sin should have this for their aim designe and endeavour as we see in these spoken of here who when they come to any sense of their sin this is clearly their great designe and work verie seriously and closely pursued by them To clear and Confirm it take these Three words Consider First What state and Condition man naturally is in Secondly What God is to man in reference to that estate And Thirdly What Covenanting with God is and we will find that there is nothing which he should more seriously designe and seek after First Man is naturally an enemy to God and in respect of his malicious desperat inclination given to thwart with God whereby God stands as an enemy to him he is liable to the curse of God and God is as an armed man against him as Job speaks and he like an unarmed Child runing on the bosses of his Buckler Secondly Consider that God is not only an enemy but stands stated as such with his Curse against sinners according to that word Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things written in the Law to do them and this Curse is like the flaming Sword in the hand of the Cherubims which with terrour separats betwixt God and the sinner So that there is no access for him to God and if he have any thoughts of God he is troubled with them and all the Creatures are armed against him So that he can expect nothing but enmity from every stone of the field Thirdâ— Consider that Covenanting with God is that wheâ— by a man who is naturally at enmity with God coâ—eth to be in friendship with him and hath the faâ— of every thing altered the meditation of God sweet to him the creatures are in league with hiâ— The Angels become Ministring Spirits to him a Gods dispensations become lovely and do work tâ—gether for his good even those that are in themselves most terrible Death and the Grave becomâ— servants to him and being in Covenant with Goâ— he can triumph over them and all troubles and peâ—secutions and say that he is More then Conqueror 〈◊〉 them all as it is Rom. 8. and saith the Apostle tâ— such 1 Cor. 3. All things are yours whether Pauâ— or Apollo or Cephas or Life or Death things presenâ— or things to come all are yours and ye are Christs Is it any wonder then that at Poor Soul toucheâ— with the sense of sin be desirous and Solicitous to bâ— in Covenant with God And therefore whetheâ— we look upon it as a dutie or as an evidence of 〈◊〉 person truly humbled for sin it is very desirable anâ— should be seriously sought after The Use Serves to show That the great Scope which ye should now have before you is to have a broken Covenant made up with God It should be your main designe to put this grand business to a point that there may be no war but a standing League betwixt God and you And therefore whâ— ever they be that satisfie themselves with going about the Ordinances misken this they certainly mistake the mark The great matter is not to come to the Communion neither is it to win at somewhat of heart softness or to a little sense which are good but it 's really to be in Covenant with God to be able to say on good ground The Lord is my God My beloved 〈◊〉 mine and I am his And when he saith Return backsliding Children to be in case to answer with the heart â—ehold we come unto thee for thou art the Lord our God â—his is indeed a desirable thing and he is an unhappie man that doth not that will not heartily desire and seek after it Secondly From their very great Seriousness in going and weeping in going to seek the Lord asking the way to Zion and from their encouraging one another to Join in Covenant with the Lord Observe that where there is any Sincerity or begun work of Grace it shews 〈◊〉 self in nothing sooner then in an impulse to be at Covenanting with God and to have some clearness therein For only to be in Covenant and not to have the knowledge of it cannot give that peace and comfort which a present sad exercise calleth for therefore say they while they are going and weeping Come and let us join our selves to the Lord in a perpetuall Covenant that shal not be forgotten So then we say that a sincere and gracious work of God appears in nothing sooner then in this impulse to have the Covenant of God fixed and put out of doubt to have this at a Point is their great designe here and they are very serious in it So Isaiah 44. where vers 3. There is a Promise of the work of the Spirit in Sanctifieng and how is this work of the Spirit proved or wherein doth it appear Even thus vers 5. One shal say I am the Lords and another shall call himself by the Name of Jacob and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord and sur-name himself by the name of Israel the work of Gods Spirit whâ— he comes to Sanctifie and save is such as makes a maâ— run and devote himself to God with hand heart aâ— mouth ye never saw people more quickly and wiâ— better will come to the Church at the most Solemâ— occasion then when this work is begun or there any kindly exercise about it serious Souls will 〈◊〉 ready to run with their heart to Subscribe to Gods Câ—venant when the Terms of it are laid out before theâ— Only advert to these Two things in this Observatioâ— First When I speak of entering in Covenant with Goâ— I mean of the hearts closing with him by Fai h according as he offers himself in this Gospel when he saitâ— quit and renounce your own righteousness and taâ— mine quit and abandon your lusts and Idols and giâ—â— your selves to me and I will be your God and be fortâ— coming to you in all things that concern your happineâ— here and hereafter the heart yeelds and says conteâ— Lord the offer is good and I accept of it and 〈◊〉 wives were wont as it is yet the custom to surnaâ— themselves by their husbands so doth the Soul upâ— the matter in this Covenant Subscribe I am Godâ— This is called a yeelding to God or the giving of tâ— hand to him 2 Chron. 30.8 and Rom. 10.3 It 〈◊〉 called A submitting to the righteousness of God Seconâ—ly When we speak of this impulse towards or desiâ— of Covenanting with God It 's noâ— to be understood 〈◊〉 every raw wish such as Balaam bad to be in Heaven but it is a seriously urging impulse an earnest hungâ— and thirst and an ardent longing to have this at a point It 's such a thirsting desire as all the world beside wâ— not be able to quench It makes the Soul eager in tâ— pursuit of the thing even to meet and close with Goâ— in the Covenant It 's in effect that which Matth. 5.6 is called
to the Market and that few or none should buy that Christ should to speak so open his paâ—k and sell no wares Therefore let me say a few words to you for perswading you readily and presently to embrace the Offer of this richest Bargain And in the First Plaâ—e we pray you believe this truth Alace there is litle or no faith given to it Souls come straitned not throughly believing that God is putting Christ Grace and Glory Heaven and Happiness and all to Sale These are dayes of The Son of man in a special manner wherein Christs fleet to speak so with Reverence is come home the Shops are now well furnished with Rich Commodities all his Stands are set out and full of Grace Secondly Wonder that God hath condescended to make offer of such a bargain to us that that which cost Christ so very dear is offered so exceeding cheap to us Thirdly We exhort and obtest you that while these choisest wares are set to sale ye receive not this offer in vain Are there any Merchants here for such wares Here is the Market the wares are good and sufficient and the terms very easie and the Price wondrously low even so low that it comes to no Money no Price can ye Possibly wish a better bargain or more easie terms Are there any chap men that want Money any that are Thirsty then Come yea be the frame and disposition of your heart what it may be if you would have it righted come there is here that which will make you Rich Happie here and hereafter are there none of you that will seriously ask what the Lord will say what Christ will take as it were for these wares or what are his terms with a sincere resolution to take them on these very terms Will ye not be Prevailed with to make experimental tryal what it is to have Christ Made of God to you wisdome Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption Are there none among you all that have sins to be pardoned wants to be supplied strong and stirring Corruptions to be subdued and mortified Is it Possible that so many are come hither for the fashion Are there none living at distance from God nor under his curse really or to their own apprehension that would have the distance and curse removed Are there no weak Graces to be strengthened If there be any such merchants that have a mind and heart to the wares I say to them from the Lord as his Herauld Ho every one that Thirsts and he that hath no money come This is the scope of the Gospel and the preparation for Christ and also for the Communion that it calleth for from poor Souls that would fain close the bargain and set their Seal to it and would have Gods Seal set to it to morrow by taking the Sacrament Speak what say ye Pose and put your hearts to it to declare if they be indeed willing and well content to make and hold the bargain on his own terms if they be so as there is all the reason in the world they should then I say ye have a good bargain I say again speak pose your hearts if ye will make and hold the bargain on these terms or not There are these things that do singularly commend this bargain First the excellencie of it ye will go through all the Markets in the World ere ye get such riâ—h Mercies of so rare a kind so sure and so cheap ye would belike think much to have so much land gold or money but what are those to this bargain Those will evanish and turn to ashes when this will endure and abide with you for ever What are ye doing Who are like so many Horse-leaches sucking up and glutting your selves with the world or living securely and carelesly or puâ—ching up your own righteousness is there any of those bargains like this we appeal to your own consciences and nothing doubt but they will one day bear witness against you that ye heard of such a bargain and had it in your offer and yet wilfully refused to accept of it Secondly Is there any bargain more suitable for you who have your peace to make with God for you who have corruption lively in you then to have a King Captain and conqueror to bring it down and to trample on it after he hath as a Priest reconciled you to God Is there any more suitable bargain for you who have your own pinches and straits and your Comforts at a very low ebb for you who have wants which cannot be numbred and who cannot of your selves command one stayed spirituall thought If ye were perfectly righteous and fairly landed in Eternity ye might possibly think the less of it though even Glorified Saints put a great value on it and glorious Angels admire it but that sinners dwelling on earth in cottages of clay whose habitation is in the dust should think litle of it it 's strange and even stupendious Is there or can there be a more suitable bargain for you that want money Is it not exactly calculated for your case and shapen out for you so as in every thing it may meet with your wants difficulties and Objections Thirdly Are not the terms most reasonable No great thing is sought for from you if a Lordship or a Kingdom were offered to a poor man for a Penny that hath no money at all it would signifie nothing at all to him But behold here peace and Pardon Grace and Glory even all good things are offered to you freely Fourthly Is not your necessity such that ye cannot be well without it For tho ye should spend your money and bestow much labour and even wear out your very eyes with weeping and your hearts with grief and sorrow if ye take not this course all will only have this Moto written thereon Vanity of vanities all is but vanity and vexation of spirit when ye come to feed on it ye will find it to be but wind if peace with God if God and Christ if grace and Glory be necessary then this bargain is necessary but if ye will continue lazie indifferent Luk-warme and unconcerned in the matter ye shall find that ye have sitten in your own light greatly and suffered the opportunity of the Market to slip which ye will never possibly recover And therefore for the Lords sake let neither legall weeping carnal fear or sorrow hypocrisie self-conceit nor mistakes of Christ and of free Grace divert you from making this bargain but seek Grace come over these and all other obstructions and while the Market lasts Come and buy without money and without Price It is hard to know how long your day shall last There are many Countriesides and Cities in the streets whereof these Packs to say so of rich wares were opened up Laid forth and exposed to sale that now for many years yea for several ages have not heard of them nor the Gospel preached what at least in Purity and Power
all my Salvation and all my desire though hâ—â— make it not to grow And if we look on the Prodigal Luke 15. When he is under a conviction of his Sin and misery what resolves he upon as a remedy I will go saith he to my Father and I will say Father I have sinned c. The first thing he betakes himself to and resolves upon is to catch hold of the Covenant relation betwixt his Father and him And there is a necessity of this on a Threefold account 1. Because there can be no solid ground for extricating and bringing one out of an evil condition but by Covenanting with God for what else I pray can silence a challenge or quiet and calme the Conscience in respect of guilt when it saith to the person thou hast sinned and art liable to the Curse There is no way to get sin and the Curse removed but by fleeing to Jesus Christ and closing with Gods offer of Pardon upon the account of His Satisfaction rested on by Faith Therefore is faith compared to a shield whereby we may quench the fierie darts of the devil It 's true saith the Soul accused of enmitie against and wrongs done to God I was an enemie to him and gâ—eatly wronged him I was liable to his curse and wraâ—h for sin but he offered me Pardon and reconciliation through the Mediator and I have accepted of his offer and do rest upon Christs satisfaction for pardon therefore I am Justified and shall not come into condemnation 2. Because there can be no peace to the Soul till there be some thorow evidence that the Covenant is fixed and made sure for this is the way that God hath laid down for making Peace as the quarrell and curse are founded on the breach of one Covenant so our peace ariseth upon our engaging with God in another Covenant Hence are all those promises Jer. 30.31 32 33. and Heb. 8. which are so often repeated I will Pardon their iniquities I will remember their sins no more c. All which Promises being priviledges of a Covenanter with God whoever would look for the Performance of the Promises there is a necessitie of their being in Covenant with him ere they can expect the performance of them and attain to Peace 3. Because all that are without the Covenant of Grace are under the curse being lyable to the breach of the first Covenant Therefore Ephes 2. These two are put together Strangers from the Covenant of Promise and having no Hope being without God and Christ in the World and so to be without the Covenant is to be without Hope and without God and without Christ Use 1. Lay this for an unquestionable ground that if ever ye be well it must be by this Covenant with God is there any conviction of sin of violating by gone engagements to God and of wrongs done to him take it for a certain truth that things must be thus adjusted and thus secured betwixt God and you that ye must have pardon peace by entring into making sure the new Covenant with God on the Grounds of his own grace That is when God is treating with you declaring that he is content to close with you on Condition that ye will take with your sin renounce your own righteousness and submit to Christs and be content to live to him all the days of your life that are behind step to closâ— with him on his own terms for the hearts yeelding its consent to God is the making of the Covenant thaâ— intitleth to all the good that is in the Bible In Sum it 's this if ye saith the Lord accept of my offering my self to be your God and consent to give up youâ— selves to me if ye will quit your own righteousness anâ— embrace Christs I will Pardon your sin I will bâ— forth coming to you for happiness and will sanctifiâ— you and make you fit to be Partakers of it and your making of the Covenant sure is your yeelding to be happie on these termes even to be content to take Justification Pardon of sin freely by vertue of Christs satisfaction and to give up your selves to be his to be for him and to live to him and not to your selves as ye get God engaged to be yours so ye engage and subscribe to be Gods and to walk suitably according to your engagement in his strength to be for him and for no other as the word is Hos 3. or as it is Isaiah 44.5 One shall say I am the Lords and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob and another shal subscribe with his hand unto the Lord and surname himself by the name of Israel He shall as it were write down his Name I am Gods This in short is Covenanting with God which may be done in hearing the word in Praying in meditating and in Communiâ—ating when Faith is distinctly at least really and truly exercised on Gods offer and Promise and when upon deliberation there is a sincere resolving with the persons self I will take God as be offers himself to me and will give up and away my self to him and when according to the resolution there is actually a yeelding to God Use Second Seeing this is the only way to right and unravel an evil and ravelled condition let me Exhort you to pitch on this as your great work and to aim at it as your great scope these days that are before you that a good understanding may be begotten betwixt God and you and all quarrels removed and taken away by declaring and acknowledging your iniquities before him and by Covenanting with him on his own terms This would make much kindly heart-melting and would make the Communion to be cheering and refreshful when after a secretly closed bargain with God we should come to receive his Seal and to append and put to ours and whatever tossings and difficulties there may be to get our selves made right here yet we would seriously endeavour to get our hearts brought up sincerely to say with the Psalmist Psal 16. My Soul hath said unto the Lord thou art my Lord And to win at a settled deliberat yeelding to God so as there may be quietness in it for the time to come Use Third There is here sad ground of Expostulation with and Reproof to many I know not what many of you are doing most part I suppose are taken up about the outward ordinances but as to the main thing of making up a Covenant with God as it is holden forth in the Gospel I fear that is much neglected and misken'd yet let me say it though ye should Pâ—ay and weep all these dayes without this it is impossible that ye can have Peace or win to have a good understanding betwixt God and you Put your selves therefore to the tryall and see if the frame of your Spirits be such as holds any tolerable Proportion to the frame and posture that Israel and Judah
Proclaim liberty to the Captives to give to them that mourn beauty for Ashes the Oyl of joy for Mourning and the Garment of Praise for the Spirit of Heaviness and this is called the Proclaiming of the acceptable year of the Lord Wherein all the three Persons of the Blessed Trinity concurr as is clear vers 1. Consider Secondly All his Offices and ye will find that they Preach and Proclaim the same thing his Name is Jesus because He saves his People from their sins He is King Priest and Prophet for this end and what saith his Preaching and Corrospondent Prayer John 17. Father I will that they whom thou hast given me be with me but that he would fain have them there And what shall I say Is there any proof of it that can be given beyond His Death I lay down my life saith he for my sheep The Salvation of lost Elect sinners went very near his heart Therefore when none in Heaven nor on earth can help then saith he Lo I come to do thy will O my God Thirdly Consider with what Pleasure and delight he went about the work of Redemption As is very clear in that 40th Psalm where he heartsomly saith Lo I come I delight to do thy will I even hasten to undertake it And when he is come he saith John 4.34 It is my meat to do the will of him that sent me and to finish his work and what work was that Even to lay down his Life to gather the lost sheep of the house of Israel to take away the seud that was betwixt God and them and to Reconcile them to him and when it cometh to the very push of actuall laying down his life He will not open his month to divert it though he might have commanded more then twelve Legions of Angels yet he would not do it for this cause saith he Came I into this World Fourthely Consider the end of all the Ordinances wherefore are they instituted what saith the word but that Thorow this man is preached unto you forgiveness of sins What say Ministers but that We are Ambassadours in Christ stead beseching you to be Reconciled unto God Which evidenceth Plainly that Christ would fain to speak so have peace made betwixt God and sinners and them saved and what saith the Sacrament but even the words of the Text This is the new Covenant in my Blood shed for the Remission of the sins of many And can we think on the end of these Ordinances but we must also think on Christs willingness that sinners should make Application of him and of his Purchase Fifthly Consider further How he esteems of a sinners coming to him There is saith he Joy in Heaven at the Conversion of a sinner We may say that it is the gladness of his heart when any sinner cometh home to him Therefore it is said that the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand and he shall see of the travel of his soul and be Satisfied Isaiah 53.10 11. It is Satisfaction to him for all the Travel of his Soul to see sinners coming in and getting good of him and in the Song He is said to feed in the Gardens and to be gathering lilies Yea that the day of Souls being espoused to him is the day of the gladness of his heart Sixthly Consider how weighted to speak so with reverence to him our Lord is when sinners will not make use of him it 's accounted by him as it were an affronting of him Even a troading of the Blood of the Covenant under foot and an accounting of it to be an unholy thing a sort and degree of doing despight to the Spirit of Grace He who could look sometimes on the wrath of God and not shed a tear yet when he came to Jerusalem weeped over it And upon the other hand O! what complacency hath he in a sinners coming home to him which makes him sweetly smile and rejoice Seventhly Consider his exceeding great forbearance toward sinners while they are straying and his exceeding heartie welcoming of them when they return Let an inquest to say so be led on his Procedure with all the hearers of the Gospel that are here on earth and with all that are in Heaven and hell and all of them will be constrained to subscribe to the truth of this that he is full of long-suffering Doth he not spare even the vessels of wrath fitted to distruction And doth He not only spare his own but Pity them as a Father pitieth his Children And that wonderfull wescom of the Father to his Prodigal Son is nothing to Christs welcoming of a repenting sinner being but a dark Resemblance of it He casts not up to him his bygone faults Neither sayes what is this you have done miserable wretch No such word but This is my Son that was dead and is alive that was lost and now is found Believe it O Believe it which is the very scope of the Parable Our Lord Jesus is as glad in a Holy way at a sinners coming home Eightly Consider how easie our Lord is to be pleased with any honest mint or essay that is made of returning to him He is so very willing that a sinner make Application of his Righteousness that where there is reality he will as it were take half a Faith for Faith were it even but like a Smoking flax or bruised Reed or a grain of mustard seed He will take a sincere resolution to confess for the confession of sin which is clear Psalm 32. I said saith David I will confess my Transgression and thou forgavâ—st the Iniquity of my sin If he had proposed the offer of life on such terms as would have wearied us all our dayes we ought to have Judged him willing that we should partake of it for it cost him very dear But when it is not Abrahams Faith only but any Faith how weak so ever if sound that he graciously accepts How doth it set forth his great willingness Him that cometh to me saith he I will in no wise cast out The word is doubled in the Original I will not Not to shew the holy passionatness of our Lords desire and his exceeding great willingness to have sinners closing with him So Isaiah 45. Salvation is promised even to a Look look unto me all the ends of the Earth and be Saved and if sinners cannot well look think but honestly and let their heart yeeld and it shall be a bargain He that is athirst let him come Revel 22. And if there be scarce the pain of Hunger or Thirst The Spirit and the Bride say come and whosoever will let him come and take of the Water of Life freely And this willingness is nothing else but the thought and desire of an heart consenting to accept of his offer Or if this be not litle enough there is less yet Psalm 37.7 Rest in the Lord the word as it is on the Margent and Psal 62.1 is be
