And let this suffice to be spoken by occasion of the Apostles affirmation touching his fellow-labourers that their names are in the booke of life LECTVRE LXXVIII PHILIP 4. Verse 4. Reioyce in the Lord alwayes and againe I say reioyce 5. Let your patient mind be knowne to all men The Lord is at hand HAuing spoken before of the Apostles exhortation vnto the Philippians in generall and likewise of his two particular exhortations the one vnto Euodias and Syntyche the other vnto his faithfull yoke-fellow the last day we spent that whole time in speaking of the Apostles affirmation touching his fellow-labourers that their names were in the book of life which the Apostle addeth vnto the end of his particular exhortatiō vnto his faithful yoke felow Now the Apostle hauing made these particular exhortations vnto those godly women Euodias and Syntyche and vnto his faithfull yoke-fellow in their behalfe he goeth from those particularities and againe maketh sundrie exhortations vnto all the Philippians The words which I haue read vnto you ye see are an exhortation vnto the Philippians to reioyce in the Lord. Where the thing whereunto he exhorteth as ye see is to reioyce A thing which the sensuall man can quickly lay hold on who loues to reioyce and to cheere himselfe in the dayes of his flesh which yet might now seeme vnseasonable vnto the Philippians who liued in the midst of a naughtie and crooked nation by whom they were hated euen for the truths sake which they professed Marke therefore wherein the Apostle would they should reioyce namely in the Lord. And here the sensuall man that haply would catch hold when it is said reioyce by and by when it is added in the Lord will let his hold go But they that by reason of the billowes and waues of the troublesome sea of this world cannot brooke the speech when it is said reioyce are to lay sure hold-fast vpon it when it is added reioyce in the Lord which hold-fast once taken that they might for euer keepe it sure in the third place it is added reioyce in the Lord alwayes to note the constancie that should be in the Christian ioy O but the Apostle was not well aduised of his speech to exhort them to reioyce in the Lord alway Not well aduised Yes Reioyce in the Lord always and againe I say reioyce in the Lord alwayes He repeateth it to make the better impression of a thing so needfull So that here we haue the Apostles exhortation to reioyce but in the Lord not with a momentany or flitting ioy but alwayes both in weale and in woe not vnaduisedly deliuered or as a matter of no moment but doubled as seriously deliuered and to be hearkened vnto And let this suffice for a generall view of the points of this exhortation and for the meaning of the words Now let vs see what notes arise hence for our own vse The first thing which I note in this exhortation is that the Apostle exhorteth the Philippians to reioyce in the Lord allowing and perswading ioy and reioycing but so limiting it that it be in the Lord not onely allowing it as lawfull but perswading it as requisite that they should reioyce in the Lord. Whence I obserue what the Christian mans reioycing is wherein he may and ought to reioyce his reioycing is and may and ought to be in the Lord. It is a common and ordinarie obiection against them that from their soules desire to be followers of the holy Apostle in a sincere embracing of the truth of Christ Iesus that they are melancholike men sad and austere men men which can abide no mirth which can away with no ioy and reioycing But let them not deceiue you Prou. 15.13.17.22 Eccl. 30.22 We say with Salomon that a ioyfull heart maketh a cheerfull countenance and againe with the same that a ioyfull heart causeth good health and with the sonne of Sirach that the ioy of the heart is the life of man and that a mans gladnesse is the prolonging of his dayes Psal 48.10 And therefore often with Dauid we say Let mount Sion reioyce and let the daughters of Iuda be glad And againe with the same Dauid we say 98.5.6.7 Sing reioyce and giue thankes sing to the harp with a singing voice with shalmes also and sound of trumpets And with the Apostle we exhort all men in all places to reioyce euermore 1. Thes 5.16 But here it is not as the world teacheth you do we teach you to reioyce and therefore the world speaketh all maner of euill sayings against vs. For what is the worlds reioycing The rich man he reioyceth in his riches and calleth his lands by his owne name the wise man he reioyceth in his wisedome the strong man in his strength the ambitious man in his glorie and honour the sensuall man in his filthy pleasures the superstitious man in his superstitious wayes the man that stands vpon his merites in the workes of his owne hands and generally worldly men in the waies of their owne hearts such as they do take pleasure and delight in yea foolishnesse as Salomon saith is ioy to him that is destitute