The Wedding Supper, Sermon 2
The Second Sermon.
Mathew 22.2.
The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a King that made a Marriage for his Son.
WE have finiſhed in this place of meeting (beſides divers other things diſpatched the laſt time) the firſt of thoſe three Particulars noted in the predicate of this parabolical Propoſition: viz. the feaſt maker; we have heard of that twofold repreſentation of him; as a man to ſhew his condiſcenſion, and humbling of himſelf for our good: And yet a man that was a King; to ſet forth his dignity, and greatneſs over all.
Now the next thing we have to do, The ſecond particular.is to ſpeak of the Honourable perſon that gives occaſion for this feaſt. And that is Chriſt who is to be married; whoſe Spouſe is the Holy Church.
In this particular there are divers things of great weight to be taken notice of.
Firſt, The Author and fountain of ſaving grace, viz. God, called here A King, making a Marriage for his Son.
Secondly, Here is implied the neer union that is betwixt Chriſt and the Elect. It is agreed, that there ſhall be a marriage concluded upon (according to God the Fathers everlaſting purpoſe) between them and his ſon Jeſus. The Kingdom of heaven is like unto a King that made a Marriage for his Son.
Thirdly, we ſhall alſo out of theſe words ſpeak of the way and Means, whereby this Grace from God in the ſupper of the Lamb is conveyed, & made out to the Elect: towit, the powerfull preaching of the Goſpel. This lies wrapped up in theſe words, the Kingdom of Heaven, whereby is meant (as I told you in the beginning) the word of the Kingdom. The plain Truth is, and the Summary Senſe, The preaching of Chriſt, and the offering of him in the Miniſtry of the Goſepl is the way the Lord hath ordained, to work faith by, whereby we are united unto Chriſt, and juſtified.
I will begin with the firſt, and ſo proceed to the handling of the reſt at this time, as in the preſence of the Lord.
Doct. The firſt Doctrine ſhall be this,From the firſt. That grace here, and glory hereafter, are the free gift of God. It it his pleaſure that his Son be Married, and ſuch a Wedding Supper held as may ſhew forth the riches of his Grace, (according to the capacity of man) ſomewhat anſwerable to the bounty of a God. You ſee the Subject matter is Grace, which we muſt warily ſpeak of; that we may ſhun the Charybdis of Popiſh merit, and yet not fall upon, or into the Scylla of Lawleſs Antinomianiſme. Moſt certain it is that Salvation is of Grace, and not of works: as that learned Dr. of the Church, the Apoſtle Paul diſputes it, and demonſtrates it, both in his Epiſtle to the Romans, and alſo in his Epiſtle to the Galatians. And although there are many uſes of the Holy Moral Law, (which I purpoſe not now to meddle with) yet muſt it ſtand aſide, as weak and inſufficient through the fleſh; and give place unto Gods ſending his Son into the world, that whoſoever believeth in him, and accepteth of Gods offer of Grace, ſhould not periſh, but have life everlaſting. This Grace of God is by much the Elder brother, if we look no higher then Abraham. Gal. 3.17. And this I ſay, (ſaith Paul) that the Law which was 430. years after, cannot diſannull the Covenant that was before of God in reſpect of Chriſt that it ſhould make the Promiſe of none effect. All is of Grace.
Firſt, Election is of Grace Rom. 11.5. There is a remnant according to the election of Grace. Epheſ. 1.5, 6. Having predeſtinated us, &c according to the good pleaſure of his will, to the praiſe of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. See Cap. 2. to the tenth. And in many other places.
Secondly, all the Coordinated Mediums, all that God works by, all are free and of Grace.
As firſt, Chriſt is given, Romans 8 32. Who ſpared not his own Son, but gave him for us all to Death.
Secondly, The word bringing ſavation is free, and is therefore called the Grace of God. (Titus 2.11.) bringing Salvation.
Thirdly, Repentance is of Gods giving alſo. Acts 11.18.
