The Guard of the Tree of Life, Discourse

The Guard of the Tree of Life · Discourse

p. 1LEVIT. 10.3.

Then Moſes ſaid unto Aaron, This is that the Lord ſpake, ſaying, I will bee ſanctified in them that come nigh me.—

WE are all here preſent met together at an Ordinance, and many of us have intended to goe upon a further Ordinance. And there is no man or woman who hath to doe with any Ordinance of God, but hath to deale with God in it, he drawes neere to God. And God hath ſaid he will …e ſanctified in all them that draw …eere to him; either he will be ſanctified by you, in your active glorifying …f him, or upon you, in your paſsive …earing his diſpleaſure. A te, vel De te.There is never a one of you here preſent, but God will be ſanctified and glorified p. 2in you this day. And 'tis my earneſt deſire that you may all actively glorifie God, that he may not paſſively glorifie himſelfe upon you, and raiſe his glory out of the ruines of any of you.

I need not travell farre back to find you a coherence, the verſe before will afford it; And the firſt word of my Text bids me go no further.

There is,

1. The occaſion of theſe words.

2. The Preface to them.

3. The words themſelves.

4. The effect of them.

1. The occaſion of theſe words, and that was the untimely death of Aarons two ſonnes, their death gave birth to theſe words. And a ſentence it is not too deare, if bought with the lives of thouſands of men. 2. The Preface to them, This is that the Lord ſaid; why, where did the Lord ſpeak it? Did he ſpeak it to Moſes only? or did he ſpeak it …o the Congregation alſo? we never reade it was booked before, totidem p. 3verbis. Some think this puniſhment was all the command they had, but I cannot think, that God doth firſt puniſh, and thereupon raiſe a precept, but he firſt gives his Law, then puniſhes the breach of it.

And the words declare there had been ſome charge given, This is that the Lord ſaid, ſo that there was ſome charge. But where was it? Wee read not of it here. Some ſay it was ſpoken, but not written; and this they would have to countenance their unwritten traditions. Some will have it, in Exo. 19.22. Let the Prieſts ſanctifie themſelves, leſt the Lord break in upon them. Others will have it in Levit. 8.35, 36. Keep the Lord's charge that you die not. Calvin will not have it referred to any particular place, but a generall charge, given at divers times; and now the preſent occaſion brings it forth to particular application, to which I aſſent. 3. Wee have the words p. 4themſelves, I will be ſanctified. Why, what is that? Can God be ſanctified of us? Indeed he ſanctifies us, but how can we ſanctifie him?

God is ſanctified two wayes:

1. Actively.

2. Paſſively.

1. Actively, as 1 Pet. 3.15. Sanctifie the Lord in your hearts; and thus God is ſanctified, when wee cheriſh and maintain high eſteems of God in our hearts, when we do honour, eſteem, and advance God in our hearts, and in our lives.

2. Paſſively, by puniſhing of offenders, Ezek. 28.22. When I have executed my judgement on her, Sanctificatio Dei, eſt poena peccantium. Jerom.then ſhall I be ſanctified in her. Jerome on this place ſaith, The puniſhment of offenders, is the ſanctification of God; So you ſee it was in the Text, God was ſanctified on them, not by their doing good, but by their ſuffering evill; not Actively, but Paſſively: And in both theſe ſenſes the words are to be read, I ſay the words are to p. 5be read in this disjunctive ſenſe, I will be ſanctified of all them that draw neer to me, that is, either actively, in glorifying me in the work; or paſſively, in glorifying my ſelf upon the workman; Si voluntas Dei non fiat a te, fiet de te. Aug.if you do not ſanctifie God in an Ordinance, he will be ſanctified upon you. 4. We have the effect of theſe words upon Aaron, it is ſaid, it ſtruck him dumb; a dutifull dumbneſs; he was ſilent to Jehovah, he held his peace; he was dumb, & opened not his mouth, becauſe it was God's doing. Silet audita voluntate Dei. Calv.God's will being manifeſt, it chained up his tongue, he held his peace; thereby confeſſing, ſaith Calvin, **Iuſto Dei judicio extinctos eſſe.that they were ſlain by the juſt judgement of God. His ſilence cleared God in his dealings. And what a power is there then in faith, and grace; to ſilence the ſoul in ſuch a ſad condition as this? The loſs of his ſons, his eldeſt ſons, when young, and without poſterity, in the firſt day of their p. 6miniſtration, in the ſight of all the Congregation, and by ſo fearfull a judgement, fire from the Lord, and in the act of their ſin, which ſome think was joyned with drunkenneſs too, whereupon the prohibition againſt wine follows, v. 9: ſo that the Congregation might ſuſpect they went but from fire to fire, from a deſtruction by fire, to a preſervation in fire, from a temporall to an eternall burning? Yet in all this Moſes having declared the author God, the cauſe their ſin, Aaron was dumb and held his peace: It was not ſuch a dumbneſs as Zachary had; that was poenal, & unbelief ſtruck him dumb; this was a ſpirituall dumbneſs, and faith ſtruck him dumb, it did not ſo much ſuſpend his tongue from ſpeaking, as ſilence his heart from complaining, and made him quietly ſubmit to God's dealing.

Thus having at once ſhewed you both the parts of the Text, and p. 7cleared what ever had any appearing difficulty in it, Concluſions.we will now lay down the ſeverall concluſions the Text affords us.

1. That they who have to do with any Ordinance of God, draw neer to God.

2. That they who draw neer to God in any Ordinance, muſt ſanctifie God in it.

3. That if wee do not ſanctifie God in an Ordinance, hee will be ſanctified upon us.

We will ſpeak a little of the firſt, which is an Introduction to thoſe which follow.

That they who have to do with any Ordinance of God, draw neer to God. Doct.

You ſee it is the language of the Spirit of God here, that to have to do with any matter which concerns the Worſhip and ſervice of God, is, do draw neer to God. And in other places it is cal'd a coming before God, a treading his Courts, an approaching to God, a meeting of God; all which languages imply thus much, that p. 8who ever have to do with God in any Ordinance, draw neer to God. You tread his Courts, you come into his preſence, you approach unto God, you meet God, you have communion with God; Nay, you have to do with God's Name; God's Ordinances are part of his Name. Nay, you have to doe with God himſelf. Hee that hath to doe with any Ordinance, with any part of his Worſhip, hath to do with God himſelf. When you have to do with the Word, when you go to Prayer, when you have to do with the Sacraments, you have to do with God himſelf in them. What could the Word do, either in commands to ingage us, in Promiſes to comfort us, in threatenings to terrifie us, if wee had not to do with God in them? What were Prayer, but a diſtracted ſeriouſneſs, a religious madneſs, if we had not to deal with God in it? What were the Sacraments, but gaudie p. 9Pageants, nay, empty fantaſies, beggerly elements, if we had not to deal with God in them?

It is God that wee have to deal withall in Ordinances, that ſheds a glory, caſts a Majeſty, and puts an efficacie into all the Ordinances we have to deal withall: It is hee who makes the Promiſes of the Word rocks of ſtay and ſupport, that makes the commands of the Word full of authority, that makes the threatnings of the Word exceeding terrible; It is he that we have to deal withall, that makes a little handfull of water, a little bit of bread, and ſup of wine, exceeding glorious and efficacious. What empty, what poor, what contēptible things would theſe be (and are to unbelieving men) if wee had not to do with God in them? It is this God we have to do withall, that caſts a Majeſty upon, and puts an efficacy into every Ordinance.

But we will paſs over this. If they p. 10who have to do w^th any Ordinance of God, draw neer to God, then let me put ſome things to you to judge of.

1. Judge then, if ever Kingdom was more ingaged to God then ours, who injoy the Ordinances by which we draw neer to God. Hath he dealt thus with any Nation? What Nation under heaven that enjoy the like priviledges of drawing neere to God in Ordinances as we doe? Well may we ſay in the words of the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 65.5. Bleſſed is the Nation which thou chuſeſt, Pſal. 65.5.Ps 65:5and cauſeſt to approach unto thee, that they may dwell in thy Courts, we ſhall be ſatisfied with the goodneſſe of thy houſe, even of thy holy Temple.

2. And with bleſſing God for our owne priviledges, judge what cauſe we have to take up a lamentation for them that never enjoyed; & for them who have enjoyed, but are now deprived of this means of drawing neere to God.

p. 111. Them who never enjoyed the Ordinances, who ſit in darkneſſe, and in the ſhadow of death, who never had a Chriſt, a Goſpel diſcovered to them. Oh, pity and pray for them, that the Word of the Lord might run & be glorified, that God would inlarge the bounds of his ſanctuary, ſtretch forth the Curtains of his Tabernacle, that the eyes of Nations might be opened, that the fulneſs of the Gentiles might be brought in, & that they might flie to the Church as Doves into the windows, which is propheſied, Iſa. 60.8. And w^th them, Oh, remember that antient nation, the Jews, who have drawn neere to God in Ordinances, but now at diſtance with him, and even ſet at further diſtance by the uſe of thoſe Ordinances, whereby formerly they drew neer; Oh remember them! that that blood which they imprecated upon themſelves for a curſe, may now be upon them for a bleſſing, p. 12that it may lie no longer upon their heads, but now be ſprinkled upon their hearts, and be in veniam w^ch hath been ſo long in vindictam; That as it was ſaid of the Gentiles, ſo it may now be ſaid of the Jewes, That unto them is granted repentance to life.

2. And take up a mourning for them who have injoyed the Ordinances, but now want them; look into Germany, look into Ireland, nay look into many places in England, how many Paſtors, who are driven away from their flocks, how many Shepheards ſmitten, and the ſheep ſcattered, how many poor ſcattered flocks, who had the Manna fell at their tent doors, & their tents about the Tabernacle, who now have the Tabernacle removed, are without Word, without Sacraments, without Ordinances, and are forced to wander from place to place, to gather of the bread of heaven, to injoy p. 13the Ordinances whereby they may draw neer to God?

3. Judge then, if it be not a vile thing, to hinder & diſturb the Saints in thoſe things whereby they draw neer to God. 1. Either by depriving them of Ordinances, and robbing them of the means: 2. Or by corrupting of the Ordinances to them, that they cannot injoy them in that purity which God left them. In the firſt, the bread is taken from them: In the ſecond, they give them poyſon with their bread; both theſe will have a ſad day of reckoning.

4. See what's the reaſon the Saints are ſo much taken with Ordinances, becauſe they draw neer to God in them; they look upon Ordinances as Bridges to give them a paſſage to God; as Boats to convey them into the boſome of Chriſt, Vehicula Spiritus.as means to bring them into more intimate communion with their Father, p. 14therfore are they ſo much taken w^th them. When they go to the Word, they go as one goes to hear news of a friend; when they go to pray, they go to talk with a friend; when to read, they go to reade a letter from a friend; when to receive, they go to ſup with a friend: they look upon Ordinances as thoſe things whereby they have to do with God, and therfore are ordinances ſo precious. Indeed to them who have to do with nothing but duty, in duty, but prayer, in prayer, but hearing, in hearing, to them the Ordinances are dead, dry, and ſpiritleſs things, but they who have to do with God in duty, they who have communion with God in Ordinances, to them Ordinances are paſſing ſweet and precicious.

5. Judge what cauſe there is to keep our hearts in a ſpirituall and holy frame; wee have often to do with Ordinances, and when we have p. 15to do with Ordinances, we have to do with God, we draw neer to him. And therefore, what cauſe to get and keep our hearts in a holy temper, that we may be ever fit to cloſe with God in them, and not have our hearts like bad ſervants, to ſeek when we are to uſe them. The Apoſtle bids us pray continually, it is not meant that wee are ever to be upon our knees, ever in actuall prayer, but ſeeing we are to pray ſo frequently, we are to get and keep our hearts in ſuch an habituall frame and diſpoſition, that they may be ever fit to cloſe with God, when ever wee are called out upon the duty.

Were wee but ſeldom to have to do with God, you might think there were no ſuch need of keeping our hearts in frame; but ſeeing we are to do with him daily, who is ſo pure and holy a God, Oh, what manner of perſons ought we to be? How exactly ſhould we walk? Jerem. 7.9.10. Will p. 16you ſteal and murther, and come and ſtand before mee in this houſe which is called by my name, ſaith the Lord? ſo will you walk looſly, live vainly, when you are to do with ſo holy a God every day? Oh, let every man that calls upon the name of the Lord, depart from iniquity. Let every one that holds up praying duties, keep his heart in a praying frame: ſuch a Chriſtian is not worth a pin, who is only good when he is on his knees, who thinks it ſufficient to ſnatch up affections to ſerve the turne of a duty, and then to lay them aſide as ſoone as the duty is over: hee is a Chriſtian indeed who prays on his feet as well as on his knees, whoſe life is nothing elſe but a reall prayer, that if you look into his heart, there is all his deſires ingraven, his heart ever pants and breaths the ſame things he prayes; and if you look into his life, his life ſpeaks the ſame language his lips do; his life is a p. 17walking prayer; many men are one upon their knees, another upon their feet, but he is the ſame; hee walks with the ſame ſpirit, the ſame affections, the ſame deſires and diſpoſition: hee is the ſame man. It is ſomething to pray, more to pray as a Chriſtian, and more when you have prayed your prayers, to live your prayers; nay, to live thoſe affections, thoſe diſpoſitions wherewith you prayed, to live as high as prayer. It is a ſhame to ſee, how we ſlide out of duty into the world, and out of the world into duty again; as if we were two contrary men, one upon our knees, and another on our feet: And therefore you ſhall ſee men to gather up ſome affections, ſome diſpoſitions, before they enter on a duty, and put themſelves into another frame; but lay them aſide as ſoon as ever they have done; theſe muſt only ſerve to act p. 18a praying part, when that is done, then lay them aſide; you have no more uſe of them, you muſt put on another ſpirit to go into the world withall. Chriſtians, you have often to do with Ordinances, and had therefore need to keep your hearts in an Ordinance frame: hee who keeps not cloſe to God in practice, ſhall never keep cloſe to God in prayer; diſtance in life breeds diſtance in duty. And what need of keeping up praying affections? what a ſhame to have our lives give our lips the lye, our practice be a confutation of our prayers? In our prayer to be warm, in our practice cold, up in duty, down in life? Oh learn to live as high as duty; thou never prayeſt indeed, till thy practice come up as high as thy prayers, till thou loves confeſsions, and art humble, thou loves petitions and art thirſty, and diligent for thoſe p. 19things thou begs, till a man may reade by thy life, that thou art one who deſireſt thoſe things, which thou haſt uttered with thy lips. Let this frame of ſpirit be in your eye to aim at, and in your life to indeavour after. — But I am too large, I intended this doctrine only for the porch or entrance to the reſt. To draw therefore up to the concluſion of it.

I. If it be ſo, that who ever hath to do with an Ordinance, hath to do with God in it, hee draws neer to God; Let me then exhort you:

1. To a conſcionable uſe of Ordinances.

2. To conſcionableneſse in the uſe of them.

1. Let me exhort you to a conſcionable uſe of Ordinances. Be more frequent in hearing, in praying, in receiving, &c.— I might ſay ſomething to this laſt, viz. Receiving, p. 20The Apoſtle tells us, 1 Cor. 11.26. As often as wee eat this bread, wee ſhew forth the Lord's death; it implies a frequent uſe of the Ordinance, more then once or twice a year, or once a quarter. Indeed the opportunities might be more frequent, if it were not for the coldneſs and deadneſs of our hearts. In the Primitive times of the Church, while the blood of Chriſt was warm, they had the Sacrament every day; wee have an uncontradicted authority, that they had it every Lord's day. And as men grew colder, ſo the diſtances grew greater. Sure, were it not for the coldneſs and deadneſs of our hearts, it might almoſt be our daily bread; at leaſt wee might injoy a more frequent uſe of this Ordinance then we do: but as the Apoſtle ſaith, as oft as you have opportunity do good: ſo as oft as you have the opportunity, take the occaſions p. 21to meet God in his Ordinances.

1. By them you ſee you draw neer to God, you come into his preſence, you have to do with God's Name; nay, you have to do with God himſelf.

2. By them God draws neer to you, he walks among the Candleſticks, he preſents himſelf in his Ordinances; Matth. 28.1. and there he directs us to finde him; Cant. 1.7, 8.

