plRce before his ow~ mind for postponing it. He easily discov~rs one. He could make better use of the time; he ought not to neglect an opportumty that offers of making a good ~argain-or anything else. What does it matter? Anything will serve; one pretext 1s as good as another. Here is a human soul that owes mnch to its Creator; has received everything, and has paid nothin,t or scarcely anything-owes " teu thousand talents," and "has nothing to pay." One comes to him from God, and says, "See 'how things stand between you and yonr Maker; 'acquaint thyself with him, and be at peace.'" But the man shrinks from the scrutiny ; he is in debt, and knows that he is; he would much rather enter into any other account than that. So he searches for some plausible reason for putting it off to another time. And be easily finds one. Excuses are in the air, at every one's command. He has no time for religious inquiry; so many people speak in God's Name, he is not sure who holds the truth; he will be under more favourable spiritual conditions further on-or something else. What does it matter? One excuse serves as well as another. It is nothing but a screen put up between the eye and the object. This is a course of action to be a.shamed of. It is not manly; it is not right; it is perilous; it is delusive, and leads down to destruction. II. A PREFEBEN0E of that which is second-rate to that which is of supreme impor- tance. Here the particular illustrations of the parable serve us. These men are invited to be present at that which they ought to attend; but they allow something of inferior urgency to detain them. God is inviting us to partake of a most glorious spiritual provision ; he is offering eternal life to his human children. He is sending his servants to say, "Come, for all things a.re ready!" But how many decline I and they decline because they "make excuse ; " they put into the first place that which should come second. It is the demands of business; or it is the cares of the house- hold; or it is the sweets of literature, of art, of family affection; or it is the claims of ·human friendship; or it is the hope of political influence or renown. It is something human, earthly, finite, on the ground of which the soul is saying," Ambassador of Christ, I pray thee have me excused!" But it is wrong and it is ruinous to act thus. 1. Nothing will ever justify a man in placing first in his esteem that which God has placed second, in keeping behind that which has such sovereign claims to stand in front. 'l'he claims of God the eternal Father of spirits, of Jesus Christ our Divine Saviour, of our own priceless spirit, of those whom we love and for whose immortal well-being we are held responsible by God,-these cannot be relegated to a secondary and inferior position without serious guilt. 2. Nothing will make it other than/oolish for a man to leave unappropria.ted the immeasurable blessings of godliness; to prefer any passing earthly good to the service of Jesus Christ, the service which hallows all joy, sanctifies all sorrow, ennobles all life, prepares for death, and makes ready for judgment and eternity. How can such folly be surpassed ?-C. Ver. 23.-Spiritual breadth. The parable presents the gospel as a sacred feast pre- pared by the Divine Lord for the hungering hearts of men. 'l'be invitation is declined by one and another, who have inclinations for other and lower good than that which is thus provided. Hence the measures taken to supply their room. The text suggests- I. THE LARGENESS OF Gon's LOVING PURPOSE. God wills that his house " shall be filled." This house of his grace is built on a large scale; in it a.re "many mansions," many rooms. The magnitude of it answers to tbe greatness of his power and to the boundle~sness of his love. The number of the ultimately redeemed will be vast indeeq To this point: 1. The hopes of all holy and generous souls. 2. The terms of predic- tive Scripture. 3. The attributes of the wise, strong, benignant Father of men. 4. The duration of the redemptive scheme. 6. The character of the redemptive work -the Incarnation, the sorrow, the shame, the death, of the Son of God. God's loving purpose is to gather a multitude which no man can number into the heavenly home, into the eternal mansions. II. THE FULNESB OF THE DIVINE COlllMISSION. Those who represent the Lord of the feast are to "go into the highways and hedges, and compel men to come in." No people are to be excluded ; no efforts a1·e to be spared ; no " stone is to be left unturned" to win men to the feast. There is to be a sacred compulsion used rather than the efforts of the " servants" should be unsuccessful. Here is no warrant for persecu- tion. No two things <'Ml conceivably be further apart from one e.nother than the u11& LUKE,-11, 1) 34 THE GOSPEL AOCORDING TO ST. LUKE. faa, uv. 1-35,
of violence and t.he spirit of Christ. To employ cruelty in order to compel men Into Christianity is worse than a senseless solecism; it is a flagrant and guilty contradiction. 'l'here are other and nobler ways of "compelling men to come in" to the kingdom and the Church of Christ-ways which are not discordant but harmonious with the spirit and the teaching of the Lord of love. They are such as these: 1. The constant and irresistible beauty of our daily life. The "waters" of spiritual loveliness "wear II the hardest stones of spiritual obduracy. 2. Occasional magnanimity of Christian conduct. Men are often rompelled to bow down in admiration and even in reverence before some deed of noble self-sacrifice, of lofty heroism. 3. Convincing presentation of the Chris- tian argument. The truth of Christ may be presented so cumulatively, so forcibly, so directly, so practically, so winningly, so affectionately, that the most defiant are abash~, th~ most prejudiced are convinced, the most impervious are penetrated, the most insens1 hie are moved and won ; they are compelled to come in. 4. Earnest per- sistency of Christian zeal. There is a blind, imprudent zeal, which is worse than worthless, which only teases and torments, which does not allure but drives to a greater distance. But there is also a wise, holy, Divine persistency, which will not be refused, which employs every weapon in the sacred armoury, which knows how to wait in patience as well as how to work in ardour, which, like the patient Saviour himself, "stands at the door, and knocks." This is the zeal which continues to plead with men for God, and ceases not to plead with God for men, until the barriers a.re broken down, until the indifference is broken up, until the heart looks up to heaven and cries, "What shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? "-C.