imaginations of the thoughts of mans heart are onely euill continually Gen 6 5. and there is no feare of God before his eyes Rom 3 18. This then is it whâ—ch we say that man before he be renued by the spirit of grace hath no power or faculty at all I say not to worke or doe ought at all for this were indeede to transforme him into a stocke or stone but to doe any thing that is good for it is God and God only that worketh in him both the good will Phil. 2.13 and the good deede euen of his good pleasure He enlightens the eyes of our vnderstanding and corrects our froward wils and then being renued by the spirit we vnderstand the things of the spirit of God and we will the things that are good and we runne the way of Gods commandements but euer with this necessary limitation onely by God Hee maketh vs vnderstand and will and runne as we ought and we vnderstand and will and runne as we ought Here â—hen first learne to beware of such as either tell you that man is able of himselfe to keepe the Law and to merit euerlasting life a grosse and now outwoâ—ne errour I hope or that man is able of himselfe to beginne that is good howsoeuer he be not able to perfit it but by the helpe of the Lord or that man being preuented by grace is then able by the helpe of grace ayding his weake nature to worke out his owne saluation for all these errors as Dagon must needs fall to the ground beâ—ore this testimonie of the spirit and doctrine of the Holy Ghost The Holy Ghost by the mouth of the Apostle saith that it is God which hath begun a good worke in vs and that he which hath begun it will go forward with it and performe it vnto the end What then if a man shall tell you that it is in man both to begin and perfit that which is good Or that it is in man to begin that is good though not to perfit it Or that it is in man by the helpe onely of God to doe that is good Let God be true and euery man a lyer Rom. 3.4 that he may be iustified in his words and ouercome when he is iudged Neither beginning nor ending nor increase of any thing that is good is of our selues as of our selues but he beginneth and he which beginneth performeth and perfiteth and none but he euen God onely It is the meere and onely grace and mercy of God not which aideth our nature being weakned but which changeth it altogether in qualitie bringing vs out of darknesse into light out of the power of Satan vnto God and translating vs from the death of sinne vnto the life of righteousnesse in Christ Iesus It is the meere and onely grace of God not which maketh an end of our saluation alone but wherein our saluation wholy doth consist Let no man therefore through vaâ—ne and flatteâ—ing words deceiue you as if you your selues were somewhat when indeed you are nothing but learne and know and euer hold this for a sure ground that God onely beginneth increaseth and perfiteth our obedience to the gospell and euery good worke in vs. 2. Let the Minister and Preacher of the word hence learne what he may assume vnto himselfe in the fruits of his labors by the worke of his ministery Are his people reconciled vnto God brought vnto the obedience of the gospell begotten in the faith of Christ Iesus grounded and stablished in the truth instructed in the way of God perfitly c. He is not to take this honor vnto himselfe as if he had done these things for this hath God onely done and it is his worke as it is written and they shall be all taught of God Esay 54.13 Ioh. 6.45 If we be taught in the word he hath taught vs by his spirit if wee beleeue in Christ it is his gift by his spirit if we be reconciled vnto God hee hath reconciled vs vnto himselfe by Iesus Christ c. Hee I say doth all things onely not immediatly by himselfe but by the ministerie of his seruants And albeit he because he worketh not by his spirit but by the ministerie of his seruants sometimes vouchsafe them this honor that they beget men through the gospell and that they saue them that heare them yet is this onely his worke and onely vouchsafed by him vnto them because in this worke he vseth the worke of their ministerie Let not the Minister then dare to assume vnto himselfe that honor which onely belongeth vnto the Lord. This is his honor that in the great worke of mans saluation he vseth his ministerie and by him as his instrument worketh what he will Let this therefore be his glory and reioycing that the Lord by his meanes will saue his people and bring them to that inheritance which lasteth for euer in the heauens and let him so speake as his Minister out of his word that so he may be indeed a meanes to turne many to righteousnes 3. Hence you may learne in what account and regard yee are to haue the Ministers of Christ Iesus True and most true it is as already yee haue heard that God onely beginneth euery good worke in vs and likewise confirmeth and strengthneth vs and maketh vs to abound therein more and more But he doth it as also yee haue heard by their ministerie whom he hath separated for the gathering together of the Saints and for the edification of the body of Christ Ye are therefore so to thinke of vs as of the ministers of Christ and disposers of the secrets of God by whom he hath appointed to open your eyes that yee may turne from darknes to light and from the power of Satan vnto God that ye may receiue forgiuenesse of sinnes and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith in Christ Iesus by whom he hath appointed to reueale his will vnto you and to fill you with the graces of his holy spirit and by whom he hath appointed to bring to passe all the good pleasure of his will in you And if any man thinke not thus of vs it is because he knoweth vs not neither him that hath sent vs nor what great works the Lord worketh what great mercies the Lord sheweth vnto his children by vs. But let this for this time serue to stirre vp and to warne your pure mindes that yee so thinke of vs as yee ought and as it becommeth them that are taught in the word to haue them which labour among you and admonish you in singular loue and reuerence for their works sake The third thing which here I note is that the Apostle saith that he was perswaded that he that had begun this good worke of embracing the gospel in them would performe it vntill the day of Iesus Christ or as he speaketh to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 1.8 would confirme them in it vnto the end that
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
it is a matter of no small difficulty If we crie peace peace all is well if we sew cushions vnder their elbowes and speake faire and smoothing words if we suffer them to take their fill of pleasure and to wallow in their wickednesse and either say nought vnto them or runne with them happily wee may please men but doubtlesse we shall not please God Againe if we crie aloude and lift vp our voices like trumpets and tell the house of Iacob their sinnes and the house of Israel their transgressions if we rouse them out of that dead sleepe of sinne whereinto they are fallen and lay the axe to the roote of sinne to cut it vp by the rootes if we poure vineger into such wounds as fin hath made in their soules and denounce the sharp threatnings of the law against them happily wee may approue our selues vnto the Lord but doubtlesse we shall not approue our selues vnto men Nay what almost can we say or doe whereby wee shall be able to approue our selues both before the Lord and before men What then are we to striue vnto an impossibility Not so neither but this being out of doubt that wee ought to approue our selues before the Lord whose Ministers we are and whose name wee beare before our people wee ought likewise so faithfully and carefully to walke in our calling before men as that vnto their consciences wee may giue certaine proofes that we are the seruants of Iesus Christ We cannot alwaies so approue our selues vnto men as that what we say or doe shall please them neither doe we or ought we to striue thereunto but we may and ought so to worke the work of our ministery and to doe the duties of our calling as that they ought to approue vs and may know that we are the seruants of Iesus Christ howsoeuer wee come vnto them whether as the Apostle saith with a rodde or in loue 1 Cor. 4.21 and in the spirit of meeknesse For whether wee come with a rodde or in loue and in the spirit of meeknesse whether we improue or correct or instruct or exhort or rebuke our care and endeauour therein is to approue our selues vnto him whose Ministers wee are and that wee may bee found faithfull among you Now as we ought thus to approue our selues vnto you and by our faithfull walking in our calling to giue such proofe of our selues vnto you that ye may know that indeede wee serue the Lord in the Gospell so againe ought yee to take heede of approuing any who giues not plaine proofe that he serues the Lord in the Gospell They whom ye must approue must bee such as seeke not yours but you such as first seeke that which is the Lord Iesus Christs and then that which is their owne such as ye know by your owne proofe that they serue their Lord Iesus Christ in preaching of his Gospell and not themselues or any else whomsoeuer For from their lips ye shall receiue knowledge and instruction and by their mouth ye shall be taught in the waies of the Lord and in the workes of his commandements For they seruing the Lord Iesus from their hearts purely out of the abundance of their hearts endite good matters and their tongue is as the penne of a ready writer Now whether all of this congregation approue such and none but such your selues can better tell then behoueth me to iudge But not to dissemble my feare I am in feare as the Apostle saith of some of you that you more approue of such as serue that man of sinne in seducing you by traditions then of such as serue the Lord in the preaching of the Gospell The Apostle ye know maketh mention of some bad ones it is easie to gesse who at this day doe most resemble them 2 Tim 3.6 which creep into houses and lead captiue simple women laden with sins and led with diuers lusts c. And our Sauiour likwise maketh mention of such as compasse sea and land to make one of their profession Mat. 23.15 and when hee is made they make him twofold more the childe of hell then they themselues are I feare least some of them haue beguiled some of you and seduced your foolish hearts that ye should not hearken and obey the holy word of life which onely is able to make you wise vnto saluation through the faith which is in Christ Iesus For how else commeth it to passe that some doe so seldome present themselues in the holy place where they might heare the things that belong vnto their peace And how else commeth it to passe that some when the Preacher beginnes make an end of their deuotion and leauing the house of God go to their owne houses Haue they any exception against vs Doe we teach for doctrines mens precepts Doe wee handle the word deceitfully Do we keepe backe any of Gods counsell Nay in all these things as in the whole worke of our ministerie we study to approue our selues both before the Lord and before men An exception they haue but almost they know not what The truth is they are not able to trie the spirits whether they are of God And therefore they approue them which prophecie lies vnto them out of their owne braine But ye beloued learne to know and approue him who giues plaine proofe that he serues the Lord in the Gospell in the sincere and faithfull preaching thereof Yea but ye will say vnto mee wee would gladly approue them that serue the Lord in the Gospell But how shall wee know who serue the Lord in the Gospell For they that are wholy deuoted vnto the seruice of that man of sinne and prophecy lies out of their owne braine will say that they serue the Lord in the Gospel aswell as they will which sincerely preach the Gospell of Christ Iesus vnto the confusion of that man of sinne Note therefore that the Apostle in this place doth not simply say of Timothy that he serued the Lord in the Gospell but that he serued with him in the Gospell Wherin he giueth him this testimonie that hee did sincerely teach Christ Iesus preaching no other Gospell then that which the Apostle himselfe preached but walking in the same steppes with him vnto the building of the spirituall temple of Christ Iesus euen as he had him for example Will yee then know who they are that serue the Lord in the Gospell Euen they that serue the Lord in the Gospell with Paul they that preach no other Gospell then Paul preached they which ground the doctrines which they teach not vpon mens precepts but vpon the sure foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Trie therefore who they are that walke as they haue the Apostle for example see who they are that after his example testifie the kingdome of God and preach vnto the people concerning Christ Iesus out of the law of Moses and out of the Prophets Act. 28.23.17.11 It is registred ye know vnto the
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
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
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
integritie and with the wholesome word that cannot be reproued so that he would haue him both to teach the truth soundly and sincerely and in his life to carry himselfe with all grauitie and integritie to be a patterne of good works holinesse of life And so the Apostle Peter exhorteth all Ministers to feede the flocke of God which dependeth on them 1. Pet. 5.2.3 and to be examples to the flocke to feede them with the bread of God the wholesome word of truth and to be examples vnto them in all holinesse of life Otherwise whatsoeuer they build with the one hand they pull downe with the other and like vnto the naughtie cow turne downe with their foote all the milk that they haue yeelded For preach they neuer so well labour they neuer so painfully be they neuer so eloquent and mightie in the Scriptures if their life be offensiue their teaching will be vnprofitable Nay if their people can once say vnto them Physition heale thy self Thou that teachest another teachest thou not thy selfe Thou that preachest A man should not steale Luc. 4.23 Rom. 2.21.22 doest thou steale Thou that sayest A man should not commit adulterie doest thou commit adulterie Let them neuer looke to preuaile with them for any thing that is good O but the people should regard what their teachers say not what they do True indeed for so our Sauiour hath said But the teachers should be carefull as of that they say so of that they do to leade their people in and out both in soundnesse of doctrine and in holinesse of life For as a woe is vnto them if any perish for want of feeding so likewise if any perish by their ill and naughtie example of liuing Let thē then look vnto this that neither attend vnto doctrine nor giue good exāple of life vnto others they also that attend vnto doctrine but do more harme by their example of life thē they do good by their teaching and they also that hauing care that their life be not offensiue either do not or cannot teach their people the things that belong vnto their peace The good Minister of Christ shold be able at all times to presse his people vnto the things which they had learned and receiued and heard and seene in him He that faileth in either doctrine or life hath his wo how much more he that faileth in both Secondly hence I obserue this lesson for you that are hearers of the word that whatsoeuer good things ye haue learned receiued heard and seene in your Ministers and teachers those things ye should thinke on and do For is there a necessitie laid vpon vs to preach the Gospell vnto you and is there not a necessitie laid vpon you to heare the word of your saluation from our mouthes Is there a wo vnto vs if we preach not the Gospell vnto you and is there not a wo vnto you if ye heare not the Gospell of vs Lieth there a charge vpon vs to be examples vnto you of holinesse of life and integritie of conuersation and lieth there not a charge vpon you to be followers of vs in all holinesse of life and integritie of conuersation Yes beloued if we be to bring the Gospell of your saluation vnto you ye are to receiue it of vs if we be to shew you all the counsell of God ye are to heare it of vs if we be to go before you in a sanctified life ye are to follow vs and so to walke as ye haue vs for an example Heb. 13.8 And therefore saith the Apostle vnto the Hebrewes Remember them which haue the ouersight of you which haue declared vnto you the word of God whose faith follow considering what hath bene the end of their conuersation And our Apostle in the Chapter before Be ye followers saith he of me and looke on them which walke so as ye haue vs for an example Which of vs would not condemne that child that should not hearken to the good counsell of his father or the subiect that shold contemn his Princes Embassador Beloued we are your fathers in Christ Iesus to beget you by the immortal seed of the word vnto a liuely faith hope in Christ Iesus How ought ye then as deare childrē to hearkē vnto your fathers instructiō to walk as ye haue vs for an exāple We are the Embassadours of the King of kings and Lord of Lords euen of Christ Iesus sent vnto you in his stead to declare vnto you the will of our heauenly Father and to beseech you to be reconciled vnto God How ought we then to be receiued of you and how ought our message to be entertained But do ye hearken vnto vs as vnto your fathers in Christ Iesus Do ye receiue vs as the Ambassadours of Christ Iesus Is our message entertained as sent from Christ Iesus I beare you record some of you that ye receiue our message and hearken vnto vs gladly But if all of you shall say that ye do so then must I say vnto you as Samuel said vnto Saul when Saul told him that he had fulfilled the commandement 1. Sam. 15.14 What then said he meaneth the bleating of the sheepe in mine eares and the lowing of the oxen which I heare So say I vnto you what meaneth then the gunning and drumming in mine eares what meaneth the Lording and Ladying which I heare If we come vnto you and speake vnto you in our owne name heare vs not but if we come vnto you and speake vnto you in the name of the Lord will ye not heare vs If ye will not it is not vs but it is the Lord that ye refuse to hearken to and obey as it is written He that heareth you heareth me Luke 10 16. and he that despiseth you despiseth me saith the Lord. We onely as the Lord his watchmen warne you of the wickednesse of your wayes we onely as the Ambassadours of Christ Iesus pray ye that ye be reconciled vnto God If ye hearken not sin lyeth at the doore indignation and wrath is vnto them that disobey the truth Beloued it is not yours but you that we seeke It is not out of the humour of one that can abide no pastime that we speake vnto you but out of the desire of one that would haue you blamelesse and pure and the sonnes of God without rebuke In Christs stead therefore I beseech you to leaue off these disordered sportings and meetings The custome of them is heathenish the abuses of them great and the inconueniences which follow them many Thus ye haue learned and receiued and heard and therefore thinke not on them nor do them LECTVRE LXXXVII PHILIP 4. Verse 9. And the God of peace shall be with you 10. Now I reioyce also in the Lord greatly that now at the last ye are reuiued againe to care c. THE latter reason which the Apostle vseth to enforce his exhortation remaineth now to be spoken of
LECTVRES VPON THE 〈◊〉 Epistle of St. Pâ—â—◠〈◊〉 the PHILIPPIANS Deliuered in St. Peters Church in OXFORD By the reuerend and faithfull seruant of CHRIST HENRY AIRAY Doctor of Diuinitie and late Prouost of Queenes COLLEDGE And now published for the vse of GODS Church by C. P. Master of Arts and Fellow of the same Colledge LONDON Printed by EDW GRIFFIN for William Bladen and are to be sold at his shoppe in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the Bible neere the great north doore 1618. TO THE MOST REVEREND FATHER in God George L. Archbishop of Canterbury his Grace Primate of all England and Metropolitane And one of his Maiesties most honorable priuie Councell Most reuerend father I Could not presume to shroud this vnpolished worke vnder so high a Patronage if J did not hope that as Dauid loued lame Mephibosheth for his good father Ionothan so your gracious fauour to this Author now with God would excuse and pardon yea accept this vnperfited issue of his paines These papers were neuer entended for the common view being fitted in a plaine and familiar stile to a popular assembly and therefore J confesse not worthy of your acceptation Yet I thought it iniustice either to depriue the Church of God of the benefit of his labours or not to consecrate them to your Graces hands to whom the Author was so much obliged Your gracious countenance and loue vnto him vpon experience of his integritie whereof you were long a witnes and sometime a iudge did much comfort him amidst other occasions of griefe and deiection His onely requitall were holy praiers for your happinesse which he forgat not in the extremitie of his last sicknes euen then deuoutly entreating the Lord for his blessing vpon your person and gouernment Besides your Grace is pleased to make your fauours as it were hereditary extending them in great measure to his Successor our present Gouernour and to our Colledge Jn which respect the best of all our labours are iustly deuoted to your Grace as a small discharge of our duty if not rather as an acknowledgement of our obligation These Lectures which now I present are an Exposition of Saint Pauls diuine letter to the Philippians An Exposition indeed not sutable to the nicenesse and curiositie of our times not elegant in words and without all affectation vnlesse of plainesse But yet lest I too much disparage the Author and his Worke if I be not mistaken the naked and naturall sense of this holy Text is here so faithfully opened and withall so powerfully and thoroughly applied that J doubt not Gods Church and people may hence reape much benefit which was the Authors only aime in the exercise of his ministerie and shall be my chiefe comfort Whatsoeuer it is I humbly commend it to the blessing of God and to the vse of his Church desiring to honour it with your Graces name whose Patronage shall procure it respect from others The Lord Iesus long preserue your Grace after the ioy of our hearts and the breath of our nostrills his most excellent Maiestie a great and sure friend of religion and a worthy instrument of the welfare and peace of this holy and happy Church of England Your Graces humble Orator Christopher Potter To the Christian Reader IT was a iust taxation of our times by graue and reuerend Beza Dum tempora superiora cum nostris comparo dicere consueui plus illos conscientiae scientiae minus habuisse nos contrà scientiae plus conscientiae minus habere The braines of men were neuer more stuffed their tongues neuer more stirring and yet their hearts neuer more emptie their hands neuer more idle The disease of our forefathers was ignorance ours is impiety they were ill in the head we are sicke at the heart they were blinde but after their manner deuout wee are skilfull and prophane No age was euer blessed with such a light of knowledge and yet none more fruitfull of the workes of darknesse The maine reason vndoubtedly why wisedome and holinesse learning and sanctitie are so vsually now a daies diuorced is because as that Heathen of old could complaine disputare malumus quà m viuere If men can argue and discourse of religion it suffices not one of a thousand thoroughly digests his knowledge or turnes the holy Precepts of Diuinitie into practise Hence the world abounds with Polemicall bookes which doe not so much compose as breed contentions though I confesse the fault is not ours but our Aduersaries whose peruersnes will not be conuicted euen when they are conuicted But for practicall diuinitie and liuely deuotion it is an argument not more necessary then rare handled but by few and not by many regarded Yet in this iniquity of times wherein the affections of men had more need to be ordered then their iudgements informed in my opinion those Treatises are of best seruice and vse which reduce Christianity into action and warme the heart and conscience with deuotion In this ranke I account this Commentary which was a principall motiue vnto mee as we all owe our selues vnto the common good not to smother a worke so seruiceable for this age nor to bereaue Gods Church of such a furtherance especially being herein encouraged by sundry reuerend and iudicious A Commentarie perhaps not to the taste of many men in this age whose nice palate doth loath the dry manna and can best rellish the vnsauory sauces of Aegypt Others who cannot fancie Diuinity vnlesse she be wantonly trim'd vp in the light colours of humane art and eloquence will here require elegancie of words and quarrell at his carelesse stile I answer mores non verba composuit animis dixit non auribus the scope of his labors was his auditors instruction not his own applause nor did he care to please so much as to profit To come with the inticing words of mans wisedome and to preach only themselues is the note of false Teachers the charge of Christs Minister is in demonstration of the spirit and of power to diuide the word of truth aright vnto his people and this was our Authors aime Gods oracles are to be faithfully expounded not curiously minced not loosly dallied with surely the plaine song of Scripture is the best musicke without these quauering descants of mans wit How licentiously prophanely Popish Friers haue abused Gods holy word by their trifling Postills it is too manifest Yea be it spoken with due modesty and reuerence to those Worthies to whose industry and wit the Christian Church is so much beholding some of the ancient Doctors were too far in loue with quaint interpretations especially Origen whose excessiue allegorizing by the confession of Eusebius Lib. 6. c. 18. who yet was his great fauourite partiall in his praises caused the Apostate Porphyrius to blaspheme and to scoffe at the Scriptures Which consideration no doubt moued Caluin Melancthon Martyr and the rest of our late and learned Expositors to sticke so close
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
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
is this thing whereof we now speake Hee will as it shall be for his glory continue vs in the fellowship which wee haue in the gospell if wee continue to aske it in faith and faint not This then may teach vs of what weight and moment our continuance in the fellowship of the gospell is It is not a thing which hapneth by fortune or which humane policie effecteth but onely it is of God and therefore alwaies in all our praiers we are to pray vnto him for it Let vs therefore pray vnto the Lord without ceasing for this grace let vs neuer forget to commense this suite in our praiers vnto God let vs alwaies pray for it and not faint The fift thing which here I note is that the Apostle praied for the Philippians with gladnes because of their growth in godlines and in the knowledge of Iesus Christ by the worke of his ministery Whence I obserue a necessary care which ought to bee in the whole Church I meane in all them that are taught in the word and that is that they so profit and increase in all knowledge and iudgement in all godlinesse and holy conuersation that their Pastors and Teachers may pray for them with gladnes Such a care it may seeme that the Romanes had vnto whom the Apostle giueth this testimonie that their faith which was published and their obedience which was come abroad much gladded him Rom. 1.8 Such a care it may seeme that the Colossians had vnto whom the Apostle giueth this testimonie that though he was absent in the flesh yet was he present with them in the spirit reioycing and beholding their order and their stedfast faith in Christ And such a care ought all the people of God to haue that they which watch for their soules as they that must giue accounts vnto God for them may now pray for them with gladnes and afterwards giue their accounts for them with ioy and not with griefe But this care is not common among the people for where the Pastor in an holy care for his people praieth for them he praieth for them in many places with great heauinesse with heauinesse I say for their neglect and contempt of the word with heauinesse for their ignorance in the things that belong vnto their peace and vnwillingnesse to bee instructed therein with heauinesse for their vngodly conuersation and vnchristian walking with heauinesse for spending his strength in vaine and for nothing amongst them Hee praieth but his soule mourneth because hee cannot gaine them vnto Christ Iesus he praieth but his soule mourneth because they runne and needs will runne headlong to the deuill So litle care commonly there is of profiting by the ministery of the word amongst them that are taught in the word Beloued let it neuer be said so of you but let your care be that they which labor in the word amongst you may pray for you with gladnes Jam. 1.21 Lay apart all filthinesse and superfluity of maliciousnes and receiue with meeknes the word that is graffed in you which is able to saue your soules Follow the truth in loue and in all things grow vp into him Eph. 4.15 which is the head that is Christ Let your conuersation be such as it becommeth the gospell of Christ and striue to increase in all good things with all godly increasing for so and so onely shall we haue cause to pray for you with gladnesse Lastly in that the Apostle hauing taught the Philippians the way of truth giueth thanks for them praieth for them and that with gladnesse because of the fellowship c. Hence I obserue a duty of the Pastors of the Church which if time had giuen leaue and the place had beene so conuenient should principally haue beene stood vpon and that is that the Pastors are not onely to teach their people with the wholesome word which cannot be reproued but they are also to pray for them that the word may haue a blessing among them that they may grow and increase thereby in all knowledge and holinesse to the Lord they are to be glad in their soules for their profiting in the word of grace and they are to giue thanks vnto God on their behalfe when they see their order their stedfast faith in Christ their growth in godlines and righteousnes and holy conversation This should be and might be and I wish it were and if it be not it is their perill in whom it faileth to be LECTVRE V. PHILIP I. Verse 6. And I am perswaded of this same thing that he that hath begun this good worke in you will performe it vntill the day of Iesus Christ NOw giue mee leaue briefly to note one thing further from those words and that is that both our thanksgiuing and our praying are alwaies to bee vnto God Our thanksgiuing because all deliuerance in dangers all comfort in troubles all helpe in time of neede all spirituall graces in heauenly things and all corporall blessings whatsoeuer are from him the father of all mercies and giuer of all goodnesse for euery good giuing and euery perfit gift is from aboue and commeth downe from the father of lights Iam. 1.17 He vpholdeth all such as fall Psal 145.14 15 16. and lifteth vp all those that be downe the eyes of all waite vpon him and he giueth them their meat in due season he openeth his hand and filleth all things liuing with plenteousnes He killeth and maketh aliue bringeth downe to the graue and raiseth vp 1 Sam. 2.6 maketh poore and maketh rich bringeth low and exalteth He is our rocke and fortresse our strength and shield 2 Sam. 22.1 and he that deliuereth vs in all time of danger He is the father of mercies 2 Cor. 1.3 and the God of all comfort which comforteth vs in all our tribulation that we may be able to comfort them which are in any affliction by the comfort wherewith we our selues are comforted of him 4. He succoureth vs when we are tempted and suffereth vs not to be tempted aboue that we be able 1 Cor. 10.13 but giueth the issue with the tentation that we may be able to beare it He created vs Esay 43 7. Act. 17 28. Eph. 1. formed vs and made vs for his owne glory In him we liue moue and haue our being Hee blesseth vs with all spirituall blessings in heauenly things in Christ hauing chosen vs in him predestinate vs to be adopted through him redeemed vs through his blood iustified vs and sanctified vs washed and cleansed vs from our sinnes in him and begotten vs by faith vnto a liuely hope in him In one word he is all in all things vnto vs. Vnto whom then should wee sacrifice the calues of our lips Col. 3.11 and offer the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiuing but vnto him of whom through whom and for whom are all things and by whom we haue all blessings in good things and deliuerance from all
be it the beginning or the perfiting or what it may be if it be good we receiue it from God Our blessed Sauiour speaking more particularly of faith in Christ Iesus and an holy confession of his sinne saith flesh and bloud hath not reueiled this vnto thee Mat. â—â— but my father which is in heauen Faith in Christ Iesus and an holy confession of his name are not the fruits of mans wisdome but they are the speciall gifts of God our heauenly father And speaking of obedience to the Gospell he saith oh 6.44 no man can come to me except the father which hath sent me draw him No eomming vnto Christ no obedience vnto his will vnlesse wee bee drawen and haled against our wils and of vnwilling bee made willing And therefore the Spouse in the Canticles called vpon her Bridegroome Christ Iesus and saith vnto him draw me and we will runne after thee Till he draw vs Cant. 1.4 we runne not after him in whole or in part but indeede we runne from him but when hee drawes vs by his cords euen by the preaching of his Gospell and of vnwilling makes vs willing then wee runne after him Haue wee then no good thing but which wee receiue from God Doth not flesh and blood reueale any mysterie of our saluation vnto vs Can we not come vnto Christ vnlesse the father of our Lord Iesus Christ draw vs If then we come vnto Christ and obey his Gospell it is wholly from God If wee beleeue or vnderstand any thing in the way of godlinesse it is wholy from the illumination of Gods spirit If in vs there be any thing that is good it is wholly the gift of God bestowed on vs. Hee onely hath the interest both in the beginning and in the encrease of it in vs. Which also yet farther appeareth by this in that wee giue thankes vnto God for our calling into the fellowship which we haue in the Gospell and for all other his workes of mercie on vs and in that wee praie vnto God for encrease in all knowledge and iudgement and for euery grace of his spirit which he knoweth to be needefull for vs. For whatsoeuer it is wherefore we giue thankes vnto the Lord thereby wee acknowledge that we haue reciued it from the Lord and whatsoeuer it is wherefore wee pray vnto the Lord thereby we acknowledge that it is to be receiued from the Lord as euerie man knoweth by the nature of thankesgiuing and of praier Doe we then well in giuing thankes vnto God for our calling into the fellowship of the Gospell and for other good things begunne in vs Doe wee well to pray vnto God that he will encrease our obedience to â—he Gospell and whatsoeuer good grace he hath begun in vs Doe wee well to giue thankes vnto God for the beginning and to praie vnto God for the perfiting of euerie good worke in vs If we doe not well heerein then our Apostle did not well in this place thus to doe on the Philippians behalfe and his example hath deceiued vs but if wee doe well heerein then is both the beginning and encrease and perfiting of our obedience to the Gospell and of euerie good worke in vs onely from the Lord who is all in all things Alpha and Omega the beginning and the ending as in regard of his Maiesty so in regard of all creatures from whom as all creatures haue their beginning continuance and support so haue all good graces their beginning encrease and perfection from him Howbeit heere yee must vnderstand that when wee thus teach that both the beginning and encrease and perfiting of our obedience to the Gospell and of euery good worke in vs is onely from God we doe not either make the ministration of the Gospell to bee of none effect or transforme our selues into blockes and stones For albeit hee onely beginne encrease and perfit in vs our obedience to the Gospell and euery good grace that is wrought in vs yet doth he not this immediately by himselfe but he doth it by meanes He doth it but he vseth the ministery of his seruants in the preaching of his Gospell to effect it he giueth encrease but by the planting of Paul and watering of Apollos as it is written I haue planted 1 Cor. 3.6 Apollos watered but God gaue the encrease Hee reconcileth his children vnto himselfe but by the word of reconciliation which hee hath committed to vs his children as it is written all things are of God which hath reconciled vs vnto himselfe by Iesus Christ 2 Cor. 5 18. and hath giuen vnto vs the ministerie of reconciliation He reuealeth his truth vnto his children but by his Ministers vnto whom hee reuealeth his truth that they may preach it vnto vs as it is written when it pleased God to reueale his sonne in me Gal. 1. â—6 that I should preach him among the Gentiles c. And therefore as it is said that faith is the gift of God so is it also sayd that faith is by hearing Ephes 2.8 Rom. 10.17 euen hearing of the word preached so that his gift is giuen by the ministrie of the word preached And as it is said that eternall life is the gift of God through Iesus Christ our Lord so is it also said Rom. 6.23 that the Gospell is the power of God Rom. 1.16 or the powerfull instrument of God vnto saluation vnto euery one that beleeueth so that the preaching of the Gospel is the ordinarie instrument of God wherby he giueth saluation and eternall life to euery one that beleeueth We doe not therefore make the ministration of the Gospell to bee of none effect when wee say that God onely beginneth this and euery good worke in vs and also encreaseth and perfiteth it in vs but rather wee magnifie the ministration of the Gospell in asmuch as we say that he onely doth this but by the ministration of the Gospell as the ordinarie instrument of his spirit Neither when we thus teach doe we transforme men into blockes and stones as though they had no power or faculty in themselues at all to worke for wee know that the naturall man hath vnderstanding and will whereby he differeth not onely from stocks and stones but from bruit beasts But what is his vnderstanding and what is his will till he be renued by the spirit of God his vnderstanding is full of darknesse and ignorance and his will full of wickednesse and vanity He vnderstandeth but not the things of the spirit of God as it is written the naturall man 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 nay his vnderstanding and wisdome is enmity against God Rom. 8.7 for it is not subiect to the Law of God neither indeede can be Likewise hee willeth but not any thing that is good as it is written all the
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
earthly Canaan was a type 2. This may teach vs to giue all diligence vnto the reading and hearing and meditating of the holy scriptures that so we may abound more and more in all knowledge and vnderstanding Very lamentable it is beloued to see and consider how many hundreths nay thousands in this cleare light of the gospell when the scriptures are or may be read and knowne of vs all yet are as ignorant in the scriptures and of the things that belong to their saluation as when they sate in the darknes of Aegypt when they could see no light of the scriptures by reason of the strange language We haue had many Ezraes that haue read in the booke of the law of God distinctly giuen the sense thereof that the rest might vnderstand many Ministers of Christ Iesus that haue read the law the gospell vnto vs euery Sabbath day in our Churches many Preachers of the Gospel that haue plainly opened the scriptures vnto vs whereby we might be made wise vnto saluation euen 40 yeares long And haue not the scriptures beene read vnto the greatest number of vs in vaine Notwithstanding so much preaching and teaching of the holy word of life are we not still ignorant and haue still neede to be taught the very beginnings of Christ the very principles of religion Haue we not many masters of Israel that thinke themselues great men like vnto Nicodemus that know not those things which the very babes in Christs schoole ought to know Haue we not many leaders of the people and masters of families vnto whose shame it may be spoken that they haue not the knowledge of God Haue we not many that if they be asked are not able to giue an account of their faith nor know truth from error religion from superstition The thing is too true and too lamentable Beloued hath not the Lord our God said vnto vs all Deut. 6.6 These words which I command thee this day shall be in thy heart and thou shalt rehearse them continually vnto thy childrem and shalt talke of them c. and shall we not hearken to his voice to doe according to all he hath commanded vs Hath not our blessed Sauiour told vs Joh. 17.3 that this is eternall life to know God to be the onely very God and him whom he hath sent Iesus Christ and shall not we labour to grow in the knowledge of God and of our Lord Iesus Christ Hath not the holy Prophet said that blessed is the man whose delight is in the law of the Lord Psal 1.2 and which meditateth therein day and night and shall wee not giue all diligence to the reading and hearing and meditating of the holy scriptures Nay let me I beseech you exhort you as that godly Father did his people Chrys Prouide you Bibles which are the medicine of your soules if you will nothing else at least get the new Testament In the Bible there yee haue the whole will of your heauenly father there yee shall see what legacies he hath bequeathed vnto you and what duties he requireth of you If the father of our bodies had bequeathed vs a great legacie by his will it would not be much needfull to wish vs get our Fathers will and to looke diligently into it to see if not what he requireth of vs yet what he bequeatheth to vs neither would wee sticke at the cost for the search of it if we knew where to haue it And shall the father of our soules leaue vs his Will and by his Will bequeath vs euerlasting life and shall we not labour to get his Will Shall a matter of ten shillings stay vs from the hauing of his Will shall not we search it and looke diligently into it Let vs beloued get the booke of Gods law into our hand and let it not depart out of our mouthes Jos 1.8 but let vs meditate therein day and night that we may obserue and doe according to all that is written therein as the Lord exhorted Iosua Let vs likewise flocke as Doues vnto the windowes vnto the places where the word is preached and when we haue heard let vs meditate and conferre of that we haue heard If the children of our bodies had gone to the schoole and in the space of seauen yeares had profited nothing what would we say vnto them or thinke of them Hardly enough no doubt And what shall we then thinke of our selues that in the space of fortie yeares are scarce yet past our A. B. C. and haue not yet attained vnto any reasonable knowledge Let vs hereafter recompence our former negligence with greater diligence and let vs slacke no holy meanes whereby we may growe into all holy knowledge Let vs labour to be rich in all knowledge and leauing the doctrine of the beginning of Christ let vs be led forward vnto perfection Let vs henceforth be no more children wauering and carried about with euerie winde of doctrine but let vs grow vp vnto a perfect man and vnto the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ that we may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the bredth and length and depth and height and to know the loue of Christ which passeth all knowledge that we may be filled with all fulnesse of God By reading by hearing by meditating by praying let your care bee to abound more and more in knowledge The next thing which here I note is that the Apostle prayeth for the Philippians that they may abound more and more in all iudgement in all iudgement that is in sound iudgement that hauing their wits exercised through long custome they may discerne both good and euill So that as hee would haue them to abound more and more in knowledge so farther he would haue them also to abound more and more in a sound and feeling experience of spirituall things in themselues that they might spiritually feele in their hearts and soules that which they knew out of the word Whence I obserue a further continuall care necessarie for all Christians and that is that they may abound daily more and more not in knowledge onely of Gods will out of his word but in sound iudgement also through a feeling experience in themselues of such spirituall things as they know out of the word that what they know out of the word they may feele the truth of it by experience in themselues This care our Apostle sheweth that hee had where hee saith that the thing which he esteemed was to know Christ Phil. 3.10 and the vertue of his resurrection Hee knew the doctrine of Christ his resurrection and hee knew this to be the vertue of Christ his resurrection that by it the Saints of God rise from the death of sinne vnto the life of righteousnesse But his desire farther was that he might feele in himselfe and know by his owne experience the vertue of Christ his resurrection by the death of sinne and the
