THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN EXPLAIN'D And the way to Glory Manifested By Christ Jesus the Lord and King of that Kingdom Held forth in a Parable in Mat. 22. from verse 1. to ver 13. With some Brief Meditations upon the said Parable By James Pope If I have told you Earthly things and ye believe not How shall ye believe if I tell you of Heavenly things And he spake many things to them in Parables Mat. 13. 3. London Printed for the Author and are to be sold by Samuel Sprint at the Bell in Little-Brittain 1675. Academiae Cantabrigiensis Liber THE PREFACE I Have been Young and now am Old having lived to the account almost that Moses gives of the Age of a Man Psal 90. 10. Vnto which but few attain and being therefore now in expectation that I may quickly be called hence it was with great desire upon my heart that I might leave something with my Friends and Family and my loving Neighbours That if the will of the Lord be so it might be of some advantage to them when they shall see me no more The Subject of the insuing discourse is weighty though the Instrument is weak for which cause some perhaps may say Could not this man have found something else to do then to Write a Book seâ—ing this Nation doth abound with good Books that have been Written by Learned and able persons both Ancient and Modern It is true and blessed be God for plenty Yet nevertheless this may be of some advantage at least to some who have neither Money to buy nor time to Read the Books the Objection mentioned and for such this may be of use And besides though the Nation doth abound with good Books yet the houses of at least many People do not abound with them nor their minds with the knowledge of them Who perhaps will have a mind to hear what this Babler will say and it is possible some one or other may gain something thereby Which if it might be so it would make amends for all my trouble in Writing I know my end is to Alarum some poor souls and to perswade them to hearken to the invitation of the Gospel that so they may come and be welcome to the Marriage for they and they onely are Blessed Revel 19. 9. There will be but Come ye Blessed receive the Kingdome and Go ye Cursed into everlasting fire Which will certainly be the Portion of all those that neglect to hear and make ready to come upon the bidding to the Wedding by the Servants that are sent out to that end and purpose I shall subject the following Discourse to the perusal and censure of the Reader for whose sake I have Written it and especially my Neighbours of the Town of Hempsted whom I could be glad to serve in any thing within my power in thankful remembrancâ— of their Kindness shewed to me and my Friends which I do not forget I would also commend it to my Friends and dear Relations committing you all to the Grace of God with my poor Mite now cast into the Treasury remaining Your suppliant at the Throne of Grace J. P. THE KINGDOME OF HEAVEN EXPLAINED Matth. 22. 2. The Kingdome of Heaven is like a certain King that made a Marriage for his Son THe Lord Jesus spake much to the Jews in Parables and in a foregoing Parable he shews them what would be the event of their dealing with himself and his Servants which he sent unto them and they themselves passes Sentence Chap. 21. 41. He will miserably destroy those wicked men and let out the Vinyard to other Husband-men that will render the Fruit in their Season Which hath been fully accomplished both to them and to us they are destroyed and we Gentiles saved they are broken off and we if we believe shall be Grafted in They are deprived of the Gospel and we injoy it which is the sume of the Parable now under consideration And I shall take notes of three things First What the Kingdome of Heaven is Secondly How it may be compared to a Marriage Thirdly Wherein the Parable doth not hold for in all things Parables do not hold And then I shall desire to consider wherein the whole may be profitable to us As to the first a Kingdom doth impose a King and Subjects and so do the Kingdome of Heaven supposeth a Heavenly King and Heavenly Subjects and then Christ and his Church are to be taken for the Kingdome of Heaven But then the Question is what is the Church The answer is it is to be considered First In its Militant or else Secondly In its Triumphant state and in both these it will fall under a two fold consideration The First viz. The Militant or warring state we must consider it as it's Catholick consisting of the universal Body Among whom there is no Prophane nor Hypocritical Person And in this sense they are called The General Assembly and Church of the first born that are written in Heaven Heb. 12. 23. My Dove my undefiled is but one Song of Songs 6. 