صور الصفحة
PDF
النشر الإلكتروني

However, another ground of this opinion is what St. Paul himself fays. Rom. xv. 24. Whenfoever I take my journey into Spain, I will come to you. For I trust to fee you in my journey, and to be brought on my way thitherward by you, if firft I be fomewhat filled with your companie. But Paul's measures had been broken by his imprisonment at Jerufalem, and the confequences of it. And it was now at least five years, fince writing the epiftle to the Romans. It is more likely that (g) when Paul left Rome, he went into the Eaft, and Greece. For in his letters, writ near the end of his confinement there, he expreffeth hopes of fo doing. Philip. ii. 23. 24. fpeaking of Timothie, he fays: Him therefore I hope to fend presently, so foon as I fhall fee, how it will go with me. But I truft in the Lord, that I alfo my-felf fhall come fhortly. Compare i. 20... 25... And he fays to Philemon, an inhabitant of Coloffe. ver. 22. But withall prepare me also a lodging. For I trust, that through your prayers, I shall be given unto you, And in the epiftle to the Hebrews, probaby, writ by Paul to the Jews of Judea, and Jerufalem, he fays xiii. 18. 19. Pray for us. . . . And I befeech you the rather to do this, that I may be restored to you the fooner. And lower, ver. 23. Know ye, that our brother Timothie is fet at liberty. With whom, if he came fhortly, I will fee you. Moreover, it is not impoffible, but that Paul may have taken care of Spain by fending thither fome of his fellowlabourers, whilft he was prifoner at Rome.

As I fuppofe the epiftle to the Hebrews to have been writ after that to Philemon, I am apt to think, that Paul came from Rome to Jerufalem, as foon, and as directly, as he could. But he made there a fhort stay only. From Judea I think it likely that he went to Ephefus, and there left Timothie: whom about two years before he had fent for to come to him from Ephesus to Rome. From Ephefus Paul might go to Laodicea and Coloffe. And, poffibly, he returned to Rome by Troas, Philippi, and Corinth.

Some have hefitated to allow, that Paul ever came again into this countrey, because he says, Acts xx. 25 And now, behold, I know, that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, fhall fee my face no But Lewis Cappell (r) has well removed that difficulty. I there

more.

fore

(9) Nos tamen præcipue movent petita ex Scripturis argumenta, quibus aperte liquet, Paulum egreffum Romanorum carcere, in Orientem fe contuliffe. Documento fane magno, mutatum effe jubente Deo Pauli confilium, quo in Hifpaniæ tractum ex civitate Romana proficifci ftatuerat. . . . Illud etiam nobis eft vero proximum, peregrinationem Pauli Hifpanicam ex verbis Pauli fabricatam. . . . Unde collegerunt, quod decreverat, illud executioni effe mandatum. Quæ tamen non eft apta argumentandi ratio, &c. Bafn. Ann. 46. num xlix.

(r) Sed refponderi poteft, Paulum non femel ex humana conjectura, atque ex humano fpiritu, confilio, et propofito, multa ejufmodi cogitffea, putaffe, propofuiffe, ac dixiffe. Quæ tamen poftea, Deo ita difponente, aliter ceciItaque mirum videri non debet, fi cum Spiritus Paulum oppidatim moneret vincula et afflictiones graves manere eum Jerofolymis, fentiretque fe Spiritu ligatum, ut eo nihilominus proficifceretur, nefciens quænam effent illic fibi eventura, defperaverit de redítu fuo ad eos, quos poft fe relinquebat, licet Deo ita difponente... res aliquot poft annis ceciderit aliter, quam ipfe tum credebat. Non eft itaque tam validum adverfus nos argumentum illud,

ut

66

fore have placed below a part of his obfervations. And fays Wall (s) upon the place: "Eya dida, I know, when spoken of things future, does Eyabida, not, (as it is used by St. Paul,) always fignify a certain knowledge, or a prophetic certainty: but often means only thus much: Itake it for granted: I am fully perfuaded: I forefee it highly probable: I have no "other expectation. And the like." See also what there follows.

66

They who think that Paul did come again into this country, but nevertheless was not at Ephefus, feem not to attend to St. Paul's expreffions, who does not fay to the elders of Ephefus: I know, that you will fee me no more. But his words are thefe: And now, behold, I know, that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, fhall fee my face no more. The apostle then thought, that he fhould never more come into those parts. Confequently, he might as well come to Ephesus, as to Coloffe: which he probably did, and certainly hoped, and intended to do. See Philem. ver. 22.

Befide Cappellus, and Wall, already alledged, I might refer to others, who hefitate not at all to allow, that Paul came again into this countrey, particularly Le Clerc, and Lenfant and Beaufobre, upon Acts xx. 25. and (t) Pearfon. Not now to mention any more.

I faid juft now, that, probably, Paul went to Jerufalem, as foon as he could, after he was fet at liberty. And fay Lenfant and Beaufobre in their (u) general preface to St. Paul's epiftles: "We have seen, that the

apoftle was accuftomed to go from time to time to Jerufalem, and to "take the opportunity of folemn feftivals. So long as the temple fub"fifted, the Jewish Chriftians did not neglect the ordinances of the law. "St. Paul himself did not neglect them, that he might give no offense "to the Jews." I readily affent to what they fay about the apostle's going to Jerufalem. I could almoft think, that Paul was defirous to go thither, to praise God in his temple for the favourable circumftances of his imprisonment at Rome, and for his deliverance from it. Paul's cafe at Rome very much resembled what had happened to him at Corinth. After (c) which, we find, he had a vow, and went from Corinth to Ephefus, and haftened to Jerufalem. Acts xviii. 9... 22. In like manner, I imagine, that now Paul went to Jerufalem, as foon as he could. But he made no long stay there. It had not been his custom so to do, fince his converfion.

Having been at Jerufalem, I suppose, as before faid, that he vifited divers churches, which had been planted by him, and then returned to Rome. St. Paul, though a prifoner, had lived very comfortably at Rome. And he there had great fucceffe in his fervices for the gospel. It seems to me, that he now confidered that city, as the moft proper place for him to refide in the remaining part of his life. It was the most confpicu

ous

ut eo fubvertatur fententia noftra de Pauli reditu in Orientem, poft foluta Romana ejus vincula. Lud. Cappel. Hift. Apoft. illuftrat. p. 34.... 36. (s) Notes upon the N. T. p. 255.

(r) Paulus venit Miletum, &c. Ann. Paulin. p. 24. A. D. lxvi. (u) P. 34.

(c) A particular account of that journey from Corinth to Jerufalem may b seen in the first Part of this work. B. i. ch. 9. §. vii.

ous place in all the world, and the place of the greatest resort from all parts. There he hoped to be more useful, than in any other place.

But things do not always fall out exactly according to human expectations. For, as I fuppofe, the apoftle had not been long returned to Rome, before he was called out to refign his life for the name of Chrift.

In the year of Chrift 64. as we learn from (x) Suetonius, and (y) Tar titus, Heathen hiftorians, as well as from others, was a dreadful fire at Rome, which continued fix or feven days. It was thought by many people, that the city had been set on fire by the Emperour's orders. But foon after the Chriftians were moft cruelly treated by him, as if they had been the authors of the conflagration. So fays Tacitus. The fire is faid to have begun on the (2) the 19. of July. And the perfecution of the Christians began, as is fuppofed by fome, in (a) November following, by others (b) in Auguft. Which to me feems not so likely.

It is the opinion of (c) Pagi, and (d) Bafnage, that Peter and Paul fuffered martyrdom in the year of ++ Chrift 65. They argue in this manner. Orofius (e) having given an account of Nero's perfecution of the Chriftians, and of the death of the two Apoftles in it, adds, that it was followed by a peftilence in the city, and other difafters. And Tacitus (f) fpeaking

(x) Nam quafi offenfus deformitate veterum ædificiorum, et anguftiis flexurifque vicorum, incendit urbem... Per fex dies feptemque noctes eâ clade fævitum eft... Hoc incendium e turri Mæcenetiana profpectans, lætufque flammæ, ut aiebat, pulcritudine, λwo Illii in illo fuo fcenico habitu decantavit. Sueton. Neron. cap. 38.

