Lectures Upon Philippians, Lectures · Chapter 2 · Lecture 44
LECTƲRE XLIV.
PHILIP. 2. Verſe 27.
And no doubt he was ſicke very neere vntounto death: but God had mercy on him, and not on him only, &c.
AND no doubt he was ſicke, &c.] In theſe words the holy Apoſtle 1. confirmeth that report which the Philippians had heard touching their Miniſters ſicknes, that it was no vaine or falſe reporte, but a very true reporte; and ſecondly hee ſignifieth his recouerie, and reſtoring vntounto health. That the report which they had heard was true, the Apoſtle doth aſſure them, firſt affirming his ſicknes, and no doubt hee was ſicke, and then the extremitie of his ſicknes, very neare vntounto death. In the ſignification of his recouerie and reſtoring vntounto health, which is in the next words, the Apoſtle 1. ſetteth downe the cauſe of his recouerie, which was Gods merciemercy, but God had mercy on him. 2. The extent of Gods merciemercy herein, which was not to Epaphroditus alone, but to Paul alſo, and not on him onelyonly, but on mee alſo. 3. The cauſe why the Lord in mercy to Paul alſo reſtored him vntounto health, to wit, leaſt he ſhould hauehave ſorrow vponupon ſorrow. i. leaſt his ſorow which hee had by his owne bonds and impriſonment ſhould be increaſed by the death of Epaphroditus their Miniſter, leaſt I ſhould hauehave ſorow vponupon ſorow. The words need no farther opening or explicating, being in themſelues eaſie enough to be vnderſtood. Let vsus therefore now ſee what notes and obſeruations we may gather hence, whereof wee may make ſome vſe vntounto our ſelues.
1. Here we ſee that Epaphroditus a faithfull ſeruant of Ieſus Chriſt, a painefull Miniſter of the Church, one whom the holy Apoſtle made that reckoning of that hee called him his brother, his companion in labour, his fellow-ſouldier, was ſick, and that very ſore ſicke. Whence I gather this obſeruation, that the children of God, and moſt faithfull ſeruants of Ieſus Chriſt are ſubiect, as vntounto many miſeries, and troubles, and infirmities of this life, ſo vntounto ſickneſſe and diſeaſes of the body. How faithfull a ſeruant of Ieſus Chriſt Timothy was ye heard a little before vponupon occaſion of the Apoſtle his promiſe to ſend him vntounto the Philippians verſ. 19. And how ſubiect he was vntounto ſickneſſe may appeare by that aduiſe which the Apoſtle giueth vntounto him in his former Epiſtle vntounto him,1 Tim. 5.23. where he aduiſeth him to drinke no longer water, but to vſe a little wine for his ſtomachs ſake, and for his often infirmities. Of Epaphroditus his ſickneſſe likewiſe ye ſee how plaine teſtimonie the Apoſtle giueth in this place. Nay what childe of God freed or exempted from bearing of this croſſe, and drinking of this cuppe? What ſhall wee ſay then? Are not ſickneſſes and diſeaſes of the body the rodde of Gods wrath a herewithall he doth puniſh the ſinne and rebellion of the wicked? Or doth the Lord lay the rodde of his wrath wherewith he puniſheth the wicked, vponupon his owne children and faithfull ſeruants? True it is, that ſickneſſe and diſeaſes of the body are the rodde of Gods wrath wherewith hee puniſheth the diſobedience and rebellion of the wicked, as the Scriptures plainely proue vntounto vsus. Let that one place in Deuterenomie ſerue for all the reſt; where the Lord hauing made great promiſes of bleſſings vntounto them that obey his commandements, afterward threatneth curſes and plagues vntounto them that will not obey his voice, and keepe his commandements. And amongſt other of thoſe plagues which the Lord would bring vponupon them,Deut. 28.2.3.15. it is ſaid, the Lord ſhall ſmite thee with a conſumption, and with the feauer, and with a burning ague, and with a feruent heate &c. Where ye ſee plainely that conſumptions, and feauers, and hot-burning agues, and ſuch like diſeaſes are reckoned among thoſe plagues and roddes of his wrath wherwith he puniſheth the ſinnes of that Land,22 or that Countrie, or that towne, or that people whatſoeuer that wil not hearken vntounto his voice, nor obey his commandements. And may we not iuſtly feare that the Lord hath taken this rodde into his hand, and already begunne to puniſh vsus therewith? Looke vntounto the diſobedience, and rebellion, and neglect of walking in the waies of Gods commaundements that is generally amongſt vsus, and ſee whether wee hauehave not giuen him cauſe to take this rodde, and to puniſh vsus therewith? Againe, looke vntounto ſuch hot agues, vntounto ſuch ſharpe, and ſtrange, and peſtilentiall diſeaſes and ſickneſſes as are now generally amongſt vsus, and ſee whether hee hauehave not begunne to doe with vsus as he threatned in his law? Surely for our ſinnes, euen becauſe wee hauehave not obeyed his voice, and done after his commaundements, he hath taken his rodde, and already begunne thus to puniſh vsus therewith. And this rodde of his wrath, as wee our ſelues may ſee, he doth lay euen vponupon his owne children, and faithfull ſeruants aſwell as hee doth vponupon the wicked and vngodly of the earth: but yet with this difference. VponUpon the vngodly he layeth this rodde of his wrath, in wrath and diſpleaſure to render vntounto them according to the wickedneſſe of their waies: the ſame rodde alſo he laieth vponupon his children, not in wrath, but in louelove to reforme them and to reclaime them from the wickedneſſe of their waies. VponUpon the vngodly he layeth this rodde and the ſtroke thereof enrageth them againſt God, ſo that in their ſickneſſe they are not onelyonly with out all comfort and patience, but like vntounto curſed Caine they crie, my ſickeneſſe is greater then I am able to beare, why am I thus, what a ſeuere iudge is this that lieth his hand ſo heauily vponupon me; the ſame rodde alſo hee lieth vponupon his children, but he giueth them patience vnderunder the rodde, and ſtrength to beare whatſoeuer he laieth vponupon them, ſo that in their ſicknes they are comfortable both in themſelues, and vntounto others. So that albeit the ſame rodde lye vponupon both, yet doth God lay it vponupon them with great difference. Which yet will better and more plainely appeare vntounto vsus if wee ſhall briefly touch ſome of thoſe reaſons why he lieth this rodde vponupon his children, why his children are viſited with ſickneſſe. One reaſon is, as the Apoſtle ſaith,1 Cor. 11.32. that being chaſtened of the Lord they may not be condemned with the world. For ſuch is the louing mercy of the Lord towards his children, that when they hauehave either omitted ſome ſuch dutie as they ought to hauehave performed, or committed ſome ſuch ſinne as they ought not to hauehave done, he as a louing father towards his tender childe whom hee dearely loueth, correcteth and chaſtiſeth them with the rodde of ſickneſſe, or weakneſſe, or ſome ſuch like rodde, that ſo they may ſee their owne error and be healed. For this cauſe, ſaith the Apoſtle, many are weake and ſicke among you, 30.and many ſleepe. For this cauſe: for what cauſe? euen for not diſcerning the Lord his body in comming vntounto the communion of the body and bloud of Chriſt. In which place the Apoſtle plainly ſheweth, that therefore many of Gods children are weake, and ſicke, and die, euen becauſe they doe not duely and diligently examine themſelues before they come vntounto the celebration of the Lord his ſupper. But, ſaith hee, when wee are iudged and puniſhed, wee are chaſtened of the Lord as children of their father, that we ſhould not be condemned with the world, euen with the wicked men of the world, whoſe portion is in the lake that burneth with fire and brimſtone for euer. Sometimes then Gods children are ſicke, that ſo their error, or their negligence, or their wickedneſſe may be reformed, and they brought into the right way wherein they ſhould walke. Another reaſon is, that ſo they may be ſtaied from ſuch inordinate waies as wherunto naturally they are bent, and wherein ſometimes they would walke if they were not holden backe as with a bridle. For whoſe delight in the waies of the Lord is ſo entire and ſo altogether vncorrupt before him. That hee maketh, as he ſhould do, his law his whole delight, and his councellour? Nay whoſe pathes are ſo ſtraight that hee hath not an ouerweening delight in ſome crooked by-pathes? or whoſe will and deſire, and affections are ſo ſanctified that they are not often enclined, and ſometimes caried as it were with a maine ſtreame vntounto that which is euill? And therefore the Lord only wiſe knowing beſt what is beſt for his children, ſometimes viſiteth them with ſickeneſſe, that ſo being exerciſed with his rodde they may not runne into ſuch danger of body and ſoule as otherwiſe they would. A third reaſon why the children of God are ſicke ſometimes is, that thereby he may make triall of their faith, and of their patience, to ſee whether they can be conrent as to receiue health, ſo to receiue ſicknes of the Lord, and whether as in health, ſo in ſickneſſe they will put their truſt in the Lord, and ſubmit themſelues vntounto his will. For both health and ſickneſſe they are of the Lord, and both in health and in ſickneſſe wee ſhould put our