To a participation of this feast we are sent to invite you—
[In one view, they to whom we are sent, are the bride ; but in another view, they are the guests. The commission God has given to his servants is, to " go out into the highways and hedges, and to bring in as many as they can find." To you therefore we come, declaring that no unworthiness on your part shall exclude you, provided you put on the wedding gar- ment, which the Master of the feast has prepared for you. Accept the invitation ; and all the blessings of salvation shall be yours. Pardon, peace, strength, and whatever else can comfort the weary, and support the weak, shall become the daily, the everlasting food of your souls.]
To evince how much our message is disregarded, we proceed to shew,
II. Who are they that make hght of the invitation — Among the numberless classes that might be men- tioned, two only shall be selected :
1. They who satisfy themselves with excuses for declining it —
[The persons mentioned in the context, excused themselves on account of their " farms or merchandize." But their picas, however satisfactory in their own eyes, were not admitted by God. On the contrary, he declared them to be " unworthy ever to taste of his supper." Now what excuses has any man more urgent than these? And if these were of no avail in their case, what right have we to think, that the plea of worldly business will be admitted in our favour ? If the prosecuting of our worldly business were really incompatible with the enjoy- ment of God, there can be no doubt which we ought to prefer. He was " a wise merchant, who having found a pearl of great price, sold all that he had and bought it." But our duties to God and to the world are by no means irreconcileable with each other: and therefore the resting in such vain excuses shews, that we make light of the salvation oflTered us.]
2. They who do not accept it with all thankfulness —
[Blessings, like those set before us in the Gospel, ought to be regarded as of the first importance. Indifference towards them is a positive contempt of them. If a slave, whom we had ransomed at a great price, and to whom we offered liberty, and affluence, and honour, should express no gratitude, no joy on the occasion, should we not think that he " made light of" our proffered kindness ? But what bondage is so dreadful as that in which we are held by sin and Satan ? or what liberty