Paul's own
undoubtedly subsequent to the two years of his first imprisonment.
These are what are called the Pastoral Epistles--the Epistles to
Timothy and Titus. In these we see that he regained his liberty and
resumed his employment of revisiting his old churches and founding new
ones. His footsteps cannot, indeed, be any longer traced with
certainty. We find him back at Ephesus and Troas; we find him in
Crete, an island at which he touched on his voyage to Rome and in which
he may then have become interested; we find him exploring new territory
in the northern parts of Greece. We see him once more, like the
commander of an army who sends his aides-de-camp all over the field of
battle, sending out his young assistants to organize and watch over the
churches.

185. But this was not to last long. An event had happened immediately
after his release from prison which could not but influence his fate.
This was the burning of Rome--an appalling disaster, the glare of which
even at this distance makes the heart shudder. It was probably a mad
freak of the malicious monster who then wore the imperial purple. But
Nero saw fit to attribute it to the Christians, and instantly the most
atrocious persecution broke out against them. Of course the fame of
this soon spread over the Roman world; and it was not likely that the
foremost apostle of Christianity could long escape. Every Roman
governor knew that he could not do the emperor a more pleasing service
than by sending to him Paul in chains.

186. Second Imprisonment.--It was not long, accordingly, before Paul
was lying once more in prison at Rome; and it was no mild imprisonment
this time, but the worst known to the law. No troops of friends now
filled his room; for the Christians of Rome had been massacred or
scattered, and it was dangerous for any one to avow himself a
Christian. We have a letter written from his dungeon, the last he ever
wrote, the Second Epistle to Timothy, which affords us a glimpse of
unspeakable pathos into the circumstances of the prisoner. He tells us
that one part of his trial is already over. Not a friend stood by him
as he faced the bloodthirsty tyrant who sat on the judgment-seat. But
the Lord stood by him and enabled him to make the emperor and the
spectators in the crowded basilica hear the sound of the gospel. The
charge against him had broken down. But he had no hope of escape.
Other stages of the trial had yet to come, an