truſt in the Lord, and ſubmit our ſelues vntounto his will. Yet ſo choiſe wee are that we can be content to receiue health from the Lord, but hardly to receiue ſickneſſe from the Lord, and ſo weake wee are euen the beſt of vsus that howſoeuer wee doe in health, yet in ſickneſſe we can hardly ſubmit our ſelues vntounto God his will, and oftentimes more put our truſt in Phiſitions then in the Lord,2 Cron. 16. as we read that that good King of Iudah Aſa did, therein declining from that right path wherein he ought to hauehave walked. Sometimes then as I ſay Gods children are ſicke that the Lord their God may ſo trie whether they will ſtill cleaue faſt vntounto him, and patiently ſubmit themſelues vntounto his will. A fourth reaſon why the Lo…d ſometimes viſiteth his children with ſickneſſe is, that they alſo may hauehave a farther triall of the mercifull goodneſſe of the Lord towards them. For albeit his children are neuer without great experiences of his mercifull goodneſſe towards them, yet wherein hauehave they greater experience thereof, and wherein their ſoule more to reioyce then that in the time of their ſickneſſe he aſſiſteth them with the comfort of his holy ſpirit, and giueth them ſtrength and patience to endure what he laieth vponupon them, and ſuffereth not their faith, or their hope to faile, but ſo prepareth them vntounto him, that come death, come life, they can willingly embrace either, becauſe they know that come death, come life they are the Lords. An eſpeciall great goodneſſe of the Lord towards his children. Whereof they hauehave ſuch triall in time of their ſickneſſe as that thereby not themſelues alone, but ſuch as are about them are and may bee greatly comforted. And ſometimes no doubt they are ſicke that ſeeing the goodneſſe of the Lord towards them in time of their ſicknes; they may the rather praiſe the Lord for his goodneſſe, and ſtudie to glorifie his name in the time of their health. Not to trouble you with moe reaſons hereof, the laſt reaſon why the Lord viſiteth his children with ſickneſſe is, to put them in minde both of that ſinne which dwelleth in them, and alſo of their mortalitie. For ſickneſſe is both the fruite of ſinne, and alſo the Harbinger of death. For howſoeuer ſinne be not the only cauſe wherefore ſickneſſe commeth, yet is it alwaies a cauſe wherefore it is ſent: inſomuch that we ſee when our Sauiour healed ſome that were ſicke, hee would ſay ſometimes vntounto them, ſome be of good comfort, thy ſinnes are forgiuen thee: Math. 9 2.In which ſpeach he gaue them this note, that ſinne was the principall cauſe of their ſickneſſe: and ſometimes hee would ſay vntounto them, Behold thou art made whole, ſinne no more, leaſt a worſe thing come vntounto thee; wherein in effect he told them that their ſickneſſe was a chaſticement for their ſinne. And againe howſoeuer death doth not alwaies follow ſicknes, yet ought ſickneſſe alwaies to put vsus in minde of our mortality. Well it may be that thoſe our houſes of clay which in this or that ſickneſſe threaten to fall, may for a time bee patched vp againe, yet they which threaten now to fall, at length ſhall fall, and downe to the ground they ſhall be brought. For as the Pſal miſt ſpeaketh, who liueth that ſhall not ſee death, Pſa. 89 47.or who ſhall bee able to deliuer himſelfe from the hand of the graue? Of the duſt of the earth we are, and to earth we ſhall returne; and ſo many ſickneſſes as we are viſited withall ſhould be vntounto vsus as ſo many remembrances both of that ſinne which cleaueth ſo faſt vntounto vsus, and likewiſe of death which is the fruit thereof. Thus then ye ſee the reaſons why the Lord lieth this rodde of ſickneſſe vponupon his owne children, namely, as a mercifull and louing father to reforme whatſoeuer error, negligence, or other fault is in them, to keepe them backe as with a bridle from inordinate walking, to make triall of their faith, and patience, to giuegive them triall of his mercifull goodneſſe towards them, and to put them in minde of ſinne dwelling in them, and of their mortalitie. Wherby alſo ye may eaſily diſcerne in what a different ſort the Lord layeth on this rodde on the godly, and on the vngodly; on the one as a father, on the other as a iudge, on the one in louelove, on the other in wrath, on the one to chaſtice and correct, on the other to puniſh and reuenge, on the one to reforme the wickedneſſe of their waies, on the other to recompence them their wickedneſſe, on the one to ſaue them from death and hell, on the other to bring them to the pit of deſtruction.
