The Wedding Supper, Sermon 4
The Fourth Sermon.
Matth. 22.4, 5.
Again he ſent forth other ſervants, ſaying, Tell them which are bidden; behold, I have prepared my dinner; mine oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the Marriage. But they made light of it, and went their ways; one to his Farm, and another to his Merchandiſe.
WE are out of this verſe and the following unto the eight, to ſpeak of the ſecond invitation of the Jews to come to Chriſt: We will take notice, firſt of the invitation it ſelf, as it is ſet down in this fourth verſe. Secondly, of the ſucceſs of the Invitation, or the manner of their entertainment that were ſent, ver. 5, 6. And Laſtly, we ſhall come unto the behaviour of the King, upon the courſe and unworthy entertainment of his gracious Meſſage and of his Meſſengers, which is ſet down in the ſeventh verſe.
We will begin with the firſt branch, which is in the fourth verſe. And we finde it illuſtrated, 1. By the circumſtance of time, when the Servants were ſent, in the word (again.) 2. By the Inſtruments made uſe of for that purpoſe (other Servants.) 3. By the manner of the Meſſage, which theſe other ſervants were to deliver; it is full of grace and ſweetneſs, Tell them, that were bidden, I have prepared my dinner, &c. Bid them come to the Marriage.
Again; This word ſets out much of God, in point of long-ſuffering and patience. Notwithſtanding the Jews, had formerly rejected Gods grace, and would not come in: yet God will not give them over ſo, but ſends again. Again he ſent &c.
Doct. We may hence learn, That God in the offer of Grace, is wonderfull patient. The truth is, God is wonderfully excellent in all his makings forth: but now we are to ſpeak of the patience of God as it is ſhewed and exerciſed to mankinde. But I will endeavour to make out to you what kinde of beam of God that is which we call patience. I will not meddle with the patience of Chriſt: that (I mean) which he ſhewed in our nature which he took; but of that which is attributed to God, and is handled among his divine perfections.
There is not ſuch a patience in God (as the word properly ſignifies) which is verſed in griefs or calamities, but in injuries and wrongs. As a King is ſaid to be patient which moderatly beareth abuſes, and contains himſelf from revenge which he might eaſily take if he would. Poſſe & nolle nobile.O this is a glorious vertue in man; But in God it is a moſt glorious beam, to wit, when he acteth this way, to ſuffer ſinners, and not to take vengeance upon them. This infinitely excelleth the patience of the moſt patient men in the world: becauſe the abuſes which are offered to God, are infinitely greater then thoſe which are offered to men; and becauſe he doth moſt diſtinctly ſee them all, and doth moſt ſharply reſent them, and hath in readineſs wayes to take vengeance, and yet he withholds. He knows all that he hath done for us, Simul in conſpectu Dei ſunt omnia beneficia quae ipſe in nos, & omnes injuriae, &c. Leſſius.and on the other ſide our ingratitude. He ſees all the abominations committed in the world; which did the moſt patient man in the world ſee but one hour, he would certainly burn the world the next (ſaith a late VVriter.) And although God be not capable of grief and ſorrow, yet he very bitterly takes his diſhonour, and is provoked to revenge. He perceives the unworthineſs of ſin; and that his own Majeſty, & his unſpeakable goodneſs ſhewed to the creature is vilepended. He is armed with thouſands of Plagues, and yet forbears: yea, continues his former benefits; expecting, and ſtirring up to Repentance, and to come to his ſons Marriage. Admirable patience! So with the old World did God deal Gen. 6.3. 1 Pet. 3.20. with others Gen. 18.24. Jerem. 31. cap 5. ver. 1. Luke 13.34.
