them to jealousie Acts 13. 46 47. and 28. 28. Rom. 11. 11 12. And the Iniquity of too many of the Gentiles after Called and brought into the House Ver. 8 9 12. And this Verse we have propounded to speak unto contains in it particularly the Reason of God's great displeasedness with and severity 1. More remotely against the Jews who pâ—t away the Word of God and judged themselves unworthy of Eternal Life which was their own not God's Fore-judgment Acts 13. 45 46. Mat. 22. 7. 2. And more immediately against the unworthy Gentiles or the Man indefinitely that had not on the Wedding Garment Concerning whom He gives this Charge to the Servants Bind him hand and foot and cast him into â—uter Darkness there shall be Weeping and Gnashing of Teeth Ver. 11. 13. To which He subjoyns this I say as the Reason of His being so angry with and Incensed against the unworthy both Jews and Gentiles For many are Called but few are Chosen In the former part of which Words to wit Many are Called let us inquire and consider I. To what are the many Called and upon what Account II. By whom are the many Called III. Why saith He Many are Called and not All IV. To what End are they Called And this will lead us to the latter part First To what are the many Called and upon what Account They are called to the Marriage and Marriage-feast which God hath prepared in the Person of Jesus Christ our Lord So it is said The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a certain King which made a Marriage for his Son And sent to call them that were bidden to the Wedding Again he sent saying Tell them which are bidden behold I have prepared my Dinner Come unto the Marriage Ver. 2. 4. And when these first bidden Guests the Jews refused and made light of it he commands again Go ye into the High-ways unto the Gentiles and as many as ye shall find bid to the Marriage ver 8 9 10. And so it is to the Marriage and Marriage-feast there-with and thereby prepared to which the many are Called Bidden and Invited Now the Marriage to which they are Called signifieth not only as some say the Feast prepared though that may be and is included also But firstly and principally the Marriage it self which the King of Heaven the most High God the Possessor of Heaven and Earth who is indeed a great King Mal. 1. 14. made for His Son His only Begotten Son In which the Divine and Humane Nature were Married and United in a close and Personal Union in the Person of the Word the Son of God which was the Root and Cause of that Provision prepared for us And to which Men are Called to the end they might come to and be Espoused unto Jesus Christ This I conceive is first meant and intended by the Marriage here spoken of that in which the Word was made Flesh For asmuch as the Children were partakers of Flesh and Blood He also Himself likewise took part of the same That in our Nature He might be further Abased for us that He might take out of the way all that was contrary to us and obtain into Himself all the fulness of Grace and Truth John 1. 1 3 14. Heb. 2. 14. This is the first Branch in the Mysterie of Godliness God was manifest in the Flesh 1 Tim. 3. 16. And being made of a Woman He was under the Law as Mankind was fallen under it yet without Sin And had the Sins and Trespasses of the World imputed to and laid upon Him God made Him to be Sin for us who knew no sin Gal. 4. 4. with Rom. 3. 19. 2 Cor. 5. 19 21. And in and by this Marriage He was fitted and prepared to be Wounded for our Transgressions and Bruised for our Iniquities and to Taste Death for us even that first Death which was the Wages of our first Sin and Sinfulness As here it is said My Oxen and Fatlings are killed Mat. 22. 4. Christ our Passover hath been Killed and Sacrificed for us 1 Cor. 5. 7. And so That whereto Men are Called first of all it is to the Beholding View and Belief of the Abasement and Death of the only Begotten Son of God in the Nature of Man which is indeed the procuring Cause of all the Glory conferred upon it in His Person 1 Cor. 15. 3. Gal. 3. 1. Phil. 2. 6. 9. John 3. 35. with Chap. 10. 17. Rev. 5. 12. And because all that is Treasured up in Christ is the Purchase and Procurement of His Cross and Sufferings therefore the Gospel is called The Preaching of the Cross and of Christ Crucified 1 Cor. 1. 17 18. 22 24. and Chap. 2. 1 2. Gal. 3. 1. and Chap. 6. 14. And together herewith also they are Called unto the Marriage-feast or Dinner which is prepared by means of the Sufferings of Christ in the Virtue whereof He is raised again in which all things are ready Which in a like Parable to this Luke 14. 16 17. is called A great Supper Great indeed for in it all things are ready And it is called a Supper because once in the end or Evening of the World Christ appeared to put away Sin by the Sacrifice of Himself Heb. 9. 26. This Purpose and Grade was given in Christ before the Ancient or Agie Times But in these last Times all Things are now actually prepared 2 Tim. 1. 9 10. so as in Him there is a Justification from the Guilt of our first Sin and Sinfulness Rom. 3. 22 23. and 5. 18. the abolishing of our first Death 2 Tim. 1. 10. A Victory obtained by Him over all our Enemies Heb. 2. 14. John 12. 31. Psal 98. 1. And in Him there is Redemption through His Blood even the Forgiveness of our following Sins Acts 13. 