31. Whilft he remains a pri. foner at Rome, the Philippians being very folicitous that he might not want in his imprisonment, fend Epaphroditus to him with a supply, Philip. ii. 25. and iv. 18. Epaphroditus falls fick at Rome, Philip. ii. 27. As foon as he recovers, Paul sends him back to them, with an epistle, to comfort them under his afflictions, to heal their divifions (which it is likely Epaphroditus had acquainted him with); but especially to warn them against the Jewish seducers (with which all Afia, and Galatia, and probably Macedonia, was infested), to exhort them to several moral duties, and to thank them for Proofs of the Their most remarkable Transactions. Tranfa&tions for their supply. About the fame time, he seems to have received a supply from the Coloffians by Epaphras, Coloff. i. 7, 8. who seems to bave become his fellow-prifoner, Philem. ver. 23. And having learnt their state from him, writes to them, to fecure them against the false philosophy, and against the elements (or rather shadows) of the Jews. And sends it by Tychicus and Onesimus, Coloff. iv. 7-9. By Tychicus he also writes to the Laodiceans (commonly called the epiftle to the Ephe sians), Eph. vi. 21. whom he either apprehended infected, or in danger of the fame errors with the Colossians and the Philippians; and therefore writes in the same strain. But that this epiftle was not written to the Ephefians is plain, because they had bishops, as we find, Acts xx. 28. and probably deacons, not only in general, because they were ordinarily appointed at the fame time; but particularly, because Paul had given Timothy directions about ordaining them, 1 Tim. iii. 12, 13. And yet he makes no mention of them in the epistle, as he does in his epiftle to the Philippians, the only church he time and place. Proofs of the 7 he wrote to where there were bishops or deacons. See this point argued by Mr. James Peirce, in an advertisement concerning some things said upon the Epiftle to the Co loffians. He writes also to Philemon, by Onesimus, to defire him to take Onefimus his servant again, who, having robbed him, had run from him, but whom Paul had converted in his bonds. In his episfiles to the Phi Philip. i. lippians and to Philemon, 25. ii. 24. he tells them, he shall foon Philem. come to them. About this time James writes his Epistle. About this time, St. John seems to have written the Apocalypfe. At least it appears, by the title of the Syriac verfion, to have been written in the time of Nero, by whom he was banished into the ifle of Patmos; and probably foon after St. John came from Jerufalem, by the Hebraifms it is full of. It was written before Paul's Epiftle to the Hebrews, as well as before Peter's two Epistles, as appears by the allufions in all those Epistles to the book of Revelations; and likewife before Paul's second Epifile to Timothy, because the Spirit commends the church at Ephefus, Rev. ver. 22. ii. 2. time and place. 63 Heb. 24. ii. 2, 3. whereas it seems to After Paul was set at li- Heb. xiii. xiii. berty, he leaves Rome, and 24. Tit. " ver. may be restored to them," From Italy he fails to lem; and leaves Titus Tit. i. 5. there. Paul's fifth Apoftolic journey, to strengthen and confirm in Crete, Rome, Italy, and Spain. time and place. Proofs of the Heb. Sails from Crete to Judæa, xiii. and goes to Jerufalem, with 23, Timothy in his company. 24. according to what he wrote to the Hebrews, Heb. xiii. 23, 24. Goes from Jerufalem to Antioch in Syria (as is pro bable, he having always made this route in his former journies), making that his way to Crete, Rome, Italy, and, perhaps, Spain, where he seems to design to go. Paul stays at Colofse some time, as he had told Philemon he would, Philem. ver. 22. Paul stays at Philippi fome time, pursuant to what he wrote to the Philippians, Philip. i. 25. and ii. 24. Writes his Epistle to Titus, when he had Artemas and Tit. üi. Tychicus with him; and 12. bids him come to him at Ni copolis (in Epirus), where he winters. Poffibly Paul took Coloffe and Philippi in his way to Crete, Rome, &c. to thank them for the great kindness which they had always expreffed to him, and the generous supplies they had fent him, Philip. iv. 25. particularly when he was a prifoner at Rome; as well as to perform his promise to chem. Goe |