Hence then may the children of God receiue notable comfort in all their ſickneſſe, and in all their viſitations. For O thou … of God, and ſeruant of the moſt high, is the hand of thy God vponupon thee? art thou ſicke? This is no other cup then …paphroditus hath drunke before thee, or then is common vntounto thee with all the ſonnes of God. And albeit thou maiſt ſeeme vntounto thy ſelfe that thou art not priuiledged from the wicked and vngodly, becauſe thou drinkeſt of the cup of his wrath, becauſe thou art viſited with ſicknes as well as they, and perhaps more then they, yet plucke vp thine heart, be not diſcouraged, but be of good comfort. For hee doth not rebuke thee in his anger, neither doth hee chaſtice thee in his diſpleaſure: but as a mercifull and louing father, in tender louelove and in great compaſſion by this his gentle hand and louing correction he calleth thee to remembrance of thy waies, and lets thee ſee what thou art, and whether thou muſt. Thy heart is not ſound and right with thy God, thou art negligent in doing of his will, thou haſt walked in ſome by-path wherein thou ſhouldeſt not hauehave walked; thus louingly and mildly he correcteth thee that thou maieſt reforme the wickedneſſe of thy waies, and there may be an healing of thine error. Againe, thou art walking where and whether thou ſhouldeſt not; thus he ſtaieth thee that thou runne not thy ſelfe vponupon the rockes, and that thou make not ſhipwracke of faith and a goood conſcience. Againe, thus he trieth thee that thy faith and thy patience being tried thou maiſt be made like vntounto pure and fine gold purified ſeuen times in the fire. Againe, thus he giueth thee full triall of his mercifull goodneſſe towards thee, comforting thee with the ioy of the holy Ghoſt in the bedde of thy ſickneſſe, giuing thee patience to endure his croſſe, confirming thy faith in Chriſt Ieſus, and aſſuring thee of the hope of thy ſaluation. Laſtly, thus he putteth thee in minde of thy ſelfe, that thou ſhouldeſt not forget thy God, or thy ſelfe, but remembring that thou art both ſinnefull, and mortall, ſhouldeſt ſhake of ſinne, and ſo number thy daies that thou mighteſt apply thine heart vntounto wiſedome. O how ſhould not the remembrance of theſe things comfort thy ſoule when thou lieſt ſicke vponupon thy bedde. Beloued in the time of health let vsus thinke of theſe things, and in the day of ſickneſſe let vsus not be diſcouraged. I hauehave ſtood the longer vponupon this point becauſe the time ſeemeth vntounto me ſo to require. Many of our brethren the Lord hath already taken vntounto himſelfe, many in many places are preſently ſicke, and ſharpely viſited, and when our turne ſhall be hee onelyonly knoweth who maketh ſicke, & reſtoreth vntounto health. In the meane time, let our health be to the glory of his name, and in the time of ſickneſſe let vsus comfort our ſelues with theſe things.
I might here note the time when the Lord lay this his rod of ſickneſſe vponupon Epaphroditus, which was euen when he was faithfully and painfully occupied in the worke of Chriſt, when he was carefully diſcharging the truſt repoſed in him by the Church of Philippie, when hee was miniſtring vntounto the holy Apoſtle lying then in priſon ſuch things as he wanted. Let it not therefore ſeeme ſtrange vntounto vsus if when we are faithfully labouring in the workes of our calling, euen then the Lord ſtrike vsus with any rodde, or viſit vsus with ſickneſſe. Which note I doe the rather now point at by the way, becauſe the manner of ſome is vponupon ſuch occaſions to make wonderfull ill collections. As for example: the Preacher confuting a point of popiſh doctrine groweth to be ſo ſicke that he is forced to breake off, and to come downe before he can end the point. What is the collection? Did not ye ſee, ſay ſome that are popiſhly affected, how the Lord did euen controll his diſcourſe, and by his iudgement vponupon him gaue ſentence on our ſide. Another example: the Iudge from his ſeate of iuſtice pronouncing ſentence againſt the wicked Traitor, or vilemalefactor, preſently or quickly after falleth ſicke, and happily not long after dieth. What is the collection? Thus ſay ſome, hath the Lord giuen iudgement vponupon him for ſuch iudgement as he gaue againſt others? And thus becauſe their fooliſhneſſe cannot reach vntounto the depth of Gods counſell and wiſedome in his viſitations, they condemne them whom the Lord hath not condemned, and iudge that as vnholy and ill, which the Lord approueth as holy and good. Whatſoeuer he doth is holy and good, and if he chaſtice vsus with his rods euen then when wee are doing his will, who ſhall aske him a reaſon of that he doth? Let vsus therefore learne to ſubmit our ſelues vntounto the Lord, and let vsus beware how we iudge of things according to our owne reaſon and imagination, leaſt happily we condemne that which the Lord hath not condemned. But my meaning was only to touch this by the way. Now a word of the extremity of his ſickneſſe.
