of Ins ſurviving it, c<. 1, 19, 25. but in-imitetion'of Chriſt, ths good $h2pherd, Fs. 19. 11. to demonttrate his conftant affection to them (as he doth to Others, 2 Cor. vfj. 2. 3.) he which micht atrer- terry, BOrrow- F I5- 5s 7- & 223 7- Fudg. 9. 13. to ſhew that h2 cord cheerfully lay down Kis life covciti:g them to God, for that was done before by Chrift's own offering up kimelf, H-5. 7. 27. a Sacrihice of a ſweet ſmell unto God, Eph. 5. 2. but whereby they might be confirmed in the Faith ſealed wich his Blood, for bearing Vitneſs to Chriſt, precious to God, 7ſ:!. 116. 15. The Creek word he hath here, is borrowed from the why2 in Sacrificing, ot Pouring Wine or Oil upon the Victim, #x54. 30.9. 2 King. IS. 13. Jer. 19. 13. When that which was poured forth was called the Drink-offering, to the confirming of Covenants. t By Sacri- tice, he means either ſpecially their Aims, prepared by them, and preſented by Eppbroditus, for ſupporting him in his Sufferings, and in the Perien of the Apoſtle offered up unto Got:!, ch. 4. 19. 2 Cor. 9. 12. or more generally, the P#lippians Convertion, be- cauſe ſantified by a principle of Faith, and ſo made a acrifice. For he doth more than once write. of Believers being offered and reſigned to God, under the notion of a Sacrifice, Km. 12. 1. & 15. 16, and fo doth another, 1 Per. 2. 5-- u Tobring them unto which by his Minifrration, was a very pleaſing ſervice to him, who by pouring out of his Blood in this Martyrdom, would confirm the Doctrin of the Geipel, or New Covenant, and fix it more ftrongly in the hearts of them an4 others of God's Choſen Feopile. w Wherenpon he expreſſeth his joy and dclizht in that, which upon this ſuppoſition would in the iffue be ſo much to their honour and adyantage, when it ſhould ſeem good to the Lord. Th-y would reckon it no {mall honour, to have him the Apoſtle thar planted the Goſpel among them ſacrificed in their vouching of the iruth,which therefore could not but be profitable to the eftabliſhing, of them in it, who had cordially embraced it. Whereupon, x he doth heartily congratulate with each of them; the meaneft as well as the greateſt of them, who would be fo privileged. 18 For the ſame caut* ajis do ye joy y, and rejo7 with me z. | Y Expecting the like affeQtion and ſympathy in every one of them , that upon the account of his ſufferings, they would thz more readily, cheerfully and covragiovſly believe in, .and {uffer tor Chriſt, Conſidering the difference twixt death threatned by Man, for our ſticking clole to God, Mar. 10. 2s. and denounced for ſlipping atide from God, in whole, or in part, 2 Theff. 1.5. 7 And that would be a congratulation of him who ſhould account their being eſtabliſhed in the Faith with mutual love and unity, a ful- filling of his Joy as before, v. 2. 19 | Burl truit in the Lord Jeſts 2, to fend * Ti-
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comfort c, when I know your ſtate 4.
4 Diverting from his former exhortation, the more to comfort them, he expreſſeth his good hope (which in reſpect of the object we tranſlate rſt) in the Lord Jeſus, exalted 'above every name, that he would be pleaſed ſome way or other, to aftord him ſuch liberty, notwithſtanding his reſtraint. þ That he ſhonld within a little while after the arrival of Zpaphrodit»s, now upon, his return, diſpatch 7:mothy to them. c Not for their further benevolence, but for the compoſing of their Spirits and ſetling of their Affairs, which to him, ſolicitous of their Souls welfare (as in a like caſe for others, 1 Theſſ. 2. 19. with 3. 5.) would be great ſatisfaction, 4 When he ſhould be certainly acquainted how things went with them 3 who might juſtly expett his ſympathy, Rom. 12.15. 1 Core 12. 26, 2 Cor. ll. 28, 29. *
20 For I have no Man + like-minded e, who will naturally care for your itare f.
e For which purpoſe I have defigned Timothy who joins with me we. in this Epiſtle, and is moft of the ſame mind with my ſelf, endued with the ſame Spirit, Faith and Love: finding none of like Soul to him with my ſelf, in defiring your proſperity, and ſo have pitched upon him. f Who: being cordial to me and you, will without regard to lucre, ingenuouſly and fincerely; above all the reft I have here, propagate the Kingdom of Chrift amongft you, and promote your Salvation in watching for your Souls, as one that muſt give an account, that he may do it with joy, Zeb.
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29- ; | 21 For all g ſeck their own h, not the things which are Jeſus Chrilt's z. | |
He doth here further commend Timothy, compared with the generality of thoſe, who with kim did attend the Miniftry of the Goſpel at Rome , where it ſeems (whatever the Papifts pretend) Peter did not then preſide as Metropolitav, When he faith a/), he doth not neceſſarily imply every individual beſides 7zmothy (tho' as before, he knew not one like-minded as he was) but almoſt all (as the univerſal fign is elſewhere Synechdochically taken, Fer. 6. 3: Mat. 10. 22. Mark. 1.5.) or the moſt part of thoſe then employed in the Miniftry, who were thenat liberty, and whoſe inclinations (probably) he had enquired into. . þ Did though not. /rmaply and, abſolutely, yet afrer a ſirt, ſeek their own profit, eaie, ſatety, plea- ſure and fatisfattion (called their own, in regard of th2ir civil right and the world's opinion ; but yet at God's diſpoſal; Zig. 2. 8.) Theſe they did (as Fohn and Mart in attther calc) prefer to a long; and tedious Journey for the ſervice of Chriſt unto Philipp?, ; 7 $0 that they did poſtpone the glory of Chiift, the latety __ _
\Where- fore he doth not mean it abſ-lurel; ; that they did not ſeek the things of Chriſt, or that they did deny Chritt, tor 'tis apparent; ever when he penn'd this Epiſtle, <6. 1. 13, 14+. v the bs 28. 14, 15
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