very unkind and inhuman that would not entertain and lodge Christ in their Houses But yet do not thousands of nominal and titular Christians shut Christ out of their Hearts they suffer Sin Satan and the World to keep possession but they shut out the Prince of Life the King of Glory the Heir of all things they are not willing that Christ should come in subject all to himself order and govern all for himself Guilt Poverty and Misery are shut into their Souls Righteousness Riches Life are shut out 7. This is grievous Disobedience to the Gospel that Men are not willing to be made clean or set free 1. They are not willing to be made clean As a Fountain casteth out her waters so Jerusalem casteth out her wickedness O Jerusalem wilt thou not be made clean Jer. 6.7 When shall it once be Is it not most reasonable that Souls should be made clean yet they return as the Dog to his vomit and as the Sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire 2 Pet. 2. last God pronounces woe to those that will not be made clean and will you deceive your selves and say it shall be well with you Christ tells us Except he washes us we can have no part with him in the Kingdom of Glory John 13.8 and will you give the Ly to Christ and credit Satan that you shall go to Heaven tho' you are not washed Can you thrust into the new Jerusalem into which no unclean thing shall enter Rev. 21. last Men sometimes promise fair and faintly resolve to cleanse themselves but when shall it once be they that cleanse not away their Filth must themselves be washed away as Spots from the Face of the Church and be abhorred by God for ever 2. Men are highly disobedient to the Gospel in that they will not be made free they are fond of their Fetters and hug their Chains as the Servant that rejected the benefit of the Year of Release or Jubilee saying I love my Master I will not go out free Exod. 21.5 6. So Men love Sin their old Master when a better choice is offer'd they stick to their old and first choice yea they have chosen their own ways and their Soul delights in their abominations Isa 66.3 The most of Men are like the carnal Israelites satisfied with their Slavery They said to Moses and Aaron Let us alone to serve the Egyptians Exod. 14.12 So Sinners would not be disturbed they would be let alone to serve the Devil and enjoy their Lusts 8. This is high disobedience to the Gospel that Men will not have Christ to reign over them they are incensed Isa 45.24 they rage against Christ Luke 19.14 27. Psa 2.1 but I may renew the Question that Pilate put to the Jews when they were so inflam'd against Christ What evil hath he done Mat. 27.23 Christ calls Souls out of Prison and from their wandrings and strayings he makes Men free from the Law of Sin and Death and is this to do Evil how unreasonable is it that Men should be so disaffected towards and so prejudic'd against the Kingdom of Christ when he reigns to destroy the reigning power of Sin Satan and Death and to exalt his Subjects now to reign with him in the Kingdom of Grace and hereafter to sit in the Throne and reign with Christ in the Kingdom of Glory O that Sinners should ever be so ungrateful to Christ and so injurious to their own Souls how mild benign and gracious is the Government of Christ he rules not only as a Political Head that gives Laws but as a Natural Head that gives Life and influences he governs as a Husband Brother and Saviour how reasonable therefore is it that our homage and subjection to him should begin in a Kiss of Faith and Love Psa 2. last But how provoking is this that Men chuse Sin and Satan a Murtherer and prefer him Before a Saviour This is to renew and revive the Affronts put on Christ at his Passion and to chuse Barabbas rather than Jesus Those that would not have Christ to reign over them for their Salvation do set up Satan to rule over them for their Destruction 9. This is ungrateful and highly provoking Disobedience to the Gospel that Men would have Christ to buy yet to possess and enjoy nothing They can be willing Christ should hire them and promise them a reward but they stand idle all the day long will do no Work for Christ they are idle and barren in the knowledg of Christ yea walk as Enemies to the Cross of Christ while they set up what he came to pull down and keep alive what he came to destroy Christ hath acted as a Shepherd and doth demand his price Zech. 11.12 Surely Love Service and Obedience is due to him but Men put off Christ with an empty Name of Lord and with a dead form of Religion they do not render the Fruits of a Vineyard or bring forth the Fruits of God's Kingdom their Knowledge is cold idle