draw aside every veil, and will dissipate every vapour, which now hides or obscures the light of the Divine majesty of their Master, and will bring to sight all the treasures of eternity. From whence it appears that the progress of grace, and the operation of God in this good work, will extend even to this last day, which is precisely what the apostle means; and this is the reason that he and his brethren refer us to this great day, putting it before our eyes, as the highest object of our hopes, and the absolute and entire accomplishment of that perfection which we desire. The other difficulty which presents itself in this text is, how St. Paul could be certain of the perseverance of the Philippians until the last day, seeing that in so changeable a nature, and in the midst of so many snares and precipices, it seems as if no one could be certain even of the morrow. To which the reply is easy, that neither is it on the excellence of his nature, nor on the merit of his virtue, that the apostle founds his own assurance, but upon the goodness and power of God, who does not save his own by halves, and well knows how to perfect his strength in their weakness. Seeing then the commencement of his work, the marks, the engraving, and the seal of his Spirit in these believers, the apostle very reasonably argues that he will finish his work.

In conclusion, we have three things to remark: the first is, That he here attributes all the work of salvation to God, saying expressly that it is he who has begun, and who will finish it in the day of his Son; so that we cannot without impiety give to another than to him the glory of any part of salvation, nor of any of the things belonging to it, from the first moment to the last. It is in vain that one would draw any distinction between the commencement and the progress; God is the sole author both of the one and of the other: and as it is by his grace alone that we have begun, so is it also by it that we continue. The hand which has given us the first features of the royal image is the same that gives us also the rest and the last; and to divide this between God and man, leaving him the glory of the first, and attributing what follows to ourselves, is as absurd as if we were to say, that truly it is the artist who first began or sketched a figure, but that finally it added the rest, and finished itself. If you acknowledge that we deserve nothing in commencing, because the beginning is a work of the grace of God, I do not see by what right you pretend that we merit any thing for what follows, seeing that the apostle declares to us, that the entire perfection, from the first moment to the last, is as truly the work of God as the commencement; "he has begun (says he) the good work in you, and he will finish it in the day of Christ." Secondly, it must be remarked, That St. Paul presupposes here that God finishes his work in the day of Christ in all those in whom he has commenced it. Otherwise his reasoning would be absurd, and the assurance of perseverance which he draws from it rash and unfounded; for if God forsakes some of those in whom he has begun this good work, without finishing them and leading them to the day of his Son, that is to say, into the harbour of immortality, who does not perceive that the argument of the apostle would be useless, who, because he saw the beginnings of the work of God in these Philippians, concludes from it that he would finish it in them, as it evidently appears, and as he himself tells us expressly in the following verse? Thus the discourse of the apostle is good and pertinent, and unhappy is he who imagines that there is any thing incoherent or unreasonable in the writings of this holy servant of God. Assuredly we must then say, that it is not possible that any of the truly faithful should perish, nor that

any of those in whom God has commenced his work should not persevere, until the day of the Lord Jesus, according to the promise that he himself makes us in John x. 28, 29, that “no man should pluck his sheep out of his hand;" and to that with which the apostle elsewhere consoles the Corinthians, and in them all of us, 1 Cor. x. 13, “God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." Finally, the third remark that I have to make on this place is, That in the application of this maxim to the Philippians St. Paul presupposes, by a charitable judgment, founded on fair and legitimate appearances, not contradicted by any apparent reason, that what he saw in them was verily the work of God, that is to say, a true faith, and a true piety, and not a fiction, or a false semblance, or a vain colouring, like that with which the hypocrite paints himself outwardly. He presupposes, I say, that in them, and only speaks of those who were thus circumstanced. If there were others, it is neither of them, nor for them, that his words are intended.

