both Good and Evil by reason of Vse or as the word is * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rendred thro' a Habit. Altho' young Children's Stomachs will not endure strong meat yet the Stomachs of grown men are habituated to receive Diet according to their Age their Constitution is stronger than Children's and therefore their Meat above them Not that any who are †Isa 28.9 weaned from the Milk are above the Word but they are by it grown taller in Knowledge than just to reach unto first Principles and are not still little Children learning their Rudiments in the School of Christ While others are * 2 Tim. 3.7 drawn from the Breasts that is are yet as the Infant whom the Mother hath but newly taken off her Breasts these are gone higher in spiritual Gifts and Attainments than when they were first coming to the * 1 Tim. 3.13 Knowledge of the Truth They have taken a Good Degree under the Teachings of Gods Spirit The Gospel yields these Provisions of Strong meat for them There are indeed Doctrines in the Word of Righteousness Heb. 5.13 that contain the Great Mystery To instance briefly in some as 1 * Tho' Faith cannot comprehend the Matter believed yet it knoweth the Ground why it doth believe namely the Testimony of Gods Word which saith it is thus and thus Anthon. Burgess Exposition of the 3d. Chapt. of the 1 Epist to the Cor. pag. 71. That Profound Mystery in the Trinity of Persons the Father Son and Spirit that these Three are one one God and yet Three Persons for ever This is a High Mystery For as †Culverwell Light of Nature pag. 148. one says tho' the Vnity of a Godhead is Demonstrable and clear to the Eye of Reason yet the Trinity of Persons that is three Glorious Relations in one God is certain to none but an Eye of Faith Indeed as another * Dr. Bates Christian Religion proved by Reason p. 187. excellent Author well observes The Unity and supreme Equality of the Three Persons in the Godhead transcends our Conception but Reason cannot prove it to be impossible The Doctrine of these Three Glorious Subsistences in one single uncompounded indivisible Divine Essence is a Truth but passeth all Vnderstanding Phil. 4.7 2 The Doctrine of Reconciliation in making Satisfaction to Divine Justice for Man's Breach of the Law by the Death of the Second Person in the Trinity Eph. 2.15 so making Peace is so much above our shallow Reason to comprehend that * some rather Professors of Reason than Faith or Divinity dare strike at the Foundation to see whether they can remove our Corner-stone 3 The Mysterious Hypostatical Union of the Two Natures in the Glorious Person of the Mediatour or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with other Doctrines contained in the sure Word of Prophesie 2 Pet. 1.19 are Truths above the Understanding of the Highest Christian or the Greatest Scholar in the World tho' not to apprehend yet to comprehend them Understandings we may say that are got to the Fullest measure of the stature of Christ Eph. 4.13 are yet out of their Reach when they are walking in the search of the Depth Job 38.16 and try to fathom these Deep Things of God Alas these are Mysteries in Christ which they that are * Col. 2.10 compleat in Christ must sit down at the Well-Head of Life and cry out with the Apostle * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O the Depth of the Riches both of the Wisdom and Knowledge of God how unsearchable are his Judgments and his ways past finding out Rom. 11.33 Nay as * Mr. Sam. Lee Joy of Faith p. 214. one says These are Things which the Glorious Angels strain at and makes their Wisdoms bend like an Ozier in a Storm to look down into them and can never feel the Bottom of these Deeps without Drowning But however there are Doctrines also in the Gospel which may very properly be likened to the Strong Meat and Food of grown Christians These also are found among the Mysteries of Knowledge given us from the Spirit of Revelations as concerning the Decrees Rom. 11.7 both touching the Election in Christ and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the rest that were Blinded Ibid. and concerning Christ's Natures that there are Two setting the mysterious consideration of the Modus in their Personal Union aside concerning his Offices Prophetical