and SAVIOUR, JESUS CHRIST, and his APOSTLES, Cc. 409 as well as himfelf, were of the houfhold of faith. His charity, liberality, and com- paffion, were a fore refuge to all who were in diftrefs : he followed the example of that great Mailer in whom he believed; and was delighted, when exercifed in works of beneficence and mercy. His name is placed on the twenty-fecond of November in the martyrologies. ONESIMUS, a ECCLESIASTICAL hiflory relates, that Onefimus was a native of Phry- gia, and for many years a (lave to Phile- mon, but was at laft converted by St. Paul, in the following manner : Onefimus was a young man, whom his companions had drawn into wicked courfes ; he refufed to liften to the admonitions of his mailer: on the contrary, he robbed him, and fled to Rome about the year fixty-one, while St. Paul was there in prifon the firfl time. As Onefimus knew the apofle by reputa- tion, his 'mailer Philemon being a Chrif- tian, he made it his bufinefs to find him out; and being now lorry for the faults he had committed, confeffed every thing to St. Paul, and did him all the fervice that even Philemon himfelf could have done, had he been at Rome. St. Paul foon GENTILE CONVERT: brought him to a fenfe of his crimes, pre- vailed on him to receive the gofpel, in- flruaed him, converted him, baptized hint, and foon after fent- him back to his mailer Philemon, with a letter, which we have fill amongft St. Paul's epifles, and which is acknowledged as canonical by Chrifiart churches in general. The martyrologifts give him the title of apofle and fay that he ended his life by martyrdom. The Roman martyrology places his feftival upon the fixteenth of February ; and lays, that having fucceeded Timothy in the bilhopric of Ephefus, and having been charged with the preaching of the gofpel, he was taken into cuftody and fent to Rome, where he was Honed for his faith in Jesus CHRIST. PRISCILLA, a JEWISH CONVERT. IN the times of the apofles, Prifcilla was very famous in the church, and is often mentioned by the facred writers 'be fore her hufband Aquila. They were both Jews s but their country and births are un- certain. They were. at Corinth when St. Paul came thither, and had the happinefs of entertaininghim in their houfe a very confiderable time ; the apofle beingof the fame trade with Aquila; namely, a maker of tents of leather, for the ufe -of the army, and at which they both wrought for fome time, for their' livelihood. On St. Paul's leaving Corinth, :both Aquila and Prifcilla came with him to Ephefus, where they dwelt a confiderable No. 35 5 G time, and preached the gofpel with good fuccefs. Their houfe was fo well regulated, that St. Paul calls it a church ; an example that fhould, in fome meafure, be followed by every one who pretends to be a follower of the bleffed JESUS, though fhamefully neglected by the greateft part ofChriftians in the prefent day. Whether they died in peace, or by the hands of thofe who oppofed the progrefs of the Chriflian faith, is not known ; but however this be, they laboured faithfully to extend the religion of JEsus ; and, therefore, have been jufly placed amongf the firft preachers of the gofpel in the apofolic age. APOLLOS,
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