We ore to supplicote to be relieved from core, or to be strengthened under care. And while we thus supplicate for relief or strengthening, we are to be thankful for our freedom fr?m other cares, for the number of our mercies, for the special mercy that i8 mingled with our care, In our supplication we are to have special petitions which we are to make known unto God, For though known unto God are all our wants, yet it is good for the work of communion, for the exercise of faith and of other graces, that we should mo.ke our wants known in the proper quarter. If we have cares, what more natural than that we should go with them to him from whom they have come as their First Ca.use? That must be more satisfactory than going to an intermediate cause or burdening ourselves with them. We can feel assured of his thoroughly understandin~ our case, of his power to help as having inexhaustible resources at his command, an,l of his being invested, not with a mere earthly greatness such as might repulse WI, but wiLh a greatness which is fitted to be a home and a shelter to us. He will not cover himseif with clouds, so that our prayer shall not pass through. He will not tum away our prayer nor his mercy from us. 3. Blessed results of using the means. "And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus." This is the peace of God, i.e. of which God is the source and origin. It is not the peace of unfallen beings, but the peace of those who have been sinners and are now reconciled, the sweet sense of sin forgiven, the blessed feeliug that the condemnation which was resting upon us is now removed. More than that, it is, in its essence, a holy tranquillity, that comes from resting in God, such a tranquillity as fills the mind in God. It is a peace which passeth all understanding, which bas a mysterious, unspeakable sweetness about it, so that be who has once felt what it is would never like to lose it. '!'his peace is to guard our hearts and our thoughts, is to be stationed as a strong guard, so that no disturbing influence shall pass through to the centre of our being or into the workings of our mind. So effectually is anxiety to he excluded. Our wisdom, then, is to seek repose by prayer. " If your mind be overcharged or overwhelmed with trouble and anxiety, go into the presence of God. Spread your case before him. Though he knows the desires of your heart, yet he has declared he will be sought after; he will he inquired of to do it for yon. Go, therefore, into the presence of that God who will at once tranquillize your spirit, give you what you wish or make you more happy without it, and who will be your everlasting Consolation, if you trust in him. He will breathe peace into your sonl, and command tranquillity in the midst of the greatest storms."-R. F.
Vere. 8, 9.-Categories of morality. Comlwion announced. "Finally, brethren." This is bis second attempt to conclude. In the usual form he intimates that all he bas to say, in addition to what he has already said, he is now to state shortly. In other Epistles Paul gives a considerable place to ordinary morality, including the relative dutie~. He does not deem it necessary (there being no urgency) to write at length to the Philippians upon this subject. He only puts it into his conclusion, where brevity is a necessity. And there is not that plain mode of expression which is found elsewhere: 'Let him that stole steal no more." But, as for advanced or skilled Christians, there is a certain trans- cendental mode of expression, with an added reference to apostolic interpretation. I. CATF.GORIEB OF MORALITY Fon THOUGHT. The summarizing under "virtue and praise" points to morality, as does also their being presented for practice in the niuth verse. 'l'hey are emphatically separated as categories by the repetition of" whatsoever things," while the summary is made emphatic by the repetition of the words, "if there be any." They seem to be arranged in pairs, according to the following division. 1. Things in themselves. 2. Things in relation to law. 3. Things in relation to the esti- mation in which they are held. 4, Summary. It will be most suitable to our homi- lectic purpose to name them separately. "Whatsoever things are true." There are things that are true in themselves-that would have been true if there had never been a Bible, tbo.t would have been true if thero had never been the placing of man unuer Jaw. There is an eternal standard by which things are to be judged. '!'here are immut- able principles which lie at the foundation of morality. 'l'he things that are neces- sarily true subsist in God, aud as subsisting in God he is immutable-a rock on which we can absolutely depend. 'l'be things that are true are also to be in our- selves. '!'hat certainly means tho.t W\:l ijfe t9 speak the truth. l<'or veracity belongs to ruu:.1rru.N11, ~ 178 THE EPISTLE 'l'O THE PHILIPPIANS. [oa. I'f, 1-23.