nant through which we become "heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ." Remember then, that

mighty as may be the enemy, impotent your own strength, tedious the conflict, gradual the success, the victory is sure and shall be complete. The great King and Captain of our salvation "must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.” But if you continue the faithful soldier of Christ until your life's end, it shall be your's to say even in that mortal final conflict, "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God which giveth us the victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord."

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SERMON II.

ACTS Ix. 4.

"AND HE FELL ΤΟ THE EARTH, AND

HEARD A VOICE

SAYING

UNTO HIM, SAUL, SAUL, WHY PERSECUTEST THOU ME?"

So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed, notwithstanding the repeated and sanguinary persecutions to which the primitive disciples were subjected, that it became a proverb in those days, "the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church." As fast as one rank of that "noble army" was hewn down by the fury of the oppressor, another was "baptized for the dead" and stepped in to supply their place. By this means an unbroken and constantly increasing front was presented to the enemy, and the power of divine truth made triumphantly manifest. We were last Sabbath engaged in a consideration of the martyrdom of Stephen, the first witness for Christ who was called to seal his testimony with his blood. The link between that incident and the one connected with our text, the conversion of

St. Paul, is one of the most remarkable and interesting character. It was a provision of the Jewish law, that in the infliction of capital punishment upon every criminal, the "hands of the witnesses should be first upon him to put him to death," as affording the most solemn confirmation of their evidence. In conformity with this ordinance, those who had testified to the blasphemy of Stephen, were required to take the lead in his execution. For the more convenient accomplishment of their laborious task, they cast aside their loose upper garments; and with a view to greater security, laid them down at a young man's feet whose name was Saul. This, were there no sequel to the history, might have appeared a very simple, and almost trivial incident; but when it is remembered that this is the very occasion upon which the chiefest of the Apostles and servants of Christ is introduced to our notice, the narrative becomes replete with interest. Before we proceed further, therefore, I would have you weigh these opening circumstances well. You have all heard of Paul, the Apostle of the Gentiles, as at once the most gifted and the most devoted of that goodly fellowship into which he was so graciously admitted. You have often wished, it may be, that you could attain unto the like pre-eminence, or rather, it is probable, you have at once concluded that such attainment was preternatural and impossible. Now come with me, and look at the native quarry from which

this polished pillar in the temple of our God was hewn! Come, and revisit the scene, where Stephen poured out his soul unto death for the testimony of Jesus.

Foremost among that tumultuous throng, and representing, if not officially, yet in spirit the collective vengeance of the Sanhedrim, you would have observed a young man-probably of intelligent countenance, and noble bearing-but under the utmost excitement of the worst, and most

brutalizing passions of our nature. It was a public execution-a scene therefore from which common sensibility, common decency, common humanity would exclude, (with very rare exceptions,) all, who had any pretensions to such ordinary characteristics as these. Yet here is one— young and gifted,a nd educated-a voluntary, and an interested spectator of this most iniquitous and murderous deed. It was not indolent curiosity that brought him thither, it was no listless apathy that fixed him there. On the contrary, as you watched the transaction throughout, you would discern that not even those who were actively engaged in it, were more eager in its accomplishment, than he who thus attracted your attention. At first, impatience would be the prominent expression of his features; an evident restlessness till the work of death had begun. Then triumphant malice, and vindictive scorn, would flush that cheek, and light up that eye. Each crushing blow, each agonizing wound, would afford fresh

No voice would

food for his unnatural exultation. be louder than his, to cheer the executioners in their work, or mock the victim in his pangs. If a word escaped his lips that did not breathe of cruelty, it would only be when he sought by every argument addressed to the exigencies of tortured humanity, to persuade or compel that dying saint to blaspheme. Signally and completely foiled in this, his rage would burn but the more intensely; and even the dying intercession of the martyr he would return with the fierce anathema of an exasperated zealot.

Such is the opening scene in the history of Paul the Apostle, and servant of Christ. And those which follow are in perfect keeping with its character. Having thus, like some wild beast of the desert, fleshed as it were his fangs in Christian blood, the appetite was only increased, and it is next recorded, that "as for Saul, he made havoc of the Church, entering into every house, and haling men and women, committed them to prison." This was in Jerusalem, and, so far as his ability extended, it was evidently his object, that not one who named the hated name of Jesus, should live in security, or die in peace within its neighbourhood. The neverfailing providence of God, however, over-ruled this opposition for the spread and enlargement of his Church; for thus it is stated as a consequence of this persecution. Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where

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