Jam. 1.5 For so Iames exhorteth saying If any man lacke wisdome which is there meant of wisdome to endure patiently afflictions but it is true in all graces generally if any man lacke any grace let him aske of God which giueth to all men liberally and reprocheth no man and it shall bee giuen him So likewise if yee haue yet pray continually that yee may increase and abound and if yee abound yet pray continually that you may abound yet more and more in those graces wherein yee abound So wee see the Apostle praied for the Thessalonians saying 1 Thess 3.12 The Lord increase you and make you abound in loue one towards another and towards all men In the first chapter hee had commended their diligent loue so that it was not for the hauing of that which they lacked that the Apostle praied but for their increasing and abounding in that grace which they had And so here our Apostle praied for the Philippians that they might abound yet more and more c. What was it for the hauing of that which they lacked that hee praied No. Was it that they might abound in that which they had Nor onely so but that they might more and more abound in those graces wherein already they abounded And the Apostle thus praying for the Thessalonians that they might increase and abound in that grace which already they had and for the Philippians that they might increase and abound more and more in those graces wherein already they abounded therein taught them and in them vs that we are to make our requests vnto God in praier and supplication as for the hauing of such graces as we want so that we may increase and abound in those graces which we haue that we may abound still more more in those graces wherein already we doe abound So that whatsoeuer graces we haue still we are to pray that wee may continually more and more abound therein And the reason why wee are continually so to pray is very plaine for 1. such is our weaknes through the sinne that hangeth so fast on vs that vnto whatsoeuer measure of grace we be growne yet stand therein we cannot vnlesse he doe continually stay vs and vphold vs with his hand Let Peter witnes whose faith faileth Matth. 14.31 and he sinketh if the Lord susteine him not and saue him Paul also may witnes the same whose courage in his bands may faile him Ephes 6.20 if by the power of the spirit through the praier of the Saints hee be not assisted that therein hee may speake boldly as he ought In regard therefore of our vnablenes to stand or grow without his continuall support and supply still we had need to pray vnto the Lord whatsoeuer measure of grace we be growne vnto 2. In whatsoeuer grace we abound yet therein we come so far short of that perfection wherein we should endeuour that continually we had neede to pray that we may abound yet more and more therein And therefore Dauid that was well taught in the Lord his statutes Psal 119. yet still praieth vnto the Lord to teach him his statutes and hauing more vnderstanding then all his teachers yet still praied vnto the Lord to giue him vnderstanding and taking as great delight in the way of his testimonies as in all manner of riches yet still praieth vnto the Lord that he will incline his heart vnto his testimonies And what was this but his praier that hee might abound yet more in the knowledge and in the vnderstanding and in the delight of the Law of the Lord because howsoeuer hee abounded therein yet he came farre short of that he should And for the same reason it behoueth vs so to doe as we haue him for an ensample This then may serue to condemne our great negligence and slacknes our great coldnes and faintnes generally both in publique and priuate praier vnto the Lord our God For is there so continuall vse and necessitie of praier whether we want any grace that we may haue it or haue any grace that we may increase and abound in it or abound in any grace that we may abound yet more and more in it How then is it that we are so negligent and slacke so cold and faint in praier generally Vnto publique praier wherein we pray for what we want and for increase in that we haue and that we may more and more abound in that wherein we abound how negligent and slacke are we and how cold and faint are we therein Some of vs come so seldome thereunto as that there is very little difference betweene vs and plaine Recusants others of vs come so slowly thereunto as that we come as they say it is good to come to a fray to the end of it others of vs in time of publique praier are occupied either in priuate praiers or in reading vpon some booke or other or in talking one vnto another others of vs either fall asleepe or are troubled with wandring and by-thoughts and haue our mindes at home or in the fields vpon our commodities or vpon our pleasures and rather vpon euery thing then vpon that we should Generally so defectiue and wanting vnto our duties wee are herein as if either we knew not or cared not how to account of and how to carry our selues in publique praier And as we faile of that we ought in publique so doe wee also in priuate praier For how seldome doe we as our blessed Sauiour willeth vs enter into our chambers Matth. 6.6 and shut our doores vpon vs and pray vnto our father which is in secret Can our wants presse vs to pray priuately vnto the Lord that he will supply our wants Nay seldome wee humble our selues in priuate before the Lord euen for the supply of our wants or if we doe our praiers are so cold and so faint and so troubled with wandring and by thoughts that we pray and haue not because we pray not as wee ought Can the graces which we haue and wherein we abound presse vs to pray priuately vnto the Lord that we may increase in those graces we haue and abound yet more more in those wherein we abound Nay here commonly we forget our selues and as if we were well and needed no more wee pray not vnto the Lord for increase but carrying our selues like vnto the Pharisee we thinke we are not as other men and we say depart from mee for I am more holy more learned more wise more sober more modest more patient then thou and forget God by whom we are so Surely not the best of vs all but we are guilty of very many defects touching praier Let vs therefore hereafter vse more carefullnesse herein then heretofore we haue done Let vs reforme our negligence and slacknesse in comming to publique prayer It hath the promise that where two or three bee gathered together in Gods name Math. 18.20 there will he be in the
superstition By bowing the knee â—e Apostle here meaneth that subiection and worship which â— creatures ought continually to performe and which all â—atures shall performe to Christ in that day some willingly â—d cheerefully as holy men and Angels some vnwillingly â—d to their confusion as the deuils and wicked men his instruments for so the Lord by his Prophet vseth the same phrase of speech Esa 45.23 where he saith Euery knee shall bowe vnto me that is shall be subiect to mee and worship mee Here then is a dutie prescribed necessarily to be performed of euery Christian which is to glorifie him who is exalted into the height of glory both in our bodies and in our spiritâ— to worship him with holy worship to subiect our selues vnto him in all obedience vnto his heauenly will for worthy is the Lambe that was killed Ap 5.12 to receiue all power and wisdome and strength and honour and glory and prâ—ise The Angels in heauen they glorifie the name of Iesus in that they are alwayes ready to execute his will and to doe whatsoeuer he commandeth them Hâ—b 1.14 Whereupon they are called ministring spirits sent forth to minister for their sakes which shall bee heires oâ— saluation This also is that holy worship wherewith we oughâ— to worship him and to glorifie his name euen to be heare and doers of his word to obey his will to walke in his lawes and to keepe his commandements Not the bare and outward capping and kneeling at the name of Iesus but principally obedience vnto his will that is named is the honor which here he accepteth of vs. For as not euery one that saiâ—â— vnto him Lord Lord shall enter into his kingdome so noâ— euery one that boweth at the name of Iesus shall enter inâ—â— his kingdome but he that doth his will and walketh in hiâ—wayes Saul when he was sent to slay the Amalekites though to honour God greatly by sparing the best of the sheepe are of the oxen to sacrifice vnto him But it was said vnto hiâ— Hath the Lord as great pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrificeâ— as when his voice is obeyed 1 Sa. 15.22 Behold to obey is better than sacrifiâ—â— and to hearken is better than the fat of Rammes So you happiâ— may thinke you honour our blessed Sauiour greatly when yâ— bowe your selues at euery sound of his name but behold 〈◊〉 obey his will is better than capping and kneeling or all ouâ—ward ceremonies whatsoeuer Yet mistake mee not I beseeâ—â— you as though I thought that the names of Iesus of Christ of the Lord of God of the Father of the Sonne or of thâ— holy Ghost were names of ordinary account and reckoning or to be passed ouer without reuerence as other names Nay whensoeuer wee heare or speake or thinke of them wee are â—o reuerence the maiestie of God signified thereby And feare-â—ill it may be to them that thinke or speake of them proâ—hanely or lightly or vpon each light and trifling occasion â—r otherwise than without great reuerence and feare that the â—ord will not hold them guiltlesse But this I say that neither â—he sound of these syllables of Iesus nor the name of Iesus â—hould affect vs more than any other names of Christ aâ—â—hough there lay some vertue in the bare word but whensoâ—uer wee heare or thinke or speake of him wee are to reueâ—ence his maiestie and in the reuerent feare of his name to â—â—biect our selues vnto his will This is a part of that dutie â—hereby wee must glorifie Christ Iesus Men and brethren let vs at length looke to it Hee that â—all come will come and will not tarry We pray daily Thy â—all be done in earth as it is in heauen but it is but lip-labour The Angels in heauen are alwayes ready to execute his will â—ut on earth wee follow our owne wils and walke in the â—ayes of our owne hearts Wee regard not to walke in the way â—f the Lord or to hearken to the words of his mouth Wee â—ill not obey wee will not incline our eare but wee will goe â—fter the counsels and stubbornnesse of our wicked hearts â—ell rebellion is as the sinne of witchcraft 1 Sa. 15.23 and transgression â— wickednesse and idolatrie Take heed and put not off from â—ay to day Come and learne to know the Lord his will and â—e not forgetfull hearers but doers of the word If wee now â—rue him and doe his will wee shall afterwards raigne with â—im But he that now will not be subiect vnto his will let him â—now that wee shall all appeare before the iudgement seat of Christ and then euery knee shall bowe vnto him Blessed are â—hey that heare the word of God and liue thereafter LECTVRE XXXI PHILIP 2. Verse 10.11 That at the name of Iesus should euery knee beâ— both of things in heauen and things in earth and thâ—â—gâ— vnder c. NOw before we proceed vnto the next point it the words following one or two doubts arising from these words are first to be resolued and answered The Apostle saith that God hath giuen vnto Christ being raised from the dead a name aboue euery name that a the name of Iesus should euery knee bow c. that is that all creatures should be subiect vnto him and worship him Heretheâ— it may be doubted and demanded how it is that all creatures are not subiect vnto Christ that all creatures doe not worship him For not only the Deuils in hell but likewise many wicked men instruments of Sathan here on earth are so farre from being subiect vnto him that they are sworne enemie vnto him and to his kingdome and swell and rage againâ—â— him some against him in his owne person and all against hiâ— in his members here on earth True it is indeed that Christ hath many enemies which are not subiect vnto him nor worship him 1 Cor. 15 25 For he must raigne as saith the Apostle till her 〈◊〉 put all his enemies vnder his feet Where the Apostle plainlâ— implieth that Christ hath and shall haue enemies which 〈◊〉 not be subiect vnto him and worship him euen till such time as he shall deliuer vp his kingdome to his Father that is eâ—â—â— till hee shall come in the last and great day to iudge both the quicke and the dead in his second comming Yea and it is for the glory of his kingdome that still there be enemies vnto hiâ— kingdome that so hee may be glorified both by the victorâ— which he giueth vnto his Saints here on earth ouer these enemies and likewise by the victorie which himselfe shall haâ—â— ouer them in that day when their faces shall gather blacknes and darknesse before him and when hee shall adiudge them â—nto that Tophet prepared of old Esa 30.33 the burning whereof is fire and â—uch wood and the breath of the Lord like a riuer of brimstone â—oth kindle it as the Prophet speaketh But to answer vnto â—he question how
giuen of God by grace in Christ Iesus are no way of our selues To take a little view thereof â—e Lord by Ioel exhorteth or commandeth saying Ioel 2.12 Turne vnto mee with all your heart with fasting weeping and mourâ—â— and yet Ieremy sheweth plainly that conuersion vnto the â—â—d is wholly the gift of the Lord when hee thus praieth â—uert thou mee and I shall be conuerted Ier. 31.18 for thou art the Lord God Likewise our Sauiour Christ exhorteth Mat. 11.28 Come vnto all yee that are weary and laden and I will ease you and yet sheweth plainly that to come vnto him is wholly from Father when he thus saith No man can come vnto mee Ioh. 6.44 exâ—â— the Father which hath sent mee draw him In another place exhorteth saying Take heed and beware of couetousnesse Luk. 12.15 to doe thus is wholly from the Lord as the Prophet shewby that his praier vnto the Lord Ps 119.36 Incline mine heart vnto thy â—â—â—nies and not to couetousnesse Generally the Prophet exâ—eth to flie from euill and to doe the thing that is good 37.27 Iames telleth vs that to doe good is wholly from the â—d saying Euery good and perfect gift is from aboue Iam. 1.17 and comâ—â—h downe from the Father of lights c. The like is to be said â—eproofes Maâ— 16.14 Christ reproued the eleuen of their vnbeleefe hardnesse of heart and yet the Prophet sheweth that it is Lord that taketh away the stonie heart out of our body EZ 36.26 giueth vs an heart of flesh and the Apostle that faith is gift of the Lord. The like is to be said of all precepts proâ—â—eâ— threatnings reproofes admonitions exhortations and like in holy Scripture The Lord vseth them all as meanes to worke his owne will in vs and giueth vnto vs whatsoeuer he requireth of vs He setteth downe lawes and statutes 〈◊〉 as if it were in our owne power to keepe them but that 〈◊〉 may know what to aske of him and with the Prophet to 〈◊〉 O be gratious vnto thy seruant that I may liue and keepe thy 〈◊〉 He promiseth good things to those that will obey him not 〈◊〉 if it lay in vs to obey him if our selues would but that bâ—â— may worke such a will in vs by his promises He admonishâ—â— and exhorteth vs not as if we were able of our selues to wâ—â— or do the things but that so we may looke into our own â—eâ—nesse and turne vnto him and he may heale vs. You see 〈◊〉 how vaine their whole reason drawne from admonitions exhortations and the like in generall is for that neither 〈◊〉 argue any power in vs of our selues to doe good neither aâ—â— they needlesse and vaine because they are the meanes whâ—â— by the Lord worketh in vs both to will and to doe that whiâ—â— we are commanded and exhorted Now to the reason deâ—â— in particular from this exhortation in briefe I answer that aâ—beit the Apostle exhort vs to worke out our owne saluation yet it doth not follow that it is at all in our power so to do Foâ— as it followeth in our Apostle it is God which worketh in 〈◊〉 both to will and to doe euen of his good pleasure The Apostle therefore exhorteth vs to make an end of our owne saluation not for that we are able to doe so but to teach â—â—flie vnto him who worketh in vs both the will and the deâ—â— euen of his good pleasure Now let vs make this vse of that which hath beene spokâ—â— for the resoluing of this doubt It is not in our owne powâ—â— we see to flie the euill we are forbidden to doe the good 〈◊〉 