niable miracles, which the Christian records affirm were performed in every country, by the preachers of the gospel.-Besides, God in his infinite wisdom, was determined that the reigning idolatry should be utterly overthrown, in those countries of Europe where it had the greatest support from the ability and learning of its abettors; that no person might suspect or affirm in after times, that idolatry was destroyed, and Christianity established, merely through the ignorance and simplicity of the people among whom it was first preached.

CHAPTER V.

Paul's History from his Arrival in Europe, till his Return to Jerusalem after having preached the Gospel in Macedonia and Greece.

Paul with his three assistants, Silas, Timothy, and Luke, having by the direction of the Spirit, passed into Europe to preach to the Greek nations, they made no stay at Neapolis, where they first landed, but went straight to Philipi; because it was the chief city of that part of Macedonia, and a Roman colony, and had a synagogue of the Jews.

Paul and his Assistants having come to Philippi, convert Lydia: disposses a damsel who had a spirit of divination: are beaten with rods and imprisoned: but are liberated, and go to Thessalonica.

The ancient boundary of Macedonia was the river Strymon. But Philip, the father of Alexander, having conquered Thrace, added that part of it, which lay between the rivers Nessus and Strymon, to Macedonia. And observing that one of the cities of the adjected country named Dathos, might be made a good defence against the Thracians, he fortified it, and named it Philippi, in honour of himself. Lucian, in his dialogue called The Fugitives, introduces Hercules describing Philippi in the following manner: "The plain, which is very fertile, raises itself "into little hills, which serve for a defence to the city Philippi, "whose walls are washed by the river Hebrus."-From coins still remaining, mentioned by Pierce in his Synopsis, prefixed to his paraphrase and notes on the Philippians, it appears, that a colony of Romans was planted by Julius Cæsar at Philippi: and that it was afterwards augmented by Augustus, who sent Anthony's adherents to this and other cities of Mace

donia so that having received inhabitants from Italy twice, Philippi of a small town became a great city, and enjoyed all the privileges of a Roman colony. Wherefore, Luke speaks with propriety, when he thus describes Paul's journey to Philippi, Acts xvi. 12. And from thence to Philippi, which is the chief city of that part of Macedonia, (No. XVIII.) and a colony.

Ver. 13. And on the sabbath day we went out of the city by a river's side, (No. XIX.) where a place for prayer was by law allowed. In this place for prayer the Jews and their proselytes were wont to assemble. And we sat down, and spake to the women which resorted thither; among whom there was one 14. Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, who worshipped God. This woman was a devout Gentile, a native of Thyatira, who had fixed her residence in Philippi, for the sake of commerce; whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul: She was so strongly affected with the things which Paul spake, that she embraced them with an intire faith. 15. And when she was baptized, and her house she besought us saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide and she constrained

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Lydia being a rich merchant, who had a large house and servants, she was able to lodge them all, And being penetrated with a just sense of her obligation to those messengers of God, for the knowledge of salvation which they had imparted to her, she would take no refusal. So they abode in her house, all the time they continued at Philippi.-Encouraged by this favourable beginning, Paul and his company continued at Philippi many days, (ver. 12. 18. during which they laid the foundations of a numerous church, gathered both from among the Jews and the Gentiles; and which after the apostle's departure, increased so exceedingly, that at the time he wrote his epistle to the Philippians, they had more bishops than one, and many deacons, Philip. i. 1.

While Paul and his assistants abode at Philippi, they were often accosted by a damsel who was possessed with an evil spirit, by which she divined and brought her masters much gain through Booth-saying; that is, by pretending, with the assistance of a familiar spirit, to discover stolen goods, and to point out the concealed authors of mischiefs, and to disclose the general good or ill fortune of the persons who applied to her, and their success in particular affairs, with other secrets, for which the rabble in all countries are willing to give money, This damsel, Acts xvi.

17. Following Paul and us, (Luke, Silas, and Timothy,) cried, saying ironically, These men are the servants of the most high God, who declare unto us the way of salvation. 18. And this she did many days. But Paul being vexed, turned and said to the Spirit, I command thee, in the name of Jesus Christ, to come out of her. And he came out that same hour. 19. And when her masters saw that the hope of their gain was gone, they caught Paul and Silas; Timothy and Luke, it seems, were not so obnoxious to them: and drew them into the market-place, unto the rulers, (agxovras, the inferior magistrates,) 20. and brought them to the prætors, (orgarnys,) who were the chief magistrates of the Roman colony, saying, These men being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city. 21. And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans. Knowing them to be Jews, they calumniated them as attempting to introduce the rites of Judaism at Philippi, particularly baptism.-Perhaps also they alluded to something said by the apostle relating to the kingship of Christ, concerning which we know he preached afterwards at Thessalonica, Acts xvii. 7.-These accusations so wrought upon the multitude, and upon the prætors, that the multitude rose up against Paul and Silas; and the prætors tore their clothes from around them, and commanded them to be beaten with rods; and having laid on them many stripes, thrust them into the inner prison, and put them in the stocks, that they might be kept the more securely.

These multiplied injuries, the servants of God bare with great joy. For in the middle of the night, they prayed and sang praises to God, with such elevation of spirit and voice, as raised the admiration of their fellow-prisoners, who heard them distinctly. 26. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken, and immediately all the doors of the prison were opened, and every one's bonds were loosed. On this the jailor, who dwelt in a part of the prison not far from the ward where Paul and Silas lay, awaking out of sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, drew his sword, and would have killed himself, to avoid a more severe punishment, supposing that all the prisoners had escaped. 28. But Paul cried out with a loud voice, Do thyself no harm, for we are all here. The jailor, greatly terrified by the earthquake, and astonished at Paul's discovering his purpose to kill himself, called for a light, sprang into the inner prison, and came trembling and fell down before Paul and Silas, begging them to forgive the injuries he had been obliged to do them: For he was now convinced, they were

what the possessed damsel called them in derision, even the servants of the most high God, who shewed to men the way of salvation. He therefore Acts xvi. 30. brought them out of the inner prison, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? 31. And they said, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. For Paul having preached a considerable time at Philippi, the jailor before this, must have heard of Jesus Christ, perhaps oftener than once.-The jailor's family, being also come into the outer prison, 32. They spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house: that is, Paul shortly expounded to them the character of Jesus as Lord, and gave them a brief account of his life, doctrine, miracles, death, resurrection, and ascension; all which Silas confirmed by his testimony; and his discourse on these subjects, was so powerfully convincing, that the jailor was baptized, he, and ail his straightway. 34. And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced in the knowledge which he had obtained of the way of salvation; having believed in God with all his house, who, it seems, were equally impressed with Paul's sermon, as the jailor himself was.

Such were the transactions of this memorable night. But the earthquake having been felt all over the city, and the miraculous opening of the prison-doors having been told to the prætors, they changed their opinion of Paul and Silas, and began to think more favourably of their cause. Wherefore, 35. When it was day, the prators sent the serjeants, (eabdoxes, the rod-bearers, or lictors,) saying to the jailor, Let these men go. But Paul replied, The prætors have beaten us openly, and uncondemned, who are Romans, and have cast us into prison: and now they thrust us out privily, without making us any reparation for the injury they have done us. Nuy, verily, but let them come themselves and fetch us out, and by their dismissing us openly, let them shew the people that they imprisoned us unjustly.-When the prætors heard that they were Romans, they were afraid of being called to account for having beaten them uncondemned. 39. And they came and besought them, not to resent the injury that had been done them, and bringing them out, desired them to depart out of the city. The servants of Christ, by this public release, being honourably cleared from every crime, left the prison quietly, and went to the house of Lydia, where they met with the disciples, and comforted them, by rehearsing what had happened, and by giving them suitable exhortations: then departed, leaving Luke at Philippi. (No. XX.)

Of all the churches planted by Paul, this at Philippi, seems to have loved and respected him the most. The sufferings he had undergone in their city, for the sake of giving them the knowledge of the gospel, more precious than gold, greatly endeared him to them and the rather, as they seem to have put a just value on moral and religious truth, and to have had a great share of good dispositions, which were much strengthened and improved by the gospel; so that they discovered more of the true spirit of Christianity, than any other church. For while the apostle was at Thessalonica, the Philippians sent him money twice, that by making the gospel without expense, to the Thessalonians, they might give the more heed to the things which Paul spake, when they found him a teacher of a different character from the Greek philosophers, who taught only for hire. They likewise sent him money during his first imprisonment at Rome, that he might want nothing necessary for him. In short, the injurious treatment which Paul and Silas met with in this first city of Europe where they preached, was abundantly compensated by the readiness of mind, with which many of its inhabitants received the gospel; and by the excellent disposition which they shewed after their conversion and by the great love which they all along expressed toward their spiritual Father.

Paul with his Assistants go to Thessalonica. In the Synagogue, Paul proves from the Jewish Scriptures, That it behoved the Christ to be put to death, and to rise from the dead. Many Idolaters are converted. The Jews assault the House of Jason, whom they carry, with other Brethren, before the Rulers. Paul goes by Night to Berxa.

The apostle having thus successfully planted the gospel in Philippi, departed with his assistants Silas and Timothy, and passing first through Amphipolis, a city built in an island formed by two branches of the river Strymon and a colony of the Athenians, and then through Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews. This seems to imply, that the Jews had no synagogues in Amphipolis and Apollonia; for which reason the apostle made no stay in either of these places, but went straight to Thessalonica, now the metropolis of all the countries comprehended in the Roman province of Macedonia. For it was the residence both of the Proconsul and Quæstor; so that being the seat of government, it was constantly filled with strangers, who attended the courts of judicature, or who solicited offices. And as most of the Greeks, about this time, were extremely addicted to philosophy and the