to the letter of the Text and in all simplicitie to deliuer the meaning of the Holy Ghost Their iudgement our Author approued and followed their example opening in these Lectures the simple and most naturally intended sense of the holy Apostle and and thence vrging applying the Obseruations so effectually that many not only of his ordinarie hearers but euen of the Vniuersitie by whom he was much frequented blessed God for the direction and comfort they receiued from his mouth The life of deliuery in him was very powerfull made great impression in his hearers this booke wants that aduaÌ„tage which yet is here supplied because those things which then were only deliuered in the eares of few are here submitted to the eyes of all Touching the Author himselfe I need not say much Altho after a sort he condemned himselfe to obscuritie and affected a priuate and retired life yet he could not hide himselfe from the eyes of the world being generally noted and esteemed for his holines his integrity his learning and grauity his indefatigable paines in the discharge of his ministeriall function his singular wisdome and dexteritie in the gouernment of our Colledge which by Gods blessing vpon his care hath sent forth many learned Ministers into the Church many worthy Gentlemen into the Common-wealth Briefely in his whole conuersation he was so sincere vnrebukeable that by some partly by occasion of these Lectures he was defamed for precisenes Indeede as the times are now the only meanes almost to auoid that reproch is to be notoriously wicked But in few words to wipe of that imputation how much he condemned the iniurious zeale of the Separatists how far he misliked all busie disturbers of the Churches peace quiet still grauely exhorting to calmnesse and moderation how heartily he reuerenced his holy mother the Church of England and how willingly he conformed himselfe to her seemely ceremonies and iniunctions besides his practise he hath so many reuerend graue witnesses as he had familiar acquaintance To say truth he was not of the Laodicean temper nor yet pure in his owne eyes zealous feruent not turbulent contentious a faithfull seruant of God an humble and obedient sonne of the Church an enemy to faction no lesse then to superstition Lastly when the few and euill daies of his pilgrimage were ended as a comfortable death euer followes a conscionable life he patiently meekly endured Gods gentle visitation earnestly longed after his dissolution and to be with Christ which he knew was best of all and at length when the time of his changing was come deuoutly coÌ„mending his soule to the mercy of his redeemer he closed vp his eyes in peace was caried to his graue with honor He now rests from his labors and his works follow him he hath left behind him a blessed memory and a name sweeter then any oyntment This holy monument of his industry I coÌ„mend to thy vse and serious meditation good Christian Reader which fauourably accepted may incourage me to publish other of his labours The Lord Iesus blesse all our indeuours to the building vp of his Church and our owne euerlasting saluation Amen Queenes Colledge Nou. 28. 1617. Thine in the Lord Iesus Christopher Potter A Table Alphabeticall A. ADuersaries of the truth not to to be feared pag. 253. Affliction a gift and grace of God 89. 700. 707. fruits of them 80. 180. Comforts in them 337. 763. 700. whether to be desired pag. 709. Aged Ministers to be respected pag. 492. Allusions approued in the Scripture pag. 592. Ambition a note of false teachers pag. 821. Anabaptists their errour touching oathes pag. 97. Apostates censured pag. 196. 250. Armour of a Christian pag. 512. B. BAptisme duties from it pag. 342. Bodies of men fraile and vile pag. 857. Booke of life pag. 745. Bowing at the name of Iesus pag. 353. Brownists taxed pag. 175. 293. 846. 782. C. CAluin we reuerence yet we no Caluinists pag. 292. 829. Carefulnesse pag. 800. Censures to be charitable pag. 869. Certainty of saluation pag. 402. 749. 724. Circumcision two-folde 597. carnall abolished 602. morall vse of it pag. 605. Charity hopes the best 79. 74â— a worke of Christ pag. 562. Christ the onely gaine 200. in life 203. in death 206. true God 316. his obedience 325. his second comming 796. duties from it 843. his sufferings in soule 329. fruits of his death 330. how exalted 341. all creatures subiect to him 356. the marke of our Christian race 750. his body not euery where 844. it is a true body pag. 862. Christians to bee like minded 289. why 290. how freed from the Law 328. not voyd of passions 538. their courage pag. 253. Church to bee remembred in our prayers 46. not without staine in in this life pag. 286. Company of wicked dangerous pag. 437. Confidence must bee in Christ 627. not in our best workes pag. 637. 661. 649. 657. 666. Contentions disswaded pag. 299. Contentation in all estates pag. 877. 921. Corporal presence in the Sacrament pag. 225. Couetousnesse pag. 880. Crosse of Christ 812. enemies of it ibid. D. DEacons described pag. 4. Death may bee desired 215. how 216. why 217. not to bee feared 219. 221. a mercy of God to the faithfull pag. 532. Diuels subiect to Christ pag. 361. Distrustfull care 802. reasons against it ibid. Dissentions obiected to vs answered 291. 786. causes of them 780. remedies pag. 782. Doubting of saluation a doctrine false and vncomfortable pag. 183. 195. 402. 724. Drunkennesse pag. 826. E. EArthly desires pag. 825. Elections pag. 906. Enemies to the crosse of Christ pag. 810. Equity and moderation vrged 774. â—ules for it pag. 779. Erasmus his iudgement of Luther pag. 591. 621. Exhortations whether they doe infâ—â—â—e 〈◊〉 pag. 398. 732. Exaltâ—tion â—f Chr st pag. 348. Exampâ—â—s â—â—â—â—tion pag. 790. Expeâ—â—â—â—ntall knowledge in the word necâ—ssâ—ry pag. 124. F. FA th commended 252. a gift of God 26â— by it are wee assured of saluâ—tion 403. how it iustifies pag. 678. Faithfulâ—â—sse pag. 919. Faul s how to be noted pag. 734. Fâ—lse teachers dogâ— 583 to beware of them 587. notes of them pag. 589. 814. Feare seruile an â—â—filâ—all 406. motiues to this laâ—â—er pag. 411. Fellowship in he Goâ—pell a blessing pag. 37. Flocke their duties to their Pastor pag. 231. Freewill conâ—uted pag. 72 398. 415. 731. 893. Friends their duty pag. 54. Fulfilling of the Law pag. 888. G. GOds immutability the ground of our perseuerance 63. hee the authour of all good 68. 416. deliuers out of troubles 190. prouidence ouer his 791. his glorie cheefely to be aimed at pag. 226. Good workes See Workes Good report to be desired pag. 843. Gospell of Christ a great blessing pag. 49. 650. Grace 4. author of it 5. effects pag. 22. 26. Grauity of carriage pag. 832. H. HEalth a mercy of God pag. 530. Hearers of the word their duty pag. 374. Heretikes contentious pag. 300. Hope a vertue necessary in Christians
other places of his Epistles he teaches vs a quite contrary doctrine By grace saith the Apostle are yee saued through faith and that not of your selues Eph. 2.8.9 it is the gift of God not of workes lest any man should boast himselfe In which place see I beseech you how the Apostle setteth downe the grounds of our saluation Grace there is the first ground of our saluation It is God that iustifieth â— saueth vs saluation is his gift as the Apostle here saith â—ut why doth God saue vs Surely in respect of our selues we â—â—e saued freely by his grace according to his mercy In reâ—pect of Christ indeed we are saued by the merits of his death â— passion He hath brought vs with a great price euen with the â—rice of his own precious bloud which he shed for the remissiâ—n of our sins But we our selues haue no part in this paiment â— respect of our selues we are freely through the exceeding â—ches of his fauour and grace towards vs saued Faith that is he next occurent in our saluation Rom. 8.3 by grace we are saued through â—aith For faith is that hand whereby we take hold on saluation â—eached vnto vs by grace Here then yee see how saluation is â—oth giuen taken giuen by God taken by vs. It is giuen â—y God by grace it is taken by vs by faith What then haue â—e no part in the purchase of our saluation No surely faith whereby we are saued and saluation it selfe they are the gift of God What haue our works no interest in the meriting of our saluation No by grace we are saued through faith not any way of our selues nor of our works Why lest any man should boast himselfe For as the same Apostle reasoneth Rom. 4.2 if Abraham were iustified by works he hath wherein to reioyce but not with God Why not with God because to him that worketh 4. or meriteth by his works the wages is not counted by fauour but by debt And â—herefore in another place thus he reasoneth if of grace 11.6 then â—ot of works else were no more grace but if of works then no â—ore of grace or else were worke no more worke So that when the Apostle here saith that by grace we are saued it is euen thereby plaine that we are not saued by our works yet he putteth downe both saying that we are saued by grace not of workes Againe in his Epistle to Tatus Tit. 3.5 God saith he our Sauiour hath saued vs not by the workes of righteousnes which we had done but according to his mercy c. Where againe you see the author of our saluation is God our Sauiour the cause which moueth God to saue vs his mercy not our good works I might here likewise produce the whole disputation of our Apostle in his Epistles to the Romanes and to the Galathians where at large he disputeth the question and plainely resolueth that we are iustified and saued freely by grace through faith in Christ his bloud and not by our works wrought according to the as But I purpose not any large discourse vpon this point By the which already hath beene said yee see how the Apostle is other of his Epistles teacheth cleane another doctrine thâ—â— saluation by works For he teacheth that we are saued freely by grace through faith not of our selues not of works 〈◊〉 out the works of the law How then is the Apostle contrary to himselfe Doth â—e here did vs worke our saluation as if by our works we might merit our saluation and elsewhere tell vs that our saluation a not of works but of grace God forbid that we should so sâ—â— or thinke The spirit whereby the Apostle spake both here and elsewhere is alwaies one and the same and is not changed He is the spirit of truth and directed the Apostle his tongue and pen into all truth so that he is not any where contrary to himselfe but here as elsewhere deliuereth the same truth Looke we then a litle into the words and into the meaning of the words in this place of the Apostle Here then we are to note 1. that it is not simply said worke your saluation buâ— worke out or finish or make an end of your owne saluation For the word here vsed doth properly signifie not simply to workâ— but to worke out to finish to make an end of a thing So it is vsed by the Apostle where he saith Take vnto you the whole armor of God Eph. 6.13 that yee may be able to resist in the euill day and hauing â—â—nished all things stand fast Againe when it is said worke 〈◊〉 or finish or make an end of your owne saluation by saluation is not meant as often else where that price of our high calling that crowne of immortalitie which at the end of our race is laâ—â— vp for him that ouercommeth and continueth vnto the end but by saluation is meant the whole course of a godly life which leadeth vnto saluation So that when he saith Make an end of your saluation he doth exhort vs thus much in effect that as we haue entred the race of righteousnes which leadeth vnto saluation so we would runne on in the same race vnto the end and fully finish our course in doing such good workes as God hath ordeined that wee should walke in them The thing then which hence is to bee noted from our Apostle touching good works is not the merit of our saluatiâ—â— by our works but that good works are the way which God â—â—th ordeined vs to walke in and in doing whereof he would â—ue vs to finish the whole course of our life And this we do â—ost gladly teach euery where and beat vpon in all our Serâ—ons and in all our exhortations Onely we are carefull to â—â—ch you the truth touching good works namely that they â—e not the causes of but the way which leadeth vnto saluatiâ—â— Saluation it is the gift of God giuen vs by Iesus Christ â—â—rough faith in his name So our Sauiour himselfe telleth vs â—â—ing My sheepe heare my voice Job 10.27.28.17.2 and I giue vnto them eternall â—e For as it is another place God gaue him power ouer all â—sh that he should giue eternall life to all them that beleeue in him â—â—luation then is the gift of God giuen by Christ through â—â—th in him it is not any way caused or merited by our works â—t good works are the way which God hath ordeined vs to â—â—ke in vnto saluation And this is plainely proued out of â—e places before alledged for the Apostle in the place to the â—phesians hauing set that downe that we are saued by grace â—â—rough faith not of workes Eph. 2.8.9.10 immediatly after he telleth vs that â— are the Lord his workmanship created vnto good works which â—â—d hath ordeined that we should walke in them Likewise in the â—ace to Titus hauing set that downe that God hath
But we see he vsed no such speech but as it pleased the Lord to vse these meanes in restoring him to health so he with all thankfulnes vsed the meanes and was restored vnto health Let vs therefore know that it is the Lord onely that deliuereth from death and restoreth vnto life and health and that this he doth sometimes without meanes and most commonly by meanes Let vs therefore in the bed of our sicknesse call vpon the Lord and let vs not neglect the meanes which he hath ordeined for the recouerie of our health Let vs onely trust in the Lord and let vs know that if the meanes be helpfull vnto vs it is because of the Lord his blessing vpon them He blesseth the meanes and therefore we are healed by the meanes so that he healeth and therefore we are healed Now what is the cause wherefore the Lord hauing visited vs with sicknesse doth againe raise vs from the bed of our sicknesse and restore vs vnto health This is not for any thing in our selues but for his owne mercies sake as the Apostle plainely sheweth when he saith but God had mercy on him for it is as if he had said but God for his mercies sake restored him vnto health Whence I gather this note that restoring vnto health is a mercy of the Lord. Which is farther proued vnto vs by that song or psalme of thanksgiuing which Ezechias made after his restoring vnto health where he saith Esay 38.17 Behold for felicitie I had bitter griefe but it was thy pleasure to deliuer my soule from the pit of corruption It was thy pleasure or it was thy loue to deliuer my soule c where that is ascribed to Gods loue whence his mercy floweth which in our Apostle is ascribed vnto Gods mercy So that restoring vnto health is a louing mercy of the Lord. What shall we say then When wicked and vngodly men are restored vnto health is this a louing mercy of the Lord towards them Yes surely â—or albeit so their sinne and consequently their iudgement be increased yet this not comming from this mercy of lengthning their daies but from their owne corrupt nature we are to account that health and life and wealth and whatsoeuer else they haue are temporall mercies of the Lord vpon them Howbeit the mercies of the Lord in restoring his children vnto health and in restoring the wicked vnto health are much different His mercy wherein he restoreth the wicked vnto health is a generall mercy whereby he taketh pitie vpon all men proceeding from such a loue as whereby he maketh his sunne to arise on the euill and the good and sendeth raine on the iust and vniust But his mercy wherein he restoreth his children vnto health is a speciall mercy whereby he taketh pitie vpon his children proceeding from that loue wherewithall he loueth vs in Christ Iesus by that the wicked are only restored vnto bodily health by this the children of God are so restored vnto bodily health that farther in soule they are more quickned then before by that the iudgement of the wicked is increased for that they abuse their health whereunto in mercy they are restored vnto the dishonor of God by this Gods name is more glorified in his children for that they vse their health whereunto in mercy they are restored to the praise of the glory of Gods grace In a word by that the wicked are made more inexcusable by this the children of God are made more fruitfull in good works and more assured of Gods loue Albeit then it be a mercy of the Lord both to the godly and likewise to the vngodly that they are restored vnto health for that the Lord might in iustice haue suffered his rod to lie longer vpon them if he had dealt with them in weight and measure yet is it such a speciall mercy proceeding from such a speciall loue which hee vouchsafeth vnto his children in restoring them to health as that the wicked and vngodly haue no part or portion at all therein Is it then such a speciall mercy vnto Gods children that they are restored vnto health Were not death rather a speciall mercy of the Lord vnto them or had not death then beene a speciall mercy unto Epaphroditus Surely it cannot be denied but that it is a speciall mercy of the Lord vnto his children if when he hath exercised them with his rod and prepared them by sicknesse vnto himselfe he take them by death out of the miseries of this life and translate them into the kingdome of his Sonne Ap. 14.13 For so saith the Spirit Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord and why for they rest from their labours and their works follow them They rest from their labors What is that that is by death they are deliuered and freed from such griefes and sorowes and labours and troubles and reuilings and persecutions and hatreds and other manifold calamities wherevnto this life is subiect yea from that grieuious yoke and heauie bondage of sinne which made the Apostle to crie Rom. 7.24 O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer mee from the bodie of this death Againe their works followe them What is that That is their good deeds which they did in the the loue of God and in the loue of his truth after death acompanie them and they receiue that crowne of glory which the Lord in mercie hath promised to all them that loue and feare him walke in his waies So that whether we respect the end of wretched miseries or the perfect fruition of euerlasting happinesse which the children of God haue by death it cannot be denied but death is an especiall mercy of the Lord vnto them And in these respects death then had been a speciall mercy of the Lord vnto Epaphroditus and in these respects I doubt not it was that Paul desired in the former chapter to be dissolued and to be with Christ Phil. 1.23 euen that hee might bee freed from the miseries of this life and that hee might bee ioyned with his head Christ Iesus to raigne with him in his kingdome for euer in the time appointed of the Lord. But as death so likewise life and restoring vnto health is a speciall mercy of the Lord vnto his children because so they are made farther instruments of his glory who hath restored them vnto health For being restored vnto health both they consider the mercifull goodnes towards them and so breake out into his praises who hath done great things for them Esay 38.18 whereas the graue cannot confesse the Lord neither death can praise him but the liuing the liuing as saith Ezechias they confesse him and sing praises vnto his name againe being restored vnto health they consider that the Lord hath reserued them for his farther glory to be manifested in them or by them and therefore their studie and care is so to lead their liues as that Gods name may be glorified in
the Pharisies where he telleth them that the Publicans and harlots shall goe before them into the kingdome of God Matt. 21 31. The meaning is not that the wicked and lewd life of the Publicans and harlots did more commend them vnto God then did the religious and strict life of the Pharisies but thereby our Sauiour giueth them to vnderstand that because of their conceit and confidence in their owne righteousnesse they were further from the kingdome of God then were the greatest sinners that were so that there was more hope of the greatest sinners that were that they would sooner come to repentance and sooner come vnto him then would they that had confidence in their owne workes and in their owne righteousnesse The more confidence then that we haue in our owne workes and in our owne righteousnesse the more strangers wee are from Christ and his righteousnesse If wee cleaue wholly to our workes as thinking to be iustified or saued by them wee are wholly separated from Christ Iesus and haue no part in that saluation which is by grace through faith in his name or if wee cleaâ—â— in part vnto our workes then doe wee diminish the glory of Christ Iesus Nay I say more if wee cleaue in part vnto our workes wee haue no part in Christ or in saluation by him Which I take it is plaine by that of our Apostle verse 3. of this chapter where hee saith Wee reioyce in Christ Iesus aâ—â— haue no confidence in the flesh as if he should haue said If weâ— should haue confidence in the flesh then should wee not reioice in Christ Iesus The conclusion then must needs bee that all our workes by reposing confidence in them how good soeuer they seeme to be are indeed losse and hurtfull vnto vs. For what more hurtfull then to withhold vs from comming vnto Christ vnto these of the Apostle let mee adde a 3. respect wherein also euen all our workes generally are but losse and dung which is in respect of the quality of our works in themselues For if our best workes should be weighed in the ballance of the sanctuarie they would be found too light if they should be examined after the strict rule of Gods iustice they would make vs lift vp our voices with Dauid and say Psa 143.2 enter not into iudgement with thy seruant ô Lord for in thy sight shall no man liuing be iustified Iob. 14.4 For who can bring a cleane thing out of filthinesse there is not one that can do it How good therefore how righteous and holy soeuer we be yet must we know that all our righteousnesse is but as filthy clouts out of the Prophet Es 64.6 Whether therefore we compare our workes and our righteousnesse by workes with the knowledge of Christ and the righteousnesse which we haue by faith in his name or whether we respect the reposing of any part of our confidence in them or whether we respect our workes in themselues if they should be examined by the Law of God we see that they are no vantage but losse and as the Apostle tearmeth them dung Which doctrine how true and likewise how necessary it is the Apostle his insisting and beating vpon it doth euidently shew For ye see that the three seuerall repetitions hereof taketh vp this whole verse almost What then doe we condemne good workes doe we make this account of them that so we may banish them out of the country So some tell you but most vntruely For in all places wee exhort all men that they abound in euery good worke and we giue all encouragement thereunto Wee tell you that good workes are the way which God hath ordained that we should walke in vnto heauen and that without holinesse of life no man shall see the Lord wee tell you that God commandeth them that God rewardeth them that God is well pleased with them and that they are truely good workes though they be not perfectly good workes yea wee tell you that they are accounted vnto vs as perfectly good because whatsoeuer imperfection is in them is for Christ his sake couered and not imputed vnto vs. Thus wee haue learned and therefore thus we tell you Also we tell you that yee are not to repose any confidence of your saluation in them but all in Christ Iesus that they are to bee counted but losse and dung in comparison of the excellent knowledge of Christ Iesus and of his righteousnesse that our workes be they neuer so good doe not make vs righteous before God that wee are saued not of workes but by grace through faith in Christ Iesus and that none of all our workes can abide the seueritie of Gods iudgement much lesse merit any grace at Gods hands Thus also we haue learned and therfore thus also we tell you And doe we condemne good workes because wee teach you the truth touching good workes We desire and we pray that ye may abound in all knowledge and in euery good worke but we are iealous that ye should not grow to an ouerwening conceit of them Good workes must be done but we must not trust to be iustified or saued by them because that honour onely belongeth vnto God Let this teach vs to renounce all confidence in our owne workes and in our owne righteousnesse whatsoeuer and to beware of them that tell vs that our workes are meritorious and worthy of heauen For if wee flatter our selues with a proud and pharisaicall conceit of our owne righteousnesse by our workes Luc. 18.14 we shall depart home iustified as the Pharisie Wâ— must therefore come vnto Christ as the Publican confessing our owne vnrighteousnesse and acknowledging our owne nakednesse in our selues if we will be cloathed with the long white robe of his righteousnesse For hee filleth the hungâ—e with good thingâ— but sendeth away the rich emptie Hee came not to cal or to clothe the righteous in their own conceâ—â— but he iustifieth the wicked and clotheth the naked For hee respecteth the humble and lowly but for the proud he beholdeth them a farre off Let vs therfore humble our selues in our selues and only reioyce in Christ Iesus If we do any thing that is good it is not of our selues but onely from grace and if we receiue a reward for any good that we doe it is not for the merit of the worke but of the mercie of the Lord for we must still hold that rule of our Sauiour that when wee haue done all that we can yet must we say Luc. 17.10 we are vnprofitable seruants we haue done that which was our dutie to doe Now vnprofitable seruants what merit they Or they which onely doe their duty what merit they Surely other merit of any works we know none but of death If therefore we will bee made righteous before God let vs renounce all merit of grace by our owne workes all confidence in our owne righceousnes Let vs abound in euery good worke but
For when we haue done all that we can Christ hath taught vs to say that we are vnprofitable seruants Luc. 17.10 yea when we haue done all things that are commanded vs. And whatsoeuer afflictions we suffer in this present life Rom. 8.18 Paul hath taught vs that they are not worthy of the glory that shall be shewed vnto vs. The merit that we can talke of for our workes Dan. 9.9 Iob. 9.20 is to say with Daniel To vs belongeth open shame and with Iob If I would iustifie my selfe by standing vpon the merit of my workes my owne mouth shall condemne me Iam. 3.2 Esa 64.6 for in many things we sinne all and all our righteousnes euen the very best of it is as filthy clouts How is saluation then a reward due vnto our workes Euen for the promise sake made vnto vs in Christ Iesus For therefore do we claime saluation as due vnto our workes euen because God hath made that promise in Christ Iesus vnto our workes But what was the cause of his promise was it our workes seene or foreseene that they would be of such desert No but of his owne free grace and mercie towards vs according to the good purpose of his will he promised it vnto vs. And therefore the Apostle saith Eph. 2 8. Tit. 3.5 By grace are ye saued through faith not of works lest any man should boast himselfe And againe Not by the workes of righteousnesse which we haue done but according to his mercie he saued vs. Thus we teach and euery where we exhort all men vnto good works and holinesse of life without which no man shall see the Lord. First then here beloued learne you to skill what manner of men they be that charge vs that we preach onely faith but either mention not or else condemne good works Ye see we tell you out of our Apostle here that they shall further your reckoning in the day of Christ Iesus And therefore we beseech you to abound in euery good worke vntill the day of Christ Iesus and know them to be of their father the diuell that say that either we mention not or condemne good works vnto our people Secondly hence learne to acknowledge and to magnifie the great mercy of our God who accepteth that for a furtherance of our reckoning which if he should deale with vs in iustice could stand for no payment for how I pray you stands it We should bring gold for payment into the Lords treasurie But we bring lead and he accepteth it for gold Our best righteousnesse is full of vnrighteousnesse yet doth he accept it What for our righteousnesse sake No for his mercies sake and imputeth vnto vs the righteousnesse of Christ Iesus Let our mouthes therefore alwaies be filled with his praises for such his louing mercies towards vs. Thirdly let this be a sufficient motiue vnto you to stirre you vp vnto charitablenesse and vnto euery good worke for seeing such is their acceptance with God that in that great account they shall further your reckoning what should stay you but that ye should labour to be fulfilled with the fruits of righteousnesse Time cuts me off that I cannot speake of these things and I shall the next time be farther occasioned to speake of them by occasion of the text LECTVRE XCIII PHILIP 4. Verse 18. Now I haue receiued all and am well filled I was euen filled after that I had receiued of Epaphroditus c. NOw I haue receiued all Hitherto we haue heard the Apostles thankfulnesse vnto the Philippians for their care for him and his commendation of them for their liberalitie towards him Now he commendeth their liberality and withall addeth a promise of recompence of reward for their liberality and so concludeth the Epistle with praise and thanksgiuing vnto the Lord. In verse 18 first he signifieth the faithfulnesse of Epaphroditus when he saith Now I haue receiued all all what to wit all that you sent by Epaphroditus For herein he giueth him this testimony that he had receiued the whole summe of him which came from them which it is like they had specified Secondly he commendeth their liberality of the quantitie of it when he saith I haue plentie and am filled For hereby he signifieth that their liberality towards him was not scanted but was such as plentifully supplied his wants such as filled his desires not that the gift which they sent him was so great and magnificent for the Churches of Macedonia were but poore 2 Cor. 8.2 but though it were but small yet such was his contentment as that he was as well satisfied and as fully as the greatest man with his greatest riches Thirdly he commendeth their liberalitie of the acceptablenesse of it vnto God when he saith An odour that smelleth sweete c. For herein by a speech borrowed from sacrifices made by fire for a sweete sauour vnto the Lord he signifieth that their liberality was as acceptable and pleasant vnto God as the sacrifice that smelleth sweete in the nostrils of the Lord. These are the principall points contained in these words and this I take to be the meaning of them Now let vs see what notes we may gather hence for our further vse and instruction The first thing which here I note is the faithfulnesse of Epaphroditus who kept nothing backe of all that the Philippians sent vnto the Apostle but faithfully deliuered whatsoeuer they sent vnto him Whence I obserue a notable patterne of that faithfulnesse which ought to be in al Christians to discharge that trust whatsoeuer it is that is reposed in them euen such should be their faithfulnesse as that they whom it doth concerne may safely giue them this testimonie that they haue discharged the trust that was reposed in them Such was the faithfulnesse of Samuel who when he had asked of the people of Israel Whose Oxe haue I taken 1 Sam. 12.3.4 or whose Asse haue I taken or whom haue I done wrong to or whom haue I hurt or of whose hand haue I receiued any bribe to blinde mine eyes therewith and I will restore it you They said vnto him Thou hast done vs no wrong nor hast hurt vs neither hast taken ought of any mans hand So faithfully he had walked amongst them in all things that they gaue him testimonie of his faithfulnesse before the Lord and before his Annoynted Such faithfulnesse also our blessed Sauiour figureth out vnto vs in the Parable of the seruants vnto one of whom he gaue fiue talents and vnto another two to occupie withall vntill he should returne whence he went and in the end gaue them this testimonie It is well done good seruants and faithfull Mat. 25.15.20 1 Cor. 4.2 ye haue bene faithfull in little I will make you rulers ouer much enter into your Masters ioy And the Apostle telleth vs generally that it is required of the disposers that euery man be found faithfull Be it publique or priuate things for
towards miserable sinners I might instance in the like mercy of the Lord towards Matthew first a Publican afterwards an Euangelist towards Zaccheus first a sinfull man afterwards a notable conuert towards the theefe on the Crosse ere while on the crosse after a while in paradise c. but I will not trouble you with multitude of examples wherein might appeare the riches of Gods great mercies towards great and grieuous sinners Neither let this be any encouragement vnto any man to let loose the reynes vnto sinne because where sinne aboundeth there mercy aboundeth much more for if any man vpon such examples of his mercies shall presume and make bold to sinne let him also know that as the Lord is mercifull so is he also iust and that towards him and such as he is iustice shall triumph ouer mercy Rather let this so louing mercy of the Lord teach vs neither to despaire in our selues nor of others though great sinners for what though we haue omitted such things aâ— we ought to haue done nor onely so but committed such things as we ought not to haue done What if we haue committed incest with Lot or murther and adulterie with Dauid Nay what if we haue beene blasphemers or persecutors with Paul vniust with Zaccheus or theeues with him on the crosse The Lord hath mercy enough for vs in store and others as great sinners as we and ouertaken with the like sinnes haue beene receiâ— vnto mercy Onely let vs acknowledge our sinnes with Dauid Luc. 7.38 weepe for our sinnes with the woman in the gospell obey when the Lord calleth vpon vs with Paul receiue him ioyfully when he commeth vnto vs with Zaccheus and pray feruently vnto him with the theefe vpon the crosse and then assure we our selues we shall be receiued vnto mercy And who knoweth of any but the Lord may giue grace vnto repentance and then surely followeth mercy The Lord his mercies are in his owne dispensing he may when he will and he doth when he seeth it good renue the heart and grant mercy Though therefore the prodigall childe runne a lewde course for a long time yet let vs hope that the Lord will at length giue grace vnto repentance and receiue him vnto mercy Paul and Timotheus The second thing which I note is that the Apostle ioyneth vnto himselfe Timothie aged Paul yong Timothie an excellent Apostle an inferior Minister the author of the Epistle him that onely approued it or at the most wrote it from his mouth and all this to grace and credit Timothie with the Philippians vnto whom he meant shortly to send him as it appeareth by the next chapter vers 19. Whence 1. I obserue a notable example of rare humilitie for a rare and seldom thing it is to be seene superiors to receiue their inferiors into the honor of their labors and to be willing that what honor or fauour may accrew vnto them by their labors may be communicated likewise to their inferiors who had little or no hand in them Nay commonly superiors in authority or learning or otherwise count it a great debasing vnto themselues to be thought to haue had their inferiors to haue ioyned with them in their labours to haue vsed their helpe or to equall them with themselues Yet such was Pauls humilitie that he gladly receiued Timothie a faithfull minister of the gospell but farre inferior vnto him into the honor of his labors and equalled him vnto himselfe as if his hand had been as farre in the writing of this Epistle as was his owne that as they should accept of him for it so they might accept of Timothie also He had learned that lesson well which our blessed Sauiour gaue both him and vs to learne from himselfe Mat. 11.29 saying Learne of me that I am meeke and lowly in heart And himselfe herein gaue the Philippians a good patterne of that wherevnto afterward he exhorteth them Phil. 2.3 that in meeknesse of minde euery man should esteeme others better than himselfe His estimation of Timothy and his lowlinesse of heart are sufficiently witnessed by this his associating of him vnto himselfe but such a selfe-liking hath now possessed men that such humilitie is hardly to be found Euery man likes his owne labors so well and stands so much vpon his reputation that he cannot endure the disgrace that any man should say or thinke that he hath had this or that helpe this or that aduise that he neuer did this or that of himselfe To haue the credit or commendation of any thing well done of our selues we like it well but if any be ioyned in with vs especially our inferiors we make little reckning and oftentimes had as lieue want it as haue it so So far are we from the Apostles humilitie Wherevnto if we will attaine we must not thinke of our selues aboue that is meete wee must thinke of others according to their worth we must not thinke much to receiue others into the honors of our labors and we must make our selues equall to them of lower sort then our selues And this if we doe we shall be good followers of the Apostles humilitie 2. In this ioyning of Timothy vnto himselfe I obserue a good patterne of that care which ought to be had of of the Ministers credit with his people For wherefore did the Apostle ioyne Timothy vnto himselfe He meant to send Timothy shortly vnto the Philippians to instruct them in the waies of God more perfectly as appeareth by the next chapter therfore for the better credit of him in his ministery with them when he shold come vnto them in writing vnto them he receiueth him into the honor of his labors ioyneth him vnto himself So should they doe that are called vnto greater place in the Church then others of their calling They should by all meanes seeke the grace and credit and countenance of the Minister with his people yea whatsoeuer might be for the furtherance of him in his ministery they should with all holy care regard it for the grace we see of the Minister is the grace of his ministery and the more he is countenanced by his superiors the more he preuaileth in his ministery with his people As therefore they would giue testimony of their care of the Church and of the building vp thereof by the ministery of the gospell so they should haue care of the Ministers credit with his people And I wish they would doe so But I passe ouer to that which followeth The third thing which here I note is the title of dignity common to them both whereby both Paul and Timothy are described In the latter to the Corinths and in the epistle to the Colossians the Apostle in the inscription of his Epistles ioynes Timothy to himselfe as here he doth but there in title he seuereth himselfe from Timothy saying Paul as Apostle of Iesus Christ and our brother Timotheus and likewise in the Epistle to Philâ—mon saying Paul
