The Guard of the Tree of Life, Title page – Dedication
THE GUARD OF THE Tree of Life: OR, A Sacramentall Diſcourſe; SHEWING A Chriſtians
Priviledge, in approaching to God in Ordinances.
Duty, in his Sacramentall approaches.
Danger, if hee do not ſanctifie God in them.
By SAMUEL BOLTON, Preacher to the Congregation of Saviours South-warke.
1 Cor. 11.27. Whoſoever ſhall eat this Bread, and drink this Cup of the Lord unworthily, ſhall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.
Verſe 29. Hee eateth and drinketh damnation to himſelf, not diſcerning the Lords body.
LONDON, Printed by M. Simmons for A. Kembe, and are to be ſold at his Shop at the Talbotgate in Southwark, 1644.
TO MY BELOVED FRIENDS, The Godly and Well-affected of Saviours-Southwark; Grace and Peace.
Beloved,
IT is now well-nigh four yeeres ſince I was removed from a loving, a very loving people in the City, and fixed among you; the expreſſes of love which in this time I have received from you, have put me on to think, what way I might again manifeſt my ingagements to you: And conſidering with my ſelf the relation wherein I ſtand, I could think of no better way of acknowledgement then to impart ſomething ſpirituall to you; and no better ſubject then this which is now preſented to your view, nor could I think of a better time then this for the doing of it, when God in our blood ſhewes us what a fearfull thing it is to be guilty of the blood of his Sonne; It is not unknown unto you, how greatly this place above many others, hath been guilty of the prophanation of this Ordinance of the Lords Supper; God hath diſcovered it to us, humbled us for it, ſhewed us the neceſsity, and graciouſly inclined your ſpirits to the deſire of the reformation of it. In reference to which (through the countenance and aſsiſtance of you) my brother Miniſter and my ſelf, have adventured to ſet upon the work, being willing to put our ſelves to no little trouble, if by that wee might prevent a great deal of ſin. In this work (the ſearcher of hearts knowes) we have had no other deſign, then to expreſs our Paſtorall duties, and declare our Paſtorall affections towards your ſouls: In ſhort, to ſerve you in love: Probably we may meet with many obſtacles in the carrying on this work; Indeed, it is that which is expected; nay, and that which wee reckoned on before we entred on it. But if the work be Gods, hee will either facilitate and make it eaſie for us, or give us ſpirits proportionable to the greatneſs of it, I ſay hee will either leſſen the difficulties, or heighten our ſpirits to conflict and incounter with them.
There are two ſort of adverſaries which we expect to meet withall: ſome that will ſay, we go too far, and others who will blame us that we go no further.
To them that think we have gone too far, I ſhall only ſay, that we hope we have not gone beyond Gods bounds; ſure as God hath a purpoſe this Ordidinance ſhould be continued, ſo hee hath a care alſo, that it ſhould be fenced from prophanation in the continuance of it; and when a better way ſhall be diſcovered to us, wherein we may hold up the uſe of this Ordinance, and yet fence it (in the uſe of it) from evident prophanation, wee are ready to liſten to it, and be thankfull for it; in the mean, wee do not ſee it our duty to hold up the uſe of this Ordinance, except there be ſome fence ſet up (all former fences being inſufficient, and now broken down) to keep this Ordinance from manifeſt prophanation, unleſs you will ſay our Paſtorall office doth, in the exerciſe of it, neceſsitate us to ſin. Much more might be ſaid, if wee ſaw it either requiſite or convenient for an Epiſtle.
To thoſe who blame us we go no further, I muſt ſay our deſign hath bin rather to tempt on, by going their pace, then to diſcourage by over-driving our little ones; I ſay it hath been our aim to cheriſh not to quench, to draw out, not to ſuppreſs the graces of our people; and therefore have we deſired to improve thoſe graces which wee found, though weak, rather then to expect that which was not to be found. Our preſent reformation, it is not the meaſure of our will, but of our power; it is not the utmoſt wee deſire, but the utmoſt wee are able: And though it may ſeem ſmall to you, yet deſpiſe not the day of ſmall things; though the houſe is not built, yet wee rejoyce the firſt ſtone is laid, and wee could not chooſe but bring it forth with ſhouting, Grace, Grace, unto it, and Glory, Glory to the Lord. Babylon was not built in a day, neither is Sion; God carries on his works without us, as he doth his works within us, by degrees; the greateſt fire was at firſt a ſpark, the talleſt Oak at the firſt an Achorne, the ſtrongeſt Chriſtian had his infancie, and the greateſt work of God its mean beginnings; Would the corruption of former times have ſuffered our godly predeceſſours, to have left the work in that forwardneſs to us, in which through Gods bleſsing, it may be left to them who ſhall ſucceed, poſsibly, nay probably, the work might have been carryed on to a greater height then now it can; That which is done wee deſire to bleſs God for it, and think it our duty to cheriſh with our utmoſt prayers and indeavours; In relation to which, theſe enſuing Sermons formerly preached, are now printed, to which work, if they ſhall be any thing ſerviceable, they have obtained the end of him,
Who is not unwilling to ſpend, and be ſpent for you: S. BOLTON.