Parochial and Plain Sermons

N the narrative of which these words form part, we have a remarkable instance of a Divine call, and the nmnner in which itis out duty fo meet it. Samuel was from a child brought to the house of the Lord; and in due rime he was called fo a sacred office, and ruade a prophet. He was called, and he forthwith answered the call. God said, "Samuel, Samuel." He did hot understand at first who called, and what was meant; but on going fo Eli he learned who spoke, and what his answer should be. So when God called again, he said, "Speak, Lord, for Thy servant heareth." Here is prompt obedience. Yery different in its circumstances was St. Paul's call, but resembling" Samuel's in this respect, that, when God called, he, too, promptly obeyed. When St. Paul heard the voice from heaven, he said at once, trembling and [vm] c asonished, "Lord, what wilt Thou lmve me fo do? '' Tlfis sme oLeden retaper of hs is stted or impled h le wo neeouns wlfieh he hhnself g'ives of lfis mraeulous conversion. In he nd ehalffer he says, "And I sid, Wlm sh.ll I do, Lord?" And in the Gth, after tellin King Agripp wlat the Divine Speaker said to him, he adds what cornes fo fle saine thing, "Whereupon, 0 King Agrippa, I «as hot disoSedie»t unto the heavenly vision." Such is the aeeount given us in St. Paul's case of tiret first step in God's graeious dealings with him, whieh ended in his eternal salvaion. "Whom IIe did foreknow, Ho also did predestinate ;" —" whom IIe did predestinate, them He also ealled here was the first aet whieh took place in time—"and whom He ealled, them He also justified; and whom He.justified, them IIe also glorifie&" Such is the Divine series of mereies; and you see that it was prompt obedienee on St. Paul's part whieh earried on the first aet of Divine graee into fle second, which knit together the first merey fo the second. " Whom Ite ealled, them tle also.justified." St. Paul was ealled when Christ appeared to him in the way; he was justified when Ananias came to ba.ptize him: and if was prompt obedienee whieh led him flore his eall  his baptism. "Lord, what wilt Thou bave me to do?" The answer was, « Arise, and go into Damaseus; and there it shall be told thee of all things whieh are appointed Ibr thee fo  Aets ix. 6.  Rom. viii. 29.

L)[,[ll" Ç¢[[$. 19 do." And when he eame to Damaseus, Ananias was sent to him by the same Lord who had appeared to him; and ho relninded St. Paul of this whcn ho came to him. The Lord had appeared for his call; the Lord appeared for his justification. This, then, is the lesson taught us by St. Paul's conversion, prompfly to obey the call. If we do obcy it, to God be the glory, for Ho it is works in us. Ifwc hot obey, to ourselves be all thc shmue, for sin and unbelief work in us. Such being the state of the case, let us take care to act accordingly,—being exceingly alarmed lest we should tol obey God's voice when He calls us, yet hot taking praise or credit to ourselves if we do obey if. This has been the retaper of all saints from the beginning—working out their salvation with fear and tremblinz, yet ascribing the work to Him who wrought in them  will and do of His good pleasure obeying the call, and g'ivin thanks to Him who calls, to Him who fulfils in them their calling. So much on the pattern aflbrded us by St. Paul. Very different in its circumstances was Samuel's call, when a child in the temple, yet resembling St. Paul's in this particular,that for our instruction the circumstance of his obedience to it is broug'ht out prolninently even in the words put into his mouth by Eli in the text. Eli taught him what fo say, when called by the Divine volte. Accordingly, when "the Lord came, and  Acts xxii. 10.

