just arrived at the conclusion, that it was more conducive to the spiritual advantage of the believers at Philippi that he should be spared a little longer; and therefore he draws the conclusion presented in the 25th verse. By separating the participle nodus from olda, as our English translators have done, the expression of assurance in regard to his deliverance will be materially lessened, because the confidence will relate to his firm persuasion that the interests of the Philippians should be promoted by the continuance of his life on earth. But even if TOUTO be governed by oida, and referred to the subsequent words, the sense of the clause should not be pressed. It should be taken in its popular, not in its rigidly exact acceptation. The apostle gives utterance to his trust in God respecting his release and future activity, although he had no direct revelation in the matter. Hence he speaks again with hesitation. From a consideration of all these circumstances, the epistle may perhaps be placed A.D. 63.

III. During his captivity at Rome, the apostle received an account of the Philippian church from Epaphroditus, one of the pastors, who had been sent to him with a pecuniary contribution. This was not the first occasion on which the same church had expressed its gratitude in similar acts of benevolence. Twice they had sent him presents to Thessalonica. (Phil. iv. 15, 16.) At Corinth he had also shared their bounty. (2 Cor. xi. 9.) Though he declined to accept eleemosynary aid from others, he received it at the hand of the Philippians, a circumstance which must have been highly gratifying to them.

The messenger was seized with a dangerous illness, the cause of which cannot now be ascertained. It may have arisen from excessive haste in his journey, and the fatigues attendant upon it; or from his great exertions at Rome in diffusing the truth, and ministering to the apostle. In the 30th verse of the second chapter it is written: Because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life, to supply your lack of service.' Here the work of Christ may include both the services rendered to Paul and also other labours undertaken for the gospel's sake, which had no immediate reference to the apostle's person. But the conclusion of the verse favours the idea that the former especially is meant. He contracted a dangerous disease from an excessive anxiety to perform in his own person all the kind offices which the members of the whole church, had they been present, would have rendered the beloved apostle, and which they desired their delegate to execute as far as he was able. The news of this severe malady had reached the church at Philippi, and rendered Epaphroditus extremely desirous to return. Hence the apostle was the more

solicitous to send him back as soon as he was sufficiently recovered, that the regrets of pastor and people might be removed, and joy restored at their meeting. But the apostle of the Gentiles did not dismiss him without an equivalent for the seasonable present of the Philippians. Their gift had been both timely and liberal, so that the recipient could say, 'I have all and abound.' It had more than supplied his present necessities. It had left him something for future emergencies. In return for so great kindness, he writes the present letter full of ardent affection, and fraught with high encouragement to the believers at Philippi. In consolatory terms it conveys the writer's concern for their welfare in all things pertaining to godliness. Thus they were nobly repaid. With what joy would they read the epistle coming from their spiritual parent. What an incentive would it prove to the higher exercise of every Christian virtue. How would they be stimulated by its exhortations to press forward towards greater attainments, and to work out, with all holy circumspection, their own salvation. How would the apostle's own experience lead them to be followers of one so thoroughly imbued with the essential spirit of christianity. The expressions applied to Epaphroditus evince the high position he occupied in Paul's estcem. Such commendation, from such an apostle, stamps upon the man and the preacher a seal of faithfulness which an angel might envy: My brother-fellow-worker-fellow-soldier.'

But it may be asked how the apostle could be in want, as he seems to have been, when thus relieved by the Philippians. Was he neglected by the christians at Rome? Were there not many wealthy citizens who had embraced the gospel, and knew of his long imprisonment? It is sufficient, in reply, to refer to the known practice of Paul-a practice dictated by extreme delicacy and dignity. He was accustomed to work with his own hands, rather than be a burthen to any of the churches. This he could not do, now that he was a prisoner. The Romans had not been converted by him; and he would therefore regard himself as in no way entitled to maintenance from them. Besides, he had enemies in the city; and he never received remuneration for his labours in the churches where such persons had appeared, lest they should be furnished with the colour of an excuse for ascribing to him interested motives. (2 Cor. xi. 9; Acts xx. 34.) When these considerations are taken into account, it will not scem strange that his means of subsistence had been reduced to a low state. The christians at Rome may have offered what he refused to take; for his own words are, 'Now, ye Philippians, know also that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me, as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only.' (iv. 15.)

IV. State of the church to which the epistle was originally addressed.

This church consisted of Gentile and Jewish christians, chiefly the former. The members generally seem not to have been in affluent circumstances. This may be inferred from 2 Cor. viii. 1, 2: We do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia; how that, in a great trial of affliction, the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.' Hence the presents sent to the apostle exhibited no small affection on their part towards him. This christian people contributed to the relief of his necessities out of their poverty; and the apostle knew how to estimate the sacrifice. That they were not numerous may be gathered from the extent of the place. If Philippi be the smallest city to which Paul addressed any of his letters, the christians belonging to it could not be many. There is no evidence that the church was large and externally flourishing.

Many have supposed that this church was divided into parties or factions, arising from the efforts of false teachers who insisted on the necessity of observing the ceremonial law, especially of practising circumcision. Although the community had continued on the whole stedfast to the truth, it was not free from divisions. Judaising christians had insinuated themselves into it, giving rise to disunion, and awakening the apostle's solicitude. According to Eichhorn and Rheinwald, there were two parties in the church, a Jewish-christian and a Gentilechristian. Bertholdt conceives that teachers of a Sadducean tendency had appeared among the Philippians. Michaelis conjectures that Euodias and Syntyche, who were at variance, had occasioned a schism among the other members. The passages supposed to imply the existence of parties are chap. iii. 1-8, 18, 19. The following admonitions are also regarded as inti mating the same condition,—τὸ αὐτὸ φρονῆτε, ii. 2; iv. 2; τὸ ἓν φρονεῖν, ii. 2 ; μια ψυχῇ συναθλειν, i. 27; σύμψυχος, ii. 2 ; comp. ii. 3, 4, 12, 14; iv. 5; iii. 2, &c. Such a foundation is insufficient to support the hypothesis built upon it. These passages do not imply the existence of parties in the community. That there were Jews at Philippi is clear from the xvi. chapter of the Acts; for though they had no synagogue, they had a proseucha; that there were also Judaising teachers may be assumed; but that the latter had made any impression on the members of the church, or that they had undermined the authority and doctrines of the apostle in the church's esteem, is a position that cannot be established. Because the Philippians were enjoined to beware of dogs, i. e. false teachers of a Judaising tendency, it

does not follow that they had been already seduced by such persons, or even that they had lent a favourable ear to their insinuations. Probably these evil men had made attempts upon some of the brethren; but the latter were too firmly established in the faith to surrender themselves an easy prey to the corrupters of truth. Paul knew that they were in danger. He had often warned them. 'To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe,' (iii. 1). Yet he does not state, either plainly, or by implication, that the Philippians had so far forgotten the essential principles of christianity as to submit to the legal observances of the ancient economy, or to range themselves into factions distinguished by opposite sentiments. He writes, indeed: For many walk of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ;' but this language does not indicate teachers of the gospel who had insinuated themselves into the Philippian church. Men whose lives were so immoral-whose minds were so much addicted to earthly pursuits, could scarcely have been mistaken by the spirituallyminded believers; although their real character may have been concealed, and their true motives carefully covered.

While, therefore, we believe, that there were at Philippi many Jews who made a profession of christianity in order to promote their own selfish ends, expecting to make a gain of godliness and turning away the simple from the faith, there is no good cause for supposing, that these Judaising teachers had gained a decided advantage over any; or that they stood in intimate connexion with the church. Nothing more can be assumed with propriety than that they had attempted to instil their doctrines into the minds of the members, in order that the Gentile christians might submit to circumcision. Philippi was the habitation of these errorists; but their doctrines had not yet found a welcome response in the bosom of the church. The propriety of the exhortations to which allusion has been made, will be more apparent if it be remembered, not only that similar admonitions are applicable to the purest church, but that the Philippians were then exposed to temptations, which would naturally produce dissension. The great object of the Judaisers was to mar the peace, by destroying the purity of the church. The tendency of their doctrine was divisive. Hence we find, that wherever they had been successful in insinuating their peculiar tenets into the minds of various members, dissatisfaction arose in others, and parties formed themselves around different teachers. It was therefore highly pertinent to admonish the Philippians to be of one mind-to be of the same sentiments in religion-to strive together in one harmonious body,

united by a similarity of feeling-to be perfectly unanimous, and to aim at an increase of their mutual love. As long as they were thus united in heart and soul for the gospel's sake, they were secure against the influence of those temptations. A reception of the pernicious doctrines taught by the errorists, would produce mutual disaffection and estrangement; while differences of sentiment, and want of unanimity in feeling, would tend to render them an easy prey to the enemies who endeavoured to seduce them.

In connexion with this topic, it is necessary to allude to the sufferings to which the christians of Philippi were exposed. In nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God. For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for his sake: having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me,' (i. 28-30.) It cannot be denied, that these words imply persecution, in some form or other. Credner refers verse 30 merely to the statement which Paul makes in regard to his inward struggle, (verse 23, &c.), and is inclined to disbelieve the fact that the Philippians were exposed to persecutions. But the 30th verse is so closely connected with the preceding, that it cannot be referred, at least exclusively, to the inward struggle in the apostle's bosom. The whole passage clearly shows, that the christians at Philippi were surrounded by formidable foes, by whom the apostle exhorts them not to be terrified; and that thus they were called to suffer for Christ. It is probable that the Judaisers, elsewhere characterised as the enemies of the cross of Christ, belonged to these adversaries; although it seems unreasonable to restrict the expression to them alone. We take it in its widest sense as including, along with Judaisers, all the unbelieving Jews and Gentiles with whom the Philippian believers came into contact. They had endured the same conflict which Paul had formerly sustained on account of his having expelled the demon from the divining damsel, when he was scourged and put in prison. They underwent afflictions similar to those which, as they heard in the present letter and from various individuals, Paul then endured from the combined opposition of Jews, Judaising teachers, and heathen magistrates. In what particular ways these causes operated to disturb and vex the Philippian believers we need not stop to inquire. The malignancy of Satan worked in various channels and with different instruments. It is no rash assumption, that he instigated these classes to do their utmost against the religion of Christ and its adherents. Heathen power and Jewish influence, in connexion with the selfishness of the human heart, were directed again<*