Part 10

Part 10

done, before any can be admitted into the glorious mansions of God,

which are prepared for all that love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity

and truth: repent ye then of all your sins. O my dear brethren, it

makes my blood run cold, in thinking that any of you should not be

admitted into the glorious mansions above. O that it was in my power, I

would place all of you, yea, you my scoffing brethren, and the greatest

enemy I have on earth, at the right hand of Jesus; but this I cannot

do: however, I advise and exhort you, with all love and tenderness, to

make Jesus your refuge; fly to him for relief; Jesus died to save such

as you; he is full of compassion; and if you go to him, as poor, lost,

undone sinners, Jesus will give you his spirit; you shall live and

reign, and reign and live, you shall love and live, and live and love

with this Jesus to all eternity.

I am, Fourthly, to exhort all of you, high and low, rich and poor, one

with another, to repent of all your sins, and turn unto the Lord.

And I shall speak to each of you; for you have either repented, or you

have not, you are believers in Christ Jesus, or unbelievers.

And first, you who never have truly repented of your sins, and never

have truly forsaken your lusts, be not offended if I speak plain to

you; for it is love, love to your souls, that constrains me to speak: I

shall lay before you your danger, and the misery to which you are

exposed, while you remain impenitent in sin. And O that this may be a

means of making you fly to Christ for pardon and forgiveness.

While thy sins are not repented of, thou art in danger of death, and if

you should die, you would perish for ever. There is no hope of any who

live and die in their sins, but that they will dwell with devils and

damned spirits to all eternity. And how do we know we shall live much

longer: we are not sure of seeing our own habitations this night in

safety. What mean ye then being at ease and pleasure while your sins

are not pardoned. As sure as ever the word of God is true, if you die

in that condition, you are shut out of all hope and mercy for ever, and

shall pass into ceaseless and endless misery.

What is all thy pleasures and diversions worth? They last but for a

moment, they are of no worth, and but of short continuance. And sure it

must be gross folly, eagerly to pursue those sinful lusts and

pleasures, which war against the soul, which tend to harden the heart,

and keep us from closing with the Lord Jesus; indeed, these are

destructive o four peace here, and without repentance, will be of our

peace hereafter.

O the folly and madness of this sensual world; sure if there were

nothing in sin but present slavery, it would keep an ingenuous spirit

from it. But to do the devils drudgery! And if we do that, we shall

have his wages, which is eternal death and condemnation; O consider

this, my guilty brethren, you that think it no crime to swear, whore,

drink, or scoff and jeer at the people of God; consider how your voices

will then be changed, and you that counted their lives madness, and

their end without honor, shall howl and lament at your own madness and

filly, that should bring you to so much woe and distress. Then you will

lament and bemoan your own dreadful condition; but it will be of no

signification: for he that is not your merciful Savior, will then

become your inexorable Judge. Now he is easy to be entreated; but then,

all your tears and prayers will be in vain: for God hath allotted to

every man a day of grace, a time of repentance, which if he doth not

improve, nut neglects and despises the means which are offered to him,

he cannot be saved.

Consider, therefore, while you are going on in a course of sin and

unrighteousness, I beseech you, my brethren, to think of the

consequence that will attend your thus mispending your precious time;

your souls are worth being concerned about: for if you can enjoy all

the pleasures and diversions of life, at death you must leave them;

that will put an end to all your worldly concerns. And will it not be

very deplorable, to have your good things here, all your earthly,

sensual, devilish pleasures, which you have been so much taken up with,

all over: and the thought for how trifling a concern thou hast lost

eternal welfare, will gnaw thy very soul.

Thy wealth and grandeur will stand in no stead; thou canst carry

nothing of it into the other world: then the consideration of thy

uncharitableness to the poor, and the ways thou didst take to obtain

thy wealth, will be a very hell unto thee.

Now you enjoy the means of grace, as the preaching of his word, prayer,

and sacraments; and God has sent his ministers out into the fields and

highways, to invite, to woo you to come in; but they are tiresome to

thee, thou hadst rather be at thy pleasures: ere long, my brethren,

they will be over, and you will be no more troubled with them; but then

thou wouldst give ten thousand worlds for one moment of that merciful

time of grace which thou hast abused; then you will cry for a drop of

that precious blood which now you trample under your feet; then you

will wish for one more offer of mercy, for Christ and his free grace to

be offered to you again; but your crying will be in vain: for as you

would not repent here, God will not give you an opportunity to repent

hereafter: if you would not in Christ's time, you shall not in your

own. In what a dreadful condition will you then be? What horror and

astonishment will possess your souls? Then all thy lies and oaths, thy

scoffs and jeers at the people of God, all thy filthy and unclean

thoughts and actions, thy mispent time in balls, plays, and assemblies,

thy spending whole evenings at cards, dice, and masquerades, thy

frequenting of taverns and alehouses, thy worldliness, covetousness,

and thy uncharitableness, will be brought at once to thy remembrance,

and at once charged upon thy guilty soul. And how can you bear the

thoughts of these things? Indeed I am full of compassion towards you,

to think that this should be the portion of any who now hear me. These

are truths, though awful ones; my brethren, these are the truths of the

gospel; and if there was not a necessity for thus speaking, I would

willingly forbear: for it is no pleasing subject to me, any more than

it is to you; but it is my duty to show you the dreadful consequences

of continuing in sin. I am only now acting the part of a skillful

surgeon, that searches a wound before he heals it: I would show you

your danger first, that deliverance may be the more readily accepted by

you.

Consider, that however you may be for putting the evil day away from

you, and are now striving to hide your sins, at the day of judgment

there shall be a full discovery of all; hidden things on that day shall

be brought to light; and after all thy sins have been revealed to the

whole world, then you must depart into everlasting fire in hell, which

will not be quenched night and day; it will be without intermission,

without end. O then, what stupidity and senselessness hath possessed

your hearts, that you are not frighted from your sins. The fear of

Nebuchadnezzar's fiery furnace, made men do any thing to avoid it; and

shall not an everlasting fire make men, make you, do any thing to avoid

it?

O that this would awaken and cause you to humble yourselves for your

sins, and to beg pardon for them, that you might find mercy in the

Lord.

Do not go away, let not the devil hurry you away before the sermon is

over; but stay, and you shall have a Jesus offered to you, who has made

full satisfaction for all your sins.

Let me beseech you to cast away your transgressions, to strive against

sin, to watch against it, and to beg power and strength from Christ, to

keep down the power of those lusts that hurry you on in your sinful

ways.

But if you will not do any of these things, if you are resolved to sin

on, you must expect eternal death to be the consequence; you must

expect to be seized with horror and trembling, with horror and

amazement, to hear the dreadful sentence of condemnation pronounced

against you: and then you will run and call upon the mountains to fall

on you, to hide you from the Lord, and from the fierce anger of his

wrath.

Had you now a heart to turn from your sins unto the living God, by true

and unfeigned repentance, and to pray unto him for mercy, in and

through the merits of Jesus Christ, there were hope; but at the day of

judgment, thy prayers and tears will be of no signification; they will

be of no service to thee, the Judge will not be entreated by thee: as

you would not hearken to him when he called unto thee, but despised

both him and his ministers, and would not leave your iniquities;

therefore, on that day he will not be entreated, notwithstanding all

thy cries and tears; for God himself hath said, "Because I have called,

and you refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded, but

ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would have one of my reproof;

I will also laugh at your calamity, and mock when your fear cometh as

desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress

and anguish cometh upon you, then shall they call upon me, but I will

not answer, they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me."

Now you may call this enthusiasm and madness; but at that great day, if

you repent not of your sins here, you will find, by woeful experience,

that your own ways were madness indeed; but God forbid it should be

left undone till then: seek after the Lord while he is to be found;

call upon him while he is near, and you shall find mercy: repent this

hour, and Christ will joyfully receive you.

What say you? Must I go to my Master, and tell him you will not come

unto him, and will have none of his counsels? No; do not send me on so

unhappy an errand: I cannot, I will not tell him any such thing. Shall

not I rather tell him, you are willing to repent and to be converted,

to become new men, and take up a new course of life: this is the only

wise resolution you can make. Let me tell my Master, that you will come

unto, and will wait upon him: for if you do not, it will be your ruin

in time, and to eternity.

You will at death wish you had lived the life of the righteous, that

you might have died his death. Be advised then; consider what is before

you, Christ and the world, holiness and sin, life and death: choose now

for yourselves; let your choice be made immediately, and let that

choice be your dying choice.

If you would not choose to die in your sins, to die drunkards, to die

adulterers, to die swearers and scoffers, &c. live not out this night

in the dreadful condition you are in. Some of you, it may be, may say,

You have not power, you have no strength: but have not you been wanting

to yourselves in such things that were within your power? Have you not

as much power to go to hear a sermon, as to go into a playhouse, or to

a ball, or masquerade? You have as much power to read the Bible, as to

read plays, novels, and romances; and you can associate as well with

the godly, as with the wicked and profane: this is but an idle excuse,

my brethren, to go on in your sins: and if you will be found in the

means of grace, Christ hath promised he will give you strength. While

Peter was preaching, the Holy Ghost fell on all that heard the word:

how then should you be found in the way of your duty? Jesus Christ will

then give thee strength; he will put his Spirit within thee; thou shalt

find he will be thy wisdom, thy righteousness, thy sanctification, and

thy redemption. Do but try what a gracious, a kind, and loving Master

he is; he will be a help to thee in all thy burdens: and if the burden

of sin is on thy soul, go to him as weary and heavy laden, and thou

shalt find rest.

Do not say, that your sins are too many and too great to expect to find

mercy! No, be they ever so many, or ever so great, the blood of the

Lord Jesus Christ will cleanse you from all sins. God's grace, my

brethren, is free, rich, and sovereign. Manassah was a great sinner,

and yet he was pardoned; Zaccheus was gone far from God, and went out

to see Christ, with no other view but to satisfy his curiosity; and yet

Jesus met him, and brought salvation to his house. Manassah was an

idolater and murderer, yet her received mercy; the other was an

oppressor and extortioner, who had gotten riches by fraud and deceit,

and by grinding the faces of the poor: so did Matthew too, and yet they

found mercy.

Have you been blasphemers and persecutors of the saints and servants of

God? So was St. Paul, yet her received mercy: Have you been common

harlots, filthy and unclean persons? So was Mary Magdalene, and yet she

received mercy. Hast thou been a thief? The thief upon the cross found

mercy. I despair of none of you, however vile and profligate you have

been; I say, I despair of none of you, especially when God has had

mercy on such a wretch as I am.

Remember the poor Publican, how he found favor with God, when the

proud, self-conceited Pharisee, who, puffed up with his own

righteousness, was rejected. And if you will go to Jesus, as the poor

Publican did, under a sense of your own unworthiness, you shall find

favor as he did: there is virtue enough in the blood of Jesus, to

pardon greater sinners than he has yet pardoned. Then be not

discouraged, but come unto Jesus, and you will find him ready to help

in all thy distresses, to lead thee into all truth, to bring thee from

darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God.

Do not let the devil deceive you, by telling you, that then all your

delights and pleasures will be over: No; this is so far from depriving

you of all pleasure, that it is an inlet unto unspeakable delights,

peculiar to all who are truly regenerated. The new birth is the very

beginning of a life of peace and comfort; and the greatest pleasantness

is to be found in the ways of holiness.

