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in the train of thought which in each epiftle leads up to this fentiment, and upon the fuitableness of that train of thought to the circumstances under which the epiftles purport to have been written. This, I conceive, befpeaks the production of the fame mind, and of a mind operating upon real circumftances. The fentiment is in both places preceded by the contemplation of imminent perfonal danger. To the Philippians he writes, in the twentieth verse of this chapter," According to my earnest expectation "and my hope, that in nothing I shall be "afhamed, but that with all boldnefs, as

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always, fo now also, Chrift fhall be mag"nified in my body, whether it be by life or by death." To the Corinthians, "Troubled on every side, yet not distressed ; "perplexed, but not in despair; perfe46 cuted, but not forfaken; caft down, but "not destroyed; always bearing about in "the body the dying of the Lord Jefus." This train of reflection is continued to the place from whence the words which we compare are taken. The two epiftles, though written at different times, from difT ferent

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ferent places, and to different churches, were both written under circumftances which would naturally recal to the author's mind the precarious condition of his life, and the perils which conftantly awaited him. When the epiftle to the Philippians was written, the author was a prisoner at home, expecting his trial. When the fecond epistle to the Corinthians was written, he had lately escaped a danger in which he had given himself over for loft. The epiftle opens with a recollection of this fubject, and the impreffion accompanied the writer's thoughts throughout.

I know that nothing is easier than to tranfplant into a forged epiftle a fentiment or expreffion which is found in a true one; or, fuppofing both epiftles to be forged by the fame hand, to infert the fame sentiment or expreffion in both. But the difficulty is to introduce it in just and close connection with a train of thought going before, and with a train of thought apparently generated by the circumftances under which the epiftle is written. In two epiftles, purporting to be written on different occafions,

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and in different periods of the author's hiftory, this propriety would not easily be managed.

No. VII.

Chap. i. 29, 30; ii. 1, 2. "For unto you "is given in the behalf of Christ, not only "to believe on him, but also to suffer for "his fake, having the fame conflict which

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ye faw in me, and now hear to be in me. "If there be, therefore, any confolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fel

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lowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and "mercies: fulfil ye my joy; that ye be "like minded, having the fame love, being ❝of one accord, of one mind."

With this compare Acts xvi. 22: "And "the multitude (at Philippi) rofe up against "them (Paul and Silas); and the magistrates "rent off their clothes, and commanded "to beat them; and when they had laid

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many stripes upon them, they caft them "into prifon, charging the jailer to keep "them safely; who, having received fuch "a charge,

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"a charge, thrust them into the inner prifon, and made their feet faft in the "ftocks."

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The paffage in the epiftle is very remarkable. I know not an example in any writing of a jufter pathos, or which more truly represents the workings of a warm and affectionate mind, than what is exhibited in the quotation before us*. The apostle reminds his Philippians of their being joined with himself in the endurance of perfecution for the fake of Chrift. He conjures them by the ties of their common profeffion and their common fufferings, to " fulfil his

joy;" to complete, by the unity of their faith, and by their mutual love, that joy with which the inftances he had received of their zeal and attachment had inspired his breaft. Now if this was the real effufion of St. Paul's mind, of which it bears the ftrongest internal character, then we have

* The original is very fpirited': El Tis v Tapanλngis er Χρισο, ει τι παραμυθιον αγαπης, ει τις κοινωνία πνεύματος, ει τινς σπλαγχνα και οικτιρμοί, πληρώσατε με την χαραν.

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in the words "the fame conflict which ye "faw in me,' an authentic confirmation of fo much of the apostle's history in the Acts, as relates to his tranfactions at Philippi; and through that of the intelligence and general fidelity of the hiftorian.

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