powâ—â— such enter not into condemnation but haue their part in the second resurrection LECTVRE XXX PHILIP 2. verse 9 10. And giuen him a name aboue euery name that at the name of Iesus should euery knee bowe c. ANd giuen him a name c. Where we are not to vnderstand that God gaue vnto Christ after his resurrection any new name which he had not before For as before so after and as after so before he was and is called the wisdome of God the power of God the true light at the world faithfull and true holy and iust â—he Apostle and high Priest of our profession a Priest after â—he order of Melchisedech the Sauiour of the world the Prince of peace the Mediator of the New Testament the â—ead of the Church the Lord of glory Iesus Christ the â—mage of the Father the Sonne of God and God neither had he any name after his resurrection which he had not beâ—ore But by a name is to be vnderstood in this place glory â—nd honor and maiestie and dominion ouer all things creaâ—ed as the same word is elsewhere vsed Eph. 1.21 Ephes 1.21 So that when it is said that God hath giuen him a name aboue euery name â—he meaning is that God hauing raised vp Christ Iesus from â—he dead hath so highly exalted him in the heauenly places â—hat he hath giuen him all power both in heauen and earth â—ll dominion ouer all creatures whatsoeuer and the same glory which he had with him from the beginning so that now he â—eigneth and ruleth with him King ouer all and blessed for euer Now this power dominion and glory wherevnto Christ Iesus after his resurrection was exalted is further opened and expressed by the Apostle 1. By that subiection and worship which all things created now owe and at length shall yeeld vnto him in these words that at the name c. 2. By that acknowledgement whereby all creatures now ought and at length shall confesse that Iesus Christ is the Lord vnto the glory of God the father in these words and that euery tongâ—â— c. The summe then in briefe of the Apostle his meaning iâ— these words is this that God hauing raised vp Christ Ieâ—â—â— from the dead hath crowned him with such honour and glory aboue all creatures in heauen or in earth or vnder the earth that they all doe or shall bowe vnto him be subiect vnder his feete and acknowledge that he who was cruelly diâ—dainefully and dispitefully handled and crucified is King and Lord and God blessed for euer vnto the glory of God the Father In these words therefore I obserue 4. principall points 1. The great honour and glory wherwithall Christ was croâ—ned after his resurrection and ascension set downe in these words and giuen him a name c. 2. The subiection and worshippe which all creatures owe and at length shall yeeld vnto him set downe as a branch and an end of hit glorification it these words that at the name c. 3. The confession and acknowledgement of all creatures that Iesus Christ crucified is the Lord ouer all and that all power belongeth to him both in heauen and in earth set downe as an other branch and end of his glorification in these words and that euery tongue c. 4. The issue of the whole which is that the whole glorification of Christ redoundeth to the honour of God the Father set downe in these words vnto the glory c. Touching the 1. point viz. the great honour and glorie wherewithall Christ was crowned after his resurrection which our Apostle here signifieth by the name which God gaue vnto him aboue euery name the Apostle to the Hebrues giueth most euident testimonie thereunto Heb. 2.9 when he saith But we see Iesus crowned with glorie and honour which was made a little inferiour to the Angells that he might suffer death as if the Apostle should haue said that Iesus which in no sort tooke on him the nature of Angels but the nature of man euen flesh bloud and mortalitie to the end that he might suffer death for our sinnes he now being raised from the dead is crowned with honour and glory euen vnto him is giuen the excellencie of all dignitie farre aboue all things created whatsoeuer The â—â—me also is further confirmed by the testimonie of our Apoâ—â—le to the Ephesians where he saith Eph. 1.20 That God raised vp Christ â—esus from the dead and set him at his right hand in the heauenly â—laces farre aboue all principality and power and might and doâ—ination and euery name that is named not in this world onely 21. but â—lso in that that is to come c. Where the Apostle most plainâ—y sheweth how highly Christ was exalted aboue all creatures whatsoeuer after that God had raised him from the dead Now â—f ye aske me what was that maiestie and excellencie of digniâ—e whereunto Christ was exalted after his resurrection I anâ—were that it was that glory wherewithall Christ before his pasâ—ion praied to be glorified when hee thus praied Ioh. 17.5 glorifie mee â—hou father with thine owne selfe with the glorie which I had with â—hee before the world was The glory then whereunto Christ was exalted after his resurrection was his owne glorie that â—lory which he had before his incarnation euen before the â—orld was with his father that glory which he had when beâ—ng in the forme of God hee thought it no robberie to be eâ—uall with God For we know that he was heard in all things â—or which he praied of the Father so that hauing praied for â—hat glory which he had from the beginning with the Father â—he glorie whereunto he was exalted was his own glorie which â—e had with the Father from the beginning Now if yee aske â—ne againe what glorie this was which he had with the Father â—rom the beginning I answer that it was all power both in heaâ—en and in earth For so our Sauiour himselfe after his resurâ—ection from the dead said saying Mat. 28.18 all power is giuen vnto me in â—eauen and in earth where by all power is meant all authoriâ—y all soueraigntie ouer all things created both in heauen and â—n earth so that both the Angells are his ministring spirits â—nd with his word he commandeth the foule spirits and they obey him and of all men it is true that vnto one he saith go â—nd he goeth and to another come and he commeth Thus â—hen it appeareth that Christ after his resurrection both was highly exalted vnto all honour and glorie and that his glory was and is that absolute Lordship and soueraignty which hee hath ouer all creatures in heauen and in earth Yea he was exalted vnto that glory which he had with the father before the world was If now againe it be demanded whether Christ were exalted vnto this glory and dignity according to both his natures both his Godhead and his mâ—nhood I answere
By the second answer we may receiue exceeding comfort in Christ Iesus that though the world hate vs and Sathan seeke continually like a roaring lion to deuoure vs yet they can doe nothing against vs but what he will they are but his rods to chastise vs and they shall at length be cast into the fire and burnt but wee shall shine as starres in heauen for euer and euer By the third answer we learne quietly to repose our selues in the power of his might who shall subdue all his enemies vnder him and giue vnto vs a crowne of eternally glory but in flaming fire render vengeance vnto them that haue noâ— obeyed his Gospell And let this be spoken for the clearâ—â— of the first doubt Another doubt is here to bee answered touching that superstitious and fond fancie of Purgatorie which some would gladly ground on these words of the Apostle For thus hence they reason Saint Paul saith that vnto Chrisâ— was giuen such a name that at the name of Iesus should euery knee bowe both of things in heauen and things in earth 〈◊〉 things vnder the earth but the Deuils and the damned in heâ— are so farre from bowing vnto Christ that they blaspheâ—â— his holy name and gnash their teeth against him they the which being vnder the earth doe bowe vnto Christ muâ—â— needs be those which worship Christ in Purgatorie therefore there is Purgatorie But see I beseech you the vanitie and foolishnes of their reason which they make for the vpholding of this dreame The Deuils say they and the damned iâ— hell are so farre from bowing vnto Christ that they blasphere him and gnash their teeth at him therefore by the things vnder the earth which bowe vnto Christ must needs be meaâ—â— the soules in Purgatorie I answer 1. that the Deuils and damned in hell howsoeuer they doe blaspheme Christ ye they ought to bowe vnto him and to be subiect vnto him as I shewed before by that law which first was giuen vnto them and still doth binde them thou shalt feare the Lord thy God 〈◊〉 serue him And so the Apostle may very well be expounded that God hath giuen vnto Christ a name aboue euery name that a the name of Iesus should euery knee bowe of dutie both of thing in heauen c. And then what a poore shrowde hath Purgatorie in this place 2. I answer that the Deuils doe now boâ—â— vnto Christ and are subiect vnto him Adde vnto the forâ—her proofes of this assertion that one testimonie out of Luke Luc. 8. where the Euangelist storying the deliuerance of one possesâ—ed with a Deuill sheweth most plainely how the Deuill nay â—n any Deuils for a Legion possessed him fell thrise prostrate â—efore Christ and acknowledged his power ouer them First â—ith S. Luke the Euangelist the Deuill cried out said 28. What â—aue I to doe with thee Iesus the Sonne of God the most high I â—eseech thee torment me not Againe when Iesus had asked the Deuill his name the Euangelist saith 30.31 they besought him that he â—ould not command them to goe out into the deepe and agine the Euangelist saith they besought him that he would suffer them to â—nter into the heard of swine feeding thereby on an hill 32. Where â—ee see how not one but a Legion of Deuils not once but â—hrise in one miracle prostrated themselues vnto Christ and â—cknowledged his power ouer them And shall we not thinke â—hat now much more they doe so when Christ sitteth at the â—ight hand of God in the heauenly places Iam. 2.19 Yes S. Iames tells â—s that they feare and tremble A seruile feare they are in and â—nwillingly they are subiect vnto him howsoeuer they doe â—laspheme him False therefore is it when they say that the Deuils bowe not vnto him 3. I answer that the Deuils â—hall be subiect vnto him in that great and last day and so â—he Apostle may be vnderstood and then what helpe here â—or Purgatorie For thus I vnderstand the Apostle God hath â—iuen vnto Christ a name aboue euery name that at the name of â—esus euery knee should bowe now of dutie and shall bowe then â—n that day some willingly and some vnwillingly both which being truly affirmed euen of the Deuils inasmuch as now â—hey ought and in that day they shall bowe and be subiect vnâ—o him though vnwillingly what neede is there to vnderstand â—his place of the soules in Purgatorie Lastly the Rhemists note no such thing vpon this place which yet they would haue done if it had made ought for that purpose and Bellarmine quite disclaimeth it vnderstanding by things vnder the â—arth the deuils in hell which as I haue said now ought and â—n that great day shall bowe and be subiect vnto him And â—ndeed the whole tale of popish Purgatorie is a meere dreame hauing no ground at all either in this or in any other place of scripture but is so contrary therevnto as nothing more Itâ— the bloud of Christ Iesus that purgeth and cleanseth vs from all fâ—â— it is not any purging fire which doth it 1 Ioh. 1.7 or can doe it after the life Nay after this life there is but heauen or hell Heauen for them that die in the Lord for blessed are the dead that 〈◊〉 in the Lord Ap. 14.13 euen so saith the Spirit they rest from their laboâ—â— and their workes follow them and Hell for the wicked are such as forget God for that is their portion prepared for them of olde with the Deuill and his Angels Thus hauing cleared these words of the Apostle from these doubts it remaineth that now we proceede in that which followeth in the Apostle It followeth therefore And that euery tongue should confesse c. We haue heaâ—â— of the subiection of all creatures vnto Christ Iesus set downe by the Apostle as a branch of his glory and an end of his glorification Now in these words the Apostle setteth doâ—â—e another branch of Christ his glory which is the confessioâ— and acknowledgment of all creatures that Iesus Christ is the Lord and sole right commander in heauen and in earth for as euery knee shall bowe vnto him so euery tongue shall coâ—fesse him God hauing giuen him a name aboue euery name that euery knee should bowe vnto him and that euery tongue should confesse him to bee Lord and Soueraigne king By euery tongue the Apostle meaneth not onely all nations and languages in the world whatsoeuer but euery tongue both of things in heauen and things in earth and things vnder the earth not that things in heauen or things vnder the earth haue tongues as neither they haue knees but as there in the former words by euery knee both of things iâ— heauen and things in earth and things vnder the earth is meant all creatures so here in these words by euery tongue of things in heauen and things in earth and things vnder the earâ—â— is meant all creatures
modest conuersation towards our neighbour towards our brethren in these words Doe all things without murmuring c. For as the example of Christ his humilitie and obedience should stirre vs vp vnto all humble obedience vnto our God to walke before him feare and with trembling so ought it likewise to perswade vs vnto all humble and modest conuersation toward our brethren laying aside all secret murmuring and all contentious reasonings and with meeknesse euery one yeelding one vnto another and euery one forbearing one another Doe all things without murmuring c. These words you see are a dehortation and disswasion from things to be eschewed and by consequent they are an exhortation vnto things to bee embraced Two things there are you see which the Apostle disswadeth the one murmuring the other reasonings By murmuring the Apostle I take it in this place doth not so much meane murmuring against God as secret grudgings in our selues against our brethren and priuie whisperings such as closely runne from hand to hand to defame or to disgrace those whom wee like not By reasonings are meant such open discords and contentions as those secret grudgings and priuie whisperings doe for the most part breake out into Both these faults the Apostle would haue auoided and eschewed amongst men one towards another that neither there should be secret grudgings and priuie whisperings one against another neither there should be open quarrelling or contending one with another Now it is further to be vnderstood that in this dehortation from these faults the Apostle implieth an exhortation to those good vertues whereby these bad faults may be redressed namely vnto a modest conuersation with our brethren and a peaceable agreement with all men When the Apostle therefore saith Doe all things without murmuring it is as if he had thus said Let there be no secret grudgings amongst you one against another nor any priuie whisperings running closely from hand to hand to defame or to disgrace one another but let euery one amongst you approue himselfe vnto another in all modestie of conuersation modestly yeelding vnto his superiour and equall and willingly making himselfe equall vnto them of the lowest degree Againe when he saith Doe all things without reasonings it is as if hee had thus said Let there bee no open discords or contentions amongst you either through bearing out your selues one aboue another or vpon any occasion what else soeuer but follow peace and loue with all men and doe all things with patience and mildnesse This I take to bee the meaning of these words Now before wee proceed vnto the opening of the rest that follow let vs see what vse wee may make of this exhortation Doe all things without murmuring The first thing which the Apostle here disswadeth is murmuring Now wee reade of two sorts of murmurers in the holy Scriptures the one of such as murmur against the most high God Lord of heauen and earth So wee reade that the Israelites often murmured Num. 21.5.11.5 sometimes for want of water sometimes for want of bread sometimes for want of the cucumbers and the pepons and the leekes and the onions and the garleeke and the flesh-pots of Egypt and for want of such things as caused their often murmurings it is said that they returned in their hearts into Egypt And such murmurers against God at this day are they who in this our time of want of bread either breake out into such impatient speeches as these What meanes the Lord to kill vs with famine what greater sinners are wee than such and such that haue the world at will and all things at their desire Would God hee would either mend these things or make an end of vs who can endure such aâ—â—ard time better to die any way than to die of famine c. they I say that either breake out into such impatient speeches or through male-contentednesse seeke to raise vp seditions and vprores and rebellions in the common-wealth so to procure a remedie by a worse mischiefe are found to be murmurers against God grudging at that which he doth and seeking a way without him to redresse it But what was the end of those murmurers amongst the children of Israel Some of them were consumed by fire from heauen others were smitten with an exceeding great plague others died being bitten and stung with fierie serpents and of all of them this was true that none of them came into the promised land A fearfull end vpon murmurers against God some die one way and others are slaine another way euery one hath a fearfull end and neuer a one comes into the promised land neuer a one enters into that heauenly rest where only is rest and ioy for euermore As therefore the Apostle exhorted the Corinthians saying 1. Cor. 10.10 Murmur not as some of the children of Israel murmured and were destroied of the destroier so I say vnto you Take heede that none of you be found murmurers against God either for this his iudgement whereby hee now doth most iustly visit our sinnes and our iniquities vpon vs or for any thing else lest his wrath bee kindled against you and there bee none to deliuer you For all these things whereof wee haue spoke came vnto the children of Israel for ensamples and were written to admonish vs vpon whom the ends of the world are come Another sort of murmurers there are which murmure against their brethren grudging either at their wealth or at the loue and fauour or at the credit and preferment wherein they go before them and closely seeking their discredit whispering amongst their neighbours whatsoeuer euill they can deuise against them So the Euangelists euery where testifie that the Scribes and Pharises murmured against Iesus and against his Disciples because they saw that the people fell euery where vnto them and followed them So we read that the Grecians murmured against the Disciples of Christ Act. 6.1 pretending that their widowes were neglected in the daily ministring And this principally is that murmuring which our Apostle in this place would haue abandoned that wee should not maligne one another that we should not haue any grudgings or heartburnings within our selues one against another that we should not secretly and closly seeke the discredit or disgrace one of another A fault whether more bad or more common it is hard to say and that euen amongst neighbours amongst brethren For what more ordinary then one neighbour for some cause or other to murmure against another If hee be our superiour in wealth or in honour or in credit wee murmure against him as too great to dwell so neere vs and be hee neuer so kinde vnto vs yet still we doe imagine that hee beares himselfe too much vpon his wealth or vpon his birth or vpon his place c. and ouerlookes vs. If hee be our equall wee grudge that hee should come forward as well as our selues that he should be as much honoured that hee should be as
things which are on the earth and as here our Apostle saith we may not mind earthly things to set our studie and our delight thereon For if we doe then shall we be of those many which the Apostle here speaketh of and whom he would that we should not follow yea if wee minde earthly things wee shall fall into tentation and snares and into many foolish noysome lusts which drowne men in perdition and destruction Let vs not therefore follow the example of them which mind earthly things let vs not set our affections on the things which are on the earth let vs vse them and let vs labour to vse them to Gods glory but let vs not set our hearts vpon them nor suffer our selues to be entangled with them Let vs giue our hearts vnto our God let vs set our affections on things which are aboue and let our conuersation bee in heauen which is the next point to be handled LECTVRE LXXI PHILIP 3. Verse 20. But our conuersation is in heauen from whence also we looke for the Sauiour euen the Lord Iesus Christ FOr our conuersation This is the second reason which the Apostle vseth to moue the Philippians to follow him and such others as walke so as they haue him for an ensample For so it is deliuered in the originall as a reason for our conuersation c a reason I say not of that which immediatly went before but a reason of his exhortation in vers 17. where it is said brethren be yee followers of mee c. yet so that the reason is drawne from the antithesis of that which went immediatly before In these words then we haue the second reason of the Apostles former exhortation drawne from the antithesis of that which immediatly went before For as in the former reason he shewed that they were not to follow those false teachers which walked otherwise then they had him for an ensample both by their studie and by their end which was damnation so now he sheweth that they are to follow him and such others as walke so as they haue him for an ensample both by the cleane contrary course of studie which he and such as he is follow and by the contrary end which is glorification This then is the manner of the Apostles proceeding His exhortation is brethren be yee followers of me c. His reason is for our conuersation or our Citie whereof we are citizens is in heauen not in earth that we should minde earthly things or make our God our belly but in heauen from whence also we looke for the Sauiour euen the Lord Iesus Christ by whom we looke for another reward of our walking then that which the wicked haue euen the glorification of our vile bodies by that his powerfull working whereby he is able to subdue c. In this reason then I note these three principall points shewing themselues in a threefold profession which the Apostle maketh in the behalfe of himselfe and such others as walked as he did The first is a Christian profession of their present conuersation in these words for our conuersation c. The second is a Christian profession of their expectation of Christs second comming to saue them in these words from whence also c. The third is a Christian profession of their certaine hope of the glorification of their vile bodies by the powerfull working of Christ in these words who shall change our vile bodies c. Now touching their present conuersation the Apostle maketh this Christian profession our conuersation is in heauen which is as if the Apostle should haue said It is not so with vs as with those false teachers newly mentioned For they as men of this world minde earthly things and set their delight and affections thereon but we carry and behaue our selues in this life as citizens of the heauenly Ierusalem setting our affections on the things which are aboue For so the words in the originall are as if we should thus read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our Citie whereof we are citizens and whereunto we haue right is in heauen So that his meaning is that they carry and behaue themselues and so conuerse here in this life as citizens of the heauenly Ierusalem minding that and the things which beseeme that Touching the second point namely their expectation of Christ his second comming to saue them the Apostle maketh Christian profession when he saith from whence which is as if our Apostle should haue said a reason why our conuersation is in heauen is because from heauen we certainely looke and waite for the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ when he shall come as a swift iudge against all them that haue made their belly their God but as our Sauiour to giue vs an inheritance among them that are saued In the last verse the Apostle maketh a Christian profession of their certaine hope of their glorification whereof more particularly hereafter Now let vs see what obseruations we may gather hence for our owne vse and instruction The first thing which I note is the Apostles christian profession which he maketh in the behalfe of himselfe and such others as walked so as he did touching their present life and conuersation which is that they caried and behaued themselues in this life as citizens of heauen setting their affections on the things which are aboue Whereof the Apostle maketh profession to this end that hereby the Philippians might be induced to follow him and such as he was that seeing their conuersation to be such and so holy in comparison of others they might make their choice of following them and haue their conuersation such as they heard and law that theirs was Hence then I obserue what the life and conuersation of God children ought to be in this vale of misery and valley of teares we should carry and behaue our selues here as pilgrims here on earth and hauing our Citie in heauen as citizens of the heauenly Ierusalem fixing our faith hope and loue there setling our thoughts desires and affections there hauing our hearts mindes and wiâ—lâ— there and liuing vnder the lawes that are giuen and kept there This our Apostle sheweth in the first chapter of this Epistle where he exhorteth the Philippians Phil. 1 27. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saying Onely let your conuersation be as it becommeth the Gospell of Christ Where the Apostle vseth the word whence this word here vsed is deriued And the exhortation implying a dutie it is as much in effect aâ— if he had said that we ought so to walke as citizens of the Saints and of the kingdome of God holding on in that course which beseemeth the profession of the Gospell 1 Pet. 1.15 The like exhortation also the Apostle Peter maketh where he saith As he which hath called you is holy so be yee holy in all manner of conuersation because it is written be yee holy for I am holy Which exhortation likewise implying a
the dead which I note out of this that he saith who shall change to wit in that day when he shall come from whence they looke for him 5. The manner how he shall then glorifie our vile bodies namely not by changing the substance of our bodies in the forme or feature or lineaments or members of them but by changing our vile bodies .i. our bodieâ— which were created of God holy and good but are now deâ—â—led with our vilenesse by changing these vile bodies and fashioning them in qualitie like vnto his owne glorious body so that of mortall they become immotall of corruptible incorruptible of naturall spirituall of weake glorious 6. And lastly the meanes whereby he shall thus glorifie our vile bodies namely by that diuine power and effectuall working whereby he raised his owne body from the graue and whereby he is able to doe what he will euen to subdue all things vnto himselfe These be the particular circumstances of this third branch of the Apostles reason Which noting of them in this sort that we haue done may serue also for the explication and opening of the meaning of these words Let vs now therefore see what profitable notes we may gather hence for our farther vse and instruction The first thing which I note is who it is that shall change our vile bodies that they may be fashioned like vnto his glorious bodie which is the Lord Iesus Christ The obseruation then hence is that after we haue slept in the dust Christ Iesus shall raise vs againe by his power and make our vile bodies like to his glorious body He it is that being one God with the Father from before all beginnings in the beginning of time created vs formed vs and made vs and breathed into vs the breath of life and made vs liuing soules All things saith Iohn was made by it Ioh. 1.3 namely by the incarnate word of God by the euerlasting Sonne of the Father and without it was made nothing that was made And the Apostle saith that by the Sonne of God were all things created which are in heauen and in earth Col. 1.16 things visible and invisible by him I say not onely as an instrument but as an efficient cause For as the Apostle saith of him Ro. 11.36 and through him and for him are all things He likewise it is that in the fulnesse of time came into the world to redeeme them which were vnder the law and to saue his people from their sinnes When the fullnesse of time was come saith the Apostle God sent forth his Sonne made of a woman Gal. 4.4.5 and made vnder the law that he might redeeme them which were vnder the law And againe This is a true saying 1 Tim. 1.15 and by all meanes worthy to be receiued that Iesus Christ came into the world to saue sinners And therefore was his name called Iesus Mat. 1.21 because he should saue his people from their sinnes He also it is that in the end of times shall raise our bodies out of the dust and make them like vnto his glorious body Joh. 5.28.29 For the houre shall come saith Iohn in the which all that are in the graues shall heare his voice