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about noon, a light from heaven brighter than the sun, threw its dazzling beams around the persecutor and his associates. The splendor was overpowering," and when they had all fallen to the earth, one like unto the Son of man," stood in bright array before the eyes of this noted persecutor. His countenance was like the light, and his voice was as the sound of many waters. Saul alone however, heard the voice, which in a most majestic manner said to him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? The culprit knew him not, but tremblingly asked him Who art thou Lord?' The Saviour replied in a manner suited to the dignity of his character. "I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. The persecutor was cut to the heart, and said, "What wouldst thou have me to do?' Jesus commanded him to rise, informed him of his purpose concerning him, bade him go to Damascus, where he should be further instructed concerning his immediate duties. Having arrived at Damascus and taken lodgings with one Judas, he continued there three days and three nights fasting and praying, but without sight all that time. At the end of this period Ananias, a Christian Preacher, was divinely directed to go and ask for him, and finding him, laid his hands on him and recovered him of his sight. Saul had no sooner received his sight, than, he made a solemn profession of his faith, was baptized, and afterwards filled with the Holy Ghost. After eating, and recovering his strength, regardless of whatever poverty, reproach, or persecution might await him, he began to preach that same Gospel which he had once labored to destroy, and such was the wisdom with which he spake that many in Damascus were converted to the faith. This is a brief history of the life of this great man, up to the time of his conversion.

II. Let us notice the genuineness of his conversion to christianity.

1. From his own testimony this appears collated with that of the author of the Acts of the Apostles, as to the change which took place in his mind. "Ye have heard (says he to the Galations) of my conversation, in times past, in the Jew's religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the Church of God and wasted it. But it pleased God who called me by his grace, to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen." To Timothy he remarks, that in his former life he was a blasphemer' and a 6 persecutor' and 'injurious;' but that he obtained mercy because he did it ignorantly in unbelief.' To the Philippians his words are, 'But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung that I may win Christ.' From these passages we learn by com

paring them with the narrative given by the author of the Acts of the Apostles, the reality of that change which took place in the history of this great man.

2. The description which he has given us in the 7th Chapter of the Epistle to the Romans, in connexion with the two first verses of the Sth Chapter of that Epistle, of the commencement and progress of a work of grace in the human heart, agrees so well with the facts related by the Evangelist that we cannot but think the Apostle herein had an eye to his own experience; and in this view it furnishes another evidence of the genuineness of his conversion. 'I was alive without the law once; says the Apostle but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.' How well does this describe the case of a self righteous Pharisee, and the power of the divine word when set home upon the conscience, producing that 'war in the members' so finely described in the subsequent verses. 'O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?' May we not suppose, that Saul of Tarsus, felt all that is expressed, and all that is implied in these words, during his three days of blindness, fasting and prayer, whilst at the house of Judas in Damascus? And that from his inmost soul he began to thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord, the moment he heard the words of Ananias Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled wi How sweet must the name of Jesus have so penitent, accompanied with the restoration is well described by the poet in the follov

'His name the sinner hears,
And is from sin set free;
'Tis music in his ears,
'Tis life and victory:

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the Holy Ghost.' ed in the ear of this his bodily sight! It inimitable verse.

New songs do now his lips employ,
And dances his glad heart for joy.'

One can almost imagine that the following, are the very words used by the new convert as he found himself filled with the Holy Ghostbearing witness with his spirit that he was then a child of God. "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life, in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death'

3. His humility after he became an Apostle, is another evidence of the genuineness of his conversion. As a Pharisee of the strictest sort, which he was before his conversion, there is no doubt but that he was full of pride, for that was a very conspicuous trait in the character of a Pharisee, but after conversion his humility was

equally conspicuous, for (says he to the Corinthians) I am the least of the Apostles, and am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the Church of God.' To the Ephesians he says, 'Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints,' and to Timothy he acknowledges that he had been the chief of sinners.' Language more expressive of deep humility and self abasement can scarcely be conceived. To the grace of God,' not to any works or merit of his own, does he continually ascribe the change that was wrought in him, ever acknowledging, by the grace of God I am what I am.' (see 1 Cor. 15. 9, 10. and Titus 3. 3-7.)

4. His manner of life, after his visit to Damascus evinces the reality of his conversion, and the sincerity of his love,' to Christ. His incessant labors-his self-denial-the persecutions he endured the miracles he wrought-the purity of his doctrines, -his unspotted life, and martyr-like death, all unite to prove, that the religion he espoused was neither an imposture, nor a cunningly devised fable.'

That St. Paul was not an impostor appears by this one circum stance, the utter impossibility of carrying on a piece of fraud, either in Judea or in the Gentile world at the time that he labored to establish the Christian religion. To say nothing of the jealousy and opposition of the Jews which every one who reads his Bible is perfectly acquainted with; let it be remembered that at Rome, Corinth, Athens, Ephesus, and Philippi, in all which places he preached, he had obstacles to remove the most insurmountable by human power: and which without the divine assistance he could no more remove than he could make a world. He had the policy and power of the civil magistrates to combat; for it is well known, that in all Heathen countries the established religion was interwoven with the civil constitution. He had the interest, credit, and craft of the priest, the corruption, the prejudices and passions of the people, and (which perhaps was a greater obstacle than all,) the affected knowledge, the boasted reason, the wisdom, and the pride of the philosophers, to obviate, and subdue; and yet, in spite of all these, he established churches in every place, and in every region through which he travelled. The event therefore sufficiently proves that God was with him, and that his mission was divine.

