Bible. New Testament -- Criticism, interpretation, etc.; Christianity -- Origin; Paul, the Apostle, Saint
All this while, of Paul's conduct on this occasion, to what part was it
that the blame belonged?--Surely, not to the endeavour, to wean men from
their attachment to the Mosaic laws: for thus far he copied Jesus; and
in copying did not go against, but only beyond, the great original. True
it is, that, in so doing, he served his own personal and worldly
purposes: not less so, that, in this subserviency, he found the
inducement by which his conduct was determined: for, by how much
stronger men's attachment would continue to be to the dead lawgiver, by
so much, less strong would it be to the living preacher. But, in so far
as a man's conduct is serviceable to mankind at large, it certainly is
not rendered the less serviceable, or the less laudable, by his being
himself included in the number. The blame lay then--not in teaching men
to forsake Moses: for, thus far, instead of being blame-worthy, there
was nothing in his conduct, that did not merit positive praise. What
there was amiss in his conduct--in what, then, did it consist? Plainly
in this, and this alone: namely, that, on being taxed with having so
done,--instead of avowing and justifying it, he denied it: and, having
denied it, scrupled not to add to the falsehood the aggravation of such
extraordinarily deliberate and solemn perjury, as hath been so plainly
visible. And, to what purpose commit so flagrant a breach of the law of
morality? Plainly, to no other, than the fixing himself in Jerusalem,
and persevering in a project of insane and selfish ambition, which, in
spite of the most urgent remonstrances that could be made by his most
devoted adherents, had brought him thither: for, he had but to depart in
peace, and the Apostles of Jesus would have remained unmolested, and the
peace of Christendom undisturbed.
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