and they shall come forth that haue done good vnto the resurrection of life but they that haue done euill vnto the resurrection of condemnation And in the chapter following 6.54 Whosoeuer eateth my flesh saith Christ and drinketh my bloud hath eternall life and I will raise him vp at the last day And our Apostle in this place from heauen we looke for the Sauiour euen the Lord Iesus Christ who shall change our vile body c. So that he that in the beginning of time created vs and made vs and in the fullnesse of time redeemed and saued vs shall also in the end of time raise vs vp out of the dust of death and glorifie vs with himselfe Whereof also he gaue vs a sure testimonie when he raised vp himselfe from the dead no more to returne vnto the graue And therefore the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 4.14 He which hath raised vp the Lord Iesus shall raise vs vp also by Iesus and set vs with the Saints Let this then serue to confirme and strengthen vs in the point of our resurrection and glorification Christ Iesus hath taken it vpon him that he will raise vs vp at the last day and glorifie vs with himselfe Let vs then lie downe in peace and commit that to him and he shall bring it to passe For is the glory and strength of Israel as a man that he should lie Hath he said it and shall it not be done Let the Sadduces denie the resurrection Act. 17.18 let the Philosophers and disputers of Athens mocke at Paul when they heare him preach the resurrection let the profane Atheist scoffe and iest at the resurrection of the dead and their glorification with the Saints yet let vs with Martha know that our brethren and we shall rise at the last day Mat. 9.25 He that raised the Rulers daughter from death to life in the house he that raised the widowes sonne from death vnto life as they were carying him out to be buried Luc. 7.15 he that raised vp Lazarus from death vnto life Ioh. 11.44 hauing laid foure daies in the graue shall also raise vs vp and shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like vnto his glorious body Let vs therefore hold fast this hope vnto the end without wauering and let vs lay this vpon Christ Iesus who will surely doe it and will not faile The second thing which I note is the time when Christ shall change our vile bodies and make them like vnto his glorious body The time is in that day when the faithfull looke that he shall come in the clouds of heauen to iudge both the quicke and the dead Which I gather from this that he faith who shall change c ioyned with that he had said before from whence also we looke c. For the meaning is that from heauen they looke for the second comming of Christ who then in his second comming shall change c. The obseruation then hence is that in the last day when Christ shall come in the clouds of heauen to iudge the quicke and the dead then shall he raise vp the bodies of them that haue slept in the dust and glorifie them with his owne selfe Which point of the time of our second resurrection and glorification of our bodies the Holy Ghost often precisely noteth as where it is said The houre shall come in the which all that are in the graues shall heare his voice c Ioh. 5.28.6.54 and againe where Christ saith I will raise him vp at the last day 1 Co. 15.23.51.52 and againe where the Apostle saith that they that are of Christ at his comming shall rise againe and againe where he saith
thought that we will vse moderation towards all men while such is our behauiour towards our neighbours and brethren Whilest it is thus among our selues we shew plainly how litle heed we haue taken vnto this exhortation of the holy Ghost consequently how litle care we take that the name of God and the truth which we professe be not euill spoken of Secondly here were to be reproued such carnall exceptions as are commonly taken against this exhortation The holy Ghost saith Let your patient mind be knowne vnto all men Vnto all men say we this is an hard saying Vnto such as vse vs kindly and curteously great reason that our patient mind should be knowne but vnto them that be euer readie to thwart and crosse vs to wrong and grieue vs to taunt and mocke vs to reuile and speake euill of vs what reason that our patient mind should be knowne Thus will we rather teach the holy Ghost what to speake then we will be taught by the holy Ghost what to do But such exceptions we must take heed of if we will suffer our selues to be taught by the ho holy Ghost and as our Apostle willeth we must let our patient mind be knowne vnto all men without such exception of any Thirdly hence we learne what we are to respect in the practise of euery Christian vertue namely the glorie of God and the propagation of his truth For as our Sauior saith of almes prayer fasting and the like Math. 6. that if they be done for the praise of men then they haue their praise but not with God so may it be said of the practise of euery Christian vertue that if therein we respect the praise of men we haue our praise but not with God The thing that we must aime at in the practise of gentlenesse goodnesse meeknesse temperancie moderation patience and other workes of the Spirit in vs is the glorie of God that men seeing these fruites of the Spirit in vs they may be brought vnto the same obedience and seruice of one God with vs. And thus it shall come to passe that they who haply haue said in their hearts there is no God that they who cannot yet grow to the liking of the same truth with vs shall say of vs Surely God is in you indeed surely this is the way of truth wherein ye do walke Let vs therefore hearken vnto the exhortation of our Apostle and as he exhorteth let our patient mind be knowne vnto all men Let vs not bangle and wrangle one with another for euery light matter but let vs beare one with another and yeeld one vnto another Let vs not after the fancie of our owne reason abridge that which the holy Ghost enlargeth but let our moderation be knowne to all without exception of any And let vs in the practise both of this and of euery Christian vertue aime at the glorie of God and the furtherance of his holy truth which we professe And as this day we professe by our meeting at this holy Table sound loue and charitie with all men so at all times let our moderation and patient mind be knowne vnto all men LECTVRE LXXXI PHILIP 4. Verse 5. The Lord is at hand THese words haue bene already noted to consist of an exhortation and a reason of the exhortation The exhortation this Let your patient mind c. The reason this The Lord is at hand In the exhortation were noted first the thing whereunto the Apostle exhorteth the Philippians secondly the large scope wherein the thing is to runne The thing whereunto the Apostle exhorteth the Philippians is mildnesse in their behauiour and moderation of their affections towards their neighbours and brethren so that for vnities sake they would rather lose their owne then strictly stand vpon their right in matters of ordinarie life The large field wherein he would haue this their mildnesse and moderation to runne reacheth vnto all men Let your patient mind be knowne to all c. The Lord is at hand This reason as I told you is added to preuent an obiection For the Apostle hauing exhorted the Philippians to such a mildnesse and moderation as that they should not alwayes strictly stand vpon their right but sometimes yeeld of their right and patiently put vp the losse and the wrong the Philippians might haply thus obiect and say that so indeed their case should be most miserable and they should be trampled vnder feete as clay in the streetes Therefore the Apostle addeth The Lord is at hand as if he should haue said Though they abuse your patient mildnesse and gentle moderation of your affections yet do ye hold on a good course in patience possesse your soules and let your patient mind be knowne vnto all men for the Lord is at hand otherwise indeed your case were hard if the Lord were farre from you and lookt not at you nor regarded you to helpe you in euery time of need and to relieue you in euery your wrongs But the Lord is at hand Now we must vnderstand that the Lord is said to be at hand after diuers sorts in the holy Scriptures For sometimes he is said to be neare or at hand in respect of himselfe of the presence of his deitie and glorious maiestie as where the Apostle saith Acts 17.27 that he is not farre from euery one of vs for in him we liue and moue and haue our being Thus himselfe saith that he filleth heauen and earth Ierem. 23.24 and therefore is thus neare vnto whatsoeuer is in heauen or earth Thus the Prophet saith that he cannot conuey himselfe out of his presence For if he climbe vp into heauen there he is Psal 139.7.8.9.10 if he goe downe into hell there he is if he take the wings of the morning and dwel in the vttermost parts of the Sea there also doth his hand leade him if he say the darkenesse shall couer him euen the night shal be light about him And thus he is neare euen vnto all the world vnto his enemies sitting in the middest of them seeing their deuices and laughing them to scorne vnto all that haue life or being communicating that vnto them which alone is properly in himselfe who is life and whose name is I am Iohn 14. â— Exod. 3.14 Againe the Lord is said to be neare or at hand in respect of his grace and prouidence and powerfull working of his holy Spirit as where the Prophet saith Psal 145.18 The Lord is neare vnto all that call vpon him yea to all that call vpon him in truth he is neare vnto them to heare them and to helpe them And thus is he peculiarly said to be neare vnto his children not that he offereth not this speciall grace of comming neare vnto them vnto the wicked for thus he saith vnto them by his Prophet Seeke ye the Lord whiles he may be found Esay 55.6 call ye vpon him whiles he is neare that is
and thereat take offence And thence might bee obserued the care which Pastors ought to haue of taking away whatsoeuer may breed any doubt or occasion any offence amongst their people The neglect of which care doth often so much harme that their silence in the Church were as tolerable as their carelesnesse to remooue all scruples and occasions of offence from the people But I rather come vnto the maine poynt here to be noted which is the Apostles asseueration that his bands and imprisonment turned rather to the furthering then to the hindering of the Gospell for contrarie to the expectation and hope of those aduersaries of the Gospell that cast him into prison Whence I obserue that the persecutions afflictions of the Saints of Christ Iesus do rather further then hinder the gospel rather encrease theÌ„ diminish the Church Ye know the burdens afflictions of the children of Israell in Egypt the house of their bondage vnder Pharaoh Exod. 1. and the Aegiptians Come saith Pharaoh 10. let vs worke wisely with the people of the children of Israell least they multiply and it come to passe that if their bee warre they ioyne themselues vnto our enemies and fight against vs c. 13.14 Whervpon by cruelty they caused the children of Israel to serue and made them weary of their liues by sore labour in clay and in bricke and in all worke in the field with all manner of bondage which they laid vpon them most cruelly 15. Yea and a commandment came from the King vnto the midwiues that so many sonnes as were borne to the weomen of the Ebrewes they should kill them Notable practises indeede that they should not multiply But what saith the Holy Ghost 12. The more they vexed them the more they multiplied and grew The Egyptians they vexed the Israelites lest they should multiply but the more they vexed them the more they multiplied the Egyptians they laid vpon them all cruell burdens to hinder the growth of the Church there but the Lord turned that which they did rather to the increasing then to the diminishing of the Church there Dan. 3 8. Ye know also the great danger of the three children Shadrach Mesech and Abednego in the land of their captiuitie how greeuously the Chaldeans accused them vnto Nebuchadnezzar for not worshipping the golden image which he had set vp and how the King in a great furie and rage 20.21 commanded them therefore to be cast into the middest of an hote fiery furnace which also was done as the King commanded So that now it was like that idolatry should increase and that the worship of the true God of Israel should decrease because of this cruell execution vpon these three children for the maintenance of his holy worship and refusall to worship the image But loe how the Lord turned this to the spreading and propagation of his holy worship throughout all the dominions of Nebuchadnezzar For the Lord hauing wrought a mighty deliuerance for the three children in sauing them from the power of the fire 27. so that neither an haire of their head was burnt nor their cotes changed nor any smell of fire was vpon them both all the Nobles and great Princes which came to worship the golden image were spectators of this great wonder which the true God of Israel wrought and Nebuchadnezzar himselfe blessed the God of Shadrach 28. Meshach and Abednego for deliuering his seruants that yeelded their bodies rather then they would serue or worship any God saue their owne God 29. and likewise made a decree that none of all his people should dare to speake any blasphemy against the God of Israel Thus the Lord turned their practise and deuises against his holy worship vnto the propagation of his holy worship so that when it seemed almost to haue perished it was farther dispersed And as this may be seene in Moses and the Prophets so also it is clearely ouer-ruled in the new Testament You know the rage of Satan and his instruments against our blessed Sauiour from his cradle to his crosse how did they persecute him and all to destroy to abolish his kingdom for euer How was he persecuted and forced to flie from place to place euen in his infancie How often was he tempted by the Deuill in the wildernes How despitefully was he intreated by the high Priests the Scribes and Pharisies and the rest of the Iewes How was he mocked buffeted spit vpon crowned with a crowne of thornes accused condemned and crucified betweene two theeues And when they had taken him and crucified him then they thought they had made sure worke for the rooting out of his name and of his doctrine for euer But so the Lord prouided that by his crosse his kingdome was established and by his death the life of his Church was preserued so that his sufferings and his wrongs were turned to the best and that which they presumed would haue hindered the Gospell turned to the furthering of the Gospell Not to trouble you with moe proofes to this purpose ye know the persecutions and afflictions the bands and imprisonment of our Apostle And when his aduersaries had now gotten him cast into prison they thought that now he should be safe from preaching any more in Christ his name that the rest when they should heare of him should be daunted and not dare to preach the Gospell and indeed that thus the whole course of the Gospell should most certainely be hindered But such was the Lord his prouidence that he turned their deuises into the imagination of a vaine thing and that which they thought should haue beene to the hindering he turned rather to the furthering of the Gospell For as himselfe here witnesseth by occasion of his bands both the Gospell was farther propagated euen vnto the Emperors Court into all places of the Citie of Rome and into many other Countries in all which places many thereby were brought vnto the obedience of the faith and of the Gospell of Christ Iesus and likewise thereby the Gospell tooke better setling and deeper rooting in the hearts of many of the Pastors of the Church insomuch that many of them were so farre from being danted by his bands that thereby they were a great deale bolder then before and durst more frankly and freely professe and preach the Gospell then before So that whether we looke into Moses or the Prophets vnto Christ or his Apostles still we shall finde that â—he persecution afflictions and bands of Gods Saints rather further then hinder the Gospel rather make for then against the increase of Christ his kingdome vpon earth rather help then hurt the Church But how comes this to passe The aduersaries of Godâ—â—aints intend no such thing No indeed their whole desire and endeuour in troubling and persecuting the saints of God is to make hauocke of the Church and to hinder or abolish the Gospell of Iesus Christ How then Is
