clares the difpofition St. Paul was in, what the "actions, expectations, or demands, of those to "whom he wrote required him to speak to, we are "no where told-all this, and a great deal more, "neceffary to guide us into the true meaning of "the epiftles, is to be learned from the epiftles them"felves, and to be gathered from thence with ftubborn attention, and more than common apcc plication."

It may not, perhaps, be useless to my younger readers to obferve, on this part of my subject, that the very circumstances which contribute to this fpecies of obfcurity in the epiftles, form at the fame time the strongest internal proofs of the genuineness of these compofitions, and of the truth of all the tranfactions on which the proof of Christianity depends. Such a variety of references to particular times, and places, and perfons; and above all, appeals to individuals as to facts which they knew, and converfations they had heard; anfwers evidently given to letters that had been received, and enquiries that had been made; appeals and anfwers, fuch as would be clear and intelligible, if we suppose the facts alluded to real, these letters to have been before the writer of the epiftles, and these enquiries to have been made, but which could have no conceivable object or meaning otherwife. Such particulars never find place in the artful texture of forged and fictitious compofitions; these always avoid unneceffary references to circumstances, which would only make their

detection

detection eafy and certain; they deliver their doctrines unconnected with facts; they guard as much. as poffible against objection; they every where betray marks of reserve and caution, of artifice and design; far different are the epiftles of St. Paul, every line of them speaks the language of a man intent on prefent, real, urgent business, addreffing others equally engaged in the fame tranfactions, and anxious to influence, and to direct them in fome particular mode of conduct. In a word, we fee in the epistles of this great apostle nothing of the fictions of imthe posture, nothing of vifions of fanaticism; every thing bespeaks reality and truth.

Another cause of obfcurity peculiarly affecting St. Paul's epiftles, arifes from his dwelling fo much more fully than any other writer of the New Teftament (St. John, perhaps, only excepted) on the moft exalted and abftrufe doctrines of the Chriftian

y I cannot gratify any reader, who wishes to fee ingenuity and truth combined in defence of Chriftianity, more than by referring him to Paley's Hore Pauline, in which the genuinenefs of St. Paul's epiftles is evinced, by comparing them with the Acts, and with each other. The undefigned coincidence between the history in the Acts, and the allusions in the epistles— the natural turn of the apoftles' fentiments and language, according to the fituations in which he, and those whom he addreffed, were placed, feem to me to form so strong a proof of the truth of the whole history of the first planting of Christianity, as, if confidered with attention and candour, scarce any incredulity could refift.

fcheme.

fcheme.

"It is St. Paul, chiefly, who, in his

epiftles, has explained the gospel economy in its "full extent, has fhewn its connection with the former difpenfations, and hath defended it against the objections by which infidels, both in antient and "modern times, have endeavoured to overthrow " it."

Now, if men do not forget their place in the scale of beings; if they will not fuppofe themselves competent to decide on the whole plan of the divine economy in the moral world, without doubt or hesitation, though constant experience proves to them, that they are able to judge but very partially, and imperfectly, of the divine economy in the phyfical world, which yet seems so much more constantly and obviously submitted to their enquiries, they will fee, that when the apostles and evangelists state themselves to have received a revelation from God, and appeal, in confirmation of this, to plain facts, to miracles and prophecies, and historical teftimony, it is in the highest

z Vid. Macknight's firft prelimenary effay in proof of this, vol. 1. p. 5 to 56.

a Vid. Butler's Analogy, part i. chap. vii. of the government of God, confidered as a scheme imperfectly comprehended.Part ii. chap. iii. of our incapacity of judging what were to be expected in a revelation, and the credibility, from analogy, that it must contain things liable to objection.-Chap. iv. of Christianity, as a scheme imperfectly comprehended ;—and chap. v. viii. the particular system of Christianity, the appointment of a Mediator, and the redemption of the world by him.

degree

degree irrational to reject these proofs without examination, and to pronounce the promulgators of this supposed revelation wild enthusiasts, because fome parts of the fyftem they deliver, are found to be myfterious and obfcure.-The fcheme which Chriftianity prefents, embraces the whole extent of God's moral government, as it regards this world, commencing with its creation, and closing only with its diffolution; it is even declared to be intimately connected with the display of the divine attributes to all orders of intellectual beings," "fuch things as angels defire to look into." The author of it is reprefented as of a divine nature, and most exalted dignity, the Son of God, and judge of the world. The means it employs are various and awful; but its obvious practical tendency is to promote virtue and piety. Shall we say all this is the mere dream of enthusiasm, because we do not clearly comprehend the detail of all its parts ?-Shall we neglect its positive proofs, which are perfectly level to our capacities, and judge rafhly of what they are obviously incompetent to decide on? Surely this is to invert that order of reasoning, which on other fubjects we find ourselves obliged to obferve; for in every thing elfe we begin with what is plain and certain, before we proceed to what is complex, doubtful and remote,

Men who thus proceed in their religious enquiries, well deferve the rebuke pronounced against them by

C

the celebrated Boyle, whofe researches into nature ferved, not to diminish, but to encrease his reverence for Christianity. "As to fome paffages (fays he) of

fcripture which are really obfcure, fince it is the "abftrufeness of what is taught in them, which "makes them inevitably fo, it is little lefs faucy,

upon fuch a score, to find fault with the style of "the fcripture, than to do fo with its author for "making us but men."

I conclude this part of my fubject, by obferving, that however various caufes may contribute to caft a partial fhade over the Christian revelation, they are very far from eclipfing the luftre of its divine original, or intercepting that falutary light, by which it directs the fteps, and brightens the profpects of the human race. The facts on which its evidence is founded are remarkably free from obfcurity and doubt, and its leading doctrines are clear, as far as is necessary, to all who candidly and impartially improve the means of information they enjoy; the occafional obfcurity of the fcriptures does not render it difficult for the humbleft Chriftian to discover the principles and rules by which his moral conduct fhould be regulated in this fcene of trial, or prevent him from being fully affured, that life and immortality are brought to light by the gofpel; and that faith,

c Vid. Boyle's Essay on the ftile of the holy fcriptures; his anfwer to the objection from their obfcurity, § 5. vol. 2. p. 101, of the folio edition, in 5 vols. Lond. 1755.