of these qualities their bond and sympathy, their principle of congeniality, their groundwork of preference. Be these the spiritual attractions that bring them together, keep them together, maintain them together unto the end. These are the links between Christ and Christian people on earth. They form the fellowship of the faithful in heaven.

Finally, how did the Apostle show his love? He "thanked his God upon every remembrance" of the Philippians. "In every prayer of his for them all, he made request with joy.” And his prayer and his thanksgiving were offered in faith, for he was "confident of this very thing, that he who had begun a good work in them, would perform it until the day of Jesus Christ." And his thanksgiving was for things done for their souls. And his prayer was, that their “love might abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment, that they might approve things that were excellent, that they might be sincere and without offence until the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God." And all this should we do for our Christian friends, if we would serve them most effectually. Assured that a prayer in their behalf would do them more real service than the richest worldly gift we could bestow, we should act upon our conviction, and give them that place in our prayer which they have in our heart. Confident of success in intercession "through Christ which strengtheneth us," but distrustful altogether of its efficacy without the strength of Christ, we should associate that name with our petitions which will ensure them an answer, and make them invaluable blessings. Seeking first the kingdom of God and his righteousness" in intercession as well as profession, for another as well as for ourselves, we should not so much ask for riches or honours for our dearest friends, as for that pearl of great price which will furnish them for immortality. We should pray that the love of our brethren for one another may attain its highest perfection "in knowledge and judgment," that our brethren may themselves experience “the excellence" of their many privileges, live a blameless and inoffensive life, and bring forth all those fruits of righteousness which tend "through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God."

Do we serve our friends, when chosen, in this manner? And do we choose them as the Apostle chose them, for their Christian faithfulness? The answers to these questions will in a great measure show the state of our own souls, their forward

ness or backwardness in spirituality, their growth or decline in grace. And how necessary it is occasionally, while we are interesting ourselves for others, to search our own hearts and try them by a test of this kind, and so endeavour to find out whether by faith and well-doing we have secured the friendship of "him who sticketh closer than a brother'," or are still too far from him. And here again we have a test, if we will faithfully apply it. "Ye are my friends, if ye do whatever I command you." "Whosoever doeth the will of God, the same is my brother, and sister, and mothers."

THE THREE AND TWENTIETH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY.

THE EPISTLE. Phil. iii., 17 to the end.

17 Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.

18 (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:

19 Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose

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glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)

20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:

21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

This address of the Apostle to his Philippian brethren is evidently intended as a caution and a warning. There had crept in among them apparently men of loose faith, worldly lives, and carnal conversations, whose proceedings were a scandal to the Christian name, and had “ given great occasion to the Lord's enemies to blaspheme," and "to the Lord's people to transgress." "Many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things." To counteract, and, if possible, to remedy this evil, the Apostle sets before them his own good example, and the good examples of those who "walked by the same rule." "Brethren," he says, "be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so, as ye have us for an ensample." And that they might not fail to understand the principle upon which he and his holy brethren

Prov. xviii., 24. 2 John xv., 14. 3 Matt. xii., 48, 49, 50.

were acting, he informs them, that "their conversation must be in heaven, from whence also they must look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, who would change their vile body that it might be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working, whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself."

Here, then, we see vividly pourtrayed to us the importance of example. "Brethren," says the Apostle, "be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so, as ye have us for an ensample;" that is, "look to the example which I set you, and let that be the mark by which you measure other examples, be they good or evil." It is scarcely to be expected that in these, it is to be feared, degenerate days, examples like those of St. Paul and the Apostles can be found, whereby men may "walk safely, and be quiet from fear of evil'." But although the Church of Christ does not now present to our view so goodly a company of believing holy men, men so nearly approaching “the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ" as it was wont to do, still does it contain within its bosom many "blameless and harmless" disciples, who are "sons of God without rebuke," and "shine,” “in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation,” “like lights of the world," and "hold forth the word of life"." To these should we look for "examples of the believers in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity3;" and they will show us by their faith and life, that their "conversation, like the the Apostle's, is in heaven," and that, "from thence,” both they and we must "look for the Saviour, even the Lord Jesus Christ."

