which drinking of wine is taken Matth. 26.29 The phrases do import the enjoyment of eternal goods both for necessity and delight in heaven which goods are figured or shadowed out by corporal eating and drinking But our Saviour in his answer here takes that man off and us in him from a general admiration of their happiness in heaven to a particular application of the means conducing to that happiness even the receivâ—ng the grace of the Gospel which seems to be the drift and design of this Parable They that would eat bread or enjoy fellow-ship with God in heaven must first eat bread or partake of the Gospel-provision here on earth Hence I observe Sect. 1. Observ That the way to enjoy the eternal good things in the kingdom of glory is to close with the spiritual good things in the kingdom of grace 2 Pet. 1.3 Quest What are those eternal good things in heaven represented under eating and drinking Resp. 1. Most intimate and immediate union with God Eating and drinking implys the inmost uniting of the body and meat together The pious soul doth fully possess God in heaven Here we are as it were absent from the Lord but there we are present with him 2 Cor. 5.6 8. Not but that now Saints do truly enjoy God but then more intimately and fully We are now under his influence dominion and blessing but then we shall always be before his face Now Saints are as it were in the Suburbs of heaven then they shall be in the City now in the Gallery then in the Presence-Chamber There is great difference between abiding in the Presence-Chamber of a Prince and abiding within his dominion though under his protection and related to him as a servant 2. It denoteth the abundant supply of all wants Eating and drinking implys the supply of necessity the maintaining of life Here we are at continual reparations in heaven we shall not want any thing there 's a full table our present imperfections in our graces will then be made up 1 Cor. 13.9 10. And all our inabilities in our duties will be happily supplyed Now we have all the parts of the new man but then we shall have the perfect stature of the new man Eph. 4.13 There is a great difference between the rough draught and perfect draught of a Picture Now we have the lineaments and feature but then we shall have the most exquisite complexion and favour of the new creature 3. The full and familiar enjoyment of good company Eating and drinking together implys good fellowship There is excellent good company in heaven and enough of it Heb. 12.22 23. Then Saints will not be strange one to another nor shy of each other as here full oft they are 4. Compleat satisfaction in the fruition of all contents and delights Eating and drinking is for delight and merriment as well as for necessity There is feasting in eating heaven will be a continual feast and yet the stomach not cloyed Psal 16.11 Our hungring and thirsting will be turned into satisfaction when our seeking God will be turn'd into our seeing of God Sect. 2. Quest 2. What are those spiritual good things which we are to close with in the kingdom of grace represented under eating and drinking Resp. 1. Spiritual priviledges which are provided for us in the grace of the Gospel Isa 55.1 Zech. 13.1 As reconciliation Adoption Remission Sanctâ—fication Vocation Salvation Tabula post naufragium This Gospel-provision is the plank after the shipwreck or the Ark in the midst of the deluge There is no escaping destruction or obtaining salvation but this way 2. Spiritual ordinances for the conveying of spiritual priviledges and ensuring them As preaching of the Gospel administration of the Seals of the Covenant to them that embrace the Covenant In the Sacraments Christian Religion is taught as it were by Emblems and Hieroglyphicks This latter ordinance is God's ensuring office to confirm his people in the faith These ordinances are the Wells of salvation Isa 12.3 And Gospel-grace is the fountain of salvation 3. Spiritual graces for the improvement of spiritual ordinances These are the more immediate work of the spirit and so called the fruit of the spirit Gâ—l 5.22 These be the clusters of Grapes to make us in love with the Holy-Land notwithstanding all the opposition we meet with in heaven's way this fruit grows no where but in Christ's Garden Cant. 4.12 And the Vine which bears those Grapes is himself John 15.1 Interest makes for influence and so it comes to pass that Saints bear this 〈◊〉 4. Spiritual duties for the expressing spiritual graces As praying hearing exhorting one another Jude v. 20. And as Christ is given for glory and happiness so he is given for grace and likewise for duty Phil. 4. â—3 And hereby he is shewn to be Mediator of Redemption and Intercession too Sect. 3. Quest 3. How are we to close with these spiritual good things Resp. 1. We are to receive them by faith embracing the grace of the Gospel John 1. â—2 This is as it were the touching of the â—em of Christ's Garment Believing is that particular application of Christ which is represented by eating John 6.53 This cauâ—eth a sweet savour and relish in the heart 2. We are to walk as we have received Christ Col. 2. viz. by leading an holy life by vertue drawn from him through our union with him giving the world a proof in our holy life of the vertue in Christ's death for the