IT hath been so ordered in the good Providence of God, that ye have lately heard of that main, very comprehensive and indispensibly necessary duty, cal­led for from all that would worthily partake of the ordi­nance of the Lords Supper, for which we are now making ready, viz. Self Examination; In reference to which the Apostle having perceived many faults, and failings in these Corinthians, and much unsuitableness as to their communicating; gives advertisment that whoever for the time to come would aright approach to the Table of the Lord, would examine themselves, and so eat: and knowing well that this is a difficult exercise, and that there is naturally a great deal of averseness in peoples hearts from it; he Judgeth it meet to Press the exhortation to that necessary, though difficult duty, by [Page 2] a reason or Motive set down in the words now read in your hearing, For he that eateth and drinketh unworthi­ly, eateth and drinketh Damnation to himself; As if he had said, you had need to look well to the examination of your selves, for if ye neglect or miscarry in that duty, your hazard and danger is dreadfully great through un­worthy communicating; which if ye would escape, then make conscience narrowly and carefully to exa­mine your selves: The last words of the verse are a con­firmation of the reason, and do shew why the Lord is so holily severe in punishing and Plaguing those who approach to this Table unworthily through not exa­mining of themselves? because They discern not the Lords Body; The force whereof is, that there is a most singular and graci [...]us presence of the Lord Christ in the Sacrament of his Supper, and therefore the person who goes not aright about it; doth put a great disrespect upon, yea doth even vilifie him who is thus present in that ordinance.

It is the first Part of these Words, that at this time we would mainly speak to; wherein we would explicat the meaning of these three. 1. To eat and drink un­worthily, here, is to eat and drink unsuitably or unbe­comingly; as the Apostle when he willeth the Christi­an Romans Chap. 16.2. To receive Phebe as becometh and is suitable to Saints, he makes use of the word wor­thily, for so it is in the Original; and this being the opposite to that, is to be understood, unsuitably and unbecomingly, to such a manifestation o [...] the love of Christ, in giving himself to, and for his people: as in our common language, when a man does a thing un­suitably, we say he did it unworthily, when it answers not the end proposed. 2. Judgment or Damnation here, takes in these three things. 1. A Temporal stroke: as [Page 3] v. 30 31. For this cause many among you are sickly and weak, and many sleep. 2 It may look to eternal Judge­ment, as Damnation is often taken in Scripture. 3. It may look to Spiritual Judgements; for though a Be­liever be not capable of eternal Judgement: yet by un­worthy Communicating he may draw upon himself temporal stroakes and spiritual Judgements; he may much wear out the life of Grace, and bring himself un­der blasting and withering; and unbelievers draw upon themselves not only those, but eternal damnation, and that with a higher degree of aggravation. 3. That he is said to Eat and Drink this to himself, as in the for­mer verse a man is C [...]mmanded to Examine himself; It may take in these two, as aimed at by the Apostle, 1. It is to provoke every man to his particular duty, from his particular haza [...]d, He hazards his own soul, 2. Its put here to shew the restriction of the Judge­ment according to the Sun; and so, if a man examine himself, though others neglect it, the Judgment shal not overtake him; but if he examine not himself, who­ever escape Judgement, he shal not escape it; and thus its an encouragement to a man to go about the duty of Self-examination, as well as a motive of terror; Corinth being corrupted with man [...] abuses, one Person could not amend all: well (sayes he) Let a man examine himself, and so he shal escape the hazard, if not, he will fall under it.

We shal First draw some observations from the words, and then speak a word for Use.

First it is supposed here, that in this ordinance of the Lords Supper there is a special eminencie, excellencie dignitie and worth; or, this Ordinance of the Lords Supper, is of a singular Solemn nature: and this I gather partly from this verse considered in it self, He [Page 4] that Eats and Drinks unworthily, implies that there is a special worthiness in it, that a man should not offer in­dign [...]ty to; and partly from the connexion of this verse with the former, for it is made a reason why he presses particular and strict Self-examination, which shews that there is a more singular excellencie in this ordinance then in others: and partly from the context, for every Circumstance speaks out a Solemnity in this Ordinance, as 1. The night when it was instituted, vers. 23 The same night in which he was betrayed, and when he was taking his goodnight of his Disciples, 2. His jealousie of, and his quarrelling and threatening for the abuse of this Ordinance, Speaks out a speciall excellencie in the Ordinance; that all who approach thereunto should be suitably affected with: all the ordinances of the Lord are excellent: for if all his works be excellent, Then much more the Gospel-ordinances, as being a step above those: and yet this ordinance of the Lords Supper seems dignified with an eminencie and excellencie above them all. 1. In reference to what it sets out and exhibits: They all set out love, but this sets out love in an emi­nent degree: for it sets forth the Lords Death, wherein the most eminent step and degree of his Love shines, Yea this Ordinance sets out his actual dieing, and so sets out his Love in its Liveliest Colours, and as the great Master-piece of it. 2. In respect of the excellent Be­nefits communicated in it; It is true, there is no other thing on the matter communicat in it, then there is Communicat in the word and Baptisme, Yet if we look to the words, Take ye, eat ye, this is my Body, They hold out Christ Jesus not so much giving any Particular gift, as actually conferring himself in his Death and Suf­fering; And the main scope being to conferr Christ and all that is in him to the Believer, It holds out some way [Page 5] the excellencie of this ordinance beyond others. 3. In respect of the manner how our Lord Jesus makes over himself; whereby I mean not only the clearness of his making over himself for in this ordinance there is the clearest view of a slain Saviour, and of Covenanting wi [...]h God; and often the most comfortable manifestati­ons of Love go alongst with it, for which cause its cal­led eminently the Communion; But also that there is here a clear glance of Heaven upon earth, Jesus Christ and his People mixing (to speak so) and being fami­liar together; he condescending not only to keep com­pany with them, but to be their food and refreshment: and he giving them not only the word to their faith, but himself (as it were) to their sense: in so far as the mean whereby He communica eth himself is more sen­sible: It is by his Spirit that the mean is made effectual: and there is not only a fixedness of Faith on ou [...] Part but a sort of Divineness in the ordinance it self: the very First fruits of Heaven being communicat, as it were, to the very senses of the Believer: I say unto you, (sayes the Lord, Matth. 26 29.) I will not Drink henceforth of the Fruit of the Vine, until that day, I Drink it new with you in my Fathers Kingdome; where he seems to point out a more speciall way of keeping communion with his people in this Ordinance, in resemblance to that which he will have with them in heaven: There being here a more speciall union and communion be­twixt the head and members sealed up, a type of that which is to be in Heaven, A taste whereof is sometimes given in this ordinance of the Communion: hence, its not only called the Communion, as in the foregoing Chapter, but the communion of the Body and Blood of Christ, and the Table of the Lord.

The first Use of it serves to let us see how much we [Page 6] are oblidged to Christ Jesus, what could he have given more then himself? And what mean could have been invented, that could have mo e confirmed and warmed the hearts of his people then this, which is so lively a representation and Commemoration of his Blessed Body? very like we might come to d [...]scern His body better, if there were a more high estimation of this or­dinance: not as if there were any efficacie in it of it self to communicat Grace: Yet in respect of Christs institution, its a most lively mean of Grace, and there is not a circumstance in all the action, but its to be wondered at: as that it was instituted the same night he was betrayed: and a [...]ter the Paschall Supper when the Traitor Judas was going to bring the band of Souldiers to take him: That he warrands us to take it, and that we have therein sweet Communion amongst our selves: every thing in it ought to draw us to admire his suffer­ings, and the great love they came from, and the notable affects thereof [...]o us.

The second Use, serves to Provoke us to studie to be in a Solemn Divine Heavenly frame, for such a So­lemn Divine Heavenly action as this is: and thorowly to examine our selves, and to see that all things be in good order: like to a bride that is to be Married to morrow, who will be trying on her marriage cloathes, and seeing that all things be right. I shal not descend to particulars, but in Three or Four words in the general, only point at such a frame as we conceive is called for from you. 1. It should be such a frame as ye would desire to be in, if Christ were coming personally and visibly to Marrie you to morrow: and O! That this night might thus be a Brydel or Marriage evening to us all: Consider what frame we w [...]uld wish to be in, if we were to meet with him, and strike hands with him [Page 7] personally and visibly, Studie and seek after such a frame. 2. It should be such a frame as we would de­sire to have if we were going to give up the Ghost, when all earthly things will be insignifi ant and of little worth to us: even such a Frame as if our eternal Peace and happiness were depending on that chock, This would be the night of making our Testament (as it were) and of the adjusting our accounts with God and of put­ting things to a Point betwixt him and us; other wayes our debt may increase and grow greater, and it will not be so easie for us to win to a discharge of it. 3. It should be such a frame as we would desire to be found in, if the day of Judgement were coming, and if that day were to be to morrow: O! how humble, how abstract­ed from the things of a present world, and how confirm­ed in the Faith of Gods love, would we study to be, If the voice of the Arch angel, and of the last Trumpet were sounding, and a Solemn meeting of all before the Tribunal of Christ were presently to be? what a frame (I say) would ye desire to be in in such a case? Even such a frame should ye study to be in this night as ye would desire to be found in, In that day: We fear it will be to many then a Prick and a sting in their Con­sciences within them, That they made so little Consci­ence to be in a suitable frame for this so Solemn an O [...] ­dinance; The Text tells that a sentence will pass on every one of you, and you would by all means labour to be in such a Posture as the sentence may not be ter­rible to you. 4. It should be a Heavenly and Divine frame, for if it be a Heavenly and Divine action, ye would consider what a frame it calleth for; how ab­stracted (as I just now said) the Heart should be from the Worldr, and from your carnall delights. How much in Heaven and conversant with God, what a pitch [Page 8] your communion with God should be raised to, in apprehending of, and meditating on him, in consider­ing of, and admi [...]ing at the Sufferings of Christ and at the love they came from: tasting that he is good, and even deligh [...]ing and solacing your selves in his love, which is the Lords allowance on his People, when the action is humbly and reverently gone about.

2. Observe, that though this [...]e a most singularly Solemn Ordinance and Solemnly to be gone about, yet oftimes men and women go most unworthily about it and abuse it: This is implyed in the words, and we need not many proofs of it: If we will read from the 20. vers. to this, we will find it sufficiently proved: and if we look forward to vers 30 and 31 We will find that many sad strokes came on these Corinthians for a­busing and profaning this Ordinance, and the Apostle would have them gathering their unworthy communi­cating from these strokes: There is a readiness both in unbelievers and in believers themselves to miscarry in going about this ordinance: a readiness in unbelievers, for as they Spoile all things, all ordinances and duties they meddle with, all things being unclean to the unbe­liever, So there is a miserable and woful necessitie lying upon them to spoil this Ordinance: and a readiness even in Believers, who also may miscarry therein, as is implied in the last words of the Chapte [...] compared with vers. 32. When we are Judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the World: Some of them that were believers were chastised for this fault to prevent their eternal ruine: and are there any acquainted with their own corrupt nature but they may and will in some measure find in themselves an aptitude to miscarry, as in all other duties and ordinances so in this: But the Doctrine holds out a singular and [Page 9] peculiar bentness to misca rie [...]n this duty and Ordi­nance, So tha [...] one who will p [...]ay with advertencie and be ca [...]ried fairly thorow in that and several other du ies, may yet in this Ordinance fall under the guilt of un­worthy Communicating: The reasons of it may be these. 1. Because the more Solemn the duty be, and the greater concurrence of duties be in it, there is the greater difficulty in going about it, for a Soul cannot be right in this, except it be right in a number of other duties and Graces, as in Prayer, Faith, Love, and Re­pen [...]ance; and that word: Let a man examine himself, takes in a complication of Duties and Graces: there would be a good state and a good frame, and Graces would be in some vigour, and every Duty suitable and Proportionable to the Na [...]ure of the action and o [...] the day: and if it be a great and difficult work to carry right­ly on an ordinary Sabbath, or in Prayer, or meditation, or other duties any day, what a difficult work must it needs be to have all these rightly yoked together? A Second reason may be drawn not only from the com­plication of Graces and Duties, that is required in this action; But from the Nature of the thing it self, that calls for Duties in a high Degree of Spirituality; if any o dinance or Duty call for a Spiritual f [...]ame its this, It requires that the exe [...]cise of the Judgement be most clear, that Faith be most distinct, that Meditation be most Divine &c. And the more Spiritual the Duty be, there is cer [...]ainly the more aptness in us tho [...]ow our cor­ruption to miscarry in it. A Third rea [...]on is, Because there is in Men and Women na [...]urally, and ordinarly but very little study, and endeavour to know and take up aright the [...]ature of this ordinance; There is in the most part a great ignorance of the Strain and Series of the Gospel; but generally there is a greater Ignorance, [Page 10] Darkness and Blindness as to the right partaking of this Ordinance, then as to most others; either thorow the difficulty of it, or through our Laziness that puts us not to study it better: So that if it were asked at many of us who may have some affection, what is a Commu­nion? And what is the right way of partaking of it? there would be found but very little distinctness in the thing, and many content themselves to live without clearness about it: And this makes people incapable to go about it aright. A Fourth reason is from Peoples loathness to bestir themselves in the wo k of Preparation for it; There is some Self examination requisite for every Duty, but there is a more Solemn Self examin­ation injoyned in reference to this; and how very re­luctant are we to it? And seeing examination of our selves is as the door, and entry to this Duty, is it any wonder that most Persons Communicat unworthily? This exercise of Self-searching, being so much slighted, which is to the most part so very difficult, and to many through their own fault impossible.

The First Use Serves for warning as to this matter; It is easie to get a Token and to come to the Table, but it is not so easie To Eat and Drink worthily, not so easie, to discern the Lords Body and to get Christ himself in the ordinance: and in a word so to go about partaking of the Lords Supper, as ye may have solid quietness of mind in reflecting on it: Is it not a wonder then that the most part doe so securely and in a manner even desperatly rush upon it, who have it may be lyen, some Ten, some Twenty, some thirty years without trouble under this guilt? We would think it a good piece of Preparation, if ye were Seriously afraid to become guil­ty of the Body and Blood of the Lord: want of this holy fear breeds security and keeps from stirring up to dutie, and from reflecting on our selves: whereas if the heart [Page 11] were stirred and rouzed with such a fear, there would be greater and more seiously sharpened diligence in all these duties, whereof we heard from the foregoing words, to which this is a strong and pressing motive.

The Second Use Serves for Tryal, who among the great company gathered together here this day (are afraid of si [...]ning against God and taking his Name in vain in so Solemn an Ordinance; many think they are prepared: but we think not that person the better pre­pared that is not afraid and holily jealous over himself: Wo wo to many on the account of Communion-dayes that are past and gone without fear: It were good that ye were afraid lest this day prove to be like many for­mer dayes, and lest any of you come short of what hath been attained in former communion dayes.

Thir [...]ly: Observe That the sin of unworthy Com­municating is a Wrath provoking and a Judgement-drawing-on-sin: He that Eates and Drinks unworthily, Eates and Drinks Damnation to himself: There is hardly any sin that the Lord will more readily, speedily, and Sadly Plague and punish, then this: Its true the Lord ha [...]h annexed ha [...] Certification to the third Com­mand, That He will not hold him guiltless, that taketh his Name in vain: but i [...] there any Ordinance wherein the Threatning is more expressed, and in reference to which the Judgement hat [...] been more seve [...]ely & some way indifferently inflicted? As is clear whether we read before o [...] after the words of the Text: And there is good reason for it. For first, If the duty be more Solemn, if the presence in it be more gracious, and the bounty that fl wes in it be more abundant, then sure the sin of a­busing, or of unbecoming going about it, must be the greater. Secondly if we look to the sin not only in re­spect of its greatness in [...]everal other respects, but in [Page 12] respect of the Nature of it, Its a more direct disrespect put upon and despight done in some respect even unto Christ. Its to be guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord: It as if the Spear had been in such a mans hand that pierced Christs side, and as if he had driven by his own hand the Nails thorow His Hands and Feet: The reason is because Christ in this Ordinance brings himself and his death so very near, that the sin [...]er is put to it in a speciall m [...]nner either to receive him, or to refuse and reject him; and when he refuses and rejects him, he thereby Practically sayes, that he makes but very litle or no account of him at all, and that if he had been liv­ing in those dayes when He was crucified, he would also have joi [...]ed with the Multitude and cryed, away with him; Thus such an one Crucifieth the son of God a fresh and puts him to an open shame, O hainous and horrid guilt!

The First Use Serves to allarme you; that if the fear of sin will not prevail with you; the fear of Judgement, of Gods curse and wrath, and of the vengeance of the Media [...]o (represented in this Ordinance very clearly, as crucified and bleeding out his precious life or sinners) Here and eternally hereafter, may prevail with you to be serious in the work ye are now called to.

Let me (which is a Second and more particular Use of the Doctrine,) advise you, as to examine your selves seriously, in reference to all your other wayes, so to take a Speciall look of your bygone Communicat­ing; O! that many of you who are so whole at the Heart, that there is no provoking nor wakening of you, and who are so sensless that ye scare at nothing, could be prevailed with to charge your selves with this horrid sin of being guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord, That thereby ye may be awakened; It will certainly [Page 13] one day awake you: therefore in your Self examinati­on, take speciall notice if ye have not Communicated unworthily: make Special addresses [...]o God for removing of this dreadful Guilt: and have a special eye for the time to come that ye fall not in it: I say again, take a speciall review of your bygone carriage in this Ordi­nance, and say to your selves, whether are we Guilty of this sin? and whether are we in Hazard to [...]all into it of new? And to stirre you up to this, Consider 1. What temporal strokes from God have come or may come for it: who knowes but our outward captivity, the Blood that hath been shed, the many new and unheard of or but very little heard of diseases that are among us, have in a great Part been for this Sin? Secondly know: that beside temporal Strokes on the outward man, ye may fall under Spiritual Plagues: the Lord may blast the Ordinances for the time to come, that they shal do you no good: and He may last any part and gift that ye have: He may make your Ears dull of hea [...]ing and your Eyes blind, and your Hearts fat; And if ye quench any convictions that ye may possibly be under for the time, it may be that ye shal never be priviledged with such convictions again, nor be brought [...]o near Heaven here­after: but more delusion and seduction by Error, more Prophanity, Security, Hypocrisie, and Presumpt [...]on may break in among you; And though these be not thought much of now by some a [...] least, but lookt a [...] as very light things, yet the day will come when they will be found to be in [...]uppo tably Heavy: And men will be put rather to wish, that this house, wherein we now a [...]e, had fallen on them and bruised them, or that the Sword had fallen in upon them and slain them, then to ly under such a weight. Thirdly, know that it may bring on eternal Judgement; And O! but this will draw [Page 14] deep on the Score of many Professors; even the abuse of the Lords Table, in partaking of His Table, and of the Table of devils: I shall Name but a few Sins here that ye would notice and try your selves in as to this: First Ye have often Communicat, have ye also often Examined your selves? can many of you Pitch on such an hour or half hour, that ye set a part to try your Souls condition! Secondly I would ask what Repen [...]ance hath there been, Right examination makes discovery of Guilt: and discovery of Guilt brings out Repentance, which hath some pricking and Soul panging with it; Thirdly. What effect hath followed? What engage­ments have been keeped? How have many of us re­formed our walk? Is not our carriage as it was? Pas­sion and Pride, as quick and lively as they had wont to be, Deadness, Security, and worldly mindedness as they were before? Are we not as little Self denyed? As un­ready to Fo give, As Ignorant and having as little know­ledge of Gospel mysteries as we were, and had many a Year Since? But very few can say on good grounds that they have made any Progresse in Mortifi [...]ation and Holiness; and except it be some conviction, Some flash of affection, Or some faint Resolution to amend things amisse, What use hath been made of, or what benefit hath been reaped by many and that not of the worst sort, by the Communion? and therefore in the next place let me say that it were not unbecoming or unsuit­able to the Communion, to make this night a night of Humiliation before God and of prayer to him to be delivered from Blood Guiltiness; There is not a more legible Evidence of our untenderness, then our being little pricked at the heart for this sin; a word of reflexi­on from our Neighbour, or the apprehension of some great Mans displeasure and Feud, hath lyen nearer our [Page 15] hearts, then the wronging of the Son of God at this rate, hath done, for which it were good now to cast an eye To look to him, and to mourn as on mourneth for his only Son, and to go to Zion weeping as we go, asking the way thitherward. These are no uncouth nor strange things, but such as are Ordinarily prest upon us; We are afraid that many have loathed and left the simple way of Godliness; to get and look after some Shining and Glistering thing to the Eye, and that way will never profit them; to take a serious look of your Souls con­dition, and to be in good earnest in the exercise of Re­pentance, as the life o [...] your Preparation; even that ye may come knowing well what ye need, and what ye are to Receive if ye come aright.

The Third and main Use is, that seeing there is so great ground to fear Communicating unworthily, and that so great Judgements follow upon it, it would be, as our fear to Communicat unworthily, So our uptaking busi­ness, how we may communicat worthily; This is the end of the day, and should be our task, and work this night, even to endeavour to be worthy communicants to morrow: Ye will readily ask how is such a Frame to be attained and come by? I would, for answer, desire you seriously to mind what ye have heard on these words, Let a man Examine himself and so let him eat, Which comprehend the Summe of what is called for from you; and we shal now add these Four things, that in your preparing your selves to Communicat Rightly and worthily, ye would seriously mind, 1. A right uptaking of your selves. Secondly, A Right uptaking of the Ordinance. Thirdly, A right Acting in reference to both. Fourthly, A right manner of Acting, or a right Frame in your going about the work. For the First, We say, there would be a right uptaking of our Selves, that [Page 16] we may know what we are, what are our Sins, Spiritual wants and necessities, that we may have some distinct errand to God; This is implyed in these Words. Let a man examine himself; That he may be well acquaint­ed with himself: if there be not some time taken for attaining to a right Consideration of our Selves, we cannot come rightly to thi O [...]dinance: or if any word come that suits our condition it will come by guesse as to us, and we may come to the Communion, and neither know what we need, not what we are seeking or would be at.

For the Second: We say, there would be a right up­taking of the ordinance it self, which when wanting it mar [...]es us, that we know not how to Communicat: in the ordinance we would take up the substance of it, the end of it, and how it effectua [...]s the end. First, The Substance of the ordinance is Christ Jesus himself, who though he be not bodily, yet is he really present in the Sacrament; His words are not empty words, the Signes are [...]o [...] empty Signes; But the Bread is his Body, and the wine is his Blood: For if there be a presence in the wo [...]d, as he makes it known through his Spirit, by the efficacie of it on the Heart; then in a more speciall and Solemn manner, there is a presence in the Sacra­ment; which also he makes sensible, to the Spiritual senses of the Believer Secondly, The end and use of the Ordinance for which God hath appointed it, would also be rightly taken up; and this is large. It serves for the man festing of his love in his Death till he come a­gain; and this would be a piece of your exercise to descover the love of Christ in it, and to put your faith to exercise on that love: In which respect Christians have not only their Particular case to look to in the Sacraments, But also that their Spirits be taken up with [Page 17] the thoughts of the wonderfully condescending love of Christ, who hath given and left behin [...] him a token and Memoriall of it: and especially these ends would be looked to and considered, viz. That its given for our instruction, for it gives us a Sight o [...] Christ crucified; It shewes us the way of making up our union with him, and the necessity of it, and the warand given us to make use of him: and as its given for instruction and teaching so for sealing and confi ming; the Lord would have us the eby knowing the truth of his Promises and covenant for our greater consolation, and that we may with greater liberty apply them: even as when a Prince of­fers peace to a Rebel and grants him a Pardon, to make him [...]he more su [...]e, and to remove all doubts and jea­lousies there is a seal appended to the Pardon, which con­firmes it, and consequen ly strengtheneth the Faith of the Rebel to rest upon it: So this is a special end of the Sacrament to Seal and confirme: God having gracious­ly condescended to Covenant and Promise, and to Swear to the truth of his Covenant and p omise, That the Heirs of Promise may have strong consolation, He also appends seals to his Covenant. But Thirdly, We are to consider how it effectua [...]s these ends: and thus we are to look on the Sac [...]amen [...] as exhibiting and appl [...]ing Jesus Christ and his Benefits: which must needs be a spiritual and Sublime thing, holden out in these words. Take ye, eat ye, this is my Body, &c. Where we have Jesus Christ giving over himself to the Believer, so as he and the Be­liever become one, and he ha h Christ to feed upon: Its true there is no Physicall conjunction here: Yet as in the word, the offer and promises conveigh Christ holden out in the Promises to the Soul, being received by fai [...]h, there is an union thus made up betwixt Christ and the Person: So in the right partaking of the Sacrament, the [Page 18] Spirit go [...]ng along with the word and Seal, and the be­liever receiving the Seal as given him of God for that end, as well as the word: The [...]e results an union and Communion, a mystical and Spiritual uniting and joyn­ing of Christ and the believer together: Which although it doth not alwayes necessarily presuppose Faith going before, yet it supposes Faith necessarily to go along with it: and in this there is most expresse covenanting and bargaining betwixt Christ and the Believer, Jesus Christ not giving himself here indefinitly, as he doth in the word and offer of the Gospel, but particularly: and thus the Believers Faith hath the most distinct ground and reason to make application of him, and so the more distinct confirmation.

For the Third, there is a right acting in reference to both the former to be looked to, 1. There is something that our Judgement and memory would be taken up with, which is as the key to what follows: we are to remember the Lords Death, the end of it: the love he had in dying: and his instituting of this ordinance when he died for this end, that we might remember his death and love therein, till he come again; and have our minds meditating on these. Secondly, There would be the exercise of our Graces, as of repentance, from re­flecting on our selves; of love from looking to Christ, and of continued spiritual mourning resulting from bo [...]h; & especially there would be the exercise of Faith as being the main thing that on our part makes up the union, and whereby our Communion is entertained: and there is a threefold act of Faith called for in worthy Communicating, 1. An act receiving, 2. An act giv­ing. 3. A ratifieing act, that knits both the acts to­gether. 1. I say an act of Faith receiving Christs word and ordinance, and himself therein. 2. An act of faith [Page 19] giving, resigning or committing our selves to him: the covenant being in this respect mutual. And Thirdly, a ratifieing act coupling or knitting these together, viz. Christ giving himself to us and our giving our selves to him, his ingagement to us and ours to him: To clear these a little further, First the receiving act of faith looks to the institution and covenant to which the Sacrament is appended, and to Christ in the words of institution and in the Covenant, making offer of himself; Which is to be considered as in the word and covenant, to which the Sacrament is appended, and accordingly it welcom­eth him, as it doth in the word; for as there is a re­ceiving act of Faith as to the Word, So there is a re­ceiving act of Faith as to the Sacrament; That is, when the Soul is put to dispute whether about the offer if it be made to it, or about the Promise that supposes the condition, if it may lay hold upon it; The Believing souls taking of the Sacrament, is the permitting and al­lowing of it self to be confirmed by vertue of Christs ap­pointing that ordinance for its confirmation, that the offer is made to it, and that the Promise belongs to it in particular: as when a penitent sinner comes to the Communion, and that promise rolls in his thoughts, Thy sins and thy iniquities will I remember no more, and he would fain believe it; the receiving act of Faith is to take the Sacrament as Gods putting his Seal to that word of p omise that he will make it good to the soul in particular. Thy sins and thy iniquities will I remember no more: Or when a Soul hath its secret longing after Christ, and cannot dispense with the want of him, and cryes out, O! When wilt thou come unto me? In the Sacrament it lo [...]ks on the institution and takes it as a Seal of co [...]firmation to put it out of question, that he that hath promised to come, will come and will not tarry, [Page 20] and it looks on Christ giving the Communion, as if it saw him taking the pen, and with his own hand Sub­scribing the contract, and layes it up in its heart as in a Charter Guest, as an evidence and confirmation of its right to Christ: and indeed there is much need of being distinct in this; for there are many who make consci­e [...]ce of engaging to Christ in this Ordinance, who look not on it as Christ engaging to them; but the receiving act of faith looks on it Immediatly as his engaging to the S [...]u [...]: as a pe [...]son that hath a hard heart, looking on tha [...] promise, I will take away the stony heart, and give a heart of flesh, and expecting the making out of it, takes the Sacrament as a Seal that he will performe that promise, because he a [...]ticles so with him to get that promise made good; even as a man that would have some debateable clause in h [...]s right to such a piece of land created and put out of question, brings it to his Superi­or to get it Sealed of new: Now this receiving act of faith doth not only, dispose and fit us to receive from God; but as the hand takes o [...] receives the elements so Faith receives Gods offer of the Covenant, and that which is represented and sealed up in that ordinance. Secondly The act of faith giving; is (as I said) that whereby we give our selve [...] away to Christ; and so, as we get one right, we give (as it we [...]e) another; or as we take on ba [...]d we gave another; we receive Ch ist engaged to us according to the Covenant, and we engage and give our selves away to be His: our very receiving su [...]p [...]se [...]h our c [...]nsenti [...]g, and faiths delivering and giv­ing up it self or the pe [...]son to Christ and taking Christ to it, or to himself, So making (as it were) an ex­change. (O! wonderful exchange, by which we receive infinitly more and better then we give) when the Soul hath gotten him, it gives it self to him, to be changed [Page 21] and made better, and renews its purposes resolutions and promises to that end, and takes the Sacrament to make these sure and secure. Thirdly The ratifieing act of Faith is this, when we have taken Christs Promise by Faith and have given our promise to him, and surrendered and delivered up our selves unto him; and we go about the communion and exer [...]ise our faith to get both confi [...]m­ed; as we use to speak We will take our Sacrament on it; we take the Communion to seal his part of the Cove­nant to us, and to confi [...]m our selves as to the perform­ance of that which we have engaged to him; and thus that which was before a bond on Christs side, and a bond and engagement on our side, becomes now a mutuall contract and bargain; both a [...]e put in one and compli­cated together, Sealed with one seal, and made use of for both these ends: the believer thinks himself surer of Gods promise, and himself more securely ingaged to God; and though this engaging hath no new Promise w [...]th it; yet thereby the more explicitely is our dutie brought forth, and the promise more particularly be­comes ours.

As for the Fourth and last thing, It is a right manner of acting, or a right way or suitable frame in our going about this ordinance, which takes in several things as. 1. Fear, because it is a very difficult thing rightly to Communicat, and we had need to fear least we mistake and miscarry. 2. Distinctness and clearness, which is a part of the result of self examination; we would at least be so far clear in our condition as to know and be convinced that the generall strain of our way hath not been right as it should have been by very far when we cannot so well find ou [...] and condescend upon he parti­cular evils, that we have been given to or have done; and though we know not all nor many of the particular [Page 22] Promises of the Covenant, yet we would be clear in that general, that in the Covenant God maketh over himself a God all-sufficient to the believer. Thirdly faith in and dependance on God for preparation, and for a suitable frame; for gaining new ground of corruptions, for more humility and tenderness, for more thorow turning to the Lord; Convert me (sayes Ephraim, Jer. 31.) And I shal be converted, there would be many Serious and Sincere resolutions, engagements, and purposes, and much heart-melting, and Prayer in the making of them, as it was with Israel and Judah Jer. 50.5. Whose great desire and designe was, to have the Covenant betwixt God and them so secured, that it might hold perpetually and never any more be forgot­ten, they desired to keep (as we use to speak) no bank in their own hand, they allow of no reservations or ex­ceptions, and they go about this great work Praying and weeping: This were a Sweet and suitable frame for a Communion, and notably well becoming a people that Approach to the Lords Table; and we seriously commend it to you, and you to the grace of God in the Practise of these things, which his own blessed self make forthcoming to you.

IT is a very great and grave, a very Momentous and concerning work, rightly to partake of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper; it hath as many and great advan­tages, attending the due and worthy Participation there­of, [Page 23] and as many sad consequences following the un­worthy Participation of it, as any other of all the or­dinances of Christ hath; and therefore when the Apostle hath sharpely expostulated with the Christ an Corinthi­ans for several abuses in reference to this Ordinance; he proceeds, after a full declaration of its institution, to guard them against all after abuse thereof, and to fit and prepare them for suitable and worthy communicating; And the first direction that he gives them is in reference to preceeding Preparation, Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat. The Second is, in reference to the action it self, teaching them to communicat worthily, So as they may discern the Lords Body, by holding out the danger of unworthy Communicating; both which he knits together, telling them, that if any of these things be wanting, it will bring on Judgement. Whence in a word, and but in passing, we may Observe these two things. 1. That a man will never Communicat worthily, that doth not before hand indeavour to prepare himself for it; And therefore he prefixeth this, Let a man examine himself, and then subjoins, And so let him Eat. 2. That a man that is not distinct in discer­ning himself in some measure after the examination of himself, will never aright discern the [...]ords Body in this Ordinance of the Communion; He that takes not up himself, will never take up Christ rightly.

In the words more particularly we have Three great things in reference to present Communicating; The 1. whereof is, the great and peculiar use of the Com­munion, and that is, that it makes the Lords body dis­cernible, It puts Christ in a capacitie (to speak so) to be taken up and discerned; The Second is, the great duty of a worthy Communicant; and that is, rightly to discern the Lords Body, so holden forth. The third [Page 24] is, the great Sin that unworthy Communicants fall in­to; and that is, They do not discern the Lords Body; but are like so many Dogs and Swine, who not know­ing what delicats are there, they goe about the action, not knowing what they are doing.

The First is clear, That in the Sacrament, Christ Jesus his broken body is made discernible to us; else he would not find fault with them who come, and do not discern it; The words al [...]o before vers. 24. clear it; This (saith he) is my Body which is broken for you; So Chap. 10 vers. 16. The cup of blessing which we blesse, is it not the Communion of the Blood of Christ? And the bread which we break, is it not the Communion of the Body of Christ? And the sharp Judgements, that come on People [...]o [...] not dis [...]erning the Lords Body, and so for being guilty of Communicating unwo [...]thily, do shew, that not only is our Lords Body really present, but in a special manner discernible in this Ordinance.

To clear this a litle further, we shal First Premit a two fold distinction, and then. Secondly answer a few Questions that serve for clearing the Doctrine, and for better uptaking of this Ordinance.

First then, we would distinguish betwixt these two viz: Looking on the Sacrament as strictly taken, and as contradistinguished from the word; and looking on it as more complexly taken, as including the word; It is in the last sense that we consider the Sacrament here, viz: as taking in, 1. Christ signified and represented by the elements, 2 The word and Covenant to which the Sacrament as a Seal is appended; Therefore the cup is called The Cup of the New Testament: 3. The seal of the Sacrament it self appended to the word and Covenant.

2. We would distinguish betwixt Christs broken [Page 25] Body considered as discernible to our understanding only; and the same considered as it is discernible to our very senses, or as it is apprehensible, when by feeling we may grip it as it were; and not only look to it, but take hol [...] of it: (how this is, shal be more Particu­larly explained and cleared afterward for preventing of mistakes,) it is in this last sense that we understand discernible here, not excluding the former; so that Christs broken body in the Sacrament is not only made discernible to the understanding of the right communi­cant, but he is made Communicable and apprehensible, and there is an union with him attainable in that Ordi­nance; and what we said before proves this: he holds out His Body to be received, And He is received in it.

A [...] for the Second, to wit, The Questions to be an­swered; they are these Four. 1. In what respect is Christ present and discernible in the Sacrament? Se­condly to what is he made discernible and Communi­cable? Thirdly how the Sacrament makes him dis­cernible, and what way it holds him out as discernible to us? Fourthly what may be the reasons why Christ holds out himself, His broken Body, as discernible to us in the Sacrament?

First, then, in what respect is Christ present and discernible in the Sacrament? We answer, first, not simply considered as he is the Son of God, nor in respect of any benefi [...] from him as media [...]or, neither simply as Redeemer; But he is holden out as incarnat, and so this Sacrament differs from the Jews Passover, which held him out as to come, while this holds him out as come. Secondly, it holds him out not only as become man, but as suffering, as having his Body broken. Thirdly He is made discernible in respect of the end for which He suffered, and had his Body broken and his [Page 26] Blood shed; This is (sayeth he) my Body which is broken for you, This cup is the New Testament in my Blood shed for the remission of the sins of many: to wit, of all the Elect; It holds out Christ Mediator, God-man suffering for us. Fourthly, It holds him out as Communicable and in capacity to be participat of, by us; Therefore its called the Communion of His body. Chap. 10.16. To tell us that we may be united to him, and made to share of him; and we are bidden Take and Eat and all to drink of it: These last two look to the Covenan [...] and hold out the Sacrament in reference to it, and how our Lord Jesus, First by his sufferings was to purchase a People to himself, and Secondly that he was to be Communicable to his People; therefore the Cup is called the New Covenant in his Blood; The Cup and the Covenant go together: For though we may consider Christ without the Sacrament; yet we cannot so well consider the Sacrament without Christ and the Cove­nant.

Secondly, To what is Christ made discernible and Communicable? We answer: First he is not discernible nor present after a corporal manner to the bodily eye, though he be really and truely present; The bread that he gives is his Body, and the Cup his Blood, and yet it was Bread and wine which was given, and not his Body and Blood corporally. Secondly, he is not pre­sent and Communicable by any local mutation, by taking us up to heaven to him, or by bringing his Body out of Heaven to us; But he is these three wayes pre­sent and Communicable; First to our Spirituall senses, to an enlightned understanding, which considers Christs Body broken and his Blood shed. Secondly, To the Faith of his people he is present in his own ordinance; when his spirit goes along and quickens their hearts, and [Page 27] their faith is in exercise. They are made to apprehend Christs Body, and to have an union with him sitting in Glory as really as they partake of the elements with their hand and feed upon them with their mouth and stomach; an union as reall as is betwixt the head and the members, and betwixt the root and the branches: These two, the Spirit on Christs side, and Faith on our side make up a reall union; and therefore though this presence be real, yet it's Spirituall; Faith looking and going thorow the elements takes up Christ according to the end appointed; and this makes the union, even as fai [...]h will look and go thorow the word and crediting the word, takes up Christ in it, and makes an union with him; so by vertue of this ordinance there is a Spiritual presence of, and union with Christ Jesus. Thirdly A presence to sense, not so much in respect of inward feeling, as in respect of the powerful effects of his presence, though often inward feeling goes alongst with it; and therefore its called the Communion of his Body, and the wine of Heaven; And in respect of the mean and way he manifests himself therein, to the eye, to the touch, to the taste, and to the ear, and there is a colour sensible: which is more then is in any other or­dinance, where there is but the exercise of one sense; for the more of the outward senses he makes use of, he brings with him a proportionable blessing to the in­ward senses of the soul.

Thirdly, How doth the Sacrament hold out Christ as discernible to us? For answer I shal offer these Four wayes. How he may be present to the faith of the Be­liever in the Sacrament; all which wayes he is made discernible: 1 In respect of the institution; for Christ is here represented by the Minister as giving himself; his authority and warrand is here; therefore himself is [Page 28] here: This though it be common to all Christs ordi­nances, yet it belongs in a peculiar way to this ordi­nance; for in it he is presen [...] in a special man [...]er mak­ing over himself and his sufferings to us. Secondly, He is made discernible in the Sacrament in as far as it re­presents him: and though the word hold him out, yet the Sacrament doth so, more fully, clearly and sensibly, by such and such signes, by bread, and bread broken, representing his Body broken by Suffering; by wine, and wine poured out, representing his Blood shed: and by wine distinct from the bread, to shew a most true and reall death; In which respect it's said, Do this in remembrance of me: and as often as ye eat this Bread and drink this Cup, ye shew forth the Lords Death till he come again: Every Sacrament represents Christ, but this represents him in his suffering and dieing, and in the end of it: and makes it over to the worthie communicant, Thirdly he is made discernible by this Sacrament in this respect, as it's a seal appended and affixed to the Cove­nant, serving to ratifie and confirm the Promises con­tained in the Covenant, and so the Bread and wine, considered in reference to the institution, are a real con­firmation of our real partaking of the thing signified, and in some respect make Christ really present: as the giv­ing of a sealed Charter of a house to a man, is the giving him the house: or as the giving of infeofment by a bit of earth and stone (being a legall confirmation) is the giving of that land to the man, wherein he is infeoft: because (as I said) it's a legall right to it, and makes it present and discernible to him: even so Christ is ma [...]e discernible in this ordinance, because we have our right to him which is in the word, in a special manner, confirmed to us in it: for not only doth this (as other Sacraments do) confirm the word and Covenant in [Page 29] general, but it hath this peculiar to it, that it confirms Christs making over his dieing [...]e [...] to us. Fourthly Christ is here present and di [...]cernible, and made [...]o by this or­dinance; if we consider the Sacramen [...] as a mean whereby we have Christ Communicat to us, he not only makes over himself Covenant wise: but sealeth this gift: and the Sacrament is a mean of Communion with him thus made over to us: in which respect the believer doth and may warrantably make use of the Sacrament, for his quickening, elevating, and strengthening to cleave closer, and to grip faster to Christ: for which cause it's called the Communion of his Body: and hereby we are said to be made one Body with him: Not but that without the Sacrament it may be and is often so: but by the Sacra­ment this Union and Communion is strengthened and furthered to the faith, and Spiritual sense of the believer.

Fourthly, what are the reasons why Christ will have his broken Body made thus discernible and apprehensible in this Sacrament? We answer, that he will have it so for these reasons. First for evidencing of and bearing Testimony to his great love to his People; It sayes that a dieing Christ so loves us that he gave himself to us; and [...]o the memorie of his death is revived and kept up; He will have his dieing self, in a Sacrament bestowed on his People, to keep his love still fresh to them in their remembrance. Secondly for the Publick Professing and testifying our faith in a dieing Saviour; For in this Sa­crament we profess our Faith in him, and dependence on him; and we say thereby and declare to the world, this my Saviour died, and is able to give me life; which is a piece of Honour and Glory to the Mediator, and a part of our dutie; when we give Publick testimonie, that [Page 30] we think no shame of a crucified Redeemer. Thirdly, The Lord hath, for the edification and benefit of his People, made himself [...]o discernible in this Sacrament; and there is a Fourfold edification o [...] benefit that redounds to them by it. First instruction, for they that cannot so well take up the Lord in the word, may be some-what helped to take him up in the Sacrament as a slain Savi­our, and as being as needfull as meat and drink, without which, as we cannot live, no more can we live without him: and O! how manie Spiritual lessons may be ha [...] by these significant ceremonies instituted by Christ? Se­condly There is here edification unto the faith of Gods Peop [...]e: and thus it b [...]comes strengthening, when not only Christ sayes in his word, I have loved my Church, and given my self for her, and they that believe shal not perish; but we have his ordinance Sealing this: Its ex­ceeding strengthening to a poor weak doubting body which could not easily believe, that Christ would be so kind to a rebell; when he gets a sacred Seal of his kind­ness, it helps to Believe what is promised. Thirdly It edifies as it serveth to promote the inward growth of Grace, for in the Sacrament Christ is Communicat: and as he is Communicat, life is Communicat, love to God, and to one another is Communicat: and in a word we cannot Imagine a Communication of Christ; but it brings with it strengthening to the inward man. Fourthly there is edification in respect of the believers consolation, whether as, to his Sense, or as to his Faith; the Gos­pel in its offer and Promises comes out and sayes, men and women, be it known to you, that Christ is p [...]eached to you and remission of sins thorow him; But the Sacra­ment sayes, Believing man and woman, there is my [Page 31] Body not only broken for all the Elect in generall, but for thee in particular: and this much silenceth the great debate whether I be elected or not, or within the Cove­nant, or not; for it sayes, O Man, here is a slain and broken Redeemer made over unto thee upon condition that thou close with him in the Covenant, as he offers himself: and so when there has been some wavering and fainting in respect of consolation before, it proves very strengthening of the Believers consolation, considering the nature of the Ordinance: and in this respect the Sa­crament is as a Love-token of a kind Husband to his Spouse, who when he is to remove to some considerable distance from her for a time, sayes, take and keep this in remembrance of me, and think that I dearly love thee and will not forget thee, till we meet again.

The second Point of Doctrine is, the great duty called for from a worthy Communicant, and that in short is, rightly to discern the Lords Body made so discernible, and as he is made discernible: The Text confirmes the Doctrine: for though a man had never so many good things, Suppose that he had not only gifts but Grace, yea and a Holy frame of Spirit, yet if he be ignorant of what he is called to or a doing in this Ordinance, he cannot discerne the Lords Body, and so cannot Communicat worthily: Hence it is that there is so much need of Knowledge, without which a man can no more then a child or a fool rightly take up Christ in the Sacrament.

To open this a litle we shal speak a word to these three, 1. To the Object to be discerned. 2. To the act of dis­cerning. 3. To the reasons why this discerning is so ne­cessary a duty.

First, for the Object to be discerned, It is Christ Jesus, [Page 32] suffering, dieing, and making over himself to his Peopl [...] aco [...]ding to his Covenant, It s Christ, and yet Christ di [...]ing, and Chri [...] dieing according to the Covenant from which he can never be sepa a ed, and especially i [...] this ordinance in Particular, considered with it's end an [...] institution with respect to the Covenant; It's Chris [...] giving himself, and in this Sacrament, according to th [...] Covenant.

Secondly, For the act of discerning; It is taken Fo [...] wayes, the last whereof is the main. 1. To discern thing in Scripture is to have distinct thoughts and ap­prehensions concerning it, Its to take up a thing simpl [...] and as it is in it self; Thus to discern Christ present [...] the Sacrament, is to discern how and wherefore he is pre­sent. 2. To discern a thing is to difference it from othe [...] things, and in this respect a [...]hing is said to be discerne [...] comparatively as 1 Cor. 4.7. Who maketh thee to diffe [...] from another? Thus to discerne this Sacrament an [...] Christ in it, is to difference it from other things; con­sidering tha [...] it was once common Bread and Wine, bu [...] that now it is not so; It is to put a difference betwixt th [...] Sacrament and common bread and wine; and betwix [...] the Sacrament and the Word and Covenant, yet with respect to the Covenant; as the Seal differs from the Charter; and to difference this Sacrament from other Sacraments, In respect that it looks to a dieing Saviour and Communicats him and his benefits that way. 3. To discern a thing, is to have a high esteem of it, such a [...] was the discerning of Meats dayes, and Places; So to dis­cern Christ in this Ordinance, is to have a deep impres­sion and high estimation of Jesus Christ, of his death, and of his ma [...]chless love shining therein: To have much [Page 33] Spiritualitie, Holy fear, awe and reverence in re­ference to him: Such a fear and reverence as mean men will have before a King or a great man, who when they carrie not suitably before such a great person, we wil say to them, know ye where ye are? So the right discerning and uptaking of Christ here, is to have a high est [...]mation of him. 4. There is a complex discerning of a thing in reference to its use and end: or we may call it a Relative discerning, which is Practicall, when a man conforms himself Sui [...]ably to his di [...]cerning of the thing, the want whereof ou [...] Lord reproves in the Jews, Hypoc [...]its (sayes he) Ye can di [...]cern the face of the Sky, but ye cannot di [...]cern the signes of the times; and in this re­sp [...]ct also wh [...]n a man carries unsuitably before a Magistrat, it's said to him by discerning Persons, know ye where ye are? And this being the main thi [...]g here implied, we shall speak a litle more to it: wher [...]in these two things are supposed, 1. Some distinct up taking of our selves, of our need, and of our hazard. 2. The right p [...]taking of Christ in this Ordinance, as to the supply of those necessities and preventing of that hazard: and this Doctrinal discerning go [...]th before that which is Practicall, which is a mans suitable use-making of Christ, or suitabl [...] exercising himself in reference to his need, and that ordinance appointed for supply of his need by Jesus Christ: which is with a reflex look some­times on himself, sometimes on Christ. And there are in this these five steps which follow one of them upon another. 1. It consists in a suitable frame of [Page 34] heart, as becomes such a poor sinful unworthy and needy person in the presence of so Holy a Lord, go­ing about such a Holy action: another frame then is called for at our dinner or Supper, or at ordinary hearing the word, or at Prayer: A holy, humble, cheerfull, serious, Heavenly and hungry frame: Holy awe and respect to God making humble, Faith of Gods goodness and rich Grace in Christ shining in this Ordinance, making cheerful: The convicti­on of need making Sober, and yet very serious and eager in what he is about: It's a frame made up, as it were, of contrarieties: ardent love and zeal, and yet a calme and composed Spirit to hear what God sayes, To take what he gives, and to behold what he manifests. 2. It consists in an exercise of the mind in meditation, both in reference to our selves and to Christ: Meditation in reference to our own sinfulness and misery: and meditation on Christs love: calling to mind all that he hath done: thinking with delight on Christs suffering and on the end of it, and again reflecting a look on our selves to keep life in this meditation, what was I, when he suffered and did all this for me? and what am I now, when he is offering this to me? To have the picture of a loving Husband hanging by a wife to what purpose is it, and for what use doth it serve, if she never look on it to mind him whom it represents? 3. It consists in an exercise of Graces, It's even (as it is laid in the Song) a making of all the Spices to cast forth their smell: and the putting of all things in good order and studying to have them in good case: [Page 35] It's to have love warm to the giver, and closing with the gift of a dieing Saviour, and to have love warm to others of his people for his sake, and because he hath taken us in with others, to partake of the be­nefits of his love shining in his Death: for love to the head and members, go together: It's to have repentance lively stirred up & sin made heart-prick­ing and Godly sorrow to flow: the heart made to loath it: and the mind exercised in forming hearty resolutions, Purposes, vows, and engagements against it: but it's especially to have faith stirred up and in exercise, and to have all the senses of Faith (to speak so) set a going: as when the word comes out and sayes Take ye, Eat ye, this is my Body, which is broken for you. Faith beholds and gets as clear and satisfieing a view of Christs Suffering and dieing, as if the man saw him with his Bodily eyes: when the hand is stretched out to take. Faith acts Proporti­onably in stretching out it's hand to take Christ, and not only grips him, but in this Ordinance and ac­cording to the end of it, takes it as a pledge of Christ performing what he hath promised, making use of him for the end appointed: when the eye looks on what is done, Faith is considering and tak­ing a view of Christ and of the covenant and of the benefits purchased by him, and sees another thing then the elements, even the wakened up sword of the Fathers justice pursueing the mediator, as the elects cautioner: when the eye looks on the distri­bution, Faith it sees Christ made as it were believers Common-good given among them, and to every [Page 36] one of them: when the hand puts the bread and wine to the mouth, Faith hath a way of opening it's mouth and (as it were) chewing and feeding upon Jesus Christ, and of strengthening, refreshing, and cheering it self in him counting it self well come to with him and secure in him, and fastening it's engagements to him: all which strengthen our Spi­rituall life, as eating and drinking doth the natural life: and then when it comes to the taste, Christ relisheth most sweetly to the Believer, so that no Wine doth cheer the natural heart so much as Christ in the Sacrament considered in his love and Covenant, and in the benefits that come by him, do the Soul of the believer; Faith here considers Christ not only as communicable: but as actually com­municated. The fourth thing wherein this discern­ing consists, is a reflecting exercise, when we have received the Sacrament we are to reflect and consid­er what we have done, and what we are doing, are we indeed feeding upon Christ? What is this in our hands? This bread in some respect is not bread, but Christ; This cup is not Wine, but the cup of the New Testament in his Blood, and by this reflex act, the Believer applies, and confirmes himself, having received the Sacrament, whereby his union with Christ is signified and sealed up, he applies and sayes within himself, now Christ is mine, and I am his: and he confirmes himself in Christs love to himself and in his interest in him: Now sayeth he, I have gotten no delusion, but the signe and Seal of his blessed Body broken, and of his Blood shed for [Page 37] me: If unbelief say, have ye gotten Christ indeed? Yes sayes the Believers faith, having received this Pledge of his love, I have gotten himself and I should Believe it; and this is to act on Christ not only directly, which is a thing common to the Sacrament with the word, but to act on Christ reflexly: and to perswade our selves of our union and Communion with him, which is the end of this Ordinance: else we take not up Christ as giving a seal; Therefore the word is, Take, eat, This is my Body broken for you: there is more then a bare signe here: and faith acts not only for receiving, but for confirming it self, that by receiving it hath an union and Communion with him, who is holden out in the Sacra­ment, For if it be a seal and exhibit Christ as a seal, then faith should receive and act on it as such for attain­ing the end that a seal should have, supposing the con­dition to preceed. Fifthly, it consists in an act of spirit­ual affecting, when there is a Holy smacking (to speak so) and kissing of Christ, The soul digesting him for the life of the inner man, and thereon delighting, re­joycing, and exulting in him: and so the faith, confi­dence and hope of the Believer are strengthened: which makes him that he is not ashamed; and upon the back of this ordinarily the Love of God is shed abroad in the heart: and though there should be little sensible feeling, yet the believer finds himself oblidged to cheer himself in Christ, and in the Covenant and in the benefits that he hath thorow his purchase: and there is readily some warming of love to Christ, and he is confirmed in the faith of the love of Christ to him: and it is impossible, where these two are, but some Holy tickling of affecti­ons, which flow from the Word and from this Ordi­nance thus rightly gone about (as has been said) will follow: and if this be not, That is, if Christ be not [Page 38] thus discerned in the Sacrament, 1. God gets not what he calls for, Christs death is not rightly minded, his Glory and our edification are not promoved, Nor 2. Is the end of the Sacrament attained: neither. 3. Is our comfort furthered: For its not the Ordinance barely, or Ordinary Bread and Wine set apart for a Holy use, But Jesus Christ discerned and received in the Ordi­nance, that comforts; otherwise, the ordinance in and by it's self will not promove our comfort and growth.

The Third Doctrine is, that it is, though a very com­mon and rife, yet a very great sin not to discern the Lords body as he is holden out in this Sacrament dis­cernible; The greatness of which may be easily gather­ed from what we have discoursed concerning the great priviledge of the discernibleness of the Lords body therein; from the horridness of the guilt that it involves in, even the guilt of the body and Blood of the Lord, the greatest and most horrid of all Blood guiltiness; and from the dreadful Judgements and Plagues that follow on it, temporal or bodily, and Spiritual Plagues, yea even eternal Damna [...]ion, if Repentance through Grace prevent not: But we must, because of the shortness of time, leave all that might be spoken in the more parti­cular Prosecution of this Doctrine; and shall only give you Two or Three Caveats (wherewith I shall close) to guard against mistakes in reference to what hath been spoken; I know it will readily be said, If this be dis­cerning of the Lords body, and if none other do discern it, but such as go about these things, it will be hard for any to discern it. For answer to this I would have you to consider, 1. That there is a more explicit, distinct and perfect discerning; and a more implicit, confused and indistinct discerning of the Lords Body: if we speak of perfection in discerning; who come up to [Page 39] that? but if we speak of an honest sincere way of aim­ing to discern, though it be somewhat indistinct and confused, that may be won at; yea I would not think them in a good condition that rest satisfied with them­selves, as being distinct enough in all these things whereof we have spoken; yet where there is (as I just now said) honest aiming at these things, though in a confused and indistinct way; where faith and love are in some measure acting with a sort of fear & joy mixed together; when there is a fear to profane the ordinance, and yet the soul loves it so well that it cannot endure to want it, nor Christ in it, There is a discerning of the Lords Body that warrands to draw near. 2. Consider, that there is a general confusion and a particular confu­sion (to speak so) in going about this Ordinance: The general confusion is this, when persons are so very ignorant and confused, that they know not at all what they are doing: a Particular confusion is only in some respect, that is when a Soul knoweth that Jesus Christ is in the Ordinance, and knoweth its own condition to stand in need of him, that it hath many Spiritual wants to be supplied, and that there is much good and a Sup­ply of all those wants to be had from Christ in this Or­dinance, but how to come at it thereby, it knows not so well nor so distinctly: A person that is confused in the generall cannot discern the Lords Body in the Sacra­ment, But one that is confused in a particular, may: and though [...] such an one cannot, it may be, Pitch on a particular promise that suites his need, yet he may fix on Christ and on the covenant in general: which is one of the main things that Faith acts on: and indeed unless himself be acted on by Faith, his benefits fail: and though a serious Soul cannot get a particular promise to settle on, We say it should stick by the Covenant in [Page 40] general as including all particulars. 3. Consider, the discerning is not to be astricted to the very instant o [...] receiving, but we would look well what is our a [...]m a [...] endeavour al [...]ngst the action, and if habitually we b [...] indeed seriously seeking after and pursuing t [...]ese thing [...] we cannot have them all in our thoughts at once, tha [...] is scarce, if at all, Possible; but if the aime and strai [...] of your Souls exercise run this way: and though the [...] be failing in many things, yet this is not a neglectiv [...] slighting and careless inconsideration: In a word, see [...] there hath been, First some clear conviction of sin an [...] of your great need of Christ: And, 2. See if there hath been some uptaking of Christ in the Ordinance, and He made precious and lovely therein in s [...]me measure: and that it was your errand in going to that ordinance [...]o take Christ to Supply your need and take away your sin, and your aime to go about the Ordinance rightly in or­der to that end, If the strain and Series of your way, in these, hath been honest and sincere, ye have no reason to account your selves (at least altogether) unworthy communicants: Though, when we have done all that we can do, It's God himself who must enable us rightly to discern the Lords Body, and who must graciously pass by many things that will be found amiss in us: ac­cording to good King Hezekiah his prayer 2 Chron 30.38, 19. The good Lord Pardon everie one that Prepareth his heart to seek God, though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the Sanctuary; So must we say the Good Lord Pardon us, though we discern and take not up Christs Body with that Faith and love, with that distinctness, and clearness, with that delight, cheerful­ness and joy that become, and are requisite, for such a Solemn action.

THere are many great and glorious things spoken of the Gospel; and our Blessed Lord Jesus hath made use of many good Similitudes wonderfully oppo­site, to set it out: Sometimes it's called the Kingdom of Heaven, for reasons that we will no [...] now insist upon; sometimes it's called a Marriage, as here and else-where; some o [...] those Similitudes shew what great and singular satisfaction is to be had in it, therefore its compared to a Feast, Supper, and Dinner, some of them shew the way how we are made Partakers of it: So opening and receiving holds forth believing; and some of those similitudes hold forth both, as this of a Marriage, which points at the strait union betwixt Christ and Believers, and at the manner or way of our entring into this bles­sed union, on which follows Communion.

We need not insist in opening the Words, which are plain; we shall only say these two Words, to make way for Observations; The first whereof shal be, to shew that the scope of the Parable is not to hold forth Peoples coming to the Ordinances, or the Sacraments only or mainly; but their coming to Christ Jesus himself and to the fat things in the Ordinances: Many come to the Ordinances who come not to Christ and to the feast: that which is called for here, is a real closing with Christ, and an accepting of him for our Husband, on his own [Page 42] terms: The second word is, to shew that though the Ordinances be neither the Marriage nor the Feast, Yet it's by the Ordinances that the marriage is furthered and the Feast prepared and made ready? for Faith takes Christ in the word, and strikes hands with him in the Sacrament, when he sayeth in the Word, be thou for me and I will be for thee, Faith saith, content Lord, and when he saith in the Sacrament, Take, Faith sayeth welcome with all my heart, He being there as well as he is in the Word.

