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Where, by the Kingdom of Heaven is meant the Chriftian Church, or the State of the Gofpel, for which 'tis often ta ken in the New Teftament. The King here meant, is God the Father, the great Sovereign of the World, and the fole Maker and Difpofer of all things. His Son is Jefus Chrift, begotten of the Father before all Worlds. The Marriage here made was God the Father's giving his Son for the Sal vation of Mankind; according to that of St. John, God fo loved the World, that he gave his only-begotten Son. To which the Son alfo gave his Confent and Compliance; for he is faid fo to love the World, as to give himself to and for it. This is here fet forth by a Marriage, to fhew the Nearnefs of Affection, and the Dearness of the Relation between them. Hence we find Chrift often owning himself related to his Church, as a Husband to his Spouse, as you may fee throughout the Book of Canticles; and God himself is faid to be marry'd to his People, fer. 3, 14. Turn ye backfliding Children, faith the Lord, for I am married unto you.

This is the Marriage here faid to be made, in which Chrift gives himself to his Church, and the Church gives it felf back again unto Chrift, and fo by nuptial and mutual Endearments they become nearly join'd and united to each other. St. Luke, in relating this Parable, tells us, that thist Marriage was celebrated with a Feaft or Wedding-Supper, Luke 14. And the fame is imply'd here in St. Matthew for the making a Marriage, is often render'd by making a Marriage-Feaft for his Son. Now by this Feaft here we are to understand the fpiritual Food of God's holy Word and Sacraments, the proper Food and Nourishment of the Soul, and the fitteft Banquet for fuch a Solemnity: 'tis exprefs'd fometimes by a Feaft of fat things, and fometimes by Marrow and Fatnefs, the highest and beft of all Feeding. St. John for its Excellency calls it Meat indeed, and Drink indeed, as alfo the living Bread, or the Bread of Life, that came down from Heaven: fhewing how vaftly it exceeds Mofes's Manna in the Wilderness, and all earthly Dainties; for none of thefe could preferve any from Death, whereas this heavenly Food not only does that, but cherisheth the Soul to eternal Life.

To this divine Gospel-Feaft, we read in the next Verse of a gracious and generous Invitation: for the King sent forth his Servants, to call them that were bidden to the Wedding. Where by the Servants that were fent forth, we are to understand the Ministers of Chrift, and the Stewards of

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the Mysteries of God: of whom Chrift himself declares, As my Father fent me, fo fend I you. They are commiffion'd by him, and fent as his Servants; to whom he added this Encouragement, He that beareth you, heareth me, and he that defpifeth you, defpifeth me, and he that defpifeth me, defpifeth him that fent me.

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But what was the Errand upon which he fent his Minif ters and Ambaffadors? Why, 'twas to call them that were bidden to the Wedding; to invite them to come away to this great and glorious Banquet, i. e. to the Participation of God's Holy Word and Sacraments; to accept of the Offers of Mercy, and the Tenders of Salvation made to them in the Gofpel; and to that end, to call upon them to hear the Words of eternal Life, and to receive that immortal Food, that is able to fave their Souls. This is the Meffage they were fent to deliver.

- But what Succefs had thefe Meffengers, or what Answer was return'd to him that fent them? Why, a very rude and ungrateful one indeed; They would not come. Who could have thought, that any fhould be fo unthankful, as to refuse so kind an Invitation? or that fo much Love should meet with fuch Ingratitude? But so it was then, and fo it is in a great meafure to this day.

St. Luke makes their Anfwer a little more civil, tho 'twas in effect the fame; for he tells us, They all with one Confent began to make Excufes: One had bought a piece of Ground, and muft needs go and fee it, and fo pray'd to be excus'd: Another had bought five Yoke of Oxen, and was going to prove them, and for that reafon pray'd to be excus'd: Another had marry'd a Wife, and he could not come. All which frivolous Excufes betray'd not only a Coldness, but a Contempt of the Invitation. The Defign of all this is, to reprefent the great Obftinacy and Perverfenefs of the Jews, in rejecting the Doctrine of Chrift, in defpifing his Miracles, and refufing all Overtures of Grace and Mercy that could be made to them.

But how did the King resent thefe Slights and Indignities offer'd to him? Why, he was not prefently mov'd to Indignation, but bore with them a while, and was willing to try them again; for the next words tell us, that he fent forth other Servants, saying, tell them who are bidden, Behold, I have prepar'd my Dinner, my Oxen and Fatlings are kill'd, and all things are ready, come unto the Marriage. He chang'd his Meffengers, left they fhould have any Prejudices against

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the former, and fent other Ambaffadors to treat with them, letting them know, that their Master had prepar'd an Entertainment for them, and that all things were ready for their Reception, and that nothing was wanting but the Guefts to fit down and partake of it: which is in effect the fame that St. Paul told the Corinthians, Chrift our Paffover is facrificed for us, come therefore and keep the Feast.

