God read it as the word of God A company of prophane wretches you shal have the scums and basest of the people that will discourse and to grace their Discourse they must have Scripture phrases but whose word is it it is the word of the great God Eglon was a Heathen King and yet when a Message came from God hee arose up and made obeysance Wee should never read the Word but with reverence considering whose book it is and that we must be judged by it another day If it be the word I beseech you consider what we say and know that God will make every part of it good there shall not a jot of it faile nothing of it shall miscarry God speaketh all these words And therefore if you be blasphemers you shall not carry it away guiltlesse God hath said it if you continue not to obey you are under Gods curse unlesse you repent you shall perish every threat God will make good you must repent and get into Christ else perish eternally God hath said it and we may confirme it in the unfolding and reading of it the time is comming for the execution of it and then God is peremptory Now God waiteth our leisure and intreateth us but if wee will not repent wee shall have that Arrow in our sides that will never be gotten out till we dye in hell whose sinnes are condemned in Scripture they are condemned by God and whom we shut heaven to by opening the Scriptures God will shut heaven to The opening of the Scriptures is the opening of heaven If the Scripture saith a man that liveth in such a sinne shall not be saved heaven shall be shut to him he is in a state of death he is strucken and remaineth in danger till he repenteth How many live in sins against Conscience that are under the guilt and danger of their sinnes they be wounded they be struck by the word there is a threat against their sinnes although it be not executed and they be as much in danger of eternall death as a condemned Traytor onely God suffers them to live that they may make their peace they have blessed times of visitation O make use of it it is the word of God and know that God will make every part of his word good in threats as well as in promises Take occasion from hence likewise to shame our selves for our infidelity in the promises when wee are in any disconsolate estate we are in Jobs case being in trouble the consolation of the Almighty seemed light to him These be the comforts of God When we come to comfort some though the sweet promises of the Gospell be opened yet they doe not consider them as being the word the consolations of the Almighty and therefore they seem light to them But it should not be so Consider they be the comforts of the word and therefore we should heare them with faith labour to affect them and shame our selves Is this Gods word that giveth this direction that giveth this comfort and shall I not regard it Is it the consolation of the Almighty and shall not I embrace it Therefore we should be ashamed not to be more affected with the heavenly sweet things promised of God than we are A man that refuseth heavenly Comforts to imbrace comforts below how should hee reflect upon himselfe with shame Hath God promised such things God that cannot lye and shall I lose my hope of all these glorious things for the enjoying of the pleasures of sin for a season I professe my selfe to be a Christian where is my faith where is my hope A man must acknowledge either I have no faith for if I had faith believing God speaking these excellent things I would not venture my losse of them to get the enjoyment of poor temporary things here for the good things promised in another world Labour therefore to bring mens hearts to believe the word and desire God to seale it to our soules that it is so I will give one direction Labour for the Spirit of God that writ the word that indited the word Beg of God to â—eale to our soules that it is the word and that he would sanctifie our hearts to be suitable to the word and never rest till wee can finde God by his Spirit seasoning our hearts so that the relish of our soules may suit to the relish of divine truths that when wee heare them we may relish the truth in them and may so feele the worke of Gods Spirit that we may bee able to say hee is our God And when we heare of any threatning we may tremble at it and any sinne discovered wee may hate it For unlesse wee by the Spirit of God have something wrought in us suitable to the word we shall never believe the word to bee the word And therefore pray the Lord by his Spirit to frame our hearts to be suitable to divine Truths and so frame them in our affections that we may find the word in our joy in our love in our patience that all may be seasoned with the word of God When there is a relish in the word and in the soule suitable to it then a man is a Christian indeed to purpose till then men will Apostatize turne Papist turne Atheist or any thing because there is a distance betweene the soule and the word the word is not ingraffed into the soule they doe not know the word to bee the word by arguments fetched from the word and therefore they fall from the power of the word But if we will not fall from divine truths get truth written in the heart and our hearts so seasoned by it and made so harmonious and suitable to it that we may imbrace it to death that we may live and dye in it To goe on In that day shall it be said loe this is our God we have waited for him Here is a gracious promise that shutteth up all spoken before He spake of great things before And now here is a promise of a day wherein hee will make all things promised good to the soule of every believing Christian In that day it shall be said this is our God wee have waited for him he will save us It is an excellent portion of Scripture to shew the gracious disposition that the Spirit of God will worke in all those that imbrace the gracious promises of God The time shall come when they shall say Loe this is our God wee have waited for him and now wee enjoy him The points considerable are these First of all by supposition that there bee glorious excellent things promised to the people of God Rich and precious promises of Feasting of taking away the vaile of conquest over death by victory of wiping away teares and removing rebukes great things if vve goe no farther than my Text. Secondly these have haâ— day vvhen they shall bee performed vvhich is not presently for
