Preface. Sect. 1. The hiftory of Titus.-2. Of the introduc- tion of the gospel into Crete.-3. Of Crete, and of the man- ners of its inhabitants.-4. Of the time and place of writing A NEW LITERAL TRANSLATION OF ST. PAUL'S FIRST EPISTLE TO THE THESSALONIANS. PREFACE. SECT. I. Of the Introduction of the Gospel at Theffalonica; and of the Date of St. Paul's firft Epifle to the Thessalonians. ROM the hiftory of the Acts of the apostles, it appears Front St. Paul arit paffed into Europe to preach the golpel, after he had delivered the decreees of the council of Jerufalem (Acts xvi. 4.) to the churches in the Leffer Afia, whereby the Gentiles were declared free from obeying the law of Mofes, as a term of falvation. In the course of that journey Paul having come to Troas, as was mentioned in the preface to the epistle to the Philippians, Sect. 1. there appeared to him in the night, a vifion of a man in the habit of a Macedonian, praying him to come over into Macedonia, and help them. In obedience to that call, which they knew to be from Chrift, the apostle with his affiftants Silas and Timothy, went first to Philippi, and laid the foundation of a very flourishing church there. After that, they went to Theffalonica, a great fea-port town of Macedonia, VOL. IV. B which which being anciently called Therma gave its name to the bay on which it was fituated. At that time Theffalonica was the refidence of the Proconful who governed the province of Macedonia, and of the Queftor, who had the care of the Emperor's revenues. This city, therefore, being the metropolis of all the countries comprehended in the province of Macedonia (fee I Theff. i. 7. note), and the feat of the courts of justice, and the place where the affairs of the province were managed, and carrying on an extenfive commerce by its merchants, was full of inhabitants, among whom were many philosophers and men of genius. There was, likewife, to this city a constant resort of ftrangers from all quarters; fo that Theffalonica was remarkable for the number, the wealth, and the learning of its inhabitants. But, like all the other cities of the Greeks, being utterly corrupted with ignorance in matters of religion, with idolatry, and with all forts of wickedness, it was a fit fcene for the apostle to difplay the light of the gofpel in. He therefore went thither directly, after leaving Philippi. And, as there was a Jewish fynagogue in Theffalonica, he entered into it, foon after his arrival, according to his cuftom, and three fabbath days reasoned with the Jews out of the Scriptures. His difcourfes, however, had not that fuccefs with the Jews which might have been expected, a few of them only believing; whilft of the religious profelytes a great multitude embraced the gofpel, among whom were many women of the firft diftinction in the city. Yet, the greatest part of the Theffalonian converts were idolatrous Gentiles; as appears from the apostle's first epifle, in which he fpeaks to that church in general, as having turned from idols to ferve the living God.-The many converts which the apostle made in Theffalonica from among the idolatrous Gentiles, and his receiving money once and again from the Philippians while he preached in Theffalonica, Philip. iv. 16. fhew that he abode in that city a confiderable time, after he left off preaching in the fynagogue. But his fuccefs among the profelytes and idolatrous Gentiles, exciting the indignation and envy of the unbelieving Jews, they gathered a company, and brake into the houfe of Jafon, where the apoftle and his affistants lodged, intending to bring them forth to the people, that they might be put to to death in the tumult. But they happily escaping, the brethren by night fent Paul and Silas away to Bercea, a neighbouring city of note; where likewife they converted numbers of religious profelytes, and idolatrous Gentiles, and even many of the Beroan Jews. For the latter being of a better difpofition than their brethren in Theffalonica, they received the word with all readiness of mind, and fearched the Scriptures daily whether thofe things were fo. But the Theffalonian Jews hearing of the fuccess of the gospel in Beroa, came and stirred up the idolatrous multitude, so that Paul was constrained to depart. Silas, however, and Timothy, not being fo obnoxious to the Jews, abode there still. In this flight the apostle was accompanied by some of the Beræean brethren, who conducted him to Athens, and who, when they departed, carried his order to Silas and Timothy to come to him forthwith. In obedience to that order, Timothy alone came to Athens. But the apoftle immediately fent him back to Theffalonica, to comfort the brethren, and to exhort them concerning their faith, 1 Theff. iii. 1, 2.-After Timothy left Athens, Paul endeavoured to plant the gospel in that celebrated mart of learning, by the force of reasoning alone, without the aid of miracles. The Athenian philofophers, however, not being convinced by his discourses, though he reasoned in the most forcible manner against the polytheism to which they were addicted, he made but few difciples. Leaving Athens, therefore, before Timothy returned from Theffalonica, he went to Corinth, the chief city of the province of Achaia, in hopes of being better received. This happened foon after the Emperor Claudius banished the Jews from Rome. For, on his arrival at Corinth, the apostle found Aquila and Prifcilla, lately come from Italy, in confequence of the Emperor's edict. St. Paul had not long been at Corinth when Timothy came to him from Theffalonica, Acts xviii. 5. and, no doubt, gave him fuch an account of affairs in Theffalonica, as made him fenfible that his presence was greatly wanted in that city. But the fuccefs with which he was preaching the gospel in Achaia, rendered it improper for him to leave Corinth at that time. To fupply, therefore the want of his prefence, he immediately wrote to the Theffalonian brethren this his first epistle, in which, as we shall fee immediately, he treated of those matters, which he would have B 2 have made the fubjects of his difcourfes had he been prefent with them. From these facts and circumftances, which are all related in the history of the Acts, it appears that this first epistle to the Theffalonians was written, not from Athens, as the interpolated postscript at the end of the epistle bears, but from Corinth; and that not long after the publication of Claudius's edict against the Jews; which happened in the twelfth year of his reign, anfwering to A. D. 51. I fuppofe it was written in the end of that year. SECT. II. Of the Occafion of writing the first Epistle to the Thefalonians. IT seems the idolaters in Theffalonica, greatly displeased with their fellow-citizens for deferting the temples and worship of the Gods, were easily perfuaded by the Jews to make the affault, above defcribed, against the Chriftian teachers. The Jews, however, and the idolatrous rabble, were not the only enemies of Chrift in Theffalonica. The philofophers, of whom there were many in all the great cities of the Greeks, finding the gofpel very favourably received by the people, would naturally, after their manner, examine it scientifically, and oppose it by arguments. This I may venture to affirm, because, while the magistrates, the priests, and the multitude, were endeavouring to fupprefs the new doctrine, by perfecuting its preachers and adherents, it is not to be imagined, that the men of learning in Theffalonica would remain inactive. We may, therefore, believe that many of them reafoned, both against the doctrines of the gofpel, and against its miracles; reprobating the former as foolishness, and reprefenting the latter as the effects of magic. And with refpect to its preachers, they fpake loudly against them as impoftors, because they had not appeared, with Jafon and the reft, before the magistrates, but had fled by night to. Beroa. For, with fome fhew of reason, they might pretend that this flight of the new teachers, proceeded from a consciousness of the falfehood of their doctrine and miracles. Befides, having left their difciples in Theffalonica, to bear the perfecution alone, without |