SERM. flaughter against them; that, not contentV. ed with this, he travelled abroad and per

secuted them in ftrange cities; that as he was in a journey to Damafcus to ferve this end, he was converted to the Chriftian faith by a miraculous appearance of Chrift to him, and was immediately called to be an Apostle; that, having ftaid a few days at Damafcus in retirement, he openly appeared preaching Chrift; and, from that time, spent his whole life in publishing Christianity to the world, and especi ally to the Gentiles, who were more peculiarly given him in charge; founded many focieties of Chriftians, and visited others, travelling inceffantly, and in a state of almost continued perfecution, in which he fuffered moft barbarous ufage.

Now, the question is, whetherin preaching the gofpel, the apoftle fpake the words of truth and fobernefs, or was propagating falfhood? If there was no foundation in truth for the religion, which he taught `mankind, either he knew this, and fo acted the part of an impoftor through the whole of life; or, by the force of enthusiasm, he was perfuaded of the truth of Christianity himself, but without any folid founda

tion.

tion. The adverfaries of the Chriftian SERM. faith must neceffarily fix upon one or other V. of these; and if, upon a fair enquiry, it fhall appear, that neither of them could be the cafe, nothing can remain, but that we believe the apostle was a perfon of a fober mind, and of integrity, and taught what he knew to be truth.

Let it be firft inquired, whether there is any probability of his having been an im- ? poftor? And here the following things are to be carefully confidered.

First, what could be his aim in propagating fuch an impofture in the world? The account, which he himself giveth us of his miniftry, is, that he taught repentance towards God, and faith in our Lord: Jefus Chrift. This was indeed his whole bufinefs, as appeareth from many express declarations, and the general ftrain of his writings. He was fetting up no party or faction, which could ferve any temporal intereft. His whole labour was directed to this end only, that men might be perfuaded to believe in Jefus Chrift crucified and risen again, as their Saviour and Lord; and might be, in pursuance of this, reclaimed from all unrighteous courfes, and be10 3

come

SERM. come holy in all manner of converfation. V. Whitherfoever he went, thefe were the points, which he laboured; applying himfelf equally to all men, of all nations, whatever their peculiar genius, circumftances, interefts, manners, cuftoms, andreligious principles, were. And where men received his teftimony and became Chriftians, he gave them inftructions.to/ affemble together, from time to time, for the worship of God, and to encourage one another in the practice of religion, and animadvert upon fuch of their profeffion as!! were guilty of scandalous fins : and that these purposes might be more effectually ferved, he ordained elders in every church. This is all. And to accomplish what he intended, he never could use, neither had it in his thought to use, any means and methods, but the manifeftation of the truth, and arguments taken from the nature of the religion, which he taught ; from the miraculous works, by which the most folemn attention was given to it, as of divine authority; and from the prophefies, of which it was the completion. Orduxi t

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Secondly, he did not endeavour to fubject fuch, as were converted by his means,

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to himself as their head, nor ever pretended SERM to any dominion over them; but laboured V. this point as much as any thing whatfoever, that they should be thoroughly per fuaded, that they owed no allegiance to.. any, but to Chrift Jefus. Him he preachi ed, as the only. Lord of Christians; glo rifying himself in being a fervant of Chrift, and devoted intirely to his intereft and caufe. Now, this perfon, whom it was the business of the apoftle's life to recommend to the world as Saviour and Lord, was dead; and with this remarkable circumftance, that he was crucified at Jeru-.. falem as a malefactor. What then was to be expected from him? What honour? What emolument of a temporal kind ?-If, then, the apostle was an impoftor, he was fupporting the cause, and ferving the ri intereft, of another impoftor, from whom, o neither he, nor any one elfe, could have q the leaft expectations and, befides, had fort little understanding, as to load his own r fcheme, and defign, with all the prejudices, d which lay against another perfon, whos as a grofs and impious deceiver, had been put to an infamous death nay, was fo abfolutely bereft of all fenfe, as to glory

V.

SERM, in the crucifixion of Chrift; and to infift upon it, as of the utmost importance, in Chriftianity. I determine to know nothing among you, but Jefus Chrift, and him crucified. If the apoftle aimed at any thing, in this world, as the end he ferved, (and furely impofture cannot be fuppofed to aim at any thing elfe) he muft have acted the most impolitic and abfurd part, which can be imagined.

Thirdly, when he fet out as an apostle of Chrift, he knew very well, that there were numbers of Chriftians in Jerufalem, and other places; and that there were perfons, who profeffed to be witneffes of the refurrection of Chrift, and pretended to be commiffioned by him to preach his religion. Now, as all that Paul could have in view was the fuccefs and establishment of that religion in the world; fo, upon the prefent fuppofition of its being an impofture, it might be expected, that when he refolved to enter into this defign, he should have, first of all, acquainted himself with what these men thought, and made himself mafter of the scheme; which, certainly, as it could not have entered into the thoughts