ty, sincerity, and humility, of this chief apostle. St. Paul had many prerogatives above Epaphroditus; he was immediately called by Christ, extraordinarily fitted and furnished for his calling; he laboured and suffered more abundantly than all the rest; yet he almost equalizes and levels Epaphroditus with himself, calling him brother, fellow-labourer, fellow-soldier, and highly magnifies the gifts and graces of God's Spirit in him, without the least diminution teaching such as are dignified in the church, and exalted by their merits above others, not to despise the persons, nor to extenuate and lessen the gifts, and graces, and usefulness, of their inferior brethren. Pride in any person is odious, but in a minister it is monstrous; they that have received more than others, and know better than others, ought to be patterns of humility unto others. Note, 2. The reasons here assigned, why St. Paul judged it necessary to send Epaphroditus back to his charge at Philippi. 1. He longed after his flock, ver. 26. He longed after you all, even unto heaviness: we do not read of his longing after his family, or his friends, or the fleece, but his flock, his church and charge at Philippi; this lay near his heart, this he longed to be with. 2. This longing and heaviness was mutual: the Philippians longed for him, and were full of heaviness because of his sickness. When the head of a faithful minister of Jesus Christ aches, his people's hearts ache: mutual longings between ministers and people in case of absence, and mutual heaviness and mourning in case of sickness, is a certain argument and evidence of mutual love one towards another. Note, 3. How our apostle confirms the report of Epaphroditus's sickness, and celebrates the mercy and goodness of God in his unexpected recovery; indeed he was sick nigh unto death, but God had mercy on him, &c. Here observe, 1. The eminency of the person who was sick Epaphroditus, a great man, a good man, a man of God, St. Paul's brother, companion, fellow-soldier, falls sick, when engaged in Christ and the church's special service saints, as well as sinners, ministers as well as people, are subject to sickness, diseases, nay, death itself may meet them in the work of Christ. Observe, 2. As the eminency of the person, so the extremity of the disease; he was nigh unto death. But why did not St. Paul, who had the gift of healing, help Epaphroditus now sick, as well as raise Eutychus when dead?

Acts xx. 9. Ans. The apostles had not the gift of healing to make use of it at their pleasure, but as God was pleased by a special instinct and a strong faith to excite them to it, when it was his pleasure to have them use it: these gifts were given for the sake of unbelievers, to convince them of the truth of christianity, but God did not think fit to have them ordinarily exercised upon believers. Observe, 3. The recovery of Epaphroditus, and the author of it: God had mercy on him; he who is Lord of life and death, said in mercy to him, "Return and live." When God preserves the lives and restores the health of his faithful ministers, it is an act of no small mercy both to their people and themselves: to their people, as they become the greater instruments of their good; to themselves, as it increases their own reward: the longer a minister lives, the more glory he brings to God; and the more glory he brings to God on earth, the more glory shall he partake of with God in heaven; in short, the longer he lives, the more souls he converts, and every soul is as a new gem added to that crown which shall one day be put upon his head, Dan. xii. 3. They that turn many to righteousness shall shine as the stars for ever and ever. Observe lastly, The share which St. Paul had in the mercy of Epaphroditus's recovery: God had mercy, not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. Paul had much sorrow, a great load of sorrow upon him at that time; he was now among strangers, yea, among prisoners, in the midst of persecutors, and his mind oppressed with sorrow, partly for the Philippians, partly for Epaphroditus; therefore the Lord, in tender pity to him, did not take away by death his dear and useful companion, lest he should have sorrow upon sorrow, and cause his wounds to bleed afresh. Learn hence, So compassionate is God towards his dear children, that, though he often causes them grief and sorrow, yet he will not overcharge them therewith, nor add affliction to the afflicted, nor suffer them to be exercised and tried above what they are able: God had mercy upon me, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.

28 I sent him therefore the more carefully, that, when ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful. 29 Re

before, and which you often heard by word of mouth from me before: though I inculcate and press the same truths upon you by my writing, which I have done by my preaching, it is neither grievous nor burdensome to me, nor unnecessary or unprofitable for you. Learn hence, That the often repeating and frequent inculcating of such truths as are most useful and necessary for the instruction and edification of the hearers, ought to be esteemed neither burdensome by the minister, nor wearisome by the people. Learn farther, That we have here St. Paul's judgment against oral tradition, which the church of Rome prefers before the written word; so did not St. Paul, knowing that what is delivered by word of mouth might soon slip out of the memory, but what is written is remaining: blessed be God for his written word.

2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.

