in Christ Iesus For our better instruction in which point of our reioycing in Christ Iesus let vs in the next place hence obserue that to reioice in Christ Iesus is not onely to repose our whole trust and confidence in him as in the horne of our saluation to make our boast of him and to tell of all the wondrous workes that hee hath done for vs with gladnesse but withall to renounce all confidence in the flesh and in any outward thing whatsoeuer For these are things which cannot stand together reioicing in Christ Iesus and reposing our confidence in any outward thing whatsoeuer for if we reioice in Christ Iesus then wee repose the whole confidence of our saluation and euery part thereof vpon him and him alone and if wee repose our whole or any part of the confidence of our saluation on any outward thing and not on Christ Iesus alone then we doe not indeed reioice in Christ Iesus This the Apostle plainly sheweth Gal. 5.4 where he saith that whosoeuer are iustified by the Law they are fallen from grace that is whosoeuer seeke for their righteousnesse by the workes of the Law or hope to be saued by them they are fallen from grace Christ profiteth them nothing Let them looke vnto this that trust vnto their merits to be saued by them Surely the conclusion from this place of our Apostle lieth very hard vpon them For hence thus I gather They that haue confidence of their saluation by their merits or by any outward thing whatsoeuer and not only by Christ Iesus they reioice not in Christ Iesus They that reioice not in Christ Iesus they worship not God in the spirit They that worship not God in the spirit they are not circumcised with the true and spirituall circumcision Ergo they that haue confidence of their saluation by their merits they are not circumcised with the true and spirituall circumcision Where in my iudgement the conclusion is as ineuitable as hard If they answer that the Apostle maketh no mention of the merit of workes and therefore nothing can hence be concluded against the merit of workes I answer againe that by the name of flesh in this place of our Apostle is vnderstood not only the circumcision of the flesh or other ceremonies of the Law but all the workes of the Law all mans merits whatsoeuer euen all outward things whatsoeuer Which is plaine by the antithesis and opposition in this place betweene Christ and the flesh and likewise by that that followeth in the Apostle For first where he saith Wee reioyce in Christ Iesus and haue no confidence in the flesh in that he denieth that they haue any confidence in the flesh what else is his meaning but that they haue no confidence in any thing but only in Christ Iesus so reioicing in him as that they put their whole confidence in him Againe when he shewes afterwards what he meanes by the flesh hee speaketh not only of the circumcision of the flesh but of his tribe of his stocke of his religion of his zeale yea and lest hee should seeme to leaue out any thing without Christ wherein he had any confidence hee speaketh expressely of all things without Christ that for Christ he counteth all things losse So that the conclusion though most hard will not be auoided but that they that trust to be saued by their merits are not circumcised with the true and spirituall circumcision but are as yet strangers from the couenant of promise and haue no inheritance among the sonnes of God Let vs therefore men and brethren renounce all confidence in any thing without Christ whatsoeuer and let vs trust only in the merits of Christ Iesus He alone is made of God vnto vs wisdome and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption he hath purchased vs with his owne bloud he is set for euer at the right hand of the throne of God to make intercession for vs and through him alone we receiue all the blessing that wee haue either for this life or that that is to come Let vs therefore reioice in him and not in any thing without him Hee that beleeueth in him beleeueth in him that sent him and hee that loueth him loueth him that sent him and hee that obeyeth him obeyeth him that sent him and he that glorifieth him glorifieth him that sent him Let vs therefore worship him with all holy worship and so shall wee worship God in the spirit and so shall we be able truly to say with the Apostle We are the circumcision which worship God in the spirit and reioice in Christ Iesus and haue no confidence in the flesh Circumcise O Lord wee beseech thee the foreskinnes of our hearts with the finger of thy holy spirit that we may worship thee in spirit and in truth that we may reioyce in thy Sonne Christ Iesus as in the horne of our saluation renouncing all confidence in any thing without him whatsoeuer O Lord purge vs daily more and more from all inordinate affections and vnbridled desires which any way may draw vs from thee or hinder vs in thy seruice renew in vs right spirits that wee may worship thee not after the fond deuices of our owne braine but in spirit and in truth after the rule of thy holy word and so sanctifie vs with thy holy spirit that abandoning all worldly confidence whatsoeuer wee may wholly and only reioyce in thy Sonne Christ Iesus for euer LECTVRE LII PHILIP 3. Vers 4.5.6 Though I might also haue confidence in the flesh If any other men thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust NOw the Apostle in these words proposeth vnto them his owne example as an embrace of that truth touching mans righteousnesse and saluation which they were to embrace and follow from this verse to the fifteenth And first he shewes that he for his part reposeth no trust or confidence of his righteousnesse or saluation in the circumcision of the flesh or in the workes of the Law or in any thing without Christ whatsoeuer and then that Christ alone is all his righteousnesse and the horne of his saluation In these verses that I haue read vnto you the Apostle first shewes that if he would or thought it meet to reioyce in the flesh he had as good cause so to doe nay better cause so to doe then any of them that reioiced in the flesh had 2. He shewes that albeit hee might haue as good confidence in the flesh as the best yet hee now counted of all those things not only as vnprofitable but as hurtfull vers 7.8 Whereby the Apostle both represseth the insolencie of those false teachers that boasted so much and yet had not so much cause as hee had of boasting touching the flesh and likewise lets the Philippians see that seeing hee hauing such prerogatiues aboue others touching the flesh yet counted all things without Christ euen but dung and losse they also should doe so and therefore should not regard
such power with God And â—herefore ye see how often the Apostle requesteth the praiâ—rs of the Church for him as Ephes 6.18 Colossi 4.3 â— Thes 3.1 And in his Epistle to Philemon there hee proâ—esseth as here he doth that he trusteth through their prayâ—rs to be giuen vnto them by deliuerance out of his bands â—herein commending himselfe to their prayers A good lesson for vs to stirre vs vp vnto publique and priuate prayer both for our selues and for others seeing they are so powerfull with God as to bring his blessings and graces both vpon our selues and vpon others And this lesson is as needfull as it is good especially in this our day wherein there is such neglect both of publique and priuate prayer vnto the Lord. Priuate praier so rare that if it be vsed by any it is noted by many and they straight way censured as thinking themselues more holy then other men And publique prayer so little regarded by some that verie seldome they are present with the congregation in publique prayer I cannot stand of it Only I say he that neglecteth the meanes vnto grace he shall neuer finde grace Secondly hence I obserue a dutie of the Church in publique prayer which is to pray for the afflicted members of Christ Iesuâ— for the Apostle in saying that he knew that this should turne to his saluation through their praiers therin stirreth them to pray for him And see the points wherein the Church is to commend them in their prayers vnto God As first that the Lord may turne their affliction and trouble to their saluation Secondly that hee will helpe them by his holy spirit in euerie needefull time of trouble Thirdly that they may so stand in the defence of the truth of Christ Iesus that in nothing they may bee ashamed Fourthly that the Lord will strentghen them with strong faith and hope in him Fiftly that Christ may be glorified in their body whether it bee by life or death Thus the Church should pray and thus the afflicted should desire the Church to pray LECTVRE XVI PHILIP I. Verse 19. And by the helpe of the holy spirit of Iesus Christ 20. As I feruently looke for and hope that in nothing I shall bee ashamed but that with all confidence as alwaies so now Christ shall bee magnified in my bodie whether it bee by life or by death ONe thing hence I obserue which is that not for our prayers or for the praiers of the Church for vs but through our praiers and through the praiers of the Church for vs the Lord giueth his grace vnto vs. And therefore the Apostle saith Vers 22. I know that this shall turne to my saluation through your prayers not for your praier And to Philemon I trust through your prayers I shall be giuen vnto you Neither doe wee euer reade that for our prayers as for the merit and worth of them any grace is giuen vnto any Neither doe I build this note vpon this ground as if because it is said through therefore it cannot be for our prasyers For I know that we are saued through Iesus Christ and yet for Iesus Christ euen for his merits sake so that the phrase barely considered canot inferre the note but hereon it is builded taht it is so said through that neither euer it is nor can be said that for our praiers any grace 〈◊〉 giuen vnto vs. For not for our praiers sake not for the â—erit and worth of our praiers doth the Lord heare vs and â—rant vs our requests but for the promise sake which of his â—wne free grace he hath made vnto our praiers He hath â—assed his promise Mat 21.22 that whatsoeuer we shall aske in praier in â—is name if we beleeue we shall receiue it and he hath bidden â—s aske and we shall receiue seeke and we shall finde Mat. 7.7 knocke and â—e shall be opened vnto vs. Because then he hath promised grace vnto our praiers he is intreated for grace through our praiers Aske and haue first aske and then haue and â—he better beggers the greater getters For it is not with the Lord as with vs we say a great begger would haue a good â—ay saier and vnto whom but euen now we haue giuen wee loue not that they should by and by come againe and begge of vs. But I say it is not so with the Lord but of the greatest begger he is most intreated and the oftner wee come a begging to him the more welcome we are vnto him for he loues to be intreated and being intreated he promiseth to giue and so through our praiers he giues euen for his promise sake but not for our praiers sake for they when they are best are so full of imperfections that they merit nothing but to be reiected Seldome but we are troubled with wandring by-thoughts often we pray for things and against things without submitting of our wills vnto the Lords will often we pray not in faith towards God often not in loue towards our brethren often coldly often hypocritically and when not so but that our praiers might iustly be turned into sinne vnto vs Causes therefore they are not for which the Lord bestoweth any graces vpon vs but meanes onely through which we receiue graces needfull for vs for the promise sake made in Christ Iesus Farre be it therefore from vs to stand vpon the merit of our praiers as if for our praiers sake we deserued any grace to be bestowed vpon vs. Let vs as we ought powre out feruent praiers vnto the Lord in faith and in Christ his name and assure we our selues we shall be heard But withall let vs know that it is for his promise sake made vnto our praiers and for his Christ his sake which offereth vp our praiers whatsoeuer be our state and place let vs not slacke this seruice neither let vs presume vpon any merit by this seruice If we lift vp pure hands vnto the Lord in his Temple in our houses or in our chambers he will heare vs though not for our praiers yet through our praiers he will be intreated of vs. Let it be enough for vs that he will heare vs and let this most of all glad vs that for his Christ his sake and for his promise sake he will heare vs. And let this suffice to be spoken touching the first meanes in particular that through our praiers and the praiers of the Church for vs all things worke together for the best vnto so many of vs aâ— loue God and are in Christ Iesus The next meanes whereof the Apostle speaketh is the helpe of the spirit of Christ Iesus whereby he saith he knew that this should turne vnto his saluation I know c. Where the spirit is called the spirit of Iesus Christ as because of his proceeding from the Sonne so because of his dwelling in him in all fullnes as also because Christ sendeth him into our hearts and by him worketh his will in
becommeth the Gospell of Christ Whence ye see that it is not to bee hypocriticall or framed after mens liking for the time to please them but to be led in the feare of the Lord to please him But how may we so order our conuersation that it may be such as becommeth the Gospell of Christ That the Apostle now sheweth in the next place as namely if we continue in one spirit if we sight together in one mind through the faith of the Gospell if we feare our aduersaries in nothing If we continue in one spirit that is if we stand fast and abide constant in one truth of Christ by one spirit wherinto we are all baptized Whence I obserue one speciall part of a conuersation agreeable to the Gospell of Christ and that is constant abiding in the truth If we stand fast and abide constant in the truth this is one note that our conuersation is such as becommeth the Gospell of Christ Iesus Iohn 8.31 If ye continue in my word saith our Sauiour yee are verily my Disciples as if hee should haue said if ye stand fast against all assaults whatsoeuer and quit your selues like men and abide constant in the truth which I haue taught you so ye shew your selues to be my Disciples and to walke worthie of me So that to continue and abide constant in the truth shewes vs to be Christ his Disciples and sheweth our conuersation to be such as becommeth the Gospell Whereupon it is that wee are so often exhorted to continue in the grace of God to continue in the faith to abide constant in the truth to stand fast and shrinke not Beware then beloued of reuolting from the truth wherin ye haue byn taught in Christ Iesus of being caried about with euery winde of doctrine by the deceit of men and with craftinesse whereby they lye in waite to deceiue of yeelding and giuing ground vnto the aduersaries of the truth He that continueth vnto the end he shall be saued But if ye start aside like a broken Bowe surely yee walke not as becommeth the Gospell of Christ Looke to it then that ye continue in the things which ye haue learned and that yee fall not away from the hope of your profession Another thing also hence I obserue which is that to continue and abide constant in the the truth is wholly the gift of the holy Ghost It is not by our owne wisdome power and strength but onely by the power of the holy spirit that we stand fast without which we can no more stand in the truth then can our bodies stand without our soule and spirit Both therefore let vs beware that we grieue not the holy spirit by our euill deeds or by our euill words and let vs alwaies powre out feruent prayers vnto him that hee will vouchsafe euer to abide with vs to strengthen vs to abide in the truth It followeth And in one minde c. Whence I obserue another speciall note of a conuersation agreeable to the Gospell of Christ and that is vnity and concord and loue amongst our selues If we be knit together in one minde so that as wee are one bodie in Christ Iesus so wee bee of one heart and one soule dwelling together as brethren in vnity loue good agreement this is a good token that our conuersation is such as becommeth the Gospell of Christ Ioh. 13.35 By this shall all men know saith our Sauiour that yee are my Disciples if yee loue one another A good note that we are Christ his Disciples and that we walke as becommeth the Gospell of Christ if we liue in loue and concord one with another if we be of one minde together Let vs beware then how we nourish hatreds malice strife contention in our selues one against another For these things doe so distract vs from another as that being thus affected one towards another we doe not walke as becommeth the Gospell of Christ or rather we are iniurious vnto the Gospell of Christ For thus it commeth to passe that the Gospell which wee professe is euill spoken of Let vs therefore be knit together in one mind and beware of euery thing that may distract and dismember vs. Another thing hence I obserue which is that this Christian concorde must be to fight together against such aduersaries as fight against the truth be they heretiques and schismatiques that fight against it and vs with lyes slanders cauils false doctrines and the like or be they tyrants that fight against it and vs with fire sword imprisonment banishment confiscation of our goods or the like Wee are not onely to stand stoutly and constantly for the truth against them without being throwen downe by them but being knit together one with another in one minde we are ioyntly and with one accord to fight together for the truth against them as good Souldiers to throw them downe that when we haue finished our course we may say with our Apostle That we haue fought a good fight 2 Tim. 4.7 Otherwise we walke not as becommeth the Gospell of Christ Let them then looke to this that either for ease and idlenesse or for feare of displeasure some way or vpon any other carnall reason whatsoeuer will rather betray the truth then they will fight for it And seeing none is crowned but hee that striueth lawfully let vs fight together here that there we may be crowned But how are we to fight for the truth against the deuill and all his instruments the aduersaries thereof Some by praying some by preaching some by writing some by patiently sustaining for the truths sake and all of vs as hence I obserue by the faith of the Gospell Resist the deuill saith the Apostle and he will flie from you Resist him and fight against him 1 Ioh. 5.4 how by faith For this is the victorie that ouercommeth the world and the Prince thereof euen our faith And therefore the Apostles exhortation is Aboue all take the shield of faith Eph. 6.16 wherewith you may quench all the fiery darts of the wicked This is the armour wherewith we must all of vs fight By an inâ—ernall faith then wrought in vs by the Gospell let vs all of vs fight against Satan for the truth and by an externall confession of the faith against all tyrants heretiques and schismatiques whatsoeuer Let vs hold fast the mysterie of faith in a good conscience against all the enemies of the truth and let vs boldly alwaies make confession of our faith both in word by writing preaching disputing professing indeed by ioyning our selues to the professorâ— of the truth constantly patiently abiding for the truth LECTVRE XXII PHILIP 1. Verse 28. And in nothing feare your aduersaries which is to them a token of perdition and to you of saluation and that of God A Third thing also is herre mentioned namely courage against the aduersaries of the truth set downe here in our reading by way of
by the merits of them chalenge heauen vnto themselues But if the person of the poore Publican better beseemeth vs of whom it is said 13. that he did not so much as lift vp his eyes vnto heauen but smote his breast saying O God be mercifull to me a sinner We must not be puft vp with the vaine opinion of the worth of our works how good soeuer they seeme to be but we must runne on the race that is set before vs with feare and trembling As holinesse so humblenesse and reuerence becommeth the house of God which wee are if wee beleeue aright in the Sonne of God Pro. 14.16 and so liue as he hath commanded A wise man feareth and departeth from euill but a foole rageth and is carelesse saith Salomon Whereby he teacheth vs that a reuerent feare of Gods Maiestie is a notable meanes to make a good man to auoid sinne Passe the time therefore I beseech you of your dwelling here in feare and walke in those good workes which God hath ordained you to walke in with feare and trembling with feare I say and trembling both in regard of the maiestie of God whose eyes alwayes behold vs lest you displease him and in regard of the wicked whose eyes are prying into whatsoeuer wee doe that they may haue no aduantage against you Grieue not the holy spirit either by carnall securitie and carelesnesse to doe that good which yee should or by vaine and proud presumption of the worth of that good which yee doe but walke before the Lord as becommeth the Saints of God with feare and trembling fearing not to doe good and trembling at the good which yee doe lest either not doing that good which yee ought or presuming of that good which yee doe yee displease him who loueth you and in whose loue is life and ioy for euermore And let this be spoken touching the manner how wee ought to walke and to finish our course Now followeth the reason why wee ought thus to walke For it is God which worketh c. This is the reason why wee ought not simply to make an end of our owne saluation but to make an end of our owne saluation with feare and trembling with feare and trembling why For it is God which worketh c. Neither the will nor the deed in any thing well done is from our selues that we should be puffed vp with any pride thereof but from the Lord and therefore when hee guides vs wee should not be secure to follow It is God saith the Apostle that worketh in you both the will the will how not by helping the weaknesse of our will as if being a little holpen by grace it were in vs to will that is good but by sanctifying our corrupt will that whereas before it was wholly and only inclined vnto euill now it loueth and liketh and followeth after that which is good and the deed how by giuing grace to doe that good to the desire whereof hee hath sanctified our will It is then as if the Apostle should thus haue said Walke in well-doing before the Lord but with feare and trembling why for it is not in you either to will or to doe that is good but it is God that first sanctifieth your wils to desire the things that belong vnto your peace to hunger and thirst after righteousnesse to acknowledge and lament your sinnes and the like and afterwards giueth grace to beleeue and to liue according to God in Christ Iesus Whence are many lessons for vs. Here then first that doctrine of free will is vtterly ouerthrowne If wee will or doe any thing that is good it is God that worketh in vs both the will and the deed Whosoeuer therefore shall tell you that wee haue power in our selues to will and to doe that which is good and that wee need only to bee holpen but not wholly assisted by grace beleeue him not For I aske what it is that is left vnto vs when both the will to doe good and the deed it selfe are giuen vs of God If it be God that worketh in vs both the will and desire to doe good and likewise the grace of doing that which is good then what is it that wee can challenge vnto our selues If it had beene said that God is the Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end of euery good thing that wee doe then happily some starting-hole might haue beene found But when it is said that it is God that worketh in vs both to will and to do that which is good out of doubt all power is taken from vs of doing any thing that is good True it is that Adam before his fall had free will to chuse the good and to refuse the euill but by his fall he lost that which in his creation he had euen all free will vnto all the things of the spirit so that till such time as hee bee regenerate by the spirit of God he cannot at all by his owne power vnderstand thinke will or doe any thing that is good but is wholly and only carried to that which is euill and can doe nothing else but sinne lying bound in the chaines of sinne not as a man fettered which hath a desire to be loose but of himselfe naturally willing and desirous so to lie The naturall man saith the Apostle perceiueth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnesse vnto him 1 Cor. 2.14 neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned Where the Apostle vnderstanding by the naturall man the vnregenerate man whose knowledge and vnderstanding the Lord haâ—h not yet cleared and lightened by his holy spirit plainly sheweth that the vnregenerate man hath none vnderstanding at all in the wayes of God and the things that belong vnto his peace neither can haue till the Lord sanctifie him by his holy spirit changing his corrupt will and working in him both the will and the deed Many Scriptures might be brought for the enlarging and further proofe of this point but by that which hath beene spoken yee see what the truth is in the point namely that it is not in our owne power at all to will or doe that which is good but that it is God which worketh in vs both the will and the deed so that the thing which wee doe is no further good than it is wholly guided and directed by the spirit of God Take heed therefore and beware of such as tell you otherwise than as yee haue now heard and learned that yee be not deceiued by them Secondly hence wee are taught whence all our sufficiencie and all our strength to walke in the wayes of God is euen â—rom God who is the alone author of all goodnesse and the giuer of all blessings What hast thou saith the Apostle that thou hast not receiued To prepare our hearts vnto that which is good Psal 10.17 2 Cor. 3.5 this is from the Lord for he prepareth the
be perfect His exhortation is indeed generall vnto all that all would thinke as hee did touching the points mentioned before from verse 3. to this 15. But lest any man should thinke that he spake especially vnto the vulgar sort of men and prescribed this rule only vnto those that were babes in Christ therefore he sheweth precisely that this is a rule which whosoeuer among them thought himselfe to be or were more perfect than others ought to keepe euen to be so minded as Paul was in the things mentioned aboue And besides it was not so needfull to speak vnto them by name as it were that knew and acknowledged their owne wants that they should not thinke themselues perfect as to them that either thought themselues or were thought of others to be perfect Vnto them principally as by name the admonition was most needfull that they should be so minded as Paul was as in the rest of the points so in the acknowledgement of their owne imperfection and in the pursuit after perfection It followeth And if ye be otherwise minded c. This sheweth that the Apostle thought or rather knew that he should not be able to perswade all to be of the same minde with him in the things mentioned but that some through the suggestions of the false Teachers would thinke otherwise then hee thought of those points Yet see how kindly he dealeth with those If saith he ye be otherwise minded so that ye do not yet thinke as I your Apostle do of these points euen of Christian perfection but rather are of another iudgement yet I doubt not but as God hath begunne to reueale his sonne Iesus Christ vnto you by my preaching so hee will also in his good time reueale and make knowne vnto you this same thing wherein ye now dissent in iudgement from mee and will not suffer you to bee holden of this error he will I doubt not in his good time by the ministerie of his seruants through the powerfull operation of the holy spirit open the dimme eyes of your darke vnderstanding that ye may see both that ye erre in this wherein ye dissent from me and that this is the truth whereunto I now exhort you To gather then the summe of the Apostles meaning in these words it is as much as if the Apostle had thus said I am thus minded as I haue told you touching mine owne righteousnes which is by workes touching the righteousnesse of Christ which is through faith and touching Christian perfection in generall Let vs therefore euen all of vs not only those which are but babes in Christ or of the vulgar sort but euen as many as either think our selues or are thought by others to be perfect be thus minded as I am touching these points and if any of you dissent in iudgement from mee and doe not thinke as I doe touching Christian perfection God will no doubt in his good time by the ministerie of his seruants through the powerfull working of the holy Ghost open the dimme eyes of your darke vnderstanding that ye may see both your owne error in dissenting from me and the truth of that whereunto I exhort you Which being the Apostles meaning as I take it in this verse now let vs see what obseruation wee may gather hence for our vse and instruction 1. Therefore in the Apostles exhortation when he saith let â—s as many as be perfect be thus minded I note that as many as follow after Christian perfection are to be so minded touching workes and touching Christ as the Apostle was inasmuch as they are not perfect that thinke themselues already perfect either in the knowledge of Christ or in holy obedience but they rather that acknowledging that they haue not yet attained vnto perfection doe renounce all things without Christ reioyce only in Christ feeling a sense of the knowledge of Christ and of the vertue of his resurrection in themselues labour daily more and more to grow with all spirituall growth therein in certaine hope of the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus Hence then I obserue what Christian perfection is namely a gift of the holy Ghost wherby we renounce the flesh reioyce in Christ and haue such a sense of the knowledge of Christ and of the vertue of his resurrection in our selues that acknowledging our want of perfection therein we labour to grow and encrease daily more and more therein and so incessantly runne after perfection in them that as good runners we forget that which is behind and endeauour our selues to that which is before and follow hard towards the marke for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus So that vnto Christian perfection there are foure things necessarily requisite The first whereof is iustification by the righteousnesse of Christ imputed to vs through faith without workes For so onely are we perfit if we be found in Christ Iesus not hauing our owne righteousnes which is by workes but that which is through the faith of Christ euen the righteousnesse of God through faith And therefore the Apostle telleth the Colossians in the next Epistle that he and Timothie preached and taught euery man in all wisdome Col. 1.28.2.10 that they might present euery man perfect in Christ Iesus And in the next Chapter he telleth them that they are compleate in Christ in whom dwelleth all the fulnesse of the godhead bodily Both which places plainely shew that were perfect but how not in our selues but in Christ Iesus And in him onely are we perfect because onely being in him noâ— our sinnes but Christ his righteousnesse is imputed vnto vâ— and because all perfection is originally in him and is only deriued vnto vs as we are in him Being then in him our sâ—nne and imperfections are hidde and couered being in him his righteousnesse and obedience are imputed and reckoned vnto vs and being in him that perfection which originally is in him is deriued vnto vs and so onely are our imperfections couered his righteousnesse imputed and his perfection deriued vnto vs as we are in him For if any man be not in him he is cast out as a branch and withereth Ioh. 15.6 This then is necessarily requisite vnto Christian perfection that we be in Christ Iesus not hauing our owne righteousnesse by workes but his righteousnesse by faith And from this as from the fountaine doe all those other things which are necessarie vnto Christian perfection issue and spring The 2. thing necessarily requisite vnto Christian perfectâ—on is our regeneration sanctification by the spirit of God for so onely are we perfit if by the power of the quickening spirit working on our soules spirits we haue a feeling knowledge of Christ Iesus in our owne soules and doe feele in our selues a dying vnto sinne and a liuing vnto righteousnesse by the vertue of Christ his death and resurrection And therefore the holy Ghost exhorting vs often to be perfect doth
