Lectures Upon Philippians, Lectures · Chapter 2 · Lecture 41
LECTƲRE XLI.
PHILIP. 2. Verſ. 22.23.24.
But yee know the proofe of him, that as a ſonne with the father, hee hath ſerued with mee in the Goſpell.
NOw the Apoſtle in theſe words, to cleere Timothee of that fault wherewith very many of the reſt were tainted, that hee ſought not his owne more than that which was Ieſus Chriſts, he asketh no other or better proofe thereof then their owne knowledge and experience of him, for that they knew very well that Timothee as a ſonne with the father, ſerued with the Apoſtle the Lord Chriſt in preaching of his Goſpell.
But yee (ſaith the Apoſtle) know the proofe of him, &c.] As if the Apoſtle ſhould hauehave ſaid, The reſt that are with mee, at leaſt very many of them, ſeeke their owne more then that which is Ieſus Chriſts. But for Timothee, your ſelues will ſerue to cleere him of this fault: yee know vponupon that knowledge and proofe which yee hauehave of him, that hee is another kinde of man, that he hath ſerued with me, euen as a ſonne with his father, whom? Chriſt Ieſus: wherein? in the Goſpell, that is, in the preaching of the Goſpell, his miniſterie is fully knowne vntounto you, that both he and I hauehave walked after one rule in preaching of the Goſpell of Ieſus Chriſt, euen that wee hauehave walked as the father and the ſonne in the ſelfe ſame ſteps, vntounto the building of the ſpirituall Temple of Chriſt Ieſus, hee walking as hee hath mee for example. This I take to bee the Apoſtle his meaning in theſe words. The notes hence to bee obſerued I will rather point at, then much ſtand vponupon, eſpecially in this place and auditorie.
1. Hence I note that Timothy whom the Apoſtle ſent vntounto the Philippians, was a man of whom they had had proofe and experience before, and whoſe faithfulneſſe in the worke of his miniſtery was ſo well knowne vntounto them that they could not doubt thereof. And this was the cauſe why the Apoſtle thought it not needfull to labour much in the clearing of Timothy from ſuch faults as had infected the reſt, or in the enlarging of his commendation: they knew that as a ſon with the father, ſo he had laboured with the Apoſtle in preaching the Goſpell of Chriſt Ieſus. A thing whereunto euen all the miniſters of Chriſt Ieſus ought moſt earneſtly to ſtriue, by their faithfull and carefull walking in the workes of their calling to approue themſelues, not onelyonly before the Lord, but alſo before men, to be the faithfull ſeruants of Chriſt Ieſus. Yea but here is all the skill to do ſo: or rather it ſeemeth a thing impoſſible to approue our ſelues both before the Lord, and alſo before men. For if we yet ſhould pleaſe men we were not the ſeruants of Chriſt. And therefore the Apoſtle in an onother place proteſteth againſt pleaſing of men,Gal. 1.10. and ſaith, we ſo ſpeake, not as they that pleaſe men, but God which trieth our hearts. 1. Theſ. 2.4.How is it then poſſible for vsus to approue our ſelues both before God, and before men? True, it is a matter of no ſmall difficulty. If we crie peace, peace, all is well, if we ſew cuſhions vnderunder their elbowes, and ſpeake faire and ſmoothing words, if we ſuffer them to take their fill of pleaſure, and to wallow in their wickedneſſe, and either ſay nought vntounto them, or runne with them, happily wee may pleaſe men, but doubtleſſe we ſhall not pleaſe God. Againe, if we crie aloude and lift vp our voices like trumpets, and tell the houſe of Iacob their ſinnes, and the houſe of Iſrael their tranſgreſſions, if we rouſe them out of that dead ſleepe of ſinne whereinto they are fallen, and lay the axe to the roote of ſinne to cut it vp by the rootes; if we poure vineger into ſuch wounds as fin hath made in their ſoules, and denounce the ſharp threatnings of the law againſt them, happily wee may approue our ſelues vntounto the Lord, but doubtleſſe we ſhall not approue our ſelues vntounto men. Nay what almoſt can we ſay or doe, whereby wee ſhall be able to approue our ſelues both before the Lord, and before men? What then? are we to ſtriue vntounto an impoſſibility? Not ſo neither; but this being out of doubt that wee ought to approue our ſelues before the Lord whoſe Miniſters we are, and whoſe name wee beare before our people; wee ought likewiſe ſo faithfully and carefully to walke in our calling before men, as that vntounto their conſciences wee may giuegive certaine proofes that we are the ſeruants of Ieſus Chriſt. We cannot alwaies ſo approue our ſelues vntounto men, as that what we ſay or doe ſhall pleaſe them, neither doe we or ought we to ſtriue thereunto; but we may and ought ſo to worke the work of our miniſtery, and to doe the duties of our calling as that they ought to approue vsus, and may know that we are the ſeruants of Ieſus Chriſt, howſoeuer wee come vntounto them, whether, as the Apoſtle ſaith, with a rodde, or in louelove, 1 Cor. 4.21and in the ſpirit of meekneſſe. For whether wee come with a rodde, or in louelove, and in the ſpirit of meekneſſe, whether we improue, or correct, or inſtruct, or exhort, or rebuke, our care and endeauour therein is to approue our ſelues vntounto him whoſe Miniſters wee are, and that wee may bee found faithfull among you.
Now as we ought thus to approue our ſelues vntounto you, and by our faithfull walking in our calling to giuegive ſuch proofe of our ſelues vntounto you that ye may know that indeede wee ſerue the Lord in the Goſpell; ſo againe ought yee to take heede of approuing any who giues not plaine proofe that he ſerues the Lord in the Goſpell. They whom ye muſt approue, muſt bee ſuch as ſeeke not yours but you, ſuch as firſt ſeeke that which is the Lord Ieſus Chriſts, and then that which is their owne, ſuch as ye know by your owne proofe that they ſerue their Lord Ieſus Chriſt in preaching of his Goſpell, and not themſelues or any elſe whomſoeuer. For from their lips ye ſhall receiue knowledge and inſtruction, and by their mouth ye ſhall be taught in the waies of the Lord, and in the workes of his commandements. For they ſeruing the Lord Ieſus from their hearts purely out of the abundance of their hearts endite good matters, and their tongue is as the penne of a ready writer. Now whether all of this congregation approue ſuch, and none but ſuch, your ſelues can better tell then behoueth me to iudge. But not to diſſemble my feare, I am in feare, as the Apoſtle ſaith, of ſome of you, that you more approue of ſuch as ſerue that man of ſinne in ſeducing you by traditions, then of ſuch as ſerue the Lord in the preaching of the Goſpell. The Apoſtle ye know maketh mention of ſome bad ones, it is eaſie to geſſe who at this day doe moſt reſemble them,2 Tim 3.6. which creep into houſes, and lead captiue ſimple women laden with ſins, and led with diuers luſts &c. And our Sauiour likwiſe maketh mention of ſuch as compaſſe ſea and land to make one of their profeſſion,Mat. 23.15 and when hee is made they make him twofold more the childe of hell then they themſelues are. I feare leaſt ſome of them hauehave beguiled ſome of you, and ſeduced your fooliſh hearts that ye ſhould not hearken and obey the holy word of life, which onelyonly is able to make you wiſe vntounto ſaluation through the faith which is in Chriſt Ieſus. For how elſe commeth it to paſſe that ſome doe ſo ſeldome preſent themſelues in the holy place where they might heare the things that belong vntounto their peace? And how elſe commeth it to paſſe, that ſome when the Preacher beginnes make an end of their deuotion, and leauing the houſe of God go to their owne houſes? HaueHave they any exception againſt vsus? Doe we teach for doctrines mens precepts? Doe wee handle the word deceitfully? Do we keepe backe any of Gods counſell? Nay in all theſe things, as in the whole worke of our miniſterie we ſtudy to approue our ſelues both before the Lord, and before men. An exception they hauehave, but almoſt they know not what. The truth is; they are not able to trie the ſpirits whether they are of God. And therefore they approue them which prophecie lies vntounto them out of their owne braine. But ye beloued learne to know and approue him who giues plaine proofe that he ſerues the Lord in the Goſpell, in the ſincere and faithfull preaching thereof.
Yea, but ye will ſay vntounto mee, wee would gladly approue them that ſerue the Lord in the Goſpell. But how ſhall wee know who ſerue the Lord in the Goſpell? For they that are wholy deuoted vntounto the ſeruice of that man of ſinne, and prophecy lies out of their owne braine will ſay that they ſerue the Lord in the Goſpel, aſwell as they will which ſincerely preach the Goſpell of Chriſt Ieſus vntounto the confuſion of that man of ſinne. Note therefore that the Apoſtle in this place doth not ſimply ſay of Timothy that he ſerued the Lord in the Goſpell, but that he ſerued with him in the Goſpell. Wherin he giueth him this teſtimonie that hee did ſincerely teach Chriſt Ieſus, preaching no other Goſpell then that which the Apoſtle himſelfe preached, but walking in the ſame ſteppes with him vntounto the building of the ſpirituall temple of Chriſt Ieſus, euen as he had him for example. Will yee then know who they are that ſerue the Lord in the Goſpell? Euen they that ſerue the Lord in the Goſpell with Paul, they that preach no other Goſpell then Paul preached, they which ground the doctrines which they teach, not vponupon mens precepts, but vponupon the ſure foundation of the Prophets and Apoſtles. Trie therefore who they are that walke as they hauehave the Apoſtle for example, ſee who they are that after his example teſtifie the kingdome of God, and preach vntounto the people concerning Chriſt Ieſus out of the law of Moſes, and out of the Prophets.Act. 28.23.17.11. It is regiſtred ye know, vntounto the great commendation of the men of Berea, that they ſearched the Scriptures daily, and ſought whether the things which they heard of Paul and Silas were ſo. Obſerue the ſame rule: ſearch the Scriptures; for they teſtifie of Chriſt and of his truth. It is our deſire that ye would trie by this rule both vsus, and them which teach otherwiſe then we teach; and then that yee would approue them whom by proofe ye ſhall know to ſerue the Lord with Paul in the Goſpell. The rule which wee hauehave giuen whereby to know them that ſerue the Lord in the Goſpel is moſt certaine and ſure, and it ſtandeth you aſwell vponupon to approue them, & them alone, who giuegive plaine proofe that they ſerue the Lord in the Goſpell, as it ſtandeth vsus vponupon to labour by faithfull walking in our calling to approue our ſelues before the Lord, and before men.
The next thing which I note out of theſe words is, that which the Apoſtle addeth by way of amplification, that Timothy ſerued with Paul as a ſonne with the father, for the Apoſtle doth not ſimply ſay, ye know the proofe of him that he hath ſerued with me in the Goſpell, but by way of amplification vntounto Timotheus greater commendation he addeth, that as a ſon with the father he had ſerued with him &c. Whence I obſerue a notable example of that modeſty and reuerence which ought to be in particular in younger Miniſters towards them that are their auncients and hauehave gone before them in that worke, and which ought to be in generall in all the ſonnes of God towards their Elders, but eſpecially towards thoſe that hauehave begotten them in the faith. Young Timothy ſeruing with aged Paul in the Goſpell euen as a ſon with his father, ſhould teach younger Miniſters to honour and to reuerence their ancients in the miniſtery, and to walke as they hauehave them for example, eſpecially if they walke as aged Paul did faithfully and painfully in the workes of their calling. Otherwiſe, if they delight in idleneſſe, or mind earthly things, if they ſeeke their owne more then that which is Ieſus Chriſts, they are to be no more patternes vntounto vsus to follow then the examples of old Eli, or Demas, or the like. Nay I thinke the younger may and ought, yet with all modeſty becauſe of their yeeres, to put them in minde of their duties, and to beſeech them that as fathers they will go before them in all holineſſe of example, with incorrupt doctrine, with grauitie, integritie, and with the wholeſome word which cannot be reproued. But if they walke as aged Paul did faithfully, and painefully in the worke… of their calling, if in all holineſſe of example they walke before them, as fathers before their children, if as fathers they hauehave begotten them in the faith, then ſurely ought the younger Miniſters to honour and to reuerence them euen as ſons do their fathers, and as Timothy did honour Paul. A note wor…hy the vrging and enlarging if the place were as conuenient for the vrging of it as the time requireth the vrging of it. A ſonne will not eaſily get himſelfe vp to the toppe of an hill thence to glance at ſuch things as may turne to his fathers ſhame, much leſſe thence to caſt dung in his face, and purpoſely to ſpeake ſuch things as iuſtly may grieue him, leaſt of all vponupon an imagined error in his father will he thence loade him with blaſphemies. A ſonne, I ſay, will not thus doe, and a miniſter ſhould not thus do. For he ſhould ſerue the Lord with him in the Goſpell, as a ſonne with the father.
Againe, young Timothy vſed himſelfe towards aged Paul as a ſonne towards his father. A good leſſon for thoſe of yonger yeeres to teach them in what regard they ought to hauehave their elders and their betters; they ought to honour and to reuerence them, and to performe other duties vntounto them in ſome ſort as to their fathers. For ſo we ſee the Scripture would hauehave them accounted as fathers, as where the admonition is, rebuke not an elder, but exhort him as a father, and the elder women as mothers. And the faſhion and cuſtome of them is good whoſe manner it is to ſalute elder men as fathers,1 Tim. 5.1.2. & elder women as mothers. I doe only point at this note by the way, becauſe of the ill education of many of our youth, who regard not at all the gray haires of the aged, but oftentimes moſt contumeliouſly do abuſe them, calling them old fooles, dooting fooles, and the like. Well, the precept is,Leuit. 19.32. Thou ſhalt riſe vp before the hoare-head, and honour the perſon of the old man. But this puniſhment is iuſt with the Lord vntounto him that reuerenceth not the perſon of the old man, that either hee ſhall not come vntounto the honour of old age, or elſe his old age ſhall be without honour.
But an eſpeciall thing which all of vsus hence ſhould learne is, how we ſhould walke in reſpect of them that hauehave begot vsus in the faith of Chriſt Ieſus. As Timothy regarded Paul who had begot him in the faith, ſo muſt we regard thoſe that hauehave begot vsus in the faith, euen as a ſonne carrieth himſelfe towards his father, ſo ſhould we carrie our ſelues towards them. And therefore are they called our ſpirituall fathers in the Scriptures, and we their ſonnes if by their miniſtery they hauehave begotten vsus in the faith. I beſeech thee, ſaith the Apoſtle in the Epiſtle to Philemon, for my ſonne Oneſimus, Philem. 10.whom I hauehave begotten in my bonds: where he calleth Oneſimus his ſonne. In the Epiſtle to the Corinthians, Though yee hauehave, ſaith the Apoſtle,1 Cor. 4.15. tenne thouſand Inſtructors in Chriſt, yet hauehave ye not many fathers: for in Chriſt Ieſus I hauehave begotten you through the Goſpell: Where he calleth himſelfe their father in the ſame reſpect that before he called Oneſimus his ſonne, euen becauſe hee had begotten them in the faith. And in the Epiſtle to the Galathians, Gal. 4.19.My little children, ſaith hee, of whom I trauell in birth againe vntill Chriſt be formed in you: where he ſheweth that he was a mother, and they as the ſonnes of his wombe. And wherfore is it that the miniſters of Chriſt his Goſpell are thus called our fathers, and mothers as it were, and we their ſonnes, but to note vntounto vsus that we hauehave our life in Chriſt Ieſus through their miniſterie, and ſo to put vsus in minde of that duty which we owe vntounto them in reſpect of our regeneration and new birth by the immortall ſeede of God his word through their miniſtery. Looke then what honour is due by children vntounto their parents, whether it be reuerence, or obedience, or maintenance, or whatſoeuer elſe it be, the ſame wee muſt account due by vsus vntounto our ſpirituall fathers in Chriſt Ieſus. And therefore faith our Sauiour Chriſt,Luc. 10.16. Heb. 13.17 He that heareth you heareth me, and he that deſpiſeth you deſpiſeth me. And the Apoſtle, obey them, ſaith hee, that hauehave the ouer-ſight of you, and ſubmit your ſelues vntounto them; for they watch, ſaith he, for your ſoules, &c. Againe, ſaith the ſame Apoſtle, 1 Tim 5.17The elders that rule well are worthy of double honor, eſpecially they which labour in the word and doctrine &c. Let vsus therefore take heede how we do deſpiſe, or not reuerence theſe our ſpirituall fathers in Chriſt Ieſus.Pro. 30.17. For if the eye that mocketh his father, and deſpiſeth the inſtruction of his mother ſhall be a pray vntounto the rauens of the valley to picke it out, and vntounto the young Egles to eate it: How much more ſhall it be ſo vntounto vsus if wee deſpiſe the inſtruction of our fathers in Chriſt Ieſus, and if wee ſtop our eares at the voice of their charming charme they neuer ſo wiſely. Againe let vsus take heede how we doe not obey thoſe our ſpirituall fathers in Chriſt Ieſus.Deut. 21.18 For if the ſtubborne and diſobedient ſonne that will not hearken to the voice of his father, or of his mother, nor will obey their admonition, ſhall bee ſtoned with ſtones vntounto the death; how much more ſhall the iudgement of God ouertake vsus if we will not heare, nor incline our eares to obey the voice of our fathers in Chriſt Ieſus, if wee will not hearken and obey their admonitions, and exhortations which in Chriſt his ſteede do beſeech vsus, and admoniſh vsus, and exhort vsus. Heare the voice of wiſedome, a voice fearefull yet moſt true, Pro. 1.24.becauſe, ſaith Wiſedome, I hauehave called, and ye refuſed, &c, Euen thus ſhall it be vntounto all them that obey not the voyce of wiſedome in the mouth of the Miniſter. Hearken therefore and obey: for obedience is better then ſacrifice. Yea, and reuerence the perſon of the Miniſter for the words ſake which he bringeth. In a word, from this one example of Timotheus commendation, let Miniſters of the younger ſort learne to reuerence their auncients in their miniſtery, let young men learne to honour the perſon of the aged, and let all of vsus learne to carie our ſelues towards them that hauehave begotte vsus in the faith as ſonnes vntounto their father.