Observe here, 1. The cautionary directions given the Philippians to beware of false teachers, who adulterated and corrupted the doctrine of Christ, by joining the works and observances of the law with the doctrine of the gospel, in point of justification, making them at least the partial ground of their confidence and rejoicing: beware of such, says our apostle. Observe, 2. The cutting reproof given to these judaizing teachers in that odious character he gives of them, and in that brand of infamy which he claps upon them. 1. He calls them dogs; a term not of diminution only, but of the utmost disgrace: Is thy servant a dog? 2 Kings viii. 13. supposing that nothing could be thought more vile and base. The Jews called all the Gentiles dogs, because unclean. St. Paul here calls the false teachers dogs fitly, because, as dogs, they did rend and tear the simplicity of the gospel, and divide the glory of man's salvation betwixt faith and works; because, as dogs, they did bark out reproaches against the apostles and their doctrine, delivered in its purity and simplicity; because, as dogs, they did take a great deal of pains to compass abundance of ground to gain their game; or, in our Saviour's words, They compass sea and land to make proselytes. 2. Evil-workers, because, pretending to labour in the gospel, they did subvert and overthrow the great design of the gospel; pretending to be

fellow-workers with the apostles, but pulling down what they had built up. 3. The concision: so in contempt he calls circumcision, which these judaizing teachers pleaded the necessity of; as Hezekiah called the brazen serpent Nehushtan: because circumcision, being no longer an ordinance of God, was no better than a cutting off the flesh; and they that made it necessary to justification, cut themselves off from Christ, and from the church of Christ: by urging the necessity of circumcision, they cut and rend asunder the church of God. Note here, 1. How different the temper of this apostle was in different cases: in things of an indifferent nature, and less necessary, who more mild, indulgent, and complying, breathing forth the spirit of the meek Jesus? But when opinions were broached, which tend to pervert souls, and to subvert the gospel, then he speaks fire and thunder, and no terms are bad enough for such seducers. Let us follow St. Paul as he followed Christ, and learn when to be mild and when to be zealous. Note, 2. With what an excess of care he cautions the Philippians against these false teachers, saying, Beware, beware, beware, three times together in one short verse; thereby instructing the ministers of Christ, that their umost zeal and diligence is necessary in warning their people to guard against seducers.

3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the Spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh :

That is, we christians are alone the true and spiritual circumcision, and accounted circumcised by God, because we have that which the outward circumcision signified, namely, the circumcision of the heart, and the mortification of all carnal lusts and desires; we have the substance of that ordinance, which is infinitely more pleasing to God than the ceremony and shadow: though you have the sign, we have the thing signified. But how doth that appear? Three ways; we worship God in the Spirit, we rejoice in Christ Jesus, we have no confidence in the flesh. 1. We worship God in the Spirit; that is, first, We give him the worship of our souls and spirits, and do not put him off with mere bodily worship, or with the old, antiquated Jewish worship. Secondly, We worship God in the Spirit, that is, through the assistance

of the Holy Spirit; he excites and quick ens to the duty, he assists and enables in the duty, and he encourages and emboldens the soul to expect audience and acceptance after the duty. Again, 2. We rejoice in Christ Jesus: this was a second evidence of their being the true circumcision. Let them glory in their carnal ordinance of outward circumcision, we will rejoice in Christ Jesus, who hath freed us from the slavery of that ordinance. 3. We have no confidence in the flesh, nor in circumcision, or any fleshly privileges, or carnal prerogatives: we confide only in Christ, and in nothing but Christ. Note, That by flesh here is meant particularly the circumcision of the flesh; but more generally by flesh may be understood all the externals of religion, which men place their trust and confidence in; all outward privileges and ordinances are flesh, in the apostle's sense here: prayer is flesh, ordinances are flesh, the righteousness of the law is flesh; nay, grace itself, trusted to, and confided in, is flesh. The sincere and serious christian rejoices in Christ Jesus, confides in him, but dares not place any confidence in the flesh. We are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.

4 Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: 5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; 6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.

As if our apostle had said, "Let no man think that I undervalue the Jewish privileges, because I want them; show me ever a judaizing teacher of them all that can pretend to more, or so many of them,

as myself; so that, were this a ground of confidence, I can vie with any one of them in carnal privileges, Jewish prerogatives, and outward performances; yea, I can boast of as much self-righteousness as the best of them, and beyond them all for I was circumcised, and had the seal of the covenant applied to me. yea, I was cir

