and fervants would be perfecuted and oppreffed; he knew alfo, that though the Jews would refuse the terms of mercy aud falvation offered to them, they would, notwithstanding, be embraced by the Gentiles; that the first, therefore, in the esteem of his Almighty Father would foon be the last; and that though many were called, there would be few chofen. To convince them, therefore, that he was no ftranger to the fate which he was ordained to meet with, nor to the manner in which their cruel treatment of him would be avenged on themselves and their pofterity, he illuftrates and enforces his knowledge of both by the excellent parable before us, which we shall fee was most aptly conducted, and moft fignificantly expreffed of those divine truths which it was meant to inculcate. In the prosecution of this fubject, therefore, I propose,

Firft, Briefly to recapitulate the principal circumftances and occurrences, as recounted in the parable.

Secondly, to explain and interpret the feveral parts of it, in a manner the most plain and intelligible. And,

Thirdly and laftly, to draw a few moral conclufions from it, which may probably be of fervice to us in regard to our future conduct.

And firft, then, I fhall briefly run over the principal circumstances of the parable as it lays before us.

A certain king made a marriage for his fon. The celebration of nuptials hath, in all ages and nations, and among all ranks and degrees

of

of men, claimed to itself a peculiar privilege of exemption from care and labour, and a more than ordinary indulgence in scenes of mirth and feftivity: it was natural, therefore, to imagine, that a rich and powerful prince would folemnize them with all the pomp and ceremony fuitable to fo joyful an occafion; and accordingly we find him preparing a great and noble feast, and inviting his nobles and subjects to come immediately to his palace to taste his bounties, and to partake of his felicity. To thefe he fends his fervants, to inform them that they were impatiently expected by them. Behold, fays he, I have prepared my banquet; my oxen and my fatlings are killed; and all things are ready: come unto the marriage feast. After fo gracious an invitation, one would naturally conclude they would moft willingly and moft gladly have accepted it; and that, as the king was fo condefcending, they would have entered into his gates with thanksgiving, and filled his courts with praife. But fuch is the perverfe and wayward difpofition of mankind, that what when abfent we defire with eagernefs and folicitude, when prefent we refufe with flight and contempt. If the king had not asked them to the feaft, they would probably have refented it as an affront; and yet, when he did, they confidered it as an injury. They all, fays the parable, with one consent, begun to make excufe. Of all those who were invited to the wedding, not one would come. To preferve, however, fome diftant appearance of civility, to glofs over their rudeness as well as poffible, and palliate

their ingratitude, they began to make excufe. Reasons, we know, are always to be found, even for things the moft unreafonable; and excufes are feldom wanting, where men have an inclination to make them. The firft faid, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and fee it; I pray thee have me excufed. And another faid, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them; I pray thee have me excufed. And another faid, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. Of thefe excufes it may be observed, that they were all fuch as carried with them a fpecious external appearance. Bufinefs must be purfued, the means of life muft not be neglected; the feveral duties, relations, and connections of it, must be attended to. The truth of the circumstance and affertion could not, perhaps be denied, nor was the neceffity of complying with it to be difputed: the excufes, therefore, must be admitted, though at the fame time it was easy to see that they were but excuses: another day might, no doubt, have ferved as well to fee the farm, or to prove the oxen: even he that had married a wife might have spared a few hours after his own nuptials to do his duty, and celebrate also the nuptials of the king's fon; but the truth. was, they were, as men generally are, too deeply engaged in their own pleasures and purfuits, to afford any time or attention to those of others. Such was the behaviour of those who made excufes for their neglect and ingratitude; thefe, indeed, pretended to a reason, though they had none and wore the appearance of a virtue, though they were defO

titute

titute of the reality. Some, however, there were fill more guilty, who threw off the mafk of hypocrify, and openly avowed their contempt. Inftead of fending back the fervants with lying and evafive anfwers, they fell upon them, entreated them fpitefully, and flew them. What must have been the thoughts, and how great the anxiety of the offended king, on this occafion. This was a treatment which he doubtlefs as little expected as deferved; he determined, therefore, to let them know that he had power as well as goodness. When he heard thereof, fays the parable, he was wroth; those who were murtherers he punished as fuch; he fent forth his armies and destroyed them, and burnt up their city; then faith he to his fervants, The wedding is ready; but they which were bidden were not worthy: very unworthy indeed muft fuch men have been of an honour which they thus rejected: the master of the banquet, therefore, was refolved to invite other guefts; Go, fays he, into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. Go out into the jireets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind. A heavier punishment cannot be inflicted on the prond man, than to put the low and vulgar on a level with him, and raife them to the fame degree of honour and efteem as himself; the incenfed king, therefore, could not have thought. on a method of refentment more proper than that which he here put in practice: he invites to his feast the very perfons whom he knew

the

the rich and great always held in the highest contempt; the poor, the maimed, the halt and the blind. To fee fuch men advanced to their rank, and fupplying their places, would probably make them repent of their rudeness, and wish that, inftead of rejecting, they had accepted his invitation. It is one of the infirmities, to call it no worfe, of human nature, that what when in our own poffeffion is in no esteem, becomes valuable when it is the property of another; and we cannot bear to fee a rival, especially an inferior, happy in the enjoyment even of that for which we ourfelves have no regard. Bring in, fays he, the poor, and the maimed, and the halt and the blind. These he had befides reason to imagine would gladly attend his courts, and be thankful for his beneficence; and as they had no claim to fuch an honour, nor expectation of it, it would moreover be more acceptable to them. Accordingly they received the meffage with joy, and crouded to the banquet. And the fervant faid, Lord, it is done as thou haft commanded, and yet there is room: And the Lord faid unto the fervant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and press them to come in, that my houfe may be filled. Thus, left those whom he had firft afked, and who had fo rudely refufed, fhould now be inclined to vifit him, did he take care most effectually to prevent their intrufion: he was refolved, we fee, that his house should be entirely filled with other guests; fo that if they attempted to come in, they could not poffibly have gained admittance. None of thofe men, says he, who