Annotations upon all the New Testament philologicall and theologicall wherein the emphasis and elegancie of the Greeke is observed, some imperfections in our translation are discovered, divers Jewish rites and customes tending to illustrate the text are mentioned, many antilogies and seeming contradictions reconciled, severall darke and obscure places opened, sundry passages vindicated from the false glosses of papists and hereticks / by Edward Leigh ...

CHAP. III.

Vers. 2. BEware of Dogs] The Greek word signifies to see, so 2 Col. 8. so the La∣tines use,* 1.1 video pro caveo. Seducers and false Teachers are called dogges. First, because they make a great spoile among the flockes, where they are let loose, Ezech. 22.25. Acts 20.29. Secondly, they are fawning crouching creatures, they come in a specious way; pretending much humility, and in offensivenesse, 2 Tim. 3, 4.5. Rom. 16.18. Thirdly, in respect of their indefatigable industry; the dogge will compasse much ground in the prosecution of his prey; so these Sea and Land, to make a Proselyte. The Apostle termes such Jewes here dogges which revolted from Christianity to Circumcision.

* 1.2Beware of the circumcision] By this word beware thrice repeated, the Apostle signi∣fies, that he would have the Philippians diligently know and distinguish false teachers from true; and to take heed of the one, and highly esteeme the others. Zanchie.

Concision] By an allusion to the circumcision of which they boasted, when they did nothing else but rend the Church. Calvin.

Vers. 3. We are the circumcision] That is, truly circumcision, viz. in heart, not those which yet continue in the externall circumcision now abolisht. See Rom. 2.19.

Rejoyce in Christ Jesus] That is, Place the whole confidence of Salvation in Christ; and confesse this openly, when there is need.

Vers 5. An Hebrew of the Hebrewes * 1.3] That is, excellent or famous among the He∣brewes,

Vide Drusn observat. l. 4. c. 20. Of those first most laudable and ancien•• He∣brewes, Abraham, Jsaac and Iacob. à Lapide. See Zanchius.

Verses 8. and 9. Yea doubtlesse, and I count all things but losse, for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Iesus our Lord: for whom J have suffered the losse of all things; and doe account them but dung, that J may win Christ: And be found in him not having, &c.* 1.4 That is, not barely to know these things, or to beleeve them by faith; but to have the experience of the vertue of his resurrection, in raising him from the death of sinne to holinesse, and newnesse of life; giving him a full conquest over his corruptions, and spirituall life and strength to serve God in some perfection.

The Apostle speaketh of two kindes of righteousnesse, the one which is a mans own, not having mine own righteousnesse, the other which is anothers; and that is Gods or Christs. The former he calleth the righteousnesse of the Law, viz. Where∣by a man through observation of the Law, is accounted righteous, and in this Paul would not be found: not that he would not be found fruitfull in good workes, but he would not be judged by them; they being in comparison of the Lawes purity and perfection a stained Clout; the latter in which Paul would be found, that he might find acceptation in the sight of God, is not his own, but anothers. 2 Not obtained by any, even the best workes but apprehended by faith; which cannot be said to lay hold on any thing within us; but something without us. 3. It is of God through faith, that is, such a one as God freely through his Christ giveth us, and maketh ours; not by putting it into us as other graces; but by imputing it into us, and by this meanes acquitting us; and secondly of such a person that is God, as well as man.

Vers. 10. That I may know him] Two things are comprized in it.* 1.5 1. Have the experience within himselfe, of the things he knew. 2. A further degree of know∣ledge; both Theoreticall and Practicall.

And the power of his resurrection] That is, that he might feele in himselfe that power whereby Christ was raised from death to life; to raise him also from the bon∣dage of his sinnes, to a new life. Perkins.

Being made conformable] Or as Beza reads it, whiles I am made conformable. Vnto his death, that is, unto Christ being dead.

Vers. 11. Vnto the resurrection of the dead] That is, by a Metonymie of the subject for the adjunct,* 1.6 that perfection of holinesse which accompanieth the Estate of the resurrection.

Vers. 13. Forgetting those things which are behind] viz. The former part of his care in the way of godlinesse, as Caesar in warlike matters, proceeding still forward.* 1.7

Nilque putans factum dum quid superesset agendum.

And reaching forth * 1.8] Greek, bending or stretching forward, as if he threw himselfe forward like a dart, v. 13. After that Christian perfection, unto which he had not yet attained. See Doctor Airay in loc.

Vers. 14. I follow hard (or presse wieh an eager pursuite (for so doth the word emphatically import) after the mark) as by levelling at the mark for) or unto,* 1.9 that is, to attaine unto.

The price of the high calling] That is to the heavenly glory, to which God calls all his Elect in Christ. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, signifies praemium certantibus propositum.

V. 16. Let us walke by the s••me rule] Or as some not unfitly translate it, let us * 1.10 proceed by one rule, for the word properly signifies to goe on in order; it is a Military word borrowed from the marching of Souldiers unto the Battell; whose manner it is to keep their rancke, and without any outraying to march along after the prescript rule of their Generall, or Leader. Incedamus quasi milities in acie ordine & gradu nostro, Gal. 5.25. & 6.16. à Lapide.

Let us minde the same thing] The phrase of speech here used, signifies to be of one minde, of one judgement, of one affection one toward another; so that nothing be done through contention amongst us. See 2. Chap. 2. v. and 4. Chap. 2. v. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 idem sapere, id est, sapiamus, as the words before in the Greek are to walke in the same rule. The Infinitives are put for the Imperative, after the manner of the He∣brewes▪ à Lapide. Unlesse it be an Elliptick phrase, in which some word is to be understood. See Vorstius.

* 1.11Vers. 20. For our conversation is in Heaven] Our City conversation, our trading and trafficking. The Greeke word comprehends two things. 1. The State of a cor∣poration, City, or body Politique; and the Lawes whereby they that are so embodi∣ed are regulated. 2. The wayes, indeavours, and aimes of such, in relation to such a State. In the first sense the meaning is, we are free of the City of God, naturalized; in the second sense the meaning is, we live as those of the City of God; our actions and wayes savour of heaven.

Vers 21. Who shall change our vile body] An allusion to those who changing old and broken vessels, desire to have them wrought in the best and newest fashion.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Habet Empha∣sim quod ••on simpliciter ait cavete canes, sed addit articulum, istos canes, istos malos operarios; voluit omnino digito monstra∣re illos falsos Doctores qui erant Philippis.
• * 1.2

  Duae sunt causae cur hos doctores ex circumcisione vocarit concisi∣onem: una quia sua doctri∣na de carnali circumcisione, ape••te se non∣dum esse verè circumcisos, nempe corde, sed tantùm corporis particula conci∣sos declarabant: altera quia dum illam carnalem circumcisionem urgebant, corpus Ecclesiae scindebant atque perdebant. Zanch.
• * 1.3

  Whereby he argues the ancientnesse of his stock and linage, as being continued from Abraham called the Ebrew, or from Eber of whom the Jewes were called Ebrewes; which was before the confusion of tongues, at the building of Babell. Doctor Airay. Gen. 14.13.20, 21, 25.
• * 1.4

  Dung] Or dogges meat. Vide Bezam. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 di∣cuntur quasi 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. m••cae quae canibus projiciuntur. Vide à Lapide.
• * 1.5

  Vide Bezam. ut perfectiè cog∣noscam. Jerome.
• * 1.6

  That is, to have beene as per∣fect as the glo∣rified persons in the day of judgement.
• * 1.7

  Alludit ad cur∣sores qui nus∣quam defle∣ctunt oculos, ne celeritatem cur∣sus sui retardent Calvinus. Vide Bezam
• * 1.8

  Graece 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, quod magnam habet Emphasim: significat enim manus totúmque corpus proten∣dere ad scopum, ut eum apprehendas antequam pedibus eum attigeris: quod faciunt stadiodromi, qui cum extremo nisu conantur, maximè dum metae & victoriae vicinae sunt, ut antagonistam aequis penè passibus currentem praevertant, caput totumque corpus & vires exerunt, ac praecipites ad scopum ruunt, ad eúmque summis manibus eum prebenfuri se extendunt. Jta Chrysost. Et The∣oph. à Lapide in loc.
• * 1.9

  It is the same word that sig∣nifies to perse∣cute because the earnest∣nesse of his Spirit in pressing toward the mark now is the same, that it was in the persecution of those that pressed toward the marke before. Mr. Burroughes. As good runners when they come neer unto the mark, stretch out their head and hands, and whole body to take hold of them that run with them, or of the mark that is before them; so he in his whole race so laboured unto that which was before, as if he were still stretching out his Armes to take hold of it. Doctor Airay.
• * 1.10

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 dicitur ordo in acie à fronte ad extremum ag∣men por••ectus. Thucid. l. 4.
• * 1.11

  The word sig∣nifies our Charter and, our munici∣pall Lawes, we live by the same Lawes, as the Saints and Angels in hea∣ven doe. Pro conversati∣one, Grae••è est, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, quae vox significat conversationem civilem, id est, civium intet se: tanquam dicat aposto••us, civi∣tas nostra in qua ut cives conversam••••, in coelis est; Jtaque nos non terrena s••pimus sed coelestia. Estius. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 significat inquit Budaeus, regimen Politicum reipublicae vel civitatis. q.d. Nostrum regimen, nostra respublica, nostra civitas in coelis est; nos gerimus ut municipes coelorum. à Lapide. Corpore ambulamus in terra, corde habitamus in caelo. Aug. Anima non est ubi animat sed ubi amat.