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
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
come ashore all tears shall be wiped from your eyes and sorrow and sighing shall flee away and ye shall meet with that word O warm word Come ye faithful Servants enter into the joy of your Lord ye will not always fight and wrestle neither will ye be alwayes tempted and troubled rest and repose is a coming it 's even at hand then one ray of his Counâ—enance will be infinitly more heartsome refreshing and satisfieing then all these things that ye are now called to abandon and part with can possibly amount to Christs first welcome to his Fathers house will eternally banish the remembrance of all the sad things that ye meet with in this world The Fourth and last Observation is that The great mean of securing a Covenanter making him stedfast is Faith exercised on God or adhering to him by Faith by vertue of this Covenant It is not to lay weight on or trust to our own strength but seeing God hath made a promise of thorow-bearing to undertake the duties that we are called to in his strength trusting to his Faithfulness and to his furnishing of us according to the Covenant As when poor sinners are Summoned to appear before God and they have no righteousness of their own they are to step forward trusting to Christs righteousness So when they are called to dutie and they have no strength of their own to enable them to a suitable discharge thereof they are to consider that God is faithfull who hath promised and who will also do it and indeed Believers have found in their comfortable experience that when they have adventured on dutie with a believing look to Gods Covenanted strength they have found it go sweetly surprisingly well with them Thus it is said of those worthies mentioned Heb. 11. That through faith they wrought Righteousness as well as they did all other things thereby This also is it which the Lord inculcateth John 15. abide in me saith He and ye shall bring forth much fruit as the branch cannot bear fruit of it self except it abide in the Vine no more can ye except ye abide in me for without me ye can do nothing Where it is clear that it 's not enough that we be in Christ but that we must abide in him and have continuall dependance on him for the influences of life and strength derived from him Ye then that would be faithfull in Gods Covenant would have it Perpetuall never to be forgotten must especially make use of this mean make Conscience of all other appointed means Watch and pray that ye enter not into Tentation but see that ye neglect not this mean which if ye do the Watchman will watch in vain and your grip or hold will be unsiker if ye make not use of him to make it sure and to keep it so And therefore 1. Mind seriously and constantly what ye are in and of your selves even fickle fectless weak feeble and unconstant creatures not daring to undertake any thing in your own strength 2. Remember what God is and that ye have a worthy able and responsall Cautioner 3. Remember that ye are engaged in a Covenant never to be forgotten forgetting is the first rise of unfaithfulness 4. Remember the Promises that God hath made for your thorow-bearing and let faith be exercised on them Joyn with diligence and watchfulness a suitable exercise of Faith 5. Take a serious look every day when ye go to pray of your resolutions and engagements renew them frequently and seriously in his own strength and be casting the other knot and put the heart distinctly to say this was my bargain and I will through Grace abide by it and then go and pray over it that ye may be made faithful in your thus Covenanting with God that ye may be enabled to pay your vowes and make your honest resolutions Practicable levelling at this as your Scope and designe in all duties I have said such a thing and have not kept my word Lord forgive it for Christs sake I am engaged in this and that and the other duty Lord help me to perform And for your furtherance in humiliation and soft walking before God look on all your sins as aggravated by this unfaithful and treacherous dealing in Gods Covenant and on all duties as those which your Covenant with God binds you to depend on him for strength to be Communicated to you according to the Covenant for going about them suitably and acceptably and within a litle while ye shall get a fair pass to be gone and a full discharge of all that ye were trusted with according to the Covenant And the Lord help you to be faithful so that it may be betwixt God and you in very deed A perpetuall Covenant that shall not be forgotten A SERMON Preached Immediatly before the Communion On Matth. 