and the Children of Ifrael. An Apoftle in an extraordinary Manner fet apart to be a Preacher of that Gofpel which he had perfecuted, not only to the Jews, but to the Heathen World.

Q. Why doth the Church chofe to commemorate St. Paul by his Conversion?

A. Because as it was wonderful in itself, and a miraculous Effect of the powerful Grace of God, fo it was highly beneficial to the Church of Chrift; for while other Apoftles had their particular Provinces, he had the Care of all the Churches, and by his indefatigable Labours contributed very much to the Propagation of the Gofpel throughout the World.

Q. By what Names is this Apofile described in Scripture?

A. By two, Saul and Paul. The one Hebrew, relating to the Jewish Original, being of the Tribe of Benjamin, among whom that Name was famous, ever fince the firft King of Ifrael, Saul, was chofen out of that Tribe. The other Latin, referring to the Roman Corporation where he was born. Though fome have thought it to have been in Memory of Acts xiii. his converting Sergius Paulus the Roman Governor; and others that it was affumed by him after his Convertion, as an Act of Humility; ftyling himEph. iii. 8. felf less than the leaft of all Saints.

7, &c.

Acts xxii.

3.

Q. Where was St. Paul born?

A. At Tarjus, the Metropolis of Cilicia, a City famous for Riches and Learning; where the liberal Sciences and all polite Arts flourished, and where the Inhabitants enjoyed the Franchifes and Liberties Chap. xvi. of Roman Citizens; which Advantage St. Paul afferted as the Privilege of his Birthright. After having laid the Foundation of human Learning in this Place, he was fent by his Parents to Jerufalem, to be brought up at the Feet of Gamaliel in the

37.

Study

Study of the Law, in which he made very quick and large Improvements.

Q. How came be to be educated befides to the Trade of Tent-making?

A. According to the Cuftom of the Jews, among whom it was a Maxim, That he who teacheth not bis Son a Trade, teacheth him to be a Thief; defigning thereby not only to keep their Children from Idlenefs, but to fecure them a Maintenance if their Circumftances made it neceffary to work at it.

Q. How did St. Paul behave himself before his Converfion?

A. Being educated in the Principles of the Pha rifees, the strictest Sect of the Jewish Religion, and being naturally of a hot Temper, he violently oppofed all thofe that were cfteemed Enemies to the Mofaic Oeconomy; and perfecuted the Chriftians As viii, with great Fury, breathing out Threatenings and 3 Slaughter against the Difciples at Jerufalem; mak- Chap. ix. ing Havoc of the Church, and procuring a Com- 1,2. miffion to imprifon fuch as he found Christians at Damafcus. How far he was concerned in the Mar- Ats viii. tyrdom of St. Stephen, doth not appear, any farther than that he was confenting to his Death, and fo became a Sharer in the Guilt of thofe that murdered him.

Q. How was St. Paul converted?

1.

A. In an extraordinay Manner; for when he was upon his Journey near to Damefeus, on a fud- Chap. 1x. den there fhone round about him a Light from 34 Heaven above the Brightnefs of the Sun; whereat being ftrangely amazed, he and his Companions fell to the Ground; and he heard a Voice calling to him, Saul, Saul, why perfecutest thou me? To which he replied, Lord, who art thou? who told him, I am Jefus whom thou perfecuteft, and it is best for thee not to be refractory to the Commands which fhall now be given thee; defigning to make him a Minifter

I 2

10.

Mat. iii.

17.

Minister and Witness both of those Things he had feen, and of those he should afterwards hear: And that he would stand by him and preserve him, and make him a great Inftrument in the Converfion of the Gentile World.

Q. What Effect had the heavenly Vision upon him?

A. The great Splendour of it made him blind for Acts xiii. three Days; but he did not with Elymas the Sorcerer, pervert the right Ways of the Lord, nor with his Brethren the Jews refift the Evidence of a Voice from Heaven, which teftified to our Saviour's Divinity at his Baptism; but became obedient to the heavenly Vifion, and upon this Discovery of his Saviour,diligently enquired his Will and Pleasure, and immediately followed the Directions he received.

Acts ix. 10, &c.