rectifying our crooked nature So much as we have received of the knowledge of Christ so much we are to testifie of obedience unto Christ The reason why we must close with spiritual good things if we would enjoy eternal is Because the one is part of the other Saints in heaven and Saints upon earth make up but one family Eph. 3.15 'T is but one building one house and it is so contrived that we must go through one room into the other Grace is the beginning of glory some compare it to the golden chain in Homer whose top was fastned to the Chair of Jupiter grace will reach glory and it must precede glory CHAP. VI. Use 1. THis informeth us 1. That it is good for man now to draw near to God Psal 73.28 It tends to his everlasting happiness 'T is good to have our faces Sion-ward and to walk that way that we may see the face of God with perfection in Sion Upon this consideration we should be always renewing our accesses to God and to maintain such communion is the work of a Christian conversation the Lord is nigh unto all such as thus draw nigh unto him Psal 145.18 2. See their vanity who draw back from God Peccata elongant nos voluntate non loco or bid God depart from them when he comes near them in the means of grace vouchsafed to them Psal 73.27 Job 21.14 Sin divideth between God and the soul Isa 59.2 Sin maketh men afraid of God's
which is implanted by the spirit of grace and expressed in the life of grace That peace whereby the members of Christ's mystical body do sweetly agree together That joy whereby we delight in such righteousness and peace Use 4. This Doctrine is consolatory 1. If we look at God's Elect yet not called There is room enough to entertain all the Elect of God as they come in one after another God shall enlarge Japhet and he shall dwell in the Tents of Shem Gen. 9.27 and Christ saith other sheep I have them also I must bring and there shall be one ford John 10.16 a fold big enough to hold them all 2. If we look at the called ones who are at present straitned Hereafter they shall be so enlarged as to have room enough here they are straitned 1. Outwardly straitned so much the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifyeth 2 Cor. 6.4 translated distresses as it were in Little Ease pent up so that they know not which way to turn I have read of a French Martyr who was pent up in such a narrow room for seven weeks together in Paris that he could neither sit nor lie down Sometimes they are straitned in their Estates kept at short allowance but hereafter there will be room enough 2. Inwardly straitned straitned in their knowledge know ng but in part and that darkly but hereafter it will be fully and clearly 1 Cor. 13.11 12. straitned also in their obedience there is some reluctancy in their obedience while the mind is for serving the Law of God the flesh is for serving the Law of sin Rom. 7.25 The unregenerate part pulls backward while the regenerate part puts us forward to any good So likewise straitned in love and other graces the comfort is that these graces will act with more scope or room in heaven Oh welcome that happy day SERM. XV. Luke 14.23 And the Lord said unto the servant Go out into the high-ways and hedges c. CHAP. I. THe two former invitations Exierunt Apostoli extra Judaeam ad Gentes Salmeron ver 16. 21. were to the Jews this latter is to the Gentiles In which invitation of the Gentiles we have 1. The designation of the messenger sent to invite them the same that was sent to the Jews The same servant from the same Lord. The Lord said to the servant Go out 2. The description of the place of their residenc The high-ways and hedges 3. The illustration of the manner of bringing them in Hic Gentium votatio describitur Marlor in loc And compel them to come in 4. The confirmation of the end thereof That my house may be filled From the first I observe Obser That the Gentiles now have the same Authority and Priviledge to embrace the Gospel as the Jews once had Col. 3.11 The distinction of Jews and Gentiles comes not from Adam but from Abraham God called him from his idolatrous kindred Gen. 12.1 making his Covenant of grace with him and his posterity renewing and confirming it by the seal of the Covenant circumcision Gen. 17.1 2 9 10. called a seal of the Righteousness of faith Rom. 4.11 which Covenant with the seal thereof was confined to Abraham and his posterity and continued among them till Christ came in the flesh which posterity of Abraham were called by three names Heber from Hebrews as it is judged out of whole loyns Abraham descended Israelites from Israel Abraham's Grand-child And Jews from Judah one of the Sons of Israel Which Jews were the Nation by way of eminency An holy Nation Exod. 19.6 inhabiting the Land of Judea Canaan the Type of heaven And all other people who came not from Abraham's loins were called Gentes the Nations of the world or Gentiles Others say from the Epithet given to Abraham who is called Abraham the Hebrew Gen. 14.