reach the unhumbled soul. Pride is deaf as the adder to every charmer that speaks of salvation only through the blood and righteousness, the spirit and intercession of Christ. But when once the sinner is brought low, his ear is unstopped, and the voice of Jesus breaks in upon it with melting and constraining accents. Thus for the first time this prisoner of the Lord caught the sound of his voice. It was the tone of solemn, earnest, tender remonstrance. Mark how the address singles him out from the rest of the company -from the rest of the world! 'Saul, Saul,' it seems to say, 'my words are unto thee: my complaint is ' of thee. I know thee, and thy going out, and thy 'coming in, and thy rage against me. I know that 'thou art exceeding mad against me, and yet I have 'borne with thee, because thou didst it ignorantly in unbelief. The pride and naughtiness of thy 'heart, thy furious bigotry, are all naked and 'opened unto my sight. The blood of martyrs and confessors has long cried from the ground against 'thee, and yet I refused to hear its voice, because 'from all eternity I have set my love upon thee, 'and determined in thee first, in thee above all 'others, to shew forth all long-suffering for a pat'tern to them which shall hereafter believe.'

O brethren, who may enter into the feelings of that convert when he heard the voice of his crucified Lord thus calling to him from the excellent glory, thus detaching him as it were from all the world, thus arraigning him for his perverseness,

and yet, instead of banishing him quick to hell, condescending to expostulate with him on the unreasonableness of his conduct? We know from other passages that on this occasion the Apostle had a visible manifestation of the Saviour. Can we doubt that the form under which that Saviour would appear would be that of the Son of Man ; bearing in his body the marks of Calvary-the scars of crucifixion-the prints of the nails—the furrows of the scourge, the rent of the spear? And if so, how irresistibly would that sight second this appeal! 'Was it not enough that I should suffer ' once-that I bled and died on the cross-that thy 'sins nailed me to the accursed tree-and that for 'the forgiveness of one of the least of them, I must 'needs undergo all that travail of soul? And must 'I still endure these things at thine ungrateful 'hands? Art thou still bent on crucifying me 'afresh?-still resolved on trampling me under thy 'foot? If not, why persecutest thou me? Yes! Why? what evil have I have done? Is it because 'I set thee apart for my service, from thy mother's 'womb?-because I had patience with thy waywardness, compassion upon thine ignorance, mercy 'on thy sinfulness?--because whilst thou hast blas'phemed, I have blest?-because whilst thou wast 'cruelly destroying the bodies of my servants, I was graciously drawing thy soul with the cords of love 'unto myself? Is it because I have watched over 'thee, lived for thee, died for thee, prayed for thee -is it therefore that thou persecutest me?' 0,

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brethren, with what emphasis would that brief inquiry, that why, come home to the heart of the penitent! Why so ungrateful? why so wicked? why so mad?' I would to God, that ye in like manner might hear that pleading expostulating voice this day! All who continue in wilful sin, who live for themselves instead of living unto him who died for them, are branded as the enemies of the cross of Christ, and are said to crucify unto themselves the Son of God afresh: they prove that is, by their alienation of heart from his person, by their hatred of his gospel, by their opposition to his kingdom, that they allow the deed of those who were the actual instruments of his death. It is by no means certain, that Paul had ever seen Jesus in the days of his flesh, much less, that he had assisted at his crucifixion; yet he is here charged in the most pointed, and direct terms, with persecuting the Son of God. And it is to be feared, that there are thousands and tens of thousands open to the same accusation now-multitudes who are actuated by the very same principle, though they may not proceed to the same extremities as Paul. The spirit of opposition to the doctrines of the cross, and of bigoted zeal against all who profess them, may exist in all its rancour apart from the devouring sword and raging flames. And what else, I would ask, is that rooted intolerance which exists in many minds, of every thing which they style "evangelical?" By what other name would you designate the disgust, the hatred

with which the doctrine of human corruption, the necessity of the new birth, the inefficacy of good works for salvation, the imputation of the Redeemer's righteousness, are received by many who deem themselves wise and prudent. Is it not notorious that whilst profanity, intemperance, impurity, in short, vice of every form is allowed to escape with comparative impunity, nay, will often provoke a smile at its eccentricities-all the thunders of their wrath, all their satire, scorn, contempt, and opposition are treasured up against enthusiasm, extravagance, fanaticism. Every crime is venial in comparison with an excess of self-humiliation, and of love to Jesus. So thought Paul. Such was the very spirit of his unrelenting oppressions, and this it was which provoked the remonstrance: "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?" O may the Spirit of Christ apply the expostulation to the soul of every impenitent, hardened, proud, opposing sinner!

A few remarks as arising out of the subject, are offered to your consideration, in conclusion.

1. Observe how possible it is that a man may be outwardly moral and strictly conscientious, and yet the enemy of Christ and his cross. Paul speaks of himself as blameless, and says, that he verily thought he ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. Away then, with the falsely liberal notion, that sincerity is the test of truth-the standard of responsibility. Be not deceived, my brethren; you may be moral

as some men count morality, and yet perish. You may be conscientious, and yet be lost. Unless your morality have its source in the cross of Christ, it may prove a mill-stone round your neck to sink you in perdition. Unless your conscience be submitted to the teaching of the word and Spirit of Christ, it may be but as the blind leader of the blind.

2. But we may further learn from this narrative the effectual power of intercessory prayer. I spoke at the opening of this discourse, of the connecting link between the death of Stephen and the conversion of Paul. I am disposed to think, that the strongest, and most immediate, was the martyr's dying petition; and to view this forgiveness and recovery of his enemy, as an answer to that prayer. Let this then, be an encouragement to you to go and do likewise, to "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate for them which despitefully you, and pray use you and persecute you."

3. Lastly. Mark the blessedness of being the disciples of Christ. Once truly such, and your interests become identified with his. "Why persecutest thou me?" is the remonstrance of the text. But where was Jesus? and who was Paul? Could that worm of the earth, so much as touch the Son of God? No-but he could, and did, persecute the Church of Christ, and hence the force of the expostulation. That Church is the body of Christ and ye which believe, are mem