110 SERMONS UPON PHILIPPIANS III. [SeR. XII.
2. At the second-hand, and in the rebound, as it was transmitted to them by the practice of others, ' And mark them that walk so, as ye- have us for an ensample.'
1. For the first consideration, as his own practice was a pattern to them of sincere love to Christ. Sv/MfMifxrjTaL \xov yiveade. The word3 may bear a double sense —
[1.] Thus do together with me ; be followers of Christ as I am. Or — [2.] Let not a few, but all of you together imitate me ; which sense I prefer.
2. For the second consideration, ' Mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.' Where we have —
[1.] A description of the better sort amongst them, in opposition to the deceitful workers who did walk disorderly. If a man would imitate others, he should conform himself to the best, and not the worst of christians. Man is sequacious, inclined to do as others do. Now they should imitate them who were willing to suffer for Christ, rather than enemies to his cross.
[2.] The charge is o-Koireire, ' Mark them.' In another epistle, Rom. xvi. 17. it is, ' Mark them which cause divisions and offences, and avoid them.' Here, mark these and imitate them.
Well, then, here is a double example propounded, Paul's and thei? fellow-christians'.
Doct. That it is the duty of christians to imitate those good examples which God hath set before them.
See this elsewhere : 1 Cor. iv. 16, ' Wherefore, I beseech you, be ye followers of me ; ' 1 Thes. i. 6, ' And ye became followers of us and of the Lord ; ' 1 Thes. ii. 14, ' For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God, which in Judea are in Christ Jesus : for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews.' So 2 Thes. iii. 7, 'For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us ; for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you ; ' and ver. 9, 'Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an example unto you to follow us ; ' Heb. xiii. 7, ' Remember them that have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God, whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation.' These and many other places show — (1.) That there are some to whom God hath given graces to make them holy and fit for our imitation ; (2.) That he hath commanded us to consider them seriously, that we may imitate them, and follow them in holiness and patience, that our latter end may be like theirs. For the clearing this point, let me show you —
1. The several sorts of examples.
2. What is this imitation.
3. How far we are bound to imitate them.
4. Why we must imitate and follow them. I. The several sorts of examples.
First distinction. There are the examples of the saints living in former ages, and the saints living in our times.
1. The saints living in former ages, whose faith and zeal and holiness is recommended to us in the faithful records of time, especially in the scriptures. We are often commanded to imitate them ; as Heb. vi. 12, 1 That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and
VER. 17.] SERMONS UPON PHILIPPIANS III. Ill
patience inherit the promises.' None went to heaven but they first met with occasions to try and express both their faith and patience. We must look for the like ; they had faith, so must we ; they had patience, we must be patient also if we would attain the happiness offered in the promises : Heb. xii. 1, ' Wherefore seeing we are also com- passed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin that doth so easily beset us, and run with patience the race that is set before us.' The apostle had given us a spiritual chronicle in the former chapter, or a little book of martyrs, and then frameth his inference or practical deduction from that series of instances. Having such ' a cloud of witnesses ; ' he calleth them ' a cloud,' to show the number and multitude of these witnesses ; for as a cloud is made up of a multitude of vapours gathered together and condensed into one body, so here there are many witnesses that concur in one testimony. So the expression is often used : Isa. lx. 8, ' Who are those that fly as a cloud, and as doves to the windows ? ' noting the multitude of converts. So Ezek. xxxviii. 7, 'They shall be as a cloud to cover the land.' Well, then, we are not solitary, nor is our condition singular. So James v. 10, ' Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering afflictions and patience/ They are examples of hard sufferings and great patience. We are not better than our fathers, and should not look for more privilege than the prophets. They have been cast into prisons and dungeons, and burnt and butchered, and sawn asunder, and shall we stick at a little sufferings? Surely, having such forerunners, we may go the more cheerfully. Now these examples should be regarded by us —