baptisme one God and Father of vs all for meete it iâ— that so many as are ioyned together in the vnitie of these be also knit together in one minde and in one iudgment according to Christ Iesus Eph. 4.5 euen as our Apostle vrgeth this same reason to this same purpose else where Secondly because there is not a better remedie against dissensions and schismes theâ— to be like minded in the Lord as without which it cannot be but that there be dissensions and schismes For what was the cause of the dissensions contentions wherewith the Church of Corinth was troubled Was it not because they were not like minded in the Lord One held of Paul another of Apollos one of Cephas another of Christ one would pray and prophecie bare-headed another with his head couered and when they came vnto the Lord his Supper one was hungry and another was drunken And how can it bee but that there should bee dissensions and contentions when one likes this and another that one would haue this and another that one drawes this way and another that way In a little house yee know if the husband be of one minde and the wife of another the Parents of one minde and the children of another the master of one minde and the seruants of another and euery of them will needs follow their owne minde and fancie their owne way how troubled must needs that house be And therefore our blessed Sauiour being now ready to be offered in that holy praier for all his children praied that we might be all one euen as He and the Father were one Ioh. 17.21 that wee might all be one in the Father and in him euen that we might bee like minded in the Lord. Phil. 3.16 And in the next chapter our Apostle prescribeth it as a remedie against dissensions in the Church to proceede by one rule and to minde one thing If then we will walke as becommeth the Gospell of Christ we are not onely to bee ioyned in one faith and in hope but in all things wee are to be like minded one towards another according to Christ Iesus we are to loue and like affect and fancie will and desire the same things as they are pleasing vnto the Lord being at one with God wee are to be of one minde amongst our selues Here then our aduersaries will aske of vs if this be so necessarie a dutie how happens it that ye are not all like minded What meane the tearmes of Zuinglians Lutheranes Bez. epist 5. Caluinists amongst you How is it that amongst you some are Brownists some Baroists some Puritanes some Protestants How is it that touching ceremonies touching discipline and the like there is such difference amongst you Doth not these things plainely argue that yee are not like minded amongst yourselues For answere whereunto 1. Of them that aske vs these questions I demand of them the like are they all like minded What meane then the tearmes of Thomists Scotists Vide Par. in Iren. cap. 26. Ockamists Canonists and Diuines amongst them How is it that amongst them some are White some Blacke some Gray Friers some Franciscans some Dominicans some Iesuits some barely Priests How is it that not touching ceremonies or discipline alone but touching maine and great points of doctrine there is such difference amongst them Touching the Scriptures doth not Arius Montanus say that the bookes of the old Testament not found in the Hebrue Canon are Apocryphall and doth not Bellarmine denie it Doth not Canus say that the Hebrue text is wholy corrupt by the malice of the Iewes and doth not Bellarmine denie it Doth not Bellarmine himselfe for expounding of the Scriptures sometimes referre vs to the fathers of the Church sometimes to generall Councels sometimes to the Pope and Cardinals sometimes to the Pope himselfe It would be too long to runne through the rest of many points of doctrine where in they dissent among themselues They neede no other to note this vnto the whole world then Bellarmine himselfe who in the beginning of the discussing of euery controuersie betwixt vs and them sheweth how not onely we dissent therein from them but how they dissent amongst themselues First therefore let them plucke out the beame of their owne eye that so they may see clearely the mote which is in our eie leâ— them cleare the point that they are like minded amongst themselues and then let them tell vs that we are not all of one minde But how doe they shew that wee are not all of one minde If ye be say they then what meane the tearmes of Zuinglians Lutherans Caluinists amongst you But I say vnto them what doe they meane to note vs by such tearmes The memories of these men we honour and reuerence as also we doe other notable lights which haue beene in the Church and are at this day But if we be named after any other name then only the name of Christ Iesus it is through their malice not by our desire Yea but how is it say they that some amongst you are Brownists some Baroists some Puritans some Protestants that touching ceremonies and outward discipline there is such difference amongst you I answere that if there be any Brownists or Baroists amongst vs wee hold them not to be of vs and therefore their distraction from vs ought not to be obiected vnto vs. Now for our difference about ceremonies and outward discipline I wish we were all like minded in these things and it is a fault and blemish of some in our Church that we are not like minded in these things But for the substance of doctrine and grounds of religion wherein is it that we are not like minded If they could no doubt they would taxe vs in the substance as they doe in the accident and as they cannot in the substance so I wish they could not taxe vs in the accident So should the ioy of our Sion be full if we were all like minded both for the substance and for the accident and so many as loue the peace of Sion and wish her prosperitie pray also that this her ioy may be fulfilled Againe this may serue to reproue a fault too too common amongst vs. For if we be ioined together in one faith and in one hope if we agree in the substance of truth we thinke it a small matter to dissent amongest our selues about smaller matters And indeed it is the lesse matter But yet it is a thing which we ought to labour euen to be like minded in the Lord in all things Which our Apostle sufficiently sheweth when in his exhortations vnto vs to be like minded he doth not limit vs vnto these or these things but indefinitely hee would haue vs to be like minded according to Christ Iesus In matters of faith and in matters of ceremonie in matters of doctrine and in matters of discipline in matters of life and in matters of learning in matters of religion and in
good and so may he ioy in the continuance of his life iâ— he looke vnto the end wherefore it is continued Whatsoeuer therefore we be let vs remember that we are to liue vnto him that hath called vs out of darknes into light and in whatsoeuer perill our life is preserued let vs remember that it is continued for the glory of God and the good of our â—rethren And as we are by our calling Ministers or others â— let vs labour that our abode in the flesh and continuance â— life may be to the furtherance and ioy and comfort of â—ur brethren in euery thing that is good And let this bee â—oken touching the end wherefore the life of Christians in â—enerall and of Ministers in particular is preserued and â—ontinued viz. for the glory of God and the good of his Church Which as it serueth for the instruction of all to â—each vs euer to looke vnto the end wherefore our life is â—ontinued vpon earth so for the reproofe of such as whose â—â—fe doth no good and for the comfort of such whose life â—rues for the good of the Church Now followeth the other end wherefore the Apostle â—ith he should abide and with them all continue viz. that â—hey seeing the mightie power of Christ Iesus in deliuering â—im from the mouth of the Lion from the crueltie of Nero â—ight more abundantly reioyce in him in whom already â—hey dâ—d reioyce for sauing him from death and bringing â—im againe vnto them Whence first I doe obserue the great â—eioycing which ought to be in the people for their Pastors â—eliuerance out of perill and for the continuance of his life â—mongst them their ioy should euen abound in Christ Ieâ—us as in his great blessing and mercy vpon them So wee â—eade that when Peter was deliuered out of prison by an Angell there was great ioy among the Christians which were â—ssembled in the house of Mary Iohn Marke his mother Act. 12.12 â—nsomuch that it is said of the maid that came to the doore when Peter knocked at the entrie doore 14. that she opened not the entrie doore for gladnesse as one so surprised with ioy that â—he could not rest till she had told it and when the doore was opened and the rest saw it is said of them 16 that they were astonied partly through wondering at and partly â—hrough reioycing for his deliuerance And so should they that are taught in the word abundantly reioyce when their Teacher is freed from trouble or danger and his life or libertie is continued vnto them for whether it be life or libertie that is granted vnto him it is for their sakes oâ—â— whom the Lord hath made him ouerseer and thereâ—â—â—â— they are to honour him and to reioyce for him as pâ—â—â—ued for them and the furtherance of their faith Such then as grieue at the life or libertie of their faithfull Pastors such as practise what possibly they can against the life and libertie of their godly Teachers such as wash and watch euery aduantage against them to get their mouths stopt or depriued of their ministerie such as reioyce in their trouble imprisonment or banishment let such I say and all such like looke vnto it whether they belong to the sheepe-fold of Christ Iesus Luk. 10.16 He that heareth you beareth aâ— saith our Sauiour Christ and he that despiseth you desâ—â—â— mee To refuse then to heare the Ministers of Iesus Christ is much because it is to refuse to heare Iesus Christ likewise to despise the Ministers of Iesus Christ is very much because it is to despise Iesus Christ but what then is it â—o practise mischiefe against the Ministers of Iesus Christ 〈◊〉 reioyce in the losse of their life or libertie and to band men selues against them Surely this is plainly to bewray themselues not to belong to Christ Iesus As for vs if wee will know that wee belong vnto Christ Iesus let vs reioyce in the life and libertie of our faithfulâ— Teachers The life and libertie of Gods faithfull Minister cause ioy in the hearts of them that belong vnto the Loâ—â— Let vs therefore by this token discerne what we are good or bad Gospellers The second thing which hence I obserue is the effect which the examples of the power and goodnesse of Christ Iesus in the deliuerance of his Saints out of their troubles ought to worke in vs such examples should confirme vs daily more and more in that reioycing which wee haue 〈◊〉 Christ Iesus For when we plainly see as in a spectacle before our eyes by the deliuerance of his Saints out of their troubles that our King and our Sauiour beholdeth vs from his holy heauens lookes vpon our sufferings our wrongs takes our matters into his owne hands auengeth vs of oâ— enemies and deliuers vs out of the will of them that hate 〈◊〉 this should adde much vnto that reioycing which before â—ee had and cause vs farre more abundantly to reioyce in â—hrist Iesus because thus wee see that which before we beâ—â—eued that our King liueth and raigneth and hath all â—â—wer giuen vnto him both in heauen and in earth But how little such examples worke with vs doth apâ—eare by our little reioycing in Christ Iesus All our reioyâ—ng is in the vanities and pleasures and fooleries of this â—â—e neither doe wee euer vouchsafe to consider the power â—â—d the mercy which the Lord sheweth in his Saints And â—â—erefore wee reioyce not as wee should but as wee should â—ot O let vs consider the great things which our Iesus hath â—one and still doth for vs. Let vs not be so negligent as to â—asse ouer or to forget the things wherein hee sheweth his â—ower and his mercy towards his Saints but let vs religiâ—usly regard and remember them that so we may haue our â—eioycing in Christ Iesus LECTVRE XXI PHILIP 1. Verse 27. Onely let your conuersation bee as it becommeth the Gospell of Christ that whether I come and see you or else be absent I may heare of your matters that yee continue in one spirit and in one minde fighting together through the faith of the Gospell HIâ—herto wee haue heard the Apostle his Exordium and his Narration Now that which followeth both in this chapter and in the rest of this Epistle is for the most part matter of exhortation A little in the third chapter hee furnisheth them with matter of doctrine against certaine false Teachers which were crept in amongst them But because they were well groundeâ—â— the truth by his ministerie and Apostleship the speâ—â— thing wherein the rest of this Epistle is spent is exhortaâ—â—â— vnto a Christian life In this remainder of this chapter 〈◊〉 the Apostle setteth downe that generall exhortation vnâ—â— Christian life which is indeed the great and maine exhortation whereof all the rest are but branches and secondly 〈◊〉 insisteth particularly in some of those things wherein thâ— life whereunto he exhorteth consisteth His generall exhortation is generally
matters of ciuill conuersation he would haue vs to be like minded as in the Lord it may be warranted Let vs therefore beware how we sooth vp our selues in dissenting about matters of lesse moment when we agree in matters of greater importance The more like minded we are in the Lord the more is our conuerâ—ation such as becommeth the Gospell of Christ Let our care â—herefoâ—e be that both in matters of lesse moment and likewise in matters of greater importance we may be like minded â—n the Lord as becommeth the Gospell of Christ But how may we be like minded in the Lord This our Apostle sheweth in the next words and that is 1. If we haue the same loue i. If we loue the same things in the Lord. 2. If we be of one accord i. If we agree in our wills and desires in the Lord. And 3. if we be of one iudgement i. If we agree in one truth of Christ Iesus For these the particulars are as I take it comprised vnder and meant in that generall so that iâ— we thus loue and agree in the Lord then are wee like minded in the Lord and our conuersation in a great part is such as becommeth the Gospell of Christ Because I haue stood long vpon the generall I shall the lesse neede to stand vpon these particulars which in effect haue beene handled in the generall Briefly therefore of these as time will giue leaue The 1. thing then which in these particulars I note is that the Apostle would haue them to haue the same loue the same I say in respect of the obiect that they should loue the same things the same Church the same Gospell the same truth euen as we say that they haue the same faith who belieue in the same Christ Hence then I obserue that if we will be like minded and walke as becommeth the Gospell of Christ theâ— must we loue the same things in the Lord not one one thing and another an other thing but the same things as simply the same things For we may loue the same things and yet be fâ—â— from that loue of the same things which becommeth vs as namely if we loue the same delights of the flesh the same sins or corruptions whatsoeuer but the same things in the Lord and in the loue whereof hee is delighted and well pleased Thus it is commaunded vs euery where in the booke of God that we all loue the same God the same truth the same meanes of our saluation in Christ and generally the same things whatsoeuer they be that belong vnto our peace And the reason of it is plaine For where one loues one thing and another another thing as for example one Christ and another Antichrist when one hateth that which another loueth where euery man loues that which himselfe liketh and scarce two loue the same things what loue can there be nay what distractions must there not needes be nay what desolation are not likely to ensue In the Church of Corinth they loued not the same things but one loued this man another that maâ— and what dissentions bred it in that Church In our neighbor kingdome of France they loue not the same things but one sort loue the light of the word another sort loue darkenesse better then light and what bloud hath it shedde in that kingdome Amongst our selues we loue not the same things in the Lord but one sort loue their pleasures another sort their profits another sort their promotions the fewest sort the things that they should loue and what but a iudgement likely to ensue Nay beloued here is the miserie and like to be the ruine of our Land in our Land wee loue not the same things in the Lord but we loue too many of vs that man of sinne and the poysoned cuppes of the fornications of that whore and too few of vs the simplicitie of the truth of Christ Iesus to speake plainely we loue too many of vs the Pope and his marchandize and too few of vs Christ and his truth we speake not the â—anguage of Canaan but halfe in the speach of Ashdod and halfe in the language of Canaan Hereupon it is that Pope and his adherents conceiue courage against vs to subdue vs and our Land and to make vs a prey vnto their teeth Beloued if we will not for the loue of the Lord and because the holy Ghost hath commanded vs yet for the loue of our owne liues and that we be not made a prey vnto our enemies let vs loue the same truth of Christ Iesus and generally the same things in the Lord. Let vs no longer halt betweene God and Baal Christ and Antichrist religion and superstition but with religious hearts let vs loue the same truth the same God the same things in the Lord that some may be â—ike minded according to Christ Iesus The 2. thing which in these particulars I note is that the Apostle would haue the Philippians to be of one accord i. to â—gree in their wils and desires touching euery thing that is good belong it vnto religion or vnto ciuill life and conuersaâ—ion Whence I obserue another necessarie dutie for vs that we be like minded and walke as becommeth the Gospell of Christ and that is that we agree in our wills and desires in the Lord that vnitie and concord amongst vs bee preserued and maintained To agree in mischiefe we are ready enough neither neede we any to moue vs thereunto For as it is in the Prophet Psal 50. If we see a theefe we consent vnto him and we are partakers with the adulterers we runne with the wicked to doe euill and we easily ioyne hands with the wicked and vngodlie But to bee of one accord in the Lord we are not so easily drawne albeit this be the agreement that the holy Ghost requireth of vs and commendeth vnto vs. Ps 133.1 Behold saith the Prophet how good and ioyfull a thing it is brethren to dwell together in vnity i. to liue together in that concord and good agreement which is acceptable to the Lord. And the more to shew the precious worth of holy agreement amongst the sonnes of God be likeneth it vnto the oyntment prescribed for Aaron which was so sweete that when Aaron was annointed therewith Ex. 30.23 the smell of it was most pleasant vnto all that were by And euen so sweete and pleasant a thing it is to see brethren to be of one accord in the Lord. This is that which is commended in the faithfull in the Acts Act. 4.32 that they were of one heart and of one soule agreeing in their mindes wills desires and affections And where this agreement in the Lord is not there the Lord is not And yet in matters wherein wee differ one from an other how hardly are we brought to bee of one accord in the Lord If we differ in matters of religion either we will not vouchsafe one to talke with an other in them
