les, born at Alexandria. Who received from Aquila and Priscilla farther inftructions concerning the Chriftian Religion, beyond what he knew before, and then went away to Corinth. ver. 24.... 28.

Ch. xix. 1. And it came to pass, that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having paffed through the upper coafts, meaning the countreys of Galatia and Phrygia, before mentioned, came to Ephefus: that is, as I apprehend, before the end of the year 53. poffibly, in October, or November.

I hope, I have allowed time enough for all the journeys hitherto mentioned and that I have not brought Paul to Ephefus too foon.

Ver. 8... 10. Says St. Luke: And he went into the fynagogue, and fpake boldly for the space of three months, difputing, and perfuading the things concerning the kingdom of God. But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but fpake evil of that way before the multitude, he departed from them, and feparated the difciples, difputing daily in the fchool of one Tyrannus. And this continued by the space of two years. So that all they which dwelt in Afia, ftrictly (b) fo called, the countrey, of which Ephesus was the metropolis, beard the word of the Lord Jefus, both Jews and Greeks. St. Paul, afterwards, Acts xx. 31. in his difcourfe to the Elders of Ephefus, at Miletus, fays, he had been with them the space of three years. Which may be a round number. Three months, at least, he had difputed in the Jewish fynagogue, and two years in the fchool of Tyrannus, and, poffibly, fomewhat more, making, in the whole, a good deal above two, which St. Paul might call three years.

I think, that Paul might come to Ephefus, before the end of the year 53. in October, or November, as before faid. There he continued the remainder of that year, and the whole of the years 54. and 55. till the year 56. about Pentecoft. However, let us obferve the hiftorie.

From ver. 11. to 41. the end of the forecited xix, chapter of the Acts is St. Luke's account of the fpecial miracles wrought by Paul at Ephefus, and divers remarkable events, and then of a tumult raised by Demetrius, a filversmith, and other work-men, of like occupation.

Then Acts xx. I.... 6. And after the uproar had ceafed, Paul called unto him the difciples, and embraced them, and departed for to go into Macedonia. And when he had gone over those parts, and had given them much exhortation, he came into Greece. And there abode three months. And when the Jews laid wait for him, as he was about to fail into Syria, be purpofed to return through Macedonia. And there accompanied him into Afia Sopater of Beroea, and of the Theffalonians Ariftarchus and Secundus, and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothie, and of Afia, Tychicus and Trophimus. Thefe going before tarried for us at Troas. And we failed away from Philippi, after

(b) Atque hinc diverfe notiones vocis Afia oriuntur, ut latiffima tertiam orbis terrarum Continentem fonet, Europe ab ortu opofitam: latior mag. nam peninsulam inter Ponticum et Mediterraneum mare; lata Afiam cis Taurum, vel intra eum montem. Deinde frice eft provinciæ proconfularis: Aritius media pars illius provinciæ, circa Ephefum et Lydiam propriam : fridiffime, Homerica notione, parvus tractus ad Cayftrum fluvium. Sacris fcriptoribus fignificatio illa placuit, quam frictiorem modo diximus, uti ex iis, quæ varie adhuc dicta funt, elucet. Cellar. Diff. de sept, eccles. Afia. §. ix.

after the days of unleavened bread, and came unto them to Troas, in five days' where we abode feven days.

There is not, perhaps, any part of St. Paul's travels attended with more difficulties, than this period, of his leaving Ephefus, and fetting out upon his voyage to Jerufalem, with the collections made in the churches of Greece and Macedonia, and fome other places. St. Luke is very diftinct and particular in the account of the journey from Troas to Jerufalem. But from Ephefus to Troas he has mentioned but one city only, which is Philippi. Otherwife, as we have seen in the paffage just tranfcribed, he speaks only of the countreys of Macedonia, and Greece. We will therefore endeavor to fettle the time, when Paul left Ephefus, and then confider, how long he might be in Macedonia, or other places, before he went to Troas.