Now followeth the concluſion of his firſt promiſe, which was to ſend Timotheus vntounto them, in theſe words, him therefore I hope &c. Wherein is ſet downe the repetition of the former promiſe, and likewiſe a farther ſignification of the time when he would ſend him. Him, ſaith he, I hope to ſend, there is the repetition of the former promiſe; as ſoone as I know how it will go with me, here is the ſignification of the time when he would ſend him. Before he had ſaid, I truſt to ſend Timotheus ſhortly vntounto you, now he ſheweth what he meant by that ſhortly, that is as ſoone as he ſhould know whether he ſhould be deliuered from his bonds by Nero, which he hoped ſhould bee ſhortly. And the cauſe why he ſent him not preſently with Epaphroditus was becauſe as yet he knew not certainely how his matters would go, and he was very deſirous that at his Timotheus comming vntounto them they might bee comforted ouer his deliuerance from his bonds. I hauehave already pointed at ſuch notes as I thought meete to bee gathered from this promiſe. It followeth.
And I truſt in the Lord] In theſe words he putteth them in hope of his owne comming ſhortly vntounto them. Which his promiſe, as the other dependeth vponupon the hope of his deliuerance out of priſon. This hope alſo of his comming vntounto them he putteth them in for their farther comfort, and likewiſe for their farther confirmation in the faith. Whence 1. we may note the Apoſtle his great care that they might be comforted, and therein obſerue the great care that the Miniſters of Chriſt Ieſus ſhould hauehave of the comfort of their people in the times of their diſtreſſes: of which note wee hauehave already ſpoken before. 2. We may note the Apoſtle his great care that they might grow ſtrong in the faith, and abound in eueryevery good worke vntounto the glory of God the father. And this care ought alſo to be in the Miniſters of Chriſt Ieſus towards their people, as alſo I hauehave heretofore obſerued. Only here remaineth one doubt to be anſwered. For here ſome happily will aske, how it fell out with this hope and confidence of the Apoſtle, was he deceiued of his hope and confidence, or did he as he hoped he ſhould ſend Timothy ſhortly after vntounto them, did he as he truſted he ſhould come himſelfe ſhortly after vntounto them? Whereunto 1. I anſwere, what if he were deceiued of his hope and confidence? doth this at all impaire his credit and authority? If it had beene a matter of faith and doctrine it ſhould. But this was a thing caſuall and contingint, wherein he might be deceiued, and yet his credit no whit diminiſhed. For albeit he had the ſpirit of truth to lead him into all truth in whatſoeuer doctrine hee deliuered vntounto the Church. Yet in things that concerned himſelfe, eſpecially in things future and contingent might he be deceiued; euen as we ſee in this place that albeit he had the gift of healing, yet Epaphroditus whom hee dearely loued had like to hauehave died with him. 2. I anſwere that whether hee were deceiued of his hope and confidence or no, I cannot certainely tell, becauſe it appeareth not by the Scriptures. But very well it might be …hat both he ſent Timothy vntounto them, and that himſelfe came afterwards vntounto them. For this we muſt know that hee was twiſe impriſoned at Rome by Nero. Firſt hee was caſt into priſon in the third yeere of N…ro, and deliuered in the fift. Againe hee was caſt into priſon in the twelfth yeere of Nero, and was put to death in the thirteenth of his raigne. Writing therefore this his Epiſtle in his firſt impriſonment, it might very well be that in that ſeuen or eight yeeres betweene that and his ſecond impriſonment,foreign. both he ſent and went to Philippie. And the word which the Apoſtle here vſeth maketh it very probable that both he ſent and went thither, being a word which ſignifieth an aſſured confidence, and is ſeldome or neuer vſed but when the thing followeth, which thus is truſted. Howſoeuer hee went, or went not it is no matter of our faith, or where about we neede to be troubled. This is ſure, hee truſted in the Lord to come vntounto them, and to ſee them, that ſo they might bee comforted one in another, and that hee might confirme and ſtrengthen them in the faith. And let this be ſpoken touching his ſecond promiſe.