Now, we are to draw near to God in the Sacrament, and the nearer to God, the more we honour him:1 who honours God most? surely Christ, because he is so near him, being God and man, in one Person, and next to him, the blessed Angels glorify God, they are near him, therefore in Isay 6.2 they cover their faces, it being impossible for the creature, to comprehend the great Majesty of God, and they cover their feet in modesty: the nearer we draw to God, in the meditation and consideration of his excellency in the ordinances, the more humble, and abased we shall be in our selves, and the more we shall honour God, seeing his excellency, especially of his love. So next to the Angels, the Saints: All thy works praise thee. Psal. 145.3 They give matter and occasion, but, Thy Saints bless thee. If it were not for a few Saints on earth, though all the works of God are matter of praise, they could not praise God. Thy Saints bless thee: and the nearer we come to God, the fitter we are for this. Now there is a wondrous near coming to God in the Sacrament, if we come prepared, we come to have communion and strengthening in Christ, he is both the Inviter, and the Feast it self; we come to be made one with him, bone of his bone, and flesh of his flesh; therefore if we come prepared, this is the way to bring us to a disposition to glorify God: you see here the wondrous infinite love of God, in the Sacrament, to stoop so low to his creature, to strengthen our faith, by giving us these things, God had been good to ⟨p. 250⟩us, whether he had given us his Oath, and his Seal, or no, but he knows we are weak, and unbelieving, and doubting, therefore to help us, he hath given us not only his promise, but his Oath, and besides his Oath, he hath given us signs and Seals, here is wondrous mercy. Let us be encouraged to come in, and admire the love of God, not only in giving his Son Christ for us, but in affording us other means to strengthen our faith. Let none be discouraged in the sight, and sense of their own sins, but let them come in, and they shall glorify God the more, where sin hath abounded in their sense and feeling, there grace shall more abound.
Now, wee are to draw neere to God in the Sacrament, and the neerer to God, the more we honour him:1 who honours God most? surely Christ, because he is so neere him, being God and man, in one Person, and next to him, the blessed Angels glorifie God, they are neere him, therefore in Isay 6.2 they cover their faces, it being impossible for the creature, to comprehend the great Majestie of God, and they cover their feet in modesty: the neerer we draw to God, in the meditation and consideration of his excellencie in the ordinances, the more humble, and abased wee shall be in our selves, and the more we shall honour God, seeing his excellency, especially of his love. So next to the Angels, the Saints: All thy workes praise thee. Psal. 145.3 They give matter and occasion, but, Thy Saints blesse thee. If it were not for a few Saints on earth, though all the workes of God are matter of praise, they could not praise God. Thy Saints blesse thee: and the neerer we come to God, the fitter we are for this. Now there is a wondrous neere comming to God in the Sacrament, if we come prepared, we come to have communion and strengthening in Christ, he is both the Inviter, and the Feast it selfe; we come to be made one with him, bone of his bone, and flesh of his flesh; therefore if wee come prepared, this is the way to bring us to a disposition to glorifie God: you see here the wondrous infinite love of God, in the Sacrament, to stoupe so low to his creature, to strengthen our faith, by giving us these things, God had beene good to ⟨p. 250⟩us, whether he had given us his Oath, and his Seale, or no, but he knowes we are weake, and unbeleeving, and doubting, therefore to helpe us, he hath given us not onely his promise, but his Oath, and besides his Oath, hee hath given us signes and Seales, here is wondrous mercy. Let us be encouraged to come in, and admire the love of God, not onely in giving his Sonne Christ for us, but in affording us other meanes to strengthen our faith. Let none be discouraged in the sight, and sense of their owne sinnes, but let them come in, and they shall glorifie God the more, where sinne hath abounded in their sence and feeling, there grace shall more abound.
- 1Application to the Sacrament.
- 2Isaiah. 6.Esay. 6.
- 3Psal. 145.
