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is done upon us that was ever intended to be done; and neither Christ's ardent desires to have his children with him, nor the vehement longings of their souls for the fruition and enjoyment of him, can or shall be delayed; such delays would make their hearts sick: no, they expect satisfaction, and God will not disappoint their expectation.

25 And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all, for your furtherance and joy of faith; 26 That ant in Jesus Christ for me, by my your rejoicing may be more abundcoming to you again.

Having a desire to depart and to be with Christ, which is far better: better in point of honour; for as they here laboured in the work of the ministry for him, they shall there sit down upon the throne with him, Rev. iii. 21. Better in point of profit: he is heir and possessor of all things, and they shall be joint heirs, and joint possessors with him. Thus may the words be considered, with relation to St. Paul, as a minister of the gospel : but they may be further considered with reference to him as a private christian; I desire to depart. Hence learn, That it is not only warrantable, but highly com mendable, for a christian to be not only fearless but desirous of death. There are, 1. Unwarrantable and sinful desires of death; as when they are rash and hasty, St. Paul having in the foregoing verses when they are positive and peremptory, told the Philippians how needful it was for when they are directing and prescribing to him to abide in the flesh, with respect to God, either as to the time, or kind, or manner, of our dissolution, and when our de- them, he here gives them a sort of confident assurance (which was given him by immesires are purely selfish, desiring death only diate revelation) that his life should at this as a freedom from present evils, and as a time be preserved for the benefit of the church, prevention of future sufferings. 2. There and he set at liberty; and that he should are warrantable and justifiable desires of come and spend a part of his time amongst death and dissolution; namely, when we them for the furtherance of their faith, and desire it, to free us from the indwelling the increase of their joy, that so they might presence of sin, to put us into a state of have more abundant matter of rejoicing in perfect holiness, to bring us to the sight Christ, having received a new proof of his of Christ, to give us the possession of that power and good-will towards them, in dehappiness, which was contrived by infinite livering him their apostle from death, and wisdom, purchased by infinite merit, pre- sending him to them again. Learn hence, pared by infinite power, and bestowed by 1. That God always can, and sometimes infinite love. 3. There are also commend- will, so calm the rage of persecutors, that able desires, or, the last-mentioned desires they cannot execute the evil by them intendare highly commendable: they commended and resolved against his faithful minisour faith, and proclaim our certain belief ters and servants. Notwithstanding Nero's of a future state; they commend our love cruelty, St. Paul had a confident persuato God, to Christ; they commend our sion that he should come out of prison, and obedience, &c. Learn, 2. That the souls once more visit the churches. Learn, 2. of believers, at their departure from the That Almighty God, in great mercy to body, are with Christ. Quest. What is it his church, doth sometimes prolong the to be with Christ? Ans. It implies intui- lives of his faithful ministers, and most tion; we shall see him, and see him as useful servants, and keep them longer out he is, not as once he was, in a state of of heaven, that his people may reap the abasement: it implies fruition; we shall greater advantage by their labours here on enjoy him, as well as see him, and earth. Learn, 3. That the more unexenjoy him to satisfaction, Psa. xvii. ult. pectedly the life of a laborious minister, and it implies duration : we shall for ever or a pious and extraordinary christian, is be with the Lord. Quest. But how doth given him by God, the more abundant appear that the souls of good men, upon ought the church to be in their expressions their departure from the body, are with of joy and thanksgiving to God for such Christ? Ans. Thus they are immediatean invaluable blessing: That your rely capable of his presence and enjoyment joicing may be more abundant in Jesus upon their departure, and they are fully Christ for me, by my coming to you. prepared for it. If we be not fit for heaven when we die, we shall never be fit; all

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27 Only let your conversation

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be as it becometh the gospel of Christ that, whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind, striving together for the faith of the gospel; 28 And in nothing terrified by your adversaries, which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God.