Fourthly, Likewiſe Faith, that mother-Grace, is the gift of God. Phil. 1.29. And generally the whole Law of the Spirit of life, as it is called Rom. 8.2. is of Gods gracious working, as is teſtified Epheſ. 2.1. And you hath he quickned which were dead in treſpaſſes and ſinnes.
Reaſ. 1 We may reaſon from the very name Grace, it ſignifies that which is imparted gratis, Conveniunt rebus nomina ſaepè ſuis.that is freely. So the Holy Ghoſt often reaſons in theſe words, (or elſe Grace were no Grace.) And Grace and Merit do ſtand extremly in oppoſition one to another.
Secondly, We may reaſon from univerſality, from the General to Particular. Quicquid praedicatur de genere, praedicatur de ſpecie.Of him and through him (as well as for him) are all things. Every good and perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the father of lights, &c. James 1.17. All common Graces, are of his Grace and free gift: much more ſaving grace, which is a more ſpeciall effect of his love and favor.
Ʋſe. 1 But I come to the Uſes (having two other Doctrines to diſpatch at this time.) And firſt here falls to the ground the Doctrine of merit, ſo mightily and ſubtilly among our latter Popiſh School-men contended for. What ſhould I read Lectures of Polemical Divinity in this popular auditory? They have a blind diſtinction of merit of congruity and condignity; one place of Luke will ſerve for all. Cap. 17.10. So likewiſe ye, when ye ſhall have done all that is commanded you, ſay, We are unprofitable Servants. There is neither merit of congruity before juſtification, nor merit of condignity after. But by Grace are we ſaved through faith, Dona ſua coronat Deus, non meritatua. Aug.and that not of our ſelves, it is the gift of God. Epheſ. 2.8. not our Merits, but Gods gifts are with his mercifull and bountiful vouchſafements, crowned here and hereafter.
Ʋſe. 2 Secondly, comfort ye, comfort ye your ſelves with theſe words, O all ye deſirers of ſaving Grace. They that hunger and thirſt, &c. are pronounced bleſſed. Mat. 5.6. What though ye ſee nothing in your ſelves but that which loads you? even ſuch are invited to come. Mat. 11.28. If God ſend to invite, ſurely he will not reject thoſe that deſire him, though they be never ſo ſinfull.
But we muſt take heed, Firſt, of being contented with a few weak and faint deſires. If thy deſires come from a right principle, they are as truly Grace as faith it ſelf. There is Grace deſiring, Gratia ſitiens, ſitiata.as well as Grace deſired.
Secondly, take heed of regarding wickedneſs in your hearts, Pſal. 66.18. or elſe the Lord will not regard your deſire. And no marvail, Theſe deſires ſo accompanied, ſhew themſelves not to proceed from that preventing Grace which all ſucceſsfull deſires do proceed from.
Ʋſe. 3 I have yet one uſe more. Grace here and Glory hereafter are of the free gift and Grace of God. Ye ſee where to go for both the one and the other. God is the Author and Fountain of all Grace; ſeek it of him.
Mot. 1 And to move you, conſider firſt the Excellency of that condition ye ſhall be in Chriſt; to partake of his goodly Image and Grace, to be transformed into his Image from Glory to Glory.
Secondly, It is of abſolute neceſſity, that ye come to this ſupper. I ſay, He that refuſeth, and cometh not, ſhall be damned, though he were a man of wax in the eyes of the World.
Thirdly, Methinks we might ſay ſomething of the bleſſed and Gracious opportunities God hath given unto you to move you to ply God day and night, and to cry, Chriſt Chriſt; Bread bread, for the Lords ſake bread.
Object. But I ſaid but now, Prayers muſt proceed from the ſpirit, and that is that I need make it plain, will ſome ſay.
Sol. Brethren, our work is to bid you ask; Gods work is to enable you to ask. The work of Chriſts mouth to Lazarus, was to bid him to come forth of the Grave. It was the ſecret work of his Allmighty Power to make him alive, that he might hear and obey that command.
Queſt. How ſhould a man ſeek Grace at Gods hands aright?
