Lectures Upon Philippians, Lectures · Chapter 2 · Lecture 38
LECTƲRE XXXVIII.
PHILIP. 2. verſe 15, 16, 17, 18.
That I may reioyce in the day of Chriſt that I hauehave not runne in vaine, nor laboured in vaine &c.
THus farre of the former reaſon, and of the vſes thence to bee made by vsus heretofore. Now followeth the latter reaſon drawne from the Apoſtle himſelfe in theſe words, that I may reiojce in the day of Chriſt &c.
That I may reioyce &c.] This is the Apoſtle his latter reaſon whereby he would enforce his former exhortations: and it is as if he had ſaid; My beloued, I exhort you that you make an end of your owne ſaluation with feare and trembling; and that ye do all things with your neighbours and brethren without murmuring and reaſonings: and theſe things I would hauehave you to doe as for your owne ſakes, that yee may be blameleſſe and pure ſo for my ſake alſo, that I may reioyce &c. Yea, and if yee marke it, euen in theſe words he would hauehave them to doe as he hath exhorted them both for his ſake, and for their ſakes alſo. For he would hauehave them to walke before God in all obedience with feare and trembling, and with their neighbour in all louelove without murmuring &c. why? that he may reioyce: thats for his owne ſake. But wherein doth he deſire to reioyce? Euen in their ſaluation, that he hath not runne in vaine, nor laboured in vaine amongſt them, but that by his Miniſterie and Apoſtleſhip they are gained vntounto Chriſt; That I may reioyce in the day of Chriſt &c. By the day of Chriſt the Apoſtle meaneth that day when God ſhall iudge the ſecrets of all men by Ieſus Chriſt; that day of Chriſt his ſecond comming vntounto iudgement, when it ſhall be rendred vntounto eueryevery man according to that he hath done in his fleſh be it good or euill; as alſo in many other places of the new Teſtament. This day is called ſometimes the day of Gods wrath, ſometimes the day of his appearing, ſometimes the day of iudgement, ſometimes the great day, ſometimes that day, ſometimes the day of the Lord, ſometimes the day of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, ſometimes the day of Chriſt. Now that day of Chriſt his ſecond comming vntounto iudgement is therefore called the day of Chriſt, becauſe in that day God ſhall giuegive all iudgement vntounto him, and he ſhall deſcend from heauen with a ſhoute, and with the voice of the Archangell, and with the trumpet of God, and all ſhall appeare before his iudgement ſeate, and he ſhall ſeparate the ſheepe from the goates, and ſet the ſheepe on his right hand, and the goates on the left, and ſhall ſay to the one, Come yee bleſſed of my Father; and to the other, Depart from me yee curſed. Now the Apoſtle would hauehave the Philippians ſo to walke both before God and men, that in this day of Chriſt when he ſhall giuegive to eueryevery man according as his worke ſhall be, he may reioyce: wherein? that hee hath not runne in vaine &c, .i. that by his labours he hath gained them vntounto Chriſt. The manner of ſpeech which the Apoſtle vſeth, ſeemeth to be borrowed from them that runne in a race, wherein though many runne, and labour hard toward the marke, yet one alone receiueth the price, and the reſt runne in vaine, and labour in vaine, becauſe they obtaine not the pr…ce or the thing which they runne for. So the Apoſtle maketh his account that in reſpect of them he ſhould be like vntounto thoſe that runne in vaine and labour in vaine, if hauing laboured to gaine them vntounto Chriſt, they ſhould not walke worthy of Chriſt. This therefore in this place is the ſumme of the Apoſtle his deſire, that the Philippians would ſo walke worthy of Chriſt both before God, and with their brethren, that in the day of Chriſt, when his labours in the Lord ſhould not be in vaine he might reioyce that he had not ſpent his ſtrength amongſt them in vaine, but by his preaching of Chriſt Ieſus vntounto them had gained them vntounto Chriſt, who ſhould then giuegive both vntounto him and them the crowne of ſaluation for their glory. This is the ſumme, and the ſenſe likewiſe of that which the Apoſtle ſpeaketh in this place. Now let vsus ſee what vſe we may make hereof for our ſelues.
