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<p><a href="/Audio/music-store-manager.html">Only Jesus</a> (great song by Big Daddy)</p>
<p><a href="http://astore.amazon.com/justjesus0ece-20">Just Jesus: His Living Words (2011)</a></p>
<p><a href="http://astore.amazon.com/jesusonchurchstructure-20">Jesus' Words on Church Structure</a> by S. Rives</p>
<p><a href="http://www.jesusfocusedpublishers.com/"></a></p>
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<h2>Boulanger, Critical Examination of Paul (1823)</h2>
<p>In 1746, Boulanger of France wrote an able criticism of Paul. It was republished in 1823 in English. Boulanger focused entirely upon Paul's validity, and found him wanting:</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">"We should never finish, were we to relate all the <strong><em>contradictions</em></strong> which are to be <strong><em>found in the writings attributed to St. Paul</em></strong>.... Generally speaking it is St. Paul ... that ought to be regarded as the true founder of Christian theology,... which from its foundation has been incessantly agitated by quarrels [and] divisions." (Boulanger and Peter Annet, <em><a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=4BA_AAAAYAAJ&amp;dq=critical%20examination%20of%20st.%20paul&amp;pg=PP5#v=onepage&amp;q&amp;f=false">Critical Examination of the Life of St. Paul</a></em><a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=4BA_AAAAYAAJ&amp;dq=critical%20examination%20of%20st.%20paul&amp;pg=PP5#v=onepage&amp;q&amp;f=false"> </a>(letter to <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=atUMAAAAIAAJ&amp;ots=uH1gOO7wfQ&amp;dq=%22Peter%20Annet%22&amp;pg=PR3#v=onepage&amp;q&amp;f=false">Gilbert West</a>, 1746).) For Hutchin's discussion of this book, see this<a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=AmAhfE57vBkC&amp;lpg=PA63&amp;ots=ivtu0I1LZj&amp;dq=%22Peter%20Annet%22%20%22Critical%20Examination%20of%20the%20Life%20of%20St.%20Paul%22&amp;pg=PA63#v=onepage&amp;q=%22Peter%20Annet%22%20%22Critical%20Examination%20of%20the%20Life%20of%20St.%20Paul%22&amp;f=false"> link</a></p>
<h2>Tenor of the Book</h2>
<p>The opening letter to a defender of Paul gives us some tenor of the book - that the truth about Paul has been veiled from our eyes by long conditioning:</p>
<p class="gtxt_body" style="padding-left: 30px;"><span>"Sir,</span></p>
<p class="gtxt_body" style="padding-left: 30px;"><span>In </span>our last conversation you appeared to me, very much smitten with <span class="gstxt_hlt">St. Paul </span>and his works; you recommended me to reperuse his writings; assuring me that I should there find arguments well calculated to shake incredulity and confirm a Christian in his faith.</p>
<p class="gtxt_body" style="padding-left: 30px;">Although the actions of this celebrated Apostle, related in the Acts, and his doctrine contained in his Epistles, were already perfectly known to me, yet to conform myself to your desires, and give you proofs of my docility, <strong><em>I have again read those works</em></strong>, and I can assure you that I have done it with the greatest attention. You will judge of that yourself, by the reflections I send you; they will at least prove to you that I have read with attention. A superficial glance is only likely to deceive us or leave us in error. The passions and the prejudices of men prevent them from examining with candour, and from their indolence they are often disgusted with the researches necessary for discovering truth ; that has also been with <strong><em>so much care veiled from their eyes</em></strong>: but it is in vain to cover it, its splendour will sooner or later shine forth; the <strong><em>works of enthusiasm or imposture, will always end by betraying themselves</em></strong>. As for the rest, read and judge. You will find, I think, at least, some reasons for abating a little from that high opinion, that prejudice gives us of the Apostle of the Gentiles....I am not ignorant that it is<strong><em> very difficult to undo at one blow the ideas to which the mind has been so long accustomed</em></strong>; but whatever may be your judgment it will not alter the sentiments of friendship and attachment which are due to the goodness of your heart." (<a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=4BA_AAAAYAAJ&amp;dq=critical%20examination%20of%20st.%20paul&amp;pg=PP7#v=onepage&amp;q&amp;f=false">Preface</a>)</p>
