СНАР. XII.

ROME.

IT may feem to have been purposely appointed by infinite wifdom, that our firft accounts of the Roman Church fhould be very imperfect, in order to confute the proud pretenfions to univerfal dominion, which its bishops have with unblufhing arrogance fupported for fo many ages. If a line or two in the Gofpels concerning the keys of St. Peter have been made the foundation of fuch lofty pretenfions in his fuppofed fucceffors to the primacy, how would they have gloried, if his labours at Rome had been fo diftinctly celebrated, as thofe of St. Paul in feveral Churches? What bounds would have been fet to the pride of ecclefiaftical Rome, could fhe have boafted of herself as the mother-church, like Jerufalem, or even exhibited fuch trophies of Scriptural fame, as Philippi, Theffalonica, Corinth, or Ephefus? The filence of Scripture is the more remarkable, because the Church itfelf was in an early period by no means infignificant, either for the number or the piety of its converts. Their faith was fpoken of through the whole world. The Apoftle thus commends them; nor does he in his epiftle to them intimate any thing peculiarly faulty in their principles or conduct. The epiftle to the Romans itself, while the world endures, will be the food of Christian minds, and the richeft fyftem of doctrine to fcriptural theologians. By the diftinct directions which

. Rom. i.

which he gives for the maintenance of charity between Jews and Gentiles, it appears that there must have been a confiderable number of the former among them. If one might indulge a conjecture, I fhould fuppofe that Aquila and Prifcilla, who had laboured with St. Paul at Corinth both in a fpiritual and temporal fenfe, and had been expelled from Italy by the emperor Claudius, and whom he here falutes as at Rome, were first concerned in the plantation of this Church, which was numerous, before any Apoftle had been there. Andronicus and Junia are faluted alfo in the epiftle they were men of character among the Apoftles, whofe converfion were of an earlier date than St. Paul's: they were alfo his kinfinen, and had fuffered in conjunction with him for the faith. He falutes alfo a number of others, though they might not all be refidents of Rome. The work of divine Grace in diftinguishing perfons of various families and connections is ever observable. There were faints at Rome of the two families of Ariftobulus and Narciffus. The former was of the royal blood of the Maccabees, and had been carried prifoner to Rome by Pompey. He himself had fuffered a variety of hardfhips incident to a life of turbulent ambition like his; yet fome of his family, of no note in civil hiftory, are marked as the difciples of Chrift, and heirs of the true riches. Narciffus is diftinguifhed in Roman history as the ambitious prime minifter of Claudius; yet fome of his houthold were in the Lord.

Paul had long wifhed and even projected a vifit to this Church. He did not expect that his jour ney thither at laft was to be at Cæfar's expenfe. Confident however he was, that when he did come to them, it fhould be "in the fulnefs of the

bleffing

bleffing of the Gofpel of Chrift." And he intreats the prayers of the Romans, that he may be delivered from the infidel Jews, and be acceptable in his miniftry to his believing countrymen at Jerufalem, whither he was then haftening, that he might come to them with joy by the will of God," and be with them refreshed. Thus did Chriftians in thofe days intreat the prayers of their brethren through the world, and fympathize with one another. And the prayers were answered: Paul was faved from Jewish malice: was acceptable to the Jewish converts, "who had compaffion on him in his bonds;" and was conducted fafe to Rome. At Appii Forum and the three taverns he was met by the Roman Chriftians: he thanked God and took courage*, refreshed, as he had been confident he thould be, whenever he might arrive among them. None but thofe, who know what is meant by the communion of faints, can conceive the pleasure which he felt on the occafion. After a charitable but fruitless attempt to do good to the principal Jews at Rome, he employed the two years of his imprisonment in receiving all who came to him, preaching with all confidence, and without moleftation. On account of his imprifonment and examination at Rome, the nature of the Gofpel began to be enquired into † in Nero's court, and the conclufion of the epiftle to the Philippians makes it evident, that fome of the imperial houfhold became Chriftians indeed. And as the court was by no means difpofed to treat him with rigour, but rather to favour him with indulgences as a Roman citizen, hence many preachers in Rome and the neighbourhood exerted themselves with more courage than formerly they dared to do. Yet certain perfons even then could preach Chrift with malevo

• Acts xxviii. 15.

+ Philippians i.

lent

lent views of depreciating the Apoftles: others did it with fincere charity. But as real benefit accrued to the fouls of men from the labours of the former as well as of the latter, the heart of Paul, with a charity, the wonderful effect of heavenly teaching, could rejoice in both.

Some writers feem to have gone too far, in denying that Peter ever was at Rome. But the caufe of Proteftantifm needs not the fupport of an unreasonable scepticifm. Undoubtedly the account of Peter's martyrdom there, with that of Paul, refts on a foundation fufficiently ftrong, namely, the concurrent voice of antiquity. His firft epif tle, by an expreffion at the close of it*, appears to have been dated thence; for the Church at Babylon, according to the ftyle of Chriftians at that time, could be no other than the Church at Rome. Of the literal Babylon we find nothing in the writers of those days.

I Pet. v. 13.

CHAP.

CHA P. XIII.

COLOSSE.

TH

HIS city of Phrygia was in the neighbourhood of Laodicea and Hierapolis, and all three feem to have been converted by the miniftry of Epaphras the Coloffian, a companion and fellow-labourer of Paul, who attended him at Rome during his imprisonment, and informed him of the fincerity and fruitfulness of their Chriftian profeffion. For though he speaks to the Coloffians only, yet the religious ftate of the two neighbouring cities may be conceived to be much the fame. The example of Epaphras deferves to be pointed out to the imitation of all minifters. He always laboured fervently for them in prayers, "that they might ftand perfect and complete in all the will of God *." And this was indeed one of the best methods of evincing the fincerity of his zeal, which Paul owns to have been great for these Churches.

The Apoftle himself, in the fulness and fervency of his charity, wifhes, that the Coloffians knew how ftrong the conflict of his foul was for them, that they might feel the comfort, understand the myftery, and enjoy the riches of the Gofpelt. They had never feen his face in the flesh; but he felt for them as Chriftian brethren, and honoured them as those, in whom the word brought forth fruit, and who had a lively hope in Chrift beyond the grave. But there must have been fome particular dangers incident