to receive blessings from God, than when we are occupied in performing the offices which he himself has assigned us.
But it is not so much to the season when these Apostles were called, as to the call itself, that we now propose to direct your attention. For this end let us inquire, I. How far the call given to them is apphcable to us —
We must consider our Lord's address to them as relating, in part, to the high office to which he had destined them as his Apostles. The world at large were not called to renounce their worldly occupations, and become itinerant ministers of the word : on the contrary, the great body of Christians were repeatedly bidden to " abide in the calling wherein they were called," yea, " to abide therein with God." Thus far, therefore, the command given to them is not properly applicable to us. But, in part, the command referred to their general duty as Christians : and in that sense it is given to every one to whom the Gospel itself is sent. We may consider our Lord as at this moment addressing us, and requiring us,
1. To embrace his religion —
[We cannot follow Christ one single step, without first coming to him as the Saviour of the world. Wc must regard him as the true Messiah; we must view him as invested willi all power in heaven and in earth, that he might redeem us to God by his blood, and deliver us by his almighty grace. We must consider him as having all fulness treasured u]) in him for us, that we may receive out of it, according to our respective necessities, "wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption." It is not merely to give an assent to certain truths that we are called, but to realize them, and to live upon them. We must not merely acknowledge that Christ is " the way, the truth, and the life," and that "he has reconciled us to God by his blood," but we must determine, with the Apostle, to know nothing but Christ crucified, to trust in nothing but his righteousness, and to glory in nothing but his cross ]
2. To walk in his steps —
[Next to our believing in him is that obedience which we are to render to his commandments. If faith in him is the root, obedience to him is the fruit, which must immediately and