are commanded or to embrace the vertuous and godly 〈◊〉 whereunto we are exhorted but wholy from grace onâ—ly from the Lord. So often then as wee heare or read any pâ—â—cepts or lawes in the booke of God let vs therein acknoâ—ledge our duties and seeing it is not in our power to keep them let vs flie vnto our God and pray to him Lord gâ—â—â— me grace to do that thou commandest and then commaâ—â— mee what thou wilt So often as we heare or read any prâ—mises or threatnings let vs therein acknowledge our oâ—â— frowardnesse and seeing it is not in vs to bend at promises threatnings vnlesse he touch vs with his holy spirit let vs 〈◊〉 vnto our God and praie vnto him Lord take from mee â— hard and stony heart and giue me for it a soft and fleshie â—â—rt that thy promises and thy threatenings may worke in 〈◊〉 obedience to thy will So often likewise as wee heare or â—â—de of admonitions or exhortations let vs therein acknowâ—â—â—ge our owne infermities and seeing we cannot of our selues 〈◊〉 or do the thing whereunto wee are exhorted let vs flie to our God and pray vnto him Lord frame my will accorâ—â—â—g to thy blessed will that I may doe what thy will is And conclude this point seeing we cannot run this rase whereâ—o the Apostle exhorteth vs but God must worke in vs both 〈◊〉 will and the deede let vs flie vnto our God and pray vn him Lord sanctifie mee with thy holy spirit that by thy â—ce guiding mee I may walke in those good workes which â—â—u hast ordained mee to walke in vnto my liues end LECTVRE XXXIV PHILIP 2. â—ers 12.13 With feare and trembling For it is God which worketh in you both the will and the deede euen of his good pleasure WIth feare and trembling From these words some there are that gather that vncomfortable doctrine of the vncertaintie of our saluation Rhem. in loc affirming it to be pride and presumption to dare to be so bold as to be assured of our saluation and cleane contrary to the teaching the Apostle in this place So that the meaning of the Aâ—â—stle by their iudgements in this place is this that we should worke our saluation that yet wee should alwaies doubt of â—â—r saluation But how farre this is wide of the Apostles meaning may easily appeare by those manifold Scriptures wheâ—â— by the certainety or our saluation is affirmed and consequâ—â—â—ly this vncomfortable doctrine of the doubting of our salâ—â—tion is vtterly ouerthrowne I am sure Iob. 19 25.26.27 saith Iob that mâ—â—â—deemer liueth and he shall stand the last vpon earth and though after my shinne wormes destroy this body yet shall I see God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 flesh whom I my selfe shall see and mine eies shall behold and 〈◊〉 other for mee Lord how this holy man so assureth himselfe of his saluation that he beates vpon it as if hee could â—â—satisfie himselfe with any words but fills his mouth withâ—â— ioycing hereat amidst all his afflictions Rom. 8.38 I am sure saith â—â— my Redeemer liueth I shall see God in my flesh I my selfe shall 〈◊〉 him mine eies shall behold him none other for mee but I my 〈◊〉 shall behold him He doth as fully assure himselfe of his saluation as if he were already in full
not them vnto Christ Certainly of this I am perswaded that the moe soules they gaine vnto Christ the more glorious shall be their crowne of reioycing And therefore the Apostles glory no doubt shall be exceeding glorious by whose labours so many Churches were planted so many soules were brought vnto the faith Yet his glory in that day doth not wholy depend vpon the saluation of them that heare him The vsing of his talent faithfully shall be accounted vnto him as gaining with it Neither is his running and his labouring in vaine in respect of himselfe but onely in respect of them whose hearts the Lord doth not open that they should heare and beleeue and be saued as it is plaine out of Esay where Christ in his members thus complaineth I haue laboured in vaine I haue spent my strength in vaine Esay 49.4 and for nothing but my iudgement is with the Lord my worke with my God though Israel be not gathered 5. yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the Lord and my God shall be my strength By which words it is out of all doubt cleared that howsoeuer the Ministers labour be often in vaine howsoeuer his strength be often spent in vaine in respect of them that heare him because thereby their hearts are not mollified and they brought vnto the obedience of the faith yet for themselues their iudgement is with the Lord and their worke with their God Though they that heare them be of such vncircumcised hearts and eares that they cannot be gained vnto Christ yet shall they be glorious in the eyes of the Lord and their God shall be their strength To the like purpose is that in Ezechiel where the Lord instructing the Minister and watchman of the house of Israel in his dutie he saith EZec. 3.17.19.21 Sonne of man I haue made thee a watchman c. if thou warne the wicked and he turne not from his wickednesse nor from his wicked way he shall die in his iniquitie but thou hast deliuered thy soule c. What is then the Ministers dutie To warne the wicked and his dutie is to turne from the wickednesse of his waies If the Minister warne his labour is not in vaine in the Lord he deliuereth his owne soule but if the wicked being warned turne not from the wickednesse of his waies he dieth in his iniquitie so that his Minister in respect of him hath runne in vaine and laboured in vaine because he hath not reclaimed him from the wickednesse of his wayes Here then is a notable aduertisement for them that are hearers of the word to take heede that their watchman which is set ouer them spend not his strength in vaine and for nothing amongst them The Minister yee heare he runnes he labours he sweates he is still playing his prizes still trying his maisteries still plowing vp the fallow ground of your hearts in euery season yea in season and out of season sowing the immortall seede of the word alwaies on his watch tower in cold and in heate giuing warning of euery enemie which he doth descry Happily yee haue another conceit of the Ministers labour at least many haue that it is no such continuall labour that there is no such care or paines therein as is pretended Well whatsoeuer account yee make of the labour therein he spends his strength and oftentimes his bloud It is for you to looke vnto it that he spend not his strength in vaine If he teach you the waies of the Lord and yee receiue not instruction if he reproue such sinnes as breake out amongst you and ye hate to be reformed if hee call to fasting weeping and mourning and ye fall to eating drinking and dauncing if he exhort you to study to bee blamelesse and pure and the sonnes of God in the middest of a naughty and crooked nation and to shine amongst them as lights holding forth the word of life and ye giue your members seruants to vncleanesse and to iniquity to commit iniquity in a word if he out of the word either teach or improue or correct or instruct in righteousnesse ye refuse to hearken to the voice of the charmer charme he neuer so wisely what else doth hee in respect of you but runne in vaine and labour in vaine And if he spend his strength in vaine amongst you his worke is with his God but your bloud is vpon your owne head yee die in your sinnes but his soule is deliuered The minister his desire is to reioyce in the day of Christ but wherein in your saluation If in that day he shall not reioyce in your saluation what do ye thinke will be your portion His desire is not to runne in vaine nor to labour in vaine but it is in respect of you that he may gaine you vnto Christ For hee knoweth that his labour is not in vaine in the Lord. Hearken therefore and obey and harden not your hearts as in the prouocation and as in the day of tentation in the wildernesse If thou hearken thou shalt be the crowne of his reioycing and the crowne of his reioycing is in thy saluation And in any case take heed that thou iudge not amisse of him that is set ouer thee in the Lord to admonish thee of thy wâ—â—es For whatsoeuer it is wherein he either teacheth or improueth or correcteth or instructeth thee it is that hee may reioyce in the day of Christ that he hath not runne in vaine nor laboured in vaine And this much of this later reason to enforce the former exhortations Yea and though I be offered c. The Apostle as yee haue heard vrged the Philippians that they would walke in all obedience with God and in all meeknesse with their brethren euen the rather for his sake that he might reioyce ouer them in the day of Christ Now the better to enforce this reason drawne from himselfe in these words hee assureth them that such is his longing after their saluation that if by his death they might be confirmed and strengthened in the faith hee would most willingly and ioyfully giue his life for them and if he shall do so he would not haue them to be sory but to be glad and reioyce thereat The manner of speech here vsed is drawne from the sacrifices of the old law wherein the Priests were commanded after their comming into the land of Canaan Num. 15 7 alwaies to poure out a drinke offering vpon the sacrifice that was offered The Apostle therefore alluding hereunto saith that if his soule should now bee poured out as a drinke offering vpon that spirituall sacrifice of their faith which by his ministery and Apostleship they had embraced for their farther confirmation and strengthening therein he would be glad and reioyce with them for that their faith by his death were strengthened Here then we may obserue how zealous the Pastor ought to be of the saluation of his flocke he ought with Saint Paul in this
euery where almost wee may see men following their wonted pleasures and reioycing themselues in their wonted delights as if the hand of the Lord were not vpon vs. But such carnall and worldly reioycing is not good Nay vnto such as thus reioyce fixing their only ioy and delight on the things of this world and on the vanities of this life our Sauiour Christ pronounceth a woe saying Woe be to you that now laugh Luk. 6.25 for yee shall waile and weepe This is the fearfull iudgement of God vpon them that reioyce in the flesh and not in the spirit Vnderstand therefore that there is a two-fold ioy and reioycing one in the flesh another in the spirit one carnall and sensuall another spirituall and Christian one in the world another in the Lord. The carnall and worldly reioycing is when putting farre from vs the remembrance of the euill day wee reioyce more in the pleasures of sinne and the transitorie things of this world then wee doe in the things that belong vnto our peace Such was the reioycing of him that when he had pulled downe his barnes and builded greater Luk. 12.18.19 and therein laid all his fruits and his goods said vnto his soule Soule thou hast much goods laid vp for many yeeres liue at ease eat drinke and take thy pastime And such is the reioycing of men commonly at this day as already hath beene noted And true it is which wise Salomon saith Foolishnesse is ioy to him that is destitute of vnderstanding that is Pro. 15.21 euen wickednesse and sinne is a matter of mirth and delight to the wicked and vngodly man Iâ—b 20.5 But it is as true which Zophar saith That the reioycing of the wicked is short and that the ioy of hypocrites is but a moment Besides this carnall and worldly reioycing there is also a Christian and spirituall reioycing which is when setting our hearts on the Lord as on our chiefest good wee so reioyce in the things of this life as that wee count them all losse and dung in comparison of that reioycing which wee haue in Christ Iesus when remembring the mercifull goodnesse and louing kindnesse of our good God nothing can so much daunt vs but that our heart daunceth for ioy and our soules are rauished with reioycing thereat Wilt thou then reioyce or know how and wherein to reioyce O man that fearest the Lord Reioyce in the Lord reioyce in those spirituall blessings wherewithall God hath blessed thee in heauenly things in Christ Iesus reioyce in thine election in Christ Iesus vnto eternall life before the foundation of the world reioyce in the workmanship of thy creation after Gods owne image in thy redemption by the bloud of Christ Iesus when through disobedience thou hadst for euer cast thy selfe away in thine adoption through Iesus Christ into the number of the sonnes of God in thy reconciliation with God the Father by the intercession and mediation of Christ Iesus in thy vocation vnto the knowledge of the truth by the Gospell of Christ Iesus in thine incorporation into the mysticall body of Christ Iesus by the powerfull operation of the spirit in thy iustification and free forgiuenesse of thy sinnes by faith in the bloud of Christ Iesus in thy sanctification by the spirit of grace vnto some measure of holinesse and righteousnesse in this life in thy regeneration vnto a liuely hope in Christ Iesus and in the assured confidence of thy glorification after this life with Iesus who shall change thy vile body that it may be fashioned like vnto his glorious body c. Herein is the Christian mans reioycing and here is matter of reioycing indeed All reioycing in all things in the world whatsoeuer what is it in comparison of this reioycing Surely as euen now wee heard out of Iob it is short and but a moment Nay I say more Whatsoeuer men imagine with themselues yet indeed there is no true ioy no sound reioycing but this reioycing in the Lord. Other ioyes in other things may happily for the time somewhat affect vs and please our fancies and tickle our outward senses and delight our outward man but that that warmes the heart that that cheeres the soule that that makes the inner man to pant and to leape for ioy that 's the ioy in the holy Ghost and reioycing in the Lord. And this is it which stickes by a man in his life and in his death forsakes him not Yea when in the throwes and pangs of death he shall say of all other ioyes whatsoeuer I haue no pleasure in them then in this ioy his soule shall reioyce through this ioy hee shall ioyfully wrestle with death and because of this ioy hee shall not feare death nor the graue but desire to bee loosed and to be with Christ Let the carnall and worldly and sensuall men therefore bragge and boast as much as they will that they leade the only ioyfull and pleasant liues and let them obiect vnto the godly Christian as much as they will a lumpish and momish and sowre life wherein he hath no ioy or pleasure at all yet shall the day come when they shâ—ll change their mindes and sigh for grife of minde Wisd 5.3 and say within themselues These are they whom sometimes we had in derision and in a parable of reproach 4. We fooles thought wee had the world at will and thought their life madnesse but how are they counted among the children of God 5. and their portion is among the Saints Thus I say shall they say when they shall perceiue that the life which they thought the only ioyfull life was indeed the most miserable life So that when the count is indeed truly cast wee shall finde that onely the true Christian hath sound ioy of heart and that there is no sound reioycing but this reioycing in the Lord. Yea but how shall wee know this that indeed wee doe reioyce in the Lord For wee are inclined naturally to flatter our selues and wee will say that wee reioyce in the Lord and perhaps thinke so too when indeed wee doe not How then shall wee know that wee doe truly reioyce in the Lord The wicked indeed whose hearts are set on other pleasures wherein no true ioyes are to be found they know not what â—t meaneth yea it seemeth meere madnesse and foolishnesse vnto them But for vs thus wee shall know that we reioyce in the Lord in whom alone true ioyes are to be found 1. Consider and see what longing and thirsting there is in thee after the hearing and reading and meditating in the holy word of life what comfort and peace of conscience thy soule findeth in the holy word of life how thy heart is enlarged when thou hearest or readest the sweete promises of God in Christ Iesus what a gladnesse vnto thy soule it is that Christ is made of God vnto vs wisedome and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption how stedfastly thou cleauest in
