Paraphrase of the Hard Texts of Scripture, Scripture 46
THE EPISTLE OF S. PAVL THE APOSTLE TO THE PHILIPPIANS.
CAP. I.
5 For your fellowship in the Gospell from the first day untill now.THat by our ministery, ye have beene brought to the communion and fellowship of the profession of the Gospell; and have so continued from the first day that you heard of it, untill now.
7 Ye are all partakers of my grace.Ye are all partakers with me, of the same grace and mercy of God, in your effectuall calling, and election to life.
10 That yee may approve things that are excellent, that yee may bee sincere, and without offēce till the day of Christ.That ye may see, and acknowledge, the difference between the truth of God, and the vaine fancies of men, and may approve of these excellent mysteries of salvation, &c.
12, 13 But I would yee should understand brethrē, that the things which happened unto me, have fallen out rather unto the furtherāce of the Gospel: so that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places.So that my bonds, and sufferings, which I endure for Christ, howsoever they were by Satan and his complices intended to the disgrace and hinderance of the Gospell, yet quite contrarily by the providence and goodnesse of my God are turned to my great honor, and the advancement of religion; as being famous to this purpose, both in Neroes Court, and in all other places.
15 Some indeed preach Christ, even of envie and strife, and some also of good will.Some indeed, hearing how famous I was over all Asia, for preaching the Gospell, envying this glory of mine, and in an emulatory desire to reach, and out-strip me in it, preach Christ out of envie, and contention, others sincerely.
16 Supposing to adde affliction to my bonds.Supposing, and purposing by this meanes to stirre up Nero, so much the more against mee, as the man that first broached this newes of the Gospell amongst his subjects.
For I know that this advantage, which the Gospell shall receive,19 For I know that this shall turne to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Iesus Christ, by the emulous labours of my adversaries, and this persecution which they doe thereupon raise against mee shall turne to the furtherance of my salvation through the help of your prayers, and the powerfull assistance, and working of the Spirit of Christ.
According to my firme confidence, and earnest expectation, that in nothing they can doe, or that can befall mee, I shall be ashamed,20 According to my earnest expectation, and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed. and have cause of dejection, and discouragement.
For Christ is to mee, as the author of my life,21 For to mee to live is Christ, and to die is gaine. so the onelyonly end and scope of my life; it is that I onelyonly live for, that I may preach Christ, and glorifie him thereby: and to dye is so farre from being terrible to mee, as that it is my gaine and advantage.
But howsoever, while I live here,22 But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall chuse I wote not. this is the fruit of my labour, that Christ is glorified by mee; yet whether of the two I should choose, life or death, I cannot resolve.
For I am much straitned, and distracted in the choice;23 For I am in a strait, betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ, which is farre better. having, in respect of my owne glory, and happinesse, a great desire to depart hence and to live with Christ my Saviour, in rest and blisse, which is much the better for mee.
But yet on the other side, I see that for mee to abide here still in this mortall life, it is more needfull for you,24 Neverthelesse, to abide in the flesh is more needfull for you. and more behovefull to the Church of God.
And out of this perswasion,25 And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide, and continue with you all, for your furtherance, and joy of faith. that my life shall be of so much necessity, and use for you, I am fully assured, that I shall abide, and continue with you all, and that God will protract my life for a time here upon earth, for the furtherance of your faith, and the increase of your joy and comfort.
That ye do unanimously hold together,27 That ye stand fast in one spirit, with one minde, striving together for the faith of the Gospell. in the profession, and defence of one, and the same truth; joyning your forces to fight together for the defence of the doctrine of the Gospell.
And in all your sufferings put on an undaunted courage, and resolution; being in nothing terrified by your adversaries; which confidence and fortitude of yours, bodes nothing but foyle, and perdition to your opposers, but unto you nothing but victory, and salvation, and that from God.28 And in nothing terrified by your adversaries, which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God.
CAP. II.
LEt me not intreat you only, but adjure you brethren,1 If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels, and mercies; as ever yee would receive any comfort in Christ, as ever ye would reape benefit by his love, and your owne; if yee have any sense of that spirituall communion which is betweene the Saints of God, if ye have any compassion, and mercy on me, and Gods Church;
2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be like minded, having the same love, being of one accord.Do yee herein make up the full measure of my joy, in that ye be peacably, and lovingly affected one towards another, &c.
4 Looke not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.Do not yee so much bend your eyes upon your owne good parts, admiring them, and priding your selves in them; as upon the more excellent graces of other men; neither be so much intent upon your owne private commodities, as upon the good of others.
5 Let this minde be in you, which was also in Christ Iesus.Be ye so humbly and charitably minded, and so respect the good of others, with neglect of your owne, as yee see Christ Jesus your Saviour did.
