Use 3. In the third place, if ministers be soldiers for us, let ?<s help them by our ^9;w/^'rs. ' Curse Meroz,' saith the angel of the Lord. Why ? ' Because they came not to help the Lord,' Judges v. 23. If those are cursed with a bitter curse, that came not to help them that fight for the Lord, what curse remaineth to them that fight against them, and deprave them that fight for the Lord ?
Use 4. Lastly, Seeing we are here in a working estate, nay, in a warring estate, it should make us more icilling, nay, to desire, to be dissolved, and to be ivith Christ, where all assaults and trials shall cease, all tears shall be wiped away. And therefore, if we see afllictions, be not terrified, for God will give thee strength here and hereafter. Thou shalt be recompensed in the resurrection of the just.
But your messenger, and he that ministered to my icants.
The word in the original that is translated ' messenger,' signifieth an apostle, i' and it may be taken, either for a messenger sent by them to the apostle Paul, or for a messenger sent by the apostle Paul to them. How- ever, it is an honourable office to be an ambassador to the church of God, or to be a messenger from the church of God ; and therefore the Philippians sent him that was most dear to them to the apostle Paul, out of the love they bare to him ; and Paul again would not keep him long from them, because he loved them. It is a happy contention, when men contend who shall express most love and affection toward each other. This Epaphroditus brought refreshing to the apostle, being then in durance, from the Philip- pians. Whence observe,
Doct. 1. That the child of God is subject to ivants here whiles he lives.
Thus it is with them at all times. Thus is it with us. Sometimes we
want this thing, sometimes that ; but [he] gives them what they most want.
Thus was it with Christ. He wants water, and was constrained to beg it
* Also of Saul.— G. f Tliat is, acroffroXo; and Xs/rougyos.— G.
40
OF THE PROVIDKNCE OF GOD.
of a poor silly woman, John iv. 7, seq. And if it was thus with Christ, we must not look for better. And therefore, let us be comforted against it ; for, as it followeth in the next place,
Doct. 2. The chUdmi of God shall he salhfied. Rather than Elias shall perish for hunger, the ravens shall feed him, 1 Kings xvii. 4.* If rich Dives will not have mercy on such, the brutish dogs shall, Luke xvi. 21. For Paul, God provides one Epaphroditus, or Ouesiphorus, 2 Tim. i. 10-18. In Acts xvi. 25, Paul's trials were many ; but see, those places which of themselves were places of horror become f so comfort- able as in them he sings psalms ; and those persons that were his tor- mentors, become his great friends and comforters in his adversities. So that assuredlj^ one way or other, God will provide for his children, espe- cially for his ministers. And therefore Christ bids his apostles, that when they went to preach, they should not carry anything with them ; for well he knew that those that were converted would not suffer them to lack any- thing that was necessary. It must encourage us to our work. God, he will give us wages, even for the performance of our ordinary duties of our callings, if we do them in obedience to his laws. And indeed, if we could live by faith as we should, we would not care for anything, for God hath promised liberally, and if we could believe, he would not be less than his word, who doth suiier his children to want some few outward things, but it is for their good. And to such God ever gives patience to sutler, and to expect and wait the time of God's visitation.
VERSE 26.
For he longed after yoxi all.
Epaphroditus, he longed after all the Philippians ; yea, there was none but he had a regard of; yea, of the meanest, whom he knew to be as dear in Christ's acceptation as the greatest. For the soul and salvation of the meanest cost him as dear as the salvation of the greatest. Again, the weakest are soonest discontented and most subject thereunto, who there- fore ordinarily are soonest brought to complain. It is a ground therefore for the ministers so to behave themselves, that they also have a respect unto all the meanest even as the greatest.
And was full of heaviness.
It grieved Epaphroditus to think that they mourned for his sickness. Grief returns by reflection on the party loved. Observe then the wicked nature of men that make music in the sorrow of others. Surely they have a poisonous heart within them ; and it ought to reprove those that regard not to grieve those by whom they were brought into the world. Surely if such had the principles of nature within them, such a slavish condition of serving their own unbridled lusts could never settle on them.
Because that ye had heard that he had been sick. For indeed he was sick, dc.
Observe here how one wave follows another. After Epaphroditus had endured a long and dangerous voyage, he meets with a long and dangerous sickness. It is the nature of us. Let us not dream of any immunity. God's children are subject to sicknesses while they live. Daily experience proves it ; for they have bodies that have the seeds of sickness in them.