Lectures Upon Philippians, Lectures · Chapter 4 · Lecture 81
LECTVRE LXXXI.
PHILIP. 4. Verſe 5.
The Lord is at hand.
THeſe words hauehave bene already noted to conſiſt of an exhortation, and a reaſon of the exhortation. The exhortation this, Let your patient mind, &c. The reaſon this, The Lord is at hand. In the exhortation were noted, firſt the thing whereunto the Apoſtle exhorteth the Philippians: ſecondly the large ſcope wherein the thing is to runne. The thing whereunto the Apoſtle exhorteth the Philippians, is mildneſſe in their behauiour, and moderation of their affections towards their neighbours and brethren, ſo that for vnities ſake they would rather loſe their owne, then ſtrictly ſtand vponupon their right in matters of ordinarie life. The large field wherein he would hauehave this their mildneſſe and moderation to runne, reacheth vntounto all men, Let your patient mind be knowne to all, &c.
The Lord is at hand. This reaſon, as I told you, is added to preuent an obiection. For the Apoſtle hauing exhorted the Philippians to ſuch a mildneſſe and moderation, as that they ſhould not alwayes ſtrictly ſtand vponupon their right, but ſometimes yeeld of their right, and patiently put vp the loſſe and the wrong; the Philippians might haply thus obiect and ſay, that ſo indeed their caſe ſhould be moſt miſerable, and they ſhould be trampled vnderunder feete as clay in the ſtreetes. Therefore the Apoſtle addeth, The Lord is at hand: as if he ſhould hauehave ſaid; Though they abuſe your patient mildneſſe and gentle moderation of your affections, yet do ye hold on a good courſe, in patience poſſeſſe your ſoules, and let your patient mind be knowne vntounto all men: for the Lord is at hand: otherwiſe indeed your caſe were hard, if the Lord were farre from you, and lookt not at you, nor regarded you to helpe you in eueryevery time of need, and to relieue you in eueryevery your wrongs: But the Lord is at hand. Now we muſt vnderſtand that the Lord is ſaid to be at hand, after diuers ſorts in the holy Scriptures. For ſometimes he is ſaid to be neare, or at hand, in reſpect of himſelfe, of the preſence of his deitie and glorious maieſtie: as where the Apoſtle ſaith,Acts 17.27. that he is not farre from eueryevery one of vsus; for in him we liue, and moue, and hauehave our being. Thus himſelfe ſaith, that he filleth heauen and earth: Ierem. 23.24.and therefore is thus neare vntounto whatſoeuer is in heauen or earth. Thus the Prophet ſaith, that he cannot conuey himſelfe out of his preſence: For if he climbe vp into heauen, there he is; Pſal. 139.7.8.9.10.if he goe downe into hell, there he is: if he take the wings of the morning, and dwel in the vttermoſt parts of the Sea, there alſo doth his hand leade him; if he ſay, the darkeneſſe ſhall couer him, euen the night ſhalbe light about him. And thus he is neare euen vntounto all the world, vntounto his enemies, ſitting in the middeſt of them, ſeeing their deuices, and laughing them to ſcorne; vntounto all that hauehave life, or being, communicating that vntounto them, which alone is properly in himſelfe, who is life, and whoſe name is I am. Iohn 14.