8. They are that whole Family in Heaven and Earth Eph. 3. 15. So all the Saints make up but one Church in this sence But in a second sense the Church is devided into particular Churches as 7 in Asia Rev. 1. 4. In Galacia divers Gal. 1. 22. As also at Corinth at Rome at Antioch and more that might be mentioned Now in the Church in this sence there were in the primitive days and have been since and will be so to the last some Hypocrites John 2. 19 Jude 4. Esay 33. 14. Sinners in Sion are afraid fearfulness surpriseth the Hypocrits Which seems to be at the last day There were foolish Virgins among the Wise when the Mid-night cry is made Mat. 25. For the Net of the Gospel doth bring to shore bad Fish as well as good Mat. 13. 47 48. But it greatly concerns the Churches to take care that such be not there by their allowance if they are made manifest to be such But the Church Triumphant is also the Kingdome of Heaven and falls under a twofold consideration also and First We may consider it as with respect to the first state of Glory in which state Christ and his Saints shall Reign Gloriously together according to Dan. 7. 9 10. I beheld till the Thrones were cast down and the Ancient of days did sit whose Garment was as White as Snow and the Hair of his Head as the pure Wool his Throne was like the burning flame and his Wheels as burning fire A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him thousand thousands Ministered unto him and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him the Judgment was set and the Books were opened This must needs be a day of great Glory when this glorious King shall come with his Glorious attendants to sit upon his Glorious Throne when all other Thrones must be cast down But what is this to the Saints I
answer When Christ shall possess the Kingdome his Saints shall possess it with him as appears by comparing Dan. 7. 14. with the 22 and 27 verses together in ver 14. There was given him viz. the Son of Man that came with the Clouds of Heaven Dominion and Glory and a Kingdom that all People Nations and Languages should serve and obey him And in ver 21. 22. It is said The Horns made War with the Saints and prevailed against them until the ancient of days came and judgment was given to the Saints of the most high and the time came that the Saints possessed the Kingdome And ver 27. And the Kingdome and Domion and the greatness of the Kingdome under the whole Heaven shall be given to the People of the Saints of the most high Quest When shall this be accomplished Answ I think I may safely say Of that day and hour knoweth no Man But this we know that it is to be after the Seventh Angel sounds his Trumpet and the Mystery of the Kingdome of God is finished Rev. 10. 7. and 11 15. compared but let it suffice that we know it shall be a state of very great Glory And whether it shall be a thousand years Glory before Christs visible comming as some say or that it shall begin when he shall come from Heaven to judge the World as others say is a Mistery too great for me to hold forth but it will be the first state of the Church Triumphant a state of Transcendent Glory And blessed are they that are called to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. Rev. 19 9. Again The final state of the Church Triumphant is When the Lord Jesus shall deliver up the Kingdome to God his Father that God may be all in all 1 Cor. 15. 24. Which will be when the Lord Christ hath finished the Judgment and the final Sentence is past of Come ye Blessed of my Father and receive the Kingdom And go ye Cursed into everlasting Fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels Now both these states are so Glorious as can no way be conceived of by Mortal man 1 Cor. 2. 9. And thus briefly I have passed through the first thing propounded viz. what the Kingdom is The second thing is Wherein it resembleth a Princely Marriage First In the Marriage of Great Persons the Father doth determine to provide a Match for his Son Even so God the Father did determine to take a Wife for his Son Christ Ephes 1. 4 5. According as he hath chosen us in him before the Foundation of the World Rom. 8. 29 30. Secondly As the Father intends so the Son accepts Ephes 5. 25 26 27. Christ the Son gave himself for his Church to wash it to cleanse it and to present it to himself a glorious Church c. Thirdly There is a time appointed for the Marriage Solemnity Revel 19. 7. The Marriage of the Lamb is come c. Fourthly Some are sent out to invite and hear we may take notice who were the first intended Guests and that was the Jews To whom Christ sent First The Apostles Mat. 10. 1 5 6 7. Secondly He sent the Seventy Luke 10. 1. They were they that first were called to come of whom some slited the invitation preferring their Worldly occasions before Gospel priviledges Luke 14. 18 19 20. And others of them abused yea slew the Messengers that were sent yea even the Son himself Mat. 21. 35 36 37 38. And when the Jews Blasphem'a and spoke against the things which Paul Preached Acts 13. 45 46. Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold and said it is meet the word of God should first be spoken to you but seeing ye put it from you and judge your selves unworthy of eternal life Loe we turn to the Gentiles These were the Church to whom the lively Oracles were given These were the Muraâ—rers whom GOD destroyed whose City was burnt Mat. 22. 7. Which was fulfill'd by Vespatian and Titus the Roman Emperors about 40 years after Christ When they and their City were in a most dreadful manner destroy'd by Fire Famine Sword and Pestilence fulfilling the Words of Christ Matth. 24. 21. But to whom did the King send when the Jews were rejected Answer To the Gentiles Who were as the Blind the Halt and the Maimed like poor Vagrant Beggers in the High-ways and under the Hedges Eph. 2. 12. Being without Christ Aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel and strangers from the Covenants of Promise without Hope and without God in the World Poor Sinners of the Gentiles were called of whom was Constituted the first Gentile Church to wit at Antioch Acts 11. 26. the Churches in Galatia Gal. 1. 2. From these came the 7 Churches in Asia with many more Against a great Wedding there is great preparation beforehand against the time appointed First Of suitable Apparel so in this also the Bride must have her Glorious Apparel The Kings Daughter is all Glorious within Psal 45. 13 14. Rev. 19. 8 9. To her was granted she should be arrayed with fine Linnen clean and White and the fine Linnen is the Righteousness of Saints Secondly There must be preparation by the Guests they must have Wedding Garments Mat. 22. 11 12. Thirdly There must be preparation of provision for entertainment so it must be in the Spiritual Marriage as it resembles the Kingdom of Heaven Prov. 1 2 3 4 5 Esaâ— 25 6 And it is the custom to have somthing for the Guests to refresh themselves with before the Dinner be ready and before the Bridegroom comes to sit down at Table So is it here the blessed Bridegroom doth prepare good things for his Guests before the great Dinner be served in he hath appointed for them his Laws and blessed Ordinances to comfort and cheer them before-hand Wherein they have Communion not onely one with another but with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ 1 Joh. 3. 4. 1 Cor. 10 16 17. The Cup of Blessing which we Bless is it not the Communion of the bloud of Christ the Bread which we break is it not the Communion of the Body of Christ for we being many are one Body for we are all partakers of that one Bread Little do the poor World think what the people of the Lord do enjoy in Corners They can say at sometimes They have meat to eat that the World knows not of They can get into a Corner and poure out their souls to God when their Enemies persecute them 142. Psal 2. 5 6 7. Compare Psal 102. 17. He will regard the Prayer of the Destitute and will not despise their Prayer The Lord makes the hearts of his Guests to rejoyce before they come to sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdome of their Fathers Sixthly There must be a set time for to Solemnize the Marriage so it is in this Spiritual as it resembles the Kingdom of Heaven Rev. 19. 7. The Marriage of the Lamb is come and his Wife
in this is like those Men that are called Spirits that flatters Children with fair words and fine toyes to go with them till they have got them out of the reach of all relief and then and not till then they will let them see they are certainly Slaves past all Recovery Oh be not such Children as to be flatter'd with worldly toyes out of the hope of Heavenly joyes and so suffer your selves to be carried into endless woes For remember till you tack about you are nearer Hell every day and so consequently further off from God and Christ and Glory O â—emember whither you are going and turn again before it be too late Let not Christ say of you as of the Jews Ye will not come to me that you might have life John 5. 40. O that poor men and women would take Counsel of Wisdom crying after them Prov. 1. 20 21 22 23 24. Turn as my Reproof I will pour out my Spirit unto you I will make known my words unto you O harken before it be too late hear that your Souls may live Isa 55. 3. Let not Satan get you one step nearer Hell before you turn 3. Motive Those Souls that delay to return and come in upon the invitation will make their work more hard and difficult if ever they do reform First Because the longer they go on in sin the more hardned they will be in sin Heb. 3. 