life of righteousnesse in himselfe that as he knew by the word Christ his resurrection to haue such a vertue so by experience in himselfe he might know Christ his resurrection to haue such a vertue And this care the Prophet exhorteth all men vnto where he saith Psal 34.8 Taste and see how gracious the Lord is Where yee may not thinke that the Prophet speaketh as if the gracious goodnesse of the Lord could be tasted on with the mouth or seene with the eye but his meaning is that such is the gracious goodnesse of the Lord vnto his children that they may haue as sound experimentall knowledge thereof as if they should taste it with their mouths or see it with their eyes It is then as if the Prophet had thus said Know yee doe the gracious goodnesse of the Lord by his manifolde mercies and more then so yee may know it by your owne experience Acknowledge therefore him to bee gracious whom by your own experimentall knowledge ye doe as it were taste and see to be gracious As then the Prophet doth exhort vs and as our Apostle both by example and exhortation moueth vs our care should be that besides our knowledge out of the word we might haue a feeling knowledge of that wee know out of the word by experience in our selues This then should teach vs to obserue the mercies and iudgements of the Lord to obserue the proofe and experience in our daily life of such things as wee know by the word that so we may haue not a contemplatiue onely but an experimentall knowledge of things in our selues As for example the scripture telleth vs that the poore crieth and the Lord heareth him and saueth him out of all his troubles Psal 34.6 This we know to be true because wee finde it so in the word But our care should be farther to know it by a feeling experience in our owne selues We must then obserue the mercies of the Lord in hearing vs when we call vpon him and deliuering vs in euery needfull time of trouble so shall we know not only by the word but by experience in our own selues that the Lord heareth the poore when they cry vnto him and saueth them out of all their troubles Psal 34.7 So Dauid besides this knowledge out of the word 1 Sam. 17.37 that the Angell of the Lord pitcheth round about them that feare him and deliuereth them had obserued the truth of it by his owne experience in his deliuerance out of the paw of the Lyon Matth. 16.18 and out of the paw of the Beare and thereupon was bold to encounter that great Goliah that vncircumcised Philistim Againe we know that the gates of hell shal not preuaile against Christ his Church because the scripture saith so But will wee so know it to be so as if our owne senses should tell vs that it were so Then we must obserue the stormes and tempests the persecutions and troubles the batteries and assaults that Satan in his members makes against the Church and how the Lord bringeth all their counsels to naught and maketh their deuises to be nothing else but the imagination of a vaine thing And thus in all things we must obserue that by long experience our spirituall senses may be exercised to know the truth of euery thing that wee know out of the word But so carelesse commonly we are that wee passe ouer the mercies and the iudgements of the Lord without obseruation at all whereby we might grow in all iudgement and sound experience It may be that some of vs sometimes will desire to know somewhat out of the scriptures touching the Sacraments touching the resurrection touching faith touching good workes c. But what is it It is onely to know it there it is not to haue a feeling of it in our owne soules If wee haue the text of scripture for proofe we thinke we haue knowledge enough but for proofe out of our owne experience in our owne soule we look not after it But beloued ye see we should haue a care as to abound in knowledge out of the Scriptures so in sound iudgment out of a feeling experience in our selues of the truth of that we know Let vs not therefore â—ightly passe ouer the things that we know out of the word but let vs labour to increase in a feeling knowledge of them in our owne soules Let vs obserue in our daily experience that as it is written so it is indeed that when we heare or read such and such things out of the word our owne soules within vs may giue witnesse vnto the same and say it is so indeede in mine owne experience I finde it to be most true Thus the Apostle exhorteth and thus it behoueth vs to doe The next thing which here I note is that the Apostle praieth for the Philippians that their loue may abound more and more in knowledge and in all iudgement which is that their loue might bee founded and grounded in sound knowledge and in sound iudgement that each hauing helpe of other and each being furnished by other they might the better discerne things that differ c. Whence I obserue yet a farther continuall care necessarie for all Christians and that is that their loue may abound in knowledge and in all iudgement Though saith the Apostle I had all knowledge and had not loue I were nothing 1 Cor. 13.2 So on the other side though we say we haue all loue and haue not knowledge it is nothing for what is all our loue if it be not grounded in knowledge and in iudgement Then these are good when they grow vp together and each hath helpe of other and which of these soeuer growes vp without other like vnto Ionas gourd it will quickly wither Our care then must be that our loue may abound in knowledge and in all iudgement In knowledge that we may know on whom our loue ought principally to be set And in all iudgement that knowing whom we ought to loue we may loue them whom wee ought Gal. 6.10 and as we ought Let vs doe good saith the Apostle vnto all men but especially vnto them which are of the housholde of faith Here we are taught whome we ought principally to loue We are to loue all men but especially them that are of the houshold of faith theÌ„ that are ioyned vnto vs in the band of Christianity And knowing that they are those whoÌ„ we ought principally to loue we are to loue them in deed in truth the more neerely that they are linked vnto vs in the bands of Christianitie the more dearely we are to loue them Otherwise our loue If it be not in knowledge and in all iudgement may do more harme then good euen as wee see that zeale doth without knowledge for it was in zeale but without knowledge Gal. 1.14 that Paul persecuted the Church of God extreamely and wasted it And it was in
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
then to build the Church of God how shall we brooke to heare such how shall we loue or like such how shall we take ioy or comfort in such Wherevnto 1. I answer out of the rule of charitie that because we know not who doe so preach Christ therefore we are to presume the best of them whom we heare The Lord only knoweth the hearts of men and the purposes and intents of their hearts Who art thou then that iudgest he standeth or falleth to his owne master 2. I answer out of the Apostle iâ— this place that if Christ Iesus be truely and soundly preached we are to take great ioy and comfort therein and willingly gladly to heare them that deliuer the truth soundâ—â— with what minde soeuer and to what end soeuer it is that â—â—y doe speake the word That is for them to looke vnto 〈◊〉 for vs to ioy in the other Hence then I obserue that that â—â—â—ister and preacher of the word is gladly and ioyfully to â—â—eard that preacheth Christ and the doctrine of the goâ—â—â—l soundly and truely with what minde soeuer vpon â—â—â—t motiue soeuer or to what end soeuer he preach Christ 〈◊〉 his gospell To which purpose also Mat. 23.3 is that of our Sauiâ—â— where he willeth to hearken vnto the Scribes and Phaâ—â—es sitting in Moses seate whereby he meaneth that the â—â—ctrine which the Scribes and Pharisies deliuered faithfulâ—â—â—ut of Moses was gladly to bee receaued howsoeuer in â—â—â—ir actions and liues they were iustly to be noted And 〈◊〉 reason is because the word is the Lords which they â—â—â—g with what minde soeuer they bring it or how vitious â—â—ad soeuer they bee that bring it And tell I pray you â—â—ch of you would much looke at the minde or affection â—â—he messenger towards you or other qualities in him â—â—ch should bring you a bill signed from the Prince for â—â—e pension or liuing for you If he should faithfully deliâ—â— the bill from the Prince vnto you would ye not ioyfulâ—â—â—eceaue it How much more gladly then and ioyfully â—â—ght yee to receaue the word of the Lord wherein is your 〈◊〉 when it is faithfully deliuered from the Prince of Heaâ—â—â— and Earth with whatsoeuer minde and affection the â—â—nister thereof deliuer it If Christ crucified be preached â—â—e holy word of life be truely and soundly deliuered this â—â—uld so warme our hearts and glad our soules that other â—â—ngs whatsoeuer should not greatly trouble vs. This then first serueth for the confutation of their erâ—â—r that cut themselues from vs so that they neither will â—â—re the word of vs nor communicate in the Sacrament â—â—â—h vs because of some defects in our Church because of â—â—e blemishes in vs. For I demaund is the word of truth â—â—ely taught with vs are the Sacraments rightly adminiâ—â—â—d with vs doe we labour amongst our people with vncorrupt doctrine Then surely if there were the same miâ—â— in them that was in the Apostle they would so reioyce 〈◊〉 this that they would brooke all things the better for thâ—â— If we be defiled in our minds or in our liues euery thinâ— that we touch is likewise defiled What to you Nay but to vs. The word that we preach shall saue you and thâ— Sacraments which wee administer shall profite you hoâ— fruitfull or vnfruitfull soeuer they be vnto vs. Secondly this serueth for the reproofe of them that 〈◊〉 cutting themselues from vs yet cannot brooke to heare thâ— word of such of vs as they thinke haue gauled them anâ— spoken the word with an hard minde towards them Fâ—â— thus commonly it is said he is a good Preacher he deliueâ— good and sound doctrine he teacheth the word faithfullâ— but in his Sermons I see hee saith many things vpon a stomacke against mee with a minde to girde mee and of pâ—â—pose to note and brand me before all the people and theâ—â—fore I caÌ„not brooke to heare him I take no comfort in tâ—â— hearing of him But Paul was of another minde for thougâ— there were that preached Christ of a badde minde towarâ— him through enuie and strife touching him and of puâ—pose to adde affliction to his bands yet that Christ was preâ—ched that gladed him that reioyced his heart And 〈◊〉 would it each of vs if we were so singly and sincerely afâ—â—cted towards the gospell as hee was whatsoeuer minde thâ— Preacher carried towards vs yet would we most gladly anâ— ioyfully heare the word at his mouth It were indeede bâ—â— of all if they that speake the word were as in doctrine 〈◊〉 in life vncorrupt and that they spake of a good minde alwaies and vpon loue But if they preach Christ soundly and truely we are not so much to be troubled what their affection or what their life be If persecution should come then wee would bee glad if wee might heare the word preached and not curiously looke with what minde it were deliuered Seeing the word and the worth and price thereoâ— is the same now let vs with the Apostle reioyce and be glaâ— if Christ bee preached whether it bee vnder a pretence oâ— sincereâ—y LECTVRE XV. PHILIP I. Verse 19. For I know that this shall turne to my saluation through your prayer and by the helpe of the spirit of Iesus Christ 20. As I feruently looke for and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed but that with all confidence as alwaies so now Christ shall bee magnified in my bodie whether it be by life or by death NOw followeth the latter part of the Apostles narration wherein hee tells the Philippians what successe he hoped his bands and the practises of those brethren which imagined mischiefe against him should haue And the summe of it is that he certainely â—oped and knew that his bands and all the practises of the â—icked against him should turne to his saluation and to â—heir good and comfort by his comming againe vnto them â—irst then the Apostle setteth down the proposition or main â—oynt for his hope hereafter in these words For I know c. Secondly he setteth downe the meanes whereby this shall â—ome to passe namely through the prayer of the Philippians by the helpe of the spirit of Iesus Christ and according â—o his owne faith and hope in these words Through your â—rayer c. And thirdly he explicateth what saluatioÌ„ he hopeth for and assureth himselfe of by these meanes as first the saluation of his soule in that by these means he hopeth â—hat in nothing he shall be ashamed but that with all confidence Christ shall be magnified in his bodie whether it be by life or by death in these words That in nothing c. And secondly the saluatioÌ„ or deliuerance of his bodie out of prison to their good comfort in vers 25. 26. For the meaning in general theÌ„ of these words it is as if the Apostle had thus said they by preaching Christ suppose to adde affliction to my bands that when Nero shall heare that so many preach
faith not a perfit faith If they haue faith if it be a true and liuely faith though it bee but a weake faith by it they are saued and in death receiued vnto glory Ioh. 3.15 He that belieueth saith our Sauiour Christ hath eternall life He that belieueth what hee that hath such a measure of faith he that hath such a degree of perfection of faith No but he that belieueth truely though weakly and imperfectly he hath eternall life euen liuing in the body he hath eternall life in hope and when he remoueth out of the body shall haue it in possession hath it now in the beginning and then shall haue it in a greater fruition Againe I demand touching this third sort of men where doth the Apostle euer exempt himselfe from the number of imperfit men Phil. 3.12 where doth he euer count himselfe perfit Nay in this Epistle he plainely denieth it and both there and often elsewhere signifieth his endeauouring and contending after perfection And yet being loosed he speaketh not of going into Purgatorie but of being with Christ Thus then wee teach that al that dy die either in the faith of Christ so be with Christ or else die not in the faith of Christ and so they go to their place with Iudas As for any third place it is a deuised dreame and clearely confuted by the Scriptures The summe of all is the soules of Gods Saints being loosed from the body are with Christ therefore we are neither to thinke that when man dieth he wholy returneth to the dust nor yet that he goeth vnto Purgatorie Another thing yet farther here I note which is that the Apostle desired to be with Christ Where I obserue that till man bee loosed from the earthly house of this Tabernacle and be in heauen hee is not with Christ To which purpose also is that of our Apostle where he saith 2 Cor. 5.6 that whiles we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord While we liue then here in the body we are absent from the Lord. First then we must remoue out of the body before wee can be with the Lord with the Lord I say in corporal presence For otherwise touching his spirituall presence wee know that he hath said vnto vs I am with you alwaies vntill the end of the word But touching his corporall presence he hath said Math. 28.20 Ioh. 12.8 the poore alwaies yee haue with you but mee yee shall not haue alwaies This then serueth for the confutation of the corporall presence of Christ in the Sacrament of the Lord his supper A certaine truth it is that Christ is truely and really present in the Sacrament of the Lord his supper and that so many as come vnto that holy supper hauing on their wedding garment and hauing duely examined themselues touching their faith towards God their repentance for their sins and their loue of God and of their brethren doe there truely and really eate the body and drinke the bloud of Christ Iesus For there spiritually we eate the body and drink the bloud of Christ Iesus there spiritually Christ is giuen vnto vs and taken of vs to be one with vs and we with him spiritually I say and therefore truely and really And therfore when we come vnto that holy Table to be made partakers of those great and high mysteries of Christ his blessed death and passion we must know that the ground is holy whereon we stand we must know that wee are present before the Lord so that accordingly we must prepare our selues to the reuerend receiuing of those holy mysteries which in this place at this time I adde because it is likely that many here present purpose to morrow to communicate at that holy table But for Christ his corporall presence in that supper we vtterly denie it And for this time let this one place bee enough to proue it For why should the Apostle desire to be loosed and to be with Christ if before he were loosed he were with Christ If he desired to be with him by faith and by the spirit so hee was with him before hee was loosed It was otherwise then that he desired to be with Christ euen to enioy his corporall presence If then that he might enioy his corporall presence first he must be loosed then it is cleare that while we liue here in the body Christ is not corporally present with vs he is not therfore corporally present in the sacrament I haue staied longer vpon these points then I purposed Let vs now proceede vnto that which followeth Neuerthelesse Hetherto we haue spoken of the Apostles desire in respect of himselfe which was to be loosed and to be with Christ which was the best of all for him Now followeth his desire in respect of them which was to abide in the body which was more needfull for them that by the worke of his ministery they might be farther builded vp in he faith and truth of Christ Iesus Neuerthelesse saith hee though it bee best of all for mee in respect of my selfe to be loosed and to be with Christ yet it is more needefull for you that I abide in the body and liue longer and therefore in respect of you I desire to liue longer And thus I am in a strait on both sides whether to chuse that which is best for me or that which is more needfull for you in my desires greatly affecting both 1. Then in that the Apostle desired to liue longer in the body for their sakes although for himselfe it had been farre the best to haue beene loosed hence I obserue that our desires are not only to looke vnto that which is best for our selues but vnto that which is most for Gods glorie and our brethrens good Had it not beene the best for Abraham that Isaac his sonne should haue liued Gen. 22.10 in whom it was promised that all the nations of the earth should be blessed No doubt he desired it euen from his soule But when the Lord required him to be offered for a burnt offering Abraham obeied and stretched out his hand to haue killed his sonne He lookt not so much vnto his owne desires in respect of himselfe as vnto the glorie of the Lord and therefore addressed himselfe vnto his commaundement So no doubt it was farre the best for Moses to haue his name still to remaine in the booke of life Yet seeing the Lord his fierce wrath hotely kindled against his people hee lookt not so much what was best for himselfe as what was good for his brethren the children of Israel Ex. 32.32 and therefore praied the Lord either to pardon the people that had sinned or to raze him out of the booke that he had written So tendred hee his brethrens good and Gods glory that he preferred that before himselfe and his owne good So our Apostle in his brethrens case which were his kinsmen according to the flesh wished himselfe
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
vnto such a life and conuersation amongst men as becommeth the Gospell of Christ that iâ— conformed vnto the doctrine of the Gospell of Christ that profession and conuersation may goe hand in hand together in these words Onely let your conuersation be c. The particulars wherein such a life consisteth and which here aâ— mentioned are three The first constancie in holding and defending the truth of Christ by the power of the spirit signified in these words that yee stand in one spirit that is 〈◊〉 one truth of the Gospell by one spirit The second is vnâ—nimitie and agreement to stand and fight together for thâ— truth through the faith of the Gospell signified in theâ—â— words and in one minde fighting together c. And the thiâ—â— is patience in sufferings and wrongs by aduersaries signified by way of dehortation in these words And in nothing feare c. Where these three are there the life is in a good degree such as becommeth the Gospell of Christ That which iâ— inserted in these words that whether I come c. is to perswade them vnto such a life without all respect of his comming againe vnto them that whether hee come and see them or be absent and heare of them their life bee such aâ— becommeth the Gospell of Christ In that which followeth are set downe motiues to perswade the exhortation especially patience in sufferings and wrongs whereof hereafter Thus much for the generall order and meaning of those words Now for the further and more particular opening of the meaning of these words this that the Apostle in the beginning of his exhortation saith Only let your conuersation c. it may either bee referred vnto that whereof the Apostle spake immediately before and so haue this meaning I say I shall abide and continue yet with you for your furtherance and ioy and reioycing for mee yet whatsoeuer become of mee only looke yee to your conuersation that it bee such as becommeth the Gospell of Christ Or else it may bee referred vnto all that went before and so haue this meaning God hath done great things for you he hath caused his Gospell to be preached vnto you and brought you vnto the fellowship of the Gospell he hath begunne a good worke in you and it is not to be doubted but that he will performe it vntill the day of Christ he hath made you to abound in loue in knowledge and in all iudgement hee hath turned my bands to the furthering of the Gospell for your comfort and he hath appointed to deliuer me out of bands and to restore mee againe vnto you for the furtherance and ioy of your faith and that yee may the more abundantly reioyce in Iesus Christ for mee Only bee not yee wanting vnto that which becommeth you but let your conuersation be such as becommeth the Gospell of Christ Vnto whethersoeuer it be referred yee see what the meaning is Now where it is said in the words following Let your conuersation be the word vsed in the originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 implieth that they were Citizens of a Citie which is aboue and enforceth this construction Only yee as Citizens of an heauenly Ierusalem carry your selues how as it becommeth the Gospell of Christ that is so that your life be framed after the doctrine of the Gospell and be answerable to your profession But what Would it serue to make a shew of such a conuersation for a time because he was to come againe vnto them that when he came vnto them all might be well howsoeuer their hypocrisie afterwards brake out No in no sort and therefore the Apostle saith Let your conuersation be as it becommeth the Gospell of Christ What because I am to come againe vnto you that yee may deceiue mee only by an hypocriticall shew Nay but that whether I come and see you or be absent and onely heare of you I may heare and see that in sinceritie and truth which I desire Yea but how should they order their conuersation so that it might bee such as became the Gospell of Christ Namely if they ordered it so that if he came he might see and if hee were absent he might heare 1. that they continued or stoodfast for so the word signifieth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like vnto good souldiers which yeeld no ground but keepe their standing that I say they stood fast in one spirit that is that they abode constant in one truth of Christ by one spirit whereinto they had all drunke 2. That with ioint minds and one accord amongst themselues they fought together for the truth of Christ against the aduersaries of the Gospell not with carnall weapons but with the faith of the Gospell with the shield of faith to quench all the fierie darts of the wicked which here he calleth the faith of the Gospell because it commeth by the hearing of the Gospell preached And 3. that in nothing they feared their aduersaries but couragiously encountred them and patiently endured all wrongs offered by them If the Apostle might heare that thus they stood constant in the truth not cast downe by their aduersaries that thus with one accord they fought together and threw down their aduersaries that thus couragiously they encountred their aduersaries in nothing fearing them this might in part shew that their conuersation were such as became the Gospell of Christ This I take to bee the true meaning of these words thus farre Now let vs see what obseruations we may gather hence for our farther vse and instruction The first thing which here I note is the Apostles exhortation vnto the Philippians in general that they should lead such a life that their conuersation should be such as became the Gospell of Christ Iesus that as they professed the Gospell of Christ so they should lead a life agreeable to the Gospell of Christ Whence I obserue that so many as professe the Gospell of Christ Iesus ought to labour by all meanes to lead a life agreeable to the Gospell of Christ Iesus Which thing our Apostle also sheweth in many other exhortations which he maketh to the like purpose as when he exhorteth the Thessalonians to walke worthy of God who had called them vnto his kingdome and glory 1 Thes 2 12. Where the Apostles meaning is that as God had vouchsafed them this mercie to call them vnto his kingdome and glory so they were to walke worthy of him framing their liues as neere as they could vnto his life who was the engrauen form of his person So that being called by God vnto his kingdome and glory by the preaching of the Gospell we are to labour to walke worthy of God in all godlinesse and righteousnesse So likewise he exhorteth the Ephesians to walke worthy of the vocation whereunto they were called Where againe the Apostles meaning is that as they were called to be Saints in Christ Iesus so they should walke worthy of that calling euen as became Saints in Christ
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