that wee doe but of that wee should doe and of that which God may require of vs. All our perfection is only in Christ Iesus who hath perfectly fulfilled that which wee should but could not and for whose sake all our imperfections are couered and not imputed vnto vs. He is our perfection wee are full of imperfections and in his perfection are all our imperfections â—id and couered Againe here is a notable comfort for all such of Gods children as feele in themselues any imperfections any wants â—f those things after which their soule longeth The blessed Apostle had not now when he wrote these things attained to â—he perfection of the knowledge of Christ of the vertue of his â—esurrection or of the fellowship of his afflictions Why art â—hou then troubled and why is thy soule disquieted within hee for such imperfections as thou feelest in thy selfe Thou â—nowest not thy Christ as thy soule desireth thou findest not â—at sweetnesse of his word in thy selfe that thou shouldest â—ou feelest not thy flesh so subdued vnto the spirit as it should â—e thou doest not walke in that obedience vnto thy God â—hat thou shouldest thou art not so zealous in all holy duties 〈◊〉 thou shouldest be thou doest not take such pleasure in the â—ings that belong vnto thy peace as thou shouldest do None 〈◊〉 all the children of God that come not farre short of that â—ey should in all these things and the more holy that they â—e the more they see their wants How often doth Dauid â—ay vnto the Lord to teach him his statutes Psal 119. to open his eyes at he may see the wondrous things of his Law to stablish his â—ord in him to incline his heart vnto his testimonies and not â—to couetousnesse to quicken him in his righteousnesse â—eade the 119. Psalme where thou shalt finde that that holy â—ophet hath euen powred out his soule in many such praiers 〈◊〉 but thou doest not onely feele in thy selfe the want of such â—rfections as thou shouldest haue but thou feelest such imperfections as thou shouldest not haue Thou art dull and sluggish and heauie and and lumpish there is no edge in thee vnto the things that belong vnto thy peace Doest thou know and feele in thy selfe these imperfections This same is a peece of thy perfection to see and know and acknowledge thine imperfections Luk 18.11 12 13 The proud Pharisie hee talkes of nothing but his perfections it is the poore Publican that feeles his imperfections and that not daring therefore to lift vp so much as his eyes to heauen strikes his breast saying O God be merciful vnto mee a sinner And what is it that makes thee feele thine imperfections It is the life of God in thee that makes thee that thou seest thy dulnesse and lumpishnesse and that thou canst not abide it but grieuest at it Them that are dead in their sinnes thou seest to goe on in the wickednesse of their wayes neither are they euer touched with any remorse or feeling of their wants and imperfections Yea Dauid so long as he lay dead as it were in that sinne which hee had committed in the matter of Vriah he neuer felt any remorse But when onâ—â— the life of God beganne to awake in him by the word of Nathan then he said I haue sinned against the Lord. This then that thou feelest and acknowledgest thine imperfections 〈◊〉 token of the life of God in thee The greatest imperfection that the young man in the Gospell had was the great conceâ—â— which he had of his perfection All these commandements saith he Mat. 19.20 I haue obserued from my youth vp what lacke I yet He could not see any imperfection in himselfe till Christ bade himself all that he had and giue to the poore c. and then he saw it but the text saith nothing of his acknowledging it with remorse for it To stand then vpon our perfection is our greatest imperfection and to see and acknowledge our imperfection with remorse is a great point of our perfection Let not then thine imperfections dismay thee It is well that thou feelest them it is a point of thy perfection and it is a token of the life of God in thee and if thou feltst them nor thy disease were a great deale more dangerous O but therefore thou art troubled because thou feelest thine imperfections more then thou wast wont O but comfort thy selfe rather in those mercies that thou wast wont to finde for he that hath begunne a good worke in thee Phil. 1.6 will performe it vntill the day of Iesus Christ He is immutable and so is his loue immutable for whom he loueth once hee loueth vnto the end Ioh. 13 1. It was Dauids case as himselfe witnesseth where hee thus saith I caâ—â—ed to remembrance my song in the night Psal 77.6 I communed with mine owne heart and my spirit searched diligently 7. Will the Lord aâ—sent himselfe for euer and will he shew no more fauour Is his mercy cleane gone for euer Doth hâ—s promise faile for euer more 8. Hath God forgotten to be mercifull 9. hath hee shut vp his tender mercies in displeasure Where the Prophet sheweth how hee was wont to praise the Lord in the night season for his louing mercies But now the Lord had seemed to shut vp his tender mercies in displeasure And this he saith in the next verse was his death euen the want of the feeling of Gods goodnesse he saith was his death 10. yet saith hâ— I remembred the yeeres of the right hand of the most high Where he signifieth that he recouered himselfe by remembring the former times wherein God had manifested his goodnesse towards him Let not then thy present want disquiet thee but comfort thy selfe in the remembrance of his former goodnesse towards thee Though hee seeme for a little to hide his face from thee yet will hee not leaue nor forsake thee but in his good time he will perfect his good worke in thee But I follow Here I note the Apostles eager pursuit after perfection He had not yet attained vnto it but he followed as eagerly after it as the persecutor who will not rest till he haue him whom he persecuteth or as the runner who will not rest till he come at his goales end He was so desirous to grow daily more and more in the knowledge of Christ and of the vertue of his resurrection c that he shooke of all impediments and letts which might hinder him in that course and laboured daily more and more in all things to grow vp into him which is the head that is Christ Whence I obserue a necessarie dutie for all Christians which is that they labour daily more and more to grow vp in the knowledge of Christ in obedience to his will in holinesse and righteousnesse and in all things to aime euermore at the marke of perfection And to this purpose are those often
hath opened to know things that are spiritually discerned should labour to draw them on vnto the same truth with them And therefore besides other duties which they should performe vnto them when they goe vp vnto the house of the Lord they should say vnto them as they in Esay Esay 2.3 Come let vs goe vp to the mountaine of the Lord to the house of the God of Iacob and he will teach vs his waies and we will walke in his paths come let vs goe to the Church come neighbour come friend let vs go to the Sermon and there we shall heare what the Lord will say vnto vs and there we shall be instructed in the truth or Christ Iesus But what doe we We thinke it well if we come â—ur selues and indeed I wish all would doe so but though we now our neighbour ignorant yet do we not either priuately â—lke with him or say vnto him come let vs goe to Sermon â—hich certainely is a defect in vs. For true zeale taketh that â—f the fire that the truely zealous man would haue all like â—nto himselfe and the more he hath profited in the knowâ—edge of the truth the more will his heart bee inflamed to â—raw others out of ignorance vnto the knowledge of the same â—ruth with him And what doe we know but that God hath â—rdeined vs by this or that holy course to be the meanes to â—ring this or that man vnto the knowledge of the truth Let â—s not therefore despaire of doing good with our weake and â—gnorant brother but let vs hope so long as there is any hope â—â—at the Lord will reueale his truth vnto him and in the â—eane time let vs beare with his ignorance and labour by all â—eanes to bring him to the same minde that is in vs touching â—he truth of Christ Iesus And this withall let vs weigh is â—here any of our alliance or acquaintance or knowledge whose eyes the Lord hath so opened that he seeth the truth in diuers mysteries of the faith but yet some things are hid from â—is eyes let this be an incouragement of our hope that the Lord wil also reueale these things vnto him For great hope we may conceiue as we see here our Apostle likewise doth that he which hath begun to reueale the truth in diuers mysteries of the faith vnto them will also in his good time reueale these â—hings vnto them which as yet are hid from their eyes Times we may not prescribe vnto the Lord for he calleth not all his children to the knowledge of his Sonne at one houre but some at the third some at the sixth some at the ninth some â—t one some at another houre as vnto his heauenly wisdome seemeth most meete and his truth he doth reueale vnto his children not all at once but here a litle and there a litle as seemeth best vnto him But yet we may hope that vnto such as loue not darknesse better than light vnto such as doe not oppose themselues against the truth the Lord that commandeth the light to shine out of darknesse will in his good time shine in their hearts and reueale his truth vnto them so farre as shall be necessarie for them Though therefore now they doe not embrace the same truth altogether with vs yet let vs hope that the Lord will also reueale this vnto them wherein they now dissent from vs and let vs labour with them to the purpose according to that measure of grace that is giuen vnto vs. The third thing which I note is that the Apostle saith 〈◊〉 yee be otherwise minded God shall reueale it Whereby the Apostle sheweth that he could onely preach vnto them but it is God that reuealeth his truth vnto them If they were otherwise minded than he was he could not doe withall his office was to teach the truth he could not open their eyes that they might see the truth but that must be let alone vnto the Lord for euer who alone reuealeth when he will that truth whereâ—â— we were happily long before instructed Whence I obserue that in the worke of the ministerie the Ministers of Christ do onely dispense the mysteries and secrets of God but it is God that reuealeth them vnto vs opening our eyes that we may see the wondrous things of his law And therefore it is said that when Peter had preached vnto Cornelius Act. 10.44 and them that weâ—â— with him the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the â—â—ra And againe it is said that when Paul preached neere vnto Philippi vnto certaine women that were come together 16.13.14 the Lord opened the heart of Lydia that shee attended vnto the things that Paul spake And often when the Apostles had preached it is said that the Holy Ghost fell on them that heard and they beleeued Whereby is meant that they preached but the Holy Ghost reuealed and so their preaching was effectuall as the Holy Ghost wrought with it in the hearts of them that were ordeined vnto saluation And to this agreeth that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 3.6.7 where he saith I haue planted and Apollos watred but God gaue the increase and neither is he that planteth any thing neither he that watreth but God that giueth the increase The Ministers like Gods husbandmen they sowe the seede euen the immortall seede of his word in the fallow ground of mens hearts but it is the Lord that giueth the earely and the latter raine whereby it groweth vp and bringeth forth fruit in some thirty in some sixty in some an hundreth fold The Ministers of Christ they are they by whom we do â—eleeue and by whom we doe obey but it is the Lord that 〈◊〉 the powerfull working of his holy spirit together with the â—ord causeth vs to beleeue and to obey This honour the â—ord taketh vnto himselfe saying Eze 36.25 I will powre out cleane water â—pon you and yee shall be cleane yea from all your filthinesse â—â—d from all your idols will I cleanse you 26. a new heart also will I â—ue you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away â—e stonie heart out of your bodie and I will giue you an heart of â—â—sh and I will put my spirit within you 27. and cause you to walke in â—y statutes and yee shall keepe my iudgements and doe them this â—onour I say the Lord taketh to himselfe and this honour â—e will not giue to any other But here happily you will â—ke me if the Ministers of Christ onely preach the word â—nd the Lord reserue this power onely to himselfe to beget 〈◊〉 by the word if the Ministers of Christ onely teach â—s the way of truth and the spirit alone lead vs into all â—â—uth 1 Cor. 4.15 1 Tim. 4.16 how then doth the Apostle say vnto the Corinâ—â—ians I haue begotten you through the Gospell and how doth â—e say vnto Timothie Take heede vnto thy selfe and
vnto learâ—â—ng continue therein for in doing this thou shalt both saue thy â—â—lfe and them that heare thee Whereunto I answer that the â—â—ing which properly belong vnto God are oftentimes in the â—criptures attributed vnto Gods Ministers because they are â—â—struments which God vseth and whereby God worketh So â—n the places alleaged I saith the Apostle haue begotten you â—hrough the Gospell the Apostle because the Lord vsed him as â—is instrument to beget the Corinthians in Christ Iesus thereâ—ore taketh that vnto himselfe which the Apostle Iames shewâ—â—th properly to belong vnto God where he saith Iam. 1 1â— that God of â—is owne will begat vs with the word of truth that we should be as â—he first fruits of his creatures And in the other place where â—he Apostle saith to Timothy In so doing thou shalt saue both â—hy selfe and them that heare thee there power of sauing Hosea 13.4 which â—oth onely properly belong vnto the Lord for it is he that â—aueth and none besides him is giuen vnto Timothie because â—ee was ordeined the Minister of Christ whom he would vse â—n granting repentance vnto saluation Many like places might be brought where that which properly belongeth vnto God is attributed vnto Gods Minister because of the powerfull operation of Gods spirit by his ministrie But by this already spoken yee see what in the worke of the ministrie God doth and what man doth Man preacheth the truth bâ—â— God only reuealeth the truth man soweth the mortall seede of the word but God onely maketh it to grow and fractifie men speaketh the wonders of the law but God onely openeth our eyes that wee may see the wondrous things oâ— his law This then should teach you so to thinke of vs as of the Ministers of Christ and disposers of the secrets of God bâ— to depend vpon the Lord for the reuelation of those holy mysteries which we bring vnto you We can onely speake vnto your eares but it is the Lord that must worke in your hearts we can onely beat vpon the outward sense but he it is that must open the eyes of your vnderstanding we can onely bring the word of saluation vnto you but he it is that by his blessing vpon it must make it the word of saluation vnto you And therefore when you come vnto the house of God yee should remember to sanctifie your selues and as the Preacher exhorteth When yee enter into the house of God yee should take heede vnto your feete Eccl. 4.17 yee should take heede with what affection with what deuotion with what religious desire yee come to heare the word of the Lord. Yee should not not come hither as to an ordinarie meeting or to a place where yee can be well content to bestow an houre but yee should come hither prepared with all holy reuerence with soules thirsting after the word of your saluation and with hearts and eyes lift vp vnto the Lord that hee will blesse the preaching of the word vnto you that hee by his spirit will so worke together with his word that it may bee vnto you the sauour of life vnto life that hee will incline your hearts to hearken what the Spirit saith and that he will open your eyes that yee may see the wonderous things of his law And then surely yee should wrestle well and should not depart without a blessing For though wee be but men that speake vnto you whose breath is in our nostrils and though it bee not in vs to â—e grace or vnderstanding to our hearers yet are wee â—e Ministers of Christ by whom yee beleeue wee are as 〈◊〉 were the conduits through whom the spirit and the graâ—â—s of