you home this day: For however this parable was fpoken ori ginally to the Jews, and upon a particular occafion, as at a feaft, yet it is applicable to us, and to our children, and to as many as are afar off; yea, to as many as the LORD our GoD fhall call. It gives a fanction, methinks, to preaching in the fields, and other places befides the fynagogues; and points out the reception the gofpel meets with in thefe days, in such a lively manner, that one would think it had a particular reference to the prefent age. For is it not too, too plain, that the gofpel-offers, and gofpel-grace, have been flighted, and made light of, by many profeffors of this generation? We have been in the churches, telling them, again and again, that God has made a great fupper (and has invited many, even them) and fent us by his providence and his spirit, "to fay unto them that were bidden, Come, for all things are now ready. Believe on the LORD JESUS, and you fhall be faved." But the generality of the laity have made light of it, they have given us the hearing, but are too busy in their farms and their merchandizes, their marrying and giving in marriage, to come and be bleffed in the LORD of life. We have told them, again and again, that we do not want them to hide themselves from the world, but to teach them how they may live in, and yet not be of it. But all will not do. Many of the clergy alfo (like the letter-learned Scribes and Pharifees in our Saviour's time) reject the kingdom of GoD against themselves, and deny us the ufe of the pulpits, for no other reafon but because we preach the doctrine of juftification in the fight of GOD by faith alone, and invite finners to come and taste of the gospel feast freely, without money and without price.

Whatever they may think, we are perfuaded, the great mafter of the houfe is angry with them, for being angry with us without a caufe. He therefore now, by his providence, bids us "Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind," or call in the publicans and harlots, the common curfers and fwearers, and fabbath-breakers, and adulterers, who, perhaps, never entered a church door, or heard that JESUS CHRIST died for fuch finners as they are. We, through grace, have obeyed the command, we have gone out, though

expofed

For many power; and, chearfully to

expofed to much contempt for fo doing, and, bleffed be Gop, our labour has not been in vain in the LORD. have been made willing in the day of GoD's we would speak it with humility, we can go our Saviour, and fay, "It is done, LORD, as thou haft' commanded, and yet there is room." He is therefore pleased, in fpite of all oppofition from men or devils, to continue, and renew, and enlarge our commiffion; he hath fent us literally into the highways and hedges; and, I truft, has given us a commiffion to compel finners to come: For, could we speak with the tongues of men and angels, yet if the LORD did not attend the word with his power, and fweetly inclined men's wills to comply with the gofpel-call, we should be as a founding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. But this we believe our Saviour will do, for his house must be filled every foul for whom he has fhed his blood, fhall finally be faved, "and all that the Father hath given him, fhall come unto him, and whofoever cometh unto him he will in no wife caft out." This comforted our LORD, when his gospel was rejected by the Jews. As though he had faid, Well, tho' you defpife the offers of my grace, yet I fhall not fhed my blood in vain; for all that the Father hath given me shall come unto

me.

Supported by this confideration, I am not ashamed to come out this day into the highways and hedges, and to confefs that my business is to call the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind, felf-condemned, helpless finners, to the marriage-feaft of the fupper of the Lamb. My cry is, Come, believe on the LORD JESUS; throw yourselves at the footstool of his mercy, and you shall be faved; for all things are now ready. God the Father is ready, GOD the Son is ready, GoD the Holy Ghoft is ready; the bleffed angels above are ready, and the bleffed faints below are ready, to welcome' you to the gospel-feaft. A perfect and everlasting righteousness is now wrought out by JESUS CHRIST. GOD, now, upon honourable terms, can acquit the guilty. GOD can now be just, and yet juftify the ungodly. For he hath made CHRIST to be fin for us, who knew no fin, that we might be made the righteoufnefs of GOD in him." The fatted calf is now killed, and "CHRIST, our paffover, is

facrificed for us." Come, finners, and feed upon him in your hearts by faith, with thanksgiving. For JESUS CHRIST'S. fake, do not with one confent begin to make excuse. Do not let a piece of ground, five yoke of oxen, or even a wife, keep you from this great fupper. These you may enjoy, as, the gifts of GOD, and make use of them for the Mediator's glory, and yet be prefent at the gofpel-feaft. True and undefiled religion does not take away, but rather greatly enhances the comforts of life; and our LORD did not pray that we should be taken out of the world, but " that we should be delivered from the evil of it." O then that you would all, with one confent, fay, Lo! we come. Affure yourselves there is provifion enough. For it is a great fupper. In our Father's house there is bread enough and to fpare. And though a great GOD makes the fupper, yet he is as good and condefcending as he is great. Though he be the high and lofty one that inhabiteth eternity, yet he will dwell with the humble and contrite heart, even with the man that trembleth at his word. Neither can you complain for want of room; " for yet there is room. In our Father's houfe are many manfions." If it was not fo, our Saviour would have told us. The grace of CHRIST is as rich, as free, and as powerful as ever. He is "the fame yesterday, to-day, and for ever: He is full of grace and truth, and out of his fulness, all that come to him may receive grace for grace. He giveth liberally, and upbraideth not. He willeth not the death of a finner, but rather that he should believe and live. Come then, all ye halt, poor, maimed, and blind finners; take comfort, the LORD JESUS has fent his fervant to call you. It is now fupper-time, and a day of uncommon grace. The day may be far spent. Hafte, therefore, and away to the fupper of the Lamb. If you do not come, I know the master will be angry. And who can stand before him when he is angry?" Harden not therefore your hearts, as in the day of provocation, as in the day of temptation in the wildernefs." Do not provoke the LORD to fay, "None of those that were bidden fhall taste of my fupper." O dreadful words! Much more is implied in them than is expreffed. It is the fame with that in the pfalms, "I fware in my wrath, that they fhould not enter into my reft." And if you do not enter into God's reft, nor tafte of CHRIST's fupper, you must lift up

