Dionysius the Areopagite was that illustrious convert, A.D. 51, whose remarks on the preternatural darkness that accompanied OUR LORD'S crucifixion, A.D. 31, were noticed before from Suidas, p. 230 of this Volume. It has been the fashion, indeed, with Lardner, and some sceptical hypercritics, to undervalue this evidence as spurious; because it is favourable to the cause of Christianity! Upon the same principle, we have seen the authenticity of Josephus' character of CHRIST, and even of the Epistle to the Hebrews disputed. But until they can produce better proofs of the negative than bare assertion, we are surely warranted to abide by the testimony of Suidas, and the ancients, wherever they do not contradict acknowledged facts, or established opinions. It is remarkable, that Paul did not repeat his visit to Athens; the pride of philosophy disdaining the lowliness and humility of the GOSPEL, as "foolishness."

PAUL'S FIRST VISIT TO CORINTH.

From Athens, he proceded to Corinth, the capital of Achaia. We may date this visit in the course of the year A.D. 51, Acts xviii. 1, rather than A.D. 54, with the Bible Chronology, for reasons stated in adjusting the chronology of the Epistle to Titus.

Here, he made a considerable stay of a year and six months; THE LORD having appeared to him in vision, and promised to prosper his preaching, and to protect himself from harm: for that He had much people in that city, ver. 9—11.

His principal associates in the ministry, beside Silas and Timothy, were Aquila, a Jew of Pontus, with his wife, Priscilla, who had lately come thither from Rome, after the expulsion of the Jews by Claudius, the emperor, on account of their turbulence. With them, he worked at their common trade of tentmakers, for his livelihood. Indeed, the disinterestedness of the Apostle was a prominent feature in his character, as observed before. “I seek not yours, but you," said he to the Corinthians, (2 Cor. xii. 14.) ver. 2—5.

The only occurrences noticed in the history during Paul's long stay at Corinth, are, the conversion of Crispus, the chief ruler of the Jewish Synagogue there, with all his household, whom Paul himself baptized, 1 Cor. i. 14; the conversion of many of the Corinthians there, and at Cenchrea, in the neighbourhood; and a tumult raised by the unbelieving Jews, who

rushed upon Paul with one accord, and brought him before Gallio, then proconsul of Achaia, and brother to Seneca, (Nero's tutor) accusing him of "persuading the world to worship GoD contrary to the law [of Moses"] ver. 6-13.

But when Paul was going to enter upon his defence, Gallio said to the Jews, "If it were a matter of wrong, or of sinister fraud, in reason, I should bear with you, [and hear your complaint:] but if it be a question about a word, particular opinion, or tenet, and about names, and your own law, look to it yourselves; for I will not meddle with such matters." And he dismissed them from the tribunal. Then all the Jews, laying hold of Sosthenes, the chief ruler of their Synagogue, beat him before the tribunal for countenancing Paul. But Gallio took no notice of it, ver. 14—17.

Though Gallio was blameable for not noticing an outrageous breach of the peace; yet he was commendable for not interfering in religious disputes, that were not detrimental to the state, or community, such as the tenet, whether JESUS was the Messiah or not; whether his disciples should be denominated Christians in opposition to the Jews; and whether they should reject circumcision, prescribed by the law of Moses. Happy would it have been for themselves and for the world at large, if his successors, the Roman emperors and magistrates, had adhered to the same principles of toleration!

PAUL'S FOURTH VISIT TO JERUSALEM.

Some time after this disturbance, Paul left the port of Cenchrea, and returned to Syria by sea, and touched at Ephesus ; where he left his friends, Priscilla and Aquila, and then continued his voyage to Cesarea, in order to "go up" and attend the passover at Jerusalem, and to salute the Church. And having done so, he returned to his head quarters at Antioch, ver. 18-22. We may date this fourth visit to Jerusalem in the spring of A.D. 54, rather than A.D. 55; with the Bible Chronology; because the fifth visit to Jerusalem was in A.D. 59, which is dated A.D. 60, by the Bible Chronology, a year too late.

