation for our sinnes that he is the saluation of our soules that by him and for him we haue and receiue all the good blessings of God whether belonging to this life on that that is to come to know that in him are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge and saluation so that hauing him we haue all riches and wanting him whatsoeuer riches we seeme to haue we haue nothing thus to know him is a vantage vnto vs for if we thus know him we beleeue in him we loue and we keepe his commandements and herein is life and without this is nothing else but death Is this then the excellencie and is this the vantage of the knowledge of Christ Iesus what diligence should this stirre vs vp vnto after the meanes whereby we may come vnto this knowledge of Iesus Christ what reuerence and attention should it worke in vs when the mysterie of this knowledge is opened vnto vs by the ministerie of his seruants And yet behold how where the light of this knowledge shineth most clearely men do yet loue darkenesse better than light It may be spoken to the shame of this whole Towne it may be spoken to the shame of a great many of this congregation that they loue darknesse better than light that they had rather lie drowned in the ignorance of Christ Iesus than be taught in the knowledge of Christ Iesus for what frequenting is there by them of those places where they should be taught in this knowledge Three or foure Sermons may commonly be heard weekely Of so many thousands as are in this Towne how many hundreths nay how many scores come to heare them weekely nay come to heare any of them weekely If it should be said as it was to Abraham at the destruction of Sodom if there be fiftie religious men within the Citie that hearken vnto my voice and thirst after the word of their Saluation as the Hart thirsteth after the Brooks if 45 if 30 if 20 if 10 I will spare it and remoue from it my sore plagues of famine and sicknesse would we not thinke it a hard matter if so many should not be found in this Citie which might well be as Goshen where there should be light though darkenesse were round about it I say not that so many cannot be found for I do not know so much But this I say that too few such there are to be found amongst vs. In this congregation what slacknesse and negligence is therein a great many either of frequenting other places or this Beloued the holy Patriarches and the Prophets desired that knowledge of Iesus Christ which now ye may haue and care yee not for it yea the Angels doe euen yet desire to looke into it and will ye not what is the matter doth this word of your saluation distaste in your mouthes doe ye not rellish it It is a token that ye are sick and
many which made merchandize of the word of God many which were disobedient and vaine talkers and deceiuers oâ— mindes How often doth Iohn complaine of many Antichrists many false Prophets Nay in what age hath not the litle flocke of Christ liued in the middest of a naughty and crooked nation beset with a world of wickednesse and wicked men Where Christ hath his Church there the Deuilâ— hath more then a chappell euen 500 synagogues his instruments to worke his will so farre as they can So that if wee follow the most we shall commonly follow the worst A good hold then haue they of it that make this to be one of the notes of their Church Christ calls his Church a litle flocke and Esay calls it a litle remnant and Ieremie a small â—eede But well may shee stand on her multitude that hath made all nations drunken with the wine of the wrath of her fornications and so let her doe till the smoke of her burning ascend But why or whence is it that we in our ordinarie life stand so much vpon the multitude What more common amongst vs then to say that we will doe as the most doe we will not single our selues from the rest c Nay is not that profane and wicked speech often heard amongst vs that it is good going with companie though it be to the Deuill But beloued our God hath taught vs another lesson Exod. 23.2 Thou shalt not saith he follow a multitude to doe euill neither agree in a controuersie to decline after many to ouerthrow the truth And our Apostle here tells vs that many walke that are the enemies of the crosse of Christ but we may not walke after them but after him and such as he is For we are not to looke how many doe walke thus and thus but who walke as they should not how many walke in this or that way but what the way is wherein they doe walke And though all the rest bow the knee to Baal yet we may not though all the nations of the earth fall downe before the beast and worship yet may not we What if in an election of an officer and magistrate the rest or farre the greater part consent vpon an vnfit man yet may not I. O but I shall make my selfe odious if I single out my selfe from the rest and preuaile neuer a whit Yea but good Prophet Michaiah stood vpon no such points 1 Reg. 22. but that though hee should by standing single against 400 false prophets become odious vnto Ahab the King and all the Prophets and not preuaile yet he spake the truth Here I haue a good example I must walke as I haue him for an ensample And so generally let vs not looke how many doe thus or how we may preuaile if we single our selues but let vs doe as we ought whatsoeuer come of it and howsoeuer all do otherwise Et hoc sciamus fortiorem esse qui pro nobis est quam qui contra nos sunt omnes And this let vs know that he is stronger who is for vs then all they who are against vs. LECTVRE LXIX PHILIP 3. Verse 18.19 That they are the enemies of the crosse of Christ whose end is damnation whose God is their belly c. THus farre we haue already proceeded in this first reason of the Apostles which he vsed to moue the Philippians to follow him and such as he was for many walke of whom I haue told you often and now tell you weeping c. Now follow the fiue notes whereby the Apostle describeth these many walkers of whom he had told them often and now told them weeping The first note whereby he describeth them is that they are the enemies of the crosse of Christ Which branch of his reason might well stand for a sufficient reason with the Philippians to moue them not to walke after these but to follow him and to walke so as they had him for an ensample Now the Apostle calleth them the enemies of the crosse of Christ in two respects 1. Because by vrging the necessitie of circumcision and the workes of the law vnto righteousnesse and saluation they made the crosse of Christ to be of none effect and abolished the worke of our redemption by the bloud of Christ Iesus 2. Because they would not suffer persecution for the crosse of Christ and therefore applied themselues to the humor of the Iewes and preached vnto them circumcision and the law For thus both in doctrine detracting from the merits of Christ his crosse and redemption by his bloud and likewise in life following after carnall securitie and auoyding persecution for Christ crucified they shewed themselues to be enemies vnto the crosse of Christ Hence then I obserue who they be that be the enemies of the crosse of Christ namely they that in their doctrine detract from the merits of Christ his crosse and the worke of our redemption by the bloud of Christ Iesus finished vpon the crosse and they likewise that in their life follow after carnall delicacie and flie persecution for the crosse of Christ for Christ crucified euen both these sorts of men are enemies vnto the crosse of Christ For touching the first sort of men must not they needs be counted the enemies of the crosse of Christ that in their doctrine make the crosse of Christ to be of none effect And doe not they in their doctrine make the crosse of Christ to be of none effect that teach righteousnes redemption or saluation to be any otherwise then by the onely merits of Christ his crosse and faith in his bloud The Apostle saith if righteousnesse be by the Law that is Gal. 2.21 if we may be made righteous by any worke which we can doe according to the law by the feare of God the loue of God the loue of our neighbour or any thing commanded in the morall law of God then Christ died without a cause and in vaine For to this end as the Apostle sheweth Rom. 8.3.4 God sent his Sonne in the similitude of sinfull flesh and for sinne condemned sinne in the flesh that the righteousnesse of the Law might be fulfilled in vs. Where the meaning is that therefore Christ was sent to fulfill all righteousnesse in our flesh and to die for vs because we were vnable to fulfill the law to be made righteous by it or to saue our soules from death For if we had beene able to purchase righteousnes by our owne workes or to saue our soules from death then what needed Christ to haue come in the flesh or to haue died for vs It had beene in vaine and vnprofitable They then that teach righteousnesse to be by the law or any thing that we can doe they make the death of Christ and his resurrection his victorie his kingdome his glory himselfe vnprofitable and of none effect and so are enemies of the crosse of Christ So againe the Apostle saith yee are abolished from
of the Lord yet haue I often turned out of the way of his commandements though I haue affected the things which are aboue yet haue mine affections beene too much diuided betweene the things which are aboue and the things which are on earth Well let not thy soule be troubled nor feare Doest thou see and know and acknowledge thus much Dauid saith that he confessed his sinne vnto the Lord Psal 32.5 and so he forgaue the punishment of his sinne Feare not then but that he who hath opened thine eyes to see and thy heart to acknowledge thy weaknesse and imperfection will pardon this weaknesse and imperfection whatsoeuer it is Againe feelest thou some seedes some beginnings of these things in thee Who is it that hath sowen and begun these things in thee Euen that God that hath said I will not faile thee nor forsake thee and therefore will performe that good worke which hee hath begun in thee vntill the day of Iesus Christ and will cause those holy seedes to bring forth their fruit in due season Yea comfort thy selfe herein if it be with thee as thou sayest that thy conuersation hath beene in heauen For art thou sorrie that thou hast more minded earthly things then thou shouldest that tentations haue so nighly surprised thee that thou hast so often turned aside from the law of thy God that â—hine heart and affections of thy soule haue beene more diuided twixt heauen and earth then they should And doest thou deâ—iâ—e in thy soule daily more and more to be weyned from â—â—â—nding earthly things to be strengthned against tentations â—o be conformed in thy will vnto Gods will and to walke with â—hy God with a perfect heart This also is a sure token that â—hy conuersation is in heauen for where the perfection of that which should be is wanting there an holy desire and affection vnto that which should be is accepted If therefore in searching out thy heart and thy reines for the triall of these points thou finde it to be with thee as thou sayest thou hast great cause of comfort and ioy in the spirit But if in triall it appeare that as thou hast liued in the flesh so thou hast walked after the flesh neglecting the Law of God yeelding thy selfe captiue vnto the law of sinne setting thine affections on the things which are on earth and neuer minding the things which are aboue then surely thou art a stranger from the life of God and the way that thou walkest leadeth vnto hell Looke therefore well vnto it and let euery man haue that care of his wayes that howsoeuer hee liue here in the body yet in minde and affection he may haue his conuersation in heauen And to this end weyne your selues daily more and more from the loue care of these earthly things He that weepeth through aduersitie 1 Cor. 7.30 let him be as though hee wept not he that reioyceth through prosperitie let him be as though hee reioyced not hee that buyeth as though he possessed not hee that vseth this world as though he vsed it not 31. for the fashion of this world goeth away and all things in the earth are but meere vanitie Take vnto your selues the whole armour of God wrestle harder and harder daily against all tentations and assaults of the Deuill fight a good fight stand fast quit your selues like men resist the Deuill and hee will flie from you Conforme your wils daily more and more vnto Gods will yeeld your selues daily more and more to bee gouerned by his lawes order your steps so heere in his waies as hauing right into that City whereof also ye shall haue possession And though yee liue heere in the flesh yet ascend in heart in minde and in soule into heauen let your thoughts and desires and affectâ—ons bee setled there your faith your hope and your louâ— let them bee rooted and grounded there And then amongâ—â— other benefits this shall not be the least that death shall noâ— come hastily vpon you yea yee shall chearefully thinke vpoâ— death death shall be vnto you an aduantage and when thâ— will of God is yee shall desire to bee loosed and to bee witâ— Christ to remoue out of the body and to dwell with thâ— Lord. For what is the cause why wee so feare death why weâ— are so loth to die Here it is because in the dayes of our flesh we haue not had our conuersation in heauen Our mindeâ— were set vpon earthly things and therefore we are loth to parâ— with them We neuer fought against any tentation nay thâ— strong man possessed vs in such peace that wee neuer knew what tentation meant and therefore wee know not where to liue better then here We regarded not to submit our selues to the lawes of God to be gouerned by them and therefore wee shrinke at death for feare of a iudgement We neuer ascended into heauen in our hearts or soules wee neuer raised our thoughts our desires or our affections so high wee neuer tasted in our selues any sparkle of those ioyes which are prepared to be shewed in the last time and therefore wee long not after heauen but we rather loue to liue here on earth These are the things I say that make vs shrinke at death and loth to die Let vs then hearken vnto these words of exhortation and let vs haue our conuersation in heauen If we shall then shall death be welcome vnto vs and wee shall accept it as the end of our pilgrimage and as the way to our abiding Citie Ierusalem which is aboue and vnto Christ which is our life For the more we ascend while we are in the body in our soules and spirits in our meditations and desires in faith and hope into heauen the more will wee desire to remoue out of the body that we may for euer dwell with the Lord and therefore we will the more cheerefully open vnto death when hee knockes at our doores I heare that the example of this our sister may be a good prouocation to stirre you vp vnto these things for they that were with her giue her this testimonie that in this time when the Lord had laid his hand vpon her she quickly set apart all minde of earthly things patiently â—â—bmitted her selfe vnto the will of the Lord willingly set her â—ections on the things which are aboue and desired nothing more then to heare and thinke of her Lord and God her Saâ—iour and Redeemer I beseech almightie God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ that both her exampâ—e and the words â—hich ye haue heard this day with your outward eares may so preuaâ—le with you that in this life ye may walke as citizens of the heauenly Ierusalem hauing your conuersation in heaâ—en weyning your selues from the world and the things that â—â—e in the worâ—d manfully fighting against all tentations and assaâ—lts of the deuil conforming your selues in all obedience vnto the lawes of his kingdome and while ye
