Quesnel: Moral Reflections on the Gospels Vol 1

336 ST. MATTHEW.
that of men openly unjust, violent, and outrageously
wicked, who are sinners as it were by profession, in
the face of the world, and who not only neglect their
salvation, but are incensed against all those who ex-
hort them to mind it, and impartially declare to them
the truth. Permit us not, Lord, ever to be forgetful
of thee hi any state, or to be engaged in such as are
inconsistent with salvation.
" 7. But when the king heard thereof, he was
wroth ; and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed
those murderers, and burned up their city."
God, either sooner or later, takes vengeance on
men for their contempt of his word and truthj and for
their injurious treatment of his ministers. The pun-
ishment of the Jews, by the destruction of Jerusalem,
which is here prefigured, is itself but a figure and
shadow of the punishment of Christians. Death,
which to the saints is the beginning of their happi-
ness, to the reprobate is the beginning of the eternal
vengeance of God. The city of this present world,
which they make their earthly paradise, is then burnt
up and destroyed as to them.
" 8. Then saith he to his servants. The wedding is
ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy."
The substitution of the Gentiles in the room of
the Jews, denotes to us another substitution much
more to be dreaded. Grace is often taken away from
a wicked Christian, and given to others. No person
is excluded from the feast, except he be unworthy;
though no man is of himself worthy to be admitted to
it. Deplorable was the blindness of the Jews, who
knew not the feast which was prepared for them : but
more deplorable is that of a Christian, who, after