t were
bidden to the wedding; and they would not come," etc.--_Matt._ xxii. 2,
3, 4, 5, 6.

I purpose not to handle this parable punctually, because it stands not
with the nature of a parable, neither will the time suffer me so to do.

The parable runs upon an evident declaration and clear manifestation of
God's sweetest mercies, in offering the marriage of His Son, His own
Son, His well-beloved Son, the Son of His love, the Son of His bosom,
the Son as good as the Father, the Son as great and as glorious as the
Father, the Son whose generation none can declare. The Father offers
this His Son in marriage: 1. To the Jews, as you have in the first seven
verses of the parable. 2. To the Gentiles, in the rest of the parable.

1. To the Jews, not because of their worthiness; "But even so, O Father,
for so it seemed good in Thy sight." This offer was the effect of no
merit, neither of congruity nor of condignity in the Jews; for they were
like that wretched and menstruous infant, Ezek. xvi. 3, 4, unswaddled,
unwashen, uncleansed, "lying in its blood, its navel not cut, nor
salted at all, nor swaddled at all, cast out in the open field, having
no eye to pity it."

2. As for the Gentiles, ye may see what case they were in, if ye read
this same parable, Luke xiv. 20. "Go ye out into the streets and lanes
of the city, and call the poor, the lame, blind and maimed," etc. Some
were cripple, some poor and blind, and withered, and miserable, and
naked, and leper, unworthy to come to our Lord's gates, let be to have
them opened wide to us; unworthy to be set down at His table, let be to
be admitted to His royal marriage feast, and to get Christ our Lord to
be our match, and to be the food and cheer of our souls: and therefore
let all souls, let all pulpits, let all schools, let all universities,
let all men, let all women, let all Christians cry, grace, grace, grace,
praise, praise, praise, blessing, blessing, for evermore to the Lord's
free grace. Fy, fy, upon the man; fy, fy, upon the woman, that is an
enemy to the Lord's free grace. The fullest, and the fairest, and the
freest thing in heaven or earth is the free grace of God, to our poor
souls: "Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto Thy name be the
glory."

At another occasion I handled the parable after a more general manner,
and propounded these points unto you: 1. Who was this great king? 2. Who
was the Son of this great king?

1. This great King is God Himself, "