"the Son of God, hath life; and he that "hath not the Son hath not life. There is "no other name under heaven given among "men whereby I may be faved."

4

V. We muft, in the laft place, follow our Redeemer unto the end. Such was the ftedfaftness of St Matthew. He remained conftantly with Chrift until the evening before the crucifixion. On that evening he fhewed, in common with the other Apoftles, what man is, when the divine grace withdraws itself, and leaves him to his native weakness. All the Disciples of Chrift forfook him and fled. Of that guilty flight St. Matthew was a partaker. After the Resurrection, he received, in conjunction with the other Apostles, pardon and ftrength from his forgiving Lord, When Jefus had afcended into heaven, we behold St. Matthew continuing closely in prayer and fupplication with the women and Mary the mother of Jefus, and the brethren (g); and bearing his part as an Apoftle in the election of a fucceffor to the traitor Judas. Boldly remaining at Jerufalem, when havock was made of the Church after the martyrdom of Stephen; he (g) A&s, i. 13, 14. H 2

proved

proved that he was not of those who have no root, and in time of perfecution fall away. And the early history of the Christian Church informs us that, in the face of danger and death, he perfevered until the end of his days in preaching the Gospel of his Lord. From every Chriftian patient continuance in well doing is indifpenfably required. Who is it that the Scripture faith fhall be faved? He that endureth unto the end. Who is it that shall reap the everlasting recompenfe? He who preffeth onward in the path of righteoufnefs, neither weary through floth, nor fainting through timidity. No man having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. The righteousness of the righteous fhall not deliver him in the day of his tranfgreffion. When the righteous turneth away from his righteousness and committetb iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth; fhall be live, faith the Lord? All his righteousness that he bath done fhall not be mentioned: in his trefpafs that he hath trefpaffed, and in his fin that be bath finned, in them shall be die (b)..

(b) Luke, ix. 62. Ezek. xviii. 24. xxxiii, 12.

My

My brethren! you have now seen the comprehenfive import of the direction to leave all and follow Chrift. You have feen, that no one is a real difciple of Chrift who does not leave all to follow him. Being then thus prepared, enter on the great bufiness of self-examination. The hour of your examination in the prefence of men and angels, before the throne of that fame Jesus who has commanded you to leave all and follow him, will arrive. What if it were arrived now? If you were now to render an account of yourself to God; fhould you be found, like St. Matthew, to have obeyed the call of the Lord Jefus? Have you forfaken the ways of wickedness? When you have been tempted by your own evil appetites, and by the practice or the folicitations of your companions; has it been your custom to yield, or to withstand? Have you cherished the love of holiness; and become more and more fenfible of the hatefulness of fin? Have you cheerfully facrificed prefent gain for the fake of pleafing God? Have you preferred his favour to the favour of men; and patiently submitted to their ridicule and contempt, that you might maintain a good confcience? Have you kept alive, during your beft perform

ances, a steady conviction of your own ûnworthiness; and refted all your hopes of falvation on the blood of the cross? Have you laboured to become, year after year, more and more earneft in faith and obedience; more and more watchful against tranfgreffion; and more and more impressed with true repentance, whenever you have been led to offend against the Gospel of your Lord?

It is well if there are not perfons in this. congregation, who are far from having made any ferious effort thus to leave all and follow Chrift. For who can look abroad into the world without perceiving numbers, Chriftians only in name, devoted in heart and life not to Chrift, but to the world? The exterior garb of Christianity they studiously wear. In her ordinances they fcrupulously join. But let them be brought to the trial; and their religion proves formality, or hypocrify. Let intereft call them one way, and the law of Chrift another: they follow interest. Let pride beckon to the left hand, and the law of Chrift to the right: they follow pride. Let paffion, or floth, or pleasure invite them: they turn their back upon Chrift. Whoever you may be that belong to this description, re

member

member that there are but two masters between whom mankind can be divided. They, who are not the fervants of God, are the fervants of the devil. They, who are not made partakers through Jesus Christ of everlasting happinefs with God, fhall be for ever miferable with the devil.-Choose ye this day whom ye will ferve; choofe with whom you will dwell through eternity. To serve the devil here, and to dwell with Chrift after death, is an impoffibility. If thou receiveft thy good things here, if thou takest the good things, as thou calleft them, of this world for thy portion; thou takest also for thy portion eternal

torment.

There are others, it is probable, among you, who have difcerned the neceffity of leaving all and following Chrift, have refolved to act according to that conviction, and have alfo made fome endeavours to carry their purposes into effect: yet have fhewn themfelves fo feeble and Auctuating in their exertions, that in their hearts they are evidently wavering between two mafters. A fin, which they refift today, overcomes them to-morrow. A good refolution, which for a short period they H4 have