But, in default of direct evidence, the point may without much danger of error be settled by circumstantial evidence. The common objects of political concupiscence--money, power and vengeance--were all before his eyes: _money_--in no less a quantity than that of the aggregate mass of the property of the whole church:--that fund, for the management of which, the Apostles' seven trustees, under the name of Deacons, were not more than sufficient:--that fund, by which the repulsed concupiscence of the sorcerer of Samaria had so lately been excited:--_power_, that which was exercised by the direction of the consciences of the whole number of the faithful, some time before this, not less in number than three thousand: _vengeance_, for the repeated rebuffs, by which, at the interval of so many years from each other, his endeavours to supplant the Apostles had been repelled. In a general point of view, ambition,--rival ambition,--the same motive which sent Caesar to Rome, may be stated as having sent Paul, at this time, to Jerusalem: to Jerusalem--the metropolis of the Christian world, by design; and thence, eventually and undesignedly, to the metropolis of the whole civilized world. By two opposite desires--two antagonizing but correspondent and mutually explanatory desires--desires, in both parts intense and active, the external marks of which are sufficiently visible in two different quarters,--the nature as well as prevalence of this motive, will, it is believed, be found sufficiently proved:--a desire, in the breast of the self-constituted Apostle, to establish himself in the original metropolis of the Christian world:--a desire on the part of the Apostles--of the Apostles constituted by Jesus--to keep him out of it. SECTION 2. THE VISIT ANNOUNCED BY PAUL AND DEFERRED. Ephesus, at which place he had arrived not long after his departure from Corinth, where he had made a stay, as it should seem, of more years than one,[45] touching in the way at Cenchrea, where he shaved his head for the performance of a vow--Ephesus is the place, at which, by the author of the Acts, Paul is for the first time made to speak of himself, as harbouring, having in mind the making of this visit: and on that occasion, the visit is spoken of, as being the subject of a settled determination, and in particular as being the time fixed upon by him for the execution of this design. Acts 18:20, 21. "When they, the Jews at Ephesus, desired him to tarry longer with them, he consented not; but bade them farewell, saying, I must _by all means keep this feast_ that cometh in Jerusalem: but I will return again to you if God will."