Lectures upon the vvhole Epistle of St. Paul to the Philippians, deliuered in St. Peters Church in Oxford: by the reuerend and faithfull seruant of Christ Henry Airay ... and now published for the vse of Gods Church by C.P. ...

LECTƲRE XLI.

PHILIP. 2. Vers. 22.23.24.

But yee know the proofe of him, that as a sonne with the father, hee hath serued with mee in the Gospell.

NOw the Apostle in these words, to cleere Ti∣mothee of that fault wherewith very many of the rest were tainted, that hee sought not his owne more than that which was Iesus Christs, he asketh no other or better proofe thereof then their owne knowledge and ex∣perience of him, for that they knew very well that Timothee as a sonne with the father, serued with the Apostle the Lord Christ in preaching of his Gospell.

But yee (saith the Apostle) know the proofe of him, &c.] As if the Apostle should haue said, The rest that are with mee, at least very many of them, seeke their owne more then that which is Iesus Christs. But for Timothee, your selues will serue to cleere him of this fault: yee know vpon that knowledge and proofe which yee haue of him, that hee is another kinde of man, that he hath serued with me, euen as a sonne with his father, whom? Christ Iesus: wherein? in the Gospell, that is, in the preaching of the Gospell, his ministerie is fully knowne vnto you, that both he and I haue walked after one rule in preaching of the Gospell of Iesus Christ, euen that wee haue walked as the father and the sonne in the selfe same steps, vn∣to the building of the spirituall Temple of Christ Iesus, hee walking as hee hath mee for example. This I take to bee the Apostle his meaning in these words. The notes hence to bee obserued I will rather point at, then much stand vpon, especi∣ally in this place and auditorie.

1. Hence I note that Timothy whom the Apostle sent vnto the Philippians, was a man of whom they had had proofe and experience before, and whose faithfulnesse in the worke of his ministery was so well knowne vnto them that they could not

doubt thereof. And this was the cause why the Apostle thought it not needfull to labour much in the clearing of Ti∣mothy from such faults as had infected the rest, or in the en∣larging of his commendation: they knew that as a son with the father, so he had laboured with the Apostle in preaching the Gospell of Christ Iesus. A thing whereunto euen all the ministers of Christ Iesus ought most earnestly to striue, by their faithfull and carefull walking in the workes of their cal∣ling to approue themselues, not onely before the Lord, but also before men, to be the faithfull seruants of Christ Iesus. Yea but here is all the skill to do so: or rather it seemeth a thing impossible to approue our selues both before the Lord, and also before men. For if we yet should please men we were not the seruants of Christ. And therefore the Apostle in an o∣nother place protesteth against pleasing of men,* 1.1 and saith, we so speake, not as they that please men, but God which trieth our hearts.* 1.2 How is it then possible for vs to approue our selues both before God, and before men? True, it is a matter of no small difficulty. If we crie peace, peace, all is well, if we sew cushions vnder their elbowes, and speake faire and smooth∣ing words, if we suffer them to take their fill of pleasure, and to wallow in their wickednesse, and either say nought vnto them, or runne with them, happily wee may please men, but doubtlesse we shall not please God. Againe, if we crie aloude and lift vp our voices like trumpets, and tell the house of Ia∣cob their sinnes, and the house of Israel their transgressions, if we rouse them out of that dead sleepe of sinne whereinto they are fallen, and lay the axe to the roote of sinne to cut it vp by the rootes; if we poure vineger into such wounds as fin hath made in their soules, and denounce the sharp threatnings of the law against them, happily wee may approue our selues vnto the Lord, but doubtlesse we shall not approue our selues vnto men. Nay what almost can we say or doe, whereby wee shall be able to approue our selues both before the Lord, and before men? What then? are we to striue vnto an impossibi∣lity? Not so neither; but this being out of doubt that wee ought to approue our selues before the Lord whose Ministers we are, and whose name wee beare before our people; wee

