name to invite all the Jews to a participation of this feast : but their message was despised and their per- sons injm-ed ; so that God w^ould now cease any more to call the Jews, and would send forth his invitations to the Gentiles, whom he would receive with all ima- ginable kindness, whilst he left the Jews to eat the bitter fruit of their folly.
Now, as we are the favoured people to whom these invitations are sent, I will more distinctly open to you the parable in its different parts, and then exe- cute the commission which is here assigned me.
The union of Christ with his Church is often spoken of in the Scriptures under the figure of a marriage —
[By nature we are in the most deplorable condition. But he of his own sovereign grace sets his heart upon us, and pre- pares us for himself, and unites us to himself in the closest bonds ^ The espousals take place now in this world ''; the consummation will be in the world to come*^.]
In honour of this marriage God institutes a feast —
[But who shall declare how rich this feast is? Truly it is a feast worthy of God, the God of heaven, to provide, and worthy of his most favoured creatures to partake of in the heavenly world. Already, whatever can conduce to the en- lightening of the mind, the rectifying of the will, the purifying of the affections, the strengthening, establishing, and comforting of the soul, is dispensed to us as a foretaste of that divine banquet. The love of the Father, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, are imparted to us in the richest abundance. Wine and strong meat are ministered to adults, and milk to the new-born babes, insomuch that there is not a person in the universe who may not find that very food which he most affects, and which his necessities more particularly require.]
And now are his servants sent forth to invite us all —
[As Prophets and Apostles were sent forth in former ages so are ministers appointed now to this very service, to call to the wedding all who have a wish to come ; say- ing, " Whosoever will, let him come and take of the water of life freely." This, brethren, has been my happy office, which 1 have most gladly performed from the first instant that I came amongst you. I have not set forth the Gospel as a work to be performed, or a labour to be sustained, but as a
a Ezek. xvi. 4 — 12. ^ Jer, ii. 2. 2 Cor. xi. 2. <= Rom. xix.7.