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fiftent with the hiftory, that the epiftle was written; and every note of place in the epistle agrees with this fuppofition. "after the manner of men, I have fought "with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth "it me, if the dead rife not? (xv. 32). I allow that the apoftle might fay this, whereever he was; but it was more natural and more to the purpose to say it, if he was at Ephefus at the time, and in the midst of those conflicts to which the expression relates. "The churches of Afia falute you" (xvi. 19). Afia, throughout the Acts of the Apoftles and the epiftles of St. Paul, does not mean the whole of Afia Minor or Anatolia, nor even the whole of the proconfular Afia, but a district in the anterior part of that country, called Lydian Afia, divided from the reft, much as Portugal is from Spain, and of which district Ephesus was the capital." Aquila and Prifcilla falute you" (xvi. 19). Aquila and Prifcilla were at Ephefus during the period within which this epiftle was written (Acts xviii. 18. 26).— "I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost" (xvi. 8). This, I apprehend, is in terms al

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moft afferting that he was at Ephefus at the time of writing the epiftle.-"A great and effectual door is opened unto me" (xvi. 9). How well this declaration correfponded with the state of things at Ephesus, and the progrefs of the Gofpel in these parts, we learn from the reflection with which the hiftorian. concludes the account of certain transactions which paffed there: "So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed" (Acts xix. 20); as well as from the complaint of Demetrius, "that not only at Ephefus, but alfo through“out all Afia, this Paul hath perfuaded and "turned away much people" (xix. 26).— "And there are many adverfaries," fays the epistle, xvi. 9. Look into the hiftory of this period, "when divers were hardened “and believed not, but fpake evil of that

way before the multitude, he departed "from them, and feparated the difciples." The conformity therefore upon this head of comparison, is circumftantial and perfect. If any one think that this is a conformity fo obvious, that any forger of tolerable caution and fagacity, would have taken care to preferve it, I muft defire fuch a one to read

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the epiftle for himself; and, when he has done fo, to declare, whether he has difcovered one mark of art or defign; whether the notes of time and place appear to him to be inferted with any reference to each other, with any view of their being compared with each other, or for the purpose of establishing a visible agreement with the history, in respect of them.

No. III.

Chap. iv. ver. 17-19.

"For this caufe

"I have fent unto you Timotheus, who is

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my beloved fon and faithful in the Lord, "who fhall bring you into remembrance "of my ways which be in Chrift, as I "teach every where in every church. Now "fome are puffed up, as though I would 66 not come unto you; but I will come "unto you shortly, if the Lord will."

With this I compare Acts xix. 21, 22: "After these things were ended, Paul purpofed in the fpirit, when he had paffed

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through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to

'Jerufalem; faying, after I have been there, "I muft

"I must alfo fee Rome: Jo he fent unto "Macedonia two of them that miniftered "unto him, Timotheus and Eraftus.'

Though it be not faid, it appears I think with fufficient certainty, I mean from the history, independently of the epiftle, that Timothy was fent upon this occafion into Achaia, of which Corinth was the capital city, as well as into Macedonia; for the fending of Timothy and Eraftus is, in the paffage where it is mentioned, plainly connected with St. Paul's own journey; he fent them before him. As he therefore purposed to go into Achaia himself, it is highly probable that they were to go thither alfo. Nevertheless they are faid only to have been fent into Macedonia, because Macedonia was in truth the country to which they went immediately from Ephefus; being directed, as we fuppofe, to proceed afterwards from thence into Achaia. If this be fo, the narrative agrees with the epiftle; and the agreement is attended with very little appearance of defign. One thing at leaft concerning it is certain that if this paffage of St. Paul's history had been taken from his letter, it

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would have fent Timothy to Corinth by name, or exprefsly however into Achaia.

But there is another circumstance in these two paffages much lefs obvious, in which an agreement holds, without any room for fufpicion that it was produced by defign. We have obferved that the fending of Timothy into the peninfula of Greece was connected in the narrative with St. Paul's own journey thither; it is ftated as the effect of the fame refolution. Paul purpofed to go into Macedonia; "fo he fent two of them that miniftered unto him, Timotheus and Eraftus." Now in the epiftle also you remark that, when the apostle mentions his having fent Timothy unto them, in the very next fentence he speaks of his own vifit: " for this caufe have I "fent unto you Timotheus, who is my be"loved fon, &c. Now fome are puffed up, as

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though I would not come to you; but I "will come to you shortly, if God will.” Timothy's journey we fee is mentioned in the history, and in the epistle, in close connection with St. Paul's own. Here is the fame order of thought and intention; yet conveyed

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