Anſw. I anſwer. He muſt be willing to take all that God hath promiſed to give to them that ask, upon Gods own terms and conditions, and limitations too, in regard of deſired temporal bleſſings. Ye that ſay ye believe, ye muſt repent, &c. Acts 2 38. Nay ye ſhall. Rom. 6.1, 2, 3. What ſhall we ſay then? ſhall we continue in ſin that Grace may abound? God forbid; how ſhall we that are dead to ſin, live any longer therein? Know ye not that ſo many of us as were baptized into Jeſus Chriſt, were baptized into his death. And ſo for outward things, we are taught by Chriſts example in his Agony, to ſay, not my will, but thy will be done. In a word to take pleaſure in the lovely wayes of holineſs, and to referr our ſelves to Gods Love, Care, Wiſdom, Power, Truth and Faithfulneſs for outward things. But the main thing in hand is to ſtir you up, to keep begging of this Grace, that is of the diſcovery of Gods love to thy poor Soul, and that God would lift up upon thee the light of his Countenance. So much of the firſt particular.
We come to the ſecond; to wit, to ſhew you what is meant by the Marriage of the Kings Son. Even no other thing, no leſs priviledge, then a moſt neer Union between Chriſt and the Elect. For even as a man and a woman by the bond of Marriage become one, Gen. 2.24. Therefore ſhall a man leave his Father, and his Mother, and ſhall cleave unto his Wife: and they twain ſhall be one fleſh; and ſo Mat. 19.4, 5, 6. it is confirmed by Chriſt, and ſaid to be a Union and a joyning together by God: So is it between Chriſt and his Church. Epheſ. 5. ver. 23. and 31. And therefore it is ſaid in my text, The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a man that was a King that made a Marriage for his Son. Where firſt, God is ſignified with his free Grace (as before.) And ſecondly, This thing that I have now in hand, viz. That it was his pleaſure, that his Son, ſo fitted to be a husband to loſt mankind, by his incarnation (as it is ſaid, A body haſt thou given me) and by his Death and Paſſion, and glorious Reſurrection, and Aſcenſion ſhould be offered to all the world of the Jews and Gentiles; and that there ſhould be a General invitation to the end, that as many as come, ſhould be not only Gueſts, but the very Spouſe, and be married to Chriſt, and aſſured thereof by the ſpirit of faith and ſanctification. So That the Doctrine ſhall be,
Doct. That there is a Marriage made, and agreed upon, for the Son of God by God the King of Kings with every gracious Soul. Tis ended (as we uſe to ſay) between them. This is that which is here called the Kingdom of Heaven, the work of Grace; and it is therefore compared to a Marriage, becauſe there is ſuch a neer union between all the Children of the Kingdom and Chriſt, as there is between the Husband and the Wife.
I will, (for your better profiting by this ſo admirable point) go upon ſome Particulars; ſome Analogies and Reſemblances, between Marriages among men, and this work of Union and Conjunction with Chriſt.
And firſt you know, men uſe to go a woing, (as we call it) they do either by themſelves or their ſpokeſmen make motions of Marriage, and declare their love, to the yong women, they are willing to make their wives. And this (you know) is firſt before there is an actual poſſeſſing and uniting: Even ſo we read 2 Cor. 5.20. Now then we are Ambaſſadors for Chriſt, as though God did beſeech you by us; we pray you in Chriſts ſteed, that ye be reconciled to God Now when Chriſt was in the fleſh, he went a woing himſelf in his own perſon. John 3.19. Light is come into the world; end men love darkneſs, &c. But ver. 29. of that chap. he hath a ſpokeſman, he goes a woing by his friend: He that hath the Bride is the Bridegroom, (as you ſhall find there:) but the friend of the Bridegroom, which ſtandeth and heareth him, rejoyceth greatly becauſe of the Bridegrooms voice. That ſpokeſman there meant, was John Baptiſt. And the Bridegroom there meant, is Chriſt now incarnate, though the ſon of God from everlaſting; He was afterward crucified, dead, and buried, and roſe again the third day, this is the Husband of the Church, this is the yong man that is to be married (as we uſe to ſay.) Curſed be they that deſtroy the Hiſtory, under a pretence of embracing the Myſtery, (as ſome abſurd men have in my hearing, whom I therefore queſtioned, but it was not in a time ſucceſfull.) But I ſay this, Chriſt went a woing himſelf, but now by his meſſengers he doth it in Goſpel-Preaching.
Secondly, There is a mutual conſent after the time of woing. This is called a receiving 1 John 12. Ʋnio animarum eſt eſſentia matrimonii.But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the ſons of God, even to them that believe on his name. And indeed this is the very union, and eſſence of the Marriage. For ſuch are regenerated, as it followeth ver. 13. Which are born not of blood, nor of the will of the fleſh, nor of the will of man, but of God. Tis a match. My beloved is mine, and I am his, ſaith the Spouſe. Canticles 2.16.
Thirdly, There is an enjoying each other in the Married condition. Can. 1. ver. 2.3.4. Let him kiſs me with the kiſſes of his mouth: for thy love is better then Wine. Becauſe of the ſavour of thy good Ointment, thy name is as Ointment poured forth, therefore the Virgines love thee. Draw me, we will run after thee, the King hath brought me into his chambers: We will be glad and rejoyce in thee, we will remember thy love more then Wine; the upright love thee: O, who can imagine what this ſecret enjoying of Chriſt is, that hath not felt it? There is a kind of ſpiritual copulation, between Chriſt and every true believer; Yea alſo between Chriſt and Congregations, which are ſo many Mothers to bring forth.
And this puts me upon a fourth likeneſs. Wives bleſſed of God, are like fruitfull Vines upon the Walls of the houſe, whoſe children ſtand like Olive plants round about the Table. Pſal. 128.3. Such as are married in the fear of God, have a promiſe of this bleſſing.
This is made good; Firſt in each Saints growth in Grace, Iſaiah 61.10. I will greatly rejoyce in the Lord, my Soul ſhall be joyfull in my God: For he hath clothed me with the garment of Salvation, he hath covered me with the Robe of Righteouſneſs, as a Bridegroom decketh himſelf with Ornaments, and as a Bride adorneth herſelf with Jewels. The Saints are led forward towards perfection Heb 6.1. O many a ſweet Babe doth a gracious Soul bear and Nurſe to the Glory of God. But wicked men bring forth ugly bratts of Malice, Pride, Uncleannneſs, they are in conjunction with the Divel; their Fruite and Wine is of Sodom, not of Jeruſalem.
And then Secondly, In the Churches increaſe it is alſo verified. Iſaiah 61.4, 5, 6. And they ſhall build the old waſtes, they ſhall raiſe up the former deſolations, and they ſhall repair the waſt Cities, the deſolations of many Generations, &c. The Summe is, the Church is a fruitfull Mothe…: Jeruſalem the Mother of us all, in conjunction with Chriſt, brings forth many Sons. The Sons of the Church come from far, and her Daughters are Nurſed at her ſide. Iſaiah 60.4. This comes to paſs by Chriſts Husband ſhip; the Church ſeemingly barren, and a Widdow, brings forth many Children to Chriſt.
Fifthly, There is a tranſacting of conditions. The r…ches of the Husband becoms the Riches of the Wife; and the debts of the Wife become the debts of the Husband. 2 Cor. 5. the laſt. For he hath made him to be ſin for us, who knew no ſin, that we might be made the Righteouſneſs of God in him.
Sixthly, There is a Sympathiſing between Chriſt and his Church. Acts 9.4. Saul, Saul, why perſecuteſt thou me? So Chriſt calls out of Heaven. And again Mat. 25.40. In as much as ye did it to the leaſt of theſe my brethren, ye did it unto me. And the Church again is very ſenſible of Gods diſhonors. And it grieveth David to ſee the tranſgreſſors, becauſe men keep not Gods Law, P…alm 119.136.