These two things being premised, we shall first, at once and together Propose some Observations from the words. Secondly we shall clear and confirm them: and and then Thirdly we shall insist in the application of all joyntly. The Observations are these. First that in the Gospel there is a clear and manifest making up of a Marriage betwixt Christ and Souls; The preaching of the Gospel is like a mans making of a marriage for his Son. The second is, that this marriage is one of the most excellent marriages that ever was: therefore its called the Marriage of the Kings Son. The Third is, that before this marriage can be brought about and ac­complished, there are many things to be made ready. The Fourth is, that where the Gospel comes, all things are made ready for Souls closing with Christ in this marriage. The Fifth is, that the Master of the Feast the KING God the Father, and the Kings Son the Bride­groom are not only content and willing, but very desir­ous to have sinners coming to the Marriage, they would fain (to speak so with reverence) have poor Souls espoused to Christ. The Sixth is, that when the Master sends out his servants in his name, their great work is to invite to the wedding and to close the marriage. The Seventh is, that when People are invited to this Mar­riage, [Page 43] it is their duty and greatly of their concern to come. The Eighth is, that all they that come may ex­pect a very hearty welcome: therefore they are invited once and again: and if we compare this Text with Luke 14. We will find there, that the Master orders his Ser­vants to Compel them that are invited to come in.

All these Observations are very obvious in the Words; and if the Lord would Graciously please to help us to speak and you to hear: as they are no unpertinent to our Present Purpose, So they might be made very edi­fying, strengthening, refreshing and comfortable to us.

We shall in the second Place, a little more particularly clear and confirme every one of them. The First was, that, There is a Marriage betwixt Christ and souls held forth and made offer of in this Gospel. We take this for granted: for here is the Kings Son, and some bidden to his marriage, and those that are bidden are not worthy: they are all Professors & members of the visible Church, the scope of the Parable being to shew, that the offer of this Marriage was first made to the Jews, and again re­newed to them, and then from them it came to the Gentiles, I shall in passing give you a litle hint of the nature of this Marriage in these four: 1. There is by this Gospel a real union made up betwixt Christ and the souls of Believers; Which union is not with the O [...]di­nances, nor with sense, nor with the Benefits which flow from Christ; but with Christ himself Primarily and Principally, and it is so near a [...]ye and very close, that it is preferred unto and goe [...]h beyond the union that is betwixt the Husband and Wife: Ephes. 5.30. We are (says the Apostle) Members of his Body, of his Flesh, and of his bones, Where alluding to that union betwixt Husband and Wife, he not only makes the union reall, but makes the one much straiter then the [Page 44] other. Secondly the nature of this union is such, that it is Mutual; the Bridegroom hath in a manne [...] (to speak so, with reverence of his Majesty) no Power ove [...] him­self, when he is Married un [...]o the Bride; and the Bride hath no Power over her self, but the Bridegro [...]m: So that here there is a sort of mu [...]uall upgiving of the Bride­groom to the Bride, and of the Bride to the Bridegroom; according to those w [...]nderfully condescending words, Hosea 3.3. Thou shalt not be for another man, So will I also be for thee: The Lord hath Believers under a peculiar tye to him, and he hath tyed himself Peculiarly to them, so that (if we may speak thus) neither of them is Master of themselves; The Lord Jesus doth some way account himself not to be master of himself, he is so engaged to them to be theirs and for them; and cannot but be answerable to his engagemen [...]; and they are oblidged to be no more Masters of themselves, but to be absolutlie and altogether at his disposing. Thirdly this union is made up by mutuall consent of Parties, and the consent must be willing; His consent comes in his Word; He says from thence, Behold I stand at the door and knock, if any man will hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me; I come, (as if he had said) in my Go [...]pel to woo, and if any will consent to take me on the terms on which I offer my self, I will be theirs: The souls consent is given by Faith in his word, which is called John 1.12. receiving of him, and is relative to the of­fer: The offer is indeed backed and quickned by the Spirit, without which it would never be received; yet notwithstanding, that which our faith lays hold on, is not the Spirit, but the word quickened by the spirit. Fourthly consider here the effects that follow immediat­ly and instantly on this Marriage union, Christ with all [Page 45] that is his becomes ours, and we with all that is ours become his; our debt is imputed to him, he is lyable to it and must pay i [...], and provide for us and be our head and Husband; and his righteousness, the Purchase of his Death and sufferings, viz. Justification, Sanct fica [...]i­on, his Spirit, Grace and Glory, and every good thing that he hath, become ours, and at length the Bride is taken into the Kings ivory Palaces.

The Second Observation was, that this is a most ho­nou [...]able Noble and excellen [...] Marriage; the like where­o never was, nor never sh ll be from Adam to he end of the Wo ld, it's with the Kings Son with the Prince of the Kings of the earth, the Heir of all things, the brightness of the Fathers glory, the express Image of his person, who was before all things, and by whom all things consist. O! is there any match like this? Is there any so great and so Noble as He? Is there an [...] in this world whom ye can marry, that is so rich as He? They that Marry Him shall inherit all things Rev. 21.7. We may clear it a litle further from five or Six Particulars in the Text. 1. It's an excellent and honourable Marriage in respect of the Bridegroom who is, (as hath [...]een hin­ted) The Kings Son, who hath not another natural Son, He is he only begotten of the Father? there is not another Mediator, He is the Fathers equall and fellow; So that if (if we may put an if to it) the Father be great and glorious, so is He, for He is God, the same God equal with the Father in Power and Glory; the wonderful Counseller, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. Secondly this Marriage is excellent and honourable in respect of the Brides Father in Law, (so to speak) He is the King; God the Father, Son and holy Ghost have all a hand in it; and the Believer married to Christ is Daughter in law to the [Page 46] great God, ingrafted some way into the same stock, al­layed with the same family. 2 Cor. 6.18. I will be a Father to you, and ye shall be my Sons and Daughters sayeth the Lord Almighty. Thirdly it's excellent and honourable in respect of the Preparation made for it. There was never such a wedding Feast; the dinner is prepared, the oxen and Fa [...]lings killed: but you will say what is all that? Even Jesus Christ himself, He is that Bread indeed, that drink indeed; the feast of fat things and of wines on the lees well refined; the Bride­groom is (to say so) the chief dish that the Believer feeds and lives upon for ever; and the Spirituall bles­sings and benefits that are gotten in him and from him, are as so many dishes of this feast; such as righteous­ness, Pardon of sin, Peace, and friendship with God, the Spirit, Adoption, Sanctification, joy in the holy Ghost, grace and Glory, the hope of a Croum in those mansions that are in his Fathers House, of a seat with him at his Table and on his Throne; even a share in his whole Purchase; and is not that a feast? Fourthly its Honourable and excellent in respect of its most noble rise, viz. From all eternity, in the bosome of the Father, it bred (to say so) in the Kings breast before the foun­dation of the World was laid; the Covenant of Re­demption was then concluded, and the contract of mar­riage there drawn, and the blessed Project of it then laid down; Sacrifices and Offerings thou didst not desire, (saith the Mediator, Psal. 40.) Mine ears host thou opened, burnt offerings nor sin offerings thou hast not re­quired; Then said I, lo I come, in the Volume of thy Book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, O my God: The Father gives so many to the Son to be redeemed of whom he willingly readily, and cheerfully accepts, and offers to satisfie for them, which in due time he doth. [Page 47] Fifthly, its excellent and honourable in this respect, That there was never such a concurrence of so many and so great things to commend and further a marriage as there is in this; Such as the making of the World, men and Angels, the incarnation of Christ or his coming in­to the World, his Preaching and working of Miracles for confirmation of his doctrine, his suffering and dying, rising and ascending, his giving Ministers and their gifts: and to make up the Marriage union, the Spirit from Heaven coming along with the word, and working faith in the Soul, by which bonds Christ & the Believer are joined together; Christ by his Spirit apprehending the Believer & the beliver apprehending Christ by Faith: was there ever a marriage contract or union bound up betwixt two such vastly and infinitly distant Parties? was there ever such honour and riches attending and follow­ing a match? such righteousness, remission of sin, Adoption, Peace with God, joy of the Holy Ghost, the Spirit, holiness in the beginning and gradual advances of it, fellowship and walking with God, the White stone, the new Name, the Throne, the Crown, Grace, and Glory, every thing that is good, for the Bride here, and Glory in Heaven; In a word Jesus Christ and all the benefits of his Purchase; were there ever such easie termes and conditions? It's only, come to the Wedding; when the King comes a wooing, let him be welcomed with your hearts consent; when he sayes, I am content to marrie you, let your hea [...]ts say, Amen, Lord Jesus, I am content to marrie thee, and to be for thee and for none other: and may not I add, was there ever such security and confirmation given of any marriage? it's confirm­ed by the death of the Bridegroom, he hath sealed his Testament with his Blood, and there is no annulling nor altering of a mans Testament when he is dead; and [Page 48] our Lord Jesus who was once dead is now alive and lives for evermore, he will never die again, nor make another Testament: O! beloved hearers, all this is to let you see that our Lord is in earnest and very willing to espouse you: and indeed it shall not be his Fault, i [...] it be not a bargain, and if it be indeed a bargain betwixt your souls and him, it's a very ra [...]e and rich one: O! the many rare, excellent, noble, notable and non-such Priviledges and advantages that attend this marriage, and are to be enjoyed by the soul espoused to Christ; even God and Christ, Grace and Glory and all that is comprehended under these belongs to tha [...] soul: We must here be silent, lest in speaking of [...]hem we darken them by our words; here is an abyss and bottomless dep [...]h ready as it were, to swallow up words; we confess we can tell you our very litle wha [...] they are, nay if all the ablest and holiest Ministers on earth, all the Angels in Heaven were joyned together they could not to the full by very far, tell what an excellent match and mar­riage this is, even to be matched with the Son of God; and yet this priviledge and honour have all the saints, all Believers, to whom he is wonderful and Precious, though alace! not as he ought to be; there is a day coming, when we shall know to satisfaction, that the Father is in the son, and the son in the Father; and that believers are in Christ and he in them; We shall then know the now in expressible and inconceivable advan­tages of this marriage, When He shall come to be glorified in His Saints, and wond'red at in all them that believe: and till that day the one half will never be told us.

The third Observation was, that there are many things to be removed out of the way, and to be done: many things to be made ready before this marriage can be made up. 1. There is a naturall distance between the [Page 49] Parties, that must be removed: God cannot be one flesh with us: and betwixt Parties to be married, there must [...]e some Suitableness of nature: therefore to re­move this distance, and to bring abou [...] the marriage, the Son of God becomes Man, that he may be Immanual God with us, God i [...] our nature a [...]d so in capacity to be closed with. Secondly, there is a sinfull distance, w ich also must be removed before this marriage can be made up: For God is a c [...]nsuming fire to sinners; He and they neither will nor can unite in [...]hat posture: The efore [...]efo [...]e an offer or marriage can be made to any Purp [...]se, [...]e must give himself for his Church, that he may Sanctifie and cleanse it with the Washing of water by the word: and he [...] i [...] f [...]ll [...]ws, that he presents her to Himself a glorious Church without spot and wrinkle, or any such thing: He [...]ould not have access to marry his Bride, she was so u [...]c [...]mly, fi [...]thy and lothsom, lying in a most pityful condition, in her blood as Ezekiel sets it forth [...]o [...]he life and at great length, Chap. 16. There­fore to cleanse her, he gave himself for her. Thirdly, ere all this could be do [...]e, there beh [...]ved a ground to be laid for peace with God the offended party, who was to be father in law: and here comes in the Cove­nant of Redemption, Psal. 40 6, 7. Sacrifice and Off [...]ring thou didst not desire, then said I, lo I come &c. For taking away the curse and reconciling the elect to G d, the Father sayes (as it were) I must needs be once in friend [...]hip with them, ere I can admit them to my house; and Son if thou wilt Satisfie my Justice, and Pay their debt, I shal give them to thee for a seed, and to be thy Bride and wife: well says Christ the media­tor, Father I accept of the bargain, Lo I come to do thy will, O my God: Whereupon it comes to pass (as the Apostle hath it, 2 Cor. 5. last,) That he is made sin [Page 50] for us who knew no sin, and we are made the righteousness of God in him: For it was as really agreed in the Cove­nant of Redemption that he should be made sin for us, as it came to pass in the actual execution of it: and thus way is made for the marriage. Fourthly when this is done, the marriage must be proclaimed through the world by the Preached Gospel, the contract must be opened up and read, and sinners consent called for; We are told therein, that the Word is made flesh and dwelt amongst us, and because No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father, he declares him: as it is John 1.14, 15. He comes and reveals more clearly the contract, first in his own Person and by his own Ministerie, and then by sending his servants, and telling that all things are ready. Fifthly, the last thing to be removed is the uncircumcisi­on and stupidness of our hearts, naturally we are given to slight him in his offers, to refuse to open to him, and to let him in, when he knocks, to make excuse, to delay, shift and put him off, nay to refuse to entertain his proposal of Marriage, and to give him a repulse: therefo e he comes by his Spirit, and puts in his finger by the hole of the door, and lets some Myrrhe drop on the handles of the lock, and powerfully but sweetly in­clines the heart to cast it self open to him; and then he performs the promises of Sanctification, Circumcising the heart to love him with all the heart, and with all the Soul, as it is Deut. 30.6. And all these promises are contrived, framed and provided to meet with difficul­ties in us; we are told, John 6 44. That no man can come to Christ except the Father that sent him draw him, and Psal. 110.3. It is Promised, that in the day of his Power His people shal be willing: and whoever (be­ing made willing) cometh shall in no wise be cast out, John 6.37.

The Fourth Observation is, That by the Preaching of the Gospel, whither so ever it cometh, and by the great things made offer of therein, all things are made ready; Obstructions and what ever might hinder the closing of the Marriage are removed; the Father is ready, having declared his willingness to give his consent; This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased, hear ye him, Matth. 3. I am well satisfied with him, take him to you for your head and husband: the Son is ready to take all by the hand that will embrace him: Pardon of Sin, Peace, with God, Sanctification, the mansion &c: are ready to be bestowed: the feast is ready, the fatlings are prepared; the Promises are filled with every neces­sary good thing, there is bread enough in the Prodigals fathers house and to spare: the contract is ready, and an offer of it made on the Bridegrooms side: the terms are drawn up and put in Form, and all things agreed upon and ready, even to the Subscription: and there is no more required, but that the hearers of this Gospel hear­tilly consent to take him, and submit to his righteous­ness and dominion: which if they do, all things shall be theirs, even life eternal, and all things that may fit them for it, Promises for this life and that which is to come, and Christ engaged to keep the bargain: and this is it that is preached every day to you, though, alace! unsuitably: so that it's not now, Who shall go up to Heaven and bring down Christ from above? or Who shall descend unto the deep, and bring him up from the dead? That we may get him to Marry: but the righteousness of faith, saith the word, is near thee even in thy mouth, &c. Christs consent is not to be asked or brought from afar, for he hath declared it in his word, and the terms of the contract are, if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe with thy heart, that God hath [Page 52] raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved: Rom. 10.8, 9. Engage therefore honestly with Christ, and keep to him: deny your selves and close wi [...]h him, give u [...] your selves to him, and ye shall be saved: and that is all one with this, to be married to him: yea the day of the Marriage is set; and that i [...] the day of the Gospel, the Bridegroom is come to the Church, the Table is cover­ed, and the Ministers the Bridegrooms friends are wait­ing on, to espouse you [...]o him and to make up the Mar­riage, so that all thin [...]s meet and requisit for making peace betwix [...] God and sinners are ready

The Fifth Observation was, that Christ the Bride­groom & his Father are very willing to have the match made up and the marriage compleated: therefore doth he send forth his servants with a strict commission, not only to tell sinners that all things ready, but to bid them come to the Marriage: yea he not only wills them to tell that all things are ready, and to invite, but to Compel them (as Luke hath it Chap. 14.23.) to come in: to stirr them up and press them to it: to threaten them if they come not, and to accept no refusal or na [...]-say: the evidences of his willingness are many, which I will not now insist upon: as that he hath made the feast, and such a feast, and prepared so for it, and given himself to bring it about, and keeps up the offer and Proclamation of the Marriage, even after it is slighted: all these and many moe tell plainly that the Father and Son are most heartily willing: therefore they expostulat when this Marriage is refused, O! Je­rusalem, Jerusalem how often would I have gathered you, but you would not: Matth. 23. O! Jerusalem, Jerusalem, if thou even thou, hadst known in this thy day the things that belong to thy peace; Luk 19. All these sad com­plaints, that Israel would not hearken to his voice, and his [Page 53] people would have n ne of him. Psal. 81 7. That he came to his own and his own received him not Joh. 1.11. And that they will not come to him that they might have life. Joh. 5.40. make out his willingness abundantly and undenyably.

The Sixth Observation was, That the great work of the M [...]nisters of the Gospel i [...], to invite unto, and to en­deav [...]ur to bring this Marriage betwixt Christ a [...]d Souls to a close: the Servants are sent out for this very end, to conclude the bargain: Though he be Lord of all, yet he would not imploy in this work, Angels, neither would he speak immediatly by his own voice from Heaven: for by rea [...]n of his greatness we could not have endured that way of wooing: but sayeth on the matter to men, subject to the like passions and in­firmities go tell that the King ha [...]h such a Son, and that ye are sent out to w [...]o in his Name, and make not only offer of Marriage, but request, intreat, perswade, pray and obtest, yea command and compell them to come to the Marriage, by holding forth the curse which comes on them that will not come: and hence are those de­nounced woes and shaking of the dust off [...]heir feet, for a Testimony against them that will not come.

The Seventh Observation was that i [...] is the duty of all to whom the good news of this marriage come to come to it, and when the [...] a [...]e invited to it, Presently with­out all delay to yeeld. Needs there any proof of this? do not the Masters sending and the se [...]van [...]s coming call for it? do not his preparing of all things, his inviting to the Marriage, and his expostulating w [...]h them that come not, and our own great necessitie urgently re­quire it?

The Eighth and last Observation was, that all they that come may expect a very good and heartsome [Page 54] welcome, none need to fear, that they shal not be made welcome, seeing they are come not uncalled, they shall not sit unserved: The Lord will not look down on such as come: nay he is waiting on to welcome them, and to meet them, as it were Mid-way: as we see in the Parable of the Prodigal, Luke 15. His father stayes not till his son come to him, but seeing him afar-off coming, he runs with speed to meet him, and then most affecti­onatly embraced him and falls on his neck and kisses him; and if the poor child should say, I am not worthy to be called a Son. He answers that, not suffering him to speak out all that he had resolved to say; Even when the debaucht runagate had spent all by riotous living and would fain have told out the sad and shameful story of his grosse miscarriages and great unworthiness he in­terrupts him and says, in a manner, Son hold thy peace as to that, I know well it is grievous to thee, go quickly and put on the robe, the Ring and the shoes that are provided for thee.

I come now in the Third place to make application of all; and is it possible to speak or hear of this Subject, as becomes? who is sufficient for these things; to speak suitably in the name of the Lord, and to lay be­fore you this contract of marriage with such a Bride­groom? Beloved hearers, are ye in a suitable Posture to tryst with him? Do ye think that ye are for this Mar­riage? is it your serious purpose to close the bargain with him? If so, Pray the Lord to give us to speak and you to hear the word in such manner as it may be a marriage-day indeed: there are very good news here, and blessed eternally be God, that ever we heard them, or had them to speak of, and that ye have them yet to hear; they should make your very souls, in a manner, flighter within you, and make you to rouze up your [Page 55] selves, to welcome them with gladness of heart.

And therefore First, we would exhort you all to be­lieve this report; there are alace! but few who doe in­deed believe, that the Eternal God hath this design of a marriage betwixt him and sinners? Therefore let not your hearts be straitned, only believe that this is the good word of God, that these are the faithful & true say­ings of him that cannot lie, and that he is waiting on to ratifie them to all who give them Credit: It's somewhat hard to deliver or receive a word of threatning in faith, but in some respect, more hard to believe a word of Promise and of consolation; It is Proportionably hard to look upon this as Gods own offering of a marriage with his Son, as if he himself were by vive voice speak­ing it out of Heaven, and to believe that this offer is really his: and therefore as I desire (as his Servant) to speak to you, so I would, again and again, Obtest you to be rouzed up, and to rouze up your selves to believe it. Secondly, Rouze, stretch and enlarge your understandings, and your hearts and affections, for be­holding, conceiving and embracing this rich bargain of Grace: O! consider seriously, from whom it is, For what end it is, how it is brought about, and doth come to you: the height and Depth, the Length and breadth whereof is inconceivable; be Holily amazed and won­der, that the offer of this marriage comes to you, and that he is content to marry you. Thirdly, In a word, would you know what we have to do with you, or what is our commission to you this day? This is even it, to tell you that the King hath made a marriage for his Son, and hath prepared and made all things ready for reuniting you to himself; yea this same King that hath made this wedding ready, and hath carved out this way of throughing his designe, by speaking to you in his [Page 56] Word by his servants, speaks to you by us, and we speak to you in his name and tell you, tha [...] our blessed Lord Jesus is wooing you; we declare, publish and proclaim it: O! take notice of it, our Lord Jesus is not far to seek, he is here waiting on to close [...]he bar­gain w [...]th you: This is our errand to proclaim these glad t [...]dings to you; and what glader tydings could yo [...] wish, then to have it told you, tha [...] [...]e may be happy and easily happy, and that if ye be content [...]o be so, the [...]e is no [...]hing that might mar [...] [...]his happiness, but it is [...]e­move and taken ou [...] of the way: Is not the Fa [...]e [...] ready? He hath given his consent; is no [...] the Bride­groom ready, when he hath done so much and is wait­ing on your consent? the Feast is ready, and the Gar­ments are ready, and there is n [...] more to do, but t take and put them on; a [...]d fa [...]h exe [...]cised on him w [...]l [...] both; the Con [...]ract is ready, and there is nothing [...]o [...] changed o [...] altered in it; and He is ready to accep [...] o [...] you, if ye will accept o [...] him; our blessed Lord Jesus says, he is c [...]n [...]e [...] [...]o marry you; and there is no more to do, but to subsc [...]ibe your name to the contract i [...] you want clothes he will give them to you; [...]f ye want a house, if ye want meat or drink, he will provide for you, what ever it be that you really stand in need of for Soul or body, in time o [...] eternity, ye shall have [...] from him; The promises a [...]e filled with all things tha [...] p [...]ain to life and godliness, to h [...]s life and to tha [...] which is to come; there is in effect n thing wanting but your consent, and let not tha be wantng, I be­seech you.

I [...] prosecuting this purpose, I shall speak a litle. 1. T [...] those to whom the offer is made, or to those wh [...] a e called 2. To wha [...] they a [...]e called [...]o 3. To the terms on which they are called. 4. To the manner [Page 57] how ye should come. 5. To the Peremptoriness of the call, and to the necessitie of coming, And 6. (If it be Possible to win at it) a word to some motives, whereby ye may be Pressed to come, and not to neglect the opportunity of such a Precious Season of Grace.

For the First; it is not one or two or some few that are called, not the great only, nor the Smal only, not the holy only, nor the Profane only, but ye are all bidden, the call comes to all and every one of you in Particular, Poor and rich, high and low, holy and prophane; Ho (Proclaimeth the Lord, as it were, with an Oyas Isa. 55.1.) Every one that thirsts, come, and he that hath no money, Let him come: whosoever will let him come and take of the wa­ter of life freely, Rev. 22.17. Our blessed Lord Jesus is not straitned in his call; and we may hum­bly say in some measure, that we are not straitened in our bowels; in his name we invite all of you, and make offer of Jesus Christ to be your Hus­band; that ye may have a room among them that stand by, and be with him for ever: I say we make this offer to all of you, to you that are Atheists, to you that are Graceless, to you that are Ignorant, to you that are Hypocrits, to you that are Lazie and Luk-warm, to the Civil and to the Prophane; We pray, We beseech, We obtest you all to come to the wedding; Call (sayeth the Lord) the blind, the maimed, the halt, &c. Bid them all come, Yea compel them to come in: Grace can do moe & greater wonders then to call such, it cannot only make the [Page 58] offer of the Marriage to them; but it can make up the Match effectually betwixt Christ and them: We will not, we dare not say, that all of you will get Christ for a Husband, but we do most really offer him to you all, and it shall be your own fault if ye want him and go without him. And there­fore before we proceed any further, we do Solemn­ly Protest, and before God & his Son Jesus Christ, take instruments this day, that this offer is made to you; and that it is told to you in his name, that the Lord Jesus is willing to match with you, even the profanest and most graceless of you, if ye be wil­ling to match with him; and he earnestly invites you to come to the wedding: if you can touch at any thing on his side, that is not ready, or at any thing on your side, but it may through grace be made ready if ye will come, you may: but its im­possible: for the Covenant is well o [...]dered and sure, and that in all things, and these words are not the words of men, but the Words of the true and faith­ful witness, which ye must count and reckon for, when we are dead and gone: He hath killed his Oxen and Fatlings, and prepared his dinner and bid his guests: all things are ready, in the due order and manner, whether on your side or on his, if ye be willing to step to and make the bargain, he hath drawn up the contract, and sent us out with it to you, to crave your subscription, and if ye be ready for that, he craves no more of you: Now, I put you all to it, whether will ye subscribe it or not? and I would not put one of you without the reach [Page 59] of this invitation; however we be, Alace! much carnal in speaking his mind, yet we desire not to obscure nor limit our Lords grace, he calls all of you to the wedding, he hath sent us out as his Ser­vants (though of all the most unworthy) to close and conclude the contract of Marriage with you this day, if you be willing. Come then, O come and subscribe, and it shall be in very deed a bargain, if ye can through Grace say from your hearts, We will take him, then I say to you, take him and have him with the Fathers blessing; our commission is not only to offer him, and to invite you to take him, but to close a bargain betwixt him and you who are content to take him: we would (as the Apostle speaks, 2 Cor. 11.2) Espouse you to one husband, that we m ght present you a chast Virgin to Christ, and have you hand-fasted to him, as the word is: and this is very well becoming one of the dayes of the Son of man, and one of such seasons of his grace, to make this offer to great and small, rich and Poor, learned and unlearned, Gracious and Graceless, Hypocrites and prophane; there is here no excepti­on of persons with him; the blessed God is content to match with the most graceless and Godless of you, as well as with those who are gracious and Godly; There is joy in heaven at the conversion of a sinner, and the price was payed for the Elect, that are yet Graceless, as well as for these of them who are now gracious; for all were once in the same condition; Therefore look not with narrow and straitned hearts on the Rich and liberal allowance of our Blessed Lord Jesus.

But Secondly, what is it that we call you to, when we bid you come to the Marriage; It's not to the Communion only, It's not to any of Christs benefits only, it's not to say at first hand confidently that all is yours, or to have a sure knowledge (as ye call it) and perswasion at the very first that it is so; though I heartily wish that ye may find this Perswasion on solid and good grounds; but it is first and mainly to marry the Bridegroom, and then to come to the Feast: We call you to believe, and we declare in his Name, that if ye will betake your selves to him in good earnest, ye shall be saved: If ye will as it were, put your hand to the Pen, and Subscribe your selves heartily content to take him, ye shall most certainly have him and all his benefits: ye that are Prophane take him, but not to live still in your Profanity, but to study Holiness in all manner of conversation in his strength; Ye that are self-righte­ous take him, but not to live still in the good con­ceit of your self-righteousness, but to renounce it, and to take him for your righteousness; ye that are blind take him, but not to live still in your blind­ness, but to grow in grace and in the knowledge of him: whatever ye be, and whatever ill aileth you, take him, but not to continue in the ill, but to get it amended: This sure is no less then to call you to the communion, yea it is more, whether therefore ye come to the Communion or not, we call and in­vite you all to come to Christ, and to marry Him; which if ye do, we dare Promise you in his name, be­gun Communion with him here, & full communion with him in Heaven hereafter.

Thirdly what are the termes on which ye are called and may warrantably come to this marriage? I need not stand on the terms on his side, nor to tell you what he promiseth, It's this in a word, I will be for thee: He is content to make over all that is his to you; Pardon of Sin, Justification, Sanctification, his Spirit to quicken you, even his whole Purchase to enrich you: in Sum (as it is, 1 Cor. 1.31.) He is made of God unto you Wisdome, Righteousness, Sanctification and Re­demption; He hath made all things yours (as it is 1 Cor. 3.21.) And in him ye are compleat, (as the Apostle hath it, Col. 2.10.) Ye need never go out of him, to seek for any thing truly good that ye stand in need of. And on the other hand, what seeks be of you but to be for him and not for another: (as it is Hos. 3.) He seeks no hard condition: In Sum it may be com­prehended in that word 1 Cor. 1.31. That he that glo­rieth may glory in the Lord: not to glory or boast in any thing or in our selves, but of him, and in him. But for clearness cause I shall draw the termes on your side to these there. 1 You must deny your self, Your lusts, and Idols and your own righteousness: Where is boast­ing then? (sayeth the Apostle Rom. 3.27.) It is excluded; by what law, of works? nay, but the law of Faith: Ye then that would Marry Christ and share in­deed in the feast; ye must have a sight of that which ye want; and of your own inability to make it up: and that ye are undone in your selves without him, to him that worketh not, but Believeth on him that Justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness: That is, to him that expects nothing by his works, but betakes himself to Christ and his righteousness for his Justifica­tion before God: and that is no unreasonable conditi­on. Secondly as ye would not glory in your selves, so [Page 62] ye would glory in him: what ever ye deny in your selves ye would put him in the room of it: If ye dare not lippen or trust your souls to your own right­eousness, lippen or trust them to his: He sayes I am content to pay your debt, and since ye canno [...] pay your own debt your selves, say humbly to him, blessed Lord Jesus pay our debt for us; He is the end of the Law for Righteousness to every one that believeth Rom. 10.3. When he offers himself, take him thus, and let Faith say, sobeit Lord, I accept of the bargain, Q! hold to it and quit it not. Thirdly, It is required that ye shall be his and have no Power over your selves: and this takes in Sanctification, dying to sin and living to Right­eousness, adorning the Gospel, living answerably to the severall relations ye stand in: for though Mortifica­tion and holiness be not the cause, for which he mar­ries, yet it is a condition of the contract; and it well be­comes his Bride to be dutifull: Thou shalt be for me, and I will be for thee, If he will graciously please to be for us, it's all the reason in the World that we should be for him: Now we know somewhat of the terms, which may all come in under these three, there are many conditions on his side and but few on ours.

Fourthly ye would consider the Peremptoriness of this call, to accept of and to Marrie our Lord Jesus Christ on these terms, it's not an ordinary complement, but purposed by the King the Father, and by the Kings Son the Bridgroom: He sends out his Servants, who are come to call you Peremptorily: and there are three Peremptories, that this offer and call hath with it: all which three we carry in our commission, and crave of you to Subscribe to them. The 1. Whereof is; that ye take no other husband but this Bridegroom, there is no latitude left to you in this; ye must by no means engage [Page 63] with any other; It's only for Jesus Christ that we woo, and we seek of you that ye would give him your souls, your hearts, and affections, that ye may be devoted to him and to no other; and therefore we intimat to you that are Married and Joyned to Idols, that ye must be divorced from those and betake you to him alone The Second Is, the Peremptoriness of the terms we speak of; we cannot and ye must not alter one jote or title, Ye must deny your selves, ye must be content to be divorc­ed from your lusts and Idols, ye must renounce your own righteousness, and give up with the law your first husband, considered as a Covenant of works, and run out from the curses thereof to him, which ye will never do; till ye see your own righteousness to be as filthy rags, and reject it, as Part of your enditement, that ever ye trusted to it. Ye must forget your fathers house. 2. As you must deny your selves, so you must close with Christ, and embrace him for your husband and Lord: do not think that ye will or can dwel beside him, that ye can sit and hear him: if ye Marrie him not. 3. Ye must be devoted to him in your conversation, he must needs be your King as well as your Priest; Ye must for­sake Father and Mother and all your kindred and betake you to him, and ye must take up and keep house with him, you must dwel with him, and study to be answer­able to the Marriage tye and obligation put upon you, we dare dispense with none of the Three. The Third Peremptory is this, as ye must engage with no other, and as ye must not alter the terms, so ye must not delay to come and close the bargain, ye must not put off till to morrow, nay not an hour; All things are ready, Just now, Now is the accepted time; Here stands the blested Bridgroom, here are the conditions and terms on which he will marry you, and we as the Bridegrooms [Page 64] friends stand ready to espouse you to him: We dare not be answerable to our Master, nor can we be answerable to our trust and commission, if we shuffle by, or thrust out any of you, if ye do not thrust out your selves, nor may we admite of an excuse from any of you: and therefore let me again say to you, that here is not only a marriage, and of all marriages the most excellent; but let me beseech and obtest you to come to the wed­ding; either come or give a reason why ye will not, or cannot: as you can assigne no relevant reason for your not coming, we dare not accept of any Irrelevant rea­son, nor admit of any answer but this, that ye will take him: we dare admit of no excuse: ye must not shift nor delay: ye would think that those who were bidden Luke 14. might have come, when they had seen their Farme and proved their Oxen: but that would not be with them: So I say it will not be with you, to shift this offer: He is here waiting on to see who will consent and say even so I take him: Say it, O say it seriously and abide by it.

Q! Are there any here now looking up to him? Are there any here that would fain have it a closed bargain? Are there any here that believe these things as the truths of God? Then we pray you let them sink down into your hearts, and come. And to press this a little further, let me ask, what can hinder the making of this bargain? is it the want of notice or timeous intimation of it? That cannot he, ye are clearly convinced of the con­trary: Is it because ye will or can be happy without him? Wo to that happiness: is it any difficulty standing in the way? That shall be removed, yea as to him it is removed already, and shall be as to you on your closing with him: Pose and put your own hearts to it then, Is there any of you that dare or can find in your hea [...]ts to [Page 65] refuse? the Lord is waiting on; his faithfulness is en­gaged to make out what he offereth; He stretcheth out his hand, and sayeth, Even so I take you, if ye will take me; are ye content to stretch forth your hand and to say, Even so I take thee blessed Lord Jesus: or if this be not win at to Satisfaction, are there any rouzing and stretching themselves to essay how it will go with them? what are ye doing? Is it a bargain or not? ye must say, yea or nay, and that even now; We suppose ye will not say down right, nay: though more then pro­bably many will delay: but this must not be, the Table may be drawn, other guests may be called in and ye re­moved: we cannot allow you an hours time to advise, especially from indifferency, yea if ye begin to take advisement for shifting a present closure, Christs call and invitation, and your consenting will readily cool upon your hand: Paul sayes that he consulted not with flesh and blood: So must not ye consult with flesh and blood in this matter, ye must cast away the beggars cloak, be content to deny your self, quite your lusts, and close with him presently, or ye may never have the like op­portunity, There is a necessity imposed on you from the command to come, from the curse and prejudice that abides you, and will certainly overtake you if you come not: ye will be eternalie miserable without him, there is no happiness but in him: The King is on his Throne, the Table is set and covered, the day is fixed, his Ser­vants invite in his name: come therefore, come without further lingering, dallying, shifting or delay: alace! there are too many dayes put by already, ye must put by no moe.

Now let me speak a word further to this purpose, what can marr the matter, what can obstruct its being a bargain? certainly it must be one of three: Either [Page 66] first: because ye are not content with the Bridegroom, Or Secondly because ye are not content with the terms. Or Thirdly because ye are not content with your selves or with some thing in your selves: As for the First: I suppose ye can say nothing against the Bridegroom: is there any other like to him or that can compare with him; I appeal even to you Atheists, and Profane Wretches, that live and ly in your Lusts, Is there a be­loved like this Beloved? hath He a match in Heaven or Earth? Is He not the Kings Son? and if ye ask who that is, ye may hear and know from Psal. 24. The King of Glory, the Lord of Hosts, strong and mighty in Battel, and from Heb 1.3. The brightness of the Fathers Glory, the express Image of his Person, upholding all things by the word of his Power: There is none like him, but the Father, and the Holy Spirit, and as God he is one with them, ye have both the Question and answer, Cant. 5.9. What is thy beloved more then another Be­loved? What is yonder Christ of whom we hear so much? The answer is given (which we cannot stay now to Paraphase upon) He is white and ruddi [...], the chiefest, or Standard bearer among ten thousands, Fairer then the Sons of men; and if ye would know him more Particularly, His head is as the most fine gold, He is God: His locks (or his hair) are bushie and black as a Raven: there is not the least unseemliness, even in those things that would, to our thinking, seem less necessary, as his hair; Yea his very Garments smel of Myrrhe, Aloes, and Cassia, (as it is Psal. 45.) His eyes are as the eyes of Doves by the Rivers of waters washed with milk and fitly set, O! so lovely as his Properties are, his Cheeks as beds of Spices, as sweet flowers: His lips like Lilies dropping sweet smelling Myrrhe: his hands, as Gold rings set with Berill: His belly (or bowels of love and [Page 67] affection) Like the bright Ivory overlaid with Saphires: His legs like pillars of Marble set upon Sockets of fine Gold: His Countenance like Lebanon, excellent as the Cedars: O! So excellent and stately: His mouth is most sweet, or (as the word is) sweetness, in the abstract: never soul kissed his mouth, but there was a bond there­by laid on it, that it could never again part with him: in a word, He is altogether lovely, or (as the word is) all desires: there is nothing that Souls can desire but it is in him: and there is nothing in him, but what has de­sireableness in it: This is my beloved and this is my Friend (says the Bride) O! ye Daughters of Jerusalem: this is He, he is sure no common or ordinary Beloved: see if among all the beloveds in Heaven or earth there be any like Him: O! Ye despisers and slighters of the Son of God, put your selves to it, Is there any like him to be found? has he not the preference of and the Pre­heminence above all beloveds? He is the only begotten of the Father full of Grace and truth; He is the mighty God, the wonderfull Counseller, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. It would well become us all to be wondering at him, and to be drawing near to him, to behold Him in his beauty; To go forth and Behold King Solomon with the Crown wherewith his Mother Crowned him in the day of his espousals: O! take a stay­ed view of him in his Personall excellencies and in the excellent qualifications of this Mediatory Office, and it cannot be that on this ground ye will cast at the Match, Will any of you dare to say it or to abide by it, that ye will not Marry Christ, because ye think nothing of him, or because he is not worthy to be thought of? We sup­pose none will do so.

If it be the Second, viz. The terms, That ye are not content with; ye would have Christ, Grace, and Glory, [Page 68] and every good thing; but here it sticketh, you look at it as an hard matter to be denyed to your self and to be wholly Gods, to renounce your own righteousness, and your lusts, & your Idols, to be absolutely devoted to him and wholly dependent on him in your walk, As the evil & the slothfull Servant called him a hard Master; So do many think of him, though they will not down right say so much in express words: But I would ask you, is there any unreasonable thing here? Or shall all those termes be sought after, in some respect, in the Marriage of a poor creature like your selves? And will ye deny them to Christ? 1. If you get his righteousness; should ye not deny your own? If ye come under the Covenant of Grace with him, is there any prejudice to lay by the Covenant of works? If ye get him for your second Husband, and infinitly best, is it any prejudice to quit your first husband the Law? And in that respect is it reasonable to cast at the bargain, because it is free? Se­condly, Is it not reasonable that ye should give him the room of all things? If He be able to fill the room of all, let him have his room, as being well worthy of it; It is your advantage to quit your lusts and sinfull plea­sures, your covetousness, Pride, vanity, self conceit, &c. To exchange all for him; and if ye be not content of this condition, ye say he is not worth the having. 3. Is it not reasonable that ye should be devoted to him in your Conversation? That ye should no longer Play the harlot, but be as a chast Virgin to him? Is it any advantage to you to follow your Idols, that wil go be­twixt you and happiness? If Heaven be an advantage, it is your advantage to quit them and be for Christ; Or is it any Prejudice to be Holy? Or will ye quit Christ, because ye must be Holy? Or will ye refuse him be­cause he will not suffer you, to your ruine, to take your [Page 69] own will as formerly? yea it is not only reasonable, but very good and Profitable; Nay there is a necessity you should be Holy, and may not love to him loose your heart from sin? There was another sort of consolation, and other bowels of love at the first making of the Bar­gain betwixt the Father and the Son; and it was cal­culated for more honourable designes, and levelled to more Noble ends then any thing the Devil, or the World, or the flesh can Promise to you: and any of you that will stand and stick at the termes that are so just equitable and every way reasonable and easie with all, we take your own consciences to be witnesses that they are so, and you dare not avouch the denyall of their being so: If ye be content to take him, to be reconciled, and made friends with God by his satisfaction; and to be made Holy by his Sanctifieing Spirit, to be for him as he shall be for you; It is a bargain: and what, I pray, ailes you at such a ba [...]gain; If this be not made, ye shall never be able to make such another: What should ye do then, but come to the wedding; It's not time to dispute or debate, but to close: Say, O! say sincerely, as those do, Jeremie. 3.22. Behold we come unto thee, for thou art the Lord our God; When He sayes, as he did to them, returne ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings; turn it over to him, and say, Behold we come unto thee.

Thirdly, Are ye not content with your selves, or with something in your selves? Do ye indeed think and say, that it is a good bargain, and that the terms are very reasonable and easie; and we have nothing to say against them; but we have, alas! much to say of and against our selves; The bargain pleaseth us wondrous well, and so do the terms; but we are not at all pleased with our selves. I answer, 1. May ye not then the better [Page 70] quit and deny your selves, and take Christ in the room and place of self? 2. I Ans. Christ makes no such objection, He bids the most Prophane, the most Igno­rant and Graceless wretch, the most Hypocriticall dis­sembler, that never knew what it was to be honest come, and assures them that they shall be welcome, if they will come indeed.

Object. But I can do nothing, I cannot keep a word word that I say to Christ; I Answer, Engage and con­sent to close with Christ on his own terms, and doing and keeping shall follow, to give thy consent is that which thou art now called to, and he engages to help thee to perform.

Object. But shall I take on an engagement, presently to break it again? I Answer, If indeed thou consent; thou mayest [...]ail and break, but the covenant will never be utterly broken nor dissolved; yea thou shalt have surety for thy keeping of it; Forasmuch as (saith the Apostle, Heb. 7.22.) Jesus was made Suretie of a better Testament.

If ye Object and say; that ye have much sin, that ye are Lothsome, and Abominable; Subscribe this Con­tract and bargain, and ye have a free and full discharge of all your debt; I will (sayeth the Lord Hosea. 2 19) Betroth thee unto me in loving kindness, and mercies; He will pardon your iniquities; There is no exact or severe seeking and searching out of the debt here, where it's ingenuously taken with, but rather a covering of it; He will also cleanse you from all your filthiness, and from all your Idols.

But it may be thou wilt Object, And say, I will rather purpose then engage, because I fear I shall break it.

Answer, But is it likely that thou wilt make good such a purpose, who darest not engage? Or will purposes [Page 71] and resolutions do the business without performing? Purposes of Marriage make not the Marriage? It is actuall consent and engaging which doth that.

But thou wilt Object, And say, alace! I am not in a right frame; I am very confused; all things are wrong with me. Answer, What is this thou sayest? Will your frame be amended without Christ? will those swarms of Corruptions be beat out before thou take in the King of Glory, who is strong and mighty in Battel?

But thou wilt Object. I am not clear as to my in­terest. Ans. Wilt thou not consent till thou be clear, that is as much as to say, thou art doubting, but that thou wilt not put it out of doubt; if thou be unclear as to thy Subscription, rather Subscribe & write thy name over again: if ye have not at all Subscribed, take now the pen and do it; say, Lord Jesus, I come to thee and will be thine.

Object. Alace! fain would I come to the wedding, but I cannot come, it will not do with me; I would fain believe, but my Faith is not Prompt and ready. I Answer. Is not the Covenant provided with an answer to that also? It calls for nothing but for your Sub­scribing; and if ye say ye cannot; look well that it be not a shift; it comes to this, yea or nay, and if ye say, ye cannot say Yea in Faith, which yet thou wouldest fain be at; is there not a promise of Grace, that though your hand be as it were withered, if ye mint and essay, you shall be enabled to stretch it forth: Faith may come in the very essaying to grip him, only essay it and it shall go with you.

Object. I have essayed it often, and it hath not gone with me; Ans. Essay it again and cast a new knot; If your evidence be not clear, Subscribe over again.

Object. But it goes not with me, when all is done, I [Page 72] cannot believe, I would Subscribe, but I cannot writ (as it were) I cannot distinctly act Faith. Ans. What is that? Our Lord stands not on that, though you can­not write well, do as ye can: It's strange to see, how somes Subscription is almost like a scratching with Crow-toes, yet it's a valid Subscription; some again will write down their mark in place of their name, and that also where it is well known, is admitted as valid; if you cannot (as it were) write your name in fair and legible Letters, set down some Mark, if it were but two scores or lines in any form or figure, If ye cannot act Faith so distinctly, come on as you may; if ye cannot to your satisfaction say, Yea, with the heart, say it with the mouth, striving and longing to have thy heart brought up; force thy self (If I may speak so) to believing; If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe with thy heart, that God raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved, Rom. 10.9. Endeavour to make thy Mouth engage thine heart; bind thy self fast to Christ, even in a manner whether thou wilt or not: act Faith with the understanding, labouring honestly to bring up thy Will and affections and though ye win not now to a Faith that is distinct, it shall come in a due time: essay to set open the door, and it shall go with you.

Object. But my heart says, all these are but fair words? Ans. Away with that blasphemy, They are the truths of God: essay then, O! essay Seriously this way of Be­lieving, and ye shall find power meeting you, The Pen is, as it were, lying by you, and albeit ye cannot write well and be distinct, take the Pen, and Christ shall (as it were) lead your hand and guide it, to write so, as it shall Pass in Heaven for a Subscribed consent: set your selves to give him a welcome, and he shall account it to [Page 73] be a welcome. Say now, what more ye have to say; lay out your scruples; this word, all things are ready, will answer them all: the garment is ready to be put on, yea Jesus Christ is your Wedding Garment, take and put him on: He is the cure for all your diseases, apply him for the cure of them all; ye cannot certainly be clothed, before you put on the garment: neither can ye be Healed, before ye apply the cure: ye cannot by any means be rich, till ye marry him. But beside all these, there are several other needlesly disquieting scruples, there are many other shifts (and alace! that there should be such triffling, if I may call it so, such whin­ing, as it were, and standing on Ceremonies (to speak so) with our Lord,) among which this is one, I wot not If I be in the Covenant and Contract of Redemp­tion, I know not if I be one of Gods elect: Ans. What is this? ye know not well what ye say: have ye any thing to do with that secret by a leap and at First hand? are ye not called to Marry Christ? Is not that his revealed will to you? I protest in his name, this is the thing that ye are called to: and will ye make an ex­ception, where he has made none? Or will ye shift obedience to a clear command, upon a supposed de­cree, which you cannot know but by the effects? Will ye reason so in the matter of your eating and drinking? upon a supposition that God hath decreed, that ye shall die to Morrow or within a few dayes, will ye this day not take your dinner, nor make use of any refreshment, till that supposed day come? Or because ye know not, if God hath appointed you to live so and so long? Will ye forbear therefore your callings? Or will any of you, in seeking after a match in the World, reason so? Will ye not seek after nor Marry such a Woman, till ye be clear that God hath decreed her to be your Wife? When [Page 74] or whom would ye Marry at this rate of reasoning? But 2. Because there is a sort of facultie and facilitie here to dispute against God, I answer by way of question, were there ever any that had that doubt cleared to them before they came to Christ? whoever would have come to him, if they had stayed till that had been taken out of the way? Or hath the Lord told that to any before they came? Hath he said to them, believe for ye are Elect­ed: but his method is thus, believe, and ye shall know in due time that ye are Elected. 3 Is there any that can say, that the offer or the refusall of the match de­pended on this? If any of you will say, because I was not elected, he refused me: He will answer, How often would I have gathered you? And there will need no more ground for sentencing Professors of the Gospel to destruction, then this, Man, woman, thou hadst the offer of the Gospel and refusedst it, therefore go to thy place: he will not Judge you according to the decree of reprobation, but according to his call and your disobe­dience to it: And further ye may take Christs Answer to this Objection, from John 6.39. Where there are two wills, or rather two things willed, of equal extent betwixt the Father and Christ in the Covenant of Re­demption, under which all the elect come: The First is vers. 39. This is the Fathers will which hath sent me, that of all that he hath given me, I should lose nothing; But, as if he had said, this is not it that ye have to do with at first hand: Therefore vers. 40. He sayes. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one that seeth the Son and Believeth on Him may have everlasting life: Not that all the elect should know that they are elected, before they Believe; but that he that Believes in Him, may know that he is Elected: He gives the same promise to them that Believe, that is given to them [Page 75] that are Elected: and they are distinguished, because He would have them to come under distinct considerations.

And now to conclude, Is there not need, great need to come? and have ye not good warrand to come? Lay by, therefore, seeking satisfaction to sense and carnal reason: and [...]hile the Lord sayes, All things are ready, come to the Marriage: It will be greatly to your prejudice, to sit or shift the invitation: ye have the Con­tract laid before you, alter not the Terms, dispute not, delay not: This is our Commission to you to day, We tell you that the King hath made ready for the Feast, yea all things are ready come then and let there be no more debate about the matter: if ye will but say it and say it in earnest, Here Lord Jesus I give up my self to thee, and though my consent be now but confused, I shall endeavour, through Grace to give it more clearly and distinctly another time: It shall go well with you: only deliver up your selves to him: and in the Lords Name I tell you, that ye shall be dearly welcome: as many as come humbly lothing themselves, wond'ring at the free Grace of God, and Highly esteeming of Precious and lovely Jesus, and adventuring to hazard their souls on him on his own terms, and to take him for their Hus­band and Lord: It shall not be accounted Presumpti­on in them so to do: nay (as it is Cant. 3.) The bot­tom of his Chariot is Paved with love, and it's for the daughters of Jerusalem: It is made for carrying and keep­ing Believers: leap hither (if I may speak so) and ye will fall soft, into a sweetly Perfumed and soft bed, even in the arms of Christ: There was never a Carpet, never a feather or doun-bed so soft as that is: only come and cast your selves over on it: Though ye think that ye cannot apprehend and take hold of him, He can and will apprehend and take hold of you; and He is so very [Page 76] tender hearted, that he will kisse you and even weep over you for joy, (as it were) on your neck: and if ye have no Garments, Rings or Jewels (to speake so) to a­dorne you, He will give these to you: Come forward then, come, O! come, and let it be a day of Covenant­ing with him: and in signe and token thereof give up your names to him: and for confirmation, take the Seal of His Covenant the Sacrament with your hand, and bless Him with your heart, that so heartily welcomes you; and the blessing of God shall come upon you that come on these terms.

THere are two great works that the Ministers of the Gospel have to do; one is to engage People to Christ, and to perswade them to receive him and close with him; The other is to induce them to walk worthy of him: Col. 2.6. As ye have (saith the Apostle) received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him. Paul through the hand of the Lord with him, had engaged the Philippians to close with Christ, and as it were to conclude the Contract betwixt him and them: and now being aged and in Prison, and not knowing certainly if ever he shall see them again, He commends this to them in a speciall manner, whether he see them or be absent from them; that only they would let their Con­versation [Page 77] be, as becometh the Gospel of Christ: As if he had said, ye are priviledged with the Gospel, and have embraced it, and are eminent in the Profession thereof; let me therefore beg this of you; that your Conversati­on may be answerable to it. The adverb only, intimats to them, that this was so necessary and of so great con­cernment, that in a manner it was their one thing they had to do, In comparison of which, in a manner, they had no other thing else to do, whether he were Present or absent; This in some respect, is all that he requires of them: And the Argument whereby he presseth it is, that whether he come to them or not, he may hear of their affairs; And that he desires and expects, whether he be at Liberty, or in Prison and bonds; that they will thus especially testifie their respect to him; which would be more refreshing and acceptable to him, then their Com­municating to him in his affliction, beyond all the rest of the Churches, was, and for which he commends them, Chap. 4. And in the close of the verse he instanceth Two Particulars, wherein he would have their Conversation suiting the Gospel; or Two qualifications of a Gospel-Conversation and walk: one is, Unity that they stand fast in one Spirit, Another is, Purity in the Faith; that with one mind they strive together for the Faith of the Gospel.

The First Qualification is, joint and united stayedness and stedfastness, that they be not fleeting and wavering to and fro, easily disjointed and divided one from ano­ther, as many light Professors are: And the Second is, that they be studious in and striving for the Purity of the Doctrine of Faith, and serious in the Practice and ex­ercise of Faith; Desireable and excellent Qualifications of a Christian, viz. Purity, Solidity, and seriousness in Religion.

We shall at this time speak of the exhortation, Only let your Conversation be, as becometh the Gospel of Christ: Where, by Conversation, we understand the whole of a mans carriage and walk towards and before God and men; and by the Gospel, the whole Doctrine thereof, as it respects Faith and manners or Practice, but here more especially, as it respects Faith in Chr [...]st, both as it is opposed to Heathenisme, and as it's opposed to the Law or Covenant of Works: To walk then as becometh the Gospel, is to walk answerably and suitably to it, and in the whole of their carriage and Depo [...]tment, to make a manifest difference to appear betwixt themselves and all other Persons; as they are dignified, and as the Gos­pel requireth.

The point of Doctrine, to which we would speak from these words, and which lyeth obviously in them is; That, they who are Priviledged with the Gospel, ought seriously to endeavour, and to make it their great business, to have their Conversation suitable to, and becoming the same. This is some way the one thing re­quired of all the hearers of the Gospel, of all that are Baptized in the name of Christ: We need not stay on the Proof and reasons of it, and the lesse, that none will dare down-right to denie it, and that the reason [...] a [...]e so obvious.

There a [...]e three Uses of it, that we would speak a little to; The First is for instruction, to teach us our dutie: The Second is of Regra [...]e and expostulation, that the Professors of the Gospel, and of the Name of Christ should be so unlike and u [...]answerable to it: The Third is of Exhortation to this so verie necessarie and so muc [...] called for a dutie, as the Compend of all duties, whic [...] we would presse and set home by some consideration drawn from the necessitie and advantage of it.

As for the First, I think I may say, that if ye had the Apostle Paul Preaching to you who have been Com­municants yester-day, this would be the great dutie which he would enforce upon you: Only let your Con­versation be, as it becomes the Gospel of Christ. Ye will readilie say, what is that? I confess it's hard to tell, it's so verie Marrowie and comprehensive, but it will be as hard to practise it, and a great deal harder: O that we were all Breathing and Pressing seriouslie and hard after it! However, we shall in the first Place, and in the ge­nerall desire you to consider these few Scriptures that hold it out, as namelie, Luke 1.74, 75. 2 Cor. 7.1. Tit. 2.10, 11, 12 1 Pet. 1.15. Philip. 3 20.

More Particularlie, from other Scriptures ye may take it up in these: or if we read and consider the Gos­pel aright, we will find these Five things in it, which require a walk suitable, or a walk with respect to them: and such a walk becomes the Gospel. 1. In the Sub­stance of it, Our blessed Lord Jesus is (as it were) the Text on whom the Gospel is a notable Commen­tarie, and what he did and how he suffered, is proposed as a fair Copie for us to write after in all things where­in he is set forth to us as a pattern for our Imitation. 2. That from whence the Gospel comes, and which gives it it's rise, even the Love of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holie Ghost, in whose blessed breast it bred; and To walk as it becomes the Gospel, is to walk suitablie to that love. 3. To walk as becomes the Gospel, is to walk suitablie to the great offers of it, and to the Promises contained in it, The exceeding great and Precious Promises, whereby we are made Partakers of the Divine nature: To walk suitablie to all the excellent things, the sublimelie Spirituall and divine things Pro­mised. 4. It is to walk suitablie to the Commands and directions [Page 80] of the Gospel, in reference to all duties: having there­fore (saith the Apostle, 2 Cor. 7.1.) These Promises let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of the flesh and Spirit, perfecting Holiness in the fear of God. 5. It is to walk answerablie to the obligations which the Gos­pel lays on us, and to the consolations that flow from it to us: If then we would walk as becomes the Gospel of Christ, we must have a due respect unto all these.

If it should be enquired what is it to have a respect to these in our walk? We answer, it supposeth and includ­eth these things. 1. A likeness and conformitie, that what is called for in the matter of dutie, or offered in the Promise, we studie to be like it, We all (saith the A­postle 2 Cor. 3 18.) Beholding, as in a Glass, the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same Image, from Glory to Glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord. 2. Our suffering none of these things to ly by us unimproved, & our endevouring to make the right use of them: to suffer none of the Promises relating to Justification, Sancti­fication, or any other Spiritual priviledge and benefit to be useless, but to be laying due weight on each of them: and more especiallie to be making right use of Christ the Mediator, in whom all the Promises are yea and amen: (for certainlie they neither walk as it becomes the Gos­pel, nor are worthie of it, who make not use of him) to be making right use of the Ordinances, word and Sacraments, and of all appointed means of edification, Publick, Privat and secret, and to be making right use of the comforts of the Gospel, whereof there is through Christ a verie large and liberal allowance on Christians. 3. It includes our delighting our selves in the Gospel, our endeavouring to be cheerfull, to be cheered and made glad by the good things in it: A heartless drooping & discouraged life and walk is verie unbecoming the Gos­pel of Christ.

We may in a word, briefly sum up a Christians Conversation as becometh the Gospel, in these Three; 1. That he shine in his Conversation, so as he may adorne the Gospel, 2. That he improve, by the exercise of Faith, the Promises of it. 3. That he endeavour to live on the comforts of it, and to live in the hope and expectation of the comfort & refreshing, from the Presence of the Lord, and the fulness of joyes therein, that are coming: some-what of all these Three is couched in those Words, Acts. 9.31. Then the Churches had rest, and were edified, and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the com­fort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied: They walked in the fear of God in respect of their Practice: and in respect of their Faith, they walked in the comfort of the Holy Ghost; and they were Edified, grew and increased, not only in respect of their number, but as to their Spiritual state and stature; And thus, the Peace of God which pass [...]th understanding, guarded their minds and hearts through Christ Jesus.

Or ye may look on the Gospel as calling for these Two things, in our external and visible conversation; 1. That none get any occasion by our walk to re­proach the Gospel: that none may have it, on any just ground given by us, to say, take up such a pro­fessor of the Gospel; O! What prejudice to the profession of the Gospel, is done this way, by the untender walk of many of it's Professors. 2. It is to walk so, as our Carriage may be a Commendati­on to the Gospel, & an Ornament to the Profession of it, that, not only, reproachers may be ashamed, [Page 82] who falsly accuse our good Conversation; but by beholding of it, they may be made to glorifie God: that we may shine as lights by our blameless walk; so holding forth the word of Life (being practicall Preachers) by our convincing and edifieing car­riage, in our severall Capacities, Callings, Stations and Relations, that they who are not won by the word, may be won to the love of Christ, and of Holiness by our examplary conversation, and by the humble, tender and conscientious discharge of the duties of those callings and relations; the Husband being kind and the wife Tractable, Child and Ser­vant obedient, &c. Excellent directions to this pur­pose are given by the Apostles, and particularly by Paul and Peter in their Epistles.

More Particularly (which yet will be but some­what generall) We may consider the Gospel. 1. As it holds forth and calls for Holiness, and so, for a Holy and Gospel-becoming Conversation. And 2. We would take a view of the nature of this Holi­ness.

