ceffion of the new emperor Nero: and having thus fpoken, he difmiffed the affembly. By this means, delivered from the danger which threatened him, St. Paul called together the Disciples, and took his leave of them in an affectionate manner; and, as Timothy had returned, left him to fuperintend the Church there; while he, according to his former purpose, departed, and went into Macedonia. When he had vifited the Churches at Philippi, Theffalonica, Berea, &c. exhorting and comforting them*, he went into Greece, or that eminent part thereof, called Achaia, of which Corinth was the capital, and there continued three months. It is thought, during this time, that he wrote his celebrated Epiftle to the Romans; for it plainly appears, that was written before his imprisonment at Rome, for in this he speaks of a collection made by the Churches of Macedonia and Achaia, with which he was haftening to Jerufalem, which fixes it to that time. And alfo that he wrote his first Epistle to Timothy, whom fome of the Ephefians would not obey, while others attempted to force themfelves upon him as bishops and minifters; so that the fo Epiftle is St. Paul's commiffion, to the Ephefians as well as to Timothy†. Having on a former occafion failed from Cenchrea into Syria, the Apostle intended to have done the fame; but hearing that the Jews laid in wait, either to rob him of the monies, which at his request had been collected in the Macedonian and Grecian Churches, for the relief of the poor faints in Judea, or to kill him, he changed his courfe, purpofing to return through Macedonia the way he had come. Sopater or Sofipater of Berea, Ariftarchus and Secundus, of. Theffalonica; Gaius, of Derbe, and Timothy, who The original word napaxaλsoas fignifies both exhortation and confolation. Acts xx. 2. This tour would of courfe take up feveral months, during which he met with Titus, who brought him a pleafing account of the Chriftians at Corinth; 2 Cor. vii. 5-7. whofe liberality in affifting the contribution he was then raifing for the poor Believers in Judea, he mentioned to excite the Macedonians to imitate them. 2 Cor. ix. 2. viii. 1-14. The Second Epiftle to the Corinthians was therefore written from Macedonia at that time, and was fent by Titus, who returned to get the collection in ftill greater forwardness. + See 1 Tim i. 3, 18; iv. 6, 12, 13; V. 21, 22. had left Ephefus; and Tychicus and Trophimus, of Afia*, went before, and tarried of St. Paul, and Luke the facred Hiftorian, at Troas; who, after the feast of the Paffover at Jerufalem was ended, failed from Philippi, and in five days joined them; where they continued a week. The day before they departed being the Chriftian Sabbath, when the Difciples affembled for public worfhip, particularly for the celebration of the Lord's Supper, the Apostle preached to them, and continued his fermon until midnight. Probably to obviate an objection of the Pagans, who malicioufly propagated that the Chriftians held meetings in the night for the purpose of committing acts of wickednefs, the facred Hiftorian obferves concerning the upper chamber wherein they affembled, that there were many lights therein. During this long difcourfe, a young man called Eutychus, who fat in a window, doubtlefs kept open, to prevent heat, both from the lamps, and the number of people, being overpowered with fleep, fell from the third loft, and was taken up dead; whom the Apostle, by ftretching himself upon the body, in imitation of the prophets Elijah and Elifha, miraculoufly restored to life. After taking fome refreshment, and converfing with the Difciples, even till break of day, he departed. He defired his companions to go by fea to Affos, a fea-port town of Myfia, on the Afiatic coaft, called alfo Apollonia; while he himself chofe to go by land, and alone. He had his own reasons for this; probably that he might inftruct some in the principles of Chriftianity on the way, or enjoy more free and full communion with God. Solitude is neceffary, and peculiarly acceptable to a pious Minifter of the Gofpel, that he may more accurately inquire into the will of God, receive the truth as from his lips, enter more fully into the divine life, and implore fuccefs on his minifterial labours. And the moft holy Chriftian The feveral perfons here mentioned fome think were joined with St. Paul, as meffengers of the Churches, in carrying their contributions to the poor Brethren at Jerufalem. Compare 1 Cor. xvi. 8, 4; and 2 Cor. viii. 19-23. pre cannot always be easy in the best company, he must fometimes be alone, to engage in fuch devotional exercifes, which it would not be proper to do in the fence of his most intimate friends. When thou prayeft, enter into thy clofet, and when thou haft fhut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in fecret, and thy Father which feeth in fecret, fhall reward thee openly. Not that I would confine the pure enjoyments of religion to places of retirement, nor fay that he who fecludes himself from the public walks of life is a pious man: Truth is not local, God alike pervades Cowper. When our path is illumined from above, the wildernefs becomes pleasant as the land of promife; or in the moft numerous affemblies, or greateft cities, we are recollected, and find a hermitage everywhere. On his arrival at Affos, he went on board the ship in which his companions were, and failed thence to Mitylene*, a confiderable fea-port in the island of Lefbos, which is one of the largest in the Archipelago. They failed thence, and the next day got oppofite Chiost, a noted ifland between Lefbos and Samos; the day after, arrived at Samos, a famous ifland of Ionia, about five miles from the Afiatic continent, and tarried a while at Trogyllium, a promontory not *From this city, the whole ifland is now called Metelin, which lies about feven miles from the main land of Troas, and near the mouth of the Hellefpont. on which account it is thought worthy of a fortrefs, and the defence of the Ottoman fword. It is memorable for Sappho, the inventrefs of Sapphic verses; Alcæus, a famous lyric poet; Pittacus, one of the feven wife men of Greece; Theophraftus, a noble physician and philofopher; and Arion, a celebrated musician. + Chios or Scio lies parallel with Smyrna, and is reckoned not more than four leagues from the Afiatic continent. It is about 50 miles in length, and 25 in breadth, mountainous and of a poor foil, and called by the Turks, Saki Adaff, i. e. Maftic-ifland, with which article it fupplies the royal feraglio. This gum, which is chewed by the Turkish ladies, in order to preferve their teeth clean, and their breath fweet, is collected by the Chriftian inhabitants of the ifland: who, as as a remuneration for it, are exempted from half the poll-tax. Sir Paul Rycaut fays, that in no place of the Turkish dominions do the Chrif tians enjoy more freedom in their religion and eftates; to which they are entitled by the articles of capitulation made with Sultan Mahomet II. fo that a Turk cannot abuse a Chriftian without severe correction. far from Samos*; and the day following landed at Miletus†, a fea-port on the continent of Ionia, near Ephefus. While here, St. Paul fent for the Elders of the Ephefian Church, to whom he addreffed a dif course, which began in fofteft words of infinuating eloquence, continued in expreffions of moft paffionate affection, and concluded with a folemn valediction and moving prayer, which affected all the tender paffions of nature. There are three things chiefly obfervable therein,---his vindication of himfelf---his exhortation to those minifters--his recommendation of all his hearers to God and the word of his grace. And, not only a part, but, they all wept fore, and fell on Paul's neck, and kiffed him. Sorrowing most of all for fome words he had spoken, intimating that they should fee his face no more. The final lofs of a faithful minifter, is the occafion of great forrow to a pious people. Accompanying him to the fhip, he had to force himself away from them; after which, loofing from Miletus, he and his company failed with a straight courfe to Coost, a large ifland in the mouth of the Archipelago, 70 miles in circumference, and 20 from the Afiatic fhore. On the fucceeding day they landed at Rhodes§, an island in the Mediterranean, famous * Samos was once powerful, rich, and populous; but it is fo reduced by the Turks, that a few pirates dare land and plunder it as they pleafe. In this ifland was Pythagoras born, one of the fathers of philofophy, which he carried into Greece, and thence into Italy. + Miletus is memorable for being the birth-place of Thales, one of the feven wife men of Greece, and founder of the Ionic fect of philofophy; as alfo for the birth of Anaximander his fcholar, Timotheus the musician, and Anaximenes the philofopher. At prefent this place is called by the Turks Melas; not far from which is the famous river Mæander, which, though it encircles the plains through which it runs, with innumerable mazes and windings, yet in some places rolls with a very rapid and impetuous current. Coos, or Cos, now commonly called Lango, was one of the islands of of the Cyclades, famous for the worship of Efculapius, and the Temple of June. There alfo Hippocrates, the prince of phyficians, and Apelles, the celebrated painter, were born; the former of whom flourished at the time of the Peloponnefian war; and the latter in the time of Alexander the Great. Rhodes was reckoned formerly one of the principal univerfities of the Roman empire; along with Marseilles, Tarfus, Athens, and Alexandria. It was celebrated among the ancients for the clearness of its atmosphere; fome of them fay, that there is not a day in the whole year, wherein the Sun for the brazen Coloffus, erected by Demetrius, king of Afia. in honour of the Sun, which the Islanders worshipped. Sailing thence, they touched next at Patara, a port and the chief city of Lycia, 80 miles eaft; beautified with many temples, of which one was dedicated to Apollo, whofe oracle therein, for credit and wealth, was not much inferior to that of Delphi. Finding a fhip bound for Phoenicia, they went on board, and, leaving Cyprus on the left, failed for Syria, and arrived at Tyre*, where she was to unlade. Though our Saviour was feveral times near this city, yet he never entered, to make Difciples; but afterwards his Gofpel was carried thither, and proved fuccefsful. St. Paul, and his companions, tarried there feven days; finding fome Difciples, who, through the spirit of prophecy, foreseeing the danger to which he would be expofed at Jerufalem, attempted to diffuade him from going to that city. But neither their predictions, nor intreaties prevailing, they, with their wives and children, accompanied their kind vifitants to the fhore, who, before they feparated, kneeled down and prayed. Thence they failed to Ptolemais †, 28 miles fouth; fituated on one of the finest bays on that coaft, in the does not fhine there. Hence there was erected, across the mouth of the har bour, and confecrated to the Sun, a vaft ftatue of brafs, called Coloffus, 70 cubits high, fo that the fhips failed between its legs; it was confidered as one of the feven wonders of the world. Some tell us, the artificers were 12 years in making it; 66 years after its erection it was thrown down by a terrible earthquake, and lay feveral hundred years. Afterwards, on the city being taken, the Saracens carried it into Egypt, loading 900 camels therewith. Tyre was an ancient city and port, and famous for its trade and colonies, and the greatest mart of the Eaft. After a fiege of 13 years, it was deftroyed by Nebuchadnezzar. Another built near it, flourished much in the time of the Perfian monarchy; but Alexander the Great, about 300 years before Chrift, though almoft infurmountable difficulties lay in h's way, in the space of feven months, took and facked it. Eight thousand men were flain in the fackage, thirty thousand fold for flaves, two thoufand crucified, and, according to the prophetic declaration, the city was devoured with fire. For a farther account of this remarkable event, fee Ifa. xxiii. Ezek. xxvi. Zach. ix. 1-8. Rollin's Ancient Hiftory, vol. 6. fec. 7. and Prideaux's Con. P. 1. b. 7; with Brown's Harmony, chap. 2. It was afterwards repaired, and, when St. Paul was there, rather ftately: but now it lies in ruins, being a mean town, fubject to the Turks, and by them called El porta del Zur, the haven of Zur. + Polemais is an ancient city, which, on a divifion of the land, fell by lot to the tribe of Afher; its name was Accho, Judg. i. 31. It was the scene of many celebrated actions in the holy war. The Turks, who are now mafters of Wehder ! |