Solomon, who had experience of all other pleasures, yet saith of the

ways of godliness, "That all her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all

her paths are paths of peace." Then sure you will not let the devil

deceive you; it is all he wants, it is that he aims at, to make

religion appear to be melancholy, miserable, and enthusiastic: but let

him say what he will, give not ear to him, regard him not, for he

always was and will be a liar.

What words, what entreaties shall I use, to make you come unto the Lord

Jesus Christ? The little love I have experienced since I have been

brought from sin to God, is so great, that I would not be in a natural

state for ten thousand worlds; and what I have felt is but little to

what I hope to feel; but that little love which I have experienced, is

a sufficient buoy against all the storms and tempests of this

boisterous world: and let men and devils do their worst, I rejoice in

the Lord Jesus, yea, and I will rejoice.

And O if you repent and come to Jesus, I would rejoice on your accounts

too; and we should rejoice together to all eternity, when once passed

on the other side of the grave. O come to Jesus. The arms of Jesus

Christ will embrace you; he will sash away all your sins in his blood,

and will love you freely.

Come, I beseech you to come unto Jesus Christ. O that my words would

pierce to the very soul! O that Jesus Christ was formed in you! O that

you would turn to the Lord Jesus Christ, that he might have mercy upon

you! I would speak till midnight, yea, I would speak till I could speak

no more, so it might be a means to bring you to Jesus; let the Lord

Jesus but enter your souls, and you shall find peace which the world

can neither give nor take away. There is mercy for the greatest sinner

amongst you; go unto the Lord as sinners, helpless and undone without

it, and then you shall find comfort in your souls, and be admitted at

last amongst those who sing praises unto the Lord to all eternity.

Now, my brethren, let me speak a word of exhortation to those of you,

who are already brought to the Lord Jesus, who are born again, who do

belong to God, to whom it has been given to repent of your sins, and

are cleansed from their guilt; and that is, be thankful to God for his

mercies towards you. O admire the grace of God, and bless his name

forever! Are you made alive in Christ Jesus? Is the life of God begun

in your souls, and have you the evidence thereof? Be thankful for this

unspeakable mercy to you: never forget to speak of his mercy. And as

your life was formerly devoted to sin, and to the pleasures of the

world, let it now be spent wholly in the ways of God; and O embrace

every opportunity of doing and of receiving good. Whatsoever

opportunity you have, do it vigorously, do it speedily, do not defer

it. If thou seest one hurrying on to destruction, use the utmost of thy

endeavor to stop him in his course; show him the need he has of

repentance, and that without it he is lost for ever; do not regard his

despising of you; still go on to show him his danger: and if thy

friends mock and despise, do not let that discourage you; hold on, hold

out to the end, so you shall have a crown which is immutable, and that

fadeth not away.

Let the love of Jesus to you, keep you also humble; do not be high-

minded, keep close unto the Lord, observe the rules which the Lord

Jesus Christ has given in his word, and let not the instructions be

lost which you which you are capable of giving. O consider what reason

you have to be thankful to the Lord Jesus Christ for giving you that

repentance you yourselves had need of: a repentance which worketh by

love. Now you find more pleasure in walking with God one hour, than in

all your former carnal delights, and all the pleasures of sin. O! the

joy you feel in your own souls, which all the men of the world, and all

the devils in hell, though they were to combine together, could not

destroy. Then fear not their wrath or malice, for through many

tribulations we must enter into glory.

A few days, or weeks, or years more, and then you will be beyond their

reach, you will be in the heavenly Jerusalem; their is all harmony and

love, there is all joy and delight; there the weary soul is at rest.

Now we have many enemies, but at death they are all lost; they cannot

follow us beyond the grave: and this is a great encouragement to us not

to regard the scoffs and jeers of the men of this world.

O let the love of Jesus be in your thoughts continually. It was his

dying that brought you life; it was his crucifixion that paid the

satisfaction for your sins; his death, burial, and resurrection that

completed the work; and he is now in heaven, interceding for you at the

right hand of his Father. And can you do too much for the Lord Jesus

Christ, who has done so much for you? His love to you is unfathomable.

O the height, the depth, the length and breadth of this love, that

brought the King of glory from his throne, to die for such rebels as we

are, when we had acted so unkindly against him, and deserved nothing

but eternal damnation. He came down and took our nature upon him; he

was made of flesh and dwelt among us; he was put to death on our

account; he paid our ransom: surely this should make us rejoice in him,

and not do as too many do, and as we ourselves have too often, crucify

this Jesus afresh. Let us do all we can, my dear brethren, to honor

him.

Come, all of you, come, and behold him stretched out for you; see his

hands and feet nailed to the cross. O come, come, my brethren, and nail

your sins thereto; come, come and see his side pierced; there is a

fountain open for sin, and for uncleanness: O wash, wash and be clean:

come and see his head crowned with thorns, and all for you. Can you

think of a panting, bleeding, dying Jesus, and not be filled with pity

towards him? He underwent all this for you. Come unto him by faith; lay

hold on him: there is mercy for every soul of you that will come unto

him. Then do not delay; fly unto the arms of this Jesus, and you shall

be made clean in his blood.

O what shall I say unto you to make you come to Jesus: I have showed

you the dreadful consequence of not repenting of your sins: and if

after all I have said, you are resolved to persist, your blood will be

required at your own heads; but I hope better things of you, and things

that accompany salvation. Let me beg of you to pray in good earnest for

the grace of repentance. I may never see your faces again; but at the

day of judgment I will meet you: there you will either bless God that

ever you were moved to repentance; or else this sermon, though in a

field, will be as a swift witness against you. Repent, repent

therefore, my dear brethren, as John the Baptist, and as our blessed

Redeemer himself earnestly exhorted, and turn from your evil ways, and

the Lord will have mercy on you.

Show them, O Father, wherein they have offended thee; make them to see

their own vileness, and that they are lost and undone without true

repentance; and O give them that repentance, we beseech of thee, that

they may turn from sin unto thee the living and true God. These things,

and whatever else thou seest needful for us, we entreat that thou

wouldst bestow upon us, on account of what the dear Jesus Christ has

done and suffered; to whom, with Thyself, and holy Spirit, three

persons, and one God, be ascribed, as is most due, all power, glory,

might, majesty, and dominion, now, henceforth, and for evermore. Amen.

__________________________________________________________________

The Gospel Supper

Luke 14:22-24 -- "And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast

commanded, and yet there is room. And the lord said unto the servant,

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."

Though 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 profane 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-seat 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

saying 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-seat, 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 [atrocity, outrage, depravity]

whatsoever. Bas as the world is, blessed be God, there are great

numbers yet left amongst us, who either through the restraints of a

religious education, or self-love, 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 souls 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 Savior,

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 soon 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 pretenses 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 colors, 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 occasion, 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 Sabbath day, that they watched him." The person here spoken of,

as going into this Pharisee's house, is our blessed Savior. For as he

came eating and drinking, agreeable to his character, he was free,

courteous and affable [friendly, good-natured] to all; and therefore

though it was on a Sabbath-day, he accepted an invitation, and went

into the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread,

notwithstanding he knew the Pharisees were his professed enemies, and

that they watched him, hoping to find some occasion to upbraid him,

either for his discourse or behavior. If the 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 rancor and

heart-enmity against Jesus Christ, may be concealed and cloaked under a

great and blazing profession of religion. However, our Savior was more

than a match for all his enemies, and by accepting this invitation,

hath warranted his ministers and disciples, to comply with the like

invitations, and converse 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

souls, 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 Pharisee's house, and was so

faithful and edifying in his conversation when there, will enable thee

to go and do likewise.

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

desirous of sitting at the upper end of the table. And whether we think

of it or not, the Lord Jesus takes notice of our behavior, even when we

are going to sit down only at our common meals. Would to God, all that

make a profession of real Christianity, considered 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 unchristian

compliments be prevented. For (with grief I speak it) is it not too

true, that abundance of professors love, and are too fond of the

uppermost places in houses, as well as synagogues? This was what our

Lord blamed in the guests where he now was. He marked, he took notice,

he looked before he spake (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 least sin upon them, or lost 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 sat near him, and whom, it may be, he

took notice of, as more than ordinarily solicitous 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-feast) sit not down in the highest

room, lest a more honorable 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 are bidden, go

and sit 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 sit at meat with thee." O

glorious example of faithfulness and love to souls! How ought ministers

especially, to copy after their blessed Master, and, with simplicity an

godly sincerity, mildly and opportunely rebuke the faults of the

company they are in, though superior 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 such

doctrine cometh not from above! For are we not commanded, in any wise,

to reprove our neighbor (whether he be a child of God or no) and not to

suffer sin 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 Savior, 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 feast, he took occasion

also from thence, to give even his host ( for the best return we make

our friends for their kindness, is to be faithful to their souls) one

of the chief Pharisees, a wholesome piece of advice. "Then said he also

to him that bade him, when thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not

thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen nor thy rich

neighbors, lest they also bid thee again, and a recompense be made

thee. But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the

lame, the blind, and thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense

thee. For thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just!"

Thus did our Lord entertain the company. Words spoken in such 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 sat at meat with him heard these things, he said unto him, Blessed

is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God." Happy they who shall

be recompensed at that resurrection of the just, which thou hast been

speaking of. A very pertinent saying this! every way suitable to

persons sitting 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 occasioned the parable, which is to be the

more immediate subject of your present meditation. As though he had

said to the person that spoke last, Thou sayest right: blessed are they

indeed, who shall sit 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 supper, we

are to understand God the Father, who has made provision for perishing

souls, by the obedience and death of his beloved Son Christ Jesus. This

provision is here represented under the character of a supper, because

the Caena 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

wisdom, and not our own, that we are become God's people, and the sheep

of his pasture. This provision for perishing souls, may be justly

called great, because there is rich and ample provision made in the

gospel for a great many souls. For however Christ's flock may be but a

little flock, when asunder, yet when they come all together, they will

be a multitude which no man can number. And it is especially called

great, because it was purchased at so great a price, the price of

Christ's most precious blood. And therefore, when the apostle would

exhort the Christians to glorify God in their souls and bodies, he

makes use of this glorious motive, "That they were bought with a

price." He does not say what price, but barely a price, emphatically so

called; as though all the prices in the world were nothing (as indeed

they are not) when compared to this price of Christ's most precious

blood.

