Sermon 975. The Parable of the Wedding Feast
(No. 975)
Delivered on Lord's-day Morning, February 12th, 1871 by
C. H. SPURGEON,
At the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington
"The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, and sent forth his servants to callthem that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them whichare bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed and all things are ready: come unto themarriage."-Matthew 22:2,3,4.
IF GOD GRANT ME STRENGTH I hope to go through this parable, but at this present we shall confine our thoughts to the openingscene of the royal festival. Before, however, we proceed further, it is most fitting that we give expression to our deep gratitude,that it has pleased the infinite mind to stoop to our narrow capacities, and instruct us by parable. How tenderly condescendingis God to devise similitudes, that his children may learn the mysteries of the kingdom! Ifit be sometimes marvelled at among men that great minds are ever ready to stoop, what a far greater marvel that God himselfshould bow the heavens and come down to meet our ignorance and slowness of comprehension! When the learned professor has beeninstructing his class in the hall in recondite matters of deep philosophy, and then goes home and takes his child upon hisknee, and tries to bring down great truth to the grasp of his child's mind, then you see the great love of the man's heart:and when the eternal God, before whom seraphim are but insects of an hour, condescends to instruct our childishness andmake us wise unto salvation, we may well say, "herein is love." Just as we give our children pictures that we may win theattention, and may by pleasing means fix truth upon their memories, so the Lord with loving inventiveness has become the authorof many a charming metaphor, type, and allegory, by which he may gain our interest, and through his Holy Spirit enlightenourminds. If he who thunders till the mountains tremble, yet deigns to speak with us in a still small voice, let us gladlysit in Mary's place at his gracious feet, and willingly learn of him. O that God would give to each one a teachable spirit,for this is the greatest step towards understanding the mind of God. He who is willing to learn, in a childlike spirit, isalready in a considerable measure taught of God. May we all so study this instructive parable as to be quickened by it toall thatis well-pleasing in the sight of God, for after all true learning in godliness may be judged of by its result; upon ourlives. If we are holier we are wiser, practical obedience to the will of the Lord Jesus is the surest evidence of an understandingheart.
In order to understand the parable before us we must first direct our attention to the design of the "certain king" here spokenof. He had a grand object in view; he desired to do honor to his son upon the occasion of his marriage. We shall then notice the very generous method by which he proposed to accomplish his purpose; he made a dinner, and bade many: there were other modes of honoring his son,but the great king elected the mode which would best displayhis bounty. We shall then observe, with sad interest, the serious hindrance which arose to the carrying out of his generous design-those who were bidden would not come. There was nothing to hinder the magnificence of the festival in theriches of the prince-he lavished out his stores for the feast; but here was a hindrance strange and difficult to remove, theywould not come. Then our thoughts will linger admiringly over the gracious rejoinder which the king made to theopposers of his design; he sent other servants to repeat the invitation, "Come ye to the marriage." If we shall drinkdeep into the meaning of these three verses, we shall have more than enough for one meditation.
I. A certain king of wide dominions and great power designed to give a magnificent banquet, with a GRAND OBJECT in view. Thecrown prince, his well beloved heir, was about to take to himself a fair bride, and therefore the royal father desired tocelebrate the event with extraordinary honors. From earth, look up to heaven. The great object of God the Father is to glorifyhis Son. It is his will "that all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father." (John5:23.) Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is glorious already in his divine person. He is ineffably blessed, and infinitely beyond needing honor. All the angels of God worship him, and his glory fills allheaven. He has appeared on the stage of action as the Creator and as such his glory is perfect, "For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visibleand invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things werecreated by him, and for him." He said, "Light be," and it flamed forth. He bade the mountains lift their heads, and theirsummits pierced the clouds. He created the water-floods, he bade them seek their channels, and he appointed their bounds.Nothing is lacking to the glory of the Word of God, who was in the beginning with God, who spake and it was done, who commanded,and it stood forth. He is highly exalted also as the preserver, for he is before all things, and by him all thingsconsist. He is that nail fastened in a sure place, upon which all things hang. The keys of heaven, and death, and hell,are fastened to his girdle, and the government shall be upon his shoulders, and his name shall be called Wonderful. He hatha name which is above every name, before which all things shall bow, in heaven, and earth, and under the earth. He is Godover all. He is blessed for ever. To him that is, and was, and is to come, the universal song goeth up.
