righteous, but sinners to repentance, from them, and then shall they fast
18 And the disciples of John and in those days.
of the Pharisees used to fast : and 21 No man also seweth a piece of they come and say unto him, Why do j new cloth on an old garment : else the the' disciples of John and of the Pha- new piece that filled it up takethaway risees fast, but thy disciples fast not ? j from the old, and the rent is made
19 And Jesus said unto them, Can worse.
the children of the bridechamber fast, \ 22 And no man putteth new wine while the bridegroom is with them ? into old bottles : else the new wine as long as they have the bridegroom doth burst the bottles, aud the wine with them, they cannot fast. is spilled, and the bottles will be mar-
20 But the days will come, when red : but new wine must be put into the bridegroom shall be taken away new bottles.
The person who is called Levi, at the beginning of this passage, is the same person who is called Matthew in the first of the four G-ospels. Let us not forget this. It is no less than an apostle and an evangelist, whose early history is now before our eyes.
We learn from these verses the power of Christ to call men out from the world, and make them His disciples. We read that he said to Levi, when "sitting at the receipt of custom, Follow me." And at once " he arose and followed him." From a publican he became an apostle, and a writer of the first book in the New Tes- tament, which is now known all over the world.
This is a truth of deep importance. Without a divine call no one can be saved. We are all so sunk in sin, and so wedded to the world, that we should never turn to God and seek salvation, unless He first called us by His grace. God must speak to our hearts by His Spirit, be- fore we shall ever speak to Him. Those who are sons of God, says the 17th Article, are " called according to God's purpose by His Spirit working in due season." Now how blessed is the thought that this calling of sin- ners is committed to so gracious a Saviour as Christ !
When the Lord Jesus calls a sinner to be His servant,