of scriptum est And so we are willed to flie into this Citie when we are persecuted in that to beware of dogges Mat 10.23 Tit. 3.2 and of euill workers 1 Pet. 5.8 and to watch because our aduersarie the Deuil 〈◊〉 a roaring lion walketh about seeking whom he may deuoure Sâ— that we are to feare them to auoide them and to feare them to beware of them But we are not to feare them as to beâ— daunted or dismayed by them or to forsake the truth fâ—â— them We are not to feare them as for feare of them 〈◊〉 ioyne our selues vnto them and to shrinke from the hope of a good profession but herein we are to take a good courage to stand against them without being throwne downe by them and with one minde to fight together against them to throw them downe And in this sense it is where such like exhortations are as not to feare the aduersaries not to feare them as to ioyne our selues vnto them or to shrinke from a good profession for them but in Christ his cause and in the defence of the truth to take a good courage against them euen as our Sauiour willeth where hee saith Ioh. 16.33 In the world yee shall haue affliction but be of good comfort I haue ouercome the world Though the world afflict and persecute you for the truths sake yet feare not nor shrinke from the truth but be of good comfort and stand and fight for the truth for though happily they preuaile against vs and haue their wills ouer vs yet neither doe they ouercome nor are wee ouercome but if wee die for the truth our soule marcheth valiantly and we triumph gloriously This then may serue for a iust reproofe of them that for feare of the aduersaries shrinke and fall away from the hope of a good profession Feare them we shall euen in Gods cause and the Gospels the best of vs insomuch that it shall be needfull to say vnto Paul Act. 23.11 Luc. 12.32 Ioh. 16.33 be of good courage Paul and vnto all of vs Feare not little flocke be of good comfort for while we liue here in the bodie of this flesh we haue our weaknesse and infirmities our wants which had neede to be supplied our falls which had neede to be pardoned and our faint hearts which had neede to be encouraged But who so feareth them so that for feare of them he fall away from a good profession it had beene better for him neuer to haue knowne the way of truth then after hee hath knowne it to turne away from it for feare of any aduersarie Such our Fathers haue heard of and some of vs haue seene But let vs hearken vnto our blessed Sauiours exhortation thrise repeated not to feare the aduersaries He hath there said Whosoeuer shall confesse me before men Mat. 10.26 28.31.32.33 him will I confesse also before my Father which is in heauen But whosoeuer shall denie me before men him will I also denie before my Father which is in heauen And againe 38.39 He that taketh not vp his crosse and followeth after me is not worthy of me He that will saue his life shall lose it and hee that loseth his life for my sake shall saue it That Chapter is well worth the reading for this purpose wherein our Sauiour abundantly prepareth and armeth his children against persecution and feare of any aduersaries Yea but what reason is there but to feare the aduersaries In the very next words immediately following the Apostle giueth three reasons to encourage the Philippians and in them vs As 1. that the aduersaries persecute the truth and persecute them it is to the aduersaries a sure token of perdition and why should any feare to see his aduersaries runne vnto destruction 2. That they fight together against them and feare them not is to them a sure token of saluation and why should any man feare a marke of his saluation 3. That persecution causeth perdition to the aduersaries and saluation vnto them it is of God and why should anâ— feare persecution by the aduersaries which God turneth to the destruction of the persecutors and to the saluation of the persecuted This I take to be the argument and sensâ— of these words Which is to them a token of perdition This is the first moâ—iue and reason to perswade the Philippians in nothing to feare the aduersaries which oppose themselues against them and against the truth euen because this same thing â—hat they are aduersaries to them and to the truth is an euident token of destruction to their aduersaries Whence I obserue that the furie and rage of tyrants and persecutors against the truth and professors thereof is an vnfallible signe of their destruction Psal 34 21. Malice saith the Prophet shalâ— slay the wicked and they that hate the righteous shall perish Doe the wicked then and vngodly of the earth maligne the children of God This surely is a token of their destruction for malice shall slay the wicked Doe they hate and persecute the children of God This surely is a token vnto them of perdition for they that hate the righteous shall perish Very plaine to this purpose is that of the Apostle where he saith It is a righteous thing with God 2 Thess 1.6.7 to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you when the Lord Iesus shall shew himselfe from heauen with his mightie Angels c. Where the iudgement of the Lord iâ— very plainly and peremptorily set downe against them that trouble and persecute the Saints of God Doe the children of darknesse then trouble and persecute the children of light It is a plaine fore-runner and prognostication of that fearfull and euerlasting perdition wherewith they shall be punished when the Lord Iesus shall shew himselfe from heauen with his mightie Angels in flaming fire rendring vengeance vnto them And the more they rage against Gods children the more manifestly they declare that they runne to their owne destruction as Cain when he slew his brother Abel and Iezabel when shee destroied the Lord his Prophets then they ranne amaine to their destruction Before when Cain was wroth with his brother and Iezabel imagined mischiefe against the Lord his Prophets they were in the high way but when their rage brast out into cruell murther then they marched furiously and posted apace to their destruction Howbeit here yee must vnderstand that persecution and rage against the Saints of God is onely an vnfallible signe of destruction vnto them that obstinately persist therein for if God grant grace vnto repentance their sinne shall no more be had in remembrance Euen as wee see in our Apostle who persecuted the Church of God extremely and wasted it Gal. 1.13 aâ— himselfe confesseth but he did it ignorantly through vnbeleefe and therefore afterwards was receiued vnto mercy and was made the great instrument of the Lord to the saluation of many thousands But vnto them that goe on with an
as we haue Christ Iesus for an example that submitting our selues one vnto another wee may be like minded one towards another in Christ Iesus that euery man esteeming other better than himselfe wee may all together in all things grow vp into him which is our head that is Christ LECTVRE XXVIII PHILIP 2. Verse 8. Hee humbled himselfe and became obedient vnto the death euen the death of the Crosse c. HE humbled himselfe c. In which words the Apostle first proposeth this second humiliation of Christ in generall saying Hee humbled himselfe Secondly the Apostle describeth it more particularly by the obedience of Christ vnto the death saying and became obedient vnto the death Where the Apostle noteth a two-fold obedience of Christ the one before his death in his whole life the other in and at his death the former consisting in Christ his fulfilling of the Law the latter in his whole sufferings of death and all the paines and sorrowes thereof for in that it is said that Christ became obedient vnto the death the Apostle his meaning is that Christ was obedient in all things that the Law required of him both doing the will of his Father in the whole course of his life and further subiecting himselfe vnto the death so that hee was not only obedient to his Father to fulfill the Law for vs but he was obedient vnto the death to lay downe his life for our sakes Lastly this circumstance of his death is amplified by the kinde thereof hee became obedient vnto the death euen the death of the Crosse which was the most shamefull and most accursed kinde of death So that the meaning of the Apostle in this place is that Christ who so had already humbled himselfe that of the Sonne of God he was now become the sonne of man did yet further humble and abase himselfe and became obedient vnto his Fathers will in all things that the Law required of him euen vnto the suffering of death for vs miserable sinners submitting himselfe vnto death for vs and that the most shamefull death of the Crosse This I take to be the meaning In these words then wee are to note foure doctrines touching Christ The first is touching his humiliation The second touching his obedience in his life The third is touching his death The fourth is touching his kinde of death In his humiliation I note first the person that was humbled secondly the manner of his humiliation both set downe by the Apostle when he saith he humbled himselfe For the first touching the person hence it appeareth that hee who being God and equall with the Father was now become man humbled himselfe and became c. The person then that was humbled was Christ God and man perfect God and perfect man subsisting of a reasonable soule and humane flesh And necessary it was that he who was now to worke the worke of our redemption should be both God and man man that as man had sinned so sinne might bee punished in man for so Gods iustice required God that he might be able to sustaine the grieuousnesse of the punishment due to our sinnes which should be temporall but yet equiualent to eternall paines for our sinnes being infinite and the punishment due vnto them being infinite because thereby wee had grieued an infinite God the person must needs be infinite which should pay the price of our sinnes Againe it was necessary that he should be man that he might suffer death because for sinne man had deserued death and necessary likewise that he should be God that he might be able to wrestle with the wrath of God which none else could doe but he that was God Needs therefore must he be both God and man And that he was so as by this place it is plaine Act. 20.28 so by that likewise in the Acts where the Apostle exhorteth the Elders of Ephesus to feed the Church of God which he saith the Apostle hath purchased with his owne bloud In which place he who hath purchased a Church vnto himselfe is both called God and also witnessed to be true man in that he purchased it with his owne bloud Here then we may see the hainousnesse and grieuousnesse of our sinnes and the greatnesse of our miserie by reason of them God blessed for euer must become man and God and man must be vnited into one Christ and being thus vnited must be humbled vnto the death and must pay the price of our sinnes by shedding of his owne bloud or else the euerlasting curse of Gods wrath abideth vpon vs and our portion is with the Deuill and his Angels in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone for euer And yet what account or reckoning at all is made of sinne Surely so little that it may bee very well said vnto vs which Hosea the Prophet sometime said vnto the children of Israel Heare the word of the Lord Hos 4.1.1 ye children of Israel for the Lord hath a controuersie with the inhabitants of the land because there is no truth c. And yet what remorse of these things euen now when the whole land mourneth for them and groaneth vnder the burden of them It had not beene possible to satisfie Gods iustice for the least of our sinnes otherwise than by euerlasting death vnlesse God had become man and so humbled himselfe to suffer whatsoeuer was due for mans sinne and yet who is he that considereth in heart his sinnes to reforme the wickednesse of his way O consider this yee that forget God and grieue his holy spirit by your continuall committed sinnes lest he plucke you away and there be none to deliuer you Flie from sinne as from a Serpent Christ Iesus both God and man hath paid the price for our sinnes Let vs not therefore henceforth serue sinne in the lusts thereof but let vs glorifie God both in our bodies and in our spirits The second thing which I noted in Christ his humiliation was the manner of Christ his humiliation which I note 1. was voluntarie 2. that both his manhood and his Godhead was abased That his humiliation was voluntarie appeareth by that it is said that he humbled himselfe As then his first humiliation when being God he tooke on him mans nature was voluntarie so his second humiliation when being both God and man he subiected himselfe vnto the law and vnto death was voluntarie How then is it said that he was made obedient for so it is read in the originall He was made obedient not of any other but of himselfe neither forcedly but willingly he made himselfe obedient euen as willingly hee humbled himselfe Now for the other point that Christ was abased and humbled both according to his Godhead and his manhood 1. For his manhood it doth appeare in that it was made subiect to the infirmities of mans nature as also to the miseries and punishments which were due vnto man for sinne 2. for his Godhead it was
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
with kinde speeches and in all louing manner wiâ—â— my beloued my little children my deare brethren thâ— must ye study so to approue your selues both vnto God and men as that we may speake vnto you as vnto our beloued vnto our brethren c. Otherwise as Christ came not 〈◊〉 all with this feare not little flocke but vnto some with this O generation of vipers how can ye speake good things when yee 〈◊〉 euill And as the Apostle came not to all with this I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God but vnto some with this O foolish Galathians who hath be witched you that yee should not obey truth so ye must looke that as sometimes wee come in â—e and in the spirit of meeknesse so sometimes wee should â—me vnto you with a rodde and with a woe vnto such as oâ— not the Gospell of Christ Iesus that they might be saued â—n and brethren our hearts desire is that ye may be saued in â— day of Christ and we watch for your soules as they that â—st giue accounts vnto God for them haue ye care that wee â—y do it with ioy and not with griefe We are loth to come â—o you with a rodde we had rather come in loue and in the â—â—rit of meeknesse haue yee care that wee may come vnto â—u and that we may speake vnto you as vnto our beloued â— we sometimes sharply reproue sinne it is for your sakes at we may reclaime the sinner from wandring out of the â—â—ht way and againe if sometimes wee restore such as are â—â—en with the spirit of meekenesse it is for your sakes that â—e may binde vp the broken hearted and minister a word of â—â—mfort vnto the troubled and afflicted soule Both I meane â—arpnesse and meeknesse the rodde and loue both I say in â—â—eir due places is needfull and wise discretion in them both most needfull And so I come to the 3. point At ye haue alwaies obeyed What the Apostle in falling owne vnto him and kissing his feete as is now done vnto at man of sinne Nay the Apostle herein commendeth â—â—eir former obedience vnto God and vnto his word after â—â—ch time as they had receiued the Gospell of Christ Iesus â—nd this he doth to stirre them vp to continue their obediâ—nce that as they had begunne well so they might now go â—orward as they had begunne Whence wee are taught that â—is not enough to beginne well and for a time to embrace â—e truth and to obey the Gospell of Christ Iesus and afterâ—ards to quence the spirit and to suffer our selues to bee enâ—ngled in the filthinesse of the world but hauing begunne in â—â—e spirit we must go forward in the spirit and hauing begunne â—o loue and like the truth we must not fall from our first loue â—ut hold fast the same and continue therein Whereupon â—re those often exhortations in the Apostles to continue in â—he faith to continue in the grace of God to continue in the things that we haue learned to hold fast the profession of oâ—â— hope without wauering and with full purpose of heart 〈◊〉 cleaue vnto the Lord. The reason hereof is the schoole 〈◊〉 Christ is not a schoole of idlenesse or a schoole of non proficiencie but the schollers of Christ his schoole they must follow the truth in loue and they must in all things grow vp 〈◊〉 him which is the head Eph. 4.15 that is Christ as the Apostle shewed And therefore our Sauiour Christ himselfe told the Iewes 〈◊〉 beleeued in him Ioh. 8.31 saying if ye continue in my word yee are 〈◊〉 my disciples and shall know the truth They no doubt 〈◊〉 whom he spake had begunne well and had embraced 〈◊〉 truth but he telleth them that if they will be his schollers they must continue as they haue begunne and they must grow forward and encrease in all knowledge and spirituall vnderstanding A lesson as needfull to be taught in these our dâ—â—â— as any other For wee see by our owne experience that the word of the Lord is of such maiestie and so powerfull that draweth oftentimes the veriest miscreants that be vnto a liking of it and causeth them many times to doe many things we But as it is in the parable of the seede in the Gospell Mat. 13. some receiue the word with ioy but when persecution comes theâ— are offended other heare the word but the cares of the world and the decietfulnesse of riches choke it that it made vnfruitfull in others the euill one commeth and catcheth the word that was sowen in their heart and in a great many the liking of the word and the obedience thereunto is but like vnto a flash of lightening come and gone againe almost in a moment For a day or for a moneth or happily for a yeere or two they will harken and obey they will make a good sheâ— of louing and liking the word and many things they will doe well But after a while they will loath this heauenly Mannâ— and in their hearts returne vnto the flesh pots of Egypt 2 Pet. 2.22.21 or a Peter speaketh with the dogge they will returne vnto his vomit and with the sow vnto her wallowing in the mire Men and brethren we must not be like vnto such men For as Peter speaketh in the same place it had beene better for such men not a haue knowne the way of righteousnesse then after they have knowne it to turne from the holy commandement giuen vnto them We must hauing tasted of the good word of God â—nd hauing begunne to forsake the corruptions that are in the world through lust continue in the grace of God and grow â—orward from grace vnto grace till wee be perfit men and â—ome vnto the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ Hauing begunne to haue a liking of the word and to desire â—he preaching thereof we must take heede that wee grow not weary of it but the more we haue it the more our soules must â—ong after it and the more we heare it the more wee must grow in obedience vnto it to frame our liues according thereunto We must not here stand at a stay much lesse must wee go backward we must go forward and wee must pricke hard vnto the marke of the high calling that is set before vs. For in the way of godlinesse that is most true which is so common not to goe forward in that way is in truth to goe backward But I shall haue occasion againe to speake of this point in handling the exhortation To leaue therefore this point here it may be demanded â—how the Apostle saith that the Philippians had alwaies obeyed as yee haue alwaies obeyed For in that the Apostle doth admonish them euery man to esteeme other better then himselfe as verse 3. and to doe all things wihout murmuring and reasoning as verse 14. he plainely signifieth that there were many faults amongst them euen contention vaine-glory murmuring reasoning and
the like How then doth he giue them this testimonie that they had alwaies obeyed Lied the Apostle vnto them or did he flatter them God forbid let God be true and euery man a lyer He lieth not vnto them neither doth he flatter them and yet their obedience vnto God and vnto his word was not perfect for no doubt such faults were amongst them as already we haue spoken of In this sense then we are to vnderstand the Apostle when he commendeth the Philippians as hauing alwaies obeyed God and his word not as if there had nothing lacked in their obedience for in many things we sinne all Iam. 3.2 and if wee say that we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues 1 Ioh. 1.8 and the truth is not in vs but therefore are they said alwaies to haue obeyed because howsoeuer their obedience in it selfe was vnperfect yet was it vnto them reputed as perfect because through faith they were ingrafted in Christ and for his sake their very desire to liue godly was accepted with God as a life most holy For such is the fruit of our communion with Christ that being ingrafted into his bodie and made bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh through him and for him our faith in him is accounted to vs for righteousnesse and our very desire to liue goldy in this present world is accounted vnto vs for holinesse of life If there were no other proofe for this point but euen this whereof I speake that the Apostle here maketh reckoning of the Philippians as hauing alwaies obeyed though there lacked much in their obedience because they beleeued in Christ and desired to liue godly it were enough but the scriptures euery where witnesse the same Here then we haue an exceeding great comfort in Christ Iesus that howsoeuer our obedience be vnperfit yet if we beleeue perfitly in Christ Iesus and studie to liue soberly and righteously and godly in this present world it is accounted as if we had alwaies obeyed Our iniquities are forgiuen one sinnes are couered our infirmities are passed ouer our vnrighteousnes is not imputed vnto vs only that which we haue well done is had in remembrance and if we haue giuen but a cup of cold water in his name it looseth not the reward This is that which doth and may vphold our weary and fainting soules which otherwise would fall vnder their burthens and this is that which may ought to perswade vs to follow peace with all men Heb. 12.14 and holinesse without which no man shall see God Not as in my presence onely but now much more in mine absence In these words the Apostle lightly toucheth a defect in their obedience that it was not altogether such now in his absence from them as it was when he was present with them but he doth not touch it as with purpose much to note them for it but his drift rather is in these words to instruct them in the qualitie of their obedience that it ought not to be fained as seruice onely to the eye but it ought to be sincere and from a pure heart as vnto the Lord who seeth all and is present euery where Here one or two things may be noted but only by the way because the Apostle doth onely lightly touch them and as it were by the way aduise vs of them 1. In that the Apostle â—mplieth a change in them now in his absence from them which was nto in his presence with them thence we may note â—ow requisite the presence of the Pastor with his people is True it is that the Apostle was not their Pastor but sent to reach vnto the Gentiles in all places and Epaphroditus was â—heir Minister who remained with them after Pauls departure â—rom them But if in Paules absence from them when yet â—heir Minister was present with them they began in a short â—pace somewhat to decline how can we thinke but that they must needes decline where their Pastor is neuer with them Where prophecying faileth the people perish and when the Pastor is not present the Wolfe commeth and the flocke is scattered 2. In that the Apostle onely lightly toucheth a defect in â—heir obedience but not with purpose much to note it in â—hem we may note what care is to be taken that we doe not sharply censure euery defect or fault which is in the godly Some things in them must be lightly passed ouer and they must be drawne on with all kindnesse and meeknes to runne on in the race that is set before them The godly is admonished by a word but the wicked goeth on in his folly and careth not what is said But chiefly hence we are to note the qualitie of our obedience vnto our God that it ought not to be fained as seruice to the eye but sincere and from a pure heart as vnto him that seeth all and is present euery where Which of vs is there that will commend that seruant which is onely an eye-seruant which will worke well in his masters sight but not at all when he is absent Nay we will all condemne such a seruant But let vs take heede that therein we do not giue iudgment against our selues If onely we make an outward shew of holinesse and serue not the Lord with our whole hearts making his law our delight and a single obedience therevnto our chiefe desire what are we but eye-seruants and our portion what shall it bee but the portion of hypocrites Beloued our God whom we serue is not as man he seeth all things he is present euery where he searcheth the hearts and the reynes and he vnderstandeth all our thought long before they be conceiued It is no halting with him Whatsoeuer we doe in the darknes it is vnto him as if it were done in the light for the darknes and light to him are both alike Gehazi may offend when Elisha sees not and may hope to conceale it from him because he sees it not But if Elisha can descry his fault how much more can our God descry all our waies how hidden soeuer they be Let vs therefore walke before him with a single heart let vs serue him in spirit and in truth let our obedience vnto him and vnto his law spring from a pure heart from a good conscience and from an vnfeigned faith Such obedience he requireth of vs and such obedience is the way wherein we must walke to our heauenly Ierusalem LECTVRE XXXIII PHILIP 2. verse 12 13. So make an end of your owne saluation with feare and trembling For it is God that worketh in you c. MAke an end of your owne saluation The Rhemists read thus out of the vulgar translation worke your saluation out of which reading that doctrine of saluation by workes is by some in part maintained Doth our Apostle then in this place teach vs that we are to worke our saluation so that by the merit of our workes we may obteine saluation Surely in
