take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done1 all to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breast-plate of righteousness and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shields of faith, wherewith you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked, and take the helmets of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

:

1 Ephes. vi. 13. ATаνта катεруаσаμеvοι. This verb frequently signifies to despatch a foe, totally to vanquish and subdue an adversary. So it should be translated in this place. Όν αυτοχειρία κατειργάσατο : Whom he despatched with his own hand. Dion. Halicarn. tom. i. p. 99. Oxon. 1704. Παντα πολεμία κατεργασαμενοι : Having quelled all hostilities. Idem, p. 885. Μεθ' ής ηδη πολλους πολέμιους Karupyαode: By which you have vanquished many enemies. Polyænus Stratag. p. 421. Lugd. 1539. Πέτρας αβατους σιδήρω κατειργασαμην. Idem, p. 599. Casaubon Ταύρον άγριον ταις χερσι μοναις κατειργασμένω: He despatched a wild bull only, with his hands. Appian. vol. i. p. 201. Amst. 1670. See also pp. 5. 291. 410. 531. Tollii. The word here used by the apostle has also this signification in Dion Cassius, Josephus, and Philo.

:

2Еni masiv, after all, or, besides all it never signifies above all. Autos de radeO Eni naoi diaßaivov: After all, he himself passed with difficulty. Plutarch, Caesar. p. 1311. edit. Gr. Stephan. Αγοντα πρωτον την φάλαγγα, μετά ταύτα τους intels, eni maoi de TO σKEvopopov: First, he led up the phalanx, next the cavalry, after all the baggage. Polybius, p. 664. Casaubon. Er Tao de Aσois evveα kai τεσσαράκοντα και μηνας δυο : After all, Assis reigned forty-nine years and two months. Josephus contra Apion. p. 445. Havercamp.

3 The shield here intended (Jupɛoc) is the scutum, or large oblong shield of the Romans, which was made of wood covered with hides, and derived its name from its resemblance to a door (vpa). As faith is that Christian grace, by which all the others are preserved and rendered active, it is here properly represented under the figure of a shield; which covered and protected the whole body; and enables the believer to quench-to intercept, blunt, and extinguish, as on a shield-the fiery darts of the wicked one, that is, all those evil thoughts, and strong injections, as they are termed, which inflame the passions of the unrenewed, and excite the soul to acts of transgression.

4 Βελη πεπυρωμένα. These dreadful weapons were frequently employed by the antients. Πυρφορα τοξεύματα. Appian. p. 329. Πυρφόροις οἴστοις Βαλλεσθαι. Thucydides, tom. ii. lib. xi. 202. Glasg.

p.

Τοιους, αγριε δαιμον, εχεις προεντας οἴστους.

Oppian. Kuvny. lib. ii. ver. 425. According to Ammianus Marcellinus (lib. xxiii. c. 4.) these fiery darts consisted of a hollowed reed, to the lower part of which, under the point or barb, was fastened a round receptacle, made of iron, for combustible materials, so that such an arrow had the form of a distaff. This was filled with burning Naphtha; and when the arrow was shot from a slack bow, (for if discharged from a tight bow the fire went out,) it struck the enemies' ranks and remained infixed, the flame consuming whatever it met with; water poured on it increased its violence; there were no other means to extinguish it but by throwing earth upon it. Similar darts or arrows, which were twined round with tar and pitch, and set fire to, are described by Livy (lib. xxi. c. 8.), as having been made use of by the inhabitants of the city of Saguntum, when besieged by the Romans.

5 On the tops of the antient helmets, as well as in those now in use, is a crest or ridge, furnished with ornaments; some of the antient helmets had emblematic figures, and it is probable that Saint Paul, who in 1 Thess. v. 8. terms the helmet the hope of salvation, refers to such helmets as had on them the emblematic represention of hope. His meaning therefore is, that as the helmet defended the head from deadly blows, so the hope of salvation (of conquering every adversary, and of surmounting every difficulty, through Christ strengthening the Christian,) built on the promises of God, will ward off, or preserve him from, the fatal effects of all temptations, from worldly terrors and evils, so that they shall not disorder the imagination or pervert the judgment, or cause men to desert the path of duty,

to their final destruction.

Having thus equipped the spiritual soldier with the divine panoply, the apostle proceeds to show him how he is to use it: he therefore subjoins Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance. The Greeks and other antient nations, we have already observed, offered up prayers before they went into the battle. Alluding to this, Saint Paul adds the exhortation to believers, praying always at all seasons and on all occasions, with all prayer (more correctly, supplication for what is good) and deprecation of evil; and watching thereuntobeing always on their guard lest their spiritual enemies should surprise them with all perseverance, being always intent on their object, and never losing sight of their danger or of their interest.1

In the Epistle to the Romans, the apostle, exhorting men to renounce those sins to which they had been long accustomed, and to enter upon a new and holy life, uses a beautiful similitude borrowed from the custom of soldiers throwing off their ordinary habit in order to put on a suit of armour. The night is far spent, the day is at hand let us therefore CAST OFF the works of darkness, and let us PUT ON the ARMOUR of light.2 (Rom. xiii. 12.) In another passage he represents, by a striking simile, in what manner the apostles were fortified against the opposition with which they were called to conflict in this world. By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the ARMOUR of righteousness ON THE RIGHT HAND AND ON THE LEFT. (2 Cor. vi. 7.

III. It is well known that the strictest subordination and obedience were exacted of every Roman soldier. An allusion to this occurs in Matt. viii. 8, 9.; to understand which it is necessary to state a few particulars relative to the divisions of the Roman army. Their infantry were divided into three principal classes, the Hastati, the Principes, and the Triarii, each of which was composed of thirty manipuli or companies, and each manipulus contained two centuries or hundreds of men over every company were placed two centurions, who however were very far from being equal in rank and honour though possessing the same office. The triarii and principes were esteemed the most honourable, and had their centurions elected first, and these took precedency of the centurions of the Hastati, who were elected last. The humble centurion, who besought the aid of the compassionate Redeemer, appears to have been of this last order. He was a man under authority, that is, of the Principes or Triarii, and had none under him but the hundred men, who appear to have been in a state of the strictest military subordination, as well as of loving subjection to him. I am, said the centurion, a man under authority, having soldiers under me, and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth, and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my slave (Tw dovλw μov),

1 Drs. Chandler, Macknight, and A. Clarke, on Eph. vi. 11-17. In the fifth of Bishop Horne's Discourses (Works, vol. v. pp. 60-72.) the reader will find an admirable and animated exposition of the Christian armour.

2 Αποθώμεθα τα εργα του σκότους και ενδυσωμεθα τα όπλα του φωτός. Fulgentiaque induit arma. Virgil, Eneid, ii. ver. 747. Πρωτον τοινυν αποδυσωμεν, ανάγκη γαρ τους μέλλοντας ὁπλίζεσθαι, γυμνούσθαι προτερον. Lucian. tom. ii. p. 256. edit. Gravi.

Do this, and he doeth it. The application of his argument, addressed to Christ, seems to be this:-If I, who am a person subject to the controul of others, yet have some so completely subject to myself, that I can say to one, Come, and he cometh, &c., how much more then canst thou accomplish whatsoever thou willest, being under no controul, and having all things under thy command.1

There are two striking passages in Arrian's Discourses of Epictetus, which greatly illustrate this speech of the centurion-Speaking of the Saturnalia, he says "We agreed to play Agamemnon and Achilles. He who is appointed for Agamemnon says to me-Go to Achilles, and force away Briseis.'-I GO. COME.'-I come." Again, discoursing on all things being under the divine inspection, he says:→ "When God commands the plants to blossom, they bear blossoms. When he commands them to bear seed, they bear seed. When he commands them to bring forth fruit, they put forth their fruit, When he commands them to ripen, they grow ripe. When he commands them to fade and shed their leaves, and to remain inactive, and involved (or contracted) within themselves, they thus remain and are inactive.3

Nor is the military subordination adverted to by the centurion without its (almost verbal) parallel in modern times in the East:Kirtee-Ranah, a captive Ghoorkha chief, who was marching to the British head-quarters,-on being interrogated concerning the motives that induced him to quit his native land and enter into the service of the Rajah of Nepal,-replied in the following very impressive manner:-"My master, the rajah, sent me: He says to his people,-to one, Go you to Gurwhal;' to another, 'Go you to Cashmire, or to any distant part. My Lord, thy slave OBEYS; it is DONE.'-None ever inquires into the reason of an order of the rajah."4

In his Epistle to Timothy, who appears to have been greatly dejected and dispirited by the opposition he met with, St. Paul animates him to fortitude, and among other directions encourages him to ENDURE HARDSHIP as a good soldier of Jesus Christ (2 Tim. ii. 3.)and what hardship a Roman soldier supported, the following passage in Josephus will abundantly evince. It is the most striking commentary upon this text that was ever written. "When they march out of their encampment, they advance in silence and in great decorum, each man keeping his proper rank just as in battle. Their infantry are armed with breast-plates and helmets, and they carry a sword on each side. The sword they wear on their left side is by far the longest, for that on the right is not above a span's length. That select body of 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 basket,

1 Dr. A. Clarke on Matt. viii. 9.

2 Arrian's Epictetus, book i. c. 25. § 1. (Mrs. Carter's translation, vol. i. p. 113.) 3 Ibid. book i. c. 14. Raphelii Annotationes in Sacram Scripturam, ex Herodoto, &c. vol. i. pp. 242, 243.

4 Fraser's Notes on the Hills at the foot of the Himala Mountains, p. 226. Løndon, 1820. 4to.

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.”

According to a military custom, established in an early period of the commonwealth, every Roman soldier chose his favourite comrade; and by that tie of friendship all were mutually bound to share every danger with their fellows. Saint Paul, alluding to this practice, terms Epaphroditus his companion in labour and fellow-soldier. (Phil. ii. 25.) Further, it is well known that the Roman soldiers were not allowed to marry; by this prohibition the Roman providence, as much as possible, studying to keep their military disembarrassed from the cares and distractions of secular life. To this law the apostle refers: no one that warreth, ENTANGLETH HIMSELF WITH THE AFFAIRS OF THIS LIFE; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.3 (2 Tim. ii. 4.)

The names of those who died or were cashiered for misconduct were expunged from the muster-roll. To this custom, probably, the following text alludes; in this view the similitude is very striking, I will not BLOT OUT his NAME out of the BOOK of life. (Rev. iii. 5.4)

The triumphant advancement of the Christian religion through the world St. Paul compares to the irresistible progress of a victorious army, before which every fortified place, and all opposition, how formidable soever, yielded and fell. (2 Cor. x. 4.) For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; casting down imaginations, and every thing that

1 Josephus, De Bell. Jud. lib. iii. c. 5. § 5. The following particulars, collected from Roman authors, will confirm and illustrate the statements of Josephus: "The load which a Roman soldier carried, is almost incredible (Virg. Georg. iii. 346. Horat. Sat. ii. 10.); victuals (cibaria) for fifteen days (Cic. Tusc. ii. 15, 16.), sometimes more (Lev. Epit. 57.), usually corn, as being lighter, sometimes drest food (coctus cibus, Liv. iii. 27.), utensils (utensilia, ib. 42.), a saw, a basket, a mattock, an axe, a hook, and leathern thong, a chain, a pot, &c. (Liv. xxviii. 45. Horat. Epod. ix. 13.), stakes, usually three or four, sometimes twelve (Liv.iii. 27.); the whole amounting to sixty pounds weight, besides arms: for a Roman soldier considered these not as a burden but as a part of himself (arma membra milites ducebant. Cic. Tusc. ii. 16.)"-Adam's Roman Antiquities, p. 377.

2 Livy, lib. ix. c. 39. Tacitus, Hist. lib. i. c. 18.-Murphy's note, in his translation of Ťacitus, vol. v. p. 356. 8vo. edit.

3 Τοις δε στρατευομένοις, επειδη γυναικας ουκ εδύναντο εκ γε των νόμων έχειν. Dion Cassius, lib. lx. p. 961. Reimar. Tacitus speaking of some Roman veterans says: Neque conjugiis suscipiendis neque alendis liberis sueti. Taciti Annales, tom. ii. lib. xiv. cap. xxvii. p. 210. Dublin.