…. Exod. 3.14.Againe, the Lord is ſaid to be neare, or at hand, in reſpect of his grace, and prouidence, and powerfull working of his holy Spirit: as where the Prophet ſaith,Pſal. 145.18. The Lord is neare vntounto all that call vponupon him, yea to all that call vponupon him in truth: he is neare vntounto them to heare them, and to helpe them. And thus is he peculiarly ſaid to be neare vntounto his children: not that he offereth not this ſpeciall grace of comming neare vntounto them, vntounto the wicked: for thus he ſaith vntounto them by his Prophet, Seeke ye the Lord whiles he may be found, Eſay 55.6.call ye vponupon him whiles he is neare: that is, whiles he offereth himſelfe, and his grace vntounto you, if ye will receiue it. Nay more then ſo, ſometimes he is ſo neare vntounto the wicked, that he lightens them with his holy Spirit, giues them a taſt of the heauenly gift,Hebr. 6.4.5. of the good word of God, and of the powers of the world to come. But yet becauſe the wicked, ſome of them, refuſe this grace when it is offered, and ſome of them fall away from it when they hauehave had a taſte of it, therefore is he peculiarly ſaid to be neare vntounto his children by his grace, and might, and prouidence, and powerfull working of his holy Spirit. Againe, the Lord is ſaid ſometimes to be neare at hand, in reſpect of his laſt coming vntounto iudgement, when he ſhall come in bodily preſence in the cloudes of heauen, to iudge both the quicke and the dead:Iames 5.8. as where Iames ſaith, Be patient and ſettle your hearts, for the coming of the Lord draweth neare: and likewiſe where the Apoſtle ſaith,Hebr. 10.37. He that ſhall come will come, and will not tarry. In the firſt ſenſe, the Lord is at hand aſwell to the wicked as the godly, to giuegive as well to the one as to the other, life and being, & other good graces of his Spirit. In the ſecond ſenſe, the Lord is at hand by his prouidence peculiarly to the godly, to ſaue and defend them, and to giuegive the Spirit of ſanctification vntounto them. In the third ſenſe alſo, the Lord is at hand, both to the wicked, and to the godly, to render vengeance in flaming fire vntounto the wicked, and to crowne the godly with a crowne of glorie and immortalitie in the heauens. In the firſt ſenſe I take it, it is not here ſaid, that the Lord is a… hand, becauſe that could be no ſuch ſpeciall reaſon to moue the Philippians vntounto mildn…ſſe and patience towards all men, hauing no more comfort in it for the godly, then for the wicked. But whether it be meant in the ſecond or third ſenſe, that the Lord is at hand, the reaſon holdeth ſtrongly, that they ſhould in patience and mildnes poſſeſſe their ſoules, though haply their patience and mildneſſe be much abuſed. For be it that the reaſon why their patient mind ſhould be knowne vntounto all men, though their patience be much abuſed, be eyther this, becauſe the Lord is at hand to heare and help them when they are oppreſſed, to ſaue and defend them when they are wronged; or this, becauſe the Lord is at hand to giuegive vntounto them a crowne that hauehave borne the croſſe, and to auenge them vtterly of their enemies; eyther of the reaſons might be ſufficient motiues to perſwade them to let their patien… minde be knowne vntounto all men. And whether of them to chooſe the rather as more agreeable to the Apoſtles minde, I cannot peremptorily affirme. Either of them may very we… ſtand with the meaning of the Apoſtle in this place. And therefore, we will ſee what profitable notes we may gather from either of them, whereof we may make ſome vſe for our ſelues.
