for he will for ever supply his people with his Spirit Nextly there is a thirst proceeding from a spiritual delight in Christ and this all true Saints have 1 Peter 2.2 3. As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the Word that ye may grow thereby if so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious Where the latter is the ground of the former if they had tasted how gracious sweet and pleasant the Lord Jesus is they would exceedingly desire the pure milk of his word and more intimate communion with him for there is such a deal of soul-satisfying delight in Christ that the more a sanctified soul tasteth and enjoyeth the more earnestly it desireth and longeth after him and is never at rest untill it enjoy him in heaven the words in the originall are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 very earnestly desire the reasonable milk without deceit where he shews what kind of desire we must have after Christ his word not a weak desire for a short fit but an earnest desire above all things desire it as David did Psal 42 1 2. As the Hart panteth after the water brooks so panteth my soul after thee O God My soul thirsteth for God for the living God when shall I come and appear before God The Apostle also shews the nature of the Word it is like milk for sweetness and nourishment then it s sincere without the poysonous dregs of errour it s without deceit it will not deceive any that rely upon it this double thirst is by the learned thus exprest sit is totalis indigentiae sitis spiritualis complacentiae such then as eat and drink Christ shall have the fountain of consolation in them Reas 2. Because such as spiritually feed on Christ have eternal life in them Iohn 6.51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven if a man eat of this bread he shall live for ever and in verse 54. Whoso eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud hath eternal life and I will raise him up at the last day such have one foot in heaven already they shall never enter into condemnation yea they have a heaven upon earth they have in them Christ the Author of eternal life they have through him the precious graces and consolations of his Spirit 2 Branch The second branch of the point is We must labour for Christ this everlasting food the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports we must work and take great pains for it Mathew 6.20 but treasure up for your selves treasures in heaven so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports which is all one in sense with this to labour for this everlasting food he that laies up a treasure for himself is very studious and industrious how he may compass it the like pains care and study must we take for Christ Reas 1. Because Christ this durable meat will give us full satisfaction this David shews Psal 36.8 They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures Psal 63.5 My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness See likewise what satisfaction the Church took in Christ Cant. 2.3 4 5. I sat down under his shadow with great delight and his fruit was sweet to my taste He brought me to the banquetting house and his banner over me was love Stay me with flagons comfort me with apples for I am sick of love Where we see the holy Ghost compares Christ in his Ordinances to marrow which is very fat sweet and nutritive so is Christ to true beleivers more fat than marrow more sweet than wine more nutritive than any food the Holy Ghost also compares his Ordinances unto a banquetting house wherein are plenty of wine to comfort and strengthen and refresh a drooping soul and that true beleivers might with spiritual security and joy feed their soules with these heavenly dainties the Holy Ghost assures them that Christ displaies the banner of love over them There were four special uses of the banner 1. By the sight of the banner displaied every souldier might know how to repair to his proper colours Numbers 2. so Christ in his Gospel sets out his love to us he displayes the banner of love that we may know how to be gathered to him as to our General it teacheth us how to follow Christ the Gospel is the displaying of the love of Christ Isa 11.12 And he shall set up an ensign for the Nations and shall assemble the out-casts of Israel and gather together the dispersed of Iudah from the four corners of the earth which is meant by his Gospel 2. Another end of the banner was to be a terror to the adversaries Cant. 6.10 Terrible as an Army with banners Revel 6. in the second verse he compares Christ displaying the banner of his Gospel to a Warriour upon a white Horse then verses 4 5 8. he shews how Christ punisheth his enemies that will not obey him with warr verse 4. and with famine verse 5 6 7. and with death verse 8. 