13. But exhort one another daily while it is called to day viz. While the day of Grace and opportunity last lest any of you be hardned by the deceitfulness of sin Sin is deceitful and the Devil is deceitful and mans heart is deceitful and these three agree in one Jer. 17. 9. Even to deceive poor Souls with the Golden Baits of worldly injoyments till Repentance be hid from their Eyes And so their Oyl be to seek when the Bride-groom comes and the door be shut Secondly It will be difficult to return after long delays because Custome is as it were a second nature Jer. 13. 25. Can the Ethiopian change his Skin or the Leopard his Spots then may ye also do good that are accustomed to do evil We know Old Ulcers are hardly hardly Clensed and Cured when an ease and speedy Cure may be made of a Green Wound Poyson when it is first taken may be expel'd but by continuance in the body till it have insected the Vitals the Cure will be very difficult and hazardous 3 ly The longer we go on in sin the more difficult will be our return because one sin draws on another and so we shall have more sins to repent of and the more work we have to do the more discouragement will be as to the undertaking of it Repentance is of necessity and seeing it is so it will be easier to repent of sin betime It is a kind of madness for a man to go on in a Trade that he knows he must repent that ever he medled with it and must throw it off or else it will utterly undo him every one will say The sooner the better Better to be rid of such an Imployment that a man loses by every day we lose by sin every day and treasure up wrath against the day of wrath If a fire kindle upon our House the way to quench it is not to add more fuel to it Now Sin sets Soul and Body on fire And the breath of the Lord as a stream of Brimstone doth kindle it Isa 30. 33. The Devil knows what he does in perswading Souls to delay their coming in at the first Call he knows that the work of returning will be more difficult If a Nail be but entred it may be easier pull'd out then if by continual knocking it is driven up to the head To add sin to sin is as to add to a burden to make it to be carried the more easily This is like what is said Deut. 29. 19. When the Curse of God is pronounced against sin and one say I shall have peace though I walk in the imaginations of my own heart to add Drunkerness to Thirst See what the Lord saith ver 20. The Lord will not spare him but his anger and his Jealousie shall smoak against him and all the Curses that are Written in this Book shall lye upon him O then take heed of delays for the work will be more difficult to morrow then it is to day O then while it is called to day harden not thy heart 4. Motive Come in quickly for else thou may'st not have so much time to serve the Lord as thou hast spent in serving the Devil who is thy deadly Enemy who intends nothing but thy eternal Ruine 5. Motive Consider thou hast run a great hazard all this while the Lord might have cut asunder the thred of thy life before now and thou mightest have dropt into Hell from whence there is no Redemption and wilt thou venture still if once he strike he will strike home 6. Motive Consider what thou losest by delays First Thou losest the presence of God the Communion of Saints the comfort of the Holy Spirit which although the wicked men count the Godly fools and think they live a mopish uncomfortable life yet is their joy as the joy of Harvest and as those that find a great spoil Isa 9. 3. see 1 Joh. 1. 4. Psal 16. 11. see 1 Pet. 1. 8. So that by delaying to come at the first although at last thou do come yet thou art a great loser in regard of that early joy which thou mightest have had by comming in sooner For the Lord doth not call upon thee to come and make thy condition worse than before It is a madness to think that the Devils service is more comfortable then Gods Secondly Thou losest the advantage of becomming famous in grace and holiness if a man be in a thriving way yet if he fall into it but a little before he dye he is not like to be very Rich. Oh therefore hearken to the Call betime that so thou may'st be rich in Grace rich in good Works and then thou shalt have a rich Reward in the Kingdom of Glory Thirdly By delayes thou may'st lose all and come as the Foolish Virgins did Mat. 25. When the Door was shut and as those Mat. 7. 22. That Prophesied in the Name of Christ and cast out Devils in his Name anâ— yet cannot be admitted When once the Master of the house is risen up and hath shut to the Door Luk. 13. 25. It will be then no boot 〈◊〉 knock and this is a loss indeed to lose the favour of God the love of Christ the fellowship of the Holy Spirit the Communion of all the blessed Angels and Saints thou losest Heaven and happiness and all the Glory and Felicity which was tendered to thee in the invitation But that is not all but those that lose God gain the Devil those that lose Heaven gain Hell which gain is a dreadful loss