God is constant in his doings so that looke what he beginneth that he finisheth therefore I am perswaded that hee which hath begun this good worke c. Now it is to be noted that the Apostle saith not I am perswaded that God which hath c. but that he which hath begun wherby he implieth that the beginning of that as also indeed of euery good worke was alone from God for if it had been from any other then they should not haue vnderstood him to haue spoken of God when he said that he Againe it is to be noted that the Apostle saith not I am perswaded that you which haue begun well shall also end well but that he which hath begun c. grounding his perswasion not on their vertue and constancie but on the constant immutabilitie of God which had begun a good worke in them Now the good worke which he had begun in them was their embracing of the gospell whereby they had fellowship in the gospell with other Churches which was indeed a speciall good work and such as they that persecute them in whom God hath begun this good worke make but vaine braggs of their good works I am then saith the Apostle perswaded that he that hath begun this good worke in you of embracing the gospell will performe it .i. will confirme and stablish you in it or will finish and perfit it vntill the day of Iesus Christ when he shall come and change your vile bodies that they may bee fashioned like vnto his glorious body for albeit by the day of Christ might be ment the day wherein the faithfull die in Christ yet by the day of Christ I rather vnderstand here the day of Christ his second comming in the flesh in the last day as also it is vnderstood in the next chapter vers 16. because the Apostle speaketh not onely of them that then were at Philippi â—ut of the Church also which afterward should bee there vntill the second comming of Christ Thus much of the sense of the words The first thing then which here I note is the ground of the Apostles confidence of the Philippians perseuerance His ground is not the Philippians vertue and constancie as if now they were so well grounded stablished in the faith that they could not but hold out keep fast their good profession vnto the end but his ground is the constant immutabilitie of God who where he beginneth to worke a good worke there he maketh an end of it Whence I obserue a notable ground of the perseuerance of all Gods faithfull children in that grace wherein they stand and that is this he that hath begun a good worke in them will performe it and confirme them vnto the end To which purpose also there are many other places in the holy scripture as where it is said of Christ Iesus Ioh. 13.1 that forasmuch as he loued his owne which were in the world vnto the end he loued them Whence we take that commonly receiued saying that whom God loueth once he loueth vnto the end And againe where Christ himselfe saith Ioh. 4.14 Whosoeuer drinketh of the water that I shall giue him shall neuer be more a thirst but the water that I shall giue him shall be in him a well of water springing vp into euerlasting life Here is but once drinke and neuer thirst once sanctified by the spirit and neuer vtterly forsaken of the spirit And againe where Iohn saith 1 Ioh. 3.9 whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not namely vnto death and why because the seede of God remaineth in him the spirit of God hauing once seazed vpon him alwaies abideth in him And againe where our Sauiour saith him that commeth to mee I cast not away once come by faith Ioh. 6.37 no feare of forsaking afterward And the reason is plaine for the gifts and calling of God are without repentance Rom. 11.29 He calleth vs by his gospell and giueth vs gifts and graces of his holy spirit not for our owne sakes or for any thing that he seeth or foreseeth in vs for then we might well feare a fall and a change but his gifts are giuen freely by grace according to his good pleasure So that he neuer repenteth of any grace which hee bestoweth vpon vs nor suffereth his mercies to faile from vs for euer but holdeth our soules in life and keepeth vs from the pit of destruction Wherevpon we read that as Dauid hauing had experience of Gods helpe in his deliuerance out of the paw of the Lyon and out of the paw of the Beare afterwards feared not to encounter Goliah but assured himselfe that the Lord that had deliuered him out of the paw of the Lyon 1 Sam. 17.37 and out of the paw of the Beare would also deliuer him out of the hand of that Philistim so the children of God hauing once felt the loue of God in Christ Iesus in their soules and the testimonie of the spirit witnessing vnto their spirits that they were the sonnes of God afterwards feared not the encounters of sinne or Satan but assured themselues that nothing should be able to separate them from the loue of God in Christ Iesus So wee see that our Apostle breaketh out and saith Who shall separate vs from the loue of Christ Rom. 6.35 shall tribulation or anguish or persecution or famine or nakednes or perill or sword Nay I am perswaded that neither death 38. nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come 39. nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall bee able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord And againe I know whom I haue beleeued and I am perswaded that he is able to keepe that which I haue committed vnto him 2 Tim. 1.12 which is my selfe against that day And thus many others of Gods children as vpon other grounds so in assurance of Gods vnchangeable resolution in his doings haue builded a full and assured perswasion of their perseuerance Now we must vnderstand that in perseuerance there be two things which ye may call the parts of it the one is a holy will and desire to perseuere in that grace wherein we stand the other is a reall continuance and continuall persisting in that grace wherein wee stand This reall continuance and continuall persisting in the grace wherein we stand is often in the best of Gods children so abated and diminished that it seemeth vtterly to bee extinguished but that holy will and desire to perseuere the Lord doth neuer suffer vtterly to faile from his children Take for example the holy prophet Dauid and the blessed Apostle Paul did not Dauid in the bitternes of his soule cry Will the Lord absent himselfe for euer Psal 77.7.8.9 88.14.15.16 and will he be no more intreated Is his mercy cleane gone for euer and is his promise come vtterly to an end for euermore Hath
imaginations of the thoughts of mans heart are onely euill continually Gen 6 5. and there is no feare of God before his eyes Rom 3 18. This then is it whâ—ch we say that man before he be renued by the spirit of grace hath no power or faculty at all I say not to worke or doe ought at all for this were indeede to transforme him into a stocke or stone but to doe any thing that is good for it is God and God only that worketh in him both the good will Phil. 2.13 and the good deede euen of his good pleasure He enlightens the eyes of our vnderstanding and corrects our froward wils and then being renued by the spirit we vnderstand the things of the spirit of God and we will the things that are good and we runne the way of Gods commandements but euer with this necessary limitation onely by God Hee maketh vs vnderstand and will and runne as we ought and we vnderstand and will and runne as we ought Here â—hen first learne to beware of such as either tell you that man is able of himselfe to keepe the Law and to merit euerlasting life a grosse and now outwoâ—ne errour I hope or that man is able of himselfe to beginne that is good howsoeuer he be not able to perfit it but by the helpe of the Lord or that man being preuented by grace is then able by the helpe of grace ayding his weake nature to worke out his owne saluation for all these errors as Dagon must needs fall to the ground beâ—ore this testimonie of the spirit and doctrine of the Holy Ghost The Holy Ghost by the mouth of the Apostle saith that it is God which hath begun a good worke in vs and that he which hath begun it will go forward with it and performe it vnto the end What then if a man shall tell you that it is in man both to begin and perfit that which is good Or that it is in man to begin that is good though not to perfit it Or that it is in man by the helpe onely of God to doe that is good Let God be true and euery man a lyer Rom. 3.4 that he may be iustified in his words and ouercome when he is iudged Neither beginning nor ending nor increase of any thing that is good is of our selues as of our selues but he beginneth and he which beginneth performeth and perfiteth and none but he euen God onely It is the meere and onely grace and mercy of God not which aideth our nature being weakned but which changeth it altogether in qualitie bringing vs out of darknesse into light out of the power of Satan vnto God and translating vs from the death of sinne vnto the life of righteousnesse in Christ Iesus It is the meere and onely grace of God not which maketh an end of our saluation alone but wherein our saluation wholy doth consist Let no man therefore through vaâ—ne and flatteâ—ing words deceiue you as if you your selues were somewhat when indeed you are nothing but learne and know and euer hold this for a sure ground that God onely beginneth increaseth and perfiteth our obedience to the gospell and euery good worke in vs. 2. Let the Minister and Preacher of the word hence learne what he may assume vnto himselfe in the fruits of his labors by the worke of his ministery Are his people reconciled vnto God brought vnto the obedience of the gospell begotten in the faith of Christ Iesus grounded and stablished in the truth instructed in the way of God perfitly c. He is not to take this honor vnto himselfe as if he had done these things for this hath God onely done and it is his worke as it is written and they shall be all taught of God Esay 54.13 Ioh. 6.45 If we be taught in the word he hath taught vs by his spirit if wee beleeue in Christ it is his gift by his spirit if we be reconciled vnto God hee hath reconciled vs vnto himselfe by Iesus Christ c. Hee I say doth all things onely not immediatly by himselfe but by the ministerie of his seruants And albeit he because he worketh not by his spirit but by the ministerie of his seruants sometimes vouchsafe them this honor that they beget men through the gospell and that they saue them that heare them yet is this onely his worke and onely vouchsafed by him vnto them because in this worke he vseth the worke of their ministerie Let not the Minister then dare to assume vnto himselfe that honor which onely belongeth vnto the Lord. This is his honor that in the great worke of mans saluation he vseth his ministerie and by him as his instrument worketh what he will Let this therefore be his glory and reioycing that the Lord by his meanes will saue his people and bring them to that inheritance which lasteth for euer in the heauens and let him so speake as his Minister out of his word that so he may be indeed a meanes to turne many to righteousnes 3. Hence you may learne in what account and regard yee are to haue the Ministers of Christ Iesus True and most true it is as already yee haue heard that God onely beginneth euery good worke in vs and likewise confirmeth and strengthneth vs and maketh vs to abound therein more and more But he doth it as also yee haue heard by their ministerie whom he hath separated for the gathering together of the Saints and for the edification of the body of Christ Ye are therefore so to thinke of vs as of the ministers of Christ and disposers of the secrets of God by whom he hath appointed to open your eyes that yee may turne from darknes to light and from the power of Satan vnto God that ye may receiue forgiuenesse of sinnes and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith in Christ Iesus by whom he hath appointed to reueale his will vnto you and to fill you with the graces of his holy spirit and by whom he hath appointed to bring to passe all the good pleasure of his will in you And if any man thinke not thus of vs it is because he knoweth vs not neither him that hath sent vs nor what great works the Lord worketh what great mercies the Lord sheweth vnto his children by vs. But let this for this time serue to stirre vp and to warne your pure mindes that yee so thinke of vs as yee ought and as it becommeth them that are taught in the word to haue them which labour among you and admonish you in singular loue and reuerence for their works sake The third thing which here I note is that the Apostle saith that he was perswaded that he that had begun this good worke of embracing the gospel in them would performe it vntill the day of Iesus Christ or as he speaketh to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 1.8 would confirme them in it vnto the end that
saued vs Tit. 3.5 â—e by the works of righteousnesse which we had done but accordiâ—g to his mercy immediatly after he speaketh thus vnto Titus 8. is I will that thou shouldest affirme that they which haue beleeued God might be carefull to shew forth good works By which plaâ—es it doth appeare that howsoeuer our good works are not â—e cause or the meanes of our saluation yet they are that way â—hich leadeth vnto saluation yea and that way wherein if â—e doe not walke we cannot be saued So saith our Sauiour â—imselfe Euery branch that beareth not fruit in me Joh. 15.2 the Father taâ—eth away and it is cast into the fire and burnt He doth not say â—uery plant that is not planted in me albeit that likewise be â—ost true but euery branch that beareth not fruit in mee What fruit Euen the fruit of the spirit which is in all goodnes Eph. 5.9 righteousnes truth as the Apostle speaketh Euery branch â—hat beareth not such fruit in me he is taken away and cast into the fire and burnt To like purpose is that of the Apostle where he saith Heb. 12.14 Follow peace with all men and holinesses without the which no man shall see the Lord. And to the like purpose now many places might and ordinarily are by vs produced in our Sermons Here then first I beseech you learne to beware of such a traduce vs and the doctrine which wee preach as if by preaching of faith wee had banished good workes and as if wee were so farre from exhorting men to good workes in our Sermons that either we mention them not or condemne theâ— for such there are that are not ashamed to say that now we are afraid to handle the doctrine of good workes that we have preached saluation by faith so long that wee haue banished good workes out of the Country that either wee dare 〈◊〉 speake of good workes or if we doe yet so coldly that as good neuer a whit as so barely and coldly But beware of such for hauing their foolish hearts seduced to beleeue lies they speake euill of the way of truth which they know not and of â— whom either they will not at all heare or with such enchanted eares that they peruert whatsoeuer things are spoken vnto their owne destruction Such if they would they might heare and know that these are false suggestions wherein they slander vs and the truth which wee teach For we preach both faith and workes and in all places wee exhort all men that they abound in euery good worke But why is it that theâ— thus traduce vs and our doctrine Forsooth because we teach that our workes are no causes of our saluation And are wee then thus to be traduced because wee tell you the truth Wee tell you that which the Scriptures haue taught vs and wee bring with vs the euidence thereof to confirme that which we teach Wee dare not challenge any part of our saluation aâ— due vnto our workes because all the honour thereof belongeth vnto the Lord whose free gift it is according to his mercie But the way wherein God hath ordained vs to walke vnto saluation we say is holinesse of life without which no man shall see the Lord. This the Scriptures teach vs this we teach you beware therefore of such deceiuers as tell you otherwise Againe if good workes be the way which God hath ordaiâ—â— vs to walke in and if without holinesse of life no man â— I see the Lord then walke with God as Henoch did in hoâ—â—esse and righeousnesse You beleeue in Christ Iesus shew â—th the fruits of your faith your workes must testifie your â—â—h both vnto your selues and vnto vs for it is a vaine and â—ead faith where no fruits of holinesse of life doe follow â—ree is knowne by his fruit a good tree bringeth forth good it and a corrupt tree bringeth forth euill fruit As many â—re lead by the spirit of God they walke after the spirit and â—y bring forth the fruits of the spirit Beloued God hath â—t a time wherein to trie the faith and religion of such as hee â—h enabled to doe some good vnto his children Now hee â—â—keth that wee should shew forth the fruits of faith and the â—ens of religion by shewing mercy and compassion vpon 〈◊〉 poore afflicted and distressed brethren Pure religion Iam. 1.27 and defiled before God euen the Father is this that wee visit the faâ—lesse and widowes in their aduersitie and that wee keepe our â—es vnspotted of the world If therefore there be any faith if â—re be any religion if there be any bowels of compassion in â—â— withdraw not your morsels from the poore nor your reâ—â—fe from the needie According to that where withall God â—â—h blessed you be it small or great bee ready to doe good â—â—d to distribute laying vp for your selues a good foundation heauen Blessed is he whom the Ioines of the poore in their â—uersitie blesseth Generally this I exhort that yee studie to â—e soberly righteously and godly in this present world and glorifie God by the holinesse of your conuersation for â—ow this that whom God hath iustified forgiuing their sins â—d iniquities them also hath hee sanctified that they serue â—n in holinesse and in righteousnesse and whom hee hath â—actified them also and them only he glorifieth in the king â—â—me of his Sonne As he then which hath called you is holy be yee holy in all manner of conuersation Hereby yee â—ll know that yee are the sonnes of God if yee walke as hee â—â—th walked and keepe his commandements And this is a â—e witnesse that yee belong not vnto him if yee delight in righteousnesse and defile your selues with the vncleane conuersation of the wicked and vngodly Giue therefore a diligence to make you calling and election sure sure I say vnto your selues and to your owne soules by walking in such holinesse of life as God in Christ Iesus hath ordained your walke in And thus much of that holy course and race of godlinesse wherein the Apostle exhorteth vs to runne when he saith Conficite salutem c. Make an end c. What it is whereunto the Apostle in these words doth exhort vs in part we haue already heal by the way wherein hee prescribeth vs to walke The 〈◊〉 which leadeth vnto saluation being holinesse of life the Apostle exhorteth vs to walke in this way to runne in this 〈◊〉 Now it is to be obserued that the Apostle doth not only prescribe the way which leadeth vnto saluation and exhort vâ—â—â— walke and runne in that way but he exhorteth vs to runne 〈◊〉 in the same race vnto the end and fully to finish our courseâ— doing such good workes as God hath ordained that we sheâ—â— walke in Whence wee are to learne this lesson that we 〈◊〉 not onely beginne in the spirit and grow forward likeâ—â—â—â— from grace vnto grace but wee must perseuere and contiâ—â—â— vnto the end
heart To thinke a good thought this is from the Lord for wee are not sufficient of our selues to thinke any thing as of our selues but all our sufficiencie is of God To will and desire that which is good and to doe that which is good is likewise from the Lord for it is God that worketh in vs both the will and the deed So true is that of our Sauiour Ioh. 15.5 Without mee yee can doe nothing Where the meaning is not only that wee are so weake that we are not able of our selues to doe any thing that is good vnlesse we be assisted by grace but that wee are no more able than the branch that is pluckt from the tree is able to bring forth fruit The summe of this point is that the fruits of the spirit in vs are altogether from the spirit euen as the fruits of the flesh are altogether from the flesh Doest thou then at any time feele any good motions of the spirit within thee any desire to flie that which is euill and to doe the thing that is good Is thine heart enlarged to runne the way of Gods commandements and to glorifie thy Father which is in heauen Are the bowels of thy compassion opened towards thy poore brethren to releeue the necessities of Gods Saints It is God that worketh in thee all these and whatsoeuer is like vnto these and they are so many testimonies vnto thee of Gods holy spirit dwelling within thee Acknowledge therefore Gods mercy towards thee who when thou wast in thy bloud said vnto thee Ezek. 16.6 thou shalt liue that is who when thou wast dead in sinnes and trespasses and hadst no will to be raised from the dead sleepe of sinne whereinto thou wast fallen hath quickned thee by his spirit and of vnwilling made thee willing to doe those things that are good and acceptable in Gods sight Glorie not in any good thing that thou hast as though thou hadst not receiued it For when thou wast as vnable to will or to doe any thing that is good as the dead man is vnable to exercise any function of life then did hee circumcise the foreskinne of thine heart and did not onely worke in thee a power to will and to doe the thing that is good but gaue thee also grace both to will and to doe the thing that is good Glorie therefore in thy God let thy soule reioyce in him and let his praises be euer in thy mouth He it is that filleth thy heart with good desires and hee it is that directeth thy steps in the way wherein thou shouldest walke and which leadeth vnto life And why doth he shew such mercy on vs Euen of his good pleasure Euen of his good pleasure Wee haue heard that it is God that worketh in vs both to will and to doe that which is good And why doth he so That God may be all in all and all the glory of out saluation may be wholly his The Apostle telleth vs that this he doth euen of good pleasure it so pleaseth him and howsoeuer the cause or this his pleasure be hidden from vs yet it is good and iust hee doth it euen of his good pleasure Here then wee haue the first and furthest cause euen of the whole mysterie of our saluation Hee hath predestinated and chosen vs vnto eternall life through Iesus Christ Eph. 1.4 before the foundation of the world And why The Apostle telleth vs he did it according to the good pleasure of his will 5. He hath opened vnto vs the mysterie of his will And why This also he did according to his good pleasure He hath made vs accepted in his beloued Eph. 19.6.7 by whom wee haue redemption through his bloud And why This also is according to his rich grace He hath wrought in vs both to will and to doe the things that belong vnto our peace And why Euen of his good pleasure Wilt thou then know why God hath chosen thee and refused him why hee hath made thee a vessell of honour and him a vessell of dishonour why he hath taken away the hardnesse of thy heart and suffereth him still to walke in the hardnesse of his owne heart why he hath sanctified thy will and left him in the frowardnesse of his owne will Hee hath not done these things for any good thing which hee saw in thee or for any goodnesse which hee foresaw would be in thee not for thy birth wealth sex or condition but euen of his good pleasure for looke into the whole booke of God still thou shalt finde that the last and great cause of all our good is his grace his mercy his loue his purpose his will the purpose of his will his good pleasure the good pleasure of his will And when thou commest hither here thou must stay thy selfe and crie with the Apostle O the depth of the riches both of the wisdome and knowledge of God c. Rom. 11.31 If it be the potters pleasure to make of the same lumpe of clay one vessell to honour and another to dishonour who shall question further with him when this answer is once giuen It was his pleasure euen the good pleasure of his will Is there then nothing in vs to moue him but is it euen of his good pleasure that he saueth vs and that he doth so great things for vs O what great thankfulnesse what dutifulnesse what obedience ought this to stirre vs vp vnto The greater that the gift is and the freer that it is the more it ought to stirre vs vp vnto these duties Now what greater gift than our saluation and all the meanes thereunto And how could this gift be more free than to haue it giuen vs euen of his good pleasure without respect of any thing that was or might be in vs Let vs then with all thankfulnesse yeeld all obedience vnto this so mercifull a God who hath done so great things for vs euen because his good pleasure was such Hee hath giuen vs all let him haue the glory of all Neither can we attribute too much vnto him neither can wee detract too much from our selues Whatsoeuer good thought whatsoeuer good desire whatsoeuer good deed is in vs he of his good pleasure hath wrought it in vs and he is to be glorified in it and for it Other fountaine of our good there is none and therefore all the praise and honour and glory thereof is due vnto him alone LECTVRE XXXV PHILIP 2. Verse 14.15 Doe all things without murmuring and reasonings that yee may be blamelesse and pure and the sonnes of God without rebuke c. HItherto then wee haue spoken of that humble obedience which wee following the example of Christ his humilitie and obedience ought to yeeld vnto our God in all holinesse of conuersation Now followeth another branch of the Apostle his exhortation vpon the same ground of Christ his humilitie and obedience and this is vnto an humble and
them and by them A good nature yee know reioyceth in euery opportunitie that is giuen him whereby he may shew himselfe thankfull and dutifull though it be to his trouble and cost Euen so the children of God though this life be full of trouble and griefe yet when their health is restored and their daies lengthned they reioyce in the opportunitie that God hath giuen them to doe good in the Church or in the common-weale and are carefull therein to shew themselues both thankfull and dutifull vnto their God For answer then vnto the point in man we are to consider briefly these two things the good of himselfe and the good of others vnto the glory of God In respect of the good of himselfe death is a speciall mercy of the Lord vnto euery childe of God because then they rest from their labours and their workes follow them And therefore the Apostle said it is best of all to be loosed and to be with Christ Phil. 1.23 But in respect of others and of the glory of God it is a speciall mercy of God vnto his children to be restored vnto health because so they are made farther instruments of his glory and of the good either of Church or of Common-wealth And therefore the Apostle addeth 24. neuerthelesse to abide in the flesh is more needfull for you Albeit then death had been a speciall mercy of the Lord vnto Epaphroditus in respect of the good of himselfe yet in respect of the Church at Philippi it was a speciall mercy of the Lord as our Apostle here saith that he was restored vnto health Neither yet would I so here be vnderstood as if I thought or taught that it is a speciall mercy of the Lord vnto his children to be restored vnto health onely in respect of the good of others and not at all in respect of the good of themselues for albeit death bee so a speciall mercy of God vnto them in respect of the good of themselues for that thereby they are freed from the troubles of this life and receiued into euerlasting ioy and blisse yet is health also and life a speciall mercy of the Lord vnto them euen in respect of the good of themselues because the oftener they passe through the fire the more they are purified and made the finer gold the more they are boulted and sifted the finer flower they will be Albeit therefore by life they haue moe troubles yet because by troubles they are made more glorious therefore is life and restoring vnto health a speciall mercy of God vnto his children not only in respect of others good but in respect also of the good of themselues Are then both death and recouerie of health speciall mercies of the Lord vnto his children If then we be the children of God let not our hearts be troubled nor feare in the bed of our sicknesse If it please the Lord by death then to cut off our dayes this let vs know that in mercy towards vs he doth it that so we may not see the euils that are to come that so we may haue rest from all our labours and from all the troubles of this life and that so wee may be euer with our head Christ Iesus and haue the full fruition of those ioyes which eye hath not seene neither eare hath heard nor hath entred into the heart of man to thinke of And againe if it please the Lord to restore vs vnto health let vs know that in mercy likewise he doth it that so we may confesse his name and sing praises vnto him in the land of the liuing that so wee may be further instruments of his glory in doing good vnto others either in in the Church or in the Common-wealth and that so being further tried wee may be further purified to returne as fine gold out of the fire Hath any of vs then cause to mourne for them that doe already sleepe in the Lord Let vs mourne but not as men without hope for the Lord hath had mercy on them and in his mercy towards them hath deliuered them out of prison into a most glorious libertie and hath brought them from a most troublesome sea of miseries vnto the most happy hauen of euerlasting blessednesse Againe hath any of vs beene restored from sicknesse vnto health Let vs remember that the Lord herein hath had mercy on vs as hee had on Epaphroditus For this mercy let vs shew our selues thankfull vnto the Lord and our thankfulnesse vnto the Lord let vs testifie vnto the world by walking worthy of this mercy He hath reserued vs vnto his further glory Let vs glorifie God both in our bodies and in our spirits for they are Gods Let vs be faithfully and painfully and carefully occupied in the workes of our calling whatsoeuer it be vnto the glory of our God And in particular as this time requireth as God hath had mercy on vs by restoring vs vnto health and bringing vs from the gates almost of death vnto life so let vs take pitie and compassion on our poore distressed brethren and by our morsels of bread and other releefe let vs saue their liues from death As our liues were precious in Gods sight so let their liues be precious in our sight who happily are as deare vnto God as wee are For know this that blessed are they that consider the poore and needie c. Psal 41.1.2.3 And not on him onely but on mee also Wee haue heard of Gods mercy on Epaphroditus in restoring him vnto health which was both a worke of the Lord and a worke wherein the Lord shewed his mercy on Epaphroditus Now see the riches and the bountifulnesse of Gods mercy herein for in restoring him vnto health Gods mercy was not shewed on him alone but on the Apostle Paul also The note which hence I gather is this that in the mercies of the Lord vpon his children there is oftentimes a blessing not for them alone in particular but for others of his children also So sometimes hee sheweth mercy on the childe and keeâ—â—h him aliue for his parents sake to be their staffe of comfort in their old age and againe sometimes he sheweth mercy vpon parents and keepeth them aliue for their childrens sake to bring them vp in the feare of God and in the knowledge of his will So likewise sometimes he sheweth mercy on the Pastor and from sicknesse restoreth him to health for his peoples sake both that they may be kept safe from scattering by the Wolfe and that they may bee taught in the wayes of the Lord and againe sometimes he sheweth mercy on the people for their Pastors sake lest that punishment which should iustly light vpon them should bring too much sorrow vpon him So we reade that he shewed mercy vnto that good King Ezechias being sicke vnto death 2 Reg. 20.1 in restoring him vnto health neither vnto him alone 7. but euen therein likewise he shewed mercy vnto the
of the spirit of God for they are foolishnesse vnto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned Where by the naturall man hee meaneth the man whose heart and vnderstanding the Lord hath not yet lightened by his holy spirit who as yet is not brought vnto the true knowledge of Christ and of him he saith that he neither doth nor can perceiue the things of the spirit of God nay more then that that the things of Gods spirit are meere foolishnesse vnto him Yea so it fareth ordinarily with the naturall man that he putteth darknesse for light and light for darkenesse bitter for sweete and sweete for sowre And if any be more carefull of his waies then the rest so that he can say with the Pharisie I am not as other men extortioners vniust adulterers I fast twiâ—â— in the weeke I giue tythes of all that euer I possesse if he be ciuilly honest mercifull and liberall if hee be iust towards others sober in himselfe and so precisely carefull of his waies as that he be vnrebukable before men hereon hee sets his rest and stands vpon it that these things are such an aduantage vnto him as that God should doe him great wrong â—f hee should not saue him for these things But tell him that all these and all the like things are but as a staffe of reede on which if hee leane it will breake into shiuers and hurt him tell him that Christ Iesus is the onely rocke of saluation vnto all them that put their trust in him that there is no other name giuen vnder heauen whereby we can be saued but onely by the name of Christ Iesus and that if he wil be saued he must repose all confidence in him and renounce all confidence in his workes or in any thing without Christ whatsoeuer hereat he will stand amased and with Festus he will say to him that shall tell him thus thou art besides thy selfe much learning doth make thee madde Thus it fareth with vs all before such time as we be renued in the spirit of our mindes either wee take pleasure in vnrighteousnesse or else we repose too much confidence in our supposed righteousnesse and for the wisedome of God we all count it meere foolishnesse and madnesse But so soone as the Lord vouchsafeth by his spirit to circumcise vs with the true circumcision of Christ so soone as the Lord giues vs a new heart and puts a new spirit within vs then we beginne to abandon the delights in the flesh and to sauour the things of the spirit then the case beginnes to be altered and wee to bee quite of another iudgement For then our eyes which were before dimme and shut vp being opened and cleared and the foggie mists of blindnesse darknesse and ignorance which couered our vnderstandings being expelled then wee begin to condemne our former waies then wee beginne to count the things losse which before seemed a vantage vnto vs and then we beginne to hearken vnto the things that belong vnto our peace So that whereas before we had confidence in the flesh now we renounce all confidence in the flesh and reioice only in Christ Iesus whereas before wee pleased our selues much in things which we willed and did now we see that in vs i. in our flesh dwelleth no good thing but that God onely worketh in vs both the will and the deed euen of his good pleasure whereas before wee counted the wisedome of God foolishnesse now we see that our owne wisedome is foolishnesse and that onely the wisedome of God is true wisedome For when the Lord hath put his spirit within vs then we walk in his statutes and keepe his iudgements and doe them Eze. 36.27 but before we doe not Deut. 30.6 3. when he hath circumcised our hearts thee we loue the Lord our God with all our heart and with all our soule before wee doe not and as our Apostle here saith when we are circumcised with the true circumcision that is when we are regenerated by God his holy spirit then we reioyce in Christ Iesus and haue no confidence in the flesh but before we haue confidence in the flesh and reioyce not in Christ Iesus A great change and a good change because from the worse vnto the better Let this then teach vs to bend the knees of our soules vnto the Lord our God for the grace of his holy spirit that the bright beames of his spirit shining into our hearts all mists of blindnesse darknesse and ignorance may be expelled thence and wee brought both vnto the perfect knowledge and obedience of Christ Iesus For if he guide vs wee wander not if he instruct vs wee erre not if he command the light of the glorious Gospell to shine vnto vs then is our darknesse turned into light But otherwise our foolish hearts are full of darknesse otherwise wee erre and wander out of the right way wherein wee should walke and lay hold on errour in stead of truth and embrace follie in stead of wisdome for it is the spirit alone that leadeth vs into all truth Ioh. 16.13 1 Cor. 12.3 and directeth vs vnto all wisdome and but by the spirit no man can say that Iesus is the Lord. Let vs therefore alwayes pray for the light of Gods spirit that it shining in our hearts our darknesse may be turned into light our feet may be guided into the way of peace and our eies may be opened to see the mysteries of Gods will and the wondrous things of his Law Secondly in that the Apostle after that he began to know Christ counted those things no vantage but losse which before he knew Christ seemed vantage vnto him I obserue that such workes as wee doe before wee be iustified by faith in Christ Iesus seeme they neuer so good yet they are no vantage vnto vs either vnto iustification or vnto saluation For what were the things that seemed vantage vnto the Apostle before he knew Christ Was not one of them and whereof he made speciall account his vnrebukeable walking in all the commandements and ordinances of the Law his workes done according to the Law The verse immediately before sheweth that hee counted that one of his chiefe prerogatiues And yet he counted these workes done according to the Law before he beleeued no vantage at all vnto him for his iustification or saluation by Christ Iesus Now if the Apostle so iudged of his workes done according to the Law before hee beleeued this may be a sure proofe vnto vs that such workes as are done before grace and faith in Christ Iesus seeme they neuer so good yet they are no vantage vnto vs either vnto our iustification or vnto our saluation Well they may haue a shew and semblance of vantage vnto vs but indeed they are no vantage vnto vs either to prepare vs to the grace of iustification or to moue the Lord to shew mercy on vs and saue vs for without faith it
