and SAVIOUR, JESUS CHRIST, and his APOSTLES, &c. 329 to the gofpel, he Pent Timothy to comfort them, and put them in mind of what they had at firfi heard, namely, that perfecution would be the confiant attendant on their profeffion. St. Paul left Athens on Timothy's de- parture, and travelled to Corinth, a very populous place, and famous for it's trade. Here he found Aquila, and Prifcilla his wife, lately come fromItaly, after having beenba- nifhed from Rome by a decree of Claudius ; and they being of the fame trade he him- felf had learned in his youth, he wrought with them, that he might not be burdenfome to the new converts in that city. The apofile after fome flay in Corinth, was joined by Silas and Timothy, and difputed frequently in the fynagogue, rea- foning and proving that Jesus was the true Mel-flab. This exafperated the Jews to the greateft degree, and what they could not conquer by argument and force of rea- fon, they endeavoured to carry by noife and clamour, blended with blafphemies and revilings ; the lafi refuge of an impo- tent and baffled cattle. But St. Paul, to teífifyhis refentment, (hook his garment, and told them, that fince they were deter- minedto pull down the vengeance ofheaven upon their own heads, he was abfolutely guiltlefs and innocent, and would hence- forth addrefs himfelf to the Gentiles: ac- cordingly he left them, and repaired to the houleofJyfius, a religious profelyte, where, byhis preaching and miracles, he converted great numbers to the faith; amongft which were Crifpus the chief ruler of the fyna- gogue, Gaius, and Stephanus, who with their families were baptized, and admitted members of the church of Chrifl. Inafmuch as the confiant returns of ma- lice and ingratitude are fufficient to tire the largeft charity, and cool the molt generous refolution ; our dear Redeemer, therefore, that the apofile might not be difcouraged by the refilefs attempts and machinations ofhis enemies, appeared to him in a vifion, and told him, that notwithfiandingthe bad fuccefs he had hitherto met with, therewas No. 28. a large harvell to be gathered in that place; that he Ihouldnot be afraid ofhi, enemies, but preach the gofpel boldly and faithfully, for that he himfelf would proteft and pre- ferve him from' every. danger. St. Paul feems about this time to have written his firft Epifile to the Theffalonians, Silas and Timothy being lately returned from thence, and delivered the meffage for which he had fent them thither. The principal defign of this Epifile is, to con- firm them in the belief of the Chrifian religion, and excite them to perfevere in it, notwithfianding all the malice of their enemies, and the perfecutions they muff expeff to fuffer and to infiruf them in the duties of their high vocation. During they: tranfa&ions, the malicious Jews were plotting his defiruEtion: but being for fome time difappointed, their malice changed into fury, and theyhurried the apofile before the tribunal of Gallio, elder brother to the famous Seneca, and proconful of the province, acçufing him of being an innovator in religion, and of en- deavouring to introduce a method of wor- 'hipping God contrary to the law. Paul was ready to have made his defence ; but Gallio prevented him by telling his accufers, that if he had been guilty of any injuffice he would have heard their complaint and redreffed their grievance ; but as it was nothing but a controverfy about words and names, he would have nothing todo with it. But. the Jews continuing their clamour, he commanded his officers to drive them from the tribunal ; which was accordingly done, and fome of the townfinen feized upon Sofihenes one of the rulers of the fynagogue, and beat him before the judg- ment-feat, the proconful giving himfelf no concern about it. Thus were the defigns of the apoftle's enemies rendered abortive ; and -Paul continued, without any further oppofition, to preach the doétrine of the gofpel during a year and a half, when he left the church at Corinth, to vifit others he had planted in different parts of the eaft. While the apofile continued at Corinth, 4 L he
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