ing sinner! In the victim of the cross he had discovered the fulfilment of prophecy, that "other man," who was brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and on whom it pleased the Lord to lay the iniquity of us all. And so implicitly, and from the heart, did he receive the testimony concerning him, that he was ready that very hour to confess his name, and pledge himself to his service. This he did. And to him it was according to the promise, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.” For, while Philip, his mission being accomplished, vanished out of sight, in the full assurance of hope he went on his way rejoicing.

But, right here, some may seem to see a difficulty. The Scriptures speak of a new heart and a godly walk, of self-denial and obedience to commands. What shall be done with sayings like these? Is there no connection between a sure hope and a good life?. Whatever seeming difficulty there may be here, comes only of an imperfect view of the nature and object of Christ's work. He came to be a Saviour from sin's power as well as its curse. True faith sees and accepts him as such. It is the thought of this twofold deliverance which makes the believer glad. Faith, then, implies a break with sin. You sorrow for it, desire to be rid of it, despair of self-deliverAnd this it is which prompts your surrender to the arms and grace of another. If, therefore, your life is not henceforth one of sincere striving after holiness, your imagined faith is counterfeit. But do you not see that this better life is rather the product of your salvation than its cause? Indeed, is it not itself a part of that salvation; a beginning of the pure felicity to be fully inherited by and by Nor is this all. With "remission of sins" comes

ance.

also "the gift of the Holy Ghost," a part of whose office work it is to make the believer, not by any magical process which lessens the need of effort and prayer, but truly, and in the deepest springs of his character, a new creature. Nor yet should we forget that the same grace, which dispenses an instant, free, and full pardon, seeks to lure the believer on to diligence in well doing, by the promise that fidelity shall in no case lose its discriminating reward; that the more steadfast and godly the life, the more abundant shall be the entrance into the everlasting kingdom. But let nothing divert us from the great thought now to be fixed in ineffaceable memory. For the forgiveness of sins, and any and every part of that divine help which makes us children of hope, "other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ."

Of the subsequent life of the Ethiopian stranger we have no authentic knowledge. It was not thought needful that we should have the story of his welcome to his African home, and how his testimony to his new-found Saviour was there received. To us there remains a more important inquiry: Are we as eager as was he to know God's will, as ready to accept the revelation and gift of his Son?

Happy is he who, like this African prince, gives himself no rest until he has found Christ, not only in the pages of the prophet, but as the joy of his life. More happy still is he, who, having entered into this joy, goes forth like Philip to tell the story of Christ's saving power and love to all who will consent to hear.

"And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord," &c.

UNDER the blazing sun of a Syrian noon a company of travellers is approaching Damascus across the desert from the south. The leader alone attracts attention. His piercing eye, lofty and determined look, and imperious manner indicate a man of mark. It is none other than the notorious and dreaded inquisitor, Saul of Tarsus.

Inheriting uncorrupted Hebrew blood, early imbued with a deep sense of the glory of Judaism, and of his superiority as a child of the covenant, profoundly versed in the Jewish Scriptures and traditions, acquainted with Greek philosophy and literature, conscientious, fearless, proud, bigoted, implacable, he seems perfectly fitted for the place he fills. What argument can do, he can do; what it fails to do, the sword shall do. He has come to Jerusalem in an opportune time. The pestilent sect of the Nazarenes has sprung up. The authorities cannot or will not put it down. He sees the danger of Judaism, and rushes to its defence. Men quickly recognize his ability, and learn to lean on him. He stands by, a consenting witness of the death of Stephen. The sight rather kindles than cools his ardor. The storm had at last burst. Henceforth he rode and directed it. He made havoc of the church in Jerusalem. But many of the heretics had fled. He would pursue and exterminate them.

The Sanhedrim and high priest claimed ecclesiastical jurisdiction over the Jews of the dispersion. Here was a weapon with which he could smite the apostates to the end of the earth.

To Damascus, the oldest city in the world, he turned his eyes. Long had it been the home of many Jews. Attendants on the great Pentecostal effusion, or fugitives from persecution, had carried thither the odious doctrine of the Nazarene. Armed with authority from the high priest, he has been now for five days and more on his way. A few hours more, and he will be in the scene of new triumphs. His eye kindles, and his soul is fired anew with the thought. The disciples, apprised of his coming, are filled with alarm.

But Saul's bloody work was ended. God interposed to save his people, and check the misguided man. He had other work for him to do. Saul entered Damascus, indeed, not a proud and exultant persecutor, but a blinded penitent. A light had shined around and in him, in which he saw Jesus, saw himself, saw his horrid work, saw Judaism, a body without a soul, saw every hope of his life blasted and dead. Three days after, when he looked up to the sun,. he was a new man-new in disposition, in view, in faith, in hope, in purpose. And henceforth he is known as the champion of the faith he had hitherto labored to destroy.

To attempt to cover the whole ground of this great transaction would be both idle and unwise. Three things connected therewith will alone occupy us.

I. Wherein was Saul's conversion miraculous?

It is customary to speak of the conversion of Saul as miraculous. In some particulars it was so; in others, no more so than any other conversion.

There is a supernatural element in every conversion..

[4TH QUARTER. Divine and human agencies unite. God works, and man works. God teaches, impresses, calls, draws; man hearkens, receives, submits, repents, believes. How the divine links to the human agency, how the heart, full of enmity and disobedience, is brought to love and obey, we cannot tell. All we know is, that men are made willing in the day of God's power. Still there is no compulsion. God forces no one into his kingdom. While every one freely accepts the grace of God, he feels that he might still refuse it.

Souls are converted through the truth truth of God and of Christ, of human needs and accountability. Men are led to yield to this truth, applied and vitalized by the Holy Spirit. But in the acquisition of such truth men are ordinarily left to their own choice and to the exercise of their own powers. God furnishes it. They can attend to

it or not. If they choose to give it attention, then they get the knowledge of the truth in a perfectly natural way, just as any other information is obtained. So it was in the early church they learned the truth through preaching. So it is now through preaching and the written word. Men hear, read, study, compare, meditate. Or if, as is sometimes the case, the truth finds men when they try to flee from it, it is even then only by the ordinary and natural channels of information and influence. There is nothing

miraculous about it.

And just here the conversion of Saul chiefly differs from ordinary conversion, viz., in the manner in which truth was made known and impressed upon him. This was altogether miraculous. God did not leave the matter to his choice at all. And he brought the truth before him with such overwhelming power, that to avoid conviction was impossible. It was necessary that Saul should be convinced,