tent at defiance; ftill to trample on the blood of his Son; ftill to refift the Holy Ghoft? For you then what remaineth, as furely as the Word of God is true, but wrath unchangeable, tribulation and anguish, when the Lord Jefus fhall be revealed in flaming fire to take vengeance on those who know not God, and obey not the Gospel? Repent ye: even yet repent and be faved. But perhaps you are appalled by the apprehenfion that after fo long a period of flavery to the works of the devil, it is too late for you to repent. If these be your only alarms, hear for your encouragement the recorded declaration of God himself. As I live, faith the Lord, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked. Turn ye; turn ye. Why will die? Hear the words of the Prophet, Let the wicked man forfake his and the unrighteous man his paths: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon bim; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. Hear the folemn affurance of Chrift himfelf: Him that cometh unto me I will in no wife caft out. To whom is this language addreffed from above? To you. You avow your belief of the Scriptures. While you credit the Scriptures, is it poffible for you to doubt of Chrift's willingness to re

ye

way,

if ceive, to forgive, and to bless you, you will come umo him that you may have life eternal? Delay then no longer. Put not his forbearance to any farther trial. The time of your continuance on earth may be drawing to a conclufion. The hour of grace may be nearly paft. The last fands of the glass may be running out. Seize the opportunity which is yet afforded to you. Ufe the time which is yet in your power. Come unto the Lord Jefus, and you shall find that he is gracious. Perfevere from this time forward with godly fincerity in faith and love, and holy obedience: and all your former tranfgreffions shall be blotted from his remembrance; and you fhall receive through his merits a crown of glory, an inheritance of blifs that endureth for ever,

1807

SERMON V.

On the Calling of St. Matthew,

MATTH. ix. 9.

And as Jefus passed forth from thence, he
Jaw a man named Matthew fitting at the
receipt of Cuftom: and he faith unto him,
Follow Me. And he arofe and followed
Him.

BEHOLD, exclaimed the voice of Pro

phecy, ere it became filent for four hundred years; Behold the Lord whom ye feek fhall fuddenly come to his Temple, even the Meffenger of the Covenant, in whom ye delight. Behold He fhall come, faith the Lord of Hofts (a). The Lord comes to his Temple. The Spirit of the Lord, he cries, is upon Me; 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.

Many are
Such was

claim liberty to the captives, to comfort all that mourn Come unto Me, and I will give you reft. I am He which giveth 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. called; but fere are chofen (c). the general result. But among the few who obeyed the call, and were chosen, 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 conducted by the course of his narrative to t important event of his own life By profeffion 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 bufinefs to gather the tribute exacted by

(b) Ifaiah, lxi. 1, 2. Matth. xi. 28, 29. John, vi. 33 35(c) John, v. 40. Matth. xxii. 14.

(d) Pfalm xix. 4.

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 themfelves to their rapacious masters. 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 Christian virtue; he impreffes this truth by the

etion; Do not even the publicans the Jame? On another occafion, in order to illuftrate the extreme difgrace, the complete exclufion from fellowship and brotherhood, to be inflicted on every man who fhould disobey 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 fcandalised the Pharifees. Why eateth your Mafter with