tainty of a future state, than the life and conversion of St. Paul, and one should suppose that those who studied his doctrine and history with attention, could no longer be hardened by the obstinacy of incredulity. When Paul was a young man, he was the greatest persecutor of the Christian church at Jerusalem, and kept the clothes of them that slew Stephen. He sought every where to destroy those who believed in the doctrines of Christ; and, as he confessed, was a blasphemer, persecutor, and injurious, and was the chief of sinners. "But," he says, "I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief; for the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane*;" thus Christ came into the world to save sinners.

In the history of St. Paul, which is a true picture of human nature, in its most vicious as well as perfect state, may be seen the power which Christ had to subdue all evil, and to have converted all mankind to his will and pleasure; but there was a secret reason why mankind were not to be converted by such means, and this secret was only known to those to whom it was revealed by the Holy Ghost or Spirit; and of this there can be no doubt, for all those who received this spirit from God were able to raise the dead, or heal the blind, perform all miracles, and preach in all languages, of which * Epistle of Paul to Timothy, chap. i.

Paul gave proof. Paul was one of those hardened unbelievers, whom nothing but a miracle can convince of their error. Thus we see Paul breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of Christ, but he was soon changed; the miracle which Christ performed on him soon made him an altered man, which nothing but a miracle could have effected, and which all the persecutions of life could never after change or alter.

The greatest obstacles to the force and influence of religion, as well as to the happiness of mankind, are those of worldly interest and ambition. Thus, when Paul reasoned with Felix concerning the faith in Christ, and of righteousness, temperance, and the judgment to come, Felix trembled, and both he and Agrippa would have become Christians but for the influence of their worldly affairs, which is the reason why the religion of the Gospel is not more universally received; for power, ambition, and the love of gain but ill accord with true Christian principles, and though the force and virtue of religion may make such people tremble, yet the vices, luxuries, and vanities of this world, have still greater influence. But it was not so with Paul, after his conversion, who suffered the greatest trials and afflictions, and renounced all the advantages and benefits which this world could afford him, to follow and prosecute the doctrine which he not only believed, but of which he bore witness. When he knew what was the duty of this life, his

and the finest When he took

whole time afterwards was spent in doing good. Even if it were only to live for the benefit of this life, and there were no hope of another, nothing can be finer than his maxims, and the principles which he justified on all occasions. In short, Paul was a pattern of human excellence, prototype of a converted sinner. leave of the elders of Ephesus, he said unto them, "I have coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel; yea, ye yourselves know that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me. I have showed you all things, how that, so labouring, ye ought to support the weak, and to remember how it is more blessed to give than to receive*."

In his Epistle to the Romans, he says, “I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation, to every one that believeth, for therein is the righteousness of God revealed, from faith to faith, as it is written, the just shall live by faith. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven, against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; because that which may be known of God is manifest in them, for God had showed it unto them. The invisible things of him, from the creation of the world, are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead, so that they are with

* Acts xx.

out excuse; because when that they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were they thankful, but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing themselves to become wise, they became fools, andchanged the glory of the incorruptible into an image, made like to corruptible man; wherefore God gave them up to uncleanness, through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves, who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. For this cause, God gave them up unto vile affections, and even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, who knowing the judgment of God, that they who commit such things are worthy of death, NOT ONLY DO the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth, and that he will render to every man according to his deeds. To them who, by patient continuance in well doing, seek for glory, honour, and immortality, he will give eternal life; but unto them that are contentious and do not obey the truth, but follow unrighteousness, he will give tribulation and anguish. Indignation and wrath upon every soul of man that doeth evil; but glory, honour, and peace, to every man that doeth good, from the Jew to the Gentile, for there is no respect of persons with God; but

to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey, whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness. What then are the vanities and fruits of this life? The end of these things is death; but being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end is everlasting life; for the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord*." This passage proves that sin is condemned to death and punishment, and that those only who possess a pure conscience, or spirit of God, can inherit eternal life, for purity only is incorruptible and acceptable to God.

There is not a more clear exposition of what man is, and what he ought to trust to, than is explained in the seventh and eight chapters of the Epistle to the Romans, in which Paul says, "Know ye not, brethren, how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth? I had not known sin but by the law; for I had not known lust, if the law had not said, thou shalt not covet; but sin taking occasion, by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence; for; without the law, sin was dead. I was alive without the law once, but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. And the commandment which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death; for sin, taki ng occasion of the command

* Rom. vi.