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to pass over or pass through because from Mesopotamia he passed over Euphrates into Canaan and so passed through the Land Abraham the Hebrew or the passenger or passer-through This denomination seemeth the more probable Heber being far from Abraham Gen. 11.17 CHAP. II. NOw concerning the priviledges which the Jews once had the Apostle gives us a Catalogue of them an Inventory of very choice goods Rom. 9.4 who are Israelites to whom pertaineth 1. The Adoption Israel was God's first-born and so higher than the Kings of the earth Psal 89.27 Though God had a natural son of his own yet he adopted the Jews out of his abundant grace 2. The glory the Temple and the Ark so called 1 Sam. 4.22 because tokens of God's glorious presence and Types of Christ the King of glory whence Judea is called the glorious Land Dan. 11.41 all the while God manifested his presence there but now sin hath made it vile enough 3. The Covenants the moral law in two Tables or the Covenant of grace often renewed 4. The giving of the Law the judicial Law for the ordering their common-wealth 5. The service the ceremonial Law for the ordering of their worship of God As God had adopted them so he would have them brought up under his Law as under a Tutor Gal. 4.1 6. The promises the rich Legacies in the old Testament 7. The fathers they descended of honourable ancestors Abraham Isaac and Jacob. 8. Christ after the flesh who took on him the seed of Abraham Heb. 2.16 as if a King should marry into some poor family of his subjects and be glad at the match CHAP. III. THat the Gentiles have as good leave and priviledge to believe the Gospel as the Jews had appeareth thus 1. Abraham received the seal of the Gospel-righteousness being uncircumcised that he might be the father of those who should believe God being able of such stones to raise up children to Abraham Matth. 3.9 even of the Gentiles whose hearts were as hard as stones and who worshipped stocks and stones 2. The prophesies of old were that Christ should be a light to the Gentiâ—es Isa 49.6 that the eyes of their understanding might be opened to see the way to heaven and walk in it And Isaiah and Moses told the Jews so to their face though they despiâ—ed the Gentiles Rom. 10.19 20. now the Prophecies were all to be fulfiâ—â—ed in due time 3. Gentiles are put into the Genealogy of Christ it is observable how among all the men in Christs Genealogy only four women are put in beside Mary the Mother of Jesus two of which were Gentiles viz. Rahab of Canaan Ruth of Moab The other two of the Jews Thamar and Bathsheba notorious for incest and adultery Vid. Spanhem dub Evang. dub 25. part 1. St. Ambrose and Chrysostom give several reasons for this as 1. To curb the insolency of the Jews to stain their pride who boasted much of their progenitors 2. To shew that no blot in predecessors is an hinderance to vertue in their posterity 3. To shew that the greatest sort
side Quest How comes it to pass that sinners thus agree together Resp. 1. They are endued with one nature and so are all as it were of one complexion and disposition No wonder to see them act alike who are alike it were a wonder if they should not 2. They serve one Master Belzebub the Prince of Devils whose interest it is not to have his kingdom divided against it self Matth. 12.25 26. The Prince of the Air hath his several Regions and Regiments and in such order that all act one under another unto the same end CHAP. VII Use 1. THis informs us Ejusdem doctrinae vinculum knits together the old Jewish Church with the Christians Calvin that consent is no true mark of the true Church Consent may be among the wicked in the kingdom of Antichrist Rev. 13.16 Consent therefore simply saith Mr. Perkins unless it be joyned with true faith and true doctrine is not of force to declare unto us the true Church The unity of the Church depends upon the unity of the Doctrine and Covenant which is therein professed and believed Make Doctrines diverse and you make Churches diverse There cannot be one Church but there must be one faith and one doctrine believed Use 2. Yet notwithstanding take these Cautions 1. That sinners do dissent among themselves though they do thus sin with one consent both the erroneous vicious sort of sinners Errour as it differs from the truth so it jarrs with it self Wicked men do not only oppose the godly but one another and that most violently Ahab not only persecutes Elijah the Prophet but also fights against Beâ—hadad the Syrian Two wicked Kings oppose one another 1 King 20. 2. Yet a particular sinner dissenteth with himself the light of nature and the corruption of nature do oppose one another natural conscience and natural corruption do maintain a conflict As the regenerate part and the unregenerate do fight in the godly man so doth an inlightned conscience and corrupted nature in the wicked man Use 3. Be exhorted not to consent to sinners if they entice thee Prov. 1.10 yield not though they set upon thee with several arguments as 1. The safety of the attempt lâ—â—king privily without peril without any fear to have their plot discovered or their persons punished To this oppose the intuitive and vindicative eye of God 2. The facility of their exploits to prevent the doubts that may arise against their proceeding for the difficulty of their attempts and doubtfulness of their success ver 12. but God can undo all they do 3. The commodity that they shall get by their attempt not trifles of no value but riches of all sorts wherein they shall store their houses as conquerours do when they sack Cities ver 13. but