On neither side were motives of the ordinary human complexion--motives by which man's nature was made to be governed--wanting, to the contracting parties. By Peter and the rest of the Apostles, much experience had been acquired, of the activity and energy of this their self-constituted colleague: within that field of action, which alone was suited to their powers, and within which they had stood exposed to be disturbed by his interference, within that field to be secured against such interference,--was, to them and their interests, an object of no small moment. Such seems to have been the consideration, on the part of the acknowledged and indisputable Apostles. Not less obvious was the advantage, which, by the stipulation of this same treaty in his favour, was in a still more effectual manner, secured to Paul. That, when the whole transaction was so fresh,--all that Paul was able to say for himself, with all that Barnabas was able to say for him, had not been sufficient, to induce the Apostles to give credence to his story about the manner of his conversion,--in a word, to regard him in any other light than that of an impostor,--is directly asserted by the author of the Acts. So again, in his unpremeditated speech to the enraged multitude, Acts 22:18, "They will not receive thy testimony concerning me," is the information which the Acts make him report as having been communicated to him by the Lord, when "while I prayed in the Temple," says he, ver. 17, "I was in a trance." Should a charge to any such effect happen to encounter him in the course of his labours;--should he, in a word, find himself stigmatized as an impostor;--find himself encountered by a certificate of impostorship;--a certificate, signed by the known and sole confidential servants, as well as constant companions, of that Jesus, whom--without so much as pretending any knowledge of his person, he had thus pretended to have heard without seeing him,--and at a time and place, in which he was neither heard nor seen by anybody else;--it is obvious enough, in any such case, how formidable an obstruction of this sort was liable to prove. On the other hand, so he were but once seen to be publicly recognized, in the character of an associate and acknowledged labourer in the same field,--a recognition of him in that character--a virtual recognition at least, if not an express one--would be seen to have taken place:--a recognition, such as it would scarcely, at any time after, be in their power to revoke: since it would scarcely be possible for them, ever to accuse him of the principal offence, without accusing themselves of the correspondent connivance. Note, that, of this treaty, important as it was--this partition-treaty--by which a division was made of the whole Christian world--no mention, not any the least hint, is to be found in the Acts.