is ready the fatlings are prepared the Promises are filled with every necessary good thing there is bread enough in the Prodigals fathers house and to spare the contract is ready and an offer of it made on the Bridegrooms side the terms are drawn up and put in Form and all things agreed upon and ready even to the Subscription and there is no more required but that the hearers of this Gospel heartilly consent to take him and submit to his righteousness and dominion which if they do all things shall be theirs even life eternal and all things that may fit them for it Promises for this life and that which is to come and Christ engaged to keep the bargain and this is it that is preached every day to you though alace unsuitably so that it 's not now Who shall go up to Heaven and bring down Christ from above or Who shall descend unto the deep and bring him up from the dead That we may get him to Marry but the righteousness of faith saith the word is near thee even in thy mouth c. Christs consent is not to be asked or brought from afar for he hath declared it in his word and the terms of the contract are if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe with thy heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved Rom. 10.8 9. Engage therefore honestly with Christ and keep to him deny your selves and close wiâ—h him give uâ— your selves to him and ye shall be saved and that is all one with this to be married to him yea the day of the Marriage is set and that iâ— the day of the Gospel the Bridegroom is come to the Church the Table is covered and the Ministers the Bridegrooms friends are waiting on to espouse you â—o him and to make up the Marriage so that all thinâ—s meet and requisit for making peace betwixâ— God and sinners are ready The Fifth Observation was that Christ the Bridegroom his Father are very willing to have the match made up and the marriage compleated therefore doth he send forth his servants with a strict commission not only to tell sinners that all things ready but to bid them come to the Marriage yea he not only wills them to tell that all things are ready and to invite but to Compel them as Luke hath it Chap. 14.23 to come in to stirr them up and press them to it to threaten them if they come not and to accept no refusal or naâ—-say the evidences of his willingness are many which I will not now insist upon as that he hath made the feast and such a feast and prepared so for it and given himself to bring it about and keeps up the offer and Proclamation of the Marriage even after it is slighted all these and many moe tell plainly that the Father and Son are most heartily willing therefore they expostulat when this Marriage is refused O! Jerusalem Jerusalem how often would I have gathered you but you would not Matth. 23. O! Jerusalem Jerusalem if thou even thou hadst known in this thy day the things that belong to thy peace Luk 19. All these sad complaints that Israel would not hearken to his voice and his people would have n ne of him Psal 81 7. That he came to his own and his own received him not Joh. 1.11 And that they will not come to him that they might have life Joh. 5.40 make out his willingness abundantly and undenyably The Sixth Observation was That the great work of the Mâ—nisters of the Gospel iâ— to invite unto and to endeavâ—ur to bring this Marriage betwixt Christ aâ—d Souls to a close the Servants are sent out for this very end to conclude the bargain Though he be Lord of all yet he would not imploy in this work Angels neither would he speak immediatly by his own voice from Heaven for by reaâ—â—n of his greatness we could not have endured that way of wooing but sayeth on the matter to men subject to the like passions and infirmities go tell that the King haâ—h such a Son and that ye are sent out to wâ—o in his Name and make not only offer of Marriage but request intreat perswade pray and obtest yea command and compell them to come to the Marriage by holding forth the curse which comes on them that will not come and hence are those denounced woes and shaking of the dust off â—heir feet for a Testimony against them that will not come The Seventh Observation was that iâ— is the duty of all to whom the good news of this marriage come to come to it and when theâ— aâ—e invited to it Presently without all delay to yeeld Needs there any proof of this do not the Masters sending and the seâ—vanâ—s coming call for it do not his preparing of all things his inviting to the Marriage and his expostulating wâ—â—h them that come not and our own great necessitie urgently require it The Eighth and last Observation was that all they that come may expect a very good and heartsome welcome none need to fear that they shal not be made welcome seeing they are come not uncalled they shall not sit unserved The Lord will not look down on such as come nay he is waiting on to welcome them and to meet them as it were Mid-way as we see in the Parable of the Prodigal Luke 15. His father stayes not till his son come to him but seeing him afar-off coming he runs with speed to meet him and then most affectionatly embraced him and falls on his neck and kisses him and if the poor child should say I am not worthy to be called a Son He answers that not suffering him to speak out all that he had resolved to say Even when the debaucht runagate had spent all by riotous living and would fain have told out the sad and shameful story of his grosse miscarriages and great unworthiness he interrupts him and says in a manner Son hold thy peace as to that I know well it is grievous to thee go quickly and put on the robe the Ring and the shoes that are provided for thee I come now in the Third place to make application of all and is it possible to speak or hear of this Subject as becomes who is sufficient for these things to speak suitably in the name of the Lord and to lay before you this contract of marriage with such a Bridegroom Beloved hearers are ye in a suitable Posture to tryst with him Do ye think that ye are for this Marriage is it your serious purpose to close the bargain with him If so Pray the Lord to give us to speak and you to hear the word in such manner as it may be a marriage-day indeed there are very good news here and blessed eternally be God that ever we heard them or had them to speak of and that ye have them yet to hear they should make your very
art the Lord our God When He sayes as he did to them returne ye backsliding children and I will heal your backslidings turn it over to him and say Behold we come unto thee Thirdly Are ye not content with your selves or with something in your selves Do ye indeed think and say that it is a good bargain and that the terms are very reasonable and easie and we have nothing to say against them but we have alas much to say of and against our selves The bargain pleaseth us wondrous well and so do the terms but we are not at all pleased with our selves I answer 1. May ye not then the better quit and deny your selves and take Christ in the room and place of self 2. I Ans Christ makes no such objection He bids the most Prophane the most Ignorant and Graceless wretch the most Hypocriticall dissembler that never knew what it was to be honest come and assures them that they shall be welcome if they will come indeed Object But I can do nothing I cannot keep a word word that I say to Christ I Answer Engage and consent to close with Christ on his own terms and doing and keeping shall follow to give thy consent is that which thou art now called to and he engages to help thee to perform Object But shall I take on an engagement presently to break it again I Answer If indeed thou consent thou mayest â—ail and break but the covenant will never be utterly broken nor dissolved yea thou shalt have surety for thy keeping of it Forasmuch as saith the Apostle Heb. 7.22 Jesus was made Suretie of a better Testament If ye Object and say that ye have much sin that ye are Lothsome and Abominable Subscribe this Contract and bargain and ye