That was broken for you Open your mouth wide and I will fill it I will be thy God That is the comprehensive Article of the Covenant and the great Gift the Gift of gifts and we may very safely say that as he could not swear by a greater then himself So he could not give a greater giâ—t then himself would God there were suitable conceptions and apprehensions of this non-such Gift and that he in whom the fulness of the God head dwels bodily were looked upon as being thus in our offer and were Cordially closed with by Faith that 's a great word which we have Revel 20.7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things and how is it performed and fulfilled I will be his God this is all and without this there is nothing Fourthly Having this Gift is there any thing that can be added the Text says Heaven not that Heaven is more then Christ but this is it that Christ enjoyed in Heaven is more then Christ enjoyed here on earth I will drink it new with you saith he in my Fathers Kingdom The floud gates are there as it were opened and the heart enlarged and made capacious to let in the fulness of God to the filling of the Glorified Believer even to the very brim Therefore is Communion with Christ said to be Now in Heaven We may have Christ here and Believers have him but this is an addition when we have our husband not only in right but have access Immediatly and most intimatly to converse with him and he to converse with us When the Queen shall be brought unto the King in Raiment of needle work and takâ—n into the Kings Palace with gladness and with joy and the Virgins her Companions with her When there shall be a putting of unbelief to shame and an Eternal Banishment of it and a Compleating of Believers Satisfaction the eye of the most profoundly exercised and experienced Believers never saw their ear never heard neither were they ever able to conceive the thousand part of these abundant consolations and heart ravishing joys that shall flow from the Presence of the Lamb and of him that sitteth on the Throne When there shall be no interveening Ordinances nor Temple in that higher House but the Lamb shall be the light thereof and yet all this is offered to sinners and put in Christs Testament to them to the end it may be made sure And Lastly As all these other things do Concurr to make out the excellency of the Bargain So doth this in a special manner that the price is payed that they have nothing to lay down but may come and take all freely without money and without price Secondly For furthering and strengthening the consolation ye would consider that the Believer who receives Christ as he is offered in the Gospel though he be a sinner yet he hath a most sufficient excellent and unquestionable security for and right unto all these good things that our dieing Lord Jesus hath comprehended in his Testament Believing sinners what security would ye have ye have Christs word I say unto you c. Ye have Christs Covenant and Testament This is the Cup of the New Testament in my Blood and now the Testament is Confirmed and Sealed so that neither man nor Angel can annull nor alter it Our Lords Testament being Sealed it stands legally registred in the Court Books of Heaven and it stands legal on these terms that a sinner who takes with his sin disclaims his own righteousness and betakes himself to Christs Righteousness putting it in the room of his own for his Justification before God may be sure of Christs legacy and of Heaven as it 's sure that Christ suffered and Instituted this Sacrament for his Confirmation in the Faith of it the accepting of Christ the submitting to his righteousness the yeelding to the Covenant and closing with him on his own terms gives him a right to Heaven and all the Riches contained in his Testament To make out this as being the very thing of the Comfortable Application of all that hath been said and of what we are further to say I shall offer these four grounds The First whereof is some clear Scriptures that hold forth so much viz. That as really they shall have life who rake Christ and his offer and close with him as he really suffered and Satisfied the Justice of God for their sins The First of these Scriptures is Heb. 7.25 Wherefore he is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him He is an able Saviour able to the uttermost and there is not a point of Latitude longitude or altitude beyond the uttermost He is able to save them all and what all All that will come and make use of him and give him the credit of his Offices all that will come unto God by him A Second is Rom. 5 20. Where the Apostle out-reasons sin for holding forth the triumph of free-Grace Where sin abounded saith he Grace did much more abound That as sin hath reigned unto death Even so and indeed it is an excellent So might Grace Reigne through Righteousness unto Eternal Life by Jesus Christ our Lord though we would endeavour to our utmost to unfold these words we could not unfold all that is infolded in them did sin make sinners lyable to death and Triumph over them So Grace hath erected a Throne by Christs Righteousness not by inherent Holiness and hath Triumphed over sin the way how Grace gives out its orders and obtains its end Is not by our Righteousness but by the Righteousness of Christ through Faith in him Justice to speak with reverence is off the Throne and Grace orders and sways all in making Application of Christs Purchased Righteousness to believers The Third Scripture is Acts 13.38 Be it known unto you therefore Men and Brethâ—en that through this man is preached unto you the forgivenness of sins and vers 26. To you is the word of this Salvation sent O glad tidings to the greatest sinners Thorow the man Christ is Preached to you Remission of sins and by him all that Believe are justified from all things from which ye could not be Justified by the Law of Moses What are ye owing Or what can the Law Justice or Satan claime ye are Justified from all these things and when he speaks thus to despisers with a Be it known unto you That the offer is made to them we may on good ground turn it over to you and say Be it known unto you that thorow Christ Jesus ye may have Remission of sins and be Justified from all things from which ye could not be Justified by the Law of Moses According to the terms of the Covenant Let your libell be as long as it will Grace is on the Throne and will receive you Secondly Consider that the great designe which the Lord drives in the business of Redemption and publishing of it in the Gospel Is that Remission of sins and
Life may be made sure to lost Sinners that came to Christ Why I pray was the Covenant made was it not for this end As it is Heb. 8. This is my Covenant saith the Lord that I will make with the house of Israel I will be Merciful to their unrighteousness and their sins and Iniquities will I remember no more no more O sweet sound What is the designe of the Mediator in his Sufferings Is it not this So John 10.10 I am come that they might have Life and have it more abundantly and John 17. For their sakes I Sanctifie my self that they also may be Sanctified and here the new Covenant in his Blood is for the Remission of the sins of many and this being the mean for attaining the end It is Impossible that it can misgive or fail Thirdly Consider the Contrivance of the Covenant and ye will see that it is impossible it can fall Heaven and Earth shall sooner fail then one Title of this sworn and confirmed Covenant It cannot fail on the Mediators side for he hath Payed the price already Neither can it fail on Jehovahs side He will not fail to make Application of Grace to sinners nor be unfaithful to the Faithfull Mediator And since upon the one side Justice had access to exact of Christ the full price even to the least farthing by vertue of the Covenant of Redemption when he became surety will not the same Covenant on the other side make it out that Grace shall have as good access to Pardon the sinner for whom be undertook For he saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 5. was made sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him If the Covenant which is one hath had the designed effect in and on the Mediator as to his fulfilling all that was undertaken by him therein shall not the Promises made to him as namely these Isaiah 53.10.11 He shall see his seed the Pleasure of the Lord shall Prosper in his hand by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many take effect and be fulfilled Doubtless they will most certainly and infrustrably Fourthly Consider the great experience which the Saints have had of the truth of this in all ages are there any this day before the Throne Blessing the Lamb and him that sits thereon or any that are on their way thither ward But they are so many wiâ—nesses of this Truth that closing with Christ hath good Security for Remission of sins and for Eternal life There shall never be one who shall have it to say I trusted to this security and it failed me and hereupon riseth the sweet Song Worthy is the Lamb to receive Power and Riches and Wisdome and Strength and Honour and Glory and Blessing Revel 5.12 Nay even those in the Pit shall bear witness to this truth for saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 2.15 We are unto God a sweet Savour in them that are saved and in them that Perish to the one we are the Savour of Death unto death and to the other the Savour of Life unto life And in the preceeding words he saith Thanks be to God which alwayes causeth us to triumph in Christ He maketh the Triumph of the Faithfull Ministers of the Gospel some way to be in them that are damned by his taking Vengeance on them for despising His Grace offered and they are made to see that it was a sure bargain to them that through Grace embraced it And it this be so Good a bargain to them that embrace it and so very siker and sure What I pray are we seeking But that this good bargain and the sufficient security thereof may be taken hold on as it is proposed alter not the terms of it and indeed it would be very unreasonable to presume to do so or so much as to desire an alteration of them for though we had them at our own contriving We could never by very fat contrive them so well Nay let me say if Angels were Preaching to you they would think it a Priviledge to have access to mention His precious Name Now seeing it is the Great designe of the Gospel to have sinners closing with Christ on his own Terms O do not frustrat the Grace of God And seeing Grace makes offer of Life Life and of Remission of sins to sinners to save them freely let Grace get such sinners to save as it 's seeking and it shall be a bargain Thirdly To prosecute this yet a litle further ye would consider that as there is a good bargain to be had thorow Christ and by Faith in him and as there is good security for it so it is our Lords delight and good Pleasure and he is very desirous that sinners should make Application of it by Faith receive and rest on him and his righteousness for making themselves eternally Happy We are not speaking of such a Happiness and security that the Lord will be angry at you if ye take hold of it but of a happiness and security that he is seriously willing ye should receive And he doth most earnestly beseech you to take hold of this Covenant on these Sweet and easy terms that ye be Heartily content and well Pleased with it O sensible sinners do ye indeed believe this when we Preach to you that our Lord Jesus is as desirous to have you saved as ye are and that his righteousness be closed with as ye are to have it Nay more that there was never a Soul more hungry and greedy when with a heart chock-full of desires after it to Communicat then he is seriously willing to admit such a Soul to Commonion with him Then as ye would do him a Pleasure and it 's all that ye can do keep not a distance but step to and take what he Offers not only the Sacrament but himself in it for your head Husband and Lord and that ye may not Scare-stand nor halt to do so Consider that there is not only a warrant to come but that he calleth you to come and is ready heartily to welcome you come on his call and his call is no less broad then the call of the Gospel there is a warrant given you on your hearing of the Gospel and quiting of your own righteousness to receive Christ and his Righteousness and to admit of him to the exercise of his offices about you according to the Covenant And indeed we know not a truth of the Gospel that hath mo confirmations then this hath viz. That Christ the Mediator is very willing and desirous that sinners close with him and get the good of his Purchase For the making out of which take these following Considerations First what is the great designe of the Covenant but this As we have it Isaiah 61 1 2 3. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me because he hath anointed me to Preach good tidings to the meek He hath sent me to bind up the broken hearted to
this would be a conversation worthy of and becoming the Gospel nay it would make a litle Heaven on earth And we desire to to be as pressing and peremptory in calling for this from you as ever we urgently pressed you by any call or invitation to receive the offer of the Gospel and of Christ therein and if we were to speak to you all O Men and women one by one by name and Sirname this would be our Exhortation to you Only let your Conversation be as it becometh the Gospel of Christ We come now as we promised to press this on you by some few Considerations And First Consider the authority that enjoins it and lays it on you and if ye trust him and expect the accomplishment of any promise of the Gospel from him then take this as proceeding from the same Authority presume not under the pain of Gods displeasure and of cheating your own souls to their ruine to take or medle with the promise if ye mind not sincerely to study a suitableness in your conversation to the Gospel 2. Consider not only the reasonableness of the thing but also the sweet easiness of it for taking it in a Gospel sense it 's an easy yoke and a light burden and it 's withall very suitable and congruous to all professors of the Gospel ought not a Minister to be like his calling a Merchant to be like his calling a Tradesman to be like his trade and calling ought not also a Christian to be like his Christian calling like the Gospel which he professeth 3. Consider the tyes and obligations that all who professe to have received the Gospel are under are ye not obliged to such a Conversation by your Baptismal Vow which obligation though many of you forget yet God will require it Think ye that ye are free to live as ye list to live like the Gospel or not or to take one Piece of a Gospel walk and leave another Ye are Professedly resigned to God in Baptisme and are by it oblidged to live every way as it becometh the Gospel and ye must either on the matter renounce your Baptisme and deny Christ and so deal treacherously with him or ye must make it your business to live like the Gospel 4. Consider that this Gospel will be the rule whereby ye shal be judged whether ye have indeed received the Mediator The promises and priviledges the duties and directions and the graces of it and improved them or not in the day saith the Apostle Rom. 2. That God shall judge the secrets of hearts by my Gospel If ye would have boldness when death and Judgement come endeavour a conversation becoming this Gospel though your conversation were very much becoming the law as it is impossible now without Gospel grace yet will not that satisfie the Judge for ye will be Judged both by the law and Gospel 5. Consider that though the Lord had required many hard things of you you would most certainly have been oblidged to have performed them and now when he requires only this ought ye not so much the more to aim at it and endeavour it Otherwise ye bring up an ill report on this Gospel as if it were an unsupportable heavy burden and most uneasiy yoke for which ye must answer at your peril consider the dreadful doom and sentence of the slothful Servant Who said He is a hard Master 6. Consider the great prejudice that a walk unbecoming the Gospel hath with it I cannot easily nay not at all to the full tell you the prejudice it will bring to you Only this I will say that it had been better for you that ye had never heard the Gospel It had been better that ye never had been piped to by the Gospel and that ye had never heard any of its sweetest musick-springs if to follow the Lords own similitude so far ye endeavour not to keep all the measures thereof in your dancing after it in your walking conforme to it Tell me if we may be in earnest with you what if ye were called even now or before night to give an account of your improving of and