as will more fully appear by setting forth some of the properties of Heaven and Hell and setting the one against the other 1. As first In Heaven there is God the Father Son and Holy Spirit in Hell is the Devil and all his Angels 2. In Heaven there is an innumerable Company of Glorified Saints and Angels in Hell there is an innumerable Company of wicked damn'd Spirits 3. In Heaven there is nothing but Joy and Singing in Hell is nothing but weeping and wailing 4. In Heaven there is Glorious Light that no Mortal Eye can approach unto in Hell there is outer Darkness Mat. 22. 13. Blackness of Darkness of Darkness for ever Jude 3. Oh what a disparity is here between these two the Darkness of Egypt was but a Figure of this Black Darkness And as it is very comfortable to behold the Light so it is very dreadful to be deprived of all Light to be alone in the Dark is frightful especially if it be outer Darkness but ten thousand times better to be quite alone then to be in the midst of innumerable Devils and frightful damn'd Spirits 5. In Heaven is whatever may delight both Soul and Body but in Hell there is whatever may add to misery and torment of soul and body 1. As first There is fire into which they shall be cast that have their portion there 2. And as it is Fire which in it self is dreadful even so it is the worst fire viz. Brimstone and Fire even as God when he would pour out his wrath upon Sodom who suffer the Vengeance of Eternal Fire Jude 7. It was with Brimstone and fire from the Lord out of Heaven Gen. 19. 24. And it is hard to indure the stink of Brimstone and fire though we feel not the burning of it But some may say it is not material Fire to which one make answer and says Then it is worse because that the Figure is not answerable to the substance So that at the best it is Fire and Brimstone Oh how dreadful will it be to endure it When I have had the Smoak of Brimstone ascend into my Nostrils it hath been terrible though but for a moment And when I have stood by a flaming Oven I have thought Oh how dreadful would it be to be alive in that flame though but for a very little space 3. This fire is dark fire the comfortable property of Light is taken from it for in Hell there must be nothing that can yield any comfort 4. Again It is such fire that will not consume the matter that is laid into it but the fire and the Fuel to wit Devils and wicked men must remain and abide in that fire together 5. And therefore this Fire is Eternal Jude 7. Everlasting Mat. 25. 41. And this makes it dreadful indeed All the miseries of this life will quickly end they are but light and momentary 2 Cor. 4 17. But these shall never end and this doth compleat the misery of the Damn'd There will be no end of their misery no ease in their misery no mitigation of their misery no delivering out of their nor relief in their misery No end as is said before and as one saith If the Damn'd did know that he should suffer no more thousands of years then there be Sands in the Sea or no more Millions of Ages then there be Sands in the Sea it would much comfort him but alas it is ever still Another Writes thus suppose the whole Globe of the Earth were a Mountain of Sand and fill'd up with Sand to the Imperial Heavens and a Wren should come once in an hundred years and fetch away the tenth part of a Grain of this Sand if when all this Sand was fetcht away the Damn'd might come out of Hell it would be some comfort to them But still it is as before it is for ever still Oh what an amazing consideration is this and yet how few lay it to heart Now considering these things is it not folly and madness to reject or but neglect to come to the Marriage upon the first Call of the Lords Servants that are sent to invite thee How shall they escape that neglect so great Salvation All must come to the Wedding or go to the Dungeon Where the Worm never dyes nor the Fire goes not out Consider there is no ease as there is no end if one did know certainly that he must indure the pain but of an aking Tooth without any ease for the space of one whole Year Oh! how grievous would the very thoughts of it be How long doth one night seem to one in misery What shall we say to Eternity when not any one Member shall be in pain but the whole Man Soul and Body shall be in pain in torment not only for a Night or a Year but for ever in which there is no intermission no hope no relief no not a drop of water for ever to cool a flaming Tongue all hope of help being cut off for ever Lay all these Motives together to which many might be added for a speedy comming in and then tell me whether even reason it self will not conclude it is best to hear that your Souls may live Isa 55. 