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[0:00] He brought me to the banqueting house and his banner over me was love.

[0:22] I cannot remember ever being led to this time. In my preaching days. Therefore I do hope there's a divine purpose.

[0:40] Lord might in mercy favor us this evening for a few moments to enter into the banqueting house.

[0:53] For I can assure you friends there's no place like it. There's no place like it here upon this earth.

[1:04] You can have all the comforts. All the consolations. Of this world. There's nothing to be compared to the house of wine.

[1:20] The banqueting house. And a solemn thing it is. If we live and die in this life.

[1:33] And have no knowledge. No sins. No blessings. Of the banqueting house. We should be lost.

[1:46] Lost eternally. And what a solemn thing it would be. When your eyestrings. Broke in death.

[1:57] And you knew nothing. Spiritually. Of the banqueting house. Are you amongst those.

[2:09] Who do hope. And sincerely desire. The Lord would lead you. From time to time. To that sacred.

[2:20] Blessed place. The feet. Of the Lord Jesus Christ. Have you prayed. The prayer of the hymn writer.

[2:33] I'd creep beside him like a worm. And see him bleed for me. Here's a desire. A gracious desire.

[2:46] And I believe this desire. Will be granted. And you'll be led. Into this sweet place. To nestle. Your troubled heart.

[2:59] To nestle. Your longing soul. In the breasts. Of the beloved. The dear Redeemer. The experience.

[3:14] Of the spouse. In the opening of this. Song of Solomon. What a sweet. Experience. What a longing desire.

[3:27] What a precious place. For a poor sinner. To be found in. Let him kiss me. With the kisses. Of his mouth.

[3:41] This. The spouse. Was acquainted. With love. The body. Of the body. Was acquainted. With a dear Redeemer.

[3:53] She was. I believe. One. Who knew. Not only. As we read. Further down. Her blackness. Her violence.

[4:05] But she had. Her. Received. By living faith. Of the beauties. That reside. In the precious blood. Of the dear Redeemer.

[4:20] Jesus. Thy blood. And righteousness. What is it. Friend. To the spouse. What is it.

[4:32] Why. It's beauty. It's clothing. It's a covering. which Satan. Can never.

[4:42] Never. Penetrate. It's holy. And it's pure. Therefore. Is there a one. Here this evening.

[4:54] Who had entered. Through the door there. With somewhat. The same language. Let him kiss me. With a kiss. It's off his mouth.

[5:06] I can say. Friends. And assure you. That will you. Well be enabled. May not be this evening. To know what it is.

[5:17] To enter in. This banqueting house. And you come. Seeking the. Favor. And the blessing of God.

[5:29] Which he has. Designed. Designed for your people. Again. In the. First chapter. Draw me. It comes to me.

[5:41] Doesn't it. It comes to the individual. It is a blessing to know. The whole church. Was washed. And cleansed.

[5:52] In the finished work. The Lord Jesus Christ. But it comes to me. The individual. You and me. You. Now.

[6:03] One may be saying. Now. What if my name. Should be left out. It causes you. Soul anxiety.

[6:15] Causes you. Soul trouble. And you have to. Enter into this path. Draw me. Yes Lord. Draw me. Draw my heart.

[6:29] Draw my affection. And you might say this. It is any love Lord. Toward thee. Draw my love. You may feel now.

[6:41] Perhaps. Cold and dark. Empty. And hungry. There is any love in me. Lord. Draw thee.

[6:51] Lord. I believe. The Lord. Jesus. Does draw. His. His. People. We sometimes sing.

[7:02] Jesus. Draw. Yes. He draws. His chosen race. Jesus. And who are they.

[7:14] They who say. Lord. Lord. Jesus. Draw. Lord. And we will run. After thee. Therefore.

[7:26] As we. Are enabled. By the grace of God. By living faith. To lay hold. Of these things. I believe.

[7:37] He will bring us. From time to time. Into the. Banqueting house. For what. And how the Lord. The bridegroom.

[7:50] Speaks. And wonderfully. Sets forth. His loving bride. In this chapter. We haven't time to go through it. But doubtless.

[8:02] Each one of you. You know it well. But the bride. Is brought to this place. Where she. Is unable to.

[8:13] Sit. Beneath the shadow. With great delight. His shadow. The shadow. Of the bridegroom. An apple tree.

[8:28] May not be. The greatest tree. Of the world. It is not. The greatest tree. Of the world. But a tree. Where fruit is found.

[8:40] Yes. There may be cedars. Growing in the wood. Those cedars. They soar above the apple tree. They look majestic.

[8:53] They look strong. But they provide no fruit. They are no good. Unto their cut down. To be used.

[9:06] But in the apple tree. Or upon the apple tree. There is a provision. it around.اف there's been a little rest here upon this earth we sang last evening we have no abiding city here no there are those places those spots those oases where the poor pilgrim is unable to sit down led by the spirit in the shade of the apple tree and to eat of the fruits of righteousness have you had a taste have you had a taste a taste of the love of a loving Jesus why you've been lifted above self lifted above sin lifted above the power of this earth and you've tasted the Lord to be gracious so I tell you what it is it's free grace and if free grace why not for you why not for you oh you may be saying this is for the Lord's people this free grace are for those whom he has chosen and I don't feel like one of these people

[11:15] I feel so poor I feel my poverty I feel my sinfulness you may feel these things I tell you something else the world doesn't feel it the children of the God of this world they don't feel it they're goody goodies they feel their ability they feel their power but one day that ability that goodness and that power will have been no use just just be swallowed up and be nothing what a mercy it is then if you are brought to feel a poor sinner looking unto Jesus and seeking from him these blessed realities that he is unto his church therefore as the dear spouse was unable to sit under his shadow with great delight it is a delight to indeed tither the light we read in the prophet Isaiah of how the spouse knew what this dear redeemer was as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land yes a great rock in a weary land and there in that shadow there in that reviving path the Lord breathes upon his people they can breathe in a different air a different air have you breathed it in maybe you've been tossed about you've been troubled there's been storms those anxious times disappointments disappointments you come just where the psalmist was you were brought low but what could he what could he say when he was brought low haven't some of you been brought low did the Lord leave you there in that low state no

[14:02] I was brought low and the Lord helped me lifted me up and I believe this is as the springs from time to time enters into this shadow and tastes of the fruit of righteousness but there's a leading on there's a leading on you know our bodies as we journey on in this wilderness world it's a twelve months since we last gathered together in this place place we are all twelve months older some of the young people may not feel much different but some of the older ones they know the toll of the year they know a failing body eyesight fails hearing fails power of the body fails it all testifies that we are poor failing creatures day by day but as the

[15:32] Lord leads a living soul a longing soul then that soul grows grows in grace and in the knowledge of the dear Redeemer and as that soul grows in grace then I believe our text takes up the growth for there is a going forth from the apple tree there's a going forth from the shadow into the banqueting house into the banqueting house do you know there's a door there the door into that banqueting house and if we've had a taste of this heavenly wine then we've been led by the Holy Spirit to know that door there may be someone knocking this evening there may be a beggar poor at mercy's door to enter into this banqueting house to sit to eat to drink the pleasures of the gospel of

[16:49] God's grace the Lord has said I've set before thee an open door and no man can shut it yes this is the way into the banqueting house and that door is no less than God's beloved son the heavenly conqueror that divine warrior our Lord Jesus Christ he who has broken down that middle wall of partition he who has made a way where there was no way and he who draws his love into that into this blessed place the banqueting house and oh as the sinner is brought to entering through that door what beauty there is what beauty to be seen is a heavenly place

[18:07] I believe I said last evening and maybe on the Lord's day if we know no heavenly places this side of the grave we should know no heaven at last but I believe for you and for me I hope there are heavenly places I hope you've had a heavenly place while your willing soul has been taken up with no less than love divine than a precious Jesus your eyes have been centered the eye of faith on him of whom one said my soul loveth and there friends at a heavenly place I would we might be favored more with them I know

[19:08] I hope I can speak here of living experience there's nothing to be composed with a heavenly place the comforts and the spiritual knowledge of the saving power of the Lord Jesus Christ and therefore these I believe the touch of these banqueting houses or house rather is a heavenly place and if you then have had a sit you've had a taste then you'll want more and more not like as I said the natural body the faculties of the body they fail one after another but the soul that living soul why does not fail that living soul may feel sometimes their unworthiness their fralty but this orders not orders not the divine will and power of

[20:23] God and as the Lord graciously leads down his friends into the banqueting house then they see the beauty and the majesty of one who has drawn them he fills friends he fills the banqueting house yes I believe our dear friends the servants of God here this evening will agree with me it is our desire that we might preach a precious Jesus that fills the banqueting house he's all in all yes he fills it his beauty his loveliness his wonders why we read of those apples of gold in pictures of silver why to the soul that soul to whom the word of God is blessed than the banqueting house is paid if surrounded is as I might safely understand me pictures as apples of gold pictures of silver there the word is made manifest there the saving power of the word is opened up in this banqueting house then why the place of safety one said rock of ages cleft for me let me shelter myself in thee that's the banqueting house where the soul is safe safe for time and safe for eternity and in this very way then there are these not only the stout walls not only it is paved with love and grace but oh it is furnished there the table there a table there dear

[22:45] David said the Lord has set a table before him in the presence of his enemies as the Lord the Holy Spirit presents as the gospel has been preached unto you as he drawn you up to his table have you been enabled to sit then in his delight and to partake of that heavenly food Jesus said I am the bread of life yes people have tried to alter that some have tried to bring in the poor wafers some have tried to stamp upon it some have tried to cause worms to breed in it but the child of God I believe prays for it the child of God the spouse I believe is nurtured and fed with it and there is a breaking of the bread of life in this banqueting house as the

[23:56] Lord the Holy Spirit then as the servants of God have stood where I'm standing now as the bread of life been broken why Jesus has become yours you've become his you've felt reunion and communion you've tasted a little of the wonders of love and all you've had to say why did Jesus show to me the beauties of his face why did he friend because he loved you that's why it was because he loved you and as you taste as the bread of life is broken as the gospel is free then your soul is nurtured and so lovingly fed with such heavenly food yes and in this banqueting house we see in the margin there's also a house of wine a house of love yes a house of wine a house love friend what it caused this dear son of

[25:26] God what it caused this precious saviour that you might sip of the wine of God's love what a favoured people you are those of you who've tasted who've sipped on the cup of salvation have you envied David those blessed wondrous things have you envied and you may have tasted I hope you have you may have been in some circumstance some trying path of life when you feel so cold so faint so forlorn you feel left you wonder where the scene will end you've read the 23rd psalm you've ended that dear man with a spiritual right envy when he said my cup runneth over has the

[26:47] Lord left you there left you with an empty cup no no take encouragement friend who may feel this evening they have an empty cup oh you may be saying it's a long long time since the Lord appeared it's a long long time since the Lord kissed me it's a long long time since the Lord shed his love upon me it's a long long time since I could join him with the people spiritually whole heartedly and sing oh love divine oh love excelling is his mercy clean God is it clean God whom the Lord loves he never leaves therefore you may be as you read the 23rd

[27:53] Psalm you may come to that word my cup runneth over the eye of faith let it go up Lord give me to sit from that cup fill me oh Lord fill me with love divine and favor me that I might grow in grace and in the knowledge of thy dear son he will come yes he will come he may be tiring tonight friends some of our dear elderly friends I believe know what it is for him to tarry but he hasn't tarried it's been too late has he he hasn't tarried it's been too late he's come in that appointed time and he's filled the cup you've drank and as you've drank you've felt the goodness the saving power the delivering mercy and the wonders of a gracious

[29:14] God and as you've felt these things then you've enabled to lay hold by living faith of God's dear son your beloved the precious one and you've laid hold upon him while you felt then that wife so strengthened me I can do all things then through Christ that strengthens me when that wine is poured in the heavenly love of God is there one before me receiving with a stumbling block one at a stone one who is looking at a river may be a ditch an impossibility why let the Holy Spirit pay for you with a wine of

[30:17] God's love then you can do all things the dear hymn writer said venture on him though can't not fail and when the Lord is pleased to pour in the wine of his love and the wine of his strength there is adventuring adventuring on him on Christ Jesus might well the spouse speak well of this vanqueting house there is all friends that you will need all that you shall need in our precious Jesus I feel I do wish I could speak better of him our friends who were with us on the Lord's day and last night will remember our text was both days looking unto

[31:23] Jesus and he is the same gospel the same grace the same divine love the sinner looks to as they look to unto precious Jesus he brought me to the vanqueting house it wasn't your power not your power no but you were made willing in the day of his power made willing oh to be a child of God is to be an hair of heaven think on these things any who may be careless this evening indifferent concerning a thing of God no vanqueting house no heaven no heaven as you've heard say many many times heaven begins here friends heaven begins here if we had not a sin of heavenly one upon this earth we shall know nothing of the fullness of heaven therefore this vanqueting house is to be looked for longed for sought after and

[33:04] I believe one the Lord Jesus Christ draws one who cries out let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth they won't be satisfied outside they won't be satisfied outside there are many today and we should pray for them we should pray for them for things we might call them who are putting ladders up to this vanqueting house they are ladders of good works ladders of creature ability ladders of knowledge they won't they won't gain for they cannot gain the ladder to break down they tumble over and they have land that one into a worse place than they were before they said there there is only one way that is through that open door and there's a banner there's a banner we read over the the banqueting house a banner over the church a banner over the lord people and his banner over me was

[34:45] L O V E what a banner what a banner what strength what love love love yes the enemy may come in like a flood the enemy may surround this banqueting house like a flood but the lord is a banner and what a mercy it is if we as we journey on in life's journey we are we are at shelter with this banner the child of god pilgrims and strangers as they may feel here upon this earth they are covered they are surrounded by this banner of love and that principle that sacred place that soul saved was by the precious blood of christ

[36:01] Satan cannot touch you know touched dear old Joe's body didn't he and it hurt him he had to cry out because of the pain and the loss but he couldn't touch his soul saved soul and upright one and as that saved soul was sheltered beneath a banner and you may as you are journeying along life's journey there may be many a fiery darts yes some of us know what it is to have fiery darts blows from sinners and from saints I know which hurts most I know which cuts deeper blows from sinners and from saints but that one who is sheltering beneath this heavenly banner why those blows they cannot transport the safe keeping love of God they cannot alter that elect one that one whom the

[37:25] Lord Jesus Christ has saved therefore we sometimes say of those who have departed and our loved ones some of you can view now I hope your loved ones in heaven how they may be more happy but they are not more secure why because they have a banner over them they are protected look at the 121 psalm the Lord is thy keeper thy shade upon thy right hand and a beautiful hymn of the we added on the Lord day Christ is the keeper of his saints what a beautiful knowledge yes friend you were kept by love helped along by love instructed by love is love first love all the way through and love will not fail when you are brought last to heaven it will be one eternal song unto him that loved you washed you cleanse you from all your sins the chorus will be glory dominion power forever and ever

[39:09] Jerusalem my happy home name ever dear to me when shall my labors have an end in peace in joy yes with thee banner over me was love therefore as I said how safe how safe are the saints whilst here below safe when they come to die because the outstretched arm of the loved redeemer he will take them through Jordan yes take them through Jordan all fears the fear of death then will be taken away you have been as I have been beside many a dying bay and that person may have been troubled over death by central person not so long ago she was nearing her last moments and oh she felt such darkness trouble did she know the beloved was she did she belong to the church of

[40:52] God I looked out and I said friend your God my God you give dying grace in a dying moment and you know it wasn't many hours before the Lord took her he didn't take her moaning he didn't take her trouble for as he took her and it was somewhat unexpected for a few hours for arms went off hallelujah dying grace and a dying moment why the banner over her was love he brought me to the banqueting house and his banner over me was love how is going in society at the land down told if to

[42:48] The trembling man was in distress For the beloved means Through fire and blood he goes A beating more than strong When the Lord is in distress Of the world

[43:51]  And the Lord is in distress And the Lord is in distress The Lord is in distress The Lord is in distress