and barren as the light of a Glow-worm that is not sufficient to direct a Traveller in his way The Gospel should bring forth Fruit from the first day that Men know it Col. 1.5 6. it should be a Seal to stamp the Image of God on Men it should be a Mould to shape and fashion Mens Hearts and Lives Rom. 6.17 as the Sun riseth and Man goes forth to his work Ps 104 23. so when Christ ariseth and shineth in any Country Men should go forth to all the work of their heavenly calling Knowledge should not only float in the Head or be imprison'd in the Mind but should be a light to Mens Feet and a Lamp to their Paths Psal 119.105 But how many nominal Christians do love darkness and hate the light they still love to wander and in the broad day to follow Sin and Satan they do nothing of all that God commands them they only stray and work Iniquity and so deserve to be cast into outer darkness Jer. 14.10 Jer. 32.23 30. Mat. 8.12 JEREMIAH IV. 3. For thus saith the Lord to the men of Judah and Jerusalem Break up your fallow Ground and sow not among Thorns IN the words we may observe 1. a Speaker the Lord All Men should have an Ear to listen when the Lord hath a Tongue to speak 2. The Persons spoken to the Men of Judah and Jerusalem 3. The Exhortation or Counsel given to them Break up your fallow ground Three things are to be remarked in these words 1. That there were fallow grounds in Judah and Jerusalem that were a People chosen to be holy to the Lord and that might seem to themselves a fruitful Field a pleasant and delightful Paradise 2. This may also seem strange that they should be call'd to break up their fallow ground What an humbling abasing Expression is this they might think they had made a great progress in Religion and were advanced far towards a ripe Harvest of
25.41 They that are alienated from the Life of God and estranged from Communion with him how can they hope to be for ever with him 1 Thes 4.17 9. This should affect and awe your Souls that you are still under God's Eye and do evil in his sight Psal 51.4 The ways of a man are before the eyes of the Lord and he pondereth all his goings Prov. 5.21 There is no darkness or shadow of death where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves Job 34.22 This is peculiar to God that Malefactors are always in the presence and under the eye of him as their Judge and he is a Witness against them for all the Crimes they commit The Lord be witness against you 1 Sam. 12.5 10. How should this cut your Hearts that all your sins are marked Jer. 2.22 and all your crimes are written before him Is 65.6 The great King of the whole World writes the Chronicles of all the Lives and Actions of his Subjects all that Men speak think or do is Recorded in his Book Rev. 20.12 and Conscience keeps a Counter-part of the Record Their sin is graven as with a pen of iron and the point of a diamond in the table of their heart Jer. 17.1 11. God can make Malefactors to appear and present Delinquents before his Tribunal they cannot fly they cannot hide As for those mine Enemies that would not have me to reign over them bring them before me Luke 19.27 This is proper and peculiar to God that he can make all transgressors to appear and how dreadful will this be that they must appear 2 Cor. 5.10 where yet they cannot appear with any hope or confidence 1 Pet. 4 15. where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear They must stand before the Judgment-seat of Christ Rom. 14.10 yet the ungodly shall not stand in the Judgment Psal 1.5 O what terror may this strike into Men that God will bring them into judgment Eccles 11.9 and God will also bring all their secret actions into judgment Eccl. 12.14 God will bring all the hidden things of darkness to light 12. Impenitent Sinners shall be punished with an everlasting destruction which shall come from the presence of the Lord and the glory of his power 2 Thes 1.9 The same Face that shines a Heaven into the Souls of Saints shall frown a Hell into the Consciences of the Wicked the same Arm that punishes shall support the punished still to endure more Torments as God will burn against and on Chaff Briers Thorns and Taras so he will preserve the Fuel and uphold it to Eternity Who knows the power of God's anger Psal 90.11 how miserable he can render a Creature that he fills up as a Vessel with his Wrath that he treads on as a footstool and shoots at as a Mark God asks Job Hast thou entred into the Springs of the Sea or hast thou walked in the search of the deep could he tell how deep the great Sea was could he come to the bottom of it Job 38.16 So it will be said to us Can you by the line and plumbet of your Reason sound and find out the bottom of the deep Sea of the Wrath of God Tophet is deep there is no coming up out of it Isa 30. ult The Gulf that is fixed is wide there is no passing over it Luke 16.26 And these things are near our breath is in our Nostrils ready to go out and the Judge stands at the Door ready to come in As the accusations and threatnings of the Law should be a Plough striking home and cutting deep into our Hearts so the Mercy of God in Christ and the Grace revealed in the Gospel should exceedingly wound and break our Hearts How amazing is this that when we had made God to serve with our Sins and wearied him with our Iniquities Isa 43.24 that the Son of God should take on him the form of a Servant to suffer to satisfie for and purge away our Iniquities Psal 2.76 Heb. 1.3 O that when God as a Creator Preserver Benefactor had been by our Lusts debased to be a meer Servant and Satan exalted to be the Prince yea the God of the World John 12.3 2 Cor. 4 4 5. that the Son of God should humble himself to be a Servant to his own Law as a Sacrifice to his Father's Justice to make an end of the guilt of Sin O that Christ should be sold to redeem us that he should be wounded to heal us that he should be arrested arraign'd and condemn'd to justifie us should not this make Hearts of stone to relent and break O that God should complain that he is broken with our whorish Hearts Ezek. 6.9 yet Christ to expiate and put away the guilt of these Whoredoms should complain that Reproach had broken his heart Ps 69.20 We had loaded God with our sins and provocations as a Cart is pressed under the sheaves Amos 2.13 O how amazing is it that God should lay all our sins on Christ Isa 53.6 and load him with our penalties and punishments that our Debt should be exacted of him our Curse executed on him that he should be as the Manna pounded in the Mortar that as a cluster of Grapes he should be bruised in the Wine-press of the Wrath and Justice of God! that as a Porter or bearer of burdens he should have our Iniquities bound on him and then bear them quite away The Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used of Christ Isa 53.4 He hath carried our sorrows and hence he that is a Porter or bearer of burdens is called 2 Chron. 2.27 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man of burden This Name fitly doth agree to our Lord Jesus that he was a Man of burden Never did any one bear so vast a load so great a burden We found out Inventions to inslave our selves Eccl. 7. ult and God found out a Ransom to redeem and set us at liberty Job 33.24 We hated him without a cause and he loved us freely and without a cause how should this Grace melt our hard and warm our cold Hearts with love to God shall we continue in the torrid Zone of Enmity and Lust when Believers are brought into and dwell in the torrid Zone of Love It is now possible that our Wilderness may blossom as a Rose that our dry Ground may be water'd improv'd and inrich'd Isa 35.1 44.3 4. Enemies may be reconcil'd dead Souls quicken'd and such as have been Satan's Children and meer Strangers to God may be adopted and taken into his Family 3 Q. Why must our fallow Ground be broken up I answer 1. That our carnal Confidence in our selves may be mortified and rooted out our Pride must be abated our high Mountain of carnal Confidence must be level'd Isa 40.4 How many do trust in themselves that they are righteous Luke 15.8 and this is directly contrary to believing in Christ Gal. 2.16 that they might be justified Those that have some Planks
Light that shines in the Gospel lest their deeds should be reproved and themselves condemned Tho' Men may please themselves with Notional and Speculative Knowledge as it may swell their Pride and commend them to the Esteem of Men yet when it should touch and wound Conscience affect the Heart be reduced to Practise and reform the Life then they hate knowledge Prov. 1 29. Thus those two Texts are to be reconciled Is 58.2 They seek me daily and delight to know my ways Yet this is charged even on Israelites That they hated Knowledge and would not chuse the Fear of the Lord they did not like to please fear worship and serve God in sincerity Quest But is there no distinction of Persons meant in these words Are they to be understood of the same Unregenerate Persons within the visible Church that both know not God and obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ Answ It is true that there are Carnal Unconverted Persons within the Church that may be said neither to know God nor yet to obey the Gospel of Christ Eli 's Sons tho' they were Priests