ought likewise so faithfully and carefully to walke in our cal∣ling before men, as that vnto their consciences wee may giue certaine proofes that we are the seruants of Iesus Christ. We cannot alwaies so approue our selues vnto men, as that what we say or doe shall please them, neither doe we or ought we to striue thereunto; but we may and ought so to worke the work of our ministery, and to doe the duties of our calling as that they ought to approue vs, and may know that we are the ser∣uants of Iesus Christ, howsoeuer wee come vnto them, whe∣ther, as the Apostle saith, with a rodde, or in loue,* 1.3 and in the spi∣rit of meeknesse. For whether wee come with a rodde, or in loue, and in the spirit of meeknesse, whether we improue, or correct, or instruct, or exhort, or rebuke, our care and endea∣uour therein is to approue our selues vnto him whose Mini∣sters wee are, and that wee may bee found faithfull among you.

Now as we ought thus to approue our selues vnto you, and by our faithfull walking in our calling to giue such proofe of our selues vnto you that ye may know that indeede wee serue the Lord in the Gospell; so againe ought yee to take heede of approuing any who giues not plaine proofe that he serues the Lord in the Gospell. They whom ye must approue, must bee such as seeke not yours but you, such as first seeke that which is the Lord Iesus Christs, and then that which is their owne, such as ye know by your owne proofe that they serue their Lord Iesus Christ in preaching of his Gospell, and not them∣selues or any else whomsoeuer. For from their lips ye shall re∣ceiue knowledge and instruction, and by their mouth ye shall be taught in the waies of the Lord, and in the workes of his commandements. For they seruing the Lord Iesus from their hearts purely out of the abundance of their hearts endite good matters, and their tongue is as the penne of a ready writer. Now whether all of this congregation approue such, and none but such, your selues can better tell then behoueth me to iudge. But not to dissemble my feare, I am in feare, as the Apostle saith, of some of you, that you more approue of such as serue that man of sinne in seducing you by traditions, then of such as serue the Lord in the preaching of the Gospell. The

Apostle ye know maketh mention of some bad ones, it is easie to gesse who at this day doe most resemble them,* 1.4 which creep into houses, and lead captiue simple women laden with sins, and led with diuers lusts &c. And our Sauiour likwise maketh mention of such as compasse sea and land to make one of their profession,* 1.5 and when hee is made they make him two∣fold more the childe of hell then they themselues are. I feare least some of them haue beguiled some of you, and seduced your foolish hearts that ye should not hearken and obey the holy word of life, which onely is able to make you wise vnto saluation through the faith which is in Christ Iesus. For how else commeth it to passe that some doe so seldome present themselues in the holy place where they might heare the things that belong vnto their peace? And how else commeth it to passe, that some when the Preacher beginnes make an end of their deuotion, and leauing the house of God go to their owne houses? Haue they any exception against vs? Doe we teach for doctrines mens precepts? Doe wee handle the word deceitfully? Do we keepe backe any of Gods counsell? Nay in all these things, as in the whole worke of our ministe∣rie we study to approue our selues both before the Lord, and before men. An exception they haue, but almost they know not what. The truth is; they are not able to trie the spirits whether they are of God. And therefore they approue them which prophecie lies vnto them out of their owne braine. But ye beloued learne to know and approue him who giues plaine proofe that he serues the Lord in the Gospell, in the sincere and faithfull preaching thereof.

Yea, but ye will say vnto mee, wee would gladly approue them that serue the Lord in the Gospell. But how shall wee know who serue the Lord in the Gospell? For they that are wholy deuoted vnto the seruice of that man of sinne, and pro∣phecy lies out of their owne braine will say that they serue the Lord in the Gospel, aswell as they will which sincerely preach the Gospell of Christ Iesus vnto the confusion of that man of sinne. Note therefore that the Apostle in this place doth not simply say of Timothy that he serued the Lord in the Gospell, but that he serued with him in the Gospell. Wherin he giueth

