Lectures Upon Philippians, Lectures · Chapter 2 · Lecture 39
LECTƲRE XXXIX.
PHILIP. 2. Verſe 19.20.
And I truſt in the Lord Ieſus to ſend Timotheus ſhortly vntounto you, that I alſo may be of good comfort, when I know your ſtate &c.
AND I hope in the Lord Ieſus] In this latter part of this Chapter the Apoſtle his deſire is to comfort the Philippians, and indeed to confirme them that they ſhould not bee troubled though they liued in the middeſt of a naughty and crooked nation, as it appeareth they did ex verſ. 15. but that they ſhould grow forward from grace vntounto grace that when hee ſhould heare of them, he might heare of them to his comfort. To comfort them therefore he 1. promiſeth to ſend Timothy vntounto them, a man whom themſelues knew to bee a faithfull miniſter of Chriſt Ieſus, and to louelove them ſincerely. 2. He putteth them in hope of his owne comming ſhortly after vntounto them. 3. He telleth them that now he ſendeth their faithfull miniſter Epaphroditus vntounto them, and the cauſes why. By all which things as the Philippians were iuſtly to be comforted, ſo were they ſo many caueats to warne them that neither Timothy, nor hee, nor Epaphroditus might finde any cauſe of griefe, or diſcomfort amongſt them when they ſhould come vntounto them. In his promiſe to ſend Timothy vntounto them, I note, 1. his promiſe to ſend him; 2. the reaſon why he ſent him rather then any other. In his promiſe 1. I note the holy limitation thereof. 2. The promiſe. 3. The end of ſending him.
Touching the 1. Paul doth not abſolutely promiſe to ſend Timothy vntounto them, but, ſaith he, I hope in the Lord Ieſus &c. It is to bee vnderſtood that at this time when the Apoſtle wrote theſe things, he was in priſon at Rome, where Timothy miniſtred vntounto him, and ſerued him in ſuch things as he needed. Now it ſeemes he was in hope ſhortly to bee deliuered out of priſon, and then his certaine reſolution was firſt to ſend Timothy vntounto them, and then ſhortly after himſelfe to come vntounto them. But how the Lord would diſpoſe of theſe things he knew not. OnelyOnly hee knew that the heart of Nero who had caſt him in priſon was in the hand of the Lord Ieſus to diſpoſe of as ſeemed beſt to his godly wiſedome, and ſo he loued them that he hoped the Lord Ieſus would deliuer him out of priſon, and bring him vntounto them. Becauſe therefore he knew not certainely how it would pleaſe the Lord to diſpoſe of theſe things, hee doth not abſolutely promiſe to ſend Timothy vntounto them, but inaſmuch as his louelove to them made him to hope the beſt, hee ſaith, I hope in the Lord Ieſus &c.
The leſſon which hence wee hauehave to learne is this, in all things whatſoeuer we purpoſe to doe ſtill to depend vponupon the will and pleaſure of the Lord Ieſus; not reſolutely to ſet down this or that will I doe, but with theſe or the like conditions and limitations, I hope in the Lord Ieſus to doe it, if God will I will doe it &c. For as in God alone we liue, and mooue, and hauehave our being, ſo he alone directeth all our waies, and ordereth all our counſels as ſeemeth beſt vntounto his godly wiſedome. We may purpoſe, and we may intend ſuch and ſuch things as come into our heads, or our occaſions lead vsus vntounto, but neither lies it in vsus to bring the things to paſſe, neither doe wee know what ſhall be the euent of ſuch things as wee purpoſe. It is God that by his ſpeciall prouidence doth direct the euent of whatſoeuer we purpoſe euen as it beſt pleaſeth him. This is plaine by diuers places of ſcripture which might be alledged to this purpoſe. The hart of man purpoſeth his way,Pro. 16.9. ſaith Salomon but the Lord directeth his ſteps. His ſteps. What is that? euen all mens actions & whatſoeuer he taketh in hand are gouern'd by God, and directed as ſeemeth beſt vntounto him. Again, it is an other prouerbe of Salomon; Pro. 20.24.The ſteps of man are ruled by the Lord, how can a man then vnderſtand his owne way: the meaning is that whatſoeuer a man doth it is wholy and onelyonly guided and ruled by God his almighty power and prouidence, ſo that he cannot poſſibly vnderſtand certainely the iſſues of his owne thoughts and purpoſes. And therefore the Prophet Ieremie thus confeſſeth vntounto the Lord and ſaith, O Lord I know that the way of man is not in himſelfe, Jer. 10 23.neither is it in man to walke and direct his ſteps. Which the Prophet ſpake vponupon occaſion of Nebuchadnezzars turning his power to goe againſt Ieruſalem becauſe of Zedekiaes rebellion; when at his firſt ſetting forth from home he had purpoſed to hauehave made warre againſt the Moabites and Ammonites. Such is the power of the Lord to turne the purpoſes and deuiſes of mans heart which way it ſeemeth beſt vntounto him, ſo that whatſoeuer his purpoſe be, yet can he not tell what ſhall be the iſſue thereof. Nay if we looke a litle farther into the matter we ſhall finde, that howſoeuer it ſeemeth vntounto man that it is in himſelfe to purpoſe and deuiſe what himſelfe liſteth, yet can he not deuiſe or purpoſe any thing that is good, vnleſſe God by his grace preuenting him put them in his heart; according to that it is ſaid, It is God which worketh in vsus both the will, and the deede, euen of his good pleaſure. And therefore that place mentioned before, The heart of man purpoſeth his way; and that in the beginning of the ſame chapter, The preparations of the heart are in man &c, they are to be vnderſtood onelyonly by way of conceſſion, as if Salomon had thus ſaid; Be it that man hath innumerable thoughts in his heart, be it that in his head he deuiſe this and that, as if it were in himſelfe to purpoſe and deuiſe what he would, which is not, yet the anſwer of the tongue is of the Lord, ſaith Salomon. The meaning of the whole indeed is this, that both the thoughts of mans heart, and the words of mans mouth are wholy guided and gouerned by the Lord. Not onelyonly then the ſucceſſe and euent of whatſoeuer we purpoſe, but both the purpoſes of our hearts, by grace preuenting vsus, and likewiſe the iſſues thereof by grace following vsus are wholly gouerned of the Lord. He in his ſpeciall prouidence ordereth and diſpoſeth all things as ſeemeth beſt vntounto him. We are therefore to learne wholly to depend vponupon him in whoſe hand are our hearts and all our waies; and whatſoeuer it be that we purpoſe to do, we are not reſolutely to ſet downe this or that will I doe, as if our owne waies were in our owne hands, but ſtill with ſubmiſſion vntounto the Lord, I hope in the Lord Ieſus, and, if the Lord will. It was the Apoſtle Iames his complaint, that men too much preſuming of themſelues would ſet downe and ſay,Iam. 4.13. We will goe to day or to morrow into ſuch a Citie, or ſuch a Citie, we will continue there ſo long and ſo long, we will buy and ſell ſuch and ſuch wares, and we will make ſuch and ſuch gaine. And I wiſh it might not iuſtly be complained of at this day, that we doe too too reſolutely breake out into ſuch ſpeeches as theſe mentioned by the Apoſtle, and other ſuch like. Well, that which the Apoſtle laid downe for a rule vntounto them, ought alſo to be a rule vntounto vsus: we ought to ſay in all ſuch caſes, if the Lord will we will doe this or that: or as our Apoſtle ſaith in this place, I hope in the Lord Ieſus to doe this or that. This forme of ſpeech beſt beſeemeth Chriſtians, and vſing this forme of ſpeech we ſhew plainely whatſoeuer it is we goe about, or purpoſe to doe, that we depend wholy vponupon the Lord his pleaſure for the ſucceſſe and iſſue thereof, and acknowledge that onelyonly what he will ſhall be done therein. Howbeit I doe not vrge this forme of ſpeech as ſo preciſely neceſſarie that I put any religion therein, or condemne the omitting thereof as prophane and wicked. For I know that many godly men who gladly acknowledge that truth which I hauehave taught, and likewiſe that many of the ſaints and ſeruants of God euen in the holy ſcriptures hauehave not vſed this forme of ſpeech alwaies vponupon ſuch occaſions. Yet could I wiſh, and would exhort euen all the children of God vponupon all ſuch occaſions euen preciſely to obſerue this forme of ſpeech: and that with ſuch reuerence and holy feare, as that thereby they would plainely ſhew that indeede they doe not forget themſelues, but know that it is the Lord that ordereth them and all their waies euen as it beſt pleaſeth him, and what ſucceſſe he giueth to their purpoſes that they ſhall hauehave, whether it be to proſper them, or to ouerthrow them. I adde this of obſeruing this forme of ſpeech with reuerence and holy feare, becauſe it ſo falleth out, I know not how, that oftentimes we vſe good formes of ſpeach, when as notwithſtanding our thoughts are litle ſet, at leaſt not ſo reuerently as they ought, vponupon that we ſay. For example, what more common then when we hauehave ſworne to ſay, God forgiue me that I ſweare; when wee hauehave done ſuch an euill thing, to ſay, God I cry thee mercy what meant I to doe that; and in this that we now ſpeake of, when we meane to do ſuch a thing to ſay, Ile doe it, and God will. Speeches commonly vſed, and oftentimes, I doubt not, very well vſed; but oftentimes in ſuch an idle and onelyonly cuſtomarie maner that therein we greatly offend, becauſe thinking not what we ſpeake, we ſpeake not with that reuerence we ought to ſpeake. And indeede it is a plaine breach of the third commandement, wherein we are forbidden to take the name of the Lord in vaine: for ſo often is this holy name taken in vaine, as it is vſed without great reuerence and feare. To conclude this point therefore, let vsus learne in all things whatſoeuer we doe, or purpoſe to doe, ſtill to depend vponupon the will and pleaſure of the Lord; let vsus by the very forme of ſpeech which we vſe ſhew that we doe ſo, ſaying with our Apoſtle, I hope in the Lord Ieſus to doe ſuch a thing; or with Iames, If God will and giuegive leaue I will doe ſuch a thing; and theſe words let vsus vſe with all reuerence and holy feare, as ſpeaking from our heart that which proceedeth out of our lips. Thus much of the limitation of the promiſe. The promiſe followeth.
To ſend Timotheus ſhortly vntounto you] This was the Apoſtle his promiſe to ſend Timothie vntounto them. Who Timotheus was appeareth out of Act. 16.1. His mother a Ieweſſe, his father a Graecian, a man famouſly knowne and much renowned by reaſon of thoſe two Epiſtles which Paul wrote vntounto him; whom Paul ſometimes calleth his companion, ſometimes a miniſter of God, ſometimes his brother and fellow-helper in the Goſpell of Chriſt, ſometimes his beloued ſonne, ſometimes his naturall ſonne in the faith. The Apoſtle therefore knowing that the Philippians liued in the middeſt of a naughty and crooked nation, and being aduertiſed by Epaphroditus their Miniſter that they were troubled with certaine falſe Apoſtles which gloried in their Circumciſion, promiſeth for their comfort to ſend Timothie vntounto them.
And this commendeth vntounto vsus the godly care that ought to be in the Miniſter of Ieſus Chriſt toward his people to comfort them in all their diſtreſſes. The ſame care that Paul had to comfort them by ſending a faithfull Miniſter vntounto them, the ſame ought now the Miniſter of Chriſt to hauehave to comfort his people by the miniſterie of the word. We are not now to ſend others: we hauehave now our ſtandings appointed vntounto vsus, and therein we are to labour to be ſuch comfort vntounto our people by the miniſterie of the word, as Paul purpoſed that Timothie ſhould be vntounto them. Yet how it falls out I know not, but ſo it is, though we be neither Apoſtles, but tyed vntounto our ſeuerall charges, nor lye in priſon that we cannot come our ſelues, but liue at eaſe in other places following our owne pleaſures, yet will we, as Paul here did vntounto them, ſend vntounto our people, not Timotheus, but ſuch as are not at all able to miniſter a word in due ſeaſon. But I onelyonly touch this, this place of ſcripture as mee thinks, vrging mee therevnto, the enlarging of the point being more fit for other places then this.
The end wherefore he ſent Timothie vntounto them was, as here he ſaith, that he might be comforted when he knew their eſtate. In that he ſaith, that I alſo may be of good comfort, this doth plainely ſhew that which I noted before in the promiſe, that the Apoſtle meant to ſend Timothie vntounto them that they might be comforted by his miniſterie. For ſo he ſaith, I trust &c. to ſend &c. that I alſo may be of good comfort, .i. that as you ſhall be comforted by his comming to you and his miniſterie among you, ſo I likewiſe may be comforted when at his returning from you he ſhall tell me your ſtate, that you ſtand in the faith, and in the fellowſhip which yee hauehave with other Churches in the Goſpell of Chriſt Ieſus.
Here then we may obſerue a note of true Chriſtianitie, and ſincere louelove, which is to be ſo mutually carefull one for an other that we reioyce one in anothers good, and that we be ſorry one at anothers miſery. A thing whereunto if either precept, or example, or nature may ſtirre vsus vp we cannot want encitements thereunto.Ro. 12.15. Reioyce (ſaith the Apoſtle) with them that reioyce, and weepe with them that weepe. Where (yee ſee) the Apoſtle his rule and precept is, that we be ſo mutually affectioned one vntounto another, that the ioy of one may be the ioy of another, and the griefe of one may be the griefe of another, being ſo knit together with the bond of Chriſtianitie that both we reioyce, and likewiſe weepe together. Now ſee the practiſe of this rule in the Apoſtle himſelfe: For as touching reioycing, doth he not in the beginning of all his Epiſtles almoſt teſtifie his comfort and reioycing in all thoſe Churches for that they continued in the faith, and reioyced in the Goſpell of Chriſt? How often doth he begin his Epiſtle with this and the like ſaying, I thanke my God alwaies on your behalfe for the grace of God which is giuen you in Chriſt Ieſus &c? All his Epiſtles to the Churches, ſaue that to the Galatians hauehave this or the like beginning. Whereby he ſignifieth his reioycing in their ioy in the Holy Ghoſt. Likewiſe touching weeping and ſorrowing at the griefes of others, he ſaith, Who is weake, 2 Cor. 11.29.and I am not weake; who is offended, and I burne not? As if he ſhould hauehave ſaid, ſuch is my care of all the Churches, and ſo is my ſoule knit vntounto them, that the things that happen vntounto them I count to happen vntounto my ſelfe; ſo that as their ioy is my ioy, ſo their weakneſſe is my weakneſſe, their ſcandall is my ſcandall, and their griefe is my griefe. What ſhould I bring other examples to this purpoſe? Doth not euen nature teach this mutuall care one of another, and this mutuall affection one towards another? In the members of our bodie,1 Cor. 12.26. if one member ſuffer, doe not all the members ſuffer with it, and if one member be had in honor, do not all the members reioyce with it? Let but the toe be pricked, head and hands, and all bowe downe to it to helpe it, and are grieued with it. Let the hungry belly be ſatisfied, all the reſt of the members are refreſhed and cheared therewithall. And as it is in the members of the naturall bodie, ſo ſhould it be in the members of the myſticall bodie. All we (my brethren) are baptized by one ſpirit into one bodie. We are all members of Chriſt Ieſus, and eueryevery one anothers members, if we be indeede the ſonnes of God. We ſhould therefore be ſo affectioned one towards another, as both the precept of the Apoſtle, and the example of the Apoſtle, both here, and often elſe where, and as nature it ſelfe doth teach vsus. We ſhould be ſo mutually carefull one of another, that we ſhould be comforted one in anothers comfort, and grieued one in anothers griefe. Our ioy ſhould be the ioy one of another, our ſorrow ſhould be the ſorrow one of another, and our affections ſhould be mutuall one towards another. But looke generally into the Church, doe we take comfort in the ſtate of ſuch Churches as we ought to be comforted in? and againe are we grieued for the ſtate of other Churches which we ought to be grieued for? Nay I feare me that the ſtate of ſuch Churches as ſhould comfort vsus doth grieue vsus, and that we are not grieued for the ſtate of other Churches which ſhould grieue vsus. Looke particularly into our ſelues, is it a comfort vntounto vsus when we know of the good ſtate one of another; and is it a griefe vntounto vsus when we heare of the decaied ſtate one of another? Nay commonly we repine when we ſee the ſtate of others better then our owne either in wealth, or in honor, or in fauour, or the like: and commonly we are glad when we ſee another, eſpecially if he be of the ſame trade and profeſſion with vsus, goe downe the winde, as we ſay. We ioy not one in the ioy of another, we grieue not one in the griefe of another: but contrariwiſe we rather ioy one in the griefe of another, and grieue one in the ioy of another. Well, ſuch reioycing, and ſuch grieuing are not good. Let vsus, euen ſo many as feare God, be otherwiſe affected one towards another. Let vsus take comfort in the good one of another, in the growing vp in wealth, in honor, in fauour, in knowledge, in wiſdome, and in eueryevery good grace of the ſpirit one of another; and let vsus be grieued in the miſery, in the penurie, in the trouble, in the ſorrow, in the ignorance, in the badnes one of another. And if we ſhall doe this, ſo many precepts of louelove and charitie ſhall not be needfull for vsus, but by the fruits of an vnfeigned louelove we ſhall ſhew our ſelues to be Chriſtians indeede: for this is an vndoubted note of true Chriſtianitie, and of ſincere louelove ſo mutually to be carefull one for another, that we reioyce one in anothers good, and be ſorry one at anothers griefe or miſerie. Now followeth the reaſon why he ſent him.
For I hauehave no man like minded &c.] This is the reaſon why he rather ſendeth Timothie then any of the reſt that were with him, becauſe of all that were with him none were like minded in generall to doe their dutie in their miniſterie, and none which in particular would ſo faithfully and ſincerely care for their matters, and for the good of their Church as would he. A great commendation of Timothie which was ſent, great louelove in the Apoſtle to ſend ſuch a man vntounto them, and very behouefull for them to receiue ſuch a man ſent in ſuch louelove with all gladnes, and to make much of ſuch: all points very well worthy a large diſcourſe; but I can onelyonly point at them. The commendation of Timothie a very fit patterne of a man meete to be commended to the worke of the miniſterie, and to be placed ouer a Congregation, to ſerue in the Tabernacle. He ſhould be ſuch a one as in generall hath a prompt and ready minde to doe the worke of the Lord, to labour in the Lord his vineyard, to doe the worke of an Euangeliſt, and of a Miniſter; and ſuch a one as in particular hath an earneſt deſire to procure their good vntounto whom he is ſent, and will faithfully and diligently labour to preſent them ouer whom he is ſet pure and vnblameable before God. For firſt his very office, which is to preach the Goſpell of Chriſt Ieſus, ſhould worke in him a louelove and cheerefull minde to teach the Lord his will, and to preach the Goſpell of Chriſt Ieſus. Otherwiſe he is not meete to be commended to the worke of the miniſterie; or at leaſt not ſo meete as thoſe that hauehave a prompt minde to doe the worke of the Lord. And againe, his louelove of that people vntounto which he is ſent ſhould make him faithfully to labour to gaine them vntounto Chriſt, that they may be his crowne and his ioy in that day. Otherwiſe he is not meete to be ſet ouer that people, or at leaſt not ſo meete as they that would faithfully labour to that purpoſe.
Againe, the Apoſtle his care to ſend ſuch a man vntounto them, may be a good patterne to Biſhops and Patrons of Benefices, what manner of men to commend vntounto the worke of the miniſterie, and to commit the charge of ſoules vntounto. In the like care and louelove of Gods people, they ſhould commend ſuch men to this worke, and this charge, as we hauehave already ſpoken of, men willing to doe the worke of the Lord, and which will faithfully care for their matters ouer whom they are ſet. Otherwiſe to ſay the leaſt, they ſhew themſelues not to hauehave that care and louelove of Gods people which the Apoſtle had of theſe Philippians: whereas their care ſhould be the greater, becauſe they commend vntounto a continuall charge, and Paul onelyonly ſent Timothie to continue for a ſeaſon with the Philippians. But the ſpeaking of theſe things in this place is to litle purpoſe; therefore I briefly paſſe them ouer.
The third thing which I obſerued in theſe words, was, how behoouefull it was for the Philippians to receiue ſuch a man, ſent in ſuch louelove, with all gladneſſe, and to make of ſuch: for therefore (no doubt) did the Apoſtle the rather commend him ſo as hath beene ſaid, that ſo the rather they might receiue him, and embrace his doctrine the more gladly, and be the more careful that he might not miſlike any thing amongſt them when he ſhould come amongſt them. And this may teach you in what reuerence you ought to hauehave ſuch men when they are ſet ouer you in the Lord, euen for the words ſake which they preach vntounto you. They faithfully care for your matters, not for your worldly matters, either in reſpect of you, or of themſelues; for they ſeeke not yours, but you: but they faithfully care for your ſpirituall matters, euen for the ſaluation of your ſoules; in Chriſt his ſtead they beſeech you, and exhort you vntounto the things that belong vntounto your peace; they teach, they improue, they correct, they inſtruct you, and all is, that your ſoules may be ſaued in the day of Chriſt. Now they leade you forth beſides the waters of comfort, now they bring you to feed in greene paſtures, now they call you backe when yee are wandring out of the way, now they leade you on along in the way, now they wound and breake the hairie ſcalpe of him that goeth on in his wickedneſſe, now they heale the bruiſed and afflicted ſoule, groning vnderunder the weight and burden of his ſinne. Theſe are ſuch of your matters as they care for, and theſe they faithfully care for, if they be faithfull Miniſters of Chriſt Ieſus. In what regard doe yee thinke yee ought then to hauehave them euen for their workes ſake? Obey them that hauehave the ouerſight of you, Heb. 13.17ſaith the Apoſtle, and ſubmit your ſelues vntounto them, for they watch for your ſoules, as they that muſt giuegive accounts, that they may doe it with ioy, and not with griefe. And in another place: Wee beſeech you, 1 Th. 5.12.ſaith the Apoſtle, that yee know them which labour amongst you, and are ouer you in the Lord, and admoniſh you, that yee hauehave them in ſingular louelove for their workes ſake. By both which places yee ſee what reuerence is to be giuen vntounto the faithfull Miniſters of Chriſt Ieſus. Now, as Samuel ſaid vntounto Saul, 1 Sa. 15.22Hath the Lord as great pleaſure in burnt offerings and ſacrifices, as when his voice is obeyed? ſo I ſay vntounto you, HaueHave we as great pleaſure in any outward reuerence that can be done vntounto our perſons, as when the word of the Lord which wee preach vntounto you is obeyed? No, my brethren, thats not the thing which wee vrge, albeit that alſo is by you to be regarded, but the principall marke which wee ſhoot at, is, that wee may not runne in vaine, nor labour in vaine amongſt you, but that wee may bring you to the obedience of the faith. We would hauehave you to take heed vntounto the wholeſome word of truth, which is able to make you wiſe vntounto ſaluation, and to eſteeme of it not as the word of man, but as it is indeed, as the word of God: for howſoeuer wee be ſinfull and mortall men, of the ſame mould and metall with your ſelues, that bring you this treaſure, yet is it the word of life which wee bring you. O let it dwell plentifully in you, that yee may abound in all knowledge and eueryevery good worke, and louelove and honour them which faithfully care for your matters.