Here then 1. I note that the ſaluation of Gods people is the ioy & crowne of the faithfull Miniſter of Chriſt in the day of Chriſt. This ſhall be his glory in that day with his Chriſt, whoſe Miniſter he is, that he hath gained many vntounto Chriſt. And therefore this our Apoſtle in another place calleth the Philippians his ioy & his crowne; Phil. 4.1.whereby he ſignifieth both the preſent ioy & comfort which he taketh in them, and the ſure hope which he hath that they ſhall be his ioy and his crowne in the day of the Lord. To the like purpoſe he writeth to the Theſſalonians, 1 Theſ. 2.19ſaying, what is our hope, or ioy, or crowne of reioycing? are not euen you in the preſence of our Lord Ieſus Christ at his comming? 20.Yes yee are our glory & ioy: when? not onelyonly now preſent, but in the preſence of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt at his comming. As plaine to this purpoſe is that in the laſt of Daniel, Dan. 12.3.where he ſaith, that they that turne many vntounto righteouſneſſe ſhall ſhine as the ſtarres for euer and euer; which no doubt is principally meant of the Miniſters of Chriſt Ieſus. And if it ſhall be ſaid in that day vntounto eueryevery good and faithfull ſeruant,Mat. 25.21. It is well done good ſeruant and faithfull, enter into thy maſters ioy; how much more ſhall it be ſaid ſo vntounto the faithfull Miniſter of Chriſt Ieſus? What greater encouragements can there be vntounto the Miniſters of Chriſt Ieſus to make them faithfull and painefull in their places, to make them labour with all alacritie and cheerefulneſſe to gaine many vntounto Chriſt, to turne many vntounto righteouſneſſe? O but there are many diſcouragements: For who more contemned, who more diſdained, who more hated, who more diſgraced then the Miniſters of Chriſt Ieſus? True it is, and it is the ſhame of our times, that they are counted of many as the very of-ſcourings of the world; and the more faithfull that they are the more they are hated, and oftentimes the more perſecuted. If we ſowe cuſhions vnderunder all arme-holes; if we ſpeake ſmoothing and fawning words; if we cry peace, peace, all is well; if we meddle not with the ſinnes of the people, but onelyonly teach a truth in a generalitie, happily we ſhall pleaſe, or not diſpleaſe, but liue in reſt and quiet. But if we lift vp our voices like trumpets, and tell the houſe of Iacob their ſinnes, and the houſe of Iſrael their tranſgraſſions; if we ſearch, and cut vp, and lance the ſores of our people; if we ſharply reproue ſuch & ſuch ſins whereof their own conſciences condemne them to be guilty, then they begin to hate vsus, to diſgrace vsus, to perſecute vsus, to traduce vsus as curſed Chams, as ſeditious fellowes, & troublers of the State, and to ſpeake all manner of euill ſayings againſt vsus. Herod, ye know, when he heard Iohn did many things, Mar. 6.20. Mat. 14.10and heard him gladly. But after that Iohn had reproued him for his inceſt he quickly loſt his head. The Iewes likwiſe heard Steuen a great while anſwering for himſelfe: But when he began to come ſomewhat neere vntounto them, and to touch them to the quicke, when he came vponupon them with,Act. 7.51.54.55. Yee ſtiffe-necked and of vncircumciſed hearts and eares, yee hauehave alwaies reſisted the Holy Ghoſt &c. then it is ſaid, that their hearts braſt for anger, and that they gnaſhed at him with their teeth, and quickly after ſtoned him to death. I ſay not that it fareth ſo at this day. For ſinne, God be thanked, may be boldly rebuked without feare of ſuch danger. But this we finde true by experience, that whoſe ſore we touch his hatred moſt commonly we purchaſe, and if wee be but ſuſpected in our reproofes of ſinne to note ſuch and ſuch men, we ſhall not want whatſoeuer they can ſay or do againſt vsus. Thus render they vntounto vsus hatred for our good will, and when we ſtrike at the roote of any ſinne, and wound only that we may heale; they tell vsus we only vtter our choler or malice, and that we might well enough finde our ſelues other matter then to note them in our Sermons. But this, as I ſaid, is the ſhame of our times, that the more faithfull and painefull they are the worſe commonly they are intreated. But herein we comfort our ſelues that our conſcience beareth vsus witneſſe in what ſinglenes