in a day repeated Christ's Sacrifice was with Blood and an unbloody Sacrifice is not propitiatory nor can obtain Remission Where can they find in Scripture the Religious Worship of the Saints They set up an infinite number of Intercessors and rob our Saviour of his Glory as if he were defective either in his Compassionate Love to us for whom he mediates or in his Power with God They prefer his Mother before him in dispensing Mercy of which Sinners have the most need they represent him as strict and severe but she is composed of Sweetness he is the Judg she the Advocate and Saviour we will leave them to the jealous God I shall only observe farther that many erring Sects preserve their Allegiance to the Divine Authority in the Scripture for they do not assume an Infallibility to themselves but mistake the Sense of Scripture but the Papists by asserting that the Authority of Scripture depends upon the Testimony of their Church that is the Sun borrows its Beams from her Eyes and by arrogating an Infallibility to it do in effect renounce Homage to the Authority of God in his Word And from hence it is that the Adherers to that Religion are so inconvincible tho Sense Reason and Scripture discover their Doctrines to be plainly impossible Their Doctrine of Transubstantiation involves such Contradictions as destroy the Essence and End of Miracles Their Doctrine of the Pope's Supremacy implies there are two Monarchs of one Kingdom two Heads of one Body two Husbands of one Spouse No Errors are more strong and fatal than such as are arm'd with Authority especially if that Authority be esteem'd sacred But to return from this Digression tho not impertinent Compel them to come in The word signifies the use of all constraining Motives and the most earnest Intreaties that are congruous to prevail upon those who are invited to a Feast The same word is used Mat. 14. 22. And Jesus constrained his Disciples to get into a Ship which certainly was not by violent driving or drawing them but by his commanding Authority So 't is related of the two that were with our Saviour in the Journey to Emmaus that they constrained him to abide with them The Constraint was by earnest Intreaties far from Force The same word is used of Peter's compelling the Gentiles to live after the Rites of the Jews that was by his Example Thus the Nations were compelled to receive the Gospel by the Apostles the Ambassadors for Christ who did ardently in season and out of season pray them in Christ's stead to be reconciled to God Their Doctrine was recommended by the Holiness of their Lives and confirmed by the Lustre of their Miracles In short the Expression signifies how pleasing it is to God that those who are invited by the Offers of Grace in the Gospel should come to Christ to obtain Life and that the Invitation shall be effectual in the Hearts of those who belong to the Election of Grace The Proposition that I shall insist on is this 'T is the great Duty of the Ministers of Christ to use their best Endeavours to instruct and perswade Men to embrace the saving Mercies of the Gospel The Commission was immediately given to the Apostles but extends to the end of the World till the Ministration of the Gospel shall cease I will explicate the Doctrine in this order I. Consider what is implied the Aversness in Men from consenting to the Terms of Salvation offered in the Gospel II. The Means by which they are wrought on and induced to come to the Celestial Feast III. Prove that 't is the great Duty of the Ministers of Christ to apply themselves with a holy Zeal to bring Men to partake of the saving Mercies revealed in the Gospel I. There is an Averseness implied in the Expression Compel them to come in This will be evident by considering that the World the Flesh and Satan are Enemies in Combination against the Souls of Men and raise an Army of Objections against their submitting to the Terms of the Gospel 1. The World is the general Temptation the natural World and the corrupt World the Things and Men of the World hinder our coming to Christ. 1st The natural World comprising all the Creatures in it was originally very good both in respect of the Things themselves and their designed Use for they were beneficial to Man in order to his serving and enjoying the blessed God But since his Fall from the State of unstain'd Nature they are accidentally evil to him The Creatures are made subject to Vanity not willingly they are perverted from their innocent use to foment and gratify Mens vicious Appetites Therefore the Apostle declares the whole Creation groans and travels in Pain is in a kind of Agony ready to faint not for the Labour but the Indignities they suffer The Charge that God fastens upon Idolaters is true against Worldly Men Ye have taken my Silver and my Gold and have carried into your Temples my goodly pleasant things The Riches the Pleasures the Greatness and Glory of the World are the Idols of their Heads and Hearts The Interposition of the Earth darkens their Minds eclipses their Esteem of the