LECTURE XVIII.

TWELVE APOSTLES CHOSEN.

MARK iii. 13-19.

13. And he goeth up into a mountain, and calleth unto him whom he would: and they came unto him.

14. And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach,

15. And to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils.

16. And Simon he surnamed Peter;

17. And James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and he surnamed them Boanerges, which is, The sons of thunder:

18. And Andrew,' and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alpheus, and Thaddeus, and Simon the Canaanite,

19. And Judas Iscariot, which also betrayed him: and they went into an house.

It was a needful part of the great design on which our Lord came, that he should ordain a certain number who should be with him, and whom he might send forth to preach. He was, himself, to prove his divine

1 Brethren of Simon Peter.

2 Elsewhere called Nathanael.

3 Or Cleopas.

♦ Otherwise called Judas, or Jude: he, as well as Simon Zelotes, or the Canaanite, were both brothers of James son of Alpheus.

power, to correct prevailing errors, to "bring life and immortality to light;" and when all this was fulfilled, to effect the work of redemption, and make propitiation for sin. And then the gospel was to be proclaimed to all nations, "beginning at Jerusalem." Such was the design; and the instruments must be prepared who should put this in execution; by short experiments, while he remained on earth, and afterwards by devoting themselves to the apostleship. For this purpose he ordained twelve, who "beheld his glory;" who treasured up his words; who heard his divinity attested by "a voice from heaven:" and who related to others that "which they had heard, which they had seen with their eyes, which they had looked upon, and their hands had handled, of the word of life."

These twelve he calleth to him: invited to form a company who should attend him and dwell with him, that they might be qualified for their future commission. The invitation was not resisted. Such influence was exercised upon their hearts, that at his summons they "left all, and followed him." He reminds them of this afterwards; saying, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you: :"6 I have not allowed you to consult with your friends, or with your own natural desires and inclinations: I have not left you to contend with your prejudices, or to be deterred by your fears: I have drawn you by my spirit towards myself, as the sun attracts the plant, and its branches turn towards it, and cannot be diverted. The same was said afterwards of St.

5 1 Pet. i. 17; 1 John i. 3.

6 John xv. 16.

Paul: in reply to the remonstrance of Ananias, who knew him to have been an enemy of the faith ;"Go thy way, for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel.""

These twelve, then, he ordained, that they might be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach; "saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils; freely ye have received, freely give." It would be useless to say, "The kingdom of heaven is at hand," unless they had the means of exciting attention; unless they carried with them proofs of authority. But the gifts and qualifications by which their authority was attested, were also emblems of the spiritual blessings which they should impart: and not they only, but those likewise who should follow them, at humble distance, as ministers of the gospel in future ages. Their office is also to heal sicknesses: they bring a remedy for the diseases of the soul, and restore it through divine grace to which it has fallen by transgression. also to cast out devils: to remove seat in the hearts of men, that they may serve "the living and true God, through Jesus Christ whom he hath sent." These too, together with their commission, have also their example here. In the zeal of Peter, in the energy of the two sons of Zebedee, the constancy of James, and the readiness of all when they obeyed the call which summoned them,-they are shown what the Lord expects of them; they see

7 Acts ix. 15.

the state from

Their office is Satan from his

Matt. x. 7, 8.

the qualifications by which they may prove themselves faithful stewards of the trust committed to them, and obtain the blessings reserved for those, who turn many to righteousness."9

66

We have seen that these apostles had a peculiar call, as they had also a peculiar purpose to fulfil. They were especially given to the Lord. So he declares in his prayer for them; they were taken "out of the world," and given to him of the Father.' The question naturally arises, How far is that true of all which is here affirmed of them: He called whom he would, and they came unto him?

3

It is thus far true concerning all, that "no man,' we are assured," can come unto the Lord, unless the Father draws him." He "cannot prepare himself, by his own natural strength and good works, to faith, and calling upon God." The Holy Spirit must enable him to perceive that "the world lieth in wickedness," and he must escape out of the world. The Holy Spirit must incline him to "flee for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before him :" to understand that “God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son." The Holy Spirit must continue the good work that has been begun: must enable him to withdraw his affections from things below, and fix them on things above: to subdue the flesh, to resist the devil, to overcome the world, and so to fulfil all righteousness. And every one who has this "witness in himself" that he is a child of God "through the adoption that is in Christ Jesus,"

9 See Dan. xii. 3.

2 John vi. 44.

1 John xvii. 6.

3 Art. of Religion, x.

will be instant in declaring, " By the grace of God I am what I am."

Still, whilst it is certain that the Lord calls whom he will, and they come unto him: it must be always borne in mind, that whosoever will, may come; that "whosoever will, may take of the water of life freely:" and that the promise is clear," Him that cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast out." Whosoever feels his need, and desires the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, has in himself the inward call. In the faith by which he is led, and in the repentance which he exercises, he has the assurance in himself that the Lord has chosen him. For what was the proof of these apostles, that they were chosen? He called them, and they came unto him. And what is the case of the humblest disciples, who in this land receive the gospel, and take to themselves its promises and its precepts? The Lord calls them, by his word, by the ordinances of his church, by the ministry of his servants. The Lord calls them, and they come unto him. What we may justly lament, is, that of the many who are thus called, "few are chosen," because few readily and obediently listen to the call, and come.

Rev. xxii. 17.

5 John vi. 37.

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