profiting by the Gospel whereof ye have so very much and from which ye have been so often piped unto how utterly unanswerable would many of you be found to be your triffling way of walking alone and in your families your neglecting of Prayer in them with the chiding and bitterness betwixt husbands and wives and with and amongst servants your omitting to instruct children and Servants in the principles of Religion your tipling and mis-spending your time declare sufficiently what your Conversation is If any of you shall say the conversation that you press is a harder work and a more difficult taske then we can win at Is it any thing else then what the Holy Ghost by the Apostle presseth on all the hearers of the Gospel Q take heed of branding a walk becoming the Gospel with so black a note as if it were an unsupportable yoke of intolerable hard bondage lest it be said to you evil and slothfull Servants c. if ye had been Serious and diligent in making use of the Gospel in a Gospel way by improving Christ and the Promises this work would have gone better with you and ye had been in much better case then ye are in now If ye had been more in the practise of Gospel duties and in the exercise of Gospel-graces in secreâ— your visible conversation might and would have been much more as it becometh the Gospel As for you that have Communicat there is a peculiar tye upon you you have renewed your Covenant with God and is there any covenanting with God but it hath this in it That if there be thereafter a falling back such back sliders come under the guilt of treacherous dealing with him Let me for a conclusion of this Discourse say these few things to you First Is it suitable think ye to fast the one day for your not walking as it becometh the Gospel and to take unjust liberty to your selves the next day on a fast day to spue out your foul and abominable sins and to return with the dog to the vomit in a few dyes thereafter will ye be so unsuitable to your professions and confessions beware of that for the Lords sake better ye had never fasted nor confessed then thus to mock the Lord. 2. Many of you have been at the Sacrament of the Lords Supper and in it ye have professed that ye have taken Christ for your husband which implies the tye and obligation of a dutiful wife what I pray is That but to have a Conversation as becomes the Gospel and to walk worthy of the Vocation wherewith ye are called As the Apostle Exhorts Ephes 4.1 And is there any straiter bond on earth whereby men can be bound If after thus Covenanting with Christ ye shall foully fail or fall back will it not exceedingly aggrege your guilt 3. Are there
there or can there be any thing that evidenceth mens folly so much as their coming in tops with God their walking in the way of death their loving simplicity as it is Prov. 1. And their quiting the way of Life Now the word of God is true wisdome and the way of life is therein clearly holden forth and God as our pattern and is there any thing more reasonable then that we should live like and be conform to the word of God and to him of whom we ought to be followers But sin thwarts with the whole word of God and with God himself Take this passing word of Use Study to be established in the Faith of this truth That Sin whether in doing that which is evil or in the Omission of duty is the greatest folly such of you as will not be convinced of it now in time within a few dayes or years ye shall be convinced of it to purpose to your eternall prejudice The most blockish shall then see it to be follie a highly hurtfull prejudiciall Shamefull folly and desperat Madness The rich Glutton and Ahithophel and thousands more of worldly-wise-men find it to be so to their Cost in Hell Therefore the Apostle saith Rom. 6.21 What profit have ye in those things whereof ye are now ashamed And had we Spirituall eyes to discern the Condition of the most part of men and Women who evidently ly still in black Nature unrenewed who slight the offers of Grace and who will not receive Jesuâ— Christ the veriest idiot in the world would not be a sadder spectacle to us nor affect our hearts with more pity compassion then the Lamentable case of the Souls of such persons would because they forsake their own Mercie The sure Mercies of David and follow after lying vanities and wearie themselves with a vain pursuit after that which cannot profit them Alace for this follie Secondly Observe That notwithstanding the greatness of this follie Gods people and Saints were sometime deep yea even drowned in it and are yet in part taken with it Needs this any proof Ah! sinful Nation saith the Lord to his professing people Isaiah 1.4 A people laden with iniquitie a seed of evill doers The Ox knoweth his owner the asse his Masters crib but my people doth not know O beastly Israel inferior to the very brutes thorow the folly of sinning against God and saith he Jer. 2. Be astonished O Heavens and horribly afraid for my People have committed two great evils they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters and digged to themselves broken Cisterns that can hold no water Q egregious follie and demented choice how many professours of religion are there who are foolish Virgins And how many foolish practices are there among the Godly themselves Let it not then be thought strange as a word of Use from it that not only among externall professours but even among reall Saints there be found many acts of follie though I grant it to be both sad and stumbling when it is which should therefore so much the more make them guard against the same Thirdly Observe God will sometimes speak peace to them that are given to follie or are often found playing the Fool. Of the truth whereof as many as ever heard the Gospel and did partake of the Grace of it and are before the Throne and hope to be there are as so many proofs witnesses and living monuments I shall clear what this speaking of peace is in Three Steps He speaks peace to them 1. In his offering of peace to them and by his meeting and treating with them in and by that offer in his intreating or inviting them earnestly to come to him who have wearied themselves and spent their labour on that which profits not pressing them to return and assuring them that he will heal their backslidings Isai 55. Jer. 3. Hos 14. And preaching peace through Christ Jesus Eph. 2. counselling them to come and buy eye salve of him c. and by his knocking and waiting at their Door for admittance and entry Rom. 3. Are not these words of peace to a foolish Church 2. In making peace with some when as it is 2 Cor. 5.20 He not only Prayes and requests them to be Reconciled but really reconcileth them to himself and saith Peace be to you Pardoneth sin taketh away the hand-writing of Ordinances that was against them giveth them a discharge of their debt that when their sin is sought for it is not to be found because He hath pardoned it and Hos 2. This is called an alluring or as the word is a speaking to the heart 3. In his not only taking away the Controversie and making peace but in his intimating that peace Saying to the pardoned sinner Thy sinnes are forgiven thee go in peace I am thy Salvation and then the promise John 14.21.23 Is fulfilled when Christ breaks open doors and comes in and Sups and dwels his Father and he and one main dish that is set on the Table to say so is Peace as Vers 27. Peace I leave with you My peace I give unto you It 's peace from God the Father Son and Holy Ghost There are some speciall times wherein God speaks Peace such as Solemn treating times and Communion dayes and other special occasions are when there hath been more then ordinary diligence in prayer more then ordinary Sorrow for Sin peace is readily spoken on the back of it as also trying and sadly exercising times are usually times of the intimation of peace In a word when and where this Gospel comes and is made lively Peace followes on it and this is your time O! thaâ— peace may be found to have been spoken to many at this occasion Fourthly Observe That In and about those times when God hath spoken or very urgently offered to speak Peace there is often some restraint on People as to the prevailing of their follie Some stop to the current of Iniquity in it's wonted manner and measure in some more and in some less some more aw of God readily being on people then Many will have a sort of Righteousness like a Morning cloud and early dew that soon passeth away Some tickling of their affections that quickly evanisheth as the Lord saith of many of the Jews that were hearers of John Who was a burning and a shining light that they rejoyced in his light for a season So Psal 106.12 Then believed they his words they sang his Praise but they soon forgat his works they waited not for his Counsell and Psal 78.34 When he slew them then they sought him Nevertheless they flattered him with their lips and lied to him with their Tongues for their hearts were not right with God neither were theâ— stedfast in his Covenant And something of this was also even in Christs hearers and in the Galatians who at first would have plucked out their eyes and given them to Paul So in the parable of the Sower some
sin should have this for their aim designe and endeavour as we see in these spoken of here who when they come to any sense of their sin this is clearly their great designe and work verie seriously and closely pursued by them To clear and Confirm it take these Three words Consider First What state and Condition man naturally is in Secondly What God is to man in reference to that estate And Thirdly What Covenanting with God is and we will find that there is nothing which he should more seriously designe and seek after First Man is naturally an enemy to God and in respect of his malicious desperat inclination given to thwart with God whereby God stands as an enemy to him he is liable to the curse of God and God is as an armed man against him as Job speaks and he like an unarmed Child runing on the bosses of his Buckler Secondly Consider that God is not only an enemy but stands stated as such with his Curse against sinners according to that word Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things written in the Law to do them and this Curse is like the flaming Sword in the hand of the Cherubims which with terrour separats betwixt God and the sinner So that there is no access for him to God and if he have any thoughts of God he is troubled with them and all the Creatures are armed against him So that he can expect nothing but enmity from every stone of the field Thirdâ— Consider that Covenanting with God is that wheâ— by a man who is naturally at enmity with God coâ—eth to be in friendship with him and hath the faâ— of every thing altered the meditation of God sweet to him the creatures are in league with hiâ— The Angels become Ministring Spirits to him a Gods dispensations become lovely and do work tâ—gether for his good even those that are in themselves most terrible Death and the Grave becomâ— servants to him and being in Covenant with Goâ— he can triumph over them and all troubles and peâ—secutions and say that he is More then Conqueror 〈◊〉 them all as it is Rom. 8. and saith the Apostle tâ— such 1 Cor. 3. All things are yours whether Pauâ— or Apollo or Cephas or Life or Death things presenâ— or things to come all are yours and ye are Christs Is it any wonder then that at Poor Soul toucheâ— with the sense of sin be desirous and Solicitous to bâ— in Covenant with God And therefore whetheâ— we look upon it as a dutie or as an evidence of 〈◊〉 person truly humbled for sin it is very desirable anâ— should be seriously sought after The Use Serves to show That the great Scope which ye should now have before you is to have a broken Covenant made up with God It should be your main designe to put this grand business to a point that there may be no war but a standing League betwixt God and you And therefore whâ— ever they be that satisfie themselves with going about the Ordinances misken this they certainly mistake the mark The great matter is not to come to the Communion neither is it to win at somewhat of heart softness or to a little sense which are good but it 's really to be in Covenant with God to be able to say on good ground The Lord is my God My beloved 〈◊〉 mine and I am his And when he saith Return backsliding Children to be in case to answer with the heart â—ehold we come unto thee for thou art the Lord our God â—his is indeed a desirable thing and he is an unhappie man that doth not that will not heartily desire and seek after it Secondly From their very great Seriousness in going and weeping in going to seek the Lord asking the way to Zion and from their encouraging one another to Join in Covenant with the Lord Observe that where there is any Sincerity or begun work of Grace it shews 〈◊〉 self in nothing sooner then in an impulse to be at Covenanting with God and to have some clearness therein For only to be in Covenant and not to have the knowledge of it cannot give that peace and comfort which a present sad exercise calleth for therefore say they while they are going and weeping Come and let us join our selves to the Lord in a perpetuall Covenant that shal not be forgotten So then we say that a sincere and gracious work of God appears in nothing sooner then in this impulse to have the Covenant of God fixed and put out of doubt to have this at a Point is their great designe here and they are very serious in it So Isaiah 44. where vers 3. There is a Promise of the work of the Spirit in Sanctifieng and how is this work of the Spirit proved or wherein doth it appear Even thus vers 5. One shal say I am the Lords and another shall call himself by the Name of Jacob and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord and sur-name himself by the name of Israel the work of Gods Spirit whâ— he comes to Sanctifie and save is such as makes a maâ— run and devote himself to God with hand heart aâ— mouth ye never saw people more quickly and wiâ— better will come to the Church at the most Solemâ— occasion then when this work is begun or there any kindly exercise about it serious Souls will 〈◊〉 ready to run with their heart to Subscribe to Gods Câ—venant when the Terms of it are laid out before theâ— Only advert to these Two things in this Observatioâ— First When I speak of entering in Covenant with Goâ— I mean of the hearts closing with him by Fai h according as he offers himself in this Gospel when he saitâ— quit and renounce your own righteousness and taâ— mine quit and abandon your lusts and Idols and giâ—â— your selves to me and I will be your God and be fortâ— coming to you in all things that concern your happineâ— here and hereafter the heart yeelds and says conteâ— Lord the offer is good and I accept of it and 〈◊〉 wives were wont as it is yet the custom to surnaâ— themselves by their husbands so doth the Soul upâ— the matter in this Covenant Subscribe I am Godâ— This is called a yeelding to God or the giving of tâ— hand to him 2 Chron. 30.8 and Rom. 10.3 It 〈◊〉 called A submitting to the righteousness of God Seconâ—ly When we speak of this impulse towards or desiâ— of Covenanting with God It 's noâ— to be understood 〈◊〉 every raw wish such as Balaam bad to be in Heaven but it is a seriously urging impulse an earnest hungâ— and thirst and an ardent longing to have this at a point It 's such a thirsting desire as all the world beside wâ— not be able to quench It makes the Soul eager in tâ— pursuit of the thing even to meet and close with Goâ— in the Covenant It 's in effect that which Matth. 5.6 is called
a hungring and thirsting after righteousness Because it hath in it a fixed longing with Holy Pain which Cant. 5.8 Is called a being sick of Love It 's such a desire as makes the heart even faint and sick for the want of the thing desired which can be satisfied with nothing else no more then a very hungry man can be satisfied if handfuls of Gold were offered to him it 's meat he must have In this respect which will be the Reason of the Doctrine Christ Jesus is called the food of the Soul and the Covenant is like the Pap whereby Christs fulness is Communicated and conveyed to us for we have no access to Christ but by the Covenant therefore Ephes 2.12 These two are put together being without Christ and being without the Covenant and Isaiah 66.11 12. Converts are said to Suck and be satisfied with the Breasts of the Churches Consolation and to be dandled on her knees Believers are like new born Babes whom nothing can satisfie or do good to but the Breasts and the Ordinances are as it were the breasts at which they suck and which are as so many Pipes to conveigh to them Spirituall nourishment to which the Apostle alludeth 1 Pet. 2.2 when he saith As new born Babes desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby if so be that ye have tasted that the Lord is Gracious and then follows to whom coming as unto a living stone c. Jesus Christ is the milk and the word the Pap that conveighs him and as the first thing that evidenceth life to be in a new-born Babe is hunger after the breast so is it here the Covenant satisfies the new born New creature The Use of the Point serves to put you to look back and to consider whether ever ye have in your experience known this wherein spirituall life shews it self Even to be holily fond or browden so to speak on the Papâ— the Regenerat Soul cannot endure to be keeped back from sucking the breasts of these Consolations that are in the Covenant Now it 's very Probable that many will catch at this as a very Comfortable Mark of Regeneration to themselves and will be ready to say why have we not this desire to be in Covenant with God And if that will be a proof of a work of grace we wanâ— it not and these Jewes hear spoken of before their coming to be in this blessed Frame were ready to boast â—hat they were Abrahams Children and that they had a desire to be in Covenant with God but it will be another sort of desire and eagerness which they will have When the Redeemer comes out of Zion to turn away iniquitie from Jacob. But that ye may know what this desire and impulse that we speak of is and if indeed ye have it consider these evidences of it First That it iâ— an ardent and vehement desire a pressingly urgent impulse not such as ye have had all your dayes but itâ— an effect of the Spirits out-pouring as that Paralell place with this viz. Zech. 12.10 clears I will saith the Lord Pour upon the house of David the Spirit of Grace c. Away with that Grace with that Faith and Love which are as old as your selves Secondly This desire and Impulse hath such a vehemencie with it as puts the man to his feet to go and Pray and to go weeping It stirreth him then so as he must needs go though he be much in the Dark and knows not so well and distinctly whither he is going because Love to be in Covenant with God will in a manner make a fool go right to Gâ—d though there is reason that he should seek after help to his infirmitie the desiâ—es of many are like the sluggards desire who lyeth still on his bed and his ease slays him This desire maketh some Holy stir and rouzeth to diligence in the use of means Thirdly This desire is such as never dies out till the Person be thorow in the point of Covenanting with God and therefore though he should be put as it were to digg wells in the wilderness and to go from strength to strength yet he will adventure on it and hold on in his way The Apostle Philip. 3. Speaks of it as his One Thing and when persons are suitably serious in this it is their one thing and not a peece of work only on the by and if they may come to it in all their lifetime they think as they have reason to do that they make a good bargain and have gained a noble Prize never did a man on Horse back in a race spur faster then they do that by any means they may attain it Fourthly The principle of desire after Covenanting with God holds them constantly in an estimation of and sucking at it as the mean of their life as the Babe cannot live without the breasts So they cannot live without the Covenant they cannot rest but in it I speak not now what Believers are in their declinings but when they are in a right Frame they have no being but in this Covenant they must needs have milk flowing through the Breasts of it for their nourishment that is a cursed life or raâ—her death of persons who come to the word and caâ—e not whether it be made lively or not and come to the Communion and care not whether they get by it any life and comfort or not and a cursed Faith that keeps Souls from making use of Christ and such is the faith of many hearers of the Gospel Now Covenanting is the Believers Earnest and they are thereby made to forget their Faâ—hers house in hope to be admitted to dwell with Christ for evermore Thirdly Observe that A well qualified desire of Covenanting with God is a good token of Conversion or a rightly byassed desire of being in Covenant with God the language of Persons coming home to God Come 〈◊〉 they and let us join our selves to the Lord in a perpâ—uall Covenant The Lord se s down this as their coâ—mendation and as an evidence of his begun Gracioâ— work in them They no doubt had wo ds of Coâ—nanting before but wanted this right impulse and dâ—sire and therefore Sat still but now they are much aâ—fected stirred and put to their feet It being aâ— effeâ— of the Poured out Spirit on them We saâ— this is good token of a begun work of Grace and of persoâ— their coming home to God because this impulse tâ—wards and desire of Covenanting with Goâ— speaks oâ— these three First The sense of their need of him aâ— that they cannot live without him and the stopping 〈◊〉 their Mouth with Holy shame and confusion befoâ— God Secondly An high estimation that they have 〈◊〉 him a Judging that they have no happiness but in bin Thirdly It speaks out faith in their actuall betakinâ— of themselves to him for the up making of what the want and stand in need of There is some what of
Covenant The grossest sins of Pagans are in some respect as no sins in comparison of this John 15.22 2. There will be much shame before God even shame and confusion of Face everlasting shame they shall rise from the dead to shame and everlasting contempt Dan. 12. Sinners will have much shame ere all be done for every sin But such as have wickedly betrayed their trust to God and after they had made Profession of entring in Covenant with him have dealt Perfidiously and falsly in it will be in a manner hissed at amongst devils and reprobat Pagans who never had such offers neither made such Professions and their condemnation will be acknowledged to carry eminent and conspicuous desert in it Because such had a good bargain and dealt treacherously with God and quite maried it to themselves they have often also much shame amongst men even here The man saith Christ That hears my sayings and does them not is like unto a foolish builder that built his house one the sand and elsewhere he resembles rash engagers in profest Covenanting with him to men who sit not down to count the cost that begin to build and not being able to finish expose themselves to the Mockage Scorn and Derision of all that pass by Such and such a man will some be ready to say was a great Professor but now behold what is become of him take him up yonder he seemed once to have some tenderness but now he is quite turned aside and become gross and loose Men of any Morall honesty and ingenuity will be ashamed to break their word to violat their engagements one to another in worldly matters how much greater shame is it to break to God and to deal falsly in his Covenant 3. It hath deep reflections upon God for the Covenant-breaker saith on the matter that it repents him that ever he made it for he hath never gotten good of it and that God hath not been faithfull in keeping to him and that therefore he thought himself loosed from all its Obligation Now will any of you dare to say that the Covenant is not a good bargain or that God is not a good responsall and faithfull party to deal with What iniquity have yâ—ur Fathers found in me saith the Lord to his Professing people Jer. 2. that they are gone so far from me Come saith he Micah 6. Before the Mountains and let the Hils hear my Controversy with you what iniquity have ye found in me wherein have I wearied you testifie against me Sure all that depart from God rub reproach on Gods Covenant as a bad bargain and on God as a bad and unfaithfull party to deal with O high and horrid practical Atheisme and Blasphemy Doubtless such will find that they have played the fools egregiously in Committing these two great evils in forsaking God the Fountain of living waters and in digging to themselves Cisterns even broken Cisterns that could hold no water O! If ye could Imagine what ye will think of it ere long when ye will not get a drop of watter to cool your tongue because ye said by your practice that God was not worth the having And to the Almighty depart from us we will have none of thee neithâ—r will we have the knowledge of thy ways 4. Much want of peace and much anxietie will follow upon it even the penitent and converting