other than Rome. Of the literal Babylon we hear nothing in those times.

SECTION. XIII.

TH

COLOSSE.

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 there, and informed him of the fincerity and fruitfulness of their chriftian profeflion. 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 beft methods of evincing the fincerity of his zeal, which Paul owns to have been great for thefe churches.

The Apostle himself, in the fulnefs of his charity, wishes, that the Coloffians knew how ftrong the conflict of his foul was for them, that they might feel the comfort, understand the mystery, 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,

* Coloff. iv. 12. † Chap. ii. 1, 2.

fruit, and who had a lively hope in Chrift beyond the grave. But there must have been fome particular dangers 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 wisdom and goodnefs*, 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 christian.

In truth, the Jew by his ceremonies, and the Gentile by his philofophy, equally laboured to overturn the Gofpel of Chrift. And their felfrighteous efforts are then only effectually opposed, when chriftians know their "completenefs 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 fend it to be read by the Laodiceans, receiving themselves an epiftle from them to be read in their church, which most probably was the epiftle to the Ephefians; none of thefe places being at a great distance from one another+. And he gives a plain charge to Archippus their prefent paftor. We fee hence with what care these precious Apoftolical remains were preserved among primitive christians; and we may conceive, in the infancy of fpiritual confolation, how they fed on thofe lively oracles, which we now fo indolently poffefs.

Chap. ii. ult. + Coloff. iv. 16, 17.

I fee

I fée nothing more to be learnt from the fcriptures concerning the ftate of this church, except the inftructive anecdote in the epiftle to Philemon. This man (a Coloffian chriftian) had a flave, one Onefimus, who deferted from his master, probably not without fome depredations of his property, and wandered to Rome. That, like all great cities, was the Gink which received the conAuence 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 he did continually 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 affiftant at Rome, but thought it moft proper to fend him back to his mafter at Coloffe, which he does with a fhort letter; a mafterpiece it is of chriftian politenefs. In his Coloffian epiftle he mentions him alfo as a faithful and beloved brother. What Divine Grace can do for men, even for flaves whom proud philosophers defpifed, appears from this inftance,

TH

SECTION XIV.

THE SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA.

HERE are fome countries to which we un derstand that the gofpel was carried during the first out-pouring of the Holy Spirit, which are incidentally mentioned without any detail of facts.

Extenfive as we have feen from St. Luke's narrative the labours of the Apoftle were, it is evident from the epiftles, that he is far from relating the whole. We cannot learn, for inftance, from the Acts, when Paul vifited Crete. Yet the fhort epistle to Titus, whom he left there with epifcopal authority to ordain minifters in every city, and to regulate the churches, fhews that that island of an hundred cities had been confiderably evangelized, and many 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 those countries, yet their conversion would doubtlefs be attended with that of many Gentiles. Of three of thefe we know nothing particularly; the work of God in Galatia has been reviewed, and Afia propria alone remains now to be confidered, fo far as I can discover, of all the evangelized regions mentioned in fcripturehistory.

It was on his first departure from Corinth, that Paul first visited Ephefus†, the first named of the feven

Acts xviii. 19.

feven churches of Afia, to whom St. John dedicates the book of the Revelation. His firft ftay was short, but the impreffion made on his hearers must have been remarkably great, as they preffed his longer continuance among them. He left however Aquila and Prifcilla with them, whofe labours were afterwards affifted by Apollos.

Paul himself returning to Ephefus, baptized in the name of Jefus about twelve difciples, who had hitherto received only John's baptifm*. 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 discoveries, 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 perverfeness of the Jews induced him to defift, and to form the converts into a distinct church. One Tyrannus lent his fchool for two years, in which he daily ministered. And 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, ftruck with the horror of former crimes, made an open confeffion; and many, who had dealt in the abominations of forcery, now fhewed their fincere deteftation of them by burning their books before all men, the price of which amounted to a large fum. "So mighti"ly

* Acts xix,