sin you do not spy out more in your own Iniquities than you do in the very Grace of God to receive you graciously Hos 14.2 4 and love you freely And beware that you do not fancy a deeper Red different from other Death-colours in your own Body of Death than is seen in the Blood of Jesus Christ An Unacquaintedness with the true Notion of the Gospel is a Hinderance to the Gospel-Feast 3. Remaining Vnbelief in the Actings of slavish Fear Reigning Unbelief indeed is the Property of Sinners but Remaining Unbelief is a great Hinderance hanging in the way of Saints There are Remnants of this Sin to bring you under spiritual Sickness and Infirmities when there be no Ruling Signs-that it is unto Death upon you There is much Fluctuation in our Hearts an unsteddy rolling too and fro like the Waves of the Sea sometimes carried out towards the Shore in Hope then driven back again to Sea in Fears whereas our Rock is the same for ever tho' we roll aside Oh! were our Faith says (z) Dr. Sibb◠Bruised Reed p. 23 24. one as firm as our State in Christ is secure what manner of Men should We be A Saint may be brought many ways low but he shall be brought no ways under Now by how much the less it is you live in the Exercise of Faith 〈◊〉 2.20 i. e. By the Faith of the Son of God by so much the less in your spiritual State will you thrive by Gospel-Grace As you want any measure of Faith to digest the Food of God's Word so much the less of Nourishment and Sweetness you will find in any Morsel of it Jesus said unto him if thou canst believe All Things are possible unto him that believeth Mark 9.23 If you have not Oh weak Christians a stronger Degree a higher Measure of Faith your Fears will make you jealous and suspect the Love of God every time you try to eat and drink in his Kingdom It is observed of Peter he never sank in the Waters 'till he sank first in Fears when he saw the Wind boisterous he was afraid and upon this followeth his beginning to sink Matth. 14.30 Fears will suggest nothing but such wrong and uncomfortable Thoughts as these Well this Feast of the Gospel is too great for such poor Dust and too good for so vile a Worm as I therefore it belongeth not to me But Oh! take heed of this let not Unbelief carry it without a check in thy Soul when it calls the Bread of Life Poyson or tells thee thou art damn'd if thou venturest so far as to meddle with it 4. Lastly Refusing to be Comforted God's People sometimes will not tho' we take his own words be satisfied The Consolations of God are so small with them Job 15.11 that they will not take this Cup of Consolation down Jer. 16.11 Psa 77.2 last words My Soul refused to be comforted let me hear what I would it was all one with me That was Good Asaph's case a while Now what will All Things avail when no thing shall be allow'd to comfort you but you will choose to go down into the Grave mourning Gen. 37.35 What signifies Moses to tell the Children of Israel that God had looked upon their Affliction and Bondage and to assure them of Deliverance that it was now even at the Door Mat. 24.33 whenas they hearkened not unto Moses for Anguish of Spirit and for cruel Bondage Exod. 6.9 It is observable indeed that at the first Newes of their Deliverance which Moses brought them from God they are hugely affected with it Chap. 4.31 The People believed and when they heard that the Lord had visited the Children of Israel and that he had looked upon their Affliction then they bowed their Heads and worshipped Oh! how glad and comforted do they seem that there comes any Relief to alter their Afflicted case at last Well but God will yet try their Patience under their Burdens and Adversity a little longer in the next Chapter Pharaoh comes and He multiplies their Burdens still more and more and lo now the Double Labour of their Bricks and the Stripes of their Task masters upon their Backs beat them quite out of Heart insomuch that at last Moses with all his Arguments and Perswasion could no ways still them for they are resolved to hear to wait to trust no longer they hearkened not c. Thus some of God's Children will seem to be born up notably when God comes first into their Souls with Comfort but alas if God to try them lays them again in the lowest Pit in Darkness Psa 88.6 in the Deeps immediately their Mountain is overturned their Sun is set and the Rainbow of the Covenant blotted out of Their Cloud They refuse to be comforted and seem loth to look out towards the Everlasting Hills again Psa 121.1 Now hence it is that the Gospel hath been very often in part ineffectual for a Time to some of God's own Children To conclude therefore in a word your Meat will not strengthen you to flee as a Bird to your Mountain Psa 11.1 so long as with Ephraim you remain a silly Dove without Heart Hos 7.11 And so much for the Doctrinal Part. The Ninth and last Thing propounded in the General method was the Application of this Doctrine IX The Vses I design to make by God's further Assistance are the Three following Information to discover such Truths Humiliation to bewail such Sins and Exhortation to beswade to such Duties as naturally flow from it First I. Vse by way of Information in these Thirteen Particulars 1. 1 Inf. We may learn the Fitness of Earthly Comparisons to bring down Heavenly Truths to our Capacities I say the Fitness of Earthly Comparisons for in this Body of Flesh we have more Earth than Spirit and need to put on Spectacles to help our weak Eyes It is a piece indeed of condescending Workmanship in our Maker to blow up the very Earth and the Things of it into a Glass and then shew us Heaven and the Things thereof thro' it which made the Apostle use the same Metaphor when he was comparing the Knowledge of Believers here with that perfect Sight they should have in Heaven 1 Cor. 13.12 Now we see thro' a Glass darkly but then Face to Face Thus the Holy Ghost declares I have used Similitudes by the Ministry of the Prophets Hos 12.10 (a) Deus se quodammodò transformat in verbo suo in quo non loquitur pro su◠Majestate sed prout congruere videt modulo nostro infirmitati Rivet in loc Vol. 2. p. 774. col 2. ultim Obs When God speaks to instruct us in his Word he doth as it were transform himself not speaking according to his own Essential Majesty but agreeably to the measure of our Frailty The Scripture often instructs us in Metaphors and sets forth our State Priviledges and Duty by
