establishing any thing even in point of order or difcipline different from the reft, or more advantageous to his own intereft, credit, or power, is a moft ftrong and convincing proof of their not being impoftors, but acting entirely by Divine infpiration. 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, 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 had 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 This election was not certain, but that he might fall from it again through the natural prevalence of bodily appetites, if not duly restrained by his own voluntary care. fingle paffage is a full anfwer out of the mouth of St. Paul himself, to all the mistakes that have been made of his meaning in fome obfcure expreffions concerning grace, election, and juftification, * Phil. iii. 6. family, family, from whom he estranged and banifhed himself for life. He gave up that religion which he had profited in above many of his equals in his own nation, and thofe traditions of bis fathers, which he had been more exceedingly zealous of*. How hard this facrifice was to a man of his warm temper, and above all men to a few, is worth confideration. That nation is known to have been more tenacious of their religious opinions than any other upon the face of the earth. The ftricteft and proudest 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 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 intereft. These were the facrifices he had to make in becoming a Chriftian: let us now see what inconveniences he had to fear: the implacable vengeance of thofe he deferted; that fort of contempt which is hardest to bear, the contempt of those whofe good opinion he had most 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 abfolutely out of his fenfes who will either engage in an imposture, or, being engaged, persevere. 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 must have been checked by that defire, as well as by the just apprehension of many inevitable and infupportable evils, from taking a part fo contra dictory dictory to his past 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 history fhews. But the doctrine preached by St. Paul is abfolutely contrary to all fuch defigns *. His writings breathe nothing but the strictest morality, obedience to magiftrates, order and government, with the utmost abhorrence of all licentioufnefs, idleness, or loose behaviour, 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 * See particularly Rom. xi. and xiii. and Col. iii. no difference in moral actions; that any impulfes of the mind are to direct us against the light of our reafon and the laws of nature; or any of thofe wicked tencts from which the peace of fociety has been difturbed, 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 Chriftianity, 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 uncleanness, nor in guile: ye are witneffes, and God also, how bolily, and justly, and unblameably we behaved our• felves among you that believe.' I Thess. ii. 10*. And to the Corinthians he fays, *See alfo 2 Cor. i. 12. and iv. 2. We + If St. Paul had held any fecret doctrines, or efoterick, (as the philofophers call them) we fhould have probably found |