ISA. XXV. G.] BETWEEN CHRIST AND HIS CHURCH. 447
Now, I will shew why Christ, with his benefits, prerogatives, graces, and comforts, is compared to a feast.
First. In regard of the choice of the things. In a feast all things are of the best ; so are the things we have in Chi'ist. AVhatsoever 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 joys. The liberty and freedom from sin, which he purchased for us by his death, is perfect freedom. The riches of gi-ace we have by him are the only lasting and durable riches. Take anything that you can, if we have it by Christ, it is of the best. All worldly excellencies and honours are but mere shadows to the high excellencies and honour we have in Chi'ist. No joy, no com- fort, no peace, no riches, no inheritance to be compared with the joy, peace, and inheritance which we have in Christ. T\Tiatsoever 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 pre- serveth the freshness of it ; the best wine of all, that is not changed from vessel to vessel, 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 himself incomparably the best, and hath favours and blessings of the choicest.
Second. Again, 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 wisdom. Have we guilt in our consciences ? He is righteousness, and this righteousness is imputed unto us. Ai-e we defiled ? He is sanctifica- tion. Are we in misery ? He is our redemption. K there be a thousand kinds of evils in us, there is a thousand ways to remedy them by Jesus Christ. Therefore, the good things we have by Christ are compared to aU the benefits we have in this world. In Christ is choice and variety. Are we weak ? 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 om- wants. He is variety.
There is a plant among the Indians called by the name of coquus;* the fruit thereof serveth for meat and drink, to comfort and refresh the body. It yieldeth that whereof the people make apparel to clothe themselves withal, and also that which is physical,! very good against the distempers of the body. And if God will infuse so much virtue into a poor plant, what vu-tue may we expect to be in Christ himself ? He feedeth om- souls to aU eternity, puts upon us the robes of righteousness, heals the distempers of our souls. There is variety in him for all our wants whatsoever. He is food, physic, and apparel to clothe us ; and when we are clothed with him, we may with boldness 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 God's people, and not only so, but to their full content in everything.
Third. Again, as there is variety in a feast, so there is sufficiency, fuU sufficiency. ' We beheld the only begotten Son of God, full of grace and truth,' John i. 14. And being full of gi-ace, he is wise, and able to furnish this heavenly banquet with enough of all sorts of provisions fit for the soul to feed upon. There is abundance of grace, and excellency, and sufficiency in Christ. And it must needs be, because he is a Saviour of God's own sending. ' Labour not therefore for the meat that perisheth, but for the That is, ' cocoa.' — G. f That is, ' medicinal.' — G.
448 THE MAEBIAGE FEAST [SeRMON I.
meat that the Son of God shall give you ; for him hath God the Father sealed,' John vi. 27 ; that is, sent forth for this purpose, to ' feed the church of God,' 1 Pet. V. 2. As there is an all-sufficiency in God, so in Christ, who by the sacrificing of himself was able to give satisfaction to divine justice. Therefore saith he, ' My flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed,' John vi. 55 ; that is, spiritually to the soul he is food in- deed, and can satisfy God's justice. If we consider him as God alone, he is a ' consuming fi!re,' Heb. xii. 29 ; or as a man alone, he can do nothing ; but considered as God-man, he is meat indeed, and drink indeed. And now the soul is content with that which divine justice is contented withal. Though our conscience be large, yet God is larger and above our con- sciences. Therefore, as there is variety of excellency, so is there sufficiency and fuhiess 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 sin is a full pardon ; his merits for us are full merits ; his satisfaction to divine justice a full satisfaction ; his redemption of our souls and bodies a full redemption. Thus all he did was full.