The Covenants And The Covenanters: Covenants, Sermons, and Documents of the Covenanted Reformation
Religion
The Covenants And The Covenanters: Covenants, Sermons, and Documents of the Covenanted Reformation
Covenanters -- Scotland -- History -- Sources; Presbyterian Church -- Scotland -- History -- Sources
2. The King's Son is Christ. Then there follows a dinner, "I have
prepared my dinner." Yea, I have a supper also, for Luke says, He
"prepared a great supper." I told you in what respects it is great. 1. I
told you it was great in respect of the author of it, God. 2. I told you
it was great in respect of the matter of it. Ye know the matter of it,
as holy Scripture tells. Whiles it gets base, silly, simple names, and
is delineated and expressed under common terms: but the most common term
it gets is so considerable that our case would not be good if it were
wanting. Whiles 'tis called "a feast of fat things full of marrow, of
wine on the lees well refined." Whiles it is called "gold." Whiles it is
called "fatlings, and a fatted and fed calf." Whiles 'tis "honey and
milk." Whiles it is called "oil and wine." Whiles it is called the
"bread of life." In a word, to tell you what this feast is, it is this
Christ and all His saving graces freely given to thy soul. Then, 3. It
is great in respect of the manner of its preparation: I confess, this
feast, though prepared in silver, is often administered in earthen
vessels, and clay dishes: and, though it be mingled with butter and
honey, yet this makes the natural man, when he looks upon it, not to
think much of it, because he looks on the outside of it only. But would
to God your eyes were opened to see the inside of it, and not to be like
proud Naaman, who said, "What better is this water of Jordan than the
water of Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus?" As some say, What
better is this feast than the feast we have at home? As the man of God
prayed for his servant, "Lord, open his eyes that he may see;" and the
Lord opened his eyes, and he saw another sight, even the mountain full
of horses and flaming chariots of fire; so, I pray the Lord open all
your eyes, that ye may see the many differences between this feast and
all other feasts; for other feasts are but feasts for the body, and they
are but feasts for the belly; an Esau may have them, a reprobate may
feed upon them. These are nothing else but the swine's husks, whereon
the prodigal fed for a time, and scarce could get them; but when he came
back again to his father's house, then he fed upon the fatted calf; and
then he got a feast, and then was there plenty, then did his well run
over, then was his cup to the brim, and overflowing. O that ye knew your
Father's house, and the fatness, the fulness, the feast, and the plenty
that are there, ye would all hunger after it, and would then say, alas!
I have been feeding on husks too long, "now will I arise and go to my
father's house, where there is bread enough." All the Lord's steps drop
plenty and fatness. 4. I told you that this supper is a great feast in
respect of the great number that are called unto it. The poorest thing
in all the land is called unto it: the Jews are called, the Gentiles are
called, yea the poorest thing that is hearing me is called; such as a
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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