how comes it to be so little minded and made conscience of If we profess Christ to be our Husband and head our Captain and leader ought we not to be like him and follow him I take it for granted that this will be generally assented to as being very just and Reasonable and yet without accomplishing a very diligent search into our own way may we not find at the first view much very Lamentably much unsuitableness in our walk to the Gospel Need we descend to particulars is not our unsuitableness obvious palpable and undenyable Let me but ask our selves a few questions are we making suitable use of the promises and often meditating on them Are we taken up with delighting our selves in God and in the great and excellent things contained in the promises Do we study to be like them and suitably to improve them Do we study to have those poor performances of duty that we go about so qualified as the Gospel calls for the lifelesness and whole heartedness that manifestly discover themselves in our very hearing of these things declare much what we are your Ministers are some way perplexed and puzled how to deal with you and know not well whether to speak or to be silent whether to pipe or to mourn what suitableness is there to the Gospel when the conversation of many is so spotted So far Alace are we from shining that we are rather like blind lanthorns without light I shall only for whetting an edge on this sad regrate and expostulation instance in a few of these Particulars touched on before as to our unsuitableness to the Gospel 1. Do we live by faith Alace is there such a life as this known by most of us we are readily either living securely carelesly and unconcernedly without troubling our selves with such matters or else on the other hand we give way to unbelief and will hardly admit of any thing that may settle and make us foot a stand we are found often running from one extremity to another we are either carnally vain light and frothy or we are anxious heartless and dejected and are very seldome found steering a straight course betwixt extremes and stemming the port 2. We may instance it in the exercise of Repentance which well becomes the Gospel Our Lord Christ John the Baptist and the Apostles preached it and it is commended to all It is an exercise very suitable and proper for sinners and more especially for such sinners as have had many offers of Grace and have much slighted them but where is it Ah! where is it Converts are rare in these dayes and among Converts the kindly exercise of Repentance is rare we are generally as whole-hearted as if we were living under the Covenant where there is no promise of paâ—don to a penitent sinner I mean not every sort of repentance for there is a worldly sorrow that works death there is a legal Repenâ—ance arising mainly if not only from the fear of punishment But I mean of serious and hearty Gospel-repentance arising from the consideration of Gods holiness and of his Mercy and grace in Jesus Christ that is accompanied with holy zeal fear indignation and revenge as it is described 2 Cor. 7.3 Where is self-denyall Is not that a rare thing Many of us cannot bear a word reflecting on self neither can we quit a word once uttered by us though it may be somewhat rashly and unadvisedly wherein self is Concerned but will needs maintain and defend it O! what reeling and whirling about with the time is there among us What hard pursuing after and even chasing of self-interests and designes 4. Where is spirituall joy and rejoicing in the Lord who delight themselves in the Almighty who bless themselves on earth in the God of truth Who do really and humbly boast in Him all the day-long who bless themselves in and think themselves well come to with Precious Jesus Christ as their Mediator and Redeemer as their Lord head and Husband who rejoyce and glory in the midst of tribulation in the hope of the glory of God joy in externall things is much withered away from us and it is just with God that it should be so since we live so great strangers to the joy of the Lord which is our strength upon but a very overly tryall we will easily discover that there is amongst us none or but very little spirituall joy in God I mean not only nor so much of sensible joy as of our litle active stirring up of our selves to give obedience to that Command concerning rejoycing in God alway and evermore May I not conclude then that there is great ground of expostulation with us all both believers and others who may be convinced that this lyeth indispensibly on them even to have a conversation as it becomes the Gospel of Christ Ah! how litle conscience is made of it O! mourn for and Lament our short-comings as to this and fall to the work fall about it more then ever as your main business to have a conversation becoming the Gospel