The Sovereignty of His grace." He hath mercy on whom he will have mercy, and he hath compassion on whom he will have compassion."

The Almighty Power of God.-Is any thing too hard for the Lord? What cannot his arm effect? He can break the hardest heart, and tame the proudest spirit. The application of his truth "is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the hearts." The Goodness of God.-O how great is his goodTo the eye of man it seemed most improbable that Saul, the persecutor, should become a vessel of the grace of God. But the Lord seeth not as man seeth. "His thoughts are not our thoughts, neither are his ways our ways." "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out."

ness!

Through the

Let us offer unto God thanksgiving. Conversion of the Apostle Paul we* who live in these latter days, and nations perchance unborn, may be everlastingly benefitted, and in his conversion we have also a striking proof of the truth of Christianity.

Lastly, Let sinners beware of presuming upon God; let penitent souls despair not of his merey: and let the children of God follow St. Paul even as he

* Some have thought that the great Apostle of the Gentiles planted the Gospel in this island between the time of his first imprisonment at Rome and his return to Jerusalem, in which season he preached in Spain and in several western countries.

followed Christ, for thus shall we gratefully remember his conversion if we obey the holy doctrine which he taught. K. H. I.

THE CIRCUMCISION.

January 1st.

BELIEVING that it will be neither uninteresting nor unprofitable to our readers to introduce a notice, from time to time, of the festivals and holy-days which our Church, in conformity with an ancient custom, appoints for the observation of her members, we begin with the first which opens the New Year- The Circumcision.'

The Collect well explains the end for which our Lord was content to submit to this ordinance :Almighty God, who madest thy blessed Son to be circumcised, and obedient to the law for man.' In agreement with the wondrous plan of salvation, according to which God would manifest himself forth in the perfection of justice and mercy, it became the Son to fulfil all righteousness-to comply with every righteous demand which the law had upon us, in our stead; that, that perfect obedience being imputed to us, we that believe might be accounted righteous before God in him. A part of that righteous demand was the ordinance of Circumcision-the "seal of the righteousness of faith" to Abraham-the introductory Sacrament of the Old Testament Church. As it must be quite clear that Christ had no need to be circumcised on his own account, since it could not be the seal and pledge of cleansing from sin to him who

had no sin, we must look for the reasons of the circumcision in the benefits that flow to us therefrom.

1. That we may be assured that he is that very seed of Abraham, in whom all the nations of the earth were blessed. Gen. xii. 3, and xvii. 10; Galat. iv. 4.

2. That it might be evident that he voluntarily humbled himself, and submitted to the law that he might redeem us that were under the law, i. e., under its curse.

3. That he might stamp circumcision, as afterwards he did baptism, with his own authority; shewing them both to be the divinely-appointed signs, seals, and instruments of conveying covenanted blessings alike to the Church of the Old and the New Testaments; as he was the common Saviour even of the circumcised and the uncircumcised.

5. That he might shew that it is he who worketh the true circumcision of the heart in his people. Coloss. ii. 11, 12.

6. That he might teach us by example that the use of the Sacraments which God has appointed in his Church is by no means to be neglected or despised.

The Gospel for the day reminds us of an interesting and significant circumstance that always accompanied circumcision-"his name was called Jesus." We find that as in the case of Isaac so in that of Christ, both being children of the promise, the name was divinely appointed aforehand; marking out the glorious work he was born into the world to fulfil for us. So whilst we meditate with gratitude on this act of Christ done for us, let us remember that our name given us in the corresponding Sacrament of the

New Testament Church-Baptism-is intended perpetually to remind us of what the children of the second birth are called to do for Him.

ADDRESSES TO THE INHABITANTS OF A PARISH WORKHOUSE.

REV. SIR,—I send you some little Addresses to the Inhabitants of a Parish Workhouse.' Should you find them worthy of a place in your valuable Publication, it may be interesting to the reader to know that they were written nearly ten years since, expressly for the use of the poor and aged in a parish in Cornwall, and read weekly to them. That on my revisiting the spot a few months since, I found the instruction they contained had been remembered by some of the few survivors; and that others, who had peacefully and hopefully departed, had expressed themselves as having derived comfort and advantage from them. J. L. W.

INTRODUCTORY ADDRESS.

Ir has often been a subject of painful reflection to me, when I have visited you from time to time, that amongst so many who are fast hastening to "the house appointed for all living," (Job xxx. 23,) so few seem concerned in the great question of their salvation. I have thought again and again in what manner most forcibly to press on your minds the solemn truth that this life, which the holy Psalmist tells us "in its best estate is altogether vanity," (Psalm xxxix. 5) is with all of you far advanced, with many nearly at its close, and to ask you the solemn question whether you have

seriously thought of preparing for another? I have said to myself as I have passed by your house, alas! why do these poor people waste their few remaining precious moments in idleness, or constant attention to their bodily wants, and neglect the great concerns of their never-dying souls? Why are they so busy and curious about the worldly affairs and actions of their neighbours, and spend so little of their time-bestow so few of their thoughts-on reforming their own lives, or searching into their own hearts? Do they think, because obliged from age and infirmity to give up the active business of life, they have no work left to do? Alas! the great work is perhaps with some of them not yet commenced. The work of preparation for a world of endless duration; a life of which this, though spun out as in many of you beyond the natural age of man, is but a beginning. Whilst all this has passed in my mind, with many a sorrowful regret, another solemn thought has presented itself to it. Has God given me leisure and opportunity, with some knowledge of his word, and am I acting as a just steward in shutting it up from his poor people? and I have returned home resolved, if God grant me grace, to put before you, in as plain a manner as I am able, the great truths of the religion of Jesus Christ, as set forth to us in his holy word. Amongst the inmates of this dwelling, I have considered that some are too infirm to attend the public worship of God, others, from dimness of sight, or want of instruction in their youth, are incapable of reading his word at home. That there are the ignorant who will want to be instructed in their duty, and the careless who will require to be reminded of it. We are told to "add