wicked to Pharisees and formalists, as the doctrine I maintain. They lose all patience, when they hear that Christ really manifests himself to his servants. No blasphemy like this in the account of those, who are wise, learned and prudent in their own eyes.* Secondly, that the most exalted saints need a fresh manifestation of the glory, love, and presence of Christ, that they may depart this life in the triumph of faith.`

If you object, that Stephen was thus favoured, because he was about to suffer for Christ, and, that it would be great presumption to expect the like support, I reply, in the five following observations. 1. We are called to suffer for Christ as well as Stephen, though perhaps not in the same manner and degree. 2. We often need as much support from Christ, to stand against the Children of men that are set on fire, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongues a sharp sword; and to quench the fiery darts of the devil, as the martyr did to stand a shower of stones. 3. It is perhaps as hard to be racked with the gout, or to burn several days in a fever on a sick bed, as you or I may be forced to do, as to be for a few

Reader, if this appear so to thee, thou hast need of better teaching.

est at the right hand of God to succour all those, who suffer for thee."

You see, Sir, that I have the suffrage of the Church of England; and yours too, if you do not renounce our excellent liturgy; so that, if I am an enthusiast for expecting to be filled with the Holy Ghost, and by faith to behold the glory that shall be revealed, as well as St. Stephen, I am coun-" tenanced by a multitude of the best and greatest men in the world.

But suppose you reject the testimony of St. Stephen, and of all our Clergy (when in the desk) touching the reality and the necessity too of our Lord's manifesting himself on earth, after his ascension into heaven, receive at least that of St. Luke' and St. Paul. They both inform us, that as Saul of Tarsus went to Damascus, the Lord, even Jesus, appeared to him in the way. Suddenly there shone a light from heaven above the brightness of the sun, so that he fell to the earth, and heard a voice, saying, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, who art thou Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus, whom thou persecutest. So powerful was the effect of this manifestation of Christ, that the sinner was turned into a saint, and the

fierce, blaspheming persecutor, into a weeping, praying apostle."

Methinks I hear you say, True, into an apostle, but are we called to be apostles? No, Sir, but we are called to be christiansto be converted from sin to holiness, and from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of God's dear Son. St. Paul's call to the apostleship is nothing to his being made a child of God. Judas was a

tian by profession, an apostle by call, and a devil by nature. And what is Judas in his own place to the meanest of God's children? to poor Lazarus in Abraham's bosom? All, who go to heaven, are first turned from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God. This turning sometimes begins by a manifestation of Christ; witness the authentic account of Colonel. Gardner's conversion, published by his judicious friend Dr. Doddridge; and the more authentic one of our apostle's conversion, recorded three times by St. Luke. And I dare advance upon the authority of one greater than St. Luke, that no one's conversion ever was completed without the revelation of the Son of God to his heart.* I am the way and the door, says Jesus, no

***

this

Reader! believest thou this?

man cometh to the Father but by me. Look unto me, and be ye saved, all ye ends of the earth. Our looking to him for salvation would be to as little purpose, was he not to manifest himself to us, as our looking towards the east for light, if the sun were not to rise upon us.

On

The revelation of Christ, productive of St. Paul's conversion, was not the only one with which the apostle was favoured." "At Corinth the Lord encouraged and spake to him in the night by a vision. Be not afraid but speak and hold not thy peace; for I am with thee, and no man shall hurt thee." another occasion, to wean him more from earth, Christ favoured him with the nearest views of heaven. "I knew a man in Christ, says he, whether in the body or out of the body, I cannot tell, who was caught up into the third heaven into paradise, and heard words, which it is not possible for man to utter." And he informs us farther, that lest he should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, a messenger of Satan was suffered to buffet him. When he had been brought before the Sanhedrim for preaching the gospel, St. Luke informs us, that "the night following, the Lord stood by him, and said, be of good cheer, Paul; for as