6 Who beeing in the forme of God, thought it not robbery to be equall with God;Who being very God, and knowing it to be no presumption in him to equalize himselfe to God the Father;
7 But made himselfe of no reputation, and tooke upon him the forme of a servant, and was made in the likenesse of men:Yet voluntarily humbled, and abased himselfe, and tooke upon him a meane, and contemptible condition, here on earth; and as hee stooped so lowe, as to become man, so hee framed himselfe to the state, and yeelded to the infirmities of man:
8 And being found in fashion as a man, hee humbled himselfe, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the crosse.And being found in the nature, and forme of man, he did in that his humanity, humble himselfe so farre, as to become obedient, even unto death, and that the most painfull, and ignominious death of the Crosse.
9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, & given him a name, which is above every name;Upon which wonderfull humiliation of his, it hath pleased God the Father, to advance him, in his humane nature to an answerable height of glory; having given unto him both that title, and that state, and power which is farre above any title, or state, or power of whatsoever finite creature; having publiquely to the world declared, and approved him to be God Almighty;
10 That at the name of Iesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;That in the acknowledgement of this just title and divine power of his, every creature should bow and stoope unto him, both the Angels of heaven, and men on earth, and the very infernall spirits, which are most averse from his kingdome;
And that every tongue should be forced to confesse, that even that Jesus, who was thus abased, is the God,11 And that every tongue should confesse, that Iesus Christ is Lord. and Lord of all, &c.
12 But now much more in my absence, worke out your owne salvation with feare and trembling.But now much more, in my absence (since yee shall want the helpe of my counsels, and incitements) stirre up your selves earnestly, to doe all that is requisite on your part, for the attaining of salvation; not in a bold and secure presumption of your owne abilities, but in an humble feare, and awfull trembling at the consideration of the greatnesse of the worke, and your owne insufficiencie.
For it is not any power, or ability in your selves,13 For it is God that worketh in you both to will, and to doe, of his good pleasure. that can availe ought this way; but it is God onelyonly, who gives you both to will that which is good, and to do the good which ye will, of his mere good will and pleasure.
Frame your selves to all peaceable carriage,14 Doe all things without murmurings, and disputings. one towards another, and do all things without heart-burnings, and quarrels.
Yea, if I do not onelyonly labour amongst you,17 Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice, and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoyce with you all. but even dye for you, it shall be my joy; you have by your holy, and lively faith, offered your selves unto God, as a living and reasonable sacrifice; if I may die for the confirmation of this faith of yours, it shall bee that whereof I shall rejoyce together with you.
For I have no man so heartily affected, both to you,20 For I have no man like minded, who will naturally care for your state. and mee; who will so carefully minde, and tender your estate as if it were his owne.
It much troubled him,26 And was full of heavinesse, because that yee had heard that he had been sicke. to thinke how much you would be afflicted with the rumour of his sicknesse.
Because, for the worke of Christ,26 Because for the work of Christ, he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life, to supply your lacke of service toward mee. through his labour in preaching, and the toyle of his journey hither for my comfort, and tendance; and his watchings, and paines taking in ministring to my necessities, hee was nigh unto death; not regarding his owne life in a zeale to supply your lacke of service towards mee.
CAP. III.
BEware of those profane and impure men which open their unhallowed mouthes against the truth of God;2 Beware of dogs, beware of evill workers: beware of the concision. beware of those false teachers, which under pretence of edifying Gods Church, pull it downe, by their life, and erroneous doctrine; beware of the Judaizing opposers of the Gospell; who whiles they talke of circumcision, do indeed make a concision, and rent in the Church.
For, whatsoever they may pretend, wee are indeed of the true, and spirituall circumcision; and not they; we,3 For wee are the circumcision, which worship God in the Spirit, and rejoyce in Christ Iesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. who worship God inwardly in the soule, and stand not upon an outward cutting of the flesh; we, who place the confidence and joy of our hearts, upon Christ Jesus, and not upon these externall acts and priviledges, which concerne the outward man.
Although I dare boldly say, if these outward priviledges were to be stood upon, there is none of them all,4 Though I might also have confidence in the flesh, if any other man thinketh that hee hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more. who could finde more cause of confidence, and boasting herein, then I might.
6 Concerning the righteousnesse of the Law, I was blamelesse.I was so strict and punctuall in the observation of the prescriptions of the Law, as that no man could taxe me for the breach or violation thereof.
7 But what things were gaine to me, those I counted losse for Christ.But those things which whiles I was a Jew I accounted as rare and excellent prerogatives, those now, since that I was converted to Christ, I have made no reckoning of, but have sleighted them, as not only worthlesse, but even rather prejudiciall to my better calling.
9 And be found in him, not having mine owne righteousnesse.That I, who was but a lost man in my selfe, might be found in him, not having, &c.
10 That I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death.That I may know him both in speculation and in practise; and may both know, and feele the power of his resurrection, raysing mee from the death, and that I may experimentally finde, what a comfort, and happinesse it is, to suffer for him, and with him; that thereby I may be made conformable to him, in his death.
11 If by any meanes I might attaine unto the resurrection of the dead.That so by this meanes, I may attaine to that eternall life, which followes upon the happy resurrection of the just; and in the meane time that full measure of mortification and newnesse of life, which he hath ordained me unto.
12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Iesus.Not that I have as yet already attained it; let no man misconstrue mee, as boasting of my perfection; no, I come as yet short; but I strive and labour towards it; and follow hard, that I may reach it at the last; yet can I not do it, as of my selfe, it is Christs laying hold on mee, that will and must inable mee thus to lay hold on Christ.
13 Brethren, I count not my selfe to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behinde, and reaching forth unto those things which are before.As those that runne in a race, forget how much ground they have already passed, and minde onelyonly that part of the way, which yet remaineth, to the goale; so do I, in this course of my Christian profession; never looke backe to what I have done, but still looke forward to that which I yet must and ought to doe.
14 I presse toward the marke, for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus,And thus conscionably labouring, I presse forward towards that prize of heavenly glory, which is the blessed issue and fruit of our high calling in Christ Jesus.
15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing yee be otherwise minded, God shall reveale even this unto you.Let us therefore, so many of us as are sincere, and true hearted to God, and such, as doe truely strive for this Christian perfection, be thus minded, renouncing all confidence in our selves, or ought that pertaines to us, and seeking for justification onelyonly in Christ; and, if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, as depending upon the workes of the Law, or any other outward helpes, God shall in his good time open your eyes to see, and acknowledge this truth of his, which hee hath revealed unto mee.
Neverthelesse, in the meane time,16 Neverthelesse, whereto wee have already attained, let us walke by the same rule, let us minde the same thing. for so much of the truth of God as wee have already obtained the knowledge of, let us therein walke on peaceably, and lovingly; following one, and the same rule of the word of God, and conspiring in all Christian unanimity, and concord, to do all good offices to God, and each other.
For many,18 (For many walke, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the crosse of Christ. even of those that professe themselves to be Christians, of whom I have oft complained, and warned you, and now renue my complaint with teares, live inordinately; & so as that they proclaime themselves to be the secret, and reall enemies to the Gospell of Christ, and opposers of the power, and vertue of his passion.
Whose end is destruction of body and soule,19 Whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who minde earthly things.) who make a god of their ease and pleasure, and profit, avoiding all the danger of persecution for maintenance of the truth, and making an advantage of their plausible teaching; who now glory in that which will at last prove their shame, and confusion; who minde only these transitory and earthly things.
As for us, we over-looke the earth,20 For our conversation is in heaven, from whence, &c. and have both our affections and conversation in heaven before hand, from whence, &c.
CAP. IV.
I Beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntiche,2 I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntiche that they bee of the same minde in the Lord. that being noted for wise and religious matrones, they do not by their discord distract, and trouble the Church at Philippi; but that they agree peaceably, in their Christian profession.
And I intreat thee also, who art the faithfull husband,3 And I intreat thee also true yoke-fellow, helpe those women which laboured with mee in the Gospell, with Clement also, and with other my fellow labourers, whose names are in the booke of life. and yoke-fellow to the one of them; that thou do also yeeld, to give thy best furtherance to those women, which have taken paines to minister unto mee, and have suffered some afflictions also, for the promoting of the Gospell; with Clement, and other my fellow labourers, whose names are written in the roule of the just, and holy men, which are ordained to eternall life.
That now at the last,10 But I rejoyced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last, your care of mee hath flourished againe, wherein ye were also carefull, but yee lacked oportunity. you have given good proofe of your carefull respects to me (which seemed for the time to be intermitted) in that provision which you sent to me, by the hands of Epaphroditus; not that I make question of your care of me, formerly; I know ye wanted not will, and desire, to have expressed your love to mee, but yee wanted oportunity till now.
11 Not that I speake in respect of want, for I have learned in whatsoever, &c.Not that I rejoyce so much in regard of the supply of my want; which I well know how to beare, for I have learned, &c.
13 I can doe all things through Christ, which strengtheneth mee.Let no man thinke that I arrogate this power to my selfe; no, of my selfe I can doe nothing, but in, and through Christ, which strengtheneth mee, I can doe all things.
17 Not because I desire a gift, but I desire fruit that may abound to your account.Not that I desire a gift; it is all one to mee, whether I want or abound; but in this, I desire that a benefit may accrue unto you, whose beneficence to mee is an advantage unto your selves.