LIFE

'Other my fellow-labourers whose names are in the
book of life.'--PHIL. iv. 3.

Paul was as gentle as he was strong. Winsome courtesy and delicate
considerateness lay in his character, in beautiful union with fiery
impetuosity and undaunted tenacity of conviction. We have here a
remarkable instance of his quick apprehension of the possible effects of
his words, and of his nervous anxiety not to wound even unreasonable
susceptibilities.

He had had occasion to mention three of his fellow-workers, and he
wishes to associate with them others whom he does not purpose to name.
Lest any of these should be offended by the omission, he soothes them
with this graceful, half-apologetic reminder that their names are
inscribed on a better page than his. It is as if he had said, 'Do not
mind though I do not mention you individually. You can well afford to be
anonymous in my letter since your names are inscribed in the Book of
Life.'

_There_ is a consolation for obscure good people, who need not expect to
live except in two or three loving hearts; and whose names will only be
preserved on mouldering tombstones that will convey no idea to the
reader. We may well dispense with other commemoration if we have this.

Now, this figure of the Book of Life appears in Scripture at intervals,
almost from the beginning to the very end. The first instance of its
occurrence is in that self-sacrificing, intercessory prayer of Moses,
when he expressed his willingness to be 'blotted out of Thy book' as an
atonement for the sin of Israel. Its last appearance is when the
Apocalyptic Seer is told that none enter into the City of God come down
from Heaven 'save those whose names are written in the Lamb's Book of
Life.' Of course in plain English the expression is just equivalent to
being a real disciple of Jesus Christ. But then it presents that general
notion under a metaphor which, in its various aspects, has a very
distinct and stringent bearing upon our duties as well as upon our
blessings and our hopes. I, therefore, wish to work out, as well as I
can, the various thoughts suggested by this emblem.

I. The first of them is Citizenship.

The figure is, of course, originally drawn from the registers of the
tribes of Israel. In that use, though not without a glance at some
higher meaning, it appears in the Old Testament, where we read of 'those
who are written among them living in Jerusalem'; or 'are written in the