it shows that it is not unlawful to bring the spoils of Egypt in the service of the sanctuary, and to make use of the advantages of foreign studies and human literature to divine and excellent purposes, so does it argue his being greatly conversant in the paths of human learning, which upon every occasion he could so readily command. Indeed, he seemed to have been furnished out on purpose to be the doctor of the Gentiles: to contend with and confute the grave and the wise, the acute and the subtile, the sage and the learned of the heathen world, and to wound them (as Julian's word was) with arrows drawn out of their own quiver; though we do not find that in his disputes with the Gentiles he made much use of learning and philosophy, it being more agreeable to the designs of the Gospel to confound the wisdom and learning of the world by the plain doctrine of the cross.

These were great accomplishments, and yet but a shadow to that divine temper of mind that was in him, which discovered itself through the whole course and method of his life. He was humble to the lowest step of abasure and condescension, none ever thinking better of others, or more meanly of himself. And though, when he had to deal with envious and malicious adversaries, who, by vilifying his person, sought to obstruct his ministry, he knew how to magnify his office, and to let them know that he was "no whit inferior to the very chiefest apostles;" yet out of this case he constantly declared to all the world, that he looked upon himself as an abortive and an untimely birth, as "the least of the apostles, not meet to be called an apostle;" and, as if this were not enough, he makes a word on purpose to express his humility, styling himself sótegor, "less than the least of all saints," yea, "the very chief of sinners." How freely, and that at every turn, does he confess that he was before his conversion a blasphemer, a persecutor, and injurious both to God and men? Though honored with peculiar acts of the highest grace and favor, taken up to an immediate converse with God in heaven, yet did not this inspire him with a supercilious loftiness over the rest of his brethren: intrusted he was with great power and authority in the church, but never affected dominion over men's faith, nor any other place than to be a helper of their joy; nor ever made use of his power but to the edification, not destruction of

any.

How studiously did he decline all honors and commendations that were heaped upon him? When some in the church of Corinth cried him up beyond all measure, and under the patronage of his name began to set up for a party, he severely rebuked them, told them that it was Christ, not he, that was crucified for them: that they had not been baptized into his name," which he was so far from, that he did not remember that he had baptized above three or four of them; and was heartily glad he had baptized no more, lest a foundation might have been laid for that suspicion; and that this Paul, indeed, whom they had so much extolled, was no more than a minister of Christ, whom our Lord had appointed to plant and build up his church.

Great was his temperance and sobriety; so far from going beyond the bounds of regularity, that he abridged himself of the conveniences of lawful and necessary accommodations; frequent were his hungerings and thirstings, not constrained only, but voluntary it is probably thought that he very rarely drank any wine; and certain is it, that by abstinence and mortification he "kept under and subdued his body," reducing the extravagancy of the sensual appetites to a perfect subjection to the laws of reason. By this means he easily got above the world, and its charms and frowns, and made his mind continually conversant in heaven : his thoughts were fixed there; his desires always ascending thither; what he taught others he practised himself; his "conversation was in heaven," and his "desires were to depart, and to be with Christ;" this world did neither arrest his affections nor disturb his fears; he was not taken with its applause, nor frighted with its threatenings; he "studied not to please men," nor valued the censures and judgments which they passed upon him; he was not greedy of a great estate, or titles of honor, or rich presents from men, not "seeking theirs, but them;" food and raiment was his bill of fare, and more than this he never cared for; accounting, that the less he was clogged with these things, the lighter he should march to heaven; especially travelling through a world overrun with troubles and persecutions. Upon this account it is probable he kept himself always within a single life, though there want not some of the ancients who expressly reckon him in the number of the married apostles, as Clemens Alexandrinus, Igna

tius and some others. It is true that passage is not to be found in the genuine epistle of Ignatius; but yet it is extant in all those that are owned and published by the church of Rome, though they have not been wanting to banish it out of the world, having expunged St. Paul's name out of some ancient manuscripts, as the learned Bishop Usher has, to their shame, sufficiently discovered to the world. But for the main of the question we can readily grant it; the Scripture seeming most to favor it, that though he asserted his power and liberty to marry as well as the rest, yet that he lived always a single life.