3. The next use of the banner was to add courage and confidence to the souldiers when they see their coulours so doth Christ his love in the Gospel add invincible valour and undaunted courage to his true hearted souldiers Rom. 1.16 For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that beleiveth Acts 20.23 24. The Holy Ghost witnesseth in every City saying that bonds and afflictions abide me but none of these things move me neither count I my life dear unto my self so that I may finish my course with joy and the ministery which I have received of the Lord Iesus to testifie the Gospel of the grace of God 4. The last use of the banner was to be set upon the tower or wall of the City or Hold which was taken by conquest that all passers by might know that such and such a people were now possess'd of that place Psal 20.5 And in the name of our God will we set up our banners Psal 60.4 Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee that it may be displaied because of the truth Selah That is thou hast manifested thy love to thy people that thou mayest glorifie thy truth in making that good which thou hast promised Nextly in this place Cant. 2.5 the Church cries Stay me with flagons comfort me with apples for I am sick of love having tasted of Christ she was sick of love to him nothing could satisfie her but more inward fellowship with him she compares his love to flagons of wine so Cant. 1.1 Thy love is better than wine this would revive her fainting spirits and would please her better than any delicate spiced wine She compares his love in his Ordinances to apples for the comfortable tast smell and relish that apples have some say he alludes to the tree of life whith they say was
of heaven gates to unlock them this is a sign of Gods great favour to you when he graciously heares and grants your suits it s a sure sign of an upright heart hating all sin Psalm 66.18 If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear me verse 19. But verily God hath heard me therefore he might safely conclude he regarded not iniquity in his heart friends will say to one another you shall prevail with me sooner than others shall I will do more for you than for others doubtless its a sign you are good friends when you find good hearing and granting your prayers so our Saviour cals them friends Iohn 15.14 15. 2. You shall abide in the love of God Iohn 15.10 If ye keep my commandements ye shall abide in my love even as I have kept my Fathers commdements and abide in his love what greater happiness can you desire in this world you need not fear the malice and fury of devils and wicked men you need not fear famine sword pestilence poverty nor death it self whilest you abide in the love of God his loving kindness will be better to you than life for in his love is life yea it is better than wine his love will make every thing work together for your good it will sweeten crosses and want to you what if you loose your outward estate your liberty your favour with the world yea your bodily life for Christ yet your continuing in Gods love will make amends for all it will repair your losses renew your comforts establish your hearts in grace and promote you to glory you cannot be in a better condition than to abide in the love of God 3. Christ will present you glorious to God Ephes 5.26 27. That he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word that he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish as if he had said that he might sanctifie and cleanse it by his holy Spirit working in us by his Word and by his Sacrament of baptisme as the meanes thereof that he might present it to himself a glorious Church c. Christ presents his Church to God at three several times The first time was when he was upon the cross 1 Peter 2.24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree c. for he died for all the elect and the Lord said upon him the iniquities of them all the merit of his bloud then shed and the power of his death extends to all the elect from the beginning of the world to the end of it and God looks upon them washt with that bloud and reconciled to himself by his death The second time is from his death to the end of the world now he is interceding in heaven Rom. 8.34 Who also maketh intercession for us Christ is our intercessour four wayes 1. By appearing for us in the sight of God Hebr. 9.24 he is gone before us to prepare a place for us John 14.2 and Hebr. 6.20 Whether the fore-runner is for us entred even Jesus c. 2. By the force of his sacrifice once offered to make full satisfaction to Gods justice Hebr. 10 12 14. Christ presents his merits as a publick satisfaction for the debt of sin and as a publike price for the purchase of glory for the justice of God was not to be intreated or pacified without a satisfaction and therefore where Christ is called an Advocate he is called a propitiation too 1 Iohn 2.1 2. because he intercedes for us in the right and vertue of the price which he payed for the Lord spared not his Son Rom. 8.32 but dealt in the full rigour of his justice with him 3. By his constant will that for the merit of that sacrifice God would be pacified to wards the elect Hebr. 10.10 Iohn 17.24 4. By the assent and agreement of the Father resting in this will of his Son for us Iohn 11.42 Math. 17.5 The third time is at the day of judgement when he will say Behold I and the children which thou hast given me then the dead in Christ shall rise