Chapter XVI: and last, winds up the whole, with some general

observations on the self-declared oppositeness of Paul's Gospel, as he calls it, to that of the Apostles: together with an indication of a real Antichrist, in compensation for the fabulous one, created by Paul, and nursed by the episcopal authors and editors of the Church of England, translators of the Bible: and by Chapter 12 of the present work, the imaginary Antichrist is, it is hoped, strangled.

At the time of the publication of the Summary View,--for the more complete and satisfactory demonstration of the relative insufficiency of the narrative in question, a short but critical sketch was, as herein stated, intended to be given, of the parts not before noticed of the _History of the Church_,--from the ascension of Jesus, being the period at which that narrative commences, to that at which it terminates,--to wit, about two years after the arrival of Paul at Rome, Acts 28: the history--to wit, as deducible from the materials which, in that same narrative, are brought to view: the duration of the period being, according to commonly received computations, about 28 or 30 years[A]: the author of "_The Acts_" himself,--if he is to be believed,--an eyewitness, during a considerable portion of the time, to the several occurrences which he relates.

On this occasion, and for this purpose,--the history in question had been sifted, in the same manner and on the same principles, as any profane history, in which, in a series of occurrences mostly natural, a few, wearing a supernatural appearance, are, here and there, interspersed: as, for instance, in Livy's, and even in Tacitus's Roman History: on the one hand, the authority not being regarded as affording a sufficient foundation, for a belief in the supernatural parts of the narrative; nor, on the other hand, the sort of countenance, given to the supernatural parts, as affording a sufficient reason, for the disbelief of those, which have nothing in them that is unconformable to the universally experienced course of nature.

In respect of _doctrine_, the conclusion is--that no point of doctrine, which has no other authority than that of Paul's writings for its support, can justly be regarded as belonging to the religion of Jesus,--any more than if, at this time of day, it were broached by any man now living: that thus, in so far as he is seen to have _added_ anything to the religion of Jesus, he is seen to set himself _above_ it and _against_ it: that, therefore, if this be true, it rests with every professor of the religion of Jesus, to settle with himself, to which of the two religions, that of Jesus and that of Paul, he will adhere: and, accordingly, either to say, _Not Jesus but Paul_,--or, in the words of the title to this work, _Not Paul but Jesus_.[B]

FOOTNOTES:

[A] To prevent, if possible, an embarrassment, which might otherwise be liable to have place on the part of the reader,--and therewith, the idea of inconsistency, as having place here and there in the work,--the following indication may be found to have its use.

A cloud of uncertainty, to the length of one or two years, hangs over the duration of the period embraced by this work: namely, that between the point of time at which the conversion of Paul is stated to have taken place, and the point of time at which the history, intituled The Acts of the Apostles, as therein declared, concludes:--a point of time, posterior by two years to that of his arrival at Rome.

[B] For making the requisite separation, between the two religions of Jesus and the religion of Paul,--an instrument, alike commodious and unexceptionable, has--for these many years, though, assuredly, not with any such view,--been presented to all hands, by Doctor _Gastrell_, an English and Church of England Bishop: namely, in a well-known work, intituled _The Christian Institutes_: date of the 14th Edition, 1808. It is composed of a collection of points of faith and morality, and under each are quoted the several texts, in the New Testament, which are regarded by the author as affording grounds for the positions indicated. If then, anywhere, in his composition of the ground, passages, one or more, from this or that Epistle of Paul, are employed,--unaccompanied with any passage, extracted from any of the four Gospels,--the reader may, without much danger of error, venture to conclude, that it is to the religion of Paul alone, that the point of doctrine thus supported appertains, and not to the religion of Jesus. As to any of the Epistles, which bear the name of any of the real Apostles of Jesus,--a corresponding question may perhaps be here suggesting itself. But, with regard to the design of the present work, scarcely will they be found relevant. For, when compared with the sayings of Jesus as repeated in the four Gospels, scarcely will they be found exhibiting any additional points of doctrine: never, pregnant with any of those dissentions, which, from the writings of Paul, have issued in such disastrous abundance. Only lest they should be thought to have been overlooked, is any mention here made, of those documents, which, how much soever on other accounts entitled to regard, may, with reference to the question between the religion of Jesus and the religion of Paul, be, as above, and without impropriety, stated as irrelevant.

TABLE I.

OUTWARD CONVERSION.

_Showing at one view, under the head of Paul's Conversion, the
different accounts from which the inference is drawn that the
Conversion was outward only, not inward._

VISION I. ACTS ACCOUNT.

Ch. ix. 1-9.

1.--But Saul, yet breathing threatening and slaughter against the
disciples of the Lord, went unto the High Priest, and asked of him
letters to Damascus unto the synagogues, that if he found any that
were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to
Jerusalem. And as he journeyed, it came to pass that he drew nigh
unto Damascus: and suddenly there shone around about him a light out
of heaven: and he fell upon the earth, and heard a voice saying unto
him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou,
Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for
thee to kick against the pricks: (1) but rise, and enter into the
city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. And the men that
journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing the voice,--but
beholding no man. And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes
were opened, he saw nothing; (old version "no man") and they led him
by the hand, and brought him into Damascus. And he was three days
without sight, and did neither eat nor drink.

II. PAUL'S FIRST PERSONAL ACCOUNT.

As per Acts xxii. 3-11.

I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city,
at the feet of Gamaliel, instructed according to the strict manner
of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God, even as ye all are
this day: and I persecuted this Way unto the death, binding and
delivering into prisons both men and women. As also the High Priest
doth bear me witness, and all the estate of the elders: from whom
also I received letters unto the brethren; and journeyed to
Damascus, to bring them also which were there unto Jerusalem in
bonds, for to be punished. And it came to pass, that, as I made my
journey, and drew nigh unto Damascus, about noon, suddenly there
shown from heaven a great light round about me. And I fell unto the
ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why
persecutest thou me? And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said
unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest. And they
that were with me beheld in deed the light, but they heard not the
voice of him that spake to me. And I said, What shall I do, Lord?
And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it
shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do.
And when I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by
the hand of them that were with me, I came into Damascus.

III. PAUL'S SECOND PERSONAL ACCOUNT.

As per Acts xxvi. 9-20.

I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things
contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. And this I also did in
Jerusalem: and I both shut up many of the saints in prison, having
received authority from the Chief Priests, and when they were put to
death, I gave my vote against them. And punishing them oftentimes in
all the synagogues, I strove to make them blaspheme; and being
exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto foreign
cities. Whereupon as I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and
commission of the Chief Priests, at midday, O, king, I saw on the
way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining
round about me and them that journeyed with me. And when we were all
fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying unto me in the Hebrew
language, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee
to kick against the goad. And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And the
Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. But arise, and stand
upon thy feet: for to this end have I appeared unto thee, to appoint
thee a minister and a witness both of thee, to appoint thee a
minister and a witness both of the things wherein thou hast seen me,
and of the things wherein I will appear unto thee; delivering thee
from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom I send thee, to
open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light, and from
the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive remission of sins
and an inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith in me.
Wherefore, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly
vision: but declared both to them of Damascus first, and at
Jerusalem, and throughout all the country of Judea, and also to the
Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, doing works
worthy of repentance.

IV. PAUL'S ALLUSIONS.

I. As per Paul to Corinth. i. xv. 8.

And last of all, as unto one born out of due time, he appeared to
me, also.

II. As per Paul to Gal. i. 12, 15, 16, 17.

12. For neither did I receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but
it came to me through revelation of Jesus Christ.

15. But when it was the good pleasure of God, who separated me, even
from my mother's womb,

16. And called me through his grace, to reveal his Son in me, that I
might preach him among the Gentiles; immediately I conferred not
with flesh and blood:

17. Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles
before me: but I went away into Arabia; and again I returned unto
Damascus.

II. VISION 2.--ANANIAS'S.

_I. Acts Account._

ix. 10-16.

10. Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and
the Lord said unto him in a vision, Ananias! And he said, Behold, I
am here, Lord. And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go to the
street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas
for one named Saul, a man of Tarsus: for behold, he prayeth: and he
hath seen a man named Ananias coming in, and laying his hands on
him, that he might receive his sight. But Ananias answered, Lord, I
have heard from many of this man, how much evil he did to thy saints
at Jerusalem: and here he hath authority from the chief priests to
bind all that call upon thy name. But the Lord said unto him, Go thy
way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the
Gentiles and kings, and the children of Israel: for I will shew him
how many things he must suffer for my name's sake.

III. ANANIAS'S VISIT TO PAUL.

_I. Acts Account._

ix. 17-22.

And Ananias departed, and entered into the house; and laying his
hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord even Jesus, who appeared
unto thee in the way which thou camest, hath sent me, that thou
mayest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. And
straightway there fell from his eyes as it were scales, and he
received his sight; and he arose and was baptized; and he took food
and was strengthened.

And he was certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus.
And straightway in the synagogues he proclaimed Jesus, that he is
the Son of God. And all that heard him were amazed, and said, Is not
this he that in Jerusalem made havock of them which called on his
name? and he had come hither for this intent, that he might bring
them bound before the chief priests. But Saul increased the more in
strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving
that this is the Christ.

_II. Paul's Account._

As per Acts xxii. 12-16.

xxii. 12. And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well
reported of by all the Jews that dwelt there, came unto me, and
standing by me said unto me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And
in that very hour I looked up on him. And he said, The God of our
fathers hath appointed thee to know his will, and to see the
Righteous One, and to hear a voice from his mouth. For thou shalt be
a witness for him unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard. And
now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy
sins, calling on his name.

NOT PAUL, BUT JESUS

CHAPTER I.

_Paul's Conversion._[1]--_Improbability and Discordancy of the
Accounts of it._