xx. 21.) He had the best of precedents for such teach- ing. The Great Head of the Church had given him a pattern. Eepentance and faith were the foundation stones of Christ's ministry. — Eepentance and faith must always be the main subjects of every faithful minister's instruction.
We need not wonder at this; if we consider the ne- cessities of human nature. All of us are by nature born in sin and children of wrath, and all need to repent, be converted, and born again, if we would see the kingdom of God. — All of us are by nature guilty and condemned before God, and all must flee to the hope set before us in the Gospel, and believe in it, if we would be saved. All of us, once penitent, need daily stirring up to deeper repentance. All of us, though believing, need constant exhortation to increased faith.
Let us ask ourselves what we know of this repentance and faith. Have we felt our sins, and forsaken them ? Have we laid hold on Christ, and believed ? We may reach heaven without learning, or riches, or health, or worldly greatness. But we shall never reach heaven, if we die impenitent and unbelieving. A new heart, and a lively faith in a Kedeemer, are absolutely needful to salvation. May we never rest till we know them by experience, and can call them our own ! With them all true Christianity begins in the soul. In the exercise of them consists the life of religion. It is only through the possession of them that men have peace at the last. Church-membership and priestly absolution alone save no one. They only die in the Lord who " repent and believe."
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Let us notice, in the third place, the occupation of those who ivere first called to be Christ's disciples. We read that our Lord called Simon and Andrew, when they were " casting a net into the sea," and James and John while they were " mending their nets."
It is clear, from these words, that the first followers of our Lord were not the great of this world. They were men who had neither riches, nor rank, nor power. But the kingdom of Christ is not dependent on such things as these. His cause advances in the world, " not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts." (Zech. iv. 6.) The words of St. Paul will always be found true : " Not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called. But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty." (1 Cor. i. 26, 27.) The church which began with a few fishermen, and yet overspread half the world, must have been founded by God.
We must beware of giving way to the common notion, that there is anything disgraceful in being poor, and in working with our own hands. The Bible contains many instances of special privileges conferred on working men. Moses wTas keeping sheep, when God appeared to him in the burning bush. Gideon was thrashing wheat, when the angel brought him a message from heaven. Elisha was ploughing, when Elijah called him to be prophet in his stead. The apostles were fishing, when Jesus called them to follow Him. It is disgraceful to be covetous, or proud, or a cheat, or a gambler, or a drunkard, or a glutton,
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