28 A Viow of the DEISTIcAI. Writers. Let. 2. let us ſee that there is a wide and amazing difference between them. Lord Herbert's mind was prepoſſeſſed with the expectation of a ſi gn from heaven. He ſought it, he applied to God for it, he had an hope that ſomething of this kind would happen. And when the thing came, which he took for a ſign, it was in favour of what he no doubt ſtrongly wiſhed and deſired belore. And yet, prepoſſeſſed as his imagination was, he hear d no voice of words, no articulate langusg ge, henilhing to him the divine will. But St. Paul was the fartheſt in the world from deſiring or expecting a ſign from heaven in favour of the religion of JFeſus. the contrary, his mind was at that very Rinſtant W holly poſſeſſed with the ſtrongeſt Preindies againſt it. He was then going to Damaſcus with a commiſſion from the high- reſ. ſeize the diſciples of Jeſus, and bring them to Tea. A7 to der puniſhed; and he was perſuaded in his own con- ſcience that lhe was right in doim g L0. He breat hed out threat- n, as the ſacred writer expreſſeth it. abe himlſelf te hat 5, verily thought with himſeif, that he oubt to do man] s contrary To the name f Jeſus of eth. In this circumſtance of things, if we fhould ſuppoſe him ſeized with a ſudden pang of ent thaſiaſm, though this is by no means likely to have happened to him, as he was travelling along the road at noon- day wich ſeveral others in his company: but if we ſhould ſuppoſe that lor nething of this kind hap pened „ and that 5 ſaw an ex ordinar y light from heaven, which he took to be a ſign th appro oved the work in which he was then engage d; or if he tho ught he alſo heard a voice from abore ſpeaking to him, and anima ating him to go on and cou geouſly to execute the commiſfio n he had received from the high-prieſt, and pror miing him ſucceſs in it; there might poſfibl ſome pretences aſcribing it to the working of an oOver heated imagination, 6 led with the deſign he was upon, W hich ngaged all his thoughts and reſolutions. But it

is plain, that, in the temper he was then in, he could not

4

77111 5 2a haugpten ag 5 1

to bim

(d

poſſibly have the leaſt exped tarion ob Jeſus of Nazareth's ap-

pearing to him with a celeſtial ſplendor and glory, calling tohim : H

with a majeſtic voice from heaven, and in wor ls which he

roving him for his enmity to him, and per- his diſciples, appointing him his miniſter

diſtinctly heard, r age againft le, and commiſſioning him to preach the Gof ſpel to the aund to invite them to a par tici ipation of the benefits ges of hi bingdom; which were things the molt remote from his appi chenfion t that could pofſibly be conceived. I need

ſec uting