TRUE TO THE END FIDES PROBATA CORONAT The Right honble Patrick Hume Earl of Marchmont Viscount of Blasonberry Lord Polwart◠〈◊〉 Polwarth c Lord High Chancelor of Scotland ◠1702. EX LIBRIS F.S. FERGUSON THE UNSEARCHABLE RICHES OF CHRIST And Of GRACE and GLORY In and thorow HIM Diligently Searched into Clearly Unfolded and Comfortably holden forth in Fourteen Rich Gospel SERMONS Preached on several TEXTS at Communions in Glasgow By the late pious and Powerful Gospel Preacher in that City Mr. JAMES DURHAM 2 Joh. 1.3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you that ye may have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 10 16. The Cup of Blessing which we blesse is it not the Communion of the Blood of Christ The Bread which we break is it not the Communion of the Body of Christ GLASGOW Printed by Robert Sanders one of His Majesties Printers 1685. THE Epistle Dedicatorie and Prefatorie To all Christians seriously pursuing Conformity unto Christ and panting after Communion with God in him Particularly the Inhabitants of the City of Glasgow that are such And in speciall to Mistress Durham the Famous Authors worthy Relict and my Sister in Law who hath had a singular care to preserve her deceased Husbands Lectures and Sermons that they might be made forth-coming for the Publick use and Edification of the Church Dear Friends ADAM in Innocency and Integrity was in a state of perfect friendship with God of beautifull conformity to His Image and of sweetly Comfortable Communion with him But alace he continued very short time in that excellent state for the entering in of sin by his Transgressing the Law and condition of the Covenant of works quite brake off the friendship utterly disfigured and defaced the conformity and altogether interrupted and put a stop to the Communion He having thereby run himself and his Posterity under a forfeiture of that desireable state and of all the Precious Priviledges annexed to it under which himself and they had lyen Eternally had not God in the depth of his infinit wisdom and in the exceeding and unsearchable Riches of his free Grace and Mercy devised and found out a way for taking off that forfeiture By sending his Son made of a Woman made under the Law to Redeem them that were under the Law who according to the Covenant of Redemption treated and Transacted finally concluded and agreed betwixt Jehovah and him having made a most costly but a most Compleat Satisfaction to Provoked Divine Justice for the debt of the Elect In whose room for that end he did surrogat and substitute himself as their Surety and Cautioner hath reestablished the friendship restored the Conformity and recovered the Communion of which Glad tidings of great joy Publication is made in the Preached Gospel the Tabernacle of the Ordinances whereof is reared up amongst men that thereby God the Lord may dwell among them These Ordinances in their institution and nature being means of Communion and fellowship betwixt God and men Amongst which Divinely instituted Ordinances that of the Lords Supper beareth expressly the name of the Communion because often and ordinarily the greatest measures and highest degrees of Communion with God in Christ attainable by sojourning and militant Saints here on Earth are win at in the Participation of that Ordinance the great pledge and love-token of our dieing Lords dearest respect to his Disciples and followers calling and oblidging them in the use thereof to a Solemn Commemoration of him and of his love and to a Publick and avouched Declaration of his Death till he come again Therefore is it beyond all other Gospell Ordinances as it were railed about with such injunctions Cautions and warnings with such terrible threatnings with such intimations of Atrocious Guilt and with such denounciations of formidable Judgements against unworthy Communicants Thunder and Lightnings as it were being spoken against such The desirable deceased Author of these few following Sermons Preached at Communions used at such occasions to endeavour through Grace to rouse and work up himself to such a Divineness of frame as very much suited the Spiritual state and Majesty of that Ordinance greatly fearing lest himself or any of the People to whom he dispensed the same should fall under the grievous Guilt of the Body and Blood of the Lord then in a manner his face shone as being in the mount of Communion and fellowship with God and at some of those Solemn and sweet Occasions he spake some way as a man that had been in Heaven Commending Jesus Christ making a Glorious display of the Banner of free Grace holding forth the Riches of it very clearly and convincingly and bringing the offers thereof very low wonderfully low So that in hearing some of these Sermons Particularly that on Matth. 22. I was made to think that the Rope or Cord of the Offer of Salvation was let down and hung so low to sinners that those of the lowest stature amongst them all though but as Pygmees might have catcht hold of it who through Grace had any mind to do so and so home so vehemently and urgently pressed on so sweet and easie terms to be embraced that I have been sometimes made to wonder how the hearers could refuse or shift them But there is no saving Belief of this report made by Prophets Apostles Yea or by Blessed Jesus himself in his own Personall Ministrie but where the arm of the Lord is Revealed No man can or will invite beseech and Perswade who will if it were not only men but even Angels come to the Son except the Father that sent him draw him There is no moving here without a pull of Ommipotencie none are nor can be willing to yeeld themselves to Christ till the day of his Power Pass on their hearts till then they will sit the most pressing calls of the Gospel but then they can sit no longer they must they will rise then and run after him they will then as the word signifies make a free will Offering of themselves to thim however inexortable and inflexible they had shewed themselves before they will then make an absolute entire universall unexceptioned and Irreversible Surrender and Resignation of themselves to him to be at his dispose to be guided and saved by him in his own way I know the Remembrance of those Communion Sabbaths High Sabbaths and other ordinary Sabbaths and week days wherein you Sister and other Serious seekers of God in Glasgow in particular heard the joyfull sound walked in the light of Gods Countenance and Rejoiced in his Name all the day Living in a Holy croud of Precious Gospel-Ordinances and having as it were the Heavenly Manna of the Gospel falling abundantly about your Camp every day making you think and say that it was good to be there is this day sweet and Savoury to you and helps you in a good measure to keep up
or unbecomingly as the Apostle when he willeth the Christian Romans Chap. 16.2 To receive Phebe as becometh and is suitable to Saints he makes use of the word worthily for so it is in the Original and this being the opposite to that is to be understood unsuitably and unbecomingly to such a manifestation oâ— the love of Christ in giving himself to and for his people as in our common language when a man does a thing unsuitably we say he did it unworthily when it answers not the end proposed 2. Judgment or Damnation here takes in these three things 1. A Temporal stroke as v. 30 31. For this cause many among you are sickly and weak and many sleep 2 It may look to eternal Judgement as Damnation is often taken in Scripture 3. It may look to Spiritual Judgements for though a Believer be not capable of eternal Judgement yet by unworthy Communicating he may draw upon himself temporal stroakes and spiritual Judgements he may much wear out the life of Grace and bring himself under blasting and withering and unbelievers draw upon themselves not only those but eternal damnation and that with a higher degree of aggravation 3. That he is said to Eat and Drink this to himself as in the former verse a man is Câ—mmanded to Examine himself It may take in these two as aimed at by the Apostle 1. It is to provoke every man to his particular duty from his particular hazaâ—d He hazards his own soul 2. It s put here to shew the restriction of the Judgement according to the Sun and so if a man examine himself though others neglect it the Judgment shal not overtake him but if he examine not himself whoever escape Judgement he shal not escape it and thus it s an encouragement to a man to go about the duty of Self-examination as well as a motive of terror Corinth being corrupted with manâ— abuses one Person could not amend all well sayes he Let a man examine himself and so he shal escape the hazard if not he will fall under it We shal First draw some observations from the words and then speak a word for Use First it is supposed here that in this ordinance of the Lords Supper there is a special eminencie excellencie dignitie and worth or this Ordinance of the Lords Supper is of a singular Solemn nature and this I gather partly from this verse considered in it self He that Eats and Drinks unworthily implies that there is a special worthiness in it that a man should not offer indignâ—ty to and partly from the connexion of this verse with the former for it is made a reason why he presses particular and strict Self-examination which shews that there is a more singular excellencie in this ordinance then in others and partly from the context for every Circumstance speaks out a Solemnity in this Ordinance as 1. The night when it was instituted vers 23 The same night in which he was betrayed and when he was taking his goodnight of his Disciples 2. His jealousie of and his quarrelling and threatening for the abuse of this Ordinance Speaks out a speciall excellencie in the Ordinance that all who approach thereunto should be suitably affected with all the ordinances of the Lord are excellent for if all his works be excellent Then much more the Gospel-ordinances as being a step above those and yet this ordinance of the Lords Supper seems dignified with an eminencie and excellencie above them all 1. In reference to what it sets out and exhibits They all set out love but this sets out love in an eminent degree for it sets forth the Lords Death wherein the most eminent step and degree of his Love shines Yea this Ordinance sets out his actual dieing and so sets out his Love in its Liveliest Colours and as the great Master-piece of it 2. In respect of the excellent Benefits communicated in it It is true there is no other thing on the matter communicat in it then there is Communicat in the word and Baptisme Yet if we look to the words Take ye eat ye this is my Body They hold out Christ Jesus not so much giving any Particular gift as actually conferring himself in his Death and Suffering And the main scope being to conferr Christ and all that is in him to the Believer It holds out some way the excellencie of this ordinance beyond others 3. In respect of the manner how our Lord Jesus makes over himself whereby I mean not only the clearness of his making over himself for in this ordinance there is the clearest view of a slain Saviour and of Covenanting wiâ—h God and often the most comfortable manifestations of Love go alongst with it for which cause it s called eminently the Communion But also that there is here a clear glance of Heaven upon earth Jesus Christ and his People mixing to speak so and being familiar together he condescending not only to keep company with them but to be their food and refreshment and he giving them not only the word to their faith but himself as it were to their sense in so far as the mean whereby He communica eth himself is more sensible It is by his Spirit that the mean is made effectual and there is not only a fixedness of Faith on ouâ— Part but a sort of Divineness in the ordinance it self the very First fruits of Heaven being communicat as it were to the very senses of the Believer I say unto you sayes the Lord Matth. 26 29. I will not Drink henceforth of the Fruit of the Vine until that day I Drink it new with you in my Fathers Kingdome where he seems to point out a more speciall way of keeping communion with his people in this Ordinance in resemblance to that which he will have with them in heaven There being here a more speciall union and communion betwixt the head and members sealed up a type of that which is to be in Heaven A taste whereof is sometimes given in this ordinance of the Communion hence it s not only called the Communion as in the foregoing Chapter but the communion of the Body and Blood of Christ and the Table of the Lord. The first Use of it serves to let us see how much we are oblidged to Christ Jesus what could he have given more then himself And what mean could have been invented that could have mo e confirmed and warmed the hearts of his people then this which is so lively a representation and Commemoration of his Blessed Body very like we might come to dâ—scern His body better if there were a more high estimation of this ordinance not as if there were any efficacie in it of it self to communicat Grace Yet in respect of Christs institution it s a most lively mean of Grace and there is not a circumstance in all the action but it s to be wondered at as that it was instituted the same night he was betrayed and aâ—ter the
to it or to himself So making as it were an exchange O! wonderful exchange by which we receive infinitly more and better then we give when the Soul hath gotten him it gives it self to him to be changed and made better and renews its purposes resolutions and promises to that end and takes the Sacrament to make these sure and secure Thirdly The ratifieing act of Faith is this when we have taken Christs Promise by Faith and have given our promise to him and surrendered and delivered up our selves unto him and we go about the communion and exerâ—ise our faith to get both confiâ—med as we use to speak We will take our Sacrament on it we take the Communion to seal his part of the Covenant to us and to confiâ—m our selves as to the performance of that which we have engaged to him and thus that which was before a bond on Christs side and a bond and engagement on our side becomes now a mutuall contract and bargain both aâ—e put in one and complicated together Sealed with one seal and made use of for both these ends the believer thinks himself surer of Gods promise and himself more securely ingaged to God and though this engaging hath no new Promise wâ—th it yet thereby the more explicitely is our dutie brought forth and the promise more particularly becomes ours As for the Fourth and last thing It is a right manner of acting or a right way or suitable frame in our going about this ordinance which takes in several things as 1. Fear because it is a very difficult thing rightly to Communicat and we had need to fear least we mistake and miscarry 2. Distinctness and clearness which is a part of the result of self examination we would at least be so far clear in our condition as to know and be convinced that the generall strain of our way hath not been right as it should have been by very far when we cannot so well find ouâ— and condescend upon he particular evils that we have been given to or have done and though we know not all nor many of the particular Promises of the Covenant yet we would be clear in that general that in the Covenant God maketh over himself a God all-sufficient to the believer Thirdly faith in and dependance on God for preparation and for a suitable frame for gaining new ground of corruptions for more humility and tenderness for more thorow turning to the Lord Convert me sayes Ephraim Jer. 31. And I shal be converted there would be many Serious and Sincere resolutions engagements and purposes and much heart-melting and Prayer in the making of them as it was with Israel and Judah Jer. 50.5 Whose great desire and designe was to have the Covenant betwixt God and them so secured that it might hold perpetually and never any more be forgotten they desired to keep as we use to speak no bank in their own hand they allow of no reservations or exceptions and they go about this great work Praying and weeping This were a Sweet and suitable frame for a Communion and notably well becoming a people that Approach to the Lords Table and we seriously commend it to you and you to the grace of God in the Practise of these things which his own blessed self make forthcoming to you A Preparation SERMON for the Communion On 1 Cor. 11.29 Not discerning the Lords Body IT is a very great and grave a very Momentous and concerning work rightly to partake of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper it hath as many and great advantages attending the due and worthy Participation thereof and as many sad consequences following the unworthy Participation of it as any other of all the ordinances of Christ hath and therefore when the Apostle hath sharpely expostulated with the Christ an Corinthians for several abuses in reference to this Ordinance he proceeds after a full declaration of its institution to guard them against all after abuse thereof and to fit and prepare them for suitable and worthy communicating And the first direction that he gives them is in reference to preceeding Preparation Let a man examine himself and so let him eat The Second is in reference to the action it self teaching them to communicat worthily So as they may discern the Lords Body by holding out the danger of unworthy Communicating both which he knits together telling them that if any of these things be wanting it will bring on Judgement Whence in a word and but in passing we may Observe these two things 1. That a man will never Communicat worthily that doth not before hand indeavour to prepare himself for it And therefore he prefixeth this Let a man examine himself and then subjoins And so let him Eat 2. That a man that is not distinct in discerning himself in some measure after the examination of himself will never aright discern the â—ords Body in this Ordinance of the Communion He that takes not up himself will never take up Christ rightly In the words more particularly we have Three great things in reference to present Communicating The 1. whereof is the great and peculiar use of the Communion and that is that it makes the Lords body discernible It puts Christ in a capacitie to speak so to be taken up and discerned The Second is the great duty of a worthy Communicant and that is rightly to discern the Lords Body so holden forth The third is the great Sin that unworthy Communicants fall into and that is They do not discern the Lords Body but are like so many Dogs and Swine who not knowing what delicats are there they goe about the action not knowing what they are doing The First is clear That in the Sacrament Christ Jesus his broken body is made discernible to us else he would not find fault with them who come and do not discern it The words alâ—o before vers 24. clear it This saith he is my Body which is broken for you So Chap. 10 vers 16. The cup of blessing which we blesse is it not the Communion of the Blood of Christ And the bread which we break is it not the Communion of the Body of Christ And the sharp Judgements that come on People â—oâ— not disâ—erning the Lords Body and so for being guilty of Communicating unwoâ—thily do shew that not only is our Lords Body really present but in a special manner discernible in this Ordinance To clear this a litle further we shal First Premit a two fold distinction and then Secondly answer a few Questions that serve for clearing the Doctrine and for better uptaking of this Ordinance First then we would distinguish betwixt these two viz Looking on the Sacrament as strictly taken and as contradistinguished from the word and looking on it as more complexly taken as including the word It is in the last sense that we consider the Sacrament here viz as taking in 1. Christ signified and represented by the elements 2 The word and Covenant to
ye that this was in your offer and on very free and easie terms and ye would not accept of it but would needs destroy your selves 2. If there be sin and a quarrell is there not a necessity to have it taken away Have ye laid your account and resolved not to be solicitous and carefull whether ye be friends with God or not And if ye will not say that why do ye not enter this Covenant 3. Is there any other way to get sin pardoned and the quarrell taken away but by making sure your Covenant with God David or any others that were saved were they saved any other way This Covenant was all his Salvation and all his desire 4. What will ye say in the day of the Lord when the Trumpet shall sound and he shall call you to an account for refusing his free and Gracious offer when there will be no more treating with you when he shall say and make your own Conscience say to you It was plainly told you that there was a quarrell standing betwixt me and you It was told you that I was willing to enter into a Covenant with you and to remove that quartell I sent my Messengers unto you for this end but ye made light of the matter Say to it O say to it ye must say something Yea or Nay ye are not left to be indifferent and to keep up your selves in this matter I tell you if ye say not Yea ye say Nay and as the Apostle speaks Acts 13 46. Ye pass sentence on your selves and judge your selves unworthy of Eternall life It 's interpretatively a saying that ye will not have Heaven and life thorow Christ and therefore as ye would not destroy your own Souls I beseech you nay I obtest you in the Name of the Lord and for his sake accept of this Covenant We tell you and as the Apostle hath it we say Be it known unto you that through Jesus Christ remission of sins is Preached to you He hath purchased life and Salvation to sinners And to you is the word of this Salvation sent Give O give your consent to the bargain and that is all we seek of you Now to Prosecute this a little and to put you yet further to it because it will ly before God whether we have put you to it or not and whether ye have accepted of this Covenant or not whether we were in earnest in Proposing it and whether ye were in earnest in closing with it Consider 1. The Persons whom we put to this and the things that we put you to 2. The terms on which 3. The grounds from which and. 4. The qualifications and directions whereby First As for the persons whom we put and press to this Covenanting with God It 's not those only who have gotten their tokens warranting them to come to the Table nor those only that are debarred and so have got no tokens but it 's all of you Those who are afar off and near hand but differently To the tender Soul we say come forward to the secure we say Humble your selves and then come and join in this Covenant The thing we call you to is to take the Lord to be your God and to give up your selves to be Gods we call you to take God to be your Master and your Father your Saviour your Head your Husband your Friend even your all and that is no ill nor small offer and we call you to give up your selves to God to forsake your Fathers house and all your kindred and to cleave to him to join your selves to the Lord as the Text hath it and as it is said The Prodigall Joyned himself to a certain Citizen So ye would joyn your selves to the Lord and be beholden to him for your life Secondly As for the Terms they are in short that Seeing God saith accept of my Sons Righteousness and ye shall be my Sons and Daughters ye would freely accept of it and take and put Christs Righteousness in the place and Room of self-righteousness which was in the Covenant of works found your plea before God on nothing that ye can do but on Christs doing and suffering for you which now by Faith ye resolve to adhere to and resigne your selves to him without any reservation to be guided and saved by him in his own way As for the Third How or from and by what grounds we put you to this or rather how doth the Lord put us all to it First Ye are put to it by his offer in the Gospel which in discretion cals you to give him an answer he cries Come unto me and I will make an everlasting Covenant with you even the sure mercies of David And doth he not require an answer And is it not incumbent to us who speak to you in his Name to crave your answer We declare to you all that ye may if ye will come to be joined with God in Covenant and may be sure to be accepted of as his if ye come aright Now what say ye to it either ye must look on this as a cheat or cunningly devised fable or if ye dare not look on it so ye must accept of it and make it welcome Secondly Ye are put to it in this respect that the Lord brings you now and then under some conviction of the necessity of your peace with God something within you saith that peace with God is worth the having and needfull that this is a good bargain and that ye have need of it and there are now and then some raw resolutions to put it to a point and it may be there is something presently that puts you to it and if not so much the more ye would put your selves to it lest the Kingdom of God be taken from you Thirdly Ye are put to it by this same Sacrament is it possible that ye can take the Communion for a Seal and confirmation except ye Covenant with God before If ye will not Covenant ye prove your selves to be Treacherous dissemblers in going to the Communion and to be liars to God when he presents and offers his Covenant ye profess to take his offer and to close the Covenant with him but ye refuse as it were to take the Pen in your hand or do throw it away when he presents to you the Cup of the New Testament ye drink the Wine and spill the Blood and so become guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord when ye despise it and will not make use of it nor Covenant with God that ye may get the use of it And therefore Fourthly Know that ye are put to it presently and peremptorily that the Lord will take it for a refusall and for a scorning and despising on your part if ye do it not and do ye think it a litle matteâ— to have such a guilt lying on your score what knoâ— ye if ever God shall offer to Seal a Covenant with yoâ— again and