the head should disdaine to direct the steps because it is aboue the foot The father of the childe that was possessed with a dumbe spirit saw no doubt his owne weaknesse to be great when our Sauiour said vnto him If thou canst beleeue Mar. 9.23 all things are possible to him that beleeueth Yet he fainted not but holding on a good course hee said Lord I beleeue helpe mine vnbeleefe 24. And our holy Apostle knew right well how strong he was in the spirit and how he abounded in the graces of the spirit yet hee disdained not to become as weake vnto the weake 1 Cor. 9.22 that he might winne the weake and gaine them vnto Christ And both these marched in their ranke and fought well inasmuch as the weake fainted not because he was weake nor hee that was strong disdained not the weake because he was strong Let no man therefore be discouraged or faint because he is weake and vnable to runne with the formost Some in marching forward must be before and some behinde Let not him that is behinde faint but march forward Let him march after the rule prescribed him by his Generall let his word be a lanterne vnto his feet and a light vnto his paths to direct his going in the way of his commandements To haue strength to runne with the formost is a great grace of God and to bee sought after by all manner praier and supplication in the spirit But if thou walke forward in that weaknesse of thine according to the measure of grace that is giuen thee by the rule which thy God hath prescribed thee this shall bring thee peace at the last and guide thee vnto the hauen where thou wouldest be Let not thine heart therefore bee troubled nor feare In what weaknesse soeuer it is that thou walkest blesse thy God that hath set thee in the way and proceed as hee giueth grace in the way LECTVRE LXVII PHILIP 3. Verse 17. Brethren be followers of mee and looke on them which walke so as yee haue vs for an ensample For many walke c. NOw the Apostle goeth forward and hauing before proposed his owne example vnto the Philippians thereby both to instruct their vnderstanding in matters of doctrine and likewise to stirre them vp vnto all holy desires in the whole course of their life now he exhorteth them to follow his example and the example of such as he is that in him they may haue a patterne to rectifie their iudgements in the truth and to follow after Christian perfection in all holy conuersation of their life Here then first wee haue the Apostles exhortation vnto the Philippians secondly certaine reasons to moue them to hearken vnto his exhortation The exhortation in these words Brethren c. The reasons in the verses following vnto the end of the chapter His exhortation consisteth of two parts first that the Philippians would be followers of him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neither doth the word simply signifie followers but that they would bee followers â—ogether of him Which may haue a double meaning either â—hat they would all with one mind and with one heart iointly â—ogether follow his example or else that as other Churches which hee had planted in the faith followed his example so â—hey likewise together with them would follow his example Howsoeuer that be meant it is cleere that the Apostle would haue the Philippians to looke at him and as they had heard him to be minded and seene him to walke so he would haue â—hem to follow him in wholesomenesse of doctrine and integritie of life Hee knew that examples as ordinarily they are wont to doe with men might much preuaile with them Lest therefore they should happily be drawne away by the examâ—ples of the false teachers hauing it may be a greater shew of holinesse in their life then they had soundnesse of iudgement in the truth he draweth them vnto his owne example and exhorteth them to be followers of him The second part of his exhortation is that they would follow the example of them that were like vnto him being so minded towards the truth as he was and walking so in holy conuersation of life as he did For vnto the former part of his exhortation that they should be followers of him there might happily exception be taken that he was much absent from them that hee was now in prison that it was hard to tie them to the imitation of one man to one mans example Hee doth not therefore tie them to the imitation of himselfe alone but hauing exhorted them to be followers of him he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and looke on them with a diligent eye vnto them as vnto the marke whereat yee shoot which walke so so soundly grounded in the truth and so earnestly endeuouring after Christian perfection in this life as yee haue vs for an ensample in whose doctrine is nothing but pure in whose life is nothing but holy So that he allowes them to follow the example of other then himselfe but with all hee doth not leaue it vnto their choice to follow whom they will but markes them out what manner of men they should chuse for examples to follow namely such as were like him and such as of whom they might truly say he walke so hee embraceth the same truth and ordereth his whole life as our Apostle did The summe then of his exhortation is as iâ— he had thus said Brethren ye haue heard and know how I am minded towards the truth and how I follow hard towards perfection in my life Bee yee followers of mee in both these things and walke so as yee haue mee for an ensample Neither doe I tie you only to my selfe to follow mee but looke who they are that walke so shewing themselues an ensample of good workes with vncorrupt doctrine with grauitie integritie and with the wholesome word which cannot be reproued as yee haue mee for an ensample and looke diligently on them and follow them as they follow mee and both of vs Christ Which being the meaning of these words in this exhortation let vs now further see what notes wee may gather hence for our vse and instruction The first thing which I note is that the Apostle would haue the Philippians to follow the example not of whomsoeuer each man in his priuate fancie did best like of but of him and of such others as walked so as they had him for an ensample Whence I obserue that in the course of our Christian walking wee are to follow the example of such as by their holy walking shew plainly that they haue beene brought vp in the schoole of Christ and that they are the faithfull children of God An ordinary thing it is for men to looke at the example of others and so to walke as they haue others for example for the example of others going before vs is a great inducement vnto vs to doe the like whether the thing
earthly Canaan was a type 2. This may teach vs to giue all diligence vnto the reading and hearing and meditating of the holy scriptures that so we may abound more and more in all knowledge and vnderstanding Very lamentable it is beloued to see and consider how many hundreths nay thousands in this cleare light of the gospell when the scriptures are or may be read and knowne of vs all yet are as ignorant in the scriptures and of the things that belong to their saluation as when they sate in the darknes of Aegypt when they could see no light of the scriptures by reason of the strange language We haue had many Ezraes that haue read in the booke of the law of God distinctly giuen the sense thereof that the rest might vnderstand many Ministers of Christ Iesus that haue read the law the gospell vnto vs euery Sabbath day in our Churches many Preachers of the Gospel that haue plainly opened the scriptures vnto vs whereby we might be made wise vnto saluation euen 40 yeares long And haue not the scriptures beene read vnto the greatest number of vs in vaine Notwithstanding so much preaching and teaching of the holy word of life are we not still ignorant and haue still neede to be taught the very beginnings of Christ the very principles of religion Haue we not many masters of Israel that thinke themselues great men like vnto Nicodemus that know not those things which the very babes in Christs schoole ought to know Haue we not many leaders of the people and masters of families vnto whose shame it may be spoken that they haue not the knowledge of God Haue we not many that if they be asked are not able to giue an account of their faith nor know truth from error religion from superstition The thing is too true and too lamentable Beloued hath not the Lord our God said vnto vs all Deut. 6.6 These words which I command thee this day shall be in thy heart and thou shalt rehearse them continually vnto thy childrem and shalt talke of them c. and shall we not hearken to his voice to doe according to all he hath commanded vs Hath not our blessed Sauiour told vs Joh. 17.3 that this is eternall life to know God to be the onely very God and him whom he hath sent Iesus Christ and shall not we labour to grow in the knowledge of God and of our Lord Iesus Christ Hath not the holy Prophet said that blessed is the man whose delight is in the law of the Lord Psal 1.2 and which meditateth therein day and night and shall wee not giue all diligence to the reading and hearing and meditating of the holy scriptures Nay let me I beseech you exhort you as that godly Father did his people Chrys Prouide you Bibles which are the medicine of your soules if you will nothing else at least get the new Testament In the Bible there yee haue the whole will of your heauenly father there yee shall see what legacies he hath bequeathed vnto you and what duties he requireth of you If the father of our bodies had bequeathed vs a great legacie by his will it would not be much needfull to wish vs get our Fathers will and to looke diligently into it to see if not what he requireth of vs yet what he bequeatheth to vs neither would wee sticke at the cost for the search of it if we knew where to haue it And shall the father of our soules leaue vs his Will and by his Will bequeath vs euerlasting life and shall we not labour to get his Will Shall a matter of ten shillings stay vs from the hauing of his Will shall not we search it and looke diligently into it Let vs beloued get the booke of Gods law into our hand and let it not depart out of our mouthes Jos 1.8 but let vs meditate therein day and night that we may obserue and doe according to all that is written therein as the Lord exhorted Iosua Let vs likewise flocke as Doues vnto the windowes vnto the places where the word is preached and when we haue heard let vs meditate and conferre of that we haue heard If the children of our bodies had gone to the schoole and in the space of seauen yeares had profited nothing what would we say vnto them or thinke of them Hardly enough no doubt And what shall we then thinke of our selues that in the space of fortie yeares are scarce yet past our A. B. C. and haue not yet attained vnto any reasonable knowledge Let vs hereafter recompence our former negligence with greater diligence and let vs slacke no holy meanes whereby we may growe into all holy knowledge Let vs labour to be rich in all knowledge and leauing the doctrine of the beginning of Christ let vs be led forward vnto perfection Let vs henceforth be no more children wauering and carried about with euerie winde of doctrine but let vs grow vp vnto a perfect man and vnto the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ that we may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the bredth and length and depth and height and to know the loue of Christ which passeth all knowledge that we may be filled with all fulnesse of God By reading by hearing by meditating by praying let your care bee to abound more and more in knowledge The next thing which here I note is that the Apostle prayeth for the Philippians that they may abound more and more in all iudgement in all iudgement that is in sound iudgement that hauing their wits exercised through long custome they may discerne both good and euill So that as hee would haue them to abound more and more in knowledge so farther he would haue them also to abound more and more in a sound and feeling experience of spirituall things in themselues that they might spiritually feele in their hearts and soules that which they knew out of the word Whence I obserue a further continuall care necessarie for all Christians and that is that they may abound daily more and more not in knowledge onely of Gods will out of his word but in sound iudgement also through a feeling experience in themselues of such spirituall things as they know out of the word that what they know out of the word they may feele the truth of it by experience in themselues This care our Apostle sheweth that hee had where hee saith that the thing which he esteemed was to know Christ Phil. 3.10 and the vertue of his resurrection Hee knew the doctrine of Christ his resurrection and hee knew this to be the vertue of Christ his resurrection that by it the Saints of God rise from the death of sinne vnto the life of righteousnesse But his desire farther was that he might feele in himselfe and know by his owne experience the vertue of Christ his resurrection by the death of sinne and the
it that now we the Ministers of Christ and disposers of Gods secrets doe preach vnto you the Gospell of your saluation and labor amongst you that yee may be rich in all knowledge and in all iudgement Is it not to this end that ye may be taught in the waies of God that yee may be able to try the spirits which is the spirit of truth and which is the spirit of error that yee may be able to put a difference betweene good and euill that yee may be pure in doctrine in life and in manners that yee may be without offence vntill the day of Christ Yes beloued therefore we labour amongst you and admonish you therefore wee shew you the whole counsell of God therefore as much as we can we helpe forward your knowledge therefore wee call vpon you to obserue in your owne experience the truth of those things which yee know out of the word yea therfore as the Apostle we pray that your loue may abound in knowledge and in all iudgement that in this dotage of the world wherein there are so many spirits of error so many that walke not as they ought because they erre in their hearts yee may be able to try the spirits whether they be of God that yee be not deceiued by them that yee may be able to put a difference betweene things that differ one from another that ye may flie the corruptions which are in the world and be pure that ye may hold a right course and be without offence that ye may denie vngodlinesse and worldly lusts and be filled with the fruits of righteousnes c. And if for these ends we thus doe then for these ends also yee ought euen all of you all that heare vs to labour for increase in knowledge and in all iudgement Reading hearing meditating praying euery holy course ye ought to vse that ye may increase and abound in knowledge and in all iudgment to this end that in such ignorance ye may be able to discerne things that differ that in such corruption ye may be pure that in such declination ye may be without offence vnti l the day of Christ and that in such wallowing in vnrighteousnes ye may be filled with the fruits c. Very iustly then are they hence to be reproued that in seeking after knowledge euen out of the scriptures propose rather any other end which they should not then these which they should For of those that doe vouchsafe to search the scriptures many there are whose end is to peruert the scriptures thence to build the fancies of their owne braine and to beguile vnstable soules Such are they that seeing the chaste spouse of Christ to leane vpon the scriptures do by their corruptions of the text their corrupt glosses vpon the text their false conclusions from the text labour to ouerthrow the truth and to build their owne errors Others there are whose end in seeking knowledge out of the scriptures is onely a vaine ostentation that men may thinke and speake of them as great Rabbins good expounders of the law and very skilfull in the scriptures Such are they of whose knowledge the Apostle speaketh when hee saith that knowledge puffeth vp for as they regarded nothing in seeking after knowledge but a vaine ostentation 1 Cor. 8.1 so hauing atteined vnto knowledge they swell and looke so bigg as if all knowledge were shut vp in their breasts Others there are whose end is to informe their owne vnderstanding that they may not be ignorant in the law of their God but may know the storie of the Bible the course and meaning of the scriptures Such are they that delight themselues onely with the knowledge of the mysteries of God but shew not any fruits of their knowledge in a sober honest and godly life Indeede men generally in seeking knowledge out of the scriptures ayme rather at euery other end then at that whereat they should But wee beloued may not be like vnto them Here yee see wherefore we should labour to abound more and more in knowledge and in all iudgement Whatsoeuer others doe let this be our direction what we are to doe And though the smallest number by farre make the bent of their increase in knowledge the informing of their vnderstandings and the reforming of their liues yet let vs set in with this little number and let this end stirre vp our desires to increase in knowledge Let vs labour and let vs pray that we may abound more and more in knowledge and in all iudgement euen therefore that we may discerne c. Let vs know that our increase in knowledge is nothing if it be not for these ends and let the desire of these ends increase our thirsting after knowledge My next note is from the things themselues wherefore the Apostle praied that they might abound more and more in knowledge and in all iudgement Whereof the first was that they might discerne things that differed one from another that being able to see the difference of things concerning either doctrine life or manners they might in each flie that which were euill and follow that which were good Whence I obserue an imployment necessarie and behouefull for all Christians namely that hauing their wits exercised through long custome they may discerne good and euill that seeing the difference betweene things in all kinde of things they may chuse the good and refuse the bad 1 Thess 5.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Try all things saith the Apostle and keepe that which is good The word there vsed is the same with this in this place of our Apostle and it signifieth to try to sifte to examine and that which is here spoken vnto the Thessalonians is spoken in them vnto all the faithfull children of God What is then the meaning of the Apostle in these words This yee must know that then there were as still there are pestilent and deceiuing spirits which trouble the Church and corrupt or discredit the doctrine of the Gospell And this also yee must know that then there were as still there are some which because of such men wilfully reiect the doctrine of the Gospell and others which foolishly beleeue euery spirit that speaketh in the name of Christ The Apostle therfore willeth them and in them vs neither wilfully to reiect euery thing because of some wicked men nor yet foolishly to admit euery thing that is spoken in the name of Christ but to try and sift and examine all things by the rule of the word And what then when by tryall we see and discerne things that differ one from another he willeth vs to keepe that which is good for that is the end wherefore we are to try things So that hence we see that it is an imployment very behouefull for vs all that we may be able to discerne things that differ one from another that seeing the difference of things wee may imbrace that which is good auoide the
