ever thus I may in no wise maintain He is a great King and Soveraignty would and should be waited on It is good for a man to attend and wait on God in all his appointments Increase of grace strength and power against sin assurance of his love come too soon to that man who thinks Gods time of sending them is too long or late I will shut up this Discourse with that memorable passage of the Prophet Isaiah ch 30.18 Therefore will the Lord wait that he may be gracious unto you and therefore will he be exalted that he may have mercy upon you for the Lord is a God of Judgment Blessed are all they that wait for him And that of Habakkuk The vision is yet for an appointed time but at the end it shall speak and not lie though it tarry wait for it because it will surely came it will not tarry So say I the Sacrament is for an appointed time but in due time the Spirit of the Lord will speak peace though he tarry wait for him because he will surely come and give in more life and light and grace and peace yea joy without measure and joy without mixture Now to God the Father c. The End of the second Sermon The Third SERMON On Micah 2.7 Is the Spirit of the Lord straitned July the 27th 1673 Do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly T was excellent Counsel which an eminent German Divine once hinted to a young Preacher Luther Cum vides populum attentissime andientem conclude eo alacriores redibunt When you observe the people hearing most attentively conclude your discourse quickly and they will return with more alacrity This numerous Assembly gives in evidence enough thereof The Logical resolution of these words you heard before and the observations thence deduced The Propositions under debate cleared and several Queries resolved we are now upon the Sixth 'T is this Q. 6. What course shall a Christian take that he may have the Spirit of the Lord to do him good by this Ordinance of the Supper The Directions are many we have dispatcht four and now proceed to the fifth in order which is this Fifthly Be thankful to God for what good you have any time got by this precious Ordinance For Gratiarum actio est ad plus dandum invitatio He who can cordially praise him for a little life and strength and grace and peace shall soon have more than a little to thank him for the most expeditious way to get what at any time we want is to be grateful for that we already have others have only the shell you have had the kernel they nothing but bones and you the marrow Have you had any quicknings any refreshings from the Spirit of the Lord at this Table then say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bless the Lord O my Soul A Sacrament in its full extent compriseth two things A visible and an invisible part the Schools call that Sacramentum this rem Sacramenti Excuse this short digression pray upon this occasion If they of the Romish Church will stand their ground and be true to their own Principles it will appear to every vulgar capacity that they have none of this Sacrament amongst ' em For before they take and eat the visible part is gone both being converted into the Body and Blood of Christ for thus their Council or rather their Conspiracy at Trent or if you will that transcendent thing call'd Pope defines Transubstantiation 'T is a change of the whole substance of the Bread into the whole substance of the Body of Christ and of the Wine into his Blood Sess 13. Can. 2 and this change is wrought ere any take or eat This is a novel opinion a new Article of the Romish Creed of the same date with Pius the fourth without any basis or foundation in the Holy Scripture Vide Alanum de Euch. lib. 1 cap. 34. pag. 419. See that unanswerable piece of Bishop Morton in 8. Books against the Romish Mass as their own Scotus and Cameracensis and Cajetan confess Nay Bellarmine himself says Non tam ex Evangelio quam ex Ecclesiae authoritate constat But to return When this change is made where is that outward and visible part which their School-Divines call Sacramentum But have my Beloved by a lively faith fed on and been strengthned by this Heavenly Manna then take heed of unthankfulness 2. Chron. 32.25 O remember that But But Hezekiah remembred not to render unto the Lord according to the benefit done unto him O what a blot was that But in that good Kings scutcheon When you come next to the Lords Table bring Harps in your hands they are emblems of praise Heb. 5.8 The Spirit of the Lord will not I had almost said he cannot but do you good if humble and thankful for what good he hath done you already Sixthly Grieve not the Spirit of the Lord if you would have him to do you good by this Ordinance He is a delicate person if you grieve him he may nay will grieve you Has he begun in love to melt and mollifie your flinty hearts to increase your graces to speak peace unto your Souls if you now distaste him he may withdraw and leave the work at a sad and long stand you may hear no more of him of many days nay months or years Grieve not the holy Spirit of God why Paul gives his Ephesian Converts a cogent reason why they should not Ephes 4.30 thereby ye are sea led to the day of redemption if you do you may be the first will rue it you shall be without the witnessings and sealings of the Spirit for a longer time than you are aware of But how or when is the Spirit of the Lord grieved I answer briefly When his Ordinances are not attended his commands are not obeyed his comforts are not prized his graces are not acted and improved his assistance in duties is not desired his motions are not regarded In a word if you will not have the Spirit for your Counsellor you cannot expect him long to be your Comforter lay not a bar in his way and he still will do you good by this holy Ordinance Seventhly Heighten your hopes and expectations when you are about this Ordinance if you would have the Spirit of the Lord to do you good by it There is much good laid up for you come on then Sirs and quicken your hopes great expectations from God greatly honour the greatness of God and wonderfully advantage you 'T is as displeasing to him and as prejudicial to you when you believe little as when you do little Open your mouths and hearts wide you have not only Gods power for it but his promise too to fill you One reason why you receive so little good at it is because you look for so little good by it when your faith is very weak and your expectations are very low you do
Nothing does grace a man as Grace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysostom 't is a Christians great Ornament What a pearl of price must holiness be when 't is the scope of Almighty God in all his Acts Ordinances and Providences in all his Mercies and Judgments in our Election Ephes 1.4 in our Redemption Tit. 2.14 in our Afflictions Heb. 12.10 Some Ordinances are for Conversion some are for Confirmation all are for our Sanctification This Golden Oyl comes from the two Olive Trees through the Golden pipes of his holy Institutions They say that Corn never ripens more than when the Sun is in Conjunction with the Dog-star sure am I Holiness never ripens more than when the Spirit of the Lord is in Conjunction with the Word and Sacraments When you go from this sacred Ordinance and find you are not only more for the doing of holy things but for the more holy doing of things more thankful for mercies more watchful over your hearts words and ways more spiritual in your Conversations more savory and fruitful in your Converses more conformable in every thing to the Image of your dear Redeemer When the power of this Ordinance runs through every vein of your Conversations when you trade buy and fell when you pray hear sanctifie his Day and do all in the strength of this Ordinance when you can stand at a greater distance from Sin and from the World when you can look upon all the beauty of the World as blackness and on all the fulness of it as emptiness when you can feast your selves in God whilst you are starving in the Creature when you can say in the sincerity of your Souls were all the Universe on a flame the fire does not touch my portion when you can stand upon its ruins and say triumphingly I have lost nothing or as that good man Lord Te pro omnibus prae omnibus the sauris aestimo Moller in Psal 73.25 thou knowest where all my good things are even in thee and above with thee Lord whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none on earth that I desire in comparison of thee You have there the desire of Davids Soul and the Soul of his desire when thus you find it working it does you much good indeed 6 When their hearts are more humbled more deeply and thorowly humbled when they meet with such tasts of the Lords graciousness such manifestations of his rich mercy and discoveries of his free love as lays them as low as the very dust when they can say as David did 2 Sam. 7.18 19. Who am I O Lord God that thou hast brought me hitherto What shall such a poor pitiful piece of polluted clay such a map of misery be admitted to thy Table feasted at thy Board fed with the Body and Blood of the Son of God who am I that I should be embraced in his arms that he should ravish my heart with the sweet sound of his precious promises and rejoyce my drooping Soul with a well-grounded hope of his gracious pardons and of the acceptance of my person and performances I am not worthy the least crumb of bread which grows upon the earth or comes thence much less of that bread of life which came down from Heaven The condition of my Soul had been as doleful as any mans on earth had not free grace renewed me as dreadful as any damned souls in hell had not he in mercy to my Soul repriev'd me O what a poor starven Soul had mine been had not the Lord of Life refresh'd me The most genuine and natural effect which divine discoveries have upon a devout Soul is Humiliation nothing does it more kindly and that which humbles us does not hurt us when you can go from this Ordinance lothing and abhorring your selves and see more of your own nothingness as Creatures and vileness as Sinners when you can cry with Job Behold I am vile Chap. 40.4 With the poor Publican God be merciful to me a sinner I dare not lift mine eyes towards Heaven Luk. 18.13 When it makes and keeps us more humble then it doth us good indeed 7 When their peace and joy in the Lord is increased their Spiritual comforts are enlarged and their Souls are more assured of their interest in Christ and in the everlasting Covenant When they can go to Christ and say Thou art mine to the Promises and say all these are mine when they can lay hold on the blessings of the Covenant and say all these are sealed to me in this blessed Sacrament This lo