<p class="gtxt_body">However, mixed in with valid criticism are snipes at Christian doctrine when it appears Jesus is the one who is the source of such doctrine. For example, at one point Boulanger implies the Law does not permit one to think God had a son. This may be true of the Law but Psalm 2 does mention God having a son. Such irrelevant snipes are removed as I summarize to preserve the valid criticisms below.</p>
<h2>Paul's View Alters/Destroys Judaism And Not Merely Proclaims Fulfillment of Promises</h2>
<p class="gtxt_body">Boulanger's text begins.</p>
<p class="gtxt_body" style="padding-left: 30px;"><span>"Many </span>theologians would make us regard the miraculous conversion and apostleship of <span class="gstxt_hlt">St. Paul </span>as one of the strongest proofs of the truth of Christianity. But in viewing the thing closely it appears that this conversion, far from proving any thing in favour of this religion, invalidates the other proofs of it....<span class="gstxt_hlt">St. Paul </span>himself willing to make use of these oracles of the Jewish nation to prove the mission of Christ, is <strong><em>obliged to distort them</em></strong>, and to seek in them <strong><em>a mystical, allegorical, and figurative sense</em></strong>. On the other side, how can these prophecies made by Jews and addressed to Jews, serve as proofs of the doctrine of <span class="gstxt_hlt">St. Paul, </span>who had evidently <strong><em>formed the design of altering, or even of destroying, the Jewish religion, in order to raise a new system on its ruins</em></strong>? Such being the state of things, <strong><em>what real connection</em></strong>, or what relation, can there be between <strong><em>the religious system of the Jews, and that of </em></strong><span class="gstxt_hlt"><strong><em>St Paul</em></strong></span><span class="gstxt_hlt">? </span>For this Apostle to have had the right of making use of the Jewish prophecies, it would have been necessary that he should have remained a Jew; his conversion to Christianity evidently deprived him of the privilege of serving himself, by having recourse to the prophecies belonging to a religion that he had just abandoned, and the ruin of which he meditated. True prophecies can only be found in a divine religion, and a religion truly divine, can neither be altered, reformed, nor destroyed: God himself, if he is immutable, could not change it." (<em>Id.</em>, at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=4BA_AAAAYAAJ&amp;dq=critical%20examination%20of%20st.%20paul&amp;pg=PA1#v=onepage&amp;q&amp;f=false">1</a>-2.)</p>
<h2>Paul's Incongruous Position on the Law</h2>
<p class="gtxt_body">Boulanger continues and shows the incongruity of Paul's attacks on the Law and his validity:</p>
<p class="gtxt_body" style="padding-left: 30px;">"In fact, might not the Jews have said to <span class="gstxt_hlt">St. Paul, </span>"Apostate that you are! you believe in Our prophecies, and you <strong><em>come to destroy the religion founded upon the same prophecies</em></strong>. If you believe in our oracles, you are forced to believe that the religion which you have quitted is a true religion and divinely inspired. If you say, that <em><strong>God has changed his mind</strong></em>, you are impious in pretending that God could change, and was not sufficiently wise, to give at once to his people a perfect worship, and one which had no need of being reformed. On the other side, do not the reiterated promises of the Most High, confirmed by paths to our fathers, assure us, that his alliance with us <strong><em>should endure eternally</em></strong>? You are then <em><strong>an impostor</strong></em>, and, according to our law, we ought to exterminate you; seeing that Moses, our divine legislator, orders us to put to death, whoever shall have <strong><em>the temerity to preach to us a new worship, even though he should confirm his mission by prodigies</em></strong>. The God that you preach is <em><strong>not the God of our fathers</strong></em>: ....; thus your new God and your dogmas are contrary to our law, and consequently we ought to hold them in abhorrence." In short these same Jews might have said to <span class="gstxt_hlt">St. Paul: </span>" You deceive yourself in saying, that you are the disciple of Jesus, your Jesus was a Jew, during the whole of his life he was circumcised, he conformed himself to all the legal ordinances; he often protested that <strong><em>he came to accomplish, and not to abolish the law</em></strong>; whilst you<em><strong> in contempt of the protestations of the Master</strong></em>, whose Apostle you say you are, <strong><em>take the liberty of changing this holy law, of decrying it, of dispensing with its most essential ordinances</em></strong>." <em>Id.</em>, at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=4BA_AAAAYAAJ&amp;dq=critical%20examination%20of%20st.%20paul&amp;pg=PA2#v=onepage&amp;q&amp;f=false">2</a>.</p>
<div></div>
<h2>Paul's Imbalances, Inconsistencies and False Reasonings</h2>
<p>Boulanger makes another introductory criticism at page 5:</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">By what right can we then affirm to-day that the works of <span class="gstxt_hlt">St. Paul, </span>formerly rejected by so many Christian sects, are authentic, that is to say, truly belong to this Apostle? On the other hand, how can we attribute to divine inspiration writings <strong><em>filled with inconsistencies, contradictions, mistakes, and false reasonings</em></strong>, in a word, which bear <strong><em>every character of delirium, of ignorance, and of fraud</em></strong>?</p>
<h2>Most Of The Original Church Rejected Paul</h2>
<p>Boulanger points out that the first disciples were known as Nazarenes, and continued to keep the Law after Jesus ascended:</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">We know that the name of <strong><em>Nazarenes</em></strong> was the first which was given to the Christians. <span class="gstxt_hlt">St. </span>Epiphanius, from whom the preceding passage is taken, says, " that they were thus named because of Jesus of Nazareth," of whom they were the first disciples. The Jews called them Nazarenes from the Hebrew word Nozerim, which signifies one separated or excommunicated; again they designated them under the name of Mineans, that is to say, heretics. They were <strong><em>also by contempt called Ebionites</em></strong>, which signifies poor, mendicant, weak-minded. In fact, the Hebrew Ebion means poor, miserable, and we know, that the first followers of Christ, were every thing but opulent or intelligent men.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">The first faithful, were Jews converted by Jesus himself,<span class="gtxt_body"> or by the most ancient Apostles, such as Peter, James, and John, who as well as their master, lived in Judaism. These Apostles, disciples, and new converts, differed from the Jews in nothing but the belief in Jesus Christ, whom they regarded as the Messiah predicted by the prophets; otherwise they believed themselves <strong><em>bound constantly to observe the Mosaic law</em></strong>, persuaded that their Messiah was come to<strong><em> accomplish and not to destroy this law</em></strong>. In consequence of this, they observed circumcision, the abstinence from certain meats, separation from the Gentiles, in a word, the Jewish rites and ordinances.</span></p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">Thus the first Apostles, and their adherents, were only Jews, persuaded that the Messiah was already come, and was going soon to commence his reign, which made them hated and persecuted as schismatics or heretics by their fellow-citizens. <span class="gstxt_hlt">St. </span>Jerome informs us, "that even down to his time, the <strong><em>Jews used to anathematize the Christians, under the name of Nazarenes</em></strong>, three times a day in their synagogues." <em>Id.</em> at<a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=4BA_AAAAYAAJ&amp;dq=critical%20examination%20of%20st.%20paul&amp;pg=PA5#v=onepage&amp;q&amp;f=false"> 5-6</a>.</p>
<p>Yet, Boulanger points out that the Nazarenes had a highly negative view of Paul:</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">The Acts of the Apostles, adopted by the Ebionites or Nazarenes, relate amongst other things, that, <span class="gstxt_hlt">"Paul </span>was originally a Pagan; that he came to Jerusalem where he dwelt for some time; that being desirous of marrying the daughter of the High Priest he became a proselyte, and was circumcised; but not being able to obtain the woman he desired, he quarrelled with the Jews, began to write against the circumcision, against the observation of the Sabbath, and against legal ordinances." <em>Id.</em>, at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=4BA_AAAAYAAJ&amp;dq=critical%20examination%20of%20st.%20paul&amp;pg=PA5#v=onepage&amp;q&amp;f=false">5</a>.</p>
