1. The history, in giving an account of St. Paul after his converfion, relates, "that, after many days," effecting, by the affiftance of the difciples, his escape from Damafcus, "he proceeded to Jerufalem" (Acts, chap. ix. ver. 25). The epistle, fpeaking of the fame period, makes St. Paul say that he went into Arabia," that he returned again to Damafcus, that after three years he went up to Jerufalem. Chap. i. ver. 17, 18.

2. The history relates, that, when Saul was come from Damafcus, "he was with "the difciples coming in and going out" (Acts, chap. ix. ver. 28). The epistle, defcribing the fame journey, tells us "that "he went up to Jerufalem to fee Peter, and abode with him fifteen days." Chap. i. ver. 18.

3. The history relates, that, when Paul was come to Jerufalem, "Barnabas took "him and brought him to the apostles" (Acts, chap. ix. ver. 27). The epiftle, "that he faw Peter; but other of the

66

apoftles faw he none, fave James, the "Lord's brother." Chap. i. ver. 19.

Now

Now this is as it should be. The hiftorian delivers his account in general terms, as of facts to which he was not prefent. The person who is the subject of that account, when he comes to speak of these facts himself, particularizes time, names, and circumftances.

4. The like notation of places, perfons, and dates, is met with in the account of St. Paul's journey to Jerufalem, given in the fecond chapter of the epiftle. It was fourteen years after his converfion; it was in company with Barnabas and Titus; it was then that he met with James, Cephas, and John; it was then also that it was agreed amongst them, that they fhould go to the circumcifion, and he unto the Gentiles.

5. The dispute with Peter, which occupies the fequel of the second chapter, is marked with the fame particularity. It was at Antioch; it was after certain came from James; it was whilft Barnabas was there, who was carried away by their diffimulation. These examples negative the infinuation, that the epistle prefents nothing but indefinite allufions to public facts.

No.

66

No. IV.

Chap. iv. ver. 11-16.

"I am afraid of

you, left I have bestowed upon you la"bour in vain. Brethren, I beseech you, "be as I am, for I am as ye are. Ye have

66

not injured me at all. Ye know how, through infirmity of the flesh, I preached "the gospel unto you at the firft; and my temptation, which was in the flesh, ye de"spised not, nor rejected; but received me

66

as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus. "Where is then the bleffedness you spake "of? for I bear you record, that, if it had "been poffible, ye would have plucked out

your own eyes, and have given them "unto me. Am I therefore become your 66 enemy, because I tell you the truth?"

With this paffage compare 2 Cor. chap. xii. ver. 1-9: "It is not expedient for me, ❝doubtless, to glory; I will come to visions " and revelations of the Lord. I knew a "man in Chrift above fourteen years ago (whether in the body I cannot tell, or "whether out of the body I cannot tell; "God

66

"God knoweth); fuch a one was caught up "to the third heaven: and I knew fuch a

66

66

66

man (whether in the body or out of the

body I cannot tell, God knoweth), how "that he was caught up into Paradise, "and heard unfpeakable words, which it is 66 not lawful for a man to utter. Of fuch " a one will I glory, yet of myself will I "not glory, but in mine infirmities: for, "though I would defire to glory, I shall not ❝be a fool; for I will fay the truth. But now I forbear, left any man should think "of me above that which he feeth me to be, 66 or that he heareth of me. And left I "should be exalted above measure, through "the abundance of the revelations, there "was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the "messenger of Satan to buffet me, left I should "be exalted above measure. For this thing "I befought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he faid unto me, My grace is fufficient for thee; for my ftrength is made perfect in weakness. "Moft gladly therefore will I rather glory "in my infirmities, that the power of "Christ may rest upon me."

66

66

There

There can be no doubt but that "the temptation which was in the flesh,” mentioned in the Epistle to the Galatians, and "the thorn in the flesh, the meffenger of Satan to buffet him,'' mentioned in the Epiftle to the Corinthians, were intended to denote the fame thing. Either therefore it was, what we pretend it to have been, the fame person in both, alluding, as the occafion led him, to fome bodily infirmity under which he laboured; that is, we are reading the real letters of a real apoftle; or, it was that a fophift, who had feen the circumstance in one epiftle, contrived, for the fake of correfpondency, to bring it into another; or, lastly, it was a circumstance in St. Paul's personal condition, fapposed to be well known to those into whofe hands the epiftle likely to fall; and, for that reafon, introduced into a writing defigned to bear his I have extracted the quotations at length, in order to enable the reader to judge accurately of the manner in which the mention of this particular comes in, in each; because that judgment, I think, will acquit the authors of the epiftle of the charge of having

name.

N