this is the sweet fruit the Saints find at this holy Sacrament when their trembling Faith is turn'd into a triumphing Faith their Faith of adherence into a Faith of evidence and assurance There is a threefold fulness of Assurance a full allurance of Understanding Col. 2.2 of Hope Heb. 6.11 and of Faith Heb. 10.22 O what a sweet and precious what a rich and rare Jewel is this Grace purifies Assurance pacifies Grace brings the Soul to Heaven Assurance brings Heaven into the Soul Grace is better than Peace but Peace is sweeter than Grace Assurance is a flower of Paradise a sparkle of Glory Heaven on this side Heaven an Anchor at Sea a Shield at Land a Staff to support a Sword to defend Bread to strengthen Wine to chear and Balm to cure the Soul of man When at and by this precious Ordinance your Souls are fill'd with joy unspeakable and full of glory when those black clouds of fears and jealousies are dispersed and those bitter storms of Soul-troubles are blown over when brighter beams and clearer calms and sweeter comforts flow in upon your Souls when thus you find it then has the Sacrament been working for your good 'T is one great end of this Ordinance to seal his peoples Graces many a child of God can tell you that by this Ordinance they have arriv'd at a great measure of assurance they have come empty and gone hence full they have come with fears and doubts upon them and have gone away with abundance of joy and peace the Lord has met them at his Table has spoken peace unto their Consciences has clear'd up their Evidences for Heaven and now they can speak of the great things he has done in it and by it too for their precious Souls This Ordinance was instituted for his peoples growth in Grace and for their sense of Grace for the augmentation of it and for the manifestation of it By it Grace grows up to its full stature and just proportion 'T is for sealing too the Sacrament is a good friend to the Spirit be it spoken with reverence and the Spirit is a greater friend to the Sacrament and both are great friends to the Soul sealing it up unto the day of redemption Rom. 4.11 Ephes 4.30 As a Seal doth confirm and settle the mind of the Buyer so doth the Sacrament satisfie and assure the heart of a Believer O how
is the Fountain the Sacrament is the Conduit Faith is the Cock the heart is the Vessel Turn but this Cock and the oyl of joy and peace will flow in abundantly into your Souls from the fountain of living waters There are two special seasons for a Christian to act faith in the former when under sore afflictions then he must live by Faith Faith is an inquisitive grace it will not be quiet till it have found out the Sin that hath provokt God and procur'd the rod Faith then eyes the Sin to humble the Soul and the promise to comfort the Soul Faith eyes the hand inflicting and works patience and it eyes the sin procuring and works repentance When God is striking for sin Faith will be striking at sin Faith will make great afflictions little bitter potions sweet unbelief makes short afflictions long and easie burdens heavy Faith will enable the Soul to pray Prayer i◠the very breath of Faith Faith is all for Prayer and Prayer is all for Faith the latter when about divine Institutions and holy Ordinances what Christ said to his Disciples Joh. 15.5 that faith Faith to us Without me ye can do nothing Nothing acceptable to God nothing profitable to your selves 2. Act Love and Charity now 's the time to have your Hearts fired inflamed with love to God and filled with love to Man As the Sacrament receiv'd without Faith is receiv'd without fruit so if receiv'd without love 't is receiv'd without life Love puts life into a Communicant and Love puts life into a Sacrament When the Lord Jesus was a dying on the Cross he stretcht out his Arms to both Malefactors to teach us surely when we come unto this Ordinance to be in charity with all men All men love their Friends but Communicants should love their enemies Amare est bonum alicui velle non nostrâ sed ejus causâ Aqu Amicos in te inimicos propter te Aug. else what do they more than others Mat. 5.47 The Spirit of the Lord is a Spirit of Love and loves to do good to such as live in love But we cannot live in love may some say No It may so happen you cannot live in peace I am for peace saith David but when I speak they are for war Well but you may live in love you may love them though they hate you If so you do your duty is done and you may come in hope and assurance to receive good by this Ordinance carry these two things along with you 1. 