contrary The same also we may see by the Holy Ghosts commendation of the men of Beraea Act. 17.11 for searching the Scriptures to see whether the things that were spoken were so It was Paul that preached vnto them and when he preached vnto them they turned their books and lookt diligently into the scriptures to see whether in any thing he differed from the doctrine of the Holy Ghost And this is registred both for their commendation and our instruction to admonish vs that we are to care that we may discerne things that differ either in doctrine from corrupt doctrine or in faith from sound or in manners from a Christian and holy conuersation And why The reason is very plaine Psal 49.20 euen that we be not like to the beasts that perish as the Prophet speaketh of a man that is in honor and hath no vnderstanding For what will yee thinke of such a man that cannot discerne betweene chaffe and wheat drosse and gold sowre and sweet Will yee not say that he is like to the beast that perisheth What then must yee needs say and thinke of that Christian that can not discerne betweene truth and error religion and superstition vertue and vice good and euill Any better Nay surely for these are as wheat chaff gold drosse and not to discerne betweene them is not to discerne between wheat and chaffe gold and drosse If then we will not be like vnto the beasts that perish our care must be that out of our knowledge in the Scriptures we may be able to discerne things that differ But doe we thus imploy our care Nay thus farre I haue onely said what we should doe but what we doe our vnablenesse to discerne betweene things that differ one from another too too plainly discouer For what is the cause why so quickly wee hearken vnto those deceiuers that compasse sea and land to make one of their profession and when he is made they make him twofold more the childe of hell then they themselues are Why we are so easily seduced to beleeue the spirits of error and to fall from our owne stedfastnes Is it not euen hence because we cannot discerne things that differ one from another They bring vnto vs the fancies of their owne braine the traditions of their owne Church lies out of their owne Legends and we receiue them because wee cannot discerne them from the truth of Christ Iesus They come vnto vs in the name of Christ Iesus but bring with them the doctrine of Deuils forbidding to marrie and commanding to absteine from meats which God hath created to be receiued with thanksgiuing and we beleeue them because we cannot try the spirits whether they be of God to see which is the spirit of truth and which is the spirit of error For God forbid that I should thinke that if we could discerne betweene truth and error religion and superstition any of vs would follow their damnable heresies by whom the way of truth is euill spoken of Againe what is the cause why we are often deceiued with the shadowes of good things with the semblances of things honest and iust and pure with the dimme shewes of vertue and praise and holines of life Is it not euen hence because we cannot discerne things that differ one from another Oftentimes we thinke we runne well when we runne quite a wrong course oftentimes we count that our praise which is indeed our dispraise and a great many of vs thinke that we haue Abraham to our father when indeed we are of our father the deuill And all hence as I thinke because we cannot discerne things that differ And yet tell a great many of vs that we know not good from euill that we cannot discerne between truth and error right and wrong c. we cannot brooke it but we disdaine to be counted so simple and ignorant that we cannot discerne things so different But let me but aske these questions How is it that so commonly we fly that which is good and follow that which is euill How is it that so easily we are drawen oftentimes from the way of truth into error How is it that vice vnder the colour of vertue so often doth deceiue vs Is it not because we cannot discerne good from euill truth from error vertue from vice Either it is so or worse for either ignorantly we erre as not able to discerne betweene things that differ or wilfully we runne a wrong course as discerning well enough things that differ but wilfully running our selues on the rockes Beloued let vs thinke of these things and let vs be ashamed of it that we cannot discerne betweene things that differ one from other It is enough for vs that we haue spent the time past ignorantly and foolishly Let vs henceforth redeeme the time and learne to discerne things that differ If we consider the time that we haue spent in the schoole of Christ we may well thinke that now we should haue so much knowledge as to discerne things that differ one from another And if truth and error good and euill c. be vnto vs as yet as colours vnto blinde men that we cannot discerne betweene them we may well thinke that we are blinde Let vs therefore go vnto Christ Iesus in his word that we may receaue sight and see clearely Let vs reade and heare and meditate in the holy word of God that thence we may know what is good and acceptable vnto God Let vs pray and labour by all holy meanes that we may abound in knowledge and in all iudgement that we may discerne things that differ one from another The second thing wherefore the Apostle prayed that the Philippians might abound more and more in knowledge and in all iudgement was that they might be pure namely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from any leauen of corruption in doctrine life or manners for so the word heere vsed signifieth such as are cleare and free from all mixture of corruption as white wooll neuer dyed fine flower neuer leauened And this was so an end of the Apostles prayer for their encrease in knowledge and in all iudgement that it seemeth to be subordinate to the former end for hee would haue them able to discerne things that differ corrupt from vncorrupt doctrine c. that they might be pure from all corruption in doctrine life and manners and for both these causes he prayed that they might abound more and more in knowledge Hence then I obserue another employmēt behouefull for all christians namely that they may be pure free frō all corruption in doctrine life or manners For it is not enough that we be able to discerne things that differ one from another and to know what in doctrine is corrupt and vncorrupt what in life is good and euill and what in manners is holy and what prophane but farther also it is behoouefull that we be pure from whatsoeuer is corrupt in doctrine from
whatsoeuer is euill in life from whatsoeuer is vnholy in manners Know ye not 1 Cor. 5.6.7 saith the Apostle that a little leauen leaueneth a whole lumpe Purge out therefore the olde leauen that yee may bee a new lumpe as yee are vnleauened for Christ our Passeouer is sacrificed for vs. The Apostle speaketh there of the incestuous person and hauing sharpely reproued the Corinthians negligence in not punishing him and willed them to excommunicate him hee whetteth them thereunto saying Know ye not that a little leauen c. as if he should haue said Ye know very well that a little leauen leaueneth the whole lumpe or batch and know yee not that one naughtie man infecteth and poysoneth the whole congregation What is then to be done Purge out therefore the olde leauen that ye may be a new lumpe cut off that naughty man from your body that ye may bee an holy congregation vnto the Lord as yee are vnleauened as ye are called to be holy for Christ our Passeouer is sacrificed for vs. Which his exhortation as it serued for that purpose so did it lessen them and in them vs that forasmuch as a little leauen a little corruption marreth and poysonneth the whole man therfore we should purge out we should be pure from all leauen of malitiousnesse and wickednes euen from all corruption whatsoeuer that wee may be a new lumpe holy vessels for the habitation of the holy spirit as we are vnleauened and holy and pure by our calling in Christ Iesus And why for Christ our passeouer is sacrificed for vs whereby the Apostle implieth thus much that as the Iewes in the celebration of the feast of the passeouer were to put away for all that time all leauen out of their houses and onely to eat vnleauened bread so we now that Christ our passeouer is sacrificed for vs are to purge our selues and to clense the houses of our bodies from all leauen and filthines corruption to keep the feast with the vnleauened bread of sinceritie and truth holinesse and godlinesse so that for the whole time of the feast the whole terme of our life there be no leauen no corruption at all found in the houses of our bodies Can any thing be more plaine for that puritie which ought to be in vs Much to the like purpose is that of our blessed Sauiour to his Disciples where he warneth them saying Take heede and beware of the leauen of the Pharises and Sadduces In which words he warneth them Matth. 16.12 and in them vs to look vnto it that we be pure from all corruption in doctrine And in that he doubleth the caueat saying Take heede and beware he sheweth how very behouefull it is to looke vnto it and in that he calleth corruption in doctrine leauen he sheweth both the poyson of it that it marres the whole man as a little leauen that leaueneth the whole lumpe and likewise the riddance that should be of it out of the houses of our bodies as of leauen out of the houses in the feast of the passeouer So that yee see how behouefull an imployment for vs it is that we be pure from all corruption in doctrine life and manners And the reason is plaine for what fellowship hath truth with error or what communion hath good with euill We cannot serue both God and Mammon wee must flie that which is euill and follow that which is good Halting betweene God and Ball will not serue we must worship the Lord our God and him onely must we serue If we be circumcised Christ shall profit vs nothing if there be any mixture of corruption in vs our religion is in vaine It is but the one of two either pure or impure If we will not be impure our care must be to be pure Here then are met withall such tollerations and indulgences as either in policie or vpon any carnal reason we are wont to take and allow vnto our selues Whereas the Apost would haue vs purged of all corruptiō we will allow some mixture of corruption and all things shall be well notwithstanding Againe we like not of those hot headed fellowes that precisely vrge a conformitie in all things according vnto the word we cannot away with those pure men that would haue vs so pure that we should not speake a word amisse or doe any thing that is euill We are men and we must play the goodfellowes now and then we must sweare now and then we must runne at ryot now and then we must drinke and daunce and play now and then more then wee should wee must passe the bounds of modestie honestie and Christian dutie now and then And if some of vs happily will not breake out into such termes yet wee will thinke that sometimes wee may aduenture a little vpon some breach of the law that we may without great offence commit such and such little sinnes that a little corruption a little yeelding vnto the fashions of the world cannot doe so much harme that too much strictnesse and precisenesse is naught and that to stand so much vpon purity and sincerity is but to make our selues the talke and mocke and by-word of the people Thus we will be moderaters ouer the holy Ghost and when hee seemes vnto vs to ouer-reach wee will bring him to the measure of our owne scantling But beloued let vs not deceaue our selues God is not mocked but what he requireth of vs it standeth vs vpon to take care of the performance of it The end of our calling is that we be holy in all manner of conuersation as he which hath called vs is holy And therefore hath God chosen vs in Christ Iesus before the foundation of the world that wee should bee holy and without blame before him in loue And Christ our Passeouer is once and for euer sacrificed for vs that henceforth we should keepe the Feast of the Passeouer vnto the Lord for euer so that now no leauen of corruption at all may be found in all our houses Let vs therefore take heede how wee make tollerations and indulgences vnto our selues Let vs take heed how we suffer any leauen of corruption in the houses of our bodies and let vs rather purge out the olde leauen that we may be a new lumpe Let vs striue as much as possibly we can after this purity that is required of vs and let vs assure our selues that when we haue striuen all that euer we can after this purity wee shall bee impure enough and too much We see what it is that is required of vs as therefore the Apostle willeth Timothy 1. Tim. 5.22 Let vs keepe our selues pure pure from corruption in doctrine and pure from corruption in life and manners that as our Apostle afterwards exhorteth we may bee blamelesse and pure and the sonnes of God without rebuke in the middest of a naughty and crooked nation Let our care bee first to discerne things that differ that wee may
skill what is pure what not either in doctrine life or manners and then knowing that let vs care and studie to be pure and sincere and without all leauen of corruption either in doctrine life or manners The third thing wherefore the Apostle prayed that the Philippians might abound more and more in knowledge and in all iudgement was that they might be without offence .1 that they might not stumble at any thing but hold on in a constant course without stumbling or slipping baâ—ke or standing at a stay vntill the day of Christ when their constant perseuerance should be rewarded For the Apostles desire was 1. that they might be able to discerne things that differed what were corrupt and bad and what were pure and good 2. That being able to discerne and try all things they might keep that which were good and might be pure from all leauen of corruption 3. That being pure from all leauen of corruption they might keepe a constant course in their puritie without stumbling or shrinking backe or standing at a stay and for these causes he praied that they might abound more and more in knowledgâ— c. Whence I obserue a third imployment very behouefull for all Christians namely that being in a good course they hold on without stumbling or standing or shrinking being pure and cleare from all leauen of corruption they keep themselues so vntill the day of Christ Are yee so foolish saith the Apostle to the Galathians that after yee haue begun in the spirit Gal. 3.3 yee would now be made perfit by the flesh The Galathians had embraced the Gospell and obeyed the truth but now through certaine false Apostles they had fallen from the pure doctrine of Christ and admitted some corruptions of that doctrine And therefore the Apostle reproues them sharply and tells them that it is no course for a Christian to begin in the spirit and to end in the flesh but hauing begun in the spirit by embracing the pure doctrine of Iesus Christ they should end in the spirit and hold fast that pure doctrine which they had embraced euen vntill the day of Christ So that hauing obeyed the truth we are not to yeeld to any corruptions of the truth or to let our hold slip but to hold fast the same vnto the end It is for the dogge to returne to his owne vomit and for the sowe that was washed to returne to her wallowing in the mire but the man that hauing put his hand to the plough looketh backe Luk. 9.62 he is not apt to the kingdome of God Being in a good way wee must with our Apostle still endeuour to that which is before and follow hard toward the marke for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus But I haue lately spoken to this purpose and therefore now the time being past I will not farther trouble you Onely with the Apostle I pray that your loue may abound more and more in knowledge and in all iudgement c. LECTVRE XII PHILIP I. Verse 11. Filled with the fruits of righteousnes which are by Iesus Christ vnto the glory and praise of God IT remaineth now that we come vnto the fourth and last end here mentioned wherefore the Apostle praied that the Philippians might abound more and more in knowledge and in all iudgement and that was that they might be fruitfull in all good works set downe in these words Filled with the fruits In which words I note 1. the measure of good works which the Apostle wisheth to be in the Philippians which is pressed downe and shaken together euen that they may be filled with the fruits of righteousnesse 2. The definition of good works in that they are called the fruits of righteousnesse 3. The fountaine whence or author from whom good works if indeed they be good works are and that is Iesus Christ 4. The end whereunto good works if indeed they be good works doe tend and that is vnto the glory and praise of God So that besides the maine point which is the Apostles desire that the Philippians might be full of good works here hence wee may know all the causes of good works The materiall cause or matter and substance of good works is hereby known that they are called the fruits of righteousnesse for this sheweth that the very matter and substance of good works is those good actions which as good fruit grow and spring out of the righteousnes of God in vs. The formall cause or reason which causeth our works to be good works is hereby likewise knowne that they are called the fruits of righteousnesse for this sheweth that the reason why our works are good works is because of their conformitie vnto the law of God because they are done in righteousnes according to the righteous law of God The efficient cause or author from whom good works are is hereby knowne that it is said that they are by Iesus Christ for this sheweth that Iesus Christ worketh in vs whatsoeuer works are good agreeable to the righteous law of God The finall cause or end of good works wherunto they are to be referred wherfore they are to be done is hereby knowne that it is said that they are by Iesus Christ vnto the glory and praise of God for this sheweth that the end wherefore we are to abound in euery good worke is the glory and praise of God that his name thereby may be glorified These are the things which these words seeme vnto me to conteine Now let vs see what obseruations we may gather hence for our farther vse and instruction The first thing then which here I note is the rich grace wherewith our Apostle would haue the Philippians to abound in good works for he praied that they might abound more and more in knowledge and in all iudgement as for other ends before spoken of so for this that they might be filled with the fruits of righteousnes that they might abound in euery good worke My obseruation hence is that we are not onely to doe the things that are good and to worke the works of righteousnes but we are to abound in euery good worke to be filled with the fruits of righteousnes To doe good and to haue our fruit in holines and righteousnes is a thing much vrged and often commanded by the Holy Ghost in the scriptures and it is so cleare a case that it cannot be denied or shifted but that we are to do the things that are good to worke the works of righteousnes Yet so cuÌ„ning are we to deceiue our selues that if at sometimes we haue done some things well we thinke we haue obeyed the voice of the Lord herein though we come far short of being filled w th the fruits of righteousnes The Holy Ghost therfore to meet with our foolish wisdom and to cleare the point plainely sheweth in many places of the scripture that as wee are to shew forth good works so we are to