But there is another relation in which the Son of God has graciously been pleased to stand towards us. He has undertaken tobe a Savior, in order that he might be a bridegroom. He had enough glory before, but in the greatness of his heart, he would magnify his compassion even above his power, andhe therefore condescended to take into union with himself the nature of man, in order that he might redeem the beloved objectsof his choice from the penalty due totheir sins, and might enter into the nearest conceivable union with them. It is as Savior that the Father seeks to honorthe Son, and the gospel feast is not for the honor of his person merely, but for the honor of his person in this new, yetanciently purposed relationship. It is for the honor of Jesus as entering into spiritual union with his church, that the gospelis prepared as a royal entertainment.
Brethren, when I said that here was a grand occasion, it certainly is so in God's esteem, and it should be so in ours; weshould delight to glorify the Son of God. To all loyal subjects in any realm, the marriage of one of the royal family is amatter of great interest, and it is usual and fitting to give expression to congratulations and sympathies by suitable rejoicings.In the instance before us the occasion calls for special joy from all the subjects of the great kingof kings. For the occasion in itself is a subject for great delight and thankfulness to us personally. The marriage is with whom? With angels? He took not up angels. It is a marriage with our own nature, "he took up the seedof Abraham." Shall we not rejoice when heaven's great Lord is incarnate as a man, and stoops to redeem humanity from the ruinof the fall? Angels rejoice but they have no such share in the joy as we have. It is the highest personal joy to manhood thatJesus Christwho thought it not robbery to be equal with God, was made in the likeness of men that he might be one flesh with his chosen.Arise ye who slumber! If there was ever an occasion when ye should bestir your spirits and cry "wake up my glory, awake psalteryand harp" it is now, when Jesus comes to be affianced to his church, to make himself of one flesh with her, that he may redeemher, and afterwards exalt her to sit with him upon his throne. Here were abundant reasons why the invited guestsshould come with joyful steps, and count themselves thrice happy to be bidden to such a banquet. There is overwhelmingreason wily mankind should rejoice in the glorious gospel of Jesus and hasten to avail themselves of it.
Beside that we must consider the royal descent of the Bridegroom. Remember that Jesus Christ our Savior is very God of very God. Are we asked to do him honor? It is right,for to whom else should honor be given? Surely we should glorify our Creator and Preserver! Wilful must be the disobediencewhich will not pay reverence to one so highly exalted and so worthy of all homage. It is heaven to serve such a Lord. Hisglory reacheth unto the clouds; let him be adoredfor ever and ever; O come let us worship and bow down, let us cheerfully obey those commands of God which aim at the honorof his Son.
Remember also the person of Immanuel, and you will desire his glory. This glorious Son, whose fame is to be spread abroad, is most certainly God-ofthat we have spoken, but he is also most assuredly man, our brother, bone of our bone, and flesh of our flesh. Do we not delightto believe that he, tempted in all points as we are, has never yet submitted to be stained by sin? Never such a man as he,head of the race, the second Adam, the everlasting Father-whoamong us would not do him reverence? Will we not seek his honor, seeing that now he lifts our race to be next to the throneof God.
Remember, too, his character. Was there ever such a life as his? I will not so much speak of his divine character, though that furnishes abundant reasonfor worship and adoration, but think of him even as a man. O beloved, what tenderness, what compassion, yet what holy boldness;what love for sinners, and yet what love for truth! Men who have not loved him have nevertheless admired him, and hearts inwhich we least expected to see such recognition of his excellencehave nevertheless been deeply affected as they have studied his life. We must praise him, for He is "chief among ten thousand,and altogether lovely." It were treason to be silent when the hour has come to speak of him who is peerless among men andmatchless among angels. Clap, clap your hands at the thought of the marriage of the King's Son, for whom his bride hath madeherself ready.