loued the wages of vnrighteousnes make his prayer and say Let me die the death of the righteous Num. 23.10 and let my last end be like his shall I refuse to vse this prayer becauâ—e he vsed it Nay if Simon Magus when he hath sinned Acts 8.24 request the Apostles to pray vnto the Lord for him I will take this lesson from him to request the prayers of the faithfull for me when I haue sinned against my God We may not communicate with any either in any superstition or in any vnfruitful works of darkenesse But whatsoeuer is good if it be indeede truly good we are to thinke on it and to do it we are to loue it and to like it and to make it a president for vs to follow in whomsoeuer it be Let this then first teach vs to abstaine from all appearance of euill For thus we are to reason with our selues Are we to thinke on and to do whatsoeuer is good and commendable Then whatsoeuer is euill and blame-worthie we are not to thinke on nor to do That which is good is onely to busie all our thoughts and to take vp all our actions but whatsoeuer is euill is not once to enter into our thoughts much lesse may it be the worke of our hands The Prophet speaketh of a generation of men that imagine mischiefe vpon their beds and set themselues in no good way Psal 36.4 neyther abhorre any thing that is euill It were well there were no such at this day whose inward thoughts are very wickednes whose workes are onely euill whose wayes tend wholly vnto death But generally this is true that men very well minded yet smell of some caske or other either they are couetous or proude or ambitious or vnmercifull or contentious or partially affected or the like We do not thinke on and do whatsoeuer is good we do not wash our hands of whatsoeuer is euill but one bad thing or other there is which so haunts euery one of vs that we alwaies carry it in our bosome with vs. Well we see whereon our thoughts should be set and whereabout we should be occupied whatsoeuer is good whatsoeuer is commendable we should think on that and do that and he that instructeth vs in this dutie withall doth imply that whatsoeuer is euill should not once enter our thoughts much lesse should be the trade of our way Let vs therefore follow that which is good and abstaine from all appearance of euill let vs as many as feare the Lord depart from iniquitie and let our soules delight in whatsoeuer is good and commendable Secondly let this teach vs wisely to consider our wayes what is indeed and truly good and commendable For not whatsoeuer thing seemeth vnto vs or is thought by others to be good and commendable are we exhorted here to think on and to do but to think on and to do whatsoeuer is indeed and truly good commendable It is thought in some countries nay I may say it is thought among vs for vnto a high degree of excesse are we growne that way that to bowze carowse to quaffe cup after cup and to beare his drinke wel is a very commendable thing Here then we are to look whether it be indeed commendable For if it be then we are to do it by our Apostles rule in this place But what saith the Spirit Luke 21.34 Take heede saith our Sauiour to your selues lest at any time your hearts be oppressed with surfâ—tting and drunkennesse The Apostle goeth further 1. Cor. 5.11 and saith If any that is called a brother be a drunkard with such one eate not The Prophet goeth yet further and denounceth a woe against drunkards saying Esay 5.11 Woe to them that rise vp early to follow drunkennesse And the Apostle openeth the woe thus that they shall not inherit the kingdome of God 1. Cor. 6 10. O but thou canst beare thy drinke well and there is thy commendation Well yet see thy woe Woe saith the Prophet to them that are mightie to drinke wine Esay 5.22 and to them that are strong to powre in strong drinke If thou exceed in drinking thy sinne is drunkennesse how well soeuer thou beare thy drinke and a woe is vnto thee I instance onely in this sinne because this sinne hath so much dared to braue it selfe amongst vs. But as in this so in many other things it may be found that howsoeuer they be thought commendable yet indeed they are not Let vs therefore looke vnto the thing that seemeth vnto vs or is thought by others to be good and commendable and if it be indeed such so that it haue allowance from the Lord in his word to be such then let vs thinke on it and do it But in any case let not the iudgement of the