38 39. And He hath brought in everlasting Righteousness Gal. 2. 21. And received the Spirit without measure John 3. 34. Acts 2. 33. In Him are hid all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledg Col. 2. 3. He is full of Grace and Truth John 1. 14 16. God hath given us Eternal Life and this Life is in His Son 1 John 5. 10 11. Yea in Him it hath pleased the Father that all Fulness should dwell Col. 1. 18 19. and 2. 9 10. He is Glorified in our Nature with the Father 's own self with the Glory He had with Him before the World was John 17. 4 5. All Things that the Father hath are His John 16. 15. The Father so loveth the Son because He laid down His Life for us that He might take it up again that He hath given all Things into His Hand All Spiritual Blessings in Heavenly things all things that pertain to Life and Godliness And all Power both in Heaven and in Earth John 10. 17. with Chap. 3. 35. Ephes 1. 3. Mat. 28. 18. By means of His being Sacrificed for us there is a Feast prepared for us 1 Cor. 5. 7 8.
so as to come unto Him let us hear that our souls may live and He may make an everlasting Covenant with us even the sure mercies of David Isa 55. 2 3. And to move us hereto let us consider the last thing propounded to be shewn namely 3. That it is the great and inexcusable iniquity of those Men who are called by the Gospel in the faithful ministration of it by the Servants that they are not chosen And such an one as is highly provoking to the great King Thus it plainly appears here in the foregoing verses first it appears to be an inexcusable iniquity in that when the King came in to see the guests and saw there a Man which had not on a wedding Garment He saith unto him Friend how camest thou in hither not having a Wedding Garment And he was speechless He was so silent to or silenc'd by this Question that he had not one word to say for himself If there had been none for him he might readily have made that reply But this he could not do for all things were ready Or if he had not been acquainted with it and called to it this might have been a considerable excuse But such a Plea he could not make for he was called and was one of the called ones into the house Or if he could not have put it on or it had been so far out of his reach that he could not come at it this would have furnished him with an Answer near at hand But he was convinced that his iniquity was altogether an inexcusable iniquity And therefore he was like a dumb man that openeth not his mouth Again it plainly appeareth that this iniquity is highly and eternally provoking to the great King by the judgment which such as are not chosen are therefore sentenced unto and shall in due time have executed upon them Then said the King unto the Servants bind him hand and foot who was tongue-tyed before and cast him into outer darkness there shall be weeping and gnashing of the Teeth ver 11-13 But why must he be thus dealt with and proceeded against It followeth as the Reason For many are called but few are chosen He must therefore perish for ever because he would not come to Christ that he might be chosen Him that cometh He will in no wise cast out but it appeareth this man came not to Christ to this end in that he was cast out And therein his sin was written on his punishment he was thus severely judged because he was not chosen compare Job 6. 37. Matth. 22 13. But as it appears here to be a great provoking and inexcusable iniquity that men are not chosen so we shall a little further demonstrate the truth hereof and shew how it appears to be such an heinous cloakless and provoking iniquity And in so doing I shall take the course which our Saviour and the Apostle sometimes do to wit say over again what I have said before Joh. 14. 28. Gal. 1. 8 9. Phil. 3. 1. And so 1. It doth appear to be a great and inexcusable iniquity that men are not chosen during the day of Gods grace and patience if we do consider what is proposed to and set before men by Christs faithful Servants in their calling them and to which they are called that they might be chosen they are called unto Jesus Christ to the fellowship of Gods Son Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 1. 9. And so 1. They are called unto the abasement and sufferings of Jesus Christ to the Marriage of the Son of the great King in which the Lord hath created a new thing in the Earth a woman hath compassed a Man Jer. 31. 22. Gods own Son was made of a woman and made under the Law God made all our sins and trespasses to meet together on him and executed upon him the judgment of the World He was tormented for our Transgressions bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon Him It pleased the Lord to bruise Him He put Him to Grief He was oppressed and He was afflicted And God brought Him into the dust of death And all that which He indured as it was inflicted on Him or permitted and ordered unto Him by the Father it was for our sins and offences â—e suffered for sins once the just for us unjust ones He was delivered for our offences His Soul was made an offering for our sins And hereunto are men called first of all to the end they might be chosen out of this present evil World Joh. 3. 14. 1 Cor. 15. 1-3 Gal. 1. 4. 3. 1. and in this abasement and Cross of Christ is shewn unto Men. The vileness and odiousness of their sins and the necessity of their being Washed and Sanctified therefrom to the end they might lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness as it is thus reproved and discovered In the Flesh of Christ and in what He hath suffered therein God hath wonderfully condemned and judged against sin and shewed His utter and irreconcileable hatred thereto and abhorrency thereof Rom. 8. 3. This was the day of vengeance of our God in which He took vengeance on our iniquities in the Person of His own Son who knew no sin but was Holy Harmless Undefiled c. Isa 61. 1 2. And though His own Son cried out My God My God why hast Thou forsaken Me Why art Thou so far from helping Me and from the Words of My Roaring Yet His God was so Holy one of such pure Eyes as that He could not endure Iniquity and therefore He spared Him not but delivered Him up for our Offences Psal 22. 1-3 with Rom. 8. 32. 4. 25. Herein He hath manifested the exceeding sinfulness of sin that it might be abhorred and abstained from by us in that it could not possibly be purged away by the blood of Bulls and Goats nor by any Offerings and Sacrifices of the Law Heb. 10. 1-4 But Christ must come into the World to suffer for them and all His Sufferings would not avail unless He dye for them it was not one drop nor twenty drops of His Blood would make peace for us but Christ must needs Suffer and lay down His Life for us Acts 17. 3. It was otherwise impossible for our sins to be satisfied for and purged away Matth. 26. 39 42. For without doubt the Father who so infinitely loved His own Son would not without an absolute necessity have pleased thus to have dealt with Him Herein brightly and most clearly appears the odiousness of our sins unto God And unto this Cross of Christ are men called by the Gospel that they might look unto Him who was Crucified for them and be saved from their sins Isa 45. 22. with Gal. 3. 1. And those that do thus come unto it as called by the Gospel are made willing to hate and deny that which is so displeasing and abominable to God and which is rendred so to be in the Blood
before the first Coming of Christ And many fearers of God amongst the Gentiles both before and since Christs Appearing to put away Sin by the Sacrifice of Himself Mat. 2. 16 18. with Jer. 31. 15 17. Mat. 19. 14. Psal 11 5. 9 10 11. And yet there is no Salvation in any other but Christ and through Him and through His Name Power and Authority and upon the Account of His Sufferings and Sacrifice they shall be saved though no clear or distinct knowledg of Him was vouchsafed to them And therefore the want of it shall not be Imputed to or Charged upon them to their Condemnation And this Charity we desire to have because we thus judge that one Died for all and Rose again viz. That Jesus Christ by the Grace of God tasted Death for every man and is Risen again from the Dead for their Justification And hereby all that have sinned in the first publick man and come short of the Glory of God are Justified freely by God's Grace through that Redemption in Christ Jesus in an answerable sence as they were Condemned in the first man Adam 2 Cor. 5. 14 15. Heb. 2. 9. Rom. 3. 23 24. and 5. 18. So as no man shall perish in that first Death for ever which was the Wages of the Disobedience of that one man Nor in the Eternal Judgment shall there be any occasion for the use of that Proverb The Fathers have eaten sower Grapes and the Childrens teeth are set on edge 1 Cor. 15. 20 21. Jer. 31. 29 30. Ezek. 18. 2 4. And in the Cross of Christ and Virtue thereof we so see the admirable Love of God to every sinful Creature of Mankind while it is called to day aswell as also in plain Intimations and Instructions given us in the Testimony of the Scriptures That we cannot but judge that His Requirings and Expectations will be no other then according to His Distributions and Dispensations that is where much is given of them He will require the more and where little He will require but according thereto And where He hath not sown He will not reap nor gather where He hath not strowen And therefore all Infants who die in their Infancy and were never guilty of that Condemning Sin of the World of loving Darkness rather than Light after Light is vouchsafed shall in the general Resurrection have Eternal Life through Christ's Name And all others who have not had any distinct knowledg of Christ and yet by the Goodness and Mercy of God through the Mediatour have been led to Repentance and have feared God and been Workers of Righteousness according to the means vouchsafed and continued such to Death shall also through Christ have the reward of Everlasting Life 1 Tim. 2. 4 6. 2 Pet. 3. 9 15. Rom. 2. 4 7 12 16. Luke 12. 48. Mat. 25. 24 26. Rev. 20. 12 15. But how can they have such Charity or desire to have it who deny or believe not the Great and Fundamental things of the Gospel as spoken and delivered to us in the Words which the Holy Ghost teacherh Do men gather Grapes of Thorns or Figs of Thistles Mat. 7. 