would ye have the Covenant and Promises here they are Is it Christ himself that ye would have because ye dare not trust to a promise without a Cautioner Here he is or would ye have Heaven and be Eternally happy It 's also here Consider then I beseech you what is in your Offer dare you say that the security is not valid good and sufficient And if ye should there are many witnesses in Heaven against you and also the Sacrament on Earth which now is offered to confirm you This bargain therefore and its security must be receiv'dr else wo unto you for ever This word which we now Preach Nay these stones shall bear witness against you that our Lord Jesus was willing to save you and every one of you and ye would not And therefore your Blood shall be required at your own hand and He found without any the least Culpable accession to it Thirdly Ye are either to Communicat to day or ye are only to be hearers and Spectators whether the one or the other Is there not a necessity that ye close this bargain If ye be to Communicat will ye take the Bread and wine and misken and slight Christ If so ye will eat and drink your own Damnation would you have the Character of a right Communicant This is it that ye renounce your own and trust to his Righteousness and take the Sacrament for a confirmation of your interest in it If ye come thus ye shal be welcome for this Ordinance is appointed for this very end if ye be not to Communicat this word of the Gospel comes to you though ye have secluded your selves from the Sacrament either thorow Ignorance or scandal It might be a sweet Communion to you If yet Christ get a welcome and it should I assure you in his Name make way to a new communion here or in Heaven But Fourthly I would a litle mote particularly beseech you to consider that ye must either give Christ a welcome or not a yea or a naysay a grant or a denyal for there is no mean or middle This day shall not pass and go by without a hit or a miss to speak so Christ will not knock at your door and nothing follow or be done It will either be that Christ was at such a time ruzed or commended and made offer of and his People would have none of him or that the heart opened as the heart of Lydia unto the Lord and that Salvation came to the Soul as it did to Zacheus his house your time is but short and uncertain Ye know not if ye shall come another Sabbath to hear some that now speak to you and some that hear are dayly removed And this bids you make haste to creep in to him quickly without longer delay while his armes are stretched out to receive and embrace you There are several sorts among you that keep at a distance from Christ but I would have all of you soberly to think whether ye will say Yea or Nay There is here what may silence and satisfy any Soul that thwarts with the call of God Can ye say that there is any better bargain any better security or any heartier call and invitation Let us come and reason together saith the Lord Isaiah 1.18 19 Though your sins be as Crimson they shall be as white as Snow though they be red as Scarlet they shal be as Wooll if ye be willing and obedient ye shall eat the good of the land but if ye refuse and rebel ye shall be destroyed Our Lords Blood is of that efficacy that it can make Crimson and Scarlet-coloured sins white white as Snow and Wooll Why do ye then linger stick stand or halt Ye will it may be Object and say First I would fain come if I durst but Consider I pray you that it 's Christ and the Covenant and Grace on the Throne that call you and this is their voice Thou hast spoken and done evil as thou couldest yet return unto me and therefore fear and tremble yet come fear and bring your sins with you to the Fountain to be washen and to a skirt of his love to be covered thereby and you shall on your coming be cleansed and covered But it may be ye will Next Object and say I would fain come but I cannot come for Answer Let me ask you Is there a Soul in hell this day that can say I would fain have come and could not come That which we seek of you is to make no long tedious or toilsome Voyage if there be honesty it 's only that when Christ is come to you ye will be willing to receive him and if ye thus come ye are Believers Do not I beseech you mistake in thinking and thereby obstructing your own coming that persons must first be Believers and then come to Christ No but first ye must come with the litle glimmering that ye have and â—ame as ye are and it will go with you his Chariot is waiting for you and the very Cripplest of you that cannot come of your selves to Christ if ye be willing to close with him on his own terms He shall come to you But it 's like some will in the Third place Object and say Alace I am very indisposed to come For Answer I shall grant it may indeed be true but yet consider who are invited it 's the Poor Blind Halt Maimed Wretched and Miserable O what unfitness have such and yet none of them are excepted against I would have none to be presumptuous and vain but if indeed ye would fain come ye cannot come so indisposed as the bargain will on that account be cast It will not be the want of a Disposition that shall cast it else the Cripple and Blind and Luke warm Laodiceans had never been invited whether is a suitable disposition of your own making or of Christs Sure it 's of his and can ye expect ought from him without coming to him or Believing in him But Fourthly Some will Object and say Alace I have often come and broken away again How can I then Believe that I am invited For Answer I would desire you to Consider whether that Objection tends Even to question the truth of the Gospel our Lord Jesus saith He came to save sinners and ye say I would fain know if that be true or not if ye be Poor Blind Miserable Naked c. And have need He commands us to invite and call such and it 's the way of unbelief to make them scare at Christ and stand furthest a back from him who have most need to draw near to him if ye have come and broken afterward Come again and where a knot hath not holden cast a new one But alace There is a sort of Careless Atheists and secure Hypocrits whom this Gospel strikes dead and carnall worldlings who have no serious thoughts of what is coming I would pose such and ask you Care ye for your Souls
by whose company he might have been estranged from him depart from me all ye workers of iniquity for the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping the Lord hath heard the voice of my Supplication And indeed it is Highly suitable and congruous that it should be so for what agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols and Believers are the Temple of the living God as the Apostle affirms 2 Cor. 6.16 Seventhly It is a heart quickening and reviving Fellowship Therefore he is said Isai 57. vers 15. To dwel with him that is humble and of a contrite Spirit to revive the Spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite one Eightly It is a heart-staying Calming and composing fellowship it husheth into silence and drives away disquieting Perplexing and excruciating fears And therefore saith the Psalmist when near to God Psal 3.56 I laid me down and slept I awaked for the Lord sustained me I will not be afraid of ten thousands of People that have set themselves against me round about â— and Psal 4 8. I will both lay me down in Peace and sleep for thou Lord only makest me dwell in safety So Psal 27.13 14. Ninthly It is a heart chearing refreshing and Rejoicing fellowship the refreshing and joy that result from fellowship with God do quite surpass and transcend the joy that the men of the world have in the enjoyment of all their earthly Pleasures Lift thou up saith the Psalmist in the name of the Godly Psal 4.7 In contradistinction from and opposition to those many who cry who will shew us any good debasing and in a manner brutifieing themselves as if they had not rational and Immortal Souls capable of enjoying God the chief good the only Object suited Compleatly to satisfie their most inlarged desires Lord lift thou up the light of thy Countenance upon us for thou hast caused more joy of heart to me to wit thereby Then when their Corn and Wine abound And Psal 89.16 those who walk in the light of His Countenance are said to Rejoice in his name all the day Thus when he Prays Psal 43. For admission to fellowship with God in his publick ordinances to which he had gone with others of his people with the voice of joy and gladness as they that kept Holy days as he telleth us in the Preceeding Psalm he promiseth in that case that he will go unto the altar of God unto God his exceeding joy the gladness or joy of his joy the very heart and Soul of his joy or the Cream of it as some translations render the word there is reality Solidity strength and Efficacy in that joy it is heart-joy while as in the very midst of the carnal joy jollity and mirth of natural men arising from the greatest affluence of worldly pleasures and enjoyments their heart is sorrowfull as Solomon saith there is no solidity in it it hath not a bottom if they would but a little retire within themselves and ask for a reason of their laughter mirth and jollity it would instantly evanish and their hearts would die within them as stones it 's kept up to their delusion and ruine by their abstracting from and non-reflecting upon the unsolidity and irrelevancy of the Grounds thereof but the more the grounds of this joy of the Godly be reflected on considered and searched into they are found to be the more able to bear the Highest Superstructures of their joy Tenthly It is such a fellowship that whatever measure of it be attained by sojourning Saints It wakeneth desires sharpeneth appetite and stirreth up kindly longings for more and yet more of it even till it be compleated Thus Moses the man of God and his great favourite whom he knew face to face when admitted to very much familiar fellowship with him and is told that he had found Grace in his sight that he knew him by name And that at his earnest desire his presence should go with him Exod. 33.12 13 14. Yet saith he to the Lord vers 18. I beseech thee shew me thy Glory So Holy Job Gods darling whose candle shined on his head by whose light he walked through darkness and on whose Tabernacle the Secret of God was Yet with much Holy longing cryes Chap. 23.3 Oh that I knew where I might find him I would come even to his seat and comforts himself amidst all his Sorrows with the assured hope of the fully Satisfieing sight and enjoyment of his Redeemer at the latter day So likewise the Spouse in the Song who had often been brought into the Banquetting house having the Banner of her beloveds love spread over her whose left hand had lain often under her head and whose right hand had emâ—raced her who had often sitten down under his shadow with great delight and found his fruis sweet to her taste whose Spikenard did send forth the smell thereof while the King sat at his Table who had frequently found by the kisses of his mouth his love to be better then Wine and to whom he had often given his loves in the Vineyards Yet cryes in the conclusion of that High Song make haste or flee my Beloved and be thou like to a Roe or to a young Hart on the mountains of Spices So was it also with David the man according to Gods heart who had much sweet Communion with him in his wandrings and wilderness condition in Caves and Dens of the Earth and had often seen his Power and his Glory in the Sanctuary Yet pants and breaths after more fellowship with him even as the chased Hart doth after the water brooks and cryes when shall I come and appear before God Psal 42. So in like manner was it with the Apostle Paul Christs great Minion who beside all the good dayes he had in dispensing Gospel Ordinances in planting and watering Churches in converting and edifieing multitudes of Souls in his triumphing by making manifest the savour of Christs knowledge had been ravished into the third Heavens caught up into Paradise and heard there unspeakable words that were not lawful or possible to be uttered Yet as if he had never been with him desired to be dissolved and to be with Christ as best of all and groans within himself longing to be absent from the Body and present with the Lord And thus was it finally with John the Divine the Beloved Disciple who had often lyen in his sweet Masters bosom and could confidently say Truly our Fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ closeth his Revelations with that Holily Passionat desire Even so come Lord Jesus Dear Friends let it be more then ever your great work and business to keep your selves in case and capacity to enjoy his blessed company and Fellowship And in order to this end 1. Study to keep your selves through Grace as chast virgins to Christ Jesus as your one Husband let him be to you as the loving Hart and Pleasant Roe let his
is to difference it from otheâ— things and in this respect a â—hing is said to be discerneâ— comparatively as 1 Cor. 4.7 Who maketh thee to diffeâ— from another Thus to discerne this Sacrament anâ— Christ in it is to difference it from other things considering thaâ— it was once common Bread and Wine buâ— that now it is not so It is to put a difference betwixt thâ— Sacrament and common bread and wine and betwixâ— the Sacrament and the Word and Covenant yet with respect to the Covenant as the Seal differs from the Charter and to difference this Sacrament from other Sacraments In respect that it looks to a dieing Saviour and Communicats him and his benefits that way 3. To discern a thing is to have a high esteem of it such aâ— was the discerning of Meats dayes and Places So to discern Christ in this Ordinance is to have a deep impression and high estimation of Jesus Christ of his death and of his maâ—chless love shining therein To have much Spiritualitie Holy fear awe and reverence in reference to him Such a fear and reverence as mean men will have before a King or a great man who when they carrie not suitably before such a great person we wil say to them know ye where ye are So the right discerning and uptaking of Christ here is to have a high estâ—mation of him 4. There is a complex discerning of a thing in reference to its use and end or we may call it a Relative discerning which is Practicall when a man conforms himself Suiâ—ably to his diâ—cerning of the thing the want whereof ouâ— Lord reproves in the Jews Hypocâ—its sayes he Ye can diâ—cern the face of the Sky but ye cannot diâ—cern the signes of the times and in this respâ—ct also whâ—n a man carries unsuitably before a Magistrat it 's said to him by discerning Persons know ye where ye are And this being the main thiâ—g here implied we shall speak a litle more to it wherâ—in these two things are supposed 1. Some distinct up taking of our selves of our need and of our hazard 2. The right pâ—taking of Christ in this Ordinance as to the supply of those necessities and preventing of that hazard and this Doctrinal discerning goâ—th before that which is Practicall which is a mans suitable use-making of Christ or suitablâ— exercising himself in reference to his need and that ordinance appointed for supply of his need by Jesus Christ which is with a reflex look sometimes on himself sometimes on Christ And there are in this these five steps which follow one of them upon another 1. It consists in a suitable frame of heart as becomes such a poor sinful unworthy and needy person in the presence of so Holy a Lord going about such a Holy action another frame then is called for at our dinner or