sixth chapter. Paul also alludes to it, Gal. i. 16. and 1 Tim. i. 12, 16. Now what was the design of the Holy Ghost in thus thrice repeating it in the Acts? There was no human probability, indeed it was a physical impossibility that the Jews should willingly have allowed him at this time to preach to them, for he had been downrightly hated by them ever since his conversion, ever since the time he had completely apostatized from their religion. Nothing was, therefore, more unlikely than that he should be permitted in a public audience to make such sermons on his own conversion as we find recorded; and yet God was pleased that by very extraordinary means these things should be made known to them by his own mouth. In the twentyfirst chapter it appears that this faithful servant of God fell into the hands of certain base and abandoned men who made an attempt to take away his life, verse 21. This created an uproar in the city, and it happened that a message was dispatched to the Roman officer of the citadel, and down came a body of soldiers, when the captain ordered Paul to be put in chains, rescued him from the hands of the Jews, and then conducted him to the castle in order to scourge him. On his arriving at the outskirts, or the stairs, Paul requested leave to be permitted to speak to the people, and permission being granted, and silence obtained, he was allowed to relate at large the account of his wonderful conversion, &c. as recorded in the twenty-second chapter.

Now figure to yourselves what followed upon this relation. The people no doubt, after they had heard the whole of what he had to say, carried the story to their respective homes, where it was related again, and again, and again; so that this man's conversion, in all probability was as much spoken of as any event that had ever taken place in the country. But it did not end here. The Holy Ghost was pleased that the Gentiles should hear of it also; and this too was brought about under very peculiar and extraordinary circumstances.

After Paul had been taken into the garrison, the Jews endeavoured to murder him, and it was agreed that forty of them should conspire together, or as it is said, they bound themselves under a great curse that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed him. Their stratagem however failed, for the captain sent him away to Cesarea by night, under a safe escort. See chap. 23. At Cesarea, however, he was cruelly treated by Felix, the Roman governor, he having left him bound with chains for two whole years. When Festus, who succeeded Felix, entered upon his office, he obliged Paul's accusers to come down and confront him; but nothing came of the proceedings except Paul's appeal unto Cesar. See chap. 25. After a short time, however, down came king Agrippa and his wife upon a visit, in order to salute Festus; and then, as a matter of curiosity, Festus communicated to him the case of this poor imprisoned man. Why,' said Agrippa, 'I should like to hear him ;' and the next day, he went with great pomp, accompanied by his lords, chief captains, &c. into the court, and commanded Paul to be brought before him; and the

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business being opened, Agrippa said, "Paul, thou art permitted to speak for thyself." Upon which Paul stretched forth his hand, and related the manner of his miraculous conversion. See chap. 26. It does not appear that he had done speaking when Festus cried out, "Thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad." Upon which Paul appealed to Agrippa that the things of which he had spoken had not been done in a corner. The resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and the coming down of the Holy Ghost were not done in a corner. "For the king," says he, "knoweth these things, and I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him." And upon a further appeal to his conscience respecting his belief in the prophets, Agrippa exclaimed, "almost thou persuadest me to be a christian!" Almost! says Paul, "I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost and altogether such as I am, except these bonds." Upon this, the king, the governor, &c. &c. withdrew to consider the matter, and it was resolved that the apostle should be sent to Rome, in consequence of his appeal to Cesar.*

Now there is a vast deal in all this. God the Spirit was pleased to over-rule the minds of all these men, so as to cause them to come and hear the wonderful relation of the apostle's miraculous conversion; and after that, each of them in returning to their respective homes and avocations, the Jews, the King, Bernice, Festus, &c. should speak of it again in all their various communities and societies.

Now pause over the subject, and attend to two or three leading features which concern ourselves. Figure to your imagination that you had been present at one of these public assemblies. Behold, for instance, King Agrippa and his princes in their robes, and the prisoner in his chains, and look at them in a spiritual point of view: Paul was in robes, even the royal robes of Christ's righteousness; King Agrippa was in chains, even the chains of death and hell! The spiritual apprehension of things is totally different from all carnal views. The almost christian if not persuaded by the teaching of God the Spirit, it matters not; for though he may yield an historical assent to the truth of the gospel, yet in fact he is really indifferent about it.

Here is an instance of a man that was breathing out threatening and slaughter against the disciples of Christ, suddenly called to the knowledge of the Lord. Such things transpire continually in all the assemblies of the Lord's people, and in this marvellous way the Lord is perpetually calling his people home from the four corners of the

*Herein we see the leadings of God's providence in order that his servant might publish his Name more extensively among the Gentiles. The account of his journey to this great city may be seen in the two last chapters of the Acts. Subsequently, he was liberated, but after some little time again arrested, and put to death under Nero. Immediately before suffering he wrote the Epistle from whence the text is taken.

globe. "They shall come from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south, and shall sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven." And again, "I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion." Jer. iii. 14.

Every part of the scripture is full of the Lord's manifestations of distinguishing, sovereign grace; see a sweet portion, Jer. iii. 1. “Thou hast played the harlot with many lovers, yet return unto me, saith the Lord." How infinitely greater is the abounding grace of God, than all the countenance and favour of man! The Holy Ghost seems to have ransacked the whole kingdom of nature in order to shew the super-aboundings of it. "Who is a God like unto thee, who pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy. He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea." Micah vii. 18, 19. If the highest mountains in the world, the Pyrenean, for instance, or the Alps, were cast into the Atlantic ocean, they would be entirely covered over; just so it is with the mighty mass of our sins.