world so sway with vs as that vpon the worlds word we thinke on and do whatsoeuer seemeth good and commendable vnto it Thirdly let this teach vs to suppresse that conceit of not following something which is good because it is in such request with them which otherwise are not good For whatsoeuer is good if it be indeed good in whomsoeuer it be we are to loue it and to like it to thinke on it and to do it What needes it to will any of vs to take vp a peece of golde though it be out of a dung-hill Howsoeeur therefore the man be superstitious loose of life profane and wicked yet if there be any good thing in him let vs not disdaine it or refuse it because of him but let vs obserue it and thinke on it and do it If there be any vertue any praise any thing that is good any thing that is commendable indeed wheresoeuer it is let not that cause vs to balke it but let vs thinke on it and do it And let this suffice for the generall of thinking on and doing whatsoeuer is good and commendable Now come we to the generall heads of such good and commendable things as the Apostle commendeth vnto the Philippians Secondly then here I note that the Apostle would haue the Philippians seriously to thinke on with themselues and diligently to practise in their liues whatsoeuer things are true Whence I obserue this note for vs and for all men that whatsoeuer things are true we are to thinke on them and to do them Is it a truth in religion We are to embrace it and professe it as we see our Apostle was not disobedient to the heauenly vision which appeared to him in the way but hauing the eyes of his vnderstanding opened by the Lords Spirit he straitway preached Christ in the synagogues Acts 9.20 professed the truth in all integritie and simplicitie Is it a truth in the words of our mouth We ought euery man to speake the truth vnto his neighbour Zach. 8.16 as Zachary willeth saying Speake euery man the truth vnto his neighbour and after him the Apostle saying Cast off
and of their mortalitie Wherby also ye may easily discerne in what a different sort the Lord layeth on this rodde on the godly and on the vngodly on the one as a father on the other as a iudge on the one in loue on the other in wrath on the one to chastice and correct on the other to punish and reuenge on the one to reforme the wickednesse of their waies on the other to recompence them their wickednesse on the one to saue them from death and hell on the other to bring them to the pit of destruction Hence then may the children of God receiue notable comfort in all their sicknesse and in all their visitations For O thou 〈◊〉 of God and seruant of the most high is the hand of thy God vpon thee art thou sicke This is no other cup then â—paphroditus hath drunke before thee or then is common vnto thee with all the sonnes of God And albeit thou maist seeme vnto thy selfe that thou art not priuiledged from the wicked and vngodly because thou drinkest of the cup of his wrath because thou art visited with sicknes as well as they and perhaps more then they yet plucke vp thine heart be not discouraged but be of good comfort For hee doth not rebuke thee in his anger neither doth hee chastice thee in his displeasure but as a mercifull and louing father in tender loue and in great compassion by this his gentle hand and louing correction he calleth thee to remembrance of thy waies and lets thee see what thou art and whether thou must Thy heart is not sound and right with thy God thou art negligent in doing of his will thou hast walked in some by-path wherein thou shouldest not haue walked thus louingly and mildly he correcteth thee that thou maiest reforme the wickednesse of thy waies and there may be an healing of thine error Againe thou art walking where and whether thou shouldest not thus he staieth thee that thou runne not thy selfe vpon the rockes and that thou make not shipwracke of faith and a goood conscience Againe thus he trieth thee that thy faith and thy patience being tried thou maist be made like vnto pure and fine gold purified seuen times in the fire Againe thus he giueth thee full triall of his mercifull goodnesse towards thee comforting thee with the ioy of the holy Ghost in the bedde of thy sicknesse giuing thee patience to endure his crosse confirming thy faith in Christ Iesus and assuring thee of the hope of thy saluation Lastly thus he putteth thee in minde of thy selfe that thou shouldest not forget thy God or thy selfe but remembring that thou art both sinnefull and mortall shouldest shake of sinne and so number thy daies that thou mightest apply thine heart vnto wisedome O how should not the remembrance of these things comfort thy soule when thou liest sicke vpon thy bedde Beloued in the time of health let vs thinke of these things and in the day of sicknesse let vs not be discouraged I haue stood the longer vpon this point because the time seemeth vnto me so to require Many of our brethren the Lord hath already taken vnto himselfe many in many places are presently sicke and sharpely visited