pt before mentioned Thy Thirst it may be is vehement but that Ocean in God will suit it where thou art bid to drink abundantly Cantic 5.1 last words Seeing thou may'st come and drink it will fare but the better with thee when thy Soul thirsteth for the Living God Psal 42.2 If like Samson thou art ready to dye for Thirst Judg. 15.18 what can be more suitable to thy Case than for God to break up the Fountains of the great Deep Gen. 7.11 'till thou find an Enhakkore the Well of him that cryed Judg. 15.19 In short if God cleave a Hollow in the Rock and open Christ the true Rock that follows us 1 Cor. 10.4 thou shalt then be suited and then satisfyed from the Clefts of it much better than Samson from the Hollow of the Jaw-bone Eleventhly The Gospel hath supporting Provisions and Provisions light and easie suited to the Condition of Burdened and Oppressed Souls 1. Supporting under Heavy Burdens 2. Substituting Light and Easie in the room of Heavy ones 1. The Gospel hath Provisions that are Supporting under Heavy Burdens Are Afflictions heavy Do they gall our tender Necks or fret sadly inwards yet where our own shoulders sink the Gospel hath provided to put the everlasting Arms underneath Deut. 33.27 underneath are the everlasting Arms. Thou canst not perish in Affliction because in all thine Affliction he hath made Provision indeed otherwise the Burden would be utterly insupportable Psal 119.92 Vnless thy Law had been my Delights I should then have perished in my Affliction I could not have stood under my Burden if he had not stood by to lean on The * Redeunt dolores redeundo erescunt at tandem opprimunt Rivet in Psa 119. v. 92. Vol. 2. pag. 461. Col. 2. Renewal of mine Afflictions together with their Encrease must have otherwise overcome me But now as the Case stands when his Hand presseth thee sore Psal 38.2 Yet the Lord upholdeth thee with his Hand too Psal 37.24 when thou fallest into outward Calamities he doth mitigate the Affliction that it shall not overwhelm thee A word of Power is prepar'd to bear thee up in his Hands Psal 91.12 while leaning Melancholly upon thine own thou art bowed down heavily Psal 35.14 Suppose thou touchest the Bier Luk. 7.14 thou art next akin to one that is carried to his long home Eccl. 12.5 yet God hath made something ready to support thee while thou art chief with the Mourners that go about the streets ibid. He that is better to thee than ten Sons as Elkanah hath it when he Comforts Hannah yea the chiefest of ten thousand 1 Sam. 1.8 Cant. 5.10 is better to thee than so many Relations were they possible in any kind whatever The Gospel hath such supporting Provisions as will keep thee at the very Grave's mouth from sinking where others slide in 2. The Gospel hath Provisions that substitute a Light and an Easie Burden in the Room of Heavy ones If thou hast a Burden upon thy Back a Burden upon thine Hands yea one upon thine Head and a heavier Load at Heart yet the Gospel is ready to exchange them and afford thee so light a Yoke thou needst not call a Burden If thou dost yet still with Christ thou mayst say it is a Burden is not heavy My Yoke is easie and my Burden light Matth. 11.30 Christ doth not leave his People to do all in their own Natural Strength it is the Covenant of Works that serves the Worker so Christ makes it easie to hold his Yoke because his Hand lightens it while his Hand holds it on us Isa 30.20 Tho' thou hast eaten the Bread of Affliction that lyes heavy at thy Heart yet he hath prepared thee a Table of Bread to digest easier while he appoints it thy Meat and Drink to do the Will of God Joh. 4.34 her ways are ways of pleasantness Prov. 3.17 For tho' it be hard in it self to bear the very Gospel Yoke yet it is not hard when thou hast strength to bear of him Psal 78.39 He remembers that we are Flesh and therefore provides his Spirit to be willing when our Flesh is weak Christ is a Master that will not deal like others Sin was imperious Satan cruel other Lords that have had Dominion worse than Hagar's Mistress Sarat that dealt hardly with her Gen. 16.6 but Grace is order'd to deal with Thee gently as David charg'd his Captains to deal gently with the young Man Absalom 2 Sam. 18.5 Twelfthly The Gospel hath Establishing Provisions suited to the Condition of wavering and unsteddy minds Art thou like a Wave of the Sea Jam. 1.6 that is driven up and down and tost yet the Gospel hath a Rock not to break or wrack but settle thee whereon thy Soul may rest It provides the Author of thine Establishment God himself 2 Cor. 1.21 Now he which establisheth us is God It provides the means of thine Establishment the Grace of God the sure Doctrine of Grace that thou mayst know what to believe and what to Practise instead of the Craft and Sleight of Cunning-men Eph. 4.14 Heb. 13.9 It is a good thing that the Heart be established with Grace not with Meats as if he had said The substance of the Gospel will but the shadows of the Law will not afford an establisht Posture for you The Gospel suits unto the settling of the whole or of any part that needs it Do you want Footing it hath laid the Path-way to Heaven and cut it out upon the Rock the tryed way thither Would you Catch and meet with sure Hand-hold it provides you that which is fit to fasten on that you may lay hold upon Eternal Life 1 Tim. 6.12 It hath Establishment for gidà y Heads and enough for any gracious Hearts It will keep you steddy in the Centre that you shall not like others in the Circle turn always round Briefly it hath all that can be suited to perfect stablish settle you 1 Pet. 5.10 last words The Elegant variety of the words may denote the highest Degree of stedfastness an establishment that can never be overthrown The last words * Fundare est Radicem ipsam gratiae magìs-magisque infigere Ames in Pet. Job 19.28 settle you seems to have a reference to the security of the Root and shews that Grace is of a settling Nature unto all that have the Root of the matter in them Grace without will find out the smallest measure of it within to secure and fix the Subject that it shall not be moved away from the Hope of the Gospel Colos 1.23 Thirteenthly The Gospel hath strengthening Provisions suited to the Condition of weak Souls Tho' thou hast lost some of the Power which was given thee from above i. e. tho' the exercise and and actings of Grace be low yet the Gospel hath got ready to encrease Grace and strengthen its Principle within thee when
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
The Guests at this Feast are come off from the Hedges and the High-ways in a mean dirty tatter'd Garb and therefore had need of a clean Wedding-Garment to sit down in The Dirt and defilements that clave unto us do make God abhorr our Persons and loath our Performances 'till he put of his Comliness upon us Ezek. 16.14 The High-Priest Joshua was cloathed Zech. 3.3 but yet with Filthy Garments when he stood before the Angel or before the Lord Jesus Christ Mal. 3.1 the Angel of the Covenant who appears unto this High-Priest as the same Person that was to come in the Flesh Heb. 3.1 the Apostle and High-Priest of our Profession Now this Glorious Angel this bright Seraphim beholding the Righteousness of Joshua as an Eye-sore in the Pure sight of God commands it to be taken away He answered and spake unto those that stood before him v. 4. saying take away the Filthy Garments from him These Filthy Garments could not be meant properly of his Iniquities because Sin is such an Abomination in the Abstract that when Men begin to entertain the true Sentiments of Religion they dare not put on their Sins for a Covering but yet are very prone to wrap up themselves in warm Thoughts with their own Services even as Men who tho' they do not use to array themselves with Dirt may put on Dirty Garments I therefore understand by these Filthy Garments which the Angel commands to be taken away all Workings whatsoever in the great Business of our Justification because of the immediate Impurity convey'd by the Worker Luk. 16.15 that must make them absolutely consider'd to be an Abomination in the sight of God For who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean Not one Job 14.4 Man himself is polluted and so are all his Duties Now upon this Account in that Type of Joshua the Angel proceeds after the Removal of those Filthy Garments Zech. 3.4 And unto him unto Joshua he said behold I have caused thine Iniquity to pass from thee I have provided thee a Remedy against thy impure Services and therefore much more against thine Impurities or sins and I will cloath thee with change of Raiment I confess * Pemble some Expositors do make this Change of Raiment to be the Robe of Sanctification But †Hutcheson others do Interpret it I think in the most natural and genuine sence of the Robe of Christ's Righteousness because his Righteousness being without us is more aptly compared to Raiment worn upon us not but tho' it was principally intended to signifie our Pardon and Justification by Christ's Righteousness it suppofeth also our Sanctification to be ever accompanyed herewith 1 Cor. 1.30 for Christ is made of God unto us Sanctification and Redemption wherever he is made Righteousness He answers our Pollution by a Work of his Spirit in us of which afterwards as well as our Guilt by his Righteousness for the sake whereof God passeth an Act of his Grace on us We may therefore look upon this Expression of the Change of Raiment to shadow out Christ's Righteousness for Pardon and Justification and yet that Holiness of Heart and Life must ascertain unto Vs the Efficacious Interest we have in such a Righteousness to change our State and so evidence it to be no Dream and Delusion Alas when we come to partake of the Priviledges of the Gospel in our own Righteousness we do not only come like the Gibeonites with old Garments clouted Josh 4.5 and rent upon us but we are all as an unclean thing with unclean and filthy Raggs about us as our Righteousnesses are expresly termed by the Holy Ghost Isa 64.6 Our Plague sores issue out and defile all our Service that we have not a Rag fit to put on Now the Gospel among its All things ready Gen. 27.15 provides us the goodly Raiment of our Elder Brother and takes Care that we be found in Christ's Righteousness when we are plac'd at God's Table Hence it is Psal 45.13 that the King's Daughter is all glorious within her Cloathing is of wrought Gold Christ in her and Christ upon her his Spirit inhabiting his Righteousness adorning makes her truly Noble Psal 149.9 And this Honour have all his Saints that never a Pharisee in the World with the Long Robes of a Self-Righteousness is arrayed like one of thâ—se Luk 20.46 Christ hath gotâ—en thee Raiment that is Ornamental Rev. 19.13 as well as Covering for tho' it be a Vesture dipt in Blood yet it doth not stain thy Ratment Isa 63.2 3. Tho' he was red in his Apparel when he trod the Wine press because the Sprinklings of his Blood dyed his own wear Rev. 19.8 yet it was made so White in the Blood of the Lamb that ever since it hath been to the Saints a Suit of Fine Linnen Alas v. 14. it would not match your spiritual Vileness if a Prince should