5.19 These hand out this provision The Hebrew word for Ministery is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 manus per manum prophetoe They are instâ—â—cted of God to instruct others endued with heavenly gifts Eph. 4.8 For the bringing souls in and carrying souls on in the way of heaven 6. Look at the place of this feast that is called the mountain of God Isa 25.6 Else where called a great mountain which excells all the mountains of the world This mountain is the Church of God the pillar and ground of truth and it doth appear wheresoever the ordinances of God are in power and purity CHAP. III. Use 1. THis informs us of God's great goodness Psal 31.19 That he should provide such spiritual store to supply our spiritual wants and should set out the nature of spiritual things by those sensible things which are most obvious to us wherewith we are most affected This Gospel-provision is set forth in Scripture by those things which are the objects of all our five senses As 1. It is compared to a pearl of great price which is the object of seeing Matth. 13.46 Pearls and Diamonds seed the eye Sacred truths are proper and pleasing objects to the eyes of our understandings 2. It is compared to a sound to the voice of harpers Rev. 14.2 A melodious tune is the pleasant object of hearing Musick delighteth a skilful ear This Gospel-provision excells all that the eye hath seen or the ear hath heard 1 Cor. 2.9 3. 'T is compared to a garden full of fragrant flowers and sweet spices which is the object of smelling Cant. 5.1 The choicest fruits grow in gardens but the wild grows on the wast Divine graces are only among Christians moral vertues may grow among Heathens 4. It is compared unto a marriage Rev. 19.7 which is the object of touching On how delightful are those spiritual and eternal embraces which Saints have and shall have in the arms of God's everlasting mercy 5. It is here and in Matth. 22. compared to a feast which is the object of tasting These sensible similitudes serve to convey holy truths with the more ease and delight to tell us how satisfactory grace and glory is to them whose senses are exercised to discern both good and evil Heb. 5.14 This sets forth the greatness of man's wickedness in refusing the Gospel-remedy Ingentia beneficia ingentia flagitia ingentia supplicia The great providing it for us and bringing it to us sheweth that God he is much more quick and peremptory in these days of grace in rejecting men saith Dr. Preston The time is shorter he will not wait so long as he was wont to do Use 2. But though the grace of God in the Gospel be great Distributivè quoad genera singulorum non collectivè quoad singula generum Prideaux yet it is not universal so as to set all persons equally in a state of salvation Rom. 9.18 Where it is said God will have all men to be saved it is meant distributively in respect of ranks and kinds of men not collectively in respect of the individual persons of men Use 3. Is there such plenty of Gospel-provision then eat O friends and drink abundantly Cant. 5.1 This eating is believing John 6.53 63 64. The phrase intimates 1. That close union between the grace of God and a believing soul as between the body and the meat which is eaten 2. That special good which the believer doth receive by the grace of God as the body by meat David sheweth what it is to taste that the Lord is good when he presently addeth Blessed is the man that trusteth in him Psal 34.8 Give heedful attendance to the means of grace and yield conscionable obedience to the grace you hear of We have had plentiful means of grace so that many have been in a strait by their plenty like guests at a full feast Coena magna coena dubia that know not at which dish to reach For this cause a great supper among the Romans was called a doubtful supper but take heed of wantonness under means of grace And consider as the day of grace is great so the day of judgment will be great when you shall be called to account for your abuse of Gospel-grace CHAP. IV. Luke 14.16 And bad many THese words shew Verbum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unde fortasse Angl. Call frequenter de vocatione ad convivium dicitur unde apud latinos simpliciter vocare est invit are ad mensam Novar that the invitation is answerable to the provision forementioned The Greek word in the Text signifyeth to call but 't is most frequently used for such a calling as is to a feast or banquet therefore 't is fitly translated bidding or inviting The many that are here said to be invited doth most properly belong to the time before Christs incarnation and in special to the Jews as appears by the immediate subsequent words which refer to the time at Christ's incarnation But the words are delivered in such large terms as exercise the bounty of the Maker of this Feast who declared herein his willingness that so many should partake of his supper Not only Jews but Gentiles ver 21.23 Of which there was some fore-taste in the conversion of several Gentiles called Proselytes by their coming in at the call before Christ came in the flesh Hence I note Obser The invitation to partake of Gospel-provision is very large Mnay are bidden Isa 55.1 Rev. 22.1 7. The explication of this truth will appear by an enumeration of several particular gâ—ests invited and many considered under each of them As 1. Adam was invited and with him the whole race of mankind He was the first man and the Head of the following men and the Gospel was propounded to him Genes 3.15 That he might communicate it to them that came of him Wherefore some make those words who will have all men saved 1 Tim. 2.4 a gloss upon the words of our Text. 2. Noah was invited and with him the old world Noah did partake of the grace of God in the Gospel and those of that age had the offer of that grace by him Christ was preached unto the old world by the ministery of Noah 1 Pet. 3.18 19. who is called not only an heir of righteousness but also a preacher of righteousness 2 Pet. 2.5 Those disobedient wretches in that loose age were called upon by Noah from God to believe and repent 3. Abraham was invited and with him the whole Nation of the Jews who came of his loins Gen. 12.1 17.1 he receiving the seal of this Gospel-righteousness in his uncircumcision he became the father of all them that believe though they be not circumcised Rom. 4.11 which extendeth to the good of believers in any Nation But for a long time the Gospel was confined within Abraham's family and Abraham's posterity according to the flesh 4. Moses was invited and with him the Jews had