Observe here, 1. The general charge given by the apostle to his beloved Philippians, that their lives should answer their light, and their practices correspond with their profession: Let your conversation be such as it becometh the gospel. A gospel profession requires and calls for a gospel conversation as the gospel is a gospel of truth and faithfulness, of sincerity and plainness, so our conversation should be sincere and upright, without deceit or fraud; as the gospel is a gospel of peace, so a christian conversation is a quiet, calm, and peaceable, conversation: christians should be men of peace, peace-makers, peace preservers, lovers of peace, and livers in peace. The gospel is a gospel of love and mercy, of grace and goodness; the badge and cognizance of Christ's disciples, the mark and brand of Christ's sheep, is love unfeigned: thus a gospel conversation is an ainicable, loving, and charitable conversation. Again, the gospel of Christ is a gospel of meekness and humility, and its chief lesson is humility: Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, Matt. xi. 29. and, Be ye clothed with humility, 1 Pet. v. 5. In a word, the gospel of Christ is a gospel of holiness and purity; a christian conversation must be a pure, and holy, and spotless, conversation. Saints by profession should be saints indeed; and there is a comeliness in a gospel-conversation, both as to the inward and outward man. Walk as becometh the gospel of Christ; that is, answerable to the precepts and commands of the gospel, answerable to the promises and encouragements of the gospel, answerable to the helps and supplies of grace which the gospel affords, answerable to that grand pattern of holiness which the gospel sets before us, and answerable to that high and glorious hope which the gospel raises us up to the joyful expectation of: this is to walk as becometh the gospel of Christ. Observe, 2. The apostle having given a

general injunction to walk as becometh the gospel of Christ, next gives a particular injunction for concord and unity amongst themselves: That ye stand fast in one That all those who would walk worthy Learn hence, Spirit, with one mind. of the gospel, should endeavour after a close, holy, and lasting, union amongst themselves. We can never expect to thrive in grace, if we do not live in peace; let us prize unity and peace as the beauty and strength of the body, and let us pursue peace and union with the utmost strength of our soul. Observe, 3. Another duty exhorted to, and that is, an united contention: Striving together for the faith of the gospel. Before he exhorted them to an holy union; now, to an united contention: unite, but strive; yet let your striving be in communion, not in contention; strive together in all holy and united endeavours to comfort and confirm one another in the faith of the gospel. Observe, 4. He exhorts them, as to an holy union, and an united contention, so to an humble boldness: In nothing terrified by your adversaries; in nothing, that is, terrified at nothing they can do, and terrified in no degree at any thing they shall do. Be not afraid to be holy; for your adversaries can never hurt you, if they do not hinder you in your duty; the less they fear God, the less you need to fear them. Observe, 5. A double argument to persuade them to the foregoing duty: In nothing terrified by their adversaries. 1. This will be to them an evident token of perdition: that is, an united, humble, peaceable boldness, in your holy course, whereby you walk in the spirit and power of the gospel, without fright or fear, will be to your persecutors an evident token of perdition. Persecution is a black mark of a son of perdition, and a very evident token to a man's own conscience that he is in the way of destruction. 2. But to you of salvation: that is, such as suffer patiently, yet resolutely, for the gospel, are in the way of salvation; and their sufferings shall promote their eternal salvation: it is added,-Salvation, and that of God: now this implies two things; 1. That the salvation of suffering christians shall be sure, they shall certainly be saved, for God has undertaken for it. Now, if it be God that saves, who shall destroy? Satan will say, "Serve me, and I will save you;" but he is feeble, and cannot; false, and will not save. The world will say,

"Cast in your lot among us, and we will save you harmless;" but there is no more trust to be given to the children, than to the father of lies. But if the God of truth and power says, "I will save;"who will say, nay? 2. That their salvation shall be great, as well as sure: he will save them with a mighty salvation, from their mighty sufferings and mighty fears. Suffer for Christ, and then fear none of those things which you shall suffer.

29 For unto you it is given, in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake ;

These words come in by the way of encouragement to the practice of the forementioned duty, namely, of courageous suffering for the gospel of Christ; he tells them, that as ability to believe on Christ, so likewise power to suffer for Christ, were both the gift of God, and as such purchased by Christ for them, and freely bestowed upon them. Learn hence, 1. That it is the duty of all the disciples and followers of Jesus, not only to believe in him, but cheerfully to suffer for him, when he calls them to it ;-not only to believe, but to suffer. Learn, 2. That suffering for Christ is the gift of God, as well as faith in Christ: Unto you it is given, not only to believe but to suffer. Afflictions are the donatives of the gospel; suffering for Christ is the gift of Christ. 1. Ability to suffer is his gift; it is the purchase of his merits, it is the fruit of his mediation. Preparation for suffering, and patience under suffering, are the gift of Christ. 2. As abilities for suffering, so the comforts of suffering, are the gift of Christ; through him it is that his saints glory in tribulation, and their trials are not only tolerable, but joyous. In short, to suffer for Christ, is, 1. A free gift; and, 2. An honourable gift; and, 3. A special and peculiar gift; it is a gift peculiar to saints; yea, peculiar only to some saints. It is only peculiar to saints; the angels glorify Christ by doing, but not by suffering. I doubt not, but had the angels bodies of flesh, as saints have, they would be glad to lay their necks on the block for Christ, as saints do. But this is the peculiar privilege of believers; unto you it is given, and not to them. And although a suffering disposition, a readiness and preparation of mind to glorify Christ by suffering, is given to all believers; yet the honour of actually suffer.