Firſt then, admitting this to be the meaning of the Apoſtle in this place, the Lord is at hand by his watchfull prouidence ouer you, to heare and helpe you, to ſaue and defend you; I note that the Apoſtles reaſon to moue the Philippians vntounto a patient mildeneſſe, and gentle moderation towards all men, yea though their patience and mildenes were much abuſed, is, becauſe the Lord is at hand, by his watchful prouidence ouer them, to heare and help them, to ſaue and defend them, when they are abuſed, oppreſſed, or afflicted. Whence I obſerue a ſpeciall motiue, which may and ought to perſwade vsus to poſſeſſe our ſoules in patience whenſoeuer we are abuſed, oppreſſed, or afflicted, namely the certaine perſwaſion hereof, that the Lord his prouidence alwayes watcheth ouer vsus, to behold our ſufferings and our wrongs, to heare vsus when we call vponupon him in truth, to rid and ſaue vsus from the wrongfull dealings of men, and to deliuer vsus in euerie needfull time of trouble. If we be the Lord his inheritance, we muſt looke for it, to hauehave many trialls of our patience and moderation by many ſufferings and wrongs.Geneſis 31. Iacob ſhall hauehave his vnckle Laban to deceiue him, to change his wages ten times, to perſecute him, and if the Lord forbid him not, to kill him. Ioſeph ſhall hauehave his owne brethren to hate him,Geneſis 37. to conſpire againſt him to ſlay him, and if the Lord keepe them from killing him, to ſell him into a ſtrange Land to be a bond-ſeruant. The children of Iſrael ſhall hauehave a Pharao to wearie them of their liues, by ſore labour in clay and bricke,Exodus 1. and in all worke in the field, with all manner of cruell bondage; to command to kill all their male children, and by all cruell oppreſſion to labour to make hauocke of them.D…n. 3. Daniels companions ſhall hauehave ſome Chaldeans to deuiſe miſchiefe againſt them, to accuſe them to the King, and to get them throwne into the hot fierie furnace. Daniel himſelfe ſhall drinke of the like cuppe.6. And generally, the Diſciples of Chriſt, which we are if we continue in his word,Iohn 8.31.1….33. ſhall in the world hauehave affliction to try their faith and their patience. The gold ſhall go through the fire ere it be purified, and the wheate ere it be made fine manchet for the Lord his owne mouth, ſhall be beaten with the fla…le, grownd in the mill, ſifted, and hauehave all the bran bowlted out of it. This is the gate of the Lord, and the righteous ſhal enter into it; and this is the lot of Gods inheritance to paſſe through the wilderneſſe, and through the red Sea to the promiſed land of Canaan. And in all this, what is the child of God to do?Luke 21.19. Euen as our Sauior willes him, by his patience he is to poſſeſſe his ſoule: and as our Apoſtle here exhorteth, to make his patient minde to be knowne vntounto all men.
O but in ſuch cauſes of impatiencie, how ſhould a man be patient? when open foes maligne him, fained friends abuſe him, and troubles hedge him in on eueryevery ſide; when no man beares with him, no man yeelds to him; but, the more he yeelds and beares with others, the more he is abuſed and wronged by others; what ſhould perſwade him to moderation and mildenes, to gentlenes and patience? Do we aske what? Do we know that the Lord his prouidence watcheth ouer vsus alway? Do we know that he will not leaue vsus not forſake vsus, nor deliuer vsus into the will of our enemies? Do we know that all the haires four head are numbred, and that not one of them ſhall fall to the ground without our heauenly Fathers will? Here then is, or ſhould be, enough to perſwade vsus to be patient and moderate whenſoeuer we are abuſed, afflicted, or oppreſſed: the Lord is at hand. The Lord, the Lord, ſtrong, mercifull, and gracious, ſlow to anger, abundant in goodnes and truth, reſeruing merciemercy for thouſands, and not making the wicked innocent, the moſt mightie God, vntounto whom al power is giuen in heauen and in earth, who ſitteth in heauen, and beholdeth the earth, and ſeeth whatſoeuer is done among the ſonnes of men; our Lord by right of creation, in that he made vsus of nothing when we were not; our Lord in the right of redemption, in that when we were bondſlaues vnderunder hell, death, and damnation, he payed the ranſome of our redemption, and freed vsus from the bondage of ſinne and