Sometimes the gracious mercy of God is compared to the heavens, Psalm ciii. 11. "For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy." And again, Isaiah lv. 9. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways." There is, therefore, abounding pardon for abounding sin, "that where sin abounded, grace might much more abound, through Jesus Christ our Lord." "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon."

Sometimes the Lord takes upon himself to explain the subject in the most emphatic language. Isa. xliv. 22. “ I have blotted out as a thick cloud thy transgressions, and as a cloud thy sins." And then, Isaiah lvii. 18, 19, "I have seen his ways and will heal him; I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners. I create the fruit of the lips, Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the Lord." And thus the Lord calls his people that are far off, and brings them nigh by the blood of Christ. Of all subjects that we can possibly be engaged in, this is the most interesting; and while infidels swarm in every direction, and exclaim against the doctrines of our most holy faith; God has the means for the preservation of his own truth, and by his Spirit is continually instructing his people into the mysteries of the gospel. As it is written, they shall all be taught of the Lord." And again, Jer. xxxi. 31 to 34. "Behold the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband

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to them saith the Lord: but this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; after those days saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts, and will be their God and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, know the Lord; for they shall all know me from the least of them, unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more." If there be a promise in the bible sweeter than another, here it is. God is actually engaged to teach his people, and therefore we have a right to make use of this teaching as the criterion and standard by which we are to know the truth as it is in Jesus. I need not repeat how the poison of infidelity is running through this land, but blessed be God, we hear him saying to us again," therefore my people shall know my name: therefore they shall know in that day that I am he that doth speak; behold, it is I." Isa lii. 6. And then follow the expressions of joy and delight at the reception of this teaching by means of his ministers: "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, thy God reigneth." 7th verse. Then follows what is expressive of the mutual lifting up of the watchmen's voices for the comforting the people of God. Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing; for they shall see eye to eye when the Lord shall bring again Zion. Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem, for the Lord hath comforted his people."

But to return to my subject. "I have fought a good fight," says the apostle, "I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing." He does not say, a golden crown of gems and precious stones, but a crown of righteousness, or, a crown of justice. This was purchased for him, and therefore by every rule of justice, equity, and truth, it belonged to him. It was his by right and title. The word seems to be so used when speaking of God in all his righteous attributes, John xvii. 25. 66 "O righteous Father," &c. The attributes of Jehovah are founded upon every principle of strict justice. See again the word when applied to the Son: "If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous." 1 John ii. 1. that is, he is the righteous person in all his acts. The crown of righteousness therefore, Paul looked at as a just reward. He had a right and title to it. Not in his own attainments, or any thing he could do, but that which his glorious head and husband purchased for him; and which to withhold from him would have been an act of injustice, for as Christ by his own righteousness had won it for him, it was but right that it should be bestowed. He then that is lowest in the dust in consequence of his own nothingness, and lives upon the per

son, work, and righteousness of Jesus Christ, is the richest believer. He is well known and much to be seen at the heavenly court. He has daily, hourly communion with Father, Son, and Spirit, and can live in such holy familiarity with the Lord, as to regard him as the sum and substance of all good.

Paul looked on this crown of righteousness with earnest and certain expectation of receiving it: " henceforth," said he, "there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day." He was expecting quickly to enter upon it, being momentarily waiting for his martyrdom, which soon after took place under the persecution of Nero, and which he bore with that holy confidence which belongs to every child of God. But observe what follows, " and not to me only, but unto all them that love his appearing." Pause over this, my brother, for it is the most interesting scripture that you can treasure up in your bosom. Now if you are made acquainted with the plague of your own heart, brought unto a true knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, and have had soul-refreshing views of your oneness with, and interest in him, you will love his appearing as well as Paul did. Though we may not have to go through a red sea of blood to obtain it, yet we have the same crown of righteousness in view that he had, and we may view it as our right, because it is the purchase of the righteousness of God our Saviour: and in him we are all alike made partakers of it, and we shall mutually value the blessing of it hereafter. No sooner will our souls be free from the body of sin and death, but they will be crowned immediately with this crown of righteousness; no sooner will they escape from their prisons, but they will directly join the spirits of just men made perfect in heaven. But the body (which is as much redeemed by the blood of Christ, and as safe as the soul) will sleep in the dust of the grave until the resurrection morning, when body and soul will be re-united, and go away for ever into the joy of the Lord.

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The spirit, I say, shall be taken away by the Lord Jesus Christ to be where he is, immediately after it has left the dead carcase. will he do for all of his in his proper time, and it is his own peculiar work to bring this about. For my part, I am not looking to angels to escort me to heaven-no, no, no! They can do nothing but fulfil his commands; they are only his ministering spirits, sent forth to minister to them who are heirs of salvation, and therefore I am looking above them to the Lord Jesus Christ hiniself, according to his promise" If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am there ye may be also." John xiv. 3. This crown of righteousness then shall be given to all those that love his appearing. Now put the case to your own heart: put yourself to the test, my brother, that you may know how it is with you, and whether you love his appearing or not. Do you love to meet him in the assemblies of his saints ? Do you love to attend the courts where he dwells, and where he is always to be found ?