'T is connatural to a Sinner to hate a Saint if he chance to love him 't is because he is of a sweet nature or for some external Considerations not because he is of a sanctify'd nature Holiness is the thing he disgusts and hates 2. If any man love not the Lord Jesus think it not strange if he hate you never court his favour for his love is not worth the having who thinks not Christ worth loving See Tertullian's Book to Scapula who was a great enemy to Christians the beginning of it 3. Renew your Repentance and the Spirit of the Lord will do you good by this Ordinance The Jews before the Passover cleansed all their Vessels which they suspected might have any leaven in them they burned all they could find and what they could not find they cursed Thus should we do by our sins we should search every corner of our hearts and every passage of our lives if possible We should go with a Melius inquirendum What have I done since the last time I was at the Lords-Table What sin have I lapst into what dishonour have I done to God what disservice to Religion and now repent of all Do as the Royal Prophet did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Calculavi Consultavi Psal 119.59 I considered my ways and turn'd my feet into thy Testimonies I considered i.e. I set my head and heart and mind on work I turned them over and over upside down I weighed them in the ballance I thought on them i.e. what they were whither they did tend in what they would end I saw they were not good holy right I durst not own them at the great day and I turned I saw 't was high time to turn I busied not my self about other mens ways and works my own found me work enough A serious Consideration of our ways helps us to a sight of the evil of them a sight of the evil of our ways helps us to godly sorrow for them 2 Cor. 7.10 and godly sorrow worketh repentance The Dunghill is never so lothsom and offensive as when you stir in it you never so fully discern the Bran as when you sift the Corn you will never discern sin mourn for sin or turn from sin till you consider your ways O pray remember only the true penitent is the right qualify'd Communicant Say Lord here is the sin by search I have found it out that hath so highly dishonoured thee so greatly troubled me 't is this that soiled my Evidences cankered my Assurance I loth my self now and repent in dust and ashes Apposite to what I have in hand is that passage of St. Ambrose Ita nos quando ad altare Domini communicaturi accedimus venemum pessimum viz. Iracundiā invidiam suberbiam avaritiam haec sunt animarum venena ista prius repellamus c. Feria 2. post Dom. 1. Quadrag the subject or argument of his Sermon is The universal or general day of Judgment Serpens cum venerit ad bibendum aquam priusquam bibit extra fontem evomit venenum suum Even as a Serpent coming to drink first it vomits up its poyson and then drinketh so when we come to the Lords Table we must first by humble confession which is vomitus sordium animae cast up and vomit out our poyson the worst of poysos viz. Anger and Hatred Envy Pride and Covetousness Sacriledg Theft and Luxury these are the poysons the bane of the Soul away with these and then we shall be satisfied with those Spiritual dainties and Heavenly viands viz. the body and blood of the Lord Jesus Athenagoras the Athenian Philosopher hath a parallel passage in the very beginning of his Book de Resur Mortuorum Nec Medicus infundere salutare pharmacum aegroto corpori apte potest nisi vitiosa prius expurgârit aut affluentem purulentilentiam cohibuerit c. Fourthly Constantly and conscientiously wait diligently and duly attend upon the Lord in every Ordinance if you would have the Spirit of the Lord to do you good in and by This let this be your practice and it shall be your praise if it be somewhat painful yet you shall find it very gainful it is your duty and your glory too The Merchants Ship takes not in all its Lading at one Port nor does the Christian enrich himself with treasures of grace and peace at one Ordinance only He hath instituted none to be kickt at or neglected
Christian man To take care that his Soul be not unthankful to his God Have I received any light or life or increase of grace and peace I will remember to my dying day though 't is wrought in me yet 't was not wrought by me Non nobis Domine non nobis Not unto us Lord not unto us Because not by us Lord not by us but by the Spirit of the Lord of Hosts Though I cannot praise thee so much as I should yet will I praise thee as much as I can Sacramenta Judaeorum umbra Christianorum Aug Enar in Psal 37 nobis 38 At the Jewish Passover was sung the 113. and some following Psalms and this they call'd the Great Hallelujah And the Sacraments of the Jews were but shadows unto ours In every thing we must give thanks but for this especially others stand without you are admitted into the Presence-chamber of the great King They feed on husks and trash you on the hidden Manna My flesh saith Christ is meat indeed and my blood is drink indeed All other food compar'd with this is cibi tantummodo umbra vana imago as Cameron speaks all shadow no substance To a worthy Receiver the choicest of mercies and blessings are here exhibited one calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Food made up all of Thanksgiving And having tasted so much nay drunk so deep of the cup of blessing does it not concern you now to sing Glory be to the Holy Ghost That praise is due to God from every Creature in the World and from every corner of the world I need not prove but 't is not comely for any but such as you Psal 33.1 'T is a garment that suites none but Saints Isa 61.3 You read there of the garment of praise The Jewish Doctors have a saying That the World subsists by three Pillars the Law the Worship of God and Thankfulness O let the high Praises of God be now and for ever in your lips and lives Hath the good Spirit of the Lord gone out before you in love and mercy Do you follow him now in praise and duty 'T is the happiness of the Saints in Heaven to enjoy God and 't is their only business in Heaven to bless God and is it not your wisdom as well as duty to be daily doing that on Earth besides which you shall have nothing to do to all Eternity in Heaven Hosanna's here and Hallelujahs hereafter 2 Walk charitably Do all the good you possibly can for the Spirit of the Lord and for the people of the Lord. I know your goodness extendeth not to God but let it the more to the Saints Yet you may plead for and vindicate his honour which is by many now laid in the dust many father their errors and blasphemies on the Spirit laying them at his door as if he were not the Spirit of Truth There are four sorts of men amongst us 1 Some who are all for Ordinances not eying at all the Spirit of the Lord for his teachings 2 Some are all for the Spirit Sans-ordinance men casting of Baptism the Ministry of the Word and this blessed Sacrament Beza in 1 Cor. 1.12 As Beza said so shall I Hoc Pestilentissimo morbo utinam nulli hodie laborarent Oh that none had this Plague-sore now 3 Others and not a few neither regard the Spirit nor men nor means nothing but mundum fundum 4 Only the sincere Christian is for all and he is the man to whom I address this counsel if you espouse not his cause who shall if in your stations as Magistrates as Ministers as Christians you plead not for it who will But walk charitably towards men that 's the duty I would press on you Has the Spirit of the Lord done you good do you now all the good you can to others shew your love to God by your love to your needy Brethren and your love to them by works of mercy Acts of charity do not impoverish but enrich Perhaps the Purse may be lighter but your Crown will be heavier Who ever heard or read of a man that liv'd charitably that died miserably Non memini me legisse malâ morte morâ—â—â— qui libenter opera charitatis exercuit Hieron Morison in his Itinirary Hierom in his Epistle to Nepotian tells us he never did nor did the royal Prophet Psal 37.25 26. One tells us of a fountain of Salt in Germany of which all the poor about it had Salt-water freely for their use but when once it was deny'd them it lost its vertue If once you harden your Hearts against or hide your faces from those pale faces and withered cheeks and maimed arms from those who have no bread to eat nor where to lay their heads well may the Spirit of the Lord suspend his influences at the next Communion and then it cannot heal nor seal nor do you good What greater incentive to shew mercy to others than a due sense of mercies received from God Do good to all as you are of ability and have opportunity but especially to the houshold of Faith 3 Walk contentedly Have you received good and much good at the Lords Table then be not so full of complaints if you have little of the worlds goods Is your grace increased have you got more assurance of your Lords love do not murmur though your Corn and Wine and other matters increase not Whilst those put gladness into your Hearts let not the want of these cause sadness to appear in your faces It is enough says Jacob Joseph is alive So say you It is enough the Spirit of the Lord is alive and hath enlivened and sealed 1 Tim. 6.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and comforted me at and by this precious Ordinance Shew us the Father says Philip and it sufficeth us The sight of God without riches or honours or lands or friends should satisfie your Souls Having food and raiment you should be content well Having food not fine fare Raiments not Ornaments and you have both nay much more viz. the Mediatory Righteousness of Christ to deck and adorn you and his precious Body and Blood to nourish you And whatever afflictions you meet with in or from the World still be contented They say whatever betides a Spaniard he will not change his pace whatever troubles betide you let no change appear in your Face Whether God give or take whether he stroke or strike Nimis delicatus es frater si hic vis gaudere cum mundo posthac regnare cum Christo Hierom. whether men hum or hiss fret not your selves shall you receive good from the hand of God What all good and no evil you are too delicate if you would have two Heavens one here and another yonder above the Clouds 4 Walk Compassionately Have you tasted there of the Lords graciousness can you tell of the great things the Spirit of the Lord hath by that Ordinance done for your Souls
amongst you why is this cast off and cast out As the Center of the Earth hath an attractive power and vertue to draw all heavy substances to it so hath the Sacrament such an enlivening strengthning nourishing power and vertue as may nay will draw all real Saints to it and you amongst the rest if you be such What is said of Socrates is true of the Sacrament all that know it its power preciousness and usefulness love it if any do not love it it is because they do not know it The whole management of Soul work in order to Salvation now lies upon the hands of the Spirit but in the use of means He that made us without us will not save us without us True it is means are but means and therefore not to be relied upon and as true it is means are means and therefore not to be neglected or despised 't is an excellent observation of an eminent Divine In things of this nature men are very prone to run themselves on one of these two rocks Dr. Jacomb on Rom. 8. pag. 246. saith he Either they rest upon the means not looking up to the