The Parable of the Ten Virgins, Collection of sermons · Sermon 4
SERMON IV. On Matth. XXV. Ver. 1. and ſo on to Ver. 13.
Then ſhall the Kingdom of Heaven be likened unto Ten Virgins, which took their Lamps, and went forth to meet the Bridegroom.
I Have (you know) made entrance into this Great Parable, which I told you, is in an admirable manner prepared, and fitted, to be a Repreſentation of the Kingdom of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, as I have ſhew'd you,
Firſt, Even from the Begining to the Complement and Perfection of it; It is the Kingdom of Heaven.
I have ſhewn you, that the very meaning of all Chriſtianity is a Going forth to meet the Bridegroom; And therefore, the preſent State, is a State of Eſpouſals, a State, wherein we are Contracted, and Affianced unto the Great Bridegroom; For, that the Eye of every Chriſtian, the great Aim and Deſign of thoſe that are Wiſe Virgins, is, that they may have a much higher Enjoyment of Chriſt, than they have now; And becauſe the Religion that is for the preſent World, and the preſent State, will not ſerve the great Intereſt and great purpoſe of our Immortal beings.
I ſhall now proceed to a fourth Doctrine, or Propoſition from theſe words.
They went forth to meet the Bridegroom; And they that were ready, they went in with him to the Wedding. So, the Obſervation that I ſhall lay down to you, is this;
That all thoſe that are Chriſt's, they are to hold (according to the Scripture Expreſſion) they are to hold a Great Feaſt unto Jehovah.
The great Intention, and meaning of the Goſpel, is to aſſure us, that after the Time of Preparation, and the Time of the Eſpouſals, there ſhall be a Glorious Feſtival; A Glorious Feaſt, The Marriage Supper of the Lamb; As you know it is called: And I ſhall endeavour to open this to you, according to the Scripture-Light, concerning it; And then, I ſhall compare it with all the Feaſts, that we read of in Scripture, under the Law; And ſo I ſhall come to make the Application of it, to our own State, and Condition.
Firſt therefore, to make it evident to you, that this is a great Notion of Scripture; That there is a Feaſt to be held; a Feaſt of Joy and Rejoycing, and of Happineſs, to be held to Jehovah. And it is this very Marriage-Supper (as you ſhall ſee) of the Lamb.
That the Scripture delights in this Repreſentation, is very evident, by ſundry Great Expreſſions of it.
Iſaiah 25. 6, 7, 8. And in this Mountain ſhall the Lord of Hoſts make unto all People a Feaſt of Fat things, a Feaſt of Wines on the lees, of Fat things full of Marrow; Of Wines on the lees well refined. And he will deſtroy in this Mountain the Face of the covering caſt over all People, and the vail that is ſpread over all Nations; He will ſwallow up Death in victory, and the Lord God will wipe away Tears from off all Faces, and the rebuke of his People ſhall he take away from off all the Earth; For the Lord hath ſpoken it.
There is a great Feaſt that God will make to all People: And it is ſet out by ſuch Kind of Reſemblances and Similitudes, as expreſs a Great, and a Plentiful, and a Rich, and a moſt Delicious Entertainment among Men; Fat things full of Marrow; And Wines on the Lees well refined. And in this Mountain (ſaith God) I'll deſtroy the Face of the covering, caſt over all People, and the Vail that is ſpread over all Nations. When this Feaſt comes, there ſhall be no Pagan Nation; There ſhall be no Mahometan Nation; There ſhall be no Popiſh Anti-Chriſtian Nation; There ſhall be no unbelieving Jews then in the World: God will Draw off the Face of the covering caſt over all People. And every one ſhall ſee in the Clearneſs, and in the Beauty, and in the Glory, and in the Majeſty of the Truth of God, and of the … of Jeſus Chriſt; That the Religion of Chriſtianity ſhall … be upbraided with this; Why are there ſo great Nations that are under the Prophet Mahomet, as we are under Jeſus Chriſt? Are there not great Tracts of the World that are not known? And do not the Jews, that have the Doctrine of the Scriptures in the Old Teſtament; Do they not deny Chriſt? All theſe things (that I may ſpeak in a Familiar phraſe) Chriſtianity is twitted with, upbraided, reproached with. But in the day of that Feaſt; All the Darkneſs of that State ſhall be drawn off. In all our Feaſts now there is neceſſary a ſenſe of Death. As I remember, the great Prince Philip of Macedon, when he had the moſt Sumptuous and Magnificent Entertainment; He had firſt of all a Deaths Head ſerved up, in the Beginning of the Feaſt: As if he ſhould ſay, tho I have entertained you now, like a Prince, and with all the Imaginable Royalty that you can expect; Yet now after all this; I and you muſt Dye. So ſhould we do, in all our Eating and Drinking, if we do but conſider it, we do but onelyonly feed (as we have a Phraſe) we do but onelyonly feed Death; We do but pamper Bodies, to make a Feaſt for the Worms.