Land of uprightness I must come Lord to thy Table I must see what House thou keepest for me (m) Da igitur sidum illum ducem qui non prehendat tantùm manum sed vires sufficiat motum Rivet in loc vol. 2. Joh. 6.63 Grant me therefore thy Spirit to be my Sure and Faithful Guide to thee who will not only take me by the Hand but afford me sufficient Strength and Motion as the Pious and Learned Rivet glosseth it The Spirit that Quickneth must give Life and Motion Legs to the lame and Feet to walk with them If the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the Dead dwell in you He that raised up Christ from the Dead shall also quicken your Mortal Bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you Rom. 8.11 (n) Charnock's Discourses Vol. 2. p. 1321. The Spirit must be our Auxiliary upon Earth as well as Christ our Advocate in Heaven As we can never be obedient to the Truth till we come to the God of Truth that calls us so we can never come to be thus obedient till there be an obeying of the Truth thro' the Spirit 1 Pet. 1.22 He may call he may command This is the way walk ye in it but we can never run the way of his Commandments till He enlarge our Hearts Psal 119.32 Acts 17.28 For 't is in him that we live and move and have our Being Spiritually as well as Naturally both are from him because all our Springs are in Him We must have our motion from him before we can make any motion to him A moving Principle to cause our Pace or we shall either stand still or start back or turn aside or tumble down or stumble in our walk when we try to come along 2. Inf. God's Calling and Man 's Coming are not the same but Two Distinct Things 'T is His Grace but 't is our Work and Duty He draws but 't is we must run Cant. 1.4 Draw we we will run after thee The Call is often sent when there is no coming seen Christ oft invites but Men too oft refuse He holds out a Sceptre of Grace but They remove the Shoulder and will not stretch out one Hand to take it Calling is the Act of God Coming is the Duty or the Act of Man in the received strength of God God's Act in calling often goes alone but our's never doth so because it is impossible tho' God calls of himself that we should come alone These Two then must be distinguished God's Calling and Man 's Coming neither must Man deceive himself to think he comes because God calls him For he may be no Guest after God hath given and a Man hath had a Gracious Invitation The Invitation may be made on God's Part and yet no compliance seen on Man's 3. Inf. There may be also much coming to Ordinances and little coming unto God with any Spiritual motion in them Alas there be many Foolish Guests that follow their own Spirit and rather come at their own call than God's They bid themselves and so come in the Flesh but never understand what to make of a motion in Spirit and in Truth to God They hear not with Spiritual Distinction the Voice of the Son of God but with a Confusion and Disorder the Flesh makes and therefore can't come but rather from some Forcible external Cause are brought without any Life in them You may be going from the Feast in a Spiritual Sense when you are seen to come to it in the Literal The Heart must be upright or you will come all awry in a crooked Line with the workers of Iniquity while you appear in these Duties You know what was said of Ezekiel's Hearers Ezek. 33.31 They come unto thee as the People cometh and they sit before me as my People and they hear thy words but they will not do them for with their Mouth they shew much Love but their Heart goeth after their Covetousness (o) Judaei magnâ frequentiâ ad Prophetam concurrebant corà m illo non secùs consistebant quà m si animum planè induissent populo Dei dignum Jun. in loc They carried it well to the Prophet but very ill to God They would throng to their Preacher but be easily thrust away from God They stood before the Prophet as if they had put on the same Ornament of the Mind which the best of God's Children wear but yet God saw their Hypocrisie stood before him naked So you may seem to come when your Heart goeth after your Covetousness You may come and make such a Dust with the Earth about you while you put out the Eye of Faith that you see not where you are 4. Inf. If God invites us by the Gospel-Call other Invitations should be of less account with us When the Law of Mercy in the Gospel requires us to come and eat shall the Law of Cruelty in our Members be obey'd that saith Abstain from Meats It casts a Disparagement upon the great God that his Call must be neglected while other little calls are minded that you have an Ear open to let in the Persuasions suppose of a Mortal Man while you stop it against your Maker wilt thou stay with the Swine when thou art Invited to the Sheep-folds to lye down in green Pastures Canst thou raise an Objection against the Sequel because the Antecedent is so clear Arise He calleth thee 'T is the Voice of a God and not of a Man of the God of the Spirits of all Flesh that calls thee and shall the Voice of a Creature the Voice of a Dying Man or the Voice of a Condemned Malefactor stop thee Who hath hardened himself against him and hath prospered Job 9.4 5. Inf. It is an Aggravation of our Trespass against Love and Kindness to turn our Backs upon the High-calling of God This is a Prodigious Evil tho' Men have Presuming Thoughts upon it This Rebellion this Refusal to come to Court when sent for is as the Sin of Witchcraft and Stubbornness is as Iniquity and Idolatry 1 Sam. 15.23 6. Inf. It is such a Sin to stand it out against God's Calls as God will severely punish A neglect of God's Calls will make our own Cries unpitied Prov. 1.24 25 26. Because I have called and ye refused I have stretched out mine Hand and no Man regarded but ye have set at nought all my Counsel and would none of my Reproof I also will laugh at your Calamity I will mock when your Fear cometh Such as refuse the Load-stone and are not drawn with Mercy shall have a Milstone ty'd about their Necks that will make them sink for ever Such as would not be call'd shall be cast into Hell 7. Inf. and last The Invitation of the Gospel should find in us a suitable compliance with it I say a suitable or a meet compliance As ye have received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk ye to him so walk ye in him Col. 2.6
is prepared to shew forth his Salvation from Day to Day Psa 96.2 Tho' you think the Pit is ready to receive you in Psa 69.15 and shut her mouth upon you even Hell Job 17.1 while the Graves are ready for you yet the Gospel opens the Everlasting Gates Psa 24.7 9. that you may look thro' a Door of Hope Hos 2.15 Tho' you Mourn in your Complaints and make a Noise Psal 55.2 yet he can still the Voice of your crying Psal 5.2 when he stops the Voice of his Justice and prepare you to sing of Mercy Psa 101.1 Tho' you count it that for your Parts Ezek. 37.11 Psal 1.3 your Hope is gone and your Branch is withered yet he that planted it by the Rivers of Water Isa 55.10 will cause it to bud and spring forth again In a word tho' you cry out with those Frighted Mariners in Paul's Ship Act. 27.20 that all Hopes of being saved is taken away yet the Gospel still suits your Case for the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost Matth. 