For these reasons, Jesus said in the parable, "A certain man made a

great supper, and bade many, and sent his servant at supper-time, to

say to them that were bidden, Come, for all things are now ready." He

bade many; the eternal God took the Jews for his peculiar people, under

the Mosaic dispensation; and by types, shadows, and prophesies of the

Old Testament, invited them to partake of the glorious privileges of

the gospel. "But at supper-time," in the fullness of time, which God

the Father had decreed from eternity, in the evening of the world (for

which reason the gospel times are called the last times) "he sent his

servant," Christ his Son, here called his servant, because acting as

Mediator he was inferior to the Father; therefore says the prophet

Isaiah, "Behold my servant whom I have chosen:" "to say to them that

were bidden," to the professing Jews, called by St. John, "his own,"

that is, his peculiar professing people -- with this message, "Come;"

repent and believe the gospel. Nothing is required on man's part, but

to come, or accept of the gospel offer. It is not according to the old

covenant, "Do and live;" but only "come, believe, and thou shalt be

saved." All things are ready. Nothing is wanting on God's part. "All

things are now ready." There seems to be a particular emphasis to be

put upon now, implying, this was an especial season of grace, and God

was now exerting his last efforts, to save lost man. Well then, if the

great God be at so great an expense, to make so great a supper, for

perishing creatures, and sends so great a person as his own Son, in the

form of a servant, to invite them to come to it; one would imagine,

that all who heard these glad tidings, should readily say, Lord, lo we

come. But instead of this, we are told, "They all, (the greatest part

of the Jews) with one consent began to make excuse." Conscience told

them they ought to come, and in all probability they had some faint

desire to come; and they had nothing, as we hear of, to object either

against the person who prepared the supper, or the person that invited

them, or the entertainment itself; neither do we hear that they treated

either with contempt, as is the custom of too many in the days wherein

we live. In all probability, they acknowledged all was very good, and

that it was kind in that certain man, to send them such an invitation.

But being very busy, and as they thought very lawfully engaged, they

begun to make excuse.

But the excuses they made, rendered their refusal inexcusable. "The

first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs

go and see it." Thou fool, buy a piece of ground, and then go see it! A

prudent man would have gone and seen the ground first, and bought it

afterwards. Why must he needs go? At least, why must he needs go now?

The land was his own, could he not therefore have accepted the

invitation today, and gone and seen his estate, or plantation, on the

morrow? As he had bought it, he need not fear losing his bargain, by

anothers buying it from him. But notwithstanding all this, there is a

needs must for his going, and therefore says he, "I pray thee, have me

excused," and improve thy interest with thy master in my behalf. This

was a bad excuse.

The second was rather worse. For what says the evangelist, verse 19?

"And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove

them:" One, it seems, had been buying an estate; another, cattle, to

stock an estate already bought; and both equally foolish in making

their bargains. For this second had bought five yoke of oxen, which

must needs cost them a considerable sum, perhaps all he had in the

world, and now he must go and prove them. A wise dealer would have

proved the oxen first, and bought them afterwards: But our Savior

speaks this, to show us, that we will trust one another, nay I may add,

the devil himself, more than we will trust God.

The excuse which the third makes, is worst of all. "I have married a

wife, and therefore I cannot come." Had he said, I will not come, he

had spoken the real sentiments of his heart: for it is not so much

men's impotency , as their want of a will, and inclination, that keeps

them from the gospel-feast. But why cannot he come? He has "married a

wife." Has he so? Why then, by all means he should come. For the supper

to which he was invited, as it should seem, was a wedding-supper, and

would have saved him the trouble of a nuptial entertainment. It was a

great supper, and consequently there was provision enough for him, and

his bride too. And it was made by a great man, who sent out his servant

to bid many, so that he need not have doubted of meeting with a hearty

welcome, though he should bring his wife with him. Or supposing his

wife was unwilling to come, yet as the husband is the head of the wife,

he ought to have laid his commands on her, to accompany him. For we

cannot do better for our yoke-fellows, than to bring them to the

gospel-feast. Or, supposing after all, she would not be prevailed upon,

he ought to have gone without her: for "those that have wives, must be

as though they had none;" and we must not let carnal affection get such

an ascendancy over us, as to be kept thereby from spiritual

entertainments. Adam paid dear for hearkening to the voice of his wife:

and sometimes, unless we forsake wives, as well as houses and lands, we

cannot be the Lord's disciples.

This then was the reception the servant met with, and such were the

excuses, and answers, that were sent back. And what was the

consequence? "So that servant came (no doubt with a sorrowful heart)

and showed his Lord these things." However little it be thought of, yet

ministers must show the Lord, what success their ministry meets with.

We must how it to our Lord here. We must spread the case before him in

prayer. We must show it to our Lord hereafter, before the general

assembly of the whole world. But how dreadful is it, when ministers are

obliged to go upon their knees, crying, "O! my leanness, my leanness!"

and Elias-like, to intercede as it were against those, to whom they

would not only have imparted the gospel, but even their own lives. It

is a heart-breaking consideration. But thus it must be; "The servant

came and showed the Lord these things;" so must we. Well, and what says

the Lord? We are told, verse 21st, that "the master of the house was

angry?" Not with the servant: for though Israel be not gathered, yet

shall Christ be glorious; and faithful ministers shall be rewarded,

whether people obey the gospel or not. "We are a sweet savor unto God,

whether the world be a savor of life unto life, or a savor of death

unto death." The master of the house therefore was angry, not with the

servant, but with these worldly-minded, pleasure-taking refusers of his

gracious invitation; who, in all probability, went to see and stock

their estates, and attend upon their brides, not doubting, but their

excuses would be taken, because they were lawfully employed. And,

indeed, in one sense, their excuses were accepted. For I do not hear

that they were ever invited any more. God took them at their word,

though they would not take him at his. They begged to be excused, and

they were excused, as we shall see in the sequel of this parable. Let

us not therefore harden our hearts, as in the day of provocation; "Now

is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation." But must the feast

want guests? No, if they cannot, or will not come, others shall, and

will. The master of the house therefore being angry, sent the servant

upon a second errand. "Go out quickly into the streets, and lanes of

the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt,

and the blind." Every word bespeaks a spirit of resentment and

importunity. Go out quickly, make no delay, dread no attempt or danger,

into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither, not only

call them, but bring them in (for the master here, to encourage the

servant, assures him of success) the poor, and the maimed, and the

halt, and the blind. This was fulfilled, when Jesus Christ, after the

gospel was rejected by the Jews, went and invited the Gentiles, and

when the publicans and harlots took the kingdom of God by a holy

violence, whilst the self- righteous scribes and Pharisees rejected the

kingdom of God against themselves. This was also a home reproof of the

rich Pharisee, at whose house the Lord Jesus was, as well as a cutting

lesson to the other guests. For our Savior would hereby show them, that

God took a quite different method from his host, and was not above

receiving the poor, and halt, and blind, and maimed, to the gospel

supper, though he had called none such to sit down at his table.

Whether the guests resented it or not, we are not told. But if they

were not quite blind, both host and guests might easily see that the

parable was spoken against them. But to proceed,

The servant again returns, but with a more pleasing answer than before,

"Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room." The

words bespeak the servant to be full of joy at the thoughts of the

success he had met with. None can tell, but those who experience it,

what comfort ministers have in seeing their labors blest. "Now I live,

(says the apostle) if you stand fast in the Lord. Ye are our joy and

crown of rejoicing in the day of the Lord Jesus." "Lord, it is done as

thou hast commanded. The poor, and maimed, and halt, and blind, have

been called, and have obeyed the summons, and I have brought them with

me; yet, Lord, thy house, and thy supper is so great, there is room for

more. Hereby he insinuated that he wanted to be employed again, in

calling more souls; and the more we do, the more may we do for God: "To

him that hath, shall be given;" and present success is a great

encouragement to future diligence. Such hints are pleasing to our

Savior. He delights to see his ministers ready for new work, and

waiting for fresh orders. "The Lord, therefore, we are told, ver. 23,

said unto his servant, (the same servant,) Go out into the highways and

hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled; 24.

For I say unto you, that none of those who are bidden, shall taste of

my supper." O cutting words to those that sat at meat, if they had

hearts to make the application! But glad tidings of great joy to the

publicans, harlots, and Gentiles, who were rejected by the proud

Pharisees, as aliens to the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to

the covenant of promise! This was fulfilled, when our Lord sent the

apostles, not only into the streets and lanes of the city, and places

bordering upon Jerusalem and Judea; but when he gave them a commission

to go out into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature,

Gentile as well a Jew; and not only gave them a command, but blessed

their labors with such success, that three thousand were converted in

one day. And I am not without hopes that it will be still further

fulfilled, by the calling of some of you home this day. For however

this parable was spoken originally to the Jews, and upon a particular

occasion, as at a feast, 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 shall call. It gives a sanction, methinks, to preaching in the

fields, and other places besides the synagogues; and points our the

reception the gospel meets with in these days, in such a lively manner,

that one would think it had a particular reference to the perfect age.

For is it not too, too plain, that the gospel-offers, and gospel-grace,

have been slighted, and made light of, by many professors of this

generation? We have been in the churches, telling them, again and

again, that God has made a great supper (and has invited many, even

them) and sent us by his providence and his spirit, "to say unto them

that were bidden, Come, for all things are now ready. Believe on the

Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved." 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 merchandises, their marrying and giving in

marriage, to come and be blessed 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 also (like the

letter-learned Scribes and Pharisees in our Savior's time) reject the

kingdom of God against themselves, and deny us the use of the pulpits,

for no other reason but because we preach the doctrine of justification

in the sight of God by faith alone, and invite sinners to come and

taste of the gospel feast freely, without money and without price.

Whatever they may think, we are persuaded, the great master of the

house is angry with them, for being angry with us without a cause. 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 cursers and swearers, and Sabbath-breakers, and adulterers, who,

perhaps, never entered a church door, or heard that Jesus Christ died

for such sinners as they are. We, through grace, have obeyed the

command, we have gone out, though exposed to such contempt for so

doing, and, blessed be God, our labor has not been in vain in the Lord.

For many have been made willing in the day of God's power; and, we

would speak it with humility, we can go cheerfully to our Savior, and

say, "It is done, Lord, as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room."

He is therefore pleased, in spite of all opposition from men or devils,

to continue, and renew, and enlarge our commission; he hath sent us

literally into the highways and hedges; and, I trust, has given us a

commission to compel sinners 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 sweetly inclined men's wills to comply with the

gospel-call, we should be as a sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

But this we believe our Savior will do, for his house must be filled:

every soul for whom he has shed his blood, shall finally be saved, "and

all that the Father hath given him, shall come unto him, and whosoever

cometh unto him he will in no wise cast out." This comforted our Lord,

when his gospel was rejected by the Jews. As though he had said, Well,

tho' you despise the offers of my grace, yet I shall not shed my blood

in vain; for all that the Father hath given me shall come unto me.

Supported by this consideration, I am not ashamed to come out this day

into the highways and hedges, and to confess that my business is to

call the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind,

self-condemned, helpless sinners, to the marriage-feast of the supper

of the Lamb. My cry is, Come, believe on the Lord Jesus; throw

yourselves at the footstool of his mercy, and you shall be saved; for

all things are now ready. God the Father is ready, God the Son is

ready, God the Holy Ghost is ready; the blessed angels above are ready,

and the blessed saints below are ready, to welcome you to the

gospel-feast. A perfect and everlasting righteousness is now wrought

out by Jesus Christ. God, now, upon honorable terms, can acquit the

guilty. God can now be just, and yet justify the ungodly. "For he hath

made Christ to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made

the righteousness of God in him." The fatted calf is now killed, and

"Christ, our Passover, is sacrificed for us." Come, sinners, and feed

upon him in your hearts by faith, with thanksgiving. For Jesus Christ's

sake, do not with one consent begin to make excuse. Do not let a piece

of ground, five yoke of oxen, or even a wife, keep you from this great

supper. These you may enjoy, as the gifts of God, and make use of them

for the Mediator's glory, and yet be present at the gospel feast. 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 consent, say, Lo! we come.

Assure yourselves here is provision enough. For it is a great supper.

