SERMON XXXIII.

The Gospel Supper.

LUKE xiv. 22, 23, 24.

And the fervant faid, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. And the lord said unto the fervant, Go out into the high-ways, and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. For I say unto you, that none of those men which were bidden, shall taste of my supper.

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HOUGH here is a large and solemn assembly, yet I suppose you are all convinced, that you are not to live in this world always. May I not take it for granted, that even the most prophane amongst you, do in your hearts believe, what the sacred oracles have most clearly revealed, "That as it is appointed for all men once to die, so after death comes the judgment?" Yes, I know you believe, that nothing is more certain, than that we are to " appear before the judgment-feat of CHRIST, to be rewarded according to the deeds done in the body, whether they have been good, or whether they have been evil." And, however hard the faying may seem to you at the first hearing, yet I cannot help informing you, that I am thoroughly persuaded, as many will be driven from that judgment-feat, with a "Depart ye cursed into everlasting fire," for pursuing things in themselves lawful, out of a wrong principle, and in too intense a degree; as for drunkenness, adultery, fornication, or any other gross enormity whatsoever. Bad as the world is, bleffed be God, there are great numbers yet lest amongst us, who either through the restraints of a religious education, or self-love,

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and outward reputation, abstain from gross sin themselves, and look with detestation and abhorrence upon others, who indulge themselves in it. But then, through an over-eager pursuit after the things of sense and time, their fouls are insensibly lulled into a spiritual slumber, and by degrees become as dead to God, and as deaf to all the gracious invitations of the gospel, as the most abandoned prodigals. It is remarkable, therefore, that our Saviour, knowing how desperately wicked and treacherous the heart of man was, in this, as well as other respects, after he had cautioned his disciples, and us in them, to "take heed that their hearts were not at any time overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness," immediately adds, " and the cares (the immoderate anxious cares) of this life." For they are of a distracting, intoxicating nature, and foon overcharge and weigh down the hearts of the children of

men.

To prevent or remedy this evil, our Lord, during the time of his tabernacling here below, spake many parables, but not one more pertinent, not one, in which the freeness of the gospel-call, and the frivolous pretences men frame to excuse themselves from embracing it, and the dreadful doom they incur by so doing, are more displayed, or set off in livelier colours, than that to which the words of the text refer. "And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled: For I say unto you, that none of those that were bidden shall taste of my supper."

In order to have a clear view of the occafion, scope, and contents of the parable, to which these words belong, it is necessary for us to look back to the very beginning of this chapter. " And it came to pass, as he went into the house of one of the chief pharisees to eat bread, on the fabbath day, that they watched him." The perfon here spoken of, as going into this Pharisee's house, is our blessed Saviour. For as he came eating and drinking, agreeable to his character, he was free, courteous and affable to all; and therefore though it was on the fabbath-day, he accepted an invitation, and went into the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread, notwithstanding he knew the Pharifees were his professed enemies, and that they watched him, hoping to find some occafion to upbraid him, either for his discourse or behaviour. If the Pharifee

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Pharisee into whose house our Lord went, was one of this stamp, his invitation bespeaks him to be a very ill man, and may serve to teach us, that much rancour and heart-enmity against JESUS CHRIST, may be concealed and cloaked under a great and blazing profeffion of religion. However, our Saviour was more than a match for all his enemies, and by accepting this invitation, hath warranted his minifters and difciples, to comply with the like invitations, and converfe freely about the things of GOD, though those who invite them, may not have real religion at heart. For how knowest thou, O man, but thou mayest drop something, that may benefit their fouls, and make them religious indeed? And supposing they should watch thee, watch thou unto prayer, whilst thou art in their company, and that same JESUS, who went into this Pharifee's house, and was fo faithful and edifying in his conversation when there, will enable thee to go and do likewife.

