day they are that cause diuision and offences in the Church Who are they now that labour and plot and cast all the wayes they can deuise to set vs all euery way by the eares together Who are they now that cast seditious libels amongst vs whereby to sâ—irre vs vp vnto all practises of hostilitie against the State Who are they now that secretly and in euery corner labour to disgrace vs and the doctrine which we teach and to lesson you with other doctrine contrary to that ye haue receiued and learned Doe not these whosoeuer they be cause diuision and contention and offences Whosoeuer they be that doe so they haue a marke of false teachers Marke them therefore and take heed of them Beware of them they resemble these of the concision The last note which for this time I obserue of false teachers is like vnto these of the concision to glory and bragge of false titles which nothing belong vnto them For this they take of these of the concision that as they gloried falsly in the circumcision as anon wee shall heare so commonly false teachers glory much in the titles and in the things wherein they haue no right at all to glory This note also of false teachers the Apostle Peter giues where hee saith of them that they speake swelling words of vanitie 2 Pâ—t 2.18 Matt. 24 5 Such are those of whom our Sauiour Christ saith Many shall come in my name saying I am Christ and shall deceiue many Marke then who now at this day they are that deceiue the world with vaine titles and shewes of names whereunto they can lay no iust claime Who are they now that come in the name and title of the Societie of Iesus and deceiue many Who are they now that colour all their superstitious errors with the goodly title of the doctrine of the Church Who are they now that maske themselues vnder that gay title of holy Catholikes Who are they now that haue still in their mouthes the Church the Church as if they and none but they were the Church of Christ Doe not these whosoeuer they be bragge of great titles which nothing belong vnto them Whosoeuer they bee that doe so they haue a marke of false teachers Marke them therefore and take heed of them Beware of them they resemble these of the concision Many other notes there are whereby false teachers may easily be descried and discerned and which happily might be further gathered euen from this caueat of our Apostle in this place But these are such as seemed vnto mee most naturally to offer themselues to be obserued from these names wherewithall our Apostle brandeth these false teachers If any desire to haue them manifested by further notes let him reade 2 Pet. 2. where they are at large notified By these yee may in paâ—t descrie them and those that are branded with any of these markes take heed of them for howsoeuer happily some may be branded with some one of these markes who yet will winde himselfe out of the number of false teachers yet will hee not shift it but that hee hath some one marke of a false teacher But aboue all things take heed and beware of them vpon whom the most of these or all these noâ—es doe fall most iustly They will I know tell you that they loue the truth that they abhorre idolatrie that they embrace the Apostolike faith that with all reuerence they receiue the Scriptures that they honour religion and that they detest superstition They will tell you of their deuotion in praier of their contempt of riches of their continencie in life of their abstinencie in meats and drinkes of their workes of charitie c. But whatsoeuer they tell you by these notes that I haue told you ye shall know what they are And when yee know them take heed and beware of them For though they come vnto you in sheepes clothing yet inwardly they are rauening wolues Beware of barking dogges which barke against the truth and the professors thereof and beware of greedie dogges which through couetousnesse make marchandise of your soules Beware of such workers as make their workes joint-ioynt-workers with Christ of out saluation and beware of such workers as worke vnfaithfully in the Lord his vineyard mingling with the pure seede of Gods word the chaffe of mans braine Beware of such as resemble the concision in renting the vnitie of the Church and in causing diuision and offences contrary to the doctrine which yee haue learned in the Gospell of Iesus Christ and beware of such as resemble the concision in bragging of false titles which nothing belong vnto them And let these things suffice to bee noted from this exhortation or caueat Now followeth a particular instruction of the Philippians touching circumcision truly so called in these words For wee are c. For wee are the circumcision c. We haue heard how the Apostle in his caueat noted the false teachers which vrged circumcision as necessary to saluation by the title of the concision saying Beware of the concision Now in these words the Apostle giueth the reason why he called them the concision For wee saith he are the circumcision As if hee should haue said They are not the circumcision though they glory therein but rather they are the concision and wee are the circumcision the true circumcision Now this hee proueth thus Wee worship God in the spirit therefore wee are the circumcision And againe that they worship God in the spirit hee proueth thus Wee reioyce in Christ Iesus and haue no confidence in the flesh therefore wee worship God in the spirit So that the connexion of the points is this They are the concision not the circumcision the proofe is this Wee are the circumcision therefore they are not the circumsion Againe Wee are the circumcision the proofe is this we worship God in the spirit therefore wee are the circumcision Againe we worship God in the spirit the proofe is this wee reioyce in Christ Iesus and haue no confidence in the flesh therefore wee worship God in the spirit To gather the whole reason into one summe the Apostle here proueth that the false Apostles which were among the Philippians and which gloried in their circumcision were the concision and not the circumcision by an argument drawne from the nature of true circumcision thus They which worship God in the spirit and reioyce in Christ Iesus and haue no confidence in the flesh they are the circumcision they are truly circumcised But we worship God in the spirit c. Therefore c. This is the forme of the Apostle his proceeding and discourse in this place Now touching the words and the meaning of them 1. It is said we are the circumcision where the meaning of the Apostle is this we are circumcised with the true circumcision Rom. 2.28.29 There is then as the Apostle shewes a twofold circumcision one outward in the flesh which was a cutting of the
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
they might be blamelesse in the day of our Lord Iesus Christ Whence two doubts may be moued not vnworthy the answering The one is how one man may bee perswaded of another mans perseuerance or saluation what a kinde of perswasion it is which is of anothers perseuerance or saluation The other is whether the Lord performed this worke of the Philippians continuance in the fellowship which they had in the gospell vntill the day of Iesus Christ as the Apostle was perswaded hee would To speake first vnto this latter most lamentable it is but most true it is that in those places where sometimes the name of the Lord was called vpon and the gospell of Christ Iesus freely and sincerely preached not onely at Philippi but in many other Churches which the Apostles had planted in Macedonia and else where there now through the secret but iust iudgement of God barbarous Turcisme and abominable paganisme hath taken possession and holdeth it at his will But as we vnderstand this place of the Apostle so we are to make answer to the doubt for if wee vnderstand the Apostles perswasion to be touching the Church that then presently was at Philippi that the Lord would continue them in the fellowship of the gospell vntill the day of Iesus Christ .i. vntill their death when they should be translated into his kingdome of glory I take it that it may very well be presumed and safely auerred that the Lord performed this worke of the Philippians continuance in the fellowship which they had in the gospell vntill the day of Christ Iesus as the Apostle was perswaded he would for such was their loue and liberalitie towards the Apostle and such their constant abiding in the truth from the first day vntill then that as the Apostle thereupon was perswaded that the Lord would confirme them in that grace wherein they stood vnto their end so wee therevpon may perswade our selues that the Lord did confirme them therein vnto the end But if we vnderstand the Apostles perswasion to be touching the Church successiuely at Philippi that the Lord would continue that Church in all ages in the fellowship of the gospell vntill the day of Iesus Christ .i. vntill his second comming to iudgement then may it seeme that the Apostle failed in his perswasion because of their subiection now a long time vnto the Turke But euen here also it may be said that as when the Apostle wrote the Philippians shined as lights in the middest of a naughty and crooked nation so now also in that hellish thraldome vnto the Turke the Lord hath a Church there though not so eminent as sometimes it was yet a Church For as at the first the Apostles were sent as sheepe in the middest of wolues and as it may be hoped that Christ hath his Church euen in the middest of Romish Egypt so may it also be hoped that hee hath his Church in that heathenish tyrannie of the Turke and euen in the Citie of Philippi But I now rather approue the former answer as better agreeing with the circumstances of this scripture whereby it seemeth that the Apostle speaketh of them that then were at Philippi Now for answer vnto the second doubt which is how one man may be perswaded of another mans perseuerance or saluation wee must vnderstand that there is a threefold perswasion One grounded vpon the testimonie of the spirit vnto our spirit whereby we doe most certainely perswade our selues of whatsoeuer grace is sealed vnto vs by the earnest of the spirit And this perswasion is most certaine but this perswasion we cannot haue of any other but onely of our selues forasmuch as this ariseth of the testimonie of the spirit vnto our spirit Another perswasion there is grounded vpon the constant immutabilitie of God in his doings whereby wee certainely perswade our selues that whatsoeuer good worke God hath begun in vs he will confirme it vnto the end And a third perswasion there is grounded vpon charitie whereby wee perswade our selues of grace where we see obedience to the gospell constant abiding in the truth patience in troubles loue of the brethren and the like Now one man cannot be perswaded of an other mans perseuerance or saluation by the first kinde of perswasion grounded vpon the testimonie of the spirit because no man knoweth what the spirit witnesseth vnto anothers spirit but onely to his owne But both by the second kinde of perswasion grounded vpon the constancie of the Lord and likewise by the third grounded vpon charitie one man may be perswaded of another mans perseuerance or saluation By the first kinde of perswasion the Apostle was perswaded of his owne saluation when he said I am perswaded that neither death Rom. 10.38 nor life nor Angels and so euery one of vs vpon the like ground may perswade our selues of our owne perseuerance and saluation By the second and third kindes of perswasion the Apostle was perswaded of the Philippians perseuerance and saluation as in this place we see and so euery one of vs vpon the like grounds may be perswaded one of anothers perseuerance and saluation The first neuer faileth because the testimonie of Gods spirit whereon it is grounded is euer true The second likewise neuer faileth because Gods purposes are euer vnchangeable and with him is no variablenes neither shadowing by turning The third hath a wonderfull great probability but may faile because it leaneth on the outward fruits of the spirit in man whose heart none knoweth but he that searcheth it The first is not here mentioned the second is mentioned vers 6 and the third hath his ground vers 7. For a full answer then vnto the second doubt we say that one man may be perswaded of another mans perseuerance and saluation both by the second and third kinds of perswasion and farther that of whose perseuerance and saluation we are perswaded by the third kinde of perswasion of his perseuerance and saluation also we are to be perswaded by the second kind of perswasion .i. of whose perseuerance and saluation we may conceiue a good perswasion by the fruits of the spirit in them of them we are certainely to be perswaded that God will neuer leaue them or forsake them but confirme them vnto the end And thus I resolue vpon the reason which the Apostle setteth downe of his perswasion grounded on the constant immutabilitie of God in his doings for what saith the Apostle As it be commeth me saith he c. It becommeth mee saith the Apostle so to iudge of you euen to be perswaded that hee that hath begun this worke in you c. And why did it become him so to iudge so to be perswaded Because saith he I haue you in remembrance because I gladly remember this of you that both in my bands c. .i. that whether I were bound for the gospell or defended the gospell at Nero his barre or confirmed the gospell by my sufferings you all were partakers of my grace
