THE GUARD OF THE Tree of Life: OR, A Sacramental Discourse; SHOWING A Christians 

Privilege, in approaching to God in Ordinances.  
Duty, in his Sacramental approaches.  
Danger, if he do not sanctify God in them.    
By SAMUEL BOLTON, Preacher to the Congregation of Saviour's Southwark.  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. He 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 years 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 engagements to you: And considering with myself the relation wherein I stand, I could think of no better way of acknowledgement then to impart something spiritual to you; and no better subject than this which is now presented to your view, nor could I think of a better time than this for the doing of it, when God in our blood shows us what a fearful thing it is to be guilty of the blood of his Son; It is not unknown unto you, how greatly this place above many others, hath been guilty of the profanation of this Ordinance of the Lords Supper; God hath discovered it to us, humbled us for it, shown 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 myself, have adventured to set upon the work, being willing to put ourselves to no little trouble, if by that we might prevent a great deal of sin. In this work (the searcher of hearts knows) we have had no other design, then to express our Pastoral duties, and declare our Pastoral 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 we reckoned on before we entered on it. But if the work be Gods, he will either facilitate and make it easy for us, or give us spirits proportionable to the greatness of it, I say he will either lessen the difficulties, or heighten our spirits to conflict and encounter with them.  
There are two sort of adversaries which we expect to meet withal: 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 God's bounds; sure as God hath a purpose this Ordinace should be continued, so he hath a care also, that it should be fenced from profanation 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 profanation, we are ready to listen to it, and be thankful for it; in the mean, we 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 profanation, unless you will say our Pastoral office doth, in the exercise of it, necessitate us to sin. Much more might be said, if we saw it either requisite or convenient for an Epistle.  
To those who blame us we go no further, I must say our design hath been 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 we found, though weak, rather than 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 we desire, but the utmost we 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 we rejoice the first stone is laid, and we 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 Zion; 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 infancy, and the greatest work of God its mean beginnings; Would the corruption of former times have suffered our godly predecessors, to have left the work in that forwardness to us, in which through God's blessing, it may be left to them who shall succeed, possibly, nay probably, the work might have been carried on to a greater height than now it can; That which is done we desire to bless God for it, and think it our duty to cherish with our utmost prayers and endeavours; 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 brief Table of the main 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 near 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 Ordivances, 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 sanctify God in it. 34.  
1. What it is to sanctify God in an Ordinance. 35. 

To which something is required: 

1 In the work. 35.  
2 The workman. 

1 In his head, knowledge, etc. 36.  
2 In his heart. 36. 

1. Holy affections  
2. Suitable. 37.  
3. Excited. 38.          
2. How we must sanctify God in this ordinance. p. 40 

1 Something is required before. 41. 

1 Habitual 43.  
preparation.  
2 Actual    
2 Something in the time. 44. 

1 Exercise of Grace.  
2 Suitable demeanours. 

Faith  
Repentance.        
1 Faith, where is discovered: 

1 What act of faith. 45.  
2 Upon what object. 50.  
3 For what benefits. 54.    
Faith is to be exercised for four benefits in the Sacrament:  
1. For the further assurance of our justification. 56.  
2. For the increase of sanctification. 59  
3. For the subduing of corruptions. 70.  
4. For deliverance out of temptation. 74.  
And how faith is to be acted upon Christ for these benefits, is discovered.  
2. The second Grace to be exercised in the time, is Repentance. pag. 78. 

Where is set down: 

1 The kinds of mourning. 

1 Historical. 79.  
2 Spiritual. 79.    
2 The advantages to it. 82. 

1 The discovery of love.  
2 Sufferings of Christ, etc.        
These are the Graces required in the time; now the demanours, p. 89.  
1. An humble reverence: 2. Discharge of worldly thoughts. p. 90.  
3. Something is required afterward to sanctify God in this ordinance. p. 93. 

Thankfulness. 94  
2 Obedience. 98.    
3. Why we must sanctify God. 3. Reasons. p. 103. 

1 Because God commands. 103.  
2 Because otherwise get no good. p. 105.  
3 Because otherwise get hurt. p. 107.    
Use Of complaint. How few do sanctify God in this ordinance. p. 100  
2 Use Examination; Whether you have sanctified God in it. p. 112.  
Before 

1 See if you have observed God's order. p. 113. 114.  
2 See whether observed God's rules. p. 16.  
3 See whether you have observed God's ends. p. 118.    
2 See if you have exercised God's graces in the time. p. 123.  
3 See whether we have returned home with God's quickenings and refreshments. p. ibid.  
3 Doctr. God will be sanctified of every one that doth not sanctify him in Ordinances. p. 130.  
1 What is meant by God's sanctifying himself on men. p. 131.  
2 What are the reasons why God doth sanctify himself on those who do not sanctify him in ordinances. p. 132.  
6 Reasons of it: 

1 For terror and dread of profane persons. p. 133.  
2 For caution to others. p. 134.  
3 To declare his justice. p. 136  
4 To remove scandal. p. 137.  
5 To hold up his great name. p. 148.  
6 To declare his hatred against sin. p. 142.    
Use, Caution to profane persons. 143.  
Use, To exhort us to turn our eyes backward, and examine whether we have not been guilty of the profanation of this ordinance. p. 151.  
The trial is put upon three further designs. pag. 151.  
1 Sign. If the Sacraments have wrought no further good upon thee. p. ibid.  
2 Sign. If thou art worse after then before. p. 153.  
3 Sign. If thou hast fed upon nothing but outward elements, thou hast been a profaner of this ordinance. p. 156.  
A brief rehearsal and application of the whole to wicked and unregenerate persons.    

Imprimatur,  
John Downam.   
LEVIT. 10.3. Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is that the Lord spoke, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me.— 
WE are all here present met together at an Ordinance, and many of us have intended to go upon a further Ordinance. And there is no man or woman who hath to do with any Ordinance of God, but hath to deal with God in it, he draws near 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 in you this day. And 'tis my earnest desire that you may all actively glorify God, that he may not passively glorify himself upon you, and raise his glory out of the ruins of any of you.  
I need not travel fare 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 Aaron's two sons, their death gave birth to these words. And a sentence it is not too dear, 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 read it was booked before, totidem verbis. 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? We 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 sanctify 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 general charge, given at divers times; and now the present occasion brings it forth to particular application, to which I assent. 3. We have the words themselves, I will be sanctified. Why, what is that? Can God be sanctified of us? Indeed he sanctifies us, but how can we sanctify him?  
God is sanctified two ways: 