3. Will a Months living in pleasure in pride in the eager persute of Riches make amends for the loss of the Glory mentioned before and for undergoing of wrath and vengeance in Hell fire Man being in honour abideth not Psal 49. 12. Yet in ver 11 it is said Their inward thoughts is their houses shall continue for ever and they call their Lands after their own Names vâ—r 13. This then is their folly Indeed it is egredious folly to lose Heaven for a little Earth Heavenly treasure for Earthly pleasure for a Barley Corn to lose the Pearl of great price Alas All flesh is Grass and all the Glory of Man as the flowers of the Grass the Grass withereth and the Flower fadeth away How oft do we see the Flower wither before the Sithe come to cut down the Grass How oft do we see the Glory of Man issue before he leave the World And yet what a little little time do they abide in the World The Sithe comes and Mows down this Grass speedily I my self have seen in some Families two and in some three Generations pass away few attaining to Moses account of threescore years and ten as Psal 90 10. But if they do it quickly comes about and it will be our great Mercy If the Lord so teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts to Wisdom Quest What is to be done Answ The first step is to see our selves utterly lost First By natural defilement Secondly By actual sin by which we have made our selves more vile in the sight of God then the vilest of the Creatures upon Earth Those in the Acts never cryed out What shall we do till they were prickt at their hearts and they were not prickt at their
hearts till they saw themselves lost by sin and obnoxious to the Wrath of God by reason thereof We will never go to the Physitians till we be sick Labour to affect thy heart with the filthy nature of sin it made Glorious Angels ugly Devils if man that was made after the Image of God more vile then a Toad or Serpent Yea one Sin brought a Curse upon the whole VVorld then consider what a World of Sins will do to one man Again consider that although thou have forgot most of thy sins which are without number God hath not forgot any of them but they are all charged in Gods Book till Repentance wipe out the Score Again consider That so long as thou continuest in thy sinful state thou art pleasing and serving the Devil instead of God and he is thy God though thou think not so it may be Again consider How little time thou hast for so great a work as to make thy Calling and Election sure and it may be a great deal less then thou art aware of Then again consider The infinite Grace and patience of God thou mightest have been in Hell stand and wonder thou art not O let mercy melt thee let Grace move thee let this love of Christ constrain thee he that dyed for sinners to save them from their sins and from the Wrath of God 1 Pet. 3. 18. 1 Thes 1. 10. He hath sent his Servants to compel thee to come in by Wooings beseechings intreatings then why wilt thou famish among the Swine seeing there is a plentiful Marrriage Feast prepared for thee if thou wilt but come and accept of it Come then without delay for all things are ready God hath given Christ Christ hath given himself he hath ascended up on high and given Gifts unto Men for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry Eph. 4. And he hath made his Ministers willing to spend and be spent for the good of poor Souls in all Ages Many of which have witnessed a good Confession unto Death for the sake of poor Souls He hath given us his Laws his Ordinances his Scriptures Yea and will give us his Spirit also if we will but come and ask it Prov. 1. 22. Come therefore for all things are ready Prov. 9. 1 2 3 4. Quest But what must I do that I may be welcome when I do come Answ First Come willingly and cheerfully come as a hungry man goes to a Rich Dinner for such are invited Rev. 22. 17. Joh. 7. 37. Luke 1. 53. Such have the promise Mat. 5. 6. Secondly Come prepared with a Wedding Garment 1. Direct First Be sure put off all thy Old Rags of Sin and Ungodliness Isa 55. 6. 7. 2. Direct Secondly Put off all the Rags of thy Unrighteousness Isa 64. 6. For although thou must do good works to glorifie God and do good to men yet take heed of making this thy Wedding Garment for which thou would st be accepted Secondly Having put off thy old Rags put on the New Robe of Christs Righteousness that fine Linnin Rev. 19. 8. Put ye on the Lord Jesus Rom. 13. 14. 3. Direct Thirdly Take heed of defiling thy Garments for those that are careful in this Shall walk with the Bride groom in White in the Marriage Chamber Rev. 3. 4. We see among People a great care to have the body adorned but O the little care of keeping themselves unspotted of the World that is to be found among many When they are to go into the presence of the King to stand before him and to hear his voyce in the Ministry of his VVord I am afraid many professing Godliness take more care and spend more time to have their Garments fashionable and compleat and their Attire neatly set then they do to have their Souls trimmed for to come before the Bridegroom the time spent in Prayer is but little which many before they go before the Lord that they might be helped to serve God acceptably with Reverence and Godly fear as Heb. 12. 28. I desire that our fine fashionable People would Read conscionably 1 Pet. 3. 3. 4. 5. That they might lay aside their bables and learn of the Holy Women that trusted in God to adorn themselves I fear indeed that while so much care is taken for the Body to adorn it it is no other then the Fruit of a proud heart which renders a person more odious in the Eyes of the King of Heaven then the nastiest Begger with his Lousie Rags would be in the presence of an Earthly King Pride is not the only defiling sin there are more attending it for there must be Covetousness to maintain pride and as pride promotes Covetousness so also Uncharitableness is Prides Hand-maid But in a word every sin is a stain in the VVhite Linen O therefore watch against evil words with David 93. Psal 1. VVatch against thoughts Jer. 4. 14. VVatch against evil actions And in order hereunto labour against a Carnal frame a Dead frame a Backsliding frame and labour after Calebs frame Who followed the Lord fully and the Lord brought him unto the promised Land when others fell in the Wilderness Even so the Lord if thou follow him fully and faithfully will certainly bring thee into Eternal Rest with the Bride Croom when others are shut out among the Dogs see Rev. 21. 7 8. and Chap. 22. 14 15. Again As thou art careful to have admittance into the Marriage-Chamber to have a VVedding Garment and to have it clean so be careful of thy Family wouldst thou not be glad to have thy Friends and Relations admitted take heed thou do not promote sin nor countenance sin in any It is grievous to see how many Parents promote Pride in their Children dressing them up with toys which is as it was a watering of that Cursed Root You may observe how the Child will mince and jet when it is made more fine then ordinary And so by this means instead of bringing them up in the nurture and Admonition of the Lord They further them in the service of the Devil But I must close all Now therefore to that end thee and thine may not fail of entertainment in the Marriage Chamber pray often and earnestly not only publickly but also privately Hear the word of God constantly conscionably and diligently labour to retain it carefully prove what thou hearest knowingly and what thou findest to be the mind of God practice it faithfully bring duty into practice effectually and zealously and God shall make thee happy eternally FINIS
hath made her self ready Psal 45. 9. Kings Daughters were among thy Honourable Women upon thy right hand did stand the Queen in Gold of Ophir ver 14. She shall be brought unto the King in Raiment of Needle Work It will be very Glorious Raiment That shall cause her to shine as the Sun in the Kingdom Mat. 13. 43. Seventhly There is great joy in the Marriage Chamber so will it be in this Spiritual Marriage as it resembles the Kingdom of Heaven Revel 19. 7. Let us rejoyce and be glad and give Honour to him for the Marriage of the Lamb is come No Tongue can express the Glorious rejoycing of that day the Heavenly Musick will then strike up Rev. 5. 8 9 10. Chap. 15. 3. 4. Now shall the Bride and Bridegroom solace themselves in each others love unspeakably beyond the Joy of any other Bride-Groom and Bride in all the World The third thing propounded is to note some things wherein this and other Marriages do not resemble each other As first All the appointing inviting preparing rejoycing compleating and finishing is all upon a natural account and the other all upon a Spiritual account as hath been already shown And as it is natural and not spiritual so also it is temporal and not perpetual First All other Wedding days have an end but this shall never end For those that dye before Christs comming shall be both caught up to meet the Lord in the Air and so shall be ever with the Lord These are words to comfort one another withal 1 Thes 4. 17 18. Secondly In other Weddings they put off their VVedding Apparel again but it is not so here Daniel 13. 