when he had. left them, as while he refided among them, which an impoftor would hardly have been, whofe ends were centered all in himself. This is the manner in which he writes to the Philippians: Wherefore, C my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not in my prefence only, but now much more in my abfence, work out your own fal⚫vation with fear and trembling.' Phil. ii. 12. And a little after he adds the cause why he interefted himself so much in their conduct, . that ye may be blamelefs and harmless, the Sons of God in the midst of a crooked and perverfe nation, among whom ye fhine as lights in the world, holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the days of Christ; that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain. Yea, and if I be offered up on the facrifice and fervice of your faith, I joy and rejoice with you all*.' Are these the words of an impoftor defiring" nothing but temporal power? No, they are evidently written by one who looked beyond the bounds of this life. But it may be faid, that he affected at least an abfolute fpiritual power over the churches he formed.

Phil. ii. 15, 16, 17.

I

answer

answer, he preached Christ Jefus and not himJelf. Chrift was the bead, he only the minifter, and for fuch only he gave himself to them. He called those who affifted him in preaching the Gospel, his fellow-labourers and fellowJervants.

So far was he from taking any advantage of a higher education, fuperior learning, and more use of the world, to claim to himself any fupremacy above the other Apostles, that he made light of all those attainments, and declared, that he came not with excellency of speech, or of wisdom, but determined to know nothing among thofe he converted, fave Jefus Chrift, and him crucified*. And the reason he gave for it was, That their faith fhould not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. Now this conduct put him quite on a level with the other Apoftles, who knew Jefus Christ, as well as he, and had the power of God going along with their preaching in an equal degree of virtue and grace. But an impoftor, whofe aim had been power, would have acted a contrary part; he would have availed himself of all thofe advantages, he

would have extolled them as highly as poffible, he would have fet up himself, by virtue of them, as head of that fect to which he acceded, or at least of the profelytes made by himself. This is no more than was done by every philofopher who formed a school; much more was it natural in one who propagated a new religion.

We fee that the bishops of Rome have claimed to themselves a primacy, or rather a monarchy over the whole Chriftian church. If St. Paul had been actuated by the fame luft of dominion, it was much easier for him. to have fucceeded in fuch an attempt. It was much easier for him to make himself head of a few poor mechanicks and fishermen, whofe fuperior he had always been in the eyes of the world, than for the bishops of Rome to reduce thofe of Ravenna or Milan, and other great Metropolitans, to their obedience. Befides the oppofition they met with from fuch potent antagonists, they were obliged to fupport their pretenfions in direct contradiction to thofe very Scriptures which they were forced to ground them upon, and to the indifputable practice of the whole Christian church for many centuries. These

were

were fuch difficulties as required the utmost abilities and fkill to furmount. But the first preachers of the Gofpel had eafier means to corrupt a faith not yet fully known, and which in many places could only be known by what they severally published themselves. It was neceffary indeed while they continued. together, and taught the fame people, that they fhould agree, otherwife the credit of their fect would have been overthrown; but when they feparated, and formed different churches in diftant countries, the fame neceffity no longer remained.

It was in the power of St. Paul to model most of the churches he formed, fo as to favour his own ambition: for he preached the Gospel in parts of the world where no other Apostles had been, where Chrift was not named till he brought the knowledge of him, avoiding to build upon another man's foundation. Now had he been an impoftor, would he have confined himfelf to juft the fame Gospel as was delivered by the other Apoftles, where he had fuch a latitude to preach what he pleased without contradiction?

Would he not have twisted and warped the doctrines of Chrift to his own ends, to the particular use and expediency of his own followers, and to the peculiar fupport and increase of his own power? That this was not done by St. Paul, or by any other of the Apoftles, in fo many various parts of the world as they travelled into, and in churches abfolutely under their own direction; that the Gospel preached by them all should be one and the fame*, the doctrines agreeing in

every

* If any one imagines that he fees any difference between the doctrines of St. James and St. Paul, concerning juftification by faith or by works, let him read Mr. Locke's excellent Comment upon the Epiftles of the latter; or let him only confider these words in the First Epiftle to the Corinthians, c. ix. v. 27. But I keep under my body, and bring it into fubjection, left that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a caft.

away.

If St. Paul had believed or taught, that faith without works was fufficient to fave a disciple of Chrift, to what purpofe did he keep under his body, fince his Salvation was not to depend upon that, being fubject to the power of his reafon, but merely upon the faith he professed? His faith was firm, and fo ftrongly founded upon the most certain conviction, that he had no reason to doubt its continuance; how could he then think it poffible, that