Spiritual Refining, Religious treatise · Section 12 · Sermon 108
SERMON CVIII.
The Goſpel Feaſt, and who are welcome Gueſts, and who not.
MAT. 22. 14.
For many are called, but few are choſen.
THis Text though ſhort in words, is vaſt in ſenſe, and hath this ground for its ſpecial obſervation, that our Saviour uſed it twice, Chap. 20. 16. And in this place, Pulchra ſunt bis dicenda. The firſt word in the front, For, ſheweth its connexion with what was precedent, and is a Parable largely propounded by our Saviour for this end, to ſhew the goodneſſe of God in offering the word of grace to a people, and the different event of this in the hearers, ſome rejecting it, and that with great malice; others receiving it, but not in the full power and efficacy of it, which makes our Saviour infer this dreadful concluſion, that may make our ears to tingle, when we hear it, Many are called but few choſen. Think not it was a ſpeech directed onelyonly to the Jews or thoſe that lived in that time. No, its of perpetual truth; and we ſee it daily experimentally confirmed, that of thoſe who are called few are choſen. My intent is to ſpeak of external calling, as I have ſpoken of internal; and this Text will give a good occaſion. Our Saviour delighted to ſpeak Parables, and that was the cuſtom of wiſe men in the Eaſtern parts ſo to do. For theſe have a popular way of teaching by the things of ſenſe, repreſenting heavenly matter to the underſtanding; For by the feaſt here made, deſcribed to be a marriage-feaſt of a Kings Sonne, where all glory and pomp uſeth to be ſhewn, is meant the priviledges and grace of the Goſpel that are tendered daily by the preaching of the Word unto you: ſometimes that eternal bleſſedneſſe and heavenly glory is compared in the Parables to a great feaſt, made by a chief and mighty man; but here the Goſpelpriviledges vouchſafed in the Word are thus called; which is plain, becauſe one came to this Feaſt without a wedding garment, and was caſt out; which could not be, if this Feaſt were eternal glory in heaven, for none ſhall be excluded from thence. So then, you ſee to what excellent and choice things the preaching of the Goſpel is compared. Sometimes it is called The Kingdom of Heaven, ſometimes The rich Pearl that a man is to ſell all for to obtain, and here to a great Marriage Feaſt. By which reſemblances the Spirit of God would raiſe up our thoughts and hearts, that we ſhould have an high and great eſteem of the Goſpel preached. Now though thus great and admirable, yet ſee the rebellion and diſobedience of the perſons invited; ſome matter it not; ſome make excuſes; ſome maliciouſly and cruelly handle the meſſengers: If you ask, Why? what is the matter? What is the wrong done to them? Nothing at all. Its becauſe he gives this honour to them, to invite them to a Marriage Feaſt. He doth not come as an oppreſſour to them, requiring their eſtates, and goods, and lives, but he tenders them all comforts and refreſhments; and for this kindneſſe and condeſcention, they do thus ill requite him; but all do not refuſe, for there is one who cometh and ſitteth down at the Feaſt, is as confident and bold, as any of the other Gueſts; till the Maſter of the Feaſt come, and expoſtulates with him for the want of a wedding Garment, and then he is ſo convinced of his guilt, that preſently he becomes ſpeechleſſe, upon which his Maſter adjudgeth him to eternal torments, where there are weeping, and wailing, and gnaſhing of teeth. If you ask, Who is meant by ſuch an one? I anſwer, All thoſe who do outwardly accept of the faith of Chriſt, and profeſſe a general obedience to him; but yet in truth, and indeed they do not thorowly and fully walk according to Chriſts rules. As for thoſe who wilfully reject and refuſe Chriſt, not ſo much as owning any thing of him, they were the Jews and others; but then there are a world of people, who out of cuſtom give an external obedience unto Chriſt, and will be judged Chriſtians, but yet retain nothing of the life and power of Chriſtianity; ſuch are all ignorant and prophane perſons, yea and all civil unblameable men in their lives, yet deſtitute of the Spirit of God, and his grace. Therefore howſoever it be hotly diſputed by ſome, What is meant by this wedding Garment? ſome ſaying faith, ſome good and holy works, yet we may conclude, that by it is meant the whole life of a man ordered in a gracious and ſutable manner to the Word of God. It doth not then mean one grace, but the comprehenſion of all. And as it would be an high contempt and ſcorn of a great man, and the company invited to a great feaſt, if a man ſhould not come in decent and fit apparel; So it is an high neglect and diſhonour unto God and his people, for thee to take the name of Chriſt in thy mouth, and to be called by him, to be looked upon as a Chriſtian; and yet to live in any ſuch wayes that Chriſt doth condemn. Our Saviour having laid down the ſinne and puniſhment of ſuch an one, cloſeth up all with this Text, Many are called but few are choſen.
