346 The NEW and COMPLETE LIFE of our BLESSED LORD all the benefits flowing from him, as being the image ofhis Father, the Redeemer of all mankind, the reconciler of all things to God, and the headof the church, which gives life and vigour to all it's members : he commends the doarine preached to them by Epaphras, and exhorts them not tobe led away by the reafonings ofhuman philofophy, by the fuperflitious practices ofmaking differences of meats and drinks, or by a pretended humility in worfhipping angels ; and gives them an abflraa of many principal duties of the Chriftian life, efpecially fuch as refpea the relations be- tween hufbands and wives, parents and children, mailers and fervants, and other focial and relativeduties. We have no account in hiflory, by what means St. Paul was delivered from his imprifonment, and difcharged from the accufation the Jews brought againft him ; but it is natural to fuppofe, that not having fufficient proof of what they alleged,. or being informed that the crimes they ac- tufed him of, were no violations of the Roman law, they durll not implead him before the emperor, and fo permitted him to be difcharged of courfe : but by what- ever means he procured his liberty, he wrote his Epifile to the Hebrews before he left Italy, from whence he dates his falu Cations to the Jewifh churches. It is neceffary to obferve, that the princi- pal defign of this admirable Epifile is, to magnify CHRIST and the religion of the gofpel, above Mofes and the Jewifh ceco- nomy, in order to eftablifh and confirmthe converted Jews in the firm belief and pro- feffion of Chriflianity, notwithftanding the trouble and perfecutions that would cer- tainly attend them. He therefore repre- fents our. Saviour in his divine nature, as far fuperior to all angels, and all created beings ; and in his mediatorial capacity as a greater prieft than Aaron, and a greater king andprieft than Melchifedec: heThews that the ceremonies, the facrifiçes, and the obfervances of the law could have no vir- tue in themfelves, but only as they were 3 the types of JESUS CHRIST; and being now accomplifhed inhis perfon, were finally and totally abolifhed : he muffs on the ne- ceffìty offaith, and by the examples of the patriarchs and prophets, proves that jufli fication can be procured no other way, than by the merits of a dying Saviour: and, hilly, he mingles many excellent precepts for the regulation of their lives; exhortations to put truft and confidence in CHRIST, in all their fufferings; and ftrid cautions againft apoftacy from his religion in the hotteft perfecutions from their ene- mies. St. Paul, having thus difcharged his mi- niffry, both by preaching and writing in Italy, profecuted his long- intended journey into Spain, accompanied byTimothy; and, according to the teftimonyoffeveral writers, croffed the fea, and preached the gofpel in Britain. What fuccefs he had in thefe weflern parts, is not known ; he however continued there eight or nine months, and then returned again to the eaft, vifited Sicily, Greece, and Crete, and then re- paired into Judea. How long: he continued in his native country, is unknown, no further mention being made ofhim, till his return to Rome, which was probably about the eighth or ninth year of Nero's reign. Here he met with Peter, and was, together with him, thrown into prifon, doubtlefs in the gene- ral perfecution railed againft the Chriftians, under pretence that they had let fire to the city : but befides this general, there were particular reafons for his imprifonment. Some of the ancients fay, he was engaged with St. Peter in dete&ing the impofitions of Simon Magus. St. Chryfoflom tells us, that Nero was highly enraged againft St. Paul, for his having converted one of his favourite con- cubines; and the apoftle, after he was thrown into prifon, perfifling to perfuade that lady to continue inher chafle and pious refolutions, Nero commanded him to be put to death. How long he remained in prifon, is uncertain ; nor do we know whether
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