Supper or at ordinary hearing the word or at Prayer A holy humble cheerfull serious Heavenly and hungry frame Holy awe and respect to God making humble Faith of Gods goodness and rich Grace in Christ shining in this Ordinance making cheerful The conviction of need making Sober and yet very serious and eager in what he is about It 's a frame made up as it were of contrarieties ardent love and zeal and yet a calme and composed Spirit to hear what God sayes To take what he gives and to behold what he manifests 2. It consists in an exercise of the mind in meditation both in reference to our selves and to Christ Meditation in reference to our own sinfulness and misery and meditation on Christs love calling to mind all that he hath done thinking with delight on Christs suffering and on the end of it and again reflecting a look on our selves to keep life in this meditation what was I when he suffered and did all this for me and what am I now when he is offering this to me To have the picture of a loving Husband hanging by a wife to what purpose is it and for what use doth it serve if she never look on it to mind him whom it represents 3. It consists in an exercise of Graces It 's even as it is laid in the Song a making of all the Spices to cast forth their smell and the putting of all things in good order and studying to have them in good case It 's to have love warm to the giver and closing with the gift of a dieing Saviour and to have love warm to others of his people for his sake and because he hath taken us in with others to partake of the benefits of his love shining in his Death for love to the head and members go together It 's to have repentance lively stirred up sin made heart-pricking and Godly sorrow to flow the heart made to loath it and the mind exercised in forming hearty resolutions Purposes vows and engagements against it but it 's especially to have faith stirred up and in exercise and to have all the senses of Faith to speak so set a going as when the word comes out and sayes Take ye Eat ye this is my Body which is broken for you Faith beholds and gets as clear and satisfieing a view of Christs Suffering and dieing as if the man saw him with his Bodily eyes when the hand is stretched out to take Faith acts Proportionably in stretching out it's hand to take Christ and not only grips him but in this Ordinance and according to the end of it takes it as a pledge of Christ performing what he hath promised making use of him for the end appointed when the eye looks on what is done Faith is considering and taking a view of Christ and of the covenant and of the benefits purchased by him and sees another thing then the elements even the wakened up sword of the Fathers justice pursueing the mediator as the elects cautioner when the eye looks on the distribution Faith it sees Christ made as it were believers Common-good given among them and to every one of them when the hand puts the bread and wine to the mouth Faith hath a way of opening it's mouth and as it were chewing and feeding upon Jesus Christ and of strengthening refreshing and cheering it self in him counting it self well come to with him and secure in him and fastening it's engagements to him all which strengthen our Spirituall life as eating and drinking doth the natural life and then when it comes to the taste Christ relisheth most sweetly to the Believer so that no Wine doth cheer the natural heart so much as Christ in the Sacrament considered in his love and Covenant and in the benefits that come by him do the Soul of the believer Faith here considers Christ not only as communicable but as actually communicated The fourth thing wherein this discerning consists is a reflecting exercise when we have received the Sacrament we are to reflect and consider what we have done and what we are doing are we indeed feeding upon Christ What
marrie thee and to be for thee and for none other and may not I add was there ever such security and confirmation given of any marriage it's confirmed by the death of the Bridegroom he hath sealed his Testament with his Blood and there is no annulling nor altering of a mans Testament when he is dead and our Lord Jesus who was once dead is now alive and lives for evermore he will never die again nor make another Testament O! beloved hearers all this is to let you see that our Lord is in earnest and very willing to espouse you and indeed it shall not be his Fault iâ— it be not a bargain and if it be indeed a bargain betwixt your souls and him it 's a very raâ—e and rich one O! the many rare excellent noble notable and non-such Priviledges and advantages that attend this marriage and are to be enjoyed by the soul espoused to Christ even God and Christ Grace and Glory and all that is comprehended under these belongs to thaâ— soul We must here be silent lest in speaking of â—hem we darken them by our words here is an abyss and bottomless depâ—h ready as it were to swallow up words we confess we can tell you our very litle whaâ— they are nay if all the ablest and holiest Ministers on earth all the Angels in Heaven were joyned together they could not to the full by very far tell what an excellent match and marriage this is even to be matched with the Son of God and yet this priviledge and honour have all the saints all Believers to whom he is wonderful and Precious though alace not as he ought to be there is a day coming when we shall know to satisfaction that the Father is in the son and the son in the Father and that believers are in Christ and he in them We shall then know the now in expressible and inconceivable advantages of this marriage When He shall come to be glorified in His Saints and wond'red at in all them that believe and till that day the one half will never be told us The third Observation was that there are many things to be removed out of the way and to be done many things to be made ready before this marriage can be made up 1. There is a naturall distance between the Parties that must be removed God cannot be one flesh with us and betwixt Parties to be married there must â—e some Suitableness of nature therefore to remove this distance and to bring abouâ— the marriage the Son of God becomes Man that he may be Immanual God with us God iâ— our nature aâ—d so in capacity to be closed with Secondly there is a sinfull distance w ich also must be removed before this marriage can be made up For God is a câ—nsuming fire to sinners He and they neither will nor can unite in â—hat posture The efore â—efoâ—e an offer or marriage can be made to any Purpâ—se â—e must give himself for his Church that he may Sanctifie and cleanse it with the Washing of water by the word and heâ— iâ— fâ—llâ—ws that he presents her to Himself a glorious Church without spot and wrinkle or any such thing He â—ould not have access to marry his Bride she was so uâ—câ—mly fiâ—thy and lothsom lying in a most pityful condition in her blood as Ezekiel sets it forth â—o â—he life and at great length Chap. 16. Therefore to cleanse her he gave himself for her Thirdly ere all this could be doâ—e there behâ—ved a ground to be laid for peace with God the offended party who was to be father in law and here comes in the Covenant of Redemption Psal 40 6 7. Sacrifice and Offâ—ring thou didst not desire then said I lo I come c. For taking away the curse and reconciling the elect to G d the Father sayes as it were I must needs be once in friendâ—hip with them ere I can admit them to my house and Son if thou wilt Satisfie my Justice and Pay their debt I shal give them to thee for a seed and to be thy Bride and wife well says Christ the mediator Father I accept of the bargain Lo I come to do thy will O my God Whereupon it comes to pass as the Apostle hath it 2 Cor. 5. last That he is made sin for us who knew no sin and we are made the righteousness of God in him For it was as really agreed in the Covenant of Redemption that he should be made sin for us as it came to pass in the actual execution of it and thus way is made for the marriage Fourthly when this is done the marriage must be proclaimed through the world by the Preached Gospel the contract must be opened up and read and sinners consent called for We are told therein that the Word is made flesh and dwelt amongst us and because No man hath seen God at any time the only begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father he declares him as it is John 1.14 15. He comes and reveals more clearly the contract first in his own Person and by his own Ministerie and then by sending his servants and telling that all things are ready Fifthly the last thing to be removed is the uncircumcision and stupidness of our hearts naturally we are given to slight him in his offers to refuse to open to him and to let him in when he knocks to make excuse to delay shift and put him off nay to refuse to entertain his proposal of Marriage and to give him a repulse therefo e he comes by his Spirit and puts in his finger by the hole of the door and lets some Myrrhe drop on the handles of the lock and powerfully but sweetly inclines the heart to cast it self open to him and then he performs the promises of Sanctification Circumcising the heart to love him with all the heart and with all the Soul as it is Deut. 30.6 And all these promises are contrived framed and provided to meet with difficulties in us we are told John 6 44. That no man can come to Christ except the Father that sent him draw him and Psal 110.3 It is Promised that in the day of his Power His people shal be willing and whoever being made willing cometh shall in no wise be cast out John 6.37 The Fourth Observation is That by the Preaching of the Gospel whither so ever it cometh and by the great things made offer of therein all things are made ready Obstructions and what ever might hinder the closing of the Marriage are removed the Father is ready having declared his willingness to give his consent This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear ye him Matth. 3. I am well satisfied with him take him to you for your head and husband the Son is ready to take all by the hand that will embrace him Pardon of Sin Peace with God Sanctification the mansion c are ready to be bestowed the feast
are the means or steps by which we may win in and ascend to this heavenliness of Conversation which is indeed a very suitable and necessary question and would God we were serious in proposing of it and were convinced of the necessity of it However let such as would fain be at it know First That they must be much mortified and denyed to Creature-Comforts therefore Col. 3. These two are opposed Seek those things which are above set your affections on things in heaven and not on things of the earth to go both up and down at once is impossible if ye would be heavenly in your Conversation seek to have the world litle and low in your estimation to be not only free from the sinfull intanglements of it but to be Mortified to things lawfull I press you not to negligence in your honest and lawfull callings far less to lay them aside but to a heavenly mindedness and holy denyedness in your diligence Use the things of this world as not abusing them as not being taken with them nor glued to them the minding of earthly things too much clogs and keeps mens hearts that they do not mount up to heaven It 's impossible while the heart is surfeited with the cares of this life that it can thus sore aloft And therefore Secondly Those that would be heavenly in their conversation must lay up their treasure in heaven For where the Treasure is there will the heart be also were ye under the deep and due conviction of the vanity of earthly things and of the excellencie of heaven and heavenly things and laying your reckoning soberly and seriously that heaven ye must have it would be much more easie to Scrue up your affections to it as where mens stock and treasure is there is their heart even so were your great stock and treasure in heaven your heart would certainly be there your hope your love and delight would be there But your seeking after contentment and satisfaction in earthly vanities where it cannot be found keeps your heart out of heaven Thirdly Be much in the duty of meditation and contemplation of heavenly things this is as it were the great wheel and first mover of the Clock to have the mind heavenly often conversing in heaven and often thinking of it and often recounting the blessed advantages the glorious and great happiness that are there even till your meditation of God be made sweet and till your delight in him thereby stirred up and strengthened make a heavenly conversation for litle such meditation makes litle heavenly-mindedness and when the mind is not on heaven something that 's worse comes in the place of it ye that know the bent and inclination of your own minds to be naturally downward and how natively to speak so it runs on vanities and how difficult it is to keep it but alongst two or three sentences fixed on heavenly things and how preternatural a motion it is as it were to make it ascend and mount upward will easily assent to the truth of this It is an excellent word that David hath Psal 139. When I awake I am still with thee Fourthly We commend this to you hinted at before that ye would be much in trading and Trafficking with Heaven to be often and serious in Prayer frequently sending up desires thither and bringing thence returns of prayer in gâ—eat measures of Grace catching hold of and griping at somewhat above you whereby ye may be helped up that high and Holy hill It transforms into the same Image from Glory to Glory to be keeping love to Christ fresh to have hope as an anchor cast within the vaile In a word love to Christ and delight in him