Fruition of God as their only Happiness the Love of it alienates and estranges their Affections from him their Trust in it slackens their due Dependance upon him From hence it is that the World which made by God was a fair and bright Theatre of his Perfections to raise the Thoughts and Affections of Men with Delight and Wonder to the blessed Creator as 't is manag'd by Satan and abus'd by the Lusts of Men is the Shadow of Death such as some Trees cast that not only intercept the refreshing Light of the Sun but shed a malignant contagious Influence Strange Alteration The World is present and sensible and makes an easy entrance into the Bosoms of Men. Their Souls are surpriz'd and deceived by the Suggestions of the Senses that represent earthly things as great Realities spiritual and future things are to them but matters of Fancy and Conceit The present and succeeding World are like Counterballances as the one rises the other sinks in Mens Opinions When the World has got Possession of them it commands and captivates all their Powers and Faculties All the Preaching in the World is in vain a Throng of Business or loose Diversions causes the neglect of the great Salvation Represent to them the attractive Mercies of God his melting Bowels open'd in the Gospel to all repenting Sinners they are unmoved frozen in their Dregs Remember them that their Bodies are dying every day and their Souls are already dead and that without sincere coming to Christ they cannot be recovered to the Life of Grace and Glory 't is in vain tell them they must shortly appear before the dread Lord of Spirits and be accountable for all things done in this World and the Consequence will be eternal all is in vain they
Custom 2. By opposing those who sincerely comply with the Heavenly Call either by Scorn and Derision or Violence and Persecution Human Nature is very sensible of disparaging Reflections and 't is one of the spiteful Arts of Satan to make use of his Instruments to deride serious Religion out of the World 'T is equally profane and pernicious to turn into Raillery and wild Mirth the Impieties and Impurities of the Wicked and the Holiness that shines in the Lives of excellent Saints for the making a Mock of Sin takes away the just Horrour and Detestation of it and the scurrilous vilifying of Holiness takes away the Veneration and high Respect that is due to it Carnal Men who live in Pleasures without restraint of their licentious Appetites upbraided by the holy and heavenly Conservation of sincere Christians cannot with Patience suffer others to practise what they neglect and to countenance their own Looseness and from Revenge scurrilously abuse whom they will not imitate Pure and undefiled Religion is the Game that winged Wits fly at He that avoids the appearance and approach of Sin that strives to be holy as God is holy in all manner of Conversation is the Mark wherein their poison'd Arrows are fasten'd The just upright Man is laughed to scorn Nay even dull Wretches will set up for Wits and attempt by their insipid Jests and thredbare Fooleries to abuse the Saints But all the bitter Sarcasms that are darted upon Religion are infinitely more hurtful to the Despisers than the Despised It argues a prodigious Depravation of Mind in those who take a perverse delight in scorning Holiness the glorious Likeness of God in Man such in the account of Scripture are the worst Sinners the most forlorn Wretches whose Condition is dreadful if not desperate This scornful exposing Religion to make Men asham'd of it is most successful upon the Dispositions of young Persons and those who are of higher Birth and Rank in the World Youth is the blushing Age and has a Tenderness of Face that cannot bear the Prints of Disgrace If one in his early Age begins to breath the Life of Holiness if he abstains from fleshly Lusts that war against the Soul he is represented as fondly nice and ridiculously scrupulous no less than the special Grace of of God is necessary to fortify his holy Resolutions and make him superior to the Scorns of the Wicked The Honourable are fearful of Disgrace and more tender of their Reputation than others being in a greater Light and expos'd to more Eyes and Observations If one of noble Quality renounces the Vanities and Enticements of the World makes the Fear of the Lord his Treasure if he zealously endeavours to be more distinguish'd from others by his eminent Vertues than by the Splendor of his Condition he is scornfully traduc'd as a melancholy Fop as a low Spirit as if Constancy in Devotion and the Practice of Mortification were a descent from his Dignity and cast a dark sad Shade upon his Honour Thus the vain perverted World vilifies that Holiness in Men which the blessed Angels adore in God But alas how many that had serious Inclinations to be religious and were entred into the way of Life have been cool'd and check'd in their first Fervors they could not firmly sustain Reproach and endure Conflicts with the Passion of Shame therefore return'd to the Course of the World