<p>Boulanger points out the presumed validity of the Ebionites' opinions about Paul:</p>
<p class="gtxt_body" style="padding-left: 30px;">All this evidently proves, that the Nazarenes, or Ebionites, <strong><em>were the first Christians</em></strong>, taught by the most considerable of the Apostles, and that the first Christians were only reformed Jews; this is clearly the only idea we can form of Christianity, such as it was taught by Jesus Christ himself.</p>
<p class="gtxt_body" style="padding-left: 30px;">How then comes it that since Jesus, Christianity has been so separated from Judaism? a slight attention will prove to us that this is <em><strong>owing to </strong></em><span class="gstxt_hlt"><em><strong>St. Paul</strong></em>. </span>Repulsed by the Jews, or perhaps desirous of playing a more important part, we see him separate himself from his brethren of Jerusalem, and undertake the conversion of the Gentiles, for whom the Jews entertained no sentiment but horror. Encouraged by his first successes and wishing to extend them, he dispensed the Pagans from the painful ceremony of circumcision ; he <strong><em>declared that the law of Moses, was only a law of servitude</em></strong>, from which <em><strong>Jesus was come to free mankind</strong></em>; he pretended that all the old law was merely the emblem and figure of the new; he announced himself as the Apostle of the Gentiles, and leaving Peter and the other Nazarenes to preach the gospel of circumcision, <strong><em>he preached his own gospel</em></strong>, which he himself called the gospel of uncircumcision: in a word, he made <strong><em>a divorce with the Jewish laws</em></strong>, to which his apostolic brethren believed they ought to hold themselves attached, at least, in most respects.</p>
<p class="gtxt_body" style="padding-left: 30px;">The conduct of <span class="gstxt_hlt">Paul, </span>must naturally have displeased his seniors in the Apostleship, but fear appears to have determined them to cede, at least for a time, to our missionary who had already made a considerable" party. Nevertheless the Acts of the Apostles and the writings of <span class="gstxt_hlt">Paul, </span>prove to us his quarrels with his brethren, who, according to appearances, never viewed with a friendly eye, his enterprizes and innovations. Moreover, Eusebius and <span class="gstxt_hlt">St. </span>Epiphanius inform us, that <strong><em>our Apostle was regarded as an apostate, an impostor, and an enemy by the Ebionites</em></strong>, that is to say, by <strong><em>the first faithful.</em></strong> But <span class="gstxt_hlt">St. </span>Paul's party having in the end prevailed, the Jewish law was entirely banished from Christianity, and the <strong><em>Ebionites, or Nazarenes</em></strong>, though of more ancient date and though formed by Christ and his first apostles <em><strong>were declared heretics</strong></em>." <em>Id.</em>, at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=4BA_AAAAYAAJ&amp;dq=critical%20examination%20of%20st.%20paul&amp;pg=PA6#v=onepage&amp;q&amp;f=false">6</a>-7.</p>
<h2>Paul's Doctrines Just Coincidentally Give Him More Power To Grow</h2>
<p class="gtxt_body">Boulanger then makes a point that obviously impressed Kierkegaard -- that Paul's motivation for getting rid of the Law was to increase prosylites, and nothing more:</p>
<div class="flow">
<div class="gtxt_body">
<p class="gtxt_body" style="padding-left: 30px;"><span>lt </span>proves to us that <span class="gstxt_hlt">Paul </span>and his associate Barnabas found it much <strong><em>easier to convert the Gentiles</em></strong> than the Jews, who showed themselves almost always rebels to their lessons. The docility of the first, and indocility of the latter may be traced to very natural causes; the idolators were destitute of instruction, their priests, content with exacting from them their offerings and sacrifices, never thought of instructing (Acts of Apostles, chap. 12)  them in their religion; thus our missionaries encountered few obstacles in persuading them of the truth of the novelties which they came to announce