First The Gospel calls for Holiness in a sixfold extent; a failing or defect in any of which, makes a Conversation in so far to be unbecoming the Gospel. 1. It calls for Holiness in respect of all sorts of du­ties, be ye Holy (saith Peter, 1 Pet. 1.15.) in all manner of Conversation, as God is Holy: in Prosperi­tie and Adversity: in Religious, in Morall, and in Natural Actions; for it is written, be ye Holy for I am Holy. 2. It is extended universally to all Parti­cular and individuall duties and actions of all those [Page 83] sorts; it reacheth all manner of Conversation; The Divinely inspired Scriptures instruct the man of God, how he may be made Perfect in every good work, as it is, 2 Tim. 3. And a failing in thought, word or deed is unbecoming the Gospel. 3. It is extended in respect of the subject, viz. the whole man, and Presseth that he be Sanctified throughout, So 1 Thess. 5.23. The Apostle Prays, the God of peace Sanctifie you wholly, and I pray God your whole Spirit Soul and Body, be Preserved blameless; And 2 Cor. 7.1. It puts to cleanse from all filth of the Flesh and Spirit: It requires that the Judgements be keep­ed sound, and that no error or untruth be admitted by it, that the Mind be sober, and free from any sin­full distemper; that the affections be Sanctifiedly regular, and that they debord not: That the will be straight and brought up to the straight rule of obe­dience; and that the Conscience be keeped tender, that it be neither darkned nor impure; That the members of the Body be yeelded as instruments unto righteousness. 4. It is extended to holiness, in re­spect of all capacities, Callings, Stations and Re­lations, of Husbands and Wives, of Masters and Servants, of Parents and Children, as the Apostle Paul Heartily and frequently doth in his Epistles, namely, Col. 3. and 4. Eph. 5. and 6. Tit. 2. Where he presses it upon Servants by this Argument, That the Doctrine of God may be adorned: and on wives by this, that the Doct ine of God may not be blasphem­ed, and on all thus, That the grace of God hath ap­peared in the Gospel (for that very end. 5. It's extended [Page 84] in respect of all times and Places, 1 Cor. 15. ult. We are Commanded alwayes to abound in the work of the Lord: in the whole tract of our conversation, at home and abroad, in secret and publick, in pro­sperity and adversitie. 6. It's extended to and re­quireth Perfect Holiness, Holiness at the highest pitch, So Matth. 5. Be ye perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect, And 1 Pet. [...]1.15. Be ye Holy in all manner of Conversation, as God that calleth you is Holy: to be at exact Holiness, even to have it per­fect in respect of degree in our designe, desire and endeavour, To be Purifieing our selves, even as He is pure (as it is 1 John 3.3.) Having Him for our Pattern.

If any should here Object. And say: to look on the Gospel thus, as carving out a Christians duty and walk so very exactly, in this extent and at this pitch, makes it appear to be very strict, and to differ litle or nothing from the Law; for what more doth that call for? So that this Doctrine seems to be legal. I Answer, This Objection seems to Imply a great mistake; for the difference betwixt the Law and the Gospel, is not so much, if at all, in this; that the Law requires more then the Gospel; but that it requires what it calls for, on another Certification: The Law and the Gospel agree in these Three. 1. The Gospel requires Holiness in as large an extent as the Law, so that whatever is a sin against the Law, is also a sin against the Gospel; For Christ came not to aboli [...]h but to fulfill the Law. 2. It re­quires Holiness at the same Pitch or in the same [Page 85] degree; for the Gospel commands us to be holy as God is Holy, and to be perfect as our Heavenly Father is per­fect: It dispenseth with no sin, nor with any degree of any sin, nor with the least Omission of any dutie, more then doth the Law. 3. The Authority and obligation, that lyes on and binds to Holiness, is no less in the Gos­pel, then it is in the Law: yea, we may say, that the obligation is in some respect greater.

But they deffer in these Three, 1. That the Gospel taketh in the Penitent, though he hath not been perfect and exact, and gives him pardon through Christ: which the Law doth not. 2. The Gospel calleth for dutie in the strength of Christ, and furnisheth strength for du­tie: but the Law now furnisheth no strength, but only supposeth it; It only giveth out the word of Command, requiring of men that they walk in the strength which they had once in Adam; so that, though the Authority and Obligation be the same: yet the manner and Certi­fication is not the same; if there be any breach or fail­ing, the law sayes, Thou shalt certainly die: But the Gospel (as I said; admits of Repentance and fleeing to Jesus Christ, Who took on him the curse of the Law. 3. The law accepts of no dutie, if it be not exactly per­fect in the degree: But the Gospel accepts of duty, though imperfect, if there be sincerity: It accepts on Christs account of a man, according to that which he hath, if there be a willing mind. So then, when ye are called to walk as becomes the Gospel: ye would know that ye are not to dispense with your selves, in the least, in any duty that the law calleth for: though the Gospel doth indeed more sweetly call for it, Its Exactors and officers being peace and righteousness: It's the same Holiness in the matter, extent and degree, which the Gospel calleth for, with that of the Law; though it much differeth, as to the Manner of calling for it.

Secondly. That we may know, what is called for in the Gospel, as a walk or Conversation becoming the same: and so may yet further know the nature of Gospel-holi­ness, (which was the Second thing we proposed to speak to) Ye would consider the Gospel, as it's distin­guished from the law, and as it holds our Grace: Where we would speak, 1. Of some qualifications, that the Gospel addeth, as to the Performance of the same duties, which t [...] Law requires. 2. Of some particular duties which it doth more especially call for, and which were not, (severals of them, at least) so proper to the law.

As for the qualifications of dutie, which the Gospel addeth, they are these. 1. A new end; for our end in duty now is, not to gain life by it, but simply to glori­fie God, as we may see. 1 Cor. 10.31. I will not say, but this end was in the Covenant of works, but in the Gospel this is not only the main end, but some way the only end, and the other quite excluded and thrust out; and when we speak of the glory of God, we take in the glory of Grace and the glory of the Redeemer, who fur­nisheth Grace. 2. It adds a sweet Motive, viz. love to Jesus Christ: The love of Ch ist (saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 5.14.) Constraineth us: It is no more meer awe, that is the Motive, but love and love to God in Christ, who hath redeemed and bought us. 3. The Gospel qualifies our obedience and walk, as to our un­dertaking thereof: that it be not in our own strength, but in the strength of Jesus Christ: it teacheth us to go through the wilderness leaning on the Beloved, and leaving the burden of the work on him; trusting more to him, then to our own feet or strength, as knowing that we cannot criple out the way, nor do any thing without him, as it is. John 15.5, 4. There is a [Page 87] Qualification, required in respect of the frame of our own heart, with respect to a twofold fear, one is a filial and reverentiall fear, that proceeds from Faith, in which we are to work out the work of our Salvation. The other is, that it be without the fear that is opposite to the former as the word is. Luke 1.74. The Gospel calleth us in our walk, to have a fear without fear, a reverentiall fear, without slavish fear: it would have us neither to be altogether afraid because of the Law, which hath terror, nor to be without filial fear, for that is presumption, but to have faith and fear mixed to­gether. 5. The Gospel qualifies our walk in spiritual duties, in respect of our cheerfulness in going about them, which are to us (in so far as we have corruption in us) Heavy and grievous; but the Gospel maketh them easy and light, as it is said, Matth. 11. ult. His yoke is easie and His burden light. Though it be a Yoke, yet it is portable and light, when Christ and the Believer are yoked together: nor are any of His Commands grie­vous, as it is 1 John 5.3. 6. Though the Gospel call for Holiness, yet it makes the person to be denyed to it, It's a Gospel-walk to be Holy, but it takes in that with it which we have Philip. 3. To forget those things that are behind: to be denyed and dead to all our attain­ments; and to count all but loss and dung for Christ: It was indeed a law-walk to be blameless, but it is a Gos­pel walk to study to be blameless, and pressing hard after perfect Holiness: and yet to foget it, and to be denyed to all conceit of it: and to be desirous to be found in Christ Jesus, not having our own righteousness, which is by the Law, but the righteousness which is by Faith.

As for the Particular duties, at least some of the duties, that are more particularly called for in this walk and Conversation becoming the Gospel: Ye may take these [Page 88] shortly. The First whereof is, a living by Faith: and that is, when a Christian hath Faith, and the exercise of it on Christ, as it were, another life to him, for though there was a life of faith or of dependance on God in Adam before the fall, yet not the life of Faith in a Redeemer: I live (saith the Apostle Gal. 2.20) Yet not I, but Christ liveth in me, and the life that now I live in the flesh, is by faith on the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. And this is to be taken along the Christians walk, even a Continued application to and of Christ: This is that which he first betakes himself to, for Righteousness: yea, when right, he employs him constantly, as He is made of God to him Wisdome Righteousness, Sanctification and Redemption: As he is said to be made to believers, 1 Cor. 1.30. The second is, the exercise of Repentance, which was not called for as a duty by the Law, though much ruine followed the breach of it: This was the sum of Johns and of Christs preaching: Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand: Though it be, Alace! a very much slighted exercise: yet dayly Repentance notably suiteth a Conversation be­coming the Gospel. 3. A Gospel-Conversation would be in, and with the exercise of Hope: there was love to God under the Law, but not so properly the exercise of hope; There was, it's true, hope in respect of the thing promised, in case there had been no violation of the Law; but not as respecting Christ Jesus, who is the believers hope, Col. 1.27. Christ in you the hope of Glory: I doubt much if the exercise of hope be well known to Christians in this Generation, few know what it is to Hope to the end, as Peter exhorts, 1 Pet. 1.13. A Fourth Is, the denyall of our selves, and the exercise of Humility; for as the Gospel calleth for the denying of our own righteousness, So for the denying of our [Page 89] own wills, affections, lusts, appetits, and desires; There is another sort of love-singleness and denyedness called for now, then under the Law; because we are bought with a price, and are not our own, as it is, 1 Cor. 6.20. If any man will follow me, let him deny himself, saith our Lord Matth. 16. A Fifth is, much Mortifica­tion, That we be crucified to the World, to our self, and to our sinfull lusts; I am Crucified (saith Paul, Gal. 2.) with Christ, yet I live, so Chap. 6. He tells us that he was crucified to the world, and the World to him: And he exhorts Christians, Col. 3.5. To Mortifie their members which are upon the Earth: Fornication, Unclean­ness, Inordinat Affection, Covetousness, &c. A Sixth is, Much Patience, Meekness, Forbearance, Long-suf­fering; wherein our Lord hath given and left himself for a non such Pattern: Matth. 11.29 Learn (saith He) of me for I am meek and lowly in heart So, 1 Pet. 2.21, 22. And hence, Meekness, Patience and for­bearance are so much and so frequently called for in the Gospel, and on Gospel grounds, as great duties becom­ing the Gospel, or as special pieces of a Gospel-conver­sation. The Seventh, Is, a heavenliness in our conver­sation, a denyedness, a holy abstractedness from earthly things, and living in Heaven, while on earth, and a living more where we love, then where we live: If ye be risen with Christ, (saith the Apostle. Col. 3.1.) Set your affections on things above; not on things on the earth; Which is also called for, Philip. 3.20. By his own example proposed for our Pattern, our Conversa­tion, (saith he) is in Heaven, whence we look for the Saviour; To be much in our affections set on the things that are on the Earth, to be earthly minded is unbecom­ing the Gospel. An [...] Eighth is, a great eye on Eterni­ty, an eye, whose looks are not bounded within time; [Page 90] but pierce thorow time, and all the Fogs, Mists, and Clouds that are in it: It's much unbecoming the Gos­pel to have our hope much; not to say, only, in this life, or to be much taken up about the driving of Earth­ly designes and projects: but it's a good qualification of a Gospel conversation, to have an eye before us on Eternal life, 2 Cor. 4. ult: While (saith the Apostle) We look not on the things that are seen; but on the things that are not seen, and Eternal. A Ninth is, Much joy in God, much cheerfulness and heartsomeness; there­fore believers are willed, to Rejoyce alway and evermore. So, 1 Thess. 5. Rejoyce evermore, and Philip. 4.4. Re­joyce in the Lord alway, and again I say rejoyce; which he so much presses on them because (as it's like) he knew, that they were given to walk droopingly and heavily, which did not so become the Gospel, as re­joycing in God, singing and making melody in their hearts to him, Cheering themselves in him; and de­lighting themselves in the Almighty. A Tenth is, Spiri­tual contentment, a contented conversation is a Conver­sation becoming the Gospel: Be careful for nothing (saith the Apostle Philip. 4.6.) But in every thing let your requests be made known unto God by Prayer and Suppli­cation with Thanks giving, and then follows downward a litle, I have learned, in every State or case to be con­tent: I know how to suffer want, and how to abound, &c. This conversation was very becoming the Gospel; he proposes himself as a pattern herein to them: There are many professors of Religion, who cannot have, but they a [...]e vain; and when they want, they are anxious and discouraged; It's hard to carry the Cup even: But a Gospel-Conversation is equall, sober and composed, and not much up with having, nor much down with want, nor is it easily outwitted and non plussed by the [Page 91] vicissitudes of those externall things. An Eleventh is, Watchfulness; a Gospel-Conversation is a watchfull conversation, and never much Surprised or moved: or thus, watching (especially over the heart) joyned with Prayer, is a peculiar duty, that a walk becoming the Gospel calls for, that we be not found like the sloth­ful servant, when his Lord cometh; This is a duty well becoming us who live under the Gospel, because we have readily stronger Corruptions, and are at least under more temptations, then those who lived under the Law. A Twelfth is, much Self-examination or self-searching because of much corruption in us, and much guilt lying on us, is a duty which the Gospel calls for; that we may see what comes of it; how it is mortified and done away; and there being many Promises in our offer, we should see what acception they get, and how they are embraced, there is hazard of mistaking our Spiri­tuall state, &c. All which calls us to be much in this duty, Examine your selves prove your own selves, as says the Apostle, 2 Cor. 13.5. 13ly. The making of our cal­ling and election sure becomes the Gospel; when we are hovering, and at an uncertainty as to our souls estate, we are not only to try it, but to endeavour to put it out of question; I write these things to you (sayes John, 1 Joh. 5.13.) That Believe; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, ye would not only believe, but study to know that ye believe, that ye may comfort your selves in it; and it is a piece of a conversation and walk unbecoming the Gospel, to hang loose, in suspense, and at an uncertainty, in that greatest and gravest busi­ness. 14ly. Trusting in God, becomes the Gospel, and unbelief and distrust of God is unbecoming the Gospel; Said I not unto thee; (saith the Lord to Martha John 11.) That if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldst see the [Page 92] glory of God? To have a gracious offer from God, and to scare at it, as if he were not in earnest, is very unbe­coming the Gospel; when ever he Pipeth, it becomes us well to dance; and to Believe and Credit him, when he speaks fair and comfortably. 15ly. A Gospel-Con­versation takes in and calls for, not only Holiness, but a shining examplary Holiness, Holiness with a divine Lustre and splendor on it; meerly legal holiness is dim and dark; and hath litle or no luster; Therefore Be­lievers are called Children of the light and of the day; and they are said to shine as lights, in the midst of a crook­ed Generation: it is not only a Conversation not spot­ted, or that is something welfavoured; but such a Con­versation, that is well lyned (to speak so) within, with the imputed righteousness of Christ, and much inherent Grace and Holiness, and with outward self-denyed, visible Splendor and glory; Let your light (saith the Lord, Matth. 5.) So shine before men, &c. Even as the glory of his body, when he was transfigured on the Mount, made his Clothes to shine, So there is something of Grace within, that makes the external actions and carriage of Believers to shine: and words that will be very tasteless and sapless from others, though for the matter good, will have another sort of rel [...]sh and weight from them; and Prayer from their mouth will have another sort of refreshful sweetness. 16ly. A Gospel conversation takes in and calls for much joy in affliction and tribulation; We rejoyce in tribulati­on, saith the Apostle; It will make the Christian take joyfully the spoiling of his goods, as they did, Heb. 10.34. It will make men come from the presence of Councils rejoyc­ing, that they are accounted worthy to suffer for the name of Christ, as it did the Apostles, Acts 5. last. My bre­thren (sayes James) Count it all joy when ye fall into [Page 93] divers temptations, or tribulations: It makes pleasant and heartsome bearing of Crosses from God, and of in­juries from men; It makes the Christian stoop humbly and very low to these; It will not suffer him to render evil for evil, but will put him to do good for evil, and it makes him do it on a Gospel ground and account; because Christ frankly forgave the Christian ten thousand Talents of his debt: he is ready to forgive, an hundred pence of petty and inconsiderable injuries done against him. 17ly. A Gospel conversation is a sweet, quiet, peaceable, well humoured Conversation, it makes men and women good to live with, It hath much love and pity to them that are without, it's a good neighbour, it's a great friend to unity and a great enemy to division: it presses hard after standing fast in on Spirit.. 18ly. A Gospel-conversation implyes a setled, fixed condition, that is not fleeting and wavering: It suffers not Christi­ans to be one thing to day and another thing to mor­row, very unbecoming the Gospel: a Gospel-conversa­tion will not suffer a man to be a temporizer, or one that cometh and goeth with every turn of the tyde, to be of any Party that is upmost: but puts to stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made him free: the Be­lievers heart is fixed, and his conversation is stable, when it is, as it becometh the Gospel. 19ly. It's a bold Con­versation, that will scare at no tryal for Christ, but will hazard and venture far, ere it expose the Gospel to con­tempt and reproach; Therefore it is said, Philip. 1. In nothing being terrified by your adversaries: It is very loth to do or to forbear any thing, that may make the Gospel to be evil spoken of. 20ly. It is a Spiritual con­versation, or a walking in the Spirit, as the word is, Gal. 5. Walk in the spirit (saith the Apostle) And ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh, and Vers. 25. If we [Page 94] live in the Spirit let us walk in the Spirit: It makes us to pray in the Spirit, to praise in the Spirit: and by as­sistance of the Spirit, it puts upon endeavours to do eve­ry thing that is called for. 21ly. A Gospel conversation is a wrestling and fighting conversation, striving and warring against temptations without, and a body of death within: a lazie secure, whole-hearted conversati­on, when a person is lying by, and is not setting him­self against, nor purifieing himself from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, but at truce with corruption, is not sure, becoming the Gospel: Hence the Apostle, Rom. 7. hath such a combate with the remainder of indwelling corruption, Sometimes complaining of: sometimes Protesting against it, and sometimes bitterly bemoaning and crying out under its captivating power: There be­ing in the Believer two contrary parties, one of Grace and another of corrupt nature, which are contrary one to another, as it is, Gal. 5.17. A Believer in a Gos­pel Conversation is like Jacobs and Esaus Strugling in the womb: It is for this cause that, Ephes. 6. All the pieces of the Spirituall armour are particularly describ­ed, and Christians, as Christs souldiers, commanded to put them on: and to have a Gospel-conversation is to be improving all the pieces of that compleat Armour of God aright, to their several ends.

These are things (and such others) that are parti­cularly called for in a Gospel-walk and conversation: and if we would take a litle view of them all together, and gather the meaning of this use of Instruction, from the exhortation, Let your conversation be, as it becometh the Gospel of Christ: the Sum of it may be briefly given in these Four, 1. To be exactly studying Holiness. 2. To be denyed to our Holiness, as Paul was Philip. 3. 3. To be especially taken up with those particular [Page 95] duties, of living by Faith, of exercising Repentance, of aiming at and closely pursuing after Communion with God in Christ Jesus; (which is, though a much abus­ed duty and unworthily prostituted in the mouths of many, a most precious both duty and priviledge,) ex­ercising Hope, Self-denyall, &c: So that we may be in case warrantably to say with the Apostle, 1 John 1.4. Truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4. To be much in the Exercise of all these, heartsomely and chearfully, and to be comforted and refreshed in doing duty, and yet denyed to all our doing: A Christian, having a suitable Conversation to the Gospel, Sees his ills and is humbled, observes Gods goodness and Comforts himself, and blesses God hear­tily for his goodness in respect of both, and because there is hope of an outgate from all his evils, and a day com­ing, when he shall be finally and fully Redeemed from all his iniquities.

The Second Use Leads us to Regrate and Expostulat with hearers and Professors of the Gospel, of this time; Though this be the thing and the only thing that they are called to, yet if we should go through and view the Conversation of the most part; O! how very unsuita­ble and unbecoming is it to the Gospel, even so very un­suitable, that if our hearts were tender, they would break and bleed within us to behold it; but Alace! it is a part of our unsuitableness, that we cannot suitably lament it: Litle zeal for God, and sorrow for what dishonours him and reflects on the Profession of his Name, are much gone from this generation: Oh! whither shall we go, into the City or Countrey, to find a Conversation becoming the Gospel? We cannot be without some conviction, that we ought to be zealous [Page 96] for the glory of God, and serious in the study of Holi­ness in all manner of Conversation, that the Gospel be not reproached and blasphemed: if we be so, and if such a Conversation be a duty and a very reasonable duty; 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 [Page 97] 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 whole­hearted, as if we were living under the Covenant, where there is no promise of pa [...]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 Repen [...]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 [Page 98] 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 Apostle [...] 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! this would be a con­versation worthy of, and becoming the Gospel, nay it would make a litle Heaven on earth. And we desire to to be as pressing and peremptory in calling for this from you, as ever we urgently pressed you by any call or in­vitation to receive the offer of the Gospel and of Christ [Page 100] therein; and if we were to speak to you all, O Men and women, one by one, by name and Sirname, this would be our Exhortation to you; Only let your Conversation be as it becometh the Gospel of Christ.

We come now, (as we promised) to press this on you by some few Considerations: And First Consider the authority that enjoins it and lays it on you; and if ye trust him, and expect the accomplishment of any promise of the Gospel from him, then take this as pro­ceeding from the same Authority; presume not under the pain of Gods displeasure, and of cheating your own souls to their ruine, to take or medle with the promise, if ye mind not sincerely to study a suitableness in your conversation to the Gospel. 2. Consider, not only the reasonableness of the thing, but also the sweet easiness of it; for taking it in a Gospel sense, it's an easy yoke and a light burden: and it's withall very suitable and congruous to all professors of the Gospel: ought not a Minister to be like his calling, a Merchant to be like his calling, a Tradesman to be like his trade and calling? ought not also a Christian to be like his Christian call­ing, like the Gospel which he professeth? 3. Consider the tyes and obligations, that all who professe to have received the Gospel, are under: are ye not obliged to such a Conversation, by your Baptismal Vow? which obligation, though many of you forget, yet God will require it; Think ye that ye are free to live as ye list, to live like the Gospel or not, or to take one Piece of a Gospel walk, and leave another? Ye are Professedly resigned to God in Baptisme, and are by it oblidged to live every way as it becometh the Gospel; and ye must either on the matter renounce your Baptisme and deny Christ, and so deal treacherously with him, or ye must make it your business to live like the Gospel. 4. Con­sider, [Page 101] that this Gospel will be the rule whereby ye shal be judged, whether ye have indeed received the Media­tor, The promises and priviledges, the duties and directi­ons, and the graces of it, and improved them or not; in the day (saith the Apostle, Rom. 2.) That God shall judge the secrets of hearts by my Gospel: If ye would have boldness when death and Judgement come, endea­vour a conversation becoming this Gospel: though your conversation were very much becoming the law (as it is impossible now without Gospel grace) yet will not that satisfie the Judge; for ye will be Judged both by the law and Gospel. 5. Consider, that though the Lord had required many hard things of you; you would most certainly have been oblidged to have per­formed them; and now when he requires only this, ought ye not so much the more to aim at it, and endea­vour it? Otherwise ye bring up an ill report on this Gospel, as if it were an unsupportable heavy burden, and most uneasiy yoke; for which ye must answer at your peril; consider the dreadful doom and sentence of the slothful Servant, Who said, He is a hard Master. 6. Consider the great prejudice that a walk unbecoming the Gospel hath with it; I cannot easily, nay not at all to the full, tell you the prejudice it will bring to you; Only this I will say, that it had been better for you, that ye had never heard the Gospel; It had been better that ye never had been piped to by the Gospel, and that ye had never heard any of its sweetest musick-springs, if (to follow the Lords own similitude so far) ye endea­vour not to keep all the measures thereof in your danc­ing after it, in your walking conforme to it: Tell me, if we may be in earnest with you: what if ye were cal­led even now or before night to give an account of your improving of and profiting by the Gospel, whereof ye [Page 102] have so very much, and from which ye have been so often piped unto, how utterly unanswerable would many of you be found to be? your triffling way of walking alone and in your families, your neglecting of Prayer in them, with the chiding and bitterness betwixt husbands and wives, and with and amongst servants; your omitting to instruct children and Servants in the principles of Religion; your tipling and mis-spending your time, declare sufficiently what your Conversation is. If any of you shall say, the conversation that you press, is a harder work and a more difficult taske then we can win at; Is it any thing else, then what the Holy Ghost by the Apostle presseth on all the hearers of the Gospel? Q! take heed of branding a walk becoming the Gospel with so black a note, as if it were an unsup­portable yoke of intolerable hard bondage, lest it be said to you, evil and slothfull Servants, &c. if ye had been Serious and diligent in making use of the Gospel in a Gospel way, by improving Christ and the Promises, this work would have gone better with you, and ye had been in much better case then ye are in now: If ye had been more in the practise of Gospel duties and in the exercise of Gospel-graces in secre [...], your visible conver­sation might and would have been much more as it be­cometh the Gospel.

As for you that have Communicat, there is a peculiar tye upon you, you have renewed your Covenant with God: and is there any covenanting with God but it hath this in it, That if there be thereafter a falling back such back sliders come under the guilt of treacherous dealing with him? Let me, for a conclusion of this Discourse, say these few things to you; First, Is it suitable, think ye, to fast the one day for your not walking as it be­cometh the Gospel, and to take unjust liberty to your [Page 103] selves the next day? on a fast day to spue out your foul and abominable sins, and to return with the dog to the vomit in a few dyes thereafter? will ye be so un­suitable to your professions and confessions? beware of that, for the Lords sake: better ye had never fasted nor confessed, then thus to mock the Lord. 2. Many of you have been at the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, and in it ye have professed that ye have taken Christ for your husband, which implies the tye and obligation of a dutiful wife: what, I pray, is That, but to have a Conversation as becomes the Gospel, and to walk worthy of the Vocation wherewith ye are called? As the Apostle Exhorts, Ephes. 4.1. And is there any straiter bond on earth whereby men can be bound? If, after thus Cove­nanting with Christ, ye shall foully fail or fall back, will it not exceedingly aggrege your guilt? 3. Are there not of you who have come under some private engage­ments to the Lord? I take it for granted, if ye have not been scorning God in your humiliation, and in your Communicating: I take it (I say) for granted, that severals of you have come under particular and person­all engagements to God: If so, ye would beware of loosing those tyes, and of violating those so Solemn engagements: and the rather, that it is to be feared, if ye keep not promise to God now, ye may never get a Communion again to renew it. 4. I would have some of you remembering of those particular obligations ye came under, and promises that you made to us, when you received your tokens, to amend those faults where­of ye were well known to be guilty: most certainly those Promises, especially so explici [...]ly made, will bear witness against you, if those evils be continued in, or relapsed into: and we shall bear witness for Christ a­gainst you, if ye shall not be answerable to your engage­ments: [Page 104] for the Lords sake, put us not to it.

Essay in good earnest and set about the study of this Gospel-becoming Conversation: I shall forbear to speak of encouragements to this. It will be one good encouragment, to consider seriously, that it is a walk becoming the Gospel and Christ in it: that it hath such promises made to it: and such a suretie for every pro­mise: that the certification of the Law is not at it: that ye have pa [...]don of sin promised to you on your Repen­tance: and furniture at hand for every thing called for from you. Take it in short, what ever your calling, station or relation be: Only let your Conversation be, as becometh the Gospel of Christ, and remember the tyes and obligations that ye are under, whether more gene­rall or more Particular, Otherwise they shall be re­membred, to, and against you. Now the Lord him­self enable you by His al-sufficient Grace, to suit all your obligations, to pay all your Vowes, and to make all your honest resolutions Practicable, relating to this Conver­sation becoming the Gospel of CHRIST.

THE Life and work of a Christian is a far othe [...] thing, then, for the most part, it is taken to be [Page 105] and, no question, were we often thinking on, and studying the qualifications and extent of a Christian conversation, to which believers are called; we would walk with stopped mouths in the deep sense of our great short-coming; and there would not be such delusion under the conceit of self-righteous­ness; But the ignorance of this makes carnall men think themselves to be something; and makes even believers themselves, that they walk not so humbly, nor press so seriously towards the mark, neither do they Propose to themselves, as they ought, a just and perfect pattern to follow.

Amongst other qualifications of a Christian-walk and conversation, This is one and a very consider­able one; that our Conversation should be in Hea­ven: A thing we fear the most part of the Christians of this age scarcely believe, much less endeavour, that they should live with their hearts above in Heaven, in the lively expectation of the Saviours coming, That they should converse in Heaven a­mong the spirits of just men made perfect, before they come thither.

The Scope of these words is plain. The Apostle Paul hath to do with the Christian Philippians, who were much tempted, and no doubt, in some hazard to be led aside both from the faith, and from the Practise of Religion: And the way that he takes to keep them right as to both, is by proposing His own example to them; as if he had said, ye will readily think, that I should be well acquainted with the way to Heaven: Now the way that I take [Page 106] for my Justification Before God, is not to seek after Righteousness by the works of the Law, but to be found in Christ covered with his righteousness taken hold of by Faith: And if ye would know what I do in reference to Sanctification, this is it, I forget those things that are behind, and reach forth unto those things that are before, pressing towards the Mark for the Prize; being constantly as it were on the spur, that I may attain that which I have not as yet come at, even that perfection of Holiness, that accompanies the resurrection from the dead: And having laid this before them, as a fair copy and pat­tern; He improves it, by exhorting them thus, Brethren be ye followers together of me; take the way, that I take, both in the matter of Faith and of Pra­ctise; And he gives two reasons why he would have them to do so; The First whereof is taken from the danger that was in following those false teach­ers, Vers. 18.19. Many of whom walk so, as they are Enemies to the Cross of Christ; That is, enemies to the doctrine of faith in Christ, and to the exercise of it on him, and to the Doctrine of his Cross, and also to a truly spiritual walk, Whose end is distructi­on, and whose God is their Belly. The Second Reason is subjoyned in the Text, drawn from the great ad­vantage, which they should have by following him, For (saith He) Our conversation is in Heaven: This is the spiritual, Heavenly and divine walk, wherein he holds forth himself, and his fellow-Apostles as a pattern to be imitated by them, and so teacheth them their duty; We are not (as if he had said) [Page 107] like those false [...]eachers; But our Conve [...]sation is in Heaven, Therefore follow us; and he gives an in­stance of this in the latter part of the Verse, From whence (saith he) We look for the Saviour: He is like a person on the Watch tower, that is looking and longing for the coming of a friend; Plainly in­sinuating thereby, that he looks not for much satis­faction in this world, but was earnestly longing for and in continuall expectation of Christs coming; to which all his hope and expectation of compleat happiness, and of full satisfaction to his soul, was closely confined.

So then the great thing that he aimes at here, is to commend a heavenly conversation, to these Chri­stian Philippians, & to all that should hear the Gos­pel, and this excellent piece of it amongst the rest.

There are only Two things shortly to be cleared, before we proceed further; The First is, What is meaned by Conversation here; And the reason of the question is, because the word is so very significant in the Original, that hardly can we get a word in our language to express it by to the life; It's taken from that which signifies a Town-ship, corporati­on-ship (to speak so) or Burges-ship; and it im­plyes these two things; First, a title to such and such priviledges; as those who were Romans or born Citizens of Rome, & whoever were made Bur­gesses of it; had such and such Priviledges attend­ing their Burges-ship. The Second is a suitableness and peculiar manner of living and carrying accord­ing to the Lawes of that City; as it is often said in [Page 108] the book of the Acts of the Apostles, After the man­ner of the Romans: who had their own lawes, cu­stomes, and usages: and being applied here in a Spiritual sense, it supposes. 1. A joint interest with the saints, (or being Fellow Citizens with the Saints: As it is Ephes. 2.19.) Who are all Bur­gesses of the Heavenly Jerusalem, though some of them be, as it were, in the Suburbs and lower Town, and some in the Higher; yet all here below have the same Master and Father with them who are a­bove in Heaven. 2. It supposeth a way, walk, and conversation like Heaven, to be peculiarly indued with a nature, inclinations, desires, designes, and qualifications suitable to heaven: We take it here, especially in the latter sense: because Paul proposeth himself as a pattern to them to imitat; and it holds his suitableness to Heaven.

The Second thing to be cleared a litle is, what it is to have a conversation in Heaven? I Answer, these Two are in effect one and the same, to have a conversation in heaven, and to be Heavenly in our conversation: it's even to have a conversation like that which Christians hope to have in Heaven, and such as are bounden, and on their way thitherward, should have: This is a generall hint of what a Hea­venly Conversation, or a Conversation in Heaven is: and because, in prosecuting the Doctrines to be deduced from the words, we will have occasion to explain it More Particularly, we shall say no more of it now.

The Doctrines that arise from the words, are [Page 109] especially these Four: The first whereof is, that There is a sort of Heavenliness, in the Conversation of Christi­ans, that should be studied by them all without excepti­on, and that lyeth on them all as their duty.

The Second is, that, This Heavenliness of Conversa­tion is in a great measure through Grace attainable: for Paul and other believers attained it; which is not so to be understood, as if there were an universall suitableness; or a suitableness in all things, in sojourning Saints, to Glorified Saints in Heaven; for in Heaven they do not eat nor drink, neither are they married nor given in Marriage: But it's to be understood of a suitableness in respect of qualification, conformity and likeness, in so far as is incumbent to sojourners who are walking thither-ward.

The Third is, That, It is a peculiar and contradistin­guishing mark of a serious and suitably exercised Christian, from all other men in the world: That his conversation is in Heaven, while that of others is not.

The Fourth is, That, It's not an ordinary and com­mon, but a rare thing among Professed Christians, to have a Conversation in Heaven, Many (sayes the A­postle) Walk, of whom I have told you, and now tell you weeping, that they are enemies to the Cross of Christ: But I and some few others with me have our Conver­sation in Heaven: and the many that he speaks of here, we take to be those, of whom he speaks in the First Chapter, who preached Christ, but out of envy, and pressed Holiness, it is like with more then ordinary fervour, being zealous of the Law, and seeking to mix the righteousness of it with the Righteousness of Christ in the point of Justification: yet they had not their Con­versation in Heaven, as he and some others had.

We shall not prosecute these Doctrines distinctly: [Page 110] seeing this is the scope of them all, even to hold forth and commend the Necessity and excellency of a Hea­venly conversation: which we shall first clear. 2 Con­firme: and then. 3. We shall speak to the Use of it.

First Then, for Clearing what a Heavenly Conver­sation is, ye would consider, that the Apostle speaks of his owne and of some few other Godly persons their conversation, in opposition to those many mentioned by him before: And it imports or implies these Four. First it's to have Heaven proposed to our selves as our great Scope and designe, next to the glory of God; even as, to have an earthly Conversation, is to mind earthly things, to have a bentness of spirit towards them, and to be wholly or Mostly taken up about the things of the World: So to be Heavenly in our Conversation, is to have the mind taken up about Heaven, Prizing, af­fecting and seeking after Heaven and Heavenly things, as the word is, Col. 3.1. Seek after, or set your affecti­ons on those things that are above. Secondly, As it im­ports, Prizing and affecting of Heaven and of Heaven­ly things, so it imports the taking of that way that leads to the end: and so it is, to be in the use of all means and duties that lead to Heaven, seek (saith the Apostle, in that Col. 3.1.) Those things that are above: Set your affections on things above, not on things beneath, or on the earth: To hold forth the earnestness and ardency of affections that Christians ought to have towards things heavenly: and how very much they should be with Holy care and solicitude, busied in the use of all means, and in the Practice of all duties, for the furthering and pro­moting of an Heavenly designe: even as worldly men are taken up and exercised with carking cares, leaving (as it were) no stone unmoved to promove and com­pass their earthly designes. Thirdly, It imports the [Page 111] having of our Conversation like heaven, to be walking like those that are in Heaven: not to be conformed to the World, or like the men of the world, but to be like Angels and Glorified Saints in Heaven, according to our Capacitie: as we are taught to pray, in the Lords Prayer, They will be done on earth, as it is done in Hea­ven: It's to have a native and kindly suitableness and proportionableness to them that are glorified in Heaven. Fourthly, It imports this, that we should be often in Heaven as to our thoughts and affections, as to our de­sires and delights: Though we be living on the earth: that we should have as it were, more then our one half in heaven: as David hath it Psal. 25.1. Unto thee O Lord, do I lift up my soul: or as the Word is, 2 Cor. 5. Though we be absent in the Body, that yet we may be some way present in our Spirits with the Lord; that we should make frequent visits to Heaven; that we should have much to do there, have much Traffique, commerce, correspondence and intercourse in and with Heaven; that (in a word) we should converse more where we love, then where we live: which is held forth and expressed in the Scripture, by walking with God, by having fellowship with him, by following hard after him, and the like: a suitableness to and a converse in Heaven are mainly meant here.

As for the Second thing proposed, viz. The Confirm­ation of this, that a Christian should study this Heaven­liness of Conversation; the Argument is clear and pres­sing from Vers. 17. Where the Apostle exhorts the Philippians to be followers of him, and here he tells them that his Conversation is in Heaven: and if his Conver­sation was in Heaven, then certainly it was their duty and is ours, to have our Conversation in Heaven; for he proposeth himself as our pattern in this, and we have [Page 112] it, from the Spirit of God, by him pressed on us as our duty, to imitat him in this thing; It is not so singular a practice; as to be peculiarized, Monopoliz'd and en­grossed to him alone; but such as was common to him, and other serious Christians according to their measure; Therefore he says not, My Conversation, but Our Con­versation; as if he had said, it's mine and the Conver­sation of others, and of all that follow me; and I would have you in this to follow me and none other that doth not walk as I do. If it be needfull further to confirme it, ye may take this one reason, which hath several ar­guments in the bosom of it; A Christians Conversati­on should be Heavenly, because, all that a Christian hath, is from and in Heaven, and is some way Heavenly; as will manifestly appear, if ye look, first to a Christi­ans nature, it's from Heaven; He is Partaker of the Divine Nature, He is born of God, He is of the new Jerusalem, his Father is Heavenly, as he is taught to pray; Our Father which art in Heaven, Or our Heavenly Father; to point out, that as we have born the Image of the earthly, so must we bear the Image of the Heavenly, as it is. 1 Cor. 15.49. Where is the elder Brother? Is he not in the Heavenly places? As the Apostle tells us Ephes. 2.6. His Treasure is in Heaven; His hope is in Heaven; Heaven is the City, the Mansion, the rest whither He is travelling, or if Secondly, ye consider the Believers calling and his obligation: Thereby he is par­taker of the Heavenly calling: (as it is Heb. 2.1.) Separated from the rest of the world, and therefore ought not to live as the world doth; He hath a Hea­venly law to walk by: he hath Heavenly promises, to feed and live upon, and to comfort himself in; his hap­piness is Heavenly; and all the Duties that he is called to are so; of which this is the substance and sum, even [Page 113] to glorifie God, and to seek to enjoy him, and so to shine in his Conversation, as others may be provoked to glorifie God: are not his prayers and praises Heavenly? and can a believer possibly go aright about those, and not be Heavenly? to be Translated from darkness to light, to be a partaker of the Sanctifieing spirit of God, to be a new Creature, to have the spirit of Adoption, to have boldness of access to God, to be an Heir and a joint-Heir with Christ &c. Are not these Heavenly? Or if Thirdly, We look to his company, is it not Heavenly? We are come (saith the Apostle Heb. 12.) To God the Judge of all, to Jesus the Mediator of the new Covenant, to the new Jerusalem, (which taketh in all the Saints in Heaven, & the Saints on earth) to an innumerable com­pany of Angels, to the general assembly of the first born, & to the Spirits of just men made perfect. In a word, what­ever we look to, whether to the Believers nature, or to his end, or to the rule of his walk, or to the Promises, or to his work and way wherein he is to go; all is Hea­venly: is there not an oblidging necessity on the Be­liever, in respect of all these, to study to be Heavenly in his Conversation? Which is the great thing that the Apostle Paul presseth on you; and from these words is clearly pressed on all Christians.

The Uses are Four; The First whereof serves for In­struction and Infirmation to all that bear the Name of Christ; know from this, what is the high pitch of Ho­liness that ye are called to, It is even to be Heavenly in your Conversation; are there not many who have much need to be instructed in this? Who never walked under the Conviction of the necessity of this as a duty; other­wise, were it possible, that the most part of men and women, who are called Christians and profess a hope of Heaven, could or durst live as they do, some in [Page 114] Prophanity Riotousness and gluttony; others in meer civility and Morall Honesty; and others in Formality and Hypocrisie at the best? Let me ask you in good earnest, are ye not convinced that this is a duty? or do you think that Paul was scorning or complementing, when he exhorts to follow him in this? Or is it possible that ye can enjoy so many Heavenly priviledges, or be to any purpose performing heavenly duties, except ye be Heavenly in your Conversation? And if so, Mistake not Christianity, as if when ye are exhorted to be Chri­stians, ye were only bidden not to be prophane; or only to go about the externall duties of Religion; or only to have a sort of meerly Moral sincerity, and seriousness in the performing of them; which are indeed things good in themselves, and we do not, we dare not disal­low them, but rather commend them; but ye are cal­led to more, to much more, and that is to be Heavenly-minded and to have your Conversation in Heaven. I know some are so profane, and others are so misbelievingly discouraged, that when they hear such doctrine as this, they will be ready, the one sort to say, We cannot all be Saints; and the other, Alace! we cannot be Saints: but let all such mouths be stopped; ye are called and oblidged indispensibly to be Saints: and if ye be not Saints here, ye shall never be Saints hereafter: There are also some of so distempered dispositions and hum­ours, that they either put off all or most duties, or at least go very heartlesly about them, because they can­not attain perfection in them; but it's clear from the Scriptures, that there is a kind of Perfection to be win at here in this life, which is even this Holiness and Hea­venliness of Conversation: When ye shall be called to a reckoning, God will not ask you so much, whether ye did not Drink drunk, Whore, Swear, Lie, Cheat, [Page 115] Steal, or the like, as whether ye were Heavenly in your Conversation? and this is not to be astricted to one, or to some few particular duties; but is the requisit qualification of a Christian in all duties and in all his actions: whether he be Praying, Practising, Hearing, Reading, Buying, Selling, Eating, Drinking, &c. Or whatever He do and be about, he is to be Heavenly in all those.

And if ye Ask more particularly; what that is? I shall shew you, in what respect a Christian may be said to have and should have his Conversation in Heaven. And First; in respect of the inward Holy frame and Divine se [...]t of his heart: he should be Heavenly in that: free from those distempering Passions, that the men of this world are subjected, nay enslaved unto and hurried with: He should not have his affections dragging on the earth, nor his delights, nor desires taken up with things earthly: but he should be Mortified unto and weaned from all those things: He should not be like unto those who on all occasions are tossed with their humors and with every wind of temptation: but he should be so calme, Composed and sober, settled and fixed in a Hea­venly temper of Spirit, that words of reproach may not much trouble him, nor crosses and afflictions much dis­quiet him: he should have such composure and sedatness of spirit, that he may be much above the levity and un­stayedness that the men of the world are under the power of, and he should endeavor to be defecat and purged from those impure mixtures of self-interests, that are regnant in worldly men. Secondly in respect of his work, he should and may have his conversation in Heaven, and that is, when he is much in the exercise of those Graces, and in the practise of those duties, that he is to be taken up with in Heaven: to be much in [Page 116] love to God, taken up with delighting in him, much in Communion with God, Holily impatient to want him or to live without his company; to be much in the study and searching out of his perfections: to be study­ing to have the heart fixed, as it were a pillar in his house and not to go out from him: to be much in ad­miring and adorning the free grace and love of God: and to be in a Holy manner ravished with the contem­plation of those: to be much in the work of Prayer, and much in the work of Praise, saying, Worthy is the Lamb to receive Glory, Honour, Dominion &c. Joining with the four beasts and four and twenty Elders; saying, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty: to be much in prizing and valuing of God, in setting out and commending him: to be in all duties willing and cheerfull, doing Gods will cheerfully and with alacri [...]y: to be much in long­ing for the Sabbath to converse more closely with him: longing of [...]en for privacie and retirement to pour out the heart before him: and to do all this with Holy co­veting to do it better, praying that his will may be done on earth, as it is done in Heaven. Thirdly, A believer may be said to have his Conversation, and you are cal­led to have yours in Heaven, in respect of a Heavenly walk, and as having a heavenly impresse on all your Conversa [...]ion: to be walking as it were in Heaven, and as if Holiness to the Lord were written on your fore­heads: which being very comprehensive takes in these, First to have the heart fixed in meditating on God and his law, on Spirituall and Heavenly things, to have a sublime and divine strain of mind, not debasing it self to pursue vanities; but kept in a close and constant pur­suit after Communion with God and conformity to him; to be in case to say with David, Psal. 139. When I awake I am still with thee: Labouring to leave the heart [Page 117] and mind in Heaven, when ye ly down, and seeking to find it there, when ye arise. 2. To have your affecti­ons, love, desires and delights in Heaven, or heavenly. 3. To have your words savouring of Heaven; Mini­stering Grace to the hearers; endeavouring to have your words weighty and grave in the commendation of God and his Grace. 4. To have your hearing of the word, and your praying, carrying much of a heavenly stamp and impression on them; hearing, as if God were speak­ing to you Immediatly from heaven, and praying; as if ye were even before his Throne. 5. In your more common and ordinary Conversation, as in your Eating and Drinking, in your recreating, and in following your lawful callings and employments, even the very coursest and lowest of them, to propose to your selves another end, then the men of the world do, making that your main end to Glorifie God; and to have such a heavenly and Divine way of going about these, as may be convinc­ing, edifieing and gaining of on-lookers; not to be pre­dominantly influenced by selfish humours, designes or interests, looking only, or mainly, to what may please or profit your selves, but levelling all at the Glory of God, and the edification and good of others, as well as your own. Fourthly, We may be said to have our Con­versation in Heaven, when we have a Holy commerce and trading (as it were) with Heaven; as a man is said to converse in France or Spain, when he trades and trafliques there; So, to have converse in Heaven, is Spiritually to traffique there; to have Faith and Hope exercised in and about heaven, to send many prayers and desires to heaven, as so many empty vessels; and to be in the lively and longing expectation of their return full and richly loaden; to make many visits (as I said before) to heaven; and to be in all those, neither [Page 118] seldome, nor transiently and at starts only, but to be fre­quent and more continuing in them; and though they should sometimes return either with seeming losse, or with very litle gain, yet to keep up the trade and traf­fique, seeking to make up our losse by a new voyage thither: for the trade is not alwayes (to speak so) alike quick. Fifthly, We may be said to converse in heaven, by our abiding (as it were) in heaven; and this is one of the highest steps of a heavenly Conversation. If ye shall ask How it is, that a believer, while on earth, doth or can abide in Heaven? I Answer these wayes, or in these respects: 1. By having his heart in heaven, where his treasure is; For (as the Lord sayes) Where a mans treasure is, there is his heart: the man (as it were) dwels there, and if at any time he remove a litle, he leaves there his great stock, and his heart as a Factor: so, though the Christian be discoursing, buying, selling, eating, drinking &c. Yet in all these, his heart may and ought some way to be in heaven. 2. To have his Faith in heaven, and, as it were, never to come out of it. 3. To have his love in heaven, folding its two armes about the Lamb and him that sits on the Throne; holily loth to have them loosed from those sweet Soul solac­ing and satisfieing embraces. 4. To have his hope in heaven, which is an Anchor cast within the vail, and makes the soul safe and sure amidst the greatest tempests of outward trouble, as a ship rideth safely when she hath cast Anchor on firme ground, so that there is no fear she will drive. In a word, these Four, The Heart, Faith, Hope, and Love, being in heaven, we may say that the mans best half and Part is in heaven: his [...]edder stake is loosed, and much of his Tabernacle taken down, and he made in a good measure meet, ready and ripe for his dissolution and for heaven: Thus ye are called and [Page 119] oblidged to have your Conversation in heaven. Sixthly, A Believers conversation may be said to be, and ought to be in heaven, when his contentment, delight and satisfaction are in heaven; when all that he desires, all that he delights in, and on which his soul feeds, and all that he is comforted with, is in heaven, and he hath not a day to do well, nor one comfortable good hour, but that which is given him from heaven: and this is not only to be abiding with, but to be delighting in God: having the peace of God that passeth understanding, guard­ing the heart, and His love shed abroad therein: and having all that which entertains his life, coming from heaven: Thus Col. 3.3. It is said, that our life is hid with Christ in God: So that the Believer is affected with nothing, feeds upon, and is satisfied with nothing so much as he is with that which comes from heaven: He awakes, he sleeps, he rests there: This is to live in Heaven, and to be heavenly in our Conversation: And this is it that ye are called and oblidged to: even to have your conversation in heaven in all these forementioned respects: that as ye believers are of another nature, so ye may be of another and more divine Frame of soul in your work and walk, in your thoughts and words, in your outward duties, and in the exercise of inward Graces, in your commerce and trading, in your con­tentment, delight, and satisfaction, to be heavenly in all.

And if any shall here say, This is a very hard task: I Answer first, Can it be hard to be in heaven? Nay, it's an ease rather, for Christ's yoke is easie and his burden is light: & in as much as our Conversation is in heaven we have so much true Spiritual ease & repose of soul: & it is what we leave behind in the world, that makes the difficulty to get our Spirits scrued up to heaven, and to be kept there: here lyes the difficulty: but the more the [Page 120] heart and the mind be there, we have really the more ease. 2. Will ye shift, deny or decline the duty, be­cause it's difficult and hard? As indeed it is to corrupt nature: Notwithstanding all the difficulty of it, the A­postle Paul with his fellows and followers did win to it in a good measure, and we may attain it through Grace, according to our Measure; Is not this the way to hea­ven which our Lord calleth Strait, and which but few find? And yet, if ye would try and make proof of it in good earnest: ye would find it to be not so very strait or unpassable as ye Imagine it to be: It would be found to be waited with such delight, as would much sweeten any hardness in it: and ye would not want an insight in those heavenly mysteries, and the beholding your names written in heaven and in the Lambs book of life, nor one hours feeding upon and being solaced by them, for all he delights of the men of this world: and since it's only hard to corruption, it should be so much the more endeavoured and plyed hard.

The Second Use serves for Tryall, that we may know who is a Christian indeed and a Thriving Christian; or it may serve rather to be an use of Discovery and of Conviction; and indeed it may very easily and quickly make discovery of the unsoundness of many, and of the short-coming of all: Need we insist on this? Is it not a truth obvious to all, viz. That Christians are called and oblidged to be heavenly in their Conversation? Are not these the Characters of such a Conversation? Nay is there not yet much more requisit in a Christian, even a divineness above what we can express? And if ye be (as ye may be) convinced that this is a truth; then let me in the next place ask you, if your Conversation be such? Put your own consciences to it; enquire at them whether your trade be to Heaven, whether your peace [Page 121] and joy, your delight and satisfaction be there? Would God ye would essay it, and could upon good ground say, that it is so: But Ah! is there any that can say it with­out some hesitation? Is not the best exceeding defe­ctive? Or if many of you shall say, it is so; What then means your carnalness, your prevailing lust, distemper­ing humours and passions? What means your so much pleading for self-interests, this turning (as it were) of the World up-side down for our own particulars? How comes it to pass, that ye who are profane do spend so much of your precious time in Tipling, and trifle away so much of it unprofitably many other wayes? Dare ye say, that ye who walk thus, are indeed followers of the Apostle Paul? Or if ye dare not say, that ye are fol­lowers of him in his Heavenly Conversation; can ye think or expect to dwel with him in Heaven? O! be not deceived, for God will not be mocked: when ye re­flect seriously on your selves and on your way, will ye not find just ground for being ashamed and confounded before God? or is there any of us all, that needs to want an errand to the Throne of Grace, to confess and crave Pardon for our sinfull short-coming in this? I shall only speak a word or two in further prosecution of this Use, to you that are Stout-hearted and know no changes, that have alwayes a good opinion and a good word to say of your selves, Who are ready to say, that ye have a good meaning, and to think and say that ye loved God all your dayes; and who at best content your selves with and sit down on a form of Religion, who never studied to die to the world, and never made it your busi­ness in good earnest, to Mortifie your lusts, and to be holy in the inward frame of your souls: Is this, think ye, to have your Conversation in Heaven? Would ye know then, if ever ye have studied Christianity seriously; [Page 122] try it by this, viz. Whether ye have been heavenly in your conversation; for however ye Judge of your selves, God will most certainly Judge you according to this Rule and qualification of a Christian: It is both sad and strange to think, how it comes to pass, that many of you bear and bolster up your selves with a hope of Hea­ven, and profess that ye have no doubt but you shall come thither, who yet want and are void of this quali­fication.

I know such will be ready to Object, Who are they that come this length? To which I shall only Answer, That, as I would be very loth to quench any smoking flax, or to break any bruised reed (whereof our Lord and Master is very tender) or to cast water of discour­agement upon any the least spark or spunk of sincerity, where there is any honest aiming to walk according to this Rule; So, I cannot, I dare not but say to others, in the first Place; have ye walked under the conviction of this as a duty incumbent on you? and have ye seriously Pro­posed it to your selves as your great business in the World, to be sincerely aiming at, and endeavouring after this Conversation in Heaven? or have ye not ra­ther had peace (such as it was) when ye said your prayers morning and 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 [Page 123] 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 [Page 125] 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: [Page 126] 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 are the means or steps by which, we may win in and ascend to this heavenliness of Conversation? which is indeed a very suitable and necessary question, and would God we were serious in proposing of it, and were convinced of the necessity of it: However, let such as would fain be at it, know, First, That they must be much mortified, and denyed to Creature-Comforts: therefore Col. 3. These two are opposed, Seek those things which are above, set your affecti­ons on things in heaven; and not on things of the earth: to go both up and down at once is impossible: if ye would be heavenly in your Conversation, seek to have the world litle and low in your estimation: to be not only free from the sinfull intanglements of it, but to be Mortified to things lawfull: I press you not to negli­gence in your honest and lawfull callings, far less to lay them aside, but to a heavenly mindedness and holy de­nyedness in your diligence: Use the things of this world as not abusing them: as not being taken with them, nor glued to them: the minding of earthly things too much clogs and keeps mens hearts, that they do not mount up to heaven: It's impossible, while the heart is surfeit­ed with the cares of this life, that it can thus sore aloft. And therefore, Secondly, Those that would be heavenly in their conversation must lay up their treasure in [Page 127] heaven, For where the Treasure is, there will the heart be also: were ye under the deep and due conviction of the vanity of earthly things, and of the excellencie of heaven and heavenly things, and laying your reckoning soberly and seriously, that heaven ye must have, it would be much more easie to Scrue up your affections to it: as where mens stock and treasure is, there is their heart: even so, were your great stock and treasure in heaven, your heart would certainly be there: your hope, your love and delight would be there: But your seeking after contentment and satisfaction in earthly vanities, where it cannot be found, keeps your heart out of hea­ven. Thirdly, Be much in the duty of meditation and contemplation of heavenly things: this is, (as it were) the great wheel and first mover of the Clock, to have the mind heavenly, often conversing in heaven, and of­ten thinking of it, and often recounting the blessed ad­vantages, the glorious and great happiness that are there, even till your meditation of God be made sweet, and till your delight in him, thereby stirred up and strengthen­ed, make a heavenly conversation: for litle such medi­tation makes litle heavenly-mindedness; and when the mind is not on heaven, something that's worse comes in the place of it; ye that know the bent and inclina­tion of your own minds to be naturally downward, and how natively (to speak so) it runs on vanities; and how difficult it is to keep it, but alongst two or three sentences, fixed on heavenly things: and how preter­natural a motion it is, (as it were) to make it ascend and mount upward, will easily assent to the truth of this; It is an excellent word that David hath Psal. 139. When I awake I am still with thee. Fourthly, We com­mend this to you (hinted at before) that ye would be much in trading and Trafficking with Heaven; to be [Page 128] often and serious in Prayer, frequently sending up de­sires thither, and bringing thence returns of prayer in g [...]eat measures of Grace; catching hold of and griping at somewhat above you, whereby ye may be helped up that high and Holy hill; It transforms into the same I­mage from Glory to Glory, to be keeping love to Christ fresh, to have hope as an anchor cast within the vaile; In a word, love to Christ and delight in him, being, as a considerable part, so also the result of Holi­ness; There must be a study of Holiness in all the Parts of it, of Holiness in all manner of Conversation, and a Heavenly frame aimed at, and endeavoured in all du­ties, and in all the steps of our walk and conversation, in order to the keeping in, cherishing and increasing of love to, and delight in him; and often thinking on that which helps to it, viz. Let thy will be done on earth, as it is done in Heaven; A word often in the mouths of many, but litle in their hearts: And Q! how lamentably unlike are the practises of many of you to it? We may indeed blush and think shame to speak, and you may think shame to hear of having a Conversation in hea­ven, there being so litle of it amongst us; But we must speak of it and ye must hear it spoken of: since it is a part and a great part of our duty, and will be a part, and a great part of our reckoning: and we lay and leave it upon you from the Lord, to be studied by you: Do not think that ye shall ever have your Conversation in Hea­ven afterward, who have not your Conversation in Hea­ven here; many of you that have a fair Profession of Religion, and seem to come near to that harbour of rest and yet never enter into it, are like to a ship that comes, as it were, with up-sails, very near the Port, and is unexpectedly blowen back to the Sea again; whereas the Believer who has his Anchor cast on firm [Page 129] and sure ground within the vail, is enabled to endure tossing, being like a tight ship that is able to ride out the storme and to stem the Port: His Treasure is in Heaven, and there is a sure and indissoluble knot cast betwixt Heaven, where his treasure is, and his heart. Now from all this judge, what a mighty prejudice it is to be earthly minded, and to slight this walk with God, and Conversation in heaven: and who are they that dare offer or pre­sume to come before God the righteous Judge of Heaven and Earth, in whose sight the very Heavens are not pure, to abide his tryall, who have been puddling all their dayes in the world, never once seriously and suitably minding a Conversation in Heaven? O let the consideration of eternal Hap­piness on the one hand, and of Eternal miserie on the other, provoke you, and necessitat you all to study in good earnest to have your conversation in Heaven; and ye believers in Christ and Children of light, walk in the light, suitably to your Hea­venly Father and to the hope of your Heavenly in­heritance. O! be more conversant in Heaven, be­fore ye come to it, and where ye shall be by and by for evermore.

IT is hard to conceive or express, whether the things which the Gospel offereth be the most large, or the terms on which they are offered be the most free. There is that, no doubt, in both to­gether, which may make the beholder stay and wonder. Among many excellent offers of the Gos­pel, that which is here is one very full and free: would to God we could look on it suitably. But Alace! we may fear, that we shall rather leave these sweet words with a vail cast over the Beauty, Splen­dour and Lustre of them, then lay them forth and unfold them as we ought, and as they call for; we would therefore look to himself whose words they are, and beseech him to explain and make them out to us.

That this Text speaks of the Gospel, of the times of the Gospel, and of Gospel-mercies, we take for granted and have good reason to do so, as on other accounts, so from Acts 13.34. Which clearly holds out to us that these Promises are not to be under­stood of Temporal things: the fifth vers. with all telling us, that the offer of this Grace Promised shall be made to the Nations.

We may take up the Words in these Four: or there is here a Gospel-cryed fair or Market set out in Four things: First in the Wares, Wine and Milk, that which Satisfies and is good and fatness vers. 2. Soul, life, and the sure mercies of David, vers. 3. These are the Wares, which do all come to the same amount: if ye would know what that is: ye may consider David two wayes, one is properly and personally, as he is the Son of Jesse and King of Israel: It's the Covenant which was made with him, a main Article whereof was, that out of his loine the [...]e should one spring, who should sit upon his Throne for ever: and thus the sure mercies of David, are Christ and his benefits: The other way that ye would look on David is, as he was a Type of Christ the Anti-type & Principal Covenanter or confede­rating Party with God: and so in effect it turns to the same thing: only this latter way is more clear: So then we look on David here: as it is not unusuall for the Scriptures to hold him forth, viz. As a Type of Jesus Christ; and indeed the words fol­lowing do abundantly clear it: for David Personally considered was now long since dead and gone, and was not the witness nor the leader of the people: Therefore it must needs be Jesus Christ that here is meant, mainly and Principally at least: As is very clear Acts 13.34. Christ then being looked on as here understood, The sure mercies of David, are the sure Mercies Covenanted and bargained (to speak so) to Christ before the World was: and it plainly implies, that there was a Covenant or bargain [Page 132] betwixt the Father and the Son about the Elect be­fore the beginning of the World, whereof as to the benefits therein Covenanted to the Mediator, the Gospel maketh an assignation to Believers in time. 2. We have the Chap-man (to say so) or the Merchant to whom the wares are offered: It is he that thrists, he that wants and would have: and if any serious Poor souls should think, that they are not suitably sensible of their wants: then, saith the Lord, Let him that hath no money come, that is, plain dyvours (as we speak) or bankrupts that have nothing. 3. We have the terms on which all are offered to sale, and they indeed suit won­drously well with the Merchant: Come (saith the Lord) Buy without Money and without price, Hear and your Soul shal live, and I will make an everlast­ing Covenant with you: There is (to speak so with reverence) not a Purse opened in, nor a penny payed for the Assignation of this bargain: though by Christ's satisfaction there was a very great, a very costly and dear price payed: when Christ came to buy and make a purchase of all these Mercies for the Elect, the Market was very high and the prices were up: but when Believers come, by the Cove­nant of Grace to receive them, the Market is come down, and the prices are fallen wonderfully low: that which stood him very dear is to be had by them Gratis very freely, even for nothing: It's good that Christ was at the Market before us, He hath cheapened the Prices admirably: & lest any should think, that though there be no Merit, yet something [Page 133] must be to Mollifie the seller, and to commend the Merchant to him: It's said, Let him come without Mo­ney and without price, without money or money-worth, he that hath no commending qualification is bid come. 4. We have the Proclamation of this Market, as Grace hath choice wares and sets them out very freely to sale, so it keeps them not close shut up; but brings them forth to publick view: and to every one, Ho Come to the waters, it inviteth all to Come (as it were) to the shore, as if some fleet were come in with rare and rich Commodities, for which men were to pay nothing: the Proclamation is, Come and buy without Money: and because Grace will not easily take a nay say, there is O Ho, an Oyes Prefixed, Ho come and buy: But because there is dulness and slowness on our part. Notwithstand­ing all this, there is an expostulation added, vers. 2. Wherefore spend ye your money for that which is not Bread, and your labour for that which satisfieth not? The Assignation of the Bargain and the offer of the wares, are again urged, Come, and I will make an everlasting Co­venant with you: And to let us know that this is sure, He subjoines, vers. 4. I have given him for a witness and leader to the people: That all who are sensible of their own inability to come, may be heartned to it in hope of his help to enable them.

We shall only in short, Observe these Two Points of Doctrine From the words. The first whereof is, that, There is a most gracious and mercifull transaction betwixt the Father and the Son for the good and Salvation of poor Souls, even of all the elect, past before the World was. The [...]e are sure M [...]rcies bargained to David; for they are first his; This is clear from that part of the words; Even the sure mercies of David. The Second is, that, all those mercies are put to sale in the Gospel to (dyvour) [Page 134] bankrupt sinners upon exceeding easy, low and condescend­ing terms.

The First doctrine is implyed, viz. That the Cove­nant of Redemption, wherein there were so many given to Christ, whose Price he undertook to pay, is se [...]led and established, according to that John 6.39. This is the Fathers will, that of all he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. The Second looks to the Administration of this Cove­nant, By the covenant of grace in the Gospel, according to Vers. 40. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one that seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life, and I will raise him up at the last day: So that, what is laid on the Son, vers. 39 As the condition of this Covenant, is in the 40 vers. made offer of to Believers by the Gospel.

The First Doctrine hath two branches; The First whereof is, That there was a transaction concerning the Salvation of lost Sinners, betwixt the Father and the Son before the World was? A Covenant made with David, before it is or can be declared and Preached in the Gos­pel, the terms whereof were resolved on, and all the Articles of it agreed upon; The Father proposing, and the Son accepting the bargain from eternity; as is clear, Psal. 40.6, 7. Where, when it is, as it were, consul [...]ed what shall be the Price of Redemption, It is not Sacri­fices nor burnt Offerings; but a bodie hast thou Prepared me; Behold! come, in the Volume of thy book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, O my God; Which is expresly applyed to Christ, Heb. 10 7. This is easily cleared from the consideration of the parties contracting, and of the ends for which this Covenant was undertak­en, and of the effects that follow upon it.

The Second Branch of the Doctrine is, that this as to [Page 135] sinners is a most gracious and mercifull, a most kind, lowing and lovely transaction, exceedingly for the behove and ad­vantage of Sinners. There are Four words in the Text, Which hold out this; 1. The Nature of this Covenant is Mercy, all the Articles of it Savour strong of Mercy to sinners; They are exempted, though Christ came under sore strokes: whether we consider this Covenant as exacting of Christ; or promising to Christ, it is al­wayes for sinners behove. 2. It is a Covenant of Mer­cies, of many various mercies, So, 2 Sam. 23.5. It is said to be an everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure; and, 2 Pet. 1.4. It is said, according as his di­vine Power hath given unto us all things, that pertain to life and Godliness: Mercies of Justification, Pardon of sin, Sanctification in all its graduall advances, of fellow­ship with God, of grace and Glory, even of every good thing or good things of all sorts. 3. It's very gracious and mercifull in respect of the excellent kind of these Mercies, they are not common mercies, but mercies of David, bestowed upon his anointed; Christ is furnish­ed and filled with them, That out of his fulness we may receive and grace for grace: even grace in a good mea­sure. 4. They are stable mercies, not fleeting and quick­ly gone; not a glance of Mercy which evanisheth, the Covenant is everlasting, and the mercies are the sure mercies of David.

If we might Particularly go through all the parts of this Covenant, Mercie will be found sweetly looking out in everie article, clause and Circumstance of it. Look first; more generally to the whole of it; it's all loving kindnesses and mercies to sinners; Look to Christs Sufferings and Death, O! what mercy shines conspicuously there? To his qualifications for the dis­charge of all his Offices; to his anointing with the spirit [Page 136] without measure; There is great mercie there; to all the Promises made to him, such as these, He shal see his seed; the Pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand; by his knowledge shall he Justifie many; He shall have a willing People, Eternally to reign with him, &c. Are not these loud speaking Mercies? The grace and wisdome that is on the Fathers side, and the grace and love that is on the Sons side, a [...]e all for the behove and good of sinners; It's all wonderfully behovefull; is it not great Mercy to you believers, that you were mind­ed in this bargain? The Lord Christ, as God, neither needed nor was capable of any accession of Grace; he took the relation of our Redeemer and Mediator, and as such in the humane nature, was filled with Grace and Bowels of Mercy and Compassion, that Grace and Mercy might look through that relation to us. Secondly, And more particularly, look to the rise of it; It bred in Gods own bosome (to speak so) John 3.16. God so loved the world, that He gave his only Begotten Son, that whosoever should believe on Him, might not perish, but have Eternal life; and the Son laid down His life out of pure love; there was no necessity on him to do so, but what he voluntarily came under; there was no Motive from us to it, nor had he any adviser to it. Third­ly, Look to the manner of his undertaking; It was very readily, Chearfully, and with ardent, vehemently ar­dent love; So that we may say of it as of that Chariot mentioned, Cant. 3.10. It is made of, and Paved with Love, for the Daughters of Jerusalem; The Elect be­ing under the curse, Christ out of meer love undertakes to satisfie Justice for them; Sacrifices will not do it, rivers of Oyle will not do it, The first born of the body will not do it, nor satisfie for the sin of the Soul; What will do it then? Grace suggests, that the Son shall become [Page 137] man, and do it, and the Son saith, Lo I come; O! What love and mercy are here? Fourthly, Look to the Contrivance of it; and there ye will find much Grace and Mercy; that it is made with a Mediator, and with a mediator that is a Surety, that the stock is bestowed on him and put under his Custodie, that the Promises are made to him and the Price exacted from himself. 5ly, Look to the Manner of executing it; what love, Grace and mercy shines forth in the Father, in taking vengeance on his only begotten Son for us? What love in the Son, in yeelding to take it on, and in his leaving his manifestative Glory for a time, that he might undergo the curse, and in his doing all this with delight? Sixthly, Look to the confirmations of this Covenant; the Oath of God on the Fathers side, the death of the Mediator on the Sons side; and he hath freely bequeathed it, as a confirmed Testament and legacy to us Believers, and hath instituted Sacraments to be Seals thereof; O! What mercy upon mercy! Seventhly. Consider the effects of it; it runs in the sweet streams of Grace, into the vast Gulfe and Ocean of Glory; Wonderfull mercy? Eightly, Look to the Parties Confederating and Cove­nanting; the Father, Son, and Spirit, all are here, And, it's Grace and mercy that they Covenant, 2. Who are the Contrivers of it? Are not even they in their deep wisdom, and in their exuberant, Superabundant and infinit Grace and mercy? 3. What is the end of it? Even ehe Praise of the Glory of his Grace, Eph. 1.5. Grace bringing forth and manifestly shewing here it's great master-peece. 4. As infinit wisdom and love contrive, so infinit Power executs it: and when all these concurre in this bargain: when the infinitly wise God, all the Persons of the most Glorious Dreadful and Adorable Trinity (as it were) set themselves to set [Page 138] forth the Glory of free Grace, to make Angels and Saints Behold and Admire in it infinit Wisdom and in­comprehensible love, what a rare piece must it needs be? And this is the end of it, as is clear: Ephes. 3 9. That all men might see what is the fellowship of this My­stery: which from the beginning of the World, hath been hid in God, who Created all things by Jesus Christ, to the intent, that now unto the Principalities and powers in the Heavenly places, might be known by the Church, the manifold wisdom of God.

The Second Doctrine is, That this good and gracious bargain, that's past betwixt the Father and the Son, which is wholly mercie, is brought to the Market and exposed to sale, on exceeding easie and condescending termes, and that to bankrupt sinners: What Proclaims the Lord here? even this; I will give you the Sure mercies of David: That which I and my Son have carved out for the glory of Grace, and for a proof of the riches of my bounty, I will make all over to you freely. Hence Ephes. 3.8. It's called, the unsearchable riches of Christ; So that, whatever Christ hath as Mediator, It is holden forth here; That out of his fulness we may receive Grace for Grace, a Proportion of all the Grace that is in him.

In Prosecuting this point, we shall shew, 1. More Particularly what this bargain is, that is put to the sale. 2. Who the Merchant is. 3. What are the termes on which, and how it is made. 4. What is the manner how the Gospel puts home this bargain, and layes Christ and his fulness forth upon Stands in the Market-place, as it were, (to speak thus with reverence of this Divine Mystery) that there may be free access, to whosoever will come, and buy these rare and rich Wares and Commodities.

As for the First, that ye may know what the Bargain [Page 139] is, and what is in your offer in this day of the Gospel, Take it in these few Particulars; 1. All that ever any Believer in the world had, is put to sale here; if any Believer ever had fair Priviledges, sure it was David; if any ever had a mercifull bargain, he had it; and such is this Covenant; Justification, Adoption, peace with God, Grace and Glory; all these Marrowie, Materiall, massie and essentiall blessings that David had, it was not another Christ, nor another Heaven, nor Another Covenant of Grace that he had, but the same that's here. 2. Consider it further, and we will find it to be, all that is made over to our Lord Jesus Christ; If he had a good bargain, the spirit without measure, fulness of truth and Grace, great Glory and Honour, being ad­vanced to the right hand of the Father, the same is Be­lievers their bargain proportionably, a due and just pro­portion being kept betwixt the head and the members, John 1.16. Of his fulness have we all received and Grace for Grace: It's not another but the same Grace that our Lord Jesus hath; yea it's not another Glory they are advanced to; no other Table they are set down to; no other Throne they are set on; but the same Glory, Table, and Throne. It's to Behold his Glory, to Sit at his Table, To sit with him on his Throne: John 17.22.24. Luke 22.30. Rev. 3.21. In a word there are not two Covenants of Redemption betwixt Jehovah and the Mediator, one for himself and another for the elect: but it's one and the same Covenant for both, though with many vastly different respective considerations and cir­cumstances. 3. Look to the Wares and Commodities (to speak so) that are exposed to sale in the Gospel: they are not only the Promises made to Christ, but Jesus Christ himself is brought forth to the Market, He is the great Promise, and far beyond all the other promises [Page 140] made in, and the Graces given by the Covenant: I have given Him (saith the Lord, Vers. 4.) For a witness and leader to the People: He is the great gift of God, that Gift of Gifts, being the Fathers fellow: Nothing in Heaven or Earth, no Person, man, or Angel can by far, very far, infinitly far, equall him: to whom can you liken or compare him? To us (saith the Prophet Isaiah Chap. 9.) A Child is born, to us a Son is given, and the Government shall be upon his shoulders, and his Name shall be called wonderful Counseller, the mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace: this is David, most substantial Massie mercy: He is called Wonderful, because there is no Possibility for Creatures adequatly to conceive, or with exact suitableness to express what his Name is, or what is comprehended within his Name. 4. Look on Christ as Mediator, as God-man, Immanuel God with us: There is put to the Market (to speak so with reverence) God himself: for thus the Covenant is expounded and Sum'd, as frequently elsewhere in the Scripture, so particularly, 2 Cor. 6.16. I will be their God: and Revel. 21.17. He that overcometh shal in­herit all things, and I will be his God. Now consider all these in a Conjunction: viz. What all believers have: what Christ hath, and Christ himself; what God hath, and God himself: O! what an incomprehensibly rich and rare, great and Glorious bargain is this! and yet all is by the Gospel brought forth, laid before the hearers of it, and made offer of to them, on most easie and wonderfully condescending terms. May we briefly and in a few words sum up what is in it? 1. All things that may make up believers their Peace with God, and remove the quarrel. 2. All things pertaining to, or needful for life and godliness, as it is, 2 Pet. 1.4. 3. All things that belong to the comfort and consolation [Page 141] of Believers, even strong Consolation, as it is called Heb. 6.18. There is no want so great, but there is a sup­plie for it here, no case so sad, but there is a comfort for it here; there is not any thing that looks like a crack or uncertainty, but there is sufficient security for it here, in this Covenant, (in this most full and wonderfully well ordered Covenant in all things and very sure) to all who are fled to Christ for refuge. 4. There is in it what is needful and requisit to full satisfaction, to the Solace, delight, joy and compleat happiness of the persons that cordially close with it: So that a Soul can crave no more, nor wish for more; It is even all their desire, as David saith of it, 2 Sam. 23.5. It's Mensura voti, nay ultra mensuram voti; it never entred into mans heart to conceive much less to desire it. It makes the Soul say, as it is Psal. 73.24. Whom have I in Heaven but thee? There is none on earth, whom I desire besides thee: It hath all things in it: as it is, Rev. 21.7. He that overcometh shall inherit all things: For if God and Christ, Grace and mercy be in it, is there any thing a missing? or can there possibly be any thing wanting in it? May I not very confidently ask you; Is it not a good bargain? If the Father Son and Holy Spirit, Grace, Heaven and Glory be a good bargain; this is then most certainly a good bargain, a wonderfully good, matchless, and non-such bargain: and is not this Gos­pel, whereby all these great things are brought to the market, good news? Take heed then that ye receive not this Grace in vain, that these wares worthy of all possible intertainment and welcome stand not before you unbought: I say again take heed, that ye receive not all this Grace in vain, that these Precious and costly wares go not from the Market unbought up.

Secondly, Who are the Chap-men or Merchants? You [Page 142] would have readily thought that such wares would have required mighty Monarchs, great States-men, learned Philosophers, or holy Kings, Prophets, Apostles and great men; And yet the Proclamation is (for grace cometh ordinarily in the lower way) Ho, every one that thirsts, and he that hath no money: these are the mer­chants who are meet for this rich Ware: Are there any that want what may make them happy, and would fain have? Are there any that have their peace to make with God, any that have not their interest clear, and made sure? any that are wrestling with a bodie of death, and g [...]oaning under it? Any that fain would have sin par­doned and subdued? Any that would have Grace, hea­ven and Glory, and have nothing to give for all these or any of them, and who have spent many years labour in vain and to no purpose, to come by them? It's to you, even to you that all these rich Wares and rare com­modities are in a speciall manner offered in this cryed Fair of free grace. And to clear this a litle, I suppose, there are none of you but you are some way under one of these Three, though the externall call and offer comes indifferently to you all. Ye are either, 1. Senseless and secure; and to you the Gospel says, How long ye fools will ye love simplicity? And how long will ye sleep, O sluggards? As there is a Challenge and regrate here, So there is a condition all offer made to you, in as far as it is here implyed, that the Offer is made to them. Who have no bread and have been bestowing their labour on that which satisfies not: glutting themselves with the world, or wrapping themselves up in the groundless conceit of their own righteousness; To such it saith, How long will ye spend your labour for that which is not bread: Or, 2. Ye are some way affected with sin, ly­ing under Convictions, stinged, some way burnt up, and [Page 143] consumed with the apprehensions of the wrath and ter­rours of God; The word which this Offer hath to such is, the very first in the Proclamation, Ho, every one that thirsts, Come: and as we expostulated with the first sort, viz senseless secure unconcerned, proud and con eity standers aloof, so we bid you earnestly come: and if ye shall say, your conviction hath no edge with it, it is not deep enough: We Answer, let him that hath no money come: if ye have quite given over all Hope of your Prayers and other Performances, as to making your peace with God by them, and have in that respect utterly renounced your own righteousness, and so, have no money, no price: though ye be not pinched and prick­ed at the heart under the sense of sin and deserved wrath, as ye would: yet come, O come. Or, 3. Ye are such as have taken with your sin and lost state, and are in some measure, though but faintly (at least to your own apprehension) stirring towardst Christ, and would fain be at him: up, for to you the offer most kindly sayes; Hear and your souls shal live, eat and be satisfied. The wares are not brought forth and laid before you, that ye should only (to say so) block or cheapen, and ask the price; but also and mainly, that ye should buy, eat and feed on them; The Gospel doth not, as it were, so much offer to make with you a bargain, as it offers you the benefit of a bargain already made, viz. With Christ: and thus these Three take in every person that wants, and is not, it may be, so sensible of it, and every one that wants and would have.

For the Third, viz. The Terms on which the closing of the bargain depends: they are holden forth in Four words in the Text, with Two qualifications: which make up the terms. The first Word is, Come; and that [Page 144] supposeth peoples leaving of their present standing-place and posture, and their moving towards the Market-place, where the rich Ware is exposed to sale. The Second Word is, Buy; which imports a Price put on the Mar­ket-Ware, a valuing of it, and a sort of treating to make it ours. The Third Word is, Hearken, incline the ear, to wit, to God, and to his word, to believe and receive it, and your souls shall live. And the Fourth Word is, I will make an everlasting Covenant with you; which im­plies an engagement by Covenant to the Lord, after hearing and inclining the ear to his word, a striking of hands and closing with the bargain. Add to these the qualifications, viz. Coming, buying, striking hands (as it were) and closing the bargain, and that without offering Money or Price, Money or money-worth, with­out offering or giving any thing less or more in com­pensation.

Fourthly, Let us see how the Gospel puts all this to the Market; so that, where it comes, those that are called must either close the bargain, or it will be their own fault. First, it Proclaimes the Fair (as it were) to all round about, that there are such wares to be had, and at such a Price, the rarest and richest wares and Com­modities, and at the cheapest rates that ever the world heard tell of. 2. It doth not only Proclaim, but invite and double the invitation to come. 3. It not only in­vites, but puts the invitation so home, that People must either make the price, (to say so, though it may be soon made, there being in effect no price) and buy, or refuse the Bargain: If they will not be at the Paines to come in to the shop, as it were, It brings forth the wares and lays them down in the Market-place, and (as it were) on Stands in the street: and cryes, Come, buy, come and enter the Covenant freely: and this it [Page 145] doth by a frank offer, by earnest and perswasive invit­ing, and by the easie Conditions that it proposeth the bargain on: It stands in a manner with armes stretch­ed out, ready to receive all comers very freely, whatever their Poverty, wants and necessities be: It craves no more but that we willingly take what he offers to put in our hand: The righteousness of Faith saith not, who shall ascend to Heaven, or shall descend to the depth? there is nothing now to be suffered, nor to be Purchased by any more suffering: But the word is near thee in thy heart and in thy mouth: It layes the ware at our very door (as it were) So that we have no more to do, but to stoop down and take it up: but heartily to say the word, and it is a bargain.

Now for Application: may we not resume, and say, that there is a good and excellent bargain to be had in the Gospel, and on very good and easie terms? It's a Market day, and indeed it were a pity that such wares should be brought to the Market, and that few or none should buy: that Christ should (to speak so) open his pa [...]k and sell no wares. Therefore let me say a few words to you for perswading you readily and presently to embrace the Offer of this richest Bargain. And in the First Pla [...]e, we pray you believe this truth: Alace! there is litle or no faith given to it: Souls come strait­ned, not throughly believing, that God is putting Christ, Grace and Glory, Heaven and Happiness and all to Sale: These are dayes of The Son of man, in a special man­ner, wherein Christs fleet (to speak so with Reverence) is come home, the Shops are now well furnished with Rich Commodities, all his Stands are set out and full of Grace. Secondly, Wonder that God hath condescended to make offer of such a bargain to us: that, that which [Page 146] cost Christ so very dear, is offered so exceeding cheap to us. Thirdly, We exhort and obtest you, that while these choisest wares are set to sale, ye receive not this offer in vain: Are there any Merchants here for such wares? Here is the Market, the wares are good and sufficient, and the terms very easie, and the Price won­drously low, even so low, that it comes to no Money, no Price: can ye Possibly wish a better bargain or more easie terms? Are there any chap men that want Money, any that are Thirsty, then Come; yea be the frame and disposition of your heart what it may be, if you would have it righted, come; there is here that which will make you Rich & Happie here and hereafter: are there none of you that will seriously ask, what the Lord will say, what Christ will take (as it were) for these wares, or what are his terms; with a sincere resolution to take them on these very terms? Will ye not be Prevailed with to make experimental tryal, what it is to have Christ Made of God to you wisdome, Righteousness, Sancti­fication and Redemption? Are there none among you all that have sins to be pardoned, wants to be supplied, strong and stirring Corruptions to be subdued and mor­tified? Is it Possible that so many are come hither for the fashion? Are there none living at distance from God, nor under his curse really or to their own appre­hension, that would have the distance and curse remov­ed? Are there no weak Graces to be strengthened? If there be any such merchants that have a mind and heart to the wares: I say to them from the Lord, as his He­rauld: Ho every one that Thirsts, and he that hath no money come: This is the scope of the Gospel, and the preparation for Christ, and also for the Communion, that it calleth for from poor Souls, that would fain close the bargain, and set their Seal to it, and would have [Page 147] Gods Seal set to it to morrow by taking the Sacrament. Speak, what say ye? Pose and put your hearts to it to declare, if they be indeed willing and well content to make and hold the bargain on his own terms; if they be so, (as there is all the reason in the world they should;) then I say, ye have a good bargain: I say again speak, pose your hearts, if ye will make and hold the bargain on these terms or not.

There are these things that do singularly commend this bargain. First, the excellencie of it; ye will go through all the Markets in the World, ere ye get such ri [...]h Mercies, of so rare a kind, so sure and so cheap; ye would, belike, think much to have so much land, gold or money; but what are those to this bargain? Those will evanish and turn to ashes, when this will endure and abide with you for ever: What are ye doing? Who are like so many Horse-leaches, sucking up, and glutting your selves with the world, or living securely and carelesly, or pu [...]ching up your own righteousness; is there any of those bargains like this? we appeal to your own consciences, and nothing doubt, but they will one day bear witness against you, that ye heard of such a bargain and had it in your offer, and yet wilfully refused to accept of it. Secondly, Is there any bargain more suitable for you, who have your peace to make with God; for you who have corruption lively in you, then to have a King, Captain and conqueror to bring it down and to trample on it, after he hath as a Priest re­conciled you to God? Is there any more suitable bargain for you, who have your own pinches and straits, and your Comforts at a very low ebb, for you who have wants which cannot be numbred, and who cannot of your selves command one stayed spirituall thought? If ye were perfectly righteous and fairly landed in Eternity, [Page 148] ye might possibly think the less of it (though even Glorified Saints put a great value on it, and glorious Angels admire it) but that sinners dwelling on earth in cottages of clay, whose habitation is in the dust, should think litle of it, it's strange and even stupendious: Is there or can there be a more suitable bargain for you that want money? Is it not exactly calculated for your case and shapen out for you; so as in every thing it may meet with your wants, difficulties and Objections? Thirdly, Are not the terms most reasonable? No great thing is sought for from you; if a Lordship or a King­dom were offered to a poor man for a Penny, that hath no money at all, it would signifie nothing at all to him; But behold here peace and Pardon, Grace and Glory, even all good things are offered to you freely. Fourthly, Is not your necessity such, that ye cannot be well with­out it? For tho ye should spend your money, and be­stow much labour, and even wear out your very eyes with weeping and your hearts with grief and sorrow, if ye take not this course, all will only have this Moto written thereon, Vanity of vanities, all is but vanity and vexation of spirit: when ye come to feed on it, ye will find it to be but wind: if peace with God, if God and Christ, if grace and Glory be necessary, then this bargain is necessary; but if ye will continue lazie, in­different, Luk-warme and unconcerned in the matter; ye shall find that ye have sitten in your own light great­ly, and suffered the opportunity of the Market to slip, which ye will never possibly recover: And therefore for the Lords sake, let neither legall weeping, carnal fear or sorrow, hypocrisie, self-conceit, nor mistakes of Christ and of free Grace divert you from making this bargain: but seek Grace, come over these and all other obstructions, and while the Market lasts, Come and [Page 149] buy without money and without Price. It is hard to know how long your day shall last: There are many Countrie­sides and Cities, in the streets whereof these Packs (to say so) of rich wares were opened up, Laid forth and exposed to sale, that now for many years, yea for se­veral ages have not heard of them, nor the Gospel preached: what (at least in Purity and Power) is now in Jerusalem, and in the seven famous Churches of Asia, But the voice of Terrour, and as it were, the Scriching of Owls? and seeing God is not slack, as men count slackness, what know ye, when the Kingdom of God may be taken from you, and given to others? And when he will cry (to speak so) Pack and go? Every day is not a Market day, every Lords day is not a Com­munion day: many Congregations in Ireland and else where have sadly found this, wherein it hath come to pass, that great scarcity and want are come where there was once great plenty. And to press this a little further, We may in the First Place Ask, whereat it sticks and halts? I tell you, that there either must be a bargain, or it must (and will sometime) be known where the blame lyes: were it but the bare reading of these very words, they bring the invitation and offer to you, and will ye dare to cast at the wares, or the terms on which they are offered? Grace brings a good bargain to you and stoops very low with it. For 1. It will not stand with you on bygones, if now you deal honestly, The sure Mercies of David will cover and blot out those: and if any of you think, that ye have much debt on your head, as who ha [...]h not? It will not upbraid you: the iniquity of Jacob shall be sought for, and shall not be found. There shall be, as it were, Scores drawn through them, your accounts shall be all dashed out by free graces Pen: This is a cryed Fair and Proclaimed Market of free [Page 150] grace, from which no honest comer shall be secluded, thrust back or sent away empty; for here an empty pur [...]e needs not make a (blate o) bashful Merchant. 2. Grace stands not precisely on fore-prepa ations (whe [...]e Souls honestly and sincerely come) as that ye have not been so and so humbled, and have not such and such previous qualifications, as ye would be at; Nay someway it excludes these, as offering to bring money and some price, which would quite spoile the nature of the Market of free grace; nay yet me say further, if it were possible that a soul would come without sense of sin, Grace would embrace it: sense of sin being no condition of the Covenant, but a Physicall (to speak so) qualification of the Covenanter, and grace is free to them that want it: and let it be supposed to be in a person void of Grace and still in unrenewed black nature, it's there but a splendid sin, as those shadows of Morall vertues in all meerly natural men, are; Grace can, at the instant of coming, creat qualifications: there could readily be no qualifications in Zacheus when he was on the tree: Yet Christ tells him, Salvation this day is come to thy house. 3. Grace stands not on the want of any effect of Faith, where it calls to believing: it will not stand on dark­ness of interest, nor on want of progress in Sanctificati­on, nor on things being out of order: for where it comes, it puts things in order; It will be no relevant exception for a person that hath no [...] closed with the bar­gain and hath not embraced Christ, to say, alace! I have no love to God, to the Godly and to his interest: because Grace can say, thou hast not closed with Christ, and so canst not have the effect before the cause: come and close, and these and other effects shall follow. 4. It stands not on degrees of Faith, nor on the strength firm­ness and height of it; it will take little, even a look, or [Page 151] a glance of the souls eye that sees not clearly, according to that memorable word, Psal. 34.5. They looked to him and were lightened: the more that souls look to Christ, their eye grows the clearer: it will take an ho­nestly willing mind and hearty consent, though the a­bility be very litle, a receiving or a sincere minting at receiving of the offer: Him that comes, or is really a coming, though he be not yet come, at least, as he thinks, but is, with the Prodigal, still (as he appre­hends) afar off, Will Christ and Grace in no case cast-out: for no sooner doth spiritual life stir in Faiths weakest acting and moving towards Christ, but Grace meets it. 5. It stands on no concomitants, though there should be many Idols and lusts raging in the per­son, if there be a reall consenting by Faith to the bar­gain, with a sincere resolution to abandon all these, grace will not send him away empty: or if the man say, Lord I believe help my unbelief, that is a done bargain: nay, were it to come with many spiritual issues and sores running, and with fear to presume, and as it were, to steal a hint of Christ; not to speak a word to him, but to touch him: He will not be angry nor upbraid, but will say, go in peace, thy Faith hath made the whole. We may Ask yet, further to the recommendation of Grace. 1. Was there ever a Merchant that came to the market with that purpose, to buy on its own terms, that went away empty and without wares? If all the Congrega­tion of the first born were put to it, they would be ready to bear witness, that Grace never stood with them on any qualification in them, when they came honestly. 2. I Would Ask, was there ever any that adventured honestly on it, whom it mis-gave? That hazarded (to speak so) and yet fell by the way, or that ever repent­ed themselves that they hazarded and entrusted their [Page 152] Souls to this bargain? 3. Let me Ask, was there eve [...] any that took hold on and griped it, in whose hand i [...] brake? The bargain and Covenant is everlasting? th [...] mercies are sure mercies, once sure and alwayes sure, once rich and for ever so; It was and is a Covenan [...] well ordered in all things and sure: blessed for ever b [...] the contriver and suretie thereof. Some may possibly think, that this doctrine looks to be somewhat lax [...] (or lose): But sure Grace is not laxe; for as we ma [...] say of Gods power; Is any thing to hard for him? S [...] we may say of his Grace, Is any thing too free for it Only abuse not Grace, Prostitute it not, turn not you [...] back on it, neither turn it into wantonness; It ye loo [...] on grace, and cheapen only and do not buy; or if ye bid for one piece of it only, and not for all; Wo unto you, that ever is was offered unto you: what would y [...] be at? Is it Holiness, Heaven and happiness, and tha [...] freely? They are here; Is it Christ and Christ freely and all that is his? He is here in your offer; wha [...] means then this whining (to speak so) and standing so much on terms, as if the way of grace were a hard untoward unpassable way, and as if God were a [...]ar [...] master? Nay, it's a good soft, sweet, easie way, and plain to them that walk in it, and God the best Maste [...] that ever Rich or Poor served, and the easiest to serv [...] and the best to please, where there is sincerity and willingness to live honestly; he pities and spares all up right hearted servants, As a Father pitieth his Children and a man spareth his son that serveth him: And if any think they find it otherwise, it's most certainly their ow [...] fault. Therefore, I beseech you, study First, To be i [...] case to take Graces wares home with you, Repentance Faith, Hope, Love, Mortification, Meekness, Patience, &c. These things are in the Covenant betwix [...] [Page 153] Christ and you and set to Sale in the Market. 2. Be making ready, for the Market is ready: many shops, (as it were) are opened and much precious ware laid out: bring empty vessels and not a few, that ye may carry them away full, that ye may take a Rich loading home with you: though you take up never so much of this ware, it will never be missed nor grow the less; and indeed it is a part and a considerable part of our preparation for the Communion, to be rooted in the Faith of these great things and to get our affections stretched, di­lated and widened to receive them: To get the ever­lasting doores cast up, that the King of Glory may come in, That when he calls for entrie, the doors may be opened at the very first knock. 3. If so be your desires be stirred up, and your appetites quickened in any measure: there is nothing that will more effectually and powerfully stir them up, provoke and sharpen them, then grace believingly looked to, and improved: longing to see his Power and Glory, as they have been seen by his people in the Sanctuary, would notably make way for him: plea­ding and working with your own hearts alone, will not do the business, but grace imployed and made use of will do it effectually and to purpose: and the more Grace you draw forth out of Christs fulness and drink, so much the better: It will be (to speak so) no forestalling of the market: neither will the sweet savour of the perfume be the weaker or less to morrow, that ye break the Box of this Precious oyntment to night. Now God himself who [Page 154] proclaimes the Fair: sets the Market: and exposeth the Rich ware to sale, give you wisdom to Prove wise merchants to your Eternal advantage and up making.

IT is hard to know in Spiritual exercises, whether it be more difficult to attain some good frame, or to keep & maintain it, when it is attained: whether more seriousness is required for making peace with God, or for keeping of it, when made: whether more diligence should be in preparing for a Com­munion, or more watchfulness after it: sure, both are required, and it was our Blessed Lords word, Matth. 26.41. after the first celebration of this his Supper, Watch and pray th [...]t ye enter not into Temp­tation: Here that saying holds eminently, non minor est virtus, quam quaerere, parta tueri: No lesse ver­tue and valour is requisit to maintain, then [...]o make a purchase or Conquest.

In the words (to leave the introduction and scope) There is first, a great mercy promised from the Lord to his People, viz. He will speak peace to them. 2. A speciall caveat, and advertisment given them, poin ing at their hazard, But let them not turn again to follie: That is, Let not his People and Saints, to whom He hath spoken peace, return to sin; Let them beware of bounding and dallying with Gods mercy, and of turning his Grace into wantonness, of cooling in their affections to him, of slipping back to their old way, and of embracing their old lovers and Idols; For that is folly, even in folio, to speak so.

We shall first propose Six Observations from the words, and then apply them. First then Observe, that Sin against God i [...] an exceeding great folly: It's the fooli [...]h h st and maddest thing in the world: There­fore it is here called Folly, to wit, in an eminent way and degree: It's that which doth most, ye that which doth in effect, Only, marre and interrupt Saints peace: that which Vers. 2. Is called iniquity, which he so graciously pardoned, is here called Folly, because of the follie and madness that is in sin: and i [...] is on this ground and account, that the sinner is so often called a Fool, and Simple in the Book of Proverbs; and Ephes 5. The Apostle exhorts Christians, to walk not as Fools but as wise; and Luk. 15. The Prodigal is said, when converted, to come to himself, as if he had been in a distraction and beside himself, all the while he was going on in his sinful way. This may be further clear; if we [Page 156] look, First, To the vanity of the matter wherein men sin; is it not follie for a man to sit tippling and debauching away his time, to be given to Harlotrie and filthiness, to neglect Prayer, to Curse and Swear, to let his mind rove upon things that never were nor will be, and wherein there is no profit? There is a great vanity in the matter of sin. Second­ly, If we look to the sad effects, and bitter fruits of sin; and to the great prejudice that comes by it; It will be found to be desperat Madness and dear bought pleasure, which is but fancied and Imagin­ary, and no reall Pleasure: It marres the life of Grace & of peace with God, and treasures up Wrath against the day of Wrath; See this verified eminent­ly in Ahithophel, that Prodigy of profound Policie (Whose counsel, in those dayes, with David and Absalom was, as, if one had enquired at the Oracle of God.) The upshot of whose deep wit was rank follie, when he went and hanged himself: See it also convincingly made good, in the rich Man in the Gospel, To whom it's sadly and surprisingly said, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be taken from thee, and whose then shall those things be? And what advantage or wisdom is it. I pray, for a man to gain the whole World, if he lose his own Soul? O Madly foolish bargain! Thirdly, If we look to sin with a Spirituall eye, we will see folly in the very appear­ance and manner of it; a wicked man in sinning is foolish-like, or looks as like a fool, as David did, when he played the Mad-man before the King of Gath, Scrabled on the doors, and let his spittle fall [Page 157] on his Beard: Is it not folly to see a man Labouring in the fire, for very vanity, loading himself with thick clay, pursuing the East-wind? He is just like a man in a frenzie, who imagines himself to be a King, and to be riding in great State and Triumph, when in the mean time he is a Poor naked Pitifull and despicable creature, in the eyes of all that behold him. Fourthly, If we look to the spring, fountain and cause of it; There can be no just nor relevant reason given for sin; It's therefore, no doubt, folly: Is there, or can there be any thing that evidenceth mens folly so much, as their coming in tops with God, their walking in the way of death, their loving simplicity (as it is Prov. 1.) And their quiting the way of Life? Now the word of God is true wis­dome, and the way of life is therein clearly holden forth, and God as our pattern; and is there any thing more reasonable, then that we should live like, and be conform to the word of God, and to him of whom we ought to be followers? But sin thwarts with the whole word of God, and with God himself.

Take this passing word of Use; Study to be establish­ed in the Faith of this truth; That Sin, whether in do­ing that which is evil, or in the Omission of duty, is the greatest folly: such of you as will not be convinced of it now in time, within a few dayes or years, ye shall be convinced of it to purpose & to your eternall prejudice; The most blockish shall then see it to be follie; a highly hurtfull, prejudiciall, Shamefull folly, and des­perat Madness; The rich Glutton and Ahithophel and thousands more of worldly-wise-men, find it to be so, to their Cost, in Hell: Therefore the Apostle saith, Rom. 6.21. What profit have ye in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? And had we Spirituall eyes to discern the Condition of the most part of men and Women, who [Page 158] evidently ly still in black Nature unrenewed, who slight the offers of Grace, and who will not receive Jesu [...] Christ, the veriest idiot in the world would not be a sad­der spectacle to us, nor affect our hearts with more pity & compassion, then the Lamentable case of the Souls of such persons would; because they forsake their own Mercie, The sure Mercies of David, and follow after lying vanities, and wearie themselves with a vain pursuit after that which cannot profit them, Alace for this follie!

Secondly, Observe, That notwithstanding the great­ness of this follie, Gods people and Saints were sometime deep, yea even drowned in it, and are yet in part taken with it. Needs this any proof? Ah! sinful Nation (saith the Lord to his professing people Isaiah. 1.4.) A people laden with iniquitie, a seed of evill doers: The Ox knoweth his owner, the asse his Masters crib, but my people doth not know: O beastly Israel! inferior to the very brutes thorow the folly of sinning against God; and saith he, Jer. 2. Be astonished O Heavens; and horri­bly afraid; for my People have committed two great evils, they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and digged to themselves broken Cisterns, that can hold no water: Q egregious follie and demented choice? how many professours of religion are there, who are foolish Virgins? And how many foolish practices are there among the Godly themselves? Let it not then be thought strange (as a word of Use from it) that not only among externall professours, but even among reall Saints, there be found many acts of follie; though I grant it to be both sad and stumbling, when it is; which should therefore, so much the more make them guard against the same.

Thirdly, Observe. God will sometimes speak peace to them that are given to follie, or are often found playing the Fool. Of the truth whereof, as many as ever heard the Gospel, and did partake of the Grace of it; and are before the Throne, and hope to be there, are as so many proofs; witnesses and living monuments: I shall clear what this speaking of peace is, in Three Steps; He speaks peace to them, 1. In his offering of peace to them; and by his meeting and treating with them in and by that offer, in his intreating or inviting them earnestly to come to him, who have wearied themselves, and spent their labour on that which profits not; pressing them to return, and assuring them that he will heal their back­slidings, Isai. 55. Jer. 3. Hos. 14. And preaching peace through Christ Jesus, Eph. 2. counselling them to come and buy eye salve of him, &c. and by his knock­ing and waiting at their Door for admittance and entry, Rom. 3. Are not these words of peace to a foolish Church? 2. In making peace with some, when (as it is 2 Cor. 5.20.) He not only Prayes and requests them to be Reconciled, but really reconcileth them to himself, and saith, Peace be to you, Pardoneth sin, taketh away the hand-writing of Ordinances that was against them, giveth them a discharge of their debt: that when their sin is sought for, it is not to be found, because He hath pardoned it; and Hos. 2. This is called an alluring, or (as the word is) a speaking to the heart. 3. In his not only taking away the Controversie and making peace; but in his intimating that peace, Saying to the pardoned sinner, Thy sinnes are forgiven thee, go in peace, I am thy Salvation, and then the promise John 14.21.23. Is fulfilled, when Christ breaks open doors and comes in and Sups, and dwels, his Father and he: and one main dish that is set on the Table (to say so) is Peace, as [Page 160] Vers. 27. Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you: It's peace from God the Father Son and Holy Ghost: There are some speciall times, wherein God speaks Peace, such as Solemn treating times and Com­munion dayes, and other special occasions are, when there hath been more then ordinary diligence in prayer, more then ordinary Sorrow for Sin, peace is readily spoken on the back of it: as also trying and sadly ex­ercising times are usually times of the intimation of peace: In a word when and where this Gospel comes and is made lively, Peace followes on it: and this is your time, O! tha [...] peace may be found to have been spoken to many at this occasion.

Fourthly, Observe, That, In and about those times, when God hath spoken (or very urgently offered to speak) Peace, there is often some restraint on People, as to the prevailing of their follie: Some stop to the current of Iniquity in it's wonted manner and measure, in some more and in some less; some more aw of God readily being on people then: Many will have a sort of Right­eousness, like a Morning cloud and early dew, that soon passeth away; Some tickling of their affections, that quickly evanisheth; as the Lord saith of many of the Jews, that were hearers of John, Who was a burning and a shining light, that they rejoyced in his light for a season: So Psal. 106.12. Then believed they his words, they sang his Praise; but they soon forgat his works, they wait­ed not for his Counsell; and Psal. 78.34. When he slew them, then they sought him: Nevertheless they flattered him with their lips and lied to him with their Tongues, for their hearts were not right with God, neither were the [...] stedfast in his Covenant: And something of this was also, even in Christs hearers, and in the Galatians, who at [Page 161] first would have plucked out their eyes and given them to Paul: So in the parable of the Sower, some seed springs up and hath a fair appearance, but soon withereth; and other some holds out: So likewise at Fasts and Com­munions, affections will be readily somewhat stirred and warmed, and there will be many brave purposes and resolutions, such as were in the people, Exod 19. When they said, All that the Lord commands we will do: and they look demure and grave like for two or three dayes; The Tippler keeps some dayes from the Tavern; He that prayed not in secret nor in his family, will, it may be, Pray for some time about and after such oc­casions; others will go further on; And yet it's but some restraint on their sin, or some fit and flash of af­fection, that is transient and quickly gone; and they turn again to follie; and even the Godly themselves are here often found, in a great measure guilty, as the fol­lowing Note will clear.

Fifthly, Observe, That even those people and Saints, who have sometime been given to follie, to whom God hath spoken peace, and who have restrained their folly for a time thereafter, may much fall back to follie again. The admonition here given, Let them not turn again to folly. Supposeth this: This needs not much proof; If ye shall go through the Saints recorded in Scripture, ye will find sad instances of it: David, after peace was spoken to him, falls into adultery and murther; Hezekiah, after a sweet word of peace was spoken to him, Isaiah 38. Falls into the follie of Pride and vain ostentation, Chap. 39. Peter, after peace spoken to him denyeth his Master: Jehoshaphat, after peace spoken to him, fell once and again into the same sin, and once even after he was reproved for it; as is clear, 2 Chron. 18.19. and 20. Chapters: Or there may be a falling unto some [Page 162] other sins, or out of one sin into another; as it was with David: This may befall reall Saints, yea eminent Saints, even Pillars in the house of God: was there not peace spoken to the Disciples in that sweet Sermon John 14. and 15, and 16. Chap. And yet that sad word followes, Ye all shall be offended because of me this night; And Peter to whom that sweet word was spoken, I have prayed for thee, that thy Faith fail not, doth foully fall into follie quickly after; what then may befall the more Common sort of professors, who know not what it is to stand before the least tentation? The Reasons of this may be first, because the devil falls presently on, and seeks, as it were, with seven worse devils to re-enter the soul, and busks this bait of the tentation, and pre­sents it in a new shape; old courtiers (to speak so) and lusts set on and essay what hearing they can get. 2. Because though, by peace spoken, tentations and cor­ruptions may be bound up, yea and some-what Morti­fied: yet they are not slain outright, they may lurk for a time, but still live. And 3. Because his People are ready in such a warme Sun blink to grow (as it were) wanton, and under such a cessation from their lusts, to cast by their armes, to grow secure, to grow somewhat too fain, and to dream of an easie life; thus it was in a measure with David, as he confesseth, Psal. 30. I said in my Prosperity, I shal never be moved; If they get peace for a little, who but they? They are Lords (in a manner) and will not come unto him; or if they win to a few tears and some liberty, they are readily puft up, and in some sort bid their Souls take them rest; as if they needed to trouble themselves no more: There­fore there are new on-sets, and the Lord lets them see how vain they are, even in their best estate: as we may perceive, in the Lords dealing with Hezekiah, and with [Page 163] David, in that Psal. 30. Thou didst hide thy face saith he, and I was troubled. O! what follie, vanity and out­breaking of corruption do often follow on the back of a seeming work of turning to God, and a tender like frame in Professors of Religion? So Psal. 106. It is said, that they provoked him at the Sea, even at the red Sea: Even where and when they were in such a frame, that they believed his Words and sang his Praise: they soon forgat his Works, And waited not for his Counsel, which was, in a manner, at the very Table to lift the heel a­gainst him: And O! how Sad and lamentable a thing is it, to be unwatchfull after a Communion, and an offer or an Intimation of peace!

Sixthly, Observe, That, There is nothing more called for from a people, who have been given to follie, and have had Peace spoken to them, then to take heed that they turn not again to folly, To take heed that they fall not into the same sins that they seemed to have abandoned and turn­ed away from: that it be not with them, According to the true Proverb, The Dog is returned to his vomit, and the Sow that was washed, to her wallowing in the mire, as it is, 2 Pet. 2.22. Under which similitude, the A­postle powerfully disswades Professors of Religion from turning again to sin, by shewing the loathsomness of it: It being as abominable, as a mans licking up again that which he hath vomited. This then is the duty that the Lord calls for: First That you should abstain from the sins that you have been given to, such as tippling, drink­ing drunk, Swearing, Sabbath breaking, neglect of Prayer and the like, and do so no more: not only not to relapse into the same sins, but that ye abstain from every other sin: It is not enough that a man break off from one sin, and take up with another: It is not sufficient, [Page 164] though a man will not be drunk in his neighbours house, if in the mean time in his own house he tipple, play the good fellow (as ye call it) and mispend his time. Secondly, Ye would Consider, what engagements and resolutions ye have come under, and that ye fall not back from them: In a word it is, not to be as ye were wont to be: and that ye be found in no known sin, nor defective in any known duty.

We come now to the more Particular and close Ap­plication of the whole, in these Two Uses. The First whereof is, for Advertisement and warning, Let him that stands take heed lest he fall, Let him not look on himself as incapable to be stollen off his feet: Alace! Persons may be, in a manner, exalted to Heaven, and in a very good frame, in their own imagination and ap­prehension, and it may be, in some measure really; and yet be brought back to the Puddle and Mi [...]e again, after they have shaken themselves and come out of it. In prosecuting this, we shal, First shew wherefore we presse it, And Secondly, Wherein, or in reference to what we presse it.

As for the First, viz. Wherefore it is, that I doe presse this advertisement: and indeed it is not without very good ground, as ye will easily perceive, if, First, Ye look to and Consider the best Saints and in their best condition: how soon are even they taken off their feet? Was not David often in a very good spiritual conditi­on? And yet, how soon and foully did he fall into fol­ly? was not Adam in a good and desirable condition, when there was no quarrel betwixt God and him, nor any ground for it? And yet how soon was he ensnared? Was not Peter in a good state and frame, when Christ said to him, Blessed art thou Simon Bar-jona, flesh and [Page 165] blood hath not revealed that unto thee, but my Father who is in Heaven? And yet within a very litle, he turns a­gain so far to folly, as to be the devils instrument to tempt Christ: as is clear from Matth. 16. vers. 17. Compared with vers. 22. Were not the Disciples in a good condition, when our Lord had Preached to them both the Preparation & thanks-giving Sermons, before and after the Communion? And yet they all were of­fended because of him, and forsook him and fled, And that very quickly, even that same very night; Now when such tall Cedars fall, what need have we, who are but in comparison, silly shrubs and but as smal strawes, to take warning. Secondly, If we consider that those sins and fals were often exceeding Sudden, the same night, in the Disciples (as I just now hinted,) and in Heze­kiah, very quickly after his recovery: exceeding foul; and exceeding Universal, as in all the Disciples; Some­times repeated, as in Lot, Jehoshaphat, and Peter; some­times a plurality and variety of them joyned together, as in David and Asa, and in his People at the Red-Sea and in the Wilderness: And who knows but the same very night, that ye were at the Lords Table, some of you were back at your follie? And others of you be­fore night may be. We said, not only Suddenly, but foullie; as is clear in Adam, who when he had no cor­ruption formerly, fell from God to the devil (and by the way, many of you are so grosly ignorant, and wo­fully self-conceited: that ye think, if ye had been in his case, ye would not have done so.) And (as I hinted) what foul faults were Davids Adultery and Murder, and Solomons Idolatrie, at least his tolerating it, after God had spoken twise to him? What a foul fault and fall was that of Israels, After their so Solemn engagements, and fair undertakings. Exod. 19. When within fourty [Page 166] dayes they detestably and damnably danced before the golden Calfe: & what a foull fall was that of Peters, to forswear Christ, by denying him with an oath? And of the rest of the Disciples, unkindly & unworthily to forsake him and flee? And who knows, but shortly after this occasion, many of you that have been tipplers, may grow worse, it may be, even to be found staggering in the streets? And that others of you who prayed not be­fore, may be heard cursing? Ye who are believers and Saints indeed, would Observe this, and know that there is need, great need of watching and Prayer, that ye enter not into Tentation: And if there hath been any idleness, lightness, vanity, mispending of Precious time, or the like; guard, O guard against those: The reason why Believers fall so often in Gross sins, is their playing (as it were) with their Petty Idols; little things given way to lead on to greater and worse. Thirdly, Am I now speaking of any strange, uncouth or unpresidented thing? Have ye never Observed, how ye carried and behaved after Communions before? Can ye say, but that, as many Communions as ye have been at, there have been as many breaches? If ye have never failed before, ye may be secure now; but if ye have failed and Mis-car­ried formerlie, be the more warie and watchful now. Fourthly, Have ye any knowledge of, and acquaintance with your own hearts? Is your corruption dead? Are your Idols quite slain? or are they not rather like to those strange wives, in Nehemiahs time, (who were put away) crying on you for pity, (O! cruel pity) and weeping on you to be admitted to come home a­gain? And have none of you so much foolish, fond and cruel Pity, as to side with them? Hath a Communi­on-day, thrust out the devil fully? Are there no living lusts, nor strong corruptions within you? Do ye not [Page 167] see what a ready welcome Tentations to sin are like to get? And find ye not a woful propension to be glad, that the restraint and aw-band of a Communion day is over and by? And doth not this press you to watch? Fifth­ly, Try but how it hath been with you since the Sabbath, Is not the bent ye had then, alreadly very much slacked? Is not much of that seeming or really good frame of Spirit gone? Is not the great part of your work yet be­fore you? And is it not a greater difficulty, to make out an engagement, then to make it; to perform, then to Promise? How is it then, that ye have in a great part laid by your armes, as if all were done? When ye have, as Souldiers, put your selves in battell array, and given your military Oath, and go [...]ten the signe and word of command, should you quit your Post? beware of that, the matter is of greater concernement, then ye are a­ware of: ye are yet but in a manner beginning.

For the Second Thing, viz. What it is wherein, or in reference to what we do presse your taking warning and being wary? And here I would have you, First, To be aware not only of mo [...]e grosse sins, but even of all such things in general, which Tentations use ordinarily to make their approaches and assaults by; as namely litle sins (litle I mean Comparatively) Is it not a litle one? saith Lot of Zoar. O! How unsuitable was it for him, to whom the Lord had but a very litle before spoken such a great and gracious word of peace, as that; Depart for I can do nothing, so long as thou art here: and yet the same night or the Morrow, this escapes him; and readily, when people fall once, they fall over and over again; but ye would be ware to seek leave to lurk and loure a while in such Zoars; Beware to say, it's a litle Sin: say not, I shall not be drunken, but I must have leave to tipple, and triffle over the time; The devil [Page 168] drives sin and Tentation, as a Carpenter driveth a wedge: he will teach and Prompt you to say, we may be cheer­full and sport us a while, without regard to the matter, Measure or season, though ye be not prophane: but, once let in the point of the wedge by a litle sin, and it may become a great one ere all be done, or a grosser one may follow, even as the great end of the wedge doth the lesser. Secondly, Beware of returning to Omissions. Some, it may be, will resolve that they will never tip­ple nor Swear, nor Commit any such things; but they will, it may be, neglect and omit to Pray as they have (belike) done these few dayes past: though they go not abroad to the Tavern on the week dayes, nor go idly in the fields on the Lords-day: yet they may mis­pend and triffle away their time at home, as if falling back into Omissions, were not a turning again to follie, as well as falling back to Commissions: The confessi­ons of many poor Creatures (who become Publickly and Prodigiously Scandalous) on their death beds or on a Scaffold, that omissions of duty have Predisposed them to, and brought on those grosse Commissions, may and should awake and alarm us: ye would therefore with Holy Job Make a Covenant with your eyes and other senses, and make Conscience to keep it. Thirdly, Beware of falling back to a secure cold-rise manner of going about duties of worship alone or in Company, in publick or in privat: let none of you think with your selves, that now this Solemnitie is over, ye need not wrestle in Prayer, nor watch so strictly over your heart, but let it gad and rove, and not hedge it in on an ordi­nary Lords day, as on a Communion Lords-day: since there is no liberty allowed for an idle word or thought any day, more then there is on that day: Think it not enough that ye say your Prayers morning and evening, [Page 169] and that none can charge you with any offence: God the all seeing God observes you, whether you be universall, sincere and serious in the duties of Religion. Fourthly, Beware of neglecting Spiritual and Gospel duties: such as, Self-examination or Self-searching, Self-denyall, Mortification and use making of Christ: The neglect of these a [...]d the like, may be some way called Gospel-fol­lie: It is no doubt great Gospel-follie, when Christ (being freely and fully offered therein) is not improv­ed for wisdom, righteousness, Sanctification and re­demption: when the power of Godliness is not aimed at in dutie: but People rest and sit down in the form thereof: which yet in some respect is more comber­some then the power: for Christ improved makes all things go easily with us: Therefore any of you who have lo [...]ked on it as follie to neglect these spiritual du­ties, see that ye return not again to that follie. Fifthly, Beware of unbelief: have ye not resolved to cast out with that evil, and resolved to be no more jealous of God, though ye should meet with difficulties? Believers in Christ, lick not up that vomit again, turn not again to that follie, to which there is a secret Naturall bent­ness of heart: If (I say) unbelief and jealousie be a follie, take it not up, turn not to it again. Sixthly, Beware of heart-ills: possibly ye will not give way to more gross evils: and yet suffer your Souls to be carried away after Idols, or after vain, proud, Ambitious, Covetous, Revengeful, filthy and Lascivious thoughts: but if in very deed Christ get the heart, he must reign in it and command the Eye, Tongue, Ears, Hands, Feet, and all. Seventhly, Beware of falling back to the In­ordinat love of the World, and of letting the heart be too much addicted and glued to, even, lawfull pleasures & creature-Comforts, to your Callings, Wives, Children, [Page 170] Houses, Lands and incomes of gain and Profit; from which there hath been possibly some suitable abstract­edness these dayes past: ye should not only abstain from oppressing. Stealing and deceiving, but ye would also guard against falling back to excessive pursuing after, and (as it were) glutting your selves with the things of this world, however lawfull in themselves. Alace! Perimus Licitis: Inordinat love to, and Immoderat pur­suing after things lawful in themselves destroy more souls, then things sinfull and unlawfull in themselves do: the excuses of those invited to the Marriage of the Kings Son, are founded not on things simply Sinful, but on lawful things, the Farme, Oxen, and Married wise: Now the house is sweeped, and ye are in Hazard, if ye guard not, to return to a greater and greedier feeding on those vanities: I dare say, there are Multi­tudes of men and Women, who never so much hungred for the Communion, as they have longed to have these Solemn dayes over and by, that they might win back to their Callings, worldly businesses and pleasures; O what a weariness have they been to them? As Sacred Solemnities were to those spoken of, Amos 8.5. Who cried, When shall the new Moon be gone, that we may sell Corn, and the Sabbath day, that we may set out Wheat? To many these dayes of Fasting and Spiritual Feasting and Communicating have been as a bridle bit in their Mouths, to restrain them from running on the Moun­tains of their vanity; and who knows, but ere another Communion come, the Lord may f [...]ed you as a Lamb in a large place?

The Second Use is, For Exhortation; would ye then know the duty that ye are called unto? this is it, Let not Gods People and Saints turn again to follie, Let not [Page 171] the Idler return to his Idleness; the tippler to his tip­pling, the scoffer to his Scoffing; the ignorant, who have been at a litle pains to learn some questions before the examination and communion, to his negligence in seek­ing after knowledge, &c. Let not this be; If ye have vomited out these and other sins, Lick them not up a­gain To presse this Use a litle, we would First Give you some considerations from the Text. Secondly, Some directions to help you forward in the Practice of it.

For the first, viz. Some considerations from the Text to press i [...]; First, Is it not a follie to sin once? If so, sure, it is much more to relapse into sin. Whether is it more true wisdom to abstain from those Sins, or to fall back into them: Is it not more wisdom for you who have been given to Tippling or drunkenness, to ne­glect of Prayer and the like, now to let alone sins, and to give your selves to Prayer, then to be walking in the street on the Plain-stones? Is it not more wisdom to be given to edifieing discourse, then to be laughing and sporting over the time? Is it not better to come to the Church, then to spend the time Idly, In discoursing and waiting for a Tentation? And if your conscience assent to the truth of this, then we take witness in your Conscience, that it doth so, and this Instrument of witness will stand on record against you, if ye shall turn to those sins and to this Folly again. 2. Have ye been examining your selves? And do ye find, that much of your life hath been spent in folly, by Some Twenty, by some Thirty, by some Fourthy, by some Fifthy, by some Sixty years. And every days account cast up a­mounts only to folly, vanity and Madness? And is it not enough, and may it not suffice you, that ye have spent so long time in folly, though ye spend no more so? 3. Hath not God been speaking peace to some, and [Page 172] given them the Intimation of it? So that their Souls have been made to say, God is here: And have they not gotten the bargain closed, and the hand writing that was against them torn? We hope, there are some such among us? Nay are there any, but the Lord hath been offering peace to them, treating with them, saying Be­hold me, Behold me, intreating and requesting them to be reconciled? And hath there not been some tickling of the affections of many? If so, will ye be such fools as to fall back, and to wear out the sense of that peace and warmness, that any of you have win to? And ye with whom God hath been meeting and treating about the pardon of sin, what a folly will it be, in place of getting a discharge, to increase and multiply your debt? 4 Are there not some engagements on you? Or what ever be reall, is there not a profession of coming under engagements? Are not the vowes of God on some of you? Is there not some sin that hath stared you in the face, which ye have resolved to abstain from? And hath there not been some stirring and stickling of desires to perform what ye have resolved and engaged to? And will ye break all these bands? Will ye repent and rue, that ever ye ingaged to God? If so, as ye notably play the fools, So the Lord will be about with you, and even spew you out of his Mouth, that ye may puddle your fill in the mire of sin. 5. Is there not a great bent­ness and propension in all naturally to turn again to fol­lie? Is there not an evil heart of unbelief, ready to de­part from the living God? I have so much Charity for you, as that you will grant this; and when the Lord hath said, Watch, and tells that He is at hand that betrayes you, will ye go securely, and not take warning? O! What desperat folly would this be? 6. Consider what will come of it, if ye shall fall back, if ye slacken your [Page 173] bent, and growing cold, turn again to folly? ye will wear out any bit of good frame that ye have attained: ye will blur and sully the reall or supposed clearness of your interest, marr your Peace, and become in a man­ner more beastly and swinish in your sinfull way then before; At the very thoughts whereof your hearts should scare, Nauseat and even grow sick. And what will be the upshot thereof? Either ye will repent, or never re­pent: If ye say, ye will repent; are ye sure that God will give you Repentance, If ye shall hazard on some sin? Are not many given up to hardness of heart, who never come to Repentance? Know ye what Repentance is? have ye not been already essaying and doing some­what at Repentance; and have ye not found it difficult and hard to come by? And if ye shall sin yet more, will not Repentance be yet a greater, more difficult and hard work? and suppose ye should get Repentance, ye shall know the truth of that saying, Jer. 2. That it was an evil and a bitter thing to depart from the Living God, and that his fear was not before your eyes. O! what shame and confusion of face will it bring with it, to remember that we had so Many warnings from the word without, and so manie Convictions and challenges from our con­science within, and that yet we went over them, and with a high hand went on in our folly: will those things be litle, think ye? what pleasure or profit can ye have in those things whereof ye will be ashamed? Yea suppose ye come to repentance (and a hundred to one if ever ye come to it) ye shall weep and mourn bitter­ly, that ever ye hazarded so on sin over your light and convictions, and over the belly of your Conscience? If ye get not repentance (as I am afraid many never shall) what will come of it? Convictions and chal­lenges will wear out; the heart will grow harder, you will [Page 174] go on Laughing at reproofs, mocking at exhortations to Repentance and Reformation, and regardlesly tread­ing on what might reclaim you; you will be angrie at them who brought you under any engagements: ye will become very Atheists in your hearts, and as so many profaine Heathens in your carriage and when you have lived thus for a time (and the Lord knows how long) will ye not come to die? will not your moneth come on you? will not your bed take you, or ye take your bed? and then the Conscience will ei [...]her awake or be silent; if it awake, will not this be your language, which is the language of many a poor wretched creature? Wo is me, I have mispent my time, and have been glu [...]ting my self with the World and sinfull pleasures: Oh vaine world! O bewitching and beguiling world! Alace that ever I was so much taken up with it: And if the Conscience be quiet, what will come of it? Will that fin ly on, and not be sought account of? know ye not, consider ye not that word, Gal. 6 Be not deceived, God will not be Mocked; As men sow, so they shall reap? Think ye that God will be inferior to the Creature? will not your Governor or Land-Lord seek account of you according to your engagement? And shall not the Lord call you to a reckoning? Yea certainly: and the Conscience will then awake and roar on you; then the curse, Wo and damnation will seize upon, and take hold of your Soul in death: and devils shall carrie it thither, where Hypocrites are, untill the Judgement of the great day: and then ye will say, turning again to sin was the greatest folly and madness: And thus, whe­ther God have a purpose of repentance to you or not, ye shall one day rue it at all the veines of your heart (to speak so) and shall find the follie of it, and that to your everlasting prejudice and loss, if ye repent not.

And therefore let me press this Use upon you, and ear­ [...]estly exhort you, to let these Considerations sink down [...]nto your ears and hearts: Beloved, We are jealous over you, and would God it were with a suitable Godly jeal­ [...]usie: We are afraid that many, ere we be aware, be [...]own in their former puddle, that ignorance and Pro­ [...]anity be as rife as ever; there have been so many fits [...]nd good appearances, and of so short continuance here­ [...]ofore: and now ye have been making some mint: but what will come of it, if ye fall back? If these ordinan­ces shall do you no good, we know not what will do it: [...] think ye were never nearer to some great Crise, to a [...]ick of being lost or gained: we have you (as it were) [...] the very place of the breaking forth of Children: So [...]hat now, you must be either safely and fairly delivered, [...]r prove abortives: Ah! are our fasts and Communions [...]o no purpose? Are all your Purposes and resolutions, [...]our engagements and seeming willingness to engage, [...] vain and to no effect? If ye shall fall back after this [...]nd turn again to folly; I do not much expect that any [...]dinances, or future engagements shall do you much [...]ood: we must either look for better and more fruit, [...]r there will be more barrenness and stubbornness: [...]ither ye shall be more Holy, or more of that old sin of Malignity, stoutness of heart against God, and more [...]pposition to Godliness shall bud amongst you: We [...]ould from our very Souls wish you brought well tho­ [...]ow; but are afraid there be a sticking. Why is it I pray, [...]hat we insist so much with you, if we were not jealous over you? will ye have faces to hold up before God, when ye and we shall be reckoned with, if ye shall sit [...]hese warnings? or what heart can we have to go about [...]is service amongst you, if yet there be a sticking: and [...]hen there is some wrestling to get you up the hill [Page 176] (as it were) and ye run further down then ever? O! to be mightily helped of God to travell in birth, to have Christ formed in you, & formed in you again: Is it pro­bable, when many of you are brought further up then before, if ye fall further back, that ever ye will win up again? We apprehend, that there are many of you, who shall never again, with so much moral Seriousness, be wrought upon, if there shall not be now some abid­ing and effectuall work; but a turning again to Folly. It is not, Beloved hearers, the fruit of one preaching or two, that we are now driving at; but the great scope of this blessed Gospel; Therefore, for Christs sake, hold at it, come forward and go not back, O turn not again to folly: else be assured, that the Lord and your own Consciences will bear witness, and we his Servants will also bear witness against you, (as many of you will bear witness against us if we shal do so) If after God hath spoken peace to you: Ye shall return again to follie. Let me yet add this one word further for pressing this; will ye but consider what we are seeking? is it not your reall good and advantage? is it any hard or unreasonable thing that we crave of you, or any uncouth thing; or any thing but that which Abraham, David, Paul, and others of the Saints, were desirous and studi­ous to be at, Yea and our blessed Lord Jesus himself was content to be at? Though he was never indeed tainted with any folly; yet he was content and carefull to fulfill all righteousness; and what seek we of you but that ye would seek and labour to imitate him, that ye would prevent your own loss and ruine, and give Christ a kindly and a hearty welcome, in order to the exercise of all his Offices about you: that his heart may be made glad, and that He may see of the fruit of the Tra­vel of his Soul to his Satisfaction, in the Salvation of a [Page 177] number of Souls in Glasgow, O that we could get you prevailed with to be as serious in these things, as ye are in and for the things of this present life: and that we could get as great vent (to speak so) for Christs Precious wares amongst you, as a man would get for some rare Commodity: nay (may I or shal I say?) but even for Tobacco: Alace! that incomparably Precious Jesus Christ, and his pur­chase, the Everlasting Covenant, even the Sure mercies of David, should have less vent and sale, then that and an hundred other commodities have: this is a Lamentation, and should be for a Lamentation: always let bygones be seriously reflected on, and see that by all means, ye turn not again to Folly.

As for the Second thing Proposed, viz. Some Directions for preventing your turning again to fol­ly, ye may take these few, and the Lord himself put them home with a strong hand. First then, Walk in fear, Serve the Lord in fear, and rejoice before him with trembling; the Wise man sees the evil, but the Fool passeth on and is confident; There is a sort of Spirituall pride, vanitie and self-conceit, reigning amongst ordinary Professours, and too much of it Prevailing amongst Believers, that undoes them; are there any of you afraid of Fornication & Adultery, or of turning giddy Sectaries and the like? Your want of fear brings you into the mire, ere ye be a­ware; Pride goes before Destruction and a Haughty mind before a fall: The litle fear that is amongst the most part says, that some black turn (as we use to speak) is in their hands, or some foul fall before [Page 178] them: Hence the Apostle, Philip. 2.12. Exhorts, Work out the work of your own Salvation with fear and trembling: and 2 Cor. 7.1. To perfect Holi­ness in the fear of God. Secondly, Observe well and lay due weight on that exhortation of our Lord, Matth. 26.41. (which hath severall directions in it) Watch and Pray, that ye enter not into Tempta­tion; look about you, be not secure, stand by your Post, let nothing go out nor come in without strict examination; and seek (as it were) after its Pass, and set (as it were) a Sentinel at the Port of every sense; And what I say unto you, I say unto all, watch, saith the Lord, Mark. 13.37. Be not secure; watching is a most suitable duty for Christs Souldi­ers: fail not to joyn with it much Prayer, not for the f [...]shion, but that which is in the Spirit and fer­vent; yet lay no weight on it, as if ye could merit any thing by it, but go about it humbly and serious­ly, in order to the entertaining the life of Grace, sit not up in it, but rather double your diligence. Third­ly, Keep the heart well; heart-ills are the Princi­pal ills; Keep (saith Solomon Prov. 4.) the heart with (or above) all kee [...]ing; Set your main force to guard it, for there Sathan keeps his Court and head-quarter, and thence gives his Orders to the outward senses; dally not with sin in the heart, else it will come a further length. Fourthly, Forget not your engagements, but let the vowes of God ly on you, and have due weight with you; let not the sins that ye discovered and saw in your self-ex­amination between God and you, before ye came [Page 179] to the Communion-Table, be forgotten; but re­member them, to repent of them and to renounce them; and when one knot (to say so) of your en­gagement looseth, cast another faster, or if a knot were weak, strengthen it, or cast a new one; for as acts of Faith must be renewed, So must acts of engaging to God. Fifthly, Be much in the exercise of Repentance for your bygone folly, My sin (saith David Psal. 51.) Is ever before me; think not Re­pentance to be the work of a day or two; look back and reflect on your old sins of tippling, Swear­ing, enmity at Godliness, &c. For if ye wear out of the exercise of Repentance, ye will wear in, piece and piece on your old sins, against which Re­pentance is a notable bar; being much in the exercise of Repentance keeps the heart sober and watchfull, and loth to hazard on sin, and withall makes sin bitter: But the Antinomian way takes off all re­straints, and looseth the reins to sin; It's much now to see a penitent; I wish There may be much Re­pentance in secret; but for any thing that is seen, it's very rare. Sixthly, In an especiall manner, be much in Improving the strength of Jesus Christ, to prevent your turning again to folly; do not under­take nor engage in your own strength; but believ­ingly lay all the weight and stresse on your Suretie, Put his name in the band, which ye give to God, for the debt of duty: Abide in me, and I in you, So ye shal bring forth much fruit; for without me, ye can do nothing; saith our Lord to his Disciples, John 15. But how many fail and come short here? While [Page 180] they go about duties, and either quite misken or make but very litle use of Christ; many know very litle or nothing at all, what it is to make use of Christ, in order to the making of their peace with God; but O! how very few know what it is to make use of his strength to enable them for duty, & to go through the wilderness leaning on their beloved. Seventhly, Defer not to make your Resolutions and engagements practicable; There are many, alace! who think Shame, it should be said, that a Sermon had so much weight with them, as to make them alter and change their course at once; It may be they will consent to be religious, but they must be allowed to come to it by degrees, & to creep toward it piece-meal; but beware of that, lest it prove in the Issue to be a shift of thy deceitfull heart; Pon­der these words well, Eccles. 5. Defer not to pay what thou hast vowed for the Lord hath no Pleasure in fools; And in the Holy Ghosts account, he is a fool that deferreth and putteth off one moment; O! delayes are in a speciall manner dangerous here, and Sathan will not faill to knit one delay to ano­ther. Eightly, Reject all Temptations to sin and turning again to folly, with abhorrency; say with Ephraim, What have I any more to do with Idols? Never think on them, but with indignation and Holy disdain; for ye are undone if ye but once listen to them. Ninthly, Be often examining, if ye be like and answerable to your Communicating, and to your Promises and engagements; many know not how it is with them, because they Examine not [Page 181] Tenthly, Walk humbly in the sense of your weakness, trust not to your own heart; for he that doth so, is re­puted to be a fool, by the Holy Ghost. Eleventhly, Be helping one another forward in your way to Heaven. Take heed (saith the Apostle. Heb. 3.12.13. That there be not in any of you, an evil heart of unbelief, in de­parting from the living God; but exhort one another dayly, while it is called to day, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of Sin: To be edifieing to others would, through Gods blessing; be edifieing to your selves, and help you to be in good case; to be praying with them would stir up your selves to more Seriousness in the ex­ercise of that duty; to be reproving sin in them, would waken up more hatred of it in your selves, and to be much Conversant in the duties of Mutual edification with them that are warm in their love to Christ, to his interests and friends, and diligent in the study of Holi­ness, would readily through Grace stir you up to seek after more love and more Holiness; as he insi­nuats in that exhortation to the Christian Hebrews, Chap. 10.24. Let us consider one another, to pro­voke unto love and good works. Twelfthly, And in a word, endeavour to walk suitably to your light; your own consciences will readily tell you, that it's best to walk so, as ye may abstain from that which ye know to be sin, and to be doing and delighting in that which ye know to be duty; The [...]e are very few, if any duties of Religion, but they are one time or another, and many of them frequently laid before you; and not a few shall, I hope, have cause of blessing God eternally, that ever this Gospel-light was made to shine so clearly on them: but for such of you, As detain the truth of God in unrighteousness (as the Apostle says, some do, Rom. 1) or make a prisoner of it, by setting a guard of [Page 182] corrupt affections about it; Whom God gave up to vile affections; and to all sorts of most abominable filthi­ness, because, though they knew that such things ought not to have been done, yet they not only did, but took pleasure in them that did them: I leave it with all the seriousness I can win to, on you, and take Instruments of witness in your consciences, that ye have bad great offers, and have made fair mints, and come under, at least, seeming engagements: if ye have not done so, declare so much, but since ye all professe that ye have engaged, and some have really engaged, not to turn a­gain to folly; walk suitably to your engagements, as ye would not have your consciences condemning you, and God who is greater then your Consciences to con­demn you. Many, I fear, have sleeping consciences, and that will not now speak to them; but the Conscience of every one will speak at length and not keep silence. We shall now say no more, but Pray that this word may be Blessed of God to you.

THe repairing and making up of a breach betwixt God and a People, is a matter of greatest moment and Concern, and when men are serious in it, O how uptaking is it to them! Which is holden out to the life in these words; that lay forth before us very clearly the frame and carriage of a people, which formerly have dealt loosly and deceitfully in the matter of their Cove­nant with God, when they come through his Grace to be serious and in good earnest in the upmaking of it again.

As for the people spoken of here, they are Israel and Judah, the Lo [...]ds own Covenanted People, who had dealt falsly and foully in the Covenant, and had there­by Procured sad strokes to themselves, and had divided and separated themselves from God, and one of them from another, Which division and separation continued lamentably long? They are both here represented as coming home together, Seriously endeavouring to a­mend and make up the breach betwixt God and them, and among themselves.

As for the time that this relates to (In those dayes and in that time saith the Lord) It looks, literally and according to the Cohesion, to Babylons Destruction, and [...] Lords bringing down that Babylonish Monarchy by the Persian King Cyrus; In which time the People of God had some liberty to return to their own land: Yet [Page 184] considering the great scope of the Words, and that this liberty of the Jews is in a great part fulfilled in Christ; and that the union spoken of here is such as hath in it the gathering together of all the Tribes; and withall, that the Covenant which they enter into with the Lord Christ, is such as shall never be forgotten: We must ex­tend the words to their Ingraffing again into their own Olive: when all Israel shall be saved, and they shall be graffed into their own root and Stock from off which they were broken. As for the Scope, it's partly off en­courage the Jews; This being not only a Promise of their return, but also and mainly of their Repentance, and of their Friendship & Reconciliation with God and with one another; In those dayes they that had been far from him, and busie vexing one another, shall come, and come together: Their work and business in coming, is to seek the Lord; and the manner of it, is going and weep­ing: Praying and repenting: and although the way be somewhat dark, and not so discernible to them: yet they go on, asking the way to Zion with their faces thither­ward: They ask how they may come to Him, worship God again aright and perform the duties of a people in­churched to, and in Covenant with him; And (as it were) from one Post or Town to another, they ask the way, and get Direction from one day to another, and from one duty to another: And their designe in all is, Come, say they on the matter, we were once in Cove­nant with God and with one another, but we have been unfaithfull in both, now let us amend and make up the breach in both: Let us Joyn our selves to the Lord in a perpetuall Covenant never to be forgotten: Let us re­new our Covenant with God, and let it be done firmly and surely, so as it may not be broken again: this looks and hath respect to Jeremiah 31.31, &c. and 32.49. [Page 185] 40. Where the Lord Promiseth To make a new Cove­nant with the House of Israel and with the house of Judah: Cited by the Apostle, Heb. 8. And it's called Chap. 32. An everlasting Covenant: Which is not so much to be understood of meer externall Covenanting, as of sav­ing sharing in and partaking of Christs Righteousness for the Pardon of sin: and of their engaging to God in his own strength to be forth-coming in the fruits of saving Grace and Holiness in their practice: This is in Sum, the way and course which they take; and is a short di­rectory for what should be a peoples carriage, when they would make up the breach of a broken Covenant with God.

As for the Particular Scope of this place, as it relat­eth to Israel and Judah, their returning together, we shall not insist in it: yet from these words we may see. First, That There is good ground for us to expect the Lords bringing back his scattered People the Jews, and their in­graffing again into their own Olive: The same God that perswaded Japhet to dwel in the Tents of Shem, can perswade Shem to dwell in the tents of Japhet: As they minded us Gentiles, as a litle Sister, and were Holily Solicitous what they might do for us, we ought in gra­titude to mind them as the elder Sister, that they may turn again to the Lord: who hath given us his faithful Word for it, which cannot fail but must be fulfilled.

Secondly, We see, that Heart-melting towards God and seriousness to make up the breach of a broken Covenant betwixt a People and him, conduce natively to make the hearts of those that have been divided and set at variance from one another, in much warmness of love to unite and sweetly to join together: It's from this, that Israel and Judah become one Stick in the Lords hand, Ezek. 37. This makes them as melted mettall to run close [Page 186] together, as it were, into one Lump: though it was a long continued Schisme, and had much bitterness at­tending it: yet when their hearts are touched with a Sense of sin and of a broken Covenant, their former differences and animosities evanish: softness of heart in the sense of by gone sin, would silence many things among us; that all disputings, writings and Printings will not be able to do: Pray for this to the Land, as the most effectuall mean and way of curing out divisions, and of uniting us in the Lord: It Joins Judah and Israel together, whose breach was much greater, and of far longer continuance then ours.

Thirdly, We see here, that A peoples joining and running together in serious seeking of the Lord is very Commendable and lovely, and a good token and evidence to them of their turning to God and of Gods accepting of them: even as bitterness and division is exceeding dis­pleasing to God and prejudiciall to themselves and to the Work of Grace in them: This is an happy-like, hopeful and promising day of Repentance and turning to God, that bodeth much, unspeakably much good to a land and People.

But we come to consider the words as they do direct unto, and chalk out the way for a people returning, to make up a broken Covenant with God, which is the Scope. And we may take it up in these Three, First As it respects the frame of their hearts: And O what a ten­der, humble, warm and mournfull frame are they repre­sented to be in! They shall come, and go together, excit­ing one another, going and weeping with their faces to­wards Zion. Secondly, As it respects and holds forth the great designe they have, and that is, to renew and make sure the Covenant betwixt God & them: Though [Page 187] it was now broken and they want not challenges for it: Yet they do not say, we will never enter in it again, Because we brake it the last time we made it: But come (say they) let us make it the more firm and stable. Thirdly, As it respects and hold out their posture, and the way which they take in pursuing this designe; There is a going and weeping, a praying to and seeking of the Lord; in a word they seek, and endeavour to renew their Covenant with God, seriously, diligently and hum­bly; and thus they pursue their designe.

First then, If we look to their frame, we will find implyed in it, 1. A guilty condition. 2. A challeng­ing and convinced condition. 3. A repenting conditi­on; they are kindly affected with the wrongs done to God, and desire and use means to have them righted.

We shall name Two or Three generall Doctrines from this First Consideration of the word, though in effect it will fall in with the Last. The First whereof is this, That Gods Covenanted People may deal foully and falsly in his Covenant; For their coming to renew the Cove­nant supposeth that they had broken it; and it's also implyed in their mourning and weeping, and saying, Come and let us join our selves to the Lord in a perpetuall Covenant never to be forgotten. This needs no further proof then the History of Gods People, their dealing with him; which holds out clearly and convincingly the strong Propension and bent of heart that is naturally in them to back-slide, and like a deceitfull bow to turn a­side and to prove unstedfast in his Covenant.

Secondly, There is here implyed A distance betwixt God and them following on the breach of Covenant; Their going to seek the Lord saith, that he is a seeking; this is very sad, yet most true, that Sin and unfaithfull dealing in Gods Covenant will make a separation betwixt [Page 188] him and a People in Covenant with him: Thus it's said, Isai. 59.1. The Lords hand is not shortened, that it can­not save, nor his ear heavy that it cannot hear; but your iniquities have separated betwixt you and your God: It's very like, that many believe not this, that sin hath such influence in making separation betwixt God and sin­ners; but in that day when an eternall separation shall be made betwixt God and them, It will be undenyably made known and manifest, when many of you that now [...]rong to the Ordinances will, if Grace prevent not, meet with that sentence (O dreadfull sentence!) de­part from me ye workers of iniquitie, I never knew you.

Thirdly, There is here their sensibleness of both these, 1. That they had broken Covenant. 2. That God bad separated himself and withdrawn his Presence from them for their breach of Covenant; though sin be very evil, and the want of Gods Presence very sad; yet they had this good, that they were kindly sensible of both: whence we may Observe, That Conviction of by gone wrongs done to God, and kindly resenting of his absence, are the first rises and springs of Repentance and turning to God; or they are the first steps of Conversion: What is it, I pray, that all this business and stir among this People flows from? Here it is, First, They apprehend a quarrell betwixt God and them, And next they ap­prehend a distance: & this puts them seriously to mind turning to God with weeping and supplications, and to renew their Covenant for recovering of Gods presence: this same is the Spirits Method, John 16 I will (saith the Lord Christ) send the spirit, and the first thing he doth is this; He convinceth the world of sin: so Acts 2.37. the first thing that ever (to speak so) turned the chase in Peters hearers was, that they were pricked in their hearts for sin; and this did put them to an advisement, [Page 189] and to cry out, Men and brethren what shall we do? And indeed there is a necessitie of this, Considering the Lords way of administring his Grace; for so long as persons are not convinced of their sin, they are not apprehensive of a quarrell; but conviction of sin makes them ap­prehensive of it, and to think, that they would be oblidg­ed to any who would relieve them out of that sad Con­dition: and while God is absent and not missed, they sleep on; and though he be absent, yet they know it not, as Samson knew not that God had left him, till he went out to shake himself: But when Gods departure becometh sensible, it will make a wicked Saul to howl, and will make a gracious tender Soul to take the A­larme hot; and we see, Cant. 3. and 5. Where the Bride missing Christ, is put to seeking, and still missing him, her heart is keeped fluttering and on wing in Pur­suing after his presence, till she recover and find it.

As the Use of the Point, we would Exhort you to let this truth sink in your hearts: there is a necessity of the conviction of these Two, 1. Of wrongs done to God. 2. Of Gods absence, ere ye can be serious in the exercise of repentance and turning to God: what is the cause that many ly still in deep security with much debt upon their score, and ly down and rise up without Gods com­pany? Even this, that they never had it, and were ne­ver troubled for the want of it; they were never con­vinced and made sensible of their Sin: now this convi­ction is not, simply to know that we have sin, as many take it to be, who think it enough that they know that they are sinners: but It's such a Conviction as arrests the sinner before God, and puts him to answer for his Sin: It's like an officer coming with an order to put a man in Prison for debt: be may go confidently and stoutly enough up and down the street under the know­ledge [Page 190] of his debt: But when He is arrested for it by the officer, it affects him, and toucheth him in the quick: so is it with a Soul throughly convinced of sin: Men may know that they are sinners, but the Conscience for a time may, not much trouble them, and they may take on more to a long day, and shift challenges and Con­victions: but when the Conscience awaketh and the law arresteth them, the matter sinks deeper on them: would ye then know what is a suitable frame for Fasting and Communicating? We would Commend this to you, even to Study a thorowness of the Conviction of sin, and to be sensible of the distance that is betwixt God and you, and narrowly to observe whether he be present or absent: It's very sad and much to be Lamented, that many who are ignorant of the way of God should be so strongly perswaded of the goodness of their Condition, that there is no access for any word so much as once to bear upon them: If we should a [...]k many of you, whether are ye throughly convinced of your wrongs done to God, and sensible of the distance betwixt him and you? ye would readily answer, that ye never wanted nor mis­sed him: he hath been always your God, and ye have been always his people: not from any strength of Faith, but from ignorance, stupidity and carnall Presumption; yea many of you have not so much knowledge as to cover your ignorance and Hypocrisie, neither can any gain the least ground of you, to make you sensible that your faith and Communion with God are unsound and delusory, because they have not had a right rise from conviction of sin and of distance from God, putting you on to repentance and covenanting with him. But be­cause severall persons will be ready to think and say, that they have convictions of sin: as indeed there is much ground and reason for them: I shall point at some [Page 191] convictions, for which there is Just ground, and where­by ye may know if your Convictions have been thorow and sound: most whereof, if not all of them may be gathered from the words. 1. There is a Conviction of the want of Faith: The holy Spirits first work, John 16.9. Is to convince the world of sin, because they believe not on him: Were ye ever convinced of your unbelief: Many will be convinced of Sabbath-breaking, of cursing, Swearing, lying. Drunkenness, &c. to be sins, who were never convinced of the sin of their want of Faith, for they always had it, as they think: and what, I pray, can such as ye do at a fast or humiliation for sin, when this is your great sin, and ye cannot by any means be brought to take with it, though you take with other sins; but can come boldly to the Table of the Lord as Believers, and such as have no just reason to doubt of the soundness of your Faith, while in the mean time, all the Faith that ye have, is but rotten presumption: This is a most fearfull condition: for so long as ye think that ye have Faith, ye cannot think your selves to be lost: neither can ye cast your selves down with a stopped mouth before God: nor is there access for any word from him to do you good. A 2d. Conviction or chal­lenge is of or for the want of a new nature? were ye ever convinced of this? not only, of this and that and the other particular sin, but that ye were in a sinfull and unrenewed state? Nicodemus John 3. comes to Christ and speaks him fair; but the Lord lets him know that fair words, a great Profession, and some, yea much knowledge will not do the turn, he must necessarily have somewhat else, even a new nature, He must be born again, else he cannot enter into the Kingdom of Hea­ven: He is very unwilling and loth to digest that Doct­rine; but the Lord tells him, that, that which is born [Page 192] of the flesh is flesh: It were good that many of you had that word from your heart in your Mouth, which is Jere. 31.18. Turn thou me, and I shal be turned: Con­victions of a naturall state, Alace! are very rare; If any of you have had such Convictions, try what became of them, and what followed on them. A Third Convicti­on or challenge is, of or for former breaches of Cove­nant, For Gospel sins and the sin of dealing unfaithfully in Gods Covenant: and can any of you shift this Chal­lenge, considering what ye were tyed to in Baptisme, and by other vows and engagements which ye have come under since that time, especially at the Lords Supper? How few of those have been kept? or rather have they not been as so many ropes of Sand? And who are suit­ably challenged for and convinced of such breaches, as it is implyed here, that these People are? A Fourth Con­viction is, of want of Gods presence, insinuated in their Going to seek the Lord, which imports an absence of God, and that sinfully procured by them, for which they weep and are kindly affected: the absence of God simply considered is no ground of challenge, it being an act of Soveraignty; but absence procured through our sin is a great ground of challenge: Alace! the most part know not, neither are acquainted with any such Chal­lenge: they think God is always with them: However, the Lord is absent, and it would well become us to search out diligently that which hath procured his ab­sence; for whatever may be Gods end in it, there is abundant ground of Just challenge that we may get a­gainst our selves in it. A Fifth Ground of challenge is, in respect of their own stupidity and ignorance, which have incapacitated them to take up the way how to come to God for making up the breach, therefore They ask the way to Zion: And this may be another sad challenge to [Page 193] many; who though their ignorance, senslesness and stupidity have utterly indisposed and unfitted themselves to make their peace with God, and are without know­ledge of the way how to vent their desires to him. A Sixth Challenge implied is, the want of love to one a­nother, and a Challenge for seen distance betwixt God and them helps to bear in on them this Challenge for distance betwixt one another: Therefore now they say, Come and let us join our selves: this is another challenge, which we should not shift: it is too evident, what ever our professions be, that we are much cooled and fallen behind in our Love to one another. A Seventh Chal­lenge is, lying long under a seen evil condition without being suitably affected with it: therefore these People go now with the more tenderness about the work of turning to God, and of their renewing Covenant with him, that they were so long a falling to it: I suppose many of you, who never knew what Repentance was, and others also who have been more serious then now they are, may have this challenge: It is no Strange nor uncouth thing that is called for from us, to fit and pre­pare us for Fasts and Communions, it is even serious­ness in these most plain, Common and Obvious things: and if ye can hold up your faces and say, that these concern you not nor the Present occasion, ye may wave and lay them aside: but if they be such things as your Consciences convince you of: it is most necessarie, that ye take time to think upon them and lay them to Heart: and that ye study through Grace to be Hum­bled for them before the Lord.

But the Observation, that we intended mainly to speak a word to at this time, is this, that There is no amending or righting of an ill condition, but by making [Page 194] sure and fast the Covenant betwixt God and us. What is the remedie of this Peoples ill condition here, when they find themselves so far wrong? Come (say they) and let us join our selves to the Lord in a Perpetuall Co­venant, never to be forgotten: when I speak here of Co­venanting, as that on which the quieting of our Con­sciences, and the remedie of things wrong in our Con­dition doth so much depend: It is not to be understood of a bare Promise only to right and amend things that are wrong and amiss; but it is to be understood of a re­all Covenanting with God, of a reall and cordiall accep­ting of the offer of Jesus Christ made to us in the Gos­pel, whereby an union betwixt God and us through him as Mediator is made up: wherein there is Gods offer and Promise, on the one side: and our Faith accepting of and submitting to the terms and Conditions on which the offer is made, on the other side: whereupon there followeth a mutuall closed bargain betwixt God and us: or the very bargain is thus made up: And so, what­ever way we look upon and consider our condition as evil or sad, whether in respect of challenges for and con­victions of sin and of wrongs done to God: or in re­spect of darkness, uncleanness & confusion: or in respect of Crosses and afflictions, this is the way to win at the remedy thereof: thus David, 2 Sam. 23 5. When he is drawing near to Death, and hath many challenges for things that had been wrong in his Personall walk and in his house, which had brought on it much affliction and trouble, and when he finds himself very infirm, and under the want of much of that lively sense he had won to have, he betakes himself to this, Though (saith he) My house be not so with God, yet he hath made with m [...] an everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure [...] and this is all my Salvation and all my desire, though h [...] [Page 195] make it not to grow: And if we look on the Prodigal, Luke 15. When he is under a conviction of his Sin and misery, what resolves he upon as a remedy? I will go (saith he) to my Father, and I will say; Father, I have sinned, &c. The first thing he betakes himself to and re­solves upon, is, to catch hold of the Covenant relation betwixt his Father and him. And there is a necessity of this on a Threefold account, 1. Because there can be no solid ground for extricating and bringing one out of an evil condition, but by Covenanting with God; for what else, I pray, can silence a challenge, or quiet and calme the Conscience in respect of guilt, when it saith to the person, thou hast sinned and art liable to the Curse? There is no way to get sin and the Curse re­moved, but by fleeing to Jesus Christ, and closing with Gods offer of Pardon upon the account of His Satisfacti­on rested on by Faith: Therefore is faith compared to a shield, whereby we may quench the fierie darts of the devil; It's true, saith the Soul accused of enmitie a­gainst and wrongs done to God, I was an enemie to him and g [...]eatly wronged him, I was liable to his curse and wra [...]h for sin; but he offered me Pardon and re­conciliation through the Mediator, and I have accepted of his offer, and do rest upon Christs satisfaction for par­don, therefore I am Justified and shall not come into condemnation. 2. Because there can be no peace to the Soul, till there be some thorow evidence that the Covenant is fixed and made sure; for this is the way that God hath laid down for making Peace; as the quarrell and curse are founded on the breach of one Covenant, so our peace ariseth upon our engaging with God in another Covenant: Hence are all those promises, Jer. 30.31, 32, 33. and Heb. 8. which are so often repeated, I will Pardon their iniquities, I will remember [Page 196] their sins no more, &c. All which Promises being pri­viledges of a Covenanter with God, whoever would look for the Performance of the Promises, there is a necessitie of their being in Covenant with him, ere they can expect the performance of them and attain to Peace. 3. Because, all that are without the Covenant of Grace are under the curse, being lyable to the breach of the first Covenant: Therefore Ephes. 2. These two are put together, Strangers from the Covenant of Promise; and having no Hope, being without God and Christ in the World; and so to be without the Covenant, is to be without Hope, and without God and without Christ.

Use, 1. Lay this for an unquestionable ground, that if ever ye be well, it must be by this Covenant with God: is there any conviction of sin, of violating by gone engagements to God, and of wrongs done to him? take it for a certain truth, that things must be thus adjust­ed and thus secured betwixt God and you; that ye must have pardon & peace by entring into, & making sure the new Covenant with God on the Grounds of his own grace; That is, when God is treating with you & declaring that he is content to close with you, on Condition, that ye will take with your sin, renounce your own righteous­ness and submit to Christs, and be content to live to him all the days of your life that are behind; step to & clos [...] with him on his own terms: for the hearts yeelding its consent to God, is the making of the Covenant; & tha [...] intitleth to all the good that is in the Bible; In Sum it's this, if ye, (saith the Lord) accept of my offering my self to be your God, and consent to give up you [...] selves to me, if ye will quit your own righteousness an [...] embrace Christs, I will Pardon your sin, I will b [...] forth coming to you for happiness, and will sanctifi [...] [Page 197] you and make you fit to be Partakers of it; and your making of the Covenant sure, is your yeelding to be happie on these termes, even to be content to take Justification & Pardon of sin freely by vertue of Christs satisfaction, and to give up your selves to be his, to be for him and to live to him and not to your selves; as ye get God engaged to be yours, so ye engage and subscribe to be Gods, and to walk suitably, according to your engagement, in his strength, to be for him and for no other, as the word is, Hos. 3. or as it is, Isaiah 44.5. One shall say, I am the Lords, and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob, and another shal subscribe with his hand unto the Lord and surname himself by the name of Israel; He shall, as it were, write down his Name, I am Gods: This, in short, is Covenanting with God; which may be done in hearing the word, in Praying, in meditating, and in Communi [...]ating; when Faith is distinctly, at least, really and truly exercised on Gods offer and Promise; and when upon deliberation, there is a sincere resolving with the persons self, I will take God as be offers himself to me, and will give up and away my self to him: and when, according to the resolution, there is actually a yeelding to God.

Use Second, Seeing this is the only way to right and unravel an evil and ravelled condition, let me Exhort you to pitch on this as your great work, and to aim at it as your great scope, these days that are before you; that a good understanding may be begotten betwixt God and you, and all quarrels removed and taken away, by declaring and acknowledging your iniquities before him, and by Covenanting with him on his own terms; This would make much kindly heart-melting, and would make the Communion to be cheering and re­freshful; [Page 198] when after a secretly closed bargain with God, we should come to receive his Seal, and to ap­pend and put to ours: and whatever tossings and diffi­culties there may be to get our selves made right here, yet we would seriously endeavour to get our hearts brought up sincerely to say with the Psalmist, Psal. 16. My Soul hath said unto the Lord, thou art my Lord: And to win at a settled deliberat yeelding to God, so as there may be quietness in it for the time to come.

Use Third, There is here sad ground of Expostulation with and Reproof to many: I know not what many of you are doing: most part, I suppose, are taken up a­bout the outward ordinances: but as to the main thing of making up a Covenant with God, as it is holden forth in the Gospel, I fear, that is much neglected and misken'd: yet let me say it, though ye should P [...]ay and weep all these dayes, without this it is impossible that ye can have Peace, or win to have a good understanding betwixt God and you: Put your selves therefore to the tryall, and see if the frame of your Spirits be such as holds any tolerable Proportion to the frame and posture that Israel and Judah are represen [...]ed to be in here: they a [...]e going, we are sitting still: they are weeping, our eyes are dry and our hearts hard: the humble mourn­full way of Religion, Alace! is much gone from a­mongst us: again, they are renewing the Covenant: but Ah! what can we say, as to the securing of things betwixt God and us? Are not the most part as well satisfied with their state and Condition, as if there were nothing wrong nor amisse in it? Alace! shall we slub­ber and scurf over Religion, and va [...]lour selves from our selves and from o [...]hers, when in the mean time our hearts and Consciences might, if awake, tell us that we [Page 199] are not in Covenant with God? I know, many of you will be ready to say, ye are friends with God: but let me ask such, did ye ever know and believe the enmity? did ye ever apprehend your selves to be stra [...]gers to God and without the Covenant? Did ye ever experi­mentally know any good that his word did to you, as to the bringing of you under the bond of the Covenant? Hath any gracious Change followed upon it? The truth is, many of you think that ye may go to Heaven with­out the word, and the saving effects of it on your hearts: ye found them (as ye fancy) always inclined to love God: ye suppose that ye were alwayes in friendship with him: which, though there were nothing else to prove it, is a manifest evidence, that ye were never re­ally in friendship with him. But let me ask yet further, did ye ever know what it was, to make use of Christs mediation, in the making up of a Covenant betwixt God and you? It's like, ye will say, ye prayed: but ye might have done that, though Christ had never come into the World, and though there had been no ground for your acceptance on his account: but I say again, what use made ye of his mediation and sufferings? I fear ye know little or nothing at all of this; but ye come to him, because ye imagine that he bears a good­will to all sinners, and is very easie to be dealt with, and that God the Father is more inexorrable and a harder partie to deal with then he; as if Jesus Christ the Son were not as Just as the Father; Or as if God the Father were not as ready, through a mediator, to accept of sinners, as the Son is: I would ask you yet further, do ye think, or can ye with any Just reason think, that your Covenant is sure, when ye know neither what it is, nor how ye have entered into it? In the Covenant, as there is an offer on Gods side; so there must be a [Page 200] receiving on yours; though I grant that oftentime [...] this, to serious Souls will be unclear, and it will b [...] their burden that they have not strong enough desires t [...] have it thorough and clear; such Poo Souls would pu [...] their darkness, unbelief and undexterousness in Christ hand to be helped. But it's a sad matter, that when w [...] should be praying you to close with Christ in the Covenant? I must be our work, and the hardest peece of it to shake many of you out of your presumption: It's unpleasure to us, God knoweth, to preach you out of th [...] Covenant; but your Presumption Layeth a necessit [...] on us, to lance you to the quick and to search down t [...] the bottom of your sores; because these must be di [...] covered and laid open, before there can be any Ju [...] ground for the application of consolation: if once [...] could get you brought under a thorough conviction, th [...] ye have been deluding your selves, we might yet ha [...] sweet, lively, comfortable and refreshfull sayes: if [...] were in this Posture, Going and weeping for perverti [...] your wayes, with your faces towards Zion, towards G [...] through the Mediator; ye might expect Gods blessi [...] on these Solemne Ordinances, and that there should [...] a Covenant made up with him never to be forgotten. [...] be Serious in the business, and let not this opportuni [...] go by you unimproved to the best & utmost advantag [...] and himself graciously help you hereunto.

COvenanting with God, if it be real, well groun­ded and sure, is a business of incomparably greatest concern and advantage to sinners; but when it is otherwise, and only Imagined without any Solid ground; it's attended with the greatest disapoint­ment and Prejudice imaginable; a man in that case fancieth himself to be in a state of Friendship and favour with God, while, in the mean time, he is an enemy to God, and God an enemy to him; and is there any disappointment or disadvantage in the world comparable to that? It is one great end and designe of all Ordinances, that strangers to God by nature may be engaged to him, and made to become his Covenanted People; It was for this end that Christ came into the world and laid down His life and shed his precious Blood, even to bring Sinners [Page 202] into a Covenant of Reconciliation and friendship with God; and therefore the Ordinance, that is now approaching, is called the new Covenant, or New Testam [...]nt in his Blood.

The words have in them a short and sweet sum & compend of the gracious frame of a People, turn­ing home to God, to get a broken Covenant made up: Israel and Judah having deeply declined from the blessed state and condition wherein God had once graciously put them; Their return and Re­pentance is here both Prophesied of and promised; and this is the great thing which they designe in their Returning, Even to get the knot (to say so) of the Covenant betwixt God and them made fast and sure, so as they may never any more be separated from him.

We shall at this time shortly name some generall Observations from the words: The First whereof is this, that There is nothin [...] that People, who hav [...] any Convictions of [...]heir sin and of their distance from God, should more singly aim at and Seriously seek af­ter, then to be firmly joined to the Lord in Covenant, or to be in good terms with him according to his Cove­nant; For these come to the same amount, to be in good terms with God, to be Reconciled to God, and to be in Covenant with God, by the one we come to the other this: we say, should be aimed at & sought after by all that are naturally born enemies to God, Aliens and Strangers to the Covenant of Promise, without Hope, and without God in the World, Ephes. 2.12. [Page 203] Compared with vers. 1.2, 3. where to be dead in sins and t [...]esp [...]sses, is expounded, to be Without the Covena [...]t: But more especially those who are touch­ed with the sense of their sin, should have this for their aim, designe and endeavour; as we see in these spoken of here, who when they come to any sense of their sin; this is clearly their great designe and work verie seriously and closely pursued by them.

To clear and Confirm it, take these Three words, Consider; First, What state and Condition man naturally is in. Secondly, What God is to man in reference to that estate; And Thirdly, What Co­venanting with God is: and we will find that there is nothing which he should more seriously designe and seek after. First, Man is naturally an enemy to God, and in respect of his malicious desperat incli­nation, given to thwart with God, whereby God stands as an enemy to him; he is liable to the curse of God, and God is as an armed man against him, as Job speaks; and he like an unarmed Child run­ing on the bosses of his Buckler. Secondly, Consid­er that God is not only an enemy, but stands stated as such with his Curse against sinners according to that word, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things written in the Law to do them; and this Curse is like the flaming Sword in the hand of the Cherubims, which with terrour separats betwixt God and the sinner, So that there is no access for him to God; and if he have any thoughts of God, he is troubled with them; and all the Creatures are armed against him, So that he can expect nothing [Page 204] but enmity from every stone of the field. Third [...] Consider, that Covenanting with God is that, whe [...] by a man who is naturally at enmity with God co [...] eth to be in friendship with him and hath the fa [...] of every thing altered; the meditation of God sweet to him; the creatures are in league with hi [...] The Angels become Ministring Spirits to him; a Gods dispensations become lovely and do work t [...] gether for his good, even those that are in themselves most terrible; Death and the Grave becom [...] servants to him; and being in Covenant with Go [...] he can triumph over them and all troubles and pe [...] secutions, and say that he is More then Conqueror [...] them all, as it is Rom. 8. and saith the Apostle t [...] such, 1 Cor. 3. All things are yours, whether Pau [...] or Apollo, or Cephas, or Life, or Death, things presen [...] or things to come, all are yours, and ye are Christs Is it any wonder then, that at Poor Soul touche [...] with the sense of sin be desirous and Solicitous to b [...] in Covenant with God? And therefore, whethe [...] we look upon it as a dutie, or as an evidence of [...] person truly humbled for sin, it is very desirable an [...] should be seriously sought after.

The Use Serves to show, That the great Scope which ye should now have before you, is to have a broken Covenant made up with God; It should be your main designe to put this grand business to a point, that there may be no war, but a standing League betwixt God and you: And therefore, wh [...] ever they be that satisfie themselves with going a­bout the Ordinances & misken this, they certainly [Page 205] mistake the mark; The great matter is not to come to the Communion, neither is it to win at somewhat of heart softness, or to a little sense, which are good; but it's really to be in Covenant with God; to be able to say on good ground, The Lord is my God: My beloved [...] mine and I am his; And when he saith, Return back­sliding Children, to be in case to answer with the heart; [...]ehold we come unto thee; for thou art the Lord our God; [...]his is indeed a desirable thing; and he is an unhappie man that doth not, that will not heartily desire and seek after it.

Secondly, From their very great Seriousness in going, and weeping, in going to seek the Lord, asking the way to Zion, and from their encouraging one another to Join in Covenant with the Lord, Observe, that where there is any Sincerity or begun work of Grace, it shews [...] self in nothing sooner, then in an impulse to be at Co­venanting with God and to have some clearness therein; For, only to be in Covenant, and not to have the know­ledge of it, cannot give that peace and comfort which a present sad exercise calleth for: therefore say they, while they are going and weeping, Come and let us join our selves to the Lord in a perpetuall Covenant, that shal not be forgotten: So then, we say, that a sincere and graci­ous work of God appears in nothing sooner, then in this impulse to have the Covenant of God fixed and put out of doubt; to have this at a Point is their great de­signe here, and they are very serious in it; So Isaiah. 44. where vers. 3. There is a Promise of the work of the Spirit in Sanctifieng; and how is this work of the Spirit proved? or wherein doth it appear? Even thus vers. 5. One shal say I am the Lords, and another shall call himself by the Name of Jacob, and another shall sub­scribe with his hand unto the Lord, and sur-name himself [Page 206] by the name of Israel; the work of Gods Spirit, wh [...] he comes to Sanctifie and save, is such as makes a ma [...] run and devote himself to God with hand, heart a [...] mouth, ye never saw people more quickly and wi [...] better will come to the Church at the most Solem [...] occasion; then (when this work is begun, or there any kindly exercise about it) serious Souls will [...] ready to run with their heart to Subscribe to Gods C [...] venant, when the Terms of it are laid out before the [...] Only advert to these Two things in this Observatio [...] First, When I speak of entering in Covenant with Go [...] I mean of the hearts closing with him by Fai h, according as he offers himself in this Gospel; when he sait [...] quit and renounce your own righteousness and ta [...] mine; quit and abandon your lusts and Idols and gi [...] your selves to me, and I will be your God and be fort [...] coming to you in all things that concern your happine [...] here and hereafter: the heart yeelds and says, conte [...] Lord, the offer is good, and I accept of it; and [...] wives were wont (as it is yet the custom,) to surna [...] themselves by their husbands, so doth the Soul, up [...] the matter, in this Covenant: Subscribe, I am God [...] This is called a yeelding to God, or the giving of t [...] hand to him, 2 Chron. 30.8. and Rom. 10.3. It [...] called A submitting to the righteousness of God. Secon [...] ly, When we speak of this impulse towards, or desi [...] of Covenanting with God, It's no [...] to be understood [...] every raw wish, such as Balaam bad to be in Heaven but it is a seriously urging impulse, an earnest hung [...] and thirst and an ardent longing to have this at a point It's such a thirsting desire, as all the world beside w [...] not be able to quench: It makes the Soul eager in t [...] pursuit of the thing, even to meet and close with Go [...] in the Covenant: It's in effect, that which, Matth. 5.6. [Page 207] is called a hungring and thirsting after righteousness: Because it hath in it a fixed longing with Holy Pain: which Cant. 5.8. Is called a being sick of Love: It's such a desire as makes the heart even faint and sick for the want of the thing desired, which can be satisfied with nothing else: no more then a very hungry man can be satisfied, if handfuls of Gold were offered to him, it's meat he must have. In this respect (which will be the Reason of the Doctrine) Christ Jesus is called the food of the Soul, and the Covenant is like the Pap, whereby Christs fulness is Communicated and conveyed to us: for we have no access to Christ but by the Covenant: therefore, Ephes. 2.12. These two are put together, being without Christ, and being without the Covenant: and Isaiah 66.11, 12. Converts are said to Suck and be satisfied with the Breasts of the Churches Consolation and to be dandled on her knees: Believers are like new born Babes, whom nothing can satisfie or do good to but the Breasts: and the Ordinances are, as it were, the breasts at which they suck, and which, are as so many Pipes to conveigh to them Spirituall nourishment: to which the Apostle alludeth, 1 Pet. 2.2. when he saith, As new born Babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: if so be that ye have tasted that the Lord is Gracious: and then follows, to whom coming as unto a living stone, &c. Jesus Christ is the milk, and the word the Pap that conveighs him: and as the first thing that evidenceth life to be in a new-born Babe, is hunger after the breast, so is it here, the Covenant satis­fies the new born New creature.

The Use of the Point serves to put you to look back, and to consider, whether ever ye have in your experience known this, wherein spirituall life shews it self, Even to [Page 208] be holily fond (or browden so to speak) on the Pap [...] the Regenerat Soul cannot endure to be keeped back from sucking the breasts of these Consolations that are in the Covenant: Now it's very Probable that many will catch at this, as a very Comfortable Mark of Re­generation to themselves, and will be ready to say, why have we not this desire to be in Covenant with God? And if that will be a proof of a work of grace, we wan [...] it not; and these Jewes hear spoken of, before their coming to be in this blessed Frame, were ready to boast [...]hat they were Abrahams Children, and that they had a desire to be in Covenant with God: but it will be another sort of desire and eagerness which they will have, When the Redeemer comes out of Zion to turn away iniquitie from Jacob. But that ye may know, what this desire and impulse that we speak of is, and if indeed ye have it, consider these evidences of it; First, That it i [...] an ardent and vehement desire, a pressingly urgent im­pulse. not such as ye have had all your dayes; but it [...] an effect of the Spirits out-pouring, as that Paralell place with this, viz. Zech. 12.10. clears: I will (saith the Lord) Pour upon the house of David the Spirit of Grace, &c. Away with that Grace, with that Faith and Love which are as old as your selves. Second­ly, This desire and Impulse hath such a vehemencie with it as puts the man to his feet, to go and Pray and to go weeping: It stirreth him then so, as he must needs go though he be much in the Dark, and knows not so well and distinctly whither he is going: because Love to be in Covenant with God, will in a manner make a fool go right to G [...]d: though there is reason that he should seek after help to his infirmitie: the de­si [...]es of many are like the sluggards desire, who lyeth still on his bed, and his ease slays him: This desire [Page 209] maketh some Holy stir, and rouzeth to diligence in the use of means. Thirdly, This desire is such, as never dies out, till the Person be thorow in the point of Co­venanting with God: and therefore, though he should be put as it were to digg wells in the wilderness, and to go from strength to strength, yet he will adventure on it and hold on in his way: The Apostle, Philip. 3. Speaks of it as his One Thing, and when persons are suitably serious in this, it is their one thing, and not a peece of work only on the by: and if they may come to it in all their lifetime, they think (as they have reason to do) that they make a good bargain: and have gain­ed a noble Prize: never did a man on Horse back, in a race, spur faster then they do, that by any means they may attain it. Fourthly, The principle of desire after Covenanting with God holds them constantly in an esti­mation of, and sucking at it as the mean of their life; as the Babe cannot live without the breasts, So they can­not live without the Covenant; they cannot rest but in it: I speak not now what Believers are in their declin­ings: but when they are in a right Frame, they have no being but in this Covenant; they must needs have milk flowing through the Breasts of it for their nourishment; that is a cursed life or ra [...]her death of persons, who come to the word, and ca [...]e not whether it be made lively or not, and come to the Communion and care not whether they get by it any life and comfort or not: and a cursed Faith that keeps Souls from making use of Christ: and such is the faith of many hearers of the Gospel: Now Covenanting is the Believers Earnest, and they are there­by made to forget their Fa [...]hers house, in hope to be ad­mitted to dwell with Christ for evermore.

Thirdly Observe, that A well qualified desire of Co­venanting with God is a good token of Conversion; or a [Page 210] rightly byassed desire of being in Covenant with God the language of Persons coming home to God: Come ( [...] they) and let us join our selves to the Lord in a perp [...] uall Covenant: The Lord se s down this as their co [...] mendation, and as an evidence of his begun Gracio [...] work in them; They, no doubt, had wo ds of Co [...] nanting before: but wanted this right impulse and d [...] sire, and therefore Sat still, but now they are much a [...] fected, stirred and put to their feet; It being a [...] effe [...] of the Poured out Spirit on them. We sa [...], this is good token of a begun work of Grace, and of perso [...] their coming home to God: because this impulse t [...] wards, and desire of Covenanting with Go [...] speaks o [...] these three. First, The sense of their need of him a [...] that they cannot live without him, and the stopping [...] their Mouth with Holy shame and confusion befo [...] God. Secondly, An high estimation that they have [...] him, a Judging that they have no happiness but in bin Thirdly, It speaks out faith, in their actuall betakin [...] of themselves to him for the up making of what the want and stand in need of: There is some what of a these in the Prodigal, who when he came to himsel [...] reckons thus with himself, 1. I perish for hunger, thi [...] Points at the sense of his need. 2. There is Bread enoug [...] in my Fathers house and to spare, which shews his Believing esteem of the fulness of God for a supply of hi [...] need, and for making him a Poor Miserable Perishing wretch compleatly happy. 3. His resolution is, I will go and say, Father, &c. This holds out his actuall purpose of Covenanting with God, which hath always faith in it: It is the same on the matter with this, Come and let us join our selves to the Lord in a perpetual Cove­nant.

The Use of it serveth to shew, what a serious or well qualified desire after Covenanting with God is, and wherein it consists: and those things that are marks of it, may also serve for Directions how to go about it a­right. First, This Well qualified or serious desire of Covenanting with God floweth from a two fold Con­viction, 1. From a conviction of Peoples sin and breach of Covenant formerly, and of their distance from God: whereof we spake somewhat the Last day: we are a­fraid that many of you think you desire, when yet ye never knew a [...]ight your guilt in breaking Covenant, nor took up aright the distance betwixt God and you: It's one sort of desire that a whole man hath to speak with the Ph [...]sitian, and another which a sick man hath: it is of the latter that we mean here. Secondly, From a Conviction of the want of Gods Company: These here know now, though they be Abrahams seed, that yet they are nevertheless naturally enemies to God and Christ and without both, and therefore they seek him, and to make a Covenant with him. There are some that pretend to be seeking God and Christ, and yet they have him, they think, always in their hearts: But speak soberly, did ye ever want or miss him? It may be, at the one word ye will say, we hope not, and at the next word, Perhaps, too often: and it is still but a guessing at the best: when the Prodigall came to himself, he saw that he had been (to speak so) in the wrong close. Secondly, This well qualified desire hath a kindly heart softness with it, which is a good, though a very rare thing: They go here weeping, and when they are a say­ing these words, Come and let us join to the Lord in Co­venant, their tears are trickling down: It's a good and hopeful desire, which is expressed with the tear in the eye: proceeding from a suitably affected heart: There [Page 212] are Alace! many of our desires that do not kindly af­fect, neither do they make any change: the heart re­maineth dead, stiff and hard under them. Thirdly, This well qualified desire puts on to diligence, and is not like the sluggards desire: therefore they go and seek the Lord: they are eager and earnest in the matter and are taken up with it: This desire will make the man some­times forget to eat his bread and it may be to Pray seven times a day (what if I had said twice seven times?) and very oft to with draw from all company, at least, that is not edifieing and profitable, and to retire to the fields or to the Chamber, quietly to lay, as it were, a chase by the pursuit of Faith to the finding out of Gods Company: It will make him and her go to the poorest body in all the town or village, that is gracious, to ask the way to Zion: this is also a very rare thing: ye all know the way to Heaven, as ye think, and this makes you foolishly confident, till ye run your selves into the mire and into the pit at last, if Grace, by making a saving change, p [...]event not. Fourthly, This well qualified desire is a humbling desire, there is no pleading here with God, of the priviledge of their Relation they have [...]o Abraham, and to the Covenant made with him: they cannot find in their hearts, nor have they confidence to do that: they Judge themselves to be very unlike him, and they carry humbly towards one another, glad to ask the way at, and to get some knowledge of it from one another, how they may win forward: they are like the Spouse, who saith to the Daughters of Jerusalem, Cant. 5. If ye see my Beloved, tell him that I am sick of Love, take my Commendations (as if she had said) to him and lay out my case before him: such serious and humble Souls will be glad to take help in the way from any body that can give it, which saith, that they [Page 213] are diligent and Painfull. Fifthly, This desire, as it may, is always setting forward; they are going and ask­ing the way; and though they have a strong tide (as it were) against them, yet the wind of their own desire and impulse steereth them through and maketh them Stem the Port; and though they make but flow pro­gress, yet it is always towards Zion. Sixthly, This de­sire is a Peremptory and (to say so) an illimited desire, and that in a twofold respect, 1. In respect of coming at God. It must have him and will not submit to the want of him, Communion with him it must have. 2. In this respect, that it maketh no Conditions with God of its own, but is heartily well content to take him on his own terms: This indeed is a notably good mark of a well qualified desire, when a Soul desires not so much to be at Heaven as to be at God, and when it is (as I Just now said) content to take him on his own terms: many will desire God and Heaven, but with some such secret reservation as this, that they get leave to brook their lusts and Idols, that they may have liberty to tipple and triffle away their time, to take their fill of the World, to be in credit and reputation and to pursue after some one thing or other in the World; or at least they must be allowed to go about the establishing of their own righteousness: but this desire is waited with the abandoning of all Idols, without any allowed ex­ception or reservation, and with the renouncing of self-righteousness also in the Point of Justification; and therefore it's called, Submitting to the Righteousness of God; It says not a word against the terms of the Co­venant, but holds all: these things were good to be seriously thought on, and sought after, in our approach­ing to the Table of the Lord, to renew our Covenant with him; and where they are not in some measure, our [Page 214] desires will not be found to be of the light kind; it were therefore very suitable for you, to think, how ye may get your hearts quickened and warmed with vehe­ment and unquenchable desires after this covenanting with God, and after the water of life; O! know ye any thing of this? There are some who have found it in experience and who can represent it better to them­selves then we can exp [...]ess it; ye who have had your hearts Panting for God, for the living God, as David saith, his heart did, Psal. 42. Can tell what raw wishes were before, and tha [...] the Grace of God works such desires as have another sort of edge on them, and have a holily disquieting and restless hunger for the breasts of Gods Covenant, and cannot rest nor be satis­fied, yea no not live without them.

Fourthly Observe, That A people or person may have some sincere desires after Covenanting with God, and yet have much weakness, many infirmities and fears in the accomplishing of that their designe. Many poor puzzled and perplexed souls may have this honest desire, and yet not know well how to put the thing in Practice; even like unto these mentioned here, who are going toward Zion to join themselves to the Lord in Covenant, and yet are asking the way: they have covenanting with God in their eye as their great scope, but are ignorant in a Considerable measure of the way; yet they sit not still till they get the way (as it were) described on a Card to them: but they rise and make forward as they may. I nothing doubt, the truth of this Doctrine is known in experience by some Serious, though much tossed and puzzled Souls, who have some honest and earnest longings after him and after Covenanting with him: who yet know not well how to win at him, or [Page 215] how to make this Covenanting Practicable: thus the honest well meaning Daughters of Jerusal [...]m ask the Spouse, Cant. 6. Whither is thy beloved gone, that we may see him with thee? There was a sincere desire after him and a fixed Purpose to be at him, and to decline no Labour nor pains in order to coming by him: yet they know not well whither to go for finding of him: even like honest Mary, who John 21. would fain have Christ, and comes to the grave to seek him, and missing him weeps; and when the Angels speak to her to comfort her, that will not do it: She continues still weeping, and tells the cause: They have taken away my Lord, and I know not whe [...]e they have laid him: It was an evi­dence of the honesty of her desire, that though she knew not where he was: yet she could not be di­verted by any thing from a mournfull restless and diligent Pursuit after his presence. This may Proceed Partly, in the First Place, from believers their infirmity, and their not being thorough in the knowledge of Gospel Mysteries: from their ignorance of the Parties and conditions of the Covenant, of the nature, Properties, and promises of it: If they knew how kind and conde­scending the Lord is: how near he brings his Word: How litle he will take of their hand: how solid the Covenant is; how sure the cautioner is, and how their Part of the Covenant is undertaken for as well as Gods; they would not have such doubts and fears; hence, Rom. 14. They who are weak in knowledge are said to be weak in faith, [Page 216] Because through their Ignorance they have many doubts: This makes me to think, that if many of you had sincerity and seriousness in the great concern of your Salvation, ye would be much and almost inextricably Puzzled, how to Rid your selves in many things ye would meet with in your condition, because of the a­bunding of your ignorance; ye cannot Alas! tell what Repentance is, what closing with Christ in the Covenant is, what Christs offices are, and what use should be made of them; and therefore if ye were put in [...]o any strait or Dump through the sense of sin, it needed be no great wonder that ye should be in much confusion and did not know what to do to get out of it. It were good, therefore, that ye studied the knowledge of God and of the Covenant; that if ever God do you good, ye may have some clearness and distinctness in the way of the Remedy of your evils, and of extricating you out of your difficulties. But that which keeps many quiet, is, Alace! their own Presumption grown to a great height, and the devils rocking them fast asleep in the cradle of Securitie: it's a wonder to see so many very confident of Peace with God, who yet know not how it is come at: when God touches your Conscience, ye will be put to cry, what shall we do? Because of your ignorance. Secondly, It proceeds partly from want of experience; hence, though some, it may be, have light and know­ledge: yet wanting experience of the thing, they are at a stand and know not what to do in this or that case; Just as if a man were to go to London, and were in­formed of all the Towns and Posts in the way; yet when he comes to advance in his Journey not having gone the way before; he is often in doubt whether he be right; So it is with many, who from literall know­ledge can tell what faith and Repentance is, but when [Page 217] their Spirits are Jumbled (to speak so) confused and put through other; the matter looks far otherwise upon them: and they are like a man who coming to a shal­low and safe foord of a River that is mudded, yet fears to take it, because he hath not ridden it before: whereas another that hath gone thorow it, can confidently hazard on it; and indeed it is no Marvell to see much of this even amongst Believers. A Third, cause or ground whence this may proceed, is, prejudices at the way of God, and of persons at themselves: men have natural­ly a sort of Gospel of their own that they cannot go by, till someway they be constrained: and when God puts them to it, they are at a stand: as for instance, there is this Prejudice in some, that they think none can go and warrantably take hold of Gods Covenant till they be so and so humbled: that they cannot go with Convictions & Challenges, till they get some more deep heart-work, or be in a better and more tender frame, Hence Peter saith to Christ, Luke 5. very unreasonably, Depart from me, for I am a sinfull man, O Lord; whereas David reasoned otherwise and much more Pertinently, Psal. 25. when he saith, Pardon my iniquity, for it is great: and hence the question ariseth, what shall we do? and when they are bidden believe: they Object, Ah! we are sinners, and have evil and hard hearts, and are unhumbled: look what Passed betwixt Peter and his heaters, Acts. 2. He layeth out before them their horrid guilt in crucificing Christ: they are Pricked in their hearts, and cry, what shall we do? He bids them Repent and be Baptized, which takes in Faith, and vers. 41. It's said, that such as were kindly touched, Gladly received the Word; Now I pray, what if they had objected can we that have even now, or a very li [...]le since, had our wicked hands embrewed in the precious blood [Page 218] of Christ Believe on him? Come away (saith he on the matter) for there is no other way to Pardon and Peace with God: there was much of this in the Primi­tive times amongst the Christian Romans, Corinthians, Galatians, and Hebrews, many Prejudices at and wrong conceptions of the Gospel and Covenant of Grace: and therefore they would have patched up a Gospel of Grace & of works: they would have brought in the Ceremonies of the Law and established a self-righteousness: and this in particular is one great Pre­judice that the devil Laboureth deeply to possess the minds of wakened sinners with, even to make them think that it's Presumption for them, though they would fain do it, to come to Christ and by Faith to close with him, unless they be so and so qualified: as long as they are secure, he makes them take their Presumption for Faith: but the next day when they are wakened and exhorted to betake themselves to Christ by Faith, he calls that also Presumption: and indeed, as it is Satans manner to drive Sinners on extremes, So it is our way to run into extrems: that which made us call our Pre­sumption Faith, is the same which makes us call our Faith presumption: because we lay it for a ground, that it is our honestie or good disposition, and so and so quali­fied frame, that must commend us to God: and there­fore while we conceive that we have that, it's the ground of our presumption, and when the Conscience is waken­ed and we find that we want that, we cannot believe. A Fourth Cause or ground whence this, in some, may proceed, who would fain believe, is not so much their darkness and ignorance of the way, as the backward­ness, frowardness, and deceit of their heart, that will not, for them, come up to it: such are puzzled and perplexed what to do, because they cannot get it well [Page 219] done & as they would: such are like a good Archer that can shoot well, but hath a deceitfull bow, which when he hath put his Arrow on the string and hath drawn it to the very head starts aside and makes him quite misse his mark the fault and defect is not in the mans skill, but in the Bow: we the rather make use of this Comparison, that the Holy Ghost doth so in the Scripture, resembling our heart to a deceitfull bow that turns aside: So that, they who are acquainted with their own hearts, know not what to do with them, how to guide them, and bring them up unto or bold them at any thing that is good; and though, it may be, they could to good pur­pose give directions to others in such a case: yet they find their own hearts very untractable to admit of them, as if they did not suit or meet with their own case. This is indeed a very puzzling difficultie, yet to such per­plexed Souls there is no new direction to be given, but the renewed exercise of faith, and to put the directions, which they know, in practice; and when one shot (to speak so) misgives, to essay another, not to seek (as it were) a new string, but to cast a new knot on it, and if two knots should slip, to cast a third, improving more that Grace of [...]he Covenant to make them hold better; Therefore, Acts 2 When those pricked in their hearts ask, what they shall do, Peter bids them Repent: they were begun to do so, and he bids them be doing and go on: ye then that are indeed serious, and to whom your short comings are really your Souls burden, would not think it any uncouth, strange or extraordinary thing, to find desire and affection running far before your light and practise, (though ye would endeavour to have them foot-side) a Christians desire may be a dayes Journey (as it were) before himself, as to his attain­ment: and indeed in some respect it would not be good, [Page 220] if it were otherwise, for it is no good signe of progress in Gods way, when the desires of Persons go no further length then their Practise, or when they their Practice falls nothing short of their desires: both in that case are to be much suspected: for even eminently Holy Paul sees himself to be behind, Philip. 3. when he saith, I think not my self perfect, but one thing I do forgetting things that are behind and reaching forth to those things that are before; I press towards the mark: Where he came one Post in his attainment, His desire was ten, in a manner before him: and so is it with those people here spoken of, Come (say they) Let us Join our selves to the Lord; they find themselves to be behind, and endea­vour to work themselves up, and to draw themselves, and one another forward: we must now draw to a close, and shall therefore but touch the following Observations and pass them in a word.

Fifthly Observe, that in Peoples covenanting with God, their desires and designes will be much sooner Pro­posed and laid down, then they will be got accomplished and put inexecution, or then they will win to satisfie them­selves therein: although an Union be betwixt Christ and them, yet they are not satisfied, till they be some-what clear and distinct about it: they are like the Prodigal, who being in another and strange Countrey, saith first, I will go, then he ariseth: and, I will say to my Father, before he actually speak to his Father himself: calling him Father: Some reall acting of Faith Preceeds his more distinct ct satisfieing acting of it: there is a faith in resolving to believe, before there be a resting of Faith or stayed believing: and yet it's Faith that begets that same resolution: if the Prodigal had not had some Faith of enough in his Fathers house, and of his Fathers affection, he would not have resolved to go home: and [Page 221] these people mentioned here would not have set their faces towards Zion; if they had not had some begun stirrings of Faith.

Sixthly Observe, That it is a good token to be asking seriously the way to Heaven, though the askers be not so clear in it: there is some ground to think that such Per­sons are in the way, and if they hold on and fo low the directions of the word, they may come thither: It is far better to be dissatisfied and to ask the Way: then not to ask, and yet to be satisfied with our own know­ledge of the way.

Seventhly Observe, that Persons may fall very far short of their desire, and have much infirmitie, and may meet with many puzzling difficulties how to accomplish what they would be at: yet where a serious and longing desire is wakened after Covenanting with God, they should go forward and follow it forth. This people are short of what they desired, and yet they go, and they know not (as it were) where to set down the next foo [...] till they ask the way, yet they go on still asking: there is no disputing here, but forward we should go: I suppose these here spoken of might have had severall difficulties started and severall obstructions laid in their way, yet on they go: as, First This, that they were Covenant breakers: yet they, taking seriously with it, step over that, and say notwithstanding, Come let us join our selves to the Lord in a Covenant. Secondly, they might have thought, that it was a very long Journey, and that they would never be able to go thorow to the end of it: besides that they were under the dominion of strange Kings who were Heathens: So it may be said on the matter, and is often said to serious Souls, that would fain believe, can ye believe? It will not be with you: are ye not under the feet of many Tyrannous lusts? [Page 222] And how will ye win free from them? yet they resolve and must, yea dare not but resolve to go forward: and the reason is, because they resolve to take with their guilt and to make use of the Covenant for answering and silencing of challenges: and they resolve also, if the Journey be long, to make use of the Covenant for strength to make them hold on and hold out in it. The weak Believer when such doubts are started, should make use of the Promises of the Covenant, such as these; Faithfull is he who hath called you, who also will do it, 1 Thess. 5.24. Return back sliding Children, and I will heal your back-slidings, saith the Lord; and then fol­lows, Behold we come unto thee; for thou art the Lord our God. Jer. 3.22. They yeeld themselves to the Lord. A Third Difficultie is their ignorance; they might have said, we know not the way, and how can we think to come where we desire and designe to be? (as some will be ready to say, we can tell some words of the Catechisme, but Alace! We know not what it is to believe) yet they sit not still for all this, but as one Remedy of their ignorance, they ask the way to Zion with their faces thitherward. And if ye Ask here, how can their faces be thitherward, when they are a king the way? And at whom do they ask the way. The Gentiles a­mongst whom they live know it not, and they have no other to ask at? I answer, they are hanging on God, and taking their Marks and meaths of the way, as he gives them from his word; and there is a most sweet word for such, Isaiah 35.8. where the Lord speaking of this way, and calling it the way of Holiness, he saith, The way faring man, though a fool, shall not erre therein: It's the heartsomest way that can be; O! but it be safe for the way-faring sinner, for the seriously seeking Soul, to have the face toward God, for making up of Peace [Page 223] with him: upon the one hand, the Lord hedges up such persons their way with thorns, that they shal not find their lovers; and upon the other, he constrains them to go right forward; He leads the blind in a way they know not, and makes darkness light before them: are there not severals of you brought far thorow this day, and ye know not well how? He brought you to Faith very insensibly, and trained you on peece and peece, and yet ye cannot tell well how; but ye know certainly that it was He that did it; and in this Case, O! but it be good, singly to be given up to Gods leading and guid­ing; who leads his flock like a shepherd, who gathers his Lambs with his arm and carries them in his bosom, and gentlie leads them that are with young, as it is, Isaiah 40.11. The Lambs would run wild and ruine them­selves, if left on the Hills: but they are under the good Shepherds oversight and tutorie (to speak so) who brings home the lost sheep on his Shoulders (as it was even now said) gathers the Lambs with his Arm, and gently leads them that are with Young; which not only saith, that he drives not hard, lest they cast the young; but that, as the Nurse leads the litle Child, (otherwise then Ladies use to be led, by a gentle touch of their hand or arm) by the arm holes or by the tugs, when the Child knows not how to go and cannot stand on its own feet, even so leadeth he such; I taught (saith the Lord, Hosea 11.) Ephraim also to go; taking them by their arms: when a poor Body hath Christ a forming in the heart, he will gently lead such an one and deal wonderfully tenderly with the person: ye who come honestly to him may confidently yeeld and give up your selves to be his and guided by him, though ye be both weak and know not the way well; if ye can but cast a look to him (to speak so,) or be sweetly silent before [Page 224] him, allowing him to be doing and to take his o [...] way with you; if you lay your selves humbly in [...] dust, and wait what he will do to you, he will acco [...] that Believing; The Lord is good to them that wait him, to the soul that seeks him; saith Jeremiah Lam [...] 25. To wait on Gods leasure, is a saying much abu [...] but it is very good and commendable here; It is g [...] that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the S [...] vation of the Lord. Be not afraid, sincere and exerc [...] Souls, I say be not afraid, when he is (as it we [...] pouring you from vessel to vessel and putting you [...] his own holy and wise ends, in some confusion, so ye know not well what to do, or to what hand to you; he is wondrous tender of you in that Case, will have a speciall care that ye Mis-carry not. Th [...] a very sweet Subject, if we could speak suitably [...] Himself bless it to you.

IT is like, that, at the first reading of these Words will approve both the designe that this People ha [...] engaging themselves to God in Covenant, and [...] [Page 225] endeavour to have their engagement so solid and sure, as it may not be broken any more, but may hold for ever: we take it for granted also, that ye will Judge, that the disposition and frame of Soul wherein they are, while about this great Business, is very becoming and [...]uitable for such as have dealt unfaithfully and foully in [...]he Covenant of God, and are from the Conviction [...]ereof stirred, and put upon Resolutions to engage with [...]m of new and to enter again into a Covenant with [...]m; we Heartily wish, that it were a peece of our Exercise this night, before our approaching the Table of the Lord the next day, to compare the frame and Sett of our hearts, with what these words hold forth this Peoples frame and disposition to be.

We need not now speak to the Scope of the words, it being so clear, and having been touched at before. There is here a People Prophesied of, who are to be brought to Repentance and Covenanting with God in the Latter dayes, whose Spiritually good and desirable frame is described; They shall go weeping and seeking the Lord, each of them stirring up another, having this for their designe, and the Language of their hearts, Come and let us Join our selves to the Lord, in a perpetual Cove­nant never to be forgotten.

That which we would now speak a litle to, is, Two Generals very much becoming a people who designe & [...]end to Covenant firmly with God: and seeing it is [...]t this time, in a more especial manner, our professed designe to close the bargain with him, and in evidence [...]hereof, are (if the Lord will) to partake of the Signe and Seal of the Covenant, as supposing it to be indeed a closed bargain, or at least that it is seriously desired [...]y us that it may be so; they will not be unsuitable for [...]ou to hear and make use of them.

The First Generall then is this, that Covenanting wit [...] God, when People are in earnest in it, will be a very up taking, exercising and weighty business. This is clea [...] here, if ye consider how these People go about th [...] work; they a [...]e in very good earnest; and there a [...] several evidences of it; they are weeping and going: the [...] are seeking the Lord; asking the way to Zion with the [...] faces thitherward; and every one of them S [...]irring u [...] another to renew the Covenant, and to cast the knot [...] firmly, that it may be A perpetual Covenant never [...] be forgotten, and such as may never loose or be broke [...] again; whence the generall is clear, viz. that whe [...] People mind in earnest the making up of a breach betwixt God and them (which is done by Covenantin [...] with him) it will be an exercising and uptaking bu [...] ness to them. Ye may consider some Scriptures fo [...] confirmation of this, which will also hold out what it is and namely, Matth. 11.12. The Kingdom of Heav [...] suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force, Th [...] Lord is speaking there of mens making Peace with G [...] thorow himself the Mediator, by which they are broug [...] to Heaven; and he tells, that it is a most serious bu [...] ness that will abide them brangling (to speak so) a [...] using of violence; Luke 13 25. strive to enter in at [...] strait gate, for many will seek, and shall not be able: is a narrow gate, and there must be thronging and thr [...] ing, to win in at it: men will be put to a sort of Ago [...] as the word signifies: consider also Pauls word, 1 C [...] 9.24. So run as ye may obtain, insinuating, that the is a sort of running, wherein men are not in earnest, [...] indifferent whether they get the Prize or not; a [...] therefore he would have them making earnest of it; as he Proposeth his own practise as an example and a C [...] pie to them, I therefore run, not as uncertainly; so figh [...] [Page 227] not as one that beateth the Air: but I keep under my Body, and bring it into subjection, lest that by any me n [...], when I have Prea [...]hed to others, I my self s [...]o [...]ld be a cast away: these are the expressions of a man, who is in good earnest in this business: and his seriousness therein is Proposed to you for a Pat­tern, what way ye should run and fight: the like word we have, Philip. 3.13. This one thing I do, (it's an up-taking work to me) Forgetting those things that are behind, and reaching forth to those things which are befo e, I press towards the mark, for the Pr [...]ze of the high ca ling of God in Christ Jesus: and vers. 11. If by any means (saith he) I might attain unto the Resurrection of the dead: every word hath it's own weight to make it out, that it is so his one thing, that he cares not what it cost him, so be, he may obtain it.

That which we would say further on this point shall be a word of Application in these Two or Three Uses. The First whereof serves for Instructi­on; would ye know what is required of you as a di­rection to dutie at this time; And would ye know if things be right in your preparation for the Com­munion? This maybe a Mark to discern, and a di­rection on the matter; even to be serious, and to make it an uptaking business, your One thing, to be about it, as such an occasion and work calls you to be. And if ye shall ask, wherein consists this Seri­ousness and uptaking exercise, in Covenanting with God? I shall Sum it up to you in these Four, which comprehend it. First, The man is taken up, in [Page 228] respect of exercise in his Conscience; convictions become fresh, Challenges are put home, he is prick­ed less or more at the very heart; there is some­thing within him that gives him a Conscience-a­larm, that puts in his hand a Libell, and assures him of an appearance before Gods Tribunal: and indeed unless some thing of this be, men will not be in earnest; and it is clearly implied in the Text; For there are here sharp Challenges, that make this People weep, and that extort tears from their eyes. Secondly, There is a seriousness in respect of the work that it hath on Peoples hearts and affecti­ons; there will be a kindling of desires to have Co­venanting with God at a point, with a holy fear, lest they miscarry in the doing of it; and these put together do much take up the man, and make him seek after thorow acquaintance with his own Spi­rit, which he finds to be so fickle, inconstant and back-sliding; and thus, apprehending the work to be great and difficult, he is put in Holy fear and Jealousie over himself, lest he marr the matter and make it worse with himself; as it is said of Godly sorrow, 2 Cor. 7.11. What carefulness, what fear what indignation, what vehement desire, what zeal, what revenge it wrought in them: Now when these are tumbling (to speak so) thorow other in the man, and he hath an inward wrestling to have the work secured, and is afraid lest it miscarry; Is it Possible, but he will be serious and much taken up? and this is also implied in the words; Come (say they) And let us join to the Lord in a Perpetuall [Page 229] Covenant; There is a desire to have the Covenant at a point, and they fear it slip, while they are cast­ing the knot; therefore they say, let it be a Perpet­uall Covenant never to be forgotten: It's good to fear in the very time. Thirdly, This seriousness is in respect of Peoples dutie; It makes them pray that never prayed before to Purpose; It makes them ex­amine themselves, Meditat, Read and conferr that never knew before what it was to be taken up with those duties: Therefore we find this People going and seeking the Lord and exciting one another: they are put to their feet, and to reaching forward, so that they leave nothing undone, whereby they may attain the end. Fourthly, This Seriousness appears in the manner of their going about duties: there is another edge, then was wont to be on their prayers, Self-Judging, and wrestling with God: they are much like to Jacob: they will not let the Lord go till he bless them: they will still wrestle, though it should be all the night: they cannot find in their heart to part with him on any terms: and (as the word is, Isaiah. 64.) they shall stirr up themselves to take hold of him: they are not only going but weep­ing: they are not for the fashion in the work: they seek the Lord and stirr up one another to do so: May we then ask you, are ye thus in earnest mak­ing for the Communion? Nay (for this is not all) are ye thus in earnest about Covenanting with God? which must preceed and go before, if things be right: It were good preparation, to have our very hearts moving and fluttering (as it were) within us to be at this.

The Second Use serveth for Expostulation with many that pretend a desire and designe of Covenanting with God, and that they would be at Heaven: but yet were never in good earnest, to have things at a point betwixt God and them, and to make sure a Covenant-interest in him: The most part are, Alace! taken up with poor, low and insignificant things, with unnecessary things comparatively: If they be sick, they will be in earnest about the means of their health: if they suffer any loss in their estate, they will be serious to have it made up: if their credit be impaired, they will be much concern­ed to have it repaired: they are carried forth with a sor [...] of Bentness towards those things: but Ah! where is there a man or woman amongst many, with their faces towards Zion in a Serious manner and with a re­solute purpose, that peace with God, Holiness and Heaven they must have? Here is the great stop and stand: and is it possibly, think ye, that ye can have peace in your going about dutie, while ye are not serious, no [...] strive to win in at the strait gate, when ye exercise not your selves to Godliness, when ye never (to speak so) cast your coat, nor Strip your selves naked, as it were (as the word, 1 Tim. 4 7. Sign fies) for that great work: when ye do not run and wrestle, as those who mind to obtain? but are intangled in the things of the World and languish with laziness in every thing that is Spiritually and truly good: how few are there under much exercise about the case of their Souls, afraid le [...] they miss the mark and prize: with Jealousie over themselves, lest they mistake the way to Heaven? How few are there, who have it for their One thing, to be fi [...]mly Joined to the Lord in a perpetual Covenant? It's my fear that amongst all the great Number that are here, there be but very few to be found who are in [Page 231] earnest in this great business. I shall hint at a few sorts, that are not in earnest. First, Such who are very serious to be at the externall ordinance of the Communion, and who will, it may be, take it ill, if they be keeped back from it, who yet never troubled themselves, nor were seriously taken up with Covenanting with God, and with the study of Holiness in all manner of Conversati­on, or how to come by the enjoyment of his speciall and gracious presence: they can be year and day, nay many years, without it and never miss it, not be troubl­ed with the want of it: Alace! It is not seriousness to be at the Communion, without this, which will pro­fit you; and even ye that are not admitted to the Com­munion, are called to this. A Second Sort are such, as are indifferent in all religious concerns; they care not for the Communion, and would not be very desirous of it, if it were not a shame to them, and some reflection on them to be debarred from it; they think, that what­ever in Religion goeth beyond their Job, is but precise­ness, Niceness, Vanity, Conceit and Fancy; such never knew what it was to be troubled with doubting or Tentations about their Souls state, or the truth and reality of their Grace, nor what it was to be under any exercise of Conscience on the account of much sin and Guilt; nay they are glad and can boast themselves that they were never under any such serious exercise. A Third Sort is of such, who are very civil in their carriage, but they have no more; & if Heaven may be bad with Cere­monies & fair fashions, they will be in it as soon as any; but they cannot endure to be at pains beyond their ordi­nary, to take hold of it, to do violence to ther own negli­gence, to take the Kingdome of Heaven by force, nor in the least to amend their Pace, & to be Serious, come of it what may: These are a dangerous company, they have [Page 232] Communicated many years, and were never debarred, and so, think that all is well with them; and that they may fit still and be at peace: I shall only say to such that, that was not Davids way, nor Pauls way, not th [...] way of any of the Saints, nor the way that Christ Commended to his hearers: and I trow, he will not chalk ou [...] another way to you; nor take you to Heaven in a wa [...] by your selves, or in a way of your own: O be not deceived, for God will not be mocked. A Fourth So [...] are those who have been orde [...]ing and dispatching thei [...] externall businesses, so as they may win to the Com­munion without distraction by them; but they hav [...] taken little or no pains at all to put their hearts in order; little or no time in Se [...]ret betwixt God and them, to examine and try, whether matters, as to their Soul [...] state and frame, be right, clear and distinct; It's th [...] alone direction that the Apostle gives, 1 Cor. 11.28 Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat; That [...] serious man who puts himself to that Comprehensive and up-taking exercise in earnest, who proves himself if he be in the Faith; whose heart smites him that h [...] hath not taken as much time in Secret, as he hath don [...] in coming to a preaching: It may be, many have com [...] four or five miles to a preparation Sermon, who y [...] never Seriously once looked within themselves to [...] how matters stood betwixt God and them: O sad, Lamentable and Soul-ruining neglect!

The Third Use Serves for Exhortation: and let m [...] Exhort, Beseech, and Obtest you, to study to be in goo [...] earnest in this business; Believe it, the business of Covenanting with God, so as, from this time forth, ye may have it made sure and clear that ye are Gods and that God is yours, is a thing of greatest Concernment: [Page 233] of infinitly greater, then if Kings and such as are called Pro [...]ectors were sending Ambassadours to treat with you about making you great in the World. To press this a little, let me Ask you, in the First place, what think ye will come of it, if the Covenant be not made siker betwixt God and you? Ye will most certainly live and ly still, yea even dy strangers to God, liable to his curse and wrath ready to be inflicted on you: O lay this to heart, if ye Believe that God will call you all to a reck­oning, and that he will say to such of you as a [...]e not in Covenant with him, Depart from me, I never knew you; Yea, suppose there were not such great ground of fear as to that, as indeed there is: can ye promise to your selves Gods hearing any of your Prayers, the perform­ance of any Promise, or the accepting of any duty off your hand as service to him, till ye be in Covenant with the Lord? And think ye nothing or but litle of this? Secondly, Consider the great prejudice that follows on not Covenanting with God, and that will attend many in the visible Church; Many (saith the Lord, Luke 13.) Will seek to enter, who shall not be able; The so­lid Faith of this would make many Congregations to tremble: for it's not only many profane persons, but many of them that countenance Ordinances, yea many of them that have preached and prayed to the Edification of others, and many of them who have heard Christ preach in their streets, and who have countenanced faith­full Ministers, and furthered the work of God, and who have had indignation at others that did not so; who will not be able to enter; this word, with that other which we have, Psal. 78.34. where there is such a seeming seriousness and personating of many Graces of the Spirit, and yet nevertheless, it is but a flattering of God with the mouth and a lying to him with the tongue, [Page 234] (which is a very rife and common thing amongst pro­fessos, amongst such as profess Covenanting with God) should put us in fear. And Thirdly, Consider this, [...]hat ye have naturally such hearts as others have, that a [...]e ready to beguile you, and to back slide and slip ou [...] from God; and are not those beguiles and disappoint­ments of others written for our warning and advertis­ments? And if any of you should say, we hope there is no such ground of fear as to us. That's but a bewraying of your Ignorance and senselesness; for those who are best acquainted with their own hearts will tell you, tha [...] it is a ticklish and di [...]ficult business to deal truly and throughly with God: Do ye not know, that many take a counterfeit for grace? And were ye no [...] hea [...]ing lately, that many Hypocrites have personated almost (if there be need to say, almost) every Grace; surely many o [...] you will find it true one day, that the heart is deceitfull above all things and desperatly wicked: and that ye hav [...] etred and played the fools egregiously, and in nothing mo [...]e then in trusting your own hearts: for saith the wise man, He that trusts his own heart is a fool. Fourthly, Consider, that it is now come to a Nick and pinc [...] with you, that either ye must close the Covenant wi [...]h God, or put your selves farther under his Curse, and eat and dri [...]k damnation to your selves: because ye have mis-kent Gods Covenant, and sligh [...]ed Covenanting with him, and so have come as enemies to his Table, without making your friend-ship with him: we declare to you, that e [...]e the morrow at this time many of yo [...] will ei [...]her have a bit or a Miss of the greatest bargain a d of the greatest concernment that ever was made be­twixt parties: and although ye should not eternally in­capacitate your selves for Covenanting with God, which many may do, and bring themselves under such a sad [Page 235] sentence, that they shall never hencefo [...]th be quickened nor awaked any more: yet ye may make your bands stronger, and may make the business of your Covenant­ing with God far more difficult to your selves then now it might be.

The Second general Observation is this, that a soft, tender and melting heart is a good and suitable frame for Covenanting with God: would ye then know, what is a fit frame for Covenanting with God? It's even this, a heart melting frame; they shall go weeping as they go; they have much seriousness, inward stir and warmness of heart, and that makes it to me [...]t, and (as i [...] were) flow down before the Lord; this is according to what we have, Zech. 12.10. I will (saith the Lord) Pour upon the house of David, and on the inhabitance of Jeru­salem, the Spirit of Grace and supplications, and they shall look to him whom they have pierced, and shall mourn and be in bitterness as one is for h [...]s first born: even when they are coming home, and asking the way to Zion with their faces thither ward, and about to enter in Co­venant, they are mourning; Hence, Isaiah. 44.3, 4, 5. And elsewhere, even almost where ever entring into, or renewing of the Covenant with God is spoken of, the out-pouring of the Spirit is spoken of also; a pouring water on him that is thirstie and flouds of the dry ground: bringing Rivers out of Rocks, &c. for prepar­ing a People for the Lord. And this will be the more clear, if we consider, that softness and melting of heart gives a man a right imp [...]ession of himself, and a right impression of God and of his free Grace and goodness; and it makes the man to become folding, tractable, Pliant and yeelding to God, and also makes way for much Spiritual sense and comfort, and for Gods ref [...]esh­full manifesting of himself to the Soul that is so pliable [Page 236] and tender: thus the Lord saith, Hos. 2.14. I will allure her and bring her to the wilderness and speak com­fortably to her, or to her heart, as the word is; Allur­ing speaks pliableness, & that hath Gods Comfortable speaking to the heart following on it.

The First Use of this point serves to give you another Mark for Triall, if things be right and in good case with you, for Covenanting with God: and as the upshot of all, to commend such a desirable frame as thi [...] to you: would ye know the [...] further, what is a right frame for Covenanting with God? Here it is, even to have a heart melting within, to have a soft tender and mournfull disposition of Soul: and would ye know what this is? We think that from the words it may be gathered to consist in these five or six things that concurre to it. First, There are some pricking challenges for sin and wrongs done to God: they humbly acknowledge, take with and are made sensible of these. Secondly, There is some missing and sensibleness of the want of Gods pre­sence, and of the want of Communion and Fellowship with him: [...]hey know not well where he is, but they are a king after him. Thirdly, There is an ardent af­fection and serious desire to be at him and in Covenant with him, a heart filled with love to God, whereby it is softened and made to flow down, as wax by the fire is melted, and the hardest iron made soft. Fourthly, There is a Holy fear and carefulness, whereby the heart is kept from growing cold and indifferent as to this con­dition, and from settling and sitting down in it; such a fear and trembling as old Eli had, 1 Sam. 4. for the Ark, whereby he was kept in a fright: here is going and weeping, with a Holy fear lest the Covenant be a­gain broken. Fifthly, There is a self loathing, kindly humiliation & exercise of Repentance, which especially [Page 237] appears in this weeping: when serious looking into the persons own Condition so affects the heart, as it fl [...]ws, either in tears without, and in sighs and groans within, or in the latter without the former. There is a Holy in­differencie as to their externall lot, and an absolute sub­missiveness to the will of God to be dealt with and dis­posed upon as himself thinks fit: If so be they be admit­ted into a Covenant with him, they are sweetly Sub­missive to the terms, let God do with them what he will, they know it will be well, if they get once within the bond of his Covenant, and that it will never be well with them, if they be without it: Though this be some­what general, yet it will be found to be a near yea a narrow tryall: If so [...]tness of heart bespeak a good frame and fit for Covenanting with God: Ah! where is it? The little heart-softness that is amongst us is one o [...] the neck-breaks of Religion, and marrs our growth exceed­ingly: what shall we say or think of our condition, when we call to remembrance the seekers of God of old, who watered their couches with tears and made their beds to swim: who mingled their drink with tears and their meat with weeping? O! what is become of that now? or what Religion is this that we have in these dayes, in comparison of that which they had, who were so serious and so much affected and heart-wrought with their Religion, when we are so chil-cold and froz­en, when our hearts are scarce kindly warmed, much less softened and melted? It is no wonder there be much lamenting for the want of sense and life, when there is so much heart-hardness the contrarie of this heart melting softness.

But it may be Asked here: How comes it to pass, that the People of God are now so unlike that which [Page 238] Gods People were wont to be: so litle softned, contri [...], and melted? I speak not of externall weeping and shed­ding of tears: for there may be much of that, where the heart is but litle softned, though not ordinarily: often when the heart is inwardly melted, externall weep­ing in some Measure follows, though the one of these may be and is some times without the other: nei­ther do I speak of that softness which is peculiarly re­quisit for the Communion: but of that which is called for in our ordinary walk, to make us folding, yeelding, and pliable to God, ready to receive any impression that he will please to stamp on us: what (I say) can be the causes of the want of this. Or that we are not in it as Gods people were wont to be? I answer First, It may be, that Professors now have much more conceit of their Profession, and content themselves better with the form, and with the Gospels being clearer now then it was in former days; and God resists the proud, yea even pride in the Godly: Trembling & such other evi­dences of tenderness in severall of those Saints mention­ed in the Scripture, are not much to be found with us, we are Alace! very unlike them; a sharp word from God would have made the strongest of them to tremble, nay the Godly are several times in the old Testament descri [...]ed to be tremblers at the Word; but we, very gene­rally, are bolstered up, in a manner, with much stout­heartedness and self conceit, as if we were ab [...]ve chal­lenges, fears, doubtings and puzzling cases of Consci­ence: David, Job, Paul and others of the Saints, who had not such ground for that sort of exercise, as most of us have, may I not say, as all of us have? yet were more in it then we. Whence this comes, were worthy of our serious enqui [...]y. It's probable that Pride and Self conceit have much influence upon it. Secondly, [Page 239] We fear that Christians now a dayes have much betaken themselves to the external deckings and adornings of religion, with neglect, in part at least, and to the Pre­judice of Religion it self, of the soul and substance of it; The Godly of old were single and Plain in Religion, (as Jacob is called a plain Man) and taken up with the power of Godliness; but many now are so much taken with gifts and are so fond of them; that a Cove­nant interest, self-denyal, Mortificati [...]n and the like, take them up the less: Many of you are at more labour and Pain to hold up a Name, then to mortifie such a lust, as is a Self-seeking humour, or to have matters tho ough and clear betwixt God and you. Thirdly, They made mo [...]e and greater account of Communion with God then we do, seeking after it as a thing they were taken up with, which now, Alace! is much neglected: b [...]cau e we bear that our Salvation doth not depend simply on intima [...] and familiar fellowship with God, we are the less carefull and solicitous about it; whereas of old, the want of it made them Sick of Love, as the Spouse is, Cant. 5 And what longing, fainting and out-cry­ing is there for it, Psal. 42? It was a Prison to them to be in a Palace wanting Gods Company: This is a main thing that softens peoples hearts, even to have the Lord manifesting himself to have the light of his Coun­tenance lifted up, and the beams of his love and good will shining warm on us; too much seeking of great things for our selves, fo [...] g andure or greatness in the world, in makin [...] godliness some way to be gain and counting gain (as it were) to be Godliness: Alace! it is not much our care to have victory over the World, and that it may have li [...]le of our heart and Christ much of it: It's not the designe that we drive with suitable vi­gour, even to be Heavenly minded and to brook a soft [Page 240] heart: Love not the World (saith the Apostle, 1 John 2.15.) Nor the things of the World, for whoso loveth the world, the love of the Father is not in him: They so far overcame the world, that they suffered joyfully the spoiling of their goods, knowing in themselves, they had a better and an enduring substance in heaven, as it is Heb. 10.34. But the wicked, and men of the world, having what heart can wish, even waters of a full cup are wrung out to them; Gods People turn in thither, and will needs essay and try the comforts of a present world, what satisfaction they can yeeld them, as we may see Solomon did, to his great p [...]ejudice: for the things of the world in a great measure got the upper hand of him, and that after the Lord had appeared to him twice: It were good and much to be wished that many of you did espy this evil in your selves: the Scripture insists much in it, as that which mens hearts are mainly carried out after: and yet we can get none almost convinced of it: Men will be got convinced of gross out-breaking evils; but of this evil, the most earthly minded wormes cannot be gotten convinced: nay even good people are hardly got convinced of it: but ye are not in the less hazard of it: and we wot well, it's a plague in the Ge­neration that we live in, and hath much defaced Religi­on as to it's beauty, in the face of the Conversation of many: Ah! how much are they, in this, conformed to the word? And how Lamentably litle behave they like Pilgrims and Strangers in it, as the Saints did of old?

As A Second Use of this point, We have ground here to Commend to you the studie of a Soul-fixing & fasten­ing condition: as ye would not make an unsure bargain with God, endeavour to have this softness and melting of heart: This thing is that which makes a man to sit [Page 241] alone and to keep silence before God, Lam. 3.27. And so to be in a posture of meeting and covenanting with him: such of you as know nothing of this, and are not afraid of being hard, cold and dead at such an occasion, are in eminent hazard of losing a good bargain: and wo to Security and hardness, that hath that as the fruit of it: and in the by we may say that there is a Wo abiding many of you, who have no Serious thoughts of this frame, and especially at such a time. Therefore let me Exhort you to compose your selves, as having to do with God, and as having Gods love and favour, and his hatred and wrath laid together in the ballance, and as having life and death set before you, and seriously to seek after such a soft and tender frame of Soul that fits for Covenanting, for renewing the Covenant, and for com­fortable communicating.

But some may Object and say, It is very sad, if this be peremptory, that persons who would rightly renew their Covenant and Communicat, must be in a Soft and melting frame. Answer, It's usefull, and it's need­full, nay in some measure it's Simply necessary: What shall we then do that want it? for Answer, I wish many were asking the question from serious Minding, prizing and longing after the thing: for the want of Softness proceeds often from this, that we do not seri­ously mind it, otherwise, the want of it would much affect and afflict us, and would put us to ask after it, and God would not fail to give them direction that were thus asking the way to Zion. Yet for your help in this matter, I would say these three Words. 1. Once take a view of your case and labour to have a distinct look of it: what lusts are up, what challenges may be Tabled, and keep a good count of them. 2. Endeavour to have faith in Exercise on Gods Covenant and promises, and [Page 242] be sure that the Promise is sicker that ye lay hold on and see that ye make Use of it according to the Covenant: which is done, when with your Souls ye take hold of it: and that is not, nor shall not be reckoned presump­ti [...]n, when ye bestir your selves from the Faith of Gods Covenant and Promises, laying the weight of that which ye would be at on the Promise, cleaving thereto for attaining of it, and in time, through Gods Blessing, your unsuitableness shall piece meal wear away, and ye shall become tender: and any bit of softness and tender­ness that ye win at, cherish and watch over it. 3. Make this a particular errand to God, having your Eye on the Covenant of promises, and on this Promise in it in Particular, and on other promises of this Nature and to this purpose, as, concerning taking away the stonie heart and giving a heart of flesh: of giving you a new heart: of making you to loath your selves, for all your a­bominations: apprehending, receiving and closing with Christ in the Covenant for attaining of it as a fruit of his purchase: for it is not gotten but in the Covenant: and therefore it's remarkable that this Scripture is set down Promise-wise, They shall come, the Children of Israel and the Children of Judah together: your Heaven­ly Father who knows that ye have need of this thing (as it is Matth. 6.32.) will give his holy Spirit to them that ask him, as it is Luke 11.13. And ye would credit and trust him with the performing of that Promise to you: and endeavouring to be Serious in having this for your task and work, ye shal find it made good for you and to you.

IT is a most desirable designe and worthy to be driven vigourously by us all, to the prosecution whereof it would very well become us to stir up and rouze our selves and one another, according to the Laudable Practice of these here mentioned, even to hasten towards a closure of the Covenant of Grace betwixt God and us: to have it sounding loud in our ears, and to have it as the Language of our hearts whetted to an edge in pursuit of the thing. Come, let us Joyn our selves to the Lord, in a perpetual Covenant that shall never be forgot­ten: It should be the great work and business of a Com­munion-Sabbath in a speciall manner, as it is our pro­fessed designe this day, to close and make sure this Co­venant and blessed bond betwixt the Lord and us.

Having spoken somewhat formerly at several occasi­ons to these sweet words. I shall not now trouble [...]ou either with the division or explication of them: but shall instantly propose Six or Seven Observations from them, and then speak a word to the scope, and to the Appli­cation of them, in the close: and though it be but a short word from each of them that we have to speak; yet they will be found to be very Concerning to us, and therefore we would take the more exact notice of them.

The First Observation then is, that There is such a thing as distinct Covenanting, or mutuall engaging in Covenant betwixt God and a poor sinner. This is clearly holden out in these words as their Scope; It were to no Purpose for them to say, Come and let us Join our selves to the Lord in a Covenant, if there were not such a thing as a Covenant union of God and sinners. The Scripture is full to this Purpose, and the treatie of or­dinances is kept up for this end; as we have it, Isaiah 55.1, 2, 3. Ho every one that thirsts come to the waters, &c. Incline your ear and come unto me, Hear and your Souls shall live, and I will make an everlasting Cove­venant with you, even the sure mercies of David. This is the Scope that the Ordinances aim at. In Prosecuting of this a little further, we shall, First, Explicat what covenanting is, in generall. Secondly, What this co­venanting with God is, 1. In respect of the parties. 2. In respect of the terms thereof. And 3. In respect of the ground on which it is founded. And Thirdly, To the form of this Covenanting.

First then, Covenanting in generall may be cleared, from what-Covenanting among men is: Which is a mutuall engaging of two parties on Mutuall terms; the one Party offering such a thing on such terms and con­ditions; the other partie accepting on those terms and Conditions On which the offer is made: as we see in a contract of Marriage, the man engageth to be the Wo­mans, on condition that she be his, and she engageth to be his wife; as he engageth to be her husband, and each engageth to perform suitable duties to the other; And we make use of this the rather that the Scripture alludeth to it in this matter.

Secondly, We are to consider Covenanting, as it is betwixt God and a sinner: for we are not now speaking [Page 245] of the Covenant of works betwixt God and Adam; wherein there was made an offer and Promise of life up­on condition of Perfect Obedience; So that if he did that which was Commanded him, he should live, but we are now speaking of Gods Covenanting with a sin­ner; for that is the Covenant spoken of here: It is in­deed a great wonder that ever there should have been a Covenant betwixt God and a Creature; But a greater wonder that there should be a Covenant betwixt him and a sinfull creature: whatever is spoken in Scripture of the Covenant of Grace, belongs to this Covenant. First, The Parties in this Covenant are God and the sin­ner, Gods Creature, but a sinfull creature; It's the Lord Jehovah, and we the house of Israel, and we the house of Judah. Secondly, The terms of the Covenant are not, Do this and live, though the Promise be the same, for it's life that is offered; yet it's not on the same terms; for though the life be as good as that which was promised to Adam; yet the terms are far better: The substance of this Covenant we have set down, Jer. 30.31, 32, 33. and cited Heb. 8.10, 11, 12. unto which this same invitation doth here relate; I will make a new Covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not according to the Covenant that I made with their Fathers; But this shall be it, I will write my law in their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my People, &c. And Come (say they here) and let us join in it: His engagement is to be their God, and their engagement is to be his people, and the terms fol­low; which are on Gods part, free forgiveness of sins through the Righteousness of Christ imputed to them, thorow whom they are accepted, as if there had never been a quarrel. And on their Part, by faith to take hold of him and of the Pardon of sin, which separated [Page 246] betwixt him and them, through Jesus Christ, as he offered to them; Therefore, Rom. 10.6. It's calle [...] the Righteousness of Faith, opposed to the Righteousne [...] of the Law, spoken of befo e; and what saith it? saith not, who shall go up to Heaven? nor who shall d [...] scend into the depth? But the word is nigh thee, even i [...] thy mouth and in thy heart, that is the righteousness Faith, which we preach, that if thou shalt confesse wi [...] thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thy hear [...] that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be save [...] That is, if ye make suitable use of Christ for your Fea [...] with God, and give up your selves to him to be [...] Servants, ye shall get peace and Pardon of sin here, a [...] E [...]ernal life and Salvation hereafter. These in short a [...] the terms on which God offereth himself to sinne [...] Thirdly, The Ground of this, and how it comes to pa [...] tha [...] such a Covenant is accessible, is the Mediators i [...] terposing in a Covenant of Redemption with the fath [...] concerning elect sinners; wherein he hath procured th [...] Covenant of Grace betwixt God and sinners, by [...] Performing the condition required of him in that C [...] venant; for this Covenant of Grace and Reconciliati [...] is nothing else, but the result of the Covenant of R [...] demption and the execution thereof; we had never [...] ground to say, that there is a way laid down for [...] peace with God, except there had been a Covenan [...] Redemption betwixt him and the Mediator; wher [...] the Mediator undertook to satisfie Justice for the sins the Elect, by bearing their iniquities; and hath the P [...] mise of being Satisfied for the travel of his Soul, by seeing of a seed, and by his Justifieing many thorow Fa [...] in him; as it is Isaiah 53.11. This gives the rise to t [...] Covenant of Grace betwixt God and sinners; and the [...] fore these two are put together, Isaiah 55.3. Ino [...] [Page 247] your ear, come unto me, hear and your Souls shall live, and I will make an everlasting Covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David; That is, the sure mercies of the Messiah; the assignation whereof, even of the Purchase of Redemption made by him, is by Covenant made over to the Believer in him, and therefore when we speak of this Covenant, it alwayes supposeth & implieth Christ, who Isaiah 42 6. Is called the Covenant; be­cause he is given for the ground of Covenanting betwixt God and sinners; it being by him and in him, that God and sinners meet; there being a gulf (as it were) be­twixt sinners and God, he hath made himself the bridge on which sinners may come over and meet with God; and the Covenant brings us to Christ; as under the Law, Christ was typed out by the Mercy seat and the Arke, wherein the law was put, to shew the linking together of Christ and the Covenant: the efficacie of the Covenant flowing from Christ, and the Covenant giv­ing us a title to Christ, and making Christ accessible to us: It layes (as it were) a Bridge to us to step on, and makes an open door to us to enter in by on Christ, and by Christ to the Holie of Holies thorow the vail, which is his flesh.

Thirdly, As for the Form of this Covenanting, it is, as in other Contracts, God making the offer; and the person accepting it; Gods offer is in the word of the Gospel, wherein he saith, Come and I will made a Co­venant with you: as the Apostle hath it, Rom. 10. The word is near thee, even in thy Heart and in thy mouth: and the Sum of it is, If ye Believe in Jesus Christ, ye shall be saved; the proposing whereof in the Gospel, is the laying of Gods offer before you, and it's as really Gods offer, as if audibly he were speaking to you from Heaven, as he once spake the Law on Mount-Sinai: [Page 248] It being his Authority, by which Ministers are sent treat & close this Covenant with you: As it is, 2 C [...] 5. We are ambassadors for Christ, as if God were beseec [...] ing you by us: we pray you in Christs stead, be ye reco [...] ciled to God: That is, be friends with him by enteri [...] in Covenant with him: and he sheweth us the grou [...] of it: For he who knew no sin, was made sin for us t [...] we might be made the Righteousness of God in him: Go [...] offer is, I am Con [...]ent to be thy God, and to make [...] that is mine forthcoming to thee for thy good, upo [...] condition thou quit thy own righteousness and beta [...] thee to my Son the mediator for righteousness and lif [...] The sinners Covenanting is his formal and distinct, [...] least, his reall consenting to that offer on these term saying with his very heart, I am content to have God [...] be my God, not by vertue of any thing in my self, b [...] by vertue of Christs satisfaction, which hath procur [...] access to sinners for peace and Reconciliation with Go [...] and this is called a Submitting to Christs Righteousnes [...] So then, there is a devoting of the Soul to God, a hear [...] consenting to give it self away to him to be saved a [...] Sanctified, to live to him and to his Honour; as i [...] Isaiah 44.5. One shall say, I am the Lords, and anoth [...] shall call himself by the name of Jacob; and another sh [...] Subscribe with his hand unto the Lord; As if it were sai [...] whose are you? and the person should say, I am God for, as plainly and distinctly, at least as really and sol [...] ly, a person wrought upon by Gods Spirit, gives [...] Answer and return to Gods offer in his Covenant, a [...] resignes himself to God, as if Paper were laid down b [...] fore him, and he should subscribe his Name with [...] hand to be Gods. There is an obligation really tak [...] on, and a consent plainly given: the person with [...] very heart Subscribing the Contract; which, 2 Chr [...] [Page 249] 30 8. is called a yeelding or giving the hand to God. He cometh with stretched out armes in the Gospel, and saith, Man or woman, who findest thy self lost, close with me in my Son Christ, and thou shalt be saved; and our consenting is, our hearts catching hold of that word and yeelding to him, as one strik­ing hands with another, with whom he hath before been at odds & variance; in signe of his being con­tent and satisfied to be reconciled to him, and of his being so in very deed.

The Second Observation is, That This covenant­ing wi [...]h God hath with it or in it a near union and Conjunction with the Lord. Let us (say they) Join our selves to the Lord in a perpetua [...]l Covenant; the word [...]o ning hath in it a speciall Emphasis, being such as is used to set out the conjunction that is be­twixt the Husband and Wife; for this cause (saith the Lord) shall a man leave Father and Mother and cleave to his wife, and so the wife cleaveth to her husband; Thus the word is, Gen. 29.34. Now shall my Husband be joined to me; therefore she called his name Levi, which flowes from this root, Added or Joined, In prosecuting this point a litle, we would speak shortly, 1. To the nature of this Union. 2. To the properties of it. First, As to it's Nature, we would consider, that there is. 1. A legall uni­on, wherein by contract and bond there is a trans­ferring of the interest of one Partie to another; which is here; for God becomes the sinners God, and the sinner becomes Gods own, as his portion and Property; Even as in marriage, the Husband [Page 250] is the wifes, and the wife is the Husbands, and the Relation stands, though they should be in Severall Kingdomes. 2. There is a Mysticall union, which is spirituall and more Mysterious, wherbey God be­cometh one with Covenanting sinners, and they be­come one with him; God by his Spirit dwelling in the Covenanter, and the Covenanter dwelling by faith in God: which floweth from the former mut­ually transferred right or legall union, and follow­eth on it: In which respect it's said, 1 Cor. 6 17. He that is Joyned to the Lord is one spirit; He is Gods Temple, and God by his Spirit dwels in him: by this one spi it, is meant a Spirituall conjunction, Union or Communion whereby God takes hold really of the Soul by his Spirit, and the Soul takes a reall hold of God by Faith: they do mutually embrace each other, as the Husband doth the wife by vertue of their Union. 3. This Union implyeth a near­ness, a friendliness, an intimacy and familiarity, and it is opposed to distance and estrangement from God: The Covenant really entered into, is like a bond to keep the believer near God, glued (as it were) and straitly join'd to him: or it is a cement­ing with God, to speak so: By this Covenant God and sinners are made near and knit to one another and kept from ever Separating: There is such a near and strait Union betwixt Christ and Believers, as is betwixt the foundation or corner-stone and the house, yea as is betwixt the vine and the branches, Ephes. 2. John 15.

Secondly, As for the Properties of this Union by [Page 251] Covenant, a few of which we shall only now touch at, not having access to inlarge, as this Subject by it self, would require. 1. It is with the Lord him­self, not with any benefit, common gift or Grace or Mercie, these fo [...]low the union with himself, the Covenanter becomes one Spirit with him (as is said,) and saith the Apostle, Ephes. 5. we are flesh of his fl sh and b [...]ne of his bon [...]. 2. This Union is in and through Christ, by whom it is made up: he being the Temple and Tabernacle or meeting place wherein we meet with God: So that we are not anxiously to enquire, nor curiously to dispute here, how our union with God, and with the Mediator do differ: we unite with God in him, and upon the Grounds of his Redemption, in which respect, our union with God is more Mediat. 3. This Union is very friendly, most firm and indissoluble: It's a wonderfull near and sure Union. It is an inexpres­sible union, and therefore we must here give over speaking further to it, only looking to a word of it, John 17.21, 23. in the 21. vers. saith our Lord: That they all may be one, as thou father art in me and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: It's such an union by the Believers being in God and in the Mediator, as is that, whereby God and the Medi­ator are one, though no parity is here to be under­stood, but a resemblance only: and vers. 23. I in them and thou in me, that they may be made Perfect in one: I in them, here the union is most Immediat: and thou in me, there the Union is more mediat, viz. by Gods being in the Mediator dwelling in the [Page 252] Believer, and the Believers dwelling in God, (the fulness of the God-head being in the mediator) by his meeting with God through faith in the Medi­ator: and indeed, were there no more but this, It saith that this Covenant is a good bargain.

The third Observation is, that Union with the Lord by this Covenant is accessible to a run-away Sinner, that hath perverted his way, upon his coming aright to close with him therein on the terms of it. Who are those coming here to Join in Covenant with the Lord? It is, even those spoken of Jerem. 3.6, 7. Back-sliding Children, Treacherous dealers, who are bidden return, and he will heal their back-slidings: which could not be, if this Covenant were not ac­cessible to sinners: nay let me say, there is scarce any sort of sin, but the Lord out faceth it in his Covenant, as we may see, Jer. 3. where the Lord saith, Thou hast played the harlot with many lovers, thou hast spoken a [...]d one evil as thou could'st; yet wilt thou not from this time cry unto me, my Father? If we look to the grosness of sin, were it like Scarlet or Crimson, Isaiah 1.18. It shall be made white like Snow and wooll: if ye be willing and obedient, saith the Lord, to close a Covenant with me, ye shall eat the good of the Land. In the propounding of the Co­venant, he will take away that exception of the grosness of sin, which might stand in the sinners way, were it even rotten Hypocrisy, detestable in­differency and luk-warmness in the matters of God, putting the Person in hazard to be spewed out of Christs Mouth, yet he saith even to such (if they will indeed take his counsell, and be content to have [Page 253] their deadly evils removed and their wants supplied) I counsel thee to come and buy of me Eye-salve, Gold, and Garments: and Behold I stand at the Door and knock, if any man will open the door, I will come in to him and Sup with him and he with me. Only take this word of Advertisment here, and then I shall clear and con­firm the Doctrine further: when then we speak of sin­ners access to God by this Covenant, we mean, that there is access, only on Condition they take with their faults and come weeping, heart-broken and someway suitably affected with their sin; these only are the persons that may comfortably expect this accesse, he seeks after such, though he will find none such till he make them such. For further clearing and confirming of it then, we would consider these Four things. 1. Gods end in the Covenant, which will make out this, that there must be access to a run-away sinner by this Covenant to uni­on with God, when he comes home to him in the way of Repentance and Believing; because his end in the Covenant is to save Sinners, often spoken of; to Justi­fie the ungodly, Rom. 4.5. To dwell with Rebels, Psal. 68.18. To get a Name and a Praise to himself of being gracious: as it cannot admit of, nor let in a sinner, but on this Condition; So it cannot but accept of a sinner having this condition. 2. We would consider Gods contrivance of the covenant in making it suitable to such an end, so as it may make the Riches of his Grace to shine, and may be effectuall for the gaining of Souls; and therefore, 2 Sam. 23.5. It is said in this respect, to be ordered in all things and sure: and Jere. 31.33. compared with Heb. 8. The substance of it is set down compended in a few words, I will Pardon their iniquity and remember their sin no more, &c. 3. We would con­sider the administration of the Covenant; It's not in an [Page 254] immediat way, as that first Covenant made with Adam was, wherein there was no mediator, neither was there need of any; but it is in a mediat way by a suretie and Mediator, who hath taken on and engaged for the debt of the Covenanting sinner, and hath under taken for his thorow-bearing: now why is this administration and dispensation? But because the Principall debtor is a bankerout and not able to Satisfie for himself; there­fore he hath access to come and get Pardon, and to be friends with God thorow the Mediator. 4. We would consider all the Properties of the Covenant, especially the freeness of it, and we will find that they speak out this; It's a Covenant of Sure Mercies, Isaiah 55.3. And all the Promises and Articles of it respect sinners, and hold forth this, that there is a way laid down, how a sinner at feud with God, may get this Union made up by Covenanting wi [...]h him.