• The received reading, oi 'EXλnveç, ver. 17, is evidently incorrect; for "the Greeks" were well disposed to the Apostle and his doctrine; and never attacked him, unless set on by the Jews. It is judiciously omitted in the Vulgate, Copt. Arab. Erpen. the Alexand. MS. and Bede.

PAUL'S THIRD MISSION.

After some stay at Antioch, Paul set out on his third circuit toward the end of that year, A.D. 54, or beginning of A.D. 55. with the Bible Chronology, and went through the country of Galatia and Phrygia, in order; confirming all the disciples in the upper, or northern regions of Asia Minor, ver. 23, xix. 1.

He then came to Ephesus, where he had left Aquila and Pris cilla*, and returned to them by a circuitous route as he intended, (avaкaufw, Acts xviii. 21.) Here, he found twelve disciples of the Baptist's, and asked them, Have ye received [the gift of] the HOLY SPIRIT, since ye believed? But they said, We have not heard whether the HOLY SPIRIT is [given yet, John vii. 39.] Then Paul explaining to them the nature of John's baptism, as preparatory to the Christian, they were baptized in the name of THE LORD JESUS; and then received the gifts of the Spirit by the imposition of his hands; for they spake with tongues, and prophesied, or preached by inspiration, like the original converts at Pentecost, ver. 2-7.

According to his usual custom of first proposing the Gospel to his own brethren, the Jews, he preached freely, and debated

• During their stay at Ephesus, waiting for Paul, Aquila and his wife converted a Jew of Alexandria, named Apollos, a disciple of John the Baptist, that came to Ephesus: an eloquent man, mighty in the Scriptures, and fervent in spirit, who spoke and taught in the Synagogue, the Scripture doctrine concerning THE LORD's coming, but [not] accurately, and when they had taken him up, and instructed him more accurately in the Christian Religion, he left them and went to Achaia, with letters of recommendation to the disciples there to receive him. After he came to Corinth, he contributed much through divine grace to assist the brethren, for he strenuously confuted the Jews in public, shewing by the Scriptures, that JESUS was THE CHRIST, Acts xviii. 24—28.

This history of the conversion of Apollos, and the success of his preaching at Corinth, is here introduced by way of digression into the narrative of Paul's ministry, on account of the notice taken of Apollos in the Epistles, especially as a distinguished preacher of the Gospel among the Corinthians, 1 Cor. 3-6. This decides the question, that Luke did actually consult Paul's Epistles; and thence supplied such information in the Acts, as was necessary to render those Epistles intelligible to strangers; who were ignorant of the minuter historical facts well known to the Churches to which they were written.

We learn also from the Epistles, that Apollos declined going again to Corinth, when Paul solicited him; probably to avoid the remotest appearance of countenancing any party that might have been formed in that factious Church, even in his own favour; determined to await a more favourable season, or more settled state of its discipline, 1 Cor. xvi. 12. This is an honourable testimony in his favour, and tends to support the foregoing interpretations of 1 Cor. i. 12, iii. 4, iv. 6. That Paul did not mean to represent Apollos as the head of a party, but rather to adumbrate some Judaizing teachers under his name, not to give unnecessary offence.

for three months in the Synagogue at Ephesus; after that, when they were obstinate in their unbelief, and spoke ill of the way, or Christian religion, he separated from them, and withdrew the disciples, debating daily in the private school of one Tyrannus. This he did for two years longer, so that all the inhabitants of that district of Asia, both Jews and Greeks, heard the word of the LORD, and witnessed no ordinary miracles wrought by Paul, in performing cures by handkerchiefs, or napkins, which he had touched; and expelling evil spirits in this city, Satan's chief seat, ver. 8-12.