cumcised the eighth day, the very day prescribed by the law; the Jews maintaining that circumcision before the eighth day was no circumcision, and after the eighth day was of less value. Of the stock of Israel; one of that nation which God set apart for himself, when he rejected all the nations of the earth beside. Of the tribe of Benjamin; of a noble tribe, as well as descended of an honourable people; a, tribe which kept close to God, when other tribes revolted to the worship of Jeroboam's calves; a tribe honoured with the first of Israel's kings, king Saul. An Hebrew of the Hebrews; that is, born a Jew both by father's side and mother's side. As touching the law, a Pharisee; that is, as touching the interpretation and observation of the law, a Pharisee, or one of the strictest sects among the Jews for the profession of religion. Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; that is, as touching zeal for the Jewish religion, I have showed that above others, in my fury and furious persecution of the church of Christ; I was active, according as my judgment and conscience directed me. And as touching the righteousness which was in and by the law, (that is, as to my personal obedience unto the law,) I was blameless, without spot, as the original word signifies; that is, in my own account, and in man's esteem, my conversation not stained with any gross sin, but very exact in my deportment and behaviour, living up to my knowledge, my practice corresponding with my profession." Behold here a man that had a large stock of Jewish privileges and prerogatives; all these grounds of confidence he might have rested there, and have glothe apostle had before his conversion; and ried and confided therein, as well as the judaizing doctors did, who gloried in their external privileges; but how far St. Paul was from this spirit and temper, the next

verses inform us.

7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. 8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

That is, the fore-mentioned privileges, which heretofore he accounted gain, and

thought to gain justification and salvation by, now, since his illumination, he counted them all loss; he saw he had lost his soul for ever, had he trusted to these; but Christ being made known to him as the only way to gain pardon of sin, and acceptance with God, he renounces all his former privileges, his former legal righteousness, he durst not lean upon these broken reeds, he would have no more confidence in the flesh, but in Christ only: What things were reputed gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ's sake. And he repeats the words over again with confidence and assurance, that he might not be thought to speak unadvisedly, and in a heat: Yea, doubtless, and I count all things but loss. He did not only count them but loss, but he had actually renounced them as such: an allusion to a merchant, who is content to suffer the loss of all his goods to save his life. But how did St. Paul suffer the loss of them? Ans. He did not make shipwreck of holy duties, and cast off the performance of them, but he cast off all dependence upon them, and cast away all expectation of happiness and salvation from them, which he had before. Observe farther, He did not only count them loss, but cast them away as dung, as filthy carrion, as garbage cast to dogs, as the word signi fies. Such things as these the false teachers (whom he called dogs) might delight in; but as for himself, he could relish and savour nothing in them, in comparison of Jesus Christ. In these words, observe, 1. The low esteem and mean account which St. Paul had, and every enlightened christian has, of the greatest advantages which this world doth or can afford: In comparison of Jesus Christ and him crucified, I count all things but loss; all my spiritual privileges, with all my worldly advantages, I do, upon the greatest deliberation and thought, undervalue them all for the sake of Christ and his grace. Observe, 2. The high and honourable esteem which he had of the knowledge of Jesus Christ; he declares there was a transcendent excellency in it: For the excel lency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. The knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, and of the way and method of salvation by and through him, is an excelling knowledge: every thing of Jesus Christ is excellent and worthy to be known; the dignity of his person, as God, as Man, as God-man, or Mediator between God and man; the dignity of his offices, as the

great King, Priest, and Prophet of his church; the eminency of his example, the depth of his humiliation, the height of his exaltation, the transcendency of his love in all his undertakings for us, and the way and method of his justification of us by faith in his blood. We may conclude of the act by the object; Christ is the most excellent object, therefore the knowledge of Christ is and must be the most excellent knowledge; not only all the excellences of the creatures are found in him in the most excelling manner, but all the excellences of the Godhead, the fulness of the Godhead, dwell in him bodily, that is, personally and substantially. Observe, 3. The effect which this knowledge of Christ had upon our apostle: it enabled him to suffer the loss of all things. Those that have attained the excellent knowledge of Jesus Christ, will not think much to suffer the loss of any thing; yea, of all things, for the obtaining of him, and salvation by him. Observe, 4. The end and design of St. Paul, in parting with all for Christ, or the motive and encouragement which induced him thereunto, namely, that he might win Christ; that is, that he might obtain an interest in him, and the blessings purchased by him; for this was he willing to part with all his privileges, all his accomplishments, all his enjoyments, all his own righteousness, his exactness in the outward observation of the law: he renounced all, not in point of performance, but in point of dependence; he renounced all confidence in it for his justification before God: Yea, doubtless, I count all things but loss.

9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.

Observe, here, 1. The subject matter of St. Paul's desire was to be found in Christ. Beza, upon the place, brings in the justice of God pursuing Paul as a malefactor; and Christ, as a city of refuge which he desires to flee into and be found in. By being found in Christ, then, understand ingrafting and incorporating into him by faith; to find ac ceptance with God, through him, as our surety and representative, and to persevere in our obedience to him to the end of our lives. Learn, That such as desire above all things to be found in Christ, are willing to do, to suffer, any thing, yea, all