and thereat take offence And thence might bee obserued the care which Pastors ought to haue of taking away whatsoeuer may breed any doubt or occasion any offence amongst their people The neglect of which care doth often so much harme that their silence in the Church were as tolerable as their carelesnesse to remooue all scruples and occasions of offence from the people But I rather come vnto the maine poynt here to be noted which is the Apostles asseueration that his bands and imprisonment turned rather to the furthering then to the hindering of the Gospell for contrarie to the expectation and hope of those aduersaries of the Gospell that cast him into prison Whence I obserue that the persecutions afflictions of the Saints of Christ Iesus do rather further then hinder the gospel rather encrease theÌ„ diminish the Church Ye know the burdens afflictions of the children of Israell in Egypt the house of their bondage vnder Pharaoh Exod. 1. and the Aegiptians Come saith Pharaoh 10. let vs worke wisely with the people of the children of Israell least they multiply and it come to passe that if their bee warre they ioyne themselues vnto our enemies and fight against vs c. 13.14 Whervpon by cruelty they caused the children of Israel to serue and made them weary of their liues by sore labour in clay and in bricke and in all worke in the field with all manner of bondage which they laid vpon them most cruelly 15. Yea and a commandment came from the King vnto the midwiues that so many sonnes as were borne to the weomen of the Ebrewes they should kill them Notable practises indeede that they should not multiply But what saith the Holy Ghost 12. The more they vexed them the more they multiplied and grew The Egyptians they vexed the Israelites lest they should multiply but the more they vexed them the more they multiplied the Egyptians they laid vpon them all cruell burdens to hinder the growth of the Church there but the Lord turned that which they did rather to the increasing then to the diminishing of the Church there Dan. 3 8. Ye know also the great danger of the three children Shadrach Mesech and Abednego in the land of their captiuitie how greeuously the Chaldeans accused them vnto Nebuchadnezzar for not worshipping the golden image which he had set vp and how the King in a great furie and rage 20.21 commanded them therefore to be cast into the middest of an hote fiery furnace which also was done as the King commanded So that now it was like that idolatry should increase and that the worship of the true God of Israel should decrease because of this cruell execution vpon these three children for the maintenance of his holy worship and refusall to worship the image But loe how the Lord turned this to the spreading and propagation of his holy worship throughout all the dominions of Nebuchadnezzar For the Lord hauing wrought a mighty deliuerance for the three children in sauing them from the power of the fire 27. so that neither an haire of their head was burnt nor their cotes changed nor any smell of fire was vpon them both all the Nobles and great Princes which came to worship the golden image were spectators of this great wonder which the true God of Israel wrought and Nebuchadnezzar himselfe blessed the God of Shadrach 28. Meshach and Abednego for deliuering his seruants that yeelded their bodies rather then they would serue or worship any God saue their owne God 29. and likewise made a decree that none of all his people should dare to speake any blasphemy against the God of Israel Thus the Lord turned their practise and deuises against his holy worship vnto the propagation of his holy worship so that when it seemed almost to haue perished it was farther dispersed And as this may be seene in Moses and the Prophets so also it is clearely ouer-ruled in the new Testament You know the rage of Satan and his instruments against our blessed Sauiour from his cradle to his crosse how did they persecute him and all to destroy to abolish his kingdom for euer How was he persecuted and forced to flie from place to place euen in his infancie How often was he tempted by the Deuill in the wildernes How despitefully was he intreated by the high Priests the Scribes and Pharisies and the rest of the Iewes How was he mocked buffeted spit vpon crowned with a crowne of thornes accused condemned and crucified betweene two theeues And when they had taken him and crucified him then they thought they had made sure worke for the rooting out of his name and of his doctrine for euer But so the Lord prouided that by his crosse his kingdome was established and by his death the life of his Church was preserued so that his sufferings and his wrongs were turned to the best and that which they presumed would haue hindered the Gospell turned to the furthering of the Gospell Not to trouble you with moe proofes to this purpose ye know the persecutions and afflictions the bands and imprisonment of our Apostle And when his aduersaries had now gotten him cast into prison they thought that now he should be safe from preaching any more in Christ his name that the rest when they should heare of him should be daunted and not dare to preach the Gospell and indeed that thus the whole course of the Gospell should most certainely be hindered But such was the Lord his prouidence that he turned their deuises into the imagination of a vaine thing and that which they thought should haue beene to the hindering he turned rather to the furthering of the Gospell For as himselfe here witnesseth by occasion of his bands both the Gospell was farther propagated euen vnto the Emperors Court into all places of the Citie of Rome and into many other Countries in all which places many thereby were brought vnto the obedience of the faith and of the Gospell of Christ Iesus and likewise thereby the Gospell tooke better setling and deeper rooting in the hearts of many of the Pastors of the Church insomuch that many of them were so farre from being danted by his bands that thereby they were a great deale bolder then before and durst more frankly and freely professe and preach the Gospell then before So that whether we looke into Moses or the Prophets vnto Christ or his Apostles still we shall finde that â—he persecution afflictions and bands of Gods Saints rather further then hinder the Gospel rather make for then against the increase of Christ his kingdome vpon earth rather help then hurt the Church But how comes this to passe The aduersaries of Godâ—â—aints intend no such thing No indeed their whole desire and endeuour in troubling and persecuting the saints of God is to make hauocke of the Church and to hinder or abolish the Gospell of Iesus Christ How then Is
then to build the Church of God how shall we brooke to heare such how shall we loue or like such how shall we take ioy or comfort in such Wherevnto 1. I answer out of the rule of charitie that because we know not who doe so preach Christ therefore we are to presume the best of them whom we heare The Lord only knoweth the hearts of men and the purposes and intents of their hearts Who art thou then that iudgest he standeth or falleth to his owne master 2. I answer out of the Apostle iâ— this place that if Christ Iesus be truely and soundly preached we are to take great ioy and comfort therein and willingly gladly to heare them that deliuer the truth soundâ—â— with what minde soeuer and to what end soeuer it is that â—â—y doe speake the word That is for them to looke vnto 〈◊〉 for vs to ioy in the other Hence then I obserue that that â—â—â—ister and preacher of the word is gladly and ioyfully to â—â—eard that preacheth Christ and the doctrine of the goâ—â—â—l soundly and truely with what minde soeuer vpon â—â—â—t motiue soeuer or to what end soeuer he preach Christ 〈◊〉 his gospell To which purpose also Mat. 23.3 is that of our Sauiâ—â— where he willeth to hearken vnto the Scribes and Phaâ—â—es sitting in Moses seate whereby he meaneth that the â—â—ctrine which the Scribes and Pharisies deliuered faithfulâ—â—â—ut of Moses was gladly to bee receaued howsoeuer in â—â—â—ir actions and liues they were iustly to be noted And 〈◊〉 reason is because the word is the Lords which they â—â—â—g with what minde soeuer they bring it or how vitious â—â—ad soeuer they bee that bring it And tell I pray you â—â—ch of you would much looke at the minde or affection â—â—he messenger towards you or other qualities in him â—â—ch should bring you a bill signed from the Prince for â—â—e pension or liuing for you If he should faithfully deliâ—â— the bill from the Prince vnto you would ye not ioyfulâ—â—â—eceaue it How much more gladly then and ioyfully â—â—ght yee to receaue the word of the Lord wherein is your 〈◊〉 when it is faithfully deliuered from the Prince of Heaâ—â—â— and Earth with whatsoeuer minde and affection the â—â—nister thereof deliuer it If Christ crucified be preached â—â—e holy word of life be truely and soundly deliuered this â—â—uld so warme our hearts and glad our soules that other â—â—ngs whatsoeuer should not greatly trouble vs. This then first serueth for the confutation of their erâ—â—r that cut themselues from vs so that they neither will â—â—re the word of vs nor communicate in the Sacrament â—â—â—h vs because of some defects in our Church because of â—â—e blemishes in vs. For I demaund is the word of truth â—â—ely taught with vs are the Sacraments rightly adminiâ—â—â—d with vs doe we labour amongst our people with vncorrupt doctrine Then surely if there were the same miâ—â— in them that was in the Apostle they would so reioyce 〈◊〉 this that they would brooke all things the better for thâ—â— If we be defiled in our minds or in our liues euery thinâ— that we touch is likewise defiled What to you Nay but to vs. The word that we preach shall saue you and thâ— Sacraments which wee administer shall profite you hoâ— fruitfull or vnfruitfull soeuer they be vnto vs. Secondly this serueth for the reproofe of them that 〈◊〉 cutting themselues from vs yet cannot brooke to heare thâ— word of such of vs as they thinke haue gauled them anâ— spoken the word with an hard minde towards them Fâ—â— thus commonly it is said he is a good Preacher he deliueâ— good and sound doctrine he teacheth the word faithfullâ— but in his Sermons I see hee saith many things vpon a stomacke against mee with a minde to girde mee and of pâ—â—pose to note and brand me before all the people and theâ—â—fore I caÌ„not brooke to heare him I take no comfort in tâ—â— hearing of him But Paul was of another minde for thougâ— there were that preached Christ of a badde minde towarâ— him through enuie and strife touching him and of puâ—pose to adde affliction to his bands yet that Christ was preâ—ched that gladed him that reioyced his heart And 〈◊〉 would it each of vs if we were so singly and sincerely afâ—â—cted towards the gospell as hee was whatsoeuer minde thâ— Preacher carried towards vs yet would we most gladly anâ— ioyfully heare the word at his mouth It were indeede bâ—â— of all if they that speake the word were as in doctrine 〈◊〉 in life vncorrupt and that they spake of a good minde alwaies and vpon loue But if they preach Christ soundly and truely we are not so much to be troubled what their affection or what their life be If persecution should come then wee would bee glad if wee might heare the word preached and not curiously looke with what minde it were deliuered Seeing the word and the worth and price thereoâ— is the same now let vs with the Apostle reioyce and be glaâ— if Christ bee preached whether it bee vnder a pretence oâ— sincereâ—y LECTVRE XV. PHILIP I. Verse 19. For I know that this shall turne to my saluation through your prayer and by the helpe of the spirit of Iesus Christ 20. As I feruently looke for and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed but that with all confidence as alwaies so now Christ shall bee magnified in my bodie whether it be by life or by death NOw followeth the latter part of the Apostles narration wherein hee tells the Philippians what successe he hoped his bands and the practises of those brethren which imagined mischiefe against him should haue And the summe of it is that he certainely â—oped and knew that his bands and all the practises of the â—icked against him should turne to his saluation and to â—heir good and comfort by his comming againe vnto them â—irst then the Apostle setteth down the proposition or main â—oynt for his hope hereafter in these words For I know c. Secondly he setteth downe the meanes whereby this shall â—ome to passe namely through the prayer of the Philippians by the helpe of the spirit of Iesus Christ and according â—o his owne faith and hope in these words Through your â—rayer c. And thirdly he explicateth what saluatioÌ„ he hopeth for and assureth himselfe of by these meanes as first the saluation of his soule in that by these means he hopeth â—hat in nothing he shall be ashamed but that with all confidence Christ shall be magnified in his bodie whether it be by life or by death in these words That in nothing c. And secondly the saluatioÌ„ or deliuerance of his bodie out of prison to their good comfort in vers 25. 26. For the meaning in general theÌ„ of these words it is as if the Apostle had thus said they by preaching Christ suppose to adde affliction to my bands that when Nero shall heare that so many preach
the sheepeheards and will require my sheepe at their hands and cause them to cease from feeding the sheepe neither shall the sheepeheards feede themselues any more for I will deliuer my sheepe from their mouths and they shall no more deuoure them As then this is a great mercie of the Lord vnto the flocke of his pasture when the Pastor is an ill one to deliuer them from him and to cause him to cease from feeding them whether by death or how else so euer so is it a great blessing of the Lord vpon them when they haue a good and faithfull Pastor and Teacher to continue his life amongst them for their further growth and encrease in the faith and truth of Christ Iesus This then beloued should teach you how when the Lord blesseth you with a faithfull Pastor you should bee affected towards him and that is thus you should euen pray vnto the Lord for him to continue his life long amongst you by whose life yee haue such a blessing Other duties many towards them on your behalfe are commanded as obedience where it is said Obey them that haue the ouersight of you and submit your selues and loue As where it is said Heb. 13.17 Know them that labour among you and are ouer you in the Lord 1 Thes 5.12.13 and admonish you and haue them in singular loue for their workes sake and maintenance As where it is said Gal. 6.6 Let him that is taught in the word make him that hath taught him pertaker of all his goods Whereunto ye are also to adde this dutie towards them euen to pray for the continuance of their life long amongst you And surely if either ye consider the blessing which ye haue by the enioying of them or the losse which ye haue when such are taken from you yee will see that yee haue great cause to pray for their abiding in the flesh amongst you For what if after such a faithfull Pastor should succeede an idle sheepe heard a greedie wolfe an ignorant hireling a slow-belly a peruerter of the truth a scandalous man for life one whose God is his belly and whose glorie is to his shame as too too often after such light followeth such darkenesse How great cause then should yee haue to waile and lament and with Ieremie to say How is the golde become so dimme While then ye haue them how ought ye to pray for them that long ye may haue them and enioye the benenefits of their labours But how farre otherwise doe wee a great many of vs in many places for so it is with many of vs in many places that if our Pastor be a faithful teacher one that labours amongst vs in the word and doctrine one that keepes nothing backe from vs but faithfully deliuers vnto vs the whole counsaile of the Lord we are so farre from praying for the continuance of his life that by all meanes we labour to make him wearie of his life If wee haue such a Pastor as neither can nor will teach vs in the wholesome word of truth one that will suffer vs to go on in our sinnes and neuer awake vs out of our dead sleepe of securitie one that will sowe pillowes vnder our elbowes and crie peace peace when there is no peace one that will sort himselfe vnto our manners and apply himselfe vnto our humors he is a man fit for