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
vnto Christ they should not walke worthy of Christ This therefore in this place is the summe of the Apostle his desire that the Philippians would so walke worthy of Christ both before God and with their brethren that in the day of Christ when his labours in the Lord should not be in vaine he might reioyce that he had not spent his strength amongst them in vaine but by his preaching of Christ Iesus vnto them had gained them vnto Christ who should then giue both vnto him and them the crowne of saluation for their glory This is the summe and the sense likewise of that which the Apostle speaketh in this place Now let vs see what vse we may make hereof for our selues Here then 1. I note that the saluation of Gods people is the ioy crowne of the faithfull Minister of Christ in the day of Christ This shall be his glory in that day with his Christ whose Minister he is that he hath gained many vnto Christ And therefore this our Apostle in another place calleth the Philippians his ioy his crowne Phil. 4.1 whereby he signifieth both the present ioy comfort which he taketh in them and the sure hope which he hath that they shall be his ioy and his crowne in the day of the Lord. To the like purpose he writeth to the Thessalonians 1 Thes 2.19 saying what is our hope or ioy or crowne of reioycing are not euen you in the presence of our Lord Iesus Christ at his comming 20. Yes yee are our glory ioy when not onely now present but in the presence of our Lord Iesus Christ at his comming As plaine to this purpose is that in the last of Daniel Dan. 12.3 where he saith that they that turne many vnto righteousnesse shall shine as the starres for euer and euer which no doubt is principally meant of the Ministers of Christ Iesus And if it shall be said in that day vnto euery good and faithfull seruant Mat. 25.21 It is well done good seruant and faithfull enter into thy masters ioy how much more shall it be said so vnto the faithfull Minister of Christ Iesus What greater encouragements can there be vnto the Ministers of Christ Iesus to make them faithfull and painefull in their places to make them labour with all alacritie and cheerefulnesse to gaine many vnto Christ to turne many vnto righteousnesse O but there are many discouragements For who more contemned who more disdained who more hated who more disgraced then the Ministers of Christ Iesus True it is and it is the shame of our times that they are counted of many as the very of-scourings of the world and the more faithfull that they are the more they are hated and oftentimes the more persecuted If we sowe cushions vnder all arme-holes if we speake smoothing and fawning words if we cry peace peace all is well if we meddle not with the sinnes of the people but onely teach a truth in a generalitie happily we shall please or not displease but liue in rest and quiet But if we lift vp our voices like trumpets and tell the house of Iacob their sinnes and the house of Israel their transgrassions if we search and cut vp and lance the sores of our people if we sharply reproue such such sins whereof their own consciences condemne them to be guilty then they begin to hate vs to disgrace vs to persecute vs to traduce vs as cursed Chams as seditious fellowes troublers of the State and to speake all manner of euill sayings against vs. Herod ye know when he heard Iohn did many things Mar. 6.20 Mat. 14.10 and heard him gladly But after that Iohn had reproued him for his incest he quickly lost his head The Iewes likwise heard Steuen a great while answering for himselfe But when he began to come somewhat neere vnto them and to touch them to the quicke when he came vpon them with Act. 7.51.54.55 Yee stiffe-necked and of vncircumcised hearts and eares yee haue alwaies resisted the Holy Ghost c. then it is said that their hearts brast for anger and that they gnashed at him with their teeth and quickly after stoned him to death I say not that it fareth so at this day For sinne God be thanked may be boldly rebuked without feare of such danger But this we finde true by experience that whose sore we touch his hatred most commonly we purchase and if wee be but suspected in our reproofes of sinne to note such and such men we shall not want whatsoeuer they can say or do against vs. Thus render they vnto vs hatred for our good will and when we strike at the roote of any sinne and wound only that we may heale they tell vs we only vtter our choler or malice and that we might well enough finde our selues other matter then to note them in our Sermons But this as I said is the shame of our times that the more faithfull and painefull they are the worse commonly they are intreated But herein we comfort our selues that our conscience beareth vs witnesse in what singlenes of heart as before the Lord we doe the worke of our ministerie and that howsoeuer now through their disgraces and reproches and contempts and hatreds and persecutions our reioycing be diminished yet our reioycing in the day of Christ shall no man take from vs but then they that haue beleeued and they that haue beene conuerted from going astray out of the right way by our ministerie shall be vnto vs the crowne of our reioycing Then for that we haue laid out our talent to the best aduantage we could we shall heare that voice It is well done good seruant and faithfull and then those that hated vs without cause and disgraced vs without our desert shall not dare to hold vp their heads against vs but shall be confounded in that day In the meane time if when we haue sowen the seede of Gods word many sharpe showres doe follow and many blacke tempests ouertake one another yet must we with the husbandman patiently expect the time of haruest we must in patience possesse our soules vntill the day of Christ and then we shall reioyce in the presence of our Lord Iesus Christ at his comming when we and they whom we haue gained vnto Christ shall meete him in the clouds that we may be euer with the Lord. For they whom we haue gained vnto Christ shall be the crowne of our reioycing in that day Yea but what if when we haue laboured either we see no fruits of our labours in them that heare vs or that fruit which seemed to shoote forth in the blade doe afterwards fall away and wither 2 Tim. 1.15 as the Apostle complaineth that they of Asia were turned from him doth the glory of the Minister in that day depend vpon the saluation of them that heare him Doth he runne in vaine and labour in vaine if he gaine
place to be willing to giue vp his life for them Joh. 10.11 The good shepheard saith our Sauiour giueth his life for his sheepe Christ himselfe was indeed this good shepheard here spoken of who when wee were yet sinners died for vs. But herein likewise he set before vs a paterne how we should approue our selues to be good shepheards Nothing should bee so deare vnto vs as the good of them ouer whom the Lord made vs ouerseers persecution and banishment stripes and imprisonments yea the losse of life it selfe must rather bee indured then their saluation be neglected What then are wee simply to giue vp our liues for our flockes What if they be such as will bee glad thereat and rather then faile will themselues persecute vs yea and take our liues from vs Such sheepe indeed there are as persecute their shepheard and desire if they can to make him wearie of his life But this is that which now from our Apostle we teach that if our death may bee for the enlarging of Christ his kingdome and for the confirmation and encrease of their faith vnto whom we haue preached the Gospell then we are not to loue our liues vnto the death What then because our death may be for the confirmation of their faith are we to offer our selues vnto death Nay wee may not seeke death nor willingly runne our selues into danger But if the will of the Lord be such that by our bloud wee seale that testimony which we haue giuen to Christ Iesus and so confirme our brethren in the things that they haue heard and learned by our ministery we are not to shrinke at it but willingly to embrace it Yea but the cuppe of death is bitter how then can we be glad and reioyce in it True happily we should not greatly reioyce in that violent and vntimely death being considered in it selfe But knowing that our bloud is the seede of the Church and that by our death and persecution many are made more bold to professe the Gospell of Christ Iesus wee should be glad and reioyce in the fruit that we know comes to the Church by our death and persecution And thus our Sauiour by precept hath taught vs to doe saying Mat. 5.11.12 Act. 5.41 Blessed are yee when men reuile you and persecute you c. reioyce and bee glad for great is your reward in heauen Thus the Apostles likewise haue taught vs by example who when they had bin cast in prison and afterwards beaten departed reioycing that they were counted worthy to suffer rebuke for Christ his name As they by precept and example haue taught vs so ought wee to reioyce in tribulations and persecutions to be glad though we be offered vp vpon the sacrifice of their faith who by our ministerie haue belieued Should then the saluation of your soules and the confirmation of your faith be so deare vnto vs euen dearer then our owne liues How ought ye then to be affected towards vs and our ministerie It was a notable testimonie that the Apostle gaue vnto the Galathians Gal. 4.15 wherein he bore them record that if it had beene possible they would haue pluckt out their owne eies and haue giuen them to him Nothing more deare then their eyes and yet so neere had their soules beene knit vnto him in reuerence and loue for the Gospells sake that they would haue giuen him their very eies to haue done him good Shall I say that ye ought to be thus affected towards vs I say not so but I say that ye ought so to thinke of vs as of the ministers of Christ and disposers of the secrets of God Yee ought to thinke of vs as of the Embassadors for Christ and that we pray you in Christs stead as though God did beseech you through vs. In a word if we ought to lay downe our liues for our sheepe our sheepe ought to heare our voice And certainely if we were so liuely and Christianly toucht with a feeling of the sweetnesse of the word of life as we should be if the powerfulnesse thereof had so seasoned and seazed vpon our soules as it ought then would we heare his voice and obey him and follow him we would reuerence and regard him for the truths sake which he preacheth It is said of Lydia that when she had heard Paul preach and the Lord had so opened her hart that she belieued the things that Paul spak she was so desirous that Paul and those that were with him should come into her house and abide a while with her that she neuer left them till she had constrained them Act. 16.15 If yee haue iudged mee to be faithfull to the Lord saith she come into mine house and abide there and she constrained vs saith Luke It seemes besides other purposes which shee had that she thought her house would be the better if she might get them into it Not many Lydiaes I wish we might haue such hearers as Peter had that when they had heard vs would be pricked in their hearts and say vnto vs men and brethren what shall we doe Act. 2.37 such as would be so carefull to heare what we speake that they would lay the same vp in their hearts and digest it in their soules Our desire is as I said ere while that our labour in the word may not be vnto you in vaine but that by our ministery we may offer you vp as liuing sacrifices holy and acceptable vnto God If we ought not to spare our liues vnto the death for you yee ought so to heare the word of vs that yee grow vp in faith and loue and euery good worke If wee ought to poure out our bloud for an offering for you for the confirming of your faith ye ought first by faith through our ministery to be made a spirituall sacrifice vnto God that so our soules may be poured out as a drinke offering vpon the sacrifice of your faith For both these are implied here in our Apostle Wee heare what Pastor and people should doe and wee see in daily experience what they doe euen both so little answerably vnto that they should doe that it may be as truly now said as it was in the Prophets time like Pastor like people But I will not now stand farther to open and cut vp these soares Consider only in a 〈…〉 me I beseech you a reason which mee â—hinkes may be gathered from these words for the stirring vp of both Pastor and people vnto that they should doe If ye marke it both the obedience of their faith which are gained vnto Christ by the ministerie of the word and likwise the martyrdome and death of those that giue their liues for their sheepe are by a borrowed speech called sacrifices and offerings Though I be offered there the Apostle his death is called an offering vpon the sacrifice and seruice of your faith their faith whereunto by his seruice and ministery they had
vnto Saul 1 Sa. 15.22 Hath the Lord as great pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices as when his voice is obeyed so I say vnto you Haue we as great pleasure in any outward reuerence that can be done vnto our persons as when the word of the Lord which wee preach vnto you is obeyed No my brethren that 's not the thing which wee vrge albeit that also is by you to be regarded but the principall marke which wee shoot at is that wee may not runne in vaine nor labour in vaine amongst you but that wee may bring you to the obedience of the faith We would haue you to take heed vnto the wholesome word of truth which is able to make you wise vnto saluation and to esteeme of it not as the word of man but as it is indeed as the word of God for howsoeuer wee be sinfull and mortall men of the same mould and metall with your selues that bring you this treasure yet is it the word of life which wee bring you O let it dwell plentifully in you that yee may abound in all knowledge and euery good worke and loue and honour them which faithfully care for your matters LECTVRE XL. PHILIP 2. Verse 21. For all seeke their owne and not that which is Iesus Christs 22. But yee know the proofe of him that as a sonne c. FOr all seeke their owne c. Touching the meaning of which words it is first to bee vnderstood that the Apostle doth not speake in this place generally of all men but of such Ministers of the Gospell as were then at Rome with him What then Did all the Ministers of the Gospell that were then with him Timothee onely excepted seeke their owne and not that which was Iesus Christs No the Apostle I take it is not so to bee vnderstood that hee speaketh vniuersally of all them but because very many did so therefore he saith all seeke their owne c. euen as wee in our common phrase of speech are wont to say that all the world is set vpon couetousnesse because so many runne after riches and all the world is set on mischiefe because so many delight in wickednesse And this manner of speech is not vnusuall in the Scriptures Ier. 6.13 From the least to the greatest euery one is giuen to couetousnesse saith the Prophet and from the Prophet to the Priest all deale falsly Where the Prophets meaning is that very generally these faults raigned and that very many had thus corrupted their wayes not that all vniuersally were such without exception And not to instance in moe Scriptures this wee may often obserue in the Scriptures that in reproofes of sinne all are accused if many haue offended When therefore the Apostle here saith all seeke their owne c. his meaning is that it was growne to be a very generall fault amongst those Ministers of the Gospell that were with him that very many of them sought their owne c. Againe touching the fault noted in them it is to be vnderstood that the Apostles meaning is not that they sought their owne but not that which was Iesus Christs at all for it is very likely that the Apostle doth not here compare Timothee with those that had fallen from the faith and turned aside after the world but with those that did sincerely preach the Gospell of Christ yet were further in loue with the world than they should haue beene The Apostles meaning therefore I take it is that many of those that were with him sought their owne their owne what their owne ease their owne profit their owne honour more than the glory of Christ Iesus They did not simply not seeke that which was Iesus Christs but they did not seeke that so much as they did seeke their owne They looked more vnto their owne ease and pleasure and profit than they did vnto those things which might be for the glory of Christ Iesus and for the increase of his kingdome For it is very likely that the Apostle had dealt with the rest to goe to Philippi to see them and to comfort them and to confirme them in the faith and finding them vnwilling to vndertake that iourney in diuers respects he dealt with Timothee to that purpose Vpon whose prompt minde thereunto aboue the rest hee giueth him this commendation aboue the rest They then whom the Apostle doth here note yee see are of those Ministers of the Gospell of Christ that were then with him The thing which he noteth in them is that they sought and regarded more the profit and pleasure and ease and honour of themselues than the glory of God and the building vp of the Church of Christ Iesus Here then first the Apostle descrieth a notable fault in the Ministers of Christ Iesus which is to seeke their owne and not that which is Iesus Christs to regard more their owne ease or pleasure or profit or honour than the honour of God by preaching the Gospell of Christ Iesus A grieuous fault in them that both by integritie of life and vncorrupt doctrine should draw others vnto God that they should seeke any thing rather or sooner than the honour of God for as our Sauiour saith Matt. 6.23 If the light that is in thee be darknesse how great is that darknesse so I say If they that should be principall light in Gods Church and by the light that is in them should bring others out of darknesse into light if they shall turne aside after the world or preferre any thing before the doing of their heauenly Fathers businesse how great and how grieuous must needs their fault be And yet as grieuous as the fault is how faultie this way haue the Priests of the most high God in the old Testament and the Ministers of Christ Iesus in the new beene at all times The sonnes of Eli Hophni and Phinehas Priests of the Lord â— Sam. 2. they so turned aside after the loue of their bellies and after the loue of their pleasures that they forgat or else cared not for the Law of their God And how often doe the Prophets complaine of such Shepheards as feede themselues and not their flockes In the new Testament the Apostle noted it in Iohn Marke Act. 15 38. that hee departed from him and Barnabas from Pamphilia and went not with them to the worke in Demas that hee forsooke him and embraced this present world and in this place hee notes it seemes many that they sought their owne and not that which was Iesus Christs And if here this fault had staied the harme had beene the lesse But both alwayes there haue beene and still there are euen to this our day many tainted with this fault for not to speake of those monsters of men rather than Ministers of Christ that intrude themselues into this holy calling not with any purpose to worke in the Lord his vineyard but only to feed vpon the portion of the Leuites
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
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
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
hath opened to know things that are spiritually discerned should labour to draw them on vnto the same truth with them And therefore besides other duties which they should performe vnto them when they goe vp vnto the house of the Lord they should say vnto them as they in Esay Esay 2.3 Come let vs goe vp to the mountaine of the Lord to the house of the God of Iacob and he will teach vs his waies and we will walke in his paths come let vs goe to the Church come neighbour come friend let vs go to the Sermon and there we shall heare what the Lord will say vnto vs and there we shall be instructed in the truth or Christ Iesus But what doe we We thinke it well if we come â—ur selues and indeed I wish all would doe so but though we now our neighbour ignorant yet do we not either priuately â—lke with him or say vnto him come let vs goe to Sermon â—hich certainely is a defect in vs. For true zeale taketh that â—f the fire that the truely zealous man would haue all like â—nto himselfe and the more he hath profited in the knowâ—edge of the truth the more will his heart bee inflamed to â—raw others out of ignorance vnto the knowledge of the same â—ruth with him And what doe we know but that God hath â—rdeined vs by this or that holy course to be the meanes to â—ring this or that man vnto the knowledge of the truth Let â—s not therefore despaire of doing good with our weake and â—gnorant brother but let vs hope so long as there is any hope â—â—at the Lord will reueale his truth vnto him and in the â—eane time let vs beare with his ignorance and labour by all â—eanes to bring him to the same minde that is in vs touching â—he truth of Christ Iesus And this withall let vs weigh is â—here any of our alliance or acquaintance or knowledge whose eyes the Lord hath so opened that he seeth the truth in diuers mysteries of the faith but yet some things are hid from â—is eyes let this be an incouragement of our hope that the Lord wil also reueale these things vnto him For great hope we may conceiue as we see here our Apostle likewise doth that he which hath begun to reueale the truth in diuers mysteries of the faith vnto them will also in his good time reueale these â—hings vnto them which as yet are hid from their eyes Times we may not prescribe vnto the Lord for he calleth not all his children to the knowledge of his Sonne at one houre but some at the third some at the sixth some at the ninth some â—t one some at another houre as vnto his heauenly wisdome seemeth most meete and his truth he doth reueale vnto his children not all at once but here a litle and there a litle as seemeth best vnto him But yet we may hope that vnto such as loue not darknesse better than light vnto such as doe not oppose themselues against the truth the Lord that commandeth the light to shine out of darknesse will in his good time shine in their hearts and reueale his truth vnto them so farre as shall be necessarie for them Though therefore now they doe not embrace the same truth altogether with vs yet let vs hope that the Lord will also reueale this vnto them wherein they now dissent from vs and let vs labour with them to the purpose according to that measure of grace that is giuen vnto vs. The third thing which I note is that the Apostle saith 〈◊〉 yee be otherwise minded God shall reueale it Whereby the Apostle sheweth that he could onely preach vnto them but it is God that reuealeth his truth vnto them If they were otherwise minded than he was he could not doe withall his office was to teach the truth he could not open their eyes that they might see the truth but that must be let alone vnto the Lord for euer who alone reuealeth when he will that truth whereâ—â— we were happily long before instructed Whence I obserue that in the worke of the ministerie the Ministers of Christ do onely dispense the mysteries and secrets of God but it is God that reuealeth them vnto vs opening our eyes that we may see the wondrous things of his law And therefore it is said that when Peter had preached vnto Cornelius Act. 10.44 and them that weâ—â— with him the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the â—â—ra And againe it is said that when Paul preached neere vnto Philippi vnto certaine women that were come together 16.13.14 the Lord opened the heart of Lydia that shee attended vnto the things that Paul spake And often when the Apostles had preached it is said that the Holy Ghost fell on them that heard and they beleeued Whereby is meant that they preached but the Holy Ghost reuealed and so their preaching was effectuall as the Holy Ghost wrought with it in the hearts of them that were ordeined vnto saluation And to this agreeth that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 3.6.7 where he saith I haue planted and Apollos watred but God gaue the increase and neither is he that planteth any thing neither he that watreth but God that giueth the increase The Ministers like Gods husbandmen they sowe the seede euen the immortall seede of his word in the fallow ground of mens hearts but it is the Lord that giueth the earely and the latter raine whereby it groweth vp and bringeth forth fruit in some thirty in some sixty in some an hundreth fold The Ministers of Christ they are they by whom we do â—eleeue and by whom we doe obey but it is the Lord that 〈◊〉 the powerfull working of his holy spirit together with the â—ord causeth vs to beleeue and to obey This honour the â—ord taketh vnto himselfe saying Eze 36.25 I will powre out cleane water â—pon you and yee shall be cleane yea from all your filthinesse â—â—d from all your idols will I cleanse you 26. a new heart also will I â—ue you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away â—e stonie heart out of your bodie and I will giue you an heart of â—â—sh and I will put my spirit within you 27. and cause you to walke in â—y statutes and yee shall keepe my iudgements and doe them this â—onour I say the Lord taketh to himselfe and this honour â—e will not giue to any other But here happily you will â—ke me if the Ministers of Christ onely preach the word â—nd the Lord reserue this power onely to himselfe to beget 〈◊〉 by the word if the Ministers of Christ onely teach â—s the way of truth and the spirit alone lead vs into all â—â—uth 1 Cor. 4.15 1 Tim. 4.16 how then doth the Apostle say vnto the Corinâ—â—ians I haue begotten you through the Gospell and how doth â—e say vnto Timothie Take heede vnto thy selfe and