of vnderstanding Prou. 15.21 that is euen sinne and wickednesse is a matter of mirth and delight to the wicked and vngodly man Now such reioycing we tell you is not good like vnto the reioycing of him Luc. 12.19 that hauing said vnto his soule Soule thou hast much goods laid vp in store for many yeares liue at ease eate drinke and take thy pastime heard it by and by said vnto him Thou foole 20. this night will they fetch away thy soule from thee and then whose shall those things be which thou hast prouided For as Zophar in Iob saith The reioycing of the wicked is short Iob 20.5 and the ioy of hypocrites is but a moment And our Sauiour pronounceth a woe vpon such reioycing saying Woe be to you that now laugh Luke 6.25 for ye shall weepe and waile And as our Apostle saith of worldly sorrow that it causeth death 2. Cor. 7.10 so may it most truly be said of worldly reioycing that it causeth death Amos 6.4 And therefore with Amos we lift vp our voyces against them that lie vpon beds of Iuorie and stretch themselues vpon their beds and eate the lambes of the flocke and the calues out of the stall 5. that sing to the sound of the violl and inuent to themselues instruments of musicke 6. that drinke wine in bolles and annoynt themselues with the best oyntments and in the meane time are not sorrie for the affliction of Ioseph And out of Ieremie we exhort all men in all places saying Ierem. 9.23 Let not the wise man glory in his wisedome nor the strong man in his strength neither the rich man glorie in his riches And out of Dauid Psa 62.10 If riches increase let no man set his heart vpon them And thus
dutie it appeareth that our conuersation should be in all holinesse as becommeth the Saints of God and citizens of hiâ— kingdome But most plaine to this purpose is that of ouâ— Apostle where he saith If yee be risen with Christ seeke those things which are aboue Colos 3.1.2 where Christ sitteth at the right hand oâ— God set your affections on the things which are aboue For in this place the Apostle sheweth most plainely that if we be risen with Christ by the vertue of his resurrection then we are in minde and affection euen while we are in the bodie to ascend vp into heauen and euen to dwell with him where he is at the right hand of God And why should it seeme strange vnto any that euen while we liue here in the bodie we should haue our conuersation in the heauens Where should the bodie liue but where the head liueth If then Christ which is our head and our life be in heauen we also which are the members of his bodie should haue our life in heauen where Christ which is our life is Againe where should the spouse loue and like to be but where her welbeloued bridegroome is Her heart and her soule should be so knit vnto him as that where he is there should shee be also Nay our Sauiour himselfe tells vs that where our treasure is there will our hearts be also Is then Christ in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge the treasure and ioy of our soules If he be Matt. 6.21 then where he is there will our hearts be also In bodie it must needs be that we walke on earth amongst the sonnes of men till our earthly house of this tabernacle be destroyed and we be clothed with our house from heauen But here we haue no abiding Citie Heb. 13.14 In token whereof we read that the holy Patriarchs dwelt in tents counting themselues onely pilgrims vpon earth and as guests in an Inne for a night and looking for a Citie hauing a foundation whose builder and maker is God Nay what else is here but a vale of misery and a valley of teares How are we here assaulted on euery side with the world the flesh and the Deuill How doe the wicked and vngodly of the earth take secret counsell together against vs saying come let vs roote them out that they be no more a people and that their name may be no more had in remembrance How doe the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life swarme like grashoppers vpon the face of the earth How manifold are our necessities infirmities miseries distresses perils crosses troubles tentations afflictions losses griefes and anguishes both in soule and in bodie while we are in the bodie Euen such and so many that we haue great reason with our Apostle to sigh whiles we are in this tabernacle and to desire to remoue out of the bodie 2 Cor. 5.4.8 and to dwell with the Lord. Seeing then that here we are but pilgrims and strangers and haue no abiding Citie being that here is but a vale of misery and a valley of teares we are not here to pitch the resting place of our soules but liuing here in the bodie we are in heart and sole in minde and affection to haue our conuersation in heauen And that so much the rather because man that is borne of woman is but of short continuance here on earth Iob 14.1 and full of trouble and misery For wherein should yee haue ioy or peace or comfort in the Holy Ghost nay how