many already are a reproach and a shame to the Gospel and it will disclaim them and who shall live to see it a great many moe will be so Alace few or none of us all have a Conversation as becomes the Gospel which is a Lamentation and should be for a Lamentation The Third Use is of Exhortation that seeing such a conversation is so much and with such speciality called for and yet so litle seriously endeavoured by most let me turn over to you the Apostleâ— exhortation to the Philippians if ye would know how to behave at home and abroad in the duties of Worship and in the duties of your particular callings stations and relations even in all Commanded Duties then Only let your Conversation be as it becomes the Gospel of Christ And beware of doing any thing that is unbecoming the Gospel or that may give ground to speak any ill of it beware of letting the precious Promises ly by you unimproved but study to be like them O study Holiness in all manner of Conversation which is not only and simply to be Holy or to have Holiness but a Holiness influenced by the Gospel-promises in Christ believingly improved as the Apostle exhorts 2 Cor. 7.1 Not only to be externally holy but to be in the exercise of the graces of the Spirit within to cleanse from all filthiness of the Spirit as well as of the flesh especially to purify the heart the fountain of Pollution even to study to be pure as he is pure to aime at Holiness in the strength of Christ in the largest extent and in the Highest pitch and yet to be denyed to it and all vain conceit of it even to account it but loss in the point of Justification before God to be in the Practice of all the duties of Religion Sweetly Pleasantly Heartsomely and cheerfully walking under all sorts of lots with a Gospel contentedness This O!
silent to the Lord If the heart cannot so well and distinctly say Amen to the bargain Let it as it were hold its tongue or hold its peace let it be silent say nothing against it or give a silent quiet answer or by way 〈◊〉 Approbation and Acceptation keep silence and 〈◊〉 shall be accepâ—ed O wonderfull stooping Doth nâ— this declare and manifestly Preach the exceeding greâ—â— willingness that our sweet Lord Jesus hath to Communicat and apply his purchase to sinners Ninthlâ— Consider the Persons on whom he confers the offer aâ—â— the manner how he Prosecuts it and it may yet furthâ—â— hold forth how seriously willing he is that sinne should welcome it and be made up by it who 〈◊〉 pray are called Luke 14 21 It 's the Poor the Blinâ— the Maimed the Halt the Lame c. And are the any that can say they are worse If thou say I can 〈◊〉 nothing I am Maimed and cannot come The Gospâ—â— bids call the Cripple and provides Him a Chariot of 〈◊〉 wood of Lebanon Paved with love and having 〈◊〉 speak so all the Seats and cushions of it of love Caâ—â— 3.10 And giveth stilts or crutches of Grace to undeâ— prop and Eagles wings to carry them If thou be 〈◊〉 confused body and worst not what to do it bids caâ— the Blind If thou be Poor Blind Miserable Wretâ—ed and Naked and yet having conceited and faâ—ciâ—â— that thou wast Rich Thou art not excluded for all that 〈◊〉 for Revel 3.18 Laodicea consists of a Hypocritie Pack and company of Luke-warm Professours wâ—â— are so loathsome to Christ that He threatens to speâ—â— them out of his mouth And yet to such even to sucâ—â— he saith I counsell thee to buy of me c. And if the be invited who can exempt or exclude themselvâ— from the offer or bargain Do not these things moâ—â— Convincingly and Irrefragably demonstrat his willinâ—ness When there is not a sinner that is either Pooâ— proud vain Hypocritical c. But he is included 〈◊〉 the call of the Gospel Tenthly Consider his urgenâ— and pressingnâ—ss in making and bearing home the offer O how long-suffering is He And with what Patience doth he wait on It 's not an Ambassage that 's broken up if it be not presently closed with as a hastie-man doth but All the day have I stretcheâ— out my hands to again-saying people Isaiah 65. Jerusalem Jerusalem how often would I have gathered thee c. Matth. 23. How doth wisdom stand and press her invitation Prov. 1 20. and 8.1 2. c. Ezek. 18.31.32 Turn you at my Rebuke why wâ—ll ye die Luke 14.23 Go to the high wayes and compell them to come in 1 John 3.23 This is his Comâ—andment that ye believe on the Name of the Son of God It 's not left as an indifferent thing at sinners option to do or not do but the same Authority that enjoines keeping the Sabbath and that forbids Cursing and Swearing doth lay on this Command of Believing Come to the Wedding Beleve man and woman and be saved and what is all this to the bowels of Mercy Grace and Love that are in him His Belly is like Ivory overlaid with Saphirs His face is white and Ruddy a part whereof this is and yet it 's nothing to speak so to the principall copie which is his heart that 's a great depth even the very Center and Element as it were of love God is love saith John as if he were nothing else but love and what a love must it be where he is to speak so turned into love in the person of Christ Angels cannot to the full consider of it nor conceive it Your hearts cannot reach it sure there is much wonderfully much ground here to lay it for an undoubted truth that our Lord Jesus is exceedingly desirous of the Salvation of sinners and of many sinners and is in a great readiness to make his Righteousness forth-coming to them and heartily to welcom all that come to him The Second use is of Exhortation and ye may at first blush see whither it runs Even to stir us up to accept of and embrace these good news with glad hearts is there here a good bargain and a sure way through Faith to make use of it And is Christ so willing to Communicat it What shall I say to you Is it not a pity to miss it Nay would ye do Christ a pleasure then lay weight on his Righteousness and give him sinfull Souls to be saved by him if we sought great or hard things from you to please him would you not judge your selves oblidged to grant them But when he saith on the matter give me your Souls to be saved and I shal account that Satisfaction to me for all the travell of my Soul O How unspeakably great is your Obligation readily and cheerfully to grant so loving and reasonable a request l If such a gracious offer had never been made It would have been Men and Brethren what shall we do And there would have been a mighty great scaring and trembling to draw neer but when it is not to the Mount that cannot be touched not to Moses that we are called to come but to a Saviour whom ye cannot please better then Nay not at all but by receiving of him and whom in some respect ye cannot displease at all if ye receive him let me beseech and obtest you as ye would not be found guilty of treading this blood of thâ— Covenant under foot and as ye would not for evâ—r debar your selves from Remission of sins with him make use O make use of this Propitiation for sin and for procuring your Pardon and peace would to God this were the fruit of such a days work for indeed it 's our great work and the very scope of all our Preaching And behold I Proclaim to you that Remission of sins is to be had thorow his Blood and that there shall not be any upbraiding of you nor casting up of bygones if ye will indeed receive him and close with him on his own sweet easy and very reasonable terms O then sit not this urgent Call and the day of your merciful Visitation And to press this Exhortation a litle Consider that Grace hath a Throne and shall triumph in this Gospel either in your gâ—ining or in being avenged upon you for your despising of its richest and freest offers Let us I Pray reason the matter with you a litle And First Are there not sinners here There is not a designe in this Gospel to save any others but sinners and if so to you is this Salvation set who by Nature are sinners enemies and at feud with God The Doctrine of this Gospel carries in its bosom Remission of sins would to God ye were suitably affected with sin and Judging your selves that so ye might be in some Capacity to receive it Sâ—condly Tell me what is it that ye would be at Is it Remission of sins It 's here
would ye have the Covenant and Promises here they are Is it Christ himself that ye would have because ye dare not trust to a promise without a Cautioner Here he is or would ye have Heaven and be Eternally happy It 's also here Consider then I beseech you what is in your Offer dare you say that the security is not valid good and sufficient And if ye should there are many witnesses in Heaven against you and also the Sacrament on Earth which now is offered to confirm you This bargain therefore and its security must be receiv'dr else wo unto you for ever This word which we now Preach Nay these stones shall bear witness against you that our Lord Jesus was willing to save you and every one of you and ye would not And therefore your Blood shall be required at your own hand and He found without any the least Culpable accession to it Thirdly Ye are either to Communicat to day or ye are only to be hearers and Spectators whether the one or the other Is there not a necessity that ye close this bargain If ye be to Communicat will ye take the Bread and wine and misken and slight Christ If so ye will eat and drink your own Damnation would you have the Character of a right Communicant This is it that ye renounce your own and trust to his Righteousness and take the Sacrament for a confirmation of your interest in it If ye come thus ye shal be welcome for this Ordinance is appointed for this very end if ye be not to Communicat this word of the Gospel comes