here oppose the loss of the soul for ever 4. The equality of the distribution of the commodity all shall share alike ver 14. To this oppose the place of the damned There will be one hell to hold all those sinners which now go on to sin thus with one consent A good Gentlewoman afflicted in conscience uttered these words a little before her death O Lord let me not go to hell where the wicked are for Lord thou knowest I did not love their company here Secondly consent unto that which is contrary to sin 1. Consent to the law of God that it is good â—ote for it and with it as the rule of right even when you see you cannot perfectly fulfil it 2. Consent to the worship of God to serve him with one consent Zeph. 3.9 Agree to all God's ordinances slight not any of them 3. Consent to the people of God be one with them that are one with the Lord all ye that Profess Religion see that with one mind and mouth ye glorifie God Rom. 15.6 If sinners have their Come to wickedness should not Saints much more have their Come to holiness Isa 2.3 5. Zech. 8.21 Oh now beautiful is unity with verity consent and concord with truth It is the Livery of Christ the badge which he hath given for his Disciples to wear John 13.35 his seamless Coat and unbroken body represented it It is the glory of heaven there the Father Son and Holy Ghost are one in essence there Saints are one in affection and communion without any division and here Christ would have us so one John 17.21 SERM. VII LUKE 14.18 They all began to make excuse CHAP. I. THe next thing considerable is Lyra in Gloss Ordinar how ready or forward they are to refuse They began to make excuse Lyra saith here the Kingdom of heaven is shut against none but such as shut it against themselves and that by the profession of their own language They began Man begins the quarrel though God begins the pacification They began and so continued Chemnit in loc as that Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 denoteth putting off the grace offered till they excluded themselves from true happiness Here note Obser That men exclude themselves from the good things of the Gospel when God begins to offer them life and salvation they begin to refuse it 1. They exclude themselves from the grace of the Gospel as 1. From the outward means of grace Gospel-ordinances Church-priviledges they put the word of God from them Act. 13.46 they thrust it away in a rude manner Walking in Gospel-ordinances is called order Col. 2.5 Men therefore who refuse to walk orderly or regularly according to the rule of the Gospel do deprive themselves of the priviledges of the Gospel 2. From the inward work of grace here men exclude themselves by resisting the Holy Ghost when he cometh by his motions to their hearts Act. 7.51 This is called sometimes quenching of the spirit 1 Thes 5.19 grieving the spirit Eph. 4.30 vexing the spirit Isa 63.10 This is done by many reiterated acts of opposition unto spiritual motions A man is grieved when one doth him a discourtesie but when he shall go on to heap up discourtesies this stirreth up vexation sometimes it is called Tempting the spirit Act. 5.7 sometimes despising or offering despite to the spirit Heb. 10.29 this is the highest injury that any can offer to the spirit of grace 2. They exclude themselves from the glory of the Gospel They shut themselves not only out of the kingdom of grace here but also out of the kingdom of glory hereafter judging themselves unworthy of everlasting life Act. 13.46 their own actions passing judgment upon them that they are not meet nor fit to inherit glory CHAP. II. Quest HOw do men exclude themselves Resp 1. By sin in the general and in special by unbelief This hindred the Jews from entring into Canaan Heb. 3.19 this broke them off from all spiritual communion with God Rom. 11.20 Sin is truly a man 's own what his sin doth he himself doth And as for the sin of unbelief it is an unwillingness to close with Gospel-provision John 5.40 That men exclude
the Gospel Yea preachers may receive light from men like themselves not only from the Scriptures but from judicious expositors Though no writings may be received in a co-ordination with the holy Scriptures yet they may in a subordination to them Though the Scripture explain it self yet 't is but a Normal expositor and we have need of personal expositors too Act. 8.31 The Mathematicks are not learned without a Teacher so it is with many Scriptures which are hard to be understood Use 3. Doth God speak to his messengers what they speak then let our behaviour be answerable to the belief of such truth 1. In reference to the Scriptures where God speaks let us look upon them as the inspiration of God 2 Tim. 3.16 Oh what majesty and harmony what verity and purity is in them Read the Scriptures and meditate therin as the word of God Psal 1.3 They are as a Letter sent from Christ to a particular person Rev. 2.1 let them much affect thee in the reading these lines They are as good news out of a far Country oh welcome it They are as a Statute-book containing those wholsome Laws according to which we are to order our lives it concerns us to be well skilled in them 2. In reference to Christ that messenger of the Covenant by whom God doth principally speak unto men let us hear him because God sends to us by him and hath in a special manner authorized him to speak unto us Matth. 