Richard Sibbes on Philippians 3:2

VERS. 2. Beware of Dogges. IN this generall exhortation, Consider first the persons to whom it is directed; Doctr. 1. To all the Philippians, not only to the Pastor, but even to the common Christians, They must beware of false Teachers. Is it so? Then surely they ought to take notice of them, and to know them, and therefore they ought to have rules to discerne them by. Christs sheepe they discerne between a wolfe, and a shepherd, Ioh. 10.45. His sheepe discerne an Heretike, or false-teacher, from those that are true shepherds in the maine points of Christian Religion, and therefore, 1 Ioh. 4.1.1 John 4.1. He bids all in generall, to try the spirits: and the Apostle, 1 Thes. 5.21. bids them prove all things, and hold fast the good: if they were then all of them bound to try, and prove, they were no doubt bound to know the rules, by which they were to try, which rules are only laid downe in the word of God. But some Popish heart may aske: Quest. How common people should know the Word, to be the word of God? For answer, Answ. I would aske such an one, How they know the Popes Canons, or any Booke of his Constitutions to be the Popes? they will say, their teachers brings them in the Popes name, and they beleeve their teachers. So say wee, We beleeve our Teachers and Ministers, who tell us this is the Word of God. Ob. But they object and say, that wee make every one a Iudge. I answer, Answ. there is a three-fold manner of judging. First,A threefold judgment, to wit; a judging whereby we discerne of anything, and this every Christian must have, so as it cannot be any plea to him at the day of judgment,Of Discretion. to say, my Teacher did mislead me. No, both the leader and he that is led, if they be blind, shall fall into the ditch, Matth. 15. Then there is a second kinde of judging,Of Directi[illegible: 1 letter]n. which is by way of direction, this is required principally in the Pastor, to direct his flocke. And there is a third kinde, that is of jurisdiction;Of Jurisdiction this belongs to the Church and the Magistrate: yet every one must have a judgment to discern the good from the bad. For hee that knowes not his Masters will shall be beaten. In the second place: Not onely the young ordinary Christians but euen the best setled Christians had need to beware also. The Philippians were a Church established in the truth: Eve was seduced, being in her innocent estate▪ but I need not stand on this at this time. I proceed; To the dutie: which is to beware. Which word signifies; First, to discerne of, then to avoid: and because those that are aware of evill, by nature will avoid it. therfore beware, here intends both discerning and avoiding of evil. For the Church of God in this world is ever subject to danger, and God suffers it to be so: First, to try who be true, and who false. And secondly, to try them that are good, and to be as an evidence to them of their owne estates, so as where such triall, and danger is, it is true, ingeniosum est esse Christianum. But concerning the words: Dogges, Concision, Evill workers, they all signifie the same thing, and he repeats the word beware, thrice: to shew the necessitie thereof, take heed of them that urge workes of the law with Doctrines of faith, especially of Pastors. Nay take heed of these (for so the word in the originall is) these Dogges. By Concision, he meanes those that urged Circumcision, when it was out of date, and when it was dangerous to be admitted of; But observe the terme, the Holy Ghost calls these Dogges, a strange terme, and such an one as I should not have dared to have given them, had not the holy Spirit led the way thereunto: and therefore since it is so, let us not be more modest than he is; but boldly affirme, that wicked men are Dogges. Doctrine. Now wicked men, are eyther without the Church, or within. Without the Church, all are Dogges. Matth. 15.26. Its not meet to take the childrens bread and to cast it to Dogges. Of this number are all Turkes, and Iewes, who were Filii, Children, but are Canes, Dogges. We were Canes, bu[illegible: 1 letter] now through Gods mercy are come to be Filii. All therefore, that are without the Church are Dogges. But there are also Dogges within the Church, and therefore the Philippians were bidden beware of them, which St. Paul needed not to have done, if they had not beene troubled with them. And those Dogges he describes, in that they joyne workes of the law, and Christ together, in matter of salvation; these are in St. Pauls esteeme Dogges. And the reason hereof, may be grounded on Gods esteeme, on their behaviour towards other men, and in regard of themselves. For Gods esteeme, we may see it in Esay 66.3. he detests them as dogges. For their behaviour towards men, whom they goe about to seduce, they fawne on them, and use all manner of inticing, flattering, and false alluring words, Rom. 16.18. See the picture of a Iesuited Papist, a pleasing, humane, fawning nature, they creepe into houses, and when these dogges cannot prevaile by flatterie, then they snarle, and barke against them, by false calumnies, and slanders, and railings, and bitter scoffes, and the like; and this they doe when they cannot bite. But having gotten power in their hand, they persecute with fire and sword, and the most exquisite torments that they can devise. In regard of themselves also they are Dogges, rotten in nature, corrupt in