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 could secure eternal life, namely, the written word of God, and written, too, by the finger of God Himself. There was thus a medium of communication between this people and the Lord, which the Gentile nations possessed not. Being in possession of the light, they ought to have been examples of goodness and holiness to the surrounding nations; but, alas! their history plainly shews that, notwithstanding all the wonders wrought in their behalf, and all the mercies they were daily receiving, they relapsed again and again into the most senseless idolatry. But their state cannot be more accurately portrayed than in the excuses made for non-acceptance of the invitation of the great supper. In the parable the man buys a piece of ground, and excuses himself from attending the supper, on the plea that he must needs go and see it. In the spiritual sense, the ground here alluded to represents the mind, and, as the man preferred the ground to the supper of the Great King, he preferred his own will and understanding, with all the evils and fallacies therein, to the goodness and truth of the Lord's living Word—yea, he preferred his own gratifications to conjunction with the Lord Himself, and he confirmed himself in his evil state. He bought the ground; made it his own; incorporated it with his very life—that life of self and evil which is in direct opposition to the life of love and truth—he despised everything not in accordance with his own ruling love.

Let this not be the excuse with any of us. The Great King, even the Lord Jesus Christ, invites us to His table; He sets before us the bread and wine,—the good and truth of His kingdom. The Lord wishes to give us strength; He desires to cheer us