26. Vers 28.29 For thiâ— is my Blood of the New Testament whâ—â— is shed for many for the Remission of sins But I sâ— unto you I w ll not drink henceforth of this fruit 〈◊〉 the Vine untill that day when I drink it new wâ— you in my Fathers Kingdom ALthough we had no more to do at our meeting together in this place to day but to Read and heâ— these same wonderful words If our hearts were in suitable spiritual frame knowing and considering whâ— we are about and doing we would be in a Divine Raâ—ture and Transport of Admiration at His love aâ— kindled into a flame of Holy zeal for his glory by then O What sweet and happy words are these from our diâ—ing Lord Jesus Christ his mouth Eye hath not seen eâ— hath not heard Neither hath it entered into the heart 〈◊〉 Man to conceive what things the Lord hath prepared fâ—â— them that wait for him And indeed there is a sum oâ— them in these words they being a Compend of tâ— Testament and legacy which our Lord hath left to hâ— friends O Sinners be of good chear there are gooâ— news and glad tidings of great joy here Here is tâ— new Covenant and all that is in it and Remission 〈◊〉 sins in Particular as the Legacy Here is Christ whiâ—â— maketh this Covenant Savoury and it is confirmed 〈◊〉 his Death who is the Testator thereof Which makes it sure Here is Heaven and Eternall glory and what would you have more This is saith he my Blood of the New Testament Whiâ—h is shed for the Remission of the sins of many Which holds forth the Promises and the convey of them the Legacy and how it comes to us I will not saith he Drink of this fruit of the Vine untill I drink it new with you in my Fathers Kingdome There is Heaven the heartsome up shot of all Remission of sins comes to sinners Covenant wise thorow Christs Blood and by closing with Christ and making Application of this Blood sinners come to get Remission of sins and all the benefits of the Covenant and are brought at last to Drink the new
is to difference it from otheâ— things and in this respect a â—hing is said to be discerneâ— comparatively as 1 Cor. 4.7 Who maketh thee to diffeâ— from another Thus to discerne this Sacrament anâ— Christ in it is to difference it from other things considering thaâ— it was once common Bread and Wine buâ— that now it is not so It is to put a difference betwixt thâ— Sacrament and common bread and wine and betwixâ— the Sacrament and the Word and Covenant yet with respect to the Covenant as the Seal differs from the Charter and to difference this Sacrament from other Sacraments In respect that it looks to a dieing Saviour and Communicats him and his benefits that way 3. To discern a thing is to have a high esteem of it such aâ— was the discerning of Meats dayes and Places So to discern Christ in this Ordinance is to have a deep impression and high estimation of Jesus Christ of his death and of his maâ—chless love shining therein To have much Spiritualitie Holy fear awe and reverence in reference to him Such a fear and reverence as mean men will have before a King or a great man who when they carrie not suitably before such a great person we wil say to them know ye where ye are So the right discerning and uptaking of Christ here is to have a high estâ—mation of him 4. There is a complex discerning of a thing in reference to its use and end or we may call it a Relative discerning which is Practicall when a man conforms himself Suiâ—ably to his diâ—cerning of the thing the want whereof ouâ— Lord reproves in the Jews Hypocâ—its sayes he Ye can diâ—cern the face of the Sky but ye cannot diâ—cern the signes of the times and in this respâ—ct also whâ—n a man carries unsuitably before a Magistrat it 's said to him by discerning Persons know ye where ye are And this being the main thiâ—g here implied we shall speak a litle more to it wherâ—in these two things are supposed 1. Some distinct up taking of our selves of our need and of our hazard 2. The right pâ—taking of Christ in this Ordinance as to the supply of those necessities and preventing of that hazard and this Doctrinal discerning goâ—th before that which is Practicall which is a mans suitable use-making of Christ or suitablâ— exercising himself in reference to his need and that ordinance appointed for supply of his need by Jesus Christ which is with a reflex look sometimes on himself sometimes on Christ And there are in this these five steps which follow one of them upon another 1. It consists in a suitable frame of heart as becomes such a poor sinful unworthy and needy person in the presence of so Holy a Lord going about such a Holy action another frame then is called for at our dinner or Supper or at ordinary hearing the word or at Prayer A holy humble cheerfull serious Heavenly and hungry frame Holy awe and respect to God making humble Faith of Gods goodness and rich Grace in Christ shining in this Ordinance making cheerful The conviction of need making Sober and yet very serious and eager in what he is about It 's a frame made up as it were of contrarieties ardent love and zeal and yet a calme and composed Spirit to hear what God sayes To take what he gives and to behold what he manifests 2. It consists in an exercise of the mind in meditation both in reference to our selves and to Christ Meditation in reference to our own sinfulness and misery and meditation on Christs love calling to mind all that he hath done thinking with delight on Christs suffering and on the end of it and again reflecting a look on our selves to keep life in this meditation what was I when he suffered and did all this for me and what am I now when he is offering this to me To have the picture of a loving Husband hanging by a wife to what purpose is it and for what use doth it serve if she never look on it to mind him whom it represents 3. It