which nothing could resist.

One among them embodied in himself, above all others, the spirit of
that epoch of creative energy. St. Paul is perhaps, after our Lord
Himself, the most complete embodiment of the ministerial life on all
its sides which the world has ever seen. And, fortunately, he embodied
this spirit not only in deeds, but also in words. Circumstances made
him a writer of letters, the most autobiographical form of literature.
His friends, such as Timothy and Titus, drew out of him lengthy
expressions of the convictions wrought into his mind by the
experiences of a lifetime. His enemies, by their accusations, struck
out of him still ampler and more heartfelt statements of his feelings
and motives. St. Paul has painted his own portrait at full length, and
in every line it is the portrait of a minister. There is more in his
writings which touches the very quick of our life as ministers than in
all other writings in existence. It is my desire to reproduce this
straight from the sources. I have no intention of going over the
outward life of St. Paul. This you can find in a hundred books. But I
desire to exhibit the very soul of the man, as he himself has revealed
it to us in his writings.

If we are the successors of the apostles, the apostles were the
successors of the prophets, who did for the Church of the Old
Testament what the apostles did for that of the New. In outward aspect
and detail, indeed, the life of the prophets differed much from that
of the apostles. In force of manhood and in variety and brilliance of
genius they far excelled them. But their aim was the same. It was to
make the kingdom of God come by announcing and enforcing the mind and
will of God. And this is our aim too.

The writings of the prophets are very difficult, and their period is
less popularly known than any other period of Scripture history,
either before or after it. But it is beginning to attract more
attention, and in the near future it will do so much more, because it
is beginning to be perceived that in it lies the key to the whole Old
Testament history and literature.[3] The writings of Isaiah especially
have of late attracted attention. Commentary after commentary on them
has appeared;[4] till now the reader can see his way pretty clearly
through the tangled but enchanting mazes of his writings. With such
helps as have been available to me I have endeavoured through the
writings to get at the man; and I will take Isa