are said not to know the Lord 1 Sam. 2.12 And the Jews are thus charged Through deceit they refuse to know me saith the Lord. Jer. 9.6 Either they thought they had found some better Good some sweeter Portion than God or that the knowledge of God would disturb their Peace and imbitter their Pleasures and Lusts to them and thus thro' deceit they did refuse to know God God complains That his People are destroy'd for lack of knowledge Hos 4.5 6. It may be Day without as Men are under a clear dispensation of the words of Reconciliation Righteousness and Salvation yet it may be Night within by reason of the blindness of the Mind and obstinacy of the Will If Men did rightly know God they would trust in him Ps 9.10 and set their love on him Ps 91.14 They that know Gods name are said to give their hearts to him to set their love on him But it is apparent that the Trust of many called Christians is with-held and their love withdrawn from God They cast God himself and his Word too behind their backs Psal 50.17 and therefore do not know God If they did indeed know the perfect Holiness of God the Purity of his Word the strictness of his Law the Severity and Terror of his Threatnings they would fly to Christ submit to the Righteousness of God obey the Gospel and Trust on the Lord Jesus both for Reconciliation and Sanctification Matt 5.6 It is too evident that all Unconverted Persons in the Church though called Christians do not know God Their Light doth not shine before men Phil. 2.15 16. And they do not hold forth the Word of Life in their Conversations Psal 10.4 3. They do not think of God he is not in all their thoughts Eph. 2.2 They do not trust in him They do not love God Christ saith to the Jews I know you that the love of God is not in you John 5.42 They delight not in the Almighty Job 27.10 they fear not God My fear saith God is not in thee Jer. 2.19 There is no fear of God before their eyes Rom. 3.18 They lightly esteem of God are unmindful of him and forget him Deut. 32.5 18. They do not seek after God draw near to him converse and enjoy communion with him Rom. 3.11 If Men designed to please God would they pass the bounds that he sets to them Eph. 2.2 break the yoke he puts on them Would they affront and reject his Authority Would they make God's Laws void and live in the open and notorious breach of his Commands If Men did know God could they allow themselves in Envy Hatred Malice In Cursing Swearing Lying Stealing Whoredom Adultery Could they go on in vain unprofitable Talks yea in filthy and rotten Communication in Wanton and Lascivious Language Could Men be so unjust one to another as to Plow away one anothers Land at Seed-time and to cut over their Furrows and take away their Neighbours Corn at Harvest Could Men so gripe and oppress one another Could they live without Prayer and not call upon God in their Families Would they so neglect their Children Not Teach Instruct and Educate them for God but rather yield and give them up to Satan by leaving them under the Power of Darkness and the Law of Sin Could they so connive at their Sins and not severely check and chastize them for and restrain them from their Vices if they did know God If Men neither own God as a Father and do not acknowledge Men as Brethren do not all these Evils loudly proclaim and strongly evidence that many called Christians do not know God Therefore Christ will come to Execute Vengeance on them to thrust them into a dark dreadful Prison and to cast them into a Furnace of unquenchable Fire But this expression those that know not God doth mainly and chiefly concern the Heathen World Galat. 4.8 While the Galatians did not know God they did service to them that were no Gods And the Corinthians were carried to Dumb Idols even as they were led They did not know the right Object of Adoration but did Service to them that were no Gods by Nature They did endow a false God with their Religious Adoration Many of the Heathen did think the World was from Eternity and never made They did not acknowledge the Author of their Being or the end for which they were made They sought after nothing but what they should eat what they should drink and wherewithal they should be clothed Matt. 6.32 as if they were all Body and there were no other Life but this present Life Now this is a heinous Sin for Heathens not to know God not to seek after him This is a great and inexcusable sin not to know when there are so many Witnesses that do testify for God He hath not left himself without witness Acts 14.16 17. These Witnesses should be called and examined Job 12.7 8. Ask now the Beasts and they shall teach thee and