every particular, without any one of them attributing more to himfelf than he did to the others, or establishing any thing even in point of order or difcipline different from the reft, or more advantageous to his own in-. tereft, credit, or power, is a most strong and convincing proof of their not being impostors, but acting entirely by Divine inspiration.

If, then, it appears that St. Paul had nothing to gain by taking this part, let us confider, on the other hand, what he gave up,

while he retained that faving faith, he might nevertheless be a caft-away? Or if he had fuppofed that his election and calling was of fuch a nature, as that it irresistibly impelled him to good, and reftrained him from evil, how could he express any fear, left the luft of his body should prevent his Salvation? Can fuch an apprehenfion be made to agree with the notions of abfolute predeftination afcribed by fome to St. Paul? He could have no doubt that the Grace of God had been given to him in the most extraordinary manner; yet we fee, that he thought his election was not certain, but that he might fall from it again through the natural prevalence of bodily appetites, if not duly reftrained by his own voluntary care. This fingle paffage is a full answer out of the mouth of St. Paul himfelf, to all the mistakes that have been made of his meaning in fome obfcure expreffions concerning grace, election, and juftification.

and what he had reafon to fear. He gave up a fortune which he was then in a fair way of advancing. He gave up that reputation which he acquired by the labours and ftudies of his whole life, and by a behaviour which had been blameless, touching the righteousness which is in the law*. He gave up his friends, his relations, and family, from whom he eftranged and banished himfelf for life. He gave up that religion which be bad profited in above many of his equals in bis own nation, and thofe traditions of his fathers, which he had been more exceedingly zealous oft. How hard this facrifice was to a man of his warm temper, and above all men to a few, is worth confideration. That na

tion is known to have been more tenacious of their religious opinions than any other upon the face of the earth. The ftri&teft and proudeft fect among them was that of the Pharifees, under whofe difcipline St. Paul was bred. The departing therefore fo fuddenly from their favourite tenets, renouncing their pride, and from their difciple becoming their adverfary, was a moft difficult effort for

Phil. iii. 6.

+ Gal. i. 14.

one

one to make, so nurfed up in the esteem of them, and whofe early prejudices were fo ftrongly confirmed by all the power of habit, all the authority of example, and all the allurements of honour and interest. Thefe were the facrifices he had to make in becoming a Chriftian: let us now fee what inconveniences he had to fear: the implacable vengeance of thofe he deferted; that fort of contempt which is hardeft to bear, the contempt of thofe whofe good opinion he had moft eagerly fought; and all thofe other complicated evils which he defcribes in his 2d Epiftle to the Corinthians, chap. xi. Evils, the leaft of which were enough to have frighted any impoftor even from the most hopeful and profitable cheat. But where the advantage propofed bears no proportion to the dangers incurred, or the mifchiefs endured, he must be absolutely out of his fenfes who will either engage in an impofture, or, being engaged, perfevere.

Upon the whole then, I think I have proved that the defire of wealth, of fame, or of power, could be no motive to make St. Paul a convert to Chrift; but that on the contrary he muft have been checked by that

defire, as well as by the just apprehension of many inevitable and infupportable evils, from taking a part fo contradictory to his paft life, to all the principles he had imbibed, all the habits he had contracted. It only remains to be enquired whether the gratification of any other paffion under the authority of that religion, or by the means it afforded, could. be his inducement.

Now that there have been fome impoftors who have pretended to revelations from God, merely to give a loose to irregular paffions, and fet themselves free from all restraints of government, law, or morality, both ancient and modern hiftory fhews. But the doctrine preached by St. Paul is abfolutely contrary to all fuch defigns*. His writings breathe nothing but the ftricteft morality, obedience to magistrates, order and government, with the utmost abhorrence of all licentiousness, idlenefs, or loose behavour, under the cloak of religion. We no where read in his works that faints are above moral ordinances; that dominion or property is founded in grace; that there is no difference in moral actions;

See particularly Rom. xi, and xiii. and Col. iii.

that

that any impulses of the mind are to direct us against the light of our reafon and the laws of nature; or any of thofe wicked tenets from which the peace of fociety has been disturbed, and the rules of morality have been broken by men pretending to act under the fanction of a divine revelation. Nor does any part of his life, either before or after his Converfion to Christianity, bear any mark of a libertine difpofition. As among the Jews, fo among the Chriftians, his converfation and manners were blameless. Hear the appeal that he makes to the Theffalonians upon his doctrine and behaviour among them: Our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of uncleannefs, nor in guile: ye are witneffes, and God alfo, how bolily, and justly, and unblameably we behaved ourselves among < you that believe.' Theff. ii. 10*. † And

to

* See alfo 2 Cor. i. 12. and iv. 2.

+ If St. Paul had held any fecret doctrines, or efoterick, (as the philofophers call them) we should have probably found them in the letters he wrote to Timothy, Titus, and Philemon, his bofom friends, and difciples. But the theological and moral doctrines are exactly the fame in them as thofe he wrote 'to the churches. A very ftrong prefumptive

B 5