first then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so shall we ever be with the Lord then Christ will say to his true Members Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world then shall true Christians have boldness in the day of judgement 1 Iohn 4.17 because as he is so are we in this world that is our hearts tell us that we desire to be every way conformable to his will labouring towards that holiness and perfection which it in him we are as Christ was in this world when by the mortification of our sins we represent Christ dying for us and by true brotherly love we come as neer to him as we can 3. I told you in the third place that Christ washeth us with his precious bloud This Use still serves to comfort all that be so washed these blessed priviledges belong to you First it s a sure sign that Jesus Christ hath loved you Revel 1.5 Vnto him that hath loved us and washed us in his own bloud If he had not loved thee he would not have washt thee this is thy great honour and comfort to be beloved of him it is a true proverb he is rich whom God loves and poor who God hates the love of Christ is better than wine it s the ground of all other comforts thou needest not fear the malice of devils and wicked men for the love of Christ can do more for thee than their malice can do against thee devils are mighty wicked men are mighty and sinnes are mighty but Christ is Almighty for he is God over all blessed for ever neither can any thing separate thee from his love Romans 8. last 2. A second priviledge is thou art a spiritual King and a Priest Revel 1.6 And hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and his Father that is as he redeemed us by his bloud so he hath regenerated us by his Spirit 1 Iohn 5.6 and made us Kings to rule over the devil the world and the flesh and priests to offer up to God the personal sacrifice of our selves Rom. 12.1 the verbal sacrifice of praise and reall sacrifice of almes Hebr. 13.15 16. what though thy outward estate be mean and low thou art nothing set by yet thou art honourable because thou art precious in Gods sight Eccles 10.7 I have seen servants upon horses and Princes walking as servants upon the earth yet they are Princes still for the righteous though he be low and contemned is better than his rich neighbour that is wicked and leud though the world look upon thee with scorn and hatred yet God and his glorious
not we have no part with him 1 Corinth 6.10 11. Nor theeves nor covetous nor drunkards nor revilers nor extortioners shall inherit the Kingdom of God and such were some of you but ye are washed c. implying that such wicked persons for want of this washing are like to be damned Reas Because no filthy unclean thing can come into heaven for God is of purer eyes than to behold evil and cannot look on iniquity now such as be not washt with Christs bloud are very filthy heaven is a place of infinite purity and holiness on earth unclean persons are suffered to dwell but into heaven they shall never enter 2. Because if Christ wash us not we have no peace with God for all true peace with God ariseth from Christ his washing us Rom. 5.1 Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ Justification is Gods gratious sentence whereby for Christ apprehended by faith he absolves a beleiver from sin and death and reputes him just to life for in justification Christs bloud by its merit washeth away sin which provokes God to anger but when that is removed we have peace with God but such as have no peace with God are never like to have part with Christ 3. Because if he wash us not we shall never enjoy the precious benefits of his death resurrection ascention and intercession Ephes 5.25 26. As Christ loved the Church and gave himself viz. to death for it that he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word that is by baptismal water and his word taught for whom he washeth they enjoy the spiritual benefit of his death resurrection c. and as Paul proves at large Rom. 6.3 4 5 6. Colos 3.1 2. yea this washing is a sure sign of his love to us Revel 1.5 unto him who hath loved us and washed us from our sins in his own bloud but such as have no right to the death resurrection ascention and intercession of Christ cannot be saved Next I shall teach you how to use this point The Uses I shall draw out of those five wayes mentioned whereby Christ washeth us Vse I told you that Christ washeth us by the Sacrament of Baptisme This Use still serves to reprove all such as were never washt inwardly as never felt the spiritual fruit of baptisme in their hearts and lives they content themselves with the bare outward washing and would be accounted Christians but no life of Christ appears in their lives such as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ Galat. 