Julian Pe riod, 4771. Vulgar Æra, 58. 16 But be it so, I did not burden you; nevertheless, Philippi. being crafty, I caught you with guile. 17 Did I make a gain of you by any of them whom I sent unto you? 18 I desired Titus, and with him I sent a brother: Did Titus make a gain of you? walked we not in the same spirit? walked we not in the same steps? 19 Again, think ye that we excuse ourselves unto you ? we speak before God in Christ: but we do all things, dearly beloved, for your edifying. 20 For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults: 21 And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness, and fornication, and lasciviousness which they have committed. § 33. 2 COR. xiii. 1-4. St. Paul proceeds by assuring the Corinthians, that when he 1 This is the third time I am coming to you 25 Do not these words, says Dr. Paley, import that the writer had been at Corinth twice before? Yet if they import this, they overset every congruity we have been endeavouring to establish. The Acts of the Apostles record only two journies of St. Paul to Corinth. We have all along supposed, what every mark of time except this expression indicates, that the epistle was written between the first and second of these journies. If St. Paul had been already twice at Corinth, this supposition must be given up; and every argument, or observation, which depends upon it falls to the ground. Again, the Acts of the Apostles not only record no more than two journics of St. Paul to Corinth, but do not allow us to suppose that more than two such journies Julian Pe- 2 I told you before, and foretel you, as if I were pre- Philippi. riod, 4771. sent, the second time; and being absent now I write to Vulgar Æra, 58. could be made or intended by him within the period which the Julian Pe- them which heretofore have sinned, and to all other, that, Philippi. if I come again, I will not spare: riod, 4771. Vulgar Æra, 58. 3 Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, which to you-ward is not weak, but is mighty in you. 4 For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you. $34. 2 COR. xiii. 5—10. As the Faction desired a proof of Christ's being with St. 5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; 7 Now I pray to God that ye do no evil; not that we tion which we are contending for, viz. that τρίτον τοῦτο ἔρχομαι Julian Pe should appear approved, but that ye should do that which Philippi. riod, 4771. is honest, though we be as reprobates. Valgar Era, 58, 8 For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth. 9 For we are glad, when we are weak, and ye are strong and this also we wish, even your perfection 10 Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness, according to the power which the Lord hath given me to edification, and not to destruction. 35. 2 COR. xiii. 11, to the end. St. Paul having finished his Reproofs to the Faction, 11 Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good 12 Greet one another with an holy kiss. 13 All the saints salute you. 14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. SECTION XII. St. Paul returns from Achaia and Corinth to Macedonia, ACTS XX. part of ver. 3—5. 3 And when the Jews laid wait for him, as he was Corinth. about to sail into Syria, he purposed to return through Macedonia. 4 And there accompanied him into Asia, Sopater of Berea; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timotheus; and of Asia, Tychicus and Trophimus. 5 These going before, tarried for us at Troas. SECTION XIII. St. Paul, in his way from Achaia to Macedonia, writes was, and always had been, the only way of Salvation to Corinth. all Mankind 62 26 This Epistle is supposed to have been placed first of the apostolical writings, contrary to its chronology, by some on account of the excellency of its doctrines, and by others on account of the pre-eminence of the city to which it was addressed. Various years have been assigned for its date. The most probable is that supported by Bishop Tomline, Lardner, Lord Barrington, and Benson, who refer it to 58.. Its interual evidence satisfactorily proves that it was written at Corinth, at the time the Apostle was preparing to take the contributions of the churches to Jerusalem. (Rom. xv. 25-27.) He also mentions to the Romans the name of the man with whom he lodged at the time he wrote to them at Corinth, (Rom. xvi. 23.) as well as that of Erastus, the chamberlain of that city. (2 Tim. iv. 20.) We find it was dictated by St. Paul in the Greek language to his amanuensis Tertius, (Rom. xvi. 22.) and was forwarded to the Church at Rome by Phebe, a deaconess of Cenchrea, which was a port of Corinth. (Rom. xvi. 1.) It is uncertain at what time the Church of Rome was planted. On the day of Pentecost there were strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, among the witnesses of the miraculous descent of the Holy Ghost. It is probable, we may say certain, that these persons would on their return to Rome, relate both to the Jews, and to those of the Gentiles with whom they had been acquainted, the wonderful events which had taken place. There were many thousands of Jews at Rome at this time. Josephus informs us (Antiq. Jud. lib. xviii. c. 12.) that their number amounted to eight thousand; and Dio Cassius (lib. xxxvii. c. 17.) that they had obtained the privilege of living there according to their own laws. There was also a continued intercourse between the Jews who remained in their own country and the Jews of the provinces. The tribute money to the temple was regularly paid by the latter, and the messengers, or apostles of the Sanhedrim, were as regularly sent from the latter. The events which occupied the public attention of the Jewish nation, the memory of the miracles of Christ, his crucifixion, and asserted resurrection, with the subsequent firmness and working of miracles by his former followers, would become familiar to a large proportion of the Jews and proselytes at Rome, and the manner in which the faith of the Romans is represented, (Rom. i. 8.) as being celebrated over the whole world, as well as the mention of the various eminent members of the Church of Rome, prove to us also that the Gospel of Christ had been fully established among them, though it is uncertain by what means. I have endeavoured to shew in a former note the probability that St. Peter visited Rome about the time of the Herodian persecution, after he had escaped by miracle from his prison, and that he was attended by St. Mark. Many arguments concur also to prove that this Evangelist wrote his Gospel under the inspection of St. Peter, for the use of the newly converted proselytes of the Romans. An opinion prevailed very generally among the Jews, that the Holy Land was to be the exclusive scene of the great events which should attend the establishment of the Messiah's kingdom. Of all the apostles St. Peter appears to have been most devotedly attached to the peculiar sentiments of his own people. It was with difficulty be could persuade himself, even when a vision from heaven commanded him to go to a Gentile-that it was his duty to visit Cornelius. Though he had preached the Gospel to the Samaritans at Lydda, and in |