Now (ſaith the Lord) in this Feaſt I will take away all Tears, and Shame, and Reproach from all People, utterly take it off. O therefore! VVho would not Aim, and Deſign this, to be at this great Feaſt, that muſt be held to Jehovah? And that he himſelf will hold for all his People, as the great Prince and Maſter, and Lord of it:
So you know, there is nothing more ordinary in the Goſpel, than to compare the State of Things to a great Supper, Matth. 22. He deſcribes the Kingdom of Heaven by ſuch a Supper, as this. The Kingdom of Heaven (ſaith he) is like unto a certain King, which made a Marriage for his Son, and he ſent forth his Servants to call them that were bidden to the Wedding: And they would not come; Again, he ſent forth other Servants, ſaying, Tell them which are bidden, behold, I have prepared my Dinner: My Oxen and my Fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: Come unto the Marriage; But they made light of it: And when the King came in to ſee the guests, he ſaw there a Man, which had not on a Wedding-Garment. (Ver. 11. 12.) As I ſhall after endeavour to enforce in the Application. But you ſee plainly, that it is a great Nuptial Feaſt, that the Glory of the Kingdom of Chriſt is Repreſented by: So it is ſaid, His Servants wait for him: There is a place of great moment to what we are upon, that is Diſ-advantagiouſly Tranſlated: And therefore I would deſire that you would take ſomething the more Notice of it, Matth. 13. 34. The Son of Man (ſaith he) is as a Man taking a far Journey, who left his Houſe, and gave Authority to his Servants, and to every Man his Work, and Commanded the Porter to watch: Watch ye therefore, for ye know not when the Maſter of the Houſe cometh. And this, in Luk. 12. It is called, a coming becauſe of the Wedding, ver 46. That's the Expreſſion I would deſire a little that you would take Notice of; And ye your ſelves like unto Men that wait for the Lord, when he will return from the Wedding; VVe Tranſlate. But the word in the Greek will very well ſignifie, Becauſe of the Wedding, or upon the Account of the Wedding. When Chriſt comes; He comes becauſe, or upon the Account of the Wedding: And that he may be preſent at that great Feaſt, that is to be held unto the Lord our God. I'll give you but one Scripture more; And ſo I hope you will be fully ſatisfied, that it is the Wi… of the Divine Spirit, to Repreſent to us the State of the Glory and Kingdom of Chriſt, by a great Nuptial-Feaſt, or Entertainment. It is in the Nineteenth Chapter of the Propheſie of the Revelation, Verſe 7. Let us be glad, and rejoice, and give honour to him; for the Marriage of the Lamb is come. And Verſe 9. And he ſaith unto me, Write. Let this thing be taken notice of, let it be written in Letters, that he that runs may read; Bleſſed are they which are called unto the Marrioge-Supper of the Lamb. Bleſſed are they which are called, and invited to the Marriage-Supper of the Lumb.
I ſhall now therefore proceed in theſe Two Generals, before I cloſe all in the Application.
Firſt of all, to ſhew you,, what the Importance and meaning of this Great Supper, or the Great Feaſt, that we are to hold to Jehovah, is. And then,
In the Second Place, I ſhall give you a brief Parallel between all the Feaſts that were appointed to the Servants and People of God, in the Old Teſtament; and this Great Feaſt that is to be held to Jehovah.
To give you therefore the Senſe, and the Meaning of it, in theſe Two Expreſſions.
Firſt, It is a Time of the Greateſt Solemnity, Glory, and Luſtre, and Splendor, and Joy, and Bleſſedneſs, that the Creation ever knew, or can know, in the State of a Creation. I ſay, it is a State, or a Time of the greateſt Magnificence, of the greateſt Joy and Enjoyment, that ever was known in the whole Creation; nothing ever like to that. Alas! the Days that we now know here in the World; take thoſe that have been the moſt Lightſome, the moſt Proſperous, they are all Dark, and Gloomy, and Cloudy Days, in compariſon of that Day, of the Great Glory, and the Great Feſtival that he ſpeaks of.
Indeed, it is very deſirable to find the Hearts of any poſſeſt ſeriouſly with God, and with Religion, and with Holineſs, and with Chriſtianity, and with Communion with God, and Enjoyment of him, according to the preſent State of Things. But, if we did but know, how low the Condition is now, wherein we are; If we did but conſider, what a Dark, Black Cloud there hangs over all; a Cloud of Corruption, a Cloud of Unhappineſs, a Cloud of Sorrow and Affliction, it is they live in; And it comes upon the moſt Eminent Servants of God; you know, in what a Cloud they are wrapt up, as to all bodily Appearance, when they come to Die; and what a Cloud of Corruption hovers over them; For, take the moſt Excellent Preachers, and the moſt Holy Men, if you could follow them into all the Retirements of their Thoughts and Ways, you would ſee, that there is a Deadneſs, there is an Emptineſs of God; There is a Low State, wherein they now are; ta…n up with many thoughts, with Variety of Imaginations here, againſt which they wreſtle, and are in Combate: And though it is moſt Deſirable to Them, to be Holy and Religious, to the very uttermoſt, yet alas! This Uttermoſt here, is ſuch a Nothing, compared with what ſhall be; That we have Reaſon earneſtly to look to that Great Feſtival, to that great Marriage-Supper; And to deſire that things might be Brighter, Clearer, and Purer, and more Tranſcendent, than ever they have yet been.
Surely, there is ſome Divine purpoſe (tho we may not eaſily find it), VVhy the Divine Spirit of God makes ſo great the Feaſt and Preparation of Ahaſuerus, Eſther 1. 1. Ahaſuerus, which Reigned from India, even unto Ethiopia, over an Hundred, and Seven and Twenty Provinces. That in thoſe days, when the King Ahaſuerus ſate on the Throne of his Kingdom, which was in Shuſhan the Palace, &c. VVhen he ſhewed (ver. 4.) the Riches of his Glorious Kingdom, and the Honour of his excellent Majeſty, many days, even an Hundred, and Fourſcore Days; and when thoſe days were expired, the King made a Feaſt unto all the People that were preſent: And there was the moſt excellent Furniture; the moſt Splendid and Glorious Furniture, and Entertainment. All that they were ſerved in, were Veſſels of Gold: And Royal Wines in abundance.
In all this State of it, Surely, there is a Diviner purpoſe in Scripture relating it; Tho I ſhall not venture to give any Judgment concerning it: Yet I make no doubt, that it was Intended, to be a Repreſentation of the Glory of the Kingdom of Chriſt.
For, Indeed, thoſe four Monarchies, tho they have kept the Kingdom of Chriſt thus long, from its Glory, and from its Appearance, yet there was ſome kind of Image, and Repreſentation of the Kingdom of Christ in them: And, it is very obſervable, that the Perſian Monarchs, above all others, Were greatly ſerviceable to the Temple of God, the Type of the Kingdom of Chriſt. And ſo, God choſe, I am perſwaded (I will not engage far in it) this great Feaſt of Ahaſuerus, with ſuch a care of Sobriety: And it was given to Repreſent the Glory, and Riches, and Magnificence (in a Spiritual ſenſe) wherein the Marriage Supper of the Lamb ſhall be held. So I ſay, All is a ſignification of that Life, of that Light, of that Glory, of that Bleſſedneſs, of that Holineſs, of that Purity, that ſhall be in the Kingdom of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt.
It Repreſents that exceeding Joy; As it is ſaid, in Pſalm 16. Thou wilt ſhew me the Path of Life: In thy preſence is▪ fullneſs of Joy; And at thy Right Hand there are Pleaſures for evermore. Indeed, it is firſt applyed to Chriſt, and in him, to all His: Thou wilt not leave my Soul in Hell, neither wilt thou ſuffer thy Holy one to ſee Corruption. For, at this time, The Lord our God ſhall come, and all his Saints with him; All his Dead Saints ſhall be raiſed to this great Feaſt; He will not leave their Souls in Hell, nor ſuffer his Holy ones to ſee Corruption. He'll ſwallow up Death in Victory. In that Feaſt, he'll ſhew them the Path of Life: And the Entertainment of that Feaſt, is fullneſs of Joy, and Pleaſures for evermore.
And ſo, in that Place of Iſaiah, I read to you; Where God w…es Tears from all Faces; And the reproach and rebuke of his People he ſhall take off. All the Glory of the whole Creation of God, and of his mighty Power in it is made uſe of to ſet forth a viſible State of Joy, and Glory; It ſhall be on purpoſe brought out for that day, for the Glory, and for the Honour of that Feaſt.
2. In the Second Place; Hereby is ſignified to us, that even this Feſtival, it is but for an appointed Time. It is for a Limited Time: In regard of the manner of it, in regard of the viſibility of it; As it is a thing to be ſeen, ſo it is for a Limited Time: For, it is received into abſolute Eternity, And the Kingdom is delivered up. (As the Apoſtle ſpeaks) to God, and to the Father. It is for a Limited Time; and it is in Preparation to that Union with God, to all Eternity. And therefore it is Repreſented to us, by a Thouſand Years, It is a Feaſt of a Thouſand Years. As Ahaſuerus held a Feaſt of One Hundred and Fourſcore Days; Jehovah for Jeſus Chriſt his Son, (for the Nuptials betwixt him and his Church) holds a Feaſt of a Thouſand Years; And when that is at an End, Then (as the Apoſtle ſpeaks) in the 1 Cor. 15. (That moſt Notable Place of Scripture, that I have ſo often endeavoured to Imprint the Senſe of upon you) Then cometh the End (Verſe 24.) when he ſhall have delivered up the Kingdom to God, even the Father, when he ſhall have put down all Rule, and all Authority and Power. And (Then, Verſe 28.) when all things ſhall be ſubdued unto him, then ſhall the Son alſo himſelf be ſubject unto him, that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.
So, I ſay, It is a Limited Time; Even though That be a Great Time, and it is called a Kingdom, that never ends, becauſe the Glory does not go off; But, as when the Nuptial Feaſt is over, Perſons of Great Condition, and of Princely Eſtate, you know, They are ſtill in Glory and ſtill in Luſtre; though it be in a more ſetled State. So Chriſt, and all his Saints, they are in a perpetual Joy, in perpetual Happineſs, that does not end: But only the Glory and Magnificence of the Wedding and Nuptials ends.
I ſhall now endeavour to parallel to you the Feaſts of the Old Teſtament; and to ſhew you, That the Spiritual Senſe, and the Spiritual Meaning of them, is, This Great Solemnity of the Kingdom of Jeſus Chriſt. That you may know therefore, That thoſe Feaſts that we read of in the Old Testament, are truely, and indeed the Emblems and the Figures, and the Types, and the Shadows of Spiritual Things; Even of this Great Kingdom of Jeſus Chriſt: I ſhall give you that Standard of Scripture, that ought to be a Rule to us, in all things, concerning the Types of the Old Teſtament. Saith the Apoſtle, Heb. 8. (It is a Thing he often takes notice of) Verſe 5. Which ſerve unto the Example and Shadow of Heavenly Things; As Moſes was admoniſhed of God, when he was about to make the Tabernacle. For, See, (ſaith he) that thou make all things according to the Pattern ſhewed thee in the Mount. Becauſe God underſtood his own Kingdom, and this Great Feaſt that he would hold▪ Moſes was to do nothing, without ſpecial Command, and Precep…, and Direction for it: All was to Anſwer Exactly, to what was to come; All was a Shadow and Example of Heavenly Things: Moſes therefore muſt be moſt careful, that he did not make Any Thing but according to the Pattern. And ſo Heb. 9. 9. Which was a Figure (ſaith he, ſpeaking of the Old Oeconomy, and Frame of Things under Moſes) for the time then preſent, &c. Which ſtood only in Meats and Drinks, and ſuch Things, until the Time of Reformation. They were for the Time preſent; So we Tranſlate: But the word foreign in the Greek, ſignifies a Time preſſing, urging, and an Inſisting Seaſon; and (as I may ſay) againſt the Glory of the Kingdom of Chriſt. And, indeed, ſo are All the Times, from the very Fall of Adam to the Kingdom of Chriſt: Times that preſs, and crowd againſt the Kingdom of Chriſt: For, if this Time preſent were but at an End, that lies as a Bar, and hinderance in the way, the Kingdom of Chriſt would immediately break out: As when that Time ſhall come, of which the Angel (Rev. 10.) ſware, Time ſhall be no more; when once it comes to that, Time ſhall be no more: A better State of Things ſhall come in. The Kingdom of Chriſt ſhall immediately come in, as ſoon as God hath removed the preſent Time, the Time now preſſing againſt it, The Kingdom of Chriſt will flow in a▪ main: As when the Flood-Gates are drawn up, when that which is as the Bar in the way, is taken away, immediately, like a great Torrent, the Kingdom of Chriſt will come in. When time ſhall be no more; that is, ſuch a time, as hitherto hath preſs'd againſt that Kingdom, tho' in the mean Time It is made Subordinate, and leads to it; But that is a note, rather by the way. The Thing that I chiefly intend is, that all things in the Old Teſtament were but Figures and Types of things that were to come. I ſhall therefore give you a Brief Compare: For, I will be as ſhort in it, as poſſſibly I can: You ſhall find, that one Great Branch of the Religion of Moſes, or the Worſhip of God in the Old Teſtament, and according to the Law of Moſes; one great Branch of it was the holding of ſo many Feaſts in a Year to the Lord. The 23d. of Leviticus does give us a Deſcription of all thoſe Feaſts: And, I ſhall (as I ſay) in Brief, compare them.
First, There was the Feaſt of every Week, which was the Sabbath, the Jewiſh Sabbath, the Seventh Day; And ſo the Seventh Year; and the Seven Seventh Year, that is, which made up a Seven of Seven Weeks, of Years. All this, there was obſerv'd in the Time of the Law. There is that which we now call the Lords Day; It was then the Seventh Day of the Week, the Jewiſh Sabbath: That was a Weekly Revolution, and then, every Seventh Year was a Sabbatical Year. And then, after Seven Sevens of Years, there was the Jubilee, every Fiftieth Year. Now, all this was a Figure of that Great Sabbatiſm, that remains to the People of God.
So the Seventh, both Day, and Year, and the Seventh of Seven Years, the Seventh of Seven Weeks, or Weeks of Years; that is, after every Forty nine Years, which is Seven Sevens; you know, the Fiftieth Year was a Year of Jubilee, and Holy to the Lord; A Feaſt of Jubilee, of Great Freedom, of Great Redemption, of Great ſetting free, both the Perſons and Eſtates of Men; and all was to repreſent what the Apoſtle ſpeaks of, Heb. 4. 9. There remaineth, &c. He went through all kind of Reſts, that were under the Law; and ver. 9. Yet beyond all, There remaineth a Sabbatiſm, a Great Sabbatiſing to the People of God. So that this is the Great Sabbatiſm, that ſhall be held to God; It ſhall be in theſe Thouſand Years: That's the State of perfect Sabbatiſm wherein Perſons ſhall not ſpeak their own Words, think their own Thoughts, nor do their own Actions, but ſhall be the Servants of God, and of Chriſt, with His Name upon their Foreheads. Conſider therefore this Expreſſion of the Apoſtle, ver. 9. indeed we Tranſlate it▪ (which is Great Pity, that it ſhould be ſo Diſadvantageouſly Tranſlated) There remains a Reſt; ſo we ſay. But the Margin being ſenſible (as it were) that They did wrong, in calling it only a Reſt, gives the Higher Style of keeping a Sabbath; not only ſuch a Sabbath, as the Jews kept, nor ſuch a Sabbath, as Chriſtians keep; but beyond all this, there Remains the Bleſſed Festival of a Sabbath, in which we ſhall be free from all the Cumber, both of Worldly Buſineſs, and alſo of Corruption, and Miſery, and Unhappineſs. This ſhall be the Great Sabbatiſm of the Great Nuptials of Jeſus Chriſt, the Great Nuptials of the Lamb.
2. In the ſecond place, There was the Great Feaſt of Paſſeover: which was upon the Deliverance from the Bondage of Egypt. I will not ſpend any time to particularize it; you ſhall find, there was the Feaſt of Paſſeover; of which, we read abundantly, in Exod. 12. And after the Paſſeover was ſlain, there was the Offering of the firſt fruits. I'll give you a Brief Account of all, according to the New Teſtament: There is to be the Higheſt Paſſeover of that Feſtival, that is, A full Table of the Redemption of Jeſus Chriſt: A feaſting on the Paſcal Lamb; the Redemption of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt. For Chriſt our Paſſeover is ſacrificed for us, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks; And in the Evangeliſt, when Chriſt had ordain'd the Supper of the Lord; even after the ordaining of it. This Paſſeover ſhall be fulfilled in the Kingdom of God. As he ſaid of that Fruit of the Vine, He would drink it new with them in the Kingdom of the Father. So he ſaith in the Evangeliſt Luke; This Paſſeover ſhall be fulfilled in the Kingdom of God. That is, When we ſhall have the full Enjoyment of Jeſus Chriſt, in his Redemption. For then the Paſchal Lamb ſhall be ſet out to us in the Fullneſs of its Effect; in the Fullneſs and Greatneſs of His Redemption; As He gave Himſelf a Lamb without Spot, Sacrificed to God for us. That is, the Great Senſe of our Saviour in thoſe Words, This Paſſeover ſhall be fulfilled in the Kingdom of God.
3. Thirdly, For the Feaſt of the Firſt Fruits; You know, In two Regards, we may ſay, That it is a Feaſt of the firſt Fruits, or the Sheaf offered, both in regard of Chriſt, and alſo in regard of our ſelves: In regard of Chriſt, It is ſaid, in the 1 Cor. 15. 23. Chriſt the Firſt Fruits, and they that are Chriſt's at his Coming; Every Man in his own Order, Chriſt the Firſt Fruits, and they that are Chriſt's, at his Coming. Then ſhall that Bleſſed Firſt Fruits, Jeſus Chriſt, the Firſt-born of every Creature; The Firſt Begotten from the Dead, He ſhall come forth in Glory of His Kingdom, and in the Glory of His Appearance. It is a Feaſt of the Firſt Fruits, becauſe then Chriſt, who is the firſt Fruits, comes forth in all His Glory, and in all His Bleſſedneſs. And, that it is the Feaſt of firſt Fruits, in regard of his Servants; I ſhall give you two Scriptures, and ſo paſs off, James 1. 18. Of his own will begat he us with the Word of Truth, that we ſhould be a kind of firſt Fruits of his Creatures; And, in Rev. 14. 4. Theſe, (ſaith he, ſpeaking of the Hundred forty and four Thouſand that were Sealed) Theſe are the firſt Fruits to God, and to the Lamb.