After having related Paul's preaching at Ephefus for a good while, and the fucceffe of it, St. Luke fays in the forecited xix, 21. 22. 23. After thefe things were ended, Paul purpofed in the fpirit, when he had paffed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerufalem, faying: After I have been there, I muft fee Rome. So he fent into Macedonia two of them that miniftered to him, Timothie and Eraftus. But he himself ftaid in Afia for a Seafon. At the fame time there arofe no fmall fir about that Small fir about that way: meaning the tumult caused by Demetrius, as before mentioned.

"

Lightfoot has a happy thought upon this place. "Paul's thoughts, "fays (i) he, of going to Rome argue the death of Claudius, who had "banifhed all the Jews from thence. Acts xviii. 2. and that by the coming in of Nero, a new Emperour, that decree was extinct, and "freedom of acceffe to Rome opened to them again. For it can be little conceived, that Paul fhould think of going thither, when he could neither find any of his nation there, nor himself come thither without "certain hazard of his life: as the cafe would have been, if Claudius and "his decree were yet alive. It is therefore agreeable to all reafon, that "the death of Claudius, and the fucceffion of Nero were now divulged. "And Paul thereupon knowing, that it was now lawful again for a Jew "to go to Rome, intendeth to take a farewell journey and visit to Macedonia, Achaia, and Jerufalem, and then to go and preach there." Claudius died Oct. 13. in the year 54. It might be the begining of 55- before the tidings of the death of Claudius and the acceffion of Nero reached Ephefus. Upon which, or foon after, the thought of going to Rome entered Paul's mind. But he intended first to go to Macedonia, and Greece, and Jerufalem.

So, fays St. Luke, he fent into Macedonia two of them that ministered unto him, Timothie and Eraftus. But he himself ftaid in Afia for a feafm.

By which we are led to think, that those meffengers were sent into Macedonia in the year 55. After they were gone, came to Paul at Ephefus, from Corinth, Stephanus, Fortunatus, and Achaicus. 1 Cor. xvi. 17. By them he fends his firft epiftle to the Corinthians, writ, as I fuppofe, in the begining of the year 56. And it appears from 1 Cor. xvi. 10. 11. that Timothie, who, as before seen, had been fent into Macedonia, was

(i) Harmonic of the N. T. Vol. i. p. 299.

alfo

allo to go to Corinth. For there the Apoftle fays: Now if Timothie come, fee that he may be with you without fear. For he worketh the be do. Let no man therefore defpife bim: but conwork of the Lord, as I also duct him forth in peace, that he may come unto me. For I look for him with the brethren. Paul therefore was in expectation of Timothie's coming to him at Ephefus. Which I fuppofe he did, before Paul removed thence. Paul fays, 1 Cor. xvi. 8. 9. But I will tarry at Ephefus, untill Pentecoft. For a great door and effectual is opened unto me. And there are many adverfaries. The Pentecoft, there mentioned, I fuppofe to be that of the year 56.

Some time therefore in the year 56. before Pentecost, or about that feafon, Paul left Ephefus to go into Macedonia. So fays St. Luke in his account of Paul's removal from Ephefus. He first mentions Macedonia, and then Greece. Acts xx. 1. 2. And from what Paul fays 2 Cor. ii. 12. it is argued, that (k) he did not fail away directly from Ephesus to Macedonia: but travelled by land to Troas, and then went over to Macedonia by fea. If fo, he went now into Macedonia, by the fame way that he had done, when he was firft there. Acts xvi. 11. 12.

But how long was Paul now in Macedonia and Achaia? or what space of time was there between his leaving Ephefus, and Troas, and his return to Troas, in his way to Jerufalem? If it was a year only, or fomewhat lefs, the Paflover mentioned Acts xx. 6. and the Pentecost mentioned ver. 16. were in the year 57. But if Paul's journey from Epbefus, round about by Troas, Macedonia, and Achaia, and Macedonia again, to Troas, in the way to Jerufalem, took up two years, or thereabout, then the Pentecoft mentioned Acts xx. 16. was in the year of Christ 58. And, if I mistake not, there are feveral confiderations, leading us to think, that thefe journeyings took up more, than the fpace of a year.

