# i, e. Not only bringing forth ſome ſingle, yea, or fingular Fruit, but repleni!h'd plurally with the Fruits of Righteouinels, Cl. 1, 10. AfRs 9. 36. etlewhere call d the Fruits of the Spirit, G.l. 6. 22, Epi. 5+9. all 200Gncis and truth, aſwell as righteouſneſs, Theſe are ſuch good works as are not (whatever the Papiſts con- ceive) cauſal of Righreouſne!s, bur are through the Spiric (who regenerates the Pertons and directs the internal and external acti- ons of thoſe who walk in the ſteps of the Faith of their Father Avraham, Rom. 4. 12.) wrought by ſupernatural Grace in the heart join'd unto the Lord, 1 Cr. 6. 17. with whom they are one ſpirit. g And without whom, from their own ſrock and ftrength, till they be engrafted into him, Fon 15. 1,5. Trees of Righteou!- neſs of the Lord's planting, 1/.z. 16. 3. and his Workmanſhip crea- ted unto good works, Eph. 2. 10. they cannot bring forth Fruits, and do ſuch good works as are acceptable unto God, 2 Cor. 13. 5. but Chriſt living and dwelling in them by Faith, Gl. 2. 20. Eph. 2. 17. and God working in them both, to will and to do, ch. 2. 12. they can do all through Chriſt, <. 4. 13. ſo that they ſhall be ac- cepted in him. h Not being empty Vines, bringing torth Fruit to themſelves, of. 10. 1. but to the eternal honour of him who hath called them, Mat. 5. 16. I Cor. 10s ZI, Eph. 1.5, 12, 14. 1 Pet. 2.12.& 4+ II. Reve 5. 13o
12 Brt 7 would ye ſhould underſtand, brethren z, that the things which happened uiito me, have faln our rather unto the furtherance of the goſpel k.
i To obviate the infinuations which falſe Teachers and others mizht make uſe of from Pas Sufferings, to obſtruct the cordial Entertainment of thoſe glad Tidings he had brought, and to dil- courage thoſe who did obey the Truth, he doth by this friendly compcllation (which he often uteth) kindly intreat them to conft- dov well. & That his impriſonment, and what other Troubles from vithout did b-fal him in his Apoſtolical Office, whereby the over- ruling Providence of God fo ordered, that they did (contrary to the intention of his Perſecutors) rather advantage than hinder the progreſs of the Goſpel, encrealc than decreaſe the Church, ith he had opportunity two Years in his own hired Houle, of teaching with freedom the things of Chrift, Acts 25. 30, 31. whereupon he would not have the Philippians diſcouraged, but rather comfort- ed as the Corinthians, 2 Cor. 1. 5, 6, 7. for 1. his Tron Chain in the cauſe of Chrift was more an honour to him even in the Emperor's Court, ch. 4. 22. or Guard-chamber, Ads 28.16, or Judgment- hall, Mat. 27, 27. Mark 15. 16. Fohn 18. 25, 33. than thole glit- tering golden ones which others were ambitious to wear, Acts 5. 41. #:1. 2.2, it being apparent there, and elſewhere, to Courtiers, Citizens, Jews and Foreigners, that he did not ſuffer as an evil Doer, 1 Pet. 2. 19, 20. & 3+ 14. only for the Lord's ſake, Eph. 3. 1. & 4. 1. whoſe power in his confinement did work in, and by him, who approv'd himſelf faithful, which when enquiry was made con- cerning his ſuffering, gave occafion to communicate iome notions of Chrift, and glad Tidings of Salvation by him.
13 So that my bonds Þ. in Chriſt are manifeſt 1n all
+ the palace, and - in all other places.
14 And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds z, are much more bold, to ſpeak the word without fear 0.
And here again, contrary to the expeQation of thoſe Perſecu- tors, who defign'd to make havock of the Church, his innocent carriage and conſtancy in bearing the Crols, . had an influence npon the greater part of the Brethren (not according to the fleſh, Rom. 9. 3. Hut) in the ſervice of Chriſt. o Paſtors and Teachers, who had been timorous at the firſt, were greatly imboldened to ſhake of carnal fear, and to profes and preach Chriſt Crucified, or the Crols of Chriſt, 1 Cor. 1. 18, 23» Which is the power of God to Salvation, Rom. 1. 15, more confidently than ever, as he and Barna- bts had done elſewhere, Ads 13. 46. and as Foſeph of Arimathea, and Nicod?mus, who were but ſecret Diſciples before Chriſt's Sut- terings, upon his Death owned him openly for their Lord, Mar. 27.57. With Fokn 19. 39-
15 Some indeed preach Chriſt even of envy. and ſtrife, and ſome alſo of good will p.
p He doth here tacitly anſwer an exception might be made; 7t were better ſome of them were ſilent, than Preach ſy boldly as to procure tin Hured, and leſſzn his Reputation. 1. By granting there was ſomewhat in the allegation, yet did not conclude againſt this, that his Suffering was advantagious to promote the Goſpel. 2. By diftin- guſhing of thoſe who are hollow-hearted and falſe, from an en- vious principle, deſigning to diſparage this excellent Perlon, who having done much in the leſſer 4.1, and Greece, did now in the head City of the World, when in Priſon, alſo gain Proſelytes, Cour- ticrs, and others, for the receiving of Chrift, and thoſe were tin- cere and true hearted Brethren, joining with him in the cauſe of Chrift, ond aſſiſting him from true love to Chrift, and him. his Apoſtle, to get the truth of Chriftianity entertained in the love of it. The former were evil workers, both as to their principle and end, ch. 3. 2. The latter ated ſincerely in both reſpeQs, 2 Cor. 2, 17s
16 The one preach Chriſt of contention, not iincerely, ſuppoſing to add aifiittion to my bonds 4.
q This diſtintion he did amplifte and explain here, by particu- larly ſhewing the ill motive, manners, and end of the work fort of Preachers, from an ill attection of hatred, emulation and wrath, 2 Cor, 12, 20, Gil, 5. 20. with an intemperate Zeal to reader Paul ſuſpected and deſpicable in the Eyes of the Church; and to occaſion in the Emperor a more ſevere Perſecution, and heighten the Accuſers rage againſt P.c/, and to gain applaule to themſelves, a vex his Soul under outward troubles,
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