by Rev. Thomas Boston
“Compel them to come in.” Luke 14 : 23.
And are they not happy that are in? Is your rock as their rock, O sinners, yourselves being judges? And why will not ye come in too? Christ’s house is not yet filled. Many have come in, but “yet there is room” for more, ver. 22. And we are sent to “compel you to come in.” So we have it in charge in our text.
The scope of this parable (which, upon the matter, is the same with that of the marriage-feast, Matt. 22.) is to show the rejection of the Jews for their rejecting of Christ, and the calling of the Gentiles into their room. The supper to which they are bidden here, is Jesus Christ, with all His saving benefits: He is the maker, and the matter of this supper also. In the morning of time, in the patriarchal ages, men were invited to this feast; for even then there were not wanting preachers of righteousness, 2 Peter 2:5. In the mid-day, under the law, they were invited to it, by prophets, priests, and Levites. And here in the evening, in the last times, the times of the Gospel, they are called to it as a supper; the dispensation of the gospel being the last dispensation of grace to the world. The Jews were they that got the first offer, but they would not come; they made their excuses, as ye may read vers. 17, 18, 19, 20. of this chapter. The Gentiles get the next offer; the servant is sent out to the streets and lanes: the ministers of Christ preach the gospel to the poor Gentiles, and they receive it. But all come not in at once: therefore the servant is sent out into “the highways and hedges,” where the most miserable sort of people are to be found; and even these must be compelled to come in. Possibly, this double sending forth of the servant, may point at the Lord’s way in the dispensation of the gospel to the Gentile world: the gospel being first preached to those of them who had renounced the idolatry of their country, and worshipped the true God; and sometimes assembled with the Jews in their synagogues to learn of them the knowledge of God, though they did not embrace the ceremonial part of their religion: these might well be represented by the “poor, maimed, and blind,” sitting in the streets and lanes of the city. But afterwards it was carried to the most dark corners of the earth, where there was no respect either to the Jewish or Christian religion, but all were sunk together in most gross ignorance and idolatry; which might fitly be represented by “the highways and hedges.” See Acts 10; and 13:42, 46, 49.
In the text we have three things. (1) The great design ministers should have before their eyes in preaching the gospel; and that is, to bring sinners in to Christ. It must not be to draw them to a party, but to draw them to Christ. It is not to make them only change their work, they continuing still without, by preaching mere mortality to them: but it is to make them change their master too, to get them into Christ by faith. (2) Consider whom they are to deal with in order to bring them in; even those that are sitting in the highways and hedges, like beggars in rags and sores, the most unworthy and vile sinners. (3) The method they must use to get them in; “Compel them” to come in, not by using bodily violence towards them. Christ put the sword of the Spirit in the hands of his ministers, but not the temporal sword. Dragooning, torturing, murdering, may be fit means to bring in men to Antichrist, but not to bring them in to Christ. The compulsion in the text is a moral compulsion, such as those use who invite men to feasts, who are not wont to cudgel them in, but seriously and earnestly to deal with them until they consent. So should ministers compel sinners to come in to Christ, dealing with them seriously and affectionately, so as sinners may see they are in good earnest upon their Master’s errand. We must give them the charming invitations and offers of the gospel upon the one hand, and lay before them the “terror of the Lord,” on the other hand, that if men will go to hell, they may go with a witness. Withal, here is intimated that efficacy of the Spirit, which goes along with the word, to the conversion of the elect; which does not force, but sweetly necessitates them to come in.
Doctrine: It is the great work of ministers to compel sinners, in a gospel-way, to come in to Christ.
The best way that I can handle this text, is to aim at that which is given in charge in it. And in order to this, consider with me the import of it.
I. Sinners naturally are out.
Were it not so, they needed not be compelled to come in. Hear all ye this day that are out of Christ, what ye are out of, and where ye are.
