And I saw the dead small and great stand before God and the books were opened and another book was opened which is the book of life and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their works Here are two Books Gods Book of Science or Prescience he knoweth all things long before The other is the book of conscience this is our own book this will stop every mans mouth that is out of Christ He was speechless saith the Text. The Commission or warrant for his execution which also includes the sentence of condemnation follows in the next verses in which we have the sentence ver 13. The ground or reason ver 14. In the Sentence we have Circumstances and the Substance The Circumstances are three 1. The party commissionating the King 2. The party commissionated the servants 3. The time Then For the better handling of these particulars I crave your prayers And so much for this time The end of the 12. verse 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 Vse 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 t is 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 Vse 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 T is 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 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 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
thee unto me for ever c. Therefore come away marry this Kings son forsake not your mercy do not overstand your Market You will never have such an offer again I mean not of another opportunity for what am I to limit the Holy one of Israel But of another happiness for in this seed of Abraham alone blessedness is to be had I say you cannot possibly speed your selves better There is none so lovely none so able to make you every-way happy none so willing to do every body good These expressions of ours are to your capacity These glorious beams of Christ shine brightly the Lord open your eyes to see them seek by Prayer wait upon Ordinances argue upon promises And the Lord strike hands with you in much mercy Amen Amen It remaineth that something be spoken of the means Ordained by the Lord to attain this assurance of Union with Christ to wit the Preaching of the Gospel signified by these words The Kingdom of Heaven for by it is saving Grace conveyed Gospel preaching is Ordained and appointed of the Lord to that end that men may hear of Christ believe in Christ be saved by Christ and be glorified with Christ So in that the Kingdom of Heaven that is the Gospel Preached is compared to a Marriage-making I observe this last Doctrine The end of the Preaching of the Gospel is to prepare People for a Marriage with Christ the Son of God Reason And the Reason is because it is that very instant of Grace which God who hath appointed a time for every action hath appointed for his Elect to come and joyn hands with Christ in the Act of believing It is the means of faith Rom. 10.17 So then faith is by hearing and hearing by the word of God The Lord hath appointed that the Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached over all the World for a witness unto all Nations That the Elect in every place may be brought in according to Gods eternal purpose of Love to communion with the Church and Union unto Christ Vse 1 We may hereupon conclude in the first place the necessity of the Preaching of the Gospel contrary to their vain conceit that think it needless they see not the end of it to wit a Marriage with Christ Or if they do yet they mean not to be divorced from their wicked Lusts unto which they are already Wedded But yet lodge this truth among the Oracles of God That Gospel Preaching is necessary And that it is the ordinary and usual means to obtain Faith Vse 2 O Therefore what a happiness do those people enjoy if they had eyes to see it that have the Gospel faithfully preached unto them to prepare them for a Marriage with Christ Vse 3 And how shall they escape which neglect so great salvation Which to do is a greater sin then to break the whole Law The punishment shews the greatness of the sin a double curse is pronounced against them that love not the Lord Jesus 1 Cor. 16.22 that is against those that neglect Gospel offers and Ordinances in which Christ goeth 〈◊〉 wooing to the children of men If any one therefore here present be an Enemy to the dispensations of the Gospel or a neglector of this gracious offer of Christ therein let him look upon himself as on an execrable thing which God hates and let him see God even stretching out his power to confound him and the Gospel cursing him Vse 4 Be exhorted therefore to improve this appointed imployment This concerns both Preacher and Hearers Motive Motive It is the best preferment a man can come unto to be United and Married to Christ And therefore no small preferment to be imployed in this high work of bringing People to Salvation And to move other People let this be weighed well that to lose all things in the world to gain Christ is the best bargain that ever man made Phil. 3 7. 