The Unsearchable Riches of Christ, Sermon 9
A Thanks-giving Sermon after the Communion, the laſt that ever the Author Preached, on ſuch an occaſion, at Glaſgow.
On Matth. 26. Verſ. 29. But I ſay unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the Vine, untill that day, when I drink it new with you in my Fathers Kingdom.
SERMON II.
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 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 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 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 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, following the Lamb whitherſoever He goes. Fifthly, It is an Eternall communion, we ſhall drink for ever with him and be abundantly ſatisfied with the fatneſs of his houſe, and made Holily drunk with the River of his pleaſures, with whom is the Fountain of Life, and in whoſe light we shall eminently ſee light; whoſe Well of life is always running, in Whoſe preſence is fulneſs of joys, and at his right hand Pleaſures for evermore; though through all Eternity thouſands and Millions will be drinking of this new Wine, yet it ſhall never be the leſs, but is and ſhall be ſtill freſh and flowing.
Now for Application; Let me ask you, do ye believe this, that there is ſuch a day coming, and that theſe are the true and Faithfull ſayings of God? O! If ye all that hear me this day did indeed believe it; the belief of it, ſure, is very ſuitable and would make a very ſweet life; ye will never be Holy, ye will never aright fear nor love God, ye will never hate ſin, nor be heartſome in his Service, neither will ye be truly thankful, till ye really Believe it: I am afraid, if Atheiſts, Earthly Wretches, drunkards, Tipplers, Curſers, Swearers, Hypocrites, &c. Were ſingled out and Separated from among us, they would be found to be but a ſmal number who Believe this: Do ye or can ye Believe it, that have your Portion in this life, and ſeek no more? Nay, believers, if ye indeed Believe it, why are ye ſo heartleſs? Why envy ye the poor proſperity of the men of the world? Why do ye not preſs after this mark and Prize? If ye believed it ſuitably, your hearts would laugh within you, your Spirits would rejoice, your faces would ſome way ſhine; and what is ſpoken of this day, would have a Divine ſplendor and luſtre in your eyes; If you believe it, why is it not your work and buſineſs to live ſo, as ye may hope to drink of this cup of this new Wine with Chriſt in Heaven? Though ye ſhould drink water all your days, this Wine will abundantly compenſe that; though now the bread of ſome of you be but brown, this feaſt of truly Royal dainties is before you: our Chriſtian friends that are gone are feeding ſweetly on it. Long, O Believers to be with them, and take it not ill, though ye be here ſomewhat ſtraitned and kept ſcarce, and have but a litle portion, a ſmall pittance and ſcant meaſure of the things of this world, when others fare well and Sumptuouſly, live high, are Gorgiouſly apparelled: Your Feaſt and Royal Robes are before you. The Rich and great men of this world, whoſe portion is in this life care litle for Poor bodies that ſeek 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 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 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 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, 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 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 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 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 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 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 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.
FINIS.
End of the text · James Durham, The Unsearchable Riches of Christ (1685)