change of the mind, and actual going into the vineyard.

30. And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not.

31. Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.

The very refuse of mankind sooner repent and turn to Christ, accept grace, and enter upon his way of salvation, here called the kingdom of God, than those who are high in their own and the world's esteem; and having an outward decency of behaviour to pride themselves in, stand upon it with God, and see no need of conversion.

32. For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.

In vain does John, or Christ, come in the way of righteousness, as teachers, and examples of it, to those who think they know and are possessed of it before.

SECTION LVI.

Chap. xxi. ver. 33-46.

PARABLE OF THE HUSBANDMEN WHO SLEW THOSE SENT

TO RECEIVE THE FRUITS OF THE VINEYARD.

33. Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country:

The Jewish church is the vineyard. Let us apply what

is said to ourselves, and to our state and condition under the Gospel. Nothing was wanting on the part of him who planted the vineyard to put it in a condition of bearing fruit. What has not God done for you? You are his vineyard planted by Christ. You have his word with you, hear it read and preached, are commanded to pray for a blessing from heaven, and expect the Spirit to give an increase.

34. And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it.

These were the prophets whom God sent, one after another, to the Jews: the apostles, in their writings, to us; his ministers at all times. He sends to us in this hour, by these words. Are we ready with our fruit? If we are not, let us think what we have to do for the remainder of our lives. We have yet a little precious time in our hands. Let us keep in mind that last of all the Lord himself cometh. How sad will be our condition if we have no fruit for him at the hour of death!

35. And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another.

Men are always the same; and if they are not ready for Christ, will beat, and kill his servants.

36. Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise.

37. But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will

reverence my son.

What patience, what love was here; that after all their contempt of him, and ill usage of his messengers, he should send his Son to them!

Blessed God, thou didst send him to us, when we were enemies to thee by wicked works, and perishing in our sins. Grant that we may receive him as thy Son, and our only Saviour.

38. But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among

themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance.

39. And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him.

As all do in effect, who will not repent and turn to God, and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ to save them from the guilt and power of their sins.

40. When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen ?

41. They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons.

"He will miserably destroy those wicked men," the Jews, and all others, in hell, who, like them, reject Christ. He made them own the justice of their condemnation, and pronounce sentence upon themselves.

“And will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen" to all other nations of the earth; to us. May the merciful God help us, and make us walk worthy of the mercy he has showed us, by bringing forth the fruit he expects to find in us, namely, faith and holiness.

42. Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the Scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?

Christ has become the head stone of the corner, for strength and ornament. Such miserable builders there are at all times. Many amongst us reject this stone with as much scorn as the Jews did. Many, though they do not reject it in avowed unbelief, yet throw it aside, and make no more use of it, as to any work of spiritual building, than if they had it not. God made Christ marvellous in their eyes, by raising him from the dead, setting him at his own right hand, and making that same Jesus, who was crucified, both Lord and Christ. Let him be thine. He is made the head of the corner, that we may make him so

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to ourselves, elect and precious. And, O! that we might all say, in the power of a true faith, and our conversion to God by him, "This is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?"

43. Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. It will be taken from all for the same reason; that is, all the blessings and benefits of it will be lost to us by our unbelief and unfruitfulness.

44. And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

Whosoever shall stumble at Christ, his word and doctrine, does not receive him, or is no better for him. “Shall be broken;" does it to his own great damage, and is in danger of perishing, if he does not repent. "But on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder." The fall of it was heavy upon the Jews; it will be heavier still, upon all unbelievers under the Gospel, when he comes to judgment.

45. And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them.

And were only the more enraged by it.-Lord, when thou speakest of us and against us, let it be for our conviction; for thou speakest in love, and smitest only to heal us.

46. But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet.

The people were forward to own him for a prophet, when the chief priests and learned Pharisees were blind. Observe this again; and never say that your hearts are beyond the power of God, and that he cannot make you take Christ for your prophet, believe and obey him.

SECTION LVII.

Chap. xxii. ver. 1-14.

PARABLE OF THE MARRIAGE OF THE KING'S SON.

1. And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said,

2. The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king,

The kingdom of heaven, in its present state, as beginning here upon earth, though ending in heaven, considered with respect to our entrance into it, continuance and improvement in it, now whilst we live.

2. Which made a marriage for his son,

Believers know how to conceive of this from other parts of Scripture, as a strict marriage with the king's son, the Lord Jesus Christ, in which we are one flesh, and one spirit with him; and, in virtue of this union, received to a full participation of his merits and perfect righteousness, brought into a fruit-bearing state, and live in subjection to him as our Lord and Husband.

3. And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.

These were the Jews. It was the will of God that they, as the seed of Abraham, and his covenanted people, should be first invited. But you will perceive in what follows, that we are now invited as well as they; and therefore, in the opening of the parable, must apply every part of it to ourselves. Blessed be God, all are bidden. You have your call in these words, this very hour, to the marriage; that is, as you have heard, to be joined in marriage with Christ, that he may take us, with our sins, to himself, and we may take him to purge the guilt, and deliver us from the power of sin, and present us to God in himself. "And they would not come." See here the cause of man's damnation-an opposing will.

4. Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which