why he remained in Corinth so much longer than in any other place he had yet visited since his departure from Antioch.  “He continued there a year and six months teaching the Word of God among them.” [111:2] He was, too, encouraged by a special communication from Heaven to prosecute his labours with zeal and diligence.  “The Lord spake to Paul in the night by a vision—­Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace—­for I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee, for I have much people in this city.” [112:1] Though the ministry of the apostle was now attended with such remarkable success, his converts did not all continue to walk worthy of their profession.  But if in the Church of this flourishing mercantile metropolis there were greater disorders than in perhaps any other of the early Christian communities, [112:2] the explanation is obvious.  Even in a degenerate age Corinth was notorious for its profligacy; and it would have been indeed marvellous if excesses had not been occasionally committed by some of the members of a religious society composed, to a considerable extent, of reclaimed libertines. [112:3]

The success of the gospel in Corinth roused the unbelieving Jews to opposition; and here, as elsewhere, they endeavoured to avail themselves of the aid of the civil power; but, in this instance, their appeal to the Roman magistrate was signally unsuccessful.  Gallio, brother of the celebrated Seneca the philosopher, was now “the deputy of Achaia;” [112:4] and when the bigoted and incensed Israelites “made insurrection with one accord against Paul, and brought him to the judgment-seat, saying—­This fellow persuaded men to worship God contrary to the law,” [112:5] the proconsul turned a deaf ear to the accusation.  When the apostle was about to enter on his defence, Gallio intimated that such a proceeding was quite unnecessary, as the affair did not come within the range of his jurisdiction.  “If,” said he, “it were a matter of wrong, or wicked lewdness, O ye Jews, reason would that I should bear with you; but if it be a question of words and names and of your law, look ye to it, for I will be no judge of such matters.  And he drive them from the judgment-seat.” [113:1] On this occasion, for the first time since the arrival of Paul and his brethren in Europe, the mob was on the side of the missionaries, and under the very eye of the proconsul, and without any effort on his part to interfere and arrest their violence, the most prominent of the plaintiffs was somewhat roughly handled.  “Then all the Greeks took Smoothens, the chief ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the judgment-seat.  And Gallio cared for none of these things.” [113:2]