to them. <strong><em>It was not thus with the Jews, who had a law, to which they were very strongly attached</em></strong>, since they were convinced that it had been <strong><em>dictated by God himself</em></strong>. In consequence our preachers could not make themselves listened to, but, in proportion, as the doctrine they preached agreed with the notions with which the Jews were previously imbued. The Apostles were therefore compelled to reason with the Jews, acccording to their own system, to shew them that the Christ whom they announced was the Messiah which they expected from their own prophets; in a word, in preaching the Gospel to the Jews, the preachers were driven into embarrassing discussions, and perpetually exposed to cavils and contradictions which they had <strong><em>no fear of on the part of the Gentiles,</em></strong> who received without disputing the novelties which they broached to them, and which besides agreed well enough with the notions of the pagan mythology, as we have shewn in another work.</p>
<p class="gtxt_body" style="padding-left: 30px;">These reflections are sufficient to explain to us <strong><em>the reason of the great success that the Apostles had in preaching to the Gentiles,</em></strong> compared with their endeavours amongst the Jews; they likewise show us especially the true motives of Paul's conduct. In fact, <span class="gstxt_hlt">repulsed </span>by the cavils and opposition of the Jews, we see t;span class="gstxt_hlt"&gt;<strong><em>Paul </em></strong><strong><em>and Barnabas turn themselves to the side of the Pagans</em></strong>, who listened to them with more attention and declared to the Jews, that God had forsaken them.</p>
<p class="gtxt_body" style="padding-left: 30px;">The Gentiles were apparently flattered by the preference; numbers of them adopted the religion announced to them, which did not hinder the Jews from exciting, against our missionaries, the zeal of the female devotees whose clamour obliged them to quit Antioch. <em>Id. </em>at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=4BA_AAAAYAAJ&amp;dq=critical%20examination%20of%20st.%20paul&amp;pg=PA13#v=onepage&amp;q&amp;f=false">13-</a>14.</p>
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<h2>Paul's Improper &amp; Deceitful Behavior With the High Priest</h2>
<p>Boulanger points out that the account in Acts of Paul's claim to not know he disrespected the High Priest evinces much disingenuousness. Also, Paul's retort was not in keeping with Jesus's command to turn the other cheek. Boulanger writes:</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">He first declared that in all he had done, he had followed strictly the dictates of his conscience. At these words the <strong><em>High Priest gave him a box on the ear</em></strong>, at which <span class="gstxt_hlt">Paul </span>being irritated, <strong><em>instead of turning the other cheek</em></strong>, according to the precept of Jesus, abused the High Priest, treated" him as a hypocrite, or whitened wall. But as he perceived that he had given offence by his insolence to a man respected by the Jews, he moderated himself, and <strong><em>alleged that he was ignorant that it was the High Priest whom he had thus addressed</em></strong> in such terms; an ignorance, however, which cannot fail to excite surprise, considering that he was a man, who must have been informed respecting the place where he was, and the quality of those before whom he was speaking. <em>Id. </em>at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=4BA_AAAAYAAJ&amp;dq=critical%20examination%20of%20st.%20paul&amp;pg=PA23#v=onepage&amp;q&amp;f=false">23</a>.</p>
<h2>Boulanger Sees Preposterousness In Paul's Claim To Having Been Taken Up Into the Third Heaven</h2>
<p>Boulanger finds ill motives in Paul's assertion that he was taken into the third heaven to hear things which Paul was then not permitted to speak:</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span><span class="gstxt_hlt"><span style="font-size: small;">St. Paul </span></span><span style="font-size: small;">in speaking of himself says: "That he knew a mau who was caught up into the third heaven, and that th'ere he heard unspeakable words, which it was not lawful for man to utter." [2 Cor. 12:2-4.] It appears in the first place that no one but a man of a very heated imagination could with sincerity pretend to have been caught up into the third Heaven; and no one but an </span><strong><em><span style="font-size: small;">impostor</span></em></strong><span style="font-size: small;">, could assert such a fact without being persuaded of it. In the second place we may ask of</span><strong><em><span style="font-size: small;"> what use could it be to mankind that </span></em></strong><span class="gstxt_hlt"><strong><em><span style="font-size: small;">St. Paul </span></em></strong></span><strong><em><span style="font-size: small;">should hear in the third heaven, unspeakable words</span></em></strong><span style="font-size: small;">, that is to say, such as it was unlawful for man to utter? What should we think of a man who should come and assure us, that he </span><strong><em><span style="font-size: small;">possessed a secret </span></em></strong><span style="font-size: small;">most important to our happiness, but yet one which he was </span><strong><em><span style="font-size: small;">not permitted to divulge</span></em></strong><span style="font-size: small;">? Thus the voyage of </span><span class="gstxt_hlt"><span style="font-size: small;">St. Paul </span></span><span style="font-size: small;">is either a chimera engendered by a </span><strong><em><span style="font-size: small;">sickly brain, or a fable, contrived by a cheat</span></em></strong><span style="font-size: small;">, who sought to make himself respected by </span><strong><em><span style="font-size: small;">boasting of the peculiar favours of the almighty</span></em></strong><span style="font-size: small;">. This voyage then was perfectly useless, since it was not permitted him who made it to relate that which he learnt from it. In short there is malice in </span><span class="gstxt_hlt"><span style="font-size: small;">St. Paul </span></span><span style="font-size: small;">thus irritating the curiosity of his hearers and refusing to satisfy it. Under whatever point of view then we behold this history or tale of Paul's ravishment into the third heaven, it can be of no utility to us, and reflects but little honour upon himself. </span><em><span style="font-size: small;">Id.</span></em><span style="font-size: small;">, at </span><a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=4BA_AAAAYAAJ&amp;dq=critical%20examination%20of%20st.%20paul&amp;pg=PA31#v=onepage&amp;q&amp;f=false"><span style="font-size: small;">31</span></a><span style="font-size: small;">.</span></span></p>
<h2>Boulanger Suggests Paul Had Economic Motive</h2>
<p>Boulanger believes Paul's conversion most likely was due to a desire to have income without hard labor.</p>
<div class="flow">
<div class="gtxt_body">
<p class="gtxt_body" style="padding-left: 30px;">There is reason to believe that <span class="gstxt_hlt">Paul </span>being <span class="gstxt_hlt">of </span>a very<span class="gtxt_body"> unquiet genius, was tired <span class="gstxt_hlt">of </span>his trade: desirous <span class="gstxt_hlt">of </span>trying his fortune, and <strong><em>living without work</em></strong>, he became the spy <span class="gstxt_hlt">of </span>the priests and the informer against the Christians. Dissatisfied with the priests, who perhaps had not rewarded him to the extent <span class="gstxt_hlt">of </span>his expectations, he joined the new sect; which assisted by his talents promised good success, or even a probability that he might become the head; at least he might fairly calculate on an easy and honourable subsistence without being obliged to make tents. In fact he saw, that the<strong><em> apostles, who were vulgar men much inferior to himself, lived very well at the expence <span class="gstxt_hlt">of </span>the new converts</em></strong>, who eagerly brought their wealth and laid it at the apostles' feet, consequently <strong><em><span class="gstxt_hlt">Paul </span>was sensible, how easy it was for him to live in the same way</em></strong>, and provide himself a very comfortable birth, in a sect, in which he felt himself capable <span class="gstxt_hlt">of </span>playing a very important part. His ambition must have been more gratified with occupying one <span class="gstxt_hlt">of </span>the first posts, even amongst beggars, than <span class="gstxt_hlt">of </span>cringing in an infamous and dishonourable capacity, under avaricious, haughty and disdainful priesls. Indeed <span class="gstxt_hlt">Paul </span>himself tells as that he had relations <span class="gstxt_hlt">of </span>considerable note among the apostles, who having embraced the </span>'faith before him, might have laboured with success for the conversion <span class="gstxt_hlt">of </span>a man so disposed. <em>Id.</em>, at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=4BA_AAAAYAAJ&amp;dq=critical%20examination%20of%20st.%20paul&amp;pg=PA33#v=onepage&amp;q&amp;f=false">33</a>.</p>
<h2>Boulanger Implies Paul Had Motive To Claim Miraculous Conversion</h2>
<p class="gtxt_body">Boulanger astutely argues that the miracle of Paul's conversion could be more the product of design then truth:</p>
<p class="gtxt_body" style="padding-left: 30px;">His conversion, effected by a miracle, did honour to his mission, and showed the vulgar the protection <span class="gstxt_hlt">of </span>heaven, which changed the heart <span class="gstxt_hlt">of </span>the most bitter enemy <span class="gstxt_hlt">of </span>the Christians. As <span class="gstxt_hlt">Paul </span>was not ignorant that in <strong><em>this sect great value was set upon miracles, visions and revelations, he thought this was the most favourable door by which he could enter</em></strong>, and render himself acceptable to the Apostles; they received him with open arms well assured <span class="gstxt_hlt">of </span>the sincerity <span class="gstxt_hlt">of [Paul.] <em>Id.</em>, at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=4BA_AAAAYAAJ&amp;dq=critical%20examination%20of%20st.%20paul&amp;pg=PA33#v=onepage&amp;q&amp;f=false">33</a>.</span></p>
<h2>Boulanger on Imperious Tone of Paul</h2>
<p class="gtxt_body">Boulanger calls Paul a despot. He explains:</p>
<p class="gtxt_body" style="padding-left: 30px;"><span>It </span>appears by the writings attributed to <span class="gstxt_hlt">Paul </span>himself that the empire which he exercised over the members whom he had added to his sect, was not one <span class="gstxt_hlt">of </span>mildness. In proof <span class="gstxt_hlt">of </span>this, may be cited the rnanner in which this<strong><em> spiritual despot</em></strong><span class="gtxt_body"> speaks to the faithful <span class="gstxt_hlt">of </span>Corinth. "Moreover (says he) I call God for a record upon my soul, that to spare you, I came not as yet into Corinth." Again, " For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof <span class="gstxt_hlt">of </span>you, whether <strong><em>ye be obedient in all</em></strong> things. He threatens the Corinthians, and says to them, "If I come again<em><strong> I will not spare</strong></em>." Again he justifies the tone in which he talks, by saying, "Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present <strong><em>I should use sharpness, according to the power which the Lord hath given me to edification</em></strong>, and not to destruction." It is <span class="gstxt_hlt">probably by </span>virtue <span class="gstxt_hlt">of </span>this right <span class="gstxt_hlt">of </span>chastising, here assumed by <span class="gstxt_hlt">St. Paul, </span>that the Pontiffs and Priests <span class="gstxt_hlt">of </span>the Christians have since arrogated to themselves an unlimited spiritual power over the thoughts <span class="gstxt_hlt">of </span>their subjects. Their empire extended itself by degrees over their persons; Christian priests, exceeding the Apostle to whom the Lord had given this power to edify, availed themselves <span class="gstxt_hlt">of </span>it to destroy those whom they found not sufficiently submissive to their decisions. If<span class="gstxt_hlt">St Paul </span>did not exercise over his sheep a power so extensive, it is doubtless because he had not, like our pastors, princes, magistrates and soldiers under his orders, capable <span class="gstxt_hlt">of </span>executing his holy will: <em><strong>with his imperious temper we may justly conclude that he would have conducted himself much in the same manner as some fathers <span class="gstxt_hlt">of </span>the church, the Pontiffs <span class="gstxt_hlt">of </span>Rome, or the Holy Inquisition</strong></em>. <em>Id.</em>, at <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=4BA_AAAAYAAJ&amp;dq=critical%20examination%20of%20st.%20paul&amp;pg=PA34#v=onepage&amp;q&amp;f=false">34</a>-35.</span></p>
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