Life. And 'tis enough to fay, That all the Entertainment Above will be full of fuch Riches, and Delights, and Ornament, and Glory, as are agreeable to that most Blissful flare. We are told of the other, Because we know no Better: But may af furedly conclude, That the Festivity of the Bleffed will be as much Superior to any amongst us here, as Heaven is Higher than the Earth, and as God who prepares it, does (in Wealth, and Power, and Glory,) Exceed all Kings and Princes in the World.

Now, if any be curious here to know why the Felicity of the Bleffed is deciphered by a Supper, rather than a Dinner? This may be the Reafon, Because a Dinner is ufually about Noon; after which, Bufinefs is to be done, till the Evening; whereas Supper being in the Clofe of the Day, when all the Business is over, After Supper follows only Reft and Sleep. Therefore. in another Parable, Mat. 22. 4. which te. fers to the Incarnation of our Lord, There we find a Dinner made, at the Marriage of the King's Son. Becaufe, when our Lord came to Efpoufe his Church, 'Twas about Noon; i. e. a great while before the End of the World. After which Dinner, many weighty Bufineffes, efpecially the Redem ption of the World, and Reconciliation of Man to God, were to be Transacted. But

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the bringing home of the Spoufe to the Bridegroom's Houfe, and the MarriageFeaft do follow after all the Troublefome part is over; In the Clofe of the Day, after which remains nothing, but fweet Sleep and Repose, i. e. Eternal Reft.

But let us fee, what's Requifite for the Admiffion of Guefts to this Supper. Luke 14. 16. A certain man made a great Feaft, and Bade many. But they all, with one Confent; began to make Excufe. The first faid, I have bought a piece of Ground, and I must needs and fee it: I pray thee bave me excufed. And another faid, I have bought five. Yoke of Oxen; and I go to prove thm: I pray thee have me excufed. And another faid, I have married a Wife, and therefore I cannot come.

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Strange! That Men fhould be Invited s of God, to a Royal Nuptial Feast, and yet draw back! What would they do, If cal led to the War's, or to fome Tedious Journey, or hazardous Enterprize? Such is the. Blindness of Man, that will not be induc'd to Believe, what his Eyes of flesh do not fee. But what's the Bait here lying in the way, which Men ufe to prefer before the Divine Supper, i. e. the Chief Eternal Good? The Lord names Three Impedi ments of Salvation. Tho' fuch, as are notin their own nature Evil; yet thro' an Inordinate Affection, are made the Bars, to hinder Salvation. The Buying of Landg

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Trying of Oxen, and Marrying a Wife: None of 'em Sins: True; But to Prefer any of 'em before the Kingdom of Heaven, is the fottish Overfight, that stops fo many from ever Coming there.

Yet will any that name the Name of Chrift, fuffer themselves to be thus hamper'd and hinder'd? O that Chriftians, who are made to know better things, fhould with fuch Eagernefs court Honour, Dignity, and Power, fignified by the Purchafe; Or Gain and Increase, fhadowed under the Husbandry; Or Senfuality and carnal Pleasure, intended by the Wedding; as to spend whole Ds and Nights in Seeking, and Getting, and Keeping, and Enjoying thofe poor Contentments; Till they utterly forget the most high and Eternal Goods, which God has laid up for them that Love him!

Nor will it fuffice fome, To Buy Lands, and Try Oxen, and Marry Wives: But fo wide will they wander from the way of Blifs, as to Invade others Lands, or Steal the Oxen, or keep the Whores, for Wives. Not thinking, or never well confidering, what an infinite Damage it is, for the fake of fuch Trash and Trifles, to Forfeit Glory, Honour, and Immortality; and Lofe the King of Heaven's Supper.

Did he not Promife us, defpicable Worms, An Entertainment of infinite Sweet

Sweetness in Heaven; but only fome Crumbs falling from the Table, or any Fragments of the Provifions enduring to everlasting Life; yet were it our wifeft Choice, To flight all the Good of this = World, That we might enjoy but thofe Relicks. O what Madness then, to prefer any pitiful Dying Pleafures, before thofe Heavenly Provifions of our Lord, which abound with all manner of Eternal Goods;; where, with Angels, Saints, and the Lord of all, we might fit down in the Kingdom of Heaven, and there Rejoyce for ever!

Now after our Lord had fhew'd, what Hinder'd the Güefts from this great Supper, He tells how the Defect was to be made up. Ver. 21. He faid to his fervants, Go out quickly into the Streets and Lanes of the City, and bring in bither the Poor, and the Maim'd, and the Halt, and the Blind. Yea, Ver. 23. He faid to his Servants, Go out tothe High-ways and Hedges; and Compel them to come in, that my Houfe may be filled. Because the Rich were fo Taken up with their Lands, and Teams, and Wives, that they car'd not for his Entertainment; He calls the Poor, that had not Money, to buy 'em Lands or Oxen; Nor could fo easily get the Wives, which they were not able to Maintain. He calls alfo the Infirm that were not able to go abroad, after Lands, Cattle, or Wives; And the Blind,

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that could not fee the Land, nor Drive the Oxen, nor find the Wives: The Lame alfo, that could not Travel o're the Grounds, nor follow the Teams, nor dance at the Weddings. Now these that were Difembarrass'd from all Impediments, which detain'd the others, being Admitted to the great Supper, might Congratulate even their Infirmities, and find Caufe to Bless the Lord, That he would have 'em to be Poor, and Weak, and Blind, and Lame. When many in this World cannot forbear to Repine and Murmur, that they were born Poor, or often are Sick, or Dark, or Lame: And therefore, in their own Opinion, the moft Unhappy. 'They do not know, what God may have Prepared for 'em in ' another World; more than to Compenfate, 'for all their feeming Infelicity here, which did they but well Underftand, They might Rejoice, and be exceeding Glad; and find caufe to fay, The Worfe 'twas with us, the Better for us. Never then let us Repine at the Providence of God ' even when it is Loweft and Hardeft with 'us.in the World. But in all things, give Thanks to the Beft of Fathers, who ftill Cares for us; and Acquiefce in his bleffed Will concerning us; who may be the Kindeft to us, even when he seems to deal Sharpest with us.

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