Philemon himself. nay, Epaphroditus is called "fellow-labourer," and then "fellow-soldier." Now, taking the term "fellow-labourer" in a theological sense, as assistant in proclaiming the Gospel, wherein does the term "fellow-soldier,” if taken figuratively, differ from it? it becomes a mere redundant repetition. What addition does it make to this worthy man's character and recommendation? with which intent it is evidently inserted. And farther, how shall we account for the application of this term to Archippus, who, most probably, was not a preacher of the Gospel: for he is said to have received (Col. iv. 17.) Tv diakovíav-the deaconship—a service, a ministry, an administration; but, not the office of fellow-labourer in propagating the Christian religion; and to this duty he was recently called, as appears from the nature of the exhortation, to be addressed to him: not so the title "fellow-soldier;" that is clearly given him as the effect of recollection: and it has all the force, where it is placed, of a term of endearment.

The man would justly be thought very rash, who should venture to infer from these hints, that these personages had been members of the same corps, had served in the same ranks, had been comrades. The argument ought, in propriety, to be pressed no farther than a testimony that they all had, in some period of their lives, borne arms in military service. That all Jews did not decline military service, is abundantly evident from Josephus, and other authorities: and the sentiment of commentators, that Saul's father obtained the privilege of the citizenship of Rome by services rendered to (or in) the Roman army, is confirmed by that familiarity with arms, and with military affairs, which is conspicuous in his son. Taking all circumstances into consideration; the natural turn of the Jews for commission and brokerage, with the occupation subsequently followed by his son, it should seem probable, that Saul's father had filled some station in the commissariat: hence Saul was conversant with soldiers, and their accoutrements, from his infancy and hence he became a tent-maker, as it were, by hereditary descent. A soldier, but not a Roman soldier: an auxiliary, but not a legionary.

This affords an answer to the notion of Michaelis, that the term σknνoolì, Acts xviii. 3. does not signify tent-maker, but "maker of mechanical instruments." In the commissariat young Saul must have seen many tents made; and must have been familiarized to the whole process. He would naturally become acquainted, also, with officers, who could not fail to notice a youth of such sprightly parts. The ancient writers who speak of " the disciples of the tent-maker," certainly did not mean to speak of the disciples of "the maker of mechanical instruments." Tents were wanted wherever there was a garrison; and in all cities visited by caravans.

Unless we are greatly deceived, what has been said adds to the reasons usually adduced why Julius the centurion "courteously entreated Paul" (Acts xxvii. 3.); why he distinguished Paul, and was particularly desirous to save him (verse 43.); and why he made so favourable a report of him to the captain of the guard, at Rome, that Paul was [immediately] allowed to dwell by himself, with a soldier that kept him, chap. xxviii. 16.

Nor does the whole of the inference terminate here. It is very probable, that the soldiers who had Paul in custody would resort, as often as possible, to their place of arms, taking Paul in company. Hence his bonds would soon become known, together with the occasion of them, throughout the whole of the Pretorian guard; and would be talked of by the soldiery in their camps, after their own manner, and not without commisseration for a fellow-soldier. It may therefore bear a question, whether the term rendered palace in our public version be strictly correct.

It might be applicable in a country town, as it certainly was in Jerusalem; but Rome was a large place, and had several camps, or corps de garde, in different regions. That best known by us is the Castrense, in which the troops of the Pretorium had an amphitheatre, wherein they practised different exercises, suitable to their profession, including combats with wild animals. The remains of this structure are still extant, at the extremity of the Esquiline Mount, near the church now called the Holy Cross of Jerusalem, where they form part of the walls of the city, into which they were inserted by the emperor Aurelian. Ficoroni reports the discovery of the ancient arena, by digging below the modern accumulations of soil. Other large spaces, for the same purpose, were connected with it. In some of them have been found bones, &c. of large animals, the remains of beasts, killed in military combats.

No. DCLVIII. PAUL THE AGED.

NOW, if any should ask, what effect this view of Paul's character previous to his conversion (as well before his being entered as a scholar of Gamaliel, as afterwards) would have on the chronology of his life, or on that of the Acts of the Apostleswe apprehend it would make little, if any, difference, from what is usually estimated. This is deduced from his describing himself to Philemon (verse 9.) as "such an one as Paul the Aged:" he does not say, worn out-or absolutely unfit for future service: but, if we take the term in a military sense, such an one as in military estimation, is passed the time of army activity, and is fit only for garrison duty. Inasmuch, then, as this marks a certain period of life, fixed by general consent at sixty years, the acceptation of the term "young man," in a military sense, in reference to St. Paul, does not affect any subsequent date in his life, or any calculation which can justly be built on certain points of time, connected with the history of the New Testament.