vs hee is a milde a soft man and a good companion and wee wish that he might liue for euer with vs. But if our Pastor with the Prophets of the Lord threaten the iudgements of the Lord against vs for our sinnes if with Iohn Baptist hee reproue vs boldly to our faces for such crying sinnes as reigne amongst vs if with the blessed Martyr Steuen in the application of his doctrine hee shall come vpon vs and say yee stiffe-necked of vncircumcised hearts and eares ye haue alwaies resisted the holy Ghost as your fathers did so doe yee If with the Apostle he shall rebuke vs and say O foolish people who hath bewitched you that yee should not obey the truth if hee shall launce our sores vnto the bottome that so we may be throughly healed if he shall wound the heary scalpe of him that goeth on in his wickednesse and lay the axe to the roote of our sinnes him wee can by no meanes endure he is a contentious man a seditious man a schismaticall fellow a troubler of the world away with such a man hee is not worthy to liue vpon the earth Thus the Pastor from whom it were a mercie of the Lord to deliuer vs we loue and like and him in the continuance of whose liue were a blessing of the Lord vpon vs wee cannot away with So greatly are we in loue with our sinnes and ignorance and so little doe we loue knowledg and the things that belong vnto our peace But beloued I perswade my selfe better things of a great many of you As already you do so continue to haue them that labour amongst you in singular loue for their workes sake Let the feete of them that bring you the Gospell of Christ Iesus bee beautifull vnto you Count the life of your faithfull Teachers a blessing of the Lord vpon you and pray yee vnto the Lord when yee haue such a blessing for the continuance thereof vnto you This blessing is as needfull for you as the greatest blessing of this life and therefore reioyce in it and pray for it as the greatest blessing of your life And let this suffice to be obserued from the reasons which made the Apostle doubt what to chuse whether to liue in the bodie or to remoue out of the bodie It followeth And this am I sure of c. In the Apostles narration which began at the 12. verse first the Apostle told vs what successe his bands had already had and then what successe he hoped they should haue Touching the successe which they should haue we haue heard that the Apostle certainly looked for and hoped that they should turne to the saluation of his soule through his constancie in his bands whether it were in life or in death But what should be the successe of his bands touching the saluation and deliuerance of his bodie The Apostle now tells the Philippians that namely he knew certainely that he should liue be deliuered out of prison be restored to them againe And withall he tels them wherefore God would now deliuer him haue him yet to liue longer which was for these two ends 1. for their furtherance ioy of their faith .i. that by his ministerie they might be confirmed in the faith thereby haue their ioy increased 2. that they might more abundantly reioyce c. .i. that they seeing the mighty power of Christ in deliuering him from the mouth of the lion might more abundantly reioyce in Christ the author of his deliuerance for deliuering him and for bringing him againe to them The first
vnto such a life and conuersation amongst men as becommeth the Gospell of Christ that iâ— conformed vnto the doctrine of the Gospell of Christ that profession and conuersation may goe hand in hand together in these words Onely let your conuersation be c. The particulars wherein such a life consisteth and which here aâ— mentioned are three The first constancie in holding and defending the truth of Christ by the power of the spirit signified in these words that yee stand in one spirit that is 〈◊〉 one truth of the Gospell by one spirit The second is vnâ—nimitie and agreement to stand and fight together for thâ— truth through the faith of the Gospell signified in theâ—â— words and in one minde fighting together c. And the thiâ—â— is patience in sufferings and wrongs by aduersaries signified by way of dehortation in these words And in nothing feare c. Where these three are there the life is in a good degree such as becommeth the Gospell of Christ That which iâ— inserted in these words that whether I come c. is to perswade them vnto such a life without all respect of his comming againe vnto them that whether hee come and see them or be absent and heare of them their life bee such aâ— becommeth the Gospell of Christ In that which followeth are set downe motiues to perswade the exhortation especially patience in sufferings and wrongs whereof hereafter Thus much for the generall order and meaning of those words Now for the further and more particular opening of the meaning of these words this that the Apostle in the beginning of his exhortation saith Only let your conuersation c. it may either bee referred vnto that whereof the Apostle spake immediately before and so haue this meaning I say I shall abide and continue yet with you for your furtherance and ioy and reioycing for mee yet whatsoeuer become of mee only looke yee to your conuersation that it bee such as becommeth the Gospell of Christ Or else it may bee referred vnto all that went before and so haue this meaning God hath done great things for you he hath caused his Gospell to be preached vnto you and brought you vnto the fellowship of the Gospell he hath begunne a good worke in you and it is not to be doubted but that he will performe it vntill the day of Christ he hath made you to abound in loue in knowledge and in all iudgement hee hath turned my bands to the furthering of the Gospell for your comfort and he hath appointed to deliuer me out of bands and to restore mee againe vnto you for the furtherance and ioy of your faith and that yee may the more abundantly reioyce in Iesus Christ for mee Only bee not yee wanting vnto that which becommeth you but let your conuersation be such as becommeth the Gospell of Christ Vnto whethersoeuer it be referred yee see what the meaning is Now where it is said in the words following Let your conuersation be the word vsed in the originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 implieth that they were Citizens of a Citie which is aboue and enforceth this construction Only yee as Citizens of an heauenly Ierusalem carry your selues how as it becommeth the Gospell of Christ that is so that your life be framed after the doctrine of the Gospell and be answerable to your profession But what Would it serue to make a shew of such a conuersation for a time because he was to come againe vnto them that when he came vnto them all might be well howsoeuer their hypocrisie afterwards brake out No in no sort and therefore the Apostle saith Let your conuersation be as it becommeth the Gospell of Christ What because I am to come againe vnto you that yee may deceiue mee only by an hypocriticall shew Nay but that whether I come and see you or be absent and onely heare of you I may heare and see that in sinceritie and truth which I desire Yea but how should they order their conuersation so that it might bee such as became the Gospell of Christ Namely if they ordered it so that if he came he might see and if hee were absent he might heare 1. that they continued or stoodfast for so the word signifieth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like vnto good souldiers which yeeld no ground but keepe their standing that I say they stood fast in one spirit that is that they abode constant in one truth of Christ by one spirit whereinto they had all drunke 2. That with ioint minds and one accord amongst themselues they fought together for the truth of Christ against the aduersaries of the Gospell not with carnall weapons but with the faith of the Gospell with the shield of faith to quench all the fierie darts of the wicked which here he calleth the faith of the Gospell because it commeth by the hearing of the Gospell preached And 3. that in nothing they feared their aduersaries but couragiously encountred them and patiently endured all wrongs offered by them If the Apostle might heare that thus they stood constant in the truth not cast downe by their aduersaries that thus with one accord they fought together and threw down their aduersaries that thus couragiously they encountred their aduersaries in nothing fearing them this might in part shew that their conuersation were such as became the Gospell of Christ This I take to bee the true meaning of these words thus farre Now let vs see what obseruations we may gather hence for our farther vse and instruction The first thing which here I note is the Apostles exhortation vnto the Philippians in general that they should lead such a life that their conuersation should be such as became the Gospell of Christ Iesus that as they professed the Gospell of Christ so they should lead a life agreeable to the Gospell of Christ Whence I obserue that so many as professe the Gospell of Christ Iesus ought to labour by all meanes to lead a life agreeable to the Gospell of Christ Iesus Which thing our Apostle also sheweth in many other exhortations which he maketh to the like purpose as when he exhorteth the Thessalonians to walke worthy of God who had called them vnto his kingdome and glory 1 Thes 2 12. Where the Apostles meaning is that as God had vouchsafed them this mercie to call them vnto his kingdome and glory so they were to walke worthy of him framing their liues as neere as they could vnto his life who was the engrauen form of his person So that being called by God vnto his kingdome and glory by the preaching of the Gospell we are to labour to walke worthy of God in all godlinesse and righteousnesse So likewise he exhorteth the Ephesians to walke worthy of the vocation whereunto they were called Where againe the Apostles meaning is that as they were called to be Saints in Christ Iesus so they should walke worthy of that calling euen as became Saints in Christ
see the Lord. But when men seeing that we make a good profession Heb. 12.14 and yet liue nothing accordingly thereunto thereupon take occasion to speake euill of our profession of our religion of the Gospell of Christ Iesus how carefull ought we to be of our life and conuersation Woe to the world saith our blessed Sauiour because of offences it must needes be that offences shall come Mat. 18.7 but wo be to that man by whom the offence commeth And surely if by our life not answerable to our profession wee shall bring a slaunder vpon our religion our profession vpon the Gospell if by our life some shall be weakened others hardened the edge of others abated and others turned out of the good way then woe shall be vnto vs because of such offence in our life I doubt not but such as obserue these things in vs and fill their mouthes with talking of them both are guiltie of as crying sinnes themselues and most iniuriously taxe many of vs of these things But the more ready they are to obserue and to taxe without a cause the more carefull wee are to be that they haue no iust cause of taxing Let vs therefore beloued as we professe the Gospell of Christ so labour to liue as becommeth the Gospell of Christ As the Gospell teacheth vs to be holy so let vs be holy in all manner of conuersation as the Gospell teacheth vs to walke in the light so let vs walke in the light and haue nothing to do with the vnfruitfull workes of darknesse as the Gospell teacheth vs to loue God and one another so let vs loue God aboue all things and our neighbour as our selfe as the Gospell is the Gospell of peace so let vs be at peace with all men as the Gospell is true so let vs speake the truth euery man vnto his neighbour and lie not one vnto another c. Otherwise wee walke not as becommeth the Gospell of Christ In a word let vs not be hearers or professors of the word onely but doers also of the same least wee deceiue our selues Againe as this note may serue for the iust reproofe of such as professe well but liue not so well so may it also serue for a iust defence against the vniust slaunder of our aduersaries who beare the world in hand that holinesse of life is a matter that we neuer vrge that wee make no great reckoning of Your selues haue heard and can witnes how often since this very exercise hath begunne you haue beene vrged to runne forward in the race of righteousnesse and to make an end of your saluation with feare and trembling to labour to be blamelesse and pure and the sonnes of God in the middest of a naughtie and crooked nation to haue your conuersation in heauen to communicate vnto the necessities of the poore and distressed Saints to abound in loue in knowledge and in all iudgement to be filled with the fruits of righteousnesse and to striue to be pure and without offence vntill the day of Christ And now ye heare that if ye haue fellowship in the Gospell your conuersation is to bee as it becommeth of Christ Know them therefore to be of their father the Deuill who was a liar from the beginning and is the father thereof And suffer not your selues to bee deceiued by them who when they cannot otherwise preuaile against the truth fall to slaunder the professors of the truth And let this suffice to bee noted from the Apostles generall exhortation whence ye see that such as professe the Gospell of Iesus Christ should labour by all meanes to lead such a life as becommeth the Gospell of Christ But what will it serue the turne for a time in the presence or company of such and such persons to make a shew of such a life and conuersation as hypocrites doe which doe all that they doe to please men No and therefore the Apostle saith Let your conuersation bee as it becommeth the Gospell of Christ that whether I come and see you or else be absent and onely heare of you I may heart and see that in sinceritie and truth which I desire Whence I obserue that the life and conuersation of such as professe the Gospell of Iesus Christ is to be framed not after the will of man but after the will of God not to please men but to please the Lord that whether man be present or absent their life bee such as it ought to be Gal. 1.10 If I should please men saith the Apostle I were not the seruant of Christ The Apostle speaketh it of preaching the doctrine of the Gospell that if he should apply himselfe to the humors of men and preach things pleasing vnto them he should not please God which tryeth the heart But it may also very well be applyed vnto the life and conuersation of men that if we shall only frame our liues vnto mens likings and for the time only seeke to please them our life shall not be such as becommeth the Gospell of Christ And therefore the Lord himselfe sharply reproued it in Ezechiels hearers where he saith EZek 33.31 My people sit before thee and heare thy wordes but they will not doe them for with their mouthes they make ieasts their heart goeth after their couetousnes Where ye see the Lord taxeth Ezechiels hearers to bee such as when hee preached vnto them sate as his people and hearkened vnto their Prophet carried themselues well in his presence but in their hearts ranne after their couetousnesse and out of his presence made but a mocke of all that he spake vnto them And this was one of the sinnes wherefore the Lord threatned to lay the land desolate and waste Let this then teach vs to beware of hypocrisie It is not for vs to come vnto this place here to kneele vs downe on our knees to knocke our breasts to lift vp our eyes vnto Heauen to sit and hearken vnto the Preacher and when wee goe hence to make a mocke at the things that were spoken or to forget them or notwithstanding whatsoeuer shew of godlinesse we made in the Church in our houses to returne vnto our vomite For what else is this but here to play the hypocrites and here to make a shew of godlinesse the power whereof at home we denie And what is vnto hypocrites but a woe In the ordering therefore of our life let vs not depend vpon mans presence or absence but in a religious feare of the Lord let euery one of vs so walke as becommeth vs knowing that whether man see vs or see vs not yet God seeth vs and considereth all our waies It is the presence and pleasure of the Lord that wee are to looke vnto Let our life therefore and our conuersation be as in his presence and such as may please him howsoeuer wee please or displease men And let this suffice to bee noted touching the qualitie of such a conuersion as
