Gospel, accompanied by the invitations and influences of the Holy Spirit, are the compulsions here intended.

The expression signifies

1. A reluctance and obstinacy on the part of the persons invited. "The carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God." "They that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh," and have an indwelling repugnance to the things of the Spirit. It is a thing not only to be bewailed but to be astonished at, that man should hate what is for his own good-that he should despise and reject the only means which can constitute his present and future happiness. But both Scripture and experience prove this to be the case; therefore, he requires the strongest motives to urge him to accept the things which belong to his peace. St. Paul, in the name of his brethren, declares that knowing the terror of the Lord, they persuaded men, and being ambassadors for Christ, they prayed them in Christ's stead to be reconciled to God. Marvel, ye heavens, be astonished, ye earth, that the sick should despise his physician, that the prisoner should despise his liberty, that the poor should despise wealth, that the naked should despise clothing, that the hungry should despise bread, that the thirsty should despise drink, that the lost should despise refuge, that the dead should despise life! Oh, poor, miserable, degraded man! It signifies

2. The pleasure and earnestness with which God invites sinners to obtain mercy. When God calls, He calls in earnest. He does not merely send a careless message that man may be without excuse; but He expresses the most anxious interest in man's welfare, and the most sincere wish that he should comply with the conditions of his own salvation. The uniform strain of all the appeals of the Bible manifests this earnestness on the part of God. Read the following, Deut. xxxii. 29; Isaiah lv. 1; Ezekiel xviii. 23, 32; 1 Tim. ii. 4; 2 Peter iii. 9. The sacrifice which He has made in the gift of His only-begotten Son-the fulness of the provisions which He has prepared in Him-the assurance

which He has given of the help of His Holy Spirit; and all the facilities which He has placed at the disposal of the believing penitent, combine to declare His willingness to forgive, and the pleasure which He feels in the gracious reception of all who come.

Let us observe—

III. The object of the invitation: "That my house may be filled." God's house is His Church, which is divided into two departments: the one upon earth, the other in heaven. Here He dwells, and vouchsafes to bestow His presence in an especial manner. In the department upon earth He has engaged to be in the midst of His people whenever two or three are met together in His name. As in the temple of old He manifested His presence through the medium of the Shekinah, He still displays the perfections of His grace through the ordinances of His sanctuary. But it is in the heavenly department the fulness of His presence is realized. There He is to be seen without one intervening cloud, and His communion enjoyed by all the guests without intermission.

In heaven the house shall be filled. On earth the guests meet in separate companies, and one company succeeds another. One generation goeth and another cometh, but all pass through the same department. Patriarchs and prophets, apostles and evangelists, martyrs and confessors, all passed through this portion of the house, and serving their generation here in the fear of God, they went successively to take their seats in the mansion above. Those from the streets and the lanes of the city, and those from the highways and hedges take their places here in turn, and are then transferred to swell up the company in the heavenly guest chamber. Oh, brethren! there is a glorious company at the right hand above. We cannot pretend to describe it. No art can picture it-every likeness fails-every emblem is but a shadow. The brightest delineation dims into obscurity when attempting to represent the heavenly feast: if we were to think for ever we

shall not be able to find words to set forth the grandeur and ecstacy of that result of redeeming love. All the company are clad in garments white and clean, having washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Those who were despised upon earth on account of their national or personal infirmities are perfect there, not having spot nor wrinkle, nor any such thing.

But the house is not yet filled. The "many mansions” which our Saviour declared to be in His Father's house are not all yet occupied. There are seats I trust waiting to be occupied by us. Thousands are yet to "come from the east and from the west, and shall sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven." The completion will not take place until the time shall arrive referred to by St. John in his vision, when he "beheld, and lo, a great multitude which no man could number," &c. Rev. vii. 9.

Brethren, shall we be there? If so, we must first join the feast upon earth. We We may be called to partake of it here with bitter herbs; still it is a feast, comprising the bread of life which shall never perish, and the living water which springeth up into everlasting life. You that have commenced the feast look forward with joy, you shall soon be satisfied in the house above. And, "Ho! every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters." No longer spend your money, your strength, your time, much less your immortal souls, for "that which satisfieth not;" but enter into God's house, where abundance is provided for all.

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The Twenty-second Sunday after Trinity.

EVENING SERVICE.-First Lesson: Prov. iii.

Verse 3.-" Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart."

IN no instance did the wisdom of Solomon shine more conspicuously than in the pious instructions which he gave to his son. If by that son is intended Rehoboam who succeeded him on the throne, the sequel proves that he did not value his father's instructions as he ought to have done, for instead of seeking that wisdom which he recommended he commenced and continued his reign by many acts of folly. How often does it happen that children despise the prudent advice of good parents, and follow their own inclinations to their own temporal and spiritual ruin. In this book we have a series of proverbs which hang like pearls upon a string, and which for their beauty and usefulness, are not equalled by any others known in the world. The string on which those pearls are suspended is here represented under the name of wisdom; not merely that worldly wisdom which is the foundation of science and natural prudence, but that wisdom, the beginning of which "is the fear of the Lord"—a heavenly, sanctifying wisdom which pervades the mind of every true lover of God, and which actuates the exercise of all other graces mentioned both in this book and throughout the whole sacred scriptures. Two of those graces are mentioned in our text, which may be regarded among the chief ornaments of wisdom, or true religion.

We shall therefore notice First, the ornamental graces here mentioned; Secondly, the public exhibition of those graces required; and Thirdly, the internal groundwork of those graces proposed.

I. The ornamental graces here mentioned,"mercy and truth." These two graces are so near akin that they are frequently joined together in the word of God. Hosea says, "The Lord hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land," and in the twentieth chapter of this book Solomon says, "Mercy and truth preserve the king." Mercy and truth with the ancient saints were equivalent to the gospel, or the grace of God in truth with believers in Christ. In God mercy and truth meet in perfection. His mercy is revealed to us in His promises, and His truth in His faithfulness to accomplish them. When they meet in man they raise His character above the standard of ordinary men, for they are not the offspring of nature, but the production of grace. Some persons may be naturally compassionate, arising not from a motive of conscience, or respect to God, but from a natural tenderness which seems to be innate in their constitution, who therefore overlook the justice or injustice of their actions in their dealings with others, whilst others make great boast of justice regardless of tenderness and compassion, however favourable the case may appear in itself. But since God has joined them, there is the same obligation to both, for either of them without the other is not in obedience to Him. Though joined, they may be noticed separately, as they have their respective operations, and in the sequel the latter qualifies the former.

1. Mercy is an affectionate pity to such as are in misery and distress, accompanied with a readiness to do them good; or it may be designated an act of kindness proceeding from an inward desire to relieve such as are in want. This is one of the most commendable traits belonging to human nature; it is in a measure natural to man. We perceive it manifested in the conduct of the child, and there is nothing but a long practice of sin hardening the heart that can eradicate it from the bosom. Some indeed are more susceptible to feelings of compassion than others, but there is something in the constitution of our nature which draws out our sympathy,