Before the words are opened, here is one material Queſtion, Why our Saviour Queſt.makes this inference, For many are called, and few choſen, ſeeing in this Parable of thoſe many who came in at the ſecond call, there is one man onelyonly found without a wedding Garment; ſo that the clean contrary might have been aſſerted, Many are choſen, and of thoſe who are called few are rejected. But the Anſwer is two-fold,
Firſt, This may relate to the former part of the Parable, as well as the later; Anſw.and then you ſee all thoſe who were invited by the firſt call, did refuſe, and none did anſwer.
But in the next place, which is a true Anſwer, by this One man is repreſented a multitude of perſons of the ſame way and tranſgreſſion, it being ordinary in the Scripture by an inſtance of One, to repreſent Many of the ſame kinde; this is neceſſary for the coherence.
The words themſelves abſolutely conſidered contain a vouchſafing of a great mercy, but an excluſion of a greater. The great mercy is in theſe words, Maxy are called, foreign is here put for foreign, for otherwiſe Rom. 11. and in other places foreign and foreign are all one, the Called and the Choſen are all one; but here by thoſe that are called are meant ſuch who are called, and openly refuſe, give no conſent at all, or elſe ſuch who do give a general anſwer, but yet come not up to that fulneſſe and exactneſſe, which Chriſt requireth. The excluſion of a greater mercy is, But few are choſen; that is, of thoſe many who have the outward calling, and give a general Obedience to it, there are but few that are elected to eternal life. If then any matter may put you into a ſerious and earneſt trembling about your condition, this hath cauſe enough to do it. God may give the preaching of the Word, the means of Grace, and people give a formal and expreſſe con…ent to it, yet few of theſe be within the number of election. If it had been ſaid, Few or none of thoſe, who reject the Goſpel of peace, and means of ſalvation, are choſen; it had been no wonder but to ſay thus of thoſe, who have Lord, Lord, Chriſt, Chriſt often in their mouths, Oh hard ſaying! Who can bear it? The firſt Doctrine to be raiſed from the words is,
That there are many outwardly called, who yet never partake of the power and benefit Doct.of this mercy.
There are thoſe who ſit down at Chriſts feaſt, yet for want of a wedding garment are excluded.
To conſider this point let us obſerve, What this outward calling is, and the event of it. And becauſe I have already ſhewen, wherein the Nature of the outward calling of God doth conſiſt, I ſhall only take ſo much as is implied in the ſimilitude this Parable doth hold forth; for when we ſee Chriſt himſelf fiſhing with ſuch a ſutable bait as this is, when he that is truth it ſelf doth uſe ſuch expreſſions, Who can but believe? Who can but receive?
And firſt in that the word of God calling men to Faith and Repentance, is 1.thus deſcribed under the notion of a great Feaſt, it implieth, There is in it a ſatisfaction to every ſoul, that is ſpiritually hungry and thirſty. Ho every one that thirſteth, ſaith our Saviour, let him come and drink, Joh. 7. 37. Chriſt ſaith, He is the bread that cometh down from heaven, Joh. 6. 35. He was born in Bethlehem. the houſe of bread.
Now theſe expreſſions imply two things:
1. That there ought to be in all men an hungring and thirſting after Christ, and the priviledges he offers. For if you tell a full man of a great feaſt, he matters it not; becauſe ſuch an one loatheth the very honey-comb; but a thirſty man, as you ſee by Samſon; or an hungry man, as you ſee by the Lepers, and thoſe that lived in the time of famine in Iſrael, Oh what would not they do? How did they rejoyce to have one drop, or one crum? Lazarus was glad of a crum; and thus it is here: A man full of his own righteouſneſſe, of his own goodneſſe, He loatheth all this preaching, he preferreth his husks before the fatted calf. But now take a man deſtitute of all theſe, and ſenſible of his leanneſſe: Oh how doth his ſoul thirſt and hunger after Chriſt! Thus Paul a called one judgeth all things dung and droſſe for the knowledge of Chriſt: All his former priviledges he renounceth, and None but Chriſt, none but Chriſt doth repleniſh him. Oh while men have their own greatneſſe, their own goodneſſe and righteouſneſſe, they will never come to this feaſt. David likewiſe he ſpeaketh of his hunger and thirſt after God, yea that his ſoul breaketh for the longing it hath alwayes unto him; ſuch a diſpoſition is ſuppoſed, when the grace of the Goſpel is compared to a Feaſt.