vs. A â—riuiledge only proper vnto Christ that by his sufferings hee â—ould merit at all either for himselfe or for others For of all â—ur afflictions and sufferings that is to be said which Paul saith â—f his afflictions Rom. 8.18 I account saith hee that the afflictions of this â—resent time are not worthy of the glory which shall be shewed vnto â— Where the Apostle plainly renounceth all merit of life â—nd glory vnto his sufferings and afflictions And our Sauiour â—hrist likewise plainly telleth vs that when wee haue done all â—hat wee can euen all that is commanded vs wee must say â—ee are vnprofitable seruants Luk. 17.10 wee haue done onely that which â—as our dutie to doe If when wee haue done all that we can â—ee are vnprofitable seruants if when wee haue done all that commanded vs wee haue only done our dutie then what â—aime can wee make by merit or desert Nay if wee looke â—nto our merits wee shall finde that eternall life is the gift of â—od through Iesus Christ and that wee haue onely deserued â—eath and euerlasting condemnation Iam. 2.10 For whosoeuer keepeth â—e whole Law and yet faileth in one point he is guiltie of all and â—f the condemnation due to the breach of them all Now cerâ—ine it is that in many things wee offend all and that our best â—â—ghteousnesse is but as the menstruous clothes of a woman â—uen the best thing that wee doe is stained with sinne and full â—f vnrighteousnesse so that if wee stand vpon our owne meâ—ts wee see wee must needs perish all Wee must then flie â—rom our selues and renouncing our owne merits rest our â—elues wholly only on the merits of Christ Iesus by whose â—eath and passion wee haue an entrance into glory For his â—assion being the passion of the Sonne of God was both a â—ll satisfaction vnto Gods iustice for vs and worthily deserâ—ed the glory which hee hath purchased for vs and giuen â—nto vs. And let this bee spoken touching the sequele of Christ his passion or the cause of his exaltation into glory â—t followeth Wherefore God c. The second thing which hence I obserued was who exalted him and that is here set downe when it is said God hath highly exalted him Christ then hauing humbled himselfe and beene obedient euen vnto the death God euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ raised him from the dead and set him at his right hand in the heauenly places Act. 2.31 So Dauid had said long before saying Thâ—â— shalt not leaue my soule in graue neither shalt thou suffer thine holy one to see corruption Which Peter auoucheth to be spoken of God raising vp Iesus from the dead To this likewise giue all the Scriptures witnesse that God raised vp Iesus our Lord from the dead the Father by the Sonne and the Sonne by the eternall Spirit that was within him Here then is our comfort that he who hath loosed the sorrowes of Christ his death and raised him vp by his power will also giue a good end vnto all our troubles and raise vs vp also by Iesus and set vs with him Many are the troubles of the righteous Psal 34.18 but the Lord deliuereth him out of all And if it be so that thou see not the fruit of this promise in this life but goest to thy graue in mourning vndeâ— the crosse yet know this that hee which hath raised vp the Lord Iesus shall raise thee vp also by Iesus and set thee with him and there wipe all teares from thine eyes and couer thee with the garment of gladnesse But withall let mee giue you this caueat 1 Pet. 4.15 16 Let none of you suffer as a murtherer or as a theefe or as an euill doâ—r or as a busie body in other mens matters But if any man suffer as a Christian pouertie sicknesse persecution imprisonment or what crosse else soeuer let him not be ashameâ— but let him glorifie God in this behalfe For Christ hath also suffered once for sinnes the iust for the vniust that hee might bring vs vnto God and God for our momentanie and light afflictions in that day will giue vs an eternall weight of glory Wherefore as the Apostle doth so I exhort you Let him that suffereth 1 Pet. 4.19 what crosse soeuer it be according to the will of God commit his soule to God in well-doing as vnto a faithfull Creator and hee that loosed the sorrowes of death from Christ shall giue in his good time a good end to all his troubles And thus much touching the second point to wit who exalted him It followeth Wherefore God hath also highly exalted him Where wee are to see in what sense Christ is said to haue beene exalted and not onely so but highly exalted which was the third thing which I proposed hence to be obserued 1. Therefore Christ was exalted when he was raised from the dead when his bodie which was sowen in dishonor was raised vp in glory 2. He was highly exalted when ascending into heauen he was set in the heauenly places farre aboue all principalitie and power and might and domination and euery name that is named not in this world onely but also in that that is to come Thus God exalted â—nd highly exalted Christ Iesus whom the Iewes had crucified Here then first we haue the testimonie of the Apostle for that â—oint of our faith the resurrection of Christ Iesus He made his graue with the wicked as the Prophet had prophesied He was buried and the pit had shut her mouth vpon him Esay 53.9 euen the â—ombe of the earth had enclosed him in but God the third day exâ—lted him raising him from the dead and not suffering his body to â—ee corruption If I thought it needfull further to proue the resurrection of Christ Iesus vnto you his sundry appearances â—fter he rose againe from the dead first vnto Marie Magdalen â—hen vnto the two Disciples that went to Emmaus then to Peâ—er then to all the Disciples together saue Thomas then to all â—he Disciples then to moe then fiue hundreth brethren at â—nce these I say his manifold appearances and many other â—estimonies of holy scripture might at large proue the same â—nto you But my desire rather now is to lesson you in such â—hings as Christ his resurrection may teach vs. First therefore the resurrection of Christ Iesus may put vs â—n minde of this dutie that as he was raised againe from the â—raue wherein he lay dead vnto life so we ought to rise from â—he graues of sinne wherein we lie dead vnto newnesse and â—olinesse of life If yee be risen with Christ saith the Apostle Colos 3.1 â—hen seeke those things which are aboue as if he should haue â—id Christ is risen from the dead if yee be risen with him â—nd lie not still dead in your sinnes then seeke those things â—hich are aboue Where yee see how the Apostle putteth â—hem in
according to both According to his godhead not as it is considered in it selfe but in as much as his godhead which froâ— his birth vnto his death did little shew it selfe after his resurrection was made manifest in his manhood For as the Apostle saith Rom. 1.4 He was declared mightily to be the sonne of God by the resurrection from the dead Euen by the resurrection and after his resurrection from the dead he which was thought only to be man was most plainely manifested likewise to be God Now as touching his manhood he was therein exalted vnto highest maiestie in the heauenly places not onely shaking off all infirmities of mans nature but also being beautified and adorned with all qualities of glory both in his soule and in his body yet so that still he reteineth the properties of a true body For euen as he was man hee was set at the right hand of the father to rule and reigne ouer all till all his enemies beâ— destroyed and put vnder his feete To knit vp all in a word Christ God and man after his resurrection was crowned with glory and honour euen such as plainely shewed him to bee God and was set on the throne of God there to rule and reigne as soueraigne Lord and King till hee come in the clowdes to iudge both quicke and dead Here then is both matter of comfort and consolation vnto the godly and likewise of feare and astonishment vnto the wicked and vngodly For therefore is he ascended into heauen euen to prepare a place for vs that where hee is there may we be also Ioh. 14.2 for so himselfe speaketh And therefore is he exalted farre aboue all men and Angels as in all fulnesse of gifts and graces so in glory and maiesty that he may succour vs in all our miseries and helpe vs in all dangers Whatsoeuer infirmities we haue whatsoeuer persecutions wee suffer whatsoeuer crosses we endure wee neede not be dismaide or troubled For Christ Iesus who bore our infirmities whom the high Priests Scribes and Pharisies and all the Iewes persecuted vnto the death who endured the crosse and despised the shame is exalted vnto the highest glory for vs and both 〈◊〉 able to succour vs and will not suffer vs to perish If Christ â—ad not ouercome death and sinne and the world and the Deuill nay if he had not as a most triumphant King led capâ—â—uitie captiue and so crushed them that though they would â—et they can not hurt vs nay if hee did not now as Lord and â—ing so bridle their rage that they cannot preuaile against vs â—hen might we well feare death and sinne and the world and â—he Deuill But now that he hath ouercome all these and â—uleth all things henceforth with his mightie power so that â—ne haire of our heads cannot fall away without his heauenly â—ill and nothing can touch vs but as hee giueth leaue what â—re of death what danger of sinne what care of the world â—hat care of the Deuill Let death draw out his sharp arrowes â—gainst vs let sinne assault vs and seeke to tyrannize ouer vs â—t the world hate vs and band themselues against vs let the â—euill rage and lay what battery he can against vs our King â—nd our God which dwelleth in heauen he laugheth them to â—orne and our Lord hath them in derision Hee saith vnto â—em touch not my chosen and doe my children no harme Hee â—tteth them their bounds which they cannot passe and hee â—miteth their power euen as it best pleaseth him And thereâ—â—re death shall not deadly wound vs but onely transport vs â—nto a life that lasteth euer sinne shall not tempt vs aboue â—at we be able but together with the tentation we shall haue â—e issue that we may be able to beare it the world and wickâ—â— instruments of Sathan shal either not at all preuaile against â— or no farther then shall be for Gods glory and our good â—either shall the Deuill rage he neuer so horribly be able to â—rre euer a whit farther then the linkes of his chaine shall be â—osed vnto him When Salomon was annointed King ouer â—rael in stead of Dauid his father 1 King 1.40 it is said that all the people came â—ter him that they piped with pipes and reioyced with great ioy so â—at the earth rang with the sound of them Shall the people of â—rael thus reioyce the crowning of Salomon and shall not â—e much more reioyce when as Christ Iesus is placed in heaâ—en at the right hand of his Father and hath the euerlasting â—epter of his kingdome put into his hand Shall not our soules be filled with ioy and gladnesse for the crowne of his glory and honour which is the prince of our peace and the strong rocke of our saluation Surely the Apostle so reioyced in this crowne of his glory that he bidde defiance vnto condemnation and whatsoeuer accusation could bee laid against him who shall lay any thing saith he vnto the charge of God chosen Rom. 8.33 it is God that iustifieth Who shall condemne it is Christ which is dead yea or rather which is risen againe who is also at the right hand of God 34. and maketh request for vs c. Where ye seâ— plainely how the Apostle vpon the ground of Christ hiâ— death or rather vpon the ground of that crowne of glorie whereunto Christ was exalted after his resurrection from the dead henceforth feareth neither accusation nor condemnation nor whatsoeuer can be laid vnto his charge And as the Apostle doth so all the children of Christ his kingdome may bidde defiance vnto accusation and condemnation and whatsoeuer can be laide vnto theire charge now that Christ sitteth at the right hand of God to make intercession for vs. The Lord is King the earth may be glad thereof hee iâ— great in Sion and high aboue all people Let the heauens reioyce and let the earth be glad let the sea roare and all that therein is Psal 91.1.2.3 c. Thou that dwellest vnder the defence of the most high and abidest vnder the shaddow of the almightie say vnto the Lord c. Now as this soueraigntie of power and excellency of dignitie whereunto Christ was exalted after his resurrection may be matter of comfort and consolation vnto the godly so may it be matter of feare and astonishment vnto the wicked and vngodly Psal 2.9 For he shall bruise his enemies with a rodde of iron and breake them in pieces like a potters vessell Hee shall euen deale with them as Ioshua dealt with the fiue Kings that were hidde in the caue he shall tread them vnder feete and make a slaughter not so much of their bodies as of their soules For as his exaltation into that glory is for the good of his Church and faithfull people so is it for the confusion and vtter destruction of his enemies For it is a righteous thing with him to recompence tribulation to them which