Whether this "chosen vessel" to the Christian cause had resided long at Jerusalem, so as to have seen Christ in the flesh, and to have become acquainted with his doctrine and miracles, is a more difficult question. He never alludes to his having been a disciple of John the Baptist; for what he says concerning him does not infer a personal knowledge; nor does it appear that he had a previous knowledge of any of the apostles. Yet he speaks of himself as having been brought up at the feet of Gamaliel in Jerusalem, and as spending sufficient time in that city to profit in Judaism above many fellow students who were his equals in age. It is difficult, therefore, to deny him opportunities of having seen-perhaps, heard—the Saviour, in person. He might, possibly, be strictly private till the prevalence of the new sect roused his zeal and fury.

No. DCLIX. ON THE CHANGE OF NAME FROM SAUL TO PAUL.

THERE remains one incident in the life of Paul, that has always been deemed extremely obscure: nor shall we attempt to explain it fully; but, having a thought on the subject, we state it for the investigation of others.

It was customary to give in, before baptism, the name by which the person was to be called: whence Tertullian says, Sed tui Ordines, et tui Magistratus, et ipsum curiæ nomen, Ecclesia est Christi: illius es conscriptus in libris vitæ. This was customary in the case of children;-but adults changed their name.

So in the

Acts of St. Peter Balsamus (Ruinart, p. 557.)-Severus dixit ad eum, Quis diceris? Petrus respondit, Nomine paterno Balsamus dicor, spirituali vero nomine, quod in baptismo accepi, Petrus dicor. "Severus asked him, By what name art thou called? Peter answered, The name given me by my parents was Balsamus, but by the spiritual name which I received in baptism, I am called Peter." Now, this name, Balsamus, is clearly idolatrous, Baal-shemen; and was abandoned by the convert, who desired to retain no trace of his former condition. So in the sepulchral inscription on king Cadwalla [Bede, Hist. lib. v. cap. 7.]: Hic depositus est Cadwalla, qui et Petrus: "Here lies Cadwall, who also is called Peter." So Socrates (lib. i. cap. 30.), describing the bishop who accused Athanasius, gives his name Achab, who also is called John: in Athanasius (Apol. ii.) he is described as Arcad, who also is called John. So the companion of St. Saturninus is called Dativus qui et Senator (Ruinart, p. 349.); and in another sepulchral inscription we find "Simplicia, who also is called Calonymos."

Now it is well known that commentators have differed on the reason of the change of name of the apostle from Saul to Paul, Acts xiii. 9. Some have supposed that he adopted the name of his illustrious convert Sergius Paulus: others, as Origen, that he was called Saul among the Jews, but Paul, his Roman name, among the Gentiles: may it not, however, be an admissible conjecture, that he chose the name of Paul by which to be baptized; and thereby shewed his entire renunciation of his former Jewish notions, and his renovation into Christian life under a new appellation. This new name, signifying little," was probably taken from the same motives as induced the apostle afterwards to describe himself as "one born out of due time; the least among the apostles ;" and "less than the least," of all saints. To this may be answered, that long after his baptism we find him still called by the name of Saul; so that under this idea, we must allow that he went by either name, indifferently; or by both names, for a time. St. Luke's words seem best to agree with this "Saul, who also is Paul:" the custom of having, and using two names, was not uncommon at the time; so Luke was Lucius, John was Mark, Simon was Peter, &c.

But, whether the change of name at baptism be strictly applicable to the instance of Paul or not, it should seem to be derived from the earliest ages, and practised, as a demonstrative proof of a desire to manifest that "old things were passed away, and all things were become new." The party who received new life, received also a new name; he contracted new relations, and esteemed himself in more than a metaphorical sense, "a new man." This explains how easy it was for some to err, by saying that the resurrection was past already;"—and it throws a light on the conduct of the incestuous Corinthian, who, supposing that his new birth dissolved all former relations, concluded that his mother-in-law, formerly, was an alien from him now, and therefore was free to become his, by contract of matrimony.

66

No. DCLX.

ATTEMPTS TO ILLUSTRATE THE HISTORY OF MELCHISEDEC, AND TO DETERMINE HIS PERSON AND DIGNITY.

IN NO. DIX. and several Numbers which immediately follow it, the reader may see traditionary accounts of the history of Noah, and of the deluge, veiled, indeed, under emblematic mythology, yet sufficiently intelligible to warrant the general conclusion that we ventured to deduce from them. It might naturally VOL. IV.

2 Z

be asked, whether some traces of the history of his sons may not likewise be preserved among those nations, respectively, which derived their origin from these renovators of mankind. They may be obscure, or ambiguous, or embarrassed by additions, intended as improvements, yet not wholly beyond the reach of explanation by learning, skill, and diligence. That allusions to the history of Shem, the patriarch of the Hebrew nation, should be found among the Hebrews, his descendants, can excite no surprise, and that the place of his residence was likely to acquire peculiar sanctity from that incident, will readily be admitted. In No. DLXXII. we attempted to elucidate the progress of this sanctity, by a sketch of the character of Salem, previous to its receiving the name of Jerusalem. These two articles have partly prepared the reader for farther notice of the great High Priest of the Most High God, who had there his dwelling; and to them we refer as preparatives for additional inquiries concerning that venerable personage, which form the substance of the ensuing article.

