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have returned to God-which we shall best do by asking ourselves, whether we have pleasure in any sin, or are finding our satisfaction in worldly things, having few thoughts of God. In this way we should try ourselves, that we may ascertain our real state. I will borrow an apt observation from a very excellent Christian-" When a man chooses the rewards of virtue, he should remember, that to resign the pleasures of vice is part of the bargain." *

And now it is full time to end with your promised hymn.

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THIS certain man is said (in St. Matt.) to be a King, who made a marriage for his son-that is, prepared a feast upon that joyous occasion. When it was ready, in what manner was the invitation received?

*Wilberforce.

Those who were bidden refused to come. Upon this strange behaviour was the entertainment abandoned?

No. The king sent other servants to tell them all was ready, and they were again invited to partake of his generous kindness.

Surely such condescension must have made them ashamed of their conduct?

They now began to make their worldly engagements an excuse for not attending to the call.

What could those employments be that prevented them enjoying the favor of a king, who, possibly, would not again be inclined to confer so great an honour upon them?

One had bought a piece of ground; another five yoke of oxen; and a third had married a wife.

These were foolish reasons indeed. Could not the man have taken his wife to the feast, and the others have gone another time to see their property?

Yes. But it is said they made light of the message; and that was not all; for they shamefully entreated the servants who were the bearers of it.

This was very wicked indeed! Were they left unpunished?

The king sent and destroyed them, and their city.

A most just retribution. But was the feast left untasted?

No. The king then sent his servants into the streets, lanes, and highways, to bring in the lame, poor, halt, and blind, both bad and good.

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When all were assembled, did the king make his appearance?

He came in to view the guests, and, in the great multitude, discovered one who had not on a wedding garment.

Do you think he was too poor to buy one?

O no! It was not required that the guests should purchase their own garments. The king had prepared costly robes for all; none, therefore, should have dared to appear without one.

But was this known, do you think?

Yes. It was the custom to be so decorated. Whoever neglected to comply with it was severely punished. "Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord God: for the day of the Lord is at hand: for the Lord hath prepared a sacrifice; he hath bid his guests. And it shall come to pass in the day of the Lord's sacrifice, that I will punish the princes, and the king's children, and all such as are clothed with strange apparel." Zeph. i. 7, 8. "King Ahasuerus said unto Haman, What shall be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honour? And he answered the king, For the man whom the king delighteth to honour, let the royal apparel be brought which the king useth to wear, and the horse that the king rideth upon, and the crown royal which is set upon his head.”—Esther vi. 6, 8. "And Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a garment of fine linen and purple; and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad."-Esther viii. 15.

Had the man any excuse to offer for his behaviour?

No. The parable says he was speechless.

Was he permitted to remain ?

No. The king said to his servants, "Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

Again, Christ uses those awful words, "Many are called, but few are chosen" to eternal life. In the parable of the Prodigal Son, we glanced at the meaning of the Gospel feast, and now I should be very happy, if, by entering more fully into an examination of the subject, we could be led, by God's grace, to taste and accept of His goodness. You shall now find where the blessings of the Gospel covenant are represented under the figure of a feast.

"In this mountain shall the Lord of Hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined."Isa. xxv. 6. "Wisdom hath killed her beasts; she hath mingled her wine; she hath also furnished her table: she saith, Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled."-Prov. ix. 2, 5.

God himself has prepared this feast. Can you not repeat some passages in the New Testament to shew that Christ is the true food and nourishment of the soul?

Jesus said, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.

I am the bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die: I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world."--John vi. 47-51. "Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him, shall never thirst: but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life."John iv. 14.

I need scarcely ask for a passage to prove that Christ is a king who has the whole universe for His dominion. The Bible, in every page, declares this truth; but, still, I should wish you to name a few.

"There was given to the Son of Man, dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed."-Dan. vii. 14. Jesus, Art thou a king then? Thou sayest that I am a king. I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth."-John xviii. 37.

"Pilate said unto Jesus answered, To this end was

To whom was the invitation first given?

To the Jews. "Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this sal

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