and SAVIOUR, JESUS CHRIST, and his APOSTLES, &c. 349 Mofaic difpenfation, and to perfecute all who were of a contrary faith, even to rage and madnefs! And when his zeal was af- terwards turned into a right channel, it ran with a fwift current, carrying him out againff all oppofition, to vanqui{h the king- domand the powers of darknefs, to beat downidolatry, and plant the world with the right apprehenfions of God, and the true knowledgeof religion. When at Athens he faw them involved in the groffeft fuperfli-' tion and idolatry, and giving the honour that was due to God alone to flatues and images, this fired his zeal, and he could not but let them know the refentment of his mind, and how greatly they difhonour- ed God, the great maker and preferver of the world. This zeal muff have rendered him remarkably diligent and induffrious in the execution of his office, warning, re- proving, entreating, perfuading, preaching in feafon and out of feafon, by night and by day, by fea and by land ; he thought no pains too much to be taken, no dangers too great to be overcome.- For thirty-five years after hisconverfion, he feldom ftáid long in one place, travel- ling from Jerufalem through Arabia, Afia, and Greece, to Illyricum, to Rome, and to the utmofl bounds óf the weftern world, preaching the Gofpel of Chrift. Running, fays St. Jerom, from ocean to ocean, like the fun in the heavens, of which it is Paid, his circuit is from the one end of the hea- ven to the other, boner wanting ground to tread on than a defire to propagate the faith of Cif tstsr. Nicephorus compares him to a bird in the air, which, in a few years, flew round the world : Ifrdore, to a winged hufbandman, who flew from place to place, to cultivate the world with the toff exá& rules and inflitutions of life, And while the other apoffles confined themfelves, as it were, to one fpot, cha- fing this or that particular province and place for their miniftry, St. Paul over- ran the whole world to it's utmoff bounds and cornets, planting all places where he came with the divine doêtrines of the gof- No. 30. pet. Nor in this courfe was he tired with the dangers and difficulties he met with, the troubles and oppofitions that were railed again{( him : but all theme fervedonly. to refletd agreater luflre on his patience; of which he was a moll eminent pattern, enduring the greatefl troubles and perfecutions, with a patience triumphant and unconquerable.. This will eafily appear if we take a furvey of what trials and fufferings he underwent ; Lome part whereof are thus briefly bummed up by himfelf: In labours abundant, infripes above meafure, in pri- fons frequent, in deaths oft; thrice beaten with rods, once /,loved, thrice fü,lfered flü1i- wreck, a night and d day in the deep.- in journeyings often, in perils ofwater, in perils by his countrymen, inperils by the Heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the zailder- nefs, in perils in thefea, in perils annongJl fait brethren; in wearinefs, in painfulnefs, in watchings often, in hunger and thirty; in fgjlings often,- in cold and naleednefs; and betides thefe things that z"uere without, which daily came upon him, the care of all the churches. An account, though very great, yet far Mort of what he endured. All which he cheerfully underwent with a foul as calm and ferule as the morning fun; no malice or rage, nor fury or forms; could ruffle or dffcompofe his fpirit: nay; they animated him to rife up with the greater eagernefs and refolution to perform his duty. Could all the powers ofmen and devils, fpite and oppofition, torments and threatenings, havebeen able tobaffle him out of that religion he had embraced, he muff have deferted his flation: but his foul was Reeled with a courage and refolution that was impenetrable ; and on which no temp- tation, either from hopes or fears, could make any more impreífion, than an arrow (hot againfl a wall of adamant. He''did not want folicitations both from Jews and Gentiles ; and might, doubtlefs; in forne meafure, have madehis own tern's, would he have been falfe to his truft, ánd quitted that way which was then every 4 Q where
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