excellent society 3 Is a Mountaine 1. Hath strong foundations 4 2. Is in some measure visible ib. Of the Marriage feast between Christ and his Church 5 The Lord of Hosts is the founder of this feast 6 Some of all sorts invited to this feast 1. Iewes 2. Gentiles 7 Christ is the chief dish and greatest chear at this feast 8 Christ and his benefits fitly compared to a feast 8 1. Because all we have in Christ is of the best things 8 2. Much variety in Christ 9 3. Fulnesse and sufficiency is to be had in Christ 10 4. Because there is much company here 11 5. There is rich attire worne at this feast 12 This Gospel-feast was typed out 1. By the Paschall Lamb. 12 2. By Manna 12 3. By the Rock 14 4. By the Jewish festivall 15 A comparison between Christ and Manna 13 The sacrament of the Lords super is this feast specially 15 We ought to be prepared for this feast 1. Get large hearts 16 2. Spirituall appetite 16 Means to get spirituall appetite to this feast 17 1. Sense of sinne 17 2. Purge the soule from sinfull corruptions 18 3. Spirituall exercise and activenesse for God 19 4. Holy company 20 5. Consideration of the danger of Spiritual famine 20 We must get a spirituall taste and spirituall sences 21 1. To relish what is good 22 To disrelish and reject what is evill 22 We must get a spirituall Digestion 23 and wait in the strength of this heavenly feast 23 Consequents of the Gospel-feast are 24 1. Chearfulnesse 25 2. Thankfulnesse 25 3. Iustifying of the wayes of God and Religion 25 Religion doth not make people melancholy 26 A Christian at his worst condition is better than a worldlings best 27 We must labour to have a part and portion at this feast and to honour Gods bounty 28 29 We must bring empty soules unto this feast 32 Connexion between the sixth and seventh verst 33 Of the Vaile that is over mens hearts 35 All men naturally have such a Vaile 35 There is a Vaile over spirituall things for they are hid 35 36. Naturall men 1. Want spirituall sight 36 light 36 2. Are ignorant 3. See not spirituall things spiritually 38 4. Have light without heat 39 5. Are unbelievers 40 Ignorance and unbeliefe acts in every sinne 41 God onely can take away this vaile 42 Men nor Angels cannot remove it 42 43 44 Onely Gods people have this vaile removed 44 Where this vaile is removed there is a Feast 45 We ought to use meanes to have this vaile taken off 46 47 1. By attending upon Ordinances 48 2. By practising what we know 49 3. By praying unto God 50 When the vaile is taken off from the heart then 1. A Christian will wonder at the things of faith 51 2. Desire more and more to know them 51 3. This vaile hath been removed by the Word 51 4. A Christians knowledge is a transforming knowledge 52 Of Death and Christs victory over Death 55 Death is 1. The King of Feares 56 2. Spares none 56 3. Is let in by sinne 56 4. Is attended on by Hell 56 Christ swallowes up death in victory 1. By satisfying for sin 57 2. By his suffering death 59 60 We ought to believe that death is conquered to us 60 We ought to be one with Christ crucified 61 70 We must be thankfull unto God 1. For victory over death 62 2. For benefits by death 62 The slavish feare of Death is unbecomming a Christian 62 63 67. Death is conquered to a Beleever though he die 63 64 Death is terrible to wicked men 64 Duellists foolishly out-brave death 65 Death to Gods children not onely a conquered enemy but is made a friend 66 c. Of Christians Teares 72 Good men are apt to weep 1. For sinne of others 74 75 2. Miseries of others 74 75 We ought to weep 74 and yet to rejoyce 76 God will wipe away all teares 77 78 God is a God of tender mercy 79 Christians are not to bee judged by appearance and by their sufferings 81 Christians have a mixt condition and a mixt disposition 82 There was no sorrow in Paradise and shall be none in heaven 84 Sinne is the greatest cause of sorrow 85 Mourning accepted from them that cannot weep 86 Then a Christians teares are right when 1. They spring from the love of God 86 2. When we weep for our owne sinnes 87 3. When they are secret 87 4. When they are reforming 88 Of the Rebukes and reproaches of Gods people 89 Christ and his members subject unto reproaches 89 90 Wicked reproach the godly from the enmity of 2 seeds 91 Wee must not be scandalls to Religion nor scandalized at the reproaches of it 92 Christ will take away reproaches from his people and will vindicate them 93 Directions how to carry our selves under Reproaches 94 1. Be patient 94 2. Innocent 94 3. Couragious 95 4. Sincere 95 5. Pray much to God 95 6. Rejoyce and glory in them 96 Of the Holy Scriptures 99 God is the Author of them 99 The scriptures sole supreme judge of controversies 100 The Scriptures may be knowne to be Gods VVord by 1. The Majesty of them 101 2. Their mysteriousnesse 101 3. From Reason 103 4. From Experience 101 5. From the witnesse of the Spirit 102 6. From their efficacy 101 1. In warning the soule 101 2. Changing the soule 101 3. Casting down the soule 101 4. Searching the soule 102 5. And comforting the soule The holy Scriptures are and have been preserved from Corruption 103 VVe ought to heare the word as the word of God 104 God will make good all his promises if we believe 105 We must pray for the Spirit that indited the Scriptures that so we may relish them 106 Of Gods Promises and the performance of them 107 to 112 Gods Promises are full and free and spring from his bounty and are our greatest treasure 111 112. We ought to be ashamed of infidelity in Gods promises 105 It is somtimes long between the promise performāce 113 1. To exercise our faith 113 2. To waine us from creatures 113 3. To indeare the things promised 114 4. And to fit us for the enjoyment 114 Of Waiting upon God 115 We have but a tast here of what we shall have hereaft 115 Waiting carries with it all other graces 116 1. Patience 117 2. Long-suffering 117 3. Contentment 118 4. Silence from murmuring 118 5. Watchfulnesse 118 6. Faithfulnesse 118 Want of waiting cause of much wickednesse 119 All is overcome with waiting 120 God will perform his word to all true waiters 121 152 God keeps the time of performance in his own hands 121 God fully performes his promises in heaven 122 123 124 The things hoped for uphold the heart in waiting 125 God will have his people continue waiting 150 1. That we may live by faith and not by sight 150 2. VVhen we are fitted for what is promised wee