more and more be established in the righteousnesse of Christ We must daily subdue the flesh vnto the spirit that wee may daily more and more be begotten by the spirit vnto a more liuely hope in Christ Iesus We must daily cast downe our selues before the Lord that hee may daily more and more lift vs vp We must daily follow hard towards the marke that wee may be daily more and more holy in all manner of conuersation And therefore it is that wee doe so often communicate at the Lords Table namely that our faith and obedience may by degrees bee daily more and more strengthned and increased There needs but once entring into the Church by the Sacrament of Baptisme but being entred into the Church our soules must be often fed and nourished vnto euerlasting life by the Sacrament of the Lords Supper And faith is at once begotten in vs by the ministerie of the word but both our faith and our obedience must be ofâ—en and confirmed increased both by the ministerie of the word and by the holy vse of the Lords Supper By an holy â—nstitution therefore of the Lord we doe often come vnto this â—oly Table that so often as wee eat of this bread and drinke â—f this cup we may so often both renew the remembrance of Christ his blessed death and passion and so often haue our weake faith holpen and strengthened For aâ— herein we conâ—inue the remembrance of that his blessed death and passion â—ntill his comming againe so haue wee hereby a sure pledge â—nd full assurance of our incorporation into the body of Christ Iesus to be made one with him and he with vs. But â—efore we come vnto this holy Table it is necessary if we will â—aue our faith holpen and strengthned thereby that we duly â—nd diligently examine our selues and in all holy reuerence â—repare our selues thereunto We must proue our selues as â—he Apostle willeth whether we are in the faith that is wheâ—her we beleeue that the punishment of our sinnes is fully disâ—harged in Christ Iesus and that whatsoeuer saluation he hath â—urchased for his children belongeth euen to vs also For this â—aith we must haue before wee come hither our comming hiâ—her being not to haue this faith wrought in vs but to haue this â—hich already wee doe beleeue more fully assured vnto our â—oules and consciences Againe wee must trie and search in â—ur owne soules what contrition and sorrow of heart there is â—n vs for our sinnes past what detestation and loathing of â—inne we finde in our selues and what purpose and resolution of heart there is in vs to forsake our old wayes and in the â—hole course of our life hereafter to conforme our selues vnto Gods will set downe in his holy word For vnlesse these things be in vs we are no meet guests for this holy and heauenly Table We must also search and see whether we be in peace and â—oue with all men for if thou bring thy gift vnto the Altar Mat. 5.23 24 and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee there thou must leaue thine offering and goe and first be reconciled vnto â—hy brother and then come and offer thy gift If hauing thus examined our selues we come vnto this holy Table then here we haue sealed vnto vs our communion with Christ then here we haue assured vnto vs all the benefits of Christ his death and passion That therefore hereby wee may receiue all holy increase of our faith let vs with all holy reuerence come at this time vnto this Table And in the whole course of our life let vs labour by degrees to proceed from perfection to perfection Let vs daily stirre vp euery good grace of God in vs that seeking by continuance in well-doing honour and glory and immortalitie we may in the end receiue the prise of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus And to conclude with this of our Apostle let vs as many as would bee perfect bee thâ—â— minded as our Apostle was touching our iustification touching our regeneration touching the acknowledgement of our imperfection and touching an holy pursuit after perfection LECTVRE LXV PHILIP 3. Verse 15.16 And if yee be otherwise minded God shall reueale it vnto you Neuerthelesse in that whereunto wee are come c. NOw followeth the second point where the Apostle signifieth his hope that God would reueale this truth which hee had professed vnto them which as yet were otherwise minded then he was in these words And 〈◊〉 yee be otherwise minded c. And if yee be otherwise c. This sheweth that the Apostle thought or rather knew that hee should not bee able to perswade all to be of the same minde with him in the things before mentioned but that some through the suggestions of the false teachers that were amongst them would thinke otherwise then he thought of those points Yet see how kindly the Apostle dealeth with those If saith he ye be otherwise minded so that yee doe not thinke as I your Apostle doe of workes of Christ of perfection in the knowledge of Christ but rather â—â—re of another iudgement yet I doubt not but as God hath begunne to reueale his Sonne Iesus Christ vnto you by my â—reaching so he will also in his good time reueale and make knowne vnto you this same thing wherein yee now dissent in â—udgement from mee and will not suffer you to be holden of â—his errour he will I doubt not by the ministerie of his seruants through the powerfull operation of the holy spirit open the diuine eyes of your darke vnderstanding that yee may see both that ye erre in this wherein ye dissent from me and that this is the truth whereunto I now exhort you This I take to be the true meaning of these words Now let vs see what hence wee may learne and so wee will proceed vnto that which followeth in the next verse And if yee be otherwise minded c. Ambrose one of the ancient Fathers readeth these words thus And if yee shall be otherwise minded God also hath reuealed it and vnderstandeth them as if the Apostle had thus said If yee shall thinke of any more then I haue put you in minde of know that it is by reuelation from God Which sense and reading if it were true might indeed helpe well to boulster out such humane traditions and superstitious ceremonies as the Church is burdened and pestered withall But this sense and reading as well because it may seeme to patronage such vnwritten verities and vnsauory ceremonies as also for that it is altogether different from the words and meaning of the Apostle is vtterly to be reiected For first the Apostle doth not say if you shall be but if ye be otherwise minded Againe the Apostle doth not say God hath reuealed it but God shall or will reueale it vnto you And lastly when the Apostle saith If yee be otherwise minded his meaning is not that if they thinke
thought that we will vse moderation towards all men while such is our behauiour towards our neighbours and brethren Whilest it is thus among our selues we shew plainly how litle heed we haue taken vnto this exhortation of the holy Ghost consequently how litle care we take that the name of God and the truth which we professe be not euill spoken of Secondly here were to be reproued such carnall exceptions as are commonly taken against this exhortation The holy Ghost saith Let your patient mind be knowne vnto all men Vnto all men say we this is an hard saying Vnto such as vse vs kindly and curteously great reason that our patient mind should be knowne but vnto them that be euer readie to thwart and crosse vs to wrong and grieue vs to taunt and mocke vs to reuile and speake euill of vs what reason that our patient mind should be knowne Thus will we rather teach the holy Ghost what to speake then we will be taught by the holy Ghost what to do But such exceptions we must take heed of if we will suffer our selues to be taught by the ho holy Ghost and as our Apostle willeth we must let our patient mind be knowne vnto all men without such exception of any Thirdly hence we learne what we are to respect in the practise of euery Christian vertue namely the glorie of God and the propagation of his truth For as our Sauior saith of almes prayer fasting and the like Math. 6. that if they be done for the praise of men then they haue their praise but not with God so may it be said of the practise of euery Christian vertue that if therein we respect the praise of men we haue our praise but not with God The thing that we must aime at in the practise of gentlenesse goodnesse meeknesse temperancie moderation patience and other workes of the Spirit in vs is the glorie of God that men seeing these fruites of the Spirit in vs they may be brought vnto the same obedience and seruice of one God with vs. And thus it shall come to passe that they who haply haue said in their hearts there is no God that they who cannot yet grow to the liking of the same truth with vs shall say of vs Surely God is in you indeed surely this is the way of truth wherein ye do walke Let vs therefore hearken vnto the exhortation of our Apostle and as he exhorteth let our patient mind be knowne vnto all men Let vs not bangle and wrangle one with another for euery light matter but let vs beare one with another and yeeld one vnto another Let vs not after the fancie of our owne reason abridge that which the holy Ghost enlargeth but let our moderation be knowne to all without exception of any And let vs in the practise both of this and of euery Christian vertue aime at the glorie of God and the furtherance of his holy truth which we professe And as this day we professe by our meeting at this holy Table sound loue and charitie with all men so at all times let our moderation and patient mind be knowne vnto all men LECTVRE LXXXI PHILIP 4. Verse 5. The Lord is at hand THese words haue bene already noted to consist of an exhortation and a reason of the exhortation The exhortation this Let your patient mind c. The reason this The Lord is at hand In the exhortation were noted first the thing whereunto the Apostle exhorteth the Philippians secondly the large scope wherein the thing is to runne The thing whereunto the Apostle exhorteth the Philippians is mildnesse in their behauiour and moderation of their affections towards their neighbours and brethren so that for vnities sake they would rather lose their owne then strictly stand vpon their right in matters of ordinarie life The large field wherein he would haue this their mildnesse and moderation to runne reacheth vnto all men Let your patient mind be knowne to all c. The Lord is at hand This reason as I told you is added to preuent an obiection For the Apostle hauing exhorted the Philippians to such a mildnesse and moderation as that they should not alwayes strictly stand vpon their right but sometimes yeeld of their right and patiently put vp the losse and the wrong the Philippians might haply thus obiect and say that so indeed their case should be most miserable and they should be trampled vnder feete as clay in the streetes Therefore the Apostle addeth The Lord is at hand as if he should haue said Though they abuse your patient mildnesse and gentle moderation of your affections yet do ye hold on a good course in patience possesse your soules and let your patient mind be knowne vnto all men for the Lord is at hand otherwise indeed your case were hard if the Lord were farre from you and lookt not at you nor regarded you to helpe you in euery time of need and to relieue you in euery your wrongs But the Lord is at hand Now we must vnderstand that the Lord is said to be at hand after diuers sorts in the holy Scriptures For sometimes he is said to be neare or at hand in respect of himselfe of the presence of his deitie and glorious maiestie as where the Apostle saith Acts 17.27 that he is not farre from euery one of vs for in him we liue and moue and haue our being Thus himselfe saith that he filleth heauen and earth Ierem. 23.24 and therefore is thus neare vnto whatsoeuer is in heauen or earth Thus the Prophet saith that he cannot conuey himselfe out of his presence For if he climbe vp into heauen there he is Psal 139.7.8.9.10 if he goe downe into hell there he is if he take the wings of the morning and dwel in the vttermost parts of the Sea there also doth his hand leade him if he say the darkenesse shall couer him euen the night shal be light about him And thus he is neare euen vnto all the world vnto his enemies sitting in the middest of them seeing their deuices and laughing them to scorne vnto all that haue life or being communicating that vnto them which alone is properly in himselfe who is life and whose name is I am Iohn 14. â— Exod. 3.14 Againe the Lord is said to be neare or at hand in respect of his grace and prouidence and powerfull working of his holy Spirit as where the Prophet saith Psal 145.18 The Lord is neare vnto all that call vpon him yea to all that call vpon him in truth he is neare vnto them to heare them and to helpe them And thus is he peculiarly said to be neare vnto his children not that he offereth not this speciall grace of comming neare vnto them vnto the wicked for thus he saith vnto them by his Prophet Seeke ye the Lord whiles he may be found Esay 55.6 call ye vpon him whiles he is neare that is
to the letter of the Text and in all simplicitie to deliuer the meaning of the Holy Ghost Their iudgement our Author approued and followed their example opening in these Lectures the simple and most naturally intended sense of the holy Apostle and and thence vrging applying the Obseruations so effectually that many not only of his ordinarie hearers but euen of the Vniuersitie by whom he was much frequented blessed God for the direction and comfort they receiued from his mouth The life of deliuery in him was very powerfull made great impression in his hearers this booke wants that aduaÌ„tage which yet is here supplied because those things which then were only deliuered in the eares of few are here submitted to the eyes of all Touching the Author himselfe I need not say much Altho after a sort he condemned himselfe to obscuritie and affected a priuate and retired life yet he could not hide himselfe from the eyes of the world being generally noted and esteemed for his holines his integrity his learning and grauity his indefatigable paines in the discharge of his ministeriall function his singular wisdome and dexteritie in the gouernment of our Colledge which by Gods blessing vpon his care hath sent forth many learned Ministers into the Church many worthy Gentlemen into the Common-wealth Briefely in his whole conuersation he was so sincere vnrebukeable that by some partly by occasion of these Lectures he was defamed for precisenes Indeede as the times are now the only meanes almost to auoid that reproch is to be notoriously wicked But in few words to wipe of that imputation how much he condemned the iniurious zeale of the Separatists how far he misliked all busie disturbers of the Churches peace quiet still grauely exhorting to calmnesse and moderation how heartily he reuerenced his holy mother the Church of England and how willingly he conformed himselfe to her seemely ceremonies and iniunctions besides his practise he hath so many reuerend graue witnesses as he had familiar acquaintance To say truth he was not of the Laodicean temper nor yet pure in his owne eyes zealous feruent not turbulent contentious a faithfull seruant of God an humble and obedient sonne of the Church an enemy to faction no lesse then to superstition Lastly when the few and euill daies of his pilgrimage were ended as a comfortable death euer followes a conscionable life he patiently meekly endured Gods gentle visitation earnestly longed after his dissolution and to be with Christ which he knew was best of all and at length when the time of his changing was come deuoutly coÌ„mending his soule to the mercy of his redeemer he closed vp his eyes in peace was caried to his graue with honor He now rests from his labors and his works follow him he hath left behind him a blessed memory and a name sweeter then any oyntment This holy monument of his industry I coÌ„mend to thy vse and serious meditation good Christian Reader which fauourably accepted may incourage me to publish other of his labours The Lord Iesus blesse all our indeuours to the building vp of his Church and our owne euerlasting saluation Amen Queenes Colledge Nou. 28. 1617. Thine in the Lord Iesus Christopher Potter A Table Alphabeticall A. ADuersaries of the truth not to to be feared pag. 253. Affliction a gift and grace of God 89. 700. 707. fruits of them 80. 180. Comforts in them 337. 763. 700. whether to be desired pag. 709. Aged Ministers to be respected pag. 492. Allusions approued in the Scripture pag. 592. Ambition a note of false teachers pag. 821. Anabaptists their errour touching oathes pag. 97. Apostates censured pag. 196. 250. Armour of a Christian pag. 512. B. BAptisme duties from it pag. 342. Bodies of men fraile and vile pag. 857. Booke of life pag. 745. Bowing at the name of Iesus pag. 353. Brownists taxed pag. 175. 293. 846. 782. C. CAluin we reuerence yet we no Caluinists pag. 292. 829. Carefulnesse pag. 800. Censures to be charitable pag. 869. Certainty of saluation pag. 402. 749. 724. Circumcision two-folde 597. carnall abolished 602. morall vse of it pag. 605. Charity hopes the best 79. 74â— a worke of Christ pag. 562. Christ the onely gaine 200. in life 203. in death 206. true God 316. his obedience 325. his second comming 796. duties from it 843. his sufferings in soule 329. fruits of his death 330. how exalted 341. all creatures subiect to him 356. the marke of our Christian race 750. his body not euery where 844. it is a true body pag. 862. Christians to bee like minded 289. why 290. how freed from the Law 328. not voyd of passions 538. their courage pag. 253. Church to bee remembred in our prayers 46. not without staine in in this life pag. 286. Company of wicked dangerous pag. 437. Confidence must bee in Christ 627. not in our best workes pag. 637. 661. 649. 657. 666. Contentions disswaded pag. 299. Contentation in all estates pag. 877. 921. Corporal presence in the Sacrament pag. 225. Couetousnesse pag. 880. Crosse of Christ 812. enemies of it ibid. D. DEacons described pag. 4. Death may bee desired 215. how 216. why 217. not to bee feared 219. 221. a mercy of God to the faithfull pag. 532. Diuels subiect to Christ pag. 361. Distrustfull care 802. reasons against it ibid. Dissentions obiected to vs answered 291. 786. causes of them 780. remedies pag. 782. Doubting of saluation a doctrine false and vncomfortable pag. 183. 195. 402. 724. Drunkennesse pag. 826. E. EArthly desires pag. 825. Elections pag. 906. Enemies to the crosse of Christ pag. 810. Equity and moderation vrged 774. â—ules for it pag. 779. Erasmus his iudgement of Luther pag. 591. 621. Exhortations whether they doe infâ—â—â—e 〈◊〉 pag. 398. 732. Exaltâ—tion â—f Chr st pag. 348. Exampâ—â—s â—â—â—â—tion pag. 790. Expeâ—â—â—â—ntall knowledge in the word necâ—ssâ—ry pag. 124. F. FA th commended 252. a gift of God 26â— by it are wee assured of saluâ—tion 403. how it iustifies pag. 678. Faithfulâ—â—sse pag. 919. Faul s how to be noted pag. 734. Fâ—lse teachers dogâ— 583 to beware of them 587. notes of them pag. 589. 814. Feare seruile an â—â—filâ—all 406. motiues to this laâ—â—er pag. 411. Fellowship in he Goâ—pell a blessing pag. 37. Flocke their duties to their Pastor pag. 231. Freewill conâ—uted pag. 72 398. 415. 731. 893. Friends their duty pag. 54. Fulfilling of the Law pag. 888. G. GOds immutability the ground of our perseuerance 63. hee the authour of all good 68. 416. deliuers out of troubles 190. prouidence ouer his 791. his glorie cheefely to be aimed at pag. 226. Good workes See Workes Good report to be desired pag. 843. Gospell of Christ a great blessing pag. 49. 650. Grace 4. author of it 5. effects pag. 22. 26. Grauity of carriage pag. 832. H. HEalth a mercy of God pag. 530. Hearers of the word their duty pag. 374. Heretikes contentious pag. 300. Hope a vertue necessary in Christians
therefore by Dauid the Lord saith Psal 50.23 who so offereth me thanks and praise he honoreth me euen with most excellent honor Let vs therefore clense our selues from this sinne of vnthankfullnesse Phil. 4.6 and let as the Apostle exhorteth our requests be shewed vnto God in prayer and supplication with giuing of thanks The fouler that the sinne of vnthankfulnesse is let vs the more detest it and the more requisite that thanksgiuing vnto God is let vs the more abound therein Let vs follow the counsell of the Apostle and walke in Christ Iesus rooted and built in him and stablished in the faith Col. 2.6 7. as we haue been taught abounding therein with thanksgiuing The second thing which here I note is the cause of the Apostles thanksgiuing vnto God which is because of the fellowship which they had in the gospell from the first day vntill then 1. because they as other Churches had receiued the gospell whereby they had fellowship with the Father and the Sonne and because they had continued in the truth from the first day of their conuersion vnto Christ by the worke of his ministerie vnto now that he wrote vnto them Whence I obserue a principall matter of our thanksgiuing vnto God a principall cause why we should vpon the blessing bestowed vpon vs giue thanks vnto God for it In all things indeed is matter of our thanksgiuing vnto God for euery good giuing and euery perfit gift is from aboue Jam. 1.17 and commeth downe from the father of lights c. He created vs formed vs and made vs and that in his owne image in him we liue moue and haue our being he giueth health wealth peace liberty foode rayment he sendeth raine from heauen and fruitfull seasons deliuereth in all dangers comforteth in all troubles helpeth in all needs blesseth the worke of our hands and filleth vs with plenteousnesse of all good things And for all these we should and haue great cause from day to day to tell out his praises with gladnes and to offer vnto him the sacrifice of praise thanksgiuing But yet is a more principall matter behind which is the fellowship which wee haue with other reformed Churches in the gospell of Iesus Christ and the continuance thereof so long time amongst vs the preaching of the word of our saluation amongst vs and the blessed increase thereof vnder a most gracious gouernment Here is indeed principall cause of reioycing and thanksgiuing for by our fellowship which we haue with other Churches in the gospell we haue fellowship with the Father and with his sonne Iesus Christ as Iohn witnesseth saying that which we haue seene and heard to wit the gospell 1 Joh. 1.3 declare we vnto you that yee may also haue fellowship with vs and that our fellowship also may be with the Father and with his sonne Iesus Christ By our fellowship in the gospell we are called out of darknes into his marueilous light and we which in time past were not a people are now the people of God 1 Pet. 2.9 10. and we which in time past were not vnder mercy haue now obteined mercy as Peter witnesseth By our fellowship in the gospell we are borne againe not of mortall seede 1 Pet. 1.3.23 but of immortall and are begotten vnto a liuely hope in Christ Iesus as the same Peter witnesseth And by our fellowship in the gospell 2 Tim. 3.15 we are made wise vnto saluation through the faith which we haue in Christ Iesus as witnesseth our Apostle O blessed fellowship in the gospell whereby we are made wise vnto saluation whereby we are regenerate and begotten vnto a liuely hope in Christ Iesus whereby we are called out of darknes into light and of no people made the people of God and whereby wee haue fellowship with Christ Iesus which is the great end of the ministery of the gospell that we may haue fellowship with him and walke in the light as he is in the light Againe the continuance of our fellowship in the gospell from the first day of her Maiesties most gracious gouernment ouer vs vnto now our pereseuerance in the truth without being remoued away vnto another gospell which is not another gospell saue that there be some which trouble you and intrude to peruert the gospell of Christ what a principall blessing is this of our good God vnto vs Surely these are such blessings as may well make vs breake out into exclamation with Dauid and say Psal 116.12 13 17. What shall I render vnto the Lord for these his great mercies towards me I will receiue the cup of saluation and call vpon the name of the Lord. I will offer a sacrifice of thanks-giuing will call vpon the name of the Lord. This was Dauids resolution vpon deliuerance from dangers by Saul and much more vpon such blessings as these haue we iust cause of such resolution God being principally in this soft and still voice of the gospell Haue we then such principall cause of thanksgiuing vnto our God for the fellowship which wee haue with other Churches in the gospell and for the continuance of this fellowship from the first day vnto now euen these forty yeares This then 1. should teach vs willingly and gladly to embrace the gospell of Iesus Christ when it is brought vnto vs. For if there be such cause of thanksgiuing vnto God for it being had then surely is there great cause of gladly embracing it when it may be had And yet what dullnesse and slacknes and coldnes herein In this congregation how is it embraced I beare you record some of you that yee doe embrace it willingly and gladly and I assure my selfe that from your hearts you thanke your God for it But others there are that seldome or neuer come vnto the hearing of it others that when they should heare it turne their backs and depart away from the hearing of it others that heare it sleepingly or coldly so that either it enters not in or quickly after is choked by the cares of this world Do these thanke God for the fellowship which they haue with others in the gospell Nay they haue none and some of them will haue no fellowship with others therein and therefore vnlesse at length they take hold of the grace that is offered them they shall haue no fellowship with the Father or with Iesus Christ his sonne As for you beloued that gladly embrace the gospell of your saluation hold on your good course thirst after it as the Hart doth after the water brooks frequent the places where yee may heare it lay it vp in your hearts that yee may not sinne against the Lord and let your mouthes be euer filled with praises thanksgiuing to God for it Secondly this should teach vs to labour by all holy meanes to continue in the grace and in the truth wherein we stand vnto the end For if it should so principally cause in vs
