as much os I should wish, but to such extent for of. Phil. ii. 19: Philem. 22 : which as my short etay with you will allow)" filled Epistles are believed, on good grounds, to with you," i.a. enjoy you, have been written during that detention, Vore. 25-27,-:But now I go to leru- Still, he may have gone during the interval 111lem mlnlaterlng unto the aainta. J'or it between his release and his final captivity bath pleased ( eb1J&,c11rrav, implying good will) at Rome, during which the paatoral Epistles Aohaia and Micedonia to make a oertain were probably written. oontribution (,coavwvlav, intimatiog the com- munion of Ohrietione with each other, In what follows (vers. 30-32) eomo evinced by mnking others portakere of their apprehension of dangera attending his visH own blessings: of. eh. xii. 13; 2 Cor. ix. 13: 1 Tim. vi. 18: Heb. xiii. 16) to the pool' of to Jeroealem, which migM possibly thwart the saints whioh are at lerusalem. .As to hie intentions, already appeara: eoundin~ this collection for the poor Christiane at like an undertone allaying the confidence Jerusalem, which St. Paul seems to have of the hope previo11.Sly expreBSed. In the been intent on during hie journeys, and course of hie progress to Jerusalem thi1 which he wn.e now on the point of carrying apprehension appean to have grown upon to its destination, cf. Acts xix. 21 : xxiv.17: 2 Cor. viii. 1-ix. 15. It bath pleased him : for see Acts xx. 22, 23, 28 ; xxi. i, them verily; and their debtors they are. 11-14). It may be here observed that For if the Gentiles have been made par- such signs, evidently unintentional, of con- takers of their spiritual things, their duty flicting feelings in the letter, and such ia also to miniate:: .(.\e1-rovpyijrra1; here in consistency between the letter and the the general sense of ministry; see on eh. xiii. 6) to them in carnal things. Here narrative, are strong confirmations of the we have the same idea of salvation bein.g genuineness of both. derived to the Gentiles from the Jews as is prominent in eh. xi. 17, 18, and apparent Vers. 1 30-33.-ll'ow I beseech you, in eh. xv. 7, seq. brethren, by our Lord 1eau Christ, and by Vere. 28, 29.-When therefore I have the love of the Spirit, that ye strive to- aocompliehed this, and sealed to them (i.e. gether with me in your prayers to God for ratified and assured to them) this fruit, I me ; that I may be delivered from them will come away by you into Spain. And that do not believe in ludlea ; and that my I know that when I come to you (~l'iis service which I have for lerusal.em may here is intended emphatically) I shall come be aooeptable to the saints. Here he seems in the fulness of the blessing of Christ. to imply e. possibility of even the Jewish How different from his anticipations were Christiane not receiving him, with the oJ..ms the circumstances of his first visit to Rome he brought them, kindly. In 2 Cor. viii. 18, we know from the Acts. So man proposes, seq., he had shown signs of being an.rious but God disposes, n.nd e.11 for final good too.void any possible snepicion of mal.versa- (cf. Phil. i. 12, seq.). That he afterwards tion with regard to the contribution. The carried out his intention of visiting Spain d6nger probably arose from the suspicio~ oe.nnot be alleged with certainty, though ago.inst himself, his authority, o.nd hie there is distinct evidenoe of an early motives, entertained bytheJudaistio faction. tradition that he did so (O6non Muratori, That this faction was then strong at Jero- Eueebius, Jerome, Theodoret. Of. Clem. ealem appears from the precautions he 'l\"'88 Rom., Ep. 1, who speaks of St. Paul having advised to take on his Rrrivo.l there (see gone to " tile boundaries of the West "). Aots xxi. 20-24). That I may come unto Certainly before the end of hie detention at you with joy by the will of God, a.nd may Rome he bad given up 6UY idea. he mi~ht with you be refreshed. Now the God of ho.ve hod of going thenoe at onoe to Sp6lll; peaoe ba with you alL Amen.
HOMILETICS. Vere. 1-3.-Self-pleasing and selj-d11nial. The controversy which gave rise to this statement of Ohristian principle was local and tempcrary, and seems to us somewhat trivi6l. It we.e, however, the occasion for an inspired publication of important, prac- tical moral truths and precepts, of world-wide and lasting application. When a differ- ence arises between two parties, whoo.re accustomed to think and act together, there is danger of each party becoming bitter and overbearing, and resolving to thrust its own convictions and preferences upon the other, Paul_ teaches us that the _true remedy for th;s evil ie unseHi~huess, 1md that the t1·ue mot1vo to UI1sellishuess 1s to be foun,i in the CCI.Jijli of Christ. 482 THE EPISTLE OF PAUL TO 'l'IIE ROMANS. [oH, xv. 1-88.