The Apostolical History, Chapter 6 · Section 10 – Section 13
SECT. X.
IN the mean time Demetrius a Silverſmith (who made ſilver Shrines for Diana, or little Models of the famous Temple there, with the Image of Diana (a)Diana ſuit una ex ſex Deabus majoribus quas Ethnici colebant. Invocabatur à viatoribus & itinerantibus tanquam dux viarum; item à venatoribus tanquam tutrix ſylvarum, item à praegnantibus & parturientibus tanquam mater viventium & naſcentium animalium, unde pingebat…r foreign ſeu multimammia. Huic Dianae in urbe Epheſina extructum erat Templum tam magnificum ut ex omnibus partibus orbis ad hoc templum ſpectandum homines confinerent: & numerabatur inter ſeptem mundi miracula; & bello Perſico propter pulchritudinem ejus, Barbari huic pepercerunt, cum omnia alia templa comburerent. Tota Aſia in aedificando hoc templo ſuit occupata, idque per annos plus quam ducentos. Longitudo dicitur …uiſſe pe …um 425, latitudo 220: Columnas habuit 127 à totidem Regibus aediſicatas, quarum ſingulae habuerunt altitudinem ſexaginta pedum. Aedificatum erat in loco paluſtri; & pro fundamento habuit carbones & vellera lanae. In hoc templo erat ſimulacrum Dianae, quod credebant coelo delapſum, & adorabant. Denique de hoc Templo illud memorabile, quod quidam Herostratus illud accendit & combuſſit, eo ſolum ſine ut aeternum ſibi nomen compararet in hiſtoriis; quaſi inter felicitatem eſſet numerandum, Per maleficia inclareſcere & in hiſtorias inſe…i, ſicut Pilatus in ſymbolum fidei, & Judas in hiſtoriam paſſionis. Succenſum eſt ab Heroſtrato eodem die quo natus eſt Alexander Magnus, ſed poſtea reſtitutum, donec noviſſimo fato periret ex incendio Gothorum, quod refert Capitolinus in Gallieno.in them, (which ſtrangers which came thither, uſed to buy, and to imploy to a ſuperſtitious uſe) fearing that if Pauls Doctrine prevailed, he ſhould loſe his profit; he called together the workmen of the ſame craft, (whereof it ſeems, he had many that wrought under him), and ſhewing them the danger they were in, leſt their trade ſhould come into contempt; he greatly exaſperated them againſt Paul, as one that taught the people, that thoſe were not gods which were made with hands, and one that cried down the worſhip of Diana, whom all Aſia, and other parts of the world(b)Non inde ſequetur cultum Dianae eſſe veram religionem. Non eſt Catholica religio, quam totus orbis amplectitur. Nam major orbis pars ſemper adhaeſit erroribus; ſed eſt vera religio quam tota vera Eccleſia omnium temporum & locorum amplexa eſt. Hoc de noſtra religione aſſerimus, de Pontificia negamus. Streſ. had in ſo high veneration: A great hubbub was hereupon raiſed, and the enraged multitude cried down the Doctrine of Paul, and cried up the Goddeſs of the Epheſians; And in this hubbub they ſeized upon two of Pauls companions, Gaius and Ariſtarchus [See Rom. 16.23. Col. 4.10.], and drew them into the Theater. Paul ſeeing nothing likely to enſue from this popular tumult, but the preſent deſtruction of himſelf and his fellow Chriſtians (See 2 Cor. 1.8.), if the providence of God did not wonderfully prevent it, thought he muſt attempt ſomething (though with evident peril to himſelf), for the reſcue of his Friends out of that danger (ſee 1 Joh. 3.16.). And therefore he was about to have adventur'd himſelf into the Theatre (c)Theatrum eſt locus publicus & amplu…, ludis ſpectandis idoneus, ubi ſine dubio etiam curia ſuit, & ubi publica civium negotia tractari ſolebant., there to have made an Apology for himſelf and the Chriſtian Religion to the people; but the Diſciples earneſtly diſſwade him from it. And ſome of the Aſiarchae (d)foreign] Syr. Primores Aſiae; licet aliqui exiſtimant quod ſic vocat, non qui Aſiae praeerant ut principes▪ ſed praecipuos ſacerdotes, quorum munus erat, ludos theatrales in Deorum honorem edere. Some hereby underſtand certain publick perſons, which were ſent from the Greek Cities of the leſſer Aſia, as Procurators in publick buſineſſes to Epheſus, which was the chief of them.