verily, you do not make light of the invitation; and yet you may bring the matter to a short issue with yourselves. Do you read the Scripture, to know what you are invited to, and with prayer to have it opened to you? Do you rejoice to hear of God's love in Christ, and is it the great wish of your hearts to be partakers of it?

Ver. 6. And the remnant, &c.-This is mentioned as a still higher degree of wickedness. Such is the nature of men; and such too often the return they make to those who are sent to them with the truth, and declare it faithfully.

Ver. 7. The King was wroth, &c.-This part of divine revelation is sadly slighted. We do not believe God's anger or righteous judgment, though the Scripture so plainly declares it, and abounds with examples of it; and this threatening, especially, was fully executed upon the Jews, for a warning and instruction to mankind.

Ver. 8. They which were bidden were not worthy.Called, though unworthy; and always unworthy of so great a mercy; but, absolutely and finally unworthy by their refusal of it, or living unreformed under it.

Ver. 9. Go ye, therefore, into the highways, &c.—To the Gentiles; to us, who sat in darkness, and in the region of the shadow of death, that all the ends of the world might remember themselves, and be turned unto the Lord. Blessed be God, here is no exception of any; the invitation is as much made to every one of us, as if our names had been particularly set down in writing.

Ver. 10. So those servants went out. The apostles, and a great company of preachers. They still speak to, and invite us in their writings; and others in their words, by commission and authority from Christ.

-Bad and good. The kingdom of heaven here upon earth, or Christ's church, consists of a mixture of

good and bad; and many are gathered into it by baptism and outward profession, who do not truly belong to it. Consider upon what ground you stand forth. Attend carefully to what follows.

Ver. 11. And when the King came in to see the guests.— Where shall we hide ourselves from that eye? O! where from our own, in the day when the King comes in to see the guests, if we have not a wedding-garment? For we shall then be as naked and open to ourselves, as we are always to him. God be merciful to us, and bring us to such a sight of ourselves now, as may qualify us to understand the design of the Gospel, and prepare us for the mercy of it!

He saw there a man which had not on a weddinggarment. What can that be but faith in the righteousness of Christ, and the holiness which springs from it, or a conscience purged from guilt, and a heart from the love of sin?

Ver. 12. And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither, &c. What vain confidence is this, and upon what pretence art thou here, in a garb so different from the rest, and with a heart so unsuitable to the place and company? Hear God now speaking to thee in love, and whilst there is hope: "Why dost thou call thyself a “Christian, and expect to be owned as such, without "taking Christ for the covering of thy soul, and being "clothed with the graces of the Spirit?" My friends, how dreadful to hear it said, or but to think it may be said, this is no place for thee! and not have a word to reply.

-And he was speechless. What will you have to say then for your good hearts and good meanings, smooth life or good nature, if you have not been rooted and grounded in Christ, and followers of him in faith and love?

Ver. 13. Bind him hand and foot, &c.-O severe judgment, and yet kind warning! Mercy waits on us, pleads with us, and calls aloud to us now; but, as sure as you hear these words, will be at an end with you for ever, if you do not embrace and make use of it whilst you live. To be cast out of the place of feasting, finely illuminated, and furnished with every thing to gratify and delight the senses, into outer darkness, is a faint, and but a very faint, resemblance of the misery of eternal separation from the splendour and glories of heaven, and confinement to the horrible darkness of the bottomless pit.

Ver. 14. For many are called, but few are chosen.— All are called that they might be chosen; and, then, why are they not? They will find the answer in themselves. You have heard it already; they will not come, they make light of the call, think more of the' world than of Christ, and will not seek to him according to the will of God.

LECTURE.

THE kingdom of heaven in this parable, and generally in the Gospels, is the state and condition of mankind under Christ in this world, as they are called to be partakers of his blessings. For by the kingdom of heaven here spoken of, as consisting of a mixture of good and bad, cannot be understood the kingdom of heaven after death, into which none who are unworthy will be admitted; but, as I am telling you, the state of mankind under the Gospel, or Christ's kingdom here upon earth. Of this kingdom we are the visible people and subjects, who profess to believe in his salvation, to be governed by him, and to prepare for his coming; when we shall either be received into his everlasting kingdom of glory, or shut

out of it for ever. And, if you are in earnest with God, and your souls, in reading the Scripture, receive it as the counsel and will of God for your salvation, and desire in truth and singleness of heart to reap the benefit of it, you will ask yourselves some such questions as these concerning the parable now before us. Who is the inviter? Who are the invited? What is the marriage to which they are invited? What is required of them in order to their coming to it? What will entitle those who do come to the esteem and approbation of the Master of the feast? The Inviter is God, and of his own free grace and mercy. The invited are first, and principally, the Jews, his own people. And when they not only refused the invitation for worldly reasons, but persecuted and slew the messengers that were sent to them, command was given to bring in all the other nations of the earth; so that the wedding was furnished with guests, of which number you are by baptism and outward profession. But do you know what the marriage is to which you are invited? It is to be espoused to the Saviour Jesus Christ, the Son of God, to be made bone of his bone, and flesh of his flesh, and so joined to the Lord as to be one spirit; he taking us to himself, with all our poverty, misery, and sin, foul and spotted, vile and abominable as we are, and giving himself to us with all he has, and is, his love, his heart, his blood, his righteousness, his sonship, his dearness to God, his heaven. How wonderful is this! and what reason have we to say, with admiration and great astonishment, " Behold, what manner of love "the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we," poor worms of the earth, sinful dust and ashes, "should be "called," and actually be," the sons of God," in virtue of our union with his well beloved Son, and by his right and title.

But, I beseech you, call to mind that in this, as well

as all other marriage-contracts, there must be a consent of both parties. If Christ gives himself to us, with all his blessings, with his whole self, he expects that we should give ourselves to him freely and fully, rejoicing in the offer he makes us, and resolving to forsake all other for him. And, know to your great comfort, that, for the present, or at the time of your entering into this state, he requires nothing of you but your cordial, joyful acceptance of him. When you think who he is, and what you are, you will stand amazed at the tender he makes you, and be looking out for some kind of portion to bring him some goodness or worthiness of your own; but you must let that alone for ever. God gives him, and he gives himself to us, because we are helpless and perishing without him, and if you do not always keep his love, his goodness, his condescension, separate in your minds from any goodness or worthiness of your own, any thing you are or do, you do not take him upon his own terms. He knows that we have nothing but sin and misery belonging to us, and till we know and confess, from the bottom of our hearts, that we have nothing else, and believe that he is willing to take us as we are, he does not give himself to us. Indeed, my brethren, these are glad tidings to a world of polluted, guilty creatures, and we should leap for joy to hear them. But, alas! the generality give but cold entertainment to the offer of Christ, and his riches; and if you would examine your consciences this night before you go to sleep, I fear you would find, either that the world shuts him out of your hearts, or that you will neither part with your sins for him, nor acknowledge your vileness in sin; and so you come to the feast of his providing without a wedding-garment. By which I understand chiefly, the spotless robe of Christ's righteousness, because our own cannot endure the pure eye of God; and which, as it was wrought by him for our sakes, and not for his own, who