1. Actively.  
2. Passively.    
1. Actively, as 1 Pet. 3.15. Sanctify the Lord in your hearts; and thus God is sanctified, when we 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 evil; not Actively, but Passively: And in both these senses the words are to be read, I say the words are to be read in this disjunctive sense, I will be sanctified of all them that draw near to me, that is, either actively, in glorifying me in the work; or passively, in glorifying myself upon the workman; 
Si voluntas Dei non fiat a te, fiet de te. Aug.  if you do not sanctify 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 dutiful 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, 
* justo Dei judicio extinctos esse.  that they were slain by the just judgement of God. His silence cleared God in his deal. 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 ministration, in the sight of all the Congregation, and by so fearful a judgement, fire from the Lord, and in the act of their sin, which some think was joined 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 temporal to an eternal 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 penal, & unbelief struck him dumb; this was a spiritual 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 shown you both the parts of the Text, and cleared what ever had any appearing difficulty in it, 
Conclusions.  we will now lay down the several conclusions the Text affords us.  
1. That they who have to do with any Ordinance of God, draw near to God.  
2. That they who draw near to God in any Ordinance, must sanctify God in it.  
3. That if we do not sanctify God in an Ordinance, he 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 near 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 near to God. And in other places it is called a coming before God, a treading his Courts, an approaching to God, a meeting of God; all which languages imply thus much, that who ever have to do with God in any Ordinance, draw near 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 do with God himself. He that hath to do 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 engage us, in Promises to comfort us, in threaten to terrify us, if we 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 gaudy Pageants, nay, empty fantasies, beggarly elements, if we had not to deal with God in them?  
It is God that we have to deal withal in Ordinances, that sheds a glory, casts a Majesty, and puts an efficacy into all the Ordinances we have to deal withal: It is he 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 threaten of the Word exceeding terrible; It is he that we have to deal withal, that makes a little handful of water, a little bit of bread, and sup of wine, exceeding glorious and efficacious. What empty, what poor, what contemptible things would these be (and are to unbelieving men) if we had not to do with God in them? It is this God we have to do withal, that casts a Majesty upon, and puts an efficacy into every Ordinance.  
But we will pass over this. If they who have to do with any Ordinance of God, draw near to God, then let me put some things to you to judge of.  
1. Judge then, if ever Kingdom was more engaged to God than ours, who enjoy the Ordinances by which we draw near to God. Hath he dealt thus with any Nation? What Nation under heaven that enjoy the like privileges of drawing near to God in Ordinances as we do? Well may we say in the words of the Psalmist, Psal. 65.5. Blessed is the Nation which thou choosest, 
Psal. 65.5.  and causest to approach unto thee, that they may dwell in thy Courts, we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy Temple.  
2. And with blessing God for our own privileges, 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 near to God.  
1. Them who never enjoyed the Ordinances, who sit in darkness, 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 enlarge the bounds of his sanctuary, stretch forth the Curtains of his Tabernacle, that the eyes of Nations might be opened, that the fullness of the Gentiles might be brought in, & that they might fly to the Church as Doves into the windows, which is prophesied, Isa. 60.8. And with them, Oh, remember that ancient nation, the Jews, who have drawn near 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 near; Oh remember them! that that blood which they imprecated upon themselves for a curse, may now be upon them for a blessing, that it may lie no longer upon their heads, but now be sprinkled upon their hearts, and be in veniam which hath been so long in vindictam; That as it was said of the Gentiles, so it may now be said of the Jews, That unto them is granted repentance to life.  
2. And take up a mourning for them who have enjoyed 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 Shepherds 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 enjoy the Ordinances whereby they may draw near to God?  
3. Judge then, if it be not a vile thing, to hinder & disturb the Saints in those things whereby they draw near 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 enjoy them in that purity which God left them. In the first, the bread is taken from them: In the second, they give them poison 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 near to God in them; they look upon Ordinances as Bridges to give them a passage to God; as Boats to convey them into the bosom of Christ, 
Vehicula Spiritus.  as means to bring them into more intimate communion with their Father, therefore are they so much taken with 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 read 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 therefore 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 spiritual and holy frame; we have often to do with Ordinances, and when we have to do with Ordinances, we have to do with God, we draw near 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 we are ever to be upon our knees, ever in actual prayer, but seeing we are to pray so frequently, we are to get and keep our hearts in such an habitual frame and disposition, that they may be ever fit to close with God, when ever we are called out upon the duty.  
Were we 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 murder, and come and stand before me in this house which is called by my name, saith the Lord? so will you walk loosely, 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 turn of a duty, and then to lay them aside as soon as the duty is over: he is a Christian indeed who prays on his feet as well as on his knees, whose life is nothing else but a real prayer, that if you look into his heart, there is all his desires engraven, his heart ever pants and breathes the same things he prays; 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; he walks with the same spirit, the same affections, the same desires and disposition: he 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 withal. Christians, you have often to do with Ordinances, and had therefore need to keep your hearts in an Ordinance frame: he 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 lie, 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 read 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 endeavour 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, he draws near to God; Let me then exhort you: 

1. To a conscionable use of Ordinances.  
2. To conscionableness 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, etc.— I might say something to this last, viz. Receiving, The Apostle tells us, 1 Cor. 11.26. As often as we eat this bread, we show forth the Lord's death; it implies a frequent use of the Ordinance, more than 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; we 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 we might enjoy a more frequent use of this Ordinance than 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 to meet God in his Ordinances.  
1. By them you see you draw near 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 near to you, he walks among the Candlesticks, he presents himself in his Ordinances; Matth. 28.1. and there he directs us to find him; Cant. 1.7, 8.  
3. If we keep not up a conscionable use of Ordinances, distance will grow between God and you: As the Waterman may lose more by the omission of one stroke than he is able to recover again by many; so may you lose more by the omission of one duty, than you are able to recover again by the performance of many; especially, if this omission hath arisen, 1. from neglect of God: 2. from carelessness: 3. from slighting 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 endeavours, 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 me days without number; they had no care to keep and cherish communion 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 days, when so many do cry down duty; shall we look upon that as our burden, which is our glory; our bondage, which is our privilege? what is the happiness of a glorified Saint, but only that he is always under the line of love, ever in the contemplation, and converses with God? And shall that be thought our burden here which 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 encouragements: fifthly, fresh strength against sin: sixthly, new supplies against the temptations of Satan & the world: seventhly, fresh strength to walk with God: eighthly, armour against our lusts; and this is enough to make us conscionable.  
4. We know not how soon we may be deprived of Ordinances; we have played with the breasts, and God might put them up; we have sinned 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 he suffer us to wish and wander to enjoy one of the days of the Son of man which we have enjoyed?  
But though God do not take away the Ordinances from us, yet he may take us from the Ordinances, and that not only by death, but in life itself; 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, but to Conscionableness in the use of them; be not only conscionable to use them, but let your hearts be wrought up to a conscionableness 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 engage the conscience to do duty: You see many that dare not but pray, and yet have no heart in prayer; they have a conscience to do 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 do many duties, but nothing but the Spirit and Grace of Christ, will work up the heart to a conscionableness in the doing of them.  
To this conscionableness in the performance of Ordinances, would I exhort you upon this ground, because you draw near to God, have to do 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 Holiness: 2. Nor no good of comfort. 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 do, but of conscionableness in the doing of them. All the Sermons you have heard, all the Prayers you have prayed, 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 conscionableness in the doing of them.  
2. Because otherwise you provoke God; to give him the carcase and outside of duty, and to withhold the life and spirit of duty, is a provocation of God.  
3. Because otherwise you will contract much guilt, and bring much evil 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 souls 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 very near desperate.  
There is nothing makes the condition of the soul more desperate and unrecoverable, than the use of Ordinances in a formal and unconscionable way, when a man doth harden under means of softening. When a man's soar runs under the plaster, nay when the plaster increaseth the soar; when that which should draw us near, sets us at further distance; this man's condition is dangerous. Scarce one of many are ever wrought upon: When once a man can hear and pray, and receive, and yet retain his sin too without disturbance, all this doth not trouble him, no weapon will pierce him; no command, no threatening 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 Ordinances in a formal way, brings men to such a condition. As the use of Physic in an ordinary way, doth take away the working of it; so the use of Ordinances in a formal way, doth take off the edge, and blunt the power of working on the spirit.  
Well then, let me exhort you not only to be conscionable to use, but to a conscionableness 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. practice, 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 passed 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 do with any Ordinance of God, hath to do with God in it; Oh then when ever you go to have to do with any Ordinance, be sure you take Christ with you. There is a necessity 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 boldness 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 Bar or Tribunal of justice, than a Throne of Grace. 
Ephes. 12. Heb. 14.14, 16. Heb. 10.12.23.  It is Christ who makes that which was a Bar of justice, a Bench of mercy. In him we have admission. You go upon this Ordinance now, but go 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 endeavoured 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 necessity 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 be set to move Mountains, as to undertake Ordinances, without the strength of Christ, without me you can do 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 be able to perform any work, nor exercise your own graces. It is he 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 & 
* Meritum meum miseratio Domini, non sum planè meriti inops quandiu non fuerit il●e inops miserationum. Domine meminero justitiae tuae solius, ipsa enim est & mea, etc. 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 Christ's, 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 near to God; but would you be admitted into the presence of God? would you have God to hold out a golden Sceptre 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 near to God in any ordinance, Doct. 2 must sanctify God in it.  
In prosecution of which, we shall do three things: we will show,  
1. What it is to sanctify God in an Ordinance.  
2. How we must sanctify God in an Ordinance.  
3. Why we must sanctify God in an ordinance. And so to application.  
1. What it is to sanctify 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 we cannot sanctify God in it, no more than the Papists in their blind devotions and superstitions. These offer strange fire. As God's Benediction doth not accompany any thing further than 'tis an Ordinance of his, so our sanctification of God extends no further than to his own ordinances, which he himself hath set up & ordained; in other things we sanctify him not, we dishonour him.  
2. Something required in the workman: To say nothing here of the main requisite, which is, that he be in Christ: for that we take he be in Christ: for that we take for granted; & to qualify such a one to this ordinance: and in such a one there is something required in his head, something in his heart.  
1. In his head, and that is, first, that he 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. Something in his heart; and that,  
First, that he bring holy affections to it; every ordinance of God requires the affections to be employed about it, and not only affections, but holy affections, such affections as do arise from a holy heart; there is the spring. Unsound professors 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 sanctify God in an Ordinance.  
Secondly, there must not only be holy affections, but such as are suitable to the Ordinance & Work in hand. It is possible to have holy affections, them stirred up in an ordinance, and yet not sanctify God in it, because these are not suitable to the Ordinance, Nihil ad rem, nothing to the work in hand; they suit not with the present ordinance that God hath called the soul out upon, as I could show you at large.  
Thirdly, there must not only be holy affections and suitable affections, but those excited and stirred up. A man may have holy affections, and such as are suitable to an Ordinance, as the Saints have in the frame of Grace, and yet not sanctify God in an Ordinance, because not excited and stirred up: 
* 1 Tim. 1.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, signif. ign●m sopitum & ignem cineribus conditum folle aut flatu suscitare, ut reardescat. Passer.  Stir 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.  
When 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 we read, that men were called out upon an ordinance, and were straitened with time to prepare themselves according to the preparation of the Sanctuary, as in Hezekiah's time. 
2 Chron. 30.18.19.  They had habitual preparation, but wanted actual; and in that case, the want of time, God pardoned it, but it was prayed for, it was sought for, and sought for earnestly. But we read another time, that God punished the want of this actual preparation, and stirring up their graces & affections; yea, and punished it severely, with the weakness, sickness, 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 work, to which all the affections we have, and all the affections we can stir up, are little enough. We 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 sanctify God in an Ordinance.  
2. How must we sanctify God in an Ordinance?  
To sanctify God in an ordinance, there is required something 

1. Antecedent.  
2. Concomitant  
3. Subsequent.    
1. Something Antecedent, or before. 2. Something in the time. 3. Afterwards. These are generals, which belong to every particular Ordinance, as I could show you at large. 
In hearing the Word.   
When you come to hear the word, there is something required before, as 1. Meditation, into what place, into whose presence, about what business we go. 2. Examination of 1. our sins, that here we might have them slain by the sword of the Spirit in the Ministry of the word. 2. Our graces, that here we might have them strengthened and nourished by the spiritual food of our souls. 3. Prayer for the Minister, for the Congregation, ourselves, that a blessing may be upon.  
2. In the time is required, 1. Reverence, 2. 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, fervency, humility, 
* 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ex radic. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ordinavit, aciem disposuit.  suitableness of spirit, enlarged desires. 3. Afterward such a deportment and demeanour as is suitable to such who call upon God, as to departed 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, 
* 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ex radic. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Speculando expectavit hinc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speculator.  and look up. There are two military words, he would not only pray, but marshal up his prayers, put them in array; and when he had done, he would be as a Spy upon a tower, to see whether he prevailed, whether he got the day.  
But to pass these, & come to the Ordinance we are to enter upon, the Sacrament. 
Sacrament  To sanctify God in which, there is required, 1. something before, 2. something in the time, and 3. something after.  
1. Something before, which may be laid down in these two heads, 

