The Wedding Supper, Sermon 9
The ninth Sermon.
Matth. 22. ver. 13.14.
Then the King ſaid to the Servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and caſt him into outer darkneſs, there ſhall be weeping and gnaſhing of teeth; for many are called, but few are choſen.
I Have finiſhed (as you may remember) the examination and conviction of this unworthy Gueſt, and falſe-hearted Profeſſour, out of the foregoing verſes. I ended my laſt Sermon with the diviſion of theſe two verſes now again read unto you. I will not repeat what hath been delivered, but proceed to that which remains to be ſpoken out of theſe verſes.
The party that gives the Commiſſion for the execution of this faulty perſon, is ſaid to be the King. that is, Almighty God, who had vouchſafed the means of Grace to the Gentiles. But (this poor wretch among others abuſing it) he gives a Commiſſion of another nature. There was a time when this King was all white, but now he is all red. I have ſhewed you out of the foregoing verſes, that God woes the world in the preaching of the Goſpel, Go tell them that were bidden, I have prepared my dinner, &c. You have heard of Tamberlains colours he was wont to diſplay; and his behaviour, and dealing with places upon refuſall of his offer of mercy. Friends, the Lord holds out to you the white flag of mercy: he hath bid me tell you, that his Juſtice is ſatisfied, his vvrath is appeaſed in Chriſt; if you will not come in, if you will not ſubmit, he hath (you ſee) in this Text other colours to diſplay. Xerxes wept over his Army, in conſideration of their Mortality. O that I could compaſſionate theſe hundreds that ſit here this day. Sirs, a thouſand to one but ſome of you will be damned, or elſe you will eſcape better then ever ſo many people met together did in this World: conſider ſeriouſly what I ſay.
But I come to obſerve ſome poins of Doctrine; The firſt is,
Doct. As God hath power and will to beſtow and afford the means of Grace: ſo alſo to puniſh the abuſe thereof any way.
Any way, I ſay. My meaning is, whither by a Swinelike careleſneſs, or (which is worſe) by a doglike barking at the Goſpel, and biting the Meſſengers, or an Hypocritical cloſing with the Church. God will puniſh the abuſe of the offers of Grace (I ſay) any way, with ſeverity.
Gen. 6.7. And the Lord ſaid, I will deſtroy man whom I have created, from the face of the Earth, &c. God did ſtrive with the old World 120. years; it will not be ruled, the People were diobedient, When the long ſuffering of God waited in the dayes of Noah; 1 Pet. 3.20.Ye know they were drowned, and are now Spirits in priſon. As the Lord had a time to offer Grace and Mercy by Noah: ſo he had a time to plague the refuſers of it. The Lord ſuffered Lot to live a while among the Sodomites, and ſurely he was not idle: he was a righteous man, they vexed his righteous ſoul from day to day with their unlawfull deeds. Then ſaith the Lord, becauſe the cry of Sodom, and Gomorra is great, 2 Pet. 2.8. Gen. 18.20.21.and becauſe their ſin is very grievous, I will go down now, and ſee whither they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me: and if not, I will know. What's the concluſion? the Lord did deſtroy them: He cauſed fire and brimſtone to come down from Heaven, and he overthrew thoſe four Cities of the plain, Gen. 19.24.25.Sodom, Gomorra, Admah and Zeboim. So for Jeruſalem, you may read Luke 13. ver. 34.35. Prophets were ſent to them, and Apoſtles, and Chriſt himſelf was among them; he would have gathered her children together, as a Hen doth gather her brood under her wings; they would not. They killed the prophets, and ſtoned them that were ſent among them. What followeth? Behold your houſe is left unto you deſolate; &c. And ſo cap. 19.43.44. Thine Enemies ſhall caſt a trench about thee, and compaſs thee round, and keep thee in on every ſide, and ſhall lay thee even with the ground and thy children within thee. and they ſhall not leave in thee one ſtone upon another, becauſe thou knoweſt not the time of thy viſitation. He that may and will not, when he will, he ſhall not. O that you would read ſometime, even this very day, Prov. 1. from the 20. verſe unto the 32. I am loth to ſpend ſo much time now in reading thoſe verſes. The ſumm is, Wiſdom crieth, woeth, uſeth many arguments, but cannot be heard, is diſregarded: You ſhall find there what followeth. O ſad expreſſion, I will (ſaith God) laugh at your calamitie, and mock when your fear cometh. God is juſt as well as mercifull.
Ʋſe 1 Is it ſo, that God which ſaid erewhile, Go ye out, and fetch in all, go tell them my ſon is dead and riſen again; tell them, that if they will come away, while my white flag is abroad, they ſhall have mercy; is now become ſo ſevere upon the abuſe of his mercy? then fooliſh, if not mad, are they that do not conſider this, that do not believe it, that do ſo ſet and ſettle themſelves daily to abuſe the means of Grace.
Some by taking no notice at all thereof.
Others by making profeſſion a cloak for their knavery.
Others by undervaluing it.
Others by having the faith of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt in reſpect of perſons.
Others by biting at, and devouring (what in them lies) the honourable Profeſſors of Religion, and Miniſters of the Goſpel.
O where ſhall I begin, and when ſhall I make an end! I have much to ſay; it may be you will be angry, tis no matter, hear me howſoever: Let me ſpeak, though ye ſtrike me afterward. I will labour to pluck you out by the ears from your miſerable condition, though ye be angry with me for it. It is better fear (and ſo alſo anger) a knave then kill him. You think God will go in white ſtill. foreign. Luk. 12.10.Thou fool, which art without underſtanding, thou witleſs fellow (as the word in the Original ſignifies in Luke) doſt thou think God will ceaſe to be God, and deny himſelf? (as he muſt do if, he ſhould not avenge himſelf, and vindicate his Goſpel from thoſe horrible neglects, contempts, and abuſes which it is even, as it were, overloaden with, by ungodly men.) No no. Thou ſhalt find he hath red colours as well as white; he will tumble and rowl his garments in blood. O conſider this, ye that cozen, deceive, oppreſs, that flea off the skin of the neceſſitous man, and chop his fleſh and the fleſh of his hunger-ſtarved children as pye-mear, or hearbs for the pot; and are no more moved then the ſtones of the Wall. You that live in pleaſures and ſatisfie your ſenſual appetites; doſt thou think God made thee for nothing elſe but to play the fool; to ride or run after a Hound, or a Hawk? Buzzard that thou art! The Lord ſet home what I ſay at this time. And you that trample the ſweet Ordinances of breaking bread, &c. under the feet of your Superſtitious Ignorance, Pride, Paſſion, or Worldlineſs; know, that the Ordinances which we hold forth, are the Ordinances of Jeſus Chriſt. And though we are earthen veſſels, yet the Goſpel is a treaſure. And you that creep in among Gods People, and yet are ſtrangers to the life of grace, and want the wedding garment; know for certain, that, that God that bid me not along ago to woo you, and even to compell you to come in, hath now bid me tell you, that you ſhall be bound hand and foot, and caſt into outer darkneſs, where there is weeping and wailing and gnaſhing of teeth. How dare men ſlight the hot thunderbolts that are now darted out of his word againſt them? I am ſent to every blaſphemer of God, hinderer, or ſlanderer of his word, to every adulterer, to every one that is in malice, and envy, to every deſpiſer of Gods Church, with heavy tidings, Pſal. 35.4, 5.6.They ſhall be confounded and put to ſhame, they ſhall be turned back, and brought to confuſion. They ſhall be as chaffe before the winde, & the Angel of the Lord ſhall chaſe them. Their way ſhall be dark and ſlippery, & the Angel of the Lord ſhall perſecute them. Of all the judgements that came upon the Jews, I find this to be the chiefeſt, that whereas they were once the children of the Kingdom, they are now in outer darkneſs, Matthew 8.12. that is, whereas in the Church there is light, they are now caſt out of the Church; and others from the Eaſt and Weſt are got into their priviledges, viz. to ſit down in the Kingdom out of which they are baniſhed. And a curſe of contempt upon them, is fallen on them. Whereever they come, they are a deſpiſed People; But yet this is their greateſt unhappineſs, that they are the greateſt Enemies in the World to the Chriſtian faith, through the blindneſs of their mind; for they are in outer darkneſs, even as it were in Hell. This makes them to gnaſh their teeth at Chriſt and Chriſtians. This is the fruit of their rejecting Chriſt. This plague falls many wayes: Sometimes he blinds mens minds, and hardens their hearts, that they cannot profit by them, though they live under them. Sometimes they ſhall be ſo wicked as not to come to the places where the Ordinances are: or if they come there, they ſhall like the ſpider, ſuck out poyſon inſtead of hony: And ſo their table is made a ſnare unto them, and the word which ſhould be the ſavour of life unto them, becoms the ſavour of death unto death.
Let my counſel be harkned unto. Ʋſe 2 Take heed of abuſing the means of Grace, any way. Cauſes of this evil.I have mentioned many in my former uſe. But now upon this uſe of advice, I ſhall enquire after ſome cauſes of this epidemical evil.
One would think men ſhould not be ſo fooliſh.
Firſt therefore we ſhall find deadneſs of heart. Pray therefore for quickning Grace. Say which David. Quicken me O Lord for thy names ſake. Pſal. 143.11. Say to the Lord, I have a dead heart, I do not conſider thy rich offer, or thy ſevere juſtice; keep a groaning and crying to the Lord.
But ſecondly, People preſs exceedingly upon the mercy of God. Therefore it is that the worſt of People love to hear diſcourſes of Gods mercy. Tis true, we cannot look too much upon Gods mercy: Pſal. 90.11.We may ſay of it as David doth of Gods anger, Who knoweth the power of thine anger, &c. So who knoweth the highth, and dephth, length and breadth of Gods mercy? it hath ſour dimenſions in that place, Epheſ. 3.18. We cannot think of it any way anſwerable to the truth of it. Thy mercy (O Lord) is in the heavens; and thy faithfulneſs reacheth unto the clouds. Pſal. 36.5.6, 7.Thy righteouſneſs is like the great Mountains, thy judgements are a great deep; O Lord, thou preſerveſt man and beaſt. How excellent is thy loving kindneſs, O God! therefore the children of men put their truſt under the ſhadow of thy wings. And again. The Lord is graciand full of compaſſion: ….ſlow to anger, and of great mercy. The Lord is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works. But yet for remedy and advice, we muſt know, that Gods mercy doth not deſtroy his juſtice. Where you have a glorious diſcovery of Jehovahs back-parts, Exod. 34.6.7. this is among, That will by no means cleer the guilty, viſiting the iniquitie of the fathers upon the children, and upon the childrens children, unto the third and to the fourth Generation. Hear what is written, Deut. 29.19.20. And it come to paſs when he heareth the words of this curſe, that he bleſs himſelf in his heart, ſaying, I ſhall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, to add drunkneſs to thirſt: the Lord will not ſpare him; but then the anger of the Lord, and his jealouſte ſhall ſmoke againſt that man, and all the curſes that are written in this book ſhall lie upon him, and the Lord ſhall blot his name from under heaven. O it is a fearfull thing to ſin againſt the riches of Grace. Rom. 2.4.5. ſaith Paul there, Deſpiſeſt thou the riches of his goodneſs, forbearance and longſuffering, 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. It is a ſign ſuch ſouls are not partakers of mercy, which are upon Gods mercy bold to ſin. O hard-hearted ſoul, thou art telling of Gods mercy; why doſt thou not tell of his Juſtice? the Apoſtle tells thee, The Lord Jeſus ſhall be revealed from heaven, with his mighty Angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the Goſpel of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt; Who ſhall be puniſhed with everlaſting deſtruction, &c. 2 Theſ. 1.7, 8 9. Be ye perſwaded therefore before the ſealing time, before the Lord hath ſworn againſt you, to accept of Chriſt, and to take heed of hypocriſie, and that ye be not found naked; leſt this Sentence be heard, and Commiſſion given by the King for your execution to his Servants.
And ſo we fall upon the ſecond branch of the circumſtantial part of this Commiſſion, the perſons commiſſionated, his Servants. Then ſaid the King to his Servants. Theſe Servants are certain inſtruments which God makes uſe of, ſome in this life, ſome in the life to come.
The Servants which God makes uſe of here on earth to binde hand and foot, &c. are Firſt, Miniſters; theſe are Gods high Commiſſioners to binde and to looſe, Matth. 18.18 Verily, I ſay unto you, whatſoever ye ſhall binde on earth ſhall be bound in heaven, &c. It is true, it is properly the work of the Church. But the Miniſters are appointed of God for the doing of the work. I will give you the words of Dr. Fulk in his Annotations upon the Rhemiſts Teſtament, upon 1 Cor. 5.4. in anſwer to that paſſage pretended to be taken out of Chryſoſtom upon thoſe words, Tell the Church, Matth. 18. Complain to the Church, that is, to the Prelates and Preſidents thereof: ſaith he, The authority of Excommunication pertaineth to the whole Church, although the judgment and execution thereof is to be referred to the Governors of the Church, which exerciſe that authority as in the name of Chriſt, ſo in the name of the whole Church to avoid confuſion. So he. It is a ſad buſineſs to be bound by thoſe Servants of the King of Heaven.
Secondly, Magiſtrates are executioners too of Gods vengeance; They bear not the ſword in vain. Rom. 13.4. For he is the Miniſter of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil, in the ſame verſe. VVhen people will not take warning by Gods Miniſters words, nor by his judgements on others: God ſuffers them to fall into the hands of Magiſtrates, who have places of pain and ſhame, Gaoles, Bridewells, ſtocks, whipping-Poſts and Gallowſes. Theſe bind neck and heels alſo in Gods name, and as his Servants.
Thirdly, Military men, which have the ſword of war in their hands, are Gods Servants. Aſhur is the rod of Gods anger, and the ſtaff in his hand is Gods indignation. God ſends ſuch, and gives them a charge to take the ſpoil, and to take the prey, and to tread down the people of his wrath as the mire of the ſtreets, Iſa. 10.5, 6.
Theſe are moſt terrible of all; for firſt, they do not uſually proceed ſo regularly as either of the former. Miniſters have a word to proceed by, and Magiſtrates have Laws; but weapons know not laws; Arma neſciunt leges.Will is the rule, if not rage, or deſperate fury uſually. Aſhur hath not God in his thoughts, when he goeth to deſtroy and cut off nations not a few, Iſa. 10.7.
Secondly, their Bindings have much cruelty, their Language is more terrible, they are people of a fierce language; Cut their skuls, cleave their heads, even when I ſhould have thought a reproof had been enough, have I heard from theſe Sons of Mars; for ſo have I heard them ſtile themſelves in a bravado. I intend not to diſhonour the Imployment; we have found much of God in many of them of latter times. But yet they are the moſt dreadfull Servants of the Lord.
Fourthly, God hath binding Angels both good and bad. Herod is ſmitten by an Angel of the Lord, Acts 12.23. And 185 thouſand are killed in one night by an Angel of the Lord, 2 Kings 19.35. And the ſouls of ungodly men ſhall be bound by theſe binder…, and tormented. Yea, Devils are let looſe often by God, to do miſchief, and to plague ſuch as will not put their truſt in God; and others alſo ſometimes for their tryal, as Job.
You ſee then this Doctrine,
Doctr. God hath ſervants everywhere ſitted to execute vengeance, when he is pleaſed to give them the word of command.
This Doctrine is from the ſecond circumſtance, Then ſaid he to his ſervants.
You ſhall finde, when the Lord had a purpoſe to deſtroy Ahab, the Devil is ready, and takes a Commiſsion from the Lord, to be a lying ſpirit in the mouth of all his Prophets. 1 Kin. 22.20, 21.
Reaſon. The Reaſon is, All creatures are the Lords ſervants, and he can command and make them to do his will, even the meaneſt and worſt of them. Frogs, Lice, Flies, Rivers, Fire, yea the ſnuff of a candle, the tile of an houſe, a crum of bread; God can eaſily impower to the deſtruction of man.
Ʋſe 1 Learn therefore in the firſt place, that God wants not means to puniſh wicked men. He hath ſervants in every place to ſpeak to, a rod in every corner to make uſe of.
VVo therefore to all ſuch, as either regard not his grace, or abuſe it with their bold hypocrifie, or any other way.
But next and laſtly, for this point; Be exhorted to dread his power, and ſpeedily to turn to him by Repentance.
Mot. 1 For now the door of Heaven ſtandeth open; the means of grace laſteth; deſpiſe them not. We have power more then ye are aware of: deſpiſe us not. The Lord will own what his Servants do, for he hath bidden us do what we do. Though we walk in the fleſh, we do not war after the fleſh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of ſtrong holds, 2 Cor. 10.4, 5. And again, Having in readineſs to revenge all diſobedience, ver. 6. So little account as ye make of our binding by word and Ordinances, it is terrible, and will be found to be ſo at laſt.
But Secondly, for a ſecond Motive; Vengeance cometh ſuddenly, unexpectedly, if it be not prevented. I ſhould inſiſt upon this matter as it is a Motive; but it leads me to the third and laſt branch of the Circumſtantial part of my Text, The laſt Circumſtance.from the word, Then. Then the King ſaid to his Servants. That is, preſently upon Conviction followeth execution. Or then, that is, when Gods time is come; Or then, that is ſuddenly, unexpectedly.
From whence we may learn this moſt certain Oracle of Truth,
Doctr. When Gods time is come, when the conviction is paſt, ſuddenly and unexpectedly ſhall vengeance ſeize upon hypocrites and ungodly men.
So the Flood came on the world; They were eating and drinking marrying and giving in marriage, untill the day that Noah entred into the Ark: and knew not till the Flood came and took them all away, Matth. 24.38, 39. God ſeems ſometimes to delay, to be ſlow; but it is not ſo. The Lord is not ſlack concerning his Promiſe, nor concerning his Threats neither, as ſome men count ſlackneſs, 2 Pet. 3.9. Neither is he raſh or haſty, he uſeth deliberation, he giveth time, he calleth, he ſtretcheth out his hand, he will be refuſed, diſ-regarded; his Counſel muſt be ſet at nought before, before fear cometh as deſolation, and deſtruction as a whirlwinde. Read Prov. 1.24, 25, 26. 27. Yea, all the day long he will wait, and ſpread out his hands unto a rebellious People, which walketh in a way that is not good, after their own thoughts. Iſaiah 65.2. But when Gods time is come, the time ſet of old, then cometh ſorrow, as upon a woman in travell. For when they ſhall ſay, peace and ſafety, then ſudden deſtruction cometh upon them, 1 Theſ. 5.3. Then out-comes Gods wrath with a vengeance. The ſword without, and terrour within, ſhall deſtroy both the young men, and the virgins: the ſuckling alſo with the man of gray hairs.
Then ſaid the King unto his Servants.
That is, when God hath given time.
When mens ſins be ripe.
And when ſecurity ſeizeth on ſinners.
When it is moſt for Gods glory, and Honor to deſtroy his Enemies, and get him a name by making bare his arm.
When it will be moſt for his Churches good, then, then, and not till then will the Lord be ſeen in the mount of bleſſings for his People, and plagues on his Enemies. Thus you ſee the Lord hath a Then for his works of juſtice. And (to digreſs a little) ſo he hath alſo a then for his works of mercy and grace, truth and faithfulneſs. Yea, the very putting off of his plagues, is of his goodneſs and Grace. He is long ſuffering to us ward, not willing that any ſhould periſh, but that all ſhould come to Repentance: as in the forenamed 2 Pet. 3.9. But when he ſeemeth to deferr his mercies, he doth it as he doth all things elſe, according to the Counſel of his will. His will is a wiſe will, it is guided by Counſell. Tis true, his wayes ſeem ſometimes to be full of contradictions, and his promiſes of delaies; But there is a myſtery in all Gods workings, which we muſt learn more and more to underſtand. The only way is, to delight our ſelves in him and we ſhall (be ſure to) have our hearts deſire. It is vox vere Chriſtianorum, a ſpeech fit to proceed out of the heart and mou…h of a Chriſtian, to ſay The will of the Lord be done. I am as he is, and my will as his is, and my times when his are. And be ſure he can as well ceaſe to be God as miſs opportunities to do his People good. Davids times are in Gods hands, and Pharaohs times are in Gods hands. The Lord hath a Then, a time for every thing, even for the very falling of a ſparrow to the ground. Voluntas dei neceſſitas rei, for actions and circumſtances. But to the matter; when the time is come, then moſt certainly it ſhall not be well with the wicked.
Ʋſe. 1 Therefore, it is not good to be careleſs of the judgements of the Lord, which you hear mention of daily. It is good for you to take warning; otherwiſe, God may take you napping in your wickedneſs. Then nothing will profit you in that day. Riches profit not in the day of wrath, Prov. 11.4. There will a time come when all the riches in the world ſhall not do you one half-pennies worth of good. I will read to you Ezek. 7.19. They ſhall caſt their ſilver in the ſtreets, and their gold ſhall be removed; their ſilver and their gold ſhall not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the Lord. They had a Proverb in Iſrael, The days are prolonged, and every viſion faileth. But, ſaith the Lord (you may finde it, Ezek. 12.22.2…) I will make this Proverb to ceaſe, and they ſhalt no more uſe it as a Proverb in Iſrael; but ſay unto them, The days are at hand, and the effect of every viſion; and ver. 24. For there ſhall be no more any vain viſion nor flattering divination within the houſe of Iſrael. Tis true we have men of learning that are otherwiſe minded; I would be loth to throw dirt in in any mans face. Men of parts that are godly, we cannot put a price high enough upon. But yet let me tell you, there are ſome men of great learning, which are the moſt miſchievous men in the world. Take heed of that generation of men, which though they have the teachings of men, yet not of God. Theſe (as Jannes and Jambres withſtood Moſes) do reſiſt the truth, men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. 2 Tim. 3.8. You are much the neer, ſure, to be told fair tales, and to be humoured in your vanity, and at laſt unawares to be overtaken with the ſtorm of Gods vengeance, while ye are dreaming of ſair weather, when both you and your prieſts fall into the Ditch.
Ʋſe. 2 The next uſe of this point (and therewith I end;) Is it ſo, that the Lord hath a then, when he will aſſuredly puniſh, as indeed he he hath; and know (by the way) when God ſhall ceaſe to be God, then, and not before, ſhall wickedneſs unrepented of, go unpuniſhed. Is it ſo (I ſay)? Why then in the fear of God conſider and mark that counſel which is given, Iſaiah. 55.6.7.8.9. &c. read the words your ſelves when you come home; I have not time; O ſeek the Lord, call upon him: O wicked folk, forſake your wayes; O unrighteous men forſake your imaginations. There are in that place great ſtore of Admirable Motives, taken from the goodneſs of God, his readineſs to be found, and to pardon; the height of his love, and thoughts thereof above mens thoughts of love and pitty. But to all that is there, let me add what is in my text, Take him, bind him hand and foot, &c. Go, get the Wedding garment.
But thou wilt ſay, Where is it to be had?
I anſwer; Go to Chriſt; behold he looks for thee; ariſe, he calleth thee. Say, I come, Chriſt; I come; Lo I come; give power to do what thou commandeſt, and command what thou wilt; comprehend me O Chriſt, that I may apprehend thee. Reſolve never to give over; thou ſhalt have at laſt; For, he that asketh, receiveth. How can it be otherwiſe? He ſtands at the door and knocks, and if thou have a heart to open, it is a ſign he is gotten into thy heart; Fleſh and blood hath not done it.
So farr of the circumſtances of the ſentence.
It remaineth that I ſhould ſpeak of the ſubſtance of it; But the time is run out.