thanksgiuing vnto God then should it also worke in vs all holy desire and labour to be daily more and more stablished and strengthned in the truth of Christ Iesus and in our fellowship with other Churches in the gospell And yet how wauering are we many of vs and how quickly caried about with euery winde of doctrine by the deceit of men and with craftinesse whereby they lay in waite to deceiue If a runnagate Seminarie that compasseth sea and land to make one of his profession and when he is made makes him twofold more the childe of hell then he himselfe is a sworne-vassall to that man of sinne a disloyall traitor to his Prince an vnnaturall enemy to his country if such a one I say shall with fained words creepe into secret corners amongst vs and glosingly slander the truth of the gospell of Iesus Christ and set abroche his owne damnable heresies how quickly doe we listen vnto them and are led captiue by them Howsoeuer it be with vs it is thus in too too many places But beloued let vs know that whosoeuer transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God 2 Ioh. 9. He that continueth in the doctrine of Christ he hath both the Father and the Sonne If there come any vnto you and bring not this doctrine 10. receiue him not to house neither bid him God speede I know they will tell you they bring the doctrine of Christ vnto you but doe yee as the men of Beraea did Act. 17.11 which are much commended for so doing examine it by the scriptures and search whether it be so and yee shall finde it to be the doctrine of deuills 1 Tim. 4.1 as the Apostle speaketh and as euen by that place it will appeare to be Wherefore beloued brethren as now yee haue fellowship with other Churches in the gospell of Iesus Christ so continue therein Let nothing bee able to remoue you from the truth wherein yee stand but hold fast your good profession vnto the end The third thing which here I note is the Apostles bold and neere and ioyfull approch vnto God in his thanksgiuing vnto God in that he saith I thanke my God Whence I obserue the manner of our thanksgiuing vnto God how we should offer our sacrifice of thanksgiuing vnto him And that is 1. with such assurance of Gods loue in his mercies towards vs as that in our thanksgiuing for them we dare boldly as sonnes say I thanke my God for so shall our sacrifice of thanksgiuing be acceptable vnto God if vpon assurance of his loue we boldly powre out our soules in praise vnto him And therefore the Apostle to the Hebrewes exhorteth Heb. 4 16. saying Let vs go boldly vnto the throne of grace be it in prayer or in thanksgiuing Let vs goe boldly vnto the throne of grace praying and giuing thanks vnto God through Iesus Christ our Lord. 2. Our thanksgiuing should be offered with such willingnesse and cheerefullnesse from our hearts vnto God that we might say I thanke my God So our Apostle in an other place 1 Cor. 14.18 I thanke my God I spake languages more then yee all How cheerefully he openeth his mouth in praise of his God And so shall our thanksgiuing be pleasing vnto God if we offer it from the heart cheerefully for he loueth a cheerefull giuer as of almes vnto the poore Saints so of thanks vnto his name And how can I goe vnto him with greater cheerefullnesse and thanke him then when I go vnto him as to my God and say I thanke my God 3. Our thanksgiuing vnto God should be offered vp with such soule-melting passion and affection that as if we had greater feeling experience in our soules of his goodnes then others and would be neerer him then others we should say I thanke my God for such the Lord loueth best as presse the neerest vnto him and then the sacrifice of praise pleaseth most where the soule is tied the closest vnto his God These are the things in which the manner how we should offer vp our sacrifice of thanksgiuing consisteth namely in faith and full assurance of Gods loue towards vs with all willingnesse and cheerefulnesse from our hearts and with a soule-rauisht affection as of a more then ordinarie feeling-experience of Gods goodnes towards vs. And this manner I take it may bee obserued from this that the Apostle saith I thanke my God Here then that cold and cursorie forme of thanksgiuing which commonly is vsed is vtterly condemned For what doe wee when the Lord hath remembred vs in mercy and done great things for vs I doubt not but there are who in their hearts cheerefully and with their mouthes ioyfully say with the Prophet thou art my God Psal 118.28 and I will thanke thee thou art my God and I will praise thee But a great many of vs like vnto horses and mules which haue no vnderstanding either remember not or regard not to giue God thanks A man may see it daily in many of vs that we come from our beds and from our meales as dogs from their kennels and oxen from their stalls Others of vs haue certaine words of course as to say God be blessed God be thanked I praise God I thanke God which being good words in themselues yet are so coldly and cursorily vttered by vs as that a man may well see they haue their beginning in the lips and their ending in the ayre but neuer pierce the heauens But beloued if we will haue our voice of thanksgiuing to breake thorow the clouds to come vnto the highest we must vse Maries magnificat and say My soule doth magnifie the Lord and my spirit reioyceth in God my Sauiour Luc. 1.46 As therfore it becommeth vs to be thankfull so let vs remember in faith and full assurance of Gods loue towards vs to powre out our soules in thanksgiuing vnto him that so our sacrifâ—â—â— may be acceptable vnto him LECTVRE IV. PHILIP 1. vers 3.4 5. Verse 3. Hauing you in perfit memory 4. Alwaies in all my prayers for all you praying with gladnesse 5. Because of the fellowship which yee haue in the gospell from the first day vnto now NOw farther the Apostle signifieth this reioycing on the Philippians behalfe and his loue towards them by remembring them in all his prayers vnto God and by praying for them with gladnesse when he saith that he hath them in perfect memory alwaies in all his prayers c. It is vsuall with the Apostle in his Epistles as to signifie his thanksgiuing vnto God on their behalfe vnto whom he writeth so to signifie his remembrance of them alwaies in his p ayers But yet here the Apostle signifieth this his remembrance of them in his prayers in more then an vsuall manner In the Epistle to the Romanes to the Colossians the former to the Thessalonians and to Philemon he telleth them to whom he writeth that he maketh
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
howsoeuer by our owne wills we would auoide bands and troubles for the gospels sake as heauy and greeuous vnto our outward man yet as our wills are sanctified by Gods spirit and conformed vnto Gods will so they are welcome vnto vs and acknowledged by vs to be a grace of God giuen vnto his children for their good and his glory Here then is a notable comfort for all such of Gods children as suffer bands and affliction for Christ his sake and the gospels For what are their bands They are the grace of God and in suffering bands for the defence and confirmation of the Gospell they are partakers with the Saints of their grace And as here they are called the grace of God so elsewhere they are called the marks of the Lord Iesus Gal. 6.17 Now may it not be a great comfort vnto vs to beare in our bodies the marks of the Lord Iesus Yet generally wee auoide bands and affliction nay we murmure at them nay we mocke at them and hold them for simple men that will not rather turne then burne that will not rather renounce the truth then endure such sufferings for the truth But tell me should not he be iudged foolish and ignorant that should auoid the gift of any grace Should he not be thought ridiculous that should murmure or scorne to be marked with the marks of the Lord Iesus And how then shall wee thinke of him that refuseth or murmureth at bands and afflictions for Christ his sake or that maketh a mocke at them which doe suffer afflictions for Christ his sake which are the grace of God and the marks of the Lord Iesus Beloued we know not what bands and afflictions bide vs for the Gospels sake Surely for our sinnes we haue deserued to be deliuered vp into the will of our enemies that they that hate vs euen with a perfit hatred should rule ouer vs. And if it shall please the Lord herein to deale with vs according to our deseruings yet let this be our comfort that in our bands for the defence and confirmation of the Gospell we are partakers with many of the Saints of their grace and that the life of Iesus is made manifest as by most plaine tokens in our bodies 2 Cor. 4.10 when we beare about in our bodies the dying of the Lord Iesus And in the meane time let vs giue all diligence that the word of Christ may dwell in vs plenteously that the effectuall power thereof may be manifested in vs through our patient and constant suffering for Christ his sake and the Gospels if the will of the Lord be such Now followeth the Apostles earnest protestation of his loue towards the Philippians which was the third thing which I noted in this second branch of the Apostles exordium in these words For God is my record c. that so they might the rather both assure themselues that such was his perswasion of them as hath beene said and likewise the more willingly hearken vnto the things that hee wrote vnto them In the words I note a vehement protestation and the thing whereof he maketh such protestation His protestation is a calling of God to witnes that hee lieth not in this that now speaketh in these words For God is my record The thing whereof he maketh such protestation is of his hearty loue of them saying God is my record how I long after you all .i. with what a longing desire to see you I loue you all from the very heart roote 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for so the word here vsed is very significantly translated not after the flesh but in Iesus Christ of whom yee are loued and from whom this my loue proceedeth Where first I note the Apostles vehement protestation not of a vaine and idle toy but of his loue towards the Philippians not for any light or foolish matter but for their great good that they might hearken to the word of their saluation more gladly Whence I obserue that a protestation or an oath to witnes a truth when the glory of God or the good of our neighbour doth require it may lawfully be made LECTVRE VIII PHILIP 1. Veâ—se 8. For God is my record how I long after you all from the very heart root in Iesus Christ 9. And this I pray that your loue may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all iudgement NOw then the first thing which here I note is the Apostles vehement protestation not concerning any triuiall and ordinarie matter but touching his sincere and feruent loue of the Philippians nor to small or no purpose but to winne their attention vnto the word of their saluation more gladly For he protesteth sweareth an oath being nothing else but a calling of God to witnesse of that wee speake for their assurance to whom wee sweare which whole definition is in this protestation hee protesteth sayeth and sweareth vnto the Philipp that he longeth after them all and greatly loueth them all from the very heart roote in Iesus Christ that so being perswaded of his loue they might giue the better heed vnto the things he wrote Whence I obserue that a protestation or an oath by God when the glory of God or the good of our neighbour doth require it may very lawfully bee made And this is proued first from the nature and definition of an oath For what is an oath It is as euen now we heard an holy and religious calling of God to witnes of the truth of that we speake for their assurance vnto whom we speake as here the Apostle for the Philippians assurance of his sincere loue of them calleth God to witnes how he longeth after them all how greatly he loueth them all from the very heart root in Iesus Christ And what herein is vnbeseeming a Christian or which may not lawfully be done Secondly it is proued from the expresse commaundement of God for thus hath God commanded saying Deut. 6 13. Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God and serue him and shalt sweare by his name In which words as to feare the Lord God and to serue him so to sweare by his name is commanded Thirdly it is proued from the end of an oath for the end of an oath is to decide debates to make an end of strifes as the Apostle sheweth saying Heb. 6.16 that an oath for confirmation is among men an end of all strife And as Moses in a plaine case sheweth saying If a man deliuer to his neighbor to keepe Asse or Oxe Exo. 22.10.11 or Sheepe or any beast and it die or be hurt or taken away by enemies and no man see it an oath of the Lord shall bee betweene them twaine that hee hath not put his hand vnto his neighbours good and the owner thereof shall take the oath and he shall not make it good And this being the end of an oath why may it not lawfully be made Fourthly it is proued from the practise
whatsoeuer is euill in life from whatsoeuer is vnholy in manners Know ye not 1 Cor. 5.6.7 saith the Apostle that a little leauen leaueneth a whole lumpe Purge out therefore the olde leauen that yee may bee a new lumpe as yee are vnleauened for Christ our Passeouer is sacrificed for vs. The Apostle speaketh there of the incestuous person and hauing sharpely reproued the Corinthians negligence in not punishing him and willed them to excommunicate him hee whetteth them thereunto saying Know ye not that a little leauen c. as if he should haue said Ye know very well that a little leauen leaueneth the whole lumpe or batch and know yee not that one naughtie man infecteth and poysoneth the whole congregation What is then to be done Purge out therefore the olde leauen that ye may be a new lumpe cut off that naughty man from your body that ye may bee an holy congregation vnto the Lord as yee are vnleauened as ye are called to be holy for Christ our Passeouer is sacrificed for vs. Which his exhortation as it serued for that purpose so did it lessen them and in them vs that forasmuch as a little leauen a little corruption marreth and poysonneth the whole man therfore we should purge out we should be pure from all leauen of malitiousnesse and wickednes euen from all corruption whatsoeuer that wee may be a new lumpe holy vessels for the habitation of the holy spirit as we are vnleauened and holy and pure by our calling in Christ Iesus And why for Christ our passeouer is sacrificed for vs whereby the Apostle implieth thus much that as the Iewes in the celebration of the feast of the passeouer were to put away for all that time all leauen out of their houses and onely to eat vnleauened bread so we now that Christ our passeouer is sacrificed for vs are to purge our selues and to clense the houses of our bodies from all leauen and filthines corruption to keep the feast with the vnleauened bread of sinceritie and truth holinesse and godlinesse so that for the whole time of the feast the whole terme of our life there be no leauen no corruption at all found in the houses of our bodies Can any thing be more plaine for that puritie which ought to be in vs Much to the like purpose is that of our blessed Sauiour to his Disciples where he warneth them saying Take heede and beware of the leauen of the Pharises and Sadduces In which words he warneth them Matth. 16.12 and in them vs to look vnto it that we be pure from all corruption in doctrine And in that he doubleth the caueat saying Take heede and beware he sheweth how very behouefull it is to looke vnto it and in that he calleth corruption in doctrine leauen he sheweth both the poyson of it that it marres the whole man as a little leauen that leaueneth the whole lumpe and likewise the riddance that should be of it out of the houses of our bodies as of leauen out of the houses in the feast of the passeouer So that yee see how behouefull an imployment for vs it is that we be pure from all corruption in doctrine life and manners And the reason is plaine for what fellowship hath truth with error or what communion hath good with euill We cannot serue both God and Mammon wee must flie that which is euill and follow that which is good Halting betweene God and Ball will not serue we must worship the Lord our God and him onely must we serue If we be circumcised Christ shall profit vs nothing if there be any mixture of corruption in vs our religion is in vaine It is but the one of two either pure or impure If we will not be impure our care must be to be pure Here then are met withall such tollerations and indulgences as either in policie or vpon any carnal reason we are wont to take and allow vnto our selues Whereas the Apost would haue vs purged of all corruptiō we will allow some mixture of corruption and all things shall be well notwithstanding Againe we like not of those hot headed fellowes that precisely vrge a conformitie in all things according vnto the word we cannot away with those pure men that would haue vs so pure that we should not speake a word amisse or doe any thing that is euill We are men and we must play the goodfellowes now and then we must sweare now and then we must runne at ryot now and then we must drinke and daunce and play now and then more then wee should wee must passe the bounds of modestie honestie and Christian dutie now and then And if some of vs happily will not breake out into such termes yet wee will thinke that sometimes wee may aduenture a little vpon some breach of the law that we may without great offence commit such and such little sinnes that a little corruption a little yeelding vnto the fashions of the world cannot doe so much harme that too much strictnesse and precisenesse is naught and that to stand so much vpon purity and sincerity is but to make our selues the talke and mocke and by-word of the people Thus we will be moderaters ouer the holy Ghost and when hee seemes vnto vs to ouer-reach wee will bring him to the measure of our owne scantling But beloued let vs not deceaue our selues God is not mocked but what he requireth of vs it standeth vs vpon to take care of the performance of it The end of our calling is that we be holy in all manner of conuersation as he which hath called vs is holy And therefore hath God chosen vs in Christ Iesus before the foundation of the world that wee should bee holy and without blame before him in loue And Christ our Passeouer is once and for euer sacrificed for vs that henceforth we should keepe the Feast of the Passeouer vnto the Lord for euer so that now no leauen of corruption at all may be found in all our houses Let vs therefore take heede how wee make tollerations and indulgences vnto our selues Let vs take heed how we suffer any leauen of corruption in the houses of our bodies and let vs rather purge out the olde leauen that we may be a new lumpe Let vs striue as much as possibly we can after this purity that is required of vs and let vs assure our selues that when we haue striuen all that euer we can after this purity wee shall bee impure enough and too much We see what it is that is required of vs as therefore the Apostle willeth Timothy 1. Tim. 5.22 Let vs keepe our selues pure pure from corruption in doctrine and pure from corruption in life and manners that as our Apostle afterwards exhorteth we may bee blamelesse and pure and the sonnes of God without rebuke in the middest of a naughty and crooked nation Let our care bee first to discerne things that differ that wee may
it by the meris of the Saints by the vertue of their sufferings by the force of their bloud which they shed for the Gospell No nor so for all their merits are not of that worth all their sufferings and deaths haue not that vertue that thereby the Gospell should be fuâ—thered or the Church increased How then comes it to passe that the persecutions and sufferings of the Saints doe further the Gospell 1. By the power of Christ 2. By the example of the Saints constancie in their sufferings 3. By the freedome of the Gospell then when the Saints are bound for the Gospell For such is the power of Christ that howsoeuer their enemies doe band themselues against his Saints so to worke the subuersion of the Gospell and of the truth of Christ Iesus yet he can at his pleasure and doth make their deuises to be of none effect nor onely so but turneth them to a cleane other end then they had imagined And therefore the Psalmist saith Why doe the heathen rage and the people murmure in vaine Psal 2 1. The kings of the earth band themselues c. As if he should haue said The enemies of Christ plot and practise all that euer they can against him and against his truth and gospell but all in vaine for the God of heauen sees them and laughes them to scorne he either frustrateth their wicked plots and practises or turnes them to his owne glory Againe when men see the Saints constancie in their sufferings how little are they danted with the furie of their aduersaries how patiently they suffer their bands and persecutions how by the mighty power of God assisting them and strengthning them â—hey do euen in their death triumph ouer death this very example of their constancie brings many vnto the Church and much furthereth the Gospell And hâ—revpon is that knowne saying that the bloud of the Martyrs is the seede of the Church Againe the word of God is not bound though the Saints doe suffer euen vnto bands as the Apostle saith I suffer trouble as an euill doer euen vnto bands 2 Tim. 2.9 but the word of God is not bound And therefore in their bands for the Gospelâ— sake they may preach and publish the Gospell so much that their bands may be to the furthering rather then to the hindering of the gospel as we read that our Apostle in this his imprisonment at Rome for two yeares space preached the kingdome of God Act. 28 31. and â—aught those things which concerned the Lord Iesus Christ without let and that he wrote almost as many Epistles there vnto the Churches as he wrote else at all And thus yee see â—oth that the persecutions of Gods saints rather further then hinder the Gospell and likewise how it commeth to passe â—hat they doe so Now the vse which we are to make hereof is hence to be comforted in all our persecutions and troubles which the wicked raise vp against vs. For what though they seeke all occasions against vs because of the truth which wee proâ—esse What though they bring vâ— before Kings and Ruâ—ers Iudges and great Officers and there vniustly accuse vs â—or arreigne vs as euill doers for the Gospels sake of Christ â—esus What though they pâ—euaile to get vs cast into priâ—on or throwne out of our liuings or deliuered vnto death â—or the hope of our profession It may be that they may â—aue their will vpon vs and bring their wicked purposes â—gainst vs to passe But what of all this Is thus the gospels â—urthered Doth the Lord turne these things to the enâ—argement of his Church A chip then for all these or all â—hat man can doe against vs. Nay herein we ioy and will â—oy that by our sufferings or deaths the Gospell is furtheâ—ed and the Church enlarged If together with our bands â—he Gospell also were bound if together with the torment â—r fall of our bodies they could ruâ—ne plucke downe the â—alles of our Church then might we well shrinke at our sufâ—ering and wrongs then might we well be vexed in our â—oules for the malicious practises of the wicked against vs. But seeing the Lord turnes all that they doe vnto vs to the â—lory of his name to the furtherance of his Gospell and â—o the propagation of his Church howsoeuer they intended â—he cleane contrary we may well reioyce and be glad when â—hey say or doe all manner of euill against vs for Christ his â—ake and the Gospels And thus in all our persecutions and â—ufferings we may resolue that therein the Lord will doe â—hat which shall be to the glory of his name the good of his Church and the furtherance of his gospell If our deliuerance from our enemies or our sufferings will make most hereunto then will he deliuer vs as he did Daniel from the Lyons the three Children from the hote fierie fornace and our Apostle from this his imprisonment But if our sufferings or deaths will make most thereunto then they that hate vs shall haue their will ouer vs as they had ouer Steâ—â—â— our Apostle in his latter imprisonment and ouer many blessed Martyrs which are dead in the Lord. Bee wee theâ— deliuered or not deliuered from the will of our enemies still this is our comfort that in his gracious prouideÌ„ce the Lord turneth all to the furthering of the gospell Onely let vs be constant in all our troubles let vs cleaue stedfastly vnto the Lord and let vs not loue our liues vnto the death thâ— men seeing our holy constancie in our sufferings for Christ his sake and the gospels may acknowledge the mightie power of God in strengthening vs to endure such sufferings for the truths sake and so may bee woone to embrace the same truth with vs. And howsoeuer we be bound yet leâ— vs giue proofe as much as we can that the gospell is not bound By teaching and writing and how else we can let vs euer in our bands labour to turne many vnto righteousnesse and to enlarge the Kingdome of Christ Iesus So shall our sufferings be but as the pounding of spice to make our smell the sweeter or as the pressing of the Palme tree to spread the gospell farther Our enemies maine purposes shall be disappoynted and the name of our great God shall be glorified Againe this serueth to condemne the faintnesse and backe-sliding of manie in their persecutions and troubles Much seede sowen in stonie ground Many that when stormes and persecutions arise because of the word by and by are offended A calme Sea they can but a storme they cannot brooke They can well endure to haue Christ crucified preached vnto them but if Chrst come vnto them with his crosse they cannot away with him Nay then many faint and many fall away What then Such fainting at the things whereby the Gospell may be furthered Such â—â—lling away for feare of the things whereby the bounds of â—â—e Church may be enlarged Can your liues or liuelyâ—oodes
the growth of the gospell of Christ â—â—sus Againe in some it is very cleare that the motiues â—â—awing them to preach Christ is a sincere and holy loue â—â—th towards you that they may present you holy and vnâ—â—ameable before God in that day and in the meane time â—ay reioyce ouer your faith loue and holy obedience and â—â—ewise towards the truth that the truth by them may bee â—â—owne in all places But in others it is greatly to be feaâ—â—d that their comming to preach Christ is vpon spitefull â—â—uie towards the faithfull seruants of Christ Iesus maligâ—â—ng the gifts and graces of Gods holy spirit in them vpon â—ontentious humor casting vp and downe the firebrands 〈◊〉 schismes strifes and debates to set the Church on fire or â—â—on euery other inordinate affection rather then vpon â—â—e Againe in some it is very cleare that the end of their comming to preach Christ is to glorifie the Lord to beget children in the faith to comfort the humbled and afflicted soule to build vp the ruined walles of Sion and to turne them that belong vnto the Lord vnto righteousnesse that they may receiue forgiuenesse of sinnes and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith in Christ Iesus But in others it is greatly to bee feared that the end of their comming to preach Christ is to grieue the soule which the Lord would not haue greeued to cast dunge in the faces of their brethren to adde affliction vnto them that already are afflicted and vnder the name of the Church to wound the Church euen with a deadly wound I wish indeede euen from my very heart roote that all that preach Christ in our Church at this day were of the better sort and that our day might haue this exception from the Apostles day And I doe assure my selfe that there were neuer moe in our Church then at this day there are which preach Christ of a pure and good minde vpon a sincere and holy loue towards the Church and towards the truth to gaine men vnto the Church and to ground men in the truth Neither doe I or dare I pronounce of any but that he so preacheth Christ But as I said it may greatly be feared that in this our day there are such as doe not so preach Christ For as the Apostle reasoneth whereas there are among you enuying 1 Cor. 3.3 and strife and diuisions are yee not carnall and walke as men So doe I reason touching this point whereas there are amongst vs such as are euer obscuring the lights of our Church euer girding at them whose graces haâ—â— beene and are most eminent in the Church euer crossing and thwarting the things most behouefull for the Church euer snarling and catching at euery aduantage they caâ— take euer casting firebrands of schismes and contentions iâ— the Church are there not that preach Christ vpon enuâ—â— and strife and not purely but of purpose to greeue As I wish there were no such diuersitie among them that preach Christ so this diuersitie for me might haue beene buried iâ— silence if this scripture had not forced me to so much as 〈◊〉 haue spoke The vse which I make hereof is for the Minister and â—â—eacher of the gospell who hence may take good notes â—hereby he may know whether he be a good minister and â—â—eacher of the gospell The first note whereby hee may â—low this is if hee speake the worde for it is not the wiseâ—â—me of man or the traditions of the Church or the sophiâ—â—ie of the Schooles but it is the word of the euer-liuing â—od that he must speake if he be a good minister and preaâ—â—er of the gospell as it is written If any man speake 1 Pet. 4.10 let him â—â—eake as the word of God Whereby is implyed that if hee â—â—eake not so he speaketh not as he ought The second note whereby hee may know this is if hee â—â—eake the word franckely and boldly for it is not for the â—â—ord his Ambassador to be babish or bleatish or for feare 〈◊〉 keepe backe any part of the Lord his counsaile but as â—â—hn vnto Herod so he must speake boldly vnto the faces of â—â—e greatest and feare not the face of any man as it is writâ—â—n Cry aloud and spare not lift vp thy voice like a trumpet Is 58.1 â—â—d shew my people their transgression and to the house of Iacob â—â—eir sinne whereby he implieth that this is most requisite 〈◊〉 the Lord his Prophet and Minister that he boldly do the â—â—ill of him that hath sent him whether he be to plucke vp 〈◊〉 to roote out or to destroy and throw downe or what â—â—se soeuer The third note whereby he may know this is if he speake â—â—e word boldly and of a good minde For it is not enough â—â—at he speake the word and speake it boldly but if he will â—pproue himselfe for a good Minister and Preacher of the Gospell he must also speake out of a good minde towards God to glorifie him towards them that heare him to saue â—â—em and towards the truth of Christ Iesus to make it â—â—owne in all places as it is written 1 Tim. 3.9 that they should haue â—he mysterie of the faith in a pure conscience or in a sincere â—nd good minde The fourth note whereby hee may know this is if hee â—peake the word vpon a sincere and holy loue For this alâ—o is requisite that he preach the word not vpon strife and contention to moue brawles and stirres in the Church bâ—â— vpon loue towards him who hath commanded to feede 〈◊〉 sheepe and his lambes vpon loue towards the sheepe 〈◊〉 Christ that they wander not as sheepe without a shepherd and vpon loue towards the word that it be not hid as vndeâ— a bushell if hee be a good Minister and Preacher of the word The last note whereby he may know this is if he speake the wo d to the end that God may be glorified his Church builded and his Gospell defended If I say he finde these notes in himselfe hereby hee shall know that he is a good Minister and Preacher of the word Otherwise if he speake not the word but the deuises of his owne braine or speake the word coldly and fearefully fearing mens persons or speake the word of a corrupt and naughty minde or vpon an enuious and contentious humor or to greeue the godly and hinder good things let him know that he is not a good Minister and Preacher of the word Let euery man therefore that is set apart vnto this worke examine himselfe of these things and so let him iudge of himselfe and where be hee findes a fault in himselfe let him mend that which is amisse Now if any man shall here except and say how then If the case thus stand among the Preachers of the word that some of them preach Christ euen through enuie and strife not of a pure and good minde but rather to vex the soule of the righteous
the sheepeheards and will require my sheepe at their hands and cause them to cease from feeding the sheepe neither shall the sheepeheards feede themselues any more for I will deliuer my sheepe from their mouths and they shall no more deuoure them As then this is a great mercie of the Lord vnto the flocke of his pasture when the Pastor is an ill one to deliuer them from him and to cause him to cease from feeding them whether by death or how else so euer so is it a great blessing of the Lord vpon them when they haue a good and faithfull Pastor and Teacher to continue his life amongst them for their further growth and encrease in the faith and truth of Christ Iesus This then beloued should teach you how when the Lord blesseth you with a faithfull Pastor you should bee affected towards him and that is thus you should euen pray vnto the Lord for him to continue his life long amongst you by whose life yee haue such a blessing Other duties many towards them on your behalfe are commanded as obedience where it is said Obey them that haue the ouersight of you and submit your selues and loue As where it is said Heb. 13.17 Know them that labour among you and are ouer you in the Lord 1 Thes 5.12.13 and admonish you and haue them in singular loue for their workes sake and maintenance As where it is said Gal. 6.6 Let him that is taught in the word make him that hath taught him pertaker of all his goods Whereunto ye are also to adde this dutie towards them euen to pray for the continuance of their life long amongst you And surely if either ye consider the blessing which ye haue by the enioying of them or the losse which ye haue when such are taken from you yee will see that yee haue great cause to pray for their abiding in the flesh amongst you For what if after such a faithfull Pastor should succeede an idle sheepe heard a greedie wolfe an ignorant hireling a slow-belly a peruerter of the truth a scandalous man for life one whose God is his belly and whose glorie is to his shame as too too often after such light followeth such darkenesse How great cause then should yee haue to waile and lament and with Ieremie to say How is the golde become so dimme While then ye haue them how ought ye to pray for them that long ye may haue them and enioye the benenefits of their labours But how farre otherwise doe wee a great many of vs in many places for so it is with many of vs in many places that if our Pastor be a faithful teacher one that labours amongst vs in the word and doctrine one that keepes nothing backe from vs but faithfully deliuers vnto vs the whole counsaile of the Lord we are so farre from praying for the continuance of his life that by all meanes we labour to make him wearie of his life If wee haue such a Pastor as neither can nor will teach vs in the wholesome word of truth one that will suffer vs to go on in our sinnes and neuer awake vs out of our dead sleepe of securitie one that will sowe pillowes vnder our elbowes and crie peace peace when there is no peace one that will sort himselfe vnto our manners and apply himselfe vnto our humors he is a man fit for vs hee is a milde a soft man and a good companion and wee wish that he might liue for euer with vs. But if our Pastor with the Prophets of the Lord threaten the iudgements of the Lord against vs for our sinnes if with Iohn Baptist hee reproue vs boldly to our faces for such crying sinnes as reigne amongst vs if with the blessed Martyr Steuen in the application of his doctrine hee shall come vpon vs and say yee stiffe-necked of vncircumcised hearts and eares ye haue alwaies resisted the holy Ghost as your fathers did so doe yee If with the Apostle he shall rebuke vs and say O foolish people who hath bewitched you that yee should not obey the truth if hee shall launce our sores vnto the bottome that so we may be throughly healed if he shall wound the heary scalpe of him that goeth on in his wickednesse and lay the axe to the roote of our sinnes him wee can by no meanes endure he is a contentious man a seditious man a schismaticall fellow a troubler of the world away with such a man hee is not worthy to liue vpon the earth Thus the Pastor from whom it were a mercie of the Lord to deliuer vs we loue and like and him in the continuance of whose liue were a blessing of the Lord vpon vs wee cannot away with So greatly are we in loue with our sinnes and ignorance and so little doe we loue knowledg and the things that belong vnto our peace But beloued I perswade my selfe better things of a great many of you As already you do so continue to haue them that labour amongst you in singular loue for their workes sake Let the feete of them that bring you the Gospell of Christ Iesus bee beautifull vnto you Count the life of your faithfull Teachers a blessing of the Lord vpon you and pray yee vnto the Lord when yee haue such a blessing for the continuance thereof vnto you This blessing is as needfull for you as the greatest blessing of this life and therefore reioyce in it and pray for it as the greatest blessing of your life And let this suffice to be obserued from the reasons which made the Apostle doubt what to chuse whether to liue in the bodie or to remoue out of the bodie It followeth And this am I sure of c. In the Apostles narration which began at the 12. verse first the Apostle told vs what successe his bands had already had and then what successe he hoped they should haue Touching the successe which they should haue we haue heard that the Apostle certainly looked for and hoped that they should turne to the saluation of his soule through his constancie in his bands whether it were in life or in death But what should be the successe of his bands touching the saluation and deliuerance of his bodie The Apostle now tells the Philippians that namely he knew certainely that he should liue be deliuered out of prison be restored to them againe And withall he tels them wherefore God would now deliuer him haue him yet to liue longer which was for these two ends 1. for their furtherance ioy of their faith .i. that by his ministerie they might be confirmed in the faith thereby haue their ioy increased 2. that they might more abundantly reioyce c. .i. that they seeing the mighty power of Christ in deliuering him from the mouth of the lion might more abundantly reioyce in Christ the author of his deliuerance for deliuering him and for bringing him againe to them The first
matters of ciuill conuersation he would haue vs to be like minded as in the Lord it may be warranted Let vs therefore beware how we sooth vp our selues in dissenting about matters of lesse moment when we agree in matters of greater importance The more like minded we are in the Lord the more is our conuerâ—ation such as becommeth the Gospell of Christ Let our care â—herefoâ—e be that both in matters of lesse moment and likewise in matters of greater importance we may be like minded â—n the Lord as becommeth the Gospell of Christ But how may we be like minded in the Lord This our Apostle sheweth in the next words and that is 1. If we haue the same loue i. If we loue the same things in the Lord. 2. If we be of one accord i. If we agree in our wills and desires in the Lord. And 3. if we be of one iudgement i. If we agree in one truth of Christ Iesus For these the particulars are as I take it comprised vnder and meant in that generall so that iâ— we thus loue and agree in the Lord then are wee like minded in the Lord and our conuersation in a great part is such as becommeth the Gospell of Christ Because I haue stood long vpon the generall I shall the lesse neede to stand vpon these particulars which in effect haue beene handled in the generall Briefly therefore of these as time will giue leaue The 1. thing then which in these particulars I note is that the Apostle would haue them to haue the same loue the same I say in respect of the obiect that they should loue the same things the same Church the same Gospell the same truth euen as we say that they haue the same faith who belieue in the same Christ Hence then I obserue that if we will be like minded and walke as becommeth the Gospell of Christ theâ— must we loue the same things in the Lord not one one thing and another an other thing but the same things as simply the same things For we may loue the same things and yet be fâ—â— from that loue of the same things which becommeth vs as namely if we loue the same delights of the flesh the same sins or corruptions whatsoeuer but the same things in the Lord and in the loue whereof hee is delighted and well pleased Thus it is commaunded vs euery where in the booke of God that we all loue the same God the same truth the same meanes of our saluation in Christ and generally the same things whatsoeuer they be that belong vnto our peace And the reason of it is plaine For where one loues one thing and another another thing as for example one Christ and another Antichrist when one hateth that which another loueth where euery man loues that which himselfe liketh and scarce two loue the same things what loue can there be nay what distractions must there not needes be nay what desolation are not likely to ensue In the Church of Corinth they loued not the same things but one loued this man another that maâ— and what dissentions bred it in that Church In our neighbor kingdome of France they loue not the same things but one sort loue the light of the word another sort loue darkenesse better then light and what bloud hath it shedde in that kingdome Amongst our selues we loue not the same things in the Lord but one sort loue their pleasures another sort their profits another sort their promotions the fewest sort the things that they should loue and what but a iudgement likely to ensue Nay beloued here is the miserie and like to be the ruine of our Land in our Land wee loue not the same things in the Lord but we loue too many of vs that man of sinne and the poysoned cuppes of the fornications of that whore and too few of vs the simplicitie of the truth of Christ Iesus to speake plainely we loue too many of vs the Pope and his marchandize and too few of vs Christ and his truth we speake not the â—anguage of Canaan but halfe in the speach of Ashdod and halfe in the language of Canaan Hereupon it is that Pope and his adherents conceiue courage against vs to subdue vs and our Land and to make vs a prey vnto their teeth Beloued if we will not for the loue of the Lord and because the holy Ghost hath commanded vs yet for the loue of our owne liues and that we be not made a prey vnto our enemies let vs loue the same truth of Christ Iesus and generally the same things in the Lord. Let vs no longer halt betweene God and Baal Christ and Antichrist religion and superstition but with religious hearts let vs loue the same truth the same God the same things in the Lord that some may be â—ike minded according to Christ Iesus The 2. thing which in these particulars I note is that the Apostle would haue the Philippians to be of one accord i. to â—gree in their wils and desires touching euery thing that is good belong it vnto religion or vnto ciuill life and conuersaâ—ion Whence I obserue another necessarie dutie for vs that we be like minded and walke as becommeth the Gospell of Christ and that is that we agree in our wills and desires in the Lord that vnitie and concord amongst vs bee preserued and maintained To agree in mischiefe we are ready enough neither neede we any to moue vs thereunto For as it is in the Prophet Psal 50. If we see a theefe we consent vnto him and we are partakers with the adulterers we runne with the wicked to doe euill and we easily ioyne hands with the wicked and vngodlie But to bee of one accord in the Lord we are not so easily drawne albeit this be the agreement that the holy Ghost requireth of vs and commendeth vnto vs. Ps 133.1 Behold saith the Prophet how good and ioyfull a thing it is brethren to dwell together in vnity i. to liue together in that concord and good agreement which is acceptable to the Lord. And the more to shew the precious worth of holy agreement amongst the sonnes of God be likeneth it vnto the oyntment prescribed for Aaron which was so sweete that when Aaron was annointed therewith Ex. 30.23 the smell of it was most pleasant vnto all that were by And euen so sweete and pleasant a thing it is to see brethren to be of one accord in the Lord. This is that which is commended in the faithfull in the Acts Act. 4.32 that they were of one heart and of one soule agreeing in their mindes wills desires and affections And where this agreement in the Lord is not there the Lord is not And yet in matters wherein wee differ one from an other how hardly are we brought to bee of one accord in the Lord If we differ in matters of religion either we will not vouchsafe one to talke with an other in them
trouble his children and to giue rest to his children which are troubled Yea but what doth this touch vs these iudgements wee neede not to feare we are no enemies to Christ we are Christians and wee are baptized into his name True it is wee are Christians and baptized into Christ his name and therefore wee should die vnto sinne and liue vnto God But yet see for all this whether many of vs be not enemies vnto Christ Luc. 19.27 Those mine enemies â—aith Christ himselfe that would not that I should raigne ouer â—hem bring them hither and slay them before me Where againe â—e heare the peremptorie sentence of death and destruction â—nto those that are Christ his enemies But who are enemies â—o Christ let Christ himselfe tell vs Those mine enemies saith â—e that would not that I should raigne ouer them They then are â—nemies vnto Christ which would not haue Christ to raigne â—uer them Yea but we are all very willing that Christ should â—aigne ouer vs. Looke then I beseech you whether all of vs â—ubmit our selues to the scepter of his kingdome euen to the â—ule of his most sacred and holy word to be ruled and guided â—hereby in our whole life For if we do not submit our selues â—hereunto to be ruled thereby we are indeede and in truth of â—hose that would not haue Christ to raigne ouer them whatâ—oeuer outward profession we make otherwise Doe we then â—ll of vs submit our selues to the scepter of his kingdome to â—e ruled by his holy word Are there not some who seldome â—r not at all present themselues in the great congregation to â—eare the wholesome word of truth that they might receiue â—nstruction thereby who refuse to heare the Lord speaking â—nto them in his holy word and loath this heauenly Manna which is the food of our soules I meane the recusant who â—efusing to come to these holy assemblies to heare the word â—reached which God hath ordained to bee the ordinarie â—eanes of our saluation submitting not himselfe to the scepâ—er of Christ his kingdome but in effect saith of Christ wee â—ill not haue this man to raigne ouer vs. Againe are there not â—ome who though they come to heare the word preached yet â—re so hardened in their sinnes that they are not at all softened with the hammer of Gods word but rather are like vnto the â—mithes anuill which the more it is beaten with the hammer â—he harder it is I speake not now of such as onely come for fashions sake or such as thinke they sit on thornes when they sit at a sermon especially if it be any longer then they desire or such as whose thoughts are wandring vp and downe vpon their profits or their pleasures or the like and attend but â—â—â—tle vnto the word preached or such as hang down their heads and fall to sleepe while the Lord is knocking at the doore of their hearts and eares by the ministery of his seruants such might and should learne so to assemble themselues in the house of God as Cornelius and his kinsmen and friends and family assembled themselues when Peter came to preach vnto them Act. 10.33 We are all here present before God saith Cornelâ—â—â— to heare all things that are commaunded thee of God so they might and should learne that here they are present before God to heare and learne all things that are commanded then of God and therefore that here they should be reuerent diligent and carefull to heare that which is preached and taught out of the holy word But I say I speake not now of such But I speake of such as suffer sinne to reigne in their mortall bodies and obey it in the lusts thereof notwithstanding that they be rebuked of their sinnes out of the holy booke of God I demand then hath the couetous man left off to bee couetous hath the drunkard left off to be drunke hath the theefe left off to steale hath the whoremonger left off to delight is strange flesh hath the lier left off to lye hath the blaspheameâ— and swearer left off to blaspheme and sweare because it is written that neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers not wantons nor theeues nor couetous nor drunkards nor blaspheamers nor lyers shall inherit the kingdome of God What turning vnto God is there from any sinne whereof wee haue beene reproued by a true and an vnfeined repentance of the same sinne Nay doth not euery man go forward in his sinne without remorse be the booke of God neuer so wide opened against it And can we say that wee submit our selues to the scepter of Christ his kingdome while wee yeeld our selues seruants vnto sinne and suffer it to reigne in our mortall bodies Nay certainely men and brethren if when wee hearâ— our sinnes plainely rebuked out of the world wee notwithstanding walke on in our sinnes and reforme not the wickednesse of our wayes wee doe in effect say vnto Christ wee will â—ot haue thee to raigne ouer vs and so by our Sauiour his â—wne testimonie wee are enemies to him and what then reâ—aineth but that he bruise them with a rod of iron and breake â—em in peeces like a potters vessell Beware therefore men â—d brethren how ye still harden your hearts when the Lord â—ath so directed the tongue of the Preacher that your owne â—onscience tels you he hath rightly hit you and noted your â—ne It is a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the liuing â—od for he is a consuming fire and rendreth vengeance vnâ—â— all them that know not him and which obey not his Goâ—ell And thus yee see with what honour and glory Christ â—as crowned after his resurrection as also what matter of â—mfort and consolation this may bee vnto the godly and â—ntrariwise what feare and astonishment vnto the wicked â—ad vngodly It followeth that in the next place we speake of â—at subiection and worship which all creatures owe and at â—ngth shall yeeld vnto Christ thus exalted which is a branch â—f Christ his glory and set downe here as an end of his gloriâ—â—cation in these words That at the name of Iesus c Where by the name of Iesus wee are not to vnderstand the â—re name of Iesus as though it had the vertue in it to driue â—ay deuils or as though at the very sound of if all were to â—ow their knees for at the name of Sauiour which is the â—me with Iesus none boweth and the name of Christ of Emâ—anuel of the Sonne of God of God are names no lesse preâ—us and glorious than is the name of Iesus True it is that â—wing of the knee at the name of Iesus is a custome which â—th beene much vsed and may without offence be retained â—hen the minde is free from superstition But to bow and â—eele at the very sound of the name when we only heare the â—me of Iesus sounding in our eares but know not what the â—me meaneth sauoureth of
of displeasure feare to be too forward â—n confessing Christ and professing his name and therefore â—raw backe the shoulder and shrinke at euery blast of winde Now the confession which must spring from this root is â—hat Iesus Christ is the Lord the Lord and therefore his hoâ—our not to be giuen to another the Lord and therefore to â—e serued in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our â—â—fe Thus saith God the Lord Esa 42 5.8 euen he that created the heaâ—ens and spread them abroad c. to wit Christ Iesus I am â—he Lord this is my name and my glory will I not giue to another neither my praise to grauen images Where wee see how our Sauiour Christ both challenged that vnto himselfe to bee the Lord and plainly auoucheth that he will not giue his honour to another Hee then that confesseth Iesus Christ to bee the Lord and yet giueth his honour vnto another doth onely iâ— words confesse that which indeed and in truth he doth deâ—â— Let them looke vnto this that make their praiers and supplications vnto the Saints in heauen that worship images crosses 1 Joh. 2.2 or what reliques soeuer Wee haue an aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the iust and he is the reconciliation for our sinneâ— He sitteth at the right hand of God and liueth euer to make intercession for vs. Whosoeuer then praieth vnto or vseth the intercession of any other be it Saint or Angell he giueth Christ his glory to another As also he doth who doth worship any other but God and him whom hee hath sent Iesus Christ seeing it is said Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God 〈◊〉 him only shalt thou serue He likewise that confesseth Iesus Christ to be the Lord and yet serueth him not in holinesse and in righteousnesse all the dayes of his life his confession is in vaine because in deed and in truth he denieth that which in words hee doth confesse A sonne honoureth his father Malac. 1.6 and a seruant his master If I thâ— saith the Lord by his Prophet be a father where is mine â—â—nour and if I be a master or a Lord where is my feare Whenâ—â— it is most plaine that feare and obedience to his will beloâ—geth to the Lord. They certainly vnto whom the Lord by his Prophet thus spake confessed the Lord which they plainly afterwards shew taking their reproofe hardly and saying Wherein haue wee despised thy name But because they fearâ— not the Lord whom they confessed because they walked not in his wayes nor kept his commandements therefore theâ— confession was as no confession the Lord regarded them not but his wrâ—th was kindled against them This men and brethren is a thing needfull for vs to looke vnto We would be loth so deeply to be charged as not to confesse Iesus Christ to be the Lord. But if he be the Lord where is his feare Wheâ— wee confesse Iesus Christ to be the Lord wee confesse him 〈◊〉 be the sole rightfull commander of vs and our selues to be his seruants him to haue all power ouer vs and our selues wholly 〈◊〉 be his What meaneth then such neglect of conforming â—ur selues according to his most holy will and of yeelding â—bedience vnto that which daily wee are taught and which â—ee know to be his will If we giue our members as weapons â—f vnrighteousnesse vnto sinne which should be as weapons â—f righteousnesse vnto God whatsoeuer confession we make â—ee are the seruants of sinne we are not the seruants of Christ â—â—e Lord and wee are like to those or whom I spake before â—â—at professe they know God but by their workes doe denie â—im O my brethren if yee did indeed confesse Iesus Christ to â—e the Lord your soules would be filled with gladnesse when our mouthes were filled with this confession yea your very â—earts would be warme within you when your tongues were â—â—us talking that Iesus Christ is the Lord your wils would be â—amed to his will your feet would reioyce to come into the â—ourts of his house and to runne the way of his commandeâ—ents Iesus Christ is the Lord denie him not before men Luk. 12 9. â—or he that shall denie him before men shall be denied before â—he Angels of God And certainly hee beleeueth not that â—ares not confesse him Iesus Christ is the Lord confesse â—im so to be and giue not his honour to any other to men or Angels much lesse to stockes or stones Confesse him to be â—he Lord and serue him in holinesse and righteousnesse all â—he dayes of your life This confession becommeth the Saints â—f God and this is a good confession before God And euer â—emember that that they which will not now thus confesse â—esus Christ to be the Lord shall then in that last and great â—ay be forced to confesse that Iesus Christ is the Lord when he shall iudge his enemies on euery side and render to the wicked according to the wickednesse of their wayes Vnto the glory of God the Father Here is the issue of all â—uen of our subiection vnto Christ and of our confession that â—esus Christ is the Lord. All this redoundeth to the glory of God the Father for he that honoureth the Sonne Joh. 5.23 honoureth â—he â—ather and he that honoureth not the Sonne honoureth not the Father for the Father is in the Sonne and whatsoeuer is done vnto the Sonne is done also to the Father Let vs theâ— so subiect our selues vnto Iesus Christ let vs so confesse his to be the Lord as already wee haue beene taught God hath created vs Esa 43.7 formed vs and made vs for his glory Seeing theâ—â— our subiection vnto Christ Iesus and our confession or be glorious name in such sort as hath beene taught is vnto the glory of God the Father let vs be subiect vnto him in all obedience to his will and let vs out of an vnfained faith confesse that he is the Lord euen our Lord. LECTVRE XXXII PHILIP 2. Verse 12. Wherefore by beloued as yee haue alwayes obeyed or as in my presence only but now much more in 〈◊〉 absence c. WHerefore my beloued c. In these word now following wee haue the conclusion oâ— the Apostle his exhortation vnto the Philippians set downe by way of applying Christ his humilitie and obedience vnto his Father vnto their vse and instruction and consequently vnto ours In this conclusion of the Apostle his former exhortation the Apostle againe exhorteth the Philippians and in them vs first vnto humble obedience towards God vers 12.13 secondly vnto humble and modest conuersation towards our neighbour vers 14.15.16 and thirdly he addeth as a reason why he thus exhorteth them the comfort and ioy which they shall bring vnto him in the day of Christ if they so walke as he exhorteth them vers 16.17.18 In the first exhortation which is vnto humilitie and obedience or humble obedience towards God wee haue first to consider the