to you though ye have secluded your selves from the Sacrament either thorow Ignorance or scandal It might be a sweet Communion to you If yet Christ get a welcome and it should I assure you in his Name make way to a new communion here or in Heaven But Fourthly I would a litle mote particularly beseech you to consider that ye must either give Christ a welcome or not a yea or a naysay a grant or a denyal for there is no mean or middle This day shall not pass and go by without a hit or a miss to speak so Christ will not knock at your door and nothing follow or be done It will either be that Christ was at such a time ruzed or commended and made offer of and his People would have none of him or that the heart opened as the heart of Lydia unto the Lord and that Salvation came to the Soul as it did to Zacheus his house your time is but short and uncertain Ye know not if ye shall come another Sabbath to hear some that now speak to you and some that hear are dayly removed And this bids you make haste to creep in to him quickly without longer delay while his armes are stretched out to receive and embrace you There are several sorts among you that keep at a distance from Christ but I would have all of you soberly to think whether ye will say Yea or Nay There is here what may silence and satisfy any Soul that thwarts with the call of God Can ye say that there is any better bargain any better security or any heartier call and invitation Let us come and reason together saith the Lord Isaiah 1.18 19 Though your sins be as Crimson they shall be as white as Snow though they be red as Scarlet they shal be as Wooll if ye be willing and obedient ye shall eat the good of the land but if ye refuse and rebel ye shall be destroyed Our Lords Blood is of that efficacy that it can make Crimson and Scarlet-coloured sins white white as Snow and Wooll Why do ye then linger stick stand or halt Ye will it may be Object and say First I would fain come if I durst but Consider I pray you that it 's Christ and the Covenant and Grace on the Throne that call you and this is their voice Thou hast spoken and done evil as thou couldest yet return unto me and therefore fear and tremble yet come fear and bring your sins with you to the Fountain to be washen and to a skirt of his love to be covered thereby and you shall on your coming be cleansed and covered But it may be ye will Next Object and say I would fain come but I cannot come for Answer Let me ask you Is there a Soul in hell this day that can say I would fain have come and could not come That which we seek of you is to make no long tedious or toilsome Voyage if there be honesty it 's only that when Christ is come to you ye will be willing to receive him and if ye thus come ye are Believers Do not I beseech you mistake in thinking and thereby obstructing your own coming that persons must first be Believers and then come to Christ No but first ye must come with the litle glimmering that ye have and â—ame as ye are and it will go with you his Chariot is waiting for you and the very Cripplest of you that cannot come of your selves to Christ if ye be willing to close with him on his own terms He shall come to you But it 's like some will in the Third place Object and say Alace I am very indisposed to come For Answer I shall grant it may indeed be true but yet consider who are invited it 's the Poor Blind Halt Maimed Wretched and Miserable O what unfitness have such and yet none of them are excepted against I would have none to be presumptuous and vain but if indeed ye would fain come ye cannot come so indisposed as the bargain will on that account be cast It will not be the want of a Disposition that shall cast it else the Cripple and Blind and Luke warm Laodiceans had never been invited whether is a suitable disposition of your own making or of Christs Sure it 's of his and can ye expect ought from him without coming to him or Believing in him But Fourthly Some will Object and say Alace I have often come and broken away again How can I then Believe that I am invited For Answer I would desire you to Consider whether that Objection tends Even to question the truth of the Gospel our Lord Jesus saith He came to save sinners and ye say I would fain know if that be true or not if ye be Poor Blind Miserable Naked c. And have need He commands us to invite and call such and it 's the way of unbelief to make them scare at Christ and stand furthest a back from him who have most need to draw near to him if ye have come and broken afterward Come again and where a knot hath not holden cast a new one But alace There is a sort of Careless Atheists and secure Hypocrits whom this Gospel strikes dead and carnall worldlings who have no serious thoughts of what is coming I would pose such and ask you Care ye for your Souls
