the world, what is hard to it? And some spiritual deadness, soul palsy, no more but a word from his mouth, and it shall be lively and strong; it shall skip and leap, Is. xxxv. 6. Lord speak that word. And indeed, wheresoever he pardons sin, he withall makes the soul able and nimble, to run in the way of his commandments; to carry its head, that before caried it; to command and weild at pleasure, those low things whereon it rested.

The multitude marcelled.-They feared, says St. Luke. A gracious work it was, yet so full of wonder, that it struck them with a kind of fear, and they glorified God. Thus shall he break out, and shine bright in his works, when most opposed by evil men. Yet they knew him not well, but took him for an extraordinary man only. But thus he was pleased to be known by degrees, and rise as the morning light. It is our common presumption, and generally of the least knowing, to think that we have the true and full sense of the articles of religion; and that presumption is commonly accompanied with this precipitancy, that we will constrain all to know and believe, at first without delay, whatsoever we think and believe. Astonished at such power given unto men. But had they known this honour given unto men? That this man was God, they would have wondered much more. And if he was so astonishingly wonderful in healing a sick man, how wonderful shall he be in raising the dead? And if in his lowness his power was admired, how much more shall all admire that power then given him, when the man Christ shall come in the brightness of his glory to judge the world?

Ver. 9. And as Jesus passed from thence, &c.-He staid no long time upon earth, but he lost no part of that time. Every step to us wonder and goodness. And here is a cure which the Evangelist ingenuously relates, done upon himself, no less, if not more, wonderful, than that performed upon the paralytic, and

done as easily and quickly by the same means, a word spoken.

He saw a man.-He loves first, and spies first, when we think on nothing less than him, as he says to Nathaniel: Before Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig-tree, I saw thee. And this of Matthew was no casual, but a designed sight, proceeding from a former sight, like unto that of Nathaniel; and it is the sight of his foreknowing and forechoosing love. So even this very light of his calling and converting power did prevent Matthew, while he thought of no such thing, and would have let Jesus pass; so intent upon his busy employment, as either not to have seen him at all, or to have taken no notice of him.

This is the common case, the posture of called sinners, while they are thinking of no such thing, but altogether drowned in other desires and cares, (even at the church their hearts are often more in their shops or fields, or any earthly business they are engaged in) their very hearts being a little custom-house, such a croud of noise, of cares, and vanities, as there is usually of people in a custom-house. He that hath their names in his book of life, at his appointed time glances at them, by a powerful look cast on them; and, by a word spoken to them, draws them to himself, and that without minding any previous worth or congruous disposition in them, more than in others, yea finding them in a more indisposed temper and posture possibly, than many others that are not called, as the Evangelist here freely and humbly declares of himself, speaking out his calling, and his busy diligence in it, in the very instant that he is called from it; as we likewise observe his expressing of his common name, Matthew, whereas the other Evangelist in the recital of his story, gives him this other name that was the more honourable, Levi sitting at the receipt of custom; a profession of great gain, but little credit among the Jews; and

though possibly not utterly unlawful in the nature of it, yet so generally corrupt in the exercise and management of it, as some other callings, which, though a man cannot absolutely determine them unlawful, yet are seldom or never lawfully and spotlessly discharged. Therefore, the Jews shunned the very society of publicans (tax-gatherers) as a wicked, execrable kind of men, and did in a manner necessitate them to converse with the worst sort of persons, as being expulsed and generally avoided by all others; so that you find them here, ver. 10 and usually in the gospel, linked together, publicans and sinners, that is, noted, nefarious sinners, such as harlots, and other scandalously vicious persons; yet from this stained, and ill-reputed calling, is Matthew called by the holy Lord to follow him; as he called poor fishermen, and made them fishers of men, to catch men, to save them by their net spread, the word of life preached. He calls a rich publican to be a gatherer-in of his tribute and treasure in the world, the souls of chosen sinners by the publication of the gospel.

