The Pulpit Commentary — Philippians — Section 179

l<;'nf: sinN' they had oo~e out of he11th_enism. And the apostle refers them to euch simple n1les ns 11(' had laid down for their conduct, of which there aro oxnmplcs in other Epist.les. 2. Interpret<,tfon qf his example. "And heard and saw in rue." 'l'hcy heard wlll'll he was absent and saw when be was present. It is well when both teaching and hfe go t-0~etber. It WI\S II great advantage to the Philippians that when the rulC'8 of their life were completely changed for them, these were not only p;osentcd in their particularity, but ~·ere exemplified in their teacher of whom they heard, or, what was better, whom they saw among them. Thus could they be led on from tho st:lte of childhood to the state of maturity, in which they could be thought of as conversiu<T with the high categories of morality. "These things do." Calvin properly remarlc; •• Meditation precedes, practice follows." Once we have carefully thought of our conduct in t.he lii;ht of the great categories, there is the carrying our thought into practice.! 1If we ha~e thought well beforehand, we have a great advantage; but it will never be bu& difficult, considering the treacho1y of our hearts, the strength of our tempt-a.tions, to bring our daily practice up to our thought. It is difficult enough to do the thin"B that are true, that arc honourable, that a.re just, that are pure; how much more" to do the things that a.re lovely, that are of good report! III. PBOIUSE ATTACHED TO l'B.ACTIOE FOLLOWING ON THOUGHT OF THE CATEGORIES. ".A.nd the God of peace shall be with yotL" There is a recurrence with a difference of fonn to the thought of ver. 7. There peace was to guard those who prayed. Here the God of peace is r.o be with those who practise the moralities. He has peace in his own mind, in his own balanced perfections; and he has peace in what he thinks of us. And, as we strive to carry out his holy purposes, he stands by us to banish our fears, to soothe onr mind&. "Great peace have they who love thy Law; and nothing shall offend them." Let us bring the six great categories into our life, and we sha.lla.ssuredly have the peace which God himself has in their absolute possession.-R. F. "fcrs. 10---20.-Paul tli.anks the Phaippians for their contri"bution. There is noticeable throughout mingled dignity and delicacy. He is careful on the one hand to maintain bis iudependence, and on the other hand to show his sense of their kindness. L TRE REVIVED THOUGHT SHOWN Dl' THEIR CONTRIBUTION, .. But I rejoice in the Lord weatly, that now e.t length ye have revived your thought for me; wherein ye di4 indeed take i.hought, but ye lacked opportunity." The occurrence was associated in his mine. with joy. He verily thought that the Lord had put it into the hearts of the Philippians to send that contribution to him. His joy rose to a great height. _What made him rejoice so greatly was that then at length (a.n indefinite period, which weut back at least to the coming of Epaphroditus) their thought for him was putting forth new shoots as trees do in spring. This was a revival which by no means reflected on their past. It had been winter with them, and, while winter lasts, no ono expects nature to revive. But as soon as the proper season came round the fresh shoots appeared. . .. 11 STATEMV-'T REG.A..RDING CONTENT,MENT. L Introduced. "Not that I speak in respect of want." He was not to be understood as thinking merely of want. He was ii:, such a relation to a stJl.te of want that the mere escape from it could not make him jubilant. 2. Hu state generally. "For I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therein to be content." To be content is, literally, _to be self-sufficient, iurlependent. He was thus content rela.tively to his being in one state or another. He had learned to be content. "These wordli signify how contentedness may be attained, or how it is produced; it is not an endowment innate to us; it doth not arrive by chance into us; it is not to be purchased by any price ; it springeth not up of itself, nor ariseth from the quality of any state; but it is a product of discipline-' I have learned.' It is an art which cannot be acquired without studious application of mind and industrious exercise; no art, indeed, requireth more hard study and pa.in toward the acquiry of it, there being so many obstacles in the way thereto; we have no great capacity, no towardly disposition to learn it; we must, in doing it, deny our carnal sense, we must settle our wild fancy and suppress fond conceits ; we must bend our stiff and stubborn ir,clinations ; we must repress and restrain wanton desires; Wtl must allay and still ~uUJultuous passions; we must cross our humour and curb our temper: which to do is a hard chapter to ]tarn; much consideration, much practice, tnuch contention and on. 1v. 1-23.] 'l'IIE EPI8TLE TO THE PHILIPPIA~S. 1,1