Sacerdotal and Regal his Two States of Humiliation and Exaltation his Accomplishment of all the Types in the Old Testament Personal and Mystical those * Dr. Tho. Taylor of the Types p. 2. Swadling-cloaths in which Christ was exhibited to the Fathers All the Glorious Prophesies of his Gospel-Church state and Mediatory Kingdom to be yet seen in the Kingdoms of this World Rev. 11.15 The Doctrines of the Resurrection the Last Judgment and an everlasting Future state are the strong meat at this Plenteous Entertainment for Christians that have arrived to some Maturity in Knowledge and with a competent measure of understanding are able to digest what they feed upon 3. The true Bread from Heaven 3. Ruth 1.6 The Lord hath visited his People in giving them Bread Ezek. 5.16 as well as Strong meat Bread is the Staff of Life take away Bread and a Morsel of strong Meat may be enough to overcome us so take away Christ and when we had to do with some of the Doctrines in the Word of Truth without him they would be too strong for us and make us spit them out again For Example if we were left to consider the Infinite naked Essence of God his Divine Immensity would swallow us or if we were to consider the Infinite Holiness of God Hab. 1.13 that is of purer Eyes than to behold evil and that cannot without an unspeakable Abhorrency look on Iniquity if we were to ponder his strict and inexorable Justice abstracting the consideration from the Person of the Mediatour such a morsel of strong Meat would be so much beyond our Natures to endure that we could not take the Name of God into our Mouths We are such rotten Stubble since our Fall that if we have not always to do with a God in Christ Psal 106.18 Heb. 12.29 the Flame will burn up the wicked for our God is a consuming Fire We must never touch any strong meat if we have not the Bread of God at hand And we must not approach unto God immediately but come thro' Christ to God that he may behold us in the Son of his Love only When we are famished and cry unto God for Bread as the Liberal Entertainments in the Dearth cryed unto Pharaoh he sends us for supplyes to Christ says Pharaoh Go unto Joseph what he saith unto you do Gen. 41.55 and saith God This is my Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear ye him Math. 17.5 Gen. 47.12 This Joseph was sent into Egypt to
Name than a Supper could be given to an Entertainment of Grace now in the Evening of the World The Days of the Gospel are in Scripture styled peculiarly the last Days 2 Tim. 3.1 Heb. 1.2 There is a careful Father which provides in Heaven who will have a Supper for his Children upon the Earth in these last Times to feast them upon Gospel-Grace before they go to Bed that is before the Day of the World or their own Day ends Isa 57.2 when they must go and rest in their Beds each one walking in his uprightness I handle it after this nature in the end of the Discourse And bade many Luk. 14.16 last words God doth not make Provisions of Grace in vain or prepare a Great Supper and then have none to eat it He sends first to the Seed of Abraham and bade many Jews These had been a long while invited to accept of Christ and be in a readiness to embrace the Messiah as soon as that promised Seed came The Jews had notice of this Approaching Supper very early in the Morning they had warning at the first Dawn of that Star of Jacob to get ready Num. 24.17 and come in unto it And sent his Servant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 17. That is says * Servum illum unicum nempè Filium Dei Poli Synops Critic in loc one sent his only Son whom before he called his Servant Isa 42.1 Behold my Servant whom I uphold mine Elect or Chosen in whom my soul delighteth This of whom the Prophet speaketh was none other than the Christ the Chosen of God 1 Pet. 2.4 Thus Luke speaks of no more than one Servant and of him as the Messenger of the Covenant Mal. 3.1 Joh. 1.14 last words who was also the only Begotten of the Father full of Grace and Truth but Matthew uses the Term plurally Chap. 22.3 sent forth his Servants i. e. his Ministers and Ambassadours after the Mission of his Son * Christ thô a Son by Nature yea a Servant by Office of Mediation for our sakes Pemble upon Zech. p. 410. to press the same Thing Luke relates the Parable as Christ was sent in Person to treat with Sinners and Matthew writes as the Ministers of Christ were employed to come forth afterwards successively in the same Treaty even to the end of the World still inviting Sinners This two fold Testimony of Matthew and Luke is not self-contradicting or guilty of the least inconsistency It is no such Testimony for Christ as that was found against him Mar. 14.59 where neither so did their Witness agree together * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 At Supper-time In the Hour of Supper it is read Christ came out of the Bosom of the Father in the Time of Love to Souls and the Dispensation of the Gospel is that Supper-season in which Christ is now given and sent by the Father to treat in the Ministry of the Word with Sinners This is the Hour when the Gospel is made ready This is the Evening-Time at which we may find that all is ready drest and waits for Guests to come The Readiness of the Things is not delay'd beyond the Supper Hour To say to them that were bidden As they had been before invited so now the Servant is sent to inform them 't is High-Time to come And therefore the Message is Come This supposeth a Distance which they that are bidden stand in to God he sends a Call to overtake such as were yet afar off The Grace of God did once find all that are now in Christ so Eph. 2.13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were afar off are made nigh by the Blood of Christ And as there was a Distance in such as are now made nigh so there is a mighty Distance still in the All that are afar off Acts 2.39 even the many that the Lord our God shall call Now the Gospel-Invitation which supposeth a Distance from God begins with a Call unto him Come For all things are ready Not a Priviledge not an Encouragement not any kind of Gospel Grace excepted Dost thou want Pardon Peace Light Strength Joy in the Lord yet whatever thy Soul lusteth after who cryest after God it is all ready for thee Come Here is a Rich Feast refuse no longer to be a Poor Guest Here is All and All will be enough for thee Where is the Tongue of that Israelite that cryed out Psa 78.19 Can God furnish a Table in the Wilderness Who can question the Power of Jehovah to prepare a Table when they see all Provisions ready And Now ready The Supper of the Gospel is no such Banquet as requires any further care to make it The Law indeed made nothing perfect Heb. 7.19 but the Gospel needs no higher or clearer Revelations to perfect its own Discoveries God hath in these last dayes spoken to us by his Son Heb. 1.2 but from the Beginning when he multiplyed Visions and used Signs and revealed his Counsels in Dark Speeches then it was not so The Provisions were reserved in store and he hath kept the good Wine untill now In the Words there are 1. Plentiful Provisions made All things ready 2. An Invitation made unto Sinners to partake of these things Come 3. A quickning Motive urg'd from the Season of Readiness to prevail with the Guests to come Now ready I shall endeavour accordingly to manage the Discourse under these three Doctrines Doct. The Gospel is a large Feast stor'd with all kinds of Spiritual Provision in it Doct. God makes an Invitation unto Sinners to come in to this Feast Doct. The Gospel is a Feast or Supper that hath all its Provisions now ready Doct. The Gospel is a large Feast stor'd with all kinds of Spiritual Provision in it All things ready In the Management of this Doctrine I would handle it in the following Method under these Nine general things To shew Wherein the Resemblance of the Gospel to a Feast appears I. In what respect it is a large Feast II. What Things we have need of against the Feast III. What is the Bill of Fare IV. What excellent Properties there are in the Provisions of this Great Supper V. What suitableness from God appears in them to the Case of Man VI. Why it is a Feast with all things in it VII What Hindrances do make it to many ineffectual VIII To Apply it IX The First Thing is to open the Resemblances of the Gospel unto a Feast I. First 1 Resemblance The Gospel resembles a Feast in the entireness of it A Feast doth not consist in one kind to yield Meat only and withhold Drink or to afford Drink and not provide Meat but it makes Both ready Dr. Tho. Fuller Pisgah-sight p. 134. 1st pt Esculents and Beverage too as one terms them The Feast is not intire but incompleat if either part be wanting Thus