consists in an exercise of Graces It 's even as it is laid in the Song a making of all the Spices to cast forth their smell and the putting of all things in good order and studying to have them in good case It 's to have love warm to the giver and closing with the gift of a dieing Saviour and to have love warm to others of his people for his sake and because he hath taken us in with others to partake of the benefits of his love shining in his Death for love to the head and members go together It 's to have repentance lively stirred up sin made heart-pricking and Godly sorrow to flow the heart made to loath it and the mind exercised in forming hearty resolutions Purposes vows and engagements against it but it 's especially to have faith stirred up and in exercise and to have all the senses of Faith to speak so set a going as when the word comes out and sayes Take ye Eat ye this is my Body which is broken for you Faith beholds and gets as clear and satisfieing a view of Christs Suffering and dieing as if the man saw him with his Bodily eyes when the hand is stretched out to take Faith acts Proportionably in stretching out it's hand to take Christ and not only grips him but in this Ordinance and according to the end of it takes it as a pledge of Christ performing what he hath promised making use of him for the end appointed when the eye looks on what is done Faith is considering and taking a view of Christ and of the covenant and of the benefits purchased by him and sees another thing then the elements even the wakened up sword of the Fathers justice pursueing the mediator as the elects cautioner when the eye looks on the distribution Faith it sees Christ made as it were believers Common-good given among them and to every one of them when the hand puts the bread and wine to the mouth Faith hath a way of opening it's mouth and as it were chewing and feeding upon Jesus Christ and of strengthening refreshing and cheering it self in him counting it self well come to with him and secure in him and fastening it's engagements to him all which strengthen our Spirituall life as eating and drinking doth the natural life and then when it comes to the taste Christ relisheth most sweetly to the Believer so that no Wine doth cheer the natural heart so much as Christ in the Sacrament considered in his love and Covenant and in the benefits that come by him do the Soul of the believer Faith here considers Christ not only as communicable but as actually communicated The fourth thing wherein this discerning consists is a reflecting exercise when we have received the Sacrament we are to reflect and consider what we have done and what we are doing are we indeed feeding upon Christ What
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
of all possible intertainment and welcome stand not before you unbought I say again take heed that ye receive not all this Grace in vain that these Precious and costly wares go not from the Market unbought up Secondly Who are the Chap-men or Merchants You would have readily thought that such wares would have required mighty Monarchs great States-men learned Philosophers or holy Kings Prophets Apostles and great men And yet the Proclamation is for grace cometh ordinarily in the lower way Ho every one that thirsts and he that hath no money these are the merchants who are meet for this rich Ware Are there any that want what may make them happy and would fain have Are there any that have their peace to make with God any that have not their interest clear and made sure any that are wrestling with a bodie of death and gâ—oaning under it Any that fain would have sin pardoned and subdued Any that would have Grace heaven and Glory and have nothing to give for all these or any of them and who have spent many years labour in vain and to no purpose to come by them It 's to you even to you that all these rich Wares and rare commodities are in a speciall manner offered in this cryed Fair of free grace And to clear this a litle I suppose there are none of you but you are some way under one of these Three though the externall call and offer comes indifferently to you all Ye are either 1. Senseless and secure and to you the Gospel says How long ye fools will ye love simplicity And how long will ye sleep O sluggards As there is a Challenge and regrate here So there is a condition all offer made to you in as far as it is here implyed that the Offer is made to them Who have no bread and have been bestowing their labour on that which satisfies not glutting themselves with the world or wrapping themselves up in the groundless conceit of their own righteousness To such it saith How long will ye spend your labour for that which is not bread Or 2. Ye are some way affected with sin lying under Convictions stinged some way burnt up and consumed with the apprehensions of the wrath and terrours of God The word which this Offer hath to such is the very first in the Proclamation Ho every one that thirsts Come and as we expostulated with the first sort viz senseless secure unconcerned proud and con eity standers aloof so we bid you earnestly come and if ye shall say your conviction hath no edge with it it is not deep enough We Answer let him that hath