the blind were not to be used in God's service Deut. 15.21 3. To confound the world viz. the men of the world in their wisdom and strength 1 Cor. 1.27 making them blush for shame to think how poor ideots learn the way to happiness in the conscientious practice of that little they know when they with all their speculative knowledge discoursing of happiness miss of it 4. To exalt himself that all that glory may glory in the Lord 1 Cor. 1.31 when mean men are exalted they cannot boast Though the Senator if chosen of God might perhaps boast of his dignity the Orator of his Eloquence and the Emperour of his power yet surely the poor fisher-man being chosen can boast of nothing but of him who made choice of him saith Augustine August 5. To conform the members to the Head now consider how poor he was who was the first-born of God's chosen A Carpenter's Wife was his Mother When he was born he was laid in a manger instead of a Cradle when he was grown up he had not wherewith to lay his head 6. To shew the soveraign pleasure of God it is so because so it seemeth good in his sight Matth. 11.25 26. CHAP. V. Use 1. HEre see that no kind of defects need keep off any from closing with the Gospel as 1. Not civil defects as want of worldly wealth The poorest need not scruple coming those that have no money may come and welome Isa 55.1 the Gospel-provision is not an ordinary where ye pay for what ye have but as a Feast whereto ye are freely invited and whereat you may fully feed 2. Not corporal defects as want of limbs The maimed the lame and the blind need not scruple coming The man sick of the Palsie was healed both in his body and soul Luke 5.25 3. Not mental defects as want of wit though you cannot so fully express your mind before God as others yet fall down before him 4. Not moral defects as want of good manners not leading a well-ordered life The lewdest persons need not scruple coming Publicans Sinners Extortioners Harlots are received by Christ when they come unto him Matth. 21.31 32. it is lawful for the most notorious sinners to believe and great sinners have become notable Saints Secondly here ye may see that God in his chusing is different from Satan and from men in their chusing Satan makes choice of the craftiest Heads and subtillest instruments to carry on his designs Gen. 3.1 he picks out a Goliah for strength an Achitophel for policy to do his work And no wonder for he cannot make men fit for his turn when he doth not find them so he cannot put new abilities into men though he doth excite those abilities which are in them Therefore he chuseth men fit for his turn seeing he cannot make them fit So men in their several choices they avoid defects as near as they can Use 2. Yet all that God chuseth are not obscure persons God chuseth some to grace and glory that are very eminent in the world Abraham the father of the faithful Isaac the heir of the Promise Jacob the man powerful with God were all very rich The elect Lady â— John 1. honourable women and men not a few believed Act. 17.12 So God chuseth some to be eminent in piety who are eminent in natural parts and moral accomplishments Such a one was St. Paul of whom Porphyry that great enemy to Christianity said it was pity such a man as Paul should be cast away upon the Christian Religion Now as God doth not make choice of none but mean persons so neither doth he make choice of all that are mean Many are deformed in their minds as well as in their bodies such as Thyrsues in Homer Do we not see many poor people live and die in gross ignorance and wickedness David saith the abjects gathered themselves against him Psal 35.15 sawcy dust as one calls them who will be flying in the faces of God's people And the rage of such many times proves the more furious for want of an ingenious disposition and civil education Vse 3. Doth God make choice of mean persons then hearken unto this ye that are mean in the world and not good this Doctrine tells you of a way whereby your outward wants may be supplyed with spiritual abundance You that are deformed and decrepit look into the glass of God's word and dress your souls by that glass As you should labour to supply your outward wants with spiritual excellencies so you should labour to see your spiritual wants by your outward wants Secondly ye that are poor and godly that are decrepit and deformed in your body and yet adorned with the graces of God's spirit in your souls learn to spiritualize your outward wants though the world neither know you nor regard you yet you are both known and esteemed of by the Lord and though you possess little or nothing of the world yet possessing God you possess all things Bless God for giving you spirituals though he hath denyed you temporals ye may rejoyce in the God of all mercies when you have not many outward mercies to rejoyce in Habak 3.17 18. Expect a change for the better death will perfect the souls of Saints after death the spirits of just men are made perfect Heb. 12.23 The Resurrection will perfect the bodies of Saints the weak body is raised in power 1 Cor. 15.43 the crooked body will be raised streight the maimed body will be raised whole the Resurrection will cure all infirmities the thought of which comforted the Martyrs when they gave their bodies to be burnt to ashes At Stratford-bow in Queen Maryes dayes were burnt at one stake a lame man and a blind man The lame man after he was chained bid the blâ—nd man be of good comfort for they should both be healed Ye that are not mean in the world do not ye despise whom God makes choice of Jam. 2.5 6. He that despiseth the poor despiseth his Maker Prov. 17.5 he contemneth the wise dispensation of God who would have the world consist of hills and valleys of high and low people intermingled And he that despiseth the godly Poor defaceth the image of God twice despising the immateriality and immortality of God upon the man and despising the holiness and Righteousness of God stampt upon the new man Let both high and low consider that these outward degrees are only calculated for this world the Grave takes away all civil differences Job 3.19 Bodies under ground are alike The dust of the rich and poor intermingleth one is not known from the other Besides many that are now despicable will appear honourable at the great day Those that are now so obscure that they are lost in the count of the world shall be taken into the arms of Christ and made much of before all the world 1 John 3.1 2. Luke 12.8 SERM. XIV LUKE 14.22 And the servant said Lord it is done
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