opened to the eyes of him with whom we have to do." (Heb. iv. 13.) To Him belong the solemn expressions of the 139th Psalm,-the Psalm which every Christian should often study. There is not a word in our mouths, nor an imagination in our hearts, but Jesus knows it altogether. (Psalm cxxxix. 4.)

How many searchings of heart this mighty truth ought to awaken within us! Christ ever sees us! Christ always knows us! Christ daily reads and observes our acts, words, and thoughts!-The recollection of this should alarm the wicked and drive them from their sins. Their wickedness is not hid, and will one day be fearfully exposed, except they repent!-It should frighten hypocrites out of their hypocrisy. They may deceive man, but they are not deceiving Christ!—It should quicken and comfort all sincere believers. They should remember that a loving Master is looking at them, and should do all as in His sight. Above all, they should feel that, however mocked and slandered by the world, they are fairly and justly measured by their Saviour's eye. They can say, "Thou Lord who knowest all things, knowest that I love Thee.” (John xxi. 17.)

NOTES. LUKE V. 17-26.

17.-[To heal them.] We must not suppose that this means "to heal the Pharisees." Mr. Burgon remarks: "To heal whom? The Pharisees and doctors of the law? Clearly not. The truth is, the whole scene rose up before the Evangelist, while he wrote, so that he used the word 'them,' with reference to the many sick persons who had been brought to our Saviour on this occasion, and were waiting for an opportunity of being healed." 19.-[Let him down through the tiling.] In order to understand this we must remember the construction of houses in the countries where our Lord preached. It was, and is now, a common practice to construct them with a flat roof, and a small square or court.

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yard in the midst of the building. Access was obtained to the roof by a stair-case outside, so that a person might ascend to the roof without entering the house. Around the sides of the courtyard a shelter was provided, extending from the walls of the house towards the middle. Sometimes this shelter was made of canvass or cloth, sometimes of light tiling. The use of this shelter was to enable people to sit in the open air of the court-yard, and at the same time to be protected against the rain or sun.

In the case before us, our Lord appears to have been preaching and teaching in the court-yard of the house, under cover of the tiling projecting from one of the sides. The friends of the paralytic man being unable to make their way into the court-yard, because of the crowd, carried him up the stair-case outside the building, and so reached the flat roof of the house. They then removed that portion of the tiling which was above the place where our Lord was preaching, and let down their friend in his bed by ropes into the court-yard below.

Unless we entirely dismiss from our minds all conceptions of a house drawn from the construction of houses in England, the whole history of the circumstances of the miracle must be unintelligible. Bearing in mind what Eastern houses both were and are, it becomes clear and plain.

26.-[They were all amazed.] The word so rendered might be more literally translated, "Amazement took them all." The word used for amazement is the same that is translated in three places as a trance." (Acts x. 10. xi. 5. and xxii. 17.) Suicer quotes Epiphanius to show that it is the word used concerning "the highest sort of admiration or wonder."

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[Strange things.] The word so translated is only used in this place in the New Testament. It is literally "paradoxes," things contrary to all common opinion and ordinary experience.

LUKE V. 27-32.

27 And after these things he went forth, and saw a Publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said unto him, Follow me. 28 And he left all, rose up, and followed him.

29 And Levi made him a great feast in his own house and there was a great company of Publicans and of others that sat down with them.

30 But their Scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with Publicans and sinners?

31 And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick.

32 I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

THE verses we have now read, ought to be deeply interesting to every one who knows the value of an

immortal soul, and desires salvation. They describe the conversion and experience of one of Christ's earliest disciples. We too are all by nature born in sin, and need conversion. Let us see what we know of the mighty change. Let us compare our own experience with that of the man whose case is here described, and by comparison learn wisdom.

We are taught, in this passage, the power of Christ's calling grace. We read that our Lord called a publican named Levi to become one of His disciples. This man belonged to a class who were a very proverb for wickedness among the Jews. Yet even to him our Lord says, "Follow me."-We read furthermore, that such mighty influence on Levi's heart accompanied our Lord's words, that although "sitting at the receipt of custom," when called, he at once "left all, rose up, followed" Christ, and became a disciple.

We must never despair of any one's salvation, so long as he lives, after reading a case like this. We must never say of any one that he is too wicked, or too hardened, or too worldly to become a Christian. No sins are too many, or too bad, to be forgiven. No heart is too hard or too worldly, to be changed. He who called Levi still lives, and is the same that He was 1800 years ago. With Christ nothing is impossible.

How is it with ourselves? This, after all, is the grand question. Are we waiting, and delaying, and hanging back, under the idea that the cross is too heavy, and that we can never serve Christ? Let us cast such thoughts away at once and for ever. Let us believe that Christ

can enable us by His Spirit to give up all, and come out

from the world. Let us remember that He who called Levi never changes. Let us take up the cross boldly, and go forward.

We are taught, secondly, in this passage, that conversion is a cause of joy to a true believer. We read, that when Levi was converted he "made a great feast in his own house." A feast is made for laughter and merriment. (Eccles. x. 19.) Levi regarded the change in himself as an occasion of rejoicing, and wished others to rejoice with him.

We can easily imagine that Levi's conversion was a cause of grief to his worldly friends. They saw him giving up a profitable calling, to follow a new teacher from Nazareth! They doubtless regarded his conduct as a grievous piece of folly, and an occasion for sorrow rather than joy. They only looked at his temporal losses by becoming a Christian. Of his spiritual gains they knew nothing. And there are many like them. There are always thousands of people who, if they hear of a relation being converted, consider it rather a misfortune. Instead of rejoicing, they only shake their heads and

mourn.

Let us, however, settle it in our minds that Levi did right to rejoice, and if we are converted, let us rejoice likewise. Nothing can happen to a man which ought to be such an occasion of joy, as his conversion. It is a far more important event than being married, or coming of age, or being made a nobleman, or receiving a great fortune. It is the birth of an immortal soul! It is the rescue of a sinner from hell! It is a passage from life to death! It is being made a king and priest for evermore! It is being provided for, both in time and eternity!

It is adoption into the noblest and richest of all families, the family of God! Let us not heed the opinion of the world in this matter. They speak evil of things which they know not. Let us, with Levi, consider every fresh conversion as a cause for great rejoicing. Never ought there to be such joy, gladness, and congratulation, as when our sons, or daughters, or brethren, or sisters, or friends, are born again and brought to Christ. The words of the prodigal's father should be remembered :— "It was meet that we should make merry and be glad : for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found." (Luke xv. 32.)

We are taught, thirdly, in this passage, that converted souls desire to promote the conversion of others. We are told that when Levi was converted, and had made a feast on the occasion, he invited "a great company of publicans" to share it. Most probably these men were his old friends and companions. He knew well what their souls needed, for he had been one of them. He desired to make them acquainted with that Saviour who had been merciful to himself. Having found mercy, he Having been graciously

wanted them also to find it. delivered from the bondage of sin, he wished others also to be set free.

This feeling of Levi will always be the feeling of a true Christian. It may be safely asserted that there is no grace in the man who cares nothing about the salvation of his fellow men. The heart which is really taught by the Holy Ghost, will always be full of love, charity, and compassion. The soul which has been truly called of God, will earnestly desire that others may experience