and commonly mistaken, by reason of the likeness of names, CHA P. (as has been before obferved) for Thyatira. The first place, which we imagined might be Laodicea, was a city called by the Turks Dingizlee; being so esteemed by the Greeks who there inhabit, and are not above forty in number, where they have a little church. But little credit are we to give unto them concerning the ancient condition of their nation; for they who are in those parts, and have lost their own language, and speak and understand no other tongue than the Turkish, are not competent judges of the antiquities, which extend themfelves beyond the time of the Turks. Howfoever the fituation of that place, which is exceedingly pleasant, and not far diftant certainly from the true Laodicea, might yield us reafon fufficient to enquire for it in that city, which is planted with all forts of fruit-trees, watered with plentiful ftreams, and abounds with all provifions either neceffary or convenient for livelihood; so that the Turks compare it with the air and fruitfulness of Damafcus. The outward walls are ancient, but neglected, after the Turkish custom: the city within built low, after the modern fashion of that country, and is chiefly maintained by a trade of Bogafines. Some few churches there are, which appear to have been built by the Chriftians, now converted into mofques; fo that nothing appeared in this case, which could induce us to concur in opinion with the Greeks, that this place was Laodicea. But being informed by the Turks of certain ruins about four miles diftant from thence, called by them Eski-hifar, or the Old Caftle, curiofity led us thither; where being entered, we found a city of a vast circumference, fubverted and overthrown, fituated on three or four fmall hills. What we had first fight of was an aqueduct, which guided us to the reft: beneath which was a river, which I call the Lycus, nourished with two other ftreams, which I call Afopus and Caper, that fo the fituation may agree with the description which Pliny gives of it. This certainly can have been no ther than the ancient Laodicea, according to the description of geographers, anciently called Diofpolis. Here within we found, befides a multitude of other ruins, three large amphitheatres, T3 V. II. PART phitheatres, and a circus; the three were of a round form, confifting of about fifty feats, one above the other, the stones of which were not much difplaced. The circus was long, and at the end thereof was a cave, where the wild beasts were kept, defigned for the Roman sports, over the mouth of which was an arch, with an infeription to the emperor Vefpafian. Many other ruins there were of mighty fabrics, of which we could receive no knowledge, nor make conjectures, nor could we be guided by infcriptions: for time and earthquakes had fo ftrangely defaced all things, that, befides the theatre, there fcarce remained one ftone upon the other. It seems that this city suffered much by Mithridates Eupator: yet the excellency of the foil, and the riches of the citizens, quickly repaired the damages, and restored it again to its priftine happiness: for, as I faid, the fituation of it is elevated on two or three pleafant mounts rather than hills, which overfee the most rich and delightful plains of all Phrygia. It hath to the north the mountain Cadinus, being diftant, as may be conjectured, about ten English miles, from whence the Lycus hath its fource, and overflows those pastures round about; which in the time of Auguftus Cæfar bred numerous flocks of black fheep, which, for the fineness of the fleece, far exceeded the Milefian wools. And thus the riches of their woollen manufacture being added to the donative of two thousand talents, which Hiero bequeathed to that people, might be a confiderable revenue to the public, and ferve to raise them out of the duft, when overthrown by earthquakes. For when Nero was the fourth time conful, Laodicea, faith Tacitus, was then forely fhaken by an earthquake, (the fate of most of the great cities of Afia,) which notwithstanding was re-edified by the puissance of its own riches; but relapsing again into the same calamity, was deferted by its inhabitants, and became irrecoverably loft, not only as to its pristine condition of profperity, but also to its very name, having now no other existence or being, than what wife and learned men have conferved in the hiftories thereof. The infcription may be feen at large in my author, pag. 61. SECT. CHAP.. V. SECT. II. Of St. Paul's Voyages and Travels from his leaving Ephefus, till his coming to Jerufalem. H 1. St. Paul de to Macedo A. D. 52, AVING thus given an account of the feven Churches in Afia, to which the feven Epiftles recorded in the parts from Revelation of St. John were fent by God's immediate ap- Ephefus inpointment; i fhall now proceed with the voyages and travels nia. of Paul, whom we left preaching at Ephefus; where having ftaid two years and upwards, after the uproar " occafioned by Demetrius the filversmith was ceased, he called to him the difciples, and embracing them, took his leave of them, and Á. D. 55. fo departed for to go into Macedonia, the feveral parts whereof he probably at this time went over, thereby preaching the Gofpel round about from Jerufalem to Illyricum. X 53, 54. 