Fifthly, Because that God hath ever smitten with fearful Judgments, those who have presumed to use his holy Ordinances without due fear and preparation. God set a flaming▪ Sword in a Cherubim's hand to smite our first Parents,1 being defiled with Sin, if they should attempt to go into Paradise, to eat the Sacrament of the Tree of Life. Fear thou therefore to be smitten with ⟨p. 308⟩the Sword of God's vengeance, if thou presumest to go to the Church with an impenitent heart, to eat the Sacrament of the Lord of Life. God smote fifty thousand of the* Bethshemites for looking irreverently into his Ark, and killedb Uzza with sudden death, for but rash touching of the Ark, and smotec Uzziah with a Leprosy for meddling with the Priests Office, which pertained not unto him. The fear of such a stroke made Hezekiah so earnestly to pray unto God, that he would not smite the People that wanted time to prepare themselves as they should, to eat the Passover; and it is said, that the Lord heard Hezekiah, and healed the people: Intimating, that had it not been for Hezekiah's Prayer, the Lord had smitten the People for their want of due preparation. And the man who came to the Marriage-Feast without his Wedding-garment, or examining of himself, was examined of another: and thereupon bound hand and foot, and cast into utter darkness, Matth. 22. 12. And St. Paul tells the Corinthians, 5that for want of this preparation in examining and judging themselves, before they did eat the Lord's-Supper, God had sent that fearful sickness among them, whereof some were then sick, others weak, and many fallen asleep; 6that is, taken away by temporal death. Insomuch that the Apostle saith, that every unworthy receiver eats his own judgment; temporal, 7if he repents; eternal, if he repents not: and that in so heinous ⟨p. 309⟩a measure; as if he8 were guilty of the very Body and Blood of the Lord, whereof this Sacrament is a holy sign and seal. And Princes punish the Indignity offered to their Great Seal, in as deep a measure, as that which is done to their own Persons, whom it representeth. And how heinous the guiltiness of Christ's Blood is, may appear by the misery of the Jews ever since they wished His Blood to be on them and their Children. 9But then thou wilt say, It were safer to abstain from coming at all to the holy Communion:
Fifthly, Because that God hath ever smitten with fearful Judgments, those who have presumed to use his holy Ordinances without due fear and preparation. God set a flaming▪ Sword in a Cherubim's hand to smite our first Parents,1 being defiled with Sin, if they should attempt to go into Paradise, to eat the Sacrament of the Tree of Life. Fear thou therefore to be smitten with ⟨p. 308⟩the Sword of God's vengeance, if thou presumest to go to the Church with an impenitent heart, to eat the Sacrament of the Lord of Life. God smote fifty thousand of the* Bethshemites for looking irreverently into his Ark, and kill'db Vzza with sudden death, for but rash touching of the Ark, and smotec Vzziah with a Leprosie for medling with the Priests Office, which pertained not unto him. The fear of such a stroke made Hezekiah so earnestly to pray unto God, that he would not smite the People that wanted time to prepare themselves as they should, to eat the Passover; and it is said, that the Lord heard Hezekiah, and healed the people: Intimating, that had it not been for Hezekiah's Prayer, the Lord had smitten the People for their want of due preparation. And the man who came to the Marriage-Feast without his Wedding-garment, or examining of himself, was examined of another: and thereupon bound hand and foot, and cast into utter darkness, Matth. 22. 12. And St. Paul tells the Corinthians, 5that for want of this preparation in examining and judging themselves, before they did eat the Lord's-Supper, God had sent that fearful sickness among them, whereof some were then sick, others weak, and many fallen asleep; 6that is, taken away by temporal death. Insomuch that the Apostle saith, that every unworthy receiver eats his own judgment; temporal, 7if he repents; eternal, if he repents not: and that in so hainous ⟨p. 309⟩
- 1Gen. 3. 24.
- *1 Sam. 6. 19.
- b1 Chr. 13. 9, &c.
- c2 Chron. 26. 19.
- 51 Cor. 11. 28.
- 6Verse 30.
- 7Verse 29.
- 8Verse 27.
- 9Mat. 27. 25.