Think, too, of his achievements. We take into reckoning whenever we do honor to a prince all that he may have done for the nation over which he rules. What,then, has Jesus done for us? Rather let me say what has he not done? Upon his shoulders were laid our sins; he carried theminto the wilderness, and they are gone for ever. Against him came forth our foes; he met them in shock of battle, and whereare they now? They are cast into the depths of the sea. As fordeath itself, that last of foes, he has virtually overcome it, and ere long the weakest of us through him shall say "Odeath, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" He is the hero of heaven. He returned to his Father's throne amidstthe acclamations of the universe. Do we not, for whom he fought, for whom he conquered, do we not desire to honor him? I feelI speak with bated breath upon a theme where all our powers of speech should be let loose. Bring forth the royal diadem andcrown him! Is it not the universal verdict of all who know him? Ought it not to be the cry of all the sons of men? Eastand west, and north and south, ought they not to ring the joy bells and hang out streamers on his marriage day, for joy ofhim? Is the King's Son to be married, is there a festival in his honor? O then let him be great, let him be glorious! Longlive the King! Let the maidens go forth with their timbrels, and the sons of music make sweet melody-yea, let all creaturesthathave breath break forth with his praises. "Hosanna! Hosanna! Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord."
II. Secondly, here is a GENEROUS METHOD of accomplishing the design. A king's son is to be honored on the day of his marriage,in what way shall it be done? Barbarous nations have their great festivals, and alas, that men should have sunk so low; onsuch occasions rivers of human blood are made to flow. To this very day, on the borders of civilisation, there is found awretched tyrant whose infernal customs, for I dare not call them by a less severe term, command themurder of hundreds of his fellow creatures in cold blood, on certain high days and festivals. Thus would the monster honorhis son by acting like a fiend. No blood is poured forth to honor the Son of heaven's great King. I doubt not Jesus will havehonor even in the destruction of men if they reject his mercy, but it is not so that God elects to glorify his Son. Jesusthe Savior, on his wedding-day with manhood, is glorified by mercy, not by wrath. If blood be mentioned on such a day, itis hisown by which he is glorified. The slaughter of mankind would bring no joy to him, he is meek and lowly, a lover of thesons of men. It has been the custom of most kings to signalise a princely wedding by levying a fresh tax, or demanding anincreased subsidy from their subjects. In the case of the anticipated wedding of our beloved Queen's daughter, the dowry soughtwill be given with greater pleasure than upon any former occasion, and none of us would lift a whisper of complaint; but theparable shows that the King of kings deals with us not after the manner of man. He asks no dowry for his Son; he makesthe marriage memorable not by demands but by gifts. Nothing is sought for from the people, but much is prepared for them,gifts are lavishly bestowed, and all that is requested of the subjects is, that they for awhile merge the subject in the morehonorable character of the guest, and willingly come to the palace, not to labor or serve at the table, but to feast and torejoice.
Observe, then, the generous method by which God honors Christ is set forth here under the form of a banquet. I noted MatthewHenry's way of describing the objects of a feast, and with the alliteration of the Puritans, he says, "A feast is for loveand for laughter, for fullness and for fellowship." It is even so with the gospel. It is for love; in the gospel, sinner, you are invited to be reconciled to God, you are assured that God forgives your sins, ceases to beangry, and would have you reconciled to him through his Son. Thus love is established between God and the soul. Then itis for laughter, for happiness, for joy. Those who come to God in Christ Jesus, and believe in him, have their hearts filled with overflowingpeace, which calm lake of peace often lifts up itself in waves of joy, which clap their hands in exultation.
