Dickson upon the Epistles all how shall he not with Him freely give us all Things Rom. 8.32 When God provided his Son he would to magnifie this unspeakable Gift 2 Cor. 9.15 bestow a House-full of all other good that his Family should have Plenty and every Day variety When he parted with his Jewel he purchased All Things with it The Price of that dear Blood could not procure less than to buy in all Provision The Pouring out of Christ's Blood made the Cup of Salvation brim full Psal 116.13 So that when we receive of Christ's Merits we receive a full Reward 2 Joh. 8. we shall not be kept upon Gospel-Grace with Part when we have Christ that fully paid for All. 3. There be all Things Reas 3 because they all spring from God's abundant Love and Goodness What he gives he gives with all his Heart 1 King 4.29 and he that hath a Largeness of Heart infinitely more than the Sand upon the Sea-shore is large in Communicating and in his Gifts doth not bestow Little Matters on us Eph. 2.4 But God who is rich in Mercy for the great Love wherewith he loved us He put forth his Heart and then he put forth both Hands for us The Act of his Will to love us awakened and call'd up the Mercy of his Nature to appear for us and from hence where he sets his Love as Psal 91.14 He hath set his Love upon me there he provides All Things to shew it It was such a manner of Love 1 Joh. 3.1 Behold what manner of Love the Father hath bestowed upon us that when it appears makes no less matters of it All Love overlookt our Defects and did not think All Things too many The Largeness of the Divine Love in making such a Feast ready may be heightened by a Consideration of his Bounty in Common Mercies to us It is a Royal Act of Grace that affords us any thing from Court He is a Benefactor that prepares our own Tables but the Riches of his Grace proclaim him more Bountiful to furnish the Table of the Lord Mal. 1.12 and make the Gospel of his Son ready for us It was Love and Bounty that filled our Cup to the Brim with common Mercies Psa 116.13 but it was a larger Love than this that made the Cup of Salvation overflow It was Love and Bounty that gave us Corn that we ever see or hear of the Shocks of it to come in in their Season Job 5.26 in the Appointed Weeks of the Harvest Jer. 5.24 but it was a Larger Love that hath given us of the Corn of Heaven Psa 78.24 It was Love and Bounty that he hath given for the Use of Man to drink of the pure Blood of the Grape as Wine is called among that Inventory of the Good Things of Men Deut. 32.14 but it was infinitely more that he gave us Blood to drink Rev. 16.6 even the Blood of Jesus Christ Oh! what a Large Love was that Isa 63.3 to give us one that should tread the Wine-press of his Father's Wrath This was infinitely beyond the common Bounty that made our Presses to burst out with New Wine Prov. 3.10 Oh! Love Emphatical God so loved the VVorld that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting Life Joh. 3.16 If God had not left it upon Record with a so he loved us we had never had no nor ever heard of such a Royal Entertainment as the Riches of his Grace in Christ Herein is Love 1 Joh. 4.10 not that we loved God but that He loved us and sent his Son to be the Propitiation for our sins Oh! what a Present what a Gift of Love 2 Cor. 9.15 what an unspeakable Gift is here we may call the Gospel with an Emphasis a Love-Feast a Feast filled infinitely more with Love than those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those other Feasts of Charity Jude v. 12. which were no more than * Banquets of Love The Ground of these Ancient Love-Feasts was Provision for the Poor Brethren and preserving mutual Love among themselves Jenkyn upon Jude Fol. pag. 111 112. * These were Suppers used in the Primitive Times either to manifest their Brotherly Union or for the Comfort and refreshing of the Poor in Obedience to Christ's Injunction Luk. 14.12 13. Dr. Manton on Jude p. 407. Entertainments used in the Apostle's Days and the early Times of the Gospel to express a Love in the Primitive Christians and all this was but the Love of Creatures to one another But the Gospel is a Feast of Charity that is filled with the Love of a Merciful Creator 1 Pet. 4.19 and a Faithful Redeemer to us His Bowels opened and he shut up nothing from us His Affections rolled towards us and so brought in all to make a full Provision for us It was a Large Love and therefore a Little Flock feeds in large Pastures He was a God * Psa 86.5 v. 15. Psa 103.8 plenteous in Mercy Hab. 1.16 and therefore we have plenteous Meat 4. It is the result of the whole Counsel of God Reas 4 and therefore no wonder to see the Feast large The Apostle not only calls it VVisdom but the †Multiformis vel ut alij reddunt multi â—aria Sapientia Bodius in loc p. 368. col 1. Manifold VVisdom of God Eph. 3.10 The Infinite Wisdom of God did exert it self in such a wonderful variety of wise and mysterious Operations that he hath laid before us a Vniversal Entertainment Manifold Wisdom contriving what Dishes to provide must needs find out Dainties and prepare a great many He that was wonderful in Counsel is also excellent in working Isa 28.29 He who doth all Things according to the Counsel of his own Will Eph. 1.11 was a God that could search this out Psa 44.21 even a Spiritual Feast with All Things ready The Apostle argues it Eph. 1.8 9. VVherein he hath abounded towards us in all wisdom and prudence according to his Good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself * Inculcat nihil hìc temerè nihil inconsulto neque fortuitò contigisse Idem pag. 369. col 2dâ The Lord did nothing rashly or unadvisedly or by chance but carried on the whole Platform of the Gospel by Wise and Prudent Counsels The Wisdom of God had the management and ordering of all that was ever made known by the Foolishness of Preaching to us 1 Cor. 1.21 And this was sufficient to find out All Things for us that his understanding was infinite Psa 147.5 A Divine Contrivance could find out all the Dainties that any Poor Soul could ever want or wish I VVisdom dwell with Prudence and find out Knowledge of witty Inventions Prov. 8.12 Wisdom searcheth and discovers to us how his ways are past finding out Rom. 11.33 5. It is a Provision against All Evils
the Golden Pipes of Ordinances as they are Typed out in the Prophet's Vision of the Golden Candlestick and the two Golden Olive-Branches may also empty the Golden Oyl out of themselves Zech. 4.12 That Ordinances may neither be broken as the Pipes sometimes that convey the Water are nor yet their Fatness or Moisture fail as a means of conveying all Things ready Eighthly 8 Dir. Look beyond the Instrument any meer Servant of the King 's sent to call you or bid to wait at Table on you Look off from Instruments and behold the First Cause Holy Mr. Rutherford has an excellent Passage to this purpose in his Letters (s) Pt. 3d. p. 37. Such as are Hungry look more to the Meat than the Carver Oh! look off as hungry Feeders from the Attendance of his Ministers to view the great Provider and taste the Vertue of all his great Provision Why look ye so earnestly on us as tho' by our own Power or Holiness we had made this man to walk the God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob the God of our Fathers hath glorified his Son Jesus Acts 3.12 13. It is the Glorifying of his Son Jesus and not the Abilities of Paul or Apollos or any Ministers by whom ye believed We are but poor Lacqueys that run after our Lord to be with him where he is upon any great Day of the Feast Ninthly 9 Dir. Learn to be weaned from Temporals when you have such Provisions made in Spirituals Take what you have in Christ and be Content the meek shall eat and be satisfyed Psal 22.26 tho' God blesseth your other Basket and your Store Deut. 28. ◠yet live above the World upon Him who hath blessed us with all spiritual Blessings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Heavenly Things in Christ Eph. 1.3 When he calls you to dwell in his House regard not your Tents nor lodge among your own Stuff Take off your Hearts from many Things and lay them up with your Treasure here in All Col. 3.2 Set your Affections upon Things above not on Things on the Earth Pant not after the Dust Amos 2.7 when God pours Waters out of his Buckets Num. 24.7 Be more Crucifyed to the World Gal. 6.14 since he that hung upon the Cross hath prepar'd enough by getting all without it If God hath drawn some Earthly Breasts dry yet let these Breasts of Consolation in the Gospel wean you from the Paps that you have sucked Let that World to come provided put the World that now is under you In one word be contented to wash off your Thick Clay which sticks upon your Fingers 1 Joh. 1.1 and handle the Word of Life Tenthly 10 Dir. Pity others that want your Plenty The less they have let your Bowels grow the larger to them Be not of a Narrow Spirit that shuts out the sense of other Men's Necessity when you feed in large Pastures Be grieved for the Afflictions of Joseph Amos 6.6 and don 't carry it like his unnatural Brethren that when they had cast him into a Pit Gen. 37.24 25. sat down to eat their Bread Think of God's Prisoners tho' the chief Butler may forget them when he is pressing the Cup into Pharaoh's Hand Tho' you have got a Pleasant South-Land and the Streams in the South to make it fruitful yet think of your Brethren in France that are driven out of their South-Land and have their Springs of Water dry Put on Bowels when you behold your Table and are about to fill your Belly Eleventhly 11 Dir. Tho' you have Plenty waste none Make no Orts of Crumbs When your Table is full turn it not into wantonness least God overturn it Tho' you have found so much do not lose any Beware of every Morsel let none fall under the Table to be trod on Gen. 32.10 Make much of the least of all God's mercies thou mayst yet be low in thy State tho' thou art high-fed at present and tho' such a Feast be now set before thee Luk. 16.21 thou mayst desire again hereafter to be fed with the Crumbs that fall from the Rich man's Table Twelfthly Abound in Love 12 Dir. both to the Maker of this Feast and to all our Fellow-Guests with us Professors of the Gospel should love and such as eat together cleave to one another Love is a special Duty we owe at such a Love-Feast 1. Abound in Love to God The Words of the Commandment that were written in Stone should be transcrib'd upon the Fleshy Tables of our Heart 2 Cor. 3.3 see Deut. 6.5 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart and with all thy Soul and with all thy Might Oh! how should we send Love streaming out of our Souls when Love pricks the Vein tho' we bleed to Death with Love 2. Abound in Love to all your Fellow-Guests 1 Joh. 4.21 And this Commandment have we from Him that he who loveth God love his Brother also Shall there be Contentions among Brethren at the same Gospel-Table when (t) Jenkyn upon Jude 2d pt pag. 118. the eating at one Rack hath bread Peace between the very savage Beasts It is the Note of an Egyptian Gen. 43.32 to have an Hebrew in Abomination and refuse to Bread with him Let those quarrel