Very neere vntounto death.] Here was the extremity of his ſickneſſe, Epaphroditus had beene ſicke, and ſo ſicke that hee was very neere vntounto death, euen without all hope of recouerie of health in mans ſight and iudgement. Whence I note the wonderfull counſell and wiſedome of our God, who oftentimes brings his children euen to the gates of hell, and thence calls them, to the pit of deſtruction, and thence fetches them to deaths doore, ſo that there is but a ſteppe betweene them and death, and thence deliuers them. Ioſeph was caſt into the deepe dungeon, and his feete ſet faſt in the ſtockes, and thence the Lord deliuered him. Ionas was caſt into the ſea, and there the Lord kept him aliue. Daniel was throwne into the denne of Lyons, and there the Lord reſcued him, and deliuered him from the teeth of the Lyons. The three children were caſt into the hot firie-furnace, and there God prouided for them that the fire had no power ouer them to burne no not an haire of their head. But moſt befitting our preſent purpoſe is the example of that good King Ezechias, who was ſo ſicke that all Phyſitions as we ſay in a caſe of extremitie gaue him ouer, and there was no hope of life: inſomuch that the Prophet Eſay came vntounto him, and ſaid vntounto him, Thus ſaith the Lord, Eſa. 38.1.put thine houſe in an order: for thou ſalt die and not liue. Here was euen the like extremitie of ſickeneſſe that Epaphroditus was brought vntounto. A ſtep onelyonly betweene them and death, or rather no ſteppel, but they deliuered out of the iawes of death as a pray out of the teeth of the wilde beaſt, or as a bird out of the ſnare of the fouler. And this the Lord may ſeeme to doe for theſe cauſes amongſt many other. 1. Thereby to make his power more to be knowne amongſt the ſonnes of men. For what can more manifeſt the power of almighty God then to ſaue vsus when the pit is now ready to ſhut her mouth vponupon vsus, and nothing but preſent death before vsus? 2. To encreaſe their thankefulneſſe who being brought vntounto the gates of death are thence deliuered. For how much neerer they were vntounto death, ſo much greater praiſes are due vntounto him that hath deliuered them from death. 3. Thereby to humble them for euer vnderunder his mightie hand by whom they yet liue, moue, and hauehave their being. For what ſhould more humble vsus then plainely to ſee that it is no way in our ſelues, but in the Lord only to ſaue our life from death, and to deliuer vsus from the power of the graue?
Seeing then it pleaſeth the Lord oftentimes to bring euen his deareſt children, and choiſeſt ſeruants into ſuch extremities, as of other dangers, ſo of ſickneſſe, let vsus take heed how we iudge them as plagued of God for their offences, becauſe they are ſo extreamly viſited. Yee know it was the great fault of Iobs friends that ſtill they vrged him that ſurely hee was a great and grieuous ſinner, a wicked and an vngodly man, becauſe the Lord his hand was ſo heauie vponupon him. Nay my brethren, though ſome of our brethren in theſe hot and ſharpe diſeaſes through extremity of paine, or otherwiſe howſoeuer, ſhould ſomtimes breake out into impatient ſpeaches, yet let vsus take heede how we iudge them as forſaken of the Lord, ye know the example of Iob, into what execrations, and words of impatiencie he brake out through that extremitie of griefe wherewith he was holden: who yet was a very choiſe ſeruant of the Lord, and whoſe patience is commended in the Scriptures.
Againe, ſeeing it pleaſeth the Lord oftentimes to bring euen his deareſt children, and choiſeſt ſeruants into ſuch extremities of ſickneſſe, let this be a comfort vntounto vsus in what extremitie of ſickneſſe ſo euer we ſhall be. For no new thing herein doth befall vsus, but ſuch as oftentimes doth the deareſt children of God, and he which deliuered them from the hand of the graue when the pit had euen ſhut her mouth almoſt vponupon them, will alſo deliuer vsus if it ſhall be for his glory, and our good. Sickneſſe, and extremitie of ſickeneſſe all are of the Lord, and all for the beſt vntounto his children. Let vsus therefore in all things that befall vsus ſo ſubmit our ſelues vntounto the will of the Lord, as that both in heart and voice we euer pray and ſay, thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen.