Sa 7 - 4 v—
* 00.
17
4103 »
0.
Y
vu G
powered actually to believe, Mark 5. 24. 1 Cor. 15% 10. 2 Core ge 12. having truſt through Chriſt God-ward, 2 Cor. 3. 4. and up- En the ſame account they were continually enabled to ſuffer, not f6mply, but in bearing teſtimony to Chrift, 4s 5. 41. 1 Pet. 3. 1.1. and 4- 15. they might be of good comfort and courage to the daunting of their Adverſaries. '
30 Having the ſame contiict 4, which ye ſaw in me, and now hear ro be 11 me c. | |
4 And be heartaed to partake with him in the like Trials he faſtained when among them, Aids 16. 19, 22. e And Which he now was enduring at Kome, V. 13. an eniampl? of ſutfering unte them, if they would bur await the bleſſed Iffue of his Agouy.
CHA F.
He exhorts them t9 Unity : to all humility and ſerviceableneſs : 6y the example of Chriſt's humility and its reward : to Obedience, the fear of God : working out their own Salvation : and exemplary lives, 1,—15., To kis comfort, who was their Apoſtle now reaqy to be offer 4 up to God #n the ſervice of their faith, 16,18. # praiſes | imethy whom he deſigned ro ſend to them, 19=24. andk paphroditus, whom he mow ſent : and exhorts them 10 recetve vim joyfully, 2530s |
1 FF there be theretore any conſolation in Chrilt 2,
if any comfort of love 6b, it any fellowſhip ot
the Spirit c, if any bowels and mercies 4;
4 The \poftle reaſſuming his exhortation in the former Chap- fer to unanimity, v. 27. doth here by way of inference from what went immediately before, preſs them in a very aftectionate manner, With a kind of Rhetorical Relation, and Obteſtation as it were adjure them. If any ſuch exhortation (as the word is ren- dred, ARs 12. 15. 1 Thefſ. 2. 3. Lt Tim. 4. 13.) in the name of
Chriſt, might avail with thzm to chear him and one another by
their loving concord and being unanimous. Or as we render it,
conſolation (ſo Affs 13. 15. Kone 15. 4+ 2 Cor. I. 4.) If he which may well ſuppoſe and ftrongly attirm chat he took it tor granted the main body of them had in ſfoine meaſure found by his mint-
ftry, what he here moves them to compleat (compare ch. I. 6, 7,
27.) in expeation to find more of what they had experimented,
chatever indiſpolition might have crept upon ſome by the infinua- tions of the falſe Apoſtles, yet, this Cor:ſulation in Chriſt may be con{ider'd either (1.) AZive!y, q. d. If ye would comfort me atHi- fed in the concerns of Chriſt, or if you have any Chriftian com- fort which doth only proceed tro: thoſe that are in Chriſt, (not from moral Philoſophy) or which 1s wont to be in thoſe who wor- ſhip the ſame Chriſt, let me his Apottle be a partaker there- of. Or (2.) Paſſtvely, 2 Cor. 7. 4, 6. Philem. 7. It you being, in
Chriſt, find any conſolation againſt your afflictions, toraſmuch as
you have received it by my Miniſtry, we being both in ſuffering
circumſtances, ſhould be farther comforted by a ſweet agreement.
b The Syriac render it any ſpeaking to the heart, any-ſolace from
200d and comfortable words did reach your hearts, Fob 11. 19,
31. 1 Cor. 14. 3+ I Theff. 2. 11, and 5. 14. cheared with the love
of God or Chrift, or the Brethren ; or refreſhed with my love to
you, ch. 1, $, 9. or would that 1 ſhould be comforted with your love to me, (as he himſelf and others were with the gracious affeations of the Corinthians, 2 Cor. 7. 7.) which ye ought unteign- edly. c1f ye have ary communion with me in the graces of the
Spirit, and ſtand fait in one Spirit, c<. 1. 27. and would ſhew
that you do perſevere in the ſame Spirit, 1 Cor. 12. 4. which atts
in all the Members of the Myſtical Body of Chrift, that do in him heir head partake of it. 4d If ye are duly affected with any real
Sympathy and Commilſeration towards me in my bonds for Chritt,
ſuch inward affeQions as were moving in him towards them, ch, 1. 8.
with Luke 1. 78. 2 Cor. 7. 15. C0. 3. 12. the latter word emphatically
expreſſing the ſenſe of the Metaphor in the tormer. 'Then he ha- ring thus pathetically urged theſe Arguments, and cloſely tollow'd them to embrace the matter .propos'd, puts them upon.
2 Fulfil ye my joy e * that ye be like-minded ;,
16. & having the ſame love g, be:ng of one accord þ, 0i
one mind z.
e Viz. The exerciſe of thoſe Graces, he had heen joyful for, which would be an addition to thar joy he had for them, and the making of it much mote abundant, contributing as much as the Friends of the Bridegroom here can to the compleating of -1t, Fohn 2. 29. f Which is when they believe and affect the fame things agreeable to the mind of God, ch. 3. 15. Acts 4. 32. Kom. 12.16, 2Cor. 13. 11. g Having the ſame mutual fincere Charity, Eph. 4. 2. Col. 3. 14. h Being unanimous in their honeſt deſtgns, Fohn 17. 22.) 1 Pet. 3. 8. i Agreeing as to the main in the lame jdzment and opinion to promote the interelt of Chriſt, 1 Core 1. Io. Ol, 5. 7, 10s = ;
3 Let nothing | be dove through fſtrite or vain-glory m, but in lowlinefſs of mind let each elteem othe1 beiter than themtelves x. |
i Here the better to engage them to embrace what he had fo path<tically exhorted them to, he doth diſlwade them from ani- molity, and affeftation of applauſe, and ſelt-leeking ; and dire them to modeſty and ſelt-denial. m Intimating, they ſhould by no means indulge an inordinate affection to ſtrive and quarrel with
' ene another, provoking each other by an ambitious emulation to Crols or excel others. This arguing a carnal temper oppolite to tru? Chriſtianity, Ko#. 2. 5. V. 14. G4. 5, 16, 24, 26, being th2 very bane of true Chriſtian Concord, Kon. 13. 13. Fam. Je. 16. and deftruQtive to Faith, Fox 5. 44. 2 Cor. 12. 20. # But che- riſh and exerciſe true Chriftian Modeſty and Meekneſs (which is 0! another kind than that the Heathen Philoſophers did preſcribe) m a due preference of each other, Mar. 11. 29. Kom. 12. 10. Eph, 4. 2. and 5+ 21. 1 Pet. 5. 5. as the Apoſtle himſelf gave example. -1 Cor. 15. 8, 9. Q. It any fay, ow xs this conſiſtent with What the Apoſtle writes tv then to think of priſe and good report, Cli« 4. v =" o himſelf not a whit, and noting behind the very chief. ſt Apo- '0L. 11,
PHILIPPIANS.
fore, if by the grace of God, and Spirit of Faith, they were im-
Ch
_ * 2 Cor. 11. 5. and 12. 11. dvd firther, bow c11 ſun? theok
others beter than themſetoes in truth, unief3 they recon £904 221 !, dd Fr ? SE A 4 ry R.. . . Ys y 7 ”
evil good ? I] anſwer, (1.) Beſure Chriſtian modeity atid rea! Humi-