3. You have the carriage of the king towards the hypocritical guests : 'And when the king came to see his guests,' &c.
In the words observe Ikree things — (1.) The discovery, ver. 11 ; (2.) The expostulation, ver. 12; (3.) The doom and sentence, ver. 13.
1. The discovery: ver. 11, 'And when the king came to see the guests, he saw there a man that had not on a wedding-garment.' Christ is represented under the notion of a king, to show that when God trcateth us most familiarly and socially, yet still he retaiueth his
A SEKMOX ON MATTHEW XXII. 11-13. 13
Bovereignty, and will show the magnificence of a king, entertaining his subjects of all sorts, reduced now to his obedience , and also keeps up the state and majesty of a king, will be honoured by all those that come to partake of his feast. The king cometli to see the guests ; that is, to discern whether they come to his feast in such manner as is required. All that receive the gospel must look to have their sincerity tried, for the king will visit and observe the guests. In this view and observation he saw there a man that had not on a wedding garment ; among all the guests, there seemeth but one found out. You must not thence conclude that the unsound and insincere professors of the gospel are but few. No ; this is not spoken for that intent. This one impersonateth and representeth many ; for it is said, ver. 14, ' That many are called, but few are chosen.' But the meaning is, that in the throng and multitude of converts, if there were but one that is insincere, God can espy him and find him out. The fault of the person dis- covered is, that he had not evSvfxa ^dfiov, a better sort of array than those that were used or w^orn upon ordinary occasions. While they were in the lanes and highways, ordinary apparel would serve the turn ; but if they will come to the feast, the marriage feast of the king's son, they must have suitable array. It is a disgrace to a wedding feast not to come with a wedding garment ; to take the christian pro- fession, and continue in their pagan sins and practices. Kepentance and reformation of life is the new garment of the soul ; that only will become the gospel feast,
2. The expostulation : ver. 12, ' He saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither, not having a wedding garment? and the man was speechless ;' kralpe : Fellow, how camest thou? God loveth to make the sinner convinced, and condemned in his own conscience, ' that he may be clear when he judgeth, and justified in all his pro- ceedings with him,' Ps. li. 4. The eft'ect of this expostulation is that the man was speechless ; he had nothing to say ; saw it was unreason- able to come without it. They that embrace the gospel, and live in an unmortified and impenitent manner, can have nothing to plead by way of excuse. This man was as confident before, and as bold as the other guests, but now is abashed, hath nothing to say, it being so necessary and reasonable to come to a wedding feast with a wedding garment.
3. The doom and sentence : ver. 13, ' Then said the king to the ser- vants, Bind him hand and foot, and cast him into outer darkness ; where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' Mark, he is not only not permitted to taste of the feast, or remain among the guests, but falleth under a terrible sentence of the king and judge, which will certainly be executed upon him, and he for ever must remain in a most dismal and doleful condition. No vengeance so sore as that of the gospel. Besides the forfeiture of our hopes and the possibility of our recover}', there is that which the scripture calleth a ' sorer punishment,' Heb. X. 29. Conscience in hell will have a special kind of accusing and self-tormenting in our reflecting on the refusal of the remedy ; and Chi'ist will pronounce a heavier doom if we obey not the gospel, to wliich we profess to submit.
Doct. That it is dangerous to come to God's feast without a wedding garment.
14 A SERMON OX MATTHEW XXII. 11-13.
First, I shall explain — (1.) What is God's feast; (2.) What is coming to this feast ; (3.) What is the wedding garment.
Second!}'. I shall confirm it, and show why it is so dangerous.
1. AVhat is God's feast ? It is usual in scripture to set forth the grace of the gospel by the notion of a feast. These blessed privileges of remis.sion of sins and eternal life, as dispensed by Christ, are fitly called so. See some places where those celestial dainties whereby God feedeth his people in the word and sacraments are called so : Isa. xxv, 6, ' And in this mountain shall the Lord of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of maiTow, of wines on the lees well refined.' The entertainer is the Lord of hosts ; the place is this mountain, alluding to Mount Sion, a figure of the church ; the guests are all people, gentiles as well as Jews, Eev. vii. 9 ; the provision for meat are fat things, full of marrow, as the fatted calf was brought for the entertaining of the returning prodigal, Luke xv. 23; for drink, wines not racked, but well refined on the lees, which are usually most generous and sprightly ; by all which is set forth those choice soul-refreshings which are the fruits of Christ's purchase, and dispensed in the word and sacraments to those who will come and take them. So Ps. xxxvi. 8, ' They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house ; thou shalt make them drink of the rivers of thy pleasures.' They are provided for out of an unexhausted magazine, and continually supplied with a fluent stream of divine plenty. And Prov. ix. 2, ' Wisdom hath killed her beasts ; she hath mingled her wine ; she hath also furnished her table ; ' that is, in the gospel all kinds of comforts and spiritual gifts and graces are ready prepared, and offered freely to us. God hath made excellent provision for the entertainment of his own family. So here it is compared to a marriage feast of a king's son, wherein all kind of pomp and glory useth to be shown. This feast serveth for two uses — (1.) The honour of God ; (2.) The comfort and refreshment of sinful man.