being as a considerable part so also the result of Holiness There must be a study of Holiness in all the Parts of it of Holiness in all manner of Conversation and a Heavenly frame aimed at and endeavoured in all duties and in all the steps of our walk and conversation in order to the keeping in cherishing and increasing of love to and delight in him and often thinking on that which helps to it viz. Let thy will be done on earth as it is done in Heaven A word often in the mouths of many but litle in their hearts And Q how lamentably unlike are the practises of many of you to it We may indeed blush and think shame to speak and you may think shame to hear of having a Conversation in heaven there being so litle of it amongst us But we must speak of it and ye must hear it spoken of since it is a part and a great part of our duty and will be a part and a great part of our reckoning and we lay and leave it upon you from the Lord to be studied by you Do not think that ye shall ever have your Conversation in Heaven afterward who have not your Conversation in Heaven here many of you that have a fair Profession of Religion and seem to come near to that harbour of rest and yet never enter into it are like to a ship that comes as it were with up-sails very near the Port and is unexpectedly blowen back to the Sea again whereas the Believer who has his Anchor cast on firm and sure ground within the vail is enabled to endure tossing being like a tight ship that is able to ride out the storme and to stem the Port His Treasure is in Heaven and there is a sure and indissoluble knot cast betwixt Heaven where his treasure is and his heart Now from all this judge what a mighty prejudice it is to be earthly minded and to slight this walk with God and Conversation in heaven and who are they that dare offer or presume to come before God the righteous Judge of Heaven and Earth in whose sight the very Heavens are not pure to abide his tryall who have been puddling all their dayes in the world never once seriously and suitably minding a Conversation in Heaven O let the consideration of eternal Happiness on the one hand and of Eternal miserie on the other provoke you and necessitat you all to study in good earnest to have your conversation in Heaven and ye believers in Christ and Children of light walk in the light suitably to your Heavenly Father and to the hope of your Heavenly inheritance O! be more conversant in Heaven before ye come to it and where ye shall be by and by for evermore A Preparation SERMON for the Communion On ISAIAH 55.1 2 3. I will make an Everlasting Covenant with you even the sure mercies of David IT is hard to conceive or express whether the things which the Gospel offereth be the most large or the terms on which they are offered be the most free There is that no doubt in both together which may make the beholder stay and wonder Among many excellent offers of the Gospel that which is here is one very full and free would to God we
and powers in the Heavenly places might be known by the Church the manifold wisdom of God The Second Doctrine is That this good and gracious bargain that 's past betwixt the Father and the Son which is wholly mercie is brought to the Market and exposed to sale on exceeding easie and condescending termes and that to bankrupt sinners What Proclaims the Lord here even this I will give you the Sure mercies of David That which I and my Son have carved out for the glory of Grace and for a proof of the riches of my bounty I will make all over to you freely Hence Ephes 3.8 It 's called the unsearchable riches of Christ So that whatever Christ hath as Mediator It is holden forth here That out of his fulness we may receive Grace for Grace a Proportion of all the Grace that is in him In Prosecuting this point we shall shew 1. More Particularly what this bargain is that is put to the sale 2. Who the Merchant is 3. What are the termes on which and how it is made 4. What is the manner how the Gospel puts home this bargain and layes Christ and his fulness forth upon Stands in the Market-place as it were to speak thus with reverence of this Divine Mystery that there may be free access to whosoever will come and buy these rare and rich Wares and Commodities As for the First that ye may know what the Bargain is and what is in your offer in this day of the Gospel Take it in these few Particulars 1. All that ever any Believer in the world had is put to sale here if any Believer ever had fair Priviledges sure it was David if any ever had a mercifull bargain he had it and such is this Covenant Justification Adoption peace with God Grace and Glory all these Marrowie Materiall massie and essentiall blessings that David had it was not another Christ nor another Heaven nor Another Covenant of Grace that he had but the same that 's here 2. Consider it further and we will find it to be all that is made over to our Lord Jesus Christ If he had a good bargain the spirit without measure fulness of truth and Grace great Glory and Honour being advanced to the right hand of the Father the same is Believers their bargain proportionably a due and just proportion being kept betwixt the head and the members John 1.16 Of his fulness have we all received and Grace for Grace It 's not another but the same Grace that our Lord Jesus hath yea it 's not another Glory they are advanced to no other Table they are set down to no other Throne they are set on but the same Glory Table and Throne It 's to Behold his Glory to Sit at his Table To sit with him on his Throne John 17.22.24 Luke 22.30 Rev. 3.21 In a word there are not two Covenants of Redemption betwixt Jehovah and the Mediator one for himself and another for the elect but it 's one and the same Covenant for both though with many vastly different respective considerations and circumstances 3. Look to the Wares and Commodities to speak so that are exposed to sale in the Gospel they are not only the Promises made to Christ but Jesus Christ himself is brought forth to the Market He is the great Promise and far beyond all the other promises made in and the Graces given by the Covenant I have given Him saith the Lord Vers 4. For a witness and leader to the People He is the great gift of God that Gift of Gifts being the Fathers fellow Nothing in Heaven or Earth no Person man or Angel can by far very far infinitly far equall him to whom can you liken or compare him To us saith the Prophet Isaiah Chap. 9. A Child is born to us a Son is given and the Government shall be upon his shoulders and his Name shall be called wonderful Counseller the mighty God the Everlasting Father the Prince of Peace this is David most substantial Massie mercy He is called Wonderful because there is no Possibility for Creatures adequatly to conceive or with exact suitableness to express what his Name is or what is comprehended within his Name 4. Look on Christ as Mediator as God-man Immanuel God with us There is put to the Market to speak so with reverence God himself for thus the Covenant is expounded and Sum'd as frequently elsewhere in the Scripture so particularly 2 Cor. 6.16 I will be their God and Revel 21.17 He that overcometh shal inherit all things and I will be his God Now consider all these in a Conjunction viz. What all believers have what Christ hath and Christ himself what God hath and God himself O! what an incomprehensibly rich and rare great and Glorious bargain is this and yet all is by the Gospel brought forth laid before the hearers of it and made offer of to them on most easie and wonderfully condescending terms May we briefly and in a few words sum up what is in it 1. All things that may make up believers their Peace with God and remove the quarrel 2. All things pertaining to or needful for life and godliness as it is 2 Pet. 1.4 3. All things that belong to the comfort and consolation of Believers even strong Consolation as it is called Heb. 6.18 There is no want so great but there is a supplie for it here no case so sad but there is a comfort for it here there is not any thing that looks like a crack or uncertainty but there is sufficient security for it here in this Covenant in this most full and wonderfully well ordered Covenant in all things and very sure to all who are fled to Christ for refuge 4. There is in it what is needful and requisit to full satisfaction to the Solace delight joy and compleat happiness of the persons that cordially close with it So that a Soul can crave no more nor wish for more It is even all their desire as David saith of it 2 Sam. 23.5 It 's Mensura voti nay ultra mensuram voti it never entred into mans heart to conceive much less to desire it It makes the Soul say as it is Psal 73.24 Whom have I in Heaven but thee There is none on earth whom I desire besides thee It hath all things in it as it is Rev. 21.7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things For if God and Christ Grace and mercy be in it is there any thing a missing or can there possibly be any thing wanting in it May I not very confidently ask you Is it not a good bargain If the Father Son and Holy Spirit Grace Heaven and Glory be a good bargain this is then most certainly a good bargain a wonderfully good matchless and non-such bargain and is not this Gospel whereby all these great things are brought to the market good news Take heed then that ye receive not this Grace in vain that these wares worthy
there or can there be any thing that evidenceth mens folly so much as their coming in tops with God their walking in the way of death their loving simplicity as it is Prov. 1. And their quiting the way of Life Now the word of God is true wisdome and the way of life is therein clearly holden forth and God as our pattern and is there any thing more reasonable then that we should live like and be conform to the word of God and to him of whom we ought to be followers But sin thwarts with the whole word of God and with God himself Take this passing word of Use Study to be established in the Faith of this truth That Sin whether in doing that which is evil or in the Omission of duty is the greatest folly such of you as will not be convinced of it now in time within a few dayes or years ye shall be convinced of it to purpose to your eternall prejudice The most blockish shall then see it to be follie a highly hurtfull prejudiciall Shamefull folly and desperat Madness The rich Glutton and Ahithophel and thousands more of worldly-wise-men find it to be so to their Cost in Hell Therefore the Apostle saith Rom. 6.21 What profit have ye in those things whereof ye are now ashamed And had we Spirituall eyes to discern the Condition of the most part of men and Women who evidently ly still in black Nature unrenewed who slight the offers of Grace and who will not receive Jesuâ— Christ the veriest idiot in the world would not be a sadder spectacle to us nor affect our hearts with more pity compassion then the Lamentable case of the Souls of such persons would because they forsake their own Mercie The sure Mercies of David and follow after lying vanities and wearie themselves with a vain pursuit after that which cannot profit them Alace for this follie Secondly Observe That notwithstanding the greatness of this follie Gods people and Saints were sometime deep yea even drowned in it and are yet in part taken with it Needs this any proof Ah! sinful Nation saith the Lord to his professing people Isaiah 1.4 A people laden with iniquitie a seed of evill doers The Ox knoweth his owner the asse his Masters crib but my people doth not know O beastly Israel inferior to the very brutes thorow the folly of sinning against God and saith he Jer. 2. Be astonished O Heavens and horribly afraid for my People have committed two great evils they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters and digged to themselves broken Cisterns that can hold no water Q egregious follie and demented choice how many professours of religion are there who are foolish Virgins And how many foolish practices are there among the Godly themselves Let it not then be thought strange as a word of Use from it that not only among externall professours but even among reall Saints there be found many acts of follie though I grant it to be both sad and stumbling when it is which should therefore so much the more make them guard against the same Thirdly Observe God will sometimes speak peace to them that are given to follie or are often found playing the Fool. Of the truth whereof as many as ever heard the Gospel and did partake of the Grace of it and are before the Throne and hope to be there are as so many proofs witnesses and living monuments I shall clear what this speaking of peace is in Three Steps He speaks peace to them 1. In his offering of peace to them and by his meeting and treating with them in and by that offer in his intreating or inviting them earnestly to come to him who have wearied themselves and spent their labour on that which profits not pressing them to return and assuring them that he will heal their backslidings Isai 55. Jer. 3. Hos 14. And preaching peace through Christ Jesus Eph. 2. counselling them to come and buy eye salve of him c. and by his knocking and waiting at their Door for admittance and entry Rom. 3. Are not these words of peace to a foolish Church 2. In making peace with some when as it is 2 Cor. 5.20 He not only Prayes and requests them to be Reconciled but really reconcileth them to himself and saith Peace be to you Pardoneth sin taketh away the hand-writing of Ordinances that was against them giveth them a discharge of their debt that when their sin is sought for it is not to be found because He hath pardoned it and Hos 2. This is called an alluring or as the word is a speaking