life, filthie in their owne Courts: devouring their owne vomit, and God justly punishing them, by suffering of them to heape up wrath in store, 2 Pet. 2.22. and to returne with the sow that was washed, to wallow in the mire of corrupt courses. Hence wee may observe, and see, what a man is now brought to by sinne: he that would be like to God, is justly compared to the beasts that perish. Now all by nature are no better than dogges, who are all for their bellies, for present contentments, an envious and currish disposition against any that shall indeavour to crosse them in their unlawfull lusts: and that rule of reason which should over-rule him, and amend him, he so abuses it, as thereby he is made more like a Divell than a Dogge. Would wee be then changed, let us attend on that word, that is able of Lions to make Lambes, it can cleanse us throughout. Ioh. 15.3. It sanctifies and alters us. Morall precepts may restraine and alter outward practises; the Word that alters the condition and nature of men, it is the word of him that workes all with his spirit. And therefore take heed of them, and deale not more with them than thou must needs. They will fawne, they will not be dogged at the first, but till Religion altereth him, assuredly hee hath a currish nature. But to proceed. Hee saith not onely, beware of Dogges in generall; But beware of these Dogges, of the Concision, and these also ought we to beware of, for there is a perpetuall l[illegible: 1 letter]t[illegible: 1 letter]er of them: though those that the Apostle spake of are gone, yet the same spirit is now a dayes in many; fawners they are, and flatterers, yet doe they barke at Protestants: and of this sort are our Iesuited Papists and Seminaries. Our Fathers were troubled with them: let these take heed, for were these men dogges that presse Circumcision with Christ; and shall not such be also, that presse merits with Christ, Saints with Christ, and equall traditions with the Word of God. The dogges in St. Pauls time, had some excuse: Circumcision they urged, but it was first founded by God; but these men out of their owne braine endeavour to establish fancies: and where they cannot prevaile by conference, they by scattering of Bookes seeke to accomplish their intents. Magistrates therefore in their place ought to looke to them, and every private person looke to their owne salvation. We ought also to take heed of Neuters, such as are, or would be mediatours, and will be of every Religion, or rather of none, who jumble Religions, mixing truth and falshood, light and darknesse together. But hee that made distinction between the seed of the woman, and the seed of the serpent, made also eternall distinction betweene Religion and irreligion: though Iudas thought he might keepe faire quarter with the Pharisees and his master, yet his fawning kisse could not keepe him, but desperation overtooke him. So these Neuters, let them fawn never so much, let them halt betweene two opinions never so long, they shall at length know that they have betrayed their Religion, & desperation shall at length assuredly overtake them, as it overtook Spira. Take heed of them, there hath beene a continuall brood of them in the Emperours time: the Iewes had some liberty granted to them, because their ceremonies carried a shew of a reverend antiquitie. The Christians they were Ludibrium humani generis, there were even then (as St. Paul found) such Christians, as finding they were scorned, because they would be scorned of neither, took part with either. Quest. But some will say: What a great matter doe you make of this? is it not policy, and wisedome for us thus to avoid reproach, and to get the good will of all? Remember what [illegible: 1 letter]hrist saies, Answ. he that denies me before men, I will deny him before my Father. True say they, I yet may inwardly be sound in my heart, I may honour Christ, though outwardly, I may please others. What place is left for profession? with the mouth man confesses to salvation, and such as are ashamed to confesse Christ before men, Christ may justly denie to acknowledge them in that fearfull day of judgement. For shall we try all things to be sure of our temporall estate? and shall not we much more seeke to assure our spirituall and eternall estate unto us? God forbid. In the next place, Let us not be discouraged, or hindered in a good course, though these dogges barke never so much; yet they are but like the dogges who barke against the Moone; though we meet with many changes, let us keep our course still constantly, without turning aside. For thou must looke to be barked at before hand; thou art, or shouldst be a stranger to this world, and then assuredly the Dogges will take notice of thee. And comfort thy selfe, thou shalt be admitted into thine own Country, when these Dogges shall be kept out; as it is in the last of the Revelations.Rev. 22.15. And though we cannot have too harsh a conceit of them in regard of their estate; yet are we to respect the Image of God they carry about with them, and to esteeme of them as of such as may become Lambes. And thus did St. Paul respect, and reverence Agrippa: Yet see how [illegible: 1 page] [illegible: 1 page] [illegible: 1 page] [illegible: 1 page] sharpe he is, not to those that are Heathen; but to those that making a profession of Christianitie, did adde Circumcision to Christ, where in we may observe his zeale for Christs honour.