who sit at the Devil's Banquets but let us agree who have our Table prepar'd of God Let the Dogs fall out that fight for Bones but let the Children that eat of Children's Bread unite Behold how good and how pleasant it is for Brethren to dwell together in Vnity Psal 133.1 It is comely to sit together in our Profession at the Gospel-Table Eph. 1.3 as we hope to sit together in the Heavenly Places and not like Foolish Children wrangle and contend about our Meat to provoke our Heavenly Father to take the Dishes off or send Vs to Bed to our Graves without a Supper II. Doct. That God makes an Invitation to Sinners in the Preaching of the Gospel to come in to this Feast The Method in which I shall endeavour to prosecute and handle this Truth will lye in Four things 1. To open the Properties of the Invitation and shew you the perswasive Force or Strength and sweet import of this Blessed Word Come 2. To explain also the Nature of Man's coming when God's Call prevails 3. The Reasons or Necessity of this coming urg'd upon us Why it must be And 4. The Vse The First Thing is to open the Properties of the Invitation I. and explain the Nature of God's Call to Sinners when he Invites them by the Preaching of the Gospel to partake of His Feast Take them in these Ten Particulars 1. It is a Gracious Invitation 1 Property a Come that is full of Grace and Love an Invitation that springs not from common Tenderness Luk. 1.78 but the tender Mercies of our God He is styled the Father of Mercies
are like the Slain that lye in the Grave Psa 88.5 whom it remembreth no more Well but now Life continues and there is some capacity of Improvement some Help and a Possibility of Recovery by the means of Grace It is said of him that is joined to all the Living there is Hope Eccles 9.4 We are now thro' the Merciful Providence and Good Hand of our God Living Men Neh. 2.8 God hath not yet rooted us out of the Land of the Living Isa 52.5 where our Place shall know us no more Job 7.10 but we may yet thro' Mercy walk before him in the Light of the Living Psa 56.13 The Angel hath not yet Sworn it in our Hearing even the Messenger of Death by a Sentence of Death within us 2 Cor. 1.9 Rev. 10.6 that Time shall be no longer but God hath spar'd us to recover strength after many a Humbling Visitation that had brought and once kept us low He hath rais'd us when we were fallen upon a Sick-bed and did not know whether ever we should come down from that Bed on which we were gone up but might surely die This is therefore the Season unto us who are all here present before the Lord Act. 10.33 because Life continues with us and to us whom he hath granted Life and Favour in a Recovery from Sickness Job 10.12 and his Visitation that hath preserved our Spirit 2. Now ready when Grace is now offered This may be opened in Two Things 1. Now when Crace is offered unto Saints to comfort them that mourn in Sion 2. Now when Grace is offered unto Sinners to bring them in to Christ 1. These Provisions are Now ready when Grace is offered unto Saints to comfort them that Mourn in Zion Isa 61.3 The Soul that thinks it hath had a Repulse yet shall not like Jordan now be driven back tho' thou hast cry'd out of a Denial in Months past Psa 114.5 Job 29.2 yet thou shalt not be deny'd thy Supper or kept without it Fasting when Grace is now offer'd We do not only hear of the Kingdom but if we believe Luk. 12.32 it is our Father's good pleasure to give us the Kingdom that we might eat and drink in it Luke 22.29 30. And I appoint unto you a Kingdom as my Father hath appointed unto me that ye may eat and drink at my Table in my Kingdom There is now the offer of a Gift to Saints in whatsoever of Spirituals they may be profitted withal Mat. 15.5 Mark 5.43 Christ hath commanded that something should be given them as he did unto Her that was heal'd to eat Tho' thou hast been afraid that Christ did frown upon thy coming heretofore yet lo Song 3.9 10. now he cometh unto the Table in a Chariot Pav'd with Love to meet thee Tho' thou hast cry'd under a sorrowful Spirit he would turn thee out of Doors yet lo now he puts forth his Hand upon the Handles of the Lock Song 5.5 to let thee in presently This Key of David shall be turned for Rev. 3.7 and not against thee to make thee lose thy Supper Grace is offer'd Grace is now ready for thee thy Redeemer is entred into the Chambers of his Love upon a Blessed Feast-Day to see thee When thou hast wept in secret and in solitary Retirements sighed out thy Case Christ hath heard the voice of thy mourning and is still taken with it he loves the Musick that is made by the Organs which he himself hath chosen see Cantic 2.14 Oh my Dove that art in the Clefts of the Rock in the secret Places of the Stairs let me see thy Countenance let me hear thy voice for sweet is thy voice and thy Countenance is comely The Poor Soul may often be compared to the (u) See Durham upon the Place Frighted Dove that runs into Holes instead of flying in at the Windows to hide it self Some fierce Temptation perhaps like a Hawk pursues thee and thou like a Poor Dove for shelter art scar'd into a Hole to hide thee and there thou lyest mourning in secret and durst not venture forth well however Grace is now offer'd and tho' thou canst not come home of thy self Christ hath sent to fetch thee Thou shalt now be guarded to come forth with others that are made to fly as the Doves to their Windows Isa 60.8 He will not abhor and reject or cast thee off but doth remember that now is a Time to embrace Eccles 3.5 Christ listens to the complaint of the