Thus, my brethren, have we explained the three points which we proposed to ourselves at the commencement of this discourse. Assuredly we may say with truth, and without flattery, that we have reason to offer the same thanksgivings to God for your church, that St. Paul here gives for that of the Philippians. She also has received the faith with readiness and joy; she also has had her Lydias, who not only have heard the heavenly word with a heart opened by the hand of God, who not only have lodged the saints and received Jesus Christ beneath their roof, but who have even sealed the truth with their blood. She has also held the fellowship of the gospel, from the first day until now, persevering continually in this holy profession, in spite of temptations of every kind, with so much the more glory, that there is hardly a place in the universe where they could be greater than in the one in which you live. Your fathers here have borne the iron and the fire, and you in the same place have resisted the charms and the seductions of the world, which are not less dangerous trials. False teachers have not corrupted you; their colourings and their illusions have not dazzled you; and wherever have arisen, whether from within or from without, those who would wish to persuade you to be other than evangelical, you have generously despised their sensual counsels. You have hitherto preserved the gospel pure and entire, and have not been induced to mix with it any human tradition. After so many different assaults, and such trying seasons, you are still standing by the grace of the Lord. And I dare add, with the apostle, that he who has begun this good work in you, will perfect it till the day of Jesus Christ. It is not in vain that he has rescued you from so many troubles, saved you from so many shipwrecks, gathered you together again after so many dispersions, and preserved you miraculously amidst so much confusion. Beloved brethren, as his benefits are conspicuous on you, there being very few flocks in the world on which his protection and his favours have shone more magnificently than on you, may your acknowledgment also be as remarkable among Christians. Let your gratitude appear, not less than his grace. It is not enough, believers, to thank him in words, and to say Amen to the praises and benedictions which we here solemnly render him in our holy assemblies. The thanks that he expects from you, and which you truly owe him, are, that for the grace which he has given you, you should earnestly desire his glory; that you should walk in the

whence it follows, that it is our duty to look on all those as children of God in whom the true marks of piety, that is to say, the works of Christian sanctification, are conspicuous. I acknowledge that it is a silly and ridiculous charity to take for believers, simply because they profess to be so, those in whose lives we see nothing but lewdness and vice, without any trace of true virtue. But, on the other hand, it is a most uncharitable and unjustifiable error to doubt the regeneration of those who live in a Christian-like manner, and to attribute the correctness of their actions to hypocrisy rather than to piety. The believer, to be prudent, need not be unkind and suspicious. He ought to receive with joy and to reverence those who wear the livery of his Christ, and have the seal of his Spirit, wherever he meets with them; and to embrace as his own all those who bear his image in this world, as persons who will have part in the other, and with whom he will one day possess a blessed immortality. But among these proofs of the Lord, which oblige us to recognise men as his members, that which the apostle had seen in the Philippians is one of the most certain, and the least capable of deception, namely, the fellowship that they had with him in his bonds; which he expresses, as usual, with a striking emphasis and vigour, saying "that he had them in his heart, participators with him of his grace in his bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel." It is true that we ought carefully to remark all the good actions of believers, and to place the proofs that they have given us, whether of their piety or of their love, not in our memory alone, but also in our heart, in the most lively and dearest place of our soul, and there carefully preserve them, as so many most excellent jewels, to their praise, and our edification. But, never- | theless, in my opinion this is not all the apostle here means. His words go further, and signify not only that he has seen, or that he remembers, that the Philippians have partaken of his sufferings, but that he rejoices in his heart at their fellowship in his affliction; and that he considers them, not as witnesses or spectators, but as companions in his bonds, as laden with the same chain with which he was bound in the prison of Rome. These believers were at Philippi, in Macedonia, and had neither been accused, nor arrested, nor banished with the apostle; so that to speak properly and precisely, and to look only at the effects and the things themselves, it is certain that they were not his companions in his bonds. But to consider the circumstance otherwise, in its source, in its causes, and in the disposition of the minds of the Philippians, it is not less evident that they were partakers of the prison of the apostle, since they defended the same cause, placed themselves on his side, and were ready to enter into the same captivity; since they favoured him openly, assisting him, and uniting themselves more than ever with him, supporting his chain to render it lighter to him, and bearing a part of it as much by the compassion and feeling they evinced, as by the charitable offices which they rendered him while in this situation. It is exactly what the apostle means, when he says "that he has them in his heart, partakers of his grace with him in his bonds." "What does it signify (says he) that I only see Epaphroditus with me in my prison? I have you all in my heart. If my body is removed from your sight, and from your communion, my heart rejoices notwithstanding, and feels, with great consolation, the share that you take in my sufferings. I possess you all in this place, and see you here as bound with my chain, and consecrated by my affliction.' It was not possible, my brethren, more magnificently to extol the

