B02840:453
The unsearchable riches of Christ, and of grace and glory in and through [sic]…The unsearchable riches of Christ, and of grace and glory in and thorow [sic]…
The unsearchable riches of Christ, and of grace and glory in and through [sic] him. Diligently searched into, clearly unfolded, and comfortably holden forth, in fourteen rich gospel sermons preached on several texts, at communions, in Glasgow. / By the late pious & powerful gospel-preacher in that city, Mr. James Durham.The unsearchable riches of Christ, and of grace and glory in and thorow [sic] him. Diligently searched into, clearly unfolded, and comfortably holden forth, in fourteen rich gospel sermons preached on several texts, at communions, in Glasgow. / By the late pious & powerful gospel-preacher in that city, Mr. James Durham.
Glasgow: printed by Robert Sanders, 1685
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
In the Next place, According to the Method Proposed, Ye would consider the Connection, and how thi• Purpose comes in; even thus, as if the Lord had said ye have now an excellent Communion-day; but ye and I will have no more together in this World; whence, ⟨p. 341⟩Observe, that the best Communion day that Gods People have here hath a BUT in it, or something that makes it appear defective; Only in that Communion in Heaven there in no But, no defect: And it implies. First, His saying to them, ye have now been at the Communion, but ere long ye shall meet with Temptation and trouble; and as he said, so within a very little it came to pass. So may I say, we are here now, but do we know how soon a temptation may assault and prevail? The Tempter is waiting on and hath, it is like, given in his Petition for a Permission to essay such and such a person, by some suitable Temptation, ere to morrow; and he offers, it may be, to make his Hypocrisy to be discovered: and it will be a sad Matter, if any of you stumble and be overtaken with the temptation. Secondly, It looks to the scattering that was coming; we will not (as if we had said) be all together at the Communion again; For it is written, I will smite the shepherd and the Sheep shall be scattered. It is more then Probable that we shall not all drink and eat at one Table again; are there not some both Ministers and People dead and gone since the last Communion? And ye may want some of both, ere ye get another: and may there not some sad diversion, trouble or Confusion arise, to the offending of some and laying of them aside? Nay, some may be offended at these same Ordinances: Satan hath many ways to break in upon us: nay let me tell you, that a cloud of persecution may come and cover us, that we shall not dare to come, or may scruple to come to such an Ordinance, though we be now dated and (as it were) Dandled on his knee. Thirdly, It may look to their being deprived of Christs company and bodily presence. And who knoweth, but there may be a cloud of desertion on Ordinances, and a vailing of Christs ⟨p. 342⟩presence? I forewarn you that it is to be seared; which says, we should keep him well while we have him, and not stir him up till he please, as the Brides frequent desire and resolution is in the Song. Fourthly, It may look to death that is coming, and will put an end to all Communions here: