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impreffion upon his mind, but fome miracle; and fuch he fays, in his repeated account of his converfion, was the true cause of it.

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As he was going to Damafcus, in compawith others, who, no doubt, went in order to affift him, and forward his fcheme of perfecuting the Chriftians whom he should find in that city, he was fuddenly ftruck to the ground, and rendered blind, by a light from heaven, and immediately afterwards addreffed by Jefus himself, who bade him proceed to Damafcus, and faid that he would there be informed what he should do.

This was not a vifion, in the night, or any thing that paffed when he was alone, and therefore fubject to illufion, but in mid-day, and in the company of his friends; and neither himself nor they appear to have had any mistrust or misgiving about the bufmefs they went upon. His companions alfo heard the found of the voice, but did not diftinguish the articulation.

In this state of blindness Paul continued three days, and then a Chriftian, named Ananias, was directed by Jefus to go to him, being affured that he had had a vifion in which he (i. e. Ananias) came, and putting his hands upon him, caufed him to receive his fight. After fome objection on the part of Ananias, on account of the well known principles and conduct of Paul, he went to him; when his fight was reftored, and he was baptized. As foon as he was recovered he began to preach in the name of Chrift, made many converts, and devoted his whole life to it. And in this he was remarkably fuccefsful.

After this great miracle, of the converfion of Paul himself, the miracles performed by him are comparatively of little moment, as the striking of Elymas blind in the prefence of the governor of Cyprus, in confequence of which the governor was converted; his healing a cripple at the gate of Lyftra, which led the people of that place to imagine that he was one of the gods in the form of man; his cafting out

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Philippi; his many miracles, and efpecially cafting out demons, at Ephefus; his raifing Eutychus to life, and his curing the father of Publius the governor of Malta, and others in that ifland; and himself receiving no harm from the bite of a viper in that place.

The credibility of these miracles depends in part upon the teftimony of the relater, who appears in many of them to have been an eye witness, but principally upon the indifputable effects of Paul's preaching, as he founded feveral Chriftian churches in the places in which the miracles are said to have been performed; which could not have been the cafe if the facts had not been true; the account of these transactions being published, and read in all Chriftian churches, while the events were recent; the continuance and flourishing state of these churches, and their conftant use of this book, as well as others of the New Teftament, are fufficient vouchers for their truth.

That there was fomething very extraordinary in the miracles of the apostles, and fuperior

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fuperior to any arts, or tricks, that were known to those who were the most practifed in those things at that time, appears from the converfion, or pretended converfion, of Simon of Samaria, commonly called Simon Magus. This Simon is faid, Acts viii. 9, to have been a perfon who before time used forcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that he himself was fome great one; to whom they all gave heed, from the leaft to the greateft, faying, This man is the great power of God. And to him they had regard, because that of a long time be had bewitched them with his forceries. Yet this Simon wondered, beholding the miracles that were done by Philip, declared himself a Chriftian, and was baptized. And seeing that the Holy Spirit, or the gift of speaking in unknown tongues, was conferred by the Jaying on of the hands of Peter, he offered him money to obtain the fame power; thinking that it was the neceffary confequence of fome particular fecret, with which he was not acquainted, and which he had no means of discovering, But Peter, with just indignation, replied, Thy

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money perifh with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.

The extraordinary nature of the miracles wrought by Paul was equally evident from the conduct of fome Jews, who pretended to exorcifm at Ephefus. Seeing demons caft out by Paul in the name of Jefus, they thought to do the fame by merely ufing the fame words; faying to a demoniac, Acts xix. 13, We adjure thee by Jefus whom Paul preaches. But though they could use the words, they foon found that they were not accompanied with the fame power. For the demoniac answered, Ver. 15, Jefus I know, and Paul I know, but who are ye? And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, fo that they fled out of that houfe, naked and wounded. And this was known to all the Jews, and Greeks alfo, dwelling at Ephesus. And fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jefus was magnified. Could there have been a clearer confeffion, and from enemies, who themfelves pretended to extraordinary

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