November 16

For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.—Philippians 1:21.

In dying, he means, I shall not have perished, for I have my life in myself: then would they truly slay me, had they power through this fear to cast faith out of my soul. But as long as Christ is with me, even though death overtake me, still I live, and in this present life, not this, but Christ is my life. Since, then, not even in the present life is it so, but the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith; so I say in that state also, I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me. Such ought a Christian to be! I live not, he says, the common life. How livest thou then, O blessed Paul? Dost thou not see the sun, dost thou not breathe the common air? art thou not nourished with the same food as others? dost thou not tread the earth as we? needest thou not sleep, nor clothing, nor shoes? what meanest thou by, I live not? how dost thou not live? Why boastest thou thyself? No boasting is here. For if indeed the fact did not witness to him, a man might with some show call it boasting; but if facts do witness, how is boasting here? Let us then learn how he lives not, for he himself says in another place, I am crucified to the world, and the world to me. Hear then how he says, I no longer live. And here again, to me to live is Christ.

The word life is much significant, beloved, that is, it showeth many things, as also the word death. There is this life of the body, and there is the life of sin, as he himself elsewhere says, But if we are dead to sin, how shall we any longer live therein? It is then possible to live the life of sin. Attend diligently, I entreat you, lest my labor be vain. There is a life eternal, immortal, heavenly, after this. For our conversation is in heaven. There is the life of the body, whereof he speaks, through him we live, and move, and have our being. He does not then deny that he lives the natural life, but that of sin, which all men live; and rightly so, for how does he live this life, who desires not the present life? He who is hastening to another, how does he live this life? He who despises death, how does he live this life? He who desires naught of the things here, how does he live it? For as one made of adamant, though he were struck a thousand blows, would never attend to it, no more would Paul. And I

23* live, said he, but no longer I, that is the old man; as again elsewhere, Wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death! How too does he live who does naught for the sake of food, naught for the sake of clothing, naught for any of these present things? Such an one does not even live the natural life: he who takes thought for none of these things which sustain life, lives not. We live this life, whose every action regards it. But he lived not; for he busied himself about naught of these things here. How then lived he? Just as we are accustomed to say, in common matters, such an one is not with me, when he does nothing with reference to me. Again, in like sort such a man lives not for me. Elsewhere he shows that he rejects not the natural life; The life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me; that is, a certain new life I live, an altered one. And truly all these things he said to comfort the Philippians. Think not, says he, that I shall be deprived of this life, for neither whilst alive did I live this life, but that which Christ willed. For tell me? He who despises money, luxury, hunger, thirst, dangers, health, safety, does he live this life? He who has nothing here, and is oftimes willing to cast it away, if need be, and clings not to it, does he live this life? By no means. This I must make clear to you by a kind of example. Let us imagine some one in great wealth, with many servants, and much gold, and who makes no use of all these things; is such an one rich for all his wealth? By no means. Let him see his children dissipating his property by disorderly living, and yet take no care for it; still further if you will, when beaten let him not be pained; shall we call him a man of wealth? By no means; I although his wealth is his own. Thus too Paul says, To me to live is Christ; if you will inquire of my life, it is he, and my death, it is gain. Wherefore? Because I shall more clearly be present with him; so that my death is rather a coming to life; they who kill me will work on me no dreadful thing, they will only send me onwards to my proper life, and free me from that which is not mine. What then, while thou wert here, wert thou not Christ's? Yes, and in a high degree.

"O what is death? 'Tis life's last shore, Where vanities are vain no more!

Where all pursuits their goal obtain, And life is all retouched again; Where, in their bright results, shall rise Thoughts, virtues, friendships, griefs, and joys."