Looking upward to the manfions of glory, the believer cries, O that heaven may be mine, and the Holy spirit dwell in me, in order to conduct me to it! May mine inheritance be among the saints in light, and my path like that of the just, fhining brighter and brighter unto the perfect day! May I have as much of the light of God's countenance, the fenfe of his love, the confolation of his Spirit, as he fhall fee good for me in my present state, and always carry it as one that is waiting for a better. May I be affifted in all my remaining work, fupported under all my burdens, grow in grace as I do in years, know and love God better the longer I walk with him; and having been thus guided by his counsel even unto death, after it be received unto glory! O the pleasure it must give the believing foul to have Christ say to all this, Amen, Be it unto thee even as thou wilt. APPLICATION. I shall briefly apply this to you, introducing what I fhall fay by this word of attention used in the beginning of the text, Behold. 1. Behold a woman, an heathen so gloriously discovering her faith; and admire the change made by the grace of God wherever vouchfafed, and seek after it, and pray that you may be made partakers of it. 2. Behold a woman of Canaan, a believer, an eminent one; and confidering her disadvantages, reflect with shame and forrow, that multitudes within the church come short of her attainments. I 3. Be 3. Bekold her in the ftruggles which the met with; and learn thence, that great grace doth not exempt from great trials. 4. Behold, how comfortable an answer she had from Chrift, after all the difcouragements given her by him; and believe there is more love in Chrift's heart towards his people, than he may fee fit presently to discover in his dealing with them. He objected to this Canaanitish woman, that she as one of that nation, was reputed as a dog by the Jews; which was difcouraging, before he came to speak thus encouragingly to her, Be it unto thee even as thou wilt. 5. Behold this, and conclude, those shall never be lofers, who in a fenfe of their misery and Christ's ability to help, wait upon him and cry after him, let their cause be what it will. Lastly, If Chrift behold with pleafing wonder the ftrength of one grace in the fouls of thofe who seek to him for help, with what delight will he view the perfection of every grace in fuch as are his people at the great day; and how ravishing the encouragement will then be that he will give to every one of them! He will fay, Be it unto thee, (and in the fullest fenfe) even as thou wilt; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. SER SERMON XII. MATTH. XXII. 11, 12, 13. And when the King came in to fee the guests, be faw there a man which had not on a wedding garment. And he faith unto him, Friend, how cameft thou in hither, not having on a wedding garment? And he was speechless. Then faid the King to the fervats, Bind him, hand and foot, and take him away, and caft him into outer darkness: There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Ο UR bleffed Lord had been inftructing the people concerning the kingdom of God by parables, as you read in the foregoing chapter: And we find him continuing his discourse to them about the fame fubject and in the fame way, in this. Ver. 1, 2. And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and faid, The kingdom of heaven is like, &c. It is the fame kingdom with the kingdom of God mentioned in the foregoing chapter, ver. 43. which is now called the kingdom of heaven in this: By which is meant, the gracious form of government fet up by God in this fallen rebellious world, for the falvation of loft mankind, and this in the laft, clearest and most extenfively kind administration or difpenfation of it, predicted to take place under the New Testament times. It may be called the kingdom of heaven, as it was contrived, and the whole plan of it laid and agreed upon in heaven; as it was fet up in heaven, and revealed in all its rich grace from thence; as its nature, tendence and efficacy is to make fuch as become true fubjects of it, heavenly and holy; as those that enter into it, enter into the gate of heaven, and will have their confummation and reward as faithful fubjects, in heaven itself, where this kingdom will receive its perfection; and for fuch like reasons. Our Lord in this parable or inftructive fimilitude with which he compares this kingdom, fets it forth in many things relating to its original rife and conftitution, and alfo to the carrying it on and compleating of it at laft. He fets it forth in its fupreme head and king; in its mediator, chief minifter and difpenfer under him, by office, tho' not by nature; in the rich and royal favours prepared for, and promised to thofe that will become subjects of this kingdom; in the embaffadors fent to invite men at large to enter themfelves fubjects of it, and enjoy its privileges; and in feveral other refpects, as you may fee by reading the parable. By the certain King which made a marriage for his fon, is fet forth, the bleffed God, as in the most astonishing manner, concerning himfelf about the recovery of fallen mankind to happiness. By his fon, is fet forth the Lord Jesus Christ, the mediator of reconciliation between him and these fallen creatures. By the marriage, or marriage-feast, (See Luke xiv. 16, 17. and ver. 4 of this chapter) are set forth the unspeakable bleffings purchased by Christ's blood, and now offered and ready to be bestowed, together with himself, on all that will receive them, and believe on him. By the call or invitation to come to this feaft, reprefented as once and again made to fome who refused it, is fet forth the obftinacy of the Jews, who made light of God's grace in Christ, and abused the meffengers fent to call them to receive it: who for their ungrateful refufal of this gofpel invitation, are predicted to bring upon themselves the most remarkable deftruction, ver. 5, 6, 7. Afterwards, in the ninth and tenth verses, we have represented in this parable, God's order to call the Gentiles into his vifible church and to be made partakers of his rich grace in Chrift, and the ready execution of it, and with fuccefs. Then faith he to his fervants, &c. Go ye therefore into the high-ways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage: So thofe fervants went out into the high-ways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests. In this part of the parable contained in the text, we have it reprefented to us, That God will infpect and take a ftrict view of all that come into his vifible church, and will difcern as to every individual of them, who is a worthy and |