XII. " Wherefore also we pray always," &c, . 302
XIII. "Wherefore also we pray always," &c, . 313
XIV. " That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may
be glorified in you, and you in him, accord- ing to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ," . . . .322
XV. " That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,"
&c, ..... 332
XVI. " That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ," &c, ....
Sermon upon Matthew xxii. 14, „ „ Mark vii. 37, .
„ „ 2 Corinthians iv, 17,
Sermons upon 1 John ii. 12-14 —
Sermon I. " I write unto you, little children, your sins are forgiven for his sake," .... 380
II. " I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father. I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one," . . . . 390
III. ' ' I write unto you, fathers, because ye have
known him that was from the begin- ning," ..... 399
IV. "I write unto you, fathers," &c, . . 407
.
342
353
.
364
371
because
name's
Vlll CONTENTS.
PAGE
Sermons upon 1 John ii. 12-14 — continued.
Sermon V. " I write unto you, young men, because ye
have overcome the wicked one," &c, . 416 VI. " I write unto you, little children, because ye
have known the Father," &c, . . 427
Sermons upon 1 John iii. —
Sermon I. " Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God ! therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not," ..... 438 II. " Therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God ■ and it doth not yet appear what we shall be ; but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is," . 449
III. " But we know that, when he shall appear, we
shall be like him, for we shall see him
as he is," . . ... 459
IV. " And every man that hath this hope in him
purifieth himself, even as he is pure," . 470 V. " And every man that hath this hope in him,"
&c, 479
VI. " Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law ; for sin is a transgression of the law," ..... 488 VII. " Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth
also the law," . . . .498
SERMONS
ON
SEVERAL TEXTS OF SCRIPTURE.
VOL. XX.
SERMONS UPON PHILIPPIANS III. 7-21.
SEKMON I.
But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
Phil. iii. 7.
The apostle having shown that he had greater cause of confidence and glorying in the flesh than any of the pretenders among the Judaising brethren, at least was not any whit inferior to them in outward privi- leges ; here he showeth that since he had attained to the knowledge of Christ, he accounted these things not only unprofitable, but hurtful, ' But what things were gain to me, those I accounted loss for Christ'
In the words we have a comparison of his judgment before his know- ledge of Christ and after his knowledge of Christ.
1. Before his knowledge of Christ, gains, KepBrj, expressed plurally.
2. Loss afterwards.
Doct. That when the Spirit of God changeth a man's judgment, those things which before conversion seemed to be gain to him will then be accounted loss.
So it was with Paul, and so it will be with all that are like Paul, yea, with all that are brought to the knowledge of Christ.
1. I shall explicate the point.
2. Confirm it.
[1.] In explicating the point, I shall show what those things were. [2.] His esteem before and after conversion.
[3.] How it holdeth good in other cases in the conversion of others. First, What are the things spoken of ? He enumerateth six causes of carnal boasting —
1. ' Circumcised the eighth day ; ' admitted into the number of God's people by circumcision, which was done precisely according to the law, not as a proselyte, but as a born Jew rightfully circumcised. Let that be the first privilege.
2. By nation an Israelite, born of a noble tribe of the Israelites, the tribe of Benjamin, ' An Hebrew of the Hebrews.' His stock was of Israel, God's dear servant, and one of the best tribes, of Jacob's beloved wife ; not of the children of the bondwoman, of which tribe Saul was elected king, from whence probably our apostle had his name ; of that tribe which with the tribe of Judah came to the house of David and the true worship of God at Jerusalem after the revolt of the ten tribes,, and in whose territory the temple was situated.
4 SERMONS UPON PHILIPPIANS III. [SER. I".
3. ' Hebrew of the Hebrews ; ' of a family that was never mixed in blood by marriage with those of foreign nations.