should he not be swallowed vp of griefe and sorrow and vexation of the spirit if in soule he should not ascend into heauen and set his affections on the things which are aboue For thus it is that though our outward man be troubled yet our inward man is comforted though in bodie we be afflicted and distressed on euery side yet in our soules we haue peace and ioy of the Holy Ghost euen because our conuersation is in heauen whence it is that we looke not on the things which are seene but on the things which are not seene This point might be farther inlarged But by this it doth appeare that the children of God ought in this life to haue their conuersation in heauen walking as citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God Will yee then see for your farther vse and instruction what manner persons yee ought to be in holy conuersation and godlinesse that liuing in the bodie yee may be said to walke as citizens of the heauenly Ierusalem and to haue your conuersation in heauen 1. If we will walke in this life as citizens of the heauenly Ierusalem and approue our selues to haue our conuersation in heauen we may not warre after the flesh or suffer our selues to be intangled with the affaires of this life For these two to minde earthly things and to haue the conuersation in heauen are as we see in this place so opposed the one vnto the other that the one is a plaine note of inordinate walkers and the other a sure token of our adoption into the sonnes of God to be partakers of the inheritance among the Saints Whereupon it is that the Apostle plainely protesteth against the one but cheerefully professeth the other 2 Cor. 10.3 Though saith he we walke in the flesh yet doe we not warre after the flesh And againe No man saith he that warreth he meaneth to God in the spirit and therefore the vulgar interpreter puts it into the text no man that warreth entangleth himselfe with the affaires of this life 2 Tim. 2.4 because he would please him that hath chosen him to be a souldier And the like is very vsuall But see how cheerefully hee professeth in this place that his conuersation is in heauen and in another place that his house is from heauen and in other places that he walkes in the spirit 2 Cor. 5.2 and mindes those things which are aboue This one thing then must we care if we will walke as citizens of heauen that we walke not after the flesh nor set our affections on the earth nor suffer our selues to be intangled with the loue of the world 1 Ioh. 2.15 For as Iohn saith if any man lâ—â—e the world or the things that are in the world the loue of the Father is not in him We must therefore so vse the world as though we vsed it not And in no case wee may so set our affections on any thing in this life that our soule should so cleaue vnto it as the soule of Shechem vnto Dinah the daughter of Iacob Gen. 34 26. for death will surely follow as it did vpon Shechem 2. If we will walke in this life as citizens of the heauenly Ierusalem and approue our selues to haue our conuersation in heauen we must so wrestle against all tentations and all assaults of the Deuill that hauing finished all
holy care not onely to instruct and exhort the whole Church of Philippi in generall but likewise priuately such particular persons as he heard it was needfull to instruct and exhort For here we see how after his generall exhortation vnto the Philippians he commeth vnto particular exhortations to priuate persons Whence I obserue a holy dutie of a good Minister which is not only publikly to teach and exhort and comfort his whole congregation in the Church but also priuatly to labour with particular persons so as shall be needfull for them If they need instruction to instruct them exhortation to exhort them consolation to comfort them correction to reproue them peace-making to compose their strifes and euery way to labour with them as it shall appeare to be needfull for them Examples hereof we haue in generall in all the Apostles of whom it is said Act. 5.42 that they ceassed not to teach and preach Iesus Christ dayly in the Temple and from house to house Ye see likewise not onely Iohns generall Epistle but his priuate Epistles also one vnto a certaine Ladie and another vnto one Gaius in either of which as he thought it needfull he comforted them and exhorted them and admonished them And this our Apostle ye may see how he taught both openly and throughout euery house how he reproued sins not onely in generall Act. 20.20 1. Cor. 5.1 2. Tim. 2.17.4.10.14 but in particular noted the sinnes of the incestuous person of Hyâ—enaeus and Philetus of Demas of Alexander the copper-smith c how he dealt with Philemon in particular for Onesimus how he comforted and admonished Timothy and Titus in particular And what else meaneth that of the Apostle where he chargeth to be instant in season and out of season 2. Tim. 4.2 but that the Minister of the Gospell