1. Habitual,  
2. Actual.    
1. Habitual preparation, which doth consist in the whole frame of grace and sanctification. It is an ordinance only for such who are sanctified, we are to have, 1. A saving knowledge of God, of ourselves, 2. lively faith, 3. a true repentance, 4. love, 5. hunger and thirst after Christ: this is a feast, and no coming without stomach. 6. Thankfulness.  
2. Actual preparation, and that consists in the actual 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 and extent whereof is for all sin, but especially for those sins 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, 
Mr. Dike on the Sacrament. Mr. 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 than required before, viz. Habitual and actual 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 person, and yet not sanctify God in this Ordinance, if he do not exercise those Graces, & gracious dispositions which God requireth here, & are suitable 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 be exercised. There are these two main acts of Faith. 1. An act of Recumbence: 2. An act of apprehension & application of Christ. 
Fides potest habere aliquem modum dubitationis saluâ fide. Daven. Fideicertitudo importat firmitatem adhaesionis, non quietationem intellectus. Aquin.  Both these may be exercised here, and to our spiritual 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 soul is not able to bring home to itself the great revenue of mercy and grace, which Christ hath purchased, and the soul 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 we make him ours. Christ in his blood and merits, Christ in his grace and Spirit, Christ in all his do and sufferings; so far as he is communicable to poor sinners. Now there is not much difference between these two acts. The difference is not in the nature and essence of the grace, both are faith and saving faith; nor in the fruits and benefits, both give a man union and communion with Christ, etc. 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 persuasion of the truth, fullness, freeness, suitableness, and goodness of the promise. And upon all this here is a rolling, a resting upon Christ. And the latter is but a further degree, a bringing over or home all this to its own self. In the former act the soul hath communion with all the benefits of Christ. It's such an act of Faith, as gives a soul union with the person, and that cannot be without communion with the privileges and benefits. In this latter there is but a clearer apprehension of it. In the first 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.  in the latter we 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 suitable 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 show this act is most suitable to the ordinance.  
Here we have an offer of Christ, and this act is most suitable to take him as offered. And the more strength we have to apply and bring Christ home, the more we feed on him, the more we are nourished, and built up.  
But though this act of faith is most suitable to the ordinance, yet we 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.  If he have a care that others shall not reject them for their weakness, but bid them to receive them, much more will he himself receive them; and whom he will receive shall receive him.  
If therefore thou art weak in applying 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.  cast thyself 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 God's 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 general; 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, God-man, 
Act. 10.43 Gen. 3.15.  the Mediator. To him give all the Prophet's witness, that who ever believes in him, shall receive remission of sins. This is the object upon which the faith of Adam was terminated, 
Gen. 3.15.  the 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 faithful, was terminated, who saw his day and rejoiced; it was not the believing of the Promise of seed, but in the promised seed. To him also did the eyes of the faithful 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, we are not so much to deal 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 drink his blood, 
Matth. 26.26. Corpus Christiest pabulum fidei. Joh. 6.15.  This is my body, etc. Christ is the meat here for the hand of faith to receive, the mouth of faith to eat, as he faith, My flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. You may make use of the promises here, the Sacrament is the seal to every promise in the covenant. But the matter of the Sacrament indeed, and that whereon we are chief to feed, is Christ himself. Christ as he is laid out unto us in his death and sufferings, whereon feeding, we get spiritual nourishment for grace, and death of sin. The blood of Christ, like the waters appointed for the trial of jealousy, hath a double property, to kill and to make fruitful; to kill our sins, and make our graces grow; to rot our sins, and ripen our grace.  
Well then, remember that the great dish thou feedest on at this Feast, be Christ himself. 
Christo sublato nihil restat in sacramentis, praeter inanespectaculum. Dau. in col.  Thou canst not feed upon a promise, until thou first feed upon Christ; he doth not only 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 up in Christ, he is all.  
The promise doth not, but Christ doth justify, Christ doth sanctify; 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 we must terminate our Faith. We come to the third.  
For what benefit must Faith here be exercised? 
Partic. 3.   
First, faith must not be 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 be acted, as we shall show hereafter.  
Secondly, faith must not be here acted for Regeneration; It is required a man should be borne again, be in the state of grace, sanctified, before he come hither. Here is the multiplying of grace, but no begetting of grace. As in the miracle of loaves, 
Mat. 14.19.  there 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 graceless, 
Rom. 10.14.  because 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 is 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 than we came. In particular then:  
Faith must here be exercised for the further assurance of our justification. God hath cast down the soul by the ministry of the Word, he hath discovered and revealed the promise, brought the soul 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 weak in faith: 
Fides non toll it, sed vincit omnem dubibitationem. Dau.  there is no such assurance in the world as to expel all doubts & fears, though to overcome them; but though they may be suspended in their actings for a time, and well subdued and conquered, yet they are not altogether expelled; if they were, than were there no need of the Sacrament for this end, to confirm and strengthen faith, 
Fides potest habere aliquem modum dubitationis saluâ fide.  and so one of the ends wherefore God set up this Ordinance, were in vain 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 mercy, wherein he promised the free pardon of sin, hath annexed the Seal 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 seal. But it was God's goodness to us, pitying the weakness 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 seal of Heaven, and to all this to afford his Sacraments, to seal 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 unbelieving hearts, that God gave word upon word, promise upon promise, oath to oath, seal to seal, heaping mountain upon mountain, and all to confirm our staggering hearts. That we might be strong in him, when weak in ourselves; faithful in him, when fearful in ourselves; steadfast in him, when we stagger in ourselves.  
And how should we exercise faith here, and go doubting away? How shall we go away trembling after all this confirmation? An oath among men is the end of all controversy, the concluding of all difference and disputes; and shall not God's oath prevail thus much with you? Why do you suffer return of fears and doubts, after such a seal? Woe be to us, 
Vae nobis si nec juranti Deo credimus. Aug.  if we will not believe God, no not upon his oath. Dost 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, etc. 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 obstinacy, how little pliable conformity to his will; what a deal of formality, how little power; what hardness of heart, how little brokenness of spirit for sin? etc. And being weak in grace, there is a necessity that these graces should be nourished. As there is necessity of daily bread, for the nourishing and upholding of our bodies; so there is necessity of spiritual food for the nourishing of grace in our souls. 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 natural life the same way we are begotten, the same way we are nourished: so in spiritual life, Christ he 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 fullness we receive grace for grace in our regeneration; and he is the nourishment of whose fullness we receive 
* Gratiam gratiae accumulatam.  grace to grace in our sanctification. Hence he is called the Bread of life, not only because he begets life in dead men, but because he nourisheth and maintaineth life in living men. He is panis spiritualis, spiritual bread, in the word to beget life; and panis Sacramentalis, bread in the Sacrament, or Sacramental 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 a proper influence, being the seal 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 sin; who looks on Christ bleeding, but his heart must bleed? etc. And so of the rest.  
Christ is a full fountain, 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 locked up, and therefore hath been so gracious, as to set up an ordinance, not only to be a seal, but an instrument or conduit-pipe to convey grace to us from him, the Fountain of all grace; which nourishment he doth convey unto us by virtue of our union and communion with him, and application of him to us in these ordinances; which though they be all secret ways of conveyance of nourishment, and under ground, that the world cannot see, yet there is real nourishment brought down to the soul, whereby the soul goes home in a better frame, faith more increased, affections more enlarged, 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 dwells all fullness, 
Joh. 1.14.16. Joh. 3.34. Col. 1.19. Col. 2.3.9.  all our fullness; faith looks on him as the universal principle of life and root of holiness. God gave not him the Spirit in measure.  
2. Faith casts its eye on the promise 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 virtue 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 fullness; there are such promises made that of his fullness we shall receive grace for grace, John 1.16. and Christ is made unto us Wisdom, Righteousness, 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.  
4. Now then, faith being steeled by such considerations as these, that there is a fullness in Christ, that there is a promise of this fullness to be made over to us, and that the Sacrament is an Ordinance whereby God as by an Instrument will convey of this fullness of Christ to a poor soul: faith goes over to Christ, and by virtue 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 we 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 palsy hand, though a weak and trembling hand; if we can but go to him with a praying heart, Christ can withhold 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 fullness of grace; thou art the Fountain, and this Fountain is opened here; thou art the Treasury, and this Treasury is here unlocked. 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.  therefore help,— etc. Besides, may faith say, Lord, thou hast been pleased to implant me into Christ, and shall I die for want of nourishment? thou hast made me a member of Christ, and shall I decay and whither for want of influence? Oh! never let it be said, that a branch in Christ shall whither 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 whither and die for want of influence and life, seeing there is so much in the Head. Thou camest, 