ſent to him, and gave him the ſame advice, who it ſeems privately favoured his Doctrine, and were ſecretly his friends. The hubbub therefore continuing and the rude people being enraged (as it ſeems) againſt the Jews (as enemies to their heatheniſh worſhip), as well as againſt the Chriſtians, the Jews cauſed one Alexander a Jew to come forth, and to ſpeak to the people in juſtification of their Nation and Religion, and as 'tis probable, to caſt the occaſion of all this diſcontent on the Chriſtians. But when the people underſtood he was a Jew, they would not hear him, but with a wild confuſed noiſe cried up their goddeſs Diana for two hours together. At length the Town-Clerk coming forth to the people, by his wiſdom appeaſed the tumult, repreſenting to them, that their Religion and the worſhip of Diana was ſo publickly known, and ſo generally approv'd in the world, that there needed no tumult or uproar to vindicate the ſame, as Demetrius ſuggeſted. And as for theſe men they were now ſo enraged againſt, he tells them, they had offered no violence to the Temple to demoliſh it, nor had defaced any of the Images in it(e)Sciebant Apoſtoli, hoc non ſuum ſed magiſtratûs eſſe officium: Concionando ejiciebant imagines ex cordibus hominum, ſed non per vio. lentiam ex templis., nor had ſpoken evil of the Goddeſs Diana, that he knew of. However, if Demetrius and the Artificers that depend on him have any matter of accuſation againſt any of them, he tells them, the Court-days are come, and the Proconſuls Officers or Deputies are ready to aſſemble, from whom they may ſeek for juſtice. And therefore they had beſt be quiet, and do nothing raſhly; for they were in danger already to be call'd in queſtion and fined by the Romans, for that days riot. And having thus appeaſed them, he perſwaded them peaceably to return to their own homes.
Act. 19. v. 23. And the ſame time there aroſe no ſmall ſtir about that way.
v. 24. For a certain man, named Demetrius, a Silver-ſmith, which made ſilver ſhrines for Diana, brought no ſmall gain unto the craftsmen:
v. 25. Whom he called together, with the workmen of like occupation, and ſaid, Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth.
v. 26. Moreover, ye ſee and hear, that not alone at Epheſus, but almoſt thorowout all Aſia, this Paul hath perſwaded and turned away much people, ſaying, That they be no gods which are made with hands.
v. 27. So that not only our craft is in danger to be ſet at nought: but alſo that the temple of the great goddeſs Diana ſhould be deſpiſed, and her magnificence ſhould be deſtroyed, whom all Aſia and the world worſhippeth.
v. 28. And when they heard theſe ſayings, they were full of wrath, and cried out, ſaying, Great is Diana of the Epheſians.
v. 29. And the whole city was filled with confuſion, and having caught Gaius and Ariſtarchus, men of Macedonia, Pauls companions in travel, they ruſhed with one accord into the theatre.
v. 30. And when Paul would have entred in unto the people, the diſciples ſuffered him not.
v. 31. And certain of the chief of Aſia, which were his friends, ſent unto him, deſiring him that he would not adventure himſelf into the theater.
v. 32. Some therefore cried one thing, and ſome another: for the aſſembly was confuſed, and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together.
v. 33. And they drew Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. And Alexander beckned with the hand, and would have made his defence unto the people.
v. 34. But when they knew that he was a Jew, all with one voice about the ſpace of two hours, cried out, Great is Diana of the Epheſians.
v. 35. And when the town-clerk had appeaſed the people, he ſaid, Ye men of Epheſus, what man is there that knoweth not how that the city of Epheſus is a worſhipper of the great goddeſs Diana, and of the image that fell down from Jupiter?
v. 36. Seeing then that theſe things cannot be ſpoken againſt, ye ought to be quiet, and to do nothing raſhly.
v. 37. For ye have brought hither theſe men, which are neither robbers of Churches, nor yet blaſphemers of your goddeſs.
v. 38. Wherefore if Demetrius, and the craftſmen which are with him, have a matter againſt any man, the law is open, and there are deputies; let them implead one another.
v. 39. But if ye enquire any thing concerning other matters, it ſhall be determined in a lawful aſſembly.
v. 40. For we are in danger to be called in queſtion for this days uproar, there being no cauſe whereby we may give an account of this concourſe.
v. 41. And when he had thus ſpoken, he diſmiſſed the Aſſembly.
v. 22. foreign pro foreign quae mutatio frequens Helleniſtis.v. 24. foreign] Exiguas aediculas argenteas & in iis ſimulacrum Dianae ad eſſigiem veri templi & ſimulacri, quae vulgo ab iis emebantur qui Dianam Epheſiam viſebant. Tales aediculas Veneris Cnidiae meminit Plinius, 36.5.v. 27. foreign, Illud quod nobis eſt peculiare. Beza. Id quod nos tangit (i. e. ars noſtra). Grot. Euturumque ut etiam destruatur majestas Dianae] q. d. Parum eſt de noſtro quaeſtu: tota Religio hic perielitatur: ſub obtentu Dianae numinis velificasur lucro. …uam orbis terrarum colit] Apuleius lib. 2. de eadem. Cujus numen unicum multiformi ſpecie, ritu vario, nomine multijugo, totus veneratur orbis.v. 30. Non ſiverunt eum] i. e. precibus eum dimovebant.v. 33. Alexandrum] Aliqui Judaeorum (ut videtur) promoverunt eum extra turbam in eum locum unde ab omnibus exaudiri poſſet, & eum proponebant tanquam idoneum Pauli accuſatorem, ut qui ipſius dogmata noſſet omnia, & ab iis deſciviſſet. Videtur enim hic eſſe Alexander faber aerarius de quo queritur, 1 Tim. 1.26. 2 Tim 4.14. Hoc autem modo Judaei volebant odium omne hoc à ſe amovere, cum ſcirent ſe quoque inviſos eſſe tanquam inimicos Deorum. Grot.v. 35. foreign] Nempe foreign. Erat id ex vite factum ut Muciano auctore tradidit Plinius. Sed quia fabricatio ejus omnem memoriam excedebat, ideo facile facerdotes plebi perſuaſêre, eſſe de coelo delapſum, ut Suidas notat in voce foreign. The like fictions had the Heathens concerning the Palladium of Troy, and the Ancile of Rome.v. 37. foreign, &c.] Quia ne intraverant quidem templum, nec Dianam Epheſiam ſpeciatim nominaverant.v. 38. foreign] Recte notat Suidas foreign dici diem, quo lites diſceptantur. Ita omnino ſcribendum in Actis, foreign & ſubaudiendum foreign dies quibus lege agitur, quos faſtos Romani vocant. vid. Cauſab. in Theophraſti Charact.v. 39. foreign] Legitimus coetus eſt qui à Magiſtratu civitatis convocatur & regitur.SECT. XI.
PAul having thus by the wonderful providence of God eſcaped this danger (at which he ſeems to point, 2 Cor. 8, 9, 10.), not long after, calling the Brethren together, he took his leave, and departed from Epheſus, to go into Macedonia, leaving Timothy there, (who was come again unto him from Macedonia), to carry on the work of the Goſpel in that place.
Act. 20. v. 1. And after the uproar was ceaſed, Paul called unto him the diſciples, and imbraced them, and departed for to go into Macedonia,
1 Tim. 1. v. 3. As I beſought thee to abide ſtill at Epheſus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mighteſt charge ſome that they teach no other doctrine;
v. 4. Neither give heed to fables, and endleſs genealogies, which miniſter queſtions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: ſo do.
SECT. XII.
ABout this time (as 'tis conceived) Aquila and Priſcilla leave Epheſus, and return to Rome, having ventured their lives here to ſave Paul, as he himſelf gratefully acknowledges Rom. 16.3, 4. Many other Jews alſo from other quarters returned to Rome, as is intimated Act. 28.21. the Edict of Claudius the Emperor for their expulſion thence, now after his death wearing out of date.
SECT. XIII.
FRom Macedonia Paul firſt goes to Troas, where though there was a door opened to him of the Lord to preach the Goſpel, yet being troubled becauſe he found not Titus there, (whom he had ſent to the Corinthians, with another Brother, greatly deſiring to know their ſtate), he ſtaid not long in that place; but becauſe he neither heard from Titus, nor any other, how his firſt Epiſtle had took with the Corinthians, he thought it beſt to go directly into Macedonia (2 Cor. 2.12, 13.); which he travelled over, from place to place, exhorting the Brethren with much exhortation, Act. 20.2. And when his afflictions there were nothing abated, but without were fightings and contentions from falſe Brethren, or open Enemies; within were fears, leſt all did not go well at Corinth; at laſt the coming of Titus, and the joyful meſſage he brought concerning the Liberality and Charity of the Corinthians did much comfort and revive him, 2 Cor. 7.5, 6. by whoſe example he provokes and ſtirs up the Macedonians to provide Collections to be ſent to the poor Saints at Jeruſalem, 2 Cor. 9.2. And the Macedonians being moved by this example, though labouring under many preſſures and afflictions, beyond their power ſhewed themſelves liberal. 2 Cor. 8.1, 2, 3, 4.