Selected quad for the lemma: death_n
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A35314
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The parable of the great supper opened Wherein is set forth the fulness of Gospel-provision. The frank and free invitation of Jews and Gentiles to this Supper: the poor excuses of the recusant guests that were invited. The faithful returns which the messengers make unto the Lord of their refusal. God's displeasure against those who slight his favours: his bringing in of despicable creatures to fill his house: with the condemnation of those that were bidden. Methodically and succinctly handled by that judicious divine, Mr. John Crump, late of Maidstone in Kent.
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Crumpe, John, d. 1674.
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1669
(1669)
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Wing C7431; ESTC R214975
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153,869
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393
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the blind were not to be used in God's service Deut. 15.21 3. To confound the world viz. the men of the world in their wisdom and strength 1 Cor. 1.27 making them blush for shame to think how poor ideots learn the way to happiness in the conscientious practice of that little they know when they with all their speculative knowledge discoursing of happiness miss of it 4. To exalt himself that all that glory may glory in the Lord 1 Cor. 1.31 when mean men are exalted they cannot boast Though the Senator if chosen of God might perhaps boast of his dignity the Orator of his Eloquence and the Emperour of his power yet surely the poor fisher-man being chosen can boast of nothing but of him who made choice of him saith Augustine August 5. To conform the members to the Head now consider how poor he was who was the first-born of God's chosen A Carpenter's Wife was his Mother When he was born he was laid in a manger instead of a Cradle when he was grown up he had not wherewith to lay his head 6. To shew the soveraign pleasure of God it is so because so it seemeth good in his sight Matth. 11.25 26. CHAP. V. Use 1. HEre see that no kind of defects need keep off any from closing with the Gospel as 1. Not civil defects as want of worldly wealth The poorest need not scruple coming those that have no money may come and welome Isa 55.1 the Gospel-provision is not an ordinary where ye pay for what ye have but as a Feast whereto ye are freely invited and whereat you may fully feed 2. Not corporal defects as want of limbs The maimed the lame and the blind need not scruple coming The man sick of the Palsie was healed both in his body and soul Luke 5.25 3. Not mental defects as want of wit though you cannot so fully express your mind before God as others yet fall down before him 4. Not moral defects as want of good manners not leading a well-ordered life The lewdest persons need not scruple coming Publicans Sinners Extortioners Harlots are received by Christ when they come unto him Matth. 21.31 32. it is lawful for the most notorious sinners to believe and great sinners have become notable Saints Secondly here ye may see that God in his chusing is different from Satan and from men in their chusing Satan makes choice of the craftiest Heads and subtillest instruments to carry on his designs Gen. 3.1 he picks out a Goliah for strength an Achitophel for policy to do his work And no wonder for he cannot make men fit for his turn when he doth not find them so he cannot put new abilities into men though he doth excite those abilities which are in them Therefore he chuseth men fit for his turn seeing he cannot make them fit So men in their several choices they avoid defects as near as they can Use 2. Yet all that God chuseth are not obscure persons God chuseth some to grace and glory that are very eminent in the world Abraham the father of the faithful Isaac the heir of the Promise Jacob the man powerful with God were all very rich The elect Lady â— John 1. honourable women and men not a few believed Act. 17.12 So God chuseth some to be eminent in piety who are eminent in natural parts and moral accomplishments Such a one was St. Paul of whom Porphyry that great enemy to Christianity said it was pity such a man as Paul should be cast away upon the Christian Religion Now as God doth not make choice of none but mean persons so neither doth he make choice of all that are mean Many are deformed in their minds as well as in their bodies such as Thyrsues in Homer Do we not see many poor people live and die in gross ignorance and wickedness David saith the abjects gathered themselves against him Psal 35.15 sawcy dust as one calls them who will be flying in the faces of God's people And the rage of such many times proves the more furious for want of an ingenious disposition and civil education Vse 3. Doth God make choice of mean persons then hearken unto this ye that are mean in the world and not good this Doctrine tells you of a way whereby your outward wants may be supplyed with spiritual abundance You that are deformed and decrepit look into the glass of God's word and dress your souls by that glass As you should labour to supply your outward wants with spiritual excellencies so you should labour to see your spiritual wants by your outward wants Secondly ye that are poor and godly that are decrepit and deformed in your body and yet adorned with the graces of God's spirit in your souls learn to spiritualize your outward wants though the world neither know you nor regard you yet you are both known and esteemed of by the Lord and though you possess little or nothing of the world yet possessing God you possess all things Bless God for giving you spirituals though he hath denyed you temporals ye may rejoyce in the God of all mercies when you have not many outward mercies to rejoyce in Habak 3.17 18. Expect a change for the better death will perfect the souls of Saints after death the spirits of just men are made perfect Heb. 12.23 The Resurrection will perfect the bodies of Saints the weak body is raised in power 1 Cor. 15.43 the crooked body will be raised streight the maimed body will be raised whole the Resurrection will cure all infirmities the thought of which comforted the Martyrs when they gave their bodies to be burnt to ashes At Stratford-bow in Queen Maryes dayes were burnt at one stake a lame man and a blind man The lame man after he was chained bid the blâ—nd man be of good comfort for they should both be healed Ye that are not mean in the world do not ye despise whom God makes choice of Jam. 2.5 6. He that despiseth the poor despiseth his Maker Prov. 17.5 he contemneth the wise dispensation of God who would have the world consist of hills and valleys of high and low people intermingled And he that despiseth the godly Poor defaceth the image of God twice despising the immateriality and immortality of God upon the man and despising the holiness and Righteousness of God stampt upon the new man Let both high and low consider that these outward degrees are only calculated for this world the Grave takes away all civil differences Job 3.19 Bodies under ground are alike The dust of the rich and poor intermingleth one is not known from the other Besides many that are now despicable will appear honourable at the great day Those that are now so obscure that they are lost in the count of the world shall be taken into the arms of Christ and made much of before all the world 1 John 3.1 2. Luke 12.8 SERM. XIV LUKE 14.22 And the servant said Lord it is done
over others the worldling is not at leisure for such kind of work CHAP. IX Use 1. THâ—s informs us that the world is a great Cheat it miserably deludes men and deceives men of that which is of greatest concernment 1. It deceives men of the word The people said to Jeremiah we are Lords we will come no more to thee Jer. 2.31 we are grown up to a great height and we need none of thy direction we are Lords and can make Laws and will live by laws of our own making 2. It deceives men of their hearts drawing out their affections from God to the creature Ezek. 33.31 the worldling's heart is as fat as grease Psal 119.70 it is dulled with the world so not only the affections but the judgment is miserably perverted so that men cannot esteem of themselves nor of others as they ought 3. It deceives men of happiness drowning men in perdition and destruction 1 Tim. 6.9 A Boat over-laden over-turns A back over-burthened breaks A soul overcome by the world is undone for ever Here also ye may see that the worldling is a very fool so he is called expresly Luke 12.20 And doth not his practice in our Text prove him one I pray thee saith he have me excused The worldling is a fool because he prefers time before eternity the body before the soul and Earth before Heaven Or if he will be wise it is but penny-wise and pound foolish Use 2. Though worldlings while they live would fain be exempted from the duty of Saints yet when they come to die they would fain partake of the happiness of Saints Balaam who was ready to curse God's people desired that at his death he might be blessed with them Numb 23.10 It is reported of one who was a great enemy to that holy man Mr. Perkins that he spake these words at his rial Well said he I could not endure this man while he lived but now I wish my soul in his souls stead There be many who would venture themselves in their condition after death whose conversation they will not imitate before death Use 3. Be exhorted to rectifie your judgment by this truth do not look upon it as a mercy always to have what you would have Think not your case the better because things are with you according to your desire We read of the murmuring Israelites that God gave them their own desire Psal 78.29 but they had it with a vengeance Rectifie your practice also by this truth Do worldlings pray to be exempted from Gospel-provision do you pray and entreat to be received to it Earnestly desire direction from God's ministers Act. 13.42 as to the ordering of your conversation and the obtaining of salvation and earnestly desire communion with God's people and subject your selves to those Rules of God's word by which God's people are to walk And earnestly desire the benediction of God himself even that salvation of his whereby he blesseth his own people Psal 106.4 and let the truth of your desire herein appear by endeavouring answerably to please God in every thing walking so as to expect a blessing SERM. IX LUKE 14.19 And another said I have bought five yoke of Oxen and I go to prove them I pray thee have me excused CHAP. I. THis verse contaâ—ns another plea put in by one of the Guests who refused to accept of Gospel-provision and 't is managed as the former Here is first the allegation of the plea then the urging it with some seeming reason and colouring it with a parclel of fair words The plea alleged is a bargain bought of five yoke of Oxen. Salmeron interprets these words of those who suffered the loss of eternal life In hoc designantur qui propter negotia justa emolumenta quae ex illis percipiunt vitae aternae jacturam faciunt Salmeron by too much minding the things of this life in their worldly business This seems to be the true sense of the words by comparing this Text with other Texts of Scripture which express the usefulness of Oxen as to mans present life Psal 144.14 Peculium pecunia a pecore Prov. 14.4 The ancients dealt much in Cattel and Oxen were in great esteem with them Their Goods and Money were denominated from Cattel because their Riches consisted in Cattel and their Money was stampt with the image of it The Athenians stampt their Money with the figure of an Ox as Macrobius testifyeth So that the buying five yoke of Oxen comprehendeth all manner of negotiation in the world Hence observe Observ That worldly employments are heavenly impediments These earthly occupations are spiritual avocations Luke 10.40 CHAP. II. Sect. 1. THese worldly employments or enjoyments which are such impediments are 1. Worldly callings those particular states or conditions of life wherein men busie themselves about the things of this life that way wherein men trade and traffick one with another for their present subsistence the abuse of which the Apostle rectifies 1 Cor. 7.20 21 24. Men are apt to let their particular calling encroach upon their general calling of Christianity not allowing God that little time which he hath reserved from their particular callings for the exercise of Religious duties 2. Worldly possessions Matth. 19.22 This hindered the rich Young man from following Christ I have bought five yoke of Oxen saith he in my Text that is I have the things of this world about me to busie me In the former excuse we had the Farm in this the stock of the Farm The use of Oxen is partly for food 1 King 19.21 and the stalled Ox is for a full table Prov. 15.17 Herodâ—tus saith that the Persians roasted an Ox whole upon their Birth-day festivals A full table for the body keeps many from minding the feast of fat things for the soul Oxen are also for labour they are strong to labour saith the Psalmist made use of in the plough and cart What pains do some take in tillage and carriage where in Oxen are made use of insomuch that they usually slubber over Religious exercises 3. Worldly titles I have bought five yoke of Oxen and I go to prove them As there is a proving to try the quality of the beast so likewise to try the title of the bargain One of Christs company came to him to have an inheritance divided but he would not intermeddle with any part of secular Government but doth part of his own office by preaching against covetousness Luke 12.13 14 15. worldly titles have several writings sundry conveyances many flaws belonging to them and though the writings run To have and to hold yet there is little hold to be had of many of them 4. Worldly discourse I have bought five yoke of Oxen and I must talk of my bargain They that are of the world speak of the world 1 John 4.5 follow a worldling from a Sermon you shall hardly hear him speak one savoury word of all those divine truths which he heard