any field of labour on which he had yet operated.  When he arrived in Corinth he resolved, therefore, to avoid, as much as possible, mere metaphysical argumentation, and he sought rather to stir up sinners to flee from the wrath to come by pressing home upon them earnestly the peculiar doctrines of revelation.  In the first epistle, addressed subsequently to the Church now established in this place, he thus describes the spirit in which he conducted his apostolical ministrations.  “And I, brethren,” says he, “when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God—­for I determined not to know anything among you save Jesus Christ and Him crucified; and my speech and my preaching was, not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power—­that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.” [108:1]

The result demonstrated that the apostle thus pursued the most effective mode of advancing the Christian cause.  It might, indeed, have been thought that Corinth was a very ungenial soil for the gospel, as Venus was the favourite deity of the place; and a thousand priestesses, or, in other words, a thousand prostitutes, were employed in the celebration of her orgies. [109:1] The inhabitants generally were sunk in the very depths of moral pollution.  But the preaching of the Cross produced a powerful impression even in this hotbed of iniquity.  Notwithstanding the enmity of the Jews, who “opposed themselves and blasphemed,” [109:2] Paul succeeded in collecting here a large and prosperous congregation.  “Many of the Corinthians hearing, believed, and were baptized.” [109:3] Most of the converts were in very humble circumstances, and hence the apostle says to them in his first epistle—­“Ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called;” [109:4] but still a few persons of distinction united themselves to the despised community.  Thus, it appears [109:5] that Erastus, the chamberlain, or treasurer, of the city, was among the disciples.  It may be that this civic functionary joined the Church at a somewhat later date; but, even now, Paul was encouraged by the accession of some remarkable converts.  Of these, perhaps, the most conspicuous was Crispus, “the chief ruler of the synagogue,” who, “with all his house,” submitted to baptism. [109:6] About the same time Gaius, who seems to have been an opulent citizen, and who rendered good service to the common cause by his Christian hospitality, [109:7] openly embraced the gospel.  Two other converts, who are often honourably mentioned in the New Testament, were now likewise added to the infant Church.  These were Aquila and Priscilla. [109:8] Some have, indeed, supposed that this couple had been already baptized; but, on the arrival of Paul in Corinth, Aquila is represented as a Jew [110:1]—­a designation which would not have been descriptive of his position had he been previously a believer—­and we must therefore infer that the conversion of himself and his excellent partner occurred at this period.