8. But what things were gain to me these I counted loss for Christ Yea doubtless and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and do count them but dung that I may win Christ Quest But how shall Ministers improve this benefit Answ I answer by Preaching Christ unto the People Plainly Powerfully in the evidence of Gods spirit not in the enticing words of mans wisdom 1 Cor. chap. 2. ver 1. c. Object But if a man do not Preach eloquently he shall lose his repute and the Grace of his pains Sol. I answer No for although some that know not God will be prating yet he is the best schollar that edifies most 1 Cor. 14 v. 12.18.19.21.22 To excell to the edifying of the Church to speak five words with understanding that others may be taught to Prophesie so as men may believe are special Phrases in those verses A man that speaks pithily to the conscience will shew himself a scholler besides his purpose to all judicious hearers Such men shew themselves to have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty not walking in craftiness not handling the word of God deceitfully but by manifestation of the truth commending themselves to every mans conscience in the sight of God 2 Cor. 4.2 And yet further ver 5. For we Preach not our selves but Christ Jesus the Lord and our selves your servants for Jesus sake And then note I said not only plainly but powerfully We should have such a spirit as Paul who out of the abundance of his Zeal was stirred in spirit Acts 17.16 And so Philip. 3.18 He told them WEEPING of their faults that were Enemies to the Cross of Christ This proceeded out of the abundance of his Love to Christ and mankind And this was a sign of Lots sincerity that his righteous soul was grieved and vexed c. 2 Pet. 2.7 And to hate the work of the Nicolaitans which God hateth is very commendable Rev. 2.15 To hate them that hate God Psal 139.21 and to be grieved with those that rise up against him Now for Hearers They must improve this benefit and blessing of Gospel Preaching 2. Hearers By striving and labouring hereby to be prepared for a Marriage with Christ By putting off the old man and putting on the new man Ephes 4. ver 16. to the 25. People must forget their own People and their Fathers house and labour to be clothed with clothing of wrought Gold Psal 45. ver 10.13 Labour to get Oyle in your Vessels as well as in your Lamps Mat. 25.4 That ye may enter in with him to the Marriage when the door shall be shut against such as have neglected these opportunities ver 10. You must labour to make your selves ready for the Marriage of the Lamb to put on Christ who is the clean and white and fine Linnen of the Saints Rev. 19.7.8 O that you would know now even now in this your day the things that do belong to your
especially if we find the hand of the Lord with them that is an expression Acts 11.21 Question But how is that to be known I answer It is to be known by the effects there mentioned And a great number believed and turned unto the Lord. O 'T is a mercy to live under the sound of the voice of a servant of the Lord. Gods immediate voice no man is able to hear Exod. 20.19 And they said unto Moses speak thou with us and we will hear but let not God speak with us lest we die So Deut. 5.25 the presence of God is terrible who may abide it Therefore God hath appointed our brethren to teach us familiarly and to be in his stead among us and it is our happiness to enjoy them if we could see it Vse 3 And lastly to end this point it serves to teach us that these men whom the Lord imployes as his special servants ought to be esteemed although it be their portion to be as David was the song of the drunkards Psal 69.12 And to be despised by yong children as Job was cap. 19.18 Yea by yong men whose fathers he would have disdained to have set with the dogs of his flock cap. 30.1 All the silly yet proud fools and all the knaves in the country think that Gospel-Preachers are fit to be made a Parable of reproach and object of despight O how do some among us ruffle it in the second and third Generations whose Ancestors infamously scrapt a little dung together and ended their dayes remarkably I But this ought not so to be neither will it be so among them that fear God Neither let it be so among you For Mot. 1 First To dishonour them is to dishonour God Luke 10.16 He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me saith Christ to his Disciples and this is to despise him that sent Christ as it is in the same verse Secondly If you carry your selves respectfully towards them it will encourage them in the Lords work And Thirdly It will be for your own benefit Both these are to be proved Heb. 13.17 Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your souls as they that must give account that they may do it with joy and not with grief for that is unprofitable for you And indeed experience teacheth that when the persons of Ministers are out of esteem their Doctrine lies the more open to prejudice and misconstruction Quest Question But how shall I know whether I esteem them as I ought to do or no Answ I answer If thou look upon them as Ambassadours sent of God for this very end that People may believe in Christ and dost so come to hear what they say c. this is a good note of such as are sound Christians and have the spirit of God 1 Cor. 14.37 If any man think himself to be a Prophet or spiritual let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord. And no doubt such as are spiritual will so acknowledge and in their eyes the feet of them that preach the Gospel of peace and bring glad tidings of good things will be beautifull Rom. 10.15 Thus I have finished the second particular observed in the first offer of Christ to the Jews his Ancient acquaintance I now come to the third and last to wit the ground and Original of this action of calling people to come to Christ And that is a Commission given he sent forth as it is in the Text. The Servants go not untill God whose messengers they be sends them These words he sent forth his servants are not only in this third vers I am now upon but also in the next the fourth and likewise ver 9. a Commission is expresly given unto them So that we may have good ground for this Doctrine Doct. That such as take upon them to invite â—â—ople to Christ and to Preach are of Gods â—ending in a speciall manner if they be of the right stamp I will give them Pastors after mine own heart Jerem. 3.15 Such as run before they be sent have success accordingly But they have somewhat else to do and all trades must 〈◊〉 as we say and so must they And this â—ort of men though called Ministers are the very tail of men It is the part of a servant to have the word from his Muster first and then to do faithfully what they are Commissionated and commanded to do It was the Lords complaint by the Prophet Jer. c. 23.21 I have not sent these Prophets yet they rann I have not spoken to them yet they Prophesied And when the spirit of a man hath received a Call from the spirit of Christ and knows it self to be sent of God it will put him upon strict duty First To deliver nothing but what is warranted 1 Cor. 11.23 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you And. 1 John 1. ver 3. And Secondly To extend his gifts to the utmost advantage of the giver and benefit of those that a man is sent unto 1 Pet. 4. ver 10. As every one hath received the gift so minister the same one to another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God Lastly He must and shall know on whose arrand he goes whose Messenger he is So 1 Pet. 4. v. 11. If any man speak let him speak as the Oracles of God if any man Minister let him do it as of the ability which God giveth Vse 1 Know therefore for the first use that the Call and comming of Ministers of the Gospel is of God it is not without Authority They are in Gods stead they must give account to him that hath sent them Vse 2 And therefore they should not be despised and opposed as they are by foolish proud People It is thought now among us to be a sufficient cause of injustice iniquity and oppression because Ministers shall not be masters of the Town because they shall not have their will which yet indeed is Gods will Alas neighbours are we not men as well as you Why then should we not enjoy our common priviledges as well as you are we unworthy to be heard because we are Ministers how low would ye bring us But I desire not to provoke but rather to convince that you might not be found despisers of God in despising contradicting and opposing of us in the way of our well doing Vse 3 But Thirdly You that obey the Lords Call to you by us doubt not of kind wellcom We call not of our own heads He sent us forth that will make good whatsoever we promise you according to our instructions that we have received from him Vse 4 And lastly be perswaded to hearken to our Call in regard of the authority of the Sender It will not be well taken under any pretence whatsoever to slight the Lords gracious offers to trample under foot his
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 t is 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 Vse 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 Vse 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 Vse 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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
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 T is 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 mouâ—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 Vse 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 22.2â— 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 T is 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 Vse 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 The Tenth Sermon Matth. 22.13.14 Then said the King unto his 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 THese verses now read unto you as hath been formerly shewed do contain in them the Commission given by the King for the execution of that unworthy professor that was gotten in among Gods People and had no Grace in his heart which is the third particular first noted to be in this last head viz. The proceeding of the Lord against the unworthy Guest
We have spoken already of his charge and that both of the matter of it that he came into the marriage without a wedding garment and also of the manner of the Lords dealing with him calling him friend by an Irony As iâ— the King should say Friend what make you here I see you pretend to be one of mine but how is it that you come in hither not having a wedding garment We have also spoken Secondly of his Conviction and he was speechless Thirdly We have begun to speak of his execution out of these verses now again read unto you In which we have noted First The Commission it self in the 13. verse Secondly The ground or reason of it ver 14. Again in the Commission we have observed and fully handled the circumstantial part of it And are now the Lord assisting to proceed and to speak of the substance of the Commission out of these words Bind him hand and foot c. Wherein two things are set forth First The manner of his punishment bind him hand and foot and take him away and cast him into outer darkness Secondly