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
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
other places of his Epistles he teaches vs a quite contrary doctrine By grace saith the Apostle are yee saued through faith and that not of your selues Eph. 2.8.9 it is the gift of God not of workes lest any man should boast himselfe In which place see I beseech you how the Apostle setteth downe the grounds of our saluation Grace there is the first ground of our saluation It is God that iustifieth â— saueth vs saluation is his gift as the Apostle here saith â—ut why doth God saue vs Surely in respect of our selues we â—â—e saued freely by his grace according to his mercy In reâ—pect of Christ indeed we are saued by the merits of his death â— passion He hath brought vs with a great price euen with the â—rice of his own precious bloud which he shed for the remissiâ—n of our sins But we our selues haue no part in this paiment â— respect of our selues we are freely through the exceeding â—ches of his fauour and grace towards vs saued Faith that is he next occurent in our saluation Rom. 8.3 by grace we are saued through â—aith For faith is that hand whereby we take hold on saluation â—eached vnto vs by grace Here then yee see how saluation is â—oth giuen taken giuen by God taken by vs. It is giuen â—y God by grace it is taken by vs by faith What then haue â—e no part in the purchase of our saluation No surely faith whereby we are saued and saluation it selfe they are the gift of God What haue our works no interest in the meriting of our saluation No by grace we are saued through faith not any way of our selues nor of our works Why lest any man should boast himselfe For as the same Apostle reasoneth Rom. 4.2 if Abraham were iustified by works he hath wherein to reioyce but not with God Why not with God because to him that worketh 4. or meriteth by his works the wages is not counted by fauour but by debt And â—herefore in another place thus he reasoneth if of grace 11.6 then â—ot of works else were no more grace but if of works then no â—ore of grace or else were worke no more worke So that when the Apostle here saith that by grace we are saued it is euen thereby plaine that we are not saued by our works yet he putteth downe both saying that we are saued by grace not of workes Againe in his Epistle to Tatus Tit. 3.5 God saith he our Sauiour hath saued vs not by the workes of righteousnes which we had done but according to his mercy c. Where againe you see the author of our saluation is God our Sauiour the cause which moueth God to saue vs his mercy not our good works I might here likewise produce the whole disputation of our Apostle in his Epistles to the Romanes and to the Galathians where at large he disputeth the question and plainely resolueth that we are iustified and saued freely by grace through faith in Christ his bloud and not by our works wrought according to the as But I purpose not any large discourse vpon this point By the which already hath beene said yee see how the Apostle is other of his Epistles teacheth cleane another doctrine thâ—â— saluation by works For he teacheth that we are saued freely by grace through faith not of our selues not of works 〈◊〉 out the works of the law How then is the Apostle contrary to himselfe Doth â—e here did vs worke our saluation as if by our works we might merit our saluation and elsewhere tell vs that our saluation a not of works but of grace God forbid that we should so sâ—â— or thinke The spirit whereby the Apostle spake both here and elsewhere is alwaies one and the same and is not changed He is the spirit of truth and directed the Apostle his tongue and pen into all truth so that he is not any where contrary to himselfe but here as elsewhere deliuereth the same truth Looke we then a litle into the words and into the meaning of the words in this place of the Apostle Here then we are to note 1. that it is not simply said worke your saluation buâ— worke out or finish or make an end of your owne saluation For the word here vsed doth properly signifie not simply to workâ— but to worke out to finish to make an end of a thing So it is vsed by the Apostle where he saith Take vnto you the whole armor of God Eph. 6.13 that yee may be able to resist in the euill day and hauing â—â—nished all things stand fast Againe when it is said worke 〈◊〉 or finish or make an end of your owne saluation by saluation is not meant as often else where that price of our high calling that crowne of immortalitie which at the end of our race is laâ—â— vp for him that ouercommeth and continueth vnto the end but by saluation is meant the whole course of a godly life which leadeth vnto saluation So that when he saith Make an end of your saluation he doth exhort vs thus much in effect that as we haue entred the race of righteousnes which leadeth vnto saluation so we would runne on in the same race vnto the end and fully finish our course in doing such good workes as God hath ordeined that wee should walke in them The thing then which hence is to bee noted from our Apostle touching good works is not the merit of our saluatiâ—â— by our works but that good works are the way which God â—â—th ordeined vs to walke in and in doing whereof he would â—ue vs to finish the whole course of our life And this we do â—ost gladly teach euery where and beat vpon in all our Serâ—ons and in all our exhortations Onely we are carefull to â—â—ch you the truth touching good works namely that they â—e not the causes of but the way which leadeth vnto saluatiâ—â— Saluation it is the gift of God giuen vs by Iesus Christ â—â—rough faith in his name So our Sauiour himselfe telleth vs â—â—ing My sheepe heare my voice Job 10.27.28.17.2 and I giue vnto them eternall â—e For as it is another place God gaue him power ouer all â—sh that he should giue eternall life to all them that beleeue in him â—â—luation then is the gift of God giuen by Christ through â—â—th in him it is not any way caused or merited by our works â—t good works are the way which God hath ordeined vs to â—â—ke in vnto saluation And this is plainely proued out of â—e places before alledged for the Apostle in the place to the â—phesians hauing set that downe that we are saued by grace â—â—rough faith not of workes Eph. 2.8.9.10 immediatly after he telleth vs that â— are the Lord his workmanship created vnto good works which â—â—d hath ordeined that we should walke in them Likewise in the â—ace to Titus hauing set that downe that God hath
saued vs Tit. 3.5 â—e by the works of righteousnesse which we had done but accordiâ—g to his mercy immediatly after he speaketh thus vnto Titus 8. is I will that thou shouldest affirme that they which haue beleeued God might be carefull to shew forth good works By which plaâ—es it doth appeare that howsoeuer our good works are not â—e cause or the meanes of our saluation yet they are that way â—hich leadeth vnto saluation yea and that way wherein if â—e doe not walke we cannot be saued So saith our Sauiour â—imselfe Euery branch that beareth not fruit in me Joh. 15.2 the Father taâ—eth away and it is cast into the fire and burnt He doth not say â—uery plant that is not planted in me albeit that likewise be â—ost true but euery branch that beareth not fruit in mee What fruit Euen the fruit of the spirit which is in all goodnes Eph. 5.9 righteousnes truth as the Apostle speaketh Euery branch â—hat beareth not such fruit in me he is taken away and cast into the fire and burnt To like purpose is that of the Apostle where he saith Heb. 12.14 Follow peace with all men and holinesses without the which no man shall see the Lord. And to the like purpose now many places might and ordinarily are by vs produced in our Sermons Here then first I beseech you learne to beware of such a traduce vs and the doctrine which wee preach as if by preaching of faith wee had banished good workes and as if wee were so farre from exhorting men to good workes in our Sermons that either we mention them not or condemne theâ— for such there are that are not ashamed to say that now we are afraid to handle the doctrine of good workes that we have preached saluation by faith so long that wee haue banished good workes out of the Country that either wee dare 〈◊〉 speake of good workes or if we doe yet so coldly that as good neuer a whit as so barely and coldly But beware of such for hauing their foolish hearts seduced to beleeue lies they speake euill of the way of truth which they know not and of â— whom either they will not at all heare or with such enchanted eares that they peruert whatsoeuer things are spoken vnto their owne destruction Such if they would they might heare and know that these are false suggestions wherein they slander vs and the truth which wee teach For we preach both faith and workes and in all places wee exhort all men that they abound in euery good worke But why is it that theâ— thus traduce vs and our doctrine Forsooth because we teach that our workes are no causes of our saluation And are wee then thus to be traduced because wee tell you the truth Wee tell you that which the Scriptures haue taught vs and wee bring with vs the euidence thereof to confirme that which we teach Wee dare not challenge any part of our saluation aâ— due vnto our workes because all the honour thereof belongeth vnto the Lord whose free gift it is according to his mercie But the way wherein God hath ordained vs to walke vnto saluation we say is holinesse of life without which no man shall see the Lord. This the Scriptures teach vs this we teach you beware therefore of such deceiuers as tell you otherwise Againe if good workes be the way which God hath ordaiâ—â— vs to walke in and if without holinesse of life no man â— I see the Lord then walke with God as Henoch did in hoâ—â—esse and righeousnesse You beleeue in Christ Iesus shew â—th the fruits of your faith your workes must testifie your â—â—h both vnto your selues and vnto vs for it is a vaine and â—ead faith where no fruits of holinesse of life doe follow â—ree is knowne by his fruit a good tree bringeth forth good it and a corrupt tree bringeth forth euill fruit As many â—re lead by the spirit of God they walke after the spirit and â—y bring forth the fruits of the spirit Beloued God hath â—t a time wherein to trie the faith and religion of such as hee â—h enabled to doe some good vnto his children Now hee â—â—keth that wee should shew forth the fruits of faith and the â—ens of religion by shewing mercy and compassion vpon 〈◊〉 poore afflicted and distressed brethren Pure religion Iam. 1.27 and defiled before God euen the Father is this that wee visit the faâ—lesse and widowes in their aduersitie and that wee keepe our â—es vnspotted of the world If therefore there be any faith if â—re be any religion if there be any bowels of compassion in â—â— withdraw not your morsels from the poore nor your reâ—â—fe from the needie According to that where withall God â—â—h blessed you be it small or great bee ready to doe good â—â—d to distribute laying vp for your selues a good foundation heauen Blessed is he whom the Ioines of the poore in their â—uersitie blesseth Generally this I exhort that yee studie to â—e soberly righteously and godly in this present world and glorifie God by the holinesse of your conuersation for â—ow this that whom God hath iustified forgiuing their sins â—d iniquities them also hath hee sanctified that they serue â—n in holinesse and in righteousnesse and whom hee hath â—actified them also and them only he glorifieth in the king â—â—me of his Sonne As he then which hath called you is holy be yee holy in all manner of conuersation Hereby yee â—ll know that yee are the sonnes of God if yee walke as hee â—â—th walked and keepe his commandements And this is a â—e witnesse that yee belong not vnto him if yee delight in righteousnesse and defile your selues with the vncleane conuersation of the wicked and vngodly Giue therefore a diligence to make you calling and election sure sure I say vnto your selues and to your owne soules by walking in such holinesse of life as God in Christ Iesus hath ordained your walke in And thus much of that holy course and race of godlinesse wherein the Apostle exhorteth vs to runne when he saith Conficite salutem c. Make an end c. What it is whereunto the Apostle in these words doth exhort vs in part we haue already heal by the way wherein hee prescribeth vs to walke The 〈◊〉 which leadeth vnto saluation being holinesse of life the Apostle exhorteth vs to walke in this way to runne in this 〈◊〉 Now it is to be obserued that the Apostle doth not only prescribe the way which leadeth vnto saluation and exhort vâ—â—â— walke and runne in that way but he exhorteth vs to runne 〈◊〉 in the same race vnto the end and fully to finish our courseâ— doing such good workes as God hath ordained that we sheâ—â— walke in Whence wee are to learne this lesson that we 〈◊〉 not onely beginne in the spirit and grow forward likeâ—â—â—â— from grace vnto grace but wee must perseuere and contiâ—â—â— vnto the end