evening though ye did not so much as designe or aime at this throughout the day And can ye with any shadow of reason think ye have attained it or can attain it who never seriously proposed this as a Rule to your selves to walk by nor never had a Conscience-disquieting challenge for such neglect and manifest short-coming 2. What Labour are ye at what pains take ye to prosecute such a designe and blessed project as this It 's one thing to pray to be about external duties of Religion and to be a Christian in the letter and another thing to be in these duties after a heavenly manner and to be a Christian indeed a Christian inwardly and in the spirit whose praise is not of men but of God Is it really your honest aime designe and endeavour whatever be the attainment to be as much Heavenly in your conversation as it is to be civil and formal or to attend the outward Ordinances I fear many of you cannot say it is 3. What weight lyes on your spirits for your short coming in this Ye will be like say we are all short which is a sad truth for indeed so we are but are ye really weighted and grieved for your short-coming in this Have there been any times taken to deal purposely with the Lord to remove the earthly mind and to help to Heavenly-mindedness Have there been challenges and any measure of serious heart-exercise because of the want of a heavenly mind and that not only sometimes at the hearing of a Sermon or in time of sickness or when under some other trouble but in your more constant and habituall walk Is it one of the great things for which ye blame and find fault with your selves before God And though your outside and visible Conversation be blameless yet while you look on the carnalness and earthliness of your mind and on the want of this Divine and heavenly frame of soul it makes you hang the head marres your boldness and as it were layes your feathers because do what ye can your heart will not abide in heaven If it be thus It 's a token for good and some ground of peace but O! How rare is this many of you be like have often overly prayed Forgive us our sins who never took with nor prayed for the Pardon of this sin but have lyen down at night and risen up in the morning having your hearts plunged and pudled in the world without once minding heaven in earnest and yet have never been challenged for it Q sad state The Third Use Serves to Reprove and Expostulat for this unworthy carriage for having either nothing at all or but very litle of a Conversation in Heaven We take it for granted that many of us are far from it and that all of us are litle in it but very few even of the best are dayly and constantly Conversing in Heaven Alace it's but now and then with many sad interruptions For quickning this reproof and expostulation a litle let me propose these few Queries to you and in the First place do ye not know that the neglect of this is a sin and the breach of a Command Be ye followers of me 2. Is not this an excellent duty and royall priviledge to be admitted to converse in Heaven And therefore the neglect of it must not only be a sin but a great sin even a trampling on the Grace of God a slighting of heaven and of a most noble priviledge and dignity 3. Think ye Heaven to be of great worth if so must not conversing in heaven be of much worth Will ye never so much as once go to see the house wherein ye say ye are to dwel Q How unsuitable a thing is it that those who are but dayes men here should sit down and settle on the earth without minding Heaven and be so confined within time as not seriously to mind eternity 4. How can ye come before God with confidence and boldness who do not endeavour thus to walk with him Can ye say with Holy boldness Our Father which art in Heaven Whose Conversation is not Heavenly Can ye pray for Holiness and say these words Thy will be done on Earth as it is done in Heaven who never studied to be heavenly in any duty that ye put hand to But 5. And above all I would ask you can ye hope to die comfortably nay can ye hope to die in safety as to your souls who know not heaven nor what is there nor what is the way to it It gives a man confidence and comfort at death that he hath conversed in heaven in his life-time such a man hath but litle to do when he comes to die he knows the way and is not afraid he knows the company and longs to be with them he knows the privileges and longs for the full enjoyment of them he hath litle here his Treasure is above in heaven and his heart Faith Love and hope are there his Anchor is cast within the vail and he would fain be ashore sure this is the Believers both duty and priviledge do not think that it is only called for from some More then ordinary Christians and who have nothing else to do the matter is not so it 's most certainly a duty to which ye are all called that have a mind to land fairly in heaven when ye come off the troublesome tossing and tempestuous Sea of this world Now Therefore in the Last room as the Fourth Use of the Doctrine I Exhort beseech and Obtest in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ all of you that lay any claim to the hope of heaven that ye would and more then ever study to have your Conversation in heaven Q Be followers of Paul and of his fellows in this thing Need we adduce any motives to press this Is not the duty clear And is it not a most excellent duty a most desireable qualification of a Christian walk Is not heaven Transcendently excellent And is it not excellent to be heavenly minded and conversant in heaven Wherein may we expect to prevail with you if not in bringing you to heaven what is the thing that should sweeten the study of holiness to you Is it not this even that by having your conversation in heaven ye come thither Those who are now in heaven think it a great motive and if it be not a motive to you ye will one day curse your selves that ye Neglected it studie it therefore in due time This is the way to be free of the encombrances of an evil World there is no hazard of this estate its being forfeited or sequestred there are no Plunderings nor quarterings here no poverty nor pain nor any sad evil occurrent here Q what a desirable life is it to be above all those things And indeed in so far as your Conversation is heavenly in so far ye are above them and live the life of Angels It 's like ye will Ask what
Life may be made sure to lost Sinners that came to Christ Why I pray was the Covenant made was it not for this end As it is Heb. 8. This is my Covenant saith the Lord that I will make with the house of Israel I will be Merciful to their unrighteousness and their sins and Iniquities will I remember no more no more O sweet sound What is the designe of the Mediator in his Sufferings Is it not this So John 10.10 I am come that they might have Life and have it more abundantly and John 17. For their sakes I Sanctifie my self that they also may be Sanctified and here the new Covenant in his Blood is for the Remission of the sins of many and this being the mean for attaining the end It is Impossible that it can misgive or fail Thirdly Consider the Contrivance of the Covenant and ye will see that it is impossible it can fall Heaven and Earth shall sooner fail then one Title of this sworn and confirmed Covenant It cannot fail on the Mediators side for he hath Payed the price already Neither can it fail on Jehovahs side He will not fail to make Application of Grace to sinners nor be unfaithful to the Faithfull Mediator And since upon the one side Justice had access to exact of Christ the full price even to the least farthing by vertue of the Covenant of Redemption when he became surety will not the same Covenant on the other side make it out that Grace shall have as good access to Pardon the sinner for whom be undertook For he saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 5. was made sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him If the Covenant which is one hath had the designed effect in and on the Mediator as to his fulfilling all that was undertaken by him therein shall not the Promises made to him as namely these Isaiah 53.10.11 He shall see his seed the Pleasure of the Lord shall Prosper in his hand by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many take effect and be fulfilled Doubtless they will most certainly and infrustrably Fourthly Consider the great experience which the Saints have had of the truth of this in all ages are there any this day before the Throne Blessing the Lamb and him that sits thereon or any that are on their way thither ward But they are so many wiâ—nesses of this Truth that closing with Christ hath good Security for Remission of sins and for Eternal life There shall never be one who shall have it to say I trusted to this security and it failed me and hereupon riseth the sweet Song Worthy is the Lamb to receive Power and Riches and Wisdome and Strength and Honour and Glory and Blessing Revel 5.12 Nay even those in the Pit shall bear witness to this truth for saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 2.15 We are unto God a sweet Savour in them that are saved and in them that Perish to the one we are the Savour of Death unto death and to the other the Savour of Life unto life And in the preceeding words he saith Thanks be to God which alwayes causeth us to triumph in Christ He maketh the Triumph of the Faithfull Ministers of the Gospel some way to be in them that are damned by his taking Vengeance on them for despising His Grace offered and they are made to see that it was a sure bargain to them that through Grace embraced it And it this be so Good a bargain to them that embrace it