in the provinces plundered their wealth, and brought it home: the city rose like a phoenix out of the fire: public and decorative buildings were raised in the Campus Martius: the circus, the forum, and the theatre, were renewed, and splendid temples, triumphal arches, aqueducts, baths, basilicas, adorned the city on every hand. Then, in latter ages, the coliseum was erected; the ruins of which seem to be one of the wonders of modern times: far later still, and after pagan Rome had fallen and papal Rome had arisen, St. Peter's was erected, which Gibbon pronounces to be "the most glorious temple that ever was raised for the purpose of religious worship." Ancient Rome is now in ruins, and modern Rome has risen by its side. That part of modern Rome, now covered with gardens, was of ancient Rome most populous, and crowded with houses. In ancient Rome, the Campus Martius was an open plain; now it is covered by the streets and finest squares of the present magnificent city-magnificent in so far as architecture, statuary, and paintings are to be taken into account. In reference to one important circumstance, both ancient and modern Rome are equally distinguished—that is, in being extremely well watered of the Lord. Water, cold and pure, is found, most plentifully, in every street, and in every variety of the useful and ornamental.

But oh, how has the modern Babylon fallen, both in a political and a religious point of view! How interesting would it not have been, in the olden times, to have seen Marius, Fabius, Pompey, Julius, or any of the twelve emperors, commanding their legions in the streets of Rome! but how degrading to see French troops occupying the city, and to see them, as our own eyes did, drilling and drumming under the ruins of Cæsar's palace! Alas, Rome, now-a-days, is anything but mistress of the world and queen of nations! She has become degraded, and disabled, and utterly helpless, as a civil power, among the empires of the present day. But popish Rome has even fallen, in

a religious point of view, from the position held by pagan Rome in that respect. We state, with deliberation, and without fear, that we would have more hope of the warworn republican of ancient Rome, who believed that Jupiter spoke to him in the thunder cloud, becoming a sincere and humble follower of the meek and lowly Jesus, than we could of the lazy and proud political priests of the Vatican taking up their cross and following the Redeemer.

St. Paul was not more than three days in Rome when he called the chief of the Jews together. "And it came to pass, that after three days Paul called the chief of the Jews together and when they were come together, he said unto them, Men and brethren, though I have committed nothing against the people, or customs of our fathers, yet was I delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans. Who, when they had examined me, would have let me go, because there was no cause of death in me. But when the Jews spake against it, I was constrained to appeal unto Cæsar; not that I had ought to accuse my nation of. For this cause therefore have I called for you, to see you, and to speak with you: because that for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain. And they said unto him, We neither received letters out of Judæa concerning thee, neither any of the brethern that came shewed or spake any harm of thee. But we desire to hear of thee what thou thinkest for as concerning this sect, we know that every where it is spoken against. And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening. And some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not. And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word, Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers, saying, Go unto this people, and say,

:

Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive: for the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it. And when he had said these words, the Jews departed, and had great reasoning among themselves."

After this St. Paul remained as a prisoner and a preacher, for two whole years, at Rome, "in his own hired house; and received all that came in unto him, preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.”

While St. Paul was in Rome, at this period, he was attended, almost wherever he went, by Luke, the beloved physician, Mark, Aristarchus, and Demas, his fellowlabourers, and Tychicus, a beloved brother, and a faithful minister and fellow-servant in the Lord, and Justus, who is of the circumcision, and Epaphras, a servant of Christ, with Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother. He was also visited by Epaphroditus, who brought a contribution from the Christians at Philippi. Paul calls him his fellowsoldier, who had hazarded his life in the cause of Christ. And he wrote, at Rome, the Epistle to Philemon, one which was conveyed to him at Colossæ, his own home, by Onesimus, who was a fugitive slave belonging to Philemon, whom St. Paul had converted to Christianity, and sent home to his master to be received by him "as St. Paul's self," and " as his own bowels."

When at Rome, St. Paul wrote the Epistle to the Colossians, which he sent with Tychicus; who travelled from Rome, together with Onesimus, to Asia Minor.

When at Rome St. Paul also wrote the Epistle to the Ephesians, which Tychicus also took charge of.

When at Rome, St. Paul wrote also his Epistle to the Philippians, and sent it by Epaphroditus, after he had recovered from his sickness.

St. Paul is also said to have written the Epistle to the Hebrews from Italy; but whether at this time, or on his second return, or whether it was written by St. Barnabas, or St. Luke, or St. Clement, has been matter of great controversy.

Thus it was that the Allwise and Almighty Jehovah, who doeth according to his will in the armies of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth, turned the events through so many various hazards, and in the face of so many different obstructions, that St. Paul's early and earnest desire to visit Rome was at last accomplished, in a way the Apostle himself knew not of. Hitherto the Christian commentator, historian, and biographer, has been directed in his investigation, in well-known latitudes and longitudes, with charts laid down under the influence of Divine inspiration, with an unerring compass to steer by, and with a bright polar star to direct by night, and the Sun of Righteousness to enlighten and comfort through the day: but now we are to be deprived of all these necessary aids, and worse off than Columbus, when he fearlessly, and with untiring perseverance, steered his course steadily westward and westward still, in spite of hesitations, and mutiny, and threatened destruction from his own crew, till he gained his grand point, and reached the New World. We that are writers and readers must do our best to find out and to state facts. And, that we may be enabled to do so aright, let the author, and every one who may afterwards peruse these pages, offer up, at this point, fervent prayers to God, as David did, "O send out thy light, and thy truth; let them lead me" aright to turn the leaf towards the two next chapters, as to which apostolic narrative gives no sacred clue to guide in the coming labyrinth!

CHAPTER XIII.

ST. PAUL'S MISSIONARY LABOURS IN THE EAST, AND UTMOST BOUNDS OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE, INCLUDING SPAIN AND BRITAIN.

"GOD's ways are in the sea, and his path in the mighty waters." "Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty to perfection?" "Great is our Lord, and of great power; his understanding is infinite. Touching the Almighty, we cannot find him out; but still he is perfect in knowledge. All his works are truth, and his ways judgment." Instead, therefore, of lamenting the darkness which envelopes the life and localities of St. Paul, after the close of the Acts of the Apostles, or wondering why St. Luke, who seems to have remained with him till the period of his martyrdom, should have dropped his pen, let the reader be still, and know that God is the Lord, and in this, as in every thing else, let him stand in awe, and sin not. It is impious to account for this abrupt termination of the Acts, breaking off the narrative of St. Paul's appeal to Cæsar just at the most interesting point of its conclusion, on the mere supposition of plausible explanations. Some writers have supposed that St. Luke wrote before the conclusion of the imprisonment, and naturally stops when he had wrought up his narrative to the latest event. Others say, that Theophilus, to whom the Acts of the Apostles are addressed, already knew of the conclusion of St. Paul's first trial before Nero, and of the after-events of the Apostle's life. Others, again, dare to suppose that, as this missionary of the Gentiles had now become aged, the work of his infirmer years might not be so worthy of being