fhew light to the people, and to the Gen‹ tiles. And as he thus fpake for himself, Feftus faid with a loud voice, Paul, thou art befide thyfelf; much learning doth make thee mad. But he faid, I am not mad, most noble Feftus, but fpeak forth the words of truth and fobernefs. For the King knoweth of these things, before. whom alfo I fpeak freely; for I am per• fuaded that none of these things are hidden from him; for this thing was not done in a corner. King Agrippa, believeft thou the prophets? I know that thou believest. Then Agrippa faid unto Paul, almost thou perfuadeft me to be a Christian. • And Paul faid, I would to God that not only thou, but alfo all that hear me this day, were both almoft and altogether fuch as I am, except thefe bonds *." In another chapter of the fame book he gives in fubftance the fame account to the Jews, adding these further particulars:

And I faid,

And the Lord

What fhall I do, Lord? faid unto me, Arife, and go into Damafcus, and there it fhall be told thee of all things

* Acts xxii. 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16.

which are appointed for thee to do. And when I could not fee for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them that were with me, I came into Damafcus. And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews that dwelt there, came unto

me, and stood, and faid unto me, Brother Saul, receive thy fight; and the fame hour I looked up upon him. And he faid, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou should't know his will, and fee that Juft One, and should't hear the voice of his mouth. For thou shalt be ⚫his witnefs unto all men of what thou haft

seen and heard. And now why tarriest 'thou? Arife, and be baptized, and wash away thy fins, calling on the name of the • Lord.'

In the IXth chapter of the fame book, the author of it relates the fame story, with ome other circumftances not mentioned in these accounts: as, that Saul in a vifion faw Ananias before he came to him, coming in, and putting his band upon him that he might receive his fight. And that when Ananias

* Acts ix. 12.

had

had spoken to him, immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been fcales *.

And agreeably to all these accounts, St. Paul thus fpeaks of himself in the epiftles he wrote to the feveral churches he planted; the authenticity of which cannot be doubted without overturning all rules, by which the authority and genuineness of any writings can be proved, or confirmed.

་

To the Galatians he fays: I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I

taught it, but by the revelation of Jefus

Chrift. For ye have heard of my con-< verfation in time paft in the Jews religion, how that beyond measure I perfecuted the church of God, and wafted it. And profited in the Jews religion above many. mine equals in my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers. But when it pleased 'God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace, to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen, immediately I ⚫ conferred not with flesh and blood, &ct.' * Acts ix. ver. 18. + Gal. i. 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 15. B 6 Το

To the Philippians he fays, If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might truft in the flesh, I more: circumcifed the eighth day, of the stock of Ifrael, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews. As touching the law, a Pharifee; concerning zeal, perfecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. But what things were gain to me, thofe I counted lofs for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but lofs for the excellency of the knowledge of Chrift Jefus my Lord, for whom I have fuffered the lofs of all things,' and do count them but dung, that I may • win Chrift*.'

And in his epiftle to Timothy he writes thus I thank Jefus Christ our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry,' who was before a blafphemer, and a per-' fecutor, and injurious; but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbe-' • lieft.' In other epiitles he calls himfelf an Apoftle

Phil. iii. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.

+ 1 Tim. i. 12, 13a

by

by the will of God, by the commandments of God our Saviour, and Lord Jefus Chrift; and an Apoftle not of men, neither by men, but by Jefus Chrift, and God the Father, who raised bim from the dead*. All which implies fome miraculous call that made him an Apostle. And to the Corinthians he fays, after enumerating many appearances of Jefus after his. refurrection, And laft of all he was feen ' of me alfo, as of one born out of due <time*.'

*

Now it must of neceffity be, that the perfon attefting thefe things of himself, and of whom they are related in fo authentick at manner, either was an impoftor, who faid what he knew to be falfe with an intent to: deceive; or he was an enthusiast, who by the force of an over-heated imagination impofed on himself; or he was deceived by the fraud of others, and all that he faid must be impu ted to the power of that deceit; or what he declared to have been the cause of his converfion, and to have happened in confe-t quence of it, did all really happen; and

* 2 Cor. i. 1.

+ 1 Cor. xv. 8,

Col. i. 1.4 Tim, i. 1. Gal. i. 1. 3

therefore