86 BOWELS OPENED. [SeRMON III.
understanding,' Philip, iv. 7. What will the fulness do ? This taste we feel in the ordinances will bring us to that fulness hereafter. Oh, let us keep our appetites for these things which are so dehghtful, so suitable to the soul. How great is that goodness which he both lays up for hereafter, and lays out for his, even here in this life !
In some ages of the church, the feasts that Christ hath made have been more solemn and sumptuous than in other thereafter, as Christ hath been more or less clearly and generally manifested. At Christ's first coming there was a greater feast than before ; because the riches of God's love in Christ were then laid open, and the pale of the church was enlarged by the coming in of the Gentiles, So will there be a royal feast, when the Jews shall be converted. ' Blessed then shall those be that shall be called to the supper of the Lamb,' Eev. xix. 9. Suppers are in the end of the day, and this supper shall be furnished towards the end of the world.
But then will be the true magnificent supper, when all that belong to God's election shall meet together, and feed upon that heavenly manna for ever. Then there will be nothing but marrow itself, and wine without all dregs. In all our contentments here, there is some mixture of the contrary ; then nothing but pure quintessence. In the mean time, he lets fall some manna in this our wilderness, he lets us relish that now. It will not putrefy as the other manna did, but endure, and make us endure for ever. It's the true ' bread of hfe.'
Mark how Christ draws his spouse on to di'ink, and drink abundantly. There is no danger of taking too much. Where the spring is infinite, we can never di'aw these wells dry, never suck these breasts of consolation too much; and the more strong and cheerful we are, the better service we shall perform, and the more accepted. Delight is as sugar, sweet in itself, and it sweetens all things else. The joy of the Lord is our strength. Duties come off more gi'acefuUy, and religion is made more lovely in the eyes of all, when it comes forth in strength and cheerfulness. Christ's housekeeping is credited hereby. In our Father's house is plenty enough, Luke XV. 17. When the martyrs had drank largely of this wine, it made them forget friends, riches, honours, life itself. The joy stirred up by it, carried them through all tonnents.
If any be hindered by conceit of unworthiness, if affected deeply with it, let them consider what kind of men were compelled to the banquet, the blind, the lame, Luke xiv. 21. See a Uvely pictui-e of God's mercy in the example of the prodigal. He fears sharp chiding, and the father provides a rich banquet. He goeth to his fixther, but the father runs to meet him, Luke XV. 20. Did Clarist ever turn back any that came unto him, if they came out of a true sense of their wants ?
' Eat, 0 friends.' Christ, out of the largeness of his affections, multiplieth new titles and compellations — ' beloved ' and * fi'iends.' Chi'ist provides a banquet, and invites his friends, not his enemies. Those good things that neither ' eye hath seen, nor ear hath heard, that are above om* conceit to apprehend,' 1 Cor. ii. 9 ; these are provided for ' those that love him,' not that hate him. He mingles another cup for them, * a cup of wrath,' and they are to ' drink up the very dregs of it,' Ps. Ixxv. 8. Friendship is the sweetness, intimateness, and strength of love. In our friends om* love dwells and rests itself. Conjugal friendship is the sweetest friendship. All the kinds and degrees of friendship meet in Christ towards his spouse. It is the friendship of a husband, of a brother ; and if there be any relation in the world wherein friendship is, all is too little to express the love of Christ.
Cant. V. 1.] 'eat, o friends; drink.' 37
In friendship there is mutual consent, an union of judgment and affec- tions. There is a mutual sj-mpathy in the good and ill one of another, as if there were one soul in two bodies (b). There be mutual friends and mutual enemies. ' Do I not hate them,' saith David, 'that hate thee?' Ps. cxxxix. 21. There is mutual love of one another for their own sakes. In flattery, men love themselves most ; in semblance, love others, but all is in reflec- tion to themselves.
There is liberty which is the life of friendship ; there is a free intercourse between Mends, a free opening of secrets. So here Christ openeth his secrets to us, and we to him. We acquaint him with the most hidden thoughts of our hearts, and we lay open all our cares and desfres before him. Thus Abraham was called God's friend, 2 Chron. xx. 7, and the disciples Christ's friends, John xv. 15. It is the oflice of the Spirit to reveal the secrets of Christ's heart to us, concerning our own salvation. He doth not reveal himself to the world.