The great superiority of Paul above the Jewish exorcists appeared in the remarkable case of a Demoniac, whom they attempted to dispossess like him in the name of JESUS; but the wicked spirit rebuked them for their presumption, "JESUS I know, and Paul I am acquainted with, but who are ye?" and the person possessed fell upon them, (though seven in number, sons of a Jewish chief priest,) and mastered them all, and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house, naked and wounded. When this was made known (yvwσtov) to all the Jews and Greeks or Gentiles inhabiting Ephesus, great fear fell on them all, and the name of the LORD JESUS was magnified, ver. 13-17. Many also of them that practised magic and sorcery burnt their books, though of great value, and were converted to the faith, ver. 18, 19.

But Demetrius the silversmith, and others of his profession, who were employed in making silver shrines for images of Diana, to be inclosed therein, raised a great disturbance and long outcry against Paul and his companions for spoiling their craft, and despising their goddess; whom they extolled for two hours together*, in which Paul and his companions were in danger of being thrown to the wild beasts in the theatre, had not the riot been stopped by the authority and remonstrances of the town clerk, or recorder of the games; representing their proceedings as illegal and seditious, and likely to draw down punishment upon them from the Romans, ver. 23-40.

Before this disturbance Paul had intended to continue his

"They all cried out with one voice about two hours, Great is Diana of the Ephesians !” Acts xx. 34. Perhaps, in this, we have an instance of the "babblings," or vain repetitions of the Heathens in prayer, censured by OUR Lord, πpoσevxoμevoi μn Battoλoynonre, Matt. vi. 7. So exactly imitated by the Romanists in repeating ten Ave Marias for one Paternoster in their bead roll of prayers to the Virgin.

circuit through Macedonia and Achaia, and return from thence to Jerusalem; and afterwards to visit Rome, ver. 21. Accordingly, after it he took his final departure from the city, and his last farewel of the brethren there, and proceeded to Macedonia; and having gone through these parts, and exhorted the brethren, he went into Greece or Achaia, where he spent three months. But finding that the Jews had formed a conspiracy against him, (probably his inveterate foes of Thessalonica, Acts xvii. 13,) he changed his intention of going by sea to Syria, and resolved to return by land through Macedonia, and thence embark at Philippi, (that faithful Church,) for Troas. Which he did with Luke, who here joined him again; and they found before them at Troas others of his company who waited for him there, Acts xx. 1-5.

This second visit to Macedonia and Greece appears to have employed the latter part of the year A.D. 58, and the beginning of A.D. 59, when he left Philippi after the passover, ver. 6.

During his stay of seven days at Troas, Paul performed that signal miracle of restoring to life, Eutychus, ver. 7—12.

From Troas, Paul and his company proceeded by sea to Mitylene, from thence to Chios, Samos, and Miletus, ver. 13—15.

Not having time to call at Ephesus, because he was in haste to reach Jerusalem, if possible, before Pentecost; he sent for the Presbyters of the Church of Ephesus to attend him at Miletus, where he made them that admirable apostolic charge for the regulation of their conduct as overseers of the Church of GOD*, "which He had purchased with his own blood,” ver. 16-38.

From Miletus they sailed by a direct course to Cos, next to Rhodes, and from thence to Patara; and finding a vessel bound to Phoenicia, they embarked, and leaving Cyprus on their left, landed at Tyre, where they waited a week till the vessel had discharged her cargo, and then embarking again, they came to Ptolemais, and from thence to Cæsarea, where they lodged with Philip the Evangelist, one of the seven deacons, who had four daughters, prophetesses, or inspired preachers. During their stay there for several days, the prophet Agabus, who had fore

• Instead of rov Otov, Griesbach, upon strong external evidence of versions and manuscripts, substitutes rov Kvptov, as referring to CHRIST. But the received reading is admissible; TOV Oɛov, being taken, not absolutely, but relatively. See the foregoing note, p. 67 of this Volume.