of heart as before the Lord we doe the worke of our miniſterie, and that howſoeuer now through their diſgraces, and reproches, and contempts, and hatreds, and perſecutions our reioycing be diminiſhed; yet our reioycing in the day of Chriſt ſhall no man take from vsus, but then they that hauehave beleeued, and they that hauehave beene conuerted from going aſtray out of the right way by our miniſterie, ſhall be vntounto vsus the crowne of our reioycing. Then for that we hauehave laid out our talent to the beſt aduantage we could, we ſhall heare that voice, It is well done good ſeruant and faithfull, and then thoſe that hated vsus without cauſe, and diſgraced vsus without our deſert, ſhall not dare to hold vp their heads againſt vsus, but ſhall be confounded in that day. In the meane time, if when we hauehave ſowen the ſeede of Gods word many ſharpe ſhowres doe follow, and many blacke tempeſts ouertake one another, yet muſt we with the husbandman patiently expect the time of harueſt; we muſt in patience poſſeſſe our ſoules vntill the day of Chriſt, and then we ſhall reioyce in the preſence of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt at his comming, when we and they whom we hauehave gained vntounto Chriſt ſhall meete him in the clouds, that we may be euer with the Lord. For they whom we hauehave gained vntounto Chriſt ſhall be the crowne of our reioycing in that day.
Yea but what if when we hauehave laboured either we ſee no fruits of our labours in them that heare vsus, or that fruit which ſeemed to ſhoote forth in the blade doe afterwards fall away and wither,2 Tim. 1.15 as the Apoſtle complaineth that they of Aſia were turned from him, doth the glory of the Miniſter in that day depend vponupon the ſaluation of them that heare him? Doth he runne in vaine, and labour in vaine, if he gaine not them vntounto Chriſt? Certainly of this I am perſwaded that the moe ſoules they gaine vntounto Chriſt, the more glorious ſhall be their crowne of reioycing. And therefore the Apoſtles glory, no doubt ſhall be exceeding glorious, by whoſe labours ſo many Churches were planted, ſo many ſoules were brought vntounto the faith. Yet his glory in that day doth not wholy depend vponupon the ſaluation of them that heare him. The vſing of his talent faithfully ſhall be accounted vntounto him as gaining with it. Neither is his running and his labouring in vaine in reſpect of himſelfe, but onelyonly in reſpect of them whoſe hearts the Lord doth not open that they ſhould heare, and beleeue, and be ſaued: as it is plaine out of Eſay, where Chriſt in his members thus complaineth, I hauehave laboured in vaine, I hauehave ſpent my ſtrength in vaine, Eſay 49.4.and for nothing: but my iudgement is with the Lord, & my worke with my God: though Iſrael be not gathered, 5.yet ſhall I be glorious in the eyes of the Lord, and my God ſhall be my ſtrength. By which words it is out of all doubt cleared, that howſoeuer the Miniſters labour be often in vaine, howſoeuer his ſtrength be often ſpent in vaine in reſpect of them that heare him, becauſe thereby their hearts are not mollified, and they brought vntounto the obedience of the faith, yet for themſelues their iudgement is with the Lord, and their worke with their God. Though they that heare them be of ſuch vncircumciſed hearts and eares that they cannot be gained vntounto Chriſt, yet ſhall they be glorious in the eyes of the Lord, and their God ſhall be their ſtrength. To the like purpoſe is that in Ezechiel, where the Lord inſtructing the Miniſter, and watchman of the houſe of Iſrael in his dutie, he ſaith,EZec. 3.17.19.21 Sonne of man I hauehave made thee a watchman &c. if thou warne the wicked, and he turne not from his wickedneſſe, nor from his wicked way, he ſhall die in his iniquitie, but thou haſt deliuered thy ſoule &c. What is then the Miniſters dutie? To warne the wicked: and his dutie is to turne from the wickedneſſe of his waies. If the Miniſter warne, his labour is not in vaine in the Lord, he deliuereth his owne ſoule: but if the wicked being warned turne not from the wickedneſſe of his waies, he dieth in his iniquitie; ſo that his Miniſter in reſpect of him hath runne in vaine, and laboured in vaine, becauſe he hath not reclaimed him from the wickedneſſe of his wayes.