The condition of this poor wretch under his punishment sad enough wofull enough in these words There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth We will begin with the manner of his punishment laid forth under a continued Metaphor taken from the manner of dealing used among men with gross and heynous offenders who being found guilty are manacled fettered and separated from the society of men and cast into some dark dungeon there to lie and dye and never to come out thence again Under which words Christ sets forth the future condition of all wicked men and women to wit that they shall be cast into Hell where they shall lie weeping and wayling and gnashing of teeth not only as long as the Sun and the Moon endureth but as long as God shall be God 〈◊〉 three degrees of misery is this punishment of ungodly men here described unto us First Bind him hand and foot that is Tye hiâ— fast chain him up let him not escape by 〈◊〉 means Secondly Take him away that is carry him hence from my gracious presence Let him never see my face more nor come among my servants Let him never sit with my pretious Saints more Separate him from the communion and society of my faithfull ones Depart thou cursed cateiffe saith God thou caredst not for my people or mine Ordinances on Earth and therefore now thou shalt not be troubled with them Take him away and cast him into outer darkness Here is a third degree of misery Let him go like a Castaway as he is as one good for nothing cast him away For men do not use to cast that away which is good for any thing But here is an aggravation of this third degree of misery cast him into outer darkness that is into Hell Into outer darkness that is out from God and out from his Church For with God is light and in his Church is light But out of Gods presence and out of the Church is darkness Note Therefore note by the way That To be cast out of the Church here is a degree of that outer darkness that ungodly men shall be cast into hereafter So some understand 〈◊〉 8.12 Many shall come from the East â—nd from the West Calvin c. But the children oâ— the Kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness that is Gentiles shall become Members of the Church and the Jews called the children of the Kingdom because they were so then shall be exiled and cast into a dark and dead frame of Spirit as usually such are as are justly excommunicated if Gods physick work not with them to their humiliation and repentance Now We will gather some short lessons from these particulars thus opened And the first shall be Doct. That ungodly men shall not escape punishment The Reason is because they are bound as it were hand and foot God hath ordained Bands and Chains to bind wicked men withall They are bound with a threefold Cord which is not quickly broken Besides the Chains and cords which God binds wicked men withal to Hell torments there is a threefold Cord to bind them with in this life First The Cord of Gods Decree Jude's Epistle ver 4. Who were before of old ordained to this condemnation All the men on Earth or Angels in Heaven are not able to break this Cord. There is also a blessed Cord which the Saints are bound with Rom. 8.30 Moreover whom he did predestinate them also he called and whom he called them also he justified and whom he justified them also he glorified The use that we may make of it is to bless God if we sind we are not bound with that chain that the wicked are bound with but with that fore-appointed for the Saints The second Cord to bind men is that Mat. 18.18 Whatsoever ye shall bind on Earth shall be bound in Heaven This Church binding is the second with which men are bound And for my part I would not lie under the just censure of a well-ordered Church for the whole World The reason is because the Scriptures being true whom the Church binds on Earth God binds in Heaven There are three acts in this binding God acts first and last and the Church in the middle God acts first in giving rules to his Church to walk by The Church acts by those rules which God hath given and are like Levi which knew not father nor mother And this acting of a Church carrieth more in it then the reproof of one Godly man though a publick Preacher because of the Authority which the Lord hath given to his Church And then thirdly God acts in confirming in Heaven what the Church regularly doth on Earth There is in the Church use of ordinary and common brotherly admonitions and exhortations with this Cord the People of God bind one another to the Lord. So Heb. 3.12 Take heed brethren lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God But exhort one another daily while it called to day lest any of you be hardned through the deceitfullness of sin And therefore all the People of the Lord should look upon this work as a duty and when it is performed it should be looked upon as a mercy from the Lord to tie us closer to him Besides this sometimes the unruly are to be warned and desired to forbear from communicating with the People of God This is as it were the trial of Leprosie We usually call it suspension from the Lords Supper and it hath its use as a cord to bind men to the good behaviour or to discover their Spirits But in the last place Fulk on 1 Cor. 5. Sect. 3. Rhem. Test there is excommunication which is to be done by the officers of thâ— Church as in the name of Christ so in the name of the Church and People to avoid