the spirit are conueighed vnto you and we are his â—mbassadors by whome hee openeth and declareth his â—â—ly will vnto you Yea into such a communion hath â—ee ioyned vs with him Act. 5.3 that when Ananias had lied vnâ—â— Peter he asked him why he had lied vnto the Holy Ghost â—nd that our Sauiour saith Luc. 10.16 Hee that heareth you heareth â—â—e To conclude this point wee doe pray you in â—hrist his stead as though God did beseech you through 〈◊〉 and whatsoeuer good grace is wrought in you it is â—od that worketh the same in you through our ministeâ—â—e Be yee therefore diligent to frequent holy exercises â—repare your selues with all holy reuerence thereunto â—ray vnto the Lord that he will blesse his holy ordinance â—nto you hearken vnto the word not as the word of â—an but as it is indeede as the word of God and receiue â—ith meeknesse the word that is graffed in you which is â—ble to saue your soules For thus the Lord reuealeth his â—â—uth and his will vnto his children neither are we now to â—ooke for any other reuelations but such as the Lord manifeâ—teth in and by the word Now remaineth the third point to be handled where the Apostle exhorteth that in the meane time till God reueale â—hat truth which he hath professed vnto them such grounds of the truth as already they had might with one accord be reteined and maintained which he doth in these words neuerthelesse in that whereunto we are come c. LECTVRE LXVI PHILIP 3. Vers 16. Neuerthelesse in that whereunto we are come Let 〈◊〉 proceede by one rule and let vs minde one thiâ—g NEuerthelesse in that c. In which words the Apostle exhorteth that in the meane time till God reueale vnto the Philippians that truth which he hath professed such grounds of the truth as already they had receiued might with one accord be retained and maintained This is the generall scope and meaning of the Apostle in these words But it will not happily be amisse for the better vnderstanding of them to vnfold and open the meaning of them yet a little more particularly They depend as ye see vpon that which went before For the Apostle hauing before exhorted the Philippians to be so minded as hee was in the points before mentioned had also said and if yee be otherwise minded God shall also reueale it Now saith he neuerthelesse 〈◊〉 that whereunto we are come as if he should haue said but in the meane time till God reueale this truth vnto you wherein yee now dissent from mee in that whereunto we are come i. for so farre as we are come for such grounds of the truth for such articles of the faith and Christian religion as already wee doe generally embrace and agree vpon let vs proceed in them by one rule and let vs minde one thing The word which the Apostle vseth when he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let vs proceede by one rule is a militarie word borrowed from the marching of souldiers vnto the battell whose manner it is to keepe their ranke and without any outraying to march along after the prescript rule of their Generall or Leader So that it is as if the Apostle had thus said vnto them let vs for so farre as
Tim. 3.2.3 as selfe-louers couetous boasters proud cursed speakers men disobedient to parents vnholy without naturall affection truce breakers c. And yet how many are there that would be loth to be reckoned among the worst which are as vnthankfull as the most Whose fault soeuer it be it is a foule fault and one that includes all Let vs beware of it and let our thankful mind be knowne to all that any way deserue well of vs. Secondly in that the Apostle saith that he reioyced in the Lord greatly for their care for him I note that the Apostles reioycing was not so much for the bountifulnes of their gift but especially for that the Lord by his Spirit had enlarged their hearts to a Christian care ouer him Whence I obserue this lesson for vs that when any do relieue vs being in prison pouertie need sicknesse or any other aduersitie we are not so much to reioyce in the gift by which we are relieued but especially we ought to reioyce in the Lord for that he hath vouchsafed to touch their hearts with a godly feeling of our wants and a Christian care to supply our wants Thankfulnes vnto them is beseeming and requisite as before we heard but our speciall care should be to lift vp our eyes vnto the Lord and to reioyce in him For he it is that openeth the bowels of compassion toucheth with a tender commiseration of their poore and needie distressed brethren the hearts of them that are enriched with greater sufficiencie And therefore our Apostle in many of his Epistles vsually thanketh God as for their faith in Christ Iesus so for their loue towards all Saints Col. 1.3.4 We giue thankes to God euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ saith the Apostle in the next Epistle since we heard of your faith in Christ Iesus and of your loue towards all Saints And he tels the Corinthians that their liberalitie causeth thanksgiuing vnto God 2. Cor. 9.11 God being therefore to be blessed because he openeth the Saints hearts to relieue the necessities of the poore Saints First therefore let me beseech you beloued euen in the bowels of Christ Iesus to giue your poore and distressed brethren cause to reioyce in the Lord greatly for your care ouer them A godly and Christian care of late hath bene taken by the whole States of the land assembled in Parliament for the prouision of the poore and we are all of vs to reioyce in the Lord greatly for it that he put into their mind such an holy care Put ye now on tender mercie and compassion and let your care likewise be shewed this way by a chearfull giuing towards the reliefe of your poore brethren so much as shal be thought meete for you that the backes and bellies of your poore brethren may blesse you and reioyce in the Lord for you If ye shall find in your selues a willing chearfulnesse this way know that it is the Lord that hath opened your hearts stirred vp the bowels of compassion within you and looke whatsoeuer he giues the Lord shal recompence it into his bosome Prou. 19.17 For so it is written He that hath mercie on the poore lendeth to the Lord and he will recompence him that which he hath giuen But if ye shall grudge to set forward so good a worke and think euery litle too much that is required of you to that purpose know that the Lord hath yet hardened your hearts and shut vp all bowels of compassion within you and as now the poore crie and ye heare not so the day shall come wherein ye shall crie 21.13 and not be heard For so it is written He that stoppeth his eares at the crying of the poore he shall also crie and not be heard As euery man therfore hath receiued so let him giue and that chearfully 2. Cor. 9.7 For God loueth a chearfull giuer So shall the loines of the poore blesse you so shall they reioyce in the Lord greatly for you and so shall the Lord make all his graces to abound towards you Secondly let me exhort them of the poorer sort to learne to reioyce in the Lord for the care which he stirreth vp in their brethren for them It is too too commonly seene in many of you that as ye want the wealth of the world so ye want also the grace of God Ye sit and beg almes and reliefe If ye haue it not ye murmure and grudge oftentimes ye banne and curse if ye haue it some of you take it and go your wayes and there is an end others of you say some formal words from the teeth forward but who is he or where is he that hauing receiued reliefe lifteth vp his eyes vnto the Lord and reioyceth in him for that it hath pleased him to worke in their brethren such a Christian care ouer them Who is he or where is he that being sent away without reliefe lifteth vp his eyes vnto the Lord and prayeth vnto him that it will please him to increase their brethrens care ouer them and to giue them bowels of compassion towards them without murmuring or grudging at them Thus should ye do and then surely the hearts of many that are yet hardened would be opened towards you Learne therefore as to be thankfull towards your brethren for their care ouer you so principally to thanke the Lord and to reioyce in him for the care which he stirreth vp in them for you Learne to thinke on him to blesse him to reioyce in him more then any great many of you do Looke not onely to the reliefe which ye receiue but looke vnto the Lord whose worke it is to incline mens hearts to relieue you Thus shall he be well pleased and thus shall he incline men more and more to relieue you LECTVRE LXXXVIII PHILIP 4. Verse 10. Now I reioyce in the Lord greatly that now at the last ye are reuiued againe to care for me wherein notwithstanding ye were carefull but ye lacked oportunitie THe next thing which I noted in these words was the Philippians slacknesse to care for some time for the Apostle For in that he saith I reioyce c. that now at last ye are reuiued c. he implieth that their care had for some time slacked towards him the word here vsed being borrowed from trees which seeming in Winter to be dead flourish againe in the Spring and hauing in it this similitude that as trees which in Winter seeme to be dead and withered flourish and grow greene againe in the Spring so their care which for a time languished and decayed now againe reuiued and quickened in them Whence I obserue this lesson for our learning that euen in the faithfull and dearest children of God loue and charitie and other good graces of Gods Spirit are not alwayes alike orient and eminent not alwayes alike manifest and apparent but sometimes they languish and decay and are as if they were not Gen
mention of them alwaies in his prayers But here he tells the Philippians that alwaies in his prayers he hath them all in memory that alwaies in his praiers he hath them all in perfit memory that alwaies he hath them all in perfit memory in all his prayers that in all his prayers he remembreth them with gladnesse each circumstance more then other importing his most carefull remembrance of them in his praiers vnto God that they might continue in that grace wherein they stood in that fellowship which they had with other Churches in the gospell For therefore thanked he God and was glad on the Philippians behalfe because of the fellowship which they had in the gospell from the first day vntill then and therefore he prayed for them that they might continue in that grace and in that fellowship with other Churches in the gospell The first thing then which here I note is that on whose behalfe the Apostle giues such thanks vnto God and is so glad for them also he prayeth Whence I obserue that whatsoeuer graces be bestowed on vs still praier is needfull for vs both that we pray for our selues and that others pray for vs. For neither is any grace so perfit in any neither are all graces so complete and full in any but that both he hath neede of perseuerance and increase in that grace wherein he standeth and to haue other grace supplied which he wanteth Abraham full of blessings yet wanteth a childe and he must pray that he may not goe childlesse Isaac full of blessings Gen. 15.2 yet his wife is barren 25.21 and he must pray vnto the Lord for his wife to make her wombe fruitfull Iacob full of blessings yet he is in danger of Esau his brother and he must pray vnto the Lord 32.11 I pray thee deliuer me out of the hand of my brother from the hand of Esau Neither is any so enriched with all graces but that his requests are to bee shewed vnto God in praier and supplication for the supply of some And as not any are enriched with all graces so not in any is any grace so perfit but that he hath neede to bend the knees of his soule vnto God in humble praier for perseuerance and increase in that grace wherein he standeth Dauids delight in the law of the Lord in his statutes and in his testimonies was as great as a mans could be as himselfe sheweth saying Lord Psal 119.97 what loue haue I vnto thy law all the day long is my studie in it 54. Thy statutes haue beene my songs in the house of my pilgrimage thy testimonies haue I claimed as mine heritage for euer and why they are the very ioy of my heart 111. And yet his prayer is O teach me thy statutes O cause thou me to make much of thy law incline my heart vnto thy testimonies and not vnto couetousnes and as he hath done hee hath left vs an example so to doe be we neuer so zealous of the law of God The Apostles likewise it is like were as strong in the faith as any man is and yet they praied vnto the Lord Luc. 17.5 Lord increase our faith and therein left an example for all the children of God to follow vntill the day of Iesus Christ be they neuer so stablished in the faith Neuer any so zealous of Gods glory and holy worship but he had neede euen in respect of himselfe to pray hallowed be thy name Neuer any had his conversation so much in heauen but that he had still neede to pray thy kingdome come Neuer any mans will so conformed vnto Gods will but that he had still neede to pray thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen Neuer any man so filled with plenteousnesse but that hee had still neede to pray Giue vs this day our daily bread Neuer any mans sinnes so wholy pardoned but that in regard of his continuall slidings he had still neede to pray forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs. Neuer any man so freed from tentation and from the deuill but that he had still neede to pray Lead vs not into tentation but deliuer vs from euill And therefore our blessed Sauiour hath appointed this forme to be vsed by all the faithfull vnto what degree of perfection soeuer they be come euen to the end So that whatsoeuer graces be bestowed on vs yet still is prayer needfull for vs. Neither only that we pray for our selues but that others also pray for vs. We are not many of vs better then was Timothy that faithfull seruant of Iesus Christ yet for him Paul powred out prayers night and day 2 Tim. 1.3 and no doubt it was needfull for him We are not the best of vs like vnto Paul that elect vessell of Iesus Christ yet he requested the praiers of the faithfull for him that vtterance might be giuen vnto him Eph 6.19 that he might open his mouth boldly to publish the secret of the gospell and that therein he might speake boldly as he ought to speake He was one that feared not the face of man 20. that kept nothing backe but deliuered his message alwaies faithfully and boldly yet for this grace he thought the praiers of the faithfull needful for him therefore craueth them not only of the Ephesians but likewise of the Colossians in his epistle to them Colos 4.3 Farre therefore be it from vs beloued to say as the manner of some is vnto any of Gods children bestow your praiers where you list I neede not your praiers I care not for your praiers pray for your selfe all your praiers will be little enough for your selfe I will pray for my selfe These be the words not of them that abound with grace but of them that are not taught in the word nor know how much the prayer of a righteous man auaileth if it be feruent Farre likewise be it from vs once to dreame of any such perfection in our selues but that we haue still neede to pray to abound more and more in all grace and in all things daily more and more to grow vp into him which is the head that is Christ For be it our predestination our election our adoption our reconciliation our iustification which are as sure vnto all the sonnes of God as that God is true yet euen in respect of these haue we neede alwaies to pray that the assurance of them may be daily more and more sealed vnto our spirits by the pledge of Gods spirit Againe be it our faith our hope our loue our knowledge our iudgment or the like which are the worke of Gods owne finger in all his children yet in respect of these haue we neede alwaies to pray for continuall increase and all godly growth in them Yea be it whatsoeuer grace wherein we are so stablished that we are sure we cannot finally fall from it yet are we still to