Cloath you in Scarlet 2 Sam. 1.24 as Saul did the Daughters of Israel and put on Ornaments of Gold upon your Apparel But the Prince of the Kings of the Earth brings forth the Best Robe Luk. 15.22 to Cloath you gorgeously infinitely beyond the Attire of all such as are cloathed with strange Apparel Zeph. 1.8 That is the Sixth Case in which the Provisions of the Gospel suit Seventhly The Gospel hath Sanctifying Provisions suited to the Universal Defilements of Spirit Soul and Body The Gospel requires Holy Vessels when it makes ready Holy Victuals As thou art Filthy it opens a Fountain to wash in Zech. 13.1 In that day there shall be a Fountain opened to the House of David and to the Inhabitants of Ierusalem for sin and for uncleanness It is true The more full Accomplishment as * Hutcheson upon the Minor Prophets one observes of these things were reserved for the Converted Israelites and therefore are peculiarly promised in that Day when they shall repent and be restored yet are the common Priviledge of the Gospel-Church in every Age. Thus far He. It is a clear Promise of Sanctification fulfilled in the Cleansing Vertue and Efficacy of Christ's Blood under the Gospel That Fountain opened is as * Mr. Hurst Supplement to Pool's Eng. Annotations Song 4.12 one calls it the true Siloam which purifies and cleanseth every Leper whom God puts into it and as the same Author observes tho' the Spouse is to Christ a Fountain Sealed yet Christ is to Sinners a Fountain opened For the House of Judah and the Inhabitants of Jerusalem i. e. for every one that is made to look out to Christ it is opened for every one that sees the Necessity of Holiness or Purification from it These shall be all Purifyed in that Bath which is prepared to cleanse us from all Filthiness and Pollution both of Flesh and Spirit 2 Cor. 7.1 The Generation of God's Children are not left to be like that other Generation
the Feast is a Feast of Holiness and it will surely hinder our Complyance if we are resolv'd to touch the Vnclean thing 2 Cor. 6.17 Shall we continue in sin that Grace may abound Rom. 6.1 Tho' Grace should abound that is the offer of it to us yet it will work out nothing if it doth not work us off from sin Rom. 1.26 It must take ofâ— our vile Affections as the Apostle calls them that we do not hate the good and love the evil it must eat off the Chain we bind our selves in for this continuance in Love to sin must be broken off before we yield to any New Complyance We shall never stir towards a Saviour so long as we stand in any Evil Thing If Iniquities prevail Psa 65.3 the Invitation worketh no Perswasion or Success upon us All Things in this Great Supper will be too weak to perswade if there be but one Beloved Lust prevails You must not defile you must not foul your Hands with sin and your Fingers with Iniquity when you come to eat Bread in the Kingdom of God but wash ye make ye clean Isa 1.16 and touch not the Unclean Thing 2 Cor. 6.17 Wherefore come out from among them that is from Unrighteousness from Darkness v. 14. and be ye separate saith the Lord and touch not the Vnclean Thing and I will receive you (y) Egressâ—â— in Scripturâ animo non modò corpori tribuitur Camer Myroth p. 355 Be ye separate i. e. Remove be gone be not contented to lye still in sin change your Doings and Behaviour tho' you don't change your Dwelling come off in your Affections and Conversations from the Pollutions that have cleaved to you 2 Cor. 7.1 Cleanse your selves from all filthiness both of Flesh and Spirit or you will never accept of the Invitation that calls you to such a cleanly Feast Tho' Wisdom cryeth without Prov. 1.20 she will not help you 'till she is suffered to break off the League which you have made with Folly You must come from Sin for it is unto Death Rom. 6.23 The Wages of Sin is Death or you will not come to this Feast to take of the Bread of Life in it You must get off the Broad wan that leadeth to destruction Mat. 7.13 before you can advance aright or come on to the Gate that 's strait and the narrow way to Heaven 2. Satan is another Terminus a Quo or Term we must likewise come from Natural Men are apt to imagine that the Devil and They are far enough asunder his Name perhaps affrights them tho's they can bear his Nature on them And therefore if we comply with the Invitation of Gospel Grace we must Return where we have turned aside after Satan This may be opened in three Things 1. Sinners must come out of the Devil's Family The Devil is expresly called the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Father of Wicked Men Joh. 8.44 Ye are of your Father the Devil and the Lusts of your Father ye will do Of your Father and therefore of your Father's House His Lusts ye will do His Children obey him tho' they can never obey this Parent in the Lord. Eph. 6.1 You must Dis-obey 1 Pet. 1.14 fly from Him if you would be found the True obedient Children You can never be the Children of God if you remain the Children of the Evil one Again you must change your Family and get off from your old Lord before you you can serve a New Master for you are but one and can never serve Two Mat. 6.24 tho' Satan be a Prince Eph. 2.2 yet you must not confent to let him lord it over you Tho' he be Lucifer Son of the Morning Isa 14.12 yet he is fallen from Heaven and if you obey him you fall down and worship Hell Tho' he be the God of this World 2 Cor. 4.4 yet it is Treason against the King of Kings to consent as They unto the Bramble Judg. 9.14 come Thou and reign over us He is called the Prince of the Power of the Air. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Word is the Authority not the Intrinsick Power And his very Authority too is wholly Precarious and dependent and what he exerciseth in the Air as the Seat of his Empire and Dominion is no otherwise than by Delegation Eph. 2.2 so that tho' he be the Power of the Air you must resist the Powers of Hell or you resist the Ordinance of God Jam. 4.7 Resist the Devil rebel against the Tyrant tho' you have been born and trained in his Court. In a word you can never become the Friends of God ch 2.23 so long as you are related to this Enemy of God that owns you You must come out of Satan's Family 2. Sinners must come off from the Devil's Work When they leave his House they must leave his Service both within and out of Doors too Alas Men are nothing but Abominable Strange Flesh so long as thâ—y are acted by this Spirit It matters nothing how they are swept and garnished tho' their Houses be hung with a Profession and they stick their Windows with the Boughs so long as the Vnclean Spirit dwells within Eph. 2.2 lat pt He is the Spirit that now worketh in the Children of Disobedience that worketh in or * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Inward Worker He doth not only stand by and look over the Children of Disbbedience but he works himself in them i. e. saith (z) James Ferguson in loc one by way of Inspiration and a kind of Breathing The Devil blows up Men to Wickedness their minds swell while that cruel Task-master enters in and they are filled with the Devil He suffers none of his Slaves to rest idle among the many Millions he employs in his Service every Day He worketh at the Trade of Hell and will make all his Servants help him He cuts out work continually and all Natural Men who remain under his Power he keeps close as a hard Master to it Now Sinners must be brought to leave these Works of the Devil Joh. 9.4 before they can work the works of God You must put nothing in Satan's Hands when you present your selves unto the Lord. You must throw off his Drudgery if you would be doing the Holy Will of God You must not make your Bricks in Egypt if you go to be built up for an Habitation unto God in Canaan You must be willing to be freed from His Slavery before you are Free for Christ's Service and shake off his Yoke of Iron before you can take the Yoke of Christ on Prov. 1.9 as an Ornament of Grace or a Chain of Gold about your Neck 3. Sinners must come off from all his Flattering Adurements let him promise what Reward he will We shall be ty'd by the Heels tho' we think to come to Christ 2
will not allow it that you should live upon your own Purse in Egypt So likewise in the Gospel Sinners are prone by Nature to bring something of their own and make exchange with Christs Money the Work of their Hands to purchase Grace and buy a little Food of him But if our Joseph nourish us he will take our Sacks empty we must bring them to Jesus without Money in them his House is Free we may Dine or Sup with Him for nothing it is Eat Cant. 5.1 O Friends and drink abundantly O Beloved but still without Money and without Price Isa 55.1 The Lord draws out his Soul unto the Hangry tho' the Hungry cannot draw their Purse The Gospel yields no such Bread as we must not eat till we work and earn it Tho' a Poor Soul should cry out in another sense with Peter Silver and Gold have I none Act. 3.6 yet wherein dos this Poverty exclude from his Table at a Feast where Christ hath paid for all Thou hast all given in for nothing and shalt never hear of a Bill of Charges to be brought and laid to thine account Isa 55.1 thô Christ bids thee buy Wine and Milk it doth not suppose thou canst drop a Farthing for it for it is He that hath no Money yet encouraged to buy and eat The Holy Ghost seems to use that Language which men are first prone to take up themselves Come buy whereas it is only meant they should take what is bought already for them Christ as †Mr. Obadiah Sedgwick Fountain Opened p. 214. one says never sells dear to the Poor Free Grace will have no Pay but Thanks Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable Gift 2 Cor. 9.15 We have no self worthiness in our best Estate we could never move or oblige the King to feast such as we at supper The Lord's Bounty in feasting us was to make us Good not as any Reward because he found us so Tho' in our Flesh there dwelleth no Good Thing yet when his Spirit furnisheth our House he doth not ask or will ever take a Farthing tho' his Supper cost him more than millions we need not lay out one mite upon it Fourthly 4 Resemblance The Gospel resembles a Feast in regard of the Place of Entertainment Feasts are not made abroad sub Dio in the open Air or got ready in the Markets Things are sold but they are not eaten in the Shambles Luk. 22.11 The Master saith Where is the Guest-Chamber where I shall eat the Passover with my Disciples The Provisions are at home i. e. where the Master dwelleth and to be had in his Presence at his House alone The Guests must not be found in other Houses but where the Master of the Entertainment dwells So in Things pertaining to the Gospel the Provisions of the Grace of God do not ly in Shops and in Shambles among our selves but look unto Me and be ye saved Isa 45.22 In buying and selling we go only to our own Place but in receiving the Gospel we are come to his Dwelling-place in Sion Psal 76.2 The Things of this Life are without-Doors but if we taste of his Supper we must eat it within his Holy Place that is we must be brought at least into the Church Universal If we remain off from the Family we shall come at no Food in it it is under Their Roof that we partake of Their Repast Grace is not to be found out of its own Circle and Nature finds out nothing but Destruction on the other side if we are fed it must not be with the Wild Beasts of the Forrest but the Sheep in Christ's Fold If we have meat we must not wander abroad but walk within the Pale of the * Extra Ecclesiam nulla salus Church There is no favour to be shewn us from the King if we keep away from Court no Priviledge of God's Subjects but in the Kingdom of Grace which is not of this World As Paul said unto the Centurion and the Mariners Acts 27.31 Except ye abide in the Ship ye cannot be saved so unless you be with the Master of the Feast 1 Cor. 11.20 this is not to eat the Supper of the Parable It is necessary that we be of the Body to obtain a Relation to the Head and that we be Members to possess our Place among them Provision is not to be every where had but as we must have our Place at a man 's own Habitation if we taste of the Bounty and Generosity he shews in his House so we must be set in the True Church with Christ to receive our Bread and drink of our Cup at his Hand Fifthly 5 Resemblance The Gospel resembles a Feast in limiting its provisions Feasts are not common unexcepted Entertainments to make all men Guests Such as are treated themselves at the Master's House do not there meet with every one they know A man may be at a Feast where some of his own House are Strangers whom he never finds there One that hath lain in his own Bosom one that hath sprung from his own Bowels may Sup in another place It is not strange then if a man finds not the whole Neighbourhood or all that dwell near him at the Gospel supping by him Latter part I will take you one of a City and two of a Family and I will bring you to Zion Jer. 3.14 Nay the wonder will abundantly lessen still that the multitude should be excluded Feasting at the Master's House 'T is no strange Thing that a Greater company than the Guests are walking thrô the the Streets or riding thro' the Town and all passing by the Door whom the Good man of the House takes no notice of His Dinner or his Supper is ready for them alone that are bidden whom he hath sent to call in Tit. 2.11 The Grace of God in like manner that bringeth Salvation is manifested and declared by himself that it doth not extend to all Multitudes go by that are neither called nor yet come in Some have not the Knowledge of God 1 Cor. 15.34 some again know him and yet in works deny him Tit. 1.16 They are called i. e. the Preaching of the Gospel calls upon them and they profess to go unto the Marriage Matth. 21.28 but are like the Son that was sent into the Vineyard who said I go Sir and went not V. 30. Others may accidentally be mingled with the Holy Seed but eat and drink not in God's Kingdom who yet may be Strangers and no Guests Men and not Christians for many are called but Few are chosen Matth. 20.16 Chap. 22.14 As God winks when he pleaseth at the Times of Ignorance looks over them Act. 17.30 as the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 word signifies so he may look on the Times when more enlightned and destroy as he pleaseth the Wisdom of the wise and bring to nothing the
part Indeed Solomon's Provision for one day amounted to a large Bill of Fare 1 Kings 4.22.23 Thirty measures of fine Flower and threescore measures of meal ten fat Oxen and twenty Oxen out of the Pastures and an hundred Sheep beside Harts and Roe-bucks and fallow-deer and fatted fowl But the Supper of our God is in a Richer and more abundant store than that as will appear when serv'd up in this following Account viz. Milk for Babes Meat for strong men the true Bread from Heaven Living water Flesh to eat Blood to drink the Lamb of God the fatted Galf for Prodigals the Marrow of rich Forgiveness the food of Knowledge the nourishment of Faith the feast of Holiness or the bunch of Hyssop in Sanctification of the Spirit the hidden Manna of Election the Royal Dainties of Assurance the Evangelical honey comb dropping Free Grace the fatness of God's house in Ordinances the Supplies of the Spirit of Jesus the morsel of Hope for them that fail not to sit with the King at meat the full meal of Contentment for them that have left all and followed Christ the Refreshments of the Peace of Conscience the Oyl of Joy the Cup of Consolation with the Wine of the Kingdom running over the continual Diet of Perseverance in the sure mercies of David and the Fruit of the Tree of Life 1. Milk for Babes even the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sincere Milk of the Word which the weakest of God's Little ones may lye at the Breasts and suck On this wise speaketh the Apostle Peter in his Exhortation 1 Pet. 2.2 As new born Babes desire the sincere milk of the Word that ye may grow thereby The Holy Scriptures are made ready in the Plainest Truths for a Hungry Infant that will not be quiet till it finds the Breast out Lam. 4.4 The Tongue of God's sucking Children would cleave to the Roof of their mouth if they could not get to the Word and there be as one that hath sucked the Breasts of his Mother Cantic 8.1 Heb. 5.12 The first Principles of the Oracles of God are compar'd to Milk because the first sort of Truths that young Converts Learn and are wont at the beginning of the New-Birth to be most affected with The Apostle Paul speaking of the Infancy of his Corinthian Church tells them in his Epistle which he first wrote unto them 1 Cor. 3.2 I have fed you with milk and not with meat for hitherto ye were not able to bear it neither yet now are ye able * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fed you with Milk I have given you a Liquid Food you might swallow easie Others have drank what I have given you to eat as the Milk of Babes may by strong men be eaten or drunk either Not with meat ye were not able to bear it That is ye could not digest the stronger and higher sort of Doctrines neither yet now are ye able 1 Cor. 14 20. Children in understanding must have the Food of their Souls as their lack of Age requires it Philemâ—â— 9 and such a one as Paul the aged knew it Our Blessed Lord Jesus Christ had such weak Disciples with him that he forbore a while feeding them with strong meat and stays till more cubits were added to their Spiritual Stature before he weans them from the milk of Babes Joh. 16.12 I have many things to say unto you but ye cannot bear them now He dealt with them proportionably to their present state and weaker Capacities in Christianity So young Converts must be fed with Food convenient Prov. 30.8 not only convenient in the Quantity and Measure as Agur meant it but convenient in the Quality and Nature of it and not too strong for them Weaker Christians must be fed with weaker Diet that their Souls may digest it and be made the better for the Truths they take in Now the Gospel hath its Milk in Doctrines easie to be understood 1 Cor. 14.9 Come ye therefore says the Evangelical Prophet Isa 55.1 and buy milk It is a sort of Victuals treasur'd up in our Fathers House that when ye rceive the Kingdom of God Mark 10.15 as a little Child I mean with a very Childish and low Capacity you may meet with Provisions therein suited to you Isa 60.16 Our Babes in Christ may suck the Milk of the Gentiles that is those plain Revelations of the Son of God who is now believed on in the World 1 Tim. 3.16 They can milk out from these Breasts of consolation Isa 66.11 till they are delighted with the Abundance of her Glory Jerusalem God's Church the Mother of us all Gal. 4.26 hath Breasts given her which her Children shall never draw dry The Holy Ghost stoops in very low Expressions 2 Tim. 3.15 that from a Child a Believer may know the Holy Scriptures Its Doctrines are suited to the Understanding and Capacities of the meanest The Gospel hath a Plenty that will furnish all sorts Heb. 5.13 The Vnskilfull in the Word of Righteousness is not left destitute but may receive the Word of his Grace and use it's Milk while he is a Babe Tho' like Zaccheus Luk. 19.3 you are Little of Stature yet you may reach of the Fruit when you cannot climb the Tree of Life before you The Gospel abounds with a Treasure of Holy Learning which some have received tho' never brought up at the * Act. 22.3 Chap. 19.9 Feet of Gamaliel or the School of one Tyrannus You may be taught the Truth as it is in Jesus Eph. 4.21 Luk. 2.46 and know the Master of the School that sat among the Doctours tho' you be not rankt among the wise and prudent I thank thee O Father Lord of Heaven and Earth that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto Babes Matth. 11.25 The Word of God indeed hath its Depths where there is no passing over without swimming beyond your reach but yet it hath its shallowes where going lower you may wade or foord thro' 1 Tim. 3.16 Tho' it be the Mystery of Godliness yet a Mystery so revealed that the ordinary Readers or Hearers may be taught to profit by it Exod. 8.19 There be plain Truths written with the Finger of God and clear Truths copied out as with a Sun-beam from Heaven God's Word is a Text-Hand and he that runs may read it In a word Isa 7.22 it hath the Abundance of Milk for Babes to nourish even the least in our Father's House 2. Meat for strong men or the strong Meat of the highest Gospel-Mysteries Sublime and spiritual Doctrines may be set forth by Meat as the Apostle doth in that forementioned place 1 Cor. 3.2 and strong meat as he calls them Heb. 5.14 which belongeth to them that are of Full Age that is above New Converts the Adult who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern
David's Guard to break first thrô an Host that encamps against us Psa 27.3 Joh. 4.28 This is a Well where we may leave our water-pot since when we have drank of the Water we carry a well away with us v. 14. It is the Lamb's Fountain and thou mayst wring more out of this Fleece than Gideon's a Judg. 638 Bowl full or Hagar's b Gen. 21.15 bottle or Elijah's four c 1 Kings 18.33 barrels of water This is none of the bitter water that causeth the d Num. 5 22. curse but a Blessing when it comes into the e Ps 109. â—â— Bowels like water Our other Drink is f Hos 4 1â— soâ—â—r but this is a Fountain that yieldeth sweet water g Jam. 3 11 This Precious Liquor this incomparable and true Aqua vitae was set abroach upon the Tree of the Cross when one of the Souldiers with a Spear pierc'd his side and there forthwith came out Blood and (h) Joh. 19.34 water And lo he continues still as a pure River of the water of life running plentifully down the Gospel by his Guests at the Table side In a word he is water to cleanse our Filth Rev. 22.1 and water to quench our Thirst besides 5. Flesh to eat When the mixed multitude in the Wilderness fell a lusting it was to eat Flesh Num. 11.4 insomuch that the Children of Israel wept again and said who shall give us Flesh to eat and can he provide Flesh for his People Psa 78.20 last words But lo he that commanded the Clouds rained down Flesh upon them as Dust and feathered Fowls like as the sand of the Sea v. 27. Who indeed would have looked for such a Shower for when they tempted God in the Desert one might rather have feared he should have turned them to grass with their Flocks and Herds than have rained Flesh out of the Clouds upon them Yet tho' they had provoked God in the day of Temptation in the wilderness he tells them on the morrow ye shall eat Flesh Num. 11.18 But alas what was their Flesh tho' the Flesh of Quails to the Flesh of Jesus Christ What was the Flesh he gave unto all this People in comparison of the Flesh of the Son of God which he gives the Soul to feed upon by Faith Jesus Christ yields a variety to the Faith of God's Elect Num. 21.5 and it doth not follow that their Soul like those Israelites doth loath him as light Bread because their Soul also longeth for his Flesh to eat But we may here lawfully put in that wish in Job Oh! Job 31.31 that we had of his Flesh God doth not call you to eat the Flesh of your Sons Jer. 19.9 but the Flesh of His nor the Flesh of your Friend Zech. 13 7 but the Flesh of the man that is his Fellow What strange Flesh was that which the Poor Woman in Samaria had when she boiled her own Son for meat 2 Kings 6.29 Isa 13.18 She parted with the Fruit of her Womb being stricken thrô for want of the Fruits of the Field Lam. 4.9 But 't is a more astonishing wonder that God parted with the Son of his Bosom that we might eat the Flesh of this Sacrifice And there is no fear of making our Brother to offend by eating this Flesh while the World standeth 1 Cor. 8 1â— This mysterious Delicate the Flesh of Christ contains the Benefits of the Gospel which make up this Royal Entertainment that he purchas'd by his Death and Sufferings in the Flesh when he was put to Death in the Flesh 1 Pet. 3.18 but quickned by the Spirit This Doctrine of the Flesh of Christ given for meat unto our Faith is a further Exposition of the True Bread Joh. 6.51 And the Bread that I will give is my Flesh Now God must be first manifest in the Flesh 1 Tim. 3.16 Rom. 8.3 and in the likeness of sinful Flesh and in this Flesh of ours die to prepare meat for us for as the Creatures that have Life die that we a while in our Bodies by their Death might live so it is the very Flesh of Christ and him crucified that must give Life unto our Souls His Flesh suffer'd his Flesh was pierc'd he was hung upon that Flesh book of the Cross when God gave him to be meat unto us His Flesh was powdered in the very Grave where other Things corrupt but his Flesh did not see Corruption Acts 2.31 to be made ready as a sweet and Dainty Morsel for us The wrath of God broke forth upon the Body he had prepared Heb. 10.5 and kindled a Fire in his Anger that even boil'd him as Flesh within the Caldron Mic. 3.3 and roasted him that his Flesh might be meat indeed for us Joh. 6.55 his Flesh was bor'd thro' and thro' tho' not a Bone of him should be broken Thus was he bruised for our Iniquities Isa 53.5 or there should no Flesh be saved Hence he hath spoken Matth. 24.22 Joh. 6.57 last words He that eateth me even he shall live by me This may serve to answer either the Jew's or the unbelieving Gentile's Question Joh. 6.52 How can this Man give us his Flesh to eat it being not to be understood of a Sacramental eating as the Rhemists gloss it but a spiritual by Faith alone Oh! how may we stand amaz'd at the Provisions in Him whose Name is VVonderful Isa 9.6 This is the Fifth Dish the Flesh of Jesus Christ 6. Blood to drink Perhaps our Ignorant squeazy old man may loath it as the Egyptians did to drink of the water of the River Exod. 7.18 after it was smitten with the Rod of Moses and turned into Blood but our New-man redeemed by Blood will take great Delight in it Alas we have sinn'd our selves into such a Feavour that our own common Drink inflames we have kindled a Burning which nothing but Blood the Blood of Christ will quench if man tryes to put the Fire out by any Works of Righteousness which he hath done Tit. 3.5 the sweat of his Brows will drop in and like Oil still increase the Flame Nay it is not VVater barely separate from Blood will quench our Anguish tho' we trusted that we could Job 40.23 with the Behemoth draw up Jordan into our mouths we must still have Blood to drink Oh! it requires great Faith in the Son of God to see it for otherwise Corruption will make us too nice to be entertain'd with Blood Faith and Faith alone is kept alive by it it cannot it needs not live upon a more Generous and Sprightly Liquor than this pure Blood of the Grape Deut 32.14 last words 1 Pet. 1.2 pâ—â—t it makes every Morsel of the Banquet Savoury that 't is sprinkled with the Blood of Jesus Christ Flesh as before and Blood now do include the whole Body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
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
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
that we may follow the Banquet into our great High-Priest's Palace The Grace of the Gospel takes off our Restraints as well as takes up a Holy Repast for us It easeth us of a Yoke as well as spreads our Table Grace enables us to walk at Liberty Psa 119.45 before we can leave work to earn the Wages of Death and sit down to Meat We read of a Feast Matth. 27.15 at which the Governour was wont to release a Prisoner The Jews having †Credebile est a Romanis hoc ess◠Polt Synop. Crit. probably learnt it from the Roman Custom However this as * Dickson upon Matthew some account it might be an unwarrantable Practice yet it is a gracious Priviledge at this Feast of the Gospel to release a Prisoner ay and a Notable Prisoner too Mat. 27.16 Mankind as notable in the Species as ever Barabbas the Individual was The Gospel which Preacheth up a Feast proclaims a Free Liberty to Captives Isa 61.1 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord hath anointed me to Preach good Tidings unto the meek he hath sent me to proclaim Liberty to the Captives and the opening of the Prison to them that are bound Christ came to free the Servant of Corruption and a Slave of the Devil that being loosned out of Bondage Gal. 5.1 the poor Soul might afterwards stand fast in the Liberty wherewith Christ hath made him free For a Plain Text asserts the Security of such a Freedom Joh. 8.36 If the Son therefore shall make you free ye shall be free indeed 'T is called expresly a Redemption Col. 1.14 it being the Release of Prisoners and Captives by the Payment of a Price at such a Rate as the Son of God paid for the Redemption of them through his Blood Now suppose thou art yet in Bondage to Sin Heb. 12.1 Rom. 7. v. 17 20. the sin that doth so easily beset thee the sin that dwelleth in thee yet the Gospel provideth against the intanglement that thou may'st be made free from sin Rom. 6.18 i. e. Free from the Lordly Dominion of sin by the Spirit of Christ and free from the severe Condemnation of sin by the Blood of Christ according to the Atonement Suppose a Slave that thou art ty'd to Satan's Galleys and one whom Satan hath bound lo these eighteen or twenty or perhaps forty Years yet the same Gospel that provideth to turn thee from Darkness to Light is ready also to turn thee from the Power of Satan unto God Act. 26.18 Art thou bound with a Chain that cuts thee and imprints its ragged Indentures on thee whilst thou art sensibly feeling of thy self to be staked down as if something had fastened thee with Bands to Unbelief yet the Gospel is made ready to come in with Faith and more Evidences of Might in the Day of Christ's Power when unto you it is given on the behalf of Christ to believe on him Phil. 1.29 Tho' thou canst not believe except it be given thee from above and thine Impotence makes thy Bondage yet the Gospel provides to release thee from the Bondage of Corruption Rom. 8.21 and translate thee into the Liberty of the Children of God Now therefore if Bound what can suit thee more than the Loosning Power of the Gospel If thou lack'st to be called unto Liberty Gal. 5.13 nothing can be fitter for thy Case than the Gospel that proclaims it and a God that procures it for thee No Power under Heaven can reach thy Case so fitly while of a truth thou art Bound as the Son of God that can make thee Free indeed The Gospel is suited to thy Condition tho' thou art shut up in Prison thou may'st be a Prisoner of Hope Zech. 9.12 tho' thou feelest the weight of thy Chain Psal 107.10 and art laid in Affliction and Iron The Day of the Gospel is a Year of Jubilee a great Year of Release Isa 61.2 and called the Acceptable Year of the Lord in which he accepts of a Ransom for thee Tho' thou hast been barbarously us'd in Egypt he hath set open a Door of Hope Hos 2.15 thro' which thou may'st see and a Door of Entrance thro' which he will bring thee in Free to Canaan The Gospel hath Grace ready to set thee at Liberty and then to keep thee for ever Free from the Tyranny and Dominion of thine old Jailors that thou may'st always dwell in safety Psal 4.8 This is provided suitably to thy Case among the All things ready Sixthly The Gospel hath Apparelling Provisions suited to array the Naked and adorn Nasty Souls 1. It hath Provisions suited to our spiritual Nakedness to cloath and cover it The Gospel hath a Wardrobe of the richest Wear as well as a Table of the choicest Viands Song 3.11 Christ in the Day of his Espousals cloaths the Naked as well as feeds the Hungry We read of the Marriage-Feast of Samson that when he had put forth a Riddle unto the Phlistines he promised to give them thirty Sheets and thirty Change of Garments Judg. 14.12 if they could certainly declare it to him within the seven dayes of the Feast which Samson afterwards upon their telling it gave them in full Tale as He had agreed punctually Now the Gospel-Feast at the Marriage of the King's Son affords to us Changes of Raiment likewise thô not upon such hard Conditions as Samson made with the Philistines for when we have Food and Raiment in the Gospel 1 Tim. 6.8 he frankly gives us Both. Tho' we are stript in the First Adam yet we may be cloathed with the Second Hence it is the Scripture speaks of putting on Christ Rom. 13.14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ Tho' we want Cloaths in a Righteousness of our own yet we may put on the Lord Jesus Rev. 3.18 that the shame of our Nakedness do not appear God hath provided Christ therefore accordingly to suit us as * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jer. 23.6 Iehovah or the Lord our Righteousness if common Providence hath provided a Suit which the very Grass of the Field and the Flowers of it wear Special Grace would not come behind but provide the Righteousness of God in the Garments of Salvation to Cloath you Mat. 6 30. Oh ye of little Faith Job 1.21 tho' you come Naked into the World yet He hath provided that you may carry this Cloathing out 2. It hath Provisions suited to our spiritual Nastiness to adorn us and put the Garments of Praise upon us This Raiment indeed is for Sinners that come Nasty but not for such as are resolved to continue so Alas we come in to the Feast of our selves Jam. 2.2 like the Poor Man in vile Ratment but the Bounty of the Feast-maker provides us with a better Suit to appear at his Table and before his Presence in Mat. 22.10 Luk. 14.21 23.
