"Jews who believed not fet all the city in 66 an uproar, and affaulted the house of Ja"fon where Paul and Silas were, and fought "to bring them out to the people.” Acts xvii. 5. The epiftle declares, "when we "were with you, we told you before that "we fhould fuffer tribulation; even as it "came to pass, and ye know" (iii. 4.)

The history brings Paul and Silas and Timothy together at Corinth, foon after the preaching of the gospel at Theffalonica: "And when Silas and Timotheus were "come from Macedonia (to Corinth), Paul

was preffed in fpirit." Acts xviii. 5. The epistle is written in the name of these three perfons, who confequently must have been together at the time, and speaks throughout of their ministry at Theffalonica as a recent tranfaction: "We, brethren, being "taken from you for a fhort time, in presence "not in heart, endeavoured the more "abundantly to fee your face with great "defire," (ii. 17).

The harmony is indubitable; but the points of history in which it confifts, are fo expressly set forth in the narrative, and

fo

fo directly referred to in the epistle, that it becomes neceffary for us to fhew, that the facts in one writing were not copied from the other. Now amidst fome minuter difcrepancies, which will be noticed below, there is one circumstance which mixes itfelf with all the allufions in the epistle, but does not appear in the history any where; and that is of a vifit which St. Paul had intended to pay to the Theffalonians during the time of his refiding at Corinth: "Wherefore we would have come unto

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you (even I Paul) once and again, but "Satan hindered us,” (ii. 18.) “ Night and

day praying exceedingly that we might "fee your face, and might perfect that "which is lacking in your faith. Now "God himself and our Father, and our "Lord Jefus Chrift, direct our way unto "you," (iii. 10, 11.) Concerning a defign which was not executed, although the perfon himself, who was confcious of his own purpose, should make mention in his letters, nothing is more probable than that his hiftorian should be filent, if not ignorant. The author of the epistle could not how

however have learnt this circumftance from the history, for it is not there to be met with; nor, if the historian had drawn his materials from the epiftle, is it likely that he would have paffed over a circumstance, which is amongst the most obvious and prominent of the facts to be collected from that fource of information.

No. IV.

Chap. iii. 17. "Wherefore when we "could no longer forbear, we thought it

1

good to be left at Athens alone, and sent "Timotheus, our brother and minister of "God, to establish you, and to comfort you "concerning your faith;-but now when "Timotheus came from you unto us, and

brought us good tidings of your faith and

"charity, we were comforted over you in "all our affliction and diftrefs by your "faith."

The hiftory relates, that when Paul came out of Macedonia to Athens, Silas and Timothy ftaid behind at Berea : "The brethren fent away Paul to go as it were to "the

"the fea; but Silas and Timotheus abode "there ftill; and they that conducted Paul

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brought him to Athens." Acts, ch. xvii. ver. 14, 15. The hiftory farther relates, that after Paul had tarried fome time at Athens, and had proceeded from thence to Corinth, whilft he was exercifing his ministry in that city, Silas and Timothy came to him from Macedonia, A&s, ch. xviii. ver. 5. But to reconcile the history with the clause in the epiftle which makes St. Paul fay," I thought "it good to be left at Athens alone, and to "fend Timothy unto you," it is necessary to suppose that Timothy had come up with St. Paul at Athens: a circumftance which the history does not mention. I remark therefore, that, although the history do not exprefsly notice this arrival, yet it contains intimations which render it extremely probable that the fact took place. First, as foon as Paul had reached Athens, he fent a meffage back to Silas and Timothy "for

to come to him with all speed." Acts, chap. xvii. ver. 15. Secondly, his stay at Athens was on purpose that they might join him there: "Now whilft Paul waited for

them

"them at Athens, his fpirit was stirred in "him," Acts, ch. xvii. ver. 16. Thirdly, his departure from Athens does not appear to have been in any fort haftened or abrupt. It is faid," after these things," viz. his disputation with the Jews, his conferences with the philofophers, his discourse at Areopagus, and the gaining of fome converts, "he departed from Athens and came to "Corinth." It is not hinted that he quitted Athens before the time that he had intended to leave it; it is not fuggefted that he was driven from thence, as he was from many cities, by tumults or perfecutions, or because his life was no longer fafe. Observe then the particulars which the hiftory does notice-that Paul had ordered Timothy to follow him without delay, that he waited at Athens on purpose that Timothy might come up with him, that he ftaid there as long as his own choice led him to continue. Laying these circumftances which the history does disclose together, it is highly probable that Timothy came to the apostle at Athens, a fact which the epiftle, we have seen, virtually afferts