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 A briefe Table of the maine things contained in the following Discourse THe Introduction into the Discourse and parts of the Text and explanation of the term pag 1 2 3 4. Doctr. 1. To have to do with an Ordinance of God is to draw neer to God p. 7. Use 1. Judge how much you are bound to God for Ordinances p. 10. 2. What cause to lament the sad condition of those that want them p. 11 12. 3. What a sin to disturb the Saints in the use of Ordinances p. 13. 4. See the ground the Saints so much taken with Ordinances p. ibid. 5. See what cause there is to keep our hearts in a holy frame p. 14. Use Exhort 1. To a conscionable use of Ordinances upon four grounds p. 20. to 25. 2. To conscionablness in the use of them upon three grounds p. 26 to 28. 2. To Exhort When ever you have to do with Ordiuances take Christ with you p. 30 The necessity of it 1. In regard of admission 2. Assistance 3. Acceptance pag. 31 32 33. Doct. 2. Those who have to do with God in an Ordinance must sanctifie God in it 34. 1. What it is to sanctifie God in an Ordinance 35. To which something is required 1 In the work 35. 2 The workman 1 In his head knowledge c. 36. 2 In his heart 36. 1. Holy affections 2. Sutable 37. 3. Excited 38. 2. How
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 therfore 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 to 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 you 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 walking 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 a 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 things 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 The 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
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 changed 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 1. 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 It is Christ who makes that which was a Barre of justice a Bench of mercie 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 self 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 of 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 * MerituÌ„ meum miseratio Domini non sum planè meriti inops quandiu non fuerit ilâ—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 coldness God looks not on the works of the Saints In foro stricti juris but in foro Evangelii Eph. 1.6 But 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 which is an introduction to the 2d. That they who draw neer to God in any ordinaÌ„ce Doct. 2 must sanctifie God in it In prosecution of which wee shal do three things we wil shew 1. 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 't is an Ordinance of his so our sanctification of God extends no further then to his own ordinances which he himself hath set up 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 which 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 requires the affections to be imployed about it and not only affections but holy
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 such 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 benefit 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 from 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 which 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 thou 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 one 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 If 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 but 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 conceive 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 thou 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 made 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 is 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.
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 good 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 examine 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 it 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 so 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 rightly 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 will 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 as 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 observed 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 and 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 cōdition 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
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 the 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 which God hath threatned be so terrible what care ought wee to have wee do not prophane this Ordinance and what care to look back into 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 cannot 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 and 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 of 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 Sin is an eating thing it eats out the very heart of every thing which 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 2. 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 the 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 bring 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 not 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 they 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 if 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 Yee 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 To 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 excited 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 learn 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 exâ—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 Let 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 thou 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 tree 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 Ho 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