and with it have perish'd to Eternity We read of the Israelites after their coming out of Egypt they met in the way with Amalec who feared not God and smote the feeble and faint and weary of them Therefore the Lord strictly charged them to blot out the Memory of Amalec from under Heaven In this Type profane Scorners that discourage Beginners in Religion may see their Doom To conclude this first General I shall observe the Parable represents to us that those who were first invited not only made light of it but entreated spitefully the Servants and slew them Their neglect of the gracious Invitation was like the Sleep of one opprest with the Fumes of Wine that does not hear a Message sent to him their cruel Rage against those who invited them was like the awaking of a distracted Person who hearing the Voice that calls him and by an Error of Judgment mistaking what is said in fury snatches his Sword and destroys those about him Wicked Men are of Satan's Society he was a Murderer from the beginning and hates the Word of Life As soon as our Saviour was born and pointed out by a new Star in Heaven there was a design to destroy him 'T is true the subtile Tempter does not at first inspire Men with Rage against the Gospel but as in the Art of dying some Colours are preparatory for others the Cloth is first dipt in Blew before it takes a Black so by several degrees in sinning he brings them to extream Wickedness Thus the Neglect of the Gospel makes way for the Contempt of those who bring it and Contempt proceeds to Hatred and Hatred sometimes produces mischievous and deadly Effects Now the fear of Temporal Evils especially if extream to which Men are open and obnoxious for the Gospel will hinder them from embracing it or cause them to forsake it if they are not supernaturally enlightned and confirm'd by the Spirit of Power and Love and of a sound Mind SERMON VII LUKE xiv 23. The Lord said to the Servant Compel them to come in that my House may be full I Proceed to the second Hinderance of Mens rejecting the Call of the Gospel The Flesh that in the Language of the Scripture signifies the corrupt Nature and inbred Inclinations of Men to forbidden things obstruct their coming to Christ. The corrupt Nature is called Flesh not only as that is a term of vilifying for the Original and Resolution of Flesh is into the Dust but partly with respect to its Propagation and chiefly in that the usual attractive and defiling Objects of Mens Thoughts and Desires are carnal and are enjoyed by the carnal Faculties Our Minds and Affections are coloured and qualified distinguish'd and denominated from the Objects about which they are conversant This Corruption is spread through all the Faculties of the Soul the Mind is carnal in its Principles and Acts in opposition to the Spirit of the Mind renewed by Grace the Will and Affections are depraved Whatever is born of the Flesh is Flesh. The Apostle fully expresses this Corruption he saith the natural Man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God that implies the stubborn Aversness in the Will and Affections from spiritual things for they are Foolishness to him neither can be know them because they are spiritually discerned The natural Mind is indispos'd and incapable of knowing supernatural things in their Reality and Goodness so as to ravish the Will into a Compliance till 't is purified and spiritualiz'd by the holy Spirit The same Apostle tells us that
it was requisite to atone the just Displeasure of God for our Offences 'T is said he offered his own Body on the Tree his peculiar Right in it was requisite to make it a proper and acceptable Sacrifice 'T is true the Father and holy Spirit had the same Right in the Human Nature of Christ as the Son had with respect to the making it but the Son by assuming it into a Personal Union with himself has a peculiar Right in it and offer'd his own in a strict sense And in Consequence to this his Sacrifice was of infinite Value He did not compound with God but paid a Ransom equivalent to what was due for Sinners He bled a Fountain from his wounded Side that cleanses from all Sin 2dly By his Intercession He is able to save to the uttermost all that come to God by him for he ever lives to make Intercession for them God pardons Sin as a Soveraign upon the Throne his Authority is preserved entire without any Condescension of his Person therefore the Blood of Christ shed on the Cross is pleaded in Heaven to reconcile God to us he satisfied Justice and sollicites Mercy his Blood speaks still and its Voice is as powerful as ever The Prevalency of his Intercession depends upon the Dignity of his Sacrifice the Dearness of his Person to the Father does also assure us of his favourable Audience He declar'd on Earth I know thou always hearest me 3dly The Gospel sets forth his Willingness to save us Faith has an Aspect upon Christ as able and willing to save for Power without a Will to save is unprofitable and the Will without Power is fruitless and ineffectual For the begetting of Faith we