It is not guaranteed to us, I think, that we shall certainly be brought here on earth to perfect intellectual agreement by a realized union with Christ all round. Such agreement will certainly be promoted by such a realization; we all know how powerfully, in almost all matters outside number and figure, feeling can influence reasoning; and to have feeling rightly adjusted, "in Him that is true," must be a great aid to just reasoning, and so a great contribution to mental agreement. Thomas Scott, in his _Force of Truth_, (a memorable record of experience,) maintains that vastly more doctrinal concord would be attained in Christendom if all true Christians unreservedly and with a perfect will sought for "God's heart" (and mind) "in God's words."[2] But it is a law of our present state, even in Christ, that "we know in part"; and while this is so, certain discrepancies of inference would seem to be necessary, where many minds work each with its partial knowledge. It is otherwise with "_the spirit_ of our mind," the attitude of will and affection in which we think. In the Lord Jesus Christ _this_ is meant to be, and can be, rectified indeed, as "every thought is brought into captivity" to Him. If so, to "stand firm in Him" is the way of escape out of all such miseries of dissension (whether between two friends, or two Churches, or two enterprises) as are due not to reasoning but to feeling. "In Him" there is _really_ no room for envy, and retaliation, and "the unhappy desire of becoming great," and the eager combat for our own opinion _as such_. "Standing firm in Him" the Euodias and Syntyches of all times and places _must tend_ to be of one mind, one attitude of mind (_phronein_). So far as they are, in a sinful sense, not so "minded," it is because they are half out of Him. But now St Paul comes to them, name by name. What must the tender weight of the words have been as they were first read aloud at Philippi! Ver. 2. +To Euodia I appeal+ (_parakalo_),[3] +and to Syntyche I appeal, to be of the same mind, in the Lord+; to lay aside differences of feeling, born of self, in the power of their common union in Christ.[5] +Aye+ (read Ver. 3. _nai_, not _kai_), +and I beg thee also+, thee in _thy_ place, as I seek to do in mine, +thou genuine yoke-fellow,[5] help them+ (_autais_)--these sisters of ours thus at variance, +women who+ (_aitines_) +wrestled along with me+, as devoted and courageous workers, +in the+ cause of the +Gospel+, when the first conflicts with the powers of evil were fought at Philippi; yes, do this loving service, +with Clement[6] too, and my other fellow-workers, whose names are in the Book of Life+; the Lord's own, "written in heaven," His for ever.[7]