him this testimonie that hee did sincerely teach Christ Iesus, preaching no other Gospell then that which the Apostle him∣selfe preached, but walking in the same steppes with him vnto the building of the spirituall temple of Christ Iesus, euen as he had him for example. Will yee then know who they are that serue the Lord in the Gospell? Euen they that serue the Lord in the Gospell with Paul, they that preach no other Gospell then Paul preached, they which ground the doctrines which they teach, not vpon mens precepts, but vpon the sure foundation of the Prophets and Apostles. Trie therefore who they are that walke as they haue the Apostle for example, see who they are that after his example testifie the kingdome of God, and preach vnto the people concerning Christ Iesus out of the law of Moses, and out of the Prophets.* 1.6 It is regi∣stred ye know, vnto the great commendation of the men of Berea, that they searched the Scriptures daily, and sought whether the things which they heard of Paul and Silas were so. Obserue the same rule: search the Scriptures; for they te∣stifie of Christ and of his truth. It is our desire that ye would trie by this rule both vs, and them which teach otherwise then we teach; and then that yee would approue them whom by proofe ye shall know to serue the Lord with Paul in the Gos∣pell. The rule which wee haue giuen whereby to know them that serue the Lord in the Gospel is most certaine and sure, and it standeth you aswell vpon to approue them, & them alone, who giue plaine proofe that they serue the Lord in the Gos∣pell, as it standeth vs vpon to labour by faithfull walking in our calling to approue our selues before the Lord, and be∣fore men.

The next thing which I note out of these words is, that which the Apostle addeth by way of amplification, that Timothy seru∣ed with Paul as a sonne with the father, for the Apostle doth not simply say, ye know the proofe of him that he hath serued with me in the Gospell, but by way of amplification vnto Ti∣motheus greater commendation he addeth, that as a son with the father he had serued with him &c. Whence I obserue a notable example of that modesty and reuerence which ought to be in particular in younger Ministers towards them that

are their auncients and haue gone before them in that worke, and which ought to be in generall in all the sonnes of God towards their Elders, but especially towards those that haue begotten them in the faith. Young Timothy seruing with aged Paul in the Gospell euen as a son with his father, should teach younger Ministers to honour and to reuerence their an∣cients in the ministery, and to walke as they haue them for example, especially if they walke as aged Paul did faithfully and painfully in the workes of their calling. Otherwise, if they delight in idlenesse, or mind earthly things, if they seeke their owne more then that which is Iesus Christs, they are to be no more patternes vnto vs to follow then the examples of old Eli, or Demas, or the like. Nay I thinke the younger may and ought, yet with all modesty because of their yeeres, to put them in minde of their duties, and to beseech them that as fathers they will go before them in all holinesse of example, with incorrupt doctrine, with grauitie, integritie, and with the wholesome word which cannot be reproued. But if they walke as aged Paul did faithfully, and painefully in the worke•• of their calling, if in all holinesse of example they walke before them, as fathers before their children, if as fathers they haue begotten them in the faith, then surely ought the younger Ministers to honour and to reuerence them euen as sons do their fathers, and as Timothy did honour Paul. A note wor∣••hy the vrging and enlarging if the place were as conuenient for the vrging of it as the time requireth the vrging of it. A sonne will not easily get himselfe vp to the toppe of an hill thence to glance at such things as may turne to his fathers shame, much lesse thence to cast dung in his face, and pur∣posely to speake such things as iustly may grieue him, least of all vpon an imagined error in his father will he thence loade him with blasphemies. A sonne, I say, will not thus doe, and a minister should not thus do. For he should serue the Lord with him in the Gospell, as a sonne with the father.

Againe, young Timothy vsed himselfe towards aged Paul as a sonne towards his father. A good lesson for those of yon∣ger yeeres to teach them in what regard they ought to haue their elders and their betters; they ought to honour and to

reuerence them, and to performe other duties vnto them in some sort as to their fathers. For so we see the Scripture would haue them accounted as fathers, as where the admonition is, rebuke not an elder, but exhort him as a father, and the elder women as mothers. And the fashion and custome of them is good whose manner it is to salute elder men as fathers,* 1.7 & el∣der women as mothers. I doe only point at this note by the way, because of the ill education of many of our youth, who regard not at all the gray haires of the aged, but oftentimes most contumeliously do abuse them, calling them old fooles, dooting fooles, and the like. Well, the precept is,* 1.8 Thou shalt rise vp before the hoare-head, and honour the person of the old man. But this punishment is iust with the Lord vnto him that re∣uerenceth not the person of the old man, that either hee shall not come vnto the honour of old age, or else his old age shall be without honour.

But an especiall thing which all of vs hence should learne is, how we should walke in respect of them that haue begot vs in the faith of Christ Iesus. As Timothy regarded Paul who had begot him in the faith, so must we regard those that haue begot vs in the faith, euen as a sonne carrieth himselfe towards his father, so should we carrie our selues towards them. And therefore are they called our spirituall fathers in the Scrip∣tures, and we their sonnes if by their ministery they haue be∣gotten vs in the faith. I beseech thee, saith the Apostle in the Epistle to Philemon, for my sonne Onesimus,* 1.9 whom I haue begot∣ten in my bonds: where he calleth Onesimus his sonne. In the Epistle to the Corinthians, Though yee haue, saith the Apostle,* 1.10 tenne thousand Instructors in Christ, yet haue ye not many fathers: for in Christ Iesus I haue begotten you through the Gospell: Where he calleth himselfe their father in the same respect that before he called Onesimus his sonne, euen because hee had begotten them in the faith. And in the Epistle to the Galathians,* 1.11 My little children, saith hee, of whom I trauell in birth againe vntill Christ be formed in you: where he sheweth that he was a mother, and they as the sonnes of his wombe. And wherfore is it that the ministers of Christ his Gospell are thus called our fathers, and mothers as it were, and we their sonnes, but to note vnto

vs that we haue our life in Christ Iesus through their ministe∣rie, and so to put vs in minde of that duty which we owe vnto them in respect of our regeneration and new birth by the im∣mortall seede of God his word through their ministery. Looke then what honour is due by children vnto their parents, whe∣ther it be reuerence, or obedience, or maintenance, or what∣soeuer else it be, the same wee must account due by vs vnto our spirituall fathers in Christ Iesus. And therefore faith our Sauiour Christ,* 1.12 He that heareth you heareth me, and he that de∣spiseth you despiseth me. And the Apostle, obey them, saith hee, that haue the ouer-sight of you, and submit your selues vnto them; for they watch, saith he, for your soules, &c. Againe, saith the same Apostle,* 1.13 The elders that rule well are worthy of double honor, especially they which labour in the word and doctrine &c. Let vs therefore take heede how we do despise, or not reuerence these our spirituall fathers in Christ Iesus.* 1.14 For if the eye that mocketh his father, and despiseth the instruction of his mother shall be a pray vnto the rauens of the valley to picke it out, and vnto the young Egles to eate it: How much more shall it be so vnto vs if wee despise the instruction of our fathers in Christ Iesus, and if wee stop our eares at the voice of their charming charme they neuer so wisely. Againe let vs take heede how we doe not obey those our spirituall fathers in Christ Iesus.* 1.15 For if the stubborne and disobedient sonne that will not hearken to the voice of his father, or of his mother, nor will obey their admonition, shall bee stoned with stones vnto the death; how much more shall the iudgement of God ouertake vs if we will not heare, nor incline our eares to obey the voice of our fathers in Christ Iesus, if wee will not hearken and obey their admonitions, and exhortations which in Christ his steede do beseech vs, and admonish vs, and ex∣hort vs. Heare the voice of wisedome, a voice fearefull yet most true,* 1.16 because, saith Wisedome, I haue called, and ye refused, &c, Euen thus shall it be vnto all them that obey not the voyce of wisedome in the mouth of the Minister. Hearken therefore and obey: for obedience is better then sacrifice. Yea, and re∣uerence the person of the Minister for the words sake which he bringeth. In a word, from this one example of Timotheus commendation, let Ministers of the younger sort learne to

reuerence their auncients in their ministery, let young men learne to honour the person of the aged, and let all of vs learne to carie our selues towards them that haue begotte vs in the faith as sonnes vnto their father.

