Lectures Upon Philippians, Lectures · Chapter 3 · Lecture 65
LECTƲRE LXV.
PHILIP. 3. Verſe 15.16.
And if yee be otherwiſe minded, God ſhall reueale it vntounto you. Neuertheleſſe in that whereunto wee are come, &c.
NOw followeth the ſecond point, where the Apoſtle ſignifieth his hope that God would reueale this truth which hee had profeſſed vntounto them, which as yet were otherwiſe minded then he was, in theſe words, And … yee be otherwiſe minded, &c.
And if yee be otherwiſe, &c.] This ſheweth that the Apoſtle thought, or rather knew that hee ſhould not bee able to perſwade all to be of the ſame minde with him in the things before mentioned, but that ſome through the ſuggeſtions of the falſe teachers that were amongſt them would thinke otherwiſe then he thought of thoſe points. Yet ſee how kindly the Apoſtle dealeth with thoſe: If (ſaith he) ye be otherwiſe minded, ſo that yee doe not thinke as I your Apoſtle doe of workes, of Chriſt, of perfection in the knowledge of Chriſt, but rather …re of another iudgement, yet I doubt not but as God hath begunne to reueale his Sonne Ieſus Chriſt vntounto you by my …reaching, ſo he will alſo in his good time reueale and make knowne vntounto you this ſame thing wherein yee now diſſent in …udgement from mee, and will not ſuffer you to be holden of …his errour: he will (I doubt not) by the miniſterie of his ſeruants through the powerfull operation of the holy ſpirit open the diuine eyes of your darke vnderſtanding, that yee may ſee both that ye erre in this wherein ye diſſent from me, and that this is the truth whereunto I now exhort you. This I take to be the true meaning of theſe words. Now let vsus ſee what hence wee may learne, and ſo wee will proceed vntounto that which followeth in the next verſe.
And if yee be otherwiſe minded, &c.] Ambroſe one of the ancient Fathers readeth theſe words thus, And if yee ſhall be otherwiſe minded, God alſo hath reuealed it, and vnderſtandeth them as if the Apoſtle had thus ſaid, If yee ſhall thinke of any more then I hauehave put you in minde of, know that it is by reuelation from God. Which ſenſe and reading if it were true, might indeed helpe well to boulſter out ſuch humane traditions and ſuperſtitious ceremonies as the Church is burdened and peſtered withall. But this ſenſe and reading as well becauſe it may ſeeme to patronage ſuch vnwritten verities, and vnſauory ceremonies, as alſo for that it is altogether different from the words and meaning of the Apoſtle, is vtterly to be reiected. For firſt the Apoſtle doth not ſay, if you ſhall be, but if ye be otherwiſe minded. Againe, the Apoſtle doth not ſay, God hath reuealed it, but God ſhall or will reueale it vntounto you. And laſtly, when the Apoſtle ſaith, If yee be otherwiſe minded, his meaning is not that if they thinke more then hee hath put them in minde of, but his meaning is, that if they thinke not as he doth touching the points mentioned, but differ from him in iudgement, yet God will alſo reueale this truth vntounto them as he hath done other truths.
My note hence in briefe is, that we are to take heed how we take things vponupon the credit of the ancient Fathers. The Lord is greatly to be bleſſed for them, and it is with all thankfulneſſe to be acknowledged that they by their godly labours hauehave greatly profited Gods Church. But yet their words, and the ſenſes which they giuegive of the Scriptures, are to be weighed in the ballance of the Sanctuarie, and to be examined according to the Scriptures, For this by examination we ſhall finde, that diuers times they miſſe the meaning of the holy Ghoſt, and ſometimes they plainly alter the words of the holy Ghoſt. This place giueth euident witneſſe vntounto both, where both the words are ſo altered, and the meaning ſo miſſed by this holy Father, as that in both he ſwarueth from the holy Ghoſt, as before was euidently ſhewed. The more to blame they th… take a Fathers word for warrant good enough, and thinke their plea good if in the expoſition of a Scripture, or debating of a queſtion, they hauehave the ſuffrage and liking of one or two Fathers.