VERS. 2. Beware of Evill workers. BEware of such, as in generall were bad, and in this particular especially, they were evill workers, thereby seducing men from Christ. Seducers therefore are evill workers, and Magistrates ought to looke to them. They are the keepers of the two Tables, and are to looke to the soules of men, as well as to their bodies. Let also private men looke to themselves, lest they be seduced by them. Neither is it likely, that these were onely seducers by false doctrine, but were also ill men and wicked livers: for God justly gives such up to wickednesse in life, that are seduced in judgment. And thus dealt he with the Scribes and Pharises, Doe not after their workes, (saith Christ.) Some thinke, if they so live as none can lay any grosse sinne to their charge, they are good enough, its no matter what the heart is, how ignorant, how dark, God wil beare with them. Alas poor ignorant men, is not the understanding Gods, as well as the outward parts? Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy minde: the understanding is (sponsa veritatis.) And know, God lookes to purity of judgement; he cannot indure his children should be ignorant, for it is a dishonour to God for his children to conceit of things (in Religion especially) otherwise than is fitting, yea otherwise than they are.

VERS. 2. Beware of the Concision. THat is (as I formerly said) Circumcision; Called here by the name of Concision, because it tended to cut & make a division and s[illegible: 1 letter]ct in the Church, with a naturall and proper elegance, not affected, describing, and naming it by the effect. Its Gods use to call things from the event and effect of them. Why will you perish? That is, why will you doe those things that will lead you to destruction? the end of them is death, and those that neglect wisedome hate themselves. As it was also said to the Iewes, that neglected the Gospell; they judged themselves unworthy of salvation, because in effect, they hated themselves, and deprived themselves of salvation. Circumcision formerly had beene an honourable Ceremonie, serving for a partition between Iew and Gentile; and for a seale of the Covenant of grace; but the Ceremonie was to cease, it not having a continuall promise, it was to last till Christ came, & when he died, it, and all other died also. St. Paul, and Christ, and Timothy, were circumcised; but after the time came that Christ had broken downe the partition wall by his suffering, they did not only die; but were also deadly to all such as would maintaine the observancie of them: the use of them was prejudiciall to Christs honour, and therefore Paul bids us beware of them. And now adayes, this instruction by proportion is of good use. For are there not those that teach Concision? and that urge merits, as the Papists doe? take heed of them, they say wee are the Concision, we have cut our selves from the true mother Church of Rome. I answer, We have suffered a Concision, we have made none. And again, we acknowledge we have separated from these Romans, not from those that were in Pauls time, its they that have made a Concision, and cut themselves from the mother Church. But to passe from these, we have a Concision among us; and that in a contrary extreame, that thinke every Ceremonie, and thing that suits not with their opinion, to be Antichristian and Concision. Not considering, that there be many things urged, as fitting for order, being no parts of Gods worship; yet even for these things, they make a Concision, cutting themselves off from our Church, and unchurching us: Its dangerous for such; for when the member is cut from the body, it must necessarily die, and how can we receive grace from Christ as our head, but by union of our selves to the bodie, whereof Christ is the head. It must be our dutie to beware of all manner of seducers,Remedies against seducers. and to this end let us First, Remedy 1. get fundamentall truthes into our hearts, affect and love truth: for want hereof the Easterne Churches were given up to Mahomet, and Antichrist ruled over many in these Westerne Churches, because they loved not the truth. 2. Thes. 2.10. For none are seduced that are not cold in love. Secondly, Remedy 2. let us labour to practice that wee know, and God will give us a fuller measure of knowledge, whereby we shall learn to finde and know seducers. Ioh. 7.17- If any man will doe his will, he shall know. Thirdly, Remedy 3. Pray to God for wisedome to discern of Schismes and Heresies, and ill disposed persons: God hath promised us any thing that is necessary for our strengthening and bringing us to Heaven, God will not deny us so necessary an aide as this is. Fourthly, Remedy 4. let us looke that we keepe in us a holy feare, and reverence of God. Psal. 15.12. What man is he that feareth the Lord? him shall he teach in the way he shall chuse. And those things are we duly to observe, the rather because we shall ever finde seducers, it will ever be a hard matter for men to finde the way to Heaven. And though the doctrine and profession of Religion, be not ever in all places opposed, yet shall we ever finde the practisers thereof maligned: As it is in these dayes, where none are accounted of to be Protestants, that are not loose libertines, and thus instead of Concision from Religion, they joyne that with it which is quite contrary to the power thereof. Beware also of such; for their courses of life are as pernicious, as fundamentall errors, for none shall be saved for his knowledge.