"in Christ Jaime," mRy be taken with muoh more should the Phillpplllna do 10." "l'&lute," Min Rom. xvi. 22 and 1 Cor. xvi. Some of them me.y hRve been known to the 19. It i@ a Christian eRlatation, an aoknow• Philippilln Christiane. The term familia Jerlgmcnt of spiritual J'C'lRtionship; or better, or domm OR!saris included l\ll ranks, from the perhaps, 11B in numerous plU!8&g08, with highest offloie.l to the lowest freedman or "saint." All 811inte e.re in Christ, members slave. It is probl\ble thl\t those l\lluded to of hie body, knit together into one com- here belonged to the humbler classes. But munion and fellowship in the mystical body e.t e.ny rate St. Paul'e words prove thnt hie of Christ. It is this union with Christ which preaching had penetrated into thl\t e.byBB of makes them sainte. The brethren which are all infamy, the pa.lace of Nero. (For the with me greet you. Observe, he oalls them Christianity of Seneca, e.nd the supposed "bM>thren." though he had none like-minded oorrespondence between him and St. Pe.ul '\\""ith him, eave only Timothy (oh. ii. 20, 21). see Bishop Lightfoot'e dissertation on • St'. Ver. 22.-All the Din.ta B&lute yo-, ohieff.y Pl\ul and Seneca.' See e.leo hie detached they that are of Cmaar's household. All the note on • Ciesar'e Household.') Christian~ at Rome, not only St. Paul's per- Ver. 23.-The graoa of our Lord .Jesus BOne.l friends e.nd oompe.nions. It is not Ohrilt be with you all. Amen; read, with the clear w by he lays e. special stress on those best me.nusoripts, with your spirit. St. Paul belonging to Nero'e houeehold. The reason begins with "grace" (eh. i. 2), e.nd ends Jn'l'en by Chrysostom seems somewhat fe.noi• with" grace." The gracious love of the Lord ful : "H those who dwelt in pe.le.oes despised Jesus wos the joy of his hee.r~ all things for the sake of the King of heaven,
HOMILETICS. Vers. 1-3.-St. PatiPs rtl,ations to his flock. I. BT. PAUL BIMBELP (see on eh. i. 3--8) A.N EXilll'LE TO ALL CBB.ISTIAN MDIISTEBB. 1. In his urgent appeals. Mark how he enforces the necessity of perseverance, how be brings the privileges and the hopes of the Christian to bear upon the daily life of practical duties. "Therefore," 1he says, "because you are citizens of the heavenly country; because you look for the Sa,·iour's coming; because you hope for a glorioue immortality ;--therefore, stand fast in the Lord." The faithful minist.er knows the extreme difficulty of perseverance, of patient continua.nee in well-doing; he will constantly enforce it upon himself, upon his people; he will use all tn.e motives gaggested by the study of Holy Scripture and by Christian experience t.o pre.ss home this paramount obligation. " So stand fast," he says. St. Paul can point t.o his own example: would that we could do the like I "Stand fast:" it is the word used already in eh. i. 27; it involves a. military metaphor. Stand firm in your ranks; present a serried front against a.11 temptations; quit yourselves like men,-Iike fellow-citizens of the saints, in the good fight of faith. And that, in the Lord, in his strength, in habitual communion with him. There is no perseverance, no hope of final victory, unless we abide in Christ. 2. In his love for his flock as a whok. He calls them his brethren, dearly beloved a.nd longed for, his joy and crown. And these were not mere word.~ with St. Paul; he showed by his labours the truth of his affection. His ardent love for Christ issued in a strong constraining love for the souls of men. To save soul.a wa.s his joy now; he knew that it would be his crown hereafter. The crown of glory that fadeth not away is the reward, St. Peter tells us, of those presbyters who feed the flock of ~d ~llin~ly a.nd of a rea.dy mind. St. _Pa.ul speaks of his converts as themselves const1tut1ng his_ crown. When _he had fin1s~ed his course, his wreath of victory would be the salvat10n of those precious souls which had been saved, under God, by his self-denying labours. The sight 01 their blessedness would increase and deepen even the gladness of heaven, even his own joy in his own salvation. 3. In his C<Jlf'ejor individual members of the Chwrch. He thinks of Euodia and Syntyche; he ha.s heard of their disse~io1;1-s; he_ b_egs them earnestly ~ be of the same n..ind, and that in the Lord. The Chrutian m1wst.er should know his flock by name, should think of their individual needs, sho~d pray for them, sh_ould urge them tc, livt: together in love. 4. He asks other, to he!P m the_ work of ra~nng peau. The Chrutian pastor should gather helpers round hun. It 1s good for his people, good for the helpers themselves. To work for Christ strengthens and benefits the soul. ll. ST. PAUL'S FELLOW-LABOURERS, 1. Euodia and Syntyche. (1) '!'hey laboured with St. Paul in the goapeL The word is a strong one; they were fellow-athletes with the OB, IV, 1-23,) THE EPIS'l'LE TO THE l'HILIPPIANS. 161
apostle; they were engaged with him in many struggles, hard, it may be, and perilous, for tho cnuse of Christ. St. Paul gladly acknowledges the help which they ha<l given him. '!'he remembrance of their good deeds made him feel a deeper interest in their spiritual welfare, Women did much for Christ in the Philippian Church. Christian women can do much now, much that men cannot do so well; their f!entle tact, their quiet influence, is often of the greatest value. (2) Yet they quarrelled. Their dis- agreement was doing harm to themselves and to the Church. The indulgence of unkind feelings impairs the spiritual life and checks our growth in holiness. The dissensions of Christians are a grievous hindrance to the spread of the gospel. Mutual love was to be the mark of Christ's disciples; alas! how often there has been more hate than love I Note St. Paul's extreme anxiety to reconcile the two women; he entreats them himself; be begs others to help; he knew the immense importance of Christian union. 2. Clement and others. We know not who they were. Clement may possibly be the famous Bishop of Rome; of the others the very names are unknown. They are not in the world's roll of heroes. But what was earthly fame to them? Their names were in the book of life, the book of remembrance, that is written before the Lord for them that fear the Lord and that think upon his Name. We may well be content to be obscure here, like Lazarus the beggar, if our name, like his, is known in heaven. .,_ LESSONS. 1. To love souls, to count the winning of souls the noblest work, t!J.e salvation of souls the most precious crown. 2. To do all that lies in us to heal dissensions and to promote Christian unity. 3. To desire above all things that our names may be written in the Lamb's book of life.