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
But we see he vsed no such speech but as it pleased the Lord to vse these meanes in restoring him to health so he with all thankfulnes vsed the meanes and was restored vnto health Let vs therefore know that it is the Lord onely that deliuereth from death and restoreth vnto life and health and that this he doth sometimes without meanes and most commonly by meanes Let vs therefore in the bed of our sicknesse call vpon the Lord and let vs not neglect the meanes which he hath ordeined for the recouerie of our health Let vs onely trust in the Lord and let vs know that if the meanes be helpfull vnto vs it is because of the Lord his blessing vpon them He blesseth the meanes and therefore we are healed by the meanes so that he healeth and therefore we are healed Now what is the cause wherefore the Lord hauing visited vs with sicknesse doth againe raise vs from the bed of our sicknesse and restore vs vnto health This is not for any thing in our selues but for his owne mercies sake as the Apostle plainely sheweth when he saith but God had mercy on him for it is as if he had said but God for his mercies sake restored him vnto health Whence I gather this note that restoring vnto health is a mercy of the Lord. Which is farther proued vnto vs by that song or psalme of thanksgiuing which Ezechias made after his restoring vnto health where he saith Esay 38.17 Behold for felicitie I had bitter griefe but it was thy pleasure to deliuer my soule from the pit of corruption It was thy pleasure or it was thy loue to deliuer my soule c where that is ascribed to Gods loue whence his mercy floweth which in our Apostle is ascribed vnto Gods mercy So that restoring vnto health is a louing mercy of the Lord. What shall we say then When wicked and vngodly men are restored vnto health is this a louing mercy of the Lord towards them Yes surely â—or albeit so their sinne and consequently their iudgement be increased yet this not comming from this mercy of lengthning their daies but from their owne corrupt nature we are to account that health and life and wealth and whatsoeuer else they haue are temporall mercies of the Lord vpon them Howbeit the mercies of the Lord in restoring his children vnto health and in restoring the wicked vnto health are much different His mercy wherein he restoreth the wicked vnto health is a generall mercy whereby he taketh pitie vpon all men proceeding from such a loue as whereby he maketh his sunne to arise on the euill and the good and sendeth raine on the iust and vniust But his mercy wherein he restoreth his children vnto health is a speciall mercy whereby he taketh pitie vpon his children proceeding from that loue wherewithall he loueth vs in Christ Iesus by that the wicked are only restored vnto bodily health by this the children of God are so restored vnto bodily health that farther in soule they are more quickned then before by that the iudgement of the wicked is increased for that they abuse their health whereunto in mercy they are restored vnto the dishonor of God by this Gods name is more glorified in his children for that they vse their health whereunto in mercy they are restored to the praise of the glory of Gods grace In a word by that the wicked are made more inexcusable by this the children of God are made more fruitfull in good works and more assured of Gods loue Albeit then it be a mercy of the Lord both to the godly and likewise to the vngodly that they are restored vnto health for that the Lord might in iustice haue suffered his rod to lie longer vpon them if he had dealt with them in weight and measure yet is it such a speciall mercy proceeding from such a speciall loue which hee vouchsafeth vnto his children in restoring them to health as that the wicked and vngodly haue no part or portion at all therein Is it then such a speciall mercy vnto Gods children that they are restored vnto health Were not death rather a speciall mercy of the Lord vnto them or had not death then beene a speciall mercy unto Epaphroditus Surely it cannot be denied but that it is a speciall mercy of the Lord vnto his children if when he hath exercised them with his rod and prepared them by sicknesse vnto himselfe he take them by death out of the miseries of this life and translate them into the kingdome of his Sonne Ap. 14.13 For so saith the Spirit Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord and why for they rest from their labours and their works follow them They rest from their labors What is that that is by death they are deliuered and freed from such griefes and sorowes and labours and troubles and reuilings and persecutions and hatreds and other manifold calamities wherevnto this life is subiect yea from that grieuious yoke and heauie bondage of sinne which made the Apostle to crie Rom. 7.24 O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer mee from the bodie of this death Againe their works followe them What is that That is their good deeds which they did in the the loue of God and in the loue of his truth after death acompanie them and they receiue that crowne of glory which the Lord in mercie hath promised to all them that loue and feare him walke in his waies So that whether we respect the end of wretched miseries or the perfect fruition of euerlasting happinesse which the children of God haue by death it cannot be denied but death is an especiall mercy of the Lord vnto them And in these respects death then had been a speciall mercy of the Lord vnto Epaphroditus and in these respects I doubt not it was that Paul desired in the former chapter to be dissolued and to be with Christ Phil. 1.23 euen that hee might bee freed from the miseries of this life and that hee might bee ioyned with his head Christ Iesus to raigne with him in his kingdome for euer in the time appointed of the Lord. But as death so likewise life and restoring vnto health is a speciall mercy of the Lord vnto his children because so they are made farther instruments of his glory who hath restored them vnto health For being restored vnto health both they consider the mercifull goodnes towards them and so breake out into his praises who hath done great things for them Esay 38.18 whereas the graue cannot confesse the Lord neither death can praise him but the liuing the liuing as saith Ezechias they confesse him and sing praises vnto his name againe being restored vnto health they consider that the Lord hath reserued them for his farther glory to be manifested in them or by them and therefore their studie and care is so to lead their liues as that Gods name may be glorified in
dwelleth the loue of God in him As if the Apostle should haue said Whatsoeuer shew this man makes the loue of God dwels not in him neither he loueth God nor God loueth him Men and brethren what should more stirre you vp vnto this holy worke of releeuing of Gods poore Saints a thing so needfull now to be vrged and pressed what I say should more stirre you vp vnto it then this which hath already beene said It is a worke of Christ which Christ commandeth which hee loueth and liketh which Christ highly rewardeth and vnmercifulnesse to the poore he hateth and detesteth As euery man therefore wisheth in his heart so let him giue vnto the poore Saints not grudgingly or of necessitie for God loueth a cheerefull giuer 2 Cor. 9.7 If it be a worke of Christ it well beseemeth thee if thou be a Christian if he haue commanded it it stands thee vpon to obey it if he loue and like it thou hast great cause to moue thee to it if for his mercies sake he reward it thou hast great reason to be occupied in it and if he so hate the neglect of it it behoueth thee not to be negligent in it As therefore euery man hath receiued of the Lord so let him be ready to giue according to that he hath Hee that hath mercy on the poore Pro. 19.17 lendeth vnto the Lord and the Lord will recompence him that which hee hath giuen And blessed is hee saith Dauid Psal 41.1 that considereth the poore and needie the Lord shall deliuer him in the time of trouble Consider what I say and the Lord giue you a â—ight vnderstanding in all things and fill your hearts full of all knowledge that yee may abound in euery good vnto the glory of God the Father to whom with the Sonne and the holy Ghost c. Laus omnis soli Deo THE THIRD CHAPTER LECTVRE XLVIII PHILIP 3. Vers 1.2 Moreouer my brethren reioyce in the Lord. It grieueth me not to write the same things vnto you and for you it is a sure c. THe holy Apostle hauing in the first chapter of this Epistle first signified his good minde towards the Philippians by retaining them in perfect memorie by his longing after them all from the very heart roote in Iesus Christ and by his praying for them and hauing afterward exhorted them that they should not shrinke for his imprisonment because thereby the Gospell was confirmed and not diminished In the second Chapter as we haue heard he first exhorted them vnto humility that putting apart all contention and vaine glory they would haue euen the same minde that was in Christ Iesus who being God humbled himselfe to be man and became obedient to the death euen the death of the Crosse and was therefore highly exalted c. 2. Hauing grounded certaine exhortations vpon that example of Christ his humilitie and obedience as 1. That they would runne forward in that race of righteousnesse wherein God had freely placed them through Iesus Christ making an end of their saluation with feare and trembling and then that they would doe all things with their neighbours without murmuring and reasonings that they might be blamelesse and pure and the sonnes of God c. The Apostle I say hauing grounded these exhortations vpon that example of Christ his humilitie and obedience 2. For their comfort and confirmation against certaine false Apostles crept in amongst them hee both promised to send Timothy shortly vnto them and likewise that himselfe would shortly after that come vnto them and besides sent their Minister Epaphroditus presently vnto them Now in this 3. Chapter the Apostle instructeth the Philippians in the things wherein the false Apostles laboured to seduce them and so armeth the Philippians against them till his comming vnto them by confuting that false doctrine which they deliuered The doctrine which the false Apostles deliuered was that not Christ alone and faith in his name but circumcision also and the workes of the law were necessarie vnto iustification and saluation Which doctrine the Apostle doth at large confute in the Epistle to the Galathians because they had suffered themselues to be seduced and bewitched by it But here because the Philippians had manfully withstood it and giuen it no place amongst them the Apostle very briefly confuteth it and proueth that our righteousnesse is onely by Christ and faith in his name not at all by the works of the Law The principall parts of this Chapâ—er are three 1. He exhorteth them to beware of false Teachers verse 2. and instructeth them in that truth which the false Apostles gainesay vers 3. 