SERMON XXI. 75 MATTH. XXII. 2. The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his fon. XXI. UR bleffed Saviour, who, during his SERM. fhort stay on earth, fuffered all the evil and distress their malice and hatred could inflict, had, whilft he fojourned among the Jews, fufficiently experienced their invincible hatred and contempt of him: he knew that he should be despised and rejected, and that his minifters and fervants would be perfecuted and oppreffed; he knew alfo, that though the Jews would refuse the terms of mercy and falvation offered to them, they would, SERM. would, notwithstanding, be embraced by the Gentiles; that the firft, therefore, in XXI. the esteem of his Almighty Father would foon be the last; and that though many were called, there would be few chosen. To convince them, therefore, that he was no ftranger to the fate which he was ordained to meet with, nor to the manner in which their cruel treatment of him would be avenged on themselves and their pofterity, he illuftrates and enforces his knowledge of both by the excellent parable before us, which we shall fee was moft aptly conducted, and moft fignificantly expreffed of those divine truths which it was meant to inculcate. In the prosecution of this fubject, therefore, I propose, First, Briefly to recapitulate the principal circumstances and occurrences, as recounted in the parable. Secondly, XXI. Secondly, to explain and interpret the SERM. feveral parts of it, in a manner the most plain and intelligible. And, Thirdly and laftly, to draw a few moral conclufions from it, which may probably be of fervice to us in regard to our future conduct. And First, then, I fhall briefly run over the principal circumftances of the parable as it lays before us. A certain king made a marriage for his fon. The celebration of nuptials hath, in all ages and nations, and among all ranks and degrees of men, claimed to itself a peculiar privilege of exemption from care and labour, and a more than ordinary indulgence in fcenes of mirth and festivity: it was natural, therefore, to imagine, that a rich and powerful prince would folemnize them with all XXI. SERM. all the pomp and ceremony fuitable to fo joyful an occafion; and accordingly we find him preparing a great and noble feaft, and inviting his nobles and fubjects to come immediately to his palace to tafte his bounties, and to partake of his felicity. To these he fends his fervants, to inform them that they were impatiently expected by him. Behold, fays he, I have prepared my banquet; my oxen and my fatlings are killed; and all things are ready: come unto the marriage feaft. After fo gracious an invitation, one would naturally conclude they would most willingly and most gladly have accepted it; and that, as the king was fo condefcending, they would have entered into his gates with thanksgiving, and filled his courts with praise. But such is the perverfe and wayward difpofition of mankind, that what when abfent we defire with eagerness and follicitude, when present we refufe |