of God to encrease our understanding It is the Meat and Drink of a Christian to know as it was of Christ to do his Father's Will The Feast is a Feast of Knowledge and while you are feeding you may be adding still to what you have not only to Virtue Knowledge as 2 Pet. 1.5 that is one kind of Grace to another but even to Knowledge it self a larger measure and Degree of Understanding 11. The Nourishment of Faith As in the Gospel you may be fed with Knowledge so also nourished up in the words of Faith and of Good Doctrine The Apostle doth very expresly in that place 1 Tim. 4.6 compare our Faith or reception of the saving Truths of the Gospel to Nourishment You may eat but you will not thrive without it We may have the Word for our Food but it will not Nourish us if it be not mingled with Faith to make it nutrimental Heb. 4.2 For unto us was the Gospel preached as well as unto them but the Word preached did not profit them not being mixed with Faith in them that heard it Not being mixed or as the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Word may import not incorporated by mixing The Food must unite incorporate be turn'd into †In succum sanguinem an Alimentary Juice mingle it self with our Blood and Spirits to make it nourishing Thus Faith must unite and incorporate mix the Provisions with the New Creature before we are by the Word of the Gospel nourished up in our Father's House Faith is so nourishing a Provision to the New Nature that the just are said to live by it Hab. 2.4 Heb. 10.38 The Doctrine of Faith in the Gospel and the Grace of Faith in the Soul do make a blessed Nourishment in the New Man when Both meet together Faith is the Gift of God Eph. 2.8 and the Fruit of Christ's meritorious Purchase it is given in the behalf of Christ Phil. 1.29 Faith as * Mr. Anthony Burgess Spiritual Refinings Fol. 1st pt p. 62 and p. 169. one expresseth hath several Acts Knowledge Assent Fiducial Application and the Scripture doth by a Synechdoche express the whole Nature of Faith by one Act of it Now the Gospel-Provision affords and maintains such a Principle in the Soul as exerts Faith in the Complex and produceth it in all its various Acts. Heb. 8.2 There is not a Guest of the True Table which the Lord hath pitched and not Man but he hath Ordained among other Provisions for him like precious Faith with Vs 2 Pet. 1.1 There 's not a Saint but shall find it in the All things ready Luk. 14.17 it is one of the Parts and not the least of the Entertainment and it is a Dish to be had at this Feast only A Man full of Faith like Stephen Acts 6.8 is one whom the Entertainment nourisheth and cherisheth Eph. 5.29 Psal 17.14 and hath had his Belly filled with hid Treasure Rom. 10.8.17 The Word of Faith which we preach and your Faith that comes by hearing is some of the Royal Provision of the King's Meat Dan. 1.5 to be found at God's Table only 12. The Feast of Holiness inward Sanctification of the Heart by a cleanly purifying Bunch of Hyssop better than a Dinner of any other Herbs This clean Hyssop may be said for the Virtue of it as was of the grown Mustard-seed for its Dimensions Mat. 13.32 to be the greatest among Herbs Nay indeed we are not here speaking of such a poor low statur'd Hyssop as with us runs upon the ground but of that which runs up in the Man whose Name is the * Some indeed affirm litterally that haec Planta in Judae◠arborescet Grotius in Joh. 19.29 Branch Zech. 6.12 into a Tree as high as Heaven It is from hence that this purifying Branch or Holy Bunch is gathered Christ is He who of God is made unto us Sanctification 1 Cor. 1.30 I ground the Comparison on the Ceremonial Cleansing of the Leaper as was instituted under the Law Lev. 14.4 where among other purifying Ingredients this of the Hyssop is one to which David alludes as it Typed out the righteous Branch to be rais'd to David Jer. 23.5 when he cries out in the Bitterness of his Soul for this sweet Herb in the Garden of God Ezek. 28.13 c. to dress his other Meat see Psal 51.7 Purge me with Hyssop and I shall be clean as if he had broken out into this Self-abhorrency I am a filthy