good the Covenant And it 's the great guilt of many Professors of the Gospel that they close not with him in his offer so as to make use of it Which makes them guilty of the body and Blood of the Lord which they neither would nor could he guilty of if this were not in their offer but it 's more to Believers who have by Faith closed with Christ this Seal of the Covenant accreweth to their security who have taken Gods word and rested on it The Believer then is not only sure in this respect that he hath a good warrant to trust and leaâ—â— to that is a Sealed Covenant but also that it will noâ— fail him in Particular So that he may say I know iâ— whom I have believed And we would not divide thesâ— things that God hath so wisely and well conjoined viz Closing with Christ and the Covenant in the right way according to the terms thereof and taking this Seâ— of confirmation of it Now in the Second Place I come to give you a littlâ— view and short seâ—ies of the Gospel in several Observations from the words that we may hast to that which we more particularly aim at To wit the Use of all First Then Observe That all men and women eveâ— the Elect not excepted are sinfull and as such Considered before God So it 's said Isaiah 53.6 All we likâ— sheep have gone astray This is the Object of the Gospel sinners the Persons for whose behove Christ hatâ— made his Testament and to whom he hath left his legacies are sinners even sinfull men and women anâ— the more sin be in them the more Grace shines in Godâ— croosing of such and in Christs dieing for such and noâ— choosing nor dying for fallen Angels It 's sinners I say who are the Object of Christs Testament Secondly Observe That there is a grand designe laiâ— by God from eternity for the saving of many sinners anâ— for Procuring to them Remission of sins the fruit of thâ— ancient Counsell of the Blessed and glorious trinity And this is it which Christ aims at in all his Ordinances to get sinners pardoned and freed from the curse due to them for sin Reconciled Justified Sanctified and brought to drink the new Wine of Heaven This is laid down by Jehovah as the Basis and foundation whereon he hath reared up a Magnificent and Glorious Superstructure of the Riches of his most Soveraignly free Grace for making it to shine forth conspicuously and radiantly throughout all ages Thirdly Observe That there is a Covenant well ordered suited and fitted to promove this great and Glorious end and designe of saving sinners A covenant so contrived as it may well suit the saving of sinners and procure unto them the Remission of sins There is a transaction betwixt God and the Mediator a Surety and Cautioner is Provided to take on the debt of the elect and to satisfie Justice to the full for all their sins and this is one Article of the Covenant that the Mediator should undertake thy debt O Believer and Satisfie for it He was saith Isaiah chap. 53. Wounded for our Transgresions bruised for our Iniquities the Chastisment of our peace was on him and by his stripes we are healed Fourthly Observe That according to this Covenant and transaction our blessed Lord Jesus hath really actually and fully satisfied for the sins of Believers according to his undertaking So that as in the Counsell of God that great trust was put on him and he undertook the work of sinners Redemption So now it is Father I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do The covenant is exactly fulfilled on my part not one Article of it is unfulfilled all that was committed to me is now fully performed Hence it was his last word on the Cross it is finished Fifthly Observe That by the Application of the Blood of Jesus thorow a sinners closing with him and interessing himself in him He may and doth obtain Remission of sins and partake of the benefit of Redemption Purchased by his Blood even of all the benefits of the Covenant Therefore when he hath said This is my Blood of the New Testament which is shed for the Remission of thâ— sins of many He turns over the words 〈◊〉 â—hem and tells them that they shall drink the fruit of this Vine new with him in his Fathers Kingdom As it was made sure that Adam was to have life on the condition of perfect obedience so it is as sure to a sinner taking with his sin and betaking himself to and closing with Christ and his Satisfaction that he shall have Pardon of sin and all the Benefits of this Covenant even to eternal Glory secured to him Sixthly Observe That as our Blessed Lord Jesus Christ hath Purchased this Redemption and Remission so he is must willing desirous and pressing that sinners to whom the Gospel it offered should make use of his righteousness and of the Purchase made thereby for this end that they may have Remission of sins and eternal life For not only is the security good sufficient and sure in it self The Testament being confirmed But he is to speak so with reverence Passionatly desirous that sinner should endeavour on good ground to be sure of it in themselves therefore he kindly puts it in a Legacy makes serious offer of it and strongly confirms it to all that embrace it Seventhly Observe That It is to Testifie this his willingness that sinners should make use of his purchase and lay hold on his Righteousness on Remision of sins and life thorow him and to promove the acceptation thereof among sinners that he hath instituted this Ordinance of the Communion Take ye Eat ye c. For this is as if he had said the end of the institution of this Sacrament and the reason of it even to be a signe and Seal of confirmation to many of the Remission of sins thorow my Blood This was my designe in laying down my life to get many sinners Pardoned and this is the end of the institution of this Precious ordinance of my Supper to apply it to them and to confirm them in the Faith of it Eightly Observe That They who would partake aright of this Sacrament for their confirmation as to the Pardon of their sins and their sharing in the rest of the benefits of Christs purchase would first close with Christ in the Covenant and make that the way of their making use of this Sacrament to confirm the bargain Therefore is it called the Cup of the new Covenant in his Blood this is the sine quo non even closing with Christ in a Covenant else the Sacrament can do no good it 's the great thing that admits sinners to have right and access to Christs purchase the writing must first be Subscribed and then Sealed the bargain made and then confiâ—med Ninthly Observe That they who have the offer of the Gospel and are admitted to the Sacrament of
but generally there is a greater Ignorance Darkness and Blindness as to the right partaking of this Ordinance then as to most others either thorow the difficulty of it or through our Laziness that puts us not to study it better So that if it were asked at many of us who may have some affection what is a Communion And what is the right way of partaking of it there would be found but very little distinctness in the thing and many content themselves to live without clearness about it And this makes people incapable to go about it aright A Fourth reason is from Peoples loathness to bestir themselves in the wo k of Preparation for it There is some Self examination requisite for every Duty but there is a more Solemn Self examination injoyned in reference to this and how very reluctant are we to it And seeing examination of our selves is as the door and entry to this Duty is it any wonder that most Persons Communicat unworthily This exercise of Self-searching being so much slighted which is to the most part so very difficult and to many through their own fault impossible The First Use Serves for warning as to this matter It is easie to get a Token and to come to the Table but it is not so easie To Eat and Drink worthily not so easie to discern the Lords Body and to get Christ himself in the ordinance and in a word so to go about partaking of the Lords Supper as ye may have solid quietness of mind in reflecting on it Is it not a wonder then that the most part doe so securely and in a manner even desperatly rush upon it who have it may be lyen some Ten some Twenty some thirty years without trouble under this guilt We would think it a good piece of Preparation if ye were Seriously afraid to become guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord want of this holy fear breeds security and keeps from stirring up to dutie and from reflecting on our selves whereas if the heart were stirred and rouzed with such a fear there would be greater and more seiously sharpened diligence in all these duties whereof we heard from the foregoing words to which this is a strong and pressing motive The Second Use Serves for Tryal who among the great company gathered together here this day are afraid of siâ—ning against God and taking his Name in vain in so Solemn an Ordinance many think they are prepared but we think not that person the better prepared that is not afraid and holily jealous over himself Wo wo to many on the account of Communion-dayes that are past and gone without fear It were good that ye were afraid lest this day prove to be like many former dayes and lest any of you come short of what hath been attained in former communion dayes Thirâ—ly Observe That the sin of unworthy Communicating is a Wrath provoking and a Judgement-drawing-on-sin He that Eates and Drinks unworthily Eates and Drinks Damnation to himself There is hardly any sin that the Lord will more readily speedily and Sadly Plague and punish then this It s true the Lord haâ—h annexed haâ— Certification to the third Command That He will not hold him guiltless that taketh his Name in vain but iâ— there any Ordinance wherein the Threatning is more expressed and in reference to which the Judgement hatâ— been more seveâ—ely some way indifferently inflicted As is clear whether we read before oâ— after the words of the Text And there is good reason for it For first If the duty be more Solemn if the presence in it be more gracious and the bounty that fl wes in it be more abundant then sure the sin of abusing or of unbecoming going about it must be the greater Secondly if we look to the sin not only in respect of its greatness in â—everal other respects but in respect of the Nature of it It s a more direct disrespect put upon and despight done in some respect even unto Christ It s to be guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord It as if the Spear had been in such a mans hand that pierced Christs side and as if he had driven by his own hand the Nails thorow His Hands and Feet The reason is because Christ in this Ordinance brings himself and his death so very near that the sinâ—er is put to it in a speciall mâ—nner either to receive him or to refuse and reject him and when he refuses and rejects him he thereby Practically sayes that he makes but very litle or no account of him at all and that if he had been living in those dayes when He was crucified he would also have joiâ—ed with the Multitude and cryed away with him Thus such an one Crucifieth the son of God a fresh and puts him to an open shame O hainous and horrid guilt The First Use Serves to allarme you that if the fear of sin will not prevail with you the fear of Judgement of Gods curse and wrath and of the vengeance of the Mediaâ—o represented in this Ordinance very clearly as crucified and bleeding out his precious life or sinners Here and eternally hereafter may prevail with you to be serious in the work ye are now called to Let me which is a Second and more particular Use of the Doctrine advise you as to examine your selves seriously in reference to all your other wayes so to take a Speciall look of your bygone Communicating O! that many of you who are so whole at the Heart that there is no provoking nor wakening of you and who are so sensless that ye scare at nothing could be prevailed with to charge your selves with this horrid sin of being guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord That thereby ye may be awakened It will certainly one day awake you therefore in your Self examination take speciall notice if ye have not Communicated unworthily make Special addresses â—o God for removing of this dreadful Guilt and have a special eye for the time to come that ye fall not in it I say again take a speciall review of your bygone carriage in this Ordinance and say to your selves whether are we Guilty of this sin and whether are we in Hazard to â—all into it of new And to stirre you up to this Consider 1. What temporal strokes from God have come or may come for it who knowes but our outward captivity the Blood that hath been shed the many new and unheard of or but very little heard of diseases that are among us have in a great Part been for this Sin Secondly know that beside temporal Strokes on the outward man ye may fall under Spiritual Plagues the Lord may blast the Ordinances for the time to come that they shal do you no good and He may last any part and gift that ye have He may make your Ears dull of heaâ—ing and your Eyes blind and your Hearts fat And if ye quench any convictions that ye
which the Sacrament as a Seal is appended Therefore the cup is called The Cup of the New Testament 3. The seal of the Sacrament it self appended to the word and Covenant 2. We would distinguish betwixt Christs broken Body considered as discernible to our understanding only and the same considered as it is discernible to our very senses or as it is apprehensible when by feeling we may grip it as it were and not only look to it but take holâ— of it how this is shal be more Particularly explained and cleared afterward for preventing of mistakes it is in this last sense that we understand discernible here not excluding the former so that Christs broken body in the Sacrament is not only made discernible to the understanding of the right communicant but he is made Communicable and apprehensible and there is an union with him attainable in that Ordinance and what we said before proves this he holds out His Body to be received And He is received in it Aâ— for the Second to wit The Questions to be answered they are these Four 1. In what respect is Christ present and discernible in the Sacrament Secondly to what is he made discernible and Communicable Thirdly how the Sacrament makes him discernible and what way it holds him out as discernible to us Fourthly what may be the reasons why Christ holds out himself His broken Body as discernible to us in the Sacrament First then in what respect is Christ present and discernible in the Sacrament We answer first not simply considered as he is the Son of God nor in respect of any benefiâ— from him as mediaâ—or neither simply as Redeemer But he is holden out as incarnat and so this Sacrament differs from the Jews Passover which held him out as to come while this holds him out as come Secondly it holds him out not only as become man but as suffering as having his Body broken Thirdly He is made discernible in respect of the end for which He suffered and had his Body broken and his Blood shed This is sayeth he my Body which is broken for you This cup is the New Testament in my Blood shed for the remission of the sins of many to wit of all the Elect It holds out Christ Mediator God-man suffering for us Fourthly It holds him out as Communicable and in capacity to be participat of by us Therefore it s called the Communion of His body Chap. 10.16 To tell us that we may be united to him and made to share of him and we are bidden Take and Eat and all to drink of it These last two look to the Covenanâ— and hold out the Sacrament in reference to it and how our Lord Jesus First by his sufferings was to purchase a People to himself and Secondly that he was to be Communicable to his People therefore the Cup is called the New Covenant in his Blood The Cup and the Covenant go together For though we may consider Christ without the Sacrament yet we cannot so well consider the Sacrament without Christ and the Covenant Secondly To what is Christ made discernible and Communicable We answer First he is not discernible nor present after a corporal manner to the bodily eye though he be really and truely present The bread that he gives is his Body and the Cup his Blood and yet it was Bread and wine which was given and not his Body and Blood corporally Secondly he is not present and Communicable by any local mutation by taking us up to heaven to him or by bringing his Body out of Heaven to us But he is these three wayes present and Communicable First to our Spirituall senses to an enlightned understanding which considers Christs Body broken and his Blood shed Secondly To the Faith of his people he is present in his own ordinance when his spirit goes along and quickens their hearts and their faith is in exercise They are made to apprehend Christs Body and to have an union with him sitting in Glory as really as they partake of the elements with their hand and feed upon them with their mouth and stomach an union as reall as is betwixt the head and the members and betwixt the root and the branches These two the Spirit on Christs side and Faith on our side make up a reall union and therefore though this presence be real yet it 's Spirituall Faith looking and going thorow the elements takes up Christ according to the end appointed and this makes the union even as faiâ—h will look and go thorow the word and crediting the word takes up Christ in it and makes an union with him so by vertue of this ordinance there is a Spiritual presence of and union with Christ Jesus Thirdly A presence to sense not so much in respect of inward feeling as in respect of the powerful effects of his presence though often inward feeling goes alongst with it and therefore it s called the Communion of his Body and the wine of Heaven And in respect of the mean and way he manifests himself therein to the eye to the touch to the taste and to the ear and there is a colour sensible which is more then is in any other ordinance where there is but the exercise of one sense for the more of the outward senses he makes use of he brings with him a proportionable blessing to the inward senses of the soul Thirdly How doth the Sacrament hold out Christ as discernible to us For answer I shal offer these Four wayes How he may be present to the faith of the Believer in the Sacrament all which wayes he is made discernible 1 In respect of the institution for Christ is here represented by the Minister as giving himself his authority and warrand is here therefore himself is here This though it be common to all Christs ordinances yet it belongs in a peculiar way to this ordinance for in it he is presenâ— in a special manâ—er making over himself and his sufferings to us Secondly He is made discernible in the Sacrament in as far as it represents him and though the word hold him out yet the Sacrament doth so more fully clearly and sensibly by such and such signes by bread and bread broken representing his Body broken by Suffering by wine and wine poured out representing his Blood shed and by wine distinct from the bread to shew a most true and reall death In which respect it 's said Do this in remembrance of me and as often as ye eat this Bread and drink this Cup ye shew forth the Lords Death till he come again Every Sacrament represents Christ but this represents him in his suffering and dieing and in the end of it and makes it over to the worthie communicant Thirdly he is made discernible by this Sacrament in this respect as it 's a seal appended and affixed to the Covenant serving to ratifie and confirm the Promises contained in the Covenant and so the Bread and wine considered