First, Sinners, do ye know what ye are out of? (1.) All ye that are out of Christ, are out of God’s family, Eph. 2:18, 19, God’s household is the household of faith, ye are none of it. His house may be an empty house for you. Adam ran out of the house, and all his posterity with him; and ye are still there, where Adam left you. And is not that a sad case, to be out of God’s family? Though ye are in our mother’s house, ye cannot call Him Father, seeing ye are not in Christ His Son: ye can have no claim to the portion and inheritance of the children, Gal. 4:30. (2.) Ye are out of God’s covenant of peace, and so without hope of salvation, while in that state, Eph. 2:12. Ye read of a glorious chariot, Song of Solomon 3:9, 10. It is the covenant of grace, the covenant of peace, as it is held forth in the everlasting gospel; for that is “the word of truth, meekness, and righteousness,” upon which Christ rides and prospereth. The first chariot, wherein Adam and his children should have been carried to heaven, was the covenant of works: Adam had the guiding of it; but it did not drive far till it was broken to pieces. Now, there is a new one made in which Christ is carrying all his people to glory; but ye are out of it. King Solomon, the Mediator Christ, made it; it could not be made without Him. He made it for Himself, to manifest His own glory, and the exceeding riches of His grace by it; and “for the daughters of Jerusalem,” to carry His bride home to His Father’s house, in it. It was made of the durable “wood of Lebanon;” for He will have it to be an everlasting covenant, that shall never be broken. It has “pillars of silver,” those excellent promises that are peculiar to the covenant of grace, as the promises of pardon, perseverance, etc., for it is “established upon better promises.” And because there is no small weight in this chariot when a sinner is in it, He hath made the “bottom thereof of gold,” solid and strong, so that none that are in it (though heavier than mountains of brass) shall fall through it: for “the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his,” 2 Tim. 2:19; they are secured by God’s eternal decree of election. No storms of wrath can fall upon them that are in it; for it hath a covering of the purple blood of Jesus Christ. “The midst thereof, the inner part” of it, “is paved with love:” love lines the chariot; it is above them, it is on every hand of them; yea, it is underneath them, so that if they do fall in it, they shall not get such a grievous fall, but they will be able to rise again. Happy they that are in it! But, alas! sinners, ye are out of it. Ye are lying there where the first chariot laid you when it broke. (3.) Ye are out of God’s favour, being out of Christ. Now, that is dreadful, for our God is a consuming fire. And there is no shelter from the wrath of God, but under the covert of the blood of the Mediator, Eph. 2:13. The destroying angel is coming through, and there is no blood sprinkled upon your door-posts. God is in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself; if ye do not come in, and meet Him there, what can ye expect but that He will meet you without, as a bear bereaved of her whelps, rend the caul of your heart, and devour you like a lion? Hos. 13:8. What do your duties avail, while ye are out of Christ? can they procure you God’s favour? Your tears will never come into His bottle, nor will your prayers reach His ears, John 14:6.
Secondly, Know ye, sinners, where you are? I will tell you where you are. (1.) Ye are on the devil’s pasture, the mountains of vanity, about the lions’ dens, and the mountains of leopards, where Satan feeds his herd. Ye are out of God’s house, wandering abroad for bread, begging at the world’s door, saying, Where is it? Ye know not Christ, the bread of life; and therefore the dung of worldly profits and pleasures is so valuable in your eyes. But tell me, sinner, are you ever satisfied? You would “fain fill your belly with the husks” of the world; but do they fill you indeed? is not the substance squeezed out of these things, so as ye find them but empty husks? In all your traversing of the mountains of vanity, came ye ever to the place of which you could say, (and stand by it), This is my rest, and here I will stay? no nor never shall, till ye come to Christ, Is. 55:2. (2.) Ye are in hell upon earth. To be in hell, is to be without, Rev. 22:15, and ye are not come in, ye are condemned already, John 3:18, bound in the prison, Is. 61:1. What is the difference betwixt you, and them that are in hell? Ye are both prisoners; only ye are in the outer prison, they are in the inner prison. Ye are both away from Christ; only ye will depart from Him. they must depart from Him. The fire of God’s wrath is set on in the consciences of both; only it is not as yet blown up and made to flame in you, by the breath of the Lord, like a stream of brimstone to kindle it, as it is in them; but ye know not how soon it may be so. But there is yet another difference; they are prisoners past hope, ye are prisoners of hope. Therefore to proceed to another point.
II. It is the great errand of the friends of the Bridegroom to bring them in that are out.
Sirs, ye that are out, ye are where ye should not be, ye are on forbidden ground. We would have you in; we would have you come in to Christ, to unite with Him, by believing in Him, accepting of Him in all His offices.
First, We declare unto you, that our Lord is invested with the sole authority and commission to be the great Prophet, the Preacher and Teacher of the way to Immanuel’s land, Acts 3:22, 23. He has set up His school amongst us, but He hath few disciples; and we are come to compel you to come in, that His house may be filled. Satan has many disciples; carnal wisdom has many scholars. Alas for it! O leave them. Our Lord alone is He that is given of the Father to be the great Leader to the heavenly Caanan, Is. 55:4. None ever came, or shall come there, but His followers; come in then, giving up yourself to Him to be guided by Him. Ye would all be happy, ye would all be at heaven at last: but ye are wandering in a wilderness, where there is no way; and ye will surely lose yourselves, if ye take not Him for your leader. The way to glory is a difficult way, and ye are not acquainted with it; nay ye are blind travellers, ready every moment to fall over some precipice. O! will ye take a guide? Ye are now standing (as it were) in a place where two ways meet, uncertain which of them to take. Your own wisdom, which is folly, points out a fair broad way, saying, “Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither,” Prov. 9:16, but turn not in thither, for “the dead are there, and her guests are in the depths of hell,” ver. 18. The Wisdom of the Father, our Lord Jesus Christ, points out to you a narrow way, but it leadeth to life; and He is this day saying to you, “Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither,” ver. 4. Come in then, renounce your own wisdom, give up yourselves to Him, to be led and guided by Him. “Hear, and your souls shall live.”
Secondly, Sinners, do not ye know that ye are guilty, and that ye can have no access to an unatoned God? There was a breach made betwixt God and man by sin. Justice demands a sacrifice; an atonement must be made. The sinner himself is unclean, he cannot be the priest; and he is not able to provide a sacrifice, for the cattle on a thousand hills are not sufficient for a burnt-offering. Wherefore Jesus Christ became our Priest; His human nature was the sacrifice; His divine nature the altar that sanctified the gift; the wrath of God was the fire that burned the sacrifice: the blood was carried in to the most holy place, when Christ ascended into heaven, and sat down at the Father’s right hand, to intercede for sinners, upon the ground of His satisfaction. Now, here is atonement; and we would have you to fall in with this device of salvation by a crucified Christ, renouncing your own righteousness, that you may mount to heaven by the ladder of Christ’s mediation. In the earthly paradise, God set up a ladder by which all mankind might get up to the heavenly paradise. It was the covenant of works; a ladder able to bear the weight of all the world at once; but so contrived, that if but the least pin in it were loosed, all would break together. All mankind mounted it, even the first Adam, and all his children in his loins: but he having loosed one pin thereof, in a moment the ladder broke, and he and all his fell down into a gulf of misery, and an horrible pit, where they might see heaven afar off, but no way to get to it any more. This dreadful break rejoiced the devils: it astonished the angels; they saw that they could not mend it, nor make another, and they were wiser than to attempt it. The Son of God saw that there was none amongst all the creatures to help, and therefore His own arm brought salvation. Another ladder is made, Jesus Christ God-man, the Mediator betwixt God and men, the way to the Father, Gen. 28:12. The foot thereof is set on the earth, for He is man; the ladder was set so low as sinners might reach it; it was set very low, even in “the lower parts of the earth,” (Eph. 4:9), the region of death. The top of it reached to heaven, for He is God; the ladder is so high, that it can set the sinner up to heaven. It can neither loose nor break with the utmost weight upon it; for it is knit together with blood of infinite value, shed to the utmost of what justice demanded, Heb. 9:14. Come, sinners, lay all your weight on it, and fear not. The first ladder could bear nothing but men’s persons; it could not bear one sinner with a burden of guilt on his back, but it would break under him: but this will bear you, and your burden of guilt too, though it would be heavier than the sand of the sea. Ah! there are but few upon this ladder, we would compel you to come on. Have ye a mind to lie still in the gulf? have ye taken your last sight of heaven? have ye bid an eternal farewell to glory? or have ye not done it? then why will ye not be compelled to come on? O come before the ladder be drawn up. I know what ye are thinking in effect, ye that will not be compelled to come on; ye are thinking, like “a thief and a robber,” to “climb up some other way.” I know what ye are doing; ye are doing one of two; ye are either mending the old ladder, and making the best ye can of the broken pieces, by your morality and legal walk; or ye are making a new one of your own, a ladder of uncovenanted mercy, trusting to the mercy of God, without uniting with the Mediator. But set ye the feet of them as low as ye will, God’s justice will never suffer the tops of them to reach heaven. Lay your weight on them then, if ye will do no otherwise: venture your soul on them, venture eternity on them, and climb up: but know assuredly, though ye should get up so high by them as ye could knock at heaven’s door, and say, “Lord, Lord, open to us,” there they shall fail you, there they shall break, and tumble you down into the lowest hell, John 14:6.
Thirdly, Christ has got a kingdom from His Father, Psal. 2:6, 7, 8; but He has few real subjects. He has set up His standard here this day, and we are come to compel you to come in, and to submit to Him as your Lord and King. Ye are under strange lords, and have long refused allegiance to your true Lord. O renounce all your idols now, and give yourselves away to Him, to be from henceforth His only, His wholly. His for ever. Come in now, and “kiss the Son,” Psal. 2:12. Bow the knee to Him; put the crown on His head. Song 3:11. Open the everlasting doors of your hearts, that the King of Glory may come in, Psal. 24:7. If any poor soul be saying within itself, Alas! the armies of hell within my breast are not so easily dispossessed; it is true indeed; but yet I hope you are not so closely blocked up, but that intelligence may be got betwixt Christ and you; ye hear His offer to be your King, will ye give your consent to it? I will ask you but two questions to clear this matter. (1.) If you can do no more, yet will you give him your good-will of the kingdom? Are you willing to part with your lusts, though you be not able to put them away? Though you cannot shake the yoke of bondage off your own neck, will you give Christ your good-will, to take it off, and lay His own upon you? As a King “He will subdue our iniquities,” Micah 7:19. (2.) Can your heart consent to the absoluteness of His government? He must be an absolute monarch, His will in all things must be thy law. And why should He not be so? for He can do no wrong, Psal. 45:6, 7. Will you consent that He model the kingdom in thy heart as He will? Shall He set up and cast down there as He pleaseth? have you no secret reserves, no lust that is but “a little one,” and must be spared; no prince of the blood of hell, that He must “deal gently with for your sake?” If it be so, “Come in, thou blessed of the Lord, wherefore standest thou without?” Thy consent to Him as He offereth Himself, is thy coming in.
III. Sinners may come in.
Know then that ye have liberty from the Master of the house to come in. Were it not so, He would not send out His servants to compel you to come in. Nay, sirs, He could keep His doors bolted against you, if it were not His will ye should come in: and if ye would be so bold as to come and knock at the door, or offer violence to it, He could speak a word that would make you fall backward. Our Lord Jesus Christ gives fair liberty to all of you, even the worst of you, to come. Ye that are bearing the devil’s mark in your foreheads; ye openly profane persons, that sit as it were in the devil’s highways; ye that are bearing his mark in your right hand, which ye can hide when ye please, ye vilest hypocrites, who are hid about the devil’s hedges; ye are welcome for Christ’s part. He will not cast the door on your face. Surely there can be no less imported in this charge to compel you to come in. And therefore I would have you step forward.
Consider, (1.) Is it nothing to you that ye have leave to come in? It was not so always. If before Christ was revealed, the sinner had offered to have come in, he would have met with the flaming sword of justice that would have driven him back to his dungeon of misery and darkness. If Christ had not been ground betwixt the upper and nether millstones of the Father’s wrath, He could not have been bread to sinners, though they had been hungering after Him. (2.) The fallen angels have not leave to come in, and never had since they went out, Jude ver. 6. If it were possible they could believe in Christ, and be content to come in to Him, they would get the door cast in their face; for they never got leave to come in. The door was barred on them, and the bar was never drawn, nor ever will, Heb. 2.16. And God was no more debtor to us than to them. (3.) Be your case what it will, this is sufficient to determine you to come in. If ye remain without, ye are ruined, and all doors of hope are closed on you, except this. Acts 4:12. The door is open, ye are not forbidden to come in, ye perish if ye come not in; could we say no more, but it may be ye may get in, this might determine you to give it a fair trial, if ye would but act rationally. Lastly, This leave to come in will not last always with you. “When once the Master of the house is risen up, and hath shut the door,” there will be no more leave to come in, Luke 13:25. They that are in hell this day, cannot get in though they would never so gladly; there is no passing of the gulf fixed betwixt Christ and them, Luke 16:26. The first Adam closed the door upon us, but there was a second Adam to open it; if the second Adam close the door on us, there is not a third to open it, 2 Cor. 4:3. “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost.” The apostle here has respect to what he had said of the veil on Moses’ face, chap. 3:13. the veil spread over the Old Testament, ver. 14; but the gospel removes this veil, vers. 16, 17, 18. “But,” says he, “if our gospel also be veiled, it is veiled to them that are lost;” there is not another dispensation of grace to be expected to take off that veil. It is God’s last grace to the world, Heb. 1.1, 2. The Lord has been making a feast for the world these five thousand years, and now the last service is on the table. The last ship for Immanuel’s land is now making ready to sail; therefore ye must put to sea, now or never, Heb. 10:26, 27.