and so very siker and sure What I pray are we seeking But that this good bargain and the sufficient security thereof may be taken hold on as it is proposed alter not the terms of it and indeed it would be very unreasonable to presume to do so or so much as to desire an alteration of them for though we had them at our own contriving We could never by very fat contrive them so well Nay let me say if Angels were Preaching to you they would think it a Priviledge to have access to mention His precious Name Now seeing it is the Great designe of the Gospel to have sinners closing with Christ on his own Terms O do not frustrat the Grace of God And seeing Grace makes offer of Life Life and of Remission of sins to sinners to save them freely let Grace get such sinners to save as it 's seeking and it shall be a bargain Thirdly To prosecute this yet a litle further ye would consider that as there is a good bargain to be had thorow Christ and by Faith in him and as there is good security for it so it is our Lords delight and good Pleasure and he is very desirous that sinners should make Application of it by Faith receive and rest on him and his righteousness for making themselves eternally Happy We are not speaking of such a Happiness and security that the Lord will be angry at you if ye take hold of it but of a happiness and security that he is seriously willing ye should receive And he doth most earnestly beseech you to take hold of this Covenant on these Sweet and easy terms that ye be Heartily content and well Pleased with it O sensible sinners do ye indeed believe this when we Preach to you that our Lord Jesus is as desirous to have you saved as ye are and that his righteousness be closed with as ye are to have it Nay more that there was never a Soul more hungry and greedy when with a heart chock-full of desires after it to Communicat then he is seriously willing to admit such a Soul to Commonion with him Then as ye would do him a Pleasure and it 's all that ye can do keep not a distance but step to and take what he Offers not only the Sacrament but himself in it for your head Husband and Lord and that ye may not Scare-stand nor halt to do so Consider that there is not only a warrant to come but that he calleth you to come and is ready heartily to welcome you come on his call and his call is no less broad then the call of the Gospel there is a warrant given you on your hearing of the Gospel and quiting of your own righteousness to receive Christ and his Righteousness and to admit of him to the exercise of his offices about you according to the Covenant And indeed we know not a truth of the Gospel that hath mo confirmations then this hath viz. That Christ the Mediator is very willing and desirous that sinners close with him and get the good of his Purchase For the making out of which take these following Considerations First what is the great designe of the Covenant but this As we have it Isaiah 61 1 2 3. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me because he hath anointed me to Preach good tidings to the meek He hath sent me to bind up the broken hearted to
Consolations of God being dilated Capacitated Elevated and enlarged for that very end Fourthly This Communion is uninterrupted there shall be nothing to mar it no Cross no Sin no Temptation to sin For no unclean thing enters within the Gates of the new Jerusalem no Curse no Cry in those Streets no weeping no Sorrow no sighing for any thing past nor Horrour nor fear from the apprehension of any evil coming nor any the least mis-turning of the Lambs Song of Praise the heart shall to speak so be so stringed and bended as it shall never again slack in its bent but be stil keeped at its highest note our Harps shall never hang any more on the Willows but we shall keep them still in our hand chanting the Praises of the Redeemer to that new Heavenly Tune never heard on earth with Psalmes of victory in our hands and Crowns of Glory on our heads following the Lamb whithersoever He goes Fifthly It is an Eternall communion we shall drink for ever with him and be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of his house and made Holily drunk with the River of his pleasures with whom is the Fountain of Life and in whose light we shall eminently see light whose Well of life is always running in Whose presence is fulness of joys and at his right hand Pleasures for evermore though through all Eternity thousands and Millions will be drinking of this new Wine yet it shall never be the less but is and shall be still fresh and flowing Now for Application Let me ask you do ye believe this that there is such a day coming and that these are the true and Faithfull sayings of God O! If ye all that hear me this day did indeed believe it the belief of it sure is very suitable and would make