the workes which go before and the workes which follow after faith For those are euill these are good workes those proceede from an impure heart these from an heart purified by faith those cannot please God these are pleasing and acceptable vnto God those are in iustice rewarded with death these are in mercy rewarded with life those euen the very best of them haue the nature of sinne and are wholly vnholy these are in part holy and may truely be called our inherent righteousnesse But for any part in that righteousnes whereby we are made righteous before God euen these workes which are the fruits of faith they haue no part at all in it They cannot hide or put away our sinnes they cannot endure the seueritie of Gods iudgement here they must giue place here they are to be iudged losse and dung The reason then why our very best workes are no part of our righteousnesse before God is because that in euery such view and examination of them they are to be iudged losse and euen dung So the Apostle counted such workes as he did euen then when he wrote these things and therefore much more are we to make the same account of whatsoeuer good workes we doe after that our hearts be purified by faith in Christ Iesus The exception which is taken against this doctrine from this place by some is this they say the Apostle doth not here speake of such workes as he did after he belieued but onely of such workes as he did before he belieued before his conuersion vnto Christ and therefore that hence nothing can be gathered against iustification by workes done after faith in Christ Iesus But how peruersly they falsifie the meaning of the Apostle your selues may easily iudge by that which already hath beene spoken For the Apostle hauing spoken in the former verse of such workes as he did before he belieued affirming of them that howsoeuer they seemed vantage vnto him before his conuersion vnto Christ yet afterwards hee counted them no vantage but losse for Christ his sake doth in this verse speake not onely of them but of all his workes generally whatsoeuer and whensoeuer done saying yea doubtlesse I thinke all things but losse c. It cannot be denied but that he spake in the former verse of such works as he did before he belieued And when he addeth vnto that this generall terme yea doubtlesse I thinke all things but losse doth he speak only of such workes as he did before Nay hauing spoken before of workes onely done before faith in this generall tearmâ— he includeth all workes both done before and after faith and iudgeth them all to be but losse and dung Againe as he said before that when once he came to the knowledge of Christ Iesus he counted those things losse which before seemed vantage vnto him so now he saith in the present that hee doth thinke all things but losse that he doth iudge all things to bee dung Which cannot otherwise be meant then of his present opinion and iudgement touching such workes as now presently he did Neither can it be said that is his present iudgement indeed but of such workes only as he did before he belieued For it is as himselfe saith his present iudgement as of such workes so of all workes generally the generall tearme being therefore added to comprise not onely those which hee had spoken of before but all others also For reply vnto which answere they crie out vpon vs for blasphemie and aâ—ke question vpon question to make some shew that they iustly charge vs with blasphemie For whereas we say that good workes done after faith are here meant by the Apostle and are iudged by him to be but losse and dung they aske whether we call the fruits of the spirit dung whether Paul gloried of dung when he said I haue fought a good fight I haue finished my course 2 Tim. 4. I haue kept the faith from henceforth there is laid vp for me a crowne of righteousnesse which the iust iudge shall giue me in that day What crown of righteousnesse is due vnto dung what iust iudge will vouchsafe to giue a crowne vnto dung what thankes wee owe vnto God for creating vs in Christ Iesus vnto good works if they be nothing else but dung And for conclusion they say that if the good workes of the faithfull be but losse and dung then are not good workes to be done or liked but to be disliked and neglected Thus they triumph in their iuglings and make a shew as if all they spake were Gospell whosoeuer said otherwise did nothing else but blaspheme But will ye see how they deceiue the world with a vaine shew of words wherein there is no substance All this faire flourish which they make is quickly beaten downe by that one distinction whereof I haue often told you and whereof they are not ignorant In good workes therefore we must vnderstand that there are 2. things to be respected the one their substance the other their qualitie The substance of the work I call the action it selfe is iudging the fatherlesse relieuing the oppressed defending the widow feeding the hungrie and the like The qualitie of the worke I call the confidence which men haue to be made righteous before God and to be saued by such workes Now these workes I say according to their substance are good as to iudge the fatherlesse to relieue the oppressed to defend the widow to feed the hungrie and the like are good workes holy workes workes commanded by God and workes rewarded by him But in respect of any confidence to be iustified before God by them or the like or to be saued by them they are to be iudged but losse and dung because as it is written he that reioyceth must reioice in the Lord which being so the answere to their demands is as possible as they thinke it impossible i. most easie 1. Therefore where they aske whether we call the fruits of the spirit dung we answere no. But we say that those good workes which according to the substance of the action are the fruits of the spirit are in respect of any merit or confidence to be reposed in them of righteousnesse or saluation by them to be iudged losse and dung Secondly where they aske whether Paul gloried of dung when he said I haue fought a good fight c. we answere no. He glorieth in his faithfulnesse and constancie in the worke of his ministerie not as putting any confidence of his righteousnesse or saluation in them for so they should be but dung but because he knew that his labour should not be in vaine in the Lord. Thirdly where they aske what crowne of righteousnesse is due vnto dung we answere none for the crowne of righteousnesse is due vnto our good workes not as they are from vs but as they are the worke of Gods spirit in vs neither so for any merit in them but only for his
in mercy by God that hath called vs in mercie and giuen 〈◊〉 in Christ Iesus by God that hath called vs in Christ Iesus to be partakers of his glory Here then behold and wonder at the louing kindnesse of our God We must runne and we shal be very well rewarded For if we runne albeit we can merit nothing by our running because when we haue done what we can we are but vnprofitable seruants yet in mercie will he giue vs an euerlasting crowne of glory A good reward for a meane seruice performed but meanely by him that runnes the best And therefore the greater the goodnes of our God who giueth such reward in mercie where there wanteth all merit The mercie of our God should stirre vp our thankfulnes vnto our God and the great reward which in mercy he doth giue should make 〈◊〉 runne the waie of his commandementes Rom. 8.18 All that euer wee can doe or suffer is not worthy of that glory which shal be shewed vnto vs. Yet if we suffer willingly for Christ his sake and doe the workes of our calling he will in mercy giue vnto vs an incorruptible crowne of glory Let our mouthes thereâ—â—re be filled with his praise and honour all the day long who â—â—ere there wanteth merit sheweth such mercie And if duâ— or loue cannot preuaile with vs yet let this inestimable â—â—ward perswade vs to runne the way of his commandeâ—entes In a word we know that our labour shall not be in â—ine in the Lord. Let vs therefore abound in euerie good â—orke and let vs runne with patience the race that is set beâ—â—re vs. The next and last thing which hence I obserue is that as â—od hath chosen vs in Christ Iesus so hath he called vs in â—hrist Iesus Ephes 1.4 The former appeareth by the Epistle to the Eâ—â—esians the later by this place of our Apostle and many oâ—â—ers Yea Christ Iesus alone it is in whom and for whom â—â—d hath blessed vs with all spirituall blessing in heauenly thinges 3. 〈◊〉 the Apostle both speaketh there and manifestly sheweth â—oth there and elsewhere For in him are we predestinate 〈◊〉 him are we chosen in him are we called in him are we aâ—â—pted in him are we iustified in him are we sanctified and 〈◊〉 him through hope are we glorified and in him are all â—e promises made vnto vs both of the life present and of â—at that is to come If we had beene called in Peter or in â—aule or in Moses then might we haue belieued in them â—nd lookt vnto them as vnto the marke that is set before vs. â—ut now that we are called in Christ Iesus we are to belieue in â—â—m and alwaies to looke towardes him in the whole course â—f our life In him we haue all thinges and in him shall our â—â—y bee made perfit Let this then teach vs to reioyce onely in Christ Iesus in â—hom onely wee are called and in whom onely wee are â—lessed In our selues we are nothing else but bondslaues of â—atan Children of wrath a naughty and crooked nation vnâ—ble altogether to thinke or speake or doe any thing that is â—ood abominable disobedient vnto euery good worke reâ—robate and not onely neare vnto cursing but cursed But in â—ur Christ Iesus we are freede from sinne and condemnation â—nd made the seruants of righteousnes and heires of saluation â—â—d in him we are called vnto that high calling to be the sons of God and haue all the priueledges that belong vnto the sonnes of God Let vs therefore reioyce in him alwaie let our songs be made euer of him and dayly let vs praise him Let vs iudge whatsoeuer is best to be but dung for the excellent knowledge sake of him and let vs in all thinges grow vp in him c. LECTVRE LXIV PHILIP 3. Vers 15.16 Let vs therefore as many as be perfect be thâ—â—â—â—ded and if ye be otherwise minded God shall reueale c. NOw the Apostle hauing thus in particular told the Philippians what he thought of Christ and likewise of all things without Christ 〈◊〉 goeth from the particular vnto the generall and exhorteth that this truth which he haâ—â— professed may be generally receiued and approued And if any of them will not happily presently receiue this truth yet he signifieth his hope that God will afterwards reueale it to them that they may embrace it wiâ—h him and in the meane time till God reueale it and make it knowne vnto them he exhorteth that such grounds of the truth as already they had might with one accord be receiued and maintained This I take to be the generall meaning of these words in these two verses Now let vs yet a little more particularly sift and examine the meaning of them Let vs saith the Apostle c. This speech yee see is exhortatiue in that he saith let vs be thus minded and ye see like wise that the exhortation is made by way of conclusion from the particular example of the Apostle vnto the Philippiâ—â—â—â— generall in that he saith Let vs therefore as many as be perfeâ—â— and ye see that it is to bring ouer his own priuate example vnâ—o a generall doctrine in that he saith Let vs therefore as many â—â—s be perfect be thus minded Let vs therefore therefore why euen because I your Apostle by whom ye haue beleeued am â—hus minded as I haue told you let vs therefore as many as bee perfect be thus minded Thus minded How to renounce all confidence in the flesh to iudge all our owne righteousnes by workes whatsoeuer to be but dung to reioyce only in Christ Iesus and his righteousnesse which is through faith to thirst after the knowledge of Christ and of the vertue of his resurrection and acknowledging our want of perfection in the knowledge of Christ incessantly to runne forward in the Christian race vnto perfection forgetting that which is behind and endeauouring our selues vnto that which is before and following hard towards the marke for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus let vs be thus minded euen as many of vs as be perfect Yea but who were those were there any such Did not the Apostle immediately before deny that he was perfect How then doth he now say let vs as many as be perfect c. We must vnderstand that the Apostle doth not here speake of any that were perfect indeed either in knowledge or in obedience but he speaketh partly vnto those that thought they were perfect and partly vnto those that by their holy walking shewed that they were in the way to perfection that both they that thought themselues perfect and they likewise that by their holy walking shewed plainely that they were in a better way to perfection than others would thinke as he did touching the points before mentioned and controuersed betwixt him and the false Teachers Yea but is not his exhortation generally vnto all Why then doth he require it of them that
Silas it is said Acts 16.24.25 that when they were cast into prison and their feet made fast in the stockes they prayed and sung a psalme vnto God Nay how often do we reade that Christs owne mouth was filled with the praises of God giuing thankes in his miracles of feeding certaine thousands with some few loaues and fishes giuing thankes when he instituted the holy Supper giuing thankes because his Father had heard him giuing thankes for opening those things vnto Babes which were hid from the wise and men of vnderstanding Generally this note hath so well tuned at all times in the mouthes of all Gods children that they haue euer bene ready to giue thanks vnto him in all things euen as ready to offer vnto the Lord the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiuing for benefits and blessings receiued as to poure out their praiers vnto him for such graces of his Spirit as they stood in need of But is it so with vs Haue our mouthes bene filled with the praises of the Lord and with thankesgiuing vnto our God When our wants haue enforced vs to prayers haue we remembred to praise the Lord for such mercies as we had receiued Or hath not the Song of praise and thankesgiuing bene eyther as a strange and daintie Song vnto vs which we could not tune or as an harsh and vnpleasant Song wherein we haue had no delight Haue we not bene as those ten Lepers Luke 17.18 which being cleansed neuer returned to giue God praise When famine or sickenesse or the sword are vpon vs and our Land it may be that we will call an assembly and fall downe and kneele before the Lord our maker and crie and say Spare thy people O Lord and deliuer vs from this sickenesse or famine or sword it may be I say we will do so though to too seldome we do so But when the Lord in mercie hath remoued any of these his plagues from vs what sacrifice of praise and thankesgiuing do we offer vp vnto him Let the yeare 1588 witnesse against vs at which time the inuincible Army as they called it rose vp to make warre against vs. When that mighty and cruel enemy was vpon our coasts and in the sight of our Land displayed his banners against vs thinking to deuoure vs at once and to swallow vs vp quicke then we called an holy assembly and humbled our selues before the Lord and praied vino him for deliuerance out of the hands of our cruell enemies But when he had wrought a mightie deliuerance for vs euen such a one as the world wondered at and for which we might very well take vp that of the Prophet and say Psal 124.2 If the Lord himselfe had not bene on our â—ide when those enemies rose vp against vs they had swallowed vs vp quicke when their wrath was kindled against vs 3.4 the waters had drowned vs and the streame had gone ouer our soule yea the deepe waters of the proud had gone ouer our soule when I say the Lord had wrought such a mightie deliuerance for vs how many of vs like vnto good Iehosaphat and his people assembled our selues eyther the fourth day after or at all after in the valley of Berachah or blessing to giue thankes vnto the Lord in how many places did we meete together to praise the Lord in the midst of the great Congregation whatsoeoer were done in other places no such matter here We indeed of this place whence others should haue all good example are so much afraid to seeme forward in good things that we are hardly or neuer drawne vnto it in time of common danger to fast and pray or after deliuerance from such danger to praise and giue thankes Our prayers for Prince for people for peace for prosperitie for raine for faire weather in time of famine in time of warre in time of common sickenesse and the like which we vse are good and very good And were it not well that our requests were shewed vnto God in prayer and supplication with giuing of thankes If euerie man shall looke into himselfe we shall all of vs finde a great defect in our selues this way For if the hand of the Lord be any way vpon vs then we call vpon him and pray vnto him as for example if we be sicke then we poure out our requests vnto God for health and for deliuerance from that paine wherein we lie But how many of vs do then remember to praise the Lord either for that health which before the Lord gaue vnto vs or for other good graces and blessings of the soule and of the bodie wherewith euen then we do abound Nay surely the paine of our sickenesse takes such hold on vs that onely we remember it and pray to be deliuered from it forgetting the praises of the Lord for other his mercies vnto vs. And afterward when we are restored vnto health how many of vs do sing a new Song vnto the Lord for it We commend our Physition or such a potion that we tooke or such a medicine that was applyed or such a diet that we kept but not many of vs sing the praises of the Lord by whose onely blessing vpon those meanes we haue recouered our health I do instance onely in this one example But the like is to be said of other crosses If we be in pouerty in imprisonment in banishment yea if our head or tooth or toe do ake and the like we poure out our complaints before God and make our prayers vnto him But how seldome are our requests shewed vnto him with giuing of thankes I dispute not the point whether together with our praiers and supplications should alwayes be ioyned praise and thankesgiuing Sure it is that there is none of vs all in any such need or necessitie in any such miserie or affliction but we haue many blessings of the Lord for which we ought to be thankfull So that as we haue need to pray vnto the Lord so we haue cause also to giue thankes vnto the Lord euen then when we pray But this is it which I vrge that as we are to pray vnto the Lord for such things as we neede so we are to giue thankes vnto the Lord for such blessings as we haue receiued For this is true that whatsoeuer it be that we aske we are not worthie new blessings and graces vnlesse we be thankefull for the old And this is as true that so our payers are accepted with God as we are thankfull vnto God Our vnthankefulnesse shuts out our prayers that they enter not into the eares of the Lord God of hoasts And amongst other our sinnes in my iudgement our vnthankfulnesse is one great cause why the hand of the Lord now a long time hath bene and yet is so heauie vpon vs. Of late euen by the space of a twelue moneth he hath giuen vs great hope of remouing one of his plagues of dearth and famine from vs by
Onely this I say that it ought not to be preiudiciall vnto any man if at any time he say my God and my Lord. He may sometimes vse them and yet ought nor therefore either to be noted of singularitie or to be scorned or reprooued Let them consider what I say that are so readie vpon such occasions to brand men with names that they know not what they meane let vs in no sort follow their example Let vs ioyne with thē that say Our God and our Lord but let vs not scorne or reproch them that say My God or my Lord. Nay let vs know that nor we nor any can haue any greater stay or comfort then in this that the Lord is his God and his Lord. Thus much of this note by the way The second thing which here I note is what recompence of reward the Apostle promiseth vnto the Philippians for their liberalitie towards him The promise is this that as he was filled by them and all his necessities supplied by their liberalitie so God should fulfill all their necessities through his riches with glorie Whence I obserue this lesson for vs that looke what good we do vnto Gods Saints here on earth God shall recompence the same into our bosomes both with blessings in this life and likewise in that that is to come Deliuer we the poore and needie in the needeful time of trouble the recompence is Psal 41.1 Blessed is he that considereth the poore and needie the Lord shall deliuer him in the time of trouble Are we mercifull vnto the poore and do we sell them come good cheape The recompence is He that is mercifull Pro. 11.17.26 rewardeth his owne soule and blessing shall be vpon the head of him that selleth corne Do we feed the hungrie clothe the naked visite the sicke lodge the stranger go to him that is in prison The recompence is Come ye blessed of my Father Mat. 25.34 inherite ye the kingdome prepared for you from the foundations of the world for I was an hungred c. In a word are we ready to do good to distribute and to communicate according to our abilitie The recompence is we lay vp in store for our selues a good foundation against the time to come to obtaine eternall life 1 Tim. 6.19 Mat. 10.42 Not a cup of cold water giuen vnto any in the name of a disciple shal lose his reward So mercifull and gracious and bountifull and liberall is the Lord our God as that he doth repay one good turne vnto our brethren with an hundreth blessings from himselfe and gifts of no value with an eternall weight of glorie A great mercy of our gracious God to promise or to pay such recompence of reward vnto our workes and a notable inducement to stirre vs vp vnto all workes of charitie The same motiue the Preacher also vseth where he saith Cast thy bread vpon the waters Eccl. 11.1 for after many dayes thou shalt finde it Cast thy bread vpon the waters that is breake thy bread vnto the hungrie be mercifull and liberall vnto the poore though thy almes may seeme to be cast vpon the waters though it may seeme that thou shalt neuer haue thankes or ought else for that good thou doest for so too many thinke that what they giue vnto the poore they commit vnto a dead hand that it perisheth that afterwards there is no remembrance of it yet saith he Cast thy bread vpon the waters And why he addeth a promise of mercie that shall follow vpon it for after many dayes thou shalt finde it that is thy gift shall not perish but thy God shall recompence it thee into thy bosome Thou shalt finde it in thy basket and in thy dough and in the fruite of thy body and the fruite of thy ground in the fruite of thy cattell in the increase of thy kine and in the flockes of thy sheepe or if not in these temporall blessings yet in spirituall graces or if not now for a season yet after many dayes as the husbandman receiueth the increase of his corne which when it was first sowne might seeme to haue perished or if not in this life yet certainely in the heauens when the Lord shall wipe all teares from thine eyes and crowne thee with glorie and immortalitie Here is then another kinde of reasoning then thy carnall sence and reason teacheth thee to make Thou thinkest that the way to be rich is to be sparing to hold fast Ioh. 12.25 to giue away nothing that thou canst saue But as our Sauiour saith He that loueth his life shall lose it So I say he that thus loueth his riches shall not be rich but the way to keepe and to increase riches is to bestow them on the poore Where they seeme to be lost there they shal be found where they seeme to be cast vpon the waters there they shal be laid vp in heauen where neither rust nor moath corrupt and where theeues do not breake through nor steale Why is it then that the bowells of our compassion are shut vp against the poore for in many places the poore crie and none helpeth them they faint in the streets and none succoureth them they mourne in their soules and none comforteth them they perish for want of foode and none relieueth them I perswade my selfe that it is not altogether thus amongst vs but in many places it is thus And what is the reason Verily our diffidence and distrust is the cause of all this We see not how we shall haue sufficiencie for our selues if we be bountifull vnto others we see not but we shall want our selues if thus we do supplie the wants of others and though it may be we dare not openly speake vnto the point of Gods promise of a recompence of reward vnto whatsoeuer we do vnto his poore Saints here on earth yet do we thinke with our selues that if we should relie much vpon this we might quickly bring our selues vnto the beggers staffe and then who would pitie vs Thus though the promise be made vnto vs of fulfilling all our necessities yet such is our blindnesse that we cannot see and such our distrustfulnesse that wee doubt how our necessities shall be fulfilled and therefore we hold backe and do not stretch out our hands vnto the poore and needie Our Apostle therefore to meete with this doubtfulnesse telleth vs that God that maketh this promise vnto vs is rich and he will fulfill all our necessities through his riches If a poore man make a large promise of great bountifulnesse we may well doubt how he will be able to make good his promise But if a rich man make such a promise especially being a good man and one that is wont to keepe promise who will make any doubt of the performance of his promise Now our God that vnto our workes of charitie hath made this promise to fulfill all our necessities is rich Psal 50.10.12 For all
writer of this Epistle and Timotheus the approuer of it or Paul the inditer of it and Timotheus the writer of it The title of dignitie commune to them both whereby they are described is this the seruants of Iesus Christ seruants both and therefore to attend vpon their ministerie and seruice and both seruants of Iesus Christ and therefore to attend vpon the ministration of the gospell which he had committed vnto them but yet the seruants of Iesus the Sauiour of the world euen of Iesus Christ annointed a King to defend vs a Prophet to teach vs and a Priest to offer vp a sacrifice for our sinnes The persons saluted are generally the whole Church of Philippi and more particularly the Bishops and Deacons there The whole Church at Philippi generally is saluted vnder the name of all the Saints in Christ Iesus which are at Philippi for by all the saints in Christ Iesus he meaneth all them which in baptisme had giuen their names vnto Christ Iesus thenceforth to die vnto sinne and to liue vnto God in righteousnes and true holinesse which was all the Church at Philippi Now this Philppi was a chiefe Citie in the parts of Macedonia Act. 16.12 whose inhabitants came from Rome to dwell there the first Citty in the passage out of Thracia beyond the riuer Strymon At the first it is generally thought to haue beene called Crenida because of the many fountaines about the hill whereon it was built 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being as much as fons and afterward to haue beene called Philippi because of the fortification and enlargement thereof by Philip King of Macedon and now to be called Gricopolis as if yee would call it Chrysopolis a Citty of gold because of the great abundance of gold that is there so great that Philip is said to haue receiued thence yearely aboue 1000 talents of gold which is asmuch as 600 thousand french crownes This Citty is notably knowne as for the great ouerthrow of Brutus and Cassius there by Octauius and Antonie so especially for the preaching of the gospell there by Paul and Silas and Timotheus for the embracing of the truth there by their ministerie and for many other accidents there during the Apostle his abode there for Paul being warned by the spirit to goe into Macedonia hee went thither and first came to Philippi there preached and by his preaching converted Lydia so that shee and her houshold were baptized Afterwards he cast out of a maide a spirit of diuination Wherevpon hee was brought before the Magistrates sore beaten with rods cast into the inner prison and his feete thrust into the stocks Being there in prison the foundation of the prison was shaken by an earth-quake the dores were opened the prisoners bands were loosed the Iaylor was conuerted he and his house baptized and the Apostle deliuered For these things this Citie is well knowne and it was the Church generally in this Citie that the Apostle saluted The persons more particularly saluted are the Bishops and Deacons there Where by Bishops he meaneth the Pastors and Teachers which laboured in the word and doctrine For both the word so signifieth throughout the whole New Testament and here it must needs so signifie because he speaketh of many in one Church By Deacons also he meaneth those that by their office were to receiue and distribute the common liberalitie of the Church according to the necessities of all the poore members thereof such as we read to haue beene ordeined in the Church Act. 6 5. and such as are described by our Apostle 1 Tim. 3.8 c. Vnto whom together with the Bishops the Apostle is thought here to write as to magnifie their office so because theirs had beene the care chiefly in respect of their office to send the Churches liberalitie to him by their Minister Epaphroditus The salutation followeth wherein he wisheth them all good from him which is the author of all goodnesse Where 1. is set downe the thing which he wisheth vnto them which is grace and peace vnderstanding by grace the free fauour of God wherewith he loueth his children and whence as from the fountaine all other goodnesse doth flow and by peace euery blessing corporall and spirituall for this life and that that is to come flowing from that fountaine of grace 2. is set downe vnto whom he wisheth this grace and peace namely vnto all the Saints at Philippi together with the Bishops c. 3. is set downe the author from whom and by whom he wisheth this grace and peace vnto them which is from God our father as the fountaine and first originall from whom commeth euery good and perfect gift and from the Lord Iesus Christ as the meanes by whom euery grace of the spirit is conveyed and deriued vnto vs. Thus much for the purpose of the Apostle in these words and the meaning of them Now let vs see what notes we may gather hence for our farther vse and instruction Paul and Timotheus First then for the very name of Paul it should not passe vs reading or hearing of it but therein we should obserue the great mercy of our gracious God towards sinfull creatures For what was Paul that now wrote vnto the Churches here and there to stablish them in the faith Surely he was sometimes a bloudy Saul a cruel persecutor of Gods Church one that hauing receiued authoritie of the High Priests Act. 26.10 shut vp many of the Saints in prison and when they were put to death gaue his sentence 11. punished them throughout all the synagogues and compelled them to blaspheme and being more madde vpon them persecuted them euen vnto strange Cities one that was a blasphemer 1 Tim. 1.13 an oppressor that spared neither men nor women Act. 22.4 but beat them and bound them and deliuered them vnto death Gal. 1.13 one that persecuted the Church of God extreamely and wasted it All which things himselfe testifieth of himselfe Could there well haue beene a more forlorne man a more desperate and godles creature Yet this man was receiued vnto mercy yea vnto such mercy that the Lord called him to be an Apostle and chose him to beare his name before the Gentiles and Kings and the children of Israel And that this was a worke of the Lord his owne mercy our Apostle himselfe witnesseth where he thus saith I was a blasphemer and a persecutor and an oppressor 1 Tim 1.13 but I was receiued to mercy And why was he receiued to mercy himselfe tells vs saying for this cause was I receiued to mercy 16. that Iesus Christ should first shew on me all long-suffering to the ensample of them that shall in time to come beleeue in him vnto eternall life It was then the Lord his great mercy towards him that of a cruell persecutor he became an holy Apostle of Christ Iesus and this mercy was shewed on him that in him might be an example of Gods mercy
is giuen all power in heauen and in earth which we confesse when we call him Lord. If he therefore be with vs we neede not to feare who be against vs. For he is our God our Sauiour our Lord our Master our King our euerlasting high Priest I cannot prosecute either these or the rest of the points By these you will coniecture the rest and easily see the epitome of Christianitie concluded in this short salutation LECTVRE III. PHILIP 1. vers 3.4.5 I thanke my God hauing you in perfect memory c. NOw giue me leaue before I come to that which followeth to note one thing farther from the words already handled and that is the Apostles often vsing of the name of Iesus Christ in so few words Out of the abundance of his heart his mouth spake and still his mouth was filled with Iesus Christ Iesus Christ insomuch that three seuerall times still he ingeminates Iesus Christ Paul and Timothie the seruants of Iesus Christ to all the saints in Iesus Christ grace be with you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Iesus Christ Which argueth that his comfort was in him that his loue was set on him and that he was vnto him as the spouse speaketh in the Canticles the chiefest of ten thousand Cant. 5.10 Hence then I obserue a rule whereby commonly to discerne what a man is his speach commonly bewraieth what he is The worldling his tongue is still talking of the world the couetous man of his money the voluptuous man of his pleasure the proud man of his rich attire the delicate man of his dainty fare the pot-companion of his cups and the like commonly talke most of the things they like best and by their talke commonly they may bee discerned what they are And in this respect as it is with them that set their affections on things which are on earth so is it with them that set their affections on the things which are aboue They are still talking of the word of their saluation of the commandements of the Lord of the mercies of the Lord and of the things that belong vnto their peace as Dauid professeth of himselfe saying Ps 101.1.119.13.15.145 5.35.28 My song shall be of mercy and iudgement with my lips doe I speake of all the iudgements of thy mouth I talke of thy commandments and haue respect vnto thy waies I will talke of thy worship ô Lord thy glory thy praise and wondrous workes my tongue shall be talking of thy righteousnesse all the day long and I will tell of thy saluation from day to day But of all other things their delight is in their hearts to muse and with their tongues to talke of Iesus Christ Here their hearts dance for ioy and the talking hereof is more sweet then hony and the hony-combe vnto their mouthes Hereon they loue as it were to dwell and their tongues can neuer be satisfied with talking on him And why here is their comfort here is their hope here is their loue here is their crowne of reioycing Here is their protector in all dangers their reconciler vnto God their mediator betweene God and them their Sauiour from their sinnes and he that is made of God vnto them wisdome and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption Here is he in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge of mercy and loue in whom alone the father is well pleased And therefore here as men rauisht with ioy they cry and cry againe holy Iesus sweet Iesus blessed Iesus euen as we see the spouse in the Canticles not to leaue her bridegroome Christ Iesus after once shee catch hold of him but still cries O fountaine of the gardens O well of liuing waters Cant. 4.15.5.10.11 and of the springs of Lebanon My wellbeloued is white and ruddy the chiefest of ten thousand His head is as fine gold his locks curled and blacke as a rauen c. ad vers 17. Thus the children of God loue to talke of him whom their soule loueth and thus commonly a man may discerne who are saints in Christ Iesus Commonly I say not euermore certainely For if good speech and holy talke and crying Lord Lord and often vsing of the name of Iesus Christ were a perpetuall and certaine rule of a good Christian the dissembling hypocrite would be as good a Christian as the best And a hard matter it is not to be deceiued sometimes by the hypocrite But commonly I say a mans speach bewraieth what he is holy or profane The ground of which note is that saying of our Sauiour Mat. 12.34 that of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh and otherwise we cannot iudge whereon the heart thinketh but by that whereon the tongue runneth Hence then learne you beloued to make tryall vnto your selues and to giue tryall vnto others what yee are Your tongue and talke may tell your selues and doe tell others what yee are What is it whereon your tongues loue most to talke and wherein yee take most pleasure when yee talke Is it on the things which are on earth It may be a token vnto your selues and others that yee are earthly minded Is it on the things which are aboue It may be a token vnto your selues and others that your conversation is in heauen If yee loue Christ Iesus if yee take comfort in Christ Iesus your tongues will be talking of Iesus Christ and your hearts will reioyce when your tongues are talking of him As therefore the Apostle exhorteth the Colossians so doe I you Let your speach be gracious alwaies Col. 4.6 and powdred with salt Let the mercies which yee haue in Christ Iesus be so sweet and comfortable vnto you that your hearts may delight alwaies to muse and your tongues alwaies to talke of Christ Iesus Let him be hid in your heart let him breake out in your tongue and let him reioyce both the heart and the tongue that so yee may haue testimonie within your selues and giue testimonie vnto others that yee are Saints in Christ Iesus Now proceede we to that which followeth I thanke my God After the inscription and salutation now followeth the body of the Epistle it selfe wherein the principall scope and drift of the Apostle is to confirme the Philippians in the truth wherein they stood that they might not onely not decrease but increase in all knowledge and in all iudgement In this exordium or beginning of his Epistle which is from verse 3. to 12. to testifie his loue toward the Philippians that so they might the rather hearken vnto him 1. he signifieth his reioycing on their behalfe for the grace of God already bestowed on them 2. he signifieth his assured hope of Gods farther mercy towards them in performing the good worke which he had begun in them 3. he prayeth for their perseuerance increase in all knowledge and in all godlines His reioycing on their behalfe he signifieth 1. in his giuing of
