24 nOR^ PAULINiE. 



could have gone to Rome, so as to have been saluted in an 

 epistle to that city ; and then come back to St. Paul at 

 Ephesus, so as to be joined with him in saluting the church 

 of Corinth. As it is, all things are consistent. The epistle 

 to the Eomans is posterior even to the second epistle to the 

 Corinthians ; because it speaks of a contribution in Achaia 

 being completed, which the second epistle to the Corinthi- 

 ans, chap. 8, is only sr'liciting. It is sufficiently, therefore, 

 posterior to the first epistle to the Corinthians to allow time 

 in the interval for Aquila and Priscilla's return from Ephe- 

 sus to Rome. 



Before we dismiss these tv/o persons, we may take notice 

 of the terms of commendation in w^hich St. Paul describes 

 them, and of the agreement of that encomium with the 

 history. " My helpers in Christ Jesus ; who have for my 

 life laid down their own necks : unto whom not only I give 

 thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles." In the 

 eighteenth chapter of the Acts, we are informed that Aquila 

 and Priscilla were Jews ; that St. Paul first met with them 

 at Corinth ; that for some time he abode in the same house 

 with them ; that St. Paul's contention at Corinth was with 

 the unbelieving Jews, who at first " opposed and blasphem- 

 ed," and afterwards " with one accord raised an insurrec- 

 tion" against him; that Aquila and Priscilla adhered, we 

 may conclude, to St. Paul throughout this whole contest ; 

 for, when he left the city, they went with him. Acts 18:18. 

 Under these circumstances, it is highly probable that they 

 should be involved in the dangers and persecutions which 

 St. Paul underwent from the Jews, being themselves Jews ; 

 and, by adhering to St. Paul in this dispute, deserters, aa 

 they would be accounted, of the Jewish cause. Further, as 

 they, though Jews, were assisting to St. Paul in preaching 

 to the Gentiles at Corinth, they had taken a decided part 

 ni the great controversy of that day, the admission of the 

 Gentiles to a parity of religious situation with the Jews. Foi 

 this conduct alone, if there was no other reason .ney may 



