October 3

"Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand." Philippians 4:5.

WHAT moderation? Moderation with regard to your appetites. Some make a god of their belly, and glory in their shame. Many indulge in eating and drinking beyond the demands of bodily refreshment or the allowances of health. Your moderation with regard to your passions. You are to be angry and sin not. The sun must not go down upon your wrath. The fear, the joy, the love, the grief, allowable in themselves, may become excessive in the degree. Your moderation with regard to the distinctions of life. These are to differ from "the pride of life," in apparel, in furniture, in servants. Your moderation in professional pursuits and the cares of trade: diligent in business, but not "entangling yourselves in the affairs of this life;" content with sober and solid gain, and not, by hazard and speculations, making haste to be rich. Your moderation in the exaction of rights, whether pecuniary, in declining the rigor of the law for debt; or personal, in waiving the claims of authority and preference, as Abraham did in the case of Lot. Your moderation in your opinions and zeal. Many things in religion are of far less importance than others, even if true. But even the truth of them is not easily ascertained, and we see men of equal talent and piety on each side of the question. The truth generally lies in the middle, and he is commonly nearest to it who is abused by both the opposite parties.

And what a reason is there to enforce this admonition, "The Lord is at hand." The word signifies nigh, either as to place or time. If we take it as to place, it refers to his presence. I am a God at hand, and not afar off. He is about our path and our lying down, and is acquainted with all our ways. Thus he is always nigh to see and observe, to aid or oppose, to bless or to punish.

If we take it as to time, it refers to his coming: "The coming of the Lord drawing near." This is true, not only as to the certainty of the event and the confidence of faith, but as to his real approach. If the Lord was at hand when Paul wrote this epistle, how much more since near two thousand years have rolled away. But he comes by death. And this, as to consequence, is the same to us as his coming to judgment. And there is but a step between us and death.

If a multitude of people were assembled together, and behaved tumultuously, and the king was coming along the road, "The king is at hand," would instantly reduce them to order and silence, and every eye would be turned towards him. If a number of criminals, forgetful of their condition, were improperly amusing themselves or striving together, and a signal told them the judge was entering the town to try them, what an effect would this instantly have upon their mind and their conduct. But what is your case? He is not only your Sovereign, but your Judge. And "behold, the Judge STANDETH BEFORE THE DOOR!"

How lamentable is it, that to enforce what is wise and just and good in itself, we should need such motives. And how sad is it that these motives after all should have so little influence over us; that we should be constantly reminded of such a Being—led back to the grace of his first coming, and forward to the glory of his second coming—and think, and feel, and speak, and act, and live as we do! "So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom."