V. His entire devotion to Jesus Christ,
VI. His strength and his arms,
XXXI. His generous fears and succeeding consolations,
XXXII. The grand subject of his glorying, and the evangelical manner in
which he maintained his superiority over false apostles,
XXXIII. His patience and fortitude under the severest trials,
XXXIV. His modest firmness before magistrates,
XXXV. His courage in consoling his persecuted brethren,
XXXVI. His humble confidence in producing the seals of his ministry,
XXXVII. His readiness to seal with his blood, the truths of the Gospel,
XXXVIII. The sweet suspense of his choice between life and death,
XXXIX. The constancy of his zeal and diligence to the end of his course,
XL. His triumph over the evils of life, and the terrors of death, .
How sin and the necessity of repentance entered into the world,
This doctrine is maintained by all the Christian Churches,
Without evangelical repentance, a lively faith in Christ, or regeneration by
the Holy Spirit, will appear not only unnecessary but absurd,
How the faithful pastor leads sinners to repentance,
How the prophets, Jesus Christ, his forerunner, and his apostles prepared
sinners for repentance, .
XII. Other reasons given for the little influence which the foregoing doc.
trines are observed to have on Christians in general,
XIII. The doctrines of Christianity have an obscure side. Reasons of this
obscurity. Errors of some philosophers in this respect,
XIV. The advantages of redemption are extended in different degrees to all
mankind through every period of the world, .
XV. Reflections on the danger to which modern Deists expose themselves, 235
V. APPEAL TO MATTER OF FACT AND COMMON SENSE.
DEDICATION,
INTRODUCTION, Showing the occasion of the work, and addressing the reader, 387
EXPOSTULATORY letter to the Rev. Dr. Priestley, in four parts,
CHAPTER I. A general view of the catholic faith, concerning the Father, Son,
and Holy Ghost, and the subject in debate between Catholics and Deists
of every description,
VII. The inspired writers give Christ the names and titles, and ascribe to
him the perfections of the true God,
VIII. The apostles represent Christ as the immediate author of the Divine
VII. SOCINIANISM UNSCRIPTURAL; OR, THE SECOND PART OF A
VINDICATION OF CHRIST'S DIVINITY.
VIII. SOCINIANISM UNSCRIPTURAL CONTINUED, IN LETTERS TO
THE REV. MR. WESLEY.
LETTER I. The Epistle to the Romans reviewed, and sundry passages of it
shown to be irreconcilable with common sense, on supposition that the
author held the doctrine of Christ's mere humanity,
II. The two Epistles to the Corinthians considered, and many passages of a
similar nature pointed out,
III. The Epistle to the Galatians, and that to the Ephesians, proved to con-
tain a doctrine equally absurd, if Christ be a mere man,
IV. The Epistle to the Philippians, and that to the Colossians, must be viewed
in the same light,
VII. The Epistle to the Hebrews affords abundant proof of the absurdity of
its doctrine, if Christ be a mere man,
VIII. The Epistle of St. James, and those of St. Peter, exhibit a doctrine
equally absurd, on the same supposition,
IX. The Epistles of St. John, and that of St. Jude, were written in the same
strain of absurdity, if the doctrine of Christ's mere humanity be true,
X. The same doctrine of Christ's mere humanity represents the apostle John
as writing without common sense in the Apocalypse, and fathers similar
absurdity on John the Baptist,
XI. It represents Christ himself as uttering declarations absurd, and even
blasphemous, and that, as well after his ascension into heaven, as during
his abode on earth,
THE following work was begun and nearly completed in the course of Mr. Fletcher's last residence at Nyon, where it formed a valuable part of his private labours, during a long and painful confinement from public duty. On his return to England he suffered the manuscript to lie by him in a very loose and disordered state, intending, at his leisure, to translate and prepare it for the press. In the meantime he entered upon the arduous task of revising and enlarging a French poem, which he had lately published at Geneva under the title of "La Louange," and which was reprinted at London in the year 1785, under the title of "La Grace et la Nature." The second appearance of this poem was speedily followed by the dissolution of the author. Soon after this melancholy event had taken place, Mrs. Fletcher, in looking over the papers of the deceased, discovered the first part of the Portrait of St. Paul, with the perusal of which she favoured the translator, who finding it a work of no common importance, was readily induced to render it into English. From time to time different parts of the work were discovered, and though the manuscript was so incorrect and confused, as frequently to stagger the resolution of the translator, yet a strong per, suasion that the work was calculated to produce the most desirable effects, encouraged him to persevere till he had completed his undertaking.
It is scarcely necessary to inform the intelligent reader that the Portrait of St. Paul was originally intended for publication in the author's native country, to which its arguments and quotations apply with peculiar propriety. It may be more necessary to observe, that had the life of Mr. Fletcher been prolonged, the traits of St. Paul's moral character would have been rendered abundantly more copious and complete.
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