and when our turne shall be hee onely knoweth who maketh sicke restoreth vnto health In the meane time let our health be to the glory of his name and in the time of sicknesse let vs comfort our selues with these things I might here note the time when the Lord lay this his rod of sicknesse vpon Epaphroditus which was euen when he was faithfully and painfully occupied in the worke of Christ when he was carefully discharging the trust reposed in him by the Church of Philippie when hee was ministring vnto the holy Apostle lying then in prison such things as he wanted Let it not therefore seeme strange vnto vs if when we are faithfully labouring in the workes of our calling euen then the Lord strike vs with any rodde or visit vs with sicknesse Which note I doe the rather now point at by the way because the manner of some is vpon such occasions to make wonderfull ill collections As for example the Preacher confuting a point of popish doctrine groweth to be so sicke that he is forced to breake off and to come downe before he can end the point What is the collection Did not ye see say some that are popishly affected how the Lord did euen controll his discourse and by his iudgement vpon him gaue sentence on our side Another example the Iudge from his seate of iustice pronouncing sentence against the wicked Traitor or vilemalefactor presently or quickly after falleth sicke and happily not long after dieth What is the collection Thus say some hath the Lord giuen iudgement vpon him for such iudgement as he gaue against others And thus because their foolishnesse cannot reach vnto the depth of Gods counsell and wisedome in his visitations they condemne them whom the Lord hath not condemned and iudge that as vnholy and ill which the Lord approueth as holy and good Whatsoeuer he doth is holy and good and if he chastice vs with his rods euen then when wee are doing his will who shall aske him a reason of that he doth Let vs therefore learne to submit our selues vnto the Lord and let vs beware how we iudge of things according to our owne reason and imagination least happily we condemne that which the Lord hath not condemned But my meaning was only to touch this by the way Now a word of the extremity of his sicknesse Very neere vnto death Here was the extremity of his sicknesse Epaphroditus had beene sicke and so sicke that hee was very neere vnto death euen without all hope of recouerie of health in mans sight and iudgement Whence I note the wonderfull counsell and wisedome of our God who oftentimes brings his children euen to the gates of hell and thence calls them to the pit of destruction and thence fetches them to deaths doore so that there is but a steppe betweene them and death and thence deliuers them Ioseph was cast into the deepe dungeon and his feete set fast in the stockes and thence the Lord deliuered him Ionas was cast into the sea and there the Lord kept him aliue Daniel was throwne into the denne of Lyons and there the Lord rescued him and deliuered him from the teeth of the Lyons The three children were cast into the hot firie-furnace and there God prouided for them that the fire had no power ouer them to burne no not an haire of their head But most befitting our present purpose is the example of that good King Ezechias who was so sicke that all Physitions as we say in a case of extremitie gaue him ouer and there was no hope of life insomuch that the Prophet Esay came vnto him and said vnto him Thus saith the Lord Esa 38.1 put thine house in an order for thou salt die and not liue Here was
euen the like extremitie of sickenesse that Epaphroditus was brought vnto A step onely betweene them and death or rather no steppel but they deliuered out of the iawes of death as a pray out of the teeth of the wilde beast or as a bird out of the snare of the fouler And this the Lord may seeme to doe for these causes amongst many other 1. Thereby to make his power more to be knowne amongst the sonnes of men For what can more manifest the power of almighty God then to saue vs when the pit is now ready to shut her mouth vpon vs and nothing but present death before vs 2. To encrease their thankefulnesse who being brought vnto the gates of death are thence deliuered For how much neerer they were vnto death so much greater praises are due vnto him that hath deliuered them from death 3. Thereby to humble them for euer vnder his mightie hand by whom they yet liue moue and haue their being For what should more humble vs then plainely to see that it is no way in our selues but in the Lord only to saue our life from death and to deliuer vs from the power of the graue Seeing then it pleaseth the Lord oftentimes to bring euen his dearest children and choisest seruants into such extremities as of other dangers so of sicknesse let vs take heed how we iudge them as plagued of God for their offences because they are so extreamly visited Yee know it was the great fault of Iobs friends that still they vrged him that surely hee was a great and grieuous sinner a wicked and