Aut.l1o?"Hbip, it 1!Upports the conclusion th1tt Mqllftinted with, l011ds us to infer that there the writer, if not himself, wns one of his had been no such olose nssociation, nt any o.eeoc,iatRs, Timothy he.ving been peculie.rly rate recently, between the writer nnd the hie diPciple anrl companion. It seems that readers in this case; or else the.t " cirolo Timothy had been,as the readers were aware of Churches in eomo locality is addressed. in prison : and the joyful news is oommu: Nothing certain can be concluded as to tho n ica~e<l o_f. ½is release, and of the prospect writer's whereabouts at the time of writing of bis VM~ng them. This again shows from the expression, "they of Italy (o/ ,i,rl, that the Epll!tle was addressed to a definite "T-iis 'l"TMlas)," though it seems to favour the circle of readeni. It is observe.hie that the iden,, rather the.n otherwise, thnt he we.s in "'Ord &1r0~o•IT6a,, which does not occur in ltn.ly nt the time, possibly nt Romo. For St. Paul's writings, is, like so many expres- the phmse mon,ns simply "natives of Ite.ly" sions throughoat the Epistle, one usual (of. Aols x. 23; x. 38; xii. l; xvii. 13; xxi. with St. Luke (Luke uii. 68; xxiii. 16, 27; xvi ii. 13; all these being, we observe, etc.; Acts iii. 13; iv. 21 ; where it expresses expressions of St. Luke's); it by no moons release from prison or captivity). He uses implies that they hnd left Italy. In fa.et, it also for dismissal of persons on a mission as Delitzsch observes, "if the author we.s (Acts :i::iii. 3; :i;:v. 30); and hence one view then in Italy, and at the same time we.s not is that Timothy's having already set out to a native ofltaly, he could not he.ve seleoted visit the Church addressed is e.11 that is here a more appropriate designation for the me.ant. But the other meaning of the word I te.lie.n Ohristie.ns." is more likely. The Epistle is concluded by St. Paul's Ver. 24.-8alute all them that have the accustomed words, which, with some ve.ria- rule over you (-rolis 71-,,ouµtvous, as before), tions, seem to have been appended to all his and all the saint&. They of It&ly aalute you. letters as his authenticating autogre.ph (see The fa.et that no names are here mentioned, 2 Thess. iii, etc.)- as is usual with St. Paul in sending saluta- Ver. 25.--0raoe be with you all. Am.eu., tions to Churches he was personally well
HOMILETICS. Vers. 1-6.-Personal exhortations. This book "to the Hebrews" begins like a doctrinal treatise; but it ends like a letter. Ch. xiii. is written quite in the epistolary form ; and concludes with some personal notices-the only such that are to be found ia the book. The verses before us contain counsels suited to the individual Christian life. Here the apostle says in effect to his readers-Be not selfish (vers.1-3); be not sensual (ver. 4); be not sordid (vers. 5, 6). L Ju; EXHORTATION TO BROTHERLY LOVE. (Vere. 1-3.) Jn the New Testament, Jove of the brethren means love of the spiritual brotherhood of believers. The natural affection which subsists between brothers and sisters, although very sa.cred and beautiful, is not in itself Christian brotherly love. No more is patriotism, or love of country, a distinctively Christian sentiment. The brotherly love which the gospel inspires forgets all differences merely of kindred and nation. It is a spiritual bond, and unites the saint to all his fellow-believers everywhere. This love is not one of the things "that can be shaken" (eh. xii. 27); it "never faileth" (1 Cor. xiii. 8, 13). So, the apostle exhorts the Hebrews to make sure that it shall "remain" among themselves, and be as actively exercised in the future as in the past (eh. vi. 10). For, the spirit which rejoices to recognize fellow-believers-taking pleasure in their society, labouring to promote their welfare, and throwing the veil of charity over their failings-is one of the richest and ripest fruits of the Christian life. Love of the brethren is the cement of a congregation.. And only the man who cherishes it is, in the proper meaning of the word, a gentleman. In vers. 2, 3, the apostle specifies two modes by which it is essential that brotherly love should be manifested; those, viz. of hospitality and sympathy. It is to be shown towardB: 1. Brethren who are stranger& (Ver. 2.) The Christian Hebrews were to account it a sacred duty hospitably to entertain fellow- believers from other lands or districts, who might be travelling either on business, or i.n the service of the Church, or because driven from home by persecution. And not only a sacred duty, but a blessed privilege. For as'Abraham and Lot (Gen. xviii., xix.) "entertained angels unawares," so the stranger whom the Christian receives may turn out to be a messenger from God to his soul--0ne whose presence may fill his house with the atmosphere of heaven. Should the stranger be a man whose mind is stored with OR, XIII, 1-25.] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 39!)