Fourth. A feast is for compa???/. lii^comnviinn. There is converse at it. So Cicero prefers the name of convivium among the Latins before the Greek name flvfj.'xosiov (h). And this feast is not for one. We are all invited to it. The excellency of Christ's 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 we partake of the sweetness of Chi'ist, 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 several 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 sympathy between them. There is a kindred in Christ. He is the true Isaac. The death of Christ and the blood of Christ is the gi-ound of all union and joy and comfort whatsoever. The blood of Christ sprinkled upon the conscience wiU procure that peace of conscience that shall be a continual feast unto the soul. This feast must needs be wonderful comfortable, for we do not feast with those that are like ourselves, but we feast with God the Father, and the Holy Spirit, sent by Christ, procured by the death of Christ. The angels at this feast attend us ; therefore, it must needs be jo}^ul. No joy comparable to the joy of a feast. This is not every feast. This is a marriage feast, at which we are con- tracted to Christ. Now, of all feasts, marriage feasts are most sumptuous. This is a marriage feast for the King's Son, for Christ himself; and there- fore 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 quintessence 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 than that which is to be had be- tween Jesus Christ and a Christian soul ? when we have hope of better things to come, then we find the sweetness of this communion. No har- mony in the world can be so sweet as the harmony maintained between Christ and the soul. 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 soul and Christ, there cannot but be abundant joy. When the soul is joined with Christ by faith, it cannot but solace itself in a perpetual jubilee and a pei"petual feast in some degrees.
Fifth. Again, for a feast ye have the choicest garments, as at the marriage of the Lamb, * white and fine linen,' Rev. xix. 8, which is the righteousness
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of the saints. When God seeth these robes upon us and the Spirit of Christ in us, then there is a robe of righteousness imputed, and a garment of sanctity, whereby our souls are clothed. So this is a feast that must have wonderful glorious attire ; and when this marriage shall be consummated, we are sure to have a gai-meut of glory put upon us. Sixth. This was signified in old time by the Jews.
1. In the feast of the passover (not to name all resemblances, but only one or two). TJie Iamb for the jMssover, you know, was chosen out of the flock fi'om amongst the rest four days before the time appointed for that feast. So Christ is the true Paschal Lamb, chosen of God before the foundation of the world was laid, to be slain for us.
2. Again, manna was a t^-pe of Christ. It came from heaven to feed the hungiy bodies of the Isi*aeUtes in the wUdemess. Even so came Christ, sent from God the Father, to be the eternal food and upholder of the souls and bodies of every one of us. Manna was v>-hite and sweet ; so was Christ, white in righteousness and holiness, and also sweet to delight the soul. Manna fell upon the tents in the night ; and Christ came when darkness was spread over all the world. God gave manna freely from heaven ; so Christ was a fi-ee gift, and he freely gave himself to death, even to the cursed death of the cross, for us. All, both poor and rich, they gathered manna. Christ is a common food for king and siibject. AU 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 trembhng hand, yet he shall have enough, for Christ is his. "WTiosoever hath the least grace, if it be true and sound, hath grace enough to bring him to eternal hfe. The Jews wondered at the manna, saying. What thing is this ? (c). So it is one of Christ's names to be called ' Wonderful,' Isa. is. 6. Grace and favour from Christ is true spiritual manna to the soul. Manna fell in the wilderness : even so must we remain in the wilderness of this wretched world until we come to heaven. Christ is mamia to us, and veiy 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 elect's purchased possession, we shall have another kind of manna for our souls. We shall not there feed on Christ, as in the sacra- ment ; no, but we shall see him ' face to face, and know as we are known,' 1 Cor. xiii. 12. In the wilderness of this world it is fit God should convey this heavenly manna to the soul whatsoever way he pleaseth. Manna could not fall until the Israelites had spent aU the provision they brought with them out of Eg}"pt ; and we cannot taste of that heavenly manna of our Father until our souls are drawn away from all worldly dependences and carnal delights. Then, indeed, manna wUl be sweet and precious.