consistent 88 Wee must justifie God in all 25 K. KNOVVLEDGE True knowledge is transforming 52 Desires to know more 51 Practise what wee know 49 L. LIGHT Naturall men want light 36 Naturally their light without heat 39 M. Majestie of the Scriptures 101 Christ compared to Manna 13 Religion makes not melancholy 26 Why Christians are melancholy 26 Christians have a mixture here 82 Church compared to a Mountaine 4 Mysteriousnesse of Scriptures 101 P. Plenty at the Gospell-feast 11 Preparation for this feast 16 Wee must purge the soule of sinne 16 Practise of what we know 49 Of Gods promises and their performance 107 Promises free and full 112 Promises long before performed why 113 114 Promises shall bee surely performed 121 152 Time of performance in Gods hand 152 Gods time best of performmance 154 Reason of Gods performance 152 R. Of the Rebukes of Gods people 89 Christ and his Members subject unto Reproaches 90 Christ will rowle away Reproach 93 How to carry our selves under Reproach 94 15 How wee must Relish the Word 22 Scriptures may bee proved to be the word of God by Reason 103 Christ a Rock 14 S. Sacrament of Lords Supper a feast 15 Sense of sinne 17 Soule hath her senses 21 Men naturally want sight 36 We must not judge by sight 79 Scandals against Religion 92 Holy Scriptures Word of God 99 Are supreame Iudge 100 Searching power of the Word 102 Spirit indited and interprets the Word 106 Sinne greatest cause of Sorrow 85 No Sorrow in heaven 84 Comfort in Sufferings 81 Naturall men see not things spiritually 38 Spirituall things are mysterious 35 36 Church excellent society 3 Wee must walke in the strength of Spirituall Refreshment 23 T. Of spirituall Taste 22 Wee have but a Taste here of what wee shall have hereafter 115 TEARES vide WEEP God will wipe away Tears 77 78 Signes of right Teares 86 87 88 Thankfulnesse to God for removing vaile 25 for Christs Conquest over Death 62 for accomplishment of promises 156 Gods Time of performance set best 154 Types of the Gospel 12 13 14 15 V. A Vaile over mens hearts 35 Unbeliefe is that Vaile 40 God onely can take away the Vaile 42 43 Meanes to have the Vaile removed 46 47 There is variety in Christ 10 Unbeliefe in every sinne 41 Christs victory over death 55 57 W. Of WAITING Our duty to waite upon God 115 It s hard to wait on God 118 Waiting overcomes all 119 120 Many graces exercised in waiting 116 117 Why God will have us to wait 150 151 Incouragements to waite 153 154. Good men apt to weepe 72 73 74 75 Though wee cannot weep yet wee must mourne 86 Spirit witnesses that the holy Scripture is Gods Word 101 Gods Word is to bee heard as the Word of God 104 God will make all his VVord good 16 FINIS The principal subjects handled in these Sermons 1. Of the Marriage-feast between Christ his Church Prov. 9. 2. Matth. 22. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isai 55. 1. Rev. 22. 17. Gen. 49. 20. Super omnia vultus accessére boni 2. Of the vail of ignorance and unbeliefe and the removall of it 3. Of Christs conquest over Death Heb. 2. 14 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hos 13. 14. 4. Of the Christians teares and the wiping them away 5. Of the Rebukes and Reproaches of Gods people and the taking of them away 6. Of the Promises 7. Of the holy Scriptures and the divine Authority of them 8. waiting upon God Isai 26. 8. Isai 8. 17. The connexion of the Text. 1 Observ The Church the most excellent of all societies The Church built upon the strongest foundation 2 Obs Of the visibility of the Church The Mountaine is the Church God makes a Feast for his people The Lord of Hoasts the founder of the Feast This Feast is for all people Christ the chiefe dish in the Feast Why Christ with his benefits is compared to a Feast 1. Because the favours we have by Christ are choice ones 2. There is variety of favours in Christ Christ like the Indian plant Coquus good for all things 3. There is sufficiency and fulnesse in Christ 4. As a Feast for many so Christ is a feast for the community of Saints 5. Because we have the glorious attire of Christ as men put on choice garments at Feasts 6. Because he was resembled by the Paschal Lambe which was choosen foure daies before out of the flock 2. By Manna to which Christ answers in many particulars Surely those that are spirituall taste Christ 3. By the rock in the wildernesse 4. By all the Jewish festivalls 5. By the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Use Be prepared for this Feast 1. Labour for large hearts to receive much 2. Labour for spirituall appetite First means to get appetite soure herbes sense of sin and misery Second Means Third Means Fourth Means Acquaintance with those that are good Fifth Means We know not how long wee have to live Wee should hold out against hunger to come â—… 3. Get a spirituall disposition of soul to heavenly things The soule hath her senses Two things in spirituall tast Vse 4. Wee must labour for a digestion of spirituall things Vse 5. Wee must walk in the strength of spirituall favour Consequents of this Feast is spirituall chearfulnesse 2. Thankfulnesse 3. Justifie the waies of God against carnall slanders Object Religious people are melancholy Answ It s because they are not more religious A man may be ignorant of his comforts A Christian at the worst is happier then a worldling at the best Labour to partake of this Feast All invited We are sure to perish without Christ Honour God by taking alotted comforts The Spirit of God must work us to a relish of spirituall things We must bring something to the Feast though not of our owne Wee must bring empty soules and a spirit of Faith and a spirit of Love The services of this Feast Obs There is a vail over all mens spirits by nature A two-fold vaile 1. Of the things themselves 2 Of the souls not seeing or not beleeving 3 There must be a light to make things visible All things in religion are mysterious 1. There 's a vaile of ignorance on all naturall men Naturall men know not spirituall things in their proper species A godly man sees spirituall things intritively The light of the godly is a light with influence the light of the wicked is without it Simile Simile Simile There is a vaile of unbeliefe over the unregenerate Ignorance and unbeliefe act in all sinnes 2. Obser God only can take off the vaile of ignorance and unbeliefe Reas Because of the unsuitablenes between the soule and spirituall things Foure things required in sight Foure degrees of discerning things Reas 2. Reas 3. And a disproportion also Reas 4. No creature Angels or men can bring light into the soule 3 Obs It s peculiar to the Church to have the vaile taken away It s
peculiar to the Church to know the greatest good and greatest evill 4 Obs Where the vaile is taken away there is spirituall joy and feasting Reason The same Spirit is a Spirit of Revelation and consolation Use 1. To labour to have this vaile taken off Meanes For this wee must attend on Ordinances Smile 3. Fashion not our selves after the times 4. Be carefull to practise what we know Quest Answ 5 Love what we know Use 2. Make our studies and closets Oratories for the getting of knowledge We can shut but not open our hearts to divine truths Quest How shall we know that we have heavenly light Answ 1. By a marvelling at the things of faith and the goodnesse of God in revealing them to us 2. By being carried with desire to know more and more 3. When the vaile is taken off by sanctified meanes which we can justifie by our owne experience of them Fourthly When our knowledge worketh upon us Application of this to the Sacrament Death is the great King of Kings Death spares none Death hath continued from the beginning let in by sin Sin armeth