And while we look to the few faithful men that can be found in these degenerate days, for an occasional exemplification of Christian principles, we must still hold up to our view, the examples of old time, and with affectionate veneration and preference, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest whatsoever their histories teach. This we must do as conscience prompts and opportunity offers, but not then only. We should give ourselves, of our own free choice and purpose of heart, these valuable opportunities, and press and force on our unwilling souls, with the help of God's grace and prayer, all that good men have done and suffered in the cause of the Gospel. And if we fear that we cannot reach the high standard they attained, we must remember, notwithstanding, that the nature we inherit is not 1 Prov. i., 33. 31 Tim. iv., 12.

2 Philip. ii., 15, 16.

weaker than theirs, and that although our trials are not of the same kind, our help cometh of the same Lord. What is, however, the fact? Do we believe, love, fear, obey, after their fashion? Or do we make no effort whatever to mark all the good we see? Perchance we may be of the number of those of whom the truly faithful should beware, "enemies of the cross of Christ"-despisers of example-worshippers of no god but appetite,-servants of no master but Mammon. If this be the case we must be reckless of every thing, and our "end" will be “destruction." We are without the trials of the apostles, and yet cannot even reach the standard of a mere moral man's excellence. We are stewards of a little, but careful of nothing. But the examples of which we are so regardless still remain. read them, if they are those of old time, in the Bible. see them, if they come under our own observation, in daily life. Neglected-they will be fearful aggravations of sin. Heededthey will be great helps to holiness. O let us not neglect them, lest we show ourselves "enemies of the cross of Christ," and so perish! Yea, rather, let us carefully heed them, and "make the offence of the cross to cease'."

We can

We can

But further, we are taught in this Scripture, not only to follow, but to exhibit a good example. And the one will soon lead to the other. If we copy into our own hearts and lives the 'spiritual walk and lively faith of a confirmed believer, we shall make the light that is springing up within us "shine before men;" and seeing our good works, they will "glorify their Father which is in heaven." There is the same process going on, whenever we insensibly learn evil. The sin that we imitate, we teach. One example begets another. "Evil communications corrupt good manners," and the corrupted good manners become evil communications in their turn, and corrupt whatsoever they touch. But why is it needful that we exhibit, as well as follow, good example? Because all of us, however insignificant we may seem in our own eyes, are in a situation to set an example. There must be those younger, poorer, or more ignorant than ourselves, who will mark, learn, and imitate whatsoever we do, be it good or evil; and hence, if we take no pains to show them the way to heaven, we must necessarily be placing before their eyes what will tend to their destruction.

Be this, then, one of the important truths that we gather from the Apostle's argument, namely, that all men have imitators; that

1 Gal. v., 11.

2 Matt. v., 16.

31 Cor. xv., 33.

all men must be imparting knowledge of some kind to those around them by their life and conversation; and that if the knowledge so imparted be not profitable, it must be pernicious. The force of example is very great. The book is seldom so impressive a teacher as the life. The multitude will follow the multitude, be it to do good or to do evil. In particular there must be greater temptation to imitate where the connection is close, and the habits of intercourse frequent. The relative position of those who live together in the same house, causes almost every thing that is done, and in particular habitually done, to be seen and known: and hence it is impossible for any person so situated, to continue long in the commission of sin and be unobserved. Some one will at last see him. Many will, perchance, imitate him. The propensity, whatever it is, will grieve one, corrupt another, offend all. The way of sin will be made familiar. "The way of truth will be evil spoken of1." And widely, extensively pernicious, both in that house and out of it, will eventually be the consequences. But, on the other hand, how many are the souls that may be saved, taught, warned, strengthened, by an example that draws the other way, by a life that comes 66 of a pure heart-of a good conscience of faith unfeigned""—and has its conversation in heaven! How many are the young it will nurture, the wavering it will establish, the established it will encourage, the hardened it will renew! What endless fruits unto holiness! How sure the end, everlasting life!

And if we will but repent of our sins, and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and make our repentance sincere, and our faith that which believeth unto righteousness,—all this good will ensue. The faithful will counteract the bad example. The soul, instead of learning sin, will both learn and teach spirituality. The seducer, instead of hardening others, will be converted himself. And for all those who have thus learned and taught pure religion, there will be, as a most fitting reward hereafter, a change of that body which, under the most promising circumstances, is frail, corrupt, and mortal; and it will be "fashioned like unto the glorious body of Christ, according to the working, whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.”