stood, and callcd as at other rimes, Samue|, Samuel. Then Samucl answercd, Speak, Lord, for Thy servant heareth." Such, again, is the retaper of mind expressed by holy David in the 7th Psalm, " Whcn Thou saidst, Seek ye My face, my heart said unto Thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek." And this retaper, which in thê above instances is " illustratëd in words spokên, is in the case of many other Saints in Scripture shown in word and dced; and, on the other hand, is illustrated negatively by being neglccted in the case of others therein mentioned, who might have entered into lire, and did hot. For instance, we read of the Apostles, that "Jesus, walking" by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting" a net into the sea; for thêy were fishers. And Ite saith unto them, Follow Me, and I will make you fishêrs of men.:4ad Ihey straigMwaj left their nets and followed IIim ." Again; whcn He saw James and John with their father Zebedee, " tIe called them; and they i+amediute[y the shi2, and tkeir ]àlhe,, and ]'ollowe<l Ilim." And so of St. Matthew at the reeeipt of eustom, " He said unto him, Follow Me; and he left all, rose up, and followed Him." Again, we are told in St. John's Gospel, "Jesus would g'o forth int.o Galilee, and findeth lhilip, and 1 Mtt. y. 18—20.

saith unto Ilim, Follow Me." Again, "Philip findeth Nathanael," and in like manner says fo him, " Corne aud sec." "Jesus saw Nathanael eOlUing" unto film, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, iu whom is no guile." On the other hand, the young ruler shrunk from the eall, aud round if a hard saying, " If thou wilg be perfee, go and sell that thou hast, and give to he poor, aud thon shal ha.ve treasure iu heaven; aud eolne, and follow Me. But when the young" man heard tha saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions." Others who seemed to waver, or rather who asked for some little delay from human feeling, were rebuked for want of promptitude in their obedienee;— for rime stays for no one; the word of eall is spoken and is gone; if we do nog seize the moment, ig is lost. Chris was on His road heavenward. IIe walked bv the sea of ' " = " "" " Galllee; He passed fortha; IIe passed by ;" He did hot stop; ail men must join Him, or He would be ealling on others beyond them . "IIe said fo another, Follmv Me. But he said, Lord, surfer me first to go and bury my father. Jesus said uuto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preaeh the kiugdom of God. And another also said, Lord, I will follow Thee: but let me first go bid them farewell, whieh are af home at my house. And Jesus said unto 1 Matt. xix. 21, 22.  Matt. iv. 18. a Matt. ix. 9. « Mark il. 1,.  Matt. xx. 6, 7.

OE Divine Calls. him,:No man, having put his haud fo the ploug'h, and looking" back, is fit for the kingdom of God i.,,:Not uulike these last instances are the circumstances of the call of the great prophet Elisha, t.houg'h he does hot seem fo ha.ve incurred blame from Ehjah for his lin'ering on the thoughts of what he was leaving. He found ]Jhsha, the son of Shalhat, who was ploughing... Elijah passed l»v him, and cast his mantle "over him." Ite did uot stay; he passed on, and Elisha was oblig'ed fo ruu aftcr him. '" An(l he left the oxen, and ran ater Elijah, aud said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mot.her, and then I will follow thee." This the prophet allowed him to do, and aRer that "he arose and followed Elijah, and ministered unto him." Or once more consider the circumstances of the call of Abraham, the father of ail who believe. Ite n-as called fi'om his father's house, but was hot told whither. St. Paul was bid g'o fo Damascus, and there he was fo receive further directions. In like manner Abraham left his home for a land "that I t'i/1 show thee ," says Almig.hty God. Accordiug'ly he went out, "hot knowing whither he went." " Abram dêparted as the Lord had spoken tmto him." Such are the iustances of Divine calls in Scripture, and their eharacteristic is this; to require instant obedience, and next fo call us we know hot to what; fo -all us on in the darkness. Faith alone tan obey them. i Luke ix. 59—62.  Gen. xii. 1.

But if may be urged, Ilow does this coneern us now? We were ail ealled to serve God in infancy, bef'ore we eould obey or disobey; we round ourselves ealled when reason beg'an fo laWll; We have been ealled o a state of salvation, we have been living" as God's servants and children, all flaroug'h out Lime oF trial, havinff been broug'hL into iL in inçaney flrough IIoly BapLism, by the aet of our parents. Callin is hot a thin future with us, but t t.hilg past. This is true in a very sucicnt scnse; and yet if is truc also that fhe passages of Scripture which I bave been quoting do apply te us still,do concern us, and may warn and guide us in many ilnportant ways; as a tçw words will show. For in truth we are not ealled once only, but many rimes; all throug'h our life Christ is ea.lling us. IIe ealled us first in Baptism; but afterwards also; whether we obey Itis voiee or hot, He graeiously ealls us still. If we fidl flore our Baptism, tIe ealls us to repent; if we are striving to fulfil our ealling, He ealls us on flore graee to graee, and from holiness to holiness, while lifb is given us. Abraham was ealled flore his home, Peter ffOln his nets, Iatthew flore his office, Elislm flore his farm, Nathanael t¥om his retreat; we are all in course of ealling, on and on, from one thing to another, ha ing no resIing-pltee, but mounting towards our eternal rest, and obeying one eommand only fo bave another put upon us. IIe ealls us again ami again, in order to

