judged at his first conversion, that his legal righteousness and his worldly prospects were loss to him compared to Christ—but after many years spent in successfully preaching the gospel of the grace of God-with an authority which none could question-with gifts the most extraordinary—with labours the most prodigious-with sufferings multiplied almost beyond measure, and with an holiness of character so bright and so exemplary, that he could call upon his converts to be followers of him, as he followed Christ—yet, have we heard his determined resolution, nay, his joyful exultation, of deeming all his attainments to be loss in comparison of the most excellent knowledge of his Redeemer. His natural vigour of mind-his decided superiority of talent-his great and extensive learning-his connexions-his interests-his prospects and his friends-all which had seemed to promise him the most flattering prosperity-had been instantly and for ever abandoned;-and in this record of the power of divine grace, we cannot but recognize that same grand and characteristic feature in the Apostle's views, which he has so emphatically stated in the sixth chapter of his epistle to the Galatians, "God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the

world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world."

Nor let it for a moment be imagined, that these views are peculiar to the Apostle Paul, they have purified and supported the Church in every age, and when the mediatorial kingdom of the Redeemer shall end, and the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads—the Hierarchy of Heaven-cherubim and seraphim-angels and arch-angelsthe spirits of the just made perfect-thrones, dominions, principalities and powers, will swell the universal chorus-" Blessing and honour and glory and power be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever."

Here you will permit me to inquire, have we any of this holy fervor which animated the Apostle of the Gentiles? Have we by a living faith accepted Christ as our Prophet, Priest, and King? There is no other name given under heaven among men, whereby we can be saved-are we resting with an undivided reliance on this foundation ? He alone can be acknowledged a true Christian, who has thus accepted the offered mercies of redemption. He alone can be recognized as a true Christian, who can say with St. Paul,

if not in the same degree, yet with equal sincerity-" I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live-yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Let it never be supposed that this is a speculative subject—it is eminently practical, and the person who is so far infatuated as to imagine that the name, the profession, and the external observances of Christianity, may be substituted for that genuine faith in the Redeemer which worketh by love, is indeed diametrically opposed to the inspired Apostle, who thus writes to the Church at Corinth, "the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: and that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again."-2 Cor. v. 14.

But this will lead us to notice another distinguishing feature in the private character of the Apostle, proposed for our imitation.

(3). His unremitting pursuit after that holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.The doctrines of the gospel are doctrines according to godliness. They are as much calculated to produce personal holiness in ourselves, as they manifestly vindicate the right

eous authority of the moral Governor of the world. If on the one hand, they exhibit the abounding mercy of God, reconciling the world unto himself by the vicarious sacrifice of his Son-they do not less forcibly depict on the other hand, the genuine consequences of a cordial reception of the gospel. That same spirit which sanctified the Son that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and make us a peculiar people zealous of good works— is stated in the Scriptures to be the great agent in effecting a moral renovation, in enlightening the mind, subduing the passions, and purifying the heart-" Know ye not," says the Apostle to the Corinthians, (1 Cor. iii. 16) "that ye are the temple of God, and that the spirit of God dwelleth in you"-" if "if any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy." And the same Apostle writing to Titus, lays it down as a general and incontrovertible position, "that the grace of God that bringeth salvation, teacheth us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world." Let us, however, advert to the illustrious pattern before us. If it be the design of the gospel to engage us to aspire at perfection, to renew us after the image of him that created us, to make us even in this life approach the nature

of glorified Saints, and, to say, all in one word, if we are called "to be perfect as our Father who is in Heaven is perfect”—if this be the definition of living Christianity, then was it fully justified in the Apostle of the Gentiles. You have heard his utter renunciation of any righteousness of his own-his fixed determination of cleaving to the cross of Christ;-now let us attend to his holy purpose of pursuing with unwearied diligence and unabating ardour, his heavenly career. "Brethren, (we are quoting the 13th and 14th verses) I count not myself to have apprehended; but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark, for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." Let this be contrasted with what he has stated in the 20th verse, of "his having his conversation in heaven"—and you cannot fail to observe, if I may use the expression of an eminent writer, that "his master, his model, his original, his all, was Jesus Christ; and he copied every stroke of his original, be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ."* St. Paul, so to speak, was an hero in Chris tianity—the same principle that engaged him

* Saurin.