The Glorious Feast of the Gospel, Sermon 1
THE Marriage Feaſt, BETWEEN CHRIST and his CHURCH.
ISAIAH 25. 6.
In this Mountaine ſhall the Lord of Hoſts make unto all people a Feast of fat things, a Feaſt of Wines on the Lees, of fat things full of Marrow, of Wine on the Lees well refined.
IN the former Chapter the holy Prophet having ſpoken of the miſeries,The connexion of the Text. and deſolation of the Church, in many heavy, ſad, and dolefull expreſſions; as the Vine languiſheth, the earth is defiled under the Inhabitants thereof, becauſe they have tranſgreſſed the Lawes, changed the Ordinance, and broken the everlaſting Covenant, therefore the earth ſhall be accurſed, and they that dwell therein ſhall not drink Wine with a Song, &c. Here you ſee all ſweetneſſe and rejoycing of heart is departed from them; yet even in the middeſt of all theſe miſeries, God (the God of comforts) makes ſweet and gracious promiſes to his Church, to raiſe it out of its mournfull eſtate and condition. And therefore the Prophet in the former part of this Chapter ſpeakes of bleſſing God for the deſtruction of his Enemies, and for his great love to his Church. And when he had ſpoken of the ruine of the enemie, hee preſently breaks out with Thankſgiving, breathing forth abundant praiſes to his God; as it is the cuſtome of holy men (guided by the motion of the bleſſed Spirit of God, upon all occaſions) (but eſpecially for benefits to his Church) to praiſe his Name, not out of ill affection at the deſtruction of the Adverſaries, but at the execution of Divine Juſtice for the fulfilling of the truth of his promiſe; as in the firſt Verſe of this Chapter; O Lord, thou art my God, I will exalt thee, I will praiſe thy name, for thou haſt done wonderfull things, thy Counſels of old are faithfulneſſe, and truth. When the things that were promiſed of old were brought to paſſe, the Church was ever ready to give God the glory of his Truth. Therefore rejoyce not when thine enemies fall; but when the enemies of the Lord are brought to deſolation, then we may, nay, we ought to ſing Hallelujah to him that liveth for ever and ever.
I will now fall upon the very words of my Text. In this mountaine ſhall the Lord of Hoſts make unto all people a Feaſt of fat things, &c. Theſe words they are Propheticall, and cannot have a perfect performance all at once; but they ſhall be performed gradually. The promiſe of a new heaven and a new earth ſhall be performed; The converſion of the Jewes, and the bringing in of the fulneſſe of the Gentiles ſhall gradually be brought to paſſe. All the Promiſes that ever God hath made, before the ſecond comming of Chriſt to Judgement, ſhall be accompliſhed. God hath made his peace with us in the Goſpell of peace, and when all theſe Promiſes ſhall be fulfilled, then all imperfection ſhall be done away, and wee ſhall never be removed from our Rock, but our joy ſhall then be full; nay even in this life we have ſome degrees of perfection, we have grace, and the meanes of grace, the Ordinances of Chriſt, and a teſtimony of everlaſting glory.
In this Mountaine will the Lord of Hoſts make a Feaſt.
In theſe words yee have ſet downe a glorious and royall Feaſt; and the place where this Feaſt is to be kept is Mount Syon; the Feaſt-maker is the Lord of Hoſts; the parties invited are all people; the iſſues of it, and the proviſion for the Feaſt, are fat things, and wine of the beſt; a Feaſt of the beſt of the beſt; a Feaſt of the fat, and of the Marrow, a Feaſt of wine on the Lees well refined.
Here you may ſee that God doth veile heavenly things under earthly things, and condiſcends ſo low as to enter into the inward man by the outward man; for our apprehenſions are ſo weak, and narrow, that we cannot bee acquainted with ſpirituall things, but by the inward working of the Spirit of the Almighty.
This mountaine is the place where this Feaſt is made, even Mount Syon, which is a type and figure of the Church, called in Scripture, the holy Mountaine; for as Mountains are raiſed high above the earth, ſo the Church of God is raiſed in excellency and dignity above all the ſorts of man-kinde;1 Obſerv. As much as men above Beaſts, ſo much is the Church raiſed above all men. The Church the moſt excellent of all ſocieties.This Mountain is above all Mountaines, the Mountaine of the Lord is above all other Mountaines whatſoever; Thou O Mountaine ſhalt ſtand immoveable, when all other Mountaines ſhall ſmoak, if they are but touched; this is the mountaine of Mountaines: The Church of God is moſt excellent in glory and dignity, as ye may ſee in the latter end of the former Chapter, how the glory of the Church puts down all other glories whatſoever; The Moon, ſaith the Prophet, ſhall be confounded, and the Sunne aſhamed when the Lord of Hoſts ſhall reigne in Mount Sion, and in Jeruſalem, and before his Ancients gloriouſly: So that the brightneſſe of the Church ſhall put downe the glory of the Sunne and of the Moon. Thus you ſee the Church of God is a Mountaine.
Reaſ. Firſt, Becauſe God hath eſtabliſhed it upon a ſtronger Foundation than all the world beſides; The Church built upon the ſtrongeſt foundation.It is founded upon the goodneſſe, and power, and truth of God. Mountaines of Braſſe and Iron are not ſo firme as this Mountaine; For what ſuſtains the Church but the Word of God? And being built upon his Word and Truth, it may very well be called a Mountaine, for it ſhall bee as Mount Syon, which ſhall never be removed; it may be moved, but never removed. Thus in regard of the firmneſſe, and ſtability thereof, it may rightly bee termed a Mountain.
Again, 2 Obſ. Of the viſibility of the Church.we may here ſpeak in ſome ſort of the viſibility of the Church; but here will ariſe a quarrell for the Papiſts, who when they hear of this Mount, they preſently allude it to their Church. Their Church, ſay they, is a Mount, ſo ſaith the Scripture. I anſwer. 1. Wee confeſſe in ſome ſort their Church to be a Mount (though not this Mount) for Babylon is built on ſeven Hills; but if this prove her a Church, it is the Antichriſtian Church. Secondly, That the Catholick Proteſtantiall Church had alwayes a being, though ſometimes inviſible. The Apoſtle writing to the Romans, exhorts them, not to bee high-minded, but feare, for ſaith hee, if God hath broken off the naturall branches, perhaps he will break off you alſo. And indeed for their pride and haughtineſſe of minde they are at this day broken off. Chriſt that walks between the ſeven golden Candleſticks, did never ſay that the Church of Smyrna or Epheſus ſhould alwaies remaine a viſible Church to the eyes of the world, neither were they; for to this very day, they lie under bondage and ſlavery to the Turke. The Mount hath bin alwaies viſible, though not alwaies alike gloriouſly viſible; for there will be a time when the Church ſhall fly into the wilderneſſe, where then ſhall be the glorious viſibility of the Church? there is a time when all ſhall follow the beaſt; the Papiſts themſelves confeſſe that in Antichriſts time the Church ſhall ſcarce be viſible. The eſſence of a thing, and the quality of a thing may differ: The Church is a Church, and viſible, but not alwaies equally, and alike gloriouſly viſible; yet thoſe that had ſpirituall eyes, and did looke upon things with the ſpectacles of the Scripture, they could alwaies declare the Church was viſible; for from the beginning of the world the Church had alwaies luſtre enough ſufficient to delight, and draw the elect, and ſo ſhall have to the end of the world, though ſometimes the Church may have a miſt before it, as Auſtin ſpeakes; It is no wonder that thou canſt not ſee a mountaine, for thou haſt no eyes. But the Papiſts have ſeen this mountaine; as they have alwaies bin bloody perſecutors of the Church, they have ſeen enough to confound them: For we have nothing in our Church, but they have the ſame; onelyonly ours is refined, and freed from Idolatry; Wee have two Sacraments, they have ſeven; Wee have Scripture, they have traditions, which they equall with it; Wee have Scriptures pure, they corrupt. So that our Church was in the midſt of theirs, as a ſound and more uncorrupt part in a corrupt body.
This mountaine is the Church,The Mountaine is the Church. Rev. 14. 1. The Lambe ſtandeth upon Mount Sion, and with him a hundred fourty and foure thouſand, having his Fathers name written in their foreheads. Chriſt ſtandeth in the Church, and ſtanding in Mount Sion, he is accompanied with thoſe that his Father hath given to him, before the world was;God makes a Feaſt for his people. therefore thoſe that belong to this holy Mountaine they are Chriſts. And in this Mountaine ſhall the Lord of hoſts make a feaſt for all people. And this feaſt is a royall feaſt, a marriage feaſt, wherin the joy and comfort of Gods people are ſet down by that which is moſt comfortable among men.The Lord of Hoaſts the founder of the Feaſt. The founder of the feaſt is the Lord of hoaſts; It is onelyonly he that is able to prepare a table in the wilderneſſe, that is mighty, and of ability to feaſt his Church with a ſpirituall, and holy banquet. We all live at his table for the feeding of our bodies, but much more in regard of our ſoules; He can make a feaſt for the whole man, for he is Lord of the conſcience: and he is to ſpread a table for the whole world; nay more, (if there were ſo many) he can furniſh a table for ten thouſand worlds; he is the God of all ſpirituall comforts, and the God of all conſolation; He is infinite, and can never be drawne dry, for he is the fountaine of eternall life. All graces and comforts in the Scripture are called the comforts and graces of the holy Spirit, becauſe God is the giver of them by his Spirit. Who can take away the wound of a guilty conſcience, but he that hath ſet the conſcience in the hearts of men? Hee (if hee pleaſeth) can take away the burden of a grieved conſcience, and ſupply it, inſtead thereof, with new and ſolid comforts. He knoweth all the windings and turnings of the ſoule, where all the paine and griefe lieth, and he cannot but know it becauſe he onelyonly is above the ſoule: He is therefore the fitteſt to make the ſoule a feaſt, he only can do it, and he will do it.
In this Mountaine ſhall the Lord of Hoaſts make a feaſt.
Why is he called the Lord of Hoaſts?
It is an uſuall terme, to ſet forth the glory of God, to make his power, and the greatneſſe of his Majeſty known amongſt the children of men.
He ſhall make a feaſt for all people.
Thoſe that are invited to this glorious feaſt,This Feaſt is for all people. are all people, none excepted, none excluded, that will come in to Chriſt; ſome of all ſorts, of all nations, of all languages; this hath relation to the time of the Goſpel. The Church at firſt had its being in particular families, but afterwards more inlarged. The Church at the firſt was of the daughters of men, and the ſonnes of God; the children of the Church mingled with a generation of corrupt perſons, that would keepe in no bounds; but after Abrahams time, there was another generation of the Church, that ſo it was a little more inlarged. Then there was a third generation, a divided generation, conſiſting of Jewes, and Gentiles; So that when Chriſt came into the world, the bounds of the Church began to inlarge themſelves more and more; ſo that now it is in this happy condition, Come ye all unto me, all that are heavy laden; both Jewes and Gentiles, all are invited whoſoever they are, nothing is now uncleane. Act. 10. 15. Chriſt is come, and hath made to all people a feaſt of fat things, it muſt be a feaſt, and of fat things, for all the world ſhall be the better for it. The Jewes ſhall be converted, and the fullneſſe of the Gentiles ſhall come in. And yet it is no prejudice to any particular man, becauſe the things ye are to taſt of are ſpirituall. Go to all the good things in the world, the more one hath of them, the leſſe another muſt have, becauſe they are earthly and ſo are finite; but in ſpirituall things, all may have the whole, and every man in particular. Every man enjoyeth the light of the Sunne in particular, and all enjoy it too; So the whole Church, and onelyonly the Church injoyes the benefit and comfort of this feaſt; but under the name of this Church, come all the elect, both Jewes and Gentiles; and therefore it muſt be the Lord of Hoaſts that can make ſuch a feaſt as this is, a feaſt for all people. No other is able to doe it.
This feaſt,Chriſt the chiefe diſh in the Feaſt. is a feaſt of fat things, full of marrow, and of wine on the lees well refined, the beſt that can be imagined, the beſt of the beſt; A feaſt is promiſed, a ſpirituall feaſt. The ſpeciall graces and favours of God are compared to a feaſt made up of the beſt things, full of all varieties and excellencies; and the chiefe diſh (that is all in all) is Chriſt, and all the gracious benefits wee by promiſe can in any wiſe expect from him; All other favours and bleſſings whatſoever they are, are but Chriſt diſhed out (as I may ſo ſpeake) in ſeverall offices and attributes; he is the originall of comfort, the principle of grace and holineſſe, all is included in Chriſt. Aske of him and yee ſhall obtaine, even the forgiveneſſe of your ſinnes, peace of conſcience, and communion of Saints. Aske of Chriſt as of one inveſted with all priviledges for the good of others, but yet this is by his death; he is the feaſt it ſelfe, he is diſhed out into promiſes; have you a promiſe of the pardon of ſinnes, it is from Chriſt; wouldſt thou have peace of conſcience, it is from Chriſt; juſtification, and redemption, it is from Chriſt; the love of God is derived to us by Chriſt, yea, and all that we have that is good, is but Chriſt parcelled out.
Now I will ſhew why Chriſt with his benefits,Why Chriſt with his benefits is compared to a Feaſt. prerogatives, graces, and comforts, is compared to a feaſt.
Firſt,1. Becauſe the favours we have by Chriſt are choice ones. in regard of the choice of the things; In a feaſt all things are of the beſt, ſo are the things we have in Chriſt: whatſoever favours we have by Chriſt, they are choice ones, they are the beſt of every thing; pardon for ſin, is a pardon of pardon; the title we have for heaven, through him, is a ſure title; the joy we have by him, is the joy of all joyes; the liberty and freedom from ſin, which he purchaſed for us by his death, is perfect freedome; the riches of grace we have by him, are the only laſting, and durable riches; take any thing that you can, if we have it by Chriſt it is of the beſt: All worldly excellencies and honours, are but meere ſhadowes to the high excellencies, and honour we have in Chriſt. No joy, no comfort, no peace, no riches, no inheritance to be compared with the joy, peace, and inheritance which we have in Chriſt; whatſoever we have by him we have it in a glorious manner: And therefore he is compared to fat, to fat things full of marrow, to wine, to wine on the lees that preſerveth the freſhneſſe of it; the beſt wine of all, that is not changed from veſſell to veſſell, but keepeth its ſtrength; And indeed the ſtrength and vigour of all floweth from Jeſus Chriſt in covenant with us.
The love of Chriſt is the beſt love, and he himſelfe incomparably the beſt, and hath favours, and bleſſings of the choiſeſt.
Againe,2. There is variety of favours in Chriſt. as in a feaſt, beſides choice, there is variety; ſo in Chriſt there is variety anſwerable to all our wants. Are we fooliſh, he is wiſdome; have we guilt in our conſciences, he is righteouſneſſe, and this righteouſneſſe is imputed unto us; are we defiled, he is ſanctification; are wee in miſery, he is our redemption. If there be a thouſand kinds of evils in us, there is a thouſand waies to remedy them by Jeſus Chriſt; Therefore the good things we have by Chriſt, are compared to all the benefits we have in this world, in Chriſt is choice and variety. Are we weake, he is meat to feed us, that we may be ſtrong, he will refreſh us, he is the beſt of meats, he is marrow; ſo are our ſpirits faint, he is wine: thus we have in Chriſt to ſupply all our wants, he is variety.
There is a plant among the Indians called by the name of Coquus, Chriſt like the Indian plant Coquus, good for all things.the fruit thereof ſerveth for meat and drinke, to comfort and refreſh the body: It yeeldeth that whereof the people make apparell to cloath themſelves withall; and alſo that which is phiſicall, very good againſt the diſtempers of the body: And if God will infuſe ſo much vertue into a poore plant, what vertue may we expect to be in Chriſt himſelf? He feedeth our ſoules to all eternity, puts upon us the roabes of righteouſneſſe, heales the diſtempers of our ſoules; there is variety in him for all our wants whatſoever. He is food, phyſicke, and apparell to cloath us; and when we are cloathed with him, we may with boldneſſe ſtand before the Majeſty of God; He is all in all, He is variety, and all. There is ſomething in Chriſt anſwerable to all the neceſſities of Gods people, and not only ſo, but to their full content in every thing.
Againe,3. There is ſufficiency and fulneſſe in Chriſt. as there is variety in a Feaſt, ſo there is ſufficiency, full ſufficiency. We beheld the only begotten Son of God, full of grace and truth. And being full of grace, He is wiſe, and able to furniſh this heavenly banquet, with enough of all ſorts of proviſions fit for the ſoule to feed upon. Ther's abundance of grace, and excellency, and ſufficiency in Chriſt; And it muſt needs be, becauſe he is a Saviour of Gods owne ſending. Labour not therefore for the meate that periſheth, but for the meat that the Son of God ſhall give you, for him hath God the Father ſealed. That is, ſent forth for this purpoſe to feed the Church of God. As there is an all-ſufficiency in God, ſo in Chriſt, who by the ſacrificing of himſelfe was able to give ſatisfaction to divine juſtice. Therefore (ſaith he) My fleſh is meate indeed, and my bloud is drinke indeed. That is, ſpiritually to the ſoule he is food indeed, and can ſatisfie Gods juſtice. If we conſider him as God alone, he is a conſuming fire; or as man alone, he can do nothing: But conſidered as God-man, he is meate indeed, and drinke indeed. And now the ſoule is content with that, which Divine juſtice is contented withall; though our conſciences be large, yet God is larger, and above our conſciences: Therefore as there is variety of excellency, ſo is there ſufficiency, and fulneſſe in Chriſt; what he did, he did to the full. He is a Saviour and he filleth up that name to the full. His pardon for ſinne, is a full pardon. His merits for us are full merits. His ſatisfaction to divine juſtice, a full ſatisfaction. His redemption of our ſoules and bodies, a full redemption; thus all he did was full.
A Feaſt is for company,4. As a Feaſt for many, ſo Chriſt is a feaſt for the community of Saints. it is convivium, there is converſe at it; So Cicero preferres the name of convivium among the Latines, before the Greeke name foreign. And this Feaſt is not for one, we are all invited to it; the excellency of Chriſts Feaſt conſiſteth in the Communion of Saints; for whoſoever takes part of it, their ſpirits muſt agree one with another: Love is the beſt, and chiefeſt diſh in this Feaſt; the more wee partake of the ſweetneſſe of Chriſt, the more we love one another. Chriſt by his ſpirit ſo works in the hearts of the children of men, that bring a thouſand together of a thouſand ſeverall nations, and within a little while you ſhall have them all acquainted one with another; if they be good, there is agreement of the ſpirit, and a ſympathy between them, there is a kindred in Chriſt. He is the true Iſaack; the death of Chriſt, and the bloud of Chriſt, is the ground of all union and joy and comfort whatſoever; the bloud of Chriſt ſprinkled upon the conſcience, will procure that peace of conſcience, that ſhall be a continuall Feaſt unto the ſoule. This Feaſt muſt needs be wonderfull comfortable, for we do not feaſt with thoſe that are like our ſelves, but we feaſt with God the Father, and the Holy Spirit, ſent by Chriſt, procured by the death of Chriſt; the Angells at this Feaſt attend us, therefore it muſt needs be joyfull, no joy comparable to the joy of a Feaſt; this is not every Feaſt, this is a marriage Feaſt, at which we are contracted to Chriſt. Now of all Feaſts, marriage Feaſts are moſt ſumptuous; this is a marriage Feaſt for the Kings Son, for Chriſt himſelfe, and therefore of neceſſity it muſt be full of all choice varieties, and of the ſweeteſt of things, of the moſt excellenteſt of things, and of the quinteſcence of things. Here is all joy that belongeth to a feaſt; Here it is to be had with Chriſt; what acquaintance can be more glorious then that which is to be had between Jeſus Chriſt and a chriſtian ſoule? when we have hope of better things to come, then we finde the ſweetneſſe of this communion. No harmony in the world can be ſo ſweet as the harmony maintained between Chriſt and the ſoule. When we have this, and are made one with God in Chriſt, our joy muſt needs then be unſpeakable. When the contract is once made between the ſoule and Chriſt, there cannot but be aboundant joy; when the ſoule is joyned with Chriſt by faith, it cannot but ſolace it ſelfe in a perpetuall jubile, and a perpetuall feaſt in ſome degrees.
Againe,5. Becauſe we have the glorious attire of Chriſt, as men put on choice garments at Feaſts. for a Feaſt ye have the choiceſt garments, as at the marriage of the Lambe, White and fine linnen, which is the righteouſneſſe of the Saints. When God ſeeth theſe robes upon us, and the ſpirit of Chriſt in us, then there is a robe of righteouſneſſe imputed, and a garment of ſanctity whereby our ſoules are cloathed: ſo this is a Feaſt that muſt have wonderfull glorious attire; and when this marriage ſhall be conſummated, we are ſure to have a garment of glory put upon us.6. Becauſe he was reſembled by the Paſchal Lambe which was chooſen foure daies before out of the flock.
This was ſignified in old time by the Jewes, in the Feaſt of the Paſſeover; not to name all reſemblances, but onelyonly one or two. The Lambe for the Paſſeover (you know) was choſen out of the flocke from amongſt the reſt, foure daies before the time appointed for that Feaſt: So Chriſt is the true Paſchall Lambe, choſen of God, before the foundation of the world was laid, to be ſlaine for us.
Againe,2. By Manna, to which Chriſt anſwers in many particulars. Manna was a type of Chriſt, it came from Heaven to feed the hungry bodies of the Iſraelites in the wilderneſſe; even ſo came Chriſt, ſent from God the Father, to be the eternall food, and upholder of the ſoules and bodies of every one of us. Manna was white and ſweet; ſo is Chriſt, white in righteouſneſſe and holineſſe, and alſo ſweet to delight the ſoule. Manna fell upon the tents in the night; And Chriſt came, when darkneſſe was ſpread over all the world. God gave Manna freely from Heaven; ſo Chriſt was a free gift, and he freely gave himſelfe to death, even to the curſed death of the croſſe for us: All, both poore and rich, they gathered Manna. Chriſt is a common food for King and ſubject; all take part of Chriſt, neither Jew nor Gentile are exempted, but all may come▪ and buy freely without money. Of this Manna he that had leaſt had enough: ſo here, he that hath leaſt of Chriſt, though he take him with a trembling hand, yet he ſhall have enough, for Chriſt is his; whoſoever hath the leaſt grace, if it be true and ſound, hath grace enough to bring him to eternall life. The Jewes wondred at the Manna, ſaying what thing is this? So it is one of Chriſts names to be called wonderfull, Iſaiah 9. 6. Grace and favour from Chriſt is true ſpirituall Manna to the ſoule. Manna fell in the wilderneſſe, even ſo musſt we remaine in the wilderneſſe of this wretched world untill we come to Heaven. Chriſt is Manna to us, and very ſweet in the conveyance of his Word and Sacraments. When the Iſraelites came into the Land of Canaan, the Manna ceaſed, not before: ſo when we come to Heaven (the Elects purchaſed poſſeſſion) we ſhall have another kind of Manna for our ſoules; we ſhall not there feed on Chriſt, as in the Sacrament, no, but we ſhall ſee him face to face, and know as we are knowne. In the wilderneſſe of this world it is fit God ſhould convey this Heavenly Manna to the ſoule whatſoever way he pleaſeth. Manna could not fall untill the Iſraelites had ſpent all the proviſion they brought with them out of Egypt; and we cannot taſt of that heavenly Manna of our Father, untill our ſoules are drawne away from all worldly dependencies, and carnall delights, then indeed Manna will be ſweet and precious.
What is this heavenly Manna,Surely thoſe that are ſpirituall taſte Chriſt. what is Chriſt and his Father, what is the word and Sacraments, to a depraved vitious heart ſtuffed full with earthly vanities? alas, it loatheth all theſe. As none taſted of Manna, but thoſe that came out of Egypt; ſo none ſhall taſte of Chriſt but thoſe that are not of the world, that are come out of Egypt, out of ſinne and darkneſſe. Manna fell onelyonly about the tents of Iſraell, and in no other part of the world, but only there, that none might have the priviledge to eate of it, but Gods peculiar choſen ones. Chriſt falls upon the tents of the righteous, and none ſhall taſte of this bleſſed ſpirituall food but ſuch as are the Iſraell of God, ſuch as are of the Church, ſuch as feele the burthen of ſinne, and groane under it; oh the very taſte of this heavenly Manna is ſweet to their ſoules, and to none but them. Thus yee ſee the Feaſt that Chriſt maketh for us in Mount Syon; and that this Manna doth typifie Chriſt with all his benefits.
Againe,3. By the rock in the wilderneſſe. the hard rocke in the wilderneſſe, when it was ſtrucken with the rod of Moſes, preſently water guſhed out in abundance, which preſerved life to the Iſraelites: ſo Chriſt the rocke of our ſalvation, the ſtrength of his Church, the rocke and fortreſſe of all his Saints; when his precious ſide was gored with the bloudy lance upon the croſſe, that the blood guſhed out, and in ſuch a manner and ſuch abundance, that by the ſhedding thereof our ſoules are preſerved alive. He is both Manna and the rocke of water; Manna had all in it, ſo had the rocke, and all neceſſities are plentifully ſupplied by Chriſt. The Church of God hath alwaies had bread to ſatisfie ſpirituall hunger, it never wanted neceſſary comfots. It is ſaid, Rev. 12. When the Church fled into the wilderneſſe, God fed her there; alluding to the children of Iſraell, fed by Manna. The Jewes did not want in the wilderneſſe, nor the Church of God, never wanted comfort, though in the midſt of the perſecution and oppreſſion of all her enemies. When Elias was in the wilderneſſe he was fed. The Church of God ſhall not onelyonly be fed in her body, but in her ſoule, for Chriſt hath hidden Manna for his Elect; this doth typifie the exceeding joy of the Church, the hidden Manna, that neither eye hath ſeen, nor eare heard of, neither can it enter into the heart of man to conceive of thoſe joyes that the Church of God ſhall have when the marriage ſhall be conſummated. Joy in the Holy Ghoſt, and peace of conſcience, they are hid from the world, and ſometimes from Gods people themſelves, though they ſhall injoy them hereafter.
All the former Feaſts in times paſt were but types of this.4. By all the Jewiſh feſtivalls. The Feaſt of Tabernacles, the Feaſt of the Paſſeover, the ſpirituall Manna, and all other holy Feaſts, were but to ſignifie and to ſhew forth this Feaſt by Chriſt. But there is this difference between the type, and the thing ſignified; by the type, the Paſſeover Lambe was quite eaten up, but this Paſſeover Chriſt, that was ſlaine for ſinne, can never be eaten up: We feed upon him with our ſoules, he cannot be conſumed as the Paſſeover Lambe, nor as Manna, which was gone when the Sunne aroſe; yea that Manna that was laid up for a remembrance before the Arke, became nothing, but Chriſt is in heaven for evermore for the ſoule to feed upon. Though theſe were reſemblances, yet theſe failed, as it is fit reſemblances ſhould faile; that is, come ſhort of the body of the thing it ſelfe. Thus you ſee the ſpirituall comforts of a Chriſtian, may well and fitly be compared to a Feaſt.
Thus you ſee God provideth a Feaſt,5. By the Sacrament of the Lords Supper. and inviteth all. In the Sacrament you have a Feaſt, a Feaſt of varieties, not only bread, but wine, to ſhew the variety and fullneſſe of comfort in Chriſt: He intendeth full comfort. As for our Adverſaries the Papiſts, they have dry Feaſts, they give the people the bread, but the wine they keep for themſelves, but God in Chriſt intendeth us full comfort; whatſoever Chriſt did, it was full, his merits are compleat, and his joy was full. He is fulneſſe it ſelfe, and therefore whatſoever comes from him, muſt needs be as he himſelfe is,Uſe. both full, and ſweet. He intendeth us full conſolation;Be prepared for this Feaſt. Therefore we ought to be prepared to partake of this Feaſt, in ſuch a manner, as that we may have ful joy, and ful comfort; for there is in Chriſt enough to ſatisfie all the hungry ſoules in the world, he himſelfe being preſent at this heavenly banquet. All fullneſſe dwells in him, from which we have all received, and grace for grace. 1. Labour for large hearts to receive much.Therefore let us labour to have large hearts, for as our faith groweth more and more, ſo we ſhall carry more comfort, and more ſtrength from this holy Feaſt. As the poore widdow, if her veſſels had not failed, the oyle had not ceaſed; if there had bin more veſſels, there had been more oyle; our ſoules are as theſe veſſels, let us therefore labour, and make it our great buſineſſe to have large ſoules, ſoules capable to drinke in this ſpirituall oyle of gladneſſe; for as much faith as we bring to Chriſt, ſo much comfort we ſhall carry from him. The favours of God in Chriſt being infinite, the more wee fetch from him, the more glory we give unto him; but if they were finite, we ſhould offend his bounty, he might ſoon be drawne dry, and ſo ſend us away with an uncomfortable anſwer, that he was not able to relieve us. But Chriſt is infinite, and the more we have from him, the more we may have: to him that hath ſhall be given; the oftner we goe to Chriſt, the more honour and glory we bring unto him; this is a banquet to the full.
Wee are now come to the banquet, and Chriſt is the founder of it; nay, he is the Feaſt it ſelfe, he is the Author of it, and he it is that wee feed upon.
Let us labour not to be ſtraight receivers of the Sacrament,2. Labour for ſpirituall appetite. but ſucke in abundance from Chriſt, with a great deale of delight; That we may come together not for the worſe but the better, conſidering what a great deale of ſtrength and grace is required as very neceſſary for the maintaining of ſpirituall Life.