are as representations and shadows of his goodness; thirdly, because they are the production of his Spirit, the works of his hand; and lastly, because he has promised to crown them with favour and reward, both in this life and the next.

IV. And this the apostle declares finally to the Philippians, in order to encourage them more and more in well doing: "My God (says he) shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." This verse has, by some, been understood as a wish; as a prayer made to God by the apostle in behalf of the Philippians, like unto that which he makes elsewhere for the Corinthians on a similar occasion, saying, "Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness," 2 Cor. ix. 10. But it is not straining the sense, and it is more according to the tenor of the words, to understand it as a promise founded upon that of the Saviour, who declares that whosoever shall do the smallest kindness to one of his servants shall in no wise lose his reward. He calls the Lord his God, especially, because it was in the character of his servant that he had received the charitable donations of the Philippians. "The God whom I serve, and to whom you have offered all which is bestowed on me, accepts your work, and will not leave unrewarded the service you have rendered to his minister." He does not merely promise this reward in another world, where we shall indeed receive it in full; but he assures them that even here the Lord will supply "all their need." Though you may have placed yourself in necessity (says he) in order to relieve mine, yet doubt not but the Lord will provide, and will fully replace to your account what you have expended in succouring me. And it may be observed that he promises to relieve their necessity, not to give them opulence and the means of luxury, according to those limits which our Lord himself placed to our desires, commanding us to ask of him, not greatness and abundance, but our "daily bread." And in order that the Philippians may expect this mercy from the Lord, he adds, "according to his riches;" meaning thereby that this promise would be easily fulfilled by him, because he is infinitely rich. The following words, i. e. " in glory," signify gloriously, powerfully, magnificently, and relate to the manner in which God rewards his people here below, accomplishing his power in their weakness, and preserving them by superhuman means. His last words, "in Jesus Christ," show us that the Lord Jesus is the only source and cause of the blessings we receive from God; for it is he who, by the efficacy of his cross, has opened the treasures of heaven, and rendered the Father propitious and favourable towards all who seek and serve him in truth.

Such, then, believers, is the praise which the apostle bestows on the love of the Philippians, and the reward which he promises them, both in this world and the next. Having their example before our eyes, let us carefully imitate it all the days of our life, employing with cheerfulness all that we have in the service of God's sanctuary, and in relieving his poor people. Say not that it was towards St. Paul that the Philippians exercised their charity, and that it was no wonder they were liberal in their gifts to so great an apostle. He whom I recommend to you, and for whom I demand the succour of your alms, is no less a person than was Paul. He is Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Master of the apostles, the King of angels. Let not your eyes deceive themselves. He is hidden in the persons of the poor whom you relieve. It is him, and not them, whom

you nourish, clothe, assist, and comfort. He it is who receives your benefits, who will publish and acknowledge them hereafter in the sight of heaven and earth. Come, (he will say,) come, my beloved, enter into the kingdom which is prepared for you: for I was hungry, and you fed me; I was thirsty, and you gave me to drink; I was a stranger, and you received me; I was naked, and you clothed me; I was sick, and you visited me; I was in prison, and you came to me. Christian, how have you the heart to refuse your charity to so great a King? You think that if Paul were here, you would esteem it an honour to give to such a man, and how is it you are straitened towards the Lord Jesus, the Master of St. Paul? If you like to oblige the great, who in this world is so great as the Son of God? If you wish your charity should be known and praised, what more glorious praise could you desire or expect than that which he will give from his own lips before the assembled universe?