(y) Sed non ope humana, non largitionibus Principis, aut Deum placamentis, decedebat infamia, quin juffum incendium crederetur. Ergo abo lendo rumori Nero fubdidit reos, et quæfitiffimis panis affecit, quos per flagitia invifos, vulgus Chriftianos appellabat.... Igitur primo correpti qui fatebantur deinde indicio eorum multitudo ingens, haud perinde in crimine incendii, quam odio humani generis convicti, &c. Tacit. Ann. 15. cap. 44. (x) Fuere qui annotarent, xiv. Calendas Sextiles principium incendii hujus ortum, quo et Senones captam urbem inflammaverant. Tacit. Annal. 15. cap. 41.

...

(a) cujus initium in medium menfem Novembrem A. 64. cadit. Mofbem. de Reb. Chriftian. fec. 1. cap. 34.

(b) Vid. Toinard. ad lib. de Mort. Perfecut. cap. ii. (c) Vid. Pagi ann. 64, 65, 67.

(d) Inchoatam fuperiore anno perfecutionem currente continuavit Neronis furor, qui Petri Paulique fanguine refperfus eft. Bajn. ann. 65. n. ix.

That alfo was the opinion of Du Pin, not now to mention any others. Quoiqu'il en foit, il eft certain, qu' étant revenu à Rome avec faint Pierre, il y eût la tête tranchée dans le temps de la perfecution de Neron, et proba blement la 65 année de Jefus Chrift, comme nous l'avons fait voir en un autre endroit. Du Pin. Diff. Prel. 1. 2. ch. 2. §. viii.

(e) Nam primus Romæ Chriftianos fuppliciis et mortibus adfecit, ac per omnes provincias pari perfecutione excruciari imperavit: ipfumque nomen exftirpare conatus, beatiffimos Apoftolos, Petrum cruce, Paulum gladio occidit. Mox acervatim miferam civitatem abortæ undique clades. Nam fubfequente autumno tanta urbi peftilentia incubuit, ut triginta millia funerum in rationem Libitinæ venirent. Oros. 1. 7. c.7.

(f) Tacitus, lib. 16. cap. 13. loquens de iis quæ Nerva et Vestino Coff. gefta, fic narrationem fuam concludit.: Tot facinoribus fœdum annum etiam

Dii

fpeaking of affairs, when Nerva and Veftinus were Confuls, which was the year of Chrift 65. mentions a peftilence in the city, violent ftorms in fome parts of Italie, and other calamities. So Pagi. And Bafnage (g) argues in the like manner from that paffage of Orofius,

The laft mentioned learned chronologer likewife obferves, that (b) Sulpicius Severus having given an account of the fire at Rome, and Nero's perfecution of the Chriftians, and of the martyrdoms of Peter and Paul therein, adds: "Whilft these things are doing at Rome, the Jews being "uneafie under the oppreffions of their Governour Geffius Florus, begin "to rebel." Upon which Bafnage obferves: the (i) Jewish war began in May 66. Therefore the martyrdoms of the Apoftles happened in the year before, that is, 65. To which, perhaps, might be added, that (k) Suetonius, having spoken of the fire, the peftilence, and those calamities, which are mentioned by Tacitus, and Orofius, takes notice, that at the fame time Syria was difficultly kept from breaking out into a rebellion: intending, probably, the uneafinels of the Jewish people in 65. and 66. Bafnage obferves alfo, that (1) Epiphanius placeth the death of Peter and Paul in the 12, year of Nero: part (m) of which, as he says, fell in the year 65.

I am

Dii tempeftatibus, et morbis, infignivere. Vaftata Campania turbine ventorum, qui villas, arbufta, fruges paffim disjecit, pertulitque violentiam ad vicina urbi. In qua omne mortalium genus vis peftilentiæ depopulabatur, nullâ coeli intemperie, quæ occurreret oculis. Petrus itaque et Paulus eo anno morti traditi, quo urbem peftilentia afflixit. Quare, cum tefte Tacito, anno Chrifti fexagefimo quinto peftis Romæ graffata fuerit, Principium Apoftolorum martyrium perperam a Baronio ad præfentem annum dilatum. Pagi Ann. 67. n. iii. (g) Jam vero fæva hæc lues in Nervæ et Veftini confulatum incidit. Bajn. ann. 65. n. ix.

(b) Interea abundante jam Chriftianorum multitudine, accidit, ut Roma incendio conflagraret, Nerone apud Antium conftituto. Sed opinio omnium invidiam incendii in Principem retorquebat, credebaturque Imperator gloriam innovandæ urbis quafiffe. Neque ulla re Nero efficiebat, quin ab eo juffum incendium putaretur. Igitur vertit invidiam in Chriftianos, acteque in innoxios crudeliffimæ quæftiones. . . . Hoc initio in Chriftianos fæviri coeptum. Poft etiam datis legibus, religio vetabatur: palamque edictis propofitis, Chriftianum effe non licebat. Tum Paulus ac Petrus capitis damnati: quorum uni cervix gladio defecta, Petrus in crucem fublatus eft. Sulp. Sev. 1. 2. c. 41.

Dum hæc Romæ geruntur, Judæi, præfidis fui Geffii Flori injurias non ferentes, rebellare coeperunt. ib. cap. 42.

(i) Bellum autem Judaicum incoepit anni fequentis menfe Maio. Proindeque Apoftolorum martyrium in præfens tempus conferendum. Bafn. ann. 65. n. ix.

(k) Accefferunt tantis ex Principe malis, probrifque quædam et fortuita: peftilentia unius autumni, quo triginta funerum millia in rationem Libitina venerant Clades Britannica, Sueton. Neron. ægreque Syria retenta.

cap. 39.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

(1) . . . μετὰ τὴν τῇ ἁγία πέτρα καὶ πάυλω τελευτὴν τὴν ἐπὶ τῷ δωδεκάτῳ ἔτει végwvos yevojcívny. Haer. 27. num. vi.

(m) Pars autem anni Neroniani duodecimi ad præfentem fpectat, utpote Octobris tertio et decimo incipientis. Bafn. an. 65. n. ix,

I am the more inclined to this date, because we do not find in the epiftles of the New Teftament any notice taken of the perfecution of the Chriftians at Rome, or of the devastations in Judea, after the commencement of the war. If Peter and Paul had been in any of the provinces, and had furvived the terrible perfecution at Rome in 64. and 65. we fhould have had some epiftle, or epiftles of theirs, concerning it, to the Romans, or to the Chriftians of fome other place.

I do not prefume to affign pofitively the year of the martyrdom of these two Apostles. I have mentioned the fpecious and probable arguments of two very eminent chronologers, in favour of the year 65. Nor do I think the Apoftles furvived that year. But I cannot fay, whether their martyrdoms happened in the year 64. or 65. Pagi fays, that (n) Peter and Paul were taken up and imprisoned in 64. and put to death in the year 65. But I know nothing of the imprifonment of the Apostles at this time. There may be in late and fabulous authors large and particular accounts of their imprisonment, just before their martyrdoms. But there is little or no notice taken of it by the moft ancient writers. If Peter and Paul were come to Rome before the City was fet on fire, and before the perfecution of the Chriftians began, (which is not improbable,) they might be taken up, and foon put to death, before the end of the year 64.

[ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small]

I. The Introduction. II. The two Epiftles to the Theffalonians. III. The Epiftle to the Galatians. IV. The first Epistle to the Corinthians. V. The first Epiftle to Timothie. VI. The Epiftle to Titus. VII. The fecond Epiftle to the Corinthins. VIII. The Epistle to the Romans. IX. The Epifle to the Ephefians. X. The fecond Epiftle to Timothie. XI. The Epiftle to the Philippians. XII. The Epistle to the Coloffians. XIII. The Epiftle to Philemon. XIV. The Epistle to the Hebrews.

[blocks in formation]

**** SHALL now endeavor to fettle the time of St. Paul's Epiftles of which Origen faid: "If (a) any man reads them with atten**** tion, I am perfuaded, he will admire the writer's abilities in expreffing great things in vulgar language: or, if he does not admire them, himself will appear ridiculous."

* It

(a) Præterquam quod, cum perfecutio adverfus Chriftianos anno lxiv. decreta fuerit, ac infequenti continuata, non dubium, quin priori anno Petrus et Paulus in carcerem conjecti fint, ac pofteriori necati. Ann. 67, num. iii. (a) See Vol. iii. p. 247.

« السابقةمتابعة »