Frighted Soul and is resolv'd to make it welcome Let me see thy Countenance let me hear thy Voice as much as to say Come now into my Presence venture to my Table 's side and see if I do not make thee welcome Ask what thou wilt and it shall be given thee even double to the half of the Kingdom Est 5.3 For Him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out John 6.37 latter part 2. These Provisions in the Gospel are now ready when Grace is offered unto Sinners to bring them now in to Christ There is a fit opportunity upon the offer of Mercy for Sinners to be made now welcome to it Feasts are ready when the Guests have an opportunity to go and be made welcome at them so the Gospel is then ready when Sinners may have the Freedom to hear the Doctrines of Salvation on publisht it is Then for Sinners to listen after and lay hold of some Good Thing tender'd by the Lord God of Israel when they hear the Name of the Lord proclaimed even the Name Immanuel Mat. 1.23 which is God with us being proclaimed the Lord the Lord God Merciful and Gracious Long-suffering and abundant in Goodness and Truth Exod. 34.6 while he makes all his Goodness pass before us in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ Exod. 33.19 This is an opportunity to be made welcome So it is in the Preaching and Proclamations of it A Sinner may be now accepted at this Blessed Entertainment for it is called an Accepted Time 2 Cor. 6.2 A Time that God hath accepted for Sinners and a Time in which he accepts also of them The Gates of the Kingdom of Heaven are set wide open to receive Sinners now in Jesus Christ now opens to let in every Sinner that comes to Him The Gate of Mercy shall be lockt against none that have been knocking at it to come in Oh! how fit is the Present opportunity for Sinners to be made welcome how chearfully how abundantly might they come and be refresht at the Solemn Feasts Ezek. 46.9 Oh! how readily is Christ now opening of the Treasures of his Grace and Love to welcome Sinners to him What multitudes might there now step in while the Banquetting House is open Song 2.4 Oh! why is it that there is but one of a Family and Two of a Tribe Jer. 3.14 when
wise but desire only Patience under evil Censures and the Reproaches of Christ from Fools Heb. 11.26 There are some who have bless'd God already for this Foolishness of Preaching 1 Cor. 1.21 2 Cor. 11.1 and can bear with me I will not say a little but much in my Follies from the Press I confess it is God's Word and he may use it how he will he may accomplish his own Ends either at first or second Hand or Both If it therefore tends this way to preserve the Original in the Hearers it will Answer more for all the Failures of the Copy than a Thousand studied Apologies The Phraseology will be thought by many to be too mean and illiterate and the Style too loose and Popular But with me it is a very small Thing 1 Cor. 4.3 that I should be judged of such or of Man's judgment for I would choose rather to come in Plainness of Speech even to the Eyes as well as the Ears of Men than in the enticing words of Man's Wisdom 1 Cor. 2.4 It is often times more difficult to be Profitable than to be Eloquent in the latter our Education qualifies and makes it easie to speak as Men but in the former Joh. 3.27 a Man cannot receive it except it be given him from above It is harder to stoop below a Man 's own Proportion to go the same height with Children than to walk our full Length with Men. As on the other Hand it is easier to Preach or Write somewhat like an Academick than like an Instructer of the Foolish Rom. 2.20 or a Teacher of Babes and to play the Orator than perform the work of a Divine It is more profitable and yet a Task of greater Burden to gather up Matter from the Holy Text than to utter it in fine words It is harder to draw the true Lineaments of the Face than to mix the Paint 'T is more laborious to dig in the Mines than to gather loose stones upon the Surface and to thresh out the Grain than refine the Heap and blow away the Chaff What a sad Case were England in if all the Books in Divinity that have been written had been publisht suppose in the Profoundest Eloquence as many of the Publishers I doubt not but could have done in reference to their Intellectual Abilities and spoken in a Scholastical Phrase consistently with their Learned Education But the vulgar may bless God for the Treatises that have been written in such a Style as Dr. Preston Sibbs Mr. Bolton Rogers Greenham Perkins Fenner Sedgwick Allein and Hundreds more The plain Truth is to publish Books for the common sort in our own Tongue Nominally and stuff them all along throughout the Body of the Discourse in other Language really savours too much of a Jesuitical Equivocation while we Condemn the Papist for if they lock up the Scriptures and take away the Key of Knowledge Luk. 11.52 those would lock up other Good Books and give the People a strange Key that was never made to open them However if Men at a Feast love to see fine Glasses at a Side-board let them look over to Margents because it is Pity they should find more than is needful among the Guests upon the Table Tho' we use Metaphors yet it is no more than the same Popular known way which Christ the best Master of Language in the World used when he taught his own Disciples We are immers'd so much in Matter while in the Body that our Instructions had need be sensible to convey spiritual Things the easier These are oftentimes more Natural and do accommodate the Expression to the Thing beyond a Phrase Sublime or Philosophical