Vore. 3-5.-Paul's [!ratitudefor good 'Tl!en. "I thank my God upon every remem- brance of you, always m every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now." There are two things noteworthy hero at the outset. 1. A minister's hearty rec.ognition of the mural worth nf his peopie, "I thank my God upon every remembrance." This implies on the writer's part a very high appreciation of the spiritual excellence of those to whom he wroto. Tho recognition of worth in others is the indication of a generous nature, an incumbent obligation, and in truth is a rare virtue. So selfish is human nature that tho majority of mankind not only ignore the virtues of others, but eagerly mark and magnify their imperfections. It is said that Enoch had this testimony, that "he pleased God," and we, like our Maker, should readily bear testimony to worth wherever it appears. 2. A minister's lively vigilance over the interests of his people. "Upon every remembrance," and "in every prayer," "for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now." He watched over them, not with the eye of curiosity or censorship, anxious to discover and expose their defects, but with the eye of tender love, yearning, as it were, for the sight of moral beauty, and heartily thankful when- ever it appeared. There are two things connected with Paul's gratitude as here disclosed, very remarkable and worthy of imitation. I. It was gratitude to men EXPRESSED IN PRAYER TO ALMIGHTY Goo. It is common to express our gratitude for services to others by florid utter:rnces or kindly offices, but somewhat rare to give it voice in;prayer to Almighty God. "I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for yon all making request with joy" or, as it would be better rendered, "I thank my God upon all my remem- brance of you at all times in every prayer of mine for yon all." Mark: 1. The fervour of the prayer. What intense earnestness breathes through this utterance! the man's soul seems aglow with devout, phila!lthropic zeal. 2. The universality of the prayer. "For you all.". A similar expression Paul uses in relation to the Thessalonians (1 Thess. i. 2): "We give thanks to God always for you all." There is not one of you for whom we-that is, Paul and Timotheus-do not give thanks. Now, what better way is there to show gratitude to men than by interceding for them all with the common Father? There is no way more practicable. We may be too poor or too weak to return their favours, but none are too poor or weak to pray. There is no way more effective. If the all-merciful Father confer on them his favour they will have more than worlds can bestow. II. It was gratitude to men on ACCOUNT 01' CONTnlDUTION'S TO THE COMMON GOOD, "For your fellowship in the gospel," or towards the gospel. Dr. Samuel Davidson renders it, "For your fellowship in respect of the gospel." What is meant is, I presume, for your fellow-working or your working with us in the fellowship of the gospel. Some suppose that the special reference is here to the contribution that they made towards his temporal needs as referred to in eh. iv. 15, "Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no Church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only." But if he refers to this specially, the high probability is that he also refers to their co-operation with him in the general service of the gospel. The apostle felt that, whatever services they rendered him, they were rendered, not for his own sake, but for the sake of the grand cause in which they were mutually interested. As a private disciple it mattered little or nothing to him whether he fared well or ill, died of starvation or martyrdom; but inasmuch as he was entrusted with the gospel be felt ~he continuation of his existence of some moment to the common good. "Nevertheless," he says, "to abide in the flesh is more needful for you; and having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith" (vera. 24, 25). His gratitude, then, was not on account of any favour they haJ shown to him as au individual saint, for personal comforts, but to him as a public man labouring for the common good. What a lofty gra~itude is this: so unselfish, so sub- limely generous I When will the time come when _:,-iei, shall be thankful to each other, not merely for personal benefits, but for the services 1,~'cy rendered to the general weal'? Every man who helps on tho causo of truth, Christly virtue, and human happiness ill tho world whether ho bolon"s to our nation, om· Church, or not, deserves our gratituul!, In truth,'the best way for ~s to servo ourselves as :'"ldividuals is to serve th~ race by THE EPISTLE TO THE PHILIPPIANS. [cu. 1. 1-30,
di0\1~ing 1hnt s~·~tcm of moral and remedial truth which alone can crush the llcmon Ills au<l create the Divine beati~udes of the race. N~ver can we be sullloieutly thankful to Hewren for the mere existence of good men 1n this world of ours. 'l'hoy are the "s~lt of the earth," oountel'act~ng that corruption in which all impeuitent souls find their h~ll. They are tb~ ozone m the mor~l atmosphere of life. 'l'hey are the highest re,·elatlon of God on this earth and the highest exemplification of duty. Like et.are they reveal the infinite above us, and throw light upon our path below.-D. 'l'. '