18.11 He finds you out tho' you are got where you lose your selves tho' you are muffled up in shades 1 Sam. 10.22 or hid behind the Stuff or covered over with Dust or disguis'd with Tears or wrapt in a Mantle of Confusion Psal 109.29 you throw in a Fright about you Nineteenthly The Gospel hath All-sufficient Provisions suited to the Condition of wretched Creatures sunk below the Recovery of any Men or Angels God can do for thee what Men Neighbours thine Acquaintance Companions Brethren nay thy own Flesh and Blood cannot The very Called and Chosen of God that are made nigh to Christ Eph. 2.13 can but stand round about thee weeping but the Lord can break in with Tender Mercies Luk. 1.78 Psal 136.23 and in thy Low Estate recover thee I was brought low and he helped me Psal 116.6 last words It is the work of God and beyond the sufficiency of Men God's Friends may pity thee but 't is God himself must favour thee thou may'st lye in thy Pit while their Eye trickleth down with Tears Lam. 3.49 but the Arm of the Lord can quickly draw thee out Isa 53.1 They may lament thee fallen but he can lift thee up I looked and there was none to help therefore my own Arm brought Salvation Isa 63.5 * Arthur Jackson upon Isai 4th Vol. somewhat changed from the Author 's When God sought but a little Help of Man to do his People Justice he found not one appear'd much more then doth it note an Insufficiency for any Helper besides Him that hath the All-sufficiency of Free Grace and Power to save Men tho' sunk in Misery thro' an Original Apostacy If God should look out for Help thro' the whole Creation round he would never find any but what himself brings And He can speak a word which neither Heaven nor Earth Angels or Men ever dare pronounce My Grace is sufficient for thee 2 Cor. 12.9 Lastly The Gospel hath Eternal Provisions suited to the continuance of Man's Immortal Spirit As the Soul must endure for ever the Gospel hath Provisions to make it Happy thro' the same endless Parallel Jam. 2.5 Do you hope as Heirs of the Kingdom for a Kingdom that cannot be shaken why the Gospel hath such a Kingdom prepared for you Matth. 25.34 Heb. 12.28 Do you hope for Glory when you see a Full End of Grace why Heb. 6.18 Heaven is the Hope that is set before you Do you expect more than to be ransomed for a little moment here the Gospel suits with your Expectation for the ransomed of the Lord shal return and come to Zion with Songs and Everlasting Joy upon their Heads Isa 35.10 It is an Eternal Inheritance that is prepared for the Heirs of the Grace of Life Heb. 9.10 an Eternal Salvation Heb. 5.9 an eternal weight of Glory 2 Cor. 4.17 In one word you can never see a Full End of these All Things tho' you look towards the utmost Bounds of the Everlasting Hills Gen. 49.26 And thus I have shewn that as the Feast of the Gospel is full and plenteous so it is a Banquet of suitable Provisions that do fit all the Guests of it And Oh! that now as Man hath try'd to suit them and Apply them to your Case so God would by the Application of his Spirit press these Clusters for you into a Cup of Saving Health VII The Seventh thing is to give some Account Why it is a Feast with all Things in it 1. It is so in regard of the Great Founder Reas 1 who is a God that had All Things to give It is not the Provisions of a mortal Man but the Supper of the great King and no wonder when a King Feasts his Subjects if he hold a Feast in his House like the Feast of a King 1 Sam. 25.36 The Lord is a Great God and a Great King above all gods Psal 95.3 And therefore the Entertainment he makes must be a Feast that hath Provisions above all Feasts whatever a Feast with All Things in it Song 1.12 The King sitteth at his Table and the Feast of a King proclaims a Full Table and the Royal Founder of Divine Grace makes this Heavenly Fare the greater If this Great Provider were not God Joh. 9.33 he could do nothing Nihil dat quod in se non habet None can supply another with what he hath not himself antecedently but now All Things are eminenter in Deo that is they are dwelling by a Transcendent Fulness in him he is the God of all Grace 1 Pet. 5.10 first words and therefore he gives us all this Plenty We may say of every Dish made ready for God's Table as David spoke of the Materials he had made ready for the Temple 1 Chron. 29.16 All this Store cometh of thine Hand and is all thy own In himself is the Abundance of All Things and therefore the abundant Grace redounds 2 Cor. 4.15 There is a Full Treasure in God and therefore a Full Table he hath disht and garnisht forth for us This is the Lords Doing Psal 118.23 and therefore nothing Defective in it The Lord had so many Things to give that he made bare his Holy Arm Isa 52.10 that nothing might hang in his way to obstruct the Communication of a Full Gift to us In a word he is All and therefore he hath all ready 2. The Gospel is a large Feast Reas 2 with All Things ready because wheresoever God bestows that one Gift the Lord Jesus Christ he gives in all other Things with him Every Child of God hath a Richer Portion than he thinks of meerly for his Elder Brother's sake For He that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us * Gave him up to Death for the Salvation of all the Elect.
Matth. 10.15 compared with chapt 11.24 and Heb. 3.15 compared with chapt 4.7 And I may add if a further Apology herein be needful that if the same Thing occurrs where necessity requires yet the manner of opening and illustrating is distinct and methinks the Diversity suppose it were separate from the necessity of the Case might excuse and make it pardonable if any should attempt to run it down with Tautology Let it be only Noted by the Courteous Reader that the Texts often cited in the Margent are not brought as Doctrinal Proofs to clear the Truth of what is laid down or opened but Allusive or Borrowed Scripture Expressions which if you look to the Text it self cited will be found to be taken in a quite different perhaps sometimes contrary sense The Reason of which frequent Citation is only because the Language of the Holy Ghost is most pure and accompanyed with such a secret Penetration that it will make its way where our own Language finds none This oftner cometh in the Demonstration of the Spirit 1 Cor. 2.4 and of Power The Main Proofs of Doctrine are every where met with in the Body of the Discourse it self i. e. quoted in the Book not in the Margent unless forgetfulness in the Transcribing now and then makes an Exception Well I recommend the following Treatise to the Blessing of the God of Heaven that it may find faithful Readers to build them up or be instrumental to make them such and bring them in as Guests to his Table that his House may be filled with them I conclude this Epistolary Entrance with the Hearty Desire and Prayer of my Soul on the Behalf of such as either this Book by Providence may be directed to or who by the same disposing Providence may be directed to this Book and this shall be the Joy and Crown of one that hath adventur'd to cast in his Mite Phil. 4.1 to promote the Common Salvation Jude 3. Joseph Hussey ERRATA BY reason of the Author's distance from the Press various Mistakes are crept in and therefore Pag. 4. lin 28. for ceatain read certain p. 20. lin 22. for Christ's Money r. Christ Money p. 27. l. 28. in the Margent for Scriptura r. Scripturae p. 35. in the Margent dele ibid. p. 36. l. 2. for liberal r. literal p. 50. l. 24. for obsturct r. obstruct p. 50. in the Margt. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 52 l. 20. for month r. moneth p. 59. l. 18. for great r. greatest p. 78. l. 14. for htro ' r. thro' p. 86. l. 1. dele di p. 89. l. ult for Paradice r. Paradise p. 93. in the Margent for litterally r. literally p. 93. l. 22. for Leaper r. Leper p. 105. for Epithite r. Epithete p. 113. l. 5. blot out it Tautological p. 113. l. 18. for Hipocrite r. Hypocrite p. 113. l. 19. dele out Tautological p. 123. in the Margent for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 124. l. 14. for Jehojachim r. Jehojachin p. 125. l. 8. for month r. moneth p. 145. l. 22. for litterally r. literally p. 148. in the Margent for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 156. in the Margent for credebile r. credibile p. 161. l. 9. blot out the full stop and insert a Comma between Cloath you and Oh ye of little Faith p. 165. l. 27. for cloath r. cloathe p. 166. l. 3. for cloath r. cloathe p. 168. in the Margent r. Psal 44.21 over against Line the 8th p. 180. l. ult put the Asterism after the full stop p. 218. in the Margent for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 231. in the Margent for hee r. haâ—c p. 231. in the Margent for Coron r. Cotton p. 232. in the Margent for Refinings r. Refinings p. 238. in the Margent for aurâqu r. aurâque p. 253. l. 16. for to r. do p. 278. in the Margt. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 300. l. 1. for Fornicaters r. Fornicatours p. 307. l. 18. for nevertheliss r. nevertheless p. 315. l. 19. blot out of the Name p. 324 l. 4. read refuse to eat Bread p. 362. in the Margent for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 376. in the Margent for Goodwyn r. Godwyn ibid. for Weymse r. VVeemse p. 388. l. 20. for Iubitants r. Inhabitants p. 398. l. 12. for months r. moneths ibid. l. 23. for profitted r. profited p. 421. l. 14. for off r. of THE Gospel-Feast OPENED OR THE Great SUPPER of the PARABLE LUK. XIV 17. latter part Come for All things are now ready THE Occasion of the whole Parable beginning at the 16th and ending with the 24th Verse appears to be grounded upon an Expression that seems at the First Taste to be Speech seasoned with Salt Col. 4.6 dropt from the mouth of a Pharisee that sate at Luk. 14.1 meat with Christ in the House of one of the chief Pharisees Christ under the Roof of this Pharisee accompanyed with other Pharisees at the Table and Lawyers i. e. not such Civil Lawyers as we have now in the State but Ecclesiastical Interpreters or Expositors of the Law of Moses as the words in the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Original do signifie in all the Evangelists had argued many Things concerning Feasts unto v. 15. and behold in the 15th one of the Company breaks forth into this Expression Blessed is he that shall eat Bread in the Kingdom of God This Great Speech of the Rabbie who indeed is thought by †Vid. Peli Synop. Critic in locum Interpreters to have entertained but a gross Notion of the State of Heaven measuring it chiefly from the outward Dignity and Pomp of Pharisees and Lawyers sitting there yet seems to be a Religious Utterance and looks as if the Speaker had been a Gracious Proselyte and spoke as one that believed the Truth in Christ and lied not But alas you mistake the scope and sense of this Doctour he utters fine Plausible words without the root of the matter in him Job 19.28 and none of his own saying neither only he had pickt up a Proverbial Speech currant among the * Sententia crebra apud Rabbinos qui 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imagine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dâ—pingtbant Grotins Rabbines who drew in faint colours the Invisible Things of God by the Pattern of Visible and fancyed the gaudy Shine of their Long Robes together with the other splendour of such as fared sumptuously every Day to be a Goodly Draught of Heaven We may gather from his Ignorance and Disaffection to true Spiritual Things that thô he uses refined Language yet he is no more than an Unrenewed Pharisee for when Christ doth afterwards in the Parable propose and set spiritual celestial Food the Bread of the Kingdom of God before him our Lord seems
part Indeed Solomon's Provision for one day amounted to a large Bill of Fare 1 Kings 4.22.23 Thirty measures of fine Flower and threescore measures of meal ten fat Oxen and twenty Oxen out of the Pastures and an hundred Sheep beside Harts and Roe-bucks and fallow-deer and fatted fowl But the Supper of our God is in a Richer and more abundant store than that as will appear when serv'd up in this following Account viz. Milk for Babes Meat for strong men the true Bread from Heaven Living water Flesh to eat Blood to drink the Lamb of God the fatted Galf for Prodigals the Marrow of rich Forgiveness the food of Knowledge the nourishment of Faith the feast of Holiness or the bunch of Hyssop in Sanctification of the Spirit the hidden Manna of Election the Royal Dainties of Assurance the Evangelical honey comb dropping Free Grace the fatness of God's house in Ordinances the Supplies of the Spirit of Jesus the morsel of Hope for them that fail not to sit with the King at meat the full meal of Contentment for them that have left all and followed Christ the Refreshments of the Peace of Conscience the Oyl of Joy the Cup of Consolation with the Wine of the Kingdom running over the continual Diet of Perseverance in the sure mercies of David and the Fruit of the Tree of Life 1. Milk for Babes even the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sincere Milk of the Word which the weakest of God's Little ones may lye at the Breasts and suck On this wise speaketh the Apostle Peter in his Exhortation 1 Pet. 2.2 As new born Babes desire the sincere milk of the Word that ye may grow thereby The Holy Scriptures are made ready in the Plainest Truths for a Hungry Infant that will not be quiet till it finds the Breast out Lam. 4.4 The Tongue of God's sucking Children would cleave to the Roof of their mouth if they could not get to the Word and there be as one that hath sucked the Breasts of his Mother Cantic 8.1 Heb. 5.12 The first Principles of the Oracles of God are compar'd to Milk because the first sort of Truths that young Converts Learn and are wont at the beginning of the New-Birth to be most affected with The Apostle Paul speaking of the Infancy of his Corinthian Church tells them in his Epistle which he first wrote unto them 1 Cor. 3.2 I have fed you with milk and not with meat for hitherto ye were not able to bear it neither yet now are ye able * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fed you with Milk I have given you a Liquid Food you might swallow easie Others have drank what I have given you to eat as the Milk of Babes may by strong men be eaten or drunk either Not with meat ye were not able to bear it That is ye could not digest the stronger and higher sort of Doctrines neither yet now are ye able 1 Cor. 14 20. Children in understanding must have the Food of their Souls as their lack of Age requires it Philemâ—â— 9 and such a one as Paul the aged knew it Our Blessed Lord Jesus Christ had such weak Disciples with him that he forbore a while feeding them with strong meat and stays till more cubits were added to their Spiritual Stature