3. The advancing Christian — [What a noble ambition is yoursc! You are not con- tented to serve or enjoy Christ, but must also magnify him. Go on ; and he will soon " make your vile body like unto his glorious body " in a better world : and whatever others may be, you shall " not be ashamed before him at his coming."]
c 2 Thess. i. 11, 12.
Phil. i. 21 — 24. To me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour : yet what I shall choose I wot not. For I am in a strait betwixt tivo, having a desire to depart, and to be ivith Christ ; which is far better : nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.
THE way to ascertain the real excellence of reli- gion, is to see what it can do for us in the hour of trial, when all other helps and comforts fail us. If it can support us then, and make us to triumph over all the feelings of nature, its power must be confessed to be exceeding great and highly beneficial. Now that it has that power, is evident from the example before us. St. Paul was in prison at Rome, confined there in order to be brought forth for execution, whenever Nero, the Roman emperor, should issue the command. Contentious teachers in the mean time were taking advantage of his confinement, to draw away disciples after them, and seeking thereby to add affliction to his bonds. And what effect had these upon him ? As for his own sufferings, from whatever quarter they came, he was persuaded they would issue in his everlasting salvation ; whilst the efforts of the teachers, notwithstanding the corrupt- ness of their motives, would issue in the salvation of others : his mind therefore was kept in perfect peace, and he was equally willing either to live or die, as- sured that Christ would certainly be magnified in his body, whether by life or death. This blessed state
2 140. J st. Paul's dilemma. 29
of equanimity is admirably depicted in the words of our text. In order to take a fuller view of it, we shall point out,
I. The prospects of the Apostle —
These were truly blessed both in life and death :
1. In life—
[Two objects were near his heart ; namely, to honour Christ, and to benefit the Church. " To him to live was Christ." To exalt Christ, to make known his salvation, and to extend the boundaries of his kingdom, was his constant
aim, his sole employment To further the welfare of
the Church also, by confirming the faith, and advancing the happiness, of the disciples, this was the office that had been delegated to him by God himself, and which he had now for many years endeavoured to execute to the utmost of his power.
He had already succeeded to an astonishing extent in pro- moting these objects; and he had no doubt but that, if his life were prolonged, they would continue to be advanced by means of his ministrations ]
2. In death —
[Having fled for refuge to the hope set before him, he was well assured that he was accepted in the Beloved. He had already for many years been with Christ by faith, walking as before him, depending upon him, holding sweet fellowship with him, and receiving continually out of his fulness : but he expected, immediately on his departure from this world, to be with him in a more intimate and immediate manner, behold- ing his glory, and enjoying the fullest possible communications
of his love
Not that these prospects were peculiar to him. The weakest Christian enjoys the same, only in an inferior degree : for every one who truly believes in Christ, will assuredly seek the advancement of his kingdom, and may firmly expect a partici- pation of his glory.]