is this in our hands This bread in some respect is not bread but Christ This cup is not Wine but the cup of the New Testament in his Blood and by this reflex act the Believer applies and confirmes himself having received the Sacrament whereby his union with Christ is signified and sealed up he applies and sayes within himself now Christ is mine and I am his and he confirmes himself in Christs love to himself and in his interest in him Now sayeth he I have gotten no delusion but the signe and Seal of his blessed Body broken and of his Blood shed for me If unbelief say have ye gotten Christ indeed Yes sayes the Believers faith having received this Pledge of his love I have gotten himself and I should Believe it and this is to act on Christ not only directly which is a thing common to the Sacrament with the word but to act on Christ reflexly and to perswade our selves of our union and Communion with him which is the end of this Ordinance else we take not up Christ as giving a seal Therefore the word is Take eat This is my Body broken for you there is more then a bare signe here and faith acts not only for receiving but for confirming it self that by receiving it hath an union and Communion with him who is holden out in the Sacrament For if it be a seal and exhibit Christ as a seal then faith should receive and act on it as such for attaining the end that a seal should have supposing the condition to preceed Fifthly it consists in an act of spiritual affecting when there is a Holy smacking to speak so and kissing of Christ The soul digesting him for the life of the inner man and thereon delighting rejoycing and exulting in him and so the faith confidence and hope of the Believer are strengthened which makes him that he is not ashamed and upon the back of this ordinarily the Love of God is shed abroad in the heart and though there should be little sensible feeling yet the believer finds himself oblidged to cheer himself in Christ and in the Covenant and in the benefits that he hath thorow his purchase and there is readily some warming of love to Christ and he is confirmed in the faith of the love of Christ to him and it is impossible where these two are but some Holy tickling of affections which flow from the Word and from this Ordinance thus rightly gone about as has been said will follow and if this be not That is if Christ be not thus discerned in the Sacrament 1. God gets not what he calls for Christs death is not rightly minded his Glory and our edification are not promoved Nor 2. Is the end of the Sacrament attained neither 3. Is our comfort furthered For it s not the Ordinance barely or Ordinary Bread and Wine set apart for a Holy use But Jesus Christ discerned and received in the Ordinance that comforts otherwise the ordinance in and by it's self will not promove our comfort and growth The Third Doctrine is that it is though a very common and rife yet a very great sin not to discern the Lords body as he is holden out in this Sacrament discernible The greatness of which may be easily gathered from what we have discoursed concerning the great priviledge of the discernibleness of the Lords body therein from the horridness of the guilt that it involves in even the guilt of the body and Blood of the Lord the greatest and most horrid of all Blood guiltiness and from the dreadful Judgements and Plagues that follow on it temporal or bodily and Spiritual Plagues yea even eternal Damnaâ—ion if Repentance through Grace prevent not But we must because of the shortness of time leave all that might be spoken in the more particular Prosecution of this Doctrine and shall only give you Two or Three Caveats wherewith I shall close to guard against mistakes in reference to what hath been spoken I know it will readily be said If this be discerning of the Lords body and if none other do discern it but such as go about these things it will be hard for any to discern it For answer to this I would have you to consider 1. That there is a more explicit distinct and perfect discerning and a more implicit confused and indistinct discerning of the Lords Body if we speak of perfection in discerning who come up to that but if we speak of an honest sincere way of aiming to discern though it be somewhat indistinct and confused that may be won at yea I would not think them in a good condition that rest satisfied with themselves as being distinct enough in all these things whereof we have spoken yet where there is as I just now said honest aiming at these things though in a confused and indistinct way where faith and love are in some measure acting with a sort of fear joy mixed together when there is a fear to profane the ordinance and yet the soul loves it so well that it cannot endure to want it nor Christ in it There is a discerning of the Lords Body that warrands to draw near 2. Consider that there is a general confusion and a particular confusion to speak so in going about this Ordinance The general confusion is this when persons are so very ignorant and confused that they know not at all what they are doing a Particular confusion is only in some respect that is when a Soul knoweth that Jesus Christ is in the Ordinance and knoweth its own condition to stand in need of him that it hath many Spiritual wants to be supplied and that there is much good and a Supply of all those wants to be had from Christ in this Ordinance but how to come at it thereby it knows not so well nor so distinctly A person that is confused in the generall cannot discern the Lords Body in the Sacrament But one that is confused in a particular may and thoughâ— such an one cannot it may be Pitch on a particular promise that suites his need yet he may fix on Christ and on the covenant in general which is one of the main things that Faith acts on and indeed unless himself be acted on by Faith his benefits fail and though a serious Soul cannot get a particular promise to settle on We say it should stick by the Covenant in general as including all particulars 3. Consider the discerning is not to be astricted to the very instant oâ— receiving but we would look well what is our aâ—m aâ— endeavour alâ—ngst the action and if habitually we bâ— indeed seriously seeking after and pursuing tâ—ese thingâ— we cannot have them all in our thoughts at once thaâ— is scarce if at all Possible but if the aime and straiâ— of your Souls exercise run this way and though theâ— be failing in many things yet this is not a neglectivâ— slighting and careless inconsideration In a word see 〈◊〉 there
marrie thee and to be for thee and for none other and may not I add was there ever such security and confirmation given of any marriage it's confirmed by the death of the Bridegroom he hath sealed his Testament with his Blood and there is no annulling nor altering of a mans Testament when he is dead and our Lord Jesus who was once dead is now alive and lives for evermore he will never die again nor make another Testament O! beloved hearers all this is to let you see that our Lord is in earnest and very willing to espouse you and indeed it shall not be his Fault iâ— it be not a bargain and if it be indeed a bargain betwixt your souls and him it 's a very raâ—e and rich one O! the many rare excellent noble notable and non-such Priviledges and advantages that attend this marriage and are to be enjoyed by the soul espoused to Christ even God and Christ Grace and Glory and all that is comprehended under these belongs to thaâ— soul We must here be silent lest in speaking of â—hem we darken them by our words here is an abyss and bottomless depâ—h ready as it were to swallow up words we confess we can tell you our very litle whaâ— they are nay if all the ablest and holiest Ministers on earth all the Angels in Heaven were joyned together they could not to the full by very far tell what an excellent match and marriage this is even to be matched with the Son of God and yet this priviledge and honour have all the saints all Believers to whom he is wonderful and Precious though alace not as he ought to be there is a day coming when we shall know to satisfaction that the Father is in the son and the son in the Father and that believers are in Christ and he in them We shall then know the now in expressible and inconceivable advantages of this marriage When He shall come to be glorified in His Saints and wond'red at in all them that believe and till that day the one half will never be told us The third Observation was that there are many things to be removed out of the way and to be done many things to be made ready before this marriage can be made up 1. There is a naturall distance between the Parties that must be removed God cannot be one flesh with us and betwixt Parties to be married there must â—e some Suitableness of nature therefore to remove this distance and to bring abouâ— the marriage the Son of God becomes Man that he may be Immanual God with us God iâ— our nature aâ—d so in capacity to be closed with Secondly there is a sinfull distance w ich also must be removed before this marriage can be made up For God is a câ—nsuming fire to sinners He and they neither will nor can unite in â—hat posture The efore â—efoâ—e an offer or marriage can be made to any Purpâ—se â—e must give himself for his Church that he may Sanctifie and cleanse it with the Washing of water by the word and heâ— iâ— fâ—llâ—ws that he presents her to Himself a glorious Church without spot and wrinkle or any such thing He â—ould not have access to marry his Bride she was so uâ—câ—mly fiâ—thy and lothsom lying in a most pityful condition in her blood as Ezekiel sets it forth â—o â—he life and at great length Chap. 16. Therefore to cleanse her he gave himself for her Thirdly ere all this could be doâ—e there behâ—ved a ground to be laid for peace with God the offended party who was to be father in law and here comes in the Covenant of Redemption Psal 40 6 7. Sacrifice and Offâ—ring thou didst not desire then said I lo I come c. For taking away the curse and reconciling the elect to G d the Father sayes as it were I must needs be once in friendâ—hip with them ere I can admit them to my house and Son if thou wilt Satisfie my Justice and Pay their debt I shal give them to thee for a seed and to be thy Bride and wife well says Christ the mediator Father I accept of the bargain Lo I come to do thy will O my God Whereupon it comes to pass as the Apostle hath it 2 Cor. 5. last That he is made sin for us who knew no sin and we are made the righteousness of God in him For it was as really agreed in the Covenant of Redemption that he should be made sin for us as it came to pass in the actual execution of it and thus way is made for the marriage Fourthly when this is done the marriage must be proclaimed through the world by the Preached Gospel the contract must be opened up and read and sinners consent called for We are told therein that the Word is made flesh and dwelt amongst us and because No man hath seen God at any time the only begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father he declares him as it is John 1.14 15. He comes and reveals more clearly the contract first in his own Person and by his own Ministerie and then by sending his servants and telling that all things are ready Fifthly the last thing to be removed is the uncircumcision and stupidness of our hearts naturally we are given to slight him in his offers to refuse to open to him and to let him in when he knocks to make excuse to delay shift and put him off nay to refuse to entertain his proposal of Marriage and to give him a repulse therefo e he comes by his Spirit and puts in his finger by the hole of the door and lets some Myrrhe drop on the handles of the lock and powerfully but sweetly inclines the heart to cast it self open to him and then he performs the promises of Sanctification Circumcising the heart to love him with all the heart and with all the Soul as it is Deut. 30.6 And all these promises are contrived framed and provided to meet with difficulties in us we are told John 6 44. That no man can come to Christ except the Father that sent him draw him and Psal 110.3 It is Promised that in the day of his Power His people shal be willing and whoever being made willing cometh shall in no wise be cast out John 6.37 The Fourth Observation is That by the Preaching of the Gospel whither so ever it cometh and by the great things made offer of therein all things are made ready Obstructions and what ever might hinder the closing of the Marriage are removed the Father is ready having declared his willingness to give his consent This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear ye him Matth. 3. I am well satisfied with him take him to you for your head and husband the Son is ready to take all by the hand that will embrace him Pardon of Sin Peace with God Sanctification the mansion c are ready to be bestowed the feast
not to the Covenant to be really anâ— perpetually Joyned to the Lord himself 7. Ye woulâ— seek after some heart-warming by Gods Spirit withiâ— you and some lively exercise of your faith in him aâ— ye see to be in this Peoples case 8. Persons that arâ— in earnest will be much affected with bygone slips failings and unfaithfull dealings with God and are afraid oâ— falling back and of dealing loosly with the Lord anâ— this puts them on to be more Solicitous and carefull to take on the mo bands and to cast the knot the fasteâ— because the heart is deceitful Come say they here and let us Join our selves to the Lord in a Perpetual Câ—venant never to be forgott n They are not content wiâ— a Covenant except it be siker the heart protests against it self if it shall draw back and resignes and râ—nounces its liberty to do so any more if it may be caâ—â—ed liberty 9. A person would aim to have him seâ—â— sure and satisfied as to this that he hath really given hâ— consent that he may have quietness in the assurance 〈◊〉 its being so yet not laying the weight of his Peace oâ— his clearness and assurance but because his comfoâ—â— much depends thereon therefore he will endeavour 〈◊〉 have any blank filled up and the business put to a poiâ—â— he comes to this Covenanting with Holy fear self-suspition and jealousy and goeth from it with fear and as he is attended with this fear in Covenanting so in receiving the Sacrament the Seal of the Covenant Come say they and let us Join our selves to the Lord in a perpetuall Covenant that shall never be forgotten O! So sure as they would have it ye who shall thorow Grace come thus shall find the Lord Jesus waiting and reaâ—y to welcome you But it 's like ye will Ask how is the Sacrament made useful and helpful in this joyning to the Lord in Covenant I Answer in generall as to the Believer that all the Promises are his and it Seals all the Blessings of the Covenant to him Because the condition of the Covenant is found in him Even as a pardon given to a Rebell on condition he lay down his Arms when he doth lay them down and accepts of the Pardon the Seal is appended to it which makes it firm and sure But what if the persons doubt of their having entered into the Covenant Answer 1. They are either such as are meer strangers to God and have no desire after nor respect to the Covenant those are under Gods curse and shall get no good of the Sacrament because they resolve not to take Christ to fulfill the condition of the Covenant in them and are not in earnest to be in under the bond of the Covenant yet if even such would seriously resolve to fulfill the condition or rather to take Christ to help them to fulfill it they should be welcome or they are such as are doubting though they have some honest desire such would remember the bargain is Mutuall and they must engage to God if they would have God engaged to them and if ye have not done it before do it even now and the Sacrament shall be usefull and helpfull to you in these respects more Particularly 1. For sealing this general trutâ— If I believe in Christ I shall have eternal life In whicâ— respect it 's like a pardon offered to a Rebell on condâ—tion he lay down his Arms he would first see it iâ— writ and then he would have it Sealed well saiâ—â— the King ye shall get it Sealed 2. It 's usefull aâ— hath influence in a Moral waâ— to make you accept Pardon and to enter in the Covenant In which râ—spect it 's an argument as to allure the Rebell to acceâ—â— of the Pardon So to perswade and assure him that oâ— his acceptance he shall have it actually and certainlâ— when it 's holden forth Sealed for saith the Lord 〈◊〉 the Sacrament ye have my Covenant and here I aâ— ready to seal it 3. It furthers our joining in Covenanâ— In respect of its clear holding forth and manifesting thâ— blessings of the Covenant the word saith that ye aâ—â— Sinners and that ye will get nothing that is truely gooâ— but in and through Christ and that God is content 〈◊〉 Covenant with you and to Pardon your sins througâ— him and the Sacrament brings Christ and the blessinâ— of the Covenant to be some way visible and sensible 〈◊〉 you and the Goâ—pel tells how it is done 4. In thâ— Sacrament the Lord condescends in the most formaâ— way to Covenant for in it he saith take you my Souâ— blood to wash you who are guilty and filthy and youâ— taking is as it were a striking of hands with him anâ— a saying content Lord let this blood wash me and thiâ— looking to the word of institution which gives foot in to Faith and exercising Faith thereon as your warranâ— your Faith is helped to take hold of Christ by and 〈◊〉 the Sacrament 5. It helps to close with the Covenanâ— by letting you see the grounds of the Covenant wherâ—on it is bottomed and built If thou shouldst say Thougâ— God would Covenant with me I will not keep Thâ— Sacrament holds out Christ as Cautioner that hath put himself in our Room and engaged in our Name to make us forth-coming and if thou shouldst yet say will God indeed accept of the like of me It saâ—th here is a broken and bleeding Saviour and Mediator to lead thee to God a Saviour who hath made himself a propitiation for sin and hereupon the sinner may be strengthened to take hold of the Covenant because in the Sacrament he sees Christ himself laid as a bridge on which he may come over to God and his rent flesh as the Vaill through which he may as by a new and living way enter into the Holiest Jeremiah 50. Vers 5. Come and let us Joyn our selves to the Lord in a perpetuall Covenant that shall noâ— be forgotten SERMON IV. THere are Two main and Mighty uptaking Businesses to the People of God The one whereof is how to win to be in Covenant with God to be friends and in good terms with him The other is how to stand to and keep Covenant with him and to live as being made friends with him according to the obligation that lyeth on them This is the great designe of all preaching to bring them within the Covenant who are without and to make those who are within the Covenant to walk suitably to it and as these are never separated on the Lords side So should they never be Separated on our side therefore these People are brought in here Saying Let us Join our selves to the Loâ—d in a Covenant and not only So but there are Two words added by them to shew their earnest desire to keep and stand to the Covenant The one is A perpetuall Covenant the other a Covenant that shall not be forgotten the impression whereof may never wear
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
by whose company he might have been estranged from him depart from me all ye workers of iniquity for the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping the Lord hath heard the voice of my Supplication And indeed it is Highly suitable and congruous that it should be so for what agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols and Believers are the Temple of the living God as the Apostle affirms 2 Cor. 6.16 Seventhly It is a heart quickening and reviving Fellowship Therefore he is said Isai 57. vers 15. To dwel with him that is humble and of a contrite Spirit to revive the Spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite one Eightly It is a heart-staying Calming and composing fellowship it husheth into silence and drives away disquieting Perplexing and excruciating fears And therefore saith the Psalmist when near to God Psal 3.56 I laid me down and slept I awaked for the Lord sustained me I will not be afraid of ten thousands of People that have set themselves against me round about â— and Psal 4 8. I will both lay me down in Peace and sleep for thou Lord only makest me dwell in safety So Psal 27.13 14. Ninthly It is a heart chearing refreshing and Rejoicing fellowship the refreshing and joy that result from fellowship with God do quite surpass and transcend the joy that the men of the world have in the enjoyment of all their earthly Pleasures Lift thou up saith the Psalmist in the name of the Godly Psal 4.7 In contradistinction from and opposition to those many who cry who will shew us any good debasing and in a manner brutifieing themselves as if they had not rational and Immortal Souls capable of enjoying God the chief good the only Object suited Compleatly to satisfie their most inlarged desires Lord lift thou up the light of thy Countenance upon us for thou hast caused more joy of heart to me to wit thereby Then when their Corn and Wine abound And Psal 89.16 those who walk in the light of His Countenance are said to Rejoice in his name all the day Thus when he Prays Psal 43. For admission to fellowship with God in his publick ordinances to which he had gone with others of his people with the voice of joy and gladness as they that kept Holy days as he telleth us in the Preceeding Psalm he promiseth in that case that he will go unto the altar of God unto God his exceeding joy the gladness or joy of his joy the very heart and Soul of his joy or the Cream of it as some translations render the word there is reality Solidity strength and Efficacy in that joy it is heart-joy while as in the very midst of the carnal joy jollity and mirth of natural men arising from the greatest affluence of worldly pleasures and enjoyments their heart is sorrowfull as Solomon saith there is no solidity in it it hath not a bottom if they would but a little retire within themselves and ask for a reason of their laughter mirth and jollity it would instantly evanish and their hearts would die within them as stones it 's kept up to their delusion and ruine by their abstracting from and non-reflecting upon the unsolidity and irrelevancy of the Grounds thereof but the more the grounds of this joy of the Godly be reflected on considered and searched into they are found to be the more able to bear the Highest Superstructures of their joy Tenthly It is such a fellowship that whatever measure of it be attained by sojourning Saints It wakeneth desires sharpeneth appetite and stirreth up kindly longings for more and yet more of it even till it be compleated Thus Moses the man of God and his great favourite whom he knew face to face when admitted to very much familiar fellowship with him and is told that he had found Grace in his sight that he knew him by name And that at his earnest desire his presence should go with him Exod. 33.12 13 14. Yet saith he to the Lord vers 18. I beseech thee shew me thy Glory So Holy Job Gods darling whose candle shined on his head by whose light he walked through darkness and on whose Tabernacle the Secret of God was Yet with much Holy longing cryes Chap. 23.3 Oh that I knew where I might find him I would come even to his seat and comforts himself amidst all his Sorrows with the assured hope of the fully Satisfieing sight and enjoyment of his Redeemer at the latter day So likewise the Spouse in the Song who had often been brought into the Banquetting house having the Banner of her beloveds love spread over her whose left hand had lain often under her head and whose right hand had emâ—raced her who had often sitten down under his shadow with great delight and found his fruis sweet to her taste whose Spikenard did send forth the smell thereof while the King sat at his Table who had frequently found by the kisses of his mouth his love to be better then Wine and to whom he had often given his loves in the Vineyards Yet cryes in the conclusion of that High Song make haste or flee my Beloved and be thou like to a Roe or to a young Hart on the mountains of Spices So was it also with David the man according to Gods heart who had much sweet Communion with him in his wandrings and wilderness condition in Caves and Dens of the Earth and had often seen his Power and his Glory in the Sanctuary Yet pants and breaths after more fellowship with him even as the chased Hart doth after the water brooks and cryes when shall I come and appear before God Psal 42. So in like manner was it with the Apostle Paul Christs great Minion who beside all the good dayes he had in dispensing Gospel Ordinances in planting and watering Churches in converting and edifieing multitudes of Souls in his triumphing by making manifest the savour of Christs knowledge had been ravished into the third Heavens caught up into Paradise and heard there unspeakable words that were not lawful or possible to be uttered Yet as if he had never been with him desired to be dissolved and to be with Christ as best of all and groans within himself longing to be absent from the Body and present with the Lord And thus was it finally with John the Divine the Beloved Disciple who had often lyen in his sweet Masters bosom and could confidently say Truly our Fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ closeth his Revelations with that Holily Passionat desire Even so come Lord Jesus Dear Friends let it be more then ever your great work and business to keep your selves in case and capacity to enjoy his blessed company and Fellowship And in order to this end 1. Study to keep your selves through Grace as chast virgins to Christ Jesus as your one Husband let him be to you as the loving Hart and Pleasant Roe let his
embraces satisfie you at all times and be ye always ravished with his love and beware of embracing the bosom of a stranger let him be to you as a bundle of Myrrhe lying all night betwixt your breasts be for him and not for another so shall he be for and with you resting in his love and rejoycing over you with singing 2. Touch no unclean thing hate the very garment spotted with the flesh abstain tenderly from all appearance of evil O defile not those Temples of the living God of the Holy Ghost which Temples ye are let no unclean thing be harboured or tolerated there nothing that may provoke him to leave or loath his dwelling and Temple nothing that may make his abode in them grievous unpleasant lothsome or wearisome to him 3. Let all his Ordinances and duties of his worship be high in your esteem and much commended and even endeared to your hearts as means of Communion and fellowship with him O be much in love with the habitation of his house and the place where his Honour dwels let his Tabernacles be very Amiable to you these are his haunt and let them be yours 4. Beware of all sinfull dalliances with Idols whereby the Soul is estranged from Communion with God for there is no agreement betwixt the Temple of God and Idols from love to fellowship with him and from zeal to his Glory bid them all with indignation be gone saying to them what have we any more to do with Idols and as to a menstruous cloth get you hence 5. When He hides his face withdraws his presence and suspends you from fellowship with him be troubled arise shake off laziness sloth and security be Holily restless and go the round as it were of all Commanded duties till you find him seek him diligently in the night watches on your bed go forth to the streets and broad places go to the watch men and seek him whom your Souls love you will have gone but a little and you shall find him and when you have found him hold him and let him not go do not awake nor raise him till he please 6. Study to be very humble tender and contrite of heart to be poor in Spirit constantly sensible of your Spiritual poverty emptiness wants and indigencies and to tremble at his word at commands lest they be not suitably obeyed at threatnings lest they be executed at promises lest you seem to come short of them for it is in persons thus qualified that he delights to dwell and it is to such that he loves to look as is very clear Isai 57 15. and 66.2 7. Love prize improve and as ye have accesse study to keep up as you Sister in Particular are helped through Grace to do beyond many the Communion of Saints those excellent ones of the earth in whom next to his own blessed self all your delight should be in Communion with those Saints Communion with the King of Saints is readily attained it being there that he Commands the Blessing even life for evermore 8. Be much in the lively exercise of Faith in and of love to the Lord Jesus and be Spiritually precise strict exact accurate and punctual in obedience to all his Commands from Principles of Faith and love and Christ and his Father will love you and come and make their abode with you as he promiseth John 14.21 23. O! desirable Guests and worthie of all possible welcome of all ready and cheerfull entertainment follow hard after him constantly and closely pursue conformity to him and Communion with him It is but a litle and the conformity to him shall be compleated and you likened Perfectly to him according to creature capacity and the Communion with him which is now but in Part as all the spirituall priviledges and enjoyments of the People of God while upon earth are shall be fully perfected shal be Immediat without the intervention of the Comparatively dark Glass of Ordinances even to seeing him face to face and as he is and shall be eternally uninterrupted without the least cloud or moments Ecclipse now it is a Cloud a clear day a sun-blink and anone a shower rara hora brevis mora a rare hour but quickly gone It shal not be so then O desirable and delightsome day O sweet singularly sweet and solacious day O Rare and Ravishing day let all other dayes pass and hasten away and let that Glorious day come Even so come Lord Jesus and tarry not I am Beloved Christian Friends and dear Sister Your very affectionat Friend and Seriously well-wishing Servant in the Gospel J. C. Feb. 4. 1685. I heartily wish that this mite of service may be acceptable to the Saints it being not improbable that it may be the last service of this kind that I shall have access to do them A Preparation-Sermon FOR THE COMMVNION 1 Cor. 11.29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh Damnation to himself not discerning the Lords Body IT hath been so ordered in the good Providence of God that ye have lately heard of that main very comprehensive and indispensibly necessary duty called for from all that would worthily partake of the ordinance of the Lords Supper for which we are now making ready viz. Self Examination In reference to which the Apostle having perceived many faults and failings in these Corinthians and much unsuitableness as to their communicating gives advertisment that whoever for the time to come would aright approach to the Table of the Lord would examine themselves and so eat and knowing well that this is a difficult exercise and that there is naturally a great deal of averseness in peoples hearts from it he Judgeth it meet to Press the exhortation to that necessary though difficult duty by a reason or Motive set down in the words now read in your hearing For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh Damnation to himself As if he had said you had need to look well to the examination of your selves for if ye neglect or miscarry in that duty your hazard and danger is dreadfully great through unworthy communicating which if ye would escape then make conscience narrowly and carefully to examine your selves The last words of the verse are a confirmation of the reason and do shew why the Lord is so holily severe in punishing and Plaguing those who approach to this Table unworthily through not examining of themselves because They discern not the Lords Body The force whereof is that there is a most singular and graciâ—us presence of the Lord Christ in the Sacrament of his Supper and therefore the person who goes not aright about it doth put a great disrespect upon yea doth even vilifie him who is thus present in that ordinance It is the first Part of these Words that at this time we would mainly speak to wherein we would explicat the meaning of these three 1. To eat and drink unworthily here is to eat and drink unsuitably
hath been First some clear conviction of sin anâ— of your great need of Christ And 2. See if there hath been some uptaking of Christ in the Ordinance and He made precious and lovely therein in sâ—me measure and that it was your errand in going to that ordinance â—o take Christ to Supply your need and take away your sin and your aime to go about the Ordinance rightly in order to that end If the strain and Series of your way in these hath been honest and sincere ye have no reason to account your selves at least altogether unworthy communicants Though when we have done all that we can do It 's God himself who must enable us rightly to discern the Lords Body and who must graciously pass by many things that will be found amiss in us according to good King Hezekiah his prayer 2 Chron 30.38 19. The good Lord Pardon everie one that Prepareth his heart to seek God though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the Sanctuary So must we say the Good Lord Pardon us though we discern and take not up Christs Body with that Faith and love with that distinctness and clearness with that delight cheerfulness and joy that become and are requisite for such a Solemn action A SERMON Preached immediatly before the Communion On Matth. 22 2. 4. All things are ready come to the Marriage THere are many great and glorious things spoken of the Gospel and our Blessed Lord Jesus hath made use of many good Similitudes wonderfully opposite to set it out Sometimes it 's called the Kingdom of Heaven for reasons that we will noâ— now insist upon sometimes it 's called a Marriage as here and else-where some oâ— those Similitudes shew what great and singular satisfaction is to be had in it therefore it s compared to a Feast Supper and Dinner some of them shew the way how we are made Partakers of it So opening and receiving holds forth believing and some of those similitudes hold forth both as this of a Marriage which points at the strait union betwixt Christ and Believers and at the manner or way of our entring into this blessed union on which follows Communion We need not insist in opening the Words which are plain we shall only say these two Words to make way for Observations The first whereof shal be to shew that the scope of the Parable is not to hold forth Peoples coming to the Ordinances or the Sacraments only or mainly but their coming to Christ Jesus himself and to the fat things in the Ordinances Many come to the Ordinances who come not to Christ and to the feast that which is called for here is a real closing with Christ and an accepting of him for our Husband on his own terms The second word is to shew that though the Ordinances be neither the Marriage nor the Feast Yet it 's by the Ordinances that the marriage is furthered and the Feast prepared and made ready for Faith takes Christ in the word and strikes hands with him in the Sacrament when he sayeth in the Word be thou for me and I will be for thee Faith saith content Lord and when he saith in the Sacrament Take Faith sayeth welcome with all my heart He being there as well as he is in the Word These two things being premised we shall first at once and together Propose some Observations from the words Secondly we shall clear and confirm them and and then Thirdly we shall insist in the application of all joyntly The Observations are these First that in the Gospel there is a clear and manifest making up of a Marriage betwixt Christ and Souls The preaching of the Gospel is like a mans making of a marriage for his Son The second is that this marriage is one of the most excellent marriages that ever was therefore it s called the Marriage of the Kings Son The Third is that before this marriage can be brought about and accomplished there are many things to be made ready The Fourth is that where the Gospel comes all things are made ready for Souls closing with Christ in this marriage The Fifth is that the Master of the Feast the KING God the Father and the Kings Son the Bridegroom are not only content and willing but very desirous to have sinners coming to the Marriage they would fain to speak so with reverence have poor Souls espoused to Christ The Sixth is that when the Master sends out his servants in his name their great work is to invite to the wedding and to close the marriage The Seventh is that when People are invited to this Marriage it is their duty and greatly of their concern to come The Eighth is that all they that come may expect a very hearty welcome therefore they are invited once and again and if we compare this Text with Luke 14. We will find there that the Master orders his Servants to Compel them that are invited to come in All these Observations are very obvious in the Words and if the Lord would Graciously please to help us to speak and you to hear as they are no unpertinent to our Present Purpose So they might be made very edifying strengthening refreshing and comfortable to us We shall in the second Place a little more particularly clear and confirme every one of them The First was that There is a Marriage betwixt Christ and souls held forth and made offer of in this Gospel We take this for granted for here is the Kings Son and some bidden to his marriage and those that are bidden are not worthy they are all Professors members of the visible Church the scope of the Parable being to shew that the offer of this Marriage was first made to the Jews and again renewed to them and then from them it came to the Gentiles I shall in passing give you a litle hint of the nature of this Marriage in these four 1. There is by this Gospel a real union made up betwixt Christ and the souls of Believers Which union is not with the Oâ—dinances nor with sense nor with the Benefits which flow from Christ but with Christ himself Primarily and Principally and it is so near a â—ye and very close that it is preferred unto and goeâ—h beyond the union that is betwixt the Husband and Wife Ephes 5.30 We are says the Apostle Members of his Body of his Flesh and of his bones Where alluding to that union betwixt Husband and Wife he not only makes the union reall but makes the one much straiter then the other Secondly the nature of this union is such that it is Mutual the Bridegroom hath in a manneâ— to speak so with reverence of his Majesty no Power oveâ— himself when he is Married unâ—o the Bride and the Bride hath no Power over her self but the Bridegroâ—m So that here there is a sort of muâ—uall upgiving of the Bridegroom to the Bride and of the Bride to the Bridegroom according to those
wâ—nderfully condescending words Hosea 3.3 Thou shalt not be for another man So will I also be for thee The Lord hath Believers under a peculiar tye to him and he hath tyed himself Peculiarly to them so that if we may speak thus neither of them is Master of themselves The Lord Jesus doth some way account himself not to be master of himself he is so engaged to them to be theirs and for them and cannot but be answerable to his engagemenâ— and they are oblidged to be no more Masters of themselves but to be absolutlie and altogether at his disposing Thirdly this union is made up by mutuall consent of Parties and the consent must be willing His consent comes in his Word He says from thence Behold I stand at the door and knock if any man will hear my voice and open the door I will come in to him and will sup with him and he with me I come as if he had said in my Goâ—pel to woo and if any will consent to take me on the terms on which I offer my self I will be theirs The souls consent is given by Faith in his word which is called John 1.12 receiving of him and is relative to the offer The offer is indeed backed and quickned by the Spirit without which it would never be received yet notwithstanding that which our faith lays hold on is not the Spirit but the word quickened by the spirit Fourthly consider here the effects that follow immediatly and instantly on this Marriage union Christ with all that is his becomes ours and we with all that is ours become his our debt is imputed to him he is lyable to it and must pay iâ— and provide for us and be our head and Husband and his righteousness the Purchase of his Death and sufferings viz. Justification Sanct ficaâ—ion his Spirit Grace and Glory and every good thing that he hath become ours and at length the Bride is taken into the Kings ivory Palaces The Second Observation was that this is a most honouâ—able Noble and excellenâ— Marriage the like whereo never was nor never sh ll be from Adam to he end of the Wo ld it 's with the Kings Son with the Prince of the Kings of the earth the Heir of all things the brightness of the Fathers glory the express Image of his person who was before all things and by whom all things consist O! is there any match like this Is there any so great and so Noble as He Is there anâ— in this world whom ye can marry that is so rich as He They that Marry Him shall inherit all things Rev. 21.7 We may clear it a litle further from five or Six Particulars in the Text. 1. It 's an excellent and honourable Marriage in respect of the Bridegroom who is as hath â—een hinted The Kings Son who hath not another natural Son He is he only begotten of the Father there is not another Mediator He is the Fathers equall and fellow So that if if we may put an if to it the Father be great and glorious so is He for He is God the same God equal with the Father in Power and Glory the wonderful Counseller the mighty God the everlasting Father the Prince of Peace Secondly this Marriage is excellent and honourable in respect of the Brides Father in Law so to speak He is the King God the Father Son and holy Ghost have all a hand in it and the Believer married to Christ is Daughter in law to the great God ingrafted some way into the same stock allayed with the same family 2 Cor. 6.18 I will be a Father to you and ye shall be my Sons and Daughters sayeth the Lord Almighty Thirdly it's excellent and honourable in respect of the Preparation made for it There was never such a wedding Feast the dinner is prepared the oxen and Faâ—lings killed but you will say what is all that Even Jesus Christ himself He is that Bread indeed that drink indeed the feast of fat things and of wines on the lees well refined the Bridegroom is to say so the chief dish that the Believer feeds and lives upon for ever and the Spirituall blessings and benefits that are gotten in him and from him are as so many dishes of this feast such as righteousness Pardon of sin Peace and friendship with God the Spirit Adoption Sanctification joy in the holy Ghost grace and Glory the hope of a Croum in those mansions that are in his Fathers House of a seat with him at his Table and on his Throne even a share in his whole Purchase and is not that a feast Fourthly its Honourable and excellent in respect of its most noble rise viz. From all eternity in the bosome of the Father it bred to say so in the Kings breast before the foundation of the World was laid the Covenant of Redemption was then concluded and the contract of marriage there drawn and the blessed Project of it then laid down Sacrifices and Offerings thou didst not desire saith the Mediator Psal 40. Mine ears host thou opened burnt offerings nor sin offerings thou hast not required Then said I lo I come in the Volume of thy Book it is written of me I delight to do thy will O my God The Father gives so many to the Son to be redeemed of whom he willingly readily and cheerfully accepts and offers to satisfie for them which in due time he doth Fifthly its excellent and honourable in this respect That there was never such a concurrence of so many and so great things to commend and further a marriage as there is in this Such as the making of the World men and Angels the incarnation of Christ or his coming into the World his Preaching and working of Miracles for confirmation of his doctrine his suffering and dying rising and ascending his giving Ministers and their gifts and to make up the Marriage union the Spirit from Heaven coming along with the word and working faith in the Soul by which bonds Christ the Believer are joined together Christ by his Spirit apprehending the Believer the beliver apprehending Christ by Faith was there ever a marriage contract or union bound up betwixt two such vastly and infinitly distant Parties was there ever such honour and riches attending and following a match such righteousness remission of sin Adoption Peace with God joy of the Holy Ghost the Spirit holiness in the beginning and gradual advances of it fellowship and walking with God the White stone the new Name the Throne the Crown Grace and Glory every thing that is good for the Bride here and Glory in Heaven In a word Jesus Christ and all the benefits of his Purchase were there ever such easie termes and conditions It 's only come to the Wedding when the King comes a wooing let him be welcomed with your hearts consent when he sayes I am content to marrie you let your heaâ—ts say Amen Lord Jesus I am content to
is ready the fatlings are prepared the Promises are filled with every necessary good thing there is bread enough in the Prodigals fathers house and to spare the contract is ready and an offer of it made on the Bridegrooms side the terms are drawn up and put in Form and all things agreed upon and ready even to the Subscription and there is no more required but that the hearers of this Gospel heartilly consent to take him and submit to his righteousness and dominion which if they do all things shall be theirs even life eternal and all things that may fit them for it Promises for this life and that which is to come and Christ engaged to keep the bargain and this is it that is preached every day to you though alace unsuitably so that it 's not now Who shall go up to Heaven and bring down Christ from above or Who shall descend unto the deep and bring him up from the dead That we may get him to Marry but the righteousness of faith saith the word is near thee even in thy mouth c. Christs consent is not to be asked or brought from afar for he hath declared it in his word and the terms of the contract are if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe with thy heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved Rom. 10.8 9. Engage therefore honestly with Christ and keep to him deny your selves and close wiâ—h him give uâ— your selves to him and ye shall be saved and that is all one with this to be married to him yea the day of the Marriage is set and that iâ— the day of the Gospel the Bridegroom is come to the Church the Table is covered and the Ministers the Bridegrooms friends are waiting on to espouse you â—o him and to make up the Marriage so that all thinâ—s meet and requisit for making peace betwixâ— God and sinners are ready The Fifth Observation was that Christ the Bridegroom his Father are very willing to have the match made up and the marriage compleated therefore doth he send forth his servants with a strict commission not only to tell sinners that all things ready but to bid them come to the Marriage yea he not only wills them to tell that all things are ready and to invite but to Compel them as Luke hath it Chap. 14.23 to come in to stirr them up and press them to it to threaten them if they come not and to accept no refusal or naâ—-say the evidences of his willingness are many which I will not now insist upon as that he hath made the feast and such a feast and prepared so for it and given himself to bring it about and keeps up the offer and Proclamation of the Marriage even after it is slighted all these and many moe tell plainly that the Father and Son are most heartily willing therefore they expostulat when this Marriage is refused O! Jerusalem Jerusalem how often would I have gathered you but you would not Matth. 23. O! Jerusalem Jerusalem if thou even thou hadst known in this thy day the things that belong to thy peace Luk 19. All these sad complaints that Israel would not hearken to his voice and his people would have n ne of him Psal 81 7. That he came to his own and his own received him not Joh. 1.11 And that they will not come to him that they might have life Joh. 5.40 make out his willingness abundantly and undenyably The Sixth Observation was That the great work of the Mâ—nisters of the Gospel iâ— to invite unto and to endeavâ—ur to bring this Marriage betwixt Christ aâ—d Souls to a close the Servants are sent out for this very end to conclude the bargain Though he be Lord of all yet he would not imploy in this work Angels neither would he speak immediatly by his own voice from Heaven for by reaâ—â—n of his greatness we could not have endured that way of wooing but sayeth on the matter to men subject to the like passions and infirmities go tell that the King haâ—h such a Son and that ye are sent out to wâ—o in his Name and make not only offer of Marriage but request intreat perswade pray and obtest yea command and compell them to come to the Marriage by holding forth the curse which comes on them that will not come and hence are those denounced woes and shaking of the dust off â—heir feet for a Testimony against them that will not come The Seventh Observation was that iâ— is the duty of all to whom the good news of this marriage come to come to it and when theâ— aâ—e invited to it Presently without all delay to yeeld Needs there any proof of this do not the Masters sending and the seâ—vanâ—s coming call for it do not his preparing of all things his inviting to the Marriage and his expostulating wâ—â—h them that come not and our own great necessitie urgently require it The Eighth and last Observation was that all they that come may expect a very good and heartsome welcome none need to fear that they shal not be made welcome seeing they are come not uncalled they shall not sit unserved The Lord will not look down on such as come nay he is waiting on to welcome them and to meet them as it were Mid-way as we see in the Parable of the Prodigal Luke 15. His father stayes not till his son come to him but seeing him afar-off coming he runs with speed to meet him and then most affectionatly embraced him and falls on his neck and kisses him and if the poor child should say I am not worthy to be called a Son He answers that not suffering him to speak out all that he had resolved to say Even when the debaucht runagate had spent all by riotous living and would fain have told out the sad and shameful story of his grosse miscarriages and great unworthiness he interrupts him and says in a manner Son hold thy peace as to that I know well it is grievous to thee go quickly and put on the robe the Ring and the shoes that are provided for thee I come now in the Third place to make application of all and is it possible to speak or hear of this Subject as becomes who is sufficient for these things to speak suitably in the name of the Lord and to lay before you this contract of marriage with such a Bridegroom Beloved hearers are ye in a suitable Posture to tryst with him Do ye think that ye are for this Marriage is it your serious purpose to close the bargain with him If so Pray the Lord to give us to speak and you to hear the word in such manner as it may be a marriage-day indeed there are very good news here and blessed eternally be God that ever we heard them or had them to speak of and that ye have them yet to hear they should make your very
souls in a manner flighter within you and make you to rouze up your selves to welcome them with gladness of heart And therefore First we would exhort you all to believe this report there are alace but few who doe indeed believe that the Eternal God hath this design of a marriage betwixt him and sinners Therefore let not your hearts be straitned only believe that this is the good word of God that these are the faithful true sayings of him that cannot lie and that he is waiting on to ratifie them to all who give them Credit It 's somewhat hard to deliver or receive a word of threatning in faith but in some respect more hard to believe a word of Promise and of consolation It is Proportionably hard to look upon this as Gods own offering of a marriage with his Son as if he himself were by vive voice speaking it out of Heaven and to believe that this offer is really his and therefore as I desire as his Servant to speak to you so I would again and again Obtest you to be rouzed up and to rouze up your selves to believe it Secondly Rouze stretch and enlarge your understandings and your hearts and affections for beholding conceiving and embracing this rich bargain of Grace O! consider seriously from whom it is For what end it is how it is brought about and doth come to you the height and Depth the Length and breadth whereof is inconceivable be Holily amazed and wonder that the offer of this marriage comes to you and that he is content to marry you Thirdly In a word would you know what we have to do with you or what is our commission to you this day This is even it to tell you that the King hath made a marriage for his Son and hath prepared and made all things ready for reuniting you to himself yea this same King that hath made this wedding ready and hath carved out this way of throughing his designe by speaking to you in his Word by his servants speaks to you by us and we speak to you in his name and tell you thaâ— our blessed Lord Jesus is wooing you we declare publish and proclaim it O! take notice of it our Lord Jesus is not far to seek he is here waiting on to close â—he bargain wâ—th you This is our errand to proclaim these glad tâ—dings to you and what glader tydings could yoâ— wish then to have it told you thaâ—â—e may be happy and easily happy and that if ye be content â—o be so theâ—e is noâ—hing that might marâ—â—his happiness but it is â—emove and taken ouâ— of the way Is not the Faâ—â—eâ— ready He hath given his consent is noâ— the Bridegroom ready when he hath done so much and is waiting on your consent the Feast is ready and the Garments are ready and there is nâ— more to do but t take and put them on aâ—d faâ—â—h exeâ—cised on him wâ—â—l 〈◊〉 both the Conâ—ract is ready and there is nothing â—o 〈◊〉 changed oâ— altered in it and He is ready to accepâ— oâ— you if ye will accept oâ— him our blessed Lord Jesus says he is câ—nâ—eâ—â—â—o marry you and there is no more to do but to subscâ—ibe your name to the contract iâ— you want clothes he will give them to you â—f ye want a house if ye want meat or drink he will provide for you what ever it be that you really stand in need of for Soul or body in time oâ— eternity ye shall have 〈◊〉 from him The promises aâ—e filled with all things thaâ— pâ—â—â—ain to life and godliness to hâ—s life and to thaâ— which is to come there is in effect n thing wanting but your consent and let not tha be wantng I beseech you Iâ— prosecuting this purpose I shall speak a litle 1. Tâ— those to whom the offer is made or to those whâ—â— a e called 2. To whaâ— they aâ—e called â—o 3. To the terms on which they are called 4. To the manner how ye should come 5. To the Peremptoriness of the call and to the necessitie of coming And 6. If it be Possible to win at it a word to some motives whereby ye may be Pressed to come and not to neglect the opportunity of such a Precious Season of Grace For the First it is not one or two or some few that are called not the great only nor the Smal only not the holy only nor the Profane only but ye are all bidden the call comes to all and every one of you in Particular Poor and rich high and low holy and prophane Ho Proclaimeth the Lord as it were with an Oyas Isa 55.1 Every one that thirsts come and he that hath no money Let him come whosoever will let him come and take of the water of life freely Rev. 22.17 Our blessed Lord Jesus is not straitned in his call and we may humbly say in some measure that we are not straitened in our bowels in his name we invite all of you and make offer of Jesus Christ to be your Husband that ye may have a room among them that stand by and be with him for ever I say we make this offer to all of you to you that are Atheists to you that are Graceless to you that are Ignorant to you that are Hypocrits to you that are Lazie and Luk-warm to the Civil and to the Prophane We pray We beseech We obtest you all to come to the wedding Call sayeth the Lord the blind the maimed the halt c. Bid them all come Yea compel them to come in Grace can do moe greater wonders then to call such it cannot only make the offer of the Marriage to them but it can make up the Match effectually betwixt Christ and them We will not we dare not say that all of you will get Christ for a Husband but we do most really offer him to you all and it shall be your own fault if ye want him and go without him And therefore before we proceed any further we do Solemnly Protest and before God his Son Jesus Christ take instruments this day that this offer is made to you and that it is told to you in his name that the Lord Jesus is willing to match with you even the profanest and most graceless of you if ye be willing to match with him and he earnestly invites you to come to the wedding if you can touch at any thing on his side that is not ready or at any thing on your side but it may through grace be made ready if ye will come you may but its impossible for the Covenant is well oâ—dered and sure and that in all things and these words are not the words of men but the Words of the true and faithful witness which ye must count and reckon for when we are dead and gone He hath killed his Oxen and Fatlings and prepared his dinner and bid his guests all things are ready in the due order
and manner whether on your side or on his if ye be willing to step to and make the bargain he hath drawn up the contract and sent us out with it to you to crave your subscription and if ye be ready for that he craves no more of you Now I put you all to it whether will ye subscribe it or not and I would not put one of you without the reach of this invitation however we be Alace much carnal in speaking his mind yet we desire not to obscure nor limit our Lords grace he calls all of you to the wedding he hath sent us out as his Servants though of all the most unworthy to close and conclude the contract of Marriage with you this day if you be willing Come then O come and subscribe and it shall be in very deed a bargain if ye can through Grace say from your hearts We will take him then I say to you take him and have him with the Fathers blessing our commission is not only to offer him and to invite you to take him but to close a bargain betwixt him and you who are content to take him we would as the Apostle speaks 2 Cor. 11.2 Espouse you to one husband that we m ght present you a chast Virgin to Christ and have you hand-fasted to him as the word is and this is very well becoming one of the dayes of the Son of man and one of such seasons of his grace to make this offer to great and small rich and Poor learned and unlearned Gracious and Graceless Hypocrites and prophane there is here no exception of persons with him the blessed God is content to match with the most graceless and Godless of you as well as with those who are gracious and Godly There is joy in heaven at the conversion of a sinner and the price was payed for the Elect that are yet Graceless as well as for these of them who are now gracious for all were once in the same condition Therefore look not with narrow and straitned hearts on the Rich and liberal allowance of our Blessed Lord Jesus But Secondly what is it that we call you to when we bid you come to the Marriage It 's not to the Communion only It 's not to any of Christs benefits only it 's not to say at first hand confidently that all is yours or to have a sure knowledge as ye call it and perswasion at the very first that it is so though I heartily wish that ye may find this Perswasion on solid and good grounds but it is first and mainly to marry the Bridegroom and then to come to the Feast We call you to believe and we declare in his Name that if ye will betake your selves to him in good earnest ye shall be saved If ye will as it were put your hand to the Pen and Subscribe your selves heartily content to take him ye shall most certainly have him and all his benefits ye that are Prophane take him but not to live still in your Profanity but to study Holiness in all manner of conversation in his strength Ye that are self-righteous take him but not to live still in the good conceit of your self-righteousness but to renounce it and to take him for your righteousness ye that are blind take him but not to live still in your blindness but to grow in grace and in the knowledge of him whatever ye be and whatever ill aileth you take him but not to continue in the ill but to get it amended This sure is no less then to call you to the communion yea it is more whether therefore ye come to the Communion or not we call and invite you all to come to Christ and to marry Him which if ye do we dare Promise you in his name begun Communion with him here full communion with him in Heaven hereafter Thirdly what are the termes on which ye are called and may warrantably come to this marriage I need not stand on the terms on his side nor to tell you what he promiseth It 's this in a word I will be for thee He is content to make over all that is his to you Pardon of Sin Justification Sanctification his Spirit to quicken you even his whole Purchase to enrich you in Sum as it is 1 Cor. 1.31 He is made of God unto you Wisdome Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption He hath made all things yours as it is 1 Cor. 3.21 And in him ye are compleat as the Apostle hath it Col. 2.10 Ye need never go out of him to seek for any thing truly good that ye stand in need of And on the other hand what seeks be of you but to be for him and not for another as it is Hos 3. He seeks no hard condition In Sum it may be comprehended in that word 1 Cor. 1.31 That he that glorieth may glory in the Lord not to glory or boast in any thing or in our selves but of him and in him But for clearness cause I shall draw the termes on your side to these there 1 You must deny your self Your lusts and Idols and your own righteousness Where is boasting then sayeth the Apostle Rom. 3.27 It is excluded by what law of works nay but the law of Faith Ye then that would Marry Christ and share indeed in the feast ye must have a sight of that which ye want and of your own inability to make it up and that ye are undone in your selves without him to him that worketh not but Believeth on him that Justifieth the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousness That is to him that expects nothing by his works but betakes himself to Christ and his righteousness for his Justification before God and that is no unreasonable condition Secondly as ye would not glory in your selves so ye would glory in him what ever ye deny in your selves ye would put him in the room of it If ye dare not lippen or trust your souls to your own righteousness lippen or trust them to his He sayes I am content to pay your debt and since ye cannoâ— pay your own debt your selves say humbly to him blessed Lord Jesus pay our debt for us He is the end of the Law for Righteousness to every one that believeth Rom. 10.3 When he offers himself take him thus and let Faith say sobeit Lord I accept of the bargain Q hold to it and quit it not Thirdly It is required that ye shall be his and have no Power over your selves and this takes in Sanctification dying to sin and living to Righteousness adorning the Gospel living answerably to the severall relations ye stand in for though Mortification and holiness be not the cause for which he marries yet it is a condition of the contract and it well becomes his Bride to be dutifull Thou shalt be for me and I will be for thee If he will graciously please to be for us it 's all the reason in the
World that we should be for him Now we know somewhat of the terms which may all come in under these three there are many conditions on his side and but few on ours Fourthly ye would consider the Peremptoriness of this call to accept of and to Marrie our Lord Jesus Christ on these terms it 's not an ordinary complement but purposed by the King the Father and by the Kings Son the Bridgroom He sends out his Servants who are come to call you Peremptorily and there are three Peremptories that this offer and call hath with it all which three we carry in our commission and crave of you to Subscribe to them The 1. Whereof is that ye take no other husband but this Bridegroom there is no latitude left to you in this ye must by no means engage with any other It 's only for Jesus Christ that we woo and we seek of you that ye would give him your souls your hearts and affections that ye may be devoted to him and to no other and therefore we intimat to you that are Married and Joyned to Idols that ye must be divorced from those and betake you to him alone The Second Is the Peremptoriness of the terms we speak of we cannot and ye must not alter one jote or title Ye must deny your selves ye must be content to be divorced from your lusts and Idols ye must renounce your own righteousness and give up with the law your first husband considered as a Covenant of works and run out from the curses thereof to him which ye will never do till ye see your own righteousness to be as filthy rags and reject it as Part of your enditement that ever ye trusted to it Ye must forget your fathers house 2. As you must deny your selves so you must close with Christ and embrace him for your husband and Lord do not think that ye will or can dwel beside him that ye can sit and hear him if ye Marrie him not 3. Ye must be devoted to him in your conversation he must needs be your King as well as your Priest Ye must forsake Father and Mother and all your kindred and betake you to him and ye must take up and keep house with him you must dwel with him and study to be answerable to the Marriage tye and obligation put upon you we dare dispense with none of the Three The Third Peremptory is this as ye must engage with no other and as ye must not alter the terms so ye must not delay to come and close the bargain ye must not put off till to morrow nay not an hour All things are ready Just now Now is the accepted time Here stands the blested Bridgroom here are the conditions and terms on which he will marry you and we as the Bridegrooms friends stand ready to espouse you to him We dare not be answerable to our Master nor can we be answerable to our trust and commission if we shuffle by or thrust out any of you if ye do not thrust out your selves nor may we admite of an excuse from any of you and therefore let me again say to you that here is not only a marriage and of all marriages the most excellent but let me beseech and obtest you to come to the wedding either come or give a reason why ye will not or cannot as you can assigne no relevant reason for your not coming we dare not accept of any Irrelevant reason nor admit of any answer but this that ye will take him we dare admit of no excuse ye must not shift nor delay ye would think that those who were bidden Luke 14. might have come when they had seen their Farme and proved their Oxen but that would not be with them So I say it will not be with you to shift this offer He is here waiting on to see who will consent and say even so I take him Say it O say it seriously and abide by it Q Are there any here now looking up to him Are there any here that would fain have it a closed bargain Are there any here that believe these things as the truths of God Then we pray you let them sink down into your hearts and come And to press this a little further let me ask what can hinder the making of this bargain is it the want of notice or timeous intimation of it That cannot he ye are clearly convinced of the contrary Is it because ye will or can be happy without him Wo to that happiness is it any difficulty standing in the way That shall be removed yea as to him it is removed already and shall be as to you on your closing with him Pose and put your own hearts to it then Is there any of you that dare or can find in your heaâ—ts to refuse the Lord is waiting on his faithfulness is engaged to make out what he offereth He stretcheth out his hand and sayeth Even so I take you if ye will take me are ye content to stretch forth your hand and to say Even so I take thee blessed Lord Jesus or if this be not win at to Satisfaction are there any rouzing and stretching themselves to essay how it will go with them what are ye doing Is it a bargain or not ye must say yea or nay and that even now We suppose ye will not say down right nay though more then probably many will delay but this must not be the Table may be drawn other guests may be called in and ye removed we cannot allow you an hours time to advise especially from indifferency yea if ye begin to take advisement for shifting a present closure Christs call and invitation and your consenting will readily cool upon your hand Paul sayes that he consulted not with flesh and blood So must not ye consult with flesh and blood in this matter ye must cast away the beggars cloak be content to deny your self quite your lusts and close with him presently or ye may never have the like opportunity There is a necessity imposed on you from the command to come from the curse and prejudice that abides you and will certainly overtake you if you come not ye will be eternalie miserable without him there is no happiness but in him The King is on his Throne the Table is set and covered the day is fixed his Servants invite in his name come therefore come without further lingering dallying shifting or delay alace there are too many dayes put by already ye must put by no moe Now let me speak a word further to this purpose what can marr the matter what can obstruct its being a bargain certainly it must be one of three Either first because ye are not content with the Bridegroom Or Secondly because ye are not content with the terms Or Thirdly because ye are not content with your selves or with some thing in your selves As for the First I suppose ye can say nothing against the
art the Lord our God When He sayes as he did to them returne ye backsliding children and I will heal your backslidings turn it over to him and say Behold we come unto thee Thirdly Are ye not content with your selves or with something in your selves Do ye indeed think and say that it is a good bargain and that the terms are very reasonable and easie and we have nothing to say against them but we have alas much to say of and against our selves The bargain pleaseth us wondrous well and so do the terms but we are not at all pleased with our selves I answer 1. May ye not then the better quit and deny your selves and take Christ in the room and place of self 2. I Ans Christ makes no such objection He bids the most Prophane the most Ignorant and Graceless wretch the most Hypocriticall dissembler that never knew what it was to be honest come and assures them that they shall be welcome if they will come indeed Object But I can do nothing I cannot keep a word word that I say to Christ I Answer Engage and consent to close with Christ on his own terms and doing and keeping shall follow to give thy consent is that which thou art now called to and he engages to help thee to perform Object But shall I take on an engagement presently to break it again I Answer If indeed thou consent thou mayest â—ail and break but the covenant will never be utterly broken nor dissolved yea thou shalt have surety for thy keeping of it Forasmuch as saith the Apostle Heb. 7.22 Jesus was made Suretie of a better Testament If ye Object and say that ye have much sin that ye are Lothsome and Abominable Subscribe this Contract and bargain and ye have a free and full discharge of all your debt I will sayeth the Lord Hosea 2 19 Betroth thee unto me in loving kindness and mercies He will pardon your iniquities There is no exact or severe seeking and searching out of the debt here where it 's ingenuously taken with but rather a covering of it He will also cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your Idols But it may be thou wilt Object And say I will rather purpose then engage because I fear I shall break it Answer But is it likely that thou wilt make good such a purpose who darest not engage Or will purposes and resolutions do the business without performing Purposes of Marriage make not the Marriage It is actuall consent and engaging which doth that But thou wilt Object And say alace I am not in a right frame I am very confused all things are wrong with me Answer What is this thou sayest Will your frame be amended without Christ will those swarms of Corruptions be beat out before thou take in the King of Glory who is strong and mighty in Battel But thou wilt Object I am not clear as to my interest Ans Wilt thou not consent till thou be clear that is as much as to say thou art doubting but that thou wilt not put it out of doubt if thou be unclear as to thy Subscription rather Subscribe write thy name over again if ye have not at all Subscribed take now the pen and do it say Lord Jesus I come to thee and will be thine Object Alace fain would I come to the wedding but I cannot come it will not do with me I would fain believe but my Faith is not Prompt and ready I Answer Is not the Covenant provided with an answer to that also It calls for nothing but for your Subscribing and if ye say ye cannot look well that it be not a shift it comes to this yea or nay and if ye say ye cannot say Yea in Faith which yet thou wouldest fain be at is there not a promise of Grace that though your hand be as it were withered if ye mint and essay you shall be enabled to stretch it forth Faith may come in the very essaying to grip him only essay it and it shall go with you Object I have essayed it often and it hath not gone with me Ans Essay it again and cast a new knot If your evidence be not clear Subscribe over again Object But it goes not with me when all is done I cannot believe I would Subscribe but I cannot writ as it were I cannot distinctly act Faith Ans What is that Our Lord stands not on that though you cannot write well do as ye can It 's strange to see how somes Subscription is almost like a scratching with Crow-toes yet it 's a valid Subscription some again will write down their mark in place of their name and that also where it is well known is admitted as valid if you cannot as it were write your name in fair and legible Letters set down some Mark if it were but two scores or lines in any form or figure If ye cannot act Faith so distinctly come on as you may if ye cannot to your satisfaction say Yea with the heart say it with the mouth striving and longing to have thy heart brought up force thy self If I may speak so to believing If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe with thy heart that God raised Him from the dead thou shalt be saved Rom. 10.9 Endeavour to make thy Mouth engage thine heart bind thy self fast to Christ even in a manner whether thou wilt or not act Faith with the understanding labouring honestly to bring up thy Will and affections and though ye win not now to a Faith that is distinct it shall come in a due time essay to set open the door and it shall go with you Object But my heart says all these are but fair words Ans Away with that blasphemy They are the truths of God essay then O! essay Seriously this way of Believing and ye shall find power meeting you The Pen is as it were lying by you and albeit ye cannot write well and be distinct take the Pen and Christ shall as it were lead your hand and guide it to write so as it shall Pass in Heaven for a Subscribed consent set your selves to give him a welcome and he shall account it to be a welcome Say now what more ye have to say lay out your scruples this word all things are ready will answer them all the garment is ready to be put on yea Jesus Christ is your Wedding Garment take and put him on He is the cure for all your diseases apply him for the cure of them all ye cannot certainly be clothed before you put on the garment neither can ye be Healed before ye apply the cure ye cannot by any means be rich till ye marry him But beside all these there are several other needlesly disquieting scruples there are many other shifts and alace that there should be such triffling if I may call it so such whining as it were and standing on Ceremonies to speak so
with our Lord among which this is one I wot not If I be in the Covenant and Contract of Redemption I know not if I be one of Gods elect Ans What is this ye know not well what ye say have ye any thing to do with that secret by a leap and at First hand are ye not called to Marry Christ Is not that his revealed will to you I protest in his name this is the thing that ye are called to and will ye make an exception where he has made none Or will ye shift obedience to a clear command upon a supposed decree which you cannot know but by the effects Will ye reason so in the matter of your eating and drinking upon a supposition that God hath decreed that ye shall die to Morrow or within a few dayes will ye this day not take your dinner nor make use of any refreshment till that supposed day come Or because ye know not if God hath appointed you to live so and so long Will ye forbear therefore your callings Or will any of you in seeking after a match in the World reason so Will ye not seek after nor Marry such a Woman till ye be clear that God hath decreed her to be your Wife When or whom would ye Marry at this rate of reasoning But 2. Because there is a sort of facultie and facilitie here to dispute against God I answer by way of question were there ever any that had that doubt cleared to them before they came to Christ whoever would have come to him if they had stayed till that had been taken out of the way Or hath the Lord told that to any before they came Hath he said to them believe for ye are Elected but his method is thus believe and ye shall know in due time that ye are Elected 3 Is there any that can say that the offer or the refusall of the match depended on this If any of you will say because I was not elected he refused me He will answer How often would I have gathered you And there will need no more ground for sentencing Professors of the Gospel to destruction then this Man woman thou hadst the offer of the Gospel and refusedst it therefore go to thy place he will not Judge you according to the decree of reprobation but according to his call and your disobedience to it And further ye may take Christs Answer to this Objection from John 6.39 Where there are two wills or rather two things willed of equal extent betwixt the Father and Christ in the Covenant of Redemption under which all the elect come The First is vers 39. This is the Fathers will which hath sent me that of all that he hath given me I should lose nothing But as if he had said this is not it that ye have to do with at first hand Therefore vers 40. He sayes And this is the will of him that sent me that every one that seeth the Son and Believeth on Him may have everlasting life Not that all the elect should know that they are elected before they Believe but that he that Believes in Him may know that he is Elected He gives the same promise to them that Believe that is given to them that are Elected and they are distinguished because He would have them to come under distinct considerations And now to conclude Is there not need great need to come and have ye not good warrand to come Lay by therefore seeking satisfaction to sense and carnal reason and â—hile the Lord sayes All things are ready come to the Marriage It will be greatly to your prejudice to sit or shift the invitation ye have the Contract laid before you alter not the Terms dispute not delay not This is our Commission to you to day We tell you that the King hath made ready for the Feast yea all things are ready come then and let there be no more debate about the matter if ye will but say it and say it in earnest Here Lord Jesus I give up my self to thee and though my consent be now but confused I shall endeavour through Grace to give it more clearly and distinctly another time It shall go well with you only deliver up your selves to him and in the Lords Name I tell you that ye shall be dearly welcome as many as come humbly lothing themselves wond'ring at the free Grace of God and Highly esteeming of Precious and lovely Jesus and adventuring to hazard their souls on him on his own terms and to take him for their Husband and Lord It shall not be accounted Presumption in them so to do nay as it is Cant. 3. The bottom of his Chariot is Paved with love and it 's for the daughters of Jerusalem It is made for carrying and keeping Believers leap hither if I may speak so and ye will fall soft into a sweetly Perfumed and soft bed even in the arms of Christ There was never a Carpet never a feather or doun-bed so soft as that is only come and cast your selves over on it Though ye think that ye cannot apprehend and take hold of him He can and will apprehend and take hold of you and He is so very tender hearted that he will kisse you and even weep over you for joy as it were on your neck and if ye have no Garments Rings or Jewels to speake so to adorne you He will give these to you Come forward then come O! come and let it be a day of Covenanting with him and in signe and token thereof give up your names to him and for confirmation take the Seal of His Covenant the Sacrament with your hand and bless Him with your heart that so heartily welcomes you and the blessing of God shall come upon you that come on these terms A SERMON Preached after the Communion On PHILIP 1.27 Only let your conversation be as becometh the Gospel of Christ THere are two great works that the Ministers of the Gospel have to do one is to engage People to Christ and to perswade them to receive him and close with him The other is to induce them to walk worthy of him Col. 2.6 As ye have saith the Apostle received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk ye in Him Paul through the hand of the Lord with him had engaged the Philippians to close with Christ and as it were to conclude the Contract betwixt him and them and now being aged and in Prison and not knowing certainly if ever he shall see them again He commends this to them in a speciall manner whether he see them or be absent from them that only they would let their Conversation be as becometh the Gospel of Christ As if he had said ye are priviledged with the Gospel and have embraced it and are eminent in the Profession thereof let me therefore beg this of you that your Conversation may be answerable to it The adverb only intimats to them that this was so necessary
and of so great concernment that in a manner it was their one thing they had to do In comparison of which in a manner they had no other thing else to do whether he were Present or absent This in some respect is all that he requires of them And the Argument whereby he presseth it is that whether he come to them or not he may hear of their affairs And that he desires and expects whether he be at Liberty or in Prison and bonds that they will thus especially testifie their respect to him which would be more refreshing and acceptable to him then their Communicating to him in his affliction beyond all the rest of the Churches was and for which he commends them Chap. 4. And in the close of the verse he instanceth Two Particulars wherein he would have their Conversation suiting the Gospel or Two qualifications of a Gospel-Conversation and walk one is Unity that they stand fast in one Spirit Another is Purity in the Faith that with one mind they strive together for the Faith of the Gospel The First Qualification is joint and united stayedness and stedfastness that they be not fleeting and wavering to and fro easily disjointed and divided one from another as many light Professors are And the Second is that they be studious in and striving for the Purity of the Doctrine of Faith and serious in the Practice and exercise of Faith Desireable and excellent Qualifications of a Christian viz. Purity Solidity and seriousness in Religion We shall at this time speak of the exhortation Only let your Conversation be as becometh the Gospel of Christ Where by Conversation we understand the whole of a mans carriage and walk towards and before God and men and by the Gospel the whole Doctrine thereof as it respects Faith and manners or Practice but here more especially as it respects Faith in Chrâ—st both as it is opposed to Heathenisme and as it 's opposed to the Law or Covenant of Works To walk then as becometh the Gospel is to walk answerably and suitably to it and in the whole of their carriage and Depoâ—tment to make a manifest difference to appear betwixt themselves and all other Persons as they are dignified and as the Gospel requireth The point of Doctrine to which we would speak from these words and which lyeth obviously in them is That they who are Priviledged with the Gospel ought seriously to endeavour and to make it their great business to have their Conversation suitable to and becoming the same This is some way the one thing required of all the hearers of the Gospel of all that are Baptized in the name of Christ We need not stay on the Proof and reasons of it and the lesse that none will dare down-right to denie it and that the reasonâ— aâ—e so obvious There aâ—e three Uses of it that we would speak a little to The First is for instruction to teach us our dutie The Second is of Regraâ—e and expostulation that the Professors of the Gospel and of the Name of Christ should be so unlike and uâ—answerable to it The Third is of Exhortation to this so verie necessarie and so mucâ— called for a dutie as the Compend of all duties whicâ— we would presse and set home by some consideration drawn from the necessitie and advantage of it As for the First I think I may say that if ye had the Apostle Paul Preaching to you who have been Communicants yester-day this would be the great dutie which he would enforce upon you Only let your Conversation be as it becomes the Gospel of Christ Ye will readilie say what is that I confess it 's hard to tell it 's so verie Marrowie and comprehensive but it will be as hard to practise it and a great deal harder O that we were all Breathing and Pressing seriouslie and hard after it However we shall in the first Place and in the generall desire you to consider these few Scriptures that hold it out as namelie Luke 1.74 75. 2 Cor. 7.1 Tit. 2.10 11 12 1 Pet. 1.15 Philip. 3 20. More Particularlie from other Scriptures ye may take it up in these or if we read and consider the Gospel aright we will find these Five things in it which require a walk suitable or a walk with respect to them and such a walk becomes the Gospel 1. In the Substance of it Our blessed Lord Jesus is as it were the Text on whom the Gospel is a notable Commentarie and what he did and how he suffered is proposed as a fair Copie for us to write after in all things wherein he is set forth to us as a pattern for our Imitation 2. That from whence the Gospel comes and which gives it it's rise even the Love of the Father and of the Son and of the Holie Ghost in whose blessed breast it bred and To walk as it becomes the Gospel is to walk suitablie to that love 3. To walk as becomes the Gospel is to walk suitablie to the great offers of it and to the Promises contained in it The exceeding great and Precious Promises whereby we are made Partakers of the Divine nature To walk suitablie to all the excellent things the sublimelie Spirituall and divine things Promised 4. It is to walk suitablie to the Commands and directions of the Gospel in reference to all duties having therefore saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 7.1 These Promises let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of the flesh and Spirit perfecting Holiness in the fear of God 5. It is to walk answerablie to the obligations which the Gospel lays on us and to the consolations that flow from it to us If then we would walk as becomes the Gospel of Christ we must have a due respect unto all these If it should be enquired what is it to have a respect to these in our walk We answer it supposeth and includeth these things 1. A likeness and conformitie that what is called for in the matter of dutie or offered in the Promise we studie to be like it We all saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 3 18. Beholding as in a Glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same Image from Glory to Glory as by the Spirit of the Lord. 2. Our suffering none of these things to ly by us unimproved our endevouring to make the right use of them to suffer none of the Promises relating to Justification Sanctification or any other Spiritual priviledge and benefit to be useless but to be laying due weight on each of them and more especiallie to be making right use of Christ the Mediator in whom all the Promises are yea and amen for certainlie they neither walk as it becomes the Gospel nor are worthie of it who make not use of him to be making right use of the Ordinances word and Sacraments and of all appointed means of edification Publick Privat and secret and to be making right use of the comforts of the Gospel
how comes it to be so little minded and made conscience of If we profess Christ to be our Husband and head our Captain and leader ought we not to be like him and follow him I take it for granted that this will be generally assented to as being very just and Reasonable and yet without accomplishing a very diligent search into our own way may we not find at the first view much very Lamentably much unsuitableness in our walk to the Gospel Need we descend to particulars is not our unsuitableness obvious palpable and undenyable Let me but ask our selves a few questions are we making suitable use of the promises and often meditating on them Are we taken up with delighting our selves in God and in the great and excellent things contained in the promises Do we study to be like them and suitably to improve them Do we study to have those poor performances of duty that we go about so qualified as the Gospel calls for the lifelesness and whole heartedness that manifestly discover themselves in our very hearing of these things declare much what we are your Ministers are some way perplexed and puzled how to deal with you and know not well whether to speak or to be silent whether to pipe or to mourn what suitableness is there to the Gospel when the conversation of many is so spotted So far Alace are we from shining that we are rather like blind lanthorns without light I shall only for whetting an edge on this sad regrate and expostulation instance in a few of these Particulars touched on before as to our unsuitableness to the Gospel 1. Do we live by faith Alace is there such a life as this known by most of us we are readily either living securely carelesly and unconcernedly without troubling our selves with such matters or else on the other hand we give way to unbelief and will hardly admit of any thing that may settle and make us foot a stand we are found often running from one extremity to another we are either carnally vain light and frothy or we are anxious heartless and dejected and are very seldome found steering a straight course betwixt extremes and stemming the port 2. We may instance it in the exercise of Repentance which well becomes the Gospel Our Lord Christ John the Baptist and the Apostles preached it and it is commended to all It is an exercise very suitable and proper for sinners and more especially for such sinners as have had many offers of Grace and have much slighted them but where is it Ah! where is it Converts are rare in these dayes and among Converts the kindly exercise of Repentance is rare we are generally as whole-hearted as if we were living under the Covenant where there is no promise of paâ—don to a penitent sinner I mean not every sort of repentance for there is a worldly sorrow that works death there is a legal Repenâ—ance arising mainly if not only from the fear of punishment But I mean of serious and hearty Gospel-repentance arising from the consideration of Gods holiness and of his Mercy and grace in Jesus Christ that is accompanied with holy zeal fear indignation and revenge as it is described 2 Cor. 7.3 Where is self-denyall Is not that a rare thing Many of us cannot bear a word reflecting on self neither can we quit a word once uttered by us though it may be somewhat rashly and unadvisedly wherein self is Concerned but will needs maintain and defend it O! what reeling and whirling about with the time is there among us What hard pursuing after and even chasing of self-interests and designes 4. Where is spirituall joy and rejoicing in the Lord who delight themselves in the Almighty who bless themselves on earth in the God of truth Who do really and humbly boast in Him all the day-long who bless themselves in and think themselves well come to with Precious Jesus Christ as their Mediator and Redeemer as their Lord head and Husband who rejoyce and glory in the midst of tribulation in the hope of the glory of God joy in externall things is much withered away from us and it is just with God that it should be so since we live so great strangers to the joy of the Lord which is our strength upon but a very overly tryall we will easily discover that there is amongst us none or but very little spirituall joy in God I mean not only nor so much of sensible joy as of our litle active stirring up of our selves to give obedience to that Command concerning rejoycing in God alway and evermore May I not conclude then that there is great ground of expostulation with us all both believers and others who may be convinced that this lyeth indispensibly on them even to have a conversation as it becomes the Gospel of Christ Ah! how litle conscience is made of it O! mourn for and Lament our short-comings as to this and fall to the work fall about it more then ever as your main business to have a conversation becoming the Gospel many already are a reproach and a shame to the Gospel and it will disclaim them and who shall live to see it a great many moe will be so Alace few or none of us all have a Conversation as becomes the Gospel which is a Lamentation and should be for a Lamentation The Third Use is of Exhortation that seeing such a conversation is so much and with such speciality called for and yet so litle seriously endeavoured by most let me turn over to you the Apostleâ— exhortation to the Philippians if ye would know how to behave at home and abroad in the duties of Worship and in the duties of your particular callings stations and relations even in all Commanded Duties then Only let your Conversation be as it becomes the Gospel of Christ And beware of doing any thing that is unbecoming the Gospel or that may give ground to speak any ill of it beware of letting the precious Promises ly by you unimproved but study to be like them O study Holiness in all manner of Conversation which is not only and simply to be Holy or to have Holiness but a Holiness influenced by the Gospel-promises in Christ believingly improved as the Apostle exhorts 2 Cor. 7.1 Not only to be externally holy but to be in the exercise of the graces of the Spirit within to cleanse from all filthiness of the Spirit as well as of the flesh especially to purify the heart the fountain of Pollution even to study to be pure as he is pure to aime at Holiness in the strength of Christ in the largest extent and in the Highest pitch and yet to be denyed to it and all vain conceit of it even to account it but loss in the point of Justification before God to be in the Practice of all the duties of Religion Sweetly Pleasantly Heartsomely and cheerfully walking under all sorts of lots with a Gospel contentedness This O!
evening though ye did not so much as designe or aime at this throughout the day And can ye with any shadow of reason think ye have attained it or can attain it who never seriously proposed this as a Rule to your selves to walk by nor never had a Conscience-disquieting challenge for such neglect and manifest short-coming 2. What Labour are ye at what pains take ye to prosecute such a designe and blessed project as this It 's one thing to pray to be about external duties of Religion and to be a Christian in the letter and another thing to be in these duties after a heavenly manner and to be a Christian indeed a Christian inwardly and in the spirit whose praise is not of men but of God Is it really your honest aime designe and endeavour whatever be the attainment to be as much Heavenly in your conversation as it is to be civil and formal or to attend the outward Ordinances I fear many of you cannot say it is 3. What weight lyes on your spirits for your short coming in this Ye will be like say we are all short which is a sad truth for indeed so we are but are ye really weighted and grieved for your short-coming in this Have there been any times taken to deal purposely with the Lord to remove the earthly mind and to help to Heavenly-mindedness Have there been challenges and any measure of serious heart-exercise because of the want of a heavenly mind and that not only sometimes at the hearing of a Sermon or in time of sickness or when under some other trouble but in your more constant and habituall walk Is it one of the great things for which ye blame and find fault with your selves before God And though your outside and visible Conversation be blameless yet while you look on the carnalness and earthliness of your mind and on the want of this Divine and heavenly frame of soul it makes you hang the head marres your boldness and as it were layes your feathers because do what ye can your heart will not abide in heaven If it be thus It 's a token for good and some ground of peace but O! How rare is this many of you be like have often overly prayed Forgive us our sins who never took with nor prayed for the Pardon of this sin but have lyen down at night and risen up in the morning having your hearts plunged and pudled in the world without once minding heaven in earnest and yet have never been challenged for it Q sad state The Third Use Serves to Reprove and Expostulat for this unworthy carriage for having either nothing at all or but very litle of a Conversation in Heaven We take it for granted that many of us are far from it and that all of us are litle in it but very few even of the best are dayly and constantly Conversing in Heaven Alace it's but now and then with many sad interruptions For quickning this reproof and expostulation a litle let me propose these few Queries to you and in the First place do ye not know that the neglect of this is a sin and the breach of a Command Be ye followers of me 2. Is not this an excellent duty and royall priviledge to be admitted to converse in Heaven And therefore the neglect of it must not only be a sin but a great sin even a trampling on the Grace of God a slighting of heaven and of a most noble priviledge and dignity 3. Think ye Heaven to be of great worth if so must not conversing in heaven be of much worth Will ye never so much as once go to see the house wherein ye say ye are to dwel Q How unsuitable a thing is it that those who are but dayes men here should sit down and settle on the earth without minding Heaven and be so confined within time as not seriously to mind eternity 4. How can ye come before God with confidence and boldness who do not endeavour thus to walk with him Can ye say with Holy boldness Our Father which art in Heaven Whose Conversation is not Heavenly Can ye pray for Holiness and say these words Thy will be done on Earth as it is done in Heaven who never studied to be heavenly in any duty that ye put hand to But 5. And above all I would ask you can ye hope to die comfortably nay can ye hope to die in safety as to your souls who know not heaven nor what is there nor what is the way to it It gives a man confidence and comfort at death that he hath conversed in heaven in his life-time such a man hath but litle to do when he comes to die he knows the way and is not afraid he knows the company and longs to be with them he knows the privileges and longs for the full enjoyment of them he hath litle here his Treasure is above in heaven and his heart Faith Love and hope are there his Anchor is cast within the vail and he would fain be ashore sure this is the Believers both duty and priviledge do not think that it is only called for from some More then ordinary Christians and who have nothing else to do the matter is not so it 's most certainly a duty to which ye are all called that have a mind to land fairly in heaven when ye come off the troublesome tossing and tempestuous Sea of this world Now Therefore in the Last room as the Fourth Use of the Doctrine I Exhort beseech and Obtest in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ all of you that lay any claim to the hope of heaven that ye would and more then ever study to have your Conversation in heaven Q Be followers of Paul and of his fellows in this thing Need we adduce any motives to press this Is not the duty clear And is it not a most excellent duty a most desireable qualification of a Christian walk Is not heaven Transcendently excellent And is it not excellent to be heavenly minded and conversant in heaven Wherein may we expect to prevail with you if not in bringing you to heaven what is the thing that should sweeten the study of holiness to you Is it not this even that by having your conversation in heaven ye come thither Those who are now in heaven think it a great motive and if it be not a motive to you ye will one day curse your selves that ye Neglected it studie it therefore in due time This is the way to be free of the encombrances of an evil World there is no hazard of this estate its being forfeited or sequestred there are no Plunderings nor quarterings here no poverty nor pain nor any sad evil occurrent here Q what a desirable life is it to be above all those things And indeed in so far as your Conversation is heavenly in so far ye are above them and live the life of Angels It 's like ye will Ask what
and powers in the Heavenly places might be known by the Church the manifold wisdom of God The Second Doctrine is That this good and gracious bargain that 's past betwixt the Father and the Son which is wholly mercie is brought to the Market and exposed to sale on exceeding easie and condescending termes and that to bankrupt sinners What Proclaims the Lord here even this I will give you the Sure mercies of David That which I and my Son have carved out for the glory of Grace and for a proof of the riches of my bounty I will make all over to you freely Hence Ephes 3.8 It 's called the unsearchable riches of Christ So that whatever Christ hath as Mediator It is holden forth here That out of his fulness we may receive Grace for Grace a Proportion of all the Grace that is in him In Prosecuting this point we shall shew 1. More Particularly what this bargain is that is put to the sale 2. Who the Merchant is 3. What are the termes on which and how it is made 4. What is the manner how the Gospel puts home this bargain and layes Christ and his fulness forth upon Stands in the Market-place as it were to speak thus with reverence of this Divine Mystery that there may be free access to whosoever will come and buy these rare and rich Wares and Commodities As for the First that ye may know what the Bargain is and what is in your offer in this day of the Gospel Take it in these few Particulars 1. All that ever any Believer in the world had is put to sale here if any Believer ever had fair Priviledges sure it was David if any ever had a mercifull bargain he had it and such is this Covenant Justification Adoption peace with God Grace and Glory all these Marrowie Materiall massie and essentiall blessings that David had it was not another Christ nor another Heaven nor Another Covenant of Grace that he had but the same that 's here 2. Consider it further and we will find it to be all that is made over to our Lord Jesus Christ If he had a good bargain the spirit without measure fulness of truth and Grace great Glory and Honour being advanced to the right hand of the Father the same is Believers their bargain proportionably a due and just proportion being kept betwixt the head and the members John 1.16 Of his fulness have we all received and Grace for Grace It 's not another but the same Grace that our Lord Jesus hath yea it 's not another Glory they are advanced to no other Table they are set down to no other Throne they are set on but the same Glory Table and Throne It 's to Behold his Glory to Sit at his Table To sit with him on his Throne John 17.22.24 Luke 22.30 Rev. 3.21 In a word there are not two Covenants of Redemption betwixt Jehovah and the Mediator one for himself and another for the elect but it 's one and the same Covenant for both though with many vastly different respective considerations and circumstances 3. Look to the Wares and Commodities to speak so that are exposed to sale in the Gospel they are not only the Promises made to Christ but Jesus Christ himself is brought forth to the Market He is the great Promise and far beyond all the other promises made in and the Graces given by the Covenant I have given Him saith the Lord Vers 4. For a witness and leader to the People He is the great gift of God that Gift of Gifts being the Fathers fellow Nothing in Heaven or Earth no Person man or Angel can by far very far infinitly far equall him to whom can you liken or compare him To us saith the Prophet Isaiah Chap. 9. A Child is born to us a Son is given and the Government shall be upon his shoulders and his Name shall be called wonderful Counseller the mighty God the Everlasting Father the Prince of Peace this is David most substantial Massie mercy He is called Wonderful because there is no Possibility for Creatures adequatly to conceive or with exact suitableness to express what his Name is or what is comprehended within his Name 4. Look on Christ as Mediator as God-man Immanuel God with us There is put to the Market to speak so with reverence God himself for thus the Covenant is expounded and Sum'd as frequently elsewhere in the Scripture so particularly 2 Cor. 6.16 I will be their God and Revel 21.17 He that overcometh shal inherit all things and I will be his God Now consider all these in a Conjunction viz. What all believers have what Christ hath and Christ himself what God hath and God himself O! what an incomprehensibly rich and rare great and Glorious bargain is this and yet all is by the Gospel brought forth laid before the hearers of it and made offer of to them on most easie and wonderfully condescending terms May we briefly and in a few words sum up what is in it 1. All things that may make up believers their Peace with God and remove the quarrel 2. All things pertaining to or needful for life and godliness as it is 2 Pet. 1.4 3. All things that belong to the comfort and consolation of Believers even strong Consolation as it is called Heb. 6.18 There is no want so great but there is a supplie for it here no case so sad but there is a comfort for it here there is not any thing that looks like a crack or uncertainty but there is sufficient security for it here in this Covenant in this most full and wonderfully well ordered Covenant in all things and very sure to all who are fled to Christ for refuge 4. There is in it what is needful and requisit to full satisfaction to the Solace delight joy and compleat happiness of the persons that cordially close with it So that a Soul can crave no more nor wish for more It is even all their desire as David saith of it 2 Sam. 23.5 It 's Mensura voti nay ultra mensuram voti it never entred into mans heart to conceive much less to desire it It makes the Soul say as it is Psal 73.24 Whom have I in Heaven but thee There is none on earth whom I desire besides thee It hath all things in it as it is Rev. 21.7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things For if God and Christ Grace and mercy be in it is there any thing a missing or can there possibly be any thing wanting in it May I not very confidently ask you Is it not a good bargain If the Father Son and Holy Spirit Grace Heaven and Glory be a good bargain this is then most certainly a good bargain a wonderfully good matchless and non-such bargain and is not this Gospel whereby all these great things are brought to the market good news Take heed then that ye receive not this Grace in vain that these wares worthy
stoutness of heart against God and more â—pposition to Godliness shall bud amongst you We â—ould from our very Souls wish you brought well thoâ—ow but are afraid there be a sticking Why is it I pray â—hat we insist so much with you if we were not jealous over you will ye have faces to hold up before God when ye and we shall be reckoned with if ye shall sit â—hese warnings or what heart can we have to go about â—is service amongst you if yet there be a sticking and â—hen there is some wrestling to get you up the hill as it were and ye run further down then ever O! to be mightily helped of God to travell in birth to have Christ formed in you formed in you again Is it probable when many of you are brought further up then before if ye fall further back that ever ye will win up again We apprehend that there are many of you who shall never again with so much moral Seriousness be wrought upon if there shall not be now some abiding and effectuall work but a turning again to Folly It is not Beloved hearers the fruit of one preaching or two that we are now driving at but the great scope of this blessed Gospel Therefore for Christs sake hold at it come forward and go not back O turn not again to folly else be assured that the Lord and your own Consciences will bear witness and we his Servants will also bear witness against you as many of you will bear witness against us if we shal do so If after God hath spoken peace to you Ye shall return again to follie Let me yet add this one word further for pressing this will ye but consider what we are seeking is it not your reall good and advantage is it any hard or unreasonable thing that we crave of you or any uncouth thing or any thing but that which Abraham David Paul and others of the Saints were desirous and studious to be at Yea and our blessed Lord Jesus himself was content to be at Though he was never indeed tainted with any folly yet he was content and carefull to fulfill all righteousness and what seek we of you but that ye would seek and labour to imitate him that ye would prevent your own loss and ruine and give Christ a kindly and a hearty welcome in order to the exercise of all his Offices about you that his heart may be made glad and that He may see of the fruit of the Travel of his Soul to his Satisfaction in the Salvation of a number of Souls in Glasgow O that we could get you prevailed with to be as serious in these things as ye are in and for the things of this present life and that we could get as great vent to speak so for Christs Precious wares amongst you as a man would get for some rare Commodity nay may I or shal I say but even for Tobacco Alace that incomparably Precious Jesus Christ and his purchase the Everlasting Covenant even the Sure mercies of David should have less vent and sale then that and an hundred other commodities have this is a Lamentation and should be for a Lamentation always let bygones be seriously reflected on and see that by all means ye turn not again to Folly As for the Second thing Proposed viz. Some Directions for preventing your turning again to folly ye may take these few and the Lord himself put them home with a strong hand First then Walk in fear Serve the Lord in fear and rejoice before him with trembling the Wise man sees the evil but the Fool passeth on and is confident There is a sort of Spirituall pride vanitie and self-conceit reigning amongst ordinary Professours and too much of it Prevailing amongst Believers that undoes them are there any of you afraid of Fornication Adultery or of turning giddy Sectaries and the like Your want of fear brings you into the mire ere ye be aware Pride goes before Destruction and a Haughty mind before a fall The litle fear that is amongst the most part says that some black turn as we use to speak is in their hands or some foul fall before them Hence the Apostle Philip. 2.12 Exhorts Work out the work of your own Salvation with fear and trembling and 2 Cor. 7.1 To perfect Holiness in the fear of God Secondly Observe well and lay due weight on that exhortation of our Lord Matth. 26.41 which hath severall directions in it Watch and Pray that ye enter not into Temptation look about you be not secure stand by your Post let nothing go out nor come in without strict examination and seek as it were after its Pass and set as it were a Sentinel at the Port of every sense And what I say unto you I say unto all watch saith the Lord Mark 13.37 Be not secure watching is a most suitable duty for Christs Souldiers fail not to joyn with it much Prayer not for the fâ—shion but that which is in the Spirit and fervent yet lay no weight on it as if ye could merit any thing by it but go about it humbly and seriously in order to the entertaining the life of Grace sit not up in it but rather double your diligence Thirdly Keep the heart well heart-ills are the Principal ills Keep saith Solomon Prov. 4. the heart with or above all keeâ—ing Set your main force to guard it for there Sathan keeps his Court and head-quarter and thence gives his Orders to the outward senses dally not with sin in the heart else it will come a further length Fourthly Forget not your engagements but let the vowes of God ly on you and have due weight with you let not the sins that ye discovered and saw in your self-examination between God and you before ye came to the Communion-Table be forgotten but remember them to repent of them and to renounce them and when one knot to say so of your engagement looseth cast another faster or if a knot were weak strengthen it or cast a new one for as acts of Faith must be renewed So must acts of engaging to God Fifthly Be much in the exercise of Repentance for your bygone folly My sin saith David Psal 51. Is ever before me think not Repentance to be the work of a day or two look back and reflect on your old sins of tippling Swearing enmity at Godliness c. For if ye wear out of the exercise of Repentance ye will wear in piece and piece on your old sins against which Repentance is a notable bar being much in the exercise of Repentance keeps the heart sober and watchfull and loth to hazard on sin and withall makes sin bitter But the Antinomian way takes off all restraints and looseth the reins to sin It 's much now to see a penitent I wish There may be much Repentance in secret but for any thing that is seen it 's very rare Sixthly In an especiall manner be much
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
a thing on such terms and conditions the other partie accepting on those terms and Conditions On which the offer is made as we see in a contract of Marriage the man engageth to be the Womans on condition that she be his and she engageth to be his wife as he engageth to be her husband and each engageth to perform suitable duties to the other And we make use of this the rather that the Scripture alludeth to it in this matter Secondly We are to consider Covenanting as it is betwixt God and a sinner for we are not now speaking of the Covenant of works betwixt God and Adam wherein there was made an offer and Promise of life upon condition of Perfect Obedience So that if he did that which was Commanded him he should live but we are now speaking of Gods Covenanting with a sinner for that is the Covenant spoken of here It is indeed a great wonder that ever there should have been a Covenant betwixt God and a Creature But a greater wonder that there should be a Covenant betwixt him and a sinfull creature whatever is spoken in Scripture of the Covenant of Grace belongs to this Covenant First The Parties in this Covenant are God and the sinner Gods Creature but a sinfull creature It 's the Lord Jehovah and we the house of Israel and we the house of Judah Secondly The terms of the Covenant are not Do this and live though the Promise be the same for it's life that is offered yet it 's not on the same terms for though the life be as good as that which was promised to Adam yet the terms are far better The substance of this Covenant we have set down Jer. 30.31 32 33. and cited Heb. 8.10 11 12. unto which this same invitation doth here relate I will make a new Covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah not according to the Covenant that I made with their Fathers But this shall be it I will write my law in their hearts and I will be their God and they shall be my People c. And Come say they here and let us join in it His engagement is to be their God and their engagement is to be his people and the terms follow which are on Gods part free forgiveness of sins through the Righteousness of Christ imputed to them thorow whom they are accepted as if there had never been a quarrel And on their Part by faith to take hold of him and of the Pardon of sin which separated betwixt him and them through Jesus Christ as he offered to them Therefore Rom. 10.6 It 's calleâ— the Righteousness of Faith opposed to the Righteousneâ—â— of the Law spoken of befo e and what saith it saith not who shall go up to Heaven nor who shall dâ—scend into the depth But the word is nigh thee even iâ— thy mouth and in thy heart that is the righteousness Faith which we preach that if thou shalt confesse wiâ—â— thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thy hearâ— that God raised him from the dead thou shalt be saveâ— That is if ye make suitable use of Christ for your Feaâ— with God and give up your selves to him to be 〈◊〉 Servants ye shall get peace and Pardon of sin here aâ—â— Eâ—ernal life and Salvation hereafter These in short aâ— the terms on which God offereth himself to sinneâ— Thirdly The Ground of this and how it comes to paâ—â— thaâ— such a Covenant is accessible is the Mediators iâ—terposing in a Covenant of Redemption with the fathâ— concerning elect sinners wherein he hath procured thâ— Covenant of Grace betwixt God and sinners by 〈◊〉 Performing the condition required of him in that Câ—venant for this Covenant of Grace and Reconciliatiâ—â— is nothing else but the result of the Covenant of Râ—demption and the execution thereof we had never 〈◊〉 ground to say that there is a way laid down for 〈◊〉 peace with God except there had been a Covenanâ— Redemption betwixt him and the Mediator wherâ— the Mediator undertook to satisfie Justice for the sins the Elect by bearing their iniquities and hath the Pâ—â—mise of being Satisfied for the travel of his Soul by seeing of a seed and by his Justifieing many thorow Faâ—â— in him as it is Isaiah 53.11 This gives the rise to tâ— Covenant of Grace betwixt God and sinners and theâ—â—fore these two are put together Isaiah 55.3 Inoâ—â— your ear come unto me hear and your Souls shall live and I will make an everlasting Covenant with you even the sure mercies of David That is the sure mercies of the Messiah the assignation whereof even of the Purchase of Redemption made by him is by Covenant made over to the Believer in him and therefore when we speak of this Covenant it alwayes supposeth implieth Christ who Isaiah 42 6. Is called the Covenant because he is given for the ground of Covenanting betwixt God and sinners it being by him and in him that God and sinners meet there being a gulf as it were betwixt sinners and God he hath made himself the bridge on which sinners may come over and meet with God and the Covenant brings us to Christ as under the Law Christ was typed out by the Mercy seat and the Arke wherein the law was put to shew the linking together of Christ and the Covenant the efficacie of the Covenant flowing from Christ and the Covenant giving us a title to Christ and making Christ accessible to us It layes as it were a Bridge to us to step on and makes an open door to us to enter in by on Christ and by Christ to the Holie of Holies thorow the vail which is his flesh Thirdly As for the Form of this Covenanting it is as in other Contracts God making the offer and the person accepting it Gods offer is in the word of the Gospel wherein he saith Come and I will made a Covenant with you as the Apostle hath it Rom. 10. The word is near thee even in thy Heart and in thy mouth and the Sum of it is If ye Believe in Jesus Christ ye shall be saved the proposing whereof in the Gospel is the laying of Gods offer before you and it 's as really Gods offer as if audibly he were speaking to you from Heaven as he once spake the Law on Mount Sinai It being his Authority by which Ministers are sent treat close this Covenant with you As it is 2 Câ— 5. We are ambassadors for Christ as if God were beseecâ—ing you by us we pray you in Christs stead be ye recoâ—ciled to God That is be friends with him by enteriâ—â— in Covenant with him and he sheweth us the grouâ—â— of it For he who knew no sin was made sin for us tâ— we might be made the Righteousness of God in him Goâ— offer is I am Conâ—ent to be thy God and to make 〈◊〉 that is mine forthcoming to thee for thy good upoâ— condition thou quit thy
therefore we put you to it peremptorily as to these Three 1 As to the thing that when he invites ye come when he offers ye receive and give thâ— Lord your answer not a nay say but a yea as ye wiâ— be answerable and upon your saying Yea to this Covâ—nant on his Terms we declare in his Name that 〈◊〉 says Yea in taking in the sinner that fleeth unto him 2. As to the whole of the thing for ye must not half Gods Covenant but as ye accept of God to be yours so ye must give up your selves to him to be his and as ye take Christ for paying of your debt So also ye must take him to help you to do your duâ—ie take all therefore and submit your selves intirely to him in this Covenant 3. As to the time ye must do all this presently for the Lord doth not allow us to give you an hour or to promise to treat with you one hour after this It 's now come and let us join our selves to the Lord It 's no difficult thing that ye are called to It 's to believe with the heart and to confess with the mouth our Lord Jesus Christ as it is Rom. 10.9 The Object is Christ the Condition is Faith whereby he is griped and taken hold of and which goeth out towards him in the word And so ye have no more ado but when the offer and Promise comes out to accept and subscribe and to say I am the Lords I will be his to be saved by his Righteousness and made Holy by his Grace both which are contained in the Covenant I am content to be beholden to him both for Holiness and happiness and it shall be a bargain The Lord himself perswade you to do so and that presently without delaying dallying or shifting and off putting Now it may be that some think this to be a good bargain but they know not how to make it sure and siker so as it may hold for ever And therefore this is the last thing that in the 4th Place we would speak a litle to viz. How shall a person Covenant with God and know that he hath done so in very deed for the Directions how to Covenant are so many evidences of Covenanting when performed For Directions then in this matter we would in generall in the First Place have ground to suppose and take it for granted that ye know what ye are even sinners and that Sin hath laid the Foundation of a quarrell betwixt God and you and that ye know what he is a designing and doing by this Preached Gospel even to bring sinners into this Covenant and to have an union made up betwixt him and them but ye will belike say I know not how to make it sure there is no answer to this but be doing till ye get it made suâ—e for your unsureness must flow either from something on Gods side or from something on your side ye dare not I suppose say that it flowes from any thing on Gods side or if ye should this is the way to make him sure to speak so and if it flow from something on your side he bids you return back sliding Children and he will heal your back slidings and make it sure But in the Next Place and more particularly consider 1. Your end and designe what yeâ— would be at ye may have some generall aim at something that is good in it self but that is not enough iâ— must be something more Particular and peculiar Is 〈◊〉 to get God to be your God Doth that fill your eyeâ— Is it to get your back slidings healed as well as pardoned That is right if your aim be to have God and Spâ—rituall good I mention this the rather because somâ— may love God and the Covenant for some temporaâ— good whereas others love him and his Covenaâ—â— mainly for a Spirituall good and think themselves weâ— come to and made up thereby Wherein lyes the dâ—ference will ye say I answer in a word to love Gâ—â— and the Covenant only or mainly for temporall meâ—cies is ill aod selfish but to love God and his Covâ—nant to be made thereby really happy in the enjoymeâ—â— of him and to be made conform to him in Holinesâ— is good and desirable and neither selfish nor servile aâ—â— mercenary as it is no unkindlie-like token in a wife to love her Husband to be delighted in him and to like well to enjoy his company so it is a kindly like Mark for a soul to love God on the account of the happiness and Holiness that are to be had in him and from him Love to God shoulders not out all regard and love to our selves simply but it shoulders out love to lusts and all inordinat love to self and to every Idol nay it 's inconsistent with true love to God not to care whether we be happy in the enjoyment of him or not 2. Consider how and by what means and on what terms ye seek to come at that end are ye secure and sensless of your sin misery without God It 's very like that ye make but a blind bargain whereof ye will have no reall advantage but have ye any kindly touch of your sin and misery and of your need of a Saviour and have ye recourse to him as one Able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God thorow him and who lives for ever to make intercession for them Ye may know somewhat of your sincerity in Covenanting with God by the way that ye come to him 3. What use make ye of the Mediator when ye are come to him Is your peace with God and your hope of holding by the bargain grounded on him Do ye lay the weight of all the good ye expect on his mediation on his Satisfaction and intercession on his purchase Do ye hold all thorow him That 's a good token 4. Are ye content to give to God as well as to take from him To devote your selves to him for Service as well as to enjoy him and Happiness in him This also is a good token as well as a direction 5. Are ye in much Holy fear and Jealousie of back-sliding and is it in your eye and aim purposely to Article this with the Lord to put his fear in your heart that ye may not depart from him many persons will sometimes in a warm fit or in a good mood as we use to speak come far on as Agrippa did but quickly fall off and return to their wonted byass câ—ldness and indifferency therefore in your Covenanting with God there would be much Holy fear lest it be not sound lest it bold not let your Soul say now I am absolutely and unreservedly given away to God not by Morgage or Wodset only to speak so but without reversion even for ever 6. Ye wouâ—d come to close actually with God himself in Covenant many come to the word and Sacramenâ— to get as they think some good but come
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
wine of Heaven and to Drink it new with Christ even to share in his Glory to have one feast and Glory with him And truly if there were no more to be said we may most confidently say that these are wonderful glad tidings which our blessed Lord Jesus hath left to be the great subject of the Doctrine of the Gospel and the Scope of the Sacraments We shall 1. Open up the words a litle 2. We shall draw some Doctrines from them And then 3. Insist in the Application First Then for Explication From the 26. vers is set down the Institution of the Supper of the Lord wherein we have First What Christ did Secondly What he Commands the Disciples and us in them to do Thirdly He Explicats in these words what he hath been doing and Commande to be done This is my Blood saith he of the Neâ— Testament c. As if he had said would you knoâ— what it is that I am doing There was a Covenaâ— made long since betwixt my Father and me coâ—cerning the elect wherein I condescended anâ— transacted to take on mans nature and in that natuâ—â— to suffer and satisfie Divine Justice for their sinâ— this is the Commemoration of my Satisfactioâ— according to that Covenant and the exhibiting anâ— giving to you a confirmation of your interest in aâ— the blessings of that Covenant whereof Remissiâ—â— of sins is one and a main one He needed as wouâ—â— seem to have said no more but that he was goiâ— to suffer and to suffer for this cause Even to puâ—chase Redemption to sinners but he will furthâ—â— shew his Disciples and in them all Believers in hiâ— That this came not to pass by guess but accordiâ—â— to an old Covenant and Eternall transaction thâ— past betwixt Jehovah and Him and so adds the Sâ—crament to be a Commemoration and a more fâ— Confirmation thereof to Believers of all that purchased by it and Promised in it In the 29. veâ— He hath two words further one of warning anothâ—â— of encouragement 1. One of warning I say uâ— you henceforth I will not drink of the Fâ—uit of tâ— Vine As if he had said take heed what ye are dâ—ing make this Communion very welcome and 〈◊〉 it confirm and strengthen you against the tryals thâ— are coming for I will have no moe Communioâ— with you after this manner in this World 2. word of encouragement and consolation becauâ—e they might think and say Alace Lord what will become of us if we shall have no moe Communions with thee Be not saith he to them on the matter discouraged We shall yet have more and more intimat Communion then ever we had here on earth There is a day coming when we shall have a sweet Communion in the Kingdom of Heaven together when we shall drink it new when we shal have the thing signified Even Communion without the intervention of Ordinances in the full Harvest of joy in God in his Kingdon Then vers 30. As if he were going to a Triumph He and they sing a Hymn or Psalm Partly thereby to teach us to be chearfull and partly to shew that singing of Psalmes is not unsuitable for this action To make the former words and what we are to say on them a litle more clear We would in this Sacrament which here the Lord Explicats Consider Three or Four things First Christs Offer Wherein there are Two things viz. The outward and visible signes the Elements and the inward invisible thing signified by them Which is Christs Body Blood In the Offer then in short We have not only the Element or signe but the thing signified and represented by it Even as in the word of the Gospel there are these Two viz So many words made up of Letters and Syllables and the matter Contained in them Secondly Consider the receiving of Christs offer wherein there are Two things 1. The act of receiving the Element by the hand 2. The hearts receiving what is offered in and by the Elements Even as in hearing the word There is the giving or lending of the ear to the voice of words that they may be understandingly heard and there is the receiving what is spoken by Faith in the heart As Christ holds forth both in his offer so the Believer would both wayes receive by the hand the Element should be received and by Faith the thing signified should be received Thirdly Ye would consider this Application of the thing signified in a twofold respect 1. As it holds out the entering of us into the Covenant in order to the receiving of the Pardon of sin when the Sacrament is Considered complexly with the word 2. As it Applyeth Christ and the benefits that come by him for our consolation Christ is to be received in the former respect before he can be received in the Letter we must needs receive Christ in his offer ere we can receive any benefit that comes by him Therefore the word goes along with the Sacrament that we may get a gripe and catch hold of Christ by the Covenant for they that are without the Covenant are without Christ and all saving benefit by him But where Christ is received and Faith closeth with him as he is offered The Soul may warrantably make Application of him Not only for Pardon of sin The Particular benefit here expresly mentioned but for all the other benefits of the Covenant Whereas they who have not faith have nothing and receive nothing but are deeply guilty thorow their not receiving but rather rejecting and despising of Christ and his benefits Fourthly Ye would consider this Sacrament as it seals directly our warrant to receive Christ and his benefiâ—s or as it seals our Application of Christ and his benefits for it may be usefull for both and is actually so to believers In the First respect we offer to you a good security for your Salvation on condition of your receiving Christ But in the Second Respect the security is sealed simply as baving Gods seal appended to it to all who have received him Thus the tree of life was a seal of the Covenant of life by works to Adam if be stood but it was not a confirmation that he should have life by the Covenant except he fulfilled that which was called for in it So Circumcision was a Seal of the righteousness of Faith to Ishmael and other visible Church Members as well as to Isaac in the First Sense that is that the security was good But to Isaac and Believers It was not only a Seal or a Confirmation that the security was good and sufficient in it self but a Seal of Confirmation that it should be good to them Therefore in coming to partake of the Sacrament We would premit alway our closing with Christ And then we have not only Gods word and Oath but also the Sacrament for his Seal of Confirmation of the Covenant In a word Christ doth offer here to all a Pledge that he will make
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
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
silent to the Lord If the heart cannot so well and distinctly say Amen to the bargain Let it as it were hold its tongue or hold its peace let it be silent say nothing against it or give a silent quiet answer or by way 〈◊〉 Approbation and Acceptation keep silence and 〈◊〉 shall be accepâ—ed O wonderfull stooping Doth nâ— this declare and manifestly Preach the exceeding greâ—â— willingness that our sweet Lord Jesus hath to Communicat and apply his purchase to sinners Ninthlâ— Consider the Persons on whom he confers the offer aâ—â— the manner how he Prosecuts it and it may yet furthâ—â— hold forth how seriously willing he is that sinne should welcome it and be made up by it who 〈◊〉 pray are called Luke 14 21 It 's the Poor the Blinâ— the Maimed the Halt the Lame c. And are the any that can say they are worse If thou say I can 〈◊〉 nothing I am Maimed and cannot come The Gospâ—â— bids call the Cripple and provides Him a Chariot of 〈◊〉 wood of Lebanon Paved with love and having 〈◊〉 speak so all the Seats and cushions of it of love Caâ—â— 3.10 And giveth stilts or crutches of Grace to undeâ— prop and Eagles wings to carry them If thou be 〈◊〉 confused body and worst not what to do it bids caâ— the Blind If thou be Poor Blind Miserable Wretâ—ed and Naked and yet having conceited and faâ—ciâ—â— that thou wast Rich Thou art not excluded for all that 〈◊〉 for Revel 3.18 Laodicea consists of a Hypocritie Pack and company of Luke-warm Professours wâ—â— are so loathsome to Christ that He threatens to speâ—â— them out of his mouth And yet to such even to sucâ—â— he saith I counsell thee to buy of me c. And if the be invited who can exempt or exclude themselvâ— from the offer or bargain Do not these things moâ—â— Convincingly and Irrefragably demonstrat his willinâ—ness When there is not a sinner that is either Pooâ— proud vain Hypocritical c. But he is included 〈◊〉 the call of the Gospel Tenthly Consider his urgenâ— and pressingnâ—ss in making and bearing home the offer O how long-suffering is He And with what Patience doth he wait on It 's not an Ambassage that 's broken up if it be not presently closed with as a hastie-man doth but All the day have I stretcheâ— out my hands to again-saying people Isaiah 65. Jerusalem Jerusalem how often would I have gathered thee c. Matth. 23. How doth wisdom stand and press her invitation Prov. 1 20. and 8.1 2. c. Ezek. 18.31.32 Turn you at my Rebuke why wâ—ll ye die Luke 14.23 Go to the high wayes and compell them to come in 1 John 3.23 This is his Comâ—andment that ye believe on the Name of the Son of God It 's not left as an indifferent thing at sinners option to do or not do but the same Authority that enjoines keeping the Sabbath and that forbids Cursing and Swearing doth lay on this Command of Believing Come to the Wedding Beleve man and woman and be saved and what is all this to the bowels of Mercy Grace and Love that are in him His Belly is like Ivory overlaid with Saphirs His face is white and Ruddy a part whereof this is and yet it 's nothing to speak so to the principall copie which is his heart that 's a great depth even the very Center and Element as it were of love God is love saith John as if he were nothing else but love and what a love must it be where he is to speak so turned into love in the person of Christ Angels cannot to the full consider of it nor conceive it Your hearts cannot reach it sure there is much wonderfully much ground here to lay it for an undoubted truth that our Lord Jesus is exceedingly desirous of the Salvation of sinners and of many sinners and is in a great readiness to make his Righteousness forth-coming to them and heartily to welcom all that come to him The Second use is of Exhortation and ye may at first blush see whither it runs Even to stir us up to accept of and embrace these good news with glad hearts is there here a good bargain and a sure way through Faith to make use of it And is Christ so willing to Communicat it What shall I say to you Is it not a pity to miss it Nay would ye do Christ a pleasure then lay weight on his Righteousness and give him sinfull Souls to be saved by him if we sought great or hard things from you to please him would you not judge your selves oblidged to grant them But when he saith on the matter give me your Souls to be saved and I shal account that Satisfaction to me for all the travell of my Soul O How unspeakably great is your Obligation readily and cheerfully to grant so loving and reasonable a request l If such a gracious offer had never been made It would have been Men and Brethren what shall we do And there would have been a mighty great scaring and trembling to draw neer but when it is not to the Mount that cannot be touched not to Moses that we are called to come but to a Saviour whom ye cannot please better then Nay not at all but by receiving of him and whom in some respect ye cannot displease at all if ye receive him let me beseech and obtest you as ye would not be found guilty of treading this blood of thâ— Covenant under foot and as ye would not for evâ—r debar your selves from Remission of sins with him make use O make use of this Propitiation for sin and for procuring your Pardon and peace would to God this were the fruit of such a days work for indeed it 's our great work and the very scope of all our Preaching And behold I Proclaim to you that Remission of sins is to be had thorow his Blood and that there shall not be any upbraiding of you nor casting up of bygones if ye will indeed receive him and close with him on his own sweet easy and very reasonable terms O then sit not this urgent Call and the day of your merciful Visitation And to press this Exhortation a litle Consider that Grace hath a Throne and shall triumph in this Gospel either in your gâ—ining or in being avenged upon you for your despising of its richest and freest offers Let us I Pray reason the matter with you a litle And First Are there not sinners here There is not a designe in this Gospel to save any others but sinners and if so to you is this Salvation set who by Nature are sinners enemies and at feud with God The Doctrine of this Gospel carries in its bosom Remission of sins would to God ye were suitably affected with sin and Judging your selves that so ye might be in some Capacity to receive it Sâ—condly Tell me what is it that ye would be at Is it Remission of sins It 's here
would ye have the Covenant and Promises here they are Is it Christ himself that ye would have because ye dare not trust to a promise without a Cautioner Here he is or would ye have Heaven and be Eternally happy It 's also here Consider then I beseech you what is in your Offer dare you say that the security is not valid good and sufficient And if ye should there are many witnesses in Heaven against you and also the Sacrament on Earth which now is offered to confirm you This bargain therefore and its security must be receiv'dr else wo unto you for ever This word which we now Preach Nay these stones shall bear witness against you that our Lord Jesus was willing to save you and every one of you and ye would not And therefore your Blood shall be required at your own hand and He found without any the least Culpable accession to it Thirdly Ye are either to Communicat to day or ye are only to be hearers and Spectators whether the one or the other Is there not a necessity that ye close this bargain If ye be to Communicat will ye take the Bread and wine and misken and slight Christ If so ye will eat and drink your own Damnation would you have the Character of a right Communicant This is it that ye renounce your own and trust to his Righteousness and take the Sacrament for a confirmation of your interest in it If ye come thus ye shal be welcome for this Ordinance is appointed for this very end if ye be not to Communicat this word of the Gospel comes to you though ye have secluded your selves from the Sacrament either thorow Ignorance or scandal It might be a sweet Communion to you If yet Christ get a welcome and it should I assure you in his Name make way to a new communion here or in Heaven But Fourthly I would a litle mote particularly beseech you to consider that ye must either give Christ a welcome or not a yea or a naysay a grant or a denyal for there is no mean or middle This day shall not pass and go by without a hit or a miss to speak so Christ will not knock at your door and nothing follow or be done It will either be that Christ was at such a time ruzed or commended and made offer of and his People would have none of him or that the heart opened as the heart of Lydia unto the Lord and that Salvation came to the Soul as it did to Zacheus his house your time is but short and uncertain Ye know not if ye shall come another Sabbath to hear some that now speak to you and some that hear are dayly removed And this bids you make haste to creep in to him quickly without longer delay while his armes are stretched out to receive and embrace you There are several sorts among you that keep at a distance from Christ but I would have all of you soberly to think whether ye will say Yea or Nay There is here what may silence and satisfy any Soul that thwarts with the call of God Can ye say that there is any better bargain any better security or any heartier call and invitation Let us come and reason together saith the Lord Isaiah 1.18 19 Though your sins be as Crimson they shall be as white as Snow though they be red as Scarlet they shal be as Wooll if ye be willing and obedient ye shall eat the good of the land but if ye refuse and rebel ye shall be destroyed Our Lords Blood is of that efficacy that it can make Crimson and Scarlet-coloured sins white white as Snow and Wooll Why do ye then linger stick stand or halt Ye will it may be Object and say First I would fain come if I durst but Consider I pray you that it 's Christ and the Covenant and Grace on the Throne that call you and this is their voice Thou hast spoken and done evil as thou couldest yet return unto me and therefore fear and tremble yet come fear and bring your sins with you to the Fountain to be washen and to a skirt of his love to be covered thereby and you shall on your coming be cleansed and covered But it may be ye will Next Object and say I would fain come but I cannot come for Answer Let me ask you Is there a Soul in hell this day that can say I would fain have come and could not come That which we seek of you is to make no long tedious or toilsome Voyage if there be honesty it 's only that when Christ is come to you ye will be willing to receive him and if ye thus come ye are Believers Do not I beseech you mistake in thinking and thereby obstructing your own coming that persons must first be Believers and then come to Christ No but first ye must come with the litle glimmering that ye have and â—ame as ye are and it will go with you his Chariot is waiting for you and the very Cripplest of you that cannot come of your selves to Christ if ye be willing to close with him on his own terms He shall come to you But it 's like some will in the Third place Object and say Alace I am very indisposed to come For Answer I shall grant it may indeed be true but yet consider who are invited it 's the Poor Blind Halt Maimed Wretched and Miserable O what unfitness have such and yet none of them are excepted against I would have none to be presumptuous and vain but if indeed ye would fain come ye cannot come so indisposed as the bargain will on that account be cast It will not be the want of a Disposition that shall cast it else the Cripple and Blind and Luke warm Laodiceans had never been invited whether is a suitable disposition of your own making or of Christs Sure it 's of his and can ye expect ought from him without coming to him or Believing in him But Fourthly Some will Object and say Alace I have often come and broken away again How can I then Believe that I am invited For Answer I would desire you to Consider whether that Objection tends Even to question the truth of the Gospel our Lord Jesus saith He came to save sinners and ye say I would fain know if that be true or not if ye be Poor Blind Miserable Naked c. And have need He commands us to invite and call such and it 's the way of unbelief to make them scare at Christ and stand furthest a back from him who have most need to draw near to him if ye have come and broken afterward Come again and where a knot hath not holden cast a new one But alace There is a sort of Careless Atheists and secure Hypocrits whom this Gospel strikes dead and carnall worldlings who have no serious thoughts of what is coming I would pose such and ask you Care ye for your Souls
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