are to consider the Proposal and Offer of Grace in the Gospel and the Promise of it 1. In the Gospel there is a Proposal of Grace to all the Invitation is universal Whoever will let him come to the Waters of Life freely Our Saviour gave this Command to the Apostles Preach the Gospel to every Creature Neither the number nor quality of Mens Sins are a Bar against their coming to Christ for Life None are excluded but those who exclude themselves In the Parable those were earnestly invited by the Command of the Master of the Feast who refused to come This Offer of Grace and Life to all that will humbly receive it is the first Foundation of Faith and induces our Acceptance of it for without this the self-condemned Sinner sinks into Misery bottomless and helpless The most miserable Despair is drawn from Impossibility If Men think 't is impossible to obtain what they desire they will not endeavour to obtain 'T is easily clear'd by the Scriptures if Men will believe the Scriptures when they are clear that as the Brazen Serpent the Sign of Salvation was lifted up on high and made obvious to every Eye to convey healing Virtue to those who were stung by the fiery Serpents so our crucified Saviour is lifted up in the Gospel for every Soul-wounded Sinner to regard The belief of inviting Mercy opens the Springs of Godly Sorrow a Natural Sorrow arises from the sense of oppressing Evils and is terminated upon our selves a Spiritual Sorrow proceeds from the sense of our Unworthiness and the Divine Goodness that is so ready and desirous to save us 2. There is a Promise of Grace to all that repent and believe Our Saviour encourages us Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy-laden and I will give you Rest. Those who feel Sin as an intolerable Burden and their fainting Souls are without Support let them devolve their Burden upon him and trust entirely in him they shall obtain blessed Rest. The timerous Sinners that tremble under the Weight of their Guilt are encouraged for in this condition Christ invites them to come to him and promises Rest. Let them aggravate their Sins to the highest yet St. Paul challenges the Precedence as the chief of Sinners and obtained Mercy When the Heart is broken for Sin and from it not to believe the Promise of Mercy is dishonourable to our Saviour's Love and the Value of his Blood as if not sufficient to save poor Souls that would fain live in him We have the strongest Testimony of his Love in dying for us when we were Enemies Christ came with this Intention to save Sinners and when they come to him will he reject them He cannot deny himself he 's Truth and he has most expresly declar'd Whoever comes to me I will in no wise cast out and this Promise is confirm'd by the Will of his Father that sent him Christ invites thirsty Souls to partake of the Waters of Life and when he has inspir'd them with ardent Desires and they come will he send them away empty 'T is absolutely impossible for him who is incarnate Love and Mercy to despise and reject the Soul that looks to him that longs and languishes after him and will be ever unsatisfied without him In short the precious Promises in the Gospel of the Pardon of Sin and eternal Salvation are so proposed to us that the Hope of returning Sinners may be cherish'd and confirm'd and the Presumption of secure Sinners may be dash'd and controul'd While we are in this middle State the fear of Caution join'd with the lively hope of Mercy is the most congruous Temper and becoming the Breast of a Christian. The Presumer is like a Ship without Ballast floating so lightly in his own Folly that every Gust of Temptation oversets him The fearful Spirit is like a Ship over-laden and if not lightned will certainly sink and perish Fearless Security exposes to all the Temptations that gratify the Carnal Appetites desponding Fear causes a neglect of the Remedy If there be no fear of Punishment or no hope of Pardon the Consequences are equally fatal 3. 'T is necessary in order to the bringing Men to Christ to remove their carnal Prejudices The first and most fear'd Difficulties are That serious Religion will be a damp to all their Joys a harsh and unreasonable Restraint of their Liberties a Bar against all the Advantages of the World the sickly Fancy is frighten'd at the thoughts of this If the Way to Heaven were short and fair Men would like it but 't is long and deep and they are discouraged as the Israelites with the tedious and troublesom Wilderness before their arrival at the Land of Promise Accordingly Carnal Men cast a slanderous Shade upon Religion as a melancholy severe and joyless Discipline Now we may rectify these Mistakes by the Light of Scripture of Reason and of Experience 1. The Scrpiture declares that the Ways of Wisdom are Ways of Pleasantness and all her Paths are Peace The Entrance the Progress and Continuance in these Ways is joyful to the renewed Soul Let us take a right View of the Divine Commands the Sum of them is this That Men would be happy here and for ever We are commanded