The ſecond thing which I note is the manner how the Apoſtle dealeth with ſuch of the Philippians as differed from him in iudgement euen in theſe points of righteouſneſſe and ſaluation He doth not by and by deſpaire of them, or reiect them as heretikes, or thunder our ſharpe threatnings againſt them, but in all mildneſſe of ſpirit ſignifieth his hope that God will reueale their errour vntounto them, that they which now are otherwiſe minded then he is, may be of the ſame minde that he is. But withall we muſt note what manner men they were with whom the Apoſtle dealt thus kindly. They were no ſuch men as wilfully oppoſed themſelues againſt the truth, or ſuch as were ſo vtterly bewitched that they would not obey the truth, but ſuch as hauing not long ſince embraced the truth by his preaching, were now a little ſeduced, and drawne aſide by ſuch falſe teachers as were crept in amongſt them.
Whence I obſerue that we are for a time to beare with the ignorance of our weake brethren, and to reteine a good hope of them though they doe not wholly ſubſcribe vntounto that truth which we embrace. This alſo our Apoſtle teacheth vsus to doe where he ſaith,Rom. 15.1. We which are ſtrong ought to beare the infirmities of the weake, and not to pleaſe our ſelues: we which are ſtrong in knowledge, in faith, in hope, or any good grace of God ought …o beare with ſuch of our brethren as doe yet come ſhort of vsus …n any ſuch grace; neither ought we ſo to pleaſe our ſelues …herein as to be puft vp in our ſelues, and to contemne others, …ut being lowly in our owne eyes we are to hope that God will …ake their darkneſſe to be light, and ſupply what wanteth in …heir weakneſſe. And much to the ſame purpoſe is that his ex…ortation, where he ſaith, Brethren, Gal. 6.1.if a man be fallen by occa…ion into any fault, yee which are ſpirituall, reſtore ſuch a one with …he ſpirit of meekneſſe: if a man be fallen by occaſion of his …leſh, of the world, of the Deuill, or of any inſtrument of Sa…an into any fault either of doctrine, or of manners, yee which …re ſpirituall, yee which are more ſtrongly ſuſteined by the …pirit of God, reſtore ſuch a one with the ſpirit of meekneſſe, …nd labour to bring him vntounto that truth in doctrine, or holineſſe of life from which he was fallen. Which ſheweth that we are not to giuegive ouer for forlorne thoſe that are holden with ſome error, but rather that we are for a time to beare with …hem, and to hope that the Lord will bring them vntounto the …nowledge of the truth. And ſee what great reaſon there is to moue vsus hereunto. Did we not all ſit in darkneſſe, and in the ſhadow of death? Were we not all ignorant of the waies of God, and of the things that belong vntounto our peace? Yes ſurely vntill the day-ſtarre, euen the ſunne of righteouſneſſe aroſe in our hearts, our mindes were full of darkneſſe, and the way of truth we knew not. For as the Apoſtle ſaith,1 Cor. 2.14. The naturall man (whoſe vnderſtanding is not yet cleared by Gods ſpirit, perceiueth not the things of the ſpirit of God, but they are fooliſhneſſe vntounto him. Hath then the Lord in his great mercy towards me made my darkneſſe to be light, and brought me to the knowledge of his truth, and ſhut him as yet vp in darkneſſe and in ignorance? Or, hath the Lord brought vsus both to the knowledge of his truth, and hath he ſuffered him by occaſion to fall from the way of truth, and ſuſteined me by the ſtrength of his holy ſpirit? And ſhall I in either of theſe caſes inſult ouer him, contemne or diſdeine him, determine, or iudge raſhly of him to be a forlorne man, an Atheiſt, a reprobate? Or am I not rather, bending the knees of my ſoule vntounto the Lord for his mercies towards me, to hope that in his good time he will lighten his vnderſtanding that was ſhut vp in ignorance, or raiſe him vp againe that was fallen, and in the meane time to beare with the ignorance of the one, and the error of the other? Yes my brethren, ſo long as their ignorance of the truth is vntainted with cankred malice againſt the truth, we may hope that the Lord will call them at the ſixt or ninth or ſome good houre, and reueale his holy truth vntounto them, and in the meane time we are to beare with them, and to ſupport one another through louelove. And for this cauſe, the holy Apoſtles, when the word which they preached was vntounto them that heard them as water powred vponupon a ſtone, yet ceaſed not to inſtruct them with all patience, hoping that God would reueale the things vntounto them which as yet were h… from their eyes.
This then ſhould teach vsus not to deſpaire of them vntounto whom the Lord hath not yet reuealed ſome part of his truth, nor to withhold from them ſuch wholeſome inſtructions and admonitions as may draw them from that ignorance or error wherewith they are holden, but in all godly ſort to labour with them, prouing if at any time God will open their eyes that they may turne from darknes vntounto light, from the power of Satan vntounto God. The Miniſter is after the example of our Apoſtle to inſtruct with all patience them that be ignorant, and them that be contrarily minded in that truth of Chriſt Ieſus which hee hath learned, and to deale with them to be like minded as he is; and if they be otherwiſe minded, yet to labour with them, and to hope that God will reueale the truth vntounto them. Others likewiſe whoſe eyes the Lord hath opened to know things that are ſpiritually diſcerned, ſhould labour to draw them on vntounto the ſame truth with them. And therefore beſides other duties which they ſhould performe vntounto them, when they goe vp vntounto the houſe of the Lord, they ſhould ſay vntounto them as they in Eſay, Eſay 2.3.Come let vsus goe vp to the mountaine of the Lord, to the houſe of the God of Iacob, and he will teach vsus his waies, and we will walke in his paths; come let vsus goe to the Church, come neighbour, come friend let vsus go to the Sermon, and there we ſhall heare what the Lord will ſay vntounto vsus, and there we ſhall be inſtructed in the truth or Chriſt Ieſus. But what doe we? We thinke it well if we come …ur ſelues, and indeed I wiſh all would doe ſo; but though we now our neighbour ignorant, yet do we not either priuately …lke with him, or ſay vntounto him, come let vsus goe to Sermon: …hich certainely is a defect in vsus. For true zeale taketh that …f the fire, that the truely zealous man would hauehave all like …nto himſelfe, and the more he hath profited in the know…edge of the truth, the more will his heart bee inflamed to …raw others out of ignorance vntounto the knowledge of the ſame …ruth with him. And what doe we know but that God hath …rdeined vsus by this or that holy courſe to be the meanes to …ring this or that man vntounto the knowledge of the truth? Let …s not therefore deſpaire of doing good with our weake and …gnorant brother, but let vsus hope ſo long as there is any hope, …at the Lord will reueale his truth vntounto him; and in the …eane time let vsus beare with his ignorance, and labour by all …eanes to bring him to the ſame minde that is in vsus touching …he truth of Chriſt Ieſus. And this withall let vsus weigh: is …here any of our alliance, or acquaintance, or knowledge whoſe eyes the Lord hath ſo opened that he ſeeth the truth in diuers myſteries of the faith, but yet ſome things are hid from …is eyes? let this be an incouragement of our hope that the Lord wil alſo reueale theſe things vntounto him. For great hope we may conceiue, as we ſee here our Apoſtle likewiſe doth that he which hath begun to reueale the truth in diuers myſteries of the faith vntounto them, will alſo in his good time reueale theſe …hings vntounto them, which as yet are hid from their eyes. Times we may not preſcribe vntounto the Lord, for he calleth not all his children to the knowledge of his Sonne at one houre, but ſome at the third, ſome at the ſixth, ſome at the ninth, ſome …t one, ſome at another houre, as vntounto his heauenly wiſdome ſeemeth moſt meete, and his truth he doth reueale vntounto his children not all at once, but here a litle and there a litle as ſeemeth beſt vntounto him. But yet we may hope that vntounto ſuch as louelove not darkneſſe better than light, vntounto ſuch as doe not oppoſe themſelues againſt the truth, the Lord that commandeth the light to ſhine out of darkneſſe will in his good time ſhine in their hearts, and reueale his truth vntounto them ſo farre as ſhall be neceſſarie for them. Though therefore now they doe not embrace the ſame truth altogether with vsus, yet let vsus hope that the Lord will alſo reueale this vntounto them wherein they now diſſent from vsus, and let vsus labour with them to the purpoſe according to that meaſure of grace that is giuen vntounto vsus.
The third thing which I note is, that the Apoſtle ſaith, … yee be otherwiſe minded God ſhall reueale it: Whereby the Apoſtle ſheweth that he could onelyonly preach vntounto them, but it is God that reuealeth his truth vntounto them. If they were otherwiſe minded than he was, he could not doe withall, his office was to teach the truth, he could not open their eyes that they might ſee the truth, but that muſt be let alone vntounto the Lord for euer, who alone reuealeth when he will that truth where… we were happily long before inſtructed. Whence I obſerue, that in the worke of the miniſterie the Miniſters of Chriſt do onelyonly diſpenſe the myſteries and ſecrets of God, but it is God that reuealeth them vntounto vsus, opening our eyes that we may ſee the wondrous things of his law. And therefore it is ſaid that when Peter had preached vntounto Cornelius, Act. 10.44.and them that we… with him, the Holy Ghoſt fell on all them which heard the …ra. And againe it is ſaid that when Paul preached neere vntounto Philippi vntounto certaine women that were come together,16.13.14. the Lord opened the heart of Lydia, that ſhee attended vntounto the things that Paul ſpake. And often when the Apoſtles had preached it is ſaid, that the Holy Ghoſt fell on them that heard, and they beleeued. Whereby is meant that they preached, but the Holy Ghoſt reuealed, and ſo their preaching was effectuall as the Holy Ghoſt wrought with it in the hearts of them that were ordeined vntounto ſaluation. And to this agreeth that of the Apoſtle,1 Cor. 3.6.7. where he ſaith, I hauehave planted, and Apollos watred, but God gaue the increaſe: and, neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watreth, but God that giueth the increaſe. The Miniſters like Gods husbandmen they ſowe the ſeede, euen the immortall ſeede of his word in the fallow ground of mens hearts, but it is the Lord that giueth the earely and the latter raine, whereby it groweth vp and bringeth forth fruit in ſome thirty, in ſome ſixty, in ſome an hundreth fold. The Miniſters of Chriſt they are they by whom we do …eleeue, and by whom we doe obey: but it is the Lord that … the powerfull working of his holy ſpirit together with the …ord cauſeth vsus to beleeue, and to obey. This honour the …ord taketh vntounto himſelfe, ſaying,Eze 36.25. I will powre out cleane water …pon you, and yee ſhall be cleane, yea, from all your filthineſſe, …d from all your idols will I cleanſe you: 26.a new heart alſo will I …ue you, and a new ſpirit will I put within you, and I will take away …e ſtonie heart out of your bodie, and I will giuegive you an heart of …ſh; and I will put my ſpirit within you, 27.and cauſe you to walke in …y ſtatutes, and yee ſhall keepe my iudgements and doe them: this …onour (I ſay) the Lord taketh to himſelfe, and this honour …e will not giuegive to any other. But here happily you will …ke me, if the Miniſters of Chriſt onelyonly preach the word, …nd the Lord reſerue this power onelyonly to himſelfe to beget … by the word; if the Miniſters of Chriſt onelyonly teach …s the way of truth, and the ſpirit alone lead vsus into all …uth,1 Cor. 4.15. 1 Tim. 4.16. how then doth the Apoſtle ſay vntounto the Corin…ians, I hauehave begotten you through the Goſpell? and how doth …e ſay vntounto Timothie, Take heede vntounto thy ſelfe, and vntounto lear…ng; continue therein: for in doing this thou ſhalt both ſaue thy …lfe, and them that heare thee? Whereunto I anſwer, that the …ing, which properly belong vntounto God are oftentimes in the …criptures attributed vntounto Gods Miniſters, becauſe they are …ſtruments which God vſeth, and whereby God worketh. So …n the places alleaged, I (ſaith the Apoſtle) hauehave begotten you …hrough the Goſpell; the Apoſtle becauſe the Lord vſed him as …is inſtrument to beget the Corinthians in Chriſt Ieſus, there…ore taketh that vntounto himſelfe which the Apoſtle Iames ſhew…th properly to belong vntounto God, where he ſaith,Iam. 1.1…. that God of …is owne will begat vsus with the word of truth, that we ſhould be as …he first fruits of his creatures. And in the other place, where …he Apoſtle ſaith to Timothy, In ſo doing, thou ſhalt ſaue both …hy ſelfe, and them that heare thee; there power of ſauing,Hoſea 13.4. which …oth onelyonly properly belong vntounto the Lord (for it is he that …aueth, and none beſides him) is giuen vntounto Timothie, becauſe …ee was ordeined the Miniſter of Chriſt, whom he would vſe …n granting repentance vntounto ſaluation. Many like places might be brought, where that which properly belongeth vntounto God is attributed vntounto Gods Miniſter, becauſe of the powerfull operation of Gods ſpirit by his miniſtrie. But by this already ſpoken yee ſee what in the worke of the miniſtrie God doth, and what man doth. Man preacheth the truth b… God only reuealeth the truth: man ſoweth the mortall ſeede of the word, but God onelyonly maketh it to grow and fractifie: men ſpeaketh the wonders of the law, but God onelyonly openeth our eyes that wee may ſee the wondrous things o… his law.
This then ſhould teach you ſo to thinke of vsus as of the Miniſters of Chriſt, and diſpoſers of the ſecrets of God, b… to depend vponupon the Lord for the reuelation of thoſe holy myſteries which we bring vntounto you. We can onelyonly ſpeake vntounto your eares, but it is the Lord that muſt worke in your hearts: we can onelyonly beat vponupon the outward ſenſe, but he it is that muſt open the eyes of your vnderſtanding: we can onelyonly bring the word of ſaluation vntounto you, but he it is that by his bleſſing vponupon it muſt make it the word of ſaluation vntounto you. And therefore when you come vntounto the houſe of God yee ſhould remember to ſanctifie your ſelues, and as the Preacher exhorteth, When yee enter into the houſe of God yee ſhould take heede vntounto your feete, Eccl. 4.17.yee ſhould take heede with what affection, with what deuotion, with what religious deſire yee come to heare the word of the Lord. Yee ſhould not not come hither as to an ordinarie meeting, or to a place where yee can be well content to beſtow an houre, but yee ſhould come hither prepared with all holy reuerence, with ſoules thirſting after the word of your ſaluation, and with hearts and eyes lift vp vntounto the Lord, that hee will bleſſe the preaching of the word vntounto you, that hee by his ſpirit will ſo worke together with his word, that it may bee vntounto you the ſauour of life vntounto life, that hee will incline your hearts to hearken what the Spirit ſaith and that he will open your eyes that yee may ſee the wonderous things of his law. And then ſurely yee ſhould wreſtle well, and ſhould not depart without a bleſſing. For though wee be but men that ſpeake vntounto you, whoſe breath is in our noſtrils, and though it bee not in vsus to …e grace or vnderſtanding to our hearers, yet are wee …e Miniſters of Chriſt by whom yee beleeue; wee are as … were the conduits through whom the ſpirit and the gra…s of the ſpirit are conueighed vntounto you; and we are his …mbaſſadors by whome hee openeth and declareth his …ly will vntounto you. Yea into ſuch a communion hath …ee ioyned vsus with him,Act. 5.3. that when Ananias had lied vn… Peter, he asked him why he had lied vntounto the Holy Ghoſt? …nd that our Sauiour ſaith,Luc. 10.16. Hee that heareth you heareth …e. To conclude this point, wee doe pray you in …hriſt his ſtead, as though God did beſeech you through …; and whatſoeuer good grace is wrought in you, it is …od that worketh the ſame in you through our miniſte…e. Be yee therefore diligent to frequent holy exerciſes, …repare your ſelues with all holy reuerence thereunto, …ray vntounto the Lord that he will bleſſe his holy ordinance …nto you; hearken vntounto the word, not as the word of …an, but as it is indeede as the word of God, and receiue …ith meekneſſe the word that is graffed in you, which is …ble to ſaue your ſoules. For thus the Lord reuealeth his …uth, and his will vntounto his children; neither are we now to …ooke for any other reuelations but ſuch as the Lord manife…teth in and by the word.
Now remaineth the third point to be handled, where the Apoſtle exhorteth that in the meane time till God reueale …hat truth which he hath profeſſed vntounto them, ſuch grounds of the truth as already they had might with one accord be reteined and maintained; which he doth in theſe words, neuertheleſſe in that whereunto we are come &c.