Will influenced to will that it doth perform, it undoubtedly wills ſomewhat that is certain, and fo is determined by God. f T0 do that which js ſavingly good. Whereupon being made wa ling, it hath not only an inclination, and doth not only exert a woulding, but being moved by God's inſuperable Grace, 1 Cor. 3. 7. that Will is effe@tual, and is the very deed, where the command of the Will is executed to the glory of God, as the Author. As in Alms, not only doth God incline the Will to
relieve the Poor, but further contributes ſpecial gracious "_
p_
Hl 0
lipht-be Gen. 1, not an Rev. 13 W: 11> IF IcJoyc IN val q C: only hy 1 79h, wo lay, hd that we r Quic hog When] reward bracing ance, comfort Mong t] 25.21, *ÞOy- they we Nhor Co fe I
[
1 Chap: il to perform what was deliberated, which cvinceth, that it is from another - Principle than our ſelves. . It. is not, that ye may be able to will, and may be able to do : hat he worketh both to will and
to do: which connotes the very act.it felt; that ye will, to be-
ji2ve, obey, pray, perſevere ; and that ye do-believe, obey, pray,Per-
{>vere ; of unwilling he makes willing ; and further, to will, and
ro do. *Tis true, to will, as it is an at of the will, is curs by
Creation ; and to will well is fo far ours, we bing made eicttually
willing by God's grace : yet not ours, as tho* of our ſelves we be-
gin to Will, or $o on, but it is of him who worketh in us. Not
chat we cannot will weil, but that of our ſelves we cannot vill
well. The Precept therefore requiring our eb2dicnce docs not
ſhew what we can or will of onr ſelves, but what we ought to will and todo, by Ged's ſpecial help. But thouzh God work in us obedience; yet we obey, we our ſelves ad, being ated of God.
g Not for any previous diſpoſition in any of us, bur of, or accord-
ing to his own good pleaſure, Luke 10. 21, Eph. 1. 5, 9, Lt. &
2, 3. 2 The. 1. 11. With 2 Tim. 1. 9. In working out our own
Salvation, the very beginning in the will, aſwell as the perfe&ion
is aſcribed to the efhcacy of God ; his good pleaſure is the procre-
ating and helping cauie of this work on the will, and not the wills good pleaſure. 14 Do all things without murmurings þ, and diſ-
PutINgsS z. |
h The Apoſtie here ſubjoins to his exhortation to condeſcenſion and humility, a ditwaſive from the oppoſite vices, moving them to do all that was incumbent on them as Chriſtians without pri- vate mutterings , ſecret whiſperings and complaining, which might argue their impatience under the yoke of Chrift, whiles put upon doing or ſuffering ſuch things, either refle&ing on God's
Providence, as the Iſraelites of Old, Numb. 11. 1. 5c. 1 Cor. 10. 10.
reckoning they had hard meaſure: or (rather here contidering
the Context) grudging at others, as the Greeks and Fews had done,
Luk. 5. 30. Foh. 6, 41, 42. Ad. 6. 1. yea and ſome of the Dil-
ciples were found guilty of this ill temper, againft their Maſter,
Foh. 6. 61. Chriſtian Charity difſallows Grudgings, 1 Pers 4. 9+
Fud- v. 10. and alſo, 7 Hot and eager conteſts and quarrellings
about thoſe things wherein the life and main buſineſs of Religion 1s
not concerned, but the unity of the Spirit of Holineſs is oppoſed,
Mat. 18. I. Mark ge 33» Luk. 9. 45s Rome 14. 1. 2 Core 12. 20
With I Tile I. 6. & 2. 8,
15 That ye may be blamele & and f harmleſs 7, the ſons of God mz without rebuke z in the midſt of 2 fine crooked and perverſe nation 0, among whom + ye thine as lights in the world p :
k That ye behave your ſelves ſo, that none can juftly reproach you, Lnke 1.6. and tho* you cannot altogether put to filence fool- iſh Men, Foh. 15. 25. 1 Pet. 2. 15, yet they cannot have any juſt cauſe to ftain your reputation. * } But You may be found {incere, fimple, void of guile, Mar. 10. 16. Fobn 1. 47. Rom. 16. 19- 1 Pet. 2, 1, With 1. 14. # Without ſuch ſpots and blemiſhes as are inconſiftent with your . Adoption or Sonſhip, Eph. 5. 27. 2 Sons of God, in regard of their Relation, ſhould be careful as much as may be, that they do not expoſe themſelves to the biting reproofs of thoſe carping Neighbours who are not of their Father's Family, Cant. 4. 7. Mat. 5. 48. Eph. 1. 4. Fude, v. 24. 0 But ſhew by their lying in wickedneſs, 1 Foh. 5. 19. and the uncured ſpots 3 yea, . even Plague-ſores upon them who have notoriouſly corrupted themſelves 3 that they are a perverſe, crooked, un- toward and adulterous Generation, Deut. 32. 5. Pſal. 125. 5. Mat. 12. 39. Affs 2.4. & 13. $, 10. p In converling with ſuch a ſort of Men, ye either do, or ought unanimouſly to ſhew your ſelves to be light in the Lord, Mar. 5. 14, 16. Eph. 5: 8, 15. Enlightned by the Sun of Righteouſneſs, Mal. 4. 2. to give a more clear light; that however the uncivil wicked would belpatter you, and caſt reproach upon you in the neceflary exerciſes of Re- ligion ; yet you not ſuffering as Murtherers, Thieves, Buſibodies, or, &c, 1 Per. 4.4, 16. you will then, eſpecially if Chritt's faith- ful Embaſſadors, ſhew your ſelves to be not ſuch Lantern or Torch- bearers as accompanied treacherous Fudas, Foh. 18. 3. (however the ill Men you live among, may reckon you no better) but ſuch light-bearers under Chriſt (the Seventy uſe the word for Stars , Gen. 1. 14. Dan. 12. 3. Rev. 1. 16, 20s) as irradiate the World, not a! Houſe, as a Candle doth, but the World, as Stars do, REV. 12. Is
16 Holding, forth the word of life q ; * that I may
Nr, fin
PHILIPPIANS.
motheus ſhortly unto you b, that I alſo may be of £004
cation of the Church thexe, to their own things.
: « 3 _%42Y wR. .F 7,
(144. i et A WY] - _
r That he might further confirin and encour2ye them in their
Duty, he doth not here conclude the c2rtainty of -his death,. ar his firſt Imaprifonment, having exprelied biiore fome confidenc-