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But how was this fecond Meffage receiv'd? Why, much like the former; for they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his Farm, aud another to his Merchandize. Their worldly Bufinefs engrofs'd all their Time and Thoughts, and they had none of them to fpare upon other, tho more heavenly matters: their Minds were fet upon earthly Profits and Preferments, and look'd chiefly how they might profper and be promoted in this World, and therefore cared not for a Meffiah, who only talk'd of advancing them in another. Yea, there was a worfe matter in it than this, for they handled these other Servants worfe than the firft; fo the following words tell us, The Remnant took his Servants, and entreated them Spitefully, and flew them. One would think, if they would not come to the Feaft, they might have had fo much Manners as to have return'd thanks for the Invitation, and to treat the Meffengers civilly, who came upon fo kind an Errand. But inftead of that, they abus'd and perfecuted them; yea, they used them barbaroufly and kill'd them. This Paffage relates to the Jews barbarous Ufage of the Prophets and Apoftles that were fent unto them, of which our Saviour moft pathetically reminds them, Mat. 23. 37.3 O Jerufalem, Jerufalem, thou that killeft the Prophets, and ftoneft them that are fent unto thee; how often would I have gather'd thy Children together, as a Hen gathers her Chicken under her wings, and ye would not? Where we fee how tenderly Chrift refented their wicked and inhuman Carriage towards his Servants, as he still does all ill Treatment of his Minifters.

But how did the King take these repeated Refufals of his Offers, and the cruel Ufage of his Meffengers? Why that the next words declare; When the King heard thereof, he was wroth, and fent forth his Armies, and deftroy'd thofe Murderers, and burnt up their City. Their ftubborn and incorrigible Ingratitude kindled his Wrath against them, and when the Minifters he fent to them could not prevail to win them, he fent forth his Armies to destroy them, and to burn their City. The Armies he fent forth were

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the Romans, who were the Executioners of God's Vengeance upon them; for they deftroy'd the Murderers that flew this Servants, fack'd ferufalem, and laid both the Temple and City in afhes. Behold (faith our Saviour) your Houfe is left unto you defolate, and all things are fallen to zutter ruin. Which made him, when he drew near the City, weep over it, faying, O that thou hadst known in this thy day the things that belong to thy Peace, but now they are hid from thine eyes.

This is the First Part of this Parable, which contains the many gracious Offers of Mercy and Pardon made to God's own People the Jews, together with their wilful Refufal of them all, and God's utter Rejection of them for their obftinate Infidelity and Unbelief.

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The Second Part of it refers to God's calling in of the Gentiles, and taking them within the Pale of his Church, who were before Aliens and Strangers, And that begins in the next Verfe: Then faith he to his Servants, the Wedding is ready, but they who were bidden were not worthy go ye therefare into the High-ways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the Marriage: meaning, that tho all things are prepar'd for this Wedding or Gospel-Feaft, yet the principal Guests that were invited, are not prepar'd for it; and having by their wilful Contempt fhew'd themselves unworthy of it, they fhall be waited for no longer. Go ye therefore into the Highways, where the Heathens and Gentiles walk; and how vile foever they may feem in your eyes, bring theni in to the Feaft. St. Luke expreffes it thus; Go ye quickly into the Streets and Lanes of the City, and bring in hither the Poor and the Maim'd, the Halt and the Blind. All that you meet with, whether Poor or Rich, Gentle or Simple, preach the Gospel to them, and invite them to the Feaft. Here is God Almighty's free and general Invitation to all People and Nations, to come in and accept of the Grace and Favour of the Golpel: Ho, every one that thirfteth, come ye to the Waters, come buy and ear; yea, come buy Wine and Milk without Many and without Price. The Apoftles Commiflion was, Go and preach to all Nations, make Disciples of them, and bring them to me. Which Commiffion they exécuted, as the next words tell us: So thofe Servants went out into the Highways, and gather'd together all as many as they found, both bad and good; and the Wedding was furnish'd with Guests. This was the calling in

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of the Gentiles to be Fellow-Heirs and Partakers of the manifold Grace of God. Before, In Jewry only was God known, and his Name was great in Ifrael. At Salem was his Tabernacle, and his Dwelling in Zion: he had not dealt fa with other Nations, neither had the Heathens the knowledg of his Law. The Gentiles were excluded by a Partition-Wall from the Privileges of the Temple, and were fo many Outcafts and Strangers from the Covenant of Promife; but here this Enclosure was broken down, and both Jew and Gentile became all one in Chrift Fefus. qnow avol en cu

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The Church now receives all both bad and good, base and honourable, Hypocrites, as well as fincere Christians But yet Chrift knows the one froni the other and will make a diftinction between them. For it follows in the next Verfe, that when the King came in to fee the Guests, he Saw there a Man, which had not on a Wedding-Garment : that is, he found there one, that came not fo well dress'd and prepar'd as he should be, to the facred Solemnity of fuch a Feaft. Here by a Wedding-Garment we are not to understand any outward Attire, Veftment, or Habit of the Body; for Chrift looks not much to that, tho too many elfe do but the Wedding-Garment here refers to the in ward Drefs and Ornaments of the Soul. The Perfon here fpoken of, had not his Mind farmishd with Knowledg, to difcern the Lord's Body; nor his Heart with Grace, fpiritually to feed upon it: his Soul was not fo cloth'd with Humility, as to be fenfible of his Sins, or forry for them; he had not on the Robes of any real Righteoufnefs, either in herent, or imputed he came not to this holy Table as he ought, with the, Garments of Praife and Thanksgiving for the Mercies promis'd and convey'd by it. This undress'd or unprepar'd Perfon fell under the fharp Rebuke of the Master of the Feaft, who faid unto him, Friend, hota cameft thou in hither, not having a Wedding Garment and he was speechless.

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The Entertainer found one of the newly-receiv'd Gentiles crouding into the Feaft in his heathenith Vices and Practices, without putting off the old Man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful Lufts, or putting on the new Man, which is renew'd in Righteoufnefs and true Holinefs, and having found him, he expoftulates the matter with him, how he durft venture upon fo holy a Feaft in fo unworthy and unholy a manner and being prefs'd home with it, he was ftruck dumb, and had nothing to say in

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