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Paley, William, 1743-1805

"Evidence of Christianity"

11.) the cure of the cripple at Lystra, (Acts xiv. 8.)
of the pythoness at Philippi, (Acts xvi. 16.) the miraculous liberation
from prison in the same city, (Acts xvi. 26.) the restoration of
Eutychus, (Acts xx. 10.) the predictions of his shipwreck, (Acts xxvii.
1.) the viper at Melita, the cure of Publius's father; (Acts xxvii. 8.)
at all which miracles, except the first two, the historian himself was
present: notwithstanding, I say, this positive ascription of miracles to
St. Paul, yet in the speeches delivered by him, and given as delivered
by him, in the same book in which the miracles are related, and the
miraculous powers asserted, the appeals to his own miracles, or indeed
to any miracles at all, are rare and incidental. In his speech at
Antioch in Pisidia, (Acts xiii. 16.) there is no allusion but to the
resurrection. In his discourse at Miletus, (Acts xx. 17.) none to any
miracle: none in his speech before Felix; (Acts xxiv. 10.) none in his
speech before Festus; (Acts xxv. 8.) except to Christ's resurrection and
his own conversion.
Agreeably hereunto, in thirteen letters ascribed to Saint Paul, we have
incessant references to Christ's resurrection, frequent references to
his own conversion, three indubitable references to the miracles which
he wrought; (Gal.


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