and were in a sort with me in my bands and in my defence and confirmation of the gospell I know there are great diuersities of interpretations of this text of scripture but iudging this to be most simple I will not trouble you with any other The reason then of that his perswasion of them was this because such was the Philippians zeale for the gospell and loue of him that howsoeuer it were with him whether he were bound for the gospell or defended the gospell or confirmed the gospell they stucke close vnto him and tooke part with him both in his bands in his defence confirmation of the gospell The first thing then which here I note is that the Apostle saith that it became him so to iudge of the Philippians so to be perswaded of them as he said vers 6. because of their zeale for the gospell and loue of him Whence I obserue that it becommeth vs certainely to be perswaded of their perseuerance and saluation and that they are the children of God in whom we see obedience to the gospell zeale for the truth loue of the brethren true signes of godlinesse euident fruits of the spirit That in charitie we are euery man to hope the best one of another the Apostle plainly sheweth when hee saith that Charitie beleeueth all things 1 Cor. 13.7 charitie hopeth all things Charitie beleeueth all things therefore in charitie we are not to suspect the worst but to beleeue the best one of another Charitie hopeth all things therefore in charitie we are not to mistrust the worst but to hope the best one of another Neither onely so when there are such outward tokens of grace and godlinesse as ought easily to cause vs to beleeue and hope the best one of an other but so also when there are not so plaine tokens of grace so manifest fruits of the spirit Nay when there are manifest tokens of want of grace fearefull tokens of being giuen vp into a reprobate minde yet are wee not to despaire of such a one but to leaue him vnto the Lord vnto whom he standeth or falleth Witnes the Apostle where he saith Rom. 14.4 Who art thou that condemnest another mans seruant he standeth or falleth to his owne master There hope the best we cannot and yet condemne him or despaire of him we may not Now as in charitie we may not despaire of any but hope well where all is not well and perswade our selues the best where we see the outward tokens of the spirit so where we haue iust cause of this perswasion by the true fruits of righteousnes we are certainely to be perswaded that they are the children of God Which as it appeareth by this place of our Apostle so also by that where he saith of the Thessalonians that he knew that they were the elect of God 1 Thess 1.4 drawing one argument from the effectuall preaching of the gospell amongst them vers 5. and another from their obedience to the gospell vers 6. so that where we see these and the like tokens of grace and godlinesse there we are after the Apostles example to be certainely perswaded and to know that they are the elect children of God Degrees I know there are in certainty of perswasion and knowledge for no man can be so certainely perswaded so certainely know another mans saluation another mans adoption into the sonnes of God as his owne because besides all other grounds which hee hath or can haue touching others he hath the testimonie of the spirit witnessing vnto his spirit that he is the child of God and that his saluation is sure Yet may he and hee is certainely to be perswaded where he seeth a good worke begun that he that hath begun c. A good lesson for many of vs to learne for so crooked and ill affected are we commonly one towards another as that we will easily perswade our selues the worst one of another but seldome perswade our selues the best one of another Though we see many great tokens of Gods graces in our brethren if we see any infirmitie or offence in them we grate vpon that and we could be well perswaded of them but for that which if it might haue stopped the Apostles perswasion of the Philippians he should neuer haue beene so well perswaded of them as he was for among them there were murmurings and reasonings and many things done through contention and vaine-glory yet looking vpon their obedience to the gospell their constant abiding in the truth their christian loue of him he perswadeth himselfe the best of them euen that he that hath begun c. So beloued howsoeuer we see slips and infirmities in our brethren yea though sometimes we see them fall flat to the ground yet if we see the manifest tokens of Gods graces in them let vs perswade our selues the best of them yea let vs perswade our selues of them as of our selues that they are the children of God and that their saluation is surely sealed in the heauens for so it becommeth vs to iudge of them after the example of our Apostle because of the fruits of the spirit in them LECTVRE VII PHILIP 1. Verse 7. Because I haue you in remembrance that both in my bands and in my defence and confirmation of the Gospell you all were partakers of my grace 8. For God is my record how I long after you all from the very heart roote in Iesus Christ THe second thing which here I note is the testimonie which the Apostle giues vnto the Philippians of their zeale for the gospell of their loue of him and of their growth in godlinesse through the effectuall preaching of the gospell amongst them in that he saith that both in his bands and in his defence and confirmation of the gospell they all were partakers of his grace This was a sure token that they had well profited in the schoole of Christ in that whether the Apostle were bound for the gospell or defended the gospell or confirmed the gospell still they stucke close to him and tooke part with him and were though they were absent from him yet in zeale and in an holy affection in some sort in bands with him and in defence and confirmation of the gospell with him Hence then I obserue a notable argument how we may haue proofe vnto our selues and giue also proofe vnto others of our zeale for the gospell of our loue of the Ministers of the gospell by whom we haue been taught in the word of the power of the word in our hearts and soules and of our growth in godlines through the preaching of the word Is there any persecution of the gospell of Iesus Christ by any cruell tyrants Pope Turke or Spaniard or any other Are your Ministers and Teachers attached and brought before any bloudy inquisition for the gospels sake of Christ Iesus Are they brought vnto the barre there as felons or traitors to defend that truth which in all simplicitie and
sinceritie they haue taught amongst you Are they beaten and scourged and cast into prison and bound with bands and their feete made fast in the stocks for the defence of the gospell Are they brought to the fire and fagot to the rope and hatchet to Lyons and wilde beasts by their bloud to confirme the gospell of Christ Iesus Such times and tyrannies beloued our forefathers haue seene and it may be that some of you haue seene them but ô Lord let neuer our eyes see such times and tyrannies againe neither let our seede see them nor our seedes seede from henceforth for euer But put case it were thus as hath beene said Doe yee thinke yee should stand close to the truth in such time of trouble and not start aside like a broken bow Could yee finde in your hearts to vndergo with your Ministers and Teachers the mercilesse cruelty of any bloudy inquisition to stand with them at the barre in defence of that truth which they haue taught you To be tried with them by mockings and scourgings by bonds and imprisonment to goe to fire and fagot with them and with your bloud to seale that truth which they haue taught you Here were zeale for the gospell in deed here were loue of your Ministers here were a proofe of the power of the word in you here were an argument of the effectuall preaching of the gospell vnto you And such proofes and arguments many in the primitiue Church both had vnto themselues and gaue vnto others as the Apostle witnesseth to the Hebrewes where he saith Heb. 11.36 37 38. that some were racked and would not be deliuered that they might receiue a better resurrection others were tried by mockings and scourgings yea moreouer by bands and imprisonment others were stoned c. So powerfully had the word wrought vpon them that nothing could daunt them but through persecution and anguish and tribulation and famine and nakednes and perill and sword and all they went Yea but you will say there was no such matter with the Philippians whose example I vrge they gaue no such proofe of their zeale or loue or growth in godlines thorow the preaching of the gospell as now we speake of Well then could yee willingly be partakers with your Ministers and Teachers in their bands and in their defence and confirmation of the gospell in such sort as the Philippians were with Paul Would yee not be ashamed of their chaines Would yee communicate to their affliction and supply that which they lacked Would yee be carefull that some might minister vnto them such things as they wanted Would their bands so affect you as if yee were bound with them Would yee count their sufferings for the defence and confirmation of the gospell as common to you with them Would yee in heart soule be ioyned vnto them both in their bands and in their defence and confirmation of the gospell This also should be a notable proof both vnto your selues and others of your holy zeale for the truth of your godly increase in all spirituall vnderstanding through the word and of the effectuall power of the spirit in you through the ministerie of the word Such a proofe Onesiphorus had vnto himselfe and gaue vnto others as appeareth by that testimonie which the Apostle giueth to him when he saith that he often refreshed him and was not ashamed of his chaine 2 Tim. 1.16 17 18. that at Rome hee sought him very diligently and found him and that in many things he ministred vnto him at Ephesus Not once but often he refreshed him he shunned him not nor was ashamed of him because of his bands but comming to Rome and vnderstanding that Nero had cast him into prison hee sought him very diligently and would not rest till he had found him and before at Ephesus hee had in bountifull sort cared for him Here the word had taken roote downeward and brought forth fruit vpward and powerfully wrought on him And so the blessing that followed hervpon 2. Tim. 1.18 The Apost prayed for him saying the Lord grant vnto him that he may find mercy with the Lord at that day nor for him onely but for his whole house 16. saying The Lord giue mercie vnto the house of Onesiphorus and in that the Apostle prayed for him and for his house 1 Thess 1.6 it was in effect a promise of blessing and mercie vnto him and to his house The like testimonie the Apostle giueth vnto the Thessalonians where hee saith that they receaued the word in much affliction with ioy of the holy Ghost When there was much affliction when there was great tribulation and persecution because of the word yet they receiued the word willingly and ioyfully Which the Apostle bringeth as a plaine proofe vnto them of their spirituall coniunction with Christ and election vnto life So that when the word hath wrought thus vpon vs that in much affliction wee can delight in it that wee gladly cherish and refresh them that suffer trouble euen vnto bands for the Gospels sake that we are so affected therewith as if we also were in bands with them that we count their sufferings for the defence and confirmation of the Gospell our sufferings it is a notable argument that the word hath had great power in vs and that we haue well profited in the Schoole of Christ But if many in these our daies should examine themselues by this rule of what power the word is in them and vnto what growth in godlynesse they are come it is to be feared that their triall would not be much to their comfort Our blessed Sauiour expounding the parable of the Sower saith That he that receaued seed in the stonie ground is he which heareth the word and incontinently with ioy receiueth it Yet hath he no roote in himselfe Mat. 13 12. and endureth but a season for as soone as tribulation or persecution commeth because of the word by and by hee is offended And our Apostle complained 2 Tim. 4.16 that at his first answering no man assisted him but all forsooke him Not to speake of those which refuse to hearken to instruction and to present themselues in our assemblies is not much seede now sowen in stonie ground if tribulation and persecution should come because of the word would not many of vs be offended and rather turne as they say then burne If our Paules and Preachers should bee brought to their answere in the defence of the Gospell would they bee much assisted or would they not be vtterly forsakē Yes beloued a great many of vs that now giue them reasonable good countenance would bee ashamed of their chaines a great many of vs that now heare them patiently would feare or disdaine to looke on them in their trouble We think our selues now reasonable good fauorers of the Word and of the Ministers thereof if we be not enemies vnto them But if we come vnto them and countenance them
profane stories of some much renowned for most rare friendship But what else were those but as shadowes in respect of the bodie What friendship of theirs came euer neere vnto that of Ionathan and Dauid 1 Sam. 18.1 whose soules were so knit either vnto other as that either loued other as his owne soule Who more faithfull vnto any then Hushai the Archite vnto Dauid 2 Sam 15. at whose request he tooke as we say his life in his hand and vndertooke with all diligence and speed to bring to nought the counsell of Ahitophel Yea generally where religion and the feare of the Lord knits the knot there the friendship is most sure and the duties thereof best performed If therefore thou wilt haue such a friend as without delay when neede doth require will doe the dutie of a friend and not shift thee of for this that time with this and that excuse ioyne thy selfe vnto him that is religious feareth the Lord and let your loue be in the Lord and for the Lord. For what is the cause wherefore friendship is so rare and why there is such slacknes in all sorts of men to helpe one another and to comfort one another in any time of neede Surely hence euen because our loue is onely a cold loue grounded on this or that worldly respect but wee doe not loue one another in the Lord and for the Lord because our soule delighteth in them that feare the Lord. O let all of vs delight in them that feare the Lord and then will we no doubt as Pauls scholers be diligent one vnto anothers good and one vnto anothers comfort in euery time of need It followeth that when ye should see him againe yee might reioyce In these wordes the Apostle setteth downe a second cause and reason wherefore hee sent Epaphroditus vnto the Philippians with such diligence and speede The cause was as here it is signified that after such sorow and heauinesse of heart as they were filled with vpon the hearing of their Ministers dangerous sicknesse thinking they should neuer see him againe they might reioyce when they should see him againe throughly well in health able to doe the worke of his ministerie Here then we see how a faithfull friend is especially to employ his diligence and his carefulnesse namely as in matters most needfull so in them to the best purpose hee can deuise A notable patterne whereof we haue in this example of our Apostle The Philippians were at this present full of heauinesse and sorow as we haue heard for their Ministers sickenesse and they much needed to be cheered and comforted The Apostle he vsed all diligence and after hee heard and knew of it he delaied not the time to cheere them and to comfort them But how hee might haue written his letters vnto them and therein signified their Ministers recouerie of his health and so haue cheered and comforted them But because he thought neither messenger nor letters nor any thing else would so much reioyce them as his presence with them and the sight of him because they thought they should neuer haue sent him againe therefore hee sent himselfe vnto them that when they should see him againe they might reioyce so taking the best course that hee could deuise to comfort them So we see in the example of Hushai before menâ—ioned when Dauid was in great distresse by Absolon his sonne Hushai came vnto him with purpose to go with him 2 Sam. 15.32.34 and in life or death not to leaue him But when it was thought that his friendshippe would be to better purpose vnto Dauid if he should returne vnto the Citie and bring the counsell of Ahitophel to nought he did that which was thought would be to the best purpose Right so if wee will approue our selues faithfull friends indeed as we must employ all diligence and carefulnesse in matters most needfull for our friend so must we do it to the best purpose wee can deuise For albeit diligence and carefulnesse in euery matter of our friend be very commendable in vs yet is it then worthily most commendable when it is imployed to the best purpose 1. When our care is specially bent to that which apparantly may be to our friends greatest good and comfort A matter of too too rare practise Few carefull of others good and of those few that will seeme sometimes to be carefull very few that will care for them in things most needfull and fewest of all that will in such sort care for them in things needfull as may be most behouefull for them If the course most behouefull for our friend be somewhat hurtfull for our selues wee will rather thinke of some other course then that whereby wee may so helpe our freind as that withall wee may not hurt our selues And so that wee shew our selues friends wee thinke it is well though we doe not so much as we should Well I wish wee would thinke of this example of our holy Apostle and as he was most diligent and carefull not onely to comfort the Philippians but in such sort to comfort them as they most desired so we would be diligent and carefull both to doe good vnto others and that likewise in such sort as they thereby might receiue the greatest good though happily our selues should be somwhat endamaged thereby What then happily you will say vnto mee was it such a commendable matter in the Apostle to send their Minister backe againe vnto them or was it such a pleasure vnto the Philippians to see their Minister againe It may be that some would stand at an answer to these questions in particular who shew but too plainely by their practise what they thinke or these questions in the generall For touching the Ministers in generall who is he that if his Minister be absent from his Church greatly longeth after him who is hee that if his Minister be sicke vnto death greatly wisheth his restoring vnto health who is he that if his Minister be absent and sick feares that he shall neuer see him againe or who is he that will take such a pleasure and ioy of heart in it if he shall see him again Some such God be thanked there are and God for his mercies sake encrease the number of them and his graces in them But generally if the Minister be such a one as makes a conscience of his waies amongst them as carefully feedes them with the bread of life and painefully leades them forth besides the waters of comfort such a one as will religiously call them vnto the sanctification of the Lord his Sabboth and restraine them of their meriment and sports and pleasures and wanton dalliances such a one as will sharpely reproue their sins boldly put them in minde of their duties and carefully reclaime them from such inordinate waies as they walke in such a one as we may very well presume this Epaphroditus was if the Minister I say be such a one generally
wee long not for his presence if he be absent generally wee sorow not for his sicknesse if he be sicke generally wee take no such pleasure either in his presence or in his life Nay rather if he be absent we will wish him farre enough and to tarie long enough and if he be sicke vnto death wee will reioyce and be glad at his death So farre short of these Philippians that were but newly planted in the Church and had but lately embraced the truth of Christ Iesus are wee who haue long enioyed the ministerie of the word and the bright light of the holy word of truth For so they accounted that the Apostle could not haue giuen a greater token of loue of them then to send their minister backe againe vnto them and it was the greatest pleasure and ioy of heart that might be vnto them to see their minister againe thorowly well and in good health And surely if we tooke that ioy and comfort in the word that we ought we would take more ioy and comfort in the Ministers of the word then we doe But how the Ministers of the word are to be accounted of we shall see in the handling of the next verse that followeth It now followeth And I might be the lesse sorowfull In these words the Apostle setteth downe a third cause or reason why hee sent their Minister vnto them with such diligence and speede And this cause respected himselfe For it was that hee might be the lesse sorowfull 1. That howsoeuer his sorowes after this should be some for some other things yet they might bee the â—esse when their ioyes were fulfilled by their Ministers presence and when their Minister should againe bee amongst them to labour amongst them In that then that the Apostle saith not and that I might be without sorow but onely and that I might be the lesse sorowfull Hence I gather this obseruation that the children of God are not much to hope nor greatly to seeke in this life to be quit and ridde of all sorow but it is enough for them if their sorowes be abated and if they haue lesse sorow then they deserue and then they are enabled to beare Ioh. 16.33 In the world saith our Sauiour ye shall haue affliction euen many-causes of sorow and griefe and vexation of spirit For so it is ordained that through many afflictions we should enter into the kingdome of God Act. 14.22 aâ— the Apostle saith And therefore our Sauiour Christ saith againe if any man will come after me let him denie himselfe Luc. 9.23 and take vp his crosse daily and follow mee Daily saith he For as one day followeth an other so one crosse followeth in the necke of an other Wee looke and hope for an holy citie Apoc. 21.4 the new Ierusalem where God shall wipe all teares from our eyes and where there shall be no more death neither sorow neither crying neither any more paine But that citie is not here on earth where we be but Pilgrimes it is in our Counâ—rey in heauen where we shall haue an abiding citie where we shall be euer with the Lord. Nay if it were here on earth we would not long for that in heauen Let vs not therefore looke in this life to be without all trouble or sorow or griefe Let vs rather consider how in this life our whole life is stained with many sinnes and how for our sinnes wee haue deserued not only death euerlasting after this life but troubles also and sorowes vnsupportable in this life And then when we see that we are not onely freed from that death by the death of Iesus Christ and by saith in his name but that our sorowes in this life are much lesse then we deserue let vs reioyce in the Lord and comfort our selues in his mercies that our troubles and sorowes are nothing in comparison of that wee haue deserued And againe let vs consider that howsoeuer our troubles and sorowes and griefes be many yet so onely they presse vs as that we are able to say with the Apostle 2 Cor. 4 8.9 We are affected on euerie side yet are we not in distresse in pouertie but not ouercome of pouertie we are persecuted but not forsaken cast downe but wee perish not c. And then when we see that our troubles and sorowes and griefes are no more but such as the Lord hath enabled vs to beare let vs reioyce in the Lord and comfort ourselues in his mercies towards vs who doth not suffer vs to be tempted aboue that wee be able but giueth the issue together with the tentation that we may be able to beare it For surely these are great mercies of the Lord towards vs that our sorowes are so lessened and abated that they are neither such as we haue deserued neither such but that wee are able to beare them by the power of him who doth strengthen vs hereunto And therefore though in this life we be not quite free from all troubles and sorowes yet let vs account this a great mercie of the Lord vnto vs that wee are lesse sorowfull that our sorowes are lesse then the desert of our sins and lesse then he enableth vs to beare But how was it that the Apostle should be lesse sorowfull by sending their Minister Epaphroditus vnto them because by his presence they should haue occasion to reioyce For as by their heauinesse for their Minister his sorow was encreased so againe by their reioycing for their Minister his sorow would be abated Here then we may obserue another notable qualitie of Christian loue and friendshippe Rom. 12.15 which is to weepe with them that weepe and to reioyce with them that reioyce A rule which the Apostle giueth all Christians to obserue keep from which who so declineth may seem therin to crosse euen nature it selfe For naturally we see that the members of our body are so affected one towards an other as that if one member suffer all suffer with it and if one be had in honour 1 Cor. 12.26 all the members reioyce with it How much more should it be so in the mysticall body of Christ Iesus that they who are ioyned together in one faith and in one baptisme should so likewise be ioyned together in loue and affection one towards an other that the sorow of one should be the sorow of an other and the ioy of one should be the ioy of another But I haue had occasion heretofore to obserue this note vnto you and therewithall the great want of this Christian loue in vs one towards another for that we are so farre from this duty as that we weepe and are sorie one at the prosperitie of another and againe laugh and reioyce one at the calamity of another If either by that or this instruction ye be taught in this dutie then practise it and if either by that or this admonition ye see your want in the performance of
which Paul preached vnto them were so as he preached For they hauing receiued the Scriptures in credit before were so to accept of those things which Paul preached vnto them if they were consonant to the holy Scriptures according to that of the same Apostle Gal. 1.9 If any man preach vnto you otherwise then that ye haue receiued let him be accursed then that ye haue receiued 1. Then that which God had promised before by his Prophets in the holy Scriptures as the same Apostle speaketh And as the men of Berea did Rom. 1.2 so wee read he willed the Thessalonians to doe where he said vnto them trie all things 1 Thes 5.21 and keepe that which is good where it is plaine by vers 12. that he speaketh not onely to the Pastors but also to the flocke So the Apostle Iohn in his Epistle vnto the faithfull dispersed Iewes saith dearely beloued belieue not euery spirit 1 Ioh. 4.1 but trie the spirits whether they are of God for many false Prophets are gone out into the world Where the Apostle deliuereth a generall doctrine that concerneth euery one of the faithfull as he will auoide the seducing and deceits of false Teachers which is that euery man should trie by such rules as the Scripture setteth downe who is a true or false Teacher which is true or false doctrine And therfore we see that the Apostle rebuketh the Galathians very sharpely because they had giuen place vnto false Apostles which corrupted the pure doctrin of Christ Gal. 3.1 and had suffered themselues to be seduced by them By which his sharpe reproofe of them hee plainely sheweth that they should haue tried and examined the doctrine which those false Apostles brought by that which he had taught them and so reiected that which was not agreeable vnto wholesome doctrine And what else meane those often admonitions in the Prophets vnto all the Iewes to beware of false Prophets Ier. 23.16 heare not saith Ieremy the words of the Prophets that prophecie vnto you and teach you vanitie they speake the vision out of their owne heart and not out of the mouth of the Lord heare them not How then Esa 8.20 what is to be done Esay telleth thee To the law and to the testimonie if they speake not according to this word it is because there is no light in them This then is to be done when the false Prophets and Teachers speake vnto you heare them not so as to rest on what they say but so heare them as that yee examine them by the law and by the testimonie and if they speake not according to this word surely they haue no knowledge but are blinde leaders of them and so account of them Thus then both by the commendable example of the men of Berea and by the precept of the Apostles Iohn and our Apostles and by the sharpe reproofe of the Galathians and by the warrant of the Prophets it doth and may appeare that euen all the faithfull children of God may and ought to trie and iudge by the Scriptures whether their teachers doctrine be true and so to reiect whatsoeuer they finde not agreeable to the Scriptures Yea but it will be said that this were to make the sheepe iudges of their shepheards and the people to controll their Ministers No not so but the people must heart their Ministers and obey them and be ordered by them which they will the more cheerefully doe when by searching the Scriptures they shall finde their Minister and Teachers doctrine to be the doctrine of the holy Ghost and not the inuention or tradition of men If the teachers bring not the truth thus their errors will indeed be descried and no reason that when they bring not the truth their doctrine should be receiued as sound and good But if they bring the truth by this search of the scriptures the truth which they bring is with the greater lacritie reuerenced and embraced and themselues the more honoured and esteemed Learne ye then men and brethren to make this vse of this doctrine 1. To beware of such as teach you otherwise then now we haue taught you Beware of such as will tell you that yee are not to meddle with the sense of the Scripture or to iudge of such doctrine as ye heare whether it be true or false but yee are onely to trie the spirits by taking knowledge of them to whom God hath giuen the gift of discerning spirits and by obeying the Church to whom Christ hath giuen the spirit of truth and this Church say they is the Church of Rome By this that ye haue heard ye see that such are false Teachers deceiuing and being deceiued 2. Learne hence to be diligent in reâ—ding and in hearing the Scriptures that so ye may be able to trie the spirits Ioh. 5.39 In the Scriptures as saith our Sauiour wee thinke to haue eternall life and by meditating therein wee shall easily skill of those that would lead vs out of the right way that guideth to eternall life Let vs therefore exercise our selues in the doctrine of the Gospell of Iesus Christ which we haue receiued and let vs marke them diligently which cause diuision and offences contrarie to the doctrine which we haue learned and let vs auoid them yea if any come vnto vs and bring not this doctrine 2 Ioh. 10. let vs not receiue him nor bid him God speede let vs haue no familiarity with him but let vs abandon all fellowshippe with him The 2. thing which here I note is the Apostles often iteration of this caueat vnto the Philippians admonishing them agaâ—ne and againe euen three times to beware of false Teachers Whence we may obserue how needfull a matter it is for vs to take heed of false Teachers which seeke to seduce vs from that doctrine which wee haue learned in the Gospell of Christ Iesus Which thing as this often iteration of this caueat may confirme vnto vs so this circumstance also euen in this matter that the Apostle hauing often before by word of mouth warned them of false Teachers yet aduentured the reproofe if they should blame him for warning them againe by writing Againe when our Apostle tooke his last farewell of seeing the Ephesians any more how carefully did he warne them of false Teachers Take heede saith hee Act. 20.28 29.31 vnto your selues c. For I know this that after my departing shall grieuous wolues c. Therefore watch and remember that by the space of three yeares I ceased not to warne euery one both night and day with teares He beginnes with take heede vnto your selues hee ends with watch and remember c. as if this taking heede of false Teachers were a thing most needfull for them to be diligent in And our Sauiour Christ Mar. 8.15 Take heed and beware of the leauen of the Pharises and of the leauen of Herod Where willing his Disciples to beware of the contagious