In our Father's house there is bread enough and to spare. And though a

great God makes the supper, yet he is as good and condescending 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 house are many mansions." If it

was not so, our Savior would have told us. The grace of Christ is as

rich, as free, and as powerful as ever. He is "the same yesterday,

today, and for ever." He is full of grace and truth, and out of his

fullness, all that come to him may receive grace for grace. He giveth

liberally, and upbraideth not. He willeth not the death of a sinner,

but rather that he should believe and live. Come then, all ye halt,

poor, maimed, and blind sinners; take comfort, the Lord Jesus has sent

his servant to call you. It is now supper-time, and a day of uncommon

grace. The day may be far spent. Haste, therefore, and away to the

supper 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 wilderness." Do not provoke the Lord to say, "None of

those that were bidden shall taste of my supper." O dreadful words!

Much more is implied in them than is expressed. It is the same with

that in the psalms, "I sware in my wrath, that they should not enter

into my rest." And if you do not enter into God's rest, nor taste of

Christ's supper, you must lift up your eyes in torments, where you will

have no rest, and must sup with the damned devils for ever more.

Knowing therefore the terrors of the Lord, we persuade you to haste

away, and make no more frivolous excuses. For there is no excuse

against believing. Perhaps you say, 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

expect admission to so great a table? Ah! Happy are ye, if you are

sensible, that you are halt and maimed. For if you feel yourselves so,

and are lamenting it, who knows but whilst I am speaking, God may send

his Spirit with the word, and fetch you home? Though you are blind,

Jesus has eye salve to anoint you. Though you are poor, yet you are

welcome to this rich feast. It cost Jesus Christ a great price, but you

shall have it gratis. For such as you was it designed: "Blessed are the

poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Rich,

self-righteous, self-sufficient sinners, I know, will scorn both the

feast and its great provider. They have done so already, therefore the

Lord ha sent us into the highways and hedges, to bring such poor souls

as you are in. Venture then, my dear friends, and honor God, by taking

him at his word. Come to the marriage-feast. Believe me, you will there

partake of most delicious fare.

Tell me, ye that have been made to taste that the Lord is gracious,

will you not recommend this feast to all? Are you not; whilst I am

speaking, ready to cry out, Come all ye that are without, come ye, obey

the call, for we have sat under the Redeemer's shadow with great

delight, and his fruit has been pleasant to our taste. Whilst I am

speaking, does not the fire kindle, do not your hearts burn with a

desire that others may come and be blessed too? If you are Christians

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 say, Amen! And why should we doubt? Surely our

Savior will not let me complain this day that I have labored in vain,

and spent my strength for nought. Methinks I see many desiring to come.

O how shall I compel you to come forwards. I will not use fire or

sword, as the Papists 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 surely that must 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. Consider the greatness of the God

who makes the supper. Consider the greatness of the price, wherewith it

was purchased. Consider the greatness of the provision made for you.

What would you have more? Consider God's infinite condescension, 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

excuse, he has sent his servant into the highways and hedges to invite

you there. O that you tasted what I do now! I am sure 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 souls! 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 spiritual 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 visitation. If I must appear in judgment as a swift

witness against you, I must. 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 say you, my dear friends? I would put

the question to you once more, Will you taste of Christ's supper, or

will you not? You shall all be welcome. There is milk at this feast for

babes, as well as meat for strong men, and for persons of riper years.

There is room and provision for high and low, rich and poor, one with

another; and our Savior will thank you for coming. Amazing

condescension! Astonishing love! The thought of it quite overcomes me.

Help me, help me, O believers, to bless and praise him.

And O! that this love may excite us to come afresh to him, as though we

had never come before! For, though we have been often feasted, yet our

souls will starve, unless we renew our acts of faith, and throw

ourselves, as lost, undone sinners, continually at the feet of Christ.

Feeding upon past experiences will not satisfy our souls, any more than

what we did eat yesterday will sustain our bodies to day. No, believers

must look for fresh influences of divine grace, and beg of the Lord to

water them every moment. The parable therefore speaks to saints as well

as sinners. Come ye to the marriage-feast; you are as welcome now as

ever. And may God set your souls a longing for that time when we shall

sit down and eat bread in the kingdom of heaven! There we shall have

full draughts of divine love, and enjoy the glorious Emanuel for ever

more. Even so, Lord Jesus, Amen.

__________________________________________________________________

The Pharisee and Publican

Luke 18:14 -- "I tell you, this man went down to his house justified

rather than the other: For every one that exalteth himself, shall be

abased; and he that humbleth himself, shall be exalted."

Though there be some who dare to deny the Lord Jesus, and disbelieve

the revelation he has been pleased to give us, and thereby bring upon

themselves swift destruction; yet I would charitably hope there are but

few if any such among you, to whom I am now to preach the kingdom of

God. Was I to ask you, how you expect to be justified in the sight of

an offended God? I suppose you would answer, only for the sake of our

Lord Jesus Christ. But, was I to come more home to your consciences, I

fear that most would make the Lord Jesus but in part their Savior, and

go about, as it were, to establish a righteousness of their own. And

this is not thinking contrary to the rules of Christian charity: for we

are all self-righteous by nature; it is as natural for us to turn to a

covenant of works, as for the sparks to fly upwards. We have had so

many legal and so few free-grace preachers, for these many years, that

most professors now seem to be settled upon their lees [residue,

remains, grounds, setthngs], and rather deserve the title of Pharisees

than Christians.

Thus it was with the generality of the people during the time of our

Lord's public ministration: and therefore, in almost all his

discourses, he preached the gospel to poor sinners, and denounced

terrible woes against proud self-justiciaries. The parable, to which

the words of the text belong, looks both these ways: For the evangelist

informs us (ver. 9) that our Lord "spake it unto certain who trusted in

themselves that they were righteous, and despised others." And a

notable parable it is; a parable worthy of your most serious attention.

"He that hath ears to hear, let him hear," what Jesus Christ speaks to

all visible professors in it.

Ver. 10. "Two men went up to the temple to pray (and never two men of

more opposite characters) the one a Pharisee and the other a Publican."

The Pharisees were the strictest sect among the Jews. "I was of the

strictest sect, of the Pharisees," says Paul. They prayed often; not

only so, but they made long prayers; and, that they might appear

extraordinary devout, they would pray at the corners of the street,

where two ways met, that people going or coming, both ways, might see

them. "They made broad (as our Lord informs us) the borders of their

phylacteries," they had pieces of parchment sown to their long robes,

on which some parts of the Scripture were written, that people might

from thence infer, that they were lovers of the law of God. They were

so very punctual and exact in outward purifications, that they washed

at their going out and coming in. They held the washing of pots, brazen

vessels and tables, and many other such-like things they did. They were

very zealous for the traditions of the fathers, and for the observation

of the rites and ceremonies of the church, notwithstanding they

frequently made void the law of God by their traditions. And they were

so exceedingly exact in the outward observation of the Sabbath, that

they condemned our Lord for making a little clay with his spittle; and

called him a sinner, and said, he was not of God, because he had given

sight to a man born blind, on the Sabbath-day. For these reasons they

were had in high veneration among the people, who were sadly misled by

these blind guides: they had the uppermost places in the synagogues,

and greetings in the market-places (which they loved dearly) and were

called of men, Rabbi; in short, they had such a reputation for piety,

that it became a proverb among the Jews, that, if there were but two

men saved, the one of them must be a Pharisee.

As for the Publicans, it was not so with them. It seems they were

sometimes Jews, or at least proselytes of the gate; for we find one

here coming up to the temple; but for the generality, I am apt to think

they were Gentiles; for they were gatherers of the Roman taxes, and

used to amass much wealth (as appears by the confession of Zaccheus,

one of the chief of them) by wronging men with false accusations. They

were so universally infamous, that our Lord himself tells his

disciples, "the excommunicated man should be to them as a heathen man,

or a Publican." And the Pharisees thought it a sufficient impeachment

of our Lord's character, that he was a friend to Publicans and sinners,

and went to sit down with them at meat.

But, however they disagreed in other things, they agreed in this, that

public worship is a duty incumbent upon all: for they both came up to

the temple. The very heathens were observers of temple-worship. We have

very early notice of men's sacrificing to, and calling upon the name of

the Lord, in the Old Testament; and I find it no where contradicted in

the New. Our Lord, and his apostles, went up to the temple; and we are

commanded by the apostle, "not to forsake the assembling ourselves

together," as the manner of too many is in our days; and such too, as

would have us think well of them, though they seldom or never tread the

courts of the Lord's house. But, though our devotions begin in our

closets, they must not end there. And, if people never show their

devotions abroad, I must suspect they have little or none at home. "Two

men went up to the temple." And what went they thither for? Not (as

multitudes amongst us do) to make the house of God a house of

merchandise, or turn it into a den of thieves; much less to ridicule

the preacher, or disturb the congregation; no, they came to the temple,

says our Lord, "to pray." Thither should the tribes of God's spiritual

Israel go up, to talk with, and pour out their hearts before the mighty

God of Jacob.

"Two men went up to the temple to pray." I fear one of them forgot his

errand. I have often been at a loss what to call the Pharisee's

address; it certainly does not deserve the name of a prayer: he may

rather be said to come to the temple to boast, than to pray; for I do

not find one word of confession of his original guilt; not one single

petition for pardon of his past actual sins, or for grace to help and

assist him for the time to come: he only brings to God, as it were, a

reckoning of his performances; and does that, which no flesh can justly

do, I mean, glory in his presence.

Ver. 11. "The Pharisee stood, and prayed thus with himself; God, I

thank thee that I am not as other men are, extortioners,, unjust,

adulterers, or even as this Publican."

Our Lord first takes notice of his posture; "the Pharisee stood," he is

not to be condemned for that; for standing, as well as kneeling, is a

proper posture for prayer. "When you stand praying," says our Lord;

though sometimes our Lord kneeled, nay, lay flat on his face upon the

ground; his apostles also kneeled, as we read in the Acts, which has

made me wonder at some, who are so bigoted to standing in family, as

well as public prayer, that they will not kneel, notwithstanding all

kneel that are around them. I fear there is something of the Pharisee

in this conduct. Kneeling and standing are indifferent, if the knee of

the soul be bent, and the heart upright towards God. We should study

not to be particular in indifferent things, lest we offend weak minds.

What the Pharisee is remarked for, is his "standing by himself:" for

the words may be rendered, he stood by himself, upon some eminent

place, at the upper part of the temple, near the Holy of holies, that

the congregation might see what a devout man he was: or it may be

understood as we read it, he prayed by himself, or of himself, out of

his own heart; he did not pray by form; it was an extempore prayer: for

there are many Pharisees that pray and preach too, extempore. I do not

see why these may not be acquired, as well as other arts and sciences.

A man, with a good elocution [articulation, oratory, speech], ready

turn of thought, and good memory, may repeat his own or other men's

sermons, and, by the help of Wilkins or Henry,, may pray seemingly

excellently well, and yet not have the least grain of true grace in his

heart; I speak this, not to cry down extempore prayer, or to discourage

those dear souls who really pray by the spirit; I only would hereby

give a word of reproof to those who are so bigoted to extempore prayer,

that they condemn, as least judge, all that use forms, as though not so

holy and heavenly, as others who pray without them. Alas! this is

wrong. Not every one that prays extempore is a spiritual, nor every one

that prays with a form, a formal man. Let us not judge one another; let

not him that uses a form, judge him that prays extempore, on that

account; and let not him that prays extempore, despise him who uses a

form.