were â—nder the law and as the same Apostle saith to the Romanes Rom. 8.4 That the righteousnesse of the law might be fulfilled in vs. Seeing â—hen it was for vs that Christ was humbled and that hee was obedient vnto the law and vnto the death great reason it is â—hat his humility and obedience should be a sufficient motiue to perswade vs vnto humilitie and obedience in the whole course of our life Should it bee my brethren a sufficient motiue vnto vs and why is it not Why it is not I know not but that it is not euery man seeth it Our high concâ—â—â—â—â— our selues whether it be of our wisedome or of our riche or of our honour our contentions and vaine-glory our delight in our owne waies and our neglect to walk in the waieâ— of the Lord these and the like testifie vnto our faces that Christ his humility and obedience little preuaile with vaâ—â— perswade vs vnto these holy duties O my brethren let this be an healing of our errour So often as wee heare or read that Christ thus humbled himselfe for vs that he became man for vs that he bare our infirmities that he was led as a sheepe vâ— to the slaughter for vs that he made his soule an offering for our sinne and that he made his graue with the wicked in his death for vs let these be so many remembrancers vnto vs to plucke downe our proud peacockes feathers to put away wrath contention pride vaine-glory and in all meeknesse of minde to submit our selues one vnto an other and all of vâ— vnto our God So often as we heare or read that Christ became obedient vnto his Father in all things that the law required of him that he fulfilled all righteousnesse and neuer gaue ouer to doe the will of his Father till hee had tasted and drunke of deaths cuppe and all for vs let this suffice to slâ—â— vs vp to walke in all dutifull obedience vnto our heauenly Fathers will Yea let vs thus hereupon resolue with our selues and say vnto our owne soules hath the sonne of God my Christ and my God vouchsafed to descend from his high throne of glory to be clothed with my flesh and my skinne to suffer hunger cold pouerty and manifold tentations for mee to be slaundered reuiled buffeted spit vpon condemned nailed on the crosse and to be buried for me and shall beare my selfe aboue my brethren shall I walke with a stâ—â—â— necke and disdaine my inferiors or shall I not make my selfe equall to them of the lowest degree and passe the time of my dwelling here in feare and in all lowlinesse of minde Hatâ— the sonne of God my Christ and my God fulfilled all righteousnesse done his fathers busines and yeelded all obedience vnto his father for mee and shall I kick against him with â—e heele shall I draw my necke from vnder his yoke and reâ—â—se to walke in the waies of his lawes or rather shall I not â—nforme my selfe in all obedience to his holy will and doe at which is good and right in his eyes This vse wee should â—ake of Christ his humility and obedience vnto his father â—â—d to this end he maketh it the ground of his exhortation in is place It followeth Wherefore my beloued The 2. thing which I obserued in â—ese words of the Apostle was his kinde and louing entreaâ—e of the Philippians signified in that he calleth them his beâ—â—ued Which kinde entreatie of them he vseth the rather to â—inne them to harken vnto his exhortation Here then is a â—te for vs whom God hath set apart vnto the holy worke of â—s ministery to wit that we should not onely bee carefull to struct them that heare vs in the wholesome words of truth at that likewise we should seeke in all kinde and louing sort â— winne them vnto that wherein we doe instruct them Hereâ—pon are those kinde and louesome speeches so often vsed in â—e writings of the Apostles my brethren my beloued my babes â— little children dearely beloued deare brethren I beseech you â—ethren by the mercies of God and the like Not to speake of â—ther places this one place of our Apostle might suffice sufâ—â—ciently to instruct vs in this lesson where the Apostle doth â—ot onely exhort the Philippians to walke in the way of godliâ—esse with humblenesse of mind and in obedience vnto God â—nd strengthen his exhortation both by the example of their â—wne former obedience and by the example of Christ his â—umility and obedience but in all kinde and louing sort hee â—roposeth his exhortation calling them his beloued that so â—e might the rather winne them to harken to his exhortation or euen so the dispensers of God his holy mysteries should â—ot onely labour in a godly care to teach them that heare â—hem the words of truth in all euidence of the spirit and to â—onfirme and strengthen the same out of the sacred worth of â—ruth but further they should seeke with all kinde speaches â—nd in all louing manner to lead them foorth vnto the waters of comfort and to bring them vnto Christ Iesus And here happily a man that should long beate vpon this point and to large it to the full might haue great applause in many place especially there where the exception against their Teacher iâ— that he is too sharpe and that hee presseth the iudgement of God against sinne too sore and too vehemently Here theâ—â— I beseech you a lesson for you that are hearers our of thiâ— place As we that are the ministers of the Lord for your comfort are hence taught to striue in all kinde and louing sort to bring you vnto Christ Iesus so you that heare vs are likewise heâ—â—â— to learne so to cary your selues as that we may speak vnto you as vnto our brethren and vnto our beloued If the loue â— God be not in you indeed how can wee speake vnto you a vnto our beloued If your honour not God nor keepe his commandements how can we speake vnto you as vnto 〈◊〉 children If ye be not ioyned with vs in one faith and in one hope in Christ Iesus how can wee speake vnto your as to oâ— brethren Nay I say more vnto you if ye know not vs that labour amongst you and are ouer you in the Lord and adâ—â—nish you if ye haue vs not in singular loue from our works saâ—â— how can we speake vnto you as vnto our beloued If when 〈◊〉 labour to beget you in the faith and to present you before God blamelesse in that day you either stoppe your eares the voice of our charming charme we neuer so wisely or speak euill of vs as of euill doers can wee speake vnto you as vâ—â— our babes and little children If you embrace not the trâ—â— which we preach vnto you but rather hate vs for the message which we bring vnto you can we speake vnto you as vnto on deare brethren Nay certainely if yee will haue vs to coâ—â— vnto you
we must do all things with our neighbour without murmuring and grudging that we may be pure that is that in our spirits there may be found no guile but that in singlenesse of heart wee may speake and doe whatsoeuer we speake or doe And this is set downe as an other marke for vs to shoote at whereat likewise wee must leuell so neere as we can in the whole course of our life euen to be pure and cleane from all fraude guile both in our words and deedes And if we hit this marke wee shall not misse of the other if we be pure we shall be blamelesse if whatsoeuer we speake or doe proceede from the singlenesse of a sincere heart we shall auoide all lust reproofe for whatsoeuer wee say or do That therefore we may be blamelesse we ought to study to be pure from all contagion of sinne Yea but the stars are vncleane in his sight how much more man a worme euen the sonne of man which is but a worme and he hath laid folly vpon his Angels how much more vpon vs that dwell in houses of clay whose foundation is in the dust which shall be destroyed before the moth True it is none can say I haue made mine heart cleane I am cleane from my sinne but if God should dispute with vs wee could not answere him one thing of a thousand Yet ought wee to endeauour to be pure euen from all contagion of sinne and to keepe our selues vnspotted of the world And if so then ought we to be simple and sincere and plaine dealing in all our words and workes Mat. 10.16 which the Apostle especially here intendeth Be ye wise saith our Sauiour as Serpents and innocent as Doues Where the same word is vsed that here is vsed And albeit that be spoken in particular there vnto the Apostles yet the vse is generall that all should be innocent as Doues all should leade a life pure from all fraud and guile So of that which in particular the Apostle speaketh vnto seruants Eph. 6.5 Seruants be obedient vnto them that are your Masters according to the flesh with feare and trembling in singlenesse of your hearts as vnto Christ Of this I say we ought to make this generall vse that wee ought to speake and doe all things in singlenesse of our hearts as vnto Christ For as Iames saith Iam. 1.8 the double minded man is vnconstant in all his waies He that hath a heart and a heart he that can dissemble with his lips and flatter with his tongue there is no trust to be giuen vnto him Our speach ought to be simple yea and nay and we our selues ought to be simple and pure in heart that both in word and in worke wee may be found sincere and intire A point not vnworthy your meditation but most needfull to be practised For this yee must know that the more fraud and guile ye vse be it in word or bee it in worke the farther ye are from God and the neerer ye are vnto the Prince of this world Be not afraide of being too pure and too too precise When ye haue studied this point as much as ye can yet ye shall still be impure enough and too far short of that puritie which should be in you Study to be as in word so in deede and pure in both Let there be no deceitfulnesse in any of you either in the workes of your hands or in the words of your lips Yee are purified and purged and washed by the bloud of that immaculate lambe Christ Iesus which he shed for the remission of your sinnes Defile not your selues againe with the filthinesse of the world Be yee pure that yee may be blamelesse be yee blamelesse and pure that yee may be as the sonnes of God without rebuke in the middest of a naughtie and crooked nation which are the words next following to be handled LECTVRE XXXVI PHILIP 2. Verse 15. And the sonnes of God without rebuke in the middest of a naughtie and crooked nation among whom ye shine as lights c. ANd the sonnes of God without rebuke in the middest c. This is the third clause in the Apostle his reason why wee should hearken vnto both the former exhortations why wee should walke before the Lord in holinesse of life with feare and trembling and why wee should doe all things with our neighbour without murmuring and reasonings that we may be the sonnes of God c. that is that being the sonnes of God by adoption and grace we may be knowne to be so by our care to walke without rebuke in the middest of a naughtie and crooked nation keeping our selues vndefiled by their wicked conuersation By a naughtie and crooked nation the Apostle vnderstandeth all such wicked and vngodly men as walking in the darknesse of their owne vnderstanding are enemies vnto the truth of Christ and hate the light because their workes are euill And such it seemeth were the greatest part of them of Macedonia in the midst of whoâ— that small number of the faithfull which were at Philippi and which by Pauls preaching had embraced the Gospell of Christ Iesus liued The Apostle therefore applying the example of Christ his humilitie and obedience vnto them exhorteth them so to walke both before God and with their brethren that they may be blamelesse and pure and the sonnes of God that is both knowne to be the sonnes of God by leading an holy and vncorrupt life amongst the enemies of Christ and his truth and continue so to be notwithstanding the corrupt conuersation of the wicked among whom they liue Here then is a third marke set downe for vs to shoot at a third thing whereunto wee must bend our selues and our whole studies euen that it may bee knowne that wee are the sonnes of God Knowne vnto whom Both vnto our selues and vnto others Our labour and endeuour must be that we may know our selues to be the sonnes of God and that others may also know that wee are the sonnes of God 2 Pet. 1.10 Giue all diligence saith Peter to make your calling and election sure In which words of the Apostle yee see how carefully the Apostle would haue vs to be imployed in this studie hee would haue vs to giue all diligence hereunto that we may be sure that wee are the sonnes of God elect and chosen in Christ Iesus before the foundation of the world Our election it is according to the good purposes of his will who hath predestinated vs vnto eternall saluation Our adoption likewise into the sonnes of God through Iesus Christ it is according to the riches of his grace and fauour towards vs. And these things euen our election and adoption into the sonnes of God are most sure in themselues neither can they by vs any way bee procured either to be if they be not or being to be more sure than they be For whom hee hath chosen and adopted into sonnes them
meddle not now with those other glorious titles giuen to the word in holy Scriptures as that it is called the word of God the wholesome word of truth the Gospell of saluation c. Euen this that it is called the word of life may teach vs how precious the ministerie and preaching thereof ought to be vnto vs euen more precious than thousands of gold and siluer and as wee desire to be saued in the day of Christ so should wee thirst after these most sweet waters of life But what thirsting is there after them They are brought vnto vs in conduits euen vnto our doores and yet wee will scarce step out of our doores to drinke of them nay wee will sit in our doores and in our houses talking and sleeping rather than wee will come into the house of God and drinke of these waters Euery light excuse and euery small businesse will serue to stay vs from comming to heare the word read and preached I told you euen now of our slacknesse in comming of our negligence in hearing of our carelesnesse to meditate after we haue heard of the holy word of life If I should adde vnto that complaint another of prophaning the Lords day which should be wholly spent in hearing and reading and meditating of the holy word of life of prophaning it I say with dancing and drinking and playing at this or that game or keeping this or that vnprofitable and vnnecessary obseruation and custome should I iustly be reproued Yea but this yee doe in the morning or in the euening not in seruice-time of day Yea but this yee doe on the Lords day which the Lord hath commanded to be kept holy not only in seruice-time of day but Remember saith he that thou keepe holy the Sabboth day Hee doth not limit it to this or that part of the day but keepe the day holy by hearing and reading and meditating in the holy word of life Yea but this is too precise and strait and sauours too much of Puritanisme Well be it as it will thou must either be a Puritan in obseruation of the commandement or else thou bringest vpon thy selfe iudgement O consider this men and brethren what it is that wee call you vnto It is the word of life by which you must be begotten vnto eternall life or else you cannot be saued by the direction and guidance whereof you must enter into rest or else you shall neuer finde rest vnto your soules Dauid when he could not be present in the assemblie of Gods people to praise his God heare his word because of his persecutors he thought the sparrowes and the swallowes happy that might nestle themselues in the house of God Insomuch that he brake out as Psal 42.1.2.84.1.2.3.4 10. Our case is not as Dauids was wee may come We should say therefore with Dauid in another place I was glad c. Yea we should call one vnto another and say as it is in Esay Come and let vs goe vp c. Psal 122.1 Esa 2.3 Col. 3.16 Scrutamini Scripturas c. Ioh. 5.39 Let the word of Christ dwell in you plenteously c. In a famine of bread yee need no exhortation to seeke for bread to refresh and sustaine your bodies Your soules farre more precious than your bodies and your soules hunger-starued and yet what care for your soules The sicknesse is most dangerous when it is least felt LECTVRE XXXVIII PHILIP 2. verse 15 16 17 18. That I may reioyce in the day of Christ that I haue not runne in vaine nor laboured in vaine c. THus farre of the former reason and of the vses thence to bee made by vs heretofore Now followeth the latter reason drawne from the Apostle himselfe in these words that I may reiojce in the day of Christ c. That I may reioyce c. This is the Apostle his latter reason whereby he would enforce his former exhortations and it is as if he had said My beloued I exhort you that you make an end of your owne saluation with feare and trembling and that ye do all things with your neighbours and brethren without murmuring and reasonings and these things I would haue you to doe as for your owne sakes that yee may be blamelesse and pure so for my sake also that I may reioyce c. Yea and if yee marke it euen in these words he would haue them to doe as he hath exhorted them both for his sake and for their sakes also For he would haue them to walke before God in all obedience with feare and trembling and with their neighbour in all loue without murmuring c. why that he may reioyce that 's for his owne sake But wherein doth he desire to reioyce Euen in their saluation that he hath not runne in vaine nor laboured in vaine amongst them but that by his Ministerie and Apostleship they are gained vnto Christ That I may reioyce in the day of Christ c. By the day of Christ the Apostle meaneth that day when God shall iudge the secrets of all men by Iesus Christ that day of Christ his second comming vnto iudgement when it shall be rendred vnto euery man according to that he hath done in his flesh be it good or euill as also in many other places of the new Testament This day is called sometimes the day of Gods wrath sometimes the day of his appearing sometimes the day of iudgement sometimes the great day sometimes that day sometimes the day of the Lord sometimes the day of our Lord Iesus Christ sometimes the day of Christ Now that day of Christ his second comming vnto iudgement is therefore called the day of Christ because in that day God shall giue all iudgement vnto him and he shall descend from heauen with a shoute and with the voice of the Archangell and with the trumpet of God and all shall appeare before his iudgement seate and he shall separate the sheepe from the goates and set the sheepe on his right hand and the goates on the left and shall say to the one Come yee blessed of my Father and to the other Depart from me yee cursed Now the Apostle would haue the Philippians so to walke both before God and men that in this day of Christ when he shall giue to euery man according as his worke shall be he may reioyce wherein that hee hath not runne in vaine c .i. that by his labours he hath gained them vnto Christ The manner of speech which the Apostle vseth seemeth to be borrowed from them that runne in a race wherein though many runne and labour hard toward the marke yet one alone receiueth the price and the rest runne in vaine and labour in vaine because they obtaine not the prâ—ce or the thing which they runne for So the Apostle maketh his account that in respect of them he should be like vnto those that runne in vaine and labour in vaine if hauing laboured to gaine them
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
number but vnto all the brethren Thus yee see with what gladnes the Ministers of the Gospell ought to be receiued yee see how our Sauiour Christ the high Priest of our profession was thus receiued when towards his passion he came downe from the mount of Oliues vnto Ierusalem yee see how the Disciples and Apostles of our Sauiour Christ were thus receiued euen with great ioy of all the brethren And thus at this day the Ministers of the Gospell are receiued euen with all gladnesse of all the brethren But as then it was so now it is the multitude of the brethren no great multitude as may easily appeare euen by this one note that the multitude of them that receiue the Ministers of the Gospell with all gladnes is no great multitude Well beloued to stand no longer vpon this point I cannot better exhort you touching this point then out of these words of the Apostle Receiue the ministers of Christ his Gospell in the Lord receiue them with all gladnes and make much of them for so it followeth And make much of such In which words the Apostle brings it to the generall which before he had spoken in the particular tels them how he would haue them to receiue not only Epaphroditus in particular but the Ministers of the gospel in generall Make much of such make much account of them haue them in high honor estimation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for so the word here vsed in the originall signifieth But whom must we haue in such honour Make much of such such as Epaphroditus such as faithfully and painefully worke in the Lord his haruest such as carefully watch for our soules as they that must giue accounts such as labour in the word and doctrine make much of them and account them worthy of double honor Here then we are taught in what account we are to haue such Ministers of the Gospell as faithfully and painefully labour in the word and doctrine We are to make much of them we are to haue them in high honor and estimation we are to account them worthy of double honor For so the Apostle else where also telleth vs saying 1 Tim. 5.17 The Elders which rule well are worthy of double honour especially they which labour in the word and doctrine Where whatsouer be meant by double honour in particular in generall it is meant that all honour is due vnto them that labour in the word and doctrine Yea indeede honour such make much of such such finde-faults such troublers of the state such hot-headed fellowes such discoueries of their fathers shame such publishers of whatsoeuer they know euen in Gath and Ashkelon For thus commonly they are accounted of especially if according to the necessitie of the times they lift vp their voices like trumpets and shew the people their transgressions and the house of Iacob their sinnes If they tell Herod of his incest they may doe it without that danger that Iohn did but let them looke for no lesse then to be counted troublers of all Israel 1 Reg. 18.17 Act. 19.25 as Elias was accounted by Ahab If Demetrius and the craftsmen men with him be like to sustaine any losse by their preaching if the godles Atheist or the superstitious Papist thinke themselues galled by their preaching then they traduce them by such and such names and then they raise vp whatsoeuer troubles possibly they can against them Thus are they rewarded with euill for good and with hatred for their good will thus doe they become enemies because they tell the truth thus are they honoured and accounted of the world thus commonly are they made of in the world that are carefull not to doe the worke of the Lord negligently Yea and see the strangenesse of it The cause why we should make much of the Ministers of the Gospell is for the message sake which they bring vnto vs because they bring vnto vs the holy word of life the Manna and foode of our soules and because out of it they both teach vs that truth which we are to beleeue and imbrace and improue those errors which we are to beware and auoide and correct those faults in our life which we are to flie and detest and instruct vs in that way of righteousnesse wherein we are to walke all the daies of our life Thiâ— I say is the cause why we should make much of them and this is the very cause why we cannot away with them It would best of all please a great many of vs that they should hold their peace and so 〈◊〉 and suffer vs to sleepe in our sinnes Other o◠〈◊〉 â—â—ppily can away with it that they should reach and instruct and exhort and speake to the eare But that there should be amongst the Disciples of Christ sonne of thunder that the Ministers of the Gospell should powre into the wound both oyle and vineger that they should improue and rebuke that a great many of vs cannot away with and therefore when they doe so we breake our into termes at our pleasure against them Well he that will be soundly healed he must suffer both oyle and vineger to be powred into his wounds and he that will liue must suffer himselfe to be awaked out of his dead sleepe of sinne and he that will shew himselfe to haue profited in the schoole of Christ must make much of such as both teach and improue and correct and instruct as the glory of God and the good of hiâ— people doth require As for those that are not such I say now no more but I wish they were such and that they would studie to be such Beloued I haue vrged this point touching the Ministers of the Gospell of receiuing them in the Lord of receiuing them with all gladnesse of making much of them partly the last day and partly this day For your sakes that yee might know how to vse the Ministers of the word that so yee may giue testimonie how yee honor the word For as men like or mislike the Ministers of the word so commonly they are affected towards the word Let the word of Christ therefore dwell in you plenteously let your delight be in the law of the Lord and loue the word of life as your life and for a proofe thereof such as faithfully and painefully labour in the word and doctrine receiue them in the Lord receiue them with all gladnes and make much of such It followeth Because that for the worke of Christ c. This is the reason which the Apostle bringeth why the Philippians should receiue their Minister in the Lord and with all gladnes The reason then briefly is this Epaphroditus was neere vnto death for the worke of Christ and regarded not his life to fulfill that seruice c. therefore yee ought to receiue him in the Lord and with all gladnes By the worke of Christ the Apostle meaneth in this place that whole paines and labour which Epaphroditus tooke
presented vnto your view the great mysterie of godlinesse euen God manifested in the flesh iustified in the spirit 1 Tim. 3.16 seene of Angels preached vnto the Gentiles belieued on in the world and receiued vp into glory He it is and he alone it is that is made of God vnto you wisedome and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption that hee that reioyceth might reioyce in him Reioyce therefore in him and beware of such as teach you to reioyce in any thing but in him Thus ye see how this exhortation is partly a conclusion of that which went before and partly a ground and foundation of that which followeth The excuse which followeth is to meete with that conceit which the Philippians happily might haue vpon his often admonition First by word and now by writing to beware of false Apostles For thus the Apostle thought they might conceiue and thinke with themselues you haue often when you were with vs admonished vs of false Apostles and Teachers when you taught vs and preached vnto vs Christ Iesus you ceased not to warne vs to beware of such as would seeke to seduce vs from that truth which you taught vs and wee haue beene diligent so to doe neither haue we giuen place to any of their doctrines And therefore you needed not to haue troubled your selfe this admonition needed not to vs The Apostle therefore to meete with this telleth them that for him it is no griefe or trouble to him at all to write the same things vnto them which before hee had taught them by word of mouth and for them hee telleth them that it is a sure and a safe thing that they be often admonished of false Teachers that so they may be the more warie of them Thus much for the vnderstanding of these words Now before wee proceed any farther let vs see what obseruations we may gather hence For our vse and instruction The 1. thing which here I note is the maner how the Apostle doth exhort the Philippians which is in most milde and kinde and good sort speaking vnto them as vnto his brethren yea calling them his brethren not that they were his brethren naturally according to the flesh by carnall generation but his brethren in Christ begotten in one wombe of the Church the spouse of Christ vnto one God the father of our Lord Iesus Christ and father of vs all by one immortall seed the word of God through one spirit whereinto we are all baptized borne by spirituall generation not of bloud nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God Exhorting then the Philippians whom hee had begotten in the faith vnto Christ by his ministerie hee speaketh vnto them as vnto his brethren in Christ most mildly and kindly and louingly So we see he doth in the second Chapter and twelfth verse where exhorting them to humilitie and obedience and to finish their saluation with feare and trembling hee speaketh thus vnto them wherefore my beloued as ye haue alwaies obeyed c. So in the next Chapter he ioyneth both these together and a great deale more and saith Therefore my brethren beloued and longed for my ioy and my crowne c. Most milde and louing exhortations And wherefore vseth hee such mildnesse in his exhortations vnto them No doubt the rather to winne them to hearken vnto him and vnto that whereto hee exhorteth them For as sharpe and bitter words often stirres vp striefe and anger so a soft tongue milde and louing speeches much auaile to effect that which a man desires Here then is a lesson for vs whom God hath set apart vnto the holy worke of his ministerie that we should not onely be carefull to instruct â—hem that heare vs in the wholesome words of truth but that a meeknesse also of spirit wee should exhort them vnto the things that belong vnto their peace A thing practised by Christ himselfe and practised likewise by the Apostles of Iesus Christ as by many places in the new Testament it may easily appeare Here then happily you will say vnto me how is it then that many of you are so sharpe and eager in speech how is it that ye follow not the practise of Christ and of his Apostles We are indeed sometimes sharpe wee come sometimes with a rodde as the Apostle speakes yea sometimes we bring an axe with vs and lay it to the roote of the tree to cut it downe that it may be cast into the fire sometimes we pluck vp and roote out and throw downe sometimes wee strike and wound and kill and herein wee follow the practise of Christ and of his Apostles Would it not seem a sharp speech vnto you if we should lift vp our voices and crie Mat. 12.34 Ioh. 8.44 O generation of vipers how can ye speake good things when yee are euill or if â—e should say ye are of your father the Deuill and the lusts of your father ye will doe or if we should say ye fooles Luc. 11 40.42.43 c. did not hee that made that which is without make that which is within also or if we should come with woe vpon woe vnto such and such men And yet speaking thus we should speake no otherwise then our Sauiour Christ did Did not the Apostle likewise vse sharpe peaches vnto the Galathians when he said vnto them Galat. 3.1.3 O foolish Galathians who hath bewitched you that yee should not obey the truth are ye so foolish that after ye haue begunne in the spirit yee would now be made perfit by the flesh And did not Iames likewise vse great sharpnes boldnes of speach against richmen saying Iam. 5.1.2.3.4.5.6 Go to now ye rich men weepe and houle for your miseries that shall come vpon you c. ye haue liued in pleasure on the earth and in wantones ye haue nourished your hearts as in a day of slaughter ye haue condeÌ„ned killed the iust and he hath not resisted you therefore we be sometimes somewhat rough and sharpe ye see we do not therein swarue from the rule and practise of Christ or his Apostles Eccles 3.1.3 To all things saith the Preacher there is an appointed time and a time to euery purpose vnder the heauen A time to slay and a time to heale a time to breake downe and a time to build c. So I say there is a time to bee rough and sharpe and there is a time to be milde and gentle there is a time to strike and wound and there is a time to comfort and to heale The same God that came in a soft and still voice vnto Eliah 1 Reg. 19.12 Num. 16.32 Leuit. 10.2 and not in the earthquake not in the fire came vnto Korah Dathan and Abiram in the earthquake and vnto Nadab and Abihu in the fire and the one sort were deuoured by the earthquake and the other sort by the fire When men are hardened in sinne and will
