carnal instinct--[Greek: apo mias
(gnomes)]--the excuses were taken, and accordingly, although spoken by
different persons, and moulded by different circumstances, they were
all of the same type.

The first had bought a field and must go to examine his bargain; the
second had bought live stock for his farm and must see them tried
immediately; the third had married a wife, and held himself absolved for
the time from the ordinary rules of society. They are fair samples of
the things that occupy and engross men's hearts and lives.

The servant, having no authority to act, simply reported the facts to
his master. The master was angry, and immediately invited all the poor
of the neighbourhood to the feast. When many of the most destitute had
assembled, the householder, not satisfied as long as there was room at
the table, and a poor man within reach to occupy it, sent out another
message still more pressing, to sweep into the feast all the homeless
wanderers that could be found, the very dregs and outcasts of society.
Satisfied when his house at length was filled, the owner announced that
none of those who had made light of his invitation should now be
permitted to partake of the feast.

We are now ready to examine more directly the spiritual meaning of the
parable, and as the lesson is in the main coincident with that of the
royal marriage in its earlier portion, a brief exposition will suffice.

In the Gospel, God has provided a great feast. Israel, or his Church at
any period, are a privileged class, and enjoy, through his sovereign
goodness, a perpetual invitation,--a standing right. The charge which
the parable brings against this privileged people is, that they were
satisfied with the honour of being invited, and refused actually to
comply with the invitation. They were content with their name and their
outward privileges, and would not in their own hearts and lives obey the
Gospel; clinging to the form of godliness, they peremptorily denied its
power. Not they who are invited, but they who partake of the feast, are
blessed. To get the first invitation will be not a blessing but an
aggravation of guilt, if you despise the Giver and refuse his gifts. The
last invited shall be first in ultimate position if they accept the
invitation, and the first invited will be last and lowest if they refuse
to comply: the condition of men, ultimately, turns not on pardon to them
offered, but on pardon by them received.

The serva