3.27 but these never put on Christ they go to hell with a Trumpet before them proclaiming their leudness openly they declare their sin as Sodom they hide it not they have not crucified their old man nor destroyed the body of sin neither do they walk in newness of life Simon Magus was baptized yet was in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity so are these they shew themselves to be servants of sin and their end is like to be according to their works 2. I told you in the second place that Christ washeth us by his sacred word This Use still serves to reprove such as never felt the lively vertue and working power of the Word upon their own soule the Word preached to them was like water poured upon a Rock God would have purged but they would not be purged therefore they shall not be purged any more till he cause his fury to rest upon them the Word they heard did not profit them because they did not beleive it it seemed as a fable to them had they regarded it they would have reformed their lives by it more than they did but they are so wedded to their wicked wayes that Gods Word hath no place in them but they are like a Smiths Anvil more hardened by many blowes so be they by frequent preaching they please themselves in that they can sometimes weep under a cross but stone wals can sweat against rain and yet be hard within so are their hearts as hard and their lives as wicked as any heathen Christ may say to them as he did to Jerusalem Jerem. 13.27 Woe to thee wilt thou not be made clean when shall it once be Object But many such will say They hope to do as well as the best for God is mercifull Answ Will ye live in swearing whoredome drunkenness sabbath-breaking contempts of godliness blaspheming Gods people lying and deceit and yet say you hope for mercy are these the wayes to find mercy with God if you look no better about you then thus but live and die in these sins you are as sure to damned as you are to die John 8 24. there Christ threatned the Pharisees that they should die in their sins which is the most fearful kind of death that can be we account hanging a dogs death pining a most painful death or to die in a stinking dungeon a miserable death and so they be yet one may die any of these wayes and his soul be saved but they that die in their sins cannot be saved for they die out of Gods favour they die enemies to God 3. I told you in the third place that Christ washeth us with the merit of his precious bloud This Use still serves to reprove such as never seek to have themselves washt with it but still lie under the guilt of sin they content themselves with a little overly knowledge of Christ and with a bare historical faith but they never apply Christs merits to their soules for justification their consciences are extreamly defiled they are more full of filthy lusts than a Serpent is of poyson the Papists teach that a Christiā may merit heaven by good works so they offer horrible indignity to Christ precious merits and many carnal Protestants follow them thinking they can addle heaven by their good deeds and good meaning but all this while they endeavour not to be found in Christ that they may be clothed with his righteousness at their death and at the end of the world they will find their sins the heaviest burthen they ever bare and then for ever will they be ashamed of their ugly lusts and filthy sins which were never washt away with Christs bloud 4. I told you in the fourth place that Christ washeth us with the saving graces of his holy Spirit This Use still serves to reprove such as were never thus washed too many loose and prophane people who have not so much as a form of godliness these hate and deride holiness they beleive not those places Psalm 9.17 The wicked shall be turned into hell and all the Nations that forget God Hebr. 12.14 Without holiness no man shall see the Lord but they shall find these places true when they find these judgements threatned executed upon them too many be there who rest in bare civil honesty and in some outward form of holiness but are as dead in sins
an apple-tree however as apples are comfortable to the stomack so is Christ in his Ordinances to a sanctified soul most comfortable and sweet insomuch that such as enjoy him may say with more comfort than Esau said to Iacob I have enough Reas 2. Because this enduring meat is of infinite worth and excellency its worth all our labour pains and care we may repent our pains and care for worldly food but we shall never need to be sorry for our pains for Christ We may say of him as the Israelites did of David he is worth ten thousand of us and as the Church Cant. 5.10 He is the chiefest of ten thousand Prov. 8.11 Wisdom is better than Rubies and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it in which place by wisdom Divines understand Christ and truly if we could view him with the eye of faith we should admire his transcendent lustre and excellency as Plato said if one could see the form of vertue it would wonderfully excite men to the love and study thereof Reas 3. Because this everlasting food is not easily obtained gold and silver will not purchase it Simon Magus could not buy the gifts of God with money Isai 55.1 Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters and he that hath no money come ye buy and eat yea come buy wine and milk without money and without price in which words the Holy Ghost alludes to haven towns by the seaside