rejoyce in the day of Chriſt 7, * that I have not run -21n vain, neither laboured in vain /. | q Carefully bearing before you , and ftedfaftly ſhewing not | only by your profeſſion, but converſation, the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, 1 Foh. 1. 1. whoſe Goſpel is the Word of Life, in that it is the ; Power of God to Salvation, Ad. 13. 26. Rom. 1. 16. He doth not ; ſay, holding forth carnal Inſtitutions, nor humane Traditions; but « that word, wherein is to be had Eternal. Life, Foh. 5. 29. & 6. 68. : 7 Quickning them from the conſideration of the glorious joy he . ſhould have in their Salvation; at the day of Chrift, See ch. 1. 6. _ When he and they ſhould of God's free Grace, receive an abundant '. reward, viz. of his Miniſtry and Exhortation, and of their em- t bracing it, and working out their Salvation by God's ſpecial aſhiſt- it ance, / For it would be evident to his, as well as their everlaſting \C comfort, when he ſhould ſee then , that his laborious Miniſtry a- | 15 mong them had not. been fruſtrate or fruitleſs in the Lord, Mar. '0 25.21, 1 Cor. 3+ 8,9. &X 15. 59, Then in a more glorious way, | 11- op they woutd be his Joy and Crown, than they were at preſent, rt hor * 4o In : %o © 17 Yea and if r 1 be + oftered / ttpon the ſacrifice 7 he ty, 9nd ſervice z of your faith, *I joy , and rejoyce with to Jou all x. 1d5 |
% Fon: 1: 3, Thete vere many that.did ſerioully ſeck Chrls - Is
+ ® 'E) HI2YC0UCYT's *R CN. 16:
FT Or, It A24r unt9
Chap. 1I.
but compar.tively, and in a ſort, they did not ſeek the things of Chriſt ſo intenſly as they ſhould, 1 Cor. 10. 24, 33. but failed as others did in other caſes, Mat. 26. 58. 2 Tim. 4. 15. (not as if all minding, of their own things were denied to Chriſt's Minifters, 1 Tim. 3+ 4, 5+ & 5. $, but) they did lip their necks from under the yoke, and did not mind the Glory of Chrift in the Church of Philippi, as he did.
22 Bur ye know the proof of him &, that as a ſon with the father /, he hath ſerved with me in the goſ-
Del m. : t However others were found in ſome reſpetts defettive to the ſervice of Chriſt, yet he appeals to their experience of the integ- rity and fidelity of Timotky in conjun&ion with himſelf, when he Preached the Goſpel among them, and afterwards, As 16. 1, 15. & 1$.5. & 19. 22. & 20. 4, 6. 1 Which he amplifhes and illu- ſtrates by a S7mile, when he faith, as 4 Son with the Father, q. d. juſt as a genuine and obedient Son is wont to retain the Spirit of his Father that begat him z and Pau! doth Metaphortcally call Time- z{y his own Son, begotten by the Goſpel, Gal. 4. 19. 1 Tim. 1s. I his dearly beloved Son, 2 7m. 1. 2. and faithful in the Lord, 1 Cor. 4+ 17. like-minded with himſelf, v. 20. m With whom he had not only Preached, but ſerved in the Goſpel, chap. 1. 1. given him- ſelf wholly to the thing. He doth not ſay, ſerved me, or under me, but with me in the Goſpel, 7. e. to advance the glory of Chrift in promoting the Goſpel, by helping with Paul and labouring, work- ing the work of the Lord, as Paul alſo did, and _ ſometime a ſufferer under reſtraint for that ſervice, as Paul himſelf, Zeb. 13. 23. for the Goſpel, which is not a Domination, but Miniſtration, - 4 way this great Apoſtle owns Timothy as his Fellow Mini- ter.
23 Him therefore I hope to ſend preſently », ſo
ſoon as I ſhall ſee how 1t will go with me 0.
7 Seeing ths matter was thus, he thought not of any other to employ in the ſervice of their Faith, but hoped, 7. e.- in the Lord .Teſus, as v. 19. in a ſhort time after his preſent Writing, to ſend this excellent, humble and approved young Man, who would natu- rally care for th-ir concerns, v. 20. 0 Even without any delay (tho? as yet to accompany Fpaphroditus, he could not ſpare him who was ſo uſeful to him in his bonds, to take care for things neceſſary to the propazation of the Goſpel, ir th? ample City of Rome) from the hour he ſhould come to a c:rtainty, what would be the iſſue of his preſent Impritonment, which if ic ſhould end in his being of- fered up, he had ſatisfied them before, as it would be for his own advantage, ch. 1. 21. ſo by the Providence of God, no differvice to their Faith, v. 17, 18. from which with ready ſubmiſhon to God's will, whatever occurred, it ſeems he had a greater inclination to conceive a good hope of freedom.
24 Bur* I truſt in the Lord p, that I alſo my ſelf
ſhall come ſhortly 9. p So he expreſſeth his ſtrong perſuaſion, as the word we tranſlate rruſt (being ſeldom uſed, but when the thing truſted imports the . obje&) ix the Lord, i. e. Jeſus, whom he doth abſolutely and emi- nently call Lord, being ſo highly exalted above all others, v. 9. not only here, but elſewhere, wv. 29. ch. 3. 1. & 4+ 1, 4, 10, On whom he doth wholly depend, and to whom he doth ſubmit for the iſſue. qg Before he had ſuggefred his perſuaſion of abiding with them, ch. 1. 25. and here that he might ſatisfie them he had not chang'd his mind, he adds for their comfort, that they might not be diſcouraged in their ſufferings, what apprehenſions he had after a while, of being ſet at liberty (if God pleas'd) and if ſo, he would have them conceive, ſoon after he had done what was neceſſary at Rome (for him who had care of all the Churches) he deſigned to follow Timothy to them. .
25 Yet I ſuppoſed it neceſſary to ſend to you Epa- phroditusr, my brother and companion in labour /, and fellow-ſouldier t, but * your meſſenger «, and he that miniſtred to my wants w.