A Worthy Communicant, Treatise · Chapter 1

A Worthy Communicant · Treatise · Chapter 1

p. 1CHAP. I. That GOD muſt be ſought in a right Order, as well as in a right Ordinance.

WE reade CHAP. 1 1 Sam. 4. 3, 4. That the Iſraelites being beaten by the Philiſtims, they ſend for the Arke of God from Shiloh to bee brought into the Campe, that it might ſave p. 2them out of the hands of their enemies. Such be the ſilly and the poore confidences of carnall and ſuperſtitious hearts, to reſt and rely more upon outward ſignes of Gods preſence, and to betruſt their ſafety with them, than to take care for the preſence of God Himſelfe. As if God had beene ſo chained to his Arke, that it comming, God himſelfe muſt needs come into their Campe. A far wiſer courſe it had beene, to have taken a courſe to have fetcht the Lord of Hoſts himſelfe, then the Arke of the Covenant of the Lord of Hoſts. GOD could, and would have holpen them without the Arke; but alas, What could the Ark doe without God? They might have learned another thing from Moſes, Num. 10. 36. And it came to paſſe when the Arke ſet forward, that Moſes ſaid, Riſe up O Lord, and let thine enemies be ſcattered. He knew, and taught, That though the Arke did riſe, yet if God ſate ſtill, it would not make one enemy flie; but let God ariſe, and let his p. 3enemies bee ſcattered: it is Gods riſing that is the enemies ſcattering. And ſuppoſe there had beene ſomewhat in the outward preſence of the Arke, yet what hope of helpe could they have by it, as it came attended? And the two Sons of Ely, ſayes the Text, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the Arke of the Covenant of God. Little likelyhood of Gods being there, when they were there. Their preſence in the Campe was likelier to do them more miſchiefe, than the Arkes preſence was like to doe them good. But they ſo dote upon the Arke, and put ſuch confidence in it, have it they muſt, and have it they will, not taking care to bring God along with it, nor being in any feare of miſcarriage, though it comes upon the prophane ſhoulders of Hophni and Phinehas. Well, and when they have it, how ſpeed they? That confidence of theirs was miſerably checkt, not onelyonly by their owne ruine and overthrow, but by the captivity of the Arke. Even p. 4that which they hoped ſhould have ſaved them out of the hand of their enemies, was delivered into the enemies hands, He delivered his ſtrength into captivity, and his glory into the enemies hand, Pſal. 78. 61. So righteous it is with God, to let men ſee the vanity of their fond confidences, That the winde ſhall carry them all away, that vanity ſhall take them, Iſa. 57. 13. That he rejects ſuch confidences, and that men ſhall not proſper in them, Ier. 2. 37. Well, but now though Iſraels confidences be in the duſt; yet have the Philiſtims little reaſon to vaunt of their victory: The Arke, though it ſaves not Iſrael, yet proves a plague to the Philiſtims: God ſoone makes them weary of their booty, and make them glad to returne it home againe, and that with flying colours, and in an honourable manner. And now the Arke returning, is not ſeated as before at Shiloh, where it had beene till its captivity, ever ſince the dayes of Ioſhua, but was placed in the Citie p. 5of Kiriath-Iearim, a Citie in Iudah. There it remained ſeparated from the Tabernacle, unto the time of Davids ferching it thence, which could not be leſſe than about the ſpace of forty ſeven yeeres. Samuel and Saul governed the people forty yeeres, and David raigned in Hebron ſeven yeares before he came to Ieruſalem. All this while were the Arke and Tabernacle ſeparated: yea, the Ark was not inquired at, all the dayes of Saul, 1 Chro. 14. 3. Out of all which by the way we may note; That the want of ſome Ordinances of GOD doth not annull a Church of God. A Church may want ſome Ordinances, Ordinances of great weight, & yet be a true Church; or elſe for theſe forty ſeven yeeres there had beene no true Church, nor true worſhip in Iſrael; and ſo not in the world. The Arke, and enquiring at it, was a matter of great weight in Gods Church, and worſhip. It was one of the moſt ſpeciall types of Chriſt, a ſymball of Gods gracious p. 6and ſpeciall preſence: it was the place of Gods ſpeciall reſidence; hee dwelt betweene the Cherubims, and from thence hee gave anſwers. It was the firſt and chiefeſt of al the holy things, for it principally, was the Tabernacle made, Exod. 40. 18. 21. It ſanctified the whole Tabernacle, The places are holy whereinto the Arke of the Lord hath come, 2 Chro. 8. 11. And yet this Arke out of the Tabernacle, the place of worſhip and ſacrifice, the ſpace of forty ſeven yeares. Yea more, during all Davids time it continued ſeparated from the Tabernacle, it being pitched in a Tent by it ſelfe at Ieruſalem, and the Tabernacle being at the High-place in Cibeon, 1 Chron. 1. 4, 5, 6, 13. The Arke and the Tabernacle never came together more, after it was once removed from Shiloh; but when Salomon built the Temple, and the Tabernacle was diſſolved, then was the Arke placed in the Holy of Holies in the Temple. And yet all this while who will ſay they had not p. 7true worſhip, and a true Church? wants therefore, and defects in a Church, unchurch it not.

The Arke now having continued forty ſeven yeeres at Kiriath-Iearim, David being made King over all Iſrael, and come to Ieruſalem; the firſt thing we reade he did, after his plenary poſſeſſion of, and Inauguration into the Kingdome, is to bring home the Arke from Kiriath-Iearim unto Ieruſalem. In the bringing it home they meet with a ſhrewd check, and a ſore miſcarriage in the death of Vzzah; and that by reaſon of a miſcarriage in the carriage of the Arke upon a Cart, which ſhould have been born upon the Prieſts ſhoulders. David finding their former errour, and their faile in a preſcribed formality, doth now a ſecond time ſet upon the work, and in this Chapter and place, direct the Prieſts what courſe to take, and gives them to underſtand, that for want of this obſervance, God gave them that former blow in Vzzahs p. 8death. Sanctifie your ſelves both ye and your brethren, that you may bring up the Arke of the Lord God of Iſrael, namely upon your owne ſhoulders, according to the Canon, Exod. 25. 14. as the fifteenth Verſe of this Chapter explaines it. For becauſe ye did it not at firſt, V. 13. The Lord our God made a breach upon us, for that we ſought him not after the due order. As if hee had ſaid, It was not onelyonly Vzzahs errour in touching the Ark contrary to that, Num. 4. 15. but it was all your errors to carry it in a Cart, when it ſhould have beene borne upon your ſhoulders. Indeed unto the Sons of Gerſhon, and to the Sons of Merari Moſes gave Wagons and Oxen, according to their ſervice, but unto the Sons of Kohatb (who were to beare the Ark, Num. 4. 5, 15.) he gave none, Becauſe the ſervice of the Sanctuary belonging to them, was, that they ſhould be are upon their ſhoulders, Num. 7. 6, 7, 8, 9. A Gerſhonites or a Merarites burthen might be carted, but not a Kohatbites, p. 9they muſt put their ſhoulders to the burthen. And for this irregularity was the breach made. Indeed the Philiſtins ſent home the Ark in a Cart, but God brookes not the carting of the Arke in Iſrael: God will beare with that in Heathens and Strangers, which he will not brooke, nor winck at in his owne people, who muſt live by rule. Hee will be ſanctified in all thoſe that draw neere unto him. So preciſely ſtrict is God for the obſervation of his Ordinances; and ſo jealous, and ſo quick a Iudge in caſes of the ſmalleſt prevarication.

The thirteenth Verſe then is a reaſon of that counſell given, V. 12. You muſt ſanctifie your ſelves, and you muſt bring home the Ark. We went another way to worke before; and Gods diſpleaſure brake out againſt us, becauſe we ſought him not after the due order. The Point then wee may learne, is this,

That it is not enough to ſeeke God, but we muſt ſeeke him after the due order p. 10that he hath appointed, and preſcribed: And, That where God is not ſought after the due order, there men not onelyonly meet not with a bleſsing, but with a blow, and with a breach.

To goe and fetch the Arke, and to enquire of God at it, it was an Ordinance of God, but to neglect the ſanctification of themſelves, that they might bring up the Arke of the Lord, and to carry it in a Cart, this was not according to Gods Order. His order was that they themſelves ſhould beare it, and that they ſhould ſanctifie themſelves before-hand for the ſervice. David and his people made full account of it, when they went about that dayes worke, to have had a good and a comfortable day of it: but Gods order being neglected, inſtead of a bleſſing, they meet with a blow, and a breach. It proved a ſad day, they were ſent home with ſad and ſorrowfull hearts. It is true indeed, that the carrying of the Arke upon a Cart, was a faile but in point of outward p. 11order, the due outward order was not obſerved. And if God be ſo ſevere in making a breach upon them, for the breach of an outward order, How much more ſevere may it bee thought will he be in denying a bleſſing, and in making a breach for the neglect and breach of that ſpirituall and inward order, with which he requires holy ſervices to be performed. God hath preſcribed not onelyonly holy Ordinances and wayes, in which he will be ſought and found; but he hath alſo preſcribed an holy Order, and a ſpirituall manner, after which, and in which, he will be ſought in the uſe of thoſe his Ordinances. Gods Ordinance, and Gods Order muſt ever goe together. Let us ſuppoſe that which cannot be. Suppoſe that a man could ſeeke God in the right Order, in regard of inward diſpoſition of ſpirit, in a wrong Ordinance; yet God being ſought in a wrong Ordinance though in a right Order, no bleſſing, but a breach were to be expected. So contrarily, p. 12Though a man ſeek God in a right Ordinance, yet if he ſeeke him in a wrong Order, for inward frame of heart, not a bleſſing, but a breach would follow. As no bleſſing to be expected from a right Order in a wrong Ordinance, ſo no bleſſing from a right Ordinance in a wrong Order. The bleſſing is derived from God, through a right Ordinance uſed after a due Order. We ſhall ſee both going therefore together. See Iſa. 64. 5. Thou meeteſt him that rejoyces, and workes righteouſneſſe, thoſe that remember thee in thy wayes. Here is firſt, Gods bleſſing, communion, and fellowſhip with God, Thou meeteſt him. When God meets a man ſeeking him, there is a bleſſing: but marke in the next place how the bleſſing is met withall. And that by doing two things. Firſt there is a ſeeking in Gods Ordinance. That remember thee in thy wayes. They that will meet GOD muſt ſeeke him in his owne wayes. His Ordinances are his wayes, and his p. 13walkes. If wee make walkes, and wayes of our owne, there can bee no meeting of GOD in them, becauſe Hee will walke in no wayes but His owne.

Secondly, there is a ſeeking in Gods Order, that rejoyces, that workes righteouſneſſe. There muſt bee a ſeeking Him in that Spirituall manner, with the heart ſet in due order, in all thoſe gracious diſpoſitions that GOD requires, and then GOD meetes a man. But now as a man that ſeekes GOD out of His Ordinance meetes not with Him, becauſe he ſeekes Him not in His wayes, ſo though a man doe ſeeke Him in His wayes, yet if he rejoyce not, and worke not righteouſneſſe, but ſeekes God with an unholy, a dead, and a dull heart, though he bee in Gods wayes, and ſeeke God in a right Ordinance, yet he ſeekes not in a right order, and therefore neither GOD nor His bleſſing met withall. GOD meetes with a man that ſeekes him in both joyntly, Right Ordinance, p. 14and right order. The like we have, Ier. 29. 12, 13. Then ſhall ye call upon me, & ye ſhall goe, and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you, and ye ſhall ſeeke me, & find me, when you ſhall ſearch for me with all your heart. Here is a promiſe of a bleſſing to them that ſeeke God. But firſt they muſt ſeeke God in His Ordinance. Yee ſhall call upon mee, and yee ſhall go, and pray unto mee; not goe to Saints, Angels, Images, Idols, that's none of Gods Ordinance. Secondly, they muſt ſeeke God after His Order, when yee ſhall ſearch for mee with all your heart. Thus Gods bleſſing attends ſeeking in His Ordinance, and Order joyntly. If they prayed with all their heart, that were His Order, but if they prayed to an Image, that were not His ordinance, therefore in ſuch a caſe would he not be found. So againe, if they prayed to Him, that were His Ordinance, but if they prayed with dead, and dull hearts, that were not His Order, therefore neither in ſuch a caſe would He be found.

p. 15But this is not all. There is not only no bleſsing, but there is a breach where God is not ſought after the Due Order. Wee ſhall ſee it true in the ſeverall Ordinances wherin God is ſought.

1 In the Word. God is ſought in the Miniſtery of the Word, 1 Sam. 9. 9. Before time in Iſrael, when a man went to enquire of GOD, thus he ſpake: Come let us goe to the Seer. Therefore when they went to the Seer they went to enquire of God. That is one Ordinance wherein GOD is ſought. But yet when GOD is not ſought in the due order in this Ordinance, it brings no bleſſing but a breach, 1 Cor. 1. 23. To the Iewes a ſtumbling blocke, to the Gentiles fooliſhneſſe, 2 Cor. 2. 16. A ſavour of death unto death, Iſ. 28. 13. And the Word of the Lord was unto them—that they might goe, and fall backward, and be broken, and bee ſnared and taken. And be broken. There is a breach in ſtead of a blesſing.

2 In prayer. GOD is ſought in prayer, Zach. 8. 21, 22. Let us go ſpeedily p. 16to pray before the Lord, and to ſeeke the Lord of Hoſtes, yea many people ſhall come to ſeeke the Lord of Hoſtes in Ieruſalem, and to pray before the Lord. That is another Ordinance wherein the Lord is ſought. But when God is ſought in prayer, and not ſought in the due order, not a bleſſing but a breach followes. Pſal. 109. 9. Let his prayer become ſinne. If our light become darkeneſſe, how great is that darkeneſſe! If our duties become ſin how great is that ſinne? A prayer turned into ſinne is a curſe, and brings a curſe.

3 In ſacrifices of the Old Teſtament. They were Ordinances in which God was ſought. Hoſe. 5. 6. They ſhall goe with their flockes, and with their heards to ſeeke the Lord. But yet if God were not ſought in them after the due order, there was a breach in ſtead of a bleſſing, Prov. 21. 27. The ſacrifice of the wicked is an abomination, how much more when hee brings it in wickedneſſe. when he brings it with p. 17an heart out of order. Mal. 2. 3. I will ſpread your doung upon your faces, even the doung of your ſollemne feaſts, and ſacrifices.

4 In fasting. God is ſought in it. Ezr. 8. 21. I proclaimed a faſt▪ to ſeeke of him a right way for us. Iſa. 58. 2, 3. Yet they ſeeke mee-wherefore have wee faſted? Yet if GOD not ſought in faſting after the due order, there followes a breach, Ier. 14. 12. When they faſt I will not heare their cry. There is no bleſſing. But that's not all, there is a breach alſo, But I wil conſume them by the ſword, and by the famine, and by the peſtilence.

5 In Sacraments. God is ſought in the uſe of them, 2 Chron. 30. 19. That prepares his heart to ſeeke GOD, namely in the uſe of the Sacrament of the Paſſeover. But yet if GOD be ſought in the Sacrament, and not after the due order, it will proove a breach; wee ſee it in Tudas, hee received the Paſſeover, the Sop was the cloſe of it, and ſee what followed, Iohn 13. 27. p. 18And after the Soppe Satan entred into him. The Divell made a breach into his ſoule. The Soppe proved poyſon to him, and when hee receives it he receives the Divell. Not becauſe hee received an evill thing, for the Nam & nos hodie accipimus viſibilē cibum. Sed aliud eſt Sacramentum, aliud virtus Sacramenti. Quā multi de Altari accipiunt & moriuntur, & accipiendo moriuntur? unde dicit apoſtolus, Iudicium ſibi manducat & bibit. Nonne buccella Dominica venenū fuit Indae? Et tamen Accepit. Et cum Accepit, Inimicus in cum intravit: non quia malum accepit ſed quia bonum malè malus accepit. Aug. Tract. in Ioh. 26.Paſſeover was Gods Ordinance, but becauſe, as Augustine ſayes, hee being an evill man received a good thing in an evill manner, in an undue order.

We ſee it in the Iſraelites. 1 Cor. 10. 2, 3, 4, 5. All baptiſed, did all eate the ſame Spirituall meate, did all drinkt he ſame Spirituall drink, But with many of them God was not well pleaſed, there is the want of the bleſſing, for they were overthrowne in the wilderneſſe. There is the breach. We may ſee it in the Corinthians, 1 Cor. 11. 29, 30. He that eateth, and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himſelfe, for this cauſe many are weake and ſickly, and many ſleepe. He that eates, and drinkes the Bread and Wine in the Sacrament he uſes a right Ordinance, but he that cates and drinks unworthily, he uſes it p. 19not in a right Order, and therfore not only no bleſſing but a breach followes both upon ſoule and body.

The grounds of this Truth are theſe two.

Firſt, All Gods Law is copulative, Iam. 2. 10. And therefore marke Deu. 5. 17, 18, 19, 20, 21. how thoſe Commandements are layd downe, Thou ſhalt not kill, And thou ſhalt not commit Adultery, And thou ſhalt not ſteale, And thou ſhalt not beare falſe witneſſe, &c. He doth not ſay as Exo. 20. Thou ſhalt not Kill, Thou ſhalt not commit Adultery, Thou ſhalt not ſteale, &c. But wee ſee one of theſe Commandements is knit to the other by the Copulative particle And. That ſame particle And is amongſt theſe Commandements as the Taches, and Loopes were amongſt the Curtaines of the Tabernacle. The taches put into the loopes did couple the Curtaines of the Tent, and ſew the tent together that it might bee one. Exod. 26. 10, 11. So doth this particle couple p. 20theſe Commandements together. Now as it is with thoſe Commandements there ſpecified, ſo it is with all the reſt, the firſt, ſecond, third, &c. Thou ſhalt have no other Gods before me, And thou ſhalt not make to thy ſelfe any graven Image, And thou ſhalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vaine. So that the breaking of one is the breach of the whole Law, as he that had uncoupled but one Curteine of the Tabernacle had uncoupled the whole Tent. Now then the ſame Law of God that commands Ordinances, the ſame Law of GOD commandes Order. And hee that breakes the Commandement enjoyning order whether outward or inward, makes a breach upon the whole Law. And when we make a breach, what can wee looke for but a breach? God commandes order, even outward order, and will have it preciſely obſerved. Levit. 1. 7, 8. The Prieſts ſhall lay the woode in order upon the fire, and the Priests ſhall lay the parts, the head, p. 21and the fat in order upon the woode. Not onelyonly woode layd upon the fire, but layed in order, not onelyonly the parts, head and fat layd upon the wood, but layd in order. And Abraham, Gen. 22. 9. Layd the wood in order.

Now GOD that commandes outward order, and ſtands ſo punctually upon the outward order, how much more commandes He, and ſtandes He upon inward order, the right ordering, and diſpoſing of the inward man? If God will have the wood in order, the parts of the Beaſt, the fat, and the head in order in the Sacrifice, how much more requires hee to have the Heart and Soule of a man in order in any holy ſervice, and in the uſe of any holy Ordinance of His? As to Hezekiah in that caſe, Iſ. 38. 1. Set thine houſe in order, for thou must dye. So ſet thy Soule in order, for thou muſt pray, heare the Word, receive the Sacrament. Let all things bee done decently, and in order, 1 Cor. 14. 40. That is a Cannon, and a Commandement for outward order, p. 22and God that will have men ſo Canonicall for His outward order, how much more requires He that men be as regular for inward order? Let all things be done holily, and in Spirituall order. Let not onelyonly the Word be heard, Gods Name be called upon, the Sacrament received, but let it bee done after the due order, with an heart, and a ſpirit ſo ſpiritually ordered as God commandes. So that God commanding inward order, as well as an outward Ordinance, and His Law being Copulative, ſuch muſt our obedience be, or elſe we make a breach in His Law, in uncoupling what he hath coupled together. What God hath joyned together let no man put aſunder, what GOD hath coupled together, let no man uncouple. He hath coupled together the ſecond Commandement enjoyning His Ordinance, and the third enjoyning the inward manner, and order of the uſe of His Ordinance. And therefore to uſe His Ordinance without that order is a breach of what p. 23He hath coupled. And if we make a breach in His Law, what wonder if He make a breach in our ſervice, in our comfort!

2 That ſame, Levit. 22. 21. perfect ſhall it be to be accepted. God expects Non eſt Actio bona ſimpliciter niſi omnes bonitates concurrant: quia quilibet ſingularis defectus cauſat malum, bonum autem cauſatur ex Integra cauſa. Tho. Aquin. 1a. 2ae. qu. 18. Art. 4. Bonum cauſatur ex Integra cauſa, malum autem ex ſingularibus defectibus. Id. ibi. qu. 19. art. 6.perfection, perfection of parts where man expects acceptance. Now as unto that which is good ſo unto that wh^ch is perfect there muſt bee an entire concurrence of all requiſites. The defect or want of any one thing required may cauſe an imperfection, but to the conſtitution of perfection, there muſt be a meeting of all things required. It will appeare in the caſe ſpecified, Lev. 22. 21. The ſacrifices of Beeves, or Sheepe there mentioned muſt be perfect. Now if the beaſt had wanted but any one part, an eye, an eare, an horne, an hoofe, any one of theſe defects had cauſed an imperfection, and the ſacrifice had beene imperfect, and ſo no acceptance of it. But now to have made it perfect to bee accepted, it muſt have all, and every one of the p. 24parts, every member of the body in its number, and proportion. Now the equity holds in all dutyes of worſhip. To what end is our worſhip, if not accepted, if we will have it accepted wee muſt have it perfect, there muſt be all theſe things in it that God requires. Now God requires in worſhip, not only that wee uſe his Ordinance, but his order; as outward, ſo inward. Now when there is this perfection that God requires, then may a bleſſing, and acceptance bee expected. But if that order, that Spirituall order which God calls for be wanting, if wanting in any one part of it, there the duty is imperfect, there no acceptance can be looked for, but rather a breach. We may ſee it exemplified in the Law of the peace offerings, Levit. 7. Firſt ſee the Ordinance of God, verſ. 11, 12, 13. There is the ſubſtance of the ſacrifice preſcribed. Then the order is preſcribed. That they be eaten in due time, v. 16. It ſhal be eaten the ſame day that he offers his ſacrifice. That the fleſh be cleane, p. 25v. 19. And the fleſh that touches any uncleane thing ſhall not be eaten. That the perſons that doe eate it muſt be cleane, verſe 19. And as for the fleſh, all that be cleane ſhall eate thereof, that is, all that eate therof muſt be cleane, as appeares by that which followes, verſe 20. So Atque haec munera pure, à puris, pura percipi oportuit ex p…aeſcripto Dei, Iun. Analiſ. in Levit. 7.Lev 7then as here is the Ordinance preſcribed, ſo the order of eating, that they be eaten purely, that pure things be eaten, that they be eaten of pure perſons. Their peace offerings thus eaten were accepted, becauſe here was perfection from the concurrence, and integrity of the cauſes conſtituting perfection: But now if any one of theſe things were miſſing in point of order it made them imperfect, and ſo unacceptable. If not purely in regard of time, though pure fleſh, and eaten by pure perſons, yet no bleſſing, no acceptance, but a breach, verſe 18. It ſhall not be accepted, it ſhall be an abomination, and the ſoule that eateth of it ſhall be are his iniquity. If not pure fleſh eaten, though in due time, and ſo purely, though by pure p. 26perſons, yet not accepted. If not eaten by pure perſons though in due time, and though pure things, yet not onelyonly no acceptance, and bleſſing but an uncomfortable breach, even that ſoule ſhall bee cut off from his people, verſe 20, 21. So then perfection being required unto acceptance, and an univerſall concurrence of all things commanded by God required unto perfection, and order being required of God as well as his Ordinance, therefore it is not enough to ſeeke God in an Ordinance, but he muſt bee ſought after that due order which hee hath preſcribed, or elſe we may not onelyonly meete with no bleſſing, but with an heavy checke, and ſuch a breach as may ſend us away from Gods Ordinances with a drooping, and a mourning heart.