a very sweet life ye will never be Holy ye will never aright fear nor love God ye will never hate sin nor be heartsome in his Service neither will ye be truly thankful till ye really Believe it I am afraid if Atheists Earthly Wretches drunkards Tipplers Cursers Swearers Hypocrites c. Were singled out and Separated from among us they would be found to be but a smal number who Believe this Do ye or can ye Believe it that have your Portion in this life and seek no more Nay believers if ye indeed Believe it why are ye so heartless Why envy ye the poor prosperity of the men of the world Why do ye not press after this mark and Prize If ye believed it suitably your hearts would laugh within you your Spirits would rejoice your faces would some way shine and what is spoken of this day would have a Divine splendor and lustre in your eyes If you believe it why is it not your work and business to live so as ye may hope to drink of this cup of this new Wine with Christ in Heaven Though ye should drink water all your days this Wine will abundantly compense that though now the bread of some of you be but brown this feast of truly Royal dainties is before you our Christian friends that are gone are feeding sweetly on it Long O Believers to be with them and take it not ill though ye be here somewhat straitned and kept scarce and have but a litle portion a small pittance and scant measure of the things of this world when others fare well and Sumptuously live high are Gorgiously apparelled Your Feast and Royal Robes are before you The Rich and great men of this world whose portion is in this life care litle for Poor bodies that seek Gâ—d care ye as litle for their portion as they care for yours they shall not a litle hence get a drink nay not a drop of cold water when ye shall drink this new Wine this Royal wine in abundance Christs Servants shall eat when they shall be hungry his servants shall drink when they shall be thirsty they shall sing for joy of heart when the others shall mourn and howl for vexation of spirit as it is Isaiah 65.13 O seek after clearness of interest in him that ye may throughly Believe Love and long for this life This heartsome Communion with Christ in Heaven is reserved for them that keep Communion with him here on earth and to them it is here promised I will not say that none can get Heaven but those who get the Sacrament but this I dare boldly say that those who have not Communion with Christ here shall never get Commvnion with him hereafter and whoever Communicat honestly here shall have Communion with Christ in Glory be ye comforted who believe in Christ who Covenant honestly with him and who hope in his mercy For He and ye together shall have a compleatly full immediat uninterrupted and eternal Communion in Heaven that shall new end Need ye to be confirmed in the truth of this hiâ— word may serve you and ye have the Sacrament besidâ— he hath left his word to hearten poor Believers undâ— all their inward and outward troubles under their Spâ—ritual maladies and bodily sicknesses and infirmities aâ— to assure them for their comfort that there is a goâ—â— life coming and be hath given the Sacrament as a pledgâ— of it will ye then consider seriously whether this woâ—â— belong to you and if ye may with his allowance heaâ—ten your selves from it that there is a day coming thâ— ye shall get Communion with Christ in Heaven Hâ— doth not mean that all that get the Sacrament get thâ— Communion For Judas who not unprobably got thâ— Sacrament is excluded Would ye know then whâ— have been honest Communicants to day that may expect this Heavenly Communion And me thinks thaâ— every one of you that hath any serious concern for yoâ— Souls will be roused here and greedily longing foâ— marks and evidences of that But if any of you woulâ— be at evidences to make you secure I declare I havâ— none such to give you But I shall hint at Two or Three which may be as directions in duty to you who minâ— honestly The First whereof is Luke 22.29 Ye arâ— they that have continued with me in my Temptation anâ— I appoint unto you a Kingdom here it is clear that theâ— Two go together viz. Continuing with Christ in hiâ— temptations and Coming to his Kingdom In a worâ— it is not to be religious for the fashion but in earnest is not to be Religious for a day or two or in somâ— trials only but to continue in it and with him in hâ—â— Temptations what ever they be Not only to be Râ—ligious when religion is countenanced but when it discountenanced and persecution is met with for it sake and when there are many snares and temptations to draw you away 't is a stedfast abiding with Christ in trying times Summer and Winter so to say If a blast of triall and temptation come and ye grow giddy and wavering in the truth Or if a spirit of Profanity come and look for