true life. The modern idea of some acts being religious, and some secular, is neither here or elsewhere recognised by St. Paul. No act of life is in itself, either religious or secular. The quality of each act depends on the spirit which guides it and the motives from which it springs. The commonest thing may done in a high Christian spirit, the greatest deed may spring from a low and selfish motive. A religious act done in a secular spirit is secular. A secular thing done in a religious spirit is be religious. This is the first great principle of Christian life." The other lesson taught here is V. That THE GOOD OF OTHERS, AND NOT THE GRATIFICATION OF SELF, SHOULD BE OUR CONSTANT AIM. "Let no man seek his own, but every man another's wealth. "Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the Church of God, even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many that they may be saved." Unselfish Immortality. "THE enduring element in all the works and thoughts of byegone men is that which they have done and said with truth and simplicity, that is, in harmony with the universal nature of men and things. It is not eloquence alone, or subtlety of thought, or flashing fancy, or the philosophy which penetrates nature, but the telling of simple truth about men and their lives, their hearts and their hopes told with justice and directness with love, and pity, and tenderness, and with the insight and power that these givethat endure while the world lasts, and live and move in men. There is nothing men like so well as to hear about themselves, but the things they hear must be true and simple. If you wish your thoughts and work to live when you are dead, repress the merely fantastic in you; leave subtleties of thoughts and action aside; love what is simple and loving, true and direct; act, and speak, and write naturally in obedience to truth of feeling and justice of thought. Above all, love the common every day feelings and life of men and women. Delight in the simple love, faith, and beauty that each day shows you in the lives of men, and you will endure in human hearts and be loved by them." STOPFORD BROOK. 255 Seeds of Sermons on St. Paul's Epistle to Philippians. Having gone through all the verses in the Epistle to the Ephesians (see "Homilist," Vol. xxii. to xxviii.), we proceed to develope, with our usual brevity, the precious germs of truth contained in this letter. The following remarks, as a standing introduction, may contribute some portion of light to the whole Epistle-Notice (1) The residence of the persons addressed. Philippi-whose ancient name was Crenides-was a city of Macedonia, and called after the name of Philip of Macedon, because he rebuilt and fortified it, B.C. 358, and afterwards colonised by Julius Cæsar, who invested the population with the privilege of a Roman City. It was the first place in Europe where the Gospel was preached by Paul, an account of which we have in the sixteenth chapter of the Acts. It was during his second missionary tour, and about A.D. 53.-Notice (2) The occasion of the Epistle. The contributions which the Philippians had made towards supplying the Apostle's necessities when a prisoner at Rome, evidently prompted its production.-Notice (3) The scene from which the Epistle was addressed. That it was from Rome where he was a prisoner is clear, from chapters i. 1-13, iv. 22. It would seem from the Epistle that he was expecting a speedy decision of his case, and hoped to obtain his release. Epaphroditus had been despatched to him from the Philippian Church with pecuniary contributions for the Apostle's relief, and on his return the Apostle entrusted this letter for conveyance. This would be about A.D. 63.-Notice (4) The general character of the Epistle. It is all but free from any censure, and breathes a warm and generous feeling through every part. The Epistle gives us the impression that the Philippian Church was one of the most pure, consistent, and generous, of that age. About 40 or 50 years after this Epistle was written, we are informed that Ignatius, on his way to martyrdom passed through Philippi, and was most warmly received in that city.] No. XVI. The Cost and the Value of Personal Christianity. THOUGH I MIGHT ALSO HAVE CONFIDENCE IN THE FLESH," &c.Phil. iii. 4-8. Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous before God." (Acts xxii. 3, 4.) A thorough Hebrew. Paul some had thing to boast of here. In his veins ran the blood which had quivered amid Egyptian plagues and rushed to the hearts of those that heard the voice of Sinai's trumpet. Fourthly: He refers to his zealous devotedness. Concerning zeal persecuting the Church." He carried out his religious convictions with such zeal that he persecuted all who differed from him. Which is the worse, enthusiasm in a bad cause, or lazy profession in a good one? Fifthly: He refers to his ceremonial righteousness. "Touching the righteousness which is in the law blameless." All the commandments he kept "from his youth up." Such were the privileges that Paul enjoyed, and to him, as well as to his countrymen, they were beyond all price. Notice II. The VALUE which the Apostle ATTACHED to his Christianity. He gave up Judaism with its gorgeous ritual, and mighty memories, and matchless histories, and does this for Christianity. Does he regret the loss, deplore the costly sacrifice? No. "What things were gain to me those I counted loss for Christ." When he practically accepted the religion of Jesus, all that he once gloried in became contemptible. "Yea, doubtless, and 1 count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus." Christianity is the science of sciences. Three remarks will illustrate the incalculable value of this science. First: It accords with all true sciences. Secondly: It encourages all true sciences. Thirdly: It transcends all true sciences.* Chrysostom says, "When the sun doth appear it is loss to sit by a candle." No. XVII. Phases of Christ, "I HAVE SUFFERED THE LOSS OF ALL THINGS, AND COUNT THEM BUT DUNG, THAT I MAY WIN CHRIST," ETC.-Phil. iii. 8-11. doctrines He taught or the theory of His life and mission. To gain Him is to gain His moral spirit. His moral spirit is Himself that which marked Him off from all other men that have lived-that is the Christ. "If any man hath not the spirit of Christ he is none of His." The apostle presents Christ here— II. As a REST. "Found in Him." For the soul to be found in Christ is to be found in His character. We are all living in the characters of others. The unregenerate world lives in the fallen character of Adam. The regenerate world lives in Christ, in the character of Christ. Resting in His character as the branch rests in the trunk of the tree, deriving from it its life, its form, its hue, its fruit. Oh, to live in His character, in His spotless purity, in His immeasurable love, in His matchless excellence. Those who do so will not have their "own righteousness, which is of the law," &c., but His moral rectitude. The apostle presents Christ here III. As a THEME. "That I may know Him." The knowledge here does not mean intellectual knowledge, but heart knowledge, experimental knowledge. First: Know Him by experience personally. Before you can know a person you must have the spirit that animates him. Love alone can interpret love, &c. Secondly: Know by experience the power of His resurrection. All the spiritual significance and benefits of His resurrection from the dead. Thirdly Know by experience His sufferings. "Have fellowship with His sufferings." There are three kinds of suffering those in which Christ could have no fellowship; those which He experienced, and in which men could have no fellowship; and those in which men are bound to have fellowship with Christ. We are commanded to be partakers of some of His sufferings (1) We should have fellowship with the intense regret which He felt on account of the existence of moral evil. The fact of evil sat as a mountain of agony on the heart of Christ. Sin was a horrible thing to Him, the "abominable thing" which He hated. (2) We should have fellowship with the sorrowful sympathies which He had for the sufferings of men. His tears over Jerusalem, &c. (3) We should have fellowship with those sufferings which He endured on account of the dishonour sin does to the Infinite Father. The apostle presents Christ here IV. As a MODEL. "Conformable unto His death." What does this mean? To die in the manner which He died on the cross? No. But to live and die in the mood He did, which was self-sacrifice. He died not for Himself, but for others. "He gave Himself a ransom for many." Self-sacrificing love is the essence of personal Christianity, and nothing else. Seeds of Sermons FROM THE SECOND BOOK OF KINGS. Aspects of a Godly Man, "AND ELISHA SAID UNTO THE KING OF ISRAEL, WHAT HAVE I TO DO WITH THEE?" &c."-2 Kings iii. 13-27. Elisha was confessedly a godly man of a high type, and you have been serving these false gods, and you have des these verses reveal him to us in three aspects : I. As RISING SUPERIOR ΤΟ KINGS. When these three Kings, Jehosophat, the King of Israel, Jehoram, the King of Samaria, and the King of Edom, approached Elisha, was he overawed by their splendour, or was he elated by their visit? No. Here are his sublimely manly words, "What have I to do with thee ?" First: He rebukes them for their idolatry. "Get thee to the prophets of thy father, and the prophets of thy mother." In your prosperity pised me as the servant of the true God. Why come to me now in your distress? Go and try what they can do for you. What courage in this poor lonely man, thus calmly to confront and honestly to rebuke three kings. Ah me, where is this courage now? The loudest professors of our religion in these times will crouch before kings, and address them in terms of fawning flattery. Secondly: He yields to their urgency out of respect to the true religion. "And Elisha said, As the Lord of hosts liveth, |