the Fowls of the Air and they shall tell thee or speak to the Earth and it shall teach thee and the Fishes of the Sea shall declare unto thee There is a great Cause depending about the Being of God When this weighty Matter is to be tried surely we should by Meditation call and ask the Witnesses what they can testify for God his Being Power and Goodness 2. There are so many Preachers that declare his Glory and shew forth his Handy-work As this is Engraven on the Scriptures God spake me so this is in Capital Letters written on the Creature God made me That Hand that stretched out that spangled Canopy above our Heads and that hath spread this flowery Carpet that is under our Feet day unto day uttereth speech Psal 9.2 Every day doth abundantly utter something of God And the same word is used of the Righteous Psal 145.7
not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Promise but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Good News that this Promise is performed Acts 13.32 33. We declare unto you glad tidings how that the promise which was made unto the fathers God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children in that he hath raised up Jesus again These glad Tidings are brought by the Son out of the bosom of the Father John 1.18 It is good News of the best Good the sweetest Feast the richest Inheritance the most Noble and Honorable Relation to God and that when a Sentence of Death might have been dreaded and an Eternal Vengeance felt It is a Gospel of grace Acts 20.24 A Gospel of salvation Eph. 13.1 24. The gospel of the kingdom Matt. 4.23 Here is Salvation from the most dreadful Evils the possession of a glorious and everlasting Kingdom and all bestowed in a way of pure Grace 2. What is it to obey the Gospel we read of obeying the Truth Gal. 3.1 and what shall be the end of them that obey not the Gospel of God 1 Pet. 4.17 These expressions of obeying the Truth and obeying the Gospel do seem to intimate that the Gospel is something more than a meer Promise To obey the Gospel is to Believe and Repent we must credit God's Testimony 1 Cor. 2.1 Is 5.3 Rom. 15.17 Believe the Report he gives receive the Gifts that he offers else we reject the highest Mercy and make God a Liar 1 John 5.10 if we believe not the Gospel 2. We must also Repent of our Sins To be called to Repent of our Sins and to have such sweet great and strong Incouragements to Repent is certainly Gospel-grace Musculus on Matt. 10.5 saith He doth not preach the Gospel that doth not preach Repentance That Repentance is a Gospel Duty these three things do evidence and demonstrate 1. It is a Call from an offended provoked Husband to return from our Whoredoms and to be Loyal to him Thou hast played the harlot with many Lovers yet return again to me saith the Lord Jer. 3.1 God acting according to the Covenant of Works would for ever divorce and eternally punish Sinners for their Adulteries not call 'em to be reconciled 2. The Call to Repentance is a Call from Christ as a Physician Matt. 9.12 13. The whole have no need of a Physician I am come to call sinners to repentance Christ in this acts as a Physician in calling Sinners to Repentance that they may be his Patients and that he may heal and recover them from their Diseases 3. A Call to Repentance flows from God and Christ as a Shepherd He seeks out that which was lost and brings back that which was gone astray Luke 19.10 These are Acts proper to Christ as a Shepherd and therefore Repentance must needs be a Duty of the Gospel Zech. 10.8 I will hiss for them and gather them for I have redeemed them Here is a plain Allusion to the Shepherds hiss to gather the Sheep that are scattered and he gathers them because he hath Redeemed them This still more evidences that a Call to Repentance is grounded on the Gospel 3. I shall shew you what a heinous Sin it is not to obey the Gospel 1. The Gospel requires us to be reconciled to God 2 Cor. 1.20 O what Mercy is it that Reconciliation is possible we could not be Reconciled but by the death of God's Son We could not be healed but by his stripes Isa 53.5 God could not make Peace with us but he must make War with his Son Zech 13.7 Awake O sword against my shepherd and smite the man that is my fellow Devils are not invited to be Reconciled the blind Heathen World are not called to be Reconciled Let Heaven and Earth be Witness and Judge whether it be not reasonable that Sinners should be reconciled to God that is Love and Goodness that never did them any wrong that is their Creator Preserver and Benefactor Is not the enmity of Men unjust foolish and pernicious to themselves Shall Grashoppers leap up against Heaven Is 40.22 Shall Worms Job 25.6 contend with the Almighty Shall Potters Vessels challenge a Rod of Iron Ps 2.8 9. Shall Stubble and Chaff Briers and Thorns set themselves in Battle against devouring Fire Hath God found out a way to appease his own wrath Is 27.4 5. To cut off his own plea and advantages against us Nahum 10.3 To end the dreadful Controversie between Heaven and Earth and to sheath his glittering Sword and will you yet persist in your enmity and continue the War against God Do you resolve to pluck down his wrath and vengeance on you Will the short momentary pleasures of Sin countervail eternal Torments When God calls you to be Reconciled what is contained in it but that you should lay down your weapons of Hostility and lay hold on Christ's atoning Sacrifice as the only means of Reconciliation O shall not your Scum go out of you Shall not your Dross be separated from you Shall not all the Transgressions be cast away by you Should you not return to your place submit and be subject to God You must turn from your Iniquity God will never change and depart from his Holiness 2. The Gospel calls men to be Espoused to Jesus Christ Cant. 8.8 The little Sister that is the Gentiles are said to be spoken for that is to give her Heart to and set her love on Christ Jesus 1 Cor. 6.17 Christ doth wooe you to be joined to him to give your selves to him and to be his 2 Cor. 8.5 Is not Christ the most beautiful rich loving and glorious Bridegroom Can you find any other Match that may compare with him He is fairer than the children of men Psal 45.2 He is white and ruddy and the chiefest of ten thousands Cant. 5.10 He hath unsearchable riches Ephes 3.8 He is love it self Cant. 3.5 All power in Heaven and Earth is given to him He was dead but he is alive and lives for more Matt. 28.18 Rev. 1.15 He will never put you away or leave you a desolate disconsolate Widow Is it not amazing that Beauty should wooe Deformity Riches solicit Poverty Nobility suit Vileness and Baseness and yet be rejected If you match not with Christ who shall pay your Debts Protect and cover you from Arrests Who shall make you a Jointure or provide you a House and Home in another World Who shall wash away your Guilt and Filth Supply your Wants Cloth and Cover your Nakedness If Jesus Christ be not your Husband will you still dote on base and beggarly Objects Will you still go a Whoring from God Psal 13.27 Will you continue Aholah dwelling in your own Tent and broken off from the House of God Those that slight and spurn at Christ's love are they not worthy to feel the scorching Fire of his wrath Carnal Creatures do not love a Spiritual Bridegroom they rush into the embraces of carnal and present Objects but Souls consider not
they must shortly be snatched out of the bosom of beloved Objects must be separated from them and be for ever punished for their Adulterous Embraces of them 3. It is a heinous sin not to be willing to be Christ's Patients He is a Physician Matt. 9.12 His Blood is a Soveraign Medicine against the guilt of Sin his Spirit is a mighty Antidote against the power of Iniquity Never was there such a Physician as Christ that did Die to provide the Medicine and then rose again and visits the Dead to apply it John 5.25 None can visit and recover the Dead but Jesus Christ but who regards or minds a cure for his Soul Do not the wounds of Sinners more rankle fester and putrify Do not their Diseases grow stronger on ' em Do not their Lusts root deeper Yea are not Sinners so blinded that they think their Diseases to be Members necessary and profitable How many do not account themselves sick but rather whole Matt. 9.12 13. The Jews thought themselves to be sound and free from Spiritual Diseases This highly provokes Jesus Christ that on such costly terms he became a Physician and yet Men seel no want or need of him John 3.14 15. Tho' our diseases are dangerous and threaten us with eternal Death tho' the cure seems to be so easie that Persons may look to Christ and be rid of the deadly Poyson of the Old Serpent a touch of Christ may heal the Spiritual Leprosie and our touching of Christ by Faith may cause our issue of Blood to dry up yet Sinners see not know not the plague of their own hearts they are pleased with their Dropsie with Thirst their Feverish Fire and burning Lusts they think they should be maimed if their Members on Earth were cut off and that their Lives would be uncomfortable if bereaved of the Pleasures of Sin tho' their condition without Christ be wholly desperate yet they will not part with their Diseases but languish under them pine away in them and die eternally 4. It is heinous Disobedience against the Gospel that Men will not be Christ's Guests Mat. 22.1 2 3. The Jews were invited to a Marriage-Feast made by the Father for his Son Jesus Christ Mat. 22.1 Psal 18. ult Psal 22.26 to partake of his Rest his Pleasure his Joy his Glory but Sinners make light of the Chear tho' it be spiritual suited to the nature and duration of the Soul tho' it be satisfactory and will make the Hearts of Men to live for ever yet as sick Persons they abhor this dainty Meat Job 33.20 They lust after the Dainties of Carnal Delights they are prepossessed with the love of the World and so do hasten to the Feast that Satan bids them to but they invent and make Excuses to blind their own Minds and harden their own Hearts and to hold themselves back from this Feast they lay out their Money for that which is not Bread and their Labour for that which satisfies not they must shortly fall under an eternal Famin of all Good and then must eat the bitter Fruit of their own ways and doings and drink the Wrath of the Almighty This is a heinous Sin that Men will not come to Christ's Feast 1. when they are not able to keep alive their own Souls Psal 22.29 they have nothing to sustain and support their languishing and dying Souls but as the Prodigal they are ready to perish with Famine 2. This is a Feast made on a Sacrifice Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us let us therefore keep the Feast 1 Cor. 5.7 8. Isa 25.6 How precious how costly is this Feast 3. It is a Feast of Marrow and fat things here is Pardon and Justification thro' the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ here is Adoption Salvation a Kingdom of Glory God himself will be the Father and Portion of those that come to this Feast here are Wines well refined from all dross and dregs 4. It is a Feast made for all Nations Hedges are pluck'd up and Inclosures are thrown open this is a common Salvation Isa 25.6 Luke 14.23 5. Christ's Ministers as they are to pluck secure Sinners out of the Fire so they are to strive and compel them to come in to the Feast Jud. 23 Luke 14.23 5. This is affronting and highly provoking Disobedience to the Gospel that Men will not traffick and trade with Christ that they will not be Christ's Chapmen and his Customers when 1. Christ's Goods are excellent and necessary We must be poor without his Gold tried in the Fire we must be shamefully naked without his white Raiment we must be eternally blind without his Eye-salve we must starve if we do not eat of his good things and delight our selves in the fat things offer'd here is Milk for nourishment and spiritual Wine as a most noble and generous Cordial we may eat and not die John 6.50 Psal 22.26 we may eat and be satisfied and our Hearts will live for ever 2. These Goods are brought near Isa 55.1 Come down to the Waters as Goods brought from a foreign Country to the Wharf Key or Shore of a Town or City and some are sent up into the City to proclaim that the Goods are arrived and are to be had at the Water-side The Blood of Christ is the Red-Sea by which all Christ's spiritual Goods are imported into the World 3. Christ keeps a Market for the Poor and none but he doth so Isa 55.1 buy Wine and Milk without mony and price Trade is driven by Mony or exchange of Goods but here neither Mony nor Price we part with nothing that doth impoverish us or enrich Christ If there were Markets and Fairs kept for the Poor here in the World how would they be frequented what flocking what crowding would there be to get to such Markets yet how do Christ's goods lie by as slighted and neglected 4. Christ counsels us to buy of him and his Counsel should be a Command to us and lay a Necessity on us but alas how stupid and sensless are Men that provide no Treasure for their Souls or Eternity they have no Good to carry away with them or to enjoy for ever they seek not for their own things Luk. 16.12 but content themselves with the things of another so they are only Stewards not Proprietors Riches are the things of another but Graces are our own things but Sinners see not their own Wants and Poverty they understand not prize not Christ's Riches and Fulness Rev. 3.17 they are contented to continue poor as destitute of an inherent and naked as void of an imputed Righteousness 6. This stirs up Christ's Anger against and plucks down his Vengeance on Sinners that when Christ comes near to them knocks with Importunity and waits with much Patience yet they will not open to Christ He came to his own yet his own received him not John 1.11 Luke 2.7 If Christ with his Body were on Earth would not they be accounted