3. If wee keep not up a conſcionable uſe of Ordinances, diſtance will grow between God and you: As the Water-man may loſe more by the omiſſion of one ſtroke then he is able to recover again by many; ſo may you loſe more by the omiſſion of one duty, then you are able to recover again by the performance of many; eſpecially, if this omiſſion hath ariſen, 1. from neglect of p. 22God: 2. from careleſneſs: 3. from ſleighting of the converſes with God: 4. or from the importunities and ſolicitations of Satan and our corruptions: 5. or, from the blandiſhments of the world: If upon ſuch grounds, little doſt thou know what thou loſeſt by ſuch an omiſſion. If notwithſtanding all indeavours, it be ſo hard to keep communion with God, what would it be, if we ſhould caſt up our Oars, and neglect it wholly? You ſee what a diſtance was bred between God & Iſrael, Jer. 2. And what was the ground of it? why, ſaith the Text, My people have forgotten mee dayes without number; they had no care to keep and cheriſh cōmunion and acquaintance with him, and ſo diſtances were bred between God and them: neglect of duty breeds ſtrangeneſs, ſtrangeneſs diſtance, diſtance falling off. A good caveat in theſe p. 23dayes, when ſo many do cry down duty; ſhall we look upon that as our burthen, which is our glory; our bondage, which is our priviledge? what is the happineſs of a glorified Saint, but only that he is alwayes under the line of love, ever in the contemplation, and converſes with God? And ſhall that be thought our burthen here w^ch is our glory hereafter? By this, firſt, you come to ſee the face of God: ſecondly, you have converſes with him: thirdly, you get new quickenings: fourthly, new incouragements: fifthly, freſh ſtrength againſt ſin: ſixthly, new ſupplies againſt the temptations of Satan & the world: ſeventhly, freſh ſtrength to walk with God: eighthly, armor againſt our luſts; and this is enough to make us conſcionable.

4. We know not how ſoon we may be deprived of Ordinances; wee have play'd with the breaſts, p. 24and God might put them up; we have ſinn'd in the light, and God might put out our light. How juſtly might God remove his Candleſticks, let out his Vineyard to other Husbandmen, and ſeek for other ground to ſow the ſeed of his Ordinances upon; ſeeing the ground where it hath been ſown hath brought forth ſo little fruit, how deſervedly might hee ſuffer us to wiſh and wander to injoy one of the days of the Son of man which we have injoyed?

But though God do not take away the Ordinances from us, yet hee may take us from the Ordinances, and that not only by death, but in life it ſelf; and a ſad thought this will bring to thy ſoul, when conſcience ſhall report to you, your former negligence in the uſe of Ordinances.—

II. Let me exhort you not only to a conſcionable uſe of ordinances, p. 25but to Conſcionableneſs in the uſe of them; be not onelyonly conſcionable to uſe them, but let your hearts be wrought up to a Conſcionableneſſe in the uſe of them. The power of the Word, the terror of the Law, the fear of wrath, and the hope of reward, may put a man to do duty; yea, & have power upon the ſpirit, and ingage the conſcience to doe duty: You ſee many that dare not but pray, and yet have no heart in prayer; they have a conſcience to doe duty, but their hearts are not brought to any conſcientiouſneſs in the doing of it. A common work of God, may make men conſcionable to doe many duties, but nothing but the Spirit and Grace of Chriſt, will work up the heart to a conſcionableneſſe in the doing of them.

To this conſcionableneſſe in the performance of Ordinances, p. 26would I exhort you upon this ground, becauſe you draw neere to God, have to doe with him. And as in all, ſo in particular in this Ordinance of the Lords Supper.

1. Becauſe otherwiſe ye get no good: 1. no good of Grace, no improvement of Holineſſe: 2. Nor no good of cōfort. Comfort comes not in from the bare doing of the duty, but from the manner of doing, it is not the iſſue of conſcience to doe, but of conſcionableneſſe in the doing of them. All the Sermons you have heard, all the Prayers you have prayd, all the Sacraments you have received, though done out of conſcience, as you ſay, will not miniſter one dram of true comfort to you upon your deathbeds, if your ſpirits have not been wrought up to a conſcionableneſſe in the doing of them.

p. 272. Becauſe otherwiſe you provoke God; to give him the carkaſſe and out-ſide of duty, and to with-hold the life and ſpirit of duty, is a provocation of God.

3. Becauſe otherwiſe you will contract much guilt, and bring much evill upon your own ſouls. This is ſure, that Ordinances uſed in an unconſcionable way, 1. They give Satan further poſſeſſion of us. 2. They put much weight to our ſin. 3. They ſet our ſoules at further diſtance with God. 4. They ripen us to the great downfall, the great ſin lies among ſuch. 5. They make our conditions more irrecoverable. When a man comes to be Ordinance-proofe, prayer-proof, Sermon and Sacrament-proofe, that none of theſe can enter and work upon him, he is out-grown the power of Ordinances, that man's condition is p. 28very neere deſperate.

There is nothing makes the condition of the ſoule more deſperate and unrecoverable, then the uſe of Ordinances in a formall and unconſcionable way, when a man doth harden under means of ſoftning. When a mans ſoar runs under the plaiſter, nay when the plaiſter increaſeth the ſoar; when that which ſhould draw us neere, ſets us at further diſtance; this man's condition is dangerous. Scarce one of many are ever wrought upon: When once a man can heare and pray, and receive, and yet retaine his ſinne too without diſturbance, all this doth not trouble him, no weapon will pierce him; no command, no threatning of the Word, no power of Ordinances can move him: this man is in great danger to die in this condition. And the uſe of p. 29Ordinances in a formall way, brings men to ſuch a condition. As the uſe of Phyſick in an ordinary way, doth take away the working of it; ſo the uſe of Ordinances in a formall way, doth take off the edge, and blunt the power of working on the ſpirit.

Well then, let me exhort you not onelyonly to be conſcionable to uſe, but to a conſcionableneſſe in the uſe of this ordinance. And this lies in two things.

1. That you come with hearts habitually diſpoſed: which lies alſo in two things:

1. To be brought out of a ſtate of ſin; 1. the power, 2. practiſe, 3. love of all ſin: for Sin ſets a diſtance between you and God in ordinances, it pollutes an Ordinance, it indiſpoſeth you for acceptance in it.

2. To be brought into a ſtate of grace, to have your natures p. 30changed, not partially, but univerſally & ſpiritually, not only to have new practices, but new princples. Old things paſt away, and all things become new.

2. This conſcionablenes in the uſe of Ordinances, it lies in this, That you come with hearts actually diſpoſed, and that conſiſts in two things,

1. Examination.

2. Excitation.

But of theſe I ſhall have occaſion to ſpeak larger in the following diſcourſe.

There is yet another branch of the exhortation.

If ſo be that whoever hath to doe with any Ordinance of God, hath to doe with God in it; Oh then when ever you goe to have to doe with any Ordinance, be ſure you take Chriſt with you. There is a neceſſitie of this,

1. In regard of Admiſsion.

2. In regard of Aſsiſtance.

3. In regard of Acceptance.

p. 311. In regard of Admiſsion, God is a conſuming fire, and we are but dried ſtubble, there is no approaching of him but in Chriſt, in whom we may have acceſs with boldneſſe to the throne of grace; God will not look pleaſingly on you, if you come without Chriſt, here is no throne of grace without him; without Chriſt it is rather a Barre or Tribunall of juſtice, then a Throne of Grace. Epheſ. 12. Heb. 14.14, 16. Heb. 10.12.23.Heb 10:12Heb 10:23It is Chriſt who makes that which was a Barre of juſtice, a Bench of merciemercy. In him we have admiſſion. You goe upon this Ordinance now, but goe not in the ſtrength of your preparations, but in the ſtrength of Chriſt. Say, Lord I come alone in the Merits of Chriſt, to partake of the Merits of the Lord Jeſus. I come in the blood of Chriſt, to partake of the blood of the Lord Jeſus. I have indevoured to prepare and fit my p. 30duplicate page p. 31duplicate page p. 32ſelf through thy grace, but I look not for admiſſion through my preparations, but through the blood and mediation of Chriſt.

2. There is a neceſſitie of Chriſt in regard of Aſsiſtance: You go upon Ordinances, but you have no ſtrength to do them without Chriſt, who is ſufficient for theſe things? you might as well bee ſet to move Mountains, as to undertake Ordinances, without the ſtrength of Chriſt, without me you can doe nothing, ſaith Chriſt, Joh. 15. without Union with him, without Communion with him: from him we muſt have both opeperating and cooperating ſtrength, both inherent & adſiſtent ſtrength, otherwiſe though you have grace, yet you will not bee able to performe any worke, nor exerciſe your owne graces. It is hee that muſt work all our works in us, and for us; the inherent work p. 33of grace within us, Quodà me requiris ipſe donaſti prius. Chryſoſt.and the required works of duty for us. And bleſſed be that God, who hath given to us what he requireth of us, and hath not only made Precepts promiſes, but made promiſes, performances.

3. There is a neceſſity of Chriſt in regard of acceptance. Our works, **Nihil ab homine exit quamvis perfecto quod non ſit aliquae macula inquinatum. Calvin.they are not only impotent, but impure too, as they come from us. It is Chriſt that muſt put validity to them, and Chriſt that muſt put his own odours to them; Chriſt muſt put both his ſpirit & **Meritū meum miſeratio Domini, non ſum planè meriti inops quandiu non fuerit il…e inops miſerationum. Domine meminero juſtitiae tuae ſolius, ipſa enim eſt & mea, &c. Calv. Inſtit. lib. 3. c. 120. Sect. 3.merit to them, his Grace to work them, and his blood to own them; what ever comes from his Spirit, is preſented through his Spirit.

And here is a great comfort; thou looks over thy performances, and canſt not ſee, how ever God can accept them: ſo much deadneſs, ſo little life, ſo much p. 34coldneſs; God looks not on the works of the Saints, In foro ſtricti juris but in foro Evangelii. Eph. 1.6.Eph 1:6But God looks upon them not as thine, but as Chriſts, in whom not only our perſons, but our performances are accepted. Chriſt gives us his Spirit, and Chriſt is willing to own what we preſent by his Spirit, and God is willing to own what ever is preſented to him by his Son.

Well then, thou haſt to do with the Ordinances of God, by theſe thou draws neer to God; but would you be admitted into the preſence of God? would you have God to hold out a golden Scepter to you? would you have grace and aſſiſtance to perform the work? would you have acceptance when the work is done? Oh get Chriſt to go along with you! And thus much for the firſt Doctrine, w^ch is an introduction to the 2^d.

That they who draw neer to God in any ordināce, Doct. 2 muſt ſanctifie God in it.

In proſecution of which, wee ſhal do three things: we wil ſhew,

p. 351. What it is to ſanctifie God in an Ordinance.

2. How we muſt ſanctifie God in an Ordinance.

3. Why we muſt ſanctifie God in an ordinance. And ſo to application.

1. What it is to ſanctifie God in an Ordinance.

To the ſanctifying of God in an Ordinance, there is ſomething required,

1. In the work.

2. In the workman.

1. The work, and that is, that it be an ordinance, ſuch a one as he himſelf hath inſtituted and ſet up, otherwiſe wee cannot ſanctifie God in it, no more then the Papiſts in their blind devotions and ſuperſtitions. Theſe offer ſtrange fire. As God's Benediction doth not accompany any thing further then 'tis an Ordinance of his, ſo our ſanctification of God extends no further then to his own ordinances, which he himſelf hath ſet p. 36up & ordained; in other things we ſanctifie him not, we diſhonor him.

2. Something required in the workman: To ſay nothing here of the main requiſite, w^ch is, that hee be in Chriſt: for that we take hee be in Chriſt: for that we take for granted; & to qualifie ſuch a one to this ordinance: and in ſuch a one there is ſomething required in his head, ſomthing in his heart.

1. In his head, and that is, firſt, that hee conceive aright of God: ſecondly, and that he conceive aright of the ordinance. 1. That he conceive aright of God, that he hath a right knowledge of God, right conceptions of God in his Nature, in his Perſon, in his Atitrbutes, Son. 2. Of his Ordinances, 1. in the nature of them, 2. the uſe of them, 3. the fruit and benefit of them.

2. Somthing in his heart; and that,

Firſt, that hee bring holy affections to it; every ordinance of God p. 37requires the affections to be imployed about it, and not only affections, but holy affections, ſuch affections as do ariſe from a holy heart; there is the ſpring. Unſound profeſſours may ſometime have ſome flaſhings in their devotions, as you ſee Herod, who heard John Baptiſt joyfully; they may have ſome affections, but: 1. They are not holy affections: 2. Not ſuch as ariſe from a principle, a ſpring within, there's no root: 3. They are not orderly affections, they break out before knowledge, before faith: 4. They are not conſtant affections, but land-flouds, for a time: 5. They are not tranſforming affections, ſuch as change the heart; and therefore ſuch affections may be exerciſed, yet they leave a man as they found him, and ſuch a man cannot ſanctifie God in an Ordinance.

Secondly, there muſt not only p. 38be holy affections, but ſuch as are ſutable to the Ordinance & Work in hand. It is poſſible to have holy affections, them ſtirred up in an ordinance, and yet not ſanctifie God in it, becauſe theſe are not ſutable to the Ordinance, Nihil ad rem, nothing to the work in hand; they ſute not with the preſent ordinance that God hath called the ſoul out upon, as I could ſhew you at large.

Thirdly, there muſt not only be holy affections and ſutable affections, but thoſe excited and ſtirred up. A man may have holy affections, and ſuch as are ſutable to an Ordinance, as the Saints have in the frame of Grace, and yet not ſanctifie God in an Ordinance, becauſe not excited and ſtirred up: **1 Tim. 1.6 foreign, ſignif. ign…m ſopitum & ignem cineribus conditum folle aut flatu ſuſcitare, ut reardeſcat. Paſſer.1 Tim 1:6Stir up the gift of God in thee, ſaith the Apoſtle to Timothy; that is, excite and blow up the gifts and graces of God in thee.

p. 39When you are to do with God, you muſt ſtir up thoſe affections, and graces which are within you. And this requires a matter of pains; affections are not ever at hand, nor ever at command; a man hath not his heart under lock and key. And therefore God in mercy conſidering and reſpecting our weakneſs, hath graciouſly allotted a time of preparation, before he call us forth upon the performance of an Ordinance, that ſo we might get our affections up, our hearts in tune. Once indeed wee reade, that men were called out upon an ordinance, and were ſtraitned with time to prepare themſelves according to the preparation of the Sanctuary, as in Hezekiah's time. 2 Chron. 30.18.19.2 Chr 30:182 Chr 30:19They had habituall preparation, but wanted actuall; and in that caſe, the want of time, God pardoned it, but it was prayed for, it was ſought p. 40for, and ſought for earneſtly. But we read another time, that God puniſhed the want of this actuall preparation, and ſtirring up their graces & affections; yea, and puniſhed it ſeverely, with the weakneſſe, ſickneſſe, death of many of the Corinthians. For this cauſe many are ſick, many are weak, many are fallen aſleep; yet were they habitually prepared; 1 Cor. 11.1.

God takes it for a great diſhonour to him, that we ſhould come ſlightly on ſo great a worke, to which all the affections we have, and all the affections we can ſtir up, are little enough. Wee had need call in for all the ſtrength of grace, nay all the ſuccours in Chriſt, and all the ſupplies and aids of the Spirit to the performance of it. By this you may gather what it is to ſanctifie God in an Ordinance.

2. How muſt wee ſanctifie God in an Ordinance?

p. 41To ſanctify God in an ordinance, there is required ſomething

1. Antecedent.

2. Cōcomitant

3. Subſequent.

1. Somthing Antecedent, or before. 2. Somthing in the time. 3. Afterwards. Theſe are generals, w^ch belong to every particular Ordināce, as I could ſhew you at large.In hearing the Word.

When you come to heare the word, there is ſomthing required before, as 1. Meditation, into what place, into whoſe preſence, about what buſineſſe we goe. 2. Examination of 1. our ſins, that here we might have them ſlain by the ſword of the Spirit in the Miniſtery of the word. 2. Our graces, that here wee might have them ſtrengthened and nouriſhed by the ſpirituall food of our ſoules. 3. Prayer for the Miniſter, for the Congregation, our ſelves, that a bleſſing may be upon.

2. In the time is required, 1. Reverence, p. 422. Attention, 3. Submiſsion of ſpirit and humility. 4. Faith.

3. Afterward, Prayer again, which muſt be the Alpha and Omega, 2. Meditation, 3. fruitfulneſs, and obedience.

So for Prayer, there is required, Prayer.1. Before, Meditation, preparation. 2. In the time, faith, fervencie, humility, **foreign Ex radic. foreign Ordinavit, aciem diſpoſuit.ſutableneſſe of ſpirit, inlarged deſires. 3. Afterward ſuch a deportment and demeanour as is ſutable to ſuch who call upon God, as to depart from ſin, to apply our hearts to obedience, to expect the anſwer and return of our Prayers. Pſal. 5.3. In the morning I will direct my prayer, **foreign Ex radic. foreign Speculando expectavit hinc foreign ſpeculator.and look up. There are two military words, he would not only pray, but marſhall up his prayers, put them in array; and when he had done, hee would be as a Spie upon a tower, to ſee whether he prevailed, whether he got the day.

But to paſſe theſe, & come to the p. 43Ordinance we are to enter upon, the Sacrament. SacramentTo ſanctifie God in which, there is required, 1. ſomthing before, 2. ſomthing in the time, and 3. ſomething after.

1. Something before, which may be laid down in theſe two heads,

1. Habituall,

2. Actuall.

1. Habituall preparation, which doth conſiſt in the whole frame of grace and ſanctification. It is an ordinance onelyonly for ſuch who are ſanctified, we are to have, 1. A ſaving knowledge of God, of our ſelves, 2. lively faith, 3. a true repentance, 4. love, 5. hunger and thirſt after Chriſt: this is a feaſt, and no comming without ſtomach. 6. Thankfulneſſe.

2. Actuall preparation, and that conſiſts in the actuall ſtirring up and exciting of thoſe graces which are in you. There muſt be a new exciting of faith, a new exerciſe of repentance, the latitude p. 44and extent whereof is for all ſin, but eſpecially for thoſe ſinnes which you have committed ſince the laſt time you renewed your covenant with God, in this Ordinance. So a ſtirring up of our love, affections, our deſires, hunger, thirſt. This is required before, which becauſe it is ſo largely treated upon, M^r. Dike on the Sacrament. M^r. Downam.by many learned and godly Divines, I ſhall purpoſely wave any further treaty of it, referring you in this point to what they have ſo largely written.

Paſſing this therefore, we fall upon the ſecond, which hath not been ſo frequently taught.

2. As there is ſomething then required before, viz. Habituall and actuall preparation: ſo ſecondly there is ſomething required in the time; and that is the exerciſe of Graces, and gracions diſpoſitions. A man may be a ſanctified p. 45perſon, and yet not ſanctifie God in this Ordinance, if he doe not exerciſe thoſe Graces, & gracious diſpoſitions w^ch God requireth here, & are ſutable to the quality and nature of the Ordinance.

1. Now the firſt and great grace that here is to be exerciſed, is Faith. Faith is the great Grace which gives admiſſion unto this ordinance, and faith is the great grace that is to be exerciſed, and to run through the uſe of it.

Concerning which we ſhall deſire to unfold three things.

1. What act of Faith is here to be exerciſed.

2. Upon what object we muſt exerciſe our Faith here.

3. For what benefits faith muſt here be exerciſed.

For the firſt, viz. what act of Faith is here to bee exerciſed. There are theſe two main acts of Faith. 1. An act of Recumbence: 2. An act of apprehenſion & application p. 46of Chriſt. Fides poteſt habere aliquem modum dubitationis ſalvâ fide. Daven. Fideicertitudo importat firmitatem adhaeſionis, non quietationem intellectus. Aquin.Both theſe may be exerciſed here, and to our ſpirituall benefit.

By the one we go over to Chriſt, by the other we bring Chriſt over to us.

The firſt act of Faith gives us an intereſt in all the benefits of Chriſt, though as yet the ſoule is not able to bring home to it ſelfe the great revenue of merciemercy and grace, which Chriſt hath purchaſed, and the ſoule hath an intereſt in. The ſecond act of faith brings it all home. In the former God makes Chriſt ours, and we his; in the latter wee make him ours. Chriſt in his blood and merits, Chriſt in his grace and Spirit, Chriſt in all his doings and ſufferings; ſo far as he is cōmunicable to poore ſinners. Now there is not much difference betweene theſe two acts. The difference is not in the nature and eſſence of p. 47the grace, both are faith and ſaving faith; nor in the fruits and benefits, both give a man union and communion with Chriſt, &c. But the difference is in the meaſures and degrees, in the comforts of it. To the firſt there goes a conviction of ſin, a manifeſtation and clearing of the promiſe, a perſwaſion of the truth, fulneſſe, freeneſſe, ſutableneſſe, and goodneſſe of the promiſe. And upon all this here is a rowling, a reſting upon Chriſt. And the latter is but a further degree, a bringing over or home all this to its own ſelfe. In the former act the ſoule hath communion with all the benefits of Chriſt. It's ſuch an act of Faith, as gives a ſoule union with the perſon, and that cannot be without communion with the priviledges and benefits. In this latter there is but a clearer apprehenſion of it. In the p. 48firſt we go over to Chriſt: in the latter we bring over Chriſt to us. In the former we are apprehended of Chriſt, Phil. 3.12.Phil 3:12in the latter wee apprehend Chriſt.

Now, to the Anſwer, what act of faith is here to be exerciſed: unto which I ſay, that that act of faith which doth apprehend and apply Chriſt, is moſt ſutable to this ordinance of the Sacrament; hence is this called a taking of Chriſt, a receiving of Chriſt, a feeding upon Chriſt, eating his fleſh, and drinking his blood; all which ſhew this act is moſt ſutable to the ordinance.

Here we have an offer of Chriſt, and this act is moſt ſutable to take him as offered. And the more ſtrength wee have to apply and bring Chriſt home, the more we feed on him, the more wee are nouriſhed, and built up.

But though this act of faith is p. 49moſt ſutable to the ordinance, yet wee ſhut not out the other from the comfort & benefit of it. That which gives the ſoul union with Chriſt, doth give it communion with all the benefits of Chriſt. Chriſt and his benefits go together. Yet I could wiſh that every one who hath done this firſt act of faith, would work it up one degree higher, to apprehend and apply Chriſt in the promiſes of grace. Seeing according to the meaſure of your faith, and feeding upon Chriſt; ſuch is the meaſure of the benefit by Chriſt here. But however, be not diſcouraged, ſuch as are weak in faith will Chriſt receive. Rom. 14.1.Rom 14:1If hee have a care that others ſhall not reject them for their weakneſs, but bid them to receive them, much more will hee himſelf receive them; and whom he will receive ſhall receive him.

If therefore thou art weak in p. 50applying faith, and thou cannot bring Chriſt over to thee, go thou over to Chriſt; if thou cannot fully apprehend him, let him apprehend thee, Phil. 3.12.Phil 3:12caſt thy ſelf into his arms; In languidâ fide magis nos apprehendimur a …hriſto, quàm quod nos ipſum appr…hendamus. Chem.by this act ſet thy ſeal to Gods truth, and expect here in this ordinance that God ſhould put his Seal to thy heart by aſſuring. So much for the firſt, what act of faith is here to be exerciſed. We come to the ſecond.

2. Upon what Object muſt the act of faith be terminated here? You muſt know there are many objects of faith in generall; as God himſelf in the unity of Eſſence, and trinity of Perſons, the Word of God, the Promiſes of God. But there is but one object of Juſtifying faith, and that is Chriſt, Godman, Act. 10.43 Gen. 3.15.Acts 10:43Gen 3:15the Mediatour. To him give all the Prophets witneſs, that who ever believes in him, ſhall receive remiſsion of ſins. This is the object p. 51upon which the faith of Adam was terminated, Gen. 3.15.Gen 3:15the ſeed of the woman, and thereby was juſtified, and had his recovery after the fall. This is that object upon which the faith of Abraham, who was the Father of the faithfull, was terminated, who ſaw his day and rejoyced; it was not the believing of the Promiſe of ſeed, but in the promiſed ſeed. To him alſo did the eyes of the faithfull look under the law, through the ſhadows and ſacrifices, and were juſtified by Chriſt to be, as we are now by Chriſt exhibited.

And upon him muſt our faith be terminated, not only in the firſt act of faith for juſtification, but alſo in the exerciſe of it in this ordinance for the further aſſurance of juſtification, and increaſe of ſanctification.

And let it not ſeem ſtrange to you, wee are not ſo much to p. 52deale with a promiſe here as with the thing promiſed, nor to feed on a promiſe as upon Chriſt himſelf by faith, to eat his fleſh and drinke his blood, Matth. 26.26. Corpus Chriſtieſt pabulum fidei. Joh. 6.15.Matt 26:26John 6:15This is my body, &c. Chriſt is the meat here for the hand of faith to receive, the mouth of faith to eate, as hee faith, My fleſh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. You may make uſe of the promiſes here, the Sacrament is the ſeale to every promiſe in the covenant. But the matter of the Sacrament indeed, and that whereon wee are chiefly to feed, is Chriſt himſelfe. Chriſt as he is laid out unto us in his death and ſufferings, whereon feeding, wee get ſpirituall nouriſhment for grace, and death of ſinne. The blood of Chriſt, like the waters appointed for the triall of jealouſie, hath a double property, to kill and to make fruitfull; to kill our ſinnes, p. 53and make our graces grow; to rot our ſins, and ripen our grace.

Well then, remember that the great diſh thou feedſt on at this Feaſt, be Chriſt himſelfe. Chriſto ſublato nihil reſtat in ſacramentis, praeter inaneſpectaculum. Dav. in col.Thou canſt not feed upon a promiſe, untill thou firſt feed upon Chriſt; he doth not onelyonly give us title and intereſt in them, but appetite to them. If thou feed on him, thy ſtomach will be quicker to feed on them; nay, if thou feed on him, Christus eſt ſubſtantia ſacramentorum; & ejus operatio eſt ipſa vita ſacramentorum.thou feedeſt on all the promiſes, and haſt an intereſt in all the good of them, the ſweet of all the promiſes is taſted in Chriſt. All the promiſes are folded up in Chriſt, and thou canſt not feed on him, but thou feedeſt on all, and haſt the bleſsing of every one in particular. The promiſes of juſtification, ſanctification, ſubduing of corruptions, increaſe of grace, upholding in grace, intereſt in glory, they are all of them folded p. 54up in Chriſt, hee is all.

The promiſe doth not, but Chriſt doth juſtifie, Chriſt doth ſanctifie; you get nothing from the promiſe ſeparate from Chriſt, but all the good of the promiſe comes in by Chriſt, and therefore here terminate your faith. And ſo much for the ſecond, upon what object wee muſt terminate our Faith. We come to the third.

For what benefit muſt Faith here be exerciſed?Partic. 3.

Firſt, faith muſt not bee here acted for your juſtification; it is required you ſhould be juſtified perſons, have your ſins forgiven before you come hither. He that comes hither under the guilt of ſin, goes away with more guilt, and his former guilt is doubled and confirmed on him. So that for this benefit faith is not to bee acted, as wee ſhall ſhew hereafter.

p. 55Secondly, faith muſt not be here acted for Regeneration; It is required a man ſhould be borne againe, bee in the ſtate of grace, ſanctified, before hee come hither. Here is the multiplying of grace, but no begetting of grace. As in the miracle of loaves, Mat. 14.19.Matt 14:19there was no new bread created, but a multiplying of the bread they had: So here is no giving of grace where there is none, but a multiplying of grace where it is: where grace is, there it is increaſed, but it is not here begotten. A man may come to the Word though he be graceleſſe, Rom. 10.14.Rom 10:14becauſe the Word is an Ordinance ſet up for the gathering of men, and begetting ſouls to Chriſt: but none are to come to the Sacrament, but ſuch as are begotten anew; the Sacrament is not the Font, it is not the place where men are born, but the table where men are nouriſhed; it p. 56is not the ſeed of the new birth, but the meat of the new born, we muſt be born before we eat, bred before fed, begotten before nouriſhed. If we come graceleſs hither, we ſhall go graceleſs away, and worſe then we came. In particular then:

Faith muſt here be exerciſed for the further aſſurance of our juſtification. 1God hath caſt down the ſoule by the miniſtery of the Word, hee hath diſcovered and revealed the promiſe, brought the ſoule over to the promiſe, upon which it reſts, and is juſtified, and hither we come to be further aſſured of it. This was one end why the Sacrament was ſet up. We know the ſtrongeſt are but weake in faith: Fides non toll it, ſed vincit omnem dubibitationem. Dav.there is no ſuch aſſurance in the world as to expell all doubts & fears, though to overcome them; but though they may be ſuſpended in their actings for a time, and well ſubdued and p. 57conquered, yet they are not altogether expelled; if they were, then were there no need of the Sacrament for this end, to confirme and ſtrengthen faith, Fides poteſt habere aliquem modum dubitationis ſalvâ fide.and ſo one of the ends wherfore God ſet up this Ordinance, were in vaine to that man. But I ſay there is no man ſo ſure, but may be ſurer: there are degrees of aſſurance as well as faith, and ſo may we grow up in aſſurance as well as faith. And now for the further aſſurance of our juſtification, God to the covenant of grace and merciemercy, wherein he promiſed the free pardon of ſin, hath annexed the Seale of the covenant, whereby we may be more aſſured.

Indeed here is no need of this in reſpect of God, our juſtification is ſure with him, his intention is as good as his promiſe, his promiſe as his oath, his oath as his ſeale. But it was God's goodneſſe to us, p. 58pitying the weakneſſe of our faith; he ſtooped below himſelf, and was not only content to give us his promiſe, but to confirm it with his oath, the great ſeale of Heaven, and to all this to afford his Sacraments, to ſeale up all unto us, Heb. 18.19.that we might have ſtrong aſsurance and conſolation, Heb. 6.18. It was to this end, to aſſure us, who have ſuch unbeleeving hearts, that God gave word upon word, promiſe upon promiſe, oath to oath, ſeale to ſeale, heaping mountain upon mountain, and all to confirm our ſtaggering hearts. That we might be ſtrong in him, when weak in our ſelves; faithfull in him, when fearfull in our ſelves; ſtedfaſt in him, when we ſtagger in our ſelves.

And how ſhould we exerciſe faith here, and go doubting away? How ſhall we go away trembling after all this confirmation? An oath p. 59among men is the end of all controverſie, the concluding of all difference and diſputes; and ſhall not God's oath prevail thus much with you? Why doe you ſuffer returne of feares and doubts, after ſuch a ſeale? Woe be to us, Vae nobis ſi nec juranti Deo credimus. Aug.if we will not beleeve God, no not upon his oath. Doeſt thou deſire better ſecurity? Thou ſhalt never have it, thou canſt not. If you would come up to God, and take his ſecurity, how could you doubt?

2. A ſecond benefit for the compaſſing of which faith muſt be exerciſed, &c. is the increaſe of our graces, or perfecting of our ſanctification. My brethren, we are weak in grace; you know how much infidelity, and how little faith; how much enmity, how little love; how much obſtinacie, how little pliable conformity to his will; what a deale of p. 60formality, how little power; what hardneſſe of heart, how little brokenneſſe of ſpirit for ſin? &c. And being weak in grace, there is a neceſsity that theſe graces ſhould bee nouriſhed. As there is neceſſitie of daily bread, for the nouriſhing and upholding of our bodies; ſo there is neceſſitie of ſpirituall food for the nouriſhing of grace in our ſoules. And as there is neceſſity of our nouriſhment, ſo is there neceſſity our nouriſhment ſhould come from Chriſt, he is the ſtaff of nouriſhment. Eo modo quo generamur, nutrimur.As in naturall life the ſame way we are begotten, the ſame way we are nouriſhed: ſo in ſpirituall life, Chriſt hee is the Breeder, and ſo he is the Feeder of grace in us; he is the Begetter, and he is the Nouriſher. From Chriſt we have our graces, he is the fountain from whoſe fulneſſe wee receive grace for grace in our regeneration; p. 61and he is the nouriſhment of whoſe fulneſſe wee receive **Gratiam gratiae accumulatam.grace to grace in our ſanctification. Hence he is called the Bread of life, not onelyonly becauſe he begets life in dead men, but becauſe he nouriſheth and maintaineth life in living men. He is panis ſpiritualis, ſpirituall bread, in the word to beget life; and panis Sacramentalis, bread in the Sacrament, or Sacramentall bread, to nouriſh and to maintain life begotten; and hereafter he ſhall be panis aeternalis, our daily bread in heaven, to preſerve us in holineſs with happineſs to all eternity. And as there is a neceſsity of nouriſhment, and nouriſhment by Chriſt; ſo Chriſt for this end, that we might be nouriſhed, hath ſet up this ordinance of the Sacrament, for the nouriſhment of the Saints in grace, for the ſtrengthening our faith, to which it hath p. 62a proper influence, being the ſeale of the covenant, and for the increaſing our ſorrow and repentance, unto which it hath the like influence, being the repreſentation of Chriſt wounded, broken, bleeding for ſinne; who looks on Chriſt bleeding, but his heart muſt bleed? &c. And ſo of the reſt.

Chriſt is a full fountaine, and unwilling to be a ſealed fountain to you; Gratia derivantur à Chriſto. 1. Efficatia operationis. 2. Beneficio interceſsionis. 3. Merito paſsionis. 4. Virtute applicationis.he is a treaſury of grace, and unwilling to be lockt up, and therefore hath been ſo gracious, as to ſet up an ordinance, not only to be a ſeale, but an inſtrument or conduit-pipe to convey grace to us from him, the Fountaine of all grace; which nouriſhment he doth convey unto us by vertue of our union and communion with him, and application of him to us in theſe ordinances; which though they be all ſecret wayes of conveyance p. 63of nouriſhment, and under ground, that the world cannot ſee, yet there is reall nouriſhment brought down to the ſoul, whereby the ſoul goes home in a better frame, faith more increaſed, affections more inlarged, our love more inflamed, our deſires more quickened, and yet more ſatisfied.

Queſt. But I know you will ask of me, how faith is here to be exerciſed, for the drawing down of life & nouriſhment from Chriſt in this ordinance.

Anſw. For the anſwer of which in brief:

1. Faith looks upon Chriſt as the treaſury and common ſtock of grace, in whom dwels all fulneſs, Joh. 1.14.16. Joh. 3.34. Col. 1.19. Col. 2.3.9.John 1:14John 1:16John 3:34Col 1:19Col 2:3Col 2:9all our fulnes; faith looks on him as the univerſall principle of life and root of holineſs. God gave not him the Spirit in meaſure.

2. Faith caſts its eye on the p. 64promiſe for the conveyance of grace from him, Ille eſt canalis gratiae; & ab illo nobis omnes rivuli derivantur. Daven.it ſees a promiſe for derivation of grace from him to us: Faith works, virtute promiſsi: by vertue of the promiſe; where there is no promiſe, there can be no faith, and therefore faith diſcovers, that there may be communion and participation with this fulneſs; there are ſuch promiſes made that of his fulneſs we ſhall receive grace for grace, John 1.16. and Chriſt is made unto us Wiſdome, Righteouſnes, Sanctification, 1 Cor. 1.30. and he came that we might have life, and have it in abundance; Joh. 10.10.

3. Sacramenta ex ſimilitudine repraeſentant ex inſtitutione ſignificant, ex virtute Chriſti ſanctificant, Aquin.Faith looks upon this ordinance as an Inſtrument, a means which God hath ſet up for the conveying of life and nouriſhment from Chriſt. Though God can do it without, yet in God's ordinary way, Ordinances are the means of the conveying of life from him to us.

p. 654. Now then, faith being ſteeled by ſuch conſiderations as theſe, that there is a fulneſs in Chriſt, that there is a promiſe of this fulnes to be made over to us, and that the Sacrament is an Ordinance wherby God as by an Inſtrument will convey of this fulneſs of Chriſt to a poor ſoul: faith goes over to Chriſt, and by vertue of the Promiſe, applying and feeding upon Chriſt, draws down further life and nouriſhment from him to the ſoul: As one ſaid of the tree of Chriſt's aſcenſion, though the fruit were high, and above our reach, yet if wee touch him by the hand of faith, and tongue of prayer, all will fall down upon us: So here, if we can but touch him with the hand of faith, though a palſie hand, though a weak and trembling hand; if we can but goe to him with a praying heart, Chriſt p. 66can with-hold nothing from us.

And after this manner doth faith form a Prayer to him: Lord, thou knows I am weak in grace, thou ſeeſt my faith is feeble, my love cold, my deſires faint, my obedience ſmall; but thou haſt all fulneſs of grace; thou art the Fountain, and this Fountain is opened here; thou art the Treaſury, and this Treaſury is here unlock'd. Thoſe graces I have, though weak, thou begatſt them, and wilt not thou now nouriſh them? From thee I had the being of grace, and from thee I muſt have the nouriſhing. Thou haſt ſet up this Ordinance as a means to convey grace, and thou haſt promiſed to remember them that are in thy way, Iſa. 64.5.Isa 64:5therefore help,—&c. Beſides, may faith ſay, Lord, thou haſt been pleaſed to implant me into Chriſt, and ſhall I p. 67die for want of nouriſhment? thou haſt made me a member of Chriſt, and ſhall I decay and wither for want of influence? Oh! never let it be ſaid, that a branch in Chriſt ſhall wither and decay for want of nouriſhment, when there is ſo much in the root; let it never be ſaid, that a member of Chriſt ſhould wither and die for want of influence and life, ſeeing there is ſo much in the Head. Thou cameſt, Joh. 10.10John 10:10that I might have life; yea, & have it in abundance; why Lord, my graces are weak, here are dying affections, dying diſpoſitions, dying graces, Oh! come down before I dye, ſtrengthen the things that are ready to dye in me. Rev. 3.2.Rev 3:2Thou haſt raiſed me from the death of ſin, let me not again drop into the ſame grave; thou haſt wrought graces in mee, let them not decay for want of life, when ſuch p. 68abundance in thee.

Thus doth Chriſt, formed in the heart, cry out for Chriſt nouriſhing in the Sacrament. The work of grace is called a forming of Chriſt in the ſoul, Gal. 4.9.Gal 4:9and Chriſt doth but nouriſh and feed himſelf, his own graces here. Chriſt in the Sacrament doth nouriſh Chriſt begotten in the heart by the Word. And the ſoul feeding upon Chriſt by faith, is further changed into his Image. In our corporall feeding, the meat is changed into the nature of the eater, but in our ſpirituall feeding, the eater is changed into the nature of the meat eaten, the Believer into the nature of Chriſt, 1 Cor. 3.18. While beholding him as in a glaſs, we are alſo changed into his Image.— Thus doth faith feed upon Chriſt, and draw down nouriſhment for the ſtrength of every grace in us, &c. And according to the meaſure of faith's feeding, p. 69ſuch is the proportion and meaſure of nouriſhment conveyed. As the ſtomach ſendeth down nouriſhment to all parts, from the ſupply of food, which it hath fed on: Or, as the Liver having drawn down and made blood from the nouriſhment in the ſtomach, diffuſeth and ſpreadeth abroad, and ſends to every part ſome: So Faith, having fed upon Chriſt, doth here ſend down nouriſhment to all the graces: or, as in a Feaſt, you ſend portions to your poor brethren; ſo Faith having feaſted it ſelf on Chriſt, ſends down portions to her ſiſter-graces. All our graces have a dependance on Faith, and Faith on Chriſt; our Graces depend on Faith as a Mediatour to our Mediatour: as that grace which hath immediately to do with Chriſt, from whence it fetcheth ſupply and proviſion for all the reſt. That is the ſecond p. 70benefit faith is here to be acted for.

3. The third benefit that Faith is here to be exerciſed on Chriſt for, is the further ſubduing and conquering of our corruptions. Faith hath a double work to do; It works in Heaven, and it works in Earth: As it works in Heaven for the juſtification of a ſin, ſo it works in earth for the mortification of ſin; and here in this Ordinance is faith acted on Chriſt for the further killing of ſin. Faith hath a ſpecial art in going over to Chriſt, & fetching from him ſuch help as is ſutable to the neceſſities of the ſoul. If we be weak in Graces, Faith can go over to Chriſt for the ſtrengthening of them. If corruptions be ſtrong, Faith can go over to Chriſt for the ſubduing, and conquering of them. And by making uſe of the merit, power, promiſe, Spirit of Chriſt, gets ſtrength p. 71from him for the ſubduing of unruly luſts, untamed corruptions. Why, will Faith ſay, Lord, thou haſt promiſed to ſubdue my corruptions, and thou art able to ſubdue all to thy ſelf, Oh! therefore ſet thy power againſt the power of my luſts. Theſe ſons of Zerviah are too ſtrong for me, but not for thee: I am burthened with a dead heart, a hard heart, unbelieving heart, &c. But never was there heart ſo hard, but thou canſt break it; never heart ſo dead, but thou canſt quicken it. There is life enough in thee for all the ſons and daughters of death in the world, oh! that therfore thou would'ſt quicken me, that thou would'ſt break me— Thus doth Faith make uſe of Chriſt here for the ſubduing of corruptions.

And let me tell you, there is a ſpeciall art, dexterity and skill p. 72which faith hath, wherby it forms ſuch conceptions of Chriſt, as are ever ſutable to the preſent neceſſity of the ſoul, whereby it gets more ſpeedy relief.

1. If there be a return of guilt upon the ſoul, and burthen upon the conſcience. Faith looks upon Chriſt in blood, Chriſt a Prieſt, a Sacrifice for ſin.

2. If the ſoul labour under ignorance, Faith looks upon him as the great Prophet of the Church; and ſaith, Lord, thou haſt taken upon thee to be the great Prophet of the Church, Joh. 6.45. Iſa. 14.13. Jer. 31.34.John 6:45Isa 14:13Jer 31:34thou haſt promiſed wee ſhall be all taught of God. Oh! therefore teach me, inſtruct me, &c. It is not ſo ſutable to look upon Chriſt as a Prieſt, when we deſire he ſhould do the work of a Prophet.

3. If we be weak in grace, faith looks upon him as the univerſall fountain and principle of grace, p. 73one who hath all fulneſs in him, able to fill a world of hearts with grace, though they were never ſo barren or empty; And ſo goes over to him for ſtrengthening, &c.

4. Mal. 3.2.Mal 3:2If we labour under the pollution of ſin, faith looks upon Chriſt as a refiner, a purifier, a purger of his people from ſin. As one who came not only to be a Redeemer, but a refiner; not only a Saviour, Eph. 5.26. Tit. 2.14.Eph 5:26Titus 2:14but a ſanctifier of his people, Epheſ. 5.26. Tit. 2.14.

5, And ſo, if corruptions be ſtrong, faith looks upon him as a King, who is able to ſubdue and conquer unruly affections, and to bring every thing into ſubjection to himſelf.

God hath not only furniſhed Chriſt with fulneſs of ſupply to anſwer every need of the ſoul, but God hath given to Chriſt diverſity of titles, that wee might p. 74conceive of him not only as a ful, but as a ſutable good to every neceſſity of the ſoul. And God, having thus diverſly repreſented Chriſt to our underſtandings, as a Prophet, a Prieſt, a King, a Refiner, &c. Faith doth form ſuch conceptions of Chriſt, as are moſt ſutable to the preſent neceſſity of the ſoul.

4. A fourth benefit for which Faith may be exerciſed in this Ordinance, is for deliverance out of temptations. Thou haſt been long aſſaulted by Satan; Vnus filius ſine peccato, nullus ſine tentatatione. 1 Cor. 10.13. 2 Cor. 12.9. Heb. 2.18. Rom. 16.20.1 Cor 10:132 Cor 12:9Heb 2:18Rom 16:20thou haſt felt the blows and buffets of Satan many yeers; God hath not only promiſed to ſupport thee and ſuccour thee in this condition, but God hath promiſed to deliver thee out of this condition Rom. 16.20. The God of peace ſhall tread down Satan under your feet ſhortly. Why now exerciſe faith to ſue out theſe promiſes God hath p. 75made; go over to Chriſt, not only for ſtrength and ſupport in the condition, but for victory and deliverance out of it. Theſe dayes, they are not only God's ſealing, but God's performing dayes: God doth not only here put his ſeal to every Promiſe folded up in the covenant, but hee is ready here to make performance of the things he hath promiſed. And therefore go gather a catalogue of promiſes, which ſuits with thy condition, ſpread them before God, and here come ſue them out in this Ordinance.

Thus you ſee the firſt grace which is to bee exerciſed in this ordinance, namely Faith. And I have ſhewed you, 1. what Act, 2. upon what Object, 3. for what benefits faith is here to be exerciſed. I have named foure, but here is not all; the Sacrament p. 76is the Seale of the whole covenant, and what ever particular benefits are folded up in the great draught and covenant of God, here you may exerciſe faith for the compaſſing and obtaining of them. Where ever there is a promiſe in the Word, there is work for faith to ſue it out in this ordinance, which is the ſeale to all, &c.

By the way then, this may diſcover to us, where the fault is, when we return home, our faith never the more ſtrengthened, our hearts never the more warm'd, our graces never the more nouriſhed, our corruptiōs never the more weakned. It is a ſhrewd ſign faith did not play its part in the mount. It is great ſuſpition that your faith did ſuccumbere in conatu, did faile and ſink in the encounter. Faith was intruſted in this imploiment to goe over to Chriſt for theſe p. 77benefits, and thy faith did faile in the undertaking; therefore God ſuſpends the beſtowing of theſe benefits, becauſe thou ſuſpendeſt thy faith.

A man may halt after his ſtriving with God, and yet overcome, as Jacob did; but when a man's ſpirit doth halt in ſtriving with God, when we doe not ſtrive fully with God, there is little hope of prevailing. Well then, if thou ſee not the fruit and benefit thou expected to come into thy ſoule in the uſe of this Ordinance, charge thy faith with it, and bewaile the weakneſſe of it: and for the future put it to its burden, let it have its full and perfect worke, and thou wilt then find the comfort and fruit of it. Never did faith touch Chriſt in any Ordinance, but vertue came from him. But ſo much for the firſt Grace—

p. 782. 2^d Grace to be exerciſed.A ſecond grace which is here to be exerciſed in the uſe of this Ordinance, and requiſite to the ſanctification of God in it, is Repentance.

The Sacraments they are the crucifixes of Chriſt, in which Chriſt is repreſented as crucified afreſh before our eyes: the bread broken doth preach unto us the breaking of Chriſt: The wine powred forth doth preach unto us the Blood of Chriſt poured forth for our ſinnes. And who is it that can with the eye of faith, look upon a broken Chriſt, but with a broken heart? a wounded Chriſt, but with a wounded ſpirit? a bleeding Chriſt but with a bleeding ſoule? God hath made in nature the ſame organ for ſeeing and weeping: And in grace hee who ſees clearly, weeps throughly, Lam. 3.5. The eye will affect the heart.

p. 79The Paſſeover under the Law was to be eaten with bitter herbs: So Chriſt, the true Paſſover, is here to be eaten with bitterneſſe of ſoul: as it was propheſied; They ſhal look on him whom they have pierced, and ſhall lament, and mourne; firſt ſeeing, and then weeping, &c. Zach. 12.10.

There is a twofold mourning, 1. Hiſtoricall; 2. Spirituall. 1. Hiſtoricall mourning; there is a naturall tenderneſſe in men and women, whereby their hearts doe yearn and melt to heare the relation, or behold the ſight of ſome ſad ſtory. Such a one as Auguſtine confeſſeth he had when he read the ſad ſtory of Dido: and yet his heart was hard, he could not mourn for ſin. Or ſuch a one as they had, whom Chriſt blamed in the Goſpel, who lamented the cruell uſage of Chriſt out of naturall compaſſion only; to whom p. 80he ſaith, O daughters of Jeruſalem, weep not for me. Homini non eſt neceſſarium ut Chriſtū in ipſius paſſione deploret, ſed magis ut ſeipſum in Chriſto.Of this the Father ſpeaks, It is not neceſſary you lament his paſsion, ſo much as your ſinnes, which have cauſed his paſsion. There is a kind of naturall tenderneſs in men and women, wihch yet is often joyned with hardneſſe of heart for ſinne. As an Hiſtorical faith, with ſpirituall unbelief, and an Hiſtoricall love, with ſpiritual enmity; ſo a natural tenderneſſe, with ſpirituall hardneſſe of heart for ſin.

2. There is a ſpirituall mourning, which ariſeth from ſpirituall grounds and cauſes, and tends to ſpirituall ends. A ſorrow which is cauſed by faith, looking upon heart-melting promiſes, or taking up heart-breaking conſiderations, or beholding a heart-ſoftning object, by which Faith doth draw waters out of the fountaines of the ſoul for ſin, as you p. 81have it, 1 Sam. 7.6. they drew water (as out of a well) and poured it forth before the Lord. And this is that ſorrow which is here to be exerciſed, which will melt and mellow the heart, and cauſe it to be more fruitfull in obedience. Never doth the garden of graces better grow, then after ſuch a ſhowre of repentant tears. And therefore doth God preſerve theſe ſprings in the ſoul, to water the ſeeds of grace, and make us more fruitfull, which it ſurely doth when they are Sun-ſhine-ſhowres, ſuch ſhowres wherein the Sun appeares, Chriſt is not hid from the eye of faith.

And, my brethren, here are many things in this ordinance, which if but looked upon with the eye of faith, will open all the ſprings of ſorrow in the ſoule, and call forth all the waters in him. Bellarnine he layes p. 82down twelve conſiderations to provoke ſorrow, as the miſeries of mankind by nature, the ſad condition of the ſouls in Purgatory, and ſuch like ſtuffe. But we need not be beholding to him for ſuch cōſiderations as theſe, to occaſion mourning. Here is enough in the Sacrament preſented to the eye of faith, to open all the Springs thou haſt, and if thou had a fountaine of teares, to ſpend them all for ſinne. We will name ſome particulars here which draw out mournings.

1. Here is a diſcovery of the love and ſweetneſſe of God, in giving his Son to die for us. Joh. 3.16.John 3:16So God loved the world, &c. enough to cauſe us to mourne that ever wee offended. Oh that God ſhould bee more tender to us then to his owne Sonne, not ſpare his Sonne that he might p. 83ſpare us, give him to die, that we might live, poure the curſe upon him, that the bleſſing might bee poured on us! Quis temperet à lachrymis?O how ſhould this affect us! Who can think of this, and with-hold from teares?

2. Here is preſented to us the ſufferings and breakings of Chriſt, enough to break our hardeſt hearts. 1. The ſufferings of Chriſt, in ſe, in themſelves, as thoſe upon his body; what breakings? what woundings? what ſcourgings? what crownings, piercings, did he endure in his body? and thoſe in his ſoule: What conflicts and ſtruglings did he undergoe with the wrath of God, the terrors of death, the powers of darknes? Oh what weight, what burden, what wrath did hee undergoe, when his ſoule was heavie unto death? beſet with terrors, as the word ſignifies, when p. 84he drank that bitter cup, foreign Vndequaque triſtis, valde triſtis, Paſſor. Supra modum dolens Scap. Obſitus terroribus, Ariſt.that cup mingled with curſes, which if Man or Angell had but ſipt of, it would have ſunk them into hell; Nay, it made him, who was God as well as man, ſanctified by the Spirit, ſupported with the Deity, comforted by Angels, ſweat ſuch a ſweat as never man ſweat; drops, clods of blood, foreign tanquam grumi ſanguinis.as the word implies.

2. Conſider them in Causâ, as the meriting cauſe of all our good, the procurers of all our peace, ſalvation, &c.

He was wounded, that we might be healed; ſcourged, that we might be ſolaced; drunk the cup of wrath, a bitter cup, to procure all our ſweet draughts: He was ſlain, ſaith Daniel, foreign. Dan. 9.26.Dan 9:26but not for himſelf; he was wounded for our tranſgreſſions, broken for our iniquities; the chaſtiſement of our peace was upon him, and by his p. 85ſtripes are we healed, Iſa. 53.5, 8.

3. Conſider them as effectus peccati, as the effects of our ſin, as thoſe things our ſins brought upon him, Solvere gelicidium.and needs muſt this melt and thaw our Icie & ſtony hearts. Oh, will the ſoul ſay! it hath been I who have been the traytor, the murtherer, my ſins which have been bloody inſtruments to ſlay the Lord of glory. I have ſinn'd, Ezek. 18.Ezek 18thou ſuffer'd; 'twas I that did eat the ſowre grapes, yet thy teeth were ſet on edge; I have been thy death, yet thy death hath given mee life; I have wounded thee, yet thou haſt healed me; yea, and even out of that wound my ſins made, thou ſent a plaiſter to heal mee. This conſideration muſt needs fill the heart with ſorrow, Zach. 12.10. They ſhall look upon him whom they have pierced, and how ſhall this ſight affect them? why, it follows, they ſhall mourn, p. 86and be in bitterneſs of ſoul, as one in bitterneſs for their firſt-born.

They ſay, if one man kill another, and you bring the murtherer into the place, where the ſlain perſon lies, the dead will bleed afreſh: Wee are the murtherers of Chriſt, and we come here to an Ordinance where Chriſt is repreſented in his blood, as broken and wounded for our ſins. O! that our hearts might bleed! as he bleeds afreſh to us; ſo that wee might bleed a freſh to him. A Prince wil weep himſelf when the Page is whipped for him: but how ſhould the Page mourn when the Prince is ſcourged for him? My brethren, there is infinite more diſproportion between Chriſt and us, then between the Prince and the Page, the Lord and the ſlave. And how can we then look upon him as wounded, ſcourged, pierced, for us, & not be affected with, p. 87afflicted for our ſin, the cauſe of it. Bernard ſaith, **Sivis ipſum cognoſcere, ſicut ſe fregit, ita te frange.If thou would be conformable to Chriſt (in the Sacrament) as thou beholdeſt a broken & a bleeding Chriſt, ſo labour to behold him w^th a broken bleeding heart. Look on him in this Ordinance, as Mary looked upon him on the Croſs, when Simeon's Propheſie was fulfilled, that a ſword ſhould paſs through her ſoul; Luke 2.35. for then indeed did a ſword paſs through her ſoul, when ſhe ſaw him pierced on the croſs: ſo when you ſee him pierced and broken in the Sacrament, which is the lively repreſentation of Chriſt broken, Oh, that then it might be as a ſpear to our hearts! as a ſword to our ſpirits, that we by our ſins have wounded and pierced him!

This is the ſecond grace to be exerciſed in this Ordinance. And beſide theſe two, there are p. 88many more to be exerciſed here, viz. Our love to God, our hungring and thirſting after Chriſt. There is that in Chriſt repreſented to the eye of faith in this Sacrament, that calls out for all the affections, diſpoſitions, and deſires in you; You cannot ſee Chriſt here, but it will make every grace within you ſtir, every diſpoſition within you to move, every wheel go. Who can ſee him but love him, who is ſo exceeding lovely? Who can ſee him but prize him, who is ſo exceeding precious? Who can ſee him but deſire him, who is ſo exceeding deſireable? Who can ſee him but delight in him, who is the joy and delight of the ſoul? You cannot poſſibly ſee him here, but all the powers of the ſoul will be up. 1. Your judgements to prize him, your wills to chooſe him, and make a new match with p. 89him; your affections to love him, embrace him, delight in him. And the clearer your ſight is here of Chriſt by faith, the more will your hearts be ſtirred, your ſpirits moved. Men that ſit here as logs & lumps of clay never ſtirred, never taken up, they ſee not Chriſt, they ſee no higher then the table, the Bread and Wine, and therefore dead and ſenſleſs. Oh! but if if one creviſe of your hearts were opened, to let in but one beam, one glimpſe of Chriſt, it would ſet you all on a burning heavenly fire, this would warm you indeed. But beſides theſe graces to be exerciſed, there is required ſome demeanours in the ſoul in this Ordinance, if we would ſanctifie God in it.

1. An humble and holy reverence, which is the fruit of that dread and fear of God which is in the heart. There is abundance p. 90of lightneſs, looſeneſs and vanity in the ſpirits of men by nature. And the Majeſty and dread of that great God, with whom wee have to do in this Ordinance, muſt conſolidate, and make our ſpirits weighty in theſe great Ordinances. The Sacrament is called an Euchariſt, foreign grata beneficiorum recordatio.it is a gratulatory ſervice, and God is fearfull in praiſes, Exod. 15.11. which hath ſpeciall reſpect to the affection wherewith you are to praiſe him.

2. There is required a diſcharge & diſmiſſion of all worldly thoughts and buſineſſes. When Abraham went up to the Mount to ſacrifice, he left his ſervants in the valley. Thou art now to go up to the mount, where God appears. Oh! leave all your ſervile affections, your worldly thoughts in the valley. And if any enter, do as Abraham did by the Birds that would have eaten up his ſacrifice, p. 91chaſe them away; do by them as you do by ſtraggling beggars, give them their paſs, and ſend them away.

In the Temple, though there was ſo much fleſh for ſacrifice, yet there was not one Flie appeared ſtirring; oh that it might be ſo with us this day! that not one thought might ariſe upon our hearts, unſutable to the place and work in hand. It is a thing unbefitting theſe great imployments, to have our hearts and thoughts taken up with other buſineſſes; what have you to do here with your ſhops, your bags, your cheſts? What have you here to do with things of this world?Quid proficit ſi meditationes tuae in lege Dei ſint? & ipſae in ſe ipſis ſine lege ſint. Bern. in Cant.

Oh make not this place an Exchange, a Shop for merchandize, men are not able to do buſineſs in a crowd, nor you ſo great a buſineſs as this in a crowd of thoughts. But this is the miſery, you are p. 92ſervants and ſlaves to the world at other times, and therefore the world will maſter you now. If you paſs over your hearts to the ſervice of the world at other times, the world will make you ſerve it now. Becauſe you have not ſpirituall hearts in your temporall employments, therefore have you carnall hearts in your ſpirituall employments. The leſſe of the Sabbath in the week, the more you ſhall find of the week in the Sabbath. The leſſe ſpirituall you are in affairs of earth, the more carnall you will bee in the employments of Heaven. This is certain, if the world once take your heart, it will take your head alſo. I ſay, if ever the world leaven your hearts, it will alſo poyſon your heads; it is a leaven diffuſeth it ſelf through the whole man. And therefore as Chriſt ſaid of the leaven of the Phariſees, p. 93Take heed of the leaven of the Phariſees, h. e. hypocriſie: (for if once the heart be leaven'd with that, it will ſoure the head: if the Principles are unſound, then are the purpoſes alſo, and performances too, &c.) So I ſay here, beware of the leaven of worldly-mindedneſſe, if ever you would ſanctifie God in this ordinance. Beware of that, this will ſoure the ſoule, and make all you doe to be carnall and fleſhly. I tell you, if you be ſervants to the world at other times, the world will cōmand and maſter you now. Thus much ſhall ſerve for the ſecond generall Head, What is required in the time for the ſanctification of this ordinance. We come to the third.

To the ſanctifying God in an Ordinance, is required ſomthing after. And

That now which is required afterward, is, That you labour to p. 94ſee the fruit of this ordinance to run downe through your lives. Thou exerciſedſt faith, labour to ſee thy heart more eſtabliſhed in aſſurance of pardon. See thy graces more ſtrengthened, thy corruptions more weakned. I will name onelyonly two things which are to follow the performance of this ordinance, if ever you would ſanctifie God in it:

1. Thankfulneſſe,

2. Obedience.

1. Gratiae nullū certius ſignum quam gratiae. Aug.Thankfulneſſe: Returne home now, as thy heart, full of the benefits of the Lord; ſo thy heart full of praiſes to the Lord. Angels employments are moſt ſuteable to Angels food: thou haſt had Angels food, and let thy heart returne Angels retribution, praiſe and thankſgiving. If God doe but feed your bodies, there is none, I hope, ſuch beaſts, as will not return the retribution p. 95of praiſes: And will you be ſlow and backward to it when he hath fed your ſouls? Shall we bleſſe God for a Crumb, and not for a Chriſt? Other mercies are but crumbs in compariſon of this rich mercy, and ſhall our hearts ſavour them ſo much, & not reliſh theſe? **Divitiae dantur, 1. Bonis, ne putentur mala. 2. Malis, ne putentur bona. 3. Multis, ne putentur magnae.Other mercies he gives to his enemies, wicked men may run away w^th the greateſt portion of belly-bleſſings; but theſe hee only beſtowes on his friends: and ſhall we be unthankful for them? How ever carnall men are moſt taken with carnal things; yet ſure I am, thoſe who are ſpirituall, as they are moſt apprehenſive of ſpirituall wants; ſo the greateſt layings out of their ſpirits in thankfulneſſe, is for ſpirituall enjoyments. What's corne and wine, &c. to this? This is a merciemercy in which all other mercies are folded up, the ſummum genus of mercy, p. 96the top-mercy. Quid tibi ſufficit, ſi Chriſtus non ſufficit? Chriſtum habes, …mnia habes. Omne bonū aut ipſe eſt, aut ab ipſo. Aug. de doct. Chri.God doth eminently contain al other comforts, and therefore in the want of all he can cheere the heart, Hah. 3.7. So Chriſt doth eminently contain all other mercies, and in the want of all, Chriſt enjoyed, is exceeding great reward. Nay, all mercies are not onelyonly folded up in him, and intail'd to him, but he ſweetens and ſanctifies every merciemercy. Let us then return home as full of the bleſſing from on high, ſo full of praiſes to the moſt high. Thankfulneſſe is the great grace to bee exerciſed in, and thankfulneſſe is the great grace to be exerciſed after; and therefore while the preſent ſenſe of this merciemercy warmes your hearts, let the heat of it burſt forth into thankfulneſſe towards God; it is the moſt ſutable ſervice, and the moſt ſutable time to returne it. The beſt time to have thanfulneſs p. 97in our hearts, is when we can look there, and finde the mercy for w^ch we praiſe him alſo. The beſt time for praiſes and thankfulneſs in our mouths, is when wee have the bleſſing in our hands. Well then, all you who are right partakers of this Ordinance, ſummon up your hearts to return thankfulneſs to God. And let your thankfulneſs carry ſome proportion with the mercy. The mercy is great, do but meaſure it in all the dimenſions of it, how high? how deep? how broad a mercy? pardoning, purging mercy, and how long? even to all eternity; And as the mercy is great, ſo ſhould be the praiſes. (The more a man's apprehenſions are enwidened to conceive of the vaſtneſs and greatneſs of the mercy, the more will the affections be inlarged to praiſe him for it. There was never man that did know the preciouſneſs of p. 98Chriſt, and his own need of him, in reſpect of pardon, purging, and his own unworthineſs to partake of ſo glorious a mercy, but had his heart mightily inlarged to praiſe God for it. This is that then which God expects at your hands, after he hath filled you with the bleſsing of Heaven, that you ſhould return praiſes to Heaven. Though hee doth not reap where he doth not ſow, as that idle ſervant charged him; yet where God ſowes bleſſings, hee expects to reap praiſes. Where there is a flood of mercy, hee looks for a ſtream of thankfulneſs. Oh! then let us proportion our returns to our receits, let us ſet up monuments of praiſe in our hearts and lives for this great mercy; Say with David, Pſal. 103.Ps 103Bleſs the Lord, ô my ſoul, &c.

2. The ſecond thing required after this Ordinance, is obedience and fruitfulnes. That now for the p. 99time to come, you ſhould apply your hearts to walk more worthy of God unto all manner of pleaſing: 1. That we ſhould have our hearts further ſet againſt ſin: 2. That we ſhould have our hearts further ſtrengthned to ſervice.

1. Get your hearts now further ſet againſt ſin. Oh! let your ſouls ſay, Hath God been ſo gracious, as to renew and confirm my pardon, and ſhall I again diſhonour him? Hath hee wiped off my former ſcores, and ſhall I run on afreſh to offend him? Hath hee taken off my former burthen, and caſt it on the back of his dear Son, and ſhall I again lay more load upon him? Hath he ſpoken peace to me in his Ordinance, and ſhall I again return to folly? No, far be it from me. I have waſhed my feet, how ſhall I again defile them? I have put off my coat, how ſhal I again put it on? p. 100ſaith the Chriſtian ſoul. Prophane men, they do by their ſins, as the Serpent with his poyſon, lay it aſide when they go to drink, but afterward take it up: Or, as men do with a garment, put it off at night, but put it on in the morning. And this is fearfull, to return with the dog to the vomit. 2 Pet. 2.222 Pet 2:22But God's people caſt them away, Iſa. 30.22.Isa 30:22as a menſtruous rag, never more to have to do with them.

2. Get your hearts further ſtrengthened to ſervice. Here is in this Ordinance a mutuall ſealing of Covenants between God and you. As God ſeals to thee, ſo thou ſeals again to God. God ſeals to the firſt part of the Covenant, pardon, mercy, grace; and thou ſeals to the ſecond part of it, ſervice, ſubjection, obedience: God gives Chriſt to thee here in this Ordinance, and thou gives thy ſelf back again to Chriſt. As p. 101there is matter of bountie from God to thee, ſo there is matter of duty from thee to God; God here in bounty beſtowes Chriſt upon every humble, broken hearted and believing receiver: They take him, and re-give themſelves back again to him for ſubjection and obedience. There was never any ſoul, to whom God ſaid in this Ordinance, I am thine, whoſe hearts did not eccho again the ſame to God, Lord, I am thine. This head is thine to contrive thy glory, this hand is thine to work for thee, this hart is thine to love thee, He that ſayes, my beloved is mine, ſayes again, and I am his; Cant. 2.16. Cant. 2.16Song 2:16Let us then labour to ſee our hearts further ſtrengthened to ſervice; let this inable thee to walk:

1. More ſtrongly; The Sacraments are our ſpirituall baitings and refreſhments which God affords p. 102us to ſtrengthen us in our journey to Heaven: They are ſpirituall meat & drink to ſtrengthen us in the performance of al ſpirituall obedience; ſuch meat as will not only inable a man to work, but to work more ſtrongly. And 'tis to be feared, that they who are never the ſtronger for ſervice, feed not upon the ſubſtance, but upon the ſhadow, they feed upon the elements, but never taſt of Chriſt the ſtaff of nouriſhment; Purum elementum non eſt alimentum.and tis true here, the meer element is no nouriſhment.

2. More willingly and cheerfully; Then ſhall wee be able to run the wayes of God's Commandements, Pſal. 119.Ps 119when God once here inlarges our hearts. It is ſaid of Jacob, that when he had been refreſhed with the preſence of God, he plucked up his feet, and went on cheerfully. So here, when the ſoul hath been refreſhed with the preſence p. 103of Chriſt, he will be able to walk more cheerfully in the wayes of God. The food we feed upon is Angels' food, and will inable us to Angels' imployments, h. e. to do our work with an Angels ſpirit, with all alacrity, cheerfulneſs, joy and delight; though not in the ſame equality, yet in the ſame quality, Siquid boni triſtè feceris, fit de te magis quam à te. Proſper.though not in the ſame meaſure, yet in the ſame manner. And thus much for the ſecond generall, viz. How we muſt ſanctifie God in an Ordinance.

Wee will now come to the third generall, which is the Reaſons why, Who ever have to do with an Ordinance of God, muſt ſanctifie God in it.

1. Reaſon. Becauſe God commands it. God ſaith hee will be ſanctified; and God's will is our law. God doth not only command the ſubſtance, but the circumſtances; not only the matter of worſhip, p. 104but the manner: And though the matter be good, if the manner of performance be naught, God doth not regard it. You ſee what hee ſaith to the Jewes, He that ſacrificeth, is as he who killed a man, and hee that kils a Lamb, as if he cut off a Dog's head, and he who burneth incenſe, as hee who bleſſeth an Idoll, Iſa. Iſa. 66.3.Isa 66:366.3. Theſe ſeem ſtrange expreſſions. What, were not theſe ſuch duties as God commanded? Doth not God command ſacrifice? &c. Yes, but becauſe they did them not in that manner God commanded, therefore were they abominable to him. If therefore thou gives God the bulk of outward performance, without the ſpirit of devotion, thou deals by him as Prometheus by Jupiter, who did eat the fleſh, and preſent him with nothing but bones, covered over with skin; Or, to uſe the Scripture phraſe, you compaſs God p. 105with a lie, Hoſ. 11.12. Hoſ. 11.12Hos 11:12Thou gives him the ſhell of outward performance, but not the kernell of inward devotion: thou gives him a body without a ſoul; And as the body without the ſoul is dead and ſtinks, ſo doth that ſervice which wants the ſpirit: As God's will doth command ſervice, ſo our will and affections muſt perform ſervice. Though our will muſt be no inſtrument of deviſing ſervice, yet it muſt be an inſtrumēt in performing ſervice. Though God will not own will-worſhip in regard of preſcription, yet he will own it in regard of performance, and none elſe.

Thus you ſee God commands it, and therefore, &c.Impü Petram lambunt, ſed indè nec mel, nec oleum ſugunt, &c. Ambr. Ser. de coena.

2. Reaſon. Becauſe otherwiſe wee get no good by this Ordinance, no good of Comfort, nor none of Grace. If indeed the Sacraments did ex opere operato, confer p. 106Grace; or if that this Sacrament were an Inſtrument for the begetting of Grace in graceleſs hearts, then might you get good, though you came unpreparedly. The word, it is ſet up for that end, to be the inſtrument of regeneration; and therefore, though you come unpreparedly thither, yet you may be wrought upon there. **Nemo bonus qui non ex malo bonus. Aug.Many that have come to the Word with purpoſe to ſcoff, to taunt, to deride, nay, to inſnare and accuſe, who yet have been wrought on there, and ſent away other men. Were the Sacraments ſet up for ſuch an end, to beget grace, where there is no grace, then might you get good, though you come unpreparedly and unſanctifiedly thither; but as I have told you, it was never ſet up for ſuch an end: here its true, habenti dabitur, to him that hath ſhall be given; he p. 107that hath grace ſhall in the exerciſe improve his graces, but he that comes graceleſs hither, goes graceleſs away, nay, worſe then he came, which is the next Reaſon.

3. Reaſon. Becauſe otherwiſe we get much hurt.

The Ordinances are not idle, but operative, they either work for life, or they work for death. As Paul ſaid of the Word, it was the ſavour of life and of death; ſo I may ſay of every Ordinance. There is never a time you come to hear the Word, but you are ſet a ſtep neerer heaven or hell: ſo never a time you come to receive the Sacraments, &c. The fruit of the tree of Knowledge of good and evill might be wholſome in it ſelf: yet Adam did eat his death, when he taſted of it contrary to God's command. So here the Sacrament, though in it ſelf it be p. 108good, yet it becomes the bane and deſtruction of thoſe ſouls, who partake thereof unworthily: As the Ordinances of God are precious things when God is ſanctified in them; ſo they are coſtly things, when prophan'd. Hezekiah knew this full well, and therefore hee prayes, Now the good Lord pardon all thoſe who come to ſeek the God of their Fathers, though they are not prepared according to the preparation of the Sanctuary; he ſaw the danger of the unſanctified uſe of Ordinances.

To be ſhort, it will bring upon thee, 1. Corporall hurt; you ſee this in the Corinthians, 1 Cor. 11.30. For this cauſe many are weak and ſickly among you, and many are fallen aſleep. It was ſome Epidemicall diſeaſe, flagellum inundans, ſome over-flowing ſcourge, whereby God ſwept away many, in all the quarters of the Church; and will p. 109you know what was the ground, what was the reaſon of it? The Apoſtle tels us; that in the beginning, it was for this cauſe, viz. the prophanation, or unſanctified uſe of this Ordinance, there was mors in olla, death in the cup, they partaked of the cup of the Lord unworthily, and drank their own death in it; the cup of life was become a cup of death, the blood of pardon a cup of guilt.

2. Spirituall hurt; though God do not break out in viſible judgements upon the carkaſſes of men as formerly, yet the curſe of God eats ſecretly into the conſciences of men. You cauſe God to give you up to blindneſs of minde, hardneſs of heart, and theſe are curſes with a witneſs; the curſe of curſes is a hard heart.

3. It puts you in danger of eternall judgement. The Apoſtle tels you ſo, 1 Corinth. 11.29. verſe. p. 110He that eats and drinks unworthily, eats & drinks his own damnation: Better, ſaith **Melius erat mola aſinaria collo alligata mergi in pelagus, quam illotâ conſcientiâ de manu Domini buccellam accipere. Ambr. de coena. Applicatiof the ſecond Doctrine.Ambroſe, that a milſtone were tied about thy neck, and thou caſt into the midſt of the ſea; then to take the leaſt bit of bread, or drop of wine from the Miniſter, with an unſanctified heart, and polluted conſcience. And thus much for the doctrinall part, wee will now come to the application.

Vſe 1. If ſo, that whoever hath to do with an Ordinance muſt ſanctifie God in it; and that there is ſo much required before, ſo much in the time, ſo much afterward; Oh! how few then ſhall we finde, that ſanctifie God in this Ordinance? Some there are, who openly prophane this Ordinance, ſome who ſteal a draught of damnation to themſelves, your cloſe and civill men; this is the difference, where the common prophane man goes to p. 111hell the plain road way, this man ſteals to hell behinde the hedge; And indeed, the beſt of men do not ſanctifie God as they ought in them. Alas, what preparation before wee come upon theſe Ordinances? What exciting and ſtirring up of our graces? What exerciſe of grace here? Faith, Repentance? What thankfulneſs? What obedience afterwards? Where is the fruit of ſo many Sermons, Sacraments; have they not been like rain that falls on the rocks? Are not all theſe like ſo many clouds which paſs over our heads, and leave never a drop of moiſture behinde? Are wee not like Pharaoh's lean Kine, never the fatter for all our feeding? Are we not like men ſick of an Atrophy, who, though they feed upon never ſo good nouriſhment, yet they grow not thereby? Do wee not ſhame our meat, diſcredit p. 112thoſe heavenly dainties, that we thrive no more by them? Other ages, like Leah, were bleer-eyed, but fruitfull: ours like Rachel, beautifull, but yet barren: Wee anſwer not God's care and coſt towards us; we profit not; wee grow not; and what's the reaſon? Becauſe we do not ſanctifie God as we ought in theſe Ordinances; therefore are we ſo weak in faith, therefore ſo feeble in grace; therfore corruptions ſo ſtrong in us: they who look the Ordinances ſhould be means for the perfecting of their ſanctification, they muſt labour to ſanctifie God in them.

Vſe 2. Is it ſo? Then it behooves us to enquire, whether we have ſanctified God in theſe Ordinances. Wee have to do with God's Ordinances daily, you ſee God requires, who ever have to do with his Ordinances, ſhould p. 113ſanctifie God in them. Let us then ask the Queſtion of our ſelves: Have I ſanctified God in this Ordinance? I have often come to the Sacrament, but have I ſanctified God in it? Now you might know this by looking over the things: 1. Precedent: 2. Concomitant: 3. Subſequent. But at this time I ſhall follow this method: Would you know whether you have ſanctified God in this Ordinance; ſee then, whether you have obſerved: 1. God's order: 2. God's rules: 3. God's ends; and this before your coming. 2. whether you have exerciſed God's graces in the time. 3. whether you have returned with God's quickenings, God's inlargements, God's inablements afterward.

1. See whether you have obſerved God's order. Now God's order is this, to juſtifie a man, put on him the Wedding Garment; p. 114to ſanctifie a man, to beget him anew before he bring him on this Ordinance. 1. Art thou then juſtified? Hath God given thee an intereſt in Chriſt? Hath he diſcovered thy ſins to thee? Hath he humbled thy ſoul under the ſenſe and burthen of ſin? Hath hee revealed to thee what footing and ground there is in the Word, for receiving graceleſs perſons to life? Hath he cleared to thee the truth, fulneſs, freeneſs, goodneſs of the promiſe? Hath he brought thy ſoul over to aſſent to the truth, imbrace the goodneſs, reſt upon the firmneſs of it; and to bring all this home to thy own ſoul? Thou art a man who art juſtified, and God calls thee hither to put his Seal to thy Evidence, that thou mayeſt be aſſured for ever, that Chriſt is thine, and thou Chriſts.

2. Art thou a man ſanctified, renewed, regenerated? Hath God p. 115wrought a through, an univerſall, ſpirituall change; I ſay ſpirituall, not a partiall, morall, formall change, but a ſpirituall reall univerſall change. That thou haſt a new judgement, new will, new affections; Whereas before there was diſagreement, now there is a bleſſed conformity between God and thee in all things; thou ſeeſt as God ſees, loves as God loves; thou differs as much from thy ſelf, as if another ſoul lived in the ſame body; thou wert once darkneſs, now light in the Lord; once dead, now alive; once blinde, now ſeeſt? Thou art a man whom God calls hither to ſtrengthen and nouriſh his own work in thee. As the maid whom Chriſt raiſed from death, hee ſaid, Give her meat; ſo Chriſt having raiſed thee from the death of ſin to the life of grace, hee calls thee hither, that thou may have meat for the p. 116nouriſhment of ſpirituall life in thee; and this is God's order.

2. You may know whether you have ſanctified God in an Ordinance, if you examine, whether you have obſerved God's rules. Now the grand rule is Preparation, which lies in two things:

1. In Examination.

2. Excitation of our graces.

1. Examination, 1 Cor. 11.28. Let a man examine himſelf, and ſo let him eat, &c. which examination is more generall or more ſpeciall.

1. More generall, of all our ſins; thoſe before, and thoſe after our effectuall calling.

2. Of our Graces. 1. What knowledge of God: 2. What faith: 3. what repentance: 4. what love: 5. what hunger & thirſt, &c.

2. It is more ſpeciall: 1. how the ſoul hath carried it ſelf under former Sacraments, & in particular ſince the laſt Sacrament: what p. 117good it hath gotten; what more ſtrēgth of faith; what more weakning of corruption; what more increaſe of grace; what more ability to ſerve God; and what evil it hath done; all which ſhould be ſet on upon the ſoul, with the many aggravations, being ſins againſt vowes, promiſes, againſt covenant, which doth adde much guilt to ſin, and double the offence. 2. The ſoul is to examine it ſelf, how it ſtands for preſent; what aptneſs, what fitneſs for the duty; what Sacramentall ſorrow; what faith to cloſe w^th God in the preſent offer, what fitneſs to joyn w^th its fellow-members in holy cōmunion and love; what hungring and thirſting after Chriſt in this Ordinance; what ſpirituall appetite; what preſent diſpoſition of ſoul to renew bonds and covenants with God in this Ordinance.

Of theſe and the like are we to p. 118examine our ſelves, that's the firſt.

2. There is required Excitation of our graces, that wee ſtir up our faith, our repentance, our hunger and thirſt, &c. 1. Our faith to cloſe with a new offer of Chriſt: 2. Our repentance to mourn afreſh: our hunger and thirſt after Chriſt tendered here. Theſe are God's rules, and if obſerved, God is ſanctified; and that is the ſecond.

3. You may know whether you have ſanctified God in this Ordinance, if you examine whether you have obſerved God's ends. Now God's ends are many; viz. 1. to glorifie God: 2. to get ſtrength againſt our corruptions: 3. to get increaſes for our graces. But I ſhall only name one, ſet down by the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 11.23. Do this in remembrance of mee. Chriſt did a great work for us, and hee is deſirous p. 119it may may not be forgotten; He hath taken care it ſhould be remembred both in heaven and in earth. As he remembers it in heaven, it being a part of his interceſſion for us there, to repreſent his blood and ſufferings before God; As under the Law, the Prieſt, when he had offered the ſacrifice, was to go with the blood before the Altar and Mercy-ſeat, and ſhew it to the Lord: So Chriſt, having offered himſelf a ſacrifice, preſents his blood within the vail, appearing in the preſence of God to intercede for us. And as hee hath taken care to remember it in heaven; Heb. 9.24.Heb 9:24ſo he hath taken care to keep it in remembrance on earth. And therfore he hath ſet up this ordinance, to ſhew forth his death, to put us in mind of his ſufferings: & chargeth us to do this in remembrance of him. And when we obſerve this end truly & p. 120rightly as wee ought, then do we ſanctifie God in this Ordinance; I ſay truly and rightly, for every remembrance will not ſerve the turn. 1. It muſt be a cordiall and hearty remembrance; wee muſt remember him with an affected heart; in Religion, **Quod cor non facit, noa ſit.what the heart doth not, is not done: Many remember him in a bare hiſtoricall way; to recount his ſorrows, and yet their heart not affected. It is not enough to remember Chriſt in the head, but you muſt remember him in the heart; words of knowledge imply affection: It muſt be cordiall. 2. It muſt be a gratefull and thankefull remembrance; and there is great cauſe; it is the top-mercy, that which purchaſed all for us; Look on all coming ſwimming in a ſtream of blood; See upon all your mercies ingraven, The price of blood; and you p. 121will ſee great cauſe to be thankfull. 3. It muſt be a mourning bleeding remembrance: So to look on him pierced, as to be pierced; on him wounded, as to be wounded, &c. And indeed, who can look upon Chriſt in blood; who can behold what he hath ſuffered, and conceive himſelf to be the actor of all this, and yet the ſharer in all the fruit and benefit; for though we were actors of it, yet hee put us not out of his Will and Teſtament; he did not except againſt us in the partaking the fruit of it: who can thus behold him, but muſt weep over Chriſt, as the old Prophet over the other; alas my brother, alas my brother! ſo, alas my CHRIST, alas my CHRIST. 4. It muſt be a crucifying remembrance; ſuch a remembrance of Chriſt crucified, as crucifies our ſinfull affections, our luſts and corruptions; p. 122as deals by ſin, Pro me Dei filius jugulatus, & iterum me peccare dilectat.as ſin hath dealt by Chriſt; kills ſin, as ſin hath killed Chriſt; Oh! ſay, ſhall I give life to that which hath been the death of Chriſt? ſhall I cheriſh that hath killed Chriſt? ſhall I take pleaſure in that hath been ſo bitter to Chriſt? ſhall I count that light which hath been ſo heavie to him? ſhall I love and boſome the knife hath killed my husband? Under the Law, if an Ox goared a man, the Ox was to die; and ſhall ſin kill Chriſt, and ſhall it not die for it? ſuch a crucifying remembrance it muſt be, as makes us take up weapons againſt ſin; And he that thus remembers Chriſt, obſerves God's end; and hee who obſerves God's ends, doth ſanctifie God in his Ordinance.

Well then, would you know whether you have ſanctified God in this Ordinance; ſee if you have p. 123obſerved God's order, God's rules, God's ends, before you come; and ſo much for the firſt.

2. Would you know whether you have ſanctified God in this ordinance, ſee if you have exerciſed God's graces in the time, what thoſe are, and how to be exerciſed, I have ſhewed at large.

3. See whether you do return home w^th God's quicknings, with God's inlargements, w^th God's inablements? are you more humble? more ſerviceable? Are you more thankfull? Do you find corruptions weakned? your graces ſtrengthened? Doth your indeavours afterward anſwer your care and conſcience before? Is your heart ſet further againſt ſin? Are the wayes of God more lovely to you? Are your ſouls knit neerer to God, your ſpirits more inflamed with love of him? Theſe are plain demonſtrations that you have ſanctified God in this ordinance, p. 124and that God hath ſanctified it to you. But now on the contrary, let me tell you: 1. If thou haſt broken God's order and method; that thou haſt come hither in a graceleſs, Chriſtleſs cō dition; the ſoul never yet awakned to ſee ſin, and be humbled for it. Thou knowſt what ſin is in the Catechiſme, but doſt not know what ſin is upon the conſcience; Thou canſt tell mee what faith is in the book, but art not acquainted with the working of it in thy ſoul; and what repentance is, but yet a ſtranger to it; The day is yet to come wherein thou ſet thy ſelf to mourn, and break thy heart for ſin. Where are the chambers? where the cloſets? where the bedſides? that can bear witneſs of thy mourning for ſin? And yet doſt thou come? Thou breakſt God's order, and ſo art a prophaner of this holy Table. 2. If thou breakſt God's rules, that thou doſt p. 125not prepare thy ſelf by examination and excitation of thy graces, but ruſheſt into God's preſence, breaks in upon this Ordinance, without any ſutable affections to it, thou art a prophaner of this Ordinance, &c. 3. If thou doſt not obſerve God's ends, but comes hither, as many do: either to avoid ſcandall, or the cenſures of men; or, for cuſtome, or, for faſhion ſake; becauſe others come, therefore thou wilt not ſtay away; or (which I cannot expreſs with abhorrencie and deteſtation enough) becauſe thou ſhalt ſit at thy Maſter's table that day, and go into the fields afterward. Thou art a prophaner of this ordinance; And, Oh! that we had ſome Tirſhatha to drive theſe away: Wee read in Ezra 2.61, 62. that Tirſhatha would not ſuffer the ſons of Koſſe and Barzilli to eat of the p. 126holy things, becauſe their genealogies were not found regiſtred among them: If thou be not in the book of life, if thy name be not written in the genealogies of the Saints, thou art not fit to come.

In the want of coercive power to fence this Ordinance, give me leave to put a few places to you to conſider: The firſt is in Titus 1.15. To the unclean all is unclean. the ſecond is in the Proverbs 21.27. The prayers of the wicked are abomination. The third, Pſal. 66.18. Hee that regardeth iniquity in his heart, &c. though hee never come to act it in this life, God will not regard his prayers: The fourth, Pſal. 50.16. What haſt thou to do, to take my covenant into thy mouth, and hateſt to be reformed, &c. And if this will not prevail, reade and tremble, thou prophane perſon, 1 Cor. 11.29. Hee that eateth and drinketh unworthily, &c. Hee p. 127is made guilty of Chriſt's death, as Pilate, Herod, Judas, the Souldiers were; Hee eats and drinks damnation to himſelf, and for this cauſe many were ſick, weak and fallen aſleep; And to this adde the example of the unbidden gueſt, who came without a wedding Garment, it fared ill with them that came not, but worſe with him, which tels us, an unſanctified preſence is worſe then a prophane abſence. But yet wilt thou adventure? doſt thou finde any thing in the Sacrament to incourage thee to come? Let us look upon it under the ſeverall names and notions, under which its preſented.

1. Its called a Seal, and is the Sacrament any incouragement to thee under this notion; unto whom the Word doth promiſe nothing, the Sacrament ſeals nothing; but the Word promiſeth p. 128nothing to unregenerate men. All God's Word is againſt thee, nothing for thee, and therefore here is but poor incouragement, the ſeal annexed to a Deed, doth confirm it to none, but ſuch to whom the Deed was made: So here, the Sacrament being the ſeal of the Covenant, belongs to none, but thoſe to whom the Covenant is made. Now art thou out of Covenant, one that hath no intereſt in Chriſt? thou haſt nothing here.

2. Its called a Communion: 1. A Communion of the members, one with another: 2. A communion of the members with the head. Now, till thou be united to Chriſt, thou haſt nothing here; Chriſt derives influence onelyonly to branches, life onelyonly to his members; **Qui vult vivere in capite oportet eſſe in corpore. Caput corporis ſui caput, non alieni.hee muſt be in the Son, that hath life from him; he that hath the Son hath life, and he that hath not the Son hath not life.

p. 1293. It's called a Supper, the Lord's Supper. Now, is this any incouragement for thee to come, who art a prophane perſon?

There are three things requiſite in the perſons that goe to a ſupper:

Life.

Appetite.

Apparell.

1. Life: Dead men cannot feed; Chriſt never ſpread his table for dead men; if thou be not alive, thou art not called hither to feed.

2. Appetite: What ſhall they do at a ſupper that have no ſtomach, no appetite? and what do you here, who have no hunger, no thirſting after Chriſt, you that never apprehended what the want of Chriſt, nor never knew the worth of Chriſt?

3. Apparell: No man will go naked to a Feaſt; your apparell here is the Wedding Garment; Chriſt for juſtification, Chriſt for ſanctification; and he that came p. 130without this, you ſee what became of him; it had been better he had ſtayed away; it fared better with them then with him. An unſanctified preſence will be found as bad as a prophane abſence. Thoſe that draw neer to God in an Ordinance, and do not ſanctifie God in it, God will be ſanctified upon them; And that is the third and laſt Doctrine which wee now come unto, viz.

God will be ſanctified upon every one who do not ſanctifie him in his ordinances. Doct. 3 In the proſecution of which, wee will ſhew,

1. What is meant by God's ſanctifying himſelf on men.

2. Why God wil ſanctify himſelf on thoſe that do not ſanctifie him in Ordinances, and ſo wee ſhall come to application.

1. For the firſt, What is meant by God's ſanctifying himſelf on a man.

p. 131For the anſwer of which, I conceive that place w^ch I named in the beginning, Ezek. c. 28. v. 22. will afford us ſome help; When I have executed my judgments on her, then will I be ſanctified in her. Upon which Jerome, **Sanctificatio Dei eſt paena peccātium.God is ſanctified in the puniſhment of offenders: ſo you ſee it in the Text, God's puniſhment of Nadab and Abihu, was the occaſion of the word; I will be ſanctified.—

1. Then God doth ſanctifie himſelf on men when hee inflicts corporall puniſhments upon men for prophaning his Ordinance: as you ſee here, and the like, 1 Cor. 11.29. For this cauſe many are ſick, — &c.

2. God ſanctifies himſelf on men, when hee inflicts ſpirituall puniſhment upon men, &c. viz. ſecurity, blindneſs, hardneſs; when men do not walk ſutably to the light of Ordinances, hee takes away p. 132either light or ſight, either ordinances or men's eyes, that ſeeing they might not ſee, — &c.

3. God doth ſanctifie himſelf on men who prophane his Ordinance, when he doth inflict eternall puniſhments upon men; this ſee in the 1 Cor. 11.29. Hee who eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himſelf; that which for the preſent makes him obnoxious to damnation, and ſhall in the end fix him in flames, lay him in hell, if he do not repent; yea, and the deepeſt cellars in hell, are for them who have lived in a prophanation of Ordinances. And this in brief ſhall ſuffice to tell you what is meant by God's ſanctifying himſelf upon men.

We come to the ſecond thing propounded, what are the Reaſons God doth ſanctifie himſelf on thoſe that do not ſanctifie him in Ordinances.

p. 1331. In terrorem, Reaſ. 1 for the terror and dread of all prophane perſons, that when you hear how God hath puniſhed others, who have prophaned the Ordinances of God, you might tremble, and not dare to prophane them. If God ſhould only threaten, and ſhould not ſometime execute his diſpleaſure upon ſuch as were prophaners of his Ordinances, men would not fear to prophane them. They would but make children-play of all the threatnings of God, as they did in 2 Peter 3.3. There ſhall come in the laſt day, foreign, ſcoffers, ſuch as ſhall make children-play of all the threats of God, and look upon them but as harmleſs Bug-beares, to keep them in awe only. But when God doth back a threatning with a puniſhment, as you ſee hee did here in the Text, and on the Corinthians, this ſtrikes dread into p. 134the hearts of prophane perſons.

2. Reaſ. 2 God doth it in cautionem, for warning, That others foreign, might be our foreign, others woes might be our warnings; others ſufferings might be ſtanding Sermons to us, preaching this leſſon, to beware of the like ſin, leſt you ſhare in the ſame puniſhment; therefore God puniſhes ſinne in ſome, **Ne in alios graſſetur peccatum.that others might beware; Deut. 29.20. And thoſe which remain ſhall hear and fear, and do no more wickedly, Vt te condiret.&c. Lot's wife was turned into a pillar of ſalt, to ſeaſon thee, ſaith the Father: Beware of back-ſliding. Moſes was denied entrance into the Land of Canaan for his murmuring and unbelief, that thou might beware: David was puniſhed for his uncleanneſs, that thou might take heed: The man was ſtoned for gathering of a few ſticks on the Sabbath day, to teach us to beware of prophaning p. 135the Sabbath. Jeruſalem was deſtroyed for her Idolatry, Babylon for her pride, Sodome for uncleanneſs, the old world for drunkenneſs, that theſe might ſtand up as warnings to us. As the Apoſtle ſhewes at large, 1 Cor. 10.5. to the 12. Let us not be Idolaters, as ſome of them were, &c. All theſe things happened them, for enſamples and admonition to us. We may well ſay of all, Lege exemplum, ne exemplum fias, Read the example leſt thou be made an example. Reade the example of Pharaoh deſtroyed for his oppreſſion, contempt of God, and hardneſs of heart; and beware thou of the ſame ſins, leſt God make thee an example, &c. Reade the example of Herod deſtroyed for his pride, Jezabel for her paint, Saul for his diſobedience; and beware thou of the like ſin, leſt God deſtroy thee. And as in all others, ſo in this ſin of prophanation of p. 136this ordinance, God doth thus puniſh the prophaners of it, that others might beware of the prophanation; therfore did he puniſh the Corinthians with ſickneſs, with death, weakneſs, for the unworthy partaking of this Ordinance; that ſo they that remained alive, and wee that follow them, might beware of the like ſin, leſt wee partake of the like, or a worſe puniſhment; for uſually, God's ſecond blowes are more heavie then the firſt: they were the firſt ſufferers for this ſin; and if they were ſo heavily puniſhed, what may wee then expect, if wee do prophane this Ordinance?

Reaſon 3. Reaſ. 3 In manifeſtationem juſtitiae, to declare his juſtice againſt ſin. God, hee made a threatning againſt this; and if God ſhould not ſometimes puniſh offenders, either men would think they did not offend; or if they did, that p. 137God was not juſt, becauſe he did not puniſh. Therefore God to cleare his juſtice, and convince men of ſin, doth often ſanctifie himſelf on ſuch as prophane, &c.

4. Ad removendum ſcandala; Reaſ. 4 to take away ſcandals: as you ſee he doth ſometime puniſh his own people, becauſe their ſins occaſion ſcandall. God was more diſhonoured by the uncleanneſs of David, then by all the filth of Sodome; and therefore, becauſe hee had cauſed the name of God to be blaſphemed, God puniſheth him, though hee pardoned him; and as hee doth puniſh his own people, if they ſin, becauſe they have given occaſion to the wicked within the Church to blaſpheme: ſo hee puniſhes the wicked, becauſe they give occaſion to them, who are without the Church to blaſpheme; What will Heathens, Turks and Pagans ſay? p. 138**Ecce quales ſunt qui Chriſtum colunt! aut hoc non eſt Evangelium, aut vos non eſtis Evangelici.Behold what manner of perſons they are, who worſhip this Chriſt! This is either no Goſpel, or you are no Goſpellers.

Reaſ. 5. Why God doth ſanctify himſelf on ſuch as do not ſanctifie him in an Ordinance, is to hold up his great Name, and the purity of his Ordinances. God could no way hold up his dread, his fear, his holineſs, his glory, his purity & truth of his Word, if God ſhould not puniſh ſuch as prophane his ordinances. You ſee what a conceit thoſe had of God in Pſalme 50. verſ. 21. becauſe God did forbear to puniſh offenders: When thou ſaweſt a thief, thou conſentedſt with him, &c. Theſe things haſt thou done, and I kept ſilent; I did not preſently come forth to puniſh thee, to execute my judgements on thee. And what was the fruit of it? What conceit did this forbearance of God work in p. 139thoſe that were guilty. Scelerum paetronum.Thou thought I was altogether ſuch a one as thy ſelf; that is, that I was one who liked and approved of thy doings; thou thought thou didſt not amiſs, becauſe I did not puniſh. Here you ſee God was wronged by forbearing, and not executing judgement upon offenders: And there was no way for God to cleare himſelf, to hold up his great name, but this way, to make them know what they had done, and therefore it followes: I will ſet thy ſins in order before thine eyes. Oh! conſider this, yee that forget God, leſt, &c. So you ſee God doth puniſh offenders to hold up his great name; and there is no other way to hold up the name of God, the purity and holineſs of God, but by puniſhment of offenders: You come to the Sacrament, and you prophane this Ordinance, God hath threatened death and p. 140damnation to every unworthy receiver. Why, but you know God doth not execute ſentence ſpeedily on you, and therefore you think you do not offend; ſure God is pleaſed with it. And therefore God to uphold his Name, the purity of his Ordinance, and make you know what you have done, doth ſanctifie himſelf upon thoſe who do not ſanctifie him in this Ordinance; ſometimes in afflicting viſible & corporall judgments on offenders, as you ſee in the Corinthians; alwayes inviſible and ſpirituall judgements for the preſent, and eternall judgement if you do not repent. And this you ſee God doth to hold up his name, w^ch otherwiſe would be polluted by men. As in nature for preſervation of the whole, particulars periſh: Its better one periſh then unity it ſelf: So here, for the preſervation of the glory of God, p. 141(which is worth ten thouſand of our lives and ſouls, as the people ſaid to David) God doth inflict puniſhments upon offenders. And there is no other way to preſerve or make whole, and repair the honour, glory of God, &c. Men that will not learn by the Word, muſt be taught by works; if the Word will not prevail with you, to forbear the prophanation of his Ordinances, then his works come in. If you will be ſo ſenſuall and brutiſh, that you will ſee nothing to be ſin, but what you feel to be ſin in God's hand upon you, you ſhall feel blows enough; A rod is for the back of a fool. Take this with you, What ever you will not learn by faith, you ſhall be taught by ſenſe. God makes men feel thoſe things to be evill by ſenſe, which by faith they would not believe to be evil. When the word will not prevail p. 142with men to forbear prophanation of any ordinance, or any ſin, then from word he goes to works; lays afflictions, judgements, puniſhmēts on men. And happy tis if the works bring men again to the word, when Schola crucis is Schola lucis, when God's houſe of correction is a ſchool of inſtruction: So ſaith David, Bleſſed is the man whom thou chaſtiſeſt and teacheſt in thy law. It was ſo you ſee with the Corinthians, the word did not prevail; God goes to his works, inflicts puniſhments on them, ſickneſs, weakneſs, death; and then hee comes to the word again: For this cauſe many are ſick. And no doubt, but word upon works, was more prevalent with them, then when it went alone.

Reaſon. Reaſ. 6 6. To declare his hatred againſt ſin: God hates all ſin; and the neerer a ſin comes to God, the more he hates it. Now this p. 143is neer him, you diſhonour his Name; his Ordinances are precious, they are his name; and therfore God will not hold ſuch guiltleſs, &c. Thus you ſee I have ſhewed you, that God will ſanctifie himſelf upon al thoſe who do not ſanctifie him in an ordinance: And I have ſhewed you the grounds & reaſons of it; now to application.

Vſe 1. Oh! then take heed thou who art a prophane perſon, a ſwearer, a drunkard, and forbear, leſt God make this true of thee this day, and raiſe his glory out of thy ruines. Thou wilt not be warned by the word, look for works; thou whom the examples of others will not make to beware, take heed, leſt God do here make thee an example. It was the third Captain's wiſdome in the 2 Kings 1.13, 14. who, when he ſaw God's viſible judgements upon the two former Captains, hee p. 144takes warning thereby, and avoids their ſins; ſo you that are prophane, when you ſee and heare what God hath threatned againſt prophaners of this Ordinance; and what fearfull judgements God hath executed upon all unworthy receivers, which are all Chriſtleſs, all graceleſs perſons; Oh! beware of coming hither in thy ſins. God's Word is true; As what hee promiſeth is ſure to come to paſs; ſo what ever hee threatens. And though hee prolong and defer the time of execution, yet your damnation ſleepeth not, as Peter ſaith, 2 Pet. 3.7, 8, 9. verſes. It ſhall ſurely come. If God ſhould threaten to ſtrike dead every unworthy receiver, you would be afraid to come, and how would it make the beſt of us to look about us, whether we are worthy receivers or not? But alas, what is this threatning p. 145in compariſon of the other, you eat and drink damnation to your ſelves? This is as far above the other, as a temporall is below an eternall; A puniſhment upon the body below the everlaſting wrath of God, and puniſhment of your ſouls. Better you were ſtrucke dead here, then reſerved for everlaſting death hereafter. Thy body eſcapes here (and yet I cannot aſſure thee of that; others, who were God's own people, were ſtruck with death and ſickneſs; and I cannot aſſure thee that God will not deſtroy thee with the bread in thy mouth, as hee did the Iſraelites, with the Quails in theirs. God hath threatened, and we know not whether he will execute, yea, or no: God ſaid, I will not hold him guiltleſs that takes my Name in vain. Examples we have; but other examples are worn out; who knowes whether p. 146he will not give freſh examples, and deal by thee as he did by Nadab, and Abihu in the Text, even in the face of the whole congregation, deſtroy thee with fire from heaven; that all may feare, thou went with them, but from fire to fire, from a deſtruction by fire, to preſervation in fire, from temporall to eternall burnings. But ſuppoſe that God ſhould forbear his ſtroke now, yet it is certain to come. Quorum ultio reponitur in futurum.And wo be to them, whoſe vengeance is reſerved for another day. Ah, it will come then with a witneſs, then with load enough, when the guilt of al thy prophanations of this glorious ordinance; come together; and therefore beware, beware as thou loves thy body; nay, thy ſoul, & that for ever, beware of unworthy partaking, &c.

Vſe 2. If ſo, Oh! then look to it, you who go on in a way of prophanation of Gods Ordinances. p. 147God hath ſaid, hee will be ſanctified of them who draw neer to him. And doſt thou believe this? Is it true, or is it falſe? I know thou dare not but ſay this is truth, God himſelf ſpeaks it. Well then, this being a truth what may thou expect who art a prophaner of his Ordinances? And to all thy prophanations, as it was ſaid of Herod, he added this, that he caſt John in priſon; ſo you adde this to all the reſt, the prophanation of this Ordinance of the Lords Supper. Oh! this is a ſin, for which God will not bear with thee. If God would not bear with his own people, the Corinthians, who yet had grace, were habitually diſpoſed, were juſtified, ſanctified, and wanted only actuall preparation and diſpoſition, in the Ordinance, how ſhall he bear with thee thou prophane perſon, graceleſs perſon? p. 148If God deal thus with the green tree, what ſhall become of the dry tree? If God deal thus with his own, what ſhall become of thee? If thus with the bearing, what ſhall become of the barren tree? If judgement begin at the houſe of God, where ſhall the wicked and ſinners appear? Anſwer me that if thou canſt. If God will be ſanctified upon his ſanctified ones, what of thee? If God doth puniſh the want of circumſtances, what wil he do to thee, who wants the ſubſtance, the main requiſite? But it may be thou thinks there is no ſuch matter, theſe are but Bugbears, &c. for thy part, thou haſt come hither, and gone home, and found no hurt. And haſt thou ſo? Bleſs not thy ſelf in that, there is the more behind. A black and diſmall ſhowre of wrath is ſure to fall upon thee one day. This is true, God will be ſanctified of them p. 149that come nigh him. And this is true alſo, Hee who eats and drinks unworthily is made guilty of the body and blood of Chriſt; nay, he eats & drinks damnation to himſelf. And this is as true, he who eats and drinks in a Chriſtleſs condition, eats and drinks unworthily. And what doſt thou think will be the conſequents of ſuch a ſin? In ſtead of a drinker thou becomes a ſhedder of the blood of Chriſt, as Judas, as Pilate, as Herod. Look upon the Jews, and ſee what it is to be guilty of the body and blood of Chriſt. It is the heavieſt curſe in the world, to be guilty of that blood which ſhould ſave you, pardon you: ſhall that which ſhould be a blood of pardon, become a blood of guilt? Oh! what is it to be guilty of that blood, ſhould take away guilt? If thou wert guilty of all the ſins of men on earth, and damn'd in hell, p. 150the blood of Chriſt could pardon thee, and take off that guilt. But what ſhal take off the guilt of that that ſhould take off guilt? Oh! ſee what a ſin it is; and in the fear of God, adde not this to all your ſin, to all your ſwearings, your prophanations, drunkenneſs, adde not this to all, to be guilty of the body and blood of Chriſt; aſſure your ſelves, God will not care for your bodies, who have no regard to the body of his Son; ſhall your blood be eſteemed when the blood of Chriſt is contemned? ſhall your lives be priz'd when the death of his Son is ſleighted? nay, when you by this ſin ſhal crucifie Chriſt again? judge that.

Vſe 3. Well then, if the ſin be ſo great, and the puniſhment w^ch God hath threatned be ſo terrible, what care ought wee to have, wee do not prophane this Ordinance? and what care to look back p. 151into our lives, and ſee whether we have not prophaned this Ordinance. The one, to prevent ſin not cōmitted, and ſo to prevent wrath; the other to repent of ſin committed, and ſo to turn away wrath. But you will ſay, how ſhal I know whether I have prophaned this Ordinance? For the anſwer of which, I refer yon to what I have ſaid in the ſecond Doctrine (where I put the triall upon theſe three Generals: 1. the obſerving Gods order: 2. Gods rules: 3. Gods ends.) I ſhall now adde three more to help to diſcover whether you have been prophaners of this Ordinance yea or no.

1. When the Sacraments work no further good upon thee, thou haſt prophaned this Ordinance. I have told you, the Sacraments are not idle, empty things, but operative, and efficacious toward them who are worthy receivers. Chriſt p. 152cannot be fed on, but he muſt nouriſh the ſoul. A man may feed upon other meats and get no nouriſhment, but he who feeds on this, he finds ſpirituall ſtrength and nouriſhment. Now then, when men come hither, and return as empty as they came, as vile as before, there is no fruit can be ſeen in their lives and converſations; here a man may ſuſpect the Ordinance is prophaned. When men were filthy, and are filthy ſtill, ſwearers, and are ſo ſtill, drunkards, and remain ſo ſtill; this is an evident demonſtration thou haſt been a prophaner of this Ordinance: Indeed Gods people do not ever get the good they expect, never get the good they deſire. But yet ſome good is gotten, ſome more ſtrength of Grace, ſome more working out of luſt, although for the preſent they cannot apprehend it. But the other now, they get none, they come graceleſs hither, p. 153and go graceleſs away: and it muſt needs be ſo, this is no Ordinance for the working of grace in graceleſs perſons, but for the nouriſhing of grace in thoſe whom God hath wrought grace in, as I have ſhewed at large.

So that is the firſt, when wee get no good.

2. When a man is worſe after then before, this is an evident ſign hee hath prophaned this Ordinance. When a man is ſtrengthened in a ſtate of ſin returns with more violence to any particular ſin; as you ſee Judas, the Devil entred into him, he took fuller and ſtronger poſſeſſion of him; and you ſhall ſee this the ordinary fruit of prophanation of this ordinance, men wax worſe & worſe, proceeding from evill to evill. It may be, when firſt they came to receive, they were fearfull; for there is ſome naturall tenderneſs p. 154of conſcience in men, and they are afraid to come to ſo great an Ordinance, without ſome kind of preparation, and therefore it may be they did catch up a book the day before, and ſay a Prayer more, carry themſelves demurely. But afterwards, when men are grown up in the prophanation of this ordinance, they can look upon all the threats, upon all the judgements denounced againſt them in this Ordinance, and never ſtart at them, never tremble. And what is the Reaſon they trembled before, and do not now, their condition is never the better, it may be farre worſe. Why, here is the reaſon, the cuſtome of prophanation of this Ordinance, hath hardened them in their way, they now fear nothing, their heart is fortified. They have ſinned away thoſe common principles, that naturall tenderneſs, that was once in them; p. 155Sin is an eating thing, it eats out the very heart of every thing w^ch is good in men. A man may not only ſin away his morall principles, but he may ſin away the very principles of nature. Sin will never leave till it hath made all as vile as it ſelf, Rom. 1.26, 27. When men live in the prophanation of this Ordinance, they wax worſe and worſe. That man runs violently on in ſin, who ſets out from the prophanation of Gods Ordinances, becauſe he runs with the Devils ſtrength, Satan hath filled his heart with more miſchief. As the Saints do run more actively in the wayes of God after, ſo the wicked more violently in a way of ſin. The prophanation of this Ordinance doth ſtrengthen men to further ſinne; either as, 1. One ſin doth diſpoſe a man to another, helps the birth of another.

p. 1562. Nay, and one ſin doth ſtrengthen a man to the commiſſion of another. As one duty of godlineſs doth diſpoſe and inable to the performance of another: So one ſin doth diſpoſe and ſtrengthen to the cōmiſſion of another. The ſin of unworthy eating doth ſtrengthen to more ſin; Such a man, he gets more heart to ſin: he that dares break through threatnings here to ſin, will not ſtick to do it in other caſes. It cauſes God to give us up to blindneſs of minde, hardneſs of heart, &c. which gives Satan further footing in mens hearts, to egge them on to all munner of wickedneſs. You ſee it in Judas; and therefore, if thou finde thy ſelf worſe in life and converſation, there's a manifeſt ſign thou haſt prophaned this Ordinance.

3. Sign of prophanation.When a man feeds upon nothing but the outward element, p. 157the Bread and Wine, and not upon Chriſt in the promiſe, he prophanes this Ordinance. If thou feedſt not upon panem Chriſtum, as well as panem Chriſti, the Bread which is the Lord, as well as the Bread of the Lord, thou prophaneſt this Ordinance. A man may eat Bread, and drink Wine in an ordinary way, and not ſin; but hee who eats Bread, and drinks Wine in the way of an Ordinance, and doth not feed upon Chriſt himſelf, hee is a prophaner of this Ordinance. Now thou canſt not feed upon Chriſt in a Sacrament, till thou have fed on Chriſt in a promiſe. Thou canſt not feed upon Chriſt ſacramentally, till thou firſt feed upon Chriſt ſpiritually. And haſt thou ever fed upon Chriſt in the promiſe? Did ever God diſcover ſin to thee, and humble thy ſoul for it? Did ever God reveal Chriſt to thee, and p. 158bring thy heart to cloſe with him? then thou haſt fed on Chriſt, and mayſt come. But hee who never fed on Chriſt ſpiritually, can never taſt him ſacramentally. Thou haſt no organ, no eye of faith to ſee Chriſt here, nor no mouth of faith to taſt him here, no liſe to deſire him, and therefore cannot feed on him. And hee who doth not feed upon Chriſt here, is a prophaner of this Ordinance. A man may feed upon Chriſt, and never taſt of the Bread and Wine, and yet have the ſame benefits, Joh. 6.53. a place which is ſpoken of the ſpirituall feeding on Chriſt out of the uſe of the Sacrament. But a man cannot feed upon the the Bread and Wine, and not feed upon Chriſt, but hee prophanes this Ordinance; Chriſt without theſe may be fed upon, but not theſe without Chriſt. If thy body feed on theſe, and thy ſoul doth p. 159not feed on Chriſt, thou art a prophaner of this Ordinance. Well then, to ſum up all in this, Would you know whether you have prophaned this Ordinance?Recapitution.

1. See if you have obſerved Gods order, &c. If thou haſt not obſerved Gods order, that thou comes hither in a Chriſtleſs, graceleſs condition, unjuſtified, unſanctified; wants thou faith; wants thou repentance; wants thou hunger and thirſt; wants thou knowledge? thou art a prophaner of it. And alas, of that little triall I have had in this laſt matter, viz. knowledge, I have found great want. You would admire if I ſhould tell you the ſenſleſs anſwers I have had; I ſpeak not of all, there are ſome who are but green in yeers, yet are ripe in knowledge; but yet many who are grave in yeers extreme ignorant: Ask them what a Sacrament is, p. 160they cannot tell; ask them for what end they come to the Sacrament, they tel me to nouriſh their bodies; what God requires, they know not: and ſuch anſwers, that a man might have as much comfort to give the Sacrament of the Lords Supper to a child, as to ſuch ignorant creatures. I am ſure there is leſs ſin in one then the other, and there is not much more knowledge. It is true indeed, if a man had never ſo much knowledge, if he could tell mee as much as any in the world, of the nature of God, of Chriſt, of the Sacraments, &c. yet without Grace, this would not make him a worthy Receiver. The Devill knowes more then moſt men, for the ſpeculative part; yet what is he the better for that? But yet if a man be ignorant, hee muſt needs be a prophaner of the Ordinance. A man may have knowledge, and yet not have Grace, but p. 161if he have no knowledge, he is certainly graceleſs. So the Wiſeman ſaith, Without knowledge the minde is not good. We have a prophane Proverb, Hee that made us ſave us. But God anſwers that, in Iſa. 27.11. Iſa. 27.11.Isa 27:11Yee are a people of no underſtanding, therefore hee that made you will not ſave you, and hee that formed you will ſhew no mercy on you. And he threatens, 2 Theſ. 1.8. 2 Theſ. 1.8.2 Thess 1:8To come in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the Goſpel of Chriſt; And therefore beware you who are ignorant perſons, of coming, you will prophane this ordinance: and you who are graceleſs perſons, though you ſhould know as much as all the men in the world, come not here, if thou do, thou breaks Gods order, and ſo prophaneſt this Ordinance. 2. If you have not obſerved Gods rules, examined your ſelf, and p. 162excited and ſtirred up your Graces.

3. If you have not obſerved Gods ends, &c. you will be prophaners of this ordinance of God. And me thinks this ſhould terrifie you, who are prophane perſons; ſure thou haſt reaſon in thee though thou want grace: Doſt thou hear what God ſaith, Hee will be ſanctified of them that come nigh him? Haſt thou not heard, hee that eats and drinks unworthily, is made guilty of the body and blood of Chriſt? Doth not God ſay, Who ever eats and drinks unworthily, eats and drinks damnation to himſelf? And have not I cleared to thee, all Chriſtleſs, graceleſs perſons are unworthy Receivers? And yet wilt thou come? Beware, leſt God ſhew ſome viſible judgement on thee; Beware, leſt God teach thee by workes, who wilt not p. 163learn by word: See what befell Nadab and Abihu here, becauſe they did not ſanctifie God: Reade what befell the Corinthians; read what befell the man in the Goſpel, who came without his wedding garment: Take him hence, and caſt him into utter darkneſs, &c. Let former examples move thee, Lege ex…mplum, ne exemplum fias.leſt God make thee an example. Think, God is the ſame God ſtill, his Glory as dear to him, his Ordinances as precious: As he is the ſame towards the Saints in the wayes of mercy, ſo thou may expect him the ſame to thee in the the wayes of judgement; And if this move thee not, if this will not perſwade with thee to forbear, I waſh my hands of the guilt of the blood of thy ſoul, I have given thee warning, and thy blood is upon thine own head; And I wiſh the guilt of the blood of Chriſt be not upon thee too. p. 164Let mee then beſeech you, in the bowels of love and compaſſion, as you love your ſouls, as you love your bodies, as you would not be guilty of your own blood; Nay, as you would not be guilty of the blood of Chriſt; as you would not eat and drink damnation to your ſelves; as you would not provoke God to break in upon you, and inflict his ſevere judgements on you, come not here: Come not here, thou ignorant perſon, thou graceleſs, thou Chriſtleſs perſon, thou ſwearer, thou drunkard, thou covetous perſon; Nay, come not here, who ever you are, who are ſervants to any luſt, who live in any known ſin, leſt God make this good upon thee, which I have preached to thee. That becauſe thou doſt not ſanctifie God in this Ordinance, he will ſanctifie himſelf on thee; becauſe p. 165thou doſt not glorifie him, hee will raiſe his glory out of thy ruines. But whileſt I ſpeak thus ſadly to the bad, let mee not be a terrour to the good. I would not break the bruiſed Reed, nor quench the ſmoaking Flax: As I would not give incouragement to graceleſs perſons, ſo I would not diſcourage the leaſt worke of grace in any: As I would not cheriſh any falſe fire, unſound work; ſo I would not quench any ſpark of God's kindling; haſt thou ſome work of God upon thy ſpirit? hath God diſcovered to thee ſin and miſery? hath he humbled thee for it? hath God revealed Chriſt to thee, ſtirred thy heart with deſires, after him; that riches without Chriſt, relations, comforts, the world without Chriſt will not ſatisfie thee? all theſe are like a Feaſt without an appetite, a Paradiſe without a p. 166tree of Life, too low either for thee to feed upon, or to finde comfort & ſatisfaction in them; doſt thou ſeek after Chriſt, purſue Chriſt; doſt thou caſt thy ſelf in his arms to ſave, at his feet to ſerve? why, ſuch I would invite; Iſa. 55.1.Isa 55:1Ho, every one that thirſteth, come to the waters; here cloſe with Chriſt, feed on Chriſt; and to ſuch I would ſay, Chriſt is properly and truly food for your ſouls; and feeding on him your ſouls ſhall live, in grace here, in glory hereafter.

FINIS.

End of the text · Samuel Bolton, The Guard of the Tree of Life (1644)