Death Hel the attendant of death Christ swallows up death in victory for himselfe and his Reas Because hee hath satisfied for sin A double kingdome of Christ 1. A kingdom of patience 2. A kingdom of power Christ conquereth for us and in us Death was conquered by Christ when he had given way to be under the power of it Use 1. First we see God gives way to his enemies for a time when he will give glorious victory Death is already swallowed up to faith Vse 2. Labour to be one with Christ crucified Vse 3. Be thankfull to God for this victory in Christ The benefits of death to a person that is in Christ Vse 4. Let those that are in Christ be ashamed of the feare of death Death terrible to the wicked They are fools that in a carnall bravery contemn death before disarmed in Christ Of Duellist Vs Of consolation to those that are in Christ Death is not only subdued but made a friend It s profitable to some to fal Satan hath advantage by our fearing death The worst the world can doe is to take away life and in that they doe the godly a pleasure Christ will draw his mysticall body to him into heaven Our comfort by Christ should make us fruitfull to Christ It s better to dye in the Lord than for the Lord. Prepare for death by getting into Christ Sin hath no Law in us to rule by * Good men easie to weepe Christ in heaven not without compassion * Psa 119. 136 * Phil. 3. 18 We have cause to weepe for the sinnes of others 1. From our love to God 2. From love to the Church and our brethren Simile Vse To condemne Stoicisme * Isa 1. 5. The best men aptest to grieve Vse 2. It s good wee doe grieve Avoid what hnders sensiblenesse The life of a Christian is a mixture of joy and sorrow Uses of joy in Christians We should picke matter of comfort out of griefe All causes of sorrow shall be removed The more teares here the more joy hereafter The Order First shed teares and then have them wiped away Reason 1. Our own necessity Simile Reason 2. For the increase of our comfort Simile Use 1. Take notice of the tender mercy of God in this that he will wipe away teares Judge not by sight for the godly here mourn most * 1 Cor. 15. 19. Be not discouraged for our own or Churches causes of griefe * Mat. 5. 4. Christians have more cause of joy than griefe and they ought to eye both This is comfortable while we live and when we die A carnall man is all joy or all sorrow The godly have a mixt condition and should have a mixt disposition Wayes are to be esteemed by their end Mat. 11. 19. Man since the fall subject to sorrow No sorrow in Paradise nor shall any be in heaven The greatest cause of the godlies mourning sin within him Rom. 7. 24. 1. A case about teares Psa 56. 8. God hath no bottle for some teares Marks of good teares 1. When their spring is the love of God 2. When wee weepe for our own sins and sins of others Truth of grace appeares more in grieving for others sins then our own 3. When our teares are shed in secret Jer. 13. 17. 4. When they tend to reformation of what they are shed for 2. Case How can a Christian joy and grieve together Phil. 4. 4. Gods people here are under rebuke and reproach Psal 137. Psal 22. 78. This text points at the conversion of the Jewes Reas There be two seeds in the world 1. Of the Serpent 2. Of the woman Carnall men would have all men thought of alike Men put a false vaile both on godlinesse and wickednesse Use 1. Take heed of laying scandal on religion Use 2. To study to be wise that wee be not misled by the misrepresentation of things The devill a lyar that he may be a murtherer Why it s the course of the world to slander Things shall be known to be as they arâ— Reason From Gods justice Revel 11. Use 1. To direct what course to take under disgrace and scandall 1. Labour to be innocent 2. To be patient 3. To be couragious 4 To be sincere 2 Cor. 5. 13. 14 2 Sam. 6. 20. 21. 5. Commend our credits to God by prayer Comfort your selfe in your own true worth 1 Cor. 4. 3. 1 Pet. 4 14. God putteth a glory upon his children under disgrace Mat. 5. 11. 12. Vse 2. For comfort to the godly their rebukes shall bee taken away God is the author of promises Use Consider God in the Promises to helpe our faith Quest How is it the the word of God sith Isaiah spake it Answ He did but write God did dictate Wee should not so much look on the Ministers as from whom they speak Quest 2. Whence hath the Scripture authority Answ From its selfe The Spirit of God in Scriptures Judge of all controversies Quest 3. How may wee know it is the Word of God but by the Chuâ—ch Answ As wee know a Letter from a friend Simile The word knowne to be of â—od 1. By its Majesty 2. Mysteriousnesse 3. Witnesse of the Spirit 4. Divine efficacy 1. In warming 2. Comforting 3. Changing 4. Casting down the soul Acts 16. 31. Adam nearest damnation 5. Searching b 1 Cor. 14 25. c Heb 4. 12. 5. The word proved to be of God from our experience 6. By reason Object The word may bee corrupted Answ The Jews lookt to the Old Testament Hereticks over the new Use 1. Let us regard heare Scriptures as the word of God Use 2. Know 1. God will make every part good Every threatning in it is ratified in heaven Use 3. Let us take shame to our selves for our infidelity in the promises Meanes To regard the word labour 〈◊〉 spirit that indited them Relishing the word makes a man a Christian indeed The points considerable Promises of God flow from Gods goodnesse Promises free and full Use Let us count promises our best treasure God taketh a long day for performance of promises Reas 1. To exercise our faith Reas 2. To waine from the creature Reas 3. To indear the things promised Reas 4. To fit us for injoyment Simile Simile A condition of waiting is a mixt condition of imperfection and perfection Wee have a taste here of what we shall have hereafter to support us Waiting is a grace whereby God sits us for an imperfect condition Waiting carrieth with it all graces 1. Patience 2. Long suffering 3. Contentment 4. Silence from murmuring 5. Watchfulnesse 6. Fruitfulnes Want of waiting the cause of wickednes Many rubs between us and heaven We are of unsetled dispositions It s hard to overcome tediousnesse of time All to be overcome by waiting God will performe promises to them that wait God keeps times and seasons in his own power There is a glorious day yet for Christians There be particular dayes of performance in this life Good to observe what dayes of performance God gives in A sight of God comparative here Absolute in heaven There 's an influence from the thing hoped for to uphold graces in waiting Simile Wee should look to the last end to fit us for it God will have us continue in a state of waiting Reas 1. It s his pleasure we should live by faith not by sight Reas 2. We are not yet fitted for sight of Glory Reas 3. Because God would have us enjoy the best at last