Spirit Or they cast off the means casting all upon the Spirit Either they are proud and can do all without God or idle and slothful so as that God must do all without them But you should remember that the spirits sole-efficiency as to the formal production of the act is well enough consistent with mens endeavours in the use of means he doth all in us and for us yet he will do nothing without us nor without means if he will you may do well to shew where he hath promised it till then we cannot believe it Our Saviour once though this Ordinance very necessary and he is the Wisdom of God 1 Cor. 1.24 are you wiser than he speaking of this Ordinance St. Paul moved by the Spirit saith As often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup ye shew the Lords Death till he come But he is not yet come yet you have laid it by as vain needless and fruitless Shall his Ordinance have his or your date He set it up how dare you take it down You talk much of the Spirit but see and say if it be not a spirit of pride or ignorance or a Popish spirit that prompts you thus to speak and act They of the Romish Church have taken away the Cup but you have out-done them in taking away the Bread too Is the command and example of Jesus Christ of no force with shall his Institutions be of no longer use to you than your wits and wisdoms think fit This Sacrament is q.d. the picture of our dying Saviour an injury done to the Kings coyn or picture is taken as done to the Kings person so in this case 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil de Sp. S. cap. 28. Gen. 45.3 Men love not to see the faces of those they have injured if arm'd with power to punish them How were Josephs Brethren amazed when he said I am Joseph what horrour and confusion will one day possess your hearts when you shall hear Christ say I am Jesus I am Jesus who instituted and appointed this Ordinance to continue in full force till the end of the world I am Jesus who can and will do you good by my Spirit in the use of this Ordinance if you walk uprightly But as sure as I am Jesus my enraged justice shall avenge the quarrel of my abused mercy and they shall meet with wrath and vengeance who are contemners of my Ordinance How discursive is foolish pride when it would prescribe unto God vain man dost thou censure his benefits when thou shouldst enjoy them art thou so stupid and sottish as to judg of the things conveyed by the quality and value of the instrument that conveys them Doth not the weakness of these Elements add much to the wonder of the Sacrament It was an argument of Christs power to feed five thousand with a few Loaves this miracle of his Sacrament is equal thereunto which feeds the whole Church with such slender Elements But I will expostulate no farther with 'em I convert my speech to others For 2. As there are some who look upon themselves as above this Ordinance so there are others who look upon this Ordinance as above them and why but because they are not qualified nor can any arguments prevail with them to capacitate themselves for it Others will say they know no good got by it no fruit that grows on it The poor have no leisure for it and the rich take no pleasure in it and few there are who come to it in most Assemblies I have a word for you Et valeat quantum valere potest 1. Suppose this were but it is not a prerogative-command given only for the probation and trial of your obedience and no benefit at all should redound to the observer of it are you not yet obliged to consider your ways to turn your feet unto his Testimonies to break off your sins by repentance to prepare your selves and then to come and take and eat The observance of such commands hath been well rewarded Gen. 22. and the disobedience thereof most severely punished as in Adam Gen. 2.17 in Lots wife Gen. 19.17 and in the young Prophet 2. Gods standing Laws and Ordinances and such is this oblige not to observance only but they intend a real benefit withal which should be an incentive to our obedience Deut. 10.13 Psal 19.11 And 119.165 Great peace have they which love and keep thy Law 3. Though you never got good by this Ordinance will you say no good is to be got by it or that never any did it will in no wise follow 4. You speak expresly against the Word of God this very Text and for every blasphemous word you shall account another day 5. Do not your speeches reflect upon the glorious Trinity 1. On God the Father as if he had made or instituted an Ordinance in vain you call in question his wisdom 2. On God the Son as if his Body and Blood were good for nothing And 3. On this holy Spirit as if he were straitened so that he could not do them good by it who walk uprightly or as if he would not 6. Do not you speak against the sweet experience of the Saints in all ages they have found good by it 7. Do not you speak against right reason for as the guilt and danger is great in case one receive unworthily so must there in reason be some proportion of fruit and benefit to such as come preparedly 8. Once more Is it not your pride carnality and hypocrisie is it not your earthliness unbelief and impenitency that hinders your addresses to it and proficiency by it Water there is enough in this well had you but buckets to draw it forth the Spirit is present to heal but you are insensible of your Maladies You may complain of