with me is against me and he that gathereth not with mee scattereth Marke them who they bee and take heed and beware of them Walke not after their example for they are the enemies of the crosse of Christ prouiding for their owne securitie whatsoeuer become of the truth of Christ Iesus The second thing which the Apostle noteth in these many walkers of whom he had told them often and now told them weeping is that their end or reward for a recompence of such their walking is damnation or destruction if God shall not grant them grace vnto repentance for such their euill walking Which branch of the Apostles reason in effect vrgeth thus much that if the Philippians feared the end of those walkers they should also feare to walke as they did and rather walke so as they had him for an ensample And indeed this end as also the other properties after specified rightly agree vnto those enemies of the crosse of Christ before mentioned Hence then I obserue what the end is of those that are enemies vnto the crosse of Christ that make their God their bellie that seeke the praise of men but not of God that minde earthly things so that their delight and affections are set thereon and generally of such vngodly walkers as walke cleane otherwise then wee haue Christ and his holy Apostles and blessed seruants for an ensample their end is as here the Apostle saith damnation vnlesse the Lord grant them grace vnto repentance A sentence which albeit I feare to pronounce yet when and where the holy Ghost leadeth me thereunto I must speake that the godly may stand in awe and not sinne and that the vngodly of the earth may tremble and either reforme the wickednesse of their wayes or else through the iust iudgement of God may smite their knees one against another and be drencht vp in desperation This then to be the end of such the holy Ghost euery where witnesseth Vpon the vngodly saith the Prophet the Lord shall raine snares fire and brimstone Psal 11.7 storme and tempest this shall be their portion to drinke Tophet saith Esay Esa 30.33 is prepared of old it is euen prepared for the King if he be wicked it is made deepe and large the burning thereof is fire and much wood the breath of the Lord like a riuer of brimstone doth kindle it And in a vision Iohn saw the beast taken Apoc. 19.20 and with him that false Prophet that wrought miracles before him whereby hee deceiued them that receiued the beasts marke and them that worshipped his image And both these were cast aliue into a lake of fire burning with brimstone All which places and many others which might be alleadged to this purpose doe euidently shew what the end is of the wicked and vngodly of the earth bee they Prince or subiect Pastor or people seducers or seduced Their end is they shall be rooted out at the last and turned into hell vnlesse by true and vnfained repentance they preuent that iudgement the sentence whereof can neuer bee reuersed Whose end then yee feare it behoueth you carefully to looke vnto it that yee walke not after their example Consider well what hath beene said touching the enemies of the crosse of Christ and marke well what shalâ— be said touching those whose God is their bellie whose glory is to their shame which minde earthly things If by that which hath beene said yee can descrie who they be that be the enemies of the crosse of Christ or if that which shall be said shall any way designe who they be whose God is their bellie whose glory is to their shame which minde earthly things take heede and beware that yee walke not as they doe For of this be ye sure that the end of such is damnation and destruction And if the Cities about Sodome and Gomorrha suffered the vengeance of eternall fire as well as Sodome and Gomorrha Iudg. 7. because they in like manner as Sodome and Gomorrha did committed and followed strange flesh then assure your selues that if yee shall walke as they that are enemies to the crosse of Christ whose God is their bellie c. ye shall also drinke of the same cup that they shall drinke of euen of the wine of Gods wrath Take heede therefore lest at any time any of you be deceiued by them and walke not in their steps if yee will not bee partakers of their iudgements The third thing which the Apostle noteth in these inordinate walkers is that their God is their bellie whereby the Apostle signifieth that they preached not Christ sincerely and purely for Christ his sake but that they principally respected in the preaching of Christ their profit their pleasure their ease being louers of pleasures of profit of ease more then louers of God and therefore their bellie that is their profit their pleasure their ease might well bee called their God that being each mans God which hee loueth and liketh best And this branch also of the Apostles reason might well stand for a sufficient argument 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 Hence then I obserue another note of false teachers after whose example wee may not walke if their God be their bellie so that they care more to serue their owne bellies then the Lord Iesus Christ they are false teachers and we may not follow them This note of false teachers our Apostle also giues in his epistle to the Romans where hauing exhorted the Romans to beware of false Apostles and teachers he giues them this note to know them by They that are such saith he serue not the Lord Iesus Christ but their owne bellies that is they seeke their owne gaine and preach Christ with reference to please others and to seeke their owne ease profit and pleasure The Apostle giues likewise the same note of them 2 Pet. 2.14 3. where he saith that they haue hearts exercised with couetousnesse through couetousnesse making marchandize of mens soules Such a one was Balaam of whom the Apostle Peter there saith that he loued the wages of vnrighteousnesse Esa 56.11 Such were those whom Esay called greedie dogs which could neuer haue enough And such were those of whom the Apostle said before that they sought their owne Phil. 2 21. and not that which was Iesus Christs Will yee then know who they are at this day that by this note may be descried to be false teachers that knowing them ye may not follow them nor walke as they doe Marke then who they are that serue their owne bellies more then the Lord Iesus Christ Who are they that through couetousnesse would make marchandize of your soules and speake euill of the way of truth Who are they that for money set on sale the forgiuenesse of sinnes and the kingdome of heauen Who are they that vnder colour of long praiers
speake vnto the eare then vnto the heart Are there not many whose preaching standeth rather in the inticing speech of mans wisdome then in plaine euidence of the spirit and of power If there be any that so vainly hunt after glory surely their glory shall vanish as smoake and shall wither as the greene hearbe Take heed therefore and beware of them for ye may not walke as they doe The last thing which the Apostle noteth in them is that they minde earthly things whereby the Apostle signifieth that their studie and delight and all their affections were seâ— on houses wealth friends commodities and the things whâ—ch are on earth and not on the things which are aboue Another note of false teachers and inordinate walkers Marke then and see who they are that are such and walke not as they doe but follow the blessed Apostle and such as walke so as he did LECTVRE LXX PHILIP 3. Vers 19.20 Whose glory is to their shame which minde earthly things But our conuersation is in heauen WHose glory is to their shame This is the fourth thing which the Apostle noteth in these many and inordinate walkers of whom he had told them often and now told them weeping that their glory is to their shame Whereby the Apostle signifieth both their great vanitie in seeking after honour and glory amongst men neglecting the true glory of Christ Iesus and likewise the end that should come of it which is that it should turne to their confusion and shame They sought the praise of men in the vanitie of their hearts and not of God but their glory in the end should turne to their shame Which one branch of the Apostles reason might well serue for a sufficient reason to moue the Philippians not to follow the example of these but to follow him and such others as walked so as they had him for an ensample Hence then I obserue another note of inordinate walkers whose example wee may not follow if we feare the reward of their walking if they vainly seeke after glory and estimation amongst men neglecting the glory and honour that commeth of God alone they are inordinate walkers and wee may not walke after them for that the glory which such men seeke shall be turned into shame It is a generall rule prescribed vnto all Christians that in all things they should alwayes seeke the glory of the Lord by the Apostle where he saith Whether yee eat or drinke or whatsoeuer yee doe 1 Cor. 10.31 Eph. 1.11 doe all to the glory of God For as he saith in another place wee are chosen in Christ that wee should be to the praise of his glory Whereunto agreeth that of Peter Wee are a chosen generation 1 Pet. 2.9 a royall priesthood an holy nation a peculiar people that wee should shew forth the vertues of him that hath called vs out of darknesse into his maruellous light And a notable president hereof wâ— haue in the example of our Sauiour Ioh. 8.50 who sought not his own praise nor the praise of men but the praise of him that senâ— him But as for seeking glory and estimation amongst men the Apostle hath plainely forbidde it Gal. 5.26 where he saith Let vs not be desirous of vaine-glory prouoking one another enuying one aâ—other 1 Thes 2.4.5.6 And in another place he protesteth against it saying So we speake not as they which please men but God which trieth our hearts neither did we euer vse flattering words as ye know nor coloured couetousnesse God is record neither sought we praise of men neither of you nor of others Yea and our Sauiour hath noted it to be a bitter roote of infidelitie or at least a great let to come vnto God where he saith Joh. 5.44 How can ye belieue which receiue honour one of another and seeke not the honour that commeth of God alone how can ye beleeue as if hee should haue said it is almost impossible surely it is a very great stoppe and hinderance vnto a man to come vnto God And the proofe thereof we see in certaine chiefe Rulers of the Iewes Ioh. 12.42.43 of whom it is said that they beleeued in Christ which was true only in a generalitie but they did not confesse him And the reason is added For they loued the praise of men more then the praise of God Thus then we see that generally we should in all things seeke the glorie of God and not vaine praise and glory amongst men So that the ambitious and vaine seeking after honour and glory amongst men neglecting the glory of God is a plaine note in all sorts of men of inordinate walking Now to descend from the generalitie vnto some particularitie did not this note amongst others plainely descrie those false Teachers which in Pauls absence seduced and bewitched those Churches which he had planted in the faith of Christ Iesus to be false Teachers Their debasing and disgracing of Paul in his absence their curious affectation of eloquence wisedome knowledge and learning as if they had all learning and all knowledge and Paul none at all their vaine ostentation that they had been conuersant with the Apostles and that they followed their footsteps saying that Paul had not seene Christ in the flesh nor had conuersed with the Apostles their ambitious desire to please the Iewes to creepe into credit with them and to worke Paul out of credit their aduancing and exalting of themselues aboue all others as if they were and none but they what else was it but to seeke their owne praise to haue honour of the Iewes and to be called of them Rabbi and what else did it but bewray them to be false Teachers Which albeit the Apostle do not in expressed termes vtter yet seemeth he vnto me to implie so much â—hen he saith 1 Cor. 2.4 That his preaching stood not in the intising speech of mans wisedome but in plaine euidence of the spirit and of power And againe when he saith 1 Thes 2.4 That he so spake not as they that please men but as God which trieth the hearts For in both these places I take it is signified that they that preach in the intising speech of mans wisedome they that speake to please men to be praised and had in honour of them thereby bewray themselues to be false Teachers And it is a iust thing with God that they which seeke the praise of men and not of God haue their praise with men but not with God and that with God their glory bee turned into their owne confusion and shame if not in this day in their owne conscience yet in that day when all faces shall gather blacknesse before him For then they shall see that all glory and honour is due vnto him that all true glory commeth from him and then shall they be ashamed that they sought not the honour that commeth of him alone and their shame shall be their euerlasting woe and confusion