2. The Apostle proposeth himselfe as an imbracer of that truth touching mans righteousnesse which they were to embrace à vers 4. ad 15. Lastly hee exhorteth them to embrace and hold fast the same truth with him and to walke as they haue him for an ensample from vers 15. to the end of the Chapter Now before he come to the handling of any of these principall parts 1. He setteth downe this exhortation reioyce in the Lord as a conclusion of that which went before as a ground of that which followeth 2. He excuseth hâ—mselfe for writing now the same things by epistle which before he had taught them by word of mouth That the exhortation is set downe partly by way of conclusion of that which he had spoken before may appeare by the entrance vnto it in that he saith Moreouer c. For it is as if the Apostle had thus said hitherto ye haue been full of heauines partly for my bonds and imprisonment Phil. 1.12.14 partly for Epaphroditus your minister his sicknes Now for my bonds they â—s I haue told you haue turned rather to the furthering of the Gospell inasmuch as many of the brethren in the Lord are boldned through my bonds to speake the word and now so it is that I am in good hope shortly to be deliuered from my bonds and to come vnto you Again for Epaphroditus God hath had mercy vpon him and now he is returned vnto you in good and perfect health What therefore now remaineth my brethren but that ye be glad and reioyce in the Lord in the Lord I say whom before I haue described vnto you in that Lord who being in the forme of God thought it no robberie to be equall with God yet made himselfe of no reputation and tooke on him the forme of a seruant c. Reioyce for that there is no other cause but that ye should reioyce but reioice in the Lord who became man for you died for your sinnes rose againe for your iustification setteth at the right hand of God to make request for you vnto whom euery knee in that day shall bowe and confesse that he is the Lord reioyce in him Againe it is partly set downe as a ground of that which followeth as if the Apostle should thus haue said I haue already as in a glasse
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
vnto that righteousnesse which is of God through faith to the end I say that he might bring the Iewes from those outward things of the flesh vnto the inward knowledge of Christ Iesus he raised vp to this purpose this holy Apostle that he being a manfully furnished with all prerogatiues in all such outward thingâ— as they reioyced in might both be of greater authoritie with them and likewise haue the greater possibilitie to draw them from workes vnto grace from the law vnto Christ For if it had beene so that he had perswaded them to renounce all confidence in the flesh and to reioyce onely in Christ Iesus hauing himselfe no cause of confidence in the flesh they might happily lightly haue esteemed him and thought that because himselfe had nothing touching the flesh whereof to reioyce therefore he enuied them and perswaded them to renounce all confidence in the flesh But when now they should see that he that thus perswaded them was one that had greater cause of confidence in the flesh then had the best of them they must needs likewise see that surely his perswasions proceeded from a certaine and sound iudgment and not from any conceited opinion or hatefull enuy So we see that to teach men that pleasures and sumptuous buildings and riches and possessions and the like were all but vanitie and vexation of the spirit he stirred vp Salomon who hauing had his fill of all kinde of pleasures which either his eye Eccles 2. or his heart could desire and hauing built goodly houses and great workes and hauing gathered great riches and treasures and gotten large possessions aboue all that were before him in Ierusalem was so fit to teach that lesson that he saying of all those things that they were but vanitie and vexation of the spirit the truth thereof might the rather be beleeued So likewise when the Church had sate now a long time in the darknesse of Romish Egypt and had beene bewitched as with many other grosse errors so with this of iustification by workes and merits of their owne making we see that to purge the Church of these pestilent diseases he raised vp not many yeares ago in Germanie that reuerend Luther who hauing beene a long time more pharisaicall and zealous in those monkish waies and doctrines then the common sort of his order and hauing liued as Erasmus witnesseth Epist lib. 5. Melan. l. 6. Wolsac so that none of all his enemies could euer charge him with any note of iust reprehension might so much the rather preuaile with the Church to draw them from those dreames and dregs of superstition and idolatrie wherein they were drowned And thus oftentimes it seemeth good to the wisdome of our God to the end that he may the rather draw his people either from errors in opinion or corruptions in life to raise vp of themselues some such as haue as deeply beene drencht in those errors which they maintaine and delighted asmuch in those follies which they follow as they themselues that when they shall disclaime such and such errors or renounce such and such follies the rest may the rather hearken vnto them and be induced by them to disclaime their errors and to renounce their follies Whence I make this double vse 1. This may teach them whom it hath pleased the Lord to reclaime from error in opinion or folly in life to consider why the Lord hath thus in mercy dealt with them and accordingly to performe such duties vnto the Lord as are required of them Art thou then called out of the darknesse of Romish Egypt vnto the glorious light of the Gospell of Iesus Christ Art thou freed from the bondage of that Romish Pharaoh into the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God by the day-starre arising in thine heart It is a great mercy of the Lord vnto thee thus to deliuer thy soule from death and thy feete from sliding But consider thou whether the Lord hath not also in wisdome done this that thou hauing beene nusled vp in their superstitious errors and as egerly maintained them as they shouldst now labour to draw them out of darknesse into light and from vaine confidence in the flesh to reioyce in Christ Iesus What doest thou know but that the Lord therefore suffered thee for a while to sit in darknes and in the shadow of death that when afterward the day-starre should â—rise in thine heart thou mightest both labour the more with them and likewise be in the better possibilitie to preuaile with hem Follow thou therefore the example of this holy Apostle and labour to weyne them as from other their errors so from confidence in their workes and in merits of their owne making that they may reioyce wholly in Christ Iesus and onely put their trust in his name Againe hast thou haunted with vaine persons and beene delighted in the companie of the wicked hast thou runne with a theefe when thou sawest him and beene partaker with the adulterers hast thou giuen thy money vnto vsury or taken reward against the innocent haue thine hands wrought or thy feete runne vnto or thy thought deuised or thy heart consented vnto this or that sinne or iniquitie and hath the Lord now reclaimed thee It is a great mercy of the Lord no doubt vnto thee But consider thou whether the Lord hath not also in wisdome done this that thou mightest draw them with whom sometimes thou sortedst thy selfe vnto a reformation of their waies What knowest thou but that he hath reclaimed thee from such and such inordinate waies that hauing walked with them thou mightest be the meanes of reforming them As it hath pleased the Lord therefore to reclaime euery man from any error in opinion or folly in life so let him labour to reforme such errors or follies in them whom hee knowes to be intangled with them euer remembring that of our Sauiour vnto Peter when thou art conuerted strengthen thy brethren Luk. 22.32 and likewise that that he which converteth a sinner from going astray out of his way Iam. 5.20 saueth a soule from death and hideth a multitude of sinnes 2. This may teach them that are as yet holden with any error in opinion or folly in life to hearken vnto those whom the Lord hath raised euen of themselues to admonish them of their errors or of their follies For thus they should consider with themselues He was so affected as now I am and had as great skill and will to maintaine those things which now he doth oppugne as I haue and if the Lord haue now reuealed vnto him that which as yet he hath kept hid from mine eyes who am I that I should not hearken vnto him Againe he was so delighted as now I am and did runne after such sinnes and iniquities as he now speaketh against as now I doe and if the Lord haue now so lightned his eyes that he both seeth the folly of his owne waies and calleth me from the like
the Pharisies where he telleth them that the Publicans and harlots shall goe before them into the kingdome of God Matt. 21 31. The meaning is not that the wicked and lewd life of the Publicans and harlots did more commend them vnto God then did the religious and strict life of the Pharisies but thereby our Sauiour giueth them to vnderstand that because of their conceit and confidence in their owne righteousnesse they were further from the kingdome of God then were the greatest sinners that were so that there was more hope of the greatest sinners that were that they would sooner come to repentance and sooner come vnto him then would they that had confidence in their owne workes and in their owne righteousnesse The more confidence then that we haue in our owne workes and in our owne righteousnesse the more strangers wee are from Christ and his righteousnesse If wee cleaue wholly to our workes as thinking to be iustified or saued by them wee are wholly separated from Christ Iesus and haue no part in that saluation which is by grace through faith in his name or if wee cleaâ—â— in part vnto our workes then doe wee diminish the glory of Christ Iesus Nay I say more if wee cleaue in part vnto our workes wee haue no part in Christ or in saluation by him Which I take it is plaine by that of our Apostle verse 3. of this chapter where hee saith Wee reioyce in Christ Iesus aâ—â— haue no confidence in the flesh as if he should haue said If weâ— should haue confidence in the flesh then should wee not reioice in Christ Iesus The conclusion then must needs bee that all our workes by reposing confidence in them how good soeuer they seeme to be are indeed losse and hurtfull vnto vs. For what more hurtfull then to withhold vs from comming vnto Christ vnto these of the Apostle let mee adde a 3. respect wherein also euen all our workes generally are but losse and dung which is in respect of the quality of our works in themselues For if our best workes should be weighed in the ballance of the sanctuarie they would be found too light if they should be examined after the strict rule of Gods iustice they would make vs lift vp our voices with Dauid and say Psa 143.2 enter not into iudgement with thy seruant ô Lord for in thy sight shall no man liuing be iustified Iob. 14.4 For who can bring a cleane thing out of filthinesse there is not one that can do it How good therefore how righteous and holy soeuer we be yet must we know that all our righteousnesse is but as filthy clouts out of the Prophet Es 64.6 Whether therefore we compare our workes and our righteousnesse by workes with the knowledge of Christ and the righteousnesse which we haue by faith in his name or whether we respect the reposing of any part of our confidence in them or whether we respect our workes in themselues if they should be examined by the Law of God we see that they are no vantage but losse and as the Apostle tearmeth them dung Which doctrine how true and likewise how necessary it is the Apostle his insisting and beating vpon it doth euidently shew