15 16. Those Builders can never Build well who dis-alow and reject the Foundation 3. Nor do we believe that by the many called are meant all such as are Called by realous Teachers and such as name themselves the Ministers of Christ or however not such in this consideration as Called by them for there are many such who in their evil Doctrines rather Call men from Christ then to Him How many are there that disciple men to Antichrist instead of inviting them to our Lord Jesus and steal away the Word of God from the People in the Records of them And how mauy others are there though not so grosly evil yet as dangerous and destructive to the souls of men who though they would have the Scriptures continued amongst men in such Languages as are understood by them yet they tell them the meaning of the Scripture is the Scripture and that is such as lieth not in the plain import of the Expressions however not in many of the fundamental Sayings of the Gospel And the Scripture some call a dead Letter other some call it the Letter And their Glosses and Interpretations are the Spiritual meaning Thus they call the World which God so loved as to give His Son to be and of which He is the Saviour the World of Elect the all and every man for whom Christ Dred some of all sorts or every Godly man c. thus indeavouring to pervert the Gospel of Christ And yet appearing very zealous in seeking the good of men which is indeed somewhat strange considering that they believe Christ Died for the fewest of men only and for whom they know not As one of them lately exprest himself in his Prayer such an one as it was as I was instantly informed by some Credible persons that heard him Lord said he if there be any one Soul in this Congregation which was a great one for whom Christ hath Died let me not lose my Labour And considering also that they believe that there is a precise and certain number of Persons determined to Salvation And these shall Infallibly be Saved though they held their Tongues and all the rest inevitably perish I say these things considered it is somewhat strange they should be so appearingly zealous in seeking the good of men Indefinitely It may be fcared this Zeal proceeds not from the Love of Christ For the Love of Christ constraineth us saith the Apostle because we thus judg that if one Died for all then were all dead and that He died for all c. Which they believe not But that herein they are like them who did shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against men neither entring in themselves nor suffering them that were entring to enter And yet for a pretence they made long Prayers for their Hearts went after their Covetousness and they did compass Sea and Land to make a Proselite Mat. 23. 13 14 15. Truly concerning such who Preach and Plead for such Doctrines as these viz. That Christ Died not for all men but for the fewest only That God hath Decreed a set and determinate number of Persons in a Personal consideration to believe and be saved And these all shall Insrustrably believe and be saved and these only and all the rest must unavoidably perish That such as are once in Christ cannot possibly fall finally from the Grace of God c. It may be said Hearken not to the Words of these Prophets they make you vain they speak a Vision of their own Heart and not out of the Mouth of the Lord Jer. 23. 16. 21. 2 Pet. 2. 1. For how much soever these thus Call and how much soever others Listen thereto and how Reformed and Zealous soever they appearingly be come hereby they are not in this Consideration of the Called here spoken of much less of
after Him God hath given His Son to be the sign of His Gracious heart towards all sinners And to that End hath given Him by His Grace to tast Death for every Man and hath raised Him again from the Dead for their Justification And hath given them Eternal Life and this Life is in His Son And sent Him in the Gospel to open their Eyes and to bring forth the Prisoners out of the Prison and them that sit in darkness out of the Prison-house that in obeying Him they might be called out of Darkness into His marvellous Light and therein be of the chosen Generation Isa 42. 1-7 with 1 Pet. 2. 9. Oh let none of us reject His Grace nor receive it in vain But let us who are hearers of the word of truth so look into the perfect law of Liberty and continue therein that we may not be forgetful hearers but doers of the work that we may be blessed in our deed both now and unto the day of Eternity Oh! that we may not deceive our own Souls in making a trade of hearing and yet secretly prefer our Lusts and Idols before Him unto whom God hath given the preeminence in all things If we should thus do what shall we say when God riseth up And when He shall judge the World in Righteousness what shall we answer Him Others may say for themselves though unprofitably and wickedly we knew thou art an hard and austere Master Reaping where Thou hast not Sown and Gathering where Thou hast not Strawn They may say our Teachers perswaded us that Christ died not for all and we knew not whither He died for us nor was there any true and saving Grace vouchsafed to us if it had we should have done better But thus according to that judgment you profess to believe you cannot plead You have heard and been called by the Gospel of Christ the doctrine according to Godliness And if you be not also chosen you know it is only your own iniquity And therefore you know there