¢ 1)ivhzc Calls. justify us n.gain nnd aain,—and affain nnd ng'ain, nnd more and more, t.o sn.nctify and gqorify us. If were well if we understood this; but we are slow fo toaster the great truth, tha Christ is, ns i were, walking, amonff us, nnd by His hand, or eye, or volte, bidding us fi»llow Him. We do hot understaud that Ilis call is a thing, which takes place now. We think i took place in the Apostles' days; but we do hot believe in if, we do no look out for if in our own case. We have no eyes to sec the Lord; far dittbrent fi'om tle beloved Apostle, who knew Christ even when the res of the disciples knew Him noL When IIe stood on the shore affor His resurrection, nnd bade them cas the net into the sea, "that disciple whom,lesus loved saith nnto Pcter, I is the Lord .'" Now wha I mean is fhis: that they who nre living religiously, have ri'oto rime fo rime truths they did hot know belote, or hnd no need fo consider, broug'h betbre them forcibly; truths which involve duties, which are in fact precepts, and claire obedience. In Ihis and sueh-like ways Christ calls us now. Theïe is nothing miraculous or extraordina.ry in His dealings with us. He works through out natural faculties and circumstances of lire. Still what happens to us in providence is in ail essential respects what His voice was to those whom He addressed when on earth: whether He commands by a visible presence, or by a volte, or by out  John xxi. 7.

consciences, it matters hot, so that we feel it to be a command. If it is a commaud, if may be obcycd or disobeyed; it may be accepted as Samue or St. Paul accepted if, or put aside after the manner of the young man who had great possessions. And these Divine calls are.commonly, from the nature of the case, sudden now, aud as indefinite and obscure in their consequences as in ibriner rimes. The accidents and events of lire are, as is obvious, one speeial vay iu whieh the ealls I speak of eome fo us; aud they, as ve all kuov, are in their very nature, and as the word accident implies, sudden and unexpeeted. A man is going on as usual; he cornes home one da)-, and finds aletter, or a message, or a person, whereby a sudden trial cornes on him, whieh, if met religiously, will be the means of advaneing him to a higher state of religious excellence, whieh at preseut he as little eomprehends as the unspeakable words heard by St. Paul in 1)aradise. ly a trial we eommonly mean, a something whieh if eneountered well, will eonfirma man in his present way; but I am speakiug of something more than this; of what will hot only eonfirm him, but raise him into a high state of knovledge and holiness. Many persons will find it very striking on looking back on their last lives, to observe what different notions they entertained at different periods, of what Divine truth was, what was the way oI" pleasing God,.and what things were allowable or hot, what excellence was, and what happiness.

