appropriate place ; but both are alike important : for if, on the one hand, the superstructure will fall, without a foundation ; so on the other hand, it is for the sake of the superstructure alone that the foun- dation is laid. St. Paul, " as a wise master-builder," was careful at all times to lay his foundation deep and strong : but, having done this, he was careful also to raise upon it a beauteous edifice, such as God himself would delight to inhabit a. This appears in all his epistles, not excepting those which are most devoted to the establishment of sound doctrine. In the epistle before us he seems to have had little else in view, than to assure the Thessalonians of his tender regard for them, and to excite them to the highest possible attainments in universal holiness. He was ready enough to acknowledge, that his instructions had produced the most salutary effects upon them ; but he was anxious that they should still press forward for higher attainments, as long as any thing should remain to be attained.
The words which we have just read consist of an appeal, and an exhortation. Let us consider,
I. The appeal —
St. Paul had not sought to amuse them by curious speculations; nor had he given them maxims whereby they might please and gratify their fellow-creatures. His object had been to bring them to such a holy and consistent " walk," as would be pleasing and acceptable to their God. What kind of a walk that is, it will be profitable for us to inquire.
If we would so walk as to please God, we must,
1. Walk in Christ, by a living faith —
[This is particularly required by St. Paul in the Epistle to the Colossians : "As ye have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in himh." By this is meant, that we should walk in a continual dependence on the Lord Jesus Christ for all those blessings which we stand in need of. He is the fountain of them all: they are treasured up in him, on purpose that we may have them secured for us against every enemy c.
a 1 Cor. iii. 10, 11. Eph.ii. 22. »» Col. ii. 6.
c Col. iii. 3.