therefore by Dauid the Lord saith Psal 50.23 who so offereth me thanks and praise he honoreth me euen with most excellent honor Let vs therefore clense our selues from this sinne of vnthankfullnesse Phil. 4.6 and let as the Apostle exhorteth our requests be shewed vnto God in prayer and supplication with giuing of thanks The fouler that the sinne of vnthankfulnesse is let vs the more detest it and the more requisite that thanksgiuing vnto God is let vs the more abound therein Let vs follow the counsell of the Apostle and walke in Christ Iesus rooted and built in him and stablished in the faith Col. 2.6 7. as we haue been taught abounding therein with thanksgiuing The second thing which here I note is the cause of the Apostles thanksgiuing vnto God which is because of the fellowship which they had in the gospell from the first day vntill then 1. because they as other Churches had receiued the gospell whereby they had fellowship with the Father and the Sonne and because they had continued in the truth from the first day of their conuersion vnto Christ by the worke of his ministerie vnto now that he wrote vnto them Whence I obserue a principall matter of our thanksgiuing vnto God a principall cause why we should vpon the blessing bestowed vpon vs giue thanks vnto God for it In all things indeed is matter of our thanksgiuing vnto God for euery good giuing and euery perfit gift is from aboue Jam. 1.17 and commeth downe from the father of lights c. He created vs formed vs and made vs and that in his owne image in him we liue moue and haue our being he giueth health wealth peace liberty foode rayment he sendeth raine from heauen and fruitfull seasons deliuereth in all dangers comforteth in all troubles helpeth in all needs blesseth the worke of our hands and filleth vs with plenteousnesse of all good things And for all these we should and haue great cause from day to day to tell out his praises with gladnes and to offer vnto him the sacrifice of praise thanksgiuing But yet is a more principall matter behind which is the fellowship which wee haue with other reformed Churches in the gospell of Iesus Christ and the continuance thereof so long time amongst vs the preaching of the word of our saluation amongst vs and the blessed increase thereof vnder a most gracious gouernment Here is indeed principall cause of reioycing and thanksgiuing for by our fellowship which we haue with other Churches in the gospell we haue fellowship with the Father and with his sonne Iesus Christ as Iohn witnesseth saying that which we haue seene and heard to wit the gospell 1 Joh. 1.3 declare we vnto you that yee may also haue fellowship with vs and that our fellowship also may be with the Father and with his sonne Iesus Christ By our fellowship in the gospell we are called out of darknes into his marueilous light and we which in time past were not a people are now the people of God 1 Pet. 2.9 10. and we which in time past were not vnder mercy haue now obteined mercy as Peter witnesseth By our fellowship in the gospell we are borne againe not of mortall seede 1 Pet. 1.3.23 but of immortall and are begotten vnto a liuely hope in Christ Iesus as the same Peter witnesseth And by our fellowship in the gospell 2 Tim. 3.15 we are made wise vnto saluation through the faith which we haue in Christ Iesus as witnesseth our Apostle O blessed fellowship in the gospell whereby we are made wise vnto saluation whereby we are regenerate and begotten vnto a liuely hope in Christ Iesus whereby we are called out of darknes into light and of no people made the people of God and whereby wee haue fellowship with Christ Iesus which is the great end of the ministery of the gospell that we may haue fellowship with him and walke in the light as he is in the light Againe the continuance of our fellowship in the gospell from the first day of her Maiesties most gracious gouernment ouer vs vnto now our pereseuerance in the truth without being remoued away vnto another gospell which is not another gospell saue that there be some which trouble you and intrude to peruert the gospell of Christ what a principall blessing is this of our good God vnto vs Surely these are such blessings as may well make vs breake out into exclamation with Dauid and say Psal 116.12 13 17. What shall I render vnto the Lord for these his great mercies towards me I will receiue the cup of saluation and call vpon the name of the Lord. I will offer a sacrifice of thanks-giuing will call vpon the name of the Lord. This was Dauids resolution vpon deliuerance from dangers by Saul and much more vpon such blessings as these haue we iust cause of such resolution God being principally in this soft and still voice of the gospell Haue we then such principall cause of thanksgiuing vnto our God for the fellowship which wee haue with other Churches in the gospell and for the continuance of this fellowship from the first day vnto now euen these forty yeares This then 1. should teach vs willingly and gladly to embrace the gospell of Iesus Christ when it is brought vnto vs. For if there be such cause of thanksgiuing vnto God for it being had then surely is there great cause of gladly embracing it when it may be had And yet what dullnesse and slacknes and coldnes herein In this congregation how is it embraced I beare you record some of you that yee doe embrace it willingly and gladly and I assure my selfe that from your hearts you thanke your God for it But others there are that seldome or neuer come vnto the hearing of it others that when they should heare it turne their backs and depart away from the hearing of it others that heare it sleepingly or coldly so that either it enters not in or quickly after is choked by the cares of this world Do these thanke God for the fellowship which they haue with others in the gospell Nay they haue none and some of them will haue no fellowship with others therein and therefore vnlesse at length they take hold of the grace that is offered them they shall haue no fellowship with the Father or with Iesus Christ his sonne As for you beloued that gladly embrace the gospell of your saluation hold on your good course thirst after it as the Hart doth after the water brooks frequent the places where yee may heare it lay it vp in your hearts that yee may not sinne against the Lord and let your mouthes be euer filled with praises thanksgiuing to God for it Secondly this should teach vs to labour by all holy meanes to continue in the grace and in the truth wherein we stand vnto the end For if it should so principally cause in vs
God forgotten to be gracious and will he shut vp his louing kindnesse in displeasure And againe Lord why abhorrest thou my soule and hidest thy face frome mee Lord where are thy old louing kindnesses thy terrors doe I suffer with a troubled minde thy wrathfull displeasure goeth ouer me and the feare of thee hath vndone mee His reall continuance ye see seemeth to be cut off and himselfe to be separated from the Lord but by his gronings and cries it appeareth that his holy desire still remained Pauls care likewise was interrupted and his reall continuance remitted when hee was so exalted through the abundance of reuelations 2 Cor. 12.7 that there was giuen vnto him a pricke in the flesh euen the messenger of Satan to buffet him yet in that he then besought the Lord thrise that that messenger of Satan might depart from him 8. it appeareth that this his holy desire still remained And this holy desire of perseuering is it which the Lord accepteth and then is he said to giue vs this grace of perseuerance when hee giueth vs a perpetuall will and desire of perseuering in that grace wherein wee stand howsoeuer the very act of perseuering by sinne tentation or other trouble seeme to be cut off and quite failed sometimes euen in the dearest of Gods children Here then is a notable comfort for the broken and contrite heart for the humbled and afflicted soule For tell me ô thou distressed soule hath the spirit sometimes witnessed vnto thy spirit that thou wast the childe of God Hath the loue of God sometimes beene so shed abroad in thine heart that thou hast verily perswaded thy selfe of the loue of God towards thee Hast thou sometimes beene delighted in the law of thy God and felt the sweet comforts of God in Christ Iesus in thy soule Why then is now thy soule so heauy and why is it so disquieted within thee Why doe thoughts arise in thy heart and why doth the sleepe depart from thine eyes O waite vpon the Lord and put thy trust in him for hee that hath begun a good worke in thee will performe it vntill the day of Christ Iesus He hath said it by his holy Apostle and shall he not doe it The strength of Israel will not lie 1 Sam. 15.29 nor repent for he is not a man that he should repent He hath begun a good worke in thee euen of his loue and his mercy towards thee and as himselfe so his loue is vnchangeable so that whom hee loueth once he loueth vnto the end O but therefore thou art troubled because he doth not seem to continue his louing kindnes towards thee Thou feelest not that ioy in the Holy Ghost that comfort in Gods loue which thou wast wont to finde thou art euen dead vnto the life of God Well did not Dauid cry out Lord where are thy old louing kindnesses where are thy former mercies Did he not pray restore me to the ioy of thy saluation and renue a right spirit within me And againe O quicken mee according to thy word quicken me according to thy louing kindnesse So that thou seest there hath no tentation taken thee but such as appertaineth to man euen such as haue ouertaken men after Gods owne heart But tell me doth it not greeue thee that thou doest not feele that assurance that comfort that ioy that thou wast wont to finde in thy God through Iesus Christ Doest thou not desire and long to feele that assurance comfort ioy that thou wast wont to finde in thy soule O yes it is thy doubtings that trouble thee and comfort which thou longest for Well then good enough It is a broken and contrite heart that greeueth at his sinnes Psal 51.17 that greeueth at his wants that the Lord loueth and a troubled spirit troubled at the cogitation of his slips and imperfections is a sacrifice acceptable vnto him And againe this holy desire of any grace is the grace it selfe A desire of comfort is a great part of comfort and a desire of perseuering is a chiefe part of perseuerance and hee that desireth any grace of God tending to saluation shall surely haue it For so Christ hath promised saying I will giue to him that is a thirst of the well of the water of life freely Apoc. 21.6 which is the same with that in the Prophet where it is said Ho euery one that thirsteth come yee to the waters Esay 55.1 and yee that haue no siluer come buy and eat come I say buy wine and milke without siluer and without money Comfort then your selues be of good comfort in the Lord all yee that thirst after and desire the things that belong vnto your peace Let not your sinnes or your wants and imperfections too much cast you downe or dismay you What if he will haue you to saile by hell to heauen He that continueth this holy desire in you will not suffer his mercies vtterly to faile from you for euer Heauinesse may endure for a night for a short season but ioy commeth in the morning after a while heauinesse is turned into ioy and sackcloth into the garment of gladnes Where he hath begun he will make an end and scattering this cloud he will shew vnto thee the light of his holy countenance In the meane time let that holy desire which is in thee be a pledge of his loue vnto thee and assure thy selfe he shall fulfill all thy hearts desire and restore thee to thy wonted ioyes againe LECTVRE VI. PHILIP 1. Vers 7. As it becommeth me so to iudge of you all because I haue you in remembrance that both in my bands and in my defence and confirmation of the Gospell you all were partakers of my grace THe second thing which heere I note is that God and God only had begunne that good worke of embracing the Gospell in them would as the Apostle was perswaded performe it vnto the end For once it plaine that the Apostle meaneth that God had begunne this worke in them and would performe it vnto the end and in that he saith not I am perswaded that God but that hee which hath begun c he plainely implieth that God only begunne that good worke in them and would performe it vnto the end For if any other but he onely had intermedled therein how should the Philippians haue plainely vnderstood the Apostle to speake of God when he said that he c. He if any other had had any hand heerein might aswell be vnderstood of that other as of God Hence then I obserue that both the beginning and the perfiting of our obedience to the Gospell and indeed of euery good worke in vs is only from God And to this the writings of the holy Ghost euery where agree The Apostle speaking in generall saith what hast thou that thou hast not receiued 1 Cor 4 7. no gift no grace no good at all but we receiue it from God
life of righteousnesse in himselfe that as he knew by the word Christ his resurrection to haue such a vertue so by experience in himselfe he might know Christ his resurrection to haue such a vertue And this care the Prophet exhorteth all men vnto where he saith Psal 34.8 Taste and see how gracious the Lord is Where yee may not thinke that the Prophet speaketh as if the gracious goodnesse of the Lord could be tasted on with the mouth or seene with the eye but his meaning is that such is the gracious goodnesse of the Lord vnto his children that they may haue as sound experimentall knowledge thereof as if they should taste it with their mouths or see it with their eyes It is then as if the Prophet had thus said Know yee doe the gracious goodnesse of the Lord by his manifolde mercies and more then so yee may know it by your owne experience Acknowledge therefore him to bee gracious whom by your own experimentall knowledge ye doe as it were taste and see to be gracious As then the Prophet doth exhort vs and as our Apostle both by example and exhortation moueth vs our care should be that besides our knowledge out of the word we might haue a feeling knowledge of that wee know out of the word by experience in our selues This then should teach vs to obserue the mercies and iudgements of the Lord to obserue the proofe and experience in our daily life of such things as wee know by the word that so we may haue not a contemplatiue onely but an experimentall knowledge of things in our selues As for example the scripture telleth vs that the poore crieth and the Lord heareth him and saueth him out of all his troubles Psal 34.6 This we know to be true because wee finde it so in the word But our care should be farther to know it by a feeling experience in our owne selues We must then obserue the mercies of the Lord in hearing vs when we call vpon him and deliuering vs in euery needfull time of trouble so shall we know not only by the word but by experience in our own selues that the Lord heareth the poore when they cry vnto him and saueth them out of all their troubles Psal 34.7 So Dauid besides this knowledge out of the word 1 Sam. 17.37 that the Angell of the Lord pitcheth round about them that feare him and deliuereth them had obserued the truth of it by his owne experience in his deliuerance out of the paw of the Lyon Matth. 16.18 and out of the paw of the Beare and thereupon was bold to encounter that great Goliah that vncircumcised Philistim Againe we know that the gates of hell shal not preuaile against Christ his Church because the scripture saith so But will wee so know it to be so as if our owne senses should tell vs that it were so Then we must obserue the stormes and tempests the persecutions and troubles the batteries and assaults that Satan in his members makes against the Church and how the Lord bringeth all their counsels to naught and maketh their deuises to be nothing else but the imagination of a vaine thing And thus in all things we must obserue that by long experience our spirituall senses may be exercised to know the truth of euery thing that wee know out of the word But so carelesse commonly we are that wee passe ouer the mercies and the iudgements of the Lord without obseruation at all whereby we might grow in all iudgement and sound experience It may be that some of vs sometimes will desire to know somewhat out of the scriptures touching the Sacraments touching the resurrection touching faith touching good workes c. But what is it It is onely to know it there it is not to haue a feeling of it in our owne soules If wee haue the text of scripture for proofe we thinke we haue knowledge enough but for proofe out of our owne experience in our owne soule we look not after it But beloued ye see we should haue a care as to abound in knowledge out of the Scriptures so in sound iudgment out of a feeling experience in our selues of the truth of that we know Let vs not therefore â—ightly passe ouer the things that we know out of the word but let vs labour to increase in a feeling knowledge of them in our owne soules Let vs obserue in our daily experience that as it is written so it is indeed that when we heare or read such and such things out of the word our owne soules within vs may giue witnesse vnto the same and say it is so indeede in mine owne experience I finde it to be most true Thus the Apostle exhorteth and thus it behoueth vs to doe The next thing which here I note is that the Apostle praieth for the Philippians that their loue may abound more and more in knowledge and in all iudgement which is that their loue might bee founded and grounded in sound knowledge and in sound iudgement that each hauing helpe of other and each being furnished by other they might the better discerne things that differ c. Whence I obserue yet a farther continuall care necessarie for all Christians and that is that their loue may abound in knowledge and in all iudgement Though saith the Apostle I had all knowledge and had not loue I were nothing 1 Cor. 13.2 So on the other side though we say we haue all loue and haue not knowledge it is nothing for what is all our loue if it be not grounded in knowledge and in iudgement Then these are good when they grow vp together and each hath helpe of other and which of these soeuer growes vp without other like vnto Ionas gourd it will quickly wither Our care then must be that our loue may abound in knowledge and in all iudgement In knowledge that we may know on whom our loue ought principally to be set And in all iudgement that knowing whom we ought to loue we may loue them whom wee ought Gal. 6.10 and as we ought Let vs doe good saith the Apostle vnto all men but especially vnto them which are of the housholde of faith Here we are taught whome we ought principally to loue We are to loue all men but especially them that are of the houshold of faith theÌ„ that are ioyned vnto vs in the band of Christianity And knowing that they are those whoÌ„ we ought principally to loue we are to loue them in deed in truth the more neerely that they are linked vnto vs in the bands of Christianitie the more dearely we are to loue them Otherwise our loue If it be not in knowledge and in all iudgement may do more harme then good euen as wee see that zeale doth without knowledge for it was in zeale but without knowledge Gal. 1.14 that Paul persecuted the Church of God extreamely and wasted it And it was in
Iesus Eph. 4.1 So that being Saints by calling we are to labour to be Saints in life and conuersation As then is our calling as is our profession so are we to labor to lead a life agreeable to our calling agreeable to our profession and professing the Gospell of Christ Iesus to lead a life agreeable to the Gospell of Christ Iesus And why The reasons are very cleare As 1. that the Gospell of Christ Iesus be not euill spoken of Tit. 2.5 euen as young women are taught to be discreete chaste keeping at home good and subiect to their Husbands that the word of God be not euill spoken of For what readier way to cause the profane and wicked to blaspheme the Gospell of Iesus Christ then when the Professors of the Gospell liue not according to the Gospell Rom. 2.21.22.23.24 Thou that preachest a man should not steale dost thou steale saith our Apostle thou that saist a man should not commit adulterie dost thou commit adulterie thou that abhorrest Idols committest thou sacriledge thou that gloriest in the law through breaking the Law dishonourest thou God for the name of God is blaspheamed among the Gentiles through you And if it may be said vnto vs thou that professest the Gospell of Iesus Christ doest thou lead a life which becommeth not the Gospell of Iesus Christ shall not the Gospell of Iesus Christ be blasphemed and euill spoken of among the profane Atheists and miscreants of this sinfull world through vs yes surely they shall say vnto vs as the Gentiles did to the children of Israell which poluted Gods name among them EZ 36.20 These are the people of the Lord these are the Professors of the Gospell these be the fruits of their holy profession and of the Gospell amongst them 2. They that professe the Gospell of Christ are to labour to liue agreeably thereunto that they may adorne the Gospell of Christ Iesus in all thing and winne others by their holy conuersation vnto righteousnesse and holinesse Tit. 2.10 euen as seruants are taught to shew all good faithfulnesse that they may adorne the doctrine of God our Sauiour in all things and as Peter exhorteth saying 1 Pet. 2.2 haue your conuersation honest among the Gentiles that they which speake euill of you as of euill doers may by your good workes which they shall see glorifie God in the day of visitation For when they that feare not the Lord shall see our good workes then shall they be brought to glorifie God our father which is in heauen when they shall see that as our profession is holy so our life also is holy then shall they beginne to suspect their owne wayes and to turne vnto the Lord as that place of Peter maketh plaine where he exhorteth the wiues to be subiect to their husbands 1 Pet. 3.1 and why that euen they which obey not the word may without the word be wonne by the conuersation of the wiues Whence it plainely appeareth that by the holy conuersation of them that are religious and godly be they men or women they that haue no good will vnto the word are oftentimes wonne vnto the obedience of the word 3. They that professe the Gospell are to labour to liue as becommeth the Gospel because of the commandement Mat. 5.16 Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your father which is in heauen because of the promise as many as walke according to this rule of the Gospell peace shall be vpon them and mercie Gal. 6.16 and vpon the Israel of God because it becommeth citizens of heauen to haue their conuersation in heauen and them that are called to the knowledge of God to walke as the children of God and because it is the lesson which their profession should teach them as the Apostle witnesseth saying T it 2.11.12 the grace of God which bringeth saluation to all men hath appeared and teacheth vs that wee should denie vngodlinesse and worldly lusts and that we should liue soberly and righteously and godly in this present world looking for the blessed hope c. In one word so onely the Gospell is the glad tidings of theiâ— saluation vnto the Professors of the Gospell if their conuersation be as it becommeth the Gospell of Christ and therefore they are to labour that their conuersation be such as becommeth their profession This then may serue for a iust reproofe of many carnall Gospellers in our day For many Gospellers there are by profession but not many that lead such a life as becommeth the Gospell of Christ many there are that professe they know God not many that shew forth the fruite thereof in an holy conuersation such as our Apostle speaketh of where he saith they professe that they know God Tit. 1.16 but by workes they denie him and are abominable and disobedient and vnto euery good worke reprobate So that it may be said of Gospellers as one said of Doctours many Doctours few Doctours many in name few in deed so many Gospellers few Gospellers many in name and few in deed many in profession few in practise many in word few in worke many in tale few in life and conuersation For is it not said of many that make a very great profession of the Gospell and of religion that they are hard men vnmercifull men men that grinde the faces of the poore and sell the needie for shoes as the Prophet speaketh Are there not many such that are noted to be Vsurers Oppressors Extortioners and the like Is it not said of many such that they are as ready to portion and to couenant for their dues with their Pastor as any men that they are as ready to turne their Tenants a grasing as any men that they are as ready to ioyne house to house to lay field to field and to enclose all vnto themselues as any men Is it not said that the complaint of the poore and fatherles and widow is taken vp as much against them as against any men I would it were not said in Gath noised in the secrets of Ashkelon I wish the prophane Atheist the superstitious Papist and the couetous worldling could not iustly twite vs with it Alas beloued do we not see and consider that thus we make our God to be blasphemed our profession to bee slandered and the Gospell of Christ Iesus to be euill spoken of for our sakes Doe we not see and consider that Atheist and Papist and euery earthly minded man makes his vantage of these things and thinkes his owne waies well patronaged by our waies Doe wee not see and consider that by such our life and conuersation the froward and obstinate are hardened the weake are offended and the edge and courage of many much cooled and abated If such spots and staines in our life did only touch our selues yet were we to looke vnto them because without holinesse of life no man shall
shall also raigne with Christ That persecution then causeth perdition to the aduersaries and saluation vnto vs it is of God who in iustice rendreth vnto them as they haue deserued and for his promise sake rendreth vnto vs as he hath promised For this yee must here note and vnderstand that persecutions afflictions sufferings and wrongs by aduersaries are in themselues and in their owne nature punishments of sinne as is also death and hereby God in iustice might punish our sinnes and our iniquities for if hee should bring vpon vs the bloudy persecutions of such Tyrants as were Nero Domitian and the rest of those cruell persecutors in the Primitiue Church he might thus plague vs for our offences and himselfe be iust in all his wayes and holy in all his workes But vnto vs his beloued ones and his redeemed these things are not that which in themselues and in their owne nature they are and which in Gods iustice they might be vnto vs euen punishments of our sinnes but onely fatherly corrections and louing chastisements whereby in mercy God exerciseth vs represseth sinne in vs and bowlteth the branne of corruption out of vs here in the body of this flesh And as vnto vs in mercy death is made of God not that which in it owne nature it is a punishment of sinne but an entrance and passage vnto life so in mercy hath hee promised that afflictions persecutions and the like shall be vnto vs not that which in their owne nature are the beginnings of greater miseries but fore-runners of our saluation in the day of Christ Iesus It is not then of the nature of suffering persecution yee see but it is of God that persecution betokeneth vnto vs saluation that saluation is recompenced vnto vs which are troubled He in mercy hath promised that so it shall be and therefore so it shall be and it is a righteous thing with him that it be so The vse which our Apostle here teacheth vs to make hereof is as of the former not to feare persecution by the aduersaries which oppose themselues against the truth and against vs for the truths sake for seeing God turneth their persecution and rage against vs to their perdition and to our saluation why should wee feare them Whatsoeuer therefore they practise against vs let vs rest and repose our selues in our God He shall stretch out his hand vpon the furiousnes of our enemies but his right hand shall saue vs he shall recompense the aduersaries their wickednes and destroy them in their owne malice but hee shall wipe all teares from our eyes and after wee haue drunke of the brooke in the way lift vp our head aboue all our aduersaries Againe is it of God that persecution causeth vnto vs saluation This then may farther teach vs that by suffering persecution we doe not merit saluation For if it be of merit that our sufferings bring saluation vnto vs then it is not of God but the cause is in our selues and if it be of God then is it not of merit nor is the cause of our saluation in our selues Not according to the workes which we doe or sufferings which we suffer but according to his mercy he saueth vs for neither haue we wherein to reioyce by works nor are any sufferings of this present time worthy of that glory which shall be shewed vnto vs nor is there any other name vnder heauen whereby we may be saued but onely by the name of Christ Iesus He that reioyceth therefore let him reioyce in the Lord of whom it is that our persecutions and sufferings worke vnto our saluation And let this bee spoken of this third motiue or reason whereby yee see that we are not to feare the aduersaries because God recompenseth their persecution vnto them with perditiâ—n and vnto vs with saluation It followeth For vnto you it is giuen c. These words are both a proofe of that which went immediatly before and a fourth motiue likewise to perswade the Apostles former intendment Immediatly before he had said that God in persecution gaue them a token of their saluation The proofe here is Vnto you it is giuen of God by grace to suffer for Christ his sake therefore in suffering God giueth you a token of your saluation or thus sufferings for Christ are testimonies of grace vnto you of God therefore they are arguments and tokens of saluation vnto you of God And as thus these words serue for proofe of that so are they a notable motiue to perswade the Philippians not to feare the aduersaries for thus out of the Apostles words I frame the motiue Who will be afraid of a singular gift of God but to suffer for Christ his sake is a singular gift of God to you therefore yee are not to feare persecution by the aduersaries And that to suffer for Christ his sake is a gift of God hee sheweth à pari from the like as to beleeue in Christ is the gift of God so to suffer for Christ both gifts of God and vnto whom the one is giuen the other may not seeme strange For vnto you it is giuen to wit by grace for so the word signifieth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for â—hrist that is in Christ his cause not only that yee should beleeue in him as others professe they doe but also to suffer for his sake which many others shrinke to doe Euen both these faith in Christ and persecution for Christ his sake are the gift and grace of God towards you Here then first I note that the Apostle saith it was giuen by grace vnto the Philippians to beleeue in Christ Whence I obserue that faith in Christ is the gift of God by grace Which also Christ himselfe teacheth vs where he saith No man can come vnto me except it be giuen him of my Father Joh. 6.65 Whereby hee meaneth that no man can come vnto him that is can beleeue in him and his Gospell except it be giuen him of his Father For so by comming vnto him diuers times in that chapter is meant beleeuing in him aâ— when it is said He that commeth vnto me shall not hunger and he that beleeueth in me which expoundeth the former 35. shall neuer thirst and againe Him that commeth vnto me I cast not away which is all one with that 37. He that beleeueth in me shall not perish So that it is cleare that when our Sauiour saith that no man can come vnto him except it be giuen him of the Father the meaning is that no man can beleeue in Christ except it be giuen him of God And to the Hebrues Christ Iesus is called the author and finisher of our faith Heb. 12.2 And wherefore was it that when Christ preached and when his Apostles and Disciples preached some beleeued and others beleeued not but because vnto some he gaue grace to beleeue and not vnto others For only they vnto whom it is giuen of God to beleeue doe
which is his body 2. When â—e saith that at the name c. Whereby is meant that God â—ath made all things subiect vnder his feete and that all creaâ—res shall confesse that Iesus Christ is the Lord vnto the gloâ—â—e of God the Father It is then as if the Apostle had thus â—â—d Christ when he was God humbled himselfe to be man â—nd being God and man he humbled himselfe and became oâ—edient vnto the death for vs therefore God hath highly exâ—lted him that thus humbled himselfe and hath crowned him â—n the heauenly places with glory and honour farre aboue all â—rincipalitie and power and might and domination and eâ—ery name that is named so that all creatures now doe and â—hall cast downe their crownes and fall downe before him â—nd say praise and honour and glorie be vnto him that setâ—eth vpon the throne and vnto the lambe for euermore And â—et this be spoken touching the order and the meaning of â—hese words in generall Now let vs a little looke vnto the â—enerall scope of them and see what lessons we may learne â—rom them Wherefore God hath c. The generall scope and drift of â—he Apostle in these 3. verses is by the consequent and good â—nto which God giueth vnto humility further to perswade vs â—nto humilitie and lowlinesse of minde that so if the examâ—le of Christ his humiliation cannot preuaile with vs to moue vs vnto humilitie yet the excellencie of that dignity whereâ—nto he was exalted after and for his great humility may perâ—wade vs thereunto Whence I gather these three obseruatiâ—ns for our instruction 1. Hence I note the gracious goodnesse of our mercifull God who seeketh euery way to win vs vnto that which he requireth of vs. Somtimes he threatneth that so for feare of 〈◊〉 iudgments we may walk in the law that he hath appointed for vs sometimes he punisheth for that in our affliction we seeâ—â— him diligently as the Prophet Hosea speaketh somtimes 〈◊〉 promiseth Hos 5.15 2 Pet. 1.4 that by his promises we may be partakers of the dâ—uine nature as Peter speaks 1. that so we may be drawn from the corruptions which are in the world through lust as the same Apostle there expoundeth himself In this place hauing pressâ—â— vs with the example of Christ his humiliation vnto humility he setteth downe the excellencie of that dignitie whereunto Christ was exalted after his humiliation that so seeing the reward or at least the consequence which followeth humilitie we may embrace this holy vertue which hee requireth of vs. A man would haue thought that this should haue beene enough to perswade vs to set before vs the example of Christ Iesus And we when we haue vsed any reason to such or such purpose we thinke we haue done well and bidde him whom we speake vnto looke to the afterclappes if he hearken not vnto vs. But such is the mercy of our good God that hee leaues not with a little but he heapeth reason vpon reason and addeth motiue vnto motiue and rather then he will not preuaile with vs he will doe with vs as we do with little children by most great and precious promises hee will perswade vs vnto that he requireth of vs. O let vs take heede how we hearkeâ— not vnto the voice of so good and gracious a God! 2. Hence I note the dulnesse of our mindes vnto euery good motion of the spirit vnlesse the Lord doe as it were draw vs with the cords of loue and euen force vs by multiplying his mercies towards vs. There must be precept vnto precept line vnto line reason vnto reason and after all this promise or hope of reward or else bee the motion neuer so good yet we will not hearken vnto it Vnto pride and vaine-glory vnto contention and oppressing one of an other wee runne apace and neede no spurre to set vs forward nay not any reason here shall rule vs but runne we will after our owne vnbridled affections But to preuaile with vs to put on tender mercie kindnesse meeknesse humblenesse of minde to perswade vs to be curteous one vnto an other and to submit â—â—r selues one vnto an other there must be exhortation vpon â—â—hortation the example of Christ Iesus must be proposed â—â—to vs and besides all this there must bee certaine hope of â—â—ory after humility and well if all this can perswade vs vnto â—â—mblenesse and lowlinesse of minde Such is our backwardâ—â—sse and so slow are wee to hearken vnto the things that beâ—ng vnto our peace We should loue our God euen for himâ—â—â—fe because he is good and goodnesse it selfe wee should â—â—epe his commandements because they are his and good â—â—d righteous altogether we should embrace humilitie beâ—â—use we should be conformable to the image of Christ Iesus â—ut to stirre vp our slacknes and dulnesse vnto these and the â—â—e duties he hath giuen vs most great and precious promises â—â—d assured vs that the performance of these duties shall not 〈◊〉 in vaine in the Lord. Let vs not still harden our hearts as 〈◊〉 the day of slaughter let vs not still stoppe our eares at the â—â—ice of the Charmer charme hee neuer so wisely but if noâ—â—ing else will preuaile with vs yet let his promises perswade â— vnto our duties and let the sure hope of glory stirre vs vp â—nto humility 3. Hence I note that the high-way to be exalted into gloâ—y is to decke our selues inwardly with lowlinesse of minde Which is not only prooued by this example of our Sauiour â—â—e consequent of whose humility was an eternall weight of â—lory as here we see but by many other places of Scripture â—oe Our Sauiour Christ saith Whosoeuer exalteth himselfe â—â—all be brought lowe and whosoeuer humbleth himselfe shall be exâ—lted Salomon saith the reward of humility and the feare of God Pro. 22.4 â—â—riches and glorie and life And in an other place the feare of â—he Lord is the instruction of wisedome 15.33 and before honour goeth â—umilitie The reason is giuen by the same Salomon in an other â—rouerbe where hee thus saith 3.34 with the scornefull the Lord â—corneth but he giueth grace vnto the humble which the Apostles Paul Peter and Iames doth thus read God resisteth the proud â—nd giueth grace to the humble How humble and lowly minâ—â—led Dauid and Salomon were the Scriptures do witnesse as alâ—o how high the Lord exalted the throne of their glorie The like might be said of many others mentioned in holy Scriptures which I willingly now passe ouer because I haue herâ—tofore pressed this point Only in a word with Saint Iames â— exhort you to cast your selues downe before the Lord and hee shaâ—â— lift you vp Pro. 29.23 The pride of a man shall bring him lowe but the humble in spirit shall enioy glory Swell not therefore with pride one against an other whatsoeuer blessings you haue of wisedome wealth or honour one aboue an other Let nothing be donâ— among you