to the heart 3. In his not only taking away the Controversie and making peace but in his intimating that peace Saying to the pardoned sinner Thy sinnes are forgiven thee go in peace I am thy Salvation and then the promise John 14.21.23 Is fulfilled when Christ breaks open doors and comes in and Sups and dwels his Father and he and one main dish that is set on the Table to say so is Peace as Vers 27. Peace I leave with you My peace I give unto you It 's peace from God the Father Son and Holy Ghost There are some speciall times wherein God speaks Peace such as Solemn treating times and Communion dayes and other special occasions are when there hath been more then ordinary diligence in prayer more then ordinary Sorrow for Sin peace is readily spoken on the back of it as also trying and sadly exercising times are usually times of the intimation of peace In a word when and where this Gospel comes and is made lively Peace followes on it and this is your time O! thaâ— peace may be found to have been spoken to many at this occasion Fourthly Observe That In and about those times when God hath spoken or very urgently offered to speak Peace there is often some restraint on People as to the prevailing of their follie Some stop to the current of Iniquity in it's wonted manner and measure in some more and in some less some more aw of God readily being on people then Many will have a sort of Righteousness like a Morning cloud and early dew that soon passeth away Some tickling of their affections that quickly evanisheth as the Lord saith of many of the Jews that were hearers of John Who was a burning and a shining light that they rejoyced in his light for a season So Psal 106.12 Then believed they his words they sang his Praise but they soon forgat his works they waited not for his Counsell and Psal 78.34 When he slew them then they sought him Nevertheless they flattered him with their lips and lied to him with their Tongues for their hearts were not right with God neither were theâ— stedfast in his Covenant And something of this was also even in Christs hearers and in the Galatians who at first would have plucked out their eyes and given them to Paul So in the parable of the Sower some
dayes nor go idly in the fields on the Lords-day yet they may mispend and triffle away their time at home as if falling back into Omissions were not a turning again to follie as well as falling back to Commissions The confessions of many poor Creatures who become Publickly and Prodigiously Scandalous on their death beds or on a Scaffold that omissions of duty have Predisposed them to and brought on those grosse Commissions may and should awake and alarm us ye would therefore with Holy Job Make a Covenant with your eyes and other senses and make Conscience to keep it Thirdly Beware of falling back to a secure cold-rise manner of going about duties of worship alone or in Company in publick or in privat let none of you think with your selves that now this Solemnitie is over ye need not wrestle in Prayer nor watch so strictly over your heart but let it gad and rove and not hedge it in on an ordinary Lords day as on a Communion Lords-day since there is no liberty allowed for an idle word or thought any day more then there is on that day Think it not enough that ye say your Prayers morning and evening and that none can charge you with any offence God the all seeing God observes you whether you be universall sincere and serious in the duties of Religion Fourthly Beware of neglecting Spiritual and Gospel duties such as Self-examination or Self-searching Self-denyall Mortification and use making of Christ The neglect of these aâ—d the like may be some way called Gospel-follie It is no doubt great Gospel-follie when Christ being freely and fully offered therein is not improved for wisdom righteousness Sanctification and redemption when the power of Godliness is not aimed at in dutie but People rest and sit down in the form thereof which yet in some respect is more combersome then the power for Christ improved makes all things go easily with us Therefore any of you who have loâ—ked on it as follie to neglect these spiritual duties see that ye return not again to that follie Fifthly Beware of unbelief have ye not resolved to cast out with that evil and resolved to be no more jealous of God though ye should meet with difficulties Believers in Christ lick not up that vomit again turn not again to that follie to which there is a secret Naturall bentness of heart If I say unbelief and jealousie be a follie take it not up turn not to it again Sixthly Beware of heart-ills possibly ye will not give way to more gross evils and yet suffer your Souls to be carried away after Idols or after vain proud Ambitious Covetous Revengeful filthy and Lascivious thoughts but if in very deed Christ get the heart he must reign in it and command the Eye Tongue Ears Hands Feet and all Seventhly Beware of falling back to the Inordinat love of the World and of letting the heart be too much addicted and glued to even lawfull pleasures creature-Comforts to your Callings Wives Children Houses Lands and incomes of gain and Profit from which there hath been possibly some suitable abstractedness these dayes past ye should not only abstain from oppressing Stealing and deceiving but ye would also guard against falling back to excessive pursuing after and as it were glutting your selves with the things of this world however lawfull in themselves Alace Perimus Licitis Inordinat love to and Immoderat pursuing after things lawful in themselves destroy more souls then things sinfull and unlawfull in themselves do the excuses of those invited to the Marriage of the Kings Son are founded not on things simply Sinful but on lawful things the Farme Oxen and Married wise Now the house is sweeped and ye are in Hazard if ye guard not to return to a greater and greedier feeding on those vanities I dare say there are Multitudes of men and Women who never so much hungred for the Communion as they have longed to have these Solemn dayes over and by that they might win back to their Callings worldly businesses and pleasures O what a weariness have they been to them As Sacred Solemnities were to those spoken of Amos 8.5 Who cried When shall the new Moon be gone that we may sell Corn and the Sabbath day that we may set out Wheat To many these dayes of Fasting and Spiritual Feasting and Communicating have been as a bridle bit in their Mouths to restrain them from running on the Mountains of their vanity and who knows but ere another Communion come the Lord may fâ—ed you as a Lamb in a large place The Second Use is For Exhortation would ye then know the duty that ye are called unto this is it Let not Gods People and Saints turn again to follie Let not the Idler return to his Idleness the tippler to his tippling the scoffer to his Scoffing the ignorant who have been at a litle pains to learn some questions before the examination and communion to his negligence in seeking after knowledge c. Let not this be If ye have vomited out these and other sins Lick them not up again To presse this Use a litle we would First Give you some considerations from the Text. Secondly Some directions to help you forward in the Practice of it For the first viz. Some considerations from the Text to press iâ— First Is it not a follie to sin once If so sure it is much more to relapse into sin Whether is it more true wisdom to abstain from those Sins or to fall back into them Is it not more wisdom for you who have been given to Tippling or drunkenness to neglect of Prayer and the like now to let alone sins and to give your selves to Prayer then to be walking in the street on the Plain-stones Is it not more wisdom to be given to edifieing discourse then to be laughing and sporting over the time Is it not better to come to the Church then to spend the time Idly In discoursing and waiting for a Tentation And if your conscience assent to the truth of this then we take witness in your Conscience that it doth so and this Instrument of witness will stand on record against you if ye shall turn to those sins and to this Folly again 2. Have ye been examining your selves And do ye find that much of your life hath been spent in folly by Some Twenty by some Thirty by some Fourthy by some Fifthy by some Sixty years And every days account cast up amounts only to folly vanity and Madness And is it not enough and may it not suffice you that ye have spent so long time in folly though ye spend no more so 3. Hath not God been speaking peace to some and given them the Intimation of it So that their Souls have been made to say God is here And have they not gotten the bargain closed and the hand writing that was against them torn We hope there are some such among us Nay are there any but the
stoutness of heart against God and more â—pposition to Godliness shall bud amongst you We â—ould from our very Souls wish you brought well thoâ—ow but are afraid there be a sticking Why is it I pray â—hat we insist so much with you if we were not jealous over you will ye have faces to hold up before God when ye and we shall be reckoned with if ye shall sit â—hese warnings or what heart can we have to go about â—is service amongst you if yet there be a sticking and â—hen there is some wrestling to get you up the hill as it were and ye run further down then ever O! to be mightily helped of God to travell in birth to have Christ formed in you formed in you again Is it probable when many of you are brought further up then before if ye fall further back that ever ye will win up again We apprehend that there are many of you who shall never again with so much moral Seriousness be wrought upon if there shall not be now some abiding and effectuall work but a turning again to Folly It is not Beloved hearers the fruit of one preaching or two that we are now driving at but the great scope of this blessed Gospel Therefore for Christs sake hold at it come forward and go not back O turn not again to folly else be assured that the Lord and your own Consciences will bear witness and we his Servants will also bear witness against you as many of you will bear witness against us if we shal do so If after God hath spoken peace to you Ye shall return again to follie Let me yet add this one word further for pressing this will ye but consider what we are seeking is it not your reall good and advantage is it any hard or unreasonable thing that we crave of you or any uncouth thing or any thing but that which Abraham David Paul and others of the Saints were desirous and studious to be at Yea and our blessed Lord Jesus himself was content to be at Though he was never indeed tainted with any folly yet he was content and carefull to fulfill all righteousness and what seek we of you but that ye would seek and labour to imitate him that ye would prevent your own loss and ruine and give Christ a kindly and a hearty welcome in order to the exercise of all his Offices about you that his heart may be made glad and that He may see of the fruit of the Travel of his Soul to his Satisfaction in the Salvation of a number of Souls in Glasgow O that we could get you prevailed with to be as serious in these things as ye are in and for the things of this present life and that we could get as great vent to speak so for Christs Precious wares amongst you as a man would get for some rare Commodity nay may I or shal I say but even for Tobacco Alace that incomparably Precious Jesus Christ and his purchase the Everlasting Covenant even the Sure mercies of David should have less vent and sale then that and an hundred other commodities have this is a Lamentation and should be for a Lamentation always let bygones be seriously reflected on and see that by all means ye turn not again to Folly As for the Second thing Proposed viz. Some Directions for preventing your turning again to folly ye may take these few and the Lord himself put them home with a strong hand First then Walk in fear Serve the Lord in fear and rejoice before him with trembling the Wise man sees the evil but the Fool passeth on and is confident There is a sort of Spirituall pride vanitie and self-conceit reigning amongst ordinary Professours and too much of it Prevailing amongst Believers that undoes them are there any of you afraid of Fornication Adultery or of turning giddy Sectaries and the like Your want of fear brings you into the mire ere ye be aware Pride goes before Destruction and a Haughty mind before a fall The litle fear that is amongst the most part says that some black turn as we use to speak is in their hands or some foul fall before them Hence the Apostle Philip. 2.12 Exhorts Work out the work of your own Salvation with fear and trembling and 2 Cor. 7.1 To perfect Holiness in the fear of God Secondly Observe well and lay due weight on that exhortation of our Lord Matth. 26.41 which hath severall directions in it Watch and Pray that ye enter not into Temptation look about you be not secure stand by your Post let nothing go out nor come in without strict examination and seek as it were after its Pass and set as it were a Sentinel at the Port of every sense And what I say unto you I say unto all watch saith the Lord Mark 13.37 Be not secure watching is a most suitable duty for Christs Souldiers fail not to joyn with it much Prayer not for the fâ—shion but that which is in the Spirit and fervent yet lay no weight on it as if ye could merit any thing by it but go about it humbly and seriously in order to the entertaining the life of Grace sit not up in it but rather double your diligence Thirdly Keep the heart well heart-ills are the Principal ills Keep saith Solomon Prov. 4. the heart with or above all keeâ—ing Set your main force to guard it for there Sathan keeps his Court and head-quarter and thence gives his Orders to the outward senses dally not with sin in the heart else it will come a further length Fourthly Forget not your engagements but let the vowes of God ly on you and have due weight with you let not the sins that ye discovered and saw in your self-examination between God and you before ye came to the Communion-Table be forgotten but remember them to repent of them and to renounce them and when one knot to say so of your engagement looseth cast another faster or if a knot were weak strengthen it or cast a new one for as acts of Faith must be renewed So must acts of engaging to God Fifthly Be much in the exercise of Repentance for your bygone folly My sin saith David Psal 51. Is ever before me think not Repentance to be the work of a day or two look back and reflect on your old sins of tippling Swearing enmity at Godliness c. For if ye wear out of the exercise of Repentance ye will wear in piece and piece on your old sins against which Repentance is a notable bar being much in the exercise of Repentance keeps the heart sober and watchfull and loth to hazard on sin and withall makes sin bitter But the Antinomian way takes off all restraints and looseth the reins to sin It 's much now to see a penitent I wish There may be much Repentance in secret but for any thing that is seen it 's very rare Sixthly In an especiall manner be much
Galatians and Hebrews many Prejudices at and wrong conceptions of the Gospel and Covenant of Grace and therefore they would have patched up a Gospel of Grace of works they would have brought in the Ceremonies of the Law and established a self-righteousness and this in particular is one great Prejudice that the devil Laboureth deeply to possess the minds of wakened sinners with even to make them think that it's Presumption for them though they would fain do it to come to Christ and by Faith to close with him unless they be so and so qualified as long as they are secure he makes them take their Presumption for Faith but the next day when they are wakened and exhorted to betake themselves to Christ by Faith he calls that also Presumption and indeed as it is Satans manner to drive Sinners on extremes So it is our way to run into extrems that which made us call our Presumption Faith is the same which makes us call our Faith presumption because we lay it for a ground that it is our honestie or good disposition and so and so qualified frame that must commend us to God and therefore while we conceive that we have that it 's the ground of our presumption and when the Conscience is wakened and we find that we want that we cannot believe A Fourth Cause or ground whence this in some may proceed who would fain believe is not so much their darkness and ignorance of the way as the backwardness frowardness and deceit of their heart that will not for them come up to it such are puzzled and perplexed what to do because they cannot get it well done as they would such are like a good Archer that can shoot well but hath a deceitfull bow which when he hath put his Arrow on the string and hath drawn it to the very head starts aside and makes him quite misse his mark the fault and defect is not in the mans skill but in the Bow we the rather make use of this Comparison that the Holy Ghost doth so in the Scripture resembling our heart to a deceitfull bow that turns aside So that they who are acquainted with their own hearts know not what to do with them how to guide them and bring them up unto or bold them at any thing that is good and though it may be they could to good purpose give directions to others in such a case yet they find their own hearts very untractable to admit of them as if they did not suit or meet with their own case This is indeed a very puzzling difficultie yet to such perplexed Souls there is no new direction to be given but the renewed exercise of faith and to put the directions which they know in practice and when one shot to speak so misgives to essay another not to seek as it were a new string but to cast a new knot on it and if two knots should slip to cast a third improving more that Grace of â—he Covenant to make them hold better Therefore Acts 2 When those pricked in their hearts ask what they shall do Peter bids them Repent they were begun to do so and he bids them be doing and go on ye then that are indeed serious and to whom your short comings are really your Souls burden would not think it any uncouth strange or extraordinary thing to find desire and affection running far before your light and practise though ye would endeavour to have them foot-side a Christians desire may be a dayes Journey as it were before himself as to his attainment and indeed in some respect it would not be good if it were otherwise for it is no good signe of progress in Gods way when the desires of Persons go no further length then their Practise or when they their Practice falls nothing short of their desires both in that case are to be much suspected for even eminently Holy Paul sees himself to be behind Philip. 3. when he saith I think not my self perfect but one thing I do forgetting things that are behind and reaching forth to those things that are before I press towards the mark Where he came one Post in his attainment His desire was ten in a manner before him and so is it with those people here spoken of Come say they Let us Join our selves to the Lord they find themselves to be behind and endeavour to work themselves up and to draw themselves and one another forward we must now draw to a close and shall therefore but touch the following Observations and pass them in a word Fifthly Observe that in Peoples covenanting with God their desires and designes will be much sooner Proposed and laid down then they will be got accomplished and put inexecution or then they will win to satisfie themselves therein although an Union be betwixt Christ and them yet they are not satisfied till they be some-what clear and distinct about it they are like the Prodigal who being in another and strange Countrey saith first I will go then he ariseth and I will say to my Father before he actually speak to his Father himself calling him Father Some reall acting of Faith Preceeds his more distinct ct satisfieing acting of it there is a faith in resolving to believe before there be a resting of Faith or stayed believing and yet it 's Faith that begets that same resolution if the Prodigal had not had some Faith of enough in his Fathers house and of his Fathers affection he would not have resolved to go home and these people mentioned here would not have set their faces towards Zion if they had not had some begun stirrings of Faith Sixthly Observe That it is a good token to be asking seriously the way to Heaven though the askers be not so clear in it there is some ground to think that such Persons are in the way and if they hold on and fo low the directions of the word they may come thither It is far better to be dissatisfied and to ask the Way then not to ask and yet to be satisfied with our own knowledge of the way Seventhly Observe that Persons may fall very far short of their desire and have much infirmitie and may meet with many puzzling difficulties how to accomplish what they would be at yet where a serious and longing desire is wakened after Covenanting with God they should go forward and follow it forth This people are short of what they desired and yet they go and they know not as it were where to set down the next fooâ— till they ask the way yet they go on still asking there is no disputing here but forward we should go I suppose these here spoken of might have had severall difficulties started and severall obstructions laid in their way yet on they go as First This that they were Covenant breakers yet they taking seriously with it step over that and say notwithstanding Come let us join our selves to the Lord in a
Depart from me I never knew you Yea suppose there were not such great ground of fear as to that as indeed there is can ye promise to your selves Gods hearing any of your Prayers the performance of any Promise or the accepting of any duty off your hand as service to him till ye be in Covenant with the Lord And think ye nothing or but litle of this Secondly Consider the great prejudice that follows on not Covenanting with God and that will attend many in the visible Church Many saith the Lord Luke 13. Will seek to enter who shall not be able The solid Faith of this would make many Congregations to tremble for it 's not only many profane persons but many of them that countenance Ordinances yea many of them that have preached and prayed to the Edification of others and many of them who have heard Christ preach in their streets and who have countenanced faithfull Ministers and furthered the work of God and who have had indignation at others that did not so who will not be able to enter this word with that other which we have Psal 78.34 where there is such a seeming seriousness and personating of many Graces of the Spirit and yet nevertheless it is but a flattering of God with the mouth and a lying to him with the tongue which is a very rife and common thing amongst professos amongst such as profess Covenanting with God should put us in fear And Thirdly Consider this â—hat ye have naturally such hearts as others have that aâ—e ready to beguile you and to back slide and slip ouâ— from God and are not those beguiles and disappointments of others written for our warning and advertisments And if any of you should say we hope there is no such ground of fear as to us That 's but a bewraying of your Ignorance and senselesness for those who are best acquainted with their own hearts will tell you thaâ— it is a ticklish and diâ—ficult business to deal truly and throughly with God Do ye not know that many take a counterfeit for grace And were ye noâ— heaâ—ing lately that many Hypocrites have personated almost if there be need to say almost every Grace surely many oâ— you will find it true one day that the heart is deceitfull above all things and desperatly wicked and that ye havâ— etred and played the fools egregiously and in nothing moâ—e then in trusting your own hearts for saith the wise man He that trusts his own heart is a fool Fourthly Consider that it is now come to a Nick and pincâ— with you that either ye must close the Covenant wiâ—h God or put your selves farther under his Curse and eat and driâ—k damnation to your selves because ye have mis-kent Gods Covenant and slighâ—ed Covenanting with him and so have come as enemies to his Table without making your friend-ship with him we declare to you that eâ—e the morrow at this time many of yoâ— will eiâ—her have a bit or a Miss of the greatest bargain a d of the greatest concernment that ever was made betwixt parties and although ye should not eternally incapacitate your selves for Covenanting with God which many may do and bring themselves under such a sad sentence that they shall never hencefoâ—th be quickened nor awaked any more yet ye may make your bands stronger and may make the business of your Covenanting with God far more difficult to your selves then now it might be The Second general Observation is this that a soft tender and melting heart is a good and suitable frame for Covenanting with God would ye then know what is a fit frame for Covenanting with God It 's even this a heart melting frame they shall go weeping as they go they have much seriousness inward stir and warmness of heart and that makes it to meâ—t and as iâ— were flow down before the Lord this is according to what we have Zech. 12.10 I will saith the Lord Pour upon the house of David and on the inhabitance of Jerusalem the Spirit of Grace and supplications and they shall look to him whom they have pierced and shall mourn and be in bitterness as one is for hâ—s first born even when they are coming home and asking the way to Zion with their faces thither ward and about to enter in Covenant they are mourning Hence Isaiah 44.3 4 5. And elsewhere even almost where ever entring into or renewing of the Covenant with God is spoken of the out-pouring of the Spirit is spoken of also a pouring water on him that is thirstie and flouds of the dry ground bringing Rivers out of Rocks c. for preparing a People for the Lord. And this will be the more clear if we consider that softness and melting of heart gives a man a right impâ—ession of himself and a right impression of God and of his free Grace and goodness and it makes the man to become folding tractable Pliant and yeelding to God and also makes way for much Spiritual sense and comfort and for Gods refâ—eshfull manifesting of himself to the Soul that is so pliable and tender thus the Lord saith Hos 2.14 I will allure her and bring her to the wilderness and speak comfortably to her or to her heart as the word is Alluring speaks pliableness that hath Gods Comfortable speaking to the heart following on it The First Use of this point serves to give you another Mark for Triall if things be right and in good case with you for Covenanting with God and as the upshot of all to commend such a desirable frame as thiâ— to you would ye know theâ— further what is a right frame for Covenanting with God Here it is even to have a heart melting within to have a soft tender and mournfull disposition of Soul and would ye know what this is We think that from the words it may be gathered to consist in these five or six things that concurre to it First There are some pricking challenges for sin and wrongs done to God they humbly acknowledge take with and are made sensible of these Secondly There is some missing and sensibleness of the want of Gods presence and of the want of Communion and Fellowship with him â—hey know not well where he is but they are a king after him Thirdly There is an ardent affection and serious desire to be at him and in Covenant with him a heart filled with love to God whereby it is softened and made to flow down as wax by the fire is melted and the hardest iron made soft Fourthly There is a Holy fear and carefulness whereby the heart is kept from growing cold and indifferent as to this condition and from settling and sitting down in it such a fear and trembling as old Eli had 1 Sam. 4. for the Ark whereby he was kept in a fright here is going and weeping with a Holy fear lest the Covenant be again broken Fifthly There is a self loathing kindly humiliation exercise of Repentance
That was broken for you Open your mouth wide and I will fill it I will be thy God That is the comprehensive Article of the Covenant and the great Gift the Gift of gifts and we may very safely say that as he could not swear by a greater then himself So he could not give a greater giâ—t then himself would God there were suitable conceptions and apprehensions of this non-such Gift and that he in whom the fulness of the God head dwels bodily were looked upon as being thus in our offer and were Cordially closed with by Faith that 's a great word which we have Revel 20.7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things and how is it performed and fulfilled I will be his God this is all and without this there is nothing Fourthly Having this Gift is there any thing that can be added the Text says Heaven not that Heaven is more then Christ but this is it that Christ enjoyed in Heaven is more then Christ enjoyed here on earth I will drink it new with you saith he in my Fathers Kingdom The floud gates are there as it were opened and the heart enlarged and made capacious to let in the fulness of God to the filling of the Glorified Believer even to the very brim Therefore is Communion with Christ said to be Now in Heaven We may have Christ here and Believers have him but this is an addition when we have our husband not only in right but have access Immediatly and most intimatly to converse with him and he to converse with us When the Queen shall be brought unto the King in Raiment of needle work and takâ—n into the Kings Palace with gladness and with joy and the Virgins her Companions with her When there shall be a putting of unbelief to shame and an Eternal Banishment of it and a Compleating of Believers Satisfaction the eye of the most profoundly exercised and experienced Believers never saw their ear never heard neither were they ever able to conceive the thousand part of these abundant consolations and heart ravishing joys that shall flow from the Presence of the Lamb and of him that sitteth on the Throne When there shall be no interveening Ordinances nor Temple in that higher House but the Lamb shall be the light thereof and yet all this is offered to sinners and put in Christs Testament to them to the end it may be made sure And Lastly As all these other things do Concurr to make out the excellency of the Bargain So doth this in a special manner that the price is payed that they have nothing to lay down but may come and take all freely without money and without price Secondly For furthering and strengthening the consolation ye would consider that the Believer who receives Christ as he is offered in the Gospel though he be a sinner yet he hath a most sufficient excellent and unquestionable security for and right unto all these good things that our dieing Lord Jesus hath comprehended in his Testament Believing sinners what security would ye have ye have Christs word I say unto you c. Ye have Christs Covenant and Testament This is the Cup of the New Testament in my Blood and now the Testament is Confirmed and Sealed so that neither man nor Angel can annull nor alter it Our Lords Testament being Sealed it stands legally registred in the Court Books of Heaven and it stands legal on these terms that a sinner who takes with his sin disclaims his own righteousness and betakes himself to Christs Righteousness putting it in the room of his own for his Justification before God may be sure of Christs legacy and of Heaven as it 's sure that Christ suffered and Instituted this Sacrament for his Confirmation in the Faith of it the accepting of Christ the submitting to his righteousness the yeelding to the Covenant and closing with him on his own terms gives him a right to Heaven and all the Riches contained in his Testament To make out this as being the very thing of the Comfortable Application of all that hath been said and of what we are further to say I shall offer these four grounds The First whereof is some clear Scriptures that hold forth so much viz. That as really they shall have life who rake Christ and his offer and close with him as he really suffered and Satisfied the Justice of God for their sins The First of these Scriptures is Heb. 7.25 Wherefore he is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him He is an able Saviour able to the uttermost and there is not a point of Latitude longitude or altitude beyond the uttermost He is able to save them all and what all All that will come and make use of him and give him the credit of his Offices all that will come unto God by him A Second is Rom. 5 20. Where the Apostle out-reasons sin for holding forth the triumph of free-Grace Where sin abounded saith he Grace did much more abound That as sin hath reigned unto death Even so and indeed it is an excellent So might Grace Reigne through Righteousness unto Eternal Life by Jesus Christ our Lord though we would endeavour to our utmost to unfold these words we could not unfold all that is infolded in them did sin make sinners lyable to death and Triumph over them So Grace hath erected a Throne by Christs Righteousness not by inherent Holiness and hath Triumphed over sin the way how Grace gives out its orders and obtains its end Is not by our Righteousness but by the Righteousness of Christ through Faith in him Justice to speak with reverence is off the Throne and Grace orders and sways all in making Application of Christs Purchased Righteousness to believers The Third Scripture is Acts 13.38 Be it known unto you therefore Men and Brethâ—en that through this man is preached unto you the forgivenness of sins and vers 26. To you is the word of this Salvation sent O glad tidings to the greatest sinners Thorow the man Christ is Preached to you Remission of sins and by him all that Believe are justified from all things from which ye could not be Justified by the Law of Moses What are ye owing Or what can the Law Justice or Satan claime ye are Justified from all these things and when he speaks thus to despisers with a Be it known unto you That the offer is made to them we may on good ground turn it over to you and say Be it known unto you that thorow Christ Jesus ye may have Remission of sins and be Justified from all things from which ye could not be Justified by the Law of Moses According to the terms of the Covenant Let your libell be as long as it will Grace is on the Throne and will receive you Secondly Consider that the great designe which the Lord drives in the business of Redemption and publishing of it in the Gospel Is that Remission of sins and
Life may be made sure to lost Sinners that came to Christ Why I pray was the Covenant made was it not for this end As it is Heb. 8. This is my Covenant saith the Lord that I will make with the house of Israel I will be Merciful to their unrighteousness and their sins and Iniquities will I remember no more no more O sweet sound What is the designe of the Mediator in his Sufferings Is it not this So John 10.10 I am come that they might have Life and have it more abundantly and John 17. For their sakes I Sanctifie my self that they also may be Sanctified and here the new Covenant in his Blood is for the Remission of the sins of many and this being the mean for attaining the end It is Impossible that it can misgive or fail Thirdly Consider the Contrivance of the Covenant and ye will see that it is impossible it can fall Heaven and Earth shall sooner fail then one Title of this sworn and confirmed Covenant It cannot fail on the Mediators side for he hath Payed the price already Neither can it fail on Jehovahs side He will not fail to make Application of Grace to sinners nor be unfaithful to the Faithfull Mediator And since upon the one side Justice had access to exact of Christ the full price even to the least farthing by vertue of the Covenant of Redemption when he became surety will not the same Covenant on the other side make it out that Grace shall have as good access to Pardon the sinner for whom be undertook For he saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 5. was made sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him If the Covenant which is one hath had the designed effect in and on the Mediator as to his fulfilling all that was undertaken by him therein shall not the Promises made to him as namely these Isaiah 53.10.11 He shall see his seed the Pleasure of the Lord shall Prosper in his hand by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many take effect and be fulfilled Doubtless they will most certainly and infrustrably Fourthly Consider the great experience which the Saints have had of the truth of this in all ages are there any this day before the Throne Blessing the Lamb and him that sits thereon or any that are on their way thither ward But they are so many wiâ—nesses of this Truth that closing with Christ hath good Security for Remission of sins and for Eternal life There shall never be one who shall have it to say I trusted to this security and it failed me and hereupon riseth the sweet Song Worthy is the Lamb to receive Power and Riches and Wisdome and Strength and Honour and Glory and Blessing Revel 5.12 Nay even those in the Pit shall bear witness to this truth for saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 2.15 We are unto God a sweet Savour in them that are saved and in them that Perish to the one we are the Savour of Death unto death and to the other the Savour of Life unto life And in the preceeding words he saith Thanks be to God which alwayes causeth us to triumph in Christ He maketh the Triumph of the Faithfull Ministers of the Gospel some way to be in them that are damned by his taking Vengeance on them for despising His Grace offered and they are made to see that it was a sure bargain to them that through Grace embraced it And it this be so Good a bargain to them that embrace it and so very siker and sure What I pray are we seeking But that this good bargain and the sufficient security thereof may be taken hold on as it is proposed alter not the terms of it and indeed it would be very unreasonable to presume to do so or so much as to desire an alteration of them for though we had them at our own contriving We could never by very fat contrive them so well Nay let me say if Angels were Preaching to you they would think it a Priviledge to have access to mention His precious Name Now seeing it is the Great designe of the Gospel to have sinners closing with Christ on his own Terms O do not frustrat the Grace of God And seeing Grace makes offer of Life Life and of Remission of sins to sinners to save them freely let Grace get such sinners to save as it 's seeking and it shall be a bargain Thirdly To prosecute this yet a litle further ye would consider that as there is a good bargain to be had thorow Christ and by Faith in him and as there is good security for it so it is our Lords delight and good Pleasure and he is very desirous that sinners should make Application of it by Faith receive and rest on him and his righteousness for making themselves eternally Happy We are not speaking of such a Happiness and security that the Lord will be angry at you if ye take hold of it but of a happiness and security that he is seriously willing ye should receive And he doth most earnestly beseech you to take hold of this Covenant on these Sweet and easy terms that ye be Heartily content and well Pleased with it O sensible sinners do ye indeed believe this when we Preach to you that our Lord Jesus is as desirous to have you saved as ye are and that his righteousness be closed with as ye are to have it Nay more that there was never a Soul more hungry and greedy when with a heart chock-full of desires after it to Communicat then he is seriously willing to admit such a Soul to Commonion with him Then as ye would do him a Pleasure and it 's all that ye can do keep not a distance but step to and take what he Offers not only the Sacrament but himself in it for your head Husband and Lord and that ye may not Scare-stand nor halt to do so Consider that there is not only a warrant to come but that he calleth you to come and is ready heartily to welcome you come on his call and his call is no less broad then the call of the Gospel there is a warrant given you on your hearing of the Gospel and quiting of your own righteousness to receive Christ and his Righteousness and to admit of him to the exercise of his offices about you according to the Covenant And indeed we know not a truth of the Gospel that hath mo confirmations then this hath viz. That Christ the Mediator is very willing and desirous that sinners close with him and get the good of his Purchase For the making out of which take these following Considerations First what is the great designe of the Covenant but this As we have it Isaiah 61 1 2 3. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me because he hath anointed me to Preach good tidings to the meek He hath sent me to bind up the broken hearted to