have a free and full discharge of all your debt I will sayeth the Lord Hosea 2 19 Betroth thee unto me in loving kindness and mercies He will pardon your iniquities There is no exact or severe seeking and searching out of the debt here where it 's ingenuously taken with but rather a covering of it He will also cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your Idols But it may be thou wilt Object And say I will rather purpose then engage because I fear I shall break it Answer But is it likely that thou wilt make good such a purpose who darest not engage Or will purposes and resolutions do the business without performing Purposes of Marriage make not the Marriage It is actuall consent and engaging which doth that But thou wilt Object And say alace I am not in a right frame I am very confused all things are wrong with me Answer What is this thou sayest Will your frame be amended without Christ will those swarms of Corruptions be beat out before thou take in the King of Glory who is strong and mighty in Battel But thou wilt Object I am not clear as to my interest Ans Wilt thou not consent till thou be clear that is as much as to say thou art doubting but that thou wilt not put it out of doubt if thou be unclear as to thy Subscription rather Subscribe write thy name over again if ye have not at all Subscribed take now the pen and do it say Lord Jesus I come to thee and will be thine Object Alace fain would I come to the wedding but I cannot come it will not do with me I would fain believe but my Faith is not Prompt and ready I Answer Is not the Covenant provided with an answer to that also It calls for nothing but for your Subscribing and if ye say ye cannot look well that it be not a shift it comes to this yea or nay and if ye say ye cannot say Yea in Faith which yet thou wouldest fain be at is there not a promise of Grace that though your hand be as it were withered if ye mint and essay you shall be enabled to stretch it forth Faith may come in the very essaying to grip him only essay it and it shall go with you Object I have essayed it often and it hath not gone with me Ans Essay it again and cast a new knot If your evidence be not clear Subscribe over again Object But it goes not with me when all is done I cannot believe I would Subscribe but I cannot writ as it were I cannot distinctly act Faith Ans What is that Our Lord stands not on that though you cannot write well do as ye can It 's strange to see how somes Subscription is almost like a scratching with Crow-toes yet it 's a valid Subscription some again will write down their mark in place of their name and that also where it is well known is admitted as valid if you cannot as it were write your name in fair and legible Letters set down some Mark if it were but two scores or lines in any form or figure If ye cannot act Faith so distinctly come on as you may if ye cannot to your satisfaction say Yea with the heart say it with the mouth striving and longing to have thy heart brought up force thy self If I may speak so to believing If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe with thy heart that God raised Him from the dead thou shalt be saved Rom. 10.9 Endeavour to make thy Mouth engage thine heart bind thy self fast to Christ even in a manner whether thou wilt or not act Faith with the understanding labouring honestly to bring up thy Will and affections and though ye win not now to a Faith that is distinct it shall come in a due time essay to set open the door and it shall go with you Object But my heart says all these are but fair words Ans Away with that blasphemy They are the truths of God essay then O! essay Seriously this way of Believing and ye shall find power meeting you The Pen is as it were lying by you and albeit ye cannot write well and be distinct take the Pen and Christ shall as it were lead your hand and guide it to write so as it shall Pass in Heaven for a Subscribed consent set your selves to give him a welcome and he shall account it to be a welcome Say now what more ye have to say lay out your scruples this word all things are ready will answer them all the garment is ready to be put on yea Jesus Christ is your Wedding Garment take and put him on He is the cure for all your diseases apply him for the cure of them all ye cannot certainly be clothed before you put on the garment neither can ye be Healed before ye apply the cure ye cannot by any means be rich till ye marry him But beside all these there are several other needlesly disquieting scruples there are many other shifts and alace that there should be such triffling if I may call it so such whining as it were and standing on Ceremonies to speak so
a thing on such terms and conditions the other partie accepting on those terms and Conditions On which the offer is made as we see in a contract of Marriage the man engageth to be the Womans on condition that she be his and she engageth to be his wife as he engageth to be her husband and each engageth to perform suitable duties to the other And we make use of this the rather that the Scripture alludeth to it in this matter Secondly We are to consider Covenanting as it is betwixt God and a sinner for we are not now speaking of the Covenant of works betwixt God and Adam wherein there was made an offer and Promise of life upon condition of Perfect Obedience So that if he did that which was Commanded him he should live but we are now speaking of Gods Covenanting with a sinner for that is the Covenant spoken of here It is indeed a great wonder that ever there should have been a Covenant betwixt God and a Creature But a greater wonder that there should be a Covenant betwixt him and a sinfull creature whatever is spoken in Scripture of the Covenant of Grace belongs to this Covenant First The Parties in this Covenant are God and the sinner Gods Creature but a sinfull creature It 's the Lord Jehovah and we the house of Israel and we the house of Judah Secondly The terms of the Covenant are not Do this and live though the Promise be the same for it's life that is offered yet it 's not on the same terms for though the life be as good as that which was promised to Adam yet the terms are far better The substance of this Covenant we have set down Jer. 30.31 32 33. and cited Heb. 8.10 11 12. unto which this same invitation doth here relate I will make a new Covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah not according to the Covenant that I made with their Fathers But this shall be it I will write my law in their hearts and I will be their God and they shall be my People c. And Come say they here and let us join in it His engagement is to be their God and their engagement is to be his people and the terms follow which are on Gods part free forgiveness of sins through the Righteousness of Christ imputed to them thorow whom they are accepted as if there had never been a quarrel And on their Part by faith to take hold of him and of the Pardon of sin which separated betwixt him and them through Jesus Christ as he offered to them Therefore Rom. 10.6 It 's calleâ— the Righteousness of Faith opposed to the Righteousneâ—â— of the Law spoken of befo e and what saith it saith not who shall go up to Heaven nor who shall dâ—scend into the depth But the word is nigh thee even iâ— thy mouth and in thy heart that is the righteousness Faith which we preach that if thou shalt confesse wiâ—â— thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thy hearâ— that God raised him from the dead thou shalt be saveâ— That is if ye make suitable use of Christ for your Feaâ— with God and give up your selves to him to be 〈◊〉 Servants ye shall get peace and Pardon of sin here aâ—â— Eâ—ernal life and Salvation hereafter These in short aâ— the terms on which God offereth himself to sinneâ— Thirdly The Ground of this and how it comes to paâ—â— thaâ— such a Covenant is accessible is the Mediators iâ—terposing in a Covenant of Redemption with the fathâ— concerning elect sinners wherein he hath procured