I do not scruple to say, that these diffcrences may be as great as that which may be supposed to have existed between St. Peter's state of mind when quietly llshing on the lake, or Elisha's wheu driving his oxen, and that new statc of mind of each of them when called fo be Apostle or Prophet. Elisha and St. Pcter indeed were Mso callcd to a new mode of lire; that I ara hot speaking of. I ara hot speaking of cases when persons chang'c thcir condition, their place iu socicty, their pursuit., and the like; I ara supposing them fo remain prctty much the saine as before in ontward circun» stances; but I say that many a man is conscious to himsell  of having undergone inwardly great changes of view as to what truth is and what happiness. Nor, again, ara I speaking of changes so great, that a man reverses his fbrmer opinions and condtct, tte may be:ble fo sec that there is a connexion between the two; that his former has led to his latter; and)-et he mav ibel that açter all they diffcr in kind; that he has got into a new world of thought, and measnres things and persons by a. different rulc. Nothins ", indced, is more wonderfifl and strange than the dil%rent views whieh dilTerent persons take [.)f° the saine subject. Take any single faet, event, or existing thing which meets us in the world; what w, rious remarks will be marie on it by different persons! For instance, consider the different lights in which an)- single action, of a striking nature, is viewed 1)y differenç persons; or consider the view of wealfl or a wealthy man, faken by flds or flat, elass in the eommunity; what, different feeling's does iL excite —envy, or respect, or ridicule, or an-l-y opposition, or inditIbrenee, or fear and compassion; here are states of mind in whieh different parties may l-eg'ard it. These are broad differenees; others are quite as real, thoug'h more subtle. Relig'ion, for instance, may be l'eVel'eneed hy the soldier, the man of litcrahn'e, the trader, the statesm,n, and the theolog'ian; 3"et how very distinct their modes of revereneing if, and hoxv separate the st,ndard whieh eaeh sers up in his lnind! Well, these various lnodes of viewing things cannot one,nd all be the best mode, even were they,11 good modes; but, this even is not the case. Some,re eontrary fo oflwrs; some are bad. But. even of those that are on the whole g'ood, some are but in part good, solne are imperfbet,, some have mueh bad mixed with them; and only one is best.. Only one is the truth and the perfeet truth; and whieh that is, none know but those who are in possession of if, if even they. But God knows whieh it is; and towards that one and only Truth He is leading us forwm-d. He is leading forward His redeemed, He is training His eleet, one and all, fo the one perfeet knowledg'e and obedienee of Christ; hot, however, without their eo-operation, but bv means of ealls whieh they are to obey, and whieh if they do hot, obey, they lose place, and fall behind in their hea-enly course, lte leads them forward from strength to strength, and from glory fo glory, up the steps of the ladder whose top reacheth to heaven. We pass ri-oto one state of knowlcdge to another; we are introduced into a higher region from a lower, by listening" to Christ's call and obeying it. Perhaps it may be the loss of some dear fi'iend or relative throtlg'h which the call cornes fo us; whieh shows us the vanity of things bclow, and prompts us to makc God our sole stay. le through grace do so in a way we never did before; and in the course of years, when we look back on our lifc, we final that that sad event has brought us into, new state of faith and judgment, and that we are as though other men from 'hat we were. lç'e thought, befol'e if ook place, that we were serving Goal, and so we were in a measure; but we final hat, whatever out prescrit infirlnities may be, and however far we be still from the highest state of illumination, then at least we were serving the world under the show and the belief of serving God. Or,gain, perhaps somethilg occurs.to force us to take •  part for Goal or against Him. The world requires of us some sacrifice which we see we ought not to gra.nt fo if. Some tempting offer is ruade us; or some reproach or discredit threatened us; or we h,ve fo determine and avow what is trufl and wlmt is error. are enabled to act as Goal would h,ve us act; and we do so in much fear and perllexity. We do hOt see out way clearly; we do hOt sec what is fo folIow Oom what we have donc, and how t bers upon our enerl conduct md opinions: yct perlmps if lins the most important beadns. Tlmt llttle deed, suddenly excted of Imot sudden]y resolved on md executed, may be s thouh  gte into the second or thlrd hevenn entrance into  lfigher stte of holness and into a truer vlew of tlfins tlmn we Imve ]fitherto tken. Or ag'ain, we et aequainted with some one whom God employs fo 1)rin belote us a nmnber of t.ruths which were elooed ou us belote; and we but hall understand them, and but hall approve of them; and yet God seems fo speak in flem, and Scripture fo eonfirm them. This is a case which not unfrequently oceurs, and if involves a eall "o follow on fo know the Lord ï' Or again, we may be in'the practice of reading Scriptare earefully, nnd taTing fo serve God, and ifs sense may, ns if suddenly, break upon us, in a way if never did belote. Some thought m W suggest itself fo us, whieh is a key fo a great denl in Sefipture, or whi& suggests a great many other thoughts. A new light may be thrown on the preeepts of out Lord and His Apostles. We may be able fo enter into t.he manner of lire of the early Christians, as reeorded in Seripture, whieh belote was bidden from us, and into the simple maxims on whieh Seripture bases if. We may be led fo undersand flm t is ve T deren çrom he wM«h men 5ve now. ow knowlede is  eall o aet,on: m insh into the way oç perçeeton is a ell to perfcctiou. Once more, if may so happen tlmt we find ourselves, how or why we ca,mot tell, much more able fo obe- God in certaiu respects than heretotbre. Our minds re so strange]y constitutcd, if is impossible fo sav whcfler if is ff'oto the growth of habit suddenly showiug itself, or from an unusual gi of Divine grace poured into otlr hearts, but so if is; let our temptation be to sloth, or irresolution, or worldly anxiety, or pride, or fo oflwr more base and miserablc sins, we ma- suddenly find ourselves posoessed of a. power of self: command which we had hot belote. Or a'ain, we may have a resolution grow on us to serve God morc strictly in IIis house and in private than hcretofore. This is a, call fo higher things; let us bewal lest we receive the rnce of God in valu. Let us beware of' lnpsicg back; let us void temptation. Let us strive by quietness and caution to cherish the feeble flame, and shclter if from the storms of this world. God may bc bring'ing us into a higher world of religious tmth; let us work with Him. To coneludc. Nothing is more certain in marrer of fact, flm.n flia.t some men do feel themselves called fo high duties and works, fo which others are hot called. Why this is we do hot know; whether if be that those