Joh. 10.10  that 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 die, strengthen the things that are ready to die in me. 
Rev. 3.2.  Thou hast raised me from the death of sin, let me not again drop into the same grave; thou hast wrought graces in me, let them not decay for want of life, when such abundance in thee.  
Thus doth Christ, form 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.  and 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 corporal feeding, the meat is changed into the nature of the eater, but in our spiritual 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, etc. 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 itself on Christ, sends down portions to her sister-graces. All our graces have a dependence on Faith, and Faith on Christ; our Graces depend on Faith as a Mediator to our Mediator: 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 suitable 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 thyself, 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 burdened with a dead heart, a hard heart, unbelieving heart, etc. 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 therefore thou wouldst quicken me, that thou wouldst break me— Thus doth Faith make use of Christ here for the subduing of corruptions.  
And let me tell you, there is a special art, dexterity and skill which faith hath, whereby it forms such conceptions of Christ, as are ever suitable 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 burden 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 we shall be all taught of God. Oh! therefore teach me, instruct me, etc. It is not so suitable 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 universal fountain and principle of grace, one who hath all fullness 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, etc.  
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 fullness of supply to answer every need of the soul, but God hath given to Christ diversity of titles, that we might conceive of him not only as a full, but as a suitable good to every necessity of the soul. And God, having thus diversely represented Christ to our understandings, as a Prophet, a Priest, a King, a Refiner, etc. Faith doth form such conceptions of Christ, as are most suitable 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 years; God hath not only promised to support thee and secure 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 days, they are not only God's sealing, but God's performing days: God doth not only here put his seal to every Promise folded up in the covenant, but he 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 be exercised in this ordinance, namely Faith. And I have showed you, 1. what Act, 2. upon what Object, 3. for what benefits faith is here to be exercised. I have named four, but here is not all; the Sacrament is the Seal 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 compass 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 seal to all, etc.  
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 warmed, our graces never the more nourished, our corruptions never the more weakened. It is a shrewd sign faith did not play its part in the mount. It is great suspicion that your faith did succumbere in conatu, did fail and sink in the encounter. Faith was entrusted in this employment to go over to Christ for these benefits, and thy faith did fail 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 do 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 soul in the use of this Ordinance, charge thy faith with it, and bewail the weakness of it: and for the future put it to its burden, let it have its full and perfect work, and thou wilt then find the comfort and fruit of it. Never did faith touch Christ in any Ordinance, but virtue came from him. But so much for the first Grace—  
2. 
2d 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 poured forth doth preach unto us the Blood of Christ poured forth for our sins. 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 soul? God hath made in nature the same organ for seeing and weeping: And in grace he who sees clearly, weeps throughly, Lam. 3.5. The eye will affect the heart.  
The Passeover under the Law was to be eaten with bitter herbs: So Christ, the true Passover, is here to be eaten with bitterness of soul: as it was prophesied; They shall look on him whom they have pierced, and shall lament, and mourn; first seeing, and then weeping, etc. Zach. 12.10.  
There is a twofold mourning, 1. Historical; 2. Spiritual. 1. Historical mourning; there is a natural tenderness in men and women, whereby their hearts do yearn and melt to hear 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 cruel usage of Christ out of natural compassion only; to whom he saith, O daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me. 
Homini non est necessarium ut Christum 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 sins, which have caused his passion. There is a kind of natural tenderness in men and women, wihch yet is often joined with hardness of heart for sin. As an Historical faith, with spiritual unbelief, and an Historical love, with spiritual enmity; so a natural tenderness, with spiritual hardness of heart for sin.  
2. There is a spiritual mourning, which ariseth from spiritual grounds and causes, and tends to spiritual 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 fountains of the soul for sin, as you have 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 fruitful in obedience. Never doth the garden of graces better grow, then after such a shower of repentant tears. And therefore doth God preserve these springs in the soul, to water the seeds of grace, and make us more fruitful, which it surely doth when they are Sun-shine-showres, such showers wherein the Sun appears, 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 soul, and call forth all the waters in him. Bellarnine he lays down twelve considerations to provoke sorrow, as the miseries of mankind by nature, the sad condition of the souls in Purgatory, and such like stuff. But we need not be beholding to him for such considerations 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 fountain of tears, to spend them all for sin. We will name some particulars here which draw out mournings.  
1. Here is a discovery of the love and sweetness of God, in giving his Son to die for us. 
Joh. 3.16.  So God loved the world, etc. enough to cause us to mourn that ever we offended. Oh that God should be more tender to us then to his own Son, not spare his Son that he might spare us, give him to die, that we might live, pour the curse upon him, that the blessing might be poured on us! 
Quis temperet à lachrymis?  O how should this affect us! Who can think of this, and withhold from tears?  
2. Here is presented to us the sufferings and break of Christ, enough to break our hardest hearts. 1. The sufferings of Christ, in se, in themselves, as those upon his body; what break? what wound? what scourge? what crowning, piercings, did he endure in his body? and those in his soul: What conflicts and struggle did he undergo with the wrath of God, the terrors of death, the powers of darkness? Oh what weight, what burden, what wrath did he undergo, when his soul was heavy unto death? beset with terrors, as the word signifies, when he drank that bitter cup, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vndequaque tristis, valde tristis, Passor. Supra modum dolens Scap. Obsitus terroribus, Arist.  that cup mingled with curses, which if Man or Angel had but sipped 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, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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, etc.  
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, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Dan. 9.26.  but not for himself; he was wounded for our transgressions, broken for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and by his stripes 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 Icy & stony hearts. Oh, will the soul say! it hath been I who have been the traitor, the murderer, my sins which have been bloody instruments to slay the Lord of glory. I have sinned, 
Ezek. 18.  thou suffered; 'twas I that did eat the sour grapes, yet thy teeth were set on edge; I have been thy death, yet thy death hath given me life; I have wounded thee, yet thou hast healed me; yea, and even out of that wound my sins made, thou sent a plaster to heal me. 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, and be in bitterness of soul, as one in bitterness for their firstborn.  
They say, if one man kill another, and you bring the murderer into the place, where the slain person lies, the dead will bleed afresh: We are the murderers 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 we might bleed a fresh to him. A Prince will 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, afflicted 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 with a broken bleeding heart. Look on him in this Ordinance, as Mary looked upon him on the Cross, when Simeon's Prophecy 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 many more to be exercised here, viz. Our love to God, our hungering 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 prise him, who is so exceeding precious? Who can see him but desire him, who is so exceeding ? 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 prise him, your wills to choose him, and make a new match with him; 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 than the table, the Bread and Wine, and therefore dead and senseless. 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 sanctify 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 of lightness, looseness and vanity in the spirits of men by nature. And the Majesty and dread of that great God, with whom we have to do in this Ordinance, must consolidate, and make our spirits weighty in these great Ordinances. The Sacrament is called an Eucharist, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 grata beneficiorum recordatio.  it is a gratulatory service, and God is fearful in praises, Exod. 15.11. which hath special 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, chase 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 Fly appeared stirring; oh that it might be so with us this day! that not one thought might arise upon our hearts, unsuitable to the place and work in hand. It is a thing unbefitting these great employments, 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 merchandise, 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 servants 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 spiritual hearts in your temporal employments, therefore have you carnal hearts in your spiritual employments. The less of the Sabbath in the week, the more you shall find of the week in the Sabbath. The less spiritual you are in affairs of earth, the more carnal you will be 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 poison your heads; it is a leaven diffuseth itself through the whole man. And therefore as Christ said of the leaven of the Pharisees, Take heed of the leaven of the Pharisees, h. e. hypocrisy: (for if once the heart be leavened with that, it will sour the head: if the Principles are unsound, then are the purposes also, and performances too, etc.) So I say here, beware of the leaven of worldly-mindedness, if ever you would sanctify God in this ordinance. Beware of that, this will sour the soul, and make all you do to be carnal and fleshly. I tell you, if you be servants to the world at other times, the world will command and master you now. Thus much shall serve for the second general 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 something after. And  
That now which is required afterward, is, That you labour to see the fruit of this ordinance to run down 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 weakened. I will name only two things which are to follow the performance of this ordinance, if ever you would sanctify God in it: 

1. Thankfulness,  
2. Obedience.    
1. 
Gratiae nullum certius signum quam gratiae. Aug.  Thankfulness: Return 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 suitable to Angel's food: thou hast had Angels food, and let thy heart return Angel's retribution, praise and thanksgiving. If God do but feed your bodies, there is none, I hope, such beasts, as will not return the retribution of praises: And will you be slow and backward to it when he hath fed your souls? Shall we bless 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 with the greatest portion of belly-blessings; but these he only bestows on his friends: and shall we be unthankful for them? How ever carnal men are most taken with carnal things; yet sure I am, those who are spiritual, as they are most apprehensive of spiritual wants; so the greatest layings out of their spirits in thankfulness, is for spiritual enjoyments. What's corn and wine, etc. to this? This is a mercy in which all other mercies are folded up, the summum genus of mercy, the top-mercy. 

Quid tibi sufficit, si Christus non sufficit? Christum habes, ●mnia habes.  
Omne bonum aut ipse est, aut ab ipso. Aug. the doct. Chri.   God doth eminently contain all other comforts, and therefore in the want of all he can cheer the heart, Ha. 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 only folded up in him, and entailed to him, but he sweetens and sanctifies every mercy. Let us then return home as full of the blessing from on high, so full of praises to the most high. Thankfulness is the great grace to be exercised in, and thankfulness is the great grace to be exercised after; and therefore while the present sense of this mercy warms your hearts, let the heat of it burst forth into thankfulness towards God; it is the most suitable service, and the most suitable time to return it. The best time to have thanfulness in our hearts, is when we can look there, and find the mercy for which we praise him also. The best time for praises and thankfulness in our mouths, is when we 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 enlarged to praise him for it. There was never man that did know the preciousness of Christ, 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 enlarged to praise God for it. This is that than which God expects at your hands, after he hath filled you with the blessing of Heaven, that you should return praises to Heaven. Though he doth not reap where he doth not sow, as that idle servant charged him; yet where God sow's blessings, he expects to reap praises. Where there is a flood of mercy, he looks for a stream of thankfulness. Oh! then let us proportion our returns to our receipts, let us set up monuments of praise in our hearts and lives for this great mercy; Say with David, 
Psal. 103.  Bless the Lord, o my soul, etc.  
2. The second thing required after this Ordinance, is obedience and fruitfulness. That now for the time 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 strengthened 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 he wiped off my former scores, and shall I run on afresh to offend him? Hath he taken off my former burden, 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 shall I again put it on? saith the Christian soul. Profane men, they do by their sins, as the Serpent with his poison, 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 fearful, to return with the dog to the vomit. 
2 Pet. 2.22  But God's people cast them away, 
Isa. 30.22.  as 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 mutual 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 there is matter of bounty from God to thee, so there is matter of duty from thee to God; God here in bounty bestows 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 echo 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 says, my beloved is mine, says again, and I am his; Cant. 2.16. 
Cant. 2.16  Let us then labour to see our hearts further strengthened to service; let this enable thee to walk:  
1. More strongly; The Sacraments are our spiritual baitings and refreshments which God affords us to strengthen us in our journey to Heaven: They are spiritual meat & drink to strengthen us in the performance of all spiritual obedience; such meat as will not only enable 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 taste of Christ the staff of nourishment; 
Purum elementum non est alimentum.  and 'tis true here, the mere element is no nourishment.  
2. More willingly and cheerfully; Then shall we be able to run the ways of God's Commandments, 
Psal. 119.  when God once here enlarges 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 of Christ, he will be able to walk more cheerfully in the ways of God. The food we feed upon is Angels ' food, and will enable us to Angels ' employments, h. e. to do our work with an Angel's 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 general, viz. How we must sanctify God in an Ordinance.  
We will now come to the third general, which is the Reasons why, Who ever have to do with an Ordinance of God, must sanctify God in it.  
1. Reason. Because God commands it. God saith he 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, but the manner: And though the matter be good, if the manner of performance be naught, God doth not regard it. You see what he saith to the Jews, He that sacrificeth, is as he who killed a man, and he that kills a Lamb, as if he cut off a Dog's head, and he who burneth incense, as he who blesseth an Idol, Isa. 
Isa. 66.3.  66.3. These seem strange expressions. What, were not these such duties as God commanded? Doth not God command sacrifice? etc. 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 with a lie, Hos. 11.12. 
Hos. 11.12  Thou gives him the shell of outward performance, but not the kernel 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 instrument 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, etc. 
Impü Petram lambunt, sed indè nec mel, nec oleum sugunt, etc. Ambr. Ser. de coena.   
2. Reason. Because otherwise we get no good by this Ordinance, no good of Comfort, nor none of Grace. If indeed the Sacraments did ex opere operato, confer Grace; or if that this Sacrament were an Instrument for the begetting of Grace in graceless hearts, than 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 ensnare 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, than 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 that hath grace shall in the exercise improve his graces, but he that comes graceless hither, goes graceless away, nay, worse than 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 nearer heaven or hell: so never a time you come to receive the Sacraments, etc. The fruit of the tree of Knowledge of good and evil might be wholesome in itself: yet Adam did eat his death, when he tasted of it contrary to God's command. So here the Sacrament, though in itself it be good, 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 profaned. Hezekiah knew this full well, and therefore he prays, 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. Corporal 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 Epidemical disease, flagellum inundans, some overflowing scourge, whereby God swept away many, in all the quarters of the Church; and will you know what was the ground, what was the reason of it? The Apostle tells us; that in the beginning, it was for this cause, viz. the profanation, 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. Spiritual hurt; though God do not break out in visible judgements upon the carcases 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 mind, 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 eternal judgement. The Apostle tells you so, 1 Corinth. 11.29. verse. He 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 millstone 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 doctrinal part, we will now come to the application.  
Use 1. If so, that whoever hath to do with an Ordinance must sanctify God in it; and that there is so much required before, so much in the time, so much afterward; Oh! how few than shall we find, that sanctify God in this Ordinance? Some there are, who openly profane this Ordinance, some who steal a draught of damnation to themselves, your close and civil men; this is the difference, where the common profane man goes to hell the plain road way, this man steals to hell behind the hedge; And indeed, the best of men do not sanctify God as they ought in them. Alas, what preparation before we 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 behind? Are we 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 we not shame our meat, discredit those heavenly dainties, that we thrive no more by them? Other ages, like Leah, were bleereyed, but fruitful: ours like Rachel, beautiful, but yet barren: We answer not God's care and cost towards us; we profit not; we grow not; and what's the reason? Because we do not sanctify God as we ought in these Ordinances; therefore are we so weak in faith, therefore so feeble in grace; therefore corruptions so strong in us: they who look the Ordinances should be means for the perfecting of their sanctification, they must labour to sanctify God in them.  
Use 2. Is it so? Then it behoves us to inquire, whether we have sanctified God in these Ordinances. We have to do with God's Ordinances daily, you see God requires, who ever have to do with his Ordinances, should sanctify God in them. Let us then ask the Question of ourselves: 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 justify a man, put on him the Wedding Garment; to sanctify 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 burden of sin? Hath he 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, fullness, freeness, goodness of the promise? Hath he brought thy soul over to assent to the truth, embrace 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 Christ's.  
2. Art thou a man sanctified, renewed, regenerated? Hath God wrought a through, an universal, spiritual change; I say spiritual, not a partial, moral, formal change, but a spiritual real universal 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 thyself, as if another soul lived in the same body; thou wert once darkness, now light in the Lord; once dead, now alive; once blind, 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, he said, Give her meat; so Christ having raised thee from the death of sin to the life of grace, he calls thee hither, that thou may have meat for the nourishment of spiritual 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, etc. which examination is more general or more special.  
1. More general, of all our sins; those before, and those after our effectual calling.  
2. Of our Graces. 1. What knowledge of God: 2. What faith: 3. what repentance: 4. what love: 5. what hunger & thirst, etc.  
2. It is more special: 1. how the soul hath carried itself under former Sacraments, & in particular since the last Sacrament: what good it hath gotten; what more strength of faith; what more weakening 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 vows, promises, against covenant, which doth add much guilt to sin, and double the offence. 2. The soul is to examine itself, how it stands for present; what aptness, what fitness for the duty; what Sacramental sorrow; what faith to close with God in the present offer, what fitness to join with its fellow-members in holy communion and love; what hungering and thirsting after Christ in this Ordinance; what spiritual 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 ourselves, that's the first.  
2. There is required Excitation of our graces, that we stir up our faith, our repentance, our hunger and thirst, etc. 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 glorify 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 me. Christ did a great work for us, and he is desirous it may may not be forgotten; He hath taken care it should be remembered 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 show 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 he hath taken care to remember it in heaven; 
Heb. 9.24.  so he hath taken care to keep it in remembrance on earth. And therefore he hath set up this ordinance, to show 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 we ought, then do we sanctify God in this Ordinance; I say truly and rightly, for every remembrance will not serve the turn. 1. It must be a cordial and hearty remembrance; we 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 historical 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 cordial. 2. It must be a grateful and thankful 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 engraven, The price of blood; and you will see great cause to be thankful. 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, etc. 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 he 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 sinful 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 heavy to him? shall I love and bosom the knife hath killed my husband? Under the Law, if an Ox gored 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 he who observes God's ends, doth sanctify 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 showed at large.  
3. See whether you do return home with God's quickenings, with God's inlargements, with God's inablements? are you more humble? more serviceable? Are you more thankful? Do you find corruptions weakened? your graces strengthened? Doth your endeavours afterward answer your care and conscience before? Is your heart set further against sin? Are the ways of God more lovely to you? Are your souls knit nearer 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 condition; the soul never yet awakened to see sin, and be humbled for it. Thou know'st what sin is in the Catechism, but dost not know what sin is upon the conscience; Thou canst tell me 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 thyself to mourn, and break thy heart for sin. Where are the chambers? where the closerts? where the bedsides? that can bear witness of thy mourning for sin? And yet dost thou come? Thou breakest God's order, and so art a profaner of this holy Table. 2. If thou breakest God's rules, that thou dost not prepare thyself by examination and excitation of thy graces, but rushest into God's presence, breaks in upon this Ordinance, without any suitable affections to it, thou art a profaner of this Ordinance, etc. 3. If thou dost not observe God's ends, but comes hither, as many do: either to avoid scandal, or the censures of men; or, for custom, or, for fashion sake; because others come, therefore thou wilt not stay away; or (which I cannot express with abhorrency and detestation enough) because thou shalt sit at thy Master's table that day, and go into the fields afterward. Thou art a profaner of this ordinance; And, Oh! that we had some Tirshatha to drive these away: We read in Ezra 2.61, 62. that Tirshatha would not suffer the sons of Kosse and Barzilli to eat of the holy things, because their genealogies were not found registered 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. He that regardeth iniquity in his heart, etc. though he 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 reform, etc. And if this will not prevail, read and tremble, thou profane person, 1 Cor. 11.29. He that eateth and drinketh unworthily, etc. He is made guilty of Christ's death, as Pilate, Herod, Judas, the Soldiers were; He eats and drinks damnation to himself, and for this cause many were sick, weak and fallen asleep; And to this add 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 tells us, an unsanctified presence is worse than a profane absence. But yet wilt thou adventure? dost thou find any thing in the Sacrament to encourage thee to come? Let us look upon it under the several names and notions, under which it's presented.  
1. It's called a Seal, and is the Sacrament any encouragement to thee under this notion; unto whom the Word doth promise nothing, the Sacrament seals nothing; but the Word promiseth nothing to unregenerate men. All God's Word is against thee, nothing for thee, and therefore here is but poor encouragement, 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. It's 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 only to branches, life only to his members; 
* Qui vult vivere in capite oportet esse in corpore. Caput corporis sui caput, non alieni.  he 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.  
3. It's called a Supper, the Lord's Supper. Now, is this any encouragement for thee to come, who art a profane person?  
There are three things requisite in the persons that go to a supper: 

