and by Him, that precious Gospel. which is, indeed, an invaluable treasure. Oh! Lord, receive our unfeigned thanks for the same; and enable us, in all the dispensations of Thy Providence, to cherish its precious Faith and its sustaining Hope. Oh! may its Faith work by love, in all our hearts, and its Hope prove to be as an anchor to our souls, both sure aud steadfast, causing us to rejoice in the blissful assurance of another and a better world, where God, with his own hand, shall wipe away tears from off all faces; where there shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor crying; neither shall there be any more pain, for the former things are passed away.

Help us to rejoice continually before Thy face, and to do the whole duty of the sincere Christian; to be constant in season and out of season; to visit the widow and fatherless; to raise up the bowed down; to relieve the afflicted; and to do justly; love mercy, and walk humbly before God; that our hearts may be at rest, and that we may realize, by experience, the truth of the declaration of Thy inspired servant, "Great peace have they who love Thy law, and nothing shall offend them.

And now, Father, we commit ourselves to

Thy supreme direction; and our only desire is, what wilt Thou have me to do? Give us wisdom from on high, to direct us aright; and light to shine in upon our pathway, that we may see clearly our duty. Forgive all our sins, and ultimately save us with an everlasting salvation, together with a ransomed universe, through Jesus Christ, the Redeemer. AMEN.

SERMON VII.

SUBJECTION TO THE DIVINE GOV

ERNMENT.

BY REV. J. P. ATKINSON, WESTBROOK.

HEBREWS XII: 9.

"FURTHERMORE, WE HAVE HAD FATHERs of our flesh,

WHO CORRECTED US, and we gave them REVERENCE; SHALL WE NOT MUCH RATHER BE IN SUBJECTION UNTO

THE FATHER OF SPIRITS, AND LIVE?"

THE AUTHOR of our text, was possessed of a very different spirit and feeling, when he advanced the beautiful sentiment which it breathes forth, than when denying the Lord that bought him-ridiculing the Christian religion, and manifesting an implacable hostility toward all those who believed in, and were governed by, the glorious principles of Chris

tianity. Led on by a zeal "not according to knowledge," St. Paul, before his conversion, exerted every faculty that he possessed, to destroy the followers of the Son of God. He caused the defenceless and harmless to be bound in chains, and thrust into damp and dismal dungeons, for their attachment to the blessed Redeemer of the world. Having long made havoc of the church of Christ, he had persuaded himself with the vain expectation that he should entirely destroy it. Obtaining letters and authority from the chief priests, he proceeded to Damascus, under the influence of the most malignant passions, to put the detestible purpose which he had formed, into execution. But while on his way to that devoted city, the paradise on earth, as the Orientals designate it, a glorious light from heaven, far outshining the splendor of the sun, suddenly burst upon him, carrying conviction to his benighted understanding, and plainly exhibiting the enormity of the enterprize in which he was engaged. He was prostrated to the earth; the rebuking voice of that Jesus whom he had so cruelly persecuted, in his humble followers, reaches his ear; it was a voice that completely disarmed this proud and self-righteous Phari

see.

"Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?" was the gentle voice which saluted his ear, in strains of persuasive eloquence. He was constrained to listen to the persecuted Redeemer. He answered mildly and calmly, "Who art thou, Lord?" The Savior replied, "I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.”

Conviction was now forced upon his mind. His persecuting disposition was removed; his soul was melted to conviction and love; and instead of burning with mad zeal to arrest the progress of the Christian religion, and exterminate the disciples of the Lord of life and glory, he raised his soul to heaven, and sincerely and ardently prays, “Lord,

what is it thou wouldst have me to do?"

He was directed to proceed onward to Damascus, where he would be properly instructed in relation to the mind and will of Jehovah, concerning his future life, and in the doctrine of which he was destined to be an able defender.

Arriving at Damascus, "One Ananias, a devout man, according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews, who dwelt there, came to him, and said, brother Saul, receive thy sight. And he said, the God of our fa