may not see us, but Christ always does: he looks into all our actions, and into all our souls. Saul is on his way to Damascus, unobserved by the disciples, who were now accounted as sheep for the slaughter: but the Shepherd of the flock who watches around them, sees the enemy coming to devour, gives the alarm, and stops him in his wild career-" Saul, Saul, why perse.

cutest thou me?"

III. The kindness or injuries done to his people, Christ considers as done to himself.

When the righteous answer him, saying, "Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee; or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in; or naked, and clothed thee; or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? Then the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." And as he graciously notices all the kindnesses shewn them for his sake, so he will resent the injuries that are offered. "Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm," is his language to their enemies; "for he that toucheth them toucheth the apple of mine eye." Thus the Saviour addressed the enraged Saul : "Why persecutest thou me ?" These poor people at Damascus, however mean and despised, and whom thou followest with unrelenting rage, thirsting after their blood, are my people: I acknowledge them as part of myself, bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh. Their miseries I account as mine: in all their afflictions I am afflicted, and am touched with the feeling of their infirmities.

Let persecutors think of this and tremble: in dis-' tressing Christ's disciples, they grieve and affront their Lord and Master. The union between Christ and his

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to thee, as if the Saviour had said, and to thee only. Hence we are told that his companions heard a voice, 'but knew not what was said: to them it was an unintelligible sound, but by him to whom it was addressed it was perfectly understood. Ministers in preaching the word, speak to all their hearers, and not to one more than another: their language is, "Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of men." But Christ speaks to the individual, and does not speak in vain. They draw the bow at a venture; but he aims at a certain mark, and never misses his aim.

It

is true, he now speaks by the ministry of the word; but his sheep only hear his voice. Ministers speak to the ear only, and can do no more; but he speaks to the heart. Of the Thessalonian believers it is said, "When ye received the word of God, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God which effectually worketh also in you that believe." Others heard it, and received it, but not in the way that they did.-Farther: Christ's call was not only personal and special, but earnest and pressing. There is something vehement and affectionate in the address: Saul, Saul! The Lord saw the danger he was in, that he was rushing on to ruin: he therefore warns him with a loud voice from heaven, and both pities and pardons his delusion. We see here that all intercourse between Christ and the sinner begins on Christ's part: none seek him till they are sought by him. His mercy is preventing mercy, and previous to any inclination or endeavours on our part to seek after him.

VI. Persecution is a great sin, and when brought home to the conscience of an awakened sinner, it is found to be so.

It is so unreasonable as to admit of no defence. Jesus asks the reason of Saul's conduct, "Why perse

cutest thou me ?" But no reason can be given, no excuse be made. When God heard the complaints of Job, he thus addressed him: "Gird up thy loins like a man, for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me." Similar to this is the import of Christ's language to the persecutor. What account canst thou give; what reason canst thou render for thy conduct? Saul, Saul, what art thou doing? Why persecutest

thou me ?

1. Is there any reason on my part? What injury have I done thee? what provocation have I given thee? Which of my offices offend thee? what part of my character or conduct makes me obnoxious to thy resentment? Art thou cruel because I am merciful? and because I am ready to pardon, art thou implacable? For which of my good works dost thou persecute me?

2. Is there any reason on the part of my people? Have they not learned of me to be meek and lowly in heart? Because they are my disciples, are they therefore worse parents or children, subjects or servants, friends or neighbours? Do piety towards God, and benevolence towards men, render them unfit for society, that they should not be suffered to live? Nay, are they not the salt of the earth, and the light of the world? So far from deserving censure, do they not merit praise? and instead of being thus opposed, are they not worthy of imitation?-Saul, why persecutest thou me?

3. Is there any reason on thy part? By whom art thou commissioned and authorised? Who invested thee with power to torment the bodies of men, and to tyrannize over their consciences? Do these disciples differ from thee; and dost thou not differ as much from them? Dost thou claim a right to judge for thyself; and have they not the same right? What sovereignty hast thou over the understanding; what dominion over the faith of another? Who made thee thy brother's

MARK X. 26.

Who then can be saved?

If we had heard Christ speaking to the young ruler, we also, might have been astonished at his doctrine. Amiable and lovely as this youth appeared, Jesus saw that he was far from the kingdom of heaven, and that notwithstanding his strict observance of moral precepts, his love of the world was incompatible with a state of salvation. The enquirer went away grieved: and Jesus looking on his disciples, made the following reflections: "How hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God-And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved ?"

Most men think it a very easy matter to be saved: they imagine they have to do with a God so made up of love and mercy, that if they do but abstain from the grosser acts of sin, and go on in a round of duty, or if they do but with their dying lips acknowledge that they have done amiss, and ask forgiveness, he will not find in his heart to reject them, but that all will be well. They do not consider that he who is gracious and merciful is also holy and righteous, and that as he pardoneth iniquity, transgression and sin, so he will by no means clear the guilty. Some dream of general grace, and others of general redemption; but if things were so, instead of asking, Who then can be saved,

it might rather be said, Who then can be lost. According to the notions of some men, the way to heaven is so wide that few can miss it; whereas he who is the faithful and true witness hath assured us, that it is so strait that few shall find it. The difficulties of salvation however do not arise from the want of power in God, for nothing is too hard for him he can as easily save a world as he could at first create one. Nor does it arise from any want of sufficiency in Christ; for "he is able to save to the uttermost them that come unto God by him;" yes, to the uttermost of our desires and necessities, and in the last extremity. He not only pardons, but abundantly pardons: he justifies freely and fully even from all things, from which we could not be justified by the law of Moses: he sanctifies wholly, in body, soul, and spirit: gives to the most unworthy a title to heaven, and works a meetness for it in the most polluted. The difficulties therefore arise from the nature of salvation itself, and our sinful aversion to it. We are weak and impotent, obstinate and incorrigible creatures: we will not frame our doings to turn unto God, or the Saviour, that we might have life. We will neither obey the precepts of the law, nor rely upon the grace of the gospel: we cannot save ourselves, and are not willing that God should save us. Considering our natural depravity, and the deplorable condition of mankind, we may well wonder and say, Who indeed can be saved?

I. Let us notice more particularly some of the difficulties in the way of our salvation.

1. The truths to be believed are some of them very mysterious, and, as Peter says, "Hard to be understood." There is nothing in divine revelation contrary to reason, but there may be many things that are beyond it: nothing that is inconsistent, but some things that are incomprehensible. What is said of the divine