Life.  
Appetite.  
Apparel.    
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. Apparel: No man will go naked to a Feast; your apparel here is the Wedding Garment; Christ for justification, Christ for sanctification; and he that came without 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 profane absence. Those that draw near to God in an Ordinance, and do not sanctify God in it, God will be sanctified upon them; And that is the third and last Doctrine which we now come unto, viz.  
God will be sanctified upon every one who do not sanctify him in his ordinances. Doct. 3 In the prosecution of which, we will show,  
1. What is meant by God's sanctifying himself on men.  
2. Why God will sanctify himself on those that do not sanctify him in Ordinances, and so we shall come to application.  
1. For the first, What is meant by God's sanctifying himself on a man.  
For the answer of which, I conceive that place which I named in the beginning, Ezek. c. 28. v. 22. will afford us some help; When I have executed my judgements on her, then will I be sanctified in her. Upon which Jerome, 
* Sanctificatio Dei est paena peccantium.  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 sanctify himself on men when he inflicts corporal punishments upon men for profaning his Ordinance: as you see here, and the like, 1 Cor. 11.29. For this cause many are sick,— etc.  
2. God sanctifies himself on men, when he inflicts spiritual punishment upon men, etc. viz. security, blindness, hardness; when men do not walk suitably to the light of Ordinances, he takes away either light or sight, either ordinances or men's eyes, that seeing they might not see,— etc.  
3. God doth sanctify himself on men who profane his Ordinance, when he doth inflict eternal punishments upon men; this see in the 1 Cor. 11.29. He 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 profanation 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 Reason's God doth sanctify himself on those that do not sanctify him in Ordinances.  
1. In terrorem, Reas. 1 for the terror and dread of all profane persons, that when you hear how God hath punished others, who have profaned the Ordinances of God, you might tremble, and not dare to profane 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 profane them. They would but make children-play of all the threaten of God, as they did in 2 Peter 3.3. There shall come in the last day, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, scoffers, such as shall make children-play of all the threats of God, and look upon them but as harmless Bugbears, to keep them in awe only. But when God doth back a threatening with a punishment, as you see he did here in the Text, and on the Corinthians, this strikes dread into the hearts of profane persons.  
2. Reas. 2 God doth it in cautionem, for warning, That others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, might be our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 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 sin 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, 
 te condiret.  etc. 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 profaning the Sabbath. Jerusalem was destroyed for her Idolatry, Babylon for her pride, Sodom for uncleanness, the old world for drunkenness, that these might stand up as warnings to us. As the Apostle shows at large, 1 Cor. 10.5. to the 12. Let us not be Idolaters, as some of them were, etc. 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. Read 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, etc. Read 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 profanation of this ordinance, God doth thus punish the prophaners of it, that others might beware of the profanation; therefore did he punish the Corinthians with sickness, with death, weakness, for the unworthy partaking of this Ordinance; that so they that remained alive, and we that follow them, might beware of the like sin, lest we partake of the like, or a worse punishment; for usually, God's second blows are more heavy than the first: they were the first sufferers for this sin; and if they were so heavily punished, what may we then expect, if we do profane this Ordinance?  
Reason 3. Reas. 3 In manifestationem justitiae, to declare his justice against sin. God, he made a threatening against this; and if God should not sometimes punish offenders, either men would think they did not offend; or if they did, that God was not just, because he did not punish. Therefore God to clear his justice, and convince men of sin, doth often sanctify himself on such as profane, etc.  
4. Ad removendum scandala; Reas. 4 to take away scandals: as you see he doth sometime punish his own people, because their sins occasion scandal. God was more dishonoured by the uncleanness of David, then by all the filth of Sodom; and therefore, because he had caused the name of God to be blasphemed, God punisheth him, though he pardoned him; and as he doth punish his own people, if they sin, because they have given occasion to the wicked within the Church to blaspheme: so he punishes the wicked, because they give occasion to them, who are without the Church to blaspheme; What will Heathens, Turks and Pagans say? 
* 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 Gospelers.  
Reas. 5. Why God doth sanctify himself on such as do not sanctify 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 profane his ordinances. You see what a conceit those had of God in Psalm 50. vers. 21. because God did forbear to punish offenders: When thou sawest a thief, thou consentedst with him, etc. 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 those that were guilty. 
Scelerum paetronum.  Thou thought I was altogether such a one as thyself; that is, that I was one who liked and approved of thy do; 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 clear himself, to hold up his great name, but this way, to make them know what they had done, and therefore it follows: I will set thy sins in order before thine eyes. Oh! consider this, ye that forget God, lest, etc. 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 profane this Ordinance, God hath threatened death and damnation 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 sanctify himself upon those who do not sanctify him in this Ordinance; sometimes in afflicting visible & corporal judgements on offenders, as you see in the Corinthians; always invisible and spiritual judgements for the present, and eternal judgement if you do not repent. And this you see God doth to hold up his name, which otherwise would be polluted by men. As in nature for preservation of the whole, particulars perish: It's better one perish then unity itself: So here, for the preservation of the glory of God, (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, etc. Men that will not learn by the Word, must be taught by works; if the Word will not prevail with you, to forbear the profanation of his Ordinances, than his works come in. If you will be so sensual 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 evil by sense, which by faith they would not believe to be evil. When the word will not prevail with men to forbear profanation of any ordinance, or any sin, then from word he goes to works; lays afflictions, judgements, punishments 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 he comes to the word again: For this cause many are sick. And no doubt, but word upon works, was more prevalent with them, than when it went alone.  
Reason. Reas. 6 6. To declare his hatred against sin: God hates all sin; and the nearer a sin comes to God, the more he hates it. Now this is near him, you dishonour his Name; his Ordinances are precious, they are his name; and therefore God will not hold such guiltless, etc. Thus you see I have showed you, that God will sanctify himself upon all those who do not sanctify him in an ordinance: And I have showed you the grounds & reasons of it; now to application.  
Use 1. Oh! then take heed thou who art a profane person, a swearer, a drunkard, and forbear, lest God make this true of thee this day, and raise his glory out of thy ruins. 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 Captains wisdom in the 2 Kings 1.13, 14. who, when he saw God's visible judgements upon the two former Captains, he takes warning thereby, and avoids their sins; so you that are profane, when you see and hear what God hath threatened against prophaners of this Ordinance; and what fearful 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 he promiseth is sure to come to pass; so what ever he threatens. And though he 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 threatening in comparison of the other, you eat and drink damnation to yourselves? This is as far above the other, as a temporal is below an eternal; A punishment upon the body below the everlasting wrath of God, and punishment of your souls. Better you were struck 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 he 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 knows whether he 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 fear, thou went with them, but from fire to fire, from a destruction by fire, to preservation in fire, from temporal to eternal burn. But suppose that God should forbear his stroke now, yet it is certain to come. 