ing death for Christ is given but to a few. Learn, 3. That faith in Christ must go before suffering for Christ; it must first be given to us to believe on him, before we can suffer for his sake; then only are sufferings truly christian, and an evidence of salvation, when the sufferer is first a believer without the shield of faith, we can no more resist the fury of the persecutors, than we can repel the fiery darts of the destroyer; Unto you it is given, on the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on

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him, but, &c.

30 Having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me.

Here is the last argument made use of by the apostle to encourage them unto patient suffering for the gospel of Christ; as it would render them conformable to Christ their head, so to him their apostle, who suffered many hard things when he was at Philippi, as they had seen; and stood ready to suffer, not only bonds, but death itself, now he was at Rome, which they heard of: Having the same conflict which you saw in me, and now hear to be in me. Here observe, 1. The title given by St. Paul to his sufferings for the gospel ; he calls them a conflict. Learn, That christian courage under sufferings cannot be kept up without a mighty conflict; we must conflict with our enemies, with the rage of persecutors; we must conflict with ourselves, and with our own spirits, to keep them from fainting under persecution; and we must even conflict with God himself, wrestle with him, by prayers, for extraordinary measures of strength to support us under sufferings, and to enable us to glorify God in and by them: well might the apostle then call his sufferings a conflict. Observe, 2. St. Paul encourages the Philippians to conflict with sufferings, from his own example before them: Having the same conflict which you saw in me. Learn, That the prudent and patient sufferings of the ministers of Christ for the truth of the gospel are, and ought to be, a powerful encouragement to all their people to conflict with the like difficulties and trials for the testimony of Christ : the Captain goes first, leads the van, his ministers follow, and their people bring up the rear; and, having suffered together, they shall also be glorified together; a suffering head, and suffering members, shall never be separated.

CHAP. II.

to love the truth and peace. Fulfil ye my Our apostle, in the concluding part of the fore- Sufferings I have enough already; O! do joy, says the apostle; as if he had said,

going chapter, recommended to the Philippians'
care and practice the duty of constancy in the
faith of the gospel, and of christian unity
amongst themselves, the professors of the gos..
pel; but he could not satisfy himself with a
simple and naked proposing of this duty, but
in this chapter he urges and enforces it with
a most elegant and prevalent obtestation, charg-
ing and adjuring them, as it were, by all that
is dear and precious to them, and as they had
any regard unto, or value for, the most glori-
ous privileges of christianity, to be like-mind-
ed, to be found in the exercise and practice of
unity and humility; and accordingly he begins
this chapter with a most pathetic insinuation,
which has also the force of a most rational ar-
gumentation; saying, in the first verse, unto
them,

IF there be therefore any consola-
tion in Christ, if any comfort of
love, if any fellowship of the Spirit,
if any bowels and mercies, 2 Ful-
fil ye my joy, that ye be like-mind-
ed, having the same love, being of
one accord, of one mind.

Here we have observable, 1. The important duty which the apostle exhorts the Philippians to; and that is, love and unity, unity in judgment and opinion, unity in heart and affection, unity in design and endeavours; so necessary and advantageous is the duty of unity and concord among all the professors of christianity, that all the cautions and warnings, all the advice and counsel, all the melting entreaties and passionate importunities of the ministers of Christ, are little enough to excite persons to it, and direct them in the practice of it. Observe, 2. What an heap of arguments the apostle makes use of to excite and quicken the Philippians to the love and practice of this duty: If there be any consolation in Christ, any comfort of love, any fellowship of the Spirit, any bowels and mercies. As if he had said, If ever you have tasted, by means of my ministry, any sweetness and consolation in Christ and his holy religion, if ever you have found any comfort in his love, if ever you have enjoyed any communion with his Spirit, if ye be men, and have any bowels of mercy for yourselves, if ye be christians, and have any pity for me in my bonds, fulfil ye my joy in this, that ye be like minded, having the same love, being of one accord, and of one mind. O! the tenderness, the gentleness, and meekness, of soul, which was in St. Paul, and ought to be in every spiritual pastor towards his people, to win them, and prevail upon them

not you, by your divisions and dissensions, add more; I am already a prisoner, expecting the sentence of death, preparing for the sword of persecution, but none of these things move me; I can rejoice in a dungeon, sing in the stocks, triumph in death, if I can but hear you stand fast in one spirit, striving together for the faith of the gospel. But, if I hear that you are broken by divisions, my heart is broke; the news of differences and dissensions among you will be heavier to me than my chain, darker than my dungeon, sharper than Nero's sword. Do not thus add to my sorrow and sufferings; but as you have begun and occasioned joy in me, I beseech you fulfil and complete my joy, by your being of one heart, of one mind, entirely one.

3 Let nothing be done through strife or vain-glory ;—

Here our apostle dissuadeth the Philippians from a double vice, destructive to unity; namely, contention and vain-glory, which are the very bane of unity and unanimity let nothing be done amongst you through emulation and envy, through contention and vain-glory. Pride and ambition are usually attended with strife and contention : a vain-glorious person over-rates himself, undervalues others, and breaks the peace with all.

-But in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

Here our apostle directs to humility, in order to peace and unity; which humility he styles lowliness of mind, a grace whereby a man thinks meanly of himself, and highly of others, having a better opinion of others' wisdom and piety than his own; now this a man may do, and not sin, though he be mistaken: the publican judged the Pharisee better than himself; and though it was not so, God did not disapprove him for it, but he went away justified. It is no crime to judge another better than ourselves, though he be not so; but it is pride to judge another worse than ourselves, though he be really so. Learn hence, That true humility doth not consist in lowliness of expression, but in lowliness of mind and opinion: not the man that

speaks meanly of himself, but he that thinks so, is the humble man. Learn, 2. That the humble and lowly-minded man is so conscious to himself of his own infir. mities, so modest in the estimating of his

graces and virtues, and so forward to hope and believe the best of others, that not only in outward expression, but in real estimation, doth he give others a preference before himself: In lowliness of mind, let

each man esteem others better than themselves.

4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

The apostle here dissuadeth from another sin, which is very destructive of unity and peace, of concord and love; and that is, the sin of inordinate self-love, whereby we regard only our own honour and profit, wholly neglecting the concerns of others. Look not every man on his own things; that is, his own private advantage only or chiefly, but take care of the things which tend to the advantage of others. Not but that a christian may and ought to look at his own things, but not wholly our regard must extend further than ourselves, and our own things; we must look on the things of others also; we must be as just and true to another's reputation as to our own, and regard both the honour and profit of our neighbour as well as our own and where christians are of this public spirit and temper, it contributes much, very much, towards the preserving and maintaining of unity and peace among them.

5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus;

That is, this humble mind. Here the apostle presses the duty of humility, from Christ's example; he was a perfect pattern of humility when here on earth: example therefore should recommend this grace and virtue to us, which was so orient in the life of Christ, whose humility was as conspicuous as his innocency; and accordingly the apostle descends in the next verse to give particular instances of the humility and humiliation of the Son of God.

6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God; 7 But made himself

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Behold here the greatest example of humility, of lowliness and abasement, that ever the world was acquainted with the mighty God became less than man! To make a due estimate hereof we must first

observe, What Christ was before his incarnation and humiliation, namely, the great and mighty God: for, says the apostle, he was in the form of God, and equal with and essential image, of the Father, enjoying God; that is, being the substantial form, the divine nature, with all its glory, and all the ensigns of majesty which God himself had eternally and invariably. As to be in the form of a servant, signifies that he was a servant; so to be in the form of God, signifies that he was God. And observe, 2. He was in the form of God, bebeing in the form of God, he thought it fore he was in the form of a servant; And, if he thought it no robbery, it could be no robbery to be equal with God. Now be equal; and if equal, he must be God by no robbery; and if no robbery, he must That our Saviour possessed that glory nature, as the Father is. Learn hence, which is truly divine, before he assumed our nature as man: he had a peerage or gels adored him in heaven before his inequality with his Father in glory; the ancarnation on earth, Isa. vi. 1. 2. Observe, 3. What mighty abasement the holy Jesus, God blessed for evermore, underwent, when he humbled himself: He was found in fashion as a man; he took upon him the form of a servant, and became obedient to death, even the death of the cross. Behold here the Sun of righteousness under an (almost total) eclipse: he that was eternally beautiful and glorious, being the brightness of his Father's glory, was so veiled, clouded, and debased, in the day of his humiliation, that he appears not like a God, scarce like a man. Note, 1. He took upon him the form of a servant : now this was a lower degree of condescension than the assuming the naked human nature; for a servant is not sim

ply a man, but a mean man, a man in a low estate. Lord! what abasement was here, that Christ, who was in the form

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