No rank of men so low, as to be below the condescension of his choice and grace; and none so remote in the reputed or real iniquity of their station or person, as to be without the extent and reach of his saving hand. And he is pleased to give instances of this in choosing whom he will, and making them what he will, that no flesh may glory before him; but all flesh may glorify him, whom no unworthiness or unfitness can prejudice, either in the freedom of his grace in choosing them, or in the power of his grace in changing the mind and fitting them for what he calls them to. He hath no need, nor takes notice of our rules, nor judges according to our thoughts. Not only have we here a publican, but afterwards a persecutor, made a most eminent preacher and apostle of Jesus Christ. And his choice and calling wipes out the stain of all preceding sin, though the persons themselves do readily acknowledge it on all

occasions, as St. Paul often does, and St. Matthew does here. And indeed it is sincerity and humility, for them that are converted at a great distance so to do, but for others to object to them after their conversion, either the meanness or sinfulness of their former lives, were great uncharity and folly; to reckon up to men that which God hath blotted out who alone is interested in the account.

Herein God is wonderful, who seizeth on some persons in the midst of youthful dissipations, or violent pursuits of the world, and purifies them for himself; makes them not only vessels of honour, but of the first rank, to bear his name to others, makes them eminently holy; gives them great abilities, and, which is the top of all abilities, ardent love, and mighty affection for his service. His spirit, that holy fire, refines gross earth into the pureness of transparent glass, to be the inlet of light to his people.

Now why this one taken from the custom-house, and so many others left, both there and elsewhere round about him? This is, arcanum imperii, no reason to be expected but his good pleasure. Why such a poor creature in a cottage chosen, and great palaces passed by; why simple and unlettered persons taught the mysteries of heaven, and great wits left to evaporate themselves upon vain loves, and other the like follies; why in the same house one chosen and called, and it may be a servant, and the rest passed by? Nothing but this, Even so, Futher, because it pleased thee.

And he said unto him follow me.-I am not of the mind of a grave interpreter who thinks there were other words added to persuade him, though not related. I am somewhat confident that there was no more said at all, this being our Saviour's usual word of calling others in the same way, and so powerful a word, and of such mighty influence, that there was no resisting it. He arose, and followed him.-No chains so strong to hold an earthly mind as those VOL. III. G

of gold and silver. He here in the midst of them, and very heavy ones, no doubt; yet the word makes the soul break loose with a marvellous force from all. Some apprehend an attractive power, as well they may, in the amiable Jesus that here called him, but sure the word had of his divine power in it, and reached the heart, and could not be resisted, and drew more strongly than all the receipts and gains, and involved business of his profession, which could not hold him back. So Elias to Elisha; he cast but his mantle upon him in passing and he followed. What have I done to thee? said he. Nothing to look at, yet enough to constrain him to leave all and follow him. So it is in the conversion of any sinners, no weights nor bolts can hold them; they must follow a commanding word, such as that in the creation, causes that to be that it commands. A magnetic touch of Jesus Christ speaking in a word to the heart that it must follow him. Oh! happy souls that have felt it.

And as Jesus sat at meat.-The other Evangelists tell that it was in Matthew's house, and at a great feast which he made, this himself does not mention. This feast he made both as a respectful entertainment to his new master, and a civil farewell to his old friends and fellow-publicans; and possibly took the confidence to invite them together with Jesus Christ, hoping that his presence and company might have likewise some happy influence upon some of them; and likely divers of them came uninvited, out of a desire to see Jesus, having heard of this his sudden and powerful withdrawing, of one that, no doubt, was a prime man amongst them. However, the mild and gracious Jesus, refuses neither the feast nor the company, condescending to the most ordinary customs of life, and in these things affecting nothing of austerity or singularity, and chose this compliant way as most suitable to his design; He became like us in all things, excepting sin.

But all along the spirit of pharisaical envy follows