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thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee.

For whosoever exalteth himself, shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself, shall be exalted.

Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours, lest they also bid thee again, and a recompense be made thee.

But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, and blind:

And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.

And when one of them that sat at meat with him, heard these things, he said unto him, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of GOD.

Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: And sent his servant at suppertime, to say to them that were bidden, Come, for all things are now ready.

And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused.

And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.

So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry, said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind.

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And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast sommanded, and yet there is room.

And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.

For I say unto you that none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.

ANNOTATIONS AND REFLECTIONS.

The poor man who was so dreadfully afflicted with the dropsy, had caused himself to be conveyed to the places where our LORD was. Jesus, knowing what passed in the minds of the Pharisees, answered the ob jections they were about to make, before they uttered them, and they were unable to reply; he therefore, be. fore them all, exerted his miraculous power, and cured the man. Knowing that they were studying for objections against him, he proceeded as before to answer their thoughts, and confounded them still more: he then admonished them of a fault they were generally ad dicted to, that of being fond of precedency. One of the company attending with pleasure to this edifying dis course, and understanding, by our LORD's expression, the resurrection of the just, that he referred to the MESSIAH'S kingdom, acknowledged, that to be admitted to feast there certainly would be higher recompense than to be invited to the table of the greatest man upon earth. This occasioned our LORD to speak a parable, which represents the grace and mercy of GOD in the Gospel dispensation, his invitation to the whole Jewish nation to partake of it, their backwardness to accept it, thus preferring temporal to spiritual concerns; Gop's just resentment for their ungrateful return to his goodness;

the

the exclusion of those to whom the Gospel was first preached; and the calling of the Gentiles.

By this excellent parable we learn, what provision the LORD graciously made for the salvation of Jews and Gentiles, and that it is entirely their own fault if, after having had the Gospel made known to them, they do not obtain it. What our SAVIOUR at that time foretold has been accomplished; and the Gentiles, who long lived in ignorance of the true God, have received the glorious light of the Gospel, whilst the Jews live in ignorance of their MESSIAH and his laws. But let us not be too secure; though we have received the invitation, we shall be rejected also if we are indifferent to the blessings offered to, us, through CHRIST; and if, instead of taking advantage of the glorious privilege we enjoy, by paying a willing attention to the duties of Christianity, we suffer trifling concerns to engross our time and thoughts.

This parable is usually applied to that holy feast, which our LORD has graciously provided upon earth for his faithful people, the SACRAMENT OF THE LORD'S SUPPER. How frequently do we see Christians absenting themselves from it, for the very reasons here given; yet what can those expect who wilfully slight the invitation of their divine LORD, that they may attend to their temporal concerns, but that he will finally reject them, and exclude them from that feast of everlasting happiness, which he has prepared for them in the kingdom of heaven? Why will any absent themselves through timidity and fear, when the Gospel invites all to partake of it, not only the rich and great, but the daily labourer, nay even the very abjects of society? Would all Christians duly consider the nature of the institution; prepare their minds, as the last answer in our Church Catechism directs; and devoutly partake of the bread

and wine, which represent the LORD's body and blood; they would infallibly experience an increase of comfort; they would learn to rejoice in their salvation; and would look forward with humble confidence to the resurrection of the just.

From the former part of our LORD's address to the Pharisees, we may learn that, even in respect to our worldly affairs, it is better to be humble and modest in our deportment, than haughty and arrogant; and that humility is highly pleasing in the sight of GOD. We may also learn that it is more consistent with the Christian character to feed the poor and indigent, than to make expensive ostentatious entertainments for people who would return the same, by which means much time and money would be wasted; and we may assure ourselves, for we have our LORD's authority for it, that in the exercise of charity we shall enjoy a much nobler satisfaction than the most luxurious banquet can afford; and the truly charitable will find a blessing attached to their good deeds which will follow them to the re gions of eternity.

SECTION LXXX.

OUR LORD URGES THE NECESSITY OF CONSIDERING THE DIFFICULTIES OF RELIGION BEFORE A PROFESSION OF IT.

From John, Chap. xiv. xiii.

AND there went great multitudes with him; and he turned, and said unto them,

If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.

And

And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple."

For which of you intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?

Lest haply after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.

Or what king going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand ?

Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace. So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh po all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.

not

Salt is good but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned?

It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill: but men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

ANNOTATIONS AND REFLECTIONS.

It appears that great multitudes attended our LORD in his journey towards Jerusalem; and that observing their readiness to follow him, he exhorted them to learn what was required of disciples before they professed to be so. The beginning of this exhortation related chiefly to the first age of Christianity. Our LORD knew that his disciples would frequently be called upon to quit their dearest interests, to part with their nearest relations, and even to lay down their lives for the sake of the Gospel; he therefore admonished his hearers to

'consider

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