For ye see that the three seuerall repetitions hereof taketh vp this whole verse almost What then doe we condemne good workes doe we make this account of them that so we may banish them out of the country So some tell you but most vntruely For in all places wee exhort all men that they abound in euery good worke and we giue all encouragement thereunto Wee tell you that good workes are the way which God hath ordained that we should walke in vnto heauen and that without holinesse of life no man shall see the Lord wee tell you that God commandeth them that God rewardeth them that God is well pleased with them and that they are truely good workes though they be not perfectly good workes yea wee tell you that they are accounted vnto vs as perfectly good because whatsoeuer imperfection is in them is for Christ his sake couered and not imputed vnto vs. Thus wee haue learned and therefore thus we tell you Also we tell you that yee are not to repose any confidence of your saluation in them but all in Christ Iesus that they are to bee counted but losse and dung in comparison of the excellent knowledge of Christ Iesus and of his righteousnesse that our workes be they neuer so good doe not make vs righteous before God that wee are saued not of workes but by grace through faith in Christ Iesus and that none of all our workes can abide the seueritie of Gods iudgement much lesse merit any grace at Gods hands Thus also we haue learned and therfore thus also we tell you And doe we condemne good workes because wee teach you the truth touching good workes We desire and we pray that ye may abound in all knowledge and in euery good worke but we are iealous that ye should not grow to an ouerwening conceit of them Good workes must be done but we must not trust to be iustified or saued by them because that honour onely belongeth vnto God Let this teach vs to renounce all confidence in our owne workes and in our owne righteousnesse whatsoeuer and to beware of them that tell vs that our workes are meritorious and worthy of heauen For if wee flatter our selues with a proud and pharisaicall conceit of our owne righteousnesse by our workes Luc. 18.14 we shall depart home iustified as the Pharisie Wâ— must therefore come vnto Christ as the Publican confessing our owne vnrighteousnesse and acknowledging our owne nakednesse in our selues if we will be cloathed with the long white robe of his righteousnesse For hee filleth the hungâ—e with good thingâ— but sendeth away the rich emptie Hee came not to cal or to clothe the righteous in their own conceâ—â— but he iustifieth the wicked and clotheth the naked For hee respecteth the humble and lowly but for the proud he beholdeth them a farre off Let vs therfore humble our selues in our selues and only reioyce in Christ Iesus If we do any thing that is good it is not of our selues but onely from grace and if we receiue a reward for any good that we doe it is not for the merit of the worke but of the mercie of the Lord for we must still hold that rule of our Sauiour that when wee haue done all that we can yet must we say Luc. 17.10 we are vnprofitable seruants we haue done that which was our dutie to doe Now vnprofitable seruants what merit they Or they which onely doe their duty what merit they Surely other merit of any works we know none but of death If therefore we will bee made righteous before God let vs renounce all merit of grace by our owne workes all confidence in our owne righceousnes Let vs abound in euery good worke but
through the faith of Christ c. he would be clothed in that day with Christ his righteousnesse imputed vnto him by God through faith that he might be iudged by it and receiue his reward according to the merit of it This righteousnesse is sometimes called the righteousnesse of faith because by faith in Christ we are made partakers of this righteousnes sometime the righteousnesse of God because it is the meere gift of God who doth impute it vnto vs through faith in Christ sometimes the righteousnesse of Christ because it is his and onely inherent in him Hee would be found in that day hauing this righteousnesse Hence then I obserue that the righteousnesse whereby wee are accounted righteous before God is the righteousnesse of Christ or of faith or of God which soeuer ye will make it This also the Apostle hath euery where Rom. 3.24.25 We are iustified freely by grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus whom God hath set forth to be a reconciliation through faith in his bloud Againe Gal. 2.16.3.11 know that a man is not iustified by the workes of the Law but by the faith of Iesus Christ Againe that no man is iustified saith the Apostle by the Law Eph. 2.8.9 it is euident for the iust shall liue by faith And againe by grace are ye saued through faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God not of workes lest any man should boast himselfe Yea euery where almost the holy Ghost witnesseth that we are accounted righteous before God not for our owne workes or deserts but onely by grace through faith for the merit and obedience of our Lord and Sauiour Christ Iesus This then is our righteousnes before God that God through faith in Christ Iesus imputeth not our sins vnto vs but imputeth Christ his righteousnesse vnto vs reckoning the righteousnesse of his obedience vnto the Law vnto vs as if wee had fulfilled the righteousnesse of the Law in our flesh and for the merits of his sufferings wiping all our sinnes out of his sight remembrance So that Christ his righteousnesse alone is our righteousnesse before God which because God doth impute vnto vs freely by his grace through faith therefore the Apostle saith it is God that iustifieth God then iustifieth his grace onely moueth him not any of our workes Christ and his righteousnes is the righteousnesse whereby we are iustified faith is the instrument whereby onely wee are made partakers of his righteousnesse I know that there are dogges which barke against this truth affirming that the righteousnesse whereby we are iustified is not only imputed vnto vs but inherent in vs. But this one place may serue to descrie this their madnesse It is of God imputed by him vnto vs therefore not inherent in vs. It is through faith therefore not inherent in vs. It is through the faith of Christ therefore really inherent onely in Christ It is not our owne but onely by faith in Christ therefore not really inherent in vs. If they vrge the Apostle Iames his authoritie to proue that the righteousnesse whereby we are iustified is inherent in vs because he saith that a man is iustified by workes we answere that the Apostle there speaketh not of that righteousnesse whereby man is made righteous before God but only sheweth that by a mans workes hee is knowne and declared to be iustified by faith so that the Apostle maketh not workes in that place the causes but onely the fruites and effects of iustification If they reply that it is a sufficient proofe that we are iustified by workes because we are iustified by faith which is a worke we answer that iustification is attributed to faith because of Christ and his righteousnesse which it receiueth not because it is a worke of ours For as it is a worke of ours so it is not without some doubting but is imperfect as also our knowledge and loue are and so iustification is not attributed vnto it but onely as it taketh hold vpon Christ Iesus and his righteousnesse which is our perfect righteousnesse Whatsoeuer therefore they say lâ—t vs know that the righteousnesse whereby we are accounted righteous before God is only inherent in Christ Iesus and is not ours but only by imputation inasmuch as God doth impute it vnto vâ— through faith in Christ Iesus Let this teach vs to beware of such Deceiuers as tell vs that we are not iustified before God by Christ his righteousnesse alone but by workes also Rom. 8.1 And seeing it is Christ his righteousnesse alone whereby we are made righteous before God let vs reioyce in Christ Iesus alone and let vs iudge all our best workes whatsoeuer to be dung that we may be found in that day not hauing our owne righteousnesse c. Why should it be thought iniurious vnto man to giue all the glory of our righteousnesse or saluation vnto Christ Iesus Why should it not rather be thought iniurious vnto Christ Iesus to giue any part of our righteousnes or saluation vnto mans works or merits Too much cannot be taken from man neither can too much be giuen vnto Christ for he is all in all vnto vs our wisedome and righteousnesse our sanctification and redemption he is the reconciliation for our sinnes by him and through him and for him we haue all that we haue and vnder heauen there is no name giuen whereby wee may be saued but onely by the name of Christ Iesus Let vs therefore giue vnto him that which is due vnto him let not man rob him of his honour Let vs follow after peace and holinesse and righteousnes and euery good worke and let vs know that thiâ— labour shall not be in vaine vnto vs in the Lord. But let vs know that it is God alone that iustifieth vs by grace thâ—ough faith not imputing our sinnes but Christ his righteousnesse vnto vs and so making his righteousnesse ours as our sinnes were made his to wit by imputation only To knit vp the last obseruation in a word will you know how to be found in Christ in that day A matter worthy your knowledge For there shall be no condemnation vnto them that then shall be found in him If then wee will be found in Christ in that day we must bee found righteous to be iudged by it And thus farre the matter goeth hard with vs all being all of vs full of vnrighteousnesse and vngodlinesse What is then the righteousnes wherein we must be found to be iudged by it in that day Not our owne for that would sinke vs deep but the righteousnesse of Christ Iesus How shall we be found it this righteousnesse in that day If wee renounce all confidence in our owne righteousnesse as losse and dung and trust perfectly on the grace of God that is brought vnto vs by the reuelation of Iesus Christ Let this then be our comfort that we shall not be iudged in that day by our owne righteousnes but
be perfect His exhortation is indeed generall vnto all that all would thinke as hee did touching the points mentioned before from verse 3. to this 15. But lest any man should thinke that he spake especially vnto the vulgar sort of men and prescribed this rule only vnto those that were babes in Christ therefore he sheweth precisely that this is a rule which whosoeuer among them thought himselfe to be or were more perfect than others ought to keepe euen to be so minded as Paul was in the things mentioned aboue And besides it was not so needfull to speak vnto them by name as it were that knew and acknowledged their owne wants that they should not thinke themselues perfect as to them that either thought themselues or were thought of others to be perfect Vnto them principally as by name the admonition was most needfull that they should be so minded as Paul was as in the rest of the points so in the acknowledgement of their owne imperfection and in the pursuit after perfection It followeth And if ye be otherwise minded c. This sheweth that the Apostle thought or rather knew that he should not be able to perswade all to be of the same minde with him in the things mentioned but that some through the suggestions of the false Teachers would thinke otherwise then hee thought of those points Yet see how kindly he dealeth with those If saith he ye be otherwise minded so that ye do not yet thinke as I your Apostle do of these points euen of Christian perfection but rather are of another iudgement yet I doubt not but as God hath begunne to reueale his sonne Iesus Christ vnto you by my preaching so hee will also in his good time reueale and make knowne vnto you this same thing wherein ye now dissent in iudgement from mee and will not suffer you to bee holden of this error he will I doubt not in his good time by the ministerie of his seruants through the powerfull operation of the holy spirit open the dimme eyes of your darke vnderstanding that ye may see both that ye erre in this wherein ye dissent from me and that this is the truth whereunto I now exhort you To gather then the summe of the Apostles meaning in these words it is as much as if the Apostle had thus said I am thus minded as I haue told you touching mine owne