3. They that be Wise shall shine as the brightness of the Firmament and those turn many to Righteousness as the Stars for ever and ever Thirdly In all other wedding feasts those that partake thereof will hunger again and thirst again but not so in this Spiritual Marriage Isa 49. read from ver 8. to ver 13. Rev. 7. 16 17. Fourthly In other Marriages the joy and the sound of the Musick ceases but in this Spiritual Marriage they shall sing the Song of Moses and the Lamb eternally Rev. 4. 8 9 10 11. Fifthly In other Marriages the beauty and comliness of the Bride decays in a little time but not so here in the Kingdom there shall be no withered faces nor eyes sunk in their holes no aking Backs nor feeble Limbs Zach. 12. 8 Sixthly All other Bridegrooms and their Brides must part again in a little time Oh how soon is their days of Feasting and joy turned into sorrow and mourning and those that did follow them to the VVedding in a little time follow them to the Grave This daily experience proves But this Heavenly Bridegroom never shall never will part with his lovely Bride No Death is now Conquer'd and were it not it could not seperate between the Bride-groom Christ and his Bride the Church no nor with any one Member of it Rom 8. 35. 36 37 38 39. Seventhly In other Marriages the Guests and the Bride are distinct but not so in this for every one that cometh to the Marriage upon the call or invitation shall be a Member of the Bride and shall enjoy full Communion with the Bridegroom 1 John 1. 3 4. That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you that ye also may have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ These things Write we unto you that your joy may be full Psal 16. 11. In thy presence is fulness of Joy and at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore Fourthly The fourth thing and the last is to consider how we may improve this Parable to our own Advantage 1. Vse And first It shows us how we ought to admire the goodness of God in sending to invite us poor blind lame high-way Vagrants to come to the Glorious Marriage That we who were Children of Wrath by nature Eph. 2. 3. And had been long treasuring up Wrath against the day of Wrath and Revelation of the Righteous Judgment of God should be invited in Rom. 2. 5. Oh infinite mercy that we Who were dead in trespasses and sins should be quickned and that together with Christ and saved by Grace Oh that the Lord should pass by the wide VVorld and send his Gospel into this poor Island and plant it here and continue i◠here so long a time as he hath done notwithstanding all the opposition to the contrary nay notwithstanding the slight esteem of it and the little improvement that hath been made by this poor Nation of this so Rich a mercy Oh! how hath the Lord been sending his Servants among us raising them up and furnishing them with the Choice Gifts of his Spirit who have spent their time and strength to serve the Lord in the Ministry of the Gospel but Oh! How few have hearkened to the Call Do not most say with the Jew◠we cannot come we have other work to do and have not many evil 〈…〉 them that have been sent unto them to say no worse of it but let those that fear the Lord and have been moderate to come in at the Call say let the Lord be praised seeing he hath left a great part of the world to worship the Devil a great part to worship Mahomet and a great part of the world to worship the Beast Rev. 13 8. All these are without the Gospel without any means to come to the right knowledge of God and Christ Nay they have that which is a great deal worse then nothing being deceived by those Impostures whose work it is to bewitch poor souls and to prevent them of good any good and make them seven fold more the Children of Wrath by their means But blessed be your Eyes that you see and your Ears that you hear Oh let it be the care of every one that hath tasted that the Lord is gracious to be by all means endeavouring to shew forth the praises of him that hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light 1 Pet. 2. 9 Secondly A second use to be made of this Parable is to examine whether we have hearkened to the invitation or no and to help herein the Scripture doth afford us many rules to try by I shall name some First Note As first If we have indeed hearkned to the Lords Call then your understanding is enlightned which before was dark Compare Eph. 1. 18. with the 4. 18. By this we come to know what is the riches of the Glory of his inheritance in the Saints and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward that beleive which we understood not before by this new Light we come to see how miserable our estate was by nature and what necessity of being brought out of that state or else that eternal VVrath must have been our Portion By this we come to see an