"The Pharisee stood, and prayed thus by himself." Which may signify

also praying inwardly in his heart; for there is a way (and that an

excellent one too) of praying when we cannot speak; thus Anna prayed,

when she spoke not aloud, only her lips moved. Thus God says to Moses,

"Why criest thou?" when, it is plain, he did not speak a word. This is

what the apostle means by the "spirit making intercession (for

believers) with groanings which cannot be uttered." For there are times

when the soul is too big to speak; when God fills it as it were, and

overshadows it with his presence, so that it can only fall down,

worship, adore, and lie in the dust before the Lord. Again, there is a

time when the soul is benumbed, barren and dry, and the believer has

not a word to say to his heavenly Father; and then the heart only can

speak. And I mention this for the encouragement of weak Christians, who

think they never are accepted but when they have a flow of words, and

fancy they do not please God at the bottom, for no other reason but

because they do not please themselves. Such would do well to consider,

that God knows the language of the heart, and the mind of the spirit;

and that we make use of words, not to inform God, but to affect

ourselves. Whenever therefore any of you find yourselves in such a

frame, be not discouraged: offer yourselves up in silence before God,

as clay in the hands of the potter, for him t write and stamp his own

divine image upon your souls. But I believe the Pharisee knew nothing

of this way of prayer: he was self-righteous, a stranger to the divine

life; and therefore either of the former explanations may be best put

upon these words.

"He stood, and prayed thus with himself; God, I thank thee that I am

not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterer, or even as this

Publican." Here is some appearance of devotion, but it is only in

appearance. To thank God that we are not extortioners, unjust,

adulterers, and as wicked in our practices as other men are, is

certainly meet, right, and our bounden duty: for whatever degrees of

goodness there may be in us, more than in others, it is owing to God's

restraining, preventing, and assisting grace. We are all equally

conceived and born in sin; all are fallen short of the glory of God,

and liable to all the curses and maledictions of the law; so that "he

who glorieth, must glory only in the Lord." For none of us have any

thing which we did not receive; and whatever we have received, we did

not in the least merit it, nor could we lay the least claim to it on

any account whatever: we are wholly indebted to free grace for all. Had

the Pharisee thought thus, when he said, "God, I thank thee that I am

not as other men are," it would have been an excellent introduction to

his prayer: but he was a free-willer, as well as self- righteous (for

he that is one must be the other) and thought by his own power and

strength, he had kept himself from these vices. And yet I do not see

what reason he had to trust in himself that he was righteous, merely

because he had to trust in himself that he was righteous, merely

because he was not an extortioner, unjust, adulterer; for all this

while he might be, as he certainly was (as is also every self-righteous

person) as proud as the devil. But he not only boasts, but lies before

God (as all self- justiciaries will be found liars here or hereafter.)

He thanks God that he was not unjust: but is it not an act of the

highest injustice to rob God of his prerogative? is it not an act of

injustice to judge our neighbor? and yet of both these crimes this

self-righteous vaunter is guilty. "Even as this Publican!" He seems to

speak with the untmost disdain; this Publican! Perhaps he pointed at

the poor man, that others might treat him with the like contempt. Thou

proud, confident boaster, what hadst thou to do with that poor

Publican? supposing other Publicans were unjust, and extortioners, did

it therefore follow that he must be so? or, if he had been such a

sinner, how knowest thou but he has repented of those sins? His coming

up to the temple to pray, is one good sign of a reformation at least.

Thou art therefore inexcusable, O Pharisee, who thus judgest the

Publican: for thou that judgest him to be unjust, art, in the very act

of judging, unjust thyself: thy sacrifice is only the sacrifice of a

fool.

We have seen what the Pharisee's negative goodness comes to; I think,

nothing at all. Let us see how far his positive goodness extends; for,

if we are truly religious, we shall not only eschew evil, but also do

good: "I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess."

The Pharisee is not here condemned for his fasting, for fasting is a

Christian duty; "when you fast," says our Lord, thereby taking it for

granted that his disciples would fast. And "when the bridegroom shall

be taken away, then shall they fast in those days." "In fasting often,"

says the apostle. And all that would not be cast-aways, will take care,

as their privilege, without legal constraint, to "keep their bodies

under, and bring them into subjection." The Pharisee is only condemned

for making a righteousness of his fasting, and thinking that God would

accept him, or that he was any better than his neighbors, merely on

account of his fasting, and thinking that God would accept him, or that

he was any better than his neighbors, merely on account of his fasting:

this is what he was blamed for. The Pharisee was not to be discommended

for fasting twice in a week; I wish some Christians would imitate him

more in this: but to depend on fasting in the least, for his

justification in the sight of God, was really abominable. "I give

tithes of all that I possess." He might as well have said, I pay

tithes. But self-righteous people (whatever they may say to the

contrary) think they give something to God. "I give tithes of all that

I possess:" I make conscience of giving tithes, not only of all that

the law requires, but of my mint, annise, and cummin, of all things

whatsoever I possess; this was well; but to boast of such things, or of

fasting, is pharisaical and devilish. Now then let us sum up all the

righteousness of this boasting Pharisee, and see what little reason he

had to trust in himself, that he was righteous, or to despise others.

He is not unjust (but we have only his bare word for that, I think I

have proved the contrary;) he is no adulterer, no extortioner; he fasts

twice in the week, and gives tithes of all that he possesses; and all

this he might do, and a great deal more, and yet be a child of the

devil: for here is no mention made of his loving the Lord his God with

all his heart, which was the "first and great commandment of the law;"

here is not a single syllable of inward religion; and he was not a true

Jew, who was only one outwardly. It is only an outside piety at the

best; inwardly he is full of pride, self- justification, free-will and

great uncharitableness.

Were not the Pharisees, do you think, highly offended at this

character? for they might easily know it was spoken against them. And

though, perhaps, some of you may be offended at me, yet, out of love, I

must tell you, I fear this parable is spoken against many of you: for

are there not many of you, who go up to the temple to pray, with no

better spirit than this Pharisee did? And because you fast, it may be

in the Lent, or every Friday, and because you do no body any harm,

receive the sacrament, pay tithes, and give an alms now and then; you

think that you are safe, and trust in yourselves that you are

righteous, and inwardly despise those, who do not come up to you in

these outward duties? this, I am persuaded, is the case of many of you,

though, alas! it is a desperate one, as I shall endeavor to show at the

close of this discourse.

Let us now take a view of the Publican, ver. 13. "And the Publican

standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven,

but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner."

"The Publican standing afar off." Perhaps in the outward court of the

temple, conscious to himself that he was not worthy to approach the

Holy of holies; so conscious and so weighed down with a sense of his

own unworthiness, that he would not so much as lift up his eyes unto

heaven, which he knew was God's throne. Poor heart! what did he feel at

this time! none but returning publicans, like himself, can tell.

Methinks I see him standing afar off, pensive, oppressed, and even

overwhelmed with sorrow; sometimes he attempts to look up; but then,

thinks he, the heavens are unclean in God's sight, and the very angels

are charged with folly; how then shall such a wretch as I dare to lift

up my guilty head! And to show that his heart was full of holy

self-resentment, and that he sorrowed after a godly sort, he smote upon

his breast; the word in the original implies, that he struck hard upon

his breast: he will lay the blame upon none but his own wicked heart.

He will not, like unhumbled Adam, tacitly lay the fault of his vileness

upon God, and say, The passions which thou gavest me, they deceived me,

and I sinned: he is too penitent thus to reproach his Maker; he smites

upon his breast, his treacherous, ungrateful, desperately wicked

breast; a breast now ready to burst: and at length, out of the

abundance of his heart, I doubt not, with many tears, he as last cries

out, "God be merciful to me a sinner." Not, God be merciful to yonder

proud Pharisee: he found enough in himself to vent his resentment

against, without looking abroad upon others. Not, God be merciful to me

a saint; for he knew "all his righteousnesses were but filthy rags."

Not, God be merciful to such or such a one; but, God be merciful to me,

even to me a sinner, a sinner by birth, a sinner in thought, word, and

deed; a sinner as to my person, a sinner as to all my performances; a

sinner in whom is no health, in whom dwelleth no good thing, a sinner,

poor, miserable, blind and naked, from the crown of the head to the

sole of the feet, full of wounds, and bruises, and putrefying sores; a

self-accused, self-condemned sinner. What think you? would this

Publican have been offended if any minister had told him that he

deserved to be damned? would he have been angry, if any one had told

him, that by nature he was half a devil and half a beast? No: he would

have confessed a thousand hells to have been his due, and that he was

an earthly, devilish sinner. He felt now what a dreadful thing it was

to depart from the living God: he felt that he was inexcusable every

way; that he could in nowise, upon account of any thing in himself, be

justified in the sight of God; and therefore lays himself at the feet

of sovereign mercy. "God be merciful to me a sinner." Here is no

confidence in the flesh, no plea fetched from fasting, paying tithes,

or the performance of any other duty; here is no boasting that he was

not an extortioner, unjust, or an adulterer. Perhaps he had been guilty

of all these crimes, at least he knew he would have been guilty of all

these, had he been left to follow the devices and desires of his own

heart; and therefore, with a broken and contrite spirit, he cries out,

"God be merciful to me a sinner."

This man came up to the temple to pray, and he prayed indeed. And a

broken and contrite heart God will not despise. "I tell you," says our

Lord, I who lay in the bosom of the Father from all eternity; I who am

God, and therefore know all things; I who can neither deceive, nor be

deceived, whose judgment is according to right; I tell you, whatever

you may think of it, or think of me for telling you so, "this man,"

this Publican, this despised, sinful, but broken-hearted man, "went

down to his house justified (acquitted, and looked upon as righteous in

the sight of God) rather than the other."

Let Pharisees take heed that they do not pervert this text: for when it

is said, "This man went down to his house justified rather than the

other," our Lord does not mean that both were justified, and that the

Publican had rather more justification than the Pharisee: but it

implies, either that the Publican was actually justified, but the

Pharisee was not; or, that the Publican was in a better way to receive

justification, than the Pharisee; according to our Lord's saying, "The

Publicans and Harlots enter the kingdom of heaven before you." That the

Pharisee was not justified is certain, for "God resisteth the proud;"

and that the Publican was at this time actually justified (and perhaps

went home with a sense of it in his heart) we have great reason to

infer from the latter part of the text, "For every one that exalteth

himself shall be abased, and he that humbleth himself shall be

exalted."

The parable therefore now speaks to all who hear me this day: for that

our Lord intended it for our learning, is evident, from his making such

a general application: "For every one that exalteth himself shall be

abased, and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted."

The parable of the Publican and Pharisee, is but as it were a glass,

wherein we may see the different disposition of all mankind; for all

mankind may be divided into two general classes. Either they trust

wholly in themselves, or in part, that they are righteous, and then

they are Pharisees; or they have no confidence in the flesh, are

self-condemned sinners, and then they come under the character of the

Publican just now described. And we may add also, that the different

reception these men meet with, points out to us in lively colors, the

different treatment the self- justiciary and self-condemned criminal

will meet with at the terrible day of judgment: "Every one that exalts

himself shall be abased, but he that humbleth himself shall be

exalted."