which is not washed from their Filthiness Prov. 30.12 But God hath provided that they may be Partakers of his Holiness Heb. 12.10 last words The Gospel will cleanse thee of thy Spot which otherwise tho' thou wash thee with Nitre and take thee much Soap would remain a Spot still with thine Iniquity marked before me saith the Lord God Jer. 2.22 The Gospel brings thee a Laver full of Christ's Blood and this is the Blood that rinseth all clean 1 Joh. 1.7 last words And the Blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin Nitre and Soap either apart or mingled are searching Ingredients you would think to cleanse a Dirty Spot but alas tho' Man seeks out many Inventions Eccl. 7.29 to try to wash himself clean yet it will not do for a Garment spotted with the Flesh Jude v. 23. if God search this out nothing will fetch out Sin 'till we dip in Jordan 2 Kings 5.14 Psal 44.21 Isa 9.5 1 Joh. 5.6 nay not only wash in Water but with our Garments roll'd in Blood i. e. the Blood of Christ who came by Water and by Blood for our Spot to fetch it out clean Rev. 1.5 being said to have loved us and washed us from our sins in his own Blood The Gospel provideth suitably to our Pollution Heb. 9.13 for it sanctifieth to the Purifying of the Flesh 'till we are made meet for Communion with the God of the Spirits of all Flesh Numb 16.22 even sanctified in Christ Jesus 1 Cor. 1.2 Eighthly The Gospel hath Rich Provisions for the Poor Saints tho' never so impoverisht lowly in Mind or Poor in Spirit The Gospel abounds with the Liberality of the Grace of God to supply the Poverty and Wants of all Men in Christ Tho' thy Transgressions have beset thee and the Iniquity of thy Heels have compass'd thee about that thou art now like the Man in his way to Jericho that fell among Thieves yea Luk. 10.30 thou may'st cry out with Micah of the Danitâ—'s Plunder Judg. 18.24 They have taken away tho' not my Gods to Complain just like him yet the Image of my God mine Original Perfection as I was made once like him my Knowledge Righteousness and true Holiness and what have I more Well be it thus here is enough left thee still to be a poor broken Petitioner at the Throne of Grace crying out for a New Stock to set up with Christ in whom are hid all the Treasures that will make thee Rich agen Col. 2.3 Art thou Poor Luk. 22.21 thou may'st be Rich towards God When thou art got to the Gospel thou art got to God's Treasury which he unlocks to make known what is the Riches of the Glory of this Mystery among the Gentiles Col. 1.27 Ninthly The Gospel hath Full Provisions suited to the Condition of empty Sinners There be Lengths and Breadths in the Love of God that will give thee full measure Luk. 6.38 pressed down and running over Thou art empty in thy self and till He refresh thee with his Loving-Kindness Prov. 7.18 thou canst not take thy Fill of Love Hast thou ever met with the Emptiers that have emptied thee out Nah. 2.2 The Gospel hath Provisions to come in and fill up all that empty space again Tho' at home thou art like her that is empty and void and wast Nah. 2.10 as Nineveh that was once full of Men Counsel Treasures yet afterwards emptyed out of all so thou hadst once the sensible Manifestations of one that lodg'd in thy House to fill thee but now at home empty and also tho' abroad like Naomi thou hast gone out upon some Oecasions full if thou hast gone to an Ordinance thou hast it may be sometimes carried much of the Presence of Jesus Christ with thee yet the Lord to try thee hath brought thee home again empty Ruth 1.21 yet still the Gospel hath Provisions suited to thee that when most sensible of thine Emptiness thou may'st receive thy measure and not like proud careless Boasters who presume on something when they have nothing * Luk. 1.53 Joh. 1.14 last words be sent empty away Thou hast to do with one that is full of Grace and Truth and with one besides of whose Fulness thou mayst receive Joh. 1.16 even one that will never leave thee empty because he filleth all in all Eph. 1.23 let it be as low with thee in thy Beginning as a sense of Want can make it yet thou shalt never take up the Complaint of Babylon in thy latter End Jer. 51.34 the Lord hath made me an empty Vessel Tenthly The Gospel hath satisfying Provisions suited to the Condition of Longing Souls Matth. 5.6 that hunger and thirst after Righteousness Be thou as Dainty in thy Palate Heaven-wards as possible yet in the Gospel thou hast a God who satisfyeth thy Mouth with good things Psal 103.5 He will not deny Dainties or withhold Mannah or keep back the Fruits that thy Soul lusteth after Rev. 18.14 Thou shalt not be estranged from thy Desire in the things of God Psal 78.30 thô thou wouldst eat his Lambs out of the Flock Amos 6.4 his Calves out of the midst of the Stall v. 6. and drink his Wine in Bowls If six Days common Provision at home hath made thee long for Dainties he hath appointed a Festival upon the Holy Sabbath when thy Flesh longeth for the Courts of the Lord. Psal 84.2 This Longing of the Soul may be reduc'd unto Two Heads Hungring and Thirsting and the Gospel hath suitable Things for Both. 1. It hath Satisfying Provisions suited to Hungry Ones Psal 107.9 For he satisfyeth the Longing Soul and filleth the Hungry Soul with Goodness There is many a Hungry Appetite hath been brought into his Presence and be hath filled the Hungry with good things Luk. 1.53 Perhaps thou art one that hast lost a Meal thro' a Providential Hand of God upon thee and where God sets out Food thou comest the more Hungering thither Some Black Providence may have put on Sackcloth upon thy Soul Nehem. 1.4 that thou hast mourned and fasted certain Dayes and lo a Restraint of the Bread of God whets thee further on Thou canst not forbear crying when thou art Hunger-bitten Prov. 30.15 like those Daughters of the Horse-leech Give Give I have been thus long from an Ordinance detain'd Psal 109.24 and my Flesh faileth of Fatness I must break out to the Supper now I can stay no longer in Well if it be thus the Feast is still meet for thee Christ that Invites thee to sit down 1 Sam. 30.12 will Feast thee with his Love 'till thy Spirit comes again 2. It hath satisfying Provisions suited to Thirsty Ones If thou long'st for some Pleasant Draught yet the Lord doth satisfie such a * Animam sitientem Moller Enarr in Psalmes Longing Soul as some do Expound it of Thirst Psal 107.9 form
may'st comfort thine Heart with a Morsel when thou hast eaten other sorrowful Meat Job 6.7 or with a Cordial to fetch thine Heart again that will even fill thy Mouth with Laughter Psal 126.2 after thou hast minglea thy Drink with weeping Psal 102.9 Psal 13.2 Tho' thou hast sorrow in thine Heart daily and art shook with continual Feebleness of Mind yet He that made thee can speak a word that shall make thee be of good chear thou shalt eat thy meat with Gladness when He hath join'd and created singleness of Heart Acts 2.41 In the Gospel he hath it ready for thee Tho' thou a Poor Creature faintest yet hast thou not known hast thou not heard that the everlasting God the Lord the Creator of the Ends of the Earth fainteth not Isa 40.28 He doth not flag in his Power thô an Arm of Flesh hangs dangling from the Bone by a little skin that holds it It may keep thine Heart up to think that neither the Hand or the Heart of God is ever cast down The Ministry of the Gospel is to be a Cordial to keep thine Heart and cheer up thy Spirits see 2 Cor. 4.1 Therefore seeing we have this Ministry as we have received Mercy we faint not and v. 16. for which cause we faint not It is a Cordial that warms when thou hast suckt in other Spirits and gat no Heat by them 1 King 1.1 16. Sixteenthly The Gospel hath Quieting Provisions suited to the Condition of Troubled Minds Mal. 4.2 It hath a Sun of Righteousness to shine after God's Face hath been long hid Job 16.2 If miserable Comforters disturb here is a merciful Creator quiets thee When other Comforters are Physicians of no value Job 13.4 too weak and unskilful to remove or repel the Disease that troubles thee the Gospel is afforded that we might have effectual Remedy or as the Holy Ghost by the Apostle that we might have a strong Consolation Heb. 6.18 That is as * Dr. Owen on the Hebrews Vol. 3d. Fol. a Learned Man glosseth it prevalent against opposition It is able to still the Causes of our unquiet Tumult and suppress the furious Agitations that roll within our Breasts Tho' thou hast Great Troubles Job 15.11 yet the Consolations of God are not small with us Tho' thou also as well as the Wicked dost sometimes look like a Troubled Sea Isa 57.20 yet with this Difference he remembers God and is troubled Psal 77.3 whereas in the multitude of thy Troubled Thoughts his Comforts delight thy Soul Psal 94.19 The Gospel is so universally contrived in the whole Frame of it thro' all its Counsels Promises Experiences that when He giveth Quietness there is none can cause Trouble Job 34.19 He hath sweet Morsels to roll under thy Tongue after thou hast taken bitter Pills from him This is my Comfort in mine Affliction Psal 119.50 God hath so suitably provided Gospel-Grace and so order'd it in all the Tribulations of his Children Cant. 2.3 that they might be encouraged to rest quietly under his shadow who shakes down some Fruit into their Laps as a Testimony that he doth know their state Col. 4.8 and will comfort their Hearts And therefore be of good cheer 1 Thes 4.18 and comfort one another with these words Seventeenthly The Gospel hath Resolving Provisions to answer thy Scruples and remove all thy Doubts and Fears The Soul oftentimes puts such Questions about its own State that it needs a Messenger with it and an Interpreter one of a thousand Job 33.23 Sick Souls as well as Sick Bodies do require an able spiritual Doctor by 'em to shew unto Man his uprightness i. e. * Arthâ—â— Jackson Vol. 3d. 4 to To shew how he must come to be presented Righteous and upright in the sight of God Ad exponendum Homini i. e. pro homine in usum hominis Mercer in loc Isa 19.18 Dan. 5.16 and whether the Sick or Doubting Party may be yet in such a Case Now for this an Interpreter is requisite not only a Man that can speak the Language of Canaan but also read the Hand-writing which the Finger of God's Spirit hath written tho' in so small a Character that he who carries the Book may not read the Hand Such a Text-man is call'd an Interpreter and an Interpreter one of a Thousand or as * Multis è millibus unus Mr. Mat. Pool Morn Ex. Giles's in the Fields some read it One of many Thousands Dissolving of Doubts was one of the things that made Belshazzar's Queen conclude of Daniel Dan. 5.11 12. that the Spirit of the Holy gods was in him Oh! what Spirit then is that in the Gospel that will resolve thy Soul Doubts Acts 8.22 and tell thee if perhaps the Thought of thy Heart may be forgiven thee that will untye the very Knot that lay upon thy mind thou didst not dare to utter This is an Interpreter indeed one of a Thousand one of ten Thousand Casuists He is one that speaks as never Man spake The Spirit of God is one that can speak in us when a Man Gal. 1.8 or a meer Angel frrom Heaven could only speak to us It may be with Naomi Ruth 1.20 the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with thee and perhaps as * Dr. Tho. Fuller Comment on Ruth pag. 122. one Notes it thou makest sour Faces whilst thou canst not resolve the Doubt whether with Ephraim thou art God's pleasant Child Jer. 31.20 or no yet the Gospel hath a Spirit will search this out Psal 44.21 because it searcheth the Deep Things of God 1 Cor. 2.10 If there be never so many Dark circumstances in thy state that puzzle thee yet do not Interpretations belong to God Gen. 40.8 He is a Revealer of Secrets Dan. 2.47 Act. 27.23 and will tell thee whose thou art and whom thou servest Dent. 32.4 yea a God of Truth that will not belye thy Case Ah! thou art often at a loss to know what God would have thee do but God hath made Provision in the Gospel to shine upon thy Path and make thy way clear that when the Spirit bids thee go thou shalt go on with thy Duty as Peter did with the Three Men from Cesarea doubting nothing Acts 11.12 There 's not a Scruple you make but the Grace of God can make reply to it Not a Knot which either the Devil or your own Fearful Hearts may tye but the Sword of the Spirit waits to cut in sunder Eph. 6.17 that in whatsoever you doubt you might go into the Sanctuary and enquire Psal 73.17 Phil. 3.15 and God shall reveal even this unto you Eighteenthly The Gospel hath saving Provisions suited to the Condition of the Lost Sheep of the House of Israel Matt. 10.6 Tho' you apprehend that you are in jeopardy every hour 1 Cor. 15.30 yet the Gospel
him with it So Joh. 4.10 If thou knewest Who it is that saith unto thee Give me to drink speaking there to the Samaritaness who was Ignorant of him that brought the Provision of the Gospel with him Christ had there to do with a Poor Ignorant Woman that took him for no more than a common Jew with whom such Samaritans as she had no Dealings v. 9. How is it that thou being a Jew askest Drink of me that am a Woman of Samaria for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans Alas so long as she continued Ignorant of Christ she was never the better for all that Living Water in him tho' it was Jesus he would not save her so long as she lookt upon him as a meer Jew and wanted an Eye to look thro' the Vail of his Flesh Heb. 10.20 and by Faith see the Son of God in him Thus Sinners that have heard of the Gospel will be hindred from partaking of it so long as they discern not by Faith who provides it God's Ministers in the Pulpit may say to Sinners Come God's People may be trying to deal with them too in private and both to see if they can perswade them into a Love with the ways of Sion but if Sinners are still Ignorant of Jesus Christ who speaks by his Friends to them this Feast is an Entertainment that is likely to do no good upon them Men are apt to conclude we go about to Proselyte them to a Party Act. 20.30 and draw Disciples after us and thus it will be 'till they come to believe on Christ thro' our words to them And therefore Christ prays for all that should see their Master's Mind in the Servant's Message Joh. 17.20 Neither pray I for these alone but for them also which shall believe on me thro' their Word Not believe on you tho' thro' your words on Me. 'T is your Message but my express Will 3. Ignorance of the Provisions made ready is a Hinderance to them Men are Fools and Blind Mat. 23.17 and don 't see what is set before them no more than who it is that hath got it served Up. Christ also reprehends this piece of Ignorance in the same Woman of Samaria Joh. 4.10 If thou knewest the Gift of God An Ignorance of what Christ hath as well as of what Christ is is an ordinary and frequent Ground of the Sinners Miscarriage to him If thou knewest the Gift Were thine Heart sensible of the Grace that is now brought so nigh at Hand it would make it leap within thee and thou wouldst not rest 'till matters were at another pass with thee Alas if you don't know the Gift in the Gospel you will partake of no Gospel-Grace by it If you are Ignorant of the Table he hath prepar'd you will never sit at Meat If Men have low carnal Conceits of the Good Things of God and carry their Thoughts no further than the Letter when the Spirit speaks herein it will beget ordinary Conceptions in the Mind and prove an Hinderance to the Gospel There will be no Spiritual Application of the Substance so long as our Thoughts rest and terminate superficially upon some Corporeal Image This was the Grand Miscarriage of a great many Followers of our Lord who seem'd to Covet to wait upon him in a Body with a great deal of Religious Zeal and Forwardness Our Blessed Lord had Preacht this Doctrine of a spiritual Repast and manifested himself to be the Provision which the Soul by Faith must live upon whereas it begat only in the * Or Capernaites Jews a gross Conceit of some Literal and Corporeal Banquet that Christ aimed at and rais'd in them a certain Question even to Indignation as they strove among themselves saying How can this Man give us his Flesh to eat Joh. 6.52 insomuch that Christ taxeth their Ignorance by expounding to them his own Doctrine v. 63. latter pt The words that I speak unto you they are Spirit as if he had said I have been upon a spiritual Subject but you have not understood me I have spoken of a Feast to nourish you inwardly but it is your own Ignorant Fancy that suggests the Corporeal Images of other Meats and Drinks as when ye did eat of the Loaves and were filled v. 26. Now when the Gospel in the Matters of it is ignorantly mis-interpreted it becomes a like Hinderance to it If it be not apprehended and experienc'd a Feast of the Soul we shall rest in outward Conveyances and lose the Kernel by holding fast the Shell It will be but as if we made Provision for the Flesh Rom. 13.14 if we receive it not as a Feast of the Renewed Mind Joh. 4.32 which our Flesh knows not of We must be spiritually enlightned to know the Things that are given to us of God 1 Cor. 2.12 for He that is spiritual judgeth all things 1 Cor. 2.15 Besides Ignorance of Gospel-Provisions causes Men to turn the Truth of God into a Lye and embrace an Error instead of the Truth as it is in Jesus Eph. 4.21 This is a Hinderance therefore to the Holy Feast we speak of You are like to be fed with no other Mannah than that which will breed Worms and stink Exod. 16.20 if you are Ignorant of the True Bread 4. Ignorance of the Way by which every one must come is likewise a Hinderance that keeps from these Provisions If you take it as a sufficient Act to put forth a little of your own Strength towards God and rest in Dead Works it will hinder your Benefit by the Gospel-Entertainment You must throw your selves upon Christ as Sinners this is your first Work to come as you are and venture upon the Son of God and afterwards God's Spirit gradually works such Qualifications that you may come then as Sons and Daughters 2 Cor. 6.18 The Substance of this is represented in that Directory for Conversion which Christ taught the Jews Joh. 6.28.29 Then said they unto him What shall we do that we might work the works of God Jesus answered and said unto them this is the work of God that ye believe on him whom he hath sent It is to believe and not properly to (g) Men indeed by Nature retain such an Impression of the first Covenant of Works that they know no way of Acceptance before God but by the way of Works Hutcheson upon John work Such as sit down upon outward Performances without going forth to Jesus Christ to rely on him by Faith do assuredly sit upon Thorns tho' a little slight Covering they have woven or patcht together from Works that cometh betwixt Job 36.32 may at present bear off their Pricking that now they feel no smart Faith it self indeed is a Work but doth not justifie as a * In opposition to all Works Christ leads them to this one Work that they believe And his calling it a Work doth not import that Faith as