Waiting not an empty thing Simile God fits heaven for us and us for heaven As there is a time of waiting so there will be a time of performing 1 Reas God is Jehovah Reas 2. God is faithfull Reas 3. He hath bowels of compassion towards his people Reas 4. Because the grace we have is but an earnest of what we shall have Our faith should answer Gods dealing Waiting the character of Gods people Directions to help waiting 1 Gods time is the best time 2 God will effect things though by contraries Times are in Gods hands There 's suitable action for every affection In performance of promises be much in thankfulnesse Experience of Gods performances should stir up waiting We ought to treasure up experiences God an inexhaust fountain Gods carriage towards his children is salvation Our joy and happinesse is in the enjoyment of God The joy of a Christian ends in glorying Begin to glory in God here Interest in God Christ is the ground of all rejoycing Therefore we are to make good that interest whilst we are here 1 By Union 2 By acquaintance with him The Church cannot be without Christ nor Christ without the Church In heaven nothing but in its admirable 1 Be not offended at the meanenesse of the Church 2 Nor offended with Religion for there 's a glory to come 3 Be not afraid to dye for heaven is our rest and center 4 Neither rest in any measure of grace or comfort here 5 Be not overmuch dejected for the desolation of the Church The fore taste of heaven is better than all worldly happinesse
he will break off you also And indeed for their pride and haughtinesse of minde they are at this day broken off Christ that walks between the seven golden Candlesticks did never say that the Church of Smyrna or Ephesus should alwaies remaine a visible Church to the eyes of the world neither were they for to this very day they lie under bondage and slavery to the Turke The Mount hath bin alwaies visible though not alwaies alike gloriously visible for there will be a time when the Church shall fly into the wildernesse where then shall be the glorious visibility of the Church there is a time when all shall follow the beast the Papists themselves confesse that in Antichrists time the Church shall scarce be visible The essence of a thing and the quality of a thing may differ The Church is a Church and visible but not alwaies equally and alike gloriously visible yet those that had spirituall eyes and did looke upon things with the spectacles of the Scripture they could alwaies declare the Church was visible for from the beginning of the world the Church had alwaies lustre enough sufficient to delight and draw the elect and so shall have to the end of the world though sometimes the Church may have a mist before it as Austin speakes It is no wonder that thou canst not see a mountaine for thou hast no eyes But the Papists have seen this mountaine as they have alwaies bin bloody persecutors of the Church they have seen enough to confound them For we have nothing in our Church but they have the same onely ours is refined and freed from Idolatry Wee have two Sacraments they have seven Wee have Scripture they have traditions which they equall with it Wee have Scriptures pure they corrupt So that our Church was in the midst of theirs as a sound and more uncorrupt part in a corrupt body This mountaine is the Church Rev. 14. 1. The Lambe standeth upon Mount Sion and with him a hundred fourty and foure thousand having his Fathers name written in their foreheads Christ standeth in the Church and standing in Mount Sion he is accompanied with those that his Father hath given to him before the world was therefore those that belong to this holy Mountaine they are Christs And in this Mountaine shall the Lord of hosts make a feast for all people And this feast is a royall feast a marriage feast wherin the joy and comfort of Gods people are set down by that which is most comfortable among men The founder of the feast is the Lord of hoasts It is onely he that is able to prepare a table in the wildernesse that is mighty and of ability to feast his Church with a spirituall and holy banquet We all live at his table for the feeding of our bodies but much more in regard of our soules He can make a feast for the whole man for he is Lord of the conscience and he is to spread a table for the whole world nay more if there were so many he can furnish a table for ten thousand worlds he is the God of all spirituall comforts and the God of all consolation He is infinite and can never be drawne dry for he is the fountaine of eternall life All graces and comforts in the Scripture are called the comforts and graces of the holy Spirit because God is the giver of them by his Spirit Who can take away the wound of a guilty conscience but he that hath set the conscience in the hearts of men Hee if hee pleaseth can take away the burden of a grieved conscience and supply it instead thereof with new and solid comforts He knoweth all the windings and turnings of the soule where all the paine and griefe lieth and he cannot but know it because he onely is above the soule He is therefore the fittest to make the soule a feast he only can do it and he will do it In this Mountaine shall the Lord of Hoasts make a feast Why is he called the Lord of Hoasts It is an usuall terme to set forth the glory of God to make his power and the greatnesse of his Majesty known amongst the children of men He shall make a feast for all people Those that are invited to this glorious feast are all people none excepted none excluded that will come in to Christ some of all sorts of all nations of all languages this hath relation to the time of the Gospel The Church at first had its being in particular families but afterwards more inlarged The Church at the first was of the daughters of men and the sonnes of God the children of the Church mingled with a generation of corrupt persons that would keepe in no bounds but after Abrahams time there was another generation of the Church that so it was a little more inlarged Then there was a third generation a divided generation consisting of Jewes and Gentiles So that when Christ came into the world the bounds of the Church began to inlarge themselves more and more so that now it is in this happy condition Come ye all unto me all that are heavy laden both Jewes and Gentiles all are invited whosoever they are nothing is now uncleane Act. 10. 