heart holy Dauid here that vpright and iust man holy Iob here that chosen vessell to beare Christ his name before the Gentiles our holy Apostle shall haue their faults and their falls Here Abraham and Lot will bee sometimes at variance here Paul and Barnabas will sometimes not be of one accord here Paul and Peter will sometimes not be of one iudgement here we shall haue our falls we shall haue our imperfections whatsoeuer we be Only in the Citie which is aboue shall all teares be wiped from our eyes all wanes supplied all imperfections perfited all sinne cease and all enemies be vtterly destroyed only there our knowledge our iudgment our loue our peace our ioy shall be perfit How should we not long then to remoue out of the bodie and to dwell with the Lord And yet to earthly minded are we many of vs that here we could bee content to pitch our tabernacles and neuer to remoue hence euen as if we loued darknes better then light and had rather dwell in the valley of teares then in the valley of blessing where we are but strangers then at home in our owne Citie Let vs beloued remember that here the best of vs haue our blemishes and that when it is it the best with vs we are but in the way vnto that which is best of all for vs that the best reformed Church on earth is not thorowly reformed and that the most sanctified man on earth is but onely in part sanctified And let vs make this benefit hereof daily more and more to grow out of loue with this life and in loue with that life in which there shall be no more death daily more and more to weyne our selues from the vanities of Ierusalem which is on earth where many things will be done through contention and vaine-glory and to haue our conuersation in heauen where we shall all be like minded hauing the same minde and being of one accord and of one iudgement And let this suffice to be obserued in generall from the matter of the Apostles exhortation whereby ye see the state euen of the best reformed Churches and so of the most holy men and what vse is to be made of the imperfections which follow the most perfit in this life Now let vs come vnto the seuerall points whereunto the Apostle exhorteth the Philippians and in them vs. The first thing wherevnto hee exhorteth them is in generall that they be like minded or like affectioned as the same phrase is translated else where Ro. 12.16 hauing their affections likings and desires set on the same things for in this as in the generall are comprised as I take it those particulars which follow in this verse So that when he exhorteth them to be like minded it is in generall that their affections be set on the same things louing the same things according in desire of the same things and according in iudgment of the same things but all in the Lord. Whence I obserue a necessarie dutie in all Christians called to the knowledge of God by the Gospell of Christ Iesus which is that they be like minded in the Lord setting their affections likings and desires on the same things in the Lord. A duty which our Apostle prescribeth almost as oft as any other duty 1 Cor. 1.10 In the beginning of his former to the Corinthians he beseecheth them by the name of our Lord Iesus Christ that they all speake one thing and that they be knit together in one minde and in one iudgement Where yee see he beseecheth them and in them vs euen by the name of our Lord Iesus Christ to be all of one minde and because disagreeing in words engendreth dissension of minde therefore that wee may the rather be all of one minde hee beseecheth vs all to speake one thing In the end likewise of his latter to the Corinthians 2 Cor. 13.11 he commendeth this dutie vnto them saying Finally brethren fare yee well be perfect be of good comfort be of one minde as thinking this dutie so necessarie that both in the beginning and in the end and at all times they were to be put in minde of it In this place likewise yee see how roundly and deeply he adiureth and chargeth the Philippians and in them vs to be â—ike minded saying If there be any consolation in Christ c. fulfill my ioy that yee be like minded And in the last chapter saue one to the Romanes Rom. 15.5 he maketh a most earnest praier vnto God for them that they might be like minded one towards another saying Now the God of patience and consolation giue you that yee â—e like minded one towards another according to Christ Iesus that â—ee may with one minde and with one mouth praise God euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ Where first the Apostle imâ—lieth that if they be like minded God must giue them this to â—e like minded and therefore hee praieth vnto God to giue â—hem this grace that they be like minded one towards another Secondly he noteth how he would haue both them and vs â—o bee like minded one towards another viz according to Christ Iesus to consent in that truth which hee hath taught and in that loue which hee hath commanded for otherwise if we be like minded but not according to Christ Iesus not in the Lord what great thing doe we doe Are not the Iewes like minded among themselues the Turkes amongst themselues the aduersaries of the truth amongst themselues Were not the Priests Scribes and Pharisies of one minde when they condemned the innocent bloud and the whole multitude of the Iewes when they cried all at once saying Crucifie him crucifie him away with him and deliuer vnto vs Barrabas And are not they all of one minde that cast their heads together with one consent and consult to worke wickednesse in what kinde soeuer it be And to consent and be like minded in these and the like things is it not rather a conspiracie then an vnitie We aâ—e not then onely to be like minded but to bee like minded in the Lord to be like minded according to Christ Iesus And lastly the Apostle sheweth to what end he would haue vs to be like minded namely that with one minde and one mouth we may praise God euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ not onely with one minde but also with one mouth nor onely with one mouth but also with one minde Thiâ— then yee see it to be a dutie so necessarie in vs and in all Christians that wee be like minded in the Lord that the Apostle still commendeth it vnto vs beseeching vs to be like minded charging and adiuring vs to be like minded and praying vnto God that we be like minded But why is it so necessarie a dutie that we be like minded iâ— the Lord Many reasons might be alleaged but I will oneâ— mention two As first because we haue one Lord one faith one
that being God hee for our â—â—kes became also man how then ought wee to submit our â—elues one vnto another in all humblenesse and meeknesse of â—inde The like motiue or reason is vsed by our Sauiour Christ himselfe where he saith vnto the people that were with â—im Learne of me that I am meeke and lowly in heart Math. 11. â—0 Ioh. 13. â—5 as also â—here he washeth his Disciples feet to teach them humility and â—hen saith vnto them I haue giuen you an example that yee should â—n euen as I haue done to you What should I go forward to â—uote Scriptures to this purpose Nothing more vsuall in the â—criptures then by the example of Christ to stirre vp vnto our â—euerall duties and what ought to be more effectuall with vs â—o perswade vs when the souldier sees his Captaine fight â—here needes no further spurre to set him into the batteil Christ is our Lord and we his seruants if hee our Lord and Master haue giuen vs such an example and haue said vnto vs â—oe as ye haue me for example should there neede any further â—purre vnto vs for this duty If he haue so humbled himselfe â—or vs that being God he became also man if hee haue had â—uch compassion on vs that when wee were enemies vnto him â—e reconciled vs vnto God if he so loued vs that he laid down his life for vs how ought we to be humble and lowly minded one towards another how ought wee to haue compassion vpon our poore brethren especially in this heauy time how â—ought we to loue one another with brotherly loue Christ my brethren is our head If we be members of his bodie we must draw our life and our spirituall nourishment from him we must in all things grow vp into him which is our head Fare be it therefore from vs to disdaine our brethren to wrong them to oppresse them to contemne them to swell in pride against them Nay rather let vs vse one another with all kindnesse with all gentlenesse with all meeknesse Let vs submit our selues one vnto another let vs be like minded one toward another in Christ Iesus Himselfe exhorteth vs hereunto he hath giuen vs an ensample Let the same minde c. Thirdly I note the humilitie of Christ whose example the Apostle here exhorteth vs to follow His humilitie is here described by the Apostle first by his incarnation in that being God he vouchsafed to take flesh of the blessed Virgin and to become man like vnto vs in all things sinne only excepted secondly by the worke of our redemption in that being man he yet againe further humbled himselfe and became obedient to the death euen the most shamefull death of the Crosse In the description of Christ his incarnation are very many things most worthy our obseruation touching both the natures in Christ his God head and his Manhood I can only point at some of the heads of those obseruations which hence were to bee made and more fully handled First for the Godhead of Christ in that it is here said that hee was in the forme of God it is thereby proued that Christ was true God for in the selfe same manner and phrase of speech that here he is said to be in the forme of God in the same is it afterward said that hee tooke on him the forme of a seruant Where by the forme of a seruant the Apostle expresseth his Manhead as here by the forme of God is expressed his Godhead Neither indeed can any be in the forme of God who is not true God And as in this place he is said to be in the forme of God whereby is meant that he is God so in other places plainly and directly heads said to be God Rom. 9.5 as in the Epistle to the Romans Of when are the Fathers and of whom concerning the flesh Christ came whâ— is God ouer all blessed for euer and to the Colossians In Christ dwelleth all the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily Coloss 29. and in the Acts Take heede c. Act. 20.28 to feed the Church of God which he hath purcâ—â—sed with his owne bloud The phrase of speech in this place is somewhat different but it is all one as if he had thus said who â—eing God Secondly I note touching the Godhead of â—hrist that he was equall in all things vnto God the Father the Apostle plainly sheweth where it followeth that hee â—ought it no robberie to be equall with God for in that he saith thought it no robberie hee plainly sheweth that it was his â—ght and no iniurie at all vnto the Godhead for him that â—as God to be equall vnto God If then it be Christ his right â—â—d no iniurie at all to the Godhead that Christ be equall vnâ—â— God the Father then Christ as touching his Godhead is â—quall vnto God the Father howsoeuer touching his Manâ—ood he be inferiour to the Father And this be noted touâ—â—ing the diuine nature of Christ Now touching Christ his Manhood First in that it is here â—id that he made himselfe of no reputation or as the word signiâ—â—eth that he emptied himselfe and of all brought himselfe vnto â—othing I note Christ his Manhood not forcibly to haue â—eene imposed vpon him but himselfe voluntarily to haue â—â—ken on him the forme of a seruant When therefore it is said â—â—at God sent his Sonne in the similitude of sinfull flesh and againe â—â—at God so loued the world that he gaue his only be gotten Sonne c. where God the Father is said to haue sent and to haue giâ—en his Sonne and the Sonne is said to be sent and to be giâ—en wee are to vnderstand the speeches thus that God the â—â—ther sent his Sonne and God the Sonne was sent of the â—â—ther yet God the Father and God the Sonne being not â—wo Gods but one God distinguished into two persons it is â—ghtly said that God the Father sent the Sonne and that the â—onne being one God with the Father made himselfe of no â—â—putation voluntarily descending from his Maiestie to bee â—artaker of our miserie for if himselfe had not thus humbled â—imselfe who could haue imposed this base estate vpon him â—â—mselfe being God blessed for euer The Angels which kept â—ot their first estate they were throwne downe lower than â—he earth euen to bee reserued in euerlasting chaines vnder â—arknesse vnto the iudgement of the great day But Christ â—hen he was equall vnto God in fulnesse of power glory maâ—â—estie knowledge abased himselfe and of almightie made himselfe full of infirmitie of immortall made himselfe mortall Secondly in that it is said hee tooke on him the forme of a seruant I note that Christ so became man as that hee ceased not to be God For it is not said that the Godhead was changed into the Manhood but that Christ being God tooke 〈◊〉 him the forme of a seruant so vniting the God head and Manhood in the vnitie of person
as we haue Christ Iesus for an example that submitting our selues one vnto another wee may be like minded one towards another in Christ Iesus that euery man esteeming other better than himselfe wee may all together in all things grow vp into him which is our head that is Christ LECTVRE XXVIII PHILIP 2. Verse 8. Hee humbled himselfe and became obedient vnto the death euen the death of the Crosse c. HE humbled himselfe c. In which words the Apostle first proposeth this second humiliation of Christ in generall saying Hee humbled himselfe Secondly the Apostle describeth it more particularly by the obedience of Christ vnto the death saying and became obedient vnto the death Where the Apostle noteth a two-fold obedience of Christ the one before his death in his whole life the other in and at his death the former consisting in Christ his fulfilling of the Law the latter in his whole sufferings of death and all the paines and sorrowes thereof for in that it is said that Christ became obedient vnto the death the Apostle his meaning is that Christ was obedient in all things that the Law required of him both doing the will of his Father in the whole course of his life and further subiecting himselfe vnto the death so that hee was not only obedient to his Father to fulfill the Law for vs but he was obedient vnto the death to lay downe his life for our sakes Lastly this circumstance of his death is amplified by the kinde thereof hee became obedient vnto the death euen the death of the Crosse which was the most shamefull and most accursed kinde of death So that the meaning of the Apostle in this place is that Christ who so had already humbled himselfe that of the Sonne of God he was now become the sonne of man did yet further humble and abase himselfe and became obedient vnto his Fathers will in all things that the Law required of him euen vnto the suffering of death for vs miserable sinners submitting himselfe vnto death for vs and that the most shamefull death of the Crosse This I take to be the meaning In these words then wee are to note foure doctrines touching Christ The first is touching his humiliation The second touching his obedience in his life The third is touching his death The fourth is touching his kinde of death In his humiliation I note first the person that was humbled secondly the manner of his humiliation both set downe by the Apostle when he saith he humbled himselfe For the first touching the person hence it appeareth that hee who being God and equall with the Father was now become man humbled himselfe and became c. The person then that was humbled was Christ God and man perfect God and perfect man subsisting of a reasonable soule and humane flesh And necessary it was that he who was now to worke the worke of our redemption should be both God and man man that as man had sinned so sinne might bee punished in man for so Gods iustice required God that he might be able to sustaine the grieuousnesse of the punishment due to our sinnes which should be temporall but yet equiualent to eternall paines for our sinnes being infinite and the punishment due vnto them being infinite because thereby wee had grieued an infinite God the person must needs be infinite which should pay the price of our sinnes Againe it was necessary that he should be man that he might suffer death because for sinne man had deserued death and necessary likewise that he should be God that he might be able to wrestle with the wrath of God which none else could doe but he that was God Needs therefore must he be both God and man And that he was so as by this place it is plaine Act. 20.28 so by that likewise in the Acts where the Apostle exhorteth the Elders of Ephesus to feed the Church of God which he saith the Apostle hath purchased with his owne bloud In which place he who hath purchased a Church vnto himselfe is both called God and also witnessed to be true man in that he purchased it with his owne bloud Here then we may see the hainousnesse and grieuousnesse of our sinnes and the greatnesse of our miserie by reason of them God blessed for euer must become man and God and man must be vnited into one Christ and being thus vnited must be humbled vnto the death and must pay the price of our sinnes by shedding of his owne bloud or else the euerlasting curse of Gods wrath abideth vpon vs and our portion is with the Deuill and his Angels in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone for euer And yet what account or reckoning at all is made of sinne Surely so little that it may bee very well said vnto vs which Hosea the Prophet sometime said vnto the children of Israel Heare the word of the Lord Hos 4.1.1 ye children of Israel for the Lord hath a controuersie with the inhabitants of the land because there is no truth c. And yet what remorse of these things euen now when the whole land mourneth for them and groaneth vnder the burden of them It had not beene possible to satisfie Gods iustice for the least of our sinnes otherwise than by euerlasting death vnlesse God had become man and so humbled himselfe to suffer whatsoeuer was due for mans sinne and yet who is he that considereth in heart his sinnes to reforme the wickednesse of his way O consider this yee that forget God and grieue his holy spirit by your continuall committed sinnes lest he plucke you away and there be none to deliuer you Flie from sinne as from a Serpent Christ Iesus both God and man hath paid the price for our sinnes Let vs not therefore henceforth serue sinne in the lusts thereof but let vs glorifie God both in our bodies and in our spirits The second thing which I noted in Christ his humiliation was the manner of Christ his humiliation which I note 1. was voluntarie 2. that both his manhood and his Godhead was abased That his humiliation was voluntarie appeareth by that it is said that he humbled himselfe As then his first humiliation when being God he tooke on him mans nature was voluntarie so his second humiliation when being both God and man he subiected himselfe vnto the law and vnto death was voluntarie How then is it said that he was made obedient for so it is read in the originall He was made obedient not of any other but of himselfe neither forcedly but willingly he made himselfe obedient euen as willingly hee humbled himselfe Now for the other point that Christ was abased and humbled both according to his Godhead and his manhood 1. For his manhood it doth appeare in that it was made subiect to the infirmities of mans nature as also to the miseries and punishments which were due vnto man for sinne 2. for his Godhead it was