Here then is a notable aduertiſement for them that are hearers of the word, to take heede that their watchman which is ſet ouer them ſpend not his ſtrength in vaine, and for nothing amongſt them. The Miniſter, yee heare, he runnes, he labours, he ſweates, he is ſtill playing his prizes, ſtill trying his maiſteries, ſtill plowing vp the fallow ground of your hearts, in eueryevery ſeaſon, yea in ſeaſon and out of ſeaſon ſowing the immortall ſeede of the word, alwaies on his watch tower in cold and in heate, giuing warning of eueryevery enemie which he doth deſcry. Happily yee hauehave another conceit of the Miniſters labour, at leaſt many hauehave, that it is no ſuch continuall labour, that there is no ſuch care or paines therein as is pretended. Well whatſoeuer account yee make of the labour, therein he ſpends his ſtrength, and oftentimes his bloud. It is for you to looke vntounto it that he ſpend not his ſtrength in vaine. If he teach you the waies of the Lord, and yee receiue not inſtruction, if he reproue ſuch ſinnes as breake out amongſt you, and ye hate to be reformed, if hee call to faſting, weeping, and mourning, and ye fall to eating, drinking, and dauncing; if he exhort you to ſtudy to bee blameleſſe, and pure, and the ſonnes of God in the middeſt of a naughty and crooked nation, and to ſhine amongſt them as lights, holding forth the word of life, and ye giuegive your members ſeruants to vncleaneſſe, and to iniquity, to commit iniquity; in a word, if he out of the word either teach, or improue, or correct, or inſtruct in righteouſneſſe, & ye refuſe to hearken to the voice of the charmer charme he neuer ſo wiſely, what elſe doth hee in reſpect of you but runne in vaine, and labour in vaine? And if he ſpend his ſtrength in vaine amongſt you, his worke is with his God; but your bloud is vponupon your owne head, yee die in your ſinnes, but his ſoule is deliuered. The miniſter his deſire is to reioyce in the day of Chriſt, but wherein? in your ſaluation. If in that day he ſhall not reioyce in your ſaluation, what do ye thinke will be your portion? His deſire is not to runne in vaine, nor to labour in vaine: but it is in reſpect of you, that he may gaine you vntounto Chriſt. For hee knoweth that his labour is not in vaine in the Lord. Hearken therefore and obey, and harden not your hearts as in the prouocation, and as in the day of tentation in the wilderneſſe. If thou hearken, thou ſhalt be the crowne of his reioycing, and the crowne of his reioycing is in thy ſaluation. And in any caſe take heed that thou iudge not amiſſe of him that is ſet ouer thee in the Lord, to admoniſh thee of thy w…es. For whatſoeuer it is wherein he either teacheth, or improueth, or correcteth, or inſtructeth thee it is that hee may reioyce in the day of Chriſt, that he hath not runne in vaine, nor laboured in vaine. And this much of this later reaſon to enforce the former exhortations.
Yea and though I be offered &c.] The Apoſtle as yee hauehave heard vrged the Philippians that they would walke in all obedience with God, and in all meekneſſe with their brethren, euen the rather for his ſake that he might reioyce ouer them in the day of Chriſt. Now the better to enforce this reaſon drawne from himſelfe, in theſe words hee aſſureth them that ſuch is his longing after their ſaluation, that if by his death they might be confirmed and ſtrengthened in the faith, hee would moſt willingly and ioyfully giuegive his life for them, and if he ſhall do ſo, he would not hauehave them to be ſory, but to be glad and reioyce thereat. The manner of ſpeech here vſed is drawne from the ſacrifices of the old law, wherein the Prieſts were commanded after their comming into the land of Canaan, Num. 15 7alwaies to poure out a drinke offering vponupon the ſacrifice that was offered. The Apoſtle therefore alluding hereunto ſaith, that if his ſoule ſhould now bee poured out as a drinke offering vponupon that ſpirituall ſacrifice of their faith, which by his miniſtery and Apoſtleſhip they had embraced for their farther confirmation and ſtrengthening therein, he would be glad, and reioyce with them for that their faith by his death were ſtrengthened.
Here then we may obſerue how zealous the Paſtor ought to be of the ſaluation of his flocke, he ought with Saint Paul in this place to be willing to giuegive vp his life for them.Joh. 10.11. The good ſhepheard, ſaith our Sauiour, giueth his life for his ſheepe. Chriſt himſelfe was indeed this good ſhepheard here ſpoken of, who when wee were yet ſinners died for vsus. But herein likewiſe he ſet before vsus a paterne, how we ſhould approue our ſelues to be good ſhepheards. Nothing ſhould bee ſo deare vntounto vsus as the good of them ouer whom the Lord made vsus ouerſeers, perſecution and baniſhment, ſtripes and impriſonments, yea the loſſe of life it ſelfe muſt rather bee indured then their ſaluation be neglected. What then? are wee ſimply to giuegive vp our liues for our flockes: What if they be ſuch as will bee glad thereat, and rather then faile will themſelues perſecute vsus, yea and take our liues from vsus? Such ſheepe indeed there are as perſecute their ſhepheard, and deſire if they can to make him wearie of his life. But this is that which now from our Apoſtle we teach, that if our death may bee for the enlarging of Chriſt his kingdome, and for the confirmation and encreaſe of their faith vntounto whom we hauehave preached the Goſpell, then we are not to louelove our liues vntounto the death. What then? becauſe our death may be for the confirmation of their faith, are we to offer our ſelues vntounto death? Nay wee may not ſeeke death, nor willingly runne our ſelues into danger. But if the will of the Lord be ſuch that by our bloud wee ſeale that teſtimony which we hauehave giuen to Chriſt Ieſus, and ſo confirme our brethren in the things that they hauehave heard and learned by our miniſtery, we are not to ſhrinke at it, but willingly to embrace it. Yea but the cuppe of death is bitter, how then can we be glad and reioyce in it. True, happily we ſhould not greatly reioyce in that violent and vntimely death being conſidered in it ſelfe. But knowing that our bloud is the ſeede of the Church, and that by our death and perſecution many are made more bold to profeſſe the Goſpell of Chriſt Ieſus, wee ſhould be glad and reioyce in the fruit that we know comes to the Church by our death and perſecution. And thus our Sauiour by precept hath taught vsus to doe ſaying,Mat. 5.11.12. Act. 5.41. Bleſſed are yee when men reuile you, and perſecute you &c. reioyce and bee glad, for great is your reward in heauen. Thus the Apoſtles likewiſe hauehave taught vsus by example, who when they had bin caſt in priſon, and afterwards beaten, departed reioycing that they were counted worthy to ſuffer rebuke for Chriſt his name. As they by precept and example hauehave taught vsus, ſo ought wee to reioyce in tribulations and perſecutions, & to be glad though we be offered vp vponupon the ſacrifice of their faith who by our miniſterie hauehave belieued.