15. Christ is come and hath made to all people a feast of fat things it must be a feast and of fat things for all the world shall be the better for it The Jewes shall be converted and the fullnesse of the Gentiles shall come in And yet it is no prejudice to any particular man because the things ye are to tast of are spirituall Go to all the good things in the world the more one hath of them the lesse another must have because they are earthly and so are finite but in spirituall things all may have the whole and every man in particular Every man enjoyeth the light of the Sunne in particular and all enjoy it too So the whole Church and onely the Church injoyes the benefit and comfort of this feast but under the name of this Church come all the elect both Jewes and Gentiles and therefore it must be the Lord of Hoasts that can make such a feast as this is a feast for all people No other is able to doe it This feast is a feast of fat things full of marrow and of wine on the lees well refined the best that can be imagined the best of the best A feast is promised a spirituall feast The speciall graces and favours of God are compared to a feast made up of the best things full of all varieties and excellencies and the chiefe dish that is all in all is Christ and all the gracious benefits wee by promise can in any wise expect from him All other favours and blessings whatsoever they are are but Christ dished out as I may so speake in severall offices and attributes he is the originall of comfort the principle of grace and holinesse all is
bloud and in that the love and mercy of God in Christ in giving him to death for us and Christs love to give himself to satisfie Divine Justice these be the things intended which onely the soule sees and apprehendeth And so all things in the Church indeed are mysteries the incarnation of Christ the union of both natures that Christ should save the world by such a way as he did that he should bring us to glory by shame to life by death to blessing and happinesse by being a curse for us it is a mystery to bring contrary out of contrary That so glorious a person as God should be covered with our weake and sinnefull nature it was a mystery the Jewes stumbled at it light came and the darkenesse could not comprehend the light And as Christ was a mystery himselfe so the Church is a mystery that God should so much delight in a company of poore men the off-scowring of the world to make them temples of his holy Spirit and heires of heaven men that were under the scorne of the world this is a mystery so all is mysticall the head the members the body the Church and every particular point of Religion there is a mystery in repentance no man knoweth what sorrow for sin is but the true gracious person no man knowes what it is to believe but he that hath an heart to believe no man knoweth what peace of conscience and joy of the holy Ghost is but those that feele it so that is a mystery And therefore great is the mystery of godlinesse saith the Apostle not onely in the points themselves but even the practice of Religion is a mystery too Repentance and Faith and new obedience and love and the comforts of Religion are all mysteries there is a vaile upon them in all these points that a carnall man cannot see them You see then in what sense there is a vaile of the things and in what sense there is a vaile on mens hearts that is either the things themselves are hid or if the things be open they want sight and light of knowledge and they want faith to believe Beloved we live in times that the object is cleare to us the things themselves are made cleare as who knoweth not what Christ is and the notion of the incarnation and of the union with him wee know them notionally they be opened and revealed to us very clearely all the articles of faith and misteries of Religion so that there is no obscurity in the object the things are cleare specially in these places of knowledge But yet notwithstanding there is a vaile upon the soule The soule of every man that is not graciously wrought upon by the spirit of God hath a vaile of ignorance and unbeliefe First of all of Ignorance There is a vaile of ignorance in many and in all men naturally a vaile of ignorance of spirituall things for unlesse they be revealed they can never be knowne to Angels themselves The Angels themselves know not the Gospell till it be opened and therefore they be students in it continually and the best men in the world know nothing in the Gospell further then it is revealed but there is a vaile of ignorance upon them that know these things notionally because they do not know them as they should know them they doe not know them in propria specie spirituall and heavenly things as spirituall and heavenly things they doe not know spirituall things as spirituall things they have a humane knowledge of spirituall things Those that want grace they know the Grammer of the Scripture and Divinity and they know how to discourse as Schoolemen doe from one thing to another and to argue they know the Logicke and Rhetoricke of the Scripture but they sticke in the stile there is something they are ignorant of That is they have not an eye of knowledge as wee call it they doe not see the things themselves but onely they see things by another bodies spirit and they have no light of their owne And so no man knoweth naturally but the children of God what originall sinne is what corruption of nature is nor knowes sinne in its owne odious colours to be filthy and to be dangerous as it is to draw the curse and vengeance of God upon it this is not knowne but by the spirit revealing the odiousnesse of sinne that the soule may apprehend it as Christ did when he suffered for it and as God doth A gracious man seeth it as God seeth it because by the spirit of God hee seeth the filthinesse and odiousnesse of it and the danger it draweth after it And so in any points of Religion naturally a man sees not them spiritually as they are and as God sees them but he seeth them by a humane light hee seeth heavenly things by a humane light notionally and meerely to discourse of them he seeth not intritively into the things themselves he seeth them sub aliena specie under another representation then their owne onely a godly man seeth spirituall things as the spirit of God and seeth them as they are knowes sinne as it is knoweth grace to be as it is and knoweth faith what it is to believe what it is to have peace of conscience and the pardon of sinnes he knoweth these things in some sense intritively though not so as he shall doe when he shall see these things in heaven when he shall see face to face There is a great difference in it hee sees them intritively in respect of the knowledge of other men though he sees but in a glasse in regard of the knowledge hee shall have in heaven As Saint Paul saith for wee see but as in a glasse but he that sees in a glasse seeth more life then he that sees the dead picture of a man So though we see but in a glasse heavenly things yet wee see them better then those that see them in a dead notion though it be nothing to the knowledge wee shall have in heaven yet it is incomparable above the knowledge of any carnall naturall man upon the earth Againe naturally men have vailes of ignorance upon the most divine things of spirituall things such as is union and as is the communion between Christ and us and the mystery of regeneration in the new creature such as is the joy in the holy Ghost the inward peace of conscience I will not name the particulars to insist on them but give you onely an iustance though they know the notion of these things yet they are altogether ignorant of them their knowledge is a meere outward light it is a light radicated in the soule It is not as the light of the Moone which receiveth light from the Sunne but it is a light radicated and incorporated into the soule as the light of the Sunne is by the spirit it is in the soule it is not onely upon the soule but in the soule the heart sees
