ceiving its application to themselves, these priests and elders acknowledge, by anticipation, the justice of God, in the rejection and destruction of his rebellious people. As David said, "the man that has done this thing shall surely die;" so the priests answer, he will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen. What the Jew counts himself unworthy of, the Gentile shall receive.

Let us beware, both as a people, and as individuals, lest we are betrayed into a like sin, and fall under a like condemnation. It may seem that we cannot offend as the Jews did, who cast out and slew the Son of God. Yes: we commit an equal sin, if we refuse to reverence him, "to have him to reign over us." St. Paul expressly says of those who profess to call him Lord, and who bear the name of Christians, that when they walk unworthily of their profession, and transgress his laws, they "crucify the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame."

44. And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

The stone is Christ Jesus and his Gospel: the stone which the builders rejected. He who falls on or against a stone, is bruised: he on whom a stone falls, is crushed. To this difference the verse alludes. There are many who fall, as it were, against the stone; after the manner of those who said, "Look and see, how out of Galilee ariseth no prophet:" or, "how can this man give us his flesh to eat?" Such are they to whom the doctrines of the

gospel are "a stone of stumbling, and a rock of of fence, even they which stumble at the word, being disobedient." (1 Pet. ii. 8.) These close against themselves the gate of God's mercy. But as there are different degrees of faith, and therefore different degrees of reward; so are there different degrees of sinfulness in unbelief, and therefore different de grees of punishment. On whomsoever this corner stone shall fall, it will grind him to powder. I will heavily fall on those who opposed to the Son of God their prejudice, and their malice, and their enmity who perverted his words, spoke falsely of his miracles, assailed him with calumnies, and prevented others from receiving the benefits of his mercy. "Wrath will come upon such to the utter most." "It were better for that man if he had not

been born."

From all blindness and from all hardness of heart, and contempt of thy word and commandment, good Lord, deliver us!

45. And when the chief priests and Pharisees had hear his parables, they perceived that he spake of them.

46. But when they sought to lay hands on him, the feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet.

They could not do any thing at all against him. "unless it were given them from above." And his time was not yet fully come.

LECTURE LIII.

PARABLE OF THE WEDDING GARMENT.

MATT. xxii. 1-14.

1. And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said,

2. The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son,

3. And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.

4. Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage.

5. But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandize:

6. And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them.

7. But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth; and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.

Thus far the Jewish nation is described in the parable. For them, in the first place, the marriage feast was intended: John the Baptist, the seventy disciples, and our Lord himself, and afterwards the twelve apostles and other preachers of the gospel, bid them to the wedding; invited them to enter the kingdom of God. But some made light of it; and others, still worse, crucified the Son for whom the

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marriage was made, and his apostles they spitefully entreated and slew. And now the destruction of their city was at hand, and the Gentiles were bidden to take the place of which the Jews had proved themselves unworthy.

8. Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.

9. Go ye therefore into the highways, und as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.

10. So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.

The apostles complied with the command here given, when they said to the unbelieving and persecuting Jews, "Lo, we turn unto the Gentiles." And the Gentiles fulfilled this part of the parable, when they heard the word gladly, and gathered themselves to the Christian church. Thus the wedding was furnished with guests.

The parable now turns aside from any particular allusion to either Jew or Gentile, and comes to the qualifications which must be found on all alike, who shall sit down at last in the kingdom of God. The servants go out into the highways, and gather together all as many as they find, both bad and good and the wedding is furnished with guests. This accurately describes the state of a country in which the gospel is received and professed as the national religion. The wedding is furnished with guests; but their characters are very different ; both bad and good; some have and some have not the faith to which the promises are made. And

here we cannot always discern among them. We can indeed perceive the open disobedience of too many, who walk not "after the spirit, but after the flesh" and the world. But we fear that there are hypocrites, and we trust that there are faithful believers in Christ, who are only known to him who knows what is in man. They will be distinguished hereafter.

11. And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment ;

12. And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither, not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.

No one can read this passage without an earnest inquiry, what is the wedding garment? And happy should we be, if to acquire it, were as easy as to explain it. To clothe ourselves with that garment, the labour of all the head, and the resolution of all the heart, and the pains of all the life, are necessary for it is the Christian character. Yet the Christian character, with all its parts, and features, and graces, may be comprised in two short words, FAITH and HOLINESS. Faith in Christ, as the author of eternal life, to those who trust in him; and holiness of conduct resulting from that faith in obedience to his commands. This is the wedding garment. This is the character which we must put on here on earth, that we may be ready and appear clothed in it when our summons comes. Not that there are two garments; or that "Christ is divided;" or that salvation is partly by faith, and partly by holiness; but the faith which God expects to see in every Christian, is that faith which leads to sanctification,