Should then the ſaluation of your ſoules, and the confirmation of your faith be ſo deare vntounto vsus, euen dearer then our owne liues? How ought ye then to be affected towards vsus, and our miniſterie? It was a notable teſtimonie that the Apoſtle gaue vntounto the Galathians, Gal. 4.15.wherein he bore them record that if it had beene poſſible they would hauehave pluckt out their owne eies, and hauehave giuen them to him. Nothing more deare then their eyes, and yet ſo neere had their ſoules beene knit vntounto him in reuerence and louelove for the Goſpells ſake, that they would hauehave giuen him their very eies to hauehave done him good. Shall I ſay that ye ought to be thus affected towards vsus? I ſay not ſo: but I ſay that ye ought ſo to thinke of vsus, as of the miniſters of Chriſt, and diſpoſers of the ſecrets of God. Yee ought to thinke of vsus as of the Embaſſadors for Chriſt, and that we pray you in Chriſts ſtead, as though God did beſeech you through vsus. In a word, if we ought to lay downe our liues for our ſheepe, our ſheepe ought to heare our voice. And certainely if we were ſo liuely and Chriſtianly toucht with a feeling of the ſweetneſſe of the word of life as we ſhould be, if the powerfulneſſe thereof had ſo ſeaſoned and ſeazed vponupon our ſoules as it ought, then would we heare his voice, and obey him, and follow him, we would reuerence and regard him for the truths ſake which he preacheth. It is ſaid of Lydia, that when ſhe had heard Paul preach, and the Lord had ſo opened her hart that ſhe belieued the things that Paul ſpak, ſhe was ſo deſirous that Paul and thoſe that were with him ſhould come into her houſe, and abide a while with her, that ſhe neuer left them till ſhe had conſtrained them;Act. 16.15. If yee hauehave iudged mee to be faithfull to the Lord ſaith ſhe, come into mine houſe, and abide there, and ſhe conſtrained vsus ſaith Luke. It ſeemes beſides other purpoſes which ſhee had, that ſhe thought her houſe would be the better if ſhe might get them into it. Not many Lydiaes. I wiſh we might hauehave ſuch hearers, as Peter had, that when they had heard vsus would be pricked in their hearts, and ſay vntounto vsus, men and brethren what ſhall we doe? Act. 2.37.ſuch as would be ſo carefull to heare what we ſpeake that they would lay the ſame vp in their hearts, and digeſt it in their ſoules. Our deſire is as I ſaid ere while, that our labour in the word may not be vntounto you in vaine, but that by our miniſtery we may offer you vp as liuing ſacrifices, holy, and acceptable vntounto God. If we ought not to ſpare our liues vntounto the death for you, yee ought ſo to heare the word of vsus that yee grow vp in faith, and louelove, and eueryevery good worke. If wee ought to poure out our bloud for an offering for you, for the confirming of your faith, ye ought firſt by faith through our miniſtery to be made a ſpirituall ſacrifice vntounto God, that ſo our ſoules may be poured out as a drinke offering vponupon the ſacrifice of your faith. For both theſe are implied here in our Apoſtle. Wee heare what Paſtor and people ſhould doe: and wee ſee in daily experience what they doe, euen both ſo little anſwerably vntounto that they ſhould doe, that it may be as truly now ſaid, as it was in the Prophets time, like Paſtor, like people. But I will not now ſtand farther to open and cut vp theſe ſoares. Conſider only in a … me, I beſeech you, a reaſon which mee …hinkes may be gathered from theſe words for the ſtirring vp of both Paſtor and people vntounto that they ſhould doe.
