beings as men are well known to be, carries the irrefragable evidence of a fupernatural original. Some imperfect fragments of it have been in the world ever fince there were any men in it; and it would have been strange if there had not, on the fuppofition of an original divine revelation; but the whole confiftent fyftem was totally loft throughout the whole Gentile world. It fubfifted indeed perfect in the Jewish books; but in effect only there, and in fome few who formed their religion upon the divine revelation recorded in these books. But the learned and reputed wife masters among the Jews had in effect explained it away, and made it void by their traditions; infomuch that when Christ came into the world, they were fo far from receiving him, while yet they profeffed to be waiting for his appearance, that they condemned him as a blafphemer, for faying those very things which their Meffiah or Chrift must have faid whenever he came into the world.

Paul himself was as much involved in the national prejudices as any of them, when it pleafed God to reveal his Son in him. The appearance of Jefus to

him, in the light of his glory, and thus supporting his pretenfions, was enough to convince him, that he was indeed the very perfon he gave himself out to be. But how a rational man fhould at once have had all his fixed fentiments unhinged and changed, his deeply-rooted prejudices removed, and, what is greatly more, clear, comprehenfive, and diftinct views, of an infinitely comprehenfive fyftem directly oppofite; a fyftem which has no foundation at all in our reafoning powers, but is even contrary to all the measures which the wisdom of the world has in all ages fixed on, and is to this day pertinaciously infisted on by numbers who are accounted the wife and learned; and (which adds greatly to the wonder) that all this fhould have been effected almoft inftantaneously, who can forbear putting the question that Nicodemus put on a fimilar occafion, "How

can these things be?" There is only one anfwer, but it is a complete one, viz. What is impoffible with man, is easy with God. And they must have very low notions indeed of divine who can reckon it either impoffible, or even difficult, for him who infpired man at his formation

power,

formation with reafon and understanding, to convey what measures of knowledge, and in what manner, he pleases. Paul himself is one indifputable evidence; and the fishermen of Galilee, on the day of Pentecoft, furnish many more; nay, as moft of those who were converted, even from the groffeft Heathen ignorance, were instantaneously enabled to speak with tongues they had never been taught, and to declare fluently and distinctly the wonderful works of God, how amazing was this! But it was the Spirit of God which gave them utterance; and that leaves nothing to wonder at, but the divine condefcenfion beftowing fuch gifts

on men.

But, might the Jewish teachers fay, (and it feems they did fay it), how does it appear that this Paul, who had been preaching to them, had his gospel, and his commiffion of apostleship, thus directly and immediately from God? The knowledge of Chrift was then in a manner a common thing; might he not have been taught it himself, as he taught others? And as, by his own account, Ananias was fent to

him,

him, why might he not have been inftructed by him?

It is true, many were commiffioned by our Lord himself, no fewer than seventy at one time; but Paul was none of them. It is likely enough too, that many were fent out by the apoftles: but neither was he any of those; for he faw none of them, until three years after he had been preaching the gofpel at Damafcus and in Arabia,

the

very fame gofpel which he preached to the Galatians. Then he fays, verf. 18. & 19. he went up to Jerufalem to fee Peter, and abode fifteen days with him; but faw none other of the apofiles, fave James, whom he calls the Lord's brother, to diftinguish him from James the fon of Zebedee, and the fame who was called the fon of Alpheus, and whofe brother the Apostle Jude was. It seems the rest of the apostles were not then at Jerufalem, but employed in propagating the gospel in other places, and, according to fome ancient writers, in many and fome very remote countries. But that could not be fo early, as we find Cornelius and his friends were the firft Gentiles who were brought into the church of Chrift; nay, that Peter, (which feems ve

ry

ry strange), notwithstanding the very plain Old-Teftament promifes, would not have been prevailed with to go to Cornelius, unless he had been exprefsly commanded of God.

By the Apostle's confirming this account

he gives of himself, with the folemnity of at least fomething equivalent to an oath, verf. 20. it may be certainly concluded, that he had fome very momentous purpose to answer by it. It is evident, that he could not have the gofpel which he preached at Damafcus and Arabia from any of the apoftles, as he had then feen none of them. Neither could he have an apoftolic commiffion from Peter and James for befides that their number was full, by the election of Matthias, Paul was not qualified according to the eftablifhed rule: for fo far was he from "ha

ving accompanied with Jefus from the beginning," that he had never accompanied him at all; but even after his death and refurrection, had been a most violent perfecutor of his church. At any rate, they could not give him a commiffion to go to the Gentiles, when themselves were not clear about the matter till fome years

after.