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MATTH. ix. 9.

And as Jefus passed forth from thence, be for a man named Matthew fitting at the receipt of Cuftom: and he faith unto him, Follow Me. And be 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; becaufe He hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek: He hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to pro(a) Malachi, iii. 1.

claim

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. Many are called; but few are chofen (c). Such was 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 hiftory 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 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 business to gather the tribute exacted by

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(b) Ifaiah, Ixi. 1, 2. Matth. xi. 28, 29. John, vi. (r) John, v.140. Matth. xxii. 14.

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(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 view to encrease their own emolument, or to recommend themfelves 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 s to love only his brethren and those who love him is a very low degree of Christian virtue; he impreffes this truth by the question; Do not even the publicans the Jame? On another occafion, in order to illuftrate the extreme difgrace, the complete exclufion from fellowship and bro therhood, to be inflicted on every man who should disobey the apoftolical autho-67 rity of the Church; he delivers this direction : Let him be unto thee as a heathen man, and a Publican. The condefcenfion of Christ in admitting Publicans into fos le ciety with Him difgufted and fcandalifedo) the Pharifees. Why eateth your Mafler

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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 almost invariably coupled with it by the Jews. The extensiveness and the general truth of the charge of extortion advanced against the Publicans are confirmed by the reply of John the Baptift, when they came to his baptifm, and demanded of him; Mafter, what shall we do? Exact no more, he anfwered, than that which is appointed you. Yet from this obnoxious class of men our Lord felected an Apostle. Why? Poffibly for various reafons unknown to us, but manifeft to the unerring wisdom 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 Jewish prejudice against Publicans, and other defpifed and abhorred portions of the human race; to fhew that he was able and ready to bestow repentance unto life on the vilest 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.

account.

3.99

When St. Matthew heard the call of Chrift, what was his conduct? He arofe and followed him. Such is his own modeft St. Luke, in his narrative of the fame tranfaction, expreffes the circumftances more strongly: He left all; rofe up, and followed him (e). He immediately abandoned his lucrative employment, forfook his patrons, his friends, his wealth, his home, to become the constant attendant of a perfecuted Mafter, who had not where to lay his head.

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If any man ferve me, faith our Lord, let bim follow me (f). Every perfon is called upon, like this eminent Apoftle, to follow Chrift. Every perion who would obtain falvation, muft, like him, leave all, and arife, and follow Chrift. Not that we are required, under the ordinary difpenfations of Providence, to relinquish our poffeffions, our occupations, our friends, and our fami lies. On the contrary, we are to ferve Chrift with our poffeffions, by our occu pations, among our friends, in the bofom of our families. In what respects 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

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(s) Luke, v. 28.

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(ƒ) John, xii. 26.

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