[page 65 of volume 5]
Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness.
Our apostle first entreats them generally ‘to receive him;’ then he shows the manner, ‘in the Lord with gladness;’ thence he grounds a general, ‘make much of such.’ But it may be urged—the apostle might have spared this exhortation, for no doubt but the Philippians being glad to see him would receive him. It is true; but this is not all: they must receive him in the Lord,,’ as a man of God; as a man sent you from God; as a messenger of Christ; and receive him with a holy affection.
Doct. A Christian must do all things in the Lord: marry in the Lord; love in the Lord; salute in the Lord. All matters, both of necessity and courtesy, must be in the Lord. A Christian must ‘live in the Lord,’ and he must ‘die in the Lord.’
Reason. The reason is, for that a Christian in all looks to God. Whatsoever befalls him he receives, whatsoever he does, he does in the Lord, looking only to him, and depending on him. Carnal men contrarily do all things carnally: marries, loves, salutes carnally; he lives carnally, dies carnally. But the Christian’s life is ever to die and behold Christ in all things; in all estates; in all his thoughts, words, and deeds; in life, in death. Let this acquaint us with the manner of a Christian’s life and estate, and with the language of the Holy Ghost.
And hold such in reputation.
Others read it, ‘make much of such’. The sense is the same with the former. ‘Esteem of such as they are;’ esteem of such ministers that are faithful as he is; of such Christians as he is; such excellent Christians as he. So as the words have a double reference, as to both his general and particular calling. For his particular calling of the ministry, see how he is formerly commended; that he was painful and careful, and neglected his own life. Ministers, if they be such, they must be had in repute and esteem. If they be not of the best sort, surely they are of the worst. Angels and good men, none better than the good; none worse than them if they turn. But especially ministers, if they be not good, they are unsavoury as salt; neither good for the ground, nor yet for the dunghill.
Reason. The reason of this is, for by such as these are God conveys greatest good to men. He builds by them, he plants by them. They are watchmen, husbandmen, they are God’s labourers; nay, they are his angels, discovering to the church the secrets of God’s counsel. They are as Job saith, but as ‘one among a thousand.’ Such surely as these are worthy of all respects.
Obj. But it will be objected, they are ever opposite to us, they cross men.
Ans. Even then when they are most opposite they are to be esteemed the more, for they are ‘the light of the world.’ Their office is to discover the works of darkness. They are husbandmen to break up the fallow grounds of our hearts; and it is our part to embrace them in doing their duties. For it is a note of a wicked man to count such as these troublers. It was Ahab’s speech to Elijah, 1 Kings 18:17. God’s children loves them and reverences them when they are most sharp; for they know that they themselves do want such reproofs to check their corruptions; they wish their corruptions might be ripped up thoroughly. This is impossible that carnal men should allow of this. They have beloved sins. When they are met with they are touched to the quick, no marvel therefore if they repine. A true Christian will acknowledge and esteem the meanest part of them blessed and beautiful. The carnal man may esteem ministers indeed, but such as cry ‘Peace, peace, when there is no peace,’ Jeremiah 6:14; and surely such a prophet is a fit prophet for such a people. But let the true Christian love and reverence those that are the messengers of peace, and esteem of them by so much the more, by how much their degree in grace is the greater; for there will be an affection suitable to the proportion of grace they have.
And to this end observe with me some motives to incite us to this duty; and first, 1. It is the character of the child of God, and a sign we are translated from death to life, if we love and reverence the brethren. If we be brethren as we profess ourselves, we are led with the same spirit; and therefore we ought to love those most especial that are means of begetting the grace of the Spirit in us. It is a part of grace to desire grace. Now there is no desire of grace but there must be a love of it; and therefore if we will prove ourselves to be marked with the mark of God in our foreheads, and that we are his children, let us get this character for a witness to us.
2. The second motive in regard of God,—the former was in regard of ourselves,—those that God esteems most we ought to male most account of. God spared not his own Son for their sake. The saints are precious in the eyes of the Lord. And in the second place, Christ he esteems of them above his own blood; he gave himself for them freely. Thirdly, the angels they esteem of them. Christ says, Offend them not, for the angels in heaven behold the face of God continually, Matthew 18:10. Fourthly, the ministers esteem them. ‘I suffer all for the elect’s sake,’ says Paul. The Spirit of God esteems them; they are his temples to dwell in, 2 Timothy 2:10.
