stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!

This is, indeed, a familiar and lively image of his tender concern, even for that blood-thirsty nation, and especially that generation. How loudly and compassionately does he here call to us! O why are we not saved? Why do we perish under so great mercy? He tells us, “Ye would not." There is the root of every impenitent sinner's damnation, namely, a stubborn, opposing will. He died to bring our wills over to God, and make salvation our own choice, but he can do no more for us; and without this, mercy is at an end for ever.

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35. Behold, house is left unto you desolate and verily your say unto you, Ye shall not see me, until the time come when ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. The time will come, and probably is not far off, when the Jews, who have been preserved by a continual miracle for that purpose, shall turn to the Lord, with these very words in their mouths.

SECTION XLVIII.

Chap. xiv. ver. 1-14.

CHRIST'S CONDUCT AND TEACHING.

1. And it came to pass, as he went into the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread on the sabbath day, that they watched him.

And he had an eye upon them also; but with a very different design. Their intent was to destroy him: Christ's intention was to instruct and to save them, by laying open their pride, ignorance, and hypocrisy.

2. And, behold, there was a certain man before him which had the dropsy.

3. And Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day?

4. And they held their peace.

This question of Christ darted conviction into them, all on a sudden. They would not say it was lawful, and durst not say that it was unlawful.

4. And he took him, and healed him, and let him go;

Christ did this without fear of their censure, or any danger that might come to him by the miracle.

5. And answered them, saying, Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a pit, and will not straightway pull him out on the sabbath day?

Jesus again answered them according to their hearts. His judgment is always in agreement with what we find there. His eye goes directly thither. He does not want to hear us speak, or to see us act, in order to know what we

are.

6. And they could not answer him again to these things.

What answer could be given to such plain reasoning? Nevertheless, it does not appear that they were convinced. It is one thing to be struck dumb with the truth, and another to own it.

7. And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them,

8. When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him;

9. And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest

room.

10. But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee.

This is sound advice, suited for all times; and when it

is followed from the heart, it will render men better fitted to exercise all the charities of life.

It may seem unworthy of Christ, and much beneath his office, as a divine teacher, to prescribe a rule for our outward behaviour. And so it would appear, if we stop at the outside of the parable. That which Christ here teaches, is lowliness of heart. Let us carry that about with us, and we shall always know our place. O what shame will seize us, if the great master of the feast should say to us at last, Thou art a deceived man, thy place is not here !

11. For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and lie that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

All persons, without exception, exalt themselves, till a sense of sin has laid them low. But those who continue to exalt themselves, shall be abased to hell. But he that humbleth himself as all should do, and will, whenever their eyes are opened-shall be exalted to a place at God's right hand. We can hear these plain words a hundred times over, without ever looking for any pride in our hearts, or thinking of the consequence.

12. Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner, or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompence be made thee.

13. But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind :

14. And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.

Christ gives a lesson to the entertainer, and bids us look to eternity, as the grand recompence for all the benefits we confer on our fellow men. Let us carry out the commandment, "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself," and we shall then say with David, "My goodness extendeth not to the Lord, but to the saints that are in the earth, and to such as excel in virtue." Compassion to the needy from a sense of our obligation to God for his infinite mercy

to ourselves, will dictate a proper line of conduct toward poor in our festivities.

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SECTION XLIX.

Chap. xiv. ver. 15-24.

PARABLE OF THE MARRIAGE SUPPER.

15. And when one of them that sat at meat with him heard these things, he said unto him, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God.

16. Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many:

None were excepted from this invitation.

17. And sent his servant at supper-time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready.

Are we not invited? And to what? To receive the forgiveness of our sins: to be happy in God's favour; and to be made new creatures in Christ Jesus, in order that we may be fitted for heaven. The invitation to us is, "Come; for all things are now ready," that is, on God's part. All that sinful, perishing creatures can desire. And God the Father does not mock us. Behold and wonder! He says, "Come." Christ says, "Come." The Holy Spirit says, "Come." O come then, all ye who hear these sayings. Be ye also ready. Think you hear this spoken from heaven.

18. And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused.

Their excuse was worldly business or engagements. We may well suppose that this was singled out as the most common and fatal hindrance of men's salvation. Look to it, for yourselves are at stake, and the world has a strong chain about you.

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19. And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused.

He would be excused from salvation! So the field and the yoke of oxen make men say in their hearts.

20. And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I

cannot come.

The rest were a little more modest, and prayed to be excused. This man thought it a clear case that he had nothing to do at God's supper, and said stoutly, he could not come. They all indeed meant, they would not.

So.

21. So that servant came, and shewed his lord all these things. Nothing is hidden from him, though we would fain think He knows what is at the bottom of all our excuses. 21. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind.

See at what the master of the house was angry! Had they not fairly excused themselves? O no! Take warning. Remember that you are to be put into God's balance, and there weighed.

We! we are the miserable objects who are to be brought in we, sinful dust and ashes, who are every way diseased and helpless. We, by a miracle of mercy, have had, and still have, our call to be healed, and received by God as his friends. We are fit for Christ just as we are; he wants nothing of us but to have us know what we are.

22. And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room.

23. And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.

There is no forcing men to heaven, for then God would keep none out. But the meaning is, go, everywhere, do everything, try all methods, be very urgent with all sorts of