with kinde speeches and in all louing manner wiâ—â— my beloued my little children my deare brethren thâ— must ye study so to approue your selues both vnto God and men as that we may speake vnto you as vnto our beloued vnto our brethren c. Otherwise as Christ came not 〈◊〉 all with this feare not little flocke but vnto some with this O generation of vipers how can ye speake good things when yee 〈◊〉 euill And as the Apostle came not to all with this I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God but vnto some with this O foolish Galathians who hath be witched you that yee should not obey truth so ye must looke that as sometimes wee come in â—e and in the spirit of meeknesse so sometimes wee should â—me vnto you with a rodde and with a woe vnto such as oâ— not the Gospell of Christ Iesus that they might be saued â—n and brethren our hearts desire is that ye may be saued in â— day of Christ and we watch for your soules as they that â—st giue accounts vnto God for them haue ye care that wee â—y do it with ioy and not with griefe We are loth to come â—o you with a rodde we had rather come in loue and in the â—â—rit of meeknesse haue yee care that wee may come vnto â—u and that we may speake vnto you as vnto our beloued â— we sometimes sharply reproue sinne it is for your sakes at we may reclaime the sinner from wandring out of the â—â—ht way and againe if sometimes wee restore such as are â—â—en with the spirit of meekenesse it is for your sakes that â—e may binde vp the broken hearted and minister a word of â—â—mfort vnto the troubled and afflicted soule Both I meane â—arpnesse and meeknesse the rodde and loue both I say in â—â—eir due places is needfull and wise discretion in them both most needfull And so I come to the 3. point At ye haue alwaies obeyed What the Apostle in falling owne vnto him and kissing his feete as is now done vnto at man of sinne Nay the Apostle herein commendeth â—â—eir former obedience vnto God and vnto his word after â—â—ch time as they had receiued the Gospell of Christ Iesus â—nd this he doth to stirre them vp to continue their obediâ—nce that as they had begunne well so they might now go â—orward as they had begunne Whence wee are taught that â—is not enough to beginne well and for a time to embrace â—e truth and to obey the Gospell of Christ Iesus and afterâ—ards to quence the spirit and to suffer our selues to bee enâ—ngled in the filthinesse of the world but hauing begunne in â—â—e spirit we must go forward in the spirit and hauing begunne â—o loue and like the truth we must not fall from our first loue â—ut hold fast the same and continue therein Whereupon â—re those often exhortations in the Apostles to continue in â—he faith to continue in the grace of God to continue in the things that we haue learned to hold fast the profession of oâ—â— hope without wauering and with full purpose of heart 〈◊〉 cleaue vnto the Lord. The reason hereof is the schoole 〈◊〉 Christ is not a schoole of idlenesse or a schoole of non proficiencie but the schollers of Christ his schoole they must follow the truth in loue and they must in all things grow vp 〈◊〉 him which is the head Eph. 4.15 that is Christ as the Apostle shewed And therefore our Sauiour Christ himselfe told the Iewes 〈◊〉 beleeued in him Ioh. 8.31 saying if ye continue in my word yee are 〈◊〉 my disciples and shall know the truth They no doubt 〈◊〉 whom he spake had begunne well and had embraced 〈◊〉 truth but he telleth them that if they will be his schollers they must continue as they haue begunne and they must grow forward and encrease in all knowledge and spirituall vnderstanding A lesson as needfull to be taught in these our dâ—â—â— as any other For wee see by our owne experience that the word of the Lord is of such maiestie and so powerfull that draweth oftentimes the veriest miscreants that be vnto a liking of it and causeth them many times to doe many things we But as it is in the parable of the seede in the Gospell Mat. 13. some receiue the word with ioy but when persecution comes theâ— are offended other heare the word but the cares of the world and the decietfulnesse of riches choke it that it made vnfruitfull in others the euill one commeth and catcheth the word that was sowen in their heart and in a great many the liking of the word and the obedience thereunto is but like vnto a flash of lightening come and gone againe almost in a moment For a day or for a moneth or happily for a yeere or two they will harken and obey they will make a good sheâ— of louing and liking the word and many things they will doe well But after a while they will loath this heauenly Mannâ— and in their hearts returne vnto the flesh pots of Egypt 2 Pet. 2.22.21 or a Peter speaketh with the dogge they will returne vnto his vomit and with the sow vnto her wallowing in the mire Men and brethren we must not be like vnto such men For as Peter speaketh in the same place it had beene better for such men not a haue knowne the way of righteousnesse then after they have knowne it to turne from the holy commandement giuen vnto them We must hauing tasted of the good word of God â—nd hauing begunne to forsake the corruptions that are in the world through lust continue in the grace of God and grow â—orward from grace vnto grace till wee be perfit men and â—ome vnto the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ Hauing begunne to haue a liking of the word and to desire â—he preaching thereof we must take heede that wee grow not weary of it but the more we haue it the more our soules must â—ong after it and the more we heare it the more wee must grow in obedience vnto it to frame our liues according thereunto We must not here stand at a stay much lesse must wee go backward we must go forward and wee must pricke hard vnto the marke of the high calling that is set before vs. For in the way of godlinesse that is most true which is so common not to goe forward in that way is in truth to goe backward But I shall haue occasion againe to speake of this point in handling the exhortation To leaue therefore this point here it may be demanded â—how the Apostle saith that the Philippians had alwaies obeyed as yee haue alwaies obeyed For in that the Apostle doth admonish them euery man to esteeme other better then himselfe as verse 3. and to doe all things wihout murmuring and reasoning as verse 14. he plainely signifieth that there were many faults amongst them euen contention vaine-glory murmuring reasoning and
people of Iudah in that so he kept them for fifteene yeeres space from such manifold miseries and corruptions in religion as afterwards followed in the raigne of Manasses 21.2 Thus the Lord rich in mercy so shewes his mercies vnto his children as that therein there is a blessing not to them alone but to others also This should teach vs thus much that we should not be too much puffed vp for whatsoeuer mercies the Lord vouchsafeth vnto vs as if for our owne sakes alone they were bestowed vpon vs but seeing therein the Lord also purposeth a blessing vnto others our care should be to vse them to the benefit of others our health to profit others our wealth to doe good vnto others our knowledge to instruct others and whatsoeuer mercies we haue vnto the good of others Which lesson also our Sauiour Christ taught vnto Peter when he said vnto him Luk. 22.32 Thou when thou art conuerted strengthen thy brethren But how haue they learned this lesson that like vnto that vnprofitable seruant in the Gospell Matt. 25. hide their talent in the ground and neuer doe good with that knowledge wherewithall God hath blessed them or they that like vnto that rich man in the Gospell Luk. 16.19 only feed and cloath themselues and neuer regard to refresh poore Lazarus no not with the crummes that fall from their tables or they that like vnto Nimrod that mightie hunter before the Lâ—â—d by their power and might cruelly oppresse and wickedly tyrannize ouer their poore brethren How haue those parents learned this lesson that neuer regard the godly education of their children or those children that despise their fathers instruction and forsake their mothers teaching or those Pastors that seldome or neuer looke vnto their sheepe or those sheepe that will not heare the voice of their Pastors Certainly in men of all sorts there is either great ignorance or great forgetfulnesse or great contempt of this instruction for generally wee doe not vse the mercies of God vpon vs vnto the benefit of others but either we know not or wee forget or wee neglect so to vse them or wee doe abuse them vnto the hurt of others Well let vs know that as this mercy was shewed on Epaphroditus not for his sake onely but for Pauls lest hee should haue sorrow vpon sorrow so whatsoeuer such mercy is shewed on vs it is not for our owne sakes only but for others also that they may haue comfort and profit thereby or otherwise lest they should some way be grieued and troubled And therefore as the Lod hath bestowed this or that mercy vpon vs of health or of wealth or of wisdome or of knowledge or the like let vs vse the same to the good and benefit of others as our state or place or calling doth require and in any case let vs beware that wee abuse them not vnto the hurt of others Now let vs see wherein it was a mercy of God vpon Paul that Epaphroditus was restored vnto health The Apostle sheweth it when he saith lest I should haue c. Herein then was it a mercy of God on Paul that Epaphroditus died not vpon that sicknesse because so he should haue had sorrow vpon sorrow vnto his sorrow by his own bands and imprisonment should haue beene added another sorrow for his death God therefore had mercy on Epaphroditus and restored him vnto health not for his owne sake only but for Pauls lest he should haue sorrow vpon sorrow What then Was Paul sorrowfull for any thing that befell him or that was likely to befall him Did he not with patience beaâ—e whatsoeuer did or could befall him Or could he be said to beare that with patience for which he was sorrowful That Paul was sorrowfull for many things may and doth appeare euen by this one place He was sorrowfull for his owne bands and imprisonment he was sorrowfull to see Epaphroditus and to heare the Philippians to be so full of heauinesse and if Epaphroditus had now died his death would haue made him very sorrowfull All which notwithstanding he did with patience beare both his owne bands and the heauinesse of Epaphroditus and the Philippians and so would haue borne Epaphroditus his death if he had died For heâ—ein was his patience seene that he did with such constancie and courage for Christs sake suffer those things which caused his sorrowes as that he was not ouercome of sorrow but so moderated it as that he mildly bore whatsoeuer caused sorrow And how is patience seene but in moderating sorrowes and quietly suffering them and whatsoeuer may cause them The note then is that sorrow and the like affections and passions of mindes are nothings vnbeseeming Christians as some haue foolishly thought but rather such things as very well beseeme them Esa 53.3 It was prophecied of our Sauiour that he should be a man full of sorrowes and that he was so may appeare by his weeping ouer Ierusalem by his trouble in spirit at the death of Lazarus and by many other things Nay how shall wee call him a Christian that hath shut vp all bowels of compassion and is not touched with a fellow-feeling of his brethrens infirmities Herein is a good point of true Christianitie that wee reioyce with them that reioyce and weepe with them that weepe and that wee beare with patience our owne sorrowes and whatsoeuer losse or crosse which may cause sorrow Yea but was it not a fault for Paul to be sorry for Epaphroditus his sicknesse or should it not haue beene a fault in him if he had beene sorry for his death seeing these things came and should haue come by the will of God No surely both in him it was and in all Christians it is a Christian thing to visit the sicke and to be sorry for their infirmities and for their death So was Christ so were the Apostles and so are all Christians and ought to be For what other thing is this for them that be strong and in health then for the rich to giue vnto the poore for the learned to instruct the ignorant for the strong to helpe the weake c. 1 Th. 4.13 Yea but wee are forbidden to sorrow for the dead How then should it not haue beene a fault in Paul to haue sorrowed for Epaphroditus his death Sorrow for the dead is not there simply forbid but such sorrow as they haue which haue no hope of the resurrection of the dead and of life euerlasting after this life They sorrow immoderately because they thinke that when death comes there is an end Such immoderate sorrow for the dead is there forbid lest we should seeme by our too much sorrowing so to thinke of the dead as the Gentiles did But a moderate sorrow is neither there nor elsewhere forbid but rather commended vnto vs by this example of our holy Apostle So that wee may sorrow for the dead if wee doe it moderately and with submission vnto the
our owne as for their wealth in good sort and things necessarie to this life so for their health and therefore auoide such occasions as whereby wee might bring their health in danger Againe we haue many examples in the holy Scriptures of that great Eliah of our Sauiour Christ Iesus of the blessed Apostles and of many others that did for the time auoide such dangers as otherwise would haue ouertaken them and did not alwaies thinke it meete to hazard themselues in euery occurrent danger Which reason I doe the rather in this place bring because if they might then much more priuate men sometimes may for the time withdraw themselues from danger Now if here it be obiected and said that auoiding of sicknesse and other dangers is an argument of distrust in God and therefore we may not withdraw our selues in such times I answer that it is no sure argument The wicked indeede withdraw themselues in such times of danger because they distrust in God and thinke that God either cannot or will not helpe them and deliuer them from the danger and such auoiding of sicknesse or other danger is wicked and vngodly The children of God therefore withdraw themselues because they know that it is lawfull to vse such remedies against dangers as are lawfull and good and such auoiding is lawfull Againe if it be said that to auoid at such times is to no purpose because God hath certainly decreed whom to take and whom to leaue at such times and none but they alone shall die I answer that in like sort it may be said that it was to no purpose for Iacob to send into Egypt to buy corne Gen. because God had certainly decreed to saue him and his familie from the famine Act. 27. and likewise to no purpose that Paul should keepe the mariners from flying out of the ship by boat lest all should perish because God had decreed to saue all them that sailed with them And yet wee see that both Iacob sent into Egypt and Paul caused the souldiers to cut off the ropes of the boat both vsing such meanes as God had ordained whereby to bring his will to passe and therein leauing vs an ensample to doe the same Againe if it be said that it is a scandall so to withdraw our selues I answer that it is a scandall taken not giuen Againe if it be said that whereas wee should loue our neighbours as our selues thus wee doe forsake them and so leaue the rule of loue and charitie I answer that to leaue them for a time when there are either some of their friends or some others prouided for the nonce to looke vnto them is not to forsake them neither is against the rule of loue and charitie Nay it were very preposterous loue and charitie so to be deuoted vnto this or that priuate friend as by that occasion to bring in danger a whole familie or charge whatsoeuer committed vnto them Neither doe I know any thing which can be brought to crosse that which hath beene said touching priuate mens auoiding of dangers which may not as easily be answered Now touching publike men Magistrates and Ministers the doubt is somewhat more difficult To instance in Ministers to shew mine opinion in briefe in my iudgement the Ministers are first and principally to looke vnto the good of the whole Church and then vnto the good of euery particular member thereof If there bee many Ministers of one Church some one by lot or common consent may be deputed to regard the sicke and the rest may auoid the danger But if there be but one he is so to be carefull for the sicke as that the rest of the Church may not be depriued of his ministerie Hee may and must comfort the sicke and goe vnto them in such sort and so neere as hee well can without danger and againe he may and must auoid manifest danger for the good of the rest of the Church so much as he can without impietie Neither may too much feare withdraw him too much from danger neither through too much boldnesse may hee thrust himselfe too much into danger for by too much feare hee is more slow to the worke of Christ then he should be and by too much boldnesse he more endangereth both himselfe and the Church then hee should To conclude the whole point therefore howsoeuer it be most true that it is a very commendable thing in the seruants of Iesus Christ to hazzard their liues as Epaphroditus did for the worke of Christ yet sometimes both priuate and also publike men may withdraw themselues from danger in such sort as already hath beene shewed Another particular obseruation hence I gather which is this that releeuing them that are in bonds and in prison and ministring vnto the necessities of Gods Saints vpon earth is a worke of Christ for so the Apostle in this place as wee see calleth it It is I say a worke of Christ such a one as hee commandeth Heb. 13.3 and loueth and rewardeth Remember them that are in bonds saith the holy Ghost by the Apostle as though yee were bound with them and them that are in affliction as if yee were also afflicted in the body 1 Tim. 6.16 And to Timothy the Apostle saith Charge them that are rich in the world that they be ready to giue and glad to distribute laying vp in store for themselues a good foundation c. Againe how the holy Ghost loueth this worke may appeare by that of Paul 2 Tim. 1.16 where he saith The Lord giue mercy vnto the house of Onesiphorus for he oft refreshed mee and was not ashamed of my chaine c. and by that where the Apostle saith Heb. 13.16 To doe good and to distribute forget not for with such sacrifices God is pleased Againe how Christ rewardeth this worke wee see in the Gospell where setting the sentence of the last iudgement he saith Mat. 25.34 Come yee blessed of my Father c. Contrariwise how the Lord hateth the neglect of this dutie of ministring vnto the necessities of his poore Saints on earth wee may see both by the example of that churlish Nabal of whose badnesse this is especially registred as most hatefull vnto the Lord 1 Sa. 25.10 that he would not releeue the necessitie of Dauid being in distresse but sent away his seruants with crooked and churlish answers and likewise by the example of the rich man in the Gospell of whom likewise this is especially registred as most hatefull vnto the Lord Luk. 16.19 that when Lazarus lay at his gate full of sores and desired to be refreshed with the crummes that fell from the rich mans table the dogges came vnto him and did more for him then the rich man would doe and likewise by the testimonie of Iohn where hee saith Whosoeuer hath this worlds good and seeth his brother haue need 1 Ioh. 3.17 and shutteth vp his compassion from him how
dwelleth the loue of God in him As if the Apostle should haue said Whatsoeuer shew this man makes the loue of God dwels not in him neither he loueth God nor God loueth him Men and brethren what should more stirre you vp vnto this holy worke of releeuing of Gods poore Saints a thing so needfull now to be vrged and pressed what I say should more stirre you vp vnto it then this which hath already beene said It is a worke of Christ which Christ commandeth which hee loueth and liketh which Christ highly rewardeth and vnmercifulnesse to the poore he hateth and detesteth As euery man therefore wisheth in his heart so let him giue vnto the poore Saints not grudgingly or of necessitie for God loueth a cheerefull giuer 2 Cor. 9.7 If it be a worke of Christ it well beseemeth thee if thou be a Christian if he haue commanded it it stands thee vpon to obey it if he loue and like it thou hast great cause to moue thee to it if for his mercies sake he reward it thou hast great reason to be occupied in it and if he so hate the neglect of it it behoueth thee not to be negligent in it As therefore euery man hath receiued of the Lord so let him be ready to giue according to that he hath Hee that hath mercy on the poore Pro. 19.17 lendeth vnto the Lord and the Lord will recompence him that which hee hath giuen And blessed is hee saith Dauid Psal 41.1 that considereth the poore and needie the Lord shall deliuer him in the time of trouble Consider what I say and the Lord giue you a â—ight vnderstanding in all things and fill your hearts full of all knowledge that yee may abound in euery good vnto the glory of God the Father to whom with the Sonne and the holy Ghost c. Laus omnis soli Deo THE THIRD CHAPTER LECTVRE XLVIII PHILIP 3. Vers 1.2 Moreouer my brethren reioyce in the Lord. It grieueth me not to write the same things vnto you and for you it is a sure c. THe holy Apostle hauing in the first chapter of this Epistle first signified his good minde towards the Philippians by retaining them in perfect memorie by his longing after them all from the very heart roote in Iesus Christ and by his praying for them and hauing afterward exhorted them that they should not shrinke for his imprisonment because thereby the Gospell was confirmed and not diminished In the second Chapter as we haue heard he first exhorted them vnto humility that putting apart all contention and vaine glory they would haue euen the same minde that was in Christ Iesus who being God humbled himselfe to be man and became obedient to the death euen the death of the Crosse and was therefore highly exalted c. 2. Hauing grounded certaine exhortations vpon that example of Christ his humilitie and obedience as 1. That they would runne forward in that race of righteousnesse wherein God had freely placed them through Iesus Christ making an end of their saluation with feare and trembling and then that they would doe all things with their neighbours without murmuring and reasonings that they might be blamelesse and pure and the sonnes of God c. The Apostle I say hauing grounded these exhortations vpon that example of Christ his humilitie and obedience 2. For their comfort and confirmation against certaine false Apostles crept in amongst them hee both promised to send Timothy shortly vnto them and likewise that himselfe would shortly after that come vnto them and besides sent their Minister Epaphroditus presently vnto them Now in this 3. Chapter the Apostle instructeth the Philippians in the things wherein the false Apostles laboured to seduce them and so armeth the Philippians against them till his comming vnto them by confuting that false doctrine which they deliuered The doctrine which the false Apostles deliuered was that not Christ alone and faith in his name but circumcision also and the workes of the law were necessarie vnto iustification and saluation Which doctrine the Apostle doth at large confute in the Epistle to the Galathians because they had suffered themselues to be seduced and bewitched by it But here because the Philippians had manfully withstood it and giuen it no place amongst them the Apostle very briefly confuteth it and proueth that our righteousnesse is onely by Christ and faith in his name not at all by the works of the Law The principall parts of this Chapâ—er are three 1. He exhorteth them to beware of false Teachers verse 2. and instructeth them in that truth which the false Apostles gainesay vers 3. 2. The Apostle proposeth himselfe as an imbracer of that truth touching mans righteousnesse which they were to embrace à vers 4. ad 15. Lastly hee exhorteth them to embrace and hold fast the same truth with him and to walke as they haue him for an ensample from vers 15. to the end of the Chapter Now before he come to the handling of any of these principall parts 1. He setteth downe this exhortation reioyce in the Lord as a conclusion of that which went before as a ground of that which followeth 2. He excuseth hâ—mselfe for writing now the same things by epistle which before he had taught them by word of mouth That the exhortation is set downe partly by way of conclusion of that which he had spoken before may appeare by the entrance vnto it in that he saith Moreouer c. For it is as if the Apostle had thus said hitherto ye haue been full of heauines partly for my bonds and imprisonment Phil. 1.12.14 partly for Epaphroditus your minister his sicknes Now for my bonds they â—s I haue told you haue turned rather to the furthering of the Gospell inasmuch as many of the brethren in the Lord are boldned through my bonds to speake the word and now so it is that I am in good hope shortly to be deliuered from my bonds and to come vnto you Again for Epaphroditus God hath had mercy vpon him and now he is returned vnto you in good and perfect health What therefore now remaineth my brethren but that ye be glad and reioyce in the Lord in the Lord I say whom before I haue described vnto you in that Lord who being in the forme of God thought it no robberie to be equall with God yet made himselfe of no reputation and tooke on him the forme of a seruant c. Reioyce for that there is no other cause but that ye should reioyce but reioice in the Lord who became man for you died for your sinnes rose againe for your iustification setteth at the right hand of God to make request for you vnto whom euery knee in that day shall bowe and confesse that he is the Lord reioyce in him Againe it is partly set downe as a ground of that which followeth as if the Apostle should thus haue said I haue already as in a glasse
is impossible to please God Heb. 11.6 Joh. 17.3 and without the knowledge of Christ there is no saluation for this is eternall life to know God and him whom he hath sent Iesus Christ So that our works done before we beleeue and before we be brought to the knowledge of Christ Iesus cannot be any way any merit why we should be iustified or why we should be saued Let this then teach vs to beware of such deceiuers as tell vs that such workes though they suffice not to saluation yet are acceptable preparatiues to the grace of iustification and such as moue God to mercy For if they were such preparatiues or if they did moue God to mercy how should they not be some aduantage vnto vs which the Apostle here plainly denieth They talke I know of Cornelius his praiers and almesdeeds Act. 10.4 as if they had beene workes done before faith and yet acceptable with God But the text it selfe in that place is sufficient to confute them for there it is said that hee was a deuout man 2. and one that feared God with all his houshold and gaue much almes to the people and praied vnto God continually All euident arguments that as a true proselyte he beleeued in the Messias howsoeuer he was not yet baptized nor perfectly instructed So that his praiers and his almesdeeds were not preparations and dispositions vnto faith and iustification but they were the fruits of his faith and iustification already begunne Of the like validitie are whatsoeuer arguments they bring to this purpose Howsoeuer therefore they tell you that workes done before faith or iustification are acceptable vnto God or dispositions vnto grace or motiues vnto mercy or merits in congruitie or whatsoeuer other aduantage yet yee see that the Apostle is cleare in the point that all the prerogatiues that any man hath and all the good workes that any man doth before he know Christ they are no vantage to him at all to iustification or saluation Yea further know that they who make other account of such workes thereby shew that indeed as yet they doe not truly know Christ for this is a plaine testimonie that as yet they are not come vnto the true knowledge of Iesus Christ if as yet they count such workes to be a vantage vnto grace or life Hearken therefore not vnto them neither giue ye any place unto their errour It followeth that hence also I should obserue that such workes are not only no vantage but losse for Christ his sake But the generall in the verse following comprehending this particular I haue thought good only to speake of it in the generall and so to conclude the point touching workes Thirdly therefore in that the Apostle saith in the next verse Yea doubtlesse I thinke all things but losse c. and doe iudge them to be dung c. I obserue that generally all our workes done according to the Law whether before or after faith and iustification seeme they neuer so good by reposing any confidence of saluation in them are not only no vantage but losse yea but dung such as were farre more meet that we should be purged of them then that wee should repose any confidence in them For that generally all workes are here to be vnderstood it is plaine by the Apostle in this place first because hauing spoken in the former verse of workes done before faith and iustification here he vseth a more generall word comprising both those and what workes else soeuer as if he had said yea doubtlesse now that I am growne vp in further knowledge of Christ Iesus I now thinke not onely things which either I had or did before I knew Christ but euen all things generally euen all my workes whatsoeuer and whensoeuer done to be but losse for the excellent knowledge c. to be but dung that I might winne Christ Secondly because the Apostle saith that hee doth iudge all things to bee dung that he might now winne Christ He had already won Christ but his meaning is that to the end hee might more and more winne him to the end that hee might more and more neerely be ioyned vnto him hee counted all his owne righteousnesse euen which now he had by any present workes of his to be but losse to be but dung So that all workes done either before or after that wee be iustified by faith are here meant What then are all our workes whatsoeuer and whensoeuer done simply to be iudged losse and dung No surely not in respect of the substance of the workes that are done for fasting praiers almesdeeds righteousnesse iudgement mercy and the like fruits of faith are good workes and pleasing vnto God both commanded and rewarded by him But both these and whatsoeuer our best workes are to bee iudged losse and euen dung that is in comparison of the excellent knowledge of Christ Iesus and of that righteousnesse which wee haue by faith in him for what are all things in the world in comparison of the excellent knowledge of Christ Iesus or what is mans righteousnesse that it should be compared vnto the righteousnesse of Christ Iesus Christ is our life Col. 3.4 Ioh. 17.3 and to know him as hee is reuealed by the light of his glorious Gospell is euerlasting life What shall wee then compare vnto this excellent knowledge Nay let vs not esteeme to know any thing â—â—ue Iesus Christ and him crucified in comparison of this knowledge let all things in the world seeme losse and euen dung vnto vs. Likewise what is mans righteousnesse in comparison of his righteousnesse Surely as darknesse in respect of the Sunne in his brightnesse for it is as himselfe white and ruddie and wholly delectable without blemish without spot or wrinkle or any such thing and what else is our â—est righteousnesse but as the menstruous cloathes of a woman full of filthinesse and slurried with much vncleannesse So that in comparison of Christ his righteousnesse it may well be counted losse and compared vnto dung fit for nothing buâ— the dunghill Secondly in respect of any confidence to beâ— reposed in them all our very best workes generally whatsoeuer are but losse but dung The reason is because confidence in them staies vs from that confidence which we ought to haue in Christ Iesus for the more that we reioyce and secure our selues in our owne righteousnesse which is by works the lesse we care for comming vnto Christ to be clad with his righteousnesse Witnesse the Apostle where shewing the cause of the ruine of the Iewes Rom. 10 3. he saith that they being ignorant of the righteousnesse of God and going about to stablish their owne righteousnesse submitted not themselues vnto the righteousnesse of God Whence it is plaine that to sooth vp our selues in a conceit of our owne righteousnesse is the very way to stay vs from seeking the righteousnesse of God in Christ Iesus And what else meaneth that of our Sauiour vnto
so to iudge for this Could hee not be found in Christ in that day vnlesse he should iudge all things to be dung No hee could not for to be found in Christ is to be found not hauing his owne righteousnesse which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ c. If therefore hee would bee found in Christ hee must put off all confidence in his owne righteousnesse and iudge it to be dung and reioyce onely iâ— the righteousnesse of Christ Iesus Thus ye see the reason anâ— the meaning of the Apostles speech in generall Now to open these words yet a little more particularly yeâ— see the Apostle here speakes of two sorts of righteousnesse thâ— one his owne the other Christs His owne righteousnesse he calleth that righteousnesse which is of the Law that i whicâ— ariseth from the obseruation of the commandments and ordinances of the Law euen from the performance of those things which God in his holy Law requireth Christs righteousnesse hee calleth that righteousnesse which is through thâ— faith of Christ that is that righteousnesse which being properly inherent in Christ is imputed vnto him through faith in him euen the righteousnesse which is of God through faith that is that righteousnesse which God doth impute vnto him because he beleeueth in him and in him whom he hath sent Christ Iesus His owne righteousnesse which is commonly called mans inherent righteousnesse yee see he describeth by the Law that is by the obseruation of those things which God requireth in his Law not only ceremoniall or iudiciall but morall also for so he said before that hee was vnrebukeable before men touching the righteousnesse which is in the Law that is which the whole Law required Christs righteousnesse which is commonly called mans imputed righteousnesse yee see he describeth by faith which is the instrument whereby wee take hold of this righteousnesse by Christ in whom alone this righteousnesse is inherent and by God who of his owne mercy imputeth Christ his righteousnesse vnto vs through faith This righteousnesse hee saith is through the faith of Christ therefore not ours but as by faith in Christ wee take hold of it through the faith of Christ therefore not by the works of the Law through the fait◠〈◊〉 Christ therefore not inherent in vs. Againe this righteousnesse hee saith is of God through faith therefore not of the law through workes of God through faith therefore the gift of God vnto him that beleeueth in him that iustifieth the vngodly of God through faith therefore not inherent in vs but onely imputed vnto vs. Againe he saith not of this that it is his as he said of the other but of this he saith that it is through the faith of Christ euen of God through faith therefore it is anothers righteousnesse the righteousnesse of Christ by his perfect obedience vnto the Law euen vnto death which being onely inherent in him God in mercy imputeth vnto vs through faith in Christ Iesus whereby wee lay hold on that righteousnesse which he hath fulfilled in vs and for vs. Now then when the Apostle signifieth that hee would be found in that day not hauing his owne righteousnesse but Christs his meaning is not that he would be found in that day without all holinesse or righteousnesse of his owne but hee would bee found not hauing his owne righteousnesse as to be iudged by his owne righteousnes he would not be iudged by his owne righteousnesse but he would be clothed with Christs righteousnesse to be iudged by it The summe then of all in briefe is this It is as if the Apostle had thus said I doe now iudge all things euen all my works whatsoeuer to be dung that I may winne Christ by faith to be partaker of his righteousnesse and that I may be found in that last and great day when enquitie shall be made into euery mans workes not in Moses bâ—t in Christ that is that I may be found not hauing mine oâ—ne righteousnesse which is by the obseruation of the commandements and ordinances of the Law aâ— to be iudged of the Lord by that righteousnesse but that I may be found in that righteousnesse which is inâ—eed onely inherent in Christ and which God doth impute vnto mee through faith in Christ Iesus that my sinnes being couered by his righteousnesse I may be iudged by it This I take to be the Apostles meaning in these words Now let vs see what obseruations may hence be gathered for our vse Not hauing c. Where first I note the antithesis and opposition that is betweene the righteousnesse of workeâ— by the Law and the righteousnesse of Christ through faith which two the Apostle doth so carefully and diligently seuer the one from the other as that thereby hee plainly shewes that there can be no confusion or mixture of the one with the other The like opposition betwixt these two sorts of righteousnesse and like seperation of the one from the other our Apostle hath in his epistle to the Romans Where shewing the cause of the ruine of the Iewes Rom. 10.3 he saith that they being ignorant of the righteousnesse of God and going about to stablish their owne righteousnesse submitted not themselues vnto the righteousnesse of God And afterwards he describeth out of Moses the righteousnesse which is of the Law thus that the man which doth these things shall liue thereby and then he sheweth what the righteousnesse of faith is Gal. 2.16 So likewise in his epistle to the Galathians Know saith the Apostle that a man is not iustified by the workes of the Law but by the faith of Iesus Christ 5.4.5 And againe Whosoeuer are iustified by the Law yee are fallen from grace For we through the spirit wait for the hope of righteousnesse through saith Many such like places moe might be produced where these two sorts of righteousnesse are so opposed the one vnto the other and so distinguished and seuered the one from the other as that thence it is most plaine that there is no communion or fellowship of the one with the other Whence I obserue that if iustification be by the righteousnesse of workes then is it not by the righteousnesse of faith and if it be by the righteousnesse of faith then is it not by the righteousnesse of workes Thus also our Apostle vpon the same ground reasoneth in his epistle to the Romans Rom. 3.20.21.27 for hauing in the third chapter plainly distinguished righteousnesse by the workes of the Law and righteousnesse of God by the faith of Iesus Christ and opposed reioycing in the one vnto reioycing in the other in the next chapter hee taketh vp the example of Abraham the father of the faithfull and prouing that Abraham was iustified by faith and not by workes he beginneth his disputation thus If Abraham saith he were iustified by workes he hath wherein to reioyce but not with God hee hath wherein to reioyce to wit
