rough Places, through Briars and Thorns, and therefore he needs this piece of Armour. He muſt be prepared to hold the Faith, and confeſs Chriſt in the moſt difficult times. hþ With that furniture which the Goſpel affords him, which being a Goſpel of peace, and bringing the glad tidings of Reconciliation to God by Chriſt, pre- pares Men bz to undergo the troubles of the World, Febz 16. 23.
16 Above all ; taking the ſhield of faith k where- v-ith ye {hall be able to quench all the fiery darts / of the wicked :. |
7 Chiefly, Col. 3. 14. this he ſets, as the principal part of the Chriſtian Armour, againft the greateſt Temptations, fiery Darts, 1 Pet.5.$,9. and 1 Fobn5.4. & Faith, as receiving Chriſt
7 He prays for their continuance and encreaſe in theſe graces which already were begun in them.
24 Grace be with all them & that love our Lord Jc- ; ſus Chriſt in Þ ſincerity. Amen. u Y Þ This is more extenſive than the former, he prays here 4 for all true Believers every where. 1 Or, as the Margin! _— with I-mcorruption, i. e. ſo as that nothing can draw them 0 from whe love of Chriſt, and ſo it implies Conſtancy as well as Sincerity.
Written from Rome unto the Epheſians #» Tychucus.
PHILIPPIANS
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The ARGUMENT.
AUL being called of the Lord to preach the Goſpel in Macedonia, having tonch'd at Neapolis of Greece, came zo Philipp; chefirſt City in regard of its Situation, within that part of Macedonia, on his way from Samothrace, AR. 16. 11, 12. znto that Country, through Amphipolis 22d Apollonia, to Theſfalonica.
Applan deſcribes this
Philipp! ro be ſeated on a little Hill near the foor of the Pangzan monntain, in old time called Crenides, from the Fountains, and Gold-mines adjoyning, and Datus or Dathus from the Treaſure ( agreeing with the INand Thaſus near it ) afterwards enlarg'd, and fortified by Philip King of Macedon, who therefore gave it rhe name of Philippi as a Frontier Town within his Dominions.oa the confines of T hracia. Yet afterwards it fell into the hands of the Romans, and became memorable for the Victory which Auguſtus and Anthony obtaiz'd there over Brutus and Caſſius. And in
Paul's tr:me was a Colony, AQ. 16. 12, 21.
But there is no evidence from Scripture, or the moſt Authentick Civil
Hiſtory, that it was (as a Learned 7Man would have it ) the Metropolis of Macedonia when this Epiſtle was written toit. For it doth not appear that it had ſo much as a Proconſul or Deputy (25 i» ſome other Golonies of Macedonia, A. 16. 12.) but rather that the Magiltrates and Military Officers, Verſ. 20, 22, 35, 26, 38.) ſhew themſelves to be of an under City, which (ſome affirm) did depend on the great Mother City Theſlalonica, in 4 civil ſenſe , and ſome Centuries after ({ay others ) in an Eccleſiaſtical. However it received Paul who planted the Coſpd here, who now beins Priſoner at Rome (probably the firſt, not ſecond time) Chap. 1. 7, 13,14, 15. with 2 Tim. 4. 6. and having recerved by Epaphroditus their Meſſenger, C. 2. 25. their acceptable and liberal preſent, C. 1. 18. and 1aderſtood from om” their conſtancy in the Dottrin they had received (though it ſeems ſome affetting prehenunencies did trouble them) he dotis mot Pathetically, as full of paternal affeftions towards them his dear Children, move them to perſevere in Faith and God- lineſs : and not to be at all diſcourag'd by his preſent ſufferings; but to live as becomes the Goſpel, in humility and unity ; intumating his tender love and care of them in deſigning to ſend Timothy to them, and then to come and viſit them, win he cautions to beware of Seducers, who might elſe pervert them in mingling the Law and Goſpel : Whereupon be quickens them to an Heavenly Converſation in the exerciſe of ſeveral graces, and expreſſing his thankfulneſs for this repcated bor:ity
concludes with his Salutations and Apoſtolical Bleſſing.
CHAP. HL
The uſual Salutation and Thanksgiving t0 God for their Communion in the Goſpel z hs confidence in, and love to them, and daily Prayer for their increaſe in Grace, 1—=11. Fs ſufferings for the Goſpel and
_ their Fruit, 12 —— 14. Some preached Chriſt out of Envy, to his Grief z yet this, he truſted, ſhould fall out for his Salvation, and for the magnifying of Chriſt, 15 —— 19. whether by bis Lif? or Death, being ready for both, becauſe both were profitable, the one for the Church, the other {cr himſelf, 10 — 26. 1 exhorts them to a Converſation becoming the Goſpel; to Unity, Courage and Patience in Tribulations, according 10 his Example, 27. 30s ;
1 W RAUL and Timotheus 2 the ſervants of Je- ſas Chriſt b, to all the ſaints in Chriftt ]e- ſus c, which are at Philippi, with the bi-
ſhops and deacons 4 : |
4 7. & 1 Cor. 1. 1. 2 Core. 1. 1. The Author and Approver, intimating the good agreement 'twixt Paul and Timothy whom they w2ll knew, to gain their fuller atſent to what ſhould be written,
Mat. 18. 16. 6b Ina ſpecial manner being wholly and perpetually
dedicated to his more immediate {ervice in the Miniftry of Recon-
ciliation, As 13. 2. Rome 1. 1. 1 Cor. 4. 1. 2 Cor. 5. 13. Gal, 1.1.
Fam. 1. 1. c i.e All the Community of Church-members at Ph7-
lippi, called out of the World to Chriſt, ſanctified, ſeparated and
dedicated to him, by a credible profetion of faith in him and obe- dience to him, 1 Cor. 1. 2. Fph. 1. 1. Col. 1. 2. , The Apoſtle
now being well perlwaded of their pericrerance, ve. 6, 7. d
From the Syriac Verſion it is rendred Preshyters and Miniſters ,
And there appears no cogent reaſon why we ſhould not adhere to
the Expoſition of Ancient and Modern Interpreters, who under-
ſtand the Apoſtle writing in the Plural Number particularly to the Church and her Otkcers living in this City, as meaning, the mo Orders of ordinary ſtanding Othcers, which are appointed for the Church, and not the Church for the Officers. By the former of which are meant ſuch Paſtors and Teachers as did agree in Name,
Otnce and Power with the Biſhops during the Apottle's times, as
they colle&t from ſeveral other Scriptures betides this compar'd