a Work doth justifie for it is only the Hand to receive Christ who is our Righteousness But he gives it this Name speaking in their own Terms who doted on Works and so the Doctrine of Faith is called a Law Rom. 3 27. because the Jews boasted so much of the Law Hutcheson upon John pag. 102. Work It justifies no otherwise than as it apprehends a justifying Object and it is a saving Work no otherwise than as it fastens and relies upon a saving Worker Hence it cometh to pass that without Faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11.6 Now Ignorance of this way to the Provisions in Christ makes them unto many so ineffectual If you think it an easie matter to thrust in to God any how without Christ as your Way his Word as your Rule and his Spirit as your Guide you will profit little by the Gospel so long as such a corrupt perswasion leads you Joh. 14.6 I am the Way the Truth and the Life The Way No access or coming unto the Father but by me The Truth No Doctrine can be sound that leads off from me The Life You will never enter into Life Mat. 19.17 if you enter not in by me as the Door and unto me as the Provision Again The Word must be your Rule Psal 119.133 Order my Steps in thy Word (h) Si extra Legem tuam incedo non est Stabile solum sub Pedibus meis coeno demergor Rivet Via vitae seu medit in Psat 119. operûm vol. 2do p. 472 If I step besides thy Law saith the Learned Rivet I tread where the Ground will not bear my Feet and where I am over Head and Ears in Dirt. Tho' Christ is the Way yet we should never know what Steps to take to or in him 'till the Word lays Christ forth and discovers each of them to us So for the Spirit it 's Guidance is necessary The Spirit of God hath branded it as Foolishness in those that follow their own Spirit Ezek. 13.3 There is no Spirit fit to be our Guide but His. Thy Spirit is Good lead me into the Land of uprightness Psal 143.10 Thy Spirit is good lead me or as (i) Tuo spiritu bono deduc me Junius some read it By thy Good Spirit lead me If we had Christ as the Way and his Word as the Rule too yet if we had not the Spirit as our Guide we should not by reason of the Darkness in us and upon us see the Straitness and Perfection of the Rule before us or know of our selves how at any Time to use it There is an absolute need of the Spirit 's Guidance after Conversion hence is that of the Apostle inculcated Walk in the Spirit Gal. 5.16 25. and walk after the Spirit Rom. 8.1 and that Phrase if ye be led by the Spirit Gal. 5.18 all which do import a submitting to the Conduct of the Spirit as our Guide And if there be a need of the Spirit for Saints after they have received Christ be sure there is a necessity of the Spirit 's Guidance for Sinners to bring them in to Christ Well Ignorance of and Unacquaintedness with the way of the Lord must needs be an Hinderance to the Feast of the Lord that makes Sinners desire none of his Dainties That is the Third Hinderance Fourthly Obstinacy 4 Hindran or an obstinate Aversion to the Things of God The Parable gives this account of it Matth. 22.3 that when the King had sent to call them that were bidden to the Supper they would not come Alas if Men will become their own Hinderers no wonder that the Gospel proves ineffectual If they will choose rather to starve than eat how can a Feast preserve or relieve such as these and yet this is the wretched and deplorable Case of Sinners their Hearts do naturally stand off from God therefore they say unto God Depart from us for we desire not the Knowledge of thy ways Job 21.14 There is a mighty Stubbornness and Rebellion in the minds of Men that God takes Notice of this was expresly laid open in the Jews Isa 48.4 I knew that thou art obstinate and thy Neck is an Iron Sinew and thy Brow brass Sinners will choose Poverty and despise Riches run into Misery and forsake their own Mercy Jonah 2.8 The Gospel would pity relieve and save them but they are a stiff necked Generation that will not turn and live Ezek. 18.23 v. 32. It would feed them but they will rather dye of spiritual Hunger it would cloath them but they will rather to Hell naked than go with Christ's Robe to Heaven They will rot in their Chains before they will stoop to choose a Free Release and will venture to fall Blindfold into the Ditch Mat. 15 14 Rev. 3.18 Joh. 9.7 rather than anoint with Eye-salve or wash in the Pool of Siloam Fifthly Other Feasts besides 5 Hindran Tho' in the Gospel it is the Supper of the great God yet in eating Sinners have taken every one his own Supper before it 1 Cor. 11.21 as the Apostle speaketh of the Lord's Supper They will have Banquets to corrupt the Flesh but none of that Holy Diet which might save their Spirits in the Day of the Lord Jesus Sinners will snatch especially at these Three the Lust of the Flesh 1 Cor. 5.5 the Lust of the Eyes and the Pride of Life 1 Joh. 2.16 The World that reject a Feast provided by Father Son and Spirit yet will banquet with their own * Hec Tria pro trino numine mundus habet Trinity 1. The Lust of the Flesh is a Banquet with Sinners that obstructs the Gospel-Feast Lusts of the Flesh are such Pleasures says (k) Coton upon the 1 Epist of John one as Men find in Meat and Drink or Women either Intemperance or Incontinence And then again Pleasures whether we consider them as gross or vain the Pleasures of the Body or the Mind do hinder the Efficacy of Divine Provisions 1. Gross and Filthy Pleasures or Fleshly Lusts as the Apostle Peter calls them that War against the Soul 1 Pet. 2.11 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greek T. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pleasure is a Net that entangles ungodly Men. Fleshly Concupiscences the Original reads it alluding to that inbred Appetite of the old Man which goes forth after Morsels roasted at the Fire of Lust and took off the Devil's Spit Abstain saith the Holy Ghost from these Rom. 1.26 The Lust of the Flesh is a bad Appetite a vile Affection that covers to be a Partaker with Devils and rejects Angels Food Psa 78.25 It will find out a Banquet that quite spoils the Feast I may say here of the whole Gospel as the Apostle doth of the Lord's Supper in a Part of it 1 Cor. 10.21 Ye cannot drink the Cup of the Lord and the Cup of Devils ye cannot be Partakers of the Lords
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
Tim. 2.26 if in the Snare of the Devil we are taken Captive by him at his Will You will never come to the Banquet of the Gospel so long as you relish His Baits You must not have Fellowship with Devils 1 Cor. 10.20 if you partake of God's Dainties You will never be drawn in the Bands of Love to Christ if you listen to the Subtilty of the Serpent to be snar'd by his Enticements His Voice is as full of the old Poisonous Flattery now as it was unto Eve of old 2 Cor. 11.3 when the Serpent beg uiled her and she did eat Gen. 3.13 lat pt You must come off therefore from all his Allurements tho' he points to a Tree of Knowledge Gen. 3.6 and a Tree to be desired to make one wise or a Tree thou wouldst fain be at if it bears forbidden Fruit upon it 3. Our Selves is a Term from which we must come likewise off Sinners must be taught to go out of themselves before they comply with Gospel Grace that calls them We are all so naturally ty'd to Self that it will be one of the last Things we leave for Jesus Christ And yet if God's Call prevails we must come off from our selves in these Five Things following viz. Our own Bottom Ease Interest where it contradicteth the Interest of Christ as also from our Unwillingness to come at Christ's Call and all our Carnal Fears that discourage us from Christ and suggest Evil Things to us 1. In coming off from Self we must come off from our own Bottom We must depart from a Sandy Foundation before we can come to dig one in the Rock that is higher than we Mat. 7.24 Our own Hearts our own Strength our own Counsels and our own Righteousness are all such a Bottom of our own that we must remove our Tabernacle from before we can pitch in Christ to have our Foundation in the Holy Mountains Psa 87.1 1. In coming off from our own Bottom we must come off from trusting our own Deceitful Hearts We are lying Children if we say our Hearts are good while we think them not so bad as others It is but next akin to that other Boast of the Perfectionist to say we have no sin in us 1 Joh. 1.8 Thine Heart is the Dungeon where all thy Vermine breed Matth. 