and life goeth together with a christian as Christ saith he is the light of the world and the life of the world First light for life commeth with light and light conveyeth life All grace is dropt into the will through the understanding and wheresoever Christ is life he is light because true knowledge is a transforming knowledge but if religion be not knowne to purpose it hardens and makes worse We are now by Gods good providence come to farther businesse to partake of these mysteries yet it should be the desire of our soules that our eyes may be opened that in these divine and precious mysteries he would discover hidden love which is not seen with the eyes of the body they may see and taste and relish his love and goodnesse in Jesus Christ that as the outward man is refreshed with the elements so the inward man may be refreshed with his spirit that they may be effectuall to us that we may justifie the course God takes so farre as to come charitably and joyfully to them THE Fourth Sermon ISAIAH 25. 7 8. I will destroy in this Mountaine the face of the covering cast over all people and the vaile that is spread over all Nations He will swallow up death in victory c. WE have heretofore at large spoken of the spirituall and eternall favors of God set out in the former Verse In this Mountain will the Lord of Hosts make a Feast of fat things While our soule is in the body it is much guided by our fancy spirituall things are therefore presented by outward and conveyed to the soule that way onely we must remember that there is a farre greater excellency in the things themselves than in their representation for what is all Banquets fatnesse with Marrow Wine on the Lees to the joy and sweetnesse of Religion begun here and accomplished in the world to come In Christ there is nothing but all Marrow and sweetnesse in Religion that may refresh a man in the lowest condition if hee can but have a taste of it Now because the spirituall things of Christ doe us no good as long as they are hid therefore the Holy Ghost setteth downe a Promise That God will take away the covering cast on all people and the vaile spread over all Nations But there be some things that will dampe all mirth Now here is security against them that our joy may bee compleat and this in the next verse to which I now come Hee will swallow up death in victory hee will wipe away teares from all faces The Prophet having spoken of a great Feast before an excellent Feast sets forth here the services of that feast what is it that accompanies it First of all there shall be light to discover the excellency of the feast the vaile is taken away and a knowledge given to know divine things in a spirituall manner Then which will damp all feasts the feare of death is taken away He will swallow up death in victory and wipe away all tears that is all sorrow the effect is put for the cause This is an excellent promise an excellent Service in this spirituall banquet Suppose a man were set at a Feast furnished with all Delicates royally attended Cloaths suitable and had a Sword hung over his head ready to fall upon him it would cast such a dampe on his spirit as would spoile the joy of this feast So to heare of Spirituall excellencies and yet death and hell and damnation comming along alas where is the comfort you speake of And therefore to make the feast more perfect there is not onely light and knowledge but removall of it ever may dampe the feast So this must needs come in to comfort all the rest He shall swallow up death in victory and wipe away tears from all faces Death is here represented to us under the word victory as a Combatant as one that we are to fight withall a Captaine And then here is the victory of him Christ overcomes him and overcomes him gloriously It is not onely a Conquest but a swallowing of him up Usually God useth all sorts of enemies in their owne kinde he causeth them that spoile to be spoyled them that swallow up to be swallowed up So Death the great swallower shall be swallowed up Beloved Death is the great King of Kings and the Emperor of Emperors the great Captaine and ruling King of the world for no King hath such Dominion as Death hath it spreads its government and victory over all Nations he is equall though a Tyrant As a Tyrant spares none he is equall in this he subdueth young and old poore and rich he levels Scepters and Spades together he levels all there is no difference between the dust of an Emperor and the meanest man he is a Tyrant that governeth over all And so there is this equity in him he spares none He hath continued from the beginning of the world to this time but he is a Tyrant brought in by our selves Rom. 5. Sin let in Death it opened the doore death is no Creature of Gods making Satan brought in sin and sinne brought in death So that we be accessary our selves to the powerfull stroak of this prevailing Tyrant And therefore sinne is called the cause of death Sinne brought in death and armeth death the weapon that death fights with and causeth great terror it is sinne The cause is armed with the power of the wrath of God for sinne the feare of hell and damnation So that wrath and hell and damnation arming sinne it bringeth a sting of it self and put as venome into death All cares and feares and sorrowes and sicknesses are lesse and petty deaths harbingers to death it selfe but the attendants that follow this great King are worst of all As Rev. 6. I saw a pale horse and death upon it and after him comes hell what were death if it were not for the Pit and Dungeon that followeth it So that death is attended with hell and hell with eternity Therefore here is a strange kind of prevailing There is no victory where there is no enemy and therefore death must needs be an enemy yea it is the worst enemy and the last enemy Death is not planted in the forlorne hope but it is planted at last for the greatest advantage and is a great enemy what doth death It depriveth us of all comfort pleasure communion with one another in this life callings or whatsoever else is comfortable The grave is the house of oblivion Death is terrible of it selfe even to nature as Augustine saith where it is not swallowed up of Christ for it is an evill in it selfe and as I said armed with a sting of sinne after which followes Hell Now this death is swallowed up When the Scripture puts a person upon death it is not uncomly for us to speak as the Scripture doth The Scripture puts a persouupon death and a kind of triumphing spirit in
this is said for the time to come he wil swallow up death but Paul saith it is also past and swallowed up already faith saith it is done and so it is in our head Were it not comfortable now to all true hearted Christians to heare that the Church fareth better and that the enemies were swallowed up for they be but the instruments of this inferiour death let us get the spirit of faith and see them all conquered for certainly they shall have the worst at last He that hath swallowed up death in victory will swallow up all that be the cause of death And therefore the Scripture speaks of these things as past Babilon is fallen as a milstone cast into the bottome of the Sea Get a spirit of faith and wee shall never be much troubled with Babilon for all the enemies of Christ and adherents to that man of sinne must downe and partake of the judgement threatned in the Revelations Heaven hath concluded it and all the policy of Rome and hell cannot disanull it they be already swallowed up to faith and Christ will rule till hee hath put them all under his feet which shall be done not only to destroy them but to raise himselfe higher in giving them up to their confusion Againe if death be swallowed up in victory labour to be one with Christ crucified for union with him begin with union with Christ crucified The first union is with Christ abased and then with Christ glorified And therefore labour to see sinne that brought in death subdued by the power of Christs death in some measure and then wee shall have comfort in his death glorified For in my holy mount death is swallowed up that is the true Church of Christ labour to be members of Christ otherwise death will come as a tyrant indeed armed with a terrible sting in his full force to assaile you It is the most terrible thing to see death come armed with the wrath and anger of God and attended with hell and damnation Labour therefore to be one with Christ crucified to get our sinnes crucified and our selves partakers of his death and then no damnation no feare of death to them that are in Christ they may die but they are freed from eternall death and they shall rise againe even as Christs body rose to glory Get therefore into Christ and desire the power of his death subduing sinne In what measure we grow in that wee grow in boldnesse and joy and whatsoever priviledges follow Christ Againe when wee be in Christ true members of him then let us be thankfull to God for this victory thankfull to Jesus Christ that hath given us victory when wee thinke of death of sinne of judgement of hell of damnation let us be framed as a Christian should Now let him that hath the most terrible and fearfull things in the world as conquered enemies say oh blessed be God for Christ and blessed be Christ for dying for us and by death disarming death of his sting that now wee can thinke of it in our judgements quietly now we can thinke of all these as conquered enemies this is the fruit of Christs death they are not onely enemies but friends in Christ Sinne the remainder of it the guilt of it that bindeth over to damnation is taken away the remainders of it serve to humble us make us feele the power of pardon and to desire another world where we shall be all spirituall so that death is a part of our joynture All things are yours life and death death doth us many excellent services it is a doore and passage to life death is the death of it selfe destroyeth it selfe Wee never truly live till wee die and when wee die we are past feare of death So that sinne dieth misery dieth death dieth though it takes us from comforts and employments and friends here yet it is a change to a better place and better company and better employments and better condition to be in a glorious condition to eternity and therefore wee have cause to blesse God in Christ that tooke our nature and in our nature disarmed our greatest enemy sinne and so disarmed death and freed us from the wrath of of God and hell and damnation Oh we can never be thankfull enough for this Againe if death be swallowed up in victory let us be ashamed of the feare of death because Christ saith he will swallow him up as he hath already in his own person Shall wee be afraid of an enemy that is swallowed up in our head and shall be swallowed up in every one of us If we cherish feare we shew we looke not for an interest in this promise for it is a promise that in this holy mountaine death shall be swallowed up in victory and why should we feare a conquered enemy none will feare an enemy that is conquered Object But how came Christ to feare death and we not to fear Answ Christ had to deale with death armed with a terrible sting with sinne and the wrath of God for sin And therefore when he was to die Father let this cup passe from me But death is disarmed to us He had to encounter with sinne and the wrath of God and death in all its strength But we are not so we are to deale with death like the brazen Serpent that hath the shape of death but no sting at all It s become a drone ever since it lost its sting in Christ Life tooke death that death might take life as he said The meaning is Christs life it selfe tooke death that wee that were so subject to death that we were death it selfe might take life Oh blessed consideration nothing comparable to the consideration of the death of Christ it is the death of deaths And then againe wee are sure of victory it is conquered in our head and shall be in us But you say wee are to conflict with the pangs of death and many troubles meet in death It is true but it is conquered to faith and in Christ our head we must fight Christ traineth us to overcome death our selves by faith and then wee are sure of victory Joyne these two together it is conquered in Christ our head and shall be conquered of us death keeps our dust and must give them all againe Obj. But in the mean time we die Ans 'T is so but we are sure of victory he will protect us in our combate that hath conquered for us we fight against death and the terror of it in the strength and faith of his victory joyne these three together Hee that hath been our Saviour in life will be so to death and not exclusively then to leave us but to death and in death for ever yea most ready to helpe us in our last conflict Indeed to wicked men death is terrible for he sendeth the devill to fetch them out of the world but for these that be his he