righteousnes which is by workes touching the righteousnesse of Christ which is through faith and touching Christian perfection in generall Let vs therefore euen all of vs not only those which are but babes in Christ or of the vulgar sort but euen as many as either think our selues or are thought by others to be perfect be thus minded as I am touching these points and if any of you dissent in iudgement from mee and doe not thinke as I doe touching Christian perfection God will no doubt in his good time by the ministerie of his seruants through the powerfull working of the holy Ghost open the dimme eyes of your darke vnderstanding that ye may see both your owne error in dissenting from me and the truth of that whereunto I exhort you Which being the Apostles meaning as I take it in this verse now let vs see what obseruation wee may gather hence for our vse and instruction 1. Therefore in the Apostles exhortation when he saith let â—s as many as be perfect be thus minded I note that as many as follow after Christian perfection are to be so minded touching workes and touching Christ as the Apostle was inasmuch as they are not perfect that thinke themselues already perfect either in the knowledge of Christ or in holy obedience but they rather that acknowledging that they haue not yet attained vnto perfection doe renounce all things without Christ reioyce only in Christ feeling a sense of the knowledge of Christ and of the vertue of his resurrection in themselues labour daily more and more to grow with all spirituall growth therein in certaine hope of the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus Hence then I obserue what Christian perfection is namely a gift of the holy Ghost wherby we renounce the flesh reioyce in Christ and haue such a sense of the knowledge of Christ and of the vertue of his resurrection in our selues that acknowledging our want of perfection therein we labour to grow and encrease daily more and more therein and so incessantly runne after perfection in them that as good runners we forget that which is behind and endeauour our selues to that which is before and follow hard towards the marke for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus So that vnto Christian perfection there are foure things necessarily requisite The first whereof is iustification by the righteousnesse of Christ imputed to vs through faith without workes For so onely are we perfit if we be found in Christ Iesus not hauing our owne righteousnes which is by workes but that which is through the faith of Christ euen the righteousnesse of God through faith And therefore the Apostle telleth the Colossians in the next Epistle that he and Timothie preached and taught euery man in all wisdome Col. 1.28.2.10 that they might present euery man perfect in Christ Iesus And in the next Chapter he telleth them that they are compleate in Christ in whom dwelleth all the fulnesse of the godhead bodily Both which places plainely shew that were perfect but how not in our selues but in Christ Iesus And in him onely are we perfect because onely being in him noâ— our sinnes but Christ his righteousnesse is imputed vnto vâ— and because all perfection is originally in him and is only deriued vnto vs as we are in him Being then in him our sâ—nne and imperfections are hidde and couered being in him his righteousnesse and obedience are imputed and reckoned vnto vs and being in him that perfection which originally is in him is deriued vnto vs and so onely are our imperfections couered his righteousnesse imputed and his perfection deriued vnto vs as we are in him For if any man be not in him he is cast out as a branch and withereth Ioh. 15.6 This then is necessarily requisite vnto Christian perfection that we be in Christ Iesus not hauing our owne righteousnesse by workes but his righteousnesse by faith And from this as from the fountaine doe all those other things which are necessarie vnto Christian perfection issue and spring The 2. thing necessarily requisite vnto Christian perfectâ—on is our regeneration sanctification by the spirit of God for so onely are we perfit if by the power of the quickening spirit working on our soules spirits we haue a feeling knowledge of Christ Iesus in our owne soules and doe feele in our selues a dying vnto sinne and a liuing vnto righteousnesse by the vertue of Christ his death and resurrection And therefore the holy Ghost exhorting vs often to be perfect doth
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
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
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
can we except we abide in Christ the Lord. Nay if we continue not in the Lord and in the faith and knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ it is a plaine argument against vs that whatsoeuer shew we make in the flesh yet indeed we neuer walked in the truth So the Apostle Saint Iohn plainely argueth 1. John 2.19 where he saith They went ouâ— from vs but they were not of vs for if they had bene of vs they would haue continued with vs. But this commeth to passe that it might appeare that they are not all of vs. Where ye see that Apostataes and such as fall away from the faith and from the truth of Christ Iesus are proued plainely to be hypocrites and neuer indeed to haue walked in the truth by this argumen tbecause they continued not in the truth which they had learned and receiued As therefore the precept or exhortation both of our Sauiour and of our Apostle requireth this dutie of vs that wee continue in the Lord and in the faith and knowledge of Iesus Christ so this also that it may appeare that we were truly rooted in Christ Iesus and that we walked in the truth And now see whether the same reason do not vrge vs vnto this dutie whereby the Apostle then vrged the Philippians thereunto for are there not now many that would separate vs froÌ„ Christ Iesus Are ther not now many euill workers that teach vs to repose confidence in the merite of our workes and not to reioyce onely in Christ Iesus many that teach iustification to be by our owne righteousnesse which is of the Law and not by the alone righteousnesse of Christ Iesus through faith many that teach perfection of sanctification in this life otherwise then we are taught by the Gospell of Christ Iesus many that teach vs to be otherwise minded touching the vantage and merite of workes touching the righteousnesse of Christ through faith â—ouching the perfection of sanctification in this life then was â—his Apostle of our Lord Iesus Christ Yes many such deceiâ—ers there are as heretofore we haue heard creeping in eâ—ery corner and leading captiue simple men and women afâ—er their owne lusts And therefore the vrging of this dutie â—uen for that cause is now necessarie vnto vs that Christiâ—ns at this day continue in the Lord and in the faith and â—nowledge of Iesus Christ so as they haue bene taught out of the writings of the Prophets and Apostles and so as they â—aue done by the illumination of the Spirit through the miâ—isterie of the word A doubt or two will here haply be moued First wheâ—her it be in vs to continue in the Lord if wee will or it be â—holly and onely from grace without anie power of our â—wne Whereunto I answer Iohn 6.44 That as no man can come vnto Christ except the Father draw him making him of vnwilling â—illing by putting his holy Spirit into him so no man can abide and continue in him but only by the grace of the same Spirit Phil. 2.13 For it is God that worketh in vs both the will and the deed euen of his good pleasure of his owne free grace that he may be all in all and that all the glorie of our saluation may be gâ—uen vnto him alone Why then doth the Apostle exhort vs to continue in the Lord if it be not in our owne power if we will being holpen by grace to continue in the Lord Which is as if it should be said If the fruite and increase of the earth be wholly the blessing of the Lord then why doth the husbandman manure and till his ground and bestow such paines and trauell therein Or as if it should be said If faith be wholly the gift of God then why are we so called vpon to come and heare the word preached For as he giueth corne and wine and oile and all things else needfull for this life but yet by such meanes as he hath ordained thereunto and againe as faith is the gift of God alone but yet giuen vs by the meanes of hearing the word preached 1. Cor. 1.8 so the Lord which confirmeth vs vnto the end worketh in vs this holy gift of perseuerance and continuing in him but by such holy admonitions and exhortations as he will haue vsed to that purpose For admonitions and exhortations are not therefore vsed to imply any power in our selues to doe the things we are exhorted vnto but because they are the meanes whereby God worketh his good graces in vs. And they do and may rather put vs in mind of our vnablenesse then of our ablenesse to do the things that we are exhorted that seeing we cannot of our selues will or do the things whereunto we are exhorted as to come vnto the Lord to continue in the Lord therefore we should flie vnto him and pray vnto him that he would draw vs vnto him that he would confirme vs vnto the end and that he would frame our wils according to his blessed will that we may by him do what his will is To continue then in the Lord is the grace of Gods holy Spirit and the exhortation thereunto is very needfull both because it is the meanes whereby the Lord will worke his grace in vs and to set vs vnto the Lord to beg that of him which of our selues we are no way able to do A second doubt also may be moued Whether it can be that such of Gods children as are in the Lord should not continue in the Lord Whereunto I answer that such of Gods children as are graffed in the true oliue may for some while seeme like vnto withered branches the graces of Gods Spirit may for a time decay in them and lie smothered so that they appeare no more then the fire vnder the ashes or imbers So we may see in Dauid who hauing committed murder and adulterie walked on a long time and was neuer touched with any remorse for such his grieuous sinnes so that for the time he might seeme to be as a withered branch So we may see in Peter many eclipses of the graces of Gods Spirit when he disswaded Christ his passion when he denied Christ his maister and that with an oath when he fled from his Maister when he dissembled for feare of them of the circumcision and drew Barnabas also into the like dissimulation c. So we may see in Demas who for a time left Paul and embraced this present world and yet afterwards became again a fellow-helper with Paul In other holy persons the like may be shewed in whom the graces of God haue for a time decayed and they bene like to withered branches But they cannot finally fall from grace but he that hath begun a good worke in them Phil. 1.6 Ioh. 10.28 will performe it vntill the day of Iesus Christ For hath not he himselfe said I giue vnto them eternall life and they shall neuer perish neither shall any plucke them
