winds! What a world is this then to work in!

And

it is constant work. Every day something is to be done; and so they neglect it; yet see what is at stake. The king's revenue; their own living; others' life!

Yes, the consequences of this spirit of substituting something for obedience to Christ are lamentable, even to true Christians, just so far as they indulge in it. It produces that want of symmetry of character which now hinders Zion from putting on her beautiful garments. Where do you find a Christian that is not doing his Lord's work imperfectly; all fail of obedience somewhere. Some are very fervent in their religion, but equally so in speaking unkind and uncharitable words. Some are diligent in business; but that is not accompanied with being fervent in spirit, serving the Lord. Some are better in church than on 'change, in the family or the workshop. Some will be very much like Christ in his meekness, but unlike him in his diligence in doing good. Some imitate his energy, but overlook his humility. Some are very active; but not prayerful, as he was. Some have his social affections, but not his heavenly-mindedness in exercising them; some, his benevolent regard for the body, but not his compassion for the soul. Some have his love to good. men, but not his yearning, condescending, self-sacrificing love to the abandoned.

Now, in all this, my brethren, each of us is suffering a serious loss. It limits our communion with him. It hinders our usefulness to others. It deprives us of the honor of laboring for him. There is kept, in his house above, a complete list of all the laborers. He has permitted a few of those names to be copied, as samples, into the book of instructions for laborers sent down

here; that we may be animated by their example and their honorable rewards. Moses' name is there. He was a great workman; faithful in all his stewardship. Nehemiah's, Paul's, and many others. But if our obedience is only in words, our names are not inscribed in that honorable list. There are high wages, too, in this service: God's love; angels' aid; Christ's sympathy; the Holy Spirit's aiding power and light; Heaven at last; and souls saved through our instrumentality! But what a loss are idlers then suffering! And besides the loss, how pernicious and dangerous is the habit they are contracting! Dangerous, because it deceives; pernicious, because it is a rejection of the Gospel under the guise of treating it respectfully. It answers to the command, with good feelings with the promise, "I go, sir;" with forms of religion; with good wishes and good resolutions.

And what can be said of its effects, on Christ himself? One class indeed insults him by the contemptuous reply to his command: "I will not." But the other says: "I go;" meaning at the same time the same thing as the others! This grieves his heart; this must at length exhaust his patience.

I can suggest one, and but one remedy for this dreadful evil. It is an immediate cessation from the repetition of this act. Hear now the call of Christ with an honest heart. It is a call of authority, of affection, of urgent benevolence. "To-day," it says. It is special, and it is tender; it is directed to you personally: "Son, go work in my vineyard." There is enough for all, and a specific employment for each. Hear the call with an honest heart.

Do you inquire what the work is? It is not merely

to feel, to be convinced of sin, to become extremely religious, to wish well to religion, to purpose well for yourself; but it is coming to Christ as to one that loves you with infinite love, who alone can save you; who desires and requires you to seek his glory, and to do his will above all other things. Specifically, you are to live in him, conform your spirit to his, and use all your powers subordinately to his plans.

Do it now, and do it constantly; begin "To-day."

LECTURE XVIII.

THE GREAT SUPPER; OR, THE INVITATION REFUSED.

LUKE XIV. 16-24-"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. 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. 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."

THE Lord has seen fit to devote yet another parable to this fearful wickedness of rejecting his overtures of mercy. There have been many volumes published under the title of Table-Talk. But if one should be published, entitled: Our Redeemer's Table-Talk, it would differ strikingly from most others, not only in the wisdom of his remarks, but also in manifesting his supreme desire to benefit his hearers. This was a part of a conversation at the table where he was a guest;

and was suggested by a remark of some person present; probably a Pharisee, who took it for granted that he should be included in the number of the "blessed" who should "eat bread in the kingdom of God." To this remark the Lord replied in the words. of this parable; in which he intended to show this person and all who heard his words, that they who do not sit down to "eat bread in the kingdom of God," will have only themselves to condemn. In the parable of the Two Sons we had a covert refusal of obedience to God's commands. Here we have open refusals to comply with his invitations, palliated by excuses. The first application of the story is, doubtless, to the Pharisees, who had heard the invitations of John the Baptist, and the Saviour. The Master was angry with their wicked rejection of his invitation. The anger of Christ seems never to have been called forth but by the self-righteous and hypocritical effrontery of those men. The second invitation was given by the apostles in the streets and lanes of Jerusalem and Judea. Then the messengers were sent to "the highways and hedges' of the Gentiles.

This scene is re-enacted in every period of modern history. The same kinds of excuses are still offered to conscience, and to the Saviour, for refusing to accept salvation on his conditions. One pleads the claims of business, and another the claims of society, or the difficulties arising from his social position.

Men still refuse to come to God's feast; and give their refusal as decent an appearance as they can. But the Master of the feast makes nothing of their excuses; indignantly regarding the refusal as a refusal. That is the point of supreme moment in this case; the refusal