His kindness and charity was truly admirable: he had a compassionate tenderness for the poor, and a quick sense of the wants of others; to what church soever he came, it was one of his first cares to make provision for the poor, and to stir up the bounty of the rich and wealthy; nay, himself worked often with his own hands, not only to maintain himself, but to help and relieve them. But infinitely greater was his charity to the souls of men, fearing no dangers, refusing no labors, going through good and evil report that he might gain men over to the knowledge of the truth, reduce them out of the crooked paths of vice and idolatry, and set them in the right way to eternal life. Nay, so insatiable his thirst after the good of souls, that he affirms that rather than his countrymen the Jews should miscarry, by not believing and entertaining the Gospel, he could be content, nay, wished, that "himself might be accursed from Christ for their sake;" i. e. that he might be anathematized and cut off from the church of Christ, and not only lose the honor of the apostalate, but be reckoned in the number of the abject and execrable persons, such as those are who are separated from the communion of the church. An instance of so large and passionate a charity, that lest it might not find room in men's belief, he ushered it in with this solemn appeal and attestation, that he said the truth in Christ, and lied not, his conscience bearing him witness in the Holy Ghost." And as he was infinitely solicitous to gain men over to the best religion in the world, so was he not less careful to keep them from being seduced from it, ready to suspect every thing that might "corrupt their minds from the simplicity that is in Christ." "I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy," as he told the church of Cor

inth an affection of all others the most active and vigilant, and which is wont to inspire men with the most passionate care and concernment for the good of those for whom we have the highest measures of love and kindness. Nor was his charity to men greater than his zeal for God, endeavoring with all his might to promote the honor of his Master. Indeed, zeal seems to have had a deep foundation in the natural forwardness of his temper. How exceedingly zealous was he, while in the Jews' religion, of the traditions of his fathers: how earnest to vindicate and assert the divinity of the Mosaic dispensation, and to persecute all of a contrary way, even to rage and madness; and when afterwards turned into a right channel, it ran with as swift a current; carrying him out, against all opposition, to ruin the kingdom and the powers of darkness, to beat down idolatry, and to plant the world with right apprehensions of God, and the true notions of religion. When, at Athens, he saw them so much overgrown with the grossest superstition and idolatry, giving the honor that was alone due to God to statues and images, his zeal began to ferment and to boil up into paroxysms of indignation; and he could not but let them know the resentments of his mind, and how much herein they dishonored God, the great Parent and Maker of the world.

This zeal must needs put him upon a mighty diligence and industry in the execution of his office, warning, reproving, entreating, persuading, "preaching in season and out of season," by night and by day, by sea and land; no pains too much to be taken, no dangers too great to be overcome. For five-and-thirty years after his conversion he seldom stayed long in one place; from Jerusalem, through Arabia, Asia, Greece, round about to Illyricum, to Rome, and even to the utmost bounds of the western world, "fully preaching the Gospel of Christ:" running (says St. Jerome) from ocean to ocean, like the sun in the heavens, of which it is said, his going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the end of it;" sooner wanting ground to tread on, than a desire to propagate the faith of Christ. Nicephorus compares him to a bird in the air, that in a few years flew round the world: Isidore the Pelusiot to a winged husbandman, that flew from place to place to cultivate the world with the most excellent rules and institutions of life. And while the other

apostles did as it were choose this or that particular province, as the main sphere of their ministry, St. Paul overran the whole world to its utmost bounds and corners, planting all places where he came with the divine doctrines of the Gospel. Nor in this course was he tired out with the dangers and difficulties that he met with, the troubles and oppositions that were raised against him. All of which did but reflect the greater lustre upon his patience; whereof, indeed, (as Clement observes,) he became a most eminent pattern and exemplar, during the biggest troubles and persecutions, with a patience triumphant and unconquerable. As will easily appear, if we take but a survey of what trials and sufferings he underwent, some part whereof are briefly summed up by himself. In labors abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons frequent, in deaths often; thrice beaten with rods, once stoned, thrice suffered shipwreck, a night and a day in the deep; in journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by his own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness, in painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness; and besides these things that were without, that which daily came upon him, the care of the churches. An account, though very great, yet far short of what he endured; and wherein, as Chrysostom observes, he does modestly keep himself within his measures; for, had he taken the liberty fully to enlarge himself, he might have filled hundreds of martyrologies with his sufferings. A thousand times was his life at stake; in every suffering he was a martyr, and what fell but in parcels upon others, came all upon him; while they skirmished only with single parties, he had the whole army of sufferings to contend with. All which he generously underwent with a soul as calm and serene as the morning sun; no spite or rage, no fury or storms, could ruffle and discompose his spirit: nay, those sufferings, which would have broken the back of an ordinary patience, did but make him rise up with the greater eagerness and resolution for the doing of his duty.

His patience will yet further appear from the consideration of another, the last of those virtues we shall take notice of in him,