vnto learâ—â—ng continue therein for in doing this thou shalt both saue thy â—â—lfe and them that heare thee Whereunto I answer that the â—â—ing which properly belong vnto God are oftentimes in the â—criptures attributed vnto Gods Ministers because they are â—â—struments which God vseth and whereby God worketh So â—n the places alleaged I saith the Apostle haue begotten you â—hrough the Gospell the Apostle because the Lord vsed him as â—is instrument to beget the Corinthians in Christ Iesus thereâ—ore taketh that vnto himselfe which the Apostle Iames shewâ—â—th properly to belong vnto God where he saith Iam. 1 1â— that God of â—is owne will begat vs with the word of truth that we should be as â—he first fruits of his creatures And in the other place where â—he Apostle saith to Timothy In so doing thou shalt saue both â—hy selfe and them that heare thee there power of sauing Hosea 13.4 which â—oth onely properly belong vnto the Lord for it is he that â—aueth and none besides him is giuen vnto Timothie because â—ee was ordeined the Minister of Christ whom he would vse â—n granting repentance vnto saluation Many like places might be brought where that which properly belongeth vnto God is attributed vnto Gods Minister because of the powerfull operation of Gods spirit by his ministrie But by this already spoken yee see what in the worke of the ministrie God doth and what man doth Man preacheth the truth bâ—â— God only reuealeth the truth man soweth the mortall seede of the word but God onely maketh it to grow and fractifie men speaketh the wonders of the law but God onely openeth our eyes that wee may see the wondrous things oâ— his law This then should teach you so to thinke of vs as of the Ministers of Christ and disposers of the secrets of God bâ— to depend vpon the Lord for the reuelation of those holy mysteries which we bring vnto you We can onely speake vnto your eares but it is the Lord that must worke in your hearts we can onely beat vpon the outward sense but he it is that must open the eyes of your vnderstanding we can onely bring the word of saluation vnto you but he it is that by his blessing vpon it must make it the word of saluation vnto you And therefore when you come vnto the house of God yee should remember to sanctifie your selues and as the Preacher exhorteth When yee enter into the house of God yee should take heede vnto your feete Eccl. 4.17 yee should take heede with what affection with what deuotion with what religious desire yee come to heare the word of the Lord. Yee should not not come hither as to an ordinarie meeting or to a place where yee can be well content to bestow an houre but yee should come hither prepared with all holy reuerence with soules thirsting after the word of your saluation and with hearts and eyes lift vp vnto the Lord that hee will blesse the preaching of the word vnto you that hee by his spirit will so worke together with his word that it may bee vnto you the sauour of life vnto life that hee will incline your hearts to hearken what the Spirit saith and that he will open your eyes that yee may see the wonderous things of his law And then surely yee should wrestle well and should not depart without a blessing For though wee be but men that speake vnto you whose breath is in our nostrils and though it bee not in vs to â—e grace or vnderstanding to our hearers yet are wee â—e Ministers of Christ by whom yee beleeue wee are as 〈◊〉 were the conduits through whom the spirit and the graâ—â—s of the spirit are conueighed vnto you and we are his â—mbassadors by whome hee openeth and declareth his â—â—ly will vnto you Yea into such a communion hath â—ee ioyned vs with him Act. 5.3 that when Ananias had lied vnâ—â— Peter he asked him why he had lied vnto the Holy Ghost â—nd that our Sauiour saith Luc. 10.16 Hee that heareth you heareth â—â—e To conclude this point wee doe pray you in â—hrist his stead as though God did beseech you through 〈◊〉 and whatsoeuer good grace is wrought in you it is â—od that worketh the same in you through our ministeâ—â—e Be yee therefore diligent to frequent holy exercises â—repare your selues with all holy reuerence thereunto â—ray vnto the Lord that he will blesse his holy ordinance â—nto you hearken vnto the word not as the word of â—an but as it is indeede as the word of God and receiue â—ith meeknesse the word that is graffed in you which is â—ble to saue your soules For thus the Lord reuealeth his â—â—uth and his will vnto his children neither are we now to â—ooke for any other reuelations but such as the Lord manifeâ—teth in and by the word Now remaineth the third point to be handled where the Apostle exhorteth that in the meane time till God reueale â—hat truth which he hath professed vnto them such grounds of the truth as already they had might with one accord be reteined and maintained which he doth in these words neuerthelesse in that whereunto we are come c. LECTVRE LXVI PHILIP 3. Vers 16. Neuerthelesse in that whereunto we are come Let 〈◊〉 proceede by one rule and let vs minde one thiâ—g NEuerthelesse in that c. In which words the Apostle exhorteth that in the meane time till God reueale vnto the Philippians that truth which he hath professed such grounds of the truth as already they had receiued might with one accord be retained and maintained This is the generall scope and meaning of the Apostle in these words But it will not happily be amisse for the better vnderstanding of them to vnfold and open the meaning of them yet a little more particularly They depend as ye see vpon that which went before For the Apostle hauing before exhorted the Philippians to be so minded as hee was in the points before mentioned had also said and if yee be otherwise minded God shall also reueale it Now saith he neuerthelesse 〈◊〉 that whereunto we are come as if he should haue said but in the meane time till God reueale this truth vnto you wherein yee now dissent from mee in that whereunto we are come i. for so farre as we are come for such grounds of the truth for such articles of the faith and Christian religion as already wee doe generally embrace and agree vpon let vs proceed in them by one rule and let vs minde one thing The word which the Apostle vseth when he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let vs proceede by one rule is a militarie word borrowed from the marching of souldiers vnto the battell whose manner it is to keepe their ranke and without any outraying to march along after the prescript rule of their Generall or Leader So that it is as if the Apostle had thus said vnto them let vs for so farre as
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 3. cause of the dissensions in the Church of God is because we doe not all minde one thing For such oftentimes â—s our waywardnesse that when in the substance of the doctrine we agree with the Church yet will we picke a quarrell either at the Professors of the truth or at some ceremonie or at some defect in the discipline of the Church whereby we will make a schisme in the Church What a stirre made Corah Dathan and Abiram in the congregation of Israell And whence was it They could not abide Moses and Aaron but tooke exceptions against them saying Num. 16.3 Yee take too much vpon you seeing al the congregation is holy euery one of them and the Lord is among them wherefore then lift ye vp your selues aboue the congregation of the Lord What contentions likewise were there in the Church of Corinth and how did they one swell against another 1 Cor. 1.12.11.4.21 And whence was it One held of Paul another of Apollos another of Cephas another of Christ one would pray and prophecie bare-headed another with his head couered and when they came vnto the Lords supper one was hungrie and another was drunken This distraction in minde and iudgement bredde among them so great dissensions as that it may seeme to haue beene one speciall cause why the Apostle wrote the former Epistle to the Corinthians euen to represse their dissensions caused by their distractions in minde and iâ— iudgement And this at this day is the cause why the Brownists and Baroists separate themselues from our assemblies and making a schisme and diuision will not present themselues in our congregations They doe not charge vs with corruption of doctrine but because of some things in some ceremonies and in our outward discipline they cannot they say be of one minde with vs and therefore they breake out from vs. Thus ye see what the causes of the dissensions in the Church of God are at least such as this place of Scripture seemeth vnto mee to point at The 1. because in things that are not yet reuealed vnto vs we doe not with patience expect and waite till God in his good time reueale vnto vs that truth which as yet is hidde from our eyes The 2. because in things that are reuealed vnto vs we do not proceed by that one ruâ—e of his word vnder whose banner we fight but fling out some of vs vnto traditions decretals constitutions legends and the like The 3. because we doe not minde one thing but are too readie to fall at oddes and through contention to make a schisme and to rent the seamlesse coate of Christ The 2. thing which hence I note is touching the remedies of the dissensions in the Church of God at least of such dissensions as spring from these causes before mentioned The â—medies according to the number of the causes are three â—â—h sore requiring a salue and each cause of dissension stanâ—ng in neede of a remedy against it The 1. remedie against â—â—â—sensions caused by not waiting till God reueale things not 〈◊〉 reuealed is when any truth is not yet reuealed vnto vs â—â—h patience to waite till God in his good time reueale his â—â—ly truth vnto vs. For this we know that he who praied thus to his Father Sanctifie them with thy truth thy word is truth Ioh. 17.17 â—d was heard in the things which he praid for will reueale 〈◊〉 truth vnto vs so farre as shall be necessarie for vs. But in the â—â—an time either we should so speak of the things that are not â—â—ealed vnto vs as submiting that we speake vnto the iudgeâ—ent of the Prophets as the Apostle willeth 1 Cor. 14.32 or else we should â—ld our peace and hearken vnto him vnto whom God hath â—ealed his truth as the same Apostle willeth in the same â—ace saying If any thing be reuealed to another that sitteth by 30. 〈◊〉 the first hold his peace A rule to the practise whereof the â—postle seemeth vnto me to exhort where he saith Rom. 12.3 Let no man â—esume to vnderstand aboue that which is meete to vnderstand but 〈◊〉 him vnderstand according to sobrietie as God hath dealt to eueâ— man the measure of faith For he which will seeme to vnderâ—and before it be reuealed vnto him how doth he vnderstand â—â—cording to sobrietie how doth hee not vnderstand aboue â—â—at which is meete to vnderstand But the Apostle would â—aue euery man to vnderstand according to sobrietie and no â—an to vnderstand aboue that which is meete to vnderstand â—nd consequently would haue all men with patience to waite â—ll God shall reueale that vnto them which as yet is hid from â—heir eyes In the practise of which rule if wee would bee as â—arefull as we are skilfull in the knowledge of it many of vs â—he Church should be freed from dissensions wherewith it is â—roubled As many of vs therefore as loue the peace of Sion â—n the things that are not yet reuealed vnto vs let vs with paâ—ience expect till God in his good time reueale them vnto vs â—nd in the meane time let vs either submit that we speake vnâ—o â—he iudgement of the Prophets or else let vs hold our peace hearken vnto them vnto whom God hath reuealed his truth The second remedie against dissensions caused by not proceeding by one rule in the things reuealed is in the things that are reuealed and generally agreed vpon amongst vs to proceed by one rule euen that one rule which God hath prescribed vs in his word and not to decline from that either to the right hand or to the left Gal. 6.16 For as the Apostle saith as may as walke according to this rule peace shall be vpon them and mercy and vpon the Israel of God Whence it is cleere that so we haâ—e peace both with God and amongst our selues if wee walke according to the rule set downe by the Prophets and Apostles For that is the rule which hee speakes of and whereof hee had said before 1.9 If any man preach vnto you otherwise then that ye haâ—â— receiued let him be accursed So that as the Lord commanded Iosua Ios 1.7 we may not depart or turne away from it to the right hâ—â—â— or to the left To this purpose also is that of our Apostle where he saith Rom. 16.17 I beseech you brethren marke them diligently which cause diuision and offences contrary to the doctrine that ye haue learned In which place the Apostle would haue the Romans constantly to hold fast that doctrine which they had learned signifying withall that they should not want those that would labour to cause diuision and offences amongst them But thus they should auoid them if they would continue in the things that they had learned Whence it appeareth that it is a notable way to auoid diuisions and dissensions to beleeue and liue after the rule of the word By which rule if our aduersaries would haue
touching iustification and touching sanctification because of the false teachers which vrged the circumcision of the flesh and iustification by workes and told them that they knew Christ well enough And therfore first he exhorteth them to beware of such false teachers secondly he instructeth them in the true circumcision of the Spirit thirdly he tels them what he in his owne person thought of his owne workes and of all the priuiledges that he had without Christ what he thought of the righteousnes of Christ through faith what he thought of his knowledge of Christ and how he laboured still after further knowledge of Christ and further perfection then as yet he had attained vnto fourthly he exhorteth them to be of the same mind with him in these things and all to proceed by one rule of the word fiftly and lastly he exhorteth them to follow him and such as he is for that those other deceiuers that were amongst them were both enemies to the truth and had earthly minds onely but he and such as walked as he did had their conuersation in heauen from whence they looked for the Sauiour euen the Lord Iesus Christ who should change their vile bodie c. Now the Apostle in this Chapter concludeth his Epistle with certain exhortations with signification of his ioy in the Lord for their liberalitie sent vnto him in prison by their minister Epaphroditus and with diuers salutations to them and from himselfe and them that were with him His exhortations are some of them generall and some of them particular as we shall see in the handling of the former part of this chapter His first exhortation in the first verse ye see is generall wherein he exhorteth the Philippians in generall vnto perseuerance in the faith of Christ Iesus and the practise of an holy life as they haue bene taught and as hitherto they had done His second exhortation in the second verse is particular wherein he exhorteth two chiefe women amongst them as it may seeme to vnitie and concord either betwixt thēselues or betwixt them and the Church at Philippi In the first generall exhortation I note first the maner how the Apostle comes vnto his exhortation secondly the kind and louing termes wherein he speaketh vnto the Philippians before his exhortation thirdly the exhortation it selfe Touching the maner how the Apostle comes vnto his exhortation it is by way of conclusion vpon that which before he had said Therefore my brethren c. so continue c. And it is as if he had said Seeing those of the concision among you which vrge circumcision and iustification by workes are such euill workers as ye haue heard and seeing our conuersation is in heauen from whence we looke for the Sauiour euen the Lord Iesus Christ who shall change c. therefore continue ye in the Lord so as ye haue done and as I haue now taught you to do by example in mine owne person and suffer not your selues to be seduced by them that are enemies to the crosse of Christ whose end is c. Thus the Apostle by way of conclusion from that which he had said before inferreth this generall exhortation vnto perseuerance and continuance in the Lord. Now touching the kinde and louing termes wherein hee speakes vnto the Philippians ye see he calls them his brethren beloued and longed for his ioy and his crowne In that he saith vnto them My brethren beloued and longed for he sheweth his owne kind affection towards them and in that he addeth my ioy and my crowne he signifieth their pietie wherein he was comforted To haue said vnto them onely my brethren as in the beginning of the third Chapter or only my beloued as Chap. 2. ver 12. had betokened abundantly his affection towards them but in that as not content with the one or both he addeth also a third argument of loue he thereby plainly sheweth what a large roome they had in his heart He calleth them his brethren in Christ as begotten by one Spirit vnto one God in one faith through one Gospell of Christ Iesus He calleth them his beloued in the best bond of loue the vnitie of the Spirit through the embracing of the same truth of Christ Iesus And for that he saith that he longed for them he shewed it in 1. Chap. where he saith that he longed after them all from the very heart roote in Christ Iesus Phil. 1.8 which was no doubt to strengthen them and to bestow vpon them some spirituall comfort because of those false teachers that troubled them How could he more shew a kind and louing affection towards them And as by these he shewes his affection towards them so by those titles that follow he shewes again on the other side their great pietie and godlinesse For therefore doth he call them his ioy because of their fellowship as himselfe speaketh which they had in the Gospell with other Churches 1.5 from the first day that they had receiued the Gospell vnto that present which was a sufficient matter of his reioycing and therefore doth he call them his crowne because their constancie and perseuerance was now his glorie among other Churches and should be the crowne of his reioycing in the day of Christ The speech is borrowed from them that for matters well atchieued in running wrestling or the like receiue a crowne of glorie And it argueth their great profite by his labours for which he should receiue a crowne Thus ye see what these kind termes import and in what sence the Apostle giueth them vnto the Philippians The third thing which I noted was the exhortation it self which is to continue in the Lord So continue in the Lord ye beloued The words precisely are So stand in the Lord but the sence is very truly giuen when it is said So continue in the Lord. For to stand in grace in faith in the Spirit in the Lord is vsually in the new Testament to continue in grace in faith in the Spirit Rom. 5.2 in the Lord. By Christ saith the Apostle we haue accesse through faith vnto this grace wherein we stand that is wherein we continue 1. Cor. 16.13 Phil. 1.27 Stand in the faith saith he in another place that is continue in the faith Let your conuersation be saith he in the first chapter of this Epistle as it becometh the Gospell of Christ that I may heare of your matters that ye stand in one spirit that is that ye continue in one spirit And to the Thessalonians 1. Thess 3.8 Now saith the Apostle are we aliue if ye stand in the Lord that is if ye continue in the Lord. So in this place so stand in the Lord that is so continue as they that keepe their standing without shrinking fainting sliding or starting aside For the speech is borrowed from them that stand vpon thei◠guard or watch or in their ranke wherein they are set Now wherein would he haue them to stand and continue