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
more then hee hath put them in minde of but his meaning is that if they thinke not as he doth touching the points mentioned but differ from him in iudgement yet God will also reueale this truth vnto them as he hath done other truths My note hence in briefe is that we are to take heed how we take things vpon the credit of the ancient Fathers The Lord is greatly to be blessed for them and it is with all thankfulnesse to be acknowledged that they by their godly labours haue greatly profited Gods Church But yet their words and the senses which they giue of the Scriptures are to be weighed in the ballance of the Sanctuarie and to be examined according to the Scriptures For this by examination we shall finde that diuers times they misse the meaning of the holy Ghost and sometimes they plainly alter the words of the holy Ghost This place giueth euident witnesse vnto both where both the words are so altered and the meaning so missed by this holy Father as that in both he swarueth from the holy Ghost as before was euidently shewed The more to blame they thâ—â— take a Fathers word for warrant good enough and thinke their plea good if in the exposition of a Scripture or debating of a question they haue the suffrage and liking of one or two Fathers The second thing which I note is the manner how the Apostle dealeth with such of the Philippians as differed from him in iudgement euen in these points of righteousnesse and saluation He doth not by and by despaire of them or reiect them as heretikes or thunder our sharpe threatnings against them but in all mildnesse of spirit signifieth his hope that God will reueale their errour vnto them that they which now are otherwise minded then he is may be of the same minde that he is But withall we must note what manner men they were with whom the Apostle dealt thus kindly They were no such men as wilfully opposed themselues against the truth or such as were so vtterly bewitched that they would not obey the truth but such as hauing not long since embraced the truth by his preaching were now a little seduced and drawne aside by such false teachers as were crept in amongst them Whence I obserue that we are for a time to beare with the ignorance of our weake brethren and to reteine a good hope of them though they doe not wholly subscribe vnto that truth which we embrace This also our Apostle teacheth vs to doe where he saith Rom. 15.1 We which are strong ought to beare the infirmities of the weake and not to please our selues we which are strong in knowledge in faith in hope or any good grace of God ought â—o beare with such of our brethren as doe yet come short of vs â—n any such grace neither ought we so to please our selues â—herein as to be puft vp in our selues and to contemne others â—ut being lowly in our owne eyes we are to hope that God will â—ake their darknesse to be light and supply what wanteth in â—heir weaknesse And much to the same purpose is that his exâ—ortation where he saith Brethren Gal. 6.1 if a man be fallen by occaâ—ion into any fault yee which are spirituall restore such a one with â—he spirit of meeknesse if a man be fallen by occasion of his â—lesh of the world of the Deuill or of any instrument of Saâ—an into any fault either of doctrine or of manners yee which â—re spirituall yee which are more strongly susteined by the â—pirit of God restore such a one with the spirit of meeknesse â—nd labour to bring him vnto that truth in doctrine or holinesse of life from which he was fallen Which sheweth that we are not to giue ouer for forlorne those that are holden with some error but rather that we are for a time to beare with â—hem and to hope that the Lord will bring them vnto the â—nowledge of the truth And see what great reason there is to moue vs hereunto Did we not all sit in darknesse and in the shadow of death Were we not all ignorant of the waies of God and of the things that belong vnto our peace Yes surely vntill the day-starre euen the sunne of righteousnesse arose in our hearts our mindes were full of darknesse and the way of truth we knew not For as the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 2.14 The naturall man whose vnderstanding is not yet cleared by Gods spirit perceiueth not the things of the spirit of God but they are foolishnesse vnto him Hath then the Lord in his great mercy towards me made my darknesse to be light and brought me to the knowledge of his truth and shut him as yet vp in darknesse and in ignorance Or hath the Lord brought vs both to the knowledge of his truth and hath he suffered him by occasion to fall from the way of truth and susteined me by the strength of his holy spirit And shall I in either of these cases insult ouer him contemne or disdeine him determine or iudge rashly of him to be a forlorne man an Atheist a reprobate Or am I not rather bending the knees of my soule vnto the Lord for his mercies towards me to hope that in his good time he will lighten his vnderstanding that was shut vp in ignorance or raise him vp againe that was fallen and in the meane time to beare with the ignorance of the one and the error of the other Yes my brethren so long as their ignorance of the truth is vntainted with cankred malice against the truth we may hope that the Lord will call them at the sixt or ninth or some good houre and reueale his holy truth vnto them and in the meane time we are to beare with them and to support one another through loue And for this cause the holy Apostles when the word which they preached was vnto them that heard them as water powred vpon a stone yet ceased not to instruct them with all patience hoping that God would reueale the things vnto them which as yet were hâ—â— from their eyes This then should teach vs not to despaire of them vnto whom the Lord hath not yet reuealed some part of his truth nor to withhold from them such wholesome instructions and admonitions as may draw them from that ignorance or error wherewith they are holden but in all godly sort to labour with them prouing if at any time God will open their eyes that they may turne from darknes vnto light from the power of Satan vnto God The Minister is after the example of our Apostle to instruct with all patience them that be ignorant and them that be contrarily minded in that truth of Christ Iesus which hee hath learned and to deale with them to be like minded as he is and if they be otherwise minded yet to labour with them and to hope that God will reueale the truth vnto them Others likewise whose eyes the Lord
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
we are come like vnto good souldiers which turne not aside but march on along after the prescript rule of their Generall so let vs walke without turning aside to the right-had or to the left-hand after that one rule let vs beleeue and liue as we are directed by â—â—â—t one rule of his word vnder whose banner we doe fight 〈◊〉 vs so farre as we are come walke as Christ Iesus hath taught 〈◊〉 in his holy word The same phrase of speech is vsed to the â—â—e purpose where it is said Gal. 6.16 as many as walke according to this â—â—e i. As many as make this word of truth this Gospell of â—â—rist Iesus now preached and taught vnto you the rule and â—â—are of their faith life from which they will not swarue â—â—turne aside to the right-hand or to the left peace shall bee â—â—on them and mercy and vpon the Israell of God Let vs â—â—â—ceede by one rule and let vs minde one thing i. Let there bee 〈◊〉 dissentions amongst vs but let vs be knit together in one â—â—nde and in one iudgement being of like affection one toâ—â—rds another in Christ Iesus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For so the phrase of speech â—â—re vsed signifieth to be of one minde of one iudgement of â—â—e affection one towards another so that nothing bee done â—â—rough contention amongst vs as it plainely appeareth both 〈◊〉 the 2. verse of the 2. Chapter of this Epistle and by diuers â—â—her places where the same phrase is vsed The summe of all â—â—s if the Apostle had thus said God will in his good time â—â—eale his truth vnto them that bee as yet otherwise minded â—â—an I am But in the meane time till God reueale it let vs 〈◊〉 such grounds of the truth as already we agree vpon proâ—â—ede both in faith and in life as we are directed by that one â—â—le of his word vnder whose banner we fight not turning aâ—â—â—e from it to the right-hand or to the left-hand and let vs 〈◊〉 knit together in one minde and in one iudgement so that â—â—thing be done through contention among vs. This I take 〈◊〉 be the simple and plaine meaning of these words Now let 〈◊〉 see what profitable notes we may gather hence for our own â—â—e and instruction The 1. thing which hence I note is touching the cause of â—issensions in the Church of God whence it is that there are â—â—ch dissensions and diuisions in the Church of God whereby â—â—e vnity and peace of the Church is rent a sunder and broâ—en Not to search farther into the causes thereof than this â—â—e scripture giueth occasion out of this Scripture I note 3. â—auses of the dissensions in the Church of God The 1. is because we doe not with patience expect and waite till God 〈◊〉 his good time reueale vnto vs that truth which as yet is hid 〈◊〉 from our eyes For such oftentimes is our inconsiderate heaâ—â—â—dinesse that if we seeme vnto our selues to apprehend this 〈◊〉 that point of doctrine through the suggestions and persuasions of this or that man by and by we aduenture the defence and maintenance thereof though Iâ—â—l haue preached though the Church of God haue beleeued otherwise We looke 〈◊〉 what it is that the Church hath receiued but what it is that 〈◊〉 haue apprehended or if we doe rather we striue to bring the Church to that which we haue apprehended than wee 〈◊〉 yeeld vnto that which the Church indeed hath receiued 〈◊〉 howsoeuer that we teach may hazard the peace and quite of the Church yet will we not stay our selues and expectâ—â— God may farther reueale his holy truth vnto vs. And 〈◊〉 hath beene heretofore and is at this day one great cause of diuision and dissension in the Church I might instance iâ— diuers heresies wherewith the Church hath beene troubled and which haue in part beene caused because the authâ—â— thereof would not waite till God should reueale the truth vnâ—â— them If that auncient father Tertullian had waited till God had reuealed vnto him that truth which afterward he did â—â—ueale vnto him he had not beene so tainted with the errors oâ— the Millenaries and the Montanists as he was neither haâ— troubled the Church therewith so much as hee did And iâ— some at this day that trouble the peace of the Church with their strange doctrine would both pray vnto the Lord for the reuelation of his truth and patiently waite till the Lord should reueale his truth vnto them we should be more free from disensions than we are The 2. cause of the dissensions in the Church of God 〈◊〉 because we do not proceede by one rule in that whereunâ—â— we are come For such oftentimes is our vntowardlinesse that in the generall grounds of Christian religion whereâ—â— we doe agree we will be slinging out of ranke and not proceed by that one rule of his word vnder whose banner we doâ— fight In the primitiue Church all the Churches of Chrâ—â—â— were come vnto that that they beleeued the resurrection of the dead and that they acknowledged iustification by the â—â—ghteousnesse of Christ yet then they proceeded not by one â—â—le in these things but some denied the resurrection of the â—ead of which sort were Hymeneus and Philetus 2 Tim. 2.17 and some â—ught that vnto Christ there must be ioyned the workes of â—â—e Law to be made righteous before God Whereupon folâ—â—wed then great dissensions in the Church In the reformed Churches of Christ at this day generally we are come to this â—â—at we professe that predestination vnto life is not by foreâ—â—ght of faith or workes but by the alone good pleasure of alâ—ightie God that the children of God cannot finally fall â—om faith or grace that the children of God may and ought 〈◊〉 assure themselues of their saluation that it is not in man to â—ue himselfe if he will that Christ hath freed vs from the of hell by suffering the paines of hell for vs. And if â—e shall not proceede by one rule in these things but one â—â—ape out from another what else can follow but great dissensions in our Churches And is it not a cause of many dissensiâ—ns betwixt the Romish Church and vs that we doe not both â—roceede by one rule in that whereunto we are come Wee â—re come to this that we agree in the Articles of the Christian â—aith that we both beleeue in the Trinitie that wee both beâ—eeue one Catholique and Apostolique Church that we both â—cknowledge one Baptisme for the remission of sinnes that â—e both looke for the resurrection of the dead and the life â—f the world to come And yet what dissensions betwixt vs â—nd them euen about these thingâ— And why because they do not proceed by one rule of the holy word of life with vs but â—hey flie out into Traditions Councels Fathers Decretals Constitutions and Legends and keepe no order with vs in marching along after the prescript rule of our Generall Christ â—esus
the head should disdaine to direct the steps because it is aboue the foot The father of the childe that was possessed with a dumbe spirit saw no doubt his owne weaknesse to be great when our Sauiour said vnto him If thou canst beleeue Mar. 9.23 all things are possible to him that beleeueth Yet he fainted not but holding on a good course hee said Lord I beleeue helpe mine vnbeleefe 24. And our holy Apostle knew right well how strong he was in the spirit and how he abounded in the graces of the spirit yet hee disdained not to become as weake vnto the weake 1 Cor. 9.22 that he might winne the weake and gaine them vnto Christ And both these marched in their ranke and fought well inasmuch as the weake fainted not because he was weake nor hee that was strong disdained not the weake because he was strong Let no man therefore be discouraged or faint because he is weake and vnable to runne with the formost Some in marching forward must be before and some behinde Let not him that is behinde faint but march forward Let him march after the rule prescribed him by his Generall let his word be a lanterne vnto his feet and a light vnto his paths to direct his going in the way of his commandements To haue strength to runne with the formost is a great grace of God and to bee sought after by all manner praier and supplication in the spirit But if thou walke forward in that weaknesse of thine according to the measure of grace that is giuen thee by the rule which thy God hath prescribed thee this shall bring thee peace at the last and guide thee vnto the hauen where thou wouldest be Let not thine heart therefore bee troubled nor feare In what weaknesse soeuer it is that thou walkest blesse thy God that hath set thee in the way and proceed as hee giueth grace in the way LECTVRE LXVII PHILIP 3. Verse 17. Brethren be followers of mee and looke on them which walke so as yee haue vs for an ensample For many walke c. NOw the Apostle goeth forward and hauing before proposed his owne example vnto the Philippians thereby both to instruct their vnderstanding in matters of doctrine and likewise to stirre them vp vnto all holy desires in the whole course of their life now he exhorteth them to follow his example and the example of such as he is that in him they may haue a patterne to rectifie their iudgements in the truth and to follow after Christian perfection in all holy conuersation of their life Here then first wee haue the Apostles exhortation vnto the Philippians secondly certaine reasons to moue them to hearken vnto his exhortation The exhortation in these words Brethren c. The reasons in the verses following vnto the end of the chapter His exhortation consisteth of two parts first that the Philippians would be followers of him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neither doth the word simply signifie followers but that they would bee followers â—ogether of him Which may haue a double meaning either â—hat they would all with one mind and with one heart iointly â—ogether follow his example or else that as other Churches which hee had planted in the faith followed his example so â—hey likewise together with them would follow his example Howsoeuer that be meant it is cleere that the Apostle would haue the Philippians to looke at him and as they had heard him to be minded and seene him to walke so he would haue â—hem to follow him in wholesomenesse of doctrine and integritie of life Hee knew that examples as ordinarily they are wont to doe with men might much preuaile with them Lest therefore they should happily be drawne away by the examâ—ples of the false teachers hauing it may be a greater shew of holinesse in their life then they had soundnesse of iudgement in the truth he draweth them vnto his owne example and exhorteth them to be followers of him The second part of his exhortation is that they would follow the example of them that were like vnto him being so minded towards the truth as he was and walking so in holy conuersation of life as he did For vnto the former part of his exhortation that they should be followers of him there might happily exception be taken that he was much absent from them that hee was now in prison that it was hard to tie them to the imitation of one man to one mans example Hee doth not therefore tie them to the imitation of himselfe alone but hauing exhorted them to be followers of him he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and looke on them with a diligent eye vnto them as vnto the marke whereat yee shoot which walke so so soundly grounded in the truth and so earnestly endeuouring after Christian perfection in this life as yee haue vs for an ensample in whose doctrine is nothing but pure in whose life is nothing but holy So that he allowes them to follow the example of other then himselfe but with all hee doth not leaue it vnto their choice to follow whom they will but markes them out what manner of men they should chuse for examples to follow namely such as were like him and such as of whom they might truly say he walke so hee embraceth the same truth and ordereth his whole life as our Apostle did The summe then of his exhortation is as iâ— he had thus said Brethren ye haue heard and know how I am minded towards the truth and how I follow hard towards perfection in my life Bee yee followers of mee in both these things and walke so as yee haue mee for an ensample Neither doe I tie you only to my selfe to follow mee but looke who they are that walke so shewing themselues an ensample of good workes with vncorrupt doctrine with grauitie integritie and with the wholesome word which cannot be reproued as yee haue mee for an ensample and looke diligently on them and follow them as they follow mee and both of vs Christ Which being the meaning of these words in this exhortation let vs now further see what notes wee may gather hence for our vse and instruction The first thing which I note is that the Apostle would haue the Philippians to follow the example not of whomsoeuer each man in his priuate fancie did best like of but of him and of such others as walked so as they had him for an ensample Whence I obserue that in the course of our Christian walking wee are to follow the example of such as by their holy walking shew plainly that they haue beene brought vp in the schoole of Christ and that they are the faithfull children of God An ordinary thing it is for men to looke at the example of others and so to walke as they haue others for example for the example of others going before vs is a great inducement vnto vs to doe the like whether the thing
shall most vndoubtedly be so many witnesses against vs to the encreasing of our iust condemnation Thus much of this note The 2. thing which I note is from the person of him that exhorted the Philippians which was Paul their Apostle who had taught them the truth in Christ Iesus and had waâ—ked in all holy conuersation amongst them Whence I obserue that the Ministers of Christ are not onely to teach the truth of Christ Iesus with vncorrupt doctrine with grauitie integrity and with the wholesome word which cannot be reproued but withall to be such examples vnto their flockes as that they may say with the Apostle Be ye followers of me and of such 〈◊〉 walke so as ye haue me for an example This our Apostle required of Timothie 1. Tim. 4.12 where he said vnto him Let no man despise thy youth but be vnto them that beleeue an ensample in word in conuersation in loue in spirit in faith and in purenesse And likewise of Titus where he said Tit. 2.7.8 aboue all things shew thy selfe an ensample of good workes with vncorrupt doctrine with grauitie integrâ—â—â— and with the wholesome word which cannot be reproued that hee which withstandeth may be ashamed hauing nothing concerning yoâ— to speake euill of And that which the Apostle required of Tiâ—othy and Titus and in them of all the Ministers of Christ â—â—at the Apostle requireth of all where he saith 1 Pet. 5.2.3 feed the flocke 〈◊〉 God which dependeth vpon you caring for it not by constraint but â—illingly not for filthy lucre but of a ready minde not as though yee â—ere Lords ouer Gods heritage but that ye may be ensamples to the â—â—â—cke And this the very names giuen vnto them in the holy â—cripture requireth of them in that they are called a citie set 〈◊〉 a hill that is looked vnto farre and neere lights that must â—ine before men by good workes shepheards that must feed 〈◊〉 the word and by example guides that must direct by the â—holesome word of truth and by holinesse of life watchmen â—â—at must not faile to giue warning both by doctrine and by â—fe c. Yea the diuersitie of the dispositions of their flock reâ—uireth this of them For though Lydia attend vnto the â—â—ings which Paul speakes and hearing beleeueth though â—â—me receiue instruction by hearing the holy word of life yet â—ust they generally be drawne on both by the wholesome â—ord and by example of an holy life or else they will profit â—ut little or nothing at all For so it is generally that the Miâ—isters life and behauiour is regarded as much if not more as â—â—is doctrine And doth not reason it selfe require that as the â—nowledge of Gods will is first reuealed vnto them and by â—heir ministerie vnto the people so they should bee the first â—nd most forward in the execution of euery Christian duty 〈◊〉 the end that it may appeare that they teach others no â—ourse of life but that which they themselues do with all careâ—â—lnesse walke in yes surely both precept and the names â—iuen vnto them and the nature of them that are to be instruâ—ted and reason it selfe requireth this of Christ his Ministers â—hat they feed the flocke of God which dependeth on them â—oth by the holy word of truth and likewise by holy examâ—le of life And doing thus their example of life of all oâ—hers that liue with vs ought to be followed The sheepe of â—ll others ought to heare their Pastors voice and they that are â—o be led in the way are to follow of all others them that are â—ppointed to be their Guides when their shepheards their Guides shine as holy lights before them and hold out the word of life vnto them Exception I know will easily be taken and I wiâ—h it might not iustly be taken but it will bee excepted and said that if Ministers were such as now we speake of yee would folloâ— them and walke as ye had them for an ensample But how few such Ministers be there How many bee there that are both wicked in life and vnable to teach How many be there of those that doe teach that though they can speake smoothly and finely as they thinke yet do more hurt by their lewd and wicked example of life in one yeare then their doctrine 〈◊〉 doe good in their whole life True it is the complaint is too iust of too many and better it had beene they had beene stifled in their cradles then thus they should haue opened menâ— mouthes against them to the scandall of their calling For though they shall say in that day Lord Lord haue wee not prophecied in thy name for I let the lewd and vnlearned beasts go and leaue them to their iudgement that runne before they be sent though I say they shall say in that day Lord Lord haue we not prophecied and preached in thy name yâ—â— shall it be said vnto them Mat. 7.23 I neuer knew you depart from me yeâ— that worke iniquitie Whatsoeuer they preached if they wrought iniquitie they shall not be able to stand in the iudgement nor in the congregation of the righteous But beloued it standeth you vpon to looke vnto it hoâ— iust your exception is against his life whose doctrine is sound For oftentimes the Ministers of Christ which teach the truth purely are charged to offend in example of life when as in truth their life is no way to bee reproued But admit that his life be not answerable to his teaching this should be no reason for thee to giue lesse credit or obedience to the doctrine of truth which he deliuereth For our Sauiour hath taught thee to hearken vnto him if he sit in Moses seate Mat. 23.3 and to doe as he saith though thou may not doe as he doth if hee say well and doe not accordingly It is his doctrine not his life that thou must looke vnto O but thou wilt say why should I beleeue him or doe as he saith when he doth cleane contrarie himselfe surely that which he saith is but for fashions sake he knoweth some neerer way to heauen then he tels vs of else he would neuer doe cleane contrary and therefore thâ—â— â—ilt venture aswell as he and doe as he doth how bad soeuer 〈◊〉 be Well dally as thou list in a matter of no dalliance If â—hen he saith well and doth ill thou care not what he say but â—o as he doth thy bloud shall be required at his hands but â—â—ou shalt die in thy sinnes and see thou what thou hast gaiâ—ed by thy dalliance I wish indeed that no such exception â—â—uld iustly be taken against the doctrine or life of any in the â—inisterie For certainely such as both by the wholesome â—ord and by an holy life preach vnto the people be the holy Ministers whose labours are found fruitfull But if their life 〈◊〉 not agreeable to their teaching doe ye take heed how ye â—eglect the word of saluation