should at all times and in all places publikely and priuately generally and particularly take euery occasion to profite Gods people whether it be by teaching by improuing by rebuking by exhorting or how else soeuer it shall seeme needfull or profitable For if we may but pull one brand out of the fire if we may but conuert one sinner from going astray out of his way if we may but instruct one man in righteousnes vnto saluation euen by priuate and particular dealing with him we shall not lose our reward but euen he shall be our crowne of reioycing in the presence of our Lord Iesus Christ at his coming I wish they would at length remember this dutie who hauing their consciences seared with an hote iron vouchsafe not either publikely or priuately to teach or exhort or admonish the flock of God which dependeth on them As publike with all so priuate dealing with particulars will be seene to be needfull if any man do but with halfe an eye looke into the state of the people euery where The ignorance in some the wickednesse in others the iarres amongst others in euery place shew plainly how needfull it is vnto publike teaching to adde also particular admonitions and exhortations But they that cannot be drawne vnto the one namely to teach their people in their assemblies it is hardly to be hoped that they will deale with men in particular on the way or at the plough-taile or at the anuil or at the shop-boord how needfull soeuer it be This place serueth not much to speake vnto them and therefore I let them alone Secondly in the person of Paul I note his godly care to compose the strifes of these two godly women Euodias and Syntyche For there being a iarre either betweene themselues about some priuate matters or betweene them the Church about some matter of religion both himselfe exhorteth them to be of one accord in the Lord and also he dealeth with his faithfull yoke-fellow to helpe to order their matters and to compose their strifes commending them as worthy that he should do this for them Whence I obserue a very commendable qualitie as in the Minister of Christ so in euery good Christian which is both by themselues and by all the meanes that they can make to take vp such quarrels as fall out among their brethren It is registred vnto the euerlasting commendation of Cloë 1. Cor. 1.11 and her house that when great dissensions and contentions broke out in the Church of Corinth they being very desirous to haue them stayed and yet not able to stay them aduertised Paul thereof that he in his wisedome might take some course to stay them And our Apostle giues it for a precept vnto Timothy 2. Tim. 2.23 to put away foolish and vnlearned questions knowing that they ingender strife Where the meaning in generall is that he must be so carefull to stay all strife that he must be carefull to take away euery thing which may be any occasion of strife And our Sauiour pronounceth a blessing vpon them that make peace among their brethren saying Blessed are the peace-makers Mat. 5 9. for they shall be called the children of God For God being the God of peace the more that we haue peace amongst our selues and the more that we studie and labour to make peace among others the more like we are vnto God and the more we shew our selues to be the children of God So that we see that to make peace and end strifes is very commendable both with God and men This then first may teach vs to beware how we do sow strife and dissension betwixt man and man For looke how commendable a thing it is to make peace and end strifes so intollerable and odious a thing it is to blow the bellowes of discord amongst brethren and neighbours and as they that make peace do thereby shew themselues to be the children of God with whom dwelleth peace so those seditious fire-brands that delight to stirre vp strife among their brethren and to set men by the eares together shew plainly that they are the sonnes of that wicked one who cannot abide that brethren should dwel together in vnitie Prou. 6.16.17 18 These six things saith Salomon doth the Lord hate yea his soule abhorreth seuen The haughtie eyes a lying tongue hands that shed innocent bloud an heart that imagineth wicked enterprises 19 feete that be swift in running to mischiefe a false witnesse that speaketh lies and him that raiseth vp contentions among brethren All these seuen things the Lord hateth yea his soule abhorreth the seuenth as plaine murder For what is murder if this be not to rend in sunder the members of the same bodie by sowing debates and diuisions amongst them and so by braules and iarres and quarrelling to kill both the soule and the bodie Prou. 17.14 The beginning of contention saith the same Salomon is as one that openeth the waters so that he that bloweth the bellowes of contention and openeth the way vnto strife amongst neighbours is as he that by pulling vp a sluce letteth in the waters vpon a