17.5 yield faith and obedience to what he speaks hear and live Isa 55.3 3. In reference to Ministers Account of them as the ministers of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God 1 Cor. 4.1 wait on the ministry of the word as upon God himself Prov. 8.34 do not expect that God should teach you without the means if ye neglect the means he hath set up among you Frequent the publick ministry be attentive hearers It is dangerous to fall asleep with a Candle burning by your side some have been so burnt in their beds but it is more dangerous to sleep while the Candle of the word is burning so near you and do not wander in your thoughts that is to sleep with your eyes open Be also retentive hearers food received if it stay not with us doth us no good The honest and good heart having heard the word keeps it Luke 8.15 If you have not strength of memory to keep the words of a Sermon see that ye have an honest heart to keep the substance of a Sermon I have heard of a woman having methinks such an heart who coming from a Sermon one askt her what she remembred she answered that at present she could not recal much but she heard that which should make her to reform some things as soon as she came home CHAP. VI. Go out quickly into the Streets and Lanes of the City IN these words we have the commission of the Gospel-messenger renewed The chief ones among the Jews proved Recusant Guests as hath been shewn by their several excuses given in Now therefore the invitation is sent to the body of that people and afterwards to the Gentiles ver 23. though some would have the Gentiles meant in this verse In the words read there is the manner how and the place where this great errand of the Gospel is to be delivered For the first the manner is with expedition Go out quickly For the Greek word translated Go out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 propriè significat exire in expeditionem ad pugnam contra hostes Novar Criticks observe its use 1. In a military expedition There is indeed a Militia in the ministry 2 Cor. 10.4 the work of it is to wage war against mens lusts 2. For going out by authoritative commission as Mark 1.38 Act. 1.21 Thus ministers are to go out De missione ad ossicium usurpatur go when they are sent as we heard on ver 17. The word we are now to fasten upon is that word Quickly it is swift upon the wing Here note Observ God would have a quick or speedy dispatch of the Gospel-message Mat. 10.7 10. This appeareth 1. In the Promise God himself did make a quick discovery of the Gospel-mystery The promise of the second Adam came into the world soon after the sin of the first Adam Gen. 3.15 As man continued not long in his state of innocency so neither did he continue long in his state of Apostacy without the hope of recovery As soon as ever man drank in the deadly poison of sin God provided the bloud of Christ as an Antidote for the same 2. In the Type The children of Israels deliverance out of Egyptian bondage was a type of our deliverance from wrath to come And the Passeover was a sign of that deliverance which they were to eat in haste Exod. 12.11 because they were sent out of the Land of Egypt in haste ver 33. Solomon in his Royalty was a type of Christ in the excellency of the Gospel The Psalmist therefore speaking of him saith His tongue was the Pen of a ready writer Psal 45.2 dexterously setting forth Christ in all his glory 3. In the Prophesie Isaiah speaking of Christ's throne saith there shall be the hasting of righteousness Isa 16.5 dispatching business without needless delays 4. In the performance in the days of the Gospel There was a going forth quickly within a few days after Christ's Ascension Act. 2. This is Salmeron's gloss upon the words of our Text. Thus then in the Primitive times the Apostles did go out quickly St. Sohn sets it out by the Hieroglyphick of a white horse and his Rider going forth conquering and to conquer Rev. 6.2 The Emblem of those Apostolical preachers might well be a white horse white for their purity of Doctrine Discipline and Conversation Horses for their swift preaching of the Gospel An horse by the Heathens was dedicated to the Sun because of its swiftness Eusebius speaking of the spreading of the Gospel by those Primitive preachers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euseb Hist l. 1. c. 22. saith that it ran through the world like a Sun-beam And St. Paul exhorts the Thessalonians to pray that the word might have such a free course 2 Thes 3.1 So in the reforming times in Luthers days How many godly and learned men did go out quickly and spread the Gospel far and near Luther Calvin Melancthon Zuinglius Zanchy Peter Martyr Bucer Musculus Ecclesiae Anglicana reformationem desperasset aetas praeterita admiratur praesens obstupescet futura Scultet annal Oecolampadius Latimer Cranmer Ridley c. on this side and on that side the Seas there were very many viz. Those Angels which came flying with the everlasting Gospel in the midst of heaven Rev. 14.6 So the Learned interpret that place The Gospel had a swift passage by diligent preaching by Printing good Books by Translating the holy Scriptures into vulgar Tongues by Catechizing youth by publick Disputations by