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Marriage Feaft, to tender them the highest Comforts and Refreshments imaginable both for their Souls and Bodies. And is this all the recompence they give them for their kindness, not only to refufe it, but to abuse them that bring it? Well might this glorious King be angry and incenfed at fuch an affront offered him as this was; and therefore He fent forth his armies and deftroyed thofe murderers, and burnt up their city, v. 7. as we all know he did to the murdering Jews, who foon after this were destroyed, and their royal City Jerufalem burnt. But now the Feaft is prepared, fhall there be none to eat it? Yes, for feeing they who were firft bidden were not worthy to partake of his Dainties, he orders his Servants to go into the high ways and bid as many as they could find to the marriage, v. 6. 9. The Jews having refused the Gofpel, God fends to invite the Gentiles to it, who hitherto had been reckoned Aliens to the Commonwealth of Ifrael, ftrangers to the covenant of promife, having no hope, and without God in the world, Eph. ii. 12. But now the y alfo are bidden to the Wedding, they are called to Chrift, and invited to partake of all the Privileges of the Gofpel. For the Servants having received the command, went out into the high ways, even into all the by-places and corners of the World, and gathered together

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all as many as they found, both bad and good, and the wedding was furnished with guests, ver. 10, But amongft thefe too, when the King came to fee his Guefts, he faw one that had not on a wedding Garment, ver. II. Under which One are reprefented all of the fame kind, who have not on their wedding Garment, that is, who walk not worthy of the Vocation wherewith they are called, not being cloathed with Humility, Faith, and other Graces fuitable for a Chriftian. All which, notwithstanding they were invited, yea and came in too upon their Invitation, yet they are caft out again into utter Darkness, Matth. xxii. 12, 13. And then he adds for many are called, but few chofen; as if he fhould have faid, The Jews were called but would not come, the Gentiles are called they come, but fome of them are caft out again; fo that of the many which are called, there are but few chofen. For many are called, but few chofen.

WHICH fhort, but pithy Saying, of our bleffed Saviour, that we may rightly underftand, we fhall firft confider the former part of it, Many are called, and then the latter, but few chofen. That we may apprehend the full meaning of the firft part of this Propofition, Many are called, there are three things to be confidered.

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I. WHAT is here meant by being called, 2. How Men are called.

3. How it appears that many are called.

As for the firft, what we are here to understand by being called. We must know that this is meant only of God's Voice to Mankind, making known his Will and Pleasure to them, calling upon them to act accordingly, and fo inviting them to his Service here, and to the Enjoyment of his Prefence hereafter.

BUT to explain the Nature of it more particularly, we must confider the terminus a quo, and the terminus ad quod, what it is God calls us from, and what it is he calls us to; both which we fhall fpeak to, jointly or together.

1. He calls us from Darkness to Light, from Error and Ignorance to Truth and Knowledge: As he made us rational and knowing Creatures at firft, fo he would have us to be again, fo as to understand and know him that made us, and that gave us the power of understanding and knowing; and not employ the little Knowledge we have only about the affairs of our Bodies, our Trades, and Callings in this World, nor yet in learning Arts and Sciences only, but principally about the concerns of our immortal Souls, that we may know him that is the true God, and Jefus Chrift whom

whom he hath fent; without which, all our other Knowledge will avail us nothing. We are still in the dark, and know not whither we are going; out of which dark, and by confequence uncomfortable as well as dangerous Eftate, God of his infinite Mercy is pleas'd to call us, that we should fhew forth the Praises of him who bath called us out of darkness into his marvellous light, 1 Pet. ii. 9.

2. GOD calls us from Superftition and Idolatry, to ferve and worship him. For we are called to turn from Idols, to ferve the living and true God, 1 Theff. i. 9. Thus he called Abraham out of Chaldea, and his Pofterity the Ifraelites out of Egypt, Places of Idolatry, that they might ferve and worship him, and him alone. Thus he called our Ancestors of this Nation out of their heathenish Superftitions, to the Knowledge and Worship of himself, and of his Son Jefus Chrift our Lord. And thus he called upon us to flee from Idolatry, 1 Cor. x. 14. not only from Heathenifh or Popish, but from all Idolatry whatsoever, and by confequence from Covetoufnefs, which God himself tells us in plain Terms is Idolatry, Col. iii. 5. And fo indeed is our allowing our felves in any known Sin whatsoever; for we idolize it by fetting it up in our Hearts and Affe&tions, instead of God; yea, and bow down

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to it, and ferve it, though not in our Bodies yet in our Souls, which is the highest kind of Idolatry which God calls us from.

3. HENCE he alfo calls us from all manner of Sin and Profaneness to Holiness and Piety, both in our Affections and Ations. For as the Apostle faith, God bath not called us to uncleanness but to holiness, 1 Theff. iv. 7. Where by Uncleannefs he means all manner of Lufts and Corruptions which defile the Soul, and make it unclean and impure in the fight of God. These God doth not call us to, but from. It is Holiness and univerfal Righteousness that he calls us to, and commands us to follow. This is the great thing that Chrift in his Gospel calls for, For the grace of God which is in his Gofpel, hath now appeared to all men, teaching us that denying ungod linefs and worldly lufts, we should live foberly, righteously, and godly in this prefent world, Tit. ii. 11, 12. He now commandeth all men every where to repent, and turn to God, A&t. xvii. 30. Hence he is faid to have called us with an boly Calling, 2 Tim. i. 9. And as he who hath called us is holy, fo ought we to be holy in all manner of Converfation, 1 Pet. i. 15. Thus therefore we all are called to be an holy People, a People zealous of good Works, a People devoted wholly to the Service of the living God. In brief,

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