excellent society 3 Is a Mountaine 1. Hath strong foundations 4 2. Is in some measure visible ib. Of the Marriage feast between Christ and his Church 5 The Lord of Hosts is the founder of this feast 6 Some of all sorts invited to this feast 1. Iewes 2. Gentiles 7 Christ is the chief dish and greatest chear at this feast 8 Christ and his benefits fitly compared to a feast 8 1. Because all we have in Christ is of the best things 8 2. Much variety in Christ 9 3. Fulnesse and sufficiency is to be had in Christ 10 4. Because there is much company here 11 5. There is rich attire worne at this feast 12 This Gospel-feast was typed out 1. By the Paschall Lamb. 12 2. By Manna 12 3. By the Rock 14 4. By the Jewish festivall 15 A comparison between Christ and Manna 13 The sacrament of the Lords super is this feast specially 15 We ought to be prepared for this feast 1. Get large hearts 16 2. Spirituall appetite 16 Means to get spirituall appetite to this feast 17 1. Sense of sinne 17 2. Purge the soule from sinfull corruptions 18 3. Spirituall exercise and activenesse for God 19 4. Holy company 20 5. Consideration of the danger of Spiritual famine 20 We must get a spirituall taste and spirituall sences 21 1. To relish what is good 22 To disrelish and reject what is evill 22 We must get a spirituall Digestion 23 and wait in the strength of this heavenly feast 23 Consequents of the Gospel-feast are 24 1. Chearfulnesse 25 2. Thankfulnesse 25 3. Iustifying of the wayes of God and Religion 25 Religion doth not make people melancholy 26 A Christian at his worst condition is better than a worldlings best 27 We must labour to have a part and portion at this feast and to honour Gods bounty 28 29 We must bring empty soules unto this feast 32 Connexion between the sixth and seventh verst 33 Of the Vaile that is over mens hearts 35 All men naturally have such a Vaile 35 There is a Vaile over spirituall things for they are hid 35 36. Naturall men 1. Want spirituall sight 36 light 36 2. Are ignorant 3. See not spirituall things spiritually 38 4. Have light without heat 39 5. Are unbelievers 40 Ignorance and unbeliefe acts in every sinne 41 God onely can take away this vaile 42 Men nor Angels cannot remove it 42 43 44 Onely Gods people have this vaile removed 44 Where this vaile is removed there is a Feast 45 We ought to use meanes to have this vaile taken off 46 47 1. By attending upon Ordinances 48 2. By practising what we know 49 3. By praying unto God 50 When the vaile is taken off from the heart then 1. A Christian will wonder at the things of faith 51 2. Desire more and more to know them 51 3. This vaile hath been removed by the Word 51 4. A Christians knowledge is a transforming knowledge 52 Of Death and Christs victory over Death 55 Death is 1. The King of Feares 56 2. Spares none 56 3. Is let in by sinne 56 4. Is attended on by Hell 56 Christ swallowes up death in victory 1. By satisfying for sin 57 2. By his suffering death 59 60 We ought to believe that death is conquered to us 60 We ought to be one with Christ crucified 61 70 We must be thankfull unto God 1. For victory over death 62 2. For benefits by death 62 The slavish feare of Death is unbecomming a Christian 62 63 67. Death is conquered to a Beleever though he die 63 64 Death is terrible to wicked men 64 Duellists foolishly out-brave death 65 Death to Gods children not onely a conquered enemy but is made a friend 66 c. Of Christians Teares 72 Good men are apt to weep 1. For sinne of others 74 75 2. Miseries of others 74 75 We ought to weep 74 and yet to rejoyce 76 God will wipe away all teares 77 78 God is a God of tender mercy 79 Christians are not to bee judged by appearance and by their sufferings 81 Christians have a mixt condition and a mixt disposition 82 There was no sorrow in Paradise and shall be none in heaven 84 Sinne is the greatest cause of sorrow 85 Mourning accepted from them that cannot weep 86 Then a Christians teares are right when 1. They spring from the love of God 86 2. When we weep for our owne sinnes 87 3. When they are secret 87 4. When they are reforming 88 Of the Rebukes and reproaches of Gods people 89 Christ and his members subject unto reproaches 89 90 Wicked reproach the godly from the enmity of 2 seeds 91 Wee must not be scandalls to Religion nor scandalized at the reproaches of it 92 Christ will take away reproaches from his people and will vindicate them 93 Directions how to carry our selves under Reproaches 94 1. Be patient 94 2. Innocent 94 3. Couragious 95 4. Sincere 95 5. Pray much to God 95 6. Rejoyce and glory in them 96 Of the Holy Scriptures 99 God is the Author of them 99 The scriptures sole supreme judge of controversies 100 The Scriptures may be knowne to be Gods VVord by 1. The Majesty of them 101 2. Their mysteriousnesse 101 3. From Reason 103 4. From Experience 101 5. From the witnesse of the Spirit 102 6. From their efficacy 101 1. In warning the soule 101 2. Changing the soule 101 3. Casting down the soule 101 4. Searching the soule 102 5. And comforting the soule The holy Scriptures are and have been preserved from Corruption 103 VVe ought to heare the word as the word of God 104 God will make good all his promises if we believe 105 We must pray for the Spirit that indited the Scriptures that so we may relish them 106 Of Gods Promises and the performance of them 107 to 112 Gods Promises are full and free and spring from his bounty and are our greatest treasure 111 112. We ought to be ashamed of infidelity in Gods promises 105 It is somtimes long between the promise performāce 113 1. To exercise our faith 113 2. To waine us from creatures 113 3. To indeare the things promised 114 4. And to fit us for the enjoyment 114 Of Waiting upon God 115 We have but a tast here of what we shall have hereaft 115 Waiting carries with it all other graces 116 1. Patience 117 2. Long-suffering 117 3. Contentment 118 4. Silence from murmuring 118 5. Watchfulnesse 118 6. Faithfulnesse 118 Want of waiting cause of much wickednesse 119 All is overcome with waiting 120 God will perform his word to all true waiters 121 152 God keeps the time of performance in his own hands 121 God fully performes his promises in heaven 122 123 124 The things hoped for uphold the heart in waiting 125 God will have his people continue waiting 150 1. That we may live by faith and not by sight 150 2. VVhen we are fitted for what is promised wee
of the world there I shall be starved if I sit still I shall also perish what shall I now doe I will venture upon Jesus Christ he hath food that endures to eternall life and if I perish there I perish If I have not Christ I must die the wrath of God hangeth over my head and I cannot escape Alas poore soule now thou seest thy wretchednesse cast thy selfe upon him and come in If thou venturest thou canst but die adventure therefore put thy selfe upon Gods mercy for he is gracious and full of compassion Those that have given up themselves to Christ let them study to honour God and Christ by taking those comforts that are allotted to them When any man inviteth us to a Feast he knoweth if we respect him wee will fall too God hath bestowed his Sonne upon us and will he not with him give us all things let us not therefore dishonour the bounty of our good God but come in and labour to have our hearts more and more inlarged with the consideration of the excellency of these eternall comforts The fulnesse of Christ is able to satisfie the soule though it were a thousand times larger then it is If it were possible that wee could get the capacity of Angels it could not be sufficient to shew forth the fulnesse of pleasures that are provided for a Christian let us therefore labour with all labour to open our hearts to entertaine these joyes for we cannot honour God more then of his bounty to receive thankfully what he freely offers To taste plentifully in the covenant of grace of these riches and joy and hope of things to come glorious above all that we are able to thinke of I say this is the way to honour God under the Gospel of hope of things that are infinite the more we take the more we may take and the more we honour him that giveth Let us therefore enter deeply into our speciall sinnes there is no feare of despaire thinke of all thy wants and of all thy sins let them be never so many yet there is more to be had in Christ then there can be wanting in thee The soule that thinkes it selfe full of wants is the richest soule and that that apprehendeth no want at all no need of grace or Christ is alwaies sent empty away grieve therefore for thy sinnes and then joy that thou hast grieved and goe to God for the supply of all thy wants The seeds of joy and of comfort are sowne in teares and griefe in this world but yet we know we shall reape in joy in the world to come Remember this we have we know not what to goe through withall in this valley of teares That speech of Barzillai was good and excellent who being by David himselfe invited to the Court answered I am now growne old I am not fit for the Court for my senses are decayed and gone even so the time will come when our sense of relishing earthly pleasures will utterly be lost we are sure to goe to our graves and we know not what particular trouble we may meet with in this world and goe through if we live to a full age Alas what are all comforts here to the comforts of eternity when our daies are spent on earth then comes in the eternity of pleasure or everlasting sorrow Oh then if when we shall leave all behind us we have the joy of the holy Ghost in our hearts it will advance us above all the suggestions of sinne or Satan and bring us chearefully above to the tribunall seat of Christ Labour therefore to have a spirituall relish of soule to grow in grace and comforts of the holy Ghost for the time will come when we shall wish that we had had more then we have every one will repent of loosenes and slacknes in the waies of holinesse Therefore let us labour earnestly to be good husbands for our soules for the time to come THE Third Sermon ISAIAH 25. 6 7. And in this Mountaine shall the Lord of Hosts make unto all people a Feast c. And he will destroy in this Mountaine the face of the covering cast over all people and the vaile that is spread over all Nations I Have heretofore spoken of the Feast that God makes to his Church specially in the later times which was specially performed at the first comming of Christ when the Gentiles came in But the consummation and perfection of all will be at the day of judgement then God will spread a Table for his to all eternity We have spoken heretofore at large of the resemblance of spirituall good things by this comparison of a Feast God sets out spirituall things by outward because wee cannot otherwise conceive of them the best things in grace by the best and sweetest things in Nature And thus God enters into our soules by our senses as we see in the Sacrament But wee have spoken at large of this Our care must be to have a speciall taste a spirituall appetite to relish this Feast that God provides naturally wee are distastfull we relish not spirituall and heavenly things we savor not the things of God And the spirit of God must alter our savor and taste as he doth wheresoever there is spirituall life there is spirituall relish of heavenly truths Now let me adde this further that though it be made by God yet we must bring something to this Feast Christ feasteth with us as yee have Rev. 3. he sups with us not that wee have grace from our selves or can bring any thing he bringeth his own provision with him when hee suppeth with us But yet by the Covenant of grace whereby he enters into termes of friendship with us we must sup with him wee must have grace to entertaine him though it is at his owne cost yet we must have something he doth not require us to pay our debts but he giveth us wherewith secretly he bids us come but giveth a secret Messenger to draw us he sends his spirit certainly certainly hee will have us bring somthing when wee come to feast but it is of his owne giving And that we are to bring is humble and empty soules wherein we are to delight our selves in sense of our unworthinesse and the spirit of faith to believe his promises that pleaseth him when we can honour him with a Spirit of Faith and then a Spirit of Love and new Obedience springing from a Spirit of Faith and Love these bee the things Christ requires wee should have Our soules must be thus furnished that Christ may delight to dwell with us And therefore it is a good importuning of God Lord I desire thou shouldest dwell in mee and prepare my soule as a fit Temple vouchsafe me the graces thou delightest in and delightest to dwell in So wee may begge of God his Holy Spirit to furnish our soules so as he may dwell and delight in us But we have spoken largely