Satan; and our Lord in the right of ſoueraignty, to rule and gouerne vsus by his Spirits to ſaue and defend vsus vnderunder his wings; he is at hand, neare about our paths and about our beds, pitcheth his tents round about vsus, and giueth his Angels charge ouer vsus: he is at hand, neare to behold our ſufferings and our wrongs,Exod. 3.9. as himſelfe ſaith, I hauehave ſeene, I hauehave ſeene the affliction of my people which is in Egypt, where…nto the Egyptians oppreſſe them: Neare to heare vsus when we call vponupon him, as himſelfe ſaith, Call vponupon me in the day of trouble, Pſal. 50.15.and I will heare thee, and thou ſhalt glorifie me: Neare to deliuer vsus from the wrongfull dealings of men: and therefore the Prophet prayeth vntounto him, O deliuer me from the wrongfull dealings of men, and giuegive me not ouer vntounto mine oppreſſours: Neare to ſaue vsus vnderunder his feathers in eueryevery needefull time of trouble; for ſo the Pſalmiſt ſaith, The Lord will be a defence for the oppreſſed, Pſal. 9.9.euen a refuge in due time of trouble. Hereof Iacob had experience when Laban perſecuted him, in that the Lord curbed Laban, when he ſaid vntounto him,Geneſ. 31.24. Take heede that thou ſpeake not to Iacob ought ſaue good. Hereof Ioſeph had experience in his danger by his brethren, in that the Lord firſt by Reuben ſaued him that he was not ſlaine; and after that he was ſold, made him Ruler of Pharaohs houſe, and of all his ſubſtance.Geneſ. 37.41. Hereof the children of Iſrael had experience when Pharao oppreſſed thē, in that the Lord,Exod 3. when their crie for their bondage came vp vntounto him, deliuered them out of the houſe of bondage by the hands of Moſes and Aaron. Hereof Daniel and his companions had experience when they were traduced vntounto the king, in that the Lord ſhut the mouthes of the lions that they hurt not the one,Dan. 6.22.3.27. and abated the heate of the fire that it had no power ouer the bodies of the other. Hereof the Diſciples of Chriſt had experience when they were caſt into priſon, in that the Lord ſent his Angell vntounto them, and deliuered them out of priſon.Acts 5.19. And hereof the children of God hauehave continuall experience, in that the Lord helpes them to right when they ſuffer wrong, feedeth them when they are hungrie,Pſal. 146. looſeth them when they are in priſon, giueth them ſight when they are blinde, raiſeth them when they are fallen, keepeth them if they be ſtrangers, relieueth them if they be fatherleſſe or widdowes, and maketh all their beds in their ſi…keneſſe. And hereupon Dauid reſolued and ſaid,Pſal. 3.6.27.3.23.4. I will not be afraid though ten thouſands of people beſet me round about: nay, though an hoſte of men were laid againſt me, yet ſhall not mine heart be afraid: nay, though I walke through the valley of the ſhadow of death I wil feare no euill. And why? for thou art with me, ſaith the Prophet: thou O Lord art with me, and therefore, whoſoeuer be againſt me, in what danger ſoeuer I be, I will feare no euill. This then, to know that the Lord is with vsus, and that he is alwaies neare at hand to heare vsus and to helpe vsus, ſhould quiet vsus, as of all feare, ſo of all perturbations of the minde, ſo that we ſhould patiently brooke whatſoeuer might otherwiſe ſtirre vsus vntounto impatiencie.
How is it then that vponupon eueryevery occaſion we are ſo vnpatient, and hauehave ſo little hold of our ſelues? If any man thwart or croſſe vsus, if any man harme or wrong vsus, if any man taunt or mocke vsus, if any man reuile or ſpeake euill of vsus, if anie man offer vsus any hard meaſure in word or in deed, how do we bite vponupon the bridle, and ſtomacke the matter? One abuſe muſt be quit with another, one wrong with another, one miſchiefe with another, or elſe we think we hauehave neuer plaied the men. But if we be falſly accuſed before the Iudge, of theft, murder, ſedition, treaſon or the like; if we be wrongfully ſcourged, impriſoned, racked, or tormented; if we be cruelly or deceitfully turned out of houſe and home, lands and liuing, and all that we hauehave: O how then are our ſoules diſquieted within vsus, and how do our hearts burnt within vsus till we be auenged of ſuch as hauehave thus dealt with vsus? Here muſt reuenge be ſought by bloud, death, and if there be any further reuenge then this.
