before. The precepts and promises are not given as it were
in the air; they are occasioned by Euodia and Syntyche, or rather by
what they have suggested to St Paul's mind, the crime and distress of
an unchristian spirit in Christians. It is with this he is dealing.
And he deals with it not by an elaborate exposure of its obvious wrong,
but by carrying it into the sanctuary of holiness and peace, there to
die.

With this recollection let us read the words now before us.

Ver. 4. +Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say+ (_ero_),
+Rejoice+; I have said it above, as my antidote-word to every subtle
error; I come back (_palin_) to say it again, as my antidote to
self-will. Your

Ver. 5. +yieldingness+, your selflessness, the spirit which will yield
in _anything_ that is only of self, for Christ's sake, +let it be known
to all men+, let it be proved a reality in real life, by all and sundry
who have to do with you; +the Lord is near+, always beside you, to

Ver. 6. know, to love, to elevate, to calm.[8] +About nothing be
anxious+ (_merimnate_); _never_ let yourselves be burthened and
distracted _as those who are alone from your Lord_; +but in
everything+, however great, however little, +by your+ (_te_) +prayer+,
your whole worshipping approach to Him, +and your+ (_te_)
+supplication+, your definite petitions of Him, +with thanksgiving+,
thanks at least for this, that you have Him to speak to and to trust,
+let your requests be made known towards our God+ (_pros ton Theon_),
with perfect simplicity of detail, putting aside all the mysteries of
prayer in the

Ver. 7. recollection that He bids you pray. +And+, and thus, not
anyhow, but thus, in adoring, trusting communion with Him, +the peace
of God+, the innermost tranquillity caused by contact with Him,
breathed by His Spirit into ours, the peace +which transcends all
mind+, for no reasoning can explain and define its nature and its
consciousness, +shall+ (it is nothing less than a promise) +safeguard+,
as garrison, as sentinel (_phrouresei_), +your hearts+, in all their
depths of will, affection, and reflexion, +and your thoughts+, the very
workings of those hearts in detail, +in Christ Jesus+. In Him you are,
as your Fortress of rest and holiness; and, while there you rest, this
sacred keeper watches the door; the peace of God is sentinel.

Such was to be the condition for the true play of the inner life; such,
not in a dream but at Philippi, were