before he weans them from the milk of Babes Joh. 16.12 I have many things to say unto you but ye cannot bear them now He dealt with them proportionably to their present state and weaker Capacities in Christianity So young Converts must be fed with Food convenient Prov. 30.8 not only convenient in the Quantity and Measure as Agur meant it but convenient in the Quality and Nature of it and not too strong for them Weaker Christians must be fed with weaker Diet that their Souls may digest it and be made the better for the Truths they take in Now the Gospel hath its Milk in Doctrines easie to be understood 1 Cor. 14.9 Come ye therefore says the Evangelical Prophet Isa 55.1 and buy milk It is a sort of Victuals treasur'd up in our Fathers House that when ye rceive the Kingdom of God Mark 10.15 as a little Child I mean with a very Childish and low Capacity you may meet with Provisions therein suited to you Isa 60.16 Our Babes in Christ may suck the Milk of the Gentiles that is those plain Revelations of the Son of God who is now believed on in the World 1 Tim. 3.16 They can milk out from these Breasts of consolation Isa 66.11 till they are delighted with the Abundance of her Glory Jerusalem God's Church the Mother of us all Gal. 4.26 hath Breasts given her which her Children shall never draw dry The Holy Ghost stoops in very low Expressions 2 Tim. 3.15 that from a Child a Believer may know the Holy Scriptures Its Doctrines are suited to the Understanding and Capacities of the meanest The Gospel hath a Plenty that will furnish all sorts Heb. 5.13 The Vnskilfull in the Word of Righteousness is not left destitute but may receive the Word of his Grace and use it's Milk while he is a Babe Tho' like Zaccheus Luk. 19.3 you are Little of Stature yet you may reach of the Fruit when you cannot climb the Tree of Life before you The Gospel abounds with a Treasure of Holy Learning which some have received tho' never brought up at the * Act. 22.3 Chap. 19.9 Feet of Gamaliel or the School of one Tyrannus You may be taught the Truth as it is in Jesus Eph. 4.21 Luk. 2.46 and know the Master of the School that sat among the Doctours tho' you be not rankt among the wise and prudent I thank thee O Father Lord of Heaven and Earth that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto Babes Matth. 11.25 The Word of God indeed hath its Depths where there is no passing over without swimming beyond your reach but yet it hath its shallowes where going lower you may wade or foord thro' 1 Tim. 3.16 Tho' it be the Mystery of Godliness yet a Mystery so revealed that the ordinary Readers or Hearers may be taught to profit by it Exod. 8.19 There be plain Truths written with the Finger of God and clear Truths copied out as with a Sun-beam from Heaven God's Word is a Text-Hand and he that runs may read it In a word Isa 7.22 it hath the Abundance of Milk for Babes to nourish even the least in our Father's House 2. Meat for strong men or the strong Meat of the highest Gospel-Mysteries Sublime and spiritual Doctrines may be set forth by Meat as the Apostle doth in that forementioned place 1 Cor. 3.2 and strong meat as he calls them Heb. 5.14 which belongeth to them that are of Full Age that is above New Converts the Adult who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern
Ransom to be paid no more store for the Feast to be provided He had purchased at once wherewith we might be perfected for ever Heb. 10.14 The Gospel needs no more of the work of God about it to make the Grace of God richer he hath brought it into a Blessed Perfection and hath put his Last Hand to it 3. As the Gospel could be made no larger 3 Inf. so the Provisions could be made no less for Love to make enough Grace and Love are Two sweet Springs that have not bubled or been broken up in vain We indeed thro' Corruption may turn the Grace of our God into Lasciviousness Jude v. 4. but yet no Streams of it that make glad the City Psa 46.4 of our God shall ever run waste Wisdom would not have contriv'd or the Power of Love accomplisht All if Less had not been too little Tho' the Psalmist when he is pursuing the String of Vanity that runs through the Pearls of all Humane Excellency seems to make a meer nought of this Life yet we must not make a Cypher of the next and tho' he expostulates Psal 79.47 latter part Wherefore hast thou made we cannot add and say Wherefore hast thou redeemed all Men in vain Love could not be ty'd in little Knots when the Silver Cord was twisted Eccl. 12.6 to draw us in Bonds of Love with it Hos 11.4 The Ocean of Grace that overflow'd could not be pent up or confined in any narrow Seas God would not be contented but would give in all when he gave any Thing to us And indeed as Less than All had not suited with the Infinite and Boundless Love of the Giver so it had not been proportioned to a Fallen Creature 's Misery If the Line of Love had been shorter it had not reacht to save us Man's Case was at the worst and there had been no Relief found if the Gospel had not been in its best Estate provided Psal 39.5 If Christ had but dealt like Anantas to have kept back part of the Price Acts 5.2 the Gospel would have been no Purchase for us And therefore if we were Happy we must have all and could not have less than All the Gospel ours As when Israel went out of Egypt the House of Jacob from a People of strange Language Psa 104.1 they could not go out fewer than their whole Multitude Num. 16.33 and all that appertained to them insomuch that when Moses is debating with Pharaoh about the Terms upon which they would leave Egypt he tells him there shall not be so much as their Flocks and their Herds exempted Ex 10.26 our Cattle shall go with us there shall not an Hoof be left behind So to allude in the Case before us when Man was to be redeemed from everlasting Destruction and advanced into Fellowship and everlasting Communion with the Great God there was not one Essential * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not so much as a little Greek Letter or one Hebrew Point Jot or Tittle of the Gospel must fail if it had our Salvation had failed with it As in the Law to ‖ Jam 2.10 offend but in one point had been a Breach guilty of all so in the Gospel to have left out but one Provision of †1 Pet. 4.10 the manifold Grace of God necessary to our Salvation had been enough to have shut us everlastingly out of all Happiness Gal. 3 22 and concluded us under all Misery Jesus Christ did not merit one Benefit in the Work of our Salvation that could have been left undone or spared and therefore he tells his Disciples Luk. 24.44 after they had seen such a concurrence of Wonders that seem'd to be drawn as so many black Lines from the Circumference and met in him the Centre that is after he had liv'd obscurely and dy'd with Publick Infamy being made a Curse for us Gal. 3.13 to procure our Entertainment These are the words says he which I spake unto you while I was yet with you that all things might be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and in the Prophets and in the Psalms concerning me If there had been but one thing omitted there had been a Defective and not a Full Accomplishment There had been too Few unless All things ready we can spare none of them Every part of the Grace of God and that which the Grace of God tends to is so rich a Treasure that the Loss of it had been irreparable Nothing in the Pearl of Price but is Divine and Precious there 's not a Jewel could be spar'd in the Crown either of Grace or Glory The one is necessary to bring us to the Full Assurance of Hope Heb. 6.11 2 Ep. Joh. 8. and the other that we receive a Full Reward in Heaven 4. Tho' the Gospel be a Feast with All Things ready 4 Inf. yet with nothing He prepar'd The Father of Spirits will stand alone the Provider and will have no Flesh to glory in his Presence 1 Cor. 1.29 We must say of all as (i) Meisnerus de Ecclesiâ pag. 46. one doth judiciously pro nobis sine nobis it is Grace for us but yet Grace without us it is a Feast sent to us but nothing of its Provisions were got in or served by us He puts it in the Singular Number I when there was no Plural with him I not You and I have laid Help upon one that is mighty Psal 89.19 The King in the Parable makes his own Supper his Servants have a Commission to call you but are no Caterers to buy up or prepare any of his Rich Provisions for you If thou art Hungry Psa 50.12 thou canst not say thou wilt not tell Him for the Food in the Gospel is His and all the Fulness thereof and thou didst not by any kind of Work so much as procure thine own Appetite thy Stomach to this Food as well as this Food to thy Stomach comes alone from him Isa 26.8 The Desire of our Soul cannot be unto his Name and to the remembrance of Him 'till first he provides himself and All Things for us and therefore the Psalmist first mentions Him and then his own Desire he puts in the Object and then puts forth the Act Psal 73.25 Whom have I in Heaven but Thee and there is none upon the Earth that I desire besides Thee Now if we could not desire a Crumb or long to taste of one Drop from Heaven Psal 2.4 'till He that sitteth in the Heavens creates our Appetite much less could we have our Hand or put in a little Finger to the Work in procuring this Blessed Meat and Drink Our Poverty must be supplyed by it could not contribute towards God's Liberality If we had sold our selves we could not have made Mar. 12.42 or got up one Widow's Mite to throw into his Publick Treasury All our Mony will
of yours should have been filled with the sweetness of the Honey and the Honey-comb are there not some of you have thrown aside the Cup of Salvation and taken up the Cup of the Drunkards have you not changed the Glory of all that Holy Bill of Fare to shame yea into such a shame thro' your own beastly Intemperance as the Prophet expresseth by a shameful Spewing Hab. 2.14 Oh! how sad is it with you while you come and look upon the Provisions here and as soon as you have turn'd your Backs and are gone Week after Week should be found in the Devil's Company or about the Devil's Work again eating and drinking your own Damnation dare any of you thus to prophane the Table of the Lord And you that are Scoffers ridicule the Provisions make his Meat contemptible Again How do you think after this Plenty that God takes it at your Hands you that break the Third Command and customarily take his Name in vain Exo. 20.7 irreverently wickedly and prophanely in your mouths upon every slight Occasion blaspheming and dishonouring that worthy Name which should only have been praised for his Bounty and Goodness to us Would you thank that Guest who should go away reproaching and ungratefully vilify your own Names after you had either kindly entertain'd him or offered courteously to treat him I trow not And what Luk. 17.9 shall the Great God of Heaven and Earth be dishonoured in his Name after he hath created preserved and provided all and spread so large a Table with Blessings of Heaven above Gen. 49.25 and Blessings of the Deep that lieth under Further dare any of you be Disobedient to Parents and tho' you have heard of so much at God's Table yet continue as cursed Slips instead of Olive-Plants round about Their Table Psa 128.3 Surely miserable is the Congregation of the Wicked and sad is your state that have the Opportunities of Gospel-Grace and yet do but see it with your Eyes and never eat thereof and that hear of Heaven but must never if you be not changed enter in there Rev. 21.27 for there shall in no wise enter into it any Thing that desileth Let those words 1 Cor. 6.9 10. dwell much upon you Know ye not that the Vnrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Be not deceived neither Fornicaters nor Idolaters nor Adulterers nor Effeminate nor Abusers of themselves with Mankind nor Thieves nor Covetous nor Drunkards nor Revilers nor Extortioners shall inherit the Kingdom of God Remember all these Things must pass away and there must be nothing of them remain but only to testifie of the Grace of God that such were some of you 1 Cor. 6.11 12 Inf. 12. Continuance in Vnbelief and a Refusal of these All Things is Dreadful The State of Unbelievers must be miserable that hath no Portion in these Things and the Sin of Unbelievers must needs become provoking that keeps them from laying hold upon them Did you believe Rom. 6.1 you dare not trifle or continue in sin when Grace thus abounds You dare not grow loose if you did believe or joyn with this Grace that was made to knit our Hearts to Christ Oh! your Unbelief which carries all your other sins in the Belly of it is a Monster big with Aggravation Let me represent the Dreadfulness of your Sin in two or three Instances 1. You refuse the only Remedy You sin against Grace and Works cannot save you These all things are for the reconciling you unto God Col. 1.21 and yet you prefer to be Enemies in your Minds and in your ways by wicked Works They are for sanctifying and renewing your Abominable polluted Natures and yet you choose to remain Filthy still Rev. 22.11 They are for healing you and yet you will die of your Wounds before They are for feeding and cloathing you and yet you will be starv'd and then turn'd out naked to the Judgment Seat of God! In one Word they are for saving you and yet you will die and be damn'd for ever Prov. 8.36 He that sinneth against me wrongeth his own Soul all they that hate me love Death 2. You rebell against the Light You have heard you have seen enough to cast you if you do not quickly cry for Mercy and if Jesus the Son of God have not mercy on you Mark 10.47 48. Oh! where will you flee to hide when Christ lays this Sin at your Door that you had been inform'd of the Provisions made for Sinners and the more you knew the more you hated God's Offers made to you See John 15.24 If I had not done among them the Works which none other Man did they had not had sin i. e. nothing in comparison of what they now have but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father You have heard of what Importance this Feast is and therefore it is a Rebelling against the Light to make light of it 3. You trample upon Distinguishing Grace that comes with outward Peace to you God might have kept a Market with the Enemy Psal 44.11 and given you as Sheep appointed for meat Asaph enditeth a sad Complaint of this nature Psal 79.1 2. O God the Heathen are come into thine Inheritance thy Holy Temple have they defiled they have laid Jerusalem on heaps the Dead Bodies of thy Servants have they given to be meat unto the Fowls of the Heaven the Flesh of thy Saints unto the Beasts of the Earth And v. 3. Their Blood have they shed like Water round about Jerusalem Consider others have been fain to break thro' the Hosts of the Mighty to come at Bread or fetch a supply of Living Water but you are offer'd Both in a Day of Gracious Liberty when you need not get your Bread with the Peril of your Lives Lam. 5.9 Oh! come and see the Works of the Lord abroad Psa 46.8 what Desolations he maketh in the Earth while he provides a Sanctuary for You that is not desolate for the Lord's sake Dan. 9.17 How do Wars ruine and eat up the Countries round you while you have Peace in your Borders Ps 147.14 and meat to eat which they know not of Oh! the Distinguishing Grace of God that he should on you be raining Mannah when on so many Thousands in the World he has been seen raining Blood Ah! Could you have lookt into Neighbouring Countries and seeen the Frights the Perplexities the Distress of Nations Luk. 21.25 the Groans of Dying wounded Men the Revenge of Armies boiling in their Blood the Thunder of the Captains and the shouting Could you see that Supper which God hath been making beyond the Seas for the Fowls upon slain Carkases as the Holy Ghost signifieth when he speaks of an Eagle flying in the Sun Rev. 19.17 18. and crying with a loud voice saying to all the Fowls that fly in the midst of Heaven Come and gather your selves together
you might with your Houses come in and be welcome to serve the Lord Why is it that so Few of you are setting your Faces towards Sion Chap 50.5 even when Sion's Provisions are now ready Oh why is the Season now slighted Why is the opportunity Heb. 3.15 To Day if ye will hear his Voice neglected Oh! why will you die Sinners when you might close with the Redeemer now according to the Time of Life Gen. 18.14 Why will you be Sick and yet shut the Door against the Physician 's entrance now when he would come with Grace and Healing Love to save you Why will you now be Blind Rev. 3.18 when you might have Eye-salve to make you discern every Thing clearly 2 Sam. 16.17 Is this your Kindness to your Friend that would make you highly welcome For behold now is the Day of Salvation behold now is the Accepted Time 2 Cor. 6.2 Never such an opportunity appear'd as the Day of Salvation is and therefore it is now that there is hope in Israel concerning this Thing Ezra 10.2 last words And this shews how the Provisions of the Gospel are ready in their Season as there is a fit opportunity for Sinners to be made now welcome to them So much for the second Branch of this Readiness now in opportunity being now when Grace is offer'd 3. Now ready when Ministers are now urgent They are now like Phinehas Numb 25.11 zealous for their God not to slay as He but to save and present you alive at Supper They are loth to see you starv'd and so much Victuals ready and therefore are earnest in calling out to bring you in to Christ Their Heart's Desire and Prayer Rom. 10.1 their Tears and Travel their Sermons Study Aim is that you may be saved Their Language is to Sinners turn again now every one from his evil way Jer. 25.4 5. and 35.15 Their Language is to Saints Oh taste and see Psal 34.8 They are serious and earnest towards all Faithful Ministers dare jest with none Isa 53.1 We press you to believe our report and come if by any means we may see you but safe in at Supper We blow the Trumpet Ezek. 33.3 we ring the Warning Bell to give you notice of Supper that the Feast now is ready 4. Now ready when God himself now waits to bestow Mercy on you It is your Duty to wait upon God but such is God's Grace and Condescention that he is pleas'd to wait on you And therefore will the Lord wait that he may be Gracious unto you and therefore will he be exalted that he may have mercy on you Isa 30.18 He stoops that you may be made the means by which he will raise his own Name the higher Rev. 2.21 He waits that he may be Gracious He gives space to repent and does not break up House before the set Time is come The King waits at the Supper-Hour to see his Guests in He hath limited a certain Day Heb. 4.7 And he will stay his own Time he sets As he hath constituted and set Bounds to a Sacred Day of rest as that Place must be understood which Bounds can never be broken up without a gross violation of the Morality of the Fourth Commandment so he likewise limiteth the Day of his Grace and Patience towards Sinners and he will not remove the Bounds he hath plac't by a Perpetual Decree to fence it Jer. 5.22 He hath secretly fixt a waiting-time within his own Breast and as he now waits accordingly so he hath fixt a Time when he will never wait more If thou dost not come in Sinner to this Supper within the compass of God's waiting-time he will not stay a Minute and beseech or use one word of intreaty after 2 Cor. 5.20 There is now silence in Heaven for the space of half an Hour Rev. 8.1 now God seems to be making a Pause upon Mount Ebal and will read no more Curses yet that thou might'st hear more comfortably and distinctly what is said upon Mount Gerizim Deut. 11.29 Psal 24.3 to encourage thee to ascend into this Hill of the Lord where the Fat Things wait upon the Mountain ready till thou art brought thither God now looks thro' the Pillar of the Cloud to see who comes running by the way of the Plain Exod. 14.24 2 Sam. 18.23 Numb 35.13 Mat. 7.13 Matth. 25.10 11 12. to get in at the City of Refuge and thrust in at the strait Gate to Table taking the Kingdom of Heaven by a Holy Violence now now now before the Door is shut 5. Now ready when the Spirit breathes and blows upon us For the Spirit of the Lord bloweth when as well as the Spirit John 3.8 where it listeth As the Spirit of God in the first Creation did move upon the Face of the Waters Gen. 1.2 or sit and hatch the Creature so in the new Creation under the Preaching of the Gospel the Spirit moves upon the Face of the Waters or People who often in Scripture are compared to * Rev. 17.15 Jer. 47.2 Eccl. 11.1 Psal 124.4 5 c. Waters and forms †Gal. 4.19 Rom. 6.19 Christ in them Now when Men preach and the Spirit helps the Infirmity of our Flesh the Gospel is then made ready For it is the Spirit that quickneth the Flesh profiteth nothing Joh. 6.63 It is a Time of Readiness when God sends forth the Spirit of his Son Gal. 4.6 and proclaims it in your Hearts with a crying at the Table Abba Father 1 Cor. 12.8.9 10. yea when to one is given by the Spirit the Word of Wisdom to another the Word of Knowledge by the same Spirit to another Faith by the same Spirit to another Prophesie to another discerning of Spirits when the Spirit lifts up Ordinances and Means above their own Power when the Spirit speaketh expresly in us as well as the Language of the Messenger speaketh to us and when we see by the Blessed Effects of it Joh. 1.32 the Spirit of God descending from Heaven while the Word of the Kingdom comes in the Demonstration of the Spirit and with Power 1 Cor. 2.4 then is the Blessed Season the opportunity of the Gospel the special Time of Supper the now when All Things are ready It is now when the Spirit breathes and blows upon us And lo God now stretcheth forth his Hand the Spirit makes some work in thy Soul that perhaps thou canst now witness yea must acknowledge it this is the Finger of God Exod. 8.19 Why now then the Provisions are ready for thee 2 Cor. 2.15 't is now a Savour of Life unto Life to many and 't is now ready to get up Thee that art Dead while thou livest 1 Tim. 5 6 The Spirit now opens some Eyes that never saw one Morsel of the Bread of Life before It reveals Mysteries unto Babes which they never heard till