And then in the ſecond place, It doth ſuppoſe a ſatisfying and filling of the ſoul. That whereas the wiſeman obſerveth, That the eye is not ſatisfied with ſeeing; and There are four things which never ſay, There is enough; yet here, he that thirſteth when he drinketh of this water, he never thirſteth more. That is not, as if he did not deſire more grace, and more communion with Chriſt: Yea the more they taſte of this object, the more they long to have, but they never thirſt ſo, as to ſeek out for a better object; They never ſay of God, as the Church of her Idols, I will go to my former luſts, and my former ſins, for then it was better with me, then ſince I cleaved to Chriſt. No, with Peter in his transfiguration, they ſay, It is good to be here; and which Peter did not, they know what they ſay. So then in making the grace of God offered to be like a ſumptuous feaſt, it implieth, that there is no ſpiritual defect or want in thee, but it ſhall be made up. That grace no more then nature will not ſuffer any vacuum; Some Philoſophers ſpeaking how that Materia appetit omnes formas, yet ſay that the heavenly matter doth not, becauſe there the excellency of the form doth ſatiate it. This is much more true in the godly heart, wherein God dwels, there it deſireth, to make no more change. Now how great a matter it is to have all thy ſpiritual longings ſatisfied, the godly only know.
Secondly, As this phraſe ſuppoſeth ſatisfaction of ſpiritual hunger; ſo it alſo intends 2.pleaſure and delight. A feaſt is matter of joy and comfort. Hence a good conſcience is called a continual feaſt, Prov. 15. 15. And the Prophet Iſaiah ſpeaking of the precious promiſes and excellencies under the Goſpel, he cals them A feaſt of fat things, Iſa. 25. 6. At thy right hand, ſaith the Pſalmiſt, are pleaſures for evermore; Chriſt is ſaid To knock at the door (the outward Call here ſpoken of) and if any admit him, he will come in and ſup with him, Revel. 3. 20. So then you ſee, to be called to the graces and duties of the Goſpel, is matter of great joy and comfort; Inſomuch that the kingdom of Heaven is ſaid to be in righteouſnes, peace and joy in the holy Ghost, yea its called unſpeakable joy and full of glory. Oh then how great is the madneſſe and folly of all Recuſants to this gracious offer! You are prejudiced againſt godlineſſe, as if it brought nothing but melancholy and deſpair, as if it would be rottenneſſe to the bones, and like the worm to the tree that conſumes the very entrails of it. No, its to be called to a feaſt, to matter of joy and heavenly pleaſure; certainly did the jolly worldling and merry voluptuous man, conſider theſe things, how would he defie and with indignation renounce all his former pleaſures? he would call them miſerable comforters, and ſay, Though they were honey in the mouth, yet they were gravel in the belly. Go to the world, or to thy luſts, What is the feaſt they call thee to? What are the pleaſures they invite thee to? Are they not like that herb which puts a man into a laughter, but kils him therewith? Seeing then that Vita non eſt vivere, ſed valere, To live is not meerly to live, but to be healthful and chearful, and comfortable: Oh know this can never be, till thou art partaker of this Feaſt. What though you ſee ungodly men jolly and merry, having their hearts eaſe, and nothing troubles them, this is but a blaze? the crackling of thorns; Its but Jonah's Gourd that gives him ſome refreſhment for a ſeaſon. This is but ſweet poiſon, the ſtings and torments will be the greater. The pooreſt godly man, that hath no raiment for covering, no food to expel hunger, may yet ſit down at this Feaſt with Chriſt every day. And there is no evil eye to grudge; but in the Canticles the Spouſe bids them Drink, yea drink abundantly, Cant. 5. 1. And if the godly at any time are dejected, go bowed down, have nothing but gall to eat, and vinegar to drink, without any comfort, any joy; Its their own fault, their own imperfection. They drink not of this good wine, they feed not on theſe fat things by faith; and therefore let the godly conſider, that its their duty to walk with joy and chearfulneſſe; All the while thou walkeſt in diffidence and dejections, thou goeſt without a wedding garment, thou art not in a ſutable poſture to a marriage-feaſt. Thy praying, thy hearing is without a wedding garment, thy mourning diſparageth the feaſt.
Thirdly, Here is by this phraſe implied, The great glory and honour that God would put on all thoſe whom he cals. He makes thee his choice friend, and gives thee this token of friendſhip; David expreſſing a friend, ſaid, We ate bread together. Haman, how did he boaſt when the King made a great feaſt for the Queen, And I am invited alſo, ſaith Haman. And certainly we cannot be capable of greater honour, then to be called to this communion and fellowſhip with God, yea to this familiarity; hence all the faithful, as Abraham, are called Gods friends; Now were faith alive in mens breſts, they would never refuſe Gods calling, for is it not from ſlavery and bondage to an heavenly freedom? Is it not from communion with the devil in his works of darkneſſe, to ſociety with God and his Angels?