People of God Jer. 3.20 21. have much bitterness on this account of Treacherous dealing in Gods Covenant a voice of weeping and Lamentation is heard on the mountains the Children of Israel saying we have perverted our way we have forsaken the Lord our God how much more bitterness of another nature how much more Smart vexation Anguish Agony and gnawing of Conscience shall impenitent sinners have on account of their false and Perfidious dealing in Gods Covenant This will make the hearts of many to quake and tremble for terror If ye get Repentance it will be a heart-break to you and if ye get not repentance much heart less heart-break and crushing is abiding you in the end for evermore and O what trembling of heart failing of eyes and sorrow of mind may be betwixt and that 5 Much wrath will follow on it in the day of the Lord if it be continued in and judge ye withâ—n your selves if there be so many aggravations of or so many threatnings against any sin as of and against unfaithfull and false dealing in Gods Covenant this sin hath made the Jews to lye these Sixteen hundred years and above Scattered among all Nations as a curse Therefore make it your great designe and business â—ow to be Faithful to God and to have the Covenant with him A perpetual Covenant never to be forgotten As for the Third viz. Some motives and encouragements to excite you to be Faithful in Gods Covenant and to study to have it A perpetuall Covenant never to be forgotten consider in the First place that it is a singularly good and none-such bargain to them that keep Covenant there is no bargain more lovely to them that keep touches with God It 's saith dying David 2 Sam. 23. all my Salvation and all my desire It hath all things in it that my heart can wish we make a pitifull and poor life to our selves thorow our undervaluing Gods Covenant the Believer by improving of it might have as we use to speak a Lords life yea a Kings life yea a life infinitly preferable to the life of all the great men and Monarchs on earth having all things though Possessing nothing as it is 2 Cor. 6.10 and saith the Apostle Philip. 4. I have all I abound and have no lack while in the mean time he was living on a litle Charity from others we might have a good liâ—e here and hereafter doâ—h it not exceedingly Commend Gods Covenant that neither Sickness Poverty Reproach Contempt Persecution nor Death it self though violent and Bloody can marr this excellent life when the Covenanter comes to Judgement Who can lay any thing to his Charge It is God that Justifieth who shall condemn him He hath a friend before him Jesus the Mediator of the new Covenant and is in good-terms with God The great advantage of it in this life and in that which is to come for godliness is great gain having the promise of both may abundantly commend the Covenant and Faithfulness in it I am perswaded there is no suiter or wooer to court and put in for the sinners heart affection that can possibly out-bid Gods Covenant can the Lust of the eye the Lust of the flesh or the Pride of life can Profit Pleasure or Preferment make such Proffers Is there such advantage to be had in serving them as there is to be had in serving God By the one Ye bring forth fruit unto Holiness and in the end reap Eternal Life but by the other Ye sow to the flesh and shall of the flesh reap Corruption a poor and hungry
Proclaim liberty to the Captives to give to them that mourn beauty for Ashes the Oyl of joy for Mourning and the Garment of Praise for the Spirit of Heaviness and this is called the Proclaiming of the acceptable year of the Lord Wherein all the three Persons of the Blessed Trinity concurr as is clear vers 1. Consider Secondly All his Offices and ye will find that they Preach and Proclaim the same thing his Name is Jesus because He saves his People from their sins He is King Priest and Prophet for this end and what saith his Preaching and Corrospondent Prayer John 17. Father I will that they whom thou hast given me be with me but that he would fain have them there And what shall I say Is there any proof of it that can be given beyond His Death I lay down my life saith he for my sheep The Salvation of lost Elect sinners went very near his heart Therefore when none in Heaven nor on earth can help then saith he Lo I come to do thy will O my God Thirdly Consider with what Pleasure and delight he went about the work of Redemption As is very clear in that 40th Psalm where he heartsomly saith Lo I come I delight to do thy will I even hasten to undertake it And when he is come he saith John 4.34 It is my meat to do the will of him that sent me and to finish his work and what work was that Even to lay down his Life to gather the lost sheep of the house of Israel to take away the seud that was betwixt God and them and to Reconcile them to him and when it cometh to the very push of actuall laying down his life He will not open his month to divert it though he might have commanded more then twelve Legions of Angels yet he would not do it for this cause saith he Came I into this World Fourthely Consider the end of all the Ordinances wherefore are they instituted what saith the word but that Thorow this man is preached unto you forgiveness of sins What say Ministers but that We are Ambassadours in Christ stead beseching you to be Reconciled unto God Which evidenceth Plainly that Christ would fain to speak so have peace made betwixt God and sinners and them saved and what saith the Sacrament but even the words of the Text This is the new Covenant in my Blood shed for the Remission of the sins of many And can we think on the end of these Ordinances but we must also think on Christs willingness that sinners should make Application of him and of his Purchase Fifthly Consider further How he esteems of a sinners coming to him There is saith he Joy in Heaven at the Conversion of a sinner We may say that it is the gladness of his heart when any sinner cometh home to him Therefore it is said that the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand and he shall see of the travel of his soul and be Satisfied Isaiah 53.10 11. It is Satisfaction to him for all the Travel of his Soul to see sinners coming in and getting good of him and in the Song He is said to feed in the Gardens and to be gathering lilies Yea that the day of Souls being espoused to him is the day of the gladness of his heart Sixthly Consider how weighted to speak so with reverence to him our Lord is when sinners will not make use of him it 's accounted by him as it were an affronting of him Even a troading of the Blood of the Covenant under foot and an accounting of it to be an unholy thing a sort and degree of doing despight to the Spirit of Grace He who could look sometimes on the wrath of God and not shed a tear yet when he came to Jerusalem weeped over it And upon the other hand O! what complacency hath he in a sinners coming home to him which makes him sweetly smile and rejoice Seventhly Consider his exceeding great forbearance toward sinners while they are straying and his exceeding heartie welcoming of them when they return Let an inquest to say so be led on his Procedure with all the hearers of the Gospel that are here on earth and with all that are in Heaven and hell and all of them will be constrained to subscribe to the truth of this that he is full of long-suffering Doth he not spare even the vessels of wrath fitted to distruction And doth He not only spare his own but Pity them as a Father pitieth his Children And that wonderfull wescom of the Father to his Prodigal Son is nothing to Christs welcoming of a repenting sinner being but a dark Resemblance of it He casts not up to him his bygone faults Neither sayes what is this you have done miserable wretch No such word but This is my Son that was dead and is alive that was lost and now is found Believe it O Believe it which is the very scope of the Parable Our Lord Jesus is as glad in a Holy way at a sinners coming home Eightly Consider how easie our Lord is to be pleased with any honest mint or essay that is made of returning to him He is so very willing that a sinner make Application of his Righteousness that where there is reality he will as it were take half a Faith for Faith were it even but like a Smoking flax or bruised Reed or a grain of mustard seed He will take a sincere resolution to confess for the confession of sin which is clear Psalm 32. I said saith David I will confess my Transgression and thou forgavâ—st the Iniquity of my sin If he had proposed the offer of life on such terms as would have wearied us all our dayes we ought to have Judged him willing that we should partake of it for it cost him very dear But when it is not Abrahams Faith only but any Faith how weak so ever if sound that he graciously accepts How doth it set forth his great willingness Him that cometh to me saith he I will in no wise cast out The word is doubled in the Original I will not Not to shew the holy passionatness of our Lords desire and his exceeding great willingness to have sinners closing with him So Isaiah 45. Salvation is promised even to a Look look unto me all the ends of the Earth and be Saved and if sinners cannot well look think but honestly and let their heart yeeld and it shall be a bargain He that is athirst let him come Revel 22. And if there be scarce the pain of Hunger or Thirst The Spirit and the Bride say come and whosoever will let him come and take of the Water of Life freely And this willingness is nothing else but the thought and desire of an heart consenting to accept of his offer Or if this be not litle enough there is less yet Psalm 37.7 Rest in the Lord the word as it is on the Margent and Psal 62.1 is be
care ye for Remission of sins Or care ye for the enjoying of God If ye do then sure it is unspeakably of your concernment to consider and close with the call offer of this Gospel And if there be any of you that have loved your Idols and after them will go I would desire you in soberness to say to it will ye prefer any Idol to Christ the Creature to the Creator the temporal finfull being of your body to the Eternall well-being of both Soul and Body If ye will then be sure that this Conviction in your Judgement and Conscience will go along with such a cursed Resolution that Christ and Heaven were the absolutly best Bargain The Third Use Serves to Cheer and Solace sinners that have betaken themselves to Christ O All ye who are glad to hear tell of such a Saviour and whose heart is even now content to take him to Renounce all Idolâ— for his sake We have First Remission of sins Noâ— only to offer but even to proclaim freely to you Hâ—â— that believes is past from death to life and shall not comâ— into condemnation There is no Condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh buâ— after the Spirit as it is Rom. 8.1 If ye say what wilâ— become of the sins that we are now under the guilt of I answer they shall be freely forgiven in those dayeâ— and at that time saith the Lord by the Prophet Jeremy Chap. 50.20 The Iniquity of Israel shall be sought for and there shall be none and the sins of Judah and they shall not be found for I will Pardon them whom I reserve When all the books shall be cast open there shall be nothing found to Charge upon a Believing Elect It 's God that justifieth who shall condemn sin as Pardoned to you it was to Abraham and to David and Heaven is made as sure to you as it was to them who are now in it ye have the same Surety the same Saviour the same Covenant Secondly What Promise would ye have I know ye need many but is â—here any of all the Promises that is not in the Covenant Yea ye have the Covenant and Christ both for He is given for a Covenant to you All things are yours as it is 1 Cor. 3. Whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or Life or Death or things present or things to come all are yours and ye are Christs Ye have a title and right to all the Promises and may comfort your selves in the assured hope of the Performance of them O! That many were in capacity to receive this consolation Thirdly There may be a wearisome time here and who knows what tryals and Scatterings may overtake you What times may go over you ere ye get another Communion It were best then that ye who seriously mind to cleave to Christ and his Covenant were making for them and therefore lay up this Consolation O Believers Comfort your selves in this Blessed bargain ye have Christ and Remission of sins take the Sacrament as a Seal thereof There is a day coming when ye will drink it new in the Kingdom of Heaven O cheer your selves in the hope of it and for the time in this Resemblance of it when ye see a poor man personating our Lord Jesus Christ and by his warrant offering him to you The day is coming when there shall be no Resemblance no Temple no Ministers no Ordinances no Sacrament but ye shal drink of that new wine the grapes whereof grow on Christ Jesus the Tree of Life in the midst of the Paradise of God Even the wine of the Consolation of Glory that will keep you in a continuall Holy Ravishment when all fears shall be wiped away and ye shall have fully Satisfying Blessedness in the Immediat vision and fruition of God And since it is so Let the joy of the Lord be your strength There shall not a Believer come to the Lords Table this day but there is a day coming when he and she shall drink it new without interruption Eternally in the Kingdome of Heaven Father saith Christ John 17. I will that these whom thou hast given me may be with me where I am to Behold my Glory and again the Glory which thou gavest me I have given them and saith he Revel 3.12 I will write upon him my new Name and the Name of the City of my God c. That is the Communication and Participation of the Glory of the head as the Members are Capable Labour O Labour to have your Appetits Sharpened and your longing desires quickened to taste of this new wine It will be fresh strong and sweet there And seeing the Lord allows you such consolation take it and take the Sacrament as a Pledge of it and think with thy self O Believer in Christ what shall I sinfull and unworthy I ere long sit with Christ at his Table in Glory and is this a signe and Representation of it under a vail What manner of Person ought I to be in all Holy Conversation and Godliness ought I not to love him much and to continue with him in all his Tentations The Kingdom will Superabundantly make up all The very fiâ—st draught of this new Wine will make sighing and Soâ—row for ever to flee away Let your Souls be comforted in what ye have and in the expectation of what is coming There are great things coming ye have a Rich and liberall a free and frank bestower and notably good Security Come therefore all of you to the due use-making of the Covenant and of the Sacrament in reference to this end And the Lord himself that calls you enable you to come aright that it may be a closed Sealed and confirmed bargain betwixt him and you this day that ye may have ground to say This is the day which the Lord hath made we will be glad and rejoyce in it A Thanks-giving Sermon after the Communion the last that ever the Author Preached on such an occasion at Glasgow On Matth. 26. Vers 29. But I say unto you I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the Vine untill that day when I drink it new with you in my Fathers Kingdom SERMON II. OUr Blessed Lord Jesus is now near taking leave of his Apostles and preparing them for the storm they were to meet with and for the consolation of them and of all his followers to the end of the World He instituteth this Ordinance of the Communion to be His Love-token in His absence that all his People might be confident of his respect to them as well as to those then Present and that all of them might thereby be put and kept in the Remembrance of him till his coming again He hath given them a Massie and marrowy Sum of the Gospel in the words immediatly Preceeding This Cup saith he is my Blood of the New Testament shed for the Remission of the sins of many To
above or of that Cup of the unmixed Wine of the wrath of God having no rest day nor night O Profane Atheist unbeliever hollow hearted Hypocrite and slighter of Christ all thy dayes what a bitter draught will that be when God shall put into thy hand the Cup of his Iâ—dignation which shall be for ever poured out unto thee and shall never come from thy head O drunkard tippler and belly God be think thy self how that draught will go down with thee The Lord with his one foot on Earth and the other on the Sea with an uplifted hand to Heaven hath Sworn that within a litle time shal be no more Ye that are young People may if ye will follow the sight of your eyes and the way of your own hearts and may take you Pleasure in the dayes of your youth but know and remember that God will bring you to Judgement Your time is wearing away and ye will wear away 't is but a litle and ye will hear no moe Preachings and get no moe warnings O take them in time if ye be wise and the Lord perswade you so to do In the Third place The scope both of the advertisment and consolation is observable when he was giving them the Cup and told them that 't is the Cup of the new Testament in his blood He subjoins but I say unto you I will not drink henceforth c. This he doth First because he would send them away advertised and assured that There is a father Ben to speak so a more inward room in Religion then the most lively and comfortable Ordinance here on earth doth afford a higher more intense spiritual Practice then any outward part of Religion He would have them to go away thinking with themselves that all is not done that may be done that all is not win at which may be had that they are not yet Holy enough nor happy enough O place not for Christs sake Place not your Religion here I was at the Sacrament or I got my Communion Wo to that empty sound and to them who lean all their weight on it ye may come and abide here for a time and go away leaving the marrow of the matter behind you all is not yet done A Second Reason is Because he would have them parting and going from the Communion wiâ—h some thoughts of death of their approaching change and passing out of time and of Eternity it s quickly Marching upon them And indeed it were good going from the Communion and from every other Ordinance with such thoughts as these Death is fast coming on me and I will be soon gone saith our Lord on the matter to the Disciples and ye will ere long follow me and it is not these Ordinances that will be your life in Eternity It were good that we came to the Lordâ— Table to Preaching and Prayer and went away as dieing Men and Women this would lay much of our Pride deaden us to the world and make us endeavouâ— to hold a loose gripe of all things in it and would keeâ— us under the kindly sense of the changeableness uncertainty and short continuance of them all and might be of more use and worth to us then Twenâ—ie thanksgiving Sermons Labour then to go from every Ordinance as if ye were not to enjoy another A Third Reason may be that our Lord would lead in his followers 〈◊〉 look after some stamp of Heaven and of the Glorious Communion that is a coming on their Spirits and would have them going from the Ordinances with such thoughts Alace we have very few such thoughts Our conversation is very litle or not at all in Heaven Believers think and think often that these rags will be rent off us and we shall be set down on the Throne with Christ in that Rayment of needle work It is a good token wheâ— a person goes from a Cummunion from Preaching and Prayer more Divine and Heavenly making every Ordinance the step of a stair as it were to ascend upward having a high esteem of Heaven and a heaâ— Holily eager and bent on it content nay desirous 〈◊〉 be gone when ever He shall see it meet and till theâ— putting on and keeping on the whole armour of God making for one assault of temptation afâ—er another Heavenly in his whole walk in his actions words and thoughts As ye would not O Believers interrupt your Communion with God in Christ study to be Heavenly in your Conversation for saith the Apostle Phil. 3.20 Our Conversation is in Heaven from whence we look for the Saviour Lay aside as if be had said your earthly mindedness away with that and be Heavenly in your conversation for our Conversation is such and Believers are described to be such as Love Christs appearing A Fourth Reason May be that our Lord would hearten Comfort his Disciples and send them away refreshed Yea it is to Root out their unbelief and to arm them against approaching tryals So then First our Lord Jesus Allows Believers to go from the Communion and proportionally from every Ordinance rightly come to cheerfull and Comforted and therefore he leaves them with this word telling them that they will have hard and sad days but withall bids them cheer themselves in the assured expectation of a day coming when He and they shall drink the Wine new in Heaven Our Lord would have Believers humble thinking on Death and making ready for it dayly yet be would not have them tortured with the thoughts of it but cheerfull as having his joy for their strength though he would not have their joy carnal but Heavenly And it is the Token of a right Communicant and of a good hearer of the word when a Person goes away from it more Spiritually cheered and more Heavenly minded Secondly There is nothing that can be more heartsome cheering and refreshing to the Believer then the lively hope of Communion and of a seat on the Throne in Heaven with Christ and it is the mark and Character of a believer to have no lower designe Alace for the sensless way of hearing the word and of Communicating customary to many who have no other nor higher designe then to partake of the outward Ordinance 't is a heart some thing to go from the Table of the Lord with this sweet and Heavenly Meditation Christ and I will meet again ere long at a table in Heaven Thirdly The thoughts of Heaven and the hope thereof may well sustain a Believe were there never so many BUTS and wants in their present condition here We will not be long together saith He there will be a scattering but this may keep you from weeping and mourning as those who have no hope that the day cometh when we shall meet again and never part asunder It is really a wonder that we have so few serious and solacing thoughts of coming to Heaven there are none who look for a Rich loading coming home by Sea but they will comfort themselves in the expectation of it why do we not then comfort our selves in the thoughts of Heaven since we profess to have a hope of being there even because we are carnal and earthly and it sayes that we either think Heaven litle worth or that it is an insufficient and unvalid right that is to be had to it or that we do not really believe it all the silver and gold in the world comforts not a poor body because he hath no hope to come by it So there are not a few hearers of the Gospel who bear much of Heaven and of the hope of it that never refresheth them A Fifth Reason may be to waken up longing desires and to sharpen and put an edge upon an appetit in his followers after Heaven and to teach them not to place their happiness in any thing on this side Heaven otherwise he would never have put their Satisfaction to a term so far off but he over-leaps to speak so with reverence all the brave days that they had and were to have here and gives them this for their full satisfaction that the day is a coming when he will drink the Wine new with them in his Fathers Kingdom and would have them in their flight never resting nor sitting down till they be there For he sends them away hungering for that Communion-Table And we would yet again exhort and beseech you to study to be in case to go from the Communion and from every Sermon having some serious thoughts of Heaven and longings for it believing that the day the joyfull day is coming when Christ and ye will meet and never shed or separat again when ye shall be with him where he is and be set with him at his Table and on his Throne never to rise off it any more again Blessed be God that that desirable day is coming Believers in Christ cheer your selves in the hope of it If there be any of you as Alace I fear there be very many that relish not this blessed change there is a sad and Sorrowful change before you O be busie very busie to have your interest in Christ and the hope of Heaven well secured by Union and Communion with him here that so ye may have the well grounded hope of Heaven and may frequently draw Comfort from it And O that we could sunder so The litle inch and moment of time that we have will soon and very quickly wear away and be at an end Go then my dear friends wiâ—h this well fixed resolution that ye must needs in Gods own way have Heaven and be eternally happy in the Soul-satisfieing and ravishing enjoyment of that fullest and sweetest never to be interrupted Communion that will be there And thank God and Christ the Mediator for the least measure of the well grounded hope of it and make it your business to have your Conversation suited to and smelling strong of that blessed hope FINIS