The last clause of the 5th verse, "The Lord is at hand," appears altogether unconnected; yet, I believe, this is said chiefly as a reason for the command in verse 4, to rejoice in the Lord. The apostle may here be regarded as recalling the idea in the end of the 3rd chapter, where the promise-the joy-inspiring promise -is given, that "the Lord Jesus Christ shall come from heaven, to change these humiliated bodies of ours, and make them like to His own glorious body. Frequently does the apostle as here cheer his own heart, and that of his fellow-Christians, by the hope of the second appearing of our Lord. This hope enabled them to bear with constancy and with joy all the troubles to which they were exposed in the time of persecution. The Lord however did not come again in their lifetime their deliverance nevertheless was brought about in a way no less effectual; that is, they were taken to Him. In either case it was true that the Lord was nigh at hand. For although eighteen hundred years have passed, and the Lord has not yet come,-and although many years may yet pass before the day of His glorious advent, yet the time between His ascension and that of His second coming, when compared with eternity, is so short, that either at the beginning or end of that short time it may well be said, "the time of our Lord's coming is at hand.” "One day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day."

Since then the time of the Lord's coming is so near, why should we be anxious about the concerns of this world? Let us, as the apostle says in verse 6, “be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let our requests be made

known unto God." Not that we are to become utterly careless of our worldly affairs. This would be quite at variance with the directions of St. Paul elsewhere given. But the meaning is, that after we have done our part to procure for ourselves and those dependent on us all necessary worldly comforts, we are not to perplex our hearts with anxious care, but leave the result in the hands of God. This is clear from the injunction to prayer which follows.

It will be well for us, brethren, to cultivate this habit of entire reliance on the protection of our heavenly Father. Think ye, He is regardless of our interests? Hath He not given His Son to die for us? Hath He not sent His Spirit to renew our hearts? And will He, after all, desert us, as if we did not belong to Him? "Doubtless He is our Father, though Abraham acknowledge us not."

As God is a bountiful and tender Father, so is He well pleased when His children call upon Him in prayer. He is glorified by their acknowledgement of dependence upon Him. Every thing we enjoy comes from Him. He supplies every want. He giveth every needful grace. He is the overflowing fountain, from which the thirsty soul is satisfied. He is the rich banquet, at which the hungry soul is refreshed. He has no desire to straiten us of happiness; and He takes pleasure in seeing us approaching nearer and nearer to Himself. These are the considerations which should move us to be constant in our addresses at His gracious throne.

Observe, brethren, the apostle recommends us to join thanksgiving with supplication. When we approach the divine throne with our petitions, we are to come

with a thankful heart. We must not carry before God a discontented spirit. However few our blessings, in comparison with what we may observe others enjoying, let us ever remember they are far greater than we deserve. For at God's hand, inasmuch as we have sinned against Him, we merit nothing but punishment. Being then thankful for the measure of good with which God hath been pleased hitherto to favour us, when we pray to Him for an increase, let our prayer be made with humility and resignation. If it please Him to lessen our trials, and increase our blessings, then let our thanksgivings and songs of praise abound in proportion.

Thus, casting all our care upon God, and being filled with thankfulness for the mercies we enjoy, may we not expect to obtain the blessing which the apostle promises in the 7th verse, that the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus? This peace no man can understand but he that experiences it. It is one of the things of the Spirit; therefore none but the spiritual man understands it. Enjoying this peace, in consequence of freeing our minds from all anxiety, and commending ourselves with prayerful confidence to our God, our hearts and minds will be kept uninjured and safe from all harm through the protecting care of the Captain of our salvation, Christ Jesus; unto whom, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, be all praise and glory, dominion and power, now and for ever! Amen.

LECTURE XVII.

PHILIPPIANS IV. S, 9.

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

THIS 8th verse is so rich in matter of reflection, that it might be taken as the heads of a lecture on Christian ethics. Whosoever will be a perfect Christian, cannot take a better way of becoming such than to adopt as the rule of his conduct this very clear and comprehensive text. As the practical advice given in the preceding part of this chapter relates to a Christian's duty to his God, so that here given all relates to a Christian's intercourse with his fellow-men.

We cannot but admire the extent of good conduct enjoined in Scripture on the Christian. It is not pos

for his piety,

sible for any one to be approved by God who is not also careful of his morality. Let a man be

never so devout and regular in his prayers, if he neglect his duties to his fellow-creatures, he cannot expect that God will acknowledge him as a faithful servant. You remember how our Lord speaks on this subject"Go and learn what this meaneth, I will have mercy and not sacrifice." That is, your sacrifices offered on God's altar will not be accepted, if you are unnatural and unmerciful to your fellow-men.” Again, our Lord saith, "When thou bringest thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee, leave there thy gift, go and be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift."

Thus it is manifest, that if we desire to have all our behaviour consistent with our profession as Christians, we must consider what is binding on us not only in our relation to God, but also in our relation to one another. It is very unaccountable that preachers are sometimes found fault with, as chargeable with a deficiency in soundness of evangelical doctrine, because they venture to touch on moral duty in the pulpit. Just as if the truth of the Gospel could be disparaged or obscured by drawing attention to the holy life which it requires and produces in all who truly embrace it. It may safely be asserted, that no preacher can do wrong who takes St. Paul for his guide in the manner of discharging his official duties. See then how very fully he enters upon moral duty in our text: and it may be remarked, on the strength of what we read in verse 9, that he is here briefly recapitulating the topics on which he dwelt at large when personally present in the church at Philippi.

Let us now go on to notice in their order the various good things which St. Paul commends to our attention.

R