Leaper Joh. 13.10 and I need to eat of the Dish that is most fit to cleanse me let me be therefore every whit clean thro' this sanctified Provision made ready 1 Pet. 1.16 Rev. 22.11 being neither * Act. 11.8 common nor unclean it self I would be Holy as God is Holy and tho' by Nature and Practice I am now otherwise yet I would not remain filthy still Now in the Gospel our Feast-maker hath also provided this blessed Dish ready God hath prepared his Table of hallowed Bread Holy as well as Evangelical Furniture Holiness it self to Feast you with a pure Conscience 1 Tim. 3.9 As this is the Will of God even your Sanctification 1 Thes 4.3 so it is the Work of God to form it Ezek. 36.25 26 27. As the Precept of the Gospel requires Holiness Heb. 12.14 without which no Man shall see the Lord so the Promise doth encourage it and the Spirit by an Almighty Operation works it He creates a Principle within that yields it and a Life without that acts it for 'till Grace be infused into the Heart it cannot in the Conversation be diffused or shed abroad There is Sanctification enough provided to supply our utmost wants thereof a Stock of it prepared to serve for Spirit Soul and Body as the Apostle Prayeth for his Thessalonians to be throughly Feasted with it 1 Thes 5.23 And the very God of Peace sanctifie you wholly and I pray God your whole Spirit and Soul and Body be preserved blameless unto the Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ God would not have a Feast to be made under the Gospel without a universal Holiness to run thro' all the Parts of it Provision that sanctifieth and Provision sanctified Holy it self and to make Vs Holy too Indeed as he saith * Isa 3◠24 if the very Oxen and the young Asses that ear the ground should eat clean Provender which had been winnowed with the shovel and with the fan much more would he assign holy Diet for his Table in these dayes of our Purification Corrupt †Mal. 1.7 Priests may but our Great High-Priest will never set any Polluted Bread upon his Altar 13. The Hidden Mannah of Election This is one of the glorious Dishes of our Feast and was garnished from Eternity to be serv'd up before our Face in Time Mat. 13.35 Tho' it hath been a secret kept hid Psal 25 14.
the Doctrines of the true God than if we had Preacht up Stocks and Dumb Idols and the Doctrine of Vanities alas Jer. 10.8 what doth it profit The Gospel indeed hath Enlivening Provisions as hath been shewn but there be many nevertheless Dead in Sin Jam. 2.16 that have not yet received them Oh! how do we Preach still as if the Assembly were a Golgotha Mat. 27.33 a Place of Dead Men's Skulls alas how small is the inner in comparison of the outer Court among us how many come to Meetings that never met with God! how many Graves have the Trumpet sounded over Rev. 20.13 that never yet have opened and given up their Dead we wait to see that Question graciously resolved in the Affirmative Psa 88.10 shall the Dead arise and praise thee Some blessed be the Lord are made Living Men because he lives Joh. 14.19 they do and shall live also But how do we Preach Christ Jesus the Resurrection to a great many others that never found Life chap. 11.25 that were never yet awakened never sensible never stirred never had the Beginnings of any Good Work upon them These are Dead Rom. 5.15 Thro' the offence of one many be Dead Dead in Sins Eph. 2.5 Now All Things to him that is insensible or not spiritually risen from the Dead are nothing So long as a Man is Stupid there comes not a Sigh or ever one Groan or Tear from him Acts 2.37 You must be prickt at the Heart before the Liquor runs 'Till then no Pantings no Desires no Enquiries no melting Warmth no Motions of the Soul towards God If thou art a meer Carkass in Divinity or Profession with thy Pulse gone thine Affections lost thy Breath stopt and thou art found but just where Adam our first Father that sinned left thee Isa 43.27 This will be an insuperable Hinderance to thee 2 Thes 2.7 'till it be taken out of the way And yet this is the Condition this is the State of every one by Nature Secondly 2 Hindran An inward Captivity of the Soul 1. Under Sin And 2. By the God of this World 1. Captivity under Sin is a Hinderance to the Gospel-Feast If a Man be not in such a stupid