he would make good his Covenant of grace to take away our stony hearts and give us hearts of flesh that we may be sensible Most of graces are founded upon affection and all graces are but affections sanctified what would become of grace if wee had not affections therefore as there is cause of griefe and teares from griefe wee ought to grieve It is a condition and a duty a condition following misery and a duty following our condition Take heed of that which hinders sensiblenesse of troubles and judgement that is hardnesse of heart forgetfulnesse studying to put away sorrow with sinne For we ought to be sensible and ought to labour to be sensible to know the meaning of every crosse in our selves and others But suppose wee have crosses and we must be sensible of them then it followeth God will wipe away all teares from our eyes Is there nothing for the present no ground of comfort yes As we ought to be sensible of griefe so we ought to be sensible of matter of joy for the present specially if we consider the time to come The life of a Christian is a strange kind of life hee ought to grieve and he ought to joy hee hath occasion of both and hee ought to entertaine both for that that wee ought to aime at specially is joy and if we grieve it is that afterwards wee might joy We must be sensible of any affliction that wee might joy afterwards and wee ought to labour for it For is not the joy of the Lord our strength Are not we fit to doe service when our spirits are most inlarged And is it not a credit to Religion when we walke in comfort of the holy Ghost Is it not a scandall when we droope under the crosse Wee ought to be sensible yet not so as to forget matter of joy and comfort And therefore as wee ought to grieve so wee ought when we have grieved to keep up the soule with consideration of joy for the present as much as wee can yea to picke out matter of comfort from the very crosse That is the heart of a Christian not onely to joy in other matters but to picke comfort out of griefe God suffers me to fall into this or that condition it is a fruit of his fatherly love he might suffer me to runne the broad way to be given up to a reprobate sense and hard heart but he doth not doe so Picke out matter of comfort from griefe Then consider the presence of God in it indeed I have matter of griefe but I finde God moderating it It might be farre worse it is his mercy I am not consumed I finde God by it doing me good I finde my selfe better by it I cannot well be without it Who would not labour to be sensible of a crosse when he looketh up to Gods crosse and justice and mercy he hath rather cause to joy than to grieve in the very crosse it self But specially marke what the holy Ghost saith here wee ought not to be cast downe overmuch with any crosse considering God will wipe away all teares from our eyes that is all naturall teares and the miseries of this life There shall be no more misery no more sicknesse no more trouble And then all teares that arise from consideration of sinne and misery following sinne Death is the accomplishment of all mortification It is a comfort wee shall not alwaies leade this conflicting life but the warre between the flesh and spirit will be taken up the sense wil be removed wee shall be out of Satans reach and the worlds reach one day which is a great comfort to consider Whatsoever the cause is the cause shall be removed ere long If the cause be desertion for that God leaveth us comfortlesse wee shall be for ever hereafter with the Lord If the cause be separation from friends why wee shall all meet together ere long and be for ever in heaven If the cause be our owne sinnes wee shall cease hereafter to offend God and Christ will be all in all Now sin is almost all in all sinne and corruption beare a great sway in us If the matter of our griefe be the sinnes of others and the afflictions of others there is no sinne in heaven no uncleane thing shall enter there The soules of perfect men are there and all are of one mind there is no opposition to goodnesse there all shall goe one way there howsoever they cannot agree here all shall have mutuall solace and contentment in one another they in us and wee in them and that for ever you cannot name them or imagine a cause of teares but it shall be removed there Nay the more teares we have shed here the more comfort wee shall have As our troubles are increased here our consolation shall increase That wee suffer here if for a good cause will worke our eternall and exceeding weight of glory wee say Aprill showers bring forth May flowers It is a common speech from experience of common life It is true in Religion the more teares wee shed in the Aprill of our lives the more sweet comfort we shall have hereafter If no teares are to be shed here no flowers are to be gather'd there And therefore besides deliverance from trouble here is comfort God will take away all cause of griefe and all kindes of griefe whatsoever And therefore thus think of it The next thing to be considered is the order First we must shed teares and then they must be wiped away After a storme a calme after sowing in teares comes reaping in joy What is the reason of that order The reason is our owne necessity we are in such a frame and condition since the fall that we cannot be put into a good frame of grace without much paine The truths of God must crosse us and afflictions must joyne with them For the sinnes contracted by pleasure must be dissolved by paine Repentance must cost us teares we may thank our selves if wee have brought our selves to a sinfull course For the necessity of this order a diseased person must not bee cured till hee feele some smart of the wounds Againe consider it is for our increase of comfort afterwards that God will have us shed teares and then to have our teares wiped away because we be more sensible of joy and comfort after sorrow We cannot bee sensible of the joyes of heaven unlesse wee feele the contrary here And therefore of all men heaven will be the most heaven to them that have had their portion of Crosses and afflictions here First therefore shed teares and then they must be wiped away because joy is most sensible As it is with the wickedest of all men they be most miserable that have been happiest because their soule is inlarged by their happinesse to apprehend sorrow more quickly and sensibly so they that have been most miserable here shall
of the former Verse I will now speak of the next that followeth And I will destroy in this Mountaine the face of covering cast over all people and the vaile spread over all nations to swallow up death in victory the Lord will wipe away teares from all faces and the rebukes of his people shall be taken from the earth for the Lord hath spoken it These depend one upon another being the severall Services of the Feast He promiseth a Feast in the sixth Verse And what be the severall Services He will destroy in this mountaine this Church the face of covering cast over all people c. Hee will take away the vaile of Ignorance and unbeliefe that they may have speciall sight of heavenly things without which they cannot relish heavenly things they can take no joy at this Feast And then because there can be no Feast where there is the greatest enemy in force and power he swallowes up death in victorie Death keeps us in feare all our life time that that swalloweth up all Kings and Monarchs the terror of the World Death shall bee and is swallowed up by our head Christ and shall be swallowed up by us in victory In the meane time we are subject to many sorrowes which cause teares for teares are but drops that issue from that cloud of sorrow And sorrow we have alwayes in this world either from our sinnes or miseries or simpathy in teares of that kinde Well the time will come that teares shall bee wiped away and the cause of teares all sorrow for our owne sinnes for our own misery and for simpathizing with the times wherein we live Our time shall bee hereafter at the day of the resurrection when all teares shall be wiped from our eyes God will performe that office of a mother to wipe the childrens eyes or of a Nurse to take away all cause of grief whatsoever else it cannot be a perfect feast I but there is reproaches cast upon Religion and religious persons it goeth under a vaile of reproach and the best things are not seene in their owne colours nor the worst things they go under vizards here But the time will come that the rebukes of his people shall be taken away The good things as they are best so shall they be knowne to bee so And sinne and base courses as they are bad and as they are from Hell so they shall be knowne to be every thing shall appear in its owne colours things shall not goe masked any longer And what is the seal of all this The seal of it is The mouth of the Lord hath spoken it truth it selfe hath spoken it and therefore it must needs be Jehovah that can give a being to all things he hath said it Wee have heard why the Church is called a Mountaine He will destroy or swallow up as the word may signifie the face of covering or the covering of the face the vaile which is the covering of the face and particularly exprest in that terme alwayes the vaile that is spread over all Nations God will take away the spirituall vaile that covers the Soules of his people that is between them and divine truths It hath allusion to that of Exodus 34 about Moses when he came from the Mount he had a vaile for the people could not behold him hee had a glory put upon his face that they could not look upon him with a direct eye and therefore he was faine to put a vail upon his face to shew that the Jews could not see as Paul interprets it 2 Cor. 3. 15. To this day saith hee when Moses is read there is a vaile put upon their hearts they could not see that the Law was a Schoole-master to bring to Christ the Ceremoniall Law and the Morall Law God had a blessed end by the curse of it to bring them to Christ They rested in the vaile their sight was terminated in the vaile they could not see through to the end and scope of it Neverthelesse when they shall turne to the Lord the vaile shall be taken away From the words consider first of all that naturally there is a vaile of ignorance upon the soule Secondly God doth take away his vaile and God by his Spirit onely can doe it Thirdly that this is onely in his Church And where this vaile of ignorance is taken off there is feasting with God and spirituall joy and delight in the best order And where it is taken off there is none of it First of all by nature there is a vaile of covering over all mens spirits To understand this better let us unfold the termes of vaile a little There is a vaile either upon the things themselves that are to bee seen or upon the soule which should behold them The vaile of things themselves is when they be hidden altogether or in part when we know part and are ignorant of part And this vaile upon the things ariseth from the weak apprehension of them when they are not represented in cleare expressions but in obscurity of words or in types When we see them onely in types or obscure phrases which hideth sometime the sight of the thing it selfe The manner of Speech sometimes casteth a vaile on things for our Saviour Christ spake in Parables which were like the cloud darke on the one side light on the other darke towards the Egyptians light towards the Israelites So some expressions of Scripture have a light side that onely the godly see and a darke side that other men good wit as naturall men see not Againe there is a vaile upon the Soule and upon the Sight if the things be vailed or the sight vailed there is no sight Now the soule is vailed when we be ignorant and unbeleeving when we are ignorant of what is spoken and revealed or when we know the termes of it and yet beleeve it not Now this vaile of ignorance and unbeliefe continueth in all unregenerate men untill grace takes away the vaile Besides before a thing can be seene the object must not onely be made cleare and the eye-sight too but there must be Lumen deferens a light to carry the object to the eye If that be not wee cannot see As the Egyptians in the three dayes of darknesse had their eyes but there wanted light to represent the object And therefore they could not goe neare one to another it is the light and not sight if there be sight and no light to carry and convey the object we cannot say there is sight That which answereth to this vaile is the vaile of Scripture whereby heavenly things are set out by a mistery a mistery is when something is openly shewed and something hidden When something is concealed as in the Sacrament they be mysteries we see the bread we see the wine but under the bread and wine other things are intended the breaking of the body of Christ and the shedding of his
and praying and doing good and abstaining from evill the Law of the Spirit of life frees us from the Law of sinne and death I beseech you inlarge these things in your thoughts They bee things wee must all have use of beforehand against the evill day It should bee comfortable and usefull to us all to heare that our enemy our greatest enemy Death is swallowed up in victory And yet there 's more comfort in the Text. THE Fifth Sermon ISAIAH 25. 8. And all teares shall be wiped away from all faces NOt only death shall be swallowed up in victory but God will wipe away all tears from all eyes Religion shall be religion good things shall be good things nothing shall go under false notions all tears shall be wiped away we have now many causes of teares In the world there is continuall raising of clouds that distill into drops of teares had we nothing without us to raise a vapour to be distil'd in teares we are able to raise up mists from our owne mists from our owne doubts and conflicts within As we should weepe for our owne sinnes so for the sinnes of others as wee may see in Jeremy where the Prophet saith Oh that my head were a fountaine of teares that I might weepe continually for the sinnes of my people And indeed good men are easie to weepe as the heathen man observeth they are easie to lament not onely for their own sinnes but the sinnes and misery of another Our blessed Saviour himselfe we never read that he laughed wee have heard that he wept and for his very enemies Oh Jerusalem Jerusalem He shed teares for them that shed his bloud Teares were maine evidences of Christs sweetnesse of disposition as that hee would become man and a curse and die for us and that he would make so much of little children and call all to him that were weary and heavy laden that hee never refused any that came to him Hee that wept specially for the miseries and afflictions this shewed his gracious and sweet disposition And that in heaven he is so full of sympathies in glory that when Paul persecuted the Church Why dost thou persecute me So though he is free from passion in heaven he is not free from compassion from sympathie with his Church And so every child of God is ready not onely to grieve for his own sinnes and the miserie that followeth them but the sins and miseries of others Mine eyes gush out with rivers of teares saith the Prophet David when hee saw that men brake the law of God whom he loved A true naturall child takes to heart the disgrace of his father if we be not grieved to see our father disgraced wee are bastards not sonnes They that make a sport of sinne what are they Alas they have not one sparke of the spirit of adoption they are not children who rejoyce at that at which they should grieve So Saint Paul I have told you often and now tell you weeping there be many enemies of the crosse of Christ When he saw some men preach against and others enemies of the crosse of Christ whose end is damnation hee telleth them of it weeping Wee have cause therefore to mourne for the sinnes of others and for the miseries of others whether we respect God or the Church or our selves First the love of God moveth us to weepe when wee see him dishonored If we love the Church we should mourne for any sinnes that may prejudice their salvation Doth it not pitty any man to see an Oxe go to slaughter to see a man of parts otherwise by sinning against conscience going to slaughter to see an ordinary swearer an uncleane person a prophane wretch covering himselfe with pride as a garment scorning God and the world and all Can a Christian looke upon this see flesh and blood like himself under the Gospell under a cursed condition unavoidable without serious repentance and not be affected with it Can a man see a poore Asse fall under a burthen and not helpe to take it up and yet see man falling to hell and not be affected with it Thus we see wee have cause enough of teares And as there is cause so we should be sensible we ought to take to heart the afflictions of Joseph hee is a dead man that hath not sense in this kinde If wee go to the body and state or any thing about a man there is cause of griefe hath not every member many diseases and is not our lives a kind of hospitall some sicke of one thing some of another But as there is cause wee should bee sensible of it wee are flesh and not stones therefore it is a sottish opinion to be stockish and brutish as if to out-face sorrow and griefe were a glory When our Saviour was sent into the world Christi dolor dolor maximus there were no patience without sensiblenesse away then with that iron that flinty Phylosophy that thinks it a vertue to be stupid And as the Apostle saith Romans 1. 31. without naturall affections He counteth it the greatest judgement of God upon the soule yet they would have it a vertue Why should I smite them any more saith God they have no sense no feeling The proud Phylosopher thought it was not phylosophicall to weepe a proud stoicall humor but Christians desire it And therefore we ought to labour to be more sensible that we might make our peace and reverence the justice of God and be more sensible of him afterwards It is most true that Sapiens miser plus miser the more wise any man is the more sensible of misery And therefore of all men the best men have most griefe because they have most quicke senses they be not stupified with insensibility and resolutenesse to beare it bravely as the world but they apprehend with griefe the cause of griefe And as they have a more sanctified judgement than other men so they have a more wise affection of love and a quicker life of grace where life is there is sense and where there is a cleare sight or cause of griefe there is most griefe Therefore the best men have most griefe because they be most judicious most loving Then they have most grace to beare it out of all others therefore considering there is cause in our selves and in others of griefe continually wee ought to labour to be sensible of it else it were no favour to have teares wiped away So that there is cause of teares and teares is a duty of Christians sensible of the cause both of sinne and misery upon one and another And as it is an unavoidable griefe so it is good wee should grieve we must stoope to Gods course we must bring our hearts to it and pray that since our necessities and sins doe call for this dispensation that we must under correction he will make us sensible of his rod that
have most joy hereafter Now for Use Here is not onely the mercies of God in Christ but the tender mercy that whereas our life is full of teares which we have brought upon our selves yet God stoops so low as to wipe our eyes like a father or mother his mercy is a sweet and tender mercy And as the Psalmist saith When wee are sick he maketh our beds in our sicknesse Christ will come and serve them that watch and serve him nay hee will attend them and sup with them He is not only mercy and goodnesse but there be in him bowells of mercy he not onely giveth matter of joy and comfort but hee will doe like a tender hearted mother wiping away all teares from our eyes we cannot apprehend the Bowells in Gods love the pitty and mercy of God towards them that be his and afflicted in the World specially in a good cause though they bee never so many if they bee penitent teares he will wipe them all away And whereas wee must shed teares here that we may be comforted hereafter take heed that we doe not in this life judge by sight but by faith if we live by sight wee are of all men most wretched In the world the Children of God are most miserable and of the Children of God the best Saints Who hath more cause of teares than the best Saints It is but seed time here while seed time continues there be teares The Husbandman while it is seed time cannot doe his office but with trouble the Minister cannot doe his office but he is forc'd to take to heart the sinnes of the times to see his worke go backward Governours of Families and such they carry their seed weeping yea the best men cannot doe good sometimes but they doe it with trouble in themselves and with conflict of corruptions There is no good sowne here but it is sowne in teares yet take no scandall at this God will wipe away all teares The head of the Church our blessed Saviour and all his gracious Apostles what a life did they live The glorious Martyrs that sealed the truth with their bloud And therefore as the Apostle saith If our happinesse were here onely we were of all men most miserable If we judge by sight wee shall condemne the generation of the righteous we live by sight when wee see any cast downe with sight of sinne sense of temptation distresse of conscience wee thinke him forlorne Oh take heed of that For those that shed teares here God will wipe them all away Woe to them that laugh now for they shall mourne hereafter Though wee weepe here yet matter of joy enough shall spring up hereafter Afflictions will yeeld a quiet fruit of righteousnesse to them that are exercised thereby Heb. 12. 11. we may not see their fruits presently but afterwards And therefore be not discouraged for any thing we can suffer here or for the Church if we see her under pressure As darknesse is sowne for the wicked the foundation of their eternall torment is laid in their joy so the ground and foundation of all a godly mans joy is laid in teares Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted Yet for the present there is more matter of joy than griefe if we look with both eyes as wee ought to have double eyes one to be sensible of our griefe as we must be the other of our comfort that we may not be surprized with griefe There is a sorrow to death an overmuch sorrow it is unthankfulnesse to God to forget our comforts as it is stupidity to forget our sorrow Take us at the worst have not we more cause of joy then sorrow Marke Rom. 5. Being justified by faith wee have peace with God and rejoyce under hope of glory Nay afterwards saith he we rejoyce in tribulations And why upon what ground Knowing that tribulations bring experience and experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed Now we rejoyce in God reconciled in Christ So that as we ought to looke with one eye upon the griefe that we may have ground to exercise grace which we are not capable of without sensiblenesse so we must look to grounds of joy Our life is woven of matter of sorrow and joy as it is woven of both affections should be sensible of both that they may be more apprehensive of the grounds of comforts When the day of persecution approacheth this will make us comfortable for our life is a valley of teares and shall not wee go through this valley of teares to this mount where all teares shall be wiped away from all eyes When we be dejected with the losse of any friend they say as Christ said to the woman weepe not for me they be happy and all teares are wiped away from their eyes And therefore as it is matter of comfort while we live so ground of comfort when wee die for there is occasion of sorrow in death parting with friends and comforts of this world then teares are shed in more abundance and then wee bethinke our selves of former sinnes and there is renewing of repentance more then at other times yet then are we neer the time of joy and neerest the accomplishment of the promise that all teares shall be wiped away And so you have the whole state of a christian life an afflicted condition I but it is a comfortable condition The more afflictions here the more comfort here but specially hereafter The life of a carnall man is all in misery if he falls to joy he is all joy if to sorrow he is all sorrow hee hath nothing to support him he is like a Naball he sinketh like a piece of lead to the bottome of the sea like Achitophell downe he goeth when he is upon the merry pinne he is nothing but joy But a Christians state and disposition are both mixt he hath ground of sorrow for his owne sinnes and for the sinnes and miseries of the times So he hath matter of comfort for the present in the favour of God in the pardoning of sinnes in the presence of God in delivering him from trouble He hath speciall ground of joy in hope of glory in time to come Therefore as wee have a mixt state labour for a mixt disposition and labour to be in a joyfull frame so to grieve as out of it to raise matter of joy And when wee would joy grieve before for joy is sowne in griefe The best method of joy is for to take away all that disturbeth our joy search the bottome of the heart see what sinne is unconfest unrepented of spread it before God desire God to pardon it to seale the pardon When our soules are searched ro the bottome then out of that sorrow springeth joy and out of these sighs and grones that cannot be exprest commeth joy unspeakable and full of glory If a man will be joyfull let him labour to weepe first that
the matter that interrupteth his joy may be taken away Those that will be joyfull and not search to the bottome must needs with shame be brought backe to sorrow When wee will joy to purpose let us judge our selves that we may not be judged of the Lord mourne for our sinnes and then lay hold upon the promise that all they that mourne for sinne shall be comforted And blessed are they that shed teares here for all teares shall be wiped away Wee are subject to wrong our selves both good and bad for the good thinke if they be in misery they shall be ever so the bad if they be in prosperity they shall allwaies be so and they blesse themselves in it Now the the joy of the hypocrites is as the crackling of thornes and the griefe of the godly is but short and therefore let not the wicked foole themselves with groundlesse hopes nor the godly vex themselves with needlesse feares but put off conceitednesse of the long continuance of troubles time is but short and ere long God will wipe away all teares from our eyes No mists no clouds shall be extended to heaven the state in heaven shall be like the state of heaven there is no cloud there but all pure all serene Therefore in Christianity consider not their beginning but their ends Marke the end of the upright for the end of the upright is peace Psal 37. 37. Wayes have their commendation from the terme in which they end If by any meanes I may attaine the resurrection of the dead saith Paul Phil. 3. 11. Through thicke and thinne faire and foule rugged windes dry or bloudy death If by any meanes I may come to the resurrection of the dead the first degree of glory all is well it s a good way that ends well Non qua sed quo consider not what way he brings us to heaven but whither he brings bs If he bring us to heaven through a valley of teares it s no matter for in heaven all teares shall be wiped from our eyes And therefore Christianity is called wisdome And this wisdome is justified of her children What is the chiefest point of wisdome To looke home to the end and to direct all meanes to that end He is wise that is wise for eternity The wicked will have their payment here But woe to them that laugh for they shall mourne saith Christ Luke 6. 25. They will not stay for ground of joy hereafter but will have present payment But though the wayes of Christians be foule and wet with teares yet blessed are they for God will wipe away all teares from their eyes comfort one another with these words THE Sixth Sermon ISAIAH 25. 8. And he shall swallow up death in victory and God will wipe away teares from all faces that the rebukes of his people may be taken away from off the earth for the Lord hath spoken it YOu have heard heretofore of a feast provided for Gods people the founder of it being God himselfe who only can indeed comfort that which is specially to be comforted the soule and the conscience he being above the conscience The place where the feast is kept is Mount Syon the Church of God the delicacies are described by fat things wine refined on the lees c. The best of the best that can be thought of which is Christ with all his benefits who is bread indeed and drinke indeed that cherisheth and nourisheth the soule to life everlasting And because there should be nothing to disturbe the solemnity of the feast he promiseth to destroy the face of covering to take away the vaile spread over all nations the vaile of ignorance and infidelity to shine upon the soule and fill it full of knowledge and heavenly comfort And because there can be no comfort where death is feared being the greatest enemy in this life therefore he will swallow up death in victory and all that makes way for death or attends death and when this is taken away all the attendants vanish with it God will wipe away all teares from all faces Because the best things have not the best entertainment in the world nor the best persons God promiseth that the rebukes of his people shall be taken away from off the earth what they are they shall be knowne to be These be very great matters and therefore there is a great confirmation they have a seale and what is that The Lord hath spoken it The last day I shewed that Gods children shall shed teares and that they have cause to do it I will now inlarge it a little It is the condition of men since the fall in Paradise before there was no cause of teares nothing was out of joynt all inframe there was no sinne therefore no sorrow therefore no apprehension of sorrow And so in heaven there shall be no teares because no cause of it they shall be as farre from heaven as the cause This life is a valley of teares a life of misery and therefore we shed teares here And wee want no cause of it as long as sinne is in the world and sorrow and misery that followeth sinne Our own sins and the sins of others our owne miseries and the miseries of others And surely a child of God finds this the greatest cause of mourning in this world that he hath a principle in him alwaies molesting him in the service of God he cannot serve God with that chearfulnesse his unfeelingnesse that he cannot be so sensible of God dishonoured by himselfe and others is his burthen hee is grieved that he cannot grieve enough he can find teares for other things matter of this enough as the heathen man could say A man loseth his estate and hath teares for them but forceth teares for other things which are the true ground of griefe a child of God hath a remainder of corruptions which puts him on to offend against God and hinders him in his service in the liberty and chearfullnesse of it And this he complaines of with Paul and others Miserable man that I am not for his affliection though that was much but who shall deliver me from this body of death I will here adde a case Some say they cannot weep but they can grieve whether then is it necessary or no to weepe Teares are taken for the spring of teares griefe all griefe shall be taken away Teares are but the messengers of griefe and often times the deepest apprehension that takes things deepely cannot expresse it in teares In some the passages fetching the conceit to the heart are made more tender that they can weepe Now the griefe of a Christian is a judiciall griefe a rationall griefe not onely sensible teares must have sensible griefe but a Christians griefe is a sensible judiciall griefe hee hath a right judgement of things that cause sorrow willeth it and teares are onely an expression of it But how shall I know whether
