after. And least of all could they authorife him in what was peculiarly his gofpel, exempting the Gentile converts from the law of Mofes, when that was a difputed point at least fourteen years after?

As for Ananias, it could not be pretended, that he gave him any powers to act as an apostle, when himself was none. Saul was indeed directed to go forward to Damafcus, where it fhould be told him what he was to do. But it was not told him, that he fhould receive thefe inftructions, either from Ananias, or any other man. Nor did Ananias himfelf receive any instructions to give him, but was only ordered to go and restore him his fight, and to baptize him, in this view, That he was a chofen veffel, to hold forth the immense treasure of the 'gospel of Christ. As for the reft, Ananias knew, that Jefus had appeared to him on the way: and it may well be prefumed, that he understood his bufinefs better than to interfere without fpecial orders, where fuch a teacher had been beforehand with him; who, he certainly knew, was well able to perfect what he had in fuch a miraculous manner begun.

VOL. III.

I

But

But however that might be, it was impoffible for one in Saul's circumftances to acquire the neceffary knowledge in fo little time, by any human inftruction whatfoever. For no fooner was he brought into the Christian community, than he fet about preaching Chrift in the fynagogue, to the amazement of all who heard him, as we read, Acts ix. 20. 21. The fame ac-| count he gives of himself here, verf. 16.

1

Immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood; as much as to fay, he did not deliberate a moment, either to confult his own eafe and conveniency, or to advise with others. He said to Jefus, when he convinced him of his folly, "Lord, what "wilt thou have me to do?" And when he was told what he was to do, he fell about it without either demur or delay. This is fo plainly his meaning, that it feems quite needlefs to difpute about what he should mean by flesh and blood, as that expreffion will be found to comprehend all the means of worldly wifdom, and the methods which men take to determine their conduct in cafes where they have fo much at ftake as the Apoftle had. No man in the Jewish nation had a fairer

profpect

iii. 7.

profpect than Paul. But, as he fays, Phil. "what things were gain to him, thofe he counted lofs for Chrift:" A cafe very nearly refembling that of Mofes; who chose rather to fuffer afflic"tion with the people of God, than be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter."

We have no where any account of Paul's preaching, either at Damafcus or in Arabia; but that "he mightily convinced the

Jews;" or rather strongly proved to them, "that Jefus was the Chrift." That was the capital point then in difpute; and fo comprehenfive, that they who understood it, and knew the character of Chrift, and the bufinefs on which he came into the world, found in it a complete fyftem of religion. Only, by his way of speaking in this epistle, of the invariable fameness of the gospel he preached, and that the Son of God was revealed in him, with this express design, that he should preach him among the Heathen, it seems pretty evident, that he received his first commiffion at the time of his converfion, and immediately fet about the execution of it, efpecially among the Arabians; which might be an additional reason of the fevere perfecution

I 2

fecution intended against him at Damafcus, where he was fo narrowly watched, that there was no way of faving his life, but by letting him down by the wall in á basket.

When he escaped to Jerufalem, he run the fame risk there; and even a worfe; for we find, that the difciples there were all afraid of him, and would not believe that! he was a difciple, until Barnabas was at pains to inform them better. And when the Jews there, and particularly the Jews from Greece, could not refift the force of his reafonings, they went about to kill him; which when the brethren knew, they conveyed him away, first to Cefarea, and thence he went to Tarfus, his native city. And this is what he tells us here, verf. 21. of his going into the regions of Syria and Cilicia.

But it must be remembered, that there was another and higher reason for this journey than this prudential caution of the brethren. For at this time must have happened what the Apostle tells the Jews, in his speech to them, Acts xxii. 18.—21. where his mafter ordered him to depart quickly from Jerufalem, "because they

"would

"would not receive his teftimony;" but especially that he was to be employed at a great distance" among the Gentiles." It is true, he was not fent publicly, and with the knowledge of the whole church, until fome time after his return from Tarfus, to Antioch in Syria. But on the intimation he had then given him, it is not at all likely, that he who had been fo very zealous, even at the peril of his life, for fupporting the truth" as it is in Jefus," would be wanting to it now after receiving fuch fresh encouragement. Though Galatia was one of the countries of Leffer Afia, as well as Cilicia; yet, as there were feveral countries lying between them, we have no warrant to think, as fome have done, that the Apostle either preached or planted churches there at that time, nor until Barnabas brought him back to Antioch in Syria; whence both of them were, by exprefs divine appointment, feparated for this work. And as there is no mention of Barnabas, except their going together to Jerufalem, it feems pretty certain, that they two were feparated before either of them fet a foot in that country.

We need not ftand on what he fays,

verf.