But Seventhly, Between ſuch as are knit in the Marriage knot, there is a great working in affection; great joy in the preſence one of another; grief in the abſence one from another: even ſo, if God do hide his face from David, he is troubled, Pſal. 30.7. And his heart longs to be in the Temple, where God was wont to ſhew his beauty, and come with embraces to him and others of his People.
Ʋſe. 1 Now ſingular uſe may be made of this Soul raviſhing Doctrine; but I ſhall confine my ſelf to 3. One of information, another of conſolation, and the laſt of exhortation, and in all ſhall be brief, becauſe I have one point more to diſpatch, and the time runneth on apace.
I ſay, Firſt, We may be informed of the great worth of Goſpel Ordinances, under which there is ſuch a neerneſs held forth, yea ſuch a conjunction with Chriſt enjoyed. Here are kiſſes and embraces to be had. Meetings for the enjoyment of them, are Chriſts bed of Love. For there (to wit in the uſe of Church Ordinances) the Lord commanded the bleſſing, even life for evermore, Pſal. 133.3. and again. By night on my bed I ſought him whom my Soul loveth. Cant. 3.1. That is in the Communion of Saints and enjoyment of Ordinances. They are not much acquainted with Chriſt, (it is to be doubted) that cry down, what he is wont to make himſelf out by to his Saints.
Ʋſe. 2 But Secondly, Gracious ſouls ſhould take comfort and rejoyce in their match, and well they may. It is not an ordinary one, it is no ſmall thing to be Married to the Son of God. We have great and many particular things to take comfort in, but I will be brief.
Firſt. He looks for nothing to draw his Love; therefore our want of beauty cannot diſſolve the knot.
Secondly, No infirmity in us, can draw away his Love from us, for his Love is immutably firm, becauſe it is Eternal and Free.
Thirdly, Nothing can hinder our converſing with him; we have a priviledge to carry about Chriſt with us.
All the powers in Earth and Hell cannot make a ſeparation between Chriſt and a Chriſtian, no not for one minute.
Object. What. cannot Sin? doth not the Scripture ſay, Thy ſins have ſeparated between thee and thy God, &c.
I anſwer. God is the ſame in his ſuſpenſions which are his Phyſick, that he is in his Ordinances of feeding, and in all proſperous Vouchſafements. And ſo (by the way) ought the Church and every Chriſtian to be in their Reproofs, Checks, Admonitions; of the ſame frame of ſpirit, aiming at the good of the party dealt withall, as in their moſt pleaſing dealings: Let all your things be done in Charity I ſay, (to return to this branch of the comfort) All the world cannot ſeparate you, nor hinder you from enjoying Chriſt, no not a minute; ſin may be an occaſion of a hiding of his face. But God would not let his people ſin if it were not for their good; For all things muſt work together for their good Rom. 8.28. This is a mighty priviledge the Saints have.
Fourthly, He will enable you to do what he commands you. The Saints have not only habitual Grace, to wit, the new Creature: But alſo, the Lord is bound by promiſe to be with them, to direct them, to help them, and aſſiſt them, with continual ſupplies of Grace; for they are taught to wait upon him and to ſeek unto him, & to be much in trading with God, and all his Factors, and therefore muſt needs be better able to do his will. You ſhall find Pſal. 25.12. What man is he that feareth the Lord? Him will he teach the way that he ſhall chooſe. The greateſt hindrance of Gods ſervice, and of doing his will, is fear. Now God being Lord of the affections, can quickly take away fear or give trembling; but he is bound by promiſe, as to withhold no good thing; ſo to withdraw every evil thing, (as all that hinders obedience is evil) from his ſervants.
Laſtly, the Love of God which is by reaſon of this Union, is above all Love, it ſhall tranſcend all Love. The happieſt Wife in the World may poſſibly expect or deſire too much from her Husband, though the beſt Husband in the World. We cannot be too bold with God in expecting or deſiring, unleſs it be in ſinfull deſires. I ſay, We cannot expect too much from God; We can never build too much upon his Love; it is tranſcendent.
Ʋſe. 3 I come now to the laſt Uſe. I told you firſt, I would make three, of which two are finiſhed. The third is a uſe of exhortation. You ſee a Son offered by God to be Married to you; You ſee that no leſs Priviledge is to believers in Chriſt vouchſafed, then to be Married to him: as he ſaith Hoſea. 2 19. And I will betroth thee unto me for ever, &c. Therefore come away, marry this Kings ſon, forſake not your mercy, do not overſtand your Market: You will never have ſuch an offer again, (I mean not, of another opportunity; for what am I to limit the Holy one of Iſrael?) But of another happineſs; for in this ſeed of Abraham alone bleſſedneſs is to be had; I ſay you cannot poſſibly ſpeed your ſelves better. There is none ſo lovely, none ſo able to make you every-way happy, none ſo willing to do every body good. Theſe expreſſions of ours are to your capacity; Theſe glorious beams of Chriſt ſhine brightly, the Lord open your eyes to ſee them; ſeek by Prayer, wait upon Ordinances, argue upon promiſes; And the Lord ſtrike hands with you in much mercy. Amen, Amen.
It remaineth that ſomething be ſpoken of the means Ordained by the Lord to attain this aſſurance of Union with Chriſt; to wit, the Preaching of the Goſpel, ſignified by theſe words, (The Kingdom of Heaven) for by it is ſaving Grace conveyed. Goſpel preaching is Ordained and appointed of the Lord to that end, that men may hear of Chriſt, believe in Chriſt, be ſaved by Chriſt, and be glorified with Chriſt. So in that the Kingdom of Heaven, that is, the Goſpel Preached, is compared to a Marriagemaking, I obſerve this laſt Doctrine;
The end of the Preaching of the Goſpel is to prepare People for a Marriage with Chriſt the Son of God.
Reaſon. And the Reaſon is, becauſe it is that very inſtant of Grace, which God, who hath appointed a time for every action, hath appointed for his Elect to come and joyn hands with Chriſt in the Act of believing. It is the means of faith. Rom. 10.17. So then faith is by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. The Lord hath appointed that the Goſpel of the Kingdom ſhall be preached over all the World for a witneſs unto all Nations; That the Elect in every place may be brought in (according to Gods eternal purpoſe of Love) to communion with the Church, and Union unto Chriſt.
Ʋſe. 1 We may hereupon conclude, in the firſt place, the neceſſity of the Preaching of the Goſpel, contrary to their vain conceit that think it needleſs; they ſee not the end of it, to wit a Marriage with Chriſt. Or if they do, yet they mean not to be divorced from their wicked Luſts, unto which they are already Wedded.
But yet lodge this truth among the Oracles of God, That Goſpel Preaching is neceſſary. And that it is the ordinary and uſual means to obtain Faith.
Ʋſe. 2 O Therefore, what a happineſs do thoſe people enjoy, if they had eyes to ſee it, that have the Goſpel faithfully preached unto them, to prepare them for a Marriage with Chriſt. Ʋſe. 3 And how ſhall they eſcape which neglect ſo great ſalvation? Which to do is a greater ſin then to break the whole Law. The puniſhment ſhews the greatneſs of the ſin; a double curſe is pronounced againſt them that love not the Lord Jeſus, 1 Cor. 16.22. that is againſt thoſe that neglect Goſpel offers, and Ordinances, in which Chriſt goeth … wooing to the children of men. If any one therefore here preſent, be an Enemy to the diſpenſations of the Goſpel, or a neglector of this gracious offer of Chriſt therein: let him look upon himſelf as on an execrable thing which God hates, and let him ſee God even ſtretching out his power to confound him, and the Goſpel curſing him.
Ʋſe. 4 Be exhorted therefore to improve this appointed imployment; This concerns both Preacher and Hearers.
