Let. 2. Lord HERBERT of Cherbury. 29

I need not here particularly repeat all 8 circumſtances of a ſtory ſo well known, as that of the divine appearance eiwhi ich occaſioned St. Paul's converſion. But taking in the whole, as he himſelf relateth it, it is abſolutely impoflſible that it ſhould have been the effects of his own enthufiaſtic c imagination, con- ſidering how his mind was at that time diſpoſed. To which may be added the conſequent effects which ſhewed the reality of it. Struck blindh with the glory of the app obliged to be led to Da amaſcug. And it on of Ananias's hands, in the name of Joſus, ſight reſtored. There was immediately a w onde rfu 1 change in his diſpoſitions, notions, and incli

natic lightened at once, without human inſtru lon, in a knowlege of tlie religion of Jeſus, than which nothin be more contrary in many points to the phariſaical principles and prejudices he had ſo decply imbibed.. He was endued with the moſt extraordinar) y gifts the Holy Ghoſt, and had 4 power of communicating thoſe hiftan toc thers ue the layi

his hands in the name of a crucif riſen Jefus;⸗ in the ſame ſacred name was enabled to perform the moſt il- luſtrious miracles Theſe were matters of fact in which could not be deceived himfelf, and of which there were num- bers of witneſſes. And accordingly he went through the m ions preaching Jeſfur Chriſt, and him cr ueified,: as the Latſour and Lord; which he did with ſuch evidence, and had ſuch extraordinary atteſtations from heaven accompanying him, that vaſt numbers were brought over by his miniſtry to embrace a ion which was abſolutely contrary to their moſt rooted prejudices, inclinations, and intereſts.

There might poſſibly be ſome ſuſpicions with regard to the relation of a fact ſo circumſtanced as was that of Lord Herbert. It might be thought poſſible, that an author might feign an approbation from heaven in favour of ſome peculiar notions he had entertained, and of a book of which he was very fond zud upon which he ſeems to have valued himſelf. Not that there is any reaſonable ground of ſuſpicion, that this nobie writer feigned what he relates concerning this incident. But yet ſome may ſuppoſe, that an author might p ſſibly b be under ſome temptation to deviate from the rules of truth in ſuch a caſe. But no ſuch ſuſpicion can be entertained in St. Paul's caſe, that he ſhould have feigned a heavenly appearance in favour of a religion, which he was well known to have hated, perſecuted. and deſpiſed, and which was abſolutely contrary

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. 1-. 1 1 A 1.— to the prejudices to which he had been ſo obſtinately addiéted,

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