an vngodly man because the Lord his hand was so heauie vpon him Nay my brethren though some of our brethren in these hot and sharpe diseases through extremity of paine or otherwise howsoeuer should somtimes breake out into impatient speaches yet let vs take heede how we iudge them as forsaken of the Lord ye know the example of Iob into what execrations and words of impatiencie he brake out through that extremitie of griefe wherewith he was holden who yet was a very choise seruant of the Lord and whose patience is commended in the Scriptures Againe seeing it pleaseth the Lord oftentimes to bring euen his dearest children and choisest seruants into such extremities of sicknesse let this be a comfort vnto vs in what extremitie of sicknesse so euer we shall be For no new thing herein doth befall vs but such as oftentimes doth the dearest children of God and he which deliuered them from the hand of the graue when the pit had euen shut her mouth almost vpon them will also deliuer vs if it shall be for his glory and our good Sicknesse and extremitie of sickenesse all are of the Lord and all for the best vnto his children Let vs therefore in all things that befall vs so submit our selues vnto the will of the Lord as that both in heart and voice we euer pray and say thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen LECTVRE XLV PHILIP 2. Verse 27. But God had mercy on him and not on him onely but on me also lest I should haue sorrow vpon sorrow BVt God had mercy on him Where the Apostle first setteth downe the cause of his recouerie and restoring vnto health which was Gods mercy 2. The extent and bountifulnes of Gods mercy therein reaching not to Epaphroditus alone but to Paul also 3. The Apostle setteth downe the cause why the Lord in mercy towards him also restored Epaphroditus vnto health to wit left he should haue sorrow vpon sorrow .i. lest vnto that sorrow which already he had by his bands and imprisonment there should haue beene added another sorrow for his death The words are so plaine and easie in themselues to be vnderstood that there needeth no farther opening or explication of them Let vs therefore see what notes and obseruations we may gather hence whereof we may make some vse vnto our selues But God had mercy on him By which phrase of speech the Apostle signifieth Epaphroditus his recouerie and restoring vnto health Yet see how the Apostle was not content barely to say but he was restored vnto health but signifying euen this same thing he withall noteth both who restored him wherfore he was restored vnto health saying But God had c. As if he should haue said but God for his mercies sake restored him vnto health Whence I note that it is the Lord that woundeth and maketh whole that both visiteth vs with sicknesse and also holdeth our soule in life and healeth all our infirmities For so the Lord himselfe saith Behold now for I Deut. 32.29 I am he and there is no God with me I kill and giue life I wound and I make whole And againe in Exodus saith the Lord Ex. 15.26 I am the Lord that healeth thee And therefore the Prophet thus praieth Heale me ô Lord and I shall be whole saue me Iâ—r 17.14 Ps 103.2.3 and I shall be saued And the Prophet Dauid thus stirreth vp himselfe to praise the Lord saying Praise the Lord ô my soule and forget not all his benefits which forgiueth all thy sinne and healeth all thine infirmities or all thy sicknesses and diseases It is the Lord then yee see that healeth our sicknesse and holdeth our soule in life yea it is euen he that deliuereth vs both from the first and likewise from the second death Yet I would not here be so mistaken as if I iudged that because it is the Lord that healeth our infirmities therefore in the bed of our sicknes we should onely call vpon the Lord and neglect the meanes ordeined for the recouerie of our health For as he hath appointed the end so hath he ordeined the meanes vnto the end And albeit sometimes he worke without meanes and restore vnto health without any medicine or physicke at all yet most ordinarily he worketh by meanes and restoreth vnto health by medicine and physicke And therefore we are not at any time to neglect the meanes of physicke and such like helps for the recouerie of our health but rather we are to vse them with all thankfulnesse vnto the Lord for them and with all praier and supplication in the spirit for his blessing vpon them We see how that good King Ezechias when it had beene told him of the Lord by the Prophet 2 Reg. 20.5.6 thus Behold I haue healed thee and the third day thou shalt goe vp to the house of the Lord and I will adde vnto thy daies fifteene yeere yet for all that 7. when the Prophet said vnto him take a lumpe of dried figs and lay it vpon the boyle and thou shalt recouer he tooke it and laid it on and recouered He might haue said hath the Lord spoken and will he not performe it He hath promised me healâ—h and a lengthning of my daies for 15 yeeres what neede I more then his word what neede I any medicine or prescript from any Physician