And tell me I pray, what is the cauſe of ſuch impatiencie in theſe and the like caſes, yea oftentimes when the Lord his hand is vponupon vsus in pouertie, ſickenes, and the like? Is it not euen hence, becauſe either we know not, or remember not that the Lord is at hand? Yes verily, it is the ignorance, or forgetfulneſſe of the Lord, and of his prouident watchfulneſſe ouer vsus, that makes vsus fret and fume, and like the dogge runne vponupon the bone that is caſt at vsus. We know not, or we remember not that vengeance is the Lords, and that he hath promiſed that he will repay and reward the wicked after their deſeruing: and therefore forſooth, when we thinke there is cauſe, we will be diſquieted, we will kill and ſlay, and we will be auenged. For if we knew or remembred that vengeance is the Lords, and that he wil repay, we would patiently paſſe by the contumelies and wrongs of men, and leaue them to the Lord that iudgeth righteous iudgement. We know not, or we remember not, that the Lord is neare vntounto all that call vponupon him in truth to heare and help vsus in all dangers, if we patiently waite vponupon him, that we may be ſafe vnderunder his feathers; and therefore forſooth when troubles aſſault vsus, or the ſorrows of death compaſſe vsus about, we thinke we do well to be as vnpatient as Ionas was angrie for his gourd. For if we knew, or remembred, that he is at hand at euerie needfull time of trouble to helpe vsus, our ſoules would patiently wait vponupon the Lord vntill he ſhould helpe vsus. Eyther we thinke not of the Lord and of his watchfull prouidence ouer vsus to ſaue and defend vsus, and to auenge our ſufferings and wrongs; or carnally we ſay, if the Lord be at hand, I wiſh I might know it, I wiſh I might heare him, I wiſh I might ſee him, as if otherwiſe we could not diſcerne of his being neare vntounto vsus; or if we be better taught, yet we thinke him not neare if he do not alwayes heare and helpe when we wiſh and call. And therefore eueryevery ſmall thing and leaſt trifle almoſt moues vsus, and diſquiets vsus, and puts vsus out of all patience.
Whatſoeuer therefore contumelies or diſgraces are offred vntounto vsus, whatſoeuer loſſes or wrongs we ſuſtaine, whatſoeuer troubles or tentations do aſſault vsus, whatſoeuer malice or wickednes be practiſed againſt vsus, let vsus know that the Lord his prouidence watcheth ouer vsus to ſaue & defend vsus, to take our matter into his owne hand, and to be auenged of our enemies. And therefore let vsus not he diſcouraged, or diſquieted, let vsus not fret or fume, or buſie our heads with thinking of reuenge, but let vsus in our patience poſſeſſe our ſoules, and let our patient mind be knowne to all men. If we cannot by our moderation and mildnes, by our gentlenes and patience winne them vntounto vsus that in word or deed wrong vsus, but that they like vntounto wicked Iulians the more abuſe vsus and wrong vsus, yet the Lord is at hand to behold our ſufferings & wrongs, and to take our matter into his owne hand. To bridle then our impatience let vsus thinke with our ſelues; Are we euill entreated through tyrants? doth our owne familiar friend lie …n waite againſt vsus? do ſome imagine miſchiefe for vsus, others whet their tongues againſt vsus, and ſhoote out their arrowes, euen bitter words, and do others practiſe what they can againſt vsus? Well, the Lord is at hand, he ſeeth and knoweth all things, he deliuereth vsus, and auengeth vsus of all that riſe vp againſt vsus, when, and as it ſeemes good vntounto him. He that keepeth vsus ſlumbereth not, nor ſleepeth; and therefore in our patience will we poſſeſſe our ſoules, repoſing our ſelues vnderunder the couert of his wings. Thus if we ſhall lift vp our eies vntounto the Lord, and perſwade our ſelues of his being alwaies neare at hand vntounto vsus by his watchfull prouidence ouer vsus, we ſhall not only not be troubled with theſe ſharp fits of this hote ague of impatience vponupon eueryevery accident or croſſe, but as men truly humbled in our ſelues, mortified vntounto the world, and looking onelyonly vntounto the Lord, we ſhall in all mildneſſe and moderation make our patient minde knowne vntounto all men. And let this be ſpoken of this obſeruation from this meaning of theſe words.