doctrine of those that laboured to subuert his Gospell the word of our saluation he satisfieth not himselfe with saying take heede or beware but for the better impression of his caueat he ioyneth both together and saith take heede and beware In which places the very carefull admonitions of our Sauiour Christ and of our Apostle expressed by so many ingeminations sometimes of beware beware beware some times of take heed watch and remember sometimes of take heede and beware doe most euidently shew what a needfull thing it is for vs to take diligent heede of false Teachers least any of vs bee seduced by their inticing speeches from that doctrine which wee haue learned in the Gospell of Christ Iesus And sure it is a thing no lesse needfull for vs now then at any time heretofore it hath been to beware of false Teachers For haue we not now many euery where which creepe into houses 2 Tim. 3.6 and lead captiue simple women laden with sinnes and led with diuers lusts haue we not now many euery where which compasse sea and land to make one of their profession Math. 23.15 so to make him twofold more the childe of hell then they themselues are haue we not now many euery where by whom the way of truth is euill spoken of and such as with fained words would make marchandize of your soules haue we not now men arising euen of our owne selues and speaking peruerse things to draw disciples after them yes my brethren Rome and Rhemes sweare many and send them vnto vs as to draw vs from our allegiance vnto our Soueraigne so to corrupt our sincere mindes with their poysoned doctrines And these wander vp and downe secretly and in corners speaking euill of the way of truth and leading back againe as many as they can vnto the abominations of Egipt Againe others there are arising of our selues who whether seduced by others or through malecontentednesse or by the iust iudgement of God blinded that they cannot see the light or howsoeuer else bewitched but many others are euen arising of our selues who priuily sow cursed tares in this field of the Lord who first closely slaunder the truth and the most godly and Christian professors thereof and then afterward closing in farther with you draw you on by little and little till at length be drunke with the cuppe of their fornications Many such I say there are amongst vs and therefore very needfull it is for vs to take heed and beware of them Yea but how shall we know them they professe Christ and the same Apostolique Creed with vs they admit the Canonicall Scriptures as we doe they say they condemne idolatrie and superstition as we doe how then shall we know them They come indeed in sheepes clothing but inwardly they are rauening wolues by their fruits yee shall know them They may well be called as these false Teachers among the Philippians dogs euill workers the concision For my 3. note therefore and obseruation from these words I will briefly hence gather certaine notes whereby yee may know and discerne false Teachers LECTVRE L. PHILIP 3. Vers 2.3 Beware of Dogges beware of euill workers beware of the concision For we are the circumcision which worship God in the spirit c. IN this exhortation or caueat in that the Apostle noteth these false Teachers which were crept in amongst the Philippians by the name of dogs of euill workers and of the concision I obserue certaine notes whereby to descry and discerne false Teachers euen such as it is very needefull for vs to take heede of and to beware 1. Therefore it is a note of false Teachers euer like dogs to be barking and snarling against the truth and against the professors thereof For this they take of dogs euen vpon no reason to be barking and they thinke the field halfe wonne if they can fasten any slaunder vpon the truth or vpon those that haue beene or are chiefe professors thereof If this in this place of our Apostle be not happily enough to satisfie some touching this note of false Teachers the Apostle Peter also giueth the very same note of false Teachers where hee saith That as bruit beasts led with sensualitie 2 Pet. 2.12 and made to be taken and destroyed they speake euill of those things which they know not euen of the way of truth which they know not and of the Profâ—ssors thereof whom they cannot brooke Such were those false Teachers that troubled the Church of Corinth both calling into doubt a chiefe article of our faith the resurrection of the dead and likewise speaking very contemptibly of the Apostle Paul himselfe traducing him vnto the people as one rude in speech and one that had no gifts of knowledge or of wisedome as we may plainely see by his first Epistle to the Corinthians Marke then I beseech you who now at this day they are that speake euill of the way of truth and of the Professors thereof Who are they now that tell you that the Scripture conteineth not all thingâ— necessarie to be belieued to saluation that tell you that the holy Scriptures though truely translated into vulgar tongues may not be read indifferently of all men for feare of great harme that may ensue thereupon Who are they now that tell you that the reading of the Scriptures is the very bâ—ne of religion and vertue and good life among vs Do not these speake euill of the way of truth euen of the holy word of truth Againe who are they now that fill their mouthes with as bitter words and odious speeches as out of their malicious hearts they can against Luther Caluin Martyn Beza and the like Who are they now that speake so contemptibly against the Ministers of the Gospell as that they fill your eares with all mannes of euill sayings against them Whosoeuer euer they be that thus speake euill of the truth and of the Professors thereof they haue a marke of false Teachers Marke them therefore diligently and beware and take heede of them A second note of false teachers it is like dogges principally to respect their bellies and more to serue their owne bellies then the Lord Iesus Christ for this they take of dogges to be so rauenous and greedie for the bellie as that through couetousnesse with fained words they make merchandise of mens soules This note of false teachers our Apostle also giues in the epistle to the Romans here hauing exhorted the Romans to beware of false Apostles and Teachers he giueth them this note to know them by They that are such saith he Rom. 16.18 serue not the Lord Iesus Christ but their owne bellies and with faire speech and flattering deceiue the hearts of the simple They serue their owne bellies that is they seeke their owne gaine and respect their owne aduantage in their profession of religion And the Apostle Peter likewise giues the same note of them where he saith that they haue hearts exercised with
why should I not receiue instruction from him Thus I say they should consider and cause their eares to hearken vnto wisdome and incline their heart vnto vnderstanding Pro. 2.2 But what doe they Forsooth if such a one as was wrapped in their errors would now draw them from their errors they disdaine him the most of all other and they cry away with the Apostata away with the reuolter we will not heare him our soule loatheth him And might not the Iewes euen with the very same reason haue dealt so with the Apostle and so cried after him Againe if such a one as was delighted in their follies whatsoeuer would now draw them from their follies doe they not by and by say Oh sir how long haue you been of this minde Are you so quickly become so precise that now you cannot brooke these things Not long since you were as we are and ere long happily will be againe in the meane time you may talke where you may be heard but we will walke in our old wayes And might not the Iewes euen with the very same reason haue said thus to the Apostle Surely they that send away such as arising of themselues seeke to reclaime them from their errors or their follies with such answers they doe therein iustifie the Iewes neither suffer they the consideration of this wisdome of our God whâ—reof we haue spoken to sinke into their hearts Well let vs consâ—der it and as it doth or may concerne vs so make these vses of it 2. Here I note that the Apostle to represse the insolencie of those that boasted in outward things without Christ spareth not to speake of such prerogatiues as he had touching the flesh and in such to preferre himselfe before the best of them Whence I obserue that in some cases the children of God may stand vpon their owne commendation and are not to spare to speake of such blessings outward or inward as the Lord hath bestowed vpon them aboue their brethren Our holy Apostle we see did it very often In the lattet to the Corinthians chap. 11. 2 Cor. 11. we see how largely he speaketh of the excellency of his ministerie of his gifts of knowledge of his diligence in his office of the noblenesse of his birth of the auncientnes of his stocke of his patience of his constancie of his manifold sufferings for Christ his sake 12. and in chap. 12. of his visions and reuelations which were shewed him of the Lord. So likewise in the Epistle to the Galathians Galat. 1.2 we see how he magnifieth his office and Apostleship standing vpon it that he was in nothing inferior to the chiefe Apostles but withstood Peter the Apostle of the Iewes to his face Where also he boasteth of his profiting in the Iewish religion aboue many of his companions 1.14 and of his zealousnes of the traditions of his fathers Act. 22.26 Like places vnto these we haue in the Acts where we see the like practise of the Apostle But was it that moued the Apostle herevnto Was it ambition and vaine affectation of his owne praises that moued him No surely he was as himselfe often saith euen compelled therevnto partly to represse the insolencies of those that laboured to vndermine his authoritie and partly to quit and cleare himselfe of such false caui lations as were laid against him and partly to confirme such weake brethren as such arguments of commendation might somewhat preuaile with Thus then we see that the children of God warranted by the example of the Apostle may speake euen freely of such blessings as the Lord in mercy towards them hath bestowed vpon them aboue others of their brethren But may they in euery case and vpon euery occasion breake forth into their owne praises No certainely they may not but onely in some cases As 1. when they are so vilified and disgraced and discountenanced their authoritie so impeached their gifts so nullified their persons so contemned as that thereby not onely themselues are iustly offended but Gods name likewise dishonoured then may they euen boast themselues of such mercies outward or inward as the Lord hath vouchsafed vnto them So our Apostle did when the false Apostles laboured to disgrace him with the Corinthians and the Galathians as hauing no authoritie no gifts of knowledge or eloquence 2. When they see that the proud insolencie of their aduersaries that exalt themselues against the knowledge of God cannot otherwise be repressed So our Apostle did when the false Apostles did so insolently brag as if they had all knowledge and all wisdome and all vnderstanding 3. When they which otherwise should giue them that testimonie which is due vnto them doe it not the glory of God requiring it then may they breake out into their owne praise And this our Apostle sheweth to be one cause why he boasted himselfe where he saith 2 Cor. 12.11 I was a foole to haue boasted my selfe but yee haue compelled me for I ought to haue beene commended of you Because therefore the Corinthians gaue him not that testimonie which was due vnto him therefore hee was compelled to boast himselfe 4. When they see that their boasting may make for the edification of the Church of Christ Iesus then may they boast themselues So our Apostle here boasteth himselfe as to represse thereby the insolencie of the false teachers so partly to teach the Philippians that seeing he hauing such prerogatiues aboue others touching the flesh yet counted all those things but euen dung and losse they also by his example should doe so In all these cases the children of God may and ought to speake and euen to glory and boast of such blessings as God hath bestowed vpon them aboue their brethren Touching this whole point I giue these two caueats first that they doe not hunt after occasions and opportunities to praise themselues but that then only they doe so when they are euen driuen and compelled so to doe by such occasions as now we haue spoken of or the like secondly that when they praise themselues being compelled thereunto they doe it not in affectation of their owne praise but for the praise and glory of almightie GOD. Here then let not any proud Pharisie or any ambitious Diâ—trephes shrowde himselfe vnder the couert of the Apostle as if his example might serue to him for any defence of his ambition or pharisaicall contempt of others Let not that man of sinne herevpon exalt himselfe aboue all that is called God or that is worshipped All such proud and vaine and ambitious spirits as vainely glory in their pedigree in their honor in their riches in their wisdome in their holinesse in their zeale or the like they sauour not of Pauls spirit but rather of Lucifers spirit Whosoeuer otherwise boast themselues then being compelled therevnto whosoeuer otherwise breake out into their owne praises then onely vnto the praise and glory of God they may well talke of Pauls boasting
but they know not what it meaneth and as much may be said for the proud contemning Pharisie as can be said for such men Luk. 18.11 Beware therfore of ambition and vaine-glory for it shutteth from God as witnesseth our Sauiour where he saith vnto the Iewes Iâ—h 5.44 how can yee beleeue which receiue honour one of another and seeke not the honour that commeth of God alone Let vs therefore speake with gladnes of the blessings which the Lord hath vouchsafed vnto vs and if neede be let vs glory and boast of them but euer remembring that which is written he that reioyceth 1 Cor. 1.31 let him reioyce in the Lord. To glory in the mercies of the Lord towards vs affecting our owne praise and glory is pharisaicall hypocriticall and wicked but in some cases so to doe to the praise and glory of God is both lawfull and very requisite I will end this point if in one word I shalâ— answer one doubt which is how the Apostle should reckon it amongst his externall praises and arguments of confidence in the flesh that he persecuted the Church of God This no doubt was a great and grieuous sinne to persecute the Church of God as our Apostle acknowledgeth where he saith I was a blasphemer 1 Tim 1.13 and a persecutor and an oppressor but I was receiued to mercy But we must remember that the Apostle had to doe with those that would seeme to be very zealous of the law He mentioneth therefore his persecution of the Church onely to proue that he was as zealous of the law as the best of them Which zeale they highly accounted of as also hee did before his conversion though now he condemned it In respect therefore of them and likewise in respect of his owne opinion before his conuersion his so feruent zeale that he persecuted the Church of God is reckoned amongst his praises And the same is likewise to be said of all the rest as hereafter we shall shew 3. Here I note that the Apostle to proue that he might haue confidence in the flesh if he would as well as the best reckoneth whatsoeuer outward things the Iewes most stood vpon or could indeede bee stood vpon as circumcision great kinred ancient continuance therein euen from Abraâ—am the Ebrew noblenesse of Tribe religiousnesse of profession feruencie of zeale and most precise obseruation of the commandements and ordinances of the law Whence I obserue that to haue confidence in any outward thing without Christ whatsoeuer is to haue confidence in the flesh This is proued because whatsoeuer outward thing without Christ is termed flesh both here as this discourse proueth and else where in the very like forme of speech as where the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 11.18 seeing that many reioyce after the flesh I will reioyce also Now what are the things that here he reioyceth in Surely many of them the selfe-same things that here the Apostle speaketh of and besides other things also as hunger thirst cold nakednesse stripes imprisonment stoning persecution and the like all which he comprehendeth in the name of flesh affirming that hee reioyceth in the flesh when hee reioyceth in these things As then to reioyce in any outward thing without CHRIST is to reioyce in the flesh so likewise to haue confidence in any outward thing without Christ is to haue confidence in the flesh Let this then teach vs not to haue confidence in any outward thing whatsoeuer without Christ Thou art baptâ—zed it is well so was Simon Magus Act. 8.13 1 Pet. 3.21 It is not the putting away of the filth of the bodie that saueth vs but in that a good conscience maketh request to God Thou hast eaten at the Lord his table it is well so no doubt did Iudas Hee that eateth and drinketh worthily is made one with CHRIST and CHRIST with him but hee that eateth and drinketh vnworthily eateth and drinketh his owne damnation 1 Cor. 11.29 Thou art borne of holy and godly Parents it is well so were ISMAEL and ESAV They which are the children of the flesh Rom. 9.8 are not the children oâ— God but the children of the promise are counted for the seede Thou art of an holy profession It is well so was Demaâ— Holinesse of profession commendeth not vnto God but an heart purified by faith which worketh through loue Thou distributest to the poore and doest many good things it is well Mat. 19 20 1 Cor. 13.3 so did the Pharisies and the yong man in the Gospell Though I feede the poore with all my goods and though I giue my bodie to be burned and haue not loue it profiteth me nothing In a word there is nothing vnder heauen without Christ that doth profit vs so that we should reioyce or haue confidence in it Act 4.12 for among men there is giuen none other name vnder heauen whereby we must be saued but onely by the name of Christ Iesus Let vs therefore trust perfectly on the grace that is brought vnto vs by the reuelation of Christ Iesus and let vs haue no confidence in any outward thing without Christ whatsoeuer no not in the outward action of receiuing the sacrament of baptisme or of the Lord his supper For if we haue then haue we confidence in the flesh and if we haue confidence in the flesh we reioyce not in Christ Iesus and if we reioyce not in Christ Iesus we worship not God in the spirit and if we worship not God in the spirit we are not circumcised with the true circumcision and if we be not circumcised with the true circumcision we belong not to the couenant of grace O Lord blesse thy word vnto vs which now we haue heard with our outward eares Such of vs as it hath pleased thee to reclaime from any error in opinion or folly in life make vs carefull of reforming such errors and follies in others and such of vs as are yet holden with any error or folly we beseech thee so to frame vs after thy will that we may hearken vnto wisdome and incline our hearts to vnderstanding Remoue farre from vs all vaine affectation of our owne praises and open our mouthes to set forth thy praises so oft as shall bee meete for thy glory Weyne vs O Lord from all confidence in any outward thing whatsoeuer and settle all our confidence in thy selfe and on thy sonne Christ Iesus to whom c. LECTVRE LIII PHILIP 3. Vers 7.8 But the things that were vantage vnto mee the same I counted losse for Christ his sake Yea doubtlesse I thinke all things losse c. BVt the things c. In these words the Apostle goeth forward and shewes that albeit hee had as good cause and greater of confidence and reioycing in the flesh and in things without Christ then had either those false Teachers or the best of the Iewes whatsoeuer yet now since the knowledge of Christ Iesus and his righteousnesse was reuealed
mercies towards vs. It was not then the sinnes â—hich he had done which he forgat but he forgat euen all the â—od things that he had done lest by taking too great pleaâ—â—re in the remembrance of them hee should not follow so â—â—rd towards the marke as he ought Yea but if hee forgat all â—e good things that he had done how doth hee so often reâ—ember them in diuers his epistles I haue saith he Rom 15.17 whereof may reioyce in Christ Iesus in those things which pertaine to God â—nd then hee speakes of the obedience of the Gentiles by his â—inisterie and of his diligence in preaching where Christ had â—ot beene named c. And againe 1 Cor. 15.10 His grace saith he in mee â—s not in vaine but I laboured more abundantly then they all â—nd in his latter epistle he shewed himselfe so little forgetfull 〈◊〉 them 2 Cor. 11. that he makes a large bedrowle of such things as hee â—â—d suffered for Christ his sake True indeed he forgat them â—ot when the remembrance of them did make for the glory â—f Christ Iesus or the necessary defence oâ— his ministerie and â—postleship but he forgat them in respect of any such vse as â—e false teachers taught to make of such things Hee was not â—â—oud of them he challenged no perfection by them he repoâ—â—d no confidence in them he did not thinke of any merit by â—â—em but in these respects he quite forgat them lest by such â—â—membrance of them he should be hindered in the race that â—e was running Thus then yee how see how the Apostle running 〈◊〉 his race did forget that which was behinde And hence I obserue that in the Christian race which wee â—e to runne wee are not to looke backe on the pleasures of â—e flesh or the things of the world or any good that we haue â—one to repose any confidence therein but wee are quite to â—orget euery thing which any way may hinder vs in our race â—owards the marke that is set before vs. For as our Sauiour â—â—ith No man that putteth his hand to the plough and looketh â—â—cke is apt to the kingdome of God Remember Lots wife shee â—â—rned backe and was turned into a pillar of salt Remember the â—hildren of Israel Num. 1 they turned backe in their hearts after the â—esh-pots of Egypt and they were ouerthrowne in the wilderâ—esse Are yee so foolish saith the Apostle to the Galatians Gâ—â— that â—fter yee haue begunne in the spirit yee would now be made perf ct by the flesh 2 Pet. 2.20 21. It had beene better saith Peter not to haue knowne the way of righteousnesse then after wee haue knowne it to turnâ— away from the holy commandement The reason is giuen by the same Apostle For if after wee haue escaped from the filthinesse of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and of the Sauiour Iesus Christ wee be yet againe tangled therein and ouercome the latter end is worse then the beginning Being then in the race of the spirit we may not looke backe vnto the flesh and hauing tasted of the good word of God we may not turne away from the holy commandement lest a worse thing come vnto vs. Now then will yee know who they are that looke backe and turne aside out of the right way wherein they should walke Surely all they that set their affections on the things which are on the earth and not on the things which are aboue for hauing giuen our names vnto God in our Baptisme we haue renounced the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes the pride of life the things of the world the deuill and all his workes If then wee shall suffer our selues to be snared with any of these wee looke backe yea if wee loue father or mother if wee loue wife or children more then Christ wee looke backe ye◠〈◊〉 wee repose any confidence in any good that we haue done or in any crosse that wee haue suffered wee looke backe wee doe not forget that which is behinde for so saith our Sauiour He that loueth father or mother Matt. 10.37 sonne or daughter more then mee iâ— not worthy of mee Not worthy of him Why Because when he should looke forward vnto Christ hee lookes backe vnto these Rom 9.32 And the Apostle saith that Israel attained not vnto the Law of righteousnesse because they sought it not by faith but as it were by the workes of the Law that is because they looked not straight forward with the eyes of faith vnto Iesus the author and finisher of our faith but looked backe vpon the merits of their workes to be made righteous thereby They reposed the confidence of their righteousnesse in the workes of the Law and therein looked backe vnto the Law when they should haue looked forward by faith vnto Christ So that if wee repose any confidence in our workes like ill runners wee lookâ— backe What shall wee say then vnto those merit-mongers that looke to gaine heauen by the merit of their workes They â—â—ke pleasure in such workes as they haue done they are as â—uch in loue with them as euer Samson was with Delilah Iudg. 16. they 〈◊〉 their life in the lappe of their workes and reioyce in them in the crowne of their life Iudge then how they runne in â—e Christian race whether they haue forgotten all behinde â—em whether they looke not backe vnto that which is beâ—â—nde You will easily iudge and ye will easily see that because â—ey sleepe on the knees of their workes as of their Delilah â—â—d lay their life in the lappe of their workes they are very â—â—e to be betraied into the hands of their cruell enemies the â—euill and his Angels and to haue farre lesse comfort of their â—e then euer had Samson What shall we say likewise vnto those that with Demas emâ—â—ace this present world and incline their hearts vnto coueâ—â—usnesse which is idolatrie Vnto those that liue at ease in â—â—on and eat and drinke and fill themselues with pleasures â—retching themselues vpon their beds rising vp to play singâ—â—g to the sound of the Viole inuenting to themselues instruâ—ents of musicke and in a word so liuing as if they thought â—â—at either now they must take their pleasure or else they â—ust neuer haue it Are not all these badde runners Haue â—hese forgotten that which is behinde Doe they not looke â—acke The point is easily answered it is a cleere case Yea â—any bad runners there are in the Christian race euen so maâ—y as there are lookers backe vnto honour wealth pleasure â—rofit ease fauour and whatsoeuer the world esteemeth of As for vs men and brethren let vs so runne that wee may obâ—aine and therefore let vs cast away euery thing that presseth â—owne and the sinne that hangeth so fast on let vs abandon â—uery thing which may hinder vs in our race let vs not looke â—acke vnto honours riches pleasures profits
vnto that righteousnesse which is of God through faith to the end I say that he might bring the Iewes from those outward things of the flesh vnto the inward knowledge of Christ Iesus he raised vp to this purpose this holy Apostle that he being a manfully furnished with all prerogatiues in all such outward thingâ— as they reioyced in might both be of greater authoritie with them and likewise haue the greater possibilitie to draw them from workes vnto grace from the law vnto Christ For if it had beene so that he had perswaded them to renounce all confidence in the flesh and to reioyce onely in Christ Iesus hauing himselfe no cause of confidence in the flesh they might happily lightly haue esteemed him and thought that because himselfe had nothing touching the flesh whereof to reioyce therefore he enuied them and perswaded them to renounce all confidence in the flesh But when now they should see that he that thus perswaded them was one that had greater cause of confidence in the flesh then had the best of them they must needs likewise see that surely his perswasions proceeded from a certaine and sound iudgment and not from any conceited opinion or hatefull enuy So we see that to teach men that pleasures and sumptuous buildings and riches and possessions and the like were all but vanitie and vexation of the spirit he stirred vp Salomon who hauing had his fill of all kinde of pleasures which either his eye Eccles 2. or his heart could desire and hauing built goodly houses and great workes and hauing gathered great riches and treasures and gotten large possessions aboue all that were before him in Ierusalem was so fit to teach that lesson that he saying of all those things that they were but vanitie and vexation of the spirit the truth thereof might the rather be beleeued So likewise when the Church had sate now a long time in the darknesse of Romish Egypt and had beene bewitched as with many other grosse errors so with this of iustification by workes and merits of their owne making we see that to purge the Church of these pestilent diseases he raised vp not many yeares ago in Germanie that reuerend Luther who hauing beene a long time more pharisaicall and zealous in those monkish waies and doctrines then the common sort of his order and hauing liued as Erasmus witnesseth Epist lib. 5. Melan. l. 6. Wolsac so that none of all his enemies could euer charge him with any note of iust reprehension might so much the rather preuaile with the Church to draw them from those dreames and dregs of superstition and idolatrie wherein they were drowned And thus oftentimes it seemeth good to the wisdome of our God to the end that he may the rather draw his people either from errors in opinion or corruptions in life to raise vp of themselues some such as haue as deeply beene drencht in those errors which they maintaine and delighted asmuch in those follies which they follow as they themselues that when they shall disclaime such and such errors or renounce such and such follies the rest may the rather hearken vnto them and be induced by them to disclaime their errors and to renounce their follies Whence I make this double vse 1. This may teach them whom it hath pleased the Lord to reclaime from error in opinion or folly in life to consider why the Lord hath thus in mercy dealt with them and accordingly to performe such duties vnto the Lord as are required of them Art thou then called out of the darknesse of Romish Egypt vnto the glorious light of the Gospell of Iesus Christ Art thou freed from the bondage of that Romish Pharaoh into the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God by the day-starre arising in thine heart It is a great mercy of the Lord vnto thee thus to deliuer thy soule from death and thy feete from sliding But consider thou whether the Lord hath not also in wisdome done this that thou hauing beene nusled vp in their superstitious errors and as egerly maintained them as they shouldst now labour to draw them out of darknesse into light and from vaine confidence in the flesh to reioyce in Christ Iesus What doest thou know but that the Lord therefore suffered thee for a while to sit in darknes and in the shadow of death that when afterward the day-starre should â—rise in thine heart thou mightest both labour the more with them and likewise be in the better possibilitie to preuaile with hem Follow thou therefore the example of this holy Apostle and labour to weyne them as from other their errors so from confidence in their workes and in merits of their owne making that they may reioyce wholly in Christ Iesus and onely put their trust in his name Againe hast thou haunted with vaine persons and beene delighted in the companie of the wicked hast thou runne with a theefe when thou sawest him and beene partaker with the adulterers hast thou giuen thy money vnto vsury or taken reward against the innocent haue thine hands wrought or thy feete runne vnto or thy thought deuised or thy heart consented vnto this or that sinne or iniquitie and hath the Lord now reclaimed thee It is a great mercy of the Lord no doubt vnto thee But consider thou whether the Lord hath not also in wisdome done this that thou mightest draw them with whom sometimes thou sortedst thy selfe vnto a reformation of their waies What knowest thou but that he hath reclaimed thee from such and such inordinate waies that hauing walked with them thou mightest be the meanes of reforming them As it hath pleased the Lord therefore to reclaime euery man from any error in opinion or folly in life so let him labour to reforme such errors or follies in them whom hee knowes to be intangled with them euer remembring that of our Sauiour vnto Peter when thou art conuerted strengthen thy brethren Luk. 22.32 and likewise that that he which converteth a sinner from going astray out of his way Iam. 5.20 saueth a soule from death and hideth a multitude of sinnes 2. This may teach them that are as yet holden with any error in opinion or folly in life to hearken vnto those whom the Lord hath raised euen of themselues to admonish them of their errors or of their follies For thus they should consider with themselues He was so affected as now I am and had as great skill and will to maintaine those things which now he doth oppugne as I haue and if the Lord haue now reuealed vnto him that which as yet he hath kept hid from mine eyes who am I that I should not hearken vnto him Againe he was so delighted as now I am and did runne after such sinnes and iniquities as he now speaketh against as now I doe and if the Lord haue now so lightned his eyes that he both seeth the folly of his owne waies and calleth me from the like