and good workes in that day that in the iudgement he might receiue reward according to them but he would not haue them to be iudged by them in that day to offer them in that day vnto Christ as a due desert of his Masters ioy to receiue his sentence for them in that day Hauing then before seene that we cannot be accounted righteous before God both by faith and by workes boâ—h by the righteousnesse of Christ and by our owne righteousnes hence I obserue that our owne righteousnesse by workes is no part of that righteousnesse whereby we are accounted righteous before God For if it were how should we desire with the Apostle to be found in the day of Christ not hauing our owne righteousnesse An argument indeed impregnable yet doe those euill workers make a shew of answere hereunto Rhemenses in hunc locum They say the Apostle in this place and elsewhere calleth that a mans owne iustice which he chalengeth by the workeâ— of the law or nature without the grace of Christ and therefore nothing can hence be concluded against that righteousnesse which is by workes after grace But what a shift this is rather then an answere was shewed the last day For that by mans own righteousnesse he meaneth that righteousnes which man chalengeth by such workes as he spake of imediately before themselues will granâ— and that he spake before as of workes done before faith and without the grace of Christ vers 7. so of all workes generally whatsoeuer vers 8. I shewed both by the generall tearme there vsed which must needes comprehend more then he had spoken of before and likewise by that he saith that he doth now at this present iudge all things to bee dung which cannot otherwise be meant then of his present iudgement touching such workes as now presently he did Againe why should not the Apostle by mans owne righteousnesse meane that whole righteousnesse which is in man by workes whensoeuer done whether before or after faith whether without or with the grace of Christ Doth that righteousnesse which is in vs by workes done after faith by grace â—ny way present vs righteous before God so that we should desire to be found hauing it to be iudged by it Shall any thing that is vncleane enter into his presence Or can any man bring a cleane thing out of filthinesse is there any man that being assisted and preuented and followed with the grace of Gods spirit doth good and sinneth not Is it not so with the best man that liues vnder the cope of heauen that if the Lord would dispute with him he could not answere him one thing of a thousand Is mans best righteousnesse better then Esay confesseth of his and the rest of the Churches is it not as filthy clouts Surely all his workes whatsoeuer done in the body of his flesh are so poluted with the contagion of the â—esh as that they are not able to endure the seuerity of Gods â—udgement but that he had neede with the Prophet Dauid to â—ift vp his voice and to pray Psa 143.2 Enter not into iudgement with thy â—eruant O Lord for in thy sight shall no man liuing be iustified Is â—hen euen that righteousnesse which is in vs by workes done by grace after faith so full of imperfections so full of vncleanâ—esse by reason of the contagion of our flesh as that we should desire not to be iudged by it why then should not the Apostle by mans owne righteousnesse in this place meane that righteousnesse which is in vs by workes done by grace after â—aith The circumstance of the place prouing it and nothing being able to be brought aginst it it is to bee concluded that by manâ— owne righteousnesse is here meant euen that righteousnesse which is by workes after grace See then that wee â—hould desiâ—e with the Apostle to bee found in the day of Christ not hauing our owne righteousnesse and seeing all our owne righteousnesse by any workes whatsoeuer is so full of â—mperfection and vncleanesse by reason of the contagion of our flesh as that we should desire not to be iudged by it hence I take it it is cleare that our owne righteousnes is no part of that righteousnes whereby we are accounted righteous before God This may teach vs how to desire to be found in that day hauing or not hauing our owne righteousnesse which is by our workes We are to desire to be found in that day filled with the fruites of righteousnesse and abounding in euery good worke full of holinesse towards God and righteousnes towards men because then we shall receiue the things which are donein our body according to that we haue done whether it be good or euill The wicked they that forgate God and would not walke in his waies howsoeuer they crie vnto the mountaines fall on vs and vnto the rockes couer vs and hide vs from the presence of him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the Lambe yet shall the hand of the Lord find them out and as he shall finde them he shall iudge them he shall recompence them according to the wickednesse of their waies and they shall be turned into hell But if then we shall be found to haue hated iniquity to haue followed after peace holinesse and righteousnesse to haue had our conuersation honest c. The most righteous Iudge both of heauen and earth he will passe by our sinnes and iniquities and in his great mercy towards vs he will reward vs according to the good that we haue done not respecting the merit of our workes but because he is mercifull and keepeth promise for euer nor suffering our labour to be in vaine in the Lord. We are therefore to desire to be found in that day not without holinesse of life or good-workeâ— but hauing such righteousnes of our owne that in the iudgement the Lord in mercie may reward vs according to it and not according to our sinnes But we are to desire to be found in that day not hauing our owne righteousnes to be iudged by it or to receiue reward for it or according to the merit and worth of it For albeit it shal be rewarded yet shall not the reward be giuen for it and albeit the reward shall be giuen according to it yet not for the merit of the worke but onely for his promise and mercies sake who accepteth that graciously which is his and pardoneth that graciously which is amisse For all that euer we do or all that euer we suffer is not worthy of that glory which shal be shewed vnto vs. But with the Prophet Dauid we must turne our voice vnto the Lord and say euen of our best righteousnesse If thou O Lord straightly marke what is amisse euen in the best thing that we doe O Lord who shall stand The thing which I note is that the Apostle would bee found in that last and great day hauing that righteousnesse which is
that wee doe but of that wee should doe and of that which God may require of vs. All our perfection is only in Christ Iesus who hath perfectly fulfilled that which wee should but could not and for whose sake all our imperfections are couered and not imputed vnto vs. He is our perfection wee are full of imperfections and in his perfection are all our imperfections â—id and couered Againe here is a notable comfort for all such of Gods children as feele in themselues any imperfections any wants â—f those things after which their soule longeth The blessed Apostle had not now when he wrote these things attained to â—he perfection of the knowledge of Christ of the vertue of his â—esurrection or of the fellowship of his afflictions Why art â—hou then troubled and why is thy soule disquieted within hee for such imperfections as thou feelest in thy selfe Thou â—nowest not thy Christ as thy soule desireth thou findest not â—at sweetnesse of his word in thy selfe that thou shouldest â—ou feelest not thy flesh so subdued vnto the spirit as it should â—e thou doest not walke in that obedience vnto thy God â—hat thou shouldest thou art not so zealous in all holy duties 〈◊〉 thou shouldest be thou doest not take such pleasure in the â—ings that belong vnto thy peace as thou shouldest do None 〈◊〉 all the children of God that come not farre short of that â—ey should in all these things and the more holy that they â—e the more they see their wants How often doth Dauid â—ay vnto the Lord to teach him his statutes Psal 119. to open his eyes at he may see the wondrous things of his Law to stablish his â—ord in him to incline his heart vnto his testimonies and not â—to couetousnesse to quicken him in his righteousnesse â—eade the 119. Psalme where thou shalt finde that that holy â—ophet hath euen powred out his soule in many such praiers 〈◊〉 but thou doest not onely feele in thy selfe the want of such â—rfections as thou shouldest haue but thou feelest such imperfections as thou shouldest not haue Thou art dull and sluggish and heauie and and lumpish there is no edge in thee vnto the things that belong vnto thy peace Doest thou know and feele in thy selfe these imperfections This same is a peece of thy perfection to see and know and acknowledge thine imperfections Luk 18.11 12 13 The proud Pharisie hee talkes of nothing but his perfections it is the poore Publican that feeles his imperfections and that not daring therefore to lift vp so much as his eyes to heauen strikes his breast saying O God be merciful vnto mee a sinner And what is it that makes thee feele thine imperfections It is the life of God in thee that makes thee that thou seest thy dulnesse and lumpishnesse and that thou canst not abide it but grieuest at it Them that are dead in their sinnes thou seest to goe on in the wickednesse of their wayes neither are they euer touched with any remorse or feeling of their wants and imperfections Yea Dauid so long as he lay dead as it were in that sinne which hee had committed in the matter of Vriah he neuer felt any remorse But when onâ—â— the life of God beganne to awake in him by the word of Nathan then he said I haue sinned against the Lord. This then that thou feelest and acknowledgest thine imperfections 〈◊〉 token of the life of God in thee The greatest imperfection that the young man in the Gospell had was the great conceâ—â— which he had of his perfection All these commandements saith he Mat. 19.20 I haue obserued from my youth vp what lacke I yet He could not see any imperfection in himselfe till Christ bade himself all that he had and giue to the poore c. and then he saw it but the text saith nothing of his acknowledging it with remorse for it To stand then vpon our perfection is our greatest imperfection and to see and acknowledge our imperfection with remorse is a great point of our perfection Let not then thine imperfections dismay thee It is well that thou feelest them it is a point of thy perfection and it is a token of the life of God in thee and if thou feltst them nor thy disease were a great deale more dangerous O but therefore thou art troubled because thou feelest thine imperfections more then thou wast wont O but comfort thy selfe rather in those mercies that thou wast wont to finde for he that hath begunne a good worke in thee Phil. 1.6 will performe it vntill the day of Iesus Christ He is immutable and so is his loue immutable for whom he loueth once hee loueth vnto the end Ioh. 13 1. It was Dauids case as himselfe witnesseth where hee thus saith I caâ—â—ed to remembrance my song in the night Psal 77.6 I communed with mine owne heart and my spirit searched diligently 7. Will the Lord aâ—sent himselfe for euer and will he shew no more fauour Is his mercy cleane gone for euer Doth hâ—s promise faile for euer more 8. Hath God forgotten to be mercifull 9. hath hee shut vp his tender mercies in displeasure Where the Prophet sheweth how hee was wont to praise the Lord in the night season for his louing mercies But now the Lord had seemed to shut vp his tender mercies in displeasure And this he saith in the next verse was his death euen the want of the feeling of Gods goodnesse he saith was his death 10. yet saith hâ— I remembred the yeeres of the right hand of the most high Where he signifieth that he recouered himselfe by remembring the former times wherein God had manifested his goodnesse towards him Let not then thy present want disquiet thee but comfort thy selfe in the remembrance of his former goodnesse towards thee Though hee seeme for a little to hide his face from thee yet will hee not leaue nor forsake thee but in his good time he will perfect his good worke in thee But I follow Here I note the Apostles eager pursuit after perfection He had not yet attained vnto it but he followed as eagerly after it as the persecutor who will not rest till he haue him whom he persecuteth or as the runner who will not rest till he come at his goales end He was so desirous to grow daily more and more in the knowledge of Christ and of the vertue of his resurrection c that he shooke of all impediments and letts which might hinder him in that course and laboured daily more and more in all things to grow vp into him which is the head that is Christ Whence I obserue a necessarie dutie for all Christians which is that they labour daily more and more to grow vp in the knowledge of Christ in obedience to his will in holinesse and righteousnesse and in all things to aime euermore at the marke of perfection And to this purpose are those often
vnto God but he is as dead vnto sinne and liâ—ing vnto God as if hee were already in the bosome of God â—ee doth not endeuour to runne forward from perfection to â—erfection but hee hath already attained vnto that whereat â—ther men are to runne So that as it is said of some Rom. 1.22 that when â—hey professed themselues to be wise they became fooles so may it â—e said of these that when they professe themselues to be perâ—ect they shew plainly that they are void of all Christian perâ—ction at least if the Apostles description of Christian perâ—ection may preuaile before theirs for by the Apostles deâ—cription it is cleare that indeed they are not come vnto any perfection in the schoole of Christ but are quite void of all Christian perfection The second vse which we may make of the former obseruation is that thence we may learne to trie what perfection we are growne vnto in the schoole of Christ For doe wee reioyce only in Christ Iesus renouncing all our owne righteousnesse which is by workes and quietly reposing our selues in his righteousnesse through faith in his bloud Doe wee feele in our selues a dying vnto sinne and a liuing vnto God in righteousnesse through the vertue of Christ his death and resurrection by the power of the spirit regenerating vs vnto a liuely hope in Christ Iesus Doe wee in our soules feele and from our hearts acknowledge our regeneration and our sanctification by the contagion of the flesh to be so vnperfect as that wee finde in our selues many wants and many imperfections Doe wee labour and endeuour to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ to be perfect as he is perfect to be holy as hee is holy and to proceed from strength to strength vntill we become perfect men in Christ Iesus Here is the substance of that perfection which oâ—â— good God requireth of vs in this life If it be thus with vs we may assure our selues that we haue well profited in the schoole of Christ and that we are growne vnto very good perfection There was a time indeed when it was said vnto vs This doe and thou shalt liue and againe Cursed is euery one that continueth not in all things that are written in the booke of the law to doe them and in this time there was no perfection but in the perfect fulfilling of the whole Law of God so that all of vs were vnder the curse and all of vs were in thrall vnto that mortall enemie of mankinde the deuill because it was impossible for vs to fulfill the Law of God But when it pleased the euerlasting King of glory in infinite mercy towards vs to send his owne Sonne in the similitude of sinfull man for sinne to condemne sinne in the flesh then this thrall vnto Satan this curse of the Law this yoke of the Law which neither we nor our fathers were able to beare was taken from our shoulders for that which the Law required of vs but which was impossible for vs to performe Rom. 8.3 that Christ Iesus himselfe fulfilled in our flesh that the righteousnesse of the Law might be fulfilled in vs which walke not after the flesh but after the spirit And now if by faith wee put on Christ Iesus and his righteousnesse and by the vertue of his resurrection die vnto sinne and liue vnto righteousnesse and acknowledging our owne wants and imperfections doe studie and endeuour daily more and more to liue righteously and soberly and godly in this present world this is the perfection which Christ requireth of vs. A blessed sending of such a Sonne and a blessed birth of so sweet a Sauiour worthy to be celebrated by a perpetuall remembrance for euer The sending of him vnto vs was the greatest token that euer was of God the Fathers loue towards vs and his comming into the world in the similitude of sinfull flesh was the ioyfullest comming that euer was so ioyfull that an Angell from heauen brought the tidings thereof and therein of great ioy that should be to all people that a multitude of heauenly souldiers praised God thereat and said Glory be to God in the high heauens and peace in earth and towards men good will that certaine wise men came then from the East Country to worship him that the shepheards when they had seene the babe with his mother published abroad the thing that was told them by the Angell of that childe that Simeon taking him in his armes praised God and said Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace c. and that Anna spake of him to all that looked for redemption in Ierusalem Of which most â—oyfull birth wee at this time doe celebrate a most ioyfull remembrance and should so celebrate it euen as these holy Saints of God did not in excesse of banquetting and feasting not in immoderate gaming and sporting not in idlenesse or wantonnesse but in honouring of his name in singing vnto him praise and thanksgiuing and in telling of his saluation from day to day So did they celebrate his birth as wee haue heard and so should wee celebrate the remembrance of his birth All other celebration is rather an heathenish imitation then any religious obseruation Let vs therefore as at all other times so at this time sound out his praises in the middest of the great congregation who hauing fulfilled that for vs in his flesh which wee could not doth now require of vs no more then he giueth vs for he requireth of vs perfection and he giueth vs perfection not an absolute perfection but such as he requireth of vs in this life To come then againe vnto our point will we trie how wee haue profited in the schoole of Christ and vnto what perfection wee are growne Sift the points and see If wee haue faith in Christ Iesus whereby wee take hold of his righteousâ—esse if wee feele in our selues the vertue of Christ his death and resurrection by the death of sinne and the life of righteousnesse if in heart and voice through a Christian feeling thereof we acknowledge our owne imperfection and if thereupon wee labour to increase in holinesse and righteousnesse with all godly increasing then haue wee well profited in the schoole of Christ and then are wee growne vnto good perfection For as I told you before this is the substance of that perfection which God requireth of vs in this life Howbeit this withall wee must note that there be degrees in this perfection for when by Gods mercy we are come so farre that the spirit beareth witnesse vnto our spirit that in some measure we haue attained vnto all these points of Christian perfection yet may we not here stand still but we must goe forward from grace vnto grace Vntill wee come vnto the marke at our races end wee must runne forward and daily grow from perfection to perfection We must labour daily to increase in faith that we may daily
say Our Father which art in heauen touching whom we doubt whether God be their Father How can we communicate in the Lords Supper with them of whom we doubt whether they be ioyned with vs in the same communion of Saints How can we liue with them as with our brethren and beloued if we doubt whether they be within the same couenant of grace with vs A shallow peace and a shadow of loue and a semblance of Christianitie there may be but such as vnder a colour onely deceiueth and hath no soundnesse in it It is this perswasion of our owne minds touching our brethren that they are in one couenant of grace with vs that they are members of the same mysticall bodie of Christ Iesus with vs that they are heires of the same saluation with vs that through one God one faith one baptisme one Gospell of Christ Iesus they and we shall reigne together in one kingdome it is this I say that linkes vs in the true bond of peace loue and Christianitie and either this must be or else that cannot be If then we desire to be knit together in the true bond of peace loue and Christianitie let vs so walke that we may be thus perswaded one of another As we are called to the knowledge of the truth so let vs walke in the truth and let vs keep fast the profession of our hope vnto the end Let vs follow the truth in loue and in all things grow vp into him which is the head that is Christ rooted built in him stablished in the faith Let our loue one towards another abound yet more more in all knowledge and in all iudgement Let vs haue our conuersation such as becometh the Saints of God and let vs prouide for things honest not onely before the Lord but also before men Thus shall we haue a sure seale vnto our soules thus shall we giue a good testimonie vnto others that we are the sonnes of God and thus shall we be knit together in one mind and in one iudgement that we may walke together in the house of God as friends My next obseruation hence is for the comfort of the Minister in particular The Apostle ye see vpon the faithfull labours of those that had laboured with him in the preaching of the Gospell at Philippi pronounceth that their names were in the booke of life Whence I obserue this for the comfort of the good Minister of the Gospell of Christ Iesus If he haue faithfully and painfully laboured in the worke of the Ministerie if he haue in all good conscience instructed and admonished his people and endeuoured to increase the kingdome of Christ Iesus his reward is with God and his life is as surely sealed vp with God as if his name were written in a booke to that purpose To which purpose is that also of the Apostle where he saith 1. Cor. 3.8.14 Euery man shall receiue wages according to his labour If any mans worke that he hath built vpon abide he shall receiue wages which wages the Apostle calleth elsewhere a crowne of righteousnesse 2. Tim. 4.8 which the Lord the righteous Iudge shall giue him at that day Yea but what if he labour all night and catch nothing What if he run in vaine and spend his strength in vaine and for nothing amongst his people Esa 49.4.5 Yet is his iudgement with the Lord and his worke with his God Though Israel be not gathered yet shall he be glorious in the eyes of the Lord and his God shall be his strength So that howsoeuer his labour be in vaine vnto them yet shal it not be in vaine in the Lord though they be not taught yet shall not he lose his reward For because he hath bene faithfull Mat. 25.21 he shall enter into his maisters ioy A good comfort after he haue borne the burden and heate of the day to receiue such a penie But what part of this comfort hath he that being set in the vineyard to dresse it neither hedgeth nor ditcheth nor gathereth out stones of it nor planteth nor watereth but standeth all the day idle in it No more then the watchman that giueth no warning Ezech. 3.18 Mat. 25.30 no more then he that diggeth his talent in the earth This comfort belongeth vnto him alone that laboureth Now see then men and brethren what this should teach you Is it so that the Lord rewardeth him that faithfully laboureth in the vineyard with euerlasting life but is angrie with him that loytereth euen vnto death Behold then what care the Lord hath ouer you what dutie ye owe vnto him again For wherefore doth he send out the laborers vnto you Wherfore doth he so reward the labors of them that labor faithfully amongst you admonish you Wherefore is he so angry with them that do not labour amongst you Is it not for your sakes that ye may be prepared an holy people vnto the Lord that ye may be instructed in righteousnesse vnto saluation and that no holy dutie may be neglected towards you Consider then with your selues what it is that the Lord looketh for from you grapes or wilde grapes It is iudgement and righteousnesse mercie and truth peace and loue integritie and holinesse that he lookes for and that he requires for such his louing kindnesse towards you for such his continuall care ouer you And if these things be amongst you and abound then blessed shall ye be of the Lord and ye shall eate of the fruite of your wayes But if he looke for iudgement and behold oppression for righteousnesse and behold a crying for mercie and behold crueltie for truth and behold falshood for peace and behold discord for loue and behold hatred for integritie and behold dissimulation and hypocrisie for holinesse and behold profanenesse and all kind of iniquitie then what remaineth but a remouing of our candlestick out of his place what but a fearefull looking for of iudgement wherein shall be indignation and wrath vnto them that disobey the truth and obey vnrighteousnesse Seeing therefore the Lord in his tender care ouer vs sendeth forth labourers vnto vs and so plentifully rewardeth their holy labours amongst vs let vs againe with all care consider what he requireth of vs for such his care ouer vs and in all obedience addresse our selues vnto that dutie His will is that we should hearken vnto the voice of them that come in his Name and he hath in nothing so much delight as when his word is obeyed His care ouer vs in sending his Ministers vnto vs early and late shal be repayed by vs with a good dutie towards him if we will hearken and obey Let vs therefore hearken and obey and so shall we reape vnto our selues a good reward For he that plentifully rewardeth him that laboureth amongst vs and admonisheth vs will also in like mercie reward vs if in vs the fruites of his labours grow vp in righteousnesse and true holinesse
appeareth that their ioy is not Christian because it is not constant but ebbeth and floweth according to the ebbe and floud of aduersitie and prosperitie What shall we say then when the Lord afflicteth vs with pouertie sickenesse and the like crosses must we reioyce in the Lord Yea verily 1. Sam. 2.6.7 for it is the Lord that killeth and maketh aliue that woundeth and healeth that bringeth to the graue and raiseth vp that maketh poore and maketh rich that bringeth low and exalteth Amos 3.6 There is no euill in the Citie which the Lord hath not done No euill that is no crosse or affliction no plague or punishment which he sendeth not And whatsoeuer crosse or affliction it is vnto his children it is but either a probation that the triall of their faith being much more precious then gold that perisheth may be found to their praise and honour and glorie at the appearing of Iesus Christ such as was Iobs affliction or else it is a fatherly correction that being chastened of the Lord 2. Sam. 12.14 they may not be condemned with the world such as was the death of Dauids child for Dauids sin and such as was the weakenesse and sickenesse and death of many of the Corinthians 1 Cor. 11 30. for eating and drinking vnworthily at the Lords Table Are then our crosses of pouertie sickenesse or whatsoeuer they be from God Then are they good and we are to reioyce in them For all things fall out for the best for those that loue and feare him Are they for the triall of our faith My brethren saith Iames James 1.2 count it exceeding ioy when ye fall into diuerse tentations and trialls c. Are they to correct and chastice vs If we endure chastening Hebr. 12.7 God offereth himselfe vnto vs as vnto sonnes for whom he loueth he chasteneth O but sometimes he shutteth vs euen vp in despaire and infidelitie how shall we then reioyce in the Lord I demand then Dost thou know it and lothe it and long to be brought againe into the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God Thou hast good cause to reioyce in the Lord for he hath onely hid his face from thee for a while that he may haue mercie on thee for euer And what if thy faith or hope be but as a graine of Mustard seed what if being as it were couered vnder the ashes they seeme not to be Christ Iesus is most plentifull to helpe them that are most weake and he is all-sufficient to supply all wants If any seede of God be there in thy weakenesse he will perfite his praise Yea but in that our Sauiour pronounceth a blessing vpon them that mourne Matt. 5.4 it appeareth that we are not alwayes to reioyce Not so neyther for euen then when we sigh and mourne for the affliction we haue in the world we are to reioyce in the Lord and to be of good comfort in Christ Iesus because he hath ouercome the world euen then when we mourne through a sence of Gods iudgements we are to reioyce in his tender mercies that he deales not with vs after our deseruings euen then when we mourne in the body because of affliction we are to reioyce in our soules because of our strong consolation in Christ Iesus and because our light affliction in the body causeth vnto vs a far most excellent and an eternall weight of glorie And therefore our Sauiour in the same place where he saith Blessed are they that mourne exhorteth also to reioyce and be glad in persecution for that great is our reward in heauen Let this then teach vs to take heed how we murmure against the Lord for pouertie sickenesse or any crosse whatsoeuer They are from the Lord whatsoeuer they be and if we be his children they are onely eyther for the triall of our faith and patience that patience hauing her perfect worke we may be perfect and entire lacking nothing or else as a louing correction of a mercifull father that we may be reclaimed from the wickednesse of our wayes And if we do not now reioyce in the Lord when he seemeth thus to hide his face from vs certainly whatsoeuer shew we made before of reioycing in the Lord we plaied but the hypocrites Howsoeuer therefore looking vnto our selues vnto our sins vnto our infirmities vnto our afflictions vnto the world we may sigh and mourne yet let vs reioyce in the Lord. We are not bid to reioyce in our selues Nay in our selues we shal be sure to haue cause enough of mourning We must therefore go out of our selues vnto the Lord and we must reioyce in him We must looke vnto him and remember that he is good and therefore whatsoeuer he doth is good that he is Almightie aod therefore can raise vs out of the dust of death and set vs with the Princes of the earth that he is mercifull and therefore will not suffer the rod of the vngodly to rest on the lot of the righteous And againe we must remember that he was poore that we might be made rich in him that he was weake that we might be made strong in him that he was tempted that he might be able to succour them which are tempted What cause therefore soeuer of mourning there be in our selues let vs looke out of our selues and let vs reioyce in him alwayes If he blesse vs then we thinke and yeeld easily that we haue cause to reioyce in the Lord and if he crosse vs with any plague or trouble then we haue also cause to reioyce in him because it is for our good and his owne glorie Reioyce therefore in the Lord alwayes LECTVRE LXXIX PHILIP 4. Verse 4. Againe I say reioyce 5. Let your patient mind be knowne to all men The Lord is at hand THese words are as we heard the last day an exhortation vnto the Philippians to reioyce not as the world doth but to reioyce in the Lord not with a momentanie and flitting ioy but alwayes both in weale and in woe not vnaduisedly made or about a light and easie matter but seriously made and about a matter very needfull and yet hard to be perswaded and therefore doubled Againe I say reioyce in the Lord alwayes Now see how it pleaseth the Lord that as the Apostle comes againe and againe vnto this holy exhortation and leaues it not with once or twice but euen the third time also exhorteth them to reioyce in the Lord so I should come vnto you againe and againe euen three seuerall times with the same exhortation to reioyce in the Lord. Againe saith the Apostle I say reioyce euen in the Lord alwayes for that is to be added and resumed to the former place From which doubling and redoubling of this exhortation I obserue both how needfull and withall how hard a matter it is to perswade this constant reioycing in the Lord to reioyce in the Lord alwayes For to this end doth the holy Ghost often in
all care of our matters but we must carefully commend them vnto God and depend vpon him for his blessing vpon them and successe vnto them In all things we must haue this care by humble and hearty prayer to flie vnto the Lord to pray vnto him for the obtaining of such good things as we want to pray vnto him for deliuerance from euills eyther now presently vpon vs or which we feare may fall vpon vs and to giue him thankes for such blessings as in the riches of his mercies he hath vouchsafed vnto vs. This care God requireth of vs and this care the godly haue alwayes had as might largely haue bene proued if time had giuen leaue and this is the Christian and godly care which now I commend vnto you faithfully to do the dueties of your calling committing your wayes vnto the Lord depending vpon his prouidence alwayes and in all things flying vnto him by humble and hearty prayer with giuing of thankes Let this then first teach vs not to be idle or carelesse in matters for this is not the thing forbidden to labour or to do the workes of our calling but to be too too carefull about that we do or haue to do and though we may not be too too carefull about that we do or haue to do yet may we not be carelesse or say as the maner of some is let the world wag as it list care shall neither kill me nor touch me This carelesnesse beseemeth not the children of God but is a note of retchlesse persons such as not onely cast all care away but also all honestie godlinesse and goodnesse As therefore too much carefulnesse so let this carelesnesse be farre from euerie one of vs. Secondly let this teach vs so to labour and do all that we haue to do as that still we depend vpon the Lord his prouidence and care ouer vs and in all things flie vnto him by praier and supplication with giuing of thankes It is he that must blesse our labours and giue a good end vnto our businesse We onely can do that we ought to do and then commend both it and our selues vnto the Lord in humble and heartie prayer Which if it were so well thought of as it should be many of politike complots and deuices might very well be spared for we plot and deuise and cast and winde vp and downe about this matter and that matter as if we by our maine wit would bring that to passe which the Lord otherwise either could not or would not Well the best plot that I can tell you of is this faithfully do ye that which ye ought to do pray vnto the Lord for his blessing vpon it and so commit it vnto him that he may do in it what he will and what seemeth best vnto him This I am sure is the best plot because the most Christian Let this therefore be our Christian policie let vs feare the Lord and walke in his wayes let vs do the duties of our calling whatsoeuer we haue to do let vs labour therein as we ought and let vs pray vnto the Lord for his blessing vpon it let vs commit it vnto him and then let him do as he will LECTVRE LXXXIII PHILIP 4. Verse 7. And the peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding shall preserue your hearts and mindes in Christ Iesus THese words as we haue already heard diuide themselues into three branches first a dehortation in these words Be nothing c. secondly an exhortation in these But in all things c. thirdly a consequent or effect which wil follow vpon both in these And the peace of God c. Another thing there is which I would obserue from the words of the exhortation of our Apostle in this place The chiefe scope and drift of his exhortation we haue alreadie heard which is that the Philippians would cast their care on God and in all things runne vnto him by prayer pouring out such prayers vnto him as may be accepted with him for his blessing vpon what they do and desire for deliuerance from such euills as presently they suffer or feare to follow Where note that the Apostle would haue their requests to be shewed vnto God by praier and supplication so that withall there should be ioyned giuing of thankes Whence I obserue that as prayer and supplication so giuing of thankes also is a necessary seruice of God a necessary duty of a Christian For as there are many causes of our often approching vnto the throne of grace by prayer and supplication for blessings in good things and deliuerance from euill so are there many causes of pouring out our soules before God in humble praise and heartie thankesgiuing for blessings in good things and deliuerance from euill Neither is there any whose wants or miseries vrge them vnto prayer and supplication which haue not also such proofes of Gods mercies and louing kindnesse towards them as may and ought to prouoke them vnto thankesgiuing Many are the blessings and graces for the bodie for the soule for this life present for that that is to come which enforce our prayers vnto God that we may obtaine them Many are the euills touching the body touching the soule touching this life present touching that that is to come which enforce our supplications vnto God that we may be deliuered from them And are there not as many blessings and graces corporall and spirituall temporall and eternall which the Lord hath already vouchsafed vnto vs as many euills corporall and spirituall temporall and eternall from which the Lord hath deliuered vs which should enforce our praise and thanksgiuing vnto God Yes verily but that rather we looke vnto the things which we would haue then vnto the things which already we haue receiued we might as wel see the one as the other And hereupon it is that as well praise and thankesgiuing are commanded by the holy Ghost in the Scripture as prayer and supplication and that the godly in al ages haue poured out their soules before God as well in praise and thankesgiuing as in prayer and supplication I exhort saith the Apostle vnto Timothie that first of all supplications prayers intercessions 1. Tim. 2.1 1. Thess 5.16 17. and giuing of thankes be made for all men And to the Thessalonians Pray saith the Apostle continually and in all things giue thankes And looke into the practise of the godly in all ages Iacob praying vnto the Lord to be deliuered from the hand of his brother Esau Genesis 32.10 11 first praysed him for the riches of his mercies towards him The Songs and Psalmes of thanksgiuings which Moses and the Israelites Deborah and Barak Hannah and Marie Dauid and Iehosaphat made vnto the Lord are not vnknowne vnto them that haue knowledge in the booke of God Paul likewise witnesseth of himselfe almost vnto all the Churches he wrote vnto that still in his prayers he gaue thankes to God for them And of him and
fauour with God For otherwise if they be not acceptable vnto God howsoeuer they might winne vs fauour amongst men we are not to thinke on them nor to do them What then are the things which may winne vs fauour with God and men If we put on tender mercie kindenesse humblenesse of minde meekenesse long-suffering patience and temperance if we be true in word and deede iust in our dealings helpefull to the poore honest in our conuersation if we honour the aged seeke not our owne but the wealth of others c. these are things as pleasing vnto God so such as winne the loue and fauour of all men not onely the good and godly but also the wicked and vngodly These things therefore we are to thinke on and to do And so our Apostle willeth where he saith Now therefore Coloss 3.12 as the elect of God holy and beloued put on tender mercie c. This should teach vs to auoid the things which may bring vpon vs the hatred and obloquy of men Otherwise then the maner of some is who purposely do some things that thereby they may spite and grieue some men It is not the hatred or displeasure of men that may withhold vs from speaking or doing that we ought But if to spite or grieue some man we sticke not to speake or do that which may displease our God then our iudgement sleepeth not If we bring vpon our selues the hatred of men and withall the displeasure of God the burthen will be too heauy for vs to beare Let vs therefore hearken vnto the counsell of our Apostle and let vs thinke on and do whatsoeuer things may win vs loue and fauour with men so that withall they be pleasing vnto God Let vs auoide whatsoeuer things may bring vpon vs the hatred or displeasure of men specially such as are displeasing vnto God Let vs loue and liue so that we may be loued of God and man euen whatsoeuer things are louely let vs think on them and do them LECTVRE LXXXV PHILIP 4. Verse 8. Whatsoeuer things are of good report thinke on these things and do these things 9. Which ye haue both learned and receiued c. THere is yet remaining another generall head of Christian piety which the Apostle commendeth vnto the Philippians wherein he exhorteth them to thinke on and to do whatsoeuer things are of good report amongst men that by such things they may win vnto themselues a good name and be well spoken and reported of in the places where they liue Whence I obserue this lesson for vs that whatsoeuer things may purchase vs a good report or continue our good name amongst the sonnes of men we are to thinke on them and to do them that as much as is possible we may heare well of all men A good name saith Salomon maketh the bones fat Prouer. 15.30 that is so comforteth and reioyceth and strengtheneth a man as good fare which maketh him fat and well liking yea A good name saith the same Salomon is to be chosen aboue great riches 22.1 Eccles 7.3 Eccl. 41.13 yea a good name is better then a good ointment A good life saith the sonne of Syrach hath the dayes numbred but a good name endureth for euer it continueth with thee aboue a thousand treasures of gold And therefore it is that men are oftentimes as iealous of their good name and good report among men as of their liues and count themselues after a sort killed when their good name is empaired or called into question To haue then a good name ye see and to be well reported of is as much worth as gold nay as a thousand treasures of gold nay as much worth as a mans life Therefore the Apostle exhorteth to procure things honest before all men Rom. 12.17 things honest that is things which may purchase vs credite and make vs to be well reported of amongst men And our Apostle in this place to thinke on and to do whatsoeuer things are of good report Now then what are the things that make vs well reported of amongst men Surely if it be said of vs that we are men dealing faithfully truly iustly and vprightly liuing honestly soberly purely and godly walking wisely modestly peaceably and louingly with our brethren bearing things patiently as becometh the Saints of God in a word hauing faith and a good conscience and whatsoeuer things pertaine to vertue if we be such men these things will make vs well reported of and either bring vs to a good name if we had it not or continue our good name if we haue it For these are things of good report both before the Lord and also before men Yea but this is great vanitie to seek after fame good report among men that men may speake well and report well of vs. It is so indeed if therein we seek our owne glorie For how good soeuer how full of rare vertues soeuer the things be that we do if therein we seeke our owne glorie it is surely great vanitie We must therefore know that we are to thinke on and to do the things that are of good report both before the Lord and also before men not for our owne glorie but for the glorie of Christ Iesus in whom we beleeue for the glorie of the Gospell of Christ Iesus which we professe We must haue care that we may be well spoken of well reported of not for any tickling vanitie of our owne praises but that the name of God that the truth of Christ Iesus might be well spoken of for our sakes For it is an ornament and honour vnto the truth with men if the professors of the truth be of good report amongst men And therefore our blessed Sauiour saith Let your light so shine before men Math. 5.16 that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in heauen And our Apostle describing the office of a Minister saith that he must be well reported of euen of them that are without 1. Tim. 3.7 lest he fall into rebuke indeed that the word of God be not euill spoken of And the Apostle Peter prescribing vnto wiues how they ought to order themselues towards their husbands saith that they are to be subiect vnto them and why 1. Pet. 3.1.2 that euen they which obey not the word may without the word be wonne by the conuersation of the wiues while they behold their pure conuersation which is with feare And to the sâ—me purpose he giueth this generall exhortatioÌ„ Haue your conuersation honest among the Gentiles that they which speake euill of you as of euil doers 2.12 may by your good works which they shall see glorifie God in the day of visitation To the end therfore that God may be glorified and that the truth which we professe may be wel spoken of we are to thinke on and to do whatsoeuer things are of good report whereby we may winne or continue a good name
which is a promise that the God of peace shall be with them if they will thinke on these things and do them The thing then that vpon hearkening vnto his exhortation is promised is the presence of the onely wise and euerliuing God sometimes called the God of glorie in whom onely is the fulnesse of glorie and vnto whom all glorie is due sometimes the God of loue in whom onely is true and perfect loue and who alone is for himselfe to be loued sometimes the God of comfort and consolation in whom and by whom alone we haue true comfort vnto our soules sometimes our peace which of Iewes and Gentiles hath made one bodie and broken downe the partition wall which was betweene vs and them sometimes the King of peace vnder the couert of whose wings we liue in peace and sometimes the God of peace as both here and often elsewhere Now he is called the God of peace both because of our reconciliation which he hath wrought by Iesus Christ for so it is said 2. Cor. 5.18 that he hath reconciled vs vnto himselfe by Iesus Christ and because of that peace of conscience which he communicateth vnto vs through our reconciliation with him by Iesus Christ Rom. 5.1 for so it is said that being iustified by faith we haue peace towards God through our Lord Iesus Christ and likewise because of that outward peace which he giueth vs in the world so farre forth as is for his glorie and our good When then the Apostle saith that the God of peace shall be with them the fruit of Gods presence with them is thereby signified in that he is called the God of peace For hereupon thus I vnderstand this promise that if they thinke on and do these things which he hath commended vnto them then the God of peace shall be with them to reconcile them vnto himselfe to giue them peace of conscience through their reconciliation with him and to blesse them with outward peace in the world so farre forth as shall be for his glorie and their good so that the fruit of their innocencie and pietie shall be peace inward and outward with God in their soules and in the world Where first in that the Apostle the rather to enforce his exhortation annexeth this mercifull promise that in so doing the God of peace shall be with them I obserue the great mercie of our God toward vs who to winne vs to the performance of such Christian dueties as we owe vnto him and to our brethren doth both in his owne person and in his Ministers draw vs thereunto by most sweete and louing promises If we looke into the worke of our creation at the beginning we shall finde that we were created formed Esay 43.7 and made for the glorie of God that we might glorifie him by doing his will and walking in his wayes If we looke into the worke of our recreation by Iesus Christ we shall find that we are treated in Christ Iesus vnto good workes Ephes 2.10 which God hath ordained that we should walke in them If we looke into the written Law of God we shall finde that whatsoeuer things are true c. we ought to thinke on them and to do them So that by the law of our creation by the law of our recreation by the holie law of God we are to do whatsoeuer Christian dutie may iustly be required of vs by God or man and when we haue done all that we can in any of these things we haue done no more but that which was our duety to do Luke 17.10 euen that which as we are Gods workemanship we are bound to do And yet such is the mercie of our God as that to bring vs vnto such Christian duties as we are bound to performe he makes many large and great promises both by himselfe and by his Ministers In Deuteronomy Deut. 28.1 to 15. If thou shalt obey saith the Lord by Moses the voyce of the Lord thy God and obserue and do all his commandements which I command thee this day then the Lord thy God will set thee on high aboue all the nations of the earth and all these blessings shall come on thee and ouertake thee c. To hearken vnto the voyce of their God and to obey his will were things whereunto they were bound and which they were vpon their allegeance to do Yet behold by how many and great promises of blessings he inuiteth them thereunto Rom. 2.7 In our Apostle likewise To them that by continuance in well doing seeke glorie and honour and immortalitie God shall reward eternall life To continue in well doing is a duty whereunto we are bound Galat. 3.10 For so it is written Cursed is euerie one that continueth not in all things which are written in the Booke of the Law to do them Yet behold to prouoke vs hereunto a promise of eternall life Quite otherwise then it is with vs for which of vs to draw our seruants to the performance of such duties as by their places they are to do allure them by promises Nay we require of them that which is their dutie to do and looke for it at their hands But promises they are for children But as in other things so is it in this God is not as man He hath giuen vs a Law to keepe and prescribed vs duetie to obserue which we his seruants are to keepe and obserue and the performance whereof he may absolutely require of vs. Yet doth he not so but by many promises of great rewards he prouoketh vs vnto whatsoeuer he requireth of vs as might be proued by infinite testimonies out of the holy Scriptures This should serue to stirre vp our dull mindes and to make vs follow hard toward whatsoeuer holy duties towards God or towards man are required of vs. That we must be allured by promises argues our dull mindes and vnwilling to the things that are good vnlesse we be euen drawne vnto them by promise of reward But in that we are allured by promises let this stirre vs vp to follow after such holy duties as haue such promises of reward from the Lord. If the world do promise honour there needes not any to spurre the ambitious forward so is it with the sensuall man if the flesh do promise pleasures and so is it with the couetous if the blowing of any winde do promise riches they make haste and poste apace after these things and striue who should be the foremost Shall the promises of the world of the flesh or of any like thing so stirre vp the ambitious sensuall and couetous worldlings to runne after their vanities and shall not the promises of the Lord stirre vp his children to follow after such things as haue such promises of reward from him Shall the words of winde and worse so preuaile with them to run after I say not after a corruptible crowne but after worse then vanitie and shall not the
Tim. 3.2.3 as selfe-louers couetous boasters proud cursed speakers men disobedient to parents vnholy without naturall affection truce breakers c. And yet how many are there that would be loth to be reckoned among the worst which are as vnthankfull as the most Whose fault soeuer it be it is a foule fault and one that includes all Let vs beware of it and let our thankful mind be knowne to all that any way deserue well of vs. Secondly in that the Apostle saith that he reioyced in the Lord greatly for their care for him I note that the Apostles reioycing was not so much for the bountifulnes of their gift but especially for that the Lord by his Spirit had enlarged their hearts to a Christian care ouer him Whence I obserue this lesson for vs that when any do relieue vs being in prison pouertie need sicknesse or any other aduersitie we are not so much to reioyce in the gift by which we are relieued but especially we ought to reioyce in the Lord for that he hath vouchsafed to touch their hearts with a godly feeling of our wants and a Christian care to supply our wants Thankfulnes vnto them is beseeming and requisite as before we heard but our speciall care should be to lift vp our eyes vnto the Lord and to reioyce in him For he it is that openeth the bowels of compassion toucheth with a tender commiseration of their poore and needie distressed brethren the hearts of them that are enriched with greater sufficiencie And therefore our Apostle in many of his Epistles vsually thanketh God as for their faith in Christ Iesus so for their loue towards all Saints Col. 1.3.4 We giue thankes to God euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ saith the Apostle in the next Epistle since we heard of your faith in Christ Iesus and of your loue towards all Saints And he tels the Corinthians that their liberalitie causeth thanksgiuing vnto God 2. Cor. 9.11 God being therefore to be blessed because he openeth the Saints hearts to relieue the necessities of the poore Saints First therefore let me beseech you beloued euen in the bowels of Christ Iesus to giue your poore and distressed brethren cause to reioyce in the Lord greatly for your care ouer them A godly and Christian care of late hath bene taken by the whole States of the land assembled in Parliament for the prouision of the poore and we are all of vs to reioyce in the Lord greatly for it that he put into their mind such an holy care Put ye now on tender mercie and compassion and let your care likewise be shewed this way by a chearfull giuing towards the reliefe of your poore brethren so much as shal be thought meete for you that the backes and bellies of your poore brethren may blesse you and reioyce in the Lord for you If ye shall find in your selues a willing chearfulnesse this way know that it is the Lord that hath opened your hearts stirred vp the bowels of compassion within you and looke whatsoeuer he giues the Lord shal recompence it into his bosome Prou. 19.17 For so it is written He that hath mercie on the poore lendeth to the Lord and he will recompence him that which he hath giuen But if ye shall grudge to set forward so good a worke and think euery litle too much that is required of you to that purpose know that the Lord hath yet hardened your hearts and shut vp all bowels of compassion within you and as now the poore crie and ye heare not so the day shall come wherein ye shall crie 21.13 and not be heard For so it is written He that stoppeth his eares at the crying of the poore he shall also crie and not be heard As euery man therfore hath receiued so let him giue and that chearfully 2. Cor. 9.7 For God loueth a chearfull giuer So shall the loines of the poore blesse you so shall they reioyce in the Lord greatly for you and so shall the Lord make all his graces to abound towards you Secondly let me exhort them of the poorer sort to learne to reioyce in the Lord for the care which he stirreth vp in their brethren for them It is too too commonly seene in many of you that as ye want the wealth of the world so ye want also the grace of God Ye sit and beg almes and reliefe If ye haue it not ye murmure and grudge oftentimes ye banne and curse if ye haue it some of you take it and go your wayes and there is an end others of you say some formal words from the teeth forward but who is he or where is he that hauing receiued reliefe lifteth vp his eyes vnto the Lord and reioyceth in him for that it hath pleased him to worke in their brethren such a Christian care ouer them Who is he or where is he that being sent away without reliefe lifteth vp his eyes vnto the Lord and prayeth vnto him that it will please him to increase their brethrens care ouer them and to giue them bowels of compassion towards them without murmuring or grudging at them Thus should ye do and then surely the hearts of many that are yet hardened would be opened towards you Learne therefore as to be thankfull towards your brethren for their care ouer you so principally to thanke the Lord and to reioyce in him for the care which he stirreth vp in them for you Learne to thinke on him to blesse him to reioyce in him more then any great many of you do Looke not onely to the reliefe which ye receiue but looke vnto the Lord whose worke it is to incline mens hearts to relieue you Thus shall he be well pleased and thus shall he incline men more and more to relieue you LECTVRE LXXXVIII PHILIP 4. Verse 10. Now I reioyce in the Lord greatly that now at the last ye are reuiued againe to care for me wherein notwithstanding ye were carefull but ye lacked oportunitie THe next thing which I noted in these words was the Philippians slacknesse to care for some time for the Apostle For in that he saith I reioyce c. that now at last ye are reuiued c. he implieth that their care had for some time slacked towards him the word here vsed being borrowed from trees which seeming in Winter to be dead flourish againe in the Spring and hauing in it this similitude that as trees which in Winter seeme to be dead and withered flourish and grow greene againe in the Spring so their care which for a time languished and decayed now againe reuiued and quickened in them Whence I obserue this lesson for our learning that euen in the faithfull and dearest children of God loue and charitie and other good graces of Gods Spirit are not alwayes alike orient and eminent not alwayes alike manifest and apparent but sometimes they languish and decay and are as if they were not Gen
faults let vs not condemne where the Lord hath not condemned and againe let vs not acquite where the Lord hath not acquited Thirdly here are to be reproued and condemned such as to excuse the faults and offences of others say and do more then in a good conscience they may For as I am not alwaies to condemne those men that do such things as wicked and vngodly men nor yet to acquit all those that do such things as good and godly men so neither am I to excuse one sort or other further then in a good conscience I may Charitie must rule me to excuse as I may affection may not ouer-rule me to excuse more then I should Albeit therefore to excuse the faults of men may seeme a very charitable fault yet if in any respect we do therein more then in a good conscience we may our fault is inexcusable and our iudgement sleepeth not Let vs therefore go so far in the excuse of our brethrens faults as in a good conscience we may but no further Let vs be ready to make the best of things we may but let vs euer remember to hold faith and a good conscience And let this suffice to be noted from the seuerall points in these words I speake not c. The Apostle hauing signified in the former verse his great reioycing in the Lord for the Philippians care ouer him now signifieth his reioycing to be not so much for the present gift they sent him because therewith his want was supplied as for their sakes euen for the fruite which should redound thence vnto them which he doth from the eleuenth to the eighteenth verse First therefore to meete with the suspicion of a couetous or an abiect mind he denieth that he reioyced so greatly for the gift because by it his want was supplied and yeeldeth a reason thereof euen because he had learned to be content with whatsoeuer state which contentment of minde he professeth he hath of Christ vers 11.12.13 Secondly he telleth them that notwithstanding he reioyce not in their gift yet he commendeth their liberality shewed both now and at other times towards him vers 14.15.16 Thirdly he telleth them that the thing wherein he reioyceth is the fruite of their gift for that it shall further their reckoning verse 17. These be generally the points I speake not c. In these words as I said the Apostle to meete with the suspicion of a couetous or at least an abiect minde denyeth that he reioyced for their gift as if before he had receiued it he had bin cast downe through want or were not able to endure his want For thus it might be obiected and said Yea indeede doth this care for you so greatly reioyce you Like enough your heart was downe before this helpe came vnto you No no saith the Apostle I speake not this because of want because my want is supplied as if before this supply came I had bene cast downe through want or were not able to endure want For I haue learned in whatsoeuer state I am c. which is a proofe that it was not for the gift that he reioyced because his want was supplied by it but for some other thing Where I note that the Apostle was neither deiected and cast downe through want nor his affection much altered by the supply of his wants Whēce I obserue who they are whom want doth not pinch to cast them downe through heauines namely the children of God who walke so as they haue the Apostle for an example What are not the children of God pinched with want Was not Abraham driuen by famine out out of Canaan into Egypt Was not Isaac driuen by famine from one place vnto another And was not the same lot vnto al the Patriarchs Had our blessed Sauiour himselfe a house to put his head in Were not the holy Apostles tried as by many other wayes so by want Yes surely amongst other afflictions want and penurie is one wherewith they that liue godly in Christ Iesus are sometimes pressed and pinched But this is it though they be in want yet they are not ouercome of want euen as the Apostle saith We are in pouertie 2. Cor. 4.8 but not ouercome of pouertie They looke vnto the Lord and they rest in him they know that pouertie and riches euen both these are from the Lord who maketh poore and maketh rich and that all things worke together for the best vnto those that loue and feare the Lord. And therefore they hang not downe their heads nor are casten downe through heauines they murmure not at the Lord nor breake out into impatience but patiētly depend vpon that God that commanded the rauens to feede his Prophet Elias and that feedeth the yong rauens that crie for want of food They know that the Lord careth for them though the world seeth it not and that he will supply their wants so farre as he seeth it good for them and therefore they comfort and cheare themselues in him Let this then teach vs not to looke at mens wants but how men are affected through their wants Pouertie or riches are no certaine arguments of the loue or of the hatred of God towards any Both are mercies and blessings of the Lord vnto the godly and both are plagues and snares vnto the wicked By pouertie and want the godly are oftentimes tryed to see whether they will blaspheme God to his face whether they will murmure against the Lord whether they can be content as to receiue good at the hand of God so to receiue euill whether in time of aduersitie they will go away from the Lord. By riches likewise the godly are often tryed to see whether they will thereby grow proud and forget the Lord whether they will as good Stewards vse them to the glorie of his Name and the good of their brethren whether they will beare themselues as enriched by him and make him their chiefest treasure Both these I say are trialls vnto the godly that the triall of their faith may be found to their praise and honour and glorie at the appearing of Christ Iesus Againe pouertie is often laied vpon the wicked for a plague as Salomon sheweth where he telleth the Sluggard Prou. 6.11 that his pouertie cometh as one that trauelleth by the way and his necessitie as an armed man and riches are often giuen them as snares as the Apostle sheweth where he saith that they that will be rich 1. Tim. 6.9 fall into tentation and snares and into many foolish and noysome lusts which drowne men in perdition and destruction Pouertie then or riches plenty or want are not the things that we are to looke vnto for that these are common to the wicked with the godly but how they worke vppon mens affections what effects they haue among the children of men Doth thy pouertie and want make thee hang downe thy head breake thy heart through heauinesse cause thee to murmure and grudge
the profit of his people that they may be saued euen for the gaining of them in the faith and knowledge of Christ Iesus To which purpose also is that of the Apostle Peter Feede the flocke of God which dependeth on you 1 Pet. 5.2 caring for it not by constraint but willingly not for filthie lucre but of a readie mind But as our Apostle saith to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 4.15 Though ye haue ten thousand instructers in Christ yet haue ye not many fathers so may it now be said though many Churches and many congregations haue many Ministers and teachers yet haue they not many so fatherly affected as seeke not their owne profit but their profit that they may be saued If we should looke into the Popish Clergie it would easily appeare by their practise what it is they seeke and desire For to what end are their trentals diriges masses buls pardons and such other their trash but for that they desire gifts and seeke after their owne profit It were to be wished that they onely were such and that there were no such amongst vs. But what shall we say of them that so they may get in care not how they come in in at the window or downe at the house top that sticke not at these matters of simonie and corruption but swallow them downe greedily that take the fourth fifth seuenth tenth twentieth part of the liuing and leaue the rest vnto the Patron that flie to Tarsus when they should go to Niniueh and rather reside any where then where they should that heape liuing vpon liuing and dignitie vpon dignitie and come either at none or but at some one of them that feede themselues and fleece their flocks but do not labour with them in the word that keepe no proportion concerning the matter of giuing and receiuing but reape as many carnal things as they can and sow either none or as few spirituall things as they can Do not these seeke their owne profit more then the profit of the people that they may be saued Are not these of those that seeke their owne and not that which is Iesus Christs If they could say any thing for themselues it is all well surely I cannot say any thing for them I wish that they who by their place may and ought to looke to the reforming of these things would in an holy care looke vnto them and as much as in them is reforme them Worke there will be for hardly will these things be reformed Now as there are many in the Ministerie that neither are nor wil easily be perswaded to be so fatherly affected towards their people as to seeke them and not theirs or more then theirs so beloued are there many among you that heare vs and vnto whom we are sent that will hardly be perswaded of any of vs that we seeke not yours but you that we seeke not our owne profit but yours that you may be saued Nay if we tell you that it is not your worldly commodities that we so much seeke after that it is not your carnall things that we so much desire but that the principall thing that we long after euen from our very heart roote is your godly growth in the faith and knowledge of Christ and your saluation in the day of Christ what do ye commonly twit vs withall namely this that we shall long tell you thus before you will beleeue vs. And this is one great cause in my iudgement why oftentimes we labour all night and catch nought why we spend our strength in vaine and for nothing amongst you euen your hard perswasion of vs as wanting all such fatherly affection towards you But as the fault is great of such in the Ministery as want such affection towards you so is your fault also great to thinke that none in the Ministerie are so affected towards you Where therefore their presence their diligence their watchfulnesse their care ouer you giue you no other cause there perswade your selues the best of your Ministers and Teachers Yea perswade your selues of this that they seeke not yours but you that they seeke not their owne profit but yours that ye may be saued that they desire not a gift but the fruite which may further your reckoning The third thing which I note is that the Apostle saith that the fruite of their liberality towards him shall redound to the furtherance of their reckoning in the day of Christ Iesus Whence I obserue a notable commendation of charitablenesse towards the poore afflicted and distressed and generally of good workes The commendation is this that looke what we giue vnto the poore and afflicted members of Christ Iesus looke generally what good we do that shall as it were be reckoned vpon our head in that day when we shall giue our accounts what we haue done in the flesh whether it be good or euill For imagine that it were with God as it is with man and that he had a booke wherein were noted as our debts so our payments in the day when the account shall be made whatsoeuer charitable worke we haue done vnto any of Gods Saints shall be reckoned vnto vs for good payment and the moe we haue done the more shall our reckoning be furthered nay the good workes that here we haue done they shall then be recompenced with eternall glory in the heauens Prou. 19.17 He that hath mercie on the poore saith Salomon lendeth vnto the Lord and the Lord will recompence him that which he hath giuen Mat. 10.42 Whosoeuer saith our blessed Sauiour shall giue vnto one of these little ones a cup of cold water onely in the name of a Disciple verily I say vnto you he shall not lose his reward And in the last day Come shall he say ye blessed of my Father Mat. 25.34.35 inherit ye the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world For I was an hungred and ye gaue me meate c. The reason of such recompence of reward is because Christ reckoneth it as done vnto himselfe whatsoeuer is done vnto his members here on earth If they be persecuted he is persecuted as that his voyce from heauen shewed when he cryed Act. 9.4 Saul Saul why persecutest thou me when not he but his Disciples were persecuted And againe if they be relieued he is relieued as that place of Mathew sheweth Mat 25.40 where he saith Verily I say vnto you in as much as ye haue done it vnto one of the least of these my brethren ye haue done it vnto me Now shall any good be done vnto Christ the euerlasting Sonne of the Father and shall the reward bee lesse then euerlasting glory in the heauens What shall we say then Is saluation in the heauens the reward of our workes yea it is so Is it a reward due vnto our workes Yea it is so Is it a reward due vnto our workes vpon the merit of our workes No in no sort
the bodie or for the soule goods of the Church or other goods that we are trusted withall to dispence and dispose it is required of vs that we be faithfull euen so faithfull that if neede be they whom it doth concerne may safely giue vs their testimonie thereof A good lesson for men of all sorts to learne for Prince and subiect that for their faithfulnesse each to other each may receiue of other this testimonie I haue receiued all loyaltie I haue receiued all right of soueraignty For Pastor and people that for their faithfulnesse each to other each may haue of other this testimony I haue receiued all wholesome instruction from you I haue receiued all duties cheerefully from you For maister and seruant that for their faithfulnes each to other each may haue of other this testimony I haue receiued all faithfull seruice from you I haue receiued all that is iust and equall from you But haue those or other like learned this lesson I will particularly instance onely in one sort of men whose example best fitteth with this we haue in hand Patrons of Ecclesiasticall liuings haue the patronage and donation of liuings committed vnto them The churches of seuerall places haue committed that trust vnto them to conferre them wholly vpon men willing and fit to discharge a good duty in them But vse they the like faithfulnesse herein that Epaphroditus did with Paul Do they giue all that is allotted vnto him vnto their Clerke whom they present Doth the Minister receiue all that the Church assigned him from his Patron Nay I feare me not many Ministers can say I haue receiued all that the church gaue me by my Patron Many may say I haue receiued by my Patron some part of that which the Church allotted vnto me perhaps the one halfe perhaps the fourth part perhaps the tenth perhaps the twentieth part but all cannot say I haue receiued all But let such vnfaithfull Patrons as thus neglect to discharge the trust reposed in them feare that they shall neuer enter into their Maisters ioy It is for the good and faithfull seruant to enter into his Maisters ioy but the bad and vnfaithfull seruant shall not enter thereinto As for vs beloued let vs looke on the example of Epaphroditus and as he did so let vs labour in all things faithfully to discharge whatsoeuer trust is reposed in vs that as Paul did vnto him so others may giue vnto vs if neede be their testimony of our faithfulnesse If we haue any of the Churches goods in our hands any orphans goods in our hands any reliefe by any contribution for any maintenance of any of Gods poore Saints in our hands or any such like trust be committed vnto vs let vs vse all faithfulnesse therein that euen they whom our faithfulnesse doth concerne may giue vs that testimony that they haue receiued all that should any way accrew vnto them But as for the sinne of vnfaithfulnesse touching any trust reposed in any of vs let it not be once heard of amongst vs as it becommeth Saints that we may defie all the world to their faces that shall in the malice of their heart seeke to fasten any such note vpon vs. Let vs with Dauid hate the sinnes of vnfaithfulnesse and let no such cleaue vnto vs let vs euerie man vse faithfulnesse in whatsoeuer trust is committed to him and let vs assure our selues of this that as the Lord was with Abrahams seruant to blesse him for his faithfull seruice vnto his maister Abraham so will he be with vs to blesse vs in all our wayes and in all that we put our hands vnto The second thing which I note is the Apostles great contentment with a little An euident token whereof is this that he saith I haue plentie and am filled For wherewith was he filled With that which came from the Philippians and which he receiued by Epaphroditus which it may be supplied his present wants and somewhat more Yet hauing receiued this which it is very likely was no great matter he saith I haue plentie and I am filled Whence I obserue a certaine note of good contentment in the true Christian If with that small or great store wherwith the Lord in mercy hath blessed him he rest so satisfied that he can say I haue plentie and I am filled it is an argument of his Christian contentment and an argument that he is truly rich indeede For who more rich then he that is best content or who better content then he that is so satisfied with that he hath as that he saith I haue plentie and I am filled If a man shall aske the couetous rich man whether he haue plentie and be filled his continuall carking and caring scraping and scratching together all that euer he can will speake for him and say that he is not full If a man shall aske the rich vsurer whether he be full and haue plenty his continuall eating and deuouring of men by his wicked and vngodly vsurie will speake for him and say that he is not full If a man shall aske the cruell oppressor and extortioner whether he be full and haue plentie his continuall grinding of the faces of the poore and wringing from his brethren whatsoeuer he can will speake for him and say that he is not full It is not great wealth and store that alwayes fills a man but the more a man hath the more oftentimes he craueth and the more cause he hath to thinke himselfe filled the lesse he thinketh himselfe filled and therefore to be filled stickes not at vsurie oppression extortion bribery or any vnlawfull and vngodly meanes and yet neuer is filled because neuer content with that he hath Will ye then know beloued who they are that are content with that they haue will ye haue an euident token of great contentment in a good Christian Marke where ye heare these speeches I haue enough I thanke God I haue plenty I am filled I am as rich as the Emperour for he hath but enough and so haue I. It may be that they that thus speake haue not the greatest wealth in the world it may be that they haue but as we say from hand to mouth or little more yet these are the speeches of them that are content with that they haue which minde not earthly things but haue their conuersation in heauen Learne therefore to skill of mens contentment in their desires by the words of their mouth and looke by what token ye iudge of other mens contentment let others also by the like tokens in you iudge likewise of your contentment None more like to be free from vngodly desires and attempts by vngodly meanes to be rich then they that are content with that they haue neither any more like to be content with that they haue then they that are so satisfied with that they haue as that they thinke and say I haue plenty I am filled As therefore we desire to seeme content with that