thâ— Covenant of Grace betwixt God and sinners by 〈◊〉 Performing the condition required of him in that Câ—venant for this Covenant of Grace and Reconciliatiâ—â— is nothing else but the result of the Covenant of Râ—demption and the execution thereof we had never 〈◊〉 ground to say that there is a way laid down for 〈◊〉 peace with God except there had been a Covenanâ— Redemption betwixt him and the Mediator wherâ— the Mediator undertook to satisfie Justice for the sins the Elect by bearing their iniquities and hath the Pâ—â—mise of being Satisfied for the travel of his Soul by seeing of a seed and by his Justifieing many thorow Faâ—â— in him as it is Isaiah 53.11 This gives the rise to tâ— Covenant of Grace betwixt God and sinners and theâ—â—fore these two are put together Isaiah 55.3 Inoâ—â— your ear come unto me hear and your Souls shall live and I will make an everlasting Covenant with you even the sure mercies of David That is the sure mercies of the Messiah the assignation whereof even of the Purchase of Redemption made by him is by Covenant made over to the Believer in him and therefore when we speak of this Covenant it alwayes supposeth implieth Christ who Isaiah 42 6. Is called the Covenant because he is given for the ground of Covenanting betwixt God and sinners it being by him and in him that God and sinners meet there being a gulf as it were betwixt sinners and God he hath made himself the bridge on which sinners may come over and meet with God and the Covenant brings us to Christ as under the Law Christ was typed out by the Mercy seat and the Arke wherein the law was put to shew the linking together of Christ and the Covenant the efficacie of the Covenant flowing from Christ and the Covenant giving us a title to Christ and making Christ accessible to us It layes as it were a Bridge to us to step on and makes an open door to us to enter in by on Christ and by Christ to the Holie of Holies thorow the vail which is his flesh Thirdly As for the Form of this Covenanting it is as in other Contracts God making the offer and the person accepting it Gods offer is in the word of the Gospel wherein he saith Come and I will made a Covenant with you as the Apostle hath it Rom. 10. The word is near thee even in thy Heart and in thy mouth and the Sum of it is If ye Believe in Jesus Christ ye shall be saved the proposing whereof in the Gospel is the laying of Gods offer before you and it 's as really Gods offer as if audibly he were speaking to you from Heaven as he once spake the Law on Mount Sinai It being his Authority by which Ministers are sent treat close this Covenant with you As it is 2 Câ— 5. We are ambassadors for Christ as if God were beseecâ—ing you by us we pray you in Christs stead be ye recoâ—ciled to God That is be friends with him by enteriâ—â— in Covenant with him and he sheweth us the grouâ—â— of it For he who knew no sin was made sin for us tâ— we might be made the Righteousness of God in him Goâ— offer is I am Conâ—ent to be thy God and to make 〈◊〉 that is mine forthcoming to thee for thy good upoâ— condition thou quit thy
Paschall Supper when the Traitor Judas was going to bring the band of Souldiers to take him That he warrands us to take it and that we have therein sweet Communion amongst our selves every thing in it ought to draw us to admire his sufferings and the great love they came from and the notable affects thereof â—o us The second Use serves to Provoke us to studie to be in a Solemn Divine Heavenly frame for such a Solemn Divine Heavenly action as this is and thorowly to examine our selves and to see that all things be in good order like to a bride that is to be Married to morrow who will be trying on her marriage cloathes and seeing that all things be right I shal not descend to particulars but in Three or Four words in the general only point at such a frame as we conceive is called for from you 1. It should be such a frame as ye would desire to be in if Christ were coming personally and visibly to Marrie you to morrow and O! That this night might thus be a Brydel or Marriage evening to us all Consider what frame we wâ—uld wish to be in if we were to meet with him and strike hands with him personally and visibly Studie and seek after such a frame 2. It should be such a frame as we would desire to have if we were going to give up the Ghost when all earthly things will be insignifi an t and of little worth to us even such a Frame as if our eternal Peace and happiness were depending on that chock This would be the night of making our Testament as it were and of the adjusting our accounts with God and of putting things to a Point betwixt him and us other wayes our debt may increase and grow greater and it will not be so easie for us to win to a discharge of it 3. It should be such a frame as we would desire to be found in if the day of Judgement were coming and if that day were to be to morrow O! how humble how abstracted from the things of a present world and how confirmed in the Faith of Gods love would we study to be If the voice of the Arch angel and of the last Trumpet were sounding and a Solemn meeting of all before the Tribunal of Christ were presently to be what a frame I say would ye desire to be in in such a case Even such a frame should ye study to be in this night as ye would desire to be found in In that day We fear it will be to many then a Prick and a sting in their Consciences within them That they made so little Conscience to be in a suitable frame for this so Solemn an Oâ—dinance The Text tells that a sentence will pass on every one of you and you would by all means labour to be in such a Posture as the sentence may not be terrible to you 4. It should be a Heavenly and Divine frame for if it be a Heavenly and Divine action ye would consider what a frame it calleth for how abstracted as I just now said the Heart should be from the Worldr and from your carnall delights How much in Heaven and conversant with God what a pitch your communion with God should be raised to in apprehending of and meditating on him in considering of and admiâ—ing at the Sufferings of Christ and at the love they came from tasting that he is good and even delighâ—ing and solacing your selves in his love which is the Lords allowance on his People when the action is humbly and reverently gone about 2. Observe that though this â—e a most singularly Solemn Ordinance and Solemnly to be gone about yet oftimes men and women go most unworthily about it and abuse it This is implyed in the words and we need not many proofs of it If we will read from the 20. vers to this we will find it sufficiently proved and if we look forward to vers 30 and 31 We will find that many sad strokes came on these Corinthians for abusing and profaning this Ordinance and the Apostle would have them gathering their unworthy communicating from these strokes There is a readiness both in unbelievers and in believers themselves to miscarry in going about this ordinance a readiness in unbelievers for as they Spoile all things all ordinances and duties they meddle with all things being unclean to the unbeliever So there is a miserable and woful necessitie lying upon them to spoil this Ordinance and a readiness even in Believers who also may miscarry therein as is implied in the last words of the Chapteâ— compared with vers 32. When we are Judged we are chastened of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the World Some of them that were believers were chastised for this fault to prevent their eternal ruine and are there any acquainted with their own corrupt nature but they may and will in some measure find in themselves an aptitude to miscarry as in all other duties and ordinances so in this But the Doctrine holds out a singular and peculiar bentness to misca rie â—n this duty and Ordinance So thaâ— one who will pâ—ay with advertencie and be caâ—ried fairly thorow in that and several other du ies may yet in this Ordinance fall under the guilt of unworthy Communicating The reasons of it may be these 1. Because the more Solemn the duty be and the greater concurrence of duties be in it there is the greater difficulty in going about it for a Soul cannot be right in this except it be right in a number of other duties and Graces as in Prayer Faith Love and Repenâ—ance and that word Let a man examine himself takes in a complication of Duties and Graces there would be a good state and a good frame and Graces would be in some vigour and every Duty suitable and Proportionable to the Naâ—ure of the action and oâ— the day and if it be a great and difficult work to carry rightly on an ordinary Sabbath or in Prayer or meditation or other duties any day what a difficult work must it needs be to have all these rightly yoked together A Second reason may be drawn not only from the complication of Graces and Duties that is required in this action But from the Nature of the thing it self that calls for Duties in a high Degree of Spirituality if any o dinance or Duty call for a Spiritual fâ—ame its this It requires that the exeâ—cise of the Judgement be most clear that Faith be most distinct that Meditation be most Divine c. And the more Spiritual the Duty be there is cerâ—ainly the more aptness in us thoâ—ow our corruption to miscarry in it A Third reaâ—on is Because there is in Men and Women naâ—urally and ordinarly but very little study and endeavour to know and take up aright the â—ature of this ordinance There is in the most part a great ignorance of the Strain and Series of the Gospel
souls in a manner flighter within you and make you to rouze up your selves to welcome them with gladness of heart And therefore First we would exhort you all to believe this report there are alace but few who doe indeed believe that the Eternal God hath this design of a marriage betwixt him and sinners Therefore let not your hearts be straitned only believe that this is the good word of God that these are the faithful true sayings of him that cannot lie and that he is waiting on to ratifie them to all who give them Credit It 's somewhat hard to deliver or receive a word of threatning in faith but in some respect more hard to believe a word of Promise and of consolation It is Proportionably hard to look upon this as Gods own offering of a marriage with his Son as if he himself were by vive voice speaking it out of Heaven and to believe that this offer is really his and therefore as I desire as his Servant to speak to you so I would again and again Obtest you to be rouzed up and to rouze up your selves to believe it Secondly Rouze stretch and enlarge your understandings and your hearts and affections for beholding conceiving and embracing this rich bargain of Grace O! consider seriously from whom it is For what end it is how it is brought about and doth come to you the height and Depth the Length and breadth whereof is inconceivable be Holily amazed and wonder that the offer of this marriage comes to you and that he is content to marry you Thirdly In a word would you know what we have to do with you or what is our commission to you this day This is even it to tell you that the King hath made a marriage for his Son and hath prepared and made all things ready for reuniting you to himself yea this same King that hath made this wedding ready and hath carved out this way of throughing his designe by speaking to you in his Word by his servants speaks to you by us and we speak to you in his name and tell you thaâ— our blessed Lord Jesus is wooing you we declare publish and proclaim it O! take notice of it our Lord Jesus is not far to seek he is here waiting on to close â—he bargain wâ—th you This is our errand to proclaim these glad tâ—dings to you and what glader tydings could yoâ— wish then to have it told you thaâ—â—e may be happy and easily happy and that if ye be content â—o be so theâ—e is noâ—hing that might marâ—â—his happiness but it is â—emove and taken ouâ— of the way Is not the Faâ—â—eâ— ready He hath given his consent is noâ— the Bridegroom ready when he hath done so much and is waiting on your consent the Feast is ready and the Garments are ready and there is nâ— more to do but t take and put them on aâ—d faâ—â—h exeâ—cised on him wâ—â—l 〈◊〉 both the Conâ—ract is ready and there is nothing â—o 〈◊〉 changed oâ— altered in it and He is ready to accepâ— oâ— you if ye will accept oâ— him our blessed Lord Jesus says he is câ—nâ—eâ—â—â—o marry you and there is no more to do but to subscâ—ibe your name to the contract iâ— you want clothes he will give them to you â—f ye want a house if ye want meat or drink he will provide for you what ever it be that you really stand in need of for Soul or body in time oâ— eternity ye shall have 〈◊〉 from him The promises aâ—e filled with all things thaâ— pâ—â—â—ain to life and godliness to hâ—s life and to thaâ— which is to come there is in effect n thing wanting but your consent and let not tha be wantng I beseech you Iâ— prosecuting this purpose I shall speak a litle 1. Tâ— those to whom the offer is made or to those whâ—â— a e called 2. To whaâ— they aâ—e called â—o 3. To the terms on which they are called 4. To the manner how ye should come 5. To the Peremptoriness of the call and to the necessitie of coming And 6. If it be Possible to win at it a word to some motives whereby ye may be Pressed to come and not to neglect the opportunity of such a Precious Season of Grace For the First it is not one or two or some few that are called not the great only nor the Smal only not the holy only nor the Profane only but ye are all bidden the call comes to all and every one of you in Particular Poor and rich high and low holy and prophane Ho Proclaimeth the Lord as it were with an Oyas Isa 55.1 Every one that thirsts come and he that hath no money Let him come whosoever will let him come and take of the water of life freely Rev. 22.17 Our blessed Lord Jesus is not straitned in his call and we may humbly say in some measure that we are not straitened in our bowels in his name we invite all of you and make offer of Jesus Christ to be your Husband that ye may have a room among them that stand by and be with him for ever I say we make this offer to all of you to you that are Atheists to you that are Graceless to you that are Ignorant to you that are Hypocrits to you that are Lazie and Luk-warm to the Civil and to the Prophane We pray We beseech We obtest you all to come to the wedding Call sayeth the Lord the blind the maimed the halt c. Bid them all come Yea compel them to come in Grace can do moe greater wonders then to call such it cannot only make the offer of the Marriage to them but it can make up the Match effectually betwixt Christ and them We will not we dare not say that all of you will get Christ for a Husband but we do most really offer him to you all and it shall be your own fault if ye want him and go without him And therefore before we proceed any further we do Solemnly Protest and before God his Son Jesus Christ take instruments this day that this offer is made to you and that it is told to you in his name that the Lord Jesus is willing to match with you even the profanest and most graceless of you if ye be willing to match with him and he earnestly invites you to come to the wedding if you can touch at any thing on his side that is not ready or at any thing on your side but it may through grace be made ready if ye will come you may but its impossible for the Covenant is well oâ—dered and sure and that in all things and these words are not the words of men but the Words of the true and faithful witness which ye must count and reckon for when we are dead and gone He hath killed his Oxen and Fatlings and prepared his dinner and bid his guests all things are ready in the due order
World that we should be for him Now we know somewhat of the terms which may all come in under these three there are many conditions on his side and but few on ours Fourthly ye would consider the Peremptoriness of this call to accept of and to Marrie our Lord Jesus Christ on these terms it 's not an ordinary complement but purposed by the King the Father and by the Kings Son the Bridgroom He sends out his Servants who are come to call you Peremptorily and there are three Peremptories that this offer and call hath with it all which three we carry in our commission and crave of you to Subscribe to them The 1. Whereof is that ye take no other husband but this Bridegroom there is no latitude left to you in this ye must by no means engage with any other It 's only for Jesus Christ that we woo and we seek of you that ye would give him your souls your hearts and affections that ye may be devoted to him and to no other and therefore we intimat to you that are Married and Joyned to Idols that ye must be divorced from those and betake you to him alone The Second Is the Peremptoriness of the terms we speak of we cannot and ye must not alter one jote or title Ye must deny your selves ye must be content to be divorced from your lusts and Idols ye must renounce your own righteousness and give up with the law your first husband considered as a Covenant of works and run out from the curses thereof to him which ye will never do till ye see your own righteousness to be as filthy rags and reject it as Part of your enditement that ever ye trusted to it Ye must forget your fathers house 2. As you must deny your selves so you must close with Christ and embrace him for your husband and Lord do not think that ye will or can dwel beside him that ye can sit and hear him if ye Marrie him not 3. Ye must be devoted to him in your conversation he must needs be your King as well as your Priest Ye must forsake Father and Mother and all your kindred and betake you to him and ye must take up and keep house with him you must dwel with him and study to be answerable to the Marriage tye and obligation put upon you we dare dispense with none of the Three The Third Peremptory is this as ye must engage with no other and as ye must not alter the terms so ye must not delay to come and close the bargain ye must not put off till to morrow nay not an hour All things are ready Just now Now is the accepted time Here stands the blested Bridgroom here are the conditions and terms on which he will marry you and we as the Bridegrooms friends stand ready to espouse you to him We dare not be answerable to our Master nor can we be answerable to our trust and commission if we shuffle by or thrust out any of you if ye do not thrust out your selves nor may we admite of an excuse from any of you and therefore let me again say to you that here is not only a marriage and of all marriages the most excellent but let me beseech and obtest you to come to the wedding either come or give a reason why ye will not or cannot as you can assigne no relevant reason for your not coming we dare not accept of any Irrelevant reason nor admit of any answer but this that ye will take him we dare admit of no excuse ye must not shift nor delay ye would think that those who were bidden Luke 14. might have come when they had seen their Farme and proved their Oxen but that would not be with them So I say it will not be with you to shift this offer He is here waiting on to see who will consent and say even so I take him Say it O say it seriously and abide by it Q Are there any here now looking up to him Are there any here that would fain have it a closed bargain Are there any here that believe these things as the truths of God Then we pray you let them sink down into your hearts and come And to press this a little further let me ask what can hinder the making of this bargain is it the want of notice or timeous intimation of it That cannot he ye are clearly convinced of the contrary Is it because ye will or can be happy without him Wo to that happiness is it any difficulty standing in the way That shall be removed yea as to him it is removed already and shall be as to you on your closing with him Pose and put your own hearts to it then Is there any of you that dare or can find in your heaâ—ts to refuse the Lord is waiting on his faithfulness is engaged to make out what he offereth He stretcheth out his hand and sayeth Even so I take you if ye will take me are ye content to stretch forth your hand and to say Even so I take thee blessed Lord Jesus or if this be not win at to Satisfaction are there any rouzing and stretching themselves to essay how it will go with them what are ye doing Is it a bargain or not ye must say yea or nay and that even now We suppose ye will not say down right nay though more then probably many will delay but this must not be the Table may be drawn other guests may be called in and ye removed we cannot allow you an hours time to advise especially from indifferency yea if ye begin to take advisement for shifting a present closure Christs call and invitation and your consenting will readily cool upon your hand Paul sayes that he consulted not with flesh and blood So must not ye consult with flesh and blood in this matter ye must cast away the beggars cloak be content to deny your self quite your lusts and close with him presently or ye may never have the like opportunity There is a necessity imposed on you from the command to come from the curse and prejudice that abides you and will certainly overtake you if you come not ye will be eternalie miserable without him there is no happiness but in him The King is on his Throne the Table is set and covered the day is fixed his Servants invite in his name come therefore come without further lingering dallying shifting or delay alace there are too many dayes put by already ye must put by no moe Now let me speak a word further to this purpose what can marr the matter what can obstruct its being a bargain certainly it must be one of three Either first because ye are not content with the Bridegroom Or Secondly because ye are not content with the terms Or Thirdly because ye are not content with your selves or with some thing in your selves As for the First I suppose ye can say nothing against the
not of you who have come under some private engagements to the Lord I take it for granted if ye have not been scorning God in your humiliation and in your Communicating I take it I say for granted that severals of you have come under particular and personall engagements to God If so ye would beware of loosing those tyes and of violating those so Solemn engagements and the rather that it is to be feared if ye keep not promise to God now ye may never get a Communion again to renew it 4. I would have some of you remembering of those particular obligations ye came under and promises that you made to us when you received your tokens to amend those faults whereof ye were well known to be guilty most certainly those Promises especially so expliciâ—ly made will bear witness against you if those evils be continued in or relapsed into and we shall bear witness for Christ against you if ye shall not be answerable to your engagements for the Lords sake put us not to it Essay in good earnest and set about the study of this Gospel-becoming Conversation I shall forbear to speak of encouragements to this It will be one good encouragment to consider seriously that it is a walk becoming the Gospel and Christ in it that it hath such promises made to it and such a suretie for every promise that the certification of the Law is not at it that ye have paâ—don of sin promised to you on your Repentance and furniture at hand for every thing called for from you Take it in short what ever your calling station or relation be Only let your Conversation be as becometh the Gospel of Christ and remember the tyes and obligations that ye are under whether more generall or more Particular Otherwise they shall be remembred to and against you Now the Lord himself enable you by His al-sufficient Grace to suit all your obligations to pay all your Vowes and to make all your honest resolutions Practicable relating to this Conversation becoming the Gospel of CHRIST A very Heavenly SERMON Preached if not after the Communion yet very pertinent for such an occasion however it is subjoined to the immediatly preceeding because of the affinity of purposes On Philip. 3.20 For our Conversation is in Heaven THE Life and work of a Christian is a far otheâ— thing then for the most part it is taken to be and no question were we often thinking on and studying the qualifications and extent of a Christian conversation to which believers are called we would walk with stopped mouths in the deep sense of our great short-coming and there would not be such delusion under the conceit of self-righteousness But the ignorance of this makes carnall men think themselves to be something and makes even believers themselves that they walk not so humbly nor press so seriously towards the mark neither do they Propose to themselves as they ought a just and perfect pattern to follow Amongst other qualifications of a Christian-walk and conversation This is one and a very considerable one that our Conversation should be in Heaven A thing we fear the most part of the Christians of this age scarcely believe much less endeavour that they should live with their hearts above in Heaven in the lively expectation of the Saviours coming That they should converse in Heaven among the spirits of just men made perfect before they come thither The Scope of these words is plain The Apostle Paul hath to do with the Christian Philippians who were much tempted and no doubt in some hazard to be led aside both from the faith and from the Practise of Religion And the way that he takes to keep them right as to both is by proposing His own example to them as if he had said ye will readily think that I should be well acquainted with the way to Heaven Now the way that I take for my Justification Before God is not to seek after Righteousness by the works of the Law but to be found in Christ covered with his righteousness taken hold of by Faith And if ye would know what I do in reference to Sanctification this is it I forget those things that are behind and reach forth unto those things that are before pressing towards the Mark for the Prize being constantly as it were on the spur that I may attain that which I have not as yet come at even that perfection of Holiness that accompanies the resurrection from the dead And having laid this before them as a fair copy and pattern He improves it by exhorting them thus Brethren be ye followers together of me take the way that I take both in the matter of Faith and of Practise And he gives two reasons why he would have them to do so The First whereof is taken from the danger that was in following those false teachers Vers 18.19 Many of whom walk so as they are Enemies to the Cross of Christ That is enemies to the doctrine of faith in Christ and to the exercise of it on him and to the Doctrine of his Cross and also to a truly spiritual walk Whose end is distruction and whose God is their Belly The Second Reason is subjoyned in the Text drawn from the great advantage which they should have by following him For saith He Our conversation is in Heaven This is the spiritual Heavenly and divine walk wherein he holds forth himself and his fellow-Apostles as a pattern to be imitated by them and so teacheth them their duty We are not as if he had said like those false â—eachers But our Conveâ—sation is in Heaven Therefore follow us and he gives an instance of this in the latter part of the Verse From whence saith he We look for the Saviour He is like a person on the Watch tower that is looking and longing for the coming of a friend Plainly insinuating thereby that he looks not for much satisfaction in this world but was earnestly longing for and in continuall expectation of Christs coming to which all his hope and expectation of compleat happiness and of full satisfaction to his soul was closely confined So then the great thing that he aimes at here is to commend a heavenly conversation to these Christian Philippians to all that should hear the Gospel and this excellent piece of it amongst the rest There are only Two things shortly to be cleared before we proceed further The First is What is meaned by Conversation here And the reason of the question is because the word is so very significant in the Original that hardly can we get a word in our language to express it by to the life It 's taken from that which signifies a Town-ship corporation-ship to speak so or Burges-ship and it implyes these two things First a title to such and such priviledges as those who were Romans or born Citizens of Rome whoever were made Burgesses of it had such and such Priviledges attending their
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
for the living God as David saith his heart did Psal 42. Can tell what raw wishes were before and thaâ— the Grace of God works such desires as have another sort of edge on them and have a holily disquieting and restless hunger for the breasts of Gods Covenant and cannot rest nor be satisfied yea no not live without them Fourthly Observe That A people or person may have some sincere desires after Covenanting with God and yet have much weakness many infirmities and fears in the accomplishing of that their designe Many poor puzzled and perplexed souls may have this honest desire and yet not know well how to put the thing in Practice even like unto these mentioned here who are going toward Zion to join themselves to the Lord in Covenant and yet are asking the way they have covenanting with God in their eye as their great scope but are ignorant in a Considerable measure of the way yet they sit not still till they get the way as it were described on a Card to them but they rise and make forward as they may I nothing doubt the truth of this Doctrine is known in experience by some Serious though much tossed and puzzled Souls who have some honest and earnest longings after him and after Covenanting with him who yet know not well how to win at him or how to make this Covenanting Practicable thus the honest well meaning Daughters of Jerusalâ—m ask the Spouse Cant. 6. Whither is thy beloved gone that we may see him with thee There was a sincere desire after him and a fixed Purpose to be at him and to decline no Labour nor pains in order to coming by him yet they know not well whither to go for finding of him even like honest Mary who John 21. would fain have Christ and comes to the grave to seek him and missing him weeps and when the Angels speak to her to comfort her that will not do it She continues still weeping and tells the cause They have taken away my Lord and I know not wheâ—e they have laid him It was an evidence of the honesty of her desire that though she knew not where he was yet she could not be diverted by any thing from a mournfull restless and diligent Pursuit after his presence This may Proceed Partly in the First Place from believers their infirmity and their not being thorough in the knowledge of Gospel Mysteries from their ignorance of the Parties and conditions of the Covenant of the nature Properties and promises of it If they knew how kind and condescending the Lord is how near he brings his Word How litle he will take of their hand how solid the Covenant is how sure the cautioner is and how their Part of the Covenant is undertaken for as well as Gods they would not have such doubts and fears hence Rom. 14. They who are weak in knowledge are said to be weak in faith Because through their Ignorance they have many doubts This makes me to think that if many of you had sincerity and seriousness in the great concern of your Salvation ye would be much and almost inextricably Puzzled how to Rid your selves in many things ye would meet with in your condition because of the abunding of your ignorance ye cannot Alas tell what Repentance is what closing with Christ in the Covenant is what Christs offices are and what use should be made of them and therefore if ye were put inâ—o any strait or Dump through the sense of sin it needed be no great wonder that ye should be in much confusion and did not know what to do to get out of it It were good therefore that ye studied the knowledge of God and of the Covenant that if ever God do you good ye may have some clearness and distinctness in the way of the Remedy of your evils and of extricating you out of your difficulties But that which keeps many quiet is Alace their own Presumption grown to a great height and the devils rocking them fast asleep in the cradle of Securitie it 's a wonder to see so many very confident of Peace with God who yet know not how it is come at when God touches your Conscience ye will be put to cry what shall we do Because of your ignorance Secondly It proceeds partly from want of experience hence though some it may be have light and knowledge yet wanting experience of the thing they are at a stand and know not what to do in this or that case Just as if a man were to go to London and were informed of all the Towns and Posts in the way yet when he comes to advance in his Journey not having gone the way before he is often in doubt whether he be right So it is with many who from literall knowledge can tell what faith and Repentance is but when their Spirits are Jumbled to speak so confused and put through other the matter looks far otherwise upon them and they are like a man who coming to a shallow and safe foord of a River that is mudded yet fears to take it because he hath not ridden it before whereas another that hath gone thorow it can confidently hazard on it and indeed it is no Marvell to see much of this even amongst Believers A Third cause or ground whence this may proceed is prejudices at the way of God and of persons at themselves men have naturally a sort of Gospel of their own that they cannot go by till someway they be constrained and when God puts them to it they are at a stand as for instance there is this Prejudice in some that they think none can go and warrantably take hold of Gods Covenant till they be so and so humbled that they cannot go with Convictions Challenges till they get some more deep heart-work or be in a better and more tender frame Hence Peter saith to Christ Luke 5. very unreasonably Depart from me for I am a sinfull man O Lord whereas David reasoned otherwise and much more Pertinently Psal 25. when he saith Pardon my iniquity for it is great and hence the question ariseth what shall we do and when they are bidden believe they Object Ah! we are sinners and have evil and hard hearts and are unhumbled look what Passed betwixt Peter and his heaters Acts. 2. He layeth out before them their horrid guilt in crucificing Christ they are Pricked in their hearts and cry what shall we do He bids them Repent and be Baptized which takes in Faith and vers 41. It 's said that such as were kindly touched Gladly received the Word Now I pray what if they had objected can we that have even now or a very liâ—le since had our wicked hands embrewed in the precious blood of Christ Believe on him Come away saith he on the matter for there is no other way to Pardon and Peace with God there was much of this in the Primitive times amongst the Christian Romans Corinthians
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
therefore we put you to it peremptorily as to these Three 1 As to the thing that when he invites ye come when he offers ye receive and give thâ— Lord your answer not a nay say but a yea as ye wiâ— be answerable and upon your saying Yea to this Covâ—nant on his Terms we declare in his Name that 〈◊〉 says Yea in taking in the sinner that fleeth unto him 2. As to the whole of the thing for ye must not half Gods Covenant but as ye accept of God to be yours so ye must give up your selves to him to be his and as ye take Christ for paying of your debt So also ye must take him to help you to do your duâ—ie take all therefore and submit your selves intirely to him in this Covenant 3. As to the time ye must do all this presently for the Lord doth not allow us to give you an hour or to promise to treat with you one hour after this It 's now come and let us join our selves to the Lord It 's no difficult thing that ye are called to It 's to believe with the heart and to confess with the mouth our Lord Jesus Christ as it is Rom. 10.9 The Object is Christ the Condition is Faith whereby he is griped and taken hold of and which goeth out towards him in the word And so ye have no more ado but when the offer and Promise comes out to accept and subscribe and to say I am the Lords I will be his to be saved by his Righteousness and made Holy by his Grace both which are contained in the Covenant I am content to be beholden to him both for Holiness and happiness and it shall be a bargain The Lord himself perswade you to do so and that presently without delaying dallying or shifting and off putting Now it may be that some think this to be a good bargain but they know not how to make it sure and siker so as it may hold for ever And therefore this is the last thing that in the 4th Place we would speak a litle to viz. How shall a person Covenant with God and know that he hath done so in very deed for the Directions how to Covenant are so many evidences of Covenanting when performed For Directions then in this matter we would in generall in the First Place have ground to suppose and take it for granted that ye know what ye are even sinners and that Sin hath laid the Foundation of a quarrell betwixt God and you and that ye know what he is a designing and doing by this Preached Gospel even to bring sinners into this Covenant and to have an union made up betwixt him and them but ye will belike say I know not how to make it sure there is no answer to this but be doing till ye get it made suâ—e for your unsureness must flow either from something on Gods side or from something on your side ye dare not I suppose say that it flowes from any thing on Gods side or if ye should this is the way to make him sure to speak so and if it flow from something on your side he bids you return back sliding Children and he will heal your back slidings and make it sure But in the Next Place and more particularly consider 1. Your end and designe what yeâ— would be at ye may have some generall aim at something that is good in it self but that is not enough iâ— must be something more Particular and peculiar Is 〈◊〉 to get God to be your God Doth that fill your eyeâ— Is it to get your back slidings healed as well as pardoned That is right if your aim be to have God and Spâ—rituall good I mention this the rather because somâ— may love God and the Covenant for some temporaâ— good whereas others love him and his Covenaâ—â— mainly for a Spirituall good and think themselves weâ— come to and made up thereby Wherein lyes the dâ—ference will ye say I answer in a word to love Gâ—â— and the Covenant only or mainly for temporall meâ—cies is ill aod selfish but to love God and his Covâ—nant to be made thereby really happy in the enjoymeâ—â— of him and to be made conform to him in Holinesâ— is good and desirable and neither selfish nor servile aâ—â— mercenary as it is no unkindlie-like token in a wife to love her Husband to be delighted in him and to like well to enjoy his company so it is a kindly like Mark for a soul to love God on the account of the happiness and Holiness that are to be had in him and from him Love to God shoulders not out all regard and love to our selves simply but it shoulders out love to lusts and all inordinat love to self and to every Idol nay it 's inconsistent with true love to God not to care whether we be happy in the enjoyment of him or not 2. Consider how and by what means and on what terms ye seek to come at that end are ye secure and sensless of your sin misery without God It 's very like that ye make but a blind bargain whereof ye will have no reall advantage but have ye any kindly touch of your sin and misery and of your need of a Saviour and have ye recourse to him as one Able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God