It is not to sorrow but to joy that the great King invites his subjects, when he glorifies his Son Jesus. It is not that youmay be distressed, but that you may be delighted that he bids you believe in the crucified Savior and live. A feast, moreover,is for fullness. The hungry famished soul of man is satisfied with the blessings of grace. The gospel fills the whole capacity of our manhood.There is not a faculty of our nature which is not made to feel its needsupplied when the soul accepts the provisions of mercy; our whole manhood is satisfied with good things and our youthis renewed like the eagles. "For I have satisfied the weary soul, and I have replenished every sorrowful soul." To crown all,the gospel brings us into fellowship with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ. In Christ Jesus we commune with the sacred Trinity. God becomes our Father, andreveals his paternal heart. Jesus manifests himself unto us as he doth not unto theworld, and the communion of the Holy Ghost abides with us. Our fellowship is like that of Jonathan with David, or Jesuswith John. We feast on the bread of heaven, and drink wines on the lees well refined. We are brought into the heavenly banquetinghouse where the secret of the Lord is revealed to us, and our heart pours itself out before the Lord Very near is our communionwith God; most intimate love and condescension does he show to us. What say you to this? Is there not here a rich repastworthy of him who prepares it. Here all your capacious powers can wish, O sinner, shall be given to you; all you wantfor time and for eternity God prepares in the person of his dear Son, and bids you receive it without money and without price.
I have already told you that all the expense lies with him. It was a very sumptuous festival, there were oxen, and there werefatlings, but none of these were taken from the pastures, or stalls of the guests. The gospel is an expensive business; thevery heart of Christ was drained to find the price for this great festival; but it costs the sinner nothing, nothing of money,nothing of merit, nothing of preparation. You rosy come as you are to the gospel feast, for the onlywedding dress required is freely provided for you. Just as you are, you are bidden to believe in Jesus. You have nothingto do but to receive of his fullness, for to "as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, evento them that believe on his name." You are not asked to contribute to the provision, but to be a feaster at the divine banquetof infinite compassion.
How honorable, too, is the gospel to those who receive it. An invitation to a regal marriage was a high honor to those who were bidden.I do not suppose that many of us are likely to be invited to the Princess's wedding, and, if we were, we should probably begreatly elated, for we should most of us feel it to be one of the great events of our lives. So was it with these people.A king's son is not married every day, and it is not everybody that is bidden to themonarch's entertainment. All their lives long they would say, "I was at his wedding, and saw all the splendor of the marriagefestival." Probably some of them had never before enjoyed such a feast as the luxurious potentate had prepared for that day,and had never before been in such good company. My brethren nothing so honors a man as for him to accept the gospel. Whilehis faith honors Christ, Christ honors him. It is no mean thing to be a king's son, but those who come to the marriage feastof God's own Son shall become King's sons themselves-themselves participators in the glory of the great heir of all things.While I am speaking of this generous method my heart glows with sacred ardor, and my wonder rises that men do not come tothe banquet of love which honors all its guests. When the banquet is so costly to the host, so free to the guests, and sohonorable to all concerned, how is it that there should be found any so unwise as to refuse the favor. Surely here is anillustration of the folly of the unrenewed heart, and a proof of the deep depravity which sin has caused. If men turntheir backs on Moses with his stony tables, I do not marvel, but to despise the loaded tables of grace, heaped up with oxenand fatlings-this is strange. To resist the justice of God is a crime, but to repel the generosity of heaven, what is this?We must invent a term of infamy with which to brand the base ingratitude. To resist God in majesty of terror is insanity buttospurn him in the majesty of his mercy is something more than madness. Sin reaches its climax when it resolves to starvesooner than owe anything to divine goodness. I feel I must anticipate the period for delivering my message, and as I havedescribed to you the way in which God honors his Son, I must at once proclaim the invitation, and cry to you, "Come to thewedding feast. Come ye, and glorify Jesus by accepting the provisions of grace. Your works will not honor him, if you setthem up as arighteousness in competition with his righteousness. Not even your repentance can glorify him, if you think to make ita rival to his precious blood. Come, guilty sinner, as you are, and take the mercy Jesus freely presents to you, and acceptthe pardon which his blood secures to those who believe in him." Methinks when the messenger went out from the King and firstof all marked signs of neglect among those who were bidden, and saw that they would not come, he must have been mute withastonishment. He had seen the oxen, and seen the fatlings, and all the goodly preparations, he knew the King, he knewhis Son, he knew what joy it was to be at such a feast; and when the bidden ones began to turn their backs on him, and gotheir way to their farms, the messenger, repeated his message over and over again with eagerness, wondering all the whileat the treason which dared insult so good a Being. I think I see him, at first indignant for his Master's sake, and afterwardsmelted topity as he saw what would surely come of such an extravagance of ingratitude, such a superfluity of insolence. We mournedthat his fellow-citizens whom he loved should be such fools as to reject so good an offer, and spurn so blessed a proclamation.I, too, am tossed to and fro in soul, with mingled but vehement feelings. O, my God, thou hast provided the gospel, let nonein this house reject it, and so slight thy Son and dishonor thee, but may all rejoice in thy generous way of glorifyingJesus Christ, the Bridegroom of his church, and may they come, and willingly grace the festival of thy love.