no money come if ye have quite given over all Hope of your Prayers and other Performances as to making your peace with God by them and have in that respect utterly renounced your own righteousness and so have no money no price though ye be not pinched and pricked at the heart under the sense of sin and deserved wrath as ye would yet come O come Or 3. Ye are such as have taken with your sin and lost state and are in some measure though but faintly at least to your own apprehension stirring towardst Christ and would fain be at him up for to you the offer most kindly sayes Hear and your souls shal live eat and be satisfied The wares are not brought forth and laid before you that ye should only to say so block or cheapen and ask the price but also and mainly that ye should buy eat and feed on them The Gospel doth not as it were so much offer to make with you a bargain as it offers you the benefit of a bargain already made viz. With Christ and thus these Three take in every person that wants and is not it may be so sensible of it and every one that wants and would have For the Third viz. The Terms on which the closing of the bargain depends they are holden forth in Four words in the Text with Two qualifications which make up the terms The first Word is Come and that supposeth peoples leaving of their present standing-place and posture and their moving towards the Market-place where the rich Ware is exposed to sale The Second Word is Buy which imports a Price put on the Market-Ware a valuing of it and a sort of treating to make it ours The Third Word is Hearken incline the ear to wit to God and to his word to believe and receive it and your souls shall live And the Fourth Word is I will make an everlasting Covenant with you which implies an engagement by Covenant to the Lord after hearing and inclining the ear to his word a striking of hands and closing with the bargain Add to these the qualifications viz. Coming buying striking hands as it were and closing the bargain and that without offering Money or Price Money or money-worth without offering or giving any thing less or more in compensation Fourthly Let us see how the Gospel puts all this to the Market so that where it comes those that are called must either close the bargain or it will be their own fault First it Proclaimes the Fair as it were to all round about that there are such wares to be had and at such a Price the rarest and richest wares and Commodities and at the cheapest rates that ever the world heard tell of 2. It doth not only Proclaim but invite and double the invitation to come 3. It not only invites but puts the invitation so home that People must either make the price to say so though it may be soon made there being in effect no price and buy or refuse the Bargain If they will not be at the Paines to come in to the shop as it were It brings forth the wares and lays them down in the Market-place and as it were on Stands in the street and cryes Come buy come and enter the Covenant freely and this it doth by a frank offer by earnest and perswasive inviting and by the easie Conditions that it proposeth the bargain on It stands in a manner with armes stretched out ready to receive all comers very freely whatever their Poverty wants and necessities be It craves no more but that we willingly take what he offers to put in our hand The righteousness of Faith saith not who shall ascend to Heaven or shall descend to the depth there is nothing now to be suffered nor to be Purchased by any more suffering But the word is near thee in thy heart and in thy mouth It layes the ware at our very door as it were So that we have no more to do but to stoop down and take it up but heartily to say the word and it is a bargain Now for Application may we not resume and say that there is a good and excellent bargain to be had in the Gospel and on very good and easie terms It 's a Market day and indeed it were a pity that such wares should be brought
Lord hath been offering peace to them treating with them saying Behold me Behold me intreating and requesting them to be reconciled And hath there not been some tickling of the affections of many If so will ye be such fools as to fall back and to wear out the sense of that peace and warmness that any of you have win to And ye with whom God hath been meeting and treating about the pardon of sin what a folly will it be in place of getting a discharge to increase and multiply your debt 4 Are there not some engagements on you Or what ever be reall is there not a profession of coming under engagements Are not the vowes of God on some of you Is there not some sin that hath stared you in the face which ye have resolved to abstain from And hath there not been some stirring and stickling of desires to perform what ye have resolved and engaged to And will ye break all these bands Will ye repent and rue that ever ye ingaged to God If so as ye notably play the fools So the Lord will be about with you and even spew you out of his Mouth that ye may puddle your fill in the mire of sin 5. Is there not a great bentness and propension in all naturally to turn again to follie Is there not an evil heart of unbelief ready to depart from the living God I have so much Charity for you as that you will grant this and when the Lord hath said Watch and tells that He is at hand that betrayes you will ye go securely and not take warning O! What desperat folly would this be 6. Consider what will come of it if ye shall fall back if ye slacken your bent and growing cold turn again to folly ye will wear out any bit of good frame that ye have attained ye will blur and sully the reall or supposed clearness of your interest marr your Peace and become in a manner more beastly and swinish in your sinfull way then before At the very thoughts whereof your hearts should scare Nauseat and even grow sick And what will be the upshot thereof Either ye will repent or never repent If ye say ye will repent are ye sure that God will give you Repentance If ye shall hazard on some sin Are not many given up to hardness of heart who never come to Repentance Know ye what Repentance is have ye not been already essaying and doing somewhat at Repentance and have ye not found it difficult and hard to come by And if ye shall sin yet more will not Repentance be yet a greater more difficult and hard work and suppose ye should get Repentance ye shall know the truth of that saying Jer. 2. That it was an evil and a bitter thing to depart from the Living God and that his fear was not before your eyes O! what shame and confusion of face will it bring with it to remember that we had so Many warnings from the word without and so manie Convictions and challenges from our conscience within and that yet we went over them and with a high hand went on in our folly will those things be litle think ye what pleasure or profit can ye have in those things whereof ye will be ashamed Yea suppose ye come to repentance and a hundred to one if ever ye come to it ye shall weep and mourn bitterly that ever ye hazarded so on sin over your light and convictions and over the belly of your Conscience If ye get not repentance as I am afraid many never shall what will come of it Convictions and challenges will wear out the heart will grow harder you will go on Laughing at reproofs mocking at exhortations to Repentance and Reformation and regardlesly treading on what might reclaim you you will be angrie at them who brought you under any engagements ye will become very Atheists in your hearts and as so many profaine Heathens in your carriage and when you have lived thus for a time and the Lord knows how long will ye not come to die will not your moneth come on you will not your bed take you or ye take your bed and then the Conscience will eiâ—her awake or be silent if it awake will not this be your language which is the language of many a poor wretched creature Wo is me I have mispent my time and have been gluâ—ting my self with the World and sinfull pleasures Oh vaine world O bewitching and beguiling world Alace that ever I was so much taken up with it And if the Conscience be quiet what will come of it Will that fin ly on and not be sought account of know ye not consider ye not that word Gal. 6 Be not deceived God will not be Mocked As men sow so they shall reap Think ye that God will be inferior to the Creature will not your Governor or Land-Lord seek account of you according to your engagement And shall not the Lord call you to a reckoning Yea certainly and the Conscience will then awake and roar on you then the curse Wo and damnation will seize upon and take hold of your Soul in death and devils shall carrie it thither where Hypocrites are untill the Judgement of the great day and then ye will say turning again to sin was the greatest folly and madness And thus whether God have a purpose of repentance to you or not ye shall one day rue it at all the veines of your heart to speak so and shall find the follie of it and that to your everlasting prejudice and loss if ye repent not And therefore let me press this Use upon you and earâ—estly exhort you to let these Considerations sink down â—nto your ears and hearts Beloved We are jealous over you and would God it were with a suitable Godly jealâ—usie We are afraid that many ere we be aware be â—own in their former puddle that ignorance and Proâ—anity be as rife as ever there have been so many fits â—nd good appearances and of so short continuance hereâ—ofore and now ye have been making some mint but what will come of it if ye fall back If these ordinances shall do you no good we know not what will do it 〈◊〉 think ye were never nearer to some great Crise to a â—ick of being lost or gained we have you as it were 〈◊〉 the very place of the breaking forth of Children So â—hat now you must be either safely and fairly delivered â—r prove abortives Ah! are our fasts and Communions â—o no purpose Are all your Purposes and resolutions â—our engagements and seeming willingness to engage 〈◊〉 vain and to no effect If ye shall fall back after this â—nd turn again to folly I do not much expect that any â—â—dinances or future engagements shall do you much â—ood we must either look for better and more fruit â—r there will be more barrenness and stubbornness â—ither ye shall be more Holy or more of that old sin of Malignity
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
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