griefe be right or no There be teares God hath no bottle for Thou puttest my teares into thy bottle he makes much of them they be Vinum Angelicum as he saith God is an Angell to his people to wipe away their teares but some teares God hath no bottle for hypocriticall teares Dalilahs teares teares of revenge and anger Esaus teares And therefore the true teares that God will wipe away are such as first of all follow our condition here our misery God will wipe them away If wee speake of teares from a judiciall ground the spring of true teares is the love of God and of Christ and of his Church and the love of the state of Christianity Teares spring from love these teares specially O a Christian takes to heart that God should be so ill used in the world that Christ the Saviour of the world should finde such entertainement that he should have any thing in him that should offend such a Saviour this unkindnesse stingeth him to the heart he takes it grievously that God should be abused Laetitia habet suas lachrimas there is not onely griefe that is the immediate cause of teares but another cause before hand that is love Joy likewise hath its teares though they be not here meant specially Againe teares are good and sound when wee weepe for our owne sinnes as well as the sinnes and miseries of others And I will adde more wee must weepe for the sinnes of others as well as for our owne For it is a greater signe of the truth of grace to take to heart the sinnes of others more then our owne You will say this is a kind of paradox for often a man may take to heart his owne sinnes as matter of terror of conscience not his sinnes as contrary to God having antipathy to him being opposite to the state of the soule not as sinne is properly sinne but to be grieved and vexed for sinne as it hath vexation and terror of conscience When a man can take to heart the sinnes of another and that truly as it is an offence of his good God and a crucifying againe of his sweet Saviour these be true teares indeed It is more signe of grace then to weepe for a mans owne sinnes Some are taken up with terrors of conscience that let their children family and friends alone their heart is eaten up with selfe love and they be neer eaten up with their owne terrors of conscience but here is true griefe and an hatred of sinne in a right respect when it exerciseth it selfe upon others as well as upon our selves Againe teares arise from the right spring from true griefe when wee can weepe in secret O saith Jeremy if you doe so and so My soule shall weepe in secret for your pride here was a good soule indeed many will have teares of comfort in publicke c. I but when they can weepe in secret for their owne sinnes and the sinnes of others it is an evidence of a right spring of griefe Againe when teares tend to reformation of what they grieve for for else they be Steriles lachrimae barren teares doe they tend to reforme what wee weepe for doe they tend to action Affections are then good when they carry to action as griefe love joy they are all for action when wee weepe and grieve and reforme withall it is a good signe I will name no more you see then that griefe is sound when it springeth from the love of God and is for the sinnes of others as well as our owne and our owne as well as others when it stirres up to reformation when it is in secret and therefore let us examine our griefe by these and the like evidences it will be a good character of a gracious soule Then God will carry himselfe as a sweet nurse or loving mother to her child that sheddeth teares God will wipe away all these teares O the transcending love of God his love is a tender love the love of a mother the love of a nurse it is not love but the bowels of love the bowells of mercy and compassion how low doth he stoope to wipe away the teares of his children God will wipe away all teares I will propound one question more and then proceed But wee are bid to rejoyce alwaies why then is it required that we weepe and mourne can two contraries stand together I answer very well for wee may grieve as wee have matter of griefe and are in a condition of griefe And we may rejoyce and ought to rejoyce as we look to the promise that God will wipe away all teares When we thinke of the present cause wee cannot but grieve but when wee looke beyond all troubles we cannot but joy it hath influence of joy into our heart nay for the present we may joy and grieve without looking to eternity sometimes If we consider that we have offended God done that that grieveth his spirit that is matter of griefe but when we consider wee have Christ at his right hand that speaketh peace for us and makes our peace by vertue of his mediation that giveth comfort So that wee have cause of joy and cause of griefe about the same things at the same time Wee are never in such a state of griefe here but if we looke about us looke foreward looke upward A Christian that is a good Christian is a person that hath many things to looke after that he may mannage his estate of Christianity wisely He is to looke to himselfe and his sinnes to the mercies of God in Christ to the constancie of it that it is answerable to the fruit of it in peace and joy here and happinesse hereafter which are constant too his grace as himselfe is constant the fruits of it constant Therefore rejoyce evermore And saith the Apostle I know what I say I am well advised evermore rejoyce So that the life of a Christian is a mixed life nay the ground of our joy is our sorrow and griefe and joy is sowne in griefe If we will rejoyce indeed let us mourn indeed true joy ariseth and springs out of sorrow I proceed to the next And the rebukes of his people shall be taken away from of the face off the earth Another benefit that makes the Feast sweet and comfortable is this Hee will take away the rebukes of his people And here is the same method to be used that Gods children his Church and people are under rebukes and under reproach We need not stand to prove the truth of it It is true First the head of the Church and the Church it selfe and every particular member they goe under rebukes For the head of the Church we should spend the time to no purpose to prove it what was Christs life it was under a vaile he appeared not to be what he was you know he was esteemed the chiefe of Devills an enemy to
midst of all their mirth of their mortality wich practise of the Heathens condemnes the ranting jollity of some loose professors in these times But here Christ serves in Deaths head as David the head of Goliah the head of a slaine and conquered death Our Sampson by his owne death hath destroied Death and hath thereby ransomed us from the hand of the grave and hath redeemed us from Death and the slavish feare of it All which is at large handled in these following Sermons for thy comfort and joy that thou maist triumph in his love through whom thou art more than Conqueror 4. Because it is a merry heart that makes a continuall feast and that this feast might be a Gaudy-day indeed unto thy soule Christ doth here promise to wipe away all tears from off the faces of his people The Gospel hath comforts enough to make glad the hearts of the Saints and people of God the light of Gods countenance will refresh them with joy unspeakable and glorious in the midst of the valley of the shadow of death A truely godly person can weep for his sinnes though the world smile never so much upon him and though hee be never so much afflicted in the world yet hee can and will rejoyce in the God of his salvation In these Sermons thou hast this Gospel-promise sweetly opened and applyed wherein thou shalt finde directions when and for what to mourne and weep and the blessednesse of all true mourners whose sorrow shall be turned into joy 5. In these Sermons you shall further finde that though Jesus Christ respect his people highly and entertaine them bountifully yet they have but course usage in the world who are wont to revile them as fooles and madmen as seditious Rebels troublers of Israel proud and hypocriticall persons But blessed are they that doe not stumble at this stone of offence that weare the reproaches of Christ as their Crowne and by well doing put to silence the ignorance of foolish men for let the world load them with all their revilings yet the spirit of glory rests upon them and in due time he will rowle away their reproach and bring forth their judgement as the light and their righteousnesse as the noon-day 6. And because a Christian here hath more in hope than in hand more in reversion than in possession walkes by faith rather than sense and lives by the Word of God and not by bread alone Thou shalt have here Christian Reader a sweet Discourse of the precious promises of Christ which hee hath left us here to stay the stomack of the soule till wee come to that feast of feasts in heaven that by this glimpse wee might in part know the greatnesse of that glory which shall be revealed that the first fruits might be a pawne of the Harvest and the earnest of the Spirit a pledge of that full reward wee shall have in heaven where we shall be brim-full of those pleasures that are at Gods right hand for ever Christ hath given us promises to uphold our faith and hope till faith be perfected in fruition and hope end in vision till Jesus Christ who is here the object of our faith be the reward of our faith for ever 7. Now because the comfort of the promises is grounded in the faithfulnesse of him that hath promised This godly and learned man hath strongly asserted the Divine Authority of the holy Scriptures proving that they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they are the very Word of God that they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worthy of all acceptation and beliefe for their owne sakes A truth very seasonable for these times to Antidote thee against the poysonfull errors of blasphemous Antiscripturists 8. Lastly because that God often takes a long day for performance of the promise thou shalt finde herein the Doctrine of waiting upon God excellently handled A duty which wee earnestly commend unto thy practice as suitable to these sad times Say Oh say with the Church In the way of thy judgements Oh Lord we have waited for thee and with the Prophet I will wait upon the Lord that hideth his face from the house of Iacob and I will look for him And rest assured that none of the seed of Iacob shall seeke him in vaine he will not disappoint their hope nor make their faces ashamed that waite for him Thus we have given you a short prospect of the whole a briefe summe of that treasure which these Sermons containe Wee need say nothing of the Author his former labours sufficiently speak for him in the gates his memory is highly honoured amongst the godly-learned He that enjoyes the glory of heaven needs not the prayses of men upon earth If any should doubt of these Sermons as if they should not be truely his whose Name they beare let him but observe the stile and the excellent and spirituall matter herein contained and he will wee hope be fully satisfied Besides there are many Eare-witnesses yet living who can cleare them from any shadow of imposture They come forth without any Alteration save onely some repetitions which the Pulpit did well beare are here omitted The Lord make these and all other the labors of his Servants profitable to his Church And the Lord so destroy the vaile from off thy heart that thou maiest believe and by faith come to this Feast the joy and comfort whereof may swallow up all the slavish feare of death dry up thy teares and rowle away all reproach and the Lord give thee a waiting heart to stay thy soule upon the name of the Lord to believe his Word and his faithfull promises that in due time thou maist rejoyce in the God of thy salvation This is the earnest Prayer of London Apr. 19. 1650. ARTHVR JACKSON JAMES NALTON WILL TAYLOR AN Analyticall Table of the Princicipall Contents in these Sermons upon ISAIAH 26. 7 8 9. The TEXT Page Vers 6. ANd in this Mountain shal the Lord of Hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things a feast of wines on the Lees of fat things full of marrow of wines on the Lees well refined 1 V. 7. And he will destroy in this mountaine the face of the covering cast over all People and the vaile that is spread over all Nations 33 V. 8. He will swallow up death in victory and the Lord God will wipe away teares from off all faces and the rebuke of his people shall hee take away from off all the earth for the Lord hath spoken it 55 97. V. 9. And it shall be said in that day lo this is our God We have waited for him and he will save us This is the Lord we have waited for him we will be glad and rejoyce in his salvation 111 Coherence between the judgements threatned in the former Chapter and the comforts promised in this Chapter 1 2 The Text opened 3 The Church is an