III. We now advance to our third point, and regretfully remember THE SERIOUS HINDRANCE which for awhile interfered with thejoyful event.
The king had thought in his mind, "I will make a great feast, I will invite a large number. They shall enjoy all my kingdomcan afford, and I shall thus show how much I love my son, and moreover all the guests will have sweet memories in connectionwith his marriage." When his messengers went out to intimate to those who had received previously an express invitation thatthe time was come, it is written, "They would not come;" not they could not, but they"would not come." Some for one reason, some for another, but without exception they would not come. Here was a very serious hindranceto the grand business. Cannot the king drag his guests to the table? Yes, but then it would not accomplish his purpose. Hewants not slaves to grace his throne. Persons compelled to sit at a marriage-feast would not adorn it. What credit could itbe to a king to force his subjects to feast at his table? No for once, as I have said before, the subject mustbe merged in the guest. It was essential to the dignity of the festival that the guests should come with cheerfulnessto the festival, but they would not come. Why? Why would they not come? The answer shall be such as to answer another question-Whydo not you come and believe in Jesus! With many of them it was an indifference to the whole affair. They did not see whatconcern they had in the king or his son. Royal marriages were high things and concerned high people; they were plain-speakingmen, farmers who went hedging and ditching, or tradesmen who made out bills and sold by the yard or pound. What caredthey for the court, the palace, the king, the prince, his bride, or his dinner! They did not say quite that, but such wastheir feeling; it might be a fine thing, but it was altogether out of their line. How many run in the same groove at thishour? We have heard it said, "What has a working man to do with religion?" and we have heard others of another grade in lifeaffirm thatpersons who are in business cannot afford time for religion, but had better mind the main chance. The Lord have mercyupon your folly! Here is one great obstacle to the gospel, the stolid indifference of the human mind concerning this grandestof all conceptions-God's glorifying his dear Son by having mercy upon sinners.
At the bottom the real reason for the refusal of those in the parable was that they were disloyal, they would not come tothe supper because they saw an opportunity for the loyal to be glad, and not being loyal they did not wish to hear the songsand acclamations of others who were. By staying away they insulted the king, and declared that they cared not whether he wasa king or not, whether his son was a prince or not. They determined to disavow their allegiance byrefusing the invitation. They said in effect, "Anyhow, if he be a king and his son a prince, we will do him no honor,we will not be numbered with those who surround his board and show forth his splendor. No doubt a feast is worth having, andsuch a feast as there will be provided t'were well for us to participate in, but for once we will deny our appetites thatwe may indulge our pride. We proclaim a revolt. We declare we will not go." Ah, ye who believe not in Jesus, at the bottomof it yourunbelief is enmity to your Maker, sedition against the great Ruler of the universe, who deserves your homage. "The oxknoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib," but ye know not, neither do ye consider; ye are rebels against the Majestyof heaven.
Moreover, the refusal was a slight to the prince as well as to his father, and in some cases the gospel is refused mainlywith this intent, because the unbeliever rejects the deity of Christ, or despises his atonement. O sirs, beware of this, Iknow of no rock more fatal than to dishonor Christ by denying his sonship and his deity. Split not upon it, I beseech you-"Kissthe Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way when his wrath is kindled but a little."Indifference covered the refusal in the text, "they made light of it," but if you take off the film you will see thatat the bottom there was treason against the majesty of the king, and distaste to the dignity of his son.
