standing his call, his election, and the spirit of God which attended his ministry, died as he had lived-the son of perdition. (John xvii. 12.)

I mention this, my friends, by the way, to check those high notions of favouritism in which some men indulge themselves, men who flatter themselves that they are so sure of salvation, because they think they are the peculiarly called, elected, or chosen by the Saviour; and that his spirit is within them. Think of Judas; and ask yourselves whether you have his spirit within you, ready to break out as occasion presents itself, be it of covetousness downright, or any shade of it, selfishness, worldliness, deceit, treachery, or any other malignant passion. Think of Judas; and remember that he was the son of perdition, notwithstanding all his Lord's favours-favours, which were in his case a substantial reality, and which in yours, let me ask if you can prove them peculiarly such. Think of Judas, then, and yourselves also, if you presume on your imaginary sanctity, native or imputed, h his unclean spirit within you.

But to return to our subject. Judas was

no more.

A vacancy remained to be filled

up, and two persons were proposed for it,Joseph and Matthias; both of them qualified by their knowledge of, and fellowship with our Lord. They present not themselves as candidates, but the Apostles select them; and as these Apostles were originally chosen by our Lord, so they refer this matter to him, as to which of the two should be elected. Accordingly, in conformity with their ancient custom,-a custom sanctioned and authorized in the Old Testament, in things of solemn import,they decide the matter by lot (Acts i. 24, 25), having first prayed the Lord to give that lot which should be acceptable to him. And now Matthias is numbered with the eleven Apostles.

It may seem perhaps strange to some of us that so sacred a matter as this should be decided by lot. But how were the Apostles to decide when there were two persons of apparently equal worth and title? And this mode, as I said, was approved of by

God. In the book of Leviticus we read, concerning the sacrifices which He enjoined to be offered, that the following directions were given (Levit. xvi. 7, 8, 9, 10) : Aaron shall take the two goats, and present them before the Lord at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. And Aaron shall CAST LOTS upon the two goats. One lot for the Lord, and the other for the scape-goat. And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the Lord's lot fall, and offer him for a sin offering. But the goat on which the lot fall to be the scapegoat shall be presented alive before the Lord to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for a scape-goat into the wilderness. Thus we perceive, God himself, in this instance, appointed the lot as a mode of determining what should be presented to him; He himself, of course, so ordering that the lot should fall according to his choice. So, again, we find Him directing Joshua to distribute the land of Canaan to the Israelites by lot. We find the Israelites, in accordance with such prac

tice, marching against Gibeah by lot. David appointing the service of the priests of the sanctuary by lot. We read in St. Luke of Zacharias (Luke i. 8, 9), that, while he executed the priest's office before God in the order of his course, according to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord; which, perhaps, alludes to this very practice originally instituted by God himself.

We have another instance recorded in Scripture, where God most remarkably verified the casting of lots. (1 Sam. xiv. 24.) When Saul had bound over his people by a curse, not to touch food during the day of battle with the Philistines, Jonathan, not aware of the prohibition, incurred the penalty of death. And when Saul perceived that a trespass had been committed, and was unable to discover who the trespasser was, he cast lots between the people on one side, and himself and his son on the other; and said unto the Lord (1 Sam. xiv. 41-2): God of Israel, give a perfect lot. And

Saul and Jonathan were taken, but the people escaped. And Saul then said, cast lots between me and Jonathan my son. And Jonathan was taken. Thus we see the practice was established amongst the Jews, not as referring the matter to chance, but to God. And therefore Solomon delivers it as a truth (Prov. xvi. 33): The lot is cast into the lap, but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord.

In accordance with such practice, instituted by God, and confirmed by Him, the lot was taken for Matthias, and he became an Apostle.

Having received this commission, he waited, with his brethren, for the descent of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost; and being thus miraculously confirmed and gifted in his office, he exercised its functions with the rest.

His especial ministry was first in Judea, where he made many converts to the faith. He then travelled either to Ethiopia, or Cappadocia, and preached there. There, also, he was barbarously put to death, and