the Holy Spirit sent by Christ procured by the death of Christ the Angells at this Feast attend us therefore it must needs be joyfull no joy comparable to the joy of a Feast this is not every Feast this is a marriage Feast at which we are contracted to Christ Now of all Feasts marriage Feasts are most sumptuous this is a marriage Feast for the Kings Son for Christ himselfe and therefore of necessity it must be full of all choice varieties and of the sweetest of things of the most excellentest of things and of the quintescence of things Here is all joy that belongeth to a feast Here it is to be had with Christ what acquaintance can be more glorious then that which is to be had between Jesus Christ and a christian soule when we have hope of better things to come then we finde the sweetnesse of this communion No harmony in the world can be so sweet as the harmony maintained between Christ and the soule When we have this and are made one with God in Christ our joy must needs then be unspeakable When the contract is once made between the soule and Christ there cannot but be aboundant joy when the soule is joyned with Christ by faith it cannot but solace it selfe in a perpetuall jubile and a perpetuall feast in some degrees Againe for a Feast ye have the choicest garments as at the marriage of the Lambe White and fine linnen which is the righteousnesse of the Saints When God seeth these robes upon us and the spirit of Christ in us then there is a robe of righteousnesse imputed and a garment of sanctity whereby our soules are cloathed so this is a Feast that must have wonderfull glorious attire and when this marriage shall be consummated we are sure to have a garment of glory put upon us This was signified in old time by the Jewes in the Feast of the Passeover not to name all resemblances but onely one or two The Lambe for the Passeover you know was chosen out of the flocke from amongst the rest foure daies before the time appointed for that Feast So Christ is the true Paschall Lambe chosen of God before the foundation of the world was laid to be slaine for us Againe Manna was a type of Christ it came from Heaven to feed the hungry bodies of the Israelites in the wildernesse even so came Christ sent from God the Father to be the eternall food and upholder of the soules and bodies of every one of us Manna was white and sweet so is Christ white in righteousnesse and holinesse and also sweet to delight the soule Manna fell upon the tents in the night And Christ came when darknesse was spread over all the world God gave Manna freely from Heaven so Christ was a free gift and he freely gave himselfe to death even to the cursed death of the crosse for us All both poore and rich they gathered Manna Christ is a common food for King and subject all take part of Christ neither Jew nor Gentile are exempted but all may come and buy freely without money Of this Manna he that had least had enough so here he that hath least of Christ though he take him with a trembling hand yet he shall have enough for Christ is his whosoever hath the least grace if it be true and sound hath grace enough to bring him to eternall life The Jewes wondred at the Manna saying what thing is this So it is one of Christs names to be called wonderfull Isaiah 9. 6. Grace and favour from Christ is true spirituall Manna to the soule Manna fell in the wildernesse even so musst we remaine in the wildernesse of this wretched world untill we come to Heaven Christ is Manna to us and very sweet in the conveyance of his Word and Sacraments When the Israelites came into the Land of Canaan the Manna ceased not before so when we come to Heaven the Elects purchased possession we shall have another kind of Manna for our soules we shall not there feed on Christ as in the Sacrament no but we shall see him face to face and know as we are knowne In the wildernesse of this world it is fit God should convey this Heavenly Manna to the soule whatsoever way he pleaseth Manna could not fall untill the Israelites had spent all the provision they brought with them out of Egypt and we cannot tast of that heavenly Manna of our Father untill our soules are drawne away from all worldly dependencies and carnall delights then indeed Manna will be sweet and precious What is this heavenly Manna what is Christ and his Father what is the word and Sacraments to a depraved vitious heart stuffed full with earthly vanities alas it loatheth all these As none tasted of Manna but those that came out of Egypt so none shall taste of Christ but those that are not of the world that are come out of Egypt out of sinne and darknesse Manna fell onely about the tents of Israell and in no other part of the world but only there that none might have the priviledge to eate of it but Gods peculiar chosen ones Christ falls upon the tents of the righteous and none shall taste of this blessed spirituall food but such as are the Israell of God such as are of the Church such as feele the burthen of sinne and groane under it oh the very taste of this heavenly Manna is sweet to their soules and to none but them Thus yee see the Feast that Christ maketh for us in Mount Syon and that this Manna doth typifie Christ with all his benefits Againe the hard rocke in the wildernesse when it was strucken with the rod of Moses presently water gushed out in abundance which preserved life to the Israelites so Christ the rocke of our salvation the strength of his Church the rocke and fortresse of all his Saints when his precious side was gored with the bloudy lance upon the crosse that the blood gushed out and in such a manner and such abundance that by the shedding thereof our soules are preserved alive He is both Manna and the rocke of water Manna had all in it so had the rocke and all necessities are plentifully supplied by Christ The Church of God hath alwaies had bread to satisfie spirituall hunger it never wanted necessary comfots It is said Rev. 12. When the Church fled into the wildernesse God fed her there alluding to the children of Israell fed by Manna The Jewes did not want in the wildernesse nor the Church of God never wanted comfort though in the midst of the persecution and oppression of all her enemies When Elias was in the wildernesse he was fed The Church of God shall not onely be fed in her body but in her soule for Christ hath hidden Manna for his Elect this doth typifie the exceeding joy of the Church the hidden Manna that neither eye hath seen nor eare heard of neither
can it enter into the heart of man to conceive of those joyes that the Church of God shall have when the marriage shall be consummated Joy in the Holy Ghost and peace of conscience they are hid from the world and sometimes from Gods people themselves though they shall injoy them hereafter All the former Feasts in times past were but types of this The Feast of Tabernacles the Feast of the Passeover the spirituall Manna and all other holy Feasts were but to signifie and to shew forth this Feast by Christ But there is this difference between the type and the thing signified by the type the Passeover Lambe was quite eaten up but this Passeover Christ that was slaine for sinne can never be eaten up We feed upon him with our soules he cannot be consumed as the Passeover Lambe nor as Manna which was gone when the Sunne arose yea that Manna that was laid up for a remembrance before the Arke became nothing but Christ is in heaven for evermore for the soule to feed upon Though these were resemblances yet these failed as it is fit resemblances should faile that is come short of the body of the thing it selfe Thus you see the spirituall comforts of a Christian may well and fitly be compared to a Feast Thus you see God provideth a Feast and inviteth all In the Sacrament you have a Feast a Feast of varieties not only bread but wine to shew the variety and fullnesse of comfort in Christ He intendeth full comfort As for our Adversaries the Papists they have dry Feasts they give the people the bread but the wine they keep for themselves but God in Christ intendeth us full comfort whatsoever Christ did it was full his merits are compleat and his joy was full He is fulnesse it selfe and therefore whatsoever comes from him must needs be as he himselfe is both full and sweet He intendeth us full consolation Therefore we ought to be prepared to partake of this Feast in such a manner as that we may have ful joy and ful comfort for there is in Christ enough to satisfie all the hungry soules in the world he himselfe being present at this heavenly banquet All fullnesse dwells in him from which we have all received and grace for grace Therefore let us labour to have large hearts for as our faith groweth more and more so we shall carry more comfort and more strength from this holy Feast As the poore widdow if her vessels had not failed the oyle had not ceased if there had bin more vessels there had been more oyle our soules are as these vessels let us therefore labour and make it our great businesse to have large soules soules capable to drinke in this spirituall oyle of gladnesse for as much faith as we bring to Christ so much comfort we shall carry from him The favours of God in Christ being infinite the more wee fetch from him the more glory we give unto him but if they were finite we should offend his bounty he might soon be drawne dry and so send us away with an uncomfortable answer that he was not able to relieve us But Christ is infinite and the more we have from him the more we may have to him that hath shall be given the oftner we goe to Christ the more honour and glory we bring unto him this is a banquet to the full Wee are now come to the banquet and Christ is the founder of it nay he is the Feast it selfe he is the Author of it and he it is that wee feed upon Let us labour not to be straight receivers of the Sacrament but sucke in abundance from Christ with a great deale of delight That we may come together not for the worse but the better considering what a great deale of strength and grace is required as very necessary for the maintaining of spirituall Life THE Second Sermon ISAIAH 25. 6. In this Mountaine shall the Lord of Hosts make unto all people a Feast of fat things a Feast of Wines on the Lees of fat things full of Marrow of Wine on the Lees well refined I Have shewed that Christ and his benefits are compared to a Feast and in what respects they are fitly resembled by a Feast and have prest that we should prepare for it first by getting large hearts Now in the second place that we may have comfort at this Feast we must labour for spirituall appetite for to what end and purpose is that man at a Feast that hath no stomack I shall therefore shew what meanes we are to use to get eager stomacks and holy appetites after this Feast 1. The Appetite is raised with soure things as anguish of Spirit and mournfulnesse of heart for sinne if we will ever relish Christ aright we must labour to have a quick apprehension of our sinnes we must do as the Jewes did at the Passeover They eat it with soure Herbs that they might thereby have the sharper stomacks So must we we must cast our eyes into our owne hearts and consider what vile wretches we are how full of sinne and vanity and this will be as soure Herbs to the Paschall Lambe We must joyne the sweet benefits and privileges that wee have in Christ with the consideration of our owne wretched and miserable condition and then this heavenly ordinance cannot but be sweet and comfortable to our soules I beseech you enter into your owne soules and consider seriously under what guilt you lie and this will whet your appetite A full stomack despiseth the honey comb but in this appetite there is sense of emptines from that sense of emptines paine and from pain an earnest desire of satisfaction thus it is in spirituall things we want Christ and all the spirituall comforts that flow from him There is an emptines in us and we see a need every day to feed upon the mercies of God in Christ There is an emptines in our souls there must be a sense of that emptines and pain from that sense which must stir up a strong endeavour to follow after that that we doe desire Then Christ indeed is sweet when wee finde our soules hungring and thirsting after him Againe if so bee wee would have that appetite of Spirit that is fit for this Feast wee must purge our souls from the corruptions of Flesh and spirit perfecting holinesse in the feare of God we must cleanse our soules from those lusts and passions that dayly cleave unto them all crudities must be taken away that the edge of the stomack may not be flatted for while these earthly carnall Corruptions lye upon the soule we can expect no spirituall appetite to heavenly things Let us therefore examine our selves what filth lies upon our soules and what corrupt inclinations are there that so they may be purged and our desires be carryed fully after Christ in the Sacrament Another means to get appetite is to consider
reason why carnall men cannot relish a pardon for sinne and justification and sanctification and holinesse nor goe boldly to God It may be they have good sweet notions of these but they have no spirituall taste or relish of them and all because they want spirituall life None but a Christian can have spirituall taste answerable to a spirituall life Taste is a kind of feeling one of the most necessary senses and a Christian cannot be without relish and feeling yea it is the very beeing of a Christian to have a taste of spirituall things Of all other senses there is a stronger application in taste the other senses fetch their objects afarre off but as for taste there is a neer application in it and therefore most necessary every life is maintained by tast Taste and see how good the Lord is Now taste doth two things it doth relish that that is good and disrelish the contrary there must be a spirituall taste to discerne of differences There can be no spirituall taste but it must know what is good and profitable for the soule and what is not because God will not have our tastes to be wronged yee see what course he takes First the eye seeth what things we taste on and if the eye be displeased so also is the smell Thus God layeth before us spirituall things knowledge of good and bad and giveth us many caveats and all because he would not have us to taste things hurtfull for the soule nor poison instead of meate Now when we have tasted that which is good let us take heed it be not a taste onely lest we fall into the sinne against the holy Ghost Againe beside taste there must be a disgesting of what we taste and that throughly in our understandings when we apprehend a thing to be true and good it must be disgested throughly into the affections Love to the best things must be above all other love whatsover yet this must be disgested Men oftentimes have sweet notions but alas they are but notions they doe not disgest them into their affections It is the last disgestion that nourisheth and when any spirituall truths are understood throughly then comes in spirituall strength and hereupon the soule comes and suckes in that virtue which is for the nourishment of it thus it is in the soule upon disgestion there is nourishment Againe there must be a faculty to retaine what wee have received that it maybe disgested yee have many that love to heare but they do not disgest If there be nothing in the soule nothing can be extracted and therefore we must learne to retaine necessary truths that so upon occasion they may come from the memory into the heart though indeed they are not in their proper place when they are in the memory only yet notwithstanding if they are there they may with ease be brought down into the soule Then we must labour to walke in the strength of spirituall things For what is the use of this Feast but to cherish both soule and spirit the use of spirituall things which we have through Christ is to cherish and enliven It conveyeth strength to us that we may walke in the strength of Christ as Elias did fourty daies in the strength of his food And consider though in our consciences and conditions we have variety of changes yet in Christ we have severall comforts suitable to all our severall conditions If so be our sinnes trouble us wee should watch over our selves that wee be not overmuch cast downe but feed upon spirituall things in consideration of pardon for sinne in the bloud of Christ this is the grand issue of all that Christ hath traced out in the forgivenesse of sinnes He is not he cannot be divided where he pardons sinnes he sanctifieth where he sanctifieth he writes his law in their hearts so that there is a chaine of spirituall favours where the first linke is all the rest follow where forgivenesse of sinne is there is the spirit and that spirit sanctifieth and comforts and is an earnest of everlasting life therefore feed especially upon the favours of God and get forgivenesse of sinnes and then all the rest of the chaine of grace and spirituall life will follow Sometimes wee stand in need of present grace and comfort and we are undone if comforts and grace are not at hand never considering the promises that are to come as that promise of Christ I will be with thee to the end of the world feare not No temptation shall befall us but we shall have an issue out of it and it shall worke together for the good of all those that feare God This is Aquavitaeâ—o â—o the soule of man therefore the gracious promises of Christ and his holy Spirit wee should ever remember to get into our soules for when all other comforts faile then commeth in the comforts of the Spirit who will be with us and uphold us in all extremities if we had nothing in this world to comfort our spirits yet let us rejoyce in hope of glory to come Our life is hid with Christ wee have the hidden Manna in him we rejoyce in hope of glory Rom. 5. 2. And the way to maintaine a Christian holy life is to make use of all the privileges of christianity and of those promises that convey these privileges to our soules Now that we may the better do this observe continually what it is that hinders us that we cannot feed upon spirituall things as we should doe whatsoever it is we must labour constantly to remove it Now what must follow after this Feast why spirituall chearefulnesse if we finde this in our duties of Christianity it is a signe we have fed upon spirituall things the nature of a spirituall Feast is to empty the foule of sinne and to fill it full of gracious thoughts and actions instead thereof it moderates all things it makes us use the world as if we used it not when wee can do this we may certainly know that our soules have tasted of abundance of benefit by this Feast A man that hath no spirituall joy is drowned for the most part in the contentments of the world drowned in riches and honours and these are like to strong waters immoderately taken instead of chearing the spirits exhaust and kill them He that hath the joy of heaven here by faith is mortified to all other base delights he only mindeth the things above where Christ is Col. 3. 1. And therefore the exhortation or rather command Seeke the things that are above hath this promise in fit method annex'd unto it and then all other things shall be cast in upon you Riches and honours in the world and if not them yet so much as is necessary and mortification of our sinnes and the lusts of the flesh Againe if we have fed upon spirituall things for our soules we shall be thankfull that man that hath tasted how good
and feeleth and knoweth divine truths there is a power and vertue in the sight and knowledge of a gracious man there is none in the knowledge of a carnall man The light of a candle hath a light in it but no vertue at all goeth with it but the light of the Sunne and the light of the starres they have a speciall vertue they have heate with them and they have an influence in a speciall kind on inferiour bodies working together with the light So it is with heavenly apprehension and knowledge it actually conveyeth light but with the light there is a blessed and gracious influence there is heate and efficacy with that light But though a carnall man know all the body of divinity yet it is a meere light without heat a light without influence It is not experimentall As a blind man can talke of colours if he be a Scholler and describe them better then he that hath his eyes he being not a Schollar but he that hath his eyes can can judge of colours a great deale better Oftentimes by booke a Schollar can tell you forraigne countries better than he that hath travelled yet the traveller that hath bin there can tell them more distinctly So he that is experienced in that kind though a stranger can measure another mans ground better then himselfe he can tell you here is so many Acres but he that possesseth them knowes the goodnesse of them the worth of them and improveth them to his owne good And so it is with many they can measure the points of Religion and define and divide them I but the poor Christian can taste can feele them can relish and improve them his knowledge is a knowledge with interest but other mens knowledge is a knowledge with no interest or experience at all So that there is naturally a vaile of ignorance on the heart of every naturall man Christianity is a mystery till conversion there is a mystery in every point of Religion none know what repentance is but a repentant sinner all the bookes in the world cannot informe the heart what sin is or what sorrow is A sicke man knoweth what a disease is better then all Physicians for he feeleth it no man knoweth what faith is but the true believer there is a mystery also in love Godlinesse is called a mystery not onely for the notionall but the practicall part of it why doe not men more solace themselves in the transcendent things of Religion which may ravish Angels Alas there is a vaile over their soule that they doe not know them or not experimentally they have no taste or feeling of them And so there is a vaile of unbeliefe there is no man without grace that believeth truly what he knoweth but he believeth in the generall onely he beleeveth things so farre forth as they crosse not his lusts But when particular truths are inforced on a carnall man his lusts doe overbeare all his knowledge and he hath a secret scorne arising in his heart whereby he derideth those truths and goeth against them and makes him thinke certainly these be not true and therefore he beleeveth them not If a man by nature beleeved the truths he saith he knoweth he would not goe directly against them But the ground of this is there is a mist of sinnefull lusts that are raised out of the soule that darkens the soule that at the present time the soule is atheisticall and full of unbeliefe for there is no sin but ignorance and unbeliefe breatheth it into the soule and maketh way for it For if a man knew what he were about and apprehended that God saw him and the danger of it he would never sinne There is no sinne without an error in judgement there is a vaile of ignorance and unbeliefe what creature will run into a pit when he seeth it open what creature will runne into the fire the most dull creature Man will not run into that danger that is open to the eye of the soule if there were not a vaile of ignorance at least unbeliefe at that time upon the soule All sinne supposeth error And this should make us hate sinne the more whensoever we sinne specially against our conscience there is atheisme in the soule at that time and there is unbeliefe we beleeve not truth it self no sinner but calleth truth into question when he sinneth he denieth it or questioneth it and therefore there is a vaile on every man naturally over his heart by ignorance and unbeliefe The truths themselves are cleare God is cleare and the Gospel is light Mens Lux you know they know things in the object but in us there is darkenesse in our understandings and therefore the Scripture saith not wee are darke onely but darknesse it selfe The clouds that arise are like the mists that doe interpose between our soules and divine things arising from our own hearts the love of sinfull things raise such a cloud that we know not or else believe not what is spoken To proceed God onely can reveale and take away the vaile of ignorance and unbeliefe from off the soule I will speake specially of this vaile The reason is there is such a naturall unsuitablenesse between the soule and heavenly light and heavenly truths that unlesse God opens the eye of the soule and puts a new eye into the soule it can never know or discerne of heavenly things there must be an eye suitable to the light else there will never be sight of it Now God can create a new spirituall eye to discerne of spirituall things which a naturall eye cannot who can see things invisible Divine things are invisible to naturall eyes there is no suitablenesse he that must reveale these and take away the vaile must create new light within as well as a light without now God and only God that created light out of darknesse can create light in the soule Let there be light Hee only can create a spirituall eye to see the things that to nature are visible There be four things in sight 1. The object to be beheld 2. The light that conveyeth it 3. The organ that receiveth it 4. And the light of the eye to meet the light without So it is in the soule together with divine truths there must be light to discover them for light is the first visible thing that discovers it selfe and all things else And then there must be a light in the soule to judge of them and this light must be suitable A carnall base spirit judgeth of spirituall things carnally like himselfe because he hath not light in his owne spirit The things are spirituall his eye is carnall he hath not a light in his eye suitable to the object and therefore he cannot judge of them for the Scripture saith plainly they are spiritually discerned Therefore a carnall person hath carnall conceptions of spirituall things as an holy man doth spiritualize
things by a spirituall conception of them There be degrees of discerning things The highest degree is to see things face to face as they be in heaven The next to that is to see them in a glasse for there I see the motion and true species of a man though not so clearly as when I see him face to face therefore We soone forget the species of it in a glasse Wee have more fixednesse of the other because there is more reality We see things put into Water and that is lesse but then there is a sight of man in Pictures which is lesse than the rest because we see not the motion It is even so a carnall man scarce sees the dead resemblance of things In Moses time they saw things in water as it were blindly though true but we see things in a glasse of truth as clearly as possibly we can in this world In heaven wee shall see face to face shall see him as he is And then will be the joy of this excellent Feast and the consummation of all sweet promises which here we can but have a taste of So that is the first reason of it that God is onely the taker away of the vaile which ariseth from the unsuitablenesse between the soule and divine Truths There is nothing in the heart of man but a contrariety to divine light The very naturall knowledge that is contrary naturall Conscience that onely checketh for grosse sinnes but not for spirituall sinnes Obedience and Civill life that makes a man full of pride and armeth him against selfe-denyall and against the righteousnesse of Christ and Justification There is nothing in the soule but without grace riseth against the soule in divine things Againe there is such disproportion between the soule being full of sinne and guiltinesse and heavenly things that are so great that the heart of man will not believe unlesse God convinceth the soule that God is so good and gracious though they be great and excellent yet God will bestow them upon our soules and therefore he sendeth the Spirit that over-powers the soule though it bee full of feare and guilt that sinne contracts Though we be never so unworthy he will magnifie his grace to poore sinners and without that the soule will never believe there is such an infinite disproportion betweene the soule and the things between the sinfull soule and the spirit so that God must over-power the soule to make it believe The Scripture is full of this As we are naturally ignorant and full of unbeliefe so God onely can over-power the soule and take away the vaile of Ignorance All the Angels in heaven and all the Creatures in the world the most skilfull men in the world cannot bring light into the soule they cannot bring light into the heart they can speake of divine things but they understand them little but to bring light into the heart that the heart may taste of them and yield obedience to believe that they cannot doe And therefore all Gods children they bee Theodidactoi taught of God God onely hath the privilege to teach the heart to bend and bow the heart to believe So that God onely by his Spirit takes away the vaile of ignorance and unbeliefe Now the third thing is that this is peculiar to the Church and to the Children of God to have the vaile taken off In this Mountaine saith the Scripture the vail of all Faces shall be swallowed up or taken away I partly shewed in the former point that it is peculiar to Gods Children to have the vaile taken off There is a vailin all things either the things be hid from them as amongst the Gentiles or if the things bee revealed there is a vaile upon the heart their lusts raise up a cloud which untill God subdue by the holy Spirit they bee darke yea darknesse it selfe Goshen was onely light when all Egypt was in darknesse so there is light onely in the Church and all other parts in the world are in darknesse And amongst men in the Church there is a darknesse upon the soule of unregenerate men that bee not sanctified and subdued by the Spirit of God And all godly men are lightsome nay they be lights in the world As wicked men are darknesse so gracious men by the Spirit of God are made lights of the world from him that is the true light Christ himselfe It is peculiar to the Church to know the greatest good and the greatest evill It is no where but in the Church who are the people of God None but Gods Elect can know the greatest evill that is sinne which the Spirit of God revealeth And the greatest good that is Gods mercy in Christ and sanctifying grace The same Spirit doth both As light doth discover foul things as well as faire so the same Spirit of God discovers the loathsomenesse of sinne and the sweetnesse of grace Where the one is there is never the other where there is not truely a deep discerning of sinne there is never knowledge of grace there is none but in the Church those that have the Spirit of illumination they have sanctification likewise We shall make use of all together You see then what naturally we are and that Gods grace must take away the vaile and this is from all them within the Church and in the Church those whom God is pleased to sanctifie In the fourth place Where this vaile is taken off from any there is with it spirituall joy and feasting as here he joyneth them both together I will make a feast of fat things and will take away the vaile The reason of the connexion of this is that same Spirit that is a Spirit of Revelations is a Spirit of Comfort And the same Spirit that is the Spirit of Comfort is a Spirit of Revelation All sweetnesse that the soule relisheth commeth from light and all light that is spirituall conveyeth sweetnesse both together Beloved there is a marvailous sweetnesse in divine Truths in Christ is all marrow and in Religion forgivenesse of sinnes and inward peace and joy and grace fitting us to be like to Christ and for heaven they be incredibly sweet they bee all marrow I but they are onely so to them that know them now Gods Spirit that revealeth these things to us doth breed a taste in the soule The Spirit of illumination of Gods Children is a Spirit of sanctification likewise and that sanctification alters the taste and relish of the will and affections that with discovery of these things there is a taste and relish of them It is sapida Scientia a savory knowledge they have And therefore where he maketh a Feast he taketh away the vaile and where hee takes away the vaile hee makes a Feast what a wonderfull satisfaction hath the soule when the vaile is taken off to see God in Christ reconciled to see sin pardoned to see the beginnings of
grace which shall bee finished and accomplished in glory to discerne that peace which passeth understanding c. What a marvellous sweetnesse are in these things They cannot be revealed to the knowledge spiritually but there is a Feast in the soule wherein the soule doth solace it selfe so both these goe together And therefore we should not rest in that revealing that doth not bring a savor with it to the soule undoubtedly that knowledge hath no solace and comfort for the soule that is not by divine Revelation of heavenly truths We see the dependence of these one upon another Then let us make this Use of all Since there is a vail over all men by nature the work of ignorance and unbeliefe and since God onely taketh it away by his Holy Spirit and since that onely those that be godly and sanctified have this taken off While this is there is a spirituall feast joy and comfort and strength then let us labour to have this vaile taken off let us labour to have the eyes of our understandings enlightned to have our hearts subdued to believe let us take notice of our naturall condition We are drowned and inwarpt in darknesse the best of us all It is not having knowledge what wee are by nature it is not any knowledge that can bring us to heaven there must be a revelation a taking away of the vaile How many content themselves with common light of Education and traditionary knowledge so they were bred and catechized and under such a Ministery but for spirituall knowledge of spirituall things how little is it cared for And yet this is necessary to salvation There is great occasion to presie this that we rest not in common knowledge If Religion be not knowne to purpose its like Lightning which directs not a man in his way but dazles him and puts him quite out of his way Many have flashes of knowledge that affect them a little but this affection is soon gone and directs them not a whit in the wayes of life and therefore labour that the will and affections may be subject Beg of God a fleshy heart an heart yeelding to the truth We know eare-truths will harden as none is harder than a common formall Christian A man had better fall into the hands of Papists than into the hands of a formall hypocriticall Christian Why they pride themselves in their profession No Persecuters worse than the Scribes and Pharisees that stood in their own light They were more cruell than Pilate And therefore if wee bee informed but not truly transformed to love the truth we know and hate the evill we know it maketh us worse And then it inrageth men the more The more they know the more they be enraged Men when truths be prest which they purpose not to obey they fret against the Ordinance and cast stones as it were in the face of truth When Physick doth raise humors but is not strong enough to carry them away they indanger the body And where light is not strong enough to dispell corruption when it raiseth corruption it inrageth it When men know Truth and are not moulded into it they first rage against it and then by little and little fall from it and grow extreme enemies to it It s a dangerous thing therefore to rest in naked knowledge Beg then of God that he would take away the vaile of ignorance and unbeliefe that light and life may goe together and so wee shall be fit to feast with the Lord. Now that we may have true saving knowledge first we must attend meekly upon Gods Ordinances which be sanctified to this end to let in light to the soule Will we know sinne and our state by nature and how to come out of it then together with this Revelation must come an heavenly strength into the soule a heavenly taste and relish and therefore attend upon the Ordinances And labour for an humble soule empty of our selves And doe not think to break into heavenly things with strength of parts God must reveal God must take away the vaile only by his holy Spirit in the Ordinance The vaile is taken away from the oject in opening of Truths but the vaile must bee taken away from the object and from the heart too there must bee knowledge of the object as well as an object the object must bee sanctified and fitted to the persons else divine Truths will never be understood divinely nor spirituall Truths spiritually Labour to be emptied of your selves In what measure we are emptied of our self-conceitednesse and understanding wee bee fill'd in divine things in what measure we are emptied of our selves we are filled with the Spirit of God and knowledge and grace As a vessell in what measure it is emptied in that measure it is fit to be fill'd with more supervenient liquor so in what measure we grow in self-denyall and humility in that measure wee are filled likewise with knowledge He will teach an humble soule that stands not in its own light what it is to repent to believe to love what it is to be patient under the Crosse what it is to live holily and dye comfortably The Spirit of God will teach an humble selfe-denying soule all these things and therefore labour for an humble empty soule and not to cast our selves too much into the sinnes and fashions of the times As the Apostle Rom. 12. Be not conformed to this world but be yee transformed by the renewing of your minde c. When a man casteth himselfe into the mould of the times and will live as the rest doe he shall never understand the secrets of God and the good pleasure of God for the world must be condemned The world goeth the broad way And therefore we must not consider what others doe but what God teacheth us to do And adde to this What we know let us labour to practise Iohn 7. 17. But he that doth the will of my Father shall know of every Doctrine whether it be of God or no. We must doe and we shall know But can wee doe before we know The meaning is this that we have first breeding and education and some light of the Spirit turneth it presently to practice by obedience to that knowledge And then you shall know more hee that doth these things hee shall know all They shall know that doe practice what they know already To him that hath shall be given That is to him that hath some knowledge and putteth in practice what he hath God will increase the talent of his knowledge hee shall know more and more till God revealeth himselfe fully in the world to come And therefore be faithfull to our selves and true to the knowledge we have love it and put it into practice when divine truths are discovered let the heart affect them lest God giveth us up to believe lies We have many given up to this sinne because when
and for time to come and all little enough It was Davids course thou art my God from my mothers wombe and upon thee have I hanged over since I was borne faile me not when I am old Goe along with Gods favours and use them as arguments of future blessings As former victories are helps to get the second victory Every former favour helpeth to strengthen our faith In the next God is an inexhausted fountaine and when we have to deale with an infinite God the more we take of him the more we offer him It is no good plea to say you have done courtesies therefore do them still But we cannot honour God more then from former experience to looke for great things from the great God We have have waited for him he will save us we have waited for him and we will rejoyce in his salvation That which a child of God gives thanks for rejoyces in and labors for is more more experience of his salvation We wil rejoyce in his salvation There is not a stronger word in all the Scripture nor in nature he doth not say rejoycing in this or that benefit but in his salvation that is in deliverance from all evill we will reioyce in his perservation when he hath delivered us we will reioyce in his advancement of us and we will reioyce in his salvation And therfore when the wisedome of heaven would include all in one word hee useth the word Jesus all happinesse in that word that pregnant full word a Saviour So that Gods carriage towards his children is Salvation He is the God of Salvation or a saving God And God sent his name from heaven and the Angels brought it the name of JESUS Therefore looke to the full sense of it We have a Saviour that will answer his name as he is Jesus so he will save his people from their sinnes And therefore we will reioyce in his salvation God dealt with us like a God when he delivered us from all misery from all sinnes and advanced us to all happinesse that nature is capable of As he said before he will wipe away all teares from all faces and take away the rebukes of all people He will punish the wicked with eternall destruction And if he advanceth a people he will be salvation then which he can say no more And this sheweth that the children of God rejoyce more then in any thing else in salvation because it is the salvation of God and because God is salvation it selfe Heaven were not heaven if Jesus and God in our nature were not there And therefore the Apostle saith I desire to depart not to be dissolved and to be with Christ for that is better The sight of God specially in our nature God the second person taking our nature that we might be happy will make us happy for ever In loving God and joying in God and enjoying God makes full happinesse but that is not the cause of joy in heaven but the cause of all is Gods influence into us Here in the world happinesse is mediate in Gods revealing of himselfe to us by his holy spirit in the use of meanes in his dealings and deliverances letting us see him by his grace to see him and joy and delight in him for ever It is no good love that resteth in any blessings of God for themselves It is an harlottry affection to love the gift more then the giver So the Saints of God they doe all desire to see him as they may and to joy in God and enjoy God himselfe and to see God in our nature and to be with him for ever Before he spake of a feast and if the Feast-maker be not there what is all In a Funerall feast there is much cheere but the Feast-maker is gone In heaven there is joy but where is God where is Christ he that hath done so much suffered so much for us that hath taken possession of heaven and keepeth a place for us there What is heaven without him salvation severed from him is nothing We shall say when we are there Loe here is David Abraham Saint John here the Martyrs I but here is Christ here is God here is our Saviour the cause of all and the seeing of him in them that he will be glorious in his Saints that maketh us rejoyce We shall see all our friends in heaven there we shall see the excellency of the happinesse of Christ his love his grace his mercy The words are expressed with a kind of glorying Loe this is our God So that the joy of a Christian endeth in glory and in the highest degree of glory As you have it Rom. 5. We glory also in tribulation we glory in hope of glory nay we glory in God as ours reconciled And if we glory in him now as a God reconciled what shall we doe in heaven Can a worlding glory in his riches his greatnesse his favour from such a man as Haman did And shall not a Christian glory in his God and make his boast in his God And therefore in this world wee should learne to glory before we come to that glory in heaven specially when we be set upon by any thing that is apt to discourage us glory then in our head perhaps a Christian hath no wealth no great rents to glory in I but he hath a God to glory in let him glory in him The world may take all else from him but not his God As the Church in Cant. 5. The virgins put the Church to describe her beloved what is thy beloved more then another beloved My beloved is white and ruddy the chiefest of 10000. Then she goeth on in particulars my beloved is thus and thus and if you would know what my beloved is this is my beloved So a Christian that hath a spirit of faith should glory in God here for heaven is begun here and he should glory in Christ is Saviour and should set Christ against all discouragements and oppositions if you will know what is my beloved this is my beloved the chiefe among ten thousands Psal 115. Our God is in heaven and doth whatsoever he pleaseth in heaven and earth and the deepes yea we make our boast of God saith the Psalmist when there is occasion this is the Lord this is our God we have waited for him specially in times of afflictions and what is the reason This will hold out to eternity This is our God As in the Revelations It is a plea and a glory for ever for God is our happinesse As the School-men say he is our objective happinesse and our formall happinesse he is our happinesse as he is ours And he is ours in life and death and for ever so there is alwayes ground of glory onely God doth discover himselfe to be ours by little and little as we are able to beare him he is ours in our worst times My God my God why hast thou forsaken
consistent 88 Wee must justifie God in all 25 K. KNOVVLEDGE True knowledge is transforming 52 Desires to know more 51 Practise what wee know 49 L. LIGHT Naturall men want light 36 Naturally their light without heat 39 M. Majestie of the Scriptures 101 Christ compared to Manna 13 Religion makes not melancholy 26 Why Christians are melancholy 26 Christians have a mixture here 82 Church compared to a Mountaine 4 Mysteriousnesse of Scriptures 101 P. Plenty at the Gospell-feast 11 Preparation for this feast 16 Wee must purge the soule of sinne 16 Practise of what we know 49 Of Gods promises and their performance 107 Promises free and full 112 Promises long before performed why 113 114 Promises shall bee surely performed 121 152 Time of performance in Gods hand 152 Gods time best of performmance 154 Reason of Gods performance 152 R. Of the Rebukes of Gods people 89 Christ and his Members subject unto Reproaches 90 Christ will rowle away Reproach 93 How to carry our selves under Reproach 94 15 How wee must Relish the Word 22 Scriptures may bee proved to be the word of God by Reason 103 Christ a Rock 14 S. Sacrament of Lords Supper a feast 15 Sense of sinne 17 Soule hath her senses 21 Men naturally want sight 36 We must not judge by sight 79 Scandals against Religion 92 Holy Scriptures Word of God 99 Are supreame Iudge 100 Searching power of the Word 102 Spirit indited and interprets the Word 106 Sinne greatest cause of Sorrow 85 No Sorrow in heaven 84 Comfort in Sufferings 81 Naturall men see not things spiritually 38 Spirituall things are mysterious 35 36 Church excellent society 3 Wee must walke in the strength of Spirituall Refreshment 23 T. Of spirituall Taste 22 Wee have but a Taste here of what wee shall have hereafter 115 TEARES vide WEEP God will wipe away Tears 77 78 Signes of right Teares 86 87 88 Thankfulnesse to God for removing vaile 25 for Christs Conquest over Death 62 for accomplishment of promises 156 Gods Time of performance set best 154 Types of the Gospel 12 13 14 15 V. A Vaile over mens hearts 35 Unbeliefe is that Vaile 40 God onely can take away the Vaile 42 43 Meanes to have the Vaile removed 46 47 There is variety in Christ 10 Unbeliefe in every sinne 41 Christs victory over death 55 57 W. Of WAITING Our duty to waite upon God 115 It s hard to wait on God 118 Waiting overcomes all 119 120 Many graces exercised in waiting 116 117 Why God will have us to wait 150 151 Incouragements to waite 153 154. Good men apt to weepe 72 73 74 75 Though wee cannot weep yet wee must mourne 86 Spirit witnesses that the holy Scripture is Gods Word 101 Gods Word is to bee heard as the Word of God 104 God will make all his VVord good 16 FINIS The principal subjects handled in these Sermons 1. Of the Marriage-feast between Christ his Church Prov. 9. 2. Matth. 22. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isai 55. 1. Rev. 22. 17. Gen. 49. 20. Super omnia vultus accessére boni 2. Of the vail of ignorance and unbeliefe and the removall of it 3. Of Christs conquest over Death Heb. 2. 14 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hos 13. 14. 4. Of the Christians teares and the wiping them away 5. Of the Rebukes and Reproaches of Gods people and the taking of them away 6. Of the Promises 7. Of the holy Scriptures and the divine Authority of them 8. waiting upon God Isai 26. 8. Isai 8. 17. The connexion of the Text. 1 Observ The Church the most excellent of all societies The Church built upon the strongest foundation 2 Obs Of the visibility of the Church The Mountaine is the Church God makes a Feast for his people The Lord of Hoasts the founder of the Feast This Feast is for all people Christ the chiefe dish in the Feast Why Christ with his benefits is compared to a Feast 1. Because the favours we have by Christ are choice ones 2. There is variety of favours in Christ Christ like the Indian plant Coquus good for all things 3. There is sufficiency and fulnesse in Christ 4. As a Feast for many so Christ is a feast for the community of Saints 5. Because we have the glorious attire of Christ as men put on choice garments at Feasts 6. Because he was resembled by the Paschal Lambe which was choosen foure daies before out of the flock 2. By Manna to which Christ answers in many particulars Surely those that are spirituall taste Christ 3. By the rock in the wildernesse 4. By all the Jewish festivalls 5. By the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Use Be prepared for this Feast 1. Labour for large hearts to receive much 2. Labour for spirituall appetite First means to get appetite soure herbes sense of sin and misery Second Means Third Means Fourth Means Acquaintance with those that are good Fifth Means We know not how long wee have to live Wee should hold out against hunger to come â—… 3. Get a spirituall disposition of soul to heavenly things The soule hath her senses Two things in spirituall tast Vse 4. Wee must labour for a digestion of spirituall things Vse 5. Wee must walk in the strength of spirituall favour Consequents of this Feast is spirituall chearfulnesse 2. Thankfulnesse 3. Justifie the waies of God against carnall slanders Object Religious people are melancholy Answ It s because they are not more religious A man may be ignorant of his comforts A Christian at the worst is happier then a worldling at the best Labour to partake of this Feast All invited We are sure to perish without Christ Honour God by taking alotted comforts The Spirit of God must work us to a relish of spirituall things We must bring something to the Feast though not of our owne Wee must bring empty soules and a spirit of Faith and a spirit of Love The services of this Feast Obs There is a vail over all mens spirits by nature A two-fold vaile 1. Of the things themselves 2 Of the souls not seeing or not beleeving 3 There must be a light to make things visible All things in religion are mysterious 1. There 's a vaile of ignorance on all naturall men Naturall men know not spirituall things in their proper species A godly man sees spirituall things intritively The light of the godly is a light with influence the light of the wicked is without it Simile Simile Simile There is a vaile of unbeliefe over the unregenerate Ignorance and unbeliefe act in all sinnes 2. Obser God only can take off the vaile of ignorance and unbeliefe Reas Because of the unsuitablenes between the soule and spirituall things Foure things required in sight Foure degrees of discerning things Reas 2. Reas 3. And a disproportion also Reas 4. No creature Angels or men can bring light into the soule 3 Obs It s peculiar to the Church to have the vaile taken away It s
peculiar to the Church to know the greatest good and greatest evill 4 Obs Where the vaile is taken away there is spirituall joy and feasting Reason The same Spirit is a Spirit of Revelation and consolation Use 1. To labour to have this vaile taken off Meanes For this wee must attend on Ordinances Smile 3. Fashion not our selves after the times 4. Be carefull to practise what we know Quest Answ 5 Love what we know Use 2. Make our studies and closets Oratories for the getting of knowledge We can shut but not open our hearts to divine truths Quest How shall we know that we have heavenly light Answ 1. By a marvelling at the things of faith and the goodnesse of God in revealing them to us 2. By being carried with desire to know more and more 3. When the vaile is taken off by sanctified meanes which we can justifie by our owne experience of them Fourthly When our knowledge worketh upon us Application of this to the Sacrament Death is the great King of Kings Death spares none Death hath continued from the beginning let in by sin Sin armeth Death Hel the attendant of death Christ swallows up death in victory for himselfe and his Reas Because hee hath satisfied for sin A double kingdome of Christ 1. A kingdom of patience 2. A kingdom of power Christ conquereth for us and in us Death was conquered by Christ when he had given way to be under the power of it Use 1. First we see God gives way to his enemies for a time when he will give glorious victory Death is already swallowed up to faith Vse 2. Labour to be one with Christ crucified Vse 3. Be thankfull to God for this victory in Christ The benefits of death to a person that is in Christ Vse 4. Let those that are in Christ be ashamed of the feare of death Death terrible to the wicked They are fools that in a carnall bravery contemn death before disarmed in Christ Of Duellist Vs Of consolation to those that are in Christ Death is not only subdued but made a friend It s profitable to some to fal Satan hath advantage by our fearing death The worst the world can doe is to take away life and in that they doe the godly a pleasure Christ will draw his mysticall body to him into heaven Our comfort by Christ should make us fruitfull to Christ It s better to dye in the Lord than for the Lord. Prepare for death by getting into Christ Sin hath no Law in us to rule by * Good men easie to weepe Christ in heaven not without compassion * Psa 119. 136 * Phil. 3. 18 We have cause to weepe for the sinnes of others 1. From our love to God 2. From love to the Church and our brethren Simile Vse To condemne Stoicisme * Isa 1. 5. The best men aptest to grieve Vse 2. It s good wee doe grieve Avoid what hnders sensiblenesse The life of a Christian is a mixture of joy and sorrow Uses of joy in Christians We should picke matter of comfort out of griefe All causes of sorrow shall be removed The more teares here the more joy hereafter The Order First shed teares and then have them wiped away Reason 1. Our own necessity Simile Reason 2. For the increase of our comfort Simile Use 1. Take notice of the tender mercy of God in this that he will wipe away teares Judge not by sight for the godly here mourn most * 1 Cor. 15. 19. Be not discouraged for our own or Churches causes of griefe * Mat. 5. 4. Christians have more cause of joy than griefe and they ought to eye both This is comfortable while we live and when we die A carnall man is all joy or all sorrow The godly have a mixt condition and should have a mixt disposition Wayes are to be esteemed by their end Mat. 11. 19. Man since the fall subject to sorrow No sorrow in Paradise nor shall any be in heaven The greatest cause of the godlies mourning sin within him Rom. 7. 24. 1. A case about teares Psa 56. 8. God hath no bottle for some teares Marks of good teares 1. When their spring is the love of God 2. When wee weepe for our own sins and sins of others Truth of grace appeares more in grieving for others sins then our own 3. When our teares are shed in secret Jer. 13. 17. 4. When they tend to reformation of what they are shed for 2. Case How can a Christian joy and grieve together Phil. 4. 4. Gods people here are under rebuke and reproach Psal 137. Psal 22. 78. This text points at the conversion of the Jewes Reas There be two seeds in the world 1. Of the Serpent 2. Of the woman Carnall men would have all men thought of alike Men put a false vaile both on godlinesse and wickednesse Use 1. Take heed of laying scandal on religion Use 2. To study to be wise that wee be not misled by the misrepresentation of things The devill a lyar that he may be a murtherer Why it s the course of the world to slander Things shall be known to be as they arâ— Reason From Gods justice Revel 11. Use 1. To direct what course to take under disgrace and scandall 1. Labour to be innocent 2. To be patient 3. To be couragious 4 To be sincere 2 Cor. 5. 13. 14 2 Sam. 6. 20. 21. 5. Commend our credits to God by prayer Comfort your selfe in your own true worth 1 Cor. 4. 3. 1 Pet. 4 14. God putteth a glory upon his children under disgrace Mat. 5. 11. 12. Vse 2. For comfort to the godly their rebukes shall bee taken away God is the author of promises Use Consider God in the Promises to helpe our faith Quest How is it the the word of God sith Isaiah spake it Answ He did but write God did dictate Wee should not so much look on the Ministers as from whom they speak Quest 2. Whence hath the Scripture authority Answ From its selfe The Spirit of God in Scriptures Judge of all controversies Quest 3. How may wee know it is the Word of God but by the Chuâ—ch Answ As wee know a Letter from a friend Simile The word knowne to be of â—od 1. By its Majesty 2. Mysteriousnesse 3. Witnesse of the Spirit 4. Divine efficacy 1. In warming 2. Comforting 3. Changing 4. Casting down the soul Acts 16. 31. Adam nearest damnation 5. Searching b 1 Cor. 14 25. c Heb 4. 12. 5. The word proved to be of God from our experience 6. By reason Object The word may bee corrupted Answ The Jews lookt to the Old Testament Hereticks over the new Use 1. Let us regard heare Scriptures as the word of God Use 2. Know 1. God will make every part good Every threatning in it is ratified in heaven Use 3. Let us take shame to our selves for our infidelity in the promises Meanes To regard the word labour 〈◊〉 spirit that indited them Relishing the word makes a man a Christian indeed The points considerable Promises of God flow from Gods goodnesse Promises free and full Use Let us count promises our best treasure God taketh a long day for performance of promises Reas 1. To exercise our faith Reas 2. To waine from the creature Reas 3. To indear the things promised Reas 4. To fit us for injoyment Simile Simile A condition of waiting is a mixt condition of imperfection and perfection Wee have a taste here of what we shall have hereafter to support us Waiting is a grace whereby God sits us for an imperfect condition Waiting carrieth with it all graces 1. Patience 2. Long suffering 3. Contentment 4. Silence from murmuring 5. Watchfulnesse 6. Fruitfulnes Want of waiting the cause of wickednes Many rubs between us and heaven We are of unsetled dispositions It s hard to overcome tediousnesse of time All to be overcome by waiting God will performe promises to them that wait God keeps times and seasons in his own power There is a glorious day yet for Christians There be particular dayes of performance in this life Good to observe what dayes of performance God gives in A sight of God comparative here Absolute in heaven There 's an influence from the thing hoped for to uphold graces in waiting Simile Wee should look to the last end to fit us for it God will have us continue in a state of waiting Reas 1. It s his pleasure we should live by faith not by sight Reas 2. We are not yet fitted for sight of Glory Reas 3. Because God would have us enjoy the best at last Waiting not an empty thing Simile God fits heaven for us and us for heaven As there is a time of waiting so there will be a time of performing 1 Reas God is Jehovah Reas 2. God is faithfull Reas 3. He hath bowels of compassion towards his people Reas 4. Because the grace we have is but an earnest of what we shall have Our faith should answer Gods dealing Waiting the character of Gods people Directions to help waiting 1 Gods time is the best time 2 God will effect things though by contraries Times are in Gods hands There 's suitable action for every affection In performance of promises be much in thankfulnesse Experience of Gods performances should stir up waiting We ought to treasure up experiences God an inexhaust fountain Gods carriage towards his children is salvation Our joy and happinesse is in the enjoyment of God The joy of a Christian ends in glorying Begin to glory in God here Interest in God Christ is the ground of all rejoycing Therefore we are to make good that interest whilst we are here 1 By Union 2 By acquaintance with him The Church cannot be without Christ nor Christ without the Church In heaven nothing but in its admirable 1 Be not offended at the meanenesse of the Church 2 Nor offended with Religion for there 's a glory to come 3 Be not afraid to dye for heaven is our rest and center 4 Neither rest in any measure of grace or comfort here 5 Be not overmuch dejected for the desolation of the Church The fore taste of heaven is better than all worldly happinesse