consequence of their having been selected for that purpose, and deputed by the rest.

Of the interviews corresponding with these visits, the real number,—and not only the real number, but the number upon record,-is unhappily, in no inconsiderable degree, exposed to doubt; for, considering the terms they were upon, as we shall see, at the interviews produced by Paul's first Jerusalem visit, it does not by any means follow, that, between the persons in question, because there were two more such visits, there was, on each occasion, an interview.

Two of them, however, at any rate, if any degree of credence whatever be given to the documents, remain altogether clear of doubt and whatever uncertainty may be found to attach upon any of the others, may be regarded as so many fixt points: fixt points, forming so many standards of reference, to which the others may in speaking of them be referred, and by reference to which the reality and time of those others, will be endeavoured to be ascertained.

For the designation of the visits which produced these two unquestionable interviews, the terms Reconconciliation Visit, and Invasion Visit, will here be employed the former being that which gave rise to the first-mentioned of the two interviews, which, after the conversion, appear for certain to have had place between the rival and contending powers; the other,

to the last.

1. By the Reconciliation Visit is here meant that visit-by which was produced the first interview, which, after the conversion of Paul, had place between him and any of the Apostles. Its title to this appellation is altogether unquestionable. After these proceedings of Paul's, by which the destruction of so many of the Christians had already been effected, and that of all the rest was threatened,-it was not possible, that, without a reconciliation,-if not an inward at any rate an outward one, any interview, on both sides voluntary,

should have taken place. Of the Apostles, Peter was the acknowledged chief: that it was for the purpose of seeing Peter, that a visit of Paul's to Jerusalemthe first of those mentioned by him-was made,—is acknowledged by himself: acknowledged, in that Epistle of his, to his Galatian disciples, of which so much will have to be said (Gal. i. and ii.)*. Without the assistance of some mediator, scarcely was it in the nature of the case, that, in any way, any such reconciliation could have been effected. In the person of Barnabas,—a most munificent patron, as will be seen, of the infant church,-this indispensable friend was found.

According to the received chronology, the time of this visit was A.D. 38. In the account, given in the Acts, (Acts xvi.) of the conjunct missionary excursion made from Antioch by Paul and Barnabas-an excursion, the commencement of which is, by that same chronology, placed in the year 53,-Galatia stands fifth, in the number of the places, which they are spoken of as visiting. Acts xvi. 6. Of any visit, made in that country, either before this or after it, no mention is to be found in the Acts, except in Acts xviii. 23: on which occasion, he is spoken of as revisiting Galatia, "strength"ening the churches."

Of what passed on the occasion of this visit, the account, given as above by Paul, will be seen receiving explanation, from what is said of this same visit in the Acts.

Gal. i. 18. "Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days."

† Of any mention made of Galatia, in any of the Books of the New Testament, the following are, according to Cruden's Concordance, the only instances: 1 Cor. xvi. 1. "... have given order to the churches at Galatia." Times, assigned to these Epistles, A.D. 59. 2 Tim. iv. 10:"Crescens is departed to Galatia." A.D. 66. 1 Pet. i. 1: "to the strangers scattered in Galatia." Date A.D. 60.

ACTS ix. 26 to SO.

26. And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the Apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus.-28. And he was with them coming in and going out at Jerusalem.-29. And he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians: but they went about to slay him.-30. Which when the brethren knew, they brought him down to Cesarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus.

2. By the Invasion Visit is here meant that visit of Paul to Jerusalem, by which his arrestation, and consequent visit to Rome in a state of confinement, were produced. Invasion it may well be termed: the object of it having manifestly been-the making, in that original metropolis of the Christian world, spiritual conquests, at the expense of the gentle sway of the Apostles: spiritual acquisitions-not to speak of their natural consequences, temporal ones. It was undertaken, as will be seen, in spite of the most strenuous exertions, made for the prevention of it: made, not only by those, whose dominions he was so needlessly invading, but by the unanimous remonstrances and entreaties of his own adherents.

The date-assigned to the commencement of this visit, is A.D. 60. Interval, between this his last recorded visit and his first, according to the received chronology, 22 years.

Neither of the occasion of it, nor of any individnal occurrence which took place in the course of it, have we any account-from any other source than the history of the Acts. Paul's account is all in generals.

3. Paul's Jerusalem Visit the Second.-According to the Acts (Acts xi. 30.) "which also they did, and sent "it to the Elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul," between these two indisputable interviews of Paul's with the Apostles occurs another visit, herein designated by the name of the Money-bringing Visit. Under the apprehension of a predicted dearth, money is sent

from the Antioch to the Jerusalem saints. Barnabas, and with him Paul, are employed in the conveyance of it. Time, assigned to this Visit, A.D. 43. Of this visit, not any the least trace is to be found in any Epistle of Paul's. Yet, in this Epistle of his to his Galatians, he will be seen undertaking in a manner, to give an account, of every visit of his to Jerusalem, in which, with reference to spiritual dominion, between himself and the Apostles, any thing material had ever passed.

By this silence of Paul's, no counter-evidence is opposed, to the account given of this visit in the Acts. What may very well be is, that he went along with the money, and departed, without having had any personal communication with any Apostle, or even with any one of their disciples.

4. Deputation Visit. Paul's Jerusalem Visit the Third-say his Deputation Visit. According to the Acts*, Paul being at the Syrian Antioch, certain men came thither from Judea, teaching, that Mosaic circumcision is necessary to Christian salvation. Dissension being thus produced, Paul, and Barnabas as usual with him, are dispatched to confer on this subject with the Apostles and the Elders-Time, assigned to this visit, A.D. 52. Interval between the first and this third visit-years 15.

* Acts xv. 1-4. 1. "And certain men which came down "from Judea taught the brethren and said, Except ye be circum"cised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.—2. When "therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas "and certain other of them should go up to Jerusalem unto the "Apostles and Elders about this question.-3. And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phenice and "Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles and they "caused great joy unto all the brethren.-4. And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the Church, and "of the Apostles and Elders, and they declared all things that God "had done with them."

H

In addition to the first Jerusalem Visit, mentioned as above by Paul, to wit in the first chapter of his Epistle to his Galatians,-in the second, mention is made of another.

Of the incidents mentioned by Paul, as belonging to this other visit, scarcely can any one, unless it be that of his having Barnabas for a companion, be found, that presents itself as being the same with any incident mentioned in the Acts, in the account given of the above named Deputation Visit. But, between the two accounts, neither does any repugnance manifest itself: and, forasmuch as, in a statement, the purpose of which required that no interview, in which any thing material passed between him and the Apostles, should pass unnoticed,-he mentions no more than one visit besides the first,-it seems reasonable to conclude, that it was but one and the same visit, that, in the penning of both these accounts, was in view.

As far as appears, it is from the account thus given by Paul of the second, of the two visits mentioned by him as made to Jerusalem, that the received chronology has deduced the year, which it assigns to the Deputation Visit, as recorded in the Acts.

In Paul's account alone-in Paul's, and not in that in the Acts-is the distance given in a determinate number of years. According to one of two interpretations, 17-the number above mentioned as adopted in the current chronology-is the number of years mentioned by Paul as intervening between those two visits. But even in this place, a circumstance that must not pass altogether unnoticed is,-that, according to another interpretation, to which the text presents itself as almost equally open, the length of the interval would be considerably greater. Galatians i. 17: "Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which "were Apostles before me: but I went into Arabia,