This ſerves firſt to let us ſee what the reaſon is that many times after our Vſe 1 ſeeking GOD in His Ordinances it fares ſo ill with us as it doth. God hath promiſed to make us joyfull in, and ſo to ſend us joyfull away from his p. 27houſe of prayer, Iſa. 56. And he makes his people not onelyonly to feele joy, and gladneſſe, but he makes them heare it, Pſal. 51. 8. He infuſes it by hearing the Word, and promiſes opened. He promiſes to make us riſe from His Table full of quikning, comfort, joy, refreſhment, and raviſhment of ſpirit: Take eate this is my body, my body which ſhall feede you, quicken, refreſh and comfort you. Now it may be thou haſt come many a Lords-Day to the houſe of God, to the Table of the Lord, and haſt met with no ſuch bleſſing, haſt found no ſuch cheering, no ſuch comfortable refreſhment: Nay thou haſt rather met with a blowe, and a breach, thou haſt gone away with a dead, a ſad, a drooping, an uncomfortable ſpirit. Thou haſt ſeene it may bee ſome ſuch ſpirituall token of Gods diſpleaſure, as might make thee call the Church, the Table of the Lord, Perez-uzzah, or Perez-nepheſh the breach of thy ſoule. And what thinkeſt thou may the reaſon be? Is Gods p. 28hand ſhortned? Is His fidelity weakend? Are His Ordinances deforced or enfeebled? No, by no meanes. God is as powerfull and as faithfull as ever, His Ordinances as energeticall, operative, and efficacious as ever: what then may the reaſon bee? An hundred to one, but the Lord hath made this breach upon thy ſoule becauſe thou ſoughteſt him not after the due order. Call thy ſelfe to an account, was there that prayer, humiliation, renewing of thy repentance, and quickning of thy faith before hand as there ſhould have beene? If thou haſt made a breach in Gods order, it is not ſtrange that God hath made a breach in thy conſcience, and comfort. Certainely it ſeldome fares thus ill with any man in the uſe of GODS Ordinances, but upon due ſearch it will bee found that there hath beene a neglect of due order.

