PHILIPPIANS CHAP. Ill, VER, 19. 129
which saves them ; and therefore they must needs be destroyed. This made the apostle judge of them thus, and withal he saw they were void of grace, and were incorrigible. And from hence we may infer.
That we may in some sort jiidc/e of the spiritual estate of men, even while they are alive. For as astronomers can judge of eclipses, and statesmen of the continuance or danger of the State, and physicians of the event of dis- eases, by the course of natural causes, so in religion there are predictions on good gi'ounds, what will follow of ill courses tending to damnation.
But more particularly, there is a threefold judgment.
1. First, One hy faith, which concerning ourselves brings certainty ; and so we are able to judge of ourselves.
2. Secondly, There is a judgment byfndts, comparing men's disposition and state with their fruits ; and so we say, if men walk riotously, we can infer, Surely he is in no good estate. ' By thek fruits shall you know thom,' saith Christ,' Mat. vii. 16.
3. Thirdly, There is a particrdar revelation of God's Sjnrit. This the prophets and apostles had, but now we have no such rule. Yet by the fruits and course of men, it is an easy matter to judge what the end of those men will be, following those courses ; for God's word is the same now that it was then. Indeed, when we judge men in things indifferent, this is rash, and condemned by the apostle, Rom. xiv. 3.
For use hei'eof, let ?<s learn to judge ourselves, and know if we break wil- fully the known rules of salvation, we are in a fearful estate. And we should also submit to the judgment of God's ministers while we are here, and amend ; for else look assuredly for the sentence of death hereafter from God himself, when there will be no revoking thereof. For though punish- ment may be deferred a while, yet assui'edly it shall not go well with the wicked at the last, Eccl. viii. 13.
In the next place observe. There is an end to every way, for it is taken for granted that they have an end ; and surely we will not, nor cannot, be always as we are. We are labourers, and there is a time of payment of our wages. And therefore, we should look whither our ways do tend. There will be an end of this life, but damnation shall be without end. We should also be inquisitive to see if toe he out of this ivay, that we may be reformed ; for these worldl}' pleasures must end in eternal vengeance, and this life is but a way to that end.
And in the third place. Learn to he patient. "WTien we see the wicked run on in a broad highway, what though they be admired here and lifted up ! They are but condemned persons ; and therefore, envy them not, seeing we would be loath, upon serious deliberation, to change estates with them. Observe we further from these words, that God ivill judge eternally, not only for gross, scandalous sins in the course of our life, hut even for errors in judgment. For we must judge aright, as well as affect aright, and God hath no service from corrupt judgments. Those that join man's merits with Christ's merits, they cannot rely on God alone, neither can they rejoice in Christ. Christ hath but half of them. Therefore, let us keep the virginity of our judgments ; prostitute them not to lies, but reserve them chaste and pure to Christ.
And secondly, Take we heed hoiv tve converse with such as are of corrupt judgments. They are God's and Christ's enemies, and will labour to bring us into their ways ; and then, assuredly let us look for their end. It is reason, that those with whom we converse here, we should converse withal hereafter.
130 EXPOSITION OP
Whose god is their helhj.
These words do partly sbcw the inward disposition of these men. By 'belly,' in this place, he means in general all contentments and worldly pleasures, whereof these teachers being satisfied, they lived at large and at ease.
Qi^est. But how may they be said to make their belly their God ?
Ans. 1. I answer, We may be said to make anything our God, first, when we count it one, as some of the papists have esteemed of the pope, as of an essence between man and God ; and some emperors have required them- selves to be so esteemed, and adored as a deity (;r).
2. Secondly, When xce (jive such affections to it as are only due and proper to God, as to trust in it, to repose content in it, to joy in it ; and so is that sentence true, amor tuus, Deus tuns (y).
3. Thirdly, When we use actions of invocation ajid adoration thereto; and thus the papists make saints their god, attributing such power in working to them, as is only proper to God.
4. Fourthly, When ive hestoio all lcd)our to give satisfaction theretmto. For explication, these men gave the intension of their most inward affec- tions, to procure content to their lusts. All their labour was to this end, and so quieted themselves in the enjoyment of them. And as they made their ' belly their god,' so their belly acted the part of a god, in giving them laws, bidding them to do, project, devise this or that ; undermine such, and grounding them in this first fundamental law, ' Thou canst not live long, neither wilt thou live well ; therefore, while thou livest, live for thy pleasure, take thy ease ; ' and from thence, enjoins them to use all means thereto : take all acquaintance, undermine all that cross thee ; and all to this end, that thou mayest have thy ease.