It need not to be doubted, that Timothie returned from Corinth to Paul, before the Apostle removed from Ephefus. And that Paul left him there, will be manifeft from that, which is called the firft epiftle to Timothie. As I befought thee to abide fill at Ephefus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mighteft charge fome, that they teach no other doctrine. 1 Tim. i. 3. Paul therefore left Timothie at Ephefus, for weighty reafons and fome time after his coming into Macedonia, wrote him a letter, for his direction and affiftance in the arduous work, lying before him. But Timothie was with Paul, at writing the fecond epiftle to the Corinthians. For it begins thus: Paul an Apostle of Jefus Chrift... and Timothie our brother unto the church of God, which is at Corinth, with ell the faints in all Achaia. That letter was fent from Macedonia, a little before Paul went to Corinth. But fome good while must have paffed be

tween

(k) Sed quid interea Paulus, poftquam Ephefo profectus eft, ut iret in Macedoniam? Per Minorem Afiam iter faciens, venit Troadem nobiliffimam civitatem, quæ adjacet Hellefponto: ubi quærens Titum, cum non inveniffet, tranfmiflo freto abiit in Macedoniam. 2 Cor. ii. Baron. ann. num. clxxxv.

57.

Paul ne s'embarqua pas à Ephefe, mais il vint à Troade dans le deffein d'y prefcher l'evangile. Tillem, S. Paul, art. 31.

tween Paul's leaving Timothie at Ephefus, and writing to him, and this fecond epistle to the Corinthians. Paul, it is very probable, did not fend for Timothie to come to him from Ephefus prefently after he had left him there. I might add, that there must have been fome emergent occafions, that induced Paul to call Timothie to him from Ephefus, where his prefence was of great importance. What thofe occafions were, Luke has not at all hinted. But they may be fuppofed. However, I do not now ftay, to hint what they were.

Paul in his fecond epistle to the Corinthians, ch. i. and xiii. 1. apologizeth for his deferring fo long to come to them. But there could have been no occafion for fuch apologies, if he had come to them in the fame year that he wrote his first epiftle.

Paul fays 1 Cor. xvi. 5. 6. Now I will come unto you, when I fball pass through Macedonia.... And it may be, that I will abide, yea, and winter with you. But Paul did not abide, and winter with them, according to this propofal, as here intimated. If he had, there could have been no ground for fuch apologies, as are in the fecond epiftle. Nevertheless the Apostle did fpend three months with them, not very long before a passover. Which must have been partly in fome winter. As they could not be in the year 56. when the first epistle to them was writ, they muft have been in the year after, that is about the end of the year 57. and the begining of the year 58. See again Acts xx. I. . . . 6. St. Paul fays 2 Cor. ix. 2. For I know the forwardness of your mind. For which I boaft of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago. And your zeal has provoked very many. Which plainly fhews, that it was now above a year, fince writing the firft epiftle to the Corinthians, which was fent from Ephefus. For there he fays ch. xii. 1. 2. concerning the collection for the faints, as I have given directions to the churches of Galatia, fo do ye. Upon the first day of the week, let every one of you lay by him in fore, as God has profpered him: that there be no gatherings, when Icome. 'Thefe directions were then fent to the Corinthians. They therefore were not readie then. They could not be readie, till fome while after. And yet at the time of writing the fecond epistle to them, from Macedonia, they had been readie above a year.

Now

This fhews, that Paul was above a year in Macedonia, or near it. Moreover after fending away this fecond letter, Paul went to Corinth, and ftaid there three months. And afterwards went thence through Macedonia to Treas.

Confequently there was the fpace of two years, or almost two years, between Paul's leaving Ephefus, and coming to Troas, in his way to Jerufalem.