we haue and to be free from all suspicion of vngodly desires and vnlawfull attempts to increase that we haue as not content with that we haue so let vs follow our Apostle and as he hauing that which supplied his wants said I haue plentie and I am filled so whatsoeuer be our store if we haue but foode and raiment let vs thinke and say that we haue plenty and that we are filled The third thing which I note is the acceptablenesse of the Philippians gift vnto God Which the Apostle signifieth by a speech borrowed from sacrifices the odour wherof smelleth sweete as persume in the nostrils of the Lord. Whence I obserue how acceptable and pleasant vnto God our workes of charity are generally towards the poore and particularly towards the Ministers of Christ his Gospel they are as sweete smelling sacrifices wherewith the Lord is well pleased It is said that Noah after the deluge Built an altar vnto the Lord Gen. 8.20.21 and tooke of euery cleane beast and of euery cleane fowle and offered burnt offerings vpon the altar and it is added that the Lord smelled a sauour of rest that is he accepted his sacrifice and was so well pleased that he ceassed from his wrath So in the mentioning of many sacrifices in Leuiticus it is often thus added It is a burnt offering an oblation made by fire for a sweete sauour vnto the Lord. So that our Apostle calling our workes of charitie sacrifice and sweete smelling odours euidently sheweth thereby how acceptable and pleasant they are vnto God Such a sacrifice Obadiah offered vp vnto the Lord 1. Reg. 18.4 when he hid the Lord his Prophets by fifties in a caue from the furie of Iezebel and fed them with bread and water Such a sacrifice Ebedmelech offered vp vnto the Lord Ier. 38.13 when he got Ieremiah the Lord his Prophet out of prison where he was cast into the dungeon and dead almost with hunger Such a sacrifice the house of Onesiphorus offered vnto the Lord 2. Tim. 1.16 when he sought out our Apostle diligently and found him and often refreshed him and was not ashamed of his chaine These all in their charitable works for the Prophets and Ministers of the Lord offered vp sweete smelling odours and sacrifices acceptable and pleasant vnto God Such a sacrifice likewise the Churches of Macedonia offered vnto the Lord when in their extreme pouerty they were richly liberall to the reliefe of the poore Saints at Ierusalem And with such sacrifices whensoeuer they are offered God is well pleased as witnesseth the Apostle where he exhorteth to such sacrifice To do good Heb. 13.16 saith he and to distribute forget not for with such sacrifice God is well pleased Yea he keepeth the good deeds of a man as the apple of his eye and the almes of a man is as a thing sealed vp before him Yea looke whatsoeuer good he doth vnto the poore Eccl. 17.20 the Lord shall recompence it him againe into his owne bosome Prou. 19.17 For the day shall come wherein it shall be said vnto such workers of charitie Mat. 25.34 Come ye blessed of my Father inherite ye the kingdome prepared for you from the foundations of the world for I was an hungred c. Here then first learne what the Christian sacrifice is wherewithal God is well pleased The sacrifices of the old Law they are now abolished and done away euen since our blessed Sauiour gaue himselfe for vs to be an offering and a sacrifice of a sweete smelling sauour vnto God Other incenses and sacrifices which now in many places are offered and sacrificed vnto idols and images they are an abhomination vnto the Lord. It is not perfumes in temples burning of incense vnto Saints sacrificing vnto stocks and stones or hoasts vpon the altars that are acceptable and pleasing vnto God Nay he that doth these things is as if he cut off a dogs necke as if he offered swines bloud as if he blessed an idoll nay he is an idolater and he is an abomination vnto the Lord. If we will be sacrificing the Christian sacrifice which we must offer vnto the Lord to be a sweete smelling sauour vnto him must be the offering of the calues of our lips euen the sacrifice of praise thanksgiuing for such his louing mercies as he hath vouchsafed vnto vs or else the offering of our selues a liuing sacrifice holy acceptable vnto God which is our reasonable seruing of God or else the offering of our goods in a charitable deuotion to the poore afflicted members of Christ Iesus These sacrifices are commended vnto vs by the Apostles of Christ Iesus Heb. 13.15 the first where it is said Let vs by Iesus offer the sacrifice of praise alwaies vnto God that is the fruite of our lippes which confesse his name Rom. 12.1 the second where it is said I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God that ye giue vp your bodies a liuing sacrifice holy acceptable to God which is your reasonable seruing of God Heb. 13.16 the third where it is said To do good and to distribute forget not for with such sacrifice God is well pleased And these are the alone sacrifice left vnto Christians to offer which are acceptable and pleasant vnto God Secondly let vs hence learne to striue euery man to go one before another in doing good vnto all the afflicted members of Christ Iesus It is a sacrifice acceptable and pleasant vnto God witnesse the Apostle here It is more accepted with God then all burnt offerings and sacrifice witnesse the Prophet Hos 6.7 It shall further their reckoning in the day of Christ Iesus witnesse the Apostle in the words before It shall bring with it great recompence of reward through the promise made of God vnto vs in Christ Iesus witnesse our blessed Sauiour Mat. 25. Gal. 6.10 Let vs therefore as the Apostle exhorteth While we haue time do good vnto all men but specially vnto them which are of the household of faith Let vs as Daniel counselled Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 4.24 Breake off our sinnes by righteousnesse and our iniquities by mercies towards the poore Let vs as Salomon willeth Prou. 3.3 Binde mercie and truth vpon our neckes and write them vpon the tables of our hearts Let all hard-heartednes be farre from vs and let the bowels of compassion be kindled within vs so often as we behold the distressed members of Christ Iesus The law commandeth mercifulnes and compassion euen vnto the poore beasts How much more should we that are members one of another we that are members of the mystical body of Christ Iesus deale mercifully one with another and be feruent in charity one towards another Beloued let vs consider our selues and prouoke one another vnto euery good worke He that hath bene slacke let him be no more slacke and he that hath bene forward this way let him be forward still The day approcheth
when we must all appeare before the iudgement seate of Christ that euery man may receiue the things which are done in his body according to that he hath done whether it be good or euill Let vs therefore make vs friends of the vnrighteous mammon let vs lay vp for our selues treasure in heauen whither neither rust nor moth corrupteth and where theeues do not breake through nor steale And this shall we do if as God hath blessed vs we giue vnto the poore and take pity compassion on the fatherlesse and afflicted LECTVRE XCIV PHILIP 4. Verse 19. And my God shall fulfill all your necessities through his riches with glorie in Christ Iesus ANd my God shall c. The Apostles commendation of the Philippians liberalitie we haue heard which was this First that in it selfe it was such as that after he had receiued it he had plentie and was filled Secondly that it was a sweete smelling odour a sacrifice acceptable and pleasant vnto God Now vnto this commendation the Apostle addeth a promise of recompence of reward for their liberalitie and so concludeth the Epistle with praise and thanksgiuing vnto the Lord. In verse 19. where the promise is first I note the Author of the recompence promised which is God whom the Apostle in great strength of faith calleth his God both for his owne comfort and for the Philippians encouragement Secondly I note what recompence is promised which is that his God shall fulfill all their necessities wherein he alludeth to that he had said in the former verse that as he was filled by them all his necessities supplied through their liberalitie so his God should fulfill all their necessities and supply all their wants Thirdly I note the possibilitie of making this recompence which appeareth to be easie because God is rich My God shall fulfill all your necessities through his riches Fourthly I note the fulnesse of the recompence promised vnto their liberalitie in that it is said that he shall fulfill all their necessities through his riches with glorie all with glorie that is so plentifully and abundantly and gloriously that it shall be to the glorie of his name Lastly I note the cause wherefore or the meanes wherby such recompence shall be made which is Christ Iesus in whom and for whom and through whom we haue and receiue both all the promises and all the blessings for this life and for that that is to come My God shall fulfill c. with glorie in Christ Iesus The summe then of these words is this as if he had thus said As I haue plentie and am filled by you so that all my wants are supplyed so my God that helpeth me and comforteth me in all my troubles my God that seeth and regardeth your mercies towards me shall for a full recompence of reward fulfill all your necessities and supply all your wants through his riches plentifully to the glorie of his name not for the merit of your worke but in and for Iesus Christ in whom and for whom you and your workes are accepted This I take to be the meaning of these words Now let vs see what notes we may gather hence for our farther instruction The first thing which here I note is that the Apostle saith My God c. which is not spoken by way of excluding them as if he were not their God also but partly out of the powerfull might of his sauing faith partly to comfort himselfe in the middest of all his troubles partly to note his vpholding stay in all his troubles and partly to imply vnto the Philippians that what they had giuen vnto him they had giuen vnto God For so it will appeare if the speech be well obserued that such neare application hath alwaies such signification So Dauid The Lord is my rocke and my fortresse Psal 18.2 and he that deliuereth me my God and my strength my shield the horne of my saluation and my refuge So Esay O Lord thou art my God Esay 25.1 Mat. 27.48 I will exalt thee and I will praise thy name So our blessed Sauiour My God my God why hast thou forsaken me In which and many other like places where the Prophets and Apostles and our blessed Sauiour do vse these particular speeches of My Lord my God and the like they do not vse them as thereby singling out vnto themselues a peculiar God but in some such like respect as before was mentioned to wit either through the great strength of their faith or for their comfort in their troubles or to note their vpholding stay in their afflictions or else to imply the communication vnto Gods Saints to be a communication vnto God Whence I obserue that such speeches are no note of singularitie no speeches to be either scorned or reproued in them that vse them with reuerence in feare Which I obserue because of them that vpon the hearing of such speeches are straight way readie to brand him that vseth them with some new name of Puritane or Precisian or the like and in scorne to aske him who is his God who is his Lord and whether he haue any peculiar God which is not our God and our Lord. Of whom I aske againe whether the Prophets and Apostles and our blessed Sauiour which vsed these speeches were Puritanes or Precisians or the like If they were why is it obiected vnto any man that he is if they notwithstanding these speeches were not why vpon the like speeches is any man iudged to be Shall any man aske of any of them who is his God or who is his Lord or whether he haue any peculiar God Why should then any such question vpon the like occasion be made It may very well be that they who now aske such questions if Paul were now liuing and now spake or wrote thus would aske him the like questions Wherein learne a notable policie of the Diuell He seeth the great stay and the great comfort that the child of God hath when he comes so farre as that with boldnesse and confidence he can say my God and my Lord. He seeth that whatsoeuer troubles do presse vs whatsoeuer scorners do blow vpon vs howsoeuer he seeke continually like a roaring Lion to deuoure vs yet nothing can cast vs downe if through the powerfull might of a sauing faith we can say my God and my Lord. He seeth that to come so neare vnto God as to call him my God and my Lord is to depart too farre from him And therefore he laboureth against this boldnesse and confidence and neare approch and to this purpose hath deuised to brand them with odious names that shall at any time so speake Neither yet doth my speech tend to perswade the ordinary vse of those speeches my God and my Lord. For our blessed Sauiour hath taught vs to pray Our Father which art in heauen and I know that our most vsuall speeches of our Lord and our God are most holy and most Christian
the beasts of the forrest are his and so are the cattell vpon a thousand hils the whole world is his and all that is therein The eies of all waite vpon him 145.15.16 and he giues them their meate in due season he openeth his hand and filleth all things liuing with plenteousnesse All riches of grace and glorie of this life and of that that is to come are with him and vnto whom he will he giueth them And therefore the Apostle telleth the Corinthians saying 2 Cor. 9.8 God is able to make all grace to abound toward you that ye alwaies hauing all sufficiencie in all things may abound in euerie good worke The Corinthians they did as we do they feared that if they should giue much to the reliefe of the poore Saints they should impouerish themselues thereby For they thought that whatsoeuer was giuen to others was taken from themselues And therefore they gaue when they gaue very sparingly and nothing chearefully Whereupon the Apostle tels them that God is able to wit through his riches to make all grace to abound towards them that is to repay them all that they haue giuen with aduantage that they might haue enough both for themselues and also to helpe others withall So rich is our God that he can and so good is our God that he will do thus vnto all them that sow liberally and giue chearefully And why should any man doubt of this When thou sowest thy come in the ground doest thou not hope to receiue thine owne againe with aduantage and doest thou not reape oftentimes a great deale more then thou diddest sow Why then shouldest thou doubt after thy dispersing to the poore to reape seuen fold more for it Why shouldest thou not hope to receiue thine owne againe with very great aduantage Considering these things beloued let it be farre from vs to doubt that pouertie will follow our liberalitie Let vs not thinke with our selues that the more we giue the lesse we haue but rather that the more we giue the more through his riches we shall haue Let the poore therefore be our field wherein we sow our corne and surely we shall reape plentifully let the poore be our altar whereon we make our offering and then surely our sacrifice shall be acceptable and pleasant vnto God let the poore be our chist wherein to hourd our treasure and this shall surely further our reckoning in the day of Christ Iesus If our liberality abound according to our abilitie to the poore our God shall fulfill all our necessities through his riches yea he shall fulfill them with glory euen with such plentifulnesse and abundance as that his name may be glorified thereby The third thing which I note is that the Apostle saith that their recompence of reward was in Christ Iesus Whereby he giueth them to vnderstand that God made this recompence of reward vnto them of their liberality towards him not for their works sake as vpon desert but for Christ Iesus sake onely by grace Whence I obserue how the promises of God touching the recompence of reward for our works are made good vnto vs the promises are made and payed only in Christ Iesus not any way for the merit of our works seene or foreseene In him God from the beginning loued vs and made all his louing promises of his sweete mercies vnto vs and in him partly now he doth partly hereafter shall make them good vnto vs through his riches with glory This our Apostle witnesseth where he saith 2 Cor. 1.2 that all the promises of God in Christ Iesus are yea and are in him Amen that is in him they are all made and performed ratified and established And the reason is plaine for why doth he make or performe such promises vnto vs but onely in his gracious loue and fauour towards vs euery promise of his vnto vs being a testimonie of his loue towards vs And how doth he loue vs but onely in Christ Iesus in whom alone he is well pleased Mat. 3.17 His promises then vnto vs being made and performed onely in loue vnto vs his loue vnto vs being onely in Christ Iesus it is plaine that all his promises are made and performed vnto vs in Christ Iesus alone By him we are reconciled vnto God and in him through him and for him we haue whatsoeuer we haue So that whensoeuer any promise is made vnto vs throughout the whole Scripture either of blessing for this life or for that that is to come of temporall or of eternall reward of safetie from enemies or of saluation in the heauens still we are to lift vp our eyes vnto heauen where Christ Iesus sitteth at the right hand of God to know that in him alone both the promise is made and shall be performed vnto vs through the loue of God wherewith he loueth vs in him Hence then first we learne not to credit any such as shall tell vs that any reward is promised or giuen vnto vs for the merit or worth of our works seene or foreseene For let but this ground be laid which is most certaine and true that all the promises of God vnto vs are made and performed in Christ Iesus then must it needs be concluded that in vs no merits or any thing were seene or foreseene wherefore such promises should be made or performed and that we are altogether vnworthie in our selues vnto whom any such promises should be made or performed For therefore are they made and performed in Christ Iesus because in vs there is nothing wherefore they should be performed or made Or if there be then as the Apostle reasoneth touching iustification saying If righteousnesse be by the Law that is by the works of the Law then Christ died without a cause so do I touching this point If in vs there be any thing wherefore the promises of God should be made or performed then in vaine are they made and performed in Christ Iesus I omit to speake of the great vnworthinesse of our best works because I haue spoken to that purpose often heretofore Onely for this time let this ground be considered and if any man at any time shall seeke to perswade you that this or that reward is promised and shall be giuen vnto you for the merit of your works tell him that it is promised and giuen vnto you in Christ Iesus and therefore not for any merit of your works Secondly hence learne the stablenesse of all Gods promises made vnto his children As this here is so they are all made in Christ Iesus and therefore must needs be stable and neuer faile Euen as we say that whom he loueth once he loueth vnto the end because whom he loueth in Christ Iesus him he alwaies loueth so his promises being all founded and grounded vpon his loue once made vnto his children shall not faile for euer because they are all made in Christ Iesus A notable comfort vnto all Gods children Hath he
194. it must be constant ibid. it is certaine pag. 409. Humâ—lity 8. an effect of grace 87. a preseruatiue of concord 305. properties of it pag. 3â—3 Humiliation of Christ voluntarie 323. it was of the whole person pag. 324. Hypocrisie pag. 248. I. IGnorance in religion pag. 120. Imitation of Saints 790. rules for it pag. 792. Impatience in wrongs pag. 794. Inferiours not to be contemned pag. 503. Inuocation of Saints condemned pag. 26. 57. 59. â—66 Ioy in the Lord. 572. 756. it containes the whole worship of God pag. 612. Iustification not by works 150. 672. See Merits by imputed righteousnesse pag. 677. K. KNowledge in the Word pag. 119. 652. Knowledge of Christ threefolde 643. it is excellent and precious 649. 684. great vantage 651. experimentall pag. 683. L. LEuiticall ceremonies abolished pag. 60â— Life ought to be conformahle to our profession 242. reasons 243. a warfare 511. we are not to esteem it for Christ pag. 558. Light how the faithfull are lights 442. they communicate their light to others pag. 449. Light behauiour pag. 833. Loue testified by prayer 23. perswaded 103. 114. 250. qualities of true loue 103. to bee guided by knowledge pag. 127. Lying pag. 829. M. MAintenance of Ministers pag. 901. Martyrs ground of their cheerfulnesse pag. 200. Meanes of grace pag. 267. Mercy of God 5. vse of it pag. 6. Merit confuted 154. 183. 339. 390. 933. it â—annot stand with Christ pag. 664. Ministers their duty 10. 373. 850 calling honourable 13. 74. their successe from God 73. willingly to be heard 175. 475. to loue their people 499. how they ought to be qualified 474. whether now worse then euer 482. how to bee entertained 549. 555. to visit the sicke 561. to be maintained pag. 901. Ministery a labour 507. a warrefare pag. 512. Multitude not safe to bee followed pag. 808. 905. Mutuall affection commended pag. 471. 547. Murmuring against God or man pag. 421. N. NAme of Jesus pag. 353. Naturall man described pag. 71. 440 444. 891. O. OBedience of Christ actiue and passiue pag. 326. Occasion of this Epistle pag. 2. o th lawfull 94. conditions of it pag. 96. Ouerweening conceit a sin pag. 87. 736. P. PApists their dissentions 292. slanderers of religion and true professours 590. 661. enemies of the crosse of Christ pag. 812. Patrons of liuings pag. 920. Pastours to loue their flockes 103. 209. 276. 373. 805. 725. 499. to entreat them gently 568. 733. ought to be patternes of holinesse 796. 850. often to iterate their admonitions pag. 803. Paul twice prisoner vnder Nero. pag. 156. Peace of God and of conscience pag. 4. 813. 859. Pelagianisme by whom renued pag. 302. Perfection in this life pag. 718. 735 759. 888. Persecution for the Gospell 82. 259. a gift of God 88. 268. it doth not diminish the Church pag. 159. Perseuerance finall prooued 63. 747. 733. parts of it pag. 64. Perswasion threefold 76. how a man may be perswaded of anothers saluation pag. 77. Philippi a City of Macedonia pag. 3. Physicke pag. 530. Popish Cleargy 484. perfection pag. 762. Pouerty comforts in it pag. 884. Prayer to God alone 26. 54. necessity of it 43. 51. 108. motiues to it 109. it is effectuall pag. 186. Preachers different 171. markes of a good Preacher pag. 173. Proficiency in religion pag. 376. 396. 721. 730. Promises of God pag. 856. Prouidence of God pag. 468. Purgatory confuted pag. 224. 360. Purity to be laboured after pag. 138. 838. Q. QVarrelling 424. to compose them a Christian duty pag. 738. Questions touching ceremonies discipline not substantiall pag. 293. R. RAge of tyrants a token of their perdition pag. 257. Recusants censured pag. 351. Regeneration imperfect in this life 286. 716. 433. the true circumcision 606. it altereth the whole man pag. 632. 891. Relapses in religion pag. 397. Resurrection of Christ duties from it pag. 341. Resurrection of our bodies confirmed pag. 854 863. Reward of workes pag. 916. 929. 933. Rich men their duty pag. 883. Righteousnesse two-fold 668. of faith and of workes cannot stand together pag. 671. S. SAbaoth pag. 836. 941. Sacrifices of Christians pag. 464. 933. Saints in Christ who pag. 3. 433. 944. Saints not mediators of intercession 28. 57. to bee reuerenced 60. and imitated 790. subiect to infirmities pag. 743. 791. 866. Security pag. 195. 413. Sicknesse incident to the faithful and why 519. of flying in the time of sicknesse pag. 559. Schisme causes thereof 780. remedies pag. 782. Scriptures not obscure 1â—0 to bee searched with diligence pag. 121. 584. Soule of man immortall pag. 222. 858. Suffering for Christ pag. 268. Swearing reprooued pag. 9. T. TImothy the approuer of this Epistle pag. 2. Thankesgiuing to God 34. 809. how we are to giue thankes pag. 40. V. VAine-glory to be auoyded pag. 303 625. 824. Vertue of Christs resurrection pag. 692. Vnity in affection and iudgement perswaded pag. 294. Vnregenerate their actions all sinfull pag. 151. 153. 891. Vnthankfulnesse to God a greeuous sinne pag. 35. 810. Vsury condemned pag. 846. W. WAnt doth not deiect Gods Children pag. 875. Weake to be supported pag. 770. Will accepted for the deed pag. 434. Women commended in the Scriptures pag. 742. Workes good their causes 144. we are to abound in them 145. fruits of righteousnesse 149. their author 152. their end 153. perswaded by our Church 247. 394. 639. true vse of them 663. no part of our righteousnesse 592. 659. 674. 634. how called dung pag. 637. 646 661. Word of God a light 443. 445. a word of life pag. 451. Worldly carefulnesse pag. 800. OBSERVATIONS more largely amplified CHAP. I. THanksgiuing is a seruice principally required in a Christian 34 Our fellowship in the Gospell with other Churches a great blessing 36 Prayer is needfull euen for those graces we haue 43 We are to pray for the continuance of the Gospell 48 The ground of our perseuerance is the immutabilitie of God 63 All our sufficiency is of God 68 Our loue to Ministers a good argument of our growth in godlines 82 To suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake is a gift and grace of God 88. 268 Prayer necessarie for the increase of Gods graces 108. 186 We must proceed and goe forward in godlinesse 112 Christians are to abound in good workes 145 Good workes are the fruits of righteousnes 149 The Church is not diminished but increased by persecution 158 Afflictions of the godly turne to their comfort 180 Christ Iesus the onely gaine and vantage of Christians 200 A Christians desire should be to be dissolued and to be with Christ 215 The dissolution of Gods Saints is a passage into heauen 221 The long life of good Pastors a blessing of God vpon a people 229 Our practise must be conformable to our profession 242 In a Christian courage we are not to feare the aduersaries of the truth 253 The rage of persecutors an infallible signe of their destruction 257 Faith is a speciall gift of God 265 CHAP. II. NO
one thing I doe c. In these words the Apostle repeateth the signification of his incessant and earnest following after that perfection which before hee said he had not yet attained vnto which was the latter member of the former verse The manner of speech which here he vseth is borrowed from the qualities of them that runne in a race And hee remembreth three especiall qualities of runners whereby he maketh proofe of his incessant and earnest following after the perfection of the knowledge of Christ The first is that they neuer looke backe to marke how much ground they haue already runne the second is that they still keepe their eyes vpon the marke that is before them and still runne towards it the third is that they still remember for what prise they runne and therefore so runne that they may obtaine the prise In all which qualities the Apostle professeth that hee matched the best runners in his Christian race for as runners neuer looke behinde them so hee saith that he did not onely neuer looke backe at the things behinde him but hee quite forgot all thâ—â— was past so farre was he from thinking of any merit for ought that he had done were it neuer so good Againe as runnes haue alwayes their eye vpon the marke before them and still runne towards it so hee saith that hee did endeuour himselfe vnto that which was before still labouring as if he would euery foot stretch out his armes to catch hold of the marke and that he still followed toward the marke neuer intermitting his course but if he fell vp againe and to it Lastly as runners make haste vnto the marke for the prise that they may obtaine so hee saith that hee ceased not running towards the marke for the prise of immortalitie with Christ in the heauens by God which had called him in Christ Iesus So that yea seâ— the Apostle here signifieth his most eagre pursuit without intermission after perfection in the knowledge of Christ which only he should haue in the heauens when after his race in thâ—â— life ended he should raigne with him for euer and euer Noâ— let vs see what wee may hence obserue for our instruction 〈◊〉 our Christian race vnto perfection and immortalitie in the â—eauens And first it is not vnworthy the noting that the Apostle â—assing from the one member vnto the other saith But one â—â—ing I doe whereby he implieth thus much that hauing not â—ee attained vnto perfection hee thought it a very necessary â—hing for him to follow after it with all diligence and without â—ll intermission One thing I doe and that one thing I count â—ecessary What is that I forget that which is behinde c. â—o know Christ perfectly that is my labour and the prise for â—hich I runne Whence I obserue that there is one thing neâ—essary for all Christians which is that acknowledging our â—â—ant of perfection in the knowledge of Christ we still runne â—orward from perfection to perfection till we become perfect â—hâ—n in Christ Iesus For this wee must know that our whole â—ife is a way and race wherein we must walke and runne from â—mperfection towards perfection and that in the whole race â—f our life it is not for vs to looke backe or to stand still but one thing is necessary euen that wee still runne towards perâ—ection which is the marke set only at our races end The necessitie of this one thing our Sauiour shewed when he said vnâ—o Martha Martha Martha Luk. 10.41.42.39 thou art carefull and troubled about many things but one thing is needfull Mary hath chosen the better part Why What had Mary chosen She troubled not her selfe with other matters but she sate her downe at Iesus feet and heard his preaching Mary sate downe and Martha ranne vp and downe being cumbred about much seruing but yet Mary ranne in the Christian race when shee sate her downe at Iesus feet and heard his preaching Shee followed after the knowledge of Christ and of that our Sauiour said that one thing was needfull But how needfull this one thing is not many of vs consider Many Marthaes but not many Maries Many of vs are troubled about many things wee haue many irons in the fire much businesse to occupie our heads withall many guests to looke vnto a great familie to care for indeed so much we haue to doe that if Iesus be preaching in his Minister wee cannot come to heare him Not many of vs that with Mary will leaue all our other businesse if Iesus bee preaching in his Minister and come and heare him For to note this by the way yee may not imagine that Mary was any idle huswife or that shee sequestred her selfe wholly from all things of the world and gaue her selfe only to reading and hearing of the word preached but this was her commendation that when Iesus came vnto their house and being come beganne to preach shee would not lose the opportunitie but straightway left all her other businesse and sate her downe at Iesus feet and heard his preaching And this was the one thing that was needfull that when he was preaching shee should come and heare him Other things shee might doe at other times but now shee was to doe this But not many of vs consider this for when Iesus comes into our houses almost in his Ministers preaching so that if wee will but come out of our doores to heare him wee may sit downe at his feet and heare his preaching yet wee cannot attend it either wee haue no leisure or else wee haue no list Some of vs looke backe vnto the things of the world others of vs stand and loue to stand in the market all the day idle others of vs thinke that wee haue runne well and that we may now well breathe at least a while but the smallest some of vs runne still forward and grow from grace to grace Well let vs at length with our Apostle count our selues that wee haue not attained to that wee should and this one thing which is needfull let vs doe let vs forget that which is behinde I forget c. Here I note the Apostles running in his Christian race after that one thing which was needfull whereunto he had not yet attained and therein the manner how be did runne in his Christian race Like a good runner he ranne and neuer looked behinde him nay he forgat that which was behinde he neuer minded or thought of any thing that was behinde him of any thing that he had done Yea indeed forgat hee all both the good and the bad things which hee had done Psal 51.3 Gal. 1.13 Dauid did not so for he said that his sinne was euer before him yea and himselfe often speakes of his persecution of the Church True indeed and good it is that wee should not forget our sinnes against our God for the remembrance of our sinnes is both good to humble vs and to represent vnto vs Gods
mercies towards vs. It was not then the sinnes â—hich he had done which he forgat but he forgat euen all the â—od things that he had done lest by taking too great pleaâ—â—re in the remembrance of them hee should not follow so â—â—rd towards the marke as he ought Yea but if hee forgat all â—e good things that he had done how doth hee so often reâ—ember them in diuers his epistles I haue saith he Rom 15.17 whereof may reioyce in Christ Iesus in those things which pertaine to God â—nd then hee speakes of the obedience of the Gentiles by his â—inisterie and of his diligence in preaching where Christ had â—ot beene named c. And againe 1 Cor. 15.10 His grace saith he in mee â—s not in vaine but I laboured more abundantly then they all â—nd in his latter epistle he shewed himselfe so little forgetfull 〈◊〉 them 2 Cor. 11. that he makes a large bedrowle of such things as hee â—â—d suffered for Christ his sake True indeed he forgat them â—ot when the remembrance of them did make for the glory â—f Christ Iesus or the necessary defence oâ— his ministerie and â—postleship but he forgat them in respect of any such vse as â—e false teachers taught to make of such things Hee was not â—â—oud of them he challenged no perfection by them he repoâ—â—d no confidence in them he did not thinke of any merit by â—â—em but in these respects he quite forgat them lest by such â—â—membrance of them he should be hindered in the race that â—e was running Thus then yee how see how the Apostle running 〈◊〉 his race did forget that which was behinde And hence I obserue that in the Christian race which wee â—e to runne wee are not to looke backe on the pleasures of â—e flesh or the things of the world or any good that we haue â—one to repose any confidence therein but wee are quite to â—orget euery thing which any way may hinder vs in our race â—owards the marke that is set before vs. For as our Sauiour â—â—ith No man that putteth his hand to the plough and looketh â—â—cke is apt to the kingdome of God Remember Lots wife shee â—â—rned backe and was turned into a pillar of salt Remember the â—hildren of Israel Num. 1 they turned backe in their hearts after the â—esh-pots of Egypt and they were ouerthrowne in the wilderâ—esse Are yee so foolish saith the Apostle to the Galatians Gâ—â— that â—fter yee haue begunne in the spirit yee would now be made perf ct by the flesh 2 Pet. 2.20 21. It had beene better saith Peter not to haue knowne the way of righteousnesse then after wee haue knowne it to turnâ— away from the holy commandement The reason is giuen by the same Apostle For if after wee haue escaped from the filthinesse of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and of the Sauiour Iesus Christ wee be yet againe tangled therein and ouercome the latter end is worse then the beginning Being then in the race of the spirit we may not looke backe vnto the flesh and hauing tasted of the good word of God we may not turne away from the holy commandement lest a worse thing come vnto vs. Now then will yee know who they are that looke backe and turne aside out of the right way wherein they should walke Surely all they that set their affections on the things which are on the earth and not on the things which are aboue for hauing giuen our names vnto God in our Baptisme we haue renounced the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes the pride of life the things of the world the deuill and all his workes If then wee shall suffer our selues to be snared with any of these wee looke backe yea if wee loue father or mother if wee loue wife or children more then Christ wee looke backe ye◠〈◊〉 wee repose any confidence in any good that we haue done or in any crosse that wee haue suffered wee looke backe wee doe not forget that which is behinde for so saith our Sauiour He that loueth father or mother Matt. 10.37 sonne or daughter more then mee iâ— not worthy of mee Not worthy of him Why Because when he should looke forward vnto Christ hee lookes backe vnto these Rom 9.32 And the Apostle saith that Israel attained not vnto the Law of righteousnesse because they sought it not by faith but as it were by the workes of the Law that is because they looked not straight forward with the eyes of faith vnto Iesus the author and finisher of our faith but looked backe vpon the merits of their workes to be made righteous thereby They reposed the confidence of their righteousnesse in the workes of the Law and therein looked backe vnto the Law when they should haue looked forward by faith vnto Christ So that if wee repose any confidence in our workes like ill runners wee lookâ— backe What shall wee say then vnto those merit-mongers that looke to gaine heauen by the merit of their workes They â—â—ke pleasure in such workes as they haue done they are as â—uch in loue with them as euer Samson was with Delilah Iudg. 16. they 〈◊〉 their life in the lappe of their workes and reioyce in them in the crowne of their life Iudge then how they runne in â—e Christian race whether they haue forgotten all behinde â—em whether they looke not backe vnto that which is beâ—â—nde You will easily iudge and ye will easily see that because â—ey sleepe on the knees of their workes as of their Delilah â—â—d lay their life in the lappe of their workes they are very â—â—e to be betraied into the hands of their cruell enemies the â—euill and his Angels and to haue farre lesse comfort of their â—e then euer had Samson What shall we say likewise vnto those that with Demas emâ—â—ace this present world and incline their hearts vnto coueâ—â—usnesse which is idolatrie Vnto those that liue at ease in â—â—on and eat and drinke and fill themselues with pleasures â—retching themselues vpon their beds rising vp to play singâ—â—g to the sound of the Viole inuenting to themselues instruâ—ents of musicke and in a word so liuing as if they thought â—â—at either now they must take their pleasure or else they â—ust neuer haue it Are not all these badde runners Haue â—hese forgotten that which is behinde Doe they not looke â—acke The point is easily answered it is a cleere case Yea â—any bad runners there are in the Christian race euen so maâ—y as there are lookers backe vnto honour wealth pleasure â—rofit ease fauour and whatsoeuer the world esteemeth of As for vs men and brethren let vs so runne that wee may obâ—aine and therefore let vs cast away euery thing that presseth â—owne and the sinne that hangeth so fast on let vs abandon â—uery thing which may hinder vs in our race let vs not looke â—acke vnto honours riches pleasures profits