SECT. V.] Miracles of Paul at Melité. 95 The island on which they were cast is called, by Luke, Melita, and many have contended that it is the present Malta; but the latter island is not in the Adriatic sea, and it has been convincingly shewn,* that it was an island belonging to Dalmatia, formerly called Melité, but now Mleet, by the Sclavonians, and is subject to Ragusa. Here the inhabitants, though called Barbarians, received and accommodated them with great humanity, and manifested a tenderness not always found among those who bear the Christian name. They brought them under cover, and kindled fires to warm and dry them. As Paul was assisting in supplying the fire with fuel, a viper came out of the heat and fastened on his hand. The inhabitants of the island who were spectators, no sooner saw the venomous animal suspended from his hand then they said among themselves, "No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped shipwreck, vengeance suffereth not to live." Under this conviction, they confidently expected to see him fall down dead; but when they saw the apostle shake the viper into the fire, and found that he had not received the least injury from its bite, they changed their opinion of him, and said that he was a god. The apostle and his friends were for three days courteously entertained by Publius, the governor of the island; and during his stay there, he wrought many miracles upon persons that were sick and diseased, among whom was the father of Publius, who at that time lay ill of a fever and bloody flux. These kind offices procured them many favours from the inhabitants, and when, after a residence among them of three months, they were about to depart, they liberally supplied them with every necessary accommodation for their journey. Sailing from thence in a ship of Alexandria, which had See Bryant's Observations on Ancient History, and Pliny's Nat. His. tory, b. 3. ch 26. wintered at the island, they proceeded to Syracuse in Sicily, where they tarried three days, and soon after arrived at Rhegium, and from thence, in two days at Puteoli near Naples, where they disembarked, and continued a week, in compliance with the wishes of the Christian bretheren whom they found there. From Puteoli to Rome their journey was about a hundred miles by land. Several of the disciples at Rome, hearing of Paul's approach, proceeded to meet him at Appii-forum, and the Three Taverns; the former place being about fifty, and the latter thirty miles from the city. The sight of these Christian brethren inspired the apostle with new life and vigour, for it is said, "When he saw them, he thanked God and took courage." And thus in the month of February, of the sixtieth year of the Christian era, and seventh of the reign of the emperor Nero, the apostle arrived at ROME, the imperial city, and metropolis of the whole world, situated in Italy, on the banks of the Tiber, at the distance of about 16 miles from the sea. The foundations of this celebrated city were laid by Romulus, 753 years before the birth of Christ, at which time it consisted of merely a small castle on the summit of Mount Palatine. But it had risen, by gradual and almost imperceptible degrees, to the proud eminence of being the first city in the world, in point of extent, population, and splendour. The populousness of that great capital, says Gibbon, cannot perhaps be exactly ascertained; but the most modest calculation will not surely reduce it lower than a million of inhabitants.* It was built upon seven hills,† and is said * Decline and Fall, vol. 2. ch. 15. ↑ Hence it was called Urbis septicollis, and a festival was celebrated in December, called Septimontium festus, to commemorate the addition of the seventh ́hill. The names were, Mons Palatinus, Capitolinus, Aventinus, Quirinalis, Cœlius, Viminalis, and Exquiliuus. There is a very striking allusion to this local circumstance, Rev. xvii. 9, and the reader may see the subject ably illustrated in Hurd's Introductory Sermons, vol. 2. Ser mon 11. SECT. V.] Paul's arrival at Rome. 97 to have been twenty miles in circumference. There were in it no less than 420 temples, crowded with statues; the priests were numerous, and each divinity had a particular college of sacerdotal servants. Previous to the establishment of Christianity in the empire, the worship and sacrifices of the Romans were uncommonly superstitious. The will of the gods was consulted upon every occasion; and no general marched to an expedition, without the previous assurance from the augurs that the omens were propitious.. Their wars were declared in the most awful and solemn manner, and prayers were always offered in the temples for the prosperity of Rome, when a defeat had been sustained or a victory won. They raised altars, not only to the gods who, as they supposed, presided over their city, but also to the deities of conquered nations, as well as to the different passions and virtues. The gospel had found its way to this imperial city long before it was visited by Paul, who had himself written his epistle to the church there several years prior to his being brought thither as a prisoner. It seems very probable that the knowledge of Christ was conveyed to Rome soon after the day of Pentecost; for, it is expressly mentioned, among the multidude who were witnesses of the miraculous gift of tongues, there were strangers from Rome, both Jews and proselytes."* Such of these as were converted to the Christian faith, would, on their return home, carry with them the glad tidings of salvation, and communicate it to others. When Paul wrote his epistle to that church, it must have been numerous, for he acknowledges that "their faith was spoken of throughout the whole world." He mentions a considerable number of them by name, in his last chapter, though he had never been among them; and they must have made great progress in their Christian profession, for he declares that "he was per suaded of them that they were full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another."* The apostle had had "a great desire for many years" to visit that church, and had been long arranging his plans to accomplish his wish; but his purpose was now effected in a manner altogether different from what he had been expecting. During the whole voyage, it is evident that Paul had been treated by Julius, the Roman officer, to whose custody he was committed, with great humanity and kindness. At Sidon, he allowed him to go on shore to visit his Christian friends. And when they were shipwrecked on the island of Melité, he kept the soldiers from killing the prisoners, that he might save Paul. When Paul's friends at Puteoli wished him to remain with them a week, probably that they might enjoy his company on the Sabbath, he kindly granted their request. Julius had been favoured with many opportunities of knowing the character of his prisoner; he no doubt knew the favourable opinion which was entertained of his cause by Festus and Agrippa, and all the tribunes at Cæsarea; but the things that had occurred during the voyage must also have tended greatly to increase his respect for him; and, it is highly probable, that to the esteem which Julius had for him, the apostle was indebted for the indulgence which was shewn him immediately on his arrival at Rome. For he was not shut up in a common jail with the other prisoners, but, from the very first, was permitted to dwell in his own hired house, attended by a soldier who guarded him by means of a long chain fastened to his right wrist and the soldier's left arm. In this manner Herod Agrippa was chained to a soldier when he was thrown into prison by Tiberius.§ Rom. xv. 14. SECT. V.] Paul holds a conference with the Jews. 99 On the fourth day after his arrival, Paul called the chief of the Jews together, and explained to them the circumstances of his case; the treatment he had received in his own country; how he had been delivered at Jerusalem a prisoner into the hands of the Romans, who after investigating his affair, would have liberated him, had not the clamour of the Jews prevented it; and, in short, that it was "for the hope of Israel" he was bound with the chain which they then saw. It seems Paul's accusers had not yet arrived from Judea. The Jews whom he had called together, therefore, confessed that they had not received any letters from that quarter, nor any information concerning him, through any other medium; they were desirous, nevertheless, of knowing his opinion of the Christian sect, which was every where spoken against. A day was therefore appointed, on which many came to his lodgings, to whom, from morning till evening, he narrated fully the history of Jesus, testifying concerning the nature of the kingdom of God, and persuading them both from the law of Moses and from the writings of the prophets. The result was, that some believed the things that were spoken, and others believed not. Thus the apostle having discharged his duty in first making known the glad tidings of salvation to his own brethren according to the flesh, took his leave of them, and thenceforward associated with the Gentiles, who had been previously formed into a church in this city, and to whom he had already addressed his important and invaluable epistle. "And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him, preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness, unmolested by any one." And with this information the inspired historian closes his narrative of the great apostle of the Gen tiles. |