MAT. 22. 14.
THe persons called by God, who yet are not chosen, are of two sorts, as you heard:
First, Those, who, though so graciously invited, do yet obstinately and peremptorily refuse, and these are actively onely called on Gods part.
The second sort is of those who do give consent, and yeild to their call, but because they do not rise up fully to all that is required, therefore they are cast away. In this rank is the man, who being invited, made no opposition or excuse, but went in, and sate down at the feast, was as confident as the other guests, seemeth to be conscious to himself of no fault, but having no wedding garment, the master is so wroth and displeased with him, that he is adjudged to everlasting torments; and from this instance our Saviour gathers this conclusion in the Text; so that the meaning is, Of those many that are called, and give a general acceptance of it, yet few are chosen to eternal glory: Those enjoy the feast of the Ordinances here, who are to be tormented for ever hereafter; those are admitted to eat in Gods presence here, who shall be commanded to depart from him hereafter, he knoweth them not: Many are admitted into the Temple, that may not enter into the holiest of holies.
Observ. That many of those who are called, and in many things obey, do yet come short in that which is absolutely necessary.
He that comes to the feast, was not guilty of such rebellion, as they that opposed, and inhumanely handled the Messengers; yet because he did not prepare the Wedding-Garment, which is a conversation and life sutable to the outward profession of Christ, therefore he is cast away: This is a necessary truth; for though we have many Christians, yet we have indeed but few: Though all in the Land come and sit down at the feast, yet we may say to many, Friends, how came ye in here? How came you to profess Christ? how came you to say you are Christians? What? such a sinner, such an ungodly person, and yet say, You believe in Christ, you love Christ? What is the reproach of the Christian profession this day, but the ungodly, ignorant, and prophane lives of those who are baptized into Christs name? Monsters they are, and not Christians, who in one part bear the image of Christ, and in another the image of the Devil; in one part seem to be men, in another beasts: So that although the Christian Religion may boast in the multitude of her followers, yet it may blush at the lives of them: This was a point our Saviour did much treat upon, That men did receive the truth, as to some particulars, and some degrees, butnot wholly and throughly. The Parables of the several sorts of ground, of the unwise builder, especially that of the foolish Virgins, who were Virgins, had their lamps, went out to meet the Bridegroom, onely they wanted oyl, and this was not perceived till it was too late; all these tend to this purpose: You see then beloved, that we may have our lamps lighted, we may have the external profession and acknowledgement of Christ, but want oyl in time of need. Certainly, while we are preaching of this subject, we may say almost to every man, Nunc tua res agitur, rouse up thy self and attend, for this matter belongs to thee: Thou receivest Christ and his ways but in parcels, though thou hast Baptism, the title of a Christian, sittest down at the Ordinances; yet where is the Wedding-garment! where is the conversation that doth agree, and belong to so holy a matter?
To open this Doctrine, let us consider,
First, Wherein lieth this outward obedience to Gods call, which yet is ineffectual;1 for can any thing more concern you, then that you should not be Christians in vain? that all thy praying, and frequenting of holy duties, may not be in vain? that God may not take thee from this feast, as Haman was from his, in which he so much boasted, to be put into confusion, and everlasting fear?
Now this external submission, lieth in these things:
First, A consent to be Baptized, and entred into the number of those that own2 Christ: They will not abide in the number of Jews, Turks or Pagans, but they are willing to in[…]oll their names in Christs Catalogue: Thus in the Apostles times, yea, while Christ preached, you read, John 2. of many who believed in him, yet Christ would not commit himself to them, because he knew what was in their hearts. To come to Christ, is not the work of the tongue, or of the head, but mainly and principally of the heart: With the mouth man is said to make confession, but with the heart he is also said to believe, Rom. 10. Now if you observe the general deportment of those who are thus called, can you see any more in them, then a meer bare and general consent to be accounted as a Christian? Do they matter any more? Do they ever think, What? is this all Christ would have me to do? No, but they sit down with this general acknowledgement: Thus Simon Magus, he came to the feast without a Wedding garment; though the Text saith, He believed, and was baptized, yet he was in the state of gall and bitterness, Acts 8. 17. it is true, he did not feel this bitterness, he thought all was well, but it was so much the more dangerous: Thus it is here, thou believest, thou art baptized, thou prayest, thou professest Christ with the mouth, and yet thy soul may be in gall and wormwood, a great gulf may be between thee and salvation, and thou all this while lie down in peace and security of spirit.