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XII.

THE NOMINAL CHRISTIAN BROUGHT TO DECISION.

No transaction which this world ever witnesses is half so important as the humble submission of a sinner unto God, by faith in Jesus Christ. When the light of divine truth has dissipated the mists and errors of his natural condition, and, amidst the conflicting and unutterable emotions of his mind, he is constrained to cry out, "Lord, save, or I perish," that point is gained to which all the persuasions and entreaties of the gospel are designed to lead him, and upon which he will look back for ever with inconceivable interest and delight. How thankful shall I be, beloved reader, if to this point you are now prepared to come. Delivered from a thousand evil influences which have hitherto deceived you, and constrained by the vast encouragement which the Gospel supplies, it only remains that you follow the plain instructions of the word of life, to find yourself safe and happy on the bosom of the Saviour.

Reference has already been made to the case of Saul of Tarsus, as presenting a close parallel to that of the nominal Christian, in its privileges and its responsibilities; its prejudices and its difficulties. It is properly adduced as a specimen, both of the nature and transcendent importance of conversion unto God. His pride was severely wounded, before he was brought to renounce all dependence upon his personal excellences and his religious privileges; and it was after a severe

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conflict with himself, and in deep anguish of heart, that he first prayed unto God for mercy. But in that hour when he first yielded himself at the feet of Jesus, a decision was taken from which he never looked back; a decision which gave the character to all his future life; which rendered him happy in sufferings, and triumphant in death; and upon the principles of which he now serves God and enjoys him in heaven. You need not be ashamed to acknowledge yourself, at this moment, the subject of a struggle similar to his; much less need you fear to copy his example and repeat his decision. It has occurred to me, that I cannot better help your decision, than by fixing your thoughts upon his. His own frequent references to it will help us to trace its process, and to understand its principles. At every point, the correspondence between your present state and his, at the time when he entered Damascus, will be found to be marked and striking. the result may correspond also! Why should it not? The one thing that decided him is that which must decide you. "Let me have joy of thee in the Lord, my brother."

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I. The discoveries of divine truth, out of which his decisions arose, were precisely those which are now before you. He had enjoyed all the advantages of a visible relation to the kingdom of God, as it was then administered, even from his infancy. Nor could the youth who was brought up in Jerusalem, at the feet of Gamaliel," at the very time when Jesus exercised his personal ministry and established the new dispensation, be ignorant of his history, or without strong inducements to examine his claims. Indeed, he teaches us to

regard his opposition to Christianity as sincere and conscientious; whilst he lost sight of the spiritual nature of religion altogether, and rested his hopes for eternity upon his privileged position, his general consistency, and his religious formality. It was enough for him that he was "called a Jew." But, as in your case, God in his mercy brought "the truth as it is in Jesus distinctly before him. The means by which his attention was gained were extraordinary and unusual, but the truth itself was the same as has been pressed upon your notice. When 'the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Jesus Christ," shone into his mind, immediately he saw all things differently. His views were at once completely changed; and those discoveries which at first roused his indignation, and mortified his pride, became, upon reflection, the occasion of serious disquietude and deep anxiety. To be "called a Jew," and have a share in all the outward distinctions of God's people, he now saw to be a mere vanity; involving, indeed, solemn responsibilities, but conveying no spiritual grace, and presenting no foundation for "hope towards God." It now appeared to him clear as day, that "he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh; but that he is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit and not in the letter, whose praise is not of men but of God." His "blameless" morality in the sight of men served only to show him more clearly his utter destitution of righteousness before God; when the amazing purity of the divine law, reaching to "the thoughts

and intents of the heart," slew all his longcherished hopes, and scattered all his dreams of personal goodness and divine acceptance. The sinfulness of "evil desire" flashed upon his view, when the law said, "Thou shalt not covet," and he learned, that "in his flesh, there dwelleth no good thing." He saw now, that there was in his case a radical and condemning deficiency, notwithstanding all his supposed virtues, and boasted self-commendations. His misimproved means of knowledge became at once the measure of his guilt. He saw his danger, he felt his need of pardon, and of a better righteousness than his own to justify him before God; he was compelled to renounce all dependence upon himself, and to confess that he was entirely dependent upon the divine mercy. However his proud spirit might revolt at the discovery, the statements of gospel truth were then, as now, too plain to be deliberately mistaken; and however his unbelief might labour to justify his continued refusal to rely upon the merits of Jesus for acceptance with God, nothing was plainer than the solemn assurance, "If ye believe not that I am he, you shall die in your sins." To open his mind, therefore, to the instructions of the gospel was his only alternative, nor could he find any rest to his spirit, until he did so in sincerity, and humility, and faith. His own deliberate review of his decision, many years afterwards, when he had both done and suffered much in the cause of the Saviour, and when he knew not but that the martyr's crown was immediately before him, is exactly to this effect. "If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more circumcised

the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. But what

things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: that I may win Christ, and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith," Phil. iii. 4-9, comp. with Rom. vii. Thus it was that he obtained relief from the painful apprehensions of everlasting misery which the discovery of his deficiency and guilt had awakened, and that he pledged himself to the new course which he subsequently pursued; and pursued with unmingled satisfaction and joy to the close of life.

II. His decision was not however an easy affair. Nor was it the business only of an hour. Much was gained when on the road to Damascus he fell to the earth, "and trembling and astonished, said " unto Jesus, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" But it was not until the third day afterwards that it was said to Ananias concerning him, "Behold, he prayeth." All the difficulty, indeed, was within himself; and it aggravated his guilt, as your reluctance to embrace the Saviour aggravates yours. The emotions of mind under which his decision was taken, were very similar to those which you now experience. The fact that nothing but a cordial submission to "God in

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