"

your eyes in torments, where you will have no reft, and muft fup with the damned devils for ever more.

Knowing therefore the terrors of the LORD, we perfuade you to hafte away; and make no more frivolous excufes. For there is no excuse against believing. Perhaps you fay, You call to the halt, and maimed, and blind, and poor. But if we are halt, and maimed, how can we come? If we are blind, how can we see our way? If we are poor, how can we ex pect admiffion to fo great a table? Ah! Happy are ye, if you are fenfible, that you are halt and maimed. For if you feel yourselves fo, and are lamenting it, who knows but whilft I am speaking, God may fend his Spirit with the word, and Fetch you home? Though you are blind, JESUS has eye-falve to anoint you. Though you are poor, yet you are welcome to this rich feaft. It coft JESUS CHRIST a great price, but you fhall have it gratis. For fuch as you was it defigned. "Bleffed are the poor in fpirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Rich, self-righteous, felf-fufficient finners, I know, will fcorn both the feaft and its great provider. They have done fo already, therefore the LORD has fent us into the highways and hedges, to bring fuch poor fouls as you are in. Venture then, my dear friends, and honour God, by taking him at his word. Come to the marriage-feaft. Believe me, you will there partake of moft delicious fare.

Tell me, ye that have been made to tafte that the LORD is gracious, will you not recommend this feaft to all? Are you not, whilft I am fpeaking, ready to cry out, Come all ye that are without, come ye, obey the call, for we have fat under the Redeemer's fhadow with great delight, and his fruit has been pleasant to cur tafte. Whilft I am fpeaking, does not the fire kindle, do not your hearts burn with a defire that others may come and be bleffed too? If you are chriftians indeed, I know you will be thus minded, and the language of your hearts will be, LORD, whilst he is calling, let thy Spirit (compel them to come in. O that the LORD may fay, Amen! And why should we doubt? Surely our Saviour will not let me complain this day that I have laboured in vain, and spent my ftrength for nought. Methinks I fee many defiring to come. O how fhall I compel you to come forwards. I will not ufe fire or fword, as VOL. VI.

C

the

the Papifts do, by terribly perverting this text of scripture. But I will tell you of the love of GOD, the love of GOD in CHRIST, and furely that muft compel you, that must constrain you, whether you will or not. Sinners, my heart is enlarged towards you. I could fill my mouth with arguments. Confider the greatness of the GOD who makes the supper. Confider the greatness of the price, wherewith it was purchased. Confider the greatness of the provifion made for you. What would you have more? Confider GoD's infinite condefcenfion, in calling you now, when you might have been in hell, "where the worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched." And that you might be without excufe, he has fent his fervant into the highways and hedges to invite you there. 0. that you tafted what I do now! I am fure you would not want arguments to induce you to come in: No, you would fly to the gospel-feast, as doves to the windows.

But, poor fouls! many of you, perhaps, are not hungry. You do not feel yourselves halt, or maimed, or blind, and therefore you have no relish for this fpiritual entertainment. Well, be not angry with me for calling you; be not offended if I weep over you, because you know not the day of your vifitation: If I must appear in judgment as a fwift witness against you, I must. I muft. But that thought chills my blood! I cannot bear it; I feel that I could lay down my life for you. But I am not willing to go without you. What fay you, my dear friends? I would put the queftion to you once more, Will you tafte of CHRIST's fupper, or will you not? You fhall all be welcome. There is milk at this feaft for babes, as well as meat for ftrong men, and for perfons of riper years. There is room and provifion for high and low, rich and poor,one with another; and our Saviour will thank you for coming. Amazing condefcenfion! Aftonishing love! The thought of it quite overcomes me. Help me, help me, O bet lievers, to blefs and praise him.

And Ọ that his love may excite us to come afrefh to him, as though we had never come before! For, though we have been often feafted, yet our fouls will ftarve, unless we renew our acts of faith, and throw ourselves, as loft, undone finners, continually at the feet of CHRIST. Feeding upon past experiences will not fatisfy our fouls, any more than what