love of the Philippians. For he gives it in some degree the name, glory, and crown of martyrdom, the last and the highest work of Christian piety. And, in truth, the zeal and affection of these believers were worthy of very great praise. For it is much not to hide oneself when a Christian is called to account for the sake of the gospel; it is much when those who are in the same place where he is detained have the courage to remain there, without withdrawing themselves from the danger by flight; it is still more when they dare see and strengthen him, paying him the attentions of love on such an occasion. But it is much more than all this, to seek after him at a distance, to traverse the sea to console him, and not only not to fly away from the place of his prison, but to run thither, and to go many hundreds of leagues to declare themselves on his side. This the Philippians had done, when, having been made acquainted with the detention of St. Paul at Rome, they despatched Epaphroditus to visit and to minister to him on their behalf. O admirable and truly heroic generosity! How rare in the present day are the examples of such a zeal! It is considered wonderful not to have abjured religion; and not to have abandoned the gospel is the summit of our virtue. But remember, believers, that the precepts of Jesus Christ, and not the examples of men, ought to mould our actions. And if we cannot present ourselves as examples, let us follow these truly happy Philippians, who were so highly esteemed by the holy apostle; let us also follow those primitive Christians who ran from all parts to the tortures and to the prisons of their martyrs, and assisted them with so much activity and liberality, that the pagans themselves were delighted at it, as we learn from church history. Never let us be ashamed of so good a cause, and let us ever consider it a glory to comfort and support all who suffer in so honourable a strife. Let us be as interested, and feel as much for them, as if we were in their place. The example of the Philippians, and the command of the apostle in the Epistle to the Hebrews, require this of us: "Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body," Heb. xiii. 3. This sort of love is the truest and most genuine mark of piety that we can show to God and men. It is from it that St. Paul infers the perseverance of these believers to whom he writes. But conceive what a value it must bear in the sight of God and of his servants, since the apostle gives it the titles and praises of martyrdom. If you assist and comfort those who suffer for the gospel of Jesus Christ, you are in their hearts, companions of their bonds, partakers of their troubles, and of their glory. The Lord will look upon you as his witnesses and his confessors, and will hold the works of your love as acceptable, as if you were to shed your own blood for his name. It is a martyrdom without blood, and a confession without suffering, to render such services to the martyrs and confessors of the Lord, whenever the occasion may present itself.

And in order that you may not be ashamed of their affliction, consider what the apostle says of it, and by what names he calls it. "You have been (says he) partakers of my grace in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel." First he calls it "his grace," and then "the defence, or excuse, and confirmation of the gospel." Oh how distant is this language from the thoughts and opinions of the flesh! The world looked upon this prison of the apostle as a disgrace, as one of the greatest disfavours of Heaven, and as one of the hardest blows of its indignation. St. Paul, on the contrary, calls it "grace," and looks upon it as a

singular favour from God. In truth, whatever the world may say, it is a great honour for man to suffer for the truth of God, to enter into the lists for him, and to support the majesty of his name at the peril of his life. On what nobler and more glorious account could he employ his blood? And if the children of this world look upon it as an honour to fight for their princes, and bless the wounds and the bruises which they receive in their service, and show them, and boast of them, as the dearest part of their glory, in what rank should we place the afflictions and the disgraces which we endure for the name of Jesus Christ our only Saviour, and our sovereign Lord? Is it not honouring us to choose us for such an occasion? Is it not to testify that he esteems our valour and our fidelity, to mark us out for his champions in so great a cause? But besides the honour, let us not doubt that he will overwhelm those with his Divine rewards, who have lawfully acquitted themselves in so illustrious a duty; and that for the little breath or blood that they may have either hazarded or lost for the love of him, he will crown them with immortal life and glory, according to that true sentence with which in the gospel he consoles his faithful ones in their sufferings: "Blessed are they who are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven," Matt. v. 10-12.

The apostle, by calling his bonds "the defence and confirmation of the gospel," shows us clearly what an honourable thing it is to suffer for the name of God. For the Lord has never made us a present, either more excellent, or more admirable in itself, or more useful, or more efficacious, whether for his glory, or for the salvation of men, than the gospel of his Son Jesus Christ. Now it is to confirm us in the truth of this Divine doctrine that God permits the faithful to be persecuted by the men of this world. All the wounds that they receive, every drop of blood that they shed, in this warfare, are so many authentic seals which they publicly affix to the gospel of their Master. It is not that this heavenly truth needs the voice or the sufferings of believers to exhibit its Divinity, as if it had not light enough in itself; but that which is not necessary for it is very useful for the infirmity of men, that the blood, and the faith, and the sufferings of the witnesses of God, should arouse them from their natural dulness, and force them to consider with attention what this marvellous rule is for which they do not hesitate to endure all that our nature most fears. In truth, the first and the last ages of Christianity have seen, by experience, that nothing so powerfully establishes the gospel as the sufferings of the martyrs; from whence comes the ancient and true saying, which calls their blood "the seed of the church." Thus let us follow after St. Paul, assuring ourselves that what he then suffered at Rome served greatly for the advancement of the truth. His chain justified his preaching, there being no reason why he should have been willing to endure so long an imprisonment, in which he saw himself daily in danger of losing his life, if he had not been Divinely assured of the truth of this holy doctrine. Christian, if you should ever be called to such a trial, be certain that the Lord is willing to take you for the advocate of his cause, and has committed to you the defence of his gospel. God forbid that you should draw back, or that you should refuse so honourable an employment; rather embrace it with a firm resolution, taking good care neither to betray by your silence nor your prevarication so holy

and glorious a cause. Give courageously to God the testimony and defence which he demands from you.

II. But the apostle, after having declared to the Philippians the foundation of the great opinion which he had of their firmness and perseverance in their religion, to gain still more their good-will and attention, protests to them, in the second place, the affection that he bore towards them : "God is my witness, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ." You see with what care he assures them of his good-will; not only employing for this purpose the authority of his word, but interposing also the witness of God, who knows the secrets of our hearts, without our being able to hide any thing from him. In truth, it is of great consequence to those whom God has called to teach, that the people to whom they minister should be persuaded of their love towards them; it being evident that the words and actions of those by whom we think ourselves loved make quite a different impression on our minds, than the language or example of others to whom we believe ourselves indifferent. The name of God, which he here uses as a witness of his affection, shows us, contrary to the vexatious and unreasonable superstition of some, both ancient and modern, that an oath is not absolutely forbidden to Christians, and that it may be lawfully employed, for the assurance of men, for their edification, in a serious, grave, and important cause: such were the occasions in which St. Paul uses it, both in this place and in many others. For to call God as a witness to the truth of what we affirm, as St. Paul here does, is neither more nor less than a true and lawful oath. And who, when he thoroughly considers it, does not see that to refer this testimony to the Lord is not to abase or offend his name, but to honour it, in attributing to him the glory of an infinite wisdom and power, as well to acknowledge the truth of what we have declared, as to punish our crime in case we should lie. Thus the apostle here calls God as a witness of the affection which he had for the Philippians, as one who saw to the very bottom of the feelings and all the movements of his mind.

He says that he longs for them, to signify that he loves them, according to the style of the Hebrew language, which thus changes the words, as naturally we love that which we long for. But he does not say only that he longs for them, or that he loves them; he makes use of a word which signifies to long with vehemence, with an ardent passion, and, as we have translated it, "to love or to long greatly." I acknowledge that this great apostle, according to his incomparable love, embraced all the churches of his Master with a tender affection, and in general every individual in whom he saw the faith of the gospel shine; notwithstanding which, we must not doubt but that he had feelings of very peculiar affection for these Philippians, who, besides the excellent testimony which they had given of a rare and extraordinary piety, bore abundantly the marks of his own hand, being in some respects his work and production, as it was he who had begotten them in Jesus Christ, and planted the gospel in the midst of them, as St. Luke relates at length in the Acts. For it is an emotion natural to all men tenderly to love that which they have produced, as they see appear, as it were, a part of themselves, that is to say, either their blood or their mind. Hence, as one of the first of the wise men of the world has remarked,* the great so much love their creatures, mothers their children, and poets their compositions. As then this church of the Philippians was a fruit of the apostles' minis

* Aristotle in his Morals.