24. And his fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatic, and those that had the palsy and he healed them.

25. And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judea, and from beyond Jordan.

Multitudes, it appears, followed Jesus, attracted by his miracles and his discourses. Out of this crowd he selected, as his disciples, those whom he saw most fit for his purpose. "He called them." And such power of the Holy Ghost accompanied his call, that they immediately obeyed.

Do not however suppose, that in this call there was any thing so peculiar, as to make it inapplicable to ourselves. We are not indeed invited, we should not commonly be permitted, to relinquish our respective stations. But with this exception, the same call is made to every one of us. To us the gospel speaks in the same tone of authority, as that in which Jesus addressed these men of Galilee; and there he himself commands us, "Follow me." Believe me, as the true Messiah; receive me as sent of God to redeem your soul; yield yourself up to me as your Lord; obey my commandments, and tread in my steps. Let no present interests delay you; come, leave all, and follow me. there is any thing sinful to which you are attached, leave it. If any worldly consideration stands in the way of duty, and prevents your "seeking first the kingdom of God," leave it, as you value your

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salvation.—Such is the language which the gospel of Christ addresses to every living man.

But surely, you will think, there was something peculiar in the choice which selected these apostles out of the great multitudes who attended our Lord. From the many thousand persons in that land, who were of the same age and occupation, these were chosen to receive and to convey the tidings of redemption.

But so are we likewise the subjects of peculiar mercy. It is equally the gift of God's sovereign grace, that we are called by baptism to be his servants; that the means of grace, and the hope of glory, are set before us. How many millions, how many hundreds of millions are there in the world, to whom the names of Creator, of Redeemer, are unknown! And "who made us to differ" from these?

Still further. Of those who have been baptized in the name of Christ, are there not a fearful number, to whom, as far as we can judge, baptism has been a vain ceremony? who have never claimed the privilege of their birth? or even have "denied the Lord that bought them," and, by rejecting his commands, have "put him to an open shame ?" If any of us, then, are in a happier state; if we have resolutely taken up the Saviour's yoke, and are daily desiring to learn his will, and to be led by his Spirit: if out of the many that are called, we may hope to be among the few that are chosen; to what shall we attribute this but to God's un

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deserved mercy towards us? Whatever holy desires we feel, or good counsels we follow, or just works we perform, they all, as we are early taught to acknowledge, "proceed from God:" and I am quite sure, that whoever has been blessed by the influence of the Holy Ghost, in putting "a new heart and a right spirit" within him, will join with St. Paul in saying, "By the grace of God I am what I am;" whoever has "mortified the flesh, with the affections and lusts," and "set his af fections on things above," has "ceased to do evil, and learnt to do well," in obedience to his Saviour's precepts, will confess, nay thankfully avow, "yet not I, but the grace of God that was with

me."

To him then ascribe the glory. "As it is written: he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord." Every recollection of mercies received must have the effect of humbling us, when we compare what has been done for us with the poor return we have made. Let it also dispose us to seek an increase of grace, that we may prove ourselves sensible of the distinguishing mercy shown us, and walk more and more worthily of the vocation wherewith we have been called.

'Second Collect for Evening prayer.

Luke vi. 20-26.

LECTURE VIII.

THE BEATITUDES.

MATT. V. 1-12.

1. And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain; and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:

2. And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying, 3. Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

We are instructed in these sentences, who are the persons, and what are the characters, which we ought really to esteem as happy. Our Lord must not be understood as merely pronouncing a solemn blessing upon such and such qualities; the word which he uses shows, that it was his intention to declare who among mankind are entitled to be described as happy. Let us then turn a deaf ear to the opinions of the world, which have not yet been brought into conformity with the opinions of Christ. Let us consider that "we are all here present before God," to hear the truths which he has sanctioned; to hear, upon the most important of all concerns, the declarations of a judgment which can neither deceive nor be deceived.

We are first assured, that the poor in spirit are blessed the humble and lowly-minded; for they are willing to seek the kingdom of heaven on the terms on which it is offered; they are in the right frame of heart to receive the Saviour, and "he

gives them power to become the sons of God." (John i. 12.) The too common sentiment of fallen man is that expressed in Revelations iii. 17, which says, "I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing." The sentiment which the gospel inculcates is, Lord, we are "wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:" clothe us with the "white raiment" of thy righte ousness, "that the shame of our nakedness do not appear." (Ibid 17, 18.) Paul therefore was blessed, when he exclaimed, "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all long suffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.” (1 Tim. i. 15.) This is the renewed or Christian state of mind; it "humbles itself in the sight of God." And therefore it is blessed; for God will "lift it up." 4. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

The mourning here intended is not any sorrow; "the sorrow of the world worketh death." (See 2 Cor. vii. 10.) No blessing attends grief like that of Esau, who exclaims, (Gen. xxvii, 36,) "Is not he rightly named Jacob? for he hath supplanted me these two times: he took away my birth-right; and behold, now he hath taken away my blessing.'

But the mourning which is "blessed," is either "godly sorrow" properly so called; sorrow for having offended God by sin; or even sorrow which has a worldly source, if it "leads to repentance."