4. The fourth Feaſt, that we read of; It was the Feaſt of Weeks; As it is called in that, Lev. 23. And it was after ſeven compleat Sabbaths were paſt; Then there was a Feaſt, which is called Pentecoſt: And at that very Feaſt, was the great pouring Out of the Spirit of Chriſt upon the Diſciples, Acts 2. 1. And ſo there ſhall be the Feaſt of the Harveſt, of all the Servants of God, gathered in one after the Pouring out of that bleſſed Spirit of God. All this ſhall be much greater than that was in Acts 2. This was but a Beginning; It was but an Entrance of that which is to be done at the Feast of the Great Harveſt.
Surely, never was there ſuch a Feast of Pentecoſt; Such a Feaſt of Weeks, as ſhall be then; Every one, who ſhall be admitted to that Feaſt, His mouth ſhall be Full of the Wonderful works of God. He ſhall ſpeak abundantly of the Glory of God, and of Jeſus Chriſt, and of the Riches of Grace; He ſhall ſpeak abundantly of the mighty Works of God, in that mighty Pouring out of the Spirit of God.
5. In the Fifth Place; There ſhall be the Feaſt of Trumpets: As we read, Lev. 23. After the Feaſt of Weeks, was the Feast of Trumpets. And that Feaſt was a Type of the Seven Trumpets in the Revelation, ending and fill'd up in the Seventh Trumpet that we read of, Rev. 11. The Seventh Angel ſounded, and immediately there were loud Voices in Heaven, ſaying, the Kingdoms of this World are become the Kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Chriſt, and he ſhall Reign for ever and ever. ver. 15. With which you may compare what is ſpoken in 1 Cor. 15. 52. And in 1 Theſ. 4. 16. Chriſt ſhall deſcend, the Trumpet ſhall ſound, and the Dead ſhall be raiſed Incorruptible. And the Saints ſhall be changed. And he ſhall come down with the Shout and Voice of the Arch-angel, and with the Trampet of God. Then ſhall that great Trumpet ſound; And then ſhall be the Feaſt when all the Dead in Chriſt, and they that have ſlept In, and By Jeſus, ſhall ariſe, and ſhall appear in Glory, and ſhall ſtand forth in that State of an Incorruptible Reſurrection; And then is the Bleſſedneſs of the Saints changed, who live and remain here upon Earth. And here all the forenam'd Feaſts are together united in one.
6. In the Sixth Place; There ſhall be the Day of Attonement, the Day of the great Attonement. As we read, of that alſo: A Day; wherein God was reconciled, wherein the Entrances into the Holy of Holies were opened; All that was to be in the Day of Attonement. And ſo there ſhall be in the State of the Wedding of Chriſt; The Feaſt of Attonement, of Reconciliation, As the Apoſtle ſpeaks, Acts 3. 19. When the times of Refreſhing and of Reſtitution ſhall come. Repent ye therefore, and be Convented, that your Sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreſhing ſhall come from the preſence of the Lord: In that Great Day of Attonement, and at the Great Wedding, All that make up the Lambs Wife ſhall meet there, if they have been Enemies before to God and Chriſt, they ſhall be Atton'd: They'll lay aſide their Enmity one to another, and fall into mutual Kindneſs, and Enjoyment one of another: Then, all things, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, Col. 1. All things in Heaven and in Earth ſhall be fully Reconciled by Him, Even by Him.
6. The laſt is, The Feaſt of Tabernacles; The Feaſt of a Paradiſiacal-State. The Feaſt of Tabernacles, The Feaſt of Goodly Boughs of Olives, and Palms, And whatſoever was moſt valuable among the Plants, was brought out to make Boughs with, at that time. And to this the great Feast of the Kingdom of Chriſt is compared; Becauſe it ſhall be the State of Paradice Reſtored: All the Glory, and Beauty, and Excellency of the Creation, ſhall then be reſtored. We read, therefore, Zech. 14. 16, &c. of this Happy and Bleſſed Feaſt of Tabernacles: It is when all ſhall be Holineſs to Jehovah. And it ſhall come to paſs, that every one that is left of all the Nations which come againſt Jeruſalem, ſhall even go up from Year to Year, to Worſhip the King, the Lord of Hoſts, and to keep the Feaſt of Tabernacles. It is the Feaſt of that State of Paradice, where, Inſtead of Briars, and Thorns, ſhall come up the Fir-Tree, and the Mirtle-Tree. And it ſhall be to the Lord for a Name, and for a Perpetual Remembrance. Eſay 55. 13.