Will ye then know who by this note may be descried at this day to be false Teachers that knowing them ye may not follow them nor walke as they doe Marke who they are that seeke honour and glory amongst men but seeke not the honour and glory that commeth of God alone Who is it that stirres so much that he troubles all for the chiefe soueraigntie in earth ouer all persons in all causes ecclesiasticall and ciuill Who is it that exalteth himselfe against all that is called God or worshipped sitting as God in the Temple of God shewing himselfe that he is God Who is it that is arayed with purple and skarlet and guilded with gold and precious stones and pearles and hath a cuppe of gold in her hand full of abominations and filthinesse of her fornication wherewith she makes all the nations of the earth drunke Who is it thaâ— glorifieth her selfe and liueth in pleasure and saith in heâ— heart I sit being a Queene and am no widow and shall see nâ— mourning Marke I say and see whether this be not the false Prophet that workes miracles before the beast Apo. 19.20 Marke and see whose honour and glory it is that this false Prophet and his followers seeke and hunt after Gods or their owne And if by this that hath beene said ye can descrie who they be thâ—â— take heed and beware of them For what shall become of all this pompe and glory which they so greedily seeke after Iohn saith Apoc. 18.8 Her plagues shall come at one day death and sorrow and famine and she shall be burnt with fire for strong is the Lord which shall condemne her And our Apostle saith their glory shall bee turned into shame and their end shall be damnation Take heede therefore and beware of them follow them not lest if yee be partakers in their sinnes and bee partakers also of their punishment Now I wish that this poyson had crept no farther into the Church and that they were the men alone that seeke the praise of men and not of God But are there not some others that are tainted with this vice of vaine-glory Are there not some others that preach themselues rather then Iesus Christ that in a vaine affectation of their owne praise more then Gods studie rather to speak vnto the eare then vnto the hartâ— whose preaching standeth rather in the intising speech of mans wisedome then in plaine euidence of the spirit and of power I wish there were no such but if there be yee may not be followers of them For the Gospell is not deliuered vnto vs that we should thereby seeke our owne praise and glory or that the people should honour and magnifie vs which are the Ministers thereof but to the end that the benefit and the glory of Christ might bee preached and published and that the Father might be glorified for his mercy offered vnto vs in Christ his sonne whom he hath giuen vs and together with him all things also To conclude therefore this point in one word we are all of vs that are Christians both Pastor and people in all things to seeke the glory of God and not of men For if we doe otherwise and seeke the glory of men and not of God our glory shall be turned into shame The last thing which the Apostle noteth in these many â—nd inordinate walkers of whom he had told them often and â—ow told them weeping is that they minde earthly things Whereby the Apostle signifieth that their studie delight and â—ll their affections were set on honours wealth friends commodities and the things which are on earth neuer minding â—he things which are aboue And here was the roote of all the other euils For why were they the enemies of the crosse of Christ why was their belly their God why sought they after vaine-glorie and estimation in the world and not that honor â—hat commeth of God alone The reason was they minded earthly things This is a briefe comprehension of the rest this being a certaine ground of the rest and the rest being cerâ—aine notes of this For as the cause why they were enemies to the crosse of Christ why their God was their belly why they sought glory with men and not with God was because they minded earthly things so these were euident notes to conuince them that they minded earthly things for that they were enemies to the crosse of Christ for that their God was their belly and that they sought after the praise of men and not of God Hence then I obserue the last note of inordinate walkers which is indeed the ground of all inordinate walking and that is the setling of the affections on the things which are on earth and resting in them as in the chiefest good 1. Tim. 6.10 The desâ—re of mony saith the Apostle is the roote of all euill which while some lusted after they erred from the faith and pearced themselues through with many sorowes That which the Apostle speaketh in particular of this one earthly desire of mony is also true in the generall of all earthly desires For the minding and desire of all earthly things is the roote of all euill whereon when men set their affections they erre from the faith and pierce themselues through with many sorrowes So that as the Apostle reasoneth saying 1 Cor. 3.3 whereas there is among you enuying and strife and diuisions are ye not carnall and walke as men so may I likewise reason is there any error in faith or corruption in life and is it not hence for that they minde earthly things Iudas that was numbred with the Apostles and hâ—â— obtained fellowshippe in that ministration betrayed his Mâ—ster Christ Iesus What was the cause He bore the bag aâ—â— he loued it too well thirty pieces of siluer were the reward 〈◊〉 his iniquitie Demas forsooke Paul what was the reason Hâ— loued the world and embraced it Those Ministers of tâ—â— Gospell that the Apostle speaketh of in the former chaptâ—â— sought not that which was Iesus Christs and what was thâ— stoppe they sought their owne their owne pleasure the owne profit their owne honour their owne ease they minde earthly things Neither is it so onely in the ministerie but gâ—nerally in all sorts of men this minding of earthly thinâ— chokes vp euery good thing and inclines vnto euery badâ— thing Those chiefe Rulers of whom we spake before confeâ—sed not Christ what was the cause They loued the praise 〈◊〉 men more then the praise of God A good confessioâ— hindered by minding an earthly thing the praise oâ— men Demetrius likewise and his company raised a seditioâ— tumult against Paul what was the cause they thought thâ—â— by his preaching the siluer Temples of Diana which theâ— made and which brought great gaines vnto them would beâ— set at naught A wicked sedition raised through carnall anâ— earthly minded men whose mindes were so set vpon theâ— gaines that for it they could not looke towards
God nor abide the Ministers of Christ his Gospell And so it is generally wheresoeuer the affection is set on earthly things therâ— their walking is inordinate whether it be in Pastor or in people And therefore the Apostle hath most carefully euery where admonished vs not to minde earthly things Colos 3.2.5.6 Set noâ— your affections on the things which are on the earth And againe Mortifie your members which are on the earth fornication vncleanesse the inordinate affection euill concupiscence and couetousnesse which is idolatrie for the which things sakes the wrath of Goâ— commeth on the children of disobedience The like admonitionâ— are very vsuall in the holy Scriptures Marke then the Apostles rule Yee may not walke after them which minde earthly things and therefore ye may noâ— walke after them that be the enemies of the crosse of Christ For for this cause they whom we haue noted to be the enemies of the crosse of Christ whose end we haue noted to be their damnation whose God to be their belly whose glory to be to their shame for this cause I say they were such because they minded earthly things O but some will say that these whom I noted to be such are the onely men many of them that sequestred themselues from earthly things and haue no minde of earthly things See then whether that which hath beene said shew not plainely that they are the enemies of the crosse of Christ that their God is their belly that they seeke the praise of men more then of God For if they be such these are plaine and euident tokens that they doe mind earthly things whatsoeuer be said and whatsoeuer shew be made to the contrarie Neither were it otherwise hard to shew by their whole practise that their whole minde and all their affections are set on earthly things But it shall not be needfull That which hath beene said may serue to cleare the point and to be a sufficient caueat vnto you that ye doe not walke after their example And let this be set downe for a generall rule that we may not follow their example which minde earthly things Yet if our practise be lookt into it will be found that generally we follow them and none else For whereon else are our mindes our delight our affections set but on the things which are on earth The rich man what minded hee but riches the ambitious man what but honours the voluptuous man what but pleasures the dainty man what but ease the carnall man what but the flesh and the lusts thereof Generally our thoughts are earth creeping thoughts our desires earth-creeping desires our actions earth smelling actions our waies earth-smelling waies We thinke and care some of vs how to liue some of vs how to liue well But how is that to liue at ease to swimme with pleasures to haue wealth at our wils and to leaue the rest of our substance for our children And hence it is that the voice of vnmercifulnesse towards the poore of deceit in buying and selling of oppression of our brethren of slandering one another and stealing one from another is heard in our streetes Hence it is that there are diuisions and dissensions emulations strife enuying and thâ— like amongst vs. Hence it is that wisedome crieth withouâ— and vttereth her voice in the streets but no man hearkeneth nor receiueth instruction euen because wee minde earthlâ— things and set our affections thereon But what saith our Apostle 2 Tim. 2 4. No man saith he that warreth entangleth himselfe witâ— the affaires of this life because he would please him that hath châ—sen him to be a souldier Now we are all of vs euen so many aâ— are baptized into the name of Christ Iesus billed souldiers to fight vnder his banner against euery thing that exalteth it selfâ— against God And our care should be in all things to pleasâ— him that hath chosen vs to be his souldiers And for this causâ— we should not suffer our selues to be entangled with the affaireâ— of this life so that we should set our affections on the thingâ— which are on the earth For it is the course of militarie discipline that hauing billed themselues to be souldiers they minde no more houshold or other ordinarie affaires but only their warre Right so should it be in the course of ouâ— Christian warfare that hauing giuen our names vnto Christ to fight vnder his banner wee should not henceforth mindâ— earthly things but still haue close girt vnto vs the whole armour of God that we may be able to resist in the euill day and hauing finished all things stand fast The faithfull Minister of the Gospell should not seeke his owne but that which is Iesus Christs The faithfull Christian should weine himselfe from the transitorie things of this life and at no hand set his affections on them Howbeit let no man so vnderstand me as if I thought that we should not meddle with the transitorie things of this life or haue nothing at all to doe with earthly things For no doubt we may medle with them and vse them and make a godly vse of them The Patriarches and Prophets our blessed Sauiour and his holy Apostles as the Scriptures beare witnesse vsed them and made an holy vse of them Nay not onely we may vse them and make an holy vse of them but we must count them the good blessings of Almightie God and we must take care to vse them to his glory We may not lightly regard â—hem or wrechlesly neglect them but we must carefully huâ—band them and wisely employ them to our own vses and the good of Gods children For therefore wee haue them that therewith we may doe good vnto all but especially vnto those that are of the houshold of faith wealth that wee may helpe to supply the wants of our brethren honour and might that we may helpe to lift the poore out of the mire fauour and friendship that so we may be the better able to relieue them that are oppressed all things needfull and profitable for this life that therewith wee may doe good vnto those that be in neede or necessitie and that thereby we may glorifie our Father which is in heauen So then to take me as if I thought that we may not medle with or vse earthly things temporall blessings were to mistake me But this I say with the Apostle that we must vse them as though wee vsed them not 1 Cor. 7.31 namely so we must vse them as that we be not entangled with them nor mastered by them 2 Tim. 2.4 Wee must not be entangled with the affaires of this life as the Apostle speaketh And as the Prophet saith of riches that if they encrease wee may not set our hearts vpon them Psal 62.10 so is it to bee said in generall of all earthly things we may not set our hearts vpon them We may not Colos 3.2 as our Apostle saith elsewhere set our affections on
spirit euen we doe sigh in our selues waiting for the adoption euen the redemption of our body i. waiting for the consummation of our adoption and redemption when we shall fully possesse our inheritance with the Saints in heauen This the Apostle commended in the Corinthians that they waited for the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ 1 Cor. 1.7 1 Thes 1.10 And likewise in the Thessalonians that they looked for the sonne of the liuing and true God from heauen And this is a thing which should be commended in vs all Tit. 2.12.13 For the grace of God which bringeth saluation vnto all men hath appeared and teacheth vs that wee should denie vngodlinesse c. looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of the almightie God and of our Sauiour Iesus Christ Againe we I say much more because the creature onely waiteth that it may not afterwards be subiect vnto corruption or vanitie but the faithfull that they may also iudge the wicked and reigne with him for euer and euer Neither onely doth this comparison with the expectation of the creature shew what the expectation of the faithfull is for the second comming of Christ but much more will it appeare if wee shall compare it with the long wished most desired first comming of Christ in the flesh to destroy sinne in the flesh Wee read how greatly the Patriarches and Prophets and holy Saints of God in the old Testament desired and longed for that seede of the woman that starre of Iacob that Prince of peace that righteous branch that Emmanuel Our blessed Sauiour himselfe testifieth of Abraham that hee reioyced to see his day Ioh 8 56. i the time wherein he came in the similitude of sinnefull flesh and he saw it saith he namely with the eye of faith and was glad And in another place he tells his Disciples that many Prophets Luc. 10.24 and Kings had desired to see those things which they saw and had not seene them to heare those things which they heard and had not heard them And that good old Simeon notably expressed his great desire which he had to see Christ in the flesh when taking him in his armes he praised God and said Luc. 2.29.30.31 Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace according to thy word for mine eies haue seene thy saluation c. Was his first comming so much expected and desired by them then and shall we thinke that his second comming is not much more desired by the faithfull now It was ioyful no doubt to see him come in the flesh but shall it not be much more ioyfull to see him come in glorie It was ioyfull to the shepheards and to the wise-men of the East to see the babe with Mary his mother and Ioseph but shall it not be much more ioyfull to see him attended vpon with tenne thousands of Saints and Angels Ioyfull to haue the earnest of our saluation but shall not the inheritance of it be much more ioyfull Ioyfull to haue the sting of death and the victorie of the graue taken away but shall not the vtter exemption from death and corruption bee much more ioyfull Then shall the sheepe be gathered into the fold neuer to be in danger of the wolfe or of wandering then shall the corne be gathered into the barne neuer to be shaken with the winde or mingled with the chaffe againe then shall there be a perpetuall Sabboth