Philippians 1

Philippians 1:21 And to die is gain. 3. At death the souls of believers pass into glory: Death brings Malorum omnium ademptionem: Omnium ademptionem; death's the day-break of eternal brightness.

Philippians 1:21. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. Saint Paul was a great admirer of Christ, he desired to know nothing but Christ and him crucified (1 Corinthians 2:2). No julep to the blood of Christ; and in the text, To me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

Philippians 1:21. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. Hope is a Christian's anchor, which he casts within the veil (Romans 12:12).

Does he present our names in heaven, and shall not we profess his name on earth? Branch 2. If Christ lays out all his interest for us at the throne of grace, we must lay out all our interest for him (Philippians 1:20): That Christ may be magnified. Trade your talents for Christ'…

2. A Christian grows Gradu, in the degree of grace; he goes from strength to strength (Psalm 84:7), namely, from one degree of grace to another. A saint goes [in non-Latin alphabet], from faith to faith (Romans 1:17), and his love abounds [in non-Latin alphabet], more and more (…

And (1 Corinthians 6:20): Glorify God in your body, and in your spirit. The glory we give God is nothing else but our lifting up his name in the world, and magnifying him in the eyes of others (Philippians 1:20): Christ shall be magnified in my body. Quest. What is it to glorify…

The same I may say of a sincere aim; if I obey however much, and have not a sincere aim, it profits me nothing. True obedience looks at God in all (Philippians 1:20). That Christ may be magnified.

6. You are in covenant with God, and you are going to your God, behold a deathbed cordial; death breaks the union between the body and the soul, but perfects the union between Christ and the soul. This has made the saints desire death, as the bride the wedding day (Philippians 1…

The Apostles were scattered by reason of persecution, and their scattering was like the scattering of seed, they went up and down and preached the gospel, and brought in daily converts. Paul was put in prison, and his bonds were a means to enlarge the gospel (Philippians 1:12).…

Maximinus the Emperor (as Eusebius relates) gave charge to his officers to put none to death, but the governors and pastors of the church. The ministers are Christ's Antesignani, his ensign-bearers to carry his colors; therefore they are most shot at: they hold forth his truth (…

Will this exalt God? This was Saint Paul's [illegible], his chief design, that Christ might be magnified (Philippians 1:20), namely, that the crown upon his head might flourish. A godly man thinks it is scarce worth the while to live, if he may not bring some revenues of honor t…

What is a knowing head without a fruitful heart? Philippians 1:11. Filled with the fruits of righteousness. It is obedience that crowns hearing.

Because their conscience accuses them that they have taken little or no pains for heaven; they have been sleeping when they should have been working; and now they are afraid lest death should carry them prisoners to hell. Whereas he who has spent his time in serving of God, he c…

Again, our unwillingness to go hence declares, we love the world too much, and Christ too little. Love (as Aristotle says) desires union; did we love Christ as we should, we would desire to be united to him in glory; when we might take our fill of love, be humbled that we are so…

It is thus defined: faith is a supernatural gift of God in the mind, apprehending the saving promise with all the promises that depend on it. First, I say, it is a gift of God (Philippians 1:29), to confute the blind opinion of our people, that think that the faith whereby they…

What if they are not so quick and ravishing as at first — may not that be recompensed in the spirituality and solidity of them now? Philippians 1:9: 'I pray God your love may abound more and more in all judgment' — it may be more solid, though not so fervent. Or do you not mista…

(1.) Grace is the work. And so, Philippians 1:6, termed, the good work. A frame of spirit, created to good works: Ephesians 2:10, we are his workmanship, created to good works.

For in this we groan earnestly, desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven. In this verse he utters the working of the affections of Christians towards their being clothed upon with this house; and so in order to this enjoyment of it, their desiring even to…

Or what just reason can there be to be dissatisfied with, or to complain of God's giving to, and ordering that for us, whereof we stand in need, and which we cannot want without being considerably prejudiced and worsted by the want? Sixthly, if it be considered, that in all your…

Ah! that ever the small and inconsiderable sufferings of the saints, should so much as once be made mention of by them where his strange and stupendous sufferings offer themselves to be noticed. Seventhly, concerning the unspeakably great obligation that lies on believers, readi…

2. Indeed, to say we see justification more clearly, when we see no sanctification, is to make the water and the Spirit (1 John 5:8) dumb or false witnesses, that either speak nothing, or tell lies. 3. It is against the office of the Spirit, which is to make us know [illegible],…

Objection 12: The thing prayed for, is that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, that so the Gospel might run and be glorified (2 Thessalonians 2:1; John 17:22-23). But things to be prayed for to the believers are higher, as increase of love, sincerity, filling with the fruit…

Look therefore what lovely, sweete, and delightfull thoughts you use to have of a deere friend, who is of an amiable nature, or of some eminently holy or meeke Saint, of whom you thinke with your selves, I could put my soul into such a mans hands, & can comprimise my salvation t…

It is not only the power of God to work faith in such as believe, but to lead them on from faith to faith, from one measure of faith to another, and the Gospel is revealed from heaven for that end, that such as believe not might be brought on to believe. And such as do believe,…

Nor would he live by the graces of the Spirit in him, but the life that he would live is by the faith of the Son of God (Galatians 2:20), that Christ and his life in him might work all his works in him and for him. And in that at any time he desires death, it is not that he migh…

I will endeavor that you may be able after my decease, the death of the godly is a going out but from sin, and sorrow, to glory, and immortality, as Israel's going out of Egypt (from where the second book of Moses is called Exodus) was no destruction and cessation of their being…

The godly themselves have but a mixed estate, because of remaining infirmities, they live here in a vale of tears and snares, and sin does not gasp its last till death removes us from this sinful flesh, and puts us into the sight of God himself: therefore the saints are groaning…

Faith is of grace. Phil 1:29. justification is freely by Grace. Rom 3:24.

And that we may be able to suffer for the name of God, we must pray for this gift at God's hand. For power to suffer is the gift of God (Philippians 1:29): and we must observe the commandment of God, not to fear the terrors of men (Revelation 2:10; 1 Peter 3:14). And for this ca…

When Paul says, that the false Apostles were ielous ouer the Galatians amisse, he sets out the fashion of men in the world, which is to doe things which are good in their kind, but to doe them for wrong ends. It is an excellent office to preach the word, but some doe it of enuie…

Secondly, they teach us to have a sympathy and fellow feeling of the miseries of our brethren, to remember those that are in bonds, as though we were bound with them, and those that are in affliction, as though we also were afflicted in the body (Hebrews 13:3). Thirdly, our pati…

All the faithful have done thus; and this way have they confirmed themselves in the faith: for see how David speaks, (Psalm 138:8) You, Lord, will not forsake the work of your own hands. And Saint Paul says; He which has begun a good work in you, will perfect the same: (Philippi…

Christ did not wish that he should be forbidden; not that he had given him authority, or approved of what he did, or even wished his disciples to approve of it, but because, when by any occurrence God is glorified, we ought to bear with it and rejoice. Thus Paul, (Philippians 1:…

whose badges he wore; and Paul boasts that he was placed for the defense of the gospel, (Philippians 1:17.) This is eminently worthy of attention, that those on whom God bestows so great an honor as to make them defenders of his truth, may not through base treachery fall from th…

For in that he reasons from the power of God, he does it not simply, as though he said, God can do it, if he would: but he joins the will of God with his power, as the manner of the Scripture is. And yet he defines not here any perpetuity: as though they must needs stand to the…

[So] being affectionately [desirous] of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of [God only], but also [our own souls]. So also he speaks of his bowels of love, Philippians 1:8, Philemon verse 12 and 20. So he speaks of his [earnest] care for others, 2 Co…

Christ liveth in me, and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God; who loved me, and gave himself for me. Philippians 1:21. For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

Every one that loveth, knoweth God. Philippians 1:9. I pray that your Love may abound more and more, in knowledge and in all Judgment.

Acts 5. 20. (6.) A Life, all whose Fruits are Holiness and Spiritual Evangelical Obedience, Rom. 6. 22. Phil. 1. 11. Lastly, It is a Life that dies not, that is not obnoxious to Death, Eternal Life, John 17. 3.

And both these, even the first planting and the encrease of it are both equally from God by his Spirit. He that begins this good Work does also perform it to the Day of Jesus Christ, Phil. 1. 6. And this he does two wayes.

The soul solacing itself in a pleasant meditation of God, whereby its delight in him is excited and stirred up. The latter (understanding sense spiritually, as it belongs to the new creature, and is taken in (Philippians 1:9; Hebrews 5, final verse)) may be called sensitive deli…

How cross soever the Winds and Tides of Providence at any time seem to us, yet nothing is more certain, than that they all conspire to hasten sanctified souls to God, and sit them for glory. St. Paul knew, that both his bonds and the afflictions added to them should turn to, or…

A thousand friendly hands are at work for them, to promote and bring about their happiness. O, this is enough to sweeten the bitterest Providence to us, that we know it shall turn to our salvation, Philippians 1:19 (6.) The respect and relation Providence bears to our prayers, i…

First, in the Apostles' Epistles the name of bishop did never signify anything different from the office of a presbyter. For a bishop, presbyter, and an apostle, were common names, as you may see (Acts 20), (Philippians 1:1), (Titus 1), (1 Peter 5:12), (Acts 1:20). Next.

To wish [reconstructed: death] that we may enjoy Christ, it is a holy wish, but yet we must not wish that neither, absolutely. The Apostle Paul (Philippians 1:23) desired to be dissolved and to be with Christ, yet you see how he qualifies and debates it. To wish for death, that…

Wee must therefore labour to be engraffed into Christ, for without him, we can doe no good thing; but beeing pa[]takers of his grace, we shall abound with the fruits of rightcousnesse, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the praise and glorie of God. Phil. 1. 11. Thirdly, I adde; th…

And this wisdom []ef[]ll[] not at all to the deuill and his angels, though they know much, nor to all that are Christians in name; but onely to the members of his mysticall bodie by faith. This heauenly wisdom has two actions: First, to discerne []right of things that differ, an…

And so this ornament of a good conduct is an amiable, gaining and alluring thing; by it, says Peter, the husband's affection may be won (and that both to Christ and to his wife in the Lord) more than by any outward adorning, and this puts them to glorify God, when it shines befo…

2. That there is in the soul a high esteem of him, which begets this love. 3. That there is such an ardent affection to him as makes them long for union with him, as love naturally desires union with that which it loves — it desires to be with Christ here, and hereafter, as that…

3. A readiness and promptness of obedience, to what they are called to: All which are beautiful in themselves, and adorning to the believer. We take it, in a word, to hold out a conversation such as becomes the Gospel (Philippians 1:27), which is, to have the feet shod with the…