mediate statement here is different, (though comprehending that truth), and descriptive of the subjection of all creatures, intelligent and non-intelligent, to Christ. Hence we have a three-fold classification; and the third division (things under the earth), presents some difficulty. The most general opinion is, that as we have, in the two former divisions, good angels and men represented, in the third are classed evil spirits, who are compelled to bow to Christ's sceptre. Some understand it of those of the human race now in the condition of the dead.

PAUL'S APPEAL TO THE PHILIPPIANS.

PHILIPPIANS ii. 1.-"If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies."

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THE last clause of this verse reads almost ludicrously in our version, one of the proofs of the change which has come over the English language, since we have lost now an idea which brought former readers of the Bible into close relations with the Greek expression. In the Hebrew, as well as in the Greek, "bowels is used figuratively, to denote "tender affection," from a belief that love, or pity, when in exercise, produce an effect upon a particular region of the body. Hence, when such an emotion is gratified or appeased, the bowels are said to be "quieted" or 'refreshed"; as in Philemon 7, 20. The word here rendered (6 mercy " is not the one most usually found as its Greek representative, and has a meaning very similar to the preceding, being equivalent to a Hebrew word denoting the yearning of the bowels from compassion. All throughout the verse there is no doubt expressed, as it might seem, but a strong affirmation; the "if" is equal to "if these things be so, and they really are so." The whole force of the appeal rests on the fact that Paul himself had preached the gospel to the Philippians, and so had brought them into the possession of these benefits.

CHRIST IN THE FORM OF GOD.

PHILIPPIANS ii. 6.-"Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God."

THE Greek (μopon) evidently refers to outward appearance or form; and it is probable that Doddridge, Parkhurst, and others are correct in understanding this as applying, not to the essential Divinity of Christ, but to His glorious appearance under the old economy, when He did again and again manifest Himself in a God-like manner to the Jews. This, like the royal bearing of the son of a monarch, was a proof that Christ was the equal of Jehovah.

Oriental Illustrations.

KNEADING. FROM ANCIENT EGYPTIAN SCULPTURES.

EXODUS xii. 34.-" And the people took their dough before it was leavened, their kneading-troughs being bound up in their clothes upon their shoulders."

Kneading Troughs.-Some other term ought perhaps to be employed, to preclude the apparent difficulty which results from the natural habit of identifying oriental utensils with our own, when the same name is given to both. To understand the passage, we should perhaps refer to the existing usages among the Arabs who encamp in, or traverse, the very desert through which the sons of Israel are now about to pass; and then we shall find that the only utensils of analogous use, whether for kneading or for carrying dough, are such as the Israelites would naturally take with them, and which they could conveniently take as a personal burden. The "kneading troughs" of the Arabs are properly described by Shaw, as small wooden bowls, which not only serve for kneading their bread, but for serving up meat, and other uses for which a dish is required. The Arabs have few domestic utensils, and make one serve many purposes, and this is one of the most generally useful which they possess. However, as the Israelites are represented as carrying dough in their vessels, this directs our attention to another Arabian utensil, which has equal, if not stronger, claims to be identified with that to which the text refers. The Arabs use, on their journeys, for a tablecloth, or rather table, a circular piece of leather, the margin of which is furnished with rings, by a string or chain run through which, it can, when necessary, be drawn up into a bag. This bag they sometimes carry full of bread, and when their meal is over, tie it up again with what is left. Dr. Boothroyd prefers this last utensil, and reads the text thus:"The people of Israel then took their dough before it was leavened, in their dough-bags, wrapped up in their clothes, upon their shoulders." But he has here been misled by an

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inference of Harmer, which he seems to state as part of Pococke's text, but where it is not to be found. Neither Pococke nor Niebuhr say anything about " dough; nor are the utensils dough-bags." The Arabs do not carry dough at all; but if, when the dough happened to be kneaded, they were suddenly obliged to decamp, they would naturally carry it away either in the kneading bowl or in the leathern bag in which they usually carry their bread. The text, as we understand it, merely indicates an expedient to which their haste obliged them to resort, and not that the utensil in question was now applied to its customary use.-DR. KITTO.

2 TIMOTHY ii. 3-"Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ."

Roman Soldiers.-What hardness the Roman soldier had to endure, may be learnt from the following passage:- "Their infantry is armed with breastplates and helmets, and they carry a sword on each side; the sword they wear on the left side is by far the longest, for that on the right is not above a span's length. That select body of the infantry which forms part of the general's life-guards is armed with lances and bucklers; but the rest of the phalanx have a spear and a long shield, besides which they bear a saw, and a spade, and a hatchet; they also carry with them a cord, a sickle, a chain, and provisions for three days; so that a Roman foot soldier is but very little different from a beast of burden."-JOSEPHUS.

ISAIAH xl. 5.-"Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain.

Levelling the Mountains.-In the march of Semiramis into India and Persia, and in particular to Ecbatana, she came to the Zarcean mountains, which, extending many furlongs, and being full of craggy precipices and deep hollows, could not be passed without taking a great compass about. Being, therefore, desirous of leaving an everlasting memorial of herself, as well as of shortening the way, she ordered the precipices to be digged down, and the hollows to be filled up; and, at a great expense, she made a shorter and more expeditious road, which to this day is called, from her, the road of Semiramis. Afterwards she went into Persia, and all the other countries of Asia subject to her dominion; and wherever she went she ordered the mountains and precipices to be levelled, raised causeways in the plain country, and, at great expense, made the ways passable.-CARPENTER.

Illustrative Gleanings.

CHRIST SATISFYING THE LAW.

ROMANS V. 19.-"For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.”

Napoleon Bonaparte and the Sentinel.-Many years ago, after a day of fierce fighting at Marengo, Napoleon Bonaparte had placed his sentinels at different points of the camp. They were charged on pain of death to keep awake, and guard against being surprised by the enemy. About midnight, Napoleon rose, and, walking round, found one of the sentinels asleep, his gun lying beside him. The soldier, no doubt, had been worn out by the terrible fatigue of the preceding day-but then the law must be obeyed; discipline must be kept up; the sentinel's duty must be done, or else he must die. What did the emperor do? Softly and silently he took up the gun, put it on his own shoulder, and acted as sentinel till the dawn of day. When the soldier awoke he was filled with alarm at having left his duty undone, concluding that he was a lost man. But Napoleon, (who had done this generous act from love to him as a soldier) simply handed back to him his gun, and bade him be more awake in future. You see, "By the obedience of that one the law was kept to the letter. And even thus, the Lord Jesus took up our undone obedience, and by His life of spotless holiness in our room, by His love to God with all His heart, and soul, and mind, "magnified the law, and made it honourable.”—S. S. Messenger.

FELLOWSHIP WITH CHRIST.

1 JOHN i. 3.-" And truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ."

The Deaf and Dumb Girl.-A little deaf and dumb coloured girl in Demerara once came to Mrs. Huntley's school, and wished to learn to read. It was thought impossible to teach her; the Missionary's wife therefore shook her head, and made signs for her to go home, but she would take no denial; so Mrs. Huntley sent to England for the deaf and dumb alphabet. It was astonishing how quickly the child was taught to read the Testament, from which she learned to know Jesus as her Saviour. One day she said, "Missie, me too happy. You would think when me walk out that there were two people in the road; but it is Jesus and me. He talk and me talk, and we two so happy together."-Sunday School Messenger.

CHRIST THE BELIEVER'S EXAMPLE.

PHILIPPIANS ii. 5—7.—“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men."

Dr. Judson.-One day, thinking to amuse him, his wife read to Dr. Judson some newspaper notices, in which he was compared to one or other of the apostles. He was exceedingly distressed, and then he added, "Nor do I want to be like them; I do not want to be like Paul, nor Apollos, nor Cephas, nor any mere I want to be like Christ. We have only one perfectly safe Exemplar-only One who, tempted like as we are in every point, is still without sin. I want to follow Him only, copy His teachings, drink in His Spirit, place my feet in His footprints, and measure their shortcomings by these and these only. Oh to be more like Christ!"-DR. HAMILTON.

man.

FAITH AND ITS FRUITS.

HEBREWS XI. 13.-"These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.” St. Chrysostom is wont to insist, by virtue of faith, rustic and mechanic idiots do, in true knowledge, surpass the most refined wits, and children prove wiser than old philosophers; an idiot can tell us that which a learned infidel doth not know; a child can assure us that wherein a deep philosopher is not resolved; for ask a boor, as a boy educated in our religion, who made him, he will tell you God Almighty; which is more than Aristotle or Democritus would have told; demand of him why he was made, he will answer you, to serve and glorify his Maker; and hardly would Pythagoras or Plato have replied so wisely. Examine him concerning his soul, he will aver that it is immortal, that it shall undergo a judgment after this life, that accordingly it shall abide in a state of bliss or misery everlasting; about which points neither Socrates nor Seneca could assure anything; inquire of him how things are upheld, how governed and ordered; he presently will reply, by the powerful hand and wise providence of God; whereas, among philosophers, one would ascribe all events to the current of fate, another to the tides of fortune; one to blind influences of stars, another to a confused jumble of atoms. Pose him about the main points of morality and duty, and he will, in a few words, better inform you than Cicero, or Epictetus, or Aristotle, or Plutarch, in their large tracts and voluminous discourses about matters of that nature.— BARROW.