And let it teach us in the ſecond place, not to reſt contented in the Vſe 2 bare and formall uſe of any Ordinance; p. 29but let it be our great care, to ſeeke God in it, after the due Order. Doe not ſatisfie thy ſelfe, and ſet up thy reſt in praying, hearing; but have a ſpeciall care to doe theſe duties after the due Order. But in more ſpeciall manner bee exhorted to thinke upon this, when thou art to receive the Sacrament. Men have generally an high conceit of the Sacrament, what ever eſteeme they have in the mean time of other Ordinances. And true it is, that it is a very precious Ordinance of God, and highly to bee eſteemed; but yet ſtrange it is, to ſee what little regard men have to come in due Order thereunto. In any caſe men muſt come; and it were the greateſt wrong that could be if they ſhold not come: be they adulterers, drunkards, ſwearers, bee their lives and wayes what they will, yet becauſe it is the cuſtome to come at ſuch a time, in any caſe they muſt come. No queſtion but many have the ſame idle and vaine conceits that ſome had in p. 30Saint Chryſoſtomes time, that if they came at ſuch and ſuch times, what Multos video qui Chriſti corporis ſunt participes inconſiderate, & temere, & magis ex conſuetudine, & lege quam ex cogitatione, et conſideratione. Si advenerit, inquit, tempus ſanctae quadrageſimae, qualiſcunque fuerit quiſpiam, fit particeps myſteriorum, ſi advenerit dies Epiphaniorū. Atqui tempus ad ea accedendi, neque Epiphania, neque quadrageſima, facit dignos qui accedunt, foreign. Chryſoſt. ad Eph. hom. 3.ever their lives were, yet it skill'd not, the comming at ſuch times was diſpoſition ſufficient for the ſervice. But heare how he cries downe that vaine conſent. I ſee many, ſayes he, that are partakers of the Body of Chriſt, inconſiderately, and raſhly, more out of cuſtome and law, than out of conſideration. If the time (ſayes one) of holy Lent be come, or the day of Epiphany be come, what kinde of perſon ſoever the man bee, hee is made partaker of the myſteries. But it is not the time of comming unto them, neither Epiphany nor Lent, which makes them worthy that come, but the ſincerity and purity of the ſoule. Alwayes come with that, never come without it. So that they lookt more at the time they came, than to come with ſincerity and purity; as if the time ſhould impart that holineſſe to them which the Sacrament requires, and they neglected to bring with them. And are not there too many in the p. 31world, that nouriſh ſuch ſecret conceits in their hearts, who thinke, that ſo long as they come at ſuch times as law and cuſtome ſets, all is well enough, there needs no more to look after. But let men know, that at what time ſoever they come, let it be ever ſo ſoleme a time, or how often ſoever they come, were it monethly, or daily, yet if they come not after the due Order, they ſhall be ſo farre from receiving a bleſſing, that they ſhall receive a breach, yea, a very curſe upon their ſoules: let a man come as oft as he will to the Sacrament, yet if he come not after the due Order, God will deale with ſuch a communicant as with the wicked man in that caſe, Iob 20. 23. When hee is about to fill his belly, God ſhall caſt the fury of his wrath upon him, and ſhall raine it upon him whileſt hee is eating. So here, when a man comes to the Sacrament, and not after the due Order, even whileſt he is eating, GOD may raine downe his wrath upon p. 32him; and when hee thinkes to eate Chriſts fleſh, and drinke his bloud, that which he eats, may bee ſawced, and that which hee drinkes, may bee ſpiced with the bitter wrath of God. Such is the caſe oftentimes of many receivers, who will bee comming to the Sacrament without any regard to Gods due Order: as it was with the Iſraelites at their Quailes, Pſa. 78. 29, 30, 31. So they did eate and were filled, for he gave them their owne deſire: but whileſt the meat was yet in their mouths, the wrath of GOD came upon them. Quailes were dainty food, but wrath was ill ſawce: fleſh they muſt needs have, no remedy, and they murmure that they have it not; fleſh they have, and wrath they have. And the wrath of God came upon thē while their meat was yet in their mouthes. Who would have their meate to have had their ſawce? So, many will needs come to the Sacrament, by no meanes may they be perſwaded to forbeare till better fitted, come they muſt, there is no p. 33remedy: and they have their deſire: but while the Sacramentall meate is yet in their mouths, the wrath of God comes ſecretly and inſenſibly upon their ſoules, becauſe they come, and doe not ſeeke God after the due Order. That ſame is an heavie curſe, Pſa. 69. 22. Let their Table become a ſnare before them, and that which ſhould have beene for their wellfare, let it become a trap. It is very heavie, when our ordinary Table becomes a ſnare unto us; but to have the Table of the Lord become a ſnare, and the Sacrament w^ch is appointed for our wellfare, to become a trap; what judgement can be imagined heavier? And yet this is the ſad condition of ſuch as come not to the Lords Table after the due Order, even that holy Table becomes a ſnare unto them. How wondrous jocund and jolly was Haman, that he muſt go with the King to Eſthers banquet? Eſther 5. 9. Then went Haman forth, that day, joyfull, and with a glad heart. And he brags of it, Verſ. 12. Yea, Eſt. p. 34her the Queene did let no man come in with the King, unto the banquet ſhe had prepared, but my ſelfe; And to morrow I am invited unto her alſo with the King. But little reaſon had the man to be ſo cranke; for not only at the banquet; but at the banquet of wine, Eſther 7. 7. which was the merrieſt banquet of all, hee meets with the Kings wrath, and thereupon with the ſentence of death. How happy were it, it were not the caſe of many Communicants; full brag & jolly they be, that though they bee moſt unfit, yet they may come, and none can keepe them back; and to the Sacrament they will goe, that they will: but alas, at the very banquet of wine they meet with the King of Heaven, his wrath upon their ſoules, which there arreſts them, and ſentences them to death. As if God ſhould ſay, Loe, here is a company of people come to my Table, & amongſt them, I ſpie a great many that are not come after the due Order: and ſhall ſuch as theſe that thus unduly and diſorderly p. 35ſeeke me, meet with my bleſſing? Shall theſe have my Chriſt? ſuch as theſe, ſhall they eate my ſons fleſh, and drink his bloud? No, here is not for you. God will ſay to them, as Nabal to Davids ſervants, 1 Sam. 15. 10, 11. Who is David? And who is the ſonne of Ieſſe? Shall I take my bread, and my water, and my fleſh, that I have killed for my ſhearers, and give it unto men, whom I know not whence they be? So will the Lord ſay to all ſuch, Who are ye? and whence are ye? ſhall I take my Sacramentall bread, and my Sonnes fleſh and bloud, which I have prepared for ſuch as come after the due Order, & give it unto a company of perſons, I know not whence they are? Be gone, and meddle not; or if you will needs be medling, not only no bleſſing, but my curſe be upon your communicating. Therefore in the feare of GOD looke we to it, to come to this holy Ordinance in an holy Order. A great conſcience is to be made of comming. It is a grievous p. 36ſin to neglect Gods Ordinance; and as great a conſcience is to be made of comming after the due Order. Be no leſſe ſolicitous to come in due Order, than to come to the Ordinance.