in the Christian life, in view of the glorious recompence set before us, which is the first resurrection. This was the constant aim of the Apostle (12-14), p. 246. [16.] His example is the rather to be carefully imitated, because profligate professors already dishonoured the name of Christ, that the Philip- pians, his beloved converts, might stand fast in the Lord, realizing their heavenly citizenship, and the prospect of a glorious transfiguration at the advent of Christ (15-iv. 1), p. 248. [17.] Particular admonitions, arising from a disagreement between two female labourers (iv. 2, 3), p. 261. [18.] Exhortations to joy, moderation, prayer, and thanksgiving, with a reference to the near approach of the Lord, and the promise of His peace, precluding anxious care (4-7), p. 264. [19.] Exhortation to moral and amiable con- duct, illustrated by the Apostle's precepts and behaviour (8, 9), p. 273. [20.] Expressions of gratitude to the Philippians for their liberality towards him, as a fruit of their faith, though the Lord had taught him to be content in every situation, and given him strength to bear and to do all things; with an assurance that his covenant God would abundantly recompense them and supply all their need (10—20), p. 278. [21.] Conclusion (21—23), with a brief reference to subsequent history, and a summary of Polycarp's letter to PAGE THE APOSTLE PAUL AND THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH AT PHILIPPI. CHAPTER THE FIRST. EXPOSITION OF THE SIXTEENTH CHAPTER OF THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. § 1. Introduction. THE labours and sufferings of the apostle Paul at Philippia, and his impressive letter to his converts in that city, are amongst the most striking and instructive occurrences in his eventful life. They are the immediate subject of the following pages. May the great Head of the Church vouchsafe His blessing upon our meditations, that they may redound to His glory! Daily experience more and more deepens our conviction of the paramount importance of studying every portion of the Oracles of God with increasing attention. We have been too apt in ministering to mixed congregations, under a deep impression of the solemn realities of eternity, and the simplicity of that truth which alone is indispensable, to dwell too much on particular points, and to expatiate with little variation, and with what some fastidious hearers esteem to be tedious monotony, on isolated passages, arbitrarily or hastily selected, in order to illustrate and enforce our favourite views, or even essential truth. Perhaps this may be in some measure still unavoidable. But, at least, care should be taken to explain a Supposed to have occurred A.D. 53, in the 10th year of the reign of Claudius. whatever we may examine more thoroughly and in detail by accurate references to other portions of the Scriptures, that we may render the unchangeable mind and purpose of the divine Author more conspicuous, bring to light hidden harmonies, and clear up apparent discrepancies, and thus confirm the faith of our hearers. In the same manner special commentaries on particular books, more prominent and striking in themselves, if carefully worked out in relation to the entire volume, may be rendered valuable contributions to the treasury of the Church, and prove useful antidotes to that restless spirit of sceptical criticism, which is now distracting the minds of thoughtful men. The charge of Bibliolatry.] A charge has often been brought against us of Bibliolatry. This is even represented as not only irreconcilable with the historical conscience, but no less injurious in itself than the idolatry of priestly authority". A late writer flippantly exclaims, "How long shall we bear the fiction of an external revelation?" But if the Scriptures are not authoritative; if the words which they contain, or the thoughts and facts which they embody, are not the rays of the Sun of Righteousness shining upon a benighted world; if the promises and precepts which they announce are not essentially divine; if the narratives and predictions which they comprise are not historically true; the men by whom they were indited were liars and impostors; for they ever speak in the Name of the Lord of Hosts, as those who "had stood in his counsel," and "perceived and heard His word," and received their commission to speak and to act at His hands. How then would they have differed from those false prophets and false apostles whom they were accustomed so vehemently to denounce? Nay, we are told, that "the Book" is "an expression of devout reason, to be read with reason and freedom," in which men like Bunsen "find record of the spiritual giants whose experience generated the religious atmosphere we breathed," and the Christianity which they thus eliminate, as exclusively true, is said to be firmly based upon reason and conscience. a Bunsen, Hippolytus, II. 105 (first edition). b Essays and Reviews (first ed.), p. 92. But it is too much to dethrone giants to place such dwarfs on their thrones, and to expect independent thinkers to endorse bold aphorisms and mystical dogmatism, unsustained by argument, and to give immediate credit to a late Egyptian priest, and even to a doubtful Greek translation of a probably mythical Phoenician annalist, after unceremoniously rejecting the Pentateuch. And those giants, whose experience is thus perverted, pretended (as we have seen) to be the ministers of the Most High (which, if untrue, was audacious blasphemy), and neither spoke the language of devout reason (because reason could not penetrate His counsels, nor divulge His secrets), nor announced the conclusions of their own conscience, historically or intellectually (because, until enlightened from above, that had prompted the most eminent of them all to seek the overthrow of that faith which he subsequently promulgated), but spoke the very words which the Holy Ghost taught them, by grace and wisdom imparted (as St Paul alleges) through Christ, sanctifying their proud and worldly hearts, and teaching their dark and ignorant minds through a sense of His pardoning love. Under any circumstances the record of their experience must be to us an external revelation. Or were those giants deceived? What credit then would be due to the religion which was founded by their a Though Bunsen is said to have been at home on every subject, but strongest in history (ib. pp. 83, 90), I search in vain for argument to maintain the aphorisms pedantically laid down in his Hippolytus. b Hengstenberg carries his scepticism so far as to doubt whether Manetho ever lived in Egypt at all, denouncing him as unworthy of credit, and confirmed in falsehood! Is it not clear from Herodotus that the Egyptian priests were great liars? Let the same severity of critical investigation be applied to heathen historians as has been profusely expended on the Bible, and the result will be useful. The Greek translation (by PhiloByblius in the first century) of Sanchoniathon, said to have lived before the Trojan War! How little credit is due to it, even if Wagenfeld may be trusted, may be gathered from Sir Emerson Tennent's Ceylon, Vol. I. pp. 547, 548. d The express declaration of St Paul, I Cor. ii. 13. Cf. xi. 23, xv. 3; Galat. i. Whether he refer to the 95th Psalm, to the regulation of the Tabernacle in the law, or to the promise of the New Covenant in Jeremiah xxxi., or to the awful announcement of judicial blindness upon the Jews in the sixth chapter of Isaiah, he appeals invariably to the testimony of the Holy Ghost as speaking in these Scriptures. Heb. iii. 7, ix. 8, x. 15; Acts xxviii. 25. Emmanuel declared that Moses wrote of Him, John v. 46, &c. He refers to the 110th Psalm as the language of David by the Spirit. Mark xii. 36. Cf. 1 Pet. i. 11; 2 Pet. i. 21. |