blockish Cafe as to remain grossly Dead and altogether insensible of the Things of God but suppose him some ways Apprehensive brisk and lively in his Temper and Deportment yet if sin commands him he is but a merry Slave still and a stranger to Gospel-Grace For so long as a Man is overcome of the evil that doth so easily beset him Heb. 12.1 he is made a True Slave to it 2 Pet. 2.19 latter part Of whom a Man is overcome of the same is he brought in Bondage His Iniquities seize him and carry him off as a Bond-slave without his own Resistance A Lust sets upon the Soul and ravisheth her and whether it finds her in the House or in the Field she never like the Betrothed Damsel * Nisbet upon Peter Deut. 22.24 Cryed to Christ for Help This is an easie Conquest a voluntary Surrender a Running into the Enemy's Hand Now 't is no wonder that Men are hindred from the Things of God when their Iniquities withhold Good Things from them your Iniquities have separated between you and your God and your sins have hid his Face from you Isa 59.2 Sin like a mighty Cord draws the Wicked more and more from God and then winds so fast about them they can make no return Sin at last will hold them in the snare notwithstanding all their faint * Wishings and Wouldings as some express it Velleityes to escape Prov. 5.22 whether they will or no. His own Iniquities shall take the wicked himself and he shall be holden with the Cords of his sins Men first give way to sin and at last sin †Peccata quae nexuisti instar Retium Tendicularum sunt quae vinctum te constrictum tenebunt ut te expedire nequeas Cartwright in loc twines so close about them they can never get free or by all the Art and Endeavours they use make it loose its hold Natural Conscience at first makes them start while it hath beheld how the Snare hath caught them but afterwards Conscience wasts and they sin under the Dominion of the Tyrant with more Greedy Delight than ever This is most notably represented in the Prophet Isa 5.18 Wo unto them that draw Iniquity with Cords of Vanity and sin as it were with a Cart-rope The Holy Ghost seemeth to speak there of the brisk active Servants of Sin who scorn with Ahab to serve it a little ◠Kings 10.18 but with Jehu will serve it much as Jehu counterfeits in the Case of Baal's Priests That draw Iniquity with Cords There is a Generation of Active Sinners in the World that will bring wickedness in by the Hand if a Temptation be slow-pac'd and doth not come fast enough alone or present it self quickly If Sin without should be long a coming the wickedness of their Hearts is impatient and will go out half way to meet it Prov. 4.16 for they sleep not except they have done mischief and their sleep is taken away unless they cause some to fall they hate either to go to Bed or to rise without sin with them And sin as it were with a Cart-rope * Mr. Pool Engl. Annotations As Beasts commonly do that draw Carts with Ropes (a) Arth. Jackson Whilst others are drawn away to sin they draw sin upon themselves It denotes the Great Pains they take and their toilsom endeavours they use with all possible Eagerness to accomplish what they have contrived They will pull hard like a Man at a Cart-rope when he is binding Sheaves in the Field rather than suffer sin to lye loose upon them and hazard its dropping off Now these in this mighty strugling with the Cord are caught fast in it and lye bound worse than Samson with the New Ropes that if they would they cannot get away When Sin hath Dominion over them they are made to do its Drudgery The Will of the Flesh is put in opposition to the Will of God Joh. 1.13 If sin therefore reign in your mortal Body that you should obey it in the Lusts thereof Rom. 6.12 His Servants ye are to whom you obey v. 16. And if you are the Slaves of sin you are no Subjects of the King that hath made this Gospel-Supper ready nor will you be able 'till freed to meddle with it 2. Captivity under the God of this World is also a Hinderance to the Gospel-Feast The Devil hates the Gospel and he will allow none of his to love it He keeps them as much as possible under Blindness least if they see the light they should break loose 'T is therefore ascribed to the Malignant Influence of the god of this World to blind wicked Men 2 Cor. 4.4 In whom