have no cloak for your Sin and therefore now is the Judgment of this World Joh. 15.22 8 Inf. John 12.31 8. It is a mistake of corrupt Flesh and Blood to look back upon the Days of Ignorance Vanity and Sin and yet say the former Days were better than these Alas What were those Days in which we all had our Conversations in Times past the Apostle makes our Births which we brought forth in such a Day Monsters Eph. 2.3 fulfilling the Desires of the Flesh and of the Mind Was it better in our Carnal Security to have Fellowship with Devils than now at a Table to sit in Communion with God Was our Morality better when we only made clean the outside of the Cup and Platter than since we have been at a Feast which must have Vessels clean within Shall there be any that dippeth his Hand in the Dish count it better to run back from Christ and be such a Judas to betray him Are the Days of Darkness better than those when the Sun shines from Heaven and better than the shine of God's Face at Supper Dare any Soul that hath sate in the King's Hall look back into the Devil's Kitchen and say then it was better with me than now Corruption would fain break loose it loves not to sit so long as Grace delights to be at Supper It is a Torment to the Flesh so far as unmortify'd to keep in God's Presence Flesh and Blood savours not the Dainties that came down from Heaven and it would fain return back to be as in Days of Vanity and as in Months past again But surely if we should hearken to these complainings in our Streets Psal 144.14 and say Wherefore are the former Days better than these we should in the worst sense not wisely enquire concerning this Eccles 7.10 The Flesh will be ready to object we were not once put so hard as now to it we need not once have gone so far or took so much Pains to hear and then have had our Faults or every Miscarriage dealt so hardly with We were once as Merry in our Carriage as Light at Heart and free from the Burdens Religion lays upon us as our Neighbours that do but reproach us for being Righteous overmuch Eccl. 7.16 How is it that we are grown Melancholly and Heavy and the Case now alter'd with us Come let us return Num. 14.4 let us make a Captain and go back let us resolve to lay aside our Profession and it will go as well of our side yet again as ever This is exactly such a kind of Revolting Spirit as fell among the Jews when they cast off God and embrac't Idols and when instead of worshipping the Sun of Righteousness they adored the Image of the Moon Jer. 44.16 17. As for the Word that thou hast spoken unto us in the Name of the Lord we will not hearken unto thee but we will certainly do whatsoever Thing goeth forth out of our own Mouth to Burn Incense unto the Queen of Heaven and to pour out Drink-offerings unto her as we have done we and our Fathers our Kings and our Princes in the Cities of Judah and in the Streets of Jerusalem For then had we plenty of Victuals and were well and saw no evil They would rather make Cakes to worship the Devil than eat of the Bread of Life v. 19. Sirs if you meet with any thing that is grievous to be born and think the way to mend it will be now to turn from the Holy Commandment 2 Pet. 2.21 yet know for a certainty Numb 32.23 that your Sin will find you out It will be a base encrease of your Victuals if you either rob by your own withdrawing or pollute by unhallowed Approaches the Table of the Lord Mal. 1.12 in Hopes it may fare the better with you It will be a sad mending the Case to chuse your own ways for the Inconveniences which you think you find in God's 9. If this Feast be now ready 9 Inf. then now God makes amends for all the Discouragements and Inconveniences you ever did or do meet with to enjoy the Means of Grace Peradventure thou hast sometimes found much ado with Men to break thro' all thy way to God Thou hast met with Family-Discouragements Reproaches at home or Scoffs abroad thou hast been in Journeyings often in Fastings Watchings 2 Cor. 11.26 Temptations to enjoy Christ at Supper any thing Psal 66.12 we went thro' Fire and thro' Water if it might but conduce to come any ways at Bread Well you shall now find the Gospel will become a Double Portion to you You that have come to the Provisions of the Feast in weakness 1 Cor. 2.3 Neh. 8.10 the Joy of the Lord shall be your strength The Bread of God shall be now the sweeter as you have eaten the Bread of Affliction Deut. 16.3 Cant. 7.9 Psal 102.9 and the taste of his Love like the best Wine since you have mingled your Drink with weeping So that a Man shall say Verily there is a Reward for the Righteous Psal 58.11 A Man perhaps a Carnal Man that sees how God doth bear thee out or the Man thine Enemy shall be forc't to acknowledge that surely John 4.32 if thou hadst not Meat to eat which others know not of thou couldst never break thro' such Discouragement or get out to a Meal prepar'd so far from home And blessed be God which hath not turned away my Prayer nor his Mercy from me Psal 66.20 It is a great Encouragement to wait upon God when he will give it in to your own Experience that in keeping his Commandments there is great Reward Psal 19.11 You come it may be divers of you from far Mark 8.3 to come in and Sup with Him but nevertheless you have your Reward Matth. 6.5 if you find that God who invited you hath been nigh and not afar off You are wet it may be sometimes or cold or chid some of you when you are got home Perhaps some in the Family will rebuke you for coming hither Mark 10.13 as the Disciples in another Case did the People when they brought in Children to Jesus Christ well no matter there is enough in the Entertainment to make amends for all If God Rains down Mannah upon your Souls he makes amends tho' he does not command the Clouds in your return to rain no Rain upon you Isa 5.6 1 Pet. 1.2 Job 14.8 The sprinkling of the Blood of Jesus will recompense your being wet with the showers of the Mountains ay the sprinkling it upon your Souls will make amends tho' your Bodies may a little like Nebuchadnezzar's Dan. 4.15 be wet with the Dews of Heaven The Love of Christ when he hath brought you into his Banquetting House will warm you Song 2.4 and make amends while you return cold home Weather shall not chill your Affections if they are strongly