Motive Motive. It is the beſt preferment a man can come unto, to be United and Married to Chriſt; And therefore no ſmall preferment to be imployed in this high work of bringing People to Salvation. And to move other People, let this be weighed well, that to loſe all things in the world to gain Chriſt, is the beſt bargain that ever man made. Phil. 3 7. 8. But what things were gain to me, theſe I counted loſs for Chriſt. Yea doubtleſs, and I count all things but loſs, for the excellency of the knowledge of Chriſt Jeſus my Lord: for whom I have ſuffered the loſs of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Chriſt.
Queſt. But how ſhall Miniſters improve this benefit?
Anſw. I anſwer, by Preaching Chriſt unto the People, Plainly, Powerfully, in the evidence of Gods ſpirit, not in the enticing words of mans wiſdom, 1 Cor. chap. 2. ver. 1. &c.
Object. But if a man do not Preach eloquently, he ſhall loſe his repute and the Grace of his pains.
Sol. I anſwer. No; for although ſome that know not God will be prating; yet he is the beſt ſchollar that edifies moſt. 1 Cor. 14 v. 12.18.19.21.22. To excell to the edifying of the Church, to ſpeak five words with underſtanding that others may be taught to Propheſie, ſo as men may believe, are ſpecial Phraſes in thoſe verſes. A man that ſpeaks pithily to the conſcience, will ſhew himſelf a ſcholler (beſides his purpoſe) to all judicious hearers. Such men ſhew themſelves to have renounced the hidden things of diſhoneſty, not walking in craftineſs, not handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifeſtation of the truth, commending themſelves to every mans conſcience in the ſight of God. 2 Cor. 4.2. And yet further ver. 5. For we Preach not our ſelves, but Chriſt Jeſus the Lord, and our ſelves your ſervants for Jeſus ſake. And then note, I ſaid not only plainly, but powerfully; We ſhould have ſuch a ſpirit as Paul, who out of the abundance of his Zeal was ſtirred in ſpirit. Acts 17.16. And ſo Philip. 3.18. He told them WEEPING of their faults, that were Enemies to the Croſs of Chriſt. This proceeded out of the abundance of his Love to Chriſt and mankind. And this was a ſign of Lots ſincerity, that his righteous ſoul was grieved and vexed, &c. 2 Pet. 2.7. And to hate the work of the Nicolaitans which God hateth, is very commendable. Rev. 2.15. To hate them that hate God. Pſal. 139.21. and to be grieved with thoſe that riſe up againſt him.
Now for Hearers.
They muſt improve this benefit and bleſſing of Goſpel Preaching; 2. Hearers.By ſtriving and labouring hereby, to be prepared for a Marriage with Chriſt. By putting off the old man, and putting on the new man. Epheſ. 4. ver. 16. to the 25. People muſt forget their own People and their Fathers houſe, and labour to be clothed with clothing of wrought Gold. Pſal. 45. ver. 10.13. Labour to get Oyle in your Veſſels, as well as in your Lamps. Mat. 25.4. That ye may enter in with him to the Marriage, when the door ſhall be ſhut againſt ſuch as have neglected theſe opportunities. ver. 10. You muſt labour to make your ſelves ready for the Marriage of the Lamb, to put on Chriſt, who is the clean and white and fine Linnen of the Saints. Rev. 19.7.8. O that you would know now, even now, in this your day, the things that do belong to your peace. And eſpecially to be often hammering on this, that this rich vouchſafement will have its Errands end one way or th… other. It is like ſtrong Phyſick, if it do not work, twill kill. If the word be not the ſavour of life unto life, it will be the ſavour of death unto death.
Thus have I finiſhed the ſecond verſe wholly. Out of which I have ſpoken of the Subject matter of this Parable, the Kingdom of Heaven, and of two Branches of the praedicate, viz. the Marriagemaker, and the Bridegroom; and in the latter, of all three particulars. viz. the fountain of Grace, the Union between Chriſt and his Church, and the way and means whereby this is wrought.
The third, viz. the Gueſts, is next to be handled: So much for this time.