1 By reaſon he was ſo zealous about the work of the Miniſtry in the general, or in ſpecial to carry on that ſervice, as the Churches Meſſenger, he was entruſted with, ch. 4. 18. not only in convey” ing their benevolence on ſo long and hazardous a journey, for the reltef of the Lord's Priſoner, which Chrift would own and reward as his work, Mar. 25. 39, 40. but in attending him (whom 12 was ſent to viſit) in his confinement both within doors and abroad as occaſion required, As 28. 30. (for it ſeems the Romars were 0 generous as to give free egreſs and regreſs to his Viſitants) where- by he contradted that forementioned diſeaſe that hazarded his life. m The preſervation of which with reſpe& to the work he Was about, he did not conſult (Foh. 12. 25, 26.) but made little ac- count of it, (as #eft. 4. 16.) yea, did even deſpiſe it in the ſer- vice of Chriſt, as the original word doth import, being borrow from thoſe whoſe lives are hazarded in being caft to be devoured by Beaſts in the Theatre (which he himſelf by ſad experience ſome- time knew the meaning of, 1 Cor. 15. 32.) # So faithful was Þe to his truſt for the honour of his Lord, that to the very utmoſt 0 his ſtrength, yea and beyond it, that which he reckoned thoſe who ſent would have done themſelves had they been preſent (conſider- ing what the Goſpel requires, Gal. 6. 2. Heb. 13. 3-) that bs Oniſephorns like, 2 Tim. 1, 16, according to his meaſure made ſup" ply of in their abſence. |
CHAP.
Ch:
OS D) au HK wm YE 0m} CODER EE
2 Kt ſuch, ; I6, 2c Iſa, 56, withft; Chriſt, See v. tended Were d Chriſt,
_ them, Gal. 6. Rite the after th and req Paul her under t] Mating | In the c altoget the Aea the L.X) Apoſtle . VIINg ng any Chr if it wer now, by Was a m from it; ly repea and unit
ations, Wians,
CHAP. 1. E
Againſt falle Teachers who mingled the Law 4ad Goſpel; Felievers ar the ſpiritual Circumciſion ; confirmed by kis own Example and Faitl? 1— 4: For havingpreater outward Advantages than they, he re- garded them not , but only Chriſts Righteoufneſs and irs Fruits , s — 10. Following after Perf:ftion, 11 —— 14. Hereto he ex- Gas the Thilippians according to this Rule and after bis Example, 15 — 17. Ando decline the ways of carnal Chriſt; ans, having their Converſation in Heaven, waiting for our Lord from thence in the Re- ſurrettion, I$ — 21,
[ Inally o, my brethren p rejoice in the.Lord 9. To write the ſame things to you r, to me 11-
deed zs not grievous /, but for you it :s fafe r.
0 Moreover, or as to what remains, 7. e. by way of concluſion to the antecedent matter, and tranſition to the general exhorta- tion, he here premiſeth the ſubſequent admonition. p Willing- ly repeating the Title of Brethren, to ſhew the reſpet he had for them, and to ſweeten that he was about to ſubjoin. q He moves them (as we, with almoſt all, do tranſlate it) not as ſaluting or bidding them farewel, Luke 1. 28. 2 Cor. 13.11- but to rejoice in the Lord, as ch. 4. 4. either connoting the obje&t matter of their joy, compared with v. 3. or rather the efficient, importing for, and according, to the will of the Lord, in a manner agreeable to the pleaſure of him who affords a ground of rejoicing in the midft of your tribulations and atflitions, confidering his mercy, ch. 2. 18, 27, 29. they might tafte how good the Lord is, as elſewhere, Pſal. 37-4» F*re 9. 24. With Rom. 5. 11. 2 Core 10. 17. 1 Thefſ. 5. 16. 1 Pet. 1. 8. and ſonot after a carnal and worldly, but Spiritual and Chriſtian manner, to cheer up themſelves in him, when the World frowns moſt, Pſal. 4. 6, 7. r Writing of the ſame things cannot be reterred to any other Epiftles which he wrote to the Philippians, but to thoſe things, which whiles preſent with them, he had delivered to them by word of mouth, as ch. 4. 9g. compare Iſa. 28. 10» Rom. 15. 15. 2 Pet. 1. 12. 1 Fobhn 2.21. f For my part I do not do it with regret, nor account it tedious (as ſome Teachers do) as if T were aſhamed of it, that I ſhould do any thing ſuperfluous, or not neceſſary, in Writing again the ſame things for the matter of them, that 1 had before Preached to pre- ſerve you from falling as others have done, v. 18. r Becauſe this repetition of the ſame Doftrin, though in another way is pertinent to your Edification (yea, as ſome read, it is neceſſary) 'tis greatly advantagious for your frability in the Faith, and to caution and keep you in ſafety, from the infinuations of falſe Teachers, that Inow give you a brief Memorial in Writing of thoſe things, that you may be cautioned, and they may not, eſpecially in this day of adverſity, ſlip out of your memories, or be loſt.
2 Beware « of dogs w, beware of evil workers x, beware of the conciſion y. |
u He cautions all, both Othcers and People: and though the Original Word doth fignifie to look with mind and eye, yet it is alſo frequently rendred to take heed, *Mark 8. 15. & 12. 38. & 12. 9, 23, 33+ I Cor. 16. 10. 2 Fohn $. 9. w Of thoſe Dogs (with the Article emphatically propoſed) a Meraphor borrowed from thoſe voracious, fierce, impure Animals, whoſe price was not brought into the Lord's houſe, Deut. 23. 18. Prov. 26. 11. 1Iſz. 66. 3- 2 Pet. 2. 22. to connote the falſe Apoſtles, who endea- youred to corrupt the Goſpel with Fudaiſm and Prophaneneſs , even Anti-Chriſtianiſm. Compare Pal. 22. 16, 20. Mat. 7. 6. & 15. 26. Rev. 22. 15, Some think the Apoſtle may allude unto the Proverbial Speech, Take heed of 4 mad Dog, foraſmuch as falſe Teachers, being aGed as with a certain madneſs, would bite Chrift and his Apoſtles, and tear his Body ; and theſe mad Dogs were the more dangerous, in that they did not bark ſo much as bite. Hence they ſay, Take heed of 2 dumb Dop, and ftill Watcher. There were of ſeveral ſorts, Enemies to the Croſs of Chriſt, Gal. 5.12, 1 Thef. 2. 14, 15. ſome more ſecret, as Abſalon againft Amnon, 2 Sam. 13. 22. pretending contrary to their practice , 2 King. $. 13. & 12. 22, our Saviour bid his Diſciples beware of ſuch, Mar. 10. 17. which he found' to be of this temper, Pſal. 22.
I6, 20. & 55. 15, though ſome of them were but dumb Dogs,
Iſa. 56. 10. ſome ſuch there were among the Philippians, who not-
withſranding their fair pretext, were enemies to the Croſs of
Chrift, did ſecretly diſparage his true Apoſtle, and tear his Flock.
See v. 18, of this Chapter, with ch. 1. 15, 16. x Such as pre-
tended to labour in promoting the Goſpel of Chriſt, but ſecretly