the reality of the Christian warfare was vividly presented to him, and as vividly pourtrayed by him.

"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the JEHOVAH, and in the power of His might.

"Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil."

The devil was really incarnate in the reigning emperor of that time, Nero, under whom St. Paul was afterwards beheaded. He had said to the Christians at Rome: "The God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly" (Rom. xvi. 20): now he is himself in the mouth of the lion (2 Tim. iv. 17). Our Saviour constantly spoke of the Roman power in the same terms. David put on the armour of God to slay Goliath, and St. Paul exhorted Christians to do the same.

"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood"—the conflict is greater than that of the Roman army"but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

"Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

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Stand, therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; "And your feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace;

"Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. "And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."

It must be confessed that St. Paul was the most valiant Christian warrior that ever fought. We hear him once say, "Cast down, but not in despair; but we never find him dispirited, never doubting, never flinching, never fearing, never unbelieving, never compromising, never surrendering, never halting, never tired. In the hottest of the conflict, he is there; in perils and suffering, he is there; in persecutions and imprisonments, he sang praises to God, till "all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed," till utterance was given him to proclaim: "Believe on the JEHOVAH Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house;" so that the keeper of the prison was saved, and his house. I repeat, I do not know such another undaunted, faithful soldier of the Cross, as St. Paul. He took his commission from Christ Himself, and he never laid down the gauntlet, took off his armour, or failed to wield the sword of the Spirit, till he laid his head upon the block for converting some of Nero's household. In almost his last words to the Ephesians, he asks their prayers, that in his then perilous position he might open his mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the Gospel.

And then he added: "Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father, and the JEHOVAH Jesus Christ.

"Grace be with all them that love our JEHOVAH Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen."

Oh, that we had more St. Pauls! What an amount of Gospel truth was spread far and wide by his means, in Asia, in Italy, in Europe; we know not where. And when we consider the Churches that were planted,

we marvel at what may be done by one man, when the JEHOVAH Jesus Christ is in him and with him, when he is himself convinced of truth. Here was no form, no ritual, but a preaching of "the everlasting Gospel," with the power of God sent down from heaven.

CHAPTER XXXIX.

GOD IN CHRIST, IN THE NAME JEHOVAH.

"Let your moderation be known unto all men. VAH is at hand."-PHILIPP. iv. 5.

The JEHO

HILIPPI was one of the chief cities of Macedonia, and a Roman colony. St. Paul came

to this city in the year A.D. 51 or A.D. 52; planted a Church there, and made many converts. It was the first place at which he preached the gospel upon the continent of Europe. When he was a prisoner at Rome, about the year A.D. 62, perhaps about four years before his death, that Church sent Epaphroditus with large help to minister to him in his affliction (Philipp. iv. from verse 10). And this epistle was a letter of thanks, and of ministering of the word of life in return. It was sent to that Church by the same messenger they had sent (Philipp. ii. 25), who doubtless had worked with St. Paul in the ministry at Philippi; for he spoke of him as "my brother and companion in labour, and fellowsoldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants." If this epistle be read attentively, by the light of all these surrounding circumstances, it will be seen to be one of the most affectionate of all St. Paul's epistles,

and his then etherealized spirit more in spiritual fellowship with those to whom he wrote, than to any other Church whom he addressed. 66 A man that would have friends," said Solomon, "must show himself friendly;" and the little attention of the Philippian church, in sending him temporal comforts, and by so good a man, Epaphroditus, seems deeply to have touched his soul. "No church communicated with me, as concerning giving, but ye only. "For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity.

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Not because I desire a gift; but I desire fruit that may abound to your account" (Philipp. iv. 15). This might be read here: love, gratitude, and blessing fill the page. "He that watereth shall be watered also himself." But we must remember also that it was "Paul the aged" who was now writing, and that his spirit was ripe for glory.

"Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons." Timothy was at Rome with St. Paul at that time: when he returned in A.D. 64, he left Timothy at Ephesus, to take care of the Church there, of which he was the first bishop. Bishop, in this first verse to the Philippians, simply means apostle, or the principal spiritual officiating ministers in the Church-a spiritual head, under Christ, who was called "the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls." He was the model of a Christian bishop. It is supposed Epaphroditus was one of those whom St. Paul here calls bishops. That he simply meant apostle, is clear from calling him