JOHN WESLEY, M. A. The THIRD EDITION, Corrected. Printed by WILLIAM PINE, in Wine Street, 1762. NOTES ON St. PAUL's Epiftle to the Philippians. PHI HILIPPI was fo called from Philip King of Macedonia, who. much enlarged and beautified it. Afterwards it became a Roman Colony, and the chief City of that Part of Macedonia. Hither St. Paul was fent by a Wifion to preach; and here, not long af ter his Coming, he was fhamefully intreated. Nevertheless many were converted by him, during the fhort Time of his Abode there ; by whofe Liberality he was more affifted, than by any other Church, of his planting. And they had now fent large Affiftance to him by Epaphroditus; by whom he returns them this Epistle, I. The Infcription, It contains fix Parts, II. Thanksgiving and Prayers for them, II. He relates his prefent State and good Hope: *12-24 Whence he exhorts them, 1. While he remains with them, to walk worthy of the Gospel, 25-30 C. i. 1-16 2. Though he should be killed, to rejoice with him, 1. To certify them of all Things by Timotheus, IV. He exhorts them to rejoice, admonishing them, to beware of falfe Teachers, commending Concord, He again exhorts them to Joy and Meekness, V. He accepts of their Liberality, VI. The Conclufion, 17, 18: 39-24 25-30 C. iii. 1-3 and 2---21. C. iv. 1-3 ·4-7 8-9 I. PHILIPPIANS. . UL and Timotheus, fervants of Jefus Phrift, to all the faints in Chrift Jefus who are 2 at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons, Grace be unto you, and peace from God our Father and 3 the Lord Jefus Chrift. I thank my God upon every 4 mention of you, Always in all my prayers making 5 fupplication for you all with joy, For your fellow fhip in the gofpel from the first Day until now: 6 Being perfuaded of this very thing, that he who hath begun a good work in you, will perfect it un7 til the Day of Jefus Chrift, As it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, who were all partakers of my grace, both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation V. 1. Servants-St. Paul writing familiarly to the Philippians, does not ftile himself an Apofle. And under the common Title of Servants, he tenderly and modeftly joins with himself his SonTimetheus, who had come to Philippi not long after St. Paul had received him, Atts xvi. 3, 12. To all the Saints-The Apoftolic Epifles were fent more directly to the Churches, than to the Paftors of them; with the bishops and deatons--The former properly took Care of the internal State, the latter of the Externals of the Church, (1 Tim. iii. 2-8.) Although these were not wholly confined to the one, neither thofe to the other. The Word Bishops here includes all the Prefbyters at Philippi, as well asthe Ruling Prefbyters: The Names Bishop and. Prefbyter, or Elder, being promifcuoufly ufed in the First Ages. V. 4. With joy-After the Epiftle to the Ephefians, wherein Love" reigns, follows this, wherein there is perpetual Mention of Joy. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy. "And Joy peculiarly enlivens Pray. er. The Sum of the whole Epiftle is, I rejoice. Rejoice ye. V. 5. The Senfe is, I thank God for your fellowship, with us in all the Bleffings of the gospel, which 1 have done from the first day of your receiving it until now. V. 6. Being perfuaded-The Grounds of which Perfuafion are set down in the following Verfe, that be who bath begun a good work in you, will perfect it until the day of Chrift-That he who having juftified, hath begun to fanctify you, will carry on this Work, till it issue in Glory. V.7. As it is right for me to think this of you all-Why? He does not fay," Because of an Eternal Decree;" or, " Because a Saint "muft perfevere;" but Because I have you in my heart, who were all partakers of my grace-That is, Because ye were all (for rubich I bave you in my beart-1 bear you the moft grateful and tender Affection) Partchers of my grace-That is, Sharers in the Afflictions, which GOD 9 8 of the gofpel. For God is my witnefs, how I long for you all, with the bowels of Jefus Chrift. And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more, in all knowledge and in all spiritual fenfe, 10 That ye may try the things that are excellent, that ye may be fincere and without offence unto the day #1 of Chrift, Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are through Chrift Jefas, to the glory and praise of God. Now I would have you know, brethren, that the things concerning me have fallen out rather #3 to the furtherance of the gofpel: So that my bonds in Christ have been made manifeft in the Gon vouchfafed me as a Grace or Favour, (ver. 19, 30.) both in my bonds, and when I was called forth to answer for myself, and to confirm the Gospel. It is not improbable, that, after they had endured that great trial of affliction, GoD had fealed them unto full Victory, of which the Apofle had a prophetic Sight. V. 8. I long for you with the bowels of Jefus Chrift-In Paul, not Paul lives, but Jefus Chrift. Therefore he longs for them, with the borvels, the Tendernefs, not of Paul, but of Jefus Chrift. V.9. And this I pray, that your love-Which they had already fhewn, may abound yet more and more-The Fire which burnt in the Apoftle, never fays, It is enough in knowledge and in all spiritual fenfe-Which is the Ground of all spiritual Knowledge. We must be inwardly fenfible of divine Peace, Joy, Love; otherwife we cannot know what they are. V. 1o. That ye may try-By that fpiritual Senfe the things that are excellent-Not only good, but the very best: The fuperior Excellence of which is hardly difcerned, but by the adult Christian: that je máy be inwardly fincere-Having a fingle Eye, to the very best things, ard a pure Heart, and outwardly without offence-Holy, unblameable in all Things. V. 11. Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are through Jefus Chrift, to the glory and praife of God-Here are three Properties of that Sincerity, which is acceptable to Gov. r. It must bear Fruits, the fruits of righteousness, all inward and outward Holiness, all good Tempers, Words, and Works, and that fo abundantly, that we may be filled with them: 2. The Branch and the Fruits muft derive both their Virtue and their very being from the all-fupporting, all-fupplying Root, Jefus Chrift: 3. As all thefe flow from the Grace of Cbrift, fo they muft illuc in the glory and praise of God. V. 12. The things concerning me -My Sufferings, bave fallen cut rather to the furtherance then (as you feared) the Hindrance of the gol pel. V. 13. My bonds in Chrift-Endured for his Sake, have been made man fet A 3 |