PART of it were in probability the pofterity of Kittim, the brother II. of Tarshish and fon of Javan, the city called Citium by the 3. St. Paul lands at Romans preferving the name of the first planter for many ages after. And hence it is that we find Tarshish and Chittim mentioned together by the prophet Isaiah, chap. xxiii. and both reprefented as places well known to the Tyrians, the former being Tarfus in Cilicia, the latter Citium in this ifland, or the island itself. The name Cyprus, whereby it is called by the Greeks, is faid to be taken from the cypress tree, which grows in great abundance here. Though fome tell us, that the Greek word does not truly denote the tree called by us the cypress, but that which we call the privet, being a fhrub, which bears a white flower with a very pleafant fmell. But from whatever tree this isle took itself the name of Cyprus, it is certain that it gave the name of Cypris or Cypria to Venus, who was the chief goddess of it in the time of Heathenifm, the inhabitants being mightily addicted to venery. Since the times of Chriftianity, it has been famous for being the native country of St. Barnabas, who accompanied St. Paul over hither, and with him here first planted the Gospel. The first place in Cyprus, to which the Apostles St. Paul and St. Barnabas are related to have come, is Salamis f, then Salamis. one of the four most confiderable cities in the ifle, giving name to the whole eastern tract thereof, wherein it lay, and fo oppofite to the Syrian coaft, and particularly to Seleucia, whence the Apoftles fet fail from the main land to the ifland. So that it came naturally firft in their way. And being thus the first place in the ifle, where the Gospel was preached, hence it was afterwards made the fee of the Primate or Metropolitan of the whole ifle in the primitive times. It was deftroyed by the Jews in the reign of Trajan, and rebuilt; but being after that taken, facked, and razed unto the ground by the Saracens in the time of Herodius, it ↑ A&ts xiii. 5. Jof. Jewish Antiq. book i. chap. 7. could III. could never recover, the metropolitan fee being after that CHAP. removed to Nicofia. Out of the ruins of Salamis is faid to have arifen Famagufta, the chief place of the ifle, when it was taken from the Venetians by the Turks in the year 1570, in whofe hands the whole ifle ftill continues. 4. St Paul goes ille unto Paphos. St. Paul, with his companion St. Barnabas, having preached the Gofpel at Salamis, went quite s through the ifle unto through the Paphos, the chief town of the western tract of the ifle, (as Salamis was of the eastern) and accordingly giving name to the faid tract. In this city Venus had her moft ancient and celebrated temple, whence she took the name of Paphia. It was also under the Romans the feat of the Proconful, who was at the time of St. Paul and Barnabas coming hither, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man, who called for the Apostles, and defired to hear the word of God, and upon St. Paul's fmiting Elymas the forcerer blind for withstanding the Gospel, was converted to the faith. i 5. St. Paul fails lia. Now when Paul and his company loofed from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia. This Pamphylia is a province or country of Afia the Leffer, lying to the north, over-against to Pamphythe western part of Cyprus; the part of the Mediterranean Sea running between these being peculiarly ftyled from this country the Sea of Pamphylia. And as it is thus bounded to the south with that part of the Mediterranean Sea which is denominated from it; fo on the land to the east it joins on to Cilicia, the native country of St. Paul. From the etymology of the name, fome think it to have been fo called, because inhabited by a mixture of many nations; for fo the word Pamphylia does exprefsly fignify in the Greek tongue. And probable enough it is, that lying near unto the fea, with an open fhore, partly oppofite to Afric, near Syria, and not far from Greece, feveral nations from all these parts might repair unto it. Certain it is, that many Jews dwelt herein, whence the dwellers of Pamphylia are mentioned among them Acts xiii. 6. n Acts xiii. 7, 12. i Acts xiii. 13. that R 2 PART that appeared at Jerufalem at the day of Pentecoft. Acts -II. 6. St. Paul comes to ii. 10. As for Perga', the city in Pamphylia, whither St. Paul is faid to come, it was famous among the Heathen for a temple of Diana, and the yearly festivals there held in honour Perga in Pamphylia, of her, who was thence ftyled Diana Pergæa. From hence John, furnamed Mark, departing from St. Paul and Barnabas, returned to Jerufalem; which was the occafion of the heat which afterward happened between the two Apoftles concerning him. Thence to Pifidia. When the Apostles departed from Perga, they came to Antioch, in Antioch " in Pifidia, a small province or country lying north of Pamphylia. The city Antioch, whither the Apostles are peculiarly faid to come, was the principal city of the faid country, and is (to diftinguish it from others of the fame name) usually styled Antiochia Pifidiæ. It was one of the cities built by Seleucus above-mentioned, in honour of his father Antiochus. Here was a fynagogue of the Jews, wherein St. Paul preached that excellent fermon, Acts xiii. 16, &c. 8. Thence to n A perfecution being raised against the Apoftles by the Lycaonia; unbelieving Jews, and they being expelled the coaft of Pifidia, particularly. they came unto Iconium, and after that to Lyftra and Derbe, all three cities of Lycaonia, a fmall region or province lying to the north-east of Pifidia, and adjoining southward to Pamphylia and Cilicia. 9. ToIconium. Iconium was the chief city of the faid province, and is faid by Strabo to be well built, and in the richest part of the province. It was alfo a place of great ftrength and confequence, and therefore chofen for the feat of the Turkish Kings in Leffer Afia, at fuch time as they were most distressed by the western Chriftians. It is faid ftill to keep fome remains of its old name, being now called Cogni, and in fo confiderable a condition, as to be the refidence of a Turkish Beglerbeg or Bafha. 1 A&ts xiii. 13. Acts xiii. 14. Acts xiii. 50, 51. and xiv. 6. An III. 10. Lyftra. A. D. 46. An affault being here made both of the unbelieving Jews CHAP. and alfo Gentiles, to use the Apoftles despitefully, and to ftone them, they were aware of it, and fled to Lyftra, where, having miraculously cured a cripple, they were adored as gods. Hence to Though not long after, upon the instigation of some Jews, which came from Antioch and Iconium, the people of Lystra were so far set against the Apostles, that they even stoned Paul, drawing him out of the city, and not leaving him till they fuppofed he was dead. Thus it pleased the Divine juftice, that St. Paul, who had formerly confented to the ftoning of St. Stephen, and took charge of the clothes of the executioners, fhould fuffer in the fame kind wherein he had trefpaffed, and feel fome fmart remembrance of his former finful action, proceeding from a mifguided zeal. This city is famous among us Chriftians for being the fuppofed birth-place of St. Timothy, to whom St. Paul writes two of his Epiftles. St. Paul P, as the difciples ftood round about, (after that he was stoned and drawn out of the city, and left as dead by the unbelievers,) being by the Divine goodness raised up to life again, came privately into the city, and the next day departed with Barnabas to Derbe, another city of Lycaonia; of which there is nothing more peculiarly remarkable, than that this is by fome esteemed to have been the native place of St. Timothy, and that the preaching of the Gospel had good fuccefs herein. II. And thence to Derbe. T2. St. Paul re turning the he came, The Apostles leaving Derbe returned again to Lystra, and fo to Iconium, and thence to Antioch; and having passed through Pifidia, they came to Pamphylia; and when they fame way had preached again at Perga, they came down to Attalia, arrives again which is a fea-port, and was formerly the chief refidence of at Perga, the Prefect, as Strabo tells us. It is faid to take its name thence to from King Attalus its founder, which it ftill retains with a small variation, being now-a-days called Sattalia. It ftands on a very fair bay; and fo is commodioufly feated for trade, • Acts xiv. 5, 6—20. P Acts xiv. 20. 9 Acts xiv. 2 I? 25. and goes Attalia. II. PART having a good haven; which likely has been the occafion of its being preserved from ruin by the Turks, who are said to be at this day very careful to keep its fortifications and caftle in repair. The city is fuppofed to ftand at prefent nearer to the fea than it did formerly. A. D. 46. 13. lia to Anti and thence fets forward г From Attalia the Apostles fet fail for Antioch in Syria. St. Paul fails After they had been here for fome time, certains men which from Atta- came down from Judea taught the brethren, that except they och in Syria; were circumcifed, they could not be faved. Hereupon it was ence, determined, that Paul and Barnabas, and certain others, fhould for Jerufa- go up to Jerusalem about this matter. In order hereto they lem through Phoenicia. took their way through Phoenice, or Phoenicia; under which name was denoted, in the times of the New Teftament, fo much of the coaft of Syria, largely taken, as lay between the two rivers, Eleutherus to the north, and Cherfeus (or the Kishon in Scripture) to the fouth. So that it was bounded north with Syria Propria; east with part of Syria Propria again, and Palestine or the Holy Land; fouth with the last again; and weft with the Mediterranean. In the fouth part of this province lay Tyre and Sidon, whence it is denoted in the Gofpels by the coafts of Tyre and Sidon. 14. St. Paul ar rives at Je. rufalem. t St. Paul and the reft having passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, the adjoining province in their way, they came to Jerufalem; where they were received of the Church, and declared all things which God had done with them, especially A. D. 48. the particular controverfy they were fent about. Whereupon the Apostles and the Elders affembled together to confider of the matter, and, upon mature deliberation, made fuch decrees as were fuitable to the present occafion. Acts xiv. 26. • Acts xv. 1, 2, 3. t Acts xv. 3, 4. CHAP. |