Reaſon. And the reaſon is rendred 2 Pet. 2.9. Becauſe he is not willing that any ſhould periſh, but that all ſhould come to Repentance. Ezek. 18.32. For I have no pleaſure in the death of him that dieth, ſaith the Lord God; wherefore turn your ſelves and live ye; and ſo cap. 33.11. Hoſ. 6.4. O Ephraim, what ſhall I do unto thee? O Judah, what ſhall I do unto thee? &c. and cap. 11.8. How ſhould I give thee up Ephraim? How ſhall I deliver thee Iſrael? how ſhall I make thee as Admah? How ſhall I ſet thee as Zeboim? Mine heart is turned, within me, my repentings are kindled together.
Doct. So then this ſhall be the Doctrine, That God in the offer of grace, (notwithſtanding ſhamefull repulſes) is wonderfull patient.
He ſends again, and again. Again he ſent forth other ſervants, &c.
Ʋſe. 1 Then certainly we have no cauſe to complain of Gods impatiency.
Ʋſe. 2 And they that reject grace, are without excuſe. They cannot ſay it was not offered to them. Indeed Gods patience occaſions perverſneſs through the wickedneſs of peoples hearts. Pſal. 78. verſes 17. to the 22. and 37, 38, 39. and 56. 59, 60. verſes. In thoſe places the marvellous untowardneſs of the Iſraelites is ſhewed: but yet God tempteth no man, but woes, and argues, and allures. And they that do abuſe his patience, will know one day that they had a fair offer. O think upon it.
Ʋſe. 3 Thirdly, If God be ſo gracious, and ſo patient: then ſurely he will not caſt away any that deſire Grace, though by reaſon of their corruption they come ſlowly forward. Though, they be like ſmoaking flax, Matth. 12.20. A bruiſed reed ſhall he not break, and ſmoaking flax ſhall he not quench, till he ſend forth judgement into victory. If there be any hope of thy recovery, the he avenly Phyſitian will not give thee over.
To conclude this point, The fourth and laſt Ʋſe ſhall be to perſwade all to take heed that they abuſe not Gods patience, but thankfully improve it to their own benefit.
Motive. Conſider, to ſtir you up a little,Laeſa patientia fit furor. the abuſe of Gods patience will at laſt provoke the Lord to caſt down heavy judgements. Pſal. 78.49. He caſt upon them the fierceneſs of his anger, wrath, and indignation, &c. Rom. 2.4, 5. Or deſpiſeſt thou the riches of his goodneſs, and for bearance and long ſuffering, not knowing that the goodneſs of God leadeth thee to repentance? But after thy hardneſs, and impenitent heart, treaſureſt up unto thy ſelf wrath againſt the day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous judgement of God. I might give you inſtances and examples, of the Old World, of the Sodomites, of the Jews. But I had rather ſhew you how you might improve Gods patience, and not abuſe it. For I cannot but think that you ſee the neceſſity of the work.
Means. 1 Therefore know, firſt that ſpeedy repentance muſt prevent wrath, and is a way to improve Gods patience to our advantage. Joel 2.12, 13, 14. Iſaiah 55.6, 7. Friends, there is no ſin ſo great, no ſins ſo many, no abuſe of Gods grace ſo grievous, but repentance will help all.
Secondly and Laſtly, improve Gods patience, by a godly imitation of his example therein, Matth, 5.44, 45. Phil. 4 5.
So far of the circumſtance of time. VVe come next to the inſtruments, other ſervants. Again he ſent forth other ſervants.
Doct. The Lord is not only patient in the offer of Grace: but very diligent in providing means and inſtruments to draw men. That ſhall be the next Doctrine. You ſee God doth not preſently upon their refuſal give over, but ſends other ſervants.
Reaſon. And the Reaſon is (as before it hath been ſaid) He would have no man to periſh, but that all ſhould come to repentance. Underſtand by his will, his word, his approbation and liking of it; Voluntas approbationis & effectionis.but what he willeth from everlaſting, that he worketh and bringeth to paſs: and ſo ſaith David, Whatſoever the Lord pleaſed, that did he in heaven, in earth, in the Sea, and in all places. But to the matter: The Lord (I ſay) is not only patient to wait, but diligent in providing means; here is another glorious beam of the Deity ſhining forth; His Spirit ſtrives with men, to do them good. He giveth gifts to men for the ſake of mankinde: He expoſeth his Ordinances to contempt, and his ſervants to injurious abuſes, that men may not periſh, but have life everlaſting.
Ʋſe 1 The firſt uſe is for Information, and it teacheth us, that then the uſe of means is neceſſary for this purpoſe; to wit, that men may hear of Chriſt, believe in Chriſt, and be ſaved by Chriſt. That therefore is a vain conceit of many, that think Grace will come without the uſe of the Means. And therefore, though men will take pains in the uſe of the means about worldly matters: yet they regard not to uſe means about the gaining of grace. And this will be their condemnation, as it is written (Joh. 3.19.) And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkneſs rather then light, becauſe their deeds were evil. Many will not ſo much as give the word a hearing. Such we read of 2 Kin. 17.13, 14, 15. Yet the Lord teſtified against Iſrael, and againſt Judah, by all the Prophets, and by all the Seers, ſaying, Turn you from your evil ways, and keep my commandments, and my Statutes, according to all the Law which I commanded your fathers, and which I ſent to you by my ſervants the Prophets. Notwithſtanding they would not hear, but hardened their necks like to the necks of their Fathers, that did not believe in the Lord their God. And they rejected his Statutes, and his Covenant that he made with their fathers, and his teſtimonies which he teſtified againſt them, and they followed vanity, and became vain, and went after the heathen that were round about them, concerning whom the Lord had charged them that they ſhould not do like them. So Jer. 18.11. The Lord is to his work, exhorting, menacing, uſing means, to make them there ſpoken of to return from their evil way. But in the 12. ver. you ſhall ſee their behaviour. And they ſaid, There is no hope, but we will walk after our own devices; and we will every one do the imagination of his evil heart. And chap. 25. ver. 4, 5, 6, 7. to the ſame purpoſe we may read a large Diſcourſe of the truth of my Doctrine, and the untoward ſpirit and behaviour of the people, though to their own hurt (as it is there written.) But I will enlarge no more upon this Uſe.
Ʋſe. 2 I come to a ſecond. Here in this Doctrine of the diligence of God, in providing means and inſtruments, to draw People to Chriſt, we have a ground of comfort unto ſuch as truly deſire Grace and Mercy at the hands of God. They cannot deſire it more then the Lord doth (to uſe Scripture expreſſions and language) nor be more willing, or diligent to uſe means for their good, then he is. And therefore aſſuredly there will be a concurrence with them, in their prayers and endeavours, and a condiſcention to their deſires and requeſts.
Ʋſe 3 Take notice of this, O all ye people, let the Lords kindneſs herein be accepted. Joyn with the Lord in theſe actions. Let us do it: We have many Motives.
Mot. 1 For firſt, God will hereby be glorified; the contrary will be to his great diſhonour.
Secondly, the benefit will be our own; for it is the only way to get grace. Ask, and ye ſhall have; ſeek and ye ſhall finde; knock, and it ſhall be opened unto you, Matth. 7.7.
Thirdly and Laſtly, It will be a good example to others; our example may draw others, as bad examples do ſpread like a leproſie. So much for that.
We come in the third place to the Meſſage that the Lord wills to be delivered. Tell them that are bidden, Behold I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready; come unto the Marriage.
There is not much in theſe words which hath not been ſpoken of already. Only mark, here is an invitation to a Marriage. Venite (inquit) non ad labores, aut ad luctum, ſed ad Nuptias. Marlorat. He doth not ſay, come to labours or lamentation, but to a marriage. Per terrena autem adumbrat Chriſtus Coeleſtia, &c. Here, by earthly things are ſhadowed out heavenly. But that which I ſhall a little faſten upon (and yet I ſhall not be long neither) is the opportunity offered; tis ſupper time, all things are ready; therefore come and take it whileſt it is going (as we ſay) whileſt it is to be had.
Doct. This ſhall be the Doctrine or obſervation, That the opportunity of the ſeaſon for the gaining of grace, ought to be a ſpecial Argument to perſwade people to come, &c.
Reaſon. It is an Argument that is wont to be of ſpecial force with men concerning their worldly affairs. Men will go to Market upon the Market-day; and make hay, whileſt the Sun ſhines; cut their Corn when it is ripe; much more ſhould it be a prevailing Argument in more weighty matters, For man alſo knoweth not his time; as the fiſhes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the ſnare; ſo are the ſons of men ſnared in an evil time, when it falleth ſuddenly upon them, Eccleſ. 9.12. Great uſe is made by the Spirit of God, of this Argument in many places of Scripture. I will quote and read ſome, Prov. 9.1, 2, 3. Wiſdom hath builded her houſe, ſhe hath hewen out her ſeven pillars, ſhe hath killed her beaſts, ſhe hath mingled her wine: ſhe hath alſo furniſhed her Table. She hath ſent forth her Maidens, &c. Iſaiah 55.6, 7. Seek, ye the Lord while he may be found; call ye upon him while he is near; Let the wicked forſake his way, &c. Matth. 3.2. Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 2 Cor. 6.2. For he ſaith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of ſalvation have I ſuccoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time, now is the day of ſalvation. Heb. 3.13. But exhort one another daily, while it is called to day, leſt any of you be hardned through the deceitfulneſs of ſin; from all which Places this truth is plainly made good, that the opportunity and Seaſons of Grace are to be regarded. And therefore we will now come to the Uſes of the Point.
Ʋſe 1 And firſt, it lays great blame on them that neglect the pretious opportunities that are put into their hand, that do not make hay while the Sun ſhines, that do not repent while it is called to day. Remember the fooliſh Virgines.
Ʋſe. 2 And next, here is comfort for wiſe Virgines, ſuch as take Gods Grace when it is offered, ſuch as take oyle in their Veſſels with their Lamps, Mat. 25.4. Such as are faithfull ver. 21. They ſhall enter in with the Bridegroom into the Marriage, ver. 10. They ſhall enter into the joy of their Lord, ver. 21. aforenamed.
Ʋſe. 3 Laſtly, hearken to this ſerious admonition, that I am about to give you. It is through the great mercy of God, that you enjoy now a ſeaſon of Grace; Gods dinner is prepared &c. O how have I been deceived in you! What fair promiſes were made, if the Lord would but let you ſee the face of a Miniſter of your own again? How did the Lord ſeem to hide his face from you for a great while?
Motive. 1 Conſider more particularly, Its Grace and mercy, not deſert, that you are once more invited. We are not worthy to be bidden Gueſts, not the beſt of us all; yet we are.
Secondly, This renewed ſeaſon is uncertain, how long it will continue. Friends, it is like be a catching harveſt: the baſe carriage of the great Ones among you (the like whereof I have hardly met with wherever I have lived) and of the moſt beſides, threatens a removal of the means of Grace from you. There is ſuch a deal of pride and heart-burning, and deſpight ſhewed to the People and wayes of God among us, as that we may juſtly fear the ſeaſon of Grace will not be long. Goſpel ſeaſons in glory, are not uſually long.
Thirdly, If you will conſent to accept of Chriſt now while he is going, and take him to be your Prieſt, Prophet and King, you will do your ſelves the greateſt pleaſure that poſſibly can be imagined. Ye ſhall go in with the Bridegroom into the Marriage. The Lord ſet home what hath been ſaid: Amen, Amen.
I proceed. ver. 5. But they made light of it, &c.
Here begins the ſecond Branch, under the ſecond Invitation of the Jews. The ſucceſs or the manner of the entertainment of this gracious offer, again renewed. Some neglect it, as it is in this ver. Others maliciouſly oppoſe it, in the next verſe.
In the verſ. now in hand, two things are to be ſpoken of;
Firſt, To ſhew you how the Jews ſtood affected unto the precious ſeaſon of Grace vouchſafed them: viz. they made light of it.
Secondly, The ground and occaſion of their light eſteeming of it; to wit, their overprizing of their worldly profits and Commodities, their Farms and Commodities of Merchandizing, their ſhops, and their livings.
For the firſt; They made light of Chriſt, foreign.they had no care (as the word ſignifieth) they regarded him not nor his Salvation, as a thing of no worth, they did ſet it at naught and deſpiſed it.
You ſee this Leſſon plainly may hence be learned.
Doct. That the precious ſeaſons and means of Grace are little regarded by worldly-minded People. Or Thus. It is the property of Worldly men to ſlight Chriſt, if they may get Worldly things. Covetouſneſs is a great cauſe of irreligiouſneſs.
The Lord ſends forth his Servants, to invite them to come to the Marriage of his Son; but they had no great minde to it. So their Anceſtors long before, 2 Kings 17.13.14. So God complains Pſalm 81.11. But my People would not harken to my voice: and Iſrael would none of me. So Iſai. 65.2. Till Chriſt come with the power of his ſpirit into worldly mens hearts, there is nothing but raking and ſcraping together the dung of the World. You may peruſe Luk. 19.41.42.43. and 44. ver. The ſin is, they knew not their viſitation, they conſidered it not; and this puts me upon a Rea…on of the point, Reaſon. to wit, they know not the worth of it; this is the reaſon they put ſuch a low price upon the ſeaſons of Grace. Having the underſtanding darkned, being alienated from the life of God, through the ignorance that is in them, becauſe of the blindneſs of their heart. Epheſ. 4.18. And they give themſelves to other wayes. ver. 19. Men that have not learned Chriſt, have no underſtanding, no judgement; they are bewitched. And ſuch as go about to hinder them from walking in their evil wayes, they account them troubleſome perſons. So Ahab accounted Eliah, 1 Kings 18.17. Art thou he that troubleth Iſrael? and his Enemy, cap. 21.20. Haſt thou found me O mine Enemy? But they are their beſt friends if they could ſee it, that tell them Gods truth. Paul is become an Enemy to the Galatians for telling them the truth, cap. 4.16. Alas! What reaſon can People give why they will not love Gods People? but only becauſe their minds are worldly, and becauſe the light of God doth not ſhine in them. The minds of Earthly People are ſo drawn after the World, that they cannot ſee the excellency of the love of God, nor the worth of his Salvation. They cannot ſay with Simeon, Luk. 2.their eyes have ſeen his Salvation. A worldly man may abhorr ſome ſin, becauſe of the baſeneſs of it; but a Saint doth eſchew it with a ſpiritual heart, which he that is a worldly man hath not. And this is the cauſe that many ſins which indeed have much ſinfulneſs in them, ſeem no ſins, or very little ones, to People that are Worldly ones. Covetous men are uſually proud men; they think themſelves none of the worſt, and yet upon the matter they are grievous murderers (as will be ſhewed hereafter (God willing) when we come to the 7. verſ.) Pharaoh ſaid, who is the Lord, &c. Theſe ſay in effect, who is Chriſt? what is Salvation ye talk ſo much of? They are murderers of Chriſt upon the matter, that do not receive him: they are accurſed and accurſed 1 Cor. 16.22. They are ſelf murtherers, Soul murtherers: They hale their neighbours to hell, what in them lieth, by refuſing Chriſt, and by their ſelling him with Judas for the pelf of the World. But I forget where I am.
Let us make uſe of this point. Ʋſe. 1 Great is their folly, Great is their fault, and Great will be the puniſhment of worldly minded men. I ſhall referr you to ſome places. Heb. 10.28.29. There the greatneſs of the ſin is argued by a compariſon between deſpiſing of Moſes his Law and neglecting Chriſt. And great language is uſed to ſet out the greatneſs of the latter ſin. Treading under foot the Son of God, counting the blood of the ſanctifying Covenant an unholy thing, a doing deſpite unto the ſpirit of Grace. O conſider this ye worldlings, ye Gadarens, that preferr Hoggs (to which ye are fitly compared in Scripture) before Chriſt. When a great man hath made a feaſt, and hath ſent out for his poor Tenants, and poor Kindred to come to him, promiſing them great Legacies when he dieth, and great gifts in the mean time: and they ſhall ſcorn to come, or for a penny matter ſtay away: would he not be angry, and be ready to vow that they ſhall never come within his door more? and bid his Servants go out and fetch in the beggars to eat up that meat ſo prepared? This doth a little ſet forth the greatneſs of their ſin, that do refuſe to come to Chriſt, to partake of Goſpel-Ordinances, to believe in the Lord Jeſus; which he that doth not, ſhall be damned. Mark. 16.16.
And as the folly and ſin is great, ſo will the puniſhment be great alſo of all ſuch as neglect ſo great Salvation. Becauſe I have called, and ye refuſed; I have ſtreched out my hand, and no man regarded: but ye have ſet at nought all my counſel, and would none of my reproof: I will alſo laugh at your calamity, I will mock when your fear commeth, &c. O what a woſull condition will that man be in, to whom God will be as a hard-hearted man to his Enemy, whoſe utter ruine he takes pleaſure to hear of, whoſe dolorous groanes he laughs to hear without the leſt pitty in the World! Not that God is properly, harſh or milde, angry or pleaſed; Note.theſe are attributed to God, that we might a little behold him who is inviſible, and know him who paſſeth knowledge: They are effects, not affects (as the Schoolmen diſtinguiſh.)
But laſtly, Laſt uſe.The example of worldly minded men is not to be followed, unleſs you think it be a ſport to be damned. And let me ſay this word by the way, of the Torments of Hell, that in compariſon of them, the cruelleſt Torments that ever were invented, are but as flea bitings. If God will then act as God in execution of juſtice upon ungodly men, judge what they ſhall undergo, on whom the full vialls of his wrath ſhall be poured out. The drowning of the old world, the burning of Sodom and Gomorra, the ſwallowing up of Korah and his company, the Soul-melting miſeries of Jeruſalem at its laſt deſtruction: Eating of children of a ſpan long, to be flead alive, to be gang'd to death and the like: theſe are ſad ſtories. But O when Gods righteous judgement ſhall be (revealed) Rom. 2.5. which till then is as it were covered: tremble ye ſouls, and ſhake even into ſhivers, at the thoughts thereof, what Torments even as long as God ſhall be, ſhall be endured.
Walk not therefore with Goſpel-deſpiſers. Mot. 1 Their practice is hatefull to Allmighty God. Hurtfull to thine own ſoul. How wouldſt thou look upon that man, that ſeeks thy life? And wilt thou not with indignation behold them which go about to damn thy Soul? Who ſo deſpiſeth the word, ſhall be deſtroyed. Prov. 13.13. Take heed therefore of following their Example.
Queſt. Queſt. But how ſhall I know whither I make light account of the ſeaſon of Grace or no?
Anſw. I anſwer, By thy labouring or not labouring to take the benefit offered thereby. If a man want a commodity, when the Market or Fair comes, he will come to ſeek for it, he will buy it. If it be dear, yet if it be of abſolute neceſſity (as corn to make bread or the like) he will ſay, It is no matter, I muſt have it, whatever it coſt. If Chriſt were here in perſon, he would heartily chide many a Martha, who are as bold to plead as ſhe was, and to blame thoſe bookiſh Sermon gadding Maries, that ſeem to be more preciſe then wiſe, &c. But yet it will remain for a truth, that they have choſen that good part which ſhall not be taken from them. Luk. 10.They which neglect not the ſeaſons of Grace, but improve them to their getting of more acquaintance with God, and to the further conqueſt of the world and their Corruptions, ſhall receive exceeding great comfort here; and be at laſt inhabitors of the New Jeruſalem, ſinging Halelujah's to Heavens King and to the Lamb; where their unexpreſſible, unconceivable joy and happineſs ſhall run Parallel with the line of Eternity. Bolton.I can go no further at this time.