to destroy men's lives, but to save them.”—Luke, ix. 52-56. Yes! the religion of Christ is all mercy. “He, therefore, that shews hatred against the sinner, instead of exercising it only against the sin, condemns himself."* Knowing the malice and watchfulness of the devil, what is St. Peter's advice? "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: whom resist, stedfast in the faith."-1 Pet. v. 8, 9. In the Church both hypocrites and true christians enjoy the same advantages of the preaching of God's word, and the two sacraments, just as the good and bad seed partook of the richness of the same soil; but when will the difference be made between those who have benefited, and those who have not? At the harvest-the judgment day. "Then shall Christ return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not."-Mal. iii. 18. "For God is not mocked (deceived): for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit, shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting."-Gal. vi. 7, 8. "And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened, and another book was opened, which is the book *Book of the Fathers. of life and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works."-Rev. xx. 12. What will be the doom of the workers of iniquity, represented by the tares? "In the day shalt thou make thy plant to grow, and in the morning shalt thou make thy seed to flourish but the harvest shall be a heap in the day of grief and of desperate sorrow.-Isa. xvii. 11. "The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.”—Ps. ix. 17. Repeat a few texts where the torments of hell are described as a fire. "Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire, and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup."-Ps. xi. 6. "Who soever was not found written in the book of life, was cast into the lake of fire."-Rev. xx. 15. How does David pray not to be found among the wicked? "Gather not my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloody men."-Ps. xxvi. 9. When the tares were taken away, was the wheat still left in the field? No. It was brought home. What home is prepared for the children of God? "In my Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you; I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also."—John, xiv. 2, 3. "Since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived 66 by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him."-Isa. lxiv. 4. 66 'Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him."-1 Cor. ii. 9. They that be wise, shall shine as the brightness of the firmament."-Dan. xii. 3. "I heard a great voice out of heaven, saying, behold, the taber. nacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain.” -Rev. xxi. 3, 4. Can you recollect any other texts where the day of judgment is compared to a harvest? "And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe." -Rev. xiv. 18. "Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe."—Joel, iii. 13. Thus far you will see a striking resemblance in the parable to the present and future condition of the Church of Christ, still I should wish to point out one* happy difference that exists. Is it possible for a skilful farmer to change tares into wheat? No. Bishop of Chester. But has not God the power to adopt the children of the devil, to change their hearts, and bring them into his own family? Yes. Which perhaps is another reason why He permits the good and evil to continue together; for St. Paul says, "In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God, peradventure, will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will."-2 Tim. ii. 25, 26. Were we not all once the children of wrath? Yes. "Among whom also (the children of disobedience) we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others."-Eph. ii. 3. Give me an example of this wonderful change. The persecuting Saul became the devoted Paul, the servant of Christ. As you see that we owe all to the free grace and mercy of God in Christ Jesus, we will end this beautiful parable by one of you repeating a psalm which expresses our thanks. PSALM 115. 1 Nor unto us, but to Thy name, 2 Thy wisdom and Thy boundless love Of rescuing, from eternal death, 3 Should we, through grace, at length be found With them, in endless songs, we'll sing 4 To Thee, O God, to Thee alone For 'tis of grace, from first to last, THE PARABLE OF THE VINEYARD. MATT. XX. 1—16. THIS parable commences with the last verse of the 19th chapter, and the solemn words in which it is ushered in, well demand our most serious attention. That you may the better understand their import, I will ask you, who were the first to be called into the kingdom of God? The Jews, the favoured people of God. And the last? The Gentiles, or all other nations. Now-to what is the Gospel covenant compared? To a householder hiring labourers to work in his vineyard. At what time of the day did he begin to hire? Early in the morning. Before sending them into his vineyard, what was his proposal? To give each a penny for his day's labor. |