incident to their fituation, to give propriety to the cautions in his epiftle against philofophy and vain deceit, against Judaical dependencies and rites, and against an illegitimate humility and felf-righteous aufterities. Such things, he obferves, carry indeed the appearance of wifdom and goodness*, but lead only to pride and an extravagant felf-eftimation. And the tendency of them is, to draw the mind from that fimplicity of dependence on Chrift, which is the true reft of the foul, and the right frame of a Chriftian.

In truth, the Jew by his ceremonies, and the Gentile by his philofophy, equally laboured to overturn the Gospel of Chrift. And their felfrighteous efforts are then only effectually oppofed, when Chriftians know their "completeness in Chrift, and walk in him." After he has delivered a number of beautiful precepts, clofely interwoven with Chriftian doctrine, he directs them to read his epiftle in their affembly, and then to fend it to be read by the Laodiceans; and alfo to receive an epiftle from Laodicea to be read in their own Church, which, most probably, was the epiftle to the Ephefians; none of thefe places being at a great diftance from one anothert. And he gives a plain, but very serious, charge to Archippus their prefent paftor. We fee hence with what care thefe precious Apoftolical remains were preserved among primitive Chriftians; and we may conceive, how, in the infancy of fpiritual confolation, they fed on thofe lively oracles, which we now fo indolently poffefs.

I fee nothing more to be collected from the Scriptures concerning the ftate of this Church, except the inftructive anecdote in the epiftle to Philemon. This man, a Coloffian chriftian, had a flave, named, Onefimus,

Onefimus, who deferted from his mafter, probably not without fome depredations of his property, and wandered to Rome. That, like all great cities, was the fink, which received the confluence of various vices and crimes. There the wonderful Grace of God feized his heart. Providence brought him to hear Paul preach, which we have seen that Apoftle continued to do for two years in his imprisonment. Though former means of inftruction under his Chriftian mafter had failed, now, at length, his eyes were opened, and he became a Chriftian indeed. Paul would have found him an useful afsistant at Rome, but thought it moft proper to fend him back to his mafter at Coloffe; and this he did with a fhort letter, which may justly be confidered as a master-piece of Chriftian politenefs, addrefs and fincerity. In his Coloffian epiftle he mentions him alfo as a faithful and beloved brother. What important changes Divine Grace can effect in the hearts of men, even of flaves whom proud philofophers defpifed, appears very evident from this inftance!

VOL. I.

G

CHAP.

CHAP. XIV.

THE SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA.

TH

HERE are fome countries, to which we understand that the Gofpel was carried during the first effufion of the Holy Spirit, which are only incidentally mentioned without any detail of facts.

Extenfive as we have feen, from St. Luke's narrative, the labours of the Apostle Paul were, it is evident from the epiftles, that he is far from relating the whole of them. We cannot learn, for inftance, from the Acts, when he vifited Crete. Yet the fhort epiftle to Titus, whom he left there with epifcopal authority to ordain minifters in every city, and to regulate the churches, fhews that that ifland of a hundred cities had been confiderably evangelized; and that many perfons, among a people proverbially deceitful, ferocious, and intemperate, had received the wholesome yoke of Chrift.

And though I cannot but think, that the ftrangers fcattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Afia, and Bithynia, to whom St. Peter addreffes his two epiftles, muft mean the Jews of thofe countries, yet their converfion would doubtlefs be attended with that of many Gentiles. Of three of these we know nothing particularly: the work of God in Galatia has been reviewed; and Afia propria alone, of all the evangelized regions mentioned in fcripture-history, fo far as I can difcoyer, remains now to be confidered.

It was on his first departure from Corinth, that Paul firft vifited Ephefus*, which name ftands at the head of the feven Churches of Afia, to whom St. John dedicates the book of the Revelation. The impreffion made on his hearers during this vifit, muft have been remarkably great, as it was but a fhort one, and as they preffed his longer continuance among them. He left with them however for their comfort and inftruction Aquila and Prifcilla, whofe labours were afterwards affifted by Apollos.

Paul himfelf returning to Ephefus, baptized in the name of Jefus about twelve difciples, who had hitherto received only John's baptifmt. From this circumftance we learn, that from the first preaching of the Baptift nothing had been done in vain. The imperfect elements of that harbinger of Chrift had paved the way for clearer difcoveries, and a variety of preparatory works had tended to ripen the Church of God into the fulness of light and holiness.

Paul preached three months in the Jewish fynagogue at Ephefus, till the ufual perverfenefs of the Jews induced him to defift, and to form the converts into a diftin&t Church. One Tyrannus lent his fchool for the fervice of Chriftianity; and in that convenient place, for the fpace of two years, the Apoftle daily miniftered, inftructed and difputed. And thus the whole region of Afia propria had at different times an opportunity of hearing the Gospel.

In no place does the word of God feem fo much to have triumphed as at Ephefus. No lefs numerous than thofe of Corinth, the believers were much more fpiritual. The work of converfion was deep, vigorous, and foul-transforming to a great degree. Many perfons, ftruck with the horror of their former crimes,

crimes, made an open confeffion; and many, who had dealt in the abominations of forcery, now Thewed their fincere deteftation of them by burning their books before all men, the price of which amounted to a large fum. "So mightily grew the word of God, and prevailed."-Thus triumphs the facred hiftorian. -Satan muft have trembled for his kingdom: the emptiness of all the fyftems of philofophy appeared no lefs palpable, than the flagitioufnels of vice, and the enormities of idolatry: The fpiritual power of Jefus was never seen in a ftronger light fince the day of Pentecoft; and the venal priesthood of Diana the celebrated goddefs of Ephefus, apprehended the total ruin of their hierarchy.

No place on earth was more devoted to idolatry. A number of ingenious artifts were enriched by making filver fhrines for Diana. They felt a fenfible diminution of their commerce, and found themselves bound by intereft to fupport the credit of the goddess. Much people through almost all Afia had been induced to believe, that manufactured gods were mere nothings; and it feemed high time to make some strong efforts in favour of the declining fuperftition. They foon prevailed fo far as to fill the city with tumult; and they hurried two of Paul's companions with them into the theatre, where the whole mob affembled. The daring fpirit of Paul would have led him into the fame place. His Chriftian friends interposed, and even fome of the Afiarchs,-perfons who prefided over the games, who had a perfonal esteem for the man, kindly diffuaded him. His zeal feems not void of rafhness, but it was the rashness of a hero vexed to the foul to think that Gaius and Ariftarchus, his two friends, were likely to fuffer in his abfence. Now I apprehend was that feason of

extreme