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weeping and gnashing of teeth.' The man was dumb: for his own conscience condemned him. Having neglected to put on the wedding dress which was provided for each guest at royal marriages in the East, he had no excuse to plead. He knew that He was unworthy to appear in the King's presence. If there be one deep horror of the soul in a baptized man more dark than another, it must be despair, when the whole being shudders to find itself a castaway from the God of justice and truth, unable to plead even the Atonement of the Blood of Christ,-and left to the powers of darkness.

And what is this WEDDING GARMENT, in which all must be clothed, who aspire to be guests at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb? Every heart instructed in the Gospel will make answer, the Robe of Righteousness, washed in the Blood of Jesus, and adorned with His own gifts of grace, after His own law and pattern. It is in Scripture language being "clothed with Christ," in faith and love.1 Having been

"Vestis nuptialis, id est, munda, pretiosa et splendida, non est fides, ut volunt hæretici; omnes enim in hoc Ecclesiæ convivio habebant fidem, imò non nisi per fidem in illud ingredi poterant; ergo vestis hæc est charitas morumque probitas et sanctitas: vita enim pura et sancta est instar vestis mundæ et cycladis splendidæ, ex virtutibus et bonis operibus contextæ, quæ mirè hominem exornat. Ita S. Hier. Hilar. Chrys. Tertull. et alii. Unde S. Greg. non habentem vestem nuptialem explicat, fidem habentem non opera charitatis, per quam Dominus ad socianda Sibi Ecclesiæ nuptias venit. Sanctus Augustinus verò, lib. ii. contra Faust., cap. 19, explicat, suam non Domini gloriam quærentem." Corn, à Lapide, in Matt., p. 316.

Petes, Quænam hæc [vestis nuptialis]? Respondeo cum Tertull. Origen. Hieron. Hilario, Irenæo, esse conscientiam mundam à peccatis, pretiosarum virtutum monilibus splendentem, maximè vero charitate, Coloss. iii. 12.” Tirinus in Scrip. Com, p. 954. "Dicunt aliqui vestem nuptialem istam esse fidem, per quam nuptiæ fiunt." "Sed fides non est vestis, sed charitas, et vocatur vestis nuptialis, id est pulchra, sicut enim in nuptiis homines induuntur vestibus pulchris, ita et omnes vestes pulchras nuptiales vocamus, talis autem est charitas, quæ totum hominem pulchrum reddit, et Deo acceptum, quod non facit fides. Nam etiam in malis est fides, et Dæmones credunt, et contremiscunt." "Dicunt alii, quòd vestis nuptialis est gratiâ Spiritûs sancti, et istud etiam verum est, quia charitas nunquam est sine gratia, et gratia nunquam est sine charitate, licet non sint idem. Sic dicit Hilarius; Vestis nuptialis est gratia Spiritûs sancti, et candor habitûs cœlestis, qui bonæ interrogationis confessione susceptus, usque in cœtum regni cœlorum immaculatus, et integer est reservandus." Hieronymus dicit, Vestis nuptialis præcepta sunt Domini, et opera quæ complentur ex lege, et Evangelio, novique hominis efficiunt vestimentum."" Tostatus, in Matt. xxii., Quæst. 61.

baptized into Christ, we must put on Christ.1 St. Paul frequently uses this metaphor to express the entire conversion of man's will to the Will of God; "Put off, [he says] concerning the former conversation, the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness, and true holiness." 2 And again," Put on, therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering; forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any; even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness."3 Behold then, the beauty of the Wedding Garment is the renewed nature of Man; which was the great work to be accomplished by Christ, the Redeemer of the World, coming in the flesh. Man, made in the image of God, placed in the garden of Eden, but through sin fallen from his allegiance to HIM Who so created him, driven forth to suffering and to sorrow, was to be restored to his original likeness by virtue of the Incarnation of the Son of God, according to the eternal purpose of Divine Wisdom; to be transformed by the grace of Jesus, the beloved Bridegroom, into His righteousness; that His disciples may love Him for Himself; believe and obey, because they love; wash their robes in the blood of the Lamb; follow Him whithersoever He goeth. Then at the Marriage Supper they shall be "before the Throne of God, and serve Him day and night

"Quæ autèm est illa vestis, quam habens à Deo agnoscitur ut filius: quâ carens reprobatur, etiamsi omnia alia habeat? Ea nimirùm est, de quâ Paulus, 'Induimini Jesum Christum.' Hæc autem vestis dupliciter induitur. Primò internè per fidem, cùm tuis peccatis superinduis Christi justitiam, tuis demeritis Ipsius merita, tuæ inobedientiæ Ipsius obedientiam. Deinde cùm externè charitatem Ejus æmularis, quemadmodum Ipse dicit; Hoc est præceptum meum, ut diligatis invicem :''in hoc cognoscent omnes quia discipuli mei estis, si dilectionem habueritis invicem.' Et Paulus, 'Induite sicut electi viscera misericordiæ,' &c. Hac veste qui caret, certè audiet quod homo ille audivit, 'Amice, quomodo huc intrasti, non habens vestem nuptialem,'" Ferus, in Matt., lib. iii. fol. 305.

1 Gal. iii. 27.

2 Eph. iv. 22-24.

3 Col. iii. 12—14.

in His temple, and HE That sitteth on the Throne shall dwell among them."1

2

If such be the dignity of the Marriage Feast, it seems wonderful that we are not all for ever living in happy preparation for it, having our minds fixed on the joy that is set before us. Although the Messiah's invitations to His Kingdom in Heaven are freely made to each, "without money and without price," and the Garment of Salvation is offered to all who will put it on, yet, alas! it is to be feared that many will be found unworthy to enter in. Therefore our Lord concludes the Parable in these memorable words, "For many are called, but few chosen." This is a great mystery, wrapped in hidden counsels, to be made known only in the Last Day, when the Heavenly Wedding shall be furnished with guests, and the Bridegroom and His spiritual Bride shall be revealed openly in Glory, before the assembled Universe. It is beyond our powers to know who of the many "called," will then be among the "chosen." Sufficient for each of us, one by one, if through the favour of Christ we live unto Him in His Visible Church on Earth, that we may be found among the chosen in His Church Invisible, when He appears in the full array of the Royal

1 Rev. vii. 15.

"Vocati dicuntur omnes illi, ad quos prædicatio fidei pervenit: Electi autem dicuntur omnes, qui ad fidem per prædicationem convertuntur : et recte electi dicuntur, quia Deus eligit illos, qui ad Eum venturi sunt; nam licèt Prædicator foris clamet nemo convertetur ad fidem, nisi Deus interiùs corda tetigerit; sic dicit Christus, Joan, vi. 44, Nemo potest ad Me venire, nisi Pater meus traxerit eum :' et istud trahere est per gratiam, et vocatur gratia electionis, et quoniam ita est, quòd multis prædicatur fides, qui ad illam non convertuntur, dicitur quòd multi vocati sunt, sed non sunt omnes electi." Tostatus, in Matt. xxii., Quæst. 69.

"Non satis est itaque (quod veteres plerique Græci ac Latini hîc annotant) in Christum credere, et baptismo ablutum, inque Ecclesiam admissum, nutriri pabulo doctrinæ cœlestis, et participem esse divinorum Sacramentorum ac munerum; verùm etiam oportet gratiæ vocationis respondere, exutis veteris hominis exuviis, et charitatis innocentiæque Christianæ veste assumtâ. Non satis est in Ecclesiâ à cæteris fidelibus tolerari, aut quietè cum eis conversari, vel etiam ipsis placere, immò primum inter eos locum tenere, si indutus veste polluta sordibus peccatorum, si deditus operibus tenebrarum, et charitatis vacuus, inter eos agas. Facile quidem est homines specie pietatis decipere, ut frequentèr impossibile est hominibus discernere malos à bonis: sed Deum perlustrantem Ecclesiam fallere aut latere non poterunt hujusmodi, sive multi sive pauci fuerint, etiam unus inter mille." Lucas Brugensis, Matt. xxii. 11.

1

Bridegroom. The Apostle tells us how this blessedness is to be attained; "make straight paths for your feet:" "follow peace with all men, and HOLINESS, WITHOUT WHICH NO MAN SHALL SEE THE LORD: looking diligently lest any man fail of ["or fall from"] the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled." And he shows what privileges we have even now in the Marriage Feast, which is ever prepared for us in Christ's Visible Church; for he says, "Ye are come unto Mount Sion, and unto the City of the Living God, the Heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, to the General Assembly and Church of the firstborn, which are written in Heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, [which is the Communion of Saints] and to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the Blood of Sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. See that ye refuse not Him that speaketh."3 This is the admonition of St. Paul, that we may hereafter see the blessedness, which now we believe by faith; and then possess securely the inheritance, which now we are liable to forfeit.

1 "Quo verbo ostendit non unum aliquem solùm hâc sententiâ plectendum, sed plures inter eos qui vocati sunt. Quid igitur? Num desperandum nobis? nequaquam. Imò quò pauciores audivimus salvandos, eò magis curandum et invigilandum, ut et nos inter illos paucos inveniamur. Hoc enim faciunt et hi qui in stadio currunt. Eò quidem fortiùs quilibet eorum currit, quò certius sit, quòd unus solus accepturus sit brabium. Sic nobis quoque faciendum. In hunc igitur finem hæc parabola proposita est, quam etiam aliquanto penitiùs introspiciemus." Ferus, in Matt., lib. iii. fol. 306.

2 Heb. xii. 13-15.

3 Heb. xii. 22-25.

CHAPTER LXIII.

TUESDAY IN HOLY WEEK CONTINUED CHRIST AVOIDS THE SNARE OF THE PHARISEES AND HERODIANS, WHO ASK IF IT WAS LAWFUL TO PAY TRIBUTE TO CÆSAR-REFUTES THE SADDUCEES, WHO DENIED THE RESURRECTION OF THE BODY -CLAIMS TO BE THE LORD OF KING DAVID.

Matt. xxii. 15-46. Mark, xii. 13-37. Luke, xx. 20—44.

THE Chief Priests and Elders, having been put to silence by the wisdom of the Messiah, had gone away to consult together what they should do;1 and during their absence He had delivered to the people the Parable of the Marriage Feast. But it was not long ere the Rulers despatched other questioners to the Temple, charged with a vain device, that they might find accusation against Him. "They watched Him, and sent forth spies which should feign themselves just men, that they might take hold of His words, that so they might deliver Him unto the power and authority of the governor Pontius Pilate. As St. Matthew says, "The Pharisees took counsel how they might entangle Him in His talk. And they sent unto Him their disciples with the Herodians." These proficients in the school of hypocrisy were to try the wisdom of the Son of God in His own Temple! The crafty scheme of joining the two opposite parties of Pharisees and Herodians in this message is at once made manifest by the question, which they were instructed to ask ;-" Master, we know that Thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest Thou for any man: for Thou regardest

See last Chapter, p. 530.