2. cum and For Illyricum was a province lying to the north and northweft of Macedonia, along the eastern coaft of the Adriatic Of IllyriGulf, or Gulf of Venice. It was distinguished into two parts; Dalmatia. Liburnia to the north, where now lies Croatia ; and Dalmatia to the fouth, ftill retaining the fame name, and being the country to which Titus went, as St. Paul informs Timothy, in his fecond Epiftle to him, chap. iv. ver. 10. 3. comes into When St. Paul had gone over those parts, he came into Greece, a country renowned throughout the ancient world for St. Paul learning and arts, infomuch that they divided wifdom among Greece. A. D. 55. themselves, looking upon it as if it belonged only to them, and hence ftyling all other nations barbarians. To this St. Paul alludes, when he faith, y I am a debtor both to the Greek and to the barbarian, to the wife and to the unwife. 4. tent of Ma As to the fignification of the name or extent of Greece, it of the exwas used by common writers to denote Macedonia, Epirus, cedonia and Achaia, or the accepta- Theffaly, New Teft. II. PART Theffaly, Hellas, or Greece properly fo called, and the Peloponnefe, now Morea. But the Romans diftinguished all these only into two provinces, viz. Macedonia and Achaia; under the former of which they comprehended Epirus and Theffaly; under the latter Greece properly so called, and the Peloponnese. Now the word Greece, as it is taken in the Old Testament in the largest sense, so as to include Macedonia, so in the New Teftament it is plainly taken exclufively of Macedonia, and as equivalent to Achaia in the Roman acceptation of it; that is, fo as to include not only Greece properly fo called, but also the Peloponnefe, wherein lay Achaia Propria, and the city Corinth ftood, which St. Paul is supposed to have vifited during his three months stay at this time in Greece. St. Paul comes to tinent. St. Paul being after this ftanding that the Jews had a refolved for Syria, and underdefign to kill him by the way, Affos in the he altered the course of his journey, not going the direct way Afiatic con- out of Greece, but returning through Macedonia to Philippi, and failing thence to Troas; whence, after a week's stay, he went by land to Affos, a fea-port town at the fouth-west part of the province of Troas, and lying over-againft the isle Lefbos, or Metelin; which therefore St. Paul touched at 6. St. Paul next. a b For St. Paul taking shipping at Affos, came to Mitylene, fails to Mi. One of the principal cities of the ifle Lefbos, and which in tylene. time became the moft confiderable, fo as to give name long fince to the whole ifle, hence called now-a-days Metelin. It is reckoned to be about feven miles from the main land of Troas, and to be one of the largest ifles in the Archipelago; upon which account, as alfo of its fituation near the mouth of the Hellefpont, it is thought worthy of a fortrefs, and the defence of the Ottoman fword. It is memorable for the many eminent perfons, which it has produced, as Sappho, the inventrefs of Sapphic verfes; Alcæus, a famous lyric poet; z Acts xx. 3-5. a A&ts xx. 13. b As xx. 14. с V. Pittacus, one of the feven wife men of Greece; Theophraf- CHAP. tus, that noble physician and philofopher; to which may be added Arion, the celebrated musician. As for the city Mitylene, it is feated on the eaft fide of the island, in a peninfula, with a commodious haven on each fide. с d chios. Sailing from Mitylene, St. Paul came the next day over against Chios, an isle also in the Archipelago, next to Lefbos To Chios. or Metelin, both in fituation and bignefs; whence alfo this ifle is esteemed by the Turks worthy of a fort. Its chief town is of the fame name, and both now-a-days commonly termed Scio. This ifle lies over-against Smyrna, and is reckoned not above four leagues diftant from the Afiatic continent. We are informed by f Sir Paul Rycaut, that in no place of the Turkish dominions do the Chriftians enjoy more freedom. in their religion and eftates, than in this ifle; to which they are entitled by an ancient capitulation made with Sultan Mahomet II. to whom they furrendered themselves on compofition and articles of liberty, and of enjoyment of their estates; which to this day is maintained fo faithfully, that a Turk cannot ftrike or abuse a Chriftian without fevere correction. Here the men wear hats and clothes almost after the Spanifh mode; carry the crucifix in proceffion through the ftreets, and exercife their religion with all freedom. This ifland produces the most excellent & mastich in the world; and I think (faith my author) there is no place where it is fo good, and in fo great abundance; and herein they pay their tribute to the grand Signior. In this place both the Greek and the Roman religions are profeffed. The chief families of the latter fort are two, and those of confiderable esteem, viz. the Monefi, alias Giuftiniani, and Borghefi. Thefe latter are noble, but the first have been princes; who having in the year 1345 been fent thither from Liguria, or parts of Genoa, d Acts xx. 15. e Prefent State of Greek Church, P. 337. f Ib. p. 357, 358. Ifidore in his Origines tells us, that the ifle took the name of Chios, as |