No doubt some of them despised the feast itself. They must have known that with such a king it could not be a starveling meal,but they pretended to despise the feast. How many there are who despise the gospel which they do not understand, I say whichthey do not understand, for almost invariably if you hear a man depreciate the gospel, you will find that he has scarcelyeven read the New Testament and is a utter stranger to the doctrines of grace. Listen to a man who isvoluble in condemnation of the gospel, and you may rest assured that he is fond because he is empty. If he understoodthe subject better he would find, if he were indeed a man of candour, that he would be led at least to be silent in admirationif he did not become loyal in acceptance.
Beloved friends, the feast is such as you greatly need, let me tell you what it is. It is pardon for the past, renewal ofnature for the present, and glory for the future. Here is God to be our helper, his Son to be our shepherd, the Spirit tobe our instructor. Here is the love of the Father to be our delight, the blood of the Son to be our cleansing, the energyof the Holy Spirit to be life from the dead to us. You cannot want anything that you ought to want, but what isprovided in the gospel, and Jesus Christ will be glorified if you accept it by faith. But here is the hindrance, men donot accept it, "they would not come." Some of us thought that if we put the gospel in a clear light, and if we were earnestin stating it our hearers must be converted, and God forbid we should ever try to do otherwise than make it plain and be earnest,but for all that the best ministry that ever was, or ever could be, will be unsuccessful in a measure; yea, and altogetherso, unless the effectual work of the Spirit be present. Still will the cry go up, "Who hath believed our report?" Stillwill those who serve their Master best, have reason to mourn that they sow on stony ground, and cast their bread on thanklesswaters. Even the prince of preachers had to say, "Ye search the scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life, butye will not come to me that ye might have life." Alas, alas, that mercy should be rejected and heaven spurned.
IV. So now we must close with the most practical matter of consideration, THE GRACIOUS REJOINDER of the king to the impertinencewhich interfered with his plans. What did he say? You will observe that they had been bidden, and then called; after the Orientalcustom, the call intimated that the festival was now approaching, so that they were not taken unawares, but knew what theydid. The second invitation they rejected in cold blood, deliberately, and with intent. What didthe monarch do? Set their city in a blaze, and at once root out the rebels? No, but in the first place, he winked at theirformer insolent refusal. He said in himself, "Peradventure they mistook my servants, peradventure they did not understandthat the hour was come. Perhaps the message that was delivered to them was too brief, and they missed its meaning. Or, ifperchance, they have fallen into some temporary enmity against me, on reconsideration, they will wish that they had not beensorude, and ungenerous to me. What have I done that they should refuse my dinner? What has my son done that they shouldnot be willing to honor him by feasting at my table. Men lone feasting, my son deserves their honor-why should they not come?I will pass over the past and begin again." My hearers, there are many of you who have rejected Christ after many invitations,and this morning my Lord forgets your former unkindnesses, and sends me again with the same message, again to bid you "cometothe wedding." It is no small patience which overlooks the past and perseveres in kindness, honestly desiring your good.
The King sent another invitation-"all things are ready, come ye to the marriage," but you will please to observe that he changedthe messenger. "Again he sent forth other servants." Yes, and I will say it, for my soul feels it, if a change of messengerswill win you, much as I love the task of speaking in my Master's name, I would gladly die now, where I am, that some otherpreacher might occupy this platform, if thereby you might be saved. I know my speech to some ofyou must be monotonous. I seek out images fresh and many, and try to vary my voice and manner, but for all that one manmust grow stale to you when heard so often. Perhaps my modes are not the sort to touch your peculiarities of temperament-well,good Master, set thy servant aside, and consider him not. Send other messengers if perchance they may succeed. But to someof you I am another messenger, not a better, but another, since my brethren have failed with you. Oh, then, when my voicecries, "Come unto Jesus, trust in his atonement, believe in him, look to him and live," let the new voice be successful,where former heralds have been disregarded.