Thus you ſee how eminently this Parable ſets forth the priviledges of the Goſpel in the tender thereof, you would wonder any in the world ſhould refuſe, that all did not come in by an holy violence: yet in the next place, ſee the ſad Many called ones reject the Goſpel-feaſt. 1.event, how ill this love is requited: For
Firſt, There are many perſons thus outwardly called, that are prophane Atheiſts, believe none of theſe things. All theſe Parables of our Saviour, and all theſe excellent reſemblances, they make but notions and phantaſies. David complained of this, Pſal. 4. when he exhorted men to ſerve the Lord, and to offer unto him the ſacrifice of thanksgiving; he addeth, Many ſay, Who will ſhew us any good? They counted nothing of that David mentioned, to be ſuch a great good that men ſhould run after it. This made the Prophet complain, Who hath believed our report? Oh it is thy atheiſm, thy unbelief that makes thee not preſently anſwer Gods call. Otherwiſe thou wouldſt cry out with the Church, Draw us and we will run after thee; For want of a divine faith comes all that rebellion and diſobedience which is; well therefore is the ſame word foreign rendered unbelief and diſobedience.
Secondly, There are the ſottiſh and ſtupid worldlings who have the Serpents curſe 2.on them, to feed only on the duſt of the earth. Theſe make no matter of this gracious invitation; ſo in this Parable, and in another to this purpoſe, it is ſaid, When they were called, that they had bought their fields and their oxen, Luk. 14. 19. and ſo they went to ſee their earthly poſſeſſions; and thus tho Phariſees, who were covetous, are ſaid To deride Chriſt, Luk. 16. 14. As the earth of all elements is the heavieſt, and inclineth to the centre; ſo theſe who minde earthly things have their thoughts and affections furtheſt off from God, and his calling. Theſe earthly affections do at firſt reſiſt the very entrance of good affections, and if yet they be received, then they quickly choak them: Never is the Goſpel more likely to fall like water ſpilt upon the ground, then when it meets with an earthy worldly heart: Oh he can finde no ſavour, no ſweetneſſe in approaches to God! When will the Sabbath and the new moon be over, ſay they in the Prophet, that we may buy and ſell again? Amos 8. 5.
Thirdly, There are an higher degree of wicked men, who do not only neglect and ſlight this call of God, But they do wickedly and cruelly abuſe and perſecute 3.the very meſſengers that come to invite them. As here in this Parable, when they were called to the feaſt, They took the Meſſengers, and ſome they mocked, and ſome they killed: Oh barbarous wickedneſſe! What is the hurt that is done to them? They are invited to a feaſt, and for this they ſtone the Meſſengers. Thus the Prophets in all ages have been entertained: Oh Jeruſalem, Jeruſalem, thou that killeſt the Prophets, and ſtonest them that are ſent to thee! Mat. 23. 37. Yea Chriſt the Son and Heir, he was put to death for inviting them to this feaſt: and was this wickedneſs only in the former times? Is there not that venom and enmity in many mens hearts? What hurt do the Miniſters of God unto thee? Becauſe they would reclaim thee from thy wickedneſs, ſave thee from thy luſts; this makes thee imbittered againſt them; forgive them this wrong.
Laſtly, There are thoſe who do not refuſe, but come in upon invitation. They ſit 4.down at the feaſt, none findes fault with them; The meſſengers they admit him, the fellow-gueſts they eat with him, Only the Lord, he ſpieth him without a wedding garment: Now by ſuch an one is meant all thoſe who have an external profeſſion of Chriſt, and ſo enjoy all the outward priviledges in the Church, none may prohibit them; yet for all that are without a wedding garment, and at laſt to be caſt out. And this is properly the perſon externally called that I intend to treat on: As for the other, they are only called on Gods part, there is no manner of conſent on their part.
Uſe of Inſtruction. How inexcuſable all they will be, who refuſe God calling? Uſe.Is it not to a feaſt, to matter of ſatisfaction, delight, plenty and honour? Why then doſt thou reject this Call? Go at the day of Judgement, and ſay, O Lord, it is true, I was invited, I was convinced, I ſaw it was better to obey then not; but my preſent luſts, my preſent pleaſures, they drew me aſide: ſay unto God, unto Chriſt, unto Angels, I know you were better company, more glory and happineſſe there was with you, yet I forſake you to be tormented with the Devil and his Angels to all eternity.