SERMON V.

On the Calling of St. Matthew.

MATTH. ix. 9.

And as Jefus palled forth from thence, he faw a man named Matthew fitting at the receipt of Custom: and he faith unto him, Follow Me. And be arofe and followed"

Him.

hundred

years;

BEHOLD, exclaimed the voice of Prophecy, ere it became filent for fourBehold the Lord whom ye feek fhall fuddenly come to his Temple, even the Meffenger of the Covenant, in whom ye delight. Behold He hall come, faith the Lord of Hofis (a). The Lord comes to his Temple. The Spirit of the Lord, he cries, is upon Mé; because He hath anointed Me to preach good tidings unto the meek: He hath fent Me to bind up the broken-hearted, to pro

(a) Malachi, iii. 1.

claim liberty to the captives, to comfort all that mourn. Come unto Me, and I

you reft.

life unto the world (b). Does not the world flock to welcome the invitation? Hear. the words of the Son of God: Ye will not come unto Me that ye might have life.

I am He which giveth will give

Many are
Such was

called; but few are chofen (c).
the general refult, But among the few
who obeyed the call, and were chofen,
were thofe, who became, the inftruments
of calling unborn multitudes to falvation.
Their voice is gone out through all the earth,
and their words to the end of the world (d).
Such was St. Matthew.

In pursuing the history of the Redeemer of the world, the Evangelift is conducted by the courfe of his narrative to the most important event of his own life. By profeflion he was a publican; a collector of the public revenue, a receiver of the taxes which the Jews paid to the Roman government. On feveral accounts the Publicans were extremely odious to their countrymen: partly, because it was their business to gather the tribute exacted by

(b) Isaiah, lxi. 1, 2.

33.35.

(d) Pfalm, xix, 4.

Matth. xi. 28, 29. John, vi. (c) John, v. 40. Matth. xxii. 14.

the enemy, to whom the land of Ifrael was now in fubjection: partly, because the intercourfe in which their occupation engaged them with foreigners and idolaters, rendered them, in the eyes of their own nation, unclean and profane; and partly, because, in executing their office they were proverbially guilty of extortion, with a view to encrease their own emolument, or to recommend themselves to their rapacious mafters. Of the contempt and hatred with which they were beheld you difcern repeated proofs in the Gofpels. When our Lord inftructs his difciples, that for a man to love only his brethren and those who love him is a very low degree of Chriftian virtue; he impreffes this truth by the question, Do not even the publicans the fame? On another occafion, in order to illuftrate the extreme difgrace, the complete exclufion from fellowship and brotherhood, to be inflicted on every man who should difobey the apoftolical authority of the Church; he delivers this direction: Let him be unto thee as a heathen man, and a Publican. The condefcenfion of Chrift in admitting Publicans into fociety with Him difgufted and fcandalifed the Pharifees. Why eateth your Mafler

with Publicans and finners? Behold a friend of Publicans and finners! The name of Publican was in fact fo detefted, that the term finner was almoft invariably coupled with it by the Jews. The extenfivenefs and the general truth of the charge of extortion advanced against the Publicans are confirmed by the reply of John the Baptist, when they came to his baptifm, and demanded of him; Mafter, what shall we do? Exact no more, he answered, than that which is appointed you. Yet from this

obnoxious clafs of men our Lord felected an Apostle, Why? Poffibly for various reafons unknown to us, but manifeft to the unerring wifdom of the Son of God. Some, however, of his motives appear dif cernible. By this proceeding he probably defigned to abate the extravagant violence of Jewith prejudice against Publicans, and other despised and abhorred portions of the human race: to fhew that he was able and ready to bestow repentance unto life on the vileft of finners and to prove that his Gofpel needed not the aid of human favour for its fupport, but fhould overcome all oppofition through the might of that God, who by the feebleft inftrument can accomplish the most arduous purpose.

When

When St. Matthew heard the call of Christ, what was his conduct? He arose and followed him. Such is his own modest account. St. Luke, in his narrative of the fame tranfaction, expreffes the circum-ftances more ftrongly: He left all rofe up, and followed him (e). He immediately abandoned his lucrative employment, forLook his patrons, his friends, his wealth, his home, to become the conftant attendant of a perfecuted Mafter, who had not where to lay his head.

If any man ferve me, faith our, Lord, let him follow me (ƒ). Every person is called upon, like this eminent Apoftle, to follow Chrift. Every perfon who would obtain - falvation, muft, like him, leave all, and varife, and follow Chrift. Not that we are required, under the ordinary difpenfations of Providence, to relinquifh our poffeffions, our occupations, our friends, and our families. On the contrary, we are to serve Chrift with our poffeffions, by our occupations, among our friends, in the bofom of our families. In what refpects then is every one of us at prefent required to leave all, and to rife and follow Chrift? According to the nature of the obligation in