That our LORD's conversation was not trifling, but such as tended to the use of edifying, and that he behaved among the guests as a faithful physician, rather than as a careless, indifferent companion, is evident from the 7th verse of this chapter, where we are told, that "he marked how they chose the chief rooms;" or, to speak in our common way, were defirous of fitting at the upper end of the table. And whether we think of it or not, the LORD JESUS takes notice of our behaviour, even when we are going to fit down only at our common meals. Would to Gop, all that make a profeffion of real chriftianity, confidered this well! Religion then would not be so much confined to church, or meeting, but be brought home to our private houses, and many needless unchriftian compliments be prevented. For (with grief I speak it) is it not too true, that abundance of profeffors love, and are too fond of the uppermost places in houses, as well as fynagogues? This was what our Lord blamed in the guests where he now was. He marked, he took notice, he looked before he fpake (as we should always do, if we would speak to the purpose) how they chose out the chief rooms. Therefore, though they were rich in this world's goods, and were none of his guests, yet unwilling to suffer the leaft fin upon them, or lose any opportunity of giving instruction, he gave

them a lecture upon humility, saying unto them, or directing his discourse to all in general, though probably he spake to one in particular, who fat near him, and whom, it may be, he took notice of, as more than ordinarily folicitous in choosing. a chief room, or couch, on which they lay at meals, after the custom of the Romans; "When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding (which seems to intimate that this was a wedding-feaft) fit not down in the highest room, left a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him; and he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room. But when thou art bidden, go and fit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship (or respect) in the presence of them who fit at meat with thee." O glorious example of faithfulness and love to fouls! How ought ministers espcially, to copy after their blessed Master, and, with fimplicity and godly fincerity, mildly and opportunely rebuke the faults of the company they are in, though fuperior to them in outward circumstances? What rightly informed person, after reading this passage, can think they teach right and agreeable to the word of GOD in this respect, who say, we must not, at least need not, reprove natural men? Surely fuch doctrine cometh not from above! For are we not commanded, in any wife, to reprove our neighbour (whether he be a child of God or no) and not to fuffer fin upon him? Is it not more than probable, that all these guests were natural men? And yet our LORD reproved them. Help us then, O Saviour, in this and every other instance of thy moral conduct, to walk as thou hast set us an example !

Neither did our LORD stop here; but observing that none but the rich, the mighty, and the noble, were called to the feaft, he took occafion also from thence, to give even his hoft (for the best return we make our friends for their kindness, is to be faithful to their fouls) one of the chief Phari fees, a wholesome piece of advice. "Then said he also to him that bade him, when thou makest a dinner or a fupper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen nor thy rich neighbours, left they also bid thee again, and a recompence be made thee. But when thou makest a feaft,

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call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind, and thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompence thee: For thou shalt be recompenced at the refurrection of the just!" Thus did our Lord entertain the company. Words spoken in fuch due season, how good are they! Would CHRIST's followers thus exert themselves, and, when in company, begin some useful discourse for their great master, they know not what good they might do, and how many might be influenced, by their good example, to second them in it.

An instance of this we have in the 14th verse: "And when one of them that fat at meat with him heard these things, he faid unto him, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God." Happy they who shall be recompenced at that refurrection of the just, which thou hast been speaking of. A very pertinent saying this! every way suitable to persons fitting down to eat bread on earth, which we should never do, without talking of, and longing for that time, when we shall sit down and eat bread in the kingdom of heaven. This opened to our Lord a fresh topic of conversation, and occafioned the parable, which is to be the more immediate subject of your prefent meditation. As though he had said to the person that spoke last, Thou sayest right: blessed are they indeed, who shall fit down to eat bread in the kingdom of GOD: But alas! most men, especially you Pharisees, act as if you did not believe this; and therefore he said unto him, " A certain man made a great supper, and bade many;" by the certain man making a great fupper, we are to understand God the Father, who has made provision for perishing fouls, by the obedience and death of his beloved Son CHRIST JESUS. This provision is here represented under the character of a supper, because the Cana or supper, among the ancients, was their grand meal: Men could never have made such provision for themselves, or angels for them. No, our salvation is all from GOD, from the beginning to the end. He made it, and not we ourselves; and it is wholly owing to the divine wifdom, and not our own, that we are become God's people, and the sheep of his pasture. This provision for perishing fouls, may be justly called great, because there is rich and ample provifion made in the gospel for a great many fouls. For however CHRIST's flock may be but a little flock, when afunder,