doe being taught by him that seeing the Ministers of the Gospell doe labour and watch for our soules as they that must giue account vnto God for them therefore wee should giue vnto them that portion which is due vnto them for their maintenance and this wee should doe with all cheerefulnesse as vnto the Lord. Now how this dutie towards them is euery where almost neglected they that liue abroad see and know too well for so it is that euery little is now too much for the Minister if he may haue some reasonable portion of that whole which is due vnto him it is thought that he is very well vsed if any thing of his due may be concealed and kept from him it is thought to be very well saued and better so saued then ill spent for so commonly they account of that which they giue vnto the Minister albeit it be not theirs but his which they giue Farre otherwise then it was in the times of greatest ignorance and blindest superstition for then they thought they could not giue enough vnto their Massing Priest and now they thinke they cannot pull enough away from the teaching Minister then they thought euery peny better bestowed then other vpon their Confessor now they thinke euery peny worse bestowed then other vpon their Pastor But it is no new thing to see blinde deuotion sometimes to carry men further then doth sound and sincere religion How ready were the people of Israel to plucke off the golden earings from their eares to giue them vnto Aaron to make a molten calfe withall Exod. 32.3 Iudg. 17.10 How liberall was Micah vnto the Leuite to get him to stay with him to be vnto him a father and a Priest And so it falleth out very often that in time of darknesse and ignorance men are more enflamed towards the Church and Pastors thereof with a blinde zeale then with a true zeale in the cleere light of the Gospell Well let vs know that wee are to giue vnto them that labour amongst vs and watch ouer our soules that which is due vnto them whether it be of maintenance for their liuelihood or of reuerence vnto their persons And for conclusion of this point let that one place of the Apostle serue for both these purposes where hee saith that those Elders especially which labour in the word doctrine are worthy of double honour 1 Tim. 5.17 which is as diuers doe expound it of maintenance for their life and of reuerence vnto their persons They are Gods labourers both labouring for God and â—o bring vs vnto God let vs therefore carry our selues towards them as towardâ— Gods Vice gerents vpon earth giuing vnto them with all cheerefulnes that which is due vnto them as vnto the Lord. And let this suffice touching this that Paul calleth Epaphroditus his companion in labour Againe hee calleth him his fellow-souldier What then Paul or Epaphroditus were they souldiers Went they forth to battell Were not the Leuites and are not the Ministers of the Gospell of Christ Iesus exempted from seruice in warre Is the Minister to labour like an husbandman and besides also to fight as a souldier Yea certainly Paul and Epaphroditus were fellow-souldiers neither are any of the Ministers of Christ exempted from warre but fight they must and souldiers they must be But neither are their weapons carnall wherewithall they must fight neither are the enemies against which they must fight so much flesh and bloud as spirituall wickednesses and the princes of the darknesse of this world They are souldiers to fight with the sword of the spirit against euery high thing that exalteth it selfe against the knowledge of God and to bring into captiuitie euery thought to the obedience of Christ In this then that the Apostle calleth Epaphroditus his fellow-souldier wee are put in minde as of the state of all Christians in generall so of the Ministers of the Gospell in particular namely that the life of all Christians in generall and of the Ministers of the Gospell in particular is nothing else but a continuall warfare wherein wee must still play the souldiers and still fight We looke for a Citie where there shall be no more death no more sorrow no more crying no more paine neither any enemies to fight withall where wee shall triumph ouer euery enemie that hath exalted himselfe against vs and where wee shall raigne and euer bee with the Lord in the kingdome of Christ Iesus for euer and euer But whiles wee are members of the militant Church here vpon earth no man better or worse rich or poore may promise rest vnto himselfe but all must stand vpon their guard and all must alwayes be in a readinesse to fight Iob 7.1 Whereupon Iob calleth the life of man a warfare because together with his life his warfare shall only haue an end And our Sauiour telleth vs that the day hath enough with his owne griefe that is Matt. 6.34 neuer a day of a mans life which brings not griefe enough with it vpon it owne backe Now the enemies which wee haue to fight withall are the world without vs the flesh within vs and the deuill seeking continually like a roaring Lion to deuoure vs none of all which want either will or skill or might to ouerthrow vs vnlesse wee hold fast the reioycing of our hope vnto the end The flesh hath so many sugred baits and deceitfull delights to allure men vnto the enticements thereof that sometimes Dauids and Salomons and men after Gods owne heart cannot auoid the snares thereof but are entangled therewith The world likewise hath so many wayes to deceiue as that euen the Disciples of Christ Iesus cannot auoid it but be deceiued thereby And the deuill so furiously rageth as that the Sonne of God Christ Iesus himselfe cannot auoid his manifold tentations These are those enemies which we haue all of vs to fight withall and these wee shall haue to fight withall so long as wee liue in this flesh and whatsoeuer batterie any of these or all these can lay against our soules wee shall be sure of it whiles wee liue in this world Rom. 7.23 for the flesh euermore rebelleth against the spirit and euer striueth to leade vs captiue vnto the law of sinne which is in our members The world likewise knoweth not the Lord but the amitie of the world is the enmitie of God Ioh. 17.25 Iam. 1 4 Ioh. 2.15 1 Pet. 5 8. and if any man loue the world the loue of the Father is not in him The deuill likewise seeketh continually like a roaring Lion whom he may deuoure Nothing to ridde any of vs from the assaults of all these till death and therefore all of vs must bee souldiers and fight against all these as in our baptisme all of vs haue promised so long as wee carry about with vs our earthly house of this Tabernacle And as this is the state of all Christians in generall to liue in
continuall fight against their spirituall enemies so the Minister in particular hath a chiefe part in this fight I will not stand to enlarge this point The deuill knoweth that if the shepheard can bee turned out of the way his sheepe will quickly be scattered and if hee can make the Angell of the Church of the Laodiceans to be neither hot nor cold hee will quickly bring the Church vnto his bent And therefore hee bends his full force against them arming both the flesh and the world and himselfe against them to see if hee can ouerthrow them euen as he did against Christ desirous to breake the head whereas his power was limited onely to bruise the heele Now what should this teach vs Surely first it should teach vs this lesson that since wee haue such enemies continually to deale withall therfore we should put on the whole armour of God that we may be able to resist in the euill day and hauing finished all things stand fast for so the Apostle teacheth vs in the last to the Ephesians where hauing set downe what enemies we haue to wrestle against as against principalities against powers Eph. 6.12 c. For this cause saith hee take vnto you the whole armour of God c. Yea but what is this armour of God which may serue as the best armour of proofe against these mightie enemies which we haue to wrestle and encounter withall The Apostle setteth it downe in the same place The girdle wherewithall our loynes must be girded must bee veritie and integritie of doctrine 14. our brest-plate which wee must haue on our brest for the defence thereof must be righteousnesse and holinesse of life 15. the shooes wherewithall our feet must be shod must be the preparation of the Gospell of peace euen a prompt and ready minde to confesse and embrace the Gospell of peace 16. the shield wherewithall wee may quench all the firie darts of the wicked must be faith which as Iohn saith is the victorie whereby wee ouercome the world 1 Ioh. 5.4 17. our helmet for our head must be the hope of saluation purchased by the death passion of our Sauiour Christ Iesus our sword wherewithall to wound our enemie must be the word of God and praier and supplication in the spirit is also a necessary part of our armour if wee will be so thorowly armed that we will be without all gun-shot as they say This is that armour which the Apostle prescribeth vs both to defend our selues and to offend our enemies withall and this armour if wee put on wee shall be able to stand against all the assaults of the deuill for here is armour for the whole body from the head to the foot vnlesse wee will turne our backe vpon our enemie Now consider this men and brethren and lay it vnto your hearts Yee cannot but see by this which hath beene spoken that yee haue great enemies euery one of you to encounter withall yee cannot but see that the whole armour of God is necessary for you if ye will be safe from your enemies If either yee want your helmet and head peece which is the hope of saluation by Iesus Christ or if yee want your brest-plate which is righteousnesse and innocencie of life or if yee want the sword of the spirit which is the word of life or if yee want the girdle of your loynes which is veritie and soundnesse in religion or if yee want your shooes which is a minde prepared and ready to embrace the Gospell of peace or if besides all these things yee be fainting and failing in praier and supplication in the spirit in such parts as these are wanting one or moe yee are disarmed and lie open vnto euery stroke of that enemie which woundeth deadly and euery of whose venewes are as so many stings of death It is the Apostle Iames his aduice Resist the deuill and he will flie from you Iam. 4 7. Would ye then haue your great enemie the deuill to flie from you Yee must not turne your backe and flie from him for hauing no armour as euen now I told you for your backe parts if ye flie he followes and strikes and wounds deadly because there is no armour to keepe backe the force of his stroke If yee will put him to flight yee must stand to him and resist him Now your resistance must be by putting on this armour of God and if the whole armour be not put on the enemie quickly espies his aduantage and there assaults where any part of the armour wants Now will yee know whither to come for this armour of God and where to haue it Come to the word of God and the Gospell of peace there shall yee haue it and there shall ye learne so to put it on that the enemie would he neuer so faine yet shall not be able to hurt you This is that word vnto the reuerent hearing and embracing whereof I doe often exhort you neither can I euer too much exhort you And now againe I tell you that if yee will stand fast in the euill day if yee will be safe from such enemies as wound the soule deadly if yee will as good souldiers so fight that yee will neuer flie then must yee let the word of the Lord dwell in you plentifully for so and so onely yee shall bee mightie through God to cast downe holds and euery thing that exalteth it selfe against God whether it bee the lust of the flesh or the lust of the eyes or the pride of life or whatsoeuer other thing else of the world it be The second lesson which this should teach vs is that if our whole life bee nothing else but a continuall warfare against such mortall enemies then should wee desire to be dissolued and to bee with Christ rather then to continue still in such a vale of miserie where there is continuall fighting After a sore and sharpe fight at Sea or at Land continued by the space of seuen or eight houres or happily a whole day together would wee blame them if then they did desire rest or rather would wee not maruell at them if then they should not desire rest Now the fight which wee maintaine against our spirituall enemies is not onely for the space of certaine houres or dayes but for dayes and nights euen for the whole tearme and course of our life Should it not then seeme a thing maruellous and strange that wee should not desire peace and to haue our warfare at an end Yet who is he that is not loth to lay downe his house of clay Who is hee almost that when death knockes at his doore would not liue a little longer if hee might Yet let mee not here be mistaken for I doe not say this as if I liked of this that men should desire to be loosed from the bonds of this life before the time appointed of the Lord come Nay let the children of
more then hee hath put them in minde of but his meaning is that if they thinke not as he doth touching the points mentioned but differ from him in iudgement yet God will also reueale this truth vnto them as he hath done other truths My note hence in briefe is that we are to take heed how we take things vpon the credit of the ancient Fathers The Lord is greatly to be blessed for them and it is with all thankfulnesse to be acknowledged that they by their godly labours haue greatly profited Gods Church But yet their words and the senses which they giue of the Scriptures are to be weighed in the ballance of the Sanctuarie and to be examined according to the Scriptures For this by examination we shall finde that diuers times they misse the meaning of the holy Ghost and sometimes they plainly alter the words of the holy Ghost This place giueth euident witnesse vnto both where both the words are so altered and the meaning so missed by this holy Father as that in both he swarueth from the holy Ghost as before was euidently shewed The more to blame they thâ—â— take a Fathers word for warrant good enough and thinke their plea good if in the exposition of a Scripture or debating of a question they haue the suffrage and liking of one or two Fathers The second thing which I note is the manner how the Apostle dealeth with such of the Philippians as differed from him in iudgement euen in these points of righteousnesse and saluation He doth not by and by despaire of them or reiect them as heretikes or thunder our sharpe threatnings against them but in all mildnesse of spirit signifieth his hope that God will reueale their errour vnto them that they which now are otherwise minded then he is may be of the same minde that he is But withall we must note what manner men they were with whom the Apostle dealt thus kindly They were no such men as wilfully opposed themselues against the truth or such as were so vtterly bewitched that they would not obey the truth but such as hauing not long since embraced the truth by his preaching were now a little seduced and drawne aside by such false teachers as were crept in amongst them Whence I obserue that we are for a time to beare with the ignorance of our weake brethren and to reteine a good hope of them though they doe not wholly subscribe vnto that truth which we embrace This also our Apostle teacheth vs to doe where he saith Rom. 15.1 We which are strong ought to beare the infirmities of the weake and not to please our selues we which are strong in knowledge in faith in hope or any good grace of God ought â—o beare with such of our brethren as doe yet come short of vs â—n any such grace neither ought we so to please our selues â—herein as to be puft vp in our selues and to contemne others â—ut being lowly in our owne eyes we are to hope that God will â—ake their darknesse to be light and supply what wanteth in â—heir weaknesse And much to the same purpose is that his exâ—ortation where he saith Brethren Gal. 6.1 if a man be fallen by occaâ—ion into any fault yee which are spirituall restore such a one with â—he spirit of meeknesse if a man be fallen by occasion of his â—lesh of the world of the Deuill or of any instrument of Saâ—an into any fault either of doctrine or of manners yee which â—re spirituall yee which are more strongly susteined by the â—pirit of God restore such a one with the spirit of meeknesse â—nd labour to bring him vnto that truth in doctrine or holinesse of life from which he was fallen Which sheweth that we are not to giue ouer for forlorne those that are holden with some error but rather that we are for a time to beare with â—hem and to hope that the Lord will bring them vnto the â—nowledge of the truth And see what great reason there is to moue vs hereunto Did we not all sit in darknesse and in the shadow of death Were we not all ignorant of the waies of God and of the things that belong vnto our peace Yes surely vntill the day-starre euen the sunne of righteousnesse arose in our hearts our mindes were full of darknesse and the way of truth we knew not For as the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 2.14 The naturall man whose vnderstanding is not yet cleared by Gods spirit perceiueth not the things of the spirit of God but they are foolishnesse vnto him Hath then the Lord in his great mercy towards me made my darknesse to be light and brought me to the knowledge of his truth and shut him as yet vp in darknesse and in ignorance Or hath the Lord brought vs both to the knowledge of his truth and hath he suffered him by occasion to fall from the way of truth and susteined me by the strength of his holy spirit And shall I in either of these cases insult ouer him contemne or disdeine him determine or iudge rashly of him to be a forlorne man an Atheist a reprobate Or am I not rather bending the knees of my soule vnto the Lord for his mercies towards me to hope that in his good time he will lighten his vnderstanding that was shut vp in ignorance or raise him vp againe that was fallen and in the meane time to beare with the ignorance of the one and the error of the other Yes my brethren so long as their ignorance of the truth is vntainted with cankred malice against the truth we may hope that the Lord will call them at the sixt or ninth or some good houre and reueale his holy truth vnto them and in the meane time we are to beare with them and to support one another through loue And for this cause the holy Apostles when the word which they preached was vnto them that heard them as water powred vpon a stone yet ceased not to instruct them with all patience hoping that God would reueale the things vnto them which as yet were hâ—â— from their eyes This then should teach vs not to despaire of them vnto whom the Lord hath not yet reuealed some part of his truth nor to withhold from them such wholesome instructions and admonitions as may draw them from that ignorance or error wherewith they are holden but in all godly sort to labour with them prouing if at any time God will open their eyes that they may turne from darknes vnto light from the power of Satan vnto God The Minister is after the example of our Apostle to instruct with all patience them that be ignorant and them that be contrarily minded in that truth of Christ Iesus which hee hath learned and to deale with them to be like minded as he is and if they be otherwise minded yet to labour with them and to hope that God will reueale the truth vnto them Others likewise whose eyes the Lord
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