and no worke day after it an euerlasting Iubile when all bondage shall cease then shall all teares be wiped from all eies no more sorrow nor crying nor paine shall be but peace and gladnesse and ioy such as eye hath not seene nor eâ—re heard nor hath entred into the heart of man This is the expectation of the faithfull which maketh them to looke and long for the blessed appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ And now see the reason why the faithfull looke and long for the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ Now they are pilgrimes then they shall come to an abiding citie now they are compassed with sorrowes then shall all teares be wiped from their eies now they are in continuall fight then shall euery enemie be subdued vnto them now they are absent in body from Christ then shall they follow the Lambe whethersoeuer he goeth now they know and loue and belieue in part then that which is in part shall be abolished now they walke by faith then shall they walke before the throne and before the Lambe for euermore then shall be the day of their glorification the day of their redemption the day of their saluation the day of their absolute consummation of all blessednes This is the cause why their mindes are euer running their thoughts euer musing their eies euer looking their soules euer longing after the second comming of Christ Iesus in glorie And for this cause they euen reach after it crying with the soules vnder the altar How long Lord holy and true But as for the wicked and vngodly of the earth it is not so with them They doe feare and tremble at the remembrance of it If they do but heare of it their countenance is changed their thoughts are troubled so that the ioynts of their loynes are loosed and their knees smite one against another as wee read of Belshazzar Dan. 5.6 when he saw the palme of the hand that wrote vpon the wall Yea so farre are they from looking and longing after that day that either they wish it might not be at all or else that it might be deferred And no maruell For then shall the Lord come as a swift iudge against them in flaming fire rendring vengeance vnto them which shall bee punished with euerlasting perdition from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power then shall the wrath of the Lord so fiercely persecute them that they shall crie vnto the mountaines and rockes fall on vs and hide vs from the presence of him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the Lambe for the great day of his wrath is come and who may stand then shall they heare that fearefull sentence pronounced against them depart from me ye cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the Deuill and his Angells and then shall they be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where they shall be tormented euen day and night for euermore not for 1000. or 100000. yeare but for euermore This is the cause why they feare and tremble at euery mention of that day and for this cause they wish they might neuer see it Examine then your selues men and brethren how yee stand affected towards the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ at that day whether ye looke and long for it or yee tremble and feare at the mention of it Esa 3.18 Blessed are all they that waite for the Lord saith the Prophet for vnto them that looke for him shall he appeare
can we except we abide in Christ the Lord. Nay if we continue not in the Lord and in the faith and knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ it is a plaine argument against vs that whatsoeuer shew we make in the flesh yet indeed we neuer walked in the truth So the Apostle Saint Iohn plainely argueth 1. John 2.19 where he saith They went ouâ— from vs but they were not of vs for if they had bene of vs they would haue continued with vs. But this commeth to passe that it might appeare that they are not all of vs. Where ye see that Apostataes and such as fall away from the faith and from the truth of Christ Iesus are proued plainely to be hypocrites and neuer indeed to haue walked in the truth by this argumen tbecause they continued not in the truth which they had learned and receiued As therefore the precept or exhortation both of our Sauiour and of our Apostle requireth this dutie of vs that wee continue in the Lord and in the faith and knowledge of Iesus Christ so this also that it may appeare that we were truly rooted in Christ Iesus and that we walked in the truth And now see whether the same reason do not vrge vs vnto this dutie whereby the Apostle then vrged the Philippians thereunto for are there not now many that would separate vs froÌ„ Christ Iesus Are ther not now many euill workers that teach vs to repose confidence in the merite of our workes and not to reioyce onely in Christ Iesus many that teach iustification to be by our owne righteousnesse which is of the Law and not by the alone righteousnesse of Christ Iesus through faith many that teach perfection of sanctification in this life otherwise then we are taught by the Gospell of Christ Iesus many that teach vs to be otherwise minded touching the vantage and merite of workes touching the righteousnesse of Christ through faith â—ouching the perfection of sanctification in this life then was â—his Apostle of our Lord Iesus Christ Yes many such deceiâ—ers there are as heretofore we haue heard creeping in eâ—ery corner and leading captiue simple men and women afâ—er their owne lusts And therefore the vrging of this dutie â—uen for that cause is now necessarie vnto vs that Christiâ—ns at this day continue in the Lord and in the faith and â—nowledge of Iesus Christ so as they haue bene taught out of the writings of the Prophets and Apostles and so as they â—aue done by the illumination of the Spirit through the miâ—isterie of the word A doubt or two will here haply be moued First wheâ—her it be in vs to continue in the Lord if wee will or it be â—holly and onely from grace without anie power of our â—wne Whereunto I answer Iohn 6.44 That as no man can come vnto Christ except the Father draw him making him of vnwilling â—illing by putting his holy Spirit into him so no man can abide and continue in him but only by the grace of the same Spirit Phil. 2.13 For it is God that worketh in vs both the will and the deed euen of his good pleasure of his owne free grace that he may be all in all and that all the glorie of our saluation may be gâ—uen vnto him alone Why then doth the Apostle exhort vs to continue in the Lord if it be not in our owne power if we will being holpen by grace to continue in the Lord Which is as if it should be said If the fruite and increase of the earth be wholly the blessing of the Lord then why doth the husbandman manure and till his ground and bestow such paines and trauell therein Or as if it should be said If faith be wholly the gift of God then why are we so called vpon to come and heare the word preached For as he giueth corne and wine and oile and all things else needfull for this life but yet by such meanes as he hath ordained thereunto and againe as faith is the gift of God alone but yet giuen vs by the meanes of hearing the word preached 1. Cor. 1.8 so the Lord which confirmeth vs vnto the end worketh in vs this holy gift of perseuerance and continuing in him but by such holy admonitions and exhortations as he will haue vsed to that purpose For admonitions and exhortations are not therefore vsed to imply any power in our selues to doe the things we are exhorted vnto but because they are the meanes whereby God worketh his good graces in vs. And they do and may rather put vs in mind of our vnablenesse then of our ablenesse to do the things that we are exhorted that seeing we cannot of our selues will or do the things whereunto we are exhorted as to come vnto the Lord to continue in the Lord therefore we should flie vnto him and pray vnto him that he would draw vs vnto him that he would confirme vs vnto the end and that he would frame our wils according to his blessed will that we may by him do what his will is To continue then in the Lord is the grace of Gods holy Spirit and the exhortation thereunto is very needfull both because it is the meanes whereby the Lord will worke his grace in vs and to set vs vnto the Lord to beg that of him which of our selues we are no way able to do A second doubt also may be moued Whether it can be that such of Gods children as are in the Lord should not continue in the Lord Whereunto I answer that such of Gods children as are graffed in the true oliue may for some while seeme like vnto withered branches the graces of Gods Spirit may for a time decay in them and lie smothered so that they appeare no more then the fire vnder the ashes or imbers So we may see in Dauid who hauing committed murder and adulterie walked on a long time and was neuer touched with any remorse for such his grieuous sinnes so that for the time he might seeme to be as a withered branch So we may see in Peter many eclipses of the graces of Gods Spirit when he disswaded Christ his passion when he denied Christ his maister and that with an oath when he fled from his Maister when he dissembled for feare of them of the circumcision and drew Barnabas also into the like dissimulation c. So we may see in Demas who for a time left Paul and embraced this present world and yet afterwards became again a fellow-helper with Paul In other holy persons the like may be shewed in whom the graces of God haue for a time decayed and they bene like to withered branches But they cannot finally fall from grace but he that hath begun a good worke in them Phil. 1.6 Ioh. 10.28 will performe it vntill the day of Iesus Christ For hath not he himselfe said I giue vnto them eternall life and they shall neuer perish neither shall any plucke them
not onely according to the presence of his Deitie glorious maiestie which filleth heauen and earth Ier. 23.24 but at hand by his continuall watchfull prouidence ouer them to heare and helpe them to saue and defend them and at hand by his second comming in the flesh vnto iudgement to wipe all teares from their eyes and to recompence tribulation to all that trouble them Be nothing carefull In these words we haue another exhortation vnto the Philippians wherein the Apostle disswadeth one thing perswadeth another thing and noteth the consequence or effect which will follow vpon both The thing which he disswadeth is too great carefulnesse for the things of this life and for the euent of such things as commonly we take in hand and haue to deale withall in these words Be nothing carefull Where the word vsed by the Apostle signifieth oftentimes a diffident carefulnes such as distracteth the mind sundrie wayes and almost eateth vp a man such as is the couetous mans carefulnes whose mind runneth so still vpon his matters as that not daring either to depend vpon God or the faithfulnesse of any man for the euent of them his turmoiled thoughts are alwayes busied about them Which carefulnes being an euill carefulnes the Apostle disswadeth it saying be nothing carefull that is let it be farre from you to be troubled with such worldly and distrustfull carefulnesse for any thing in this life or for the euent of any thing that you haue to deale withall The thing which he perswadeth is in all things to flie vnto God by prayer as depending wholly vpon him and committing all their wayes vnto him So that as he would not haue them too carefull about any thing so he would not haue them carelesse in any thing but in all things to flie vnto God powring out such prayers vnto him as may be accepted with him Where first note the antithesis in that the Apostle saith Be carefull for nothing but in all things c. Secondly note the distribution of prayer into his diuers kinds Let your requests or suites or petitions there is the generall be shewed vnto God in prayer and supplication with giuing of thanks prayer supplication and thanksgiuing these be the kinds or particulars comprehended vnder the generall By requests therefore is meant generally whatsoeuer prayer is made vnto God for the obtaining of that which is good or auoiding of that which is euil By prayer is meant such prayer as we powre out vnto God for blessings corporall or spirituall temporall or eternall By supplication is meant such prayer as we make vnto God for preseruing vs from euils corporall or spirituall temporall or eternall By giuing of thankes is meant a thankfull praising of God for benefits bestowed vpon vs or for our deliuerance from euils And all these are commonly in all the prayers of the faithfull as wherein both they giue thankes vnto God for blessings receiued and preseruation from euils and also pray vnto God for the things which are good and to be deliuered from the things which are euill Thirdly note this that the Apostle saith Let your requests be shewed vnto God or be made knowne vnto God not as if their requests or any thing else were not knowne vnto God but the meaning is either that their requests should be knowne by an approuing knowledge vnto God so that they should be accepted with him or that their requests should be knowne not vnto men as their patient mind was to be knowne but vnto God The thing then which he perswadeth in effect is this in all things whatsoeuer to depend vpon God and to flie vnto him by prayer both powring out acceptable prayers vnto him for obtaining of good things and deliuerance from euill things and giuing him thankes for blessings in good things and delirance from euill The consequence or effect which will follow vpon both the thing disswaded and the thing perswaded the Apostle noteth in the next verse And the peace c. So that these words deuide themselues into these three branches first a dehortation from a thing which is euill in these words Be nothing carefull secondly an exhortation vnto a thing which is good in these words But in all things thirdly a consequent or effect which will follow vpon flying the euill and following the good in these words And the peace c. Now let vs see whit we may gather hence for our vse The first thing which I note is the Apostles dehortation wherein he disswadeth the Philippians from all worldly and distrustfull carefulnes for any thing in this life or the euent of any thing that they haue to deale withall Whence I obserue a fault which we are by all meanes to take heed of and to flie namely too too great carefulnes for the things of this life We may not in any wise so trouble our selues with turmoiling thoughts and cares for the things of this life or the euent of any thing we haue to deale withall as if we durst not depend vpon God or the faithfulnesse of any man vnlesse our owne cares also were continually employed about them Carefulnes and diligence in all our labours is requisite and necessarie but worldly and distrustfull carefulnesse for any thing is wretched and vngodly For the better conceiuing therfore of this note we are to vnderstand that there are three sorts of carefulnes one godly and necessarie another worldly and wicked and a third mixt of both neither simply godly nor simply wicked but mixt of both A godly carefulnes it is when we giue all diligence to do the workes of our callings with all faithfulnes doing that which we should and commending the euent vnto God And so farre is it off that this should be misliked or forbidden here or elsewhere that it is euery where commanded and by example in the godly commended vnto vs. He that ruleth saith the Apostle let him do it with diligence Rom. 12.8 Eph. 4.3 And againe Walke worthy of the vocation whereunto ye are called endeuouring to keepe the vnitie of the Spirit in the bond of peace And to this purpose is that of the Apostle where he saith If there be any that prouideth not for his owne 1. Tim. 5 8. and namely for them of his houshold he denieth the faith and is worse then an infidel and that Studie to shew thy selfe approued vnto God 2. Tim. 3.15 a workman that needeth not to be ashamed And as in these and many other like places this carefulnes is commanded so is it oft commended vnto vs in the example of the godly The Apostle witnesseth this carefulnesse to haue bene in himselfe where he saith that he had the care of all the Churches 2. Cor. 11.28 Colos 2.1 1. Thess 2.2 that he had great fighting or as some translate great care for the Colossians that he spake the Gospell of God vnto the Thessalonians with much striuing or care as some translate And the same Apostle