4 It is however possible that this allusion may be drawn from civil life, in which case the meaning of the above-cited passage will be this:-As in states and cities, those who obtained freedom and fellowship were enrolled in the public registers, which enrolment was their title to the privileges of citizens; so the King of Hea ven, of the New Jerusalem, engages to preserve in his register and enrolment, in the book of life, the names of those, who, like the faithful members of the church of Sardis, in a corrupted and supine society, shall preserve allegiance, and a faithful discharge of their Christian duties. He will own them as his fellow citizens, before men and angels. Compare Matt. xx. 32. Luke xii. 8. See also Psal. Ixix. 28. Ezek. xiii. 9. Exod. xxxiii. 33. Dan. xii. 1. Mal. iii. 16. Luke x. 20. Dr. Woodhouse on the Apocalypse, p. 84.

5 Δυνατα τω Θεω, exceeding powerful.

ing beautiful. Acts viii. 20.

Moses is called αστειος τω θεω, exceed

exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them.

By a very striking metaphor, taken from the pay of a soldier, he represents the wages with which SIN rewards those who fight under her banners, to be certain and inevitable death. The WAGES of SIN

IS DEATH.

Our Lord in that wonderful prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem accurately represents the Roman manner of besieging and taking towns, which was by investing the place, digging a deep trench round it, and encompassing it with a strong wall, to prevent escape, and consume the inhabitants by famine. The days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a TRENCH about thee, and COMPASS thee ROUND, and keep thee in on every side: and shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee, and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knowest not the time of thy visitation. (Luke xx. 42, 43.)

In expatiating upon the difficulties and distresses with which the first preachers of the Gospel conflicted, the apostle Paul in a strong figure compares their situation to that of an army pent up in a narrow place-annoyed on every side-but not totally precluded from an escape their condition to the last degree perplexed and wretched, yet not altogether desperate and forlorn. (2 Cor. iv. 8.) We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed: we are perplexed, but not in despair.

Once more, as among the other military honours and recompences, rich and splendid crowns, frequently of gold, were publicly bestowed upon the illustrious conqueror, and upon every man, who acting worthy the Roman name, had distinguished himself by his valour and his virtue-in allusion to this custom how beautiful and striking are those many passages of sacred Scripture, which represent Jesus Christ, before angels and the whole assembled world, acknowledging and applauding distinguished piety, and publicly conferring crowns of immortal glory upon persevering and victorious holiness. Be thou faithful unto death: I will give thee a CROWN of life. (Rev. ii. 10.) Blessed is the man that endureth temptation; for when he is tried, he shall receive the CROWN of life (James i. 12.), which the Lord hath

1 See the conquest of the Gospel and its triumph over idolatry in a very striking manner represented by Eusebius, lib. x. p. 468. Cantab.

2 Rom. vi. 23. Οψώνια, the pay of a soldier. Οψωνιον τη στρατεία, κατενεγ KAUTEC apyvolov: Bringing money to pay the army. Dion. Halicarn. tom. i. p. 563. Οxon. Λαβων οψωνια τε και τ' αλλα οσων εδει τη στρατια. p. 587.

3 Εν παντι θλιβομενοι αλλ' ου στενοχωρούμενοι.

4 Στέφανους επί ταις νίκαις συχνους χρυσους έλαβε : He received several crowns of gold on account of his victories. Dion. Cassius, lib. xlii. p. 334. edit. Reimar. Vid. etiam notas Fabricii ad loc. Τοις δε δη ναυκρατησασι και στεφανον ελαιάς EKE; To those who had conquered in the naval engagement he gave crowns of olive. Lib. xlix. p. 597. See also pp. 537. 580. So Josephus says that Titus gave crowns of gold to those who had distinguished themselves in the siege of Jerusalem; σrepavovs ERETIDEL XOVσOVÇ. Bel. Jud. lib. vii. p. 404. See also p. 412. Ha

vercamp.