'All this is allowed' says the objector, but after all, was he not an enthusiast?' Yes indeed; if, when as he was journeying to Damascus, meditating destruction, and breathing out threatening and slaughter, he had imagined he saw a vision from heaven, denouncing the anger of God against the Christians, and commanding him to persecute them without mercy, and his after life had been unsuccessfully marked with as much zeal against the religion of Christ

as it was in its favor, then indeed; but not as the case now stands, ean he be accounted an enthusiast.

III. Let us now notice more minutely, the steps which led to his conversion.

The first cause which led to this event was doubtless the ' grace of God.' So the Apostle himself teaches in many parts of his Epistles. By the grace of God I am what I am.' But then grace works by means. We may therefore look upon the following as instrumental causes in this great work.

1. The prayer of the dying martyr Stephen.

If St. Stephen had not prayed (says St. Agustine) the church of Christ could not have numbered among her saints, the Apostle of the Gentiles.' The prayer itself was full of benevolence, for Stephen was full of the Holy Ghost, and in the spirit of his dying master when he prayed. It was this that made the prayer effectual' as well as 'fervent.'

2. The light from heaven, which was no ordinary light.

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To suppose that it was a Meteor, or an electric flash, is rather a weakening, if not a degrading of the subject-it is allowing the Deists too much, who gravely tell us that Saul was on horseback, and that he had an epileptic fit. But this method of interpreting, does in no wise account for what follows: The light therefore was miraculous, and it is much more likely that it was the outbeaming splendor of him who is the brightness of his Father's excellency, and who on this occasion appeared unto Saul.

3. The power, and the voice which accompanied that light. The power was divine, and struck him and his companions to the earth. The voice was the voice of Him who will at the last day, raise the dead from their graves.

Saul not only felt the power, and heard the voice, but at first saw the speaker (ver. 17,) whose glorious appearance however overpowered his mortal vision and for three days deprived him of bodily sight.

4. The vision, in which he saw Ananias coming in and putting his hands on him, that he might receive his sight. (ver.12,) and Ananias' coming to him, at the end of three days, as he had seen in the vision.

Now as there was neither priestcraft nor legerdemain in all this, but a chain of miracles, from first to last, the whole was doubtless intended to convert this great sinner from the error of his ways, and the result proves, that the whole was guided by the hand of 'Him who is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working.'

5. Saul fasted and prayed. And this was a means, well calcu

Chap. xx. 11-14

lated in the order of God, to bring him into the possession of the blessings of the gospel of peace.

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Fasting and Prayer were very common exercises among the Jews, when they wished to avert the displeasure of Heaven, or to obtain his special blessing. Saul therefore betook himself to these exercises as the appointed means of grace, and the result was glorious. God was intreated. The prayers of the penitent were answered, and he obtained the knowledge of salvation by the remission of sins.' From the history of this man thus far, we may learn the exceeding riches of divine grace. He was prevented from imbuing his hands in the blood of the innocent. He was awakened to a sense of his sin and danger. And the only way of salvation, was made known to him, through that grace, which as he says (I Tim. 1. 14,) was exceeding abundant with faith and love.' We learn also in the case of this man, that works meet for repentance' such as fasting and prayer' are acceptable in the sight of God. ( Repent ye therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out; for except ye repent ye shall perish.' Fast, ye sons and daughters of luxury, fast, and thus humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, and he shall lift you up.' Pray, thou poor, broken hearted penitent. Go, and smiting on thy guilty breast say, God be merciful to me a sinner,' and He who pardoned the bloody-Monarch of Judah, the penitent Thief-Saul of Tarsus the dying Earl of Rochester and the gallant Colonel Gardiner-will also pardon thee.

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IV. His attempt to join the Christian Church.

After Saul was converted to the Christian faith, 'he tarried certain days with the disciples at Damascus, and immediately began to preach Christ in the synagogues of the Jews.' This was no doubt looked upon by many to be a great confirmation of the truth of Christianity; that a person who had been such a noted persecutor of it, should suddenly become such an intelligent and strenuous preacher of it. This miracle upon the mind of such a man, outshone the miracles upon other men's bodies; and the giving Saul another heart, was more than giving men to speak with other tongues.' But notwithstanding the wisdom with which he spoke, and the undoubted evidences of his conversion such was the blindness, obstinacy, and deep-rooted malignity of the unconverted Jews, that finding it impossible to answer his arguments, or to damp his zeal, they resolved to silence him by putting an end to his life. It was now that Christ began to show him by experience what probably he had before shown him in vision how great things he must suffer for his name's sake. The Jews having taken counsel to kill him, watched the gates of the city night and day, lest he should make his escape. But their laying in wait was known of