The fourth Observation is, that Covenanting with God is a very short cut for the quieting, peace, and hap­piness of a treacherous back sliding sinner: Therefore, when these People here spoken of are, in their Holy heat and warmness, stirred up under the conviction and sense of their guilt: as the short cut to come to peace and a happy condition, they say, Come and let us Joyn our selves to the Lord in a Perpetuall Covenant. It's the accepting of Gods offer, and being content to be his on the account of Christs righteousness, that they Propose to themselves as the ground of their calme, quietness, and happiness. This Observation implies these Three things. First, That Covenanting with God, doth fully make the Covenanter happie, though formerly he hath been a miserable sinner; and O! This is a good bar­gain, that makes a sinner compleatly happy: It makes him to say, Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there [Page 255] is none upon the earth that I desire beside thee: Psal. 73. I shall name a few Scriptures to shew the full happi­ness of a sinner that enters in this Covenant: The first whereof is, 2 Sam. 23.5. Although my house be not so with God, yet he hath made with me an everlasting Co­venant well ordered in all things and sure, and this is all my Salvation, and all my desire: It's mensura Voti, even all that heart can wish: and these words being consider­ed as David the sweet singer of Israel his last words, when he is a dieing, they clearly imply a commendation of this Covenant as full for the happiness of a sinner. A­nother passage is, Revel. 21.7. He that overcometh shall inherit all things: How is that? even thus: I will be his God and he shall be my Son, that is, in substance; I will declare my self to be in Covenant with him, This is the compend of the compleat happiness of Glorified Saints in heaven, and the begun happiness of Believers, of Sojourning Saints here on earth, in a less measure and lower degree; for in Heaven God will be all and in all: and is not this a good bargain, & good to sinners? which commends it the more. A Third Place is, Rom. 8. Where it's told us, that nothing can be laid to their Charge, But it's answered in this Covenant. They have a Cautioner to pay their debt, and to strengthen them for their dutie: I will (saith he) be their God and they shal be my People: I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me: I will pardon their iniqui­ties, all bygones, and heal their back-slidings, they shall not get leave to go from me: would ye be pliable and yeelding to Gods Covenant; I will put my law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts, and a new heart will I give unto them, and will cause them to walk in my Statuts and to do them. Secondly, The Doctrine im­plies, as it is a full Covenant, or makes the Covenanter [Page 256] fully happy: So it makes him sickerly & surely happy: 2 Sam. 25.5. It's a Covenant well ordered in all things and sure, who ever by Faith betake themselves to Christs righteousness, and lay hold on this Covenant, may ex­pect Communion with God as certainly as Adam be­fore the fall had it for it's the same God that promiseth who is as faithfull as ever he was: Hence it is called a word tryed as silver in a furnace seven times, a pure word that cometh out of the furnace alwayes as massie and weighty as it went in: and the ground of the Covenant being Christs satisfaction, it makes it Sure. Therefore he [...]s called a tryed Corner stone, a sure foundation. Thirdly, It implies, that, as it is a Sure, So it is a compendious and speedy way to happiness & of deliver­ance to the Sinner, which maketh much for Gods praise: He is a very present help in time of trouble, or a speedy help, Psal. 46. So, Psal. 32.5. I said (saith Dav [...]d) I would confess my trangression, and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin: Immediatly (as if he had said) upon my confession, without longer delay: and Rom. 4.7. This Psalm is made use of, to demonstrat the Righteousness which is by Faith in Christ.

The fifth Observation is, That sinners who are lying under a quarrel with God and have the offer of a Cove­nant, should betake themselves to it, and without delay p [...]t a close to the bargain betwixt God and them. Come (say they here) and let us join our selves to the Lord, in a perpetuall Covenant, whereby is holden out, that when a sinner hath access to the Covenant with God, he should flee to it & take hold of it quickly. In this re­spect, covenanting with God is compared to fleeing in to the City of Refuge, Heb. 6. That which I mean, is first, that a sinner, who hath this Covenant in his offer, should take no other way for Justification and freedom from [Page 257] sin and wrath, but hold to this only and seek to be Justified by it. 2. That he should do it speedily: when the word of the Gospel saith Come, he should an­swer, Lo I come unto thee; when God by the Preach­ing of the Gospel maketh a gracious declaration, that he will accept of lost sinners that come to him, and saith, This is the day of Salvation, this is the accepted time; as it is, 2 Cor. 6.3. and when by his ministers he waiteth on you, inviteth and wooeth you, ye should presently, without delay or demurr, close with the offer and ac­cept o [...] the invitation.

The sixth Observation is, that Those who are convinc­ed that they have sinned and would fain be in Covenant with God, should endeavour to have it throughed and made sure, to have it an absolutely closed and ended bar­gain. This is very clear in this peoples practice, who concernedly say, Come let us Join our selves in a perpet­uall Covenant never to be forgotten, they think they can­not get it made sure enough, and therefore they joyn, never to be forgotten, to perpetuall, they Judged that it could not Possibly be made too sure: which manifestly saith, that when God giveth an opportunity to enter in­to or renew a Covenant with him, we should be Holily solicitous, in very good earnest, and greatly concerned to have it made sicker, as the words is, Nehemiah 9. vers. last, We make a sure Covenant and write it, and our Princes Levits and Priests Seal unto it, that word Isaiah 44.5. Is remarkable to this Purpose, One shall say, I am the Lords, and an other shall call himself by the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord; That it might stand (as it were) over his head, as being formally and explicitly engag­ed in, with heart and hand: and they that know how fickle and inconstant their hearts are: and how prone to [Page 258] deal loosely and unfaithfully in Gods Covenant, have good reason to look to this, that all be sure work; that they get not the shell for the Kernell, and go not down to the grave with a lie in their right hand.

The Seventh Observation is, That There are some­times beside other times, wherein some People beside others have it pungently Put to them to enter in, and to renew their Covenant with God. These here spoken of, who say (having Gods pressing call to it, before they said it o [...]e to another) Come and let us join to the Lord in a Covenant; are put to it more then others, and at this time more then at another: in a word People are then put to it in a mo [...]e especiall manner, 1. At such a time when the Gospel is clearly, convincingly, and powerfully Preached unto them, Preaching of the Gos­pell being Gods way of meeting and treating with sin­ners, and t [...]e Ministers and Preachers thereof being as his ambassadours Commissioned and sent forth by him to treat, and close a treaty with sinners, on the terms c [...]n [...]ained in their Commission: which when they with suitable concernedness and earnest [...]ess do, their hearers are the more put to it. 2. They are thus put to it, when some stirring and warmness of affection towards Covenanting wi [...]h God is wrought in them; or when their own frame, through Grace, Presseth them on to it; as we may see it did in this People. 3. When the Lord o [...]tener then once or twice, in frequently renewed opportunities of thi kind. Puts People to it; and more especially in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper; the very fight and offer of the elements in the Communion speak plainly, on the matter, to the Communicants, are ye indeed in earnest in the great business of covenant­ing with God; Since ye are now to receive the Seal of it? If ye be not, ye notably Profane the Ordinance, by [Page 259] setting a Seal to a blank charter: It is therefore called the Covenant; This is the Cup of the New Covenant: Because it puts you in mind of the Covenant, and puts you to it, whether ye will really engage in it: It is like the Kings appointing a day for sealing of Pa [...]dons to Rebels; his Proclamation first Puts them to it, to accept of the Pardon; Next the heraulds put them to it: and then Lastly the set and fixed time or day of the sealing, puts them Most of all to it: and so it is with you in this Ordinance, that we are by and by to be about.

We come now to the Application of all, wherein we shall not insist on all things that these Doctrines Minister ground for: but shall Pitch on some most Usefull, and which are the great Scope of the Text and of the day.

And in the First place, I would Beseech you to en­deavour to gather and compose Your selves, and grave­ly to ponder what it is, that this day ye are Pressingly called to; It is even this, Come and let us Join our selves to the Lord in a Perpetual Covenant, never to be for­gotten. Know and Believe, that there is such a thing as Covenanting with God; That God is dealing with you to Covenant with him; and that it is a good bar­gain: To you is this word of Salvation sent: And ye should be very Seriously thinking how to get it accept­ed and made use of; how to receive this offer by Faith, and how to get your selves given up and awa [...] to him; because in this Covenant (as I shewed before) there is a Mutu [...]ll engaging; God offers himself and all that is in him to be ours, and to be made forth c [...]ming for our good: and we by Faith close wi [...]h the offer, and give up our selves to him to be at his dispose: have ye any serious thoughts of this? But your selves to it, and we [Page 260] in the Name of the Lord put you to it, for we cannot well proceed any further, till ye be at some point in this: are ye in earnest? Is this your errand in being here to day? If not, why are ye come hither? Is it to see how the day goeth, or is it only to get your Communion, as ye use to speak? Alace! what's that? It's to Covenant with God, and ere ye depart this Place, to put it to a point, that it may be a closed bargain, that should be your errand.

And therefore in the Second Place we tell you, that the great God is content to Covenant with poor, fectless and sinfull C [...]eatures, whereat ye may wonder, and say, Is it so in very deed that God will dwell with men on earth? Will he indeed Covenant with men, with sin­full men, with Treacherous dealing men, with back­sliders? Yea we tell you, that it is so; he is content to be your God, and that ye possess all things in him, con­tent to pardon you all your sins, to give you Grace and Glory, even every good thing: to enter you heirs to a Kingdome, and on good and easie terms: to do it freely without Money, and without Price, If ye be but indeed content to accept of His offer on his easie and very rea­sonable terms: and may not your very hearts laugh within you at the hearing of the glad tydings of this Co­venant, and that God is yet content to make it up with you? O how sappie and Massie is this! and that is a very sweet word to this Purpose which we have, Psal. [...]7 6. God, even our own God shall bless us, which may make the Believer smile: This relation of our own mak­eth the blessing double: and it flows from this formal, a [...] least, real Covenanting and union with God, and the Believer hath a right to this and all things: He hath here an offer and another sort of right, then he hath to his house and land or cloths, it's aright to God, that [Page 261] giveth a right to these things, I mean a Spirituall right: for we speak not now of that which is civill: let us, therefore, stay our selves and wonder, and be stirred and affected with it, that the infinit and alsufficient God is content to make this good bargain, and even now to make it with us Sinners, even with insignificant and un­worthy us.

Thirdly, We make Proclamation of this bargain to you, and avouch, that there is Salvation offered to sin­ners, and to be had through Jesus Christ: the Lord al­loweth and warranteth us to make this Proclamation, as well as he did Jeremiah, when he saith to him, Chap. 3.12. Go and Proclaim these words towards the North, return thou back-sliding Israel, and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon thee, for I am merciful, saith the Lord, and will not keep anger for ever: He alloweth, nay he Peremptorily Commandeth that ye should be put to it: and therefore when we have laid the Covenant be­fore you: what say ye to it, what will ye do? We must have an answer from you: ye have his word and Oath for confirmation of it: O Believe and take hold of it, and ye shall get the seal from us as his Commission­ers; who treat with you, according to our Commission, in his Name; And here we must be particular, and be ye particular with your selves: take and receive what we say to you with a warrant, as the word of the Lord, for it is no less his Word now, then it was when Jeremiah and the other Prophets spoke it, when the Apostles spoke it, yea When Christ spake it himself: It's the same Covenant and the same word, that this day is preached to you; The Lord cals us to stir up our selves, and to say in good earnest, Come let us joyn our selves to him in a Perpetuall Covenant, 1. The party inviting is the Lord Jehovah in the Mediator, and sure he is a [Page 262] most, yea the most excellent Party; thy maker (saith he Isai. 54.8.) is thy Husband. 2. There are in this Covenant excellent Promises: God is content to be your God and to take you for his people and Spouse, to Par­don your iniquity, to heal your back-slidings, to Sancti­fie and save you, and to make you eternally happy: and are not these desirable? 3. It calls you to give your selves up to him: and indeed it is very reasonable, that if the husband give himself to the wife, she should give her self to him. Are ye then content to treat with God in the Mediator, and to be his on his own terms? It is good to meet and treat with God in him. Have ye any ground to except against this? Doth it please or dis­please you? say to it, tell your mind? For I declare to you, that if ye get him to be yours, you must needs be his. I fear many of you stand and stick at this, not­withstanding the high reasonableness of it: is this, think ye, an evil, disadvantagious, or Prejudicial exchange? whether is it better that the one and only true God reign over you, then that Sathan and a multitude of strange Lords, your Lusts, taking the Throne (as it were) by turns, should reigne over you? It's both sad and stupendious, that ever this should be suffered once to come in question or debate; and yet, Alace! it's this, or some thing like this, at which it will stand: either ye will not take God for your God: or ye will not give your selves to him to be his People, on his own very reasonable and easie terms? and I trow, ye will make no better. I would, therefore, yet again put you to it: for it's the very thing that ye are called to, the great business of the day, and it's come even to the shock.

And therefore, labour to be at a point, whether ye will close with him or not: If ye will sincerely say, we [Page 263] take the Lord to be our God, and give our selves to him, to be his People and servants: then we say to you, and assure you in his Name, that this Cup, that by and by ye are to drink, shall be according to his warrant, The new Covenant in his Blood. And to press you to the thing, let me but Ask you a few Questions. 1. Is there not need of Covenanting with God? Are there not many sins on your score? Is there not a quarrell be­twixt God and you? Is not this bargain meet and suit­able for you, which holds out remission of sins and peace with God? are ye not urgently called to it? And what ground of challenge will it be, think ye, that this was in your offer, and on very free and easie terms, and ye would not accept of it, but would needs destroy your selves? 2. If there be sin and a quarrell, is there not a necessity to have it taken away? Have ye laid your account and resolved not to be solicitous and carefull, whether ye be friends with God or not? And if ye will not say that, why do ye not enter this Covenant? 3. Is there any other way to get sin pardoned and the quar­rell taken away, but by making sure your Covenant with God? David or any others that were saved, were they saved any other way? This Covenant was all his Salvation and all his desire. 4. What will ye say in the day of the Lord, when the Trumpet shall sound, and he shall call you to an account for refusing his free and Gracious offer; when there will be no more treating with you, when he shall say, and make your own Con­science say to you? It was plainly told you, that there was a quarrell standing betwixt me, and you; It was told you, that I was willing to enter into a Covenant with you, and to remove that quartell, I sent my Mes­sengers unto you for this end, but ye made light of the matter: Say to it, O say to it; ye must say something, [Page 264] Yea or Nay; ye are not left to be indifferent and to keep up your selves in this matter; I tell you if ye say not Yea, ye say Nay; and as the Apostle speaks, Acts 13 46. Ye pass sentence on your selves, and judge your selves unworthy of Eternall life: It's interpretatively a saying, that ye will not have Heaven and life thorow Christ: and therefore, as ye would not destroy your own Souls, I beseech you, nay I obtest you in the Name of the Lord and for his sake; accept of this Covenant. We tell you and as the Apostle hath it, we say, Be it known unto you, that through Jesus Christ remission of sins is Preached to you: He hath purchased life and Salvation to sinners, And to you is the word of this Salvation sent: Give, O give your consent to the bargain, and that is all we seek of you.

Now to Prosecute this a little, and to put you yet further to it, because it will ly before God, whether we have put you to it or not, and whether ye have accept­ed of this Covenant or not: whether we were in earnest in Proposing it, and whether ye were in earnest in clos­ing with it: Consider, 1. The Persons whom we put to this, and the things that we put you to. 2. The terms on which, 3. The grounds from which, and. 4. The qualifications and directions whereby.

First, As for the persons whom we put and press to this Covenanting with God: It's not those only who have gotten their tokens warranting them to come to the Table, nor those only that are debarred and so have got no tokens: but it's all of you, Those who are afar off and near hand: but differently: To the tender Soul, we say, come forward: to the secure we say, Humble your selves and then come and join in this Covenant. The thing we call you to, is to take the Lord to be your God, and to give up your selves to be Gods, we call [Page 265] you to take God to be your Master, and your Father, your Saviour, your Head, your Husband, your Friend, even your all, and that is no ill nor small offer: and we call you to give up your selves to God, to forsake your Fathers house, and all your kindred and to cleave to him: to join your selves to the Lord, as the Text hath it: and as it is said, The Prodigall Joyned himself to a certain Citizen, So ye would joyn your selves to the Lord, and be beholden to him for your life.

Secondly, As for the Terms, they are in short: that Seeing God saith, accept of my Sons Righteousness, and ye shall be my Sons and Daughters: ye would freely accept of it, and take and put Christs Righteousness in the place and Room of self-righteousness which was in the Covenant of works: found your plea before God on nothing that ye can do, but on Christs doing and suf­fering for you, which now by Faith ye resolve to adhere to, and resigne your selves to him without any reserva­tion, to be guided and saved by him, in his own way.

As for the Third, How, or from and by what grounds we put you to this: or rather how doth the Lord put us all to it? First, Ye are put to it by his offer in the Gos­pel: which, in discretion, cals you to give him an an­swer; he cries, Come unto me, and I will make an ever­lasting Covenant with you, even the sure mercies of Da­vid, And doth he not require an answer? And is it not incumbent to us who speak to you in his Name, to crave your answer? We declare to you all, that ye may if ye will, come to be joined with God in Covenant, and may be sure to be accepted of as his, if ye come aright; Now, what say ye to it? either ye must look on this as a cheat or cunningly devised fable, or if ye dare not look on it so, ye must accept of it and make it welcome. Secondly, Ye are put to it, in this respect, that the Lord [Page 266] brings you now and then under some conviction of the necessity of your peace with God; something within you saith, that peace with God is worth the having and needfull, that this is a good bargain, and that ye have need of it, and there are now and then some raw resolu­tions to put it to a point; and it may be there is some­thing presently that puts you to it; and if not, so much the more ye would put your selves to it; lest the King­dom of God be taken from you. Thirdly, Ye are put to it by this same Sacrament; is it possible that ye can take the Communion for a Seal and confirmation, ex­cept ye Covenant with God before; If ye will not Co­venant, ye prove your selves to be Treacherous dissembl­ers in going to the Communion, and to be liars to God; when he presents and offers his Covenant: ye profess to take his offer and to close the Covenant with him, but ye refuse, as it were, to take the Pen in your hand, or do throw it away: when he presents to you the Cup of the New Testament, ye drink the Wine and spill the Blood, and so become guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord, when ye despise it, and will not make use of it, nor Covenant with God that ye may get the use of it. And therefore, Fourthly, Know, that ye are put to it presently and peremptorily, & that the Lord will take it for a refusall and for a scorning and despising on your part, if ye do it not; and do ye think it a litle matte [...] to have such a guilt lying on your score? what kno [...] ye, if ever God shall offer to Seal a Covenant with yo [...] again? and therefore we put you to it peremptorily as to these Three. 1 As to the thing, that when he invites, ye come, when he offers, ye receive and give th [...] Lord your answer, not a nay say, but a yea, as ye wi [...] be answerable: and upon your saying Yea to this Cov [...] nant on his Terms, we declare in his Name, that [...] [Page 267] says Yea in taking in the sinner that fleeth unto him. 2. As to the whole of the thing; for ye must not half Gods Covenant; but as ye accept of God to be yours, so ye must give up your selves to him to be his; and as ye take Christ for paying of your debt; So also ye must take him to help you to do your du [...]ie; take all there­fore, and submit your selves intirely to him in this Co­venant. 3. As to the time, ye must do all this present­ly; for the Lord doth not allow us to give you an hour, or to promise to treat with you one hour after this; It's now, come and let us join our selves to the Lord; It's no difficult thing that ye are called to; It's to be­lieve with the heart, and to confess with the mouth our Lord Jesus Christ, as it is, Rom. 10.9. The Object is Christ: the Condition is Faith, whereby he is griped and taken hold of, and which goeth out towards him in the word: And so ye have no more ado, but when the offer and Promise comes out, to accept and subscribe, and to say, I am the Lords, I will be his, to be saved by his Righteousness and made Holy by his Grace, both which are contained in the Covenant; I am content to be beholden to him both for Holiness and happiness; and it shall be a bargain. The Lord himself perswade you to do so, and that presently without delaying, dal­lying, or shifting and off putting.

Now it may be, that some think this to be a good bargain, but they know not how to make it sure and siker, so as it may hold for ever. And therefore this is the last thing, that in the 4th. Place, we would speak a litle to, viz. How shall a person Covenant with God, and know that he hath done so in very deed? (for the Directions how to Covenant are so many evidences of Covenanting, when performed:) For Directions then in this matter; we would in generall, in the First Place, [Page 268] have ground to suppose and take it for granted that ye know what ye are, even sinners, and that Sin hath laid the Foundation of a quarrell betwixt God and you; and that ye know what he is a designing and doing by this Preached Gospel, even to bring sinners into this Cove­nant, and to have an union made up betwixt him and them: but ye will, belike, say, I know not how to make it sure: there is no answer to this, but, be doing, till ye get it made su [...]e, for your unsureness must flow, either from something on Gods side, or from something on your side, ye dare not, I suppose, say that it flowes from any thing on Gods side, or if ye should, this is the way to make him sure (to speak so;) and if it flow from something on your side, he bids you, return back sliding Children, and he will heal your back slidings, and make it sure. But in the Next Place and more par­ticularly, consider, 1. Your end and designe, what ye [...] would be at; ye may have some generall aim at some­thing that is good in it self; but that is not enough, i [...] must be something more Particular and peculiar: Is [...] to get God to be your God? Doth that fill your eye [...] Is it to get your back slidings healed as well as pardon­ed? That is right, if your aim be to have God and Sp [...] rituall good; I mention this the rather, because som [...] may love God and the Covenant, for some tempora [...] good; whereas others love him and his Covena [...] mainly for a Spirituall good, and think themselves we [...] come to and made up thereby. Wherein lyes the d [...] ference will ye say; I answer in a word, to love G [...] and the Covenant only or mainly for temporall me [...] cies, is ill aod selfish: but to love God and his Cov [...] nant, to be made thereby really happy in the enjoyme [...] of him, and to be made conform to him in Holines [...] is good and desirable, and neither selfish nor servile a [...] [Page 269] mercenary: as it is no unkindlie-like token in a wife to love her Husband, to be delighted in him, and to like well to enjoy his company: so it is a kindly like Mark for a soul to love God, on the account of the happiness and Holiness that are to be had in him, and from him: Love to God shoulders not out all regard and love to our selves simply, but it shoulders out love to lusts, and all inordinat love to self and to every Idol, nay it's in­consistent with true love to God not to care whether we be happy in the enjoyment of him or not. 2. Consider how, and by what means, and on what terms ye seek to come at that end: are ye secure, and sensless of your sin & misery without God? It's very like, that ye make but a blind bargain whereof ye will have no reall advan­tage; but have ye any kindly touch of your sin and misery, and of your need of a Saviour; and have ye recourse to him, as one Able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God thorow him, and who lives for ever, to make intercession for them? Ye may know somewhat of your sincerity in Covenanting with God by the way that ye come to him. 3. What use make ye of the Me­diator, when ye are come to him? Is your peace with God, and your hope of holding by the bargain ground­ed on him? Do ye lay the weight of all the good ye ex­pect on his mediation, on his Satisfaction and interces­sion, on his purchase? Do ye hold all thorow him? That's a good token. 4. Are ye content to give to God, as well as to take from him? To devote your selves to him for Service as well as to enjoy him and Happiness in him? This also is a good token, as well as a directi­on. 5. Are ye in much Holy fear and Jealousie of back-sliding; and is it in your eye and aim purposely to Ar­ticle this with the Lord, to put his fear in your heart, that ye may not depart from him; many persons will [Page 270] sometimes in a warm fit, or in a good mood (as we use to speak) come far on, as Agrippa did, but quick­ly fall off, and return to their wonted byass, c [...]ldness and indifferency; therefore in your Covenanting with God, there would be much Holy fear, lest it be not sound, lest it bold not; let your Soul say, now I am absolutely and unreservedly given away to God, not by Morgage or Wodset only (to speak so) but without reversion, even for ever. 6. Ye wou [...]d come to close actually with God himself in Covenant: many come to the word and Sacramen [...] to get, as they think, some good, but come not to the Covenant, to be really an [...] perpetually Joyned to the Lord himself. 7. Ye woul [...] seek after some heart-warming, by Gods Spirit withi [...] you, and some lively exercise of your faith in him, a [...] ye see to be in this Peoples case. 8. Persons that ar [...] in earnest will be much affected with bygone slips, fail­ings and unfaithfull dealings with God, and are afraid o [...] falling back and of dealing loosly with the Lord; an [...] this puts them on to be more Solicitous and carefull to take on the mo bands, and to cast the knot the faste [...] because the heart is deceitful; Come (say they here and let us Join our selves to the Lord, in a Perpetual C [...] venant never to be forgott n; They are not content wi [...] a Covenant, except it be siker; the heart protests against it self if it shall draw back, and resignes and r [...] nounces its liberty to do so any more, if it may be ca [...] [...]ed liberty. 9. A person would aim to have him se [...] sure and satisfied as to this, that he hath really given h [...] consent, that he may have quietness in the assurance [...] its being so; yet not laying the weight of his Peace o [...] his clearness and assurance: but because his comfo [...] much depends thereon, therefore he will endeavour [...] have any blank filled up, and the business put to a poi [...] [Page 271] he comes to this Covenanting with Holy fear, self-suspition and jealousy: and goeth from it with fear; and as he is attended with this fear in Covenanting, so in receiving the Sacrament the Seal of the Covenant; Come (say they) and let us Join our selves to the Lord, in a perpetuall Covenant that shall never be forgotten; O! So sure as they would have it; ye who shall thorow Grace come thus, shall find the Lord Jesus waiting and rea [...]y to welcome you.

But it's like, ye will Ask, how is the Sacrament made useful and helpful in this joyning to the Lord in Covenant? I Answer in generall, as to the Believer, that all the Promises are his, and it Seals all the Bles­sings of the Covenant to him, Because the condition of the Covenant is found in him; Even as a pardon given to a Rebell on condition he lay down his Arms, when he doth lay them down and accepts of the Pardon, the Seal is appended to it, which makes it firm and sure. But what if the persons doubt of their having entered into the Covenant? Answer 1. They are either such as are meer strangers to God and have no desire after nor respect to the Covenant, those are under Gods curse and shall get no good of the Sacrament, because they re­solve not to take Christ to fulfill the condition of the Covenant in them, and are not in earnest to be in under the bond of the Covenant; yet if even such would se­riously resolve to fulfill the condition, or rather to take Christ to help them to fulfill it, they should be wel­come: or they are such as are doubting, though they have some honest desire; such would remember, the bargain is Mutuall, and they must engage to God, if they would have God engaged to them; and if ye have not done it before, do it even now, and the Sacrament shall be usefull and helpfull to you, in these respects [Page 272] more Particularly. 1. For sealing this general trut [...] If I believe in Christ I shall have eternal life; In whic [...] respect, it's like a pardon offered to a Rebell on cond [...] tion he lay down his Arms; he would first see it i [...] writ, and then he would have it Sealed, well (sai [...] the King) ye shall get it Sealed. 2. It's usefull a [...] hath influence in a Moral wa [...], to make you accept. Pardon, and to enter in the Covenant; In which r [...] spect, it's an argument, as to allure the Rebell to acce [...] of the Pardon, So to perswade and assure him, that o [...] his acceptance he shall have it actually and certainl [...] when it's holden forth Sealed: for, saith the Lord, [...] the Sacrament, ye have my Covenant, and here I a [...] ready to seal it. 3. It furthers our joining in Covenan [...] In respect of its clear holding forth and manifesting th [...] blessings of the Covenant; the word saith, that ye a [...] Sinners, and that ye will get nothing that is truely goo [...] but in and through Christ: and that God is content [...] Covenant with you, and to Pardon your sins throug [...] him: and the Sacrament brings Christ and the blessin [...] of the Covenant to be some way visible and sensible [...] you: and the Go [...]pel tells, how it is done. 4. In th [...] Sacrament the Lord condescends in the most forma [...] way to Covenant: for in it he saith take you my Sou [...] blood to wash you who are guilty and filthy: and you [...] taking is, as it were, a striking of hands with him, an [...] a saying, content Lord, let this blood wash me: and thi [...] looking to the word of institution, which gives foot in to Faith, and exercising Faith thereon as your warran [...] your Faith is helped to take hold of Christ by and [...] the Sacrament. 5. It helps to close with the Covenan [...] by letting you see the grounds of the Covenant, wher [...] on it is bottomed and built. If thou shouldst say, Thoug [...] God would Covenant with me, I will not keep: Th [...] [Page 273] Sacrament holds out Christ as Cautioner, that hath put himself in our Room and engaged in our Name to make us forth-coming, and if thou shouldst yet say: will God indeed accept of the like of me? It sa [...]th, here is a broken and bleeding Saviour and Mediator to lead thee to God, a Saviour who hath made himself a propitiation for sin: and hereupon the sinner may be strengthened to take hold of the Covenant, because in the Sacrament he sees Christ himself laid as a bridge, on which he may come over to God, and his rent flesh as the Vaill through which he may, as by a new and living way, enter into the Holiest.

THere are Two main and Mighty uptaking Busi­nesses, to the People of God; The one where­of is, how to win to be in Covenant with God, to be friends and in good terms with him. The other is, how to stand to, and keep Covenant with him, and to live as being made friends with him accord­ing to the obligation that lyeth on them. This is the [Page 274] great designe of all preaching, to bring them within the Covenant, who are without: and to make those who are within the Covenant, to walk suitably to it; and as these are never separated on the Lords side: So should they never be Separated on our side therefore these People are brought in here Saying Let us Join our selves to the Lo [...]d in a Covenant: and not only So, but there are Two words added by them, to shew their earnest desire to keep and stand to the Covenant: The one is, A perpetuall Cove­nant: the other, a Covenant that shall not be forgot­ten, the impression whereof may never wear away: and this we conceive to be their meaning, 1. Be­cause to forget the Covenant, in Scripture, is to deal falsly in it, and to forget the Covenant and to break it, are the same. 2. Because it is (as we take it) opposed to their fear of false dealing in the Cove­nant: as if they had said, we were once in Cove­nant with God, but we did deal falsly in it and forget it: Let us now therefore Join our selves in a perpetual Covenant never to be forgotten, Let it be a constant and standing, a lasting, even an everlasting bargain.

This being the meaning of the Words, we shal [...] speak to Four Observations from them (the Substance whereof ye have heard touched on already and these are.

First, That The great hazard which a People Covenanting wi [...]h God are in, is to slip and slide fro [...] their tye and engagement to him, and to forget the Co­venant.

The Second Is, That The great ev [...]dence of right entring in Covenant with God, i [...] to be serious and much concerned in keeping of it, even as much as in entring into it.

The Third is, That The great designe and dutie of a Covenanter with God is, never to forget the Cove­nant, but freshly to remember it, So as to be answer­able to it in Practice.

The Fourth is, That The great mean whereby this designe is got prosecuted and this duty pe formed, is ad­hering and cleaving to God, accor [...]ing to the Cove­nant. Let us (say they) Join to the Lord in a Co­venant; In this respect, adhering to him in it is the mean to keep Covenant; So as we may never fall from it.

The First Observation then is, that The great haz­ard that a People Covonanting with God a [...]e in, is to slip and fall from their engagment to him: or There is such a Covenanting with God, as people may soon for­get and fall from: a Temporary and unsiker Cove­nanting, that holds not: A perpetuall Covenant ne­ver to be forgotten, Supposeth that there is a sort of Covenanting that slips like a knotless thread (to speak so) and abides not. This is sadly verified in the experience of many common professors of Re­ligion, and often even of the Godly themselves in a measure; Even now there will be a bargaining with God, and within a litle they will forget it: Peter saith, Though all should forsake thee, yet will not I, And yet within a very litle he is found sleep­ing, and that same night denies and forswears his [Page 276] Master: so Deut. 5. the People say, all that the Lord hath Commanded us, we will do, and the Lord saith, they have well said, O that there were such a h [...]art in them: and yet within the space of litle more then fourtie days, they set up a golden Calf for their God: So Psal. 78.34 35, 36, 37. When he slew them, then they sought him: they retu [...]ned and en­quired early after God: they remembred that God was their Rock, and the most High their Redeemer; but they did flatter him with their mouth, and lied unto him with their Tongue, for their hearts were not ri [...]ht with God, neither were they stedfast in his Covenant, they abode not by the mint and essay which they made. But I think this is beyond any need of Proof; we rather stand in need to have the impression of it made deep upon our hearts; and to go from the work we have been about with Holy fear and jeal­ousie over our selves, bespeaking our selves thus, what if this engagement, we have come under, hold not, but prove like th [...] hanging down of the head like a Bulrush for a day? Serious thoughts of this haz­ard would thorow Gods blessing, further the ex­ercise of watchfulness a great deal more; when Carnal Self-Confidence and fearlesness creep on & take hold of us, we (as it were) lay aside our Armour, foolishly fancying that there is no hazard, but that all will be well; were there more of this Holy fear, there would not be such frequent sur­prizes; have ye not often been surprized and prov­ed unstedfast in Gods Covenant? And since ye have so many and clear proofs of the truth of this Do­ctrine [Page 277] in your own sad experience, is there not the greater need of Holy fear and watchfulness?

The Second Observation is, That, Those who are sin­cere and Serious in Covenanting with God, will be no less so, in keeping of and standing to it. Where People are sound and Honest at the heart, it will be no less an up­taking work to them, how to keep Covenant, then it was to get it entered in; Therefore these here menti­oned have it as one peece of their Seriously uptaking business, how to be joined to the Lord in Covenant; and another, how to get it stood to, so as it may be a perpetual one never to be forgotten: the Same reasons that prove that there should be, or that there is Serious­ness in making & closing the Covenant, will also prove that there should be, and will be seriousness in endea­vours to keep it; for if the Person honestly mind to en­joy the Blessings Covenanted, he must and will endea­vour to keep and stand to the Covenant; If he honestly mind and sincerely desire to be in good terms with God through the Covenant, he must and will endeavour to stand to the Terms of the Covenant, and breach of Covenant will waken a Challenge. If it be a Principle of true saving Grace that puts a person to desire to be under the bond of Gods Covenant; that same Princi­ple will make him desire and endeavour to abide under that bond, and to keep faithfully to him; Thus David saith, Psal. 119. vers. 29.30. I have chosen the way of thy precepts; and I have stuck unto thy testimonies: There is a choosing of the Covenant and Testimonies, and a designe of sticking to them, when upon choice closed with.

The Use of this Point serves for Instruction: would ye fain have a mark of your honesty in Covenanting with God? Here it is, and we know no better mark or [Page 273] evidence to give you then this, even to be serious and much concerned in keeping Covenant: God will never account that man to be a true Covenanter; that will cast his law behind his back. The Apostle James Chap. 1. Speaks of two sorts of men that are bearers of the word, and be compares the one sort, viz. Forgetfull hearers, to a man, Who beholding his naturall face in a glass, goes away, and straightway forgets what manner of man he was; but the other sort are such, Who are no [...] only hearers but doers of the word: that man (saith he) shall be Blessed in his deed: It is not the sayer, but the doer and the keeper of the words of the Covenant, that is blessed: as many as Seriously engage to God, are put on (as we said before) with as much seriousness, in endeavouring the performance of their engagement, as to come under it: I speak not of a Perfect performance or fulfilling of engagements without any the least defect, that is not to be win at here: but of Serious minding and endeavouring, in the Lords strength, the Perform­ance of that which we are engaged to: For there is a great difference betwixt mens failing and slipping of infirmity, and their sinning with allowance: the former sheweth a body of Death to be yet remaining, and may consist with faithfulness in Gods Covenant: but the lat­ter speaks out a Slothful careless and negl [...]gent under­valuing of God and of his Covenant: let never such a man cloke himself with the pretext of being in Cove­nant with God, nor Palliat his palpably gross and vo­luntary breaches of Covenant, with the pretext of in­firmity, who doth not seriously drive it as his great de­signe, to be fai [...]hfull in Gods Covenant.

Now would ye know, wherein this Seriousness in keeping and Performing Covenant consists. Ye may [Page 279] take it in these Characters. The man that is Serious in performing his engagement, 1. His heart is taken up with it, and there is an ardent longing to be answerable to the Covenant that he is entered into with God; His greatest wish in all the world is, as to be in it, so to be faithfull in keeping it; therefore saith the Psalmist, Psal. 119.5. O that my wayes were directed to keep thy statuts; and this is given as a mark of the Blessed man who is undefiled in the way: and saith he vers. 6. Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy Commandments; which is a reason of the former, and a confirmation of it; he designes to be short in his obedience to no command, and he does not allow him­self in his short-coming even as to degree, but is con­stant in pursuing his designe always even unto the end. 2. Seriousness in performing appeareth, by kindly ac­knowledging the impression of the weightiness of the eye and obligation that the Covenant lays on Persons; it someway affects and burdens them, so that they walk not so lightly as others do under the obligation & debt of the Covenant; though it be a friendly debt, and also a Priviledge: Their burden is not, that they are under the obligation, but how to get it performed, thus saith the Psalmist, Psa. 56.12. Thy vows are upon me, O God: they take on vows to God, and keep them on, and walk, as being under them: this is a main thing to be looked to in keeping Covenant. 3. This seriousness in performing, appears in the fear that persons have of going wrong and Mis-carrying; they are afraid to break to God: neither are any so suspicious of them, as they are of themselves, knowing by sad experience, that their hearts are deceitful above all things: and this is a very native evidence, considering what we heard of our sick­leness, which cannot be without the impression of fear. [Page 280] 4. It appears in a Holy carefulness and diligence to pre­vent that which they fear: lest at any time they let a buckle slip (to speak so) and lest that which they fear­ed come on them, their fear puts them to diligence to prevent the thing feared: This makes them to fast and Pray, and to be watchfull over themselves in loose and untender company, and to eschew them as far as they can, and to hazard some loss, rather then to put them­selves under a snare; watching and praying lest they fall into the sin of dealing falsely in Gods Covenant. 5. It appears in the sharpness of challenges, when any thing miscarries in their hand: They are soon challenged for the very first beginnings of a breach: a wrong look will affect them: therefore faith Job, Chap. 31. I made a covenant with my eyes, why then should I look upon a maid? And the heart, while tender, will loath and scare at the least thing that hath the remotest tendency to­wards a breach, were it but the appearance of evill: Any the least guilt soon toucheth and smiteth them, not only that which is their own, but even that of others: Thus good Ezra saith, Chap. 9. Should we again break thy Commandments, and Joyn in affinity with the People of these Abominations? And he lyeth in the dust before God mourning, because of this. 6. It appears in re­spect of the exercise of a persons Faith: as It's an up­taking work and business to honest Souls, to get their Faith founded rightly in closing the Covenant with God, that they be well grounded in believing: So it is no less an uptaking and exercising work, to be improving their faith on Gods Promises, to make them forth-coming according to their engagement and for keeping Cove­nan [...]: which is the Apostles exercise, Gal. 2.20. To live by Faith on the Son of God: I am (saith he) Cruci­fied with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ [Page 281] liveth in me, and the life which I now live in the flesh, is by Faith on the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me: and try it who will, they shall find it to be an uptaking work, rightly to exercise Faith for en­tertaining of Spiritual life, and for preventing a Cove­nant breach with God. It may be, for as many Professed Covenanters as are here, that but few of you know much, if any thing at all, what it is to be taken up with being Answerable to the Covenant according to your engagements: this, no doubt, makes much unsound work, that ye do not singly and seriously designe this: that ye reach not forward, that ye bear not down the b [...]dy, and bring it under Subjection lest ye come short here. If ye were suitably serious, these Characters and evidences might be as so many directions to you: there would be much watchfulness in doing; ready entertain­ing of challenges and convictions: much hea [...]t melting under the sense of wrongs done to God: and the very appearances of evil would he scared at and appear ter­rible. There is an evil readily incident to many Profes­sours of Religion, that they would fain be at marks of a good Spirituall state and of being in Covenant with God, but such as would not disturb their carnal confi­dence, ease, and laziness, nor put them on to painful diligence: but we have no such marks to give: neither dare we for the fear of God, and because of the hazard of Souls, assigne any such; there being none such given or assigned in the word of God: nay let me tell you, that if there be not Painfull diligence and Faithfulness in keeping Covenant with G [...]d, it will darken the light of any other mark that can be given; and no doubt, it's this negligence and unfaithfulness that makes many good marks, clear in themselves, dark to many Chri­stians, while they give not diligence to make their [Page 282] calling and election sure, and give not all diligence to add one Grace to another, and one degree of Grace to another: It is also the cause of uncomfortable walking, yea of uncomfortable Communicating: but to be sin­cere & serious in owning our Covenant-engagements, and faithfully forth-coming in the Fruits thereof, and in a cor [...]espondent conversation, is a mark that will give comfort, and some quietness at least, till Comfort come: the Lord will comfortably confess such as faithfully confess him.

The Third Observation is, that It is and will be the great study of Persons really entered in Covenant with God, to have it an abiding bargain, a perpetuall Cove­nant never to be forgotten: This is their designe as well as their duty, that their Practice and walk may be suit­able to the Covenant. And it being the main thing im­plied in the words, and that which we intend to insist on: I shall in the prosecution of it, speak a litle to these three. 1. To what it is to aim to have Gods Covenant perpetual, and never to be forgotten. 2. To the reasons and the ground that there is to press this. And 3. To some motives and encouragements for exciting to it.

For the First, viz. What it is to study to have Gods Covenant Pe [...]petuall and never to be forgotten? We take it up in these particulars. First, That those enter­ed in Covenant would drive the great designe of the Co­venant; which it Summed in these Two words, To have God to be ours, and our selves to be Gods; It's even that which we have in Answer to the first question of our excellent Catechism, What is Mans chief end? To enjoy God, and to glorifie him; to enjoy him as our own God, and to glorifie him, by acknowledging our selves to be his, and by devoring our selves to his Ser­vice, as being a People formed for himself, to shew forth [Page 283] his praise; This should be vigorously driven, as the great designe of the Covenanter with G [...]d; and it would be a notable help to keep Covenant: even to live and walk, So as we may have Gods Company: for what Use serves Gods Covenant unto us, and our entering therein, if we continue as great strangers to him as be­fore? If this be not driven as our designe, we forget wherefore we Covenanted. Secondly, There would be a minding of our own obligation in the Covenant, as the condition or mean by which the end, viz. The enjoying of God, is come at; which is in a word, to be his, to walk before him, as he willeth Abraham to do. Walk before me and be thou Perfect, God himself is that which the Covenanter should Principally aim at; & walking before him is the mean appointed for com­ing at that end; in short, what ever the Covenant saith in reference to our duty; as to abandon Lusts, To be Holy in all manner of Conversation: to be watchful: to glorifie God in our Bodies and Spirits which are his, &c. Is that which we are tyed to in the Covenant, and which we would seriously drive at as our great designe. Thirdly, There be a minding and remembring of Gods engagement to us in the Covenant, which is a part of it, as well as our engagement to him; and never to be for­gotten by us: Return (saith the Lord, Jer. 3.) Back-sliding Children, and I will heal your Back-slidings: Re­turn, for I am Married to you: I will be your God and guide even unto Death: I will never leave thee nor for­sake thee, &c. And this minding and remembring of Gods part of the Covenant, is a crediting of his Promise; Many Believers mind and remember their own part of the Covenant, but forget that God is tyed to them: which is to Remember, not a Mutuall engagement, such as the Covenant bears out, but only our own Particular [Page 284] engagement, which makes us have so many failings on our side, and doth very much weaken our hands in du­tie; because we lay not the weight of our performances on God that hath Promised, who is faithful and will also do it: We will find it to be frequent and familiar to the Saints men ioned in Scripture, to mind Gods part of the Covenant as well as their own, and Particularly to David in the Book of Psalmes, who saith, Thou hast made a Covenant with thine anointed: Thou hast laid help upon one that is Mighty: art not thou from Everlasting our God? Lord remember thy Covenant, that is the Co­venant that God hath made with his People; and of [...]en else where. The great weight of a Believers life and consolation lyes here: Alace! what would our life, or our engagement be, and what would our Comfort and Hope be, without his engagement to us in the Cove­nant? And if this be not suitably minded and remem­bred it will prove but a very heartless bargain. Fourthly, It implies this, Seriously to endeavour to conform our Practice to the many great Obligations that we ly un­der to him, and which Gods offer and Covenant do on many accounts call us to. This is a short hint of what it is to keep and do the Covenant of God, and to Perform it alway even unto the end, to have his Covenant Perpe­tual, and never to be forgotten.

As for the Second. To wit, the grounds and reasons of this, and whereby it may be pressed. First. We would think of and believe the reality of Gods Cove­nant, the reality of the promises in it, and of all that is spoken of it; and would put our selves to it, if indeed we look on it as such. The truth is, it is the Language of our unbelief, that we scarcely think God to be in earnest; as if all that is spoken of this Covenant were but a cunningly devised Fable: If we really believed, [Page 285] that by his Blessed Covenant, we may be brought to enjoy God and to be made conform to his Image in Holiness: to have our vile bodies at last made conform to his Glorious Body, &c. And that as certainly we shall be possessed of such great and glorious priviledges by keeping this Covenant, as we a e certain that this world is yet standing; such a Faith would prove to us the evidence of things not seen, and the Substance of things hoped for: and would be a notable inci [...]ment and sharp Spur to Holy activitie in, and to quick dispa [...]ch of cal­led for duty: O! But it be a good and reall [...]argain, and will have wonderfull following, to all that keep it: and whether this be now Believed or not, it will be found a litle hence, that this bargain was one of the best that ever was heard tell of in the world. Secondly, We would seriously bethink our selves, what will come of it, in case there be Grosly unfaithfull dealing, and un­stedfastness in Gods Covenant. I shal only name these five things that will follow on it. 1. Much sin. 2. Much shame. 3 Much reflection on God. 4. Much wrath, and. 5. Much want of peace, and much anxiety in the Conscience, that is guilty of this sin. 1. I say, much sin: better there had never been a Covenant in your offer, and that ye had never protest your entering into Covenant with God: It's better (saith the wise man, Eccles. 5.5.) not to vow to God, then to vow and not to perform: It had been better that many of you had been crushed in your Mothers belly, or that ye had been born Turks and Pagans, and had lived and died so, then to be found among them that deal falsly in Gods Cove­nant, The grossest sins of Pagans are in some respect as no sins in comparison of this, John 15.22. 2. There will be much shame before God, even shame and con­fusion of Face, everlasting shame: they shall rise from [Page 286] the dead to shame and everlasting contempt, Dan. 12. Sinners will have much shame ere all be done, for every sin, But such as have wickedly betrayed their trust to God, and after they had made Profession of entring in Covenant with him, have dealt Perfidiously and falsly in it, will be in a manner hissed at amongst devils and reprobat Pagans, who never had such offers, neither made such Professions: and their condemnation will be acknowledged to carry eminent and conspicuous desert in it: Because such had a good bargain, and dealt treach­erously with God, and quite maried it to themselves: they have often also much shame amongst men; even here: The man (saith Christ) That hears my sayings and does them not, is like unto a foolish builder, that built his house one the sand: and elsewhere he resembles rash engagers in profest Covenanting with him, to men who sit not down to count the cost, that begin to build, and not being able to finish, expose themselves to the Mockage, Scorn and Derision of all that pass by: Such and such a man (will some be ready to say) was a great Professor, but now behold what is become of him, take him up yonder, he seemed once to have some tenderness, but now he is quite turned aside, and be­come gross and loose: Men of any Morall honesty and ingenuity will be ashamed to break their word & to vi­olat their engagements one to another in worldly mat­ters: how much greater shame is it to break to God, and to deal falsly in his Covenant? 3. It hath deep reflections upon God: for the Covenant-breaker saith on the matter, that it repents him that ever he made it, for he hath never gotten good of it, and that God hath not been faithfull in keeping to him, and that therefore he thought himself loosed from all its Obligation: Now will any of you dare to say, that the Covenant is [Page 287] not a good bargain, or that God is not a good, respon­sall and faithfull party to deal with? What iniquity have y [...]ur Fathers found in me (saith the Lord to his Professing people, Jer. 2.) that they are gone so far from me? Come (saith he Micah 6.) Before the Moun­tains, and let the Hils hear my Controversy with you, what iniquity have ye found in me? wherein have I wearied you, testifie against me. Sure, all that depart from God, rub reproach on Gods Covenant as a bad bargain, and on God as a bad and unfaithfull party to deal with: O high and horrid practical Atheisme and Blasphemy! Doubtless such will find that they have played the fools egregiously in Committing these two great evils, in for­saking God the Fountain of living waters, and in digging to themselves Cisterns, even broken Cisterns that could hold no water: O! If ye could Imagine, what ye will think of it ere long, when ye will not get a drop of wat­ter to cool your tongue, because ye said by your practice, that God was not worth the having, And to the Al­mighty, depart from us, we will have none of thee, nei­th [...]r will we have the knowledge of thy ways. 4. Much want of peace and much anxietie will follow upon it, even the penitent and converting People of God, Jer. 3.20, 21. have much bitterness on this account of Treacherous dealing in Gods Covenant: a voice of weep­ing and Lamentation is heard on the mountains, the Chil­dren of Israel saying, we have perverted our way, we have forsaken the Lord our God, how much more bitterness of another nature, how much more Smart, vexation, Anguish, Agony, and gnawing of Conscience shall im­penitent sinners have, on account of their false and Per­fidious dealing in Gods Covenant? This will make the hearts of many to quake and tremble for terror: If ye get Repentance, it will be a heart-break to you; and [Page 288] if ye get not repentance, much heart less heart-break and crushing is abiding you in the end for evermore; and O what trembling of heart, failing of eyes, and sorrow of mind may be betwixt and that! 5 Much wrath will follow on it in the day of the Lord, if it be continued in; and judge ye with [...]n your selves if there be so many aggravations of, or so many threatnings against any sin, as of and against unfaithfull, and false dealing in Gods Covenant; this sin hath made the Jews to lye, these Sixteen hundred years and above, Scattered among all Nations as a curse: Therefore make it your great designe and business [...]ow, to be Faithful to God, and to have the Covenant with him, A perpetual Co­venant, never to be forgotten.

As for the Third, viz. Some motives and encourage­ments to excite you to be Faithful in Gods Covenant and to study to have it A perpetuall Covenant never to be forgotten; consider in the First place, that it is a singu­larly good and none-such bargain to them that keep Co­venant, there is no bargain more lovely to them that keep touches with God; It's (saith dying David, 2 Sam. 23.) all my Salvation and all my desire, It hath all things in it that my heart can wish; we make a pitifull and poor life to our selves thorow our under­valuing Gods Covenant; the Believer, by improving of it, might have (as we use to speak) a Lords life, yea a Kings life, yea a life infinitly preferable to the life of all the great men, and Monarchs on earth; having all things, though Possessing nothing, as it is, 2 Cor. 6.10. and saith the Apostle, Philip. 4. I have all, I a­bound and have no lack, while, in the mean time, he was living on a litle Charity from others; we might have a good li [...]e here and hereafter: do [...]h it not exceed­ingly Commend Gods Covenant, that neither Sickness, [Page 289] Poverty, Reproach, Contempt, Persecution, nor Death it self, though violent and Bloody, can marr this ex­cellent life? when the Covenanter comes to Judge­ment, Who can lay any thing to his Charge? It is God that Justifieth, who shall condemn him? He hath a friend before him, Jesus the Mediator of the new Covenant, and is in good-terms with God; The great advantage of it in this life and in that which is to come (for godliness is great gain, having the promise of both) may abund­antly commend the Covenant and Faithfulness in it: I am perswaded, there is no suiter or wooer to court and put in for the sinners heart & affection, that can possibly out-bid Gods Covenant, can the Lust of the eye, the Lust of the flesh or the Pride of life, can Profit, Pleasure, or Preferment make such Proffers? Is there such advan­tage to be had in serving them, as there is to be had in serving God? By the one, Ye bring forth fruit unto Ho­liness and in the end reap Eternal Life; but by the other, Ye sow to the flesh, and shall of the flesh reap Corruption, a poor and hungry Harvest. Secondly, The very keep­ing of Covenant with God, is in it self an advantage? It hath a great reward in the bosom of it; for it puts the Person to love God, to delight in him, to place its happiness in him; to study. Holiness and Mortification of Sin; and is there not great advantage in these? can ye think or say, that there is any prejudice in these and such things as these, namely to be blameless in your Conversation; to be sincere and not a Hypocrite, to be serious and not Luk-warm? I am perswaded, that if ye will but put it seriously to your own Consciences, ye will be forced to say, that Sincerity in Religion is better then Hypocrisie, and stedfastness in Gods Covenant, then Treachery, and what more do we call for? And Therefore let me, on this ground, and as ye would not [Page 290] come in Tops with your own Consciences, beseech you to study Faithfulness in the Covenant: Gods Covenant hath a great advantage of the hearers of it, and of profes­sed engagers in it, even a friend in their bosoms, viz. Conscience, that will side with it, and say, that it was a good bargain, that the terms were very reason­able, & that no prejudice could come by it, but unspeak­ably much advantage; & will tell the man, that it would have been his honor and for his profit, to have keeped it and to have been faithful in it; why then, will the Lord say, didst thou deal falsly in it, and renounce it? The wretched mans Conscience will answer, that there was no shadow of reason for it, it was plain Folly and mad­ness, for to keep and do Gods Covenant and Command­ment, is Peoples wisdom before all Nations; Deut. 4. It is a sad matter, that when men may have that which is infinitly preferable to what they are so eager in seeking after: even true Riches, Pleasure and honour, Peace that pasteth all naturall understanding, Joy unspeakable and full of Glory, and every good thing, by Covenant­ing with God and by faithful dealing therein, that they should not drive this as their great designe, and make it their great work and uptaking business; O That there were such a heart in them (saith the Lord, Deut. 5.) That they might fear me and keep my Commandments al­ways, that it might be well with them, and with their Children for ever: Men are ready to say, we must pro­vide for our Families, and under that Specious pretext they shift this main work; but Ah! fools that they are; there is no way comparable to this, to provide for fami­lies and Children, even to have themselves and their Children entred into Gods Covenant and made to deal faithfully in it; this engageth him to provide for and become tutor unto the Mans Children; and is there [Page 291] not great encouragement here, to have every good thing bestowed, and all carking care and anxietie concerning our selves and Children removed? Thirdly, We would consider, that God is a singular good Party to deal with, very tender of them that aim to deal honestly with him; he is indeed severe and terrible, when he becomes the avenger of a broken Covenant; but he is most tender towards honest engagers, who sincerely endeavour to keep touches with him, he is no rigid interpreter of their actions, but is ready to put the best sense on them that they are capable of; Like as a Father (saith the Psal­mist, Psal. 103.) Pitieth his Children, so doth the Lord Pitie them that fear him; He is a father that will take litle off the hand of his Children, when he knows them to have a will to the work, when he will not deal so with others; all his wayes are mercy and truth to them that keep his Covenant and his Testimonies; It's not meant of such as keep it Perfectly; for so they needed not Mercy, but of them that honestly designe and en­deavour to keep it; and may not that encourage to be faithfull in Gods Covenant, that he is so easie to please? Fourthly, Consider, that he hath graciously stuffed his Covenant with Promises meet for the thorow-bearing of them that would fain keep Covenant: if it be an evil heart that will not love God, which troubles them, the Promise is, I will Circumcise their heart and the hearts of their seed to love the Lord their God; Whereas no others, who are without the Covenant, or deal unfaith­fully in it, can expect the performance of any such Pro­mise. If it be a back sliding heart, the Promise is, Jer. 3.22. I will heal your back-slydings: If it be the fear of departing from God that troubles them, the Promise is, Jer. 32.40. I will put my fear in their heart, that they shall not depart from me; If it be the dominion of [Page 292] sin that they fear, the Promise is, Rom. 6.14. Sin shall not have Dominion over you, for ye are not under the Law but und r Grace: that is, under the Covenant of Grace: And if it be fear of the Prevailing of Sathans Tentations that troubles them, the Promise is, The God of Peace shall bruise Sathan under your feet shortly: May we not then take heart to be faithful in this Cove­nant? Yea he hath also condescended to come under this engagement too, even to make us forth coming in the Covenant, I will call (saith the Psalmist, Psal. 57.) Upon the Lord who performeth all thing for me: It might have been said to David, how wilt thou get all done that thou hast undertaken? He answers, I will call upon him who performeth all things for me; And so I will get them all done and Performed, so as I may hope to be accepted on the Mediators account and for his sake. Fifthly, Consider the Mediator of the Cove­nant, who is surety and Cautioner not only for believers debt, But also for their duty; Therefore he is called, Heb. 7. The surety of this better Covenant; and when Christ and we are engaged in one bond, there is ground for us to expect that something will be got done, tho the principal debtor be not much worth, yet the Cauti­oner is Worthy and infinitly responsible. Sixthly, Con­sider, that there are already many, who have passed thorow the troublesome Sea of this world and have been Marvellously helped; and it's but a litle, and all you honest engagers to the Lord will be thorow the same Sea, and fairly set on Land; your warfare ere long will be at an end, the prize will be got without any more fighting: what is your fighting, sighing and walking heavily, clothed, as it were, in mourning for a litle time? It's but for a few years, and it may be to some of you not so long; and within a litle space, The [Page 293] day of refreshing from the presence of the Lord will come; a relieving of you from your post, a loosing of you from your bonds, a final discharge from your warfare will come; and a new song will be put in your mouths, and Palmes in your hands: O but faithfull dealing with God in the Covenant will have a heartsome outgate! when ye shall come ashore, all tears shall be wiped from your eyes and sorrow and sighing shall flee away: and ye shall meet with that word, O warm word! Come ye faithful Servants, enter into the joy of your Lord: ye will not al­ways fight and wrestle, neither will ye be alwayes tempted and troubled; rest and repose is a coming it's even at hand: then one ray of his Coun [...]enance will be infinitly more heartsome, refreshing and satisfieing, then all these things that ye are now called to abandon and part with, can possibly amount to: Christs first wel­come to his Fathers house will eternally banish the re­membrance of all the sad things that ye meet with in this world

The Fourth and last Observation is, that The great mean of securing a Covenanter & making him stedfast, is, Faith exercised on God, or adhering to him by Faith, by vertue of this Covenant: It is not, to lay weight on or trust to our own strength: but seeing God hath made a promise of thorow-bearing, to undertake the duties that we are called to in his strength, trusting to his Faithful­ness, and to his furnishing of us, according to the Co­venant: As, when poor sinners are Summoned to ap­pear before God, and they have no righteousness of their own, they are to step forward trusting to Christs righ­teousness: So when they are called to dutie, and they have no strength of their own to enable them to a suit­able discharge thereof, they are to consider that God is faithfull, who hath promised and who will also do it: and [Page 294] indeed Believers have found in their comfortable expe­rience, that when they have adventured on dutie with a believing look to Gods Covenanted strength, they have found it go sweetly & surprisingly well with them: Thus it is said of those worthies mentioned, Heb. 11. That through faith, they wrought Righteousness, as well as they did all other things thereby: This also is it, which the Lord inculcateth, John 15. abide in me (saith He) and ye shall bring forth much fruit: as the branch cannot bear fruit of it self, except it abide in the Vine, no more can ye, except ye abide in me, for with­out me ye can do nothing: Where it is clear, that it's not enough, that we be in Christ, but that we must a­bide in him, and have continuall dependance on him for the influences of life and strength derived from him.

Ye then that would be faithfull in Gods Covenant, & would have it Perpetuall never to be forgotten, must especially make use of this mean: make Conscience of all other appointed means; Watch and pray that ye enter not into Tentation; but see that ye neglect not this mean; which if ye do, the Watchman will watch in vain: and your grip or hold will be unsiker, if ye make not use of him to make it sure, and to keep it so. And therefore, 1. Mind seriously and constantly what ye are, in and of your selves; even fickle, fectless, weak, feeble and unconstant creatures, not daring to undertake any thing in your own strength. 2. Remember what God is; and that ye have a worthy, able and responsall Cautioner. 3. Remember that ye are engaged in a Covenant never to be forgotten: forgetting is the first rise of unfaithful­ness. 4. Remember the Promises that God hath made for your thorow-bearing, and let faith be exercised on them; Joyn with diligence and watchfulness a suitable exercise of Faith. 5. Take a serious look, every day [Page 295] when ye go to pray, of your resolutions and engage­ments, renew them frequently and seriously in his own strength; and be casting the other knot; and put the heart distinctly to say, this was my bargain, and I will through Grace abide by it; and then go and pray over it, that ye may be made faithful in your thus Covenant­ing with God, that ye may be enabled to pay your vowes and make your honest resolutions Practicable; levelling at this as your Scope and designe in all duties: I have said such a thing and have not kept my word, Lord for­give it for Christs sake: I am engaged in this and that and the other duty, Lord help me to perform. And for your furtherance in humiliation and soft walking be­fore God, look on all your sins as aggravated by this unfaithful and treacherous dealing in Gods Covenant: and on all duties, as those which your Covenant with God binds you to depend on him for strength to be Communicated to you according to the Covenant, for going about them suitably and acceptably: and within a litle while ye shall get a fair pass to be gone, and a full discharge of all that ye were trusted with according to the Covenant. And the Lord help you to be faithful, so that it may be betwixt God and you in very deed, A perpetuall Co­venant that shall not be forgotten.

ALthough we had no more to do at our meeting together in this place to day, but to Read and he [...] these same wonderful words, If our hearts were in suitable spiritual frame, knowing and considering, wh [...] we are about and doing, we would be in a Divine Ra [...] ture and Transport of Admiration at His love, a [...] kindled into a flame of Holy zeal for his glory, by then O What sweet and happy words are these from our di [...] ing Lord Jesus Christ his mouth! Eye hath not seen, e [...] hath not heard, Neither hath it entered into the heart [...] Man to conceive, what things the Lord hath prepared f [...] them that wait for him. And indeed there is a sum o [...] them in these words, they being a Compend of t [...] Testament and legacy which our Lord hath left to h [...] friends: O Sinners, be of good chear, there are goo [...] news and glad tidings of great joy here; Here is t [...] new Covenant and all that is in it, and Remission [...] sins in Particular, as the Legacy: Here is Christ, whi [...] maketh this Covenant Savoury: and it is confirmed [...] [Page 297] his Death, who is the Testator thereof, Which makes it sure: Here is Heaven and Eternall glory, and what would you have more? This is (saith he) my Blood of the New Testament Whi [...]h is shed for the Remission of the sins of many: Which holds forth the Promises, and the convey of them: the Legacy and how it comes to us: I will not (saith he) Drink of this fruit of the Vine, untill I drink it new with you in my Fathers Kingdome: There is Heaven, the heartsome up shot of all: Remission of sins comes to sinners Covenant wise, thorow Christs Blood: and by closing with Christ, and making Ap­plication of this Blood, sinners come to get Remis­sion of sins and all the benefits of the Covenant: and are brought at last to Drink the new wine of Hea­ven, and to Drink it new with Christ, even to share in his Glory, to have one feast and Glory with him: And truly if there were no more to be said, we may most confidently say, that these are wonderful glad tidings, which our blessed Lord Jesus hath left to be the great subject of the Doctrine of the Gospel, and the Scope of the Sacraments.

We shall 1. Open up the words a litle. 2. We shall draw some Doctrines from them. And then, 3. Insist in the Application.

First, Then for Explication. From the 26. vers. is set down the Institution of the Supper of the Lord: wherein we have. First, What Christ did. Secondly, What he Commands the Disciples, and us in them to do. Thirdly, He Explicats in these [Page 298] words, what he hath been doing, and Commande to be done: This is my Blood (saith he) of the Ne [...] Testament, &c. As if he had said, would you kno [...] what it is that I am doing: There was a Covena [...] made long since betwixt my Father and me, co [...] cerning the elect; wherein I condescended an [...] transacted to take on mans nature, and in that natu [...] to suffer and satisfie Divine Justice for their sin [...] & this is the Commemoration of my Satisfactio [...] according to that Covenant, and the exhibiting an [...] giving to you a confirmation of your interest in a [...] the blessings of that Covenant, whereof Remissi [...] of sins is one, and a main one: He needed, as wou [...] seem, to have said no more, but that he was goi [...] to suffer and to suffer for this cause, Even to pu [...] chase Redemption to sinners: but he will furth [...] shew his Disciples and in them all Believers in hi [...] That this came not to pass by guess, but accordi [...] to an old Covenant and Eternall transaction th [...] past betwixt Jehovah and Him: and so adds the S [...] crament to be a Commemoration and a more f [...] Confirmation thereof to Believers, of all that purchased by it and Promised in it. In the 29. ve [...] He hath two words further, one of warning, anoth [...] of encouragement: 1. One of warning, I say u [...] you, henceforth I will not drink of the F [...]uit of t [...] Vine: As if he had said, take heed what ye are d [...] ing, make this Communion very welcome, and [...] it confirm and strengthen you against the tryals th [...] are coming: for I will have no moe Communio [...] with you after this manner in this World. 2. [Page 299] word of encouragement and consolation: becau [...]e they might think and say, Alace! Lord, what will become of us, if we shall have no moe Communions with thee? Be not (saith he to them on the mat­ter) discouraged, We shall yet have more and more intimat Communion then ever we had here on earth: There is a day coming, when we shall have a sweet Communion in the Kingdom of Heaven to­gether, when we shall drink it new, when we shal have the thing signified, Even Communion with­out the intervention of Ordinances, in the full Harvest of joy in God, in his Kingdon. Then, vers. 30. As if he were going to a Triumph, He and they sing a Hymn or Psalm: Partly thereby to teach us to be chearfull: and partly to shew that singing of Psalmes is not unsuitable for this action.

To make the former words and what we are to say on them a litle more clear: We would in this Sacrament, which here the Lord Explicats, Con­sider Three or Four things. First, Christs Offer: Wherein there are Two things, viz. The outward and visible signes, the Elements: and the inward invisible thing signified by them, Which is Christs Body & Blood: In the Offer then in short, We have not only the Element, or signe, but the thing sig­nified and represented by it: Even as in the word of the Gospel, there are these Two, viz: So many words made up of Letters and Syllables, and the matter Contained in them. Secondly, Consider the receiving of Christs offer, wherein there are Two things, 1. The act of receiving the Element by the [Page 300] hand. 2. The hearts receiving what is offered in and by the Elements: Even as in hearing the word, There is the giving or lending of the ear to the voice of words, that they may be understandingly heard, and there is the receiving what is spoken, by Faith in the heart: As Christ holds forth both in his offer, so the Believer would both wayes receive, by the hand the Element should be received, and by Faith the thing signified should be received. Thirdly, Ye would consider this Application of the thing signified in a twofold respect, 1. As it holds out the entering of us into the Covenant in order to the receiving of the Pardon of sin, when the Sacra­ment is Considered complexly with the word. 2. As it Applyeth Christ and the benefits that come by him for our consolation: Christ is to be received in the former respect, before he can be received in the Letter: we must needs receive Christ in his offer, ere we can receive any benefit that comes by him: Therefore the word goes along with the Sacrament, that we may get a gripe and catch hold of Christ by the Covenant: for they that are without the Cove­nant are without Christ and all saving benefit by him: But where Christ is received, and Faith clos­eth with him as he is offered, The Soul may war­rantably make Application of him, Not only for Pardon of sin, The Particular benefit here expresly mentioned, but for all the other benefits of the Co­venant: Whereas they who have not faith, have nothing, and receive nothing: but are deeply guilty thorow their not receiving, but rather rejecting and [Page 301] despising of Christ and his benefits. Fourthly, Ye would consider this Sacrament, as it seals directly our warrant to receive Christ and his benefi [...]s, or as it seals our Ap­plication of Christ and his benefits, for it may be use­full for both, and is actually so to believers: In the First respect we offer to you a good security for your Salvation, on condition of your receiving Christ; But in the Second Respect the security is sealed simply, as baving Gods seal appended to it, to all who have re­ceived him. Thus the tree of life was a seal of the Co­venant of life by works to Adam, if be stood, but it was not a confirmation that he should have life by the Covenant, except he fulfilled that which was called for in it: So Circumcision was a Seal of the righteousness of Faith to Ishmael and other visible Church Members, as well as to Isaac, in the First Sense, that is, that the security was good; But to Isaac and Believers, It was not only a Seal or a Confirmation that the security was good; and sufficient in it self; but a Seal of Confirm­ation, that it should be good to them: Therefore in com­ing to partake of the Sacrament, We would premit al­way our closing with Christ; And then we have not on­ly Gods word and Oath, but also the Sacrament for his Seal of Confirmation of the Covenant. In a word, Christ doth offer here to all a Pledge that he will make good the Covenant; And it's the great guilt of many Professors of the Gospel, that they close not with him in his offer, so as to make use of it: Which makes them guilty of the body and Blood of the Lord: which they neither would nor could he guilty of, if this were not in their offer: but it's more to Believers, who have by Faith closed with Christ; this Seal of the Covenant accreweth to their security, who have taken Gods word and rested on it; The Believer then, is not only sure in [Page 302] this respect that he hath a good warrant to trust and lea [...] to, that is, a Sealed Covenant; but also that it will no [...] fail him in Particular, So that he may say, I know i [...] whom I have believed: And we would not divide thes [...] things that God hath so wisely and well conjoined, viz Closing with Christ and the Covenant in the right way according to the terms thereof; and taking this Se [...] of confirmation of it.

Now in the Second Place I come to give you a littl [...] view and short se [...]ies of the Gospel in several Observations from the words; that we may hast to that which we more particularly aim at, To wit, the Use of all.

First Then, Observe, That all men and women, eve [...] the Elect not excepted, are sinfull, and as such, Considered before God; So it's said, Isaiah 53.6. All we lik [...] sheep have gone astray; This is the Object of the Gospel, sinners; the Persons for whose behove Christ hat [...] made his Testament, and to whom he hath left his le­gacies, are sinners: even sinfull men and women, an [...] the more sin be in them, the more Grace shines in God [...] croosing of such, and in Christs dieing for such, and no [...] choosing nor dying for fallen Angels: It's sinners (I say) who are the Object of Christs Testament.

Secondly, Observe, That there is a grand designe lai [...] by God from eternity for the saving of many sinners, an [...] for Procuring to them Remission of sins, the fruit of th [...] ancient Counsell of the Blessed and glorious trinity. And this is it, which Christ aims at in all his Ordinances, to get sinners pardoned, and freed from the curse due to them for sin, Reconciled, Justified, Sanctified, and brought to drink the new Wine of Heaven. This is laid down by Jehovah, as the Basis and foundation, where­on he hath reared up a Magnificent and Glorious Su­perstructure [Page 303] of the Riches of his most Soveraignly free Grace, for making it to shine forth conspicuously and radiantly throughout all ages.

Thirdly, Observe, That there is a Covenant well or­dered, suited and fitted to promove this great and Glorious end and designe of saving sinners: A covenant so con­trived, as it may well suit the saving of sinners, and pro­cure unto them the Remission of sins: There is a trans­action betwixt God and the Mediator, a Surety and Cautioner is Provided to take on the debt of the elect, and to satisfie Justice to the full for all their sins: and this is one Article of the Covenant, that the Mediator should undertake thy debt, O Believer, and Satisfie for it: He was (saith Isaiah, chap. 53.) Wounded for our Transgresions, bruised for our Iniquities: the Chastis­ment of our peace was on him, and by his stripes we are healed.

Fourthly, Observe, That according to this Covenant and transaction, our blessed Lord Jesus hath really, act­ually and fully satisfied for the sins of Believers, according to his undertaking: So that, as in the Counsell of God, that great trust was put on him, and he undertook the work of sinners Redemption; So, now it is, Father I have finished the work, which thou gavest me to do: The covenant is exactly fulfilled on my part, not one Article of it is unfulfilled: all that was committed to me is now fully performed, Hence it was his last word on the Cross, it is finished.

Fifthly Observe, That by the Application of the Blood of Jesus thorow a sinners closing with him and interessing himself in him: He may and doth obtain Remission of sins, and partake of the benefit of Redemption Purchased by his Blood, even of all the benefits of the Covenant: Therefore when he hath said, This is my Blood of the [Page 304] New Testament, which is shed for the Remission of th [...] sins of many: He turns over the words [...] [...]hem, and tells them, that they shall drink the fruit of this Vine new with him in his Fathers Kingdom: As it was made sure, that Adam was to have life on the condition of per­fect obedience: so it is as sure to a sinner taking with his sin, and betaking himself to, and closing with Christ and his Satisfaction, that he shall have Pardon of sin, and all the Benefits of this Covenant, even to eternal Glory, secured to him.

Sixthly Observe, That as our Blessed Lord Jesus Christ hath Purchased this Redemption and Remission, so he is must willing, desirous, and pressing that sinners, to whom the Gospel it offered, should make use of his righteousness and of the Purchase made thereby, for this end, that they may have Remission of sins and eternal life. For not only is the security good, sufficient and sure in it self, The Testament being confirmed: But he is (to speak so with reverence) Passionatly desirous that sinner should endeavour on good ground to be sure of it in themselves: therefore he kindly puts it in a Legacy, makes serious offer of it, and strongly confirms it to all that embrace it.

Seventhly, Observe, That It is to Testifie this his wil­lingness that sinners should make use of his purchase, and lay hold on his Righteousness, on Remision of sins and life thorow him, and to promove the acceptation thereof among sinners, that he hath instituted this Ordinance of the Com­munion. Take ye, Eat ye, &c. For this is (as if he had said) the end of the institution of this Sacrament and the reason of it, even to be a signe and Seal of confirm­ation to many of the Remission of sins thorow my Blood: This was my designe in laying down my life, to get many sinners Pardoned, and this is the, end of the [Page 305] institution of this Precious ordinance of my Supper, to apply it to them, and to confirm them in the Faith of it.

Eightly, Observe, That They who would partake aright of this Sacrament for their confirmation as to the Pardon of their sins and their sharing in the rest of the benefits of Christs purchase, would first close with Christ in the Co­venant, and make that the way of their making use of this Sacrament, to confirm the bargain: Therefore is it called the Cup of the new Covenant in his Blood, this is the sine quo non, even closing with Christ in a Covenant: else the Sacrament can do no good: it's the great thing that admits sinners to have right and access to Christs pur­chase: the writing must first be Subscribed, and then Sealed; the bargain made and then confi [...]med.

Ninthly, Observe, That they who have the offer of the Gospel, and are admitted to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, would be so present, serious and every way in a posture suttable to that action, as if they were never to have the offer or occasian of another Communion. As the Lord said to Elijah the Prophet, arise, Eat, for thou hast a long Journey to go, So saith the Lord to the Disciples, and in them to us, Hence-forth I will drink no more of the fruit of the Vine, till I drink it new with you in the King­dom of my Father: Ye will get no mo Communions with me here, and therefore go rightly about this, Im­prove it well, and let a foundation be laid here of a solid standing interest in me, that ye may be ready to meet with the tryals that are coming.

Tenthly, Observe, That sinners who receive Jesus Christ on the terms he is offered in the Gospell, and take the Sacrament for a confirmation of their interest in him, and in his Pucchase, though they should never have ano­ther Communion in this world may confidently expect a joyfull one in heaven: I tell you (saith he) for your [Page 316] consolation though I drink no more of the fruit of the Vine with you here, yet the time cometh, when ye and I shall drink it new in the Kingdom of my Father.

Eleventhly, Observe, That honest Communicants sen­sible of sin, and content to take Christ on his own terms, are called to be cheerfull, and to cheer themselves in the lively hope and expectation of Heaven: And a Believer, though a sinner, that takes this way, should take his communi­on as a Seal and Pledge, confirming him in the Faith and hope of his being ere long to have an e [...]ernal and unin errupted Communion with Christ in Glory.

In these Observations Ye have a short hint of the Treasure that Believers have in Christ: and from them ye may gather, what a full Christ, a full Covenant, and good bargain ye have, who have really closed with him: ye have a most liberal and Richly boun [...]ifull Mediator, who hath put all these great things and many mo into his Testament to sinners, offered to them in the Gospel and Sealed in the Sacrament of his supper, to all them that take him and rest Satisfied with him: for which satisfaction there is all the reason in the world.

And therefore to come, in particular Application, to the Use of all: There is [...]ere good and large ground to speak a litle to these Three 1. To Bring forth to you the good news of Salvation through Christ. 2. To Ex­hort and press you to embrace and accept of them with gladness of heart, to make welcome this Faithful say­ing worthy of all acceptation, that Christ came into the world to save sinners. 3. To Comfort a [...]d solace sinners, that have betaken themselves to Christ, in the abundant consolation of this Covenant, and in the administration of it, and in the Mediator the great subject and Sub­stance of it: and seeing it may well be said here, who is [Page 307] sufficient for these things? ye would have an eye to him, who can make this Gospel to savour sweetly, and even triumph: The Commission to preach it is his; the Or­dinance and Institution is his; and if there be any ap­petite for your food amongst you, any sense of sin and desire of Communion with Blessed Jesus here, and of Communion with him in Heaven hereafter, Look, O look up to him and beseech him to Breath on his own Ordinance, and to back this word with life and power.

The First Use Then, serves to bring forth to you this day the good news of Salva [...]ion through Jesus Christ. O sinners, by this G [...]spel and Testament of Christ, and by the Administration of this Ordinance, we have good news to tell you; This is the New Testament in his Blood which is shed for the Remission of the sins of many. I shall endeavour to hold forth to you the goodness and gladness of these news and tidings in these Three: and would to God we had sensible sinners to Believe, receive and welcome them. 1. That there is a good bargain thorow Christ to be gotten by sinners. 2. That sinners, by accepting of Christ, have sufficient warrant and good security for applying to themselves and making use of this good bargain. 3. That Christ is most willing and desirous that sinners should close with this bargain, and make use of him and of his Righteousness for at [...]aining the Pardon of sin, and for making themselves happy everlastingly.

For the First; Sinners, here is a good bargain to you thorow Christ, glad tidings of great Happiness, fear not (saith the Angel to the Shepherds, Luke 2.10.11.) Behold I bring you glad tidings of great joy, which shal be to all People; for unto you it born this day in the City of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord; Yea we have these good news to preach to day, Behold to us [Page 308] hath died a Saviour, and he hath made his Testament, and hath lef [...] a most ample, Rich, comfortable and Blessed Legacy; and is not this a good & full bargain? Which will be clear if ye consider, First, The reall wo [...]th of it: is there any thing a sinner can stand in need of, but it's here, or any ill that a sinner can be under, but there is here a remedie for it? Is it the sense of sin, feat of Justice, felt Wrath, the Apprehension of Hell? Here are glad tidings, Remission of sins by the Blood of Christ, This is the one Express Article of the Testament here; We tell you, sinners there is a Saviour whose life hath gone for sin, and there is a free absolution to be had by vertue of his Blood, to all who will lay hold on it. Secondly, Ye have the Covenant to make it sure, and Remission of sins is Particularly mentioned in it for your satisfaction; Nay look what ever further is in the Covenant, and ye have it also upon your closing with Christ, according to his Divine power he hath (saith the Apostle, 2 Pet. 1.3.) given unto us all things that Pertain to life and Godliness, and vers. 4. Exceeding great and Precious Promises are given us, Promises of Justification and Sanctification; what a bundle of Pro­mises have we, Ezek. 36. I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and wash you from all your uncleanness, and from all your Idols will I cleanse you, and will cause you to walk in my statuts and do them, &c. There are Pro­mises of subducing of the Body of death, of circumcising the heart, of causing to love God, of putting his fear in the heart, of healing back slidings: These and many mo are Articles of this Testament, which as they are very comforting, so are they very frequent and abun­dant in the Covenant; This word of God is, as it were, the Index and Catalogue of them; and in effect, there is not a Promise in the word of God, but it is here. Thirdly, [Page 309] There is yet something more; and that is, the Promiser himself is left in Legacy, Which no other Testator doth; This is my Body (saith he) That was broken for you: Open your mouth wide and I will fill it: I will be thy God: That is the comprehensive Article of the Cove­nant, and the great Gift, the Gift of gifts: and we may very safely say, that as he could not swear by a greater then himself, So he could not give a greater gi [...]t then himself: would God there were suitable conceptions and apprehensions of this non-such Gift; and that he in whom the fulness of the God head dwels bodily, were looked upon as being thus in our offer, and were Cordi­ally closed with by Faith; that's a great word, which we have, Revel. 20.7. He that overcometh shall in­herit all things: and how is it performed and fulfilled? I will be his God; this is all, and without this there is nothing. Fourthly, Having this Gift, is there any thing that can be added? the Text says, Heaven: not that Heaven is more then Christ, but this is it, that Christ enjoyed in Heaven is more, then Christ enjoyed here on earth; I will drink it new with you (saith he) in my Fathers Kingdom: The floud gates are there (as it were) opened; and the heart enlarged and made capa­cious to let in the fulness of God to the filling of the Glorified Believer, even to the very brim; Therefore is Communion with Christ said to be Now in Heaven: We may have Christ here, and Believers have him; but this is an addition, when we have our husband not only in right, but have access Immediatly and most intimat­ly to converse with him, and he to converse with us: When the Queen shall be brought unto the King in Rai­ment of needle work, and tak [...]n into the Kings Palace with gladness and with joy, and the Virgins her Compani­ons with her: When there shall be a putting of unbelief [Page 310] to shame and an Eternal Banishment of it, and a Com­pleating of Believers Satisfaction: the eye of the most profoundly exercised and experienced Believers never saw, their ear never heard, neither were they ever able to conceive the thousand part of these abundant con­solations and heart ravishing joys, that shall flow from the Presence of the Lamb and of him that sitteth on the Throne, When there shall be no interveening Ordi­nances, nor Temple in that higher House, but the Lamb shall be the light thereof: and yet all this is of­fered to sinners, and put in Christs Testament to them, to the end it may be made sure. And Lastly, As all these other things do Concurr to make out the excellency of the Bargain; So doth this in a special manner; that the price is payed, that they have nothing to lay down, but may come and take all freely without money and without price.

Secondly, For furthering and strengthening the con­solation, ye would consider, that the Believer who re­ceives Christ as he is offered in the Gospel, though he be a sinner, yet he hath a most sufficient, excellent and unquestionable security for, and right unto all these good things, that our dieing Lord Jesus hath comprehended in his Testament: Believing sinners, what security would ye have? ye have Christs word, I say unto you, &c. Ye have Christs Covenant and Testament; This is the Cup of the New Testament in my Blood; and now the Testament is Confirmed and Sealed, so that nei­ther man nor Angel can annull nor alter it; Our Lords Testament being Sealed it stands legally registred in the Court Books of Heaven; and it stands legal on these terms, that a sinner who takes with his sin, disclaims his own righteousness, and betakes himself to Christs [Page 311] Righteousness, putting it in the room of his own, for his Justification before God; may be sure of Christs legacy and of Heaven: as it's sure, that Christ suffered, and Instituted this Sacrament for his Confirmation in the Faith of it; the accepting of Christ, the submitting to his righteousness, the yeelding to the Covenant, and closing with him on his own terms, gives him a right to Heaven and all the Riches contained in his Testament. To make out this, as being the very thing of the Com­fortable Application of all that hath been said, and of what we are further to say; I shall offer these four grounds; The First whereof is, some clear Scriptures, that hold forth so much, viz. That as really they shall have life who rake Christ and his offer, and close with him; as he really suffered and Satisfied the Justice of God for their sins. The First of these Scriptures is Heb. 7.25. Wherefore he is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him; He is an able Saviour, able to the uttermost, and there is not a point of Latitude, longitude or altitude beyond the uttermost; He is able to save them all, and what all? All that will come and make use of him, and give him the credit of his Offices; all that will come unto God by him. A Second is, Rom. 5 20. Where the Apostle out-reasons sin, for holding forth the triumph of free-Grace; Where sin abounded (saith he) Grace did much more abound; That as sin hath reigned unto death, Even so (and indeed it is an excellent So) might Grace Reigne through Righteous­ness unto Eternal Life by Jesus Christ our Lord: though we would endeavour to our utmost to unfold these words, we could not unfold all that is infolded in them; did sin make sinners lyable to death, and Triumph over them? So Grace hath erected a Throne, by Christs Righteousness, not by inherent Holiness, and hath [Page 312] Triumphed over sin: the way how Grace gives out its orders and obtains its end, Is not by our Righteousness, but by the Righteousness of Christ, through Faith in him; Justice (to speak with reverence) is off the Throne, and Grace orders and sways all, in making Application of Christs Purchased Righteousness to be­lievers. The Third Scripture is Acts 13.38. Be it known unto you, therefore, Men and Breth [...]en, that through this man is preached unto you the forgivenness of sins; and vers. 26. To you is the word of this Salvation sent; O glad tidings to the greatest sinners! Thorow the man Christ is Preached to you Remission of sins, and by him all that Believe are justified from all things from which ye could not be Justified by the Law of Moses. What are ye owing? Or what can the Law, Justice or Satan claime? ye are Justified from all these things: and when he speaks thus to despisers with a Be it known unto you, That the offer is made to them, we may on good ground turn it over to you, and say, Be it known unto you, that thorow Christ Jesus, ye may have Remission of sins, and be Justified from all things from which ye could not be Justified by the Law of Moses, According to the terms of the Covenant: Let your libell be as long as it will; Grace is on the Throne and will receive you. Secondly, Consider, that the great designe which the Lord drives in the business of Redemption and publish­ing of it in the Gospel, Is, that Remission of sins and 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 [Page 313] 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 [Page 314] that are on their way thither ward; But they are so many wi [...]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 [Page 315] 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 [Page 316] 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 Proclaim liberty to the Captives, to give to them that mourn beauty for Ashes, the Oyl of joy for Mourning, and the Garment of Praise for the Spirit of Heaviness; and this is called the Proclaiming of the acceptable year of the Lord: Wherein all the three Persons of the Blessed Trinity concurr, as is clear, vers. 1. Consider, Secondly, All his Offices, and ye will find that they Preach and Proclaim the same thing; his Name is Jesus because He saves his People from their sins: He is King, Priest and Prophet for this end: and what saith his Preaching and Corrospondent Prayer, John 17. Father I will, that they whom thou hast given me, be with me, but that he would fain have them there? And what shall I say? Is there any proof of it, that can be given beyond His Death? I lay down my life (saith he) for my sheep; The Salvation of lost Elect sinners went very near his heart; Therefore, when none in Heaven nor on earth can help, then saith he, Lo I come to do thy will, O my God. Thirdly, Consider, with what Pleasure and delight he went about the work of Redemption; As is very clear in that 40th. Psalm, where he heartsomly saith, Lo I come, I delight to do [Page 317] thy will: I even hasten to undertake it; And when he is come, he saith, John 4.34. It is my meat, to do the will of him that sent me and to finish his work: and what work was that? Even to lay down his Life, to gather the lost sheep of the house of Israel; to take away the seud that was betwixt God and them, and to Reconcile them to him: and when it cometh to the very push of actuall laying down his life; He will not open his month to divert it: though he might have commanded more then twelve Legions of Angels, yet he would not do it: for this cause (saith he) Came I into this World. Fourthely, Consider the end of all the Ordinances; wherefore are they instituted? what saith the word, but that Thorow this man is preached unto you forgiveness of sins? What say Ministers, but that We are Ambassadours in Christ, stead, beseching you to be Reconciled unto God? Which evidenceth Plainly, that Christ would fain (to speak so) have peace made betwixt God and sinners, and them saved: and what saith the Sacrament, but even the words of the Text? This is the new Covenant in my Blood shed for the Remission of the sins of many: And can we think on the end of these Ordinances, but we must also think on Christs willingness, that sinners should make Application of him and of his Purchase? Fifthly, Consider further, How he esteems of a sinners coming to him, There is (saith he) Joy in Heaven at the Conversion of a sinner: We may say, that it is the gladness of his heart, when any sinner cometh home to him: Therefore it is said, that the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand, and he shall see of the travel of his soul and be Satisfied, Isaiah 53.10, 11. It is Satis­faction to him for all the Travel of his Soul, to see sin­ners coming in and getting good of him: and in the Song. He is said to feed in the Gardens and to be gathering [Page 318] lilies; Yea, that the day of Souls being espoused to him, is the day of the gladness of his heart. Sixthly, Consider, how weighted (to speak so with reverence to him) our Lord is, when sinners will not make use of him, it's accounted by him, as it were; an affronting of him, Even a troading of the Blood of the Covenant under foot, and an accounting of it to be an unholy thing, a sort and degree of doing despight to the Spirit of Grace: He who could look sometimes on the wrath of God and not shed a tear; yet, when he came to Jerusalem, weeped over it: And upon the other hand, O! what compla­cency hath he in a sinners coming home to him, which makes him sweetly smile and rejoice. Seventhly, Con­sider his exceeding great forbearance toward sinners, while they are straying, and his exceeding heartie wel­coming of them, when they return. Let an inquest (to say so) be led on his Procedure with all the hearers of the Gospel, that are here on earth, and with all that are in Heaven and hell, and all of them will be constrained to subscribe to the truth of this, that he is full of long-suffering: Doth he not spare even the vessels of wrath fitted to distruction? And doth He not, only spare his own, but Pity them as a Father pitieth his Children? And that wonderfull wescom of the Father to his Pro­digal Son is nothing to Christs welcoming of a repent­ing sinner, being but a dark Resemblance of it; He casts not up to him his bygone faults, Neither sayes, what is this you have done, miserable wretch? No such word; but This is my Son that was dead, and is alive, that was lost and now is found: Believe it, O Believe it, (which is the very scope of the Parable) Our Lord Jesus is as glad in a Holy way at a sinners coming home. Eightly, Consider, how easie our Lord is to be pleased with any honest mint or essay that is made of returning [Page 319] to him; He is so very willing, that a sinner make Ap­plication of his Righteousness, that where there is reali­ty, he will (as it were) take half a Faith for Faith, were it even, but like a Smoking flax or bruised Reed, or a grain of mustard seed; He will take a sincere resolution to confess, for the confession of sin; which is clear, Psalm 32. I said (saith David) I will confess my Transgression, and thou forgav [...]st the Iniquity of my sin: If he had proposed the offer of life on such terms, as would have wearied us all our dayes, we ought to have Judged him willing that we should partake of it, for it cost him very dear; But when it is not Abrahams Faith only, but any Faith how weak so ever, if sound, that he graciously accepts; How doth it set forth his great willingness? Him that cometh to me (saith he) I will in no wise cast out; The word is doubled in the Original I will not, Not, to shew the holy passionat­ness of our Lords desire, and his exceeding great willing­ness to have sinners closing with him; So Isaiah 45. Salvation is promised even to a Look, look unto me all the ends of the Earth and be Saved; and if sinners can­not well look, think but honestly and let their heart yeeld and it shall be a bargain; He that is athirst let him come, Revel. 22. And if there be scarce the pain of Hunger or Thirst, The Spirit and the Bride say come, and whosoever will, let him come and take of the Water of Life freely; And this willingness is nothing else, but the thought and desire of an heart consenting to accept of his offer: Or if this be not litle enough, there is less yet, Psalm. 37.7. Rest in the Lord, the word (as it is on the Margent and Psal. 62.1.) is, be 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 [Page 320] against it, or give a silent quiet answer, or by way [...] Approbation, and Acceptation, keep silence; and [...] shall be accep [...]ed: O wonderfull stooping! Doth n [...] this declare and manifestly Preach the exceeding gre [...] willingness, that our sweet Lord Jesus hath to Communicat and apply his purchase to sinners? Ninthl [...] Consider the Persons on whom he confers the offer, a [...] the manner how he Prosecuts it; and it may yet furth [...] 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 Blin [...] 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 Gosp [...] 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, Ca [...] 3.10. And giveth stilts or crutches of Grace to unde [...] prop, and Eagles wings to carry them: If thou be [...] confused body, and worst not what to do, it bids, ca [...] the Blind; If thou be Poor, Blind, Miserable, Wret [...] ed and Naked: and yet having conceited and fa [...]ci [...] 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, w [...] are so loathsome to Christ, that He threatens to spe [...] them out of his mouth: And yet to such, even to suc [...] he saith, I counsell thee to buy of me, &c. And if the be invited, who can exempt or exclude themselv [...] from the offer or bargain? Do not these things mo [...] Convincingly and Irrefragably demonstrat his willin [...] ness? When there is not a sinner that is either Poo [...] proud, vain, Hypocritical, &c. But he is included [...] the call of the Gospel? Tenthly, Consider his urgen [...] [Page 321] and pressingn [...]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 stretch­e [...] 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 w [...]ll ye die? Luke 14.23. Go to the high wayes and compell them to come in. 1 John 3.23. This is his Com [...]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 [Page 322] 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 forth­coming 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 [Page 323] receive him, let me beseech and obtest you, as ye would not be found guilty of treading this blood of th [...] Covenant under foot, and as ye would not for ev [...]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 g [...]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. S [...]condly, Tell me what is it that ye would be at? Is it Remission of sins? It's here: would ye have the [Page 324] 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 [Page 325] 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 [...]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, [Page 327] 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? care ye for Remis­sion of sins? Or care ye for the enjoying of God? If ye do, then sure, it is unspeakably of your concernment to consider and close with the call & offer of this Gos­pel: And if there be any of you, that have loved your Idols, and after them will go, I would desire you in so­berness to say to it, will ye prefer any Idol to Christ, the Creature to the Creator, the temporal finfull being of your body to the Eternall well-being of both Soul and Body? If ye will, then be sure, that this Conviction, in your Judgement and Conscience, will go along with [Page 328] such a cursed Resolution, that Christ and Heaven were the absolutly best Bargain.

The Third Use Serves to Cheer and Solace sinners, that have betaken themselves to Christ, O All ye who are glad to hear tell of such a Saviour, and whose heart is even now content to take him & to Renounce all Idol [...] for his sake: We have, First; Remission of sins, No [...] only to offer, but even to proclaim freely to you; H [...] that believes is past from death to life, and shall not com [...] into condemnation: There is no Condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, bu [...] after the Spirit, as it is Rom. 8.1. If ye say, what wil [...] become of the sins that we are now under the guilt of? I answer, they shall be freely forgiven: in those daye [...] and at that time (saith the Lord by the Prophet Jeremy Chap. 50.20.) The Iniquity of Israel shall be sought for and there shall be none, and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found: for I will Pardon them whom I reserve: When all the books shall be cast open, there shall be nothing found to Charge upon a Believing Elect, It's God that justifieth, who shall condemn? sin as Pardoned to you it was to Abraham and to David: and Heaven is made as sure to you, as it was to them, who are now in it: ye have the same Surety, the same Saviour, the same Covenant. Secondly, What Pro­mise would ye have? I know ye need many; but is [...]here any of all the Promises that is not in the Cove­nant? Yea, ye have the Covenant and Christ both, for He is given for a Covenant to you, All things are yours, (as it is, 1 Cor. 3.) Whether Paul or Apollos or Ce­phas, or the world, or Life or Death, or things present or things to come, all are yours, and ye are Christs; Ye have a title and right to all the Promises, and may com­fort your selves in the assured hope of the Performance [Page 329] of them: O! That many were in capacity to receive this consolation. Thirdly, There may be a wearisome time here, and who knows what tryals and Scatterings may overtake you, What times may go over you, ere ye get another Communion? It were best then, that ye who seriously mind to cleave to Christ and his Cove­nant, were making for them: and therefore lay up this Consolation, O Believers, Comfort your selves in this Blessed bargain, ye have Christ and Remission of sins, take the Sacrament as a Seal thereof: There is a day coming, when ye will drink it new in the Kingdom of Heaven; O cheer your selves in the hope of it, and for the time in this Resemblance of it, when ye see a poor man personating our Lord Jesus Christ, and by his war­rant offering him to you: The day is coming when there shall be no Resemblance, no Temple, no Ministers, no Ordinances, no Sacrament: but ye shal drink of that new wine, the grapes whereof grow on Christ Jesus the Tree of Life in the midst of the Paradise of God, Even the wine of the Consolation of Glory, that will keep you in a continuall Holy Ravishment, when all fears shall be wiped away, and ye shall have fully Satisfying Bles­sedness in the Immediat vision and fruition of God: And since it is so, Let the joy of the Lord be your strength: There shall not a Believer come to the Lords Table this day, but there is a day coming when he and she shall drink it new, without interruption Eternally, in the Kingdome of Heaven: Father (saith Christ, John 17.) I will, that these whom thou hast given me, may be with me, where I am, to Behold my Glory: and again, the Glory which thou gavest me I have given them: and saith he, Revel. 3.12. I will write upon him my new Name, and the Name of the City of my God, &c. That is, the Communication and Participation of the Glory [Page 330] of the head, as the Members are Capable. Labour, O Labour to have your Appetits Sharpened and your longing desires quickened to taste of this new wine: It will be fresh, strong and sweet there: And seeing the Lord allows you such consolation, take it, and take the Sacrament as a Pledge of it: and think with thy self. O Believer in Christ, what shall I, sinfull and unworthy I, ere long sit with Christ at his Table in Glory? and is this a signe and Representation of it under a vail? What manner of Person ought I to be in all Holy Conver­sation and Godliness? ought I not to love him much, and to continue with him in all his Tentations. The King­dom will Superabundantly make up all: The very fi [...]st draught of this new Wine will make sighing and So [...] ­row for ever to flee away: Let your Souls be comfort­ed in what ye have, and in the expectation of what is coming. There are great things coming; ye have a Rich and liberall, a free and frank bestower, and notably good Security. Come therefore all of you to the due use-making of the Covenant and of the Sacrament in re­ference to this end. And the Lord himself, that calls you, enable you to come aright, that it may be a closed, Sealed, and confirmed bargain betwixt him and you this day, that ye may have ground to say, This is the day which the Lord hath made, we will be glad and rejoyce in it,

OUr Blessed Lord Jesus is now near taking leave of his Apostles, and preparing them for the storm they were to meet with; and for the consolation of them and of all his followers to the end of the World, He instituteth this Ordinance of the Communion, to be His Love-token in His absence; that all his People might be confident of his respect to them, as well as to those then Present; and that all of them might thereby be put and kept in the Remembrance of him, till his coming again.

He hath given them a Massie and marrowy Sum of the Gospel in the words immediatly Preceeding; This Cup (saith he) is my Blood of the New Testament shed for the Remission of the sins of many; To which he sub­joyns, partly for warning, partly for Consolation, these now read, But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of the fruit of the Vine, till I drink it new with you in my Fathers Kingdom: as if he had said, though now we be [Page 332] sitting here at the Communion-Table heartsomely to­gether, I tell you, that I and ye will have no mo Com­munions here on earth; The particle But is to give them a watch-word; and yet according to his blessed manner and wont, he hath the best word hindmost, and tells them glad news on the back of it; For they might say, Wo's us, sweet Master, will we never meet again at a Communion? think not so, saith he; we shall yet meet again and have a sweet Communion in Heaven: This then is a very heartsome dismiss: though he sends them away, advertising them of a storm coming, and though they knew not well what was before them; yet he heartens and encourages them with a Promise, that they shall have this Wine new, or the thing signified by it, with a far other relish, in Glory: and that then he and they should have good days of it: I shall say no more to the exposition, scope, or Division of the words. Take this one Doctrine from them, and then a few things on the Connexion, for Use.

The great Doctrine, Then, implyed is this, That Be­lievers will have a sweet Communion in Christs Fathers Kingdom, in Heaven. This is Expresly in the Text, and confirmed by other Scriptures, as namely, Luke 22.29. Ye are they that have continued with me in my Temp­tations, and I appoint unto you a Kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me: That ye may eat and Drink at my Table in my Kingdom: This is that Communion, even a partaking of Christs Glory in his Fathers King­dom, and with him in it; and John 17. vers. 22. The Glory which thou gavest me I have given them; and vers. 24. Father I will that they whom thou hast given me may be with me to Behold my Glory, which thou hast given me; which words set forth, not only the certainty of the thing; a glorious place and day, and the excel­lency [Page 333] of the Feast, but also a sort of Peremptoriness in reference thereto, Father I will, saith he: when he Prayed, that the Cup might depart from him, he does it Conditionally and with submission; but when he prayes for Communion in Glory to him and his follow­ers, there is no Submission (to speak so) because it was according to the Covenant of Redemption, and therefore he is absolut and Holily peremptory in it, And the Father hears him alwayes: So in the Epistles written to the seven Churches of Asia, Rev. 2. and 3. It is Promised by our Lord, to him that overcometh, that he will give him the hidden Manna, the white stone, and New Name; to sit with him on his Throne: Let all Believers on earth be gathered together, they cannot tell what this is, what a Manna what a Communion this will be; it quite transcends all experience, all expression and conception: Only in the Text 'its called, 1. Wine, which is a very cordiall thing, 'tis Meat indeed and Drink in­deed. 2. It's called new Wine; we taste of it here, but it's new and hath another relish there. 3. 'Tis in a sweet place, not in any Earthly house or upper Cham­ber, not in a material Temple made with hands, but in Christs Fathers Kingdom, that new Jerusalem, that Tabernacle of God, where God dwelleth with Angels and Glorified Saints; the City paved with pure Gold; the Gates whereof are Pearl; the foundations of the Wall whereof are garnished with all manner of Precious stones; which hath no Sun, but the Glory of God and of the Lamb is the light thereof. O Believers, who have some of you, but Cot-houses, smoky holes here, ye shall have Man­sions of Glory there, admirably good accomodation: it is with excellent & non such company, even with Christ; For he says, that He will drink this wine new with us in his Fathers Kingdom. It's a great matter to get leave to [Page 334] sit down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, David and the Prophets Elijah, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, and the rest of them; with John the Baptist, with Paul, John, Peter, and the other Apostles, and with the whole Congregation of the first-born; but it's more, to drink the new wine with Christ himself, in heaven, who is (to say so) the very heart of Heaven. This Communi­on hath in it these Five notable qualifications. First, It's immediat: all our Communion here is mediat, Or­dinances and Ministers interveen and come betwixt us and him; and there is need of Faith in order to it; but in that Communion above, there is no intermediat mean, there we shall see his face, as it's said, Rev. 22.4. There, is no Temple, no Ministers, no Preaching, no light of candle or Sun there, but the Lamb and the Lord God who enlightens it; the Tabernacle of Ordi­nances will then be taken down, every thing which is in part will be done away, when that which is perfect is come: The Lord shall feed, and the Lamb shall lead us by these living waters. Secondly, There is in it a sharing of the same Glory with the Mediator, He and we shall drink of one Cup, sit at one Table, and sit on one Throne, Rev. 3.21. We shall partake of Christs Glory: I will (saith he) John 17.24. that they Be­hold my Glory; there we get eminently The new Name and the Name of the City of Christs God, Rev. 3. there his Name will be in our fore-heads, Rev. 22.4. And our vile bodies will be made conformable to Christs Glori­ous Body. Phil. 3.21. Our spirits will be made pure as he is pure; when we shall be raised in incorruption, we shall bear the Image of the Heavenly Adam, and our bodies shall be made Spiritual: It cannot be told what this will be, to be made Partakers of Christs Glo­ry, when the fulness of the God head shall be Commu­nicated [Page 335] to us Ojectively, and when God shall be all in all. Thirdly, It's a Communion satisfieing compleat­ly; If Christs Communion be full, ours shall be full; in this Communion none shall complain of desertion, none shall desire more of the Spirit, or more consola­tion; for it shall be full; then shall we Satisfieingly know the love of Christ that passeth knowledge, and be filled with all the fulness of God; this water of Life will Satisfie to the full the greatest thirst of such as long for Christ; there shall not be (to speak so) an emp­ty Corner in the most capacious Soul; thou Poor hung­ry and thirsty, Empty and indigent Believing Soul shalt then be full and keeped full (according to Creature capacity) to the very Brim; and thy heart that is now narrow and straitned, shall be widened end enla ged then, to take in this sweet and Satisfieing: there shall not be one vessel in Glory, but it shall be filled brim­full with the new Wine of these strong 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, [Page 336] 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 [Page 337] 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 G [...]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 [Page 338] and eternal Communion in Heaven, that shall new end. Need ye to be confirmed in the truth of this? hi [...] word may serve you, and ye have the Sacrament besid [...] he hath left his word to hearten poor Believers und [...] all their inward and outward troubles, under their Sp [...] ritual maladies and bodily sicknesses and infirmities, a [...] to assure them for their comfort that there is a go [...] life coming and be hath given the Sacrament as a pledg [...] of it: will ye then consider seriously, whether this wo [...] belong to you, and if ye may with his allowance hea [...] ten your selves from it, that there is a day coming th [...] ye shall get Communion with Christ in Heaven: H [...] doth not mean, that all that get the Sacrament get th [...] Communion, For Judas, who not unprobably got th [...] Sacrament, is excluded. Would ye know then, wh [...] have been honest Communicants to day, that may expect this Heavenly Communion? And me thinks, tha [...] every one of you, that hath any serious concern for yo [...] Souls, will be roused here, and greedily longing fo [...] marks and evidences of that. But if any of you woul [...] be at evidences to make you secure, I declare I hav [...] none such to give you: But I shall hint at Two or Three which may be as directions in duty to you who min [...] honestly: The First whereof is, Luke 22.29. Ye ar [...] they that have continued with me in my Temptation, an [...] I appoint unto you a Kingdom: here it is clear, that the [...] Two go together, viz. Continuing with Christ in hi [...] temptations, and Coming to his Kingdom: In a wor [...] it is not to be religious for the fashion, but in earnest: is not to be Religious for a day or two, or in som [...] trials only, but to continue in it, and with him in h [...] Temptations, what ever they be: Not only to be R [...] ligious, when religion is countenanced, but when it discountenanced, and persecution is met with for it [Page 339] sake, and when there are many snares and temptations to draw you away; 'tis 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 it, and lay your account with it) and ye be ready to laugh and give in your taunt, gybe, and mock with the Prophane, against the power of Godliness and the Godly, away with your Religion, it is not a continuing with Christ in his Temptations: This ma [...]k puts you to work (and such marks are saf­est,) To him that over cometh, is a word often repeated, Rev. 2. and 3. and set always before the Promise of Glory and Communion with Christ in Heaven: On such and on such only will Christ write his new Name, and set them on His Throne. A Second Mark is, Ye that do indeed keep Communion with Christ here and war a­gainst your lusts, without any allowed peace, truce or cessation of Armes, till ye get them brought down, rout­ed and ruined by an entire victory, shall partake of this Communion in Glory: If ye do not delibera [...]ly give up with Christ to keep company with Idols, ye may have hope: but the unbelieving and fearfull, that cannot endure to look a Lust nor a tryall for Christ in the face: and who, it may be, are just now wearying of such a day and Sermon, and it is even as a prison to them to be restrained so long from worldly businesses and pleasures, are utterly excluded from all hope, while they remain such Serious Souls will, belike, here say, we are fighting, but we come not speed; I Answer, Let not that dis­courage you, if there be hope to come speed in end; continue in the fight, and you shall come speed; Christ is thy Captain and a Captain of Salvation, at whose back none fell, so as not to arise. A Third Mark is, John [Page 340] 17.6.7.8. Where Christ is Praying for the Disciples that they may be admitted to this Communion, an [...] saith he, I gave them the words which thou gavest me and they have received them; The Believer receive [...] Christs words and keeps them, and makes exception against none of them; when he takes one word, he cast not at another; he takes not one piece of the Covenant of Grace and rejects another; but universally he approves and accepts of all Christs words, and more pa [...] ticularly, and in a speciall manner, of the Command o [...] believing; Thus speaks the Psalmist, Psal. 119.128 I esteem all thy Commandments concerning all things t [...] be right; So saith Christ of the Disciples, I have given them thy words and they have received them; and particularly (as if he had said) I proposed a special suit to them, that they would be friends with thee, and be re­conciled to thee through Faith in me; and they received that word, Therefore Glorifie them. Ye may Possibly think these marks difficult, but would you have a Re­ligion that will put you to no pains? Such marks are high and hard indeed to flesh and Blood, and to you [...] lusts; but what loss is in mortifying these? Is it any prejudice to you to receive Christs words and to keep them, and to follow him in his temptations, when an hundred fold more then ye can lose is to be gotten by so doing? And therefore we declare to you from the word of the Lord, if ye resolve not to live, as having on yo [...] the wedding garment, we cannot say that ye shall ea [...] and drink with Christ at his Table in his Kingdom.

In the Next place, According to the Method Proposed, Ye would consider the Connexion, and how thi [...] Purpose comes in; even thus, as if the Lord had said ye have now an excellent Communion-day; but ye and I will have no more together in this World; whence, [Page 341] Observe, that the best Communion day that Gods People have here hath a BUT in it, or something that makes it appear defective; Only in that Communion in Hea­ven there in no But, no defect: And it implyes. First, His saying to them, ye have now been at the Commu­nion, but ere long ye shall meet with Temptation and trouble; and as he said, so within a very litle it came to pass. So may I say, we are here now, but do we know how soon a temptation may assault and prevail? The Tempter is waiting on and hath, it is like, given in his Petition for a Permission to essay such and such a per­son, by some suitable Temptation, ere to morrow; and he offers, it may be, to make his Hypocrisy to be dis­covered: and it will be a sad Matter, if any of you stum­ble and be overtaken with the temptation. Secondly, It looks to the scattering that was coming; we will not (as if we had said) be all together at the Communion again; For it is written, I will smite the shepherd and the Sheep shall be scattered. It is more then Probable that we shall not all drink and eat at one Table again; are there not some both Ministers and People dead and gone since the last Communion? And ye may want some of both, ere ye get another: and may there not some sad diversion, trouble or Confusion arise, to the offending of some and laying of them aside? Nay, some may be offended at these same Ordinances: Sathan hath many ways to break in upon us: nay let me tell you, that a cloud of persecution may come and cover us, that we shall not dare to come, or may scruple to come to such an Ordinance, though we be now datted and (as it were) Dandled on his knee. Thirdly, It may look to their being deprived of Christs company and bodily presence. And who knoweth, but there may be a cloud of desertion on Ordinances, and a vailing of Christs [Page 342] presence? I forewarn you that it is to be seared; which sayes, we should keep him well while we have him, and not stir him up till he please, as the Brides frequent desire and resolution is in the Song. Fourthly, It may look to death that is coming, and will put an end to all Communions here: after which there will be no moe Communions on Earth. And indeed, it is suitable, that ye were now bethinking your selves, what if we never get another? Ought we not then to feed well on this? If any thing have been amiss or wanting, Labour to get it made up: O Believers in Christ, take hom a Seal­ed Covenant with you, and read it over and over again: If any defect hath been on your part, write it yet in: for if any blank be, 'tis certainly on our side and not on Christs: and indeed, 'tis Gods great mercy, that a Seal of his Covenant may be usefull a long time after it is gotten: slighted Baptisms and abused Communions may be yet usefull, if we could make the right use of them: and I do not question but this Communion did the Disciples more good after Christ was gone from them, then it did now when he was with them at Table. Fifthly, It may look to Eternity. Now we are living men and women on Earth but within a litle, we will be gone, & our place will know us no more; very probably, within Twentie, Thirty, Fourty or Fifty years, we shall be either drinking of this new Wine in Heaven above, or of that Cup of the unmixed Wine of the wrath of God, having no rest day nor night. O Profane Atheist, unbe­liever, hollow hearted Hypocrite, and slighter of Christ all thy dayes, what a bitter draught will that be, when God shall put into thy hand the Cup of his I [...]dignati­on? which shall be for ever poured out unto thee, and shall never come from thy head. O drunkard, tippler, and belly God, be think thy self, how that draught will [Page 343] go down with thee: The Lord with his one foot on Earth and the other on the Sea, with an uplifted hand to Hea­ven, hath Sworn, that within a litle, time shal be no more. Ye that are young People may, if ye will, fol­low the sight of your eyes and the way of your own hearts, and may take you Pleasure in the dayes of your youth, but know and remember that God will bring you to Judgement: Your time is wearing away, and ye will wear away: 'tis but a litle, and ye will hear no moe Preachings, and get no moe warnings. O take them in time, if ye be wise, and the Lord perswade you so to do.

In the Third place, The scope both of the advertis­ment and consolation is observable, when he was giving them the Cup and told them, that 'tis the Cup of the new Testament in his blood, He subjoins, but I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth, &c. This he doth, First, because he would send them away advertised and assur­ed, that There is a father Ben (to speak so) a more inward room in Religion, then the most lively and com­fortable Ordinance here on earth doth afford: a higher & more intense spiritual Practice, then any outward part of Religion: He would have them to go away think­ing with themselves, that all is not done that may be done, that all is not win at, which may be had, that they are not yet Holy enough nor happy enough. O place not, for Christs sake, Place not your Religion here, I was at the Sacrament, or I got my Communion: Wo to that empty sound, and to them who lean all their weight on it: ye may come and abide here for a time, and go away leaving the marrow of the matter behind you: all is not yet done. A Second Reason is, Because he would have them parting and going from the Com­munion wi [...]h some thoughts of death, of their approach­ing [Page 344] change and passing out of time, and of Eternity its quickly Marching upon them: And indeed, it were good going from the Communion, and from every other Ordi­nance, with such thoughts as these, Death is fast coming on me, and I will be soon gone, (saith our Lord on the matter to the Disciples) and ye will ere long fol­low me, and it is not these Ordinances that will be your life in Eternity: It were good that we came to the Lord [...] Table, to Preaching and Prayer, and went away as die­ing Men and Women: this would lay much of our Pride, deaden us to the world, and make us endeavou [...] to hold a loose gripe of all things in it, and would kee [...] us under the kindly sense of the changeableness, uncer­tainty and short continuance of them all: and might be of more use and worth to us, then Twen [...]ie thanksgiving Sermons: Labour then to go from every Ordi­nance, as if ye were not to enjoy another. A Third Rea­son may be, that our Lord would lead in his followers [...] look after some stamp of Heaven, and of the Glorious Communion that is a coming, on their Spirits, and would have them going from the Ordinances with such thoughts. Alace! we have very few such thoughts, Our conver­sation is very litle or not at all in Heaven: Believers, think and think often, that these rags will be rent off us, and we shall be set down on the Throne with Christ in that Rayment of needle work. It is a good token, whe [...] a person goes from a Cummunion, from Preaching and Prayer, more Divine and Heavenly, making every Ordinance the step of a stair (as it were) to ascend upward, having a high esteem of Heaven, and a hea [...] Holily eager and bent on it, content, nay desirous [...] be gone, when ever He shall see it meet: and till the [...] putting on and keeping on the whole armour of God making for one assault of temptation af [...]er another [Page 345] Heavenly in his whole walk, in his actions words and thoughts. As ye would not, O Believers, interrupt your Communion with God in Christ, study to be Heavenly in your Conversation: for saith the Apostle, Phil. 3.20. Our Conversation is in Heaven, from whence we look for the Saviour: Lay aside (as if be had said) your earthly mindedness, away with that; and be Heavenly in your conversation; for our Con­versation is such; and Believers are described to be such as Love Christs appearing. A Fourth Reason May be, that our Lord would hearten & Comfort his Disciples and send them away refreshed; Yea it is, to Root out their unbelief, and to arm them against approaching tryals: So then, First. our Lord Jesus Allows Be­lievers to go from the Communion, and proportionally, from every Ordinance rightly come to, cheerfull and Comforted; and therefore he leaves them with this word, telling them that they will have hard and sad days; but withall bids them cheer themselves in the assured expectation of a day coming, when He and they shall drink the Wine new in Heaven: Our Lord would have Believers humble, thinking on Death and making ready for it dayly; yet be would not have them tortured with the thoughts of it, but cheerfull, as having his joy for their strength; though he would not have their joy carnal, but Heavenly: And it is the Token of a right Communicant and of a good hearer of the word, when a Person goes away from it more Spiritually cheered and more Heavenly minded. Secondly, There is nothing that can be more heartsome, cheering and re­freshing to the Believer, then the lively hope of Communi­on and of a seat on the Throne, in Heaven with Christ; and it is the mark and Character of a believer, to have no lower designe. Alace! for the sensless way of hearing [Page 346] the word and of Communicating customary to many, who have no other nor higher designe, then to partake of the outward Ordinance: 'tis a heart some thing to go from the Table of the Lord with this sweet and Heavenly Meditation, Christ and I will meet again ere long at a table in Heaven. Thirdly, The thoughts of Heaven and the hope thereof may well sustain a Believe, were there never so many BUTS and wants in their pre­sent condition here: We will not be long together, saith He, there will be a scattering; but this may keep you from weeping and mourning as those who have no hope, that the day cometh when we shall meet again, and never, part asunder: It is really a wonder, that we have so few serious and solacing thoughts of coming to Heaven: there are none who look for a Rich loading, coming home by Sea, but they will comfort them­selves in the expectation of it; why do we not then comfort our selves in the thoughts of Heaven, since we profess to have a hope of being there? even because we are carnal and earthly: and it sayes, that we either think Heaven litle worth, or that it is an insufficient and unvalid right, that is to be had to it, or that we do not really believe it: all the silver and gold in the world comforts not a poor body, because he hath no hope to come by it; So there are not a few hearers of the Gos­pel, who bear much of Heaven and of the hope of it, that never refresheth them. A Fifth Reason may be to waken up longing desires, and to sharpen and put an edge upon an appetit, in his followers, after Heaven, and to teach them not to place their happiness in any thing on this side Heaven: otherwise he would never have put their Satisfaction to a term so far off: but he over­leaps (to speak so with reverence) all the brave days, that they had and were to have here, and gives them this [Page 347] for their full satisfaction, that the day is a coming when he will drink the Wine new with them in his Fathers Kingdom: and would have them in their flight, never resting nor sitting down, till they be there; For he sends them away hungering for that Communion-Table: And we would yet again exhort and beseech you to study to be in case to go from the Communion and from every Sermon, having some serious thoughts of Heaven and longings for it; believing that the day, the joyfull day is coming, when Christ and ye will meet and never shed or separat again: when ye shall be with him, where he is, and be set with him at his Table, and on his Throne, never to rise off it any more again: Bles­sed be God, that that desirable day is coming. Believers in Christ, cheer your selves in the hope of it: If there be any of you (as Alace! I fear there be very many) that relish not this blessed change, there is a sad and Sorrowful change before you. O be busie, very busie to have your interest in Christ, and the hope of Heaven well secured, by Union and Communion with him here; that so ye may have the well grounded hope of Heaven, and may frequently draw Comfort from it: And, O that we could sunder so. The litle inch and moment of time, that we have, will soon and very quickly wear away, and be at an end: Go then, my dear friends, wi [...]h this well fixed resolution, that ye must needs, in Gods own way, have Heaven and be eternally happy in the Soul-satisfieing and ravishing enjoyment of that fullest and sweetest, never to be interrupted Communion, that will be there: And thank God and Christ the Mediator for the least measure of the well grounded hope of it; and make it your business to have your Conversation suited to and smelling strong of that blessed hope.