hc-ro assert. that Christ is his spiritual life, for the rcfcronce is strictly limited to bis "life in t.hc flesh." Thl\t life is snpremoly dovoted to Christ. l. In all its thougl1ts. 'l'here nc_vor wa~ a_ man _whose intellectual _life ~as so wrapped up in hie Saviour; his pla~s, _his an1:1et1es, his hoPE;s, centred m him; every thought was brought into ~ubJectlon to him; therefore his thoughts were not vain1 or selfish, or earthly. 2. In n_,ll _its a~eds. T~e apostle abounded _i~ labou~s more than the other apostles. Yet uhnst will! the ~bJec_t of such holy ac_tmty. His ceaseless, exhausting works of lovo found then· sprmg m the love of Chnst as they marked his supreme devoLion. Thus Christ was his life. It ought so to be with us nll. "For whether we live, we live unt.o the Lord." IL His DEA TH WOULD BE GAIN. "To die is gain." 1. This asse1·tion seems hard w reconcile with hWTM,n feeling. Death always involves loss of some sort. 'l'o the saint it involves the loss of m:my pure enjoyments of life, of happy domestic tie.q, of the me.ans and opportunities of working for Christ; while to the sinner it is utter, irreparable loss. 2. The assertion is not that of a mere pessimist, who asks," Is life worth living?" nor of a worn-out rouL, who has outlived the Vllry sensation of enjoyment; nor of a· holy man wearied out with m::hansting labours and anxious to get quit of trials and persecutions. There is nothing in the apostle's writings to justify the conclusion that he was sour, or morose, or cynical, or merely attached to the scene of human existence at the point of duty; for he possessed hearty human sympathies and entered with spirit into all the schemes of true Christian life. 3. His assertion marks the true connection that e.cists between death and the believer's gain. Death is pure gain; for it puts an eml to all the losses which so largely shake human comfort in this life, to all the evils of sin, and to all temptations to sin; and it put.<! the believer in possession of his full inheritanco with the perfection of grace, the blessed vision of God, the society of the just mado perfect. It is gain: (1) Immediate; for "absence from the body" is "presence with the Lord." (2) Incalculable; for "eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, what God bath prepared for them that love him " (l Cor. ii. 9). (3) Everlasting; for God himself is the eternal Portion of his people.-T. C. Vers. 22-24.-.77ieapostle's dilemma. The last sentence touched his more personal life; but now he thinks of his official relation to others, with its large promise of blessing to the world. This thought creates his dilemma. He does not know whether to choose life or death. Let us mark the two sides of the dilemma. L THE OBOICE OF LIFE. This had no relation to himself. It had exclusive relatio~ to others. L His life wotdd be more fruitful in labours for others. "But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour." That is, his life would be fruitful through his unceasing labours. "The life of a pious minister is far more profitable for his people than his death." The Church wants him, the world wants him, his family wauts him. There was no leisure in the long career of the apostle. His life was brimful of labour to the last. 2. His life woul,d be 'TtWTe advantageo'll,S w others than his death. " Never- theless, to abide in the flesh is more needful on your account." On the shoulders of this apostle rested the care of all the Churches; he was in the front of battle all his life; the Christians everywhere looked to him for help and guidance ; while there were still many datk spot.; of earth to which he might carry the glad tidings of salvation. The apostle was not one of those men who live too long alike for their reputation and their happiness ; he had not outlived. his power of work; he bad shown no signs of failure, for he waa still abundant in labours and in consolations and in the strength which inspires confidence. II. THE OBOICE OF DEATH. "I am hemmed in on both sides, having a desire t, depart, and be with Christ, which is very far better." 1. The desire of death is no& 6ilnftd, but rather ~ l e , aa a ,ign of faith and fearlessness. There is a longing for death on the part of the miserable, who are "weary of _their life," and only anxious to escape from its evils. The longing sometimes deepens mt.o the madness that leads w suicide. This longing is sinful, because it is selfish, and seems to argue a weak trust in the Divine hand which supporta our life. But there is a longing without any selfish element, that springs out of the desire to escape from sin into a state of perfect bulin!:86. Such a desire for death argues our belief in a future state, our faith in the L<,rd'11 mercy, our love to him, and our interest in bis manifested glory. 2. Death Oil, I, 1-30.] THE EPIS'l'LE TO THE PHILIPPIANS. 19
involucs our immediate translation into (Jhrist's presena. "IIavin" a desire to dep1rt nud be with Christ." 'l'here is no ground for the supposition of~ long sleep of I h~ Roul between death and the resurrection, however difficult it may be to· conceive the conscious existence of a disembodied spirit. "Absent from the body, present with the Lord." 'l'o be with Christ implies: (1) That we shall see him a.~ he is. (2) That we shnll enjoy him when we see him in the fulness of joy that is at his right hand, (3) That we shall never be parted from him. It is the glory of the heavenly state that believers" shall be for ever with the Lord" (1 Thess. iv. 17). 3. Presence with Christ is far better than anything life can give. It is better (1) in respect of exemption from sin and sorrow; (2) in respect of honour and diguity, for the mints shall reign with him; (3) in respect of profit, for they are joint heirs with him; (4) in respect of the perpetuity that is stamped upon all the realities of heaven.-T. C.