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As the excellent characters of the first believers and teachers of Christianity, are
in general a strong recommendation of it to mankind; so that of St. Paul in parti-
cular shines with distinguished lustre through his whole history, but especially his
Epistles, the faithful pictures of his Soul. SECKER.

CAMBRIDGE:

Printed by J. Smith, Printer to the University;

FOR, T. STEVENSON;

AND SOLD BY C. & J. RIVINGTON, AND J. HATCHARD & SON,
LONDON; AND J. WOLSTENHOLME, YORK.

B

PREFACE.

"Not

HAVING lately met with a Book entitled, Paul but Jesus," upon the perusal, I found it abounded in gross misrepresentations, and unjust accusations. Professing to be a candid enquiry into the conduct of the Apostle Paul, the Work in question seemed evidently dictated by a spirit of hostility towards Christianity itself. Where the facts relating to the history of the Apostle are not mis-stated altogether, they are so distorted and discoloured, as to wear an appearance totally foreign to their real nature. It must, however, at the same time be allowed, that some of the arguments are brought forward with such an air of plausibility, and truth and falsehood are so artfully interwoven with each other, that it is easy to imagine they might, at first sight, stagger a careless and superficial enquirer: those persons, indeed, who are content to form their notions

of Christianity, from the representations of its enemies, without examining into its evidence themselves, might be inclined to consider the distorted portrait, which the Author has drawn, as a faithful likeness of the Apostle of the Gentiles. But I am well persuaded that those, who, with candid and impartial minds, examine the real conduct and pretensions of St. Paul, will be so far from concurring in the opprobrious malignity, with which he is assailed, that additional reverence and delight, will be the result of their enquiry. Indeed, if ever there was a person, who exhibited a desire to adorn, by his life and conversation, the pure and heavenly precepts of the blessed Jesus; if ever there was one, who to the most fervent zeal, united the most rational and exalted devotion, who combined firmness with moderation, wisdom with humility, and toleration with truth, or who to abilities most splendid, added in a just cause industry most persevering; if ever, in short, there was one, who more than another, followed the steps of his divine Master, that man was St. Paul. To vindicate such a character, from the most malignant imputations, and to advocate the cause

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