'Ver. i.-The />eace that ,'s better tha,n, mteUectual aa,tis/actiOft. I. Goo ANSWE811 THIii PRAYER OF A1'XIEIT WITH A GIFT OF PEACE. The promise of peace follows close upon the exhortation to convert our anxieties into prayers. The result of such conduct is not the immediate removal of the source of care; the old trouble may still be with us, and the dreaded danger may not yet be averted; but we have an inward peace and acquiescence in the assurance that all must be well in our Father's hands. Thus the prayer is answered, though not exactly as we expected. 1. This peace is gi!Jffl by God. It is not the product of our own reasonings, nor of altered circumstances, but of Divine grace. 2. It is directly dependent on communwn wuh God; for it is not so much a blessing bestowed in response to l)r&yer as the natural consequence of approaohing God in prayer. As we turn from the fretting cares of life to talk with God, we enter a new serene atmosphere above the tumults of earth, and the peace of it steals into our souls. 3. It is a peace li~ that of God hi'1'118elf. Given by God, growing out of communion with God, it bas the chara.cter of God. It is a solid, deep, pure, true, lasting peace, quite different from any peace the world can give (John xiv. 27). II. Tms PEACE IS BETTER THAN A.NY INTELLEOTUAL SATISFACTION, We are impa- tient for an explanation of the mysteries of providence. We would know why God has dealt with us so differently from what we had expected. We would have the veil of the future uplifted that our anxious hearts might be set at rest. But it is not possible. We are left to grope among many dark secrets while we learn to walk by faith. Nevertheless, if we have not the understanding, the peace is better. If we cannot know all, we can live trustfully with an inward quiet. Better a calm in mid- night darkness than a storm in the glare of noon. For our training it is well not to know many things that God has mercifully hidden from our imperfect compre- hension. If we can trust God in the darkness and be at peace in our own souls, we have the highest blessing. Ill. Tms Dlvn."E PEACE PREVENTS OUR MINDS FBOJI W A.NDEBING FBOIII CHRIST. I( is represented as a sentinel on the watch, guarding our hearts and thoughts, and keeping them in Christ. The cares of this world tempt us from Christ with vexing doubts and distracting claims. In peace of he.art our thoughts return to him. No understanding of providence and its mysteries would thus settle the soul on the true foundation of its rest. That would not guard our he.arts and thoughts because it is not the ideas of our minds but the spirit of our lives, the tone and temper and character of them, that dissuades our affections and thoughts from wandering from Christ. This, therefore, is the great commendation of the Divine peace which is given in response to the prayer of anxiety. It does not remove lhe trouble that causes the anxiety, but it prevents that trouble from driving us from Christ, and so secures to us the supreme blessedneas of abiding in him.-W. F. A. Ver. 8.-Tlze contemplation of goodnes6. L Oua IIIINDS SHOULD BB oootJPIED. WITH THE coNTEJIPLATION OF GOOD THINGS. 1. It is not enough that our deeds are pure, our t/wughts must be pure also, (1) because the inner life is the true life, and (2) because our ideas will ultimately colour our a.ctions. 2. Good tlwv,gl,ts spring from the study of good things. We e&'lllot touch pitch and remain undefiled. But the consideration of worthy characters and actions will insensibly fill our minds with a kindred spirit, This fact should govern our choice of literature, friends, scenes, and occupations. It is particularly important to study objective goodness outside ourselves. '.l.'his is a cure for dreamy subjectivity, for self-conceit, and for narrow notions. II. Tu GOOD CHA.BACTEBISTICII OF KEN OF THE WORLD SHOULD BE GENEROUSLY illlllITTED. It is remarkable that the list of good things here drawn out by St. Paul con6ist6 chiefly of pagan virtues. Ht: appeari; to be calling upon Christians to consider the goodn~ that is to be found out.Bide the pale of the Church. 1. These good chara.cteristie1:1 ezi.td. The world is not wholly depraved. It was not even so in the aark day~ of the Roman empire. One who had a keen sympathy with goodness was able then tu o.eu,ct the geii.uine indicatioDB of light amidst the gloom. The life of Cato ..r.d tr:.e writir.gs of &=, for example, contain much that commands our profound ~atic,n. " '!'here ill a soul of goodnetil! in things evil." 2. 'l'hesc good chara.cterls,- tlee er,c.uld be wr.yrudginglfl ru,ogniud (1) in justice to men; (2) for the glory of God, wr:.c, .,, tht: 6c,urce c,f all goc,dw,ss in ,he world as well as ill the Church, pagan as well 0B, IV, 1-28.] 'l'HE EPJS'l'LE TO 'l'HE PHILIPPJANS. 197
!IB Christi!ln; (3) for our own sakes. A narrow censorious spirit is most unchristian. A follower of the innocont Christ shoul<l be a lover of all things good. III. CWllSTIANB MAY GREATLY PROFIT BY THE CONTEMPLATION OF THE ooomra,;~ OF MEN OF THE WORLD, It might be thought that, if this is a lower form of goodness, it would be useless to study it. But: 1. The consideration of it will widen 011,r sympa• thies. It will help us better to appreciate an<l love our brother man. .A pproachir,g them through their good points, we shall the better influence them (e.g. see .Acts xvi i. 22). Compare Clement and Origen in their recognition of what was good in paganism, with Tertullian and his denunciation of heathen religion and philosophy as diabolical, and with Arnobius and hi:. railing against human nature itself. Surely the Alexan- drian apologists were wisest as well as most charitable. 2. 'l'he contemplation of these good things will reveal virtues not sufficiently studied by (Jhristiam. 'l'he Church ha:; not the monoply of the virtues. If she excels in the higher graces men who do not own her name may sometimes shame her with their excellence in other respects. Christians may le!lrn much from Plato and Epictetus and from Goethe and Carlyle. IV. DETAILS OF GOODNESS MAY BE USEFULLY CONSIDERED. St. Paul makes a. list of good things. He was in the habit of drawing out such lists. We must begin with the inward spirit of holiness in love to God and man, but we must develop our character by attention to details. 1. 'l'his excites our attention. Our imagination_ flags at generalities. Objective details please it best. 2. 'l'his prevents our goodness from euapo- rat-ing in vague sentiment. 3. 'l'his gives breadth and variety to our character. Good things are numerous and of varied types. We must beware of a narrow morality. " Whatsoever things are good," etc., are worthy of study, in order that every possible attainment of character may be reached in every possible direction.-W. F. A.