Di&e Cal&. 3  who are hot ealled, forfeit the eall flore hvng failed in former trials, or lmve been ealled and lmve no followed; or flm though God gves bapfinml grâce o ail, yet IIe relly does eall some men by tfis ffee graee o hgher things than others; but soit is; this mau sees sights which that man does hot see, has a larger faith, a more ardent love, and a more spiritual undcrstanding. No one has any lcave to talce another's lower staml;u'd of holiness ibr his own. If is nothing fo us what others are. If God calls us fo greater rcnuuciation of the world, and exacts a sacrifice of our hopes and fears, this " is our gain, this is a mark of IIis love for us, this is a thing fo be rcjoieed iu. Such thoughts, whcn properly entertained, have no tendeney o puff us up; for if the prospeet is noble, yet the risk is more fcarfid. Vhile we pursue high excellence, we walk among preeipiees, and a fidl is easy. IIence the Apostle says, "Vork out your owu salvation with fear and trembling, for if is God that worleth in you a." Again, the more men aire af high things, the more sensitive perception they have of their own shorteomings; and this again is adapted fo humble them espeeially. We need hOt fear spiritual pride then, in following Christ's eall, if we follow if as men in earnest. Earnestness has no rime to compare itself with the state of other men; earnestness bas too vid a feeling of ifs own infirmities fo be elated af itself. Eanestess is simply set on doing God's will.  Phil. il. 12, 13.

If simply says, " Speak, Lord, for Thy servant heareth," "Lord, what wilt Thou have me fo do?" Oh that we had more of this spirit! Oh that' we could take that simple view oi e things, as to feel that the one thing which lies before us is fo please God! lVhat gain is it fo plea.sc the world, fo please the great, nay, even to please those whom we love, compa.red vith tlis? Vhat gain is if tobe applauded, admired, courted, followed, compared with this one aire, of not being disobedient to, heavenly vision? \'hat can this world offer comparable with that insight into spiritual {hings, that keen faith, that heavelfly peace, that hlgh sanctity, that evel'l,sting righteousness, that hope oi e glory, which they bave who in sinceri{y love and follow our Lord Jesus Christ? Let us beg and pray Him clay by day fo reveal Himself to our souls more fully; to quiclen our senses; to give us sight and hearing, tas{e and toucb of {he world fo corne; so to work within us {bat we may sincerel" say, "Thou shalt guide me with Thy couusel, and after that receive me to glory. Yhom have I in heaven but Thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire in comparison of Thee: my flesh and my heart faileth; but God is the strength of my healoE, and lny portion for,» ever.