were doing miſchief among Chriſtians, not ſerving the Glory of
Chriſt, but their own Bellies, v. 18. 12. being as he elſewhere calls
them, deceitful Workers, 2 Cor. 11. 13. glorying in the fleſh,
Gal. 6.13. »y By an elegant alluſion to the name Circumciſion, which
Rite the Fewsdid glory in, and ſome falſe Teachers of Chriftianity
after the time of Reformation, did urge as necefary to Salvation;.
and require it from o9thers, Ads.” 15. 1. Gal. 5. 2, 4+ & 6. 12
Pau] here in an holy Sarcaſm charges the Philippiajss to take heed of,
under the contemptible name of the Concifion, or cutting off, inti-
mating that the exterior part of that typical work, which was done
n the cutting off the fore-skin, was now from the coming of Chriſt,
altogether made a meer cutting off the skin condemned by God in
the Heathens, as a prophane inciiion, Lev. 19. 23. & 21. 5. where the LXX uſe the ſame prepoſition in the compound word, the
Apoſtle here doth in contempt of the thing; which could now . dring nothing of profit, nothing of holineſs, nothing of honour to
ay Chriſtian, could no more avail, or advantage a Man row, than
1 1t were conferred on a Beaft, being no Seal of the Covenant
now; but a tickling for that Rite (when aboliſhed by Chriſt) which
Vas a meer rending of the Church, and in that effe& a cutting off
from it; Gal. 5. 10, 12. And the Apoſtle doth rhrge times fignant-
) repeat this word, beware of theſe enemies to Chriſtian purity
and unity, to: ſhew how neceſſary it was' to. avoid their Infinu-
Mars, againſt which he is more ſharp in his Epiſtle to the
tians,
PHILIPPIANS.
Chap. [1].
4
LY
* T1; 1VULC
—_ T a
| 3 For we z are tlic circumciſion -, * which wor- ſhip God in the ſpirit b, and rejoice in Clirift Jeſts and have no confidence in the fieſh d.
7 In oppoſition to, and confutation of the Cynciſion, he ſpeaks of himſelf, and all true Pelicyers in the fellowſhip of the Gotpe!, partakers of the ſame Grace and Spirit with him, c>. 1.5, 7. & {4 2. 1. and faith We, a Uſing a Metonymi?, are the Circymacit 7 "ig? now acceptable, and not diſpleaſing to God, 7. e. we are what is really fignified by it, and therefore as to the main intent of it are | the Circumciſed (it being uſual to put Circumciſion for Circumeiss, a AF. 11. 2. ROM. 3. 30s & 4. 12. & 15, 9. Gil. 2. 7, $, 9, 12. "MN C9. 4. 11. Tit. 1. 10.) he doth not mean with reſpe& to carnal Circumcinon, 7z. e. which isourward in the Eleth, but which is i- ward in the Spirit, Rom. 2. 23, 29. made withaut hands by the Circumciſion of Chrift, with whom we are buried in Baptiſm, CZ 2. 11, 12. and being Chriſt's are Abrthimn's ſpiritual Seed; - an Heirs of the Promiſe, Gal. 23. 29. b 7. e. Who having cur off all carnal confidence of Salvation, in any external Services (which they . - of the concition contend for) and do Worſhip God not with carnal, I but ſpiritual Worſhip, ſuch as now under the Goſpel he doth re- | quire, Foh. 4. 23, 24+ Rom. 1. 9. froma renewed h-art, Fok. 2.8, w, "1 5
d; FL SR
wr
1 Per. 2. 15. yielding peculiar adoration to the Lord our God, with a tincere mind, and by the aſfiftance of his Spirit in the exer- ciſe of Faith and Love, Rom. $. 5, 6, 26, 27. Epi. 3. 15, 17. % 6. 18. Zeb. 1c. 22. according to the ſame rule he hath preſcribed, 16. with Rom. 12. 1,2. Gal. 6. 16. inand through Chritt, zl. 13. 15- c In whom alone (not in Moſes allo as falſe Teachers would join them) glorying we truſt for acceptance wich Ged , 2 Cor. 5.9. Gal, 6. 14. in communion With whom is Zround of re: joicing through Chriſt, who is the ſubſtance or body of Meſict ſhadows, verſ. g. 4 And not reſt or truft, or place our hope in any carnal or external privilege or performance, or any 6ct!er beſides Jeſus Chriſtto commend us to God, Gal. 2. 2; 11, 12, 1?-
4 1 hough | mightalfo have confidence in the ticth e. It any other man thinketh that he «hath wEereof he might truſt in the fleſh, I more f. TE
e To prevent any cavil about what he ſaid as if hedid magnifies Chrifr, and forbear glorying in thoſe external privileges they did ſo much bear themſelves upo?, our of envy to them, for what they had; he here argues upon ſuppoſition (as elſewhere to cut. off oc- cation from Boaſters, 2 Cor. 11. 12, 18, 21, 22.) that if it were lawful, and would turn to any good account to confide in the fleſh; he had the ſame ground the Impottors had, and might bnild up that in himſelf which he had deftroyed in others, Gal. 2. 19. ft Yea, and to compare things by a juft balance, it any of thoſe he ! had juſtly taxed, or any other that in conceit mizht hold his head higher in that way, he could produce not only as much , but much more ground of truſt in thoſe external Rites, &c. as he that = mot excellent 3 only that it was in vain, and of no value; *f verſe 7:
5 Circumciſed the eighth day &, of the ſtock of Iſrael h, of the tribe of Benjaminz, an He- brew of the Hebrews k : as touching the law, a Phariſee /. e F
g Or there was,. or I had the eighth d:y Circumciſion ;, ſoit may by a uſual ſupply of the Verb be read (as alſo what follows) without p a M-tonymie. He begins with his Birth-privilege, intimating that A he was not proſelyted, but born within the pale of the Church, & and dedicated to God under the ſeal of the Covenant at the dzy of God's appointment, Ger. 17. 12. þ Not ſprung from Erhnick Pa- rents, not an Jſhmaelite, or Edomite, but a genuine Jſraelite, Rom. LI. 1. 2 Cor. 11. 22. #Z Of that more honeſt diviftion where the Temple ſtood, Foſ. 18.28. of the Tribe of Benjamin the Son of be- loved Rachel, and his Father's Darling, Gep. 44. 20. Ret. 21. 10s under God's ſpecial proteaion, Deut 33. 12, forward in the Re- formation, Ezra 1.5. &k& A true deſcendent by Facob, from Abra- Tat ham the Father of the faithful, called an #ebrew (Heber joined not in building Babel) Gen. 10. 21, 25. & t4. 13. 1 S4m. 4. 6. fignify- ing that he was of the truly ancient Lineage which retained the Hebrew Tongue, Foh. 8. 33, 29. Aff..22. 2. ROM. 4. 12. 2 Core 11.22. I By Religion and ftrifter obſervation of the Law, ac- cording to the preſcript moſt in vogue, of that Se? which tor Learning, knowledge of the Scripture, and reputation for Holi- neſs, was the moſt eminent, At. 26. 5. yea, and his Father was of this Order before him; Ad. 23. 6. |
6 Concerning zeal mz, * perſecuting the church »- + aq.2 z; touching the righteouſneſs which is inthe law, blame- | leſs 0. | Ns f