preached and taught vnto you â—nd they whomsoeuer the Lord hath blessed with such Teaâ—â—ers as go in and out before them in soundnesse of doctrine â—â—d holinesse of life let them take heede how they follow 〈◊〉 their example and hearken vnto their voice If yee shall â—osely and cunningly seeke their disturbance to withdraw our selues from the light and easie yoke of hearkening vnto â—â—em and following them your iudgement shall bee iust â—hatsoeuer it shall be But blessed shall ye be if ye hearken â—â—to their voice and so walke as yee haue them for an â—â—sample LECTVRE LXVIII PHILIP 3. Vers 18. For many walke of whom I haue often told you and now tell you weeping that they are the enemies 〈◊〉 the crosse of Christ NOw follow the reasons to moue the Philippiaâ—â— to hearken vnto his exhortation which was to be followers of him and to looke on such as walked so as they had him for an ensample For many walke c. This is the first reason which the Apostle vseth to moue the Philippians to hearken vnto his exhortation His reason ye see is drawne from a contrarie example and the danger that followeth such walking as these many vse which he speaketh of Why then would the Apostle haue the Philippians to follow his example and the example of such as walked as he did Because there were many ill walkers whose example if they followed they were to looke for the like end that is destined vnto them euen damnation such as were those whom in the beginning of this Chapter he called dogges euill workers the concision whom hee now againe describeth by fiue notes As 1. thâ—â— they are the enemies of the crosse of Christ 2. That their end is damnation 3. That their God is their belly 4 That their glory is to their shame 5. That they minde earthly things In that he saith many walke hee signifieth the more danger of them because they are many Againe in that hee saith that he had often told them of them hee signifieth both his owne continuall care ouer them and the greatnesse of the danger by those euill walkers which caused him so often to tell them of them Againe in that he now tells them of theâ— weeping he signifieth both his owne intire affection towards them and likewise his griefe and sorow of heart that eitheâ— there should be any such enemies of the Gospell to trouble them or that they should giue any eare vnto them Againe in that he noteth them to be the enemies of the Crosse of Christ he signifieth their corruption in doctrine and in life In doctrine for that by vrging the necessity of circumcision and the workes of the Law vnto righteousnesse and saluation they made the crosse of Christ to bee of no effect and abolished the worke of our redemption by Christ Iesus For Gal. 2.21 as the Apostle saith if righteousnesse be by the Law which these men taught then Christ died without cause In life for that they would not suffer persecution for the crosse of Christ and therefore applied themselues to the humour of the Iewes and preached vnto them circumcision and the law In both these then that by their doctrine they detracted from the merits of Christ his Crosse and redemption by his bloud and auoided to suffer persecution for the crosse of Christ the smart whereof they felt that sincerely preached Christ crucified in both these I say they shewed themselues to be enemies vnto the crosse of Christ Againe in that he noteth their end or reward for the recompence of such their walking to be damnation or destruction he signifieth how needfull it is for the Philippians if they feare their end to feare likewise so to walke as they do so to beleeue and liue as they doe Againe in that he noteth their God to be their belly he signifieth what principally they respected in preaching of Christ namely their profit their pleasure and their ease They preached Christ not sincerely and purely for Christ his sake but with reference to please others and to seeke their owne good Inasmuch therefore as they were louers of pleasure of profit of ease more than louers of good the Apostle saith that their God was their belly that being each mans God which he best loueth Again in that he noteth their glory to be to their shame he signifieth either that they glory in those things as in circumcision and the ordinances of Moses whereof they ought rather to bee ashamed as some thinke or that the vaine glory and estimation which they seeke after amongst men neglecting the true glory of Christ Iesus shal turne to their confusion and shame as I rather thinke the words to be vnderstood Lastly in that he noteth them to minde earthly things he signifieth their study and delight and all their affections to be set on honours wealth friends commodities and the things which are on the earth and not on the things which are aboue So that 〈◊〉 we marke it as in the whole there is a generall reason to moue the Philippians to follow him and such as he was because of many false Teachers which walke inordinately so in each point of this generall reason as it is set down there is a seuerall reason to the same purpose For why would he haue them to follow his example and the example of such aâ— hee was Because many walked to and fro Which sheweth that they might easily fall vpon those which were bad being many of whom he had told them often which sheweth as his care so the greatnesse of the danger if they should fall vpon them follow them and of whom now when he wrote this Epistle to them he told them weeping which shewes as his affection towards them so his griefe that either there should be such or that they should hearken vnto such that they are the enemies of the crosse of Christ derogating from the merits of Christ his crosse and auoiding persecution for the crosse of Christ whose end is damnation which may iustly feare any from following them whose God is their belly which sheweth that they seeke their owne and not that which is Iesus Christs whose glory is to their shame which sheweth the confusion that shall come vpon that estimation which they seeâ—e after amongst men which minde earthly things which sheweth their worldly mindes and earthly cogitations Euery oâ— which seuerall points ought to stand for a reason with the Philippians to moue them to hearken to hi exhortation And now that we see the meaning and force of these words in this reason of the Apostle let vs also see what notes we may gather hence for our owne vse and instruction The first thing I note is that the Apostle saith hee told them often of these enemies of the crosse of Christ whereof he now telleth them And so in the beginning of this chapter he said that it grieued him not to write the same things vnto them whereof before he had
many which made merchandize of the word of God many which were disobedient and vaine talkers and deceiuers oâ— mindes How often doth Iohn complaine of many Antichrists many false Prophets Nay in what age hath not the litle flocke of Christ liued in the middest of a naughty and crooked nation beset with a world of wickednesse and wicked men Where Christ hath his Church there the Deuilâ— hath more then a chappell euen 500 synagogues his instruments to worke his will so farre as they can So that if wee follow the most we shall commonly follow the worst A good hold then haue they of it that make this to be one of the notes of their Church Christ calls his Church a litle flocke and Esay calls it a litle remnant and Ieremie a small â—eede But well may shee stand on her multitude that hath made all nations drunken with the wine of the wrath of her fornications and so let her doe till the smoke of her burning ascend But why or whence is it that we in our ordinarie life stand so much vpon the multitude What more common amongst vs then to say that we will doe as the most doe we will not single our selues from the rest c Nay is not that profane and wicked speech often heard amongst vs that it is good going with companie though it be to the Deuill But beloued our God hath taught vs another lesson Exod. 23.2 Thou shalt not saith he follow a multitude to doe euill neither agree in a controuersie to decline after many to ouerthrow the truth And our Apostle here tells vs that many walke that are the enemies of the crosse of Christ but we may not walke after them but after him and such as he is For we are not to looke how many doe walke thus and thus but who walke as they should not how many walke in this or that way but what the way is wherein they doe walke And though all the rest bow the knee to Baal yet we may not though all the nations of the earth fall downe before the beast and worship yet may not we What if in an election of an officer and magistrate the rest or farre the greater part consent vpon an vnfit man yet may not I. O but I shall make my selfe odious if I single out my selfe from the rest and preuaile neuer a whit Yea but good Prophet Michaiah stood vpon no such points 1 Reg. 22. but that though hee should by standing single against 400 false prophets become odious vnto Ahab the King and all the Prophets and not preuaile yet he spake the truth Here I haue a good example I must walke as I haue him for an ensample And so generally let vs not looke how many doe thus or how we may preuaile if we single our selues but let vs doe as we ought whatsoeuer come of it and howsoeuer all do otherwise Et hoc sciamus fortiorem esse qui pro nobis est quam qui contra nos sunt omnes And this let vs know that he is stronger who is for vs then all they who are against vs. LECTVRE LXIX PHILIP 3. Verse 18.19 That they are the enemies of the crosse of Christ whose end is damnation whose God is their belly c. THus farre we haue already proceeded in this first reason of the Apostles which he vsed to moue the Philippians to follow him and such as he was for many walke of whom I haue told you often and now tell you weeping c. Now follow the fiue notes whereby the Apostle describeth these many walkers of whom he had told them often and now told them weeping The first note whereby he describeth them is that they are the enemies of the crosse of Christ Which branch of his reason might well stand for a sufficient reason with the Philippians to moue them not to walke after these but to follow him and to walke so as they had him for an ensample Now the Apostle calleth them the enemies of the crosse of Christ in two respects 1. Because by vrging the necessitie of circumcision and the workes of the law vnto righteousnesse and saluation they made the crosse of Christ to be of none effect and abolished the worke of our redemption by the bloud of Christ Iesus 2. Because they would not suffer persecution for the crosse of Christ and therefore applied themselues to the humor of the Iewes and preached vnto them circumcision and the law For thus both in doctrine detracting from the merits of Christ his crosse and redemption by his bloud and likewise in life following after carnall securitie and auoyding persecution for Christ crucified they shewed themselues to be enemies vnto the crosse of Christ Hence then I obserue who they be that be the enemies of the crosse of Christ namely they that in their doctrine detract from the merits of Christ his crosse and the worke of our redemption by the bloud of Christ Iesus finished vpon the crosse and they likewise that in their life follow after carnall delicacie and flie persecution for the crosse of Christ for Christ crucified euen both these sorts of men are enemies vnto the crosse of Christ For touching the first sort of men must not they needs be counted the enemies of the crosse of Christ that in their doctrine make the crosse of Christ to be of none effect And doe not they in their doctrine make the crosse of Christ to be of none effect that teach righteousnes redemption or saluation to be any otherwise then by the onely merits of Christ his crosse and faith in his bloud The Apostle saith if righteousnesse be by the Law that is Gal. 2.21 if we may be made righteous by any worke which we can doe according to the law by the feare of God the loue of God the loue of our neighbour or any thing commanded in the morall law of God then Christ died without a cause and in vaine For to this end as the Apostle sheweth Rom. 8.3.4 God sent his Sonne in the similitude of sinfull flesh and for sinne condemned sinne in the flesh that the righteousnesse of the Law might be fulfilled in vs. Where the meaning is that therefore Christ was sent to fulfill all righteousnesse in our flesh and to die for vs because we were vnable to fulfill the law to be made righteous by it or to saue our soules from death For if we had beene able to purchase righteousnes by our owne workes or to saue our soules from death then what needed Christ to haue come in the flesh or to haue died for vs It had beene in vaine and vnprofitable They then that teach righteousnesse to be by the law or any thing that we can doe they make the death of Christ and his resurrection his victorie his kingdome his glory himselfe vnprofitable and of none effect and so are enemies of the crosse of Christ So againe the Apostle saith yee are abolished from
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
of Vines Who saith the Apostle planteth a vineyard and eateth not of the fruit thereof How much more should they that plant and worke in the Lord his vineyard eate of the fruits of their owne labours Thirdly by an argument taken from them that are occupied about cattell Who saith the Apostle feedeth a flocke and eateth not of the milke of the flocke How much more should they that feede the Lord his flocke with the sincere milke of the word be fed by them with temporall food Fourthly by an argument taken from the testimonie of Moses where he saith 9. Thou shalt not muzzell the mouth of the oxe that treadeth out the corne for that was the fashion in Palestina how much lesse should their mouth be muzled maintenance be denied them that labour in the Lord his husbandrie Fiftly by comparing spirituall things with temporall things 11. If saith he we haue sowen vnto you spirituall things is it a great thing if we reape your carnall things that is things necessarie for the maintenance of this life Sixtly by an argument taken from the allowance of the Priests of the old Law 13. Do ye not know saith the Apostle that they which minister about the holie things 14. eate of the things of the Temple and they which waite at the Altar are partakers of the Altar so also hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the Gospell should liue of the Gospell Thus ye see a large proofe of this point in that one place by many arguments Many other places there are pregnant also to this purpose Galat. 6.6 as when it is said Let him that is taught in the word mâ—ke him that hath taught him partaker of all his goods as also where it is said 1. Tim. 5.17 The Elders that rule well are worthy of double honour especially they which labour in the word and doctrine by which terme of double honour many do vnderstand reuerence and things necessarie for the maintenance of this life The point is so cleare that to doubt of it is to doubt of the truth of the Scriptures which in so many places giue so euident testimony thereunto Which may serue to admonish many of vs of a necessarie duty wherein we vse great slacknes Some of vs can be very well content neither to be taught in the word not to giue any maintenance to the Preachers of the word And these are men altogether senslesse without all feeling of God or godlines in whose hearts the day-starre of righteousnes hath not yet risen that they should know or thirst after the things that belong vnto their peace Others of vs could be better content a great deale to giue something to stay the Ministery of the word that so we might continue in our ignorance and sleepe in our sinnes then to haue the word preached vnto vs. And these are men not sicke but dead in sinne desperately wicked and vnto euery good worke reprobate Others of vs can be content to hearken to them that labour in the word and doctrine and that they should preach often but care not how little to heare of allowance toward their maintenance If they speake of the Ministers duty of the assiduitie and diligence which they ought to vse of the necessitie that lieth vpon them to preach the Gospel of the woe that is vnto them if they do not preach the Gospel we like them well and commend them much But if they speake of their owne maintenance of their allowance due on our parts vnto them what say we then Then forsooth they tell their owne tales they preach for themselues Math. 10.8 Nay we can dispute very wel against them out of the Scriptures in this point and tell them that freely they haue receiued and freely they must giue 2. Thess 3.8 and that Paul laboured with his owne hands because he would not be chargeable to them whom he taught But see how herein we deceiue our selues He that saith Freely ye haue receiued freely giue doth he not immediately after say that the workeman is worthie of his meate What then doth our blessed Sauiour crosse himselfe God forbid And yet either we must say so or else that the former words make nothing against the maintenance of Ministers especially the latter words being both so plaine in themselues and likewise alledged by the Apostle for the Ministers maintenance 1. Tim 5.18 For the meaning then of those words first I say that they are to be vnderstood of working miracles which gift as the Lord freely bestowed on his Apostles and Disciples for a time for the better gaining of men vnto the faith so he would haue them freely shewed forth vpon men that as Elizeus the Prophet could by no meanes be wrought to receiue any thing of Naaman the Syrian for healing his leprousie so whatsoeuer sickenesse they should heale whatsoeuer miracles they should worke they should not be wrought to take any thing for it Secondly if any man shall contend that the words are to be vnderstood of the Lords worke generally that as freely they haue receiued the grace so freely they do the worke then I expound the words by that of the Apostle Peter that they are to feede the flocke of God which dependeth on them 1. Pet. 5.2 caring for it not by constraint but willingly not for filthie lucre but of a readie minde Surely it is no way the meaning of those words that they that labour in that holy worke should be debarred of wages for their labour Neither doth the example of the Apostle labouring with his owne hands at all make against the maintenance of the Ministerie by the Church First he professeth that he wrought with his hands not for that he ought so to do for he proueth that they ought to haue ministred vnto him but that they might haue no exception against him Secondly the example of the Apostle herein is no way to presse vs for that he needed not as we to attend vnto reading but being immediately taught of God and furnished with all knowledge in the third heauen he was able at all times to teach the way of God perfectly though he wrought with labour and trauell night and day But we cannot intend manuarie matters and do the duties of our calling Our duty is to attend vnto reading to exhortation 1. Tim. 4.13 and to doctrine and the Church is to minister vnto vs necessary maintenance How cunningly therefore soeuer we thinke we can dispute against the maintenance of the Minister by the Church yet do we but deceiue our selues therein This is true generally that whatsoeuer we say or dispute we will giue as little to his maintenance as may be we will withhold from him as much as we can we thinke that wel gotten that is saued from them and we thinke euerie little too much that they haue Beloued I haue no cause but to perswade my selfe better things of many of you Onely
the 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