16 A SERMOX ON MATTHEW XXII. 11-13.
faith in Christ, and external obedience to him, but do not thoroughly and fully walk according to Christ's rules ; would be judged christians, but retain nothing of the life and power of Christianity, are not dis- ciples indeed, John viii. 31. And it is said, John ii. 23, 24, ' Many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did ; but Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men, and needed not that any should testify of man, for he knew what was in man.' Some were so far affected with Christ's miracles as they did profess faith in him, yet Christ would not trust them, because he knoweth the hidden secrets of the heart ; that is, not admit them into familiar converse, knowing the temper of their faith.
3. What is tlie wedding garment ? To find out this, let me tell you — (1.) That it is usual in scripture to set forth sin by nakedness, and grace by a garment. That one place which we have in Kev. iii. 17, 18, showeth both: ' Thou art poor, and miserable, and blind, and naked ; therefore I counsel thee to buy of me raiment that thou mayest be clothed.' Graces are a beautiful ornament to the soul, as garments are to the body ; therefore we are said ' to put on the new man, which is created in holiness and righteousness,' Eph. iv. 24. And again, to ' put on, as the elect of God, bowels of mercy, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering,' Col. iii. 12. (2.) It is such a garment as becometh the solemnit yof the marriage feast of the king's son. Christ's gospel feast is a royal feast and a spiritual feast, becoming the nature of God's kingdom; therefore the evhvfia jafiov, wedding gar- ment, is that new array which becometh such a solemnity. As it is a royal 'feast, it must be something more than ordinary excellency that is required of us at a spiritual feast— a spiritual excellency. Therefore the wedding garment is holiness, habitual and actual, which is the glory of God and the beauty of God and his people. Habitual holi- ness : Kev. xix. 8, ' And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white ; for the fine linen isthe righteousness of saints.' Jt/catwyu-ara ayi(ov are those graces which constitute us as saints; as faith, love, hope, meekness, sobriety, purity. And then actual holiness is an holy conversation: Phil. i. 27, 'Only let your conversation be such as becometh the gospel ; ' Eph. iv. 1, ' Walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called.' We put on the wedding garment to honour the marriage ; therefore those that come to the wedding feast without a wedding garment, who take up a bare profession of the gospel without newness of heart and life, which may be an honour and ornament to it, are a dishonour and disgrace rather to it.
I must now represent the danger of entering upon the profession of the gospel, or coming to this feast without such a wedding garment; and that I shall do in this method— (1.) To show tlie odiousness of the sin ; (2.) The certainty of discovery ; (3.) The dreadfulness of the doom and punishment.
First, The odiousness of the sin, in these considerations—
1. Your profession is partial. There is a twofold profession— ia word, and deed. In word, when we own Christ, in whom we have be- lieved ; in deed, when we walk answerably.
[1.] In word the profession is necessary : Rom. x. 9, 10, ' If thou
A SERMON ON MATTHICW XXII. 11-13. 17
shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and beheve in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved : for with the heart man beheveth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made to salvation.' There was much weight laid in those days upon confession with the mouth, or a visible owning of the faith and doctrine of Christ. It was then a free spontaneous thing, without compulsion of outward power ; yea, forbidden by those powers ; yea, it exposed them to great difficulties and hardships. They ran the hazard of all by submitting to this hated name and profession ; and yet this was not enough to submit to the verbal profession of Chris- tianity ; nay, the visible and real acting of it in the assemblies of christians in prayers, praises, hearing, sacraments, and joining in all the ordinances of the church, was not enough unless there were a life answerable.
[2.] In deed, by walking suitably to the institutions of Christianity ; and so a christian's life is a confession or hymn to God ; for our Lord telleth us, Mat. vii. 21-23, ' Not every one that saitli unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven ; but he that doeth the will of ray Father, which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name, and in thy name cast out devils, and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess to them, I never knew you : depart from me, ye workers of iniquity.' Not every one that professeth Christ to be his Lord shall be saved. No ; the obedience of Christ's doctrine must be taken into the profession, or else it will not be accepted. We must believe in the Son of God, and show forth our faith by an holy conversa- tion and godliness, or else we shall be disclaimed, or not approved for his true disciples. Let an unrenewed wretch preach or pray or cast out devils, yet he is a worker of iniquity. In Luke xiii. 26, it is said, * We have eaten and drunken in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets.' Is not this coming to the gospel feast, to eat and drink in his presence, to be familiar with Christ, to come to him in gospel ordi- nances ? But it is to come without a wedding garment, unless the heart and life be changed. But what if this profession be sealed by sufferings ? 1 Cor. xiii. 3, ' Though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.' Swine's blood was not to be offered to the Lord ; nor would a scabby sacrifice be accepted for a burnt-offering. God requireth holiness of life, as well as zeal in suf- fering for Christ.