his Epistles saying The grace c. Salute sometimes he addeth the manner with an holy kisse For that was the manner of the Christian salutation to embrace one another and to kisse one another Salute then in token of my loue and affection vnto them all the Saints generally nor onely so but particularly euery Saint in Christ Iesus without omission of any one that being washed in the bloud of Christ Iesus and sanctified by his Spirit do leade an holy and godly life amongst you For such here he calleth Saints in Christ Iesus that he would haue euery one of these in particular saluted appeareth by his vsing of the singular number Here then first I obserue a good ground of that Christian custome commonly vsed in writing of letters vnto friends that are absent which is to send commendations to remember their salutations and health-wishes to such of their friends as are ioyned vnto them in any neare bond of duty or of loue Which as it is a good testimony of their kinde and louing affection towards their friends so is it a good meanes to preserue and to increase friendship and is in effect a prayer for their health and welfare And for these causes it is that this custome of long time hath bene and is still amongst Christians continued Which may teach vs alwayes by all meanes to reteine and maintaine our loue and friendship with the Saints in Christ Iesus and therefore when we conuerse with them in all louing sort to vse them and when we are absent from them in our letters to salute them euen euery of them as here our Apostle doth As therefore the Apostle before exhorteth so do I whatsoeuer things pertaine to loue euen to the preseruing or increasing of your loue with the Saints in Christ Iesus those thinke on and do The second thing which here I note is that the Apostle saluteth the Saints in Christ Iesus Whence I obserue that the name and title of Saints is fitly and truly giuen vnto men vppon earth Psal 16.3 All my delight saith Dauid is vpon the Saints that are on the earth and vpon such as excell in vertue And the Apostle in all his Epistles still writeth vnto the Saints and faithfull brethren as ye may see in the beginning of all his Epistles But who on earth are fitly and truly called Saints Euen they that being purified by faith and sanctified by the Spirit and washed in the bloud of the Lambe deny vngodlinesse and worldly lusts and liue soberly and righteously and godly in this present world For they that are such are led by the Spirit of God they haue put on the Lord Iesus Christ and he is made of God vnto them wisedome and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption Yea but are not all the sonnes of men so long as they dwell in these houses of clay vnrighteous and vnholy How then can any in this life be fitly and truly called Saints Iob 15. True it is that He layeth folly vpon his Angels and that the heauens are not cleane in his sight and that truly and properly the Lord onely is holy and that of all the sonnes of men it is most truly said that there is none that doth good and sinneth not no not one Yet in Christ Iesus all the seede which is according vnto promise is counted holy holy for that he is made of God vnto them sanctification and holines holy for that they are washed from their sinnes by the bloud of the Lambe and sanctified by the Spirit of grace holy for that what is wanting in their obedience and holinesse is hid and couered in the perfect obedience and holinesse of Christ Iesus and holy for that sanctified desire which is in them after holinesse And therefore our Apostle writing to the Corinthians saith Ye are washed ye are sanctified 1 Cor. 6.11 ye are iustified in the name of the Lord Iesus and by the Spirit of our God Ye are sanctified that is ye are made Saints and holy So that howsoeuer in themselues all the sonnes of men be vnrighteous and vnholy yet euen in this life all the Israel of God in Christ Iesus are fitly and truly called Saints in such sort as hath bene said Vaine then and foolish is their conceit that imagine that there are no Saints but such as haue departed this mortalitie in the feare and faith of Christ Iesus They indeede are well called Saints and holy is the remembrance of them neither need they the shrines of a sinfull deceiuer to be called Saints But not vnto them alone but vnto you also beloued is this title due to be called Saints if ye be in Christ Iesus and walke worthy of that calling whereunto he hath called you Walke therefore worthy of that calling whereunto ye are called Mortifie the deedes of the flesh and walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit Be ye filled with the fruites of righteousnesse and be ye holy in all maner of conuersation as he which hath called you is holy The greater impossibilitie that there is in it to be perfectly holy striue ye the more earnestly after it and howsoeuer ye come short yet with all eagernesse endeuour still your selues vnto that which is before and follow hard toward the marke for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus This is the practise and this is the study of them that are sanctified by the Spirit of God and these things if ye thinke on and do ye are Saints in Christ Iesus Otherwise ye are no Saints neither do ye belong vnto the couenant of grace And this know for a suretie that whosoeuer are not Saints on earth shall neuer be Saints in heauen As therefore ye desire in your soules there to be so studie and giue all diligence here to be Be ye in Christ Iesus and then ye are Saints be ye Saints and then ye are in Christ Iesus The brethren Hauing remembred his owne salutations now he addeth also the salutations of others vnto the Philippians And first he remembreth the greetings and salutations of the brethren vnto the Philippians The brethren c. where by the brethren which were with him he vnderstandeth those that laboured with him in the Gospel Whence I obserue that in letters sent vnto men absent these formes of speeches haue not bene vnusuall or misliked to say The brethren salute thee or Salute the brethren All the brethren saith the Apostle greete you 1 Cor. 16.20 Colos 4.15 And againe Salute the brethren c. The more is it to be wondred at that such formes of speech should now be censured and they that vse them noted and traduced for such and such men Can any man follow a better patterne then the example of the Apostle Or can any man haue a better warrant then the warrant of the Apostle It may very well be thought that if Paul were now liuing and should now vse such formes of salutations as these
be better taught yet we thinke him not neare if he do not alwayes heare and helpe when we wish and call And therefore euery small thing and least trifle almost moues vs and disquiets vs and puts vs out of all patience Whatsoeuer therefore contumelies or disgraces are offred vnto vs whatsoeuer losses or wrongs we sustaine whatsoeuer troubles or tentations do assault vs whatsoeuer malice or wickednes be practised against vs let vs know that the Lord his prouidence watcheth ouer vs to saue defend vs to take our matter into his owne hand and to be auenged of our enemies And therefore let vs not he discouraged or disquieted let vs not fret or fume or busie our heads with thinking of reuenge but let vs in our patience possesse our soules and let our patient mind be knowne to all men If we cannot by our moderation and mildnes by our gentlenes and patience winne them vnto vs that in word or deed wrong vs but that they like vnto wicked Iulians the more abuse vs and wrong vs yet the Lord is at hand to behold our sufferings wrongs and to take our matter into his owne hand To bridle then our impatience let vs thinke with our selues Are we euill entreated through tyrants doth our owne familiar friend lie â—n waite against vs do some imagine mischiefe for vs others whet their tongues against vs and shoote out their arrowes euen bitter words and do others practise what they can against vs Well the Lord is at hand he seeth and knoweth all things he deliuereth vs and auengeth vs of all that rise vp against vs when and as it seemes good vnto him He that keepeth vs slumbereth not nor sleepeth and therefore in our patience will we possesse our soules reposing our selues vnder the couert of his wings Thus if we shall lift vp our eies vnto the Lord and perswade our selues of his being alwaies neare at hand vnto vs by his watchfull prouidence ouer vs we shall not only not be troubled with these sharp fits of this hote ague of impatience vpon euery accident or crosse but as men truly humbled in our selues mortified vnto the world and looking onely vnto the Lord we shall in all mildnesse and moderation make our patient minde knowne vnto all men And let this be spoken of this obseruation from this meaning of these words Secondly admitting this to be the meaning of the Apostle in this place that the Lord is at hand by his second comming in the flesh vnto iudgement to requite our hard measures into their bosome that haue ill meated vnto vs and to wipe all teares from our eyes and giue vs rest with himselfe I note that the Apostles reason to moue the Philippians vnto a patient mildnesse and gentle moderation towards all men is because the Lord is at hand to breake the clouds and to come vnto iudgement to wipe all teares from their eyes and to recompence tribulation to all that haue troubled them And hence I obserue another speciall motiue which may ought to perswade vs to possesse our soules in patience whensoeuer we are abused oppessed or afflicted namely the approching of Christ his second coming into iudgement when he shall recompence tribulation to them that trouble vs and to vs which are troubled rest with him This motiue also vnto patience the Apostle Iames vseth Iames 5.7.8 where he saith Be ye patient vnto the coming of the Lord Be ye patient and settle your hearts for the coming of the Lord draweth neare And certainly if we could and would remember this that the coming of the Lord draweth neare we would be lesse prouoked vpon euery occasion vnto intemperate heates and whatsoeuer might haply seeme enough to disquiet vs we would passe it ouer with greater patience For thus we should say with our selues Hath God giuen all iudgement vnto his Son and is he readie to come vnto iudgement Is the time at hand when he shall descend from heauen with a shoute and with the voice of the Archangell and with the trumpet of God when he shal shew himselfe in flaming fire rendring vengeance vnto them that know not God nor obey the Gospel of our Lord Iesus Christ when he shall come to be glorified in his Saints and to be maruellous in all them that beleeue Shall I then when I am abused or wronged be grieued and disquieted or seek to be auenged Nay the time is at hand when all wrongs shall be redressed by him that iudgeth righteously in the meane time I will beare with patience what man doth or saith against me Thus by remembrance of the approching of Christ his second coming vnto iudgment should our patient mind be knowne vnto all men O but will foolish man say this hath bene said these fifteene hundred yeares that the Lord is at hand and that his coming draweth neare and yet all things continue alike how should this then still be a motiue vnto patience When this second coming shall be I cannot say Act. 1.7 It is a thing which the Father hath kept in his owne power and so peculiarly reserued vnto himselfe as that of that day and houre knoweth no man Mat. 24.36 no not the Angels in heauen but God onely nay not Christ Iesus himselfe as he is man knoweth it And therefore they who labour in that point to designe that time are therein more curious then wise But hath it bene said these fifteene hundred yeares that the Lord is at hand and that his coming draweth neare And did the holy Ghost who cannot lie say then that it was neare and is it now very neare euen at our doores 2. Pet. 3.9 The Lord is patient toward vs and would haue no man to perish but would all men to come to repentance and therefore hath hitherto deferred his coming But yet a very litle while Heb. 10.37 and he that shall come will come and will not tarrie If fifteene hundred yeares be past the rest of the time appointed must needs be shorter and so the day and houre approach nearer And what one signe foretold to go before his second coming is not already past except it be that one of the calling of the Iewes Let the exhortation then of our Apostle preuaile with vs that our patient mind be knowne to all men Let vs be meeke and gentle kind and curteous one to another yeelding one vnto another and bearing one with another for the Lord is at hand his comming draweth neare when he shall giue vs rest with him and auenge all our wrongs LECTVRE LXXXII PHILIP 4. Verse 6. Be nothing carefull but in all things let your requests be shewed vnto God in prayer and supplication with giuing of thankes WE haue heard diuers exhortations of the Apostle vnto the Philippians His last exhortation vnto them in the former verse was that their moderate and gentle and patient mind might be knowne vnto all men The reason because the Lord is at hand