and seruing God there with fasting and praier night and day It seemeth that the first that embraced religion in Philippi Acts 16.13 were women Neither haue they onely beene religiously affected and such as feared God and walked in his wayes but further many haue mainly stoode for the defence of the Gospel and hazarded their liues Examples we haue in Priscilla vnto whom the Apostle giueth this testimonie that for his life she laid downe her owne necke Rom. 16.4 and likewise in this place of Euodias and Syntyche of whom ye see the Apostle saith that they stroue with him and others in the Gospell that it might haue a free passage and that they might speake the Word boldly Seeing then that these things are written for your learning iudge with your selues how religiously ye ought to be affected towards the truth of Christ Iesus Let their examples stirre vp your holy mindes and let it not seeme grieuous vnto you with holy Mary to sit you down at Iesus foot and heare him preaching in his Ministers Nay let it not grieue you boldly to stand in the defence of the Gospell of Christ Iesus and if the will of the Lord be so to lay downe your liues for that truth which ye haue learned and receiued in Christ Iesus If ye should look no further but vnto examples of your owne sexe ye might haue sufficient encitement hereunto As therefore at this day ye doe so go forward to receiue with meeknesse that word which is able to saue your soules Let the word of Christ dwell in you plenteously and let your religious minds be knowne vnto all men Secondly in the persons of Euodias and Syntyche I note a breach and falling out either betwixt themselues or betwixt them and the Church For in that he exhorteth them to be of one accord in the Lord it is plaine that there was a breach and falling out Whence I obserue that the children of God how religiously affected soeuer they be yet so long as they liue are subiect vnto their falls and subiect vnto diuers disordered affections as anger discord and the like We see how Peter and Barnabas were drawne on vnto shrewd dissimulation for feare of the Iewes Galat. 2.13 We see how the loue of the world drew on Demas to forsake Paul for a time 2. Tim. 4.10 and to embrace it We see how some haue bene almost seduced from the way of truth by false teachers as it is like these two women were if the breach were betweene them and the church Againe we see such a heate and breach to haue fallen out betweene Paul and Barnabas as that they parted companies Acts 15.39 the one going one way and the other way so that whom Satan had often sifted winowed before now a very little matter and small occasion set them at verie great oddes And many such falls and disordered affections are the children of God subiect vnto in this life as might farther at large be proued The reason is because though they be led by the Spirit yet are they not wholly guided by the Spirit but sometimes they walke after the flesh and not after the Spirit Here then first let the children of God learne to humble themselues and to walke before the Lord with feare and trembling The manifold falles and disordered affections whereunto they are subiect may keepe them in a reuerent and sonne-like awe that they presume not aboue that is meete for by their falls they may see what strength there is in themselues to stand if the Lord should not sustaine and vphold them As therefore the Apostle exhorteth so let all of vs make an end of our saluation with feare and trembling fearing but not doubting because he is faithful which hath promised standing in awe but sinning not euen standing in awe lest we doe sinne and displease the Lord. Secondly hence we may learne not presently sharply to censure men vpon their breaches or vpon their falls for they are no other things then do befall the children of God Rather we are if they be such as haue made a good profession of the truth in such cases to helpe them as here our Apostle speakes first to labour to raise them if they be fallen and if they be at oddes to set them at one euen because of their holy profession lest the way of truth should be euill spoken of for that our Apostle makes the reason vnto his faithfull yoke-fellow why he would haue him to help these godly women and to set them at one euen because they were such as had striuen with him in the Gospell LECTVRE LXXVII PHILIP 4. Verse 3. Whose names are written in the booke of life 4. Reioyce in the Lord alway againe I say reioyce WE haue heard the Apostles particular exhortations first vnto Euodias and Syntyche verse 2. secondly vnto his faithfull yoke fellow verse 3. Vnto Euodias and Syntyche that they would be of one accord in the Lord vnto his faithfull yoke-fellow that he would be a meanes to set them at one because they were such as for their labour with him and other his fellow-labourers in the Gospell were worthie that he should doe this for them One thing yet remaineth to be noted from the exhortation vnto his faithfull yoke-fellow which is the Apostles affirmation of his fellow-labourers that their names were in the booke of life Whereby he meaneth that their life was as certainely sealed vp with God as if their names had bene written in a booke to that purpose For the better vnderstanding of which phrase and manner of speech first we are to know that in the Scriptures there is mention made of three bookes attributed vnto God One the booke of Gods prouidence another the booke of Gods iudgement a third the booke of life The booke of Gods prouidence is his fore-knowledge of all things before euer they were And of this the Psalmist speaketh where he saith Psal 139.16 Thine eyes did see me when I was without forme for in thy booke were all things written which in continuance were fashioned when there was none of them before Where by the booke of God is meant his fore-knowledge whereby he knew all things from euerlasting The booke of Gods iudgement is his knowledge of all our thoughts words and workes which in the last day shall so clearely be presented vnto vs as if they were then read out of a booke and according to which he shall then iudge vs And of this Iohn speaketh where he saith I saw the dead Apocal. 20.12 both great and small stand before God and the bookes were opened and the dead were iudged of those things which were written in the bookes according to their workes Where by the bookes is meant that knowledge of all our thoughts words and works which God in the last iudgement shal present vnto euery mans conscience so clearely as if a man should open a booke wherein they were all written and
that here he thus spoke as he thought by the rule of charitie For what saith the Apostle in another place of charitie 1. Cor. 13.7 namely that it beleeueth all things and hopeth all things yea and where it seeth certaine fruites and effects of election and saluation there it is certainly to be perswaded of election and saluation Our Apostle therefore seeing how faithfully those his fellow-labourers had laboured in the worke of the Ministerie with him in the planting of the Church at Philippi how constantly they had walked in the truth notwithstanding the great opposition that was against them how vnblameably they had had their conuersation amongst men in charitie thus he iudged that their names were in the booke of life And this may verie well stand with the other that the Lord onely knoweth who are his For that which properly belongeth vnto the Lord absolutely and by himselfe to know whose names are in the booke of life that the Apostle assumeth not to himselfe but seeing the fruites of their election in their liues he by the rule of charitie thus iudgeth of their saluation that euerlasting life was surely sealed vp for them with God To come then vnto my note the thing which here I note is the Apostles charitable iudgement of his fellow-labourers in the Gospell of Christ Iesus By their fruites he iudged that they were branches of the true vine vpon their holy profession and constant endeuor to increase the kingdome of Christ Iesus he pronounceth that their names were written in the booke of life Whence first my obseruation in generall is that the children of God not onely may and ought certainly to be perswaded of their owne saluation in Christ Iesus but further that they are by the rule of charitie to assure themselues of the saluation of such of their brethren as walke in the truth hauing their conuersation honest For albeit this be most true that not any can be so certaine of any other mans election or saluation as of his owne because he feeleth onely in himselfe the testimony of the Spirit witnessing vnto his spirit that he is the sonne of God and because onely in himselfe he knoweth his faith towards God and his loue towards all Saints not onely by the outward fruites thereof but like wise by the inward motions thereof which he feeles in his owne soule yet may the children of God by such outward fruites and effects of their election as they shall see in their brethren according to the rule of charitie iudge that they are the chosen children of God and heires of saluation So we see that the Apostle writing to the Romanes Corinthians Ephesians writeth vnto them as Saints by calling sanctified in Christ Iesus chosen in him before the foundation of the world and predestinated to be adopted through Iesus Christ vnto God And why did he thus iudge of them Euen because of their communion with the Saints in the Gospel of Christ because of the testification of their faith and of their loue towards all Saints whereby they shewed themselues to be partakers of the fatnesse of the true oliue Christ Iesus So Peter writing vnto the strangers that dwelt here and there throughout Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bithynia calleth them the elect of God And why Euen because of their constant faith constant loue and constant abiding in the Church of Christ Iesus So Iohn calleth them vnto whom he wrote the sonnes of God and the Lady vnto whom he wrote the elect Ladie because they continued in the Church and walked in the truth Do we then see in our brethren the outward fruites of an holy vocation of regeneration and sanctification Do we see them make an holy profession of the blessed truth of Christ Iesus giue good testimonie of a sincere faith in Christ Iesus walk in holy obedience towards God and loue towards their brethren faithfully labour in the workes of their calling and denying vngodlinesse and worldly lusts liue soberly and righteously and godly in this present world Of such we may and are to perswade our selues that they are reserued vnto the same inheritance in heauen with vs and of them we may say that they are the sonnes of God elect in Christ Iesus our Lord vnto eternall saluation prepared to be shewed in the last times And besides this that the holy Ghost by the mouth of the Apostles warranteth vs hereunto the rule also of charitie directeth vs so to do For as before we heard Charitie beleeueth all things 1. Cor. 13.7 charitie hopeth all things Which yet is not so to be vnderstood as if charitie were foolish rashly to beleeue euery thing that is told and there to hope where there is no cause of hope for that the Wiseman maketh a note of a foolish man Prou. 14.15 where he thus saith The foolish will beleeue euery thing But so charitie beleeueth all things and hopeth all things as that it keepes it selfe within the rule of pietie wisedome and religion If the thing displease God be repugnant to the truth be hurtfull or disgracefull to any of Gods children charitie beleeueth it not hopeth it not But where there are good tokens of Christianitie plaine signes of a sincere faith euident testimonies of an holy obedience there surely the rule of charitie bids vs beleeue and hope the best and there we may be bold to say that they are the sonnes of God that their names are written in the booke of life And is it not our Sauiours rule that we should iudge of the tree by the fruite for that a good tree bringeth not forth euill fruite Mat. 7.18 nor an ill tree good fruite If it beare grapes will any man iudge it to be a thorne if it bring forth figs will any man iudge it to be a thistle Nay by the fruite the tree is knowne what it is and if the fruite be good it may thereby be knowne that the tree is good Right so if we haue our fruite in righteousnesse and holinesse it may thereby be knowne that we are the branches of the true vine Christ Iesus Whether then we looke vnto the example of the Apostles or vnto the rule of charitie which the Apostles followed or vnto that rule of Christ to discerne of the tree by the fruite we see that the children of God may not onely perswade themselues of their owne saluation in Christ Iesus but further also may certainly iudge of the saluation of their godly brethren Now see viri fratres men brethren the great necessitie that there is that we should be thus perswaded one of another euen so great as that without it the bond of peace loue and Christianitie cannot be maintained For how can we loue them of whom we haue no hope that they shall be heires of the same saluatiō with vs How can we haue peace with them of whom we are not perswaded that they are at peace with God How can we pray with them and
say Our Father which art in heauen touching whom we doubt whether God be their Father How can we communicate in the Lords Supper with them of whom we doubt whether they be ioyned with vs in the same communion of Saints How can we liue with them as with our brethren and beloued if we doubt whether they be within the same couenant of grace with vs A shallow peace and a shadow of loue and a semblance of Christianitie there may be but such as vnder a colour onely deceiueth and hath no soundnesse in it It is this perswasion of our owne minds touching our brethren that they are in one couenant of grace with vs that they are members of the same mysticall bodie of Christ Iesus with vs that they are heires of the same saluation with vs that through one God one faith one baptisme one Gospell of Christ Iesus they and we shall reigne together in one kingdome it is this I say that linkes vs in the true bond of peace loue and Christianitie and either this must be or else that cannot be If then we desire to be knit together in the true bond of peace loue and Christianitie let vs so walke that we may be thus perswaded one of another As we are called to the knowledge of the truth so let vs walke in the truth and let vs keep fast the profession of our hope vnto the end Let vs follow the truth in loue and in all things grow vp into him which is the head that is Christ rooted built in him stablished in the faith Let our loue one towards another abound yet more more in all knowledge and in all iudgement Let vs haue our conuersation such as becometh the Saints of God and let vs prouide for things honest not onely before the Lord but also before men Thus shall we haue a sure seale vnto our soules thus shall we giue a good testimonie vnto others that we are the sonnes of God and thus shall we be knit together in one mind and in one iudgement that we may walke together in the house of God as friends My next obseruation hence is for the comfort of the Minister in particular The Apostle ye see vpon the faithfull labours of those that had laboured with him in the preaching of the Gospell at Philippi pronounceth that their names were in the booke of life Whence I obserue this for the comfort of the good Minister of the Gospell of Christ Iesus If he haue faithfully and painfully laboured in the worke of the Ministerie if he haue in all good conscience instructed and admonished his people and endeuoured to increase the kingdome of Christ Iesus his reward is with God and his life is as surely sealed vp with God as if his name were written in a booke to that purpose To which purpose is that also of the Apostle where he saith 1. Cor. 3.8.14 Euery man shall receiue wages according to his labour If any mans worke that he hath built vpon abide he shall receiue wages which wages the Apostle calleth elsewhere a crowne of righteousnesse 2. Tim. 4.8 which the Lord the righteous Iudge shall giue him at that day Yea but what if he labour all night and catch nothing What if he run in vaine and spend his strength in vaine and for nothing amongst his people Esa 49.4.5 Yet is his iudgement with the Lord and his worke with his God Though Israel be not gathered yet shall he be glorious in the eyes of the Lord and his God shall be his strength So that howsoeuer his labour be in vaine vnto them yet shal it not be in vaine in the Lord though they be not taught yet shall not he lose his reward For because he hath bene faithfull Mat. 25.21 he shall enter into his maisters ioy A good comfort after he haue borne the burden and heate of the day to receiue such a penie But what part of this comfort hath he that being set in the vineyard to dresse it neither hedgeth nor ditcheth nor gathereth out stones of it nor planteth nor watereth but standeth all the day idle in it No more then the watchman that giueth no warning Ezech. 3.18 Mat. 25.30 no more then he that diggeth his talent in the earth This comfort belongeth vnto him alone that laboureth Now see then men and brethren what this should teach you Is it so that the Lord rewardeth him that faithfully laboureth in the vineyard with euerlasting life but is angrie with him that loytereth euen vnto death Behold then what care the Lord hath ouer you what dutie ye owe vnto him again For wherefore doth he send out the laborers vnto you Wherfore doth he so reward the labors of them that labor faithfully amongst you admonish you Wherefore is he so angry with them that do not labour amongst you Is it not for your sakes that ye may be prepared an holy people vnto the Lord that ye may be instructed in righteousnesse vnto saluation and that no holy dutie may be neglected towards you Consider then with your selues what it is that the Lord looketh for from you grapes or wilde grapes It is iudgement and righteousnesse mercie and truth peace and loue integritie and holinesse that he lookes for and that he requires for such his louing kindnesse towards you for such his continuall care ouer you And if these things be amongst you and abound then blessed shall ye be of the Lord and ye shall eate of the fruite of your wayes But if he looke for iudgement and behold oppression for righteousnesse and behold a crying for mercie and behold crueltie for truth and behold falshood for peace and behold discord for loue and behold hatred for integritie and behold dissimulation and hypocrisie for holinesse and behold profanenesse and all kind of iniquitie then what remaineth but a remouing of our candlestick out of his place what but a fearefull looking for of iudgement wherein shall be indignation and wrath vnto them that disobey the truth and obey vnrighteousnesse Seeing therefore the Lord in his tender care ouer vs sendeth forth labourers vnto vs and so plentifully rewardeth their holy labours amongst vs let vs againe with all care consider what he requireth of vs for such his care ouer vs and in all obedience addresse our selues vnto that dutie His will is that we should hearken vnto the voice of them that come in his Name and he hath in nothing so much delight as when his word is obeyed His care ouer vs in sending his Ministers vnto vs early and late shal be repayed by vs with a good dutie towards him if we will hearken and obey Let vs therefore hearken and obey and so shall we reape vnto our selues a good reward For he that plentifully rewardeth him that laboureth amongst vs and admonisheth vs will also in like mercie reward vs if in vs the fruites of his labours grow vp in righteousnesse and true holinesse
And let this suffice to be spoken by occasion of the Apostles affirmation touching his fellow-labourers that their names are in the booke of life LECTVRE LXXVIII PHILIP 4. Verse 4. Reioyce in the Lord alwayes and againe I say reioyce 5. Let your patient mind be knowne to all men The Lord is at hand HAuing spoken before of the Apostles exhortation vnto the Philippians in generall and likewise of his two particular exhortations the one vnto Euodias and Syntyche the other vnto his faithfull yoke-fellow the last day we spent that whole time in speaking of the Apostles affirmation touching his fellow-labourers that their names were in the book of life which the Apostle addeth vnto the end of his particular exhortatiō vnto his faithful yoke felow Now the Apostle hauing made these particular exhortations vnto those godly women Euodias and Syntyche and vnto his faithfull yoke-fellow in their behalfe he goeth from those particularities and againe maketh sundrie exhortations vnto all the Philippians The words which I haue read vnto you ye see are an exhortation vnto the Philippians to reioyce in the Lord. Where the thing whereunto he exhorteth as ye see is to reioyce A thing which the sensuall man can quickly lay hold on who loues to reioyce and to cheere himselfe in the dayes of his flesh which yet might now seeme vnseasonable vnto the Philippians who liued in the midst of a naughtie and crooked nation by whom they were hated euen for the truths sake which they professed Marke therefore wherein the Apostle would they should reioyce namely in the Lord. And here the sensuall man that haply would catch hold when it is said reioyce by and by when it is added in the Lord will let his hold go But they that by reason of the billowes and waues of the troublesome sea of this world cannot brooke the speech when it is said reioyce are to lay sure hold-fast vpon it when it is added reioyce in the Lord which hold-fast once taken that they might for euer keepe it sure in the third place it is added reioyce in the Lord alwayes to note the constancie that should be in the Christian ioy O but the Apostle was not well aduised of his speech to exhort them to reioyce in the Lord alway Not well aduised Yes Reioyce in the Lord always and againe I say reioyce in the Lord alwayes He repeateth it to make the better impression of a thing so needfull So that here we haue the Apostles exhortation to reioyce but in the Lord not with a momentany or flitting ioy but alwayes both in weale and in woe not vnaduisedly deliuered or as a matter of no moment but doubled as seriously deliuered and to be hearkened vnto And let this suffice for a generall view of the points of this exhortation and for the meaning of the words Now let vs see what notes arise hence for our own vse The first thing which I note in this exhortation is that the Apostle exhorteth the Philippians to reioyce in the Lord allowing and perswading ioy and reioycing but so limiting it that it be in the Lord not onely allowing it as lawfull but perswading it as requisite that they should reioyce in the Lord. Whence I obserue what the Christian mans reioycing is wherein he may and ought to reioyce his reioycing is and may and ought to be in the Lord. It is a common and ordinarie obiection against them that from their soules desire to be followers of the holy Apostle in a sincere embracing of the truth of Christ Iesus that they are melancholike men sad and austere men men which can abide no mirth which can away with no ioy and reioycing But let them not deceiue you Prou. 15.13.17.22 Eccl. 30.22 We say with Salomon that a ioyfull heart maketh a cheerfull countenance and againe with the same that a ioyfull heart causeth good health and with the sonne of Sirach that the ioy of the heart is the life of man and that a mans gladnesse is the prolonging of his dayes Psal 48.10 And therefore often with Dauid we say Let mount Sion reioyce and let the daughters of Iuda be glad And againe with the same Dauid we say 98.5.6.7 Sing reioyce and giue thankes sing to the harp with a singing voice with shalmes also and sound of trumpets And with the Apostle we exhort all men in all places to reioyce euermore 1. Thes 5.16 But here it is not as the world teacheth you do we teach you to reioyce and therefore the world speaketh all maner of euill sayings against vs. For what is the worlds reioycing The rich man he reioyceth in his riches and calleth his lands by his owne name the wise man he reioyceth in his wisedome the strong man in his strength the ambitious man in his glorie and honour the sensuall man in his filthy pleasures the superstitious man in his superstitious wayes the man that stands vpon his merites in the workes of his owne hands and generally worldly men in the waies of their owne hearts such as they do take pleasure and delight in yea foolishnesse as Salomon saith is ioy to him that is destitute of vnderstanding Prou. 15.21 that is euen sinne and wickednesse is a matter of mirth and delight to the wicked and vngodly man Now such reioycing we tell you is not good like vnto the reioycing of him Luc. 12.19 that hauing said vnto his soule Soule thou hast much goods laid vp in store for many yeares liue at ease eate drinke and take thy pastime heard it by and by said vnto him Thou foole 20. this night will they fetch away thy soule from thee and then whose shall those things be which thou hast prouided For as Zophar in Iob saith The reioycing of the wicked is short Iob 20.5 and the ioy of hypocrites is but a moment And our Sauiour pronounceth a woe vpon such reioycing saying Woe be to you that now laugh Luke 6.25 for ye shall weepe and waile And as our Apostle saith of worldly sorrow that it causeth death 2. Cor. 7.10 so may it most truly be said of worldly reioycing that it causeth death Amos 6.4 And therefore with Amos we lift vp our voyces against them that lie vpon beds of Iuorie and stretch themselues vpon their beds and eate the lambes of the flocke and the calues out of the stall 5. that sing to the sound of the violl and inuent to themselues instruments of musicke 6. that drinke wine in bolles and annoynt themselues with the best oyntments and in the meane time are not sorrie for the affliction of Ioseph And out of Ieremie we exhort all men in all places saying Ierem. 9.23 Let not the wise man glory in his wisedome nor the strong man in his strength neither the rich man glorie in his riches And out of Dauid Psa 62.10 If riches increase let no man set his heart vpon them And thus
and report amongst men This then should teach vs to take heed and beware of whatsoeuer things may bring an euill report vpon vs and the rather for that the hurt thereof lights not vpon our selues alone but vpon the name of our God whereby we are called and vpon the truth of our God which we professe What ill reports Eli his sonnes heard touching the offerings of the Lord we all know 1. Sam. 2 17. as also how therefore men abhorred the offerings of the Lord. Their sinne which they committed was very great and brought a very ill report vpon them but hereby it is aggrauated that it brought a dishonour vpon the holy name of God and the offerings of the Lord. And so must we reckon that whatsoeuer ill report we bring vpon our selues by any euill that we do it lights not on our selues alone but vpon our God in whom we beleeue and vpon his truth which we prâ—fesse And yet how carelesse are we of such things as bring ill reports vpon vs Factions diuisions and contentions what ill reports do they bring vpon vs and vpon the truth which we professe And yet how is the corne ouergrowne euery where by these weeds and tares Euery one of vs will post the name off from one to another The Brownists and Barrowists they make no diuision in the Church the ringleaders of factions they make no factions in societies the firebrands of contention they make no contention among neighbours and brethren but such and such and such But yet the thing remaineth to our great infamie faction diuision and contention they grow vp to our shame Againe vsurie I thinke will be confessed to be a thing of euil report I am sure the Lord hath forbidden it Leuit. 25.36 euen all vsurie or vantage call it biting vsurie or what else you will and that the Prophet Ieremie so lothed it that he washed his hands cleane of either lending or borrowing vpon vsurie Ier. 15.10 Nehem. 5. that Nehemiah swept it out from among the people as a great filthinesse Ezech. 18.13 and that Ezechiel condemneth giuing vpon vsurie or taking increase by what name soeuer you will call it And yet how many professors of the truth heare euill for this sinne and how ill doth the truth it selfe heare for this sinne I assure my self that the aduersaries of the truth offend a hundred fold more this way then do the professors of the truth But being a thing of euill report I could wish that the professors of the truth would with Ieremie wash their hands of this sin I should instance in many other things of euill report But by these you will coniecture what is to be said of the rest For generally this I say whatsoeuer the thing be if it be of euill report we are not to thinke on it not to do it lest not onely we but the truth of Christ Iesus heare euill for our sakes Yea but what if an euill report be brought vpon vs without a cause What if we be counted schismaticall factious contentious vsurers or the like without a cause Without a cause then no matter If there be a cause of such report then we are to looke vnto it but if not we need not to be moued much at the matter Math. 5.11 Nay our Sauiour tels vs that we are blessed when men speake all maner of euill against vs for his sake falsly and that we are to reioyce and be glad 12. 2. Cor. 6.8 In these cases we are to passe with the Apostle by honour and dishonour by euill report and good report We cannot stay men from reporting ill of vs. Our blessed Sauiour himselfe heard it said of himselfe that he was a glutton and a drinker of wine Luc. 7.34 a friend of Publicans and sinners What maruell if the world speake euill of vs and like the Dragon cast out whole flouds of euill reports vpon vs But this we are to looke vnto that neither we thinke on nor do any thing that may bring an euill report vpon vs iustly For we heare what our Apostle saith Whatsoeuer things are of good report we are to thinke on them and to do them but whatsoeuer things are of euill report we are not to thinke on them nor to do them Let vs therefore carefully looke vnto the things whereon we set our hearts or whereunto we set our hands Is it a thing of good report which may make vs well spoken of amongst men Let vs then thinke on it and do it that so the truth which we professe may be well spoken of But is it a thing of euill report which may make vs ill spoken of Let euen this be enough to disswade vs from thinking on it or doing it whatsoeuer it be lest the way of truth be euill spoken of By things of good report our God and his truth and our selues shall haue honour but by things of euill report our God and his truth and our selues shall be dishonored Let vs therefore think on and do whatsoeuer things may bring on vs a good report and auoide both the thought and the deed of whatsoeuer may bring an ill report vpon vs. The last thing which I note in this generall conclusion of the Apostles exhortations or rather in the exhortation is that the Apostle would haue the Philippians to thinke on these things and to do these things For these two howsoeuer they be seuered in place by our Apostle yet are they to be ioyned in the opening of these words and in following of the Apostles exhortation He would therefore haue the Philippians to thinke on these things that is to enter into a diligent consideration of these things with themselues and in their hearts to loue and affect them and likewise to do these things because it would be to no great purpose that in their hearts they should loue and affect these things and enter into a serious consideration of them vnlesse also they should practise them in their liues Whence I obserue this lesson for vs that vnto the performance of Christian pietie and holy dutie it is not enough to thinke on seriously with our selues and in our hearts to loue and affect whatsoeuer things are true c. vnlesse also in our outward actions we follow whatsoeuer things are true c. Both in our hearts we must thinke on and loue and affect the things that are good and in the words of our mouth in the workes of our hands and in the wayes of our liues we must shew forth the same Heart and hand must go together If the heart endite a good matter the tongue must be the pen of a readie writer if the heart beleeue vnto righteousnesse the tongue must confesse vnto saluation and if the knowledge of such things as accompanie saluation be in the vnderstanding there must also be an holy practise of such things in the life and conuersation And therefore Dauid prayed Psal 19.14 that both