The reader has observed in various passages of this work, that we have hinted the propriety, rather perhaps, the necessity, of placing the ancient Kedem (the original seat of the Hebrew Patriarchs) very far east in Persia; indeed, at the eastern extremity of that empire. If we take a Caucasian mountain, for the Mount Ararat of Scripture, where the ark rested, and consider the progress of population toward the west of those mountains, we shall find a considerable portion of mankind, at various times, probably during several ages, in the habit of migrating from thence toward Syria and Egypt. It will be no wonder, then, if the fathers of the Hebrew nation followed the stream. Abraham himself did no more than was done by multitudes before him, and was daily accomplished by his contemporaries: when the proper time came, he also quitted the place of his birth and primary settlement, to inhabit a country where he also should be the founder of a dominion. We say, that Abraham was not the first who left Kedem in confidence of a future establishment; nor was he the last: he did what he had seen others do, and others did what they had seen him do. But we know that he had authority, divine authority, under which he acted-we shall beg leave to say, communicated to him, by means of the great patriarch Shem; his venerated ancestor, who himself also visited the same country to which Abraham had been directed.

The object of the following hints is to shew the probability that Shem quitted Kedem, to travel west; that he actually came into the west, and was there known under the title of the "King of Peace, King of Peace," or Melchizedek; and that, to this patriarch belongs what Scripture records in reference to that "Priest of the Most High God." After what we have said in No. DLXXXIX. his progress westward, need not detain us. There is historical evidence of it, but we rather choose to infer it from the same evidence as proves him to be the person known under the name or character of Melchizedek. It is necessary to collect what has been reported of this august personage; and to justify its application, in the manner in which we mean to apply it.

The first place is due to an attempt to combine the scattered rays of tradition, which are, for the most part, collected under the article MELCHISEDEC, in the Dictionary.

FIRST TRADITION.

Epiphanius tells us, that the whole land of Canaan fell to the posterity of Shem, according to a division made by Noah himself; the posterity of Shem enjoyed it a

long time, but were dispossessed by the posterity of Ham:-[so far we consider this tradition to be correct; and it is partly supported by the promise made, as we have supposed, by Shem to Abraham, in the name of God, that he would multiply him into a great nation, in a country subject to his jurisdiction and authority. The following part of this tradition we shall reconsider hereafter.]-Those kings who had subdued the kings of the plain, and kept them in subjection during twelve years, were the descendants of Shem; and had only ruled, as they were justly entitled to do, over the intrusive sons of Ham. Vide also Jarchi, in Gen. xli. 6. fol. 13. p. 2. col. 2.

SECOND TRADITION. PARENTS OF MELchizedek.

1. The father of Melchizedek was the Sun; the mother of Melchizedek was the Moon. Epiphanius, Hæres. tom. i. p. 468.

2. The father of Melchizedek was Eraclas; the mother of Melchizedek was Asteria, or Astaroth. Ib. iv. 2.

3. Melchizedek was born of unclean parents. Jud. quid. ap. Sixt. Senens. lib. v. Annot. 90.

4. Melchizedek is "without genealogy," because the earth had opened its mouth, and had swallowed up all his relations, says Athanasius. Epiph. Hæres. lv. p. 472; lxvii. p. 711.

SCRIPTURE HISTORY OF Melchizedek.

Gen. xiv. 17. And the king of Sodom went out [from whence? certainly from a place where he had taken refuge: suppose Salem] to meet Abraham, on occasion of his triumphant return after his victory over Chedorlaomer, and his associate kings:-the king of Sodom went out to the valley of Shaveh [the valley of equalizing], that emphatically called the King's Valley. And Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought out [the same word in its root, as that used respecting the king of Sodom] from his royal residence, no doubt, bread and wine. Now, he himself, emphatically, was priest of the Most High God. And he blessed him-Abraham; and he-Abraham -gave to him-Melchizedek-for consecration, or sacred uses, tithes of all which he or his people had taken from their enemies.

Psalm cx. Jehovah hath sworn, and will not retract: be thou the priest to perpetuity, on my appointment, according to the manner-the order—of Melchizedek.

Heb. v. 10: Thou art a priest in perpetuity, according to the order of the priesthood of Melchizedek, who, in the days of his flesh, applied himself with deprecations and supplications, to the power who could deliver him from death; with strong, efficacious, cryings and tears, and was graciously heard. By reason of his piety, his filial piety, he exemplified obedience. [So the Syriac version reads this passage.] Now this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abrabam returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him: to whom also, Abraham gave a tenth part of his spoils, being first by interpretation, king of justice, or righteousness; and then again king of peace; anáтwp, fatherless; άuñτwр, motherless; pedigree-less, genealogy-less, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but assimilated to the Son of God; continues a priest perpetually. -Now, consider what a great personage this was! to whom our father Abraham himself, of whose greatness we are nationally so fond, gave the tenth of all his spoils