15.19 Out of the Heart proceed evil Thoughts and that is enough to pronounce it bad tho' the rest of the Vipers be not reckon'd in Murders Adulteries Fornication Theft False Witness Blasphemies Men are naturally prone to think it is enough that their meaning is good and intend hurt to none They have good Hearts tho' they have not such Heads and Tongues to speak as others But you must come off from this piece of Blind Self for he that trusteth in his own Heart is a Fool Prov. 28.26 Your Heart is desperately evil and the worse because you are not Good enough to know it There be Depths of Wickedness in this hidden man which you that have Grace have too short a Line to fathom and can you then that have nothing but Nature search it out unto Perfection that have not one Thread of Grace to help you The Heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked who can know it Jer. 17.9 2. In coming off from our own Bottom we must come off from all our own Strength All our's did I say alas our strength is dryed up like a Potsheard Psa 22.15 since our Springs were cut off in Adam and if we would come by a Right Hand we must have Union with Jesus Christ our Head We may talk and boast of something but Christ hath told us (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bîc non est simpliciter fine sed majus aliquid quasi dicat Christus seorsum a me nam to loco Christus agit de unione nostri cum ipso quam tà m ait esse neceslarium quà m sit unio Palmitum cum vite Camer Myroth pag. 163 164. Without me ye can do nothing Joh. 15.5 Vain Man thinks he hath strength enough to catch but we can trust our Hands no more than trust our own Hearts The Flesh is weak until his Spirit from on high be sent to work upon us And we must let go all confidence in this Flesh Phil. 3.4 before the Spirit can be saved in the Day of the Lord Jesus 1 Cor. 5.5 3. In coming off from our own Bottom we must come off from all our own Wisdom Trust in the Lord with all thine Heart and lean not to thy own understanding In all thy Ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy Paths If we lean to our own understandings we have found out a Poor Reed instead of the Pillar of Truth to lean on 1 Tim. 3.15 Acknowledge Him In Him are hid all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge Christ is a Full Treasury of every Thing we need (b) In humanâ Christi Naturâ inest omnis plenitudo infusae creatae scientiâ—e seu omniscientia absoluta Davenant in Coloss in loc There is a Created Fulness infused into his Humane Nature and an Uncreated Fulness absolutely Possessing his Divine If we are not therefore Fools for Christ's sake we shall never be wise 1 Cor. 4.10 as we ought to be truly wise in Him If Christ be not our Wisdom the best of our Wisdom will become our own Folly Nay were we Ahitophel's and Men like Oracles should consult us yet if we took not Counsel from above 2 Sam. 15.31 all our Wisdom would be turned into Foolishness Jesus Christ calls us and if we do not learn to choose our way of Him we shall drop into Hell tho' to a Foolish mind that 's darkned Heaven may seem but just before us We must become as Little Children Mat. 18.3 i. e. as ready to take Direction in our way to Christ as a Little Child might be taught in the Way how to come to Vs If we think our own ways the wisest in the Matters of our Souls we make the Wisdom of God a Cipher and I am sure our selves a great Figure for Destruction You must pluck out your own Eyes with those Galathians in another sense Gal. 4.15 I mean renounce all Fleshly Wisdom that you may see none but Jesus Christ to guide you on and help you If the Father bids us to a Feast no man can come unto the Father to be welcome unto his House but by the Son alone Joh. 14.6 lat pt No Man cometh unto the Father but by me You must despise your own Wisdom in competition with Christ and not carry it as if you knew of your selves what and how to do without him 4. In coming off from our own Bottom we must come off from our own Righteousness I do not mean to put off Morality or the Works of Piety and Charity and become loose Ungodly and Licentious but I mean that
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 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
and the Counsel which Jesus Christ gave unto his Disciples was this Therefore be ye also ready Matth. 24.44 And be ye therefore ready also Luke 12.40 But now it is sad when the Gospel is made ready Gal. 2.15 and Sinners of the Gentiles are yet unready for it Behold saith Christ I stand at the Door Rev. 3.20 and knock but how many obstinate resolved Sinners that are going on still in their Trespusses do keep a Hand upon the Latch Psal 68.21 while he knocks and they will not open to him Psal 24.7 9 10. They refuse to let in the King of Glory tho' he knocks to come in and bring them to a Banquet of Love prepar'd God is ready with his Son Christ is ready with himself yea the Holy Spirit and the Gospel with the Faithful Preachers of it These are all now ready and yet how many wretched Hearers that are yet in their Sins are not ready for them Oh! 't is sad that when God calls away to Supper Men should chuse rather to play than to come in Matth. 11.16 17. 1 Cor. 13.11 to be like Children playing in the Markets rather than put away Childish Things and come in to the Provisions that have been purchased at a Dear Market for them It is sad to be slothful in Business when we should be fervent in our Spirits Rom. 12.11 serving the Lord Ah! how unworthy is their Carriage that when all is now ready Supper served in Grace offered to pardon cleanse save them yet they will stand off and have neither Hearts nor Stomachs to it 't is a high piece of Ingratitude when Sinners are not ready to embrace the Gospel let the cause of their unreadiness be as plausible and specious as a negligent Hand or an unbelieving Heart can make it 't is sad when Men will keep their Hands too dirty to dip them in the Dish with Christ Mat. 26.23 Luke 10.40 Chap. 22.27 that they will be cumbred about much serving and will rather run up and down upon any thing among them that serve than sit down among them that sit at Meat 6. Again it is still worse 6 Ins when Men shall even now degenerate from what they have once been That Men by a slight and temporary Profession should once pretend to be Guests and yet quickly after it may be downright Apostates at least wretched Backsliders and Strangers to Grace and Holiness what a Horrible Revolt from an open countenancing of the ways of God to a visible Enmity or at least a secret Hatred of them Once Zealous in Profession now as hot if it lay in their Power to stir up Persecution Sometime outwardly reconcil'd now again alienated A sad reverse of the state of the Colossians and all true Believers Col. 1.21 Oh! how sad was the degenerate state of Jerusalem when the Prophet describes it Isa 1.21 How is the Faithful City become an Harlot It was full of Judgment Righteousness lodged in it but Now Murtherers And what is it thus with any of you that have read heard and professed the Doctrine of the Grace of God Are you now degenerate now worse than ever What Apprehensions have you of this Gospel now ready Could you once rise up in a Readiness for Communion with them that dare not forsake the Assembling of themselves together Heb. 10.25 to be join'd with such as do understand and seek God And can you now sit down in a contented slothfulness at home as if you were shut up in Plenty and had all things by you Could you once set upon the Practice of an outward Reformation and yet when sanctifying Grace is now ready for you are you fallen into your old course again Don't you need to be mourn'd over that you should return with the Dog to your Vomit and with the Sow that was washed to your wallowing in the Mire again 2 Pet. 2.22 Did you once pretend to hate and rebuke them that regard Lying And what Are you now upon every slight occasion accustomed to utter Lies tho' lying Lips are an Abomination to the Lord of Truth Prov. 12.22 Did you once pretend a Regard to the Commandment Swear not Jam. 5.12 And yet even now you can ordinarily Swear by the Greater Heb. 6.16 and perhaps mock at the Tenderness of a Neighbour that feareth an Oath Eccles 9.2 and will tell you that even for Swearing the Land mourns Jer. 23.10 Were you once convinced that you took up a Reproach against the Lord when you prophan'd his Ordinances despis'd his Sabbaths trampled upon his Gospel Blasphem'd his Reverend and Holy Name Psal 111.9 And are you now as loose and extravagant as openly wicked it may be Debaucht or Prophane and more than ever Did you not once tell Men by your Profession that the Lord was the Portion of your Cup Psal 16.5 and yet can you drink off the Cup of your Abominations Rev. 17.4 Deut. 29.19 to add Drunkenness to Thirst Oh! 't is sad that you should have professed Righteousness and Purity but return again to Uncleanness and remain filthy still Rev. 22.11 'T is sad that you should have sate under the Preaching of the Gospel which hath been made and brought in now ready and yet be hardened any of you by the Deceitfulness of Sin Heb. 3.13 till you are now worse than ever 7. It will now make your next Sins the Greater 7 Inf. Present Acts of Grace will aggravate future Acts of Sin This Days Provision if refused will encrease your to Morrow's Provocation You will presently heap up wrath if you neglect the Treasures of Mercy longer If you are not led to Repentance by a Saviour now ready Rom. 2.4 you will be more greedy to fill up your Sins alway 1 Thes 2.16 If the Gospel be a Supper now ready if all the Blessings of the Kingdom of Grace are now prepared if Heaven it self be offered and Everlasting Glory promis'd and set before us and yet Sinners will not regard the offers of Salvation in the Day of Grace Rom. 8.31 what shall we then say to these things but as the Prophet doth Jer. 14.10 latter part That the Lord will now remember their Iniquity and that now also will he give Sentence against them Jer. 4.12 latter part The Sin is the greater because a rejection of Mercy and Grace in the very Season of it It is the sign of a more Rebellious and Revolting Heart if we do not now fear the Lord our God If Men will not reform nor now turn and live why then assuredly now shall they be found faulty Hos 10.2 middle clause i. e. Now God will look upon their Sin more than he hath been wont to do in time past You might once perhaps have had a covering to have wrapt up and conceal'd your neglects of God before but now you are made naked to your shame Exod. 32.25 and