I ſhall now Briefly ſhut up all this, in Application. And I deſire you, that you would refreſh theſe things in your own Thoughts; And that you would bring them to mind: You will find every particular Feaſt, that of the Paſsover, Exod. 12. You'll find at large; and every other Feaſt in Lev. 23. And, I deſire you would conſider, and read that Chapter; And remember, that the Glory, and Happineſs, and Bleſſedneſs, and Spirituality of thoſe Feaſts ſhall be in the Kingdom of Jeſus Chriſt.
Ʋſe. 1. The firſt uſe therefore that I would make of it, ſhall be this; To make a preſent Invitation to you to this Great Feaſt, that is to be held to the Lord our God; Even to Jehovah: That you would mind this; That you would ſeriouſly mind it, and conſider it, that all of us are now Invited. For now, when we may go (as in that, Matth. 22.) One to our Market; Another to our Farm: Every one to this, or that Entertainment of this World; At this very Time, the Invitation is made to every one of us, that we would conſider of it.
Behold, this Sermon, and this Diſcourſe, this Preaching of the Goſpel, it is ſent to you, to invite you to this great Supper: He ſent forth his Servants, (ver. 3.) That is, the Miniſters and Preachers of the Goſpel, the Expounders and Openers of Scripture to you, to call you, and to bid you unto this Wedding. Now take heed! Take heed! That you do not go, one to your Farm, and another to your Merchandize, that you don't go every one your own way: As it is ſaid, They made light of it, and went their way; They go every one their own way: Take heed now, Remember, when that Wedding-Supper ſhall be, and that it ſhall then be Proclaimed with that ſound of the Trumpet, with the Voice of the Arch-ang…l, Bleſſed are they that are bidden then to the Marriage-Supper of the Lamb; If any be bidden, They muſt be bidden now; They muſt be perſwaded now, they muſt accept the Invitation at this very time. For, now it is, as I tell you, You may go to your Farm, and to your Merchandize, &c. Every one your own way: Now is the Invitation made, and now it is to be taken; Now it is to be cloſed with, now it is to be accepted: Hearken therefore, every Soul, that hears this Diſcourſe. Behold, thou art Bidden to the Marriage-Supper of the Lamb: Thou art invited to that Great Feaſt of the Kings Son: Thou art earneſtly perſwaded, that thou wouldeſt be preſent there, and that thou wouldeſt partake of the Splendor, Glory, and Magnificence, and of the Happineſs of that Day: Take heed now, that thou don't make Light of it, and ſay, what's this to me? You will certainly Repent it another day; You will fall to Weeping, Wailing, and Gnaſhing of Teeth, that you would not be perſwaded, when you were thus Graciouſly bidden by Jeſus Chriſt, and by the Voice of his Word, and the Voice of his Goſpel.
Therefore hearken to this Invitation; Hear, whoever it be; As it is ſaid, Iſa. 55. Where there is a great Deſcription of this very Kingdom, of this very State of Paradice: As you may find, in the laſt Verſe. Inſtead of the Thorn ſhall come up the Fir-Tree, and inſtead of the Brier ſhall come up the Mirtle-Tree: And it ſhall be to the Lord for a Name, and for an Everlaſting Sign that ſhall not be cut off.
Now Ho, every one that Thirſteth: So the Chapter begins; As you know, we make publick Sounds and Proclamations; So, Ho, every one that Thirſteth, come ye to the Waters, &c.
Wherefore do ye ſpend your Money for that, which is not bread, and your labour for that which ſatisfieth not, &c? And, if any ſhould ſay, this is nothing but onelyonly a Noiſe of Words, and of Diſcourſe; ſaith God (ver. 9.) As the Heavens are higher than the Earth, ſo are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. For as the Rain cometh down, and the Snow from Heaven, and returneth not thither, but Watereth the Earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give Seed to the Sower, and Bread to the Eater; So ſhall my word be that goeth out of my Mouth; It ſhall not return unto me void, but it ſhall accompliſh that which I pleaſe, and it ſhall Proſper in the thing whereto I ſent it: Therefore, aſſure your ſelves, that this Word, It will not return in vain; It will Proſper to that very End. You may be ſure, ſuch a Feaſt there is to be: Therefore, take great care concerning your ſelves, what you will do about it, how you will order your ſelves about it.