Remember the sacerdotal dignity to which he has raised you. You are his priest, and one of the principal sacrifices which he demands from you is beneficence. There is no other whose odour is so sweet to the God whom you serve. O wonderful goodness of the Lord Jesus! He has instituted a worship by which we acquit ourselves at once of our duty towards God and towards men. If the misery of the poor does not affect us with compassion; if that nature which they have in common with ourselves, and which has often moved the most barbarous people and the most ignorant of God, does not touch us; if their tears, their prayers, their entreaties, capable of melting marble, do not soften us; at least, dear brethren, let the majesty of our God, let the love and honour which are due to him, induce us to perform these duties. It is thus (says he) that I will be served. The sacrifice I demand from you is that you do good to your fellow creatures. This is the best and most acceptable sacrifice which you can present It is to offer me this that I have filled your hands, that I have made you my priests, slaves of devils as you were. It is for this that I have given you the riches and goods which you possess, not to bury them in the earth, or lock them up in your coffers, but to adorn my altars, the poor members of my Son, the true altars of my divinity; not to waste them in luxury and vanity, but to sanctify them for the use of the church, which is my temple.

unto me.

But, miserable creatures that we are! instead of listening to the voice of God, we deny to our riches the honour which God would put upon them, and instead of consecrating them to his service, we abuse and profane them by vanity and folly, not to say by injustice and vice. With them we adorn our walls, we carpet our floors of wood or stone; but we clothe not men. We deck our horses and carriages with ornaments, while we leave our brethren in rags and filth. We feed and fatten buffoons and wicked wretches on that which was given us in order to console the saints. We sacrifice the victims that belong to God in gaming and voluptuousness. A single feast swallows up sometimes as much as would have sufficed to feed all the poor in this church for a year. But besides the sacrifice, there is an inconceivable folly in this use of riches; for of all that these vices and vanities costs us, nothing brings us satisfaction. On the contrary, while God is offended, men ridicule or murmur at it. Whereas, were we to employ our riches in alms, the poor would receive benefit, and bless us; our consciences would not reproach us; other men would praise us; none would envy us the abundance of which we made so good a use; and more than all, the God of Paul and of the poor

would assist us, and by the power of his grace would supply all our wants, guard us from every loss, and augment our yearly revenue. He promises us this in a thousand places, yet nevertheless we are unable to trust him. We consider what we lend him as lost. O wonderful unbelief! We can trust the elements; we hazard our goods upon the sea, we leave them to the mercy of the winds and waves, which are changing every hour. We trust them to men, who are still more variable and faithless than the elements; and all the shipwrecks and failures of which we read cannot cure us of this fatuity. There is none but God who never deceives, who is at all times faithful and unchangeable, and yet he is the only Being we find difficulty in trusting.

Dear brethren, let us change our dispositions henceforward, and after the numerous infidelities that we have experienced from men and nature, let us place our goods entirely at the disposal of God. Let us lend him, or rather let us return him, all that he has given to us, and assure ourselves it cannot be more profitably employed. It is the only means of enriching ourselves without risk. If you keep your riches, you will lose them; if you distribute them to the poor, you will augment them. If then the consideration of our profit cannot influence us to this, at least let the dread and horror of ruin oblige us. For as we said that he who gives obtains more fruit from his charity than he who receives, so we now say that he who does not give loses much more than he to whom he refuses his charity. The one loses nothing but food or clothing for mortal flesh,

which the worms will soon destroy; the other loses thereby an infinite good, even life and eternal glory. For it is of no use to deceive ourselves. God will crown benevolence with immortality; so also will he punish avarice with eternal death. You well know what was the end of the rich man in the gospel. Such as imitate his example may well fear his punishment. You have no compassion on others. God will have no pity on you. You shut your house against them. He will banish you from his. You refused to give them bread. He will refuse to give you his, even the bread of life, without which you must eternally die.

God keep us, beloved brethren, from this dreadful evil; and, in order to avoid it, let us enlarge our bowels of compassion towards others; so that, after having here below presented to the Lord these acceptable sacrifices, he may hereafter place on our heads that glorious crown of life, reserved in heaven and promised to all such as serve him in the faith of his Son Jesus Christ; to whom, with himself, and the Holy Spirit, one God, blessed for ever, be honour, praise, and glory, world without end. Amen.

20. Now unto God and our Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

21. Salute every saint in Christ Jesus. The brethren which are with me greet you.

22. All the saints salute you, chiefly they that are of Casar's houshold.

23. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

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