We are now come to the banquet, and Christ is the founder of it ; nay, he is the feast itself. He is the author of it, and he it is that we feed upon.
Use 2. Let us labour not to be straight* receivers of the sacrament, but suck in abundance fi-om Christ with a gi'eat deal of delight, that we may come together not for the worse but the better, considering what a great deal of strength and grace is requii-ed as very necessary for the maintaining of spiritual life.
THE SECOND SERMON.
In this mountain 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 wines on tJie lees well refined. — Isaiah XXV. 6.
I HAVE shewed that Christ and his benefits are compared to a feast, and in what respects they are fitly resembled by a feast, and have pressed that we should prepare for it, first by getting large hearts. Now, in the second place, that we may have comfort at this feast, we must labour for spiritual appetite ; for to what end and purpose is that man at a feast that hath no stomach ? I shall therefore shew what means we are to use to get eager stomachs and holy appetites after this feast.
(1.) The appetite is raised ivith sour things, as anguish of spirit and moum- fulness of heart for sin. If we will ever relish Christ aright, we must labour to have a quick apprehension of our sins. We must do as the Jews did at the passover. They ate it with soxu- herbs, that they might thereby have the sharper stomachs. So must we. 'We must cast our eyes into our own hearts, and consider what vile wTetches we are, how full of sin and vanity ; and this will be as sour herbs to the Paschal Lamb. We must join the sweet benefits and privileges that we have in Christ with the consideration of our own wretched and miserable condition, and then this heavenly ordi- nance cannot but be sweet and comfortable to our souls. I beseech you, enter into your own souls, and consider seriously under what guilt you lie, and this will whet your appetite. ' A full stomach despiseth the honey- comb,' Prov. xxvii. 7 ; but in this appetite there is sense of emptiness, and from that sense of emptiness pain, and from pain an earnest desire of satis- faction. Thus it is in spiritual things. We want Christ, and all the spi- ritual comforts that flow from him. There is an emptiness in us, and we * Qu. 'strait?'— Ed.
452 THE MAEEIAGE FEAST [SeEMON II.
see a need every day to feed upon the mercies of God in Christ. There ig an emptiness in our souls, and there must be a sense of that emptiness, and pain from that sense, which must stir up a strong endeavour to follow after that that we do desire. Then Christ indeed is sweet, when we find om' souls hungering and thirsting after him.
(2.) Again, if so be we would have that appetite of spirit that is fit for this feast, we must purge our souls from the corruptions of flesh and spirit, ' perfecting holiness in the fear of Clod,' 2 Cor. vii. 1. We must cleanse our souls from those lusts and passions that daily cleave unto them. All cru- dities must be taken away, that the edge of the stomach may not be flatted :* for while these earthly carnal corruptions lie upon the soul, we can expect no spiritual appetite to heavenly, things. Let us therefore examine our- selves, what filth lies upon our souls, and what corrupt incHnations are there, that so they may be purged, and our desires be carried fully after Christ in the sacrament.
(3.) Another means to get appetite is to consider thoroughly what is required of a Christian, well to maintain the trade of Christianity. It is another man- ner of thing than we take it for, to entertain communion with God, to per- form holy duties in an holy manner, to bear the yoke as a Christian should do. 'Here is a great deal of strength required ; and because corruptions will mix themselves amongst our best performances, there must be a great deal of mercy from God to pardon them. And whence is all this but by the death of our blessed Saviom' Jesus Christ ? For his sake, God hath a forbearing eye. Now, if we consider what a degree of spiritual strength and vigour we should have to go through with these duties, this would sharpen our stomachs and spiritual appetites, to furnish ourselves with grace from Christ to go through with these holy services. There must be an exercising of all the duties of Christianity, which is an estate that must be maintained with a great deal of charge and labour. A man can do no' service acceptable to God but by gi-ace ; and grace must feed the soul with fruitful knowledge in the power of faith. And when the soul feeleth a necessity of grace, Oh ! then, beloved, it hungers and earnestly thirsteth after the love of God in Christ. We need to every trade a great deal of knowledge. Then surely the calling of Christianity needeth a great deal. A Christian must expect much both in prosperity and adversity, as the apostle saith, ' I have learned to want and to abound, to be in honour and to be in disgrace, and I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me,' Philip, iv. 12. Now, because there is so much goings so, out for the maintenance of Christianity, we must also bring in much grace, and faith, and love, and holiness, or else we shall never be able to uphold this condi- tion. Where there is an exercise of Christianity, there will be an appetite to heaven ; that is our best calling. For when that we have done all thai we can, that, that we must have comfort from, is Christianity. Therefore, labour with all labour to be holy and able Christians. All other callings are but for this present life ; but that that is for eternity is this caUing of Christianity. And this is only to fit us here in this world for an everlast- ing condition of glory in the world to come.