name in vain. He has also a dread of being thought a saint, of being considered better, or pretending to be better, than others. Again, some boys may collectively break school rules and set at defiance school authority, may think it right to cheat and oppose their masters. Some friend of theirs does not approve, but he cannot endure to be laughed at, cannot resist the invitation of his friends, and so he does what he knows to be wrong, because he fears to do what is right. Such an one is a moral coward.

No parent can be without anxiety, when his son leaves him for school for the first time. How anxiously, when the holidays come round, do a father or mother look their boy in the face, and see whether it is as it was, or whether vice has marked it and made lines in it. How they listen whether the boy's tongue is prone now to evil and impure words. But though the fear is natural, yet the trial must be made. The boy must go to school and learn to resist. It is impossible to shut out evil example, and our training for heaven must begin from boyhood. God means us all to fight. The world is a battle-field, and life is a strife. We are enrolled into Christ's service, and we must now be brave and courageous. The devil is our enemy. The devil is like a soldier who pursues a flying enemy, but who himself takes to flight when resisted. He is full of cunning, for he sometimes pretends to be conquered that he may conquer others. Resist him who tries to draw us from our allegiance to God, and our union with Christ. By God's wisdom we shall be able to resist

the devil's wisdom, and he will flee from us as he did from Christ; but we must resist him in soberness, vigilance, and stedfastness of faith d. Yet many a prisoner does he take captive. Some happily escape once more, though bearing still the brand of their captor. Some never escape, and never hope. Endeavour to gain true courage, and to value noble-hearted bravery which refuses to do and say a wrong thing, which endeavours always to keep fixed principles, and not to turn aside from the line of duty at any tempting voice. He is truly courageous, who is undeterred by sarcasm or entreaty, but manfully does his duty at all times and in all places; he is truly courageous, who does his duty in the sight of God, who does not judge others but himself, knowing that his salvation is a question between God and himself. We must be proved before we can be accepted. It must be seen, that we are wheat, and not the bastard seed which imitates its form. But the temptation is proportioned to our strength, and will not be for ever. "Resist the devil and he will flee from you." He will do so, God has said it. Take courage and persevere, when resistance is hard, for God is watching you, God is setting down your opportunities, God will help you if you are in earnest, and that right early.

St. James iii. 15, 16.

d 1 St. Peter v. 8, 9.

SERMON XXI.a

Public Opinion.

PHILIPPIANS i. 10.

"That ye may approve all things that are excellent, that ye may be sincere."

DURING

URING St. Paul's first imprisonment at Rome, which lasted rather more than two years, he wrote several Epistles, viz. that to the Ephesians, the Colossians, and to Philemon; probably towards the end of this period, and shortly before his release, he wrote the Epistle to the Philippians. It marks a certain stage in his life. He had now been converted nearly thirty years, and this Epistle is most likely the last document which he addressed to any of the Churches among the Gentiles. It is brief, but it condenses a mass of teaching. It stands, in fact, to some of the earlier Epistles, as the Book of Deuteronomy to the Jewish Law. The Philippian Church was one of the first which St. Paul founded. There seems to have been a strong tie of attachment between himself and them. In that portion which has been read to-day, he tells them that he has them in his heart, that he greatly longs after them, that he thanks God upon every remembrance of them, and in every prayer of his makes request with joy. The Philippians were not behindhand in returning

a Preached on the Twenty-second Sunday after Trinity.

S

this affection. They had always been true to their great teacher. When, with St. Luke, he paid a visit to their city in his second missionary voyage, many converts were made, besides Lydia the seller of purple, and many devout supplications rose up to heaven from that poor mean house of prayer, outside the city, on the banks of the Gangas. They never swerved from their faith and allegiance, for in the fourth chapter he tells us, that they alone ministered to his wants, and sent more than once money to relieve his needs. Moreover, it was not merely love for a human teacher that they displayed, it was a clinging to the doctrines which he taught. They had with him fellowship in the Gospel from the first day until now. Twice they were visited by the Apostle, and only twice, as far as we know, but the mutual love shines out in almost every verse; and when years afterwards, Polycarp, the great Bishop of Smyrna, wrote to the Philippians, he recalls to them, as a familiar and much-loved topic, the teaching and the Epistle of the blessed Paul ".

In the first chapter, after reminding them of his affection, and their union and participation together of Divine grace, St. Paul says, as one of the first and most essential of truths, one, too, that was the subject of his prayers, "This I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge, and in all judgment, and that ye may approve things that are excellent, that ye may be sincere and without offence." I mention this passage because all these

b Vide Pol. Epist. in Phil.; Jacobson's Patres Apostol., pp. 508, 524, 525.

d

words hang together, but on one portion only do I desire to preach to-day, viz. this, "that ye may approve things that are excellent, and that ye may be sincere." To translate these words strictly, we should say, "in order that ye may sanction the things which are superior to others in excellence." The injunction is very comprehensive. Some would apply it to faith, and conceive that it warns us to abstain from heresy and seek after pure doctrine; others understand a reference in St. Paul's mind to the Mosaic distinction between clean and unclean meats. At all events, the earnest words of the Apostle were intended to enlist the feelings, the moral sense of the Philippians, on the side of right. He does not reprove or find fault with them. There seemed little reason for doing so. As none of his Epistles contain warmer words of attachment, none also are more remarkable for commendation and thankfulness, implied when not openly expressed, at the high religious tone, and active energetic principle, of which the Philippians gave proof. St. Paul nevertheless knew how necessary it is to press onwards towards Christian perfection, and never to rest satisfied with our present condition. None of us are naturally inclined to strive for Christian holiness, to none is it easy, to none at first pleasurable. Self-denial is needed, fixedness of purpose, unwavering resolution, purity of motive, and

reverence.

How soon all these become dulled and weakened. How soon the character accommodates itself to a lower state of things. How quickly does the atmos

· τὰ διαφέροντα.

d Cornelius à Lapide in loc.

• Grotius in loc., and compare his explanation of Rom. ii. 18.