At first, probably, this attention to his trade was abfolutely neceflary; and afterwards he thought it expedient, that he might prevent or remove prejudices and objections, and prove that he fought not his own ease or interest *. His grand aim was to fpread the knowledge of divine truth, and to "win fouls." On every fabbath he ftood forth in the Jewish fynagogue as an advocate for the Gofpel. Efpecially, when Silas and Timothy came to him from Macedonia, and enlivened him by their prefence and good accounts of the churches, he felt a peculiar earneftness of fpirit for the honour of his Mafter, and preached with fresh vigour. The Jews rejected his teftimony, and blafphemed the Lord Chrift, whom he commended to their regard. He, therefore, folemnly warned them of their condemnation, charged their deftruction upon their own heads, and then turned from them to the Gentiles. He no more renewed his inftructions in their fynagogue, but from that time addreffed the people, who were difpofed to hear him, at the house of one Juftus in the neighbourhood.

His labours were not ineffectual. Crifpus, a man of fome rank as being "the ruler of the fynagogue,' and many of the Corinthians, alfo, came forth and made profeffion of the Chriftian faith. Yet it was a feafon of distress with the Apoftle; and it should seem that he gave way to an improper dejection of mind. He declares, that he had been with them "in weaknefs, and in fear, and in much trembling +." A view of the prevailing wickedness, a fenfe of his own infirmities, the contempt with which both he and his doctrine were treated, and an apprehenfion of danger, combined, probably, to difcourage him; and it appears, as if he were ready to take his flight, or decline his work. At that juncture the Lord graciously

#1 Cor. ix. 12-19. 2 Cor. xi. 7-12. +1 Cor. ii. 3.

interpofed,

interpofed, commanded him to perfift in the fervice with diligence and intrepidity, and promifed him the divine prefence, protection from enemies, and great fuccefs in his miniftry among the Corinthians. He thus addressed him in a vision of the night, "Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace: for I am with thee, and no man fhall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this place."

St. Paul was imboldened, by this affurance from heaven, to continue at Corinth a year and fix months, during which time he laboured in the Gofpel with much affiduity, and to good effect. There he wrote his Epiftles to the Theffalonians, and that alfo, as fome think, to the Galatians; which were probably the firft of his compofitions now remaining. He forgot not the concerns of his diftant brethren, but felt a painful anxiety for them, when he heard of certain inftances of mifconduct and declenfion in the churches.

The faithful ambaffadors of Chrift may be inftructed from the example before us. It is nothing wonderful, that they alfo, like this eminent Apostle, fhould be oppreffed and difcouraged by inward temptations as well as outward oppofition. O let us not increase their difficulties by our contempt or unkindness ! Rather, let us ftrengthen their hands in God, by our cordial reception of the truth, and pray for them, that they may be upheld, and affifted in the vigorous profecution of their important work. May much people be turned to the Lord, through their labours, in thofe very places, which they confider as moft hopeless! In this they may be confident and rejoice, that, wherever their Mafter has appointed them any fervice, He will continue and support them; nor fhall any violence of their enemies prevent or retard the purposes of his

mercy.

At length a fevere ftorm arofe at Corinth. The Jews were indignant: they feized the Apostle, and in an outrageous manner brought him before the tribu

nal of Gallio, the governor or proconful of Achaia. They accufed him of introducing a new religion, to the fubverfion of the law; and he was forbidden to speak in his own defence. Gallio would hear nothing on the fubject, and therefore instantly difmiffed the parties. Probably, he confidered the Gofpel as a matter beneath his notice: " he cared for none of thofe things."

St. Paul remained there fome time longer, notwithftanding this ftrong oppofition. Upon his departure, he took with him his two friends, Aquila and Prifcilla: and it is remarked, that at Cenchrea, a neighbouring port, from which he fet fail, he shaved his head in confequence of a certain vow he had made, probably, for a great deliverance. When they came to Ephefus, he preached the word, but foon left his dear companions there, though they earneftly requested him to continue. He" conferred not with flesh and blood," preffing on with unremitting ardour, wherever his duty called him. He haftened to Jerufalem, with charitable contributions for the church, and, having finished the purpose of his journey, he called at Antioch upon his return, and made some stay in that place. He then paffed in a regular progrefs throughout the country of Galatia and Phrygia, with the view of propagating the Gospel yet more extenfively, and encouraging believers under all their trials and diftreffes.

How honourable the employment of the Apostle! Happy thofe, who enjoyed the benefit, and knew the value of his labours! What a glory and excellency diftinguished his character, while he travelled from one kingdom to another, "to turn men from darknefs to light, and from the power of Satan unto God *;". as poor, yet making many rich + !" Intead, therefore, of complaining of his arduous poft, † 2 Cor. vi. 10.

*Acts xxvi. 18.

he

he was conftrained to utter that grateful acknowledgment, "Thanks be unto God, which always caufeth us to triumph in Chrift, and maketh manifest the favour of his knowledge by us in every place!”\ Here again we paufe, and afk, Will any maintain, that Paul could be a deceiver? Could all these astonishing events, fo exactly fimilar, which his preaching produced in different parts of the world, be the effect of mere fancy or delufion? Let infidels credit this, if they can. They will not, indeed, hesitate to admit any abfurdities or impoflibilities, rather than allow, that our religion is a revelation from heaven. But let us rejoicein the truth and efficacious influence of the Gofpel; "for it is the power of God unto falvation, to every one that believeth +." Let us not be fatisfied with granting the fincerity, or even admiring the excellence, of the Apostle. Do we receive the doctrine, which het propagated? Does it regulate our faith and practice? We are not fo much in danger of openly rejecting the whole fyftem, as of trifling under an external profeffion, without experiencing "the power of godlinefs." O let us fear, left the word, which we hear and pretend to believe, fhould rife up to condemn us in the judgment !

The Lord God fet his feal to the declarations of his Apostle; and we are not afraid to affert, that He con-tinues to this day, in a moft decided manner, to profper the labours of thofe, who deliver the fame teftimony. Similar effects attend the promulgation of the fimple and unadulterated Gofpel. Many, like the Theffalonians, are hereby "turned to God from idols, to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven." Let us offer up our fervent prayers, that we may fee more evident proofs among ourselves of a divine energy accompanying the preaching of the cross. We have many precious,

promifes, which fhould encourage our expectations of glorious events. Let thofe, who "have this miniftry, as they have received mercy, faint not*,” but be unwearied in their exertions for the enlargement and profperity of the Church. May they be honoured of God, whom they ferve in the Gospel of his Son, " by turning many to righteoufnefs," and then "fhine as the ftars for ever and ever † !" Amen.