He who knows Christ spiritually has the law of God written, by the Spirit, on his heart. He feels his own insufficiency; knows the SPIRIT of the New Testament, and is sensible that the LETTER will not save, but destroy men's souls. He is delivered from the ministration of death, rejoices in Christ Jesus, and has no confidence in the flesh. He beholds heaven opened, and God reconciled through Christ. The veil is removed from his heart. The god of this world holds him no more in blindness. What a difference between the state of the earth when in darkness, and when God said, "Let there be light, and there was light." Such is the difference between his state, as now renewed and illuminated, from what it was in a state of nature. He rejoices in the prospect of being with Jesus and sharing in his resurrection. He can enter into the full meaning of the Apostle's words, in the close of the foregoing chapter, with which I shall conclude "We also believe, and therefore speak, knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus, shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you. For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal."

SERMON XII.

THE CONVERSION OF ST. MATTHEW.

Luke, ch. v. ver. 27-33.

After these things he went forth, and saw a publican named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said unto him, Follow me, and he left all, rose up, and followed him. And Levi made him a great feast in his own house: and there was a great company of Publicans, and of others that sat down with them. But their Scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with Publicans and Sinners? And Jesus answering, said unto them, They that are whole, need not a Physician; but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

THIS story is full of instruction: Very much of the power of true grace is displayed in it; of grace as it is in the Most High, effectually converting one dead in trespasses and sins; and grace as it is experimentally exercised in the heart and practice of a true convert. The holy, meek, condescending, and gracious character of the divine Saviour is exhibited, to the great encouragement of needy, broken-hearted sinners. The nature of true repentance also evinces itself in a renunciation of all self-righteous hopes, and in a hearty, thankful embracing of so suitable a Saviour as Jesus is briefly,

yet strongly, declared to be. We likewise see the Pharisaic spirit of those who are too good to need the Son of God to shed his blood for them, and too righteous to want converting grace, exposed or rebuked.

These topics have all, from time to time, been laid before you; but there are different lights and views in which the same things may be exhibited; and variety may yet be displayed, even on those gospel subjects which have the greatest unity and simplicity. Our present plan then shall be to go through a plain expository view of this narrative. It may please God to impress us as we go along with views adapted to each part of the story, and to furnish us with suitable matter of comfort, instruction, rebuke, and correction.

I said "a plain expository view." To be very studious in quest of the ornaments of speech ill becomes, in general, a Minister of Christ, and is ill adapted to christian subjects. But in what relates to heart-work, to the application of divine things to the conscience, it is peculiarly unsuitable.

My speech and my preaching," says the Apostle, "was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power." A negligent plainness will most powerfully reach those hearts, who are likely to be benefited by thoughts which are purely spiritual. As for those who love to have their ears tickled with smooth language, and are looking only for entertainment in well-turned periods, instead of desiring the words of eternal life, they ought not to be gratified; nor can they but at the expence of divine truth itself. For

such is its nature, that it cannot endure an ornamented style. It loses much of its strength, generally speaking, when clothed in such a dress. The Holy Spirit will have nothing at all to do with the laboured oratory, which is calculated to raise that kind of sensations in which many persons think the feelings of true virtue consist.

"He went forth and saw a publican named Levi."-The Lord of life is just going to display one of those godlike acts of mercy and power, in which he chiefly delights: To open a sinner's eyes, and turn him “from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that he may receive. forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among the sanctified by faith" in himself.-To raise the dead is an astonishing display of divine power; but it is neither so powerful, nor so gracious an act as this, to quicken a soul that is "dead in trespasses and sins." We are all so by nature as soon as we were born, we went astray and spoke lies. To know God; to love him; to delight in him; to put our whole trust in him; to glorify him; and to place our eternal happiness in enjoying him as our portion, for these things man was created; but these things he lost in the Fall: We were in Adam when he fell: We lost them by that event, and matter of fact shows, that not these, but very opposite dispositions prevail in us from the womb.

Some are of quick, others of slow parts: some by nature are vigorous and active; sanguine and choleric: Others, as naturally, inactive and slothful; mild and timid. But with reference to God, amidst a thousand constitutional differences, we are all

exactly alike.

not know him.

us a secret.

:

.

We do not seek after him: we do

His real nature and character is to We have no notion of placing our happiness in him. Natural conscience may compel us, at times, to do something in a religious way; but surely we had rather from the bottom of our hearts have nothing to do with God. When men come to feel what lies deep in their souls, they find there is a principle of enmity against God. Melancholy we think is connected with religion. Not that we have any thing to follow that we can say makes us happy it is impossible. God never meant that we should find happiness, nor is it possible that we should, out of himself. Therefore, some in one thing and some in another, seek for that which satisfieth not, and man walketh in a vain shadow, and disquieteth himself in vain. Still he will not turn to God; he will try one thing after another; but the vacancy remains still. The various pursuits of life may a while divert; but none will say that they are happy in them. Guilt, distance from God, and blindness of heart, keep them still the slaves of misery.

This is the way of all men by nature. But God has not left us without hope, if we indeed be brought to fall in with his way of salvation. There is, there is in this life, a saving change, and restoration to the favour of God to be obtained. Observe! in this life it must be found. Deceive not yourselves with the thought of finding it in the next, though to your dying hour you go on unacquainted with it. This is a fatal mistake-Oh! what numbers of souls have perished eternally through it. There at