,transcriber's note3  ,text enclosed by 
underscores is in italics 7italics74    
,small capital text has been replaced   
with all capitals4  ,variations in      
spelling have been preserved except in  
obvious cases of typographical error4   
,hyphenation is inconsistent4  ,page    
#cca3 ,the transcriber has supplied the 
word a--who has not made it a matter of 
personal study4       ,,the ,,epistle   
,,to ,,the   ,,philippians    ,,by      
,,robert ,,rainy1 ,d4,d4   ,,principal  
,,of ,,new ,,college1 ,,edinburgh       
,,new ,,york3   ,,funk amp2 ,,wagnalls  
,,company1   ,,lafayette ,,place4       
#aijj4     ,,prefatory ,,note4   ,not   
much need be said by way of preface1 in 
addition to what is suggested in the    
introductory chapter4  ,it may be       
observed1 however1 that the ,apostle's  
teaching repeatedly touches on the      
question1 ,how the problem of practical 
human life on this earth is to be       
conceived and dealt with under the light
 and the influences of ,christianity8   

,the thought occurred that some         
expository passages might be superseded 
by an appendix summing up in one view   
the principles conceived to underlie the
 ,apostle's way of dealing with such    
topics1 which could be referred to on   
each separate occasion3 and such a      
statement was prepared4 ,it was1        
however1 finally judged more suitable to
 the nature of an exposition to keep as 
close as possible to the ,apostle's turn
 of thought in each of the cases in     
which he approaches the subject1 rather 
than to try to secure brevity by a more 
summary treatment4  ,a few sentences    
have been transferred from a lecture on 
the ,apostle ,paul1 published some years
 ago4     ,,contents4     ,,chapter ,i4 
,,page    ,,introductory3 ,,the         
,,salutation                          #c
    ,,chapter ,,ii4    ,,the            
,,apostle',s ,,mind ,,about ,,the       
,,philippians             #ai           
,,chapter ,,iii4    ,,how ,,the         
,,philippians ,,should ,,think ,,of     

,,paul ,,at ,,rome     #de    ,,chapter 
,,iv4    ,,the ,,choice ,,between       
,,living ,,and ,,dying                  
#fe    ,,chapter ,v4    ,,undaunted     
,,and ,,united ,,steadfastness          
#gg    ,,chapter ,,vi4    ,,the ,,mind  
,,of ,,christ                           
#ie    ,,chapter ,,vii4    ,,the ,,mind 
,,of ,,christ 7continued7               
#aaa    ,,chapter ,,viii4    ,,working  
,,and ,,shining                         
#aca   ,,chapter ,,ix4    ,,timothy     
,,and ,,epaphroditus                    
#aeg    ,,chapter ,x4    ,,no           
,,confidence ,,in ,,the ,,flesh         
#aga    ,,chapter ,,xi4    ,,the        
,,knowledge ,,of ,,christ               
#aii    ,,chapter ,,xii4    ,,the       
,,righteousness ,,of ,,faith            
#bag    ,,chapter ,,xiii4               
,,resurrection ,,life ,,and ,,daily     
,,dying                   #bcg          
,,chapter ,,xiv4    ,,christian ,,life  
,a ,,race                               
#bei    ,,chapter ,,xv4    ,,enemies    

,,of ,,the ,,cross                      
#bha    ,,chapter ,,xvi4    ,,our ,,city
 ,,and ,,our ,,coming ,,king            
#bii    ,,chapter ,,xvii4    ,,peace    
,,and ,,joy                             
#cag    ,,chapter ,,xviii4    ,,the     
,,things ,,to ,,fix ,,upon              
#ccg    ,,chapter ,,xix4    ,,gifts     
,,and ,,sacrifices                      
#cec     ,,introductory4 ,,the          
,,salutation4       ,paul and ,timothy1 
servants of ,jesus ,christ1 to all the  
saints in      ,christ ,jesus which are 
at ,philippi1 with the bishops and      
deacons3      ,grace to you and peace   
from ,god our ,father and the ,lord     
,jesus      ,christ4--,,phil4 i4 #a1 #b 
7,r4,v474     ,,chapter #a4             
,,introductory4 ,,the ,,salutation4     
,the sixteenth chapter of the ,acts of  
the ,apostles contains the account of   
the ,apostle ,paul's first intercourse  
with the ,philippians1 and of the       
beginning of the gospel there4 ,the date
 may be fixed as ,a4,d4 #ea4 ,after the 

council at ,jerusalem 7,acts xv471 and  
after the dissension between ,paul and  
,barnabas 7ver4 #ci71 the ,apostle of   
the ,gentiles1 accompanied by ,silas1   
took his journey through ,syria and     
,cilicia4 ,confirming the ,churches1 he 
went over a good deal of ground which he
 had traversed before4 ,at ,lystra he   
assumed ,timothy as an additional       
companion and assistant2 and he passed  
on1 guided in a very special manner by  
the ,holy ,spirit1 until he arrived at  
,troas4 ,here a ,divine warning1 in a   
dream1 determined him to break ground in
 a new field4 ,the little company1 to   
which ,luke was now added1 passed on to 
,macedonia1 and1 having landed at       
,neapolis1 where they do not seem to    
have made any stay or found any         
opportunity of preaching1 they came to  
,philippi4 ,this therefore was the first
 city in ,europe in which1 so far as we 
have any distinct intimation1 the gospel
 of the grace of ,god was declared4     
,philippi was a city of some importance1

 and had the position and privileges of 
a ,roman colony4 ,it was situated in a  
fruitful district1 was near to gold     
mines1 and was also near enough to the  
sea to serve as a dept for a good deal  
of ,asiatic commerce4  ,it is hardly    
necessary to remind readers of the      
,scripture how ,lydia and others        
received the word2 how the preachers    
were followed by the damsel with the    
spirit of divination2 how1 when that    
damsel had been silenced by ,paul1 her  
masters raised a tumult against ,paul   
and ,silas1 and got them scourged and   
cast into prison2 how the earthquake1   
which followed during the night1        
resulted in the conversion of the       
jailor1 and in ,paul and ,silas being   
sent forth from the city with honour4   
,perhaps ,luke and ,timothy remained    
behind at ,philippi1 and continued to   
edify the believers4 ,at any rate1 ,paul
 himself had by this time continued     
there many days4 ,two short visits of   
the ,apostle to ,philippi at a          

subsequent time are known to us 7,acts  
xx4 #b1 #f74  ,the ,church thus founded 
proved to be an interesting one1 for it 
possessed much of the simplicity and    
earnestness of true ,christianity4 ,both
 in the ,epistles to the ,corinthians   
and in this ,epistle1 the ,philippians  
are singled out1 above all ,churches1   
for their cordiality of feeling towards 
the ,apostle who had brought to them the
 knowledge of the truth4 ,they made     
liberal contributions for the           
furtherance of his work in other        
regions1 beginning shortly after he left
 ,philippi1 and repeating them from time
 to time afterwards4 ,they seem to have 
been remarkably free from some of the   
defects incidental to those early       
,churches1 and to the ,churches at all  
periods4 ,the ,apostle's commendations  
of them are peculiarly warm and glowing2
 and scarcely anything had to be noticed
 in the way of special warning1 except a
 tendency to disagreement among some of 
their members4 ,it does not appear that 

there was any great number of ,jews at  
,philippi1 and we find no trace of a    
synagogue4 ,this may account in some    
measure for their freedom from the      
,judaising tendency3 for we find the    
,philippians exhorted1 indeed1 to beware
 of that evil1 but not reprehended as if
 it had taken any strong hold among     
them4 ,on the other hand1 they seem to  
have remained in a good measure free    
from evils to which ,gentile ,churches  
were most exposed1 and which1 at        
,corinth for example1 produced much that
 was disheartening and perplexing4      
,eleven years1 probably1 had now passed 
since ,paul had brought to ,philippi the
 knowledge of ,christ ,jesus4 ,during   
that time he had undergone many         
vicissitudes1 and now he had been for   
some time a prisoner at ,rome4 ,probably
 he had already written the ,epistles to
 the ,ephesians1 the ,colossians1 and to
 ,philemon4 ,comparing these with our   
,epistle1 we may conclude that his      
prospects as a prisoner had not         

improved1 but rather darkened1 since the
 date of those letters4 ,at this time1  
then1 ,epaphroditus arrived1 apparently 
after a dangerous journey1 bearing with 
him a supply for the ,apostle's wants1  
bringing tidings of the state of the    
,philippian ,church1 and assuring him of
 their sympathy and their prayers on his
 behalf4 ,it is no wonder that1 in these
 circumstances1 the ,epistle bears marks
 of having been written by the ,apostle 
with a special flow of tenderness and of
 affection4  ,the scope of the letter   
may be briefly stated4 ,after the usual 
inscription and salutation1 the ,apostle
 expresses 7as he does so often in his  
,epistles7 his thankfulness for what the
 ,philippians had attained1 and his     
desire that they might grow to yet      
higher things4 ,he goes on to tell them 
how matters stood with himself1 and     
opens up1 as to those whom he reckons   
trusted friends1 the manner in which his
 mind was exercised under these         
providences4 ,returning to the          

,philippians1 and aiming at this1 that  
they and he might have growing          
fellowship in all ,christian grace1 he  
goes on to set before them ,christ1     
specially in ,his lowliness and         
self-sacrifice4 ,this is the grand end2 
attainment to ,his likeness is work for 
all their lives4 ,paul sets forth how   
earnestly his heart is set on this      
object1 and what means he is taking to  
advance it4 ,after a brief digression   
relating to his circumstances and       
theirs1 he returns again to the same    
point4 ,in order that defects may be    
removed1 dangers avoided1 progress made1
 ,christ must be their joy1 their trust1
 their aim1 their very life4 ,they1 like
 the ,apostle himself1 must press on1   
never content till the consummate       
salvation is attained 7iii4 #ba74 ,if   
this should be so1 his desires for them 
would be fulfilled4 ,so he closes 7iv4  
#b7 with directions rising out of this  
central view1 and with renewed          
expression of the comfort he had derived

 from their affectionate remembrance4   
,their goodwill to the cause in which   
his life was spent1 and to himself1 had 
cheered his heart4 ,and he took it as   
,god's blessing to him and to them4     
,such is a brief outline of the course  
of thought4 ,but the ,epistle1 while    
perfect in the unity of its feeling and 
of its point of view1 is remarkable for 
the way in which it alternates between  
matters proper to the ,philippians1     
including the instruction ,paul saw fit 
to impress upon them1 and matters       
personal to himself4 ,the ,apostle seems
 to feel sure of affectionate sympathy  
in both regions1 and in both equally2   
therefore in both his heart utters      
itself without difficulty and without   
restraint4 ,ch4 i4 #c-aa1 i4 #bg--;ii4  
#af1 iii4 #a--;iv4 #i1 are occupied with
 the one theme1 and i4 #ab-bf1 ii4      
#ag-cj1 iv4 #aj-ba1 with the other4 ,in 
short1 more than any other ,epistle1 if 
we except1 perhaps1 that to ,philemon1  
the ,epistle to the ,philippians has the

 character of an outpouring4 ,the       
official aims and obligations of the    
,christian instructor are fused1 as it  
were1 in the glowing affection of the   
personal friend4 ,he is sure of his     
place in the hearts of his              
correspondents1 and he knows how glad   
they will be to be assured of the place 
they hold in his4  ,let us now attend to
 the inscription and salutation4 ,those 
who send the ,epistle are ,paul and     
,timothy4 ,yet plainly we are not to    
regard it as a joint ,epistle proceeding
 from both equally2 for it is ,paul who 
speaks throughout1 in his own name and  
by his own authority4 ,timothy only     
joins1 as ,sosthenes and ,silas do in   
other cases1 in heartily commending to  
the ,church at ,philippi whatever the   
,epistle contains4 ,as there was harmony
 between the two labourers when they    
laid the foundation at ,philippi1 so    
there is also in the building up4       
,timothy is joined in the love and care2
 but the authority is ,paul's4 ,both    

alike are called servants of ,jesus     
,christ2 for to this ,church no further 
commendation and no rehearsal of a      
special right to speak and teach are    
needed4 ,and yet1 to understanding      
hearts1 what commendation could be more 
weighty8 ,if these two men are called   
and allowed by ,christ to be ,his       
servants1 if they are loyal and faithful
 servants1 if they come on an errand on 
which ,christ has sent them1 if they    
deliver ,his message and do ,his work1  
what more need be said8 ,this is honour 
and authority enough--to be1 in our     
degree1 ,christ's servants4 ,but the    
word is stronger3 it means bondservants1
 or slaves1--such as are the master's   
property1 or are at his absolute        
disposal4 ,so ,paul felt2 for we are not
 to reckon this to be1 on his part1 a   
mere phrase4 ,already1 in this word1 we 
recognise the sense of entire           
consecration to his ,master and ,lord2  
in which1 as we shall see1 he felt he   
could count upon the hearty sympathy of 

his ,philippian friends4  ,those who are
 addressed are1 in the first place1 all 
the saints in ,christ ,jesus who are at 
,philippi4 ,the saints1 or holy ones1 is
 a common expression in the ,scriptures4
 ,the word sanctify is applied both to  
persons and to things4 ,bible-readers   
will have noticed that the term seems to
 vibrate or vacillate between two       
meanings1--signifying on the one hand   
the production of personal intrinsic    
holiness1 and on the other merely       
consecration1 or setting apart of       
anything to ,god's service4 ,now the    
connection of both meanings will appear1
 if we mark how both meet in the word as
 it is applied to the children of ,god4 
,for such are separated1 set apart for  
,god from sin and from the world2 not1  
however1 by a mere outward destination1 
devoting them to a certain use and      
service1 but by an internal hallowing1  
which makes the man really in his inward
 nature holy1 fit for ,god's service and
 ,god's fellowship4 ,this is done by the

 regeneration of the ,spirit1 and by    
,his indwelling thereafter4 ,hence1 to  
distinguish this consecration from the  
mere outward ceremonial sanctification1 
which was so temporary and shadowy1 we  
find the ,apostle ,peter 7i4 #b7 saying 
that ,god's children are chosen by      
sanctification of the ,spirit1 unto     
obedience and sprinkling of the blood of
 ,jesus4 ,for the ancient ,israel was   
sanctified to obedience in another      
manner 7,exod4 xxiv4 #f74  ,now because 
this real consecration takes place when 
we are grafted into ,christ by faith1   
because the ,spirit comes to us and     
abides in us as the ,spirit of ,christ1 
because whatever the ,spirit does1 as   
our ,sanctifier1 has its rise from      
,christ's redeeming work1 because ,he   
unites us to ,christ and enables us to  
cleave to ,christ and hold fellowship   
with ,him1 therefore those who are thus 
sanctified are called saints in ,jesus  
,christ4 ,it is the ,spirit who         
sanctifies2 but ,he does so inasmuch as 

,he roots us in ,christ and builds us up
 in ,christ4 ,therefore saints are      
sanctified by1 or of1 the ,spirit2 but  
they are sanctified 7or holy7 in ,christ
 ,jesus4  ,this expression1 saints1 or  
some phrase that is equivalent1 occurs  
commonly in the ,epistles as the        
designation of the parties addressed4   
,and two things are to be observed in   
connection with it4 ,first1 when the    
,apostle addresses all the saints1 in   
any ,epistle1 he is not shutting out any
 professed members of the ,church1 any  
professed believers in the ,lord4 ,he   
never speaks at the outset of an        
,epistle as if he meant to make         
deliberate distinction between two      
several classes of members of the       
,church3 as who should say1 ,i write now
 to some part of the ,church1 viz41 the 
saints2 as for the rest1 ,i do not now  
address them4 ,hence we find the term   
used as equivalent to the ,church--to   
the ,church of ,god which is at         
,corinth1 with all the saints which are 

in all ,achaia1 and again to them 444   
that are called to be saints4 ,we shall 
see presently the lesson which this is  
fitted to teach4 ,but1 secondly1 on the 
other hand1 the ,apostle's use of the   
word makes it clear that he uses it in  
the full sense which we have explained1 
of a real saintship4 ,he does not       
restrain the sense to some merely       
external saintship1 as if his meaning   
were professing ,christians whether they
 are real or not4 ,the word stands1 in  
the inscriptions1 as equivalent to      
sanctified in ,christ ,jesus1 faithful  
in ,christ ,jesus1 beloved of ,god2 or  
as in #b ,peter i41 them that have      
obtained like precious faith with us1   
and in #a ,peter1 ,elect according to   
the foreknowledge of ,god unto          
obedience4 ,thus then we are to take    
it3--,the ,apostle wrote to the visible1
 or the professed and accepted followers
 of the ,lord1 on the understanding that
 they were what they professed to be4   
,he was not to question it3 he assumed  

that they were saints of ,god1 for to   
profess the faith of ,christ is to claim
 that character4 ,he rejoiced to hope   
that it would prove to be so1 and gladly
 took note of everything which tended to
 assure him that their holiness was     
real4 ,he proclaims to them1 in the     
character of saints1 the privileges and 
the obligations that pertain to saints4 
,it was the business of every man to    
look well to the reality of his faith1  
and to try the grounds on which he took 
his place with those addressed as       
beloved of ,god and called to be saints4
 ,there might be some who had but a name
 to live 7#b ,cor4 xiii4 #e74 ,if so1 it
 was not the ,apostle's part1 writing to
 the ,church1 to allow that possibility 
to confuse or lower the style of his    
address to ,christ's ,church4 ,he wrote 
to all the saints in ,christ ,jesus who 
were at ,philippi4  ,this is evident    
from the strain of all the ,pauline     
,epistles1 and it is important to       
observe it and apply it4 ,otherwise we  

shall readily fall into this way of     
reasoning1--,since there must have been 
some in these ,churches who were only   
nominally and not really believers1 the 
word saints must include such2 therefore
 it can imply only an outward separation
 of men1 apart from any determination of
 their inward state4 ,if we do so1 then 
everything the ,apostle says to saints1 
their standing1 their privileges1 their 
obligations1 and their hopes1 will come 
to be strained and lowered in the       
interpretation1 so as to mean only that 
such privileges and blessings are       
somehow attainable1 and if attained may 
also on certain terms be secured4 ,the  
interpretation of the ,apostle's        
teaching on these subjects will1 in     
short1 be what it must be1 if it is     
taken to apply at once1 in his          
intention1 to those who are indeed      
saints and to those who are not4 ,this  
line1 in point of fact1 has been taken1 
in the interpretation of the ,epistles1 
so as to resolve everything the ,apostle

 says about the eternal life of saved   
men1 as actually theirs1 from their     
election downwards1 into a mere matter  
of outward privileges4 ,this view1 no   
doubt1 involves a straining of plain    
words4 ,yet it will always seem to force
 itself upon us1 unless we hold fast    
7what is indeed demonstrably true7 that 
when the ,apostle speaks to saints1 he  
says what should be said to those who   
are indeed saints1 and on the           
understanding that those whom he        
addresses are such4  ,in like manner1 on
 the other side1 we have a lesson to    
learn from the unhesitating way in which
 the ,apostle writes to the saints1 and 
sends the letter to the members of a    
,christian ,church as the parties       
intended4 ,he may have some things to   
reprehend2 he may even have to express  
fears1 when things have gone amiss1 that
 some in the ,church may yet prove to be
 no saints4 ,yet writing to the ,church1
 he writes to saints4 ,let us learn from
 this what those lay claim to who become

 members of ,christ's ,church1 and what 
responsibilities they take on4 ,they    
claim1 in ,christ1 the salvation which  
makes men saints--i4e41 persons set     
apart under the influence of the ,holy  
,spirit to enjoy ,christ's forgiveness  
and to walk in ,his ways4 ,christ does  
this for us1 if ,he does a ,saviour's   
work4 ,it is a thing incongruous1 a     
thing1 in the ,apostle's view1 not to be
 taken for granted1 that any one shall  
hold his place in ,christ's ,church who 
is worldly1 earthly1 unholy4 ,there may 
be such1 but ,paul will not assume it2  
he will not measure the ,christianity of
 ,christ's ,church by any such standard4
 ,neither will he go about to determine 
whether perhaps it is so or not in the  
case of any who are professing ,christ  
in the ordinary way4 ,if any have       
entered ,christ's ,church who are       
content to continue in worldliness and  
sin1 not seeking in ,christ the grace   
which saves1 that is solely their own   
personal sin1 and in it they lie unto   

the ,lord4 ,but not for that will the   
,apostle come down to speak to ,christ's
 ,church as if it should be thought of  
as a company to which holy and unholy   
may equally well belong4 ,if any be     
there who are in no vital sense saints1 
their intrusion will not hinder ,paul   
from speaking to the ,church of ,god in 
its own proper character and according  
to its calling4  ,but let it be remarked
 at the same time1 that this same fact  
shows us that the ,apostle was wont to  
judge of men and ,churches charitably2  
yes1 with a very large charity4 ,we may 
be very sure that there was a good deal 
in all those ,churches1 and a great deal
 in some1 that needed to be judged      
charitably4 ,they were not all clear1   
eminent1 conspicuous saints2 so far from
 that1 there might well be some whole   
,churches in which saintship was1 so far
 as man's inspection could perceive1    
faint and questionable4 ,but the        
,apostle was far from thinking of       
shutting out the man whose faith was    

weak1 whose attainments were small1     
whose regard to ,christ was but a       
struggling and germinating thing4 ,far  
from being disposed to shut him out1 no 
doubt the ,apostle's whole desire was to
 shut such an one in1 among the saints  
in ,jesus ,christ4  ,to be accepted in  
the ,beloved1 to be sanctified in       
,christ ,jesus1 is a very great thing4  
,no less than this great thing ,christ  
offers1 and no less we humbly claim in  
faith4 ,also it is no less than this    
that ,christ bestows on those who come  
to ,him4 ,let ,christians1 on the one   
hand1 look to ,christ1 as able and      
willing to do no less than this even for
 them2 on the other hand1 let them look 
to themselves1 that they neither deceive
 themselves with false pretences1 nor   
trifle idly with so great a gospel4 ,and
 in the case of others1 let hasty and   
needless adverse judgments be avoided4  
,let us be glad to think that ,christ   
may see ,his own1 where our dim sight   
can find but scanty tokens of ,his work4

  ,along with the saints the letter     
specifies1 in particular1 the bishops   
and deacons4 ,the former were the       
officers who took the oversight1 as the 
word implies2 the deacons those who     
rendered service1 especially in the     
,church's outward and pecuniary         
concerns4 ,these two standing orders are
 recognised by the ,apostle4 ,it is     
obvious that this does not suggest      
diocesan ,episcopacy1 for that implies  
three orders1 the highest being a single
 bishop1 to the exclusion of others     
assuming the office in that place4  ,it 
is more important to observe that the   
,epistle is not directed to the bishops 
primarily1 or as if they were entitled  
to come between the people and the      
message4 ,it is directed to all the     
saints4 ,to them the ,epistle1 to them  
all the ,scriptures belong1 as their own
 inheritance1 which no man may take from
 them4 ,in so far as the bishops and    
deacons are distinguished from other    
saints1 the ,scriptures pertain to them 

that they may learn their own duty1 and 
also may help the people in the use and 
enjoyment of that which is already      
theirs4  ,now follows the               
salutation--,grace be unto you and      
peace4 ,this is the ordinary salutation1
 varied and amplified in a few of the   
,epistles4 ,it may be said to express   
the sum of all ,christian well-being in 
this life4  ,grace is1 first of all1 the
 word which expresses the free favour of
 ,god1 manifested towards the unworthy  
in ,christ ,jesus4 ,but it is further   
extended in meaning to that which is the
 fruit of this favour1 to the principles
 and dispositions in the mind which     
result from grace1 which recognise      
grace1 which in their nature correspond 
to the nature of grace4 ,in this sense  
it is said grow in grace4 ,peace is the 
well-grounded tranquillity and sense of 
well-being which arises from the sight  
of ,god's grace in ,christ1 from faith  
in it1 and experience of it4 ,grace and 
peace are the forerunners of glory4     

,that is a blessed company to which so  
great a fulness of good is commended1 as
 ordinarily theirs4  ,and from whom is  
this good expected to proceed8 ,from    
,god our ,father and the ,lord ,jesus   
,christ4 ,the ,father who loved us1 the 
,son who charged ,himself with the      
burden of our salvation1 impart a grace 
and a peace fragrant with that ,divine  
love and charged with the efficacy of   
that blessed mediation4 ,if any one     
wonders why the ,holy ,spirit is left   
out1 a reason may be given for it4 ,for 
if we look to the substance of the      
blessings1 what are this grace and peace
 but the ,holy ,spirit ,himself dwelling
 in us1 revealing to us the ,father and 
the ,son from whom ,he comes1 and       
enabling us to continue in the ,son and 
in the ,father8     ,,the ,,apostle',s  
,,mind ,,about ,,the ,,philippians4     
,i thank my ,god upon all my remembrance
 of you1 always in every                
supplication of mine on behalf of you   
all making my supplication      with    

joy1 for your fellowship in furtherance 
of the gospel from the      first day   
until now2 being confident of this very 
thing1 that ,he      which began a good 
work in you will perfect it until the   
day of      ,jesus ,christ3 even as it  
is right for me to be thus minded on    
behalf of you all1 because ,i have you  
in my heart1 inasmuch as1      both in  
my bonds and in the defence and         
confirmation of the gospel1      ye all 
are partakers with me of grace4 ,for    
,god is my witness1 how ,i      long    
after you all in the tender mercies of  
,christ ,jesus4 ,and this      ,i pray1 
that your love may abound yet more and  
more in knowledge      and all          
discernment2 so that ye may approve the 
things that are      excellent2 that ye 
may be sincere and void of offence unto 
the day      of ,christ2 being filled   
with the fruits of righteousness1 which 
are      through ,jesus ,christ1 unto   
the glory and praise of ,god4--,,phil4  
i4      #c-aa 7,r4,v474     ,,chapter   

,,ii4  ,,the ,,apostle',s ,,mind ,,about
 ,,the ,,philippians4   ,after the      
salutation1 the first thing in the      
,epistle is a warm utterance of the     
feelings and the desires which ,paul    
habitually cherishes in relation to his 
converts at ,philippi4 ,this is         
expressed vv4 #c-aa4         99       99
       99       99       99  ,note the  
course of thought4 ,in ver4 #c he       
declares his thankfulness and in ver4 #d
 his prayerfulness on their behalf2 and 
he puts these two together1 without as  
yet saying why he thanks and what he    
prays for4 ,he puts them together1      
because he would mark that with him     
these are not two separate things2 but  
his prayer is thankful1 and his         
thankfulness is prayerful2 and then1    
having so much to be thankful for1 his  
prayers became1 also1 joyful4 ,the      
reason why1 he presently explains more  
particularly4 ,for1 ver4 #e1 he had to  
thank ,god1 joyfully1 for their         
fellowship in the gospel in the past2   

and then1 ver4 #f1 knowing to what this 
pointed forward1 he could pray          
joyfully--that is1 with joyful          
expectation for the future4 ,and thus he
 prepares the way for telling what      
special things he was led to pray for2  
but first he interposes vv4 #g and #h1  
to vindicate1 as it were1 the right he  
had to feel so warm and deep an interest
 in his ,philippian friends4 ,the matter
 of his prayer follows in vv4 #i-aa4    
,first he thanks ,god for grace bestowed
 upon the ,philippians4 ,as often as he 
remembered them1 as often as he lifted  
up his heart in prayer to make request  
for them1 he was cheered with the       
feeling that he could make request      
joyfully--i4e41 he could rejoice over   
mercies already given4 ,we know that the
 ,apostle1 in his letters to the        
,churches1 is found always ready to     
evince the same spirit2 he is prompt to 
pour out his thanks for anything        
attained by those ,churches1 either in  
gifts or grace4 ,we find it so in his   

letters to the ,churches of ,corinth and
 ,ephesus and ,coloss and ,thessalonica4
 ,he does this1 always1 in a full and   
hearty way4 ,he evidently counted it    
both duty and privilege to take note of 
what ,god had wrought1 and to show that 
he prized it4 ,like ,john1 he had no    
greater joy than to hear that his       
children walked in the truth2 and he    
gave the glory of it to ,god in         
thanksgiving4 ,in the case of this      
,church1 however1 the ground of         
thanksgiving was something that bound   
them to ,paul in a peculiar manner1 and 
touched his heart with a glow of        
tenderer love and gladness4 ,it was1    
ver4 #e1 their fellowship in the gospel 
7or rather1 unto the gospel7 from the   
first day until now4 ,he means1 that    
from their first acquaintance with the  
gospel1 the ,philippian ,christians had1
 with unusual heartiness and sincerity1 
committed themselves to the cause of the
 gospel4 ,they had made it their own    
cause4 ,they had embarked in it as a    

fellowship to which they gave themselves
 heart and soul4 ,there might be        
,churches1 more distinguished for gifts 
than that of ,philippi was1 where less  
of this magnanimous spirit appeared4    
,there might be ,churches1 where men    
seemed to be occupied with their own    
advantage by the gospel1 their          
individual and separate advantage1 but  
withheld themselves from the fellowship 
unto it1--did not readily commit        
themselves to it and to each other1 as  
embarking wholly and for ever in the    
common cause4 ,this misconception1 this 
servility of spirit1 is but too easy4   
,you may have whole ,churches1 in which 
men are full of self-congratulation     
about attainments they make in the      
gospel1 and gifts they receive by the   
gospel1 and doctrines they build up     
about it--but the loving fellowship unto
 it fails4 ,a large measure of a better 
spirit had been given to the            
,philippians from the first4 ,they were 
a part of those ,macedonian ,churches1  

who first gave their own selves to the  
,lord and ,his ,apostles1 and then also 
their help and service4 ,it was an      
inward fellowship before it was an      
outward one4 ,they first gave their own 
selves1 so that their hearts were       
mastered by the desire to see the ends  
of the gospel achieved1 and then came   
service and sacrifice4 ,trials and      
losses had befallen them in this course 
of service2 but still they are found    
caring for the gospel1 for their        
brethren in the gospel1 for their father
 in the gospel1 for the cause of the    
gospel4 ,this fellowship--this readiness
 to make common cause with the gospel1  
out and out1 had begun at the first day2
 and after trouble and trial it         
continued even until now4  ,the         
disposition here commended has its      
importance1 very much because it implies
 so just a conception of the genius of  
the gospel1 and so hearty a consent to  
it4 ,he whose ,christianity leads him to
 band himself with his                  

fellow-,christians1 to get good by their
 help1 and to help them to get good1 and
 along with them to do good as          
opportunity arises1 is a man who        
believes in the work of the gospel as a 
vital social force2 he believes that    
,christ is in his members2 he believes  
that there are attainments to be made1  
victories won1 benefits laid hold of and
 appropriated4 ,he is in sympathy with  
,christ1 for he is attracted by the     
expectation of great results coming in  
the line of the gospel2 and he is one   
who looks not merely on his own things1 
but rejoices to feel that his own hope  
is bound up with a great hope for many  
and for the world4 ,such a man is near  
the heart of things4 ,he has1 in        
important respects1 got the right notion
 of ,christianity1 and ,christianity has
 got the right hold of him4  ,now if we 
consider that the ,apostle ,paul1 the   
slave of ,jesus ,christ1 was himself a  
marvellous embodiment of the spirit he  
is here commending to the ,philippians1 

we shall easily understand with what    
satisfaction he thought upon this       
,church1 and rejoiced over them1 and    
gave thanks4 ,was there ever a man who1 
more than ,paul1 evinced the fellowship 
of the gospel from the first hour to the
 last8 ,was there ever one whose        
personal self was more swallowed up and 
lost1 in his zeal to be spent for the   
cause1--doing all things for the        
gospel's sake that he might have part   
therein8 ,did ever man1 more than he1   
welcome sufferings1 sacrifices1 toils1  
if they were for ,christ1 for the       
gospel8 ,was man ever possessed more    
absolutely than he with a sense of the  
worthiness of the gospel to be          
proclaimed everywhere1 to every man--and
 with a sense of the right the gospel   
had to himself1 as ,jesus ,christ's man1
 the man that should be used and        
expended on nothing else but upholding  
this cause1 and proclaiming this message
 to all kinds of sinners8 ,the one great
 object with him was that ,christ should

 be magnified in him1 whether by life or
 by death 7ver4 #bj74 ,his heart1       
therefore1 grew glad and thankful over a
 ,church that had so much of this same  
spirit1 and1 for one thing1 showed this 
by cleaving to him in their hearts      
through all the vicissitudes of his     
work1 and following him everywhere with 
their sympathy and their prayers4 ,some 
,churches were so much occupied with    
themselves1 and had so little           
understanding of him1 that he was       
obliged to write to them at large1      
setting forth the true spirit and manner
 of his own life and service2 he had1 as
 it were1 to open their eyes by force to
 see him as he was4 ,this was not needed
 here3 the ,philippians understood him  
already3 they did so1 because1 in a     
degree1 they had caught the contagion of
 his own spirit4 ,they had given        
themselves1 in their measure1 in a      
fellowship unto the gospel1 from the    
first day until now4 ,they had claimed1 
and they still claimed1 to have a share 

in all that befell the gospel1 and in   
all that befell the ,apostle4  ,paul    
ascribed all this to ,god's grace in    
them1 and thanked ,god for it4 ,true1   
indeed1 much activity about the gospel1 
and much that looks like interest in its
 progress1 may proceed from other causes
 besides a living fellowship with       
,jesus1 and a true disposition to       
forsake all for ,him4 ,the outward      
activity may be resorted to as a        
substitute for the inward life2 or it   
may express the spirit of sectarian     
selfishness4 ,but when it appears as a  
consistent interest in the gospel1 when 
it is accompanied by the tokens of frank
 goodwill and free self-surrender to the
 ,church's evangelical life1 when it    
endures through vicissitudes of time1   
under trial1 persecution1 and reproach1 
it must arise1 in the main1 from a real 
persuasion of the ,divine excellence and
 power of the gospel and the ,saviour4  
,not without the grace of ,god does any 
,church manifest this spirit4  ,now to  

the ,apostle who had this cause of      
gladness in the past1 there opened 7ver4
 #f7 a gladdening prospect for the      
future1 which at once deepened his      
thankfulness and gave expectancy to his 
prayers4 ,being confident of this very  
thing1 that ,he that hath begun a good  
work in you will perform it unto the day
 of ,jesus ,christ4 ,being confident of 
this very thing is equivalent to ,having
 no less confidence than this2 for he   
desires to express that his confidence  
is emphatic and great4  ,the confidence 
so expressed assumes a principle1 and   
makes application of that principle to  
the ,philippian saints4  ,the principle 
is that the work of saving grace clearly
 begun by the ,spirit of ,god shall not 
be destroyed and come to nothing1 but   
shall be carried on to complete         
salvation4 ,this principle is not       
received by all ,christians as part of  
the teaching of ,scripture2 but without 
entering now into any large discussion1 
it may be pointed out that it seems to  

be recognised1 not merely in a few1 but 
in many passages of ,holy ,writ4 ,not to
 recite ,old ,testament indications1 we 
have our ,lord's word 7,john x4 #bh73 ,i
 give unto them eternal life1 and they  
shall never perish1 neither shall any   
man pluck them out of ,my hand4 ,and    
there is hardly an ,epistle of our      
,apostle in which the same principle is 
not presented to us1 stated in express  
terms1 or assumed in stating other      
doctrines1 and applied to the comfort of
 believers 7#a ,thess4 v4 #bc1 #bd2 #a  
,cor4 i4 #h2 ,rom4 viii4 #cj74 ,the     
ultimate salvation of those in whom a   
good work is begun1 is1 in this view1   
conceived to be connected with the      
stability of ,god's purposes1 the       
efficacy of the ,son's mediation1 the   
permanence and power of the ,holy       
,spirit's influence1 and the nature of  
the covenant under which believers are  
placed4 ,and the perseverance thus      
provided for is supposed to be made good
 through the faith1 patience1 fear1 and 

diligence of those who persevere1 and by
 no means without these4 ,as to the     
place before us1 whatever exceptions and
 whatever distinctions may be taken on  
the subject1 it must be owned that1     
gladly recognising ,christian character 
and attainment as a fact1 he finds      
therein a warrant for emphatic          
confidence about the future1 even to the
 day of ,christ4  ,as to the application
 of this principle to the ,philippians1 
the method in which the ,apostle        
proceeds is plain4 ,he certainly does   
not speak as by immediate insight into  
,divine counsels about the ,philippians4
 ,he is directed to utter a conclusion  
at which he had arrived by a process    
which he explains4 ,from the evidence of
 the reality of their ,christian        
calling1 he drew the conclusion that    
,christ was at work in them1 and the    
further conclusion that this work would 
be completed4 ,it may be asked how so   
confident an application of the         
principle now in view could be reached  

on these terms8 ,how could the ,apostle 
be sure enough of the inward state of   
his ,philippian friends1 to enable him  
to reason on it1 as here he seems to do8
 ,in answer1 we grant it to be          
impossible for any one1 without         
immediate revelation on the point1 to   
reach absolute assurance about the      
spiritual state of other people4 ,and   
therefore we are to keep in view1 what  
has already been suggested1 that the    
,apostle1 speaking to saints1 really    
remits to themselves and to their ,lord 
the final question as to the reality of 
that apparent saintship4 ,but then1 we  
are taught by the ,apostle's example    
that where ordinary tokens1 and         
especially where more than ordinary     
tokens of ,christian character appear1  
we are frankly and gladly to give effect
 to those signs in our practical        
judgments4 ,there may be an error1 no   
doubt there is1 in unbounded charity2   
but there is error also when we make a  
grudging estimate of ,christian         

brethren2 when1 on the ground of some   
failing1 we allow suspicion to          
obliterate the impressions which their  
,christian faith and service might      
fairly have made upon us4 ,we are to    
cherish the thought that a wonderful    
future is before those in whom ,christ  
is carrying on ,his work of grace2 and  
we are to make a loving application of  
that hope in the case of those whose    
,christian dispositions have become     
specially manifest to us in the         
intercourse of ,christian friendship4   
,however1 the ,apostle felt that he had 
a special right to feel thus in         
reference to the ,philippians--more1    
perhaps1 than in regard to others2 and  
instead of going on at once to specify  
the objects of his prayers for them1 he 
interposes a vindication1 as it were1 of
 the right he claimed 7ver4 #g73 ,even  
as it is meet for me to be thus minded  
with respect to all of you1 because ,i  
have you in my heart1 you who are all   
partakers of my grace1 not only in the  

defence and confirmation of the gospel1 
but also in my bonds4 ,as if he would   
say1--,there are special ties between   
us1 which justify on my part special    
tenderness and vigilance of appreciation
 and approbation1 when ,i think of you4 
,a father has a special right to take   
note of what is hopeful in his son1 and 
to dwell with satisfaction on his       
virtues and his promise2 and friends who
 have toiled and suffered together have 
a special right to cherish a deep trust 
in one another's well-tried fidelity and
 nobleness4 ,let strangers1 in such     
cases1 set1 if they will1 a slight value
 on characters which they hardly know2  
but let them not dispute the right which
 love has to scrutinise with delight the
 nobler qualities of those who are      
beloved4  ,the ,philippians were sharers
 of ,paul's grace1 as sharing his       
enthusiasm for the successful advocacy  
and confirmation of the gospel4 ,so they
 had their share in the grace that was  
so mighty in him4 ,but besides that1 the

 ,apostle's heart had been cheered and  
warmed by the manifestation of their    
sympathy1 their loving thoughtfulness in
 reference to his bonds4 ,so he joyfully
 owned them as partakers in spirit in   
those bonds1 and in the grace by which  
he endured them4 ,they remembered him in
 his bonds1 as bound with him4 ,every   
way their fellowship with him expressed 
itself as full and true4 ,no jarring    
element broke in to mar the happy sense 
of this4 ,he could feel that though far 
away their hearts beat pulse for pulse  
with his1 partakers not only of his toil
 but of his bonds4 ,so he had them in   
his heart3 his heart embraced them with 
no common warmth and yielded to them no 
common friendship4 ,and what then8 ,why 
then it is meet that ,i should be thus  
minded1 should use love's happy right to
 think very well of you1 and should let 
the evidence of your ,christian feeling 
come home to my heart1 warm and glowing4
 ,it was meet that ,paul should joyfully
 repute them to be sincere--to be men   

cleaving to the gospel in a genuine love
 of it4 ,it was meet that he should     
thank ,god in their behalf1 seeing these
 happy attainments of theirs were so    
truly a concern of his4 ,it was meet he 
should pray for them with joyful        
importunity1 counting their growth in   
grace to be a benefit also to himself4  
,it would be a helpful thing if         
,christian friends cherished1 and if    
they sometimes expressed1 warm hopes and
 expectations in behalf of one another4 
,only1 let this be the outcome of truly 
spiritual affection4 ,paul was persuaded
 that his feelings arose from no mere   
human impulse4 ,the grace of ,god it was
 which had given the ,philippians this  
place in his heart4 ,god was his record 
that his longing after them was great1  
and also that it was in the mercies of  
,christ4 ,he loved them as a man in     
,christ1 and with ,christlike           
affections4 ,otherwise1 words like these
 assume a canting character1 and are    
unedifying4  ,now at last comes the     

tenor of his prayer 7ver4 #i73 ,that    
your love may abound yet more and more  
in knowledge and all discernment2 so    
that ye may approve the things that are 
excellent1 and so on4  ,let this first  
be noted1 that it is a prayer for       
growth4 ,all that grace has wrought in  
the ,philippian believers1 everything in
 their state that filled his heart with 
thankfulness1 he regards as the         
beginning of something better still4    
,for this he longs2 and therefore his   
heart is set on progress4 ,so we find it
 in all his ,epistles4 ,as ye have      
received how ye ought to walk and to    
please ,god--so abound more 7#a ,thess4 
iv4 #a74 ,this is a very familiar       
thought1 yet let us spend a sentence or 
two upon it4 ,the spiritual prosperity  
of believers should be measured not so  
much by the point they have reached1 but
 by the fact and measure of the progress
 they are making4 ,progress in likeness 
to ,christ1 progress in following ,him2 
progress in understanding ,his mind and 

learning ,his lessons2 progress ever    
from the performance and the failures of
 yesterday to the new discipline of     
to-day1--this is ,paul's ,christianity4 
,in this world our condition is such    
that the business of every believer is  
to go forward4 ,there is room for it1   
need of it1 call to it1 blessedness in  
it4 ,for any ,christian1 at any stage of
 attainment1 to presume to stand still1 
is perilous and sinful4 ,a beginner that
 is pressing forward is a happier and a 
more helpful ,christian than he is who  
has come to a stand1 though the latter  
may seem to be on the borders of the    
land of ,beulah4 ,the first may have his
 life marred by much darkness and many  
mistakes2 but the second is for the     
present practically denying the         
,christian truth and the ,christian     
call1 as these bear on himself4         
,therefore the ,apostle is bent upon    
progress4 ,and here we have his account 
of that which suggested itself to him as
 the best kind of progress for these    

converts of his4  ,the life of their    
souls1 as he conceived it1 depended on  
the operation of one great principle1   
and he prays for the increase of that in
 strength and efficacy4 ,he desires that
 their love may abound more and more4   
,he was glad to think they had shown1   
all along1 a loving ,christian spirit4  
,he wished it to grow to its proper     
strength and nobleness4  ,no one doubts 
that1 according to the ,scriptures1 love
 is the practical principle by which the
 fruits of faith are brought forth4 ,the
 ,christian character peculiarly        
consists in a ,christlike love4 ,the sum
 of the law from which we fell is1 ,thou
 shalt love2 and1 being redeemed in     
,christ1 we find the end of the         
commandment to be love1 out of a pure   
heart1 and a good conscience1 and faith 
unfeigned4 ,redemption itself is a      
process of love1 setting forth from     
heaven to earth to create and kindle    
love1 and make it triumph in human      
hearts and lives4 ,every one that loveth

 is born of ,god and knoweth ,god4 ,no  
point is so well settled4 ,nobody doubts
 it4  ,yet1 alas6 how many of us are    
truly aware of the great meaning which  
apostolic words1 which ,christ's words1 
carry1 when this is spoken of8 or how   
shall it be made inwardly and vividly   
present to us8 ,in the heart of ,christ1
 who loved us and gave ,himself for us1 
was a great purpose to awaken in human  
hearts a deep and strong affection1     
kindred to ,his own--true1 tender1      
steadfast1 all-prevailing1              
all-transforming4 ,apostles1 catching   
the fire in their degree1 were full of  
the wonder of it1 of the glad surprise  
and yet the sober reality of it2 and    
they carried about the gospel           
everywhere1 looking to see men thrill   
into this new life1 and become instances
 of its strength and gladness4 ,and we8 
,let each man answer for himself4 ,he is
 a happy man who can answer clearly4    
,what is it to have love for the        
inspiration of the heart and the life3  

love submerging the lower cravings1 love
 ennobling and expanding all that is    
best and highest1 love consecrating life
 into a glad and endless offering8      
,which of us has that within him which  
could break into a song1 like the       
thirteenth chapter of ,corinthians1     
rejoicing in the goodness and nobleness 
of love8 ,that your love may abound4 ,in
 our tongue it is but one syllable4 ,so 
much the easier for our perversity to   
slide over the meaning as we read4 ,but 
all our earthly life is too short a     
space for learning how deep and how     
pertinent to ourselves this business of 
love is4  ,no doubt1 the kindness the   
,philippians had shown to the ,apostle1 
of which he had been speaking1 naturally
 prepares the way for speaking of their 
love1 as the verse before us does4 ,but 
we are not to take the word as referring
 only to the love they might bear to    
other believers1 or1 in particular1 to  
the ,apostle4 ,that is in the ,apostle's
 mind2 but his reference is wider1      

namely1 to love as a principle which    
operates universally--which first holds 
lowly fellowship with the love of ,god1 
and then also flows out in ,christian   
affection towards men4 ,the ,apostle    
does not distinguish these1 because he  
will not have us to separate them4 ,the 
believer has been brought back in love  
to ,god1 and having his life quickened  
from that source he loves men4 ,the     
manward aspect of it is made prominent  
in the ,bible for this reason1 that in  
love towards men the exercise of this   
affection finds the most various scope1 
and in this way also it is most         
practically tested4 ,the ,apostle would 
not grant to any of us that our         
profession of love to ,god could be     
genuine1 if love did not exert itself   
towards men4 ,but neither would he      
suffer it to be restricted in the other 
direction4 ,in the present case he      
gladly owned the love which his         
,philippian friends bore to himself4    
,but he sees in this the existence of a 

principle which may signalise its energy
 in all directions1 and is able to bear 
all kinds of good fruit4 ,therefore his 
prayer fixes on this1 that your love may
 abound4  ,now here we must look        
narrowly into the drift of the prayer4  
,for the ,apostle desires that love may 
abound and work in a certain manner1 and
 if it shall1 he assures himself of     
excellent effects to follow4 ,perhaps we
 may best see the reason which guided   
his prayer1 if we begin with the result 
or achievement he aimed at for his      
,philippian friends4 ,if we can         
understand that1 we may the better      
understand the road by which he hoped   
they might be carried forward to it4    
,the result aimed at is this 7vv4 #aj1  
#aa73 that ye may be sincere and without
 offence until the day of ,christ2 being
 filled with the fruits of              
righteousness1 which are by ,jesus      
,christ1 to the glory and praise of     
,god4 ,the last end is the glory and    
praise of ,god4 ,this1 let us be        

assured1 is no mere phrase with the     
,apostle4 ,all these things are real and
 vivid to him4 ,if he were to come among
 us1 knowing us to be professed         
believers1 then1 strange as some of us  
may think it1 he would actually expect  
that a great degree of praise and glory 
to ,god should accrue out of our lives4 
,the time he fixes on for the           
manifestation of this1 the time when it 
should be seen how this has come to     
pass1 is the day of ,christ4 ,that great
 day of revealing shall witness1 in     
particular1 the consummate glory of     
,christ's salvation in ,his redeemed4   
,and he prays that unto that day and at 
that day they may be sincere1 without   
offence1 filled with fruits of          
righteousness4  ,first1 sincere3 that   
signifies simplicity of purpose1 and    
singleness of heart in following out    
that purpose4 ,sincere ,christians      
cherish in their hearts no views1 no    
principles1 adverse to the ,christian   
calling4 ,the test of this sincerity is 

that a man shall be honestly willing to 
let light shine through him1 to evince  
the true character of his principles and
 motives4 ,such a man is on the road to 
the final1 victorious1 and eternal      
sincerity4 ,for the present there may be
 within him too much of that which      
hinders him1 and mars his life4 ,but if 
he is set on expelling this1 and        
welcomes the light which exposes it1 in 
order that he may expel it1 then he has 
a real1 present sincerity1 and his      
course is brightening towards the       
perfect day4  ,second1 without offence4 
,this is the character of the man who   
walks without stumbling4 ,for there are 
obstacles in the way1 and they are often
 unexpected4 ,grant a man to be in a    
measure sincere--the call of the gospel 
has really won his heart4 ,yet as he    
goes1 there fall in trials1 temptations1
 difficulties1 that seem to come upon   
him from without1 as it were1 and he    
stumbles3 he fails to preserve the      
uprightness of his life1 and to keep his

 eye fixed with due steadiness on the   
end of his faith4 ,suddenly1 before he  
is well aware1 he is almost down4 ,so he
 brings confusion into his mind1 and    
guilt upon his conscience2 and in his   
bewilderment he is too likely to make   
worse stumbles ere long4 ,he who would  
be a prosperous ,christian has not only 
to watch against duplicity in the heart3
 he must give diligence also to deal    
wisely with the various outward         
influences which strike into our lives1 
which seem often to do so cruelly and   
unreasonably1 and which wear some false 
guise that we had not foreseen4 ,paul   
knew this in his own case2 and therefore
 he studied to keep a conscience void of
 offence4 ,we may have wisdom enough for
 our own practice as to this1 if we know
 where to go for it4  ,third1 filled    
with fruits of righteousness--which is  
the positive result1 associated with the
 absence of guile and the freedom from  
stumbling4 ,a tree that bears any fruit 
is alive4 ,but one that is filled with  

fruit glorifies the gardener's care4    
,herein is ,my ,father glorified1 that  
ye bear much fruit2 so shall ye be ,my  
disciples4 ,distinct and manifold acts  
of faith and patience are the proper    
testimonies of the soul that is sincere 
and without offence4  ,this is the line 
of things which the ,apostle desires to 
see running its course towards the day  
of ,christ4 ,now let us ask1 ,in what   
circumstances is the believer placed for
 whom ,paul desires it8  ,he is placed  
in a world that is full of adverse      
influences1 and is apt to stir adverse  
forces in his own heart4 ,if he allows  
these influences to have their way--if  
he yields to the tendencies that operate
 around him1 he will be carried on in a 
direction quite different from that     
which ,paul contemplates4 ,instead of   
sincerity1 there will be the tainted1   
corrupt1 divided heart2 instead of      
freedom from offence1 there will be many
 a fall1 or even a complete forsaking of
 the way2 instead of fruits of          

righteousness filling the life1 there   
will be wild grapes4 ,on the other hand1
 if1 in spite of these influences1 the  
,christian is enabled to hold his       
course1 then the discipline of conflict 
and trial will prove full of blessing4  
,here also shall the promise be         
fulfilled that all things work together 
for good to them that love ,god4 ,strong
 temptations are not overcome without   
sorrow and pain2 but being overcome1    
they turn out ministers of good4 ,in    
this experience sincerity clears and    
deepens2 and the bearing of the         
,christian acquires a firmness and      
directness not otherwise attainable2 and
 the fruits of righteousness acquire a  
flavour which no other climate could    
have developed so well4 ,this hard road 
turns out to be the best road towards   
the day of ,christ4  ,the effect1 then1 
of the circumstances in which the       
believer is thus placed will be         
according to the way in which he deals  
with them4 ,but plainly1 to deal rightly

 with them1 implies a constant effort of
 ,,judging the things within him and    
without him1 the world within and the   
world without1 that he may approve what 
is more excellent--that he may choose   
the good and refuse the evil4           
,discerning1 distinguishing1 as to      
opinions1 influences1 feelings1 habits1 
courses of conduct1 and so forth1 so as 
to separate right and wrong1 spiritual  
and carnal1 true and false1 must be the 
work in hand4 ,there must be the        
prevailing practical mind to elect and  
to abide by the proper objects of       
choice1 to cleave to the one and to put 
away the other4  ,so we can understand  
very well1 if the ,philippians were to  
be sincere1 without offence1 filled with
 fruits of righteousness1 that they     
must1 and ever more and more searchingly
 and successfully1 approve the things   
that are more excellent4 ,the phrase is 
also rendered try the things which      
differ2 for the expression implies both4
 ,it implies such a putting to proof of 

that which is presented to us1 as to    
make just distinctions and give to each 
its proper place--silver on the one     
side1 dross on the other4 ,what is the  
whole life and business of the          
,philippians1 of any ,christians1 as    
,christians1 but that of following out  
perpetually a choice1 on given          
principles1 among the multitude of      
objects that claim their regard8 ,the   
fundamental choice1 arrived at in       
believing1 has to be reiterated         
continually1 in a just application of it
 to a world of varying and sometimes    
perplexing cases4  ,when we have all    
this in view it is easy to understand   
the scope of the ,apostle's prayer about
 the growth and education of their love4
 ,out of love this needed discrimination
 must come4 ,for  #a4 ,no practical     
discriminations or determinations are of
 any worth in ,god's sight except as    
they are animated by love1 and1 indeed1 
determined by it4 ,if a ,christian      
should choose anything1 or reject       

anything1 yet not in love1 his choice as
 to the matter of fact may be right1 but
 for all that the man himself is wrong4 
#b4 ,love alone will practically carry  
through such habitual discrimination1   
such faithful and patient choice4 ,love 
becomes the new instinct which gives    
life1 spring1 and promptitude to the    
process4 ,when this fails1 the life of  
approving the things that are more      
excellent will fail2 the task will be   
repudiated as a burden that cannot be   
endured4 ,it may still be professed1 but
 it must inwardly die4  #c4 ,nothing but
 love can enable us to see and to affirm
 the true distinctions4 ,under the      
influence of that pure love 7that arises
 in the heart which ,god's love has won 
and quickened7 the things which differ  
are truly seen4 ,so1 and only so1 we    
shall make distinctions according to the
 real differences as these appear in    
,god's sight4 ,let us consider this a   
little4  ,evidently among the things    
that differ there are some whose        

characteristics are so plainly written  
in conscience or in ,scripture1 that to 
determine what should be said of them is
 matter of no difficulty at all4 ,it is 
no matter of difficulty to decide that  
murder and theft are wrong1 or that     
meekness1 benevolence1 justice are      
right4 ,a man who has never been        
awakened to spiritual life1 or a        
,christian whose love has decayed1 can  
make determinations about such things1  
and can be sure1 as he does so1 that as 
to the thing itself he is judging right4
 ,yet in this case there is no just     
apprehension of the real difference in  
,god's sight of the things that differ1 
nor a right mind and heart to choose or 
to reject so as to be in harmony with   
,god's judgment4  ,and if so1 then in   
that large class of cases where there is
 room for some degree of doubt or       
diversity1 where some mist obscures the 
view1 so that it is not plain at once   
into what class things should be        
reckoned--in cases where we are not     

driven to a decision by a blaze of light
 from ,scripture or conscience--in such 
cases we need the impulse of the love   
which cleaves to ,god1 which delights in
 righteousness1 which gives to others1  
even to the undeserving1 the brother's  
place in the heart4 ,without this there 
can be no detection of the real         
difference1 and no assurance of the     
rectitude of the discrimination we make4
  ,now it is in such matters that the   
especial proof and exercise of religious
 life goes on4 ,here1 for example1 ,lot 
failed4 ,the beauty of the fair and     
prosperous valley so filled his soul    
with admiration and desire1 that it     
chilled and all but killed the          
affections that should have steadied and
 raised his mind4 ,had the love of the  
eternal and supreme maintained its      
power1 then in that day when ,god on the
 one hand and ,lot on the other looked  
down on the plain1 they would have seen 
the same sight and judged it with the   
same mind4 ,but it was otherwise4 ,so   

the ,lord lifted up ,his eyes and saw   
that the men of ,sodom were wicked and  
sinners before the ,lord exceedingly2   
and ,lot lifted up his eyes and saw only
 that the plain was well watered        
everywhere1 as the garden of the ,lord1 
as the land of ,egypt4  ,but the love of
 which the ,apostle speaks is the breath
 of the upper world and of the new life4
 ,it cleaves to ,god1 it embraces the   
things which ,god loves1 it enters into 
the views which ,god reveals1--and it   
takes the right view of men1 and of     
men's interest and welfare4 ,the man    
that has it1 or has known it1 is therein
 aware of what is most material4 ,he has
 a notion of the conduct that is        
congruous to love's nature4 ,what love  
knows1 it is the nature of love to      
practise1 for it knows lovingly2 and at 
every step the practice confirms1       
establishes1 and enlarges the knowledge4
 ,so the genuine growth of love is a    
growth in knowledge 7ver4 #i7--the word 
implies the kind of knowledge that goes 

with intently looking into things3 love1
 as it grows1 becomes more quick to see 
and mark how things really are when     
tried by the true standard4 ,conversing 
practically with the mind of ,god in the
 practice of life1 love incorporates    
that mind and judges in the light of it4
 ,this prepares a man to detect the     
false and counterfeit1 and to try the   
things that differ4  ,not only in       
knowledge shall love grow1 but in all   
discernment1 or perception1 as it might 
be rendered4 ,there may be instances in 
which1 with our best wisdom1 we find it 
hard to disentangle clear principles1 or
 state plain grounds which rule the     
case2 yet love1 growing and exercised1  
has its percipiency3 it has that        
accomplished tact1 that quick           
experienced taste1 that fine sensibility
 to what befriends and what opposes     
truth and right1 which will lead to     
right distinctions in practice4 ,so you 
discriminate by the sense of taste      
things that differ1 though you can give 

no reason to another1 but can only say1 
,i perceive it4 ,in this sense he that  
is spiritual judgeth all things4  ,for  
all this the aid of the ,holy ,spirit is
 held out to us1 as we may see in #a    
,john ii4 ,he makes love to grow1 and   
under that master influence unfolds the 
needed wisdom also4 ,so comes the wisdom
 from above1 which is first pure1 then  
peaceable1 gentle1 and easy to be       
entreated1 full of mercy and of good    
fruits1 without partiality and without  
hypocrisy 7,james iii4 #ag74 ,it is     
hidden from many wise and prudent1 but  
,god has often revealed it unto babes4  
,,how ,,the ,,philippians ,,should      
,,think ,,of ,,paul ,,at ,,rome4        
,now ,i would have you know1 brethren1  
that the things which      happened unto
 me have fallen out rather unto the     
progress of the      gospel2 so that my 
bonds became manifest in ,christ        
throughout the      whole prtorian      
guard1 and to all the rest2 and that    
most of the      brethren in the ,lord1 

being confident through my bonds1 are   
more      abundantly bold to speak the  
word of ,god without fear4 ,some indeed 
preach ,christ even of envy and strife2 
and some also of good will3      the one
 do it of love1 knowing that ,i am set  
for the defence of the      gospel3 but 
the other proclaim ,christ of faction1  
not sincerely1      thinking to raise up
 affliction for me in my bonds4 ,what   
then8 only      that in every way1      
whether in pretence or in truth1 ,christ
 is      proclaimed2 and therein ,i     
rejoice1 yea1 and will rejoice4 ,for ,i 
know that this shall turn to my         
salvation1 through your                 
supplication and the supply of the      
,spirit of ,jesus ,christ1              
according to my earnest expectation and 
hope1 that in nothing shall      ,i be  
put to shame1 but that with all         
boldness1 as always1 so now      also   
,christ shall be magnified in my body1  
whether by life1 or by                  
death4--,,phil4 i4 #ab-bj 7,r4,v474     

,,chapter ,,iii4  ,,how ,,the           
,,philippians ,,should ,,think ,,of     
,,paul ,,at ,,rome4   ,having poured out
 his feelings about those dear friends  
and children in the ,lord at ,philippi1 
the ,apostle recognises corresponding   
feelings on their part towards him4     
,these must naturally be feelings of    
anxiety to know how it was with him in  
body and spirit1 and how far he had been
 protected and sustained amid the       
dangers and sorrows of a prisoner's lot4
 ,on this then he is glad to be able to 
give them good tidings4 ,he can do so1  
because he is in the hands of a         
wonder-working ,lord1 who turns the     
shadow of death into the morning4 ,hence
 his history as well as theirs 7ver4    
#aa7 is moving towards the glory and    
praise of ,god4  ,the ,apostle's affairs
 had seemed to be full of trial to      
himself1 all the more that they bore so 
discouraging an aspect towards the cause
 to which he was devoted4 ,he had been  
for years a prisoner4 ,the work of      

preaching to the ,gentiles the          
unsearchable riches of ,christ had been 
stopped1 except as the narrow           
opportunities of a prisoner's life      
offered scant outlets for it4 ,he had1  
no doubt1 his own share of experiences  
tending to depress and embitter3 for in 
his day philanthropy had not yet done   
much to secure good treatment for men   
situated as he was4 ,still more         
depressing to an eager soul was the     
discipline of delay3 the slow1          
monotonous months passing on1 consuming 
the remainder of his life1 while the    
great harvest he longed to reap lay     
outside uncared for1 with few to bring  
it in4 ,meanwhile even the work done in 
,christ's name was largely taking a     
wrong direction3 those who under the    
,christian name preached another gospel1
 and perverted the gospel of ,christ1   
had a freer hand to do their work4      
,paul1 at least1 had no longer the power
 to cross their path4 ,ground on which  
he might have worked1 minds which he    

might have approached1 seemed to be     
falling under their perverting          
influence4 ,all this seemed             
adverse--adverse to ,paul1 and adverse  
to the cause for which he lived--fitted 
therefore to awaken legitimate concern3 
fitted to raise the question why ,god's 
providence should thus depress the heart
 and waste the life of an agent so      
carefully prepared and so incomparably  
efficient4  ,most likely these things   
had tried the faith of ,paul himself1   
and they might distress and perplex his 
loving friends at ,philippi4 ,it was    
right to feel that these providences    
were trying2 but one might be tempted   
also to conclude that they were in every
 sense to be lamented4 ,so much the     
better it was1 therefore1 that the      
,apostle could testify how here also all
 things were working for good1 and in   
particular were turning out to be for   
the furtherance of the gospel4 ,this was
 taking place in two ways at least4     
,first1 ,paul's imprisonment had become 

the means of bringing to the knowledge  
of the gospel many who were not likely  
ever to hear of it in any other way2 for
 his bonds had become manifest in       
,christ in the ,prtorium1 and in all    
other places4 ,the precise meaning of   
the several words here used has become  
matter of discussion2 but the general   
result is much the same whatever view is
 taken of the matters debated4 ,the word
 translated palace in the ,authorised   
,version 7,marg4 ,csar's ,court7 may    
perhaps refer to the quarters of the    
guard1 in the immediate neighbourhood of
 the palace4 ,prisoners whose cases were
 in a special manner reserved to the    
,emperor were sometimes confined there4 
,and ,paul1 whether actually confined   
there or not1 must have come into       
contact with the troops stationed there1
 for we know he had been delivered to   
the captain of the guard 7,acts xxviii4 
#afa74 ,then the all others 7,marg4 of  
,a4,v47 may probably mean the rest of   
the ,emperor's household 7comp4 ch4 iv4 

#bb71 and would naturally be connected  
with it in the minds of men1 so that a  
mere indication like this was enough4   
,for1 in a military system such as that 
of the ,empire was1 the soldiers and    
officers of the guard formed an         
important part of the household4 ,that  
household1 however1 was an immense      
affair1 including hundreds or even      
thousands of persons--mostly freedmen or
 slaves1 performing all sorts of        
functions4    #a ,this1 however1 is     
omitted in critical editions4  ,paul1   
then1 in charge of the guard1 coming in 
contact with individuals belonging to   
the various reliefs which successively  
had him in custody1 spoken of as one    
reserved to the judgment of the ,emperor
 himself1 became known throughout the   
quarters of the guard1 and to persons of
 the household of every rank and class4 
,in point of fact we know and can prove 
from evidence external to the ,bible    
that a few years later than this        
7perhaps even earlier than this7 there  

were members of the household who were  
,christians4 ,before the end of the     
century a branch of the family which    
then occupied the imperial throne seems 
to have joined the ,church1 perhaps     
through the influence of a ,christian   
nurse1 who is commemorated in an        
inscription still preserved4  ,but how  
did his bonds become manifest in        
,christ8 ,the words no doubt mean that  
he became known extensively as a man    
whose bonds1 whose imprisonment1 was for
 his adherence to the name and doctrine 
of ,jesus ,christ4 ,let us consider how 
this would come about4  ,there might1 at
 first1 be universal indifference with  
reference to the cause of this          
prisoner's confinement4 ,when his       
character and statements led to some    
curiosity about him1 men might find it  
difficult to understand what the real   
nature of this mysterious case could be4
 ,for while the charge1 whatever form it
 took1 was not yet a common one1 we may 
be very sure that the man struck people 

as profoundly different from ordinary   
prisoners4 ,for ordinary prisoners the  
one thing desirable was release2 and    
they employed every artifice1 and       
exhausted every form of influence and   
intrigue1 and were prepared to sacrifice
 every scruple1 if only they could get  
free4 ,here was a man who pleaded for   
truth2 his own freedom seemed to be     
quite secondary and subordinate4 ,so at 
last men come to an understanding1 more 
or less1 of the real cause of his bonds4
 ,they were bonds for ,christ4 ,they    
were the result of his adherence to the 
faith of ,christ's resurrection1 and to 
the truths which that great event       
sealed4 ,they were connected with a     
testifying for ,christ which had brought
 him into collision with the authorities
 of his own nation1 which had set on    
,jews everywhere to speak against him   
7,acts xxviii4 #bb74 ,and in his        
imprisonment he did not lay down his    
testimony1 but preached with all his    
heart to every man who would hear him4  

,this state of things dawned upon men's 
minds1 so far as they thought about him 
at all2 it became clear2 it was manifest
 in the ,prtorium1 and to all the       
others4  ,one influence was at work     
which would at least direct attention to
 the case4 ,there were certainly ,jews  
in the household2 there were also ,jews 
in ,rome who made it their business1 for
 their worldly interest1 to establish   
connections in the household2 and about 
this time ,jewish influence rose to the 
person nearest to ,nero himself4 ,there 
was therefore a class of persons in the 
household likely to feel an interest in 
the case4 ,and on these most likely the 
influence of ,jewish religious          
authorities would be exerted to produce 
an unfavourable opinion of ,paul4 ,it   
would be felt desirable that the ,jews  
of the household should think of ,paul  
as no loyal ,jew1 as a seditious person1
 and of his opinions as not legitimately
 pertaining to ,jewish religion--as a   
religious belief and practice which     

,judaism repudiated and denounced4      
,thus1 while ,paul's case might begin to
 influence the guard1 because members of
 it were personally in contact with him1
 in the rest of the household there was 
a class of persons who would feel an    
interest in discussing his case4 ,one   
way or another1 some impression as to   
the peculiar character of it was        
acquired4  ,now think how much was done 
when some view of the real nature of    
,paul's bonds had been lodged in the    
minds of these men4 ,think what an event
 that was in the mental history of some 
of these heathens of the old world4     
,paul was1 in the first place1 a man    
very unlike the ordinary type of movers 
of sedition4 ,it seemed that his offence
 stood only in religious opinions or    
persuasions2 and that itself1 precisely 
in ,nero's days1 was a little singular  
to figure as the ground of political    
imprisonment4 ,he was persecuted and    
endangered for his faith1 and he neither
 denied nor disguised that faith1 but   

spent all possible pains in proclaiming 
it4 ,this was new4 ,he had a faith1     
resting professedly on recent facts1    
which he proclaimed as indispensably    
necessary to be received by all men4    
,this was new4 ,he seriously told men1  
any man and every man1 that their       
welfare must be attained through their  
being individually transformed to a type
 of character of the unworldliest type2 
he could press that alike on sordid     
,jews and gay young officers4 ,this was 
new4 ,he was a man who1 in place of the 
ordinary anxieties and importunities of 
a prisoner1 was ever ready to speak and 
plead in behalf of ,christ1 that        
singular young ,jew who had died thirty 
years before1 but whom ,paul affirmed to
 be alive4 ,and in all this1 however it 
might strike one as foolish or odd1     
there were tokens of an honesty1 a      
sanity1 and a purity that could not be  
explained away4 ,all this struck men who
 stood near the centre of a world       
falling many ways into moral ruin1 as   

something strange and new4 ,paul's own  
explanation of it was in the one word   
,christ4 ,so his bonds were manifest in 
,christ4  ,a few of them might have     
heard previously of ,christianity as a  
new and a malignant superstition4 ,but  
another conception of it reached them   
through the bonds of ,paul4 ,this       
imprisoned man was a fact to be         
accounted for1 and a problem to be      
solved4 ,in him was an influence not    
wholly to be escaped1 an instance that  
needed a new interpretation4 ,many of   
them did not obey the truth1 some did2  
but at least something had become       
manifest that could not easily be got   
rid of again1--the beginning1 in their  
case1 of that leaven which was          
eventually to revolutionise the thinking
 and feeling of the world4 ,remember    
also that most of these were men to whom
 ,paul at liberty1 speaking in          
synagogues and the like1 would have     
found no access1 nor would he have come 
near the circles to which their         

influence extended4 ,but now1 being     
imprisoned1 his bonds became manifest in
 ,christ4  ,thus does it often come to  
pass that what seems adverse1 proves to 
be on our side4 ,fruit is not always    
borne most freely when the visible      
opportunities of labouring are most     
plentiful4 ,rather the question is1 how 
the opportunities given are employed1   
and how far the life of the labourer    
bears witness of the presence and power 
of ,christ4  ,but besides the direct    
impression on those who were outside1   
arising from the fact of ,paul's        
imprisonment1 it became the means of    
stimulating and reinforcing the labours 
of other ,christians 7ver4 #ad74 ,it is 
not hard to see how this might be4 ,from
 ,paul's bonds1 and from the manner and 
spirit in which they were borne1 these  
brethren received a new impression as to
 what should be done and what should be 
borne in the service of ,christ4 ,they  
were infected with the contagion of     
,paul's heroism4 ,the sources of ,paul's

 consecration and of his comfort became 
more real to them2 and no discouragement
 arising from pain or danger could hold 
its ground against these forces4 ,so    
they waxed confident4 ,while dangers    
that threaten ,christians are still only
 impending1 are still only looming out  
of the unknown future1 men are apt to   
tremble at them1 to look with a         
shrinking eye1 to approach with a       
reluctant step4 ,now here in the midst  
of those ,roman ,christians was ,paul1  
in whom were embodied the trouble       
accepted and the danger defied4 ,at once
 ,christian hearts became inspired with 
a more magnanimous and generous spirit4 
,wherever dangers and hardships are     
endured1 even apart from ,christianity1 
we know how prompt the impulse is to    
rush in1 to give help1 and to share     
burdens4 ,how much more might it be so  
here4         99       99       99      
99       99  ,not that the impulse to   
evangelistic earnestness1 arising from  
,paul's presence in ,rome1 was all of   

this kind4 ,it was not so4 ,some        
preached out of goodwill1 in full       
sympathy with the spirit that animated  
,paul's own labours and sustained him in
 his trials4 ,but some preached ,christ 
out of envy and spite1 and supposed to  
add affliction to his bonds4 ,how are we
 to fit this into our notions of the    
,primitive ,church8  ,the truth is that1
 ever since the gospel began to be      
preached1 unworthy motives have combined
 with worthier in the administration and
 professed service of it4 ,mixture of   
motive has haunted the work even of     
those who strove to keep their motives  
pure4 ,and men in whom lower motive and 
worse motive had a strong influence have
 struck into the work alongside of the  
nobler and purer labourers4 ,so it has  
pleased ,god to permit2 that even in    
this sacred field men might be tried and
 manifested before the judgment of the  
great day2 and that it might be the more
 plain that the effectual blessing and  
the true increase come from ,himself4   

,more especially have these influences  
become apparent in connection with the  
divisions of judgment about ,christian  
doctrine and practice1 and with the     
formation of parties4 ,the personal and 
the party feelings have readily allied  
themselves1 in too many men1 with a     
self-regarding zeal and with envy or    
spite4 ,and where these feelings exist  
they come out in other forms besides    
their own proper colours and their      
direct manifestation4 ,more often they  
find vent in the way of becoming the    
motive power of work that claims to be  
,christian--of work that ought to be    
inspired by a purer aim4  ,there were1  
as we all know1 in the ,church of those 
days powerful sections of professed     
believers1 who contested ,paul's        
apostleship1 questioned his teaching1   
and wholly disliked the effects of his  
work4 ,perhaps by this time the strain  
of that conflict had become a little    
less severe1 but it had not wholly      
passed away4 ,we call these persons the 

,judaisers4 ,they were men who looked to
 ,jesus ,christ as the ,messiah1 who    
owned the authority of ,his teaching1   
and claimed interest in ,his promises4  
,but they insisted on linking           
,christianity to ,jewish forms1 and     
rules1 and conditions of law-keeping1   
which were on various grounds dear and  
sacred to them4 ,they apprehended feebly
 the spirituality and ,divineness of    
,christ's religion2 and what they did   
apprehend they wished to enslave1 for   
themselves and others1 in a carnal      
system of rules and ritual that tended  
to stifle and to bury the truth4 ,with  
this there went a feeling towards ,paul 
of wrath fear1 and antipathy4 ,such men 
there were in ,rome4 ,possibly there    
might even be a ,christian congregation 
in the city in which this type          
prevailed4 ,at any rate1 they were found
 there4 ,before ,paul's coming no very  
remarkable nor very successful efforts  
to spread abroad the gospel in that     
great community had been going on4 ,but 

,paul's arrival made men solicitous and 
watchful4 ,and when it was seen that his
 presence and the enthusiasm that       
gathered round him were beginning to    
give impulse and effect to the speaking 
of the word1 then this party too        
bestirred itself4 ,it would not--could  
not--oppose the carrying of the message 
of ,christ to men4 ,but it could try to 
be first in the field2 it could become  
active1 energetic1 dexterous1 in laying 
hold of inquiring and susceptible       
persons1 before the other side could do 
so2 it could subject ,paul to the       
mortification1 the deserved             
mortification1 of failure or defeat1 so 
far as these would be implied in his    
seeing the converts going to the side   
which was not his side4 ,evangelistic   
zeal awoke on these terms1 and bestirred
 itself4 ,and sheaves that in other     
circumstances might have lain untended  
long enough1 were gathered now4  ,this  
very same spirit1 this poor and         
questionable zeal for ,christ1 still    

works1 and does so plentifully4 ,the    
activities of ,churches1 the alertness  
of ,mission societies and agencies1     
still partake1 in far too many          
instances1 of this sinister inspiration4
 ,we ought to watch against it in       
ourselves1 that we may overcome the evil
 and grow into a nobler temper4 ,as     
regards others1 we may1 in special      
cases1 see the working of such motives  
clearly enough1 as ,paul saw them at    
,rome4 ,but usually we shall do well1   
when we can1 to impute the work of      
others to the better side of their      
character3 and we may do so reasonably2 
for as ,christian work is far from being
 all of it so pure and high as we might 
desire1 on the other hand1 the lowly and
 loving temper of ,christ's true        
followers is very often present and     
operative when it is not easy for us to 
see it4 ,let us believe it1 because we  
believe in ,him who worketh all in all4 
,now the ,apostle1 looking at this1 is  
glad of it4 ,he is not glad that any    

men1 professing ,christ1 give way to    
evil and unchristian tempers4 ,but he is
 glad that ,christ is preached4 ,there  
were cases in which he vehemently       
contended with such persons--when they  
strove to poison and pervert ,christians
 who had learned the better way4 ,but   
now he is thinking of the outside world2
 and it was good that the making known  
of ,christ should gather strength1 and  
volume1 and extension4 ,and the ,apostle
 knew that the ,lord could bless ,his   
own message1 imperfectly delivered      
perhaps1 to bring thirsty souls to      
,himself1 and would not fail in ,his    
unsearchable wisdom to care for those   
who came1 and to lead them in the ways  
,he thought best4 ,let ,christ be       
preached4 ,the converts do not belong to
 the denominations1 but first of all to 
,christ4 ,neither is it appointed that  
the denominations shall permanently hold
 those whom they bring in2 but ,christ  
can hold them1 and can order their      
future in ways we cannot foretell4  ,it 

is not true that the preaching of       
,christ serves no purpose and yields no 
fruit1 in cases where it is not carried 
on in the right1 or the best spirit4    
,indeed1 ,god honours the pure1 loving1 
lowly hearts1 which ,he has ,himself    
cleansed2 they are appropriate agents   
for ,his work1 and often receive a      
special blessing in connection with it4 
,but ,god is not tied up to give no     
success to men acting under wrong       
motives3 at least1 if we are not to say 
,he gives the success to them1 yet in   
connection with them ,he is well able to
 take success to ,himself4 ,through     
strange channels ,he can send blessings 
to souls1 whatever ,he gives or denies  
to the unworthy workmen4 ,but perhaps   
the success which attends such preachers
 is not remarkable nor very long        
continued4 ,souls truly gathered in will
 soon get beyond their teaching4 ,at any
 rate1 it is a poor business to be      
serving ,christ upon the devil's        
principles4 ,it cannot be good for      

us--whatever good may sometimes come    
thereby to others4 ,let us purge        
ourselves from such filthiness of the   
flesh and of the spirit4  ,christ is    
preached4 ,how glad the ,apostle was to 
think of it6 ,how he longed to see more 
of it1 and rejoiced in all of it that he
 saw6 ,one wonders how far the thoughts 
and feelings associated with these words
 in ,paul's mind1 find any echo in ours4
 ,christ is preached4 ,the meaning for  
men of that message1 as ,paul conceived 
it1 grew out of the anguish and the     
wonder of those early days at ,damascus1
 and had been growing ever since4 ,what 
might ,christ be for men8--,christ their
 righteousness1 ,christ their life1     
,christ their hope2 ,god in ,christ1    
peace in ,christ1 inheritance in        
,christ2 a new creature1 a new world2   
joy1 victory--above all1 the love of    
,christ1 the love which passes knowledge
 and fills us with the fulness of ,god4 
,therefore also this was the burning    
conviction in ,paul's soul--that ,christ

 must be preached2 by all means1 on all 
accounts1 ,christ must be preached4 ,the
 unsearchable riches of ,christ must be 
proclaimed4 ,certainly1 whoever might do
 or not do1 he must do it4 ,he was to   
live for nothing else4 ,i ,paul am made 
a minister of it4 ,woe is unto me if ,i 
preach not the gospel4  ,lastly1 as to  
this1 not only does he rejoice that     
,christ is announced to men1 but he has 
an assurance that this shall have a     
happy issue and influence towards       
himself also4 ,what is so good for      
others shall also be found to contribute
 an added element of good to his own    
salvation2 so good and rich is ,god1    
who1 in working wide results of ,divine 
beneficence1 does not overlook the      
special case and interest of ,his own   
servant4 ,this work1 from which the     
workmen would shut ,paul out1 shall     
prove to pertain to him in spite of     
them2 and he1 as reaper1 shall receive  
here also his wages1 gathering fruit    
unto life eternal4  ,for it is          

characteristic of this ,epistle 7ii4    
#ag2 iv4 #aj1 #ah7 that the ,apostle    
reveals to his ,philippian friends not  
only his thoughts concerning the great  
objects of the gospel1 but also the     
desires and hopes he had about his own  
experience of deliverance and well-being
 in connection with the turns and       
changes of progressive providences4     
,here1 it is as if he said3 ,i confess  
,i am covetous1 not a little covetous1  
to have many children in ,christ3 ,i    
would fain be a link in many a chain of 
influences1 by which all sorts of       
persons are reached and blessed in      
,christ4 ,and here where ,i sit         
confined1 and am also the object of envy
 and strife that are solicitous to      
baffle me1 ,i can descry ties forming   
between my influence in my prison and   
results elsewhere with which ,i seem to 
have little to do4 ,i can claim a       
something of mine1 granted me by my     
,lord1 in the ,christianity of those who
 are kept far from me1 and taught       

perhaps to doubt and dislike me4 ,if ,i 
in my prison experience can but live    
,christ1 then all sorts of effects and  
reactions1 upon all sorts of minds1 will
 have something in them that accrues as 
fruit to ,christ--and something also    
that accrues as my ,lord's loving       
recognition of me4 ,only do you         
pray--for this is a great and high      
calling--pray1 you who love me1 and let 
the ,lord in answer plentifully give    
,his ,spirit2 and then1 while ,i lie    
here in the imprisonment which my ,lord 
has assigned to me1 and in which ,he    
vitalises me1 oh how fruitful and       
successful shall my life be1 what gain  
and wealth of salvation shall be mine6  
,there shall be fruit for an ,apostle   
still1 coming in ways ,i cannot follow2 
and in it1 and with it1 the confirmation
 and deepening of my own eternal life4  
,it shall turn to my salvation4  ,so the
 eager ,apostle1 caged and cabined1     
triumphed still in ,christ1 assured that
 there was a way of dealing with his    

,lord's will1 discouraging as that might
 seem1 in which it would reveal both    
enlargement for the ,kingdom and the    
most loving enrichment also for himself4
  ,this is a commonplace of             
,christianity4 ,christians trust in     
,christ to cause all to work for good4  
,they know ,he can impart ,his most     
precious gifts through what seem adverse
 providences4 ,but it is a memorable    
embodiment of this conviction that meets
 us in the ,apostle's confidence1 that  
when ,christ's providence outwardly     
stops his work1 it not the less pertains
 to ,christ's wisdom to continue and    
extend his usefulness4 ,the applications
 of the same principle to various cases 
in which ,christians are trained through
 disappointment are innumerable4 ,but   
mostly1 even when1 in a way1 we are open
 to the lesson1 we take it too easily4  
,we forget that here also it is         
,christlike life and life in ,christ    
that proves so fruitful and so happy4   
,we do not apprehend how great a thing  

it is--what prayer it asks--what supply 
of the ,spirit of ,jesus ,christ4 ,for  
the ,apostle1 as we learn from what     
presently follows1 this blessing came in
 the line of earnest expectation and    
hope4 ,it was not an exceptional effort 
of faith which awoke in him so firm a   
confidence about his circumstances at   
,rome1 and was rewarded so manifestly4  
,his whole life was set on the same key4
 ,he applied to that ,roman experience  
the same mode of view which he strove to
 apply to every experience4 ,this was   
his expectation--he was on the outlook  
for it--and this his hope1 that not only
 in one great crisis1 but all along his 
pilgrimage1 his life should eventuate   
one way--should shape into glory to     
,christ4 ,his whole life must turn out  
to be a loving1 believing1 effectual    
manifestation of the greatness and      
goodness of ,christ4 ,this was what rose
 before his mind as ,,success ,,in      
,,life4 ,his thoughts1 his prayers      
turned this way4 ,as some men's minds   

turn spontaneously to money1 and some to
 family prosperity1 and some to fame1   
and some to various lines of recreation 
or of accomplishment1 so ,paul's turned 
to this4 ,and in this world of failure  
and disappointment1 success welcomed him
 and gladdened him4 ,his would have been
 the nobler life even if its expectation
 had been disappointed4 ,but this is the
 life which cannot fail1 because ,god is
 in it4  ,there is a great admonition   
here for all of us who profess to be    
followers of ,christ4 ,our line of      
service may not be so emphatically      
marked out for distinction1 for special 
and exceptional eminence of doing and   
suffering1 as ,paul's was4 ,but for     
every believer the path of service      
opens1 however commonplace and          
undistinguished its scenery may be4 ,and
 in some of its stages it takes1 for all
 of us1 the peculiar character1 it      
assumes the distinguishing features     
which mark it out as ,christian4 ,here1 
in ,paul1 we see the spirit that should 

inspire service1 should make the        
strength1 the peculiarity1 the success  
of it1 should be the quickening and     
gladdening influence of its efforts and 
its prayers4 ,this ought to be for us   
also the longing outlook and the hope4  
,let us note also1 before we pass on1   
that the ,lord's personal kindness to   
ourselves is matter of legitimate       
rejoicing and legitimate desire4 ,that  
may be gathered from almost every verse4
 ,there have been persons who conceived 
that a true ,christian is to be so      
occupied with the thought of ,god's     
glory and will1 or so occupied with the 
weal of others1 as to have no personal  
desires or interests at all4 ,this is a 
mistake4 ,one of the most intimate and  
special channels in which the glory of  
,god and the revelation of it are       
secured1 is in the expression of ,his   
goodwill to ,his child's own heart4     
,this is the privilege of faith1 to     
cherish the expectation that ,his glory 
and our good are to agree well together4

 ,only1 as to the latter1 let us leave  
it to ,him how it is to come to pass2   
and then it will come divinely and      
wonderfully4 ,the ,lord is my shepherd1 
,i shall not want4     ,,the ,,choice   
,,between ,,living ,,and ,,dying4       
,for me to live is ,christ1 and to die  
is gain4 ,but if to live in      the    
flesh1--if this is the fruit of my work1
 then what ,i shall      choose ,i wot  
not4 ,but ,i am in a strait betwixt the 
two1 having the      desire to depart   
and be with ,christ2 for it is very far 
better3 yet      to abide in the flesh  
is more needful for your sake4 ,and     
having      this confidence1 ,i know    
that ,i shall abide1 yea1 and abide with
 you      all1 for your progress and joy
 in the faith2 that your glorying may   
abound in ,christ ,jesus in me through  
my presence with you                    
again4--,,phil4 i4 #ba-bf 7,r4,v474     
,,chapter ,,iv4  ,,the ,,choice         
,,between ,,living ,,and ,,dying4   ,at 
the close of the preceding section we   

see that the ruling principle of the    
,apostle--the earnest expectation and   
hope which inspired his life--came into 
special exercise at this time with      
reference to the possibility1 and the   
likelihood1 of an early and violent     
death4 ,dying for the name of the ,lord 
,jesus1 as well as enduring imprisonment
 for ,him1 might be near4 ,he might not 
only be straitened in his labours1 and  
secluded from the activities connected  
with his loved work on earth1 but might 
be completely and finally withdrawn from
 it by ,roman doom and execution4 ,the  
,apostle's faith looked steadily at this
 final possibility4 ,as at all times1 so
 now also1 ,christ should be magnified  
in him1 whether by life or by death4    
,now1 when some great alternative of the
 future rises before a ,christian1--some
 possibility which ,god's providence may
 turn either way1--it is natural that he
 should look heedfully to it1 that he   
may order aright his faith and patience 
as the day of decision draws near4 ,and 

it is natural in particular that his    
thoughts should be occupied by the      
consideration how far the one way of it 
is in itself more attractive to him than
 the other4 ,for in view of that he has 
to watch his heart1 that as to what     
seems more attractive he may not desire 
it idolatrously1 nor let his heart be   
overcharged with it if it is realised2  
and that as to what seems less          
attractive he may await ,god's will with
 submission and faith1 and welcome it1  
if so it come to pass1 with sincerity4  
,so also the ,apostle fixes his eye1    
ponderingly1 on this alternative of life
 or death1 so strongly suggested by his 
circumstances4 ,but1 as it were1 with a 
smile he recognises that to a man       
standing1 as he did1 in the light of    
,christ1 it was hard to say which should
 attract him most4 ,life and            
,death--what had they once been to him8 
what were they still to many8 ,to live1 
self--self pleased1 provided for1       
contended for1 perhaps fighting for     

itself a losing battle with a bitter    
heart2 to die1 a dark1 dire necessity1  
full of fear and doubt4 ,but now1 to    
live is ,christ4 ,in all life as it came
 to him1 in all its various providences1
 he found ,christ2 in all life1 as it   
fell to him to be lived1 he found the   
circumstances set for him and the       
opportunity given to follow ,christ2 in 
all the attraction and all the pressure1
 the force and strain of life1 he found 
the privilege of receiving ,christ and  
employing ,christ's grace1 the          
opportunity for living by the faith of  
the ,son of ,god4 ,that was all very    
real to him3 it was not only a fine     
ideal1 owned indeed but only distantly  
and dimly descried2 no1 it was a reality
 daily fulfilled to him4 ,to live was   
,christ1 with a support1 an elevation1  
and a love in it such as the world knows
 not4 ,that was good1 oh how good6 ,and 
then to die was better3 to die was gain4
 ,for to die1 also1 was ,christ2 but    
with many a hindrance passed away1 and  

many a conflict ended1 and many a       
promise coming into fulfilment as here  
it could not do4 ,for if1 as to his own 
interest and portion1 he lived by hope1 
then death was a long step forward into 
possession and realisation4 ,by grace   
,paul was to show how he valued ,christ2
 he was to show it in his life4 ,and    
,christ was to show ,his care for       
,paul--in this life1 no doubt1 very     
lovingly2 but more largely and fully at 
his death4 ,to live is ,christ--to die  
is gain2 to be all for ,christ while ,i 
live1 to find at length ,he is all for  
me when ,i die6  ,which should he       
prefer1 which should he pray for        
7subject to ,god's will71 which should  
he hope for1 life or death8 ,the one    
would continue him in a labour for      
,christ1 which ,christ taught him to    
love4 ,the other would bring him to a   
sinless and blessed fellowship with     
,christ1 which ,christ taught him to    
long for4 ,looking to the two1 how      
should he order his desires8  ,it is    

because he speaks as one always does    
speak who is pondering something--the   
words rising1 as it were1 from what he  
sees before him--that he speaks so      
elliptically in ver4 #bb4 ,but if to    
live in the flesh come to me1 as its    
fruit and reward bringing4444 ,what8    
,the ,apostle sees1 but does not say3   
something that might well reconcile him 
to prolonged toil and suffering4 ,but   
why produce the considerations on either
 side1 why balance them against one     
another8 ,it is too long1 too difficult 
a process4 ,and how can even an apostle 
confidently judge as to better or best  
here8 ,and what ,i shall choose1 really 
,i do not know4 ,but this he knows1 that
 so far as his own desires are          
concerned1 so far as the possible       
futures draw his spirit1 he is in a     
strait between two1 having a desire to  
depart and to be with ,christ1 for that 
is far better2 and yet that he should   
continue in the flesh is of more        
imperative necessity for the sake of    

friends like the ,philippians4  ,not    
every ,christian is in the state of mind
 which would naturally express itself as
 a desire forthwith to depart and be    
with ,christ4 ,the great hope claims its
 place in every ,christian heart2 but   
not in every case so as to inspire the  
longing to overleap all intermediate    
stages4 ,rather must we not say that    
there are periods of ,christian         
experience1 as there are also casts of  
character1 for which it is more usual   
and natural to desire1 if it be ,god's  
will1 some further experience of life on
 earth8 ,if this be immature            
,christianity1 we will not1 therefore1  
judge that it cannot be genuine4  ,yet  
to be ready1 and1 subject to ,god's     
will1 desirous to depart1 is an         
attainment to be aimed at and made good4
 ,sooner or later it should come4 ,it   
lies in the line of ripening ,christian 
affection and growing ,christian        
insight4 ,for this is better4 ,it is not
 that life in this world is not good3 it

 is good1 when it is life in ,christ4   
,it has its trials1 its conflicts1 and  
its dangers2 it has also its elements of
 defect and evil3 yet it is good4 ,it is
 good to be a child of ,god in training 
for a better country2 it is good to be  
one who carries the life of faith       
through the experiences of time4 ,and1  
for some especially1 there is a strong  
and not an unworthy attraction in the   
forms of exercise which open to us just 
in such a life as this1 under the       
guarantee and the consecration of       
,christ4 ,knowledge opens its career1 in
 which many a generous mind is drawn to 
prove its powers4 ,love1 in all the     
variety of its calmer and its more      
ardent affections1 sends a glow through 
life which gladdens it with promise4    
,the tasks which call for practical     
effort and achievement stir vigorous    
natures with a high ambition4 ,and when 
all these spheres are illuminated by the
 light1 and dominated by the authority1 
and quickened for us by the love of     

,christ1 is not life on those terms     
interesting and good8 ,true1 it is      
destined to disclose its imperfection4  
,our knowledge proves to be so partial2 
our love is so sorely grieved1 so often 
bereaved1 sometimes it is even killed2  
and active life must learn that what is 
crooked cannot wholly be made straight1 
and that what is wanting cannot be      
numbered4 ,so that life itself shall    
teach a ,christian that his longings    
must seek their rest further on4 ,yet   
life in ,christ here upon the earth is  
good3 let us say no unkind word of those
 who feel it so1--whose hearts1 with    
true loyalty to ,christ1 would yet if it
 be ,his will put life fully to the     
proof before they go4 ,still1 this must 
be said and pressed--let it be joyfully 
believed--that to depart is better4 ,it 
is far better4 ,it is better to be done 
with sin4 ,it is better to be where all 
hopes are fulfilled4 ,it is better to   
rise above a scene in which all is      
precarious1 and in which a strange      

sadness thrills through our happiness   
even when we possess it4 ,to be where   
,christ most fully1 eminently1          
experimentally is1 that is best4        
,therefore it is better to depart4 ,let 
mortality be swallowed up of life4  ,it 
is not only better1 so that we may own  
it so to be as a certainty of faith2 but
 also so that we may and ought to feel  
it warming and drawing the heart with   
delight and with desire4 ,it is not     
needful that we should judge more hardly
 of life on earth2 but we might attain a
 far more gladdening appreciation of    
what it must be to be with ,christ4     
,with no rebellion against ,god's       
appointment when it keeps us here1 and  
no grudging spirit towards earth's      
mercies and employments1 we might yet   
have this thought of departing in ,god's
 time as a real and bright hope2 a great
 element of comfort and of strength2 a  
support in trouble2 an elevating        
influence in times of gladness2 an      
anchor of the soul1 sure and steadfast1 

entering into that which is within the  
veil4  ,the hope of the gospel implies  
it4 ,if that hope is ours and is duly   
cherished1 must it not assert itself and
 sway the heart1 so as more and more to 
command the life8  ,the earnest of the  
,spirit implies it4 ,of the very        
substance of the life eternal a         
foretaste comes1 in the presence and    
grace of the ,spirit of love and        
comfort4 ,can that be with us1 can that 
leaven work duly in our hearts1 and not 
awaken longing for the full entrance    
into so great a good8 ,it may be        
expected of us ,christians that we      
should lift up our heads because        
redemption is drawing nigh4  ,as for the
 ,apostle1 however1 if the choice were  
his1 he felt that it must fall in favour
 of still cleaving to the present life2 
for this1 though less attractive to     
himself1 was more necessary for the     
,churches1 and1 in particular1 for his  
friends at ,philippi4 ,this was so clear
 to him that he was persuaded his life  

would1 in fact1 be prolonged by ,him who
 appoints to all their term of ministry4
 ,probably we are not to take this as a 
prophecy1 but only as the expression of 
a strong persuasion4 ,work still lay    
before him in the line of training and  
cheering these believing friends1       
furthering and gladdening their faith4  
,he hoped to see them yet1 and to renew 
the old glad fellowship 7ch4 i4 #e74 ,so
 there should be for the ,philippians   
fresh matter of exultation1--exultation 
primarily in the great salvation of     
,christ1 but yet receiving impulse and  
increase from the presence and ministry 
of ,paul4 ,mainly1 they would be        
exceeding glad of ,christ2 but yet1     
subordinately1 exceeding glad of ,paul  
also4  ,it is a striking thing to see   
how confident the ,apostle was of the   
resources given to him to wield4 ,he    
knew how profitable and how gladdening  
his coming would be to the ,philippian  
believers4 ,he admits no doubt of it4   
,god has set him in the world for this1 

that he may make many rich4 ,having     
nothing1 he yet goes about1 as one      
possessing all things1 to impart his    
treasures to all kinds of people4 ,to   
disguise this would be for him mock     
humility2 it would be a denying of his  
,master's grace4 ,when ministers of     
,christ come aright to this impression  
of their own calling1 then they are also
 powerful4 ,but they must come to it    
aright4 ,for it was not the ,apostle's  
consciousness of himself1 but his       
consciousness of his ,master1 that bred 
this superb confidence1 this unabated   
expectation4 ,in subordination to that  
faith the ,apostle no doubt had specific
 reason to know that his own personal   
mission was of the highest importance1  
and was designed to accomplish great    
results4 ,ordinary ministers of ,christ 
do not share this peculiar ground of    
confidence4 ,but no one who has any kind
 of mission from ,christ can discharge  
it aright if he is destitute of the     
expectancy which looks forward to       

results1 and1 indeed1 to momentous      
results2 for the reapers in ,christ's   
harvest are to gather fruit unto life   
eternal4 ,to cherish this mood1 not in  
the manner of a vain presumption1 but in
 the manner of faith in a great         
,saviour1 is the practical question for 
gospel ministers4  ,alike in the        
utterance of his mind about his         
,philippian friends1 and in his         
explanations about himself1 it is       
remarkable how thoroughly the ,apostle  
carries his faith through the whole     
detail of persons and things4 ,the      
elements and forces of the ,kingdom of  
,god are not for him remote splendours  
to be venerated from afar4 ,to his faith
 they are embodied1 they are vitally and
 divinely present1 in the history of the
 ,churches and in his own history4 ,he  
sees ,christ working in the ,philippian 
believers2 he sees in their ,christian  
profession and service a fire of love   
caught from the love of ,christ--the    
increase and triumph of which he        

anticipates with affectionate           
solicitude4 ,the tender mercies of      
,christ are the element in which he and 
they are alike moving1 and this         
blessedness it is their privilege       
assiduously to improve4 ,so he was      
minded in regard to all the ,churches4  
,if in any of them the indications are  
feeble and dubious1 only so much the    
more intently does he scrutinise them1  
to recognise1 in spite of difficulty1   
that which comes and only could come    
from his ,master's ,spirit4 ,if         
indications too significant of a wholly 
different influence have broken out1 and
 demand the severest rebukes1 he still  
casts about for tokens of the better    
kind4 ,for surely ,christ's ,spirit is  
in ,his ,churches1 and surely the seed  
is growing in ,christ's field towards a 
blessed harvest4 ,if men have to be     
warned that naming the name of ,christ  
they may be reprobates1 that without the
 ,spirit of ,christ they are none of    
,his1 this comes as something sad and   

startling to be spoken to men in        
,christian ,churches4 ,so also in his   
own case--,christ is speaking and       
working by him1 and all providences that
 befall him are penetrated by the love1 
the wisdom1 and the might of ,christ4   
,in nothing is the ,apostle more        
enviable than in this victoriousness of 
his faith over the earthly shows of     
things1 and over the unlikelihoods which
 in this refractory world always mask   
and misrepresent the good work4 ,we1 for
 our part1 find our faith continually   
abashed by those same unlikelihoods4 ,we
 recognise the course of this world1    
which speaks for itself2 but we are     
uncertain and discouraged as to what the
 ,saviour is doing4 ,the mere           
commonplaceness of ,christians1 and of  
visible ,christianity1 and of ourselves1
 is allowed to baffle us4 ,nothing in   
the life of the ,church1 we are ready to
 say1 is very interesting1 very vivid1  
very hopeful4 ,the great fire burning in
 the world ever since ,pentecost is for 

us scarcely recognisable4 ,we even take 
credit for being so hard to please4 ,but
 if the quick faith and love of ,paul   
the prisoner were ours1 we should be    
sensitive to echoes and pulsations and  
movements everywhere1--we should be     
aware that the voice and the power of   
,christ are everywhere stirring in ,his 
,churches4     ,,undaunted ,,and        
,,united ,,steadfastness4       ,only   
let your manner of life be worthy of the
 gospel of ,christ1      that1 whether  
,i come and see you or be absent1 ,i may
 hear of your      state1 that ye stand 
fast in one spirit1 with one soul       
striving for      the faith of the      
gospel2 and in nothing affrighted by the
      adversaries3 which is for them an 
evident token of perdition1 but      of 
your salvation1 and that from ,god2     
because to you it hath been      granted
 in the behalf of ,christ1 not only to  
believe on ,him1 but      also to suffer
 in ,his behalf3 having the same        
conflict which ye saw      in me1 and   

now hear to be in me4--,,phil4 i4 #bg-cj
 7,r4,v474     ,,chapter ,v4            
,,undaunted ,,and ,,united              
,,steadfastness4   ,at ver4 #bg the     
letter begins to be hortative4 ,up to   
this point the ,apostle has been taking 
the ,philippians into his confidence1 in
 order that they may share his point of 
view and see things as ,he sees them4   
,now he begins more directly to call    
them to the attitude and work which     
become them as ,christians2 but up to   
ver4 #cj the sense of the dear tie      
between him and them is still very      
present1 colouring and controlling his  
exhortations4  ,be assured1 he has been 
saying1 that by the grace of ,god1      
abounding amid trials1 it is well with  
me2 and ,i have very good hope of yet   
again enjoying this honour1 that through
 my means it may be well with you3--only
 fix you on this1 let this be your      
concern1 to walk as it becomes the      
gospel3 this is the ground on which you 
must win your victory2 this is the line 

on which alone you can make any         
effectual contribution to our common    
welfare1 and that of all the ,churches4 
,so the ,apostle urges4 ,for1 let us be 
assured of it1 while we debate with     
ourselves by what efforts and in what   
lines we can do some stroke of service  
to the good cause1 or to some special   
representative of it1 after all the     
greatest and weightiest thing by far    
that we can do is to be thoroughly      
consistent and devoted in our own       
,christian walk1 living lives answerable
 to the gospel4  ,the original suggests 
that the ,apostle thinks of the         
,philippians as citizens of a state1 who
 are to carry on their life according to
 the constitution and laws of the state 
to which they belong4 ,that citizenship 
of theirs1 as we shall afterwards see1  
is in heaven 7ch4 iii4 #bj71 where      
,christ their head is gone4 ,the        
privilege of belonging to it had reached
 them through the call of ,god4 ,and it 
was their business on the earth to act  

out the citizenship1 to prove the       
reality of it in their conduct1 and to  
manifest to the world what sort of      
citizenship it is4 ,now the standard    
according to which this is to be done is
 the gospel of ,christ--the gospel1 not 
only as it contains a code of rules for 
practice1 but as it reveals the ,saviour
 to whom we are to be conformed1 and    
discloses a ,divine order of holiness   
and grace to the influence of which our 
souls are to bow4 ,and indeed1 if our   
thinking1 and speaking1 and acting held 
some proportion to the gospel we profess
 to believe2 if they corresponded to the
 purity1 the tenderness1 the ,divine    
worth of the gospel2 if from step to    
step of life we were indeed building    
ourselves on our most holy faith1 what  
manner of persons should we be8 ,this   
opens more fully in the next chapter4   
,but we are tried by circumstances2 and 
the same ,christianity will take        
different manifestations according to   
the circumstances in which it is        

unfolded4 ,for every ,christian and for 
every ,christian community much depends 
on the shaping influence of the         
providences of life4 ,the ,apostle1     
therefore1 must have regard to the      
circumstances of the ,philippians4 ,we  
are all ready1 commonly1 to exert       
ourselves1 as we say1 to improve our    
circumstances2 and1 in one view1 it is  
natural and fitting enough4 ,yet it is  
of more importance--much more--that in  
the circumstances as they stand we      
should bear ourselves in a manner worthy
 of the gospel4 ,some of us are ready to
 stir heaven and earth in order that    
certain unwelcome conditions of our lot 
may be altered or abolished4 ,it would  
be more to the point to walk with ,god  
under them as long as they last4 ,when  
they have passed away1 the opportunity  
for faith1 love1 and service which they 
have furnished will have passed away for
 ever4  ,the ,apostle1 therefore1       
specifies what he wished to see or hear 
of in the ,philippian ,church1 as proper

 to the circumstances in which they     
stood4 ,he calls for steadfastness as   
against influences that might shake and 
overthrow1 put in motion against them by
 the enemies of the gospel4  ,the words 
suggest the strain of the situation as  
it was felt in those small early        
,churches4 ,it is difficult for us      
adequately to conceive it4 ,there was   
the unfriendly aspect both of ,roman law
 and of public opinion to unauthorised  
religious fraternities2 there was the   
hostility of ardent ,jews1 skilful to   
stir into activity enmities which       
otherwise might have slumbered2 there   
was the jealousy of religious           
adventurers of all kinds with whom that 
age was becoming rife4 ,but besides1    
there was the immense pressure of       
general unbelief4 ,christianity had to  
be embraced and maintained against the  
judgment and under the cool contempt of 
the immense majority1 including the     
wealth1 the influence1 the wisdom1 the  
culture--all that was brilliant1        

imposing1 and conclusive4 ,this temper  
was disdainful for the most part3 it    
became bitter and spiteful if in any    
instance ,christianity came near enough 
to threaten its repose4 ,it found1 no   
doubt1 active interpreters and          
representatives in every class1 in every
 family circle4 ,christianity was       
carried forward in those days by a great
 spiritual power working with the       
message4 ,it needed nothing less than   
this to sustain the ,christian against  
the deadweight of the world's adverse   
verdict1 echoing back from every        
tribunal by which the world gives forth 
its judgments4 ,then1 every feeling of  
doubt1 or tendency to vacillate1 created
 by these influences1 was reinforced by 
the consciousness of faults and failings
 among the ,christians themselves4      
,against all this faith held its ground1
 faith clinging to the unseen ,lord4 ,in
 that faith the ,philippians were to    
stand fast4 ,not only so2 looking on the
 faith as if it were a spiritual        

personality1 striving and striven with1 
they were to throw their own being and  
energy into the struggle1 that the cause
 of faith might make head and win fresh 
victories4 ,the faith is knocking at    
many doors1 is soliciting many minds4   
,but much depends on ardent and         
energetic ,christians1 who will throw   
their personal testimony into the       
conflict1 and who will exert on behalf  
of the good cause the magic of          
,christian sympathy and ,christian love4
 ,so they should be fellow-athletes     
contending on the side of faith1 and in 
the cause of faith4  ,in our own day a  
livelier sense has awakened of the      
obligation lying upon ,christians to    
spend and be spent in their ,master's   
cause1 and to be fellow-helpers to the  
truth4 ,many voices are raised to       
enforce the duty4 ,still1 it cannot be  
doubted that in most cases this aspect  
of the ,christian calling is too        
languidly conceived and too             
intermittently put in practice4 ,and    

many in all the ,churches are so little 
qualified to labour for the faith1 or   
even stand fast in it1 that their       
,christianity is only held up externally
 by the consent and custom of those     
about them4  ,at this point and in this 
connection the ,apostle begins to bring 
forward the exhortation to peace and    
unity which goes forward into the       
following chapter4 ,apparently no       
steadfastness will1 in his view1 be     
worthy of the gospel1 unless this loving
 unity is added4 ,if there was a common 
instinct of worldliness and unbelief1   
giving unity to the influences against  
which the ,philippians had to contend1  
the operation of a mighty uniting       
influence was to be expected on the     
other side1 an influence ,divine in its 
origin and energy4 ,the subject is      
brought forward1 one can see1 in view of
 tendencies to disagreement which had   
appeared at ,philippi4 ,but it was a    
topic on which the ,apostle had         
intensely strong convictions1 and he was

 ever ready to expatiate upon it4  ,we  
need not be surprised at the earnestness
 about peace and unity evinced in the   
,epistles1 nor think it strange that    
such exhortations were required4        
,consider the case of these early       
converts4 ,what varieties of training   
had formed their characters2 what       
prejudices of diverse races and         
religions continued to be active in     
their minds4 ,consider also what a world
 of new truths had burst upon them4 ,it 
was impossible they could at once take  
in all these in their just proportions4 
,various aspects of things would strike 
different minds1 and difficulty must    
needs be felt about the reconciliation  
of them4 ,in addition to theory1        
practice opened a field of easy         
divergence4 ,church life had to be      
developed1 and ,church work had to be   
done4 ,rules and precedents were        
lacking4 ,everything had to be planned  
and built from the foundation4 ,the very
 energy of the ,christian faith tended  

to produce energetic individualities4   
,if all these things are weighed1       
instead of being surprised at the rise  
of difficulties we may rather wonder how
 interminable disagreement was averted4 
,the temper of standing fast might seem 
perhaps likely rather to aggravate than 
to alleviate some of these sources of   
discord4  ,on the other hand1 to the    
,apostle's mind a glorious unity was one
 especial mark of the triumph of the    
,kingdom of ,god4 ,that expressed the   
victory in all the members of the new   
society of one influence proceeding from
 one ,lord2 it expressed the prevalence 
of that new life the chief element of   
which is the uniting grace1 the grace of
 love4 ,it should not be difficult to   
understand the value which the ,apostle 
set on this feature in the life of      
,churches1 how he longed to see it1 how 
he pressed it so ardently on his        
disciples4 ,sin1 dividing men from ,god1
 had divided them also from one another4
 ,it introduced selfishness1            

self-seeking1 self-worship1             
self-assertion1 everything that tends to
 divide4 ,it rent men into separate     
interests1 societies1 classes1 worships2
 and these stood over against one       
another isolated1 jealous1 conflicting4 
,men had long ago ceased to think it    
possible to have things otherwise       
ordered4 ,they had almost ceased to     
desire it4 ,how eminently then did the  
glory of the redemption in ,christ      
appear in the fact that by it the       
dispersed out of all kinds of dispersion
 were gathered into one4 ,they were     
bound to one another as well as to      
,christ3 they became more conscious of  
oneness than ever they had been of      
separation4 ,it testified to the        
presence and working of ,him who made   
all1 and from whom all1 by different    
paths1 had gone astray4  ,the means by  
which this unity was to be maintained   
was chiefly the prevalence of the       
,christian affections in the hearts of  
believers--the presence and power of    

that mind of ,christ1 of which more must
 be said in connection with the         
following chapter4 ,certainly the       
,apostle regards this as1 at any rate1  
the radical security for unity in life  
and work1 and without it he does not    
suppose the unity for which he cares can
 exist at all4 ,in this connection it is
 worth observing that the unity he is   
thinking of is chiefly that which should
 bind together the members of those     
little communities which were rising up 
in various places under his ministry4   
,it is the harmony of those whose lot is
 cast in the same place1 who can        
influence one another1 whose plain      
business it was to confess ,christ      
together4 ,wider unity was supposed     
indeed1 and was rejoiced in2 but the    
maintenance of it had not yet become so 
much a practical question4 ,this        
continued to be the case for some time  
after the ,apostolic period4 ,men were  
anxious to hold each local congregation 
together1 and to avert local splits and 

quarrels4 ,if that were done1 it seemed 
as though nothing further were urgently 
needed4  ,yet the same principles       
establish the unity of the visible      
,church throughout the world1 and       
indicate the discharge of the duties    
which are necessary in order to the     
expression of it4 ,christians differ    
indeed among themselves upon the        
question how far the ,church has        
received organic institutions fitted to 
give expression or embodiment to her    
unity2 and diversity of judgment on that
 point is not likely soon to be removed4
 ,for the rest the main thing to observe
 is that ,christ's ,church is one1 in   
root and principle4 ,this applies not   
only to the ,church invisible1 but to   
the ,church visible too4 ,only the      
latter1 as she falls short in all       
service and attainment1 falls short also
 in expressing her own unity and in     
performing the duties connected with it4
 ,on the one hand they err who think    
that because the state of the visible   

,church is marred by divisions1         
therefore unity in her case is a dream1 
and that the unity of the ,church       
invisible is alone to be asserted4 ,on  
the other hand they err who1 on much the
 same grounds1 conclude that only one of
 the organised communions can possess   
the nature and attributes of the visible
 ,church of ,christ4 ,the visible       
,churches are imperfect in their unity  
as they are in their holiness4 ,in both 
respects their state is neither to be   
absolutely condemned nor to be          
absolutely approved4 ,and no one of them
 is entitled to throw upon the rest all 
the blame of the measure of disunion4   
,any one that does so becomes a         
principal fomenter of disunion4  ,this  
is too wide a subject to follow further4
 ,meanwhile it may be gathered from what
 has been said that the most direct     
application of the ,apostle's language  
must be1 not to the mutual relations of 
great communions1 but to the mutual     
relations of ,christians in the same    

local society4 ,there is great room for 
such an application of it4 ,exaggerated 
statements may sometimes be made as to  
the indifference of ,christians in      
modern congregations to one another's   
weal or woe2 but certainly very often   
self-will and bitter feeling are allowed
 to prevail1 as if the tender ties and  
solemn obligations of ,christian        
fellowship had been forgotten4 ,and very
 often mutual ignorance1 indifference1  
or silent aversion mark the relations of
 those who have worshipped ,god together
 for long years4 ,certainly there is    
either some element lacking in the      
,christianity which is supposed to      
sustain ,church life of this kind1 or   
else the temperature of it must be low4 
,hence it comes1 too1 that the          
edification of ,christians has so       
largely dissociated itself from the     
fellowship of the ,churches to which    
they still resort1 and seeks support on 
other lines4 ,it was not so in those    
earliest ,churches4 ,the life and growth

 of the ,christians were nursed in the  
,church meetings4 ,there they gathered  
to read and sing and pray and break     
bread2 to strengthen one another against
 ,pagan violence and seduction2 to love 
one another1 as bound together by ties  
which ,pagans never knew2 to endure     
together the scorn and wrong which      
,christ's name might bring upon them2   
and not impossibly1 after they had thus 
fought side by side1 to die together one
 triumphant martyr death4 ,similar      
conditions have more or less returned   
again whenever the ,churches have been  
tolerably pure and united1 and have at  
the same time been subjected to some    
sharp pressure of persecution4  ,they   
were to stand fast then in one spirit1  
cherishing that spirit of the mind which
 is the immediate fruit of the working  
of the ,one ,spirit of ,god1 the common 
gift of the ,father4 ,it is supposed    
that ,christians know what this is and  
can recognise it4 ,but they might not be
 solicitous enough to maintain it1 and  

they might be betrayed into preferring a
 spirit of their own4 ,the ,holy        
,spirit's influence1 creating in each of
 them the new spirit of the mind1 would 
be the key to right conduct in their    
common life4 ,it would inspire a purer  
wisdom and a higher motive than the     
flesh supplies4 ,recognising it in one  
another1 they would find themselves     
confirmed and cheered1 established      
against external opposition and internal
 strife4 ,too easily we content         
ourselves with thoughts1 words1 and     
deeds which come only from our own      
private spirit and which are governed by
 that4 ,we are too careless of living in
 a higher region4 ,for the want of this 
some persons among us are infidels4     
,they think they can account for all    
they see in ,christians from the men's  
own spirit4 ,their cavil is by no means 
always true or fair2 yet it finds too   
much plausible support4  ,the same unity
 in the one spirit1 with its            
accompanying vitality1 gladness1 and    

courage1 was to characterise their      
active labours in the gospel4 ,let it be
 remembered that men do not make this   
attainment in a moment by stepping      
across some definite line4 ,they grow   
into it by sincerity of aim1 and by     
steadfast endeavour in the strength of  
,christ4 ,in this way the fellowship    
unto the gospel 7ver4 #e71 already so   
happily characteristic of the           
,philippians1 was to grow yet more in   
cordiality1 devotedness1 and power4     
,meanwhile1 what were they to make of   
the attacks directed against them by    
those who hated the gospel8 ,this was no
 doubt a very practical question4       
,although persecution of the ,christians
 had not yet revealed the energy it was 
afterwards to assume1 their lot was     
often hard enough4 ,the first burst of  
trial of this kind exerts a very        
depressing influence on some minds3 with
 others the prolonged endurance of it1  
wearing out the spirit1 is the more     
dangerous experience4 ,either way the   

dark cloud is felt1 suddenly or         
gradually1 shutting out the sky4 ,this  
feeling of depression and dismay is to  
be steadfastly resisted4 ,enmity1       
unpleasant and ominous as it may be1 is 
not to perturb or move you4 ,it is not  
to be regarded as a reason for          
depression or an augury of defeat4 ,far 
otherwise3 here should be discerned and 
grasped a token of salvation given by   
,god ,himself4  ,it has been said that  
earthly prosperity was the promise of   
the ,old ,covenant1 but adversity that  
of the ,new4 ,this is1 at least1 so far 
true1 that the necessity and benefit of 
chastening are very plainly set before  
us4 ,such discipline is part of the     
salvation secured for us2 it is         
necessary to lead us aright to final    
well-being2 and it will be administered 
to ,god's children as ,he sees fit4     
,when it comes1 it does not necessarily 
indicate special ,divine displeasure1   
still less ,divine ill-will4 ,it does   
indicate that we have lessons to learn1 

attainments to make1 and faults to be   
purged out2 it indicates also that ,god 
is taking loving pains with us for these
 ends4 ,all these things ought to be    
very certain to ,christians4 ,yet some  
,christians1 when their own turn comes1 
find it very hard to believe so much4   
,pains1 losses1 and disappointments1    
coming in the very forms they most      
deprecate1 wear such an unfriendly      
aspect1 that they can only feel scorched
 and affronted2 and the hurt spirit     
breaks out in a querulous ,why8 ,to be  
so thrown off our balance is a failure  
of faith4  ,but ,paul is occupied here  
with the spirit in which one special    
form of trial is to be dealt with4      
,antipathy1 contempt1 and persecution   
are bitter1 very bitter to some         
sensitive souls2 but when they come upon
 us as followers of ,christ1 and for    
,his sake1 they have a consolation      
proper to themselves4 ,they are to be   
borne gladly1 not only because all      
chastening is guided by fatherly love   

and wisdom1 but because this kind of    
suffering is our glory4 ,it comes to    
believers as part of their fellowship   
with ,christ2 and it is such a part of  
that fellowship as carries with it a    
peculiar power of assurance and         
confirmation4 ,christians share with    
,christ the enmity of the world's       
unbelief1 because they share with ,him  
the knowledge and love of the ,father4  
,if1 indeed1 by indulging self-will and 
passion 7though perhaps under religious 
forms7 we bring enmity on ourselves1    
then we suffer as evil-doers4 ,but if we
 suffer for righteousness1 the ,spirit  
of glory and of ,god rests upon us4     
,some share of suffering for ,christ    
comes1 therefore1 as ,god's gift to ,his
 children1 and ought to be valued       
accordingly4  ,as to the exact point of 
the ,apostle's remark on the token of   
perdition and of salvation1 two views   
may be taken4 ,in the line of what has  
just been said1 he may be understood to 
mean simply that when ,god allows       

believers to suffer persecution for     
,christ's sake1 it is a sign of their   
salvation2 just as1 on the contrary1 to 
be found opposing and persecuting ,god's
 children is a sign and omen of         
destruction4 ,as if he said3 ,it is not 
you but they who have cause to be       
terrified3 for lo6 thine enemies1 ,o    
,lord1 for lo6 thine enemies shall      
perish4  ,this is a scriptural view4    
,yet both here and in #b ,thess4 i4 #f  
it is perhaps more precise to say that  
for the ,apostle the special sign of    
salvation on the one side1 and          
destruction on the other1 is the        
patience and calmness with which        
,christians are enabled to endure their 
trials4 ,this patience1 while it is a   
desirable attainment on their part1 is  
also something secured for them and     
given to them by their ,lord4 ,it is    
very precious and should be earnestly   
embraced4 ,in this view the ,apostle    
says3 ,in no wise be terrified by your  
adversaries2 and this tranquillity of   

yours shall be a sign1 on the one part1 
of your salvation1 and also1 on the     
other part1 if they repent not1 of their
 destruction4 ,for this tranquillity is 
a victory given to you by ,god1 which   
endures when their malice is exhausted4 
,does it not tell of a power working for
 you which mocks their malice1 a power  
which is well able to perfect your      
salvation as well as to overthrow the   
enemies of ,god8 ,so you find coming    
into experience that which beforehand   
was given you by promise4 ,it was given 
you to believe in ,christ1 and also to  
suffer for ,him4 ,now that you find     
yourselves enabled to suffer for ,him so
 calmly1 will not that become a sign to 
confirm all you have believed8 ,for the 
tranquillity of spirit into which faith 
rises under persecution is an evidence  
of the source from which it comes4 ,much
 may be borne by resolute men for any   
cause in which they have embarked4 ,but 
very different from this striving of the
 human heart hardening itself to bear1  

in order that an enemy's malice may not 
spy out its weakness1 are the calmness  
and patience given to ,god's children in
 the hour of trial4 ,that bespeaks an   
inward support more mighty than all     
sorrow4 ,the ,divineness of it becomes  
still more conspicuous when it approves 
itself as the ,one ,spirit1 triumphing  
in persons of diverse tempers and       
characters4 ,this has been a sign to    
many an unbeliever filling him with rage
 and fear4 ,and to the children of ,god 
it has been the ,spirit witnessing with 
their spirit that they are ,his         
children4  ,the ,apostle will not allow 
it to be overlooked that in this point  
as in others his ,philippian friends and
 he are tied together in closest        
fellowship4 ,this conflict of theirs is 
the same which they had heard of and    
seen as proceeding in his case too4     
,perhaps we may say of this that it     
admonishes us not to think too meanly of
 our own ,christian experience1 and of  
the questions and decisions which it    

involves4 ,the ,apostle knew that his   
,philippian friends regarded his        
conflict as something conspicuous and   
great4 ,he was a standard bearer1 on    
whom much depended2 and then1 all the   
movements of his soul were magnanimous  
and grand4 ,but their own experience    
might seem petty--almost mean2 their    
trials not very serious1 and their way  
of dealing with them at times so halting
 and half-hearted1 that it seemed an    
offence against humility to make much   
account of them4 ,if this was the true  
view1 then also it must be ,christ's    
view2 and so a very depressed way of    
looking at their calling and their      
encouragements might set in4 ,the       
,apostle will not allow this4 ,he       
thinks1 and they are to think1 that it  
is the same question that is being      
fought out in their case as in his--the 
same forces are arrayed against one     
another in both cases--and the victory  
in both cases will be equally momentous4
 ,so he would quicken their sense of the

 situation by the energy and vivacity of
 his own convictions4 ,it is            
unquestionable that ,christians suffer  
much loss by indulging a certain bastard
 humility1 which leads them to underrate
 the solemnity of the interest attaching
 to their own history4 ,this renders    
them inattentive to the serious eyes    
with which ,christ their ,master is     
looking down upon it4     ,,the ,,mind  
,,of ,,christ4       ,if there is       
therefore any comfort in ,christ1 if any
 consolation of      love1 if any       
fellowship of the ,spirit1 if any tender
 mercies and      compassions1 fulfil ye
 my joy1 that ye be of the same mind1   
having      the same love1 being of one 
accord1 of one mind2 doing nothing      
through faction or through vainglory1   
but in lowliness of mind each           
counting other better than himself2 not 
looking each of you to his      own     
things1 but each of you also to the     
things of others4--,,phil4      ii4 #a-d
 7,r4,v474     ,,chapter ,,vi4  ,,the   

,,mind ,,of ,,christ4   ,in the verses  
last considered the ,apostle had begun  
to summon his ,philippian friends to    
,christian duty4 ,but so far his words  
bear the character only of occasional   
exhortation1 which falls naturally in as
 he dwells upon his own circumstances   
and on theirs4 ,associated as they have 
been and are1 let there be no mistake as
 to the central bond between him and    
them4 ,let the ,philippian believers    
partake increasingly in his own glowing 
apprehensions of the ,christian calling4
 ,let them abound in the loving1        
steadfast1 energetic1 expectant life in 
which men are united who have become    
acquainted with ,christ4  ,but he thinks
 fit to press the theme in a more set   
and deliberate way4 ,for it is no light 
thing to awaken in men's hearts a right 
impression of what it is to be a        
,christian2 or if it has been awakened1 
to nurse it to due strength4 ,these     
,christians possessed some insight into 
the world of truth which held the mind  

of ,paul2 they had some experience of   
evangelical impression3 in these things 
they had a happy fellowship with one    
another and with their great teacher4   
,but all this must be affirmed and      
embodied in the conflict and ministry of
 ,christian life4 ,it must prove strong 
enough for that4 ,deeds are the true    
confession of our faith2 they are the   
verification of our religious           
experience4 ,and in this practical form 
we must overcome1 not the temptations of
 other people or other ages1 but our    
own4 ,there is no more dangerous working
 of unbelief than that in which it never
 questions the doctrinal theory1 but    
renders our ,christianity cold and      
slack1 and leads us to indulge a        
preference for a religion that goes     
easy4 ,could we but see as we are seen1 
we should find this to be a matter of   
endless lamentation4  ,temptations to   
rivalry and discord were working at     
,philippi4 ,we are not obliged to think 
that they had gone very far2 but one    

could see a risk that they might go     
further4 ,the ,apostle has it in his    
heart to expel this evil1 by promoting  
the principles and dispositions that are
 opposed to it4 ,and in this work the   
,philippians themselves must embark with
 all their might4  ,it has been remarked
 already that causes are easily found to
 account for rivalries and              
misunderstandings springing up in those 
primitive ,christian congregations4 ,the
 truth is1 however1 that in all ages and
 conditions of the ,church these dangers
 are nigh at hand4 ,self-seeking and    
self-exaltation are forms in which sin  
works most easily1 and out of these come
 rivalry and discord by the very nature 
of the case4 ,eager grasping at our own 
objects leads to disregard of the rights
 and interests of others2 and thence    
come wars4 ,danger in this direction was
 visible to the ,apostle4  ,it may be   
asked how this should be1 if the        
,philippians were genuine and hearty    
,christians1 such as the ,apostle's     

commendations bespeak them8 ,here a     
principle comes to light which deserves 
to be considered4 ,even those who have  
cordially embraced ,christianity1 and   
who have loyally given effect to it in  
some of its outstanding applications1   
are wonderfully prone to stop short4    
,they do not perceive1 or they do not   
care to realise1 the bearing of the same
 principles1 which they have already    
embraced1 upon whole regions of human   
life and human character2 they do not   
seriously lay to heart the duties       
,christianity imposes or the faults it  
rebukes in those departments4 ,they are 
pleased to have won so much ground1 and 
do not think about the ,canaanites that 
still hold their ground4 ,so1 in whole  
regions of life1 the carnal mind is     
allowed to work on1 undetected and      
practically unopposed4 ,this tendency is
 aided by the facility we have in       
disguising from ourselves the true      
character of dispositions and actions1  
when these do not quite plainly affront 

,christian rules4 ,self-assertion and   
bad temper1 for example1 can put on the 
character of honest firmness and hearty 
zeal4 ,more particularly1 when religious
 principles have led us into certain    
lines of action1 we are apt to take for 
granted that all is right we do in those
 lines4 ,religious zeal leads a man to  
take trouble and incur responsibility in
 ,church work4 ,under this notion1 then1
 he readily persuades himself that all  
his ,church work is conscientious and   
disinterested3 yet it may be largely and
 deeply tainted with the impulses of the
 fleshly mind4 ,in a measure it might be
 so here4 ,the ,philippians might be    
generally a company of sincerely        
,christian people4 ,and yet the         
churchmanship of some of them might     
disclose sad tokens of selfishness and  
bitterness4 ,therefore they must be     
called to give heed to the principles   
and to give effect to the motives that  
expel those sins4  ,in all this we may  
feel ourselves in the region of         

commonplaces2 we know it all so well4   
,but the very point in hand is that for 
the ,apostle these are not commonplaces4
 ,he is greatly in earnest about the    
matter1 and his heart is full of it4 ,we
 do not understand him until we begin to
 sympathise with his sorrow and his     
anxiety4 ,this is for him no mere matter
 of expediencies or of appearances4 ,he 
is striving for the victory of grace in 
the souls of his beloved friends2 for   
the glory of ,christ2 for his own       
comfort and success as ,christ's        
minister4 ,all these are1 as it were1 at
 stake upon this question of the life of
 the ,philippian ,church proving to be1 
under the influence of ,christ1 lowly1  
loving1 and answerable to the gospel4   
,no one more than ,paul appreciates the 
value of good theological principles2   
and no one more than he lays stress on  
the mercy which provides a gracious and 
a full salvation4 ,but no one more than 
he is intent upon ,christian practice3  
for if practice is not healed and       

quickened1 then salvation ceases to be  
real1 the promises wither unfulfilled1  
,christ has failed4 ,we may well feel it
 to be a great question whether our own 
sympathy with him on such points is     
growing and deepening4 ,the ,kingdom of 
,god within us must exist in a light and
 love for which goodness is a necessity1
 and evil a grief and heart-break4 ,but 
if it is not so with us1 where do we    
stand8  ,in four clauses the ,apostle   
appeals to great ,christian motives1    
which are to give strength to his main  
appeal--,if there be any comfort 7or    
store of cheering counsel7 in ,christ   
,jesus1 if any consolation of love1 if  
any fellowship of the ,spirit1 if any   
tender mercies or compassions2 in a     
fifth clause he draws a motive from the 
regard they might have for his own most 
earnest desires--fulfill ye my joy2 and 
then comes the exhortation itself1 which
 is to unity of mind and heart--that ye 
be of the same mind1 having the same    
love1 being of one accord1 of one mind4 

,this1 in turn1 is followed by clauses  
that fix the practical sense of the     
general exhortation4  ,it has been made 
a question whether the ,apostle means to
 say1 ,if there be among you1           
,philippians1 influences and experiences
 such as these1 or ,if there be anywhere
 in the ,church of ,god4 ,but surely he 
means both4 ,he appeals to great        
practical articles of faith and matters 
of experience4 ,the ,church of ,god     
believes them and claims a part in them4
 ,so does the ,church of ,philippi1 in  
its degree4 ,but there may be a great   
deal more in them than the ,philippian  
believers are aware of1--more in them as
 truths and promises2 more in them as   
contemplated and realised by riper      
,christians1 like ,paul himself4 ,he    
appeals1 certainly1 to what existed for 
the faith of the ,philippians2 but also 
to that much more which might open to   
them if their faith was enlarged4  ,the 
comfort or cheering counsel in ,christ  
is the fulness of gospel help and       

promise4 ,great need of this is owned by
 all believers2 and1 coming as needed   
succour to them all1 it may well bind   
them all together in the sense of common
 need and common help4 ,as it comes from
 the good ,shepherd ,himself to all and 
each1 so it is conceived to be ever     
sounding in the ,church1 passing from   
one believer to another1 addressed by   
each to each as common succour and      
common comfort4 ,hence1 in the next     
place1 there comes into view the mutual 
ministry of consolation which           
,christians owe to one another1 since   
they receive one another1 and are to do 
to one another as ,christ has done to   
them4 ,here the consolation acquires a  
special character1 from the individual  
affection and friendship breathed into  
it by the ,christian1 who carries it to 
his neighbour to encourage and cheer him
 on his way4 ,this love of the          
,christian to his brother1 which comes  
from ,god1 is itself a means of grace2  
and therefore the consolation of love   

deserves to be distinctly named4  ,the  
fellowship of the ,spirit 7see #b ,cor4 
xiii4 #ac7 is the common participation  
of the ,holy ,spirit of ,god in ,his    
gracious presence and working4 ,without 
this no one could have a real share in  
,christian benefits4 ,the ,spirit       
reveals to us the ,son and the ,father1 
and enables us to abide in the ,son and 
in the ,father4 ,he brings us into      
communion with the mind of ,god as      
revealed in ,his word4 ,he makes real to
 us the things of the ,kingdom of ,god2 
and it is ,he who opens to us their     
worth and sweetness1 especially the     
lovingkindness which breathes in them   
all4 ,through ,him we are enabled to    
exercise ,christian affections1 desires1
 and services4 ,it is ,he1 in a word1   
through whom we are participant in the  
life of salvation2 and in that life ,he 
associates together all who share ,his  
indwelling4 ,the ,apostle supposes that 
no ,christian could ever contemplate    
without1 shall we say1 a pang of        

gratitude1 the condescension1 the       
gentleness1 and the patience of this    
ministration4 ,and as all ,christians   
are recipient together of so immense a  
benefit1 they might well feel it as a   
bond between them all4 ,but more        
especially1 as the ,holy ,spirit in this
 dispensation evinces a most ,divine    
love and kindness--for what but love    
could be the spring of it8--so also the 
upshot of all ,his work is the          
revelation of ,god in love4 ,for love is
 at the heart of all ,god's promises and
 benefits3 they are never understood    
until we reach the love that is in them4
 ,and ,god is love4 ,so the love of ,god
 is shed abroad in the hearts of        
believers through the ,holy ,spirit     
given to them4 ,hence this is the       
leading view of that which the ,spirit  
comes to do3 ,he comes to make us       
members of a system in which love rules2
 and ,he inspires all loving affections 
and dispositions proper to make us      
congruous members of so high and good a 

world4  ,therefore1 in the fourth place1
 it is to be supposed that tender       
mercies and compassions in human breasts
 are abundant where the fellowship of   
the ,spirit is4 ,how abundant they might
 be3 surely also in some measure they   
must be present2 they must abound1 amid 
all human infirmities and mistakes4 ,all
 kinds of gentle1 friendly1 faithful1   
wise and patient dispositions might be  
expected4 ,they are the fruits of the   
country in which ,christians have come  
to dwell4  ,to all these the ,apostle   
appeals4 ,perhaps a pathos is audible in
 the form of his appeal4 ,if there be   
any4 ,alas6 is there then any8 ,is there
 some at least1 if not much8 ,for if all
 these had been duly present to the     
faith and in the life of the ,church1   
they would have spoken their lesson for 
themselves1 and had not needed ,paul to 
speak for them4  ,the form of appeal    
,fulfil ye my joy brings up one more    
motive--the earnest desires of one who  
loved them wisely and well1 and whom    

they1 whatever their shortcomings1 loved
 in turn4 ,it is worth observing that   
the motive power here does not lie      
merely in the consideration ,would you  
not like to give me pleasure8 ,the      
,philippians knew how ,paul had at heart
 their true welfare and their true      
dignity4 ,that which1 if it came to     
pass1 would so gladden him1 must be     
something great and good for them4 ,if  
their own judgment of things was cold1  
might it not take fire from the         
contagion of his8 ,the loving solicitude
 of a keener-sighted and a more         
single-hearted ,christian1 the          
solicitude which makes his heart throb  
and his voice tremble as he speaks1 has 
often startled slumbering brethren into 
a consciousness of their own            
insensibility1 and awakened them to     
worthier outlooks4  ,in regard to all   
these considerations1 the main point is 
to catch sight of the moral and         
spiritual scenery as the ,apostle saw   
it4 ,otherwise the words may leave us as

 dull as they found us4 ,for him there  
had come into view a wonderful world of 
love4 ,love had come forth preparing at 
great cost and with great pains a new   
destiny for men4 ,love had brought in   
,paul and the other believers1 one by   
one1 into this higher region4 ,and it   
proved to be a region in which love was 
the ground on which they stood1 and love
 the heaven over their heads1 and love  
the air they breathed4 ,and here love   
was coming to be their own new nature1  
love responsive to the love of ,father1 
,son1 and ,spirit1 and love going out   
from those who had been so blessed to   
bless and gladden others4 ,this was the 
true1 the eternal goodness1 the true1   
the eternal blessedness2 and it was     
theirs4 ,this was what faith embraced in
 ,him who loved me and gave ,himself for
 me4 ,this was what faith claimed right 
to be and do4 ,if this was not so1      
,christianity was reduced to nothing4   
,if a man have not love1 he is nothing  
7#a ,cor4 xiii474 ,is there any truth at

 all in this glorious faith of ours8 ,do
 you believe it at all8 ,have you felt  
it at all8 ,fulfil then my joy4 ,unity  
of mind and of heart is the thing       
inculcated4 ,under the influence of the 
great objects of faith and of the motive
 forces of ,christianity this was to be 
expected4 ,their ways of thinking and   
their ways of feeling1 however          
different1 should be so moulded in      
,christ as to reach full mutual         
understanding and full mutual affection4
 ,nor should they rest contented when   
either of these failed3 for that would  
be contentment with defeat2 but         
,christ's followers are to aim at       
victory4  ,it is obvious to say here    
that cases might arise in which         
turbulent or contentious persons might  
make it impossible for the rest of the  
,church1 however well disposed1 to      
secure either one accord or one mind4   
,but the ,apostle does not suppose that 
case to have arisen4 ,nothing had       
occurred at ,philippi which ,christian  

sense and ,christian feeling might not  
arrange4 ,when the case supposed does   
occur1 there are ,christian ways of     
dealing with it4 ,still more obviously  
one might say that conscientious        
differences of opinion1 and that even on
 matters of moment1 must inevitably     
occur sooner or later2 and a general    
admonition to be of one mind does not   
meet such a case4 ,perhaps it may be    
said in reply that the ,church and the  
,christians have hardly conceived how   
much might be attained in the way of    
agreement if our ,christianity were     
sincere enough1 thorough enough1 and    
affectionate enough4 ,in that case there
 might be wonderful attainment in       
finding agreement1 and in dismissing    
questions on which it is not needful to 
agree4 ,but1 if we are not to soar so   
high as this1 it may at least be said   
that1 while conscientious diversities of
 judgment are not to be disguised1 they 
may be dealt with1 among believers1 in a
 ,christian way1 with due emphasising of

 the truth agreed upon1 and with a      
prevailing determination to speak truth 
in love4 ,here again1 however1 the      
,apostle recognises no serious          
difficulty of this kind at ,philippi4   
,the difficulties were such as could be 
got over4 ,there was no good reason why 
the ,philippians should not in their    
,church life exhibit harmony3 it would  
be so1 if ,christian influences were    
cordially admitted into minds and       
hearts1 and if they made a fit estimate 
of the supreme importance of unity in   
,christ4 ,the same thing may be said of 
innumerable cases in later times in     
which ,christians have divided and      
contended4 ,it is right to say1 however1
 that these considerations are not to be
 applied without qualification to all   
kinds and degrees of separation between 
,christians4 ,it is a cause for sorrow  
that denominational divisions are so    
many2 and they have often been both     
cause and consequence of unchristian    
feeling4 ,yet when men part peaceably to

 follow out their deliberate            
convictions1 to which they cannot give  
effect together1 and when in doing so   
they do not unchurch or condemn one     
another1 there may be less offence      
against ,christian charity than in cases
 where a communion1 professedly one1 is 
the scene of bitterness and strife4 ,in 
either case indeed there is something to
 regret and probably something to blame2
 but the former of the two cases is by  
no means necessarily the worse4  ,in    
following out the line of duty and      
privilege set before them by the        
,apostle1 ,christians have to get the   
better of arrogance and selfishness 7vv4
 #c1 #d74  ,in the ,church of ,christ no
 man has a right to do anything from a  
spirit of strife or vainglory4 ,strife  
is the disposition to oppose and thwart 
our neighbour's will1 either from mere  
delight in contest1 or in order to      
assert for our own will a prevalence    
which will gratify our pride2 and this  
is the animating principle of faction4  

,vainglory is the disposition to think  
highly of ourselves1 to claim for       
ourselves a great place1 and to assert  
it as against the claims of others4 ,in 
the jostle of the world it may perhaps  
be admitted that forces acting on these 
lines are not without their use4 ,they  
compensate one another1 and some measure
 of good emerges from their unlovely    
energies4 ,but such things are out of   
place among ,christians1 for they are   
right against the spirit of             
,christianity2 and ,christianity relies 
for its equipoise and working progress  
on principles of quite another kind4    
,among ,christians each is to be        
lowly-minded1 conscious of his own      
defects and of his ill-desert4 ,and this
 is to work in the way of our esteeming 
others to be better than ourselves4 ,for
 we are conscious of our own inward and 
deep defect as we cannot be of any other
 person's4 ,and it is abundantly        
possible that others may be better than 
we are1 and safe for us to give full    

effect to that possibility4 ,it is said1
 indeed1 that we may possibly have      
conclusive reason to believe that       
certain other persons1 even in ,christ's
 ,church1 are worse than we are4 ,but1  
apart from the precariousness of such   
judgments1 it is enough to say it is not
 for us to proceed on such a judgment or
 to give effect to it4 ,we all await a  
higher judgment2 until then it becomes  
us to take heed to our own spirit and   
walk in lowliness of mind4  ,selfishness
 7looking to its own things1 ver4 #d71  
as well as arrogance1 needs to be       
resisted2 and this is an even more      
pervading and inward evil4 ,in dealing  
with it we are not required to have no  
eye at all to our own things2 for indeed
 they are our providential charge1 and  
they must be cared for2 but we are      
required to look not only on our own1   
but every man on the things of others4  
,we have to learn to put ourselves in   
another's place1 to recognise how things
 affect him1 to sympathise with his     

natural feelings in reference to them1  
and to give effect in speech and conduct
 to the impressions hence arising4 ,so a
 ,christian man is to love his neighbour
 as himself--only with a tenderer sense 
of obligation and a consciousness of    
more constraining motive than could be  
attained by the ,israelite of old4      
,lovingly to do right to a brother's    
claims and to his welfare should be as  
cogent a principle of action with us as 
to care for our own4  ,arrogance and    
selfishness--perhaps disguised in fairer
 forms--had bred the disturbance at     
,philippi4 ,the same baleful forces are 
present everywhere in all the ,churches 
to this day1 and have often run riot in 
the ,house of ,god4 ,how shall the      
ugliness and the hatefulness of the     
every-day selfishness1 the every-day    
self-assertion1 the every-day strifes of
 ,christians1 be impressed upon our     
minds8 ,how are we to be awakened to our
 true calling in lowliness and in love8 
,,the ,,mind ,,of ,,christ 7,continued74

       ,have this mind in you1 which was
 also in ,christ ,jesus3 who1 being     
in the form of ,god1 counted it not a   
prize to be on an equality      with    
,god1 but emptied ,himself1 taking the  
form of a servant1 being      made in   
the likeness of men2 and being found in 
fashion as a man1      ,he humbled      
,himself1 becoming obedient even unto   
death1 yea1 the      death of the cross4
 ,wherefore also ,god highly exalted    
,him1 and gave      unto ,him the name  
which is above every name2 that in the  
name of      ,jesus every knee should   
bow1 of things in heaven and things on  
earth and things under the earth1 and   
that every tongue should      confess   
that ,jesus ,christ is ,lord1 to the    
glory of ,god the      ,father4--,,phil4
 ii4 #e-aa 7,r4,v474     ,,chapter      
,,vii4  ,,the ,,mind ,,of ,,christ      
7,continued74   ,it proves hard to make 
us aware of the sin and the misery      
involved in the place commonly allowed  
to ,,self4 ,some of its conspicuous     

outrages on ,christian decency we do    
disapprove and avoid3 perhaps we have   
embarked in a more serious resistance to
 its domination4 ,yet1 after all1 how   
easily and how complacently do we       
continue to give scope to it6 ,in forms 
of self-assertion1 of arrogance1 of     
eager and grasping competition1 it      
breaks out4 ,it does so in ordinary     
life1 in what is called public life1    
and1 where it is most offensive of all1 
in ,church life4 ,hence we fail so much 
in readiness to make the case of others 
our own1 and to be practically moved by 
their interests1 rights1 and claims4    
,there are certainly great differences  
here2 and some1 in virtue of natural    
sympathy or ,christian grace1 attain to 
remarkable degrees of generous service4 
,yet these also1 if they know           
themselves1 know how energetically self 
comes upon the field1 and how much      
ground it covers4 ,many among us are    
doing good to others2 but does it never 
strike us that there is a distant and   

arrogant way of doing good8 ,many in    
,christian society are kind1 and that is
 well2 but undoubtedly there are        
self-indulgent ways of being kind4      
,having to deal with this evil energy of
 self1 the ,apostle turns at once to the
 central truth of ,christianity1 the    
person of ,christ4 ,here he finds the   
type set1 the standard fixed1 of what   
,christianity is and means3 or rather1  
here he finds a great fountain1 from    
which a mighty stream proceeds2 and     
before it all the forms of self-worship 
must be swept away4 ,in bringing this   
out the ,apostle makes a most remarkable
 statement regarding the ,incarnation   
and the history of our ,lord4 ,he       
reveals1 at the same time1 the place in 
his own mind held by the thought of     
,christ coming into the world1 and the  
influence that thought had exerted on   
the formation of his character4 ,he bids
 us recognise in ,christ the supreme    
exemplification of one who is looking   
away from his own things--whose mind is 

filled1 whose action is inspired by     
concern for others4 ,this is so at the  
root of the interposition of ,christ to 
save us1 that the principle becomes     
imperative and supreme for all ,christ's
 followers4  ,we have to consider the   
facts as they presented themselves to   
the mind of ,paul1 according to the     
wisdom given to him1 that we may        
estimate the motive which he conceives  
them to reveal1 and the obligation which
 is thus laid upon all who name the name
 of ,christ and take rank among ,his    
followers4  ,the ,apostle1 let us first 
observe1 speaks of the ,incarnation as  
that reveals itself to us1 as it offers 
itself to the contemplation of men4 ,to 
involve himself in discussion of inner  
mysteries concerning the ,divine nature 
and the human1 and the manner of their  
union1 as these are known to ,god1 is   
not1 and could not1 be his object4 ,the 
mysteries must be asserted1 but much    
about them is to continue unexplained4  
,he is to appeal to the impression      

derivable1 as he maintains1 from the    
plainest statement of the facts which   
have been delivered to faith4 ,this     
being the object in view1 determines the
 cast of his language4 ,it is the manner
 of being1 the manner of living1 the    
manner of acting characteristic of      
,christ at successive stages1 which is  
to occupy our minds4 ,hence the         
,apostle's thought expresses itself in  
phrases such as form of ,god1 form of a 
servant1 and the like4 ,we are to see   
one way of existing succeeding another  
in the history of ,christ4  ,first1 our 
,lord is recognised as already existing 
before the beginning of ,his earthly    
history2 and in that existence ,he      
contemplates and orders what ,his course
 shall be4 ,this is plain2 for in the   
seventh verse ,he is spoken of as       
emptying ,himself1 and thus assuming the
 likeness of men4 ,for the ,apostle1    
then1 it was a fixed thing that ,he who 
was born in ,nazareth pre-existed in a  
more glorious nature1 and took ours by a

 notable condescension4 ,this           
pre-existence of ,christ is the first   
thing to consider when we would make    
clear to ourselves how ,christ1 being   
true man1 differs from other men4 ,in   
this point ,paul and ,john and the      
writer to the ,hebrews unite their      
testimony in the most express and       
emphatic way2 as we hear our ,lord      
,himself also saying1 ,before ,abraham  
was1 ,i am1 and speaking of the glory   
which ,he had before the world was4 ,but
 what manner of existence this was is   
also set forth4 ,he existed in the form 
of ,god4 ,the same word form recurs     
presently in the expression the form of 
a servant4 ,it is distinguished from the
 words likeness1 fashion1 which are     
expressed by other ,greek terms4        
,frequently we use this word form in a  
way which contrasts it with the true    
being1 or makes it denote the outward as
 opposed to the inward4 ,but according  
to the usage which prevailed among      
thinking men when the ,apostle wrote1   

the expression should not be understood 
to point to anything superficial1       
accidental1 superimposed4 ,no doubt it  
is an expression which describes the    
,being by adverting to the attributes   
which1 as it were1 ,he wore1 or was     
clothed with4 ,but the word carries us  
especially to those attributes of the   
thing described which are               
characteristic2 by which it is          
permanently distinguished to the eye or 
to the mind2 which denote its true      
nature because they rise out of that    
nature2 the attributes which1 to our    
minds1 express the essence4 ,so here4   
,he existed1 how8 ,in the possession and
 use of all that pertains to the ,divine
 nature4 ,his manner of existence was1  
what8 ,the ,divine manner of existence4 
,the characters through which ,divine   
existence is revealed were ,his4 ,he    
subsisted in the form of ,god4 ,this was
 the manner of it1 the glorious form    
which ought to fix and hold our minds4  
,if any one should suggest that1        

according to this text1 the pre-existent
 ,christ might be only a creature1      
though having the ,divine attributes and
 the ,divine mode of life1 he would     
introduce a mass of contradictions most 
gratuitously4 ,the ,apostle's thought is
 simply this3 ,for ,christ the mode of  
existence is first of all ,divine2 then1
 by-and-by1 a new form rises into view4 
,our ,lord's existence did not begin    
7according to the ,new ,testament       
writers7 when ,he was born1 when ,he was
 found in fashion as a man1 sojourning  
with us4 ,he came to this world from    
some previous state4 ,one asks from what
 state8 ,before ,he took the form of    
man1 in what form of existence was ,he  
found8 ,the ,apostle answers1 ,in the   
form of ,god4  ,to ,him1 therefore1 with
 and in the ,father1 we have learned to 
ascribe all wisdom and power1 all glory 
and blessedness1 all holiness and all   
majesty4 ,specially1 through ,him the   
worlds were made1 and in ,him they      
consist4 ,the fulness1 the sufficiency1 

the essential strength of ,godhead were 
,his4 ,the exercise and manifestation of
 all these was ,his form of being4 ,one 
might expect1 then1 that in any process 
of self-manifestation to created beings 
in which it might please ,him to go     
forth1 the expression of ,his supremacy 
and transcendence should be written on  
the face of it4  ,the next thought is   
expressed in the received translation by
 the words thought it no robbery to be  
equal with ,god4 ,so truly and properly 
,divine was ,he that equality with ,god 
could not appear to ,him or be reckoned 
by ,him as anything else than ,his own4 
,he counted such equality no robbery1   
arrogance1 or wrong4 ,to claim it1 and  
all that corresponds to it1 could not   
appear to ,him something assumed without
 right1 but rather something assumed    
with the best right4 ,so taken1 these   
words would complete the ,apostle's view
 of the original ,divine pre-eminence of
 the ,son of ,god4 ,they would express1 
so to say1 the equity of the situation1 

from which all that follows should be   
estimated4 ,had it pleased the ,son of  
,god to express only1 and to impress on 
all minds only ,his equality with ,god1 
this could not have seemed to ,him      
encroachment or wrong4  ,i think a good 
deal can be said for this4 ,but the     
sense which1 on the whole1 is now       
approved by commentators is that        
indicated by the ,revised ,version4     
,this takes the clause not as still     
dwelling on the primeval glory of the   
,son of ,god1 and what was implied in   
it1 but rather as beginning to indicate 
how a new situation arose1 pointing out 
the dispositions out of which the       
,incarnation came4 ,he counted it not a 
prize to be on an equality with ,god4   
,to hold by this was not the great      
object with ,him4 ,in any steps ,he     
might take1 in any forthgoings ,he might
 enter on1 the ,son of ,god might have  
aimed at maintaining and disclosing     
equality with ,god4 ,that alternative   
was open4 ,but this is not what we see3 

no holding by that1 no solicitude about 
that appears4 ,his procedure1 ,his      
actings reveal nothing of this kind4    
,what we see filling ,his heart and     
fixing ,his regard1 is not what might be
 due to ,himself or assumed fitly by    
,himself1 but what might bring          
deliverance and blessedness to us4#b    
#b ,various shades of meaning have been 
proposed4 ,meyer1 whose opinion   has   
weight1 virtually interprets in this    
way3 ,he did not reckon equality   with 
,god 7which was ,his7 to imply or to be 
fitly exercised in   acquisition1 or in 
accumulation of benefit to ,himself3 and
 ,hofmann1   after supporting another   
view1 appears 7in his ,hist4 ,schrift4  
,n4 ,t47   to agree with this4 ,to be   
equal to ,god1 and to put forth power   
for ,his   own enrichment1 were for the 
,son very different things4 ,the one ,he
   possessed3 the other ,he renounced4  
,on the contrary1 ,he emptied ,himself1 
taking the form of a servant1 being made
 in the likeness of men4 ,in the        

,incarnation our ,lord assumed the form 
of a servant1 or slave3 for in the room 
of the authority of the ,creator1 now   
appears the subjection of the creature4 
,he who gave form to all things1 and    
,himself set the type of what was       
highest and best in the universe1       
transcending meanwhile all created      
excellence in ,his uncreated glory1 now 
is seen conforming ,himself to the type 
or model or likeness of one of ,his     
creatures1 of man4 ,he comes into human 
existence as men do1 and ,he continues  
in it as men do4 ,yet it is not said    
that ,he is now merely a man1 or has    
become nothing but a man2 ,he is in the 
likeness of men and is found in fashion 
as a man4  ,in taking this great step   
the ,apostle says ,he emptied ,himself4 
,the emptying is perhaps designedly     
opposed to the thought of accumulation  
or self-enrichment conveyed in the      
phrase ,he counted it not a prize4      
,however this may be1 the phrase is in  
itself a remarkable expression4  ,it    

seems most certain1 on the one hand1    
that this cannot import that ,he who was
 with ,god and was ,god could renounce  
,his own essential nature and cease to  
be ,divine4 ,the assertion of a         
contradiction like this involves the    
mind in mere darkness4 ,the notion is   
excluded by other scriptures2 for ,he   
who came on earth among us is ,immanuel1
 ,god with us3 and it is not required by
 the passage before us2 for the emptying
 can at most apply to the form of       
,god--the exercise and enjoyment of     
,divine attributes such as adequately   
express the ,divine nature2 and it may1 
perhaps1 not extend its sense even so   
far2 for the writer significantly       
abstains from carrying his thought      
further than the bare word ,he emptied  
,himself4  ,on the other hand1 we are to
 beware of weakening unduly this great  
testimony4 ,certainly it fixes our      
thoughts on this1 at least1 that our    
,lord1 by becoming man1 had for ,his1   
truly for ,his1 the experience of human 

limitation1 human weakness and          
impoverishment1 human dependence1 human 
subjection1 singularly contrasting with 
the glory and plenitude of the form of  
,god4 ,this became ,his4 ,it was so     
emphatically real1 it became at the     
,incarnation so emphatically the form of
 existence on which ,he entered1 that it
 is the thing eminently to be regarded1 
reverently to be dwelt upon4 ,this      
emptiness1 instead of that fulness1 is  
to draw and fix our regard4 ,instead of 
the form of ,god1 there rises before us 
this true human history1 this lowly     
manhood--and it took place by ,his      
emptying ,himself4  ,various persons and
 schools have thought it right to go    
further4 ,the word here used has        
appeared to them to suggest that if the 
,son of ,god did not renounce ,his      
,godhead1 yet the ,divine nature in ,him
 must have bereaved itself of the       
,divine attributes1 or withheld itself  
from the use and exercise of them2 so   
that the all-fulness no longer was at   

,his disposal4 ,in this line they have  
gone on to describe or assign the mode  
of self-emptying which the ,incarnation 
should imply4  ,it does not appear to me
 that one can lay down positions as to  
the internal privations of ,one whose   
nature is owned to be essentially       
,divine1 without falling into confusion 
and darkening counsel4 ,but perhaps we  
may do well to cherish the impression   
that this self-emptying on the part of  
the eternal ,son of ,god1 for our       
salvation1 involves realities which we  
cannot conceive or put in any words4    
,there was more in this emptying of     
,himself than we can think or say4  ,he 
emptied ,himself when ,he became man4   
,here we have the eminent example of a  
,divine mystery1 which1 being revealed1 
remains a mystery never to be adequately
 explained1 and which yet proves full of
 meaning and full of power4 ,the ,word  
was made flesh4 ,he through whom all    
worlds took being1 was seen in ,juda in 
the lowliness of that practical         

historical manhood4 ,we never can       
explain this4 ,but if we believe it all 
things become new for us3 the meaning it
 proves to have for human history is    
inexhaustible4  ,he emptied ,himself1   
taking the form of a servant1 or        
bondslave4 ,for the creature is in      
absolute subjection alike to ,god's     
authority and to ,his providence2 and so
 ,christ came to be4 ,he entered on a   
discipline of subjection and obedience4 
,in particular ,he was made after the   
likeness of men4 ,he was born as other  
children are2 ,he grew as other children
 grow2 body and mind took shape for ,him
 under human conditions4  ,and so ,he   
was found in fashion as a man4 ,could   
words express more strongly how         
wonderful it is in the ,apostle's eyes  
that ,he should so be found8 ,he lived  
,his life and made ,his mark in the     
world in human fashion--,his form1 ,his 
mien1 ,his speech1 ,his acts1 ,his way  
of life declared ,him man4 ,but being   
so1 ,he humbled ,himself to a strange   

and great obedience4 ,subjection1 and in
 that subjection obedience1 is the part 
of every creature4 ,but the obedience   
which ,christ was called to learn was   
special4 ,a heavy task was laid upon    
,him4 ,he was made under the law2 and   
bearing the burden of human sin1 ,he    
wrought redemption4 ,in doing so many   
great interests fell to ,him to be cared
 for2 and this was done by ,him1 not in 
the manner of ,godhead which speaks and 
it is done1 but with the pains and      
labour of a faithful servant4 ,i have a 
commandment1 ,he said1 as ,he faced the 
,jews1 who would have had ,his          
,messianic work otherwise ordered 7,john
 xii4 #di74  ,this experience deepened  
into the final experience of the cross4 
,death is the signature of failure and  
disgrace4 ,even with sinless creatures  
it seems so4 ,their beauty and their use
 are past2 their worth is measured and  
exhausted2 they die4 ,more emphatically 
in a nature like ours1 which aims at    
fellowship with ,god and immortality1   

death is significant this way1 and bears
 the character of doom4 ,so we are      
taught to think that death entered by   
sin4 ,but the violent and cruel death of
 crucifixion1 inflicted for the worst   
crimes1 is most significant this way4   
,what it comprehended for our ,lord we  
cannot measure4 ,we know that ,he looked
 forward to it with the most solemn     
expectation2 and when it came the       
experience was overwhelming4 ,yes1 ,he  
submitted to the doom and blight of     
death1 in which death ,he made atonement
 and finished transgression4 ,the       
,incarnation was the way in which our   
,lord bound ,himself to our woful       
fortunes1 and carried to us the benefits
 with which ,he would enrich us2 and    
,his death was for our sins1 endured    
that we might live4 ,but the ,apostle   
does not here dwell on the reasons why  
,christ's obedience must take this road4
 ,it is enough that for reasons         
concerning our welfare1 and the worthy  
achievement of the ,father's ,divine    

purposes1 ,christ bowed ,himself to so  
great lowliness4 ,a dark and sad        
death--a true obedience unto            
death--became the portion of the ,son of
 ,god4 ,i am the ,living ,one1 and ,i   
was dead4 ,so complete was the          
self-emptying1 the humiliation1 the     
obedience4  ,therefore ,god also hath   
highly exalted ,him1 and given ,him the 
,name that is above every name4 ,for    
still we must think of ,him as ,one that
 has come down into the region of the   
creatures1 the region in which we are   
distinguished by names1 and are capable 
of higher and lower in endless degrees4 
,god1 dealing with ,him so situated1    
acts in a manner rightly corresponding  
to this great self-dedication1 so as to 
utter ,god's mind upon it4 ,he has set  
,him on high1 and given ,him the ,name  
that is above every name2 so that       
,divine honour shall be rendered to ,him
 by all creation1 and knees bowed in    
worship to ,him everywhere1 and all     
shall own ,him ,lord--that is1 partaker 

of ,divine ,sovereignty4 ,all this is to
 the glory of the ,father1 seeing that  
in all this the worthiness and beauty of
 ,god's being and ways come to light    
with a splendour heretofore unexampled4 
,so then1 we may say1 perhaps1 that as  
in the humiliation ,he who is ,god      
experienced what it is to be man1 now in
 the exaltation ,he who is man          
experiences what it is to be ,god4  ,but
 the point to dwell on chiefly is this  
consideration--,what is it that attracts
 so specially the ,father's approbation8
 ,what does so is ,christ's great act of
 self-forgetting love4 ,that satisfies  
and rests the ,divine mind4 ,doubtless  
the ,son's pure and perfect character1  
and the perfection of ,his whole        
service1 were on all accounts approved2 
but specially the mind of ,christ       
revealed in ,his self-forgetting        
devotion4 ,therefore ,god has highly    
exalted ,him4  ,for1 in the first place1
 ,christ in this work of ,his is        
,himself the revelation of the ,father4 

,all along the ,father's heart is seen  
disclosed4 ,it was in fellowship with   
the ,father1 always delighting in ,him1 
that the history was entered on2 in     
harmony with ,him it was accomplished4  
,throughout we have before us not only  
the mind of the ,son1 but the mind of   
the ,father that sent ,him4  ,and then1 
in the next place1 as the ,son1 sent    
forth into the world1 and become one of 
us1 and subject to vicissitude1         
accomplishes ,his course1 it is fitting 
for the ,father to watch1 to approve1   
and to crown the service2 and ,he who   
has so given ,himself for ,god and man  
must take the place due to such a mind  
and to such an obedience4  ,let us      
observe it then3 what was in ,god's eye 
and ought to be in ours1 is not only the
 dignity of the person1 the greatness of
 the condescension1 the perfection of   
obedience and patience of endurance1    
but1 in the heart of all these1 the mind
 of ,christ4 ,that was the inspiration  
of the whole marvellous history1        

vivifying it throughout4 ,christ1       
indeed1 was not ,one who could so care  
for us1 as to fail in ,his regard to any
 interest of ,his ,father's name or     
kingdom2 nor could ,he take any course  
really unseemly1 because unworthy of    
,himself4 ,but carrying with ,him all   
that is due to ,his ,father1 and all    
that befits ,his ,father's ,child and   
,servant1 the wonderful thing is how    
,his heart yearns over men1 how ,his    
course shapes itself to the necessities 
of our case1 how all that concerns      
,himself disappears as ,he looks on the 
fallen race4 ,a worthy deliverance for  
them1 consecrating them to ,god in the  
blessedness of life eternal--this is in 
,his eye1 to be reached by ,him through 
all kinds of lowliness1 obedience1 and  
suffering4 ,on this ,his heart was set2 
this gave meaning and character to every
 step of ,his history4 ,this was the    
mind of the good ,shepherd that laid    
down ,his life for the sheep4 ,and this 
is what completes and consecrates all   

the service1 and receives the ,father's 
triumphant approbation4 ,this is the    
,lamb of ,god4 ,there never was a ,lamb 
like this4  ,how all this was and is in 
the ,eternal ,son in ,his ,divine nature
 we cannot suitably conceive4 ,in some  
most sublime and perfect manner we own  
it to be there4 ,but we can think of it 
and speak of it as the mind of ,christ3 
as it came to light in the ,man of      
,bethlehem1 who1 amid all the           
possibilities of the ,incarnation1 is   
seen setting ,his face so steadily one  
way1 whose life is all of one piece1 and
 to whom we ascribe ,,grace4 ,ye know   
the grace of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ4  
,therefore ,god has highly exalted ,him1
 and given ,him the ,name that is above 
every name4 ,this is the right way4     
,this is the right life4  ,are we       
followers of ,christ8 ,are we in touch  
with ,his grace8 ,do we yield ourselves 
to ,his will and way8 ,do we renounce   
the melancholy obstructiveness which    
sets us at odds with ,christ8 ,do we    

count it our wisdom now to come into    
,his school8 ,then1 let this mind be in 
you which was also in ,christ ,jesus1   
this lowly1 loving mind4 ,let it4 ,look 
not every man on his own things1 but    
every man also on the things of others4 
,do nothing through strife or vainglory4
 ,in lowliness of mind let each esteem  
the other better than himself4 ,let all 
bitterness1 and wrath1 and anger1 and   
envy1 and evil speaking1 be put away    
from you1 with all malice3 and be ye    
kind one to another1 tenderhearted1     
forgiving one another1 even as ,god for 
,christ's sake hath forgiven you4 ,if   
there is any comfort in ,christ1 if any 
consolation of love1 if any fellowship  
of the ,spirit1 if any tender mercies   
and compassions1 let this be so4 ,let   
this mind be in you2 and find ways of   
showing it4 ,but1 indeed1 if it be in   
you it will find ways to show itself4   
,the ,church of ,christ has not been    
without likeness to its ,lord1 and      
service to its ,lord3 yet it has come   

far short in showing to the world the   
mind of ,christ4 ,we often show the     
,lord's death4 ,but in ,his death were  
the mighty life and the conclusive      
triumph of ,christ's love4 ,let the life
 also of ,christ ,jesus be manifest in  
our mortal body4  ,we see here what the 
vision of ,christ was which opened      
itself to ,paul1--which1 glowing in his 
heart1 sent him through the world1      
seeking the profit of many1 that they   
might be saved4 ,this was in his mind1  
the wonderful condescension and devotion
 of the ,son of ,god4 ,it pleased ,god  
to reveal ,his ,son in me4 ,god1 who    
commanded the light to shine out of     
darkness1 hath shined in our hearts1 to 
give the light of the knowledge of the  
glory of ,god in the face of ,christ    
,jesus4 ,ye know the grace of our ,lord 
,jesus ,christ1 how that though ,he was 
rich yet for our sakes ,he became poor1 
that we through ,his poverty might be   
made rich4 ,he loved me and gave        
,himself for me4 ,and in various forms  

and degrees the manifestation of this   
same grace has astonished1 and          
conquered1 and inspired all those who   
have greatly served ,christ in the      
,church in seeking to do good to men4   
,let us not separate ourselves from this
 fellowship of ,christ2 let us not be   
secluded from this mind of ,christ4 ,as 
we come to ,him with our sorrows1 and   
sins1 and wants1 let us drink into ,his 
mind4 ,let us sit at ,his feet and learn
 of ,him4         99       99       99  
99       99  ,a line of contemplation1  
hard to follow yet inspiring1 opens up  
in considering the ,incarnation of our  
,lord as permanent4 ,no day is coming in
 which that shall have to be looked upon
 as gone away into the past4 ,this is   
suggestive as to the tie between        
,creator and creature1 as to the bridge 
between ,infinite and finite1 to be     
evermore found in ,him4 ,but it may     
suffice here to have indicated the      
topic4  ,it is more to the point1 in    
connection with this passage1 to call   

attention to a lesson for the present   
day4 ,of late great emphasis has been   
laid by earnest thinkers upon the       
reality of ,christ's human nature4      
,anxiety has been felt to do full right 
to that humanity which the ,gospels set 
before us so vividly4 ,this has been in 
many ways a happy service to the        
,church4 ,in the hands of divines the   
humanity of ,christ has sometimes seemed
 to become shadowy and unreal1 through  
the stress laid on ,his proper ,godhead2
 and now men have become anxious to     
possess their souls with the human side 
of things1 even perhaps at the cost of  
leaving the ,divine side untouched4 ,the
 recoil has carried men quite naturally 
into a kind of humanitarianism1         
sometimes deliberate1 sometimes         
unconscious4 ,christ is thought of as   
the ideal ,man1 who1 just because ,he is
 the ideal ,man1 is morally             
indistinguishable from ,god1 and is in  
the closest fellowship with ,god4 ,yet  
,he grows on the soil of human nature1  

,he is fundamentally and only human4    
,and this1 it is implied1 is enough3 it 
covers all we want4 ,but we see this was
 not ,paul's way of thinking4 ,the real 
humanity was necessary for him1 because 
he desiderated a real incarnation4 ,but 
the true original ,divine nature was    
also necessary4 ,for so he discerned the
 love--the grace1 and the gift by grace2
 so he felt that the ,eternal ,god had  
bowed down to bless him in and by ,his  
,son4 ,it makes a great difference to   
religion when men are persuaded to      
forego this faith4     ,,working ,,and  
,,shining4       ,so then1 my beloved1  
even as ye have always obeyed1 not as in
 my      presence only1 but now much    
more in my absence1 work out your own   
salvation with fear and trembling2 for  
it is ,god which worketh in      you    
both to will and to work1 for ,his good 
pleasure4 ,do all things      without   
murmurings and disputings2 that ye may  
be blameless and      harmless1 children
 of ,god without blemish in the midst of

 a crooked      and perverse generation1
 among whom ye are seen as lights in the
      world1 holding forth the word of  
life2 that ,i may have whereof to       
glory in the day of ,christ1 that ,i did
 not run in vain neither      labour in 
vain4 ,yea1 and if ,i am offered upon   
the sacrifice and      service of your  
faith1 ,i joy1 and rejoice with you all3
 and in the      same manner do ye also 
joy1 and rejoice with me4--,,phil4 ii4  
#ab-ah      7,r4,v474     ,,chapter     
,,viii4  ,,working ,,and ,,shining4     
,after his great appeal to the mind of  
,christ1 the ,apostle can pursue his    
practical object2 and he can do so with 
a certain tranquillity1 confident that  
the forces he has just set in motion    
will not fail to do their work4 ,but yet
 that same appeal itself has tended to  
broaden and deepen the conception of    
what should be aimed at4 ,he had        
deprecated the arrogant and the selfish 
mind1 as these are opposed to           
lovingkindness and regard for others4   

,but now1 in presence of the great      
vision of the ,incarnation and obedience
 of ,christ1 the deeper note of         
lowliness must be struck in fit accord  
with that of love2 not only lowliness in
 the way of doing ready honour to       
others1 but deep and adoring lowliness  
towards ,god1 such as is due both from  
creatures and from sinners4 ,for if     
,christ's love fulfilled itself in such 
a perfect humility1 how deeply does it  
become us to bear towards ,god in       
,christ a mind of penitence and         
gratitude1 of loving awe and wonder1    
such as shall at the same time for ever 
exclude from our bearing towards others 
both pride and self-seeking4 ,in this   
way the one practical object suggested  
by the circumstances at                 
,philippi--namely1 loving unity--now    
allies itself naturally with ideas of   
complete and harmonious ,christian life2
 and various views of that life begin to
 open4 ,but each aspect of it still     
proves to be connected with the gracious

 and gentle mind of ,christ1 in the     
lowly form of that mind which is        
appropriate for a sinner who is also a  
believer4  ,so then they are to apply   
themselves to the calling wherewith they
 are called1 in a spirit of fear and    
trembling4 ,the phrase is a common one  
with the ,apostle 7#a ,cor4 ii4 #c2 #b  
,cor4 vii4 #ae2 ,eph4 v4 #f74 ,he uses  
it where he would express a state of    
mind in which willing reverence is      
joined with a certain sensitive anxiety 
to escape dangerous mistakes and to     
perform duty well4 ,and it is fitly     
called for here1 for  #a4 ,if lowliness 
so became the ,divine ,saviour1 who was 
full of grace1 wisdom1 and power1 then  
what shall be the mind of those who in  
great guilt and need have found part in 
the salvation1 and who are going forward
 to its fulness8 ,what shall be the mind
 of those who1 in this experience1 are  
looking up to ,christ--looking up to    
lowliness8 ,surely not the spirit of    
strife and vainglory 7ver4 #c71 but of  

fear and trembling--the mind that dreads
 to be presumptuous and arrogant1       
because it finds the danger to be still 
near4  #b4 ,the salvation has to be     
wrought out4 ,it must come to pass in   
your case in the line of your own       
endeavour4 ,having its power and fulness
 in ,christ1 and bestowed by ,him on    
you1 yet this deliverance from distance1
 estrangement1 darkness1 unholiness1 is 
given to believers to be wrought out3 it
 comes as a right to be realised1 and as
 a power to be exercised1 and as a goal 
to be attained4 ,think of this1--you    
have in hand your own salvation--great1 
,divine1 and wonderful--to be wrought   
out4 ,can you go about it without fear  
and trembling8 ,consider what you       
are--consider what you believe--consider
 what you seek--and what a spirit of    
lowly and contrite eagerness will       
pervade your life6 ,this holds so much  
the more1 because the salvation itself  
stands so much in likeness to           
,christ--that is to say1 in a loving    

lowliness4 ,let a man think how much is 
in him that tends1 contrariwise1 to     
self-assertion and self-seeking1 and he 
will have reason enough to fear and     
tremble as he lays fresh hold on the    
promises1 and sets his face to the      
working out of this his own salvation4  
#c4 ,this very working out1 from whom   
does it come8 ,are you the explanation  
and last source of it8 ,what does it    
mean8 ,wherever it takes place1 it means
 that1 in a very special sense1 ,god's  
mighty presence and power is put forth  
in us to will and to do4 ,shall not this
 thought quell our petulance8 ,where is 
room now for anything but fear and      
trembling--a deep anxiety to be lowly1  
obedient1 compliant8  ,whether1         
therefore1 we look to the history of the
 ,saviour1 or to the work to which our  
own life is devoted1 or to the power    
that animates that work and on which it 
depends--in all alike we find ourselves 
committed to the lowly mind2 and in all 
alike we find ourselves beset with a    

wealth of free beneficence1 which lays  
obligation on us to be self-forgetting  
and loving4 ,we are come into a         
wonderful world of compassionate love4  
,that is the platform on which we       
stand--the light we see by--the music   
that fills our ears--the fragrance that 
rises on every side4 ,if we are to live 
here1 there is only one way for         
it--there is only one kind of life that 
can live in this region4 ,and1 being1 as
 we are1 alas1 so strangely coarse and  
hard--even if this gospel gladdens us1  
there may well thrill through our       
gladness a very honest and a very       
contrite fear and trembling4  ,now all  
this is by the ,apostle persuasively    
urged upon his ,philippian children     
7ver4 #ab73 ,as ye have always obeyed1  
not as in my presence only1 but now much
 more in my absence4 ,for1 indeed1 it   
proves easy comparatively for our human 
indolence to yield to the spell of some 
great and forcible personality when he  
is present4 ,it is even pleasant to     

allow ourselves to be borne on by the   
tide of his enthusiastic goodness4 ,and 
when the ,apostle was at ,philippi1 it  
might come easier to many of them to    
feel the force and scope of their       
calling in ,christ4 ,and yet now that he
 was gone1 now was the time for them to 
prove for themselves1 and evince to     
others1 the durable worth of the great  
discovery they had made1 and the        
thoroughness of the decision which had  
transformed their lives4 ,now1 also1 was
 the time to show ,paul himself1 that   
their obedience was of the deep and     
genuine quality which alone could give  
content to him4  ,such in general seems 
to be the scope of these two verses4    
,but one or two of the points deserve to
 be considered a little before we go on4
  ,mark how emphatically the ,apostle   
affirms the great truth1 that every good
 thing accompanying salvation which     
comes to pass in ,christians is of the  
mighty power and grace of ,god4         
,therefore ,christianity must stand so  

much in asking and in thanking4 ,it is  
,god that worketh in you4 ,he does it1  
and no other than ,he2 it is ,his       
prerogative4 ,he worketh to will and to 
do4 ,the inclination of the heart and   
the purpose of the will are of ,him2 and
 the striving to bring forth into act   
and deed what has been so               
conceived--that also is of ,him4 ,he    
quickens those who were dead in         
trespasses and sins2 ,he gives the      
renewing of the ,holy ,ghost2 ,he makes 
,his children perfect1 working in them  
that which is well pleasing in ,his     
sight through ,jesus ,christ4 ,all this 
,he does in the exercise of ,his proper 
power1 in the exceeding greatness of    
,his power to us-ward who               
believe--according to the working of    
,his mighty power1 which wrought in     
,christ when ,he was raised from the    
dead4 ,apparently we are to take it that
 in the children of ,god there is the   
new heart1 or new nature1 in respect of 
which they are new creatures2 and also  

the indwelling of ,god by ,his ,spirit2 
and also the actual working of the same 
,spirit in all fruits of righteousness  
which they bring forth to the glory and 
praise of ,god4 ,and these three are so 
connected1 that regard should be had to 
all of them when we contemplate each4   
,he worketh to will and to do4 ,from    
,him all godly desires and purposes     
proceed--from ,him1 every passage in our
 lives in which the salvation that is in
 ,christ ,jesus is by us received1 put  
to proof1 wrought out into the          
transactions of our lives4 ,it must be  
so1 if we will only think of it4 ,for   
this salvation involves an actual1 and  
in principle a complete agreement with  
,god1 affirmed and embodied in each     
right thought1 and word1 and deed4      
,whence could this flow but from        
,himself8  ,in their statements and     
explanations about this ,christians have
 differed4 ,the difference has been     
mainly on the point1 how to make it     
clear that men are not dealt with as    

inert nor as irresponsible2 that they   
must not hold themselves excused from   
working on the ground that ,god works   
all4 ,for all agree that men are called 
to the most serious earnestness of      
purpose and the most alert activity of  
action2 but the theorising of this      
activity occasions debate4 ,it is from  
the motive of trying to make more room  
for these indispensable elements on the 
human side1 that modes of statement have
 been suggested which limit or explain  
away the ,apostle's statement here4 ,the
 motive is commendable1 but the method  
is not commonly successful4 ,all efforts
 to divide the ground between ,god and  
man go astray4 ,in the inward process of
 salvation1 and especially in this      
willing and doing1 ,god does all1 and   
also man does all4 ,but ,god takes      
precedence4 ,for it is ,he that         
quickeneth the dead1 and calleth things 
that are not as though they were4 ,here 
we may say1 as the ,apostle does in     
another case1 ,this is a great mystery4 

,let us recognise it as a mystery bound 
up with any hope we ourselves have of   
proving to be children of ,god4 ,and    
under the sense of it1 with fear and    
trembling let us work1 for it is ,god   
that worketh in us to will and to do4   
,he worketh in us to will4 ,when ,i     
trace back any of my actions to the     
fountain where it takes its rise as     
mine1 ,i find that fountain in my will4 
,the materials which ,i take up into my 
act1 the impressions which gather       
together to create a situation for me1  
may all have their separate history     
going back in the order of cause and    
effect to the beginning of the world2   
but that which makes it mine1 is that ,i
 will1 ,i choose1 and thereupon ,i do   
it4 ,therefore also it is that ,i must  
answer for it1 because it is mine4 ,i   
willed it1 and in willing it ,i created 
something which pertains to me1 and to  
no other2 something began which is mine1
 and the responsibility for it cleaves  
only to me4 ,but in the return to ,god  

through ,christ1 and in the working out 
of that salvation1 there are acts of    
mine1 most truly mine2 and yet in these 
another ,will1 the ,will of ,him who    
saves1 is most intimately concerned4 ,he
 worketh in us to will4 ,it is not an   
enslaving1 but an emancipating energy4  
,it brings about free action1 yet such  
as fulfils a most gracious ,divine      
purpose4 ,so these willings embody a    
consent1 a union of heart and mind and  
will1 ,his and mine1 the thought of     
which is enough to bow me to the ground 
with fear and trembling4 ,this is ,he   
who gathereth the dispersed of ,israel  
into one4  ,on the other hand1 the      
salvation is to be wrought out by us4   
,to have faith in the ,son of ,god in   
exercise and prevalence2 to have heart  
and life formed to childlike love of    
,god1 and to the fulfilment of ,his     
will2 to carry this out against the     
flesh and the world and the devil1--all 
this is a great career of endeavour and 
attainment4 ,it is much to make the     

discoveries implied in it3 finding out  
at each stage the meaning of it1 and how
 it should take shape4 ,it is much to   
have the heart brought to beat true to  
it1 to love it1 consent to it1 be set   
upon it4 ,it is much to embody it in    
faithful and successful practice in the 
rough school of life1 with its actual   
collision and conflict4 ,now the nature 
and working of ,god's grace at each     
stage is of this kind1 that it operates 
in three ways at least4 ,it operates as 
a call1 an effectual call1 setting a man
 on to arise and go4 ,it operates also  
in a way of instruction1 setting us to  
learn lessons1 teaching us how to live1 
as it is said in ,titus ii4 #aa1 #ab4   
,and it operates as a power1 as help in 
time of need4 ,he that sits still at the
 call--he that will not be considerate  
to learn the lesson--he that will not   
cast himself on the strength perfected  
in weakness1 that he may fulfil and do  
the ,father's will--he is a man who     
despises and denies the grace of ,god4  

99       99       99       99       99  
,now what has been said of the          
believer's relation to the saving ,god1 
prepares the way for referring to his   
office towards the world4 ,here the     
moral and practical theme which is in   
the ,apostle's mind all through proves  
again to be in place3 the lowly and     
loving mind will best discharge that    
office towards the world1 which the     
arrogant and distempered mind would     
hinder4 ,do all things without          
murmurings and disputings1 that ye may  
be blameless and harmless4  ,a murmuring
 and disputatious temper--murmuring at  
what displeases us1 and multiplying     
debate about it--is simply one form of  
the spirit which ,paul deprecates all   
through this context4 ,it is the sign of
 the disposition to value unduly one's  
own ease1 one's own will1 one's own     
opinion1 one's own party1 and to lie at 
the catch for opportunities to bring    
that feeling into evidence4 ,now observe
 the harm which the ,apostle            

anticipates4 ,it is your office to serve
 ,god by making a right impression on   
the world4 ,how shall that come to pass8
 ,chiefly1 or at least primarily1 the   
,apostle seems to say1 by the absence of
 evil4 ,at least1 that is the most      
general and the safest notion of it1    
with which to begin4 ,some1 no doubt1   
make impressions by their eloquence1 or 
by their wisdom1 or by their            
enterprising and successful             
benevolence--though all these have      
dangers and drawbacks attending them1 in
 so far as the very energy of action    
provides a shelter for unperceived      
self-will4 ,still1 let them have their  
place and their praise4 ,but here is the
 line that might suit all4 ,a man whose 
life stands clear of the world's        
deformities1 under the influence of a   
light and a love from which the world is
 estranged1 gradually makes an          
impression4  ,now murmuring and         
disputing are precisely adapted to      
hinder this impression4 ,and sometimes  

they hinder it in the case of people of 
high excellence--people who have much   
sound and strong principle1 who have    
large benevolence1 who are capable of   
making remarkable sacrifices to duty    
when they see it4 ,yet this vice1       
perhaps a surface vice1 of murmuring and
 disputing1 is so suggestive of a man's 
self being uppermost1 it so unpleasantly
 forces itself in as the interpretation 
of the man1 that his real goodness is   
little accounted of4 ,at all events1 the
 peculiar purity of the ,christian      
character--its blamelessness and        
harmlessness1 its innocence--does not in
 his case come to light4 ,people say3   
,ah1 he is one of the mixed ones1 like  
ourselves4 ,christian devoutness suits  
some people3 they are sincere enough in 
it very likely2 but it leaves them1     
after all1 pretty much as it found them4
  ,i say no more about murmuring and    
disputing as these reveal themselves in 
our relations to others4 ,but the same  
spirit1 and attended in its operations  

with the same evil effects1 may manifest
 itself in other ways besides that of   
unkindness to men4 ,as frequently1      
perhaps1 it may show itself in our      
behaviour towards ,god2 and in that case
 it interferes at least as seriously    
with the shining of our light in the    
world4  ,just as in the camp of ,israel 
of old on many memorable occasions there
 arose a murmuring of the people against
 ,god1 when ,his ways crossed their     
will1 or seemed dark to their wisdom2   
just as1 on such occasions1 there broke 
out among the people the expression of  
doubt1 dislike1 and disputation1 and    
they criticised those ,divine dealings  
which should have been received with    
trust and lowliness1--so is it also1    
many a time1 in the little world within 
us4 ,there are such and such duties to  
be discharged and such and such trials  
to be encountered--or else a general    
course of duty is to be pursued under   
certain discouragements and             
perplexities4 ,and1 you submit1 you do  

these things4 ,but you do them with     
murmuring and disputing in your heart4  
,why should it be thus8 ,how is it fit1 
you say1 that such perplexities or such 
burdens should be appointed8 ,is it not 
reasonable1 all things considered1 that 
,i should have more indulgence and      
greater facilities2 or1 at least1 that  
,i should be excused from this conflict 
and this burden-bearing for the present8
 ,meanwhile our conscience is satisfied 
because we have not rebelled in         
practice2 and it takes no strict account
 of the fretfulness which marred our    
act1 or the grumbling which well-nigh   
withheld us from compliance4 ,you are   
called1 perhaps1 to speak to some erring
 friend1 or you have to go on a message 
of mercy to some one in affliction4     
,indolently you postpone it2 and your   
heart begins to stretch out its arms and
 to cling to the careless temper it has 
begun to indulge4 ,at last conscience   
stirs1 conscience is up1 and you have to
 do something4 ,but what you do is done 

grudgingly1 with a heart that is        
murmuring and disputing4 ,again1 you are
 called to deny yourself some worldly   
pleasure2 in ,christian consistency you 
have to hold back from some form of     
dissipation2 or you have to take up a   
position of singularity and separation  
from other people4 ,reluctantly1 you    
comply2 only murmuring and disputing4   
,now this inward temper may never come  
to any man's knowledge1 but shall we    
suppose it does not tell on the         
character and the influence of the life8
 ,can you1 in that temper1 play your    
part with the childlike1 the cheerful1  
the dignified bearing1 with the         
resemblance to ,christ in your action1  
which ,god calls for8 ,you cannot4 ,the 
duty as to the husk and shell of it may 
be done2 but there can be little        
radiation of ,christ's likeness in the  
doing of it4  ,notice the ,apostle's    
conception of the function which        
believers are to discharge in the world4
 ,they are set in the midst of a crooked

 and perverse nation4 ,these words were 
applied to the children of ,israel of   
old on account of the stubborn          
insubordination with which they dealt   
with ,god2 and they were applicable1 for
 the same reason1 to the ,gentiles1     
among whom the gospel had come1 but who 
had not bowed to it4 ,judged by the high
 and true standard1 these ,gentiles were
 crooked and perverse in their ways with
 one another1 and still more so in their
 ways with ,god4 ,among them the        
,christians were to show what           
,christianity was1 and what it could do4
 ,in the ,christians was to appear1     
embodied1 the testimony proposed to the 
crooked and perverse nation1 a testimony
 against its perverseness1 and yet      
revealing a remedy for it4 ,in the      
persons of men1 themselves originally   
crooked and perverse1 this was to become
 plain and legible4 ,now how8 ,why1 by  
their being blameless and harmless1 the 
sons of ,god without rebuke4  ,it has   
been remarked already that the special  

way in which we are to manifest to the  
world the light of ,christianity is here
 represented as the way of              
blamelessness4 ,that man aright         
represents the mind of ,christ to the   
world1 who in the world keeps himself   
unspotted from the world1--in whom men  
recognise a character that traces up to 
a purer source elsewhere4 ,as years     
pass1 as cross lights fall upon the     
life1 even in its most common and       
private workings1 if it still proves    
that the man is cleansed by the faith he
 holds1 if the unruly working of        
interest1 and passion1 and will1 give   
way in him to motives of a higher       
strain1 men will be impressed4 ,they    
will own that here is something rare and
 high1 and that some uncommon cause is  
at the bottom of it4 ,for the world     
knows well that even the better sort of 
men have their weaker side1 often       
plainly enough revealed by the trials of
 time4 ,therefore steadfast purity      
makes1 at last1 a deep impression4      

,innocence indeed is not the whole duty 
of a ,christian2 active virtue is       
required as well4 ,the harmlessness     
called for is not a mere negative       
quality--it is supposed to be exhibited 
in an active life which strives to put  
on ,christ ,jesus4 ,but the ,apostle    
seems to lay stress especially on a     
certain quiet consistency1 on a lowly   
and loving regard to the whole standard1
 which gives evenness and worthiness to 
the life4 ,if you will do a ,christian's
 office to the perverse nation1 you have
 to seek that they may have nothing     
against you except concerning the law of
 your ,god2 you have to seek that your  
reproach may be exclusively the reproach
 of ,christ3 so that if at any time the 
malice of men seeks to misconstrue your 
actions1 and lays to your charge things 
which you know not1 your well-doing may 
silence them2 and having no evil thing  
to say of you1 they may be ashamed that 
falsely accuse your good conversation in
 ,christ4  ,strong appeals are made in  

our day to members of the ,christian    
,church to engage actively in all kinds 
of ,christian work4 ,they are summoned  
to go forth aggressively upon the       
world's misery and sin4 ,this has become
 a characteristic note of our time4     
,such appeals were needed4 ,it is a     
shame that so many ,christians have     
absolved themselves from the obligation 
to place at their ,lord's service the   
aptitudes and the energies with which   
,he has endowed them4 ,yet in this      
wholesale administration diversities are
 apt to be overlooked4 ,christians may  
be undervalued who do not possess       
qualities fitting them for the special  
activities2 or1 attempting these without
 much aptitude1 and finding little      
success1 they may be unduly cast down4  
,it is important to lay stress on this4 
,there are some1 perhaps we should say  
many1 who must come to the conclusion1  
if they judge aright1 that their gifts  
and opportunities indicate for them1 as 
their sphere1 a somewhat narrow round of

 duties1 mostly of that ordinary type   
which the common experience of human    
life supplies4 ,but if they bring into  
these a ,christian heart2 if they use   
the opportunities they have2 if they are
 watchful to please their ,lord in the  
life of the family1 the workshop1 the   
market2 if the purifying influence of   
the faith by which they live comes to   
light in the steady excellence of their 
character and course1--then they need   
have no sense of exclusion from the work
 of ,christ and of ,his ,church4 ,they1 
too1 do missionary work4 ,blameless1    
harmless1 unrebuked1 they are seen as   
lights in the world4 ,they contribute1  
in the manner that is most essential of 
all1 to the ,church's office in the     
world4 ,and their place of honour and   
reward shall be far above that of many a
 ,christian busybody1 who is too much   
occupied abroad to keep the light clear 
and bright at home4  ,blameless1 then1  
harmless1 unaspersed1 must the children 
of ,god1 ,his redeemed children1 be4 ,so

 will the light of ,christian character 
come clearly out1 and ,christians will  
be luminaries1 holding forth the word of
 life4  ,the word of life is the message
 of salvation as it sets forth to us    
,christ1 and goodness and blessedness by
 ,him4 ,substantially it is that        
teaching which we have in the           
,scriptures2 although1 when ,paul wrote1
 the ,new ,testament was not yet a      
treasure of the ,churches1 and the word 
of life only echoed to and fro from     
teacher to taught1 and from one disciple
 to another4 ,still1 the teaching rested
 on the ,old ,testament ,scriptures     
understood in the light of the testimony
 of ,jesus2 and it was controlled and   
guided by men speaking and writing in   
the ,spirit4 ,what it was therefore was 
very well known1 and the influence of it
 as the seed of life eternal was felt4  
,it was for ,christians to hold by it1  
and to hold it out1--the expression used
 in ver4 #af may have either meaning2   
and virtually both senses are here4 ,in 

order to give light there must be life4 
,and ,christian life depends on having  
in us the word1 quick and powerful1     
which is to dwell in us richly in all   
wisdom and spiritual understanding4     
,this must be the secret of blameless   
,christian lives2 and so those who have 
this character will give light1 as      
holding forth the word of life4 ,the    
man's visible character itself does     
this4 ,for while the word and message of
 life is to be owned1 professed1 in fit 
times proclaimed1 yet the embodiment of 
it in the man is the main point here1   
the character being formed and the      
practice determined by the word         
believed4 ,so also we are said to live  
by the faith of the ,son of ,god4 ,the  
life of faith on ,him1 is the life of   
having and holding forth ,his word4     
,here1 as everywhere1 our ,lord goes    
first4 ,the ,apostle ,john1 speaking in 
his ,gospel of the ,eternal ,word1 tells
 us that in ,him was life1 and the life 
was the light of men4 ,it was not merely

 a doctrine of light2 the life was the  
light4 ,as ,he lived1 in ,his whole     
being1 in ,his acting and suffering1 in 
,his coming and staying and departing1  
in ,his ,person and in ,his discharge of
 every office1 ,he manifested the       
,father4 ,still we find it so2 as we    
contemplate ,him1 as ,his words leads us
 to ,himself1 we behold the glory1 the  
radiance of grace and truth4  ,now ,his 
people are made like ,him4 ,they too1   
through the word of life1 become        
partakers of true life4 ,this life does 
not dwell in them as it does in their   
,lord1 for ,he is its original seat and 
source2 hence they are not the light of 
the world in the same sense in which ,he
 is so4 ,still they are luminaries1 they
 are stars in the world4 ,by manifesting
 the genuine influence of the word of   
life which dwells in them1 they do make 
manifest in the world what truth and    
purity and salvation are4 ,this is their
 calling2 and1 in a measure1 it is their
 attainment4  ,the view of the matter   

given here may be compared with that in 
#b ,cor4 iii4 #d4 ,christ1 the ,father's
 ,word1 may also be regarded as the     
,father's living ,epistle4 ,then those  
who behold ,him1 and drink in the       
significance of this message1 are also  
themselves1 in their turn1 ,epistles of 
,christ1 known and read of all men4  ,so
 to shine is the calling of all         
believers1 not of some only2 each1      
according to his opportunities1 may and 
ought to fulfil it4 ,god designs to be  
glorified1 and to have ,his salvation   
justified1 in this form4 ,christ has    
said1 in the plainest terms1 ,ye are the
 light of the world4 ,but to be so      
implies separateness from the world1 in 
root and in fruits2 and that is for many
 a hard saying4 ,ye are a holy nation1 a
 peculiar people1 that ye should show   
forth the praises of ,him who called you
 out of darkness into ,his marvellous   
light4  ,in the sixteenth and following 
verses comes in again ,paul's own share 
in the progress and victory of the      

,christian life in his friends4 ,it     
would be exceeding well1 he seems to    
say1 for you2 how well1 you may gather  
partly from learning how well it would  
be for me4 ,he would have cause to      
rejoice in the day of ,christ that he   
had not run in vain1 neither laboured in
 vain4 ,what might be said on this has  
been anticipated in the remarks made on 
ch4 i41 ver4 #bj fol4 ,but here the     
,apostle is thinking of something more  
than the toil and labour expended in the
 work4 ,more than these was to fall to  
his lot4 ,his life of toil was to close 
in a death of martyrdom4 ,and whether   
the ,apostle was or was not enabled to  
foresee this certainly1 doubtless he    
looked forward to it as altogether      
probable4 ,so he says3 ,but if ,i be    
offered 7or poured out as a             
drink-offering7 in the sacrifice and    
service of your faith1 ,i joy and       
rejoice with you all2 and do ye also    
likewise joy and rejoice with me4  ,to  
see the force of this expression we must

 remember that it was an ancient custom 
to seal and complete a sacrifice by the 
pouring out of a libation on the altar  
or at the foot of it4 ,this might be    
intended as the crowning testimony of   
the abundant freewill with which the    
service had been rendered and the       
sacrifice had been offered4 ,to some    
such rite the ,apostle alludes when he  
speaks of himself--that is to say1 of   
his own life--as poured forth at the    
sacrifice and service of their faith4   
,and it is not hard to understand the   
idea which dictates this mode of speech4
  ,we read in ,romans xii4 an           
exhortation to the saints to yield      
themselves a living sacrifice1 which    
sacrifice is their reasonable service4  
,they were to do so in the way of not   
being conformed to the world1 but       
transformed by the renewing of their    
minds4 ,so here3 the course of conduct  
which the ,apostle had been exhorting   
the ,philippians to pursue was an act of
 worship or service1 and in particular  

it was a sacrifice1 the sacrifice of    
their faith1 the sacrifice in which     
their faith was expressed4 ,each        
believer in offering this sacrifice acts
 as a priest1 being a member of the holy
 priesthood which offers to ,god        
spiritual sacrifices 7#a ,peter ii4 #e74
 ,such a man is not1 indeed1 a priest to
 make atonement1 but he is a priest to  
present offerings through ,christ his   
,head4 ,the ,philippians1 then1 in so   
far as they were1 or were to be1        
yielding themselves in this manner to   
,god1 were priests who offered to ,god a
 spiritual sacrifice4  ,here let us     
notice1 as we pass1 that no religion is 
worth the name that has not its         
sacrifice through which the worshipper  
expresses his devotion4 ,and in         
,christian religion the sacrifice is the
 consecration of the man and of his life
 to ,god's service in ,christ4 ,let us  
all see to it what sacrifices we offer4 
,this doctrine1 then1 of the priesthood 
and the sacrifice was verified in the   

case of the ,philippians2 and1 by the   
same rule1 it held true also in the case
 of ,paul himself4 ,he1 as little as    
they1 was priest to make atonement4 ,but
 certainly when we see ,paul so         
cordially yielding himself to the       
service of ,god in the gospel1 and      
discharging his work with such willing  
labour and pains1 we see in him one of  
,christ's priests offering himself to   
,god a living sacrifice4 ,now is this   
all8 or is something more to be said of 
,paul8 ,more is to be said2 and although
 the point now in view is not prominent 
in this passage1 it is present as the   
underlying thought4 ,for the whole      
sacrifice of holy life rendered by the  
,philippians1 and by his other converts1
 was1 in a sense1 the offering of ,paul 
also2 not theirs only1 but his too4 ,god
 gave him a standing in the matter1     
which he1 at least1 was not to overlook4
 ,god's grace1 indeed1 had wrought the  
work1 and ,paul was but an instrument2  
yet so an instrument1 that he had a     

living and abiding interest in the      
result4 ,he was not an instrument       
mechanically interposed1 but one whose  
faith and love had wrought to bring the 
result to pass4 ,to him it had been     
given to labour and pray1 to watch and  
guide1 to spend and to be spent4 ,and   
when the ,apostle saw the lives of many 
true followers of ,christ unfold as the 
result of his ministry1 he could think  
that ,god owned his place too in        
bringing all this tribute to the temple4
 ,god grants me a standing in the       
service of this offering4 ,the          
,philippians bring it1 each for himself1
 and it is theirs2 but ,i also bring it1
 and it is my offering too4 ,god takes  
it at their hand1 but also at my hand1  
as something which with all my heart ,i 
have laboured for and won1 and brought  
to ,his footstool4 ,i also have my place
 to present to ,christ the sacrifice and
 service of faith of all these men who  
are living fruits of my ministry4 ,i    
have been minister of ,christ to these  

,gentiles1 'ministering the gospel of   
the grace of ,god1 that the offering up 
of these ,gentiles might be acceptable1 
being sanctified by the ,holy ,ghost4 ,i
 have therefore whereof ,i may glory    
through ,jesus ,christ' 7,rom4 xv4 #af1 
#ag74  ,there remains but one step to be
 made1 to reach the seventeenth verse4  
,consider the ,apostle's heart glowing  
with the thought that ,god counted the  
holy fruits of those believing lives to 
be sacrifice and service of his1 as well
 as theirs1 and accepted it not only    
from their hands1 but from ,paul's too4 
,consider the gladness with which he    
felt that after all his toil and pains  
he had this great offering to bring1 as 
his thank-offering to his ,lord4 ,and   
then imagine him hearing a voice which  
says3 ,now then1 seal your service1     
crown your offering2 be yourself the    
final element of sacrifice2 pour out    
your life4 ,you have laboured and       
toiled1 spent years and strength1 very  
willingly1 and most fruitfully3 that is 

over now2 one thing remains2 die for the
 worthy name of ,him who died for you4  
,it is this he is contemplating3 if ,i  
be poured out at the sacrifice and      
service of your faith2 if ,i am called  
to go on and to complete the sacrifice  
and service2 if one thing more alone is 
left for ,paul the aged and the         
prisoner1 and that one thing be to lay  
down the life whose labours are ending2 
if the life itself is to run out in one 
final testimony that my whole heart1    
that all ,i am and have are             
,christ's1--shall not ,i rejoice8 will  
not you rejoice with me8 ,that will be  
the final identification of my life with
 your sacrifice and service4 ,it will be
 the expression of ,god's accepting the 
completed gift4 ,it will be the libation
 that crowns the service4 ,i am not to  
be used1 and then set aside as having no
 more interest in the results4 ,on the  
contrary1 your ,christianity and mine1  
in the wonderful relation they have to  
one another1 are to pass to ,god        

together as one offering4 ,if1 after    
running and labouring1 all issues in my 
life being finally poured out in        
martyrdom1 that1 as it were1 identifies 
me finally and inseparably with the     
sacrifice and service which has filled  
your lives1 and also my life4 ,it       
becomes one complete offering4  ,it may 
give cause for thought to ministers of  
the gospel that the ,apostle should so  
vitally and vividly connect himself with
 the results of his work4 ,it was no    
languid1 no perfunctory ministry that   
led up to this high mood4 ,his heart's  
blood had been in it2 the strength and  
passion of his love to ,christ had been 
poured out and spent on his work and his
 converts4 ,therefore he could feel that
 in some gracious and blessed way the   
fruits that came were still his--given  
to him to bring to the altar of the     
,lord4 ,how well shall it be with the   
,churches when the ministry of their    
pastors burns with a flame like this6   
,what an image of the pastoral care is  

here expressed6  ,but may not all       
,christian hearts be stirred to see the 
devotedness and the love which filled   
this man's soul8 ,the constraining power
 of the love of ,christ so wrought in   
him that he triumphed and rejoiced both 
in bringing and in becoming an          
offering1--breaking out1 as it were1    
into sacrifice and service1 and pouring 
out his life an offering to the ,father 
and the ,son4 ,all hearts may be        
stirred2 for all1 perhaps1 can imagine  
such a mood4 ,but how many of us have it
 as a principle and a passion entering  
into our own lives8     ,,timothy ,,and 
,,epaphroditus4       ,but ,i hope in   
the ,lord ,jesus to send ,timothy       
shortly unto you1      that ,i also may 
be of good comfort1 when ,i know your   
state4 ,for ,i      have no man         
likeminded1 who will care truly         
genuinely for your      state4 ,for they
 all seek their own1 not the things of  
,jesus ,christ4      ,but ye know the   
proof of him1 that1 as a child serveth a

 father1 so      he served with me in   
furtherance of the gospel4 ,him         
therefore ,i      hope to send          
forthwith1 so soon as ,i shall see how  
it will go with      me3 but ,i trust in
 the ,lord that ,i myself also shall    
come shortly4      ,but ,i counted it   
necessary to send to you ,epaphroditus1 
my brother      and fellow-worker and   
fellow-soldier1 and your messenger and  
minister to my need2 since he longed    
after you all1 and was sore             
troubled1 because ye had heard that he  
was sick3 for indeed he was      sick   
nigh unto death3 but ,god had mercy on  
him2 and not on him      only1 but on me
 also1 that ,i might not have sorrow    
upon sorrow4 ,i      have sent him      
therefore the more diligently1 that1    
when ye see him      again1 ye may      
rejoice1 and that ,i may be the less    
sorrowful4      ,receive him therefore  
in the ,lord with all joy2 and hold such
 in      honour3 because for the work of
 ,christ he came nigh unto death1       

hazarding his life to supply that which 
was lacking in your service      toward 
me4--,,phil4 ii4 #ai-cj 7,r4,v474       
,,chapter ,,ix4  ,,timothy ,,and        
,,epaphroditus4   ,the outpouring of his
 thoughts1 his feelings1 and his desires
 towards the ,philippians has so far    
spent itself4 ,now he turns to mention  
the steps he is taking1 in response to  
their communication1 to express         
practically his love and his care for   
their welfare4 ,yet we must carry along 
with us what has just been said of the  
,christian service and sacrifice1 and of
 the tie between the ,apostle and his   
converts2 for these thoughts are still  
in the ,apostle's mind1 and they gleam  
through the passage which now comes     
before us4  ,paul had been contemplating
 the possibility of dying soon in his   
,master's cause3 no doubt it was an     
alternative often present to his mind2  
and we see with what a glow of high     
association it rose before him4 ,still  
he1 like ourselves1 had to await his    

,master's will1 had meanwhile to carry  
on the business of his life1 and indeed 
7ch4 i4 #be7 was aware that the         
prolongation of his life might very     
likely be a course of things more in the
 line of ,god's purpose1 and more       
serviceable to the ,churches at         
,philippi and elsewhere4 ,so1 while he  
has expressed the mood in which both    
they and he are to face the event of his
 martyrdom1 when it comes1 he does not  
hesitate to express the expectation that
 he may be set free and may see them    
again4 ,meanwhile he has made up his    
mind ere long to send ,timothy4 ,timothy
 will bring them news of ,paul1 and will
 represent the ,apostle among them as   
only a very near and confidential friend
 could do2 at the same time he will     
bring back to ,paul an account of things
 at ,philippi1 no doubt after doing all 
that with ,god's help he could to       
instruct1 correct1 and edify the ,church
 during his stay4 ,in this way a        
sustaining and gladdening experience for

 the ,philippian ,christians would be   
provided2 and1 at the same time1 ,paul  
too 7,i also1 ver4 #ai7 would be        
gladdened by receiving from so          
trustworthy a deputy a report upon men  
and things at ,philippi4 ,in connection 
with this declaration of his intention1 
the ,apostle reveals some of the        
reflections which had occupied his mind2
 and these suggest several lessons4  #a4
 ,notice the spirit of self-sacrifice on
 ,paul's part4 ,timothy was the one     
thoroughly trusted and congenial friend 
within his reach4 ,to a man who was a   
prisoner1 and on whom the burden of many
 anxieties fell1 it was no small ease to
 have one such friend beside him4 ,our  
blessed ,lord ,himself craved for loving
 human fellowship in ,his time of       
sorrow2 and so must ,paul do also4 ,yet 
all must give way to the comfort and    
well-being of the ,churches4 ,as soon as
 ,paul can descry how it is to go with  
him1 so that plans may be adjusted to   
the likelihoods of the situation1       

,timothy is to go on his errand to      
,philippi4  #b4 ,notice the importance  
which may justly attach to human        
instrumentalities4 ,one is not as good  
as another4 ,some are far more fit for  
use than others are4 ,the ,apostle      
thought earnestly on the point who was  
fittest to go1 and he was glad he had a 
man like ,timothy to send4 ,it is true  
that the supreme source of success in   
gospel work is ,god ,himself2 and       
sometimes ,he gives unexpected success  
to unlikely instruments4 ,but yet1 as a 
rule1 much depends on men being adapted 
to their work4 ,when ,god prepares fresh
 blessing for ,his ,church1 ,he commonly
 raises up men fitted for the service to
 be rendered4 ,therefore we do well to  
pray earnestly for men eminently        
qualified to do the ,lord's work4  #c4  
,timothy's special fitness for this     
mission was that he had a heart to care 
for them1 especially to care for their  
true and highest interests4 ,so far1 he 
resembled ,paul himself4 ,he had the    

true pastoral heart4 ,he had caught the 
lessons of ,paul's own life4 ,that was  
the main thing4 ,no doubt he had        
intellectual gifts1 but his dispositions
 gave him the right use of gifts4 ,the  
loving heart1 and the watchfulness and  
thoughtfulness which that inspires1 do  
more to create pastoral wisdom than any 
intellectual superiority4 ,timothy had a
 share of the mind of ,christ 7ver4 #e71
 and that made him meet to be a wise    
inspector and adviser for the           
,philippians1 as well as a trustworthy  
reporter concerning their state and     
prospects4  #d4 ,what is most fitted to 
impress us1 is the difficulty which     
,paul experienced in finding a suitable 
messenger1 and the manner in which he   
describes his difficulty4 ,he was       
conscious in himself of a               
self-forgetting love and care for the   
,churches1 which was part1 and a great  
part1 of his ,christian character4 ,he  
was ready 7#a ,cor4 x4 #cc7 to please   
all men in all things1 not seeking his  

own profit1 but the profit of many1 that
 they might be saved4 ,he looked out for
 men among his friends whose hearts     
might answer to him here1 but he did not
 find them4 ,he had no man likeminded4  
,one indeed was found1 but no more4 ,as 
he looked round1 a sense of             
disappointment settled on him4  ,one    
asks of whom this statement is          
made--that he finds none                
likeminded--that all seek their own8    
,probably not of ,epaphroditus1 for     
,epaphroditus goes at any rate1 and the 
question is about some one in addition1 
to be1 as it were1 ,paul's              
representative and commissioner4 ,nor   
are we entitled to say that it applies  
to ,tychicus1 ,aristarchus1 ,marcus1 and
 ,jesus1 mentioned in ,colossians iv4   
,for these men might not be with the    
,apostle at the precise moment of his   
writing to the ,philippians2 and the    
character given to them in the ,epistle 
to the ,colossians seems to set them    
clear of the inculpation in this        

passage3 unless we suppose that1 even in
 the case of some of them1 a failure had
 emerged near the time when the ,epistle
 was written1 which vexed the ,apostle1 
and forced him to judge them unprepared 
at present for the service4 ,it will be 
safest1 however1 not to assume that     
these men were with him1 or that they   
are here in view4  ,still1 the sad      
comment of the ,apostle must apply to   
men of some standing and some           
capacity1--men of ,christian profession1
 men who might naturally be thought of  
in connection with such a task4 ,as he  
surveyed them1 he was obliged to note   
the deplorable defect1 which perhaps had
 not struck himself so forcibly until he
 began to weigh the men against the     
mission he was planning for them4 ,then 
he saw how they came short2 and also1   
how this same blight prevailed generally
 among the ,christians around him4 ,men 
were not likeminded2 no man was         
likeminded4 ,all seek their own1 not the
 things which are ,jesus ,christ's4 ,is 

not this a sad saying8 ,what might one  
expect at the outset of a noble cause1  
the cause of ,christ's truth and        
,church8 ,what might one count upon in  
the circle that stood nearest to the    
,apostle ,paul8 ,yet this is the account
 of it1--,all seek their own1 not the   
things which are ,jesus ,christ's4  ,is 
it any wonder that the ,apostle pleads  
earnestly with ,christians to cherish   
the mind of not looking each of you to  
his own things 7ver4 #d72 that he       
presses the great example of the        
,saviour ,himself2 that he celebrates   
elsewhere 7#a ,cor4 xiii47 the beauty of
 that love which seeketh not its own and
 beareth all things8 ,for we see how the
 meaner spirit beset him and hemmed him 
in1 even in the circle of his ,christian
 friends4  ,what does his description   
mean8 ,it does not mean that the men in 
question broke the ordinary ,christian  
rules4 ,it does not mean that any       
,church could have disciplined them for 
provable sins4 ,nay1 it does not mean   

that they were destitute of fear of ,god
 and love to ,christ4 ,but yet1 to the  
,apostle's eye1 they were too visibly   
swayed by the eagerness about their own 
things2 so swayed1 that their ordinary  
course was governed and determined by   
it4 ,it might be love of ease1 it might 
be covetousness1 it might be pride1 it  
might be party opinion1 it might be     
family interests1 it might even be      
concentration on their own religious    
comfort3--however it might be1 to this  
it came in the end1 ,all seek their own4
 ,some of them might be quite unsound1  
deceivers or deceived2 especially1 for  
instance1 if ,demas 7#b ,tim4 iv4 #aj7  
was one of them4 ,but even those of whom
 the ,apostle might be persuaded better 
things1 and things that accompany       
salvation1 were so far gone in this     
disease of seeking their own1 that the  
,apostle could have no confidence in    
sending them1 as otherwise he would have
 done1 on a mission in which the mind   
and care of ,christ were to be expressed

 to ,christ's ,church4 ,he could not    
rely on a genuine care4  ,you mistake if
 you suppose this faulty state implied1 
in all these cases1 a deliberate1       
conscious preference of their own things
 above the things of ,jesus ,christ4    
,the men might really discern a supreme 
beauty and worth in the things of       
,christ2 they might honestly judge that 
,christ had a supreme claim on their    
loyalty2 and they might have a purpose  
to adhere to ,christ and ,christ's cause
 at great cost1 if the cost must finally
 be borne4 ,and yet meanwhile1 in their 
common life1 the other principle        
manifested itself far too victoriously4 
,the place which their own things       
held--the degree in which their life was
 influenced by the bearing of things on 
themselves1 was far from occupying that 
subordinate place which ,christ has     
assigned to it4 ,the things of ,jesus   
,christ did not rise in their minds     
above other interests1 but were jostled1
 and crowded1 and thrust aside by a     

thousand things that were their own4    
,you may not cherish any avowed purpose 
to seek your own2 you may have learned  
to love ,christ for the best reasons2   
you may have the root of the matter in  
you2 you may have made some sacrifices  
that express a sense of ,christ's       
supreme claims3 and yet you may be a    
poor style of ,christian1 an            
inconsistent ,christian1 a careless1    
unwatchful ,christian4 ,especially you  
may habitually fail to make a generous  
estimate of the place to be given to the
 things of ,jesus ,christ4 ,you may not 
be reckoned so defective either in      
general judgment or in your own esteem1 
because you may come up very well to    
what is usually expected4 ,and yet you  
may be allowing any ,christianity you   
have to be largely stifled and repressed
 by foreign and alien influences1 by a  
crowd of occupations and recreations    
that steal heart and life away4 ,you may
 be taking no proper pains1 no loving   
pains1 to be a ,christian1 in ,christ's 

sense of what that should be4 ,though   
only at the beginning of the conflict1  
you may be living as if there was       
scarcely a conflict to be fought4 ,and  
so in practice1 in the history of your  
hours1 you may be seeking your own      
things to an extent that is even        
disgraceful to ,christian religion4 ,you
 may allow your course of thought and   
action to be dictated by that which is  
of self1 by gain1 self-indulgence1 or   
frivolity1 to a degree that would even  
be appalling if your eyes were opened to
 discern it4 ,we all know that in       
religious exercises formality may usurp 
a large place1 even in the case of men  
who have received power for reality4    
,just so in the ,christian course1 and  
under the ,christian name and calling1  
what is your own may be suffered to     
encroach most lamentably on the higher  
principle2 so that an ,apostle looking  
at you must say1 ,they all seek their   
own1 not the things that are ,jesus     
,christ's4 ,you are not faithful enough 

to apply ,christ's standard to your     
heart and ways1 nor diligent enough to  
seek ,his ,spirit4 ,perhaps if you were 
strongly tempted to deny ,christ1 or to 
fall into some great scandalous sin1 you
 would awaken to the danger and cling to
 your ,saviour for your life4 ,but as   
things go commonly1 you let them go4    
,and the consequence is1 you are largely
 losing your lives4 ,what should be your
 contribution to the good cause1 and so 
should be your own gladness and honour1 
never comes to pass4 ,some of you have  
thoughts in your own minds upon this    
point1 why you do not seem to find any  
doorways into ,christian usefulness4    
,you do wish to see ,christ's cause     
prosper4 ,yet somehow it never seems to 
come to your hands to do anything       
effectually or fruitfully for the cause4
 ,what can the reason be8 ,alas1 in the 
case of how many the reason is just what
 it was in the case of ,paul's friends3 
you are so largely seeking your own     
things1 not the things that are ,jesus  

,christ's1 that you are not fit to be   
sent on any mission4 ,if the ,apostle   
could say this to the ,christians of his
 day1 how great must be the danger      
still6  ,now if we look at it as part of
 the experience of ,paul the ,apostle1  
to find this temper so prevailing around
 him1 we learn another lesson4 ,we know 
,paul's character1 his enthusiasm1 the  
magnanimous faith and love with which he
 counted all to be loss in comparison of
 ,christ4 ,and yet1 we see what he found
 among the ,christians around him4 ,this
 has been so in every age4 ,the         
unreasonableness1 faintheartedness1 and 
faithlessness of men1 the               
unchristlikeness of ,christians1 have   
been matter of experience4 ,if our      
hearts were enlarged to plan and        
endeavour more generously for ,christ's 
cause1 we should feel this a great      
trial4 ,all large-hearted ,christians   
have to encounter it4 ,let it be        
remembered that it is not peculiar to   
any age4 ,the ,apostle had full         

experience of it4 ,demas hath forsaken  
me1 having loved this present world4444 
,alexander the coppersmith did me much  
evil4444 ,at my first answer no man     
stood with me1 but all men forsook me   
7#b ,tim4 iv4 #aj-af74 ,let us be       
assured1 that if ,christ's work is to be
 done1 we must be prepared not only for 
the opposition of the world1 but for the
 coldness and the disapprobation of many
 in the ,church--of some whom we        
cordially believe to be1 after all1     
heirs of the kingdom4  ,timothy is to go
 to ,philippi1 and is to bring to ,paul 
a full report4 ,but1 at the same time1  
the ,apostle finds it necessary to send 
,epaphroditus1 not1 apparently1 with a  
view to his returning to ,rome again1   
but to resume his residence at          
,philippi4 ,it seems1 on all accounts1  
reasonable to believe that ,epaphroditus
 belonged to the ,philippian ,church1   
and was in office there4 ,in this case  
he is to be distinguished from ,epaphras
 7,col4 iv4 #ab71 with whom some would  

identify him1 for no doubt ,epaphras    
belonged to ,coloss4 ,epaphroditus had  
come to ,rome1 bearing with him the     
gifts which assured ,paul of the loving 
remembrance in which he was held at     
,philippi1 and of the abiding desire to 
minister to him which was cherished     
there4 ,his own ,christian zeal led     
,epaphroditus to undertake the duty1 and
 he had borne himself in it as became a 
warm-hearted and public-spirited        
,christian4 ,he had been ,paul's brother
 and fellow-workman and fellow-soldier4 
,but1 meanwhile1 the ,apostle was aware 
how valuable his presence might be felt 
to be at ,philippi4 ,and ,epaphroditus  
himself had conceived a longing to see  
the old friends1 and to resume the old  
activities in the ,philippian ,church4  
,for he had been sick1 very sick1 almost
 dead4 ,amid the weakness and inactivity
 of convalescence1 his thoughts had been
 much at ,philippi1 imagining how the   
brethren there might be moved at the    
tidings of his state1 and yearning1     

perhaps1 for the faces and the voices   
which he knew so well4 ,paul was        
accustomed to restrain and sacrifice his
 own feelings2 but that did not make him
 inattentive to the feelings of other   
people4 ,trying as his position at ,rome
 was1 he would not keep ,epaphroditus in
 these circumstances4 ,he had had great 
comfort in his company1 and would be    
glad to retain it4 ,but he would be more
 glad to think of the joy at ,philippi  
when ,epaphroditus should return4 ,so he
 gives back ,epaphroditus4 ,as he does  
so he admonishes his friends to value   
adequately what they are receiving4     
,paul was sending to them a true-hearted
 and large-hearted ,christian2 one who  
allowed nothing--neither difficulties   
nor risks--to stand in the way of       
,christian service and ,christian       
sympathy4 ,let such men be had in       
reputation4 ,it is a lawful and right   
thing to make a high estimate of        
,christian character where it eminently 
appears1 and to honour such persons very

 highly in love4 ,if they are not       
honoured and prized1 it is too likely   
that others will be whom it is not so   
fit and so wholesome to admire4 ,and the
 ground of admiration in the case of    
,epaphroditus sets once more before us  
the theme of the whole chapter3         
,epaphroditus was to be had in          
reputation because he had approved      
himself to be one seeking not his own1  
one willing to lay down his life for the
 brethren4     ,,no ,,confidence ,,in   
,,the ,,flesh4       ,finally1 my       
brethren1 rejoice in the ,lord4 ,to     
write the same      things to you1 to me
 indeed is not irksome1 but for you it  
is safe4      ,beware of the dogs1      
beware of the evil workers1 beware of   
the      concision3 for we are the      
circumcision1 who worship by the ,spirit
      of ,god1 and glory in ,christ     
,jesus1 and have no confidence in the   
flesh3 though ,i myself might have      
confidence even in the flesh3 if        
any other man thinketh to have          

confidence in the flesh1 ,i yet more3   
circumcised the eighth day1 of the stock
 of ,israel1 of the tribe of            
,benjamin1 a ,hebrew of ,hebrews2 as    
touching the law1 a ,pharisee2 as       
touching zeal1 persecuting the ,church2 
as touching the      righteousness which
 is in the law1 found blameless4        
,howbeit what      things were gain to  
me1 these have ,i counted loss for      
,christ4 ,yea      verily1 and ,i count 
all things to be loss for the excellency
 of the      knowledge of ,christ ,jesus
 my ,lord4--,,phil4 iii4 #a-h 7,r4,v474 
,,chapter ,x4  ,,no ,,confidence ,,in   
,,the ,,flesh4   ,the third chapter     
contains the portion of this ,epistle in
 which1 perhaps1 one is hardest put to  
it to keep pace with the writer4 ,here  
he gives us one of his most remarkable  
expositions of true ,christian religion 
as he knew it1 and as he maintains it   
must essentially exist for others also4 
,he does this in a burst of thought and 
feeling expressed together3 so that1 if 

we are to take his meaning1 the fire and
 the light must both alike do their work
 upon us2 we must feel and see both at  
once4 ,this is one of the pages to which
 a ,bible reader turns again and again4 
,it is one of the passages that have    
special power to find and to stir       
believing men4  ,yet it seems to find   
its place in the letter almost          
incidentally4  ,it would seem1 as some  
have thought1 that in the first verse of
 this chapter the ,apostle begins to    
draw his letter to a close4 ,cheerful   
words of farewell begin to shape        
themselves4 ,at the same time a closing 
reference is in view to some practical  
danger that required to be guarded      
against4 ,almost suddenly things take a 
new turn1 and a flood of great ideas    
claim and take their place4  ,finally1  
my brethren1 rejoice in the ,lord4      
,rejoice1 ,be of good cheer1 was the    
common formula of leave-taking4 ,the    
same word is translated farewell in #b  
,cor4 xiii4 #aa 7,authorised and        

,revised ,versions74 ,but the ,apostle1 
especially in this ,epistle1 which is   
itself inspired by so much of ,christian
 gladness1 cannot but emphasise the     
proper meaning of the customary phrase4 
,rejoice1 yes1 rejoice1 my brethren1 in 
the ,lord4 ,the same turn of thought    
recurs again in ch4 iv4 #d4 ,what it is 
fitted to suggest will be equally in    
place when we reach that point4  ,now he
 seems to be on the point of introducing
 some subject already referred to1      
either in this or in a previous         
,epistle4 ,it concerned the safety of   
the ,philippians1 and it required some  
courteous preface in touching on it once
 again2 so that1 most likely1 it was a  
point of some delicacy4 ,some have      
thought this topic might be the tendency
 to dissension which had appeared in    
,philippi4 ,it is a subject which comes 
up again in ch4 iv43 it may have been   
upon the point of coming up here4 ,the  
closing words of ver4 #a might well     
enough preface such a reference4 ,the   

theme was not so pleasant as some of    
those on which he had written3 it might 
be delicate for him to handle2 and it   
might call for some effort on their part
 to take it well4 ,yet it concerned     
their safety they that should fully     
realise this element of the situation1  
and should take the right view of it4   
,therefore also the ,apostle would not  
count it irksome to do his part in      
relation to it4 ,people entangled in a  
fault are in circumstances not          
favourable to a right estimate of their 
own case4 ,they need help from those who
 can judge more soundly4 ,yet help must 
be tendered with a certain              
considerateness4  ,but at this point a  
new impulse begins to operate4 ,perhaps 
the ,apostle was interrupted1 and1      
before he could resume1 some news       
reaches him1 awakening afresh the       
indignation with which he always        
regarded the tactics of the ,judaisers4 
,nothing indicates that the ,philippian 
,church was much disposed to ,judaise4  

,but if at this juncture some new       
disturbance from the ,judaisers befell  
his work at ,rome1 or if news of that   
kind reached him from some other field1 
it might suggest the possibility of     
those sinister influences finding their 
way also to ,philippi4 ,this is1 of     
course1 a conjecture merely2 but it is  
not an unreasonable one4 ,it has been   
offered as an explanation of the        
somewhat sudden burst of warning that   
breaks upon us in ch4 iii4 #b2 while1 in
 the more tranquil strain of ch4 iv41   
topics are resumed which easily link    
themselves to ch4 iii4 #a4c    #c ,in   
the text ,ewald's suggestion is         
followed1 in the form given to it   by  
,lightfoot4 ,meyer's view1 however1 may 
seem simpler to some readers4   ,he     
thinks that the same things of ch4 iii4 
#a are the warnings against   ,judaising
 which actually follow in ver4 #b4      
,according to ,meyer1 the   ,apostle had
 already1 in a previous ,epistle1 warned
 the ,philippians   against the         

,judaisers1 and he considers it safer   
for them and not   irksome to himself to
 repeat the admonition4 ,in this view   
the   connection between vv4 #a and #b  
may be stated in this way3 ,rejoice in  
the ,lord2 and1 need ,i repeat it8--yes1
 it is better that ,i should   repeat   
it1--rejoicing in the ,lord is wholly   
contrary to that boasting in   the flesh
 which characterises some great         
religious pretenders well known   to you
 and me4 ,beware of them6 ,the energetic
 scorn of the phrasing is   explained by
 supposing that the circumstances and   
the argument of the   former ,epistle   
had led to this animated denunciation1  
so that the   ,apostle recapitulates    
phrases that were well remembered in the
   ,philippian congregation4  ,still1   
even if this denunciation of ,judaising 
comes in rather unexpectedly1 it does   
not really disturb the main drift of the
 ,epistle1 nor does it interfere with   
the lessons which the ,philippians were 
to learn4 ,it rather contributes to     

enforce the views and deepen the        
impressions at which ,paul aims4 ,for   
the denunciation becomes the occasion of
 introducing a glowing description of   
how ,christ found ,paul1 and what ,paul 
found in ,christ4 ,this is set against  
the religion of ,judaising4 ,but at the 
same time1 and by the nature of the     
case1 it becomes a magnificent exposure 
and rebuke of all fleshly religionising1
 of all the ways of being religious that
 are superficial1 self-confident1 and   
worldly-minded4 ,it also becomes a      
stirring call to what is most central   
and vital in ,christian religion4 ,if   
then there was at ,philippi1 as there is
 everywhere1 a tendency to be too easily
 contented with what they had attained2 
or to reconcile ,christianity with      
self-seeking2 or to indulge a           
,christianised arrogance and            
quarrelsomeness2 or1 in any other shape1
 having begun in the spirit to be made  
perfect in the flesh1--here was exactly 
what they needed4 ,here1 too1 they might

 find a vivid representation of the one 
spirit in which they were to stand fast1
 the one soul in which they were to     
labour together 7ch4 i4 #bg74 ,that one 
spirit is the mind which is caught1     
held1 vitalised1 continually drawn      
upwards and forwards1 by the revelation 
and the appropriation of ,christ4  ,the 
truth is that a remiss ,christianity    
always becomes very much a ,judaism4    
,such ,christianity assumes that a life 
of respectable conventions1 carried on  
within sacred institutions1 will please 
,god and save our souls4 ,what the      
,apostle has to set against ,judaism may
 very well be set against that in all   
its forms4  ,keep an eye on the dogs1 on
 the evil workers1 on the concision4    
,the ,judaisers are not to occupy him   
very long1 but we see they are going to 
be thoroughly disposed of4 ,dogs is a   
term borrowed from their own vocabulary4
 ,they classed the ,gentiles 7even the  
uncircumcised ,christians7 as dogs1     
impure beings who devoured all kinds of 

meat and were open to all kinds of      
uncleanness4 ,but themselves1 the       
,apostle intimates1 were the truly      
impure1 shutting themselves out from the
 true purity1 the heart's purity1 and   
7as ,dr4 ,lightfoot expresses it7       
devouring the garbage of carnal         
ordinances4 ,they were also evil        
workers1 mischievous busybodies1        
pertinaciously busy1 but busy to undo   
rather than to build up what is good1   
subverting men's souls 7,acts xv4 #bd74 
,and they were the concision2 not the   
circumcision according to the true      
intent of that ordinance1 but the       
concision1 the mutilation or gashing4   
,circumcision was a word which carried  
in its heart a high meaning of          
separation from evil and of consecration
 to the ,lord4 ,that meaning 7and       
therefore also the word which carried   
it7 pertained to gospel believers1      
whether outwardly circumcised or not4   
,for the ,judaising zealots could be    
claimed only a circumcision which had   

lost its sense1 and which no more       
deserved the name1--a senseless gashing 
of the flesh1 a concision4 ,all these   
terms seem to be levelled at certain    
persons who are in the ,apostle's view1 
and are not unknown to the ,philippians1
 though not necessarily resident in that
 city4  ,for any full statement of the  
grounds of the ,apostle's indignation at
 the ,judaising propaganda1 the reader  
must be referred to the expository      
writings on other ,epistles1 especially 
on those to the ,corinthians and to the 
,galatians4 ,here a few words must      
suffice4 ,judaising made the highest    
pretensions to religious security and   
success2 it proposed to expound the only
 worthy and genuine view of man's       
relation to ,god4 ,but in reality the   
,judaisers wholly misrepresented        
,christianity1 for they had missed the  
main meaning of it4 ,judaising turned   
men's minds away from what was highest  
to what was lowest1--from love to law1  
from ,god's gifts to man's merits1 from 

inward life and power to outward        
ceremonial performance1 from the        
spiritual and eternal to the material   
and the temporary4 ,it was a huge1      
melancholy mistake2 and yet it was      
pressed upon ,christians as the true    
religion1 which availed with ,god1 and  
could alone bring blessing to men4      
,hence1 as our ,lord denounced the      
,pharisees with special                 
energy1--sometimes with withering       
sarcasm 7,luke xi4 #dg71--so1 and for   
the same reasons1 does ,paul attack the 
,judaisers4 ,the ,pharisees applied     
themselves to turn the religion of      
,israel into a soul-withering business  
of formalism and pride2 and ,paul's     
opponents strove to pervert to like     
effect even the gracious and life-giving
 gospel of ,christ4 ,to such he would   
give place1 no1 not for an hour4  ,two  
things may be suggested here4 ,one is   
the responsibility incurred by those who
 make a religious profession1 and in    
that character endeavour to exert       

religious influence upon others4 ,such  
men are taking possession1 as far as    
they can1 of what is highest and most   
sacred in the soul's capacities2 and if 
they misdirect the soul's life here1 if 
consciously or unconsciously they betray
 interests so sacred1 if they           
successfully teach men to take false    
coin for true in the matter of the      
soul's dealings with ,god and with its  
own welfare1 their responsibility is of 
the heaviest4  ,another point to notice 
is the energy with which the ,apostle   
thinks it right to denounce these evil  
workers4 ,denunciation is a line of     
things in which1 as we know very well1  
human passion is apt to break loose--the
 wrath of man which worketh not the     
righteousness of ,god4 ,the history of  
religious controversy has made this very
 plain4 ,yet surely we may say that zeal
 for truth must sometimes show itself in
 an honest indignation against the      
wilfulness and the blindness of those   
who are misleading others4 ,it is not   

always well to be merely mild and       
placable4 ,that may arise in some cases 
from no true charity1 but rather from   
indifference1 or from an amiability that
 is indolent and selfish4 ,it is good to
 be zealously affected in a good thing4 
,only1 we have reason to take heed to   
ourselves and to our own spirit1 when we
 are moved to be zealous in the line of 
condemning and denouncing4 ,not all who 
do so have approved their right to do   
it1 by tokens of spiritual wisdom and   
single-hearted sincerity such as marked 
the life and work of ,paul4  ,the       
,judaisers put abroad the false coin1   
and believers in ,christ1 whether       
circumcised or not1 had the true4 ,we   
are the circumcision1 who worship by the
 ,spirit of ,god1 and who glory in      
,christ ,jesus1 and who put no          
confidence in the flesh4 ,such are truly
 ,abraham's children 7,gal4 iii4 #bi74  
,to them belong whatever relation to    
,god1 and interest in ,god1 were        
shadowed forth by circumcision in the   

days of old4  ,no doubt1 the rite of    
circumcision was outward2 and no doubt  
it came to be connected with a great    
system of outward ordinances and outward
 providences4 ,yet circumcision1        
according to the ,apostle1 pointed not  
outwards1 but inwards 7,rom4 ii4 #bh1   
#bi74 ,elsewhere he lays stress on this1
 that circumcision1 when first given1   
was a seal of faith4 ,in the ,old       
,testament itself1 the complaint made by
 the prophets1 speaking for ,god1 was   
that the people1 though circumcised in  
flesh1 were of uncircumcised heart and  
uncircumcised ears4 ,and ,god threatens 
to punish ,israel with the              
,gentiles--the circumcised with the     
uncircumcised--because all the house of 
,israel are uncircumcised in heart4     
,the true circumcision then must be     
those1 in the first place1 who have the 
true1 the essentially true worship4     
,circumcision set men apart as          
worshippers of the true ,god3 hence     
,israel came to be thought of as a      

people instantly serving 7or            
worshipping7 ,god day and night4 ,that  
this worship must include more than     
outward service in order to be a        
success--that it should include elements
 of high spiritual worth1 was disclosed 
in ,old ,testament revelation with      
growing clearness4 ,one promise on which
 it rested was3 ,the ,lord thy ,god will
 circumcise thine heart1 and the heart  
of thy seed1 to love the ,lord thy ,god 
with all thy heart1 and with all thy    
soul1 that thou mayest live4 ,the true  
circumcision1 those who answer to the   
type which circumcision was meant to    
set1 must be those who have the true    
worship4 ,now that is the worship by the
 ,spirit2 on which we shall have a word 
to say presently4  ,and again1 the true 
circumcision must be those who have the 
true glorying4 ,israel1 called to glory 
in their ,god1 were set apart also to   
cherish in that connection a great hope1
 which was to bless their line1 and1    
through them1 the world4 ,that hope was 

fulfilled in ,christ4 ,the true         
circumcision were those who welcomed the
 fulfilment of the promise1 who rejoiced
 in the fulness of the blessing1 because
 they had eyes to see and hearts to feel
 its incomparable worth4  ,and          
certainly1 therefore1 as men who had    
discovered the true foundation and      
refuge1 they must renounce and turn from
 the false trust1 they must put no      
confidence in the flesh4 ,is this1      
however1 a paradox8 ,was not            
circumcision outward1 in the flesh8 ,was
 it not found to be a congruous part of 
a concrete system1 built up of elements 
of this world8 ,was not the temple a    
worldly sanctuary1 and were not the     
sacrifices carnal ordinances8 ,yes2 and 
yet the true circumcision did not trust 
in circumcision4 ,he who truly took the 
meaning of that remarkable dispensation 
was trained to say1 ,doth not my soul   
wait on ,god8 from ,him cometh my       
salvation4 ,and he was trained to       
renounce the confidences in which the   

nations trusted4 ,hence1 though such a  
man could accept instruction and        
impression from many an ordinance and   
many a providence1 he was still led to  
place his trust higher than the flesh4  
,and now1 when the true light was come1 
when the ,kingdom of ,god shone out in  
its spiritual principles and forces1 the
 true circumcision must be found in     
those who turned from that which        
appealed only to the earthly and the    
fleshly mind1 that they might fasten on 
that in which ,god revealed ,himself to 
contrite and longing souls4         99  
99       99       99       99  ,the     
,apostle therefore claimed the          
inheritance and representation of the   
ancient holy people for spiritual       
believers1 rather than for ,judaising   
ritualists4 ,but apart from questions as
 to the connection between successive   
covenants1 it is worth our while to     
weigh well the significance of those    
features of ,christian religion which   
are here emphasised4  ,we1 he says1     

worship by the ,spirit of ,god4 ,the    
,holy ,spirit was not absent from the   
old economy4 ,but in those days the     
consciousness and the faith of ,his     
working were dim1 and the understanding 
of the scope of it was limited4 ,in the 
times of the ,new ,testament1 on the    
contrary1 the promise and the presence  
of the ,spirit assume a primary place4  
,this is the great promise of the       
,father which was to come into          
manifestation and fulfilment when       
,christ had gone away4 ,this1 from      
,pentecost onwards1 was to be           
distinctive of the character of         
,christ's ,church4 ,according to the    
,apostle ,paul1 it is one great end of  
,christ's redemption1 that we may       
receive the promise of the ,spirit      
through faith4 ,so1 in particular1      
,christian worship is by the ,spirit of 
,god4 ,therefore it is a real and most  
inward fellowship with ,god4 ,in this   
worship it is the office of the ,holy   
,spirit to give us a sense of the       

reality of ,divine things1 especially of
 the truths and promises of ,god2 to    
touch our hearts with their goodness1 on
 account especially of the ,divine love 
that breathes in them2 to dispose us to 
decision1 in the way of consent and     
surrender to ,god as thus revealed4 ,he 
takes the things of ,christ1 and shows  
them to us4 ,so he brings us1 in our    
worship1 to meet with ,god1 mind to     
mind1 heart to heart4 ,although all our 
thoughts1 as well as all our desires1   
come short1 yet1 in a measure1 a real   
consent with ,god about ,his ,son and   
about the blessings of ,his ,son's      
gospel comes to pass4 ,then we sing with
 the ,spirit1 when our songs are filled 
with confidence and admiration1 arising 
out of a sense of ,god's glory and      
grace2 and we pray in the ,holy ,ghost1 
when our supplications express this     
loving and thankful close with ,god's   
promises4 ,it is our calling and our    
blessedness to worship by the ,spirit of
 ,god4 ,much of our worship might fall  

silent1 if this alone should be upheld3 
yet this alone avails and finds ,god4   
,whatever obscures this1 or distracts   
attention from it1 whether it be called 
,jewish or ,christian1 does not aid     
worship1 but mars it4  ,it is true that 
the presence of the ,spirit of ,god is  
not discernible otherwise than by the   
fruits of ,his working4 ,and the        
difficulty may be raised1 how can we1 in
 practice1 be secure of having the      
,spirit1 thereby to worship ,god8 ,but1 
on the one hand1 we know in some degree 
what the nature of the worship is which 
,he sustains2 we can form some          
conception of the attitude and exercise 
of soul towards ,christ and ,god which  
constitutes that worship4 ,we do        
therefore know something as to what we  
should seek2 we are aware of the        
direction in which our face should be   
set4 ,on the other hand1 the presence of
 the ,spirit with us1 to make such      
worship real in our case1 is an object  
of faith4 ,we believe in ,god for that  

gracious presence1 and ask for it2 and  
so doing1 we expect it1 according to    
,god's own promise4 ,on this            
understanding we apply ourselves to find
 entrance and progress in the worship   
which is by the ,spirit4  ,all          
appliances which are supposed to aid    
worship1 which are conceived to add to  
its beauty1 pathos1 or sublimity1 are   
tolerable only so far as they do not    
tend to divert us from the worship which
 is by the ,spirit4 ,experience shows   
that men are extremely prone to fall    
back from the simplicity and intentness 
of spiritual worship2 and then they     
cover the gap1 which they cannot fill1  
by outward arrangements of an impressive
 and affecting kind4 ,outward           
arrangements can render real service to 
worshippers1 only if they remove        
hindrances1 and supply conditions under 
which the simplicity and intentness of  
the worship by the ,spirit may go on    
undisturbed4 ,very often they have      
tended exactly in the contrary          

direction2 not the less because they    
have been introduced1 perhaps1 with the 
best intentions4 ,and yet the chief     
question of all is not the more or less1
 the this or that1 of such              
circumstantials2 but rather what the    
heart fixes on and holds by4  ,again1 we
 glory in ,christ ,jesus4 ,christians   
are rich and great1 because ,christ     
,jesus assumes a place in their mind and
 life1 such as makes them partakers of  
all spiritual blessing in ,him4 ,they   
glory1 not in what they are1 or do1 or  
become1 or get1 but in ,christ4         
,glorying in anything implies a deep    
sense of its wonderfulness and worth1   
along with some persuasion that it has a
 happy relation to ourselves4 ,so       
,christ is the power and wisdom of ,god1
 the revelation of the ,father1 the way 
to the ,father1 the centre of blessing1 
the secret of religious restoration1    
attainment1 and success3 and ,he is     
ours2 and ,he sets the type of what we  
through ,him shall be4 ,to glory and    

triumph in ,christ is a leading         
characteristic of ,christian religion4  
,and so1 then1 we put no confidence in  
the flesh4 ,if in ,christ1 under the    
revelation which centres in ,him1 we    
have found the way to ,god and the      
liberty to serve ,god1 then all other   
ways must be for us ipso facto exposed  
and condemned2 they are seen to be      
fallacious and fruitless4 ,all these    
other ways are summed up in the flesh4  
,for the flesh is human nature fallen1  
with the resources which it wields1     
drawn from itself or from earthly       
materials of some kind4 ,and in some    
selection or combination of these       
resources1 the religion of the flesh    
stands4 ,the renunciation of trust in   
such ways of establishing a case before 
,god is included in the acceptance of   
,christ's authority and ,christ's       
salvation4 ,this condemns alike the     
confidence in average morality1 and that
 in accredited ecclesiastical           
surroundings4 ,it condemns confidence in

 even the holiest ,christian rites1 as  
if they could transfer us1 by some      
intrinsic virtue1 into the ,kingdom of  
,god1 or could accredit our standing    
there4 ,the same holds of confidence in 
doctrines1 and even of confidence in    
sentiments4 ,rites1 doctrines1 and      
sentiments have their place of honour1  
as lines in which ,christ and we may    
meet4 ,otherwise they all fall into the 
category of the flesh4 ,many things the 
flesh can do1 in worship as in other    
departments2 but it cannot attain to the
 worship that is by the ,spirit of ,god4
 ,much it can boast of2 but it cannot   
replace ,immanuel2 it cannot fill the   
place of the reconciliation and the     
life4 ,when we learn what kind of       
confidence is needed towards ,god1 and  
find the ground of it in the ,christ of 
,god1 then we cease to rely on the      
flesh4  ,at this point the ,apostle     
cannot but emphasise his own right to   
speak4 ,he appeals to his remarkable    
history4 ,he knows all about this       

,judaic religion1 which glories in the  
flesh1 and he knows also the better way4
 ,the experience which had transformed  
his life entitled him to a hearing2 for1
 indeed1 he1 as no man else1 had        
searched out the worth of both the ways 
of it4 ,so he is led into a remarkable  
testimony regarding the nature and the  
working forces of true ,christian       
religion4 ,and this1 while it serves the
 purpose of throwing deserved disgrace  
on the poor religion of ,judaising1     
serves at the same time a higher and    
more durable purpose4 ,it sets the glory
 of the life of faith1 love1 and        
worship1 against the meanness of all    
fleshly life whatever2 and thus it      
vividly impresses on all hearers and    
readers the alternatives with which we  
have to deal1 and the greatness of the  
choice which we are called to make4  ,if
 ,paul decries the ,jewish glorying in  
the flesh1 it is not because he lacked  
ground1 that had enabled him to cherish 
it and might enable him still to do so4 

,i also have material enough of fleshly 
confidence3--if any other thinks to have
 confidence in the flesh1 ,i more4 ,then
 comes the remarkable catalogue of the  
prerogatives which had once meant so    
much for ,saul of ,tarsus1 filling his  
heart with confidence and exultation4   
,circumcised the eighth day--for he was 
no proselyte1 but born within the fold3 
of the stock of ,israel--for neither had
 his parents been proselytes3 in        
particular1 for he was one whose        
pedigree was ascertained and notorious1 
of the tribe of ,benjamin3 an ,hebrew of
 ,hebrews--nursed and trained1 that is  
to say1 in the very speech and spirit of
 the chosen people2 not1 as some of     
them1 bred up in a foreign tongue1 and  
under alien influences3 concerning the  
law1 a ,pharisee--that is1 of the       
strictest sect of our religion 7,acts   
xxvi4 #e72 for1 as a ,pharisee1 ,saul   
had given himself wholly to know the    
law1 to keep the law1 to teach the law4 
,more yet--as to zeal1 a persecutor of  

the ,church2 in this clause the heat of 
the writer's spirit rises into pathetic 
irony and self-scorn3 ,this appropriate 
outcome of carnal ,judaism1 alas1 was   
not lacking in me3 ,i was not a         
,judaiser of the half-hearted sort4 ,the
 idea is1 that those who1 trusting in   
fleshly ,judaism1 claimed also to be    
,christians1 knew neither their own     
spirit1 nor the proper working of their 
own system4 ,saul of ,tarsus had been no
 such incoherent ,jew2 only too bloodily
 had he proved himself thorough and     
consistent4 ,lastly1 as to law          
righteousness1 the righteousness of     
compliance with rules1 he had been      
unchallengeable2 not a pharisaic        
theorist only1 but a man who made       
conscience of his theory4 ,ah6 he had   
known all this2 and more1 he had been   
forced in a great crisis of his life to 
measure and search out the whole worth  
of it4  ,but what things were gain to   
me--the whole class of things that      
ranked themselves before my eyes1 and in

 my heart1 as making me rich and        
strong--those ,i have esteemed 7in a    
mass7 to be loss for ,christ4 ,they     
ceased to be valuable1 they began to be 
reckoned as elements of disadvantage and
 of loss1 in comparison of ,christ4 ,nor
 these things only1 but even all        
things--,yea doubtless1 and ,i count all
 things but loss for the excellency of  
the knowledge of ,christ ,jesus my      
,lord4 ,all things must include more    
than those old elements of fleshly      
confidence already enumerated4 ,it must 
include everything which ,paul still    
possessed1 or might yet attain1 that    
could be separated from ,christ1 weighed
 against ,him1 brought into competition 
with ,him--all that the flesh could even
 yet take hold of1 and turn into a      
ground of separate confidence and       
boasting4 ,so the phrase might cover    
much that was good in its place1 much   
that the ,apostle was glad to hold in   
,christ and from ,christ1 but which yet 
might present itself to the unwatchful  

heart as material of independent        
boasting1 and which1 in that case1 must 
be met with energetic and resolute      
rejection4 ,all things may include1 for 
instance1 many of those elements of     
,christian and ,apostolic eminence which
 are enumerated in #b ,cor4 xi42 for    
while he thankfully received many such  
things1 and lovingly prized them in     
,christ ,jesus1 yet as they might become
 occasions to flatter or seduce even an 
,apostle--betraying him into            
self-confidence1 or into the assertion  
of some separate worth and glory for    
himself--they must be rejected and      
counted to be loss4  ,the difficulty for
 us here is to estimate worthily the    
elevation of that regard to ,christ     
which had become the inspiration of the 
life of ,paul4  ,at the time when he was
 arrested on the road to ,damascus1 ,god
 revealed ,his ,son to him and in him4  
,paul then became aware of ,jesus as the
 ,messiah of his people1 against whom   
his utmost energies had bent            

themselves--against whom he had sinned  
with his utmost determination4 ,that    
discovery came home to him with a sense 
of great darkness and horror2 and1 no   
doubt1 at the same time1 his whole      
previous conceptions of life1 and his   
judgments of his own life1 were         
subverted1 and fell in ruins around him4
 ,he had had his scheme of life1 of     
success1 of welfare3 it had seemed to   
him a lofty and well-accredited one2    
and1 with whatever misgivings he might  
occasionally be visited1 on the whole he
 thought of himself as working it out   
hopefully and well4 ,now on every side  
were written only defeat1 perplexity1   
and despair4 ,but ere long the ,son of  
,god was revealed in his heart 7,gal4 i4
 #af7 as the ,bearer of righteousness   
and life to sinners--as the embodiment  
of ,divine reconciliation and ,divine   
hope4 ,in this light a new conception of
 the world1 a new scheme of worthy and  
victorious life1 opened itself to       
,paul--new and wonderful4 ,but the      

reason of it1 the hopefulness of it1 the
 endless worth of it1 lay chiefly here1 
that ,god in ,christ had come into his  
life4 ,the true relation of moral life  
to ,god1 and the ends of human life as  
judged by that standard1 were opening   
before him2 but1 if that had stood      
alone1 it might only have completed the 
dismay of the paralysed and stricken    
man4 ,what made all new was the vision  
of ,christ victoriously treading the    
path in which we failed to go1 and of   
,christ dying for the unrighteous4 ,so  
,god came into view1 in ,his love1      
redeeming1 reconciling1 adopting1 giving
 the ,holy ,spirit--and ,he came into   
view in ,christ ,jesus4 ,god was in     
,christ4 ,the manifold relation of the  
living ,god to ,his creature man1 began 
to be felt and verified in the manifold 
relation of ,christ the ,son of ,god1   
the ,mediator and ,saviour1 to the      
broken man who had defied and hated     
,him4 ,christ henceforth became the     
ground1 the meaning1 and the aim of     

,paul's life4 ,life found its           
explanation1 its worth1 its loving      
imperative here4 ,all things else that  
once had value in his eyes fell away4   
,if not entirely dismissed1 they were   
now to have only such place and use as  
,christ assigned to them1 only such as  
could fit the genius of life in ,christ4
 ,and all new prerogatives and          
attainments that might yet accrue to    
,paul1 and might seem entitled to assume
 value in his eyes1 could only have the 
same subordinate place3--,christ first1 
whose light and love1 whose power to fix
 and fill and attract the soul1 made all
 things new2 ,christ first1 so that all 
the rest was comparatively nowhere2     
,christ first1 so that all the rest1 if 
at any time it came into competition    
with ,him1 if it offered itself to ,paul
 as a source of individual confidence   
and boasting1 is recognised as mere     
loss1 and in that character resolutely  
cast away4  ,this had become the living 
and ruling principle with ,paul2 not so1

 indeed1 as to meet with no opposition1 
but so as to prevail and bear down      
opposition4 ,enthusiastically accepted  
and embraced1 it was a principle that   
had to be maintained against temptation1
 against infirmity1 against the strong  
tides of inward habit and outward       
custom4 ,here lay the trial of ,paul's  
sincerity and of ,christ's fidelity and 
power4  ,that trial had run its course3 
it was now not far from its ending4 ,the
 opening of heart and mind to ,christ1  
and the surrender of all to ,him1 had   
not been the matter merely of one hour  
of deep impression and high feeling4 ,it
 had continued1 it was in full force    
still4 ,paul's value for ,christ had    
borne the strain of time1 and change1   
and temptation4 ,now he is ,paul the    
aged1 and also a prisoner of ,christ    
,jesus4 ,has he abated from the force or
 cooled from the confidence of that mind
 of his concerning the ,son of ,god8    
,far otherwise4 ,with a ,yea doubtless  
he tells us that he abides by his first 

conviction1 and affirms his first       
decision4 ,good right he had to testify4
 ,this was not a matter of inward       
feeling only1 however sincere and       
strong4 ,he had been well proved4 ,he   
has suffered the loss of all things2 he 
has seen all his treasures--what are    
counted for such--swept away from him as
 the result of unflinching faith and    
service2 and he counts all to be well   
lost for ,christ4  ,this passage sets   
before us the essential nature of       
,christianity--the essential life of a  
,christian1 as revealed by the effect it
 has on his esteem for other things4    
,many of us1 one supposes1 cannot       
consider it without a sense of deep     
disgrace4 ,the view here given awakens  
many thoughts4 ,some aspects of the     
subject must be dwelt upon for a moment4
  ,those things that were gain1 all     
things that can be gain1 such are the   
objects ,paul here reckons with4 ,the   
believing mind concerning ,christ       
carries with it a changed mind as       

regards all these4  ,apparently1 in some
 deep sense1 there arises for us in this
 world an inevitable competition between
 ,christ on the one hand and all things 
on the other4 ,if we should say some    
things1 we might be in danger of sliding
 into a one-sided puritanism4 ,but we   
escape that risk by saying1             
emphatically1 all things4 ,a decision   
upon this has to be reached1 it has to  
be maintained1 it is to be reaffirmed in
 particulars1 in all particulars4 ,for  
we must remember that the heart of      
,paul1 in this burst of loyalty1 is only
 echoing the call of ,christ3 ,he that  
loveth father or mother more than ,me1  
is not worthy of ,me4 ,let us repeat it1
 this applies to ,,all things4 ,because 
a certain way of feeling and thinking   
about these things1 and especially about
 some of them1 is present with us all1  
which asserts itself against this       
principle1 therefore ,christian life1   
however rich and full1 however gracious 
and generous its character truly is1    

must include a negative at the base of  
it4 ,let a man deny 7or renounce7       
himself1 and take up his cross4  ,that  
life should be subjected to this severe 
competition seems hard3 we may repine at
 it1 and count it needless4 ,we may ask1
 ,why should it be so8 ,why might not   
,christ take ,his place in our          
regard--,his first1 ,his ideal1 ,his    
incomparable place--and1 at the same    
time1 all the other things take their   
place too1 each in due order1 as the    
true conception of human life may imply1
 and as the claims of loyalty to ,christ
 may dictate8 ,why should not each take 
its place1 more prominent or more       
subordinate1 on a principle of harmony  
and happy order8 ,why should life be    
subjected to conflict and strain8 ,we   
may dream of this2 but it will not be4  
,we are such persons1 and the world     
about us is so related to us now1 that  
the all things are found continually    
claiming a place1 and striving to make  
good for themselves a place in our heart

 and life1 that will not consist with   
the regard due to ,christ4 ,they can be 
resisted only by a great inward         
decision1 maintained and renewed all    
along our life1 for ,christ and against 
them4 ,the nearest approach the believer
 makes in this life to that happy       
harmony of the whole being which was    
spoken of just now1 is when his decision
 for ,christ is so thorough and joyful1 
that the other elements--the all        
things--fall into their place1 reduced  
into obedience by an energy that breaks 
resistance4 ,then too1 in that place1   
they begin to reveal their proper nature
 as ,god's gifts1 their real beauty and 
their real worth4  ,but then1 in the    
next place1 though the decision cannot  
be escaped1 yet1 let us be assured1     
there is in this no real hardship4 ,to  
be so called to this decision is the    
greatest blessedness of life4 ,there is 
that in ,christ for men1 on account of  
which a man may gladly count all else   
but loss1 may count it abundantly well  

worth his while to make this choice4    
,christ as binding us to ,god1 ,christ  
as the living source of reconciliation  
and sonship1 ,christ as the spring of a 
continually recruited power to love and 
serve and overcome1 ,christ as assuring 
to us the attainment of ,his own        
likeness1 ,christ as the ,revealer of a 
love which is more and better than all  
its own best gifts--,christ discloses to
 us a world of good1 for the sake of    
which it is well done to cast1 if need  
be1 all else away4 ,it proves reasonable
 to reject the importunate claim which  
other things make to be reckoned        
indispensable4 ,it proves natural1      
according to a new nature1 to hold all  
else loosely1 that we may hold this one 
interest fast4  ,yet this is not to be  
done or endeavoured by dismissing out of
 life all that gives character and      
movement to human existence4 ,not so3   
for indeed it is human life itself1 with
 its complex of relations and           
activities1 that is to receive the new  

inspiration4 ,the decision is to be made
 by accepting the principle that life1  
throughout1 must be life in ,christ1    
life for ,christ2 and by setting        
ourselves to learn from ,him what that  
principle means4 ,of the all things many
 must continue with us2 but if so1 they 
must continue on a new principle3 no    
longer as competitors1 certainly not as 
allowed competitors1 but as gifts and   
subjects of ,christ1 accepting law and  
destination from ,him4 ,then1 also1 they
 may continue to carry with them many a 
pleasant experience of our ,master's    
providential goodness4 ,the effort to   
comply with ,paul's example by          
mutilating human life of some of its    
great elements has often been a sincere 
and earnest effort4 ,but it implies a   
distorted1 and eventually a narrowed    
view of the ,christian's calling4 ,for1 
short of suicide1 we can never deal with
 ,,all things on that principle of      
simple amputation4 ,now the ,apostle    
says all things3 ,i count all things to 

be loss4  ,let this1 however1 be noted1 
that loyalty requires something more    
than merely a new valuation of things in
 our minds1 however sincere that        
valuation might be4 ,it demands also    
actual sacrifice1 when duty or when     
faithful service calls for it4 ,paul's  
,christianity was prompt to lay down1 as
 circumstances in the course of         
following ,christ might demand1         
everything1 anything1 even that which1  
in other circumstances1 might retain its
 place in life1 and be counted1 in its  
own place1 seemly and welcome4 ,not only
 shall a man count all to be loss for   
,christ3 he shall actually1 when called 
upon1 suffer the loss of anything or of 
all things4 ,no ,christian life is      
without its occasions when this test has
 to be accepted4 ,most ,christian lives 
include lessons in this department at   
the very outset4 ,some ,christian lives 
are very full of them1--full1 that is1  
of experiences in which contented       
submission to privation1 and cheerful   

acceptance of trouble and danger1 must  
approve the sincerity of the esteem for 
,christ our ,saviour which is the common
 profession of us all4 ,so it was with  
,paul4 ,he had suffered the loss of all 
things4  ,it is because the all things1 
in their infinite variety of aspect and 
influence1 tend so constantly to come   
into competition with ,christ1 to our   
great hurt and danger1 that they must be
 so emphatically repudiated1 and counted
 to be loss4 ,they are loss indeed1 when
 they succeed in taking the place they  
claim1 for then they impoverish our life
 of its true treasure4 ,we may suffer   
this encroachment to take place         
stealthily--all but unconsciously4 ,all 
the more fit it is that we should learn 
to assert loyalty to our ,lord with a   
magnanimous vigilance4 ,it becomes us to
 set ,his worth and claims emphatically1
 with a yea doubtless1 against the poor 
substitutes for which we are tempted    
silently to exchange ,him4 ,if not1 we  
are likely to come back to that sad     

stage which has been already brought    
before us 7ch4 ii471 the condition of   
those ,christians who all seek their    
own1 not the things which are ,jesus    
,christ's4  ,let us own1 however1 that  
men are trained in different lines of   
discipline to the same great result4    
,the lesson broke into the life of ,paul
 with astounding force at one great     
crisis4 ,some1 on the contrary1 begin   
their training in little instances of   
early life1 and under influences working
 too gently to be afterwards recalled4  
,gradually they grow into a clearer     
perception of the gifts ,christ offers  
and of the claims ,he makes2 and each   
step of decision paves the way to new   
attainments4 ,the experience of all     
,christians1 however diversified their  
training may be1 is harmonised in the   
fidelity of each to the light he has1   
and of all to the ,lord who calls them  
all to follow ,him4     ,,the           
,,knowledge ,,of ,,christ4       ,yea   
verily1 and ,i count all things to be   

loss for the excellency      of the     
knowledge of ,christ ,jesus my ,lord3   
for whom ,i suffered the      loss of   
all things1 and do count them but dung1 
that ,i may gain      ,christ1 and be   
found in ,him1 not having a             
righteousness of mine      own1 even    
that which is of the law1 but that which
 is through faith      in ,christ1 the  
righteousness which is of from ,god by  
upon      faith3 that ,i may know ,him1 
and the power of ,his resurrection1 and 
the fellowship of ,his sufferings1      
becoming conformed unto ,his      death2
 if by any means ,i may attain unto the 
resurrection from the                   
dead4--,,phil4 iii4 #h-aa 7,r4,v474     
,,chapter ,,xi4  ,,the ,,knowledge ,,of 
,,christ4   ,mr4 ,alexander ,knox1 in a 
letter to a friend1#d makes the         
following remark3 ,religion contains two
 sets of truths1 which ,i may venture to
 denominate ultimate and mediatory3 the 
former refer to ,god as an original and 
end2 the latter to the ,word made flesh1

 the suffering1 dying1 rising1 ruling   
,saviour2 the way1 the truth1 the life4 
,now ,i conceive these two views have   
almost ever been varying1 in the minds  
even of the sincerely pious1 with       
respect to comparative consequence2 and1
 while some have so regarded the        
ultimate as in some degree to neglect   
the mediatory1 others have so fixed     
their view on the mediatory as greatly  
and hurtfully to lose sight of the      
ultimate4 ,this writer refers to        
,tillotson on one side1 and ,zinzendorf 
on the other1 as instances of these     
extremes2 and indicates that perhaps his
 own leaning might be a little too much 
in the former direction4    #d ,remains1
 iv41 p4 #aef4  ,it can hardly be       
doubted that there is something in this 
suggestion4 ,in the guidance and        
training of the soul some aim mainly at 
right dispositions towards ,god and ,his
 will1 without much dwelling on what    
,knox calls mediatory truths2 because   
they assume that the latter exist only  

with a view to the former2 and if the   
end has been brought into view and is   
coming to be attained1 there is no      
special need of dwelling on the means4  
,others aim mainly at receiving the     
right impressions about ,christ dying   
and rising1 and at complying with the   
way of salvation as it is set forth to  
us in ,christ2 because they are         
persuaded that here the secret lies of  
all deliverance and progress1 and that  
the end cannot otherwise be reached4    
,and ,mr4 ,knox suggests1 with truth    
most likely1 that such persons have     
often so occupied themselves with what  
may be called the means of salvation1   
that they lose sight in a great degree  
of the end to which all tends--life in  
,god1 life in fellowship with ,his      
loving goodness and ,his holy will4     
,what application these views may have  
to divergences of our own day it would  
take too long to consider4 ,mr4 ,knox's 
remark has been referred to here in     
order to throw light on the mental      

attitude of ,paul4 ,paul will hardly be 
accused of losing sight of the ultimate 
truths2 but certainly he delights to    
view them through the mediatory truths2 
and he strives to reach the ultimate    
victory1 through the most realising     
application to his heart and life of    
what those mediatory truths embody and  
disclose4 ,through the mediatory truths 
the ultimate ones reveal themselves to  
him with a wealth and an intensity      
otherwise unattainable4 ,and the eternal
 life comes into experience for him as  
he takes into his soul the full effect  
of the provision which ,god has made1 in
 ,christ1 to bestow eternal life upon   
him4 ,that order of things which is     
mediatory is not regarded by ,paul only 
as a fitting introduction1 on ,god's    
part1 to ,his ultimate procedure2 it is 
also in the same degree fitted to become
 for the individual man the medium of   
vision1 of assurance1 of participation4 
,in other words1 ,paul finds ,god and   
makes way into goodness through ,christ2

 and not through ,christ merely as an   
embodied ideal1 but through union to    
,christ ,divine and human1 ,christ      
living1 dying1 rising1 redeeming1       
justifying1 sanctifying1 glorifying4 ,he
 never pauses in any of these1 so as to 
fail in looking onward to ,god1 the     
living ,god4 ,but neither does he pass  
on to that goal so as to disregard the  
way unto the ,father4 ,if he could have 
foreseen the method of those who are    
striving in our day to bring men to the 
blessedness which ,christianity holds   
out by dwelling exclusively on          
,christian ethics1 he might have        
sympathised with their ethical          
intensity2 but he would surely have     
wondered that they failed to find in    
,christianity more pregnant springs of  
motive and of power4 ,perhaps he would  
even be moved to say1 ,o foolish        
,galatians 7or ,corinthians71 who hath  
bewitched you8 ,not less1 it must also  
be said1 might he wonder at many a      
gospel preacher1 who rehearses the way  

of salvation until the machinery clanks 
and groans1 unable apparently to        
divine--unable1 at least1 to bring      
out--that glory of ,god in it1 that     
wonderful presence and influence of     
infinite holiness1 goodness1 and pity1  
which make the gospel the power of ,god4
  ,we1 meanwhile1 shall do well to      
imitate the charity of ,mr4 ,knox1 who  
cordially owned the ,christian piety of 
those who might go too far either way4  
,few of us1 indeed1 can dispense with   
the charity that is tender to partial   
and imperfect views4 ,but if we are to  
understand ,paul1 we must find our way  
into some sympathy with him here2 not   
only as he is seen on this line to have 
attained so far in saintship1 but as he 
is seen to be sure that this way lay    
much more--that on this line his road   
lay to the glory that should be         
revealed4 ,he could contemplate the     
practice and growth of piety in many    
lights2 yet it came home to him most    
evidently as growth in the knowledge and

 in the appropriation of ,jesus ,christ4
  ,he has cast away for the sake of     
,christ the treasures so much valued by 
the ,jews1 and many a treasure more4    
,but what he would chiefly impress on   
the minds of those to whom he writes is 
not so much the amount of what he has   
cast away1 but rather the worth of that 
which he has found1 and more and more is
 finding4 ,the mass of things set down  
for loss is a mere stepping-stone to    
this central theme4 ,but though he tells
 us what he thought and felt about it1  
most of us learn but slowly how much it 
meant for him4 ,when we sit down beside 
the ,apostle to learn his lesson1 we    
become conscious that he is seeing what 
we cannot descry2 he is sensitive to    
,christ through spiritual senses which  
in us are torpid and undeveloped4       
,christ holds him all through4 ,it is   
faith1 and love1 and gratitude2 it is   
self-devotion1 and obedience1 and       
wonder1 and worship2 and1 through all1  
the conviction glows that ,christ is    

his1 that in ,christ all things have    
changed for him4 ,in ,christ we have    
redemption through ,his blood1 the      
forgiveness of sin4 ,he hath made me    
accepted in the ,beloved4 ,i live2 yet  
not ,i1 but ,christ4 ,in ,christ1 old   
things have passed away1 all things are 
made new4 ,christ is made of ,god unto  
us wisdom1 righteousness1               
sanctification1 and redemption4 ,who    
shall separate us from the love of      
,christ8 ,the intense heat of this      
conception of ,christ1 it must once more
 be said1 gives its distinctive         
character to the religious life of      
,paul4 ,may we not say that the         
lamentable distinction of a great deal  
of current ,christianity is the coldness
 of men's thoughts about their ,saviour8
 ,the views of many may be characterised
 as correct1 but cold4 ,only what can be
 more incorrect1 what can more          
effectually deny and controvert the main
 things to be asserted1 than coldness   
towards our ,saviour1 and cold thoughts 

of ,his benefits8 ,this we should hold  
to be unpardonable4 ,we never should    
forgive it to ourselves4  ,for the      
excellency of the knowledge of ,christ  
,jesus4 ,christ had come into the life  
of ,paul as a wonderful knowledge4      
,becoming thus known to him1 ,he had    
transformed the world in which ,paul    
lived1 and had made him conscious of a  
new order of existence1 so that old     
things passed away and all became new4  
,the phrase employed combines two ideas4
 ,in the first place1 ,paul felt ,christ
 appealing to him as to a thinking1     
knowing nature4 ,various influences were
 reaching him from ,christ which bore on
 heart1 will1 conscience3 but they all  
came primarily as a revelation2 they    
came as light4 ,god1 who commanded the  
light to shine out of darkness1 hath    
shined in our hearts1 to give the light 
of the knowledge of the glory of ,god in
 the face of ,christ ,jesus4 ,in the    
next place1 this discovery came with a  
certain assuredness4 ,it was felt to be 

not a dream1 not a fair imagination     
only1 not a speculation1 but a          
knowledge4 ,here ,paul felt himself face
 to face with the real--indeed1 with    
fundamental reality4 ,in this character1
 as luminous knowledge1 the revelation  
of ,christ challenged his decision1 it  
demanded his appreciation and adherence4
 ,for since ,christ claims so           
fundamental a place in the moral world1 
since ,he claims so intimate and        
fruitful a relation to the whole state  
and prospects of the believing man1     
acquaintance with ,him 7at least1 if it 
be acquaintance in ,paul's style7 cannot
 pause at the stage of contemplation3 it
 passes into appropriation and          
surrender4 ,christ is known as dealing  
with us1 and must be dealt with by us4  
,so this knowledge becomes1 at the same 
time1 experience4  ,hence1 while in ver4
 #h the ,apostle speaks of himself as   
encountering all earthly loss that he   
may know ,christ1 in ver4 #i it is that 
he may gain ,christ and may be found in 

,him4 ,christ so came into the field of 
his knowledge as to become the treasure 
of his life1 replacing those things     
which heretofore had been gain1 and     
which now figured as loss4 ,when ,paul  
turned from all else to know ,christ1 he
 turned1 at the same time1 to have      
,christ1 gaining ,him1 and to be        
,christ's1 found in ,him4  ,christ1 in  
fact1 comes to us with commandments1    
words 7,john xiv4 #bc71 which are to be 
kept and done4 ,he comes to us1 also1   
with promises1 the fulfilment of which1 
in our own case1 is a most practical    
business4 ,some of these promises       
concern the world to come2 but others   
apply to the present2 and these1 which  
lie next us1 either are neglected1 or   
are embraced and put to proof1 every day
 of our lives4 ,besides all this1       
,christ comes to us to fix and fill our 
minds1 and to endear ,himself to us1 in 
virtue simply of what ,he is4 ,so       
viewed1 ,he is to be owned as our best  
,friend1 and indeed henceforth1 with    

reverence be it said1 by far our nearest
 ,relation4 ,this is to be1 or else it  
is not to be4 ,each day asks the        
question1 ,which8 ,paul's ,christianity 
was the answer to that question4 ,how   
his answer rings in all our ears6 ,our  
,christianity also is making its reply4 
,both as to knowledge and as to         
experience the type was fixed from the  
first3 there could be no doubt about    
either4 ,but both were to deepen and    
widen as life went on4 ,christ was      
apprehended at first as a wonderful     
,whole of good2 but so that indefinite  
fields of progress were continually to  
open up4 ,in the very first days a      
knowledge dawned1 for the sake of which 
all else was counted loss2 yet a world  
of truths remained to know1 as well as  
of good to experience1 for the sake of  
which also all else should continue to  
be counted but loss4 ,this1 in fact1 is 
only one way of saying that ,christ and 
,his salvation were realities1 divinely 
full and worthy4 ,being real1 the full  

acquaintance with all they mean for men 
can only arise in a historical way4     
,paul therefore emphasises this1 that   
real ,christianity1 the right kind of   
,christianity1 just because it has found
 a treasure1 is set on going on to find 
that same treasure still further and    
still more 7comp4 ch4 i4 #i74 ,if the   
treasure is real and the man is in      
earnest1 that will be so4 ,such had been
 the course of his own ,christian life  
from the first4 ,now1 though many years 
have disciplined him1 though changing   
experiences have given him new points of
 view1 still1 no less than at the first1
 his rejoicing in the present goes hand 
in hand with reaching onward to the     
future4 ,the one1 in fact1 is the reason
 of the other4 ,both are rational1 or   
neither4 ,he has counted all to be loss 
for the excellency of the knowledge     
which has broken upon his soul3 and     
still he presses on1 that he may know2  
for the same strong attraction continues
 and grows4  ,before passing to details1

 something more should perhaps be said  
of this magnificent generality1 the     
knowledge of ,christ4  ,christ is first 
of all known historically2 so ,he is    
presented to us in the ,gospels4 ,his   
story is part of the history of our     
race4 ,he passes through youth to       
manhood4 ,we see ,him living1 acting1   
enduring2 and we hear ,him              
teaching--wonderful words proceed from  
,his mouth4 ,we contemplate ,him in ,his
 humiliation1 under the limits to which 
,he submitted that ,he might share our  
state and bear our burdens4 ,in the     
pathways of that ,jewish life ,he       
discloses a perfect goodness and a      
perfect dignity4 ,we see especially that
 ,he cherishes a purpose of goodwill to 
men which ,he bears to them from the    
,father4 ,it overflows in all ,his words
 and works1 and in the prosecution of it
 ,he moves on to lay down ,his life for 
us4 ,this is the beginning of the       
knowledge of the ,only ,begotten of the 
,father1 full of grace and truth4 ,much 

may as yet be undefined2 many questions 
may crowd on us that receive as yet no  
precise answer2 nay1 much may seem to us
 as yet to be strangely entangled in the
 particulars of an individual and of a  
provincial existence4 ,but this         
presentation of ,christ can never be    
dispensed with or superseded2 and1 for  
its essential purpose1 it never can be  
surpassed4 ,for this is the ,life4 ,the 
,life was manifested1 and we have seen  
it1 and show unto you that ,eternal     
,life1 which was with the ,father1 and  
was manifested unto us4  ,this vision1  
which the ,gospels set before us1 was   
also before the mind of ,paul4 ,and     
words of our ,lord1 delivered in ,his   
earthly ministry1 and preserved by those
 who heard ,him1 were treasured by the  
,apostle of the ,gentiles1 and          
reproduced to guide the ,churches as    
need required4 ,yet there is a sense in 
which we may say that it is not exactly 
the ,christ of the ,gospels who comes   
before us in the ,pauline writings4 ,the

 ,christ of ,paul is the ,lord who met  
him by the way4 ,it is ,christ dead1    
risen1 and ascended2 it is ,christ with 
the reason and the result of ,his       
finished work made plain1 and with the  
relation unveiled which ,he sustains to 
men who live by ,him2 it is ,christ with
 the significance of ,his wonderful     
history for believers shining out from  
,him--,christ vestitus ,evangelio4 ,now 
,he has gone up above all worlds4 ,no   
longer is ,he hedged about by           
necessities of mortal life2 no longer   
tied by earthly bonds to some places and
 some men and one nation4 ,he is        
glorified2 all fulness dwells in ,him2  
all ,god's purposes are seen to centre  
in ,him4 ,and then1 by ,his death and   
resurrection1 the tie between ,him and  
,his people is unveiled to faith1 as it 
could not be before4 ,they are one with 
,him--in ,him redeemed1 endowed1        
triumphant1 glorified4 ,every ,christian
 privilege and attainment1 every grace1 
every virtue and good gift1 takes on a  

celestial character1 as it is seen to be
 an element in our fellowship with      
,christ4 ,the state of ,christians is   
seen reflected in their ,head4 ,and1 in 
turn1 ,christ is seen1 as it were1      
through the medium of the relation which
 ,he sustains to them1 and of the wealth
 of good arising to them by it4 ,it is  
,christ as ,he is to ,his people1       
,christ as ,he is set in the centre of  
the world of good that radiates to them 
all1 whom ,paul wonders at and worships4
 ,and he finds all this to be rooted in 
our ,lord's death upon the cross1 which 
was the crisis of the whole redemption4 
,all that follows took character and    
efficacy from that death4  ,a special   
insight into all this was included in   
the wisdom given to ,paul4 ,and yet this
 view of things does not turn out to be 
something diverse or alien from what the
 ,gospels set before us4 ,rather it is  
the gospel story revealing its native   
significance and virtue along many lines
 which were not so distinct before4     

,but now all this1 in turn1 leads us to 
the third aspect of the case4 ,what     
,christ is and what ,he does may be     
described2 but there is a knowledge of  
it which is imparted practically1 in the
 progressive history of the believer4   
,according to the ,christian teaching1  
we enter1 as ,christians1 on a new      
relation2 and in that relation a certain
 blessed well-being is appointed to us4 
,this well-being is itself an unfolding 
or disclosure of ,christ4 ,now this     
well-being comes home to us and is      
verified in the course of a progressive 
human experience4 ,life must become our 
school to teach us what it all means4   
,life sets us at the point of view now  
for one lesson1 now for another4 ,life  
moves and changes1 and brings its       
experiences2 its problems1 its          
conflicts1 its anxieties1 its fears1 its
 temptations2 its need of pity1 pardon1 
strengthening2 its experience of        
weakness1 defeat1 and disgrace2 its     
opportunities of service1 self-denial1  

fidelity1 victory4 ,for all these       
occasions ,christ has a meaning and a   
virtue1 which1 in those occasions1 is to
 become personal to ourselves4 ,this    
makes knowledge indeed4 ,this becomes   
the vivid commentary upon the historical
 and the doctrinal instruction4 ,life1  
taken in ,christ's way1 along with      
prayer and thought1 manifests ,christ's 
meaning1 and makes it real to us1 as    
nothing else can4 ,it furnishes the     
stepping-stones for passing onward1 in  
the knowledge of ,christ4  ,this also   
was ,paul's condition1 though he was an 
inspired man4 ,he too was fain to       
improve his knowledge in this school4   
,and when we take all three aspects     
together1 we shall see how truly1 for   
,paul and for us1 the knowledge of      
,christ is1 on the one hand1 so         
excellent from the first1 that it       
justifies the great decision to which it
 calls us2 and1 on the other hand1 how  
it creates a longing for further insight
 and fresh attainment4 ,the latter we   

see in the ,apostle as plainly as the   
former4 ,from the first1 he knew in whom
 he believed1 and was persuaded that for
 ,his sake all else was to be resigned4 
,yet to the end he felt the unsatisfied 
desire to know more1 to gain more2 and  
his heart1 if we may apply here the     
,psalmist's words1 was breaking for this
 longing which it had4  ,it was remarked
 above that the excellency of the       
knowledge of ,christ in ver4 #h         
corresponds in the ,apostle's thought to
 the gaining of ,christ and being found 
in ,him of ver4 #i2 and this may be the 
best place to say a word on these two   
phrases4 ,to gain ,christ1 points to a  
receiving ,christ as one's own2 and the 
,apostle uses the phrase so as to imply 
that this finding of ,christ1 as ,one   
who is gained or won1 was still going   
on2 it was progressive4 ,clearly also   
the alternative is implied1 that what is
 not gained is lost4 ,the question in   
the ,apostle's life1 about which he was 
so decided1 was about no less than      

losing or gaining ,christ4 ,the phrase  
be found points to the verification of  
,paul's relation to ,christ in his      
history and in its results4 ,that       
relation is contemplated as something   
that proves true4 ,it turns out to be   
so4 ,we shall best understand the phrase
 as referring1 not to some one future   
date at which he should be so found1 but
 rather to present and future alike4 ,as
 men1 or angels1 or ,god1 or ,christ    
might view him1 or as he might take     
account of his own state1 this was what 
he would have found in regard to        
himself4 ,every way he would be found in
 ,christ4 ,the form of expression1      
however1 is specially appropriate here1 
because it fits so well into the        
doctrine of righteousness through       
,christ1 which the ,apostle is about to 
emphasise4 ,a similar remark applies to 
the expression in ,christ so frequently 
occurring in the ,pauline writings4     
,this is usually explained by saying    
that the ,apostle sets before us ,christ

 as the sphere of his spiritual         
being--in whom he lived and moved--never
 out of relation to ,him1 and not so    
related to any other4 ,such explanations
 are true and good3 only we may say that
 the pregnant strength of the expression
 seems to be weakened even by the best  
explanations4 ,the relation in view is  
too wonderful ever to be adequately     
described4 ,the union between ,christ   
and ,his ,church1 between ,christ and   
the believing man1 is a mystery2 and1   
like all objects of faith1 it is dimly  
apprehended by us for the present4 ,but 
the certainty of it1 and its            
wonderfulness1 we should never allow    
ourselves to overlook4 ,christ is able  
to bring men into fellowship with       
,himself1 to assume responsibility for  
them1 to represent their interests and  
to care for their good2 and men may     
receive ,christ into their lives2 with a
 completeness on both sides which no    
explanations can adequately represent4  
,the identification with ,christ which  

the phrase suggests naturally fits what 
follows4  ,now the ,apostle goes more   
into detail4 ,he tells us what were for 
him the main articles of this good state
 of being found in ,christ4 ,he         
indicates1 with a certain eager         
gratitude1 the main lines along which   
the benefits of that state had come into
 experience1 and along which he was     
pressing on to know the fulness of      
,christ4 ,first1 in ,christ he has and  
shall have not his own righteousness1   
which is that of the law1 but that which
 is through the faith of ,christ1 the   
righteousness which is of ,god by faith4
 ,then1 secondly1 he has in hand a      
practical knowledge of ,christ1         
culminating in the complete deliverance 
of the resurrection4 ,it includes two   
aspects or elements2 ,christ known in   
the power of ,his resurrection1 and     
,christ known in the fellowship of ,his 
sufferings4  ,the first thing then which
 rises distinctly into view in          
connection with being found in ,christ  

is the possession of the new            
righteousness4 ,we have seen already    
that value for righteousness such as is 
of law1 and hope of achieving it1 had   
been associated with ,paul's old days of
 ,jewish zeal4 ,he then stood on the    
law1 and gloried in the law4 ,but that  
had passed away when he learned to count
 all things loss for the excellency of  
the knowledge of ,christ4 ,ever after1  
the contrast between the two ways of    
seeking righteousness continued to be   
fundamental in ,paul's ,christian       
thinking4  ,the law here in view was the
 whole revealed will of ,god touching   
man's behaviour1 coming as a will of    
authority1 requiring obedience4 ,the    
discussion in the earlier chapters of   
the ,epistle to the ,romans makes this  
plain4 ,and ,paul's way of keeping the  
law1 in those old days1 though it was   
necessarily too external1 had not been  
so merely external as is sometimes      
supposed4 ,his obedience had been       
zealous and resolute1 with as much heart

 and meaning as he could put into it4   
,but law-keeping for righteousness had  
been the principle of it4 ,the ,jew was 
placed under a law2 obedience to that   
law should be his pathway to a destiny  
of incomparable privilege and gladness4 
,that was the theory4 ,so believing1    
,paul had given himself with zeal to the
 work1 living in all good conscience    
before ,god4 ,a great change had now    
befallen him2 but that could not imply  
on his part a renunciation of ,god's    
law4 ,the law1 better understood indeed1
 and far more inwardly apprehended1     
still retained for ,paul its great      
outlines1 and was reverenced as ,divine4
 ,it was holy and just and good4 ,it was
 felt still to shed its steadfast light 
on human duty1 awakening and            
illuminating the conscience2 and        
therefore it revealed most authentically
 the moral situation1 with its elements 
of failure1 and danger1 and need4 ,the  
law stood fast4 ,but the scheme of life 
which stood in keeping the law for      

righteousness had passed away for ,paul1
 vanishing in the light of a new and    
better day4  ,here1 however1 we must ask
 what the ,apostle means when he speaks 
of the righteousness which is by the    
faith of ,jesus ,christ1 the            
righteousness which is of ,god unto or  
upon faith4 ,great disputes have arisen 
over this question4 ,we must endeavour  
to find the ,apostle's main meaning1    
without involving ourselves too much in 
the mazes of technical debate4     ,,the
 ,,righteousness ,,of ,,faith4          
,not having a righteousness of mine own1
 even that which is of the      law1 but
 that which is through faith in ,christ1
 the righteousness      which is of from
 ,god by upon faith4--,,phil4 iii4 #i   
7,r4,v474     ,,chapter ,,xii4  ,,the   
,,righteousness ,,of ,,faith4           
,righteousness is a term which is       
applied in different ways4 ,often it    
denotes excellence of personal          
character4 ,so used1 it suggests the    
idea of a life whose manifestations     

agree with the standard by which lives  
are tried4 ,sometimes it denotes        
rectitude or justice1 as distinguished  
from benevolence4 ,sometimes a claim to 
be approved1 or judicially vindicated1  
is more immediately in view when        
righteousness is asserted4 ,paul himself
 freely uses the word in different      
applications1 the sense1 in each        
passage1 being determined by the        
context4 ,here we have the righteousness
 of faith1 as distinguished from the    
righteousness of works1 or righteousness
 by the law4 ,the passage belongs to a  
large class in which righteousness is   
spoken of as accruing1 through ,christ1 
to those who are unrighteous1 or whose  
own righteousness has proved unreliable4
 ,let us try to fix the thought which   
the ,apostle designed to inculcate in   
such passages4#e    #e ,the statement   
which follows in the next six paragraphs
 is partly   based on ,pfleiderer1      
,paulinismus1 p4 #agb fol4 ,he will     
perhaps be   regarded as a tolerably    

impartial reporter on this point4  ,the 
,apostle1 then1 conceives of the        
righteousness1 of which he has so much  
to say1 as ,god's3 it is the            
righteousness of ,god 7,rom4 i4 #ag1    
iii4 #bb1 x4 #c74 ,yet it is not ,god's 
in the sense of being an attribute of   
,his own ,divine nature3 for 7in the    
passage before us7 it is called the     
righteousness from ,god2 it arises for  
us by our faith in ,jesus ,christ2 and  
so 7#b ,cor4 v4 #ba7 we are made the    
righteousness of ,god in ,christ4 ,it   
is1 therefore1 something that is from   
,god to us believing1 a gift of         
righteousness 7,rom4 v4 #ag74 ,at the   
same time it is not1 on the other hand1 
an attribute or quality of the human    
mind1 whether natural or imparted2 for  
it is something revealed 7,rom4 i4 #ag74
 ,also1 it is opposed to the wrath of   
,god4 ,now1 that wrath is indeed an     
element of our state as sinners1 but not
 a feature of our character4 ,further1  
it could not be said of any internal    

character of our own1 that we are to be 
obedient1 or are to submit to it 7,rom4 
x4 #c74  ,in the latter part of ,romans 
v4 we have set before us two counter    
conceptions3 the one of sin and         
condemnation1 deriving from ,adam1      
antecedent to the personal action and   
offence of those who descend from him2  
the other of free gift unto             
justification1 following from the       
righteousness or obedience of ,christ1  
this being a gift of grace abounding    
unto many4 ,in either case the ,apostle 
sees arising from one a relation which  
pertains to many1 and which brings forth
 its results to them3 on the one hand1  
sin and death2 on the other1            
righteousness and life4 ,in both cases a
 common relation is recognised1 under   
which individuals are found existing2   
and in either case it traces up to the  
one--to ,adam or to ,christ4 ,whatever  
difficulties may be felt to attach to   
this passage1 the ,apostle's doctrine of
 the righteousness of faith must be     

understood so as to agree with the way  
of thinking which the passage expresses4
  ,it appears1 then1 that the           
righteousness which is from ,god1 unto  
or upon faith1 expresses a relation     
between ,god and believers that is the  
proper basis for fellowship with ,god1  
confiding on their part1 communicative  
of the best blessings on ,his4 ,it is   
analogous to the relation conceived to  
arise when a perfectly righteous man is 
approved and set apart to weal2 and like
 that it stands in contrast with the    
relation due to sin as it incurs wrath4 
,it follows that this righteousness1 if 
it exists or becomes available for those
 who have sinned1 includes the          
forgiveness of sins4 ,but it includes   
more than forgiveness1 in so far as it  
is not merely negative4 ,it is the      
concession to us of a standing which is 
a positive basis for experiences1       
pointing towards eternal life1 and      
rising into it4  ,this relation to      
,himself ,god has founded for us sinful 

men in ,christ1 and specially in ,his   
atonement4 ,it is part of what is       
divinely held out to us1 as life or     
well-being in ,christ4 ,when we do      
awaken to it1 our whole religious       
attitude towards ,god takes character   
from it1 and is to be ordered           
accordingly4 ,this way of being related 
to ,god is called ,god's righteousness1 
or righteousness from ,god1 because it  
is not set up by us1 but by ,god's      
grace1 through the redeeming work of    
,christ 7being justified freely by ,his 
grace1 through the redemption that is in
 ,christ ,jesus--,rom4 iii4 #bd74 ,on   
the other hand1 it is righteousness of  
faith1 or through faith of ,christ1     
because faith subjects itself to the    
order of grace1 revealed and made       
effectual in ,christ1 and therein finds 
the reconciliation4 ,for the believing  
man the relation becomes effectual and  
operative4 ,he is accepted in the       
,beloved4 ,he is constituted righteous  
7,rom4 v4 #ai71 and his intercourse with

 his ,heavenly ,father regulates itself 
accordingly1 he being justified from--or
 upon--his faith4 ,the harmony with ,god
 on which he has entered becomes1 in    
some degree1 matter of consciousness for
 himself 7,rom4 v4 #a74 ,with this      
connection of things in view1 the       
,apostle teaches that righteousness is  
imputed1 or reckoned1 to him who        
believes in ,jesus 7,rom4 iv4 #bd74     
,whatever opinion we may choose to      
entertain of this scheme1 it ought not  
to be disputed that this1 in general1 is
 ,paul's conception of the matter4      
,however1 let us emphatically note that 
it is as in ,christ1 found in ,him1 the 
,apostle possesses this form of         
well-being4 ,if there be such a thing as
 a real union between the ,saviour and  
,paul1 then in the ,saviour and with the
 ,saviour ,paul is thus righteous4 ,the 
faith to which this righteousness arises
 is faith that unites to ,christ1 and   
not any other kind of faith4 ,and so1 if
 it be possible for ,paul to fall from  

,christ1 then also he must fall from the
 righteousness of faith4 ,in ,christ a  
relation to ,god appears1 made good1    
maintained1 and verified1 in which ,he  
gathers to ,himself and comprehends all 
true believers3 for which cause ,he is  
not ashamed to call them brethren4      
,hence also this ,christian benefit1    
though it is distinguishable1 is not    
separated radically from the other      
benefits4 ,it is not possible to take   
the one and leave the rest2 for ,christ 
is not divided4 ,but there is an order  
in ,his gifts2 and1 for ,paul1 this gift
 is primary4 ,god is ours in ,christ2   
therefore religion1 true religion1 may  
begin and go on4  ,it is of weight with 
,paul that this righteousness of faith1 
arising for him who is found in ,christ1
 is founded for us in the atonement4    
,that is to say1 the new relation is not
 represented as a relation created for  
us by a mere ,divine fiat that it shall 
be so4 ,it is represented as arising for
 sinful men out of the redemption of    

,christ2 which redemption is represented
 as in its own nature fitted to fructify
 into this result1 as well as into other
 fruits which are due to it4 ,christ's  
atonement is the way which grace has    
taken to bring in the righteousness of  
faith4 ,in particular1 we are made      
righteous 7in this sense7 through       
,christ1 in a manner corresponding to   
that in which ,he was made sin for us   
7#b ,cor4 v4 #ba74 ,hence the blood1 the
 sacrifice1 the obedience of ,christ are
 referred to on all occasions1 in       
connection with the righteousness of    
faith1 as explicative causes to which   
this is to be traced4 ,the relation is  
first of all a relation completely      
grounded and made good in ,christ2 and  
then we are participant in it with ,him1
 in virtue of our faith in ,him4        
,clearly the ,apostle thinks of this    
righteousness of faith as something very
 wonderful4 ,it is for him fundamental4 
,it is the first article in which he    
celebrates the worth of the knowledge of

 ,christ2 no doubt1 because he felt it  
transforming his whole moral and        
spiritual experience2 and1 in           
particular1 because it contrasted so    
vividly with the nugatory righteousness 
of earlier days4  ,in earlier days ,paul
 sought righteousness--an approved and  
accepted standing with ,god--by the     
works of the law4 ,that project failed  
when the great discovery on the road to 
,damascus showed him to himself as all  
astray2 in particular1 when the law     
itself1 coming home to him in the       
fulness of its meaning1 both revealed to
 him the beggarliness of his own        
performance1 and1 at the same time1     
stung into appalling activity ungodly   
elements within him4 ,then he saw before
 him the law rising from its deep       
foundations in eternal strength and     
majesty1 imperative1 unalterable1       
inexorable2 and over against it his own 
works lay withered and unclean4 ,but    
another vision came4 ,he saw the ,son of
 ,god in ,his life1 death1 and          

resurrection4 ,mere love and pity were  
the inspiration of ,his coming3         
obedience and sacrifice were the form of
 it4 ,so in that great vision one       
element or aspect that rose into view   
was righteousness1-- righteousness      
grounded as deep as the law itself1 as  
magnificent in its great proportions1 as
 little subject to change or decay1     
radiant with surpassing glory4 ,as he   
saw1 and bowed1 an trusted1 he became   
conscious of a new access and nearness  
to ,god ,himself2 he passed into the    
fellowship of ,god's dear ,son2 he found
 acceptance in the ,beloved4 ,here was  
the answer to that woful problem of the 
law3 righteousness in ,christ for a     
world of sinners1 coming to them as a   
free gift to faith4 ,here was the strong
 foundation on which faith found itself 
set to learn its lessons1 and perform   
its service1 and fight its battles4 ,in 
,christ he received the                 
reconciliation--merciful1 and also      
righteous4 ,as ,paul thought of the     

ground on which he once had stood1 and  
of the standing granted to him now1 in  
,him1--it was with a yea doubtless he   
declared that he counted all to be loss 
for the gain of ,christ1 in whom he was 
found1 not having his own righteousness1
 which was of the law1 but that which is
 by the faith of ,christ4               
,righteousness of faith1 as the ,apostle
 conceives it1 is to be distinguished   
from personal righteousness1 or         
goodness1 as an attribute of human      
character1 but yet is most closely      
connected with it4 ,righteousness of    
faith opened what seemed to ,paul the   
prosperous way into righteousness of    
daily living4 ,in the very hour when he 
first believed for righteousness1 he    
felt himself entering a kingdom of      
light1 and love1 and power1 in which all
 things were possible2 and ever after   
the same order of experience verified   
itself for him afresh4 ,the             
righteousness of faith being the        
relation in which1 through ,christ1 he  

found himself standing to ,god1 fixed at
 the same time his relation to all      
,christian benefits1 including1 as a    
principal element1 conformity to the    
likeness of ,christ4 ,to the man in     
,christ all these benefits pertained2 in
 ,christ he could claim them all3 in    
,christ he found himself before doors   
that opened of their own accord to let  
him in2 in ,christ it proved to be a fit
 thing1 grounded deep in the congruities
 of ,god's administration1 that ,god    
should be for him2 therefore1 also1 the 
pathway of holiness lay open before him4
 ,the fulness of blessing had not yet   
come into possession and experience4    
,but in the righteousness of faith he   
apprehended all blessings as stretching 
out their hands to him1 because through 
,christ they ought to be his4 ,that he  
should find himself in a relation to    
,god so simple and so satisfying was    
wonderful2 all the more1 when it was    
contrasted with the condemnation        
belonging to him as a sinner4 ,this was 

the righteousness from ,god to faith1 in
 the strength of which he could call all
 things his own4  ,if ,paul had         
succeeded in the enterprise of his      
earlier days1 when he sought            
righteousness by the law1 he would1 as  
he hoped1 have found acceptance in the  
end2 and various blessings would have   
followed4 ,he would have emerged from   
his task a man stamped as righteous1 and
 fit to be treated accordingly4 ,that   
would have been the end4 ,but now1 in   
reference to his present enterprise1 he 
has found1 being in ,christ1 acceptance 
at the beginning4 ,so often as faith    
lifts him into the heavenly places where
 ,christ is1 he finds all things to be  
his2 not because he has achieved        
righteousness1 but because ,christ has  
died and risen1 and because ,god        
justifies him who believes in ,jesus4   
,the platform he hoped to reach by the  
efforts of a lifetime is already under  
his feet4 ,paul faces each arduous step 
in his new enterprise1 strong in the    

conviction that his standing before ,god
 is rooted1 not in his doings nor in his
 feelings1 but in his ,saviour in whom  
he holds the righteousness of faith4    
,we need not conceal from ourselves1    
however1 that many find the doctrine    
thus ascribed to ,paul unacceptable4 ,if
 they do not count it positively        
misleading1 as some do1 they yet regard 
it as unprofitable theory4  ,apart from 
objections drawn from theology or morals
 or texts1 they argue1 for example1 that
 it is all in the air1 away from real   
experience4 ,christian religion is a    
practical matter1--a question of        
improved dispositions1 improved habits1 
and improved prospects4 ,if1 through    
,christ1 such things as these arise for 
us1 if1 through ,him1 influences reach  
us that tend to such results1 then those
 are the practical specimens which      
interpret to us a ,saviour's kindness4  
,to know ,christ in these must be the   
true knowledge of ,him4 ,to carry us    
away beforehand into the region of a    

supposed relation to ,god is a          
precarious1 and may be a delusive       
business2 it is1 at any rate1 a dogmatic
 nicety rather than a vital element in  
religion4 ,if we are to experience      
,god's mercy or ,christ's kindness in   
any practical form1 then that is to be  
so2 and it is shorter to say so at once4
 ,let us fix on that1 without           
interposing any doctrine of             
righteousness by faith4  ,but it must be
 said1 in reply1 that to speak of this  
righteousness of faith as unpractical1  
is a strange mistake4 ,all religion aims
 at fellowship with ,god2 and in        
,christian religion that fellowship     
becomes real and authentic in ,christ4  
,through all exercises and attainments  
of ,christian religion that are genuine1
 this thread goes4 ,we have access to   
,god1 and we abide in the ,father and   
the ,son4 ,how imperfectly this takes   
place on our part need not be said4 ,the
 imperfection on our part is1 indeed1   
only exceeded by the condescension on   

,his4 ,yet our faith is that this is    
real1 otherwise ,christianity would not 
be for us the opening of an eternal     
blessedness4 ,how can it be judged      
unpractical1 if ,god reveals to men1    
first1 that in the room of those        
confused and melancholy relations to    
,god which arise for us out of our own  
past history1 ,he has constituted for us
 a relation1 apprehensible by faith1 in 
which we find ourselves pardoned1       
accepted1 commended to ,god to be made  
partakers of life eternal2 and1         
secondly1 that this is grounded in the  
service and sacrifice of ,his ,son1 sent
 forth to save us2 so that we enter this
 relation and hold it1 not              
independently1 but in fellowship with   
the ,son of ,god1 ,his sonship becoming 
the model of ours8 ,is this unpractical8
 ,is it unpractical to be conscious of  
such a relation between ,god and men1   
for ever embodied and made accessible in
 ,his ,son our ,saviour8 ,is it         
unpractical to apprehend ,god in the    

attitude towards us which is due to such
 a relation1 and to take1 ourselves1 the
 attitude of gratitude and penitence and
 trust which on our side corresponds to 
it8 ,it cannot be unpractical4 ,it may  
be pernicious1 if it takes the form of a
 cold1 presumptuous arrogance1 or of a  
self-satisfied ,pharisaism2 that is to  
say1 if ,god be not in it4 ,but if ,god 
in ,christ is reaching us along those   
lines1 or if we1 alive to ,his eternal  
character1 and conscious of our guilt   
and need1 are reaching out to real      
relations and real fellowship with ,him 
through ,his ,son our ,lord1 then it    
cannot be unpractical4 ,and1 indeed1    
however men may differ as to theological
 explanations1 some sense of the worth  
of the thing intended has reached the   
hearts of all true ,christians4         
,perhaps the state of the case will more
 clearly appear if we fix attention on  
one ,christian benefit4 ,let us take the
 forgiveness of sins4  ,forgiveness of  
sins is the primary grace1 and it sets  

the type of the grace to which we owe   
all benefits4 ,forgiveness1 as it were1 
leads in all other blessings by the     
hand2 or1 each blessing as it advances  
into a ,christian life comes with a     
fresh gift of forgiveness in the heart  
of it4 ,if this is so1 then the         
tendency1 which is observable in various
 quarters1 to pass forgiveness by1 as a 
matter of course1 and to hurry on to    
what are reckoned more substantial1 or  
more experimental benefits1 must be     
attended with loss4 ,it must1 so far1   
damage our conceptions of the manner in 
which it befits ,god to bestow blessings
 on sinful men1 and also our conception 
of the spirit in which we should receive
 them4  ,but then1 in the next place1   
the forgiveness of sins itself is       
referred to the mediation of ,christ1   
and the work accomplished in that       
mediation1 as its known basis4          
,forgiveness of sins was to arise out of
 an order of grace1 embodied in         
history--namely1 in the history of the  

,incarnate ,son of ,god2 and we are not 
entitled to take for granted it could   
fitly arise otherwise4 ,apparently      
,christ ,himself came into the          
inheritance which ,he holds for us1 by  
an order of things which it was         
imperative on ,him to regard1 and by a  
history which ,he must fulfil4 ,and we1 
believing in ,him1 find1 in consequence1
 a new place and standing2 we receive a 
gift of righteousness which contains the
 forgiveness of sins2 we obtain1 through
 ,christ1 a mode of access to ,god1 of  
which forgiveness is a feature4 ,so the 
place of forgiveness in the ,divine     
administration is vindicated and        
safe-guarded2 and while forgiveness     
comes to us as a gift of the ,father's  
compassionate heart1 it is found to be  
true also that ,christ washed us from   
our sins in ,his own blood4 ,god sent   
,his ,son1 made of a woman1 made under  
the law1 to redeem them that were under 
the law4 ,god hath sent ,him forth for a
 propitiation1 through faith in ,his    

blood1 to declare ,his righteousness for
 the remission of sins that are past1   
444 that ,he might be just1 and the     
,justifier of him that believeth in     
,jesus4 ,our forgiveness is a free gift 
of ,god's goodness2 yet also1 it is our 
participation with ,christ1 sent to us  
from the ,father1 in a wonderful        
relation which ,he has come to hold to  
sin and to righteousness4 ,if we        
overlook this1 we conceal from ourselves
 great aspects of the work undertaken   
for us by the love of ,god4  ,but if    
forgiveness1 which is itself a meeting  
with ,god in peace1 refers itself to the
 mediation of ,christ as preparing for  
us a blessed relation to ,god--a        
righteousness of faith--how should our  
whole fellowship with ,god1 in grace1   
fail to presuppose the same foundation8 
,but argument upon this topic might lead
 us far4 ,let us close the chapter in   
another vein4  ,all religion1 worth     
recognising in that character1 implies  
earnestness1 serious aspiration and     

endeavour4 ,it supposes human life to   
place itself under the influence of an  
order of motives that is to be          
comprehensive and commanding4 ,and this 
is true also of ,christian religion4    
,but ,christian religion1 as we know1   
does not begin with a consciousness of  
ability to achieve success2 it is not   
grounded in an expectation that by      
strenuous or apt effort of ours1 we may 
achieve the aims and secure the benefits
 at which religion points4 ,that is not 
the root of ,christian religion4 ,it    
begins with a consciousness and         
confession of weakness3 the soul owns   
its incompetency to deal with the great 
interests that reveal themselves in the 
light of ,christ2 it is without strength
 for tasks like these4 ,and so the      
deepest and earliest exercise of        
,christian religion is ,prayer4 ,it asks
 great things from a great ,god4 ,this  
poor man cried1 and the ,lord heard him4
 ,paul's ,christianity began thus3      
,behold1 he prayeth4  ,now just so      

,christian religion does not begin with 
a consciousness of deserving something1 
or an idea that by taking pains we may  
deserve something1 may single ourselves 
out for at least some modest share of   
favourable recognition4 ,rather it often
 begins with the fading away of such    
ideas when they were present before4    
,christian religion roots itself in the 
confession of sin1 and therefore of     
ill-desert2 it signalises itself by a   
deepening sense of the seriousness of   
the situation in this respect4 ,with    
this it comes face to face before ,god4 
,i will confess my transgressions unto  
the ,lord4 ,god be merciful to me a     
sinner4 ,we have nothing that is not    
sinful to bring before ,him2 so1 at     
length1 we come with that4 ,it is all we
 have4 ,our prayer rises not merely out 
of the sense of weakness1 but out of the
 consciousness of demerit4  ,but in     
,christian religion we are aware1 as of 
strength which can remedy our weakness1 
so of forgiveness which can put away our

 sins4 ,there is forgiveness with ,thee4
 ,through this ,man is preached to us   
the forgiveness of sins4 ,it is clear   
also that this forgiveness comes1       
wherever it comes1 as full and free     
forgiveness1 forgiving you all          
trespasses4 ,so that in ,christian      
religion we listen at ,christ's feet to 
the testimony directed to all penitent  
believers1 that instead of reckoning in 
part or whole about the guilt of sins   
committed1 we are to find ,god in       
,christ to be ,one who simply puts away 
our sin4 ,that shall hold us apart from 
,god no more4 ,rather1 the putting of it
 away brings with it the strangest1     
lowliest access to ,god4 ,o ,god1 thou  
art my ,god4 ,who is a ,god like unto   
,thee8 ,forgiveness is by no means mere 
immunity 7least of all for ,christian   
religion74 ,punishment1 certainly1 in   
the sense of the separation and evil    
which sin deserves1 passes away4 ,but   
forgiveness1 in ,christian religion1 is 
forgiveness with the ,forgiver in it4   

,we meet ,god in the forgiveness of     
sins4 ,we abide with ,god in the        
forgiveness of sins4  ,forgiveness1 too1
 as we already foresee1 is but the      
foundation and beginning of a history in
 which we are called to go forward4     
,this history may have sad passages in  
it2 but in going forward in it in faith 
we are assured that on ,god's part it is
 a history of most painstaking and most 
sublime benefaction3 all of it ordered  
so as to be of a piece with ,his sending
 of ,his ,son2 all of it instinct with  
the grace of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ4  
,faith looking to ,christ believes this1
 and receives it4 ,and to faith upheld  
by ,him on whom we trust all this is    
more and more made good1 and comes true4
 ,it is a history of progress in true   
goodness4 ,and the end is life          
everlasting4  ,now the words before us  
suggest1 upon the one hand1 very        
strongly1 the simply gratuitous         
character of the ,christian benefits1   
and the sense of undeserved kindness    

with which they are to be received4 ,in 
,christian religion we begin as those   
who have no righteousness1 who plead no 
merit1 who owe and are to owe all to    
,divine mercy4 ,from the base upwards   
,christian religion is a religion of    
grace2 and it is of faith1 that it might
 be by grace4 ,whatever activities1     
whatever successes may fall into the    
,christian's career1 whatever long      
possession of accustomed good may       
eventually mark his experience1 all is  
to be informed and inspired by this     
initial and perpetual conviction1 ,not  
having mine own righteousness1 which is 
of the law4  ,at the same time1 the same
 words of the ,apostle suggest very     
strongly the ,divine stability of the   
good which meets us in ,christ4 ,a very 
strong foundation has been laid for     
those who flee for refuge to lay hold of
 the hope set before them in the gospel4
 ,to our sense1 indeed1 things may seem 
to be most mutable4 ,but when faith     
reaches to the things not seen1 it      

learns another lesson4 ,in ,christ      
believers are graced with entrance into 
an order of salvation divinely strong   
and durable4 ,when ,god gave us ,christ1
 ,he gave us1 in a sense1 all things1   
and indeed all things ordering          
themselves into an eternal expression of
 fatherly love and care4 ,in ,christ    
comes into view not goodness only1 but  
goodness allying itself for us with     
,wisdom and ,power and ,right4 ,it makes
 its way by incarnation and atonement   
and resurrection to a kingdom which1    
being first ,christ's1 appointed to     
,him1 is also ,his people's1 appointed  
to them4 ,now a relation to ,god which  
looks forward to all this1 which is the 
basis for it and the entrance to it1    
descends on the believing man through   
,christ4 ,it is due to ,christ that it  
should come so4 ,it is the ,father's    
loving will that it should be so4 ,all  
that is needful to ground and vindicate 
that most gracious relation is found in 
,christ1 who of ,god is made unto us    

righteousness2 in whom we hold the      
righteousness which is of ,god on faith4
  ,the ,apostle's course of thought has 
not led us to raise any question about  
the nature and the virtue of the faith  
which apprehends and receives the       
righteousness of ,god4 ,it is a subject 
on which much has been said4 ,what seems
 needful here may be soon spoken4  ,the 
only way of entering on new relations   
with ,god1 or ourselves becoming new    
men1 is the way of faith4 ,this         
,christian way is the only way4 ,every  
other is simply impossible4 ,let any man
 seriously try it1 and he will find it  
so4 ,but the question1 ,what kind of    
faith8 is best answered by saying1 ,such
 faith as is called for by the object of
 faith set before us1 when that is      
honestly and intently regarded4 ,as the 
gospel is1 the faith must be2 for the   
gospel is the instrument by which faith 
is evoked1 sustained1 and guided4 ,the  
great object of faith is ,god1          
graciously revealing ,himself through   

,christ4 ,every genuine aspect of this  
revelation takes its significance from  
its disclosure of ,god4 ,the faith1 so  
called1 which misses this1 is wrong     
faith2 the faith which marks and        
welcomes this is right faith4 ,and such 
faith is already1 even in its earliest  
life1 breaking forth into repentance and
 love and obedience4 ,it must be1 for   
,god is in it4  ,so1 to confine         
ourselves to the aspect of things which 
occupies this chapter1 the faith which  
meets ,god in the forgiveness of sins   
through ,christ1 and genuinely accepts  
from ,him the wonderful position of     
holding fellowship with ,god forgiving1 
is already1 virtually1 repentance as    
well as faith4 ,the man who so meets    
with ,god1 is therein agreed with ,god  
about his own sin3 he feels ,god to be  
in the right and himself to be wholly in
 the wrong2 he feels1 in particular1    
,god to be most sublimely and           
conclusively in the right in the holy   
pity of ,his forgiveness4 ,the man who  

does not feel this1 is not accepting    
forgiveness4 ,he may be posturing as if 
he were1 but he is not doing it4  ,there
 is just one difficulty in faith--the   
difficulty of being real4 ,but when it  
is real1 it makes all things new4       
,,resurrection ,,life ,,and ,,daily     
,,dying4       ,that ,i may know ,him1  
and the power of ,his resurrection1 and 
the      fellowship of ,his sufferings1 
becoming conformed unto ,his death2 if  
by any means ,i may attain unto the     
resurrection from the                   
dead4--,,phil4 iii4 #aj1 #aa4           
,,chapter ,,xiii4  ,,resurrection ,,life
 ,,and ,,daily ,,dying4   ,we have still
 other aspects to consider of that gain 
which the ,apostle descried in ,christ1 
for the sake of which he had cast so    
much away4  ,to prize the righteousness 
of faith was an element in the true     
knowledge of ,christ2 but it was so far 
from exhausting that knowledge1 that it 
only opened a door of progress1 and     
brought near the most stirring          

possibilities4 ,for1 indeed1 to be found
 in ,christ having that righteousness   
meant that ,god in ,christ was his1 and 
had begun to communicate ,himself in    
eternal life4 ,now this must still      
reveal itself in further and fuller     
knowledge of ,christ4 ,according to the 
,apostle's conception1 that which       
,christ means to be to us1 that which we
 may attain to be by ,christ1 opens     
progressively to the soul that has been 
won to this pursuit2 it comes into view 
and into experience in a certain growing
 knowledge4 ,it is a practical          
historical career2 and the ,apostle was 
set on achieving it1 not by strength or 
wisdom of his own1 but by the continual 
communication of grace1 responding to   
desire and prayer and endeavour4  ,we   
must not forget1 what has more than once
 been said1 that this earthly life of   
ours is the scene in which the          
discipline goes on1 in which the career 
is achieved4 ,it is the calling here and
 now1 not at some other stage of being1 

that the ,apostle is thinking of for    
himself and for his disciples4 ,and as  
earthly life is the scene1 so earthly   
life also furnishes the occasions and   
opportunities by which the knowledge of 
,christ is to advance4 ,any other way of
 it is for us inconceivable4 ,this life 
in all the various forms which it       
assumes for different men1 in all the   
changing experiences which it brings to 
each of us--life on the earth we know so
 well--with its joy and sorrow1 its     
labour and rest1 its gifts and its      
bereavements1 its friends and foes1 its 
times and places1 its exercise and      
interest for body and mind1 for         
intellect and heart and conscience1 with
 its temptations and its better         
influences1--life must furnish the      
opportunities for acquiring this        
practical knowledge of ,christ4 ,for    
that which falls to us1 if we are in    
,christ1 is a certain blessed well-being
 7itself an unfolding of ,christ's      
wisdom and grace74 ,and this must impart

 itself1 and reveal itself1 in our      
actual experience1 but in an experience 
which we pass through under the guidance
 of ,christ4  ,this familiar life1 then1
 is the scene2 it alone can furnish the 
opportunities4 ,and yet what the        
,apostle apprehends1 as coming into     
possession and experience1 is a life of 
a higher style1 a life set on a nobler  
key3 it is a life that has its centre   
and source and true type elsewhere2 it  
belongs to a higher region2 indeed1 it  
is a life whose perfect play pertains to
 another1 coming world4 ,capacity for   
such a life is not something superhuman2
 it is congenital to man1 made in the   
image of ,god4 ,and yet1 if these       
capacities unfold1 man's life must1 in  
the end1 become other than we know it   
now2 with a new proportioning of        
elements1 with a new order of           
experience1 with new harmonies1 with    
aptitudes for love and service and      
worship that are beyond us now4 ,only   
now1 they begin and grow2 they are now  

to be aimed at1 and realised in earnest 
and firstfruit1 and embraced in hope4   
,for they are elements in the knowledge 
of ,christ1 who is ours to know4  ,this 
is indicated in the ,apostle's          
aspiration after knowing ,christ in the 
power of ,his resurrection1 and his     
yearning if by any means he might attain
 to the resurrection of the dead4  ,the 
resurrection of ,christ marked the      
acceptance of ,his work by the ,father1 
and revealed the triumph in which that  
work ended4 ,death and all the power of 
the enemy were overcome1 and victory was
 attained4 ,for one thing1 the          
resurrection of ,christ made sure the   
righteousness of faith4 ,he rose again  
for our justification4 ,so every passage
 of the ,apostle's life which proved    
that his confidence in that respect was 
not vain1 that ,god in ,christ was truly
 his ,god1 was an experience of the     
power of ,christ's resurrection4 ,but   
the resurrection of ,christ was also    
,his emergence--,his due emergence--into

 the power and blessedness of victorious
 life4 ,in the ,person of ,christ life  
in ,god1 and unto ,god1 had descended   
into the hard conditions set for ,him   
who would associate a world of sinners  
to ,himself4 ,in the resurrection the   
triumph of that enterprise came to      
light4 ,now1 done with sin1 and free    
from death1 and asserting ,his          
superiority to all humiliation and all  
conflict1 ,he rose in the fulness of a  
power which ,he was entitled also to    
communicate4 ,he rose1 with full right  
and power to save4 ,and so ,his         
resurrection denotes ,christ as able to 
inspire life1 and to make it victorious 
in ,his members4  ,when1 then1 ,paul    
says that he would know ,christ in the  
power of ,his resurrection1 he aims at a
 life 7already his1 but capable of far  
more adequate development7 conformed to 
the life which triumphed in the risen   
,christ1 one with that in principle1 in 
character1 and in destiny4 ,this was1 in
 the meantime1 to be human life on the  

earth1 with the known elements and      
conditions of that life2 including1 in  
,paul's case1 some that were hard       
enough4 ,but it was to be transformed   
from within1 inspired with a new meaning
 and aim4 ,it was to have its elements  
polarised anew1 organised by new forces 
and in a new rhythm4 ,it was1 and was to
 be1 pervaded by peace with ,god1 by the
 consciousness of redemption1 by        
dedication to service4 ,it was to       
include a recoil from evil1 and a       
sympathy with goodness1--elements these 
which might be so far thought of as a   
reverting to the unfallen state4 ,but it
 had more in it1 because it was based on
 redemption1 and rooted in ,christ who  
died and rose again4 ,it was baptised   
with the passion of gratitude2 it was   
drawn into the effort to build up the   
,redeemer's kingdom2 and it aimed at a  
better country4  ,so while the life we  
know so well was the sphere in which    
this experience fulfilled itself1 the   
longings it included pointed to an      

existence higher up and further on--to  
an existence only to be reached by      
resurrection from the dead1 an existence
 certainly promised to be so reached4   
,all the effort and the longing pointed 
to that door of hope2 ,paul was reaching
 on to the resurrection of the dead4    
,for that blessed resurrection would    
consummate and fulfil the likeness to   
,christ and the fellowship with ,him1   
and would usher into a manner of being  
where the experience of both should be  
unimpeded4 ,the life of knowing ,christ 
could not be contented here1 could not  
rest satisfied short of that            
consummation4 ,for indeed to be with    
,christ and to labour for ,christ here  
on earth was good2 yet so that to depart
 and be with ,christ was far better4    
,we have here to do with the active and 
victorious aspect of ,christian life1   
the energy in it that makes it new and  
great4 ,it holds by a title and it draws
 from a source which must be looked for1
 both of them1 high up in heaven4       

,something in it has already triumphed  
over death4  ,it may be felt1 however1  
that there is some danger here lest the 
great words of ,paul may carry us off   
our feet1 and divorce us from terra     
firma altogether4 ,some one may ask1    
,but what does all this mean in         
practice8 ,what sort of life is it to   
be8 ,apostles can soar1 perhaps2 but how
 about the man in the workshop or in the
 counting-house1 or the woman busied in 
family cares8 ,a life in the power of a 
resurrection seems to be something that 
transcends earthly conditions           
altogether4 ,these are perfectly fair   
questions1 and one should try to meet   
them with a plain reply4  ,the life in  
view is first of all goodness in its    
ordinary sense1 or what we call common  
morality--common honesty1 common        
truthfulness1 common kindness4 ,let him 
that stole steal no more1 but rather let
 him labour2 ,not slothful in business2 
,lie not one to another1 seeing ye have 
put off the old man with his deeds4 ,but

 then this common morality begins to    
have an uncommon heart or spirit in it1 
by reason of ,christ4 ,so a new love for
 goodness and a new energy of rejection 
of evil begin to work2 also1 a new      
sensitiveness to discern good1 where its
 obligation was not felt before1 and to 
be aware of evil which1 before1 was     
tolerated4 ,moreover1 in the heart of   
this common morality the man carries    
about a consciousness of his own        
relation to ,god1 and also of the       
relation to ,god of all with whom he    
meets4 ,this consciousness is very      
imperfect1 sometimes perhaps almost     
vanishes4 ,yet the man is aware that an 
immense truth is here close to him1 and 
he has begun to be alive to it4 ,this   
consciousness tends to give a new value 
to all the moralities3 it awakens a new 
percipiency as to good and evil2 in     
particular1 the great duty of purity in 
relation to the man himself1 and to     
others1 acquires a new sacredness4 ,the 
place and claims of self also begin to  

be judged by a quite new standard4 ,in  
all directions possibilities of good and
 evil in human life are descried2 and   
the obligation to refuse the evil and to
 choose the good presses with a new     
force4 ,so far1 the remark made a little
 ago is justified1 that the ,christian  
life of ,paul was a life that had begun 
to point practically towards            
sinlessness1 towards what we call an    
unfallen state2 however far off it might
 be1 as yet1 from that attainment4 ,but 
this would be a very limited account of 
the matter4 ,the whole region of duty   
and privilege ,godwards is lighted up   
now by the faith of redemption in       
,christ2 that not only awakens          
gratitude1 but inspires a new passion of
 desire and hope into all moral effort4 
,and the man1 being now aware of a      
kingdom of goodness set up by ,christ1  
which is making its way to victory      
against all the power of evil1 and being
 aware of the agencies by which it      
works1 must give himself in his own     

place to the service of that kingdom1   
that he may not hurt but help the cause 
which it embodies4 ,the new life is     
therefore to be an energetic life of the
 plainest goodness4 ,only faith places  
it in relation to the world of faith1   
and inspires it with the passion of love
 and gratitude1 and amplifies it by the 
new horizons that fall back on all      
sides1 and gives it a goal in the hope  
of life eternal4  ,returning to the     
instance of the ,apostle ,paul1 one     
observes from his account of it that the
 regard of the believer to ,christ1 such
 regard as may actually be attained and 
operative in this life1 ought to        
fructify into desires and prayers that  
point beyond this life1 and reach out to
 the resurrection of the dead4 ,there is
 a contentedness with life here that is 
not ,christian4 ,it would agree well    
with a thankful use of earthly comforts1
 and a cheerful serenity amid earth's   
changes1 that we should feel our home   
and our treasure to be in another place1

 and the enjoyment of them to lie in a  
coming world4 ,not otherwise shall we   
know how to make a right ,christian use 
and have a right ,christian enjoyment of
 this life4 ,we are not prepared to get 
the full good of this world until we are
 ready and willing to go out of it4     
,let it be observed1 also1 how the      
,apostle strove to attain the           
resurrection of the dead4 ,the great    
things of the ,kingdom of ,god are      
exhibited in various connections1 none  
of which are to be overlooked4 ,one of  
these connections is here exhibited4    
,we know that in ,scripture a           
distinction is made between the         
resurrection of the righteous and the   
resurrection of the wicked4 ,a solemn   
obscurity rests on the manner and the   
principles of the latter1 the           
resurrection to shame4 ,but the         
resurrection of the just takes place in 
virtue of their union to ,christ2 it is 
after the example of ,his resurrection2 
it is to glory and honour4 ,now this    

resurrection1 while it is most obviously
 a crowning blessing and benefaction    
coming from ,god1 is represented also as
 having the character of an attainment  
made by us4 ,the faith in which we turn 
to ,god is the beginning of a course    
leading to the end of our faith1 the    
salvation of our souls4 ,this end       
coincides with the resurrection4 ,then  
the hour comes which completes1 then the
 state arrives in which is completed1   
the redemption of the man4 ,the         
resurrection rises before us1 therefore1
 as something which1 while on the one   
hand promised and given by ,god1 is1 on 
the other hand1 attained by us4 ,our    
,lord 7,luke xx4 #ce7 speaks of those   
who shall be counted worthy to attain   
that world1 and the resurrection of the 
dead4  ,the resurrection is promised to 
believers4 ,it is promised to arise to  
them in sequel to a certain course--a   
history of redemption1 made good in     
their lives4 ,how shall the disciple    
verify his expectation of this final    

benefit8 ,not surely without verifying  
the intermediate history4 ,the way must 
point towards the end--at least1 must   
point towards it4 ,a resurrection state1
 if it be like ,christ's1 how much must 
it include6 ,what purity1 what high     
aptitudes1 what delicate congenialities6
 ,the desires of the true ,christian    
life1 its aspirations and efforts1 as   
well as the promises which animate and  
the influences which sustain it1 all    
point in this direction4 ,but how if in 
any case this prove unreal1 deceptive2  
how if it be ostensible only8 ,how if no
 real changes take place1 or if they die
 out again8 ,what if soul and body rise 
unchanged1 the soul polluted1 and so the
 very body bearing the stamp of old     
sins8 ,what if the murderous eye of     
hate1 or the lurid eye of lust1 shall   
look into the eyes of ,him whose eyes   
are as a flame of fire8 ,accordingly    
this connection of things is impressed  
upon us by our ,apostle 7,rom4 viii4    
#aa73 ,if the ,spirit of ,him that      

raised up ,christ from the dead dwell in
 you1 ,he that raised up ,christ from   
the dead shall also quicken your mortal 
body by ,his ,spirit which dwelleth in  
you4 ,while we live here1 our body1     
however disciplined1 must still be the  
body of our humiliation 7ver4 #ba72 and 
sin continues to beset even renewed     
souls4 ,but if the ,spirit of grace is  
even now bringing all into subjection to
 the obedience of ,christ1 enabling us  
to die to sin and to live to            
righteousness1 that points forward to   
the completion of the work1 in the      
resurrection to glory4  ,this1 then1 is 
one view in which the ,apostle realises 
the solemnity and interest of ,christian
 life4 ,it is the way that leads up to  
such a resurrection4 ,the resurrection  
rises before him as the consummate      
triumph of that life for which he came  
to ,christ1 the life which he longs     
perfectly to possess1 perfectly to know4
 ,the success of his great venture is to
 meet ,him in the rising from the dead2 

his course1 meanwhile1 is a striving    
onwards to it4 ,how was it to be        
reached8 ,in order to that1 much must   
still be brought into experience of the 
resurrection power of ,christ4 ,only in 
that strength did ,paul look to be      
carried to the point at which1 ending   
his course1 he should lie down 7if he   
died before ,christ come7 in the blessed
 hope of the rising from the dead4 ,for 
this he looked to ,christ to work       
mightily in him2 for this he owned      
himself bound1 under the grace of       
,christ1 to strive mightily1 if by any  
means he might attain to it4 ,so great  
is this consummation2 so great are those
 things which fitly lead up to it4 ,is  
it not a great view of ,christian       
religion that it sends men onward in a  
life in which they attain to the        
resurrection of the dead8 ,must not that
 be a great history of which this is the
 appropriate close8  ,paul1 then1 was   
eager to go forward in a life intense   
and mighty1 drawing on a great power to 

sustain it1 and rising into splendid    
effects and results4 ,but yet1 in       
respect of some of its aspects1 it      
rather seemed to the ,apostle to be a   
certain deliberate and blessed dying4   
,at least1 the life must fulfil and     
realise itself along such a dying2 and  
this also1 this emphatically1 he pressed
 on to know--the fellowship of ,his     
sufferings1 being made conformable to   
,his death4  ,our ,lord's life on earth1
 strong and beautiful though it was1 was
 really at the same time ,his procedure 
towards death4 ,he lived as one laying  
down ,his life1 not merely in one great 
sacrifice at the close1 but from step to
 step along ,his whole earthly history4 
,with no touch of the morbid or the     
fanatical1 yet ,his course1 in practice1
 had to be one of self-impoverishment1  
of loneliness1 of acquaintance with     
energetic hostility of sin and sinners4 
,it had to be so if it was to be        
faithful4 ,he knew not where to lay ,his
 head2 ,he endured the contradiction of 

sinners against ,himself2 ,he came unto 
,his own1 and ,his own received ,him    
not4 ,even ,his friends1 whom ,he so    
loved1 and who loved ,him in their      
imperfect way1 did not love ,him wisely 
or magnanimously1 and constantly became 
occasions of temptation which had to be 
resisted4 ,pain and trial were the      
inevitable characters of the work given 
,him to do4 ,it lay in ,his calling to  
put a strong and faithful negative on   
the natural desire for safety1 for      
happiness1 for congenial society and    
surroundings1 for free and unembarrassed
 life4 ,all this ,he had steadily to    
postpone to a period beyond the grave1  
and meanwhile make ,his way to the final
 crisis1 at which1 under a mysterious   
burden of extreme sorrow1 accepted as   
the ,saviour's proper portion1 ,he died 
for our sins4 ,by this sacrifice ,he    
did1 no doubt1 relieve ,his followers of
 a burden which they never could have   
borne4 ,but yet in doing so ,he made it 
possible for them to enter1 happily and 

hopefully1 on a life so far like ,his   
own4 ,their life1 too1 comes to be      
governed by a decision1 maintained and  
persisted in1 for ,god's will1 and      
against the impulse1 in their case the  
impure and treacherous impulse1 of their
 own will4 ,they also1 in their turn1   
but under ,his influence and with ,his  
loving succour1 have so to live as in   
that life to die4 ,they learn to say ,no
 for their ,master's sake to many       
objects which strongly appeal to them4  
,they consent to postpone the period of 
perfectly harmonious life1 free and     
unimpeded1 to the time which lies beyond
 death4 ,they must count their true life
 to be that which1 perfectly conformed  
to and associated with their ,master's  
life1 they shall live in another scene  
of things4 ,meanwhile1 as to the        
elements of this world1 the life which  
stands in these must die1 or they must  
die to it1 growing into the mind of     
their ,lord4  ,it is difficult to speak 
of this without1 on the one hand1       

conveying a strained and unreal view of 
the ,christian's attitude towards the   
present life1 or1 on the other hand1    
weakening too much the sense of         
conformity to ,his death4 ,in the first 
place1 the ,christian's dying is mainly1
 and certainly it is first of all1 a    
dying to sin1 a mortifying the flesh    
with the affections and lusts4 ,it is   
the practical renunciation of evil1     
along with the maintenance of the       
watchfulness and self-discipline needed 
in order to be ready to renounce evil   
when it comes4 ,evil has to be rejected1
 not merely by itself1 but at the cost  
of those earthly interests which are    
involved in the surrender to it1 however
 dear or constraining those interests   
may seem to be2 so that conformity to   
,christ's death1 if it covered no more1 
would still cover a great deal of       
ground4 ,but it seems to cover something
 more--namely1 a general loosening of   
the grasp upon this life1 or on the     
temporary and sensible elements of it1  

in view of the worth and certainty of   
the higher and the better life4 ,this   
life1 indeed1 as long as we are in it1  
can never lose its claims upon us1 as   
the sphere of our duty1 and the scene of
 our training4 ,here we have our place  
to fill1 our relations to sustain1 our  
part to play1 our ministries to perform4
 ,in all these ways of it we have some  
good to do1 of lower or loftier kinds2  
in all1 we have many lessons to learn1  
which crowd upon us to the last2 through
 all1 we have to carry the faith of the 
unseen ,kingdom and the unseen ,lord2   
and in all these aspects of earthly     
life1 if ,god gives us any cheering     
experience of earthly brightness1 surely
 it is to be taken most thankfully4 ,it 
is a poor way of construing the         
conformity to ,christ's death1 to       
renounce interest in the life of which  
we are a part1 and the world which is   
the scene of it4 ,but the interest      
should fasten more intently on the      
things which interest our ,lord1 and    

eagerness of spirit about earthly good  
for ourselves must give place and       
subside4  ,and yet1 when one thinks of  
the beauty and sweetness of much that   
pertains to our earthly existence1 and  
of the goodness of ,god in material or  
temporal gifts1 and of the thankfulness 
with which ,christian hearts are to take
 these when they are given1 and are to  
walk with ,god in the use of them1 one  
feels the risk of involving oneself here
 in extravagance or in contradiction4   
,we are not going to maintain that the  
,apostle would shut himself out1 or us1 
from interest or delight in the innocent
 beauty or gladness of the earth4 ,but  
yet1 is it not true that we are all     
passing on to death1 and in death are to
 be parted from all this8 ,is it not    
true that as ,christians we consent to  
dying2 we count it the good discipline  
of ,christ's people that they should    
die1 and pass so into the better life8  
,is it not true that our life as        
,christians should train us to maintain 

this mind deliberately and habitually1  
calmly and gladly8 ,for indeed this     
life1 at its purest and best1 still     
offers to us a vision of good that is   
apt to steal our hearts away from the   
supreme good1 the best and highest4 ,now
 that best and highest rises before us1 
as practically to be made ours1 in the  
resurrection4  ,meanwhile1 it is well1  
no doubt1 that we should cherish a frank
 and thankful gladness in all earthly   
good and earthly beauty that can be     
taken as from the ,father's hand4 ,yet  
there should grow upon us an inward     
consent1 strengthening as the days go   
by1 that this shall not endure2 that it 
shall not be our permanent possession2  
that it shall be loosely held1 as ere   
long to be parted from4 ,such a mind    
should grow1 not because our hearts are 
cold to the present country of our      
being1 but because they are warming     
towards a better country4 ,these earthly
 things are good1 but they are not ours2
 we have only a lease of them1          

terminable at any time4 ,who shall bring
 us to that which is1 and shall         
eternally be1 our very own8  ,so ,christ
 our ,master passed through life1 with  
an open eye and heart for the fair and  
the lovable around ,him1 for flowers and
 little children1 and for what was      
estimable or attractive in men1 even in 
a natural way4 ,surely all was dear to  
,him on which ,he could see the trace of
 the ,creator's holy hands4 ,yet ,he    
passed on and passed by1 going forward  
to death and consenting to die1 ,his    
face set steadfastly to a joy before    
,him which could not be realised by     
lingering here4  ,now let this be       
especially observed1 that while we may  
here recognise a practical lesson to be 
learned1 the wisest of us may also      
recognise it as a lesson we could not   
undertake to teach to ourselves4 ,to    
oppose sin1 when conscience and ,god's  
word warn us of its presence1 is at     
least something definite and plain4 ,but
 how to take the right attitude and bear

 the right mind towards this various1   
manifold1 engrossing1 wonderful human   
life1 as it unfolds for us here--how    
shall that be done8 ,some have tried to 
answer by amputating large sections of  
human experience4 ,but that is not the  
way4 ,for1 indeed1 it is in human life  
itself--in this present1 and1 for the   
present1 the only form of our           
existence--that we must take the right  
view of human life1 and form the right  
mind about it4 ,moreover1 our conditions
 are varying continually1 from the state
 of the little child1 open to every     
influence that strikes the sense1 to the
 state of the old man1 whom age is      
shutting up in a crippled and stunted   
existence4 ,the just equipoise of soul  
for one stage of life1 could it be      
attained1 would not be the just         
equipoise for the next4  ,the truth is1 
there is no ready-made theory here for  
any of us4 ,all our attainments in it   
are tentative and provisional2 which    
does not hinder1 however1 that they may 

be very real4 ,when we believe in       
,christ we become aware that there is a 
lesson in this department to be learned1
 and we become willing1 in a measure1 to
 learn it4 ,but we should learn little  
were it not for three great teachers    
that take us in hand4  ,the first is the
 inevitable conflict with sin and       
temptation4 ,the ,christian must1 at all
 events1 strive against known sin1 and  
he must hold himself ready to resist the
 onset of temptation1 watching and      
praying4 ,in this discipline he soon    
learns how sin is entangled for him with
 much that in other respects seems      
desirable or good2 he learns that in    
rejecting sin he must forgo some things 
which on other accounts he gladly would 
embrace4 ,it is often a painful conflict
 through which he has to pass4 ,now in  
seeking help from his ,lord1 and        
entering into the fellowship of the mind
 of ,christ1 he is not only strengthened
 to repel the sin1 but also learns to   
submit willingly to any impoverishment  

or abridgement of earthly life which the
 conflict entails4 ,he is taught in     
practice1 now in one form1 now in       
another1 to count all things but        
loss--to lower the overweening estimate 
of earthly treasure and let it go1 dying
 to it with his dying ,lord4  ,then1    
besides1 there is the discipline of     
suffering4 ,sorrow1 indeed1 is not      
peculiar to ,christians4 ,of it1 all are
 partakers4 ,but ,christian endurance is
 part of a fellowship with ,christ1 in  
which we learn of ,him4 ,in the warm air
 of prosperity a hot mist rises round   
the soul1 that hides from view the great
 realities1 and that deceives and       
misleads us with its vain mirage4 ,but  
in suffering1 taken in ,christ's way and
 in fellowship with ,him1 in the pain of
 disappointment and of loss1 and        
especially in the exercise of           
submission1 we are taught feelingly     
where our true treasure is2 and we are  
trained to consent to separations and   
privations1 for the sake of ,christ1 and

 under the influence of the love of     
,christ4  ,and1 lastly1 the growth of   
,christian experience and ,christian    
character deepens our impressions of the
 worth of ,christ's salvation1 and gives
 more body and more ardour to ,christian
 hope4 ,as that world with its perfect  
good draws the believer1 as it becomes  
more visible to faith and more          
attractive1 his grasp of this world     
becomes1 perhaps1 not less kindly1 but  
it becomes less tenacious4 ,knowledge1  
such as the schools of earth afford1 we 
still feel to be desirable and good4    
,love1 under the conditions which earth 
supplies for its exercise1 we still feel
 to be very dear4 ,the activities which 
call out courage and resource1 we still 
feel to be interesting and worthy4 ,yet 
knowledge proves to be but in part4 ,and
 love1 if it does not die1 needs for its
 health and security a purer air4 ,and  
in the problems of active life failure  
still mingles with success4 ,but the    
love of ,god which is in ,jesus ,christ 

grows in worth and power2 so that1 in   
new applications of the principle1 we   
learn afresh to count all things but    
loss for the excellency of the knowledge
 of ,christ4  ,in a word1 then1 that we 
may grow into the mind of ,christ1      
sufferings and self-denials are         
appointed to come into experience4 ,he  
sets them for us2 we should not wisely  
set them for ourselves4 ,they come in   
the conflict with sin or in the ordinary
 discipline of life4 ,either way they   
become for believers the fellowship of  
,christ's sufferings2 for they are taken
 in ,christ's way1 under ,his eye1      
endured in the strength of ,his truth   
and grace and salvation4 ,so believers  
become more conformable to ,his death4  
,hence this discipline of trial is      
indispensable to all disciples4  ,some  
such view of the ends of ,christ in     
regard to separation from sin and       
disengagement from the life which is    
doomed to die1 we suppose to have been  
before ,paul's mind4 ,he had come to    

,christ for life1 abundant and          
victorious1 such as should be answerable
 to the power of ,christ's resurrection4
 ,but he saw that such life must fulfil 
itself in a certain dying1 made good in 
a fellowship of ,christ's sufferings2   
and it must find its completeness and   
its peace beyond death1 in the          
resurrection of the dead4 ,did he flinch
 or shrink from this8 ,no3 he longed to 
have it all perfectly accomplished4 ,his
 knowledge of ,christ was to be not only
 in the power of ,his resurrection1 but 
in the fellowship of ,his sufferings1   
being made conformable to ,his death4   
,whatever mistakes have been made by    
followers of the ascetic life1 it is a  
mistake on the other side to neglect    
this element of ,christianity4 ,he who  
is not self-denied1 and that cheerfully1
 to the danger and seduction of lawful  
things1 is one who has not his loins    
girt nor his lamp burning4  ,it is worth
 our while to mark the thoroughgoing    
sincerity of the ,apostle's             

,christianity4 ,not merely did he in    
general embrace ,christ and salvation3  
but with the utmost cordiality he       
embraced the method of ,christ2 he      
strove after fellowship with ,christ's  
mind in living1 and also in dying2 he   
did so1 though the fellowship included  
not only the power of ,his resurrection1
 but the fellowship of ,his sufferings4 
,he longed to have it all fulfilled in  
his own case4 ,so he strove toward the  
resurrection of the dead4  ,in parting  
from these great ,christian thoughts we 
may note how fitly the power of         
,christ's resurrection takes precedence 
of the fellowship of ,his sufferings and
 the being made conformable to ,his     
death4 ,some have thought that1 as death
 comes before resurrection1 the order of
 the clauses might have been inverted4  
,but it is only through the precedent   
virtue of ,christ's resurrection that   
such a history is achieved1 either in   
,paul or in any of us4 ,we must be      
partakers of life in the power of       

,christ's resurrection1 if we are to    
carry through the fellowship with the   
suffering and the death4     ,,christian
 ,,life ,a ,,race4       ,not that ,i   
have already obtained1 or am already    
made perfect3 but      ,i press on1 if  
so be that ,i may apprehend that for    
which also ,i was      apprehended by   
,christ ,jesus4 ,brethren1 ,i count not 
myself yet to      have apprehended3 but
 one thing ,i do1 forgetting the things 
which      are behind1 and stretching   
forward to the things which are before1 
,i press on toward the goal unto the    
prize of the high calling of      ,god  
in ,christ ,jesus4 ,let us therefore1 as
 many as be perfect1 be      thus       
minded3 and if in anything ye are       
otherwise minded1 even this      shall  
,god reveal unto you3 only1 whereunto we
 have already      attained1 by that    
same rule let us walk4       ,brethren1 
be ye imitators together of me1 and mark
 them which so      walk even as ye have
 us for an ensample4--,,phil4 iii4      

#ab-ag 7,r4,v474     ,,chapter ,,xiv4   
,,christian ,,life ,a ,,race4   ,various
 passages in this ,epistle suggest that 
the ,apostle's ,philippian friends or   
some of them were relaxing in diligence2
 they were failing perhaps to lay to    
heart the need of progress1 less        
sensitive than they ought to be to the  
impulse of ,christianity as a religion  
of effort and expectancy4 ,some of them1
 it might be1 were inclined to think of 
themselves as now pretty well initiated 
into the new religion1 and as pretty    
thorough adepts in its teaching and its 
practice2 entitled therefore to sit down
 and look round with a certain          
satisfaction and complacency4 ,if it    
were so1 the tendency to division would 
be accounted for4 ,arrogance in         
,christians is a sure preliminary to    
heats and disputings4 ,at all events1   
however it might be at ,philippi1 an    
insidious complacency in little         
improvements and small attainments is   
not unknown among ,christians4 ,it is1  

one may fear1 a common impression among 
us that we are fair average             
,christians1--a feeling perhaps not so  
cherished as to make us boast1 but yet  
so cherished as to make us feel content4
 ,and1 alas6 the very meaning of        
,christianity was to inspire us with a  
spirit that would refuse so to be       
contented4  ,some feeling of this kind  
may have led the ,apostle to lay stress 
on the onward energising character of   
,christianity as he knew it4 ,this was  
the manner of his regard to his ,lord4  
,at the foundation of his religion there
 was1 indeed1 the faith of a wonderful  
gift of righteousness and life4 ,that   
gift he welcomed and embraced4 ,but it  
wrought in him eagerness of desire1 and 
intentness of purpose1 to secure and    
have all that this gift implied4 ,it    
stirred him to activity and progress4   
,his was not the ,christianity of one   
who counts himself to have already      
obtained all into possession1 nor of one
 who finds himself landed already in the

 state at which the ,christian promises 
aim4 ,rather he is one set in full view 
of a great result3 some experience of   
the benefits of it is already entering  
into his history2 but it is yet to be   
brought to pass in its fulness2 and that
 must be along a line of believing      
endeavour1 ,christ working and ,paul    
working1 ,christ faithful with ,paul    
faithful4 ,i follow after1 if that ,i   
may lay hold and extend my grasp1 seeing
 ,christ has laid hold with ,his grasp  
on me4 ,christ had a purpose1 and has   
mightily inaugurated a process through  
which this purpose may be achieved in   
the history of ,paul4 ,and as ,christ   
lays ,his grasp on ,paul1 behold the    
purpose of ,christ becomes also the     
purpose of ,paul1 and he now throws     
himself into the process with all his   
force1 to apprehend that for the sake of
 which ,christ apprehended him4  ,here  
,paul signalised one distinguishing     
attribute of genuine ,christianity as he
 knew it4 ,he did not yet count himself 

to have laid complete grasp on the whole
 of ,christian good4 ,in a very         
important practical sense salvation was 
still something ahead of him1 as to the 
final1 secure1 complete possession2     
,christ ,himself was an object still    
before him1 as to the knowledge and the 
fellowship for which he longed4 ,but one
 thing is vital and distinctive4 ,this  
,saviour with ,his salvation holds me   
so1 that ,i count all but loss for ,him4
 ,he holds me so1 that forgetting all   
that lies behind1 ,i bend myself to the 
race1 stretching out towards the goal at
 which the prize of the high calling of 
,god in ,christ is won4 ,that is my     
,christianity4 ,he who had suffered loss
 of all for ,christ1 he who so burned   
with desire to know ,him in ,his        
righteousness1 in the power of ,his     
resurrection1 in the fellowship of ,his 
sufferings1 is far from thinking he has 
reached the goal4 ,because the knowledge
 of ,christ is so great a thing in his  
eyes1 therefore1 on the one hand1 all he

 has attained as yet seems partial and  
imperfect2 but for the same reason1 on  
the other hand1 he feels the great      
attraction by which all his powers are  
drawn into the endeavour which so great 
a prize shall crown4  ,the question may 
here be put how the consistency of the  
gospel can be made out if we are called 
to rest and rejoice in ,christ1 and if1 
at the same time1 we find ourselves     
committed to so absorbing a struggle for
 a prize4 ,if ,god will have us1 it may 
be said1 to seek and strive that we may 
obtain1 then we must do so because it is
 ,his will4 ,but where is the connection
 of things that will avert              
inconsistency1 and bring out a          
reasonable continuity of principles1    
between the call to rest on ,christ for 
full salvation1 and the call to run a   
race1 and so run as to obtain8 ,for     
answer it is to be remembered1 in the   
first place1 that 7as commonly happens  
in matters where life and its activities
 are concerned7 the difficulty concerns 

only the adjustment of our theory2 it   
begins to vanish when we come to        
practice4 ,when we are in vital contact 
with the spiritual realities themselves1
 we find both elements of the case to be
 true for us1 and each indispensable to 
the truth of the other4 ,the rest of    
faith and the fight of faith belong to  
each other4 ,but not to dwell on so     
general a consideration1 two lines of   
thought may be suggested to those who   
are conscious of embarrassment at this  
point4  ,first1 let it be considered    
that the faith of a ,christian embraces 
real relations with the living ,god1    
different from anything that is possible
 to unbelief4 ,through ,christ we       
believe in ,god4 ,those relations are   
conceived to be real and vital from the 
first1 though the perfect experience of 
all that they imply belongs to the      
future4 ,faith means that from the      
outset of believing we are to be to     
,god1 and ,god is to be to us1 something
 different from what the flesh          

perceives4 ,christ believed in is an    
assurance that so it is and shall be4   
,but now1 the state of men is such1 as  
long as they have to carry on a life of 
faith in a world of sense and sin1 that 
this faith of theirs presently meets    
with flat contradiction4 ,the course of 
the world treats it all as null4 ,sin in
 their own hearts1 and many experiences 
of life1 seem to negative the           
pretensions and the claims of faith4    
,and strong temptations whisper that    
this high fellowship with a living ,god 
not only does not exist1 but that it is 
not desirable that it should4 ,so that  
from the outset and all along1 faith1 if
 it is not content to be a mere dream1  
if it will count for a reality1 must    
contend for its life4 ,it must fight1   
praying always with all prayer1 to make 
good its ground1 and to hold on to its  
,lord4 ,it is indeed the nature of faith
 to rest1 for it is a trust2 not less   
certainly faith is under necessity to   
strive1 for it is challenged and        

impeached4  ,it lies therefore in the   
very nature of the case that1 if faith  
is in earnest in embracing real and     
progressive salvation1 it must find     
itself drawn into conflict and effort to
 assert the reality and to experience   
the progress4 ,the opposition it meets  
with ensures this4  ,on the other hand1 
it is the nature of the gospel to set   
men free for active service4 ,it        
supplies motives1 therefore1 for        
enterprise1 diligence1 and fidelity2 and
 it provides a goal towards which all   
shall tend4 ,so men become              
fellow-labourers with their ,lord4 ,and 
if it is intelligible that the ,lord    
should exert continual care for them1 it
 ought to be intelligible also that they
 are to be exercised in a continual care
 for ,him2 care1 that is1 for the       
discharge of the trust which they hold  
from ,him4  ,the ,apostle dwells on all 
this1 evidently because he felt it to be
 a point of so great importance in      
practical ,christianity4 ,in this world 

the right ,christian is the man who     
knows well he has not attained1 but who 
devotes his life to attaining4 ,paul    
brings this out by means of the image of
 a race for a prize1 such as might be   
seen in the public games4 ,this is a    
favourite illustration with him4 ,his   
use of it illustrates the way in which  
things that are steeped in worldliness  
may aid us in apprehending the things of
 ,god's kingdom4 ,they do so1 because   
they involve elements or energies of    
man's nature that are good as far as    
they go4 ,as the ,apostle thought of the
 racers1 prepared by unsparing          
discipline1 which had been concentrated 
on the one object2 as he thought of the 
determination with which the eager      
runners started1 and of the way in which
 every thought and every act was bent   
upon the one purpose of success1 until  
the moment when the panting runner shot 
past the goal1 it stirred him with the  
resolve to be not less eager in his     
race2 and it made him long to see the   

children of light as practical and wise 
as1 in their generation1 the children of
 this world are4  ,as usual in the case 
of illustrations1 this one will not hold
 in all points4 ,for instance1 in a race
 one only wins1 and all the rest are    
defeated and disappointed4 ,this is not 
so in the ,christian race4 ,the         
analogies lie elsewhere4 ,in order to   
run well the runners submit to          
preparation in which everything is done 
to bring out their utmost energy for the
 race4 ,when the race comes each        
competitor may possibly win3 in order to
 win he must put forth his utmost       
powers2 he must do so within a short    
period of time2 and during that time    
nothing must distract him from the one  
aim of winning4 ,he does this for a     
benefit embodied in1 or symbolised by1  
the prize which rewards and commemorates
 his victory4 ,these are the points in  
which the races of public games afford  
lessons for the ,christian race4 ,in the
 former the fact that the success of any

 one competitor deprives the others of  
the prize they seek1 is the circumstance
 that puts intensity into the whole     
business1 and makes a real race of it4  
,so also in the spiritual antitype there
 are elements which make the race most  
real1 though they are elements of       
another kind4  ,the prize can be nothing
 else than the life eternal 7#a ,tim4   
vi4 #ab7 which comes1 as we have seen1  
into full possession at the resurrection
 of the dead4 ,he whose favour is life  
confers it4 ,the bestowment of it is    
conceived as taking place with gladness 
and with honourable approbation3 ,well  
done1 good and faithful servant2 enter  
thou into the joy of thy ,lord4 ,the    
prize stands in strict connection with  
the perfecting of the believer3 the time
 of receiving the prize is also the time
 of being presented faultless4 ,neither 
prize nor perfectness is attained here2 
neither is attained unless sought here2 
and the blessedness bestowed is         
connected in fact and measure with the  

faith and diligence expended on the     
race4 ,on all these accounts the prize  
is spoken of as a crown3 a crown of     
glory1 for it is very honourable2 a     
crown of life1 incorruptible1 that      
fadeth not away1 for it shall never     
wither on the brow1 as the wreaths of   
those earthly champions did4 ,now to run
 his race was for ,paul the one thing4  
,he had not yet attained2 he could not  
sit still as if he had3 it was his      
living condition that he must run1 as   
one not yet there1 following on in      
earnest that he might actually have the 
prize4  ,perhaps some one may regard it 
as objectionable to conceive practical  
,christianity as a race for a prize4    
,this seems1 it may be said1 to         
subordinate the present to the future1  
this world to the other world1 and1 in  
particular1 virtue to happiness2 because
 in this way the efforts of goodness    
here are conceived only as a means to   
enjoyment or satisfaction there4 ,we    
reply that the prize does indeed include

 joy1 the joy of the ,lord4 ,but it     
includes1 first of all1 goodness1       
consummate in the type of it proper to  
the individual2 and gladness is present 
no otherwise than as it is harmonised   
with goodness1 being indeed her proper  
sister and companion4 ,besides1 the     
elements of the gladness of that state  
come in as the expression of ,god's     
love--a love both holy and wise4        
,communion with that love is the true   
security for goodness4 ,it is equally   
absurd to suppose1 on the one hand1 that
 when that love fills the heart with its
 unreserved communication there can fail
 to be gladness2 and1 on the other hand1
 to suppose that fellowship with it can 
be other than the proper and supreme    
object of a creature's aspiration4      
,there is no unworthiness in devoting   
life to win this prize2 for it is a     
state of victorious well-being and      
well-doing4 ,the highest goodness of all
 intervening stages is to aspire to that
 highest goodness of all4 ,whatever we  

may do or be1 meanwhile1 is best        
attained and done as it confesses its   
own shortcoming1 and hopes and longs to 
be better and to do more4  ,it is true  
that a complete gift of eternal life is 
held out to us in ,christ1 and it is    
faith's part to accept that gift and to 
rest in it4 ,but yet part of that gift  
itself is an emancipation of the soul2  
in virtue of this the man becomes       
actively responsive to the high calling1
 reiterates his fundamental decision all
 along the detail of mortal life1       
affirms his agreement with the mind and 
life of his ,lord1 approves himself     
faithful and devoted1 and runs so as to 
obtain4 ,all this is in the idea of the 
gift bestowed1 and is unfolded in the   
experience of the gift received4 ,so the
 prize is to arise to us as the close of
 a course of progressive effort tending 
that way3 the reality of the prize      
corresponds to the reality of the       
progress2 the degree of it1 in some way1
 to the rate of that progress4 ,the     

progress itself is made good1 as we have
 said1 by perpetually re-affirming the  
initial choice2 doing so in new         
circumstances1 under new lights1 with a 
new sense of its meaning1 against the   
difficulties implied in new temptations2
 yet so as ever1 in the main1 to abide  
by the beginning of our confidence4     
,with all this let it be remembered that
 the time is short2 and it will be      
understood that the ,christian life1 so 
viewed1 assumes the character1 and may  
well exhibit the intensity and pressure1
 of a race4  ,how far short men fall of 
the great idea of such a life--how they 
flinch from the perfectness of this     
,christian imperfection--need not be    
enlarged upon4 ,but if any life is      
wholly untrue to this ideal1 the        
,apostle seemingly could not count it   
,christian4 ,this one thing he did1 he  
bent himself to the race4 ,for if the   
ultimate attainment has become very     
attractive1 if the sense of present     
disproportion to it is great1 and if1 in

 ,christ1 both the obligation and the   
hopefulness of reaching the perfect good
 have become imperatively plain1 what   
can a man do but run8         99        
99       99       99       99  ,verses  
#ae and #af state the use which the     
,apostle desires his disciples to make  
of this account of his own views and    
feelings1 his attitude and his          
effort1--,as many of us as are perfect4 
,since the ,apostle has disclaimed 7ver4
 #ab7 being already perfected1 it may   
seem strange that he should now say1 ,as
 many of us as are perfect4 ,his use of 
language in other places1 however1      
warrants the position that he is not    
speaking of absolute perfection1 as if  
the complete result of the ,christian   
calling had been attained4 ,rather he is
 thinking of ripe practical insight into
 the real spirit of the ,christian      
life--that is to say1 advanced          
acquaintance1 by experience1 with the   
real nature of the ,christian life4 ,he 
uses this word perfect in contrast to   

babes or children in ,christ4 ,these    
last are persons who have been truly    
brought to ,christ2 but their           
conceptions and their attainments are   
rudimentary4 ,they have not attained to 
large insight into the means and ends of
 the ,christian life1 nor to any ripe   
acquaintance with the position of a     
,christian man1 and the relation he     
holds to things around him4 ,they are   
therefore unready to face the           
responsibilities and perform the duties 
of ,christian manhood4 ,hence the       
translators of the ,authorised ,version1
 in some passages1 render the same word 
so as to bring out this sense of it4 ,so
 #a ,cor4 xiv4 #bj1 ,be not children in 
understanding3 howbeit in malice be ye  
children1 but in understanding be men   
771 and ,heb4 v4 #ad1 ,strong meat      
belongs to those that are of full age   
774  ,it cannot be doubted1 however1    
that the word is used here with a       
certain emphatic significance in        
reference to the previous disclaimer1 ,i

 am not yet perfected4 ,in the          
,philippians1 or in some of them1 ,paul 
apprehended the existence of a          
self-satisfied mood of mind1 such as    
might perhaps be warrantable if they    
were now perfect1 if ,christianity had  
brought forth all its results for them1 
but on no other terms4 ,in contrast to  
this he had set before them the intense 
avidity with which he himself stretched 
out towards attainment and completeness 
which he had not reached4 ,and now he   
teaches them that to be thus well aware 
how far we are from the true            
completeness1 to be thus reaching out to
 it1 is the true perfection of our      
present state3 he only is the perfect   
,christian who is thus minded2 who knows
 and feels how much remains to be       
attained1 and gives himself up to the   
effort and the race under that          
inspiration4 ,it is as if he said3      
,would you approve yourselves to be     
believers1 advanced and established2    
would you show that you have come to a  

larger measure of just views and just   
feelings about the new world into which 
faith has brought you2 would you have   
the character of men well acquainted    
with your ,lord's mind about you1 with  
your own position in relation to ,him2  
in short1 would you be perfect1 fully   
under the influence of the ,christianity
 you profess3--then let you and me be   
thus minded2 let us evince the lowly    
sense of our distance from the goal1    
along with a living sense of the        
magnificence and urgency of the motives 
which constrain us to press on to it4   
,for is there such a thing attainable   
here as a ,christian perfectness1 a ripe
 fulness of the ,christian life1 which  
exhibits that working of it1 in its     
various forces1 which was designed for  
this stage of our history8 ,if so1 what 
must it be8 ,that man surely is the     
perfect man who fully apprehends the    
position in which the gospel places him 
here1 and the ends it sets before him1  
and who most fully admits into his life 

the views and considerations which1 in  
this state of things1 the gospel        
proposes4 ,then1 he must be a man       
penetrated with a sense of the          
disproportion between his attainment and
 ,christ's ideal1 and at the same time  
set on fire with the desire and hope of 
overcoming it4 ,has a man experienced   
many gracious dealings at his ,lord's   
hands1 has he made attainments by grace1
 has he come to a ,christian standing   
that may be called full age1 would he be
 what all this would seem to            
imply1--then let him take heed to be    
thus minded4 ,otherwise he is already   
beginning to lose what he seemed to have
 attained4  ,it is not so surprising1   
and it is not so severely to be         
reprehended1 if those fail in this point
 who are but children in ,christ4 ,when 
the glorious things of the new world are
 freshly bursting into view1 when the   
affections of the child of ,god are in  
their early exercise1 when sin for the  
present seems stricken down1 it is not  

so wonderful if men suppose danger and  
difficulty to be over4 ,like the        
,corinthians1 now they are full1 now    
they are rich1 now they have reigned as 
kings4 ,it has often been so2 and at    
that stage it may be more easily        
pardoned4 ,one may say of it1 ,they will
 learn their lesson by-and-by2 they will
 soon find out that in the life of a    
,christian all is not triumph and       
exultation4 ,but it concerns those who  
have got further on1 and it is expected 
of them1 that they should be thus minded
 as the ,apostle ,paul was4 ,it is a    
more serious business for them to be of 
another mind on this point1 than for    
those who are only children in ,christ4 
,it tends to great loss4 ,are we1 says  
the ,apostle1 come to a point at which  
we may be thought to be--may hope we    
are--experienced believers1 well        
acquainted now with the salvation and   
the service1 men in ,christ8 ,then as we
 would ever act in a manner answerable1 
at this stage1 to the gospel and to our 

position under the gospel1 let us be    
thus minded2 forgetting that which is   
behind1 reaching forth to that which is 
before1 let us press toward the mark4   
,for at each stage of progress much     
depends on the way in which we deal with
 the position now attained1 with the    
views which have opened to us1 and with 
the experiences that have been acquired4
 ,this may decide whether the stage     
reached shall be but a step towards     
something better and more blessed1 or   
whether a sad blight and declension     
shall set in4 ,there are ,christian     
lives to-day sadly marred1 entangled and
 bewildered so that one knows not what  
to make of them1 and all by reason of   
failure to be thus minded4  ,a man is   
awakened to the supreme importance of   
,divine things4 ,at the outset of his   
course1 for years perhaps1 he is a      
vigorous and growing ,christian4 ,so he 
comes to a large measure of             
establishment3 he grows into knowledge  
of truth and duty4 ,but after a time the

 feeling creeps into his mind that      
matters are now less urgent4 ,he acts   
rather as a man disposed to keep his    
ground1 than as one that would advance4 
,now he seems to himself to lose ground 
somewhat1 now to awaken a little and    
recover it1 and on those terms he is    
fairly well contented4 ,all this while  
it would be unjust to say that he does  
not love and serve ,christ4 ,but time   
passes on2 life draws nearer to its     
close4 ,the period at which ,god's      
afflictions usually multiply has        
arrived4 ,and he awakens at last to see 
how much of his life has been lost2 how 
extensively1 though secretly1 decay has 
marred his attainments and his service2 
and how little1 in the result1 of that  
honourable success has crowned his life 
which once seemed fair before him4  ,let
 us be thus minded4 ,let ,christians be 
admonished who have for some time been  
,christians1 and especially those who   
are passing through middle life1 or from
 middle life into older years4 ,there is

 enchanted ground here1 in passing over 
which too many of ,christ's servants go 
to sleep4 ,leave that which is behind4  
,let us be thus minded3 but this proves 
hard4 ,one may see it in a general way  
to be most reasonable1 but to come up to
 it in particulars is hard4 ,in all     
particular cases we are tempted to be   
otherwise minded4 ,and in many          
particulars we find it very difficult to
 judge the manner of spirit that we are 
of4 ,were all right in us1 absolutely   
right1 rectitude of disposition and of  
moral action would be in a manner       
instinctive4 ,but now it is not so4     
,with reference to many aspects of our  
life1 it is very difficult to bring out 
distinctly to our own minds how the     
attitude that becomes us is to be       
attained and maintained4 ,the difficulty
 is real2 and therefore a promise is    
annexed4 ,if in anything ye be otherwise
 minded4 ,that may realise itself in two
 ways4 ,you may be distinctly conscious 
that your way of dealing with some      

interests which enter into your lives is
 unsatisfactory1 is below your calling  
and privilege as a ,christian2 and yet  
you may find it hard to see how you are 
to rise into the worthier life4 ,it is  
like a problem which you cannot solve4  
,or1 again1 you may fear that it is so2 
you may fear that if things were seen in
 the true light it would turn out so4   
,but you cannot see clearly2 you cannot 
identify the faulty element1 far less   
amend it4 ,here the promise meets you4  
,if in anything ye be otherwise minded1 
,god shall reveal even this unto you4   
,keep your face in the right direction4 
,be honestly set on the attainment1 and 
the way will open up to you as you go4  
,you will see the path opening from the 
point where you stand1 into life that   
throughout is akin to the aspiration and
 the achievement of the life of ,paul4  
,paul here has regard to a distinction  
which theorists are apt to overlook4 ,we
 have a sufficient objective rule in the
 word and example of ,christ4 ,this may 

be summarised in forms easily repeated1 
and a man may1 in that respect1 know all
 that need be said as to what he is to  
do and to be4 ,but in morals and in     
spiritual life this is only the         
beginning of another process--namely1   
the subjective individual entrance into 
the meaning of it all and the practical 
appropriation of it4 ,i know the whole  
of duty on the human side3 ,i am to love
 my neighbour as myself4 ,it is most    
essential to know it1 and a grand thing 
to have consented to make a rule of it4 
,but1 says one1 there remains the       
difficulty of doing it8 ,is that all8 ,i
 reply4 ,there is another previous      
difficulty4 ,i can preach a sermon on   
loving my neighbour as myself4 ,but what
 does that mean1 for me1 not for any one
 else1 but for myself1 on a given day in
 ,november1 at half-past one in the     
afternoon1 when ,i am face to face with 
my neighbour1 who has his merits1 and   
also his defects1 being1 perhaps1       
provoking and encroaching1 with whom ,i 

have some business to arrange8 ,what    
does it mean then and there and for me8 
,here there opens the whole question of 
the subjective insight into the scope   
and genius of the rule2 in which problem
 heart and mind must work together2 and 
commonly there has to be training1      
experience1 growth1 in order to the     
expert and just discernment4 ,short of  
that there may be honest effort1        
blundering most likely1 but honest1 and 
lovingly accepted through ,christ4 ,but 
there ought to be growth on this        
subjective side4  ,moreover1 when       
progress has been made here it imposes  
responsibility4 ,have you been carried  
forward to such and such degrees of this
 subjective insight8 ,then this ought to
 be for you a fruitful attainment4 ,do  
not neglect its suggestions1 do not     
prove careless and untrue to insight    
attained4 ,whereto we have attained1 by 
the same rule let us walk1--or1 as we   
may render it1 go on in the same line4  
,so new insight and new achievement     

shall wait upon our steps4  ,generally1 
if their ,lord had carried the          
,philippians forward to genuine         
attainments of ,christian living1 then  
that history of theirs was a track which
 reached further on4 ,it was not a blind
 alley1 stopping at the point now       
reached4 ,it had had a meaning2 there   
was some rationale of it2 it proceeded  
on principles which could be understood1
 for they had been put in practice2 and 
it demanded to be further pursued4      
,there is a continuity in the work of   
grace4 ,there is a rational development 
of spiritual progress in the case of    
each child of ,god4 ,what ,god means1   
what the direction is in which ,his     
finger beckons1 what the dispositions   
are under the influence of which ,his   
call is complied with and obeyed1--these
 are things which have been so far      
learned in that course of lessons and   
conflicts1 of defeats and backslidings1 
restorations and victories1 which has   
brought you so far4 ,let this be carried

 out2 keep on in the same road4 ,whereto
 you have attained1 go on with the same4
  ,but such an admonition at once raises
 a question2 the question1 namely1      
whether we are at any stage in the      
pathway of ,christian attainment1       
whether there is for us as yet any      
history of a ,divine life4 ,among those 
who claim part in ,christ's benefits are
 some whom the grace of ,god has never  
taught to deny ungodliness and worldly  
lusts1 and to live soberly1 righteously1
 and godly2 for they have been          
persistently deaf to the lesson4 ,there 
are some who do not know how ,christ    
turns men from darkness to light1 and   
from the power of ,satan unto ,god4 ,to 
them the line of admonition now in hand 
does not apply3 to exhort them to walk  
on in the same would be to perpetuate   
for them a sad mistake4 ,their course   
has been dark and downward4 ,therefore  
to the admonition already given1 the    
,apostle adds another4 ,brethren1 be    
followers together of me1 and mark 7keep

 sight of7 them who walk so as ye have  
us for an example4 ,do not mistake the  
whole nature of ,christianity2 do not   
altogether miss the path in which ,god's
 children go4 ,it is one spirit that    
dwells in the ,church2 let not your walk
 forsake the fellowship of that spirit4 
,christians are not bound to any human  
authority3 ,christ is their ,master4    
,they must sometimes assert their       
independence1 even with respect to the  
maxims and manners of good people4 ,yet 
there is one spirit in ,god's true      
,church1 and there is in the main one   
course of life which it inspires4 ,god's
 children have not been mistaken in the 
main things4 ,in these1 to forsake the  
spirit and the way of ,christ's flock is
 to forsake ,christ4     ,,enemies ,,of 
,,the ,,cross4       ,for many walk1 of 
whom ,i told you often1 and now tell you
 even      weeping1 that they are the   
enemies of the cross of ,christ3 whose  
end is perdition1 whose god is the      
belly1 and whose glory is in      their 

shame1 who mind earthly things4--,,phil4
 iii4 #ah1 #ai 7,r4,v474     ,,chapter  
,,xv4  ,,enemies ,,of ,,the ,,cross4    
,the ,new ,testament writers1 and not   
least the ,apostle ,paul1 are wont to   
bring out their conception of the true  
,christian life by setting it vividly in
 contrast with the life of the          
unspiritual man4 ,they seem to say3 ,if 
you really mean to say ,no to the one1  
and ,yes to the other1 be sincere and   
thorough3 compromises are not possible  
here4 ,so #a ,tim4 vi4 #aj3 ,the love of
 money is the root of all evil3 which   
while some coveted after1 they have     
erred from the faith1 and pierced       
themselves through with many sorrows4   
,but thou1 ,o man of ,god1 etc4 ,or     
,jude #ah3 mockers1 walking after their 
own ungodly lusts4 ,these are they who  
separate themselves1 sensual1 having not
 the ,spirit4 ,but1 ye beloved1 etc4    
,here in like manner the course of      
worldliness and self-pleasing life is   
sketched in concrete instances1 that its

 sin and shame may be felt1 and that by 
contrast the true calling of a          
,christian may be discerned and may be  
impressed on the disciples4  ,it may be 
taken as certain that the ,apostle is   
not speaking of mere ,jews or mere      
heathen4 ,he is speaking of professing  
,christians1 whose practical life belied
 their profession4 ,in general they are 
enemies of the cross of ,christ2 that is
 the first thing he thinks fit to say of
 them4 ,and here it may be asked whether
 the ,apostle has in view1 if not ,jews1
 yet the ,judaising faction about which 
he had already said strong things in the
 beginning of this chapter4 ,some have  
thought so2 and it must be owned that   
antagonism to the cross1 ignorance of   
its virtue1 and antipathy to its        
lessons1 is exactly what the ,apostle   
was wont to impute to those ,judaisers2 
as may be seen in the ,epistle to the   
,galatians1 and in other ,pauline       
writings4 ,but it is preferable1 as has 
been already indicated1 to take it that 

the ,apostle has turned from the        
particular issue with those ,judaisers2 
and having been led to declare          
emphatically what the life of           
,christianity was in his own experience 
and practice1 he now sets this life in  
,christ not merely against the religion 
of the ,judaisers1 but in general       
against all religion which1 assuming the
 name of ,christ1 denied the power of   
godliness2 which meddled with that      
worthy name1 but only brought reproach  
upon it4 ,it is quite possible indeed   
that here he might have in view some of 
the ,judaisers also2 for there was a    
sensual side of popular ,judaism which  
might be represented also among the     
,judaising ,christians4 ,but it is more 
likely that the ,apostle's eye is       
turning mainly to another class of      
persons4 ,it seems that in the early    
,churches1 especially perhaps at the    
time when the later ,epistles were      
written1 a recognisable tendency to a   
loose and lawless ,christianity was     

finding representatives4 ,warning       
against these was needed2 and they      
embodied a form of evil which might     
serve to show the ,philippians1 as in a 
mirror1 the disaster in which an idle1  
self-satisfied1 vainglorious            
,christianity was like to land its      
votaries4  ,what first strikes the      
,apostle about them is that they are    
enemies of the cross of ,christ4 ,one   
asks1 ,does he mean enemies of the      
doctrine of the cross1 or of its        
practical influence and efficiency8 ,the
 two are naturally connected4 ,but here 
perhaps the latter is principally       
intended4 ,the context1 especially what 
follows in the ,apostle's description1  
seems to point that way4  ,when         
,christ's cross is rightly apprehended1 
and when the place it claims in the mind
 has been cordially yielded1 it becomes1
 as we see in the case of ,paul himself1
 a renovating principle1 the fountain of
 a new view and a new course4 ,that     
immense sacrifice for our redemption    

from sin decides that we are no more to 
live the rest of our time in the flesh  
to the lusts of men 7#a ,peter iv4 #a74 
,and that patience of ,christ in ,his   
lowly love to ,god and man under all    
trial1 sheds its conclusive light upon  
the true use and end of life1 the true  
rule1 the true inspiration1 and the true
 goal4 ,so regarded1 ,christ's cross    
teaches us the slender worth1 or the    
mere worthlessness1 of much that we     
otherwise should idolise2 on the other  
hand1 it assures us of redemption into  
,his likeness1 as a prospect to be      
realised in the renunciation of the old 
man2 and it embodies an incomparable    
wealth of motive to persuade us to      
comply1 for we find ourselves in        
fellowship with ,love unspeakable4      
,under this influence we take up our    
cross2 which is substantially the same  
as renouncing or denying ourselves      
7,matt4 xvi4 #bd7 carried practically   
out4 ,it is self-denial for ,christ's   
sake and after ,christ's example1       

accepted as a principle1 and carried out
 in the forms in which ,god calls us to 
it4 ,this1 as we have seen1 takes place 
chiefly in our consenting to bear the   
pain involved in separation from sin and
 from the life of worldliness1 and in   
carrying on the war against sin and     
against the world4 ,it includes         
rejection of known sin2 it includes     
watchfulness and discipline of life with
 a view to life's supreme end2 and so it
 includes prudential self-denial1 in    
avoiding undue excitement and           
over-absorbing pleasure1 because        
experience and ,god's word tell us it is
 not safe for our hearts to be so       
overcharged 7,luke xxi4 #cd74 ,this     
cross in many of its applications is    
hard4 ,yet in all its genuine           
applications it is most desirable2 for  
in frankly embracing it we shall find   
our interest in salvation1 and in the   
love which provides it1 brought home    
with comfort to our hearts 7#a ,peter   
iv4 #ad74  ,it seems1 then1 that there  

are professing ,christians who are      
enemies of the cross of ,christ4 ,not   
that it is always an open and proclaimed
 hostility2 though1 indeed1 in the case 
of those whom ,paul is thinking of1 it  
would appear to have revealed itself    
pretty frankly4 ,but at all events it is
 a real aversion2 they would have       
nothing to do with the cross1 or as     
little as they may4 ,and this proves    
that the very meaning of salvation1 the 
very end of ,christ as a ,saviour1 is   
the object of their dislike4 ,but in    
,christianity the place of the cross is 
central4 ,it will make itself felt      
somehow4 ,hence those who decline or    
evade it find it difficult to do so     
quietly and with complacency4           
,eventually their dislike is apt to be  
forced into bitter manifestation4 ,they 
begin1 perhaps1 with quiet and skilful  
avoidance2 but eventually they become1  
recognisably1 enemies of the cross1 and 
their religious career acquires a darker
 and more ominous character4  ,it is1   

however1 an interesting question1 ,what 
draws to ,christianity those who prove  
to be enemies of the cross8 ,nowadays we
 may explain the adhesion of many such  
persons to ,christian profession by     
referring to family and social          
influences4 ,but we can hardly set much 
down to that score when we are thinking 
of the days of ,paul4 ,it cannot be     
doubted that some persons were then     
strongly drawn by ,christianity1 who did
 not prove amenable to its most vital   
influence4 ,and that may persuade us    
that the same phenomenon recurs in all  
ages and in all ,churches4 ,for         
different minds there are different     
influences which may operate in this    
way4 ,intellectual interest may be      
stirred by the ,christian teachings2 the
 sense of truth and reality may be      
appealed to by much in the ,christian   
view of men and things2 there may be a  
genuine satisfaction in having life and 
feelings touched and tinged with the    
devout emotions which breathe in        

,christian worship2 there may be a      
veneration1 real as far as it goes1 for 
some features of ,christian character1  
as set forth in ,scripture and embodied 
in individual ,christians2 and1 not to  
dwell on mere particulars1 the very     
goodness of ,christian truth and life1  
which a man will not pay the cost of    
appropriating to himself1 may exert a   
strong attraction1 and draw a man to    
live upon the borders of it4 ,nay1 such 
men may go a good long way in           
willingness to do and bear for the cause
 they have espoused4 ,men have run the  
risk of loss of life and goods for      
,christianity1 who have yet been        
shipwrecked on some base lust which they
 could not bring themselves to resign4  
,and who has not known kindly1          
serviceable men1 hanging about the      
,churches with a real predilection for  
the suburban life of ,zion1--men        
regarding whom it made the heart sore to
 form any adverse judgment1 and yet men 
whose life seemed just to omit the cross

 of ,christ8  ,in the case of those whom
 ,paul thinks of there was no room for  
doubt as to the real nature of the case2
 and therefore the ,apostle cannot too  
emphatically bring it out4 ,he puts     
first the most startling view of it4    
,their end is destruction4 ,not         
salvation1 but destruction is before    
them1 although they name the name of    
,christ4 ,destruction is the port they  
are sailing for3 that is the tendency of
 their whole career4 ,their place must  
be at last with those on whom the day of
 the ,lord brings sudden destruction1 so
 that they shall not escape4 ,alas for  
the ,christians whose end is            
destruction6  ,their god is their belly4
 ,their life was sensual4 ,most likely1 
judging from the tone of expression1    
they were men of coarse and unblushing  
indulgence4 ,if so1 they were only the  
more outstanding representatives of the 
sensual life4 ,the things which delight 
the senses were for them the main       
things1 and ruled them4 ,they might have

 intellectual and sthetic interests1    
they might own family and social        
connections1 they certainly did attach  
importance to some religious views and  
some religious ties2 but the main object
 of their life was to seek rest and     
content for those desires which may have
 rest apart from any higher exercise or 
any higher portion4 ,their life was     
ruled and guided by its lower and       
sensual side4 ,so their belly was their 
god4 ,yet they claimed a place in the   
,christian fellowship1 in which ,christ 
has revealed ,god1 and has opened the   
way to ,god1 and brings us to ,god4 ,but
 their thoughts ran1 and their plans    
tended1 and their life found its        
explanation1 bellywards4 ,this was their
 god4 ,their trust and their desire were
 placed in the things which the flesh   
appreciates4 ,these they served1 and of 
these they took on the likeness4 ,they  
served not the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 but
 their own belly4 ,one cannot think of  
it1 without grave questions as to the   

direction in which life preponderates4  
,that would seem to indicate our god4   
,one does not severely judge good       
living4 ,and yet what may good living   
denote in the case of many a professing 
,christian8 ,in what direction do we    
find the tides of secret and            
unrestrained thought setting8  ,and they
 glory in their shame4 ,in this ,epistle
 and elsewhere1 one sees the importance 
attached by the ,apostle to that which a
 man glories in1 as marking his         
character4 ,for himself1 ,paul gloried  
in the cross of ,christ3 he counted all 
things but loss for the knowledge of    
,christ4 ,and these men also were1 or   
claimed to be1 in ,christ's ,church1 in 
which we are taught to rate things at   
their true value and to measure them by 
the authentic standard4 ,but they       
gloried in their shame4 ,what they      
valued themselves upon2 what they       
inwardly1 at least1 rejoiced in1 and    
applauded themselves for2 what they     
would1 perhaps1 have most cheerfully    

dwelt upon in congenial company1 were   
things of which they had every reason to
 be ashamed--no doubt1 the resources    
they had gathered for the worship of    
this god of theirs1 and the success they
 had had in it4 ,for example1 such men  
would inwardly congratulate themselves  
on the measure in which they were able  
to attain the kind of satisfaction at   
which they aimed4 ,they gloried in the  
degree in which they succeeded in       
bringing about a perfect accommodation  
between themselves and the objects which
 sense alone appreciates1 and in        
producing a harmonious and balanced     
life1 set on that key4 ,really1 it      
should have been to them a cause of     
grief and shame to find themselves      
succeeding here1 and failing in         
attaining a right relation to ,christ   
and to the things of ,god's kingdom1 to 
righteousness1 godliness1 faith1 love1  
patience1 meekness4 ,so they gloried in 
their shame4 ,this was seen in their    
lives4 ,alas1 is there no reason to fear

 that when the thoughts of all hearts   
are revealed1 too many whose lives are  
subject to no obvious reproach shall be 
found to have lived an inward life of   
evil thought1 of base desire1 of coarse 
and low imagination1 that can only rank 
in the same class with these--men whose 
whole inward life gravitates1 and       
gravitates unchecked1 towards vanity and
 lust8  ,in a word1 their character is  
summed up in this1 that they mind       
earthly things4 ,that is the region in  
which their minds are conversant and to 
which they have regard4 ,the higher     
world of truths and forces and objects  
which ,christ reveals is for them       
inoperative4 ,it does not appeal to     
them1 it does not awe them1 it does not 
govern them4 ,their minds can turn in   
this direction on particular occasions1 
or with a view to particular            
discussions2 but their bent lies another
 way4 ,the home of their hearts1 the    
treasure which they seek1 the congenial 
subjects and interests1 are earthly4    

,since this whole description is meant  
to carry its lesson by suggestion of    
contrast1 the clause last referred to   
brings powerfully before us the place to
 be given to the spiritual mind in our  
conception of a true ,christian life4   
,in the eighth chapter of the ,epistle  
to the ,romans we are told that to be   
carnally minded--or the minding of the  
flesh--is death1 but the minding of the 
spirit is life and peace4 ,care1        
therefore1 is to be taken of our        
thoughts and of our practical judgments1
 so that they may be according to the   
spirit4 ,effort in this direction is    
hopeful effort1 because we believe that 
,christ grants ,his ,spirit to hallow   
those regions of the inward man by ,his 
illuminating and purifying presence4 ,it
 cannot be doubted that many lives that 
were capable of yielding much good      
fruit1 have been frittered away and     
wasted through indulged vanity of       
thought4 ,others1 that are methodical   
and energetic enough1 are made sterile  

for ,christian ends by the too common   
absence or the too feeble presence of   
the spiritual mind4 ,it is not          
altogether direct meditation on         
spiritual objects that is here to be    
enforced4 ,that has its important place2
 yet certainly1 frank converse with the 
whole range of human interests is       
legitimately open to the ,christian     
mind4 ,what seems to be essential is    
that1 through all1 the regard to the    
supreme interests shall continue2 and   
that the manner of thinking and of      
judging1 the modes of feeling and       
impression1 shall keep true to faith and
 love and ,christ4 ,the subject recurs  
in another form at the eighth verse of  
the following chapter4  ,probably1 as   
was said1 the ,apostle is speaking of a 
class of men whose faults were gross1 so
 that at least an ,apostolic eye could  
not hesitate to read the verdict that   
must be passed upon them4 ,but then we  
must consider that his object in doing  
this was to address a warning to men to 

whom he imputed no such gross failings2 
concerning whom1 indeed1 he was         
persuaded far other things1 even things 
that accompany salvation2 but whom he   
knew to be exposed to influences tending
 in the same direction1 and whom he     
expected to see preserved only in the   
way of vigilance and diligence4         
,outstanding failures in ,christian     
profession may startle us by their      
conspicuous deformity2 but they fail to 
yield us their full lesson unless they  
suggest the far finer and more subtle   
forms in which the same evils may enter 
in1 to mar or to annul what seemed to be
 ,christian characters4  ,the protest   
against the cross is still maintained   
even in the company of ,christ's        
professed disciples4 ,but this takes    
place most commonly1 and certainly most 
persuasively1 without advancing any plea
 for conduct grossly offensive1 or      
directly inconsistent with ,christian   
morals4 ,the enemies of the cross       
retreat into a safer region1 where they 

take up positions more capable of       
defence4 ,why have a cross8 they say4   
,god has not made us spiritual beings   
only3 men ought not to attempt to live  
as if they were pure intelligences or   
immaterial spirits4 ,also1 ,god has made
 men with a design that they should be  
happy2 they are to embrace and use the  
elements of enjoyment with which ,he has
 so richly surrounded them4 ,he does not
 mean us to be clouded in perpetual     
gloom1 or to be on our guard against the
 bright and cheering influences of the  
earth4 ,he has made all things beautiful
 in their time2 and ,he has given to us 
the capacity to recognise this that we  
may rejoice in it4 ,instead of scowling 
on the beauty of ,god's works1 and the  
resources for enjoyment they supply1 it 
is more our part to drink in by every   
sense1 from nature and from art1 the    
brightness1 and gladness1 and music1 and
 grace4 ,let us seek1 as much as may be 
in this rough world1 to have our souls  
attuned to all things sweet and fair4   

,there is real truth here2 for1 no      
doubt1 it lies in the destiny of man to 
bring the world into experience         
according to ,god's order3 if this is   
not to be done in ways of sin and       
transgression1 it is yet to be done in  
right ways2 and in doing it1 man is     
designed to be gladdened by the beauty  
of ,god's handiwork and by the wealth of
 ,his beneficence4 ,and yet such        
statements can be used to shelter a life
 of enmity to the cross1 and they are   
often employed to conceal the more      
momentous half of the truth4 ,as long as
 the things of earth can become         
materials by means of which we may be   
tempted to fall away from the ,holy     
,one1 and as long as we1 being fallen1  
are corruptly disposed to make idols of 
them1 we cannot escape the obligation to
 keep our hearts with diligence4 ,so    
long1 also1 as we live in a world in    
which men1 with a prevailing consent1   
work up its resources into a system     
which shuts ,god and ,christ out2 so    

long as men set in motion1 by means of  
those resources1 a stream of worldliness
 by which we are at all times apt to be 
whirled away1--so long every man whose  
ear and heart have become open to       
,christ will find that as to the things 
of earth there is a cross to bear4 ,for 
he must decide whether his practical    
life is to continue to accept the       
,christian inspiration4 ,he must make   
his choice between two things1 whether  
he will principally love and seek a     
right adjustment with things above1 with
 the objects and influences of the      
,kingdom of ,god1 or whether he will    
principally love and seek a right1 or at
 least a comfortable adjustment with    
things below4 ,he must make this choice 
not once only1 but he must hold himself 
at all times ready to make it over      
again1 or to maintain it in reiterated  
applications of it4 ,the grace of       
,christ who died and rose again is his  
resource to enable him4  ,every         
legitimate element of human experience1 

of human culture and attainment1 is1    
doubtless open to the ,christian man4   
,only1 in making his personal selection 
among them1 the ,christian will keep    
sight of the goal of his high calling1  
and will weigh the conditions under     
which he himself must aim at it4 ,still 
every such element is open2 and all     
legitimate satisfaction accruing to men 
from such sources is to be received with
 thankfulness4 ,let all this be         
recognised4 ,but ,christianity1 by its  
very nature1 requires us to recognise   
also1 and in a due proportion1 something
 else4 ,it requires us to recognise the 
evil of sin1 the incomparable worth of  
,christ's salvation4 ,along with these  
things1 duly regarded1 let all innocent 
earthly interests take their place4 ,but
 if we are conscious that as yet we have
 very incompletely established the right
 proportionate regard1 is it any wonder 
if we are obliged to keep watch1 lest   
the treacherous idolatry of things seen 
and temporal should carry us            

away1--obliged to accept the cross8 ,we 
are obliged2 but in the school of our   
,master we should learn to do this thing
 most gladly1 not by constraint1 but of 
a ready mind4  ,the ideal life on earth 
no doubt would be a life in which all   
was perfectly harmonised4 ,the          
antagonism of the interests would have  
passed away4 ,loyalty and love to ,god's
 kingdom and to ,his ,son would embody  
themselves in all human exercise and    
attainment as in their proper vesture1  
each promoting each1 working together as
 body and soul4 ,there are ,christians  
who have gone far towards this          
attainment4 ,they have been so mastered 
by the mind of ,christ1 that while1 on  
the one hand1 they habitually seek the  
things above1 on the other hand there is
 little trace of bondage or of          
timorousness in their attitude towards  
the bright aspects of earthly           
experience4 ,some of them were happily  
carried in early days into so clear a   
decision for the better part2 some      

emerged later1 after conflict1 into so  
bright a land of ,beulah1 that they find
 it easy1 with little conflict and      
little fear1 to take frank use of forms 
of earthly good which other ,christians 
must treat with more reserve4  ,this is 
one of the reasons why we must not judge
 one another about these things2 why we 
must not lay down absolute rules about  
them2 why even our recommendations must 
be provisional and prudential only4 ,it 
is at the same time a reason for the    
more fidelity in each of us towards     
himself1 to see that we do not trifle   
with the great trust of regulating our  
own life4 ,it is possible to give to    
,god and to ,christ a recognition which 
is not consciously dishonest1 and yet to
 fail in admitting any deep and dominant
 impression of the significance of      
,christ's redemption for human life4 ,so
 the heart is yielded1 the time is      
surrendered1 the strength is given to   
attractive objects1 which are not indeed
 essentially immoral1 but which are     

suffered to usurp the heart1 and to     
estrange the man from ,christ4 ,such    
persons prove enemies of the cross of   
,christ3 they mind earthly things4      
,since the earthly side of human life1  
with its sorrow and joy1 its work and   
its leisure1 is legitimate and          
inevitable1 questions arise about       
adjusting details4 ,and in particular1  
those who retain a relation to          
,christianity while they cherish a      
worldly spirit1 take a delight in       
raising questions as to the forms of    
life which are1 or are not1 in harmony  
with ,christianity1 and as to whether   
various practices and indulgences are to
 be vindicated or condemned4 ,it is a   
satisfaction to persons of this sort to 
have a set of fixed points laid down1   
with respect to which1 if they conform1 
they may take the credit of doing so1   
and if they rebel1 they may have the    
comfort of feeling that the case is     
arguable3 as indeed these are often     
matters upon which one may argue for    

ever4 ,now what is clearly prohibited or
 clearly warranted in ,scripture1 as    
permanent instruction for the ,church1  
must be maintained4 ,but beyond that    
point it is often wisest to refuse to   
give any specific answer to the         
questions so raised4 ,the true answer   
is1 ,are you a follower of ,christ8     
,then it is laid on your own conscience1
 at your own responsibility1 to answer  
such questions for yourself4 ,no one can
 come in your place4 ,you must decide1  
and you have a right to decide for      
yourself1 what course is1 for you1      
consistent with loyalty to ,christ and  
,his cross4 ,only it may be added1 that 
the very spirit in which one puts the   
question may be significant4 ,one who   
minds earthly things will put the       
question in one way2 one whose          
citizenship is in heaven1 in another4   
,and the answer which you attain will be
 according to the question you have put4
     ,,our ,,city ,,and ,,our ,,coming  
,,king4       ,for our citizenship is in

 heaven2 from whence also we wait for a 
,saviour1 the ,lord ,jesus ,christ3 who 
shall fashion anew the body of      our 
humiliation1 that it may be conformed to
 the body of ,his glory1      according 
to the working whereby ,he is able even 
to subject all      things unto         
,himself4--,,phil4 iii4 #bj1 #ba        
7,r4,v474     ,,chapter ,,xvi4  ,,our   
,,city ,,and ,,our ,,coming ,,king4     
,to live1 amid the things of earth1 and 
in constant converse with them1 a life  
in the power of ,christ's resurrection1 
and in the fellowship of ,his           
sufferings1 was the ,apostle's chosen   
course2 in which he would have the      
,philippians to follow him4 ,for a      
moment he had diverged to sketch1 for   
warning1 the way of the transgressors1  
who spend their lives intent on the     
things that pass away4 ,now he brings   
the argument to a close1 by once more   
proclaiming the glory of the high       
calling in ,christ4 ,as the ,christian  
faith looks backward to the triumph of  

,christ's resurrection1 and to the      
meekness of ,his suffering1 and receives
 its inspiration from them1 so also it  
looks upward1 and it looks forward4 ,it 
is even now in habitual communion with  
the world on high2 and it reaches on    
towards the hope of the ,lord's return4 
,our citizenship is in heaven4 ,the word
 here used 7comp4 i4 #bg7 means the     
constitution or manner of life of a     
state or city4 ,all men draw much from  
the spirit and laws of the commonwealth 
to which they belong2 and in antiquity  
this influence was even stronger than we
 commonly find it to be in our day4 ,the
 individual was conscious of himself as 
a member of his own city or state4 ,its 
life enfolded his4 ,its institutions set
 for him the conditions under which life
 was accepted and was carried on4 ,its  
laws determined for him his duties and  
his rights4 ,the ancient and customary  
methods of the society developed a      
common spirit1 under the influence of   
which each citizen unfolded his own     

personal peculiarities4 ,when he went   
forth elsewhere he felt himself1 and was
 felt to be1 a stranger4 ,now in the    
heavenly kingdom1 which had claimed them
 and had opened to them through ,christ1
 the believers had found their own city2
 and finding it1 had become1            
comparatively1 strangers in every other4
  ,a way of thinking and acting prevails
 throughout the world1 as if earth and  
its interests were the whole sphere of  
man2 and being pervaded by this spirit1 
the whole world may be said to be a     
commonwealth with a spirit and with     
maxims of its own4 ,we1 who live in it1 
feel it natural to comply with the drift
 of things in this respect1 and         
difficult to stand against it2 so that  
separation and singularity seem         
unreasonable and hard4 ,we claim for our
 lives the support of a common          
understanding2 we yearn for the comfort 
of a system of things existing round us1
 in which we may find countenance4 ,it  
was urged against the ,christians of the

 early ages that their religion was     
unsocial--it broke the ties by which men
 held together2 and doubtless many a    
,christian1 in hours of trial and       
depression1 felt with pain that much in 
,christian life offered a foundation for
 the reproach4 ,on the other hand1 those
 who1 like the enemies of the cross1    
refer their lives to the world's        
standard1 rather than to ,christ's1 have
 at least this comfort1 that they have a
 tangible city4 ,the world is their     
city3 therefore also the prince of it is
 their king4 ,but the ,apostle1 for     
himself and his fellows1 sets against   
this the true city or state--with its   
more original and ancient sanctions2    
with its more authoritative laws2 with  
its far more pervading and mighty       
spirit1 for the ,spirit of ,god ,himself
 is the life which binds it all         
together2 with its glorious and gracious
 ,king4 ,this commonwealth has its seat 
in heaven2 for there it reveals its     
nature1 and thence its power descends4  

,we recognise this whenever we pray1    
,thy will be done in earth as it is in  
heaven4 ,this1 says the ,apostle1 is our
 citizenship4 ,the archaism of the      
,authorised ,version1 ,our conversation 
7that is1 our habitual way of living7 is
 in heaven1 expresses much of the       
meaning2 only the conversation is       
referred1 by the phrase employed in the 
text1 to the sanctions under which it   
proceeds1 the august fellowship by which
 it is sustained1 the source of         
influence by which it is continually    
vitalised4 ,our state1 and the life     
which as members of that state we claim 
and use1 is celestial4 ,its life and    
strength1 its glory and victory1 are in 
heaven4 ,but it is ours1 though we are  
here on earth4  ,therefore1 according to
 the ,apostle1 the standard of our      
living1 and its sanctions1 and its way  
of thinking and proceeding1 and1 in a   
word1 our city1 with its interests and  
its objects1 being in heaven1 the       
earnest business of our life is there4  

,we have to do with earth constantly and
 in ways most various2 but1 as          
,christians1 our way of having to do    
with the earth itself is heavenly1 and  
is to be conversant with heaven4 ,what  
we mainly love and seek is in heaven2   
what we listen most to hear is the voice
 that comes from heaven2 what we most   
earnestly speak is the voice we send to 
heaven2 what lies next our heart is the 
treasure and the hope which are secure  
in heaven2 what we are most intent upon 
is what we lay up in heaven1 and how we 
are getting ready for heaven2 there is  
,one in heaven whom we love above all   
others2 we are children of the kingdom  
of heaven2 it is our country and our    
home2 and something in us refuses to    
settle on those things here that reject 
the stamp of heaven4  ,does this go too 
high8 ,does some one say1 ,something in 
this direction attracts me and ,i reach 
out to it1 but ah6 how feebly8--then how
 strongly does the principle of the     
,apostle's admonition apply4 ,if we own 

that this city rightfully claims us1 if 
we are deeply conscious of shortcoming  
in our response to that claim1 then how 
much does it concern us to allow no     
earthly thing that by its own nature    
drags us down from our citizenship in   
heaven4  ,it is in heaven4 ,many ways it
 might be shown to be so2 but it is     
enough to sum up all in this1 that ,one 
has ,his presence there1 who is the     
,life and the ,lord of this city of     
ours1 caring for us1 calling us to the  
present fellowship with ,him that is    
attainable in a life of faith1 but      
especially 7for this includes all the   
rest7 whom we look for1 to come forth   
from heaven for us4 ,he has done wonders
 already to set up for us the grace of  
the kingdom of heaven1 and ,he has      
brought us in to it2 ,he is doing much  
for us daily in grace and in providence1
 upholding ,his ,church on earth from   
age to age2 but this working is         
proceeding to a final victory4 ,he is   
able to subject all things to ,himself4 

,and the emphatic proof of it which     
awaits all believers1 is that the body  
itself1 reconstituted in the likeness of
 ,christ's own1 shall at last be in full
 harmony with a destiny of immortal     
purity and glory4 ,so shall the         
manifestation of ,his power and grace at
 last sweep through our whole being1    
within and without4 ,that is the final  
triumph of salvation1 with which the    
long history finds all its results      
attained4 ,for this we await the coming 
of the ,saviour from heaven4 ,well      
therefore may we say that the state to  
which we pertain1 and the life which we 
hold as members of that state1 is in    
heaven4  ,the expectation of the coming 
of ,christ out of the world of supreme  
truth and purity1 where ,god is known   
and served aright1 to fulfil all ,his   
promises1--this is the ,church's and the
 believer's great hope4 ,it is set      
before us in the ,new ,testament as a   
motive to every duty1 as giving weight  
to every warning1 as determining the    

attitude and character of all ,christian
 life4 ,in particular1 we cannot deal   
aright with any of the earthly things   
committed to us1 unless we deal with    
them in the light of ,christ's expected 
coming4 ,this expectation is to enter   
into the heart of every believer1 and no
 one is warranted to overlook or make   
light of it4 ,his coming1 ,his          
appearing1 the revelation of ,him1 the  
revelation of ,his glory1 the coming of 
,his day1 and so forth1 are pressed on  
us continually4 ,in a true waiting for  
the day of ,christ1 is gathered up the  
right regard to what ,he did and bore   
when ,he came first1 and also a right   
regard to ,him as ,he is now the pledge 
and the sustainer of our soul's life3   
the one and the other are to pass onward
 to the hope of ,his appearing4  ,some  
harm has been done1 perhaps1 by the     
degree in which attention has been      
concentrated on debatable points about  
the time of the ,lord's coming1 or the  
order of events in relation to it2 but  

more by the measure in which ,christians
 have allowed the world's unbelieving   
temper to affect on this point the habit
 of their own minds4 ,it must be most   
seriously said that our ,lord ,himself  
expected no man to succeed in escaping  
the corruption of the world and enduring
 to the end1 otherwise than in the way  
of watching for his ,lord 7see ,luke    
xii4 #ce-dj--;but the passages are too  
numerous to be quoted74  ,and the       
,apostle lays an emphasis on the        
character in which we expect ,him4 ,the 
word ,saviour is emphatic4 ,we look for 
a ,saviour2 not merely ,one who saved us
 once1 but ,one who brings salvation    
with ,him when ,he comes4 ,it is the    
great good1 in its completeness1 that   
the ,church sees coming to her with her 
,lord4 ,now she has the faith of        
it1--and with the faith an earnest and  
foretaste1--but then salvation comes4   
,therefore the coming is spoken of as   
redemption drawing nigh1 as the time of 
the redemption of the purchased         

possession4 ,so also in the ,epistle to 
the ,galatians the end of ,christ's     
sacrifice is said to be to deliver us   
from this present evil world4           
,doubtless it is unwise to lay down     
extreme positions as to the spirit in   
which we are to deal with temporal      
things1 and especially with their       
winning and attractive aspects4         
,christian men1 at peace with ,god1     
should not only feel spiritual joy1 but 
may well make a cheerful use of passing 
mercies4 ,yet certainly the ,christian's
 hope is to be saved out of this world1 
and out of life as he knows it here1    
into one far better--saved out of the   
best and brightest state to which this  
present state of things can bring him4  
,the ,christian spirit is giving way in 
that man who1 in whatever posture of his
 worldly affairs1 does not feel that the
 present is a state entangled with evil1
 including much darkness and much       
estrangement from the soul's true rest4 
,he ought to be minded so as to own the 

hope of being saved out of it1 looking  
and hasting to the coming of the ,lord4 
,if we lived out this conviction with   
some consistency1 we should not go far  
wrong in our dealings with this present 
world4 ,but probably there is no feature
 in which the average ,christianity of  
to-day varies more from that of the     
early ,christians1 than in the faint    
impressions1 and the faint influence1   
experienced by most modern ,christians  
in connection with the expectation of   
the ,lord's return4  ,as far as         
individual life goes1 the position of   
men in both periods is much the same2 it
 is so1 in spite of all the changes that
 have taken place4 ,then1 as now1 the   
mirage of life tempted men to dream of  
felicities here1 which hindered them    
from lifting up their heads to a        
prospect of redemption4 ,but now1 as    
then1 counter influences work2 the short
 and precarious term of human life1 its 
disappointments1 its cares and sorrows1 
its conflicts and falls1 conspire to    

teach even the most reluctant ,christian
 that the final and satisfying rest is  
not to be found here4 ,so that the      
difference seems to arise mainly from a 
secret failure of faith on this point1  
due to the impression made by long ages 
in which ,christ has not come4 ,where is
 the promise of ,his coming8 ,all things
 continue as they were4  ,this may      
suggest1 however1 that influences are   
recognisable1 tending to form1 in modern
 ,christians1 a habit of thought and    
feeling less favourable to vivid        
expectation of ,christ's coming4 ,it    
does not arise so much in connection    
with individual experience1 but is      
rather an impression drawn from history 
and from the common life of men4 ,in the
 days of ,paul1 general history was     
simply discouraging to spiritual minds4 
,it led men to think of all creation    
groaning together4 ,civilisation        
certainly had made advances2 civil      
government had conferred some of its    
benefits on men2 and1 lately1 the strong

 hand of ,rome1 however heavily it might
 press1 had averted or abridged some of 
the evils that afflicted nations4       
,still1 on the whole1 darkness1         
corruption1 and social wrong continued  
to mark the scene1 and there was little 
to suggest that prolonged effort might  
gradually work improvement4 ,rather it  
seemed that a rapid dispensation of     
grace1 winning its way by supernatural  
energy1 might well lead on to the       
winding up of the whole scene1 sweeping 
all away before the advent of new       
heavens and a new earth4 ,but1 for us1  
nineteen hundred years have well-nigh   
passed4 ,the ,christian ,church has been
 confronted all that time with her great
 task2 and1 however imperfect her light 
and her methods have often been1 she has
 set processes agoing1 and pressed on in
 lines of action1 in which she has not  
been without her reward4 ,also the      
public action of at least the ,european 
races1 stimulated and guided by         
,christianity1 has been inspired by     

faith in progress and in a reign of     
justice1 and has applied itself to      
improve the conditions of men4 ,how much
 of sin and pain still afflict the world
 is too sadly evident4 ,but the memory  
of the successive lives of saints1      
thinkers1 men of public spirit and      
devoted public action1 is strong in     
,christian minds to-day--it is a long1  
animating history4 ,and never more than 
at the present time did the world press 
itself on the ,christian mind as the    
sphere for effort1 for helpful and      
hopeful achievement4 ,all this tends to 
fix the eye on what may happen before   
,christ comes2 for one asks room and    
time to fight the battle out1 to see the
 long co-operant processes converge upon
 their goal4 ,the conflict is thought of
 as one to be bequeathed1 like freedom's
 battle1 from sire to son1 through      
indefinite periods beyond which men do  
not very often look4 ,and1 indeed1 the  
amelioration of the world and remedy of 
its ills by works of faith and love is  

,christlike work4 ,the world cannot want
 it2 the fruit of it will not be        
withheld2 and the hopeful ardour with   
which it is pursued is ,christ's gift to
 ,his people4 ,for ,christ ,himself     
healed and fed the multitudes4 ,yet all 
this shall not replace the coming of    
,christ1 and the redemption that draws  
nigh with ,him4 ,the longing eyes that  
gaze into the prospects of              
public-spirited beneficence and         
,christian philanthropy1 do well2 but   
they must also look higher up and       
further on4  ,one thing must be said4   
,it is vain for us to suppose we can    
adjust beforehand1 to our own           
satisfaction1 the elements which enter  
into the future1 so as to make a        
well-fitted scheme of it4 ,that was not 
designed4 ,and in this case two ways of 
looking at the future are apt to strive 
together4 ,the man who is occupied with 
processes that1 as he conceives1 might  
eventuate in a reign of goodness reached
 by gradual amelioration1 by successive 

victories of the better cause1 may look 
askance on the promise of ,christ's     
coming1 because he dislikes catastrophe 
and cataclysm4 ,first the blade1 then   
the ear1 then the full corn in the ear1 
is his motto4 ,and the man who is full  
of the thought of the ,lord's return1   
and deeply persuaded that nothing less  
will eradicate the world's disease1 may 
look with impatience on measures that   
seem to aim at slow and far results4    
,but neither the one mode of view nor   
the other is to be sacrificed4 ,work is 
to be done in the world on the lines    
that promise best to bless the world4   
,yet also this faith must never be let  
down--,the ,lord is coming2 the ,lord   
shall come4         99       99       99
       99       99  ,how decisive the   
change is which ,christ completes at    
,his coming--how distinctive1 therefore1
 and unworldly1 that citizenship which  
takes its type from heaven where ,he is1
 and from the hope of ,his appearing--is
 last of all set forth4 ,paul might have

 dwelt on many great blessings the full 
meaning of which will be unfolded when  
,christ comes2 for ,he is to conform all
 things to ,himself4 ,but ,paul prefers 
to signalise what shall befall our      
bodies2 for that makes us feel that not 
one element in our state shall fail to  
be subjected to the victorious energy of
 ,christ4 ,our bodies are1 in our       
present state1 conspicuously refractory 
to the influences of the higher kingdom4
 ,regeneration makes no improvement on  
them4 ,in our body we carry about with  
us what seems to mock the idea of an    
ethereal and ideal life4 ,and when we   
die1 the corruption of the grave speaks 
of anything but hope4 ,here1 then1 in   
this very point the salvation of ,christ
 shall complete its triumph1 saving us  
all over and all through4 ,he shall     
fashion anew the body of our            
humiliation1 that it may be conformed to
 the body of ,his glory4         99     
99       99       99       99  ,for the 
,apostle ,paul the question how the body

 is to be reckoned with in any lofty    
view of human life had a peculiar       
interest4 ,one sees how his mind dwelt  
upon it4 ,he does not indeed impute to  
the body any original or essential      
antagonism to the soul's better life4   
,but it shares in the debasement and    
disorganisation implied in sin2 it has  
become the ready avenue for many        
temptations4 ,through it the man has    
become participant of a vivid and       
unintermittent earthliness1 contrasting 
all too sadly with the feebleness of    
spiritual impressions and affections1 so
 that the balance of our being is       
deranged4 ,nor does grace directly      
affect men's bodily conditions4 ,here1  
then1 is an element in a renewed life   
that has a peculiar refractoriness and  
irresponsiveness4 ,so much is this so   
that sin in our complex nature easily   
turns this way1 easily finds resources  
in this quarter4 ,hence sin in us often 
takes its denomination from this side of
 things4 ,it is the flesh1 and the      

minding of the flesh1 that is to be     
crucified4 ,on the other hand1 just     
because life for us is life in the body1
 therefore the body with its members    
must be brought into the service of     
,christ1 and must fulfil the will of    
,god4 ,yield your bodies a living       
sacrifice4 ,your bodies are temples of  
the ,holy ,ghost4 ,a disembodied        
,christianity is to the ,apostle no     
,christianity4 ,there may be            
difficulties1 indeed1 in carrying this  
consecration through1 elements of       
resistance and insubordination to be    
overcome4 ,if so1 they must be fought   
down4 ,i keep under my body and bring it
 into subjection1 lest ,i prove a       
castaway4 ,to be thorough in this proved
 hard even for ,paul4 ,who shall deliver
 me from the body of this death8--a text
 in which one sees how the body offered 
itself as the ready symbol of the whole 
inward burden and difficulty4 ,so the   
body is dead because of sin3 dying1 fit 
to die1 appointed to die1 and not now   

renewed to life4 ,but if the ,spirit of 
,him that raised up ,christ from the    
dead dwell in you1 ,he that raised up   
,christ from the dead shall also quicken
 your mortal bodies by ,his ,spirit that
 dwelleth in you4 ,then1 limits now     
imposed on right thinking1 right        
feeling1 right acting1 shall be found to
 have passed away4 ,till then we groan1 
waiting for the adoption1 the redemption
 of the body2 but then shall be the     
manifestation of the sons of ,god4 ,to  
,paul this came home as one of the most 
definite1 practical1 and decisive forms 
in which the triumph of ,christ's       
salvation should be declared4  ,the     
body1 then1 by which we hold converse   
with the world1 and by which we give    
expression to our mental life1 has      
shared in the evil that comes by sin4   
,we find it to be the body of our       
humiliation4 ,it is not only liable to  
pain1 decay1 and death1 not only subject
 to much that is humbling and           
distressing1 but it has become an       

ill-adapted organ for an aspiring soul4 
,the bodily state weighs down the soul1 
when its aspirations after good have    
been rekindled4 ,it is not wholly       
unconnected with our physical state that
 it is so hard to carry the recognition 
of ,god and the life of faith into the  
comings and goings of the outward life2 
so hard to wed the persuasions of our   
faith to the impressions of our sense4  
,but we look forward to our ,lord's     
coming with the expectation that the    
body of our humiliation shall be        
transfigured into the likeness of the   
body of ,his glory4 ,in this we discern 
with what a pervading energy ,he is to  
subdue all things to ,himself4 ,love in 
righteousness is to triumph through all 
spheres4  ,we have more than once       
acknowledged how natural it is to dream 
of constructing a ,christian life on    
earth with all its elements1 natural and
 spiritual1 perfectly harmonised1 each  
having its place in relation to each so 
as to make the music of a perfect whole4

 ,and in the strength of such a dream1  
some look down on all ,christian        
practice as blind and narrow1 which     
seems to them to mar life by setting one
 element of it against another4 ,it must
 be owned that narrow types of          
,christianity have often needlessly     
offended so4 ,nevertheless we have here 
a new proof that the dream of those who 
would achieve a perfect harmony1 in the 
present state and under present         
conditions1 is vain4 ,a perfect         
,christian harmony of life cannot be    
restored in the body of our humiliation4
 ,the nobler part is to own this1 and to
 confess that amid many undeserved good 
gifts1 yet1 in relation to the great    
hope set before us1 we groan1 waiting   
for the redemption2 when ,christ who now
 fits us to run the race and bear the   
cross shall come and save us out of all 
this1 changing the body of our          
humiliation into the likeness of the    
body of ,his glory4  ,against the ways  
of ,jewish self-righteousness1 and      

against the impulses of fleshly minds1  
the ,apostle had set the true           
,christianity--the methods in which it  
grows1 the influences on which it       
relies1 the truths and hopes by which it
 is mainly sustained1 the high          
citizenship which it claims and to the  
type of which it resolutely conforms4   
,all this was possible in ,christ1 all  
this was actual in ,christ1 all this was
 theirs in ,christ4 ,yet this is what is
 brought into debate1 by unbelief and   
sin2 this against unbelief and sin has  
to be maintained4 ,some influences come 
to shake us as to the truth of it--,it  
is not so real after all4 ,some         
influences come to shake us as to the   
good of it--,it is not after all so     
very1 so supremely1 so satisfyingly     
good4 ,some influences come to shake us 
as to our own part in it--,it can hardly
 control and sustain my life1 for after 
all perhaps--alas1 most likely--it is   
not for me1 it cannot be for me4        
,against all this we are to make our    

stand1 in and with our ,lord and        
,master4 ,he is our confidence and our  
strength4 ,how the ,apostle longed to   
see this victory achieved in the case of
 all these ,philippians1 who were the   
treasure and the fruit of his life and  
labour6 ,be decided about all this1 be  
clear about it1 cast every other way of 
it from you4 ,therefore1 my dearly      
beloved brethren1 my joy and crown1 so  
stand fast in the ,lord1 my dearly      
beloved4     ,,peace ,,and ,,joy4       
,i exhort ,euodia1 and ,i exhort        
,syntyche1 to be of the same mind in    
the ,lord4 ,yea1 ,i beseech thee also1  
true yokefellow1 help these      women1 
for they laboured with me in the gospel1
 with ,clement also1      and the rest  
of my fellow-workers whose names are in 
the book of      life4       ,rejoice in
 the ,lord alway3 again ,i will say1    
,rejoice4 ,let your      forbearance be 
known unto all men4 ,the ,lord is at    
hand4 ,in nothing      be anxious2 but  
in everything by prayer and supplication

 with      thanksgiving let your        
requests be made known unto ,god4 ,and  
the      peace of ,god1 which passeth   
all understanding1 shall guard your     
hearts and your thoughts in ,christ     
,jesus4--,,phil4 iv4 #b-g 7,r4,v474     
,,chapter ,,xvii4  ,,peace ,,and ,,joy4 
,dr4 ,lightfoot has observed that the   
passages in the ,acts of the ,apostles  
which record the ,macedonian experiences
 of ,paul1 have a good deal to say about
 women 7,acts xvi41 xvii474 ,they convey
 the impression that in ,macedonia women
 had a position and exercised an        
influence1 at least in religious        
matters1 that was not usual in the      
,greek world4 ,and he has appealed to   
the remains of ancient ,macedonian      
inscriptions to support the general idea
 that exceptional respect was accorded  
to women in that country4 ,here1 at any 
rate1 we have two women of note in the  
,church at ,philippi4 ,they might1 very 
likely1 possess social standing and     
influence4 ,they had been qualified to  

render1 and in point of fact did render1
 important help in setting forward the  
cause of ,christ in that city4 ,we      
cannot doubt therefore that they were   
warm-hearted ,christian women1 who had  
deeply felt the power of the gospel1 so 
that1 like many of their sisters in     
later days1 they gladly embarked in the 
service of it4 ,in those days such      
service on the part of women implied no 
small effort of faith2 and doubtless it 
had cost them something in the way of   
cross-bearing4 ,but now1 disagreements  
and estrangement had fallen out between 
them4 ,most likely the keen practical   
energies1 which made them serviceable   
,christians1 had brought about collision
 on some points in which their views    
differed4 ,and then they had not managed
 the difference well4 ,self came in1 and
 coloured and deepened it4 ,now1 one may
 think1 they were in danger of being    
always ready to differ1 and to differ   
with mutual distrust and dislike4       
,people cannot always think alike1 not  

even ,christians who share the same     
service4 ,but there is a ,christian way 
of behaving about these inevitable      
divergences4 ,and1 in particular1 in    
such cases we might be expected to show 
a superiority1 in ,christ our ,lord1 to 
minor differences1 not allowing them to 
trouble the great agreement and the dear
 affection in which ,christ has bound   
us4 ,whatever is to be said about a     
difference1 as to its merits1 the main  
thing that has to be said about it often
 is1 ,you should not have let it come   
between you4 ,you should1 both of you1  
have been big enough and strong enough  
in ,christ1 to know how to drop it and  
forget it4 ,in making so much of it1 in 
allowing it to make so much of itself1  
you have been children1 and naughty     
children4  ,what this difference was we 
do not know2 and it is of no            
consequence4 ,paul does not address     
himself to it4 ,he holds both parties to
 be in the wrong now1 and1 for his      
purpose1 equally in the wrong2 and he   

addresses entreaty to both1 in exactly  
the same terms1 to agree in ,christ and 
be done with it3 no longer to allow this
 thing to mar their own edification and 
hinder the cause of ,christ4 ,yet1 while
 he is sure that this is the right way1 
he does not conceal from himself how    
difficult human nature finds it to come 
happily out of such a complication4 ,so 
he appeals to some old comrade at       
,philippi1 whom he calls his genuine    
yokefellow1 to lend a hand4 ,a          
,christian bystander1 a friend of both  
parties1 might help them out of the     
difficulty4 ,in this connection the     
,apostle's mind goes back to happy days 
of cordial effort at ,philippi1 in which
 these women1 and the yokefellow1 and   
,clement1 and others had all been at    
work1 shoulder to shoulder1 all         
rejoicing in the common salvation and   
the joint service4  ,in difficulties    
between ,christians1 as between other   
people1 wise and loving friendship may  
perform the most important services4    

,selfishness shrinks from rendering     
these2 and on the other hand1           
meddlesomeness1 which is a form of      
egotism combined with coarseness1 rushes
 in only to do harm4 ,wisdom is needed1 
mainly the wisdom which consists in     
loving thoughtfulness4 ,the love which  
seeketh not her own1 and is not easily  
provoked1 is much called for in this    
ministry of reconciliation4  ,these good
 women had little idea1 probably1 that  
their names should come down the ages in
 connection with this disagreement of   
theirs2 and they might have deprecated  
it if they had thought of it4 ,but let  
them be remembered with all honour--two 
saints of ,god1 who loved and laboured  
for ,christ1 who bore the cross1 and    
each of whom was so important to the    
,church1 that it was a matter of public 
interest to have this difficulty removed
 out of the way of both4 ,as to it1 we  
of later times have not succeeded in    
keeping ,christian activity so free of  
personal misunderstandings as to be     

entitled on this account to assume any  
attitude of superiority4 ,let us think  
only with tenderness and affection of   
those venerable and beloved1 those      
long-remembered mothers in ,christ1     
,euodia and ,syntyche4  ,the            
commentators have tried to divine       
something further about this true       
yokefellow2 but with no success4 ,as to 
,clement1 some have been willing to     
identify him with the ,clement known to 
have laboured in the first age at ,rome1
 and who is reported to have been the   
writer of a well-known ,epistle from the
 ,church at ,rome to that at ,corinth4  
,he1 again1 has been by some identified 
with another ,clement1 also a ,roman1 a 
near relation of the ,emperor ,domitian1
 whom we have reason to believe to have 
been a ,christian4 ,both identifications
 are probably mistaken2 and the ,clement
 now before us was no doubt resident at 
,philippi1 and belonged to a somewhat   
earlier generation than his ,roman      
namesake4 ,the ,roman world was full of 

,clements1 and there is nothing         
surprising in meeting several           
,christians who bore the name4  ,with   
the yokefellow and with ,clement1 the   
,apostle recalls other labourers who    
belonged to the fellowship of those     
gospel days at ,philippi4 ,we are not to
 think that they were all gifted as     
teachers or preachers2 but they were    
zealous ,christians who helped as they  
could to gather and to confirm the      
,church4 ,paul will not give their      
names2 but it must not be thought that  
the names have ceased to be dear and    
honourable to him4 ,they shall not be in
 my letter1 he says1 but they are       
written in even a better place1 in the  
book of life4 ,they are precious1 not to
 me only1 but to my ,master4 ,here1     
again1 if any one had asked ,paul how he
 ventured to speak with so much         
assurance of the condition of persons   
whose course was not yet ended1 he would
 no doubt have replied1 as in ch4 i4 #g3
 ,it is meet for me to think thus of    

them1 because ,i have them in my heart3 
because both in my bonds1 and in the    
defence and confirmation of the gospel1 
they all are partakers with me of grace4
  ,these personal references indicate   
that the main burden of the ,apostle's  
thought in the ,epistle has been        
disposed of1 and that it is drawing to a
 close4 ,yet he finds it natural to add 
some closing admonitions4 ,they are     
brief and pithy2 they do not seem to    
labour with the weight of thought and   
feeling which pours through the         
preceding chapter4 ,yet they are not    
quite fragmentary4 ,a definite          
conception of the case to be provided   
for underlies them1 and also a definite 
conception of the way in which its      
necessities are to be met4  ,he had been
 pouring out his soul on the subject of 
the true ,christian life--the deep      
sources from which it springs1 the great
 channels in which it runs1 the         
magnificent conditions of ,christ's     
kingdom under which it becomes possible 

and is accomplished4 ,but yet1 another  
order of things crosses all this4 ,it is
 the incessant detail of human life on  
earth1 with its pettiness and           
superficiality1 and yet with its        
inevitable hold upon us all4 ,how much  
we are at the mercy of it6 ,how hard to 
keep quite true to the grand music of   
the gospel we believe1 amid the         
multifarious patter of the incidents of 
life1 playing on the surface only1 but  
on the sensitive surface of our being4  
,the case of ,euodia and ,syntyche was  
itself but an illustration1 of the      
commonest kind1 of the liability of     
believing lives to be swayed and marred 
in this way4 ,for all these little      
things claim attention2 they assume a   
magnitude that does not belong to them1 
and they take a place to which they have
 no right4 ,can anything be said to help
 us to some prevailing mood1 in which we
 shall be likely to take the right      
attitude towards these elements of life1
 and1 at the same time1 to keep due     

touch with the springs of our spiritual 
welfare8  ,the ,apostle reverts to the  
significant good-bye which was heard at 
the beginning of the third chapter4     
,rejoice1 ,be of good cheer1 was the    
usual farewell salute4 ,he had begun to 
use it1 in the third chapter1 with an   
emphasis on the native signification of 
the word4 ,now he resumes it more       
emphatically still1 for here he finds   
the keynote which he wants3 ,rejoice in 
the ,lord alway2 again ,i will say it1  
,rejoice4  ,if joy be possible1 it would
 seem to need no great persuasion to    
induce men to embrace it4 ,but1 as a    
matter of fact1 ,christians fail greatly
 here4 ,in the ,old ,testament there are
 abundant exhortations to ,israel to    
rejoice in the ,lord3 the ,lord being   
,jehovah1 without further distinction or
 limitation2 and the ground of rejoicing
 being ,his revealed character1         
especially ,his mercy and ,his truth1   
and the fact that ,he is ,israel's ,god4
 ,here the ,lord is our ,lord ,jesus1 in

 whom the ,father is both known and     
found4 ,now1 to rejoice in ,him is1 and 
should be recognised as being1 for      
believers1 the most direct inference    
from their faith4 ,for if this ,lord be 
what the believer holds ,him to be1 then
 there is more in ,christ to make him   
glad1 than there can be in anything     
whatever to make him sorry4 ,this       
applies even to remembered sin2 for     
where sin abounded1 grace doth much more
 abound4 ,if indeed the joy be really in
 the ,lord1 it will be found to agree   
well with humility and penitence1 as    
well as with diligence and patience2 for
 all these things1 and whatever should  
accompany them1 come naturally from     
faith in ,christ4 ,but not the less1 joy
 should have its place and its exercise4
  ,if one will think of it1 it will be  
plain that rejoicing in the ,lord just  
denotes this1 viz41 that the influence  
of the objects of faith has free play   
through the soul4 ,it is well that faith
 should bring our intellective powers   

under its influence--that we should be  
brought to a vivid sense of the reality 
of ,christ1 and that our minds should   
work in reference to ,him as they do in 
reference to things which are felt to be
 real1 and which claim to be understood4
 ,that is well1 even if as yet some     
malign force seems to impede cordial    
appreciation and personal fellowship4   
,it is well1 again1 if ,christ is felt  
drawing out personal trust1 and with    
that1 genuine affection1 so that the    
heart beats with desire and admiration1 
even though for the present that can    
only be under the burden of a perplexed 
and sorrowful mind4 ,but when the       
conviction makes way through all the    
soul1 first that ,christ is most real1  
and second that ,christ is most good and
 desirable1 and thirdly that ,christ is 
for me1 and when the soul surrenders    
thoroughly to it all1 then gladness is  
the token that faith is playing freely  
through the human soul1 throughout all  
its provinces4 ,it is the flag hoisted  

to signify that ,christ is believed and 
loved indeed4 ,on the other hand1 wrong 
is done to the ,lord1 and an evil report
 is brought up upon ,him1 when those who
 profess to believe in ,him1 fail to    
rejoice in ,him4  ,you well may rejoice 
in the ,lord2 you ought surely to do it4
 ,you ought to give yourselves time to  
think and feel so as to rejoice2 you    
should be ashamed to fail to rejoice4   
,you do not apprehend aright your       
position as a believer1 you do not take 
the attitude that befits you1 if the    
,lord believed in1 though perhaps ,he   
makes you diligent1 and patient1 and    
penitent1 and thankful1 does not also   
make you heartily glad4 ,let the        
elements of this gladness come warm home
 to your heart1 and do their work4 ,then
 you will realise1 as1 short of this1   
you never can1 how the believer rises   
above the things that threaten to       
entangle him1 and can do all things     
through ,christ that strengtheneth him4 
,and1 in particular1 how influential    

this is to preserve men from being      
unduly moved and swayed by the passing  
things of time6 ,these sway us by joy   
and grief1 by hope and fear2 and what an
 inordinate measure of those affections 
they do beget in us6 ,but let the great 
joy of the ,lord have its place1 and    
then those lesser claimants will have to
 content themselves with smaller room4  
,a great grief shuts out lesser griefs4 
,when a woman has lost her son1 will she
 grieve greatly for the loss of her     
purse8 ,so a great joy keeps down the   
excess of lesser joys4 ,a man that has  
just won the heart and hand of the woman
 he loves1 will not be greatly concerned
 about winning or losing at some game4  
,he will be about equally glad either   
way4 ,so he whose heart thrills with the
 joy of ,christ will feel the pleasure  
and the pain of earthly things2 but they
 will not master him1 nor run away with 
him4  ,according to the ,apostle1 a     
believer in the way of his duty1 if he  
cherishes this joy1 may ordinarily have 

a great deal of it4 ,and1 as it were1 he
 urges us3 ,now do not be moved away    
from it4 ,do not be so foolish4 ,various
 things will come1 all sorts of things1 
claiming to preoccupy your mind1 so that
 for the present this joy shall fall    
into the background4 ,they claim it--and
 far too often they are allowed to      
succeed4 ,do not let them4 ',rejoice in 
the ,lord alway2 again ,i will say1     
,rejoice4'  ,always3 for many believers 
rejoice in the ,lord sometimes2 for     
example1 in hours of undisturbed        
meditation4 ,but when they go out into  
the stir of life1 to meet experiences   
which either greatly gratify or greatly 
grieve them1 then it seems fit that the 
new passion should have its turn1 and   
the heart insists on this indulgence4   
,so also when some great hope absorbs   
the mind1 or some great anxiety weighs  
upon it1 the soul seems fascinated with 
the coming good or ill1 and hangs upon  
the prospect as if nothing else for the 
present could be minded4 ,now the       

,apostle does not say that insensibility
 is the duty of ,christians in these    
circumstances4 ,indeed it is because    
these experiences do interest and       
impress1 that they become an effective  
instrument of ,divine training4 ,but    
,christ is fit to be rejoiced in1 right 
through all vicissitudes2 and common    
experiences1 duly dealt with1 ought to  
throw into relief the reasons why ,he   
must still be cause of gladness1        
whatever may be felt about other things4
 ,this maintained joy of the ,lord--a   
rejoicing faith1 a rejoicing love1 a    
rejoicing obedience--this is the temper 
in virtue of which all else of life will
 fall into its due place1 and will      
assume its just proportion4 ,though the 
fig tree shall not blossom1 neither     
shall fruit be in the vines2 the labour 
of the olive shall fail1 and the fields 
shall yield no meat2 the flock shall be 
cut off from the fold1 and there shall  
be no herd in the stalls3 yet ,i will   
rejoice in the ,lord1 ,i will joy in the

 ,god of my salvation 7,hab4 iii4 #ag1  
#ah74  ,so then1 ,let your moderation   
7or forbearance7 be known to all men4   
,the word here used expresses a state of
 mind opposed to the eagerness that     
overrates the worth of our personal     
objects1 and to the arrogance that      
insists on our own will about them4     
,some would render it considerateness4  
,it is a temper which dictates a gentle 
and forbearing way of dealing with men4 
,this is the appropriate evidence that  
the impetuosity of the heart about      
earthly things has been assuaged by the 
unseen presence and the influence of    
,christ4 ,christ seen1 felt1 and        
rejoiced in1 is the secret of this      
moderation4 ,a great vision of faith1   
and that not a vision which is dreaded1 
but a vision which is loved1 brings the 
movement of the soul into a happy order4
 ,now1 not only so3 not only does the   
love of ,christ1 unseen and absent1 work
 in this way2 but ,christ is coming and 
is near4 ,the hopes connected with ,him 

are soon to be realised1 the gladness of
 fellowship with ,him is soon to be     
complete4 ,the ,lord is at hand4 ,be    
patient therefore1 brethren1 unto the   
coming of the ,lord4 ,stablish your     
hearts4 ,the coming of the ,lord draweth
 nigh 7,james v4 #g74  ,for believers1  
as we have already seen1 the coming of  
the ,lord is1 according to the ,new     
,testament1 the great hope4 ,then the   
joy in the ,lord is to be complete and  
crowned4 ,those who apprehend that glad 
day as near are not supposed to be      
capable of yielding up their hearts to  
the uncontrolled sway of mere earthly   
interests4  ,here1 however1 a question  
arises4 ,paul speaks of the day as near1
 and calls on his disciples to live     
under the influence of that belief4 ,he 
does not merely say that it may be near1
 but that it is4 ,yet we now know that  
the day was then more than eighteen     
hundred years away4 ,in the light of    
this fact1 one asks what we are to make 
of the statement before us1 and what we 

are to make of the view of ,christian   
life which the statement implies4  ,our 
,lord expressly withheld from ,his      
disciples all definite statement of     
times and seasons in this connection4   
,yet the ,early ,church with one consent
 expected the ,lord to come within      
comparatively few years 7what are       
commonly called few71 and language      
shaped itself in accordance with that   
impression4 ,we have here1 however1 more
 than a mere mode of phrasing4 ,the     
nearness of ,christ is emphasised as the
 ground on which ,christian experience  
ought to build4 ,was not this a mistake8
  ,but one may ask in reply1 ,was it    
after all untrue that ,christ's coming  
was near then1 or that it is near now8  
,even if anticipations in our own day   
which bring it within a generation are  
to fail again1 as they have always done 
before1 shall we think that the ,lord is
 not near8  ,there is a nearness which  
pertains to all future events which are 
at once very great and important1 and   

also are absolutely certain4 ,being so  
great1 involving interests so great1 and
 being contemplated in their inevitable 
certainty1 such events can loom large   
upon the eye1 and they can make their   
influence felt in the present1 whatever 
tale of days may interpose before they  
actually arrive4 ,if1 for instance1 one 
were told of a friend1 whom he supposed 
he might meet at any time1 ,you shall   
certainly see him six months hence1 the 
reply might be1 ,six months6 ,that is a 
long time to wait4 ,but if he were told 
with infallible authority1 ,six months  
hence you shall die1 would he then say1 
,it is a long time8 ,would he not feel  
that it was near8 ,would not an event so
 momentous as death1 so inclusive of all
 interests and all issues1 prove able to
 stretch1 as it were1 across six months1
 and to come into each day1 as part of  
that day's concern8 ,so of the coming of
 ,christ4 ,it is the great event for the
 individual1 the ,church1 the world4    
,all issues run up to it2 all           

developments are broken off by it2 all  
earthly histories await its decision4   
,to it all earthly movement tends2 from 
it all that lies beyond is dated4 ,it is
 the great gate of the world to come4   
,let us think what it means3 and suppose
 we could be assured that it is still   
ten thousand years away1 shall we say1  
,how far off it is8 ,not if we believe  
in its certainty1 and realise what it   
means4 ,if we do so1 our hearts will    
stir and thrill as we hearken how the   
surges of the eternal world are beating 
on the thin barrier of ten thousand     
years4 ,come when it may1 it comes      
hasting to us1 pressing before it all   
that lies between1 big with the         
decisions and the fulfilments of        
,eternity4 ,if we truly believe and     
rightly estimate it1 we shall feel that 
it is near--even at the door4 ,we shall 
be aware whenever we look forward that  
beyond all possible events of earthly   
history it rises high1 catching and     
holding our gaze1 and hurrying toward   

our individual selves not one whit the  
less because it aims at others too4  ,we
 are apt to ask why the words of warning
 and encouragement in reference to the  
future are not connected with the       
prospect of death1 rather than with that
 of the ,lord's return2 for death       
certainly is the topic generally        
selected for such purposes by moralists 
and preachers of more recent days4 ,the 
answer may partly be1 that the          
possibility and likelihood of the       
,lord's return1 even in the lifetime of 
themselves and their contemporaries1    
might render it more natural for the    
,apostles to fix all but exclusively on 
that4 ,yet this will not suffice4 ,for  
nobody could overlook the fact that some
 believers were dying1 and that death   
before the ,lord's return might well be 
the portion of more4 ,besides1 in       
particular circumstances1 death does    
come into view in a perfectly easy and  
natural way1 as at ch4 i4 #bc2 and the  
bearing of it on what lies nearer is    

considered4 ,the true answer is that    
death is not the great expectation of   
the believer--not death1 but victory    
over death1 consummated and conclusively
 manifested when the ,lord comes4 ,this 
expectation certainly is associated with
 the solemn prospect of judgment2 but   
not so as to quench the gladness of the 
hope for those who love the ,lord and   
have trusted in ,him4 ,this is our      
expectation--the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1  
who is our hope 7#a ,tim4 i4 #a74 ,death
 is a great event2 but it is negative1  
privative1 and1 after all1 provisional4 
,true1 it seals us up for the coming of 
the ,lord1 and so1 in many respects1 it 
may be1 for many purposes1 practically  
identified with that coming4 ,the       
sermons which are preached upon it1     
commonly from ,old ,testament texts1    
are1 no doubt1 well grounded and        
edifying4 ,but the ,new ,testament1     
speaking to believers1 all but          
constantly passes on to the day of the  
,lord as the true focus of the future2  

and it will be well for us to conform   
our thinking and our feeling to this    
model4 ,no one can estimate1 who has not
 made it a matter of personal study1 how
 large and how influential a place this 
topic takes in ,new ,testament teaching4
  ,meanwhile1 no doubt1 the vicissitudes
 and the possibilities of earthly life  
press upon us4 ,now the ,apostle        
provides a special additional relief for
 that4 ,we are not merely prepossessed  
with a joy that should fortify us       
against undue disturbance from this     
source1 but we have access in all things
 to the mind and heart of our ,father4  
,we can bring our thoughts and wishes   
about them all into contact with the    
deep1 true thoughts and with the        
fatherly love of ,god4 ,the incidents   
and the possibilities of life exercise  
us3 they tend to become anxieties1 keen 
and wearing2 and anxieties are the      
materials of disturbance and temptation4
 ,be anxious about nothing2 but in all  
things by prayer and supplication1 with 

thankfulness1 let your requests be made 
known unto ,god4  ,this is the practical
 way of getting continually to those    
springs of joy which comfort and        
establish the heart4 ,the way to be     
anxious about nothing is to be prayerful
 about everything4  ,it is promised that
 when we pray in faith ,god hears us1   
and that he that asketh receiveth4      
,however1 this does not mean that       
whatever appears to us desirable shall  
certainly be brought to pass in answer  
to prayer4 ,that would be to sacrifice  
our own welfare1 and also the order of  
,god's world1 to our shortsightedness   
and vanity4 ,there is great reason to   
believe indeed that those who live by   
prayer find many a desire granted1 and  
many a burden lifted1 in token of ,god's
 loving interest in them1 and the heed  
,he gives to their prayers4 ,but we are 
not to start from a general principle   
that we are to get all our own way by   
praying4 ,two things we may fix upon4   
,first1 the absolute promises of the    

gospel1 the blessings which pertain to  
eternal life1 are given to us through   
prayer4 ,this poor man cried1 and the   
,lord heard him4 ,secondly1 concerning  
all other things1 we have access to ,god
 in prayer1 as to ,one who grudges us no
 good thing2 we are to express our      
anxieties and our desires1 and to       
receive the assurance that they are     
lovingly considered by ,one who knows   
our frame and understands our troubles4 
,often the answer comes1 even in small  
things4 ,but1 generally1 we may in this 
point have an absolute assurance that we
 shall either have what we ask1 or else 
something which ,god sees to be better  
for us than that4  ,it is this second   
article of the doctrine of prayer that  
is chiefly in view here4 ,the prayer of 
faith must be a prayer of thanksgiving1 
because faith knows how much it owes to 
,god4 ,thou hast not dealt with us after
 our sins4 ,at the same time it has     
supplications and requests1 over and    
above the great petition for life       

eternal4 ,for our daily human experience
 is ,god's providence to us4 ,it        
exercises our thoughts and feelings1 and
 sets agoing contemplations and desires1
 which may be shortsighted and erring1  
but1 so far1 they are the best that we  
can make of it2 or1 if not the best1    
they have the more need to be corrected4
 ,here1 then1 we are encouraged to pour 
out our hearts to ,god4 ,we are to do it
 with submission3 that is one of the    
best parts of the privilege1 for our    
,father knows best4 ,at the same time1  
we are to do it with supplication2 we   
not only may1 but we should4 ,our       
desires should all be made known in this
 quarter2 nowhere will they have a      
kindlier hearing4 ,so1 last of all1 we  
come1 not only touching eternal life1   
but touching each day's concerns1 into a
 blessed agreement with ,god our ,father
 through ,christ4 ,it is agreed1 that   
,he takes loving charge of our anxieties
 and desires1 as ,one who would withhold
 no good from us2 and it is agreed1 that

 we put unreserved confidence in        
,him1--in which confidence we say1      
,abba1 ,father2 not our will1 but ,thine
 be done4  ,the confidence we have that 
all this is most real and solid1 and not
 merely a deceptive piece of religious  
acting1 comes to us in the channel of   
the faith and experience which have been
 fulfilled in ,god's children from the  
first2 but it is most emphatically      
confirmed and made sure to us by        
,christ4 ,he has taught us to pray4 ,his
 is the religion in which men pray4     
,under ,his influence we come away from 
ceremonial utterances1 and also from the
 despairing experiments of supplication 
with which1 in other religions1 men     
assail the heavens2 and1 hand in hand   
with that loving ,mediator1 we pray4    
,prayer1 when it is real1 when it is in 
the ,holy ,spirit1 is a wonderfully     
simple and a wonderfully great thing4   
,so it comes to pass that the peace of  
,god which passeth all understanding is 
found4 ,for this great and deep         

agreement with ,god in ,christ1 about   
all things great and small1 is the very 
entrance into the peace of ,god         
,himself1 and is the participation of   
it4 ,in this1 as in other aspects1      
things are daily realised in the history
 of believers1 that pass all            
understanding1 because ,god in ,christ  
is in the matter4 ,the infinite and     
eternal life is wedding itself to us and
 our affairs4 ,it may be understood1    
finally1 that this peace1 arising to    
,christians at the throne of grace1     
guards their minds and hearts4 ,it      
guards them against being overcharged1  
outworn1 surprised2 it guards them      
against being carried captive by earthly
 care4 ,yet this peace does not disable 
them for earthly business4 ,rather1     
because their main interests are so     
secure1 it gives them calmness and      
clearness2 it supplies them a moral     
vantage ground from which to dispose of 
all earthly affairs4     ,,the ,,things 
,,to ,,fix ,,upon4       ,finally1      

brethren1 whatsoever things are true1   
whatsoever things      are honourable   
venerable1 whatsoever things are just1  
whatsoever      things are pure1        
whatsoever things are lovely1 whatsoever
 things      are of good report2 if     
there be any virtue1 and if there be any
      praise1 think on these things4    
,the things which ye both learned and   
received and heard and saw in me1 these 
things do3 and the ,god of      peace   
shall be with you4--,,phil4 iv4 #h1 #i  
7,r4,v474     ,,chapter ,,xviii4  ,,the 
,,things ,,to ,,fix ,,upon4   ,the      
topics last considered bring us         
naturally to the remarkable exhortation 
of vv4 #h and #i4 ,this proceeds on the 
same view of the moral and spiritual    
situation1 and completes what the       
,apostle has to say in reference to it4 
,if men are to live as citizens of a    
heavenly commonwealth1 on great         
principles and to great ends1 it is1 as 
we have seen1 a very practical question1
 ,what to do about the inevitable play  

and onset of this changing earthly life1
 which assails us with motives1 and     
detains us upon interests1 and inspires 
us with influences1 of its own4 ,these  
cannot be abjured3 they are not easy to 
harmonise with the indications of that  
loftier and purer world2 they are prone 
to usurp the whole heart1 or at least a 
very undue share of it4 ,this is the    
practical problem of every honest       
,christian4 ,in reference to the solving
 of it the ,apostle had suggested the   
place given to ,christian joy2 he had   
suggested also the place and power of   
prayer4 ,these were indications as to   
the spirit and the method in which a    
believer might bring into play the      
resources of the ,kingdom of ,christ to 
control and subjugate those             
insubordinate forces4 ,but might not all
 this seem to be too negative8 ,does it 
not speak too much of holding off and   
holding in8 ,after all1 do not all human
 experiences constitute the scene in    
which we are both formed and tried8     

,what can we make of life unless we are 
interested in it8 ,how otherwise can we 
even be religious in it8 ,what is life1 
if it is not a scene of inquiry and of  
search set in motion by the objects     
around us1 a scene in which we like and 
dislike1 hope and fear1 desire and      
think8 ,the answer is1 ,yes1 we are to  
be keenly interested in the experiences 
of life1 and in the possibilities it    
opens4 ,life is our way of existing2 let
 existence be animated and intense4 ,but
 while the aspects of it that are merely
 transient are to have their place1 and 
may attract a lively interest1 there are
 other aspects1 other interests1 other  
possibilities4 ,all the transient       
interests have an outgate towards such  
as are eternal4 ,life is the experience 
of beings that have high capacities1 and
 can rise to noble destinies4 ,it is the
 experience of societies of such beings1
 who mould one another1 exchanging      
influences continually4 ,the changing   
experience of human life1 when seen in  

the true light1 is found to add to all  
its lower interests a play of interests 
that are more interesting as well as    
more worthy4 ,it is iridescent with     
lights which it catches from the        
infinite and the eternal4 ,every step of
 it1 every turn of it1 asks questions1  
offers opportunities1 calls for         
decisions1 holds out treasures1 which it
 is the business of a lifetime to       
recognise and to secure4 ,it has gains1 
it has victories1 it has                
accomplishments1 it has glories1 which  
need not lead us to deny its lower      
interests1 but which we may reasonably  
feel to be far the higher4 ,endless     
shades1 and forms1 and types of         
goodness1 of being good1 getting good1  
doing good1 gleam reflected to us from  
the changing experience4 ,goodness is   
not one monotonous category embodied in 
some solemn phrase1 and exhausted when  
that is learned4 ,there is no end to the
 rich variety in which it is offered1   
and in which it is to be caught1        

understood1 appropriated4 ,and life1    
through all the manifoldness of its     
legitimate interests1 and its           
illegitimate possibilities1 is the scene
 in which all this passes before us1 and
 asks to be made ours4 ,the ,apostle    
says to us1 ,think on these things4     
,take account1 that is1 of what they    
are1 and what their worth is4 ,lay forth
 on these the care and pains1 which     
spent themselves before on mere pain and
 pleasure1 loss and gain4 ,reckon what  
these are1 search out their nature1     
prove their capabilities1 appropriate   
and enjoy them4 ,think on these things4 
,so earthly life1 through all its busy  
processes1 shall acquire a nobler       
interest2 and it shall begin1 at the    
same time1 to minister with unexpected  
readiness to your true welfare4 ,enter  
then1 or press on1 in this wide field4  
,be this your passion and pursuit2 that 
which unifies your life1 and draws all  
its resources towards one result4  ,we  
may be helped to fix more firmly the    

point of view from which this striking  
catalogue of good things is drawn up1 if
 we observe that the ,apostle collects  
all these excellences under the notion  
of a virtue and a praise4 ,let us       
consider how men are trained to         
progressive conceptions of virtue and   
praise4 ,for virtue and praise1 both    
name and notion1 have had a large place 
in men's minds and a great influence on 
their actions4 ,how has this influence  
been sustained and made to grow8  ,men  
are conscious of obligations2 and they  
are aware1 more dimly or more clearly1  
that the standard of those obligations  
must exist somehow above themselves4 ,it
 is a standard not of their own         
creation1 but such as claims them by an 
antecedent right4 ,yet if each          
individual could hold himself apart1    
forming his own conceptions of fit and  
right for himself without regard to     
others1 the standard would tend         
downwards rapidly1 because moral        
judgment would be warped by each man's  

selfishness and passion1 excusing evil  
in his own case and putting it for good4
 ,even as it is1 this has taken place   
only too widely4 ,but yet the tendency  
is powerfully counteracted by the fact  
that men do not exist1 nor form their   
notions1 in that separate way4 ,a       
principle within them prompts them to   
seek one another's approbation1 and to  
value one another's good opinion4       
,indeed the consciousness that what is  
law for me is law for others1 and that  
they are judging as well as ,i1 is one  
of the forms in which we realise that   
duty descends upon us all1 from some    
august and holy source4  ,this principle
 of regarding the judgment and seeking  
the approbation of others1 has had an   
enormous effect on men and on society4  
,for though men are skilful enough1 in  
their own case1 in averting or silencing
 the admonition of the monitor within1  
they have little reluctance to make full
 use of their sense of right in         
scrutinising one another4 ,they judge1  

in their thoughts about each other1 with
 far more clearness1 shrewdness1 and    
certainty than they do about themselves4
 ,men do in this way make requirements  
of one another1 which each of them might
 be slow to make from himself4 ,this is 
a great operative force in all cases2   
and in those cases in which1 in any     
society1 vivid convictions about truth  
and duty have taken possession of some  
minds1 the principle we are speaking of 
propagates an influence through the     
whole mass1 with effects that are very  
striking4  ,this mutual criticism of men
 accusing or else excusing one another1 
has had a great effect in sustaining    
what we call common morals4 ,but        
especially let it be observed that this 
criticism1 and the consciousness of it1 
stimulating the higher class of minds1  
sustains and develops the finer         
perceptions of morality4 ,there are     
minds that eminently strive for         
distinction in things that are counted  
for a virtue and a praise4 ,and through 

them is developed in the general mind   
the approving perception of more        
delicate shades of worthy conduct1 which
 in a coarser age were unperceived or   
unheeded4 ,these come up in men's mutual
 judgments2 they are scrutinised2 they  
interest the mind and take hold of it4  
,so1 whether in the case of those who   
begin to pay respect to such forms of   
good because they perceive that others  
approve of them1 or in the case of those
 who1 when those forms of good are thus 
presented1 perceive a worth in them and 
take a pride in living up to them for   
their own sake1--in both cases1 the     
creating and sustaining of the higher   
standard depends on the principle we    
have now before us4  ,thus there arises1
 for example1 the code of honour1 the   
fine perception of what is socially     
right1 becoming1 and graceful4 ,men1 no 
doubt1 are always to be found who       
cultivate the nicest sense of this1 not 
from a mere desire that others should   
know it1 but because they see it to be  

desirable in itself1 and because they   
shun the sense of inward disgrace that  
follows when they fall below their own  
standard4 ,yet it is the process of     
mutual criticism which develops the     
consciousness1 and it is this which1 on 
the whole1 sustains it4  ,thus we find  
in the world not merely a sense of duty1
 but something that has spurred men on  
to things counted for a virtue and a    
praise4 ,outside of all ,christian      
influences1 wonderful examples are found
 of self-sacrificing devotion to the    
noble and the true4 ,men have eagerly   
pursued the nicest discriminations of   
duty and honour1 that they might be1 and
 might show themselves to be1           
accomplished1 finished1 not merely in   
some things1 but in whatever things were
 counted to be the proper tokens of a   
noble mind4  ,well now1 the ,apostle is 
not shutting out from his plan of mental
 life the attainments made in this way  
in the true or the good1 even apart from
 ,christian teaching4 ,far less is he   

excluding the human social method1 in   
which mind whets mind1 and one stirs    
another to discern and appropriate what 
is for a virtue and for a praise4 ,he   
supposes this mode of influence to go on
 in ,christianity more successfully than
 ever4 ,and he is not at all excluding  
the natural life of men2 for that is the
 scene1 and that yields the materials1  
for the whole process4 ,but he does     
suppose that now all old attainment     
shall be set in a new light1 and acquire
 a new life and grace1 and that new     
attainment shall come wonderfully into  
view by reason of the new element which 
for us has entered into the situation4  
,and what is this element8 ,is it that  
we recognise around us a society of     
,christians with whom we share a higher 
standard1 and with whom we can give and 
take the contagion of a nobler          
conception of life8 ,yes1 no doubt2 but 
far before that1 the great new element  
in the situation is the ,lord--in whom  
we trust and rejoice4  ,it is always    

human duty to have regard to the will of
 ,god1 however it may reach us4 ,but    
when you are called to know the ,lord   
and to rejoice in ,him1 when ,he        
vouchsafes ,himself to be yours1 when   
you begin to enjoy ,his peace1 and to   
walk with ,him in love1 and to have it  
for your hope to be with ,him for ever1 
then you are placed in a new relation to
 ,him4 ,and it is such a near and dear  
relation on both sides that much may be 
expected from you in it4 ,if this be so1
 you are now dealing with ,him always2  
not merely in direct acts of worship1   
but in your thoughts1 your feelings1    
your words1 your business1 your common  
intercourse with men1 and all your daily
 life1 you walk with ,him4 ,you cannot  
repudiate having so much to do with     
,him1 unless you will repudiate your    
,christianity4 ,then1 if so1 something  
new is expected4 ,a new test of the     
becoming1 of that which is for a virtue 
and for a praise1 has come into         
operation1 and has become intelligible  

to you2 and it is a test of new delicacy
 and new force4 ,it is expected we      
should recognise it4 ,not now the mutual
 judgments merely of erring men1 but    
,his mind and ,his will1 what ,he       
delights in and approves1--this begins  
to solicit us and press upon us1 for we 
walk with ,christ4 ,that this walk of   
ours may escape being mean1 coarse1     
offensive1 we have great lessons to     
learn4 ,we have to learn what1 in ,his  
judgment1 as seen by ,his eye1 as tried 
by the sensibilities of ,his heart1 are 
the things that are true and venerable  
and just1 what with ,him counts for a   
virtue and a praise4  ,and here1 indeed1
 is our crown4 ,the crown of honour     
which man cast away when sin gained him1
 was the approbation of the ,lord4 ,but 
now we are set on afresh to seek it1    
testing our ways by the perception of   
that which ,he approves2 or1 on the     
other hand1 what ,he counts to be mean  
and degrading1 fit to be recoiled from  
and rejected4 ,it is our calling        

7whatever our attainment may be7 to be  
more sensitive to the nicest touches of 
truth and honour towards our ,lord than 
ever we were towards men4 ,and this does
 not apply only to some narrow field of 
life4 ,it goes through all relations1 up
 to ,god and ,christ1 and out through   
all duties and ties4 ,the great calling 
reaches wide and far2 it is very high   
and noble3 we cannot pretend to disclaim
 it1 unless we disclaim the ,lord4 ,this
 way lies ,god's crown4 ,win it2 wear   
it2 let no man take thy crown4  ,when   
our ,lord's mind and heart are said to  
be the test1 this does not exclude our  
profiting by our fellows1 accepting the 
admonition contained in human judgments1
 and especially in those of ,christian  
people4 ,great good comes to us in such 
channels4 ,only now the judgment of our 
fellows is to refer itself always to a  
further standard2 and a new ,presence   
brings new tenderness and grace1 new    
depth and significance1 to every        
suggestion of right feeling and worthy  

life4 ,this is the light and this the   
influence under which we are to learn   
what shall be counted for a virtue and  
for a praise4 ,and we must bend our mind
 to think upon it1 if we are to learn   
our lesson4  ,we must think upon it4    
,for1 on the one hand1 it is not some   
things1 but whatsoever things4 ,what    
should we say of a man who proposed in  
his dealings with others to do some     
things that are honourable1 but not all 
things1 not whatsoever things8 ,and1 on 
the other hand1 we may be further off   
from even a small measure of attainment 
in this field than we are disposed to   
think4 ,christians who1 as to all social
 excellence1 as that is commonly        
understood between man and man1 are     
unexceptionable1 may be sadly blind to  
the requirements of an honourable walk  
with ,god2 may be sadly wanting even in 
the conception of what is due in all    
love and honour to ,christ1 and to men  
for ,his sake4 ,men may be the soul of  
honour and delicacy in their ways1      

judged from the world's point of view2  
yet not far from a savage coarseness in 
the manner of their life judged by      
,christ's standard4 ,we would not       
needlessly wound another's feelings2 but
 with what indifference have we grieved 
the ,spirit4 ,we would shrink from      
saying anything to our fellows that is  
deceitful and hypocritical3 can we say  
as much for our prayers8 ,in our common 
life we maintain truth in the ordinary  
sense between men2 but do we loyally    
express and act out the truth by which  
,god's children live in our speech and  
action among men8 ,is there that fine   
congruity of our bearing to the truth we
 live by1 which becomes a child of ,god8
  ,we are greatly hindered here by the  
assumption we make1 that when we have   
mastered the form of knowledge          
concerning the will of ,god1 we then    
know all about our calling4 ,it is a    
great delusion4 ,we must not only sit   
down at the feet of ,christ to learn    
from ,him2 but also1 with a watchful eye

 on the phases of life1 catching the    
lessons which things and men afford1 we 
must be trained to know and sharpened to
 loving discernment as to our ,master's 
mind1 and so1 as to what is honourable  
and right-minded1 refined and noble1 in 
a walk with ,god4 ,we do not easily     
emerge from the meanness of our spirits2
 we do not easily shake off that        
insensibility to what is spiritually    
fair and fit1 on which the angels look  
down with pity and wonder4  ,therefore1 
says the ,apostle1 think on these       
things1 the things which in the ,lord's 
kingdom and under the ,lord's eye are   
well-pleasing1 and count for a virtue   
and a praise2 think on those things     
which are related to ,his esteem1 and to
 the esteem of persons who learn of     
,him1 as various excellences are to the 
common judgment of the world4 ,do so1   
for here you are close to the genuinely 
and supremely true and good2 and this1  
as was said before1 is your crown4  ,the
 ,apostle is thinking of a perception of

 duty and privilege attained not merely 
by studying a catalogue of virtues1 but 
by a far finer and more living          
process--by life that is instinct with  
observant watchfulness1 that is frank in
 self-criticism1 that is recipient of   
the light flashing from the experience  
and the censure of others3 all this     
under constant regard to the ,lord1 and 
leading us into fuller sympathy with    
,him4  ,that this is so1 appears from   
the ,apostle's way of arranging the     
particulars of his exhortation4 ,he does
 not merely desire his disciples to     
discern what is right in general3 but he
 would have them grow into a vital      
knowledge1 so as to feel the right in   
those matters where the shading becomes 
delicate2 where it may be difficult to  
distinguish argumentatively an absolute 
right and wrong1 but where a mind purged
 and trained in the ,master's school can
 well discern a difference4 ,whatsoever 
things are true--which includes not only
 veracity and fidelity1 but also        

whatever in conduct and temper ,god's   
truth requires as agreeable to itself2  
and then ,whatsoever things are         
venerable--the character that emerges   
when all that is congruous to truth1 in 
its finest filaments and ramifications1 
has been developed1 and has assumed its 
own place4 ,whatsoever things are       
just--rightfully due on all hands to    
,god and to man2 and then ,whatsoever   
things are pure--the character that     
recoils from all that sullies1 from the 
smallest shade or infection of iniquity4
 ,whatsoever things are lovely--the dear
 or amiable1 whatever draws out love1   
cherishes it1 befits it2 and then       
,whatsoever things are of good          
report--actions that can hardly be more 
discriminatingly classified than by     
saying that the heart is pleased to hear
 of them2 it confesses that they are of 
a good name1 of a welcome sound2 they   
are like some delicate sound or odour on
 which you dwell with delight1 but      
cannot definitely describe it4 ,in a    

word1 ,if there be any virtue1 and if   
there be any praise1 think on these     
things4 ,study them1 look out for them1 
learn to recognise them1 to know their  
worth1 to pursue them lovingly through  
all their manifestations4  ,thus1 let it
 be said once more1 the ,apostle is not 
open to the objection that he calls us  
to a mere retreat from energetic life4  
,to such a call men have always replied1
 that they find in themselves capacities
 wonderfully adapted to grapple with    
life1 and to do so with interest and    
with energy4 ,virtually the ,apostle    
says1 ,yes1 true2 and life has aspects  
to interest the mind1 and results to    
engage the will1 which are its noble and
 its imperative possibilities3 for the  
followers of ,christ these become       
dominant2 they afford noble scope for   
all human faculty2 and all forms of life
 are dignified as they become           
subservient to these supreme interests  
and aims4 ,now1 lay forth the care and  
pains that fastened before on mere joy  

and sorrow1 hope and fear1 on a certain 
thinking and making account of the true1
 the venerable1 the just1 the pure1 the 
lovely1 that which is of good report4   
,reckon what they are2 search out their 
nature2 make them your serious object4  
,o man of ,god1 flee those things2 but  
follow after righteousness1 godliness1  
faith1 love1 patience1 meekness4  ,but  
progress is not to be made in this line 
by mere subtle refining and             
contemplation4 ,if there was any danger 
that the ,apostle's call to think might 
be interpreted that way1 presently it is
 corrected4 ,the thinking is to be      
practical thinking1 bending itself to   
action4 ,what things ye have received   
and learned--those practical points in  
which the ,apostle always taught his    
,gentile converts to put to proof the   
grace of ,christ2 and ,what ye have     
heard and seen in me--in a man poor1    
tried1 persecuted1 a man whose life was 
rough and real1 who knew weakness and   
sorrow1 who bore heavy burdens1 that    

were not proudly paraded1 but which     
brought him lowly and weary to ,christ's
 feet1--these things do4 ,that is the   
road to the attainments on which ,i bid 
you think4  ,and the ,god of peace shall
 be with you4 ,in those ways 7for they  
are ,his own ways7 ,god walks with men2 
and peace with ,god1 spreading out into 
peace with men1 becomes the atmosphere  
in which such wayfarers move4           
,,gifts ,,and ,,sacrifices4       ,but  
,i rejoice in the ,lord greatly1 that   
now at length ye have      revived your 
thought for me2 wherein ye did indeed   
take thought1      but ye lacked        
opportunity4 ,not that ,i speak in      
respect of want3 for      ,i have       
learned1 in whatsoever state ,i am1     
therein to be content4 ,i      know how 
to be abased1 and ,i know also how to   
abound3 in everything      and in all   
things have ,i learned the secret both  
to be filled and      to be hungry1 both
 to abound and to be in want4 ,i can do 
all things      in ,him that            

strengtheneth me4 ,howbeit ye did well1 
that ye had      fellowship with my     
affliction4 ,and ye yourselves also     
know1 ye      ,philippians1 that in the 
beginning of the gospel1 when ,i        
departed      from ,macedonia1 no       
,church had fellowship with me in the   
matter of      giving and receiving1 but
 ye only2 for even in ,thessalonica ye  
sent      once and again unto my need4  
,not that ,i seek for the gift2 but ,i  
seek for the fruit that increaseth to   
your account4 ,but ,i have all          
things1 and abound3 ,i am filled1 having
 received from ,epaphroditus      the   
things that came from you1 an odour of a
 sweet smell1 a      sacrifice          
acceptable1 well-pleasing to ,god4 ,and 
my ,god shall fulfil      every need of 
yours according to ,his riches in glory 
in ,christ      ,jesus4 ,now unto our   
,god and ,father be the glory for ever  
and ever4      ,amen4       ,salute     
every saint in ,christ ,jesus4 ,the     
brethren which are with me      salute  

you4 ,all the saints salute you1        
especially they that are of      ,csar's
 household4       ,the grace of the     
,lord ,jesus ,christ be with your       
spirit4--,,phil4      iv1 #aj-bc        
7,r4,v474     ,,chapter ,,xix4  ,,gifts 
,,and ,,sacrifices4   ,the ,apostle had 
urged joy in the ,lord1 and a moderation
 visible to all men4 ,if any one        
supposes that in doing so he recommended
 a stoical temper1 insensible to the    
impressions of passing things1 the      
passage which now comes before us will  
correct that error4 ,it shows us how the
 ,apostle could rejoice in the ,lord1   
and yet reap great satisfaction from    
providential incidents4 ,i rejoiced in  
the ,lord greatly1 that now at last you 
have revived your thought for me1 or1 as
 in the older version1 that your care   
for me has flourished again4  ,worldly  
eagerness1 and worldly care and anxiety 
about persons and things1 are rebuked by
 the spirit of rejoicing in the ,lord4  
,but the persons and the things about us

 all have a connection with the ,lord1  
if we have eyes to see it1 and hearts to
 mark it2 and that is the chief thing   
about them4 ,they are in the ,lord's    
world1 the ,lord calls us to have to do 
with them3 as for the persons1 they are1
 some of them1 the ,lord's servants1 and
 all of them the ,lord calls us to love 
and to benefit2 as for the things1 the  
,lord appoints our lot among them1 and  
they are full of a meaning which ,he    
puts into them4 ,so regard to the ,lord 
and a spirit of rejoicing in ,him may   
pervade our earthly life4 ,the worldly  
eagerness and worldly care must be      
controlled4 ,there is no avoiding that  
conflict4 ,but now--shall we in faith   
give ourselves to learn the true        
rejoicing in the ,lord8 ,if not1 our    
,christianity must be at best low and   
comfortless4 ,but if we do1 we shall be 
rewarded by a growing liberty4 ,the more
 that joy possesses us1 the more will it
 give occasion to the finest and freest 
play of feeling in reference to passing 

things2 and some of these which1 on     
other accounts1 might seem              
insignificant1 will begin to yield us an
 abounding consolation4  ,these         
,philippians1 who had given early proof 
of attachment to the gospel1 had lately1
 for some reason or other1 been unable1 
lacked opportunity1 to minister to the  
wants of ,paul4 ,now the winter1        
whatever it was1 that hindered the      
expression of their goodwill was gone1  
and their care of ,paul flourished      
again4 ,did the ,apostle think it       
needful to freeze up the feelings of    
satisfaction which this incident        
awakened8 ,no3 but in his case those    
feelings1 having spiritual elevation1   
became so much the more deep and glad4  
,he rejoiced greatly in this2 and still1
 he was rejoicing in the ,lord4 ,let us 
mark how this comes out both when we    
consider what was not the spring of his 
gladness1 and what it was4  ,not that ,i
 speak in respect of want4 ,it was not  
the change from want to comparative     

plenty that explained the nature of his 
feelings4 ,yet he evidently implies that
 he had been in want1 strange as that   
may seem in a city where there was a    
,christian congregation4 ,but though the
 removal of that pressure would no doubt
 be thankfully taken1 yet for a man     
whose gladness was in the ,lord no mere 
change of that kind would lead to       
rejoicing greatly4 ,i speak not in      
respect of want3 ,i have learned1 in    
whatsoever state ,i am1 therewith to be 
content4 ,i know how to be abased1 and  
,i know also how to abound3 in          
everything and in all things have ,i    
learned the secret 7have been initiated7
 both to be filled and to be hungry1    
both to abound and to be in want4 ,i can
 do all things through ,him that        
strengtheneth me4  ,therewith to be     
content4 ,paul had learned to be so     
minded that1 in trying circumstances1 he
 did not anxiously cast about for help1 
but was sufficed3 his desires were      
brought down to the facts of his        

condition4 ,in that state he counted    
himself to have enough4 ,he knew how to 
suit himself to abasement1 that common  
experience of the indigent and          
friendless2 and he knew how to suit     
himself to abundance1 when that was     
sent3 each as a familiar state in which 
he made himself at home--not overgrieved
 or overjoyed1 not greatly elevated or  
greatly depressed4 ,i have been         
instructed1 or initiated 7the word used 
by the heathen of introduction to the   
mysteries71 not only into the experience
 of those conditions1 but into the way  
of taking kindly with them both4 ,mark  
how his words follow one another3 ,i    
have learned--been put through a course 
of teaching and have had a teacher2 ,i  
know--it has become familiar to me1 ,i  
understand it2 ,i am initiated--if there
 is a secret in it1 something hidden    
from the natural man1 ,i have been led  
into that1 out and in1 through and      
through4  ,if we would know by what     
discipline the ,lord trained ,paul to   

this mind1 we may listen to what ,paul  
himself says of it 7#a ,cor4 iv4 #i-ac73
 ,i think ,god hath set forth us the    
apostles last of all1 as men doomed to  
death3 for we are made a spectacle unto 
the world4444 ,even unto this present   
hour we both hunger1 and thirst1 and are
 naked1 and are buffeted1 and have no   
certain dwelling-place2 and we toil1    
working with our own hands3 being       
reviled1 we bless2 being persecuted1 we 
endure2 being defamed1 we entreat3 we   
are made as the filth of the world1 the 
offscouring of all things1 unto this day
 7see also #b ,cor4 vi4 #d1 xi4 #bc74   
,if1 again1 we would know the manner of 
his training in such experiences1 take  
#b ,cor4 xii4 #h1 #i3 ,concerning this  
thing ,i besought thrice that it might  
depart from me4 ,and ,he said unto me1  
,my grace is sufficient for thee2 for   
,my strength is made perfect in         
weakness4 ,most gladly therefore will ,i
 rather glory in my infirmities4 ,also  
how his faith wrought and gathered      

strength in all these1 we may see from  
,rom4 viii4 #bd-bh3 ,we are saved by    
hope4444 ,if we hope for that which we  
see not1 then do we with patience wait  
for it4 ,also the ,spirit helpeth our   
infirmity3 for we know not how to pray  
as we ought2 but the ,spirit ,himself   
maketh intercession for us4444 ,and we  
know that all things work together for  
good to them that love ,god4 ,so being  
strengthened with all might1 according  
to ,his glorious power1 to all patience 
and longsuffering with joyfulness 7,col4
 i4 #aa71 he was able to say1 ,i can do 
all things through ,christ which        
strengtheneth me4  ,this was the course1
 and this the fruit1 of ,paul's         
biography4 ,but each ,christian has his 
own life1 the tenor and the upshot of   
which should not be wholly estranged    
from ,paul's4  ,now what it was that did
 move him so to rejoice is explained    
when he speaks of the ,philippians      
holding fellowship with his affliction2 
and1 again1 when he says1 ,i desire     

fruit that may abound to your account4  
,he saw in their succour the blessed    
unity of ,christ's living ,church1 the  
members having mutual interest1 so that 
if one suffers all suffer4 ,the         
,philippians claimed a right to take    
part as fellow-members in the ,apostle's
 state and wants1 and to communicate    
with his affliction4 ,and this was only 
a continuation of their former practice 
in the beginning of the gospel4 ,this1  
as a fruit of ,christ's work and of the 
presence of ,his ,spirit1 refreshed the 
,apostle4 ,it was a manifestation in the
 sphere of temporal things of the       
working of a high principle1 communion  
with the common ,lord4 ,and it betokened
 the progress of the work of grace1 in  
that the ,philippians were not weary in 
well-doing4 ,so it was fruit that       
abounded to their account4  ,it may be  
noticed that the directness and         
frankness of the ,apostle's speech to   
the ,philippians on these matters convey
 a testimony to the generous ,christian 

feeling which prevailed among them4 ,he 
speaks as one who feared no             
misconstruction4 ,he does not fear that 
they will either mistake his meaning or 
do wrong to his motives2 as he1 on the  
other side1 puts no other than a loving 
construction upon their action4 ,he     
could not so trust all the ,churches4   
,in some there was so little of large   
,christian sympathy that a complaining  
tone in such matters was forced on him4 
,but in the case of the ,philippians he 
has no difficulty in interpreting their 
gift simply as embodying their earnest  
claim to be counted partakers of the    
benefit1 and therefore entitled to bear 
the burdens and alleviate the sufferings
 of ,paul4 ,gladly he admits and        
welcomes this claim4 ,it is worth       
observing that the way of giving vent to
 ,christian feeling here exemplified was
 apparent at ,philippi from the very    
first4 ,not only did it appear when     
,paul departed from ,macedonia 7ver4    
#ae72 but1 before that1 the earliest    

convert1 ,lydia1 struck the             
keynote1--,if ye judge me faithful in   
the ,lord1 come into my house 7,acts    
xvi4 #ae74 ,both in individuals and in  
,churches1 the style of feeling and     
action embraced at the outset of        
,christianity1 under the first          
impressions1 often continues to prevail 
long after4         99       99       99
       99       99  ,now1 in virtue of  
this liberality1 ,paul had all and      
abounded4 ,he had desired to see the old
 spirit flourish again1 and he had his  
wish4 ,i have all3 ,i feel greatly      
enriched since ,i received the things   
sent by ,epaphroditus4 ,what gladdened  
him was not the outward comfort which   
these gifts supplied1 but much more1 the
 spiritual meaning they carried in their
 bosom4 ,let us see how he reads that   
meaning4  ,this gift comes to him4 ,as  
it comes1 what is it8 ,from its         
destination and its motives it takes on 
a blessed character4 ,it is an odour of 
a sweet smell1 a sacrifice acceptable1  

well-pleasing unto ,god4 ,this was what 
came to the ,apostle3 something that was
 in a peculiar manner ,god's own1       
something which ,he regarded1 set value 
on1 and counted precious4 ,further1 it  
turned out to be something in connection
 with which the assurance ought to go   
forth1 ,my ,god shall fulfil every need 
of yours4 ,they had ministered to       
,paul's need1 in faith1 love1           
thankfulness1 and loyal care of         
,christ's servant4 ,christ counted it   
done to ,him3 as such ,he would surely  
repay it1 supplying their need with that
 considerate liberality which it becomes
 ,him to exhibit4 ,observe1 then1 the   
position in which the ,apostle finds    
himself4 ,he is himself the object of   
,christian kindness2 affections wrought 
in the ,philippians by the ,holy ,ghost 
are clinging to him and caring for him4 
,he is also one so linked with ,god's   
great cause1 that offerings sent to him1
 in the spirit described1 become an     
odour of a sweet smell1 an acceptable   

sacrifice to the ,lord4 ,also this      
supply of his need is so directly a     
service done to ,christ1 that when it is
 done1 ,god1 as it were1 stands forth   
directly on ,his servant's behalf3 ,he  
will repay it1 supplying the need of    
those who supplied ,his servant4 ,poor  
though ,paul may be1 and sometimes sad1 
yet see how the resources of ,god must  
be pledged to requite the kindness done 
to him4 ,all this made him very glad4   
,his heart warmed under it4 ,what a     
blessed1 happy1 secure1 and1 looking    
forward1 what a hopeful state was his6  
,this came home to him all at once with 
the ,philippians' gift4 ,no wonder that 
he says1 ,i have all and abound4  ,if   
any one chooses to say that all this was
 true about the ,apostle1 and he might  
have known it1 apart from the gift1 and 
even if it had never come1 that may be a
 kind of truth1 but it signifies exactly
 nothing to the purpose4 ,it is one     
thing to have a doctrine which one      
knows3 it is another thing to have the  

,holy ,spirit setting it home with a    
warmth and glory that fills the man with
 joy4 ,the ,spirit of ,god may do this  
without means1 but often ,he uses means1
 and1 indeed1 what we esteem little     
means2 by little things carrying home   
great impressions1 as out of the mouths 
of babes and sucklings ,he perfects     
praise4 ,when a child of ,god is cast   
down1 no one can tell out of how small a
 thing the ,spirit of ,god may cause to 
arise a peace that passeth all          
understanding4  ,christianity confers   
great weight and dignity on little      
things4 ,this gift1 not in itself very  
great1 passing between ,christians at   
,philippi and an ,apostle imprisoned at 
,rome1 belongs after all to an unearthly
 sphere4 ,paul sees its connection with 
all spiritual things1 and with the      
heavenly places where ,christ is4 ,and  
it comes to him carrying a rich meaning1
 preaching everlasting consolation and  
good hope through grace4  ,mark1 again1 
the illustration of the truth that the  

members have need of one another1 and   
are compacted by that which every joint 
supplieth1 according to the effectual   
working in the measure of every part4   
,the strong may benefit by the weak1 as 
well as the weak by the strong4 ,this   
,apostle1 who could do all things       
through ,christ who strengthens him1    
might be very far more advanced as a    
,christian than any one in ,philippi4   
,possibly there was nothing any of them 
could say1 no advice they could tender  
to him in words1 that would have been of
 material benefit to the ,apostle4 ,but 
that which1 following the impulse of    
their faith and love1 they did1 was of  
material benefit4 ,it filled his heart  
with a joyful sense of the relation in  
which he stood to them1 to ,christ1 to  
,god4 ,it welled up for him like a      
water-spring in a dry land4 ,no one can 
tell how it may have conduced to enable 
him to go forward with more liberty and 
power1 testifying in ,rome the gospel of
 ,god4  ,nor must we omit the comfort to

 all who serve ,god in their generation 
arising from the view which the ,apostle
 is here led to take4 ,there may be     
trials from without and trials from     
within4 ,still ,god careth for ,his     
servant4 ,god will provide for him out  
of that which is peculiarly ,his own4   
,god so identifies him with ,himself1   
that ,he must needs requite all who     
befriend him out of ,his own riches in  
glory4  ,so far for the bearing of the  
case on ,paul4 ,we have still to look a 
little into the view given of this      
,philippian gift on its own account4 ,it
 is emphatically called a sweet savour1 
an offering acceptable and well-pleasing
 to ,god4 ,we have seen already 7ch4 ii4
 #ag7 that believers are called upon to 
offer themselves as a sacrifice2 and now
 we see also that their obedience1 or   
that which they do for ,christ's sake1  
is reckoned as an offering to ,god4 ,so 
it is said 7,heb4 xiii4 #af7 to do good 
and to communicate forget not1 for with 
such sacrifices ,god is well pleased4   

,it need hardly be said they are not    
sacrifices to atone for sin4 ,but they  
are offerings accepted by ,god1 at ,his 
altar1 from ,his children's hands4 ,they
 suitably express both the gratitude of 
believers to ,god1 and the sincerity of 
their ,christianity in general4 ,god    
grants us this way of expressing the    
earnestness of our regard to ,him3 and  
,he expects that we shall gladly avail  
ourselves of it2 our obedience is to    
assume the character of a glad and      
willing offering4 ,the expressions used 
by the ,apostle here assure us that     
there is a ,divine complacency in the   
manifestation of this spirit on the part
 of ,god's children4 ,the heart of ,him 
who has revealed ,himself in ,christ1 of
 ,him who rested and was refreshed on   
the seventh day over ,his good and fair 
works1 counts for a sweet savour1       
acceptable and well-pleasing1 the works 
of faith and love willingly done for    
,his name's sake4  ,in this connection  
it is fit we should remember that the   

view we take of money1 and the use we   
make of it1 are referred to with        
extraordinary frequency in the ,new     
,testament1 as a decisive test of       
,christian sincerity4 ,this feature of  
,bible teaching is very faintly realised
 by many4  ,the other point noteworthy  
in relation to this ,philippian gift is 
the assurance that it shall be          
recompensed4 ,god will not be unfaithful
 to reward their work and labour of     
love1 in that they have ministered to   
,his servant4  ,we are not to shrink    
from the doctrine of reward because it  
has been perverted4 ,it is true the good
 works of a ,christian cannot be the    
foundation of his title to life eternal4
 ,they proceed from the grace of ,god2  
they are very imperfect and mixed at    
their best4 ,yet they are precious      
fruits of ,christ's death1 and of ,god's
 grace1 arising through the faith and   
love of souls renewed and liberated4    
,when a penitent and believing man is   
found devoting to ,god what he is and   

has1 doing so freely and lovingly1 that 
is a blessed thing4 ,god sets value on  
it4 ,it is accepted as fruit which the  
man brings1 as the offering which he    
yields4 ,the heart of ,christ rejoices  
over it4 ,now it is fit that the value  
set on this fruit should be shown1 and  
the way ,god takes to show it is to     
reward the service4 ,such a man shall in
 no wise lose his reward4 ,god orders   
the administration of ,his mercy so that
 it really comes in a way of recompense 
for works of faith and labours of love4 
,this may well convince us that the     
kindness of our ,father is measureless4 
,he omits nothing that can win ,his     
children's love1 and bind them to       
,himself4 ,might not those servants who 
have gone furthest and done most1 feel  
it almost a bitter thing to hear reward 
spoken of8 ,for if their service could  
be far more worthy1 it could not amount 
to an adequate expression of gratitude  
for all their ,father has done for them4
 ,yet ,he will certainly reward4 ,cups  

of cold water given to disciples shall  
have remembrance made of them1 by ,him  
who reckons all those gifts to be       
bestowed upon ,himself4 ,every way ,god 
overwhelms ,his children with ,his      
goodness4 ,there is no dealing with this
 ,god1 otherwise than by confessing that
 every way we are debtors4 ,it is vain  
to think of paying the debt1 or         
relieving oneself of any of the weight  
of obligation4 ,only we may with all our
 hearts give glory to ,him to whom we   
owe all4  ,accordingly the ,apostle     
closes in a doxology3 ,now unto our ,god
 and ,father be glory for ever4  ,among 
the salutations with which the ,epistle 
winds up1 every one must be struck with 
that which goes in the name of those of 
,csar's household4 ,bishop ,lightfoot   
has annexed to his ,commentary an essay 
on this topic1 which collects1 with his 
usual skill1 the available information4 
,it was remarked in connection with ch4 
i4 #ab1 that ,csar's household was an   
immense establishment1 comprehending    

thousands of persons1 employed in all   
sorts of functions1 and composed        
chiefly1 either of slaves1 or of those  
who had emerged from slavery into the   
condition of freedmen4 ,indications have
 been gathered from ancient mortuary    
inscriptions tending to show that a     
notable proportion of ,christians1 whose
 names are preserved in this way1 had   
probably been connected with the        
household4 ,at the end of the first     
century1 a whole branch of the ,flavian 
imperial family became ,christian2 and  
it is possible1 as indicated in an      
earlier page1 that they may have done so
 under the influence of ,christian      
servants4 ,this1 however1 fell later4   
,the ,apostle wrote in ,nero's days4 ,it
 is certain that at this time singularly
 profligate persons exercised great sway
 in the household4 ,it is also certain  
that powerful ,jewish influences had got
 a footing2 and these would in all      
likelihood act against the gospel4 ,yet 
there were also ,christian brethren4 ,we

 may believe that ,paul's own work had  
operated notably to produce this result 
7ch4 i4 #ab74 ,at all events1 there they
 were4 ,amid all that was vile and      
unscrupulous1 the word of ,god had its  
course2 men were converted and were     
sanctified by the washing of water by   
the word4 ,then1 as now1 the ,lord      
gathered ,his elect from unlikely       
quarters3 how secure soever the strong  
man's goods seemed to be1 his defences  
went down before the might of a stronger
 than he4 ,probably the ,christians in  
the household belonged chiefly or       
exclusively to the lower grades of the  
service1 and might be partly protected  
by their obscurity4 ,yet surely         
entanglements and perplexities1 fears   
and sorrows1 must often have been the   
portion of the saints of ,nero's        
household4 ,out of all these the ,lord  
delivered them4 ,this glimpse lets us   
see the process going on which by-and-by
 made so strange a revolution in the    
heathen world4 ,it reminds us also for  

what peculiarities of trial ,god's grace
 has been found sufficient4  ,the grace 
of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ be with your
 spirit4 ,this is the parting           
benediction2 certainly an appropriate   
one1 for the whole ,epistle breathes the
 same atmosphere4 ,the ,epistle would   
not fail of its effect1 if their spirit 
retained the consciousness of the grace 
of ,christ2 if throughout their life    
they owned its sway1 and felt its       
attraction1 its charm1 its power to     
elevate and purify and comfort4         
99       99       99       99       99  
,in following the course of thought and 
feeling which this letter embodies1 we  
have seen the ,apostle touch various    
topics4 ,they rise into view as pastoral
 care1 or friendly feeling1 as outward  
circumstances suggest them4 ,the demands
 of ,christian friendship1 the          
responsibilities of the ,christian      
ministry1 the trials of ,christian      
endurance2 what is due from an apostle1 
or from a ,church member2 how life and  

death are to be confronted2 what is to  
be done about dangers and faults2 how   
pride and self-will are to be judged and
 remedied2 how the narrow heart is to be
 rebuked and enlarged2 how the life of a
 disciple is to become luminous and     
edifying1--in reference to all1 and all 
alike1 he speaks from the same central  
position1 and with the same fulness of  
resource4 ,in ,christ revealed1 in      
,christ received and known1 he finds the
 light1 and the strength1 and the salve1
 which every case requires4 ,each new   
demand unlocks new resources1 new       
conceptions of goodness and of victory4 
,so1 in one great passage1 in the third 
chapter1 catching fire1 as it were1 from
 the scorn with which a religion of     
externals fills him1 he breaks forth    
into a magnificent proclamation of the  
true ,christianity4 ,he celebrates its  
reality and intensity as life in        
,christ--,christ known1 found1          
gained--,christ in the righteousness of 
faith and in the power of resurrection4 

,he depicts vividly the aspiration and  
endeavour of that life as it continually
 presses onward from faith to experience
 and achievement1 as it verifies        
relations to a world unseen1 and looks  
and hastes towards a world to come4     
,then the wave of thought and feeling   
subsides2 but its force is felt in the  
last wavelets of loving counsel that    
ripple to the shore4  ,one feels that   
for ,paul1 who was rich in doctrine1    
doctrine is after all but the measure of
 mighty forces which are alive in his   
own experience4 ,no doctrine1 not one1  
is for the intellect alone3 all go out  
into heart and conscience and life4     
,more than this3 he lets us see that1   
for ,christians1 ,christ ,himself is the
 great abiding means of grace4 ,he is   
not only the pledge and guarantee that  
holiness shall be reached3 ,he is       
,himself our way of reaching it4 ,he is 
so for the ,christian societies1 as well
 as for the individual ,christian soul4 
,one cannot but wonder sometimes in     

reading ,paul's ,epistles what manner of
 congregations they were to whom such   
remarkable letters were sent4 ,did they 
understand the deeper and loftier       
passages8 ,were ,paul and they on common
 ground8 ,but the answer may be1 that   
whatever they failed to attain1 they at 
least apprehended a new world created   
for them by the interposition of        
,christ--new horizons1 new              
possibilities1 new hopes and fears1 new 
motives1 new consolations1 new          
friendships1 and a new destiny4 ,the    
grace of ,christ had made all new--in   
which process they themselves were new4 
,their spirit had become like a lyre    
new-strung to render new harmonies4 ,and
 the great thoughts of the ,apostle1 if 
not always grasped or followed1 yet made
 every string vibrate--so much on his   
part and so much on theirs being        
sensitive to the grace of our ,lord     
,jesus4  ,ere long they all passed away3
 ,paul beheaded at ,rome1 as the story  
goes2 the ,philippian converts dying    

out2 and the world changing in manners1 
thought1 and speech1 in all directions4 
,but the message entrusted to ,paul     
lives still1 and awakens the same       
response in the hearts of ,christians of
 to-day1 as it did among the            
,philippians when first read among them4
 ,it still assures us that the highest  
thing in life has been found1--that it  
meets us in ,him who came among us meek1
 and having salvation4