Q. Who admitted St. Paul into the Chriftian Church?

A. After St. Paul had fafted three Days, and humbled his Soul under the Senfe of those Cruelties he had committed against the Church of God; Ananias, a devout Man, fuppofed to be one of the Seventy Difciples, and though a Chriftian, yet well efteemed among the Jews, having been admonished by a Vifion, went to St. Paul, and entering into the House, brought him the good News, that the fame Jefus that appeared to him in the Way, had fent him to him; and laying his Hands upon him, he received his Sight, and the Gift of the Holy Ghoft, and was made a Member of the Church by Baptifm.

Q. What Reafon may be affigned for the miraculous Manner of his Converfion?

A. That St. Paul, who was to be the Apostle of the Gentiles, might in his own Person be a remarkable Inftance of the Power of God's Grace, and of his Readiness to receive the worft of Sinners upon

1 Tim. i. their Repentance: He obtained Mercy, that Jefus Christ might fhew forth first in him all Long-fuffering,

for

for a Pattern to them that should hereafter believe on bim to Life everlasting. Befides, this gave great Authority to the Apostle's Teftimony; which was neceffary, confidering the great Share he was to have in planting Chriftianity through the World. Add to this, that St. Paul appeared to have a very honeft Mind, and to be influenced with a Regard only to what he thought Truth; but being prejudiced by Education, and pufhed on by the Heat of his natural Temper, was tranfported with furious Zeal, and that therefore God was pleased to fhew mercy to him, because what he did was done, Tim. i. ignorantly, in Unbelief; and in a miraculous Man- 13. ner to convince him of the Truth of that Religion which he perfecuted.

Q. How did St. Paul demonftrate the Sincerity of bis Conversion?

A. By preaching that very Jefus whom he had perfecuted; confounding the Jews who dwelt at A&s ix. Damafcus, in proving him to be the true Mellias, 27, 29. the Son of God; in labouring to establish the Church which he had made Havoc of, in comforting and confirming the Faithful whom he had hawled to Prison, expofing himself to thofe Dangers and Difficulties for the Faith, which he had endeavoured to bring upon others.

Q. Where did St. Paul beftow his Apoftolical Labours?

A. Whereas the other Apoftles chofe this or that Province as the main Sphere of their Ministry, St. Paul over-ran, as it were, the whole Roman Empire, feldom ftaying long in a Place; from Jerufalem, through Arabia, Afia, Greece, round about to Clem, Illyricum, to Rome, and even to the utmost bounds of Epift. ad the Western World. The greatest Part of his Tra- Corinth. vels are recorded in the Acts of the Apofiles; and in this Course he was difcouraged by no Dangers nor Difficulties, for he frequently fuffered fevere ScourI 3

gings

gings and Imprisonments, and was brought even to the Confines of Death, both at Sea and Land; neither was he tired out with any Troubles or Oppofitions that were raifed against him; but for the Space of five and thirty Years was indefatigable in preaching the Gofpel, and in writing Epiftles for the confirming thofe Churches he had effablifhed; 2 Tim. iy. thus perfevering in the good Fight of Faith, till he bad finished his Courfe.

7.

Lib. 3. c.

In Pfal.

cxvi.

Q. Having extended his Labours to the utmost Bounds of the Western World, may we not reasonably fuppofe be planted a Church in this our Ifland?

A. There is very good and fufficient Evidence, built on the Teftimony of ancient and credible Writers, with a concurrent Probability of Circumftances, That there was a Chiftian Church planted in Britain during the Apoftles Times. Eufebius, a learned 7. Tom. 1. and inquifitive Perfon, affirms, in his third Book of Evangelical Demonftration, That fome of the Apofiles preached the Gofpel in the British Islands. Theodoret, another learned and judicious Hiftorian, exprefsly names the Britons among the Nations converted by the Apostles; and fays in another Place, that St. Paul brought Salvation to the Islands that lie in Hieron. in the Ocean. St. Jerom teftifies that St. Paul, after bis Imprisonments, preached the Gospel in the Weftern Parts. By which the British Islands were especially understood; as will appear by the following Fpift. ad Teftimony of Clemens Romanus, who faith, St. Paul Corinth. preached Righteoufnefs through the whole World, and in fo doing went to the utmoft Bounds of the Weft; which neceffarily includeth the British Islands, as is plain to thofe who know how the Phrafe, the utmoft Bounds of the Weft, was ufed by the Hiftorians and Poets of thofe Times.

Amos, c.

5.

Q. What probable Circumftances concur to incline us to think that St. Paul was the Perfon who planted a Chriftian Church in Britain?

A. The