This was the period, during which Paul had Barnabas, or Barnabas Paul, for an associate. In these cases, if fraud in any shape had place,--it is not without reluctance, that any such supposition could be entertained, as that Barnabas--the generous, the conciliating, the beneficent, the persevering Barnabas--was privy to it. But, times and temptation considered, even might this supposition be assented to, on rather more substantial grounds, than that which stands in competition with it: namely, that for the production of two effects,--comparatively so inconsiderable, and not represented as having been followed by any determinate effects of greater moment,--the ordinary course of nature was, by a special interposition of Almighty power, broken through and disturbed. Is it or is it not a matter worth remarking--that, of all these twelve supposed occurrences, such as they are,--in not more than four is the hero represented,--even by his own attendant, historian, and panegyrist,--as decidedly taking any active part in the production of the effect? These are--the blinding of the sorcerer, the cure of the cripple, the silencing of the divineress, the curing of Deputy Publius's father: the three first, at the commencement of this supposed wonder-working part of his career; the last,--with an interval of fifteen years between that and the first,--at the very close of it. In the eight intermediate instances, either the effect itself amounted to nothing, or the hero is scarcely represented as being instrumental in the production of it. These are--the being let out of prison after an earthquake had happened--being comforted, whether by God or man, in a vision or without one--having handkerchiefs, by which, when he had done with them, diseases and devils were expelled--being present when a gang of exorcists were beaten and stripped by a devil, whom they had undertaken to drive out of a man--being in a place, in which some nonsensical books were burned by their owners--being in a house, in which a youth said to be dead, was found not to be so--being comforted by an angel, who had the kindness to come on board ship uninvited--shaking off a reptile, without being hurt by it. Whatever store may be set at this time of day upon all these marvels, less cannot easily be set upon them by anybody than was by Paul himself. For proof, take the whole tenor of his own Epistles, as well as the whole tenor of his visions, as delivered by his attendant. Numberless as were the scrapes he got himself into,--numberless as were the hosts of enemies he everywhere made himself,--open as all ears were to everything that presented itself as marvellous,--unable as men were to distinguish what could be done from what could not be done,--pressing as was at all times the need he had of evidence, that could arrest the hands of enemies,--on no occasion do we find him calling into his aid, so much as a single one of all these supposed irrefragable evidences. FOOTNOTES: