EPAPHRODITUS.

A. D. 62.

At

THERE are many characters, which, though but briefly touched in the pages of Scripture, perhaps, with only a single stroke, impress us with a strong desire to have further acquaintance with them. Our interest has been too much excited to lose immediate sight of them, and we resolve to satisfy our craving, in default of requisite information, by following them up in speculation. Nor is this an idle amusement. To pursue a train of thought, suggested by Holy Writ, will always be profitable, and often terminates in an unexpected mental or spiritual treasure. the least, we perfect ourselves in the knowledge of its contents. In this particular case, the filling up the outline of a character confers the same advantage towards such knowledge, as original composition does towards the acquirement of a language. We learn to put together the elements which we have obtained, and the exercise of creating makes us better judges of what is already created. Nor is our creation so different from reality as the paucity of facts, or it may be hints, on which we build, may seem to imply. The character of a son of God may be made out from fewer materials than that of other men, for as truth is one, and error is innumerable in its forms, so the various species of

goodness are few, though of wickedness infinitely numerous and manifold. And as the skilful anatomist, with a single bone before him, can compose the remainder of the animal from the knowledge of its species or congeners, so, from one forcible trait of the character of a child of God, we can often go a long way in not improbable conjectures upon the whole. By thus raising, in distinct shapes before our minds, what had hitherto lain hid in vague generality, we impart to ourselves that instruction which no man can give us, that which is the gift of the immortal mind within us, aided by the spirit which has, in the first instance, guided us to the understanding and feeling of Scripture, and by the Spirit which, in the next place, we have drawn from the inspired pages. Thus we obtain, within us, an active creating power, which, through God's grace, fills the imagination with holy inhabitants, each of them a model of what we should strive to be in ourselves. The temple of our hearts is full of animating and godly preachers, which both exhort and reprove us. The labour of these acquisitions makes each original character precious to us, and even bare names, mentioned once only, and without peculiar accompaniment of circumstances, are not barren to us. The brothers, Artemas and Secundus, the sisters, Phoebe and Chloe, pass not away from our notice with the simple mention of their names. The single flash of the appearance of these saints in the pages of the book of everlasting life and glory leaves a long and bright train behind it in our minds. Thus is Scripture full of life to us, not only in doctrine but in characters. Whenever a name is mentioned

there in approbation, we know numerous attributes with which we may safely invest it, and enjoy our privilege of robing these saints with their garments of righteousness. Our affections are moved, our heart is enlarged; and instead of that self-tormenting spirit of censoriousness which so often comes as a judgment upon the neglecters of God's Word, the bosom is filled with charity and love.

These remarks seemed to be required on entering upon an account of Epaphroditus, whose name meets us but twice, and that within the compass of a short Epistle. Yet it is not unaccompanied with the mention of such facts as enable us to dwell in pleasing contemplation upon it. He was an heathen convert 1, and member of the Church of Philippi. The origin of this Church was signalized by a severe persecu

1 His name (which could not but suggest Venus to the mind) would not be assumed by a Jew, who in using Greek names carefully abstained from such as involved the titles of heathen gods. It shows the free and commanding spirit of the Gospel, that it entertained so little scruple about names. It was too intent npon things. Hence we find Christians still continuing the names which they had before baptism, although they involved in the very language that they spoke, the name of a heathen god, whose temple was before their eyes. In Scripture alone, we have the following:-Artemas, (involving Diana,) Hermas, (involving Mercury,) Demas, (involving Ceres,) Diotrephes and Zenas, (involving Jupiter,) Apollos, (involving Apollo,) Dionysius, (involving Bacchus,) and Hermes, (Mercury's very name.) Compare with this the fastidiousness of some modern Christians, who refuse to use the common names of the months and days because they refer in dead languages to gods and rites which have ceased to exist for more than a thousand years, and of which the most devoted antiquary is unconscious when he employs the names on the common occasions of life.

tion of Paul, set on foot both by Jew and Gentile, and by a great miracle wrought in his favour. Thus the faith of its early members was at once severely tried, and triumphantly confirmed. Among these was Epaphroditus, as we may fairly infer from his having been selected for so important a charge as the following. Hearing of Paul's imprisonment at Rome, this Church determined upon sending him such help and comfort as they were able, having already distinguished itself beyond all the other Churches of Macedonia in filial attention to the necessities of its spiritual father. They raised a collection of money to be transmitted to the Apostle, and on looking around for one of their body whom they should entrust with such a charge, as being at once worthy of so great a mark of their regard, and likely to be agreeable to Paul, they fixed upon Epaphroditus.

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On this honourable commission he went to Rome, and rejoined his beloved spiritual father with this kind ministration to his necessities. He was gratified with the manner in which it was received. was accepted with a deep sense of love and gratitude to the Philippians, not so much on account of its value in money, as from the token which it exhibited of their sincerity. It was esteemed an odour of sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God. He himself was received with affectionate joy, as having been a faithful fellow-labourer and fellow-soldier in the toils and dangers of the sacred war against the world at Philippi. Many were the questions which he had to answer to him who had such an affectionate longing for the members of that Church in the bowels of Jesus Christ;

and great must have been his satisfaction in joining him in recalling to mind the various and affecting circumstances which distinguished its foundation. He had to tell with joy of new accessions of believers, and with sorrow of the departure of some to their everlasting rest, and perhaps with shame and anguish of some melancholy apostacy. Meanwhile he saw with delight the progress which the Gospel was making in the capital. The imprisonment of St. Paul, which seemed so adverse to its cause, was the very means of its greater success. It put the name of Christ into the mouths of men, and, though even to be spoken against, yet this was sufficient (so great is the power of truth) to turn the minds of some towards it in serious investigation. Epaphroditus would not remain idle when so glorious a prospect invited him to work. He was not an unconcerned stranger even in the Church of Rome. Where two or three meet together in Christ's name, there the Christian has a country. The soil of the vineyard of Rome was therefore not foreign to him: he could labour in it as on the spot of his birth. Thus he rendered to Paul the same efficacious assistance here as he had already done at Philippi. But if the prospect of harvest was vast, so was that of labour, and the danger of the first preachers of the Gospel at Rome was not comparable to their toils. In the immense multitude they were sheltered from public notice, but the immense multitude presented also a field of such extent, that the preacher who was not supported by unfailing faith would have shrunk from it in dismay. He saw on every side of him, in the condition of Rome's population, doors opening to the