"Every one," without exception, young or old, high or low, rich or poor

(for God is no respecter of persons) "every one," whosoever he be, that

exalteth himself, and not free-grace; every one that trusteth in

himself that he is righteous, that rests in his duties, or thinks to

join them with the righteousness of Jesus Christ, for justification in

the sight of God, though he be no adulterer, not extortioner, though he

be not outwardly unjust, nay, though he fast twice in the week, and

gives tithes of all that he possess; yet shall he be abased in the

sight of all good men who know him here, and before men and angels, and

God himself, when Jesus Christ comes to appear in judgment hereafter.

How low, none but the almighty God can tell. He shall be abased to live

with devils, and make his abode in the lowest hell for evermore.

Hear this, all ye self-justiciaries, tremble, and behold your doom! a

dreadful doom, more dreadful than words can express, or thought

conceive! If you refuse to humble yourselves, after hearing this

parable, I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that

God shall visit you with all his storms, and pour all the vials of his

wrath upon your rebellious heads; you exalted yourselves here, and God

shall abase you hereafter; you are as proud as the devil, and with

devils shall you dwell to all eternity. "Be not deceived, God is not

mocked;" he sees your hearts, he knows all things. And, notwithstanding

you may come up to the temple to pray, your prayers are turned into

sin, and you go down to your houses unjustified, if you are

self-justiciaries; and do you know what it is to be unjustified? why,

if you are unjustified, the wrath of God abideth upon you; you are in

your blood; all the curses of the law belong to you: cursed are you

when you go out, cursed are you when you come in; cursed are your

thoughts, cursed are your words, cursed are your deeds; every thing you

do, say, or think, from morning to night is only one continued series

of sin. However highly you may be esteemed in the sight of men, however

you may be honored with the uppermost seats in the synagogues, in the

church militant, you will have no place in the church triumphant.

"Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God:" pull down

every self-righteous thought, and every proud imagination, that now

exalteth itself against the perfect, personal, imputed righteousness of

the dear Lord Jesus: "For he (and he alone) that humbleth himself shall

be exalted."

He that humbleth himself, whatever be he: if, instead of fasting twice

in the week, he has been drunk twice in the week; if, instead of giving

tithes of all that he possesses, he has cheated the minister of his

tithes, and the king of his taxes; notwithstanding he be unjust, an

extortioner, an adulterer, nay, notwithstanding the sins of all mankind

center and unite in him; yet, if through grace, like the Publican, he

is enabled to humble himself, he shall be exalted; not in a temporal

manner; for Christians must rather expect to be abased, and to have

their names cast out as evil, and to lay down their lives for Christ

Jesus in this world: but he shall be exalted in a spiritual sense; he

shall be freely justified from all his sins by the blood of Jesus; he

shall have peace with God, a peace which passeth all understanding; not

only peace, but joy in believing; he shall be translated from the

kingdom of Satan, to the kingdom of God's dear Son: he shall dwell in

Christ, and Christ in him: he shall be one with Christ, and Christ one

with him: he shall drink of divine pleasures, as out of a river: he

shall be sanctified throughout in spirit, soul and body; in one word,

he shall be filled with all the fullness of God. Thus shall the man

that humbleth himself be exalted here; but O, how high shall he be

exalted hereafter! as high as the highest heavens, even to the

right-hand of God: there he shall sit, happy both in soul and body, and

judge angels; high, out of the reach of all sin and trouble, eternally

secure from all danger of falling. O sinners, did you but know how

highly God intends to exalt those who humble themselves, and believe in

Jesus, surely you would humble yourselves, at least beg of God to

humble you; for it is he that must strike the rock of your hearts, and

cause floods of contrite tears to flow therefrom. O that God would give

this sermon such a commission, as he once gave to the rod of Moses! I

would strike you through and through with the rod of his word, until

each of you was brought to cry out with the poor Publican, "God be

merciful to me a sinner." What pleasant language would this be in the

ears of the Lord of Sabbaoth!

Are there no poor sinners among you? what, are you all Pharisees?

Surely, you cannot bear the thoughts of returning home unjustified; can

you? what if a fit of the apoplexy should seize you, and your souls be

hurried away before the awful Judge of quick and dead? what will you do

without Christ's righteousness? if you go out of the world unjustified,

you must remain so for ever. O that you would humble yourselves! then

would the Lord exalt you; it may be, that, whilst I am speaking, the

Lord might justify you freely by his grace. I observed, that perhaps

the Publican had a sense of his justification before he went from the

temple, and knew that his pardon was sealed in heaven: and who knows

but you may be thus exalted before you go home, if you humble

yourselves? O what peace, love and joy, would you then feel in your

hearts! you would have a heaven upon earth. O that I could hear any of

you say (as I once heard a poor sinner, under my preaching, cry out) He

is come, He is come! How would you then, like him, extol a precious, a

free-hearted Christ! how would you magnify him for being such a friend

to Publicans and sinners? greater love can no man show, than to lay

down his life for a friend; but Christ laid down his life for his

enemies, even for you, if you are enabled to humble yourselves, as the

Publican did. Sinners, I know not how to leave off talking with you; I

would fill my mouth with arguments, I would plead with you. "Come, let

us reason together;" though your sins be as scarlet, yet, if you humble

yourselves, they shall be as white as snow. One act of true faith in

Christ, justifies you for ever and ever; he has not promised you what

he cannot perform; he is able to exalt you: for God hath exalted, and

given him a name above every name; that at the name of Jesus every knee

shall bow; nay, God hath exalted him to be not only a Prince, but a

Savior. May he be a Savior to you! and then I shall have reason to

rejoice; in the day of judgment, that I have not preached in vain, not

labored in vain.

__________________________________________________________________

The Conversion of Zaccheus

Luke 19:9-10 -- "And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to

this house; forasmuch as he also is the Son of Abraham. For the Son of

man is come to seek and to save that which was lost."

Salvation, every where through the whole scripture, is said to be the

free gift of God, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Not only free, because

God is a sovereign agent, and therefore may withhold it from, or confer

it on, whom he pleaseth; but free, because there is nothing to be found

in man, that can any way induce God to be merciful unto him. The

righteousness of Jesus Christ is the sole cause of our finding favor in

God's sight: this righteousness apprehended by faith (which is also the

gift of God) makes it our own; and this faith, if true, will work by

love.

These are parts of those glad tidings which are published in the

gospel; and of the certainty of them, next to the express word of God,

the experience of all such as have been saved, is the best, and, as I

take it, the most undoubted proof. That God might teach us every way,

he has been pleased to leave upon record many instances of the power of

his grace exerted in the salvation of several persons, that we, hearing

how he dealt with them, might from thence infer the manner we must

expect to be dealt with ourselves, and learn in what way we must look

for salvation, if we truly desire to be made partakers of the

inheritance with the saints in light.

The conversion of the person referred to in the text, I think, will be

of no small service to us in this matter, if rightly improved. I would

hope, most of you know who the person is, to whom the Lord Jesus

speaks; it is the publican Zaccheus, to whose house the blessed Jesus

said, salvation came, and whom he pronounces a Son of Abraham.

It is my design (God helping) to make some remarks upon his conversion

recorded at large in the preceding verses, and then to enforce the

latter part of the text, as an encouragement to poor undone sinners to

come to Jesus Christ. "For the Son of man is come, to seek and to save

that which was lost."

The evangelist Luke introduces the account of this man's conversion

thus, verse 1. "And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho." The holy

Jesus made it his business to go about doing good. As the sun in the

firmament is continually spreading his benign, quickening, and cheering

influences over the natural; so the Son of righteousness arose with

healing under his wings, and was daily and hourly diffusing his

gracious influences over the moral world. The preceding chapter

acquaints us of a notable miracle wrought by the holy Jesus, on poor

blind Bartimeus; and in this, a greater presents itself to our

consideration. The evangelist would have us take particular notice of

it; for he introduces it with the word "behold:" "and behold, there was

a man named Zaccheus, who was the chief among the Publicans, and he was

rich."

Well might the evangelist usher in the relation of this man's

conversion with the word "behold!" For, according to human judgment,

how many insurmountable obstacles lay in the way of it! Surely no one

will say there was any fitness in Zaccheus for salvation; for we are

told that he was a Publican, and therefore in all probability a

notorious sinner. The Publicans were gatherers of the Roman taxes; they

were infamous for their abominable extortion; their very name therefore

became so odious, that we find the Pharisees often reproached our Lord,

as very wicked, because he was a friend unto and sat down to meat with

them. Zaccheus then, being a Publican, was no doubt a sinner; and,

being chief among the Publicans, consequently was chief among sinners.

Nay, "he was rich." One inspired apostle has told us, that "not many

mighty, not many noble are called." Another saith, "God has chosen the

poor of this world, rich in faith." And he who was the Maker and

Redeemer of the apostles, assures us, "that it is easier for a camel,

(or cable-rope) to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man

to enter into the kingdom of God." Let not therefore the rich glory in

the multitude of their riches.

But rich as he was, we are told, verse 3 that "he sought to see Jesus."

A wonder indeed! The common people heard our Lord gladly, and the poor

received the gospel. The multitude, the ocloS, the mob, the people that

know not the law, as the proud high-priests called them, used to follow

him on foot into the country, and sometimes stayed with him three days

together to hear him preach. But did the rich believe or attend on him?

No. Our Lord preached up the doctrine of the cross; he preached too

searching for them, and therefore they counted him their enemy,

persecuted and spoke all manner of evil against him falsely. Let not

the ministers of Christ marvel, if they meet with the like treatment

from the rich men of this wicked and adulterous generation. I should

think it no scandal (supposing it true) to hear it affirmed, that none

but the poor attended my ministry. Their souls are as precious to our

Lord Jesus Christ, as the souls of the greatest men. They were the poor

that attended him in the days of his flesh: these are they whom he hath

chosen to rich in faith, and to be the greatest in the kingdom of

heaven. Were the rich in this world's goods generally to speak well of

me, woe be unto me; I should think it a dreadful sign that I was only a

wolf in sheep's clothing, that I spoke peace, peace, when there was no

peace, and prophesied smoother things than the gospel would allow of.

Hear ye this, O ye rich. Let who will dare to do it, God forbid that I

should despise the poor; in doing so, I should reproach my Maker. The

poor are dear to my soul; I rejoice to see them fly to the doctrine of

Christ, like the doves to their windows. I only pray, that the poor who

attend, may be evangelized, and turned into the spirit of the gospel:

if so, "Blessed are ye; for yours is the kingdom of heaven."

But we must return to Zaccheus. "He sought to see Jesus." That is good

news. I heartily wish I could say, it was out of a good principle: but,

without speaking contrary to that charity which hopes and believeth all

things for the best, we may say, that the same principle drew him after

Christ, which now draws multitudes (to speak plainly, it may be

multitudes of you) to hear a particular preacher, even curiosity: for

we are told, that he came not to hear his doctrine, but to view his

person, or, to use the words of the evangelist, "to see who he was."

Our Lord's fame was now spread abroad through all Jerusalem, and all

the country round about: some said he was a good man; others, "Nay, but

he deceiveth the people." And therefore curiosity drew out this rich

Publican Zaccheus, to see who this person was, of whom he had heard

such various accounts. But it seems he could not conveniently get a

sight of him for the press, and because he was little of stature. Alas!

how many are kept from seeing Christ in glory, by reason of the press!