As Paul did not winter at Corinth in the year 56. we are led to think of Nicopolis, mentioned Titus iii. 12.

Before I proceed, I must take fome farther notice of the words of 2 Cor. i. 15. 16. And in this confidence I was minded to come unto you before, or first, that you might have a fecond benefit and to pass by you into Macedonia, and to come again out, of Macedonia to you, and of you to be brought on my way toward Judea. Hence it may be concluded, that in the begining of the year 56. before Paul left Ephefus, he once had hopes of getting to Judea, in the year following, that is, in the year 57. probably at Paff

over, or Pentecoft, and that he had been prevented. He then intended to go from Ephefus to Corinth, thence to Macedonia, and to return from Macedonia to Corinth, that by the Chriftians there he might be brought on way to Judea. But by fome means he had been carried into a different courfe. He had not yet been in Judea. Nor was he yet come to Corinth, though he had been in Macedonia. And, probably, he did not get into Judea before the Pentecoft in 58. Thefe words therefore must induce us to think, that there was a longer space of time between Paul's leaving Ephefus, and coming to Corinth, and Jerufalem, than has been generally fuppofed of late.

Baronius fays, that (7) during this period Paul was in Crete, as well as in Macedonia, and Achaia, as does (m) Lightfoot: who alfo fuppofeth (n) Paul to have been now in Illyricum.

Dr. Genfon (0) thinks, that Paul might fay, as he does Rom. xv. 19. that he had preached the gospel from Jerufalem round about unto Illyriсит, upon account of his being, and that more than once, in Mace"donia, which bordered upon Illyricum, the Scardican mountains, and the "river Drilo, being the boundaries between them." And after the like manner Witfus, who thinks, that (p) Paul did not intend to fay, that he had preached in Illyricum. For he only makes it the boundarie of his labours. However, he fays, that Appollonia was a city of Illyricum.

Wall upon Acts xx. 2. (q) fays, "St. Paul did many great things in that nine months time. [So he computes.] It must have been during that fpace, I think, that he made an excursion into Illyricum, and preached the gofpel there."

Mr. Bifcoe delivers his thoughts in this manner: "In (r) the fame epiftle he fays: From Jerufalem round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Chrif. Which is a general confirmation of the "whole hiftorie of his travels in the book of the Acts. For in that hif"torie he is faid to have gone through Syria, Cilicia, and most, if not all "the countries in Peninfular Afia, to have gone over into Europe, and to "pafs

(n) Ibid. p. 307.

(0) Upon the Acts, Vol. 2. p. 174. firft ed. p. 194. the fecond ed.

(P) Deinde iter fecerunt per Amphipolim urbem Philippis vicinam, et Apolloniam quæ eft Corinthiorum et Corcyræorum colonia, civitas Illyriæ. Sic enim Stephanus.Verum id noftræ nunc potiffimum confiderationis eft, quod Apollonia urbs Illyrica fit. Pertinet hoc ad illuftrationem illius quod Paulus Romanis fcripfit, xv. 19.Multorum ifte locus ingenia fatigavit, non invenientium, quo tempore Paulus evangelium, in Illyrico, quod fupponunt, prædicavit. Sed quid laboramus incaffum? Primo enim Illy. ricum non comprehendit Paulus fuis itineribus, quafi id quoque evangelium prædicando peragraverit: fed Illyricum ftatuit itinerum fuorum terminum. Venit enim ad limites Illyrici, quando venit Apolloniam. Optime Grotius ad Rom. xv. 19. Macedonia, quam peragravit Paulus, Dalmatiam attingit, quæ pars Illyrici, et ipfum mare Illyricum. In co tractu eft Apollonia, nominata A&t. xvii. 1. Wits, de Vit, Paul. fe&. w. num.xi.

(4) Wall's Notes upon the N. T. p. 205. (F) Upon the ARs. p. 424. 425.