Now followeth the conclusion of his first promise, which was to send Timotheus vnto them, in these words, him therefore I hope &c. Wherein is set downe the repetition of the former promise, and likewise a farther signification of the time when he would send him. Him, saith he, I hope to send, there is the repetition of the former promise; as soone as I know how it will go with me, here is the signification of the time when he would send him. Before he had said, I trust to send Timotheus shortly vnto you, now he sheweth what he meant by that shortly, that is as soone as he should know whether he should be deliuered from his bonds by Nero, which he hoped should bee shortly. And the cause why he sent him not presently with Epaphrodi∣tus was because as yet he knew not certainely how his matters would go, and he was very desirous that at his Timotheus com∣ming vnto them they might bee comforted ouer his deliue∣rance from his bonds. I haue already pointed at such notes as I thought meete to bee gathered from this promise. It followeth.

And I trust in the Lord] In these words he putteth them in hope of his owne comming shortly vnto them. Which his promise, as the other dependeth vpon the hope of his deliue∣rance out of prison. This hope also of his comming vnto them he putteth them in for their farther comfort, and like∣wise for their farther confirmation in the faith. Whence 1. we may note the Apostle his great care that they might be com∣forted, and therein obserue the great care that the Ministers of Christ Iesus should haue of the comfort of their people in the times of their distresses: of which note wee haue already spo∣ken before. 2. We may note the Apostle his great care that they might grow strong in the faith, and abound in euery good worke vnto the glory of God the father. And this care ought also to be in the Ministers of Christ Iesus towards their people, as also I haue heretofore obserued. Only here remain∣eth one doubt to be answered. For here some happily will

aske, how it fell out with this hope and confidence of the A∣postle, was he deceiued of his hope and confidence, or did he as he hoped he should send Timothy shortly after vnto them, did he as he trusted he should come himselfe shortly after vn∣to them? Whereunto 1. I answere, what if he were deceiued of his hope and confidence? doth this at all impaire his credit and authority? If it had beene a matter of faith and doctrine it should. But this was a thing casuall and contingint, where∣in he might be deceiued, and yet his credit no whit diminish∣ed. For albeit he had the spirit of truth to lead him into all truth in whatsoeuer doctrine hee deliuered vnto the Church. Yet in things that concerned himselfe, especially in things fu∣ture and contingent might he be deceiued; euen as we see in this place that albeit he had the gift of healing, yet Epaphrodi∣tus whom hee dearely loued had like to haue died with him. 2. I answere that whether hee were deceiued of his hope and confidence or no, I cannot certainely tell, because it appea∣reth not by the Scriptures. But very well it might be ••hat both he sent Timothy vnto them, and that himselfe came afterwards vnto them. For this we must know that hee was twise impri∣soned at Rome by Nero. First hee was cast into prison in the third yeere of N••ro, and deliuered in the fift. Againe hee was cast into prison in the twelfth yeere of Nero, and was put to death in the thirteenth of his raigne. Writing therefore this his Epistle in his first imprisonment, it might very well be that in that seuen or eight yeeres betweene that and his second im∣prisonment,* 1.17 both he sent and went to Philippie. And the word which the Apostle here vseth maketh it very probable that both he sent and went thither, being a word which signifieth an assured confidence, and is seldome or neuer vsed but when the thing followeth, which thus is trusted. Howsoeuer hee went, or went not it is no matter of our faith, or where about we neede to be troubled. This is sure, hee trusted in the Lord to come vnto them, and to see them, that so they might bee comforted one in another, and that hee might confirme and strengthen them in the faith. And let this be spoken touching his second promise.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Gal. 1.10.
• * 1.2

  1. Thes. 2.4.
• * 1.3

  1 Cor. 4.21
• * 1.4

  2 Tim 3.6.
• * 1.5

  Mat. 23.15
• * 1.6

  Act. 28.23.17.11.
• * 1.7

  1 Tim. 5.1.2.
• * 1.8

  Leuit. 19.32.
• * 1.9

  Philem. 10.
• * 1.10

  1 Cor. 4.15.
• * 1.11

  Gal. 4.19.
• * 1.12

  Luc. 10.16. Heb. 13.17
• * 1.13

  1 Tim 5.17
• * 1.14

  Pro. 30.17.
• * 1.15

  Deut. 21.18
• * 1.16

  Pro. 1.24.
• * 1.17

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.