1

thee." Those whom the Lord here enumerates seem left in our midst for this very purpose, to draw out and exercise the better feelings of our nature. He excites too our faith, bidding us "look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen;" bidding us look forward to a future state where no act of genuine sympathy and charity shall fail to reap its reward.2 The " resurrection of the dead, both of the just and of the unjust," was a phrase familiar to the Pharisees. They would claim their portion among the former at that day. The Lord intimates that their character now must correspond to this condition.

CCCLXIV.

THE GREAT SUPPER.

St. Luke xiv. 15-20.

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 supper time 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.

1 Michaelis, quoted in D'Oyly and Mant. In the Essay on Hospitality in Sir A. Helps' Social Pressure (ch. x.) are some suggestions much to the purpose:-"In considering who should be his guests, he should always have a thought as to those to whom he would render most service by having them as his guests; his poorer brethren, his more sickly brethren. Those who he feels would gain most advantage by being his guests, should have the

first place in his invitations . . . Hospitality should never be devoted to the enjoyment or the glorification of the host or hostess, but should be devoted to the comfort, and, if possible, to the future welfare of the guests. This would take hospitality some way, if only a little way, towards Christianity."

2 Prov. xix. 17; St. Luke xvi. 9; St. Matt. x. 42; xxv. 34-40. 3 Acts xxiv. 15.

And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I

cannot come.

The beatitude to which one of the guests gave utterance, and which led to the parable following, was a pious saying current among that people. "The resurrection of the just,' to which the Lord has turned their thought, led to this idea of eating and drinking at the Messiah's table, in His kingdom. They were unaware however that the kingdom of God was already among them. The Lord points out to them in a parable how, so far from their being eager after the privilege of admission into it, it was generally disregarded. It was the custom in the East at their greater feasts to bid the guests long before, before perhaps the day was fixed, to the Banquet; as we say, When the time comes, I shall expect you. And when the time was come, the custom was to send servants or messengers to remind or actually invite those who had been thus indefinitely bidden beforehand; as we say again, When the time comes, I will let you know. As in the Book of Esther, Haman was bidden by the Queen to a Banquet of wine, and when the time arrived, "came the King's chamberlains to conduct him." This renders those who sought to be excused inexcusable, that they knew that they were expected, and should have held themselves ready. They had accepted the invitation with no intention of presenting themselves. We may see in the parable what lay behind all these refusals -unwillingness. The excuses were various, but the spirit that prompted them was one. The readiness to make excuse showed a careless spirit. Men do not excuse themselves from things they have any inclination for. The fact of their thus seeking to be excused proved that they did not care to come. The reasons assigned were all with regard to lawful things, and so specious enough. We are undone by love of lawful things. Of the three refusals specified, two were courteous enough, but they betrayed a spirit the master of the House could see through. How will such feigned excuses avail before God? The last refusal was peremptory and discourteous. This can not was will not. Rudeness naturally 1 St. Luke xxii. 30; St. Matt. xxvi. 2 St. Luke xvii. 20, 21. 29.

See the second, alternative, ex

moves indignation, but civility does not conceal contempt. So men now turn their backs upon their Lord's table, each after his manner.

CCCLXV.

THE SAME SUBJECT-continued.

St. Luke xiv. 21-24.

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. And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, 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.

In the case of the second set of guests now summoned, reference is made to the broader streets frequented by these sufferers, and the narrow lanes where they lived. These are they whom the host was before bidden to consider. In the Kingdom of Heaven there is no room for the careless, but room for all who are willing to come. "It is common in the East for travellers. . . to refresh themselves under a hedge, by the road side."2 To "compel" these was an act "not of rigour," but of condescension altogether surprising to "those who had no reason to expect so great a favour from the lord." They might hesitate at the unexpected offer, but let the servant insist. God would have His House filled

hortation "when the minister giveth warning for the celebration of the Holy Communion."

1 V. 13 above.

2

Bp. Mann in D'Oyly and Mant. Dr. Jortin ibid. "No other compulsion was designed than earnest entreaty, which indeed was all that

one servant could use towards a multitude. The third class would be slow to believe that the invitation could be serious, and would therefore require to be repeatedly pressed."-Dr. Macbride (Diatesseron, p. 174), who refers to a similar use of the original word in St. Matt. xiv. 22, and Gal. ii. 14.

both here and hereafter, in earth and Heaven. It is our fault if it is otherwise. The unwillingness is altogether on our own part. We have but to thank ourselves. The last sentence seems to shadow forth a repentance that comes too late. At last the first-bidden careless guests awake to a consciousness of what, through their own fault, they have lost. The parable while it foreshews the rejection of the Jews and the calling of the Gentiles, has likewise this individual application.

CCCLXVI.

CHRIST'S DISCIPLES.

St. Luke xiv. 25-35.

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 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 not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple. 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.

The multitudes that went with Him seemed to contradict 1 St. Luke xiii. 25; St. Matt. xxv. 11.

now says to all. actually hated.

15

His late parable of men's carelessness concerning the Gospel Feast. But it is one thing to begin, another to persevere. He was going forward. These seem to have accompanied Him, journeying towards Jerusalem. His action is graphically represented. He turned and addressed this warning to them. In stronger language than before He repeats a former warning. What once He said to the Twelve, He None of course are to be literally and This were to contradict the teaching of Him who bids us even love our enemies. But one might sometimes have to act towards dangerous friends in a manner that might be set down to hate. No man indeed ever yet hated his own flesh, and yet this must be "kept under and brought into subjection." 3 "Let the hate begin here." 4 "These would fain be Christians at too cheap a Christ shews that it is on the contrary "a work of labour and difficulty, demanding . . . great sacrifices, and only to be accomplished at a large cost of time and skill and labour, even as the building of a tower," a laborious and costly edifice. "Then, besides a great work to accomplish, we have also a powerful King to encounter . . . none other than Christ Himself." In these two brief parables He points out the need of considering what the profession of Christianity involves, lest we come to be disappointed. The deliberation required for anything like success is suggested by the act of sitting down. God is no respecter of persons. No man's greatness, and no man's poverty, can exempt him. from the conditions. All have somewhat to forsake. This reference to His former parable of the savourless salt," worthless even as manure, literally good for nothing, depicts the condition to which those may come who take