that here he thus spoke as he thought by the rule of charitie For what saith the Apostle in another place of charitie 1. Cor. 13.7 namely that it beleeueth all things and hopeth all things yea and where it seeth certaine fruites and effects of election and saluation there it is certainly to be perswaded of election and saluation Our Apostle therefore seeing how faithfully those his fellow-labourers had laboured in the worke of the Ministerie with him in the planting of the Church at Philippi how constantly they had walked in the truth notwithstanding the great opposition that was against them how vnblameably they had had their conuersation amongst men in charitie thus he iudged that their names were in the booke of life And this may verie well stand with the other that the Lord onely knoweth who are his For that which properly belongeth vnto the Lord absolutely and by himselfe to know whose names are in the booke of life that the Apostle assumeth not to himselfe but seeing the fruites of their election in their liues he by the rule of charitie thus iudgeth of their saluation that euerlasting life was surely sealed vp for them with God To come then vnto my note the thing which here I note is the Apostles charitable iudgement of his fellow-labourers in the Gospell of Christ Iesus By their fruites he iudged that they were branches of the true vine vpon their holy profession and constant endeuor to increase the kingdome of Christ Iesus he pronounceth that their names were written in the booke of life Whence first my obseruation in generall is that the children of God not onely may and ought certainly to be perswaded of their owne saluation in Christ Iesus but further that they are by the rule of charitie to assure themselues of the saluation of such of their brethren as walke in the truth hauing their conuersation honest For albeit this be most true that not any can be so certaine of any other mans election or saluation as of his owne because he feeleth onely in himselfe the testimony of the Spirit witnessing vnto his spirit that he is the sonne of God and because onely in himselfe he knoweth his faith towards God and his loue towards all Saints not onely by the outward fruites thereof but like wise by the inward motions thereof which he feeles in his owne soule yet may the children of God by such outward fruites and effects of their election as they shall see in their brethren according to the rule of charitie iudge that they are the chosen children of God and heires of saluation So we see that the Apostle writing to the Romanes Corinthians Ephesians writeth vnto them as Saints by calling sanctified in Christ Iesus chosen in him before the foundation of the world and predestinated to be adopted through Iesus Christ vnto God And why did he thus iudge of them Euen because of their communion with the Saints in the Gospel of Christ because of the testification of their faith and of their loue towards all Saints whereby they shewed themselues to be partakers of the fatnesse of the true oliue Christ Iesus So Peter writing vnto the strangers that dwelt here and there throughout Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bithynia calleth them the elect of God And why Euen because of their constant faith constant loue and constant abiding in the Church of Christ Iesus So Iohn calleth them vnto whom he wrote the sonnes of God and the Lady vnto whom he wrote the elect Ladie because they continued in the Church and walked in the truth Do we then see in our brethren the outward fruites of an holy vocation of regeneration and sanctification Do we see them make an holy profession of the blessed truth of Christ Iesus giue good testimonie of a sincere faith in Christ Iesus walk in holy obedience towards God and loue towards their brethren faithfully labour in the workes of their calling and denying vngodlinesse and worldly lusts liue soberly and righteously and godly in this present world Of such we may and are to perswade our selues that they are reserued vnto the same inheritance in heauen with vs and of them we may say that they are the sonnes of God elect in Christ Iesus our Lord vnto eternall saluation prepared to be shewed in the last times And besides this that the holy Ghost by the mouth of the Apostles warranteth vs hereunto the rule also of charitie directeth vs so to do For as before we heard Charitie beleeueth all things 1. Cor. 13.7 charitie hopeth all things Which yet is not so to be vnderstood as if charitie were foolish rashly to beleeue euery thing that is told and there to hope where there is no cause of hope for that the Wiseman maketh a note of a foolish man Prou. 14.15 where he thus saith The foolish will beleeue euery thing But so charitie beleeueth all things and hopeth all things as that it keepes it selfe within the rule of pietie wisedome and religion If the thing displease God be repugnant to the truth be hurtfull or disgracefull to any of Gods children charitie beleeueth it not hopeth it not But where there are good tokens of Christianitie plaine signes of a sincere faith euident testimonies of an holy obedience there surely the rule of charitie bids vs beleeue and hope the best and there we may be bold to say that they are the sonnes of God that their names are written in the booke of life And is it not our Sauiours rule that we should iudge of the tree by the fruite for that a good tree bringeth not forth euill fruite Mat. 7.18 nor an ill tree good fruite If it beare grapes will any man iudge it to be a thorne if it bring forth figs will any man iudge it to be a thistle Nay by the fruite the tree is knowne what it is and if the fruite be good it may thereby be knowne that the tree is good Right so if we haue our fruite in righteousnesse and holinesse it may thereby be knowne that we are the branches of the true vine Christ Iesus Whether then we looke vnto the example of the Apostles or vnto the rule of charitie which the Apostles followed or vnto that rule of Christ to discerne of the tree by the fruite we see that the children of God may not onely perswade themselues of their owne saluation in Christ Iesus but further also may certainly iudge of the saluation of their godly brethren Now see viri fratres men brethren the great necessitie that there is that we should be thus perswaded one of another euen so great as that without it the bond of peace loue and Christianitie cannot be maintained For how can we loue them of whom we haue no hope that they shall be heires of the same saluatiō with vs How can we haue peace with them of whom we are not perswaded that they are at peace with God How can we pray with them and
conforme our selues vnto the will of God set downe in his word as touching I say our faith and repentance so touching our loue whether we loue one another so that as members of the same bodie we beare one with another and helpe one another For as faith and repentance towards God so this loue also towards our neighbour is so necessarily requisite that otherwise we do not worthily celebrate these holy mysteries And therefore if we will be worthie partakers of this holy Supper as here we that are many do all eate one bread and drinke of one cup are all confirmed in one faith and nourished to grow vp into one bodie whereof Christ is the head so must we loue one another and as members of the same bodie beare one with another and helpe one another So that at this time the verie celebration of these holy mysteries may sufficiently put vs in mind of that moderation patient mind which ought to be in one of vs towards another Neither that onely but this day also wherein we celebrate the remembrance of Christ his blessed resurrection may sufficiently put vs in mind hereof For hath Christ loosed the bands of death and by his resurrection from the dead triumphed ouer death and mightily declared himselfe to be the Sonne of God Yes he hath and this day we celebrate the most ioyfull remembrance thereof And how should not thiâ— put vs in mind of rising from the death of sinne vnâ—â— the 〈◊〉 of God Or how shall we thinke that we are risen 〈…〉 â—fe of God if there be not this moderation and p◠〈…〉 in vs one towards another Since then by the resâ—â—rection of Christ as this day we are put in mind of our râ—â—â—â—â—ection from the death of sin vnto the life of God thereby also we are put in mind of that moderation and patient mind which ought to be in one towards another let therefore the celebration of those holy mysteries of Christ his death and passion let the memoriall of his blessed resurrection as on this day be sufficient to stirre you vp vnto this moderation which our Apostle here requireth and whereof hitherto we haue spoken And whosoeuer findeth himselfe to haue failed herein heretofore let him giue all diligence hereafter that his patient mind may be knowne vnto all men The second thing which I note in this exhortation is this that the Apostle would haue this their moderation and mildnesse so conspicuous and euident as that it might be knowne and that to all men no doubt to this end that all men as occasions were offered might haue triall of their moderation and mildnesse and that thereby religion among all men might be increased and the name of God in whom they beleeued glorified Whence I obserue the extent of the moderation and mildnesse that ought to be in vs how farre the practise thereof is to reach that they may haue triall and experience thereof namely not to them alone that vse vs kindly and gently or to them alone which are within but to them also which are without euen vnto all men is our patient mind to be made knowne For as our Sauiour saith in somewhat another matter If ye loue them which loue you what reward shall ye haue and if ye be friendly to your brethren onely Math. 5.46.47 what singular thing do ye So may it well be said in this matter if our patient mind be onely knowne vnto them that vse vs with all mildnes and gentlenesse what singular thing do we and if we moderate our affections and yeeld onely vnto them that yeeld vnto vs what praise shall we haue Our moderation then and patient mind is not to be restrained in the vse thereof vnto these and these men but it is to be shewne vnto all men with whom we liue be they better or worse So the Apostle speaking of charitable beneficence Gal. 6.10 Rom. 12.18 Let vs do good saith he while we haue time vnto all men And againe Haue peace with all men And generally the precept is that we haue our conuersation honest amongst all men As lights therefore for so we are called we must communicate the light that is in vs vnto all men holding forth our lights of gentlenesse goodnes meeknes temperancie moderation patience c. vnto all men imitating therein our Father which is in heauen Math. 5.45 who maketh his Sunne to arise on the euill and on the good and sendeth raine on the iust and vniust And now why are we to vse this moderation towards all men that our patient mind may be knowne vnto all men The reason is that all men seeing our moderation and mildnesse towards all men may thinke the better of the Religion which we professe and the rather glorifie the Lord of glorie in whom we beleeue For if they shall see vnto wardlines and vnkindnesse in one of vs towards another quickly do they speake euill of the name of God and of the doctrine which we teach And therefore the Apostle alwayes exhorts all sorts vnto all holy duties and why that the name of God and his doctrine be not euill spoken of 1. Tim. 6.1 Tit. 2.5 Iam 2 7. that the word of God be not euill spoken of that the worthy Name after which they be named be not blasphemed But if they shall see moderation and mildnesse meeknesse gentlenesse and patience in one of vs towards an other we cannot better draw men vnto the glory of our God and to a good opinion of our religion and of the truth which we professe And in this respect it is that our blessed Sauiour thus exhorteth all men Mat. 5.16 saying Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in heauen And in the same respect also it is that the Apostle Peter exhorteth saying Haue your conuersation honest among the Gentiles 1. Pet. 2.12 that they which speake euill of you as of euill doers may by your good workes which they shall see glorifie God in the day of the visitation For an ornament then of the truth which we professe and for the glorie of our God in whom we beleeue our patient mind is to be made knowne vnto all men not to our brethren onely or such as vse vs kindly but euen to all men Here then first were to be reproued those braules and quarels which fall out amongst neighbours and brethren about matters of two pence matters of nothing Our Apostle would haue our moderation and patient mind knowne vnto all men How is it then that neighbours and brethren will not one yeeld vnto another wil not one beare with another One wil haue his right and not yeeld a iote another will auenge his wrong or else he will die for it a third will beare coles at no mans hands but such as he brewes such shall he drinke and this amongst neighbours and brethren And how shall it be