Namely in the Lord that is in the knowledge and in the faith of Christ Iesus rooted and built in him and stablished in the faith But what meaneth he by this that he saith So continue in the Lord So that is as hitherto ye haue done and as now ye haue bene taught by example in mine owne person renouncing all confidence in the flesh counting all mans righteousnesse by any workes whatsoeuer but losse and dung and reioycing onely in Christ Iesus so continue and perseuere in the Lord rooted and built in him and stablished in the faith do this ye beloued in the best bond of loue And let this be spoken touching the points of this generall exhortation and the meaning of the words Now let vs gather hence some notes for our further vse The first thing which I note is from the kind and louing termes wherein the Apostle writes vnto the Philippians He exhorts them vnto perseuerance in the knowledge and faith of Christ Iesus but in such a tender and louing maner as that therein he bewrays a most kind and louing affection towards them saying my brethren beloued and longed for c. And so in his second exhortation in ver 2. he prayeth Euodias and beseecheth Syntyche and likewise in his third exhortation in vers 3. he beseecheth his faithfull yoke-fellow Whence I obserue a necessarie dutie for the Minister of the Gospell which is to be so tenderly affected towards his people as that in all kind and louing maner he labour to win them vnto that which is good and to weane them from that which is euil His people should not be kept strait in his bowels but should haue a large roome in his heart so that whether he write or speake vnto them it may appeare that it is out of his loue and tender affection towards them Thus our Apostle professeth in plaine speech that he was affected towards the Corinthians where he saith O Corinthians our mouth is open vnto you our heart is made large 2. Cor. 6.11 ye are not kept strait in vs. And this affection both our Apostle and the rest of the Apostles bewray alwayes in all their Epistles instructing them to whom they wrote as in the wholesome word of truth so in all meeknesse of spirit and mildnesse of speech Rom. 12.1 as from a loue most vnfained and Christian I beseech you saith our Apostle to the Romanes brethren by the mercies of God Iam. 1.19 and in like sort in all his Epistles Iames My deare brethren let euery man be swift to heare slow to speake and slow to wrath 1. Pet. 2.11 Peter Dearely beloued I beseech you as pilgrims and stranger abstaine from fleshly lusts which fight against the soule Iohn My babes 1. Ioh. 2.1 my litle children I write vnto you that ye sin not And Iude Ye beloued Iude 17. remember the words which were spoken before of the Apostles of our Lord Iesus Christ These were their bowels of loue towards their brethren in Christ and in such bowels of loue should the Ministers of the Gospell after their example deale with their people exhorting them and admonishing them with all patience long suffering and in all loue vnto them leading them forth besides the waters of comfort which may spring vp in them into euerlasting life It may be that here some wil say O we should like this wel if the Ministers of the Gospell would do thus but some of them are so sharpe that they seeme to forget that they are Ministers of the Gospel at least they remember not this dutie Why because they are sharpe and come with a rod Is it an argument against the father of the bodie that he loues not his child because he sometimes reproues him and sometimes punisheth him with the rod Or is it no argument against the father of the bodie and shall it be an argument against such fathers as beget you in Christ Iesus through the Gospell Againe did not those holy Apostles that came in such a spirit of meeknesse as we haue heard come also somtimes with a rod The proofes are so pregnant that I thinke none will doubt of it as neither of this that their coming with a rod was in great loue Againe did not the same God that came to Eliah onely in a soft and still voice come vnto Corah Dathan and Abiram in the earthquake and vnto Nadab and Abihu in the fire Againe are there not in our congregations some such as had need to be wounded as well as some such as had need to be healed And if we loue both must we not bring with vs both oile and vineger Both sharpnesse and meeknesse in their due places are needfull and a wise discretion in them both is most needfull and in both the wise Minister sheweth forth the bowels of his loue Indeed the termes of loue are different when we come with a rod and when we come in the spirit of meeknesse Wil ye then that we come vnto you in these terms of loue which our Apostle here vseth of my brethren beloued and longed for Here then is also a necessary dutie for you that ye be our ioy and our crowne that so vnto the rest we may with the Apostle adde these also my ioy and my crowne Ye by receiuing the wholsome word of truth which is able to saue your soules and by bringing forth the fruites thereof in a sober righteous and godly life in this present world should be the matter of our reioycing ouer you in Christ Iesus So was the elect Ladie vnto whom Iohn wrote his second Epistle as he witnesseth saying I reioyced greatly 2. Ioh 4. that I found of thy children walking in the truth as we haue receiued a commandement of the Father So was Gaius vnto whom Iohn wrote his third Epistle as he witnesseth saying I reioyced greatly when the brethren came 3. Ioh. 3. and testified of the truth that is in thee how thou walkest in the truth I haue no greater ioy then this 4. to heare that my sonnes walke in veritie So was Philemon vnto Paul as he witnesseth saying Philem. 7. We haue great ioy and consolation in thy loue because by thee the Saints are comforted And so was Timothy vnto the same Apostle the reioycing of his heart because he continued in the things which he had learned So herein should ye fulfill our ioy that ye suffer the word of the Lord to dwell in you plenteously that ye and your children walke in the truth as ye haue bene taught in Christ Iesus that your faith groweth exceedingly and that the loue of euery one of you aboundeth towards another And as thus ye should be our ioy so should ye also be our crowne Ye by your faith in Christ Iesus and by your loue towards all Saints and by your growing vp in all things into him which is your head that is Christ by the worke of our ministerie should
be our glorie in all places and the crowne of our reioycing in the day of Christ Iesus So were the Thessalonians vnto this our Apostle as himselfe witnesseth saying What is our hope or ioy or crowne of reioycing 1. Thess 2.19 are not you euen it in the presence of our Lord Iesus Christ at his coming Yes ye are our glorie and ioy And why so 20. Euen because of their effectuall faith and diligent loue and patient hope in the Lord whereof hee spake in the first chapter And so were these Philippians also vnto him as here he witnesseth and why Euen because he had not runne in vaine nor laboured in vaine amongest them And so ye should so abound in all knowledge and in all iudgement and be so filled with the fruits of righteousnesse which are by Iesus Christ vnto the glorie and praise of God as that ye might be the crowne of our reioycing in the day of Christ that we haue not runne in vaine nor laboured in vaine Otherwise if the more we loue you the lesse we be loued of you againe if the more we labour amongst you and admonish you the more ye harden your hearts and despise vs euen for our workes sake if the more carefull we are to informe your vnderstandings in the truth the more ye stoppe your eares at the voyâ—â— of our charming charme we neuer so wisely if the more we endeauour to beget you in the faith and present you before God blamelesse in that day ye start aside like a broken bow and defile your selues with euery hatefull sinne to be short if we spend our strength in vaine amongst you and for nothing then how can we reioyce in you as in our ioy and our crowne And if not so then how can we come vnto you in these termes of loue my brethren beloued my little children dearely beloued If ye be not ioyned with vs in one faith and in one hope in Christ Iesus how can we speake vnto you as vnto our brethren If the loue of God be not in you indeed how can we speake vnto you as vnto our beloued If ye honor not the Father nor obey his holy will how can we speake vnto you as vnto little children If ye desire not the sincere milke of the Word that ye may grow thereby how shall we say that we long for you when wee are absent from you That therefore we may alwayes come vnto you in such termes of loue as ye desire and as heere our Apostle doth vnto the Philippians let vs not runne in vaine not labour in vaine amongst you but receiue from vs with all gladnesse the word of saluation which is able to saue your soules Be diligent to heare and carefull afterwards to meditate on the things which ye haue heard that as good hearers ye may grow vp in all godly knowledge of Gods will and in all holie obedience thereunto and that ye may say with the Prophet O Lord I haue hid thy word within my heart Psal 119.11 that I might not sin against thee Let the word of Christ dwell in you plenteously in all wisedome Philip 1.9.10 that ye may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all iudgement that ye may discerne things that differ one from another that ye may be pure c. Follow after the truth in loue and in all things grow vp into him which is the head 〈◊〉 is Christ that as at this day we greatly reioyce to see the forward and willing mindes of many of you to come vnto the house of God and to heare those things that belong vnto your peace so our ioy may be fulfilled daily more and more and ye may be the crowne of â—ur reioycing in the presence of our Lord Iesus Christ at his coming And if at any time we vse sharpenesse of speech know this that it is for their sakes that obey not the truth that we may reclaime them from wandering out of the right way wherein they should walke And if the hurts of our people may be healed onely by applying gentle medicines without cutting and launcing their sores onely by pouring suppling oyle without pouring vineger into their wounds let no man thinke that we will vse sharpnesse of speech In a word this is our desire to present you pure and blamelesse in that day not hauing spot or wrinckle or any such thing Be ye filled with knowledge and loue and the fruites of righteousnesse that ye may be our ioy and crowne now and in the day of Christ The second thing which I note is the Apostles exhortation together with the reason thereof His exhortation is that the Philippians would stand and continue without shrinking fainting sliding or starting aside in the knowledge and faith of Christ Iesus rooted in him and stablished in the faith so as hitherto they had done and as now they had bene taught by example in his owne person renouncing all confidence in the flesh and in things without Christ and reioycing onely in Christ Iesus The reason of this his exhortaâ—ion vnto this perseuerance is because he would not haue them entangled with those euill workers of the concision which minded earthly things and whose end is damnation but would haue them followers of him and such as he is whose conuersation is in heauen c. Therefore so continue c. This exhortation then implying a dutie for vs hence I obserue a necessarie dutie for all Gods children which is perseuerance and continuance in the faith and truth of Christ Iesus so as we haue bene taught out of the Gospell of Christ Iesus A dutie much yet neuer too much vrged considering how many after they haue put their hand vnto the plough looke backe after they haue begunne in the Spirit Iohn 15.4 1. Cor. 16.13 end in the flesh Abide in me saith our Sauiour and I in you Stand fast in the faith saith the Apostle to the Corinthians â— Tim. 3.14 And vnto Timothie Continue saith he thou in the things which thou hast learned and art perswaded thereof knowing of whom thou hast learned them And of all the Apostles we reade that still they exhorted all the Churches euerie where to continue in the grace of God Acts 11.23.13.43 and with full purpose of heart to cleaue stedfastly vnto the Lord. For what shall it profite vs to haue tasted of the good word of God and by the hearing of the Gospell preached to haue come to some knowledge of the Lord and of the Sauiour Iesus Christ if afterward with the Church of Ephesus wee forsake our first loue and make not an end of our saluation with feare and trembling Iohn 8.31.32.15.4 If ye continue in my word saith Christ to the Iewes that beleeued in him ye are verily my Disciples and shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free But as the branch cannot beare fruite of it selfe except it abide in the Vine no more
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
loued the wages of vnrighteousnes make his prayer and say Let me die the death of the righteous Num. 23.10 and let my last end be like his shall I refuse to vse this prayer becauâ—e he vsed it Nay if Simon Magus when he hath sinned Acts 8.24 request the Apostles to pray vnto the Lord for him I will take this lesson from him to request the prayers of the faithfull for me when I haue sinned against my God We may not communicate with any either in any superstition or in any vnfruitful works of darkenesse But whatsoeuer is good if it be indeede truly good we are to thinke on it and to do it we are to loue it and to like it and to make it a president for vs to follow in whomsoeuer it be Let this then first teach vs to abstaine from all appearance of euill For thus we are to reason with our selues Are we to thinke on and to do whatsoeuer is good and commendable Then whatsoeuer is euill and blame-worthie we are not to thinke on nor to do That which is good is onely to busie all our thoughts and to take vp all our actions but whatsoeuer is euill is not once to enter into our thoughts much lesse may it be the worke of our hands The Prophet speaketh of a generation of men that imagine mischiefe vpon their beds and set themselues in no good way Psal 36.4 neyther abhorre any thing that is euill It were well there were no such at this day whose inward thoughts are very wickednes whose workes are onely euill whose wayes tend wholly vnto death But generally this is true that men very well minded yet smell of some caske or other either they are couetous or proude or ambitious or vnmercifull or contentious or partially affected or the like We do not thinke on and do whatsoeuer is good we do not wash our hands of whatsoeuer is euill but one bad thing or other there is which so haunts euery one of vs that we alwaies carry it in our bosome with vs. Well we see whereon our thoughts should be set and whereabout we should be occupied whatsoeuer is good whatsoeuer is commendable we should think on that and do that and he that instructeth vs in this dutie withall doth imply that whatsoeuer is euill should not once enter our thoughts much lesse should be the trade of our way Let vs therefore follow that which is good and abstaine from all appearance of euill let vs as many as feare the Lord depart from iniquitie and let our soules delight in whatsoeuer is good and commendable Secondly let this teach vs wisely to consider our wayes what is indeed and truly good and commendable For not whatsoeuer thing seemeth vnto vs or is thought by others to be good and commendable are we exhorted here to think on and to do but to think on and to do whatsoeuer is indeed and truly good commendable It is thought in some countries nay I may say it is thought among vs for vnto a high degree of excesse are we growne that way that to bowze carowse to quaffe cup after cup and to beare his drinke wel is a very commendable thing Here then we are to look whether it be indeed commendable For if it be then we are to do it by our Apostles rule in this place But what saith the Spirit Luke 21.34 Take heede saith our Sauiour to your selues lest at any time your hearts be oppressed with surfâ—tting and drunkennesse The Apostle goeth further 1. Cor. 5.11 and saith If any that is called a brother be a drunkard with such one eate not The Prophet goeth yet further and denounceth a woe against drunkards saying Esay 5.11 Woe to them that rise vp early to follow drunkennesse And the Apostle openeth the woe thus that they shall not inherit the kingdome of God 1. Cor. 6 10. O but thou canst beare thy drinke well and there is thy commendation Well yet see thy woe Woe saith the Prophet to them that are mightie to drinke wine Esay 5.22 and to them that are strong to powre in strong drinke If thou exceed in drinking thy sinne is drunkennesse how well soeuer thou beare thy drinke and a woe is vnto thee I instance onely in this sinne because this sinne hath so much dared to braue it selfe amongst vs. But as in this so in many other things it may be found that howsoeuer they be thought commendable yet indeed they are not Let vs therefore looke vnto the thing that seemeth vnto vs or is thought by others to be good and commendable and if it be indeed such so that it haue allowance from the Lord in his word to be such then let vs thinke on it and do it But in any case let not the iudgement of the world so sway with vs as that vpon the worlds word we thinke on and do whatsoeuer seemeth good and commendable vnto it Thirdly let this teach vs to suppresse that conceit of not following something which is good because it is in such request with them which otherwise are not good For whatsoeuer is good if it be indeed good in whomsoeuer it be we are to loue it and to like it to thinke on it and to do it What needes it to will any of vs to take vp a peece of golde though it be out of a dung-hill Howsoeeur therefore the man be superstitious loose of life profane and wicked yet if there be any good thing in him let vs not disdaine it or refuse it because of him but let vs obserue it and thinke on it and do it If there be any vertue any praise any thing that is good any thing that is commendable indeed wheresoeuer it is let not that cause vs to balke it but let vs thinke on it and do it And let this suffice for the generall of thinking on and doing whatsoeuer is good and commendable Now come we to the generall heads of such good and commendable things as the Apostle commendeth vnto the Philippians Secondly then here I note that the Apostle would haue the Philippians seriously to thinke on with themselues and diligently to practise in their liues whatsoeuer things are true Whence I obserue this note for vs and for all men that whatsoeuer things are true we are to thinke on them and to do them Is it a truth in religion We are to embrace it and professe it as we see our Apostle was not disobedient to the heauenly vision which appeared to him in the way but hauing the eyes of his vnderstanding opened by the Lords Spirit he straitway preached Christ in the synagogues Acts 9.20 professed the truth in all integritie and simplicitie Is it a truth in the words of our mouth We ought euery man to speake the truth vnto his neighbour Zach. 8.16 as Zachary willeth saying Speake euery man the truth vnto his neighbour and after him the Apostle saying Cast off
lying Ephes 4.25 and speake euery man truth vnto his neighbour Is it a truth in our deeds and in the waies of our life We are to be as Nathaniels Iohn 1.47 true Israelites in deed in whom is no guile not to make shew of one thing and in truth to be another thing Whatsoeuer truth it is it ought to be so precious vnto vs as that with the Apostle we should say 2. Cor. 13.8 We cannot do any thing against the truth but for the truth we cannot hold of errour against the truth we cannot lie to falsifie the truth we cannot dissemble to make shew of others then the truth is we are Let this one reason for this time serue to presse this point Christ is truth as himselfe saith Iohn 14.6 I am the way the truth and the life and whatsoeuer he spake was truth and for the truth for no guile was euer found in his mouth 1. Pet. 2.22 we are the sonnes of him who is truth that is of God we are redeemed by him who is truth that is by God we are regenerate and borne againe by the Spirit of truth we are called to the knowledge of the truth and so we shall dwell with God for euer if we speake the truth from our heart As then we will haue him who is true and truth it selfe to be our God and our selues to be his people and heires of his kingdome we are to thinke on and to do whatsoeuer things are true Are we then to thinke on and to do whatsoeuer things are true First let this teach vs to take heede and beware of errours in religion whereby the truth of the Gospel of Christ Iesus is peruerted Whosoeuer saith it if it be a truth it is to be maintained but if it be an errour from the truth whosoeuer saith it it is to be reiected If Fathers Councels Church and all say it if it be an errour what is that to me But if it be a truth be it Arrian or Lutheran or Papist or Protestant that saith it what is that to me No authoritie may giue warrant to an errour neither may any mans person or profession preiudice a truth but whatsoeuer is true we are to thinke on it and do it whatsoeuer is erroneous we are not to thinke on it nor to do it What shall we say then vnto them that wholly build vpon the Church the Church and euer runne on vs with open mouthes the doctrine of the Church the doctrine of the Church and this Church forsooth is the Church of Rome What shall we say vnto them that hauing laid downe and taught a truth afterwards perceiuing themselues therein to concurre with Caluin did therefore reuoke it and turned the truth into an error We say vnto them as Esay said vnto the Iewes in his time Esa 8.19.20 Should not a people enquire at their God To the law and to the testimonie if they speake not according to this word it is because there is no light in them The thing that we aske is what is a truth according to the word what is an errour from the word not what the Church teacheth or what Caluin saith If they can shew that the things which their Church teacheth are true we professe our willingnesse to embrace whatsoeuer things are true and if Caluin say the truth why should they reiect it because he sayeth it Learne you to discerne betweene truth and error and looke not so much who sayeth it as whether it be true or erroneous that is said If the Church or some speciall professors of the truth agree vpon a truth it may verie well sway with vs. But howsoeuer men say a truth in religion is therefore to be receiued because it is a truth and an error therefore to be reiected because it is an errour If it be a truth receiue it if an errour reiect it Againe are we to thinke on and to do whatsoeuer things are true Let this then teach vs to put away lying out of our mouthes Whatsoeuer things are true we are to speake them in their due times and places but whatsoeuer things are lies and falshoods there is no time or place for the speaking of them For all lying is of the diuel and he is the father thereof Ioh. 8.44 And fearefull is the iudgement that lying draweth on with it for whosoeuer saith Iohn worketh abomination or lies Apoc. 21.27.22.15 shall not entâ—r into the heauenly Ierusalem and againe Without shall be dogs and enchanters and whoremongers and murtherers and idolaters and whosoeuer loueth or maketh lies And therefore the holy Ghost very often very carefully forbiddeth it saying Lie not one to another Coloss 3.9 Eph. 4.25 seeing that ye haue put off the old man with his workes and againe Cast off lying c. And yet see how men loue rather to lie then to speake truly as if they had rather runne with the diuell then walke in truth with God One desperately lyeth in despite of the truth and boasteth himselfe of his lying Another lieth hoping so to conceale his sins as he hath fallen into and so addeth iniquitie to iniquitie Another lieth but it is forsooth in ieast and he meaneth no harme by his lying And another lieth but it is forsooth greatly for the behoofe and good of his friend or else he would not doe it Thus lying which the Lord so much hateth euery where aboundeth And though none indeed can yet some thinke they may pleade pardon for their lying The desperate lier it may be hopeth not for nor reckoneth vpon any pardon He hath made a couenant with death and with hell he is at agreement And what pardon he hopeth for I know not that to conceale his other faults and sinnes also lieth But if two sinnes be not to be bound together because in one we shall not be vnpunished then what hope of impunitie when vnto other sinnes is added also lying Now for lying in ieast no man I thinke will say that it is either a lesse fault or more pardonable then an idle word and yet we see our blessed Sauiour tels vs Mat. 12.36 that of euery idle word that men shall speake they shall giue account thereof at the day of iudgement And as for lying for the behoofe and good of our friend the Apostle thereby plainly condemneth it in that we may not do euil by his rule that good may come thereof Rom. 3.8 So that we may not lie at all for as much as no lie is of the truth Some kind of lying is lesse faultie then other 1. Ioh. 2.21 but no lie is of the truth and we are to speake euery man truth vnto his neighbour Let vs therefore cast off all lying euen all kind of lying For the lying lips are an abomination to the Lord Prou. 12.22.19.5 and their iudgement sleepeth not For a false witnesse shall not be vnpunished and he that speaketh