If ye marke it, both the obedience of their faith which are gained vntounto Chriſt by the miniſterie of the word, and likwiſe the martyrdome and death of thoſe that giuegive their liues for their ſheepe, are by a borrowed ſpeech called ſacrifices and offerings. Though I be offered, there the Apoſtle his death is called an offering: vponupon the ſacrifice and ſeruice of your faith, their faith, whereunto by his ſeruice and miniſtery they had obeyed, is called a ſacrifice. Now what ſacrifices be theſe? Theſe be the ſacrifices of the new Teſtament: theſe bee liuely ſacrifices and holy, and acceptable vntounto God: and theſe together with the ſacrifice of praiſe, and of the workes of louelove are the only ſacrifices which now Chriſtians are to offer vntounto their God. An end of all other ſacrifices was then when Chriſt cried vponupon the croſſe, it is finiſhed. Theſe onelyonly remaine, and theſe are our reaſonable ſeruing of God. How ſhould not this ſtirre vp both Paſtor and people to doe that they ſhould? In the Paſtor his burning zeale to giuegive his life for his people, in the people their obedience of faith by the miniſtery of their Paſtors, are their holy and Chriſtian ſacrifices, and their reaſonable ſeruing of God. And theſe ſacrifices are now no leſſe to be offered by vsus in the new Teſtament, then were thoſe ſacrifices of beaſts and other like things to be offered in the old Teſtament, and ſurely are farre more acceptable vntounto God then were they. But I promiſed only to ſpeak of this in a word. Now a word likewiſe of that that followeth.
For the ſame cauſe &c.] In theſe words the Apoſtle armeth them againſt ſorrow if he ſhould be offered vp vponupon the ſacrifice of their faith. As he would be glad and reioyce with them if their faith ſhould be confirmed by his death, ſo hee would hauehave them likewiſe to be glad and reioyce with him if hee by his bloud ſhould ſeale the teſtimony of their faith. What then? muſt we be glad and reioyce when our beſt Paſtors and teachers are taken from vsus? Did not the Church well, when Steuen was ſtoned to death,Act. 8.2. to make great lamentation for him? Yes no doubt they did well: and whenſoeuer the Church is depriued of any worthy member, eſpecially of any worthy Paſtor and Teacher, there is iuſt cauſe of great ſorrow. And the Apoſtle alloweth a moderation in lamenting for the dead, ſo that we ſorrow not as they that hauehave no hope. 1 Theſ. 4.13.And it was a part of Iehoiakims plague that he ſhould be buried like an Aſſe, and none to make lamentation for him. The meaning then is not, that we ſhould reioyce and be glad, and not mourne ſimply at the death of our beſt Paſtors and Teachers, but that wee ſhould bee glad and reioyce at the fruite which comes to the Church by their death, if they ſuffer martyrdom for the confirmation of the brethrens faith. For ſeeing their conſtancie and their cheerefulneſſe to ſeale that truth with their bloud which they taught and preached, this ſhould both make vsus reioice that God giueth ſuch ſtrength vntounto his Saints, and likewiſe confirme vsus in the faith of Ieſus Chriſt, and further animate vsus patiently to endure whatſoeuer tribulations for Chriſt his ſake. The Apoſtle himſelfe would not, no doubt, reioyce ſimply in his ſuffering and death, but in that onelyonly thereby God ſhould be glorified, and Gods children ſtrengthened. So we are to reioyce not ſimply that our Paſtors and Teachers are taken by the hands of Tyrants, and racked, and martyred, but in that God vouchſafeth thus to conforme them to the image of his ſonne, and to make their bloud the ſeede of the Church, ſo that thereby both the faith of them that are already in the Church is confirmed, and others likewiſe are brought vntounto the faith. Here only wee are to looke to this caueat, that we do not iudge of a martyr only by his ſuffering, but further by the cauſe of his ſuffering. For not the ſuffering, but the cauſe of his ſuffering makes him a Martyr. If he ſuffer death for the teſtimonie of Chriſt Ieſus his death is well called a martyrdome. And in his death we are ſo to reioyce as already ye hauehave heard. Thus farre of the reaſons enforcing obedience to thoſe exhortations which the Apoſtle inferreth vponupon the example of Chriſt his humility and obedience, which the Apoſtle laid as a moſt ſtrong and ſure ground of his exhortation vntounto humbleneſſe and lowlines of minde.