Ʋſe. 2. In the Second Place, I ſhall point out to you, how you may prepare your ſelves: You muſt take care of this;
Firſt of all, that you get a Wedding-Garment. As it is ſaid, Mat. 22. He ſaw one there, that had not on a Wedding-Garment. And he ſaid unto him, Friend, how cameſt thou in hither, not having a Wedding Garment? And he was ſpeechleſs. The Man was ſo confounded, he was ſo aſhamed of the thing, that he had nothing at all to ſay. The King came in to ſee his Gueſts, and he ſaw a Man that had not on a Wedding Garment; The Man had nothing to ſay, he knew there was no Reaſon for him to ſay any thing. And what is this Wedding Garment? It is an intereſt in Chriſt, an Intereſt in His Righteouſneſs, a being Cloathed in Linnen, White, and Pure, waſhed in the Blood of the Lamb.
And tho the Perſon did not deſpiſe the Wedding, He made a Profeſſion, as we do, of Chriſtianity, to come to it: Yet in the next verſe (ver. 13.) The King ſaid to his Servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and caſt him into outer Darkneſs; And There ſhall be Weeping, and Gnaſhing of Teeth; For, many are called, but few are choſen.
Therefore, look diligently to this thing; That tho you ſeem to ſpeak fair, you will come, and you will be there, and you do make a pretence; And yet you have not the Wedding Garment, Chriſt, and his Righteouſneſs; Oh, how ſad will it be!
In the Second Place; You muſt look diligently to this too; That you have Oyl in your Veſſels, and not onelyonly in your Lamps. This you ſee, is in Matth. 25. The Fooliſh Virgins never thought of Oyl in their Veſſels, but onelyonly in their Lamps. That is, you muſt have Grace, you muſt have a Holy and Spiritual Life from Chriſt. That will be able to laſt out, and to endure that very Time. But I ſhall not ſpeak more of it; Becauſe I ſhall come in a full Diſcourſe to Treat of it.
Ʋſe. 3. The third uſe I would have you make, is, I would have you obſerve, and conſider but a little, How this Notion of a Feaſt, hath been Corrupted, by the Anti-chriſtian World; What a Company of Feaſts have there been, of Man's Inſtitution? The Feaſt of ſuch a Saint, and ſuch a Saint; and Feaſts that never were appointed by God; Yet they have come into uſe, and they remain in obſervation: And how came this?
It is by that Counterfeit Chriſtianity, Antichriſtianiſm came in, Feaſts that never were ordain'd by God. And, I wiſh, with all my heart, there were not Reaſon to bewail, not the Anti-chriſtian World onelyonly, but even our Proteſtant Profeſſion: There's nothing looks more Scandalous, and more Strange, than ſetting up Feaſts, that the Goſpel never appointed, nor Inſtituted; I ſay, I pray with all my heart, that they that have Power and Authority in theſe things may conſider it. For, when Jereboam departed from the purity of Religion, Inſtituted by God, in the Old Teſtament; He made Feaſts, and Times of his own.
So the Chriſtian World hath done: And the Rellicks, and Refuſe of it are ſtill among us: We keep up Times that never were appointed, That there's no mention, nor Signature of, in the Goſpel. I do not ſpeak any way, to deſire to Reflect, or to be Cenſorious, but to ſpeak the Truth of things, according to the Word of God: For, it is onelyonly of Jehovah himſelf, to appoint his own Feaſts. And He hath kept up to us The Feast of the Lord's Day, and the Feaſt of the Lord's Supper, as Preparatory to that Great Feſtival of the Kingdom of Chriſt: And no other are we to make, nor to Deviſe, of our own Hearts.
Ʋſe. 4. The Fourth, and Laſt Application is this;
That you would ſeriouſly conſider this Marriage of the Lamb, this Great Feaſt, how near it is. For, as the Jews were mighty careful to keep Account of Days, and the Motion of Times, and Weeks; They were to Account (as Scripture-Expreſſion is, Lev. 23. 15. In that Caſe) ſo we ought to Account the Time.
And, methinks, it is a very great Amazement, and a very great Sadneſs; That there ſhould be no more Diligence nor Care, Neither in the Publick Miniſtry of the Goſpel, nor in Private Chriſtians, to Count the Time, and to know how near it is to this Great Feſtival: For, tho you may think you are Excuſed, Becauſe it is ſaid, Watch, For ye know not the Time; Yet I ſhall ſhew you, That hath quite another ſenſe; And that it ſpeaks, that every one ſhould look, that they have the Truth of Grace, and Oyl in the Veſſel, and the Wedding Garment.
This is the Watchfulneſs, that the Spirit of God confines us to. But, in the mean time, we ought to be upon our Watch-Tower, and to know the Times appointed by God; For, it is great Hypocriſie, (However we may think it Great Modeſty) that we do not Diſcern the Signs of the Times; To be Inſtructed in the Times, from the Signs the Scripture hath given us, from Time to Time: That we may come to know, when this Great Coming of the Kingdom of Christ ſhall be; And that our Hearts may be greatly preparing, and in a Readineſs for that Great Day, &c. is one Branch of the great Duty of Waiting for his Appearance.