where ships come in richly fraught and laden with excellent commodities where you may buy the best at the first hand and most cheap the Prophet saith buy come and buy in regard that we must take pains for Christ yet he saith buy without money and without price because nothing in this world no outward excellency is of equal worth and value to be given in exchange for Christ Reas 4. Because we have exceeding great need of this enduring food John 6.53 Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his bloud ye have no life in you If we feed not upon Christ we are dead in sin and are like to be undone for ever for without Christ we can have no true hope of life and peace our journey is long as far as from earth to heaven we have many dangerous enemies in the way whom we can never vanquish without the spiritual efficacy of this divine food Vse It serveth to inform us of one chief cause why true Christians do persevere and hold out in the way of grace to the end the main reason is because they are fed with this celestial meat which will renew their strength as the Prophet speaks Isai 40. last Elias walked forty dayes in the strength of the meat the Angel gave him but Christs true members feeding daily upon him do continue in his way to their lives end the same power that raised Christ from the dead the third day the same power raiseth all true Christians from death to life Ephes 1.19 20. and though we had the best food in the world yet sickness old age and death may take away our stomack that we cannot eat of it but by eating of this divine food we shall increase when nature decreaseth Psal 92.12 13 14. The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree he shall grow like a Cedar in Lebanon those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the Courts of our God they shall bring forth fruit in old age they shall be fat and flourishing 1 Corinth 15.45 The first man Adam was made a living soul the last Adam was made a quickening spirit in which the Apostle intimates that Christ communicates life to his and confirmes them in it against final apostacy and supplies them with a continual renovation of this spiritual life unto eternal life which Adam would not do for his posterity Christ is so able faithful and careful over his members that none can pluck them out of his hands John 10.29 he nourisheth them so effectually with himself and his Ordinances and his blessed Spirit so that it is as impossible for true beleivers to perish as for Jesus Christ himself to perish for God hath loved them with the same love wherewith he loved Christ John 17.23 and hath ordained Christ to be the principal meanes for their redemption conversion justification adoption and glorification Ephes 1.2 to the 10. Galat. 3.26 Colos 1.27 therefore in Psal 40.7 In the volume of thy Book it is written of me by book there is meant Gods eternal dectee and according to the original it is properly in the head or top of thy book where the Holy Ghost imports thus much to us that the chiefest thing which God intended before the world was was that Christ should be the Saviour of his elect for his glory Vse Secondly It serves to inform us of the excellency and dignity of true Christians who onely eat of this everlasting meat Revel 2.17 Christ promiseth to such as overcome to give them to eat of hidden Manna which is himself he is hidden from others true Christians have such meat to eat as others know not of Psal 78.24 25. God is there said to have fed the Israelites with Angels food that was Manna a type of Christ but so called by way of eminency to denote with what excellent food he fed them but what 's the shadow to the substance the tipe to the truth No food in the world comparable to this bread of life an humble heart feeding daily upon Christ hath joy unspeakable and glorious when the voluptuous Epicures of this life have no solid comfort for they have no more than the creature can afford them though the righteous endure outward poverty and seem miserable by reason of many adversities yet they are better in their worst estate than ungodly men are in their best estate in regard they feed upon this divine Manna they like Daniel look better with pulse than others who feed onely upon earthly dainties Vse The next use is for reproof I shall spin the rest of the Uses out of those four heads in the first branch which will run like a thred through the web of the whole point 1. I told you in the first place that Christ is everlasting meat by the merit and efficacy of his person This serves to reprove such as labour not for Christs merits for their justification in Gods sight and these are the Papists who seek for and teach justification by works so by this meanes they derogate from Christs merits and put themselves into a miserable condition for upon this ground conceive that a Papist living and dying a Papist cannot be saved St. Paul Philip. 3.9 renounceth all confidence in his own merits in point of Justification And be found in him not having mine own righteousness which is of the law but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by faith The Papists