Quorum ultio reponitur in futurum.  And woe 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 all thy profanations 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, etc.  
Use 2. If so, Oh! then look to it, you who go on in a way of profanation of God's Ordinances. God hath said, he will be sanctified of them who draw near 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 profaner of his Ordinances? And to all thy profanations, as it was said of Herod, he added this, that he cast John in prison; so you add this to all the rest, the profanation 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 actual preparation and disposition, in the Ordinance, how shall he bear with thee thou profane person, graceless person? If 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 will 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, etc. for thy part, thou hast come hither, and gone home, and found no hurt. And hast thou so? Bless not thyself in that, there is the more behind. A black and dismal shower of wrath is sure to fall upon thee one day. This is true, God will be sanctified of them that come nigh him. And this is true also, He 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 damned in hell, the blood of Christ could pardon thee, and take off that guilt. But what shall take off the guilt of that that should take off guilt? Oh! see what a sin it is; and in the fear of God, add not this to all your sin, to all your swear, your profanations, drunkenness, add not this to all, to be guilty of the body and blood of Christ; assure yourselves, 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 prized when the death of his Son is slighted? nay, when you by this sin shall crucify Christ again? judge that.  
Use 3. Well then, if the sin be so great, and the punishment which God hath threatened be so terrible, what care ought we to have, we do not profane this Ordinance? and what care to look back into our lives, and see whether we have not profaned this Ordinance. The one, to prevent sin not committed, and so to prevent wrath; the other to repent of sin committed, and so to turn away wrath. But you will say, how shall I know whether I have profaned this Ordinance? For the answer of which, I refer yond to what I have said in the second Doctrine (where I put the trial upon these three Generals: 1. the observing God's order: 2. God's rules: 3. God's ends.) I shall now add 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 profaned 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 spiritual 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 profaned. 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 profaner of this Ordinance: Indeed God's 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 showed at large.  
So that is the first, when we get no good.  
2. When a man is worse after then before, this is an evident sign he hath profaned 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 entered into him, he took fuller and stronger possession of him; and you shall see this the ordinary fruit of profanation of this ordinance, men wax worse & worse, proceeding from evil to evil. It may be, when first they came to receive, they were fearful; for there is some natural 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 profanation 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 fare worse. Why, here is the reason, the custom of profanation 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 natural 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 moral principles, but he may sin away the very principles of nature. Sin will never leave till it hath made all as vile as itself, Rom. 1.26, 27. When men live in the profanation of this Ordinance, they wax worse and worse. That man runs violently on in sin, who sets out from the profanation of God's Ordinances, because he runs with the Devil's strength, Satan hath filled his heart with more mischief. As the Saints do run more actively in the ways of God after, so the wicked more violently in a way of sin. The profanation of this Ordinance doth strengthen men to further sin; 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 enable to the performance of another: So one sin doth dispose and strengthen to the commission 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 threaten here to sin, will not stick to do it in other cases. It causes God to give us up to blindness of mind, hardness of heart, etc. which gives Satan further footing in men's hearts, to egg them on to all munner of wickedness. You see it in Judas; and therefore, if thou find thyself worse in life and conversation, there's a manifest sign thou hast profaned this Ordinance.  
3. 
Sign of profanation.  When a man feeds upon nothing but the outward element, the Bread and Wine, and not upon Christ in the promise, he profanes this Ordinance. If thou feedest not upon panem Christum, as well as panem Christi, the Bread which is the Lord, as well as the Bread of the Lord, thou profanest this Ordinance. A man may eat Bread, and drink Wine in an ordinary way, and not sin; but he who eats Bread, and drinks Wine in the way of an Ordinance, and doth not feed upon Christ himself, he is a profaner 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 he who never fed on Christ spiritually, can never taste him sacramentally. Thou hast no organ, no eye of faith to see Christ here, nor no mouth of faith to taste him here, no lise to desire him, and therefore cannot feed on him. And he who doth not feed upon Christ here, is a profaner of this Ordinance. A man may feed upon Christ, and never taste of the Bread and Wine, and yet have the same benefits, Joh. 6.53. a place which is spoken of the spiritual 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 he profanes 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 profaner of this Ordinance. Well then, to sum up all in this, Would you know whether you have profaned this Ordinance? 
Recapitution.   
1. See if you have observed God's order, etc. If thou hast not observed God's 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 profaner of it. And alas, of that little trial I have had in this last matter, viz. knowledge, I have found great want. You would admire if I should tell you the senseless answers I have had; I speak not of all, there are some who are but green in years, yet are ripe in knowledge; but yet many who are grave in years extreme ignorant: Ask them what a Sacrament is, they cannot tell; ask them for what end they come to the Sacrament, they tell 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 than 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 me as much as any in the world, of the nature of God, of Christ, of the Sacraments, etc. yet without Grace, this would not make him a worthy Receiver. The Devil knows more than most men, for the speculative part; yet what is he the better for that? But yet if a man be ignorant, he must needs be a profaner 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 mind is not good. We have a profane Proverb, He that made us save us. But God answers that, in Isa. 27.11. 
Isa. 27.11.  Ye are a people of no understanding, therefore he that made you will not save you, and he that form you will show 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 profane 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 God's order, and so profanest this Ordinance. 2. If you have not observed Gods rules, examined yourself, and excited and stirred up your Graces.  
3. If you have not observed Gods ends, etc. you will be prophaners of this ordinance of God. And me thinks this should terrify you, who are profane persons; sure thou hast reason in thee though thou want grace: Dost thou hear what God saith, He will be sanctified of them that come nigh him? Hast thou not heard, he 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 show some visible judgement on thee; Beware, lest God teach thee by works, who wilt not learn by word: See what befell Nadab and Abihu here, because they did not sanctify God: Read 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, etc. 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 ways of mercy, so thou may expect him the same to thee in the the ways of judgement; And if this move thee not, if this will not persuade 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 me 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 yourselves; 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 sanctify God in this Ordinance, he will sanctify himself on thee; because thou dost not glorify him, he will raise his glory out of thy ruins. But whilst I speak thus sadly to the bad, let me not be a terror to the good. I would not break the bruised Reed, nor quench the smoking Flax: As I would not give encouragement to graceless persons, so I would not discourage the least work 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 satisfy 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 find comfort & satisfaction in them; dost thou seek after Christ, pursue Christ; dost thou cast thyself 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.