20.2 2. Sam. 12.13 Abraham the father of the faithfull sometimes lied and spake not the truth Dauid a man after Gods owne heart after his murder and adultery slept as it were in the dust a great while till Nathan awoke him Peter vnto whom it was said Mat. 16.18.23 Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke I will build my Church had got a great fall when he heard it said vnto him Get thee behind me Satan thou art an offence vnto me The Church of Corinths light was so dimmed for some while that the Apostle doubted how to come vnto them 1 Cor. 4.21 whether with a rod or in loue and in the spirit of meeknesse And the Philippians care for the Apostle was so for a while frozen and key-cold that they seemed quite to haue forgotten him So subiect vnto their infirmities are both whole bodies and the soundest parts euen of the best bodies so long as they are clothed with the earthly house of this tabernacle Not the best but feele such decayes in themselues not the best but the best graces are so eclipsed in them that they which should be as trees planted by the riuers of waters bringing forth their fruite in due season are sometimes as dead and withered trees whose leaues are faded and their fruite perished that their faith which should worke by loue is sometimes as fire vnder the ashes or embers that their charitie which should alwayes be feruent is sometimes ice-cold that their obedience which should be with their whole heart is sometimes diuided betweene God and the world so that not the best but may sometimes shrinke in himselfe and others doubt of him whether he belong to the couenant whether he be in the state of grace But it is a doubt which need not greatly trouble For though the children of God may sometimes seeme to be as the wicked yet are they not as the wicked The wicked are indeed like the heath in the wildernes they are indeed corrupt trees and without fruite twise dead and pluckt vp by the rootes For though some of them be it may be as the fig-tree which Christ cursed Mat. 21 19. hauing leaues and shadowes and shewes of diuers good graces of Gods Spirit yet looke well vpon them and consider them and ye shall find that either they haue no fruite or naughtie fruite on them wanting all sappe and moisture of Gods holy Spirit in them But the children of God onely seeme for a time to be as dead and withered trees as doth in Winter euery faire and pleasant tree For though now their leaues be faded yet do they afterward grow greene againe though now they beare no fruite yet afterward they do though now there seeme to be no sap or moisture in them yet is there in the roote and afterward shootes out though now they be as dead yet afterwards they reuiue again Their faith and loue are sometimes raked vp as it were in the ashes but infidelitie is bound vp in the soule of the wicked and hatred eateth vp the bowels of their belly Their charitie iâ— som times cold and their obedience full of defect but the very bowels of the wicked are mercilesse crueltie and they sell themselues to worke iniquitie or if there be any vtter rine or barke to make semblance and shew of a good tree yet is there no sap or moisture of Gods holy Spirit in them Wel they may haue tasted of the good word of God and of the powers of the world to come but it is but a taste that they haue gotten and the fruite that followeth it is but a blossome But the children of God are taught by Gods Spirit and howsoeuer for a time the Spirit shew not it self in them yet doth it afterwards bud forth into the fruits of true righteousnesse and holinesse To speake all in one word the wicked reuiue not after they seemed to be dead because in truth they neuer liued but the children of God after that they seeme to be dead vnto the life of God at last reuiue againe and do their former workes and againe the wicked onely for some time seeme to liue and at last shew plainly that they are and alwayes were dead in sinne but the children of God onely for some time seem to be dead and at last reuiue againe vnto the life of God through the power of the Spirit which was neuer quite quenched in them Here then is both a word of comfort vnto the distressed a watch word likewise vnto all in generall A comfort it must needs be vnto the afflicted soule that in the dearest children of God the life of God is not alwayes so manifest but that sometimes they seeme to be dead yet at last do reuiue again and do their former workes For why art thou so full of heauinesse O thou distressed soule and why are thy thoughts so troubled within thee Art thou euen dead in respect of the life of God Feelest thou no warmth of the Spirit within thee Art thou cold in zeale cold in prayer cold in charitie Hast thou slacked that diligence which thou wast wont to vse in the seruice of thy God in thy dutie towards thy neighbours and brethren Well plucke vp thine heart be not troubled nor feare This is no other thing then sometimes befalleth euen the dearest children of God for sometimes euen the best of them feele it to be so with them Onely tell me this didst thou euer feele the life of God and the warmth of his Spirit within thee Hadst thou sometimes comfort in the hauing of those graces the want whereof doth now disquiet and discomfort thee O what else and there is thy griefe that now thou findest not that comfort in them which thou wast wont to find Well be strong and comfort thine heart For thy God at the last will reuiue thee Thy God will stablish the thing that he hath wrought in thee and he that hath begun a good worke in thee will performe it vntill the day of Iesus Christ for whom he loueth once he loueth vnto the end A cloud hath for a while ouershadowed thee and Satan for a time by a mist hath obscured thy light but thy light shall breake forth though not as the Sunne in his brightnesse yet so cleare that the life of thy God shall be manifest in thee Onely let this watchword be vnto thee and vnto all in generall that when you feele such decayes of the life of God in your selues either by dulnesse vnto any dutie or slacknesse in any seruice then ye stirre vp the grace of God in you and labour by prayer and euery holy course that the grace which seemeth to be dead may be reuiued in you As therefore the Apostle exhorteth Eph. 5.14 so say I vnto you Awake thou that sleepest and stand vp from the dead euen them that are dead in sinne and iniquitie and Christ shall giue thee light Shake off that drowsines which
or proude or forgetfull of our Christian duties neither let penury and want make vs murmure or faint or cast vs downe through heauinesse Let vs walke constantly in both in both let vs be content and in both walke in those holy waies which God hath ordained vs to walke in If we can once take out this lesson it will bring with it such a Christian perfection that we shall not be to seeke almost in any point of Christianitie Let vs therefore apply it and as we grow either in wealth or in want let vs thinke on it that daily more and more we may know to be abased and to abound and that daily more and more we may be instructed euerie where and in all things both to be full and to be hungrie to abound and to haue want LECTVRE XC PHILIP 4. Verse 13. I am able to do all things through the helpe of Christ which strengtheneth me 14. Notwithstanding ye haue well done that ye did c. I Am able to do all things c. We haue heard what things the Apostle assumed to himselfe and they were great things as that he had learned to be content with his estate whatsoeuer it were that he knew both to be abased and to abound that euery where and in all things he was instructed both to be full and to be hungrie both to abound and to haue want Now lest he should seeme to boast too much of himselfe or to giue others occasion of boasting themselues he giueth the whole glorie of all that he is able to do in all the things that he speaketh of vnto Christ that enableth him thereunto For the better vnderstanding of which words first it will be needfull to cleare them from that sence whereunto some wrest them For thorow the malice of Satan no doubt either blinding the eyes of our Aduersaries that they should not see the truth or hardening their hearts that they should peruert the waies of truth these words which by our Apostle are added lest he should seeme to boast too much of himselfe are wrested by our aduersaries vnto the greatest boast of mans perfection that can be these words wherein our Apostle giueth all glorie vnto Christ are drawne by our Aduersaries vnto the glory of man and his perfect obedience For to proue that man in this life is able perfectly to fulfill the Law of God they alledge this place as making to that purpose where it is said I am able So that they giue this meaning of these words I am able not onely to be abased and to abound c. but generally I am able to do all things euen all things that the Law requireth through the helpe of Christ which strengtheneth me is if he helpe and strengthen me by his grace that what abilitie I want in my selfe may be supplied by him And hereupon they conclude that man regenerate is able by the grace of Christ working together with him and strengthening him perfectly to fulfill the whole Law of God Whereby how much they peruert the meaning of the Apostle in this place we shall easily perceiue if we looke but a little into the doctrine which hence they deliuer For who is he that is able to loue the Lord his God with all his heart with all his soule with all his minde and his neighbour as himselfe And yet this the Law requireth Deut. 6.5 saying Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thine heart with all thy soule and with all thy might and Leuit. 19.15 Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe Againe who is he that is able to continue in all things that are written in the Booke of the Law to do them Deut. 27.26 And yet the Law saith Cursed is euerie man that continueth not in all things that are written in the booke of the Law to do them Againe who is he that doth good and sinneth not Iames 3.2 1. Iohn 1.8 In many things saith Iames we offend all And Iohn If we say that we haue no sin we deceiue our selues and the truth is not in vs. And sinne we know is the transgression of the Law 3 4. so that whosoeuer sinneth transgresseth also the Law We know in part 1. Cor. 13.9 saith the Apostle we prophesie in part Now as is our knowledge so is our faith our loue our obedience For so long as we are clothed with the earthly house of this tabernacle as our knowledge is vnperfect so our faith our loue and our obedience are vnperfect Yea in the very best of vs there is alwayes a rebellion betweene the flesh and the spirit and the better we are the sharper oftentimes will the combate be Who is he then that is able in this life perfectly to fulfill the Law of God Vnto Christ Iesus God gaue the Spirit without measure and he was able perfectly to fulfill the whole Law of God and did fulfill it for vs that the righteousnesse of the Law might be fulfilled in vs and we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him But vnto vs I meane euen vnto the most regenerate and sanctified man the Spirit is giuen onely by measure so that the flesh and the lusts thereof are not altogether mortified and vtterly tamed thereby but oftentimes prickes they haue in the flesh and messengers of Sathan to buffet them How farre off then are the best from perfectly fulfilling the whole law of God Some indeed are said in the Scriptures to haue walked in all the commandements and ordinances of the Lord without reproofe as Zacharie and Elizabeth and others to haue sought the Lord with their whole heart as those godly Kings Dauid Asa Iosiah c. But we must vnderstand that as Ieroboam and others are said not to haue followed the Lord with their whole heart because they made worshipped other gods so those godly kings are said to haue sought the Lord with their whole heart because they haue the honor which was due vnto God to him alone and that Zacharie and Elizabeth were onelie in comparison of others said to haue walked holily vnblamably before men For if their waies should haue bin examined before the Lord then that of the Prophet should haue bene found true In thy sight O Lord Psal 143.2 shall no flesh liuing be iustified and well might that of Eliphaz vnto Iob haue bin said of them What is man that he should be cleane Iob 15.14 and he that is borne of woman that he should be iust Behold 15. he found no stedfastnesse in his Saints yea the heauens are not cleane in his sight how much more is man abhominable and filthie 16. which drinketh iniquitie like water In a word not any of the sonnes of men that euer were since the fall of man or are were or are able to fulfill the law of God but onely vnperfectly and not in any sort perfectly otherwise then by imputation Christ his perfect obedience
of Vines Who saith the Apostle planteth a vineyard and eateth not of the fruit thereof How much more should they that plant and worke in the Lord his vineyard eate of the fruits of their owne labours Thirdly by an argument taken from them that are occupied about cattell Who saith the Apostle feedeth a flocke and eateth not of the milke of the flocke How much more should they that feede the Lord his flocke with the sincere milke of the word be fed by them with temporall food Fourthly by an argument taken from the testimonie of Moses where he saith 9. Thou shalt not muzzell the mouth of the oxe that treadeth out the corne for that was the fashion in Palestina how much lesse should their mouth be muzled maintenance be denied them that labour in the Lord his husbandrie Fiftly by comparing spirituall things with temporall things 11. If saith he we haue sowen vnto you spirituall things is it a great thing if we reape your carnall things that is things necessarie for the maintenance of this life Sixtly by an argument taken from the allowance of the Priests of the old Law 13. Do ye not know saith the Apostle that they which minister about the holie things 14. eate of the things of the Temple and they which waite at the Altar are partakers of the Altar so also hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the Gospell should liue of the Gospell Thus ye see a large proofe of this point in that one place by many arguments Many other places there are pregnant also to this purpose Galat. 6.6 as when it is said Let him that is taught in the word mâ—ke him that hath taught him partaker of all his goods as also where it is said 1. Tim. 5.17 The Elders that rule well are worthy of double honour especially they which labour in the word and doctrine by which terme of double honour many do vnderstand reuerence and things necessarie for the maintenance of this life The point is so cleare that to doubt of it is to doubt of the truth of the Scriptures which in so many places giue so euident testimony thereunto Which may serue to admonish many of vs of a necessarie duty wherein we vse great slacknes Some of vs can be very well content neither to be taught in the word not to giue any maintenance to the Preachers of the word And these are men altogether senslesse without all feeling of God or godlines in whose hearts the day-starre of righteousnes hath not yet risen that they should know or thirst after the things that belong vnto their peace Others of vs could be better content a great deale to giue something to stay the Ministery of the word that so we might continue in our ignorance and sleepe in our sinnes then to haue the word preached vnto vs. And these are men not sicke but dead in sinne desperately wicked and vnto euery good worke reprobate Others of vs can be content to hearken to them that labour in the word and doctrine and that they should preach often but care not how little to heare of allowance toward their maintenance If they speake of the Ministers duty of the assiduitie and diligence which they ought to vse of the necessitie that lieth vpon them to preach the Gospel of the woe that is vnto them if they do not preach the Gospel we like them well and commend them much But if they speake of their owne maintenance of their allowance due on our parts vnto them what say we then Then forsooth they tell their owne tales they preach for themselues Math. 10.8 Nay we can dispute very wel against them out of the Scriptures in this point and tell them that freely they haue receiued and freely they must giue 2. Thess 3.8 and that Paul laboured with his owne hands because he would not be chargeable to them whom he taught But see how herein we deceiue our selues He that saith Freely ye haue receiued freely giue doth he not immediately after say that the workeman is worthie of his meate What then doth our blessed Sauiour crosse himselfe God forbid And yet either we must say so or else that the former words make nothing against the maintenance of Ministers especially the latter words being both so plaine in themselues and likewise alledged by the Apostle for the Ministers maintenance 1. Tim 5.18 For the meaning then of those words first I say that they are to be vnderstood of working miracles which gift as the Lord freely bestowed on his Apostles and Disciples for a time for the better gaining of men vnto the faith so he would haue them freely shewed forth vpon men that as Elizeus the Prophet could by no meanes be wrought to receiue any thing of Naaman the Syrian for healing his leprousie so whatsoeuer sickenesse they should heale whatsoeuer miracles they should worke they should not be wrought to take any thing for it Secondly if any man shall contend that the words are to be vnderstood of the Lords worke generally that as freely they haue receiued the grace so freely they do the worke then I expound the words by that of the Apostle Peter that they are to feede the flocke of God which dependeth on them 1. Pet. 5.2 caring for it not by constraint but willingly not for filthie lucre but of a readie minde Surely it is no way the meaning of those words that they that labour in that holy worke should be debarred of wages for their labour Neither doth the example of the Apostle labouring with his owne hands at all make against the maintenance of the Ministerie by the Church First he professeth that he wrought with his hands not for that he ought so to do for he proueth that they ought to haue ministred vnto him but that they might haue no exception against him Secondly the example of the Apostle herein is no way to presse vs for that he needed not as we to attend vnto reading but being immediately taught of God and furnished with all knowledge in the third heauen he was able at all times to teach the way of God perfectly though he wrought with labour and trauell night and day But we cannot intend manuarie matters and do the duties of our calling Our duty is to attend vnto reading to exhortation 1. Tim. 4.13 and to doctrine and the Church is to minister vnto vs necessary maintenance How cunningly therefore soeuer we thinke we can dispute against the maintenance of the Minister by the Church yet do we but deceiue our selues therein This is true generally that whatsoeuer we say or dispute we will giue as little to his maintenance as may be we will withhold from him as much as we can we thinke that wel gotten that is saued from them and we thinke euerie little too much that they haue Beloued I haue no cause but to perswade my selfe better things of many of you Onely
the starres likewise which haue their light from the Sunne doe the like The like also must the sonnes of God doe That light which they haue by their fellowship with Christ Iesus the Sunne of righteousnesse whether it bee the light of the knowledge of Gods will reuealed in his word or the light of the spirit of sanctification all the light that is in them they must communicate to the benefit of their brethren doing good vnto all and turning many vnto righteousnesse And albeit the Ministers of Christ and dispensers of Gods holy mysteries ought especially to be such lights as now wee speake of holding out the word of life vnto others and turning many vnto righteousnesse both by word and by example of life yet wee see that also all the faithfull children of God ought to be such lights as hauing the word of life in them shew plainly that they haue it in that the fruit thereof breaketh forth in them sometimes in word and alwayes in example of life vnto the benefit of their brethren The word of life must be hid euen in the hearts of all the sonnes of God and it they must hold out in holinesse of life and good example vnto their brethren Yea what so generall No exception of country-men of artificers of simple women of poore labourers Must all be lights holding forth the word of life This surely is rather for scholars and Ministers and learned men whose imployment is in that studie and who make that their profession Belike then the Apostle was deceiued for by the Apostle it doth plainly appeare that all the sonnes of God should be lights holding forth the word of life so that from the word of life hid in their hearts as from the root should spring all the fruits of that light which they should communicate vnto the benefit of others True it is that as one starre differeth from another in glory so amongst the sonnes of God some are more cleare and bright shining lights than others some better instructed and taught in the word of life than others for some are ordained to teach some to be taught some by hearing only some both by hearing and reading grow vp in the knowledge of the word of life Yet still this is true that in all the sonnes of God there should be some measure of the knowledge of the word of life whereof they should make shew at least in holinesse of their life and integritie of their conuersation whereby they might draw others vnto God And as it should be so it were to be wished it were But so farre are we from holding out the word of life in holinesse of life vnto others that by our prophanenesse and wickednesse a great many of vs shew plainly that the word of life is not in vs. How ready wee are euery one of vs to runne with another vnto mischiefe to spend the time one with another in excesse and riot and vnthriftinesse to deceiue oppresse wrong reuile and shame one another if wee can hee seeth little that seeth not Againe how slow wee are to prouoke one another to godlinesse and good workes to draw one another out of the snares of the deuill that wee be not taken and holden therewith to stirre vp one another vnto peace and loue and meeknesse and temperance and patience and almes-deeds and brotherly kindnesse and other such like fruits of the spirit who seeth not that seeth ought And if these things be so how can wee thinke that the word of life is in vs Certainly where it is it maketh the man of God so to abound in euery good worke and so to hate euery worke of the flesh so to shine in himselfe and likewise to giue light vnto others that it doth easily appeare that God is in him indeed Take heed therefore lest the light which seemeth to be in you be indeed darknesse Haue light in your selues and communicate the light that is in you one with another Hate the sins of vnfaithfulnesse and the workes of darknesse both in your selues and in others Prouoke one another to godlinesse and to good workes and hold forth the word of life in all holinesse of life one vnto another Remember that yee are lights walke therefore as children of the light It is a title wherein the ministers of Christ Iesus doe worthily glorie that they are the lights of the world Yee see that not they alone but yee also are lights of the world if yee bee the faithfull children of God Striue herein to bee as neere vnto thy God as thou canst that so thy light may shine that there bee no darknesse at all in thee and make it a great part of thy studie and delight by the light that is in thee to bring others out of darknesse into light And let this suffice to bee spoken touching this honor giuen to the saints of God that they are called lights and touching the qualities required in these lights namely that they haue light in themselues and that they communicate it vnto others The last thing which I note in these words is the glorious title giuen vnto the word of God The word of God and the Gospell of Iesus Christ ye see is heere caled the word of life So likewise Peter calleth it when he saith vnto Christ Master Ioh 6.68 to whom shall wee goe Thou hast the words of eternall life So likewise the Angell calleth it where hauing brought the Apostles out of prison hee saith vnto them Goe your way Act. 5.20 and stand in the Temple and speake to the people all the words of this life Now the reasons why the word of God and the Gospell of Christ Iesus is called the word of life are many As first it is called the word of life because by it wee are begotten and borne againe vnto a new life euen a spirituall life in Christ Iesus as the Apostle Peter witnesseth saying 1 Pet. 1.23 Loue one another with a pure heart feruently being borne anew not of mortall seede but of immortall by the word of God Secondly it is called the word of life Rom. 1.16 2 Cor. 2.16 because it is the power of God vnto saluation vnto all them that beleeue and the sauour of life vnto life in them that are saued as witnesseth the Apostle Thirdly it is so called because therein Christ which is our life and who is properly called the word of life is preached and offered vnto vs together with all the benefits of his blessed death and passion Lastly it is so called because it is the lanterne vnto our feet and the light vnto our steps to direct vs in the right way that leadeth to eternall life and saluation Here must all other writings in the world whatsoeuer stand backe No word of life but this nay indeed no word but this for no mans writing whatsoeuer was euer called the word Only the word of God that is the word and that is the word of life I