thought that we will vse moderation towards all men while such is our behauiour towards our neighbours and brethren Whilest it is thus among our selues we shew plainly how litle heed we haue taken vnto this exhortation of the holy Ghost consequently how litle care we take that the name of God and the truth which we professe be not euill spoken of Secondly here were to be reproued such carnall exceptions as are commonly taken against this exhortation The holy Ghost saith Let your patient mind be knowne vnto all men Vnto all men say we this is an hard saying Vnto such as vse vs kindly and curteously great reason that our patient mind should be knowne but vnto them that be euer readie to thwart and crosse vs to wrong and grieue vs to taunt and mocke vs to reuile and speake euill of vs what reason that our patient mind should be knowne Thus will we rather teach the holy Ghost what to speake then we will be taught by the holy Ghost what to do But such exceptions we must take heed of if we will suffer our selues to be taught by the ho holy Ghost and as our Apostle willeth we must let our patient mind be knowne vnto all men without such exception of any Thirdly hence we learne what we are to respect in the practise of euery Christian vertue namely the glorie of God and the propagation of his truth For as our Sauior saith of almes prayer fasting and the like Math. 6. that if they be done for the praise of men then they haue their praise but not with God so may it be said of the practise of euery Christian vertue that if therein we respect the praise of men we haue our praise but not with God The thing that we must aime at in the practise of gentlenesse goodnesse meeknesse temperancie moderation patience and other workes of the Spirit in vs is the glorie of God that men seeing these fruites of the Spirit in vs they may be brought vnto the same obedience and seruice of one God with vs. And thus it shall come to passe that they who haply haue said in their hearts there is no God that they who cannot yet grow to the liking of the same truth with vs shall say of vs Surely God is in you indeed surely this is the way of truth wherein ye do walke Let vs therefore hearken vnto the exhortation of our Apostle and as he exhorteth let our patient mind be knowne vnto all men Let vs not bangle and wrangle one with another for euery light matter but let vs beare one with another and yeeld one vnto another Let vs not after the fancie of our owne reason abridge that which the holy Ghost enlargeth but let our moderation be knowne to all without exception of any And let vs in the practise both of this and of euery Christian vertue aime at the glorie of God and the furtherance of his holy truth which we professe And as this day we professe by our meeting at this holy Table sound loue and charitie with all men so at all times let our moderation and patient mind be knowne vnto all men LECTVRE LXXXI PHILIP 4. Verse 5. The Lord is at hand THese words haue bene already noted to consist of an exhortation and a reason of the exhortation The exhortation this Let your patient mind c. The reason this The Lord is at hand In the exhortation were noted first the thing whereunto the Apostle exhorteth the Philippians secondly the large scope wherein the thing is to runne The thing whereunto the Apostle exhorteth the Philippians is mildnesse in their behauiour and moderation of their affections towards their neighbours and brethren so that for vnities sake they would rather lose their owne then strictly stand vpon their right in matters of ordinarie life The large field wherein he would haue this their mildnesse and moderation to runne reacheth vnto all men Let your patient mind be knowne to all c. The Lord is at hand This reason as I told you is added to preuent an obiection For the Apostle hauing exhorted the Philippians to such a mildnesse and moderation as that they should not alwayes strictly stand vpon their right but sometimes yeeld of their right and patiently put vp the losse and the wrong the Philippians might haply thus obiect and say that so indeed their case should be most miserable and they should be trampled vnder feete as clay in the streetes Therefore the Apostle addeth The Lord is at hand as if he should haue said Though they abuse your patient mildnesse and gentle moderation of your affections yet do ye hold on a good course in patience possesse your soules and let your patient mind be knowne vnto all men for the Lord is at hand otherwise indeed your case were hard if the Lord were farre from you and lookt not at you nor regarded you to helpe you in euery time of need and to relieue you in euery your wrongs But the Lord is at hand Now we must vnderstand that the Lord is said to be at hand after diuers sorts in the holy Scriptures For sometimes he is said to be neare or at hand in respect of himselfe of the presence of his deitie and glorious maiestie as where the Apostle saith Acts 17.27 that he is not farre from euery one of vs for in him we liue and moue and haue our being Thus himselfe saith that he filleth heauen and earth Ierem. 23.24 and therefore is thus neare vnto whatsoeuer is in heauen or earth Thus the Prophet saith that he cannot conuey himselfe out of his presence For if he climbe vp into heauen there he is Psal 139.7.8.9.10 if he goe downe into hell there he is if he take the wings of the morning and dwel in the vttermost parts of the Sea there also doth his hand leade him if he say the darkenesse shall couer him euen the night shal be light about him And thus he is neare euen vnto all the world vnto his enemies sitting in the middest of them seeing their deuices and laughing them to scorne vnto all that haue life or being communicating that vnto them which alone is properly in himselfe who is life and whose name is I am Iohn 14. â— Exod. 3.14 Againe the Lord is said to be neare or at hand in respect of his grace and prouidence and powerfull working of his holy Spirit as where the Prophet saith Psal 145.18 The Lord is neare vnto all that call vpon him yea to all that call vpon him in truth he is neare vnto them to heare them and to helpe them And thus is he peculiarly said to be neare vnto his children not that he offereth not this speciall grace of comming neare vnto them vnto the wicked for thus he saith vnto them by his Prophet Seeke ye the Lord whiles he may be found Esay 55.6 call ye vpon him whiles he is neare that is
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
fauour with God For otherwise if they be not acceptable vnto God howsoeuer they might winne vs fauour amongst men we are not to thinke on them nor to do them What then are the things which may winne vs fauour with God and men If we put on tender mercie kindenesse humblenesse of minde meekenesse long-suffering patience and temperance if we be true in word and deede iust in our dealings helpefull to the poore honest in our conuersation if we honour the aged seeke not our owne but the wealth of others c. these are things as pleasing vnto God so such as winne the loue and fauour of all men not onely the good and godly but also the wicked and vngodly These things therefore we are to thinke on and to do And so our Apostle willeth where he saith Now therefore Coloss 3.12 as the elect of God holy and beloued put on tender mercie c. This should teach vs to auoid the things which may bring vpon vs the hatred and obloquy of men Otherwise then the maner of some is who purposely do some things that thereby they may spite and grieue some men It is not the hatred or displeasure of men that may withhold vs from speaking or doing that we ought But if to spite or grieue some man we sticke not to speake or do that which may displease our God then our iudgement sleepeth not If we bring vpon our selues the hatred of men and withall the displeasure of God the burthen will be too heauy for vs to beare Let vs therefore hearken vnto the counsell of our Apostle and let vs thinke on and do whatsoeuer things may win vs loue and fauour with men so that withall they be pleasing vnto God Let vs auoide whatsoeuer things may bring vpon vs the hatred or displeasure of men specially such as are displeasing vnto God Let vs loue and liue so that we may be loued of God and man euen whatsoeuer things are louely let vs think on them and do them LECTVRE LXXXV PHILIP 4. Verse 8. Whatsoeuer things are of good report thinke on these things and do these things 9. Which ye haue both learned and receiued c. THere is yet remaining another generall head of Christian piety which the Apostle commendeth vnto the Philippians wherein he exhorteth them to thinke on and to do whatsoeuer things are of good report amongst men that by such things they may win vnto themselues a good name and be well spoken and reported of in the places where they liue Whence I obserue this lesson for vs that whatsoeuer things may purchase vs a good report or continue our good name amongst the sonnes of men we are to thinke on them and to do them that as much as is possible we may heare well of all men A good name saith Salomon maketh the bones fat Prouer. 15.30 that is so comforteth and reioyceth and strengtheneth a man as good fare which maketh him fat and well liking yea A good name saith the same Salomon is to be chosen aboue great riches 22.1 Eccles 7.3 Eccl. 41.13 yea a good name is better then a good ointment A good life saith the sonne of Syrach hath the dayes numbred but a good name endureth for euer it continueth with thee aboue a thousand treasures of gold And therefore it is that men are oftentimes as iealous of their good name and good report among men as of their liues and count themselues after a sort killed when their good name is empaired or called into question To haue then a good name ye see and to be well reported of is as much worth as gold nay as a thousand treasures of gold nay as much worth as a mans life Therefore the Apostle exhorteth to procure things honest before all men Rom. 12.17 things honest that is things which may purchase vs credite and make vs to be well reported of amongst men And our Apostle in this place to thinke on and to do whatsoeuer things are of good report Now then what are the things that make vs well reported of amongst men Surely if it be said of vs that we are men dealing faithfully truly iustly and vprightly liuing honestly soberly purely and godly walking wisely modestly peaceably and louingly with our brethren bearing things patiently as becometh the Saints of God in a word hauing faith and a good conscience and whatsoeuer things pertaine to vertue if we be such men these things will make vs well reported of and either bring vs to a good name if we had it not or continue our good name if we haue it For these are things of good report both before the Lord and also before men Yea but this is great vanitie to seek after fame good report among men that men may speake well and report well of vs. It is so indeed if therein we seek our owne glorie For how good soeuer how full of rare vertues soeuer the things be that we do if therein we seeke our owne glorie it is surely great vanitie We must therefore know that we are to thinke on and to do the things that are of good report both before the Lord and also before men not for our owne glorie but for the glorie of Christ Iesus in whom we beleeue for the glorie of the Gospell of Christ Iesus which we professe We must haue care that we may be well spoken of well reported of not for any tickling vanitie of our owne praises but that the name of God that the truth of Christ Iesus might be well spoken of for our sakes For it is an ornament and honour vnto the truth with men if the professors of the truth be of good report amongst men And therefore our blessed Sauiour saith Let your light so shine before men Math. 5.16 that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in heauen And our Apostle describing the office of a Minister saith that he must be well reported of euen of them that are without 1. Tim. 3.7 lest he fall into rebuke indeed that the word of God be not euill spoken of And the Apostle Peter prescribing vnto wiues how they ought to order themselues towards their husbands saith that they are to be subiect vnto them and why 1. Pet. 3.1.2 that euen they which obey not the word may without the word be wonne by the conuersation of the wiues while they behold their pure conuersation which is with feare And to the sâ—me purpose he giueth this generall exhortatioÌ„ Haue your conuersation honest among the Gentiles that they which speake euill of you as of euil doers 2.12 may by your good works which they shall see glorifie God in the day of visitation To the end therfore that God may be glorified and that the truth which we professe may be wel spoken of we are to thinke on and to do whatsoeuer things are of good report whereby we may winne or continue a good name
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
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