You notice, too, that the message was a little changed. At first it was very short. Surely if men's hearts were right, shortsermons would be enough. A very brief invitation might suffice if the heart were right, but since hearts are wrong God bidshis servants enlarge, expand, and expound. "Come, for all things are ready. I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fatlingsare killed, all things are ready, come to the marriage." One of the best ways of bringing sinners toChrist is to explain the gospel to them. If we dwell upon its preparations, if we speak of its richness and freeness,some may be attracted whom the short message which merely tells the plan of salvation might not attract. To some it is enoughto say, "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved," for they are asking, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"but others need to be attracted to the wedding feast by the description of the sumptuousness of the repast. We must try topreachthe gospel more fully to you, but we shall never tell you of all the richness of the grace of God. As high as the heavensare above the earth, so high are his thoughts above your thoughts, and his ways above your ways. Forsake your sins and yourthoughts and turn to the Lord, for he will abundantly pardon you. He will receive you to his heart of love, and give you thekiss of his affection at this hour, if, like prodigal children, you come back and seek your Father's face. The gospel is ariverof love, it is a sea of love, it is a heaven of love, it is a universe of love, it is all love. Words there are none,fully to set forth the amazing love of God to sinners, no sin too big or too black, no crime too crimson or too cursed forpardon. If you do but look to his dear crucified Son all manner of sin and of blasphemy shall be forgiven you. There is forgiveness.Jesus gives repentance and remission. And then the happiness which will be brought to you here and hereafter are equallybeyond description. You shall have heaven on earth and heaven in heaven; God shall be your God, Christ shall be your friend,and eternal bliss shall be your portion.
In this last message the "guests were pressed very delicately, but still in a way which if they had possessed any generosityof heart at all, must have touched them. You see how the evangelist puts it, he does not say, "Come, or else you will missthe feast; come, or else the king will be angry; come, come, or else you will be the losers." No, but-he puts it, as I readit, in a very remarkable way. I venture to say-if I be wrong, the Master forgive me so saying-theking makes himself the object of sympathy, as though he were an embarrassed host. See here, "My dinner is ready, but thereis no one to eat it; my oxen and fatlings are all killed, but there are no guests." "Come, come," he seems to say, "for Iam a host without guests." So sometimes in the gospel you will see God speaks as if he would represent himself as gettingan advantage by our being saved. Now we know that herein he condescends in love to speak after the manner of men. What canhe gainby us? If we perish what is he the loser? But he makes himself often in the gospel to be like a father who yearns overhis child, longing for him to come home. He makes himself, the infinite God, turn beggar to his own creatures, and beseechesthem to be reconciled. Wondrous stoop; for, like a chapman who sells his wares, he cries, "Ho, every one that thirsteth, comeye to the waters; and he that hath no money, let him come." Do you observe how Christ, as he wept over Jerusalem, seems toweepfor himself as well as for them. "How often would I have gathered thy children together." And God, in the prophets, putsit as his own sorrow, "How can I set thee as Admah, how can I make thee as Zeboim," as if it were not the child's loss alone,but the father's loss also, if the sinner died. Do you not feel, as it were, a sympathy with God when you see his gospel rejected?Shall the cross be lifted high, and none look to it? Shall Jesus die, and men not be saved by his death? O blessed Lord,we feel, if nothing else should draw us, we must come when we see, as it were, thyself represented as a host under ourembarrassment, for lack of guests. Great God, we come, we come right gladly, we come to participate of the bounties whichthou hast provided, and to glorify Jesus Christ by receiving as needy sinners that which thy mercy has provided.
Brethren and sisters since Christ finds many loath to honor him, my exhortation is to you who love him, honor him the moresince the world will not. You who have been constrained to come, remember to sing as you sit at his table, and rejoice andbless his name. Next go home and intercede for those who will not come, that the Lord will enlighten their understandings,and change their wills, that they may be yet constrained to believe in Jesus; and as for those of you whofeel half inclined this morning by the soft touches of his grace to come and feast, let me bid you come. It is a gloriousgospel-the feast is good. He is a glorious king-the Host is good. He is a blessed Savior, he who is married, he is good. Itis all good, and you shall be made good too, if your souls accept the invitation of the gospel which is given to you thisday. "He that believeth and is baptised shall be saved: he that believeth not shall be damned." "Believe on the Lord JesusChrist and thou shalt be saved." The Lord send his Spirit to make the call effectual, for his dear Son's sake. Amen.
PORTION OF SCRIPTURE READ BEFORE SERMON-Matthew 21.