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of Tarsus. He once breathed out threatenings and slaughter, against all engaged in the Christian cause, and while he thirsted for their blood, a light from heaven above the brightness of the sun encompassed him, and a divine voice spoke to his conscience and changed his heart.

Nor is this the only instance to be found in the annals of Christianity; but every age since the apostolic has been productive of such instances, though not with miraculous appearances, yet they were the effects of the same divine agency. Perhaps in no age has been more instances of this nature than in the present, nor one which has given higher evidence that God governs the world, and hath the hearts of all men in his hands.

Such instances are testified in what we see at home; in what we hear from abroad; from the wilderness, and those who were sunk in the lowest grade of savage life. These are among the marvellous works of God, and with lustre and splendor do they display his perfections in the view of the intelligent universe.

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ns. Inid the foundations of the earth, and built the world→→→ sand let there be light, and there was light.

That such a God did exist bere the world was made, or the bilts were brought forth, he taught them from the things before their eyes, "For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly Jesus seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his car eternal power and Godhead.” ments And from this evidence, he different draws the conclusion that they

mening

the were inexcusable not to be.

ning them lieve, and glorify him as God. hand from The visible heavens and earth, to God, the rain and sunshine, fruitful give and propitious seasons, all proinheritance a-claim intelligent design. And

sanctified

Christ Jesus.

the evidence, that the first cause was intelligent, rises still higher

www to what the when we contemplate the pow he execution of ers and faculties of the human among the mind.

to our text, the xiness was to open and turn them from ht, and from the Stan unto God, that receive forgiveness

If there be a God, nature's voice is, thou shalt worship him, and revelation hath taught the sons of men, what worship and service are acceptable in his sight.

This led the apostle of the

and inheritance among Gentiles to open the volume of hare sanctified. What revelation, and illustrate to their did in the execution understandings the purposes, emission we learn on- perfections, and glory of Jehohis writings; and from vah as they appear in the face of appears that he laid be- Jesus Christ. hose ignorant Gentiles to

he was sent, those truths divine nature, which it was ssary for them to know and rience, that their sins might forgiven.

In the execution of his mis3, the apostle set before those whom he was sent, this truth, t there is a holy and just d. That this God spread the

From presenting to their view the character of God, as it was. taught in revelation, the apostle, in the next place, proceeded to teach them their own true char acters. In his description of this he includes total depravity, That all the natural descendants of apostate Adam are totally destitute of holiness in their hearts. That their depravity consisted in

brethren," saith the apostle, "I came not with the excellency of speech or of wisdom, and my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the spirit and of power; that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God."

The apostle, in the next place, did not fail to describe in lively colors, that benevolent spirit which was, and still is, and for

opposition of heart to God's moral character, and the nature of holiness; that mankind, while in their natural state, do not like the truths contained in the word of God, but are displeased with them, and with all holy things. The truth of these observations is confirmed by what he has left on record in his epistles written to the Romans, Corinthians, Ephesians, and others, also, by the doctrine of the atonement. After this gloomy view of the sinful state in which all the nat-ever will be the ornament and ural descendants of apostate Adam were, the apostle explained the way of life and salvation through the atonement which Christ had made, consistently with the moral character of God and his holy law. This led him to illustrate the character of the Mediator as the Son of God, and Saviour of the world; that thro' him life and immortality were brought to light, and endless life was promised to all who would receive him, and embrace him as their prophet, priest, and king, their hope and portion. He showed them the purity, spirituality, and extent of the divine law, that it required the whole heart, or supreme love to God, and perfect obedience to the divine commands. That the atonement which Jesus had made did not make void the law, but magnified it, and made it honorable; vindicated the character of God, his justice, and every perfection, and had declared his righteous-perishing souls, he urged in a ness, that he might be just, and most pathetic and solemn manthe justifier of him who believ- ner. Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must

eth in Jesus.

essence of Christianity. That it not only taught the sons of men to love God supremely, but that the benevolence taught by the author of the Christian religion, required them to love their neighbors as themselves: to regard the prosperity, the peace, happiness and good of others in all respects as they did their own. Let no man seek his own (is the language of inspiration ;) but every man another's wealth. It teacheth men to be kindly affectioned one to another, to love without dissimulation; for every man to look not on his own things, but on the things of others; in lowliness of mind, let each esteem others better than themselves. Charity seeketh not her own, charity never faileth.

Repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ, as the only method of pardon and salvation for their

These interesting truths he recommended to every man's 'conscience, and with more than be saved. human energy, urged his audience to embrace them:

The resurrection of Jesus 66 My Christ was a favorite doctrine

heavens, laid the foundations of the earth, and built the world— he said let there be light, and there was light.

Saul of Tarsus was raised up and inspired by the power of divine grace, to go among the Gentiles, and to be the first instrument in the hands of God, to That such a God did exist bebegin the conversion of the hea-fore the world was made, or the then, with the promise of divine hills were brought forth, he protection. He went, he enter-taught them from the things beed the very seat of Satan's empire, forced his strongest holds, and was victorious through the strength and grace of Jesus Christ. The work was the Lord's, and it still is; and he is now carrying it on, by the instruments of his own choice in different parts of the world; opening the eyes of the people, turning them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgive ness of sins and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in Christ Jesus.

I. Let us attend to what the apostle did in the execution of his divine mission among the Gentiles.

Agreeable to our text, the apostle's business was to open their eyes, and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they might receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified. What the apostle did in the execution of his divine mission we learn only from his writings; and from them it appears that he laid before those ignorant Gentiles to whom he was sent, those truths of a divine nature, which it was necessary for them to know and experience, that their sins might be forgiven.

In the execution of his mission, the apostle set before those to whom he was sent, this truth, that there is a holy and just God. That this God spread the

fore their eyes, "For 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." And from this evidence, he draws the conclusion that they were inexcusable not to believe, and glorify him as God. The visible heavens and earth, the rain and sunshine, fruitful and propitious seasons, all proclaim intelligent design. And the evidence, that the first cause was intelligent, rises still higher when we contemplate the pow ers and faculties of the human mind.

If there be a God, nature's voice is, thou shalt worship him, and revelation hath taught the sons of men, what worship and service are acceptable in his sight.

This led the apostle of the Gentiles to open the volume of revelation, and illustrate to their understandings the purposes, perfections, and glory of Jehovah as they appear in the face of Jesus Christ.

From presenting to their view the character of God, as it was taught in revelation, the apostle, in the next place, proceeded to teach them their own true char acters. In his description of this he includes total depravity, That all the natural descendants of apostate Adam are totally des titute of holiness in their hearts. That their depravity consisted in

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