34 But when they knew that he was a « Jew, all with 2 one voice about the ſpace of two hours cried our. Great zs Diana of the Epheſians. # And by conſequence an enemy to their Idolatry ; and as they might imagine, at leaſt, a friend to St. Par/. w Unanimicy makes nor the cauſe to be good, if it were bad ar firſt. 35 And when che x rown-clerk had appeaſedrhe pen- ple, he ſaid, Ye men of Epheſus,what man is there that knoweth not how that the city of the Epheſians y is a f worſhipper of the great goddeſs Diana, and of the f Gr. :5* mage 2, which fell down from Jupiter ? Temple- x Or, Secretary, who Regiſtred their As, and intervened in all oo their Meetings. y Each Country and City had their peculiar gods which they worſhipped, and rook for their Patrons; as Epheſus did this Goddeſs Diana. But the word here ſignifies a Sacrzf#, or one that looks to the Temple to keep it clean ; eſpecially that hath rhe charge of more folemn ſhow. or ſports in honour of aay ſuppoſed Deity. And theſe Epheſians took it to be their no ſmall glory, thar they were employed in tuch as belonged to Diana. z Though the Maſter's Name (Canetizs) is upon Record, yer it having laſted whilſt p: the Temple was ſix or ſeven times repaired, ar leaſt, if not renewed, and none ever remembring when it firſt was brought in amongſt them, the crafty Prieſts perſwaded the credulous people, that it was fallen from Heaven, thereby getting more honour unto it, and pro- fit to themſelves. 36 Seeing then that theſe things « cannot be ſpoken againſt, ye ought to be quiet, and do nothing raſhly ; s He did more cunningly than honeſtly endeavour to evade their clamour, and ſtil] their rage, by telling them ( how fallaciouſly ſo- ever; ) that neither Paul, or any other Chriſtian or Jew, had any quarrel with their goddeſs or worſhip. For they indeed were againſt all images that were made with hands; but theirs was not fuch an one, it being fallen dawn from Heaven. We muſt confider he was but a Pagan; and his defign was only to ſtill the people : Arid
37 For ye have brought hither theſe men, which are neither 6 robbers of churches, nor yer c blaſphemers of your goddeſs. |
þ For they had not enter'd into their Temples. c Pau! had. barely preach'd this Truth amongſt them, not upbraiding them
for their Idolatry : as Michael, the Arch-Angel, brought no railing accuſation againſt the Devil, when he contended with hirn,
Fude 9
38 Wherefore if Demetrius and the craftſmen which
are With him, have a matter againſt any man, [|che 4law | Gr, » 1s open, and there are edeputies; let them f impicad panes 9g
; C- o ww
One another. | ” da Which is firteſ} to determine all queſtions and controverſies. For men would be parrial in their own cauſe ; and every one chal- Jenge to be in the right. + Who under the Roma» Emperors or Conſuls, had power to hear and determine of all matters. f That
ſo both parties may be heard.
29 Bir if ye enquire any thing concerning g other matters, it ſhall be determined in 4 aſlawtul aflem- j Gs, >:
1 37 : nary. z Relating to the good Government of the Ciry, or maintaining
' Fi
|
<
the Eftabliſh'd Religion, which ought not in ſuch a confuſed manner to be treated of, + Fur in an Allembly calle1 by lawtul Autho- rity, whichthe Romans did uſually call, at leaſt, three times every month. |
40 For we are 4in danger to becailed in queſtion for this days uproar, there being no cauſe whereby we may give an account of this concourſe.
i He wiſely minds them of their danger : For being nnder the power of tne Romans, it was no lets than the loſs of their Li- berties to abett any Faction or Sedition : and to make a eoncourſe oz meeting tumultuouſly rogether, was capiral, . unleſs ir were upon the ſudden invaſion of aa Enemy, or to pur out ſome raging
fire.
41 And when he had chus ſpoken, he & difmiſſed the allcmbly.
k The people were perſwaded quietly ro depart to their homes. Thus God one way or other, ſomerimes by frizads, and ſomerimes by foes, kept his Church and Peoples from being ruined : and his hand is nor ſhortned.
| rions cowards this Idol. ;
25 Whom he called together with the work-men of
Iike occupation, and ſaid, Sirs, ye know that 6 by this
; craft we have our wealth : |
5 Gain. Getting, or keeping a livelihood are great temptations : $ ind a little pretext of piety with them, do-keep up the ſuperſtition | ind falſe worſhip that abounds in the World.
26 Moreover, ye ſee and hear, that not alone ar
N Epheſus, but almoſt rhroughour all Aſia, this Paul hath
: perſwaded and turned away much people, ſaying, thar al they be no c gods which are made with hands :
x c He tells them indeed what was St Paul's Doctrine ; but hecon-
(ey ceals the Reajons of his DoGrine : for there can be nothing more
G4 evident to any conſidering man, than that there is but one God
who made all things ; as P/al.115. 34. Jer. 10.10, = 27 So that not onely this our craft is in danger to
by # y 5
he be 4 ſet at noughc; asalſo thatthe e temple of the great ir oodnels Diana ſhould be deſpiſed, and her magnificence ny ſhould be deſtroyed, whom Fall Aſia, and the world ade worſhippeth. ;
d Not only that we ſhould have no more todo, and be without its, work ; but that it will be a reproach unto us to have had ſuch an ore imployment. e This is made an aggravation to the loſs of their nd all, that Religion ſhould ſuffer too. How much more ought it to
concern thoſe who have a ſure foundation for what they do pro- Be ffs? This Templeis ſaid to have been burnt down the ſame day hit that Alexander was born ; and that it was two hundred and twenty A'S yearsin re-building, at the charge of all 4/2. g Though the Arts, Rmans might worthip any od (of thoſe multitudes ) which they
and allowed ; yet they might leave their Eſtates onely to a very few they amongſt them ; but D:ana of the Epheſians, was one of thoſe few ;
_ 35alſo one of thoſe twelve whom they accounted ( Diz, or Dee ar
= majorum Gentium) Gods and Goddelks of the higheſt quality, or firſt | Populus walt decipe. i rank.
__ :8 And when they 4 heard theſe ſayings, they were
God fulof wrath, and cried our, ſaying, Great z ; Diana of ), be- the Epheſians.
Iron b The Argument from their profic wrought very much upon
rn 7 them, eſpecially meeting with their prejudicate Opinions, having
got pretended antiquity and univerſality to confirm them. # To ſhew ' ——_ their abhorrence of what Paul had raught ; and deſiring her glory