I mean, how many are ashamed of being singularly good, and therefore

follow a multitude to do evil, because they have a press or throng of

polite acquaintance! And, for fear of being set an nought by those with

whom they used to sit at meat, they deny the Lord of glory, and are

ashamed to confess him before men. This base, this servile fear of man,

is the bane of true Christianity; it brings a dreadful snare upon the

soul, and is the ruin of ten thousands: for I am fully persuaded,

numbers are rationally convicted of gospel-truths; but, not being able

to brook contempt, they will not prosecute their convictions, nor

reduce them to practice. Happy those, who in this respect, like

Zaccheus, are resolved to overcome all impediments that lie in their

way to a sight of Christ; for, finding he could not see Christ because

of the press and the littleness of his natural stature, he did not

smite upon his breast, and depart, saying, "It is in vain to seek after

a sight of him any longer, I can never attain unto it." No, finding he

could not see Christ, if he continued in the midst of, "he ran before

the multitude, and climbed up into a sycamore-tree, to see him; for he

was to pass that way."

There is no seeing Christ in Glory, unless we run before the multitude,

and are willing to be in the number of those despised few, who take the

kingdom of God by violence. The broad way, in which so many go, can

never be that strait and narrow way which leads to life. Our Lord's

flock was, and always will be, comparatively a little one; and unless

we dare to run before the multitude in a holy singularity, and can

rejoice in being accounted fools for Christ's sake, we shall never see

Jesus with comfort, when he appears in glory. From mentioning the

sycamore-tree, and considering the difficulty with which Zaccheus must

climb it, we may farther learn, that those who would see Christ, must

undergo other difficulties and hardships, besides contempt. Zaccheus,

without doubt, went through both. Did not many, think you, laugh at him

as he ran along, and in the language of Michal, Saul's daughter, cry

out, "How glorious did the rich Zaccheus look today, when, forgetting

the greatness of his station, he ran before a pitiful, giddy mob, and

climbed up a sycamore-tree, to see an enthusiastic preacher!" But

Zaccheus cares not for all that; his curiosity was strong: if he could

but see who Jesus was, he did not value what scoffers said of him.

Thus, and much more will it be with all those who have an effectual

desire to see Jesus in heaven: they will go on from strength to

strength, break through every difficulty lying in their way, and care

not what men or devils say of or do unto them. May the Lord make us all

thus minded, for his dear Son's sake!

At length, after taking much pains, and going (as we may well suppose)

through much contempt, Zaccheus has climbed the tree; and there he

sits, as he thinks, hid in the leaves of it, and watching when he

should see Jesus pass by: "For he was to pass by that way."

But sing, O heavens, and rejoice, O earth! Praise, magnify, and adore

sovereign, electing, free, preventing love; Jesus the everlasting God,

the Prince of peace, who saw Nathanael under the fig-tree, and Zaccheus

from eternity, now sees him in the sycamore-tree, and calls him in

time.

Verse 5. "And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him,

and said unto him, Zaccheus, make haste and come down; for this day I

must abide at thy house." Amazing love! Well might Luke usher in the

account with "behold!" It is worthy of our highest admiration. When

Zaccheus thought of no such thing, nay, thought that Christ Jesus did

not know him; behold, Christ does what we never hear he did before or

after, I mean, invite himself to the house of Zaccheus, saying,

"Zaccheus, make haste and come down; for this day I must abide at thy

house." Not pray let me abide, but I must abide this day at thy house.

He also calls him by name, as though he was well acquainted with him:

and indeed well he might; for his name was written in the book of life,

he was one of those whom the Father had given him from all eternity:

therefore he must abide at his house that day. "For whom he did

predestinate, them he also called."

Here then, as through a glass, we may see the doctrine of free grace

evidently exemplified before us. Here was not fitness in Zaccheus. He

was a Publican, chief among the Publicans; not only so, but rich, and

came to see Christ only out of curiosity: but sovereign grace triumphs

over all. And if we do God justice, and are effectually wrought upon,

we must acknowledge there was no more fitness in us than in Zaccheus;

and, had not Christ prevented us by his call, we had remained dead in

trespasses and sins, and alienated from the divine life, even as

others. "Jesus looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zaccheus,

make haste and come down; for this day I must abide at thy house."

With what different emotions of heart may we suppose Zaccheus received

this invitation? Think you not that he was surprised to hear Jesus

Christ call him by name, and not only so, but invite himself to his

house? Surely, thinks Zaccheus, I dream: it cannot be; how should he

know me? I never saw him before: besides, I shall undergo much

contempt, if I receive him under my rood. Thus, I say, we may suppose

Zaccheus thought within himself. But what saith the scripture? "I will

make a willing people in the day of my power." With this outward call,

there went an efficacious power from God, which sweetly over-ruled his

natural will: and therefore, verse 6, "He made haste, and came down,

and received him joyfully;" not only into his house, but also into his

heart.

Thus it is the great God brings home his children. He calls them by

name, by his word or providence; he speaks to them also by his spirit.

Hereby they are enabled to open their hearts, and are made willing to

receive the King of glory. For Zaccheus's sake, let us not entirely

condemn people that come under the word, out of no better principle

than curiosity. Who knows but God may call them? It is good to be where

the Lord is passing by. May all who are now present out of this

principle, hear the voice of the Son of God speaking to their souls,

and so hear that they ma live! Not that men ought therefore to take

encouragement to come out of curiosity. For perhaps a thousand more, at

other times, came too see Christ out of curiosity, as well as Zaccheus,

who were not effectually called by his grace. I only mention this for

the encouragement of my own soul, and the consolation of God's

children, who are too apt to be angry with those who do not attend on

the word out of love to God: but let them alone. Brethren, pray for

them. How do you know but Jesus Christ may speak to their hearts! A few

words from Christ, applied by his spirit, will save their souls.

"Zaccheus, says Christ, make haste and come down. And he made haste,

and came down, and received him joyfully."

I have observed, in holy scripture, how particularly it is remarked,

that persons rejoiced upon believing in Christ. Thus the converted

Eunuch went on his way rejoicing; thus the jailer rejoiced with his

whole house; thus Zaccheus received Christ joyfully. And well may those

rejoice who receive Jesus Christ; for with him they receive

righteousness, sanctification, and eternal redemption. Many have

brought up an ill report upon our good land, and would fain persuade

people that religion will make them melancholy mad. So far from it,

that joy is one ingredient of the kingdom of God in the heart of a

believer; "The kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy in the

Holy Ghost." To rejoice in the Lord, is a gospel-duty. "Rejoice in the

Lord always, and again I say, rejoice." And who can be so joyful, as

those who know that their pardon is sealed before they go hence and are

no more seen? The godly may, but I cannot see how any ungodly men can,

rejoice: they cannot be truly cheerful. What if wicked men may

sometimes have laughter amongst them? It is only the laughter of fools;

in the midst of it there is heaviness; At the best, it is but like the

cracking of thorns under a pot; it makes a blaze, but soon goes out.

But, as for the godly, it is not so with them; their joy is solid and

lasting. As it is a joy that a stranger intermeddleth not with, so it

is a joy that no man taketh from them: it is a joy in God, a "joy

unspeakable and full of glory."

It should seem that Zaccheus was under soul-distress but a little

while; perhaps (says Guthrie, in his book entitled, The Trial

Concerning A Saving Interest In Christ) not above a quarter of an hour.

I add, perhaps not so long: for, as one observes, sometimes the Lord

Jesus delights to deliver speedily. God is a sovereign agent, and works

upon his children in their effectual calling, according to the counsel

of his eternal will. It is with the spiritual, as natural birth: all

women have not the like pangs; all Christians have not the like degree

of conviction. But all agree in this, that all have Jesus Christ formed

in their hearts: and those who have not so many trials at first, may be

visited with the greater conflicts hereafter; though they never come

into bondage again, after they have once received the spirit of

adoption. "We have not, (says Paul) received the spirit of bondage

again unto fear." We know not what Zaccheus underwent before he died:

however, this one thing I know, he now believed in Christ, and was

justified, or acquitted, and looked upon as righteous in God's sight,

though a Publican, chief among the Publicans, not many moments before.

And thus it is with all, that, like Zaccheus, receive Jesus Christ by

faith into their hearts: the very moment they find rest in him, they

are freely justified from all things from which they could not be

justified by the law of Moses; "for by grace are we saved, through

faith, and that not of ourselves, it is the gift of God."

Say not within yourselves, this is a licentious Antinomian doctrine;

for this faith, if true, will work by love, and be productive of the

fruits of holiness. See an instance in this convert Zaccheus; no sooner

had he received Jesus Christ by faith into his heart, but he evidences

it by his works; for, ver. 8, we are told, "Zaccheus stood forth, and

said unto the Lord, Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give unto the

poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I

restore him four- fold."

Having believed on Jesus in his heart, he now makes confession of him

with his mouth to salvation. "Zaccheus stood forth;" he was not

ashamed, but stood forth before his brother Publicans; for true faith

casts out all servile, sinful fear of man; "and said, Behold, Lord." It

is remarkable, how readily people in scripture have owned the divinity

of Christ immediately upon their conversion. Thus the woman at Jacob's

well; "Is not this the Christ?" Thus the man born blind; "Lord, I

believe; and worshipped him." Thus Zaccheus, "Behold, Lord." An

incontestable proof this to me, that those who deny our Lord's

divinity, never effectually felt his power: if they had, they would not

speak so lightly of him: they would scorn to deny his eternal power and

Godhead. "Zaccheus stood forth, and said, Behold, Lord, the half of m

goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by

false accusation, I restore him four-fold." Noble fruits of a true

living faith in the Lord Jesus! Every word calls for our notice. Not

some small, not the tenth part, but the half. Of what? My goods; things

that were valuable. My goods, his own, not another's. I give: not, I

will give when I die, when I can keep them no longer; but, I give now,

even now. Zaccheus would be his own executor. For whilst we have time

we should do good. But to whom would he give half of his goods? Not to

the rich, not to those who were already clothed in purple and fine

linen, of whom he might be recompensed again; but to the poor, the

maimed, the halt, the blind, from which he could expect no recompense

till the resurrection of the dead. "I give to the poor." But knowing

that he must be just before he could be charitable, and conscious to

himself that in his public administrations he had wronged many persons,

he adds, "And if I have taken any thing from any man by false

accusation, I restore him fourfold." Hear ye this, all ye that make no

conscience of cheating the king of his taxes, or of buying or selling

run goods. If ever God gives you true faith, you will never rest, till,

like Zaccheus, you have made restitution to the utmost of your power. I

suppose, before his conversion, he thought it no harm to cheat thus, no

more than you may do now, and pleased himself frequently, to be sure,

that he got rich by doing so: but now he is grieved for it at his

heart; he confesses his injustice before men, and promises to make

ample restitution. Go ye cheating Publicans, learn of Zaccheus; go away

and do likewise. If you do not make restitution here, the Lord Jesus

shall make you confess your sins before men and angels, and condemn you

for it, when he comes in the glory of his Father to judgment hereafter.

After all this, with good reason might our Lord say unto him, "This day

is salvation come to this house; forasmuch as he also is the son of

Abraham;" not so much by a natural as by a spiritual birth. He was made

partaker of like precious faith with Abraham: like Abraham he believed

on the Lord, and it was accounted to him for righteousness: his faith,

like Abraham's, worked by love; and I doubt not, but he has been long

since sitting in Abraham's harbor.

And now, are you not ashamed of yourselves, who speak against the

doctrines of grace, especially that doctrine of being justified by

faith alone, as though it leaded to licentiousness? What can be more

unjust than such a charge? Is not the instance of Zaccheus, a

sufficient proof to the contrary? Have I strained it to serve my own

turn? God forbid. To the best of my knowledge I have spoken the truth

in sincerity, and the truth as it is in Jesus. I do affirm that we are

saved by grace, and that we are justified by faith alone: but I do also

affirm, that faith must be evidenced by good works, where there is an

opportunity of performing them.

What therefore has been said of Zaccheus, may serve as a rule, whereby

all may judge whether they have faith or not. You say you have faith;

but how do you prove it? Did you ever hear the Lord Jesus call you by

name? Were you ever made to obey the call? Did you ever, like Zaccheus,

receive Jesus Christ joyfully into your hearts? Are you influenced by

the faith you say you have, to stand up and confess the Lord Jesus

before men? Were you ever made willing to own, and humble yourselves

for, your past offenses? Does your faith work by love, so that you

conscientiously lay up, according as God has prospered you, for the

support of the poor? Do you give alms of all things that you possess?

And have you made due restitution to those you have wronged? If so,

happy are ye; salvation is come to your souls, you are sons, you are

daughters of, you shall shortly be everlastingly blessed with, faithful

Abraham. But, if you are not thus minded, do not deceive your own

souls. Though you may talk of justification by faith, like angels, it

will do you no good; it will only increase your damnation. You hold the

truth, but it is in unrighteousness: your faith being without works, is

dead: you have the devil, not Abraham, for your father. Unless you get

a faith of the heart, a faith working by love, with devils and damned

spirits shall you dwell for evermore.

But it is time now to enforce the latter part of the text; "For the Son

of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost." These words

are spoken by our savior in answer to some self-righteous Pharisees,

who, instead of rejoicing with the angels in heaven, at the conversion

of such a sinner, murmured, "That he was gone to be a guest with a man

that was a sinner." To vindicate his conduct, he tells them, that this

was an act agreeable to the design of his coming: "For the Son of Man

is come to seek and to save that which was lost." He might have said,

the Son of God. But O the wonderful condescension of our Redeemer! He

delights to stile himself the Son of man. He came not only to save, but

to seek and to save that which was lost. He came to Jericho to seek and

save Zaccheus; for otherwise Zaccheus would never have been saved by

him. But from whence came he? Even from heaven, his dwelling-place, to

this lower earth, this vale of tears, to seek and save that which was

lost; or all that feel themselves lost, and are willing, like Zaccheus,

to receive him into their hearts to save them; with how great a

salvation? Even from the guilt, and also from the power of their sins;

to make them heirs of God, and joint heirs with himself, and partakers

of that glory which he enjoyed with the Father before the world began.

Thus will the Son of man save that which is lost. He was made the son

of man, on purpose that he might save them. He had no other end but

this in leaving his father's throne, in obeying the moral law, and

hanging upon the cross: all that was done and suffered, merely to

satisfy, and procure a righteousness for poor, lost, undone sinners,

and that too without respect of persons. "That which was lost;" all of

every nation and language, that feel, bewail, and are truly desirous of

being delivered from their lost state, did the Son of man come down to

seek and to save: for he is mighty, not only so, but willing, to save

to the uttermost all that come to God through him. He will in no wise

cast out: for he is the same today, as he was yesterday. He comes now

to sinners, as well as formerly; and, I hope, hath sent me out this day

to seek, and, under him, to bring home some of you, the lost sheep of

the house of Israel.

What say you? Shall I go home rejoicing, saying, That many like sheep

have went astray, but they have now believed on Jesus Christ, and so

returned home to the great Shepherd and Bishop of their souls? If the

Lord would be pleased thus to prosper my handy-work, I care not how

many legalists and self-righteous Pharisees murmur against me, for

offering salvation to the worst of sinners: for I know the Son of man

came to seek and to save them; and the Lord Jesus will now be a guest

to the worst Publican, the vilest sinner that is amongst you, if he

does but believe on him. Make haste then, O sinners, make haste, and

come by faith to Christ. Then, this day, even this hour, nay, this

moment, if you believe, Jesus Christ shall come and make his eternal

abode in your hearts. Which of you is made willing to receive the King

of glory? Which of you obeys his call, as Zaccheus did? Alas! why do

you stand still? How know you, whether Jesus Christ may ever call you

again? Come then, poor, guilty sinners; come away, poor, lost, undone

publicans: make haste, I say, and come away to Jesus Christ. The Lord

condescends to invite himself to come under the filthy roofs of the

houses of your souls. Do not be afraid of entertaining him; he will

fill you with all peace and joy in believing. Do not be ashamed to run

before the multitude, and to have all manner of evil spoke against you

falsely for his sake: one sight of Christ will make amends for all.

Zaccheus was laughed at; and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus,

shall suffer persecution. But what of that? Zaccheus is now crowned in

glory; as you also shall shortly be, if you believe on, and are

reproached for Christ's sake. Do not, therefore, put me off with

frivolous excuses: there's no excuse can be given for your not coming

to Christ. You are lost, undone, without him; and if he is not

glorified in your salvation, he will be glorified in your destruction;

if he does not come and make his abode in your hearts, you must take up

an eternal abode with the devil and his angels. O that the Lord would

be pleased to pass by some of you at this time! O that he may call you

by his Spirit, and make you a willing people in this day of his power!

For I know my calling will not do, unless he, by his efficacious grace,

compel you to come in. O that you once felt what it is to receive Jesus

Christ into your hearts! You would soon, like Zaccheus, give him

everything. You do not love Christ, because you do not know him; you do

not come to him, because you do not feel your want of him: you are

whole, and not broken hearted; you are not sick, at least not sensible

of your sickness; and, therefore, no wonder you do not apply to Jesus

Christ, that great, that almighty physician. You do not feel yourselves

lost, and therefore do not seek to be found in Christ. O that God would

wound you with the sword of his Spirit, and cause his arrows of

conviction to stick deep in your hearts! O that he would dart a ray of

divine light into your souls! For if you do not feel yourselves lost

without Christ, you are of all men most miserable: your souls are dead;

you are not only an image of hell, but in some degree hell itself: you

carry hell about with you, and you know it not. O that I could see some

of you sensible of this, and hear you cry out, "Lord, break this hard

heart; Lord, deliver me from the body of this death; draw me, Lord,

make me willing to come after thee; I am lost; Lord, save me, or I

perish!" Was this your case, how soon would the Lord stretch forth his

almighty hand, and say, Be of good cheer, it is I; be not afraid? What

a wonderful calm would then possess your troubled souls! Your

fellowship would then be with the Father and the Son: your life would

be hid with Christ in God.

Some of you, I hope, have experienced this, and can say, I was lost,

but I am found; I was dead, but am alive again: the Son of man came and

sought me in the day of his power, and saved my sinful soul. And do you

repent that you came to Christ? Has he not been a good master? Is not

his presence sweet to your souls? Has he not been faithful to his

promise? And have you not found, that even in doing and suffering for

him, there is an exceeding present great reward? I am persuaded you

will answer, Yes. O then, ye saints, recommend and talk of the love of

Christ to others, and tell them, O tell them what great things the Lord

has done for you! This may encourage others to come unto him. And who

knows but the Lord may make you fishers of men? The story of Zaccheus

was left on record for this purpose. No truly convicted soul, after

such an instance of divine grace has been laid before him, need despair

of mercy. What if you are Publicans? Was not Zaccheus a Publican? What

if you are chief among the Publicans? Was not Zaccheus likewise? What

if you are rich? Was not Zaccheus rich also? And yet almighty grace

made him more than conqueror over all these hindrances. All things are

possible to Jesus Christ; nothing is too hard for him: he is the Lord

almighty. Our mountains of sins must all fall before this great

Zerubbabel. On him God the Father has laid the iniquities of all that

shall believe on him; and in his own body he bare them on the tree.

There, there, by faith, O mourners in Zion, may you see your Savior

hanging with arms stretched out, and hear him, as it were, thus

speaking to your souls; "Behold how I have loved you! Behold my hands

and my feed! Look, look into my wounded side, and see a heart flaming

with love: love stronger than death. Come into my arms, O sinners, come

wash your spotted souls in my heart's blood. See here is a fountain

opened for all sin and all uncleanness! See, O guilty souls, how the

wrath of God is now abiding upon you: come, haste away, and hide

yourselves in the clefts of my wounds; for I am wounded for your

transgressions; I am dying that you may live for evermore. Behold, as

Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so am I here lifted up

upon a tree. See how I am become a curse for you: the chastisement of

your peace is upon me. I am thus scourged, thus wounded, thus

crucified, that you by my stripes may be healed. O look unto me, all ye

trembling sinners, even to the ends of the earth! Look unto me by

faith, and you shall be saved: for I came thus to be obedient even unto

death, that I might save that which was lost."

And what say you to this, O sinners? Suppose you saw the King of glory

dying, and thus speaking to you; would you believe on him? No, you

would not, unless you believe on him now: for though he is dead, he yet

speaketh all this in the scripture; nay, in effect, says all this in

the words of the text, "The Son of man is come to seek and to save that

which is lost." Do not therefore any longer crucify the Lord of glory.

Bring those rebels, your sins, which will not have him to reign over

them, bring them out to him: though you cannot slay them yourselves,

yet he will slay them for you. The power of his death and resurrection

is as great now as formerly. Make haste therefore, make haste, O ye

publicans and sinners, and give the dear Lord Jesus your hearts, your

whole hearts. If you refuse to hearken to this call of the Lord,

remember your damnation will be just: I am free from the blood of you

all: you must acquit my Master and me at the terrible day of judgment.

O that you may know the things that belong to your everlasting peace,

before they are eternally hid from your eyes! Let all that love the

Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity say, Amen.

__________________________________________________________________

The Marriage of Cana

John 2:11 -- "This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee,

and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him."

I have more than once had occasion to observe, that the chief end St.

John had in view, when he wrote his gospel, was to prove the divinity

of Jesus Christ, [that Word, who not only was from everlasting with

God, but also was really God blessed for evermore] against those

arch-heretics Ebion and Cerinthus, whose pernicious principles too many

follow in these last days. For this purpose, you may take notice, that

he is more particular than any other Evangelist, in relating our Lord's

divine discourses, and also the glorious miracles which he wrought, not

by a power derived from another, like Moses, and other prophets, but

from a power inherent in himself.

The words of the text have a reference to a notable miracle which

Christ performed, and thereby gave proof of his eternal power and

Godhead. "This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and

manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him."

The miracle here spoken of, is that of our Lord's turning water into

wine at a marriage feast. I design, at present, by God's help, to make

some observations on the circumstances and certainty of the miracle,

and then conclude with some practical instructions; that you, by

hearing how Jesus Christ has showed forth his glory, may, by the

operation of God's Spirit upon your hearts, with the disciples

mentioned in the text, be brought to believe on him.

First, then, I would make some observations on the miracle itself.

↑ Back to top