thorow him and who lives for ever to make intercession for them Ye may know somewhat of your sincerity in Covenanting with God by the way that ye come to him 3. What use make ye of the Mediator when ye are come to him Is your peace with God and your hope of holding by the bargain grounded on him Do ye lay the weight of all the good ye expect on his mediation on his Satisfaction and intercession on his purchase Do ye hold all thorow him That 's a good token 4. Are ye content to give to God as well as to take from him To devote your selves to him for Service as well as to enjoy him and Happiness in him This also is a good token as well as a direction 5. Are ye in much Holy fear and Jealousie of back-sliding and is it in your eye and aim purposely to Article this with the Lord to put his fear in your heart that ye may not depart from him many persons will sometimes in a warm fit or in a good mood as we use to speak come far on as Agrippa did but quickly fall off and return to their wonted byass câ—ldness and indifferency therefore in your Covenanting with God there would be much Holy fear lest it be not sound lest it bold not let your Soul say now I am absolutely and unreservedly given away to God not by Morgage or Wodset only to speak so but without reversion even for ever 6. Ye wouâ—d come to close actually with God himself in Covenant many come to the word and Sacramenâ— to get as they think some good but come
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
Consolations of God being dilated Capacitated Elevated and enlarged for that very end Fourthly This Communion is uninterrupted there shall be nothing to mar it no Cross no Sin no Temptation to sin For no unclean thing enters within the Gates of the new Jerusalem no Curse no Cry in those Streets no weeping no Sorrow no sighing for any thing past nor Horrour nor fear from the apprehension of any evil coming nor any the least mis-turning of the Lambs Song of Praise the heart shall to speak so be so stringed and bended as it shall never again slack in its bent but be stil keeped at its highest note our Harps shall never hang any more on the Willows but we shall keep them still in our hand chanting the Praises of the Redeemer to that new Heavenly Tune never heard on earth with Psalmes of victory in our hands and Crowns of Glory on our heads following the Lamb whithersoever He goes Fifthly It is an Eternall communion we shall drink for ever with him and be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of his house and made Holily drunk with the River of his pleasures with whom is the Fountain of Life and in whose light we shall eminently see light whose Well of life is always running in Whose presence is fulness of joys and at his right hand Pleasures for evermore though through all Eternity thousands and Millions will be drinking of this new Wine yet it shall never be the less but is and shall be still fresh and flowing Now for Application Let me ask you do ye believe this that there is such a day coming and that these are the true and Faithfull sayings of God O! If ye all that hear me this day did indeed believe it the belief of it sure is very suitable and would make a very sweet life ye will never be Holy ye will never aright fear nor love God ye will never hate sin nor be heartsome in his Service neither will ye be truly thankful till ye really Believe it I am afraid if Atheists Earthly Wretches drunkards Tipplers Cursers Swearers Hypocrites c. Were singled out and Separated from among us they would be found to be but a smal number who Believe this Do ye or can ye Believe it that have your Portion in this life and seek no more Nay believers if ye indeed Believe it why are ye so heartless Why envy ye the poor prosperity of the men of the world Why do ye not press after this mark and Prize If ye believed it suitably your hearts would laugh within you your Spirits would rejoice your faces would some way shine and what is spoken of this day would have a Divine splendor and lustre in your eyes If you believe it why is it not your work and business to live so as ye may hope to drink of this cup of this new Wine with Christ in Heaven Though ye should drink water all your days this Wine will abundantly compense that though now the bread of some of you be but brown this feast of truly Royal dainties is before you our Christian friends that are gone are feeding sweetly on it Long O Believers to be with them and take it not ill though ye be here somewhat straitned and kept scarce and have but a litle portion a small pittance and scant measure of the things of this world when others fare well and Sumptuously live high are Gorgiously apparelled Your Feast and Royal Robes are before you The Rich and great men of this world whose portion is in this life care litle for Poor bodies that seek Gâ—d care ye as litle for their portion as they care for yours they shall not a litle hence get a drink nay not a drop of cold water when ye shall drink this new Wine this Royal wine in abundance Christs Servants shall eat when they shall be hungry his servants shall drink when they shall be thirsty they shall sing for joy of heart when the others shall mourn and howl for vexation of spirit as it is Isaiah 65.13 O seek after clearness of interest in him that ye may throughly Believe Love and long for this life This heartsome Communion with Christ in Heaven is reserved for them that keep Communion with him here on earth and to them it is here promised I will not say that none can get Heaven but those who get the Sacrament but this I dare boldly say that those who have not Communion with Christ here shall never get Commvnion with him hereafter and whoever Communicat honestly here shall have Communion with Christ in Glory be ye comforted who believe in Christ who Covenant honestly with him and who hope in his mercy For He and ye together shall have a compleatly full immediat uninterrupted and eternal Communion in Heaven that shall new end Need ye to be confirmed in the truth of this hiâ— word may serve you and ye have the Sacrament besidâ— he hath left his word to hearten poor Believers undâ— all their inward and outward troubles under their Spâ—ritual maladies and bodily sicknesses and infirmities aâ— to assure them for their comfort that there is a goâ—â— life coming and be hath given the Sacrament as a pledgâ— of it will ye then consider seriously whether this woâ—â— belong to you and if ye may with his allowance heaâ—ten your selves from it that there is a day coming thâ— ye shall get Communion with Christ in Heaven Hâ— doth not mean that all that get the Sacrament get thâ— Communion For Judas who not unprobably got thâ— Sacrament is excluded Would ye know then whâ— have been honest Communicants to day that may expect this Heavenly Communion And me thinks thaâ— every one of you that hath any serious concern for yoâ— Souls will be roused here and greedily longing foâ— marks and evidences of that But if any of you woulâ— be at evidences to make you secure I declare I havâ— none such to give you But I shall hint at Two or Three which may be as directions in duty to you who minâ— honestly The First whereof is Luke 22.29 Ye arâ— they that have continued with me in my Temptation anâ— I appoint unto you a Kingdom here it is clear that theâ— Two go together viz. Continuing with Christ in hiâ— temptations and Coming to his Kingdom In a worâ— it is not to be religious for the fashion but in earnest is not to be Religious for a day or two or in somâ— trials only but to continue in it and with him in hâ—â— Temptations what ever they be Not only to be Râ—ligious when religion is countenanced but when it discountenanced and persecution is met with for it sake and when there are many snares and temptations to draw you away 't is a stedfast abiding with Christ in trying times Summer and Winter so to say If a blast of triall and temptation come and ye grow giddy and wavering in the truth Or if a spirit of Profanity come and look for