Secondly, admitting this to be the meaning of the Apoſtle in this place, that the Lord is at hand by his ſecond comming in the fleſh vntounto iudgement to requite our hard meaſures into their boſome that hauehave ill meated vntounto vsus, and to wipe all teares from our eyes, and giuegive vsus reſt with himſelfe, I note that the Apoſtles reaſon to moue the Philippians vntounto a patient mildneſſe and gentle moderation towards all men, is becauſe the Lord is at hand to breake the clouds, and to come vntounto iudgement, to wipe all teares from their eyes, and to recompence tribulation to all that hauehave troubled them. And hence I obſerue another ſpeciall motiue which may & ought to perſwade vsus to poſſeſſe our ſoules in patience whenſoeuer we are abuſed, oppeſſed, or afflicted, namely, the approching of Chriſt his ſecond coming into iudgement, when he ſhall recompence tribulation to them that trouble vsus, and to vsus which are troubled reſt with him. This motiue alſo vntounto patience the Apoſtle Iames vſeth,Iames 5.7.8. where he ſaith, Be ye patient vntounto the coming of the Lord: Be ye patient and ſettle your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth neare. And certainly if we could and would remember this, that the coming of the Lord draweth neare, we would be leſſe prouoked vponupon eueryevery occaſion vntounto intemperate heates, and whatſoeuer might haply ſeeme enough to diſquiet vsus, we would paſſe it ouer with greater patience. For thus we ſhould ſay with our ſelues: Hath God giuen all iudgement vntounto his Son, and is he readie to come vntounto iudgement? Is the time at hand when he ſhall deſcend from heauen with a ſhoute, and with the voice of the Archangell, and with the trumpet of God? when he ſhal ſhew himſelfe in flaming fire, rendring vengeance vntounto them that know not God, nor obey the Goſpel of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt? when he ſhall come to be glorified in his Saints, and to be maruellous in all them that beleeue? Shall I then when I am abuſed or wronged, be grieued and diſquieted, or ſeek to be auenged? Nay, the time is at hand when all wrongs ſhall be redreſſed by him that iudgeth righteouſly: in the meane time I will beare with patience what man doth or ſaith againſt me. Thus by remembrance of the approching of Chriſt his ſecond coming vntounto iudgment, ſhould our patient mind be knowne vntounto all men.
O but, will fooliſh man ſay, this hath bene ſaid theſe fifteene hundred yeares, that the Lord is at hand, and that his coming draweth neare, and yet all things continue alike; how ſhould this then ſtill be a motiue vntounto patience? When this ſecond coming ſhall be, I cannot ſay.Act. 1.7. It is a thing which the Father hath kept in his owne power, and ſo peculiarly reſerued vntounto himſelfe, as that of that day and houre knoweth no man, Mat. 24.36.no not the Angels in heauen but God onelyonly, nay not Chriſt Ieſus himſelfe as he is man knoweth it. And therefore they who labour in that point to deſigne that time, are therein more curious then wiſe. But hath it bene ſaid theſe fifteene hundred yeares, that the Lord is at hand, and that his coming draweth neare? And did the holy Ghoſt who cannot lie, ſay then that it was neare, and is it now very neare, euen at our doores?2. Pet. 3.9. The Lord is patient toward vsus, and would hauehave no man to periſh, but would all men to come to repentance, and therefore hath hitherto deferred his coming. But yet a very litle while, Heb. 10.37.and he that ſhall come, will come, and will not tarrie. If fifteene hundred yeares be paſt, the reſt of the time appointed muſt needs be ſhorter, and ſo the day and houre approach nearer. And what one ſigne foretold to go before his ſecond coming, is not already paſt, except it be that one of the calling of the Iewes? Let the exhortation then of our Apoſtle preuaile with vsus, that our patient mind be knowne to all men. Let vsus be meeke and gentle, kind and curteous one to another, yeelding one vntounto another, and bearing one with another: for the Lord is at hand, his comming, draweth neare, when he ſhall giuegive vsus reſt with him, and auenge all our wrongs.