to have delayed and lingered about your soul. Awake this night! "Awake thou that sleepest, and Christ shall give thee light."

Lay aside everything that stands between you and Christ. Cast away everything that draws you back, and prevents you feeling ready for the Lord's appearing. Find out the besetting sin that weighs you down, and tear it from your heart, however dear it may be. Cry mightily to the Lord Jesus to reveal himself to your soul. Rest not till you have got a real, firm, and reasonable hope, and know that your feet are on the rock of ages. Rest not till you can say, "The Lord may come; the earth may be shaken; the foundations of the round world may be overturned; but thank God I have got treasure in heaven, and an advocate with the Father, and I will not be afraid."

Do this and you will have got something from a prophetical lecture.

Last of all, let us draw from the subject an exhortation to all who know Christ indeed, and love his appearing. That exhortation is simply this, that you will strive more and more to be doing Christians. Do not let it be said that prophetical study prevents practical diligence. Labour more and more to shew forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into marvellous light. Improve every talent which the

Lord Jesus has committed to your charge to the setting forth of his glory. Let your walk declare plainly that you seek a country. Let your conformity to the mind of Christ be unquestionable and unmistakable. Let your holiness be a clear plain fact, which even the worst enemies of the Gospel cannot deny. If you do believe that the day is really approaching, then actively consider one another to provoke unto love and good works. If you do believe that the night is far spent, be doubly diligent to cast away works of darkness and put on the armour of light. Never was there a greater mistake than to fancy the doctrine of the personal return of Christ is calculated to paralyse Christian diligence. Surely there can be no greater spur to the servant's activity than the expectation of his master's speedy return.

This is the way to attain a healthy state of soul. There is nothing like the exercise of our graces for promoting our spiritual vigour. Alas! there are not a few of God's saints who complain that they want spiritual comfort in their religion, while the fault is altogether in themselves. "Occupy,"

occupy," I would say to such persons. Lay yourself out more heartily for the glory of God, and these uncomfortable feelings will soon vanish away.

This is the way to do good to the children of the world. Nothing under God has such an effect

on unconverted people as the sight of a real thorough-going live Christian. There are thousands who will not come to hear the Gospel, and do not know the meaning of justification by faith, who yet can understand an uncompromising, holy, consistent walk with God. "Occupy," "occupy,' I say again, if you want to do good.

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There is no idle

This is the way to promote meetness for the inheritance of the saints in light. ness in the kingdom of Christ.

The saints and

angels shall there wait on their Lord with unwearied activity, and serve Him day and nigh. It is a fine saying of Bernard, that Jacob in his vision saw some angels ascending, and some descending, but none standing still. "Occupy," "occupy," I say again, if you would be thoroughly trained for your glorious home.

Oh! brethren believers, it would be well indeed if we did but see clearly how much it is for our interest and happiness to occupy every farthing of our Lord's money-to live very near to God.

So living we shall find great joy in our work— great comfort in our trials—great doors of usefulness in the world-great consolation in our sicknesses-great hope in our death-leave great evidences behind us when we are buried-have great confidence in the day of Christ's return-and receive a great crown in the day of reward.

LECTURE II.

THE JUDGMENT OF THE JEWS AND CALL OF THE GENTILES.

BY THE REV. W. R. FREMANTLE, M.A.,

RECTOR OF CLAYDON, BUCKS.

Parable of the Wedding Supper.

MATTHEW XXII. 11—14.

"And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen."

THE subject which I am to illustrate from the parable of the wedding supper is "the judgment of the Jews and call of the Gentiles." This supposes a national contrast between the parties

invited and rejected on the one hand, and the parties invited and admitted on the other. It will be necessary for me therefore to lay down one or two preliminary principles of interpretation, in order that we may fix, with some approximation to certainty, the meaning of the parable.

And first, it is plain that the parable may admit of a simply moral interpretation which applies to Jews and Gentiles with equal force; but such an interpretation would not explain the critical use of the terms, nor the full meaning of our Lord. In looking therefore more closely into the details, and comparing this with other parables, we must trace an historical connexion with the persons to whom it was addressed.

Secondly: An historical interpretation being necessary, we can find no other nation to which the circumstances of the parable can belong, but the Jews, to whom our Lord addressed it, and of whose city he foretold the destruction.

Thirdly The Jewish history, or dispensation, being suspended by the destruction of the city, the parable contains a prophetical description of the Gentile dispensation, from its commencement to its close.

Lastly: The principle of discrimination at the close, is peculiar to the Gentile dispensation.

These important, but simple, principles are