the meditations of his heart and the words of his mouth might be acceptable in the sight of the Lord no doubt that both in his heart he might thinke on and with his mouth might speak and in his life might practise those things which were good and right in his eyes And in another place he professeth 119. not onely that he loueth the law of the Lord meditateth therein continually but also that he keepeth his commandements with his whole heart For as our blessed Sauiour saith Mat. 7.21 Not euery one that saith vnto me Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heauen but he that doth the will of the Father which is in heauen and as the Apostle saith Not the hearers of the law are righteous before God Rom. 2.13 but the doers of the law shall be iustified so is it likewise in this whereof we now speake that not euery one that thinketh on or loueth and affecteth the things that are good by and by performeth the holy duties of Christian pietie but he that sheweth forth his loue in the holy practise of a Christian life and conuersation Nay indeed whatsoeuer profession we make and howsoeuer we say that we thinke on and loue and affect the best things yet vnlesse the fruite thereof shew it selfe in our outward actions in our liues and conuersations in vaine do we perswade our selues of Christian pietie in our selues For where the Spirit worketh in the heart a serious cogitation a true loue and affection vnto whatsoeuer things are good there also by the power and worke of the same Spirit the fruite of these things is seene in the practise of a holy life and conuersation so that as we thinke on and loue and affect the things that are good so we will be readie also to do and to practise that which is good Let this then teach vs to take heed how we flatter our selues with a vaine perswasion of Christian pietie and performance of holy dutie when indeed we are farre from it Thou wilt say vnto me that thou thinkest on the things that are true and holy and iust c. as much as any man doth but thou must say it and proue it or else howsoeuer thou perswadest thy selfe of thy performance of a good Christian dutie in that thou thinkest on and louest and affectest the things that are good yet thou deceiuest thy selfe For say that thine heart is set on and that thou hast a very good mind vnto whatsoeuer things are true thou must also proue it by doing whatsoeuer things are true by embracing a truth in religion by speaking the truth with thy mouth and by being that in truth which thou wouldst seeme vnto the world to be or else thou deceiuest thy selfe Say that thou louest and affectest whatsoeuer things are honest thou must also make proofe of it by doing whatsoeuer becometh thy person in thy place with all decent grauitie or else thou deceiuest thy selfe Say that thine heart is set on whatsoeuer things are iust thou must make proofe of it by doing whatsoeuer things may be iustly required of thee by God or man or else thou deceiuest thy selfe Say that thine heart is set on whatsoeuer things are pure thou must also make proofe of it by abstaining from all filthinesse of the flesh and of the spirit or else thou deceiuest thy selfe Say that thine heart is set on whatsoeuer things are louely thou must also make proofe of it by doing whatsoeuer may winne thee loue and fauour with God and men or else thou deceiuest thy selfe Say that thine heart is set on whatsoeuer things are of good report thou must also make proofe of it by doing whatsoeuer may make thee wel reported of and the truth for thy sake or else thou deceiuest thy selfe Say that thine heart is set on whatsoeuer things are good and commendable thou must also make proofe of it by doing whatsoeuer things are good and commendable and abstaining from the contrary or else thou deceiuest thy selfe And therefore certainly a great many of vs doe deceiue our selues For by our outward actions it appeareth how farre otherwise we doe then we should lying one vnto another doing things not seemly defrauding others of that is due vnto them defiling our owne selues grieuing one another bringing vpon our selues euill reports and following after that which is euill blame worthy We would it may be serue God but we do serue Mammon we would it may be seeme religious but we are couetous we crie it may be in our hearts and with our mouthes Lord Lord but we do not the wil of the Lord we would sit it may be at the right hand and left hand of Iesus in his kingdome but we cannot away with it to drinke of his cup. In a word we would make a shew of godlinesse but we denie the power thereof we would seeme to professe Iesus Christ but we do turne the grace of God into wantonnes Thus we deceiue our selues while we do not both thinke on and do the things that are good and such as accompanie saluation Let vs therefore as many as feare the Lord and desire to walke in his wayes hearken vnto our Apostle and both thinke on and do whatsoeuer things are true c. He that hath made all and is onely worthy of all let him haue all heart and hand thought and deed word and work let all be employed in his seruice let all be alwayes bent vnto whatsoeuer things are true c. that still we thinke on them and do them Which ye haue both learned c. This is the former reason which the Apostle vseth to enforce his exhortation vnto the Philippians and it is drawne as ye see from the things whereunto he exhorteth them which were no new things such as they had not knowne or heard of but which they had both learned and receiued and heard and seene in him Where I note that the things whereunto he exhorteth them were such as they had both learned and receiued and heard and seene in him and therefore such as both he might the better vrge and they should the rather follow Whence first I obserue this lesson for the Minister and teacher of the word that if he wil do good with his people and preuaile with them vnto euery holy course he must both teach them with the word of truth and with example of life that both they may heare learne the truth from his mouth and likewise see the same expressed in his life And therefore our Apostle exhorteth Timothy to be an example vnto them that beleeue in word and in conuersation 1. Tim. 4.12 in word that from his mouth they might be instructed in the wholesome word of truth and in conuersation that in his life they might see that integritie which becometh Saints So likewise he exhorteth Titus Aboue all things to shew himselfe an example of good workes with vncorrupt doctrine with grauitie Tit. 2.7.8
shall be turned into hell Psal 9.17 and all the people that forget God Now who forget God if not they that do not thinke on and do the things that they haue learned and receiued and heard and seene in Gods Ministers Nay it cannot be that the God of peace should be with them that so neglect the things that belong to their peace For them that honor him he will honour 1. Sam. 2.30 and they that despise him shall be despised Ioyne light and darkenesse Christ and Belial and then let the God of peace be with them that neglect the things that belong vnto their peace And yet how many are there that will not come to learne receiue and heare of vs the things that belong vnto their peace how many that neuer thinke on or do the things that they haue learned and receiued and heard of vs the things that are true honest c. The absence of some for the most part from these our holie meetings and the dissolute negligence of others which being present are as if they were absent giue too too plaine testimonie to the truth of that I say O would we haue the God of peace to be with vs who is so desperately wicked that would not Here we see how we may haue the God of peace to be with vs namely if we thinke on and do those things which we haue learned and receiued heard of our teachers in Christ Iesus But if eyther we shall oppose our selues vnto those things as some do or neglect to thinke on and do those things as too many do or absent our selues from the hearing and learning and receiuing of those things as others do how shall the God of peace be with vs Nay he shall set himselfe against vs and in stead of peace with him and in our owne soules he shall arme himselfe against vs and send trouble into our soules Let vs therefore thinke on and do whatsoeuer things are true c. euen whatsoeuer good things we haue learned and receiued and heard and seene in our Ministers and Teachers and let vs take heed how either we oppose our selues vnto them or neglect to thinke on and do them or absent our selues from the hearing of them If we do the God of peace shall be with vs to giue vs his peace but if not he will set himselfe against vs and howsoeuer for a time we sleep securely yet shall he make vs at warre against our selues Thus farre of this exhortation and the reasons hereof Now reioyce I also c. After those sundrie exhortations vnto the Philippians in the former part of this Chapter whereof hitherto we haue spoken now followeth the latter part of the Chapter wherein he giueth thankes vnto the Philippians for that bountifull liberalitie which they sent vnto him lying at Rome in prison by the hands of Epaphroditus their minister therewith to supply such things as he lacked First therefore he signifieth his reioycing for their great care for him shewed by the things which they sent him by their minister vers 10. Secondly he signifieth his reioying to be not so much for the gift they sent him as for the fruite which thence redounded vnto them from ver 11. to 18. Thirdly he commendeth their liberalitie and wisheth the recompence thereof into their bosome vers 18 19. These be the generall points First then he signifieth I say his reioycing for their great care for him when he saith Now reioyce I c. In that he saith I reioyce greatly he signifieth the greatnesse of his reioycing that he was almost rauished with ioy for their care for him In that he saith I reioyce greatly in the Lord he signifieth that his ioy was not carnall or conceiued vpon the greatnesse of the gift but that the Lord by his Spirit had enlarged their hearts and wrought in them such a Christian care In that he saith that now at the last they were reuiued again to care for him he implieth that their care had for some time slacked towards him The word here vsed is borrowed from trees which seeming in Winter to be dead and withered in the Spring grow greene againe and hath in it this similitude that as the trees which in Winter seemed to be withered flourish againe in the Spring so their care which for a time languished and decayed now againe reuiued In that lastly he saith that they had bene carefull c. he excuseth the slacknesse of their care for him as not proceeding from want of will but from want of oportunitie to send that which they desired In these words then I note these three branches first the Apostles reioycing for their care for him secondly the Philippians slacknesse for some time to care for him thirdly the Apostles excuse of their slacknes to care for him This is the meaning of these words and these be the branches therein contained Now let vs see what obseruations we may gather hence whereof to make some vse for our selues First then here I note the Apostles great thankfulnes vnto the Philippians for their great care of him whereof he giueth them to wit when he saith that he reioyceth greatly for their care for him Whence I obserue this lesson for all Christians that it becometh them to be thankfull for benefits receiued and to shew forth their thankfulnes in word and in deed vnto those of whom they haue receiued them I speake not of thankfulnes vnto God but of thankfulnes vnto men so beseeming all men as that otherwise almost they forget to be men Gen. 23.12 When Ephron the Hittite would haue giuen vnto Abraham his field in Machpelah to burie his dead there how did Abraham bow vnto him and thanke him When Boaz gaue leaue vnto Ruth to gleane in the field Ruth 2. how thankfull vnto him were both Naomi and Ruth To omit others our Apostle what thankes giueth he vnto Priscilla and Aquila for their constant cleauing vnto him Rom. 16.4 Gal. 4.15 How thankfully doth he remember the Galatians sometimes exceeding great loue and kindnesse towards him Philem. 5. And how thankfully doth he remember Philemont loue towards all Saints Generally that of the Prophet is true euen in this Psal 33.1 that it becometh well the iust to be thankfull as vnto the Lord for his mercies so vnto man for such benefits as they haue receiued of man For thus both he that receiueth shall do that which might be expected and he that giueth shall haue that wherewith he will be satisfied Let this then teach vs to beware of vnthankfulnes He that rewardeth euill for good Pro. 17.13 euill shall not depart from his house And what else doth he that repayes good turnes with vnthankfulnes Let vnkind Laban be vnthankfull vnto Iacob if he will and churlish Nabal vnto Dauid but let it be farre from the faithfull to be vnthankful Our Apostle sorts vnthankfull men with the worst men that be 2.
being imputed vnto them through faith and that which is vnperfect in their obedience being couered and not imputed vnto them through Christ So that ye see the doctrine which they deliuer from these words is quite repugnant vnto the doctrine of the holy Ghost throughout the whole Scripture And therefore that cannot be the meaning of these words which they do giue Againe if the Rhemists had thought these words to haue made any whit to that purpose it is very like they would not haue failed to haue giuen that note hence For we see how ready they are to wrest all places to the maintenance of their erronious opinions So that they passing this place ouer with silence it is very like that they otherwise thought of the meaning of these words then others of their profession haue done and do Whether then we looke vnto the doctrine which they gather from these words quite repugnant vnto the doctrine of the holy Ghost throughout the whole Scripture or vnto the iudgement of some of themselues as it may seeme it appeareth that the Apostles meaning is not as our Aduersaries do imagine that he was able of himselfe to do al things not onely the things spoken of before but all things generally which the Law of God required through the helpe of Christ which strengthened him and gaue further strength and vertue vnto his owne strength and vertue What then is the Apostles meaning in these words Surely this as appeareth by the tenour of them To cleare himselfe of boasting himselfe touching the things that he had spoke of he renounceth all his owne power and strength as if by his owne power and strength he had bene able to do those things and he attributeth all vnto the power and strength of Christ saying I am able to do all things euen all the things that I haue spoken of that is I can be abased and I can abound c. For so this vniuersall speech is to be restrained vnto the subiect and matter here spoken of as vsually it is in other places of the Scripture or if we will needes enlarge it further then thus I am able to do all things that is all things that belong vnto my duty and calling But how by my owne power or strength No but through Christ which strengtheneth and enableth me He doth not say through the helpe of Christ as it is in our English Bibles albeit that also might be said for that he is often said to helpe vs in the things wherein he alone worketh altogether without vs but he saith I am able to do all things through Christ whose worke wholly and onely it is to strengthen me by his holy Spirit in my inner man for so the word seemeth here to signifie to do these things euen to suffer aduersitie and not be cast downe through heauinesse and likewise to enioy prosperitie and not be puffed vp with pride This I take to be the simple meaning of the Apostle here Where I note these two points first that the Apostle saith that he is able to do all those things secondly by whom it is that he is able to do all things euen by Christ which c. In the first point where the Apostle saith that he is able c. it is to be noted that he saith I am able He doth not say I was able c. for indeede before he was called to the knowledge of God in Christ Iesus he was not able to do so But he saith I am able implying that now that Christ dwelleth in him by his holy Spirit now that he is engrafted into Christ his bodie by the washing of the new birth and the renewing of the holy Ghost he is able to do all these things to be abased c. Whence I obserue this lesson for vs that being regenerate by the Spirit of God and engraffed into the true oliue tree Christ Iesus we are able to be full and to be hungrie to abound and to haue want and to do the things that are good Before such time as we be borne againe of water and of the Spirit and be made partakers of the roote and fatnesse of the true oliue tree Christ Iesus the very imaginations of the thoughts of our hearts are onely euill continually our throates are open sepulchers our tongues are full of deceit the poison of Aspes is vnder our lippes our mouth is full of cursing and bitternesse our feete are swift to shed bloud destruction and calamitie are in our wayes the way of peace we know not the feare of God is not before our eyes and in one word we are wholly auerse from euerie thing that is good and onely inclined vnto that which is euill being not grapes but thornes not figs but thistles not good but ill trees not liuely but dead branches not friends but enemies not the sons of God but the children of wrath not citizens but aliants from the common-wealth of Israel and strangers from the couenants of Promise But being renewed by the Spirit our hard hearts are softned our froward wills are reformed our darke mindes are inlightned our inordinate affections are ordered our wicked thoughts are bettered and our whole man so made partaker of the godly nature that we flie the corruption which is in the world through lust and study to liue soberly and righteously and godly in this present world So that henceforth we are able to flie that which is euill and to do that which is good which also those manifold exhortations in holy Scripture imply when we are exhorted to follow the truth in loue to mortifie our earthly members to procure things honest before God and all men c. For albeit vnto the wicked and vnregenerate the Lord hath not opened their eyes or their cares that they can see the things that belong vnto their peace or hearken vnto instruction and receiue vnderstanding yet hath he appointed thus to stirre vp his children and made them able to do the things whereunto they are exhorted We do not then as our aduersaries falsly charge vs in the question of Free-will make men stockes and stones such as in the things that are good do nothing at all Ye see we say that being regenerate by the Spirit of God we are able to be abased and to abound c. to do the things that belong vnto our peace and such as accompany our saluation As therefore the Apostle saith vnto the Corinthians 2. Cor. 4.3 If our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that be lost so I say If any man be not able to do the thing that is good it is the man vnregenerate in whom Christ dwelleth not by the power of his Spirit Here then is the point not whether we be able to do the things that are good for that we hold but whether we be able by our owne power and strength at all to do the things that are good by whom it is that we are able to do these
in the end of his Letters and Epistles he should so be censured and traduced as now those are that therein follow his example The second thing which hence I obserue is that as all Christians generally so all Ministers of the Gospell in particular should write and speake vnto and account one of an other as brethren For as this is true in generall that we haue all one God for our Father that we are all begotten by the immortall seede of one God in one wombe of the Church that we are all baptized into one bodie and haue bene all made to drinke into one spirit that we are all adopted vnto the same inheritance by the same Spirit through Iesus Christ and therefore are all brethren in Christ Iesus so is it also true in all the Ministers of the Gospell of Christ Iesus that we all build the same house we all preach the same Gospell we are all called to the dispensation of the same mysteries we all seeke the glorie of the same kingdome and we are all shepheards and bishops vnder the chiefe Shepheard and Bishop of our soules Christ Iesus Howsoeuer therefore in degree we go one before another yet should we vse and intreate one another as brethren A good note as for all Christians in generall so for such in the Ministerie as in gifts or degree are before others of their calling A better example then this of the Apostle they cannot follow to be so affectioned towards their inferiors as it appeareth our Apostle was and in all kindnesse to intreate as brethren them that labour with them in the Gospel as it appeareth our Apostle did It followeth All the Saints c. Here he remembreth the salutations of all the rest of the Saints that were at Rome vnto them All the Saints salute you to wit all the rest of the Saints that labour not in the Gospel and most of all they which are of Caesars houshold he vnderstandeth some of Neroes Court which did embrace the truth Which salutation the Apostle no doubt addeth for the ioy and comfort of the Philippians that when they should heare that not only all the Saints at Rome saluted them but the some of the Emperours Court which had embraced the truth saluted them yea and were as forward as the best in saluting them Whence I obserue that the Lord in mercie sometimes in the Courts of wicked Princes raiseth vp faithfull children vnto Abraham and causeth his truth to be loued and embraced and professed euen of their Courtiers What a cruell tyrant and wicked persecutor of Christians Nero was the Ecclesiasticall stories mention He was the beginner of all those wicked persecutions vnder those ten cruell tyrants in the Primitiue Church and grew to such a thirsting after bloud that not onely Paul and Peter and many other Christians but his greatest familiars his dearest friends his nearest kinred his brethren his mother his wife were slaine by his most cruell tyranny Yet euen in this cruell tyrants Court the Lord had some that feared him and fauoured the truth Such a one was Ioseph in Pharaoh his Court Ionathan in Saules Court Obadiah in Ahabs Court and Ebedmelech in Zedekiahs Court. And such is his mercie that he will such is his power that he can and such his goodnesse that he doth cause light to shine out of darkenesse and beget children in the faith where the truth is most oppugned Which may teach vs many good lessons As first not to despaire but that where the truth is most oppugned there the Lord hath some that feare him and worship him in truth No place more vnlike to haue friends vnto the truth then Nero his Court and yet there were such And therefore we may hope that euen there where Antichrist vsurpeth his tyrannâ—e the Lord hath his children which bow not the knee to Baall Onely we are to acknowledge the glorious mercie and power of the Lord therein that so wonderfully dealeth for his children and prouideth for his owne glory Secondly this may serue to condemne vs of great backwardlinesse in a Christian resolution of a religious profession In Nero his Court was great danger of present death and cruell torture vnto so many as should embrace and professe the truth of Christ Iesus There the same Paul in prison and many continually butchered and killed for a good profession yet there were such as embraced the truth in their hearts and professed it with their mouthes And how shall not this condemne our irresolute resolution of a religious profession We are in no perill of death or of bonds or imprisonment for making a bold profession of Christian religion Nay it is our honour with our most gracious Prince constantly to maintaine the truth against errour and superstition And yet so cold are we a great many of vs in religion as that a man cannot tell what we are Papists or Protestants and so frozen as that a man would take a many of vs rather to be enemies then friends vnto religion Either we are afraid and dare not make that profession which we should for feare of a day or else to serue the time we make shew of one and are indeed another and so cannot make a good profession Howsoeuer it be so it is that many of vs are of no resolution in religion Well it should not be so but though we were in Nero his Court we should make a good profession and though there were no way for vs but to be cast into the hote fierie fornace yet should we with the three children protest Dan. 3.18 We will not serue thy gods nor worship thy golden image which thou hast made and set vp The grace c. In these words the Apostle shutteth vp all and as it were sealeth his letter with that vsuall prayer which he vseth both in the beginning and in the end almost of all his Epistles Where ye see the thing which he wisheth them is grace which when he calleth The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ he therein noteth whence it is deriued vnto his children By grace he vnderstandeth both the first and second grace both the free fauour of God which is the fountaine of all good things and the good things themselues which flow from that fountaine Now this is called the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ because it is deriued from God by him vnto his children by him I say euen by our Lord vnto whom al power is giuen both in heauen and in earth by our Lord Iesus that saueth his people from their sinnes by our Lord Iesus Christ annointed a King to defend vs a Prophet to teach vs a Priest to offer vp a sacrifice for our sinnes So that the Apostles praier here for the Philippians is ye see that whatsoeuer grace our Lord Iesus Christ hath purchased for his Church may be with them all to fill them with all goodnesse Would ye then know how to pray for all good either vnto Gods Church or any of Gods children Learne of our Apostle and pray that the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ may be with them For herein ye pray both for all spirituall grace in heauenly things vnto them and for all temporall blessings which in his gracious fauour he vouchsafeth for the good of his Church and children being all couched in this The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ Againe would ye know by whom all grace is deriued vnto vs be it spirituall grace or temporall blessing the grace of God whereby he loueth vs or the grace of God whereby his loue is made knowne vnto vs Learne of our Apostle it is by our Lord Iesus Christ for therefore is it called the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ because it is deriued by him vnto vs he hauing reconciled vs vnto God and we with him hauing all things giuen vnto vs. Knowing then the exceeding great riches that we haue in Christ Iesus our Lord let vs alwaies in all things glorifie the name of Christ Iesus and as by him we haue all things so let vs do all things to his glorie Laus omnis soli Deo FINIS