3. In regard of themselves they are to be esteemed, they are lively. They have the ‘new creature’ in them; they have God’s Spirit ever in them. All created excellency is as ‘the flower of grass.’ It withers suddenly. But they have that which continues for ever, grace and the Spirit of God. They have the image of God seated in them. They have the word and the promises made sure to them. They are free-born; free from hell, death, wrath. They are of disposition free; they can want and they can abound. They are rich in the best riches, strong in the greatest strength. They overcome the devil, the world; they overcome and conquer death, who is the king of fears.
4. In the next place, in regard of the good we reap by them they are to be esteemed. God blesses us by them. They are the pillars of this tottering world. In regard of a few of God’s elect not yet brought in, this world continues yet; but if the number be accomplished once, God will no longer withhold his coming. Lot’s presence in Sodom stayed God’s wrath; he could do nothing till he was gone. So Noah in the old world, Joseph in Egypt, Moses among the Israelites, they stopped the passage of God’s wrath; and therefore Job 22:30, saith, ‘He shall deliver the island of the innocent.’ They are ‘the chariots and horsemen of Israel;’ their prayers are our protectors. And thus mayest thou try thyself and thy estate; for dost thou despise those that are good, thou art ranked amongst vile persons. Look 2 Timothy 3:3, and such as are signs of the last times, wherein corruption shall abound. Many things are much set by, but where are those that have their delight set on the excellent of the earth? A wicked man, I deny not, may esteem some one that is good, but it shall not be for that they are good, but it may be for some by-respects of profit or pleasure that they shall reap thereby. They will commend stars that be within their own horizon; praise martyrs being dead, whom, if alive, likely it is they would he the first persecutors of them; for thirty pieces of silver, a little gain, sell even Christ himself, and make shipwreck of their faith. Yet the time will shortly come when these despised shall be had in greatest honour, and those that scorn them now would be glad to keep them company, and ever be with them.
Quest. But it will be asked, Where are these men you speak of? how is it they are not respected?
Ans. I answer, They are not known, ‘the world knows them not;’— First, Because it knows not their Father; for if it esteemed him, it would esteem also of them; and therefore, Secondly, they are ‘strangers and pilgrims,’ although excellent in themselves. Thirdly, ‘Their life is hid with Christ,’ Colossians 3:8. They are eclipsed and disgraced. Disgraces, scandals, miseries, and their own infirmities, these make the children of God to be unknown; yet those that know them will even in their infirmities see many things worth observation and practice. Contrarily in wicked men what is to be respected? Shall we think of them the bettor for their degree, state, comeliness, riches, or the like? Surely these end in death, whereas all respects are taken away; but goodness is more accomplished in death, it shall never be at an end; and therefore to be the rather respected and esteemed, and men also as they are good. Wicked men may be also esteemed, but not otherwise than as they are marked with the image of God, as they are in place of magistracy and government; and so they are not esteemed, but their images they carry about with them of superiority. And therefore among these of the like kind those are to be most esteemed that are most good, and this is, as I said before, a note of a good man; for what saith David, Psalm 15:4? ‘He shall enter into the tabernacle of God, in whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the Lord.’ To this end begin with thyself. How dost thou value thyself? Dost thou do it carnally? How then canst thou esteem aright of others? Be therefore of Theodosius his mind, ‘value thyself according to thy measure in grace and assurance of salvation’. What though the world think basely of thee! So did it of those saints, Heb. xi. 88. They thought them unworthy to live. But remember God is not ashamed to be called our God and Father. Heaven is ours, Christ, grace, and glory are all ours. Thus by esteeming thyself aright thou shalt begin to reverence that in others which thou so much accountest of in thyself; and we all together shall find what God esteems most of, and of whom, when we shall be together crowned with joys unspeakable, which are hidden from the eyes of the world. It appears not to them what we shall be, the glory being such and so great as they, judging carnally, cannot conceive thereof.
Standing Before God, This We Are and No More 