As indeed it is too laborious and impertinent to fetch Metaphors remote or un-obvious so it argues too much Scorn and Disdain to trample those under our Feet which lye next us As therefore Reader thou findest the whole likened to a Supper Eccl. 5.8 Marvel not at the matter if sometimes thou findest the Parts of it to be expressed in such Vessels as a Supper or a Feast is wont to be served in withall Let not an occasional use of some Expressions peculiar to English-men offend any English Reader because they will not bear a Translation verbatim for in this Feast we did not study to recommend it by Forreign Sauces and therefore are content to use what we find at home and do recommend it to a Christian Appetite accordingly A blunt Anglicism as we call it may upon some occasions be more affecting than a borrowed Latinism A rugged unpolisht Phrase will stick more on some minds and to better purpose than smoother Eloquence that slides off from their Thoughts very inobservably and if we herein do become barbarous to gain the Barbarous we are but in the same Point of yielding with Paul 1 Cor. 9. v. 20.22 who became all Things to all Men that he might by all means gain some to the Jews he became as a Jew that he might gain the Jews to the weak became he as weak that he might gain the weak Peradventare the frequent use of the second Person in the singular Number Thou and Thee may offend some to whom I would seriously propose this viz. That these Sermons are here publisht in the same Applicatory Form they were preacht and in Discourses of this Nature we cannot be too close and particular * Bp. Wilkins Gift of Preaching pag. 37 A great Man saith that the Design of Preaching is to bring down General Truths to particular Cases I am sure it should be so and it was so in a Greater Preacher than He and before a greater Audience than we are wont to meet with even in Nathan and David when he began with a Parable but at last spoke plainly unto himself 2 Sam. 12.7 Thou art the Man The Arrow doth more Execution 2 Kings 22.34 when it enters between the Joints of the Harness than when it flyes at random The greatest Blemish which perhaps may appear throughout this Work in the Eye of others may be a co-incidence of the Argument which indeed sometimes unavoidably returns and must occur that every Part might be handled duely for otherwise if we had been more sparing to avoid the giving of too much we had impair'd the Table and taken too much away I need not fly to the Writings of Great Men to find a Sanctuary from the Reader 's pursuit of me herein but to the best City of Refuge Num. 35.13.15 even one that hath Foundations Heb. 11.10 whose Builder and Maker is God For the Holy Writings do abound with Parallel Instances that can never be judg'd by Pious and Sober Minds to be guilty of when they condemn vain Repetitions Matth. 6.7 I will not trouble the Reader with many Witnesses only produce Two Deut. 19.15 which is a sufficient Number for Proof to clear me if my Crime were judged to be Capital See
never bestowed more than the Beggarly Elements of the Law on them not so much as a Kid nothing like this fatted Calf to rejoyce or be merry with But lo Gal. 4.9 however it pleaseth the Father Luk. 15.29 tho' it angers his Eldest Son He puts on Bowels and is a Father of mercies to a wandring disobedient Son he spares him thô he were not a Son that serv'd him Mal. 3.17 He doth not leave poor hungry and Thirsty Travellers to wander in the wilderness where there is no way Psa 107 40 Psal 103 1â— but like as a Father pitieth his Children he provideth a Gracious Heavenly Entertainment killeth the best to invite the worst to Supper the Fatted Calf the Furniture of Gospel Grace to feast us that we might have an Allowance at the King's Table 2 King 〈◊〉 30. The Woman at Endor killed a Fat Calf to entertain a di distressed Prince 1 Sam. 28.24 but the Father in the Parable killeth his to entertain a distressed Prodigal â—en 18. v. 2.7 Abraham killed his Calf for the sake of Three Angels but He in the Parable for any one Sinner that repenteth to cause a joy among Angels Luk. 5.10 9. The Marrow of rich Forgiveness The Forgiveness of Sins where the poor Soul hath been made sensible of Sin and Wrath both as guilty and condemned is such a Provision of the Grace of God as well resembles Marrow The Remission of sins that are past Rom. 3.25 is a Hearty supporting Diet for us being * Pro. 16.24 Health unto the Soul and a morsel that makes the Bones fat Prov. 15.30 When Christ speaks to the Paralytick Mat. 9.2 Son be of good cheer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 take Heart Son thy Sins be forgiven thee Thô his condition might have sunk him to the Heart as we may gather from the word yet the News of Remission was enough to recover his Spirits and put him into Heart again We may take notice of many a Poor Soul that hath wanted the sense of Forgiveness or Pardoning Love to help it as Jonadab observed of Amnon one of the King's Sons that tho' he stood in so near a Relation to David 2 Sam. 13.4 yet he was lean from Day to Day But Forgiveness has holpen a poor Servant of the Lord's thô lean-fleshed that he hath been satisfied like David himself as with Marrow and Fatness Psa 63.5 The Forgiveness of our sins is Health but the Apprehension of our Guilt dryeth the bones It breeds Marrow in us when it hath been brought first as Marrow to us Pro. 17.22 The Lord shall satisfie thy Soul in drought and make fat thy Bones Isa 58.11 As there is a Present Refreshment so it yields an after-Improvement of our Souls when we are feasted or fed with the Gracious Sense of Pardon A Malefactor condemned to die would find a Feast unsavoury and a Banquet made only to feed him against the day of Slaughter Jam. 5.5 but the news of a Pardon would make it sweet and Dainty Now at the Table of the Gospel there is this Dish of Marrow set Christ hath such a Plenty in himself as affords of this sort also in whom we have the Forgiveness of Sins Col. 1.14 So Acts 13.38 Be it known unto you therefore Men and Bretheen that thrô this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins We must come indeed in Repentance and 't is fit we should to our Father with the Ropes about our Necks 1 Kings 20.31 but he meets us as he did the Prodigal and gives Remission to us as he makes a Feast so he pardons our Fault that we may partake of all acquitted 10. The Food of Knowledge I call it so as warranted from that expression Jer. 3.15 I will give you Pastors according to my Heart that shall feed you with Knowledge and understanding Knowledge is Provision your Souls are fed by Knowledge as your Bodies are by Food This is a sort of Spiritual Repast that may cause the Eater in some measure to express it like that of Solomon Yea my Heart had great experience of wisdom Eccl. 1.16 It is a Dish that the more we take of the clearer we find our * He was refreshed and recovered his lost spirits whereof part went into his optick nerves and so clear'd his sight which was much darkned by Famine as is usual Mr. Pool Eye-sight Jonathan when he put forth the end of the Red that was in his hand and dipt it in an honey-comb and put his hand to his mouth his Eyes were enlightned 1 Sam. 14.27 He was almost Blind with Famine that is †Being enfeebled with extreme Labour and Emptiness his Eyes waxed dimm which now by this little refreshing were enlightened again Arthur Jackson his Spirits were so weak for want of Food that he could not discern as at other Times but a little refreshment reviv'd him fetcht his Spirits again and made his Sight clearer so when Wisdom entreth into thine Heart and Knowledge is Pleasant unto thy Soul Prov. 2.10 it is a Provision that giveth Vnderstanding to the Simple This makes the Eyes of the Spouse like the Fish-pools of Heshbon Cantic 7.4 * Fuller Pisgab Sight pt 1st p 66. of a clear and perspicuous vision in the mysteries of Christ Now in the Gospel-Entertainment there is this Food of Knowledge ready Our Great Provider when he maketh a Feast doth not starve our Judgments He makes ready enough to suffice the Faculties of a Man or the Graces of a Christian This of Knowledge is a Portion of his Feast he sends our Understandings He provides Good Doctrine to rectifie and inform a Bad Judgment The Lord appoints us his Truth that hereby we may know and avoid the Spirit of Error 1 Joh. 4.6 The Gospel is the Treasury of Wisdom that however we may be * 1 Cor. 4.10 Fools for Christ yet we may not appear Fools and of no Understanding in him We have lost our Knowledge which we had in Adam at our first Table in Paradice and therefore have Food again at our second Table in Christ that * Col. 3.10 renews us in Knowledge We had gone so long Fasting that we were empty of the things of God but now have a Gospel that we may be †chap. 1.9 filled with the knowledge of his Will The Knowledge of the Gospel indeed still encreaseth our Appetite whets our Mind provokes us into more Enquiries and follows Vs Hos 6.3 until we follow on to know the Lord but withall affords so large a measure that our utmost Capacities may run over tho' the Hand that fills us doth also press our Measure down The Gospel is a Feast that contains the utmost encrease of Knowledge 1 Cor. 13.2 pt it hath all Mysteries and all Knowledge and he that partakes of the Entertainment shall know of the things what they are and find how they are all given
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
with Joh. 7.37 7. It is a large and comprehensive Invitation 7 Propert. A Come that shall reach Jew and Gentile both the Arms of Love shall make a wider Circle Many are called Matth. 22.14 and all Israel shall be gathered People Nations and Languages will be invited to come and hear the Gospel Mark 16.15 Go into all the World and Preach the Gospel to every Creature i. e. (x) Cuivis hominum ordini Poli Synops omni Generi singulorum non omnibus singulis Generum to Men of every Rank and Order to men indifferently of any Quality Character or Degree to all the Kinds be they Barbarian Scythian Bond or Free tho' not to every Individual neither appertaining to those Kinds Again to every Creature i. e. as the word Creature is restrained to Mankind Thus Eve is called the Mother of all Living Gen. 3.26 i. e. of all Mankind Living be they Male or Female but not to be understood of Living Creatures produced of any other kind Well the Call of the Gospel shall be a wider a more extensive Call than now The Hour is coming in the which there shall be no Speech nor Language where their Voice Psa 19.3 the Voice of them that will be Called to Preach Glad Tidings shall not come But however it is a large Come an extended Call at present God speaks it in the Ears of many Nations Come fill your selves with Fatness Kings are exhorted to accept of it to be wise and Kiss the Son Psa 2.12 i.e. be subject to him alluding to the Kiss of Homage which was used by the Jews Cities Towns and Villages are spoken to Families and single Persons have a Message of Grace sent them and the Voice still cryeth Come You particularly of this Congregation in Cambridge are invited to come near and hearken to incline your Ear to near and your Souls shall live Isa 55.3 it is large and comprehensive the Voice Cryes to many 8. It is a Pressing 8 Property Earnest Invitation It gives no rest but solliciteth and thro' the forbearance and long-suffering and goodness of God follows thee Day after Day Rom. 2.4 The Call refused hath become a Call repeated Isa 62.11 Once hast thou heard it yea twice that Grace and Mercy as well as Power belongeth unto God If thou art slow that shouldst be swift to hear upon one Week or Sabbath-Day that 's past thee Godâ— hath followed thee with another and try'd thee by his Goodness once again if Instruction may but enter and thine Ear be bor'd at last Thou hast now a Call if thou wilt but come in and embrace it with this Day 's Mercies The Apostle expresseth this Earnestness with an as tho' God did beseech you by us 2 Cor. 5.20 The Call is urgent with Thee as the Angel was with Lot to hasten him While he lingred Gen. 19.16 the Men laid hold upon his Hand the Lord being merciful unto him Mercy was earnest Mercy press'd him it would not leave him to be consum'd with a Sodom burning round about him Why thus Mercy pleads with thee Why wilt thou dye Ezek. 18.31 Mercy is urgent it lays hold upon thee Sinner and would pluck thee as a Brand out of Everlasting Fire Zech. 3.2 Mercy is loth to give thee up for ever It comes with a sweet and gracious Importunity it cryes continually in thine Ears Judg. 16.16 presseth thee with words and would draw thee with Bands of Love to Jesus 9. It is a seasonable Invitation 9 Propert. It is Mercy that is not come too late He calls thee while it is yet Day Joh. 9.4 that thou mayst see thy way before the Night cometh He sends out to invite thee with a Summons of Love before the Sun be down and therefore let not this Day 's Sun go down upon his Wrath Eph. 4.26 before thou art willing to come and Sup with him If you lose him now you may lose him ever if you dye in your sins Joh. 8.24 you drop without Recovery when thy Mouth shall be stopt with Dirt thou wilt not eat of this Bread that strengtheneth Man's Heart Psa 104 15 Death like a Thief is stealing in upon thee and may rob thee of thy Table before thou take thy Food it may come with a rough Hand apace to overthrow thy Table and snatch away Cloth and Thee and All for ever but of this more under the next Doctrine 10. Lastly 10 Property It is an effectual saving Call to all the Elect of God If God's Power be accompanyed with his Voice we may add that of Paul to the Invitation who hath saved us and called us with an Holy Calling 2 Tim. 1.9 when the opening of God's Mouth is joyn'd with the out-stretching of his Arm then calling and saving us do both go together Now God doth this to make the Call effectual he puts forth his Hand and the Sinner comes to God's Foot immediately Eph. 3.7 The Gift of Grace and the Effectual Working of his Power do meet and make the Invitation saving When God saith Come to those he intends to bring in he wakeneth their Ear to hear Isa 50.4 and gives them Feet to walk He removes all Obstructions and will make the very mountainous way to Zion become a Plain Zech. 4.7 when he intends to save unto the uttermost Heb. 7.25 Isa 30.21 and saith this is the way walk ye in it Every Lost Sheep shall be found and brought home before the Shepherd hath done crying after it The Second Thing is to open the Nature of Man's Coming II. when God's Call prevails Coming in the General implyes a coming off from some Things and a coming on to others For in all Motion suppose it Natural there be two opposite and contrary Terms Terminis a Quo and Terminus ad Quem one from which we pass the other to which we arrive 'T is the same Thing in spirituals in the Motion of the Soul towards God We must come from many Hinderances before we come to Him There is much within us to be forsaken and much to be left without us before we break thro' all our way to Him First I shall rank the Terms From which we must begin our motion in the Lord and place them under these four General Heads Sin Satan our Selves and this present evil World When we come when we run after Him that calls us we must start from every one of These We must come off from these four Terms like those four Points in the Compass if we begin a new distinct motion that is if we are Spiritual and do not walk as Men for it is not Northwards or Southwards towards the East or towards the West but a sursum corda our Hearts only upwards 1. Sin is a Term we must be sure to come from The Invitation of the Gospel is a Holy Calling 2 Tim. 1.9 and
speak all the mind freely and Access with Confidence by the Faith of Him Eph. 3.12 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 With Confidence in a gracious and well-grounded perswasion of kind Acceptance with him I speak this only to you that have been mourning like the Doves of the Valley for the manifestation of the Love of Christ to you And thus you have had an account of the Third Term our selves we must come off from before we can come to the Gospel Invitation 4. This present Evil World is a Term from which we must come before we comply with God's Invitation The World it self as well as sin and our selves and the god of this World will try to draw us from Christ tho' it be but with Cords of Vanity Indeed this Temptation from the World be it twisted with never so small a Thread is enough to pull the Corruption of our Natures down-Hill But neither must the World be a Hinderance if we fall in with the In-Invitation of our God and close with Gospel-Grace Let me open this of the World briefly as to the Things and the Persons of it 1. In coming off from the World we must come from the Things that keep us off from Christ the Profits Pleasures and Applause or vain Esteem of Men. 1. You must come off from the sinful Profits of the World These do either eat you out with Cares or press you down with the Carriage or scatter and divide your minds with Covetousness and may put you upon unlawful means to gain it You must come off therefore in your Minds and Affections and hang loose upon all Earthly Profits Thô the Gospel will allow you to buy and sell and get gain yet if you embrace the Truth as it is in Jesus you must come from such Bargains where you have put Conscience to sale and not strike your Hands in Cases where God hath smitten His. Behold therefore (e) Percussi manum meam Tigur vers complosi manum meam Jun. I have smitten my Hand at thy Dishonest Gain which thou hast made Ezek. 22.13 When you are putting the World into your Scale take heed lest the over-weight press you down to Hell for what is a Man profited if he shall gain the whole World and lose his own Soul or what shall a Man give in exchange for his Soul 2. You must come off from the sinful Pleasures of the World You must leave off your Stolen Waters if you take of the Free Gift of God You must not come nigh these Foul Cisterns or resolve to taste a Corrupt Spring if you drink of the true Fountain-water Ye have lived in Pleasure on the Earth and been Wanton ye have nourished your Hearts as in a Day of Slaughter Jam. 5.5 And the Apostle Peter expresseth it by their counting it a Pleasure to riot in the Day-time 2 Pet. 2.13 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gr. The Original reads it counting Riot in the Day a Pleasure The Word Riot in Divinity signifies an effeminate Softness of the Mind contracted by much Wickedness in Pleasure that even †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 luxus deliciae a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 frango Pasor breaks and un-mans us and if it destroys the Man it will surely Mar the Christian There is much of this Riotous Living in the World among them that count it a Pleasure not only to be seven Years but if it were possible seventy times seven serving divers Lusts and Pleasures Now if you come to Christ you must first come away from These You must depart out of their Track who are described 2 Thes 2.12 to have had pleasure in Vnrighteousness before you can tread in the Paths of Wisdom and take in New Delights 3. You must come off from the Applause and vain Esteem of Man You must step over this Threshold before you come into God's House to Feast for how can ye believe saith Christ which receive Honour one of another and seek not the Honour that cometh from God only Joh. 5.44 It hath put by many that have seem'd to approach towards Christ's School but never threw out any that were truly entered to upbraid them with This we are Moses's Disciples we know that God spake to Moses as for this Fellow we know not from whence he is Joh. 9.28 29. it hath likewise overthrown the Faith of some but never shook the Faith of God's Elect to be told that Great Men have disown'd God's way have any of the Pharisees the Doctors of the Chair or the Rulers believed on him Joh. 7.48 But if you will come under the Sun of Righteousness you must not be frighted with this Shadow that cometh betwixt 2. In coming off from the World we must come from the Persons that keep us off from Christ 1. Sinful Companions If we have Fellowship with these Works of Darkness we can have none with the Father of Lights for what Fellowship hath Righteousness with Vnrighteousness and what Communion hath Light with Darkness and what Concord hath Christ with Belial or what part hath he that believeth with an an Infidel and what Agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate saith the Lord 2 Cor. 6.14 15 16 17. So Eph. 5.11 And have no Fellowship with the unfruitful works of Darkness but rather * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reprove them i. e. convince them both by Life and Argument for a Companion of Fools shall be destroyed Prov. 13.20 2. Carnal Relations You must first shake off their Objections before you will yield to Christ thô we should produce our Causes for your Duty and bring forth our strong Reasons for it It was a Carnal Relation Luk. 14.20 in him that had Married the Wife and could not come to Christ for had she been a Spiritual Yoke-fellow she had put her Husband forward We must be brought into a Hatred of Evil Counsel thô from our own Flesh and Blood before We can be brought into True Love to Christ see Luk. 14.26 If any Man come to me and hate not Carnal Relations may be willing you should come to Christ a little but they are ready to put in Pharaoh's Condition ye shall not go far away Therefore saith Christ it is not enough to come if you do not come to purpose notwithstanding such Relations if any Man come to me and hate not his Father and Mother and Wife and Children and Brethren and Sisters all that would keep him off from Christ yea and his own Life also he cannot be my Disciple You must hate their Advice thô never hate or disrespect their Persons that hereby you may have the Person of Christ as you ought in chiefest Admiration 3. Other Evil Counsellors Thô there be not Relations as a Bar in your way to Christ yet there may be a conferring with other Flesh and Blood which the Apostle would not entertain Gal. 1.16 Immediately I conferred not with Flesh
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