remaineth nothing but a certain fearful looking for of Judgment and fiery Indignation which shall devour all them that obey not the Gospel Your Mouths have been already and often stopt by the Gospel so as you cannot but confess that God is not willing with your Perdition And if you Perish your Destruction will be altogether of your selves Oh then laying apart all Filthiness and superfluity of Naughtiness receive with Meekness the ingraffed word which is able to save your Souls Oh that when it is too late you may not take up that complaint How have we hated Instruction and our heart despised Reproof And we have not obeyed the voice of our Teachers nor inclined our Ears to them that instructed us If it should be so with any of us this will gnaw upon us to all Eternity that when we were assured from Gods Testimony of Gods good will towards us and that Christ wrought Redemption for us and thorow the discovery thereof was powerfully Redeeming and Choosing us from the Earth and from amongst Men yet willingly and wilfully we by observing lying vanities did forsake our own mercy Jonah 2. 8. That we for love to our sins and vanities the sinfulness and vanity whereof we saw in the Cross of Christ and when infinitely better things were proposed to us should yet in our hearts love Darkness and the Devil rather then Light and Christ How can our heart endure the remembrance hereof Or how can our hands be strong when He shall plead with us Oh consider this ye that forget God and spend your money for that which is not Bread And so consider the terrour of the Lord as evidenced in the Cross of Christ that the time past of your life may suffice you to have wrought the will of the Gentiles And that now you incline your ear and come unto Him who calleth you by His Servants that you may hear that your Souls may live and He may make an everlasting covenant with you even the sure mercies of David Oh! be not like to them unto and concerning whom the Lord saith stand ye in the ways and see and ask for the old Paths where is the good way and walk therein and ye shall find rest for your Souls but they said we will not walk therein Also I set Watchmen over you saying hearken to the sound of the Trumpet but they said we will not hearken For be we well assured if such iniquity be found with us and persisted in by us that we will not come to Christ who is the rest nor hearken unto and obey the Trumpet of His Gospel if we will not be chosen after all means used and patience exercised He will at last say of us as He did of them The Bellows are burnt the Lead is consumed of the fire the Founder melteth in vain for the wicked are not plucked away Reprobate silver shall men call them because the Lord hath rejected them Jer. 6. 16 17-29 30. Consider what is said and the Lord give us understanding in all things The END Books Printed for and Sold by Benjamin Southwood at the Star next to Serjants-Inn in Chancery-lane THE Brazen Serpent or Gods grand design for Mans Salvation a practical discourse according to the Primitive Doctrine in 4o. by John Horn of Linn Regis Needful Councel for Lukewarm Christians being a consideration of some part of the Message sent to the Angel of the Church of Laodicea a seasonable discourse according to the Primitive Doctrine in 4o. by Charles Phelpes of Lynn Regis The wonderful Councellor his Councel and Charge to his Disciples to have Salt in themselves that by the powerful and seasoning Efficacy thereof they might have Love Peace and Unity one with another a blessed searching Discourse according to the Primitive Doctrine whereunto is annexed some considerations on Rev. 22. 14. To do His Commandments in 8o. by Thomas Moor Sen. Englands Improvement Reviv'd a Treatise of Husbandry by Land and Sea The Planting of Trees Orchards and Gardens with the several ways of improving all sorts of barren and wast Grounds and enriching all Earths with two Chains to plant Seeds or Setts by and Hops The nature and virtue of Trees Plants and Herbs and their phisical directions Also the ordering of Cattel and observations about Sheep with many remarks never before extant in 4o. experienced in thirty years practise by John Smith Gent. The reward of the Wise and the fruitful Christians future Blessedness being a Funeral discourse at the burial of Mr. Thomas Moor Sen. in 8o. by John Horn of Lynn Regis The object of Love wherein it is manifested and wherein it is to be perceived by us at all times to the end we may love one another in 8o. by Charles Phelpes of Lynn Regis Instructions for Children into the chief Grounds of Christian Religion with the great mysteries of Redemption Faith Works Law Gospel yea and of Predestination Election Reprobation being opened therein agreeable to Scripture and most conducing to the promoting of Godliness by John Horn of Lynn Regis the second Edition somewhat abbreviated A comfortable Corroborative Cordial against the fears and harms of Death affording directions how to live and dye Run from Rome and beware of Babylon or brief notes upon the Beast his Image Worship and Mark in 8o. by John Horn of Lynn Regis FINIS ERRATA PAge 3 l. 7 r. outer p. 5. l. 13. r. made under p. 11 l. 21. r. their P. 19. 16. r. all p. 24. l. 13. r. 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