is a Food in its own Nature incorruptible a Provision as well as an Inheritance that fadeth not away 1 Pet. 1.4 When other Victuals will utterly perish in their own Corruption 2 Pet. 2.12 this is the Meat that endureth to Life eternal Joh. 6.27 latter part 8. Lastly 8 Property Perpetual Nourishment and the Partaker kept alive for ever He that cometh to me shall never hunger and he that believeth on me shall never thirst Joh. 6.35 latter part And he that eateth of this Bread shall live for ever He shall never pine or dye away for want of Meat or Drink It shall implant such a Nutrimental Habit as shall secretly in the greatest Difficulty keep the Soul alive Hunger shall never kill and Thirst shall never hurt Believers To conclude other Feasts have supply'd the Wants of the Body but for as many Dayes as the Feast lasted and the Guests have been quickly empty and the Virtue of their feeding lost as well as their Entertainment over But the Nourishment received the Seed of Grace obtain'd at this Rich Feast of Plenty is a perpetual and enduring Habit or Principle of Grace that will spring up in Glory The Sixth thing is to evidence what suitableness there is in these Provisions of the Gospel to the Condition of poor Gospel-Sinners VI. or to discover that the Case of any Soul may be suited among these All things ready First The Gospel hath Enlivening Provisions suited to the Condition of dead Souls It hath got wherewithall to infuse Life into them either the Being of Life as they are found in a Dead State or the Degree of Life as they are fallen under any Dead Frames of Spirit 1. The Gospel hath enlivening Provisions suited to the Condition of dead Souls as they are found in a dead State Indeed it is necessary that the Gospel become first a vital Principle before it is made a Nutrimental It must quicken the Dead before it can feed the Living and raise Sinners out of a Grave before it sets them down at Table Nourishment must presuppose Life The Being of the New Creature is first in Order and afterwards Food to maintain the Growth of it A Man cannot feed tho' he hath all Things before him until he be quickned and made a Living Man So they that are spiritually Dead that is separated from all Spiritual Converse and Communion with God remaining still as they were cut off from him in the first Adam can do nothing at this Table which requires us to touch taste and handle the Provisions of it Spiritual Death is unfit for Spiritual Dainties you must be translated out of a Dead State and chang'd from Dead Works that is advanc'd beyond the Power of Nature in the most active refined Morals before you can serve the Living God Acts 14.15 or receive the Gospel-Food The Priviledge of the Gospel lyes in receiving Grace first to quicken and enable us to do in the strength of Grace after It is not the Dead so long as they are dead can meddle with these things The first thing the Gospel can do for us is to beget us by the Word of Truth â—am 1.18 and then with its Nourishment to bring us up The Breath of Life must pass upon us before the Bread of Life can be eaten by us Dead Sinners may be brought to some outward means of Grace and so a Carkass may be stir'd and held up by an External Force while Meat is set before it but there must be an inward Principle in both to take Food and digest it or live and grow by it You may as soon stand to purpose with a Dish of Provisions before a Carkass and put Meat forcibly into the Mouths of Dead Men as expect the Plenty of the Gospel should yield any Nourishment or Benefit to Dead Sinners before they have gotten true Life in them In a word they must be Created in Christ Jesus Eph. 2 10. or the Provision is lost tho' you Carve out Dainties to them Now the Gospel hath its Enlivening Provisions suited to a Dead State And you being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your Flesh hath he quickened together with him Col. 2.13 The Life of Jesus is prepared to be made manifest to create Life 2 Cor. 4.10 as it finds thee Dead in trespasses and sins Our Blessed Lord takes an occasion to reveal this in the Spirit when he made use of his Divine Power in the Letter to teach us that as he was able to infuse Life into the Dead Body of Lazarus so he could quicken any dead Soul he roucht Joh. 11.25 I am the Resurrection and the Life he that believeth in me tho' he were dead yet shall he live Tho' thou art fallen down from an upper Chamber dead yea from the House top in Adam Acts 20. â—â— yet Christ can raise thee upon thy Feet and set thee up believing He hath Life to move thee and Faith to make thee see the Marvels he worketh out for thee Art thou dead stark dead that a little Life will not suffice to help thee why yet Christ came on purpose to bring thee enough of those Vital Spirits with him Joh. 10.10 latter part I am come that they might have Life and as if he had said If Life be too little that they might have it more abundantly If thou art a poor Dead Soul that dost not yet know what to make of Bread and Flesh yet thou mayst hear a good Word suited in the Mouth of Christ to thee Joh. 6.51 latter part And the Bread that I will give is my Flesh which I will give for the Life of the World The Bread that I will give is my Flesh Alas if Christ had stopt there it might not have suited to thy Case or the Condition of some of thine peradventure thou art weeping over some dead Soul by thee either some poor Relation in thy Bosom or some poor Child as a withered Branch sprung out of thy Roots or a Brother Eâ—h 〈…〉 or a Sister yet dead in Trespasses and sins and thou mournest over their Graves alas my Brother alas Sister what is Bread or wherein doth Flesh suit at all with thee why Zech. 1.13 the Place answers thee with good words and comfortable It is the Bread of Life and living Flesh the Bread that I will give is my Flesh which I will give for the life of the world As if Christ had said tho' they are dead and cannot take it yet as Food I will put such a Morsel into the Mouths of dead Men as shall presently become Life and afterwards yield Nourishment Oh! how suitably doth this Gospel provide to help thee in thy poor dead State tho' you are yet many of you Dead Sinners and can't as you are Dead take in Nourishment or so much as come by a spiritual Act of the Soul where Nourishment is provided yet the Gospel is prepared to come to
Land of uprightness I must come Lord to thy Table I must see what House thou keepest for me (m) Da igitur sidum illum ducem qui non prehendat tantùm manum sed vires sufficiat motum Rivet in loc vol. 2. Joh. 6.63 Grant me therefore thy Spirit to be my Sure and Faithful Guide to thee who will not only take me by the Hand but afford me sufficient Strength and Motion as the Pious and Learned Rivet glosseth it The Spirit that Quickneth must give Life and Motion Legs to the lame and Feet to walk with them If the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the Dead dwell in you He that raised up Christ from the Dead shall also quicken your Mortal Bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you Rom. 8.11 (n) Charnock's Discourses Vol. 2. p. 1321. The Spirit must be our Auxiliary upon Earth as well as Christ our Advocate in Heaven As we can never be obedient to the Truth till we come to the God of Truth that calls us so we can never come to be thus obedient till there be an obeying of the Truth thro' the Spirit 1 Pet. 1.22 He may call he may command This is the way walk ye in it but we can never run the way of his Commandments till He enlarge our Hearts Psal 119.32 Acts 17.28 For 't is in him that we live and move and have our Being Spiritually as well as Naturally both are from him because all our Springs are in Him We must have our motion from him before we can make any motion to him A moving Principle to cause our Pace or we shall either stand still or start back or turn aside or tumble down or stumble in our walk when we try to come along 2. Inf. God's Calling and Man 's Coming are not the same but Two Distinct Things 'T is His Grace but 't is our Work and Duty He draws but 't is we must run Cant. 1.4 Draw we we will run after thee The Call is often sent when there is no coming seen Christ oft invites but Men too oft refuse He holds out a Sceptre of Grace but They remove the Shoulder and will not stretch out one Hand to take it Calling is the Act of God Coming is the Duty or the Act of Man in the received strength of God God's Act in calling often goes alone but our's never doth so because it is impossible tho' God calls of himself that we should come alone These Two then must be distinguished God's Calling and Man 's Coming neither must Man deceive himself to think he comes because God calls him For he may be no Guest after God hath given and a Man hath had a Gracious Invitation The Invitation may be made on God's Part and yet no compliance seen on Man's 3. Inf. There may be also much coming to Ordinances and little coming unto God with any Spiritual motion in them Alas there be many Foolish Guests that follow their own Spirit and rather come at their own call than God's They bid themselves and so come in the Flesh but never understand what to make of a motion in Spirit and in Truth to God They hear not with Spiritual Distinction the Voice of the Son of God but with a Confusion and Disorder the Flesh makes and therefore can't come but rather from some Forcible external Cause are brought without any Life in them You may be going from the Feast in a Spiritual Sense when you are seen to come to it in the Literal The Heart must be upright or you will come all awry in a crooked Line with the workers of Iniquity while you appear in these Duties You know what was said of Ezekiel's Hearers Ezek. 33.31 They come unto thee as the People cometh and they sit before me as my People and they hear thy words but they will not do them for with their Mouth they shew much Love but their Heart goeth after their Covetousness (o) Judaei magnâ frequentiâ ad Prophetam concurrebant corà m illo non secùs consistebant quà m si animum planè induissent populo Dei dignum Jun. in loc They carried it well to the Prophet but very ill to God They would throng to their Preacher but be easily thrust away from God They stood before the Prophet as if they had put on the same Ornament of the Mind which the best of God's Children wear but yet God saw their Hypocrisie stood before him naked So you may seem to come when your Heart goeth after your Covetousness You may come and make such a Dust with the Earth about you while you put out the Eye of Faith that you see not where you are 4. Inf. If God invites us by the Gospel-Call other Invitations should be of less account with us When the Law of Mercy in the Gospel requires us to come and eat shall the Law of Cruelty in our Members be obey'd that saith Abstain from Meats It casts a Disparagement upon the great God that his Call must be neglected while other little calls are minded that you have an Ear open to let in the Persuasions suppose of a Mortal Man while you stop it against your Maker wilt thou stay with the Swine when thou art Invited to the Sheep-folds to lye down in green Pastures Canst thou raise an Objection against the Sequel because the Antecedent is so clear Arise He calleth thee 'T is the Voice of a God and not of a Man of the God of the Spirits of all Flesh that calls thee and shall the Voice of a Creature the Voice of a Dying Man or the Voice of a Condemned Malefactor stop thee Who hath hardened himself against him and hath prospered Job 9.4 5. Inf. It is an Aggravation of our Trespass against Love and Kindness to turn our Backs upon the High-calling of God This is a Prodigious Evil tho' Men have Presuming Thoughts upon it This Rebellion this Refusal to come to Court when sent for is as the Sin of Witchcraft and Stubbornness is as Iniquity and Idolatry 1 Sam. 15.23 6. Inf. It is such a Sin to stand it out against God's Calls as God will severely punish A neglect of God's Calls will make our own Cries unpitied Prov. 1.24 25 26. Because I have called and ye refused I have stretched out mine Hand and no Man regarded but ye have set at nought all my Counsel and would none of my Reproof I also will laugh at your Calamity I will mock when your Fear cometh Such as refuse the Load-stone and are not drawn with Mercy shall have a Milstone ty'd about their Necks that will make them sink for ever Such as would not be call'd shall be cast into Hell 7. Inf. and last The Invitation of the Gospel should find in us a suitable compliance with it I say a suitable or a meet compliance As ye have received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk ye to him so walk ye in him Col. 2.6
You in power 1 Thes 1.5 and with the Holy Ghost that Life may enter into your Carkasses Jer. 25.34 and the dayes of your Slaughter be accomplished that you shall be like the slain that lye in the Grave Psal 88.5 no more Christ hath a Vertue to renew you Exod. 8.19 beyond all the Magicians of Egypt and their Enchantments that try to work Grace by Nature Moral Vertues as * Flavel Soul of Man p. 44◠one says are but as so many sweet Flowers strow'd over a Dead Corps which hide the loathsomness but inspire not Life into it Whereas there is a Quickning Touch in the Son of God that doth raise the Dead and will enable you to stand up from the Dead and live Eph. 5.14 2. The Gospel hath Enlivening Provisions suited to the Condition of Dead Souls as they are fallen under a Dead Frame Thou mayst have Life at the Root and yet thy Branch may look as if 't were dead in Winter or there may be a Concoctive Faculty and an inward Power of Digestion thro' Grace where thine Appetite to Food seems at present gone The Gospel therefore hath Enlivening Provisions that suit thy Dead Frame It hath Spirits to fetch thee when thou art fallen into a dead Swoon There 's a Word to quicken thee when thou art dead to Duty tho' thou art not thro' Grace wholly dead in Sin For Dead Frames in the New Man are the Reliques of the Old or the Remainders of thy Dead State before Now the Gospel hath a Portion to quicken thee a Preparation to whet thine Appetite when thou seemest to be dull and thy Senses are not as heretofore exercised Heb. 5.14 see Psal 119.50 This is my Comfort in mine Affliction for thy Word hath quickned me And v. 93. I will never forget thy Precepts for with them thou hast quickned me So that if thou art dropt asleep or fallen into a dead Swoon as a living Man may do thou seest how he hath provided quickning Means to help thee and excite thy Life again Thou art not destitute of such a Help Meet Gen. 2.20 but it is gotten thee among the All things ready If thy Sap be retired inwards there 's a Sun to cherish it and call it forth into outward Vital Acts agen If like Wax that hath melted thou art Congeal'd and hast contracted thy wonted hardness there is a Fire in the Sanctuary to melt thee at the Presence of the Lord again Yea sometimes thô thou art even ready to question the work that God maketh from the Beginning upon thy Soul Eccl. 3.11 and thou hast been certain dayes Dead in thy Stony Frame Dan. 8.27 or dry and withered that thou thinkest it almost impossible for these dry Bones to live Ezek. 37.3 yet there is a Quickning Virtue an enlivening Power procur'd and made ready for thee and thou sometimes feel'st it suddenly at an instant Isa 29.5 The Spirit of Life from God that hath seemed for a time to be drawn back from thee like Peter's sheet up again into Heaven Acts 10.16 yet is ready to come down and re-enter as at the Resurrection of those slain Witnesses after the three Days and a half Rev. 11.11 That 's the first Case wherein Gospel-Provisions do suit as well as are made ready They are enlivening either to raise from a Dead State or to quicken under any Dead Frame Secondly The Gospel hath Enlightning Provisions suited to the Condition of Blind Souls A Man may be a living yet a blind Creature that cannot see his way Nicodemus was so blind in spirituals when Christ discoursed the matters of Salvation with him that he could not discern the Mystery of the New Birth but was fain to put that Question in the Ignorant Man's Catechism Joh. 3.9 How can these things be It is but a blind Approach to Christ if we come to him only by the Hearing of the Ear and our Eyes have not seen him Job 42.5 Thou must therefore cry out as that Blind Man did when Christ askt him what he should do for him Luk. 18.41 Lord that I may receive my sight The Gospel is not suited to thee as Blind but as it hath an Influence upon that Film to remove it which closeth up thy sight There must be a gracious and invisible Touch to open Blind Eyes as certainly tho' not so miraculously as there was of Paul when immediately there fell from his Eyes Acts 9.18 as it had been Scales God first struck him Blind and afterwards made him see his Error Now the Gospel in its Enlightning Provisions will exactly suit such a Blind Case Tho' thou hast liv'd in a State of gross Darkness without any Glimpse of the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 true Light yet the Gospel is appointed and made ready to discover it This is plain in the Commission Paul received to Preach it Acts 26.17 18. Delivering thee from the People and from the Gentiles to whom now I send thee to open their Eyes and to turn them from darkness to light As if God had said Come Paul I will send thee into a spiritual Egypt where the People are groping in worse than Egyptian Darkness and I will send the Blessing of Goshen with thee Exod. that there shall be Light in all their Dwellings As in Natural Vision the Organ must be opened and clear'd as well as the Object illuminated and the Medium transparent thro' which the Visual Rays do pass So in the Opticks of the Gospel God hath made a Provision for every one of these His Spirit openeth the Eyes enlightneth the Object by shining upon Gospel-Truths and for a Medium doth utter Knowledge clearly Job Art thou Ignorant of Salvation yet the Gospel is suited to give Knowledge of Salvation Luk. 1.67 Art thou lying spiritually in the dark that thou knowest not what to make either of thy Condition or of many needful Truths before thee yet the Gospel is provided to give light to them that sit in darkness v. 79. Art thou groping with that old Staff in thy Hand of Nature and trying by thy self how to find the way but after all thine Attempts dost thou find thy self uneasie well still the Gospel is ready suited to guide our Feet in the way of peace * ibid. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To guide strait as the word imports that in the Dark we may not run into Crooked Paths or turn any where aside The Master of the House sets up a Candle in his Entry that we may see tho' by Night to come in to the Feast he makes Thou bast been already perhaps under the means and yet dost complain still of much Obscurity every new Tryal casts a kind of a mist before thine Eyes and if thou seest any thing for thy Soul it may be it is but as he did that looked up and said Mark 8.24 I see men as Trees
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.
a Full Assurance Heb. 6.11 and Chapt. 10.22 But the Spirit doth not fill every Sail we hoise but often breaths in a lesser Gale when we make towards Immanuel's Land The Knowledge of our Personal Election and Assurance of Eternal Life are Royal Dainties that none can receive except it be given him in a peculiar manner from above Joh. 3.27 We read our Evidences for Heaven says †Dr. Bates Sermons on Death p. 171. an eminent Divine in the Light of God's Countenance And as he was a free Agent at first to cast his Eye so he is still at sovereign Liberty where he will cause his Face to shine Psal 67.1 15. The Evangelical Honey-comb dropping Free-Grace A Honey-comb of it self drops you need not wring out the sweetness of it 1 Sam. 14.26 And when the People were come into the Wood the Honey dropped The coming of the People into that Wood had no Influence upon the Honey nor their continuance by it any Vertue upon the Distillation but it dropt from its own * i. e. A Natural Disposition while it flows to fall down in Drops intrinsick fluency So the Grace of God distills of its own accord it drops upon the Creature freely this Honey Dew that descends upon the Mountains of Sion comes of its own accord Psal 133.3 The Lord commands the Blessing and it tarries for no concurrence in any of the Sons of Men. Mic. 5.7 If God doth but break his Love to Us 't is a Love that drops a Love that distills so fast we need no Hand to squeeze it Now the Gospel is the Treasury where it drops this is our Canaan now that floweth with Milk and Honey Numb 13.27 Lo here God hath provided the Rivers Job 20.17 the Floods the Brooks of Noney and Butter Grace is a Stream that 's Free and runs without Desert or else it would be a River like Jordan Psal 114.3 quickly driven back When he hath brought Us into his Banquetting-House we shall see it to be his Arms drawn over the Banner of Love Cantic 2.4 I will love them freely Hos 14.4 It is a Free Gift and we need not be shye to take it This is a Honey that Bring 's the King's Blessing a Jonathan may come in and need not fear a Saul's Curse to eat it 1 Sam. 14.27 28. This Honey-comb of Free-Grace may be mixt with all our Acknowledgments we make to God Psal 101.1 when we sing of Mercy Tho' common Honey was forbidden to be used in any Sacrifice under the Law Lev. 2.11 yet we cannot offer the Sacrifice of Praise under the Gospel Zech. 4.7 lat pt if we mix not This Honey and cry Grace Grace unto it This hath a sweeter Taste than any it is beyond any Corporal Preparations being sweeter than Honey or the Honey-comb How sweet are thy words unto my Taste yea sweeter than Honey to my Mouth Psal 119.103 16. The Fatness of God's House in Ordinances He hath made ready the Ministry which he hath given to be Meat and Ordinances as the Dishes in which the Feast is serv'd He appoints Divine Institutions as Food for Nourishment and Divine Officers to administer the Banquet too He affords a Divine Presence in his own Appointments which fattens and fills them up unto us His Paths drop Fatness Psal 65.11 when he walks in the midst of the seven Golden Candlesticks Rev. 2.1 There be Fat Sacrifices in God's House tho' we can perform but poor lean Service When we bring our own we offer lean Kine but if we offer his they are Fatlings that come up with Acceptance upon his Altar Isa 60.7 We are apt indeed to wait upon the Lord 1 Cor. 7.35 and attend with much Distraction but lo in God's House when we see what he hath done there we shall behold the Fat and the Head in Order Lev. 1.12 God's House is rich you shall meet with enough to spend on there and to carry home besides Many a Favourite of God's when he hath gone from an Ordinance hath found that a Mess of Meat hath followed him from the King 2 Sam. 11.8 Oh! the Stores that God hath brought forth in Ordinances as Scriptures Sermons Sacraments and a House-full of Prayer and Praise by which he says as to his People at the slaughter of Gog Ye shall be filled at my Table Fzek. 39.20 form part If you go into the Sanctuary and enquire you shall find God doth not keep an empty House for you but he makes such Provisions in the Ordinances for his Guests Psal 36.8 that they shall be satisfyed with the Fatness of thine House 17. The Supplies of the Spirit of Jesus Ordinances will not of themselves be a Feast without God's Spirit Rom. 1.4 He must be a Spirit of Holiness to regenerate and a Spirit of residence to inhabit a Spirit to change and a Spirit to dwell in us that may abide with us for ever Joh. 14.16 Now at this Feast he is wont to shed on us the Renewings of the Holy Ghost Tit. 3.5 It is the Office of the Spirit here to put us into a Capacity to glorifie God and enjoy him The Spirit stamps a Divine Impression and then witnesseth to us that we are the Children of God Rom. 8.16 We lose much of the Savour of the Word when we have forgotten how it sounded forth the Spirit therefore is provided to quicken and refresh our Memories and Understandings when it brings all things to our Remembrance Joh. 14.26 It is to help our Infirmities in Prayer Rom. 8.26 we know not what to Pray for as we ought 'till the Spirit worketh a Sense of what we need and stirreth up a Praying Frame in us Christ had the Spirit without measure Joh. 3.34 an inexpressible Effusion of the Holy Ghost was poured forth on him and he hath made ready some Droppings of that Spirit to descend on Vs as we sit at Meat When your Spirit is faint still he hath the Residue of the Spirit for you Mal. 2.15 when you cannot eat as you would of the King's Venison God hath then provided you his Spirit to quicken you to your Meat and make your Stomach sharper You need not rise without a Supply of the Holy Spirit where you may like the Disciples according to your measure Act. 13.52 be filled with the Holy Ghost God's Spirit will make up the Imperfections of our own and be helpfull still to furnish us tho' we want spiritual Blessings in any heavenly things whatever I will pour out my Spirit unto you Prov. 1.23 I will put my Spirit within you Ezek. 36.27 If you have had a little measure of the Spirit of God at one time he hath prepared enough to infuse a Double Portion which you shall receive perhaps at another time from the Fulness of the same Spirit It is not only a Stook
Therefore being justified by Faith we have Peace with God thrô our Lord Jesus Christ Thô there is a noise of War in thy Camp thy Corruptions fight and justle one against another nay not only Egyptian against Egyptian but an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew Corruption opposeth Grace and maketh an uprore in thy Soul yet the Gospel hath a Prince of Peace to allay the Tumult Heb. 7.2 Psa 147.14 and to make Peace in thy Borders There is Provision made for a Blessed Calm upon thy Soul when the Son of God shall rebuke thy Storm and say to the Winds that made it Mark 4.39 tho' furious Blasts from Satan Peace be still Thou shalt see it to be fair weather upon the Kings Feast-day Peace I leave with you my Peace I give unto you not as the World giveth give I unto you Joh. 14.27 In a word here is a Feast you may Sleep well after not in Sin or Security but in a Refreshment or Repose of your Spirits in the Peace of Conscience 21. The Oyl of Joy * Isa 61.3 It was the Blessing of Asher that he should dip his Foot in Oyl Deut. 33.24 and be as it were over shoes in his Inheritance where God's Paths dropped fatness Psa 65.11 It is clear in Scripture that Oyl by the Appointment of God was put to various uses The Children of Israel were commanded with Oyl to * Exod. 25 6. v. 37. compared dress their Lamps and with a finer to dress their †Lev. 2.4 5. c. meat in the Legal Sacrifices and with a most refined Oyntment made of various * Exo. 30.23.25 Spices after the Art of the Apothecary to †v. 26. anoint the Tabernacle and his * v. 27. c. Furniture by all which was Typified that Spiritual Oyl which the Gospel now affordeth we have now an Oyl an Oyl of Joy that feeds the * Oleum flammis alimoniam suppeditat Moller enar in Psalmos Ps 45.7 Candle of the Lord and makes it burn comfortably an Oyl of Grace that feeds the Lamp of our Profession that we be not in the Dark at * Mat. 25.3 4 5 6.8 midnight when we should see to go out and meet the Bridegroom we have now also an Oyl to dress our Sacrifice since we have received an Vnction from the Holy One 1 Joh. 2.20 an Oyl that fattens our Entertainment and an Oyl as we sit at meat Psa 104.15 that makes our Face to shine There is an Oyl of Joy communicated to the Head our Lord Jesus Christ and an Oyl of Joy imparted to his Members This Box of precious Oyntment was poured on his Head by a greater than Mary †Mat. 26.7 Joh. 11.2 Magdalen God anoints him Therefore God thy God hath anointed thee with the Oyl of Gladness above thy Fellows Psa 45.7 latter part So Isa 61.1 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord hath anointed me He is therefore in the New Testament styled by way of eminence the Christ of God and * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 2.26 part the Lord 's Christ which signifies the Lords Anointed Now at the Feast his Members in some Conformity to their Head are anointed also He that ordained a Lamp for his anointed and made the Horn of David to bud hath also a Horn of Salvation to pour the Anointings of the Spirit on us God's Children may suck in this Oyl plentifully at the Feast where there be Springs of Joy to feed a chosen Vessel Thou preparest a Table before me thou anointest my Head with Oyl Psa 23.5 22. The Cup of Consolation with the Wine of the Kingdom-running over The Cup of Consolation was a Cup for Mourners a Portion mingled more especially to support them at the Death and Loss of Dear Relations and tho' used commonly among the Jews yet was deny'd them Jer. 16 5. latter part when God had taken away his Peace from them even loving kindness and mercies neither shall men give them the Cup of Consolation to drink v. 7. for their Father or for their Mother The Cup of Consolation was a little to sweeten the Bitterness unto their Children after their Parents had tasted Death Now the Feast of the Gospel hath its Cup of Consolation to wash off sadness from them that mourn in Zion it hath the Wine of the Kingdom for the Children she brings forth when they are bowed down heavily as one that mourneth for his Mother because of the Afflictions of the Church of God Nay suppose the Trouble should arise more from a Reflection upon their own Personal State this Cup of Consolation is then to wash off their Fears Rev. 14.10 least they should drink of the Wine of wrath out of the Cup of Indignation The Wine of the Gospel is a refreshing Cordial from the Grace of God to cheer up drooping Spirits and comfort heavy Hearts It is a Cup of Salvation Psa 116.13 to a poor Soul that hath been afraid of that Red-wine in the Threatning lest he should pledge it in the Second Death A Man's Body when his Spirits are low needeth Recruits Prov. 31.6 Give strong Drink unto him that is ready to perish and wine unto those that be of heavy Hearts and so in Paul's Advice to Timothy 1 Tim. 5.23 Drink no longer water that is such as was commonly us'd at Meals in those hotter Climates as we drink Beer but use a little wine for thy Stomach's sake and thine often infirmities In like manner the Spirit of a Man when wounded or broke and sunk within him doth need Wine the Wine of the Kingdom that is the manifestations of the Love of Christ to chear it for the Spirit of a man may sustain his Infirmities that is he may bear up under outward Trouble he meets with in the Flesh but a wounded Spirit who can bear Prov. 18.14 Such a one must have the Cup of Consolation from Christ's own Hand for his Love is better than wine Song 1.2 The Roof of his mouth when he speaks a kind pleasant word like the best wine goes down exceeding sweetly causing the lips of those that are asleep to speak Song 7.9 If God's Children be sunk down thro' long heaviness and begin to sleep the Sleep of Death in their own sad Apprehensions Psa 13.3 yet a Cup of this pleasant Wine from Christ on a sudden makes an Alteration and breaks out in Praises Psa 118.17 I shall not die but live and declare the works of the Lord. Blessed Consolation Now the Gospel hath provided a Full Cup of this This is that precious Cluster Isa 65.8 where the new wine is found in it He that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and will manifest my self to him Joh. 14.21 latter part So v. 23. latter part My Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him What
sin you do not spy out more in your own Iniquities than you do in the very Grace of God to receive you graciously Hos 14.2 4 and love you freely And beware that you do not fancy a deeper Red different from other Death-colours in your own Body of Death than is seen in the Blood of Jesus Christ An Unacquaintedness with the true Notion of the Gospel is a Hinderance to the Gospel-Feast 3. Remaining Vnbelief in the Actings of slavish Fear Reigning Unbelief indeed is the Property of Sinners but Remaining Unbelief is a great Hinderance hanging in the way of Saints There are Remnants of this Sin to bring you under spiritual Sickness and Infirmities when there be no Ruling Signs-that it is unto Death upon you There is much Fluctuation in our Hearts an unsteddy rolling too and fro like the Waves of the Sea sometimes carried out towards the Shore in Hope then driven back again to Sea in Fears whereas our Rock is the same for ever tho' we roll aside Oh! were our Faith says (z) Dr. Sibb◠Bruised Reed p. 23 24. one as firm as our State in Christ is secure what manner of Men should We be A Saint may be brought many ways low but he shall be brought no ways under Now by how much the less it is you live in the Exercise of Faith 〈◊〉 2.20 i. e. By the Faith of the Son of God by so much the less in your spiritual State will you thrive by Gospel-Grace As you want any measure of Faith to digest the Food of God's Word so much the less of Nourishment and Sweetness you will find in any Morsel of it Jesus said unto him if thou canst believe All Things are possible unto him that believeth Mark 9.23 If you have not Oh weak Christians a stronger Degree a higher Measure of Faith your Fears will make you jealous and suspect the Love of God every time you try to eat and drink in his Kingdom It is observed of Peter he never sank in the Waters 'till he sank first in Fears when he saw the Wind boisterous he was afraid and upon this followeth his beginning to sink Matth. 14.30 Fears will suggest nothing but such wrong and uncomfortable Thoughts as these Well this Feast of the Gospel is too great for such poor Dust and too good for so vile a Worm as I therefore it belongeth not to me But Oh! take heed of this let not Unbelief carry it without a check in thy Soul when it calls the Bread of Life Poyson or tells thee thou art damn'd if thou venturest so far as to meddle with it 4. Lastly Refusing to be Comforted God's People sometimes will not tho' we take his own words be satisfied The Consolations of God are so small with them Job 15.11 that they will not take this Cup of Consolation down Jer. 16.11 Psa 77.2 last words My Soul refused to be comforted let me hear what I would it was all one with me That was Good Asaph's case a while Now what will All Things avail when no thing shall be allow'd to comfort you but you will choose to go down into the Grave mourning Gen. 37.35 What signifies Moses to tell the Children of Israel that God had looked upon their Affliction and Bondage and to assure them of Deliverance that it was now even at the Door Mat. 24.33 whenas they hearkened not unto Moses for Anguish of Spirit and for cruel Bondage Exod. 6.9 It is observable indeed that at the first Newes of their Deliverance which Moses brought them from God they are hugely affected with it Chap. 4.31 The People believed and when they heard that the Lord had visited the Children of Israel and that he had looked upon their Affliction then they bowed their Heads and worshipped Oh! how glad and comforted do they seem that there comes any Relief to alter their Afflicted case at last Well but God will yet try their Patience under their Burdens and Adversity a little longer in the next Chapter Pharaoh comes and He multiplies their Burdens still more and more and lo now the Double Labour of their Bricks and the Stripes of their Task masters upon their Backs beat them quite out of Heart insomuch that at last Moses with all his Arguments and Perswasion could no ways still them for they are resolved to hear to wait to trust no longer they hearkened not c. Thus some of God's Children will seem to be born up notably when God comes first into their Souls with Comfort but alas if God to try them lays them again in the lowest Pit in Darkness Psa 88.6 in the Deeps immediately their Mountain is overturned their Sun is set and the Rainbow of the Covenant blotted out of Their Cloud They refuse to be comforted and seem loth to look out towards the Everlasting Hills again Psa 121.1 Now hence it is that the Gospel hath been very often in part ineffectual for a Time to some of God's own Children To conclude therefore in a word your Meat will not strengthen you to flee as a Bird to your Mountain Psa 11.1 so long as with Ephraim you remain a silly Dove without Heart Hos 7.11 And so much for the Doctrinal Part. The Ninth and last Thing propounded in the General method was the Application of this Doctrine IX The Vses I design to make by God's further Assistance are the Three following Information to discover such Truths Humiliation to bewail such Sins and Exhortation to beswade to such Duties as naturally flow from it First I. Vse by way of Information in these Thirteen Particulars 1. 1 Inf. We may learn the Fitness of Earthly Comparisons to bring down Heavenly Truths to our Capacities I say the Fitness of Earthly Comparisons for in this Body of Flesh we have more Earth than Spirit and need to put on Spectacles to help our weak Eyes It is a piece indeed of condescending Workmanship in our Maker to blow up the very Earth and the Things of it into a Glass and then shew us Heaven and the Things thereof thro' it which made the Apostle use the same Metaphor when he was comparing the Knowledge of Believers here with that perfect Sight they should have in Heaven 1 Cor. 13.12 Now we see thro' a Glass darkly but then Face to Face Thus the Holy Ghost declares I have used Similitudes by the Ministry of the Prophets Hos 12.10 (a) Deus se quodammodò transformat in verbo suo in quo non loquitur pro su◠Majestate sed prout congruere videt modulo nostro infirmitati Rivet in loc Vol. 2. p. 774. col 2. ultim Obs When God speaks to instruct us in his Word he doth as it were transform himself not speaking according to his own Essential Majesty but agreeably to the measure of our Frailty The Scripture often instructs us in Metaphors and sets forth our State Priviledges and Duty by
you might with your Houses come in and be welcome to serve the Lord Why is it that so Few of you are setting your Faces towards Sion Chap 50.5 even when Sion's Provisions are now ready Oh why is the Season now slighted Why is the opportunity Heb. 3.15 To Day if ye will hear his Voice neglected Oh! why will you die Sinners when you might close with the Redeemer now according to the Time of Life Gen. 18.14 Why will you be Sick and yet shut the Door against the Physician 's entrance now when he would come with Grace and Healing Love to save you Why will you now be Blind Rev. 3.18 when you might have Eye-salve to make you discern every Thing clearly 2 Sam. 16.17 Is this your Kindness to your Friend that would make you highly welcome For behold now is the Day of Salvation behold now is the Accepted Time 2 Cor. 6.2 Never such an opportunity appear'd as the Day of Salvation is and therefore it is now that there is hope in Israel concerning this Thing Ezra 10.2 last words And this shews how the Provisions of the Gospel are ready in their Season as there is a fit opportunity for Sinners to be made now welcome to them So much for the second Branch of this Readiness now in opportunity being now when Grace is offer'd 3. Now ready when Ministers are now urgent They are now like Phinehas Numb 25.11 zealous for their God not to slay as He but to save and present you alive at Supper They are loth to see you starv'd and so much Victuals ready and therefore are earnest in calling out to bring you in to Christ Their Heart's Desire and Prayer Rom. 10.1 their Tears and Travel their Sermons Study Aim is that you may be saved Their Language is to Sinners turn again now every one from his evil way Jer. 25.4 5. and 35.15 Their Language is to Saints Oh taste and see Psal 34.8 They are serious and earnest towards all Faithful Ministers dare jest with none Isa 53.1 We press you to believe our report and come if by any means we may see you but safe in at Supper We blow the Trumpet Ezek. 33.3 we ring the Warning Bell to give you notice of Supper that the Feast now is ready 4. Now ready when God himself now waits to bestow Mercy on you It is your Duty to wait upon God but such is God's Grace and Condescention that he is pleas'd to wait on you And therefore will the Lord wait that he may be Gracious unto you and therefore will he be exalted that he may have mercy on you Isa 30.18 He stoops that you may be made the means by which he will raise his own Name the higher Rev. 2.21 He waits that he may be Gracious He gives space to repent and does not break up House before the set Time is come The King waits at the Supper-Hour to see his Guests in He hath limited a certain Day Heb. 4.7 And he will stay his own Time he sets As he hath constituted and set Bounds to a Sacred Day of rest as that Place must be understood which Bounds can never be broken up without a gross violation of the Morality of the Fourth Commandment so he likewise limiteth the Day of his Grace and Patience towards Sinners and he will not remove the Bounds he hath plac't by a Perpetual Decree to fence it Jer. 5.22 He hath secretly fixt a waiting-time within his own Breast and as he now waits accordingly so he hath fixt a Time when he will never wait more If thou dost not come in Sinner to this Supper within the compass of God's waiting-time he will not stay a Minute and beseech or use one word of intreaty after 2 Cor. 5.20 There is now silence in Heaven for the space of half an Hour Rev. 8.1 now God seems to be making a Pause upon Mount Ebal and will read no more Curses yet that thou might'st hear more comfortably and distinctly what is said upon Mount Gerizim Deut. 11.29 Psal 24.3 to encourage thee to ascend into this Hill of the Lord where the Fat Things wait upon the Mountain ready till thou art brought thither God now looks thro' the Pillar of the Cloud to see who comes running by the way of the Plain Exod. 14.24 2 Sam. 18.23 Numb 35.13 Mat. 7.13 Matth. 25.10 11 12. to get in at the City of Refuge and thrust in at the strait Gate to Table taking the Kingdom of Heaven by a Holy Violence now now now before the Door is shut 5. Now ready when the Spirit breathes and blows upon us For the Spirit of the Lord bloweth when as well as the Spirit John 3.8 where it listeth As the Spirit of God in the first Creation did move upon the Face of the Waters Gen. 1.2 or sit and hatch the Creature so in the new Creation under the Preaching of the Gospel the Spirit moves upon the Face of the Waters or People who often in Scripture are compared to * Rev. 17.15 Jer. 47.2 Eccl. 11.1 Psal 124.4 5 c. Waters and forms †Gal. 4.19 Rom. 6.19 Christ in them Now when Men preach and the Spirit helps the Infirmity of our Flesh the Gospel is then made ready For it is the Spirit that quickneth the Flesh profiteth nothing Joh. 6.63 It is a Time of Readiness when God sends forth the Spirit of his Son Gal. 4.6 and proclaims it in your Hearts with a crying at the Table Abba Father 1 Cor. 12.8.9 10. yea when to one is given by the Spirit the Word of Wisdom to another the Word of Knowledge by the same Spirit to another Faith by the same Spirit to another Prophesie to another discerning of Spirits when the Spirit lifts up Ordinances and Means above their own Power when the Spirit speaketh expresly in us as well as the Language of the Messenger speaketh to us and when we see by the Blessed Effects of it Joh. 1.32 the Spirit of God descending from Heaven while the Word of the Kingdom comes in the Demonstration of the Spirit and with Power 1 Cor. 2.4 then is the Blessed Season the opportunity of the Gospel the special Time of Supper the now when All Things are ready It is now when the Spirit breathes and blows upon us And lo God now stretcheth forth his Hand the Spirit makes some work in thy Soul that perhaps thou canst now witness yea must acknowledge it